Although some of the Las Vegas physicians disagree with Sen. Kennedy on health care, they concour with the senator on other issues.

And one way the senator dealt with the potential disagreements was simply to avoid controversy.

Dr. Mohammed S. Eftaiha, a Las Vegas pediatrician, says Kennedy skillfully shifted discussion to issues other than health care in order to solicit their support.

"I might disagree with the senator on health care, but I contributed because of his views about the Middle East," says Eftaiha, a Palestinian from Jordan. "He tried to get away from health care by talking about foreign policy."

A large contingent of foreign-born doctors at the Spago's dinner made foreign policy an appropriate topic for the senator, says Eftaiha, who contributed $250 to Kennedy's campaign coffers.

Kennedy also received a substantial amount of financial support from Las Vegas residents who did not attend his fund-raisers.

Robert H. Baldwin, president of Mirage Resorts, a company that operator of several hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, donated $1,000 to Kennedy's fund.

But Baldwin did not go to Spago's and his contribution was "absolutely not" an endorsement for the senator, says Debbie L. Krum, his assistant.

Rather, Krum says "he contributed as a favor, as a friend."

Despite the evident globetrotting of the two Kennedys, O'Connor says Rep. Kennedy spends relatively little time on fundraising.

"For some office holders, fundraising takes an incredible amount of time," O'Connor says. "If a seat is not considered safe, forty to sixty percent of time may be spent in fundraising."