Petraeus is a Republican.

[kentuck]

People are wondering why so many in this Administration did not know about what was happening? Even the President didn't know. Dianne Feinstein did not know. One person that might have known was Eric Cantor, the Republican Majority Leader?

Petraeus was considered a shining new star for the Republican Party and a possible Presidential candidate. Is that why Obama put him in such a high position - to keep his political enemies closer? Is that why it is safe for him to go now?

This is just my opinion, but if there is a cover-up involved here, it is with the Republican Party and their leaders in Congress. I do not expect this to go much farther. They can't handle the truth.

[hrmjustin]

1. Is he a registered republican?

[HereSince1628]

3. There are google-hits that suggest he's a registered republican

didn't mean to link that to your reply , sorry

[hrmjustin]

7. It is ok I asked my friend.

[BlueCaliDem]

4. Yes, according to the the UK Telegraph of March 19, 2010 . . .

Registered as a Republican, the general has told friends that like many senior military figures he hasn't voted for several elections in a bid to preserve his independence.
But he has also described himself as a "Rockefeller Republican" – a pro-business, socially liberal New Englander – who would not fit in well with a party lurching to the Right under the influence of the new Tea Party movement.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7482356/General-David-Petraeus-tipped-as-Republican-2012-presidential-candidate.html

[SleeplessinSoCal]

2. Most definitely his appointment was meant to keep him out of the running in 2012

What I imagine the WH had no idea about is the hubris tucked inside so many Republican icons.

[Zen Democrat]

5. Petraeus was very close to Bush. Has cordial relationship with Obama.

They clashed when Obama visited Iraq during the 2008 campaign and Obama told him that he would end the war in Iraq. Petraeus disagreed vehemently. I definitely believe it is a case of keep your enemies closer.

[GoCubsGo]

6. I mostly agree.

Everyone involve in any wrongdoing, or anything appearing to be wrongdoing is a republican. That's why this all came out AFTER the election. And, why only republicans knew about it, given that Petraeus had broken no laws. Had they been able to implicate President Obama in any way, shape, or form, we all KNOW this would have come out weeks ago.

The only thing on which I disagree with you is that this won't go much further. I think it will, and it may take out a few republicans besides Petraeus. Or, at least another military big-wig or two. I have heard suggestions that there may be some sort of sex ring involving these military officials. Yeah, just a rumor. But, I don't think we are anywhere near the end of this thing, regardless of what might be turned up in the coming days.

[louis-t]

8. He was the only general to tell bush(cheney) what he wanted to hear.

All other generals before him in Iraq said "you cannot win this war militarily" and were immediately fired. Rumsfeld thought they could take over a country of 25 million with 30,000 troops and Shinseki told him it would take 200,000. Shinseki was fired.

[kentuck]

9. And what about Bob Mueller of the FBI?

Wasn't he appointed by the Bushes? Isn't he a lifelong Republican?

So the FBI and CIA and the Republican Congress all knew what was happening but the President and the Democratic leaders, including Feinstein, had no idea???

We should be able to read the tea leaves...

[TwilightGardener]

10. I think Petraeus is mostly for Petraeus. I don't think he's

especially loyal to the Repubs, and I don't think he had Presidential ambitions (having an affair usually doesn't mesh with those plans, witness John Edwards). He's great at promoting himself, but I doubt he's an operative working for the GOP and against Obama. I could be wrong--but this has been my impression.

[spanone]

11. cantor is not majority leader

[kentuck]

12. What is he??

>>>???

[Filibuster Harry]

13. Why didn't Cantor come forward? What was his reason for keeping this hush hush?

The Rs keeping stating, thinking, hoping that the president knew this but hid it until after the election. But if that is the case then why didn't Eric Cantor come forward or leak this to Romney. Now, in my opinion, this affair has nothing to do with the president's re-election. I also believe this story has more to it and will keep going.

[KharmaTrain]

14. Surely Willard Had Big Plans For Him...

I could have seen Petraeus getting Secretary of Defense or NSA in a Willard "administration". Of course there were rumors of him being a Presidential candidate in 2016 and he's always been the darling of the chickenhawks. You can hear by the subdued response from the wingnuts how they're still trying to get their thick heads around what's happening here. Their golden boy has got some 'splainin' to do...

I'm gonna cut Cantor a little bit of slack here. He got the information with little real time to act on it. He ran it past the FBI...which is what he was supposed to do...and didn't follow it further when he was told their was an investigation going on. Now we can play all sorts of "what if" games as to his motivations to remain silent but he did. Remember, going into election day many of the rushpublicans were believing their own skewed polls and that Willard was going to win...embarrassing/outing Petraeus would have more down than upside for them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. yes, he was considered for VP with Romney, can you imagine if this had broken while he was VP

candidate.