New York Times columnist and conservative pundit David Brooks gave a speech at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum tonight. The speech was followed by an extended question-answer session, in the main dining room filled to capacity with CMC students, faculty and a number of guests.

“Being a conservative columnist at the New York Times is like being Chief Rabbi at Mecca,” joked Brooks about working for a newspaper that many believe to have liberal-leaning ideologies.