It is more difficult, they said, to persuade public officials to save a wave.

Sometimes, they persuaded officials to hold one meet right after another so they could compete twice.

But the discussion with the president persuaded officials to weigh a less serious alternative, they said.

The evening was apparently part of an effort to persuade officials that the deal had high-level support.

After angry calls to City Hall, the group persuaded officials to stop the work.

In most cases, the efforts are aimed at persuading public officials to take some kind of action.

Again he persuaded officials, including party leaders, who were threatening to withdraw support, that all was above board.

Part of his job is to persuade local officials and residents to allow a 150,000-barrel-a-day refinery in their backyard - no small task.

That argument has been used to persuade officials in Alaska to support the takeover.

Instead, they persuaded officials to allow them to ski a shorter version of the men's downhill course.