Journalists’ Roundtable: How the Ukraine invasion affects Arizona

More from this show

Laurie Roberts of the Arizona Republic and Stacey Barchenger of the Arizona Republic all join Ted to discuss the major topics of the week.

Today’s topics of the week:

  • Russia vs. Ukraine Impact in AZ
  • Education Waiver Passes
  • Bill Bans Early Voting by Mail
  • Bowers to Run for AZ Senate
  • Cost of Audit Increases

What is the reaction of Arizona politicians to the invasion of Ukraine?

Roberts: “Republicans are seeing this as a big boon for them with elections coming up. They are already portraying Joe Biden as weak and that this would have never happened had it been for Donald Trump. They do have a problem in that their leader, Donald Trump, proclaimed this as a genius move to move into Ukraine, and I think a lot of people took that badly. To me, what is the most interesting about this are the strange bedfellows you are seeing. You are seeing a Paul Gosar, and A.O.C. in the same bed on the issue of, before any American troops go in there, they want Biden to consult with Congress. You so rarely see people from the far-left and the far-right agreeing on something. But that is one place you’ve seen some agreement.”

What are your comments on Kari Lake’s statement on the invasion of Ukraine?

Roberts: “Kari Lake put out a statement that … compared the invasion in Ukraine to the ‘invasion’ on our border. You know, that’s been the big thing with Republicans lately, is to say we are being invaded from the south, from Mexico. And she actually made the comparison saying Joe Biden allowed this to happen and Ukraine has been invaded and so have we, which I think is just such hyperbole and such a cheap political shot at such a key important moment.”

Barchenger: “One thing I would add, the governor’s statement when he condemned this move, he got a lot of positive feedback from acknowledging the danger and the scary situation that is happening in Ukraine. He actually told me that he thinks Biden is right to commit that American troops will not be engaged in conflict.”

Laurie Roberts, Arizona Republic; Stacey Barchenger Arizona Republic

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