And as for the holier-than-thou Europeans, their targets and declarations of principles sound good, say sceptics, but are non-binding.

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McFaul, meanwhile, understands that the Russians tend to value discretion very highly and that they do not take kindly to holier-than-thou public lectures.

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In "Das Liebesverbot" (composed, given just once, and withdrawn when Wagner was 22), a holier-than-thou German viceroy comes to stamp out sin in Palermo.

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Beneath the veneer of its squeaky-clean streets, super-efficient tram systems, rigorous banking principles and holier-than-thou Alpine churches lies a somewhat stranger city that is ready to surprise at every turn.

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His television show has tens of millions of viewers, and his videos are watched on YouTube by millions more, who laugh at the powerful, the pretentious and the holier-than-thou.

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One expat observes that Britain's left, faced with the erosion of civil liberties at home and a plausible Conservative victory at the next election, has difficulty feeling holier-than-thou when looking across at Barack Obama, the Democrats' probable candidate for president.

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"I get tired of people that are holier than thou because they've been pro-life longer than I have, " Romney said.

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