This is such a hot mess. Last Friday, former general David Petraeus resigned as director of the CIA, publicly citing an extramarital affair. Petraeus had been married to his wife Holly for decades, and after overseeing the surge in Iraq and then succeeding General Stanley McChrystal as commanding general of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (after McChrystal resigned after his crazy Rolling Stone interview back in 2010.) In 2011, Petraeus left the military and was confirmed for DCIA. So he had only been at Langley for less than a year and a half, and apparently it was just a huge mess and it’s only getting worse.
(Note: from here on out, I’m just going to call him David because I’m tired of typing “Petraeus”.)
David’s mistress was a woman named Paula Broadwell. Broadwell was with David in Afghanistan, at first working on her doctoral thesis and then writing an authorized biography of the general. According to David, their affair only began when he left the military and when he was at Langley. Here’s what’s known:
*Broadwell is married to a doctor. And she’s a mom of two. She’s 40 years old. David is 60, and he and his wife have been married for 37 years.
*An FBI investigation was triggered when a woman named Jill Kelley began receiving threatening emails from Broadwell. Kelley was an unpaid social liaison to US Central Command, and the assumption is that Broadwell thought Kelley and David were having an affair, and Broadwell was warning off her mistress competition.
*When the FBI became focused on Broadwell, they found that she and David had been communicating extensively over email, some of the emails being sexually explicit, including a reference to “sex under the desk”.
*Broadwell’s emails to Kelley include warnings to “back off” and “stay away from my guy”.
*Pres. Obama maintains that the first inkling he had of any of this was last week when David handed in his resignation (Obama said he wanted to think about it, and he accepted the resignation on Friday). Most senior Democrats only heard about it on Thursday and Friday too.
*But! There were some senior Republicans who knew about it the week before (before the election) – some “disgruntled FBI officers” leaked to some Congressional Republicans. There are now significant questions about how the FBI conducted their investigation into Broadwell and David.
*Before last week, David Petraeus was considered one of the ideal candidates for GOP nomination in a future presidential race. For real.
*Most commentators and journalists are going relatively easy on David, even going so far as to make excuses for him, but I did see one dude who really went after him – apparently, David’s wife Holly is widely respected and loved in the military community, and she does a lot of outreach and support work for wounded warriors and military families. Holly has not issued any statements yet, and that’s just a reminder that while this sex scandal is pretty epic and interesting, the dude is still a douchebag for screwing around on a good woman who stood by him for decades and worked tirelessly with great military causes.
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Well then.
If the Director of the CIA can’t keep an extra-marital affair quiet, then I think it’s pretty safe to say no-one can.
A good point, however, I really couldn’t care less who the man has sex with. What I do care about is what he knows about Ben Ghazzi (sp).
That situation is really messed up, and I hope they’re not using this as a diversion to not talk about that.
ITA @Veruca. Just because he’s resigned shouldn’t mean that he’s excused from speaking.
If Petraeus refuses to speak about Benghazi he can be subpoenaed; which is probably what they’ll have to do to Hillary Clinton seeing as she’s resigning in January
I bet we will see more rats jumping ship, hoping they won’t have to testify. Sniff, sniff…something smells rotten.
A person can still be compelled to testify even after they have resigned. His resigning doesn’t change anything in that regard.
And it has been well known for at least a year that Clinton never intended to stay past a the first term.
If congress decides to question the feds about Benghazi, he will be front and center. He’s not getting out of the questioning. Fox has been spinning the news on Benghazi to rebel rouse the right. Just because he’s stepping down doesn’t mean he won’t go through the process of clearing the CIA.
Right? If Stephen Hawking, the smartest man in the world, got caught, so will everyone else.
Hawking is a different kind of smart. Those folk are usually pretty common sense stupid.
WTH? Stephen Hawking cheated? I didn’t even know he was married…how is this even physically possible???
Request information please!
@Really: During his first marriage, Hawking supposedly began a romantic relationship with his nurse Elaine; however, by that point, his wife Jane had apparently also been having an affair (with Hawking’s permission).
Anyway, Jane & Stephen divorced so he could marry Elaine. Unfortunately, that marriage was a disaster – Hawking started showing up at the ER with mysterious injuries like black eyes, a slashed face, a fractured arm, etc. Apparently, his second wife was physically abusing him.
They are divorced now as well. It’s actually a really sad story – in one of the police reports, one of Hawking’s friends claimed that Hawking had said that his marriage lasted for as long as it did because an abusive wife was better than no wife at all.
“in one of the police reports, one of Hawking’s friends claimed that Hawking had said that his marriage lasted for as long as it did because an abusive wife was better than no wife at all.”
That’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard 🙁
The Director of the CIA could have kept this quiet if he’d had enough sense to keep his mistress away from his personal email account. That’s pretty much the reason he’s screwed.
It was an anonymous account, possibly just set up so the two of them could email. When they got into her email account, they found these anonymous emails that they eventually traced to Petraeus.
Now on to the important question: who will be cast in the Hollywood version? I think Tom Hanks might make an interesting Petraeus, no?
Ugh. DIVORCE IS LEGAL! JUST GET A DAMN DIVORCE!!!!
One never knows what goes on in a marriage, but this stinks for Holly. And Broadwell’s husband. I wouldn’t wish this airing of dirty laundry on anyone.
Any man who would cheat on his wife is a douchebag first class. I don’t care who he is. She’s stuck by him for 37 years, basically his whole military career, and what’s she get as a reward. A cheating, lying, used piece of toilet paper for a husband. I hope she takes him to the cleaners.
They are both scum, David and Broadwell. She had a husband and two kids. He had a wife that stood by him for 37 years. The nerve of Broadwell to threaten another woman to stay away from her man. He is not yours he is married to Holly you asswipe. Breaking apart two families, ruining careers because they couldn’t keep it in their pants.
Ironic that he’s a big shot in the military and the CIA and yet a snivelling coward at home. The dame as well. They’re both weak and contemptible. Divorce is so readily available. It’s not that complicated. Unless you want to have your cake and eat it too. I guess it wasn’t ‘true love’ for either of them.
I’ve seen reports that they split up this past summer. I haven’t seen a specific timeline, but wondered whether Broadwell emailed Kelley after the split because she thought Petraeus had taken up with Kelley. In other words, did Petraeus dump her and then she basically cyber-stalked this other women because she thought Kelley had replaced her?
You just insulted half the population.
What, the cheating half? o.O
Like that excuses it. “Everyone does it.” You wouldn’t accept that excuse from a 5 year old.
Love the hilariously named book Broadwell wrote about David — “ALL IN” —
well, I guess he was!
Omg, lol. Ew.
Heee! Good catch! I just snorted my tea all over my keyboard.
If there’s anything I have learned by working in technology, it is you NEVER put anything in email that you don’t want on the cover of the NY Times. If the Director of the CIA is stupid enough to email his mistress ANYTHING referencing their affair, he should resign for reasons of incompetence, not morality. What’s worse is he is not just one more powerful man who destroyed his reputation when he decided getting laid was more important than doing his job. Even more disturbing if that he could have been distracted enough by this situation (mistress with personality “issues”) that he wasn’t present for his very demanding job–and possibly made egregious mistakes because of it.
Well said. He is too stupid to be in charge of the CIA. Who could ever trust his judgement?
Seriously.
The other thing that made my heart sink when this story broke is wondering how will the Republicans somehow make this into a reflection of what they believe are Obama’s shortcomings.
It took them, what .5 seconds? Actually, surprised it took them that long.
Benghazi is and will remain an inexcusable disgrace but I’d stop with the ridiculous conspiracy theories.
Then again, this is the party that is still in denial about why Bush invaded Iraq. Yeah, it wasn’t about oil AT ALL, it was all to “stop terrorism and keep Americans safe”.
So yeah, I guess in the end we all cherry pick our conspiracy theories, depending on our political affiliation.
Couldn’t agree more – apt account of the situation.
I don’t think that people should lose their jobs because of affairs. However, when the head of the CIA uses freakin GMAIL to communicate with his mistress, it is clear that he does not understand how to keep secrets in the age of internet technology. Since keeping secrets is the main function of the CIA that makes him incapable of doing his job and his resignation was absolutely necessary.
@Jani, if they worked for a private company, I *might* be inclined to agree with you.
But they both work in the intelligence community, with access to very sensitive information. Petraeus’ affair was a weakness that could be exploited by someone looking to pressure him into divulging classified information. Losing their jobs is completely appropriate, IMO.
It now appears that Broadwell may actually have divulged classified information. In which case, they should lock her up in Collingwood with Ames and Hansson.
Seriously, right? I’m a lawyer and constantly telling people NOT to put crap in writing. I wouldn’t have thought I’d have to say the same to the director of the damn CIA!
The phone sex would’ve been better anyway 🙂
I second everything you said and raise it with the “additional” friend.
The guy had time for a wife, children, a mistress and a new “lady-friend”…?
When did he ever got any time to do his job?
The guy was a living soap-opera.
Wicki, you are dead on right. What struck me the most when this story broke is the obvious distraction the affair was causing this man. He sent her THOUSANDS of emails, apparently after they broke up. Trying to win her back? Keep her quiet? Who knows. But the simple fact that his mind was so preoccupied, not to mention the time spent emailing her….sheesh! When did he have time to focus on his job? For this reason alone, he is incompetent and I’m glad the douche resigned.
This is one of the saddest parts for the loyal spouse if you ask me. It’s not just the sex. I think the hardest part would be knowing their mind was somewhere else, constantly trying to juggle the lies and deceit. Thousands of emails, god, just awful for Holly. And that broad’s poor husband and kids.
I’ve only half been paying attention to this story. So basically the DCIA resigned over Girl Sh*t. 40 yr old Girl Sh*t! There is so much wrong with that I can. not. even. begin. smdh
I feel bad for his wife. 37years! Then again after all that time maybe she’s ok/used with/to it.
Edit: The cover up line of thought makes more sense than him resigning over an affair. (in Washington of all places!) He’s not even military anymore. It’s not like he could be forced out.
It is a big deal for the head of the CIA. Secrets and all that. Adultery is also a crime in the military.
I typed a something else but then I read up post. Ok, I agree, if she had access to his computer then he definitely needs to be out. Before I was thinking he’s not a General anymore so why should he resign? Still can’t get over the 40 yr old girlsh*t though. Seriously?
At least Clinton kept Lewinsky under the desk! WTF man. lol
Huge security breach. It is upsetting given his service but it has to be enforced.
The FBI determined there was no security breach on the part of the General. He also did nothing illegal.
I wish he hadn’t resigned. it just gives more fuel to the ridiculous mindset in the US that these personal things matter. They rarely do. And they didn’t in this case.
This seems personally or politically motivated by the woman in Tampa and her FBI buddy who told the FBI about these silly “threats.” High school stuff.
I dont get it…. I dont see why this is such an issue and why FBI and CIA are into something as useless and meaningless as this. Are they really trying to distract the public after the elections?
I am only speaking from general knowledge:
There’s a claus in the rules for a military leader of David’s status that expressly forbids affairs or any other sordid behavior which could be used to blackmail him and effect his decisions on military matters.
wow I didn’t know there could be clauses like that! Interesting. I just don’t care if people in office cheat, I’m more concerned if they are capable of doing the damn job they were hired for.
Apparently if you’re head of the CIA and use email/texts to talk about your affairs you can’t be that smart or that good at being clandestine.
Even Katie Holmes was able to beat the scientologists and they were monitoring her every move. I think she should be head of the CIA.
Riana, you just made my day with that comment! Too funny, and SO true! Holmes for DCIA!
Oops, I meant Victoria!
From what i understand, she had access to his computer and email account, which compromises security. Plus, it is not good for someone in his powerful position to be in a position to be blackmailed because of his private life.
I don’t think his regular email. He created an email under a different name to communicate with her. It took a while before the FBI even realized it was Petraeus on that email account.
It’s standard CIA policy for all their employees (they figure if you can keep your vows-you can’t keep your security clearance)
Riana’s right, plus the director of the CIA could be compromised by an affair. That’s the thinking.
Apparently some members of Congress knew as early as October but kept it quite. Its been brewing for sometime. Guess he probably decided to come forth after the elections.
I smell a smokescreen….who the hell cares that he cheated on his wife, that doesn’t prevent him from doing his job. Something else is afoot here, and they’re throwing this “extramarital affair” at us to keep us distracted and not asking too many questions.
Agree with you totally. Isn’t it so obvious?
CIA cares – intelligence officers are held to a different standard because extramarital affairs make them a) vulnerable to blackmail and b) create the potential for the third party to get unauthorized access to the intelligence officer’s files, computer, etc. – which is exactly what happened in this case.
Also any CIA officer who forms a new romantic relationship is required to report it so that person can have a background check done. Conducting a secret affair circumvents that process.
this comment from D is exactly right.
The issue isn’t his cheating, it’s about putting national security at risk.
It will probably come out that he had more mistresses and/or gave his mistress access to classified information.
This was fully investigated and he did not ever risk national security. This investigation would have ended without a lot of disclosure had the original FBI agent, who was a friend of Kelley’s, not contacted a Congressman, who informed Eric Cantor. In fact, this original FBI agent, who was in Tampa, was removed from the case early on, because he was acting so strangely. This is according to Andrea Mitchell.
He can be compelled to testify!!!!! Seriously, stop watching Fox. Plus, he is in the CIA…intelligence officers have to have everyone in their life vetted….she wasn’t and she had his email.
He has agreed to a scheduled Thursday Benghazi testimony.
He will still have to testify. His resignation does not change that.
People really need to stop listening to conspiracy theorists.
And he IS testifying. C/B should add an update to this thread. It’s pretty funny to read all the conspiracy theories on this board given the news that he WILL indeed be testifying.
But don’t worry-the GOP will find something else to get all riled up about.
of course petraeus is a celebrity.
ugh… please – this is no place for a yammerfest about u.s. intelligence/national security issues. leave the petraeus fanboys/girls to sort it out; they must be feeling like chumps for how well he played them.
No place for a yammerfest about national security?? Whatever you think about it, this is all about national security. He gave her access to his EMAIL!! Can you imagine what kind of email the director of the CIA gets?
I don’t like political posts on this website tbh (celebrities are nothing, folks go POSTAL when it’s politics and it makes a fun escape suck).
I feel incredibly bad for Holly and I kinda hate Broadwell, not because of the cheating. But because of the NERVE to email a 3rd woman with “Stay away from my man!”
Are you f’ing kidding me? YOUR man?!
She needs every tooth in her mouth knocked out for that one. Bad enough this whole thing is exposed, but how horrible for Holly THAT’S how it came out.
It’s John Edwards and Rielle Hunter, only a tad smarter.
Reminds me of the female astronaut who stalked & tried to attack her romantic rival. She drove several hundred miles wearing Depends to go after the “other woman”.
Everytime I see Petraeus name I read it as Patronus hahahaha Harry Potter proud fan :p
EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!
http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/8/8a/Luna-Patronus.JPG
=)
no surprise a man threw it all away because a younger version of his wife paid some attention to him. wtf men. and her kind. so selfish.
the fbi getting called out on another blunder is also not a surprise. the whole thing regarding decades of their dna “analysis” that ruined the lives innocent people and prevented victims from receiving real justice is probably just the tip of the iceberg of their awfulness.
SMDH
Wait a sec. I think you may have left out an important part. From what I read on a couple other sites, the threatening emails came from David’s email account. Broadwell had access to his email account.
Ugh! What a mess. It seems like David thought he was above it all to get caught. Or, he thought people would cover for him. He didn’t consider what a crazy jealous mistress might do. I’m sure he counted on her discretion since she is married too.
He used a separate email account under a different name to email with her. She had a separate one, too, from her regular email account.
No, they didn’t. They came from Broadwell’s account. But she had classified material on her computer, so that’s when the FBI had to look further, to determine how she got it. It was not Petraeus who gave it to her.
I think this is all happening because the real CIA is jealous of the amount of attention fake CIA is getting from Homeland.
Awesome!
The-best-show-on-TV-today! If you watch it though, it is eerie how what was written and filmed months ago is happening in the world and our government right now. VP Walden stating “You will not jeopardize MY campaign for the White House”. 🙂
Well, can you blame them?
It’s hard to compete with the riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma that is Claire Danes’ ugly cry face.
I think Claire is pulling off bi-polar brilliantly as an actress. Sadly I have a bi-polar SIL and if you don’t have one closely in your life then you will never comprehend what a hardship it can be for them and everybody around them.
@Chatcat: I do, actually, but here I wasn’t criticizing Claire Danes; I was making a joke about her remarkably flexible & expressive facial features (and lack of vanity) when she does crying scenes – her “ugly crying” has been legendary since My So-Called Life and inspired at least 2 blogs devoted solely to screencaps from all her weeping scenes.
Hell SNL did a skit on it … apparently, Anne Hathaway did a shitty job of it though…she did the same thing in the Rainmaker. It is her “facial” expressions. But bi-polar is hard to handle and yet she has done a great job doing it.
Well, Claire’s chin and lower lip have more range than Anne’s entire face, so it stands to reason that Anne could not achieve Claire’s epic cry face.
But yeah, she’s terrific – I think she’s already got next year’s Emmy in the bag. No other dramatic TV actress working today can touch the work she’s doing right now (both in terms of material & performance).
“Well, Claire’s chin and lower lip have more range than Anne’s entire face.” How true! LOL. Actually I think in episode 4 and/or 5 both her and Damian locked up their next emmy’s. 🙂
http://www.dailylife.com.au/dl-people/dl-entertainment/watch-a-montage-of-claire-danes-amazing-cry-face-through-the-years-20121018-27scy.html
Love love Homeland! Did you guys see last night? There should be a Facebook page dedicated to Rupert Friend’s ass. You could cut glass with his cheek bones ( I mean the ones on his face!) Yum.
Say what now? THAT woke me up. I’m off to watch Homeland.
Lol, I didn’t finish your last sentence. I thought you were talking about his *other* cheeks.
Please, he was vetted and polygraphed in June 2011 for his role as the CIA director. The affair started BEFORE the vetting and swearing in. This administration KNEW about the affair and they appointed him anyway and he accepted anyway. His wife knew and stayed anyway (Holly/Hilary…women who stand by their men and their peckers no matter where they’ve been…UGH). It is this simple, timing is everything and he resigned for only either 1. so he didn’t have to testify against the administration immediately and therefore put “distance” between a newly re-elected President that this could make look really bad in its handling of Benghazi or 2. so he could testify against the administration at his own personal expense and put his reputation of almost 40 years on the line because the 4 dead Americans and their family deserve it. “The truth shall set you free.” This not a “party” issue this is a human one.
Thank you for so eloquently putting my thoughts into words.
🙂
Take the tinfoil hat off because this conspiracy theory is bunk. He can be suponed to testify. Quitting the job doesn’t mean they can’t get him to testify.
The director of the CIA had a secret mistress who was logging in to his email account to threaten another woman. We have to wonder what else that could be classified she has access to. That is some serious shit. Also remember this country almost overthrew a President over an affair that he was hiding. If David had an affair while in the military we could have been dishonorably discharged.
T.C. did I say what happened was a conspiracy? No…I am not Michael Moore or Oliver Stone. If you can’t figure out the morality compass and military honor code I was referring to then it’s no wonder tinfoil hats is your first inclinations.
So much tinfoil here that we should be buying stock in Alcoa.
Chatcat,
CIA agents also have honor codes. Everyone they are in a relationship with gets vetted. You are suggesting he didn’t quit because of the affair, breaking CIA rules, etc. which means you think it’s a cover up. See definition of conspiracy.
T.C. – Yep that is what I am suggesting. I am suggesting he quit because he doesn’t want to be part of a conspiracy (def: plan to commit illegal act together: a secret plan or agreement between two or more people to commit an illegal or subversive act) after the fact on Benghazi that he sees is in the making. I believe he will do the honorable thing (well clearly too late on the “honoring” marriage vowels) for the 4 dead Americans and their families, along with the American public and THAT is unacceptable to many. See definition of honor … oh hell here it is … honor (def: personal integrity: strong moral character or strength, and adherence to ethical principles)
Ironic isn’t it…he shit on the ethics of his marriage vows and yet his ethics as a soldier are robably leading him to do the most ethical thing of all…we will see which one of us right, me that he testify’s and it isn’t going to be flattering or you that this is all just a sore loser conspiracy theory non-event. Stay tuned.
The affair started after he was sworn in. Although some of his associates were concerned about the blurring of boundaries with the press.
He was sworn in September 2011. So now, what according to a “close friend of Pertreaus” or an “inside source” it started 2 months after then…November 2011? It’s all damage control now dear. Like they say “it’s the lies that undo us”. One email, one picture, one inkling that can show the affair a second prior to November 2011 and he won’t be able to dig his ass out from underneath the pile of shit being heaped on his shoulders. But until David Pertreaus speaks the words ‘the affiar started 2 months after I was sworn in as CIA director’ I will put this spin material in the recycle pile.
This is such clueless speculation it’s absurd.
All the “sources” very carefully claiming that the affair didn’t start until AFTER he left the military (huge eyeroll) and not while she spent the better part of a year “embedded” with him in Afghanistan, are desperately hoping to save his military career. Didn’t we get enough condescending lies shoved down our throats in the past few months? *goes off to read about Brandi Glanville*
She was “embedded” alright.
I believe it. They could legitimately spend all this time together overseas. I think it was a business relationship at that time because I think he has great respect for the military. Plus, in close quarters, there would be leaking if anything was going on. Then her book research was done and they didn’t have any legitimate way to spend time together, especially with her being here and him being overseas. Once he got back, in his new job, my guess is that she contacted him, they got together and one thing led to another.
Is that his mom in the third pic?
That’s his wife, Holly.
Sidebar: I get that she looks older than the mistress, but that’s no excuse to crap all over your marriage vows, y’know?
I wish I thought about this:
“Yes, as the old saying goes, behind every successful man there is a woman; however, what is not generally said is that behind every failed man there is also a woman.”
Every time one, especially a successful man is tempted he should askand answer the question “What is it in for her?” before proceeding into anything. Do not let your ego dictate in this instance.
I saw a photo of Paula Broadwell’s two boys, and they are YOUNG. Her husband should get paternity tests.
I have never said this before, nor do I perceive that I will ever have to say it again but When I saw the General’s wife I said to myself no wonder. The woman has let herself go. He probably hasn’t made love to her in 20 years. He’s a good looking man and she has let herself become a mess. SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP HER. I think if wants to appear attractive to her husband, she is going to have to become more glamorous. I’m not talking about overweight, there are beautiful fat women, but her hair, her wardrobe and just a little exercise to firm it all up and by all means a little make up.
Shallow much? Wait until you’re her age before you venture that opinion. Also, your comment is sexist and predictable. Blame the woman. Yeah.
Based on your comment I don’t believe you’ve never said it before, nor do I believe you’ll never say it again.
Also, if you consider that ridiculous hairline and comb over good looking you may wish to do some self-examination.
Neither Broadwell or Petraeus are particularly attractive. Odds are very low she slept with him because he was just so good-looking, especially considering her husband.
Very sexist comment. How Holly looks is not the issue.
If he is that shallow, divorce is legal in this country. He could have gotten one. End of story.
Sometimes things are that shallow.
I applaud you for being brave enough to say what I was too chickensh*t to.
Switch genders and ages for a minute folks. You’re in your 50’s, had a couple of kids and you’re sick of having to turn it on for the old geezer all the time. And old geezers (especially those with power and/or money) get hit on by younger women. Or they hit on receptive younger women. There wouldn’t be any trophy wives if this didn’t happen sometimes.
All that being said, you don’t have to be older and frumpy to get screwed around on.
That doesn’t change the fact that people are not as they often claim “trapped” in a marriage. They can get divorced. And then once they are divorced they can sleep with whoever they want to, without being a cheating creep.
What about Broadwell’s husband, did she cheat on him too because he has let himself go? Did Tiger Woods cheat on his beautiful wife because she let herself go? What about Rupert Sanders? Did Liberty Ross gain weight and let herself go? Did Robert Pattinson become a fatty forcing Kstew to look somewhere else? What about Arnold and his housekeeper? These are nothing but bullshit excuses for cheaters. The blame it on the wife excuse. You should hook up with the Kstew fans.
Let us be honest here.When I saw the photo of Petraeus wife, i really could not beleive it is his wife.I am expecting someone glamorous.I know , people here will attack me but she is really so unattractive.Maybe she is smart and so kind that is why he stayed with her.But still what he did was wrong and i hate that Broadwell woman (she is not a beauty as well)
Perhaps Holly was just a LITTLE busy with her outreach and support work for wounded warriors and military families? I’m sure she is also involved in numerous other causes. Guess she should have took time away from all those in need to primp and preen more?
I agree with you. I was very surprised at the frightful state his wife of 37 years was in. I’m not saying thats a reason to cheat. My very first thought after I saw her picture was a vision of the very large under wear (in white, beige or black nylon blend) she no doubt wears.
I’m sure she is a lovely, educated, giving, and supportive woman but none of that should take a back seat to grooming and personal presentation. Men are visual.
And, ugh, Petraeus is no looker either.
Whatever. This is a very childish comment. Or a very old-fashioned one. Glamor as a preemptive measure against adultery. Good luck to you with that! When I’m going to be Holly’s age, I plan to be a frumpy, healthy, happy lady, not a bitchy walking collagen bag.
Perfectly put!
Look around you and see all the very happily married couples who look like her, not like Hollywood types. Plenty of real women with quite happy sex lives have better things to do than try to meet your dubious standards. Have you looked at the woman’s activities?!? That’s a very busy and well respected person. She doesn’t need to look Hollywood. Not everybody is fixated on appearances.
Good looking, in-shape, glamorous people get cheated on all the damn time. Someone upthread listed a bunch of famous hotties whose spouses/significant others have cheated on them.
Hell, one of the most beautiful famous woman of the last century, Princess Diana, had a cheating spouse.
This isn’t about what Holly Petreaus looks like. It’s about the actions and decisions of her spouse and the other woman (women, perhaps) involved.
Best damn statement so far^^^^ !!
What made me sad is I actually had seen a statement where Holly was taking part of the blame because of all the time they spent apart. BS Holly!! He didn’t keep it in his pants and that is on him! No matter what a wife deserves so much more respect than that
Um, she’s been a little busy. Maybe you’d like to look her up before you go bashing her based on her looks. I bet Wounded Warrior don’t give a flying fk about her looks. Seriously SMH!
It’s always funny to me when a sidepiece warns another (3rd, 4th, and 5th) sidepiece to stay away from “her” man. Um, if he’s cheating on his wife then why the frick would you think you are the only one? It defies all logic.
People are so idiotic.
Totally. How dare you try to steal what I stole!
This is a very shady deal. Even the Congress can’t get information they want from the FBI and Justice Department relating to very important matters of public interest.
However, all of a sudden the most intimate details of a private affair come out of an FBI investigation. These confidential files and emails are released which discredits the CIA Director who is suppose to testify before Congress this week about the 9/11/2012 attack on our embassy in Libya. It looks like a set-up to me and somebody wants the general to be crucified.
If Military Intellegence or the Administration is behind this, Obama’s second term is already finished. Something is very wrong here.
Something IS wrong … there, “where” you are.
Rita, your wit and intelligence have been missed! Where ya been?
I don’t care about the affair. I do think it is horrible that it happened and they are terrible people for doing that to their spouses.. I also think the fact that Broadwell was threatening someone makes her a worse person.
People need to stop with the conspiracy theories and realize that he will still have to testify and the resignation does not change that.
This is all about Benghazi, which was deliberately held back until AFTER the election. Four Americans were denied help & now they are dead. Ladies & Gentlemen…meet the fall guy. Keep your eye out for Hillary thrown under a bus somewhere.
completely agree.. convenient timing..
Hillary is out the door soon, followed by Eric Holder of Fast & Furious and let’s not ignore the fact that Iran shot at our drone a week before the election, yet it wasn’t revealed until after.
Resignation or not, Petraeus should have to testify on Benghazi. Four Americans were brutally murdered as our people sat and watched in real time. SOMEONE has to be held accountable for that.
He WILL have to testify. His resignation has nothing at all with his having to testify.
I’m not american and for me it’s crazy how someone has to resign becuase of having an affair. OK, if it affects work but from what I’ve understood it was the mistress who wrote threats and not him. In Europe we don’t care so much if our politicians and officials are screwing around, it’s their private thing, unless it effects their job.
Being unfaithful is not illegal (yet) in the U.S and the Weastern world. Hope it stays that way.
Being unfaithful shows a lack of responsibility, poor character, and a failure of duty to his wife and family. These traits are unacceptable in high-level military leaders. Your country may be okay with it but America isn’t.
I have no idea where you are but as America has the greatest military on the planet we probably protect your citizens too.
If you think our high-ranking military are all faithful, you are dreaming. They just haven’t been caught or the good ol’ boys network protects each other.
My country, Sweden, is not a part of NATO so you’re military is not protecting us.
And my country is doing much better then the U.S if you look at our economy, life expectancy at birth, average health, and so on, so I guess that our way is working pretty good. We also haven’t been at war for the last 250 years.
As long as a politician or official is doing a good job what they do on their free time is OK for me, as long as it is nothing illegal.
Well Lotta, we are also only about a 250 year old ‘country’ and compared to the long established countries (i.e. Sweden) who have been around for say 1000 or more years – we are still young. I am not a great history buff but I would bet Sweden has been involved in it’s fair share of “wars” over those 1000 or more years. Hmmmm… I may have to do some investigating on that now that my interest has been peaked.
You know the saying…maturity comes with age. We are still in the crawling stage as a country compared to 80% of the rest of civilazation. 🙂
Oh and as much as I abhor “illegal” I find “immoral” just as disgusting. “Hey it’s my free time honey, I’m gonna go bang my biographer, who is also married with kids. OK. Don’t wait up…it’s not like I am going to do anything “illegal” or anything.”
My point was not to discuss history but to answer Grace that even though we draw a line between a person’s private and proffesional life, it doesn’t mean that we need protection. And drawing that line hasn’t kept the U.S out if war either, so I don’t see that it’s working.
If his job has suffered in anyway because of his affair of course he should have to go. Otherwise I think it is a private thing between him and his wife (and those of us who like to gossip, I guess).
I also would like to point out
Lol put the ooh rah nonsense away Grace, nobody wants to hear it.
There are several comments in this post explaining why it’s a problem for an intelligence officer to have an affair.
This is not about American puritanism. I’m from Europe as well and you’re mistaken if you think that directors of European intelligence agencies have the freedom to hide their sexual affairs from their superiors.
As long as it doesn’t effect their work as I said. Look at Mitterand, Olof Palme, Berlusconi, etc. They all had numerous affairs that didn’t matter in the opinion of the people. Berlusconi made some very bad choices such as having sex with underage women, and that finally got him into trouble.
Get real lotte. Sweden basically collaborated with the Nazis to stay out of WWII. And during the heyday of the Soviet Union it could have rolled up Sweden any day of the week if the US was not there to defend you.
@ Bored suburbanhousewife
Your statement is VERY true.
Oh, please. We aren’t defending Sweden. Modern weapons make it impossible to defend much of anything , we just haven’t realized it yet so we still play the warrior game, making a few weaponsmakers rich, while other countries have moved on to becoming so interdependent that war is extremely unlikely.
And there were limits to what the USSR was willing to take on- they focused on their borders since that was their weak spot, hence the centuries-old habit of controlling countries through which invaders marched. Their leaders weren’t insane like Hitler, but the memory of what he did to them was very fresh. A whole generation of kids grew up fatherless, villages disappeared, whole cities had to be rebuilt. And yet their Constitution and the similar ones in the Republics gave people the tools they needed for dramatic and peaceful change when they wanted it, especially the need for a quorum of voters (so voter boycotts forced change by invalidating elections) and the ability to vote “no” to a candidate (forcing the Party to go back and try again). We need those two things ourselves, since we’re stuck with a winner-take-all setup that makes change very difficult. But all those economy-draining weapons of mass destruction and huge standing armies never protected anybody, here or there. War today is obsolete not because everybody is nice but because it’s just pointless, causing more harm than it might prevent. We have to look for other ways to feel safe if we want to survive.
That’s very unfair, not to Lotte, but to Sweden. America was not ‘there’ to protect Sweden. Sweden was very much aware that in case of opening of hostilities, it could be the first to be steamrolled, before anybody could protect anything. That’s why they did not want to have anything to do with the Cold War business. Hence Palme’s assassination, which, unlike a lot of the BS flayed around here, was indeed the product of a conspiracy.
Which has what, exactly, to do with anything? Lotte is correct, the US does not protect Swedish citizen; it never has & it never will.
Holly will stand by her man because she’s too deep in the military lifestyle to change. As some have said her looks will probably prevent her from marrying again. She will swallow the humiliation, keep his secrets, and get strokes from all of the military families from now on.
For those blaming one or the other…please…it always takes two to tango. Both of them betrayed their spouses and families. They are both in the military and knew from minute one that what they were doing is wrong.
Holly is going no where. As painful as this is for her, their marriage is probably based on a strong friendship and love and strong shared love of service for their country mentality more than passion anymore. He’s been gone for long stretches of time over the course of their marriage. I doubt she thought he had never been unfaithful. But the length of time on this one and having it hurt, humiliate and embarrass her is going to take some time to get over. Plus, they are both military. She won’t forgive him for tarnishing his own legacy which he worked so hard for over the years and to which his childten were so proud of. But they will get through it. Their marriage is too long to end it at this point.
Geez. Again with the sexist ‘looks’ opinion. And the sexist assumption that women only crave to be with a man, to be married. What era is this comment from? It’s belief locked up in patriarchal fantasy and demand.
I’ll let you into a little secret- women at 60 that I know are not panting over a man but rather, happy to be rid of the old ball and chain and enjoying a rare and happy freedom. To care about hooking a man at 60 is just pathetic.
She apparently has had her own military-created career for many years. She works on consumer affairs with military families. She is quite knowledgeable and has done a lot of training. She has a great reputation in the military on her own.
I was in a grocery line and there is a couple in front of me waiting to check out. They are looking at all the magazines and the wife is telling the husband in an annoying voice about the Petraeus incident and they are discussing it. He gets really defensive and says “I get in trouble for what Petraeus did?” Wife says, “thats right you better watch yourself, because all husbands are in trouble right now”.
lol!
DO NOT BLAME THE WIFE! Yes her haircut is unfortunate, but does that give him a pass? Don’t we all look like heck sometimes? If a woman loses a breast to cancer, is the husband entitled to go find a better looking replacement? What happened to staying loyal to the person inside? You’d think someone in the military, where people are maimed every day, would see past the surface. After 37 years she looks dowdy. She is ready to be a grandmother, not expecting to compete with a crazy woman 20 years younger. He is dumb AND a dickweed.
Yes, Holly shows her age & lack of fashion awareness, but she is the daughter of one of David’s West Point instructors. They met on a blind date while he was an undergrad. Hmm, did his father-in-law get him any early career help?
Holly was certainly steeped in the “good military wife” mindset before she met David & has done valuable volunteer service.
I can’t imagine that he got to be a four star general (same as Colin Powell, folks) without his wife being a solid career asset for him. If you’ve been married to an army man for 37 years and he ends up where this guy ended up, then you (Holly) have put in the time/hours/effort to get to the top. Her husband and her children have been her career. A bit old-fashioned by today’s standards but it makes him look like even more of an a**hole.
holly’s dad was a four star general and superintendent of west point, so i’m sure it helped his career.
It’s very possible that Petraeus has encouraged his wife to stay natural looking. My husband is very against costmetic enhancements, for example. I think Holly is very pretty actually. And what I really like about her is that she carries herself as a woman who garners respect for her mind not her appearance.
And why would this Paula chick want to slurp on some old man peen when she has a gorgeous young (doctor?) husband? Maybe she was so taken by his accomplishments and charisma but as a married woman she should have turned her attention toward her husband’s good qualities.
Wow!! Peel back this scab and they’re gonna find a whole lot of pus.
It will all most likely be swept under the rug and forgotten before long.
To all the wingnut conspiracy theorists: Turn off Fox and get out of the closed information feedback loop. That’s why you lost the election. Oh, and some other reasons.
Just saying.
Even Joe Scarborough and other Republicans say the faction of Republicans who listen to certain radios shows (Rush cough cough) and certain cable shows (on Fox News Sean Hannity anyone?) have a skewed view of the world and events that isn’t true and that it’s created an ugly climate within the Republican party that is detrimental.
I always watch his show, even though I don’t agree with a lot of his views
and positions but respect him) because it is a show that has both Republicans and Democrats and newsmen, pundits, etc., on and it provides a healthy debate amongst them all with respect shown to one another. Debate is healthy instead of the continual rhetoric on Fox News.
Agreed. “Morning Joe” is a good show.
This. Seriously-this is a big part of why the GOP lost the election. (that and they once again went off message with the social issues) Scream about the mainstream media all you want, but if you haven’t learned that you need to get news from multiple sources from both sides of an issue in order to find out what’s going on, then I just shake my head at you.
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/09/164819175/some-in-gop-criticize-fox-for-failing-its-audience
Even main stream conservative analysts are saying this now.
http://www.redstate.com/2012/11/09/campaign-sources-the-romney-campaign-was-a-consultant-con-job/
http://www.redstate.com/2012/11/11/from-november-8-2011-see-i-told-you-so/
What do any of those links you posted have to do with “David” and Benghazi? Nothing that I could find, it was all about the election. You do realize we are talking about something beyond and above the election right?
Here is a link about this topic!
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/11/12/politics-of-petraeus-scandal-who-knew-what-when/
Julie and Jayna were talking about the information loop that exists with many Fox news watchers. Regardless of subject. Nothing about David or Benghazi
The examples I used were from the election (that’s what the big story with conservative pundits right now, how they lost the election) but the same concept still stands. Get caught in a information vacuum where you have people pointing fingers merely for political points instead of fact seekers (and this goes for both sides) and all one is going to do is sound like a conspiracy loon.
This guy was the keynote speaker at the college I graduated from this past May 2012! (I graduated in 2010). His wife is an alum which is how the college got connections. I really wondered what he said in his speech… maybe some of the advice was “do not have an affair when you are the CIA director?” I wonder what the reaction was from the college administrators… I think he was given an honorary degree.
I am more intrigued with the reasoning of the low-level FBI agent, who was local in Florida and friends with the Kelly, he reported the emails to the FBI. They eventually closed him out of it and handled it on a higher level. Behind his own employer’s back he contacted someone in Congress, a Republican, forwarding his concerns. How odd. The FBI was still conducting an investigation. They just took the low-level FBI employee out of the loop because of some if his behavior. I think he had ulterior motives not concern for his country when he contacted Republicans behind the FBI’s back.
I was curious about this, too. I’m a fed and if I had gone way over the top of my agency, providing confidential information to Congress on my own, I’d be in big trouble. Of course, he may be protected by the Congressman he informed (and Congressman Cantor) so his agency wouldn’t be able to fire him, but his career isn’t looking too good these days.
Interesting that nowhere do you mention that he is the key to what happened in Benghazi, and because of this spectacularly coincidental piece of news he no longer will testify.
How many time do you have to be told that such things as subpoenas exist and for those no longer with the government they will be subpoened and have to testify.
They do not mention that because it is both incorrect and irrelevant. As others have pointed out (read the comments) he can be compelled to testify. It’s called a subpoena.
You might want to look past Fox “News” for your information.
Great. Yet another reason for my Luddite brother to avoid learning how to use e-mail…..
I doubt the resignation was over his upcoming testimony, they can and will subpoena him if needed. It’s possible he was a problem in other ways, maybe he wasn’t so good at the job. I doubt he was at risk of getting fired over the affair, unless he really bypassed all protocols for vetting romantic entanglements (no evidence so far that he did, sounds like a fluke that those e-mails were examined). Geez, all branches of government would be quickly depleted if that started happening… But even more likely, it really was for purely personal reasons. If he had two on the side, more likely he’s had others, a serial cheater. And more likely it was while still in the military, making it an embarrassing violation of the code and making him liable to court martial if anyone pursued it (and yes, people have been discharged for that). He might think he can shut down media interest by resigning. And/or he might want to try to salvage his marriage, and that’s going to take a lot of work.
The weird way it surfaced, though, sounds very peculiar. Why would some Republican members of Congress be informed about this before the White House? Was it really just Republicans?
The FBI friend of Kelly, the snitch, told Eric Cantor that’s why the Rs knew.
How come one of our top ranking officials could not score a better looking mistress ? Seriously. Look at that woman’s forehead and hairline !!!!! She looks like the villain from Megamind.
I don’t know that much about politics, but I will say that I love it when mistresses of married men get jealous of OTHER mistresses. Are you serious?? LOL – the definition of immature. And then the scumbag guy feels like a pimp cuz 2 women are fighting over his (usually) gross ass.
In the words of my friend “don’t screw crazy.” Its what happens when you anger one mistress and she finds out about your other mistress. Never understand how men can rise to great positions of power to only fall and be defeated by the mighty vagina. Its true, sex is the best weapon.
What is with you right wing folks making bengazi more of an issue than it was… Our citizens were in foreign soil and they were senselessly murdered… that happens everyday with our troops… ever since this war has started … I do not see you all screaming about that … you all are making it something it is not… innocent folks died and that is horrid and breaks my heart but Hillary took responsibility for it that is it .. let it go
As a post-menopausal woman who feels likes she’s “losing” her looks (at least the one’s the media tells us we need) I’d like to offer an alternative picture of Holly Petraeus:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83722.html
The other picture was kind of unfair to her.
Pity the Director of the CIA can’t keep his pants or his mouth zipped tight. Grounds enough for me to want his resignation. And just underlines how hard it is to be a truly good man in this day and age.
I agree. I think Holly is pretty- gorgeous skin, eyes, smile, and seems like a radiant person. No crazy eyes like Paula.
I think this affair is really telling about him. Who knows what other lusts he may have. Money? Bribes? who knows, really. But he certainly isn’t as disciplined as we need our head of CIA to have!
thank you @kaiser for summing up this mess so neatly. I heard about it last week but heard no details.
Lol @ the Fox News watchers. Turn off the conspiracy theory hate speech. David will still have to testify about BG. There is no massive cover up. Seriously Fox News need to be banned.