Now that the media have finally awakened to the reality that Arizona Republicans are about to be in charge of the Governor's office in addition to the legislature, the shrillness of their coverage has risen to the level of epic fantasy.

For example, in the pivotal scene of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the men of Rohan fall back to the fortress of Helms Deep while the evil Saruman sends an army of orcs to siege and overrun the Helm.
In the Arizona media's version of the narrative, Saruman climactic speech will be delivered by Jan Brewer.
"A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand. This night the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan. March to Helm's Deep. Leave none alive. To war!"
According to the narrative of this epic fantasy, Governor Napolitano would have been the Guardian of Progressive Accomplishment--all day Kindergarten, the nascent Bio Tech Economy, gleaming new University towers--that she has steadfastly promised over the last six years.
The narrative begins in Friday morning's Republic.
Gov. Janet Napolitano's appointment to the incoming Obama administration would put a Republican at the state's helm, potentially leading to harsher budget cuts and a U-turn on state policy governing everything from gun restrictions to abortion.
The Star even managed to introduce comic relief by adding the hapless Republican Ann Day to the narrative.
"Things would unravel," said Day, who served for 10 years in the state Senate with Brewer. "She'd undo every positive thing that's been done — all-day kindergarten, university funding … state shared revenues."
Oh my.
To make this fantasy believable, the media expects the audience to suspend belief and assume that Governor Napolitano could somehow have conjured the money to fund these programs.
The Citizen provides another example of the theme.
(Napolitano's) skills in negotiating and consensus-building spurred the state to progress in education, from all-day kindergarten to improved state universities - even with our economy.
An archconservative approach now likely will undo much of the good that had been done.
The reality, of course, is that Napolitano spent the artificially high revenue generated by the housing bubble on ongoing programs and the state has no ability to maintain that level of funding in a downturn. When the bubble burst, instead of gradually ramping down spending to sustainable levels, she used gimmicks to fill the gap while claiming that revenues would come roaring back.
Her current budget commits the state to spending $10.7 billion even though her own budget team expects the state will only generate $8.5 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, all the one-time accounting measures--school rollover, fund sweeps, rainy day fund and school bonding--have already been utilized. Her last trick is to sell the state's lottery, but that would only raise about $500 million and we would still be $500 million short this year and $1.5 billion short next year. Even Democratic Legislators will admit that there are no options other than cutting spending.
The media uses stories like this one to build the narrative that Governor Napolitano was making a desperate last stand to preserve her record of accomplishment and in her absence, the hoard of Republicans will bring their Escalades to the Capitol and breech the walls.
Brewer known as tight-fisted, partisan
Republican Jan Brewer, who reveled in her reputation as being tight-fisted with taxpayer money when she was in the Legislature, would drastically change the political dynamics in Arizona if she is elevated to governor through the anticipated departure of Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano.
So Brewer is a tight-fisted partisan? I suppose Napolitano is a bipartisan consensus builder?
In addition to dredging up 15 year quotes to demonize Jan Brewer, the media will engage in outright fabrication like in this frantic editorial from the Star.
The new Legislature will be dominated by Republican conservatives from Maricopa County. Among them:... Sen. Bob Burns of Peoria, who this week ruled out planning for infrastructure projects because of the state budget deficit.
Ruled out planning for infrastructure projects? I was at the meeting the Star is referring to and Burns said no such thing. He simply made the point that planning for the year 2030 would have to wait until the state overcame its current crisis. But you don't have to rely on my word, the Star covered the meeting as well and here's what Burns actually said.
"We have used up our cash reserves. We have very few tools left to solve a worsening problem at the state level," said state Sen. Bob Burns, a Peoria Republican who will become president next year from his current post as Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. "It is a critical function to do long-term planning, but when you are in a situation that we find ourselves in now, we have to solve this short-term problem. We cannot continue to let this deteriorate."
So Burns considers long-term planning to be "critical," and clearly hasn't ruled out anything. But that doesn't fit into the Star's fantasy narrative.
Of course, the Star sought to demonize Burns from the very beginning. Here's how they responded to the news that he would be Senate President.
The tone and tenor of the Legislature will change. Bee, a strong voice of reason and moderation, will be replaced as Senate president by ultraconservative Bob Burns of Peoria.
Most members of the media are liberal, but consider themselves moderate, so they look at the legislative spectrum and they assume the people immediately to their right are "conservative," so that large group a bit further to the right must be "ultra" Conservative.
Actually, Bob Burns is well within the category of "conservative". In fact, he's toward the middle of the Senate Republican caucus--which is, of course, why they elected him as President. He's a classic pro-life, limited government, Ronald Reagan Conservative. But part of the media fantasy is to re-define the Republican caucus and make him part of an evil hoard. And since the word "Conservative" still resonates well with the electorate, the media have to make conservatives look extreme by using "right-wing," "Ultra," "Neo-con" or my personal favorite "Uber."
So the saga begins. A classic tale of good versus evil is beginning to unfold...
"In Ancient Times darkness ruled the land and the children of men groaned under rule of Evan Mecham while the Arizona Republic spoke truth from the tower of Pulliam. A light shone briefly as Rose Mofford bloomed for a short time and then faded into dusk. Darkness reigned from Symington to Hull; the children suffered and the universities darkened. Then after many ages when the light of man was nearly extinguished and the darkness loomed eternal, there came a light from the far away kingdom of Albuquerque.
Darkness was pushed to the corners of the land where it lurked and waited...it waited until the Light would be drawn to The One. The One has called the Light and darkness once again has fallen on the land. So begins the tale of Brewer..."
To be continued in the major newspaper near you...
Or, if you prefer, you can watch the local media's version of Governor Brewer's State of the State Address in which she and ultraconservative President Bob Burns address the Republican caucus.