Obama Cites Affordable Care Act as Greatest Presidential Accomplishment

Former President Barack Obama has identified the Affordable Care Act as the greatest accomplishment of his two terms in office. Speaking to ABC News' Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, June 17, Obama noted that the legislation has helped between 50 and 60 million people despite ongoing political opposition and congressional efforts to weaken it and reduce subsidies for working Americans. "I'm very proud of the message we sent to the country that we're representing everybody," Obama said during the interview, which marked the first joint network television appearance by Barack and Michelle Obama since leaving office in 2017.

The interview aired ahead of the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Friday, June 19. The center, a decade in the making, chronicles the Obamas' journey from Chicago's South Side to the White House and was designed, according to Obama's remarks at its 2021 groundbreaking, to serve as "the world's premier institution" for developing the next generation of civic leaders rather than merely serving as an exercise in nostalgia.

Obama expressed cautious optimism about the nation's future despite current challenges. "People are a little discouraged right now," he acknowledged, "but, again, I believe that we go through these cycles, and there's going to be a younger generation that pops up and there are going to be leaders who pop up." Michelle Obama reinforced this sentiment, emphasizing that her husband's core campaign messages of "hope" and "change" remain achievable, saying "People just have to be fed up enough. They have to want more." She suggested that the presidential center could serve as a reminder of the nation's potential for positive change.

The special ABC News interview, titled "The Obama Legacy: First Joint Interview Post-White House," became available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu on Thursday, June 18.