# So, is Gen. Petraeus part of the GOP caucus? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359 "2007-04-02T00:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/61 "2007-04-03T12:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=Martin Hyde] You’re intentionally misreading the directive, the _purpose_ of the activity has to be to advance a partisan idea. [/quote] As **Squink** pointed out, there was a bit of political strategery mixed into the discussion. So there you go. > [@](#): > > I don’t think the rule is simple or straightforward, and no, I don’t like your reasoning but that has nothing to do with why I don’t accept it, I don’t accept it because it doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. It sure _reads_ simply and straightforwardly, with an unequivocal meaning. > [@](#): > > If there was really a violation of a DoD directive here why do you think that only the mighty and wise **RTFirefly** has noticed it, why hasn’t any number of people who have tons to gain from taking Petraeus down reported this as a violation of DoD directives, thius embarrassing Petraeus and advancing their own causes? Other people _have_ noticed it, want some cites? But like I said, there’s a six-year backlog of stuff spilling out for the dogs to bark at these days. This one is less of a big deal than plenty of stuff that Congress just plain _hasn’t had time_ to hold hearings on. And could you be clear who has “tons to gain from taking Petraeus down”? At least a name or two, please. Because I can’t think of anyone. We libruls don’t want to take him down; if there’s a remote chance that he might make a positive difference in Baghdad, we’d like to see him make it. It just strikes us as improbable. The GOP is behind him, since he’s Bush’s choice. And while maybe top generals are fighting one another to get this particular command, it’s hard to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/62 "2007-04-03T13:15:31Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] It sure _reads_ simply and straightforwardly, with an unequivocal meaning. [/QUOTE] If it was as straightforward as you claim, what are those military bands and color guards doing at the Republican and Democratic conventions? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/63 "2007-04-03T13:26:56Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] If it was as straightforward as you claim, what are those military bands and color guards doing at the Republican and Democratic conventions? [/QUOTE] I have no idea. The marching bands might for obvious reasons be governed by their own regulations. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/64 "2007-04-03T13:52:55Z")
There might be another reason the Democrats outside the blogs are laying low right now. John Boehner apparently is quoted in the March 8th _Roll Call_ blasting Democrats for not attending a teleconference with General Petraeus to which Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike had been invited. I say apparently because _Roll Call_ is subscriber only, so I’m getting the quotes from Jennifer Yachnin’s article secondhand. Now, I have no idea if this is the “closed door meeting” Andrea Mitchell refers to. And I don’t know how this will play out in the end. I suspect we’ll see soon, since this is getting to be a big bubbling mess. But if it is, then nobody can claim that it was a partisan meeting if it was made a Republican-only event because of Democratic inattention. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/65 "2007-04-03T14:23:24Z")
[From John Boehner’s website.](http://johnboehner.house.gov/news.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=1338) > [@](#): > > Boehner Statement Opposing Democrats’ Road Map for Terrorists > > Not a Single House Democratic Leader Attended General Petraeus’ First Progress Report Briefing This Morning > > WASHINGTON, DC – Today House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) responded to the latest proposal by House Democrats explicitly designed to hamstring the ability of American troops to succeed in the Global War on Terror: > > “General Petraeus, not Speaker Pelosi or John Murtha, should be making military decisions based on conditions on the ground. Democrats are using a critical troop funding bill to micromanage the war on terror, undermine our generals on the ground, and slowly choke off resources for our troops. Under the guise of supporting our troops, Democrats are actually mandating their failure. We have an assertion by John Boehner that the Democrats did not show. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/66 "2007-04-03T15:19:27Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] [From John Boehner’s website.](http://johnboehner.house.gov/news.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=1338) We have an assertion by John Boehner that the Democrats did not show. [/QUOTE] Do we have an assertion that that is the meeting to which Mitchell referred? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/67 "2007-04-03T15:32:03Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Do we have an assertion that that is the meeting to which Mitchell referred? [/QUOTE] **Mr Motos** link talks about a video conference for ‘congressional leaders’ held March 8; Andrea talks about a Republican caucus meeting 'very very recent" I doubt that: a. It would be common for a Democrat to be invited to and/or attend a “republican caucus meeting” b. That Andrea Mitchell, a career reporter with much credibility to loose, would refer to a meeting called for ‘congressional leaders’ as a ‘republican caucus’ meeting. c. In this context, the term “very very recent” IMHO, would not refer to a meeting nearly a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/68 "2007-04-03T15:35:18Z")
Well, apparently [Andrea Mitchell has changed her story](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/04/nbcs_andrea_mit.php). > [@](#): > > But in his closed [circuit] briefing – they went over to the Pentagon and had that briefing, Democrats as well as Republican senators So much for that. My apologies. The bonus points feature from the OP is still in play, though. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/69 "2007-04-03T15:36:42Z")
ok, then my comment about Andrea and loosing credibility is, well, now - what’s less than moot? ok. I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/70 "2007-04-03T15:42:42Z")
[QUOTE=wring] ok, then my comment about Andrea and loosing credibility is, well, now - what’s less than moot? ok. I was wrong. [/QUOTE] She didn’t have much credibility to begin with, frankly. She continued to report on the Lewis Libby matter without disclosing to her audience during the stories her role in the affair. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/71 "2007-04-03T15:44:32Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] She didn’t have much credibility to begin with, frankly. She continued to report on the Lewis Libby matter without disclosing to her audience during the stories her role in the affair. [/QUOTE] but but but, she’s like _married_ to Alan Greenspan and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/72 "2007-04-03T15:44:44Z")
As for the bonus feature, I have little doubt that some Republicans are losing patience. However, I refer you to my comments about Andrea Mitchell’s credibility. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/73 "2007-04-03T16:30:54Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] She didn’t have much credibility to begin with, frankly. She continued to report on the Lewis Libby matter without disclosing to her audience during the stories her role in the affair. [/QUOTE] Hell, that applies to half the political reporters in Washington! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359/74 "2007-04-03T19:29:38Z")
Frankly, I’m a bit disturbed by this report that nobody in the Democratic leadership attended the teleconference that Boehner mentioned. I’m going to hold off on ranting about it until more facts are in. Given how this thread went, that seems a good idea. 😉 I’ll be paying attention to this, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-gen-petraeus-part-of-the-gop-caucus/398359.md?page=3)