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Broadwell's Co-Author Admits He Was 'Clueless' About Petraeus Affair

By John Ostapkovich

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The co-author of the David Petraeus biography has told what he knows about the general's extramarital affair with Paula Broadwell.

Vernon Loeb, a Washington Post editor (and husband of KYW Newsradio's Pat Loeb), says his wife has called him "the most clueless man in America" because he never suspected the affair between Petraeus and Broadwell.

In an interview released by the Post, Loeb says he had no chance to observe the two together.

"I never spent any time in a room with them.  I never, ever spoke to Petraeus, not even once, during the entire process" of ghostwriting Petraeus' biography, Loeb said.

Since the book was published in January, he says he's gotten a few e-mails from Broadwell, but no hint, even as recently as last Thursday, that a scandal was ready to explode on Friday.

Loeb says he never wondered about Broadwell's extraordinary access to Petraeus, and predicts that while both must realize the affair is the biggest mistake of their lives, they will roar back due to their iron wills.

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