51.   Republican leaders had opposed any type of health-care legislation until recent polls showed the GOP was vulnerable on the issue in this election year.

52.   Republican leaders opposed the provision, which Democrats said was necessary to protect public health.

53.   Sam Bell, who heads the Los Angeles Business Advisors, said downtown business leaders would actively oppose any system of local councils with power to decide planning matters.

54.   Some labor leaders oppose the bill.

55.   Some union leaders oppose the fast-track push for the same reasons that they opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement.

56.   That prospect, say analysts, is precisely why Sharon appealed to the Labor Party to join his government and why several party leaders opposed the move.

57.   The Committee for Economic Development is rounding up business leaders opposed to soft-money donations.

58.   The leaders also opposed any caps on punitive damages.

59.   The leaders could oppose the deployment of international security forces to their areas and gain support by playing on Afghan fears of foreign occupation.

60.   Turkey is a candidate for membership in the European Union, and European leaders strongly oppose the death penalty.