ɪn ɑːktˈoʊbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn, hˈɑːɹtk wʌz nˈeɪmd "wˈʌn ʌvðə mˈoʊst pˈaʊɚfəl mˈɛn ɪn wˈɑːʃɪŋtən, dˈiː.sˈiː." baɪ ðə wˌɑːʃɪŋtˈoʊniən mˌæɡɐzˈiːn.
In October 1981, Hartke was named "one of the most powerful men in Washington, D.C." by the Washingtonian magazine.