Justice Thomas was narrowly confirmed by the Senate, in a process that began with a debate over his views and qualifications and finished with heated discussions over whether he sexually harassed a former assistant, Anita F. Hill.

Thomas was narrowly confirmed by the United States Senate, but Hill's testimony, and the testimony of other harassed women, begins a national debate on the issue.

In his first lengthy remarks since the confirmation battle last fall in which Clarence Thomas was narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court, Mr. Biden sought to redefine the ground rules of the process.

In the last Congress, before they gained control of the Senate, Democrats mounted a major effort against several lower court nominees and managed to defeat one of them, Jefferson Sessions of Alabama, though their prime target, Daniel A. Manion, was narrowly confirmed.

He was narrowly confirmed for the appeals court.

After her husband was narrowly confirmed by a majority vote of 52 to 48, Mrs. Thomas described the televised scrutiny and confirmation process as a "trial by fire".

Five and a half years later, seated in the station's studios here, Mr. Doggett said he has no regrets about testifying for his friend, who went on to be narrowly confirmed.

Amid much debate, his renomination was narrowly confirmed.

Mr. Carter, 43 years old, was narrowly confirmed on Thursday by the county legislature after four months of criticism from doctors and administrators here at the sprawling Westchester County Medical Center.

His commission was narrowly confirmed by the U.S. Senate, 29 votes to 22.