Pointless Presidential Pfacts #49 - "Mailing It In"

While Washington and Adams 2 delivered their annual messages to Congress, Jefferson broke with tradition and established sending the annual message which would then be read by a clerk to the joint-session. This was the tradition until Wilson when he addressed a joint-session, something I'm sure Theodore Roosevelt would've loved to start up again just a few years before Wilson. Bully!

Pointless Presidential Pfacts #48 - "A Skutnik Moment"

The first time a president cited a guest seated next to the first lady at a State of the Union was in 1982 when Ronald Reagan lauded Lenny Skutnik (like Sputnik) a government employee who helped save victims of a plane crash. Since then presidents have invited guests which have become known as the "Lenny Skutnik" moments.

Lenny Skutnik at the 1982 State of the Union Address next to First Lady Nancy Reagan.