General David Petraeus tipped as Republican 2012 presidential candidate

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Telegraph

General David Petraeus tipped as Republican 2012 presidential candidate
Speculation is mounting that Gen David Petraeus could run as the Republican presidential candidate in 2012.

By Alex Spillius in Washington
Published: 7:15PM GMT 19 Mar 2010

The shrewd and articulate military commander, credited with turning around the Iraq war, will deliver a speech at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire next week, a traditional staging post in the state where the first presidential primaries are held every four years. Each of the last eight presidents has spoken at the college on their way to victory.

It will be the latest in a series of speaking engagements where the head of the US Central Command region, which covers the Middle East and Central Asia, has veered well into foreign policy discussion and often faced questions about his political ambition.

His stock response is the same as any potential aspirant at this early stage - a flat no. But for someone who professes to have no interest in running for president he has a way of talking about it even when he hasn't been asked directly.

In a recent appearance at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia Gen Petraeus turned a question about whether or not he planned to write a book upon retiring into an opportunity to deny he had political ambitions. On other occasions he has laughed off the notion of a White House bid in a slightly disingenuous manner.





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

[Subdivisions]

1. Isn't he against DADT? That wouldn't make his base very happy. n/t

[tridim]

2. Isn't he already under the GOP bus?

[old mark]

3. I don't think he is crazy enough for them...and he seems too smart to

make them comfortable..he can actually think on his own.
A lot of Dems don't like him, but he is a pretty good general, and I doubt he'd want the pres's job...


mark

[truthisfreedom]

4. He's far too intelligent and independent to be a rethug candidate.

They couldn't keep a leash on him.

[icee]

5. If he runs, this would be severe trouble for Obama.

[tinrobot]

20. Seriously doubt it.

You're getting all negative again.

[icee]

22. With good reason.

[tinrobot]

25. Really? Why is that?

[icee]

26. Mainly Healthcare Reform. The Obama package is a disaster, which

I have posted about on many boards and won't repeat it here. Secondary items include Obamas refusal to reverse the FISA Act; his reversal to go after Bush for Iraq; his refusal to prosecute the Bush Five for torture; the extension of the Patriot Act, and his upgrading the war in Afhanistan, which is costing a million dollars per soldier and giving us nothing. Also, his abject separation of himself from the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party. However, healthcare is the main thing. If this bill passes I believe the Democrats will be soundly defeated in November. Also, Obama will not be able to pass any more of his agenda. The Republicans have said so. Reconciliation doesn't work on everything. So, about the time 2012 rolls around, the horror of George Bush will have faded and they will be ready for a change again. Petraeus may fit the bill for that change. Personally, I don't like him, but I know others do.

[Arkana]

24. Why do you think this?

Don't give me the "He's Eisenhower 2.0!" defense--the GOP has no place for any Eisenhowers anymore.

[icee]

27. No, although Ike was the first President I remember. I think Obama

is doing a poor job as President and in 2012 the American People will be ready for a change. I wrote more about this in the answer post above.

[Mike K]

6. Admiral William Fallon called Petraeus -

- an "ass-kissing little chicken-shit." Which qualifies him for the job.

[peacebird]

19. thanks! I remembered Petraeus being called an asskissing little chicken-shit

but could not remember who said it...
:hi:

[ColesCountyDem]

7. 'Flavor of the week' candidate. n/t

[Turbineguy]

8. Never happen.

He has too many functioning braincells. The repubs want somebody dumb as well as ignorant to apply simple solutions to complex problems.

Just say no. Why pay more?

[Rozlee]

9. Too many female aides to cloud up the morality issue

The rumor was wide and furious during my deployment in the 1st Gulf War that a 23-year-old aide to General Scwartzkoft (sic) had gotten pregnant by him. She was a 1LT at Camp Jack in Dhahran, and it may have or have not been true. But, he would have been a much more natural choice than Powell to have run for the Presidency, yet, he disappeared from the public after the war. Every high ranking officer has himself a little on the side in a war theatre. He might be able to pull off an "I have sinned" moment in the primaries, though.

[AsahinaKimi]

10. This guy scares me.

As President of the United States, you can bet the right wing Christian agenda would be back on course.

[Regret My New Name]

28. Is he religious?

I'd be more scared of his intelligence and cold way of viewing things. Which may sound good on paper, but fail to take into account the human toll. If that makes any sense.

[ChicagoSuz219]

11. I don't think he'll run. n/t

[belpejic]

12. If he's really considering a campaign,

Shouldn't he retire? Isn't it a conflict of interest otherwise? I don't begrudge Petraeus a post-military career, but I really can't see this working out. Wes Clark was not on duty when he made a run.

[Xithras]

13. The birthers would have a fit.

They beat the "natural born citizen" drum for months, delaring that only people who's mother AND father were citizens qualify as "natural born", based on some 200 year old legal opinion. Patraeus's father was born in the Netherlands, and only became a US citizen in the 1940's.

Besides, they'd never get him nominated. Half of the Republican party would be incapable of even spelling his name correctly without writing it out on their hands first. He's to "furrin" for them.

[Rozlee]

16. The birthers wouldn't have a problem. He's white enough for them.

And if they wrote it out on their hands, they wouldn't worry with the spelling, they'd be worried about the pronounciation. They'd have to write, "rimes wit potatus."

[gkhouston]

17. The birthers wouldn't care because Petraeus is white. n/t

[No Elephants]

29. Those birthers don't get the entire birther argument. It is based on the

Constitutional requirement that the President be a "natural born citizen," meaning not naturalized and not "deemed" a citizen by virtue of living in the U.S. when the Constiution was adopted.

Where your parents are born is not a Constiutional issue. Even Taitz does not argue that.

Some birthers are even dumber than other birthers.

[BlueIdaho]

14. Well, he's got a uniform...

And you know how neo-fascists love a uniform...

[Cartoonist]

15. They already have a candidate

I have complete confidence in the right nominating Sarah Palin. She has proven herself to be unqualified, yet they still adore her. Yes, she has opposition from the more intelligent members of the right, but the GOP is crazyland now.

[onenote]

18. not likely

[DFab420]

21. Seems iffy

Wouldn't that be weird to serve under Obama, support his policies, then run against him?

I just feel like that is already a pretzel of a political discussion..

Besides he's to smart for the repubs..he uses words with more then two syllables in it and recent polling shows that republicans think words are socialist......

[Arkana]

23. He's against DADT and has shown a willingness

to actually WORK with the President on Iraq.

That makes him unpalatable to the Republicans.

[Turborama]

30. Sounds like wishful thinking from the right wing British Torygraph

Nothing in that article gives any credible evidence.

Anyway, what's the length of time between serving in the military and being able to run for public office?

[roamer65]

31. Fascism anyone?

[yurbud]

32. good luck with that after his Israel endangering our troops comment

it was accurate but not helpful if he plans to run for office.

[LiberalFighter]

33. He wouldn't win. On either side.