Nobody is going to delegate a lot of power to a secretary that they can’t control.

Bloomberg’s remark frames political power as something principals (voters, party leaders, legislators, or executives) grant only when they believe they can reliably direct or constrain the officeholder. Calling the role “secretary” underscores an agent relationship: a secretary is expected to execute instructions, not set an independent agenda. The line implies that ambitious leaders must reassure stakeholders—through loyalty, predictability, or institutional checks—that authority will not be used unpredictably. It also hints at a tension in democratic governance: effective leadership often requires discretion, yet the path to gaining authority frequently depends on appearing controllable.