But there ARE people out there who do have enough leverage, by dint of fame, connections, history (what they've worked on), experience and exclusive experience.

But there ARE people out there who do have enough leverage, by dint of fame, connections, history (what they've worked on), experience and exclusive experience. Not at Google. This may arguably be a shortsighted move, but Google often walks away from the table even after they've spent months wooing some luminary. The prima donna attitude is usually a fast way to get a NO HIRE. Pretty much any employee at Google feels perfectly comfortable saying NO HIRE to absolutely anybody. This attitude is encouraged at the highest levels. I guarantee you that if Linus Torvalds himself were being interviewed, some jackass would still be giving him questions about missionaries and cannibals crossing a river. And if he didn't get it, they'd write "not mentally agile enough" on the interview report.