Muslim Brotherhood's Presidential Dilemma

When the Muslim Brotherhood announced that Mohamed Morsi would be its candidate for president, the Egyptian press had a field day. Morsi was an accident of history, the "substitute" candidate after a state election agency disqualified the Brotherhood's first choice, lanky millionaire financier Khairat al-Shater. Morsi was, correctly, charged with lacking the same charisma or crossover appeal. Many analysts wrote the Brotherhood off. They couldn't imagine someone like Morsi getting to the second round of elections, much less winning.

But the Brotherhood seems to think victory is within reach. Though burdened with a weak candidate, the group's members have fanned across the country, promoting Morsi's so-called "renaissance" project. On Sunday night, the Brotherhood, in its latest show of strength, held 24 simultaneous mass rallies across the country.