Betrayus or Petraeus?

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Betrayus or Petraeus?

P. Schultz

November 14, 2012

            Why is it that a lot of people assume that a person’s sexual behavior and his or her political behavior are or can be different? I mean this assumption, illustrated by the link provided here, strikes me as odd, to say the least. JFK engaged in risky sexual behavior and so we think that he would not engage in risky political behavior. But this makes no sense to me, not because sexual behavior and political behavior are indistinguishable but because a human being who engages in risky behavior is, well, a human being who engages in risky behavior. JFK’s political behavior got him killed, although this is about the last thing we Americans want to admit. Because if we admitted that, we would also have to admit that some of what we want to consider unwarranted aggression committed against us would have to be rethought.  Anyway, General Petraeus’ sexual behavior and his political behavior are of a piece. We can deal with that or pretend that compartmentalization is a fact of life. I say we deal with it.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/11/the-wisdom-of-paula-broadwell/265195/