I think Obama is very influential in this, but he’s not very bright himself and only got where he was because the left saw him as a useful tool. He was, by their standards, good looking and had enough melanin to count, even though he had no connection with the American Black experience. However, he was actually not even a good speaker, read off whatever somebody wrote for him and read it badly, and spent a lot of his time out of the office and partying. So I don’t think he’s the source.
Bill Gates wasn’t that powerful then, we didn’t have the social media masters, and Obama was at that point just carrying out the orders of the terrorist Bill Ayers (one of his closest advisors) and some other hold-overs from the 60s.
Is there a central planner? That said, Obama definitely exercises a lot of influence within the Democratic Party and probably gives his nod to anything Nasty Nancy proposes.
BHO has a long history as an organizer, really more of an Allinsky “facilitator”. He may not think of all the ideas but he sees that they’re carried out. Valerie Jarrett is his right hand.