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Meghan McCain to Mitt: For your family's sake, don't run again. Obama's State of the Union wrap up. Poll: Herbert's approval rating sky high.
Happy Wednesday. Meghan McCain, the daughter of Sen. John McCain, knows the challenges that families of presidential candidate face during the contentious, and sometimes downright mean, races, and she has some advice for Mitt Romney: For the sake of your family, don't run a third time. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/01/20/meghan-mccain-dear-mitt-for-your-familys-sake-dont-run/" target="_blank">WaPost]
Topping the news: President Obama delivered his sixth State of the Union Address last night, touting the success of his "middle-class economics" and calling for tax hikes, education and child care for the middle class, equal pay, trade promotion authority and a cleaner environment, among other things. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-is-expected-to-deliver-an-assertive-state-of-the-union-speech/2015/01/20/6fef7846-a0ec-11e4-9f89-561284a573f8_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765666749/Obama-in-State-of-the-Union-Tax-wealthy-help-middle-class.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/us/state-of-the-union-obama-ambitious-agenda-to-help-middle-class.html?_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes] [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-did-obama-fare-with-his-2014-state-of-the-union-to-do-list/" target="_blank">CBS] [http://time.com/3675623/state-of-the-union-2015-barack-obama/" target="_blank">Time] [http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2015-state-of-the-union/obama-demands-better-politics-congress-lift-middle-class-n289936" target="_blank">NBC] [http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/20/obama-state-of-the-union-republican-senate-mitch-mcconnell/22040331/" target="_blank">USAToday] His verdict? "The union is strong." [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/obamas-state-of-the-union-2015-middle-class-economics-works-114407.html?hp=t1_r" target="_blank">Politico] See the full text here: [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/28/president-barack-obamas-state-union-address" target="_blank">WhiteHouse.gov]
-> While congressional Republicans scoffed at many of Obama's points during the address, some of Utah's members say they believe they will be able to work together on issues such as free trade, criminal justice reform and combatting terrorism. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2081604-155/utahs-reps-pan-obama-speech-but" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Former Rep. Jim Matheson, who didn't seek re-election, announced yesterday that he will be joining a Washington lobbying firm, a job that may hint he's not running for statewide office next year. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2080284-155/utah-ex-rep-jim-matheson-joins-dc" target="_blank">Trib] [http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/230041-former-rep-matheson-heads-to-k-street" target="_blank">TheHill] [http://www.ksl.com/?sid=33173171&nid=757&s_cid=rss-extlink&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620003/Former-Congressman-Jim-Matheson-joins-DC-lobbying-firm.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> A new poll finds Gov. Gary Herbert with a 74 percent approval rating while Utahns give the Legislature a 54 percent approval rating. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4563-poll-herbert-s-approval-ratings-remain-high-lt-gov-cox-remains-unknown" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
Tweets of the day: From @https://twitter.com/JonHuntsman" target="_blank">JonHuntsman: "Please send congress to Mars. Save the American people!"
From @https://twitter.com/jjfeinauer" target="_blank">jjfeinauer "Did John Boehner literally eat a lemon to prepare for this? #SOTU"
From @https://twitter.com/LizMair" target="_blank">LizMair "I would have preferred it if Joni Ernst had just said "I'm Joni Ernst and I'm a nice lady so I won't waste your time..."
Happy Birthday: To Charlie Roberts.
Tune in: Former Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart is being remembered this week for her strong leadership and political vision. Joe Pyrah, Lockhart's chief of staff, former House minority leader Jen Seelig, blogger and former state Rep. Holly Richardson and Tribune senior political reporter Robert Gehrke discuss her legacy with Jennifer Napier-Pearce. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MT on http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.
Happening Today: The University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics has invited the Tribune's Matt Canham and Robert Gehrke to take part in a forum on the book "Mia Love, The Rise, Stumble and Resurgence of the Next GOP Star." It begins at 2 p.m. in the Hinckley Caucus Room. [http://www.hinckley.utah.edu/calendar/" target="_blank">Hinckley] [http://www.mialovebook.com/" target="_blank">MiaLoveBook]
Spotted: U. President David Pershing and Rep. Jason Chaffetz leaving the State of the Union address on Tuesday. (Take a look in the back of this photo of Sen. Rob Portman: [https://twitter.com/smahaskey/status/557752759236452352/photo/1" target="_blank">Twitter]) And Rich Piatt, Rep. Mia Love's new communications director, watched the SOTU speech from the House gallery.
In other news: Despite Utah's progress on fighting homelessness, The Rio Grande area near the homeless shelter has another issue: drug-trafficking. Police say this is a prime spot for drug dealers, many with connections to Honduran and Mexican drug cartels. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2054450-155/war-on-drugs-cartels-target-salt" target="_blank">Trib]
-> In the wake of multiple deadly police shootings in the nation and the state, Lawmakers met with local police officials Tuesday to ask questions about police use of deadly force. At the end of the hearing, lawmakers approved a motion to create a task force specifically to study police policies and investigate shootings. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2080555-155/utah-lawmakers-want-task-force-formed" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865620001/Police-shooting-investigations-vary-lawmakers-told.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> After releasing a police report detailing last year's police shooting and killing of Dillon Taylor, a spokesman for Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker announced that going forward, all reports from the Police Civilian Review Board will be public records. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2081510-155/slc-releases-dillon-taylor-report-says?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The group Education First is satisfied with Gov. Herbert's proposed funding for education and won't be asking the Legislature for a tax hike for more funds. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4562-pro-education-group-will-not-ask-legislature-for-tax-hike-to-fund-schools" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Parents and teachers in Herriman are split over keeping their current year-round school schedule and switching to a traditional September-May format. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2080803-155/utah-parents-teachers-divided-over-temporary" target="_blank">Trib]
-> After being fired for refusing to grade a standardized test because she thought it was unethical, a group of students and activists are defending a Wasatch Junior High teacher and helping her raise money for a lawsuit that would get her reappointed. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2067279-155/rolly-activists-students-support-utah-teacher" target="_blank">Trib]
-> With Utahns playing less golf in recent years, Salt Lake's troubled golf program is looking at huge budget cuts and possible course closures. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2068153-155/salt-lake-city-council-teeing-up" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has invited residents to schedule one-on-one meetings with him for next Wednesday, Jan. 28, to talk about city issues. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619978/Mayor-Becker-invites-residents-to-schedule-one-on-one-meetings.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will speak at the University of Utah next Wednesday about her book, "My Beloved World," and her educational experiences. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619973/US-Supreme-Court-Justice-Sonia-Sotomayor-to-speak-at-the-U.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Utah beer wholesalers are asking lawmakers to repeal a law that requires every bottle of so-called "alco-pops" to have extra labels stating the alcohol content, saying it requires too much unnecessary labor to put the stickers on. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2080233-155/utah-beer-group-wants-extra-labels" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The Obrella Insider just released a list of Utah cities with the longest and shortest commutes, with Price taking the lead with an average of only 13.8 minutes. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2080906-155/price-tops-list-of-utah-cities" target="_blank">Trib]
Nationally: President Obama made history Tuesday by being the first to ever use the words "transgender" and "bi-sexual" in the State of the Union Address. [http://time.com/3675798/state-union-transgender/" target="_blank">TIME] [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/20/transgender-sotu_n_6512064.html" target="_blank">HuffPost]
-> Freshman Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, became the 16th woman to deliver a response to the president's State of the Union Speech last night, declaring that Congress is "back to work" for Americans and showing that the Republican Congress won't back down from certain issues in the face of Obama's veto threats. [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/state-of-the-union-republican-response-joni-ernst-114409.html?hp=rc1_4" target="_blank">Politico] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765666793/Iowa-Sen-Ernst-promises-GOP-focus-on-Americans-concerns.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2015-state-of-the-union/ernst-focuses-gop-priorities-state-union-response-n289951" target="_blank">NBC] [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gops-state-of-the-union-response-were-getting-to-work/" target="_blank">CBS] See the full text here: [http://www.speaker.gov/press-release/embargoed-full-text-sen-joni-ernst-delivers-republican-address-nation" target="_blank">Speaker.gov]
-> Guests to last night's State of the Union Speech included doctors, professional athletes, an author and a Pearl Harbor military vet. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/liveblog/live-updates-state-of-the-union-2/?id=dc71153e-e1b8-4d24-9595-07042319585e&Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost" target="_blank">WaPost] In addition, eight people from around the nation were invited to sit with Michelle Obama during the speech after writing to the president about how his policies have helped them overcome personal hardship. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765666738/8-who-wrote-Obama-letters-to-attend-State-of-Union.html" target="_blank">AP]
Where are they?
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com" target="_blank">cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [http://www.sltrib.com/pages/email" target="_blank">Trib]
— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr" target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer