He wasn’t born in Kenya. He’s not an exotic as he pretended (born in Canada at the unwed mother’s home). But in the 90s it was very very cool in the AA community to have anything African, an African name, recent heritage. He milked it like he used anything for social status.
The scrubbed video of his debate with Alan Keyes forte senate seat showed Keyes telling him. “but you weren’t even born in the country.” And Obama responds with “We are talking about the senate, not the presidency.”
Obama concedes he’s not a NBC, in Obama vs. Keyes 2004 Debate
https://www.thepostemail.com/2009/10/15/obama-concedes-hes-not-a-nbc-in-obama-vs-keyes-2004-debate/