Fessed up after he Messed up!

He fessed up to messing up

It was just announced that CIA Director Petraeus has resigned not because he was a bad Army General or CIA Director but because he CHEATED!!  REALLY?!   He confessed to “exercising bad judgement in having an extramarital affair.”  After being married to his wife Holly for 37 years what would lead a man down the cheating path?  Why would he put his life, his wife’s, his family, and his career in jeopardy?  Can the booty be that good?  Or was it an emotional thing?  Irregardless of why he engaged, he did.  What I want to mention is his confession.

As a top ranking Marine Leader, a government official in a high position working under the newly elected second term President surely you can understand why he had to fess up to his indiscretions.  Any public relations person would agree that his resignation was a correct move.

Now he could have continued with his behavior but just think of all the outlash and backdraft that would have occurred had he not fessed up…  with the President’s security living it up Hip Hop style with the loose women across seas, Clinton’s cheating fiasco, Gingrich’s post 90’s episode…the White House is starting to look like Hugh Hefner’s back yard.  Not to mention his wife Holly for goodness sake works in the White House as well!  Can you imagine walking through those halls knowing that EVERYONE KNOWS about your husband’s unfaithfulness to YOU!  This affects more than just General Petraeus!   It is more than his reputation at stake.  We have a President who is constantly photographed lovingly with his wife and girls; being surrounded by a bunch of men who don’t know sexal restraint is NOT a good look for him.

As much as we hate to hear this news and the fact that the President accepted his resignation we have to respect his decision.  However for General Petraeus this isn’t over.  I don’t know Holly personally but if she is like most women he will be sleeping on the couch for awhile.  They have to keep their public relations manager close by.  At this point he/she may as well move in because there are so many ways this can play out; divorce, the other woman (women) can come out having the Tiger effect, etc.

Elle Peterson founder of HeCheatedOnMe.net suggests the following PR Rules for handling cheating spouse.  Holly Petraeus listen up!!

6 PR Rules to Publicly Divorce Cheating Spouse

1. Apply the KISS principle: Keep It Simple for the Stupid. Keep your emotional delivery neutral and avoid giving the messy details. You might feel initially relieved to reveal the pain you’ve been feeling after dealing with sexual/emotional infidelity, but this can backfire. Keeping a neutral appearance throughout your divorce allows you to save face and look graceful under fire. Besides, you want a fast easy divorce and this will only make things more complicated when people expect to know more than they need to.

2. Spare the Details. People will ask millions of questions about your pending divorce, especially if they know sexual or emotional affairs were factors leading up to it. Safely assume that while some people ask out of sincere interest for you, most people are simply interested in using your situation as entertainment. Therefore, don’t give up “the dirt;” let them think what they want while you adjust to your new life.  People have several influences for cheating… and it’s none of their business to know what’s going on behind closed doors.

3. Keep Your Divorce Off Facebook and Twitter. Constantly updating others about your divorce is not only a foolish choice but carries dire consequences when sites like Facebook and Twitter are involved. Social networking sites have come a long way, but are still extremely viral; something you say – even if you post it for a split second in the heat of the moment– can spread like wildfire within minutes and live on the internet forever. Even if you delete it, someone’s always got it saved somewhere. Avoid volunteering up-to-the-minute information offline as well.

4. Maintain and Practice Your Public Relations Skills. Develop a couple of sentences or even craft a personal statement regarding what you want people to know about your divorce after infidelity. Rehearse it at home until you feel confident enough to use it in public. Don’t go off the beaten path of this statement unless you absolutely must – and if you do, make sure it’s in private with those who you can totally trust.

5. Develop a Thick Skin. People are notorious for being obnoxious, providing unwanted commentary when you least desire or expect it. You’ll find people will have plenty of negative things to say about your divorce. They’ll add personal commentary on you or your cheating spouse’s sexual affairs and emotional infidelities too, if they’re aware of any. Remember that people tend to speak recklessly, and their inflammatory accusations and obscene commentary are reflections of their mentality. Let their projections be just that, and keep moving forward.

6. Shield Yourself and Your Family. Depending on how well-known your family is, it may be necessary to take a step back from the public eye during your divorce. Your family may feel intense stress from external pressures, such as a highly invasive social circle. If you have children, they might feel extra aggravation at school where peers may question or tease them for what’s going on. Protect your family’s privacy at all costs when necessary to preserve dignity and sanity for everyone.

Divorce after infidelity is painful to experience. No matter how bad it had gotten, you never really knew – or felt – it would ever come to this. However, these essential divorce tips for women can assist you in getting through what is arguably the toughest period of your life. They were written by a woman who experienced a heartbreaking divorce after over 20 years of marriage, so she understands your pain. In addition to this, you can also find great tips for dating after divorce or going from dreary, depressed divorcee to dazzling sexy divorcee!

Do you have any more to add?  What are your thoughts of General Petraeus’ resignation?  Comment below!