Final Word from Wednesday, February 26, 2020

The lighting at most of the Democratic debates is so bright that it disadvantages the candidates born in the first half of the 20th century. Joe Biden (1942) suffers particularly in this regard. He looks at times like a well-groomed corpse. Next in this respect is probably Michael Bloomberg (1942). Least affected by the brightness of this generation are Elizabeth Warren (1949) and Bernie Sanders (1941). Placed up against these four, newly elected Ombudsman Stanislav Křeček (1938) wouldn't fare badly at all, although he has 11 years on the youngest of them. In politics, age usually becomes an issue when it serves a useful purpose, not when the capacities of the person become diminished. And such is the case with Křeček. He's just too old, many of his critics say. They should look on the bright side of life. Actuarially speaking, Křeček is less likely to finish his term than would another ANO-KSČM-SPD-Castle candidate, such as Helena Válková (1951). The age-conscious opposition should therefore be able to elect its own ombudsman all that much sooner after it wins the next parliamentary and presidential elections. [ Czech Republic statistics death Party Communist ČSSD ]