Barbara Bush: The Making of an American Dynasty

Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, has interviewed the past eight American presidents, has reported news from five continents, and is covering her 10th presidential campaign. Perhaps her greatest lifetime accomplishment, however, came in April 2019 with the publishing of her critically acclaimed book, Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty. Also in 2019, she signed a deal to write a biography of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, tentatively titled Madame Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Arc of Power. Page, 68, formed a great friendship with the late First Lady Barbara Bush but that did not stop her from addressing the more painful portions of Barbara Bush's biography, including the death of the Bush's young daughter, Robin, and the highs and lows of two presidencies, those of her late husband, George Herbert Walker Bush, and son, George W. Bush. Now through her writing and as a frequent guest on MSNBC and other news shows, Page offers insights on politics, government, as well as those in power and those standing behind power. Page's personal story also reflects her eclectic interests. A native of Wichita, Kan., she is a 1973 graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, where she was editor-in-chief of the Daily Northwestern. She earned a Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where she was a Pulitzer Fellow. As a child, Page had two passions: music and journalism. She began studying oboe in the third grade and played it in school orchestras throughout her public school education. She was also the editor-in-chief of her high school yearbook, and served as a reporter and editor for her high school newspaper. Among her numerous professional achievements, Page has twice served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prize. She is married to Carl Leubsdorf, a syndicated columnist and former Washington Bureau Chief for The Dallas Morning News. They have two children.