What would be worse than being forced out of your high-level gov't job? Seeing this headline about yourself in the NEW YORK TIMES:

Former Chief of the F.D.A. Wasn't Fired, His Wife Says

I guess his mom wasn't available for comment. I am envious of the reporter who must have been soooooo psyched to find the spouse so willing to chat on the record. The story notes:

In an interview, Mrs. Crawford said: "This was a sudden decision. No one asked him to leave or forced him out. I can vouch for that."

Mrs. Crawford said she "knew everything" about her husband of 42 years, adding, "There could not be a more moral, upright person." She rejected suggestions by a government official that her husband had omitted material information from his financial disclosure statements.

The resignation came as a surprise. At a reception in his honor on Sept. 21, just 48 hours before the resignation was announced, Dr. Crawford gave no hint that he would be leaving the government.

Mrs. Crawford said she had attended the reception with her husband. At that time, "he did not know he was going to resign," she said.

She said it was not true that "we had stock that should have been sold quicker."