But if I could fault President Obama, I would say that sometimes he governs like a visitor from a morally superior civilization. He comes in here, and he will not, he'll talk with Boehner. He won't talk with the other Republicans. He hasn't built their trust. Boehner actually made a pretty serious concession... But the trust wasn't there to get that done. And if the president wants to get stuff done over the next four years...It's got to get to the place where Republicans say, “Okay, we'll take a risk. This guy won't screw us.” They do not feel that right now."
So I don't think it was a compliment. He meant that Obama is arrogant and hostile and untrustworthy, and while David Brooks may favor some of Hussein's aims, even he is acknowledging that Obama is acting like a...wait, what's that word? Dictator?