Heard it mentioned on MSNBC (sports blurb)that the Prez is supposed to be going to the Cotton Bowl game on January 1st. Did anyone else see this?

I thought he was going to be in the "command center" monitoring events. Why would they say such a thing? Even if it were true, why would they publicize it?

-- LZach (lisa@texasnetworks.com), December 28, 1999

Answers

-- LZach,

Get a life. It's over.

Doug

-- Doug (Doug@itsover.com), December 28, 1999.

LZach--crazy. He surely doesn't GI whatsoever. Doug--it's all over. You're right. Except for the shouting.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 28, 1999.

Scuse me? I thought it was just getting started. Don't kill the messenger. Just reporting the oddities of the day....

-- LZach (lisa@texasnetworks.com), December 28, 1999.

Lisa,

Don't sweat it, Doug's a troll

-- (TrollPatrol@sheesh.now), December 28, 1999.

Anyone from Stanford out there know if Chelsea is going to the Rose Bowl? If her parents make her hunker in the bunker, then I think this might indicate that they aren't really very optimistic.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 28, 1999.

He's not going to the Cotton Bowl and no way will Chelsea be in California... *********************************************************

Dec 28, 1999 - 02:53 PM

On the Dance Floor With an Eye on the Global Glitch By Sonya Ross Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - On New Year's Eve, President Clinton will perform two roles: genial national host and global Y2K worrier. He is to address the nation at midnight and then dance into the early morning - unless he is summoned to deal with computers gone awry and their consequences for a nervous world. Granted, Clinton will probably be having a better time than most working stiffs who have to be on duty that night. After all, he is presiding over a huge outdoor millennium celebration at the Lincoln Memorial and a couple of black-tie parties in his home.

But Clinton also is expected to be on hand for high-level decisions about whatever Y2K problems flare up in the United States or around the world. And that means Clinton might have his partying cut short by an aide tugging his tuxedo sleeve in mid-waltz.

"We'll keep him informed," said deputy White House chief of staff Maria Echaveste. "And we certainly hope there will be very little to report."

The heavy informing on computer rollover night goes to Vice President Al Gore. Clinton's Y2K adviser, John Koskinen, intends to brief Gore, not Clinton, as developments unfold.

"If anything important happens, obviously, we'll talk with the president as well," Koskinen said. "But at this point, we've agreed that my personal reports will be to the vice president over that weekend."

Clinton, in fact, has drawn some Republican criticism that he is being too laid back about the Y2K problem. The GOP chairmen of the House and Senate committees that have kept track of the government's efforts have accused Clinton of not pushing hard or fast enough to prevent crises.

The president mentioned the problem deep into his State of the Union address last January, so deep that "I'm not sure anybody was listening," said Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah.

The Y2K bug is a glitch in older computer systems that read only two digits for the year portion of dates. That means the computers, if not fixed, could do some time traveling of their own and revert back to 1900, interrupting operations in virtually every segment of society.

According to the consulting firm Edward Perlin Associates, more than 90 percent of major organizations have plans for staffing Friday night in anticipation of Y2K glitches.

For White House aides working New Year's Eve, the concerns go beyond computer problems or rowdy guests; there also is the threat of terrorism.

"We're trying to walk this fine line of making sure we're prepared while not exaggerating (the threat)," Echaveste said.

Some aides plan to ring in the new era from their offices.

"Oh yeah. Wouldn't be any place else," said Marsha Berry, the first lady's spokeswoman.

While the Clintons celebrate on the mall, the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion will be monitoring events from a command center a few blocks from the White House. It will collect data from about 180 countries as well as all 50 states.

"We will not have champagne, but we will try to make sure people can at least take a moment to pause while we enter the new millennium," said Koskinen, the council chairman. "Everybody will be working hard to see how the country is making the transition."

Koskinen said Clinton and Gore will receive briefings every few hours on information the command center receives from various agencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will report directly to Clinton on domestic matters, while the National Security Council, the Pentagon and the State Department will keep him abreast of international matters.

The White House has generators on hand in case there are power outages.

"Our main motto is 'be prepared,'" Echaveste said. "But the White House has some very exciting events planned that people should really enjoy."

-- Roland (nottelling@nohwere.com), December 28, 1999.

Why do I just not feel good about Clinton and Gore being in charge doing rollover...???

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), December 28, 1999.

Because you have a brain...

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 28, 1999.