71.  Top Pentagon officials, however, have defended the practice.

72.  UMass psychology department chairwoman Melinda Novak defends the practice.

73.  Tyco executives have defended their practices as legitimate.

74.  We are not about to defend the practices of the past.

75.  While some complain that economy-class passengers get the short-shrift on food, the airlines defend the practice of pampering high-paying customers.

76.  With that decision, defending a practice most Americans find horrible beyond belief, the President surrendered any claim to moderation on this issue.

77.  A spokesman for Kennedy, the chief fund-raiser for House Democrats, defended the practice.

78.  A supermarket trade group, however, defended the practice, saying small businesses would be worse off if that money were not changing hands.

79.  After his security Cabinet endorsed the much-criticized policy of targeting Palestinian militants for killing, Sharon defended the practice.

80.  AOL spokesman Nicholas Graham has defended the practices, saying complaints about misdirected mail are rare.