Welcome to the New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick.

There are 435 voting members of the House of Representatives.

And in recent years, the House has been very closely divided between Democrats and Republicans,

divided and profoundly unfocused and undisciplined.

With its committee blow-ups and steps of the capital demagogic rants, it's a realm of dark and chaotic

comedy.

Now the exception in this picture has always been Nancy Pelosi.

She spent eight years as the Speaker of the House and many more as the

minority leader of the Democrats. Her stewardship of consequential legislation,

major bills like the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, it's legendary.

She was not only the first woman to lead either chamber of Congress, but also the most effective

congressional leader of modern times,

maybe since LBJ.

And she's also one of the most vilified leaders, for sure.

She's been the target of endless threats from the right

and a vicious assault inside her own home that injured

her husband severely two years ago.

Last month, whether she'll admit it or not, Nancy Pelosi seemed to be the power broker

with both the political craft and the emotional intelligence

to finally push Joe Biden to the conclusion

that it was time for a new Democratic standard bearer.

The title of Pelosi's new book is short and it's apt, The Art of Power. Your book opens with a really powerful chapter about the hideous assault on your husband.

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