Even more than his rousing words, it was the disfigured face of Ukraine's opposition candidate--caused by dioxin poisoning--that spoke volumes about the high stakes of that country's presidential race. Yushchenko, here in his Kiev office, also survived rigged elections, standing up to authoritarian powers with the help of demonstrations by supporters. With a new vote scheduled for the day after Christmas, he may soon become the face of a more democratic Ukraine.