This is a real roundabout argument given that it started from you complaining that Gates very rightfully pointed out that he's better equipped to accomplish his goals as a private citizen leveraging his wealth. I mean, I've been clear I'm hardly a fan of everything he pushes for, but he's unarguably also done some absolutely incredible work when it comes to fighting diseases and was long one of the louder voices warning governments about the inevitability of global pandemics.
Like yeah, fuck his push for charter schools, especially as voters continually reject them. But that doesn't mean he's more powerful than a president, he's objectively not more powerful overall (he doesn't have a shiny nuke button, for example), but has a greater chance of accomplishing his specific goals while not president. This is fairly basic stuff.
I'm vaguely aware of some of that, but would need more historical context from you to make the connection as you state it.