"They always come to Villa Somalia," my interpreter, a presidential aide called Hussein, explained.

One senior aide called unsolicited yesterday to offer up "everything that Elliot does turns to gold," then said he hoped his comment would be printed.

When it was about to go to press, an aide called to say that Mr. Nixon had thought of a headline: "Hardheaded Detente."

An aide called to say she thought the senator would back this issue.

The aide called caucuses a "breeding ground" for trouble.

The aide called Peterson and within half a minute three of the six screens in the vehicle went blank as the outer plane peeled off and headed south.

"My aide called in earlier regarding a necklace."

The problem, presidential aides called reporters to explain some hours later, was that the President had not really ruled out anything.

Mr. Clinton is said to prefer small events, with 75 or so people, to what one aide called "2,000-people cattle calls."

Mr. Gore has been cloistered for four days in an atmosphere his aides called "pretty relaxed."