The FRONTLINE Interviews

First-hand accounts of history in the making

The stories behind FRONTLINE's quadrennial election special.

“Health care, even though I advocated different, he doubled down...” Rahm EmanuelWhite House Chief of Staff, '09-10
“Barack has had to deal with dueling identities all his life...” Cassandra ButtsFriend, law school classmate
“[We'd] listen to some music, smoke some pot, play some basketball.” Tom TopolinskiHigh school friend
“It left a hole in his heart, I think, to feel abandoned by his father...” Valerie JarrettWhite House senior adviser
“I saw a transformation in the Barry I had met in Occidental. He got very serious and less lighthearted...” Sohale SiddiqiRoommate, New York City
“Barack used his own experience of being an outsider ... to identify with other people.” Gerald KellmanHired Obama as community organizer
“He clearly was not interested in little incremental things. He wanted to be bold. That was clear.” Jonathan GruberMIT Economist, helped develop Obamacare
“We set out in a very deliberate way to signal a new direction for U.S. foreign policy...” Ben RhodesDeputy national security adviser
“I wasn't used to people being picked on because of their race. ... And it shocked me.” Kristen CaldwellChildhood friend
“It was clear that no matter how much we worked at it, we weren't going to get any Republicans onboard.” David AxelrodSenior adviser
“My indelible image of him was always in a Hawaiian shirt and some OP shorts and flip-flops.” Eric MooreCollege friend
“When everybody else got excited about something, he wanted to be the adult in the room.” Ken MackLaw school friend
“[He said:] 'I'm Barack Obama. I'd like to talk to you about the Constitution.'” Laurence TribeLaw school professor

THEMES

Growing up Hawaiian The Choom Gang Coming of Age Obama's Core Nature Basketball: Playing to Win Obama's Search for Identity Obama and Race An Early Setback Obama's Motivation Harvard Law School Obama's Ambition Barack and Michelle Obamacare Bipartisan Battles A War President Obama as a Leader

THEMES

A Father's Influence Growing up Romney Mormonism Romney's Core Nature Mitt and Ann Bain Romney's Ambition and Motivation The Loss to Kennedy Olympics Romney as Governor His Change of Heart on Abortion Romney '08 Romneycare Romney as a Leader

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