Byzantine intrigues, allurement, backscratching, backstairs influence, blandishment, cajolement, cajolery, coaxing, connections, conning, deals, engagement, enlistment, exhortation, games, hortation, inducement, influence peddling, intrigues, jawboning, lobbyism, logrolling, persuasion, ploys, political influence, preaching, preachment, public opinion, ropes, sales talk, salesmanship, schemes, selling, snow job, social pressure, soft soap, solicitation, special-interest pressure, strings, suasion, sweet talk, wheedling, wire-pulling, wires, working on