Posted on 09/10/2013 6:22:13 PM PDT by jobim
10 September 1998 I became the virtual man I have become (ie jobim). That was an eventful year - Paula Jones, Monica, Ken Starr report, impeachment - but more importantly, it was the crescendo of scandals that revealed the flaw that even the towering genius of the Founding Fathers could not circumvent in crafting our blessed Constitution. That flaw was, and oh so woefully is, bad men with their hands on the reins. George Will said that Clinton was not necessarily the worst president, but the worst man ever to be president. But we can wax nostalgic about those days in comparison with the present ones.
And so I extend greetings to all Freepers on this milestone of 15 years.
Highlights (ie Lowlights) from 1998:
Jan 7th - Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky signs affidavit denying she had an affair with President Bill Clinton
Jan 17th - President Clinton faces sexual harrament charges from Paula Jones
Jan 26th - Pres Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"
May 22nd - Lewinsky scandal: a federal judge rules that United States Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the scandal, involving President Bill Clinton.
May 26th - Date for Paula Jones sex harassment trial vs President Clinton
Aug 17th - Monica Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony that he had an "improper physical relationship" with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. On the same day he admits before the nation that he "misled people" about his relationship.
Sep 11th - Independent counsel Kenneth Starr sends a report to the U.S. Congress accusing President Bill Clinton of 11 possible impeachable offenses.
Nov 19th - Lewinsky scandal: The United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee begins impeachment hearings against U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Dec 19th - Lewinsky scandal: The United States House of Representatives forwards articles I and III of impeachment against President Bill Clinton to the Senate.
From Wikipedia:
Free Republic seems to have been taken over by a very hardcore group of nearly paranoid administrators and members. Anyone who expresses a genuinely conservative viewpoint that happens to contradict this cult is likely to be "flamed" mercilessly and if that doesn't succeed in driving him away, his "posting privileges will be revoked". There is little opportunity for genuine conservative debate in an atmosphere that resembles more of a cult of opinion.
You mean to say that I have given 15 years of my life to a cult? It was near precisely 20 years prior to my joining FR that they drank the eternal kool-aid on 11/18/78. Oh no! And our leader's name is....Jim!
Noob. :=)
October 1, 1998
Others will remember the DeepInTheHurgerinForest matter, here at FR.
Another was the spooky guy who constantly intoned that “the Grey Suits are about to Walk Up the Hill” and remove Bill Clinton from office —I can’t recall his screen-name but he had VERY MANY acolytes who followed his “insider posts”.
Many speculated that he was some Senator, but.....nah..!
Anyone remember his handle...?
Some speculated that he was Matt Drudge, but I’m sure that’s wrong, seeing how things turned out.
Matt Drudge was at the March for Justice, by the way —in person.
I remember so well the day I found FR. I was on my son’s computer and was researching Monica and the dress-— when I found Drudge, and of course from there to FR.
I couldn’t believe what I was reading, and called to my husband that I found a web site that thinks and says everything we say and feel. I was hooked!. That was in March, but I didn’t think I could register on someone else’s computer. That’s how much I knew about computers at that time.
Finally in July I had my own computer, and Exit148 was officially a FReeper. Bless you JimRob!
“During the Monica Mess, someone here at FR did provide Monica’s REAL phone-number. I did call her, but she hung-up on me.”
I love that kind of FR action. Somewhere around 2002 a lib activist group was having a national call and a FReeper posted the call-in #.
Hilarity ensued, Moderator lost control and ended the call.
Right here. Happy anniversary, ya n00b!
Quidam, I believe.
05/05/98 I also migrated over the Drudge bridge.
Feb. 6, 1998
Been here for 15 years too, April 1st, 1998. I lurked since 1997 though. Time flies, the computer I used to sign in on was a Gateway 486SX/25 MHz with 4 megs of RAM and a 120 mb HD. I only ran at 9600 baud on dialup.
Make that 05/25/98. Eyes aren’t what they were 13 years ago.
October 98
I don’t post often, but I’m still here, with many fond memories of the old-time freepers. Thank you Jim!
Congratulations.
Just noticed my tagline is outdated.
I guess I need a new one!
I was a lurker shortly after FR launched. Lots of interesting folks around then. Clinton’s A Liar, Quidam, A+Bert, Deep In The Hurtgen Forest (who turned out to be a fake).
Happy anniversary, all you old Freeper guys and girls.
;-)
May you enjoy 15 years more.
I remember those names
Nov 2, missed the first 6 weeks.
July of 1998
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