Mr. Yeltsin is the rare Soviet politician to make a successful comeback.

He is that rare politician who, while content to work within the system, has somehow been able to project the image of true believer.

To his admirers, he is one of those rare politicians who sticks to his principles.

He was one of the very rare genuine and humble politicians of his time.

"He was one of those rare politicians who would advocate publicly what he believed privately."

Of course it is the rare politician who does not harbor ambitions.

It is the rare politician these days who does not promise to unleash the energy of private citizens to do public good.

The rare politicians who buck the taboo about mental troubles become folk heroes to many of their peers.

He is one of the rare politicians who advocate simplicity in public and political life.

Indeed, only the rarest politicians can deliberately share power for a greater good than their own.