--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The genius of David Petraeus has always…" description: "\"The genius of David Petraeus has always been his masterful manipulation of the media.\" — Michael Hastings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/michael-hastings-6810_always_the-genius-of-david-petraeus-has-always_2864567.png" --- # The genius of David Petraeus has always been his masterful… ![“The genius of David Petraeus has always been his masterful manipulation of the media.” quote by Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/michael-hastings-6810_always_the-genius-of-david-petraeus-has-always_2864567.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/michael-hastings-6810_always_the-genius-of-david-petraeus-has-always_2864567.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b0/michael-hastings-6810_always_the-genius-of-david-petraeus-has-always_2864567.png) > “The genius of David Petraeus has always been his masterful manipulation of the media.” [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He asserts that Petraeus’s strength lies in his skillful media manipulation. **In simple terms:** Petraeus excels at shaping media narratives. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate media messages. Themes media politics manipulation Mood skeptical alert Type analytical educational When to use this quote - government - public opinion - information warfare Key Concepts communication theory leadership Questions to Reflect On - What signs reveal media manipulation? - How can citizens stay informed? A Different Perspective Manipulation can be transparent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-petraeus-643272/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-david-3884245/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Manipulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulation/) [Manipulation Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulation-media-3884246/) [Masterful Manipulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masterful-manipulation-3884244/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Petraeus Masterful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petraeus-masterful-3884243/) ## Related quotes > [General David Petraeus was so successful at getting on covers of magazines, having journalists fall in love with him, that in fact he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/general-david-petraeus-was-so-successful-at-getting-on-covers-of/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [ I had been working on a second book with \[David\] Petraeus called Relentless. Obviously that book and the income that it would have generated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-had-been-working-on-a-second-book-with-david-petraeus-called/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I'm really happy for \[David Petraeus\]. He's exceptionally talented. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-m-really-happy-for-david-petraeus-he-s-exceptionally-talented/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [If what I've been told is true - and I believe it is, General David Petraeus, a commander with soldiers deployed in two theaters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-massa/if-what-i-ve-been-told-is-true-and-i-believe-it-is-general-david/) [Eric Massa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-massa/) > [I was in such a state of mental shock and quickly spiraled into a depression at the multitude of loss. My husband, I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-was-in-such-a-state-of-mental-shock-and-quickly-spiraled-into-a/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [General David Petraeus is an American patriot and hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/general-david-petraeus-is-an-american-patriot-and-hero/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [Replacing General McChrystal with David Petraeus was a good first step, but more will be needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-talent/replacing-general-mcchrystal-with-david-petraeus-was-a-good-first/) [Jim Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-talent/) > [Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and at Centcom, is probably the most decorated officer of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/gen-david-petraeus-commander-of-u-s-troops-in-iraq-afghanistan-and-at/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [“Now I wish I had pushed back hard on his question. I should have said, “You know, Matt, I was the one in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/now-i-wish-i-had-pushed-back-hard-on-his-question-i-should-have-said/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [I'm not in love with David Petraeus. But I think he does present a terrific role model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-m-not-in-love-with-david-petraeus-but-i-think-he-does-present-a/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I would say that \[David\] Petraeus and \[Hillary\] Clinton are being handled very difficultly by this administration over arguably exactly the same issue, which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-would-say-that-david-petraeus-and-hillary-clinton-are-being-handled/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [There's no way we can get to the bottom of Benghazi without David Petraeus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/there-s-no-way-we-can-get-to-the-bottom-of-benghazi-without-david/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [Despite the fact that David Petraeus is now very highly regarded in foreign policy circles because of his record in both Republican and Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/despite-the-fact-that-david-petraeus-is-now-very-highly-regarded-in/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [In 2012 Roger Ailes, you know, desperately tried to get who into the race? Chris Christie, a somewhat moderate if tough talking from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-2012-roger-ailes-you-know-desperately-tried-to-get-who-into-the/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [David Petraeus, the best known American general of his generation. After commanding the American war effort in both Iraq and Afghanistan, he was serving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/david-petraeus-the-best-known-american-general-of-his-generation/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More by Michael Hastings > [I have a deep-seated skepticism about the morality of violence. Violence is almost always morally corrosive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-have-a-deep-seated-skepticism-about-the-morality-of-violence/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The humanitarian argument is so selective I find it difficult to swallow. It's not even so much about the choice as to where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-humanitarian-argument-is-so-selective-i-find-it-difficult-to/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If Bill O'Reilly is calling you a far-left critic, in my book, no matter what your political persuasion is, that's probably - that probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-bill-o-reilly-is-calling-you-a-far-left-critic-in-my-book-no/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [I'm post-cynical on this stuff. I look at the El Salvador model as the glory days: Why don't we just fund the death squads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/i-m-post-cynical-on-this-stuff-i-look-at-the-el-salvador-model-as-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Whether or not Afghanistan would be a peaceful nation-state had we not gone into Iraq I doubt. Afghanistan is going to be Afghanistan, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/whether-or-not-afghanistan-would-be-a-peaceful-nation-state-had-we/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [One of their major initiatives was getting all officers on Facebook. So the question is, why are these people who are there to train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/one-of-their-major-initiatives-was-getting-all-officers-on-facebook/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [It was interesting watching the Afghanistan war review deliberations, this three-month process where Barack Obama did the most thorough foreign policy review ever by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/it-was-interesting-watching-the-afghanistan-war-review-deliberations/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Inside the White House there were always extreme amounts of doubt about whether they should be escalating in Afghanistan. In fact, most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/inside-the-white-house-there-were-always-extreme-amounts-of-doubt/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The State Department is essentially... I was going to use the word useless. But I don't know if that's correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-state-department-is-essentially-i-was-going-to-use-the-word/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If someone tells you something is off the record, I don't print it. If they don't tell me something is off the record, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-someone-tells-you-something-is-off-the-record-i-don-t-print-it-if/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [If you polled the military in Afghanistan as to how many think we should be there or not, the numbers would probably be similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/if-you-polled-the-military-in-afghanistan-as-to-how-many-think-we/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [Afghanistan would have been difficult enough without Iraq. Iraq made it impossible. The argument that had we just focused on Afghanistan we'd now be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/afghanistan-would-have-been-difficult-enough-without-iraq-iraq-made/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [“Her name has been released to the press. Her photograph is released, too. I want to talk to the press about it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/her-name-has-been-released-to-the-press-her-photograph-is-released/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [The frightening aspect is that it's part of a larger effort from the Pentagon to tear down the wall between public affairs and propaganda,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hastings/the-frightening-aspect-is-that-it-s-part-of-a-larger-effort-from-the/) [Michael Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hastings/) > [An information operations team was sent to Afghanistan to conduct various psychological operations on the Afghans and Taliban. 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But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. 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