sucker?

Most striking of all, the US government " like the British government " found itself drawn into advocating a rescue package for the financial sector which had hitherto projected an air of invincibility. By year’s end, the US rescue was headed well above $1 trillion. “This sucker could go down,” warned George W. Bush. His was one of the more memorable utterances of the year " though some wondered whether Bush was referring to the US economy or his ill-starred presidency.