PHOENIX - President Obama needs to see the Arizona border for himself to fully understand the scope of the problem, Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday.
The governor said she is pleased Obama promised during their Thursday meeting to send some top advisers to brief her on exactly what more he plans to do to secure the border. That includes how many of the 1,200 National Guard soldiers he promised for the Southwest will be stationed in Arizona.
But Brewer, speaking to reporters during an appearance at a Phoenix high school, said there is no way the president can really appreciate the situation, even by reading news accounts, watching videos and getting briefed by aides, until he sees it himself.
And that, she said, means being on the ground in Southern Arizona.
"I think the visual of seeing the masses coming across the border certainly, almost like in herds, all day long and at night is unbelievable," she said. "I mean, it's like something you just can't imagine."
On one hand, the governor said she believes the president will be impressed by the number of people picked up by the Border Patrol.
"There just (aren't) enough of them," Brewer said of the number of agents on the border.
The governor added that Obama needs to see the rest of the picture, "the damage that they're doing to the property down there, private property, the garbage that's strewn every which way."
And she said the president needs to look beyond the fence "at the camps that they have south of the border, little blue tents where people are just camped out, waiting for their turn to come."
"It's like a Motel 6," Brewer explained. "People come, stay, go, (they) fill up with new people."
Brewer said she extended a personal invitation to the president during their White House meeting. "He said that he would like to do that," she said.
"That certainly wasn't a commitment," the governor continued.
"But if I have the opportunity to again engage in conversation with him in regard to this issue I certainly will invite him again."
The White House had no immediate response to the comments Brewer made on Friday about her belief the president needs to see the border for himself to understand the problem.
But staffers did note the president has committed to not only putting National Guard soldiers in the Southwest but also to asking Congress for an extra $500 million for border security.
Brewer: Obama needs to see border
Sure he will - just as he has visited all the disasters of late throughout this nation - don't hold your breath Governor - AZ, as everything else, is NOT his priority! He much rather entertain the Beatle and more things that have to do with the entertainment industry. He is a frustrated Hollywoodite.
The governor said she is pleased Obama promised during their Thursday meeting to send some top advisers to brief her on exactly what more he plans to do to secure the border. That includes how many of the 1,200 National Guard soldiers he promised for the Southwest will be stationed in Arizona.
But Brewer, speaking to reporters during an appearance at a Phoenix high school, said there is no way the president can really appreciate the situation, even by reading news accounts, watching videos and getting briefed by aides, until he sees it himself.
And that, she said, means being on the ground in Southern Arizona.
"I think the visual of seeing the masses coming across the border certainly, almost like in herds, all day long and at night is unbelievable," she said. "I mean, it's like something you just can't imagine."
On one hand, the governor said she believes the president will be impressed by the number of people picked up by the Border Patrol.
"There just (aren't) enough of them," Brewer said of the number of agents on the border.
The governor added that Obama needs to see the rest of the picture, "the damage that they're doing to the property down there, private property, the garbage that's strewn every which way."
And she said the president needs to look beyond the fence "at the camps that they have south of the border, little blue tents where people are just camped out, waiting for their turn to come."
"It's like a Motel 6," Brewer explained. "People come, stay, go, (they) fill up with new people."
Brewer said she extended a personal invitation to the president during their White House meeting. "He said that he would like to do that," she said.
"That certainly wasn't a commitment," the governor continued.
"But if I have the opportunity to again engage in conversation with him in regard to this issue I certainly will invite him again."
The White House had no immediate response to the comments Brewer made on Friday about her belief the president needs to see the border for himself to understand the problem.
But staffers did note the president has committed to not only putting National Guard soldiers in the Southwest but also to asking Congress for an extra $500 million for border security.
Brewer: Obama needs to see border
Sure he will - just as he has visited all the disasters of late throughout this nation - don't hold your breath Governor - AZ, as everything else, is NOT his priority! He much rather entertain the Beatle and more things that have to do with the entertainment industry. He is a frustrated Hollywoodite.
