TMCP In A Suit

by digby

Steve Clemons always has intriguing insider village gossip and this bit about The Man Called Petraeus testing the waters is especially interesting to me since, like Clemons, I’ve been convinced for a long time that Petraeus was contemplating a run for office. My most recent post on the subject was back in 2008 when I wrote this:

I think there is nearly zero chance that Petraeus is apolitical and I would bet good money that he is positioning himself for a role in shaping policy. His willingness to be used by the Bush administration proves it in my mind. In fact, his recent protestations of being above politics are actually very cunning — if the country devolves back into angry partisanship, which it will (it always does), TMCP will be positioned to be the apolitical outsider with the leadership experience to lead us out of the darkness. There is no doubt in my mind that when he looks in the mirror he sees President Petraeus.

Obama had better watch his back. As Bacevich mentions in the article (and Lucian Truscott IV wrote in my comment section last night) there is a pretty recent example of another ambitious General who stabbed his Democratic president in the back. This is the one area where Obama should cultivate Powell’s advice. He’s an expert.

Clemons thinks that’s a possibility as well, although he’s much more generous toward Petraeus (and certain Republicans) than I am:

[A]fter spending an evening with General Petraeus and watching him closely for a number of years, there is no way that this intelligent leader — with whom I have some disagreements but respect — could be comfortable with the Tea Party takeover of the Republican political machine.

There is always the possibility that a core of reasonable Republicans like Michael Bloomberg, James Baker, Olympia Snowe, Chuck Hagel, Alan Simpson, John Whitehead, Peter Peterson, Rita Hauser and others will try to rekindle classic Republican sensibilities by fighting to re-hijack their party back in an Eisenhower-like campaign with Petraeus at the lead. Remember that Eisenhower clinched the Republican nomination by promising to be the President who though he knew war would end the Korean War. Petraeus knows Afghanistan and Iraq — and though it seems hard to envision today could be the kind of leader promising to end those wars if Obama proves unable to do so.

But Clemons really thinks that Petraeus may be preparing to be VP to Obama, if Clinton retires after the first term and Biden moves over to state:

… General David Petraeus, in his business suit, lurks out there. Obama seems to be concerned about looking like he is weak on national security. The Republicans — at Cheney’s constant goading (and now Sarah Palin’s) — seem to want to continue to play politics through fear-mongering.

Obama could neutralize the possibility that he faces a Republican party challenge by David Petraeus by inviting the General on to the 2012 ticket as a Democrat.

Crazy? Perhaps.

But inviting potential rivals into his tent is becoming a standard Obama trademark — much as he did by appointing Republican Governor of Utah and former G.W. Bush administration Deputy US Trade Representative Jon Huntsman, Jr. to serve as US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

And get this, we have just learned that David Petraeus has not voted since 2002 — not because he doesn’t care to vote — but reportedly because he wants to keep his eventual political options and political loyalties open.

It’s an interesting idea,and I don’t doubt that Petraeus is keeping everyone guessing, but I think his first scenario is far more likely. I just don’t believe for a minute that Petraeus will end up a Democrat. I haven’t had dinner with the man as Clemons did, so maybe he heard something that made him think he is, but his public behavior during the Bush administration was very political — and not in a good way.

There’s no doubt in my mind that he would be a godsend for the GOP so I can certainly see why Obama would want to take him out of the mix. I am just skeptical that he would want Obama.

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