by Brian Abrams
Dodd, Chris, 93–94
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010), 174–77
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal, 193–94, 195
Douglas, Jim, 76, 77, 77
DREAM Act. See Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act
Dreams from My Father (Obama), 1, 3, 8, 21
Drilling ban, Arctic offshore, 398
Drones, 247–50
Due process, 297–98
Duncan, Arne, 58
Dutta, Shomik, 14–15
Easter Egg Roll, 336–37
Eastwood, Clint, 267–68
Ebola, 335–36
Economic stimulus/recovery. See also Auto industry rescue
AIG bonuses, 92, 93–94
amount for, 80, 81–82
banks, 83
Biden, Joe, 84–85
bipartisanship, lack of, 115
education, 78, 87
energy, clean, 78, 79, 85–86, 87
infrastructure, 78–79
Making Work Pay tax credit, 190, 191
marketing/branding, 186–87
need for, 61–63, 79–80
presidential election (2008), 40–42
resistance/support for, 69, 77, 80–81, 82–84
tax cuts, 79, 81, 181, 190–91, 192–93, 244
terminology, 69
transition to presidency (2008–2009), 50–52, 53–56, 60–63
Troubled Asset Relief Program, 41, 42, 91–92
Economy, 100, 254, 257–58
Education, 78, 87
Egypt, 110, 212
Emanuel, Rahm
as chief of staff, 52, 53, 180
economy, 80, 81–82
health-care reform, 96–97, 138, 154
work style and personality, 94–95, 139
Energy, clean/renewable
American Clean Energy and Security Act, 113–15
economic stimulus/recovery, 78, 79, 85–87
Executive Order 13493, 72n
Extraordinary rendition program, 71–72
Fabius, Laurent, 372, 373, 374
Face the Nation, 137–38
Fast-track authority, 360
Favreau, Jon
health-care reform speech, 128, 129, 130, 130–32
“A More Perfect Union” speech, 31, 32–33
Nobel Peace Prize speech, 137, 141–42, 143
Ferguson, Missouri, 338–40, 342
Fiat, 90, 91, 103n, 105n
Filibusters, 114, 160, 162n, 194n, 250n, 305
Financial fraud, 295–98
Finer, Jonathan, 317
First days of first term (2009), 65–71
Fiscal-cliff negotiation, 293–95
Floyd case, 302
Focus groups, 69, 240, 278
Ford, 54, 91, 105
Foreign policy shift, 250–52
47 percent video, 274–77
“Forward” slogan, 258
Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (2009), 107, 108
Freedom Caucus, 205
Fundraising, 9, 13–14
Funny or Die, 333–35
Gaddafi, Muammar, 208, 210–11, 212
Gang of Eight, 314
Garland, Merrick, 307, 396, 397
Gates, Henry Louis, 122–24
Gates, Robert, 57, 221
Gay marriage, 258–60, 309, 356–58, 359
General Motors, 54, 57, 89, 91, 103–6
Giffords, Gabrielle, 198–201
Gingrich, Newt, 67, 68–69, 233
Gitmo. See Guantanamo Bay detention camp
Giuliani, Rudy, 351
GM. See General Motors
Govashiri, Ferial, 366–68, 368, 390–91
Government shutdown (2013), 330–32
Grassley, Chuck, 125
Greece, 135
Green, Christina-Taylor, 198, 202
Gross, Alan, 362
Group of Two (G2) proposal, 75
Growth & Opportunity Project, 285
Guantanamo Bay detention camp, 71–74, 116–19
Gun legislation, 291–293. See also Shootings
Gupta, Ravi, 15
Gutiérrez, Luis, 38, 59, 101, 269, 382
Haley, Nikki, 361
Hall, Marty, 63
“Hard things are hard,” 164, 164–65
Hasan, Nidal, 117
Hatch, Orrin, 120
Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act (HEART), 96n
Health-care reform
abortion, 139, 152–53
caucuses, 99
Clinton, Bill, 99, 140
Clinton, Hillary, 99
Clinton administration effort, 99
committees, 98, 133
court challenges, 167, 361,
“death panels,” 121, 125, 126, 130
economy and, 100
Emanuel, Rahm, 96–97, 138, 154
framework, 96, 99–100
House bills, 125–26
importance of, 100
Kennedy, Edward, 35–36, 96, 98, 100n, 113, 132
Kennedy, Edward, letter by, 128, 131–32
Kennedy, Edward, special election for seat, 159–60
Lieberman, Joe, 137–38, 152, 154
medical loss ratio, 139
negotiations and amendments, 112–13, 119–21, 163
opposition and support, 125–26, 162–68
Pelosi, Nancy, 98, 99, 119, 133, 160, 161–62, 166
public option, 126, 133–34, 137–39, 153
reconciliation bill, 161, 162
Reid, Harry, 138, 153, 161–62, 166
Romney, Mitt, 99–100
Senate bills, 137, 152–54, 160–61, 163
speech to joint session of Congress, 128–32, 130
state exchanges, 167
website rollout, 331–35
Healthcare.gov, 331–35
Helicopter ride, post-presidency, 406, 406–7
Hennessey, Keith, 63
Heritage Foundation, 96
HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), 345–46
Hispanic Caucus, 99, 100, 101, 261
Hoekstra, Pete, 67–68, 177–78
Holder, Eric
criminal-justice reform, 298, 299, 304
financial crisis, 296
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 155–56, 157
surveillance, 313
Hurricane Sandy, 281–82
Hyde Amendment, 139
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), 345–46
Immigration, 101, 314–15
Inauguration of Trump (2017), 404–5
India, 147–48, 150
Indiana State Police Pension Trust, 105n
Inflation, 364
Infrastructure, 78–79
Insular nature of White House, 106–7
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), 347
Iowa, 7, 14, 22, 23, 25–26, 27
Iran, 324–29, 352–55, 362–66
Iraq War, 1, 2, 17–18, 252–53, 317
Israel, 110–11, 322, 327–28, 399–400
Jarrett, Valerie, 333, 334, 335
Jefferson-Jackson dinner, 22
Jenkins, Brad, 333, 334, 335
Jobs report, 241–42
Joint Plan of Action, 325, 327, 328n
Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, 232–33, 235–36
Judicial nominees, 304–9
Kagan, Elena, 305
Kaufman, Ted, 107, 108
Keenan, Cody, 289, 290, 291, 389–90
Kennedy, Edward
death, 127
health-care reform, 35–36, 96, 98, 100n, 113, 132
health-care reform, letter on, 128, 131–32
on Kennedy, John, 26
Senate seat, 127–28, 133, 159–60
Kennedy, John, 26
Kennedy, Vicki, 128
Kerry, John
China, 345, 347
climate change, 345, 347, 348, 373
Cuba, 361n, 362
injury, 363
Iran, 327, 36
3
Israel, 400
Syria, 321–22
Khamenei, Ayatollah, 362
Khuzami, Robert, 108
King v. Burwell (2015), 167, 361
Labor movement, 13
Lady Gaga, 331, 332
LaHood, Ray, 57
Lausanne, 353–54, 362
Law enforcement. See Police
Law of the Sea Treaty, 193
Lesser, Eric, 48
Lewis, John, 349, 351
Libya, 208–10, 211–12
Lieberman, Joe
health-care reform, 137–38, 152, 154
McCain, John, and, 23, 38–39
McConnell, Mitch, and, 49
as mentor to Obama, 5
Reid, Harry, and, 49–50
Locke, Gary, 168
Lockerbie, Scotland, 211
Making Work Pay tax credit, 190, 191, 192
Maliki, Nouri al-, 252–53
Maloney, Carolyn, 108, 109
Markey, Ed, 113–15
Marriage equality, 258–60, 309, 356–58, 359
Martin, Trayvon, 255–57, 301, 339
McCain, John, 23, 38–39, 40–41, 73
McConnell, Mitch, 49, 182, 293, 306, 307
McDonough, Denis, 221, 318–19, 319
McRaven, Bill, 218–19
Medical loss ratio, 139
Medvedev, Dmitry, 169
Mentors, 5, 16
Messina, Jim, 53
Middle East, 64, 69, 70. See also specific countries
Midterm elections (2010), 183–85
Military aides-de-camp, 67
Miller, Matthew, 71–72
Mohammed, Khalid Sheikh, 155–57, 158
“A More Perfect Union” speech, 31–34, 34
Mortgage fraud, 295–98
Mubarak, Hosni, 64n, 69
Muslim world, 110–11
My Brother’s Keeper, 341–42
Napolitano, Janet, 261–62
National Defense Authorization Act, 194
National Federation of Independent Business et al. v. Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. (2012), 361n
National Firearms Agreement (Australia), 292
National Security Agency surveillance, 309–14
National Security Council, 217–18
Nelson, Ben, 152, 153
Netanyahu, Benjamin (Bibi), 328, 329, 355, 366
Nevada, 28
New Hampshire, 23, 24, 27, 28
New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), 168–69, 193, 194
New York Police Department, 302
New York Times, 280–81
Nobel Peace Prize, 137, 141–44
Notice-and-comment process, 398
NSA surveillance, 309–14
Nuclear weapons
Iran, 324–29, 352–55, 362–66
New START, 168–69, 193, 194
Obama, Barack.
Illinois state senator, as, 1–2
Inauguration of (2009), 64–65, 66, 67
Personality/work style of, 109, 112, 178, 179
Race and racism, 212–15
Selfies/photos of, 263
US Senator, as, 1–3, 5
Obama, Michelle, 7, 336–37, 366–67
Obamacare. See Health-care reform
Occupy Wall Street, 244–46, 246, 340
O’Connor, Rod, 71
Office of Legal Counsel memo, 248n
Oil spill, BP, 170–73
Olmert, Ehud, 64n, 69
Opioid epidemic, 115–16
Opposition party in Congress, 181–83
Oval Office, 76, 77, 264
P5+1 partners, 324, 325, 327
Palestinian Territory, 399–400
Palin, Sarah, 39, 41, 43
Pan Am Flight 103, 211
Panetta, Leon, 220, 222–23
Papandreou, George, 135
Paris Agreement, 144, 145, 348–49, 369–75
Party of No, 68, 81
Patriotism, 351–52
Paul, Rand, 249–50
Paulson, Hank, 42
Pell grants, 78
Pelosi, Nancy
energy, clean, 113n
health-care reform, 98, 99, 119, 133, 160, 161–62, 166
Pinckney, Clementa, 358
Pledge to America, 197
Plouffe, David, 48, 276–77
Police
Ferguson, Missouri, 338–40, 342
minorities and, 122–24, 302–4
New York Police Department, 302
Port Arthur massacre, 292
Power, Samantha, 142
Predator drones, 247–50
Presidential election (2008)
African American voters, 11
apology to election staff, 15
Clinton, Hillary, 13–14, 36–37, 375
debates, 18–19, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45
decision to run, 6
Delaware, 28, 29
economy, 40–42
fundraising, 9, 13–14
Iowa, 7, 14, 22, 23, 25–26, 27
Jefferson-Jackson dinner, 22
labor movement, 13
McCain, John, 23, 38–39, 40–41
mentors, 16
“A More Perfect Union” speech, 31–34, 34
Nevada, 28
New Hampshire, 23, 24, 27, 28
NSA surveillance, 309–10
organizers, 13
Punjab-gate, 14–15
race and racism, 20, 21, 31–34, 34
rumors and fake news, 20, 21
South Carolina, 28
Super Tuesday, 28–29
vice-presidential nominee team, 37–38
victory speech, 47–48
Wright, Jeremiah, 29–30, 31, 33, 36
Presidential election (2012)
campaign team, 203–4, 223–27
Clinton, Bill, 269–73
concerns about, 236–37, 239–40
debates, 277–280
Democratic National Convention, 269–73
economy, 254, 257–58, 265–66
election results postmortem, 283–85
“Forward” slogan, 258
marriage equality, 258–60
Osawatomie, Kansas speech, 254
Republican hopefuls, 239
Republican National Convention, 267–68
responsibility, division of, 264–65
Romney, Mitt, 224, 225–27, 239, 274–77
Ryan, Paul, 267
Presidential election (2016)
Clinton, Hillary, 355, 375–83, 385, 387
Russian interference, 401–2
Sanders, Bernie, 355–56, 376–79, 380, 382
Trump, Donald, 383–84, 386, 387, 388, 394
President’s Daily Briefing (PDB), 217, 286
Priebus, Reince, 285
Prisons, supermax, 117, 118
Progressive Caucus, 99, 133
Public health-care option, 126, 133–34, 137–39, 153
PUMA movement, 375
Punctuality, 109
Punjab-gate, 14–15
Putin, Vladimir, 169, 335, 402
Quad Caucus, 99
Race and racism
about, 337
Ferguson, Missouri, 338–40 342
“A More Perfect Union” speech, 31–34, 34
New York Police Department, 302
police and minorities, 122–24, 302–4
in presidential election (2008), 20, 21
Rasmussen, Lars Løkke, 146n, 151–52
Rasul, Shafiq, 118n
Rasul v. Bush (2004), 118n
Recovery Act (2009). See Economic stimulus/recovery
“Red lines,” 321, 322, 362
Reid, Harry
DREAM Act, 189
economic stimulus, 80
health-care reform, 138, 153, 161–62, 166
Lieberman, Joe, and, 49–50
parliamentary procedure rules, 307
Republican dinner (January 20, 2009), 67–68
Republican National Convention (2012), 26
7–68
Residence in White House, 135–36
Rhodes, Ben, 110, 129, 319
Romer, Christina (Christy), 54, 60–61
Romney, Mitt
47 percent video, 274–77
health-care reform, 99–100
Hurricane Sandy, 281–82
presidential election (2012), 224, 225–27, 239, 274–77
Russia, 280, 281n
women on staff, 280
Roof, Dylann, 358n
Roosevelt, Theodore, 254n
Rouhani, Hassan, 324–25, 329
Rubio, Marco, 261
Rumors and fake news, 20, 21
Russia
New START, 168–69
presidential election (2016) interference, 401–2
Romney, Mitt, 280, 281n
Ukraine invasion, 335, 354
Ryan, Paul, 267, 273
Same-sex marriage, 258–60, 309, 356–58, 359
Sanders, Bernie, 225, 355–56, 376–79, 380, 382
Sandy, Hurricane, 281–282
Sandy Hook school shooting, 286–92, 288
Santelli, Rick, 92
Sarin, 317–22
Saudi Arabia, 110
Scandals, 309–14
Schumer, Chuck, 153
Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR), 91
Selma, Alabama, 349, 349–52
Senate Intelligence Committee, 313–14
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, 155–57, 158
Shelby, Richard, 174
Shootings. See also Gun legislation
Charleston, South Carolina, 358
Ferguson, Missouri, 338–40, 342
Port Arthur, 292
Sandy Hook, 286–92, 288
Tucson, 198–202
Snowden, Edward, 310, 311, 312, 313
Snowe, Olympia, 80, 81, 82, 83
Solyndra, 86
Sotomayor, Sonia, 305
South Africa, 147–48, 150
South Carolina, 18–19, 28, 360, 361
Specter, Arlen, 81, 82, 83, 127
Speeches
economic inequality, 254
health-care reform, 128–32, 130
“A More Perfect Union,” 31–34, 34
Nobel Peace Prize, 137, 141–44
Osawatomie, Kansas, 254
race, 31–34, 34
victory speech (2008), 47–48
West Point speech on Afghanistan, 141
Sperling, Gene, 102
Standard & Poor’s, 243
State health-care exchanges, 167
State-secrets privilege, 71–72
Stimulus package. See Economic stimulus/recovery
Stop-and-frisk class action lawsuit, 302
Stress test for banks, 83
Summers, Larry, 53–54, 60–61, 104
Super Tuesday (2008), 28–29
Supermax prisons. See Prisons, Supermax
Supreme Court
Chrysler, 105
Guantanamo detainees, 118
health-care reform, 167, 361
marriage equality, 356–58, 359
nominees, 305
Swearing in ceremony for staff/cabinet, 66
Swine flu, 260
Syria, 317–22, 323n
Szuplat, Terry, 290
Tax cuts
Bush-era, 162n, 265, 294n
economic stimulus/recovery, 79, 81, 181, 190–91, 191, 192–93, 244
