Sadly, many politicians face challenging psychological adjustments after they leave office brought on by the dawning realisation that it was the office they held that caused people to fawn over them not any qualities they might have.
For awhile all is good as they bask in an extended round of pleasant send-offs. They write their memoirs, which slip into the remainder trays after a short burst of publicity.They write columns for newspapers with their 'insights' into current issues. It has novelty value for the insiders for awhile, but still it slips away, it drifts. They can feel the night begin to fall.
Rage, rage ... then it dawns on you that an attack on your own side will draw a headline.
So that's where Costello is now.
Of course, his criticisms of Abbott's bizarre parental policy are as accurate as they are lurid.
But what is his motivation for biting the hand that has fed him for so long.
Just a cry for a few last glimpses of the light before it all goes dark.
And then this week we also had John Howard. Remember him? There he was on Monday, popping up on four corners taking credit for the rise of Tony Abbott.
How desperate for a jolt from the publicity probe can you be?
What deep sense of grief drives a man to claim credit for Tony Abbott?
Hang around, it can only get worse.
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