We had to wait until you were all the way under; sometimes people make a last-minute effort to start down again.

Despite several last-minute efforts by the Senate to salvage part of the program, it finally fell.

"I think there is a problem with this kind of last-minute legislative effort to score political points."

So, a last-minute effort to shift public attention could have some impact.

In foreign policy, he has not even had programs to rescue with last-minute efforts.

It had become public last October, when a last-minute effort to keep the museum open failed.

He is concerned as well that any last-minute effort to compromise may also mean a weakened environmental law.

But that did not happen, and Council leaders are undertaking a last-minute effort to urge the public to vote no.

New York made a last-minute effort to get him by actually offering more money than the 49ers, but it was too late.

That outburst led to a last-minute effort to rescue a deal.