Then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel walks behind President Obama as they prepare to leave Washington for Chicago in August 2010. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
This week is all about power. Power in the Senate. Power in the White House.
Why it matters: If there's a currency in this town, it's power, so we asked several former Washington power brokers to give us their best tips for new members of Congress — as well as a certain incoming president.
Tuesday night: Rahm Emanuel, as told to Axios.
- "The successful presidents understand the power of public opinion to change Washington, rather than Washington’s ability to change public opinion."
- "Whenever you are working it, you’ve got to know where people are starting from, and don’t dismiss their politics as wrong. Try and incorporate their politics in your strategy."
- "There are different power centers, and the media is its own institutional power, whether they like it or not."
- "You need to know if you’re moving the ball down the field or stopping the ball. The first is harder, by degrees."
- "You have all of your administration, not just what’s at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but to wield that power is to have people know that you control it."