Various sources in the Expanded Universe have collectively presented an interesting picture of Senator Palpatine prior to his election to the Supreme Chancellery. He was evidently a distinguished scholar and intellectual, being particularly noted as a political theorist and collector of art. His politics were apparently moderate and centrist in nature, and he was well-regarded by virtually all of the various factions of the day, although he appeared to be fairly un-ambitious. He was a conscientious and cautious legislator and parliamentarian, very much a consensus builder and compromiser (see, for example, his conduct leading to and during the trade conference in Cloak of Deception).

It is difficult to imagine a more palatable politician for the United Federation of Planets. His writings have become standard reading in distinguished universities in the Core; he is knowledgeable of the liberal arts and of the creative arts, and is, like many legislators on cosmopolitan Coruscant, a gifted linguist. He can easily for the urbane Renaissance Man so beloved of the Federation. He appears bland and uncontroversial, which would be no doubt a positive feature in the drab, conformist society of the Federation.

His parliamentary skills alone would be far greater than those of any member of the relatively homogeneous and small Federation Council (approximately the size of a modern Congressional committee, and laughably tiny compared to Senator Palpatine’s home playing field of the Galactic Senate). Discounting entirely the element of the Force, the Federation Council would be easy prey for a politician of his cunning and experience. One should keep in mind that this is the same intellect that built the Galactic Empire and later authored Operation Shadow Hand, amazingly intricate and Byzantine creations that he alone was able to master fully.

Even without his vast powers of the dark side of the Force, Senator Palpatine would find the United Federation of Planets pathetically easy to manipulate and dominate, using only his purely legitimate political means. If one further considers his more unethical tools — mind control and influence, criminal connections, and Sith machinations — and the lack of the Jedi or comparable forces, Senator Palpatine would be in full control of the Federation in a bare handful of years, as compared to his painstaking, decades-long takeover of his own galaxy.