Daily Skimm: Is this thing on?

Skimm'd with a bottle of red and C-SPAN

"Emotional-support peacock" - Something that is not allowed on United Airlines flights.

(HOLD FOR APPLAUSE)

The Story

Last night, President Trump took the mic for his first State of the Union. There were 'USA' chants.

How was it?

Long. Trump said he knows 2017 was rough, in between massive natural disasters and mass shootings. But America is "safe, strong, and proud." VP Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) were backup clappers. First Lady Melania Trump got her own ride. Dems took out their LBDs in support of #MeToo and #TimesUp.

What'd he talk about?

Immigration...as in he's got a plan. It would give 1.8 million Dreamers a path to citizenship, while boosting border security funding. It would also overhaul immigration policy in this country, prioritizing skill over family. A lot of this plan won't go over well with Trump's far-right base or Dems. But it comes just weeks before DACA officially expires - and roughly a week before the next possible government shutdown.

Economy...as in let's hear it one more time for tax reform. Trump says Americans' paychecks will thank the GOP. And that more than two million jobs have been created on his watch already - many of them in manufacturing. Plus have you seen the stock market? Good news for your 401k.

Infrastructure...as in Trump wants to give our roads, bridges, and railways a $1.5 trillion makeover. This is something both sides have wanted for years, and probably the best chance at a bipartisan policy win in 2018.

Opioid crisis...as in still a crisis. Trump is aiming to crack down on drug dealers and help addicts get treatment. But went a little light on specifics.

Foreign policy...as in ISIS is on the run, but there's still a lot of work to do. Guantanamo Bay is staying open. The US is recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. North Korea is still a big problem. Trump intro'd America to Otto Warmbier's parents and a North Korean defector to underline the point.

The judicial branch...as in Trump reminded everyone that he's been adding conservatives to the bench. He appointed more federal judges in his first year than any other new administration in US history.

What didn't he talk about?

The Russia investigation. NAFTA. Or anything related to #MeToo.

Who stayed home?

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. He's now on a first-name basis with the nuclear codes.

What's the other side say?

Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA) - RFK's grandson - drew the short straw and gave the Dem response from the set of "Grease." He mostly focused on immigration - reminding everyone about America's immigrant roots and promising to protect Dreamers. Also, he paid attention in high school Spanish.

theSkimm

Trump's speech was both a call for bipartisanship, and a double down on very conservative policies. Another possible government shutdown looms next week - TBD which one wins out.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when you need a buzzword for the pitch deck...

So disruptive. Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase are forming a new company. The goal? Making the healthcare system less expensive and easier to navigate. These are three of the biggest VIPs in business. Amazon is Amazon. Berkshire Hathaway is one of the largest public companies in the world. JP Morgan is the biggest US bank. Wall Street said 'oh sh*t' and sent health company and health insurance stocks low low low low. The new company's services will cover their roughly 1.2 million US employees. There aren't many details yet, but, again, Amazon is involved. You do the math. Early guesses are that this could mean an online shop for healthcare services and negotiating with docs and hospitals for cheaper prices. Easy pill to swallow.

What people are talking about...

Mark Salling. Yesterday, the former "Glee" actor was found dead in Los Angeles. He was 35 years old. Officials say he died by suicide. Last month, Salling aka "Puck" pleaded guilty to having child porn and could've gone to prison to up to seven years. He was set to be sentenced in March.

What to say when you feel like it's Friday...

False alarm. Turns out the Hawaii employee who set off that false missile alert actually thought the US was being attacked. Earlier this month, people in Hawaii got an emergency phone alert saying a missile was going to hit. Then, false alarm. It came as North Korea's been threatening to hit the US with its nuclear weapons - Hawaii's one of the closest areas in range. The false alert also led a lot of people to wonder whether the US needed to make some serious upgrades to its emergency notification system. The FCC - which oversees these types of alerts - looked into how this happened. Now the group says a local gov employee sent out the alert because he didn't hear part of a test recording that specified it was...a test. Whoops. The employee's been fired and Hawaii has adopted new policies to keep this from going down again.

What to say when your friend tells you she's pregnant...

This is huge. Scientists say they've discovered a fossil in Egypt of a new dinosaur species that was the size of a school bus. It lived about 80 million years ago. It's difficult to find fossils in Africa, because the types of terrain there (think: rain forests, savannas) cover up ground where fossils could exist. The fossil is being called the "holy grail" of dinosaur discoveries and scientists say it'll help them learn more about what Africa was like millions of years ago. Dig it.

THING TO KNOW

WYA

Where you at? All the YAs are saying it.

SKIMM LIFE

For your engaged coworker who feels like wedding planning is another job...

This has your back. Create a registry today and then enter for a chance to win $10,000. That's a LOT of cash money towards the flower budget. Or honeymoon. Your move. Today's the last day to win that cash money. So get started.

For your political junkie friend who can't get enough of those "Fire and Fury" headlines...

We sat down with the author, Michael Wolff, to talk about the book and the criticism against it. Things got interesting. Watch it here.

For when you weren't sure why #SOTU was trending...

Happens. Our app notifies you when events like the State of the Union are coming - before your news feed lets you know you missed it. We'll even give you a 15-minute warning if you want. Get it here.

For when you're on team shower shoes...

You might want to see this.

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