Good morning, NBC News readers.
President Donald Trump's defiant State of the Union address, the Iowa caucus results and more Americans flown out of Wuhan, China, the center of the coronavirus epidemic.
Here's what we're watching this Wednesday morning.
Trump touts economy, ignores impeachment in State of Union
On the eve of his likely acquittal in the impeachment trial, President Donald Trump delivered a boastful State of the Union address touting a robust U.S. economy nine months ahead of Election Day.
The unusual speech mixed reality TV-style theatrics — from reuniting military families to giving a Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh — with overt partisan appeals.
While the word "impeachment" wasn't in the president's remarks, the partisan rancor was palpable from the start.
After Republicans chanted "four more years" as Trump entered the chamber, the president declined to shake House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's outstretched hand and then she ripped up a copy of the speech from the podium as it ended.
Afterward, Pelosi said she tore up the speech because "it was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative."
- Fact check: Here's what's true and what's false from Trump's third State of the Union address to the nation.
- Analysis: Trump's State of the Union was an 80-minute victory lap, writes NBC News' Shannon Pettypiece.
- Impeachment trial: The Senate is expected to put a coda on Trump's impeachment trial on Wednesday with a vote to acquit him on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
- GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who had voted for witnesses, announced Tuesday she will join her Republican colleagues in voting to acquit Trump.
- Watch full coverage of the vote at 4 p.m. ET on NBC, MSNBC and NBCNews.com.
Partial Iowa caucus results show Buttigieg and Sanders in lead
The Iowa Democratic Party on Tuesday released partial results from Monday night's caucuses after a lengthy delay caused by a "coding issue" with an app used to report the data.
The partial results, which come from each of the state's 99 counties but are inconclusive, show former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at the front of the pack.
Notably, the partial results show former Vice President Joe Biden, the national front-runner, trailing the leaders.
While Iowa’s vote count was a debacle for Democrats, Biden may benefit from all the chaos, NBC's David Wasserman writes in a news analysis.
More Americans extracted from Wuhan, China, the center of the coronavirus epidemic
Hundreds of U.S. nationals have been extracted from locked-down Wuhan, China, the center of the novel coronavirus epidemic, and are en route to the United States on Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said.
The global death toll has risen to 492 as confirmed cases reach more than 24,000 in mainland China.
Cruise ships have come under close scrutiny over infection fears — one with 3,600 people has been quarantined in Hong Kong.
Get the latest updates on the outbreak and the global response here.
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Plus
- A Harvey Weinstein accuser hit back at his defense, saying "I want this jury to know he's my rapist."
- An Ohio lawmaker is pushing a bill to allow Dr. Richard Strauss' accusers to sue Ohio State.
- Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, requested some of the thousands of items fans left at the makeshift memorial for the NBA legend.
THINK about it
Should the Senate censure Trump? Ask Andrew Jackson how that worked out, historian Andrew Burstein writes in an opinion piece.
Shopping
Ready to run, hike or walk your way to a healthier 2020? Here are the best shoes to do it in.
One fun thing
Are you a chronic second-guesser? (Join the club...)
"People second-guess themselves because they think there are 'right' and 'wrong' answers or ways of doing things," says one clinical psychologist. "It’s a form of not owning a decision."
Here are three better ways to stop over analyzing everything and get things done.
Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.
If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — drop me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com
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Thanks, Petra
