The Lawyer and the Warrior

The male ego is an open book with closed captions.  John Edwards and General Petraeus have little in common, other than careers in the public eye, and political savvy.  For the upper echelon of the military not only fosters competition among the best and the brightest, but also rewards successful interaction with Congress and the Executive Branch.

But for all their differences in nobility of character, and level of self sacrifice, their fall from grace was eerily similar, stemming from the ego, more than the id.  Both had an affair with their hagiographers, Edward's with his videographer, and Petraeus, with his biographer.  Neither could resist the flattery fueled urge to get down, with the woman who placed him on a pedestal.

Each woman, if the early reports about Paula Broadwell's e-mails are accurate, had a touch of crazy.  This can be oddly appealing.  But experience teaches, that the very wild craziness that answers every entreaty, in the end, breaks every treaty. 

Petraeus Platter

Governor Romney appears desperate to win a news cycle, and to deflect inquires about his tax returns.  He tried this gambit before, leaking information to Drudge about the VP prospects of Condeleezza Rice (See "The Rice Bowl" and "Mitt Wimps Out").  Today's Drudge Report is no different.

General Petraeus is not going to run.  The disloyalty inherent in running against a President he is serving as director of the CIA, is not in his nature.  The risk to his reputation and legacy is too great.

The Drudge Report is not always accurate, but it serves as a barometer of the desperation of the Romney campaign.  The current forecast is dark and gloomy.