THESAURUS
wire puller
Machiavellian, Rasputin, Svengali, VIP, access, bad influence, behind-the-scenes operator, big wheel, calculator, coconspirator, conniver, conspirator, conspirer, counterplotter, court, eminence grise, exploiter, finagler, five-percenter, fixer, four-percenter, friend at court, gamesman, good influence, gray eminence, heavyweight, hidden hand, influence, influence peddler, influencer, ingroup, intrigant, intriguer, key, kingmaker, lobby, lobbyist, logroller, lords of creation, machinator, man of influence, maneuverer, manipulator, open sesame, operator, opportunist, plotter, pork-barrel politician, power broker, powers that be, pressure group, schemer, sinister influence, special interests, special-interest group, strategist, tactician, the Establishment, very important person, wheeler-dealer
