Hamáček on a war footing
A well-organized political campaign culminated yesterday in the appointment of Interior Min. Jan Hamáček of ČSSD to head the Czech government's coronavirus crisis team. Hamáček and his handlers are pushing the argument that this is the way it should have been from the very beginning (which very well might be true). Václav Moravec helped Hamáček's team make its case by opening his OVM debate show on Czech TV on March 22 with the words, "Tens days of unnecessary delay. These are the 10 days we could have had if Andrej Babiš had accepted the proposal of Interior Min. Jan Hamáček of ČSSD to declare a state of emergency. Not to mention Babiš's political spitefulness in not appointing the interior minister to head the central crisis team." The code of ethics of Czech TV bans this kind of expression of opinion by a debate-show host such as Moravec. But remember, we are at war, and in a war, the opposing sides use all the weapons at their disposal.
Glossary of difficult words
to be on a war footing - to be prepared to undertake or maintain war;
handler - a person who manages the publicity or public appearances of someone;
spitefulness - ill will; the desire to harm someone.