Final Word from Thursday, May 3, 2012
It's all a conspiracy to get Jan Fischer elected! Why else would
ČSSD and ODS sabotage their presidential campaigns so
thoroughly? First Miroslava Němcová pulled out of the ODS race.
She was the only Civic Democrat with a prayer of winning, except
perhaps Bohuslav Svoboda (who never showed interest). With her
gone, that leaves Přemysl Sobotka and Evžen Tošenovský, who
are for the most part loyal ODS foot soldiers but who for this
very reason are expendable as far as voters are concerned. ČSSD
is even worse. Jan Švejnar pulled a near-Němcová yesterday
when he announced after the debate invitations had already
gone out that he's not interested in being ČSSD's candidate but
will still take part in the duels with Jiří Dienstbier that begin
today. No matter how the debates turn out, ČSSD loses, because
its voters will be given two choices. This splits the vote, giving
Fischer (and perhaps Miloš Zeman) the edge. After bungling
things so badly, ČSSD and ODS have more reason than ever to
see that direct elections aren't held.[Czech Republic primary primaries]
Glossary of difficult words
amateur hour - a situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment or professionalism;
to have a prayer - to have (only) a slight chance;
foot soldier - a person who carries out important work but does not have a role of authority in an organization or field;
expendable - of little significance when compared to an overall purpose, and therefore able to be abandoned;
to pull something - to do something clever or sly; in this context, to do something similar to what Němcová did;
to have the edge - to have an advantage;
to bungle something - to do something clumsily or incompetently.