Still waiting for the Democratic response to the '96 State of the Union

The President's State of the Union speech is always followed by a televised response given by leaders of the opposing party. And every year at this time it occurs to me that the Democratic response to Bill Clinton's 1996 State of the Union address hasn't been broadcast yet.

Why would a Clinton speech need a Democratic response? Because it was a Republican speech, smartypants. A real Democratic speech wouldn't endlessly proclaim, "The era of big government is over," while supporting right-wing big government ideas like school uniforms. (Wow, Bill Clinton believed in "regulation for thee, not for me" months before Free Republic even started!)

Also, this is the speech that was so bad that it's almost the entire reason I didn't vote for Clinton in '96. And it's a main reason why I can't bear to watch any State of the Union speech ever since. Bad memories always come rushing back.

So - if you're a real Democrat or maybe a Green, and not a DLC yawner - call up the cable networks and your local TV stations to demand that they air the Democratic response to the 1996 State of the Union. Judging by the fact that Brit Hume still has helmet hair like everyone in the '90s did, the TV people probably don't know what year this is.