In his testimony, Mr. Babbitt asserted flatly that he had never discussed the case with anyone from the Democratic National Committee or the White House.

"We didn't lose it," Dolph asserted flatly.

He also flatly asserted that the Democrats would never name a woman as a Vice Presidential nominee.

The White House, bolstered by an opinion from Attorney General Janet Reno, asserted flatly that Congress had no authority over the matter.

"I'd never suffer from boredom if I were to live 10,000 years," Bell asserted flatly.

"Nothing will happen," Ethan asserted flatly, then pushed on the waist-high gate.

One speaker after another flatly asserted that racing today is tainted by a variety of sophisticated drugs that usually escape detection.

Mr. Dinkins, for one, asserts flatly that "New York will not be Chicago."

"It's one thing to have information in a classified document with caveats and footnotes, and another to have the president flatly assert something," an intelligence official said.