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.

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Elizabeth Fowler

    Health Policy Official

  • Carolyn Britton

    National Medical Association President

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Peter Orszag

    White House Budget Director

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Arun Majumdar

    ARPA-E Director

  • Don Verrilli

    Solicitor General

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Sarah Holway

    School Teacher and Food Policy Activist

  • Frances Beinecke

    Environmentalist and Nonprofit Executive

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Zeke Emanuel

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Sandra Fluke

    Reproductive Health Advocate

  • Todd Stern

    Special Envoy

  • Regina Benjamin

    Surgeon General

Nancy Sutley
Environmental Policy Official
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
    Balancing work and family during the debt limit negotiations Nancy-Ann DeParle
    05:56
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    Challenges in Congress to passing immigration reform legislation Nancy-Ann DeParle
    02:33
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    Impact of reconciliation on bipartisan support for the Affordable Care Act negotiations Elizabeth Fowler
    03:52
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    Interaction with President Obama at a press event discussing small business and healthcare Jim Houser
    03:04
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    The impact of DSA and Working Families Party on contemporary politics Andrew Stern
    01:10
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    President Obama's Climate Action Plan announcement at Georgetown University Frances Beinecke
    03:22
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    Discussion on the significance of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards' Nancy Sutley
    03:47
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    Applying Virginia's governance model to the Obama administration and the CTO role proposal Aneesh Chopra
    05:32
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    President Obama's speech to Planned Parenthood and its impact on attendees Cecile Richards
    02:44
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    Differences between government and youth priorities on environmental policy and activism Courtney Hight
    04:23
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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