Blair's Fut ure

This is what’s known as a newswire death knell.

In the past twenty-four hours, we’ve had a a 10 Downing Street reminder of how abruptly the long-running Margaret Thatcher show was cancelled.  We’ve had a blunt and auspicious close-up of the 10 Downing Street entrance.  (Don’t let the door hit you on the way out?)

And we’ve been delivered the wonderfully cheeky shot above.  There’s Tony looking completely saucy, the angle showing some aging under the chin.  (The stress starting to take its toll there, Tony?)  Behind him, the future is only looking up.  Yet, the P.M. is looking backward, as if the future could only be swinging around to crucify him.  And, if you notice the crease in the background, the “future” is split, appearing to stop at Blair’s forehead.

Sometimes, there’s no holding back on the analogical hints and coy visual suggestions — especially when your subject is history.

(image 1: John Giles/AFP.  September 5, 2006.  London.  Via YahooNews.  image 2: Sean Dempsey/AFP.  1990.  London.  Via YahooNews.  image 3: Dylan Martinez/Reuters.  September 6, 2006.  London  Via YahooNews.)