11.   The president picks his projects with political care.

12.   The president cannot pick Cabinet or Supreme Court nominees without the approval of a Senate majority, greatly limiting his options for shaping his own team.

13.   The primary broke with seven decades of authoritarian tradition in which the incumbent president picked his successor in a ritual known as the finger-tap.

14.   Yet Bush is also discovering that presidents must pick their fights with care.

15.   Partial returns Monday indicated a referendum that would allow the president to pick the prime minister and end a political standoff was headed toward passage.

16.   Early returns Monday indicated a referendum allowing the president to pick the prime minister and end a political standoff was headed toward passage.

17.   President picks ousted premier to form new government.

18.   Sassou-Nguesso claimed the president picked a fight so he would have an excuse to delay the vote.

19.   The president picked Anthony H. Gioia to be ambassador to the Republic of Malta.

20.   The president traditionally picks someone who already appears to have sufficient backing in the legislature.