Plays for the Presidency

Want to know the moves and counter-moves of the 2012 presidential candidates? Economists have game theory. Chemists have the periodic table. So why not politicos?

Welcome to the interactive strategy blog Plays for the Presidency™, created by entrepreneur and author Alan Kelly. First launched at The Politico in April 2007 as a collaborative project with political scholar and consultant Michael Cornfield, Plays for the Presidency is based on the critically acclaimed book from Penguin, The Elements of Influence, and landmark strategy and prediction system, The Playmaker's Standard™.

In this space, Kelly posts his nonpartisan takes, derived from The Standard Table of Influence Strategies, a code-cracking classification system of 25 irreducibly unique "plays" in politics, business and even pop culture. From the subtle Ping of a soft-sounding surrogate to the outrageous Peacock of a desperate dark horse, these are the moves that build a base, outwit a rival, and win elections.

Tune in to SiriusXM satellite radio, POTUS channel 124, at 8:35 a.m. on Fridays, to hear Alan Kelly de-construct the gamesmanship of the 2012 Presidential election with host Tim Farley on "The Morning Briefing."

Click here to e-mail the Playmakers.