Bush strategists look on these three smaller states, especially Wisconsin, as insurance.

"It's a 50-50 chance that we'll go crazy in the last week," one Bush strategist said.

"I don't know what we would be doing differently if we were 10 points behind," said a senior Bush strategist.

This is a matter of interest to Catholic voters, Bush strategists say.

"Republican voters vote by and large for the authority figure in a primary," said a Bush strategist.

This seemingly obscure postmark standard was suddenly of crucial importance to the Bush strategists.

The lack of postmarks also posed political problems for the Bush strategists.

At the outset, Bush strategists had decided to use the convention to court the Republican right.

Bush strategists are still counting on this perception of leadership ability to save their candidate this fall.

There's a reason that some Bush strategists continue to invoke Strauss's name.