Obama- An Oral History Read online

  Text copyright © 2018 by Brian Abrams

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Little A, New York

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  ISBN-13: 9781503951662 (hardcover)

  ISBN-10: 1503951669 (hardcover)

  ISBN-13: 9781503951655 (paperback)

  ISBN-10: 1503951650 (paperback)

  Cover design by Faceout Studio, Derek Thornton

  First edition

  CONTENTS

  START READING

  PARTICIPANTS

  2004–2007

  2008

  2008–2009

  2009

  2010

  2011

  2011–2012

  2012–2013

  2013–2014

  2015–2016

  2016–2017

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  APPENDIX

  SOURCES

  INDEX

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  That’s what America understands, that we don’t just inherit the world from our parents, but we also borrow it from our children. And that is why, tonight, as we stand here, we have to understand that we have another journey ahead, and it is going to be a journey even more challenging than the one we have already embarked on. There are people today, right now, who are as skeptical about the future as they were at the outset of this campaign . . .

  And for those skeptics who believe that we can’t accomplish what we set out to accomplish, if our minds are clear and our heart is pure and we believe in a just and merciful God, I say to them: look at this crowd tonight, look at this election today. And I have three words for them. The same three words that we started the campaign, the same three words that we finished the primary, the same three words that are going to carry us, because as Dr. King said, ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,’ as long as we help bend it that way. I have three words for them. What are those words? Yes, we can.

  —Senator-Elect Barack Obama’s victory speech, Chicago, November 2, 2004.

  PARTICIPANTS

  Yohannes Abraham

  Deputy National Political Director, Obama-Biden 2012

  Chief of Staff, Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, White House (2013–2017)

  Rob Andrews

  D-New Jersey, First District, US House of Representatives (1990–2014)

  Roy Austin Jr.

  Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, US Department of Justice (2010–2014)

  Deputy Assistant to the President for the Office of Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity, Domestic Policy Council, White House (2014–2017)

  David Axelrod

  Chief Strategist, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Senior Advisor to the President, White House (2009–2011)

  Senior Strategist, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Melody Barnes

  Counsel to Senator Edward Kennedy, US Senate Judiciary Committee (1995–2003)

  Director, Domestic Policy Council, White House (2009–2012)

  Joel Benenson

  Pollster, Obama-Biden 2008 and Obama-Biden 2012

  Chief Strategist, Clinton-Kaine 2016

  Jared Bernstein

  Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor, Office of the Vice President (2009–2011)

  Jeremy Bird

  Deputy National Director, Organizing for America (2009–2011)

  National Field Director, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Jeffrey Bleich

  Special Counsel to the President, White House (2009)

  Ambassador to Australia, US Department of State (2009–2013)

  David Bowen

  Staff Director, US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) (1999–2010)

  Mary Bono

  R-California, Forty-Fourth District, US House of Representatives (1997–2003)

  R-California, Forty-Fifth District, US House of Representatives (2003–2013)

  Barbara Boxer

  D-California, US Senate (1993–2017)

  Scott Brown

  R-Massachusetts, US Senate (2010–2013)

  Carol Browner

  Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (1993–2001)

  Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, White House (2009–2011)

  Jon Carson

  National Field Director, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Chief of Staff, Council on Environmental Quality, White House (2009–2011)

  Director, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2011–2013)

  Saxby Chambliss

  R-Georgia, Eighth District, US House of Representatives (1995–2003)

  R-Georgia, US Senate (2003–2015)

  Arun Chaudhary

  Official White House Videographer (2009–2011)

  Ted Chiodo

  Deputy White House Staff Secretary (2009–2014)

  Dr. Steven Chu

  US Secretary of Energy (2009–2013)

  Martha Coakley

  Attorney General of Massachusetts (D) (2007–2015)

  Danielle Crutchfield

  Director of Scheduling, White House (2009–2014)

  David Cusack

  Director of Advance, White House (2009–2011)

  Executive Director, Presidential Inaugural Committee (2012–2014)

  Director of Operations, White House (2015–2017)

  Kareem Dale

  Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2009–2013)

  Bill Daley

  US Secretary of Commerce (1997–2000)

  White House Chief of Staff (2011–2012)

  Tom Daschle

  D-South Dakota, US Senate (1987–2005)

  Senate Majority Leader (2001–2003); Senate Minority Leader (2003–2005)

  Bill Dauster

  Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel, US Senate Finance Committee (2003–2011)

  Deputy Chief of Staff, US Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (2011–2017)

  Ron Davis

  Police Chief, City of East Palo Alto (2005–2013)

  Director, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), US Department of Justice (2013–2017)

  Executive Director, President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (2014–2017)

  Brian Deese

  Special Assistant to the President, National Economic Council, White House (2009–2011)

  Deputy Director, National Economic Council, White House (2011–2013)

  Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget, White House (2013–2015)

  Senior Advisor to the President, White House (2015–2017)

  Tad Devine

  Chief Strategist, Bernie Sanders for President, 2016

  John Dingell

  D-Michigan, Sixteenth District, US House of Representatives (1965–2003)

  D-Michigan, Fifteenth District, US House of Representatives (2003–2013)

  D-Michigan, Twelfth District, US House of Representatives (2013–2015)

  Dean, US House of Representatives (1995–2015)

  Chris Dodd

  D-Connecticut, Second District, US House of Representatives (1975–1981)

  D-Connecticut, US Senate (1981–2011)

  Chair, US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (2007–2011)

  Jim Douglas

  Governor o
f Vermont (R) (2003–2011)

  Chair, National Governors Association (2009–2010)

  Arne Duncan

  Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools (2001–2008)

  US Secretary of Education (2009–2015)

  Shomik Dutta

  Mid-Atlantic Finance Director, Obama for America (2006–2008)

  Special Assistant to White House Counsel (2009–2010)

  National Finance Consultant, Obama-Biden 2012

  Rahm Emanuel

  Senior Advisor to the President, White House (1993–1998)

  D-Illinois, Fifth District, US House of Representatives (2003–2009)

  White House Chief of Staff (2009–2010)

  Mayor of Chicago (2011– )

  Jon Favreau

  Director of Speechwriting, White House (2009–2013)

  Jonathan Finer

  Special Advisor for Middle East Affairs, Office of the Vice President (2011–2012)

  Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Office of the Secretary of State (2013–2014)

  Chief of Staff and Director of Policy Planning, Office of the Secretary of State (2015–2017)

  Heather Foster

  Advisor, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2011–2015)

  Barney Frank

  D-Massachusetts, Fourth District, US House of Representatives (1981–2013)

  Chair, House Financial Services Committee (2007–2011)

  Michael Froman

  Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, National Security Council and National Economic Council, White House (2009–2013)

  US Trade Representative, White House (2013–2017)

  Jason Furman

  Deputy Director, National Economic Council, White House (2009–2013)

  Chair, Council of Economic Advisers, White House (2013–2017)

  Teddy Goff

  Director of New Media for Battleground States, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Digital Director, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Scott Goodstein

  External Online Director, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Austan Goolsbee

  Member, Council of Economic Advisers, White House (2009–2010)

  Chair, Council of Economic Advisers, White House (2010–2011)

  Ferial Govashiri

  Senior Advisor to the Deputy National Security Advisor, White House (2009–2014)

  Personal Aide to the President of the United States, White House (2014–2017)

  Jennifer Granholm

  Governor of Michigan (D) (2003–2011)

  Vanita Gupta

  Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, US Department of Justice (2014–2017)

  Luis Gutiérrez

  D-Illinois, Fourth District, US House of Representatives (1993– )

  Seth Harris

  Acting Secretary and Deputy Secretary, US Department of Labor (2009–2014)

  Adam Hitchcock

  Special Assistant, Office of the Chief of Staff, White House (2009–2010)

  Chief of Staff, Council of Economic Advisers, White House (2010–2011)

  Pete Hoekstra

  R-Michigan, Second District, US House of Representatives (1993–2011)

  Brandon Hurlbut

  Deputy Director of Cabinet Affairs, White House (2009)

  Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff, US Department of Energy (2009–2013)

  Valerie Jarrett

  Senior Advisor to the President, White House (2009–2017)

  Director, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2009–2017)

  Brad Jenkins

  Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2011–2015)

  Van Jones

  Special Advisor, Council on Environmental Quality, White House (2009)

  Christopher Kang

  Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, White House (2009–2011)

  Senior Counsel and Special Assistant to the President, White House (2011–2014)

  Deputy Counsel and Deputy Assistant to the President, White House (2014–2015)

  Ted Kaufman

  D-Delaware, US Senate (2009–2010)

  Cody Keenan

  Presidential Speechwriter, White House (2009–2011)

  Deputy Director of Speechwriting, White House (2011–2013)

  Director of Speechwriting, White House (2013–2017)

  Dr. Harold Koh

  Legal Advisor, US Department of State (2009–2013)

  James Kvaal

  Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, White House (2009–2010)

  Policy Director, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Deputy Director of Domestic Policy, Domestic Policy Council, White House (2013–2016)

  Ben LaBolt

  Deputy Press Secretary, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Assistant Press Secretary, White House (2009–2010)

  National Press Secretary, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Barbara Lee

  D-California, Ninth District, US House of Representatives (1998–2013)

  D-California, Thirteenth District, US House of Representatives (2013– )

  Eric Lesser

  Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor, White House (2009–2011)

  D-Massachusetts, State Senate (2015– )

  Jake Levine

  National Advance Staff, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Policy Analyst, Office of Energy and Climate Change, White House (2009–2010)

  Jack Lew

  Director, Office of Management and Budget, White House (2010–2012)

  White House Chief of Staff (2012–2013)

  US Secretary of the Treasury (2013–2017)

  Joe Lieberman

  D-Connecticut, US Senate (1989–2006)

  I-Connecticut, US Senate (2006–2013)

  Mark Lippert

  Chief of Staff, National Security Council, White House (2009)

  Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs, US Department of Defense (2012–2013)

  Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense (2013–2014)

  Ambassador to Republic of Korea, US Department of State (2014–2017)

  Josh Lipsky

  Staff Assistant and Associate Director of Press Advance, White House (2009–2011)

  Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of State, US Department of State (2015–2017)

  Joe Lockhart

  White House Press Secretary (1998–2000)

  Reggie Love

  Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the President, White House (2009–2011)

  Nate Lubin

  Writer/Producer, Obama for America (2008)

  Director of Digital Marketing, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Director, Office of Digital Strategy, White House (2013–2015)

  Carolyn Maloney

  D-New York, Fourteenth District, US House of Representatives (1993–2013)

  D-New York, Twelfth District, US House of Representatives (2013– )

  Jim Messina

  National Chief of Staff, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, White House (2009–2011)

  Campaign Manager, Obama for America (2011–2012)

  Matthew Miller

  Director, Office of Public Affairs, US Department of Justice (2009–2011)

  Tyler Moran

  Policy Director, National Immigration Law Center (2001–2012)

  Deputy Policy Director, Domestic Policy Council, White House (2012–2014)

  Senior Policy Advisor, US Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (2014–2017)

  Cecilia Muñoz

  Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, White House (2009–2012)

  Director, Domestic Policy Council, White House (2012–2017)

  Ben Nelson

  Governor of Nebraska (D) (1991–1999)

  D-Nebraska, US
Senate (2001–2013)

  Richard Nephew

  Director, National Security Council, White House (2011–2013)

  Principal Deputy Coordinator for Sanctions Policy, US Department of State (2013–2015)

  Jackie Norris

  Iowa State Director, Obama for America (2007–2008)

  Chief of Staff to the First Lady, White House (2009)

  Glenn Nye

  D-Virginia, Second District, US House of Representatives (2009–2011)

  David Ogden

  Deputy Attorney General, US Department of Justice (2009–2010)

  Rob O’Donnell

  Press Assistant, Office of Public Affairs, US Department of Justice (2011)

  Director of Broadcast Media, White House (2015–2017)

  Darienne Page

  West Wing Receptionist, White House (2009–2010)

  Director, Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and Military Families Outreach, Office of Public Engagement, White House (2010–2013)

  Jennifer Palmieri

  Director of Communications, White House (2013–2015)

  Director of Communications, Hillary for America (2015–2016)

  Leon Panetta

  Director, Central Intelligence Agency (2009–2011)

  US Secretary of Defense (2011–2013)

  Jonathan Pershing

  Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, US Department of State (2009–2012)

  Senior Climate Advisor and Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, US Department of Energy (2013–2016)