How do you see Obama in that regard? A mastermind? Good leader? Builder of sound teams? All the power brokers need to do is put a weakling in, and then run the operation from a different level, not necessarily "through" the figurehead.
Necessary for the globalists to have a person in the role of US pres, who is not averse to the globalist agenda, and all that entails for the US. A fellow traveler.
I see him as an ideologue who is pursuing his own self-interests. I don't see him as being manipulated by Valerie Jarret or anyone else. His life history tells us who he has associated with and what he believes. He has accomplished a lot in furthering the leftist agenda. The Dem party has been the biggest loser as it has lost control of Congress and hundreds of elected positions throughout the country. The Dem ranks have been decimated. Yet, Hillary is joined at the hip in supporting him and vowing to carry on his legacy.
Bottom line: I don't believe Obama is the Manchurian candidate. He needs no one to direct his actions.