The P.L.O. also appears to be running short of political steam.

Colbert gains political steam down south - but where's the man himself?

The commission's conclusions are not binding and have no impact beyond helping Mr. Rowland's plan build political steam.

The ruling is the latest in a series of legal victories for opponents of vouchers, but proponents have nonetheless gathered political steam as states continue to fashion voucher programs.

Some Chinese and foreigners worry that if there is no mechanism for releasing political steam, eventually the pressure cooker may explode.

He was also an advocate of new approaches to help housing at a time the older ones were losing political steam.

The seat would lie fallow for a few months, giving you time to build up political steam and enter yet another image-st e: great conciliator, mature statesman.

Misperceptions of Public In his news conference today, Mr. Foley also seemed to hope that once the public better understood the details of the bank, the problem would lose political steam.

"There is certainly a lot of emotional and political steam behind this legislation," said Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried, a Democrat from Manhattan who has fought the bill.

Third, just when No. 1 might have been losing enough political steam to reverse No. 2, the Soviet Union began to fall into separate pieces, putting "the ball back in Bush's court."