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Paper says Petraeus interested in top Princeton job
CIA Director David Petraeus has his eye on the top job at Princeton University, according to an article in the Daily Princetonian, the university’s student newspaper.
Petraeus, who commanded the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before retiring from the military to become CIA director last year, has publicly stated his desire to be president of Princeton before, but it has also been a comment deflecting questions about a possible run for president of the United States.
The paper said Petraeus isn't bluffing, citing three individuals close to the CIA director who state he has a serious interest in becoming university president.
Princeton is now searching for a new president after the current president, Shirley Tilghman, announced her retirement last weekend.
“I think I’ve made my respect and admiration for the great faculty and student body of Princeton University very clear, and I will reiterate that now,” Petraeus said in the statement. “As it currently stands, however, I am living the dream here at CIA.”
Michael O'Hanlon, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who considers Petraeus a friend, told the Princetonian there was some serious thought behind Petraeus's comments.
“I don’t think it was a complete throwaway line,” O’Hanlon said, referring to his joke about running to be president of Princeton.
“I think he really meant that the notion of being president of Princeton was very appealing to him, and he could imagine circumstances in which he would be president of Princeton if Princeton offered it to him,” O'Hanlon said.
