He worked throughout the Middle East before joining a secret team that tried to obtain the release of Western hostages in Lebanon in exchange for arms sent to Iran.

A former executive in the weapons industry, he led the Air Force amid reports of sexual assault at its service academy and a multibillion-dollar procurement scandal.

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With an unpopular war and high prices agitating voters, members of both parties see parallels to an election cycle when Democrats romped. But a lot has changed.

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