Political arguments tend to have three objectives: Energizing true believers, demonizing implacable foes, and persuading the persuadable.

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American planners estimate that 70-80% of their enemies should be persuadable, through kinder tactics, economic opportunities and a formal reconciliation process.

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Bill Bradley, for instance, whom he defeated in the primaries, would not make much of an impact, even if he were persuadable.

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For instance, underneath Romney's controversial "47%" comments unearthed last week was an acknowledgment that there are only a tiny number voters who are still persuadable.

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Television ads were data driven as well, enabling the campaign to specifically target persuadable voters and run ads during programming that appealed to a particular demographic profile.

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An additional round of TV, radio and print advertisements in districts represented by lawmakers who appear persuadable on the issue is set to begin Wednesday, said Andrea Miller, president of Naral Pro-Choice New York.

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Both campaigns realize they have to secure their base of supporters while, at the same time, pursue and win over that dwindling, fickle slice of persuadable voters who have yet to make up their minds.

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Iran should in time be persuadable once its own security fears (one of which is caused by Iraq) have been quelled, and once Russia and China have been persuaded to stop helping it edge in the nuclear direction.

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