1.   Democrats are also trying to kill or scale back a Republican proposal to reduce the corporate alternative minimum tax.

2.   Democrats are trying to come up with an alternative that would provide more relief to low-income earners, but are divided on the details.

3.   Democrats are trying to convince GOP moderates that the tax cuts are too expensive, warning of a possible return to budget deficits.

4.   Democrats are trying to have thousands of absentee ballots in Seminole and Martin counties, most of which support Bush, thrown out because of irregularities.

5.   Democrats are trying to protect the administration, especially Vice President Al Gore, who has been an influential voice in Russia policy.

6.   Democrats are trying to turn Speaker Newt Gingrich into a scary symbol of the right, but who can be the counterpart symbol for the Republicans?

7.   Democrats have tried to cast state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, as a partisan lightning rod on redistricting.

8.   Democrats immediately tried to make political hay of what they saw as a glaring public-relations blunder by Republicans.

9.   Democrats tried to defend themselves, while experts cautioned that the causes of the jump in drug use transcended what was happening in Washington.

10.   Democrats tried to spin the Dole decision to his disadvantage, although not always taking a consistent line of attack.