The Petraeus Tragedy

November 15, 2012 at 12:38 pm | Posted in Politics | 2 Comments
Tags: ethics, personal/public life, public morals

Are we a nation of prudes? I don’t condone adultery, but it seems to me that we make unreasonable demands on our leaders. They are not “ordinary” people, or they wouldn’t be leaders. But neither are they superhuman, or immune from the temptations most of us face. In fact the moral temptations they face dwarf those most of us must handle.

Nobody will ever know whether Mr. Petraeus seduced Ms. Broadwell or she seduced him, or whether it was a mutual infatuation. I can tell you that Ms. Broadwell is a very hot lady. She has a great body, and she knows how to make the most of it. She also has a tremendous intellect, judging from her accomplishments. That is a combination that is extraordinarily attractive. Mr. Petraeus is in very good shape physically, and is a superb military leader. From all accounts he was doing a good job as CIA head, too. And I’m told that men who wield power are attractive to women because of it.

So we have a situation of extreme temptation, and the two gave in to that temptation. Their spouses are justly upset, and each family will handle the situation in its own way. Mr. Petraeus and Ms. Broadwell violated their marriage vows and will pay the price in the anger and grief of their families.

There is no question about it: The affair was a violation of our society’s ethics and morals. But there is no indication that the affair had national security implications; according to the FBI it did not. There is no indication that the affair had any effect on the performance of the couple’s jobs.

That’s what sticks in my craw. the nation has lost the services of one of our most brilliant generals because, as Mr. Petraeus put it, he showed bad judgment and behaved in a way that is unacceptable. But his judgment and unacceptable behavior were a part of his personal life, not his public life nor his job performance. Yet because he committed an immoral act he has been pilloried and driven out of a public life that has otherwise been inspirational.

Media attention to leaders has become intrusive. The media seizes on anything that makes a spectacle and plays to the public’s prurient interest. The public throws up its hands in (frequently hypocritical) horror at the stories, characterizing the actions as unforgivably immoral and disgusting.

I don’t think it’s anybody business, except of course for the families of those involved. Without in any way approving what Mr. Petraeus and Ms. Broadwell did, I conclude that the punishment does not fit the crime, and that our nation is being harmed by the loss of a fine leader.

We certainly are a nation of prudes, and we need to do better.