He felt called to help the old man.

I've been a good student — mostly distinguisheds and only a few satisfactories […]

Old Applegate, in the stern, just set and looked at me, and Lord James, amidship, waved both arms and kept hollering for help. I took a couple of everlasting big strokes and managed to grab hold of the skiff's rail, close to the stern. Then, for a jiffy, I hung on and fought for breath.

This is the environment the Nobama was raised in. This is what he brings to Washington. This is what the US is going to look like shortly.