AS the White House tries to come up with new ideas to save the Northern Ireland peace process, a debate has begun inside the administration on what the US attitude to Sinn Fein should be following the end of the ceasefire.
The second bomb in London yesterday shattered any illusions in the White House and in Irish American circles where individuals went out on a limb for Mr Gerry Adams - that the Docklands bomb was a "one off" act.
As it tries to come up with new ideas, debate is swirling around the administration about the way it handled the Mitchell report, and whether the lack of enthusiasm in Washington for its conclusions contributed to the darkening mood within the republican movement.
On January 24th, the day it was published, President Clinton welcomed the report, which recommended that Britain drop the prior decommissioning precondition for all party talks, as a "valuable tool". He did not, however, urge, all parties to adopt its conclusions.
"Senator Mitchell did his own thing. There was a sense that it would be wise to be a bit careful, to wait to see reaction. We did not want to get out in front," an official told The Irish Times.
Then in the following few days, news leaked out that the National Security Council was planning to "encourage" Mr Adams to consider the election option as the way forward.
Mr Adams subsequently said he was not pressurised in any way but the openness of the National Security Council under Mr Anthony Lake and his deputy, Ms Nancy Soderberg, to the election idea was by this stage well established.
There are also rumours that the NSC was not happy with the insistence of SDLP leader Mr John Hume and the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, on the need to move to all party talks.
Some in the administration were more outspoken on Irish concerns. One official privately expressed anger at Mr Adams being left to "twist slowly in the wind" for 18 months by the British government.
The US is also trying to assess if Mr Adams knew about the IRA's plans in advance.
The British advice to the White House is that it is unlikely he knew, but possible, an administration source said.
Voices in the US State and Justice Departments which originally warned against giving a visa, high level access, and fund raising permission to the Sinn Fein leader are, making themselves heard again.
Nobody's talking about cutting off contacts with Mr Adams but clearly if he gets another visa, restrictions would be considered on fundraising and he might be received at a different level," an administration source said.
"Adams took in over half a million dollars - he was a better fund raiser than we thought he would be," the source said. "It would be difficult to justify now."
Ms Mairead Keane, Sinn Fein representative in Washington, said yesterday the gross figure for funds raised since the ban was, lifted last March was $1.3 million.
Mr Adams had planned to return next month but nothing had been finalised, she said.
The fund raising potential of Sinn Fein has been compromised by the end of the ceasefire, prominent supporters frankly acknowledge.
"Sinn Fein had the potential to raise $2 million and become the largest nationalist party and the army council has blown it," one said. "People are very angry. At peace strategy and a war strategy just don't go side by side here."
The second bomb was a blow to White House officials who have been working to get the peace process back on track.
"The White House is not backing away," an administration source said. "There is too much invested."
A "White House aide" was quoted in the Christian Science Monitor yesterday as saying that at the Sinn Fein leader's meeting with President Clinton on February 1st, "it had become pretty clear that Adams couldn't hold the line much longer".
The aide said that when the British rejected the Mitchell plan, "and we not only did nothing but, started telling the Adams people that they should consider the election proposal, the IRA may concluded they had lost their fair hearing in the White House."