stalking-horses
Candidates masking others
A stalking-horse is a candidate or proposal put forward to conceal the true intentions of another party or to test the viability of a challenge.
The term comes from hunting, where a horse or horse-shaped screen allowed hunters to approach prey without being detected.
In politics, a stalking-horse candidate may run against an incumbent to gauge vulnerability before a stronger challenger enters: He was widely seen as a stalking-horse for the party's more ambitious contenders.
In business, a stalking-horse bid sets a floor price in bankruptcy auctions.
False explanation for actions
- hidden agendaUndisclosed true purpose
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- frontForward-facing side
subterfuge · ruse · diversion · misdirection · guise · screen · mask · deception
Authorized substitute
- front-runnerLikely winner
- name recognitionPublic familiarity with someone
- spoilerPremature ending disclosure
- trial balloonPreliminary test of opinion
exploratory committee · party nomination · placeholder · favorite son · nomination process
False target for misdirection
- blindLacking the sense of sight
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- game birdFowl legally hunted
- fowlingHunting wild birds
quarry · camouflage · wildfowl · prey · field sport · ambush · waterfowl · pursuit
cover story
False explanation for actions
- hidden agendaUndisclosed true purpose
- smokescreenConcealment through misdirection
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
front · subterfuge · ruse · diversion · misdirection · guise · screen · mask · deception · ulterior motive
proxy
Authorized substitute
- front-runnerLikely winner
- name recognitionPublic familiarity with someone
- spoilerPremature ending disclosure
trial balloon · exploratory committee · party nomination · placeholder · favorite son · nomination process
decoy
False target for misdirection
- blindLacking the sense of sight
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- game birdFowl legally hunted
fowling · quarry · camouflage · wildfowl · prey · field sport · ambush · waterfowl · pursuit · bird hunting
horse, horses, horseman, stalker, stalking, horsing, stalked, horsy, stalkers