"Is this setting a standard for anybody you have a warrant for? To hole up somewhere, throw in a couple kids and a family or two, bring in your rations and your generators...?"

"It was certainly a character builder, wasn't it?"

Pat: Fight or Flight?

Bob Dole may be forced to choose between yielding some speaking time at the Republican National Convention to Pat Buchanan or watching Buchanan bolt the party to run at the top of an independent ticket. At least that's what Buchanan would have him believe. Three weeks ago, conservative organizer Howard Phillips courted Buchanan during a four-hour dinner to join his U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Buchanan seemed only slightly interested. But Buchanan aides are giving that option a much closer look since Dole began watering down the G.O.P.'s antiabortion plank. Phillips tells TIME he was contacted last week by a senior Buchanan aide who expressed concern that the Taxpayers Party was not trying to get on the ballot in Indiana, Georgia and Michigan, states important to an independent Buchanan run. So Phillips is raising money to get on those ballots--and dunning Buchanan backers for the purpose. Officially, Buchanan spokesman Greg Mueller says Buchanan is going to San Diego as a Republican to fight for the pro-life plank and other issues. At the same time, Buchanan is angry he hasn't been given time to speak at the convention--or even been invited to attend. So, Mueller adds pointedly, "we have never closed the door on a third-party run." And if Buchanan decides to accept the Taxpayers Party nomination, he won't have far to go. Its convention is also in San Diego, same week.

By Kathleen Adams, Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, Charlotte Faltermayer, Janice M. Horowitz, Lina Lofaro, Tyler Maroney, Brian Reid and Alain L. Sanders