Under Leonid Brezhnev, the public face of the leadership became a carefully choreographed and unvarying ritual of fixed appearances, statements and funerals intended to demonstrate unvarying unanimity and order in the Kremlin.
Nevertheless, his public appearance, his statements and the enthusiastic crowd of mostly poor supporters who greeted him underscored the questionable political and legal status of the new government.
As opposed to the talkative Gaddafi who has made regular appearances or statements over the past months, Assad has only appeared three times to speak to the Syrian public.
Mr. Reagan, 89, has Alzheimer's disease and no longer makes public appearances or statements.
At the same time, he kept a low profile ahead of the conclave, making few public appearances or statements.
"He was pressed there, as he has been at recent appearances, on statements by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.
The former intelligence chief, Meir Dagan, who stepped down after eight years in the post, has made several unusual public appearances and statements in recent weeks.
Mr. Snowden, meantime, remained in seclusion, having made no public appearances or statements since he left Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow on Thursday.
After his meeting with Ayatollah Sistani on Thursday night, Mr. Sadr dropped from view, making neither public appearances nor statements of support.
Mr. McGreevey made no public appearances or statements, though aides described him as upbeat and relieved at having ended years of secrecy and doubt.
