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It was a strange week for the state of Montana, which may fear acquiring a reputation as the last refuge of scoundrels. In Jordan the authorities, wary of another Waco or Ruby Ridge, were gingerly handling the anarchist bunco artists who call themselves the Freemen.
Americans have drawn back toward the emotional and political center. The primaries came in a burst of excitement--and vanished in bathos. The anger drained from the process, despite the exertions of Pat Buchanan. With no passion, Americans faced an election contested by two relative moderates, neither of whose victories would provoke extremes of emotion. The absolutes receded.