WASHINGTON — Senate Armed Services Chair John McCain defended David Petraeus, the highly decorated but scandal-checkered former military commander, as a contender for secretary of state under President-elect Donald Trump.
"He's one of the most talented and capable leaders I have ever known, and I have the utmost respect for him," McCain, R-Ariz., said Tuesday of the retired general and former CIA director.
A day after Petraeus met for an hour with Trump at Trump Tower in Manhattan, McCain was one of several senators who said they could look past Petraeus' prosecution for mishandling classified material in a scandal stemming from an extramarital affair with his biographer.
"Just met with General Petraeus — was very impressed!" Trump tweeted shortly after the meeting.
Trump has already conferred with the other two leading candidates for the State Department post — Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, and former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani — as Trump's team has publicly divided over the two.
Trump was scheduled to meet Tuesday with a third, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who has been advising Trump on foreign policy.
Of Petraeus, McCain said, "People make mistakes in life, they pay a price and move on. I think when you balance his record of service to the country, that far outweighs the other issue—that was addressed."
Because Petraeus pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor — mishandling classified information — McCain said he did not anticipate a problem with him obtaining a security clearance.
Petraeus could prove an awkward pick, as Trump and other Republicans ripped Hillary Clinton, when she was the Democratic presidential nominee, for doing what Trump claimed was worse while she was secretary of state.
Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said the criticism for Clinton's handling of classified materials, "are the same issues for Petraeus."
"I don't know how we can with a straight face say Hillary Clinton shouldn't be in the White House and we're going to appoint someone to a cabinet position who pled guilty to a similar offense," Paul told reporters.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, drew a distinction between Clinton's unresolved issues and Petraeus' issues. Graham, who counted himself "a big fan of Gen. Petraeus," said he would support his serving the country again.
"His case has been resolved, we know what he did, he took responsibility for what he did, he's been punished for what he did," said Graham, R-S.C. "The question is whether he has any viability left in him after all that, and that's for every senator to decide."
"I'm supportive of him as a person, I think he does have viability, but I don't know what the political market is, given his past problems," Graham said.
Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican on the SASC and retired Army National Guard officer, seemed lukewarm to Petraeus.
"I want someone of a really high character, obviously, and he is brilliant when it comes to world affairs, but I think there are a lot of great selections out there," said Ernst. "I'l have to take a look at all of them."
Two key Democrats said they would withhold judgement on Petraeus and whether his conviction was disqualifying: The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin, of Maryland, and the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein.
Feinstein said she had "great respect for his mind and for his ability to be a really effective commander," but said there was a "question" hovering over Petraeus' ability to get a security clearance, post-conviction.
"That's the one question that comes up with respect to this whole business of releasing classified information to someone that is not certificated to have it," Feinstein said. "So I need to think more about that."
Cardin praised the former official's distinguished military record, which "garnered him great respect from members of the United States Senate. On the other hand, he's made some mistakes.
"So you have to evaluate that, and that's what the confirmation process is required to do," Cardin said.
Joe Gould was the senior Pentagon reporter for Defense News, covering the intersection of national security policy, politics and the defense industry. He had previously served as Congress reporter.
