11.   Committee staffing levels for each party would be decided by individual committees, Republican and Democratic leadership aides said.

12.   Democratic leadership aides rejected the idea that committee votes on nominees not be binding.

13.   Democratic leadership aides said there had been no effort by party leaders to persuade Meehan to break his pledge.

14.   For the rest, leadership aides spent the day describing bold new strategies only to retract them a few hours later.

15.   Gephardt, said one senior Democratic leadership aide, was hoping Condit would clear the air.

16.   He said Congress should act soon and that the plan should include temporary tax breaks for businesses, Senate leadership aides said.

17.   His chief leadership aides immediately rallied in support.

18.   In addition, Gephardt has leadership aides holding seminars and working one-on-one with Democratic members and their staffs to help them get on line.

19.   In fact, the intense jockeying among senators concerned GOP leadership aides.

20.   Leadership aides insist there are not any other candidates for the job because Kerry will win.