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.

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Max Baucus

    Ambassador and US Senator from Montana

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Bill McKibben

    Environmental Activist

  • Andrew Stern

    Labor Leader

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Frances Beinecke

    Environmentalist and Nonprofit Executive

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

  • Neera Tanden

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Don Verrilli

    Solicitor General

  • Nancy Nielsen

    American Medical Association President

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

Sylvia Burwell
OMB Director and HHS Secretary
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.

Learn more

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
    Impact of Section 1233 controversy on healthcare reform discussions within the Obama administration Jeanne Lambrew
    01:03
  • go to the interview
    Implementation of healthcare reform priorities post-passage Jeanne Lambrew
    01:11
  • go to the interview
    Obama's reliance on financial experts and the disconnect with working-class needs Richard Trumka
    02:45
  • go to the interview
    Creating a culture of innovation and excellence at ARPA-E Arun Majumdar
    07:34
  • go to the interview
    Mobilizing civil servants in the DOE and the stability of government structures Arun Majumdar
    03:33
  • go to the interview
    Impact of health issues on families and the need for insurance reform Kathleen Sebelius
    04:31
  • go to the interview
    Discovery and documentation of tiger cages in Vietnam Tom Harkin
    12:39
  • go to the interview
    Discussion on the origins and challenges of the Independent Payment Advisory Board Jeanne Lambrew
    01:59
  • go to the interview
    Influence of Harvard experience on views of government and policy Bill McKibben
    01:01
  • go to the interview
    Reflections on the Obama administration's legacy and its impact on US politics Sandra Fluke
    03:29
Explore all stories

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
  • Counterterrorism
    Coming soon
  • Russia
    Coming soon
  • Science
    Coming soon
  • Financial Reform and Regulation
    Coming soon
  • Labor
    Coming soon
  • Inherited Wars
    Coming soon
  • Transparency and Media
    Coming soon
  • Nuclear Nonproliferation
    Coming soon
See more topics

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