It's not that. It's just that his thoughts seem to get so far ahead of him that his speech seems to have a hard time keeping up. This can grate in a country best known for its dour, cautious, Lutheran virtues-characteristics that were stubbornly preserved, and even exaggerated, during five decades of Soviet occupation. Some complain that Meri has anointed himself philosopher-king and that he runs the presidency too much like a private institute. There's also virtual unanimity that since he became president in 1992, Meri has excelled on the international stage.
Insiders say the eminently witty Estonian president has an amazing knack for charming other leaders.
He is the kind of president other leaders are inclined to remember. For a tiny, little-known country desperate to be noticed, that can be a huge asset.