1.   The Democrats need to relocate the middle ground between rubber-stamping nominees who are unacceptable and abusing the confirmation process.

2.   It was widely agreed that the episode had damaged the public image of Congress and had discredited the confirmation process.

3.   And it has led some lawyers who supported Fried during his tumultuous confirmation process two years ago to second-guess themselves.

4.   Asked Wednesday if he intends to seek a meeting with Helms, Weld said he plans to follow State Department protocol during his confirmation process.

5.   Because no full Cabinet department was created for him, Ridge ducked the Senate confirmation process.

6.   Between them, they have made the confirmation process miserable for dozens of presidential nominees.

7.   Between his oral and written answers, the former Republican senator has probably undergone a more exhaustive confirmation process than any other attorney general nominee.

8.   Both Clinton and Carns complained that the confirmation process had become scalding and unfair to nominees.

9.   A hearing before the Foreign Relations Committee is the first step in the Senate confirmation process.