That lack of a crisis atmosphere is the most dramatic contrast with the 1970's, but the city's leaders are hardly in denial.

Despite the crisis atmosphere, there were some light moments.

The President would just have to deal with "the crisis atmosphere that he has created."

But encouraging such steps without a crisis atmosphere sometimes is difficult.

As city officials have since pointed out, this was a crisis atmosphere.

"That's just the very nature of the process when you've got a crisis atmosphere."

But there was no crisis atmosphere, as there had been throughout the week.

It should have been obvious that such taxes would be hard to sell, even in a crisis atmosphere over crime.

One Western economist, however, said the crisis atmosphere here was overblown.

Once again, important issues of public policy are decided in a crisis atmosphere and the public's view is largely irrelevant.