His operations cost as much as a small war: indeed, he could be likened to a general conducting a perpetual campaign against an enemy who never relaxed.

Freed, finally, from the constraints of a perpetual campaign, he would have the extraordinary opportunity to run the nation as he (and Congress) sees fit.

Since both parties have a reasonable shot at winning control, Mr. Shure said, legislative business has turned into a kind of perpetual campaign.

"To conceal this to the last day is absolutely in keeping with the perpetual campaign that we endured for eight years."

Even after her victory in New York, Mrs. Clinton has taken nothing for granted, continuing to travel around the state constantly, as if running a perpetual campaign.

Despite his achievements, Lupe faces a hard-fought tribal election every four years - the next one in April - and his life has the air of a perpetual campaign.

"It is a perpetual campaign," she said.

Travels Through the Country The post has sent Mr. Colosio traveling extensively in a sort of perpetual political campaign.

If the Clinton Administration has run a perpetual campaign for the last four years, no one has pursued the strategy with more vigor than Mickey Kantor.

Meanwhile, the politicians (and the media) go nuts over each piddling step in what is now a perpetual national campaign.