When they say Obama is a pragmatist or pragmatic they are saying he belongs to a foreign policy school, or group, or doctrine. Foreign policy Pragmatists are better known as foreign policy Realists. As opposed to being idealists.
There are 3 foreign policy groups in the democratic party: Realists/Pragmatists, Liberal Interventionists(idealists), and anti-war pacifists(idealists). A democratic president's foreign policy team is always composed of Realists/Pragmatists and Liberal Interventionists and when the prez fills his top three foreign policy positions he will usually have a Liberal Interventionist serving as Sec of State while the the NSA and SecDef job will go to a Realist/Pragmatist.
Like wise, there are 3 foreign policy groups in the Republican party: Realists/Pragmatists, NeoCons(Idealists), and Isolationists(Idealists). A Republican president's foreign policy team is always composed of Realists/Pragmatists and NeoCons and when the prez fills his top three foreign policy jobs he will usually have a Realist/Pragmatist serving as Sec of State and NSA while the SecDef job goes to a NeoCon.
So while both the Republican prez and the democratic prez have a coalition foreign policy team, one will dominate the other.
For Obama it is the Realist/Pragmatists. For GW Bush it was the NeoCons. For Clinton it was the Liberal Interventionists, For GHW Bush it was the Realists/Pragmatists, In Reagan's second term it was the Realists/Pragmatists. In Reagan's first term it was the NeoCons. For Carter it was the Realists/Pragmatists. For Nixon it was the Realists/Pragmatists.
I think Obama is inept. He waits until the ball drops into the red or black slot and then places his bet. He’s a user with no moral compass. He’s feels so inferior he is incapable of sticking his neck out to do what is needed for anyone else.
Has anyone ever seen him do anything other than what benefits him? He has no redeeming qualities. No one should hold out hope that he will do anything because it is the right thing to do. He’s a grifter. His base is stupid. His enablers are working to destroy a strong America.