Final Word from Tuesday, August 25, 2009
After ČSSD hired the U.S. media-relations agency PSB to work on its election campaign, the results soon became evident. ČSSD began following the opinion polls closer and used multi-page advertisements in the press to explain its positions (which were usually highly populist) on a wide range of issues. Since ODS hired Arthur J. Finkelstein as its campaign adviser, no such easily recognizable results have been visible. Instead, as Euro pointed out, Finklestein's fingerprint has been most visible on Mirek Topolánek's attempt to make himself the victim, and not the conniving culprit, in the Tuscany affair. Now, lo and behold, Topolánek is the victim again. Some rowdies threw rocks at him and busted open his head. Or did they really? Perhaps they were imaginary rocks and fake blood. Maybe Mr. Finkelstein is the one who should be hauled down to the precinct to answer some questions.[Czech Republic Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates Italy]
Glossary of difficult words
to cast - to throw;
cast not the first stone - (biblical) only those without sin or faults should find fault in others;
PSB - Penn, Schoen and Berland;
fingerprint - (figurative) a distinctive identifying characteristic;
to connive - to conspire to do something considered immoral, illegal or harmful;
lo and behold - a phrase used to suggest that although something is surprising, it could have in fact been expected;
to bust open - to split open (an exaggerated term in this instance but the one used by Topolánek);
to haul someone in/down - to take someone in (for questioning);
precinct - police station.