Elmo clapped for what seemed like the 100th time as the President proclaimed in glowing terms the state of the nation. He was ready to go out and build that bridge to the future and although Wednesday would start out mostly cloudy, it would clear partially with highs in the lower 30s and lows in the teens. The spirit of community filled him further with the prospect of a mostly sunny Thursday with highs again in the middle 30s. Elmo had seized his once-in-the-lifetime chance to see the President in person, but was disappointed when the chief executive cut his speech short to run home to catch the O.J. verdict. “The state of the nation is more important,” Elmo mused.