A Wonkette operative wrote in (presumably before he knew the real Wonkette was curled up drunk somewhere) with news of a Karl Rove sighting in Georgetown yesterday. Browsing through Barnes & Noble, Rove was accompanied by what our spy called "a trench coat-clad toady" who tried to make small talk with the boss in the current affairs section. Evidently, Karl wasn't impressed.

Trench coat: "Elizabeth [daughter?] and I read 'Mice and Men'."

Rove (leafing through book, preoccupied): "Pardon me?"

Trench coat: "Elizabeth and I read 'Mice and Men' together. She cried."

Rove: "Mm."

Translation: "Yes, Smithers, I'm sure your life is very interesting. Now excuse me while I read 'Bush's Brain'."

Full report after the jump. -- "Joe Klein"

From: XXXXXXX@XXXXXX.xxx

Subject: Rove sighting, Sunday 12/12

Date: December 13, 2004 9:34:46 AM EST

To: tips@wonkette.com

I'm sure I'm not the only one to spot Karl Rove doing some Christmas shopping in Barnes and Noble on M St. Georgetown this past Sunday (12/12). Karl was looking comfy in a green fleece jacket, khaki slacks and "sensible" brown leather shoes. He was accompanied by a trench coat-clad toady who seemed a little more eager to make conversation than The Dark Genius of the Right, who was browsing the "Current Affairs" section upstairs:

Trench coat: "Elizabeth [daughter?] and I read 'Mice and Men'."

Rove (leafing through book, preoccupied): "Pardon me?"

Trench coat: "Elizabeth and I read 'Mice and Men' together. She cried."

Rove: "Mm."

And you thought Karl Rove was an unsentimental, heartless bastard!