Brooks does a good job of pointing out what a disingenous politician Obama is, but then forgives him because, wth, that same type of "Chicago politician machinery" is going to cause Putin to quake in his boots. Riiiiiiiight.
Obama appears "brilliant" to Mr. Brooks because the MSM propaganda machine, of which he is a part, is backing him to the hilt and refusing to point out that he lies continuously. Get a grip, Mr. Brooks.
The guy can't even decide whether to admire Obama for his slickness, or despise him for it, or so it would seem. Since it's from the NYTimes, I'll take it to be a failed stab at "objectivity" regarding Mr. Obama, for true objectivity would not admire deciet, which is what Mr. Brooks ends up doing, but would condemn it. I guess that would be too much to expect from a hack at the NYTimes.