such a hot potato that it was dropped.

Dropped like a hot potato

Tossed around like a hot potato

He looked like he was holding a hot potato.

Some of the things they're recommending were hot issues in the 1990s, and they were dropped after being pushed by predecessors of mine very strongly and just didn't get anywhere.

were very much trying to present themselves as reluctant warriors. They were very much reacting to demonstrations of public opinion.