Straight men, fixers and maddies
Politicians in the first category have their appeal, as the elections of John Cain, Nick Greiner and John Bannon attest.
Fixers, however, last longer, as evidenced by the tenures of Bob Hawke, Neville Wran and Bob Carr. That's because fixers aren't too disruptive and tend to get enough things done to create the illusion of progress.
But it's the out-and-out maddies who, for good or ill, change everything. Think of Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Joh Bjelke- Petersen and, yes, Kennett and Keating. (Incidentally, far from being in the straight-man category, John Howard is madder than any hatter.) Maddies, for good or ill, make news, make waves, make trouble and make history.
· Ah [ via VOW]