If politics is the art of the possible, graceful exits are the art of the impossible. It's very hard to resign from public office under a cloud of suspicion and come up smelling of roses. But timing does matter. In the foul-mouthed BBC comedy 'The Thick Of It', a satire on New Labour, a bullying spin doctor called Malcolm Tucker urges a minister to step down to quell the uproar over his transgressions. "It is possible to have a good resignation," Tucker tells the incredulous minister. Oh yes? comes the reply. So Tucker lets rip (minus my censorial ***s):
Look, people really like it when you go just a bit early! You know; steely jawed, faraway look in your eyes! Before you get to the point when they're sitting round in the pub saying "Oh, that f***er's got to go!", you surprise them! "Blimey, he's gone! I didn't expect that! Resigned? You don't see that much anymore! Old school! Respect! I rather liked the guy! He was hounded out by the f***ing press!" How about that, eh? What a way to go!
via The Thick of It - Wikiquote.
|