Quayle aides quickly tried to pull back that statement, saying Mr. Quayle had not intended to give a blanket criticism of Mr. Reagan's policies.

Bill Kristol, the Quayle aide traumatized by '92, agrees: "Bush tried to slam Clinton on the draft-dodging, womanizing stuff when it was fresh in '92.

"I think they were flabbergasted at first," a Quayle aide says, "but it set a good precedent."

James A. Baker 3d, the director of the Bush-Quayle campaign, took one call, a Quayle aide said.

"There's not a lot of milk of human kindness in the group," says Bill Kristol, the former Quayle aide.

Tentatively, the cameraman asked some Quayle aides if the Vice-Presidential candidate would be willing to make the recording.

Quayle aides insist guardedly that they are not sure the story is true, but that they are quite certain both women were joking.

Quayle aides watched helplessly from shore as the yacht pulled away, carrying the two politicians and Mr. Aronson.

Anxious not to appear too happy, Quayle aides took pains to find fault with parts of the series.

"We get a lot of credit for just showing up, and we can carry a certain message," one Quayle aide said.