While it has been evident for weeks that Mr. Walker would not escape criminal prosecution, the behind-the-scenes debate about how to handle the case has been intense.

But occasionally we get to eavesdrop on the behind-the-scenes debate.

Tharrington laughed when asked about any behind-the-scenes debates over showing intimacy between the two men.

How some of the crucial decisions were made, the behind-the-scenes debate about them and early cautions about a sustained threat have not been previously known.

The remarks are the most recent and vivid example of a behind-the-scenes debate in the Bush Administration over the use of force.

But details of the behind-the-scenes debate over the issue had remained a mystery.

Barring that, he suggests showing some of the behind-the-scenes debate about whether to allow Mr. Gore to appear.

The relationship between the two men has been the subject of much behind-the-scenes debate and discussion in political and real estate circles.

The decision comes after a long, behind-the-scenes debate over whether a new "60 Minutes" would dilute the appeal of the original by spreading its brand too widely.

For more than a decade, the action in high-definition television has involved behind-the-scenes debates over technical formats and other engineering arcana.