Alexander Downer recalls the morning after the night before.

“I remember the day after the election when Peter Costello made his announcement and my wife and some of my children, we were watching this announcement on television,” Mr Downer told the Nine Network.

“And somebody asked would I be interested in the job and the children all in unison howled out: ‘Don’t go anywhere near it Dad!’”

What he forgot to tell Channel Nine is that he also clearly heard the screams of 20 million Australians howling out in unison: “Noooooooo!”