Still, the bid has prompted strong debate in Washington.

Mr. Antar's bid with the Belzbergs has prompted a second, higher bid, putting the company in play just as it is at its most vulnerable.

But Mr. Rinaldi said Ranger's bid had prompted the company's management to take the concerns of employees and clients more seriously.

There is a common fear that a hostile bid might prompt a technology company's biggest asset - the employees - to flee, leaving the buyer with an empty shell.

Not surprisingly, Deutsche Bank's bid for Bankers Trust has prompted speculation about other big deals.

That prompted analysts to wonder whether, given increasing pressures on defence spending, such a bid could prompt a round of tilts at other targets, such as Meggitt.

The bids prompted city officials to ask for an investigation.

TransCanada's $4.3 billion bid (in Canadian funds) for Dome's vast oil and gas properties has prompted intense speculation about other potential bidders.

All failed presidential bids prompt some finger-pointing, but the ill-fated McCain-Palin ticket looks set to break into open warfare and several revealing campaign books.

Mr. Lorenzo's bid to cut jobs and costs prompted union walkouts and led to steep losses, driving the airline into bankruptcy.