Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 01:46 am
David Petraeus isn’t speaking publicly, but he is setting the record straight. Petraeus debunked the right wing conspiracy theories in a series of conversations with CNN’s Kyra Phillips.
Here is the video:
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Transcript via CNN Headline News:
Kyra Phillips: I do have some new information. Let me say first Robin… it’s been really disappointing and shocking to learn about this. I think even more so shocking because this is somebody of great discipline and great leadership and I never, ever expected, of all the men and women I know in uniform, this is an individual that I never would have expected this to happen [with].
With that said, you know, in our first conversation, he had told me he had engaged in something dishonorable. He sought to do the honorable thing in response and that was to come forward. He was very clear that he screwed up terribly — it was all his fault — even that he felt fortunate to have a wife who is far better than he deserves. Obviously he’s taking it really hard. He knows he made a big mistake. He does want to move forward making things work with his family. He doesn’t want to throw 37 years out the window with his wife.
Robin Meade: You know, on the surface it looks like an extramarital affair, but there are concerns about security clearance. Did he talk about Paula Broadwell? Did she have access to information that other people did not, the public did not? Especially regarding Benghazi? I think some people feel she seemingly alluded to some information that she had in a speech recently.
KP: Correct. And I will say, Robin, he has insisted to me that he has never passed classified information to Paula Broadwell. As long as I have known him, he has never wavered on classified information, ever. And to the best of my knowledge, you know, that has always been sacrosanct. I have also never known him to tell me something that is not true, Robin.
RM: Did he say how this may relate to Behghazi? I know he has to testify this week about Benghazi and, you wonder, about the scandal too.
KP: Yes. He has said this has nothing to do with Benghazi and he wants to testify. He will testify. He has maintained to me all along this was a personal failing, Robin, which, as I said, to me was quite stunning and to many other people. He’s not the type of person that I’ve ever known to fail at anything, knowing [him] as long as I have over the years. And so he has made it very clear that this was about an extramarital affair and not over classified information or Benghazi.
The Petraeus denial will only add fuel to the right wing fire. Fox News and the right will claim that due to Obama blackmailing him, Petraeus had to deny everything. The right will reply that he can’t tell the truth, or Obama will make him pay. However, the General’s own word has blown a gigantic hole in the Republican efforts to tie his resignation to Benghazi in order to impeach Obama.
It is going to be very difficult for impeachment charges to be brought against the president when one of the key players in the Republican conspiracy is telling them that they are full of crap.
No matter what Petraeus eventually publicly states in his own voice, don’t expect these right wing conspiracy theories to go away anytime soon. Republicans are so desperate to overthrow the twice elected president that they have convinced themselves that Benghazi is criminal conspiracy involving the president.
Instead of keeping the economy moving and creating jobs, Republicans are preparing to waste months, years, and millions of taxpayer dollars on an investigation of Obama.
The events surrounding the Benghazi attack should be investigated, so that the nation can understand and correct any mistakes that were made. The president and the American people welcome this investigation. What the nation doesn’t need is a replay of Bill Clinton’s second term. The American people have no stomach for another Republican witch hunt against a reelected president.
Republicans aren’t going to help rebuild the economy that they destroyed, but they are going investigate the president.
The GOP has learned absolutely nothing from their resounding defeat.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
