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.

  • Regina Benjamin

    Surgeon General

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Nancy-Ann DeParle

    White House Deputy Chief of Staff

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Frances Beinecke

    Environmentalist and Nonprofit Executive

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Arun Majumdar

    ARPA-E Director

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Kate Orff

    Landscape Architect

  • Max Baucus

    Ambassador and US Senator from Montana

  • Zeke Emanuel

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Andrew Stern

    Labor Leader

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Todd Stern

    Special Envoy

  • Tom Harkin

    US Senator from Iowa

  • Carolyn Britton

    National Medical Association President

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

Regina Benjamin
Surgeon General
43

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.

  • go to the interview
    Reflections on adapting to policy challenges in the role of deputy chief of staff Nancy-Ann DeParle
    02:52
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    Impact of H1N1 on public perception of healthcare reform urgency Kathleen Sebelius
    01:15
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    President Obama's role in reconciling the House and Senate healthcare bills in 2010 Elizabeth Fowler
    02:54
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    Experience rewriting the Health Security Act with Congressman Pete Stark Elizabeth Fowler
    01:58
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    Chairing the Food Safety Working Group with Secretary Tom Vilsack Kathleen Sebelius
    03:12
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    Discussion on the public option in healthcare reform with Rahm Emanuel Nancy-Ann DeParle
    02:13
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    Development of the climate action plan and the Clean Power Plan during Obama's second term Heather Zichal
    03:52
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    Reflections on climate change discourse and infrastructure during the 2008 election cycle Kate Orff
    05:31
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    Early interest in public service and internship with Senator Tom Daschle Peter Orszag
    03:53
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    Appointment as senior advisor for stakeholder engagement at CMMI Nancy Nielsen
    02:55
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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
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