He blamed both parties' fidelity to special interests for Congressional gridlock on regulating managed care, saying: "Republicans want to protect the insurance companies from lawsuits.

The 90-minute debate featured partisan views on Congressional gridlock, balancing the budget, tax cuts, welfare reform and health care.

But when it comes to a crucial economic issue - what to do with the growing Federal budget surplus - there's a case to be made that the best thing would be continued Congressional gridlock.

But Mr. Johnston's ultimate success says as much about Congressional gridlock as it does about his own political skill.

Congressional gridlock has made it virtually certain that nothing is going to emerge from Capitol Hill to truly regulate the auditors.

No one can chart a direct course to a plea bargain, but it is possible to keep moving in that direction by avoiding Congressional gridlock and partisan warfare.

Senator Bob Dole of Kansas, the Republican leader, said Americans would reject "the same old partisan posturing, political games and Congressional gridlock."

But can baseball's version of Congressional gridlock be far behind?

Both sides could take comfort in the notion that the provisions at issue in the fighting of the last two weeks will probably not matter much to voters angry about Congressional gridlock.

If there is a metaphor for Congressional gridlock, baseball is it.