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.

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Regina Benjamin

    Surgeon General

  • Zeke Emanuel

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Kate Orff

    Landscape Architect

  • Sandra Fluke

    Reproductive Health Advocate

  • Bill McKibben

    Environmental Activist

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Tom Harkin

    US Senator from Iowa

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Andrew Stern

    Labor Leader

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

  • Nancy-Ann DeParle

    White House Deputy Chief of Staff

  • Heather Zichal

    Energy and Climate Advisor

  • Steven Chu

    Secretary of Energy

Cecile Richards
Planned Parenthood President
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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
    Defense of the Cadillac tax in the Affordable Care Act Bob Kocher
    05:30
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    Alignment between Senator Obama's politics and the goals of the Hamilton Project Peter Orszag
    02:34
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    Lack of industry and government preparedness for oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico Carol Browner
    02:49
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    President Obama's condolences on the passing of Natoma and her impact on the Affordable Care Act Connie Anderson
    01:28
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    Experience working on a female-led healthcare reform team Neera Tanden
    02:57
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    Reflections on bipartisan deal-making and the changing political landscape Tom Harkin
    06:42
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    Perception of the federal budget outside Washington D.C Peter Orszag
    01:01
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    Composition and role of the Green Team in the Obama administration's Climate Action Plan Christy Goldfuss
    03:25
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    Discussing the Affordable Care Act with various groups and addressing misconceptions John Mier
    02:14
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    Founding of a newspaper in Española Robert Trapp
    02:48
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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