As Greg Craig retires into private life with the knife of at least one erstwhile colleague still protruding form his back, he might reflect on the words of another man who held “great place” (i.e., high office) and then lost a power struggle:
Men in great place are thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state; servants of fame; and servants of business. So as they have no freedom; neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire, to seek power and to lose liberty: or to seek power over others and to lose power over a man’s self. The rising unto place is laborious; and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base; and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing.
I have no idea what actually happened to Craig, and perhaps both he and the country are better off for the change, but let’s hope that the departure from the “No drama Obama” rule doesn’t start a trend.