1.  Many members of Congress of both parties serve districts harboring big defense contractors that would be affected.

2.  Big Blue defense bailed the Giants out.

3.  Big defense spending used to be a winning GOP staple against the Democrats, like fighting crime and pushing tax cuts.

4.  Besides, he said, it would be unfair for the government to block the Raytheon-Hughes deal after approving other big defense mergers.

5.  Big Blue defense bailed out the offense again Sunday.

6.  But his heart was clearly with big defense spending and not with support for domestic programs like education, environmental protection or social justice.

7.  Getting the earthquake dough was like winning several big defense contracts all at once.

8.  House action on the big defense authorization bill represents just one round in the annual tug-of-war between Clinton and the Republican-dominated Congress over military programs.

9.  If implemented, the amendment is not expected to affect the pending all-cash deal struck in late December between the two big defense contractors.

10.  If Purdue loses, Ohio State and its big defense are still alive.