Turncoats
We'll probably never know for sure whether MP Olga Zubová of the Greens was truly too sick last Fri. to vote in the presidential elections, or whether her absence was an intentional way to reduce the quorum and allow Václav Klaus to win. Many analysts and journalists say it doesn't matter, because Klaus had enough votes to win anyway. But this misses the point entirely. As Communist Vice Chair Jiří Dolejš noted on Czech Radio, ODS had to have other willing turncoats lined up, in addition to Evžen Snítilý of ČSSD, just in case they were needed. The way the vote had turned out a week earlier - when the other side found some last-minute truants of its own - showed the importance of having a strong bench. Analysts and journalists who profess to being against vote-rigging should cut Green Chair Martin Bursík some slack and not blame him for wanting to get to the bottom of the Zubová issue.
Glossary of difficult words
turncoat - a person who deserts one party or cause in order to join an opposing one;quorum - the minimum number of members of an assembly who must be present at a meeting to make the proceedings of the meeting valid;
to have someone lined up - to have someone ready to act;
truant - a student who misses school without leave or explanation;
strong bench (sports) - a strong second squad, B team;
to cut someone some slack (informal) - to allow someone some leeway in his behavior, not to be so strict on someone;
to profess - to claim openly;
to get to the bottom of something - to find an explanation for a mystery.