And in that process the lead fell to Mr. Babbitt, the former Arizona governor, trained geologist, one-time presidential candidate, finalist for a spot on the Supreme Court, and member of a prominent ranching family who used his plain-spoken manner and longtime knowledge of land issues to prod Mr. Clinton toward an aggressive course.
Robert Hübner, the 1980 Candidates finalist and one of the world's top analysts, scrutinized the book.
A group of black leaders tried to prevent the splitting of black votes in the Feb. 22 mayor's election by picking Mr. Davis as their preferred candidate over other finalists, including Mr. Meeks and Ms. Braun.
A Yale University spokesman said Williams's résumé did include an entry for being a Rhodes scholar candidate, not a finalist.
Between November and shortly after I met him in mid-January, he had winnowed down 140 candidates to four finalists.
Among their revelations: when the search committee of four directors narrowed the candidates to three finalists, no one else on the board was willing to interview them.
Coni Guhl, vice president of the society, said Mr. Nemhauser (shown at right) was chosen from 10 leading candidates, then 4 finalists each conducted one rehearsal.
Before Wolfowitz's arrival, the bank had enlisted the help of an executive-search firm, which, out of a large pool of candidates, identified nine finalists.
RANDOLPH NOT IN SEATTLE'S PLANS: The Seattle Mariners cut their list of managerial candidates to four finalists yesterday, wiping out a list of eight others interviewed, including Willie Randolph, third-base coach of the Yankees.
A fresh group of nominees is considered each year because even candidates who were finalists in one year must be nominated again to be eligible for the prize in another year.
