got clout?

Having "clout" is something you cannot say about yourself.
Like -- handsome, beautiful, etc.
(If someone else says it about you, don't argue with them -- just say thank you.)
But we can hardly say it about ourselves; it would sound arrogant or vain.
Someone asked me once, if I had clout, and it was like -- There's no right answer to this!

When I started lobbying, at the state level, for an association of small schools, my first year at the legislature I introduced myself to each of the 70 representatives and 35 state senators and told them who I worked for, in order to begin building an awareness of the organized small schools and their priorities and issues.

The first step was simply meeting people, which was easy, and I love -- of course you don't start right out askin' for stuff!

One day in the Capitol, I was in the copy room -- small room with a big copier; it felt crowded even when there were only three people in it, and there were usually at least 8.
Scrunched in line for copies behind a big representative from the south-central part of our state, it seemed to me a good time to meet, so, standing there in one of my best outfits which I hoped said, "The small schools mean business," I introduced myself to him and shook his hand.

Representative S. was tall, big like a former football player, with a big, heavy face and thick white hair -- he was older -- looking at him, it was easy to compare him to Tip O'Neill.
Rep. S. towered over me, leaned forward, looking down at me and demanded gruffly,
"Do yah have-any-CLOUT?"

Standing there, as each of us took our hand back, after the handshake, it flashed in my mind, I may have a stylish, slim, black briefcase with a strap that looks Professional, and I'm Registered as a Lobbyist, and it's all terrific, but I don't have an answer to this damn question - !!

If I say "Yes, I have clout" it will sound like I'm over-confident.
If I say "No," it's like telling the representative that he never needs to listen to me; no lobbyist wants that.

So I said -- "Well, I represent 85 small schools in our state."
Rep. S. said, "Eighty-five! I didn't know we had 85 schools in the state."

Fun.

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