The PUMAs are (largely) a myth. They did not come out (if they existed) for the GOP as was rumored/hoped on part of the Right.
Gates is somewhat different. He was “lefty leaning” (re Iraq) before... and is the archetype of a technocrat. He is politically non-incentive. He was retained primarily as a “fall-guy” for the Iraq “pull-out”. Zero needs a Bush holdover to put the blame on for all eventualities. I suspect that Gates will be replaced 2010.
Petreaus would repel the hard left. And they really can be drama b*tches... I regularily check the snake dens at DU and Kos... and they don’t hold back on 0bama when he veers off the left track. It would be a field day for McKinney, Kucinich and Nader.
Also who is Zero going to win with Petreaus? Conservatives won’t be suckered into voting for Bambi and more likely be energized by such an blatant “defection”.
And “middle of the road” voters most likely won’t care about “the surge” and Iraq in 2012 anymore.
I think a Obama/Hillary ticket in 2012 is more likely and logical from a Democrat POV.
BTW it’s all highly speculative... since the “Petreaus is a Democrat” thing is nothing more than a rumor.
Excellent points. I’ll just say that I put nothing past Barry and the Chicago thugs!