41.   A real patriarch, the younger Bush said, lays the groundwork for his sons but his father never sought to do so.

42.   After laying the groundwork to show flawed Democratic fund-raising procedures, Republicans turned their sights on the vice president.

43.   Aides say she had hoped to concentrate more on laying the groundwork for a resumption of direct talks between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights.

44.   Already the model of professional sports league success, the NBA is laying the groundwork to expand its markets outside of North America.

45.   All the while, he was laying the groundwork for another run for the Senate.

46.   Both parties have been slowly laying the groundwork to blame the other for a possible government shutdown that could result if they fail to resolve their differences.

47.   Buffalo is laying the groundwork to get some help from the officials in their meeting with the Dolphins.

48.   Bush laid the groundwork for the new budget deal.

49.   Bush also laid the groundwork for Democratic defections on pending campaign finance reform legislation by offering a set of principles that could shape a compromise bill.

50.   Bush also laid the groundwork for continued election-year wrangling with the Democratic Senate over the shape of an economic stimulus package.