"It doesn't seem unreasonable to expect a little bit of help here," one House Republican official, speaking on condition that he not be named, said of the president.
"Forget the chicken and the egg and which came first," said one tenant who spoke on condition that he not be named.
The official spoke on condition that he not be identified, because he is not the authorized spokesman for his agency.
But participants on both sides described its main elements, on condition that they not be identified because they had not been authorized to discuss specific terms.
The US and French officials spoke to the AP on condition that they not be named because they aren't authorized to speak publicly.
"The tools business doesn't seem important to people, but it's really very important," said one industry executive, who spoke on condition that he not be identified.
But the Gore campaign is in something of a strategic box, one Republican strategist argued, speaking on condition that he not be identified.
"Nobody is pulling together what needs to be pulled together," said one Republican senator who spoke on condition that he not be identified.
People close to the situation would speak only on condition that they not be identified, saying campaign decorum did not provide for publicly speaking about private contractual negotiations.
"This was developed by banks and by investors," said one senior administration official, who spoke on condition that he not be identified.
A Clinton administration official, who spoke on condition that he not be identified, said last night that the agreement did not represent a significant shift in United States policy.
