“... seems to sometimes have only two speeds: insult and over-heaping praise.”
He’s a “counterpuncher” both in insults and in praise. If you hit him with an insult, he’ll floor you with a haymaker, if you praise him, he’ll shower you with compliments.
Again, I love him. We are very fortunate to have him.
But he is also a narcissist who unfortunately is, as you describe, swayed by flattery and seems almost borderline in his assessments of black or white.
Also, smart counterpunching brings your opponent down a peg without your approach splashing back onto you.