Arpaio would like to talk to Obama over a beer

ktar.com
by Bob McClay/KTAR
September 29th, 2011 @ 5:14am

PHOENIX -- Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio wants to have a beer with President Barack Obama.

Arpaio said he wants to chat with the president about Arizona's immigration policies that Obama said are on the wrong track.

"The approach that has been taken to immigration in Arizona, I think, has not always been as productive," Obama said.

When asked by a Latino group why the investigations against Arpaio seemed to have fallen by the wayside, Obama said he could not comment on the Justice Department's three year investigation into racial profiling allegations against the sheriff. Arpaio said that was smart.

"I believe he learned his lesson in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when the police sergeant arrested a black professor and the President stuck his nose in that," Arpaio said. "He did rectify that by calling the professor and the police sergeant to the White House. They had some nice beer and probably lit up a cigar."

Arpaio is wondering why Obama isn't extending a similar invitation to him.

"I'd be glad to give him my advice since he's questioning SB 1070 and the possibility of me going after people with Latino surnames," Arpaio said.

The sheriff said he was insulted by President Obama when he said that Arizona is on the wrong track. Arpaio insists that he is enforcing immigration laws by arresting illegal immigrants.

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