These and other waverers will decide in part based on who else is running.

ECONOMIST: The Republicans

In other words, he is adept at offering the necessary inducements to just enough waverers, but no more.

ECONOMIST: America's conservatives take another blow | The

If you are the inevitable candidate, operatives clamour to be on your team, fund-raisers stuff your coffers with gold and waverers swallow their doubts.

ECONOMIST: The presidential race

The best estimate in midweek was that the Ulster Unionist Party was split evenly three ways, between those in favour of a deal, diehard antis and waverers.

ECONOMIST: Ulster waits

Candidates slapped up posters all over Doha, debated with one another on television and pitched spacious tents to sway waverers with lavish meals of roast lamb and sticky pastries.

ECONOMIST: Qatar

So too has the response of the rebel leaders, who have provoked a minor backlash by setting up their own rather crude whipping operation to stiffen the resolve of waverers.

ECONOMIST: It's not tuition fees they don't like, it's Tony

On May 17th, heavy votes in favour of the bill in both the House Ways and Means Committee (34-4) and the Senate Finance Committee (18-1) seem to have persuaded some of the waverers.

ECONOMIST: Why is Congress so divided over whether to normalise trade?

But he must be cheered by the realisation that his own waverers stood firm on the day that ministers were nominated, despite Paisleyite theatrics designed to shame them into opposing the nomination of Sinn Fein ministers.

ECONOMIST: Enemies and colleagues