image from google

I'll admit it- I'm tired of healthcare debates. This morning I decided to watch the only show not featuring congressmen rallying against (or for) the healthcare bill. So, instead of watching Kathleen Sebelius I tuned in for an interview of General David Petraeus, Commander US Central Command, with Fareed Zakaria.

My own father is a Petraeus fan so I decided that it'd be beneficial for me to at least understand what made him so "great." I have to say that Petraeus has had an excellent career; graduating at the top of his class at West Point he went on to earn a doctorate in international relations at the Woodrow Wilson School. He's served around the world in a variety of support and command positions. Most recently, as the commander of multinational forces in Iraq, Petraeus became a front-man for the Obama administration's terror policy. While I was not completely taken in by Petraeus's arguments I must agree that he is relatively articulate, aware, and politically savvy. I'm weary of his demonstrated support for the surge and continued US presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now there has been a lot of speculation within the beltway and across the country that General Petraeus might attempt a 2012 presidential run. He has claimed numerous times that he has no political ambitions. However, would I be surprised to see him form an exploratory committee? Absolutely not. In fact, he does have a vaguely presidential voice. His interview gave you a sense that he understood the nuances of current events, politics, and his area of operations but left many of his answers intentionally vague. With coaching I think he could become a strong and potentially competitive Republican primary challenge.