What does "teflon" mean?

[Muniii]

Hi i wanted to know what does teflon mean in this sentence:

"As he loses control of a shrinking economy, his Teflon is wearing thin"
Thanks in advance

 

[Atchan]

[NOT A TEACHER]

Teflon means "a plastic that is very smooth and does not react chemically with other substances. It is used in industry and as a surface for cooking pans so that food does not stick to the pan."

 

[SoothingDave]

Teflon is the "non-stick" surface used on frying pans, etc. In referring to politicians, it means that issues and problems, etc. do not "stick" to the politician's public image.

 

[BobK]

:up: So if a politician's 'Teflon's wearing thin', the stuff that opponents are (metaphorically) throwing at him is starting to stick. I think the first 'Teflon president' was Ronald Reagan, but this one presumably refers to Obama. (The 'Teflon' image was getting a bit stale, so the journalist tried to 'sex it up' by introducing the idea of thickness; if that was the intention, it didn't work for me. ;-))

b

 

[Pedroski]

Funny Questions Dept.
If nothing sticks to teflon, why does the pan stick to it?