doi:10.7916/fnxe-t007Oral history interview with Patrick H. Gaspard, 2021Gaspard, Patrick H. (Patrick Hubert), 1967-oral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesPresidential campaigns--United StatesHealth care reform--United StatesHaiti Earthquake, Haiti, 2010Gaspard, Patrick H. (Patrick Hubert), 1967-Obama, BarackZuma, JacobMandela, Nelson, 1918-2013Democratic National Committee (U.S.)Columbia University Alumni and alumnaeYoung African Leaders InitiativeUnited States. White House OfficeUnited StatesPatient Protection and Affordable Care ActAfrican Growth and Opportunity ActPresident's Emergency Plan for AIDS ReliefPatrick Gaspard reflects on his career in American politics, with particular focus on his activities during the years of the Obama presidency, which he supported as national political director for the Obama 2008 campaign, director of the White House Office of Political Affairs from 2009 to 2011, executive director of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2011 to 2013, and U.S. ambassador to South Africa from 2013 to 2016. Gaspard shares memories of the 2008 campaign and Obama's election, describes the struggle to define the role and mission of the Office of Political Affairs, and provides details about major legislative and political events and initiatives with which he was closely involved, including the rallying of support for healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act, the pursuit of the Employee Free Choice Act, the decision to merge the Obama for America apparatus into the DNC, and the 2010 midterm elections. He also discusses his move to the DNC in anticipation of the 2012 election, the importance of shoring up support for the administration among the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and the administration's struggle to convert the 2008 campaign's grassroots organization into mobilized support for the administration's governing agenda. Gaspard recounts his appointment and confirmation as U.S. ambassador, his personal interest and commitment to South Africa, and the major issues and programs on which he focused during his ambassadorship, which included the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the continued public health response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), and the management of relations with the government of Jacob Zuma. Also discussed are Gaspard's relationship with Nelson Mandela and Obama's participation in Mandela's funeral, the potential power of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the racist backlash to Obama's election and presidency, the experience of serving in the White House of the first Black president, the challenge of transferring Obama's personal popularity to other candidates, and the administration's approach to issues of historical injustice