Havel is Havel

Political analyst Jiří Pehe, a former adviser to Václav Havel, said we missed the mark yesterday. Havel didn't stage the Nato farewell, he said, and it would hardly be possible to force world leaders to assist in a self- congratulatory event. The reason it turned into a farewell party, he said, is that Havel is Havel. This is also one reason Havel hasn't shared the spotlight. The CR simply doesn't have another personality like him, Pehe said, no matter where the spotlight shines. Pavel Fischer, who heads the Castle's political department, said he is surprised nearly every day by the accuracy of our comments but disagrees with yesterday's. The next president must win acceptance without Havel's help, he said. The presidential search could turn into a crisis, he added, but crisis can lead to catharsis, and such times are appropriate for generating genuine leaders.