A BBC iplayer copyrighted content. With exclusive interviews from president Obama and his White House team, episode two tells the story of Obama's greatest legacy: healthcare.
When Obama announced his proposals for affordable, accessible healthcare for every American, he sparked a bitter conflict. Within weeks of his launch, members of Congress were confronted by angry 'Tea Party' protesters.
As opposition grew, Obama's top advisers asked him to go for a less ambitious bill - he refused. His chief of staff knocked heads together inside his own party, as Democrats in Congress began to fight amongst themselves. The final battle was over abortion - the Catholic bishops tried to kill the bill. The hero who saved him was Sister Carol Keehan. She mobilised 59,000 US nuns and faced down the bishops to get Obama the votes he needed.
But in the midterm elections, Obama lost more seats in Congress than any president since 1938. The Tea Party now had 60 members and the Republicans would block all his future major reforms.