$node.PillImageNode.Description

Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief at USA Today and Author of Madam Speaker

Published on03 JUN 2021

In this episode of Talks at GS, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief of USA Today and author of Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power discusses her new biography of the first woman to be Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as her reflections on covering national politics over the course of her career. 

On Nancy Pelosi’s Family: “I'm not sure everyone understood what kind of family she came from in Baltimore. I think of her as a San Francisco liberal and of course that's true, but she was really born into political royalty in Baltimore. The D’Alesandros of Baltimore were as prominent as the Kennedys were in Boston.”

On why she wrote about Nancy Pelosi: “Nancy Pelosi…She's seen as a hero by some, but also portrayed as a villain by others. I felt that people knew her, but didn't know her well… she was deserving of a serious book. She's historic because she's the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. She’s the highest ranking, the most powerful woman in American history…that was a story I wanted to tell.”

 

Download Transcript

 

The episode was recorded on May 14, 2021.

Explore More Insights