Final Word from Friday, November 7, 2008
Barack Obama's task of forming his first cabinet is much more pleasant than Mirek Topolánek's task of reshuffling his own. One of the risks in both cases is similar, though. Both leaders need to demonstrate that they're serious about changing the status quo. By choosing a bunch of Clinton-era politicians, Obama would be pretending that the U.S.'s problems are only a product of the Bush administration. It would signal that the more things change, the more they stay the same. By feeding rumors about replacing almost everyone except his driver, Topolánek is shoring up support for the ODS congress. But he's also setting the stage for a big public disappointment if the changes are superficial or if there's no clear rhyme or reason to why certain ministers are sacked and others with comparable blemishes are spared. A change is gonna come, as Sam Cooke sang in '63, but maybe not till the next '63.[Czech Republic United States of America Bill Brian Eno David Byrne Everything That Happens will Happen Today George W.]
Glossary of difficult words
change we're used to - a play on Obama's "change we can believe in";
to reshuffle - to reorganize or change the positions (of a government or team);
product - (in this sense) a person or thing that is the result of an action or process;
to shore up - to support something as if by using a prop;
to set the stage for something - to prepare the conditions for something to occur or begin;
rhyme or reason - logical explanation or reason;
blemish - fault or flaw;
to spare someone - to refrain from inflicting something on someone;
"A change is gonna come, like Sam Cooke sang in '63" - a line from the new Byrne/Eno song "The River".