41.   All three of the pinch-hitters in the ninth batted left-handed, but Valentine defended his decision to use Hundley earlier from the right side.

42.   Brenly defended his decision to use Kim Thursday night and said he did not consider using Morgan, who retired all seven hitters he faced, in the ninth.

43.   Bush has said he opposes any policy prohibiting interracial dating, but he has defended his decision to speak at Bob Jones.

44.   Bush spent almost an entire news conference defending his decision to politicize the issue of breast cancer.

45.   Burton, under fire, made a public statement the next morning, defending his decision to delay counting.

46.   Bush defended his decision on Tuesday evening during an appearance with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.

47.   Bruce Vladeck, who heads the federal Health Care Financing Administration, which runs Medicare, defended the decision to seek substantial savings from health-care providers.

48.   But at a news conference later, Bratton strenuously defended his decision to eliminate civilian employees instead of police officers to meet his budget reduction target.

49.   Bush, however, defended his decision, which appeared to contrast somewhat with his frequent rhetoric about opening up trade barriers around the world.

50.   But Davis, who excelled at defense during his playing days at Alabama, is quick to defend his decision.