Thanks for posting the entire conversation - and just so I understand clearly, this is from Obama’s book or Obama’s recollections, right?
If Bush did say that, it sounds as though he meant it in the sense that Keyes is difficult to debate with.
Our President has enough problems without people piling on and repeating rumors.
It is actually a re-quote from Polito.com. I just heard a blurb on Fox on the story, and assumed they were talking about last weeks meeting. So I did a google search, which led me to the re-quote of the original.
That said however I doubt GW had a lot of respect for Keyes, not in the sense that Reagan did, maybe that was a minus for him i GW's circle. After all they were y no means Reaganites.