NO matter how high you're riding as a politician, you must be keenly aware that the crash is never far away.
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And this week's victim of politics' vicious spin cycle is none less than Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who must be counting down the days until the Christmas break.
One of this week's crises for the PM was of his own making while the other can be credited to Australia's most accomplished political wrecker of the past 25 years or so, Pauline Hanson.
Mr Morrison made himself an easy target for attack when he revealed he had spoken to NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller seeking an update on an investigation into his Energy Minister Angus Taylor.
Mr Morrison maintains he was simply looking for information and was in no way trying to influence the investigation - but he would say that, wouldn't he?
But making the call at all was either a moment of political misjudgment or political naivety - and neither explanation paints the PM in a favourable light.
Mr Morrison has been around long enough to know that, in politics, perception is reality and there was only ever one way a call to the police commissioner was going to be perceived.
Mr Morrison has dug this hole for himself and he won't get out of it any time soon if he decides to keep digging.
But the week's other disaster has the potential to be a longer term problem for Mr Morrison and the government after Ms Hanson sensationally voted with opposition MPs in the Senate on Thursday to negate the government's "union busting" bill.
It was a powerful reminder from Ms Hanson that she is no political pushover and was a clear signal to the government that she will use her powerful vote in the Senate to ensure she is consulted on every issue.
That will be the unwanted Christmas gift that keeps on giving for Mr Morrison.