What exactly are you suggesting? That when the agent approached Obama to pitch the book she wanted him to write, she had no idea where he was born? And Obama opted out of the blue to lie about his birth place? Why would he do that? The agent was already anxious to represent him. In the event he had no idea what happens to authors who sell themselves on the basis of a blatant and obvious lie, the agent would have told him. It’s not pretty. The deception may, and often does, hold for a while [the length of time depending on how easily discovered the truth happens to be]. It doesn’t hold up indefinitely, however, and when the truth hits the fan the author is tainted for life—and his/her agents don’t fare a lot better.
You really think Obama wanted to begin his post-Harvard career being known as the ‘lying fraudulent author’ he would certainly have been exposed to be? That was his idea of a career enhancer?
Your theory isn’t practical. Either Obama had a suicide wish, career/future-wise, or he was willing, back in the day, to tell the truth. No third option.
‘his/her agents don’t fare a lot better.’
I should clarify that to the extent the agent/agents can claim they too are victims, and had no idea the client was lying, they can weather the storm okay. It doesn’t do their reputation any good, but it doesn’t flush it down the commode, the way such deceptions/frauds flush the author’s rep forever.