1.   Others were content to wield power in the party machines rather than in the public eye.

2.   The party machines, however, are being oiled and watered for an early poll.

3.   The widely dispersed suburbs proved less hospitable to party machines than the closely packed cities.

4.   When Mr Michael Foot became leader, activists gained greater control of the party machine.

5.   Their attempts to clean up politics and smash the power of party machines failed.

6.   An earlier wave of investigations in Italy had exposed systematic corruption among high-level politicians who took bribes and received undeclared donations to bankroll their party machines.

7.   And with that triumph behind them, Slater and other campaign officials emphasized that they can beat the party machine again, even with a makeshift staff.

8.   Bill Bradley and John McCain had, by common consent, much better Internet operations than the party machines that crushed them.

9.   A stern and deeply earnest man, short of charisma and humor, Aznar has a reputation for running a tight party machine and knowing what he wants.

10.   After all, only at the ballot box can popularity triumph over a party machine.