WH expresses "regret" their nominee for Amb. to Iraq, Brett McGurk, chose to withdraw his candidacy. McGurk had personal issues go public
—
Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) June 18, 2012Brett McGurk, President Obama’s pick for Ambassador to Iraq, withdrew himself from consideration today.
just in: obama's pick for amb to iraq – bretty mcgurk — withdrawn from consideration…revelations of questionable conduct @brookebcnn #cnn—
Jess King (@jessCNN) June 18, 2012
Questionable conduct had been reported recently.
In which Obama's Iraq amb.-nominee invited then-mistress (from @WSJ) to guest-lecture at @Harvard: wapo.st/NsxX94—
The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 15, 2012
More from the Washington Post article:
Iraqi ambassador nominee Brett McGurk’s affair with a reporter has come under much scrutiny of late.
But the relationship between McGurk and then-Wall Street Journal reporter Gina Chon was positively under-the-radar back in 2009, when McGurk invited his then-mistress (now wife) to be a guest lecturer at a Harvard course he taught.
Harvard students attending the class had no idea that their teacher was romantically involved with Chon, who spoke to them about her experience reporting in Iraq, according to a student who attended. While she described the travails of being a correspondent in a war zone, she tactfully omitted any mention of sleeping with a source.
Whoops!
As recently as yesterday, President Obama was “standing by” his pick.
Obama standing by embattled Amb nominee McGurk. Maybe he realizes the US has no influence either way. reuters.com/article/2012/0… (via @Iraqwatch)—
Uticensis Risk (@IraqiPolitics) June 17, 2012
Twitchy will monitor the situation and update as details develop.
MT @YellinCNN: McGurk said he made decision to withdraw while visiting Sec 60 of Arlington Cemetery, where Iraq, Afghan vets are buried—
Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) June 18, 2012
Update: Reaction from Twitter users, mixed with snark, rolls in.
Difference b/w Brett McGurk and Barack Obama? McGurk decided not to stand by his own nomination. abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics…—
Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) June 18, 2012
Second career option for Brett McGurk: Populist senator from North Carolina—
(@daveweigel) June 18, 2012
The emails between Gina Chon and Brett McGurk are way more interesting than the bland stories being written about them.—
Ted Hart (@tedhartii) June 18, 2012
The whole McGurk situation leads me back to one of my most basic work operating premises: keep your personal life out of your work email.—
Kate (@katenattrass) June 18, 2012