Drapier: Brian Cowen's reaction to the attack on his lips by Dr Ian Paisley was a classic of its kind. A well-calibrated mix of majesty and non-responsive wit did the job just perfectly.
The Minister, we were told, would not demean himself by responding to a frivolous personal attack. Brian we were told is a statesman, not a bruiser.
The truth is, of course, that Brian is mightily pleased with himself. A verbal assault by Paisley will play very well indeed in the pubs of Tullamore and in Fianna Fáil cumainn up and down the country.
If Cowen wants to become leader of Fianna Fáil - and he does - then a few brickbats from Paisley will help the cause. Nonetheless, Paisley may have unwittingly touched on Cowen's Achilles heel.
The fact is that Cowen actually looks more like a bruiser than a statesman. He could clean up the image a little if he wanted to. But sadly for those who would soften him up there is no sign that Brian will play ball.
Biffo actually likes being Biffo and sees no reason why we can't have a Biffo Taoiseach. Some people may worry about Brian's face on the poster but Brain Cowen assuredly does not.
Needless to say, looks shouldn't matter in politics, but they do. All of us fear the sudden emergence of a cute young female on the party ticket. Even a young fella with a full head of hair can be a real problem, especially if he makes the incumbent look old.
This time last year, Drapier was flabbergasted by the number of people who professed their dislike for Michael Noonan purely on the grounds that he "looked crotchety". Fine Gael clearly got the message and elected the baby-faced Enda Kenny to succeed Noonan.
Likewise, the Greens. John Gormley may be the intellectual force in the party but Trevor Sargent's clean-cut ensemble is much more attractive to the punters.
In principle, Cowen is right to ignore the image-makers and he's stuck with the lips come what may - but it would do no harm to straighten the tie.
i i i i i i i i i
Cowen's rival for the top job, Micheál Martin, is ahead on the looks front but he will be dead in the water all the same if his luck doesn't change soon.
Some of the biggest hospitals in the State are closing whole wards for lack of money at a time when the Government is meant to be increasing bed numbers. The SARS probable case/suspect case was appallingly mismanaged.
The attack on the (mainly female) public health doctors was badly judged. And then two cases of Legionnaires Disease, one of them undiagnosed until it was apparently well advanced.
Some of the fault must lie with the Minister's officials and advisers.
Whoever advised him to have a go at the public health doctors should be shot.
The interview with Dr Jim Kiely in relation to SARS was so lacking in clarity that it would be better if he hadn't done it.
But when push comes to shove, the buck stops with Micheál and he needs to get his act together quickly or he will suffer lasting damage.
It's not just a question of a few passing hiccups on route to the Taoiseach's office. Micheál's current problems could well damage him beyond repair.
Before the last election the Government presented a 10-year plan for the health service.
The plan is very much Micheál's baby and it commits the Government to a massive and expensive increase in capacity over a whole range of specialities.
Charlie McCreevy has never liked the plan and of lately other ministers have become decidedly iffy, preferring instead to emphasise the notion of reforming the structures and delivery mechanisms.
We are close to crunch point on some of these issues. The Government is expected to publish several reports commissioned by it, at least one of which will surely challenge the basis of Martin's plan.
The "more for less" brigade in Cabinet is in the ascendancy and a much weakened Minister for Health will not be able to hold the line unless he gets a grip on things pretty quickly.
i i i i i i i i i
There was at least one unusual element this week in the all-too- familiar mix of farce and tedium which continues to dog the peace process. For once the Provos seemed to be genuinely angry about something. We have become used to the intermittent outbursts of self-serving mock anger but for some reason this week it seemed more for real.
Mitchel McLoughlin, Bairbre de Brún, Martin McGuinness, all of them at different times on television and radio, seemed irritated beyond belief by simple questions about punishment beatings, shootings, exile and all the various tactics which their organisation continues to use.
The questions were hardly unreasonable, so why the irritation? Could it be that the Provos really have disavowed all of the above? If so, why will they not say so plainly?
There are really only two or three possible answers to that question.
The official Provo reason that it would not have the British government putting words in its mouth is scarcely credible.
The Provos have swallowed much harder pills in recent years. They could be trying to maintain what Michael McDowell called "wriggle room". If so, then the governments are surely right to refuse them the luxury.
Perhaps the most likely explanation is that the Sinn Féin leadership has indeed decided to go down the road of exclusively peaceful politics but is reluctant to confront some of its members and supporters with the stark conclusion which flows from that decision, namely that there is no longer any reason for the IRA to exist.