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.

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Don Verrilli

    Solicitor General

  • Nancy-Ann DeParle

    White House Deputy Chief of Staff

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Neera Tanden

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Steven Chu

    Secretary of Energy

  • Kate Orff

    Landscape Architect

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Andrew Stern

    Labor Leader

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Arun Majumdar

    ARPA-E Director

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Nancy Nielsen

    American Medical Association President

Cecile Richards
Planned Parenthood President
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Interviews released

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

Explore all interviews

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.

  • go to the interview
    Exploring the origins of everyday items and understanding American society's dependence on global systems Bill McKibben
    02:04
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    Concerns about using reconciliation for the public option and preserving the filibuster Max Baucus
    02:37
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    Transition from individual legal work to policy-making and law implementation Carol Browner
    01:54
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    Preparation for ARPA-E confirmation hearings and understanding congressional relations Arun Majumdar
    03:45
  • go to the interview
    Adjusting to a public-facing role and media outreach as surgeon general Regina Benjamin
    02:30
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    Observations on the success of the Affordable Care Act post-government service Bob Kocher
    01:05
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    Experience with student loan forgiveness due to terminal illness Destiny Blackmon
    01:18
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    Reflections on education and No Child Left Behind before the 2008 election Sarah Holway
    02:24
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    Reflections on President Obama's leadership and charisma from a former White House staff member Christy Goldfuss
    05:27
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    Preparations and expectations for the Copenhagen Climate Conference Todd Stern
    08:01
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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

Timeline
Map

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