Putin is a POS dictator but he commands respect even if he is ruthless in the classic Soviet way.
If Putin is made of steel, President Ovomit is made of wet toilet paper...
I think you framed it perfectly. I despise Putin for the corrupt, despotic-minded creature that he is. But I also acknowledge and respect the fact that he is one of the strongest and most capable leaders on the world stage today. It is indeed a stark contrast to the weakest foreign policy leadership America has seen in the modern era. Not even Carter was as feckless and lost as Obama has been, I think.