The Bush Administration has for the first time dropped public hints that its hopes of seeing the US-India civil nuclear deal may be ebbing, suggesting that the next administration and Congress could take up the landmark pact if it fails to meet the deadline now. Putting out a mixed message on its prognosis for the deal, the State Department said on Thursday that time certainly was running out, yet denying it was giving up hope as the deal could still make it to the Congress in the remaining months. "No. We certainly believe it is still possible for this deal to move forward and for our Congress to have an opportunity to consider it....It ain't over till it's over," remarked deputy spokesman Tom Casey, when reporters put it to him that the tenor of his initial comments suggested that the administration was losing hope. Casey had begun by speaking about the US's keenness to finish the job as soon as possible, given its election calendar and legislative timetable, while the Indian Government had "some internal issues" to resolve before it could move forward. "So certainly, I think time is running out to be able to give this current Congress the opportunity to consider this arrangement," Casey said adding: "Obviously, though, there would be opportunities in future congresses and with the future administration to move forward on this, but certainly, we can only talk for ourselves and for this Administration in terms of this arrangement." This was perhaps the first time that a spokesman of the Bush Administration had gone public with the possibility of a future administration and Congress proceeding with the unfinished deal. It contrasted with the White House's immediate comments after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's talks here 10 days ago. "Well, we have a little bit of time before we have to say 'now or never'," spokesperson Dana Perino had then said, adding: "We've got several months to continue to work with them. And actually that deal is supported by bipartisan members on Capitol Hill, as well, so they're helping to move this along." Casey himself in the latter part of his briefing changed tack a bit on the time available to pursue the matter, saying: "Congress will be in session for quite a bit ways more this year and we would certainly hope to have an opportunity to present them with this agreement and give them a chance to vote on it." "We do, though, respect the fact that there are still issues that the Indian political system needs to work through. That's been the case for a while, but we certainly hope we can get there," he said, in an obvious reference to the Left's continuing hard line on the deal. At one point, the spokesman remarked that "regardless of whether this arrangement is passed in the next year or not, one thing that I don't think will change is the continuing strengthening and deepening of the US-India relationship that has begun under this administration, and we certainly hope will continue into the future".