What is inside Obama's mind?

On the outside, Pres. Obama exudes arrogance. What is going on on the inside? Consider two quotes (collected by James Taranto):

• "Obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me,"--President-elect Barack Obama, Nov. 7, 2008
• "Over the last two years, that's meant taking on some powerful interests, some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time. And they're not always happy with me. They talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks. It's just--but it's true."--President Obama, Sept. 6, 2010

Since I am unaware of any Obama critic talking about him "like a dog" or in any way vaguely similar to that, it would seem that that description came from his mind, consistent with his description of himself as a "mutt." It seems that his arrogance is covering for an inner sense of inferiority or worthlessness.