Most of their prospective fixed-wire rivals have gone out of business.

Indeed, one prospective Democratic rival, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, has $9.5 million in the bank, according to the most recent disclosure statements.

And already, some of General Powell's prospective Republican rivals have quietly dispatched researchers to look for damaging nuggets on his public and personal life.

Mr. Mbeki's most formidable prospective rival, Cyril Ramaphosa, tacitly acquiesced by agreeing to stay on as party secretary general, essentially chief operating officer.

He had left his associates and prospective Democratic rivals in a frenzy of speculation, unsure whether to be exuberant or embarrassed, curious or just befuddled.

They are giving speeches and interviews but, most of all, they are forming presidential exploratory committees as they try to shoulder prospective rivals out of the way.

Several of his prospective rivals have already sought to knock him down by questioning his credentials and his "compassionate conservative" slogan.

The regional Bells, which emerged from the AT&T Corporation's local operations in that company's 1984 breakup, were to allow prospective rivals to connect to their networks.

Without being judgmental here, it's a good bet that prospective rivals have already written the ad script for that one.

But Mr. Biden's main target was not Republicans in Washington, or even his prospective presidential rivals.