FOLLOW--OR MOVE OVER

(3 of 3)

With the A.M.A. firmly at his side, Gingrich trained his guns on Clinton, threatening to send the President completed legislation in November and then immediately adjourn to prevent Congress from "receiving" Clinton's inevitable vetoes. That drew a quick retort from the White House, where spokesman Michael McCurry said Clinton would respond to such a move by invoking the constitutional clause that enables the President to force Congress into session. Gingrich next suggested that Clinton wouldn't dare veto a balanced budget because he needed it to be re-elected, prompting Clinton to declare that he would rather face defeat in 1996 than sign legislation that would be a betrayal of his political career.

Such brinkmanship is anathema to Dole, who stayed above the fray, struggling to maintain his balance between running for President for the third time and running the Senate. As Dole shuttles--sometimes daily--between Washington and New Hampshire, the juggling act has begun to take a noticeable toll. In the Senate, Dole has made several unforced errors lately, puzzling lawmakers who have long relied on his dealmaking acumen and keen sense of timing.

On the campaign trail, Dole remains the clear front runner in the listless race for the G.O.P. nomination, but has inspired little excitement and fallen as many as 9 points behind Clinton in head-to-head match-ups. Though none of Dole's rivals laid a glove on him at the New Hampshire forum last week, the man who has run for President twice before was unable to explain why he was in the race without referring to a text. The lapse wasn't lost on Team Gingrich: Newt booster Arianna Huffington appeared on CNN Friday night and lit into Dole as "this tired old man" who had to "read from note cards."

Clinton aides are delighted that Dole, 72, leads the G.O.P. field. As for Gingrich, they are convinced he is sure to get bogged down in taming revolts from his freshmen. White House chief of staff Leon Panetta opened secret negotiations with Gingrich in the beginning of October, hoping for an early agreement on a 1996 budget. Speaking only by telephone, Gingrich and Panetta discussed the broad outlines of a deal that would have balanced the budget, preserved the Medicare trust fund, included a welfare-reform measure and provided tax cuts for the middle class. Clinton was kept fully informed of the conversations, sometimes talking with Gingrich himself. But when word of the collaboration leaked on Oct. 6, angering House freshmen, Gingrich was forced to break off the talks.

As for Gingrich's presidential ambitions, the White House is salivating at the idea. Pointing to a poll indicating that 80% of Republicans oppose his running, a White House aide says, "Go ahead, make my day."

--With reporting by Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Karen Tumulty/Washington and John F. Dickerson/Manchester