Rasputin Svengali VIP access act on advocate approach bad influence bear upon big wheel blandish cajole call on call upon coax constitute corridor court decree draw draw on eminence grise enact enact laws entrance entrance hall entranceway entry entryway exert influence exhort filibuster five-percenter foyer friend at court galilee get cozy with get the floor good influence gray eminence hall hallway have the floor heavyweight hidden hand high-pressure importune influence influence peddler influencer ingroup insist insist upon jawbone key kill kingmaker lead on legislate legislative lobby lobby through lobbyer lobbyist logroll lords of creation magnetize make advances make overtures make up to man of influence manipulator nag narthex open sesame ordain parliamentary agent pass persuade pigeonhole plead with pocket portal portico powers that be press pressure pressure group promote propylaeum pull strings push put in force put through railroad through reception room recommend registered lobbyist roll logs sinister influence soft-soap special interests special-interest group special-interest lobby stoa sway sweet-talk table take the floor the Establishment threshold urge very important person vestibule veto wheedle wheeler-dealer wire-pull wire-puller work on yield the floor