David Brooks, in a NY Times editorial-
"All I know for sure is that this guy is no liberal goo-goo. Republicans keep calling him naïve. But naïve is the last word I’d use to describe Barack Obama. He’s the most effectively political creature we’ve seen in decades. Even Bill Clinton wasn’t smart enough to succeed in politics by pretending to renounce politics."
Op-Ed Columnist - The Two Obamas - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com
I agree with him.