------------------------------------------------------ The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC ------------------------------------------------------
Wanted to let you guys know up front what's going on with Chris...He's been hospitalized with malaria and is resting comfortably at this hour (Actually he's been busy this afternoon dictating his latest book to his researchers)...He's expected to make a full recovery and return home by week's end...As you know Chris has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia...Just got off the phone with him and he's "betting on Zimbabwe" as to the origin of his illness...Nonetheless, it hasn't dampened his spirits or feistiness, however...Watch this space for updates.. Tonight Barnicle will talk to Jesse...Check below for two big Wash Times pieces on him We'll do the economy story with Robert Reich, Ben Stein, and Warren Rudman...The debate will be over the "sexualization" of kids..We got Donna Rice Hughes and Richard Walters (UCLA Film Prof).... Jesse will be in B The orders came from on high in Secaucus this morning to kick it up a notch...This will be a good one, trust me...Rios v. vanden Heuvel on the Priscilla Owen Judiciary fight among other topics... The Hardball Briefing is written, compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone in Washington, DC Housekeeping: Thanks for all your wonderful e-mails about the new layout, the new lineup and MSNBC access...Just because some of you don't get MSNBC anymore, doesn't mean you can't get value from the Briefing...So pls folks, don't unsubcribe...I've been there for you, now please be there for me...Besides, it will give you hope as the crack team here works to get you access.. Where's my MSNBC?? http://msnbc.com/tools/newstools/n/msnbc_tv.asp There's a lot of buzz today up in the Big Apple over one of our former All Star Friday panelists...Al "The Rev" Sharpton The Rev. Al Sharpton discusses a major coke deal with an undercover federal agent on a 19-year-old video that will be aired tonight. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/53144.htm "I can get pure coke ... for about 35,000 a kilo," says Victor Quintana, the FBI agent, as Sharpton nods during the sting operation. "But I gotta get, you know, more than one." "Right," Sharpton replies. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/5261p-4844c.html "This is nothing but some dirty tricks from some law enforcement officials," the civil rights activist said from Cleveland on Monday night. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020723/ap_on_re_us/sharpton_tape_2 President and Dog: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/020722/168/1wb9o.html Teens Before Their Time...With budding breasts and pubic hair, girls are developing earlier than ever. What's causing it? And what are the psychological effects? (Time) http://www.time.com/time/pacific/magazine/20001030/cover.html A decade ago, more than half of high school teens had sexual intercourse while they were in high school...Now, according to new federal data, it appears that the tables have turned, and virginal teens outnumber the sexually active ones. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020722-76660856.htm SEC considers rule on analysts' picks...Influence of investment banking colleagues under scrutiny (The Wall Street Journal) http://www.msnbc.com/news/784136.asp Senior credit officers of Citigroup misrepresented the full nature of a 1999 transaction with Enron in the records of the deal so that the energy company could ignore accounting requirements and hide its true financial condition, according to internal bank documents and government investigators. (The New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/23/business/23CITI.html?ex=1028088000&en=521970df2888ac6e&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1 President Bush came to the southwest suburbs Monday to cheer on local scientists and trumpet his homeland security plans, but he found himself giving a pep talk on the economy as the stock market zigged and zagged like a football player who lost his playbook. (Chicago Sun Times) http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-bush23.html Bush's task: Turn back the bears...President presses for Congress to finish corporate-reform package by Friday, as White House takes heat on economy (Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0723/p01s01-uspo.html Lobbyists Lose Clout...Business Groups Find Their Influence On Audit Reform Legislation Shrinking (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47300-2002Jul22.html As millions of Americans watched in horror as their nest eggs shrank with the stock market's big nose dive last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill was noticeably missing from the scene (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020723/ap_to_po/us_o_neill_mia__2 Corporate wrongdoing and economic jitters have soured the national mood noticeably in recent weeks, according to prominent Republican pollsters who warn of "GOP turnout problems" in midterm elections if the trend persists. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=513&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20020723/ap_on_go_ot/corporate_politics_8 Jackson plans peace talks with Arafat...Jesse Jackson pointedly criticized President Bush's handling of the Middle East and said he will seek to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on a peace mission "soon." (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-98951228.htm Jesse Jackson yesterday equated police officers accused of brutality with terrorists, referring to police as the "militia." There is a pattern of African Americans being beaten by the militia and killed by the militia," Mr. Jackson said in an interview with the Washington Times. http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-85008396.htm Senate ethics panel staff questions Torricelli...Sen. Robert G. Torricelli was questioned yesterday by staff of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics about accusations that he accepted cash in exchange for official favors. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-7069774.htm Israeli strike kills Hamas leader, 14 others...Israeli warplanes launched a missile attack in Gaza early Tuesday, killing the military leader of Hamas and at least 14 other Palestinians, including several children. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/677951.asp Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, sharply criticized U.S. policy in the Middle East yesterday, urging the Bush administration to leave Yasser Arafat alone and warning that a military strike on Iraq would be an "attack against God Himself." (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20020723-32514064.htm Gertz: China recently test-fired a medium-range missile that contained numerous dummy warheads designed to defeat missile defenses, according to U.S. intelligence officials. The launch of a CSS-5 medium-range missile occurred in early July from a missile base in southern China, said officials familiar with the intelligence report. http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-368019.htm U.S. shifts policy on Iranian reform...Bush administration appeals to 'aspirations of Iranian people' (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/784207.asp Video from the U.S. warplane that attacked villages in central Afghanistan earlier this month shows gunfire from the ground, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said. But Rumsfeld said it is difficult to tell from the nighttime video whether anti-aircraft guns were being fired at the Air Force AC-130 gunship. (AP) http://nandotimes.com/special_reports/terrorism/story/474904p-3796910c.html Liberals step up fight against nominee Owen...Liberal groups want to derail the nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, who faces a rocky reception from Democrats today at her confirmation hearing. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-15065258.htm A number of prominent Republicans, led by former White House counsel C. Boyden Gray, have formed a committee to pressure the Senate to approve President Bush's nominees for federal judgeships (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47344-2002Jul22.html?referer=email Bush holds funds on family planning...The Bush administration said yesterday that it will not pay the $34 million Congress has earmarked for U.N. family-planning programs overseas. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-12697648.htm Two grounded America West pilots drank nearly three gallons of beer before they allegedly tried to fly a jetliner earlier this month, prosecutors are charging. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/53179.htm Hispanic Group Assails INS Enforcement Plan...La Raza Says Fla. Pact Stirs Immigrant Fears (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47483-2002Jul22.html House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt told a national Hispanic rights group meeting in Miami Beach on Monday that he plans to introduce a bill within the next few weeks that would grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/3715216.htm "Fear Factor Sundae," "Will & Grace's Rocky Road of Romance," "Good Morning Miami Mint" and "Pralines 'n' American Dreams" are among the upcoming Baskin Robins flavors named after NBC shows (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020723-19243202.htm Al Gore will be kicking off his second summer camp for young activists in Tennessee and raising money for a Senate candidate this week (AP) http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-elect/2002/jul/22/072208298.html Actor Bruce Willis and the White House are teaming up to recruit more people to adopt the tens of thousands of often older, emotionally bruised children languishing in foster care. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&ncid=703&e=5&u=/ap/20020723/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_adoption_6 Sen. Robert Torricelli testified before an ethics panel Monday that is probing allegations that he accepted gifts and cash from a campaign contributor and, in return, helped the contributor with business dealings overseas. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020722/ap_on_go_co/torricelli_ethics_6 Sneed hears rumbles former President Bill Clinton is seeking help in adjusting to his new life as an ex-U.S. commander in chief. http://www.suntimes.com/output/sneed/cst-nws-sneed23.html Washington Whispers: Bruce Lindsey, former President Clinton's closest confidante and trusted advisor, is headed back to Little Rock to rejoin the firm that bears his father's name-Wright, Lindsey & Jennings. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/whisphome.htm Foundation to Honor Martha Stewart (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020719/ap_on_en_ot/people_martha_stewart_and_russell_simmons_2 Earle's Lindh Song Hits Sour Note in Nashville (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47483-2002Jul22.html Grove: ...We're not shocked to hear that over the weekend at Camp David, Bush screened the latest Mike Myers vehicle, "Austin Powers in Goldmember." No word yesterday on the presidential verdict. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46714-2002Jul22.html Drudge reports that Bush "loved it" http://www.drudgereport.com/gold.htm Opinion/Editorial Hollywood's bad mothers...Hollywood seems to have a fascination with bad mothers, writes Moira Redmond in Slate in exploring the depiction of motherhood in recent films. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/783898.asp Mitch Daniels: Homeland Security: Do It Right http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47410-2002Jul22.html Altman: The Market Punishes Its Own...Congress won't fix corporate accounting. http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002026 Mark Levin: Joe Lieberman's Cover-Up...Where is Robert Rubin? http://www.nationalreview.com/levin/levin072302.asp DeWayne Wickham: Skip Gore this time, please http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/wickham/2002-07-23-wickham_x.htm Treasury Secretary O'Neill is missing in action. He should resign. (Orlando Sentinel) http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edped231072302jul23.story?coll=orl%2Dopinion%2Dheadlines Samuelson: The Real Price of the Slide...The market has dropped by a dizzying $7.7 trillion since its peak. Will falling stocks cause a 'double dip' recession-or will the rising economy help salvage our investments? http://www.msnbc.com/news/783516.asp Ingraham: No time for vacation http://jewishworldreview.com/0702/ingraham.html Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/ ========================================= This email is never sent unsolicited. You have received The Hardball Briefing Newsletter because you subscribed to it or, someone forwarded it to you. To remove yourself from the list (or to add yourself to the list if this message was forwarded to you) simply go to http://www.msnbc.com/tools/newstools/e/emailextra.asp?nfeature=19