First of all, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach sought power. I carried his suitcase one time and he had that book in it: "Power, How to Get it, How to Use it" or something like that.
One of his followers told me "Maybe the Moshiach (messiah) doesn't ride a white donkey, maybe he rides and El Al airplane".
Another time, I was with the Rabbi in Haifa on a Saturday (Shabbes) when an Israeli driving a car, stopped the car to get out and hug and kiss Rabbi Carlebach.
So charismatic leaders can appear to have mind bending power over people. And from there, who knows what they can inspire.