Brooks on Obama as outsider

Every once in a while, when he can drop his dual schticks of “Bobo Buddha” and “kinder, gentler, neocon,” David Brooks actually makes sense. And, his column on Obama as outsider certainly does.

It’s not a “dissing” column in any way. Just an analytical column. Here’s the nut graf, which Brooks then supports with a fair amount of anecdotal evidence:

There is a sense that because of his unique background and temperament, Obama lives apart. He put one foot in the institutions he rose through on his journey but never fully engaged.

Perhaps that’s why his become a blank slate for political projectionism, especially among many progressives who are now wondering what sort of pig in a poke they bought.