ODS and CSSD amateur hour
It's all a conspiracy to get Jan Fischer elected! Why else would ČSSD and ODS sabotage their presidential campaigns so thoroughly? First Miroslava Němcová pulled out of the ODS race. She was the only Civic Democrat with a prayer of winning, except perhaps Bohuslav Svoboda (who never showed interest). With her gone, that leaves Přemysl Sobotka and Evžen Tošenovský, who are for the most part loyal ODS foot soldiers but who for this very reason are expendable as far as voters are concerned. ČSSD is even worse. Jan Švejnar pulled a near-Němcová yesterday when he announced after the debate invitations had already gone out that he's not interested in being ČSSD's candidate but will still take part in the duels with Jiří Dienstbier that begin today. No matter how the debates turn out, ČSSD loses, because its voters will be given two choices. This splits the vote, giving Fischer (and perhaps Miloš Zeman) the edge. After bungling things so badly, ČSSD and ODS have more reason than ever to see that direct elections aren't held.
Glossary of difficult words
amateur hour - a situation or activity in which the participants show a lack of skill, sound judgment or professionalism;to have a prayer - to have (only) a slight chance;
foot soldier - a person who carries out important work but does not have a role of authority in an organization or field;
expendable - of little significance when compared to an overall purpose, and therefore able to be abandoned;
to pull something - to do something clever or sly; in this context, to do something similar to what Němcová did;
to have the edge - to have an advantage;
to bungle something - to do something clumsily or incompetently.