Petraeus is not immune to criticism

Can't stand the heat?  Well, you know the rest.

Throughout the two long days of hearings, a number of GOP lawmakers criticized a MoveOn.org ad that challenged the credibility of General David Petraeus, who is the front-man for Bush's latest public relations push to continue the war.  MoveOn is just one of many progressive activist groups that considers Petraeus as partial to the White House political strategy team.

So is Petraeus fair game?  Presidential historian Richard Kohn says conservatives shouldn't be shocked when people don't believe what Petraeus says, especially since the general does Bush's bidding:

Any credibility problems that Gen. Petraeus has are partly his ownmaking--because he allowed himself to be pushed forward by theadministration as kind of a front person for them and has been engagedin a constant dialogue with the press since he went to Baghdad. Had hebeen much more quiet, got on with fighting the war and told people towait for his report to Congress, it would have been less likely that hewould have had to suffer these attacks in the press and from Democraticsupport groups.

President Bush no longer has Karl Rove.  Tony Snow is leaving as well.  He needs a new PR guy to sell the war.  The Administration is trying to wait this war out until the end of this term.  Without Petraeus to hide behind, Bush would be in trouble.  So when progressives criticize the general, it is no surprise that Republicans go nuclear.  Petraeus is the very last guy they have to parade in front of the cameras.

Comments

[George]

From the Daily Show:
Petreus: You cant predict what will happen in Iraq.

Petreus: If we leave there will sectarian instability, iran will join in, al qaeda will grow, turkey may invade, etc, etc, etc