Out-foxed

Br'er Rabbit ("Brother Rabbit") is the main character of the Uncle Remus stories.  He is a likable trickster prone to getting into trouble who is often opposed by Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear.  In one tale, Br'er Fox constructs a lump of tar and puts clothing on it. When Br'er Rabbit comes along he addresses the "tar baby" amiably, but receives no response. Br'er Rabbit becomes offended by what he perceives as Tar Baby's lack of manners, kicks it, and becomes stuck. Now that Br'er Rabbit is stuck, Fox ponders how best to dispose of him. The helpless, but cunning, Br'er Rabbit pleads, "Please don't throw me in the briar patch," prompting Fox to do exactly that. As rabbits are at home in thickets, the resourceful Br'er Rabbit escapes. Using the phrases "please don't throw me in the briar patch" and "tar baby" to refer to the idea of "a problem that gets worse the more one struggles against it" became part of the wider culture of the United States in the mid-20th century.  [Source]

For weeks now the newspapers have been telling us that forcing Kadima to hold internal primaries would spell the end of Ehud Olmert's political career.  Apparently Ehud Barak believes what he reads in newspapers, because immediately after Labor and Kadima leaders signed their midnight agreement forcing Kadima to commit to holding internal primaries (instead of dissolving the Knesset and forcing early elections), Barak and other labor dimwits began crowing about how they had humiliated Kadima (in general) and Olmert (in particular).

It now turns out that Olmert - our very own Br'er Rabbit - was pleading "Please don't force us to hold internal primaries", when in fact that is precisely what he wanted.

You see, had the bright bulbs at Labor done their homework they would have realized that even if primaries are held and Olmert loses (or doesn't even run, for that matter)... there is nothing in the Kadima bylaws preventing him from staying on as Prime Minister for as long as he likes.  Nice huh?

I don't know who I'm angrier at in this scenario... 'Br'er Rabbit' (Olmert) or 'Br'er Fox' (Barak).   Either way, this failed government seems to be our very own 'tar baby' from which we may never get unstuck.