Meanwhile, because Mubarak failed to gracefully step down years ago with an orderly democratic process in place to select a political successor, and was instead forced out, the military now finds itself in charge with a leadership void in Egypt.

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Meanwhile, many of those who faced down the Mubarak regime at Tahrir Square did not follow up with the political organizing that would have been needed to gain electoral victory.

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But some of the president's advisers wanted to be harder on Mubarak, with a clear and equivocal call for him to step down immediately, administration officials tell CNN.

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