Petraeus for President? He Says, 'No way!'
Posted:
08/15/10
The question has been raised more than once, especially in the blogosphere: Will Gen. David Petraeus, the architect of the 2007 surge in Iraq and now the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, run for president? And it was put to him directly Sunday on the NBC News program "Meet the Press."
In answering the question, the modern general echoed two Civil War generals.
The question came up when the NBC program's moderator, David Gregory, asked Petraeus, "What are you reading?"
The general responded that he had recently been reading about the historiography of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and how historians' views of him had changed over the decades.
Gregory responded: "Funny you should say that because I have this quote prepared for you from someone that you admire. It is this. 'I'm not a politician. Never was. I hope never to be.' Do you know who said that?"
After identifying the quote as being from Grant, who did go on to become president, Petraeus added, "Well, I am not a politician, and I will never be. And I say that with absolute conviction."
When Gregory pressed, Petraeus turned to the words of another Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman.
"I've said that I'll adopt what Sherman said," Petraeus told Gregory, "and go back and look at what has come to be known as a Shermanesque answer on that question." (Sherman's words were "I will not accept if nominated and wil not serve if elected.")
Just to be sure, Gregory asked, "No way, no how?"
Petraeus replied, "No way, no how!"
In answering the question, the modern general echoed two Civil War generals.
The question came up when the NBC program's moderator, David Gregory, asked Petraeus, "What are you reading?"
The general responded that he had recently been reading about the historiography of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and how historians' views of him had changed over the decades.Gregory responded: "Funny you should say that because I have this quote prepared for you from someone that you admire. It is this. 'I'm not a politician. Never was. I hope never to be.' Do you know who said that?"
After identifying the quote as being from Grant, who did go on to become president, Petraeus added, "Well, I am not a politician, and I will never be. And I say that with absolute conviction."
When Gregory pressed, Petraeus turned to the words of another Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman.
"I've said that I'll adopt what Sherman said," Petraeus told Gregory, "and go back and look at what has come to be known as a Shermanesque answer on that question." (Sherman's words were "I will not accept if nominated and wil not serve if elected.")
Just to be sure, Gregory asked, "No way, no how?"
Petraeus replied, "No way, no how!"