Bang goes the presidential bid

General Petraeus faints

Ok, so I'm not actually sure Petraeus was going to attempt to run in 2012 but the vague rumours I'd heard were fairly convincing that it was possible and given Obama's liking for comparing himself to Lincoln I had hoped for an inverse 1864 election and Obama losing to the general his continued imperialism elevated to a position of national renown.

That likely wont happen now. I don't imagine the media will give him an especially hard time about it but in a world where hollywood blockbusters define people's perceptions of the military this is a serious blow to his military touch guy image. You see in blockbusters general can die but they die heroically, jaw clenched as the inhuman enemies of humanity America (tautology?) close in. Hell they can be wrong, they're just so tough and stubborn they can't see the truth the hero can but you bet your bottom dollar at just the right climactic moment they'll bring the cavalry and secure the heroes' victory. But the one thing a general never does in a blockbuster is faint. Only women and liberals faint.

In reality his excuses are fairly plausible and heck most people would've snapped completely under the amount of strain he is under long ago. But in terms of perception and the popular imagination this is pretty unforgiveable.