(CNN) -- Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, 38, has never lived a day in which his father Moammar didn't rule Libya -- as its undisputed leader inside the country and an enigmatic, controversial voice for the world. And yet, as the Libyan government faced a stiff popular uprising, it was Moammar Gadhafi's second eldest son -- and not the Leader of the Revolution himself -- who was first to talk to the nation about the unrest and detail a plan to address it. The speech, made early Monday on Libyan state television, does not mean that Saif Gadhafi has usurped power from his father: Senior U.S. officials said there's no indication the elder Gadhafi is losing his grip.
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Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, 38, gives Libya's first public speech acknowledging unrest
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There's been no public indication why he, and not his father Moammar, talked
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As Western-educated and reform-minded, Saif has differences with his father
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An expert says that, his speech notwithstanding, it's unlikely Saif will rise to power
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Saif's rights-centered focus and @placeholder outreach put him at odds with the country's old guard.
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Even while some may see the son as more open to change, there's little question that his loyalty remains first with @placeholder and that his father has given little indication publicly that he's ready to let go and calls the shots.