TV Quote of the Day (‘Yes, Minister,’ With the Transatlantic ‘Golden Rule’ of Scandal Containment)

Bernard Woolley, the Minister’s principal private secretary [played by Derek Fowlds, left]: “So what do we believe in?”

Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Administrative Affairs [played by Nigel Hawthorne, right]: “At this moment, Bernard, we believe in stopping the minister from informing the Prime Minister.”

Bernard: “But why?”

Sir Humphrey: “Because once the Prime Minister knows, there will have to be an enquiry, like Watergate. The investigation of a trivial break-in led to one ghastly revelation after another and finally the downfall of a president. The golden rule is don't lift lids off cans of worms. Everything is connected to everything else. Who said that?”

Bernard: “The Cabinet Secretary?”

Sir Humphrey: “Nearly right. Actually, it was Lenin.” —Yes, Minister, Season 3, Episode 6, “The Whisky Priest,” original air date Dec. 16, 1982, teleplay by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, directed by Peter Whitmore

These days, the Trump Administration is well past the “golden rule” propounded by Sir Humphrey, let alone Jesus Christ. As he looks around the fast-developing wreckage of the Epstein scandal, the President must wonder, “How did I ever get into this mess?”

So now, the Orange Menace is resorting to what may be thought of as his 3D Defense. You know: Deny, Distract, Delay, then repeat, till events break your way.

It’s worked before. Let’s see if the old Trump Voodoo gets him out of this latest doo-doo. With Congress closing sooner this week (courtesy of House Speaker Mike Johnson), anything can happen.