By then, because of this year's unusually early primary schedule, the Republican nominee could be chosen.

But with several candidates already running and others about to, with the primary schedule more compressed than ever next year, time is short.

The new, personal approach is also necessary, aides say, because of the compressed primary schedule.

Still, the contest looms all the larger this year because the primary schedule is now so compressed.

We had won the nomination by organizing around the primary schedule.

That system, introduced 20 years ago, badly needs revision to take into account higher campaign costs and the accelerated primary schedule.

But next year's compressed primary schedule raises the fund-raising pressure to a new level.

Because of the accelerated primary schedule next year, the nomination for both parties may well be locked up by March.

The newly compressed primary schedule will leave almost no time for fund-raising next year.

The primary schedule is front-loaded this year with early contests.