Watch the video HERE
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 18, 2026) – In the latest installment of the McCain Institute’s Authors & Insights series, USA Today Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief Susan Page discusses her book, The Queen and Her Presidents, with McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. Queen Elizabeth II’s steadfast commitment to democratic values and the enduring US-UK alliance reflected many of the principles at the heart of Senator John McCain’s leadership and legacy.
The discussion focused on the Queen’s experience working with President Johnson on the Civil Rights Act and finding common ground with Presidents Obama and Trump. They also discussed character-driven leadership, the importance of public service, the current situation in Ukraine, and memories of Sen. McCain.
Highlights from Susan Page during the Authors & Insights event:
On character-driven leadership:
“She was not supposed to make policy, and it was only on the matters of the greatest consequence to her that she would really challenge the limits of her role. But she would occasionally. She would occasionally on an issue like South Africa and apartheid. So, it’s a matter, I guess, of doing your duty, but knowing when you shouldn’t do your duty because something is more important. You know, that’s a lesson from Queen Elizabeth. That’s a lesson from John McCain as well. Military background. He understood the need to follow orders. He did not always follow orders when he thought it was important not to.”
On Queen Elizabeth II’s relationship with President Ronald Reagan during the Falklands
“Margaret Thatcher had assumed that Reagan would be with her, that the United States would back them. That did not immediately happen… the queen was going to host President Reagan riding horses at Windsor Park … it was the day after the horseback ride that he gave a speech-a speech that actually stands up well in history, a major speech in which he came down solidly on the side of Britain in that conflict.”
On the influence of Queen Elizabeth II on American Politics
“She had an impact on presidents. Presidents had an impact on her, and it was really President Eisenhower who taught her how much power she had before she understood that herself … two things happened as a result of that trip. One is things were smoothed over about the Suez Crisis; relations resumed. Churchill came to the United States, was able to address Congress. The Suez Crisis was in the rearview mirror. She went back to London and told a friend that she had been amazed by Eisenhower’s attitude toward her, and that it taught her that when she had something to say, world leaders, even one as distinguished as Dwight Eisenhower, were going to listen to her.”
Click HERE to view the complete discussion.
The McCain Institute’s Authors & Insights series features interviews with authors of important books on American politics, policy, and leadership that affirm the importance of character-driven leadership and America’s role in the international community. Previous authors have included former U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, journalist Anne Applebaum, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper, CBS News’ Major Garrett and elections expert David Becker, former World Food Programme Executive Director Amb. Cindy McCain, CNN’s Jake Tapper, former POLITICO National Security Reporter Alex Ward, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, and more.
The McCain Institute is grateful to the Merrill Family Foundation for the generous support of the Authors & Insights series.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs defend democracy, advance human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.