Unofficial power makes its loss invisible even to political insiders

Evidence

Because his power had never come from anything as clear-cut and publicly understandable as an election, it took a long time for even many political insiders to realize that he had lost not only some power but all. More than a year after the MTA reorganization, Jack Lutsky, now a judge, was told that Moses was out of power completely, and he refused to believe it. He telephoned Lebwohl to check and, hanging up, said with a wondering sigh: “You’re right.” … Once he invited Bronx Borough President Herman Badillo, whom he had never met, to lunch on Randall’s Island. Badillo called him “Bob.” For just an instant, the big head went back in the old haughty gesture with which he would once have withered any guest who dared to use that familiarity without invitation. Then one could almost see him remembering that he needed any ally he could get. The head came down, and he went on with the conversation. — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 4658

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: A gap separates the President’s formal paper powers from his real accumulated powers — Henry M. Hart, Jr. and Albert M. Sacks, The Legal Process: Basic Problems in…, 2865