Final Word from Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sometimes, after planing a Final Word, we're chagrined to read in
the morning paper that some clever Czech journalist has beat us
to the punch. Too often it's that pesky Alexandr Mitrofanov of
Právo, who wrote today that the next Czech president will face a
changed world and will have to guide the Czechs in deciding
which direction to take in the geopolitical repositioning. Among
the options, he notes, will be chest-pounding at home, siding
with the EU hardcore or cozying up to Russia. Mitrofanov didn't
address the possibility that the decision will have to be made
before the current president takes his leave. It's not even entirely
clear which direction Václav Klaus would guide the country if the
decision were his to make. What is clear is that Klaus is heads
above all the current candidates, including Miloš Zeman, in
addressing the real issues facing Europe and the world. You
might not always (or ever) agree with Klaus's conclusions, but
you just may miss the quality of the discourse emanating from
the Castle once he is gone.[Czech Republic direct presidential elections]
Glossary of difficult words
debater in chief - (rare) the person in control of the debate in a country;
chagrined - annoyed, irritated;
to beat someone to the punch - to anticipate or forestall someone's actions; to do something before someone else does it;
pesky - causing trouble;
chest-pounding/beating - to extol one's own virtues;
to cozy up to - to gain favor with someone; to ingratiate oneself to someone;
discourse - written or spoken communication or debate;
to emanate - to issue or spread from a source.