We made a credible bid.

Withdrawing the offer permits Mr. Kerkorian to wipe the slate clean and perhaps return with a more credible bid, this time with the assistance of an investment bank.

But we intend to make a credible bid and we will.

"We have doubts that it is a credible bid," SL Green said.

Some experts say that after the public outcry the university had no choice but to abandon Dr. Nanos if it was to make a credible bid to renew the contract.

To date, he is the only Republican to have made a credible bid against Thompson.

"We would say it behooves the Democrats to offer something other than a recycling of the old politics in 1992 if you want to make a credible bid for the White House," Mr. Marshall added.

- Christina still makes a credible bid to be the late-summer soundtrack to romantic rebound.

Some analysts believe that now, given the public outcry, the university will have to abandon Dr. Nanos in order to make a credible bid to keep its contract.