Phoenix Mayor on Obama-Brewer Exchange

Updated: Friday, 27 Jan 2012, 6:30 PM MST
Published : Friday, 27 Jan 2012, 5:18 PM MST

PHOENIX - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer talked about her tussle on the tarmac with President Barack Obama on FOX News Thursday night.

Now for the first time, we're hearing from Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton who witnessed the incident.

The Mayor wouldn't go into detail about what was being said, but he's not thrilled about all the attention it's getting.

Meanwhile, the Governor is doing a round of national media interviews.

In the handwritten letter that apparently started all of this, Brewer focused on Arizona's economic turnaround, writing, "My hope is that while you are here you will have the chance to see our tremendous results first hand."

But all anyone can seem to focus on in the picture of Brewer and Obama -- and Phoenix's Mayor isn't happy.

"The President was here to highlight a great American company that is investing in American jobs, high wage jobs..it is unfortunate the media had played it up so much," said Stanton.

The Governor hasn't been shy about re-living the exchange.

"Please don't come, when we're faced with all this issues of jobs, and economy, when our border's out of control, and feel that the whole issue is about how you're portrayed in our book," said Brewer on FOX News' "Hannity."

That book is now a best seller on Amazon.com. In just one day, it jumped from number 343,222 to number 9.

The President brushed off the incident in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer.

"It's always good publicity for a Republican if they're in an argument with me, but this was really not a big deal," he said.

This isn't the first time the President has been drawn into a tarmac exchange. Back in 2010, Texas Governor Rick Perry handed him a letter and Obama appears to brush off Perry.

"What I am surprised about is we couldn't find a time while he was in town to speak a little bit longer than just at the foot at the step," said Perry at the time. "Hopefully he will read the letter and respond."

According to the governor's Facebook page, no other book has risen on the bestseller's page as fast as her's did. Amazon could not confirm that.

Brewer has denied claims that this is all about publicity. We talked to her Friday night, and she told us, "I don't know what he means by publicity. It certainly wasn't a publicity on my behalf... I went there with a happy heart to welcome him to the great state of Arizona."

"I wrote fast, I wanted to be able to deliver it to him, I thought it would be a genuine effort on my part by writing that letter... it was just the Governor of Arizona going to meet the President of the United States!"

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Phoenix Mayor on Obama-Brewer Exchange

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