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.

  • Tom Harkin

    US Senator from Iowa

  • Nancy Nielsen

    American Medical Association President

  • Gina McCarthy

    EPA Administrator

  • Joe Del Bosque

    Farmer

  • Sandra Fluke

    Reproductive Health Advocate

  • Steven Chu

    Secretary of Energy

  • Carolyn Britton

    National Medical Association President

  • Carol Browner

    Energy and Climate Policy Director

  • Bill McKibben

    Environmental Activist

  • Courtney Hight

    Environmental Advocate and Campaigner

  • Peter Orszag

    White House Budget Director

  • Nancy Sutley

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Sarah Holway

    School Teacher and Food Policy Activist

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Neera Tanden

    Health Policy Advisor

Tom Harkin
US Senator from Iowa
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.

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    Role in creating the healthcare white paper as a bipartisan proposal blueprint Elizabeth Fowler
    01:27
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    Reflections on family influence and early political engagement Kathleen Sebelius
    02:04
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    First Lady Michelle Obama's visit to Bancroft and interactions with school staff and students Sarah Holway
    05:26
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    Reflections on the failure of the Copenhagen Climate Conference and the political challenges of climate action Bill McKibben
    04:41
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    Reflections on serving as Solicitor General during the Obama administration Don Verrilli
    02:45
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    Recommendations for EPA's approach to science in the Biden administration Gina McCarthy
    02:14
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    Involvement in public healthcare forums and learning from stakeholder meetings Nancy-Ann DeParle
    05:24
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    Reflections on climate change discussions during the 2008 presidential campaign Nancy Sutley
    04:54
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    Perceptions of political polarization in Española and the impact of Trump's presidency Robert Trapp
    02:01
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    Obama administration's approach to biofuels in climate and energy policy Heather Zichal
    04:16
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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
  • 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
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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