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Between encouraging all Americans to embrace the challenge of "winning the future" and telling everyone what life is going to be like when sentient, high-speed trains start roaming the countryside in packs, President Obama managed to slip a joke into his State of the Union address last night. It is about government inefficiency and fish, and is embedded below. We're not ruining anything when we say the punchline is "smoked salmon." On Twitter, those who heard the gag live struggled to piece it back together:





Wow, what a speech.  He even did a lox gag.less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Anthony Weiner
RepWeiner


I did not see a salmon joke coming. Borsht Belt!less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPadRick Klein
rickklein


Lox of love in the chamber for the smoked salmon joke.less than a minute ago via TweetDeckdelrayser
delrayser


Secretary Lox, not Locke, should be in charge if smoked salmonless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Jason Rosenberg
jro


Obama Calls Out 'Axis of Lox': Interior Department, the Commerce Department and a mystery third agencyless than a minute ago via webMike Nizza
mikenizza


Now taking high speed rail from Columbia Heights to Georgia Avenue. Expecting some lox on board.less than a minute ago via ÜberTwitterMike Madden
mikemadden


Obama's smoked salmon joke was blatant pandering for the Jeremy Piven vote #tcotless than a minute ago via webBobby Big Wheel
Bobby_BigWheel


"Lox roflcopter w/ no engine lollllllll!" #fakebidentweetsless than a minute ago via TweetDeckBrian Beutler
brianbeutler


Joe Lieberman would be a great candidate to head up the consolidated salmon regulator. Lox for all!less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPadmattyglesias
mattyglesias


So, through Twitter I learned tonight that "lox" & "smoked salmon" are the same thing. The world is a little more boring now.less than a minute ago via webTimothy P Carney
TPCarney


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