Radar dividend
Does it really matter if John McCain can't get it right and refers to the Czech Republic as Czechoslovakia? Most Czechs have already accepted - grudgingly, perhaps - that they aren't the navel of the world. McCain's foreign-policy lapses with regard to his Czech friends probably bother liberal bloggers - who like to refer to the slips as "senior moments" - more than Czechs themselves. More worrisome is when an analyst confuses Czechs with Chechens and says Medvedev doesn't want Bush putting a missile-defense system in Chechnya. (Now that would really provoke a Russian response.) In general, though, missile-defense discussions are creating a radar dividend for the Czechs. Even viewers who don't watch Fashion TV now have a good chance of hearing Prague mentioned. And if Russia and Iran keep making their threats, by Nov. even McCain might get the name of his key ally right.
Glossary of difficult words
dividend - (in this context) an unexpected benefit;grudgingly - reluctantly or with resentment;
navel of the world - center of the world;
lapse -a temporary failure of concentration, memory or judgment;
liberal - (in this context) Democratic, supporters of Barack Obama;
slip - a minor or careless mistake;
senior moment - a momentary lapse of memory (esp. in older people);
Fashion TV - Prague City Councilor Milan Richter was criticized for spending city money on commercials on Fashion TV to promote Prague.