In the meantime, should Mr. Nichols's plan draw the support of enough lawmakers this month, voters will be asked to approve it in November.
Mr. Daschle, as a face of the Democratic opposition, would presumably draw the support of experienced Democratic Party strategists and many of his fellow Democrats in the Senate who have worked closely with him over the years.
* Barack Obama, meanwhile, continues to draw the support of former President Bill Clinton, who is no doubt enjoying that Mr. Obama has finally started crediting him with presiding over a booming economy.
Hamas and other Islamist groups like the Islamic Jihad draw the support of about 30percentt of the population, with Mr. Arafat's Fatah faction drawing closer to 20percentt.
The United States presented the Security Council today with a proposal for a resolution, revised to draw the support of France, that would give Iraq a last chance to accept rigorous weapons inspections and disarm or face an American-led war.
And though polls show it failing to draw the support needed to pass, it got assistance from an unusual source this week: a $1 million contribution for television and radio advertising from the millionaire Max Palevsky, a longtime donor to Democrats from George McGovern to Mr. Davis.
