top of page

Karl Rove and Maureen Dowd to Speak at Athenaeum

April 15, 2008

by The Forum

Although the Fall 2008 Athenaeum schedule has not been finalized, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd will be coming to CMC this semester.  Karl Rove is slated to speak September 15 as a Res Publica Speaker; Maureen Dowd will speak November 17 as a President's Office Speaker, according to information posted on the Athenaeum website.


Living up to its reputation, the Athenaeum is bringing us two very ideologically opposed speakers.  In a recent column of Dowd's, she criticizes Rove's tactics:


"Actually, that sounds more like W.The cheap populism is really rich coming from Karl Rove. When was the last time he kicked back with a corncob pipe to watch professional wrestling?Rove is trying to spin his myths, as he used to do with such devastating effect, but it won’t work this time. The absurd spectacle of rich white conservatives trying to paint Obama as a watercress sandwich with the crust cut off seems ugly and fake."


In the past, the Athenaeum has featured speakers as politically diverse as President Bill Clinton and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.   As always, seats to see these speakers will be free to CMC students and open to others on a space available basis.


Other speakers this fall include leaders of industry from the Robert Day School Distinguished Speaker program, professors, authors, musicians, and scholars from all disciplines.  The full Athenaeum schedule should be available within 1-2 weeks.

bottom of page