December 20, 1999
Web posted at: 6:34 p.m. EST (2334 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bill Clinton joined the swelling ranks of online shoppers Monday, making his first-ever purchase via the Internet just in time for Christmas.

A White House spokesman said the president purchased items from two Web sites -- the Lakota Fund (www.lakotafund.org) and World2Market.com. The former site is operated by a nonprofit community development financial institution for a group of native Americans in South Dakota; the latter, according to the site, offers gifts from artisans "who face economic challenges and difficulties in their daily lives."

"This is the first time he has ever shopped online and we do expect the gifts will arrive in time for Christmas," the spokesman said. The president purchased horsehair bracelets from the Lakota Fund site and children's books from the World2Market site, the spokesman said. He paid for the purchases with a personal credit card.

The White House did not disclose the soon-to-be-recipients of the gifts or their cost. The spokesman said Clinton decided to shop online because "He's been increasingly getting involved" with online commerce.

Online holiday sales are expected to reach approximately $6 billion this year, which is double 1998's sales rate.

Monday, December 20, 1999

• Juanita Broaddrick sues Clinton Administration over alleged 'smear campaign'
• Video: Bush, Gore fight insurgent rivals
• Clinton shops online for the first time
• Gore's international affairs knowledge has plusses, minuses
• McCain, Forbes favor keeping 'don't ask, don't tell' policy
• Des Moines Register: Campaign cash -- Who gets what, and from whom?
• Clinton Administration wants to double funding to trace gun criminals
• Reagan's condition deteriorates
• Des Moines Register: Candidate mates tread lightly
• Bush says he doesn't believe federal report on Texas hunger
• Trump to visit Ventura in January
• McCain criticizes Clinton's national forest order
• McCain addresses health care, terrorism
• McCain works on tax break package for teachers
• Searching for a way to make history forget impeachment
• From White House to schoolhouse, billionaire exerts power behind the scenes
• Bradley support rising in Iowa, new poll says
• Gore repeats no ad offer, Bradley repeats "no"
• McCain campaign raises $1 million in a week
• Barbara Bush says keep abortion off party platform

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