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.

  • Bill McKibben

    Environmental Activist

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Frances Beinecke

    Environmentalist and Nonprofit Executive

  • Zeke Emanuel

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Regina Benjamin

    Surgeon General

  • Max Baucus

    Ambassador and US Senator from Montana

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Courtney Hight

    Environmental Advocate and Campaigner

  • Michael Minor

    Pastor and Healthcare Advocate

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Nancy Nielsen

    American Medical Association President

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Todd Stern

    Special Envoy

  • Elizabeth Fowler

    Health Policy Official

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

Bill McKibben
Environmental Activist
43

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
    Influence of Indian American community expectations and Hindu teachings on public service career path Aneesh Chopra
    02:23
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    President Obama's phone call and personal interactions with a woman in the hospital Connie Anderson
    01:19
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    Responses from physicians on health care reform during summer 2009 events Nancy Nielsen
    03:04
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    Reflections on the possibility of working on healthcare reform in the Obama administration Neera Tanden
    02:14
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    Tension over the Cadillac tax between the House and Senate during healthcare reform Zeke Emanuel
    03:23
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    Lessons learned from John Gardner's leadership and public service Kathleen Sebelius
    02:38
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    AMA House of Delegates' debate on the public option in healthcare reform legislation Nancy Nielsen
    02:31
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    Evolution of cap-and-trade discussions post-Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010 Heather Zichal
    03:12
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    Impact of the 2008 financial crisis on the campaign's climate and energy strategy Heather Zichal
    02:25
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    Reflections on the limits of presidential political capital in modern politics Carol Browner
    02:58
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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.

  • go to the Climate, Environment, and Energy
    Climate, Environment, and Energy
  • go to the Healthcare
    Healthcare
  • Africa
    Coming soon
  • Veterans
    Coming soon
  • Transparency and Media
    Coming soon
  • Russia
    Coming soon
  • Middle East
    Coming soon
  • Criminal Justice
    Coming soon
  • Atlantic Relations
    Coming soon
  • Financial Reform and Regulation
    Coming soon
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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