44 ways to judge the Obama era – CNN International
Those eight years saw the nation grapple with the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression. The country's response to that crisis helped reshape the economy and the makeup of the political system a few times over. And for every day of those eight years, the nation was at war -- on multiple fronts, against multiple groups for multiple purposes.
All of these momentous changes during Obama's presidency had very real effects on people across the country and the globe. And for each of these real-world impacts, there is a number.
The recession cost many people their livelihood. The following years saw many of those same people gain it back. While part of the drop in unemployment came from people leaving the workforce, enough people have jobs now that, statistically speaking, employment has recovered from the darkest days of the economic crisis.
Due in part to a revolution in domestic fossil fuels and massive oil production overseas, oil and gas have been pretty cheap for some of Obama's presidency.
Here's what the situation looks like.
Following years of upward climb and a rally after President-elect Donald Trump's electoral victory, stocks are near record highs.
Here's stock market performance as of January 3, 2017:
Obama's election coincided with Democratic victories across the nation and the strong 2008 showing built on the party's successes in 2006. But as the years went on, the situation virtually reversed itself. Obama will exit office with the Republican Party resurgent on the state and federal levels.
Deaths from opioid-related overdose deaths have been on the rise. More people are dying from overdoses on heroin and prescription pain medicine like oxycodone and fentanyl.
States with legal marijuana or cannabis products have blossomed under Obama. When he took office, recreational marijuana wasn't legal in any state.
The Affordable Care Act set aside funding for states to expand Medicaid -- a government health care program for the poorest Americans. But the process became something of a tussle with state governments and many of their Republican leaders. By the end of Obama's presidency, only the slim majority of states had opted to expand Medicaid.
As the economy recovered and the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, reformed the health care market, more people had health insurance coverage.
Here's the total percentage of people without insurance, according to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey:
By the end of Obama's presidency, government debt had nearly doubled to about $20 trillion.
Trump said during his campaign that he'd create a special force to deport undocumented immigrants. Although Obama criticized Trump's immigration proposals, he detained and deported millions of men, women and children. Obama's administration deported the people -- 434,015 -- in 2013.
The US has grown more unequal over the past few decades, including the past eight years.
One commonly cited measure is the Gini index. The number ranges from zero to 1, and the higher the Gini index is, the more unequal the distribution of income is.
According to the Census, it was .469 in 2009 and .4817 in 2017.
The bottom half of earners have seen their pre-tax incomes fall while the highest earners have seen a fairly steady rise.
Debate abounds over how and why incomes vary by gender and whether the wage gap can fairly be said to exist. However, men and women, as well as people of different races, all have much different pay.
Following the dips in growth that marked the recession, the economy slowly and steadily rebounded. Many, including Trump, have said observed rates of growth are far too low.
Hate crime incidents in the US neared 6,000 in both 2013 and 2015.
The Obama administration created 11.3 million jobs in eight years, and the economy added jobs for 75 straight months, a record that totals 6 years.
More jobs were created under Obama than under George W. Bush, who only created 2.1 million jobs. However, Obama fell short of Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, who saw 22.9 million and 15.9 million jobs created, respectively, under their presidencies.
The countries he hosted include:
When he was elected in 2008, 28,223,000 people were receiving food stamps.
In 2016, 44,219,000 people received food stamps -- an increase of nearly 16 million people.
Although Obama has vastly reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan during his time in office, he has failed to withdraw all American troops from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
As of December 2016, there were still 9,800 troops left.
As of January 2017, 45 prisoners remain and 171 have been released under Obama.
Nine of the 171 have been "confirmed" to have returned to terrorist activities, according to a government report.
Obama had pledged to close the controversial center within one year in an executive order he signed shortly after his inauguration in January 2009.
Obama hit the links 333 times since assuming the presidency, according to CBS News' Mark Knoller, the unofficial White House statistician who pledged to track each and every round played by the commander in chief.
While his critics have said this is too many rounds to play, his figure doesn't come close to the amount played by Woodrow Wilson, who is said to have played 1,200 rounds while President.
In 2015, the median was $56,516, which was a 5.2% increase from 2014. This was also the first increase in median income since 2007, before the economic crash.
In December 2016, the index was a high 113.7 -- a stark difference to when fell as low as 25 during the recession, when Obama took office.
The poverty rate in the United States in 2015 was 13.5%. This is down 1.2 percentage points from 14.8% in 2014. In 2015, there were 43.1 million people in poverty, 3.5 million fewer than in 2014.
The birth rate fell to 59.8 births per 1,000 women in 2016 under Obama.
The price of milk decreased under Obama from $3.58/gallon when he took office in January 2009 to $3.28/gallon as of November 2016.
CNN's Kevin Liptak, a White House reporter, has kept a running tally of Obama's acts of clemency -- the president's decisions to pardon or commute criminal sentences.
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44 ways to judge the Obama era - CNN International
- I toured the Obama Presidential Center and saw 12 of Michelle Obama's best looks, including a $19 Target dress - Business Insider - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Obama: Steinem noticed things that others ignored - CNN - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Obama-appointed judge ripped for blocking Trump mail-ballot rule: 'Run out the clock' - Fox News - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Take a look inside the Obama Presidential Center in this video - Dezeen - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Honors Gloria Steinem: She Demanded That the World Pay Attention - Rolling Stone - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- President Obama calls for public oversight of AI, warns of disruption ahead - obama.org - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Obama and Biden blew $88 billion. Trump is actually delivering for rural America - Washington Examiner - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Voters are "pissed about the economy," former Obama aide analyzes midterms - cbsnews.com - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama has the internet divided after saying she doesnt miss daughters Malia and Sasha - yahoo.com - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Reactivate and The Obama Foundation Partner on Community Solar to Lower Energy Costs for Local Communities in Illinois - PR Newswire - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Obama Added $1.17 Trillion Per Year To The National Debt Over 8 Years. Only 2 Presidents Have Added More. - 24/7 Wall St. - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Moms Are Applauding Michelle Obama's Honest Take On Not Missing Her Kids - yahoo.com - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Greater Seattle: Katie Wilson is to Jimmy Carter as Zohran Mamdani is to Barack Obama - PubliCola - - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Florida Man Accused of Threatening Obama and NAACP With an "AK 57, or Whatever You Call Those Things" - yahoo.com - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama says the quiet part out loud about being an empty nester - LaineyGossip - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- Stephen A Smith reveals Barack Obama called him ahead of election to discuss his impact - yahoo.com - September 4th, 2026 [September 4th, 2026]
- The quest to find former President Obama's infamous tan suit (NPR+) : Consider This from NPR - NPR - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- How Voters View AOC, Newsom and Ossoff Compared to Obama Before 2008 Run - Newsweek - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- My kids, 6 and 9, loved the Obama Presidential Center playground. Here's what parents should know before going. - Business Insider - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama to Headline Fund-Raiser With Jeffries in New York - The New York Times - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- My Brothers Keeper Nashville Selected for Obama Foundation Accelerator Program - The Tennessee Tribune - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Michelle Obama Radiates in a Billowing Dress in an Unexpected Color - instyle.com - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama Figures Chastising Trump on Iran Have Zero Self-Awareness - Foundation for Defense of Democracies - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama to Headline New York City Fundraiser With Hakeem Jeffries - Bloomberg Government News - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama returns to the campaign trail amid GOP redistricting and fundraising advantage - Washington Examiner - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Trump called himself the greatest U.S. president and classified Biden and Obama as "failures" - () - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Opinion | JD Vance Is the GOPs Obama - WSJ - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Michelle Obama has the internet divided after saying she doesnt miss daughters Malia and Sasha - HOLA - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama to headline NY event with Jeffries. Here's why, when - USA Today - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Jon Stewart and Michelle Obama Blast Trumps WH Perversion - The Daily Beast - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Obama Returns to the Trail as Democrats Face a Midterm Money Gap - The Root - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- USPS moves ahead with mail-in ballot rule despite block from Obama-appointed judge - New York Post - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Trump ripped Obama for flying long distances to play golf. Now hes flying to the Irish Open - Fortune - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Elementary will close indefinitely after mold is found in art room and on computers - The Richmonder - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Mold forces indefinite closure of Obama Elementary as new school year begins - WTVR.com - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Richmond parents react to mold closing Obama Elementary indefinitely - WTVR.com - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Chicago Culture Ball hits the Obama Presidential Center - The Chicago Crusader - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Made His Thoughts On President Trump's Golfing Ability Very Clear - Yahoo Sports - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras explains why Obama Elementary School will not be opening on time due to mold - Richmond... - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Trump Admin Removes Obama Portrait Artists Painting For Being Woke - BIN: Black Information Network - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Barack Obama's Book List Is Full of Historical Fiction GemsSee Them - Woman's World - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- How $40 Trillion National Debt Grew Under Trump Compared to Biden and Obama - Newsweek - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Where is Obama's famous tan suit? There's an effort to track it down. - USA Today - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Obama strategist turns on rising Dem star over viral Trump attack: 'Gratuitous and unnecessary' - Fox News - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Hillary Clinton Finally Reveals What She Whispered To Barack Obama During Their Viral Laugh About Trump - LittleThings.com - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- The Internet Compares Barack Obama To Donald Trump After He Announces New Podcast Exploring Books - Yahoo - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Beef Is Expensive. Power Bills Are Up. Debt Hit $40 Trillion. Republicans Say Its Still Obama and Bidens Fault - Yahoo - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Mary J. Blige and Michelle Obama Discuss the Singers Decision Not to Have Children - People.com - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Nasty Rosie ODonnell slams Donald Trump with scathing song urging him to resign: Youll never be Obama - Entertainment Weekly - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Obama strategist turns on rising Dem star over viral Trump attack: 'Gratuitous and unnecessary' - Yahoo - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Becomes the Only Living President Under 80 Years Old as Bill Clinton Marks His Birthday - Yahoo - August 25th, 2026 [August 25th, 2026]
- The Obama Presidential Center is the most expensive US presidential library 15 things surprised me most - Business Insider - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama reveals unexpected similarity between Sasha Obama and Megan Thee Stallion - Yahoo - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Ken Burns on Waking the Dead, Cutting Trump-Era Echoes and Why His Obama Film Can Wait - variety.com - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- What we have lost: An emotion-filled visit to the Obama Presidential Center - Media Nation - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- The View from the Top of the Obama Center - Reformed Journal - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Top Obama ally reveals which far-left candidate needs to lose to help progressives win - Fox News - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Have you read these books? Barack Obama has. - 12News - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama offers rare insight into daughter Sasha's true personality with comparison to famous rapper - HELLO! Magazine - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Is 'the Most Powerful Socialist in the Country Today,' Former Obama Economic Advisor Says - Yahoo Finance - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Is 'the Most Powerful Socialist in the Country Today,' Former Obama Economic Advisor Says - Benzinga - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama convinced Megan Thee Stallion to try her notoriously intense workout, and she actually did it - HOLA - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama reveals unexpected similarity between Sasha Obama and Megan Thee Stallion - HOLA - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Michelle Obama and Megan Thee Stallion coordinated in all-white outfits for a candid "IMO" podcast conversation - Yahoo Creators - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Announces New Book-Themed PodcastHeres What we Know - Yahoo - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Larry David Reimagines Obama's Tan Suit Moment in LIFE, LARRY AND THE PURSUIT OF UNHAPPINESS - BroadwayWorld - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- What's to drink near the Obama Center? Specialty teas in a cup made by renowned artist Theaster Gates - Chicago Sun-Times - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Megan Thee Stallion Speaks On Upcoming Album 'ACT III' With Michelle Obama - iHeart - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Every decade it just got harder. The military-style workout Michelle Obama swears by at 62 - goodhousekeeping.com - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Barack Obama Jokes About Trumps Gold Oval Office Sign: I Cant Believe I Didnt Think of That - Benzinga - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- More Obama Presidential Center Museum tickets on sale Wednesday: Heres how to get yours - Yahoo - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Barack Obama is hosting a new podcast on Audible - Good e-Reader - August 14th, 2026 [August 14th, 2026]
- Abdul El-Sayed and Barack Obama spoke as Democrats seek to unify following heated Senate primary - CNN - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Barack Obama launches podcast about books that shaped his worldview - The Guardian - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Obama Presidential Center Releasing More Tickets This Week - Block Club Chicago - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Barack Obama to Host Podcast Digging Into Six Books That Helped Me Figure Out Who I Am and What I Believe - Variety - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Trump goes unmentioned but not ignored as Clinton, Bush and Obama step up as essayists on presidents - Los Angeles Times - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Obama to host literary podcast, A Great Book, on Audible - The Hill - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Obama launching 'A Great Book' podcast. Which favorites will he discuss and why? - USA Today - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]
- Trump goes unmentioned but not ignored as Clinton, Bush and Obama step up as essayists on presidents - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and... - August 11th, 2026 [August 11th, 2026]