can anyone tell me why this isn't working?

Subject: Cron <root@box> /usr/bin/scp -i /root/.ssh/id_rsa /var/log/ac/claud.log user@remote.org:~/dir/dir2/us2.log
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/bash>
X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/root>
X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/usr/bin:/bin>
X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=root>

Permission denied, please try again.
Permission denied, please try again.
Permission denied (publickey,password).
lost connection


when i run the string by it self it works fine. i've used the -i switch and set the shell to bash. I can't think of anything else. what am i missing here?

here is what im doing with -v option

new string running in cron:

/usr/bin/scp -2 -B -v -i /root/.ssh/id_rsa /home/dir/file.cfg username@remotehost.org:~/dir/file.cfg

Executing: program /usr/bin/ssh host remotehost.org, user myuser, command scp -v -t ~/dir/file
OpenSSH_4.7p1 Debian-8ubuntu1.2, OpenSSL 0.9.8g 19 Oct 2007
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Connecting to remotehost.org[*] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/0
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_4.3p2 Debian-9etch3
debug1: match: OpenSSH_4.3p2 Debian-9etch3 pat OpenSSH*
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_4.7p1 Debian-8ubuntu1.2
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-cbc hmac-md5 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY
debug1: Host 'remotehost.org' is known and matches the RSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /root/.ssh/known_hosts:3
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
debug1: PEM_read_PrivateKey failed
debug1: read PEM private key done: type <unknown>
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
Permission denied (publickey,password).
lost connection

Is this in your mortal user cronjob or in the root user cronjob? Because it looks like it's running as user myuser and that user isn't (and shouldn't be) able to read /root/.ssh/id_rsa.

it does run under the root user, i created under root using crontab -e option.

reading post im thinking maybe something should be done with ssh-agent. I'm not sure what i would need to do.