Mao Tse Tung said the same thing about Nixon on the eve of his famous visit to China. He said, "Nixon is a rightist. I like dealing with rightists. They are straightforward and say what they mean--not like socialists who say one thing but really mean another."
He was reacting in part to the actions of the Soviets who had been finding devious ways to stab China in the back for about ten years while professing "fraternal friendship." But still.