Yes, it's precisely because Gotti maintained such an idiotically high public profile--because his "public" regarded him as the face of the Mafia--that he could never be acknowledged by other bosses as capo di tutti capi. Gambino earned respect as the top guy by keeping a low profile and by staying out of prison. Gotti served two felony sentences on his way up. Some other bosses did, too. But Gotti also stood trial (briefly) for beating up that Polish truckdriver. "I FORGOTTI" read the headline in the Daily News. The public ate it up. Gotti ate it up. Other Dons must have wondered what kind of idiot would get involved in a fistfight with some nobody when he had all that muscle around. The public loved the "Teflon Don" who beat two more felony raps--but he was denied bail both times, as well as the third and last rap, on which he was convicted. He spent an awful lot of time in jail as Don.