It's always possible that events -- such as a recession -- would temper some of these ambitions.

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She said that while there was nothing wrong with scrutinising the system, it was not helpful to have such wrangling and ill-temper between politicians, including a call for Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to stand down.

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Such behavior by politicians and such a public mood stand in stark contrast to Russia's temper earlier in this decade, when the first postcommunist government, headed by the same Mr. Yeltsin, vowed to pursue cooperation with the West and made good on this pledge by adopting political and economic reforms designed to transform Russia into a Western country.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Post-Mortem on the Russian Elections: What 'Centrists'?

Rather, it was a sign of the temper of his people that he could no longer prevent such battles.

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