Mercatus Events

Mercatus Center Annual Dinner

Supporter Events
Supporter Events
Oct 27, 2015
6:30pm

The Mercatus Center Annual Dinner brings together an audience of distinguished scholars, senior congressional and agency staff, policy professionals, and Mercatus supporters from the corporate and foundation world.

Registration and Cocktail Reception: 6:30pm-7:30pm
Dinner: 7:30pm

Keynote Speaker:
P. J. O'Rourke, best-selling author and leading political satirist

With  more  than  1  million  words  of 
trenchant journalism under his byline and 
more citations in The Penguin Dictionary 
of  Humorous  Quotations than  any  living 
writer,  P.  J.  O’Rourke  has  established 
himself  as  America’s  premier  political 
satirist. He is the best-selling author of 15 
books,  including Parliament  of  Whores, 
Republican Party Reptile, Holidays in Hell, 
Give  War  a  Chance,  Eat  the  Rich,  The 
CEO  of  the  Sofa,  and On  the Wealth  of 
Nations (he  read  the  whole  darn  thing 
–  so  you  don’t  have  to).   Just  out  in 
paperback is his all-too-prescient take on 
the current election cycle, Don’t Vote – It 
Just  Encourages  the  Bastards.   And  his 
newest book, Holidays in Heck, recounts 
the  international  travel  adventures  of  a 
former  war  reporter  now  accompanied 
by his family and wishing he were back 
under artillery fire. Both TIMEand The 
Wall Street Journalhave labeled O’Rourke 
“the funniest writer in America.”

With more than 1 million words of trenchant journalism under his byline and more citations in The Penguin Dictionary of Humorous Quotations than any living writer,  P. J. O’Rourke has established himself as America’s premier political satirist. He is the best-selling author of 15 books, and both TIME and The Wall Street Journal have labeled O’Rourke “the funniest writer in America.”

Covering current events, O’Rourke combines the skill and discipline of an investigative reporter with a comedian’s sense of the absurd and the stupid. Known as a hard-bitten, cigar-smoking conservative, he, in fact, bashes all political persuasions. As he puts it, “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” Whether dealing with the inner workings of Washington bureaucracy or the shifting political and economic sands of the new world disorder, O’Rourke proves himself to be a savvy guide to national and global affairs. His razor sharp insights never fail to inform and entertain.

Dress for this event is business attire.
For purposes of congressional ethics rules, this dinner is a widely attended event and is limited to full-time, professional staff.

Questions about this event? Please contact Bethany Stalter at bstalter@mercatus.gmu.edu or (703) 993-4889.