And it lasted all of a minute!

And he laughed!

"We must strengthen our lead in technology. It was government investment that led to the creation of the internet. I propose a 28% increase in longterm computing resuch. We also must be ready for the 21st century from its very first moment by solving the so-called Y2K computer problem. Now...(laughter)...We had one member of congress stand up and applaud...(laughter) , and we may have about that ratio out there appluading at home in front of their television sets. But remember this is a big, big problem and we've been working hard on it. Already we've made sure that the Social Security checks will come on time. And I...(applause)...but I want all the folks at home listening to this to know that we need every state and local government and every business large and small to work with us to make sure that this y2k computer bug will be the last headache of the 20th century, not the first crisis of the 21st."

What a maroon...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999

Answers

Did you expect more?

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), January 19, 1999.

pshannon

Your summation of his intellect is overly kind.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), January 19, 1999.

No.

I expected less.

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999.

Boy the Government Printing Office will be busy transcribing that one.

-- a (a@a.a), January 19, 1999.

Actually, he looks pretty relaxed tonight.

Do you suppose...just maybe...Naaaa!

What about Sammy Sosa and the First Lady? What's up with that?

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999.

You may be right pshannon, we didn't get a shot of what (who) is behind the podium.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), January 19, 1999.

I missed a little of it while transcribing what he said.

He didn't say a damn thing about the impeachment, did he?

Of course, he wouldn't, but THAT'S the second most important thing happening in this country right now.

And I voted for this jerk TWICE! (lesser of two evils)

What a galoot...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999.

Was there ANY group he didn't "kiss up" to?

Sounded like a man trying to save his job to me!

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), January 19, 1999.

pshannon

TWICE?

And here I was warming up to you...

;)

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), January 19, 1999.

Jennifer Dunn R WA (on ABC) giving a response:

"...Ladies and gentleman, our country is NOT in crisis. There are no tanks in the streets..."

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999.

Unc -

The alternatives were Bush or Dole.

Or Ross Perot, but he didn't count...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 19, 1999.

I was amused by Jennifer Dunn's (the Republican response) comment that our government is as sound as the Capitol Dome behind her. (I'm curious about what she'll be saying a year from now.)

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 19, 1999.

(tanks in the street)

Me and the Mrs. looking at each other:

"Not yet"

Harry Browne? (yeah, yeah, I know BIGTIME DGI, still, when you look at his thoughts on how to run government...)

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), January 19, 1999.

Well I am shocked at the lack of concern that every one has for this problem. It seems to me that the Gov has done such a good job of smoke screening everything, all people care about is "who is the president banging now-a-days" screw me once shame on you screw me twice shame on me

We as country had better wake up! FYI check out how executive orders this guys has signed while in office. The ones in the latter year of 1998 are the real scary ones!

Scott

-- Scott (designmaxx@earthlink.net), January 19, 1999.

FWIW, the official press release transcript from the White House is at http:/ /www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/html/19990119-2656.html

Here's the Y2k part (pshannon -- they left out a couple of words interrupted by applause that you included):

We must strengthen our lead in technology. It was government investment that led to the creation of the Internet. I propose a 28-percent increase in long-term computing research.

We also must be ready for the 21st century from its very first moment, by solving the so-called Y2K computer problem. (Applause.)

We had one member of Congress stand up and applaud. (Laughter.) And we may have about that ratio out there applauding at home, in front of their television sets. But remember, this is a big, big problem. And we've been working hard on it. Already, we've made sure that the Social Security checks will come on time. (Applause.) But I want all the folks at home listening to this to know that we need every state and local government, every business, large and small, to work with us to make sure that this Y2K computer bug will be remembered as the last headache of the 20th century, not the first crisis of the 21st. (Applause.)

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), January 20, 1999.

BUGGER!

Looks like I'm under the podium next year! Damn and blast! You are a devil, pshannon, to lure me into this depravity!

BRING ON Y2K! - may Clinton never have the chance to "collect".

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), January 20, 1999.

Andy,

While you're waiting in that little hallway off the oval office eating pizza, can you get me Sammy Sosa's autograph?

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 20, 1999.

So I lost. And I owe you all a tax form, and a Molson Dry. Y'all must come to my house to claim your prize now.

(Mommy I want to go home! This country is dangerous, it has a government that laughs when the sky is falling!)

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 20, 1999.

Chris, you gonna email that Molson?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 21, 1999.

did anyone know the name of the member of congress that stood up and applaued during the state of the union address? he should be commended

-- rooster (logcabin@erinet.com), January 23, 1999.

Gee, Rooster, we need some auto-cross-indexing artificial intelligence here. Your question was answered on another thread discussing this topic (which seems to happen a lot here): **************************************************************************** It was Connie Morell (R-MD) as indicated in prior posting and confirmation from the Senate Y2K Committee in my email today.

Subj: Re: Not encouraged Date: 99-01-21 11:54:16 EST From: Year2000@y2k.senate.gov (Year2000) To: LisaWard2@aol.com

Thank you for contacting the Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem. We appreciate your interest, concern, and suggestions. During the State of the Union address, Representative Connie Morell (R-MD), was the Congressperson who stood while the President discussed the year 2000. Sincerely, The Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem

-- Other Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), January 21, 1999.

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), January 23, 1999.

By the way, Lisa, it ain't "Morrel" it is "Morrella".

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), January 23, 1999.