Reducing racial gaps in educational performance has been a national preoccupation for decades.

If so, it can probably be blamed on the present national preoccupation with disease.

Thus the "tall poppy syndrome," a national preoccupation with cutting those who would be successful down to size.

The war on smoking has become a national preoccupation.

By the 1970's, sets reflected the national preoccupation with the future.

But in Ireland, which gets 225 days of rain annually, this weather has become a national preoccupation.

Indeed, such demands have already appeared and could well become a unifying national preoccupation.

The national preoccupation is economic, not political, and Vietnam is clearly a country on the make.

That began national preoccupation, as people tried to identify their proper social class, based upon their favorite things.

But the President conceded that he had a hard time pretending the hostages were not a national preoccupation.