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Subscribe to RSSLike sands through the hourglass, the latest in the Petraeus sex scandal… Will this reflect poorly on the military as an institution?... Obama meets with labor and progressive leaders at 11:30 am ET to talk about upcoming fiscal cliff negotiations… John Kerry as defense secretary?... Will Pelosi stick around?... And sifting through the exit polls: GOP lost on the issues, too… But there were two bright spots for the party (on role of government and health care).
*** Like sands through the hourglass…: Just when we thought the Petraeus sex scandal couldn't get any more bizarre, here are the new developments we’ve seen in JUST the last 12 hours: Last night we learned, via the Wall Street Journal, that the FBI agent who started the investigation that uncovered the affair between CIA Director David Petraeus and Paula Broadwell had apparently sent a shirtless photos to Jill Kelley. Kelley, you remember, is the woman Broadwell allegedly sent threatening emails to because she feared Kelly was a rival for Petraeus' affections. Then we learned that Gen. John Allen -- the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan who has been nominated to be head of U.S. forces in Europe and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO -- sent 20,000 to 30,000 pages of documents to Kelley (most of them emails). And then comes the news that Petraeus didn’t want to resign, at least until it became clear his affair with Broadwell would become public. Folks, you can't make this up; it sounds like "Young and the Restless," “Days of Our Lives" or an absurd episode of “Real Housewives.”
Handout / Reuters
General John R. Allen, left, incoming commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)/U.S. Forces- Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and General David H. Petraeus, commander, ISAF/USFOR-A, attend a meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan in this July 9, 2011 file photograph.
*** Will this reflect poorly on the military as an institution? The question is whether these are isolated incidents or something more systemic within the military’s culture, especially its top commanders. In our May 2012 NBC/WSJ poll, respondents rated the U.S. military as the institution they had the most confidence in -- a combined 74% said they either had a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence in it. That’s was compared with just 42% who said the same about the presidency, 33% who said that about the Supreme Court, 25% who said that about religious leaders and organizations, 17% who said that about large corporations, 16% who said that about the federal government, and 15% who said that about the news media. As we’ve said before, we’ve become a society that has lost faith in its institutions. Is the military the next to go? This scandal, if it continues to deepen, could do what the Iraq war did NOT: erode trust in the military, at least with the leadership.
*** Latest in the fiscal cliff negotiations: At 11:30 am ET, President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with labor and progressive leaders to talk about the upcoming “fiscal cliff” negotiations. A reminder: The actual talks have not yet started; everyone has to get their politics out of the way first, and that’s what today’s White House meeting is all about. The question: How much leeway is the left going to give Obama, especially when it comes to entitlements? That’s what today’s meeting is about for the president, find out what the left’s breaking point is on Social Security and Medicare, for instance. Here’s more fiscal-cliff reporting from the White House’s side: Team Obama says that its last offer in July 2011 is not even a remote starting point. Their starting point is what they outlined afterward: raising tax rates for the wealthy back to the Clinton levels. And from the GOP’s side: Their starting position is that they are open to changing tax code, but not raising rates. But what they REALLY want are changes to Social Security and Medicare. Politico’s David Rogers makes a very good point: What comes first in the negotiations -- locking down a revenue target or actual tax rates? You can’t really debate rates until a revenue target is agreed upon.
*** Kerry as defense secretary? As one of us reported on “TODAY” on Friday, defense secretary is an option for John Kerry – if the White House decides to have Susan Rice succeed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. And the Washington Post picks that up today: “President Obama is considering asking Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) to serve as his next defense secretary, part of an extensive rearrangement of his national security team that will include a permanent replacement for former CIA director David H. Petraeus. Although Kerry is thought to covet the job of secretary of state, senior administration officials familiar with the transition planning said that nomination will almost certainly go to Susan E. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.” But do note that tapping a new defense secretary might not be something we see for months, especially with the Petraeus/Allen news. The transition at State is expected a lot sooner. By the way, many Republicans, including South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham, are promising a brutal confirmation fight if Rice is picked as they want to re-litigate her role in the Benghazi aftermath.
*** Will Pelosi stick around? Politico: “House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will meet with top Democrats on Tuesday night — followed by another leadership-only session early Wednesday as she prepares for a meeting with all House Democrats — but it is still unclear whether she will stay or go after nearly a decade in power. Pelosi has declined to discuss her plans since Democrats picked up as many as eight seats on Election Day. During an interview Sunday with San Francisco-based reporters on Sunday, Pelosi wasn’t giving anything away.”
*** Sifting through the exit polls: GOP lost on the issues, too: For all the talk about how Romney and the Republicans lost when it came to demographics, the turnout, and the tactics, the exit polls also show that they lost when it came to a slew of issues. For years, the GOP has branded itself as the party that supports low taxes (especially for the wealthy) and opposes abortion and gay marriage. But according to the exit polls from last week’s presidential election, a combined 60% said that tax rates should increase either for everyone or for those making more than $250,000. Just 35% said the tax rates shouldn’t increase for anyone. What’s more, 59% said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. And by a 49%-to-46% margin, voters said that their states should legally recognize same-sex marriage.
*** But two bright spots for the GOP: Even on comprehensive immigration reform -- a subject that some Republicans (like George W. Bush) once supported, but most no longer do -- 65% said most illegal immigrants should be offered a chance to apply for legal status. (And since the election, GOP senators like Lindsey Graham and John McCain are now signaling renewed support of comprehensive immigration reform.) But there were two bright spots for Republicans on the issues: A majority of voters -- 51% -- indicated that the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and the individuals. By comparison, 43% said government should do more to solve problems. That’s a reversal from 2008, when 51% said the government should do more and 43% said it is doing too much. And a plurality of voters -- 49% -- said all or some of the health-care law should be repealed, versus 44% who said it should be expanded or left alone. So even with this pro-Obama electorate, the president cannot claim a mandate on health care or role of government.
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If I thought there would EVER be a way back for this country, I would tell the Republicans to pass any idiotic, socialist legislation that Obama wants and then see where we are 4 years from now.
My life has crashed as far as it can go over the last 4 years. My income has dropped from $220,000 to about $20,000. I will be losing my house soon. I have no hope.
Maybe the only solution is to prove to the koolaid drinking left that Obama's policies have never worked anywhere and will not work in this country. If he gets everything he wants he will not be able to blame anyone but himself.
Forward
If you can't beat them join them. Get with the program and don't give up, you may qualify for all the government hand outs that include housing, food, and other grants available to sustain total government control if you reduce your income a little more.
I am in agreement MOMINNJ-6679824. The only way to show the leftists that thier policies DON'T work is to allow Bronco Bamma and gthe democraps to get what ever they want. This of course will send us off the "fiscal cliff" but it needs to be done so we can get back to a Limited Government Republic.
Interesting. When Bush was in office and someone complained of their fate they were told to take responsibility for their lives and realize that their plight was the result of their own bad decisions. Now that the party in charge has changed, its Obama's fault that you experience difficulty. You might want to give some consideration to what caused this massive downturn. The seeds were planted three-to-five years before Obama was first elected. By all means, lets return to those policies for they ensure such a bright future for us all.
This is where the right wing Obama haters come in. No facts to back their hate.
What job?
If we go over the physical cliff the government will be handing out para-sails to everyone but the middle class
Breeders now outnumber feeders. No point in voting anymore. Just wait till the money borrowing comes to a halt.
All of the screaming and bitching after Hurricane Sandy will be nothing compared to that when it happens.
Raw- As usual you are not looking at the facts, you and faux noise are assessing blame to the President and WH without following the timelines, just like the watching in real time video, and having the President say stand down, that is another made up right wing conspiracy, but run with it, and continue to look foolish...
The FBI "friend" was investigating threatening e-mails that involved the General, did he have permission? Who else knew? Why wasn't the WH notified? Why was Cantor talked too? This is just one more breakdown in communication between, FBI and CIA and it goes on all the time, as we learned in Sept 2001....
But to try to lay this mess at the feet of the President, just like blaming Ms Rice for sharing what was told to her is a huge partisan joke! Only not funny at all! And I for one am very tired of it!
Move on your guy lost big time...
These writers are completely unprofessional!
Guess working for First Read doesn't require any jounalism skills....
Hey Chuck Todd, do you even proof read the crap you guys spew on this site?
As long as it helps bring down this country, NO.
Hmmm . . . accusing a person of treason, huh? That's a pretty bold statement to make w/o posting facts to back yourself up with. If you have proof, how about sharing it with the FBI?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. who cares its not about the General, stop & think what this is really all about?
Only in the USA would a General's affair make people's shorts twist. Look, military leaders are macho guys who are willing to take risks. That's what makes them good at what they do. You fight hard, you play hard when the fight is over and you go on to the next battle. They also weren't using their rank to force the women into affairs with them (unlike some other military men have done in the past). This whole thing was brought to light by a jealous woman sending threatening e-mails to another woman. Let the General's have their fun. The fact that they put their life on the line for their country tells me they deserve whatever perks they can get. If the moralists in this country want to go after someone for sexual indiscretions, why don't they start investigating the businessmen, politicians and perverts who go on sex tours to Thailand so they can have sexual relations with kids under 16. Now that would be a story worth getting upset about.
Hell just froze over folks. For the first time I can remember I completely agree with Feisty. And no, I am not soliciting a semi-nude pic from her! :)
I am definitely a conservative, but I believe Obama and the Democrats will rule the US for decades. Why? Oil and Nat Gas. They will pick the winners and losers and billions will pour into DC. This will enable them to create even more socialist programs, redistribute even more money and create even more power. What is ironic, is that he will punish the very people that give him this power----Oil and Nat Gas.
Right now, we are sitting on some of the richest oil and Nat Gas fields on the planet and have the means to get it. We will become the largest exporter of Nat Gas on the planet in the next few years. Right now, there is only one company that has a license to export Nat Gas and Obama will pick the next ones. Do you libs actually think Obama will stop fracking? Fat chance on that one.
a--rand
If you keep talking sense, you realize that you will be banned, right? ;~D
Please help me understand this. WHY did Eric Cantor and another REP knew about this before the white hours and congress. Two weeks and why did the FBI contacted them ????????? WHY. I smell a RAT dont YOU !
I've asked this same question ~ repeatedly ~ and as yet there is no plausible response. My guess is that Cantor was informed so that this could be used as political fodder just prior to the election. But it is also my guess that cooler heads realized that voters would not give a hoot about Petreaus getting some on the side. Without a full and thorough investigation, this would only be a sex scandal (oh wow! whoopee! Never had one of those in government before) and the issue was kicked aside by campaign managers. From the looks of things, its still just a sex scandal and the GOP was spared a lot of potential embarrassment. I'd further imagine that the question will get a lot of attention due to jealousy if nothing else. Turf wars are very real in congress and Feinstein is not happy that she and her Senate Intel Committee were not in the loop. To her, that is more important than why the president was not notified.
Hey Chuck Todd -
CANTORGATE 2012 – literally Watergate redux?
Questions about Cantor involvement: 1) why is he notified FIRST of this investigation and 2) why does he hang onto this info instead of notifying other legislators/White House 3) why does he not take this potentially embarrassing story (for Obama admin) to the PRESS prior to the election?
The FBI agent– what we know so far: 1) had some type of "friendly" relationship with Kelly and had texted shirtless photos of himself to Kelly.2) Kelly knew of Broadwell and Patreaus affair3) FBI guy is Republican, and really does NOT like Obama. He DOES have a friend/acquaintance who's a staffer in Cantor's office.
Cantor is one of the leaders of the Republican obstruction machine and would've liked nothing better than to deliver some dirt for the election. And Cantor, for several months, has been trying to paint the Obama admin as "loose lips sink ships" on national security.It's becoming more likely that Cantor was involved EARLY because he's known as the point person in Congress who cultivates and distributes potential Obama dirt.
Could it be that Cantor HELPED FACILITATE further digging (authorized or not) into all of this hoping to come up with a "smoking gun" type of security leak and nail Obama prior to the election? But then, since there turned up no such definitive negative evidence, Cantor instead QUASHED it before the election worrying about potential backlash from this witch hunt.
Now that Patreaus has resigned, it's all unspooling, and it could be just a matter of time before Cantor, and possibly others, are exposed for abuse of power and/or illegal investigations/searches stemming from an attempt to gain political advantage, rather than national security concerns.
We shall see...
No doubt Cantor explored this mightily but without the Romney-Ryan team on board to push it, it would have had little traction. Smarting already from recent exposures within their own campaign, I suspect that the movers and shakers in the Romney campaign saw how this would be received by voters ~ just another little sex scandal ~ and more importantly, another act of desperation. Cantor wasn't going to take the risk alone for it gave him no personal advantage. In fact, it could blow up in his face. I think he will have a helluva lot to answer for and if this thing brings additional embarrassment to the GOPers in the House, it could cost him his majority leader post. He's in it and he can't get out of it.
I want to see the bitches tits.
This thing gives a whole new meaning to the words, Shock and Awe, Surge..........lol
This is nothing, when Petraeus is subpoenaed and testifies in the Benghazi Senate Hearing, the lid is about to be blown off the cover up. Feinstein is a good patriot to make sure he does tell the truth under oath.
Tad - the latest FOIA'd docs out yesterday shows that Patreaus's Trip Inquiry Results (from recent Libya trip and his personal on the ground investigation) will back-up the White House's and Rice's timeline of CONFIRMED intelligence.
Of course he will appear in committee, there's no question. Not sure about your "blown lid". Why in the world would Obama want to keep Pateaus from testifying from a position of prestige and power as Director of CIA? Patreaus is the guy who has data to back him up!!
Because he is critical in revealing what the President knew about Benghazi and when he was informed. Also about the failure of support to the Woods and Doherty during the firefight. Both Panetta, Clinton and Petraeus had direct and real time access to the events as they occurred.
Petraeus has nothing to lose in being truthful, he's no longer a puppet of this regime. Obama's administration is already saying the new CIA Director will appear instead of Petraeus............whoops, that won't be eough for the Senate. They want Petraeus too.
I am all for the investigation of the issues with the Generals.
However > Sure be dam nice if the media (liberal) would of spent even the same amount of time they have in the last 5 days on this over the last 5 years about Everything and Anything Obama related.
Still whiing about the "Liberal Media" eh fella??? Faux Noise touts themselves as being #1 in cable news. If this is indeed so, that makes them part of the "Lamestream Media" which you constantly decry. You have a 24/7 propagand machine for the GOP, spewing their poison on a daily basis. Besides which, the Right owns Hate Radio, with your Glen Becks, Limbaughs, Michael Saveges, etc.
If the media is indeed "liberal" you might want to ask yourself why so many of the most intelligent, best educated as well as being the ones most exposed to the actual facts lean left??? Perhaps there's a moral for you in that.
Espionage? I haven't heard this word used yet, but when non-military women get into bed with higher ups, its called espionage. This should have been the first thought our government should have had. Its happened before (many times).
I believe over half the US service men are involved with espionage!
This doesn't erode my confidence in the Military - but it does erode my confidence in the Administration. The whole thing looks like a coverup - both patreus and Libya - to make sure no bad news came up before the election. In NO WAY do i believe the administration didn't know the facts on both of these well ahead of time. I beleive that sooner or later the real facts about what Obama knew and when he knew it will throw a whole new light on all of this. Many will have to fall to save face for Obama on these coverups!!!!!
Confused - yes, you are indeed.
As this unfolds, you'll see this all stemmed from a Republican witch hunt to get something on Obama. See Eric Cantor...
Can't wait for the real facts to come out. I think an indicator will be how aggresively, or NOT, the Republicans are on pursuing the details of Patreaus investigation. Why do you think Cantor decided NOT to expose the scandal prior to the election? Out of the goodness of his heart? Suddenly wanting to act in bi-partisan manner just days before a Presidential election??
PISSED ON, ah yes, blame the administration for things which they quite clearly had nothing to do with. Guess you're still kinda sore about that thrashing you took last week. Damn, but that's gotta hurt. But hey, look at the bright side, you'll be able to blame Obama for all the world's ills and for being a Commie for the next four years.
How about just for once you allow the facts to speak for themselves and allow the investigation to run it's course??? For the last 40 years the Right has been having wet dreams about finding a Democratic "Watergate" and you're still coming up short, after all these years. Just cause Faux Nuze/aka The Hooters Netword & Glenn Beck say somethings so, does not make it so.
Ozzie - this will turn out to be another REPUBLICAN Watergate. Get your popcorn ready and settle in - we've seen this movie before, but it will still be a blockbuster -
NEWSGIRL, You could well be right. I sense that somehow there is still more stuff about to hit the fan.
This may uncover some ring of hookers catering to the high level brass exclusively. You gotta really love all these "lover triangles". Oh, what a tangled web we weave. LOL
Recount something smells
CUT, You're damn right something smells. It's the scent of desperation coming from the Right who just got themselves a thrashing at the polls and now are grasping at straws, to find some shred of proof to back up their narrative that Obama is the Anti Christ.
I think the higher you go in the military the farther you stay from skirts,in particular other officers. history is filled with names that have blown it. it is easier said than done.
This is why we need ID verification
What the hell are you mumbling about pal??? In what way does this deal with the subject at hand, namely the scandal with Army Brass???
Covert operations issue just probing for some answers
Stick with don’t ask don’t tell!
Sorry pal, you're a little late on that one. The train has already left the station so I guess you're going to have to live with social progress. You can always count on the Right to have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the next century. I figure your crowd right about now is stuck somewhere in the late 14th Century Feudal system. Welcome to the new millenium pal.
Back it up! and climb aboard the Gravy train, sweet jam and briskets
This growing scandal is beginning to have a Watergate smell type danger for the election rigging GOP. They may have got caught doing something realllllll bad in that election. I smell rats in high places who may have got caught trying to rig an electoral Coup de tat around this past election. Maybe this is related to the GOP meltdown on election night where Ailes and Murdoch left their anchors, analysts and Karl Rove totally in the dark after the Ohio Secretary of State essentially made a protect his a.s.s legal statement. And abruptly fled a potential crime scene on election night. Ohio was subsequently called for the President afterwards. All of the other battleground state dominoes fell in the chaotic aftermath.
IMO, somehow all of this stuff and even Benghazi, along with Netanyahu's dangerous partisan meddling gambit on behalf of Romney seems strangely connected to the election results on November 6.
I say stay tuned on this one. Something doesn't smell right about it. It may have many legs before all is done. I've never seen the dishonestly disciplined Fox News and the GOP become as unglued and seeminly terrified about unknown situations as they are right now. We have heard nothing from the bellicose Eric Cantor, Mitch McConnell, Gohmert, Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bolton, Gaffney, Guiliani or religious right accolytes since the election. Maybe they are all just licking their wounds. But their silence is odd.
I believe this is about much more than 100% Patriots and American heroes having casual sex. I hope I'm wrong about my concerns. Because if it was only about sex. I for one forgive these men. I say, leave them in their jobs. Especially in light of what we ask them to do and sacrifice for the nation. They are priceless Americans! Their family lives suffer huge tolls as a result of their committments. It has always been that way for our warriors. What is new is us demanding they resign over this stuff. Unless something much worse is at stake here; like the opining above. We can't afford to keep benching our most talented players this way. And I cite Eliot Spitzer as a citizen example of the same cut.
Johnny - true. Awfully quiet out there. Has Cantor ever met a podium or TV camera he didn't like? Why would he withhold something that might have reflected badly on Obama before election?
And I do NOT see him out front (as he always was prior) leading the call to an investigation of all the details of the patreaus scandal. Why not? Probably because Cantor has his dirty fingers all over a likely ILLEGAL investigation set out for political reasons.
Welcome to Cantorgate -
General Petraeus was going to run as a Republican next election...How about a Petraeus/Herman Cain ticket?
They would have domestic affairs and foreign affairs completely covered...in fact, there's no affair they weren't involved in...
And what's with this Jill Kelley woman being a "social liason ambassador" for an entire military base? (And a big Romney supporter, along with her shirtless FBI admirer)...Didn't we used to call them hookers?
Every General will have to let the FBI smell their fingers before getting promoted.
They probably had to do worse when J. Edgar Hoover was the head of the FBI
New media leave this alone getting tired of this story, go to something else like what the other countries of the world are doing laughing at the United States and the leaders..
I suppose the woman will get to keep HER job although he lost his. What happened to womens rights?
What job does she have??? She wrote a biography about Petraeus. How are you going to fire her from that job?