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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Nov 13, 2012
November 13, 2012
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The White House:
The Washington Post reports that there's apparently a major shuffle in the works for PRESIDENT OBAMA's second term. The president is reportedly considering asking MA Sen JOHN KERRY to serve as his next defense secretary, and moving current United Nations Ambassador SUSAN RICE to replace HILLARY CLINTON as Secretary of State, even though Kerry was thought to be the top candidate for that position.
The president's current counterterrorism adviser JOHN BRENNAN is thought to be a leading contender for the CIA job if he wants it. (Pacelli)Conspiracy Corner:
A week after BARACK OBAMA's re-election, citizens from 32 states have filed petitions asking to secede from the United States.
Louisiana was first, posting its request on Nov 07. Texas followed on Nov 09. A petition from Florida was created Saturday, the same day the state finally declared Obama the winner of that state.
Petitioners have one month to obtain the necessary 25-thousand signatures in order for the president to consider the request.
As of last night, Louisiana had 25,563 and Texas had 57,158. Florida had 16,992 signatures.
The other states with requests for secession so far: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming.
All quote the same passage from the Declaration of Independence: "Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government." (Maiman)Trash talk and satellite dish:
Lotsa head-scratching over the name of "Hawaii Five-O" star ALEX O'LAUGHLIN's new baby son... LION O'LOUGHLIN. Yeah, like the animal. People.com says there was no particular reason reported for the name. You can add that one to the dumb celebrity baby name list. Here's a few to get you started:
--APPLE, from parents CHRIS MARTIN and GWYNETH PALTROW
--BLUEBELL MADONNA, from parent GERI HALLIWELL
--DIEZEL KY, from parents TONI BRAXTON and KERI LEWIS (also parents of DENIM COLE)
--IRELAND, from parents ALEC BALDWIN and KIM BASINGER
--ZOLA IVY, from parents EDDIE MURPHY and NICOLE MITCHELLANNE HATHAWAY gave up a lot to play "Fantine" in the big-screen version of "Les Miserables." The actress reveals in the December issue of Vogue that she dropped 10 pounds before filming began and another 15 when the cast went on hiatus. The brunette beauty admits the diet was "definitely a little nuts" and she consumed just two thin squares of dried oatmeal paste per-day to achieve the look of a prostitute dying of TB. Although she's gained back some weight, she won't be giving up her new 'do and loves her short, pixie cut! (Lee)
Chic Sh*t:
KRISTEN STEWART says the reason she likes to wear Converse sneakers on the red carpet is because she can sign more autographs for fans in flat shoes. She told Vogue that she "wholeheartedly disagree(s) with people who don't like what I wear." Kristen added that she's not a big fan of actresses who are "more concerned about looking pretty in your heels, and so you're walking slowly down the line. Put a pair of sneakers on."
Editor's note /phone starter: What's better for a big high profile event --looking good? Or feeling good? (Bartha)Survivor: real life:
A teen girl near San Diego, California accidentally stepped into a nest of rattlesnakes and was bitten six times.
CNews says 16-year-old VERA OLIPHANT was trying to find a cell phone signal, so she wasn't watching where she was walking. Oliphant says, "I didn't see them until I already stepped on their nest and I felt them biting me. My vision started to go right away... I started seeing black spots around the edges and I started blacking out."
Doctors confirm she suffered from six sets of rattler bites. She ended up spending four days in intensive care, where she was given 24 vials of rattlesnake serum. Now, she's expected to be okay.
Oliphant's advice to anyone in a similar predicament: "Be careful where you step." (Still) -
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