But his comments complicated a day of maneuvering and hardball politics on an issue that affects lawmakers most personally.
Mr. Gore's announcement capped a day of courtroom maneuvering in which he appeared to improve his legal standing.
The cancellation of Mr. Arafat's trip came at the end of a day of furious maneuvering and speculation, overcast by high tensions.
"In the environment we are in, virtually anything can pass," Senator Phil Gramm of Texas told reporters tonight after a dizzying day of legislative maneuvering over new measures to address corporate malfeasance.
News of progress toward a deal followed a day of diplomatic maneuvering in which Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, arrived in Washington to meet with President Bush and Egypt's foreign minister visited Yasir Arafat in a show of solidarity at his headquarters in Ramallah.
By nightfall, after a day of furious maneuvering, Bill Bradley -- who once held the Senate seat now occupied by Mr. Torricelli and who is the prospect many Democrats believe has the most star power -- had taken himself out of contention, senior Senate Democrats said.
It came about this way: On April 19, a day of diplomatic maneuvering in which the United States tried to avoid casting a veto against a strongly worded Arab resolution, Israel's foreign minister, Shimon Peres, who was in Washington, called Mr. Annan to say that the secretary general should personally appoint a fact-finding mission, adding Israel "had nothing to hide".
WASHINGTON — A frantic day of legislative maneuvering ended in futility Tuesday for Speaker John A. Boehner, as the most conservative members of the House refused to back his proposed compromise to end the standoff over the federal budget.
WASHINGTON — A frantic day of legislative maneuvering ended in futility for Speaker John A. Boehner on Tuesday, as the most conservative members of the House refused to back his proposed compromise to end the standoff over the federal budget.
The canvassing board acted in the late afternoon after a confusing and chaotic day of colliding legal maneuvers.
