61.   But Stratton, a former New Mexico attorney general, is expected to be approved after a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday.

62.   But the main reason to oppose Bolton for the number three position in the State Department is neither his collaboration with Helms nor his coyness at his confirmation hearing.

63.   But Senate Democrats said they did not expect to make an issue of that during confirmation hearings.

64.   But the next treasury secretary faces formidable problems, and the confirmation hearings Wednesday only scratched the surface, with the senators largely concentrating on domestic issues.

65.   But Yeltsin reaffirmed his selection of Kiriyenko, sending a new nomination letter to the Duma Thursday to extend the deadline for the confirmation hearing by a week.

66.   Certainly, confirmation hearings can get rough.

67.   Cheney, who had a long government career, had been screened by the FBI three times and had undergone Senate confirmation hearings.

68.   Candidates for Senate-confirmed posts traditionally use the time to complete courtesy calls on senators on the committee that will conduct the confirmation hearing.

69.   Carlin and White House lobbyists laid formidable groundwork for his confirmation hearing.

70.   Clinton decided to keep Chater on the job, but the Senate Finance Committee has not scheduled confirmation hearings on her six-year appointment.