Education chief Douglas takes over as governor for a bit
Well, that happened ... Let the history books record that, for a brief period this week, Diane Douglas was governor of Arizona. The state superintendent of public instruction ascended to the post in a figurative sense after everyone else in the line of succession above her was out of the state. (Hmmm ... might that have had anything to do with the extreme heat Phoenix has experienced this past week?)
Gov. Doug Ducey left Tuesday for Washington, D.C., to talk about infrastructure; Secretary of State Michele Reagan was in France on vacation; Attorney General Mark Brnovich was out of the country, and Treasurer Jeff DeWit was also in D.C. for a private meeting at the White House.
As fourth in the line of succession, the duties of governor fell to Douglas. She rose to the occasion by writing a proclamation.
It proclaimed Wednesday “Teacher Appreciation Day,” according to Michael Bradley, Douglas’ chief of staff. But the school super, er acting gov, didn’t issue it, Bradley said, wanting to keep the mood light and not ruffle any feathers up the line of succession.
Not that she wasn’t tempted to do more, Bradley joked.
The Douglas era came to an end Friday, as DeWit was back in town at 9 a.m. But his tenure was even shorter: Ducey is supposed to fly back a few hours later.
» Forks up ... Who says the minutiae of elections can’t be fun?
Maricopa County election officials have injected a bit of humor into the normally dry exercise of redrawing precincts.
Tempe voters near Arizona State University might soon cast ballots in precincts named “Sun Devil” and “Pitch Fork,” if a plan proposed by Recorder Adrian Fontes is approved.
And pointy horns even form the top of the “Sun Devil” boundary. The precincts previously were named “Tempe” and Rolling Hills.”
In west Phoenix, a precinct near Grand Canyon University is tentatively named “Lopes” after the school’s antelope mascot, replacing the duller “Cordova.” And other creative names could be on the way.
Fontes, who continues to implement big changes since taking office this year, is asking members of the public to weigh in on the precinct names and boundaries, or suggest a few, before the county Board of Supervisors finalizes the map.
The deadline to comment is Aug. 15. To view a map of the proposed precincts and comment, go to recorder.maricopa.gov/elections/reprecincting.aspx or call 602-506-1511.
» Arizona on the small screen ... With all the controversy emanating from D.C., pundits say TV can’t trump reality.
The new season of “House of Cards” provides yet more proof that art is imitating life.
In episode two of the season released last month, President Frank Underwood is addressing a gathering of governors days before the election. He sets the scene by talking about the terror threats that face America, saying, “We are engaged in the battle of our time.”
Then he proclaims he is issuing an executive order to create safe conditions for voting.
As the governors listen intently, Underwood turns to address the Netflix audience:
“I’m urging these governors to consolidate their voting sites and create ‘voting centers’ so that people feel safe to come out and vote.
“I’m commending Gov. Sally Morrison of the great state of Arizona for giving us all such a good example of voting centers as used in their recent primary.”
Ah yes, that great success with consolidated polling places Maricopa County used for last year’s presidential-preference election. The plan that caused long lines, clogged parking lots and loads of disaffected voters, not to mention people who just gave up and went home.
No wonder President Underwood and the House of Cards crew saw such promise in Arizona’s example.
Watch it for yourself; the reference starts around minutes 6:45 in the second episode of season five.
And stay tuned for another Arizona reference: In later episodes, President Underwood reaches out to a Democratic congressman from Arizona, who happens to be Latino and a member of the progressive caucus. This congressman has it out for the president.
In reality, Arizona has two congressmen who fit that bill: U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who co-chairs progressive caucus, and Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is vicechair of that caucus.
» Quote/tweet of the week “Maybe going forward I shouldn’t stay up late watching the Diamondbacks night games.” — U.S. Sen. John McCain, in a released statement after his questioning of former FBI Director James Comey was met with a collective “Huh?”