61.  GOP state chairman James Rappaport said Hyde had approached the party recently about running, but Rappaport said he knew little about him.

62.  GOP state chairman Al Cardenas insists that the convention will be the best political event in the country this year.

63.  Georgia state party chairman Chuck Clay has succeeded Coverdell as chairman.

64.  Gore is being guided here by Attorney General Bob Butterworth, who has become more than the usual token big name state chairman.

65.  He had been state chairman of Ducks Unlimited and had served as a national trustee.

66.  He is also close to the state Republican chairman, William D. Powers, himself a former Rensselaer County chairman.

67.  He said he had called the state party chairman, Bill Powers, during the weekend.

68.  He was referring to William D. Powers, the state Republican chairman.

69.  He thus echoes the innocuous-sounding arguments put forth by his New York handlers, Gov. George Pataki and the state GOP chairman, William Powers.

70.  Henry McMaster, the state Republican chairman, certainly seemed unfazed.