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President Obama's nominee to become ambassador to Iraq withdrew on Monday in light of revelations of personal conduct that spurred questions about his fitness to serve.
Brett McGurk wrote the president and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday to notify them that he had withdrawn his name from consideration over the position. Conservatives had questioned McGurk's nomination after emails surfaced detailing an extramarital affair between McGurk and a reporter, whom he subsequently married.
"[A]fter much thought over the past week, and having discussed the issue with my wife ... I bvelieve it is in the best interests of the country, and of our life together, to withdraw my nomination and serve in another capacity," McGurk wrote.
Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said: "While we regret to see Brett withdraw his candidacy there is no doubt that he will be called on again to serve the country."
The withdrawal means that the president must nominate another ambassadorial candidate for the high-profile position in Iraq. The relationship between the U.S. and Iraq is at an especially important inflection point, given the transition to a post-war relationship between the two nations.
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Conservatives worried about an extra-martial affair?
Give me a break!
Let's see, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, Minnesota airport men's-room, diaper baby down in LA, the guy from NV bopping his BF's wife, while his Mommy & Daddy had to pay the blackmail money...
(You'll can fill in the blanks as to who I'm referring to ;o)
And these idiots are whining about a simple affair?
Feisty,
The LITANY of extra-marital affairs in the GOP side of the aisle:
Would weigh down a gold-plated F****** air craft carrier.
GOP has been routinely blocking nominations since DAY ONE. And Coburn has been serially blocking every possible Bill with secret holds.
What else do these guys do for an Encore?
Clinton . Weiner, Frank, What? You thought Politicians weren't human? Both sides are full of powerful men.
The issue and recurring issue here, is that members of the GOP congressional Maleness consistently get away with it. And live to see another skewed unfairness day in Congress. They continue to Chair important committees in Congress after they've been caught out.
While those who make mistakes on the left are clearly treated differently, and more frequently (by far) pay for it by losing their jobs.
You're not talking about David Vitter, are you, Backhouse? Oh, my. And how about John Ensign, who had to be pried out of the Senate with a crow bar.
@ leroy --
Dear me, I can't believe you forgot John Edwards. But tell me this, leroy -- why is it that you so seldom hear about "powerful" women getting themselves into these fixes? I see three possibilities --
But maybe they should be.
Backhouse, provide names please of GOP committee chairmen currently serving who, in your words, "have been caught out".
I will leave that to others who want to debate it.
Yeah Molly, I could have added Edwards. Or the entire Kennedy family.
Someone with decency.
You most of hit F5 faster than I. That is the trick.
Concern Citizen,
Someone with decency? Because he withdrew his name?
Who would want to spend the summer in Iraq just to be sent home in after the elections?
Clearly he was just working too hard...but if Newt and Callista were fit for the White House, how is it that McGurk is unfit for Ambassador to Iraq? I just don't get it.
The hypocrisy from the GOP never-ever stops. Gingrich can wave his willie in front of the entire female population, and that makes him a presidential candidate. An ambassador nominee has an extra marital affair that results in a marriage, the the GOP take issue. This freakazoid party needs to take its morality issues, and flush itself down the drain.
Clearly he was just working too hard...but if Newt and Callista were fit for the White House, how is it that McGurk is unfit for Ambassador to Iraq? I just don't get it.
Ursula - Excellent point....
I agree with all of you on this one. This should not be an issue.
The Morality Squad is at it again.
Just another great nomination by the Obama team. How can they select so many duds for so many positions. They've gone through 30 people on their economic team and have the unemployment down to 8.2% already Wow. I feel sorry for the unemployed. Must be sad to be looking at another four years without a job.
If screwing someone other than your wife makes you a dud, like half the Republican Party qualifies.
And I'm ignoring the ones that screw other men.
And if we are playing the game of morality police so does half the Democratic party..... Weiner, Edwards, Kennedy ring a bell anyone?.
Really on this topic shouldn't be an issue unless it is conflict of interest.
Last I checked the Dems weren't the ones constantly "defending the sanctity of traditional marriage".
No. They are the ones attacking Marriage and morals. So it is O K if they don't have any.
@ Ruken
Please identify your sources for your comment of half the republican's are screwing someone elses wives. I really would like to see that data.
He dropped out, no one forced him. But as usual with the libretard viners anyone disagreeing with the inflated heads on here must be deranged.
Ruken you must be talking about Barney Franks
Justredd64: No one forced him? Really? Why bother going through the process if you know before hand that the redumblicans and the morality squad would not push his nomination through the senate? Come on, don't insult our intellect by stating that he dropped out because he wanted to.
If Obama thought this would be good for his campaign, he wouldn't have "nudged" him into withdrawing quickly...This way he doesn't have to throw him under the bus later in the campaign....June has been rough enough for Team Obama without having any avoidable negative headlines....
I bvelieve NBC forgot how to edit. How many mistakes did they make? 9th grade writing level.
since you don't seem to know how to spell "believe"....do you think you are the one who should be critical?
maybe you should learn to spell before posting!
Missed that didn't you, b dune? Maybe you should work on your reading skills.
Thanks CB. I thought I was being blatantly obvious.
b dune...(#9.1)...."since you don't seem to know how to spell "believe"....do you think you are the one who should be critical?
maybe you should learn to spell before posting!"
____________________________________________________
Is your shift key broken ?? Sentences start with capital letters.
Have a nice day !! ;-)
You were Leroy. Even the blonde got it lol:)
4 years is almost up. It is time to pick an embassador to Iraq. Right after a budget. Wouldn't want to rush things.
another fine spelling job mr "embassador"...
Leroy2112: Please read your post #9 and then answer back when you remove the foot out of your mouth... The pot calling the kettle black?
justiceforall-2038290...."The pot calling the kettle black?"
Is that a racist comment towards Leroy2112 ??....It's so hard to tell these days when just about anything anyone says gets labeled as Racist !?!?!?
MSNBC... keeping you mis-informed since 2004. The issues surrounding this guy is not about his affair with a reporter. It was his conduct as aide, attache, and envoy. Google this guy ... he and Uday Hussein would have been great party pals.
No wonder liberals are so bankrupt about facts. Their media sources are nothing more than a cover-up machine of the liberal left.
Uh, proud, the story is about his resignation as a candidate and what he said, nothing more. If you want an interpretation that the right wing wants to hear, tune in to FAUX News. Rush will more than accommodate you with any lie you want to pay his sponsors for.
Send Cheney. He will be received with open arms and raised sword. LOL
The difference is the Dems aren't sanctimonious frauds who remove/fail to approve an appointment based solely on an extramarital affair. Let's also not forget Clarence Thomas.
Clarence Thomas, the untold story of what America will do for a gangsta who just keeps on lying. He will go down in history as the least honorable lawyer ever to get that high. Thanks Bush, another feather in your coonskin cap!
No they just try to cover it up and sweep it under the rug.... LOL you guys
The article doesn't give a lot of detail, but did anyone consider that the problem might be the conduct of the nominee might be a problem in Iraq?
Interesting, once again we see Feisty as the band master of an anti-republican tantrum. How does one person get to be first on so many posts and always with posts that are devoid of any real thought?
Let's address the root of the problem:
Religious fundamentalism
When you're pious/righteous, it is o.k. for you to stick your nose into the bedrooms of consenting adults. People's personal lives are used to judge their public lives.
The only person who has anything to say about this is McGurk's ex-wife, and by being an ex- she has already said her piece.
Captain, I hear what you are saying, but Gary Hart was not run out of the Democratic Presidential primary by religious fundamentalism. I just have a problem when anyone says my way is the only right way. Understanding that we have virtually no information on what is going on, we have people that have determined exactly what went on and have determined exactly what should happen. No thought seems to be given about what Iraq might think about him and the fact that it may diminish his ability to best serve his country in THAT particular position.
The choice that Republicans could get behind could not be any clearer....
Newt Gingrich.
The 'affair' has nothing to do with McGurks withdraw. McGurk is more likely using the affair as an excuse to distance himself from a failed administration, or, he just doesn't want an Iraq appointment and who could blame him for that. Whatever the case, lets blame the other side for a poor selection by obama.
Germangem: I do not follow your logic. If he didn't want an appointment in Iraq, why would he expose himself to the scrutiny from the senate? He could have easily avoided the aggravation by declining the post. Was he a bad ambassador because he had an extra-marital affair or was he a bad ambassador because he did not follow the policies of the Department of State. If he was proposed for the post is because the DOS considered that he was capable of holding that post. You trying to deviate the blame by stating that it was a poor choice by Obama is unaccurate. The blame lies in who really is responsible. The opposition in this country has done their work of opposing whatever the President may have proposed. There was not a single proposal of the POTUS that the opposition have agreed to. Just opposition by the opposition itself.
An affair? Let get this right, the man is qualified to serve as an ambassador, but oh wait he has an affair....ah he is married, but guess thats not taken into acount. Only in America, ALL politicians need to keep their self rightous morals out of it!!!!
Maybe a guy who can't keep his pecker in his pants also can't be trusted with top secret stuff... I don't care if you are Newt or Bill Clinton or a Secret Service agent... This guy was just a total loser anyways, not just a cheater.
Count your blessings - at least he isn't gay. It's common knowledge that the state department guys have sex with almost anything in a skirt=trying to keep up with the CIA.
Or maybe it's this he don't want outed. (Posted on some other site don't know if it's true or not)
What if a video existed that showed a prominent State Department VIP on the roof of the Republican Palace in Baghdad receiving, um, pleasure of an oral nature from another State Department officer not his wife, or even his journalist mistress of the time? What if that video has been passed around among Marine Security Guards at the Embassy to the point where it is considered “viral” with many copies made? What if the Deputy Chief of Mission, hand in hand with the Diplomatic Security chief (RSO) at the time, decided that the whole thing needed to be swept under the rug and made to go away, at least until some blogger got a hold of it.
Would that count as poor judgement? What if it was published during his oft-delayed Congressional hearings?
Imagine that, a politician (dem at that) that cheated on his wife.
when will the public realize that politicians are ALL bad, you have to be to live the life of deciet the demand.
Did they rather want someone with Jewish roots or connections?
Big deal , what's wrong with geting a little pu$$y ? Just don't run off the bridge and leave them to die.
I don't think it is about the extra marrital affair(just between us: who did not have one?) It is more about Iraq: who would be stupid enough to go get a bullet overthere?I'm pretty sure he is ready to be Ambassador anywhere else.