1.   But that was about the closest Clinton came to being the gaggingly supine political creature of legend.

2.   On the soccer field, the closest Meola came to kicking off was on goal kicks, without a tee.

3.   She was the closest Cannes came to a glamorous international movie star this year.

4.   The closest McGrath came to Austen growing up was the town in Texas, where his father, a transplanted Connecticut Yankee, was an oil producer in Midland.

5.   The closest McVeigh came to public contrition was in one of a series of letters published Sunday in Buffalo News, a newspaper in upstate New York.

6.   The closest Garciaparra came to making a play in the field came with two outs in the third.

7.   The closest Dole came to appearing with his wife was in one of seven blown-up photographs that served as the backdrop.

8.   The closest Brokaw came to pinning Parrish to the question was when he asked if Parrish thought nicotine was addictive.

9.   The closest Glavine came to trouble was in the second.

10.   The closest Gore came to criticizing his challenger was in a reference to school vouchers, which Bradley once supported on a trial basis.