He also noted that Mr. Bush had invited him to a Ramadan meal.

As a sign of support, Mr. Bush invited the nominee to the White House tonight for dinner, aides said.

Mr. Bush drove to the local store to buy provisions and then invited the press in for some Presidentially selected wine and cheese.

And, because of the guests Mr. Bush invited, there were only three seats left for the press, his spokesman Steve Hart said.

"Do you think," he said, "Mr. Bush would invite him?"

By grouping them together, they said, Mr. Bush had inadvertently invited criticism that his foreign policy was inconsistent.

Mr. Bush had invited the United Nations leader to Camp David to compare notes.

Mr. Bush invited a reporter to come to Miami to review the partnership's records.

Mr. Bush invited the eight senators to have breakfast at the White House on Sunday.

But it could have been that Mr. Bush invited him to set a good example for his campaign against the use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports.