"This is a cookie-cutter ad made by Washington consultants who don't know what they are talking about."

It is not unusual, of course, for Washington consultants to ascribe victories to their own expertise and defeats to local situations beyond their control.

Michael Maccoby, a Washington consultant who writes about the work world, is also skeptical.

These are the issues that move the souls of party loyalists, what politicians and their Washington consultants call litmus-test issues.

We're not going to use our defense dollars to take care of Washington consultants.

Meanwhile, the company's Washington consultants were taking its message to the Administration.

Joe Rothstein, a Washington consultant, is the campaign's expert on the news media and advertising.

But that focus has resulted in a campaign top-heavy with Washington consultants.

"It's as if a Broadway show opened," one Washington political consultant said, "but nobody's playing the lead."

They wanted all that money to go to Washington consultants and speechwriters and pollsters.