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Under scrutiny: Senator Elizabeth Warren's politics will put the economic legacy of former US president Bill Clinton and, by extension, Hillary Clinton on trial. Photo: Getty

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has an explanation for the singular nature of her power.

"I'll always be an outsider. That's how I understand the world," the Massachusetts Democrat said in an interview. "There's a real benefit to being clear about this. I know why I'm here. I think about this every morning before I open my eyes, and I'm still thinking about it every night when I go to sleep."

Being the target of that kind of focus can be an excruciating experience - the freshest case in point being investment banker Antonio Weiss, whom President Barack Obama put forward last year as his nominee for treasury undersecretary for domestic finance.

Proud outsider: Senator Elizabeth Warren's economic populism might provide the path forward for the Democrats. Photo: AP

Initially seen as a highly credentialed and uncontroversial pick for a low-profile post, Mr Weiss found himself up against a storm of opposition, led by Mrs Warren, who said he was yet another example of Wall Street cronyism within the Obama administration.

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On Monday, Mr Weiss wrote a letter to the President asking that his name be taken out of consideration.

The tussle sent yet another signal, maybe the clearest yet, of how Mrs Warren intends to wield her growing clout. It showed that she and her brand of populism are forces to be reckoned with - not only by Mr Obama and his team, but also by the Democrats' likely 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton.

"It's not about Antonio Weiss personally," said Simon Johnson, an outspoken Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and former International Monetary Fund chief economist, who admires Mrs Warren and shares her views. "What it's really about is the presidential election."

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Meet Elizabeth Warren, the senator Hillary Clinton must reckon with in 2016