Author Talk: Ben Wikler — This Is The Plan - with Nancy Pelosi & Judy Woodruff

Watch author Ben Wikler discuss "This Is The Plan" at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

From one of the most successful Democratic strategists of the last decade, a revelatory account of what you—yes, you—can do to defeat Trumpism.

This Is the Plan is a hope-unleashing answer for anyone who has looked at the wreckage of American politics and asked: How the hell do we get out of this mess? Ben Wikler, hailed as the “preeminent state party chair” by Nancy Pelosi, led Wisconsin Democrats through a series of hold-your-breath fights against right-wing extremists that resulted, against the odds, in the unrigging of the political system of the most divided—and, until recently, most gerrymandered—state in the nation. Now, he draws on decades of experience in everything from school-board races to presidential elections to bring readers inside the hidden web of power that shapes our lives. At every step, he shows what individuals and small groups can do to help build a future where democracy thrives and our country works for everyone. With verve, infectious humor, and a rallying-cry energy that has inspired tens of thousands of volunteers, This Is the Plan is the book so many Americans have been waiting for: An idealistic-yet-practical guide to turning the present crisis into a better future.

Ben Wikler is an American political organizer and strategist who served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from July 2019 to July 2025.

Wikler is joined in conversation with Nancy Pelosi & Judy Woodruff.

Nancy Pelosi was elected the 52nd Speaker of the House in 2007—and served as the first woman Speaker for eight years, off and on until 2023. She came to Congress in 1987 for the children and to fight HIV/AIDS. Under Pelosi’s leadership, Congress enacted transformative legislation, most notably the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A defender of democracy, she directed House efforts to investigate the January 6th insurrection and has spoken out forcefully for human rights globally. Pelosi continues to represent San Francisco in the House, a privilege she has treasured for thirty-seven years. Pelosi and her husband, Paul, have five children and ten grandchildren.

Judy Woodruff is a senior correspondent and the former anchor and managing editor of the PBS News Hour. She has covered politics and other news for five decades at NBC, CNN and PBS.

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