I think we should take this excert precisely as Obama undoubtedly intends, as the story of a young man coming to grips with adult life. But what happens afterwards, as Martin mentions above, is much more significant. His entry into Chicago politics, with membership in Rev. Wright’s church and early connections with Ayres and Dohrn to provide bona fides and entree, is as cynical a tale of self invention as ever was written. Barry became Barack in NYC, but he then reinvented himself climbing the greasy pole of Chicago politics, and then reinvented himself again to appear on the national stage.

We don’t really know the “real” Obama, but this glimpse from Columbia might be as close as we’re ever going to see.