ms. kagan: is this working now? speaking of technological sophistication. you should always have the green light on. [laughter] ms. kagan: ok. i have had a couple of different jobs in the executive branch. solicitor general was quite extraordinary. all the solicitor general does is think about the supreme court. for the 15 months i was solicitor general, i was entirely focused on the court and its docket and the justices, what they were thinking when they agreed, when they did not agree. your whole job is to figure out how to convince these nine members of the court. my first year or two, i used to think all of the time, now i only have to convince eight members of the court. [laughter] thatagan: but other than -- >> or other members. ms. kagan: that is right. that was great preparation for me. and especially, i have not been been a judge before. it was one of the great legal jobs in america. really terrific preparation for the court. i spent four years earlier in the white house, and that does

ms. kagang about collins? [laughter] ms. kagan: congratulations, collins. now i know to come to you for a caddy. [laughter] ms. kagan: could i say something about being a pair with john stephen sacco the last time we stevens? the last time we were in public together was six years ago. you have a date, john will only be 102. [laughter] ms. kagan: it is a special thing to get a phone call from the president saying he would like you to be on the supreme court. it is like a super special thing to know that you are going to be the successor of john stevens. that is a special honor and it makes a quite extraordinary. and i think all the time about all the john accomplished in the seats that i now hold. john, you were an inspiration to me in anything i do. so, thank you. [applause] ms. kagan: so, technology? i think the way you framed the question is that technology has changed the court since we were clerks there. it has changed, but maybe not as much as you would think. [laughter] ms. kagan: when i