Barack Obama
ON THE RECORD · 28 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-21
PolitiFact named this line its 2013 Lie of the Year after millions received cancellation notices due to ObamaCare.
“by up to $2,500 a year.”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-21
Obama promised his plan would cut a typical family's premium by this amount, a promise PolitiFact later rated broken.
“Now the Administration is actively trying to deport Congresswoman Omar, seemingly based solely on the unsubstantiated theory that she was actually 18 when her father was naturalized, and therefore is not a citizen,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama rebuked the Trump administration's apparent efforts to deport Omar, who was naturalized as a U.S. citizen at age 17.
“If this becomes the new normal,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama warned on X about the normalization of using federal power against elected officials.
“The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama condemned federal agents' raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's home in a post on X.
“one of the Trump administration’s fiercest critics,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama called Omar one of the Trump administration's fiercest critics in a lengthy statement on X.
“repeatedly single her out as someone who he believes does not belong in this country.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama tied Trump's treatment of Omar to his efforts to repeatedly single her out as someone he believes does not belong in this country.
“there's no reason to believe it will stop with her - or that future presidents, in either party, won't do the same.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama warned that targeting Omar could set a precedent for future presidents of either party to do the same.
“The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views. Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama warned that if such intimidation efforts become the new normal, future presidents in either party could do the same.
“Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-18 · reported 2026-10-19
Obama described federal agents raiding Omar's home and seizing her phone as attempts to uncover a nonexistent smoking gun.
“on the razor's edge.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
Obama described the outcome of the midterm races as on the razor's edge at a DSCC fundraiser.
“When I got to Chicago in the summer of 1985, Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears were king,”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-09
Obama posted on X about Ditka's passing and his impact on Chicago when Obama arrived in 1985.
“Any place, politics starts with people feeling as if they are seen,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
Obama praised Senate candidate Josh Turek for focusing on farmers hurt by tariffs and advised that politics starts with people feeling seen.
“a pain in the butt”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
At a DSCC fundraiser, Obama joked that leading the Democratic Party is a pain in the butt because of its wide range of ideological views.
“I don’t want anybody to think this is a sure thing. It’s not,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
Speaking alongside Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester at a DSCC fundraiser, Obama cautioned donors that the elections are not a sure thing.
“I’m going to go to Michigan to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed. And people are like, ‘Well, he’s really left-wing.’ But I don’t know, he’s for a higher minimum wage and healthcare for all, and it doesn’t seem crazy to me. You know, FDR was for that, too,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
At the DSCC fundraiser, Obama defended campaigning for progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, noting his platform aligns with FDR's policies.
“Coach Ditka set the tone for a team that was punishing, dominant, and fun — and the city loved him for it. I’m thinking of the Ditka family and Bears fans everywhere on the passing of a legend.”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-09
Obama's X post praised Ditka's leadership and offered condolences to the family and Bears fans.
“would not have imagined being in play,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
At a DSCC fundraiser in Virginia, Obama told donors the Senate map now includes states like Texas he would not have imagined being in play.
“We could end up, all these races that are showing we’ve got a two- or three-point lead or it’s a tossup, we could end up losing all of them by two points.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-10-07 · reported 2026-10-09
At a DSCC fundraiser, Obama warned that Democrats could lose all tossup races by two points.
“Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Obama criticized Mitt Romney's response to the Benghazi attack in a 60 Minutes interview with Steve Kroft.
“I’ll let the American people judge that.”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Obama declined to directly judge Romney's response, saying the American people would judge it.
“make sure that the statements you make are backed up by the facts.”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-03
Obama continued criticizing Romney by saying statements should be backed up by facts.
“Once you are speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-09-10 · reported 2026-09-13
Obama directly urged Jeffries at the closed-door fundraiser to prepare Democrats to make AI policy a public issue if the party takes control of the House.
“If we do get on top of it, I do think it’s beneficial. I genuinely think it’s going to accelerate, for example, drug development in ways that can help us cure diseases. I do think that this can help us figure out pathways for a clean energy future.”
Barack Obama · said 2026-09-10 · reported 2026-09-13
Obama said AI could be beneficial if managed properly, citing drug development and clean energy pathways as examples.
“This is something that is moving very fast in private hands, and if we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous,”
Barack Obama · said 2026-09-10 · reported 2026-09-13
Obama warned donors and lawmakers at a private fundraiser in New York City that AI is developing largely in private hands and could become dangerous without greater oversight.
“No one should be using ketchup after age 12. That’s a child’s condiment. It’s just sugar. Use mustard! Use an adult condiment!”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-08
Schaffer relays Obama's opinion that no one should use ketchup after age 12.
“The president said, ‘I have fun being annoyed by Larry, and when we get together, I realize I start sounding like him,’”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-08
Schaffer relays Obama's remark about how being around Larry David makes him start sounding like David.
“This is unbelievable. It looks just like it was when I was here,”
Barack Obama · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-08
Obama reacted to the Oval Office stage crafted by his interior designer Michael S. Smith.