Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's upcoming swing through Europe and the Middle East is now guaranteed to be a major media event, certified by the presence of the three network anchors.

The Washington Post has learned that Brian Williams, Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric will travel overseas next week, lured by the prospect of interviews with the presumed Democratic candidate. That means the NBC, ABC and CBS newscasts will originate from stops on the trip and undoubtedly play it up.

The contrast with the coverage of likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain's campaign has been striking.

When McCain, in March, visited Britain, France and Israel and met with their leaders, no network anchors tagged along. NBC and ABC sent correspondents; CBS did not. McCain's trip to Colombia and Mexico two weeks ago was barely covered, although NBC and ABC sent correspondents.

McCain highlights education: McCain told the NAACP yesterday that he will expand education opportunities, partly through vouchers for low-income children to attend private school.

McCain addressed the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Cincinnati.

McCain praised Democrat Barack Obama's historic campaign. "Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing, for himself and for his country, and I thank him for it. . . . Don't tell him I said this, but he is an impressive fellow in many ways."

However, McCain said the Illinois senator is wrong to oppose vouchers for students in failing public schools.

It is time, McCain said, to use vouchers and other tools like merit pay for teachers to break from conventional thinking on educational policy.

Jackson used slur: Fox News says that the Rev. Jesse Jackson used the N-word during a break in a TV interview where he criticized Obama.

Jackson already came under fire this month for crude off-air comments he made against Obama in what he thought was a private conversation during a taping of a "Fox & Friends" news show.

Now a Fox spokesman says Jackson used the N-word to refer to black people during that taping as he said Obama was talking down to them.

Those comments were not aired, and Fox declined to release the transcript.

Jackson -- who is traveling in Spain -- apologized in a statement yesterday for "hurtful words" but didn't offer specifics.

The N-word comment was first reported by blog TVNewser.