Pat Robertson's Take On The Petraeus Affair? Propinquity

The Rev. Pat Robertson has chimed in on deposed CIA Director David Petraeus and his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, to say in effect: He couldn't help it.

On “The 700 Club,” his flagship program on his Christian Broadcasting Network, host and television evangelist Pat Robertson weighed in on the Petraeus scandal Monday. Robertson, who has never been shy about preaching morality, seemed to excuse the general and see him almost as the victim, notes RightWingWatch.

Robertson describes Broadwell's appeal, saying: “She's a lieutenant colonel, she is an extremely good-looking woman, she is a marathon runner, she can run Ironman Triathlons. So, she’s out running with him and she’s writing a biography.”

At this point, Robertson introduces many to a word that will be Googled and should become the Word of the Day.

Propinquity.

That's the reason why the affair started. Basically, propinquity is closeness, proximity, be it physical, emotional or spiritual, that leads to attraction. Broadwell spent so much time with Petraeus while writing his biography that she naturally formed an attraction for him, the preacher said.

Robertson goes on to say, “The man is off in a foreign land and he’s lonely and here’s a good-looking lady throwing herself at him. I mean, it’s — he’s a man.”

While the clip RightWingWatch provides ends at that provocative statement, Robertson does round out his comments later on in the segment.

In an extended clip, posted by The Raw Story, Robertson goes on to say, “I don’t condone sexual immorality, but at the same time, I don’t think it should be necessarily a disqualification for somebody to head the CIA.”

The Raw Story notes that at a 1999 dinner, Robertson applauded the impeachment of then-President Bill Clinton over his affarir with Monica Lewinsky.

You can view Pat Robertson's comments on “The 700 Club” below.