The ballot effectively averted a potentially bruising confrontation between other parties and Mr. Blocher, who had threatened to lead his party into opposition if denied a place in the government.

But with a potentially bruising election season under way and Mr. Bush's own popularity at its lowest, the actions are effectively theatrical and have virtually no chance of reducing Federal spending significantly.

Aside from all the political variables in this race, perhaps the most important factor is whether Mr. Rockefeller will have the stomach for a potentially bruising fight.

Mr. Pataki is facing a well-financed and potentially bruising challenge from the right in his attempt to win the Independence Party line on the ballot.

The Royal Bank of Scotland announced a $42.5 billion hostile bid today for National Westminster Bank, Britain's third largest, touching off a potentially bruising bidding war.

This King is somewhat lazy, they maintain, and avoids potentially bruising confrontations.

Ruling body will decide this week whether to risk a potentially bruising court battle with sprinter Dwain Chambers.

Despite that note of harmony, the publisher faces a potentially bruising showdown with unions.

The new manager also faces a potentially bruising fight over the fate of the main research tool, the High Flux Beam Reactor, which has been closed since December.

A full reparations bill has no realistic chance of being enacted, but it promises to re-open a potentially bruising debate about the black experience in the US.