You're welcome!

[Michael30000]

Hello everyone,

From the book Thank You for Being Late by Thomas Friedman.

Franken was a rare exception in going to a private high school. In a February 28, 2015, speech to the Colorado Democratic Party, Franken elaborated on this moment:

After that Mr. Fredman quotes a fragment of Franken's speech:

... I also got into a really good college. And graduated. And then I became a comedian. My poor parents! But—we beat the Soviets. You’re welcome!

Is it the same "You're welcome" like the one that is said in response to "Thank you"?
Or does it mean something like "Thank you for your attention"?

Thank you.

 

[Barque]

Is it the same "You're welcome" like the one that is said in response to "Thank you"?

Yes. He seems to be humorously suggesting that he should be/should have been thanked. But I don't understand why, or the reference to the Soviets.

 

[Michael30000]

Thank you, Barque.

or the reference to the Soviets.

In his speech, Mr. Franken said that when he and his brother were little kids, their parents told them that they should study mathematics and science to be able to beat the Soviets.

I remember back in 1957, when the Soviets launched Sputnik. They had nuclear weapons, and suddenly, they were ahead of us in space. Americans were terrified. I was six. My brother, Owen, was eleven. And my parents sat us down in our living room in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and said, “You boys are going to study math and science so we can beat the Soviets.”

 

[Barque]

I see. It looks like he was suggesting he should be thanked for having beaten the Soviets then. I still don't really get the joke however. Hopefully someone else will explain.

 

[Michael30000]

Thank you, Barque.

 

[Edinburgher]

Maybe they could tell better jokes than the Soviets.

(or tell jokes better than)

 

[kentix]

Al Franken is a comedian by trade. It's sort of deadpan humor. It was his and his brother's job in his parents' minds to become engineers and scientists to compete with the Soviets. His brother got a degree from the very prestigious, science-focused Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He himself also got a good degree from a good college. They were on the path their parents set. But in the end, one became a comedian and one became a photographer - hardly the professions needed to win the space race. But, he's telling his parents, "Don't worry. We (our generation mostly, not us exactly) won the space race anyway. We did what you asked. You're welcome."

 

[Michael30000]

Thank you, kentix.