Susan Page

Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief at USA Today and author Of "Madam Speaker"

Susan Page, Joyce

Susan Page's unauthorized biography *Madam Speaker* offers a definitive examination of Nancy Pelosi's rise as the most powerful woman in American history, tracing her leadership philosophy from her father's maxim about seizing power to her strategic decision to lead the opposition following the 2016 election. The work synthesizes interviews with Pelosi, her family, and political rivals like John Boehner and Newt Gingrich to analyze pivotal moments such as her reversal of retirement plans, her role in the 2018 House takeover, and her complex relationship with the progressive "Squad." Page further contextualizes Pelosi's "don't agonize, organize" mantra within the broader crisis of democratic stability, emphasizing the necessity of a free press to establish a shared factual baseline amidst intense partisan conflict.