Humorist O'Rourke to visit U.

The man has asserted that he has "only one firm belief about the American political system, and that is this: God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat." The man does not mince his words. The man is political humorist P.J. O'Rourke, and he will visit campus at the invitation of Connaissance and the Penn Political Union in late March, when his cynicism is expected to attract students from across the political spectrum. "I think he's going to be an interesting, yet fun speaker," Connaissance Chairperson Meg O'Leary said. "Since we aren't restricted to any subject matter, we like to cover as many interests as possible." The two organizations will pay $12,500 for O'Rourke's speaking engagement, $4,500 more than the price O'Rourke demanded just last semester, she said. O'Leary said the price hike was due to the humorist's growing popularity, and that Connaissance had made the arrangements for O'Rourke through the use of an agent. "We haven't had a political speaker in a while, and we're looking forward to bringing someone who is fun," O'Leary said. College junior Guy Raviv, Connaissance alumni relations chairperson, said he thinks University students will be attracted to the conservative humorist who is liberal only with his sarcastic humor. "Penn has a lot of people who are interested in politics," Raviv said. "And although they sometimes may not be visibly active, a lot of them have political aspirations." O'Rourke is the author of the national bestsellers Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance and is the White House correspondent for Rolling Stone Magazine. O'Rourke's lethal political commentary is a verbal carpet bombing against the entire United States government, the mystery of which, according to the humorist, is not how it works, but how to make it stop. O'Rourke, according to O'Leary, reserves one week per month for speaking engagements, and will come to speak at Harrison Auditorium in the University Museum on March 24 at a time to be announced. O'Leary said that Connaissance has tried to book political speakers in the past -- most recently, last fall, when the group tried to get former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to speak but could not afford to invite her. "At $60,000 for a world leader, we were amazed at that bargain basement price," O'Leary said. "In order to get that much money, we would have to get private funds and solicit our alumni." O'Leary, however, said that Connaissance could not garner the alumni support it needed to provide the necessary funds because alumni "didn't agree with [Thatcher's] politics." But Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg School dean, invited Thatcher to come to speak to her Communications 226 class and Thatcher will be making the cross-Atlantic jaunt at no expense to the Annenberg School. Jamieson said the invitation to Thatcher from the Annenberg School had "one small advantage" in that it was accompanied by a personal invitation from former United States Ambassador to Great Britain Walter Annenberg, a close personal friend of Thatcher. Jamieson predicted that O'Rourke will be well-received by the University community. "Penn students have a wicked sense of humor," Jamieson said, "and enjoy laughing at politics and life." No H&J; required. Do not bother inserting ! -- Michael ' We haven't had a political speaker in a while, and we're looking forward to bringing someone who is fun. ' Meg O'Leary Connaissance Chairperson

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