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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 28, 2013
August 28, 2013
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Broadcast, cable and video news:
As we reported yesterday, there will be major star power today when PRESIDENT OBAMA speaks at the commemoration of MARTIN LUTHER KING's "I Have a Dream" speech, which was held 50 years ago in Washington, DC.
The President will be speaking at the Lincoln Memorial and OPRAH WINFREY, JAMIE FOXX and FOREST WHITAKER will be on hand along with former presidents BILL CLINTON and JIMMY CARTER.
ABC, CBS, NBC and various cable networks will be interrupting regularly scheduled programming for the President's speech around 2:40 pm (Eastern). And Deadline reports CNN and MSNBC will broadcast Reverend King's 1963 speech in its entirety as well; CNN before the President's remarks around noon and MSNBC following the President's remarks.Along with remembering Dr. King and praising his efforts, there's some notion that the president might use the occasion to launch a head-on attack at many enhanced voter ID laws being passed by many states.
Politico's DAVID NATHER notes that taking on voting rights in today's speech could be a tricky political balancing act. For example, a controversial Texas voter ID law that's being challenged by the Justice Department is similar to an Indiana law that was upheld back in 2009. (Pacelli)Filling a need:
Most break rooms don't offer more than a coffee pot and a vending machine filled with potato chips, Snickers bars and peanuts. But hungry Belgians have a new choice on their lunch breaks. According to Atlantic Cities, there's a machine outside a Brussels grocery store offering piping hot French fries and mayo or ketchup.
The whole process takes about 95 seconds. You drop in your coins, select a condiment and the machine does the rest. It drops frozen frites (frits) into steaming beef fat, then dumps them into a paper cone when they're done cooking. The treat comes with a tiny fork and foil packet of sauce. (Page)Fashion Emergency:
This year, New York Fashion Week will include its first-ever runway show for plus-sized women. The Cabira line by EDEN MILLER was chosen by the Fashion Law Institute to be part of its showcase. Miller told Fashionista.com that "Even though there is a lot of plus high-end stuff out there in the marketplace, they've never shown at straight size fashion week. So there's a certain amount of pressure to show that this is still high fashion, that this is part of the fabric of the fashion world as it is now, in 2013." NY Fashion Week starts next Thursday, September 5th. (Bartha)
Grace notes:
MILEY CYRUS has really gone and done it this time. Yes, she made the Parents Television Council upset with her "shocking" performance on the MTV Video Music Awards, but now the Teddy Bear Fund is weighing in. TMZ says this very real organization hands out teddy bears at abuse shelters, and a spokesperson said (quote), "Miley made a poor choice to use a universally loved children's teddy bear in an offensive way." The statement went on to say (quote), "Hoepfully she might consider reversing the situation by giving lots of teddy bears to children in need of comfort."
Editor's note: The Giant Foam Finger Consortium has yet to make a statement on this. (Marino) -
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