Egyptians Doubt ElBaradei Will Last

In the weeks before the uprising in Egypt, former U.N. official and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei met with a 10-member steering committee, which planned a 100-member shadow legislature and laid out a game plan for a governmental transition from Hosni Mubarak's regime. But Egyptians see ElBaradei as more of a transitional figure than a future leader; the scholarly lawyer and diplomat didn't cause much of a stir when he addressed the crowd in Tahrir Square, and many of Egypt's political groups work with him because they believe he doesn't have an agenda. He has also been absent from Egypt during several crucial periods, and is far removed from the specifics of daily politics. "I am not interested in any position," he has said. "If I am able to put Egypt on the right track, that would be my ultimate aim. But at the same time, as I said, if people want me to run, I won't let them down." Egypt's power players have decided to use the transitional period to hammer out rules for competition once Mubarak as gone, but many doubt ElBaradei will be a force once they start vying for power.