Gov. Jan Brewer followed up her trainwreck debate performance with a vow never to debate again. The kicker is that this small-government conservative admitted that she only participated in the panel at all because she, get this, wanted to qualify for public money to finance her campaign.

Incumbent Republican Jan Brewer said Thursday she has no intention of participating in any more events with Democrat Terry Goddard. She said the only reason she debated him on Wednesday is she had to to qualify for more than $1.7 million in public funds for her campaign.

“I certainly will take my message in a different venue out to the people of Arizona,” she said.

Points for honesty! In other words, Arizona, Jan Brewer will only deign to debate issues if it means there’s a pot of taxpayer gold at the end of the debate rainbow. For my part, I support public financing, but I suspect Brewer’s supporters don’t, and this answer gives the impression of just digging deeper.

On the more important subject, Brewer’s ditching of the media when she couldn’t own up to lying about beheadings in the state as an impetus for passing SB 1070, Brewer came up with a new tactic:

The subject came up during an exchange in which Brewer said unions are to blame for financial fallout over illegal immigration, calling on Goddard to disavow unions’ support because they have called for boycotts of the state.

Goddard responded that it is actually Brewer scaring off tourists with comments about headless bodies being found in the desert, for which there is no supporting evidence.

Brewer insisted later that she has been misquoted. “I never said ‘Arizona,’ and it’s unfortunate that it was construed as ‘Arizona.’ “

So she said that beheadings were happening somewhere in the world, which is why we had to change immigration law in Arizona?

While some media are swallowing this story, it’s pretty preposterous. And it’s also inconsistent with what she’s said before.

On Sunday Squareoff, June 27, Brewer was asked by host Brahm Reznick (26 seconds in), “Which beheadings in Arizona were you referring to?”

Brewer’s answer: “Oh, our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert, either buried or just lying out there, that have been beheaded.”

In the course of Reznick’s response, he says, “I couldn’t find any beheadings in any kind of news search in Arizona.”

Sounds to me like a pretty specific reference to beheadings and Arizona. Don’t let Brewer get away with her lame, “I was talking about Mexico” comeback.

America’s Voice has assembled a “Brewer’s Worst Hits” reel. She’s still favored to win in November. Wow.