Although Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi is currently trying to set himself up above the rule of law and the Constitution—specifically by trying to subordinate the two under his authority—it was not always so. In fact, during his electoral campaign, he regularly expressed the need for whoever became president never to attempt to go above the law—precisely what he is trying to do now. Indeed, he specifically said that the people should rise up against him if he ever tried such a thing—precisely what the people are doing now.
In this video interview, Morsi, then just the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, said:
The Egyptian people are awake and alert—Muslims and Christians; and they know that, whoever comes [to become Egypt’s president], and does not respect the rule of law and the Constitution, the people will go against him. I want the people immediately to go against me, if I ever do not respect the law and Constitution.