I don't think Petraeus is the one people suspect for doing something "treasonous" or leaking sensitive, classified information. I think people are seeing how easily he became weakened and subject to blackmail and theft of information he has in his living quarters and computer, etc. To me it's mind-boggling that he and the home-wrecker thought they could keep secrets via gmail!!!

I agree these are two separate issues.

He definitely went way over the line in his affair with Broadwell.

I don't think he compromised national security.

Where it is murky for me is, who gave Broadwell enough security clearance to view sensitive documents that were found on her computer.

I hope they get to the bottom of this.

And, why did Broadwell announce in Denver that the CIA kept detainees in the compound in Libya?

And, why the attack blamed on a youtube video when THEY knew that wasn't true?

You know...that you tube video just seemed so implausible a reason and I kept thinking..how could that cause these terrible things........

They showed the man who made it arrested and that didn't make a lot of sense.

And, I don't know what to make of the "coincidence" that Broadwell uses the same law firm as Lewinsky.

Well one fishy "coincidence" in that would be that Broadwell, like Lewinsky, has enough money (or somebody else's money) to be able to afford a retainer like that.

Somebody is paying for this.

This ABC News article and video is very interesting.....

Paula Broadwell Stars in Gun Commercial (for high-tech gun manufacturer seeking military contracts)

"Watchdog groups say it is that last assignment -- promoting a futuristic-looking, high-tech gun for a company that may have been trying to catch the eye of military purchasing officials -- that they find troubling...."

Petraeus Scandal: Paula Broadwell Stars in Gun Commercial - ABC News

I think the correct word is he fell in "lust" with his biographer. Love would have been him saying, I love myself enough that I deserve better than an affair, Love would have been him saying I love and committed to my wife and she deserves better than this, Love would of been him saying to his biographer I love you as a person and you deserve someone better than a man that would cheat on his wife. Love would have been him saying to his biographer I love you as a person and want whats best for you, your husband and kids deserve better than an affair. Love would have been making the hard choices not the easy ones. Lust is exactly what he did. If he can't make the hard choices in his life, how do we know "leaking sensitive classified material would go against his education and career history"? He's proved he will cheat to get what he wants, what makes his career any different. Does anyone think while he carried on his affair his mind was on his job?? the way it would have been if he was busy being faithful to his wife? So yes he betrayed the citizens of the USA, at the min. we didn't get the benifit of his attention to his job

Keep in mind, and this does not defend any of his actions, that many great Americans has the same shortcomings and had an affair. Eisenhower, Kennedy, FDR, and so on. Surely there are many many more, but these had longstanding affairs in an entirely different time in history.

Having an affair does not equate to betrayal of your country...of your spouse, ABSOLUTELY, but do not paint with such a broad brush !!

In my view to part of being a "great american" starts by being a great person. The people you mentioned might or might not be good presidents but that doesn't make them "great americans" I can be good at my job or good at golf doesn't make me a "great american" the people you mentioned were people that ran for president and won, that means they had ego's big enough that they thought they had the answers for the country, that means they were good at wheeling and dealing, that means they worked hard to get what they wanted. The fact that they had affairs also showed they would compromise themselves to "feel good". just because they were elected president doesn't make them "great americans" and I would argure that the ones you mentioned left a lot to be desired as americans and as men

Your point is well taken and I can understand that feeling and again, my note was in no way meant to defend any of these actions.

I might add that Eisenhower sort of was outside your boundaries, but again, your point is well taken.

I am just of the opinion that God never made anyone perfect and NONE of us would like folks to know what weakness we succumbed to during our life.

On this we agree none are perfect, but we owe it to God and ourselves to strive to be as perfect as his strength allows and of course King David is a perfect example of short coming of the flesh. David betrayed God and his country (he affected a battle) when he had his affair

Petraeus began his affair before becoming CIA Director which means he must have lied when going through the vetting process. His critical position had many people depending on him for their very lives. The affair with Broadwell was really very poor judgment and certainly lack good leadership.
It was exacerbated with his relationship with Kelly, a relationship that still is largely unknown.

I expect, heck demand that my leaders exhibit extraordianry restraint in such matters. I had no respect for Kennedy, Eisenhower, Clinton, etc not because they had the affairs but because they were weak shown vulnerablity and underwent such submissions.

Unlike Eisenhower Patraeus like to show of all of his fruit salad (medals, etc) . I suspect that is akin to the things they say about guys who need to drive red sports cars.

One would have to be naive to beleieve that knowledge of his affairs was not used as leverage in th Benghazi incident.

The fact that General Petraeus lied when he accepted the job as CIA director shows that he has total disrepect for the president that nominated him for the job...no respect for his wife, no respect for the president. Good ridance to bad rubbish. And to think he was mentioned as a possible presidential candidate, and now he ends up on the pile of rubbish with other philanderers.

Hopefully, his wife will kick him out and he can go hike the Appalachin Trail.

:agree: