Jan Brewer, President Obama and My Spidey Sense

I do believe that there is such a thing as women’s intuition.  I am not talking about a psychic ability to read others’ minds, connect with spirits from the beyond, or divine the future.  I am talking about the learned ability to read body language, facial expression and tone of voice.  Women have survived for thousands of years by figuring out what men mean despite what they say.  Since I understand how evolution works, it is not surprising that the women who were best at deciphering the real meaning behind masculine behavior lived longer, were healthier, stronger, and produced lots of smart baby girls who had the same ability. 

Research proves that women are, as a group, more sensitive to the emotional content of conversations than are men.  As a result, women are better at picking up on subtle, but real, messages. 

That is why, when Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona, says President Obama is thin skinned and treats her with condescension, she is probably right.  Let’s take a look at the history of this little dust up between the President of the United States and his counterpart at the state level. 

On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, Air Force One landed in Arizona.  As is appropriate and usual, the Governor of the state, Jan Brewer, was there to welcome him.  She gave him an envelope with a hand written invitation to lunch and a visit to the Arizona/Mexico border.  What happened next is priceless.  The President evidently took Brewer to task over a quote in her book, Scorpions for Breakfast.  Brewer decided that since the President had drawn the line in the sand, she would step right over it.  They had, what appeared to be a heated, up-close-and-personal discussion over what does and does not constitute good manners.  Since Brewer is almost old enough to be the President’s mother (17 years his senior), I understand her willingness to give a lesson at the propitious moment.

Obama’s knickers were in a bunch because of Brewer’s characterization of a meeting the two of them had in the Oval office in 2010.  They were there to discuss Arizona’s tough new law, currently before the Supreme Court, which requires Arizona police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they detain, whom they suspect of being an illegal alien.  Her quote describing the meeting is as follows, “It was as though President Obama thought he could lecture me and I would learn at his knee.  I felt a little bit like I was being lectured to, and I was a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor and I was this little kid, and this little kid knows what the problem is and I felt minimized to say the least."  

I have seen a photo of Gov. Brewer and Pres. Obama in the Oval office meeting, and it doesn’t take a class in body language to see the, “instructional” attitude in his stance.   Brewer has him pegged.  This man likes his women fawning at his feet, not challenging him.  He is both befuddled and offended by strong women who don’t buy his act.   You can’t escape your up-bringing, and this man grew up with women who were sure he was the little prince.  He really doesn’t know what to do, except be offended by a woman who is willing to tell him he is wrong.  If you are interested in supporting women’s rights, you might keep that in mind.

Look at the delivery as well as the words, and keep the faith.