Petraeus as the GOP nominee?

Just had a thought - with the pygmies running in the GOP race, and Giuliani likely toxic (the recent immigration sanity from him won't help), what are the chances that if there is still a divided field that the powers behind the scene propose Petraeus as the nominee?

Yes, there hasn't been a nominee of either party who hasn't faced the primary system since Humphrey in 1968, but delegates do pick the nominee, and assuming that no candidate has majority support (which of course is contrary to recent history), could this be in the back of the Bush/Cheney/Rove braintrust?

McCain early on gets behind the idea; it stops Giuliani's momentum as a holding action; enough elements of the party announce their problems with Giuliani to keep things fluid; it becomes a draft with other candidates dropping out and expressing a desire for him.

The draft succeeds, Petraeus is nominated, Huckabee becomes VP candidate with the understanding that he will spearhead most dometic issues (because of course we need a president who is full time anti-terror all the time).

It is a GOP wet dream - not sure why no one has mentioned it before.

Perhaps this will start with Gingrich (with him hoping to become Secretary of State).

The GOP is going to be desperate. Bush/Cheney/Rove needs a puppet successor. Petraeus has shown he loyalty to the cabal, yet (apart obviously from Iraq) has none of the baggage of the other candidates. The GOP hierarchy, media and base want to hero-worship.

Watch for this as a real possibility.

•  If by real possibility..

  ... you mean, "No chance in hell" - then yea, I'll agree.

  Forget it - how is he going to get elected when people view him as running away from Iraq because it is too difficult?  Does he think that he'd be able to solve it better from the White House than from the front lines?  

  Maybe in 2012 if he manages to singlehandedly win the Iraq war - then he'll be a National Hero and everyone will throw flowers at him.

  by Yoshi En Son on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 01:23:47 PM PDT

•  Patraeus will become a scapegoat soon enough

  and will have as much of a chance of getting the nomination as Bob Dole.

  by A Mad Mad World on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 01:26:07 PM PDT

  •  Both nominations will be wrapped up

    By the second week of February, thanks to the front loading of primaries.  All delegates are bound to support the primary winner on the first ballot, and there hasn't been a second ballot since the Democratic National Convention of 1952.  And there won't be a second ballot again.  In 1968, most states still did not have primaries or caucuses, and most delegates were chosen by the party apparatus.  The reforms of the McGovern Commission, which both parties adopted, for primaries in all states, means that no one can ever again skip the primaries and get the nomination.

    Also, I recall that General Westmoreland in the 70's ran for either U.S. Senator or governor of South Carolina and lost badly (I didn't see this in Wikipedia though).  I suspect should Patraeus after military retirement attempt a political career, he will meet the same fate.

    by Navy Vet Terp on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 01:43:23 PM PDT

    •  You are wrong on several levels

      1. State laws vary, but even if they require support on the first ballot, it is regarded as unenforceable

      2. The idea of course assumes that the frontrunner does not have a majority of the delegates, and there is strong resistance to him

      3. Other candidates would drop out and endorse Petreaus, thus releasing their delegates from any obligation

      Look, I'm not predicting this, but the inability to think outside the box is often what puts Dems at a disadvantage to the GOP.

      by seanflynn on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 01:49:32 PM PDT

•  I think you underestimate the cabal

  Obviously further disaster in Iraq woud damage him. But if they muddy the waters, at least convincing the GOP/fundy world, AND they manipulate things otherwise (Iran; further terror exploitation; etc.) he could be their man.

  We horribly underestimate at our own peril the lengths this group will go to hold on to power - if they think none of the contenders has a chance (a real possibility) there will be a desire for a knight in shining armour.

  And if not Petraeus, love to hear other suggestions. I just think Petraeus (who as a military man cannot run at this point without resigning his commission) could be what they think is their best hope.

  by seanflynn on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 01:31:21 PM PDT