IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION P R E S I D E NTIAL P OW E R AN D TH E F UTU R E O F AM E R I CAN D E M O C RACY
The Truman Library Institute Proudly Presents
TH E HOWAR D AN D VI RG I N IA B E N N ETT
FORUM ON THE PRESIDENCY
In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union Thursday, December 3, 2026 Unity Temple on the Plaza Kansas City, Missouri
FEATURING
Sharon McMahon Susan Page Dr. Colleen J. Shogan
The presidency sits at the heart of the American experiment. Its history is one of power tested and constrained, institutions challenged and changed, and presidents who have shaped the nation—sometimes in unintended ways. Now, Colleen Shogan, Susan Page and Sharon McMahon explore what this history reveals—and what it can tell us about America’s future.
SHARON MCMAHON Sharon McMahon is one of the most widely-read independent voices in American politics and culture. A #1 New York Times-bestselling author, Sharon uses her influential platform to help people across the country make sense of history, government, and current events. A longtime government and law educator, Sharon became known as America’s Government Teacher for breaking down complex topics with facts and a deep knowledge of history. For her work bringing millions into the civic conversation, Sharon received the Freedom Forum’s prestigious Free Expression Award. Her debut book, The Small and the Mighty, was a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestseller, a 2025 American Book Award winner, and one of the most decorated nonfiction books of the year. Her follow-up, We Are Mighty, illustrated by award-winning artist Susanna Chapman — brings that same spirit to younger readers, celebrating the ordinary Americans whose small acts of courage changed history. A forthcoming book is also in progress for release in 2027. On stage, Sharon has delivered keynote addresses at the National Governors Association Annual Meeting, the National Leadership Conference for Chief Judges of the US District Courts, and events at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Off stage, she leads philanthropic initiatives that have raised nearly $14 million for disaster recovery, medical debt relief, international crises, classroom grants, and more. Her work has earned widespread acclaim, including the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen, a Webby Award for Best Podcast, PR Week’s Communicator of the Year. Her message is simple: powerful change is built by ordinary people doing the next needed thing.
SUSAN PAGE Susan Page is the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, where she writes about the White House and national politics. She is the New York Times bestselling author of a series of biographies of formidable women: The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters, Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power. The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty. Her fourth book, The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History, was published in April 2026. She has covered eight presidential administration and interviewed the past ten presidents, from Richard Nixon through Donald Trump — seven sitting presidents, and three after they had left the White House. As a reporter — first for Newsday and then for USA TODAY — she drove to Three Mile Island hours after the nuclear mishap was reported, traveled across Southeast Asia to chronicle the exodus of Vietnamese ‘boat people,’ and interviewed physicist Stephen Hawking. She has won the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency (twice), the Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage, and the Merriman Smith Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure. In 2026, the University of Kansas awarded her the William Allen White national citation, and the Washington Press Club and Foundation presented her with its Lifelong Achievement Award. She has served as president of the White House Correspondents Association and was the moderator of the vice-presidential debate in 2020 between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. (Yes, that was the one with the fly.) A native of Wichita, Kansas, she is married to Carl Leubsdorf, a veteran journalist whose column is distributed by the Chicago Tribune service. They have two sons, Ben and Will.
DR. COLLEEN J. SHOGAN Dr. Colleen J. Shogan served as the 11th Archivist of the United States, the first woman in American history appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to lead the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). A noted author and political scientist, Colleen is deeply committed to civics education and prioritized sharing the records of the National Archives to a wider audience. Under her leadership, NARA launched numerous strategic initiatives to enhance services and make its holdings more accessible, both in-person and online, with the goal of cultivating public participation and strengthening our nation’s democracy. Prior to becoming Archivist, Colleen served in several cultural heritage leadership roles. She was Senior Vice President and Director of the David M. Rubenstein Center at the White House Historical Association, worked in the United States Senate, and served as a senior executive at the Library of Congress and its Congressional Research Service. She was the Vice Chair of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the United States Capitol Historical Society. She also serves on the Board of Advisers for Historiq, a company combining technology and archival tools to improve public access. A native of the Pittsburgh area, she holds a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College and a Ph.D. in American Politics from Yale University, where she was a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow. Colleen is the 2024 recipient of the American Political Science Association’s Hubert Humphrey Award for outstanding public service. In addition to her role at More Perfect, she is also a Senior Fellow in Civics Education at Stand Together and an Adjunct Professor of Government at Georgetown University.
This Holiday, Share an American Treasure. Give the gift of membership at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum, and you’ll open the door to world-class museum exhibits and member-only benefits all year long. Starting at just $35 (or $25 for students and teachers), gift memberships are valid for a full year and include: • Membership cards offering unlimited museum admission for two at the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum and all participating presidential libraries operated by the National Archives • Exclusive invitations for special events, including next year’s exhibition openings, America250 programs and the Members’ Night at the Museum • Free tickets to the Annual Bennett Forum on the Presidency • Museum store discounts • A colorful digital message to share with your gift recipient and much more!
Give the gift of membership. It’s a gift that gives all year long. Scan to learn more!
OUR VISION People are inspired, enriched and empowered through the many resources of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. OUR MISSION To bring the life and legacy of Harry S. Truman to bear on current and future generations through the understanding of history, the presidency, domestic and foreign policy, and citizenship.
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