Final Word from Thursday, January 31, 2008
"Klaus is the past, and I am the future" is Jan Švejnar's strongest argument. Putting meat on this bone, though, is a challenge. Just how is Václav Klaus impeding the CR's future progress? By putting the brake on the euro, by criticizing EU bureaucracy, by opposing the global-warming hysteria? Reaching a strong anti-Klaus consensus on such hackneyed issues won't be easy, because many voters will agree with Klaus. To leave a lasting impression, Švejnar will need to go a step further and show a causal link because Klaus's controversial past policies and the country's present or future. If Klaus allowed billions to be stolen, where is the impact today? If Klaus has created a "power center" at the Castle, who is part of it, and where is it exercising power? If Klaus is undermining the independence of the judicial system, who is benefiting? If Švejnar truly wants to bring change, he'll need to supply some details.[Czech Republic presidential elections European Union]
Glossary of difficult words
the devil is in the details - the details of a matter are its most problematic part; this headline also suggests that if Švejnar supplies some details, he might uncover some devils;
to put meat on the bone - to supply concrete examples or substance for strenthening an argument;
to impede - to obstruct, hinder, prevent;
hackneyed -unoriginal and trite, overused;
causal link - analysis which relates a cause to an effect;
to undermine - to damage or weaken someone or something, esp. in a gradual and insidious way.