Oral history interview with Yohannes Abraham, 2021
Abstract
Yohannes Abraham reflects on his service during the Obama presidency, including his roles as chief of staff to the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPE/IGA), deputy assistant to the president, and senior advisor to the National Economic Council. Abraham characterizes President Obama's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, and describes his contribution to each. Abraham dis cusses his experiences as a White House legislative assistant following President Obama's 2008 election and his eventual appointment to chief of staff. Abraham reflects on the nature of presidential transitions, differences between first and second terms, and OPE/IGA's relations with outside interest groups. Abraham also details select events that shaped the Obama presidency and his service during it, including the failure of immigration reform, the Charleston church shooting, and My Brother's Keeper partnerships
Presidents--United States; Presidents--Staff.--United States; Presidents--Transition periods.--United States; Presidential campaigns--United States; Charleston Church Shooting, Charleston, S.C., 2015; Emigration and immigration--Law and legislation--United States; Abraham, Yohannes; Obama, Barack; National Economic Council (U.S.); United States My Brother's Keeper Task Force
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2021
Physical Description
64 pages
Note (Biographical)
Yohannes Abraham was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2022. Prior to assuming his position as ambassador, Abraham served in the Biden administration as deputy assistant to the president, chief of staff, and executive secretary of the National Security Council. Previously, he served as the executive director of the Biden-Harris transition. During the Obama-Biden administration, Abraham served as chief of staff for the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, deputy assistant to the president, and senior advisor to the National Economic Council
Note
Interviewed by Terrell D. Frazier on October 25, 2020, and February 25, 2021. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Yohannes Abraham, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022