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.

  • Nancy Nielsen

    American Medical Association President

  • Frances Beinecke

    Environmentalist and Nonprofit Executive

  • Christy Goldfuss

    Environmental Policy Official

  • Art and Helen Tanderup

    Farmers

  • Sarah Holway

    School Teacher and Food Policy Activist

  • Robert Trapp

    Newspaper Publisher and Correspondent

  • Elizabeth Fowler

    Health Policy Official

  • Kathleen Sebelius

    Secretary of Health and Human Services

  • Jeanne Lambrew

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Aneesh Chopra

    US Chief Technology Officer

  • Peter Orszag

    White House Budget Director

  • Tom Harkin

    US Senator from Iowa

  • Arun Majumdar

    ARPA-E Director

  • Sylvia Burwell

    OMB Director and HHS Secretary

  • Michael Minor

    Pastor and Healthcare Advocate

  • Cecile Richards

    Planned Parenthood President

  • Melanie Bahnke

    Alaska Native and Arctic Issues Advocate

  • Bob Kocher

    Health Policy Advisor

  • Regina Benjamin

    Surgeon General

  • Lisa Jackson

    EPA Administrator

Nancy Nielsen
American Medical Association President
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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
    Preparation for meeting with President Obama and prioritizing community issues Melanie Bahnke
    02:58
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    Perception of climate change as a hoax among Americans Christy Goldfuss
    02:40
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    New Mexico's dependency on oil and gas and the impact of federal policies on state revenue Robert Trapp
    02:29
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    Meeting with insurance executives about premium increases in March 2010 Kathleen Sebelius
    04:19
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    Obama's determination and decision-making process during healthcare policy discussions Nancy-Ann DeParle
    03:46
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    Hosting Harvest the Hope concert with Neil Young and Willie Nelson on the Tanderup farm Art and Helen Tanderup
    05:30
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    Impact of fundraising on congressional relationships and problem-solving Carol Browner
    02:49
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    Margaret Chan's leadership reflections on pandemic preparedness and WHO reforms Sylvia Burwell
    02:41
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    Interdepartmental dynamics and collaboration on renewable energy initiatives at the DOE Steven Chu
    03:31
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    Reflections on environmental issues during the 2008 presidential campaign Lisa Jackson
    03:13
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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