21.   Murphy, a Democrat, like nearly every other elected city official here, said he intended to send a letter to the black caucus within days.

22.   Ney, too, talked to the black caucus.

23.   Negotiations with the black caucus were not finished.

24.   On Sunday, the president will appear at a black church in Baltimore at the invitation of Representative Elijah Cummings, a member of the black caucus.

25.   On Tuesday he reassured the black caucus that he would support affirmative action, and Wednesday he spoke to all three groups about the need for equal opportunities.

26.   Other black caucus members said they were not so sure that politics and hurt feelings could be so readily transcended.

27.   Only the nine members of the black caucus voted for it.

28.   Rep. Robert Torricelli, a New Jersey Democrat, suggested that the black caucus, having gotten much of what it wanted, is simply keeping the heat on.

29.   Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., another member of the black caucus said this would be one of her toughest votes.

30.   She said her view reflected the official position of the black caucus.