Now Bush, with many Democrats already supporting his approach, should get recalcitrant Republicans to pass his fair-minded immigration package.

Republicans who attended a closed-door party caucus Sunday afternoon where Mr. Gingrich pushed for support said the Speaker tried to bring around recalcitrant Republicans loath to give Mr. Clinton a triumph.

White House officials said they were continuing to press recalcitrant Republicans.

Yet a handful of recalcitrant Republicans opposed to any arms control would do just that.

He was upset with Senate Republicans last Wednesday, saying the House was forced to "bow and scrape" to try to strike a budget deal while a few recalcitrant Republicans held up the nation's business.

But if his position is not ultimately to be recorded as one of those read-my-lips moments, Mr. Bush had better put aside polite telephone entreaties and try grabbing recalcitrant Republicans by the lapels.

Concerned voters will need to ratchet up the pressure on recalcitrant Republicans to help stop the president from killing the second enlightened stem cell bill in less than a year.

It leaves unclear whether recalcitrant Republicans are as welcome as supportive Democrats, but most people in Washington know the lay of that land.

That pledge won the votes of two recalcitrant Republicans who had promised in writing to oppose any tax cut of more than $350 billion.

The vote of 340 to 68 came after the White House lined up support for the measure from recalcitrant Republicans who had wanted the earnings ceiling eliminated.