education background, plus a large "Fund of Knowledge" when it comes to Infectious Diseases...he's been at NIH and the NIAID since leaving Med School,..so in a sense he's got 'one foot in the D.C. political arena...but over that time he's amassed a significant number of admirers...in the ID community. Given my closer than average observations of that community, it would be very hard for "Fauci" to survive in his leadership role through several administrations without the 'approval' of his cohorts, who apparently have always viewed him as a true medical professional and not a political hack..
P.P.S...Glad we're able to converse.