Roman Catholic bishops, evangelical leaders and other religious figureheads had lobbied for a broader exemption to the contraception requirement.

BBC: White House unveils new contraception opt-out

Mr. Bloomberg's allies said they realized he didn't play well everywhere and they would work to choose the most effective figureheads.

WSJ: Mayor's 2014 Gun Push

They want fuzzy figureheads: Princess Diana, Tony Blair, perhaps even Bill Clinton.

ECONOMIST: Leadership, and the lack of it

Their youthful leadership lacks political experience, and figureheads such as Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the UN nuclear watchdog whose sharp criticisms of Mr Mubarak amplified calls for change, lack street credibility.

ECONOMIST: After Mubarak

The lawsuits are ostensibly on behalf of real plaintiffs, and judges treat them that way, but these cases more frequently involve passive plaintiffs who are figureheads for the lawyers who bring suit and negotiate settlements and their own fees.

FORBES: Courts Reject WTC Verdict, Smith Barney Case-Without-A-Plaintiff