91.   Bush also built on a trend from his recent days on the trail in which he has called on audiences to help Republican senators facing tough re-election battles.

92.   Bush did not publicly address the controversy but told a closed-door meeting with Republican senators that politics might be fanning criticism.

93.   But again, Republican senators voiced doubts about actually calling witnesses.

94.   But any pretense of judiciousness was lost when Republican senators acting as jurors and Republican House members acting as prosecutors met privately to plot trial strategy.

95.   But all of the Democratic senators, save one, and some Republican senators say they do not think witnesses are needed.

96.   Bush officials and Republican senators express confidence that Ashcroft will weather questions about his record as governor and attorney general of Missouri and as a U.S. senator.

97.   But Breaux also said his coalition of moderate Democrats and Republican senators has not yet reached a compromise with the administration on the tax cut.

98.   But analysts now say the former Republican senator emerged as a steady voice of US military might during the stormy showdown with Iraq.

99.   But even knocking off three Republican senators could make it hard for Bruno to control legislation on which there are a few dissenters in his party.

100.   But as a Republican senator from Missouri, Ashcroft opposed the suit.