The 'Best People' Don't Violate Their Most Sacred Vows | CNS News

The 'Best People' Don't Violate Their Most Sacred Vows | CNS News Of all the ridiculous opinions I've heard on General David Petraeus' scandal, Doris Kearns-Goodwin's takes the cake. On a recent "Meet the Press," the Harvard graduate actually suggested that Americans should excuse the marital betrayal of leaders like General Petraeus because it limits the number of "good people" in public life. "I wish we could go back to the time when private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected their public responsibilities..." she said. "What would we have done if FDR had not been our leader because he had an affair with Lucy Mercer? Think of the productive years that Clinton could have had if Monica Lewinsky hadn't derailed them. We've got to figure out a way that we give a private sphere for our public leaders. We're not gonna get the best people in public life if we don't do that." Think about it. The man running our nation's top clandestine organization couldn't keep his own affair secret. And he's one of the best people we have in public service?