And four dozen companies, trade groups and lobbyists are picking up the tab.

``It makes for a cozy relationship, no question about it,'' said Herbert Alexander, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Southern California.

Like the Republicans at their convention earlier in the month, the DNC is using its quadrennial gathering to reward loyal financial supporters of the party. Donors of as little as $1,000 have gotten invitations to some events; other soirees are restricted to five- and six-figure contributors.

On Saturday, donors were invited to the Conga Room, an old Hollywood nightclub and restaurant, to listen to Latin music with Joe Andrew, the party's national chairman. Sunday, they could attend the Angels-Yankees baseball game. Later in the week was a breakfast in a plush Beverly Hills hotel with Gore campaign manager Donna Brazile and an after-hours dance party at the Paramount studio lot.

Invitations to these events also went out to the DNC's ``convention partners,'' the interest groups sponsoring the activities. Many of the groups have issues pending before the federal government.

For example:

— The American Society of Anesthesiologists, fighting against proposed federal rules that would allow states to decide whether nurse anesthetists could work on their own, without doctor supervision.

— Three Bell operating companies — BellSouth, Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic) and SBC Communications — which would like the right to carry data over long-distance lines, and AT&T, which is trying to block such efforts.

— America Online, whose request to merge with Time Warner is pending before the Federal Communications Commission.

— United Parcel Service, seeking federal approval to deliver parcels to China, which it now can do only as part of a joint venture with a company owned by Beijing.

— The lawyer-lobbying firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, whose clients include Microsoft, being sued by the Justice Department on antitrust grounds; the Healthcare Leadership Council, which opposes new regulations on managed-care health maintenance organizations, and three tobacco companies, Philip Morris, RJR Nabisco and U.S. Tobacco.

Democratic National Committee spokesman Rick Hess said these companies are not seeking any special favors in return for their donations.

``They support the Democratic Party because the Democratic Party has been the party of fiscal discipline and, along with the American people, presided over the longest economy expansion in history,'' Hess said.