Shook the Spot

[President Bush] read Albert Camus's The Stranger, triggering a discussion about existentialism with his aides. "He found it an interesting book and a quick read," said Mr Snow. "I don't want to go too deep into it, but we discussed the origins of existentialism."

—"Bush's ranch split over his record," The Financial Times

PRESIDENT BUSH: So I just finished this fucked up novel about a dude who kills an Arab, and is sentenced to death for it!

TONY SNOW: Yeah? Crazy!

KARL ROVE: What kind of crap is that?

BUSH: It's called existentialism, apparently.

ROVE: Existen—what?

BUSH: Ex-i-STEN-tial-ism.

ROVE: Sounds like some cut-and-run bullshit to me.

BUSH: It's all about "the gentle indifference of the world" . . . whatever the fuck that means!

SNOW: Jesus.

BUSH: No, they don't believe in God.