Did President Obama's life begin with the '08 campaign?

I watched Jessica Yellin's Obama Revealed: The Man. The President. with interest.

Jessica Yellin, who spent a considerable amount of time talking about some prank Romney may or may not have pulled back in high school, showed absolutely no interest in anything in Obama's life until the '08 presidential campaign.

I mean, I am not really interested in the adventures exploring the effects of various drugs, but it would have been nice to know his early successes in politics came about because he was able to eliminate his opponents due to technicalities.

Also, am I the only one to find it odd that, apparently, the President was unfamiliar with how Washington D.C. worked even though he was a Senator who put roadblock after roadblock in the path to victory in Iraq? Isn't being a father a lame excuse for not being able to build coalitions? Was Bill Clinton not a father? Are presidents not expected to be able to work past 6 pm, at least on some days?