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

  • Neera Tanden

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Andrew Stern

    Labor Leader

  • Todd Stern

    Special Envoy

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Don Verrilli

    Solicitor General

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Courtney Hight

    Environmental Advocate and Campaigner

  • Kate Orff

    Landscape Architect

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Max Baucus

    Ambassador and US Senator from Montana

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

  • Sarah Holway

    School Teacher and Food Policy Activist

  • Steven Chu

    Secretary of Energy

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Elizabeth Fowler

    Health Policy Official

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
    Private sector experience informing healthcare reform negotiations Elizabeth Fowler
    05:32
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    Timing strategy for implementing vehicle efficiency regulations Carol Browner
    01:55
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    Discussion on the limitations of unions and consideration of universal basic income Andrew Stern
    06:42
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    Efforts to ensure bipartisan support for the Affordable Care Act Kathleen Sebelius
    03:18
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    Influence of civil rights and anti-war protests on childhood Zeke Emanuel
    02:51
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    US diplomacy and strategy for the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement Todd Stern
    10:45
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    AMA's reaction to health reform advocacy and Affordable Care Act membership impact Nancy Nielsen
    02:32
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    President Obama's approach to climate change and the Clean Power Plan's impact on environmental justice communities Gina McCarthy
    07:56
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    Evolution of environmental issues to include energy and climate considerations Carol Browner
    02:55
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    Senator Kennedy's potential impact on healthcare reform negotiations Tom Harkin
    03:12
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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
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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