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And welcome to Fox's Sunday panel plus -- Bill Kristol -- by Laura Ingram and care's been our has.
And the consensus of the panel and we're very democratic group here is that we want to talk more about David Petraeus in his astonishing fall from grace.
And I got us eight cares and you really wanted to talk about -- you have a different take on this and everybody else.
There's a couple of things -- say if if if if that he had an affair I don't understand why he had to resign.
It -- that if that's the whole story as -- something just doesn't quite smell right here so that would be one issue that I would have there has to be something more than that because.
It's not enough -- -- reason for him for him to resign and and bill went into all that the things that we're facing in terms of foreign policy in terms of intelligence to have him leave somebody who's doing good album -- this doesn't make some you don't think.
-- -- this revelations come out about one woman and that one woman allegedly was threatening another woman you think he could've stayed on CIA director.
I don't know why him having had an affair that appears to have been over would be a reason for him to resign it doesn't doesn't really is saying that it should have been repealed it not why don't -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- everybody -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- It's it's private behavior and -- -- -- yeah -- -- -- You know I think I think -- time that's the last twenty years private behavior and less that it has been said there is -- there is nothing no intelligence that was revealed there was no criminal activity.
I don't understand why he has to resign and then I don't understand why separately these women are being smear this at least one -- these -- -- publicly almost information is being released about her she's a private citizen had an affair with somebody.
They claim that she's obviously miles well what -- the -- what we're in the mountain and I have to give us a little more information here because it doesn't make sense to me that somebody so.
None of our business and we need more information and no I didn't say a guy I doubt I was on the enterprise and now or for ten years and I agree the woman should be -- we'll take that off the table.
If -- secretary of agriculture having an affair maybe not quite such a big deal.
If you're the head of the CIA.
It's not just a question of whether you're being black -- It's a question of whether you're susceptible of being blackmailed sewing these very sensitive national security -- you can't have any point of vulnerability.
And having an affair although for private citizen or other cabinet secretary but maybe not such a big deal for that handful of very sensitive post.
It just has broader implications does that.
Persuade you.
Here's the.
Now.
I don't think is evidence of the woman can call up and say I don't could not tell -- -- I'm gonna go to the press I and that's what -- What we know is it what's been reported is that she did ever try to blackmail no intelligence was ever.
Compromise the potential -- there but but if there's no way that you guys guys well -- FBI started investigating if I believe the Washington Post said today.
Last spring.
But it was last spring and when it came up with this kind of treasure trove of being right in questions one -- Well.
The president should know about DC IA directors.
Personal email is epicenter of -- harassment investigation.
I'm not making any judges -- -- The president should notice whenever you can -- only it -- -- to believe that.
-- -- we're not separate -- we're not sure.
But let's let's only talk about I know it's a weird idea for cable -- but -- actually just talk about what we know we don't know when they found out about.
The emails involving Petraeus we don't know that the investigation don't know that's what part of -- -- -- other stuff it was about threatening emails we don't know the timeline so let's not jump to a conclusion that the FBI was sitting on this they clearly just a question as to whether they and a double -- for Dianne Feinstein.
Not to have heard about it until there -- press inquiries on Friday strikes me -- shocking but let's not jump the gun on what we know we know the FBI was investigating this and his name came up before the election.
We know that's right yes before the election not last spring before the -- are part of the last -- Whenever well whenever -- up for confirmation from these positions they give you an exhaustive background check and ask you all sort of have you ever questions.
And the reason for that is not only to find out if you've ever done anything wrong in fact but the find out what potential vulnerabilities out there you may have.
And there are a handful of positions in the government where if you wanna -- and then you just can't have.
Potential vulnerabilities let alone vulnerabilities in fact here here's a here's the question I have for you who cares what -- I must say do find astonishing.
You're suggesting that they have this investigation.
They find out what they -- -- the FBI has investigated they've interviewed him he now tells clapper clapper now tells the president.
And that one nobody should tell the public and to that you think that it wouldn't it leaked.
I don't think -- should tell the public that he had an affair that's over.
I don't understand why just public information and if you're the commander of US forces in Afghanistan wasn't -- -- Joseph Joseph plumber was it.
Commander of the force in Afghanistan apparently and what happened.
What happens apparently -- Happens when an underdog -- the president -- don't have an excellent this if if they are gonna really it if he wants to -- -- -- statement he wants to resign that's one thing I just don't understand they now for all this information coming out like this.
Agassi beginning give up these little bits and pieces of information you need to provide the whole story of what they did a high sounding guy I think not you know -- -- -- this isn't the whole story it doesn't it doesn't -- top.
I mean it's just doesn't that's not.
I tell my -- and it mister mister -- because if you're just waiting for an invitation to get into this conversation he got a lot of growth -- and -- -- -- -- I don't talk about how I sort of agree -- in the sense an oh by the we don't know everything crisis that may be more things we don't know in the may have been other reasons but it Petraeus thought it was the right thing to do to decide.
Yeah I did the FBI stumbles into.
His name in the course of the -- -- year -- email.
Inquiry there's no evidence that was going anywhere there's no evidence this is gonna blow up there's no evidence -- this is brought what was going to talk about what happened there's no evidence that that many people knew about it my my impression was that they Petraeus was functioning as CIA director perfectly well.
Three or four days ago after the investigation it happened after the affair happened so if not there are the reasons why perhaps that we're gonna.
With a real reasons to fear security -- that some of the story if there -- reasons this was going to.
Blow up in some way and maybe fathers the right thing to resign but I do feel a that something obvious happened here I have to be real reasons that's the potential for -- -- that that's really yeah yeah waited for the stimulus that -- in -- Position like this you're the chief of staff to the president has just just assume all of -- and you were told on Thursday.
That -- CIA director has been having an affair has been the subject -- an FBI investigation.
It's all over the place it's not all over the -- it's all over the place inside the government so much so that an FBI whistle -- had a reportedly going to -- scatter the majority leader in the house and told him about -- before the election and he had been informed so I mean it's begun to leak of that.
And you're gonna say the president let's just also add on that we're not gonna tell anybody and if this ever comes out in The National Enquirer -- yeah I I knew about it but I didn't it was that big a deal.
Really.
Well I think -- they did is they went to Petraeus and said may be given this these facts you should step down.
I guess he decided to so I'm not saying your judgment -- for his -- is wrong I think maybe you're making the right -- I don't think it's -- -- I can imagine a CIA director if I can you know be having an affair for six months that ends.
And it's not it's it's not -- it's not the -- -- -- but it's not a security problem I don't think necessarily and I don't like the idea that the FBI gets you because of the totally separate or somewhat separate allegedly.
Investigation and suddenly the whole I don't know if the thing feels funny to me.
We got I don't know -- they I don't know if you know amongst yourself there that is a lot of unanswered questions send us emails let us know what you think.
I about all of this obviously this isn't going away any time soon it's but I will say this knowing David Petraeus -- what he accomplished -- -- for our country it's a really sad story.
Check in with us throughout the week -- -- -- Monday edition of Wallace -- -- You can find it right here at FOX News Sunday dot com and we'll get back here.