Pat Robertson: L’Affaire Petraeus The Fault Of That Hussy Paula Broadwell

Pat Robertson has an interesting take on the David Petraues scandal:

Televangelist Pat Robertson on Monday suggested that former CIA Director David Petraeus, who recently resigned over an affair with his biographer, was the victim in the scandal because there was “a good-looking lady throwing herself at him” and “he’s a man.”

“I don’t think he is a devious human being,” Robertson explained. “I think he’s been one of the greatest generals America has ever produced. He’s a brilliant man. He’s got a Ph.D from Princeton and his analysis of counterinsurgency is the textbook for the whole military. We’ll sadly miss a man like that.”

The TV preacher went on to explain the scandal by placing the blame on Paula Broadwell, the author who reportedly had an affair with Petraeus..

The affairs of the heart seem to catch these guys,” he opined. “She’s a lieutenant colonel, she is an extremely good-looking woman, she is a marathon runner, she can run Ironman Triathlons. So, she’s out running with him and she’s writing a biography and I think the term is propinquity. And there was a lot of propinquity going on.”

“Well, who knows? The man is off in a foreign land and he’s lonely and here’s a good-looking lady throwing herself at him. I mean, it’s — he’s a man,” Robertson added with a shrug. “So, there are people who felt he shouldn’t resign if it didn’t effect his work.”

“I don’t condone sexual immorality, but at the same time, I don’t think it should be necessarily a disqualification for somebody to head the CIA.”

Of course, we’ve learned since Friday that the affair between Petraeus and Broadwell didn’t start until after he’d returned to the United States in anticipation of beginning his work at the CIA so this “off in a foreign land” thing is nonsense.

Here’s the video:

FILED UNDER: Military Affairs, , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. mattb says:

    If she’d only worn a burqa to hide the shame of her lady bits, then everything would have been ok.

    Seriously, at what point do his followers understand that Robertson is driven by the same fears and ideas that led to extreme interpretations of Sharia Law?

  2. Mark says:

    If only he showed that sort of understanding to people he didn’t greatly admire.

  3. John Peabody says:

    “He’s a man…” …who chose poorly. Falling for a pair of batting eyelids is not universal- There are plenty of men who are stronger than that.

  4. JKB says:

    Well, the affair of Petraeus was a bi-partisan thing. L’affaire Petraeus is Broadwell’s fault. If she hadn’t gone all jealous rage over an possible rival, their affair wouldn’t have ended up the subject of an FBI investigation.

    Of course, this is one of those back pocket scandals the players in DC keep quiet until it is needed. I can’t help but wonder if the Chicago boys didn’t threaten Patraeus but he surprised them by going all man of honor on them and resigning. We’ll see if/when he testifies.

  5. Jr says:

    I can’t help but wonder if the Chicago boys didn’t threaten Patraeus but he surprised them by going all man of honor on them and resigning. We’ll see if/when he testifies.

    You are an idiot.

    Clapper was the one who told Petraeus he was better serve resigning. if it wasn’t for him, Petraeus would have never resigned.

  6. gVOR08 says:

    Good Gawd, I never expected to find myself actually agreeing with Pat Robertson on anything. But yes, a little extra-curricular sexy time shouldn’t disqualify Petraeus. Something for him, his conscience, and his wife to work out. However, the way this seems to be going, there may well be more to it. Also, I understand the CIA has policies. Supposedly it’s OK to have an affair, but you have to inform your supervisor – and your spouse. Probably not well enforced, but once the affair became public, hard to ignore.

  7. Women sense Robertson’s power and they seek the life essence. He does not avoid women, but he does deny them his essence.

  8. Janis Gore says:

    I don’t know. Maybe his guilt got the better of him.

    Far as I know he’s acted honorably toward the country — I can’t say that he has toward his wife.

  9. Rob in CT says:

    @Stormy Dragon:

    Well referenced, sir.

  10. Alex Knapp says:

    “Of course, this is one of those back pocket scandals the players in DC keep quiet until it is needed. I can’t help but wonder if the Chicago boys didn’t threaten Patraeus but he surprised them by going all man of honor on them and resigning. We’ll see if/when he testifies.”

    So you’re cool with adultery AND bearing false witness? Whatever happened to the Ten Commandments?

  11. Gromitt Gunn says:

    @JKB: Let me guess, you’re cool with the gays as long as they keep it on the down low.

  12. legion says:

    @Stormy Dragon: Thankfully, Robertson owns no bombers. Although I hear he calls his bedroom “The War Room”…

  13. michael reynolds says:

    @JKB:

    I can’t help but wonder if the Chicago boys didn’t threaten Patraeus but he surprised them by going all man of honor on them and resigning.

    Today’s dumbest statement so far. Yet, the day is young, so JKB may top himself.

  14. JKB says:

    @Alex Knapp: So you’re cool with adultery AND bearing false witness? Whatever happened to the Ten Commandments?

    What the hell are you on about? I think Bill Clinton spewed what was left of the Ten Commandments onto that blue dress. Besides this is a state matter so religious edicts are not appropriate. Haven’t you been listening to all the church/state separationists? But it is weird the focus on adultery and bearing false witness by a man heading an organization where that is their stock in trade. And where did Petraeus bear false witness?

    @Gromitt Gunn: Let me guess, you’re cool with the gays as long as they keep it on the down low.

    Same question. What are you on about? Where did the gays come in?

    BTW, I see there is now another woman involved, Jill Kelly’s sister in law or something. And these women are psycho. Apparently, we are going to have to get Charlie Sheen to mentor our senior officers and Senators. Crazy bitches are fun but they will always blow up your life.

  15. JKB says:

    @michael reynolds:

    Really, was Patraeus resigning the best move for Obama? Is it really going to distract from Benghazi or is it just going to prime the interest?

    In any case, now John Kerry and some senator Whitehouse are getting tangled up.

  16. michael reynolds says:

    @JKB:

    Dude, your brain doesn’t work.

    You’re a cult member. Brainwashed.

    The distance between left ear and right ear is full of straw.

    Roger Ailes programs that little Commodore 64 you think of as your towering intellect.

    Nobody is home.

    The elevator? It does not go all the way up.

    Lights? Not on.

    Regards,
    Michael in Reality

  17. CSK says:

    I’m always amused when someone like Robertson says, in essence, that men aren’t responsible for what they do when in the presence of an attractive women. Pat, think for a minute, fi you can. What does that say about men? Are they so lacking in self-control, or simple good judgment, that the mere sight of a nice rack or a fine pair of legs causes them to abandon all reason and responsibility?

    Ironically, it’s these same guys–the Robertsons–who will assure you that women can’t handle the tough, important jobs because women are…controlled by their hormones.

  18. grumpy realist says:

    @CSK: It’s exactly like the Hassidim who go all nuts over a woman riding the front half of the bus.

    Dudes, if it’s that easy to discombobulate you, wear blindfolds.

  19. Console says:

    @gVOR08:

    I think he has to fall on his sword. Because even though it’s not like the General is a field agent, the rules should still apply to him. It’s not like CIA has their policy on a whim:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clandestine_HUMINT_asset_recruiting#Love.2C_honeypots_and_recruitment

    Plus, who he had the affair with, and the fact she seems to have been a loose cannon makes it even more of a liability. I’m not a fan of granting people in charge passes just because they are in charge.

  20. legion says:

    @Console: Considering the weirdness of the details that are still just trickling out, I think Petraeus, whatever other flaws he has, was smart enough to see the enormity of the sh*tstorm coming his way, and knew that, win or lose, his time as DCI was done.

  21. Alex Knapp says:

    JKB,

    You misunderstand.

    I’m saying that you seem to be cool with adultery, in the sense that you haven’t condemned Petraeus

    And by implying that Obama was somehow involved in revealing the affair without actually providing evidence is bearing false witness.

  22. sam says:

    @JKB:

    Really, was Patraeus resigning the best move for Obama? Is it really going to distract from Benghazi or is it just going to prime the interest?

    Golly, I don’t know. But you could take all this up with Eric Cantor since he knew about the affair weeks ago and didn’t tell nary another soul in the House. Hmmm, say, maybe, like someone else said, Cantor was part of a conspiracy to reelect the president. Jeepers!!

  23. J-Dub says:

    “Well, who knows? The man is off in a foreign land and he’s lonely and here’s a good-looking lady throwing herself at him. I mean, it’s — he’s a man,”

    Can I get a clarification of Pat’s rules?
    -Do you have to be in a foreign land or can you get lonely in, say, an elevator?
    -Can women get lonely too, or do these rules only apply to men?
    -What other commandments can we break in foreign lands? Is it OK to murder someone in Canada?

  24. Brummagem Joe says:

    What would Robertson have to say that is of any interest to a reasonably well balanced person. Speaking of well balanced am I alone in thinking that Broadwell exhibits somewhat manic symptoms during the various interviews I’ve seen. First rule if you’re a four star general going to have an affair (or anyone really) make sure the woman is discreet.