Obama Presidency Oral History

Incite at Columbia University
The Obama Presidency as told by 450+ officials, activists, organizers, and extraordinary people from all walks of life.

  • Carolyn Britton

    National Medical Association President

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Michael Minor

    Pastor and Healthcare Advocate

  • Peter Orszag

    White House Budget Director

  • Kate Orff

    Landscape Architect

  • Don Verrilli

    Solicitor General

  • Todd Stern

    Special Envoy

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Neera Tanden

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Sandra Fluke

    Reproductive Health Advocate

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Steven Chu

    Secretary of Energy

  • Robert Trapp

    Newspaper Publisher and Correspondent

  • Tom Harkin

    US Senator from Iowa

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

Carolyn Britton
National Medical Association President
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Interviews released

Explore a special preview of interviews related to climate, energy, the environment, and healthcare.

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Since 2019, Incite at Columbia University has interviewed hundreds of people to produce the official oral history of the Obama presidency. These in-depth interviews, conducted with those inside and outside of the administration, represent roughly 1,100 hours of audio and video that together form a comprehensive record of the Obama years.

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Stories

Each oral history interview contains dozens of stories. Explore these stories through prepared playlists—or save stories to make your own.

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    Path of a campaign worker during presidential primaries and elections Courtney Hight
    01:25
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    Balancing family life during preparations for President Obama's visit Melanie Bahnke
    01:57
  • go to the interview
    Personal reflections on overcoming adversity and creating lasting memories Destiny Blackmon
    08:41
  • go to the interview
    Reflections on the HealthCare.gov rollout challenges Elizabeth Fowler
    02:07
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    AMA's campaign to raise awareness about insuring the uninsured Nancy Nielsen
    03:08
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    Interactions with guests at President Obama's speech event Jim Houser
    02:05
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    Reactions in the White House to the Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act Nancy-Ann DeParle
    04:24
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    Developing an all-of-above energy strategy to gain bipartisan support Heather Zichal
    01:27
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    Reflections on the pace of legislative progress and the Affordable Care Act funding Jeanne Lambrew
    01:11
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    Shift in climate diplomacy with the Durban Protocol and developing countries' roles Todd Stern
    04:40
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Topics

From healthcare to the financial crisis to nuclear nonproliferation, each topic explored in this collection is brought to life by narrators from both inside and outside the Obama administration.

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Navigate

Navigate the interconnected events and places that make up this history, narrated by the stories of the people who lived it.



2009-17

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News& Events

  • read full text: What a New Oral History Reveals About Obama, and the Tradeoffs He Made
    Peter Baker in The New York Times.
    NewsRead more
  • read full text: An Expansive View Into Obama’s Transformative Presidency
    Caroline Harting in Columbia News.
    NewsRead more
  • read full text: The Obama Presidency Inside-Out: A Conversation About Climate
    New York City
    On May 31, 2023, we gathered in New York City to celebrate the completion of the Obama Presidency Oral History project's fieldwork.
    EventRead more
See more news