------------------------------------------------------ The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC ------------------------------------------------------
Hardball airs tonight on MSNBC at 7p, 11p, 4a ET & 4p, 8p & 1a PT The White House is in full damage control mode as the controversy grows over the Iraqi torture pix...Today POTUS went on a couple of Arab networks to say the actions of U.S. personnel at the prisons is "abhorrent" and that "this is a serious matter, a matter that reflects badly on our country." "What did the president know, when did he know it and what did he do about it"? seems to be the reigning theme of today's White House press conference... We'll talk to a former Iraqi prisoner who was tortured by the U.S. and ask him about that experience...Then NBC's Ned Colt will give us a tour of the infamous Abu Ghraib prison and congressional reaction from a couple of members of Congress... Then we'll talk to California First Lady Maria Shriver about her new kids book on Alzheimer's and political life in California... http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040503/ap_en_ce/maria_shriver_1 Shuster reports from Cumberland, MD where a number of the accused U.S. soldiers were from...He gives us community reaction... We've also got some new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll numbers that are being released tonight...We'll have a journalist/political strategist type in the House slicin' and dicin' 'em... An action packed show tonight folks, we hope you join us... Last night newly installed CNN Hill correspondent Ed Henry got the Juleanna Glover Weiss treatment, or as Howard Mortman and I like to say he was "feted", in honor of his new position...Henry was the long time "Heard on the Hill" columnist for Roll Call, a "must-read" in this town, until he was scooped up by the Atlanta based cable network...For those who don't know about Glover-Weiss, a former Cheney spokeswoman, she's been described as "the Pamela Harriman for a generation of people who have never heard of Pamela Harriman" according to Mortman, who was himself once feted by her back when he first ascended to the role as a Hardball producer... Food: Delicious Vietnamese spring roll things (of the Cafe Asia variety) with dipping sauce, sushi, sliced rare roast beef with Dijon mustard, a Lebanese fallafah/kibbeh type thing (of the Lebanese Taverna variety) which rocked and for dessert: profiteroles, fresh strawberries with cream and an assortment of cookies...A full spirits bar and wine of course. Top shelf only for this glamorous crowd at the Embassy of Juleanna. Personnel: Ed & Jennifer Henry, their kid Patrick, Mortman of course, Daschle staffer Todd Webster, Bill Press, Jim Glassman, fmr. MSNBC Strat Ops guru turned GOP pollster Alex Bratty, Frank Coleman of the Distilled Spirits Council served up bubbly conversation, Marc Thiessen, gifted speechwriter for Secretary Rumsfeld, Brody Mullins, rising star at Roll Call, Tim Burger, formerly of Roll Call now a rising star at Time mag, Danielle Jones, loyal Briefing reader and multi-decade Hotline editor, Eamon Javers, a G.E. colleague and investigative reporter for CNBC's Capitol Report, Anne Schroeder of the Washington Post, political Internet guru Jonah Seiger, stand-up comedian Grover Norquist, Mr. Bobblehead John Edgell, proud parent of children with last name Edgell, Vaughn Ververs of the Hotline, Beltway Boy Mort Kondracke, Kellyanne Conway/Fitzpatrick, Pete Snyder, your garden variety GOP strategist & Jake Tapper from ABC News...If I left your name out I'm sorry, I either forgot or didn't see you... Congrats on your new gig Ed, just stay out of the 7 pm slot! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC POTUS Sked Tonight 7 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush depart The White House en route Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. 7:10 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush arrive Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. 7:35 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush attend the Republican National Committee Gala. Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. 8:40 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush depart Marriott Wardman Park Hotel en route The White House. 8:50 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush arrive The White House. The Republican National Committee raised at least $38.5 million Wednesday at an annual gala featuring President Bush, beating a party record set when big corporate and union donations were still allowed. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82CFKR80.html Bush: Abuse of Iraqi prisoners is 'abhorrent'...In Arab TV interviews, he vows full investigation (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4855930/ At the same time, Bush voiced full confidence in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "Of course I've got confidence in the secretary of defense," he told the U.S.-funded Arabic television network Alhurra (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5048332 "If it goes all the way to Rumsfeld, then he should resign," Biden told "Today" on NBC. "Who is in charge? I mean, look, every single, solitary decision made almost since the fall of Saddam Hussein has been mistaken. Who's making these decisions?" (AP) http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1842333 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Wednesday "any American" felt apologetic for abuses of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers but stopped short of offering a direct apology himself. (AP) http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/401504|top|05-05-2004::08:08|reutershtml Curry: Abuse flap not expected to cut support for war...Congressional leaders moving ahead with billions more for Iraq http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4893826/ U.S. soldier killed at Iraq checkpoint...Driver rams dump truck into soldier's Humvee near Kerbala (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899904/ Bush to ask for $25 billion more for Iraq...Request comes amid plans to keep more troops in country next year (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4908166/ Two Iraqi prisoners were killed by U.S. soldiers last year, and 20 other detainee deaths and assaults remain under criminal investigation in Iraq and Afghanistan, part of a total of 35 cases probed since December 2002 for possible misconduct by U.S. troops in those two countries, Army officials reported yesterday. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2179-2004May4.html As the crisis over Iraqi prison abuse mounted, White House officials portrayed President Bush as a distant witness to the controversy yesterday, saying the president had only learned about graphic prisoner photographs and a damaging Pentagon investigation through news accounts last weeks. (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/05/05/white_house_distances_bush_from_abuse_crisis/ U.S. to cut count in Iraqi prison...The U.S. general overseeing Army-run prisons in Iraq said Tuesday that the population of overcrowded Abu Ghraib prison would be cut by more than half and that he has ordered military intelligence operatives to stop placing hoods over detainees' heads as an interrogation tactic. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4901238/ Family proud of Iraq abuses' whistleblower...Darby joined Army 'to take care of people,' relative says (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4906211/ Hometown shocked by reservists...All facing court-martial in scandal are in unit from tiny Maryland town (NBC Nightly News) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4900336/ Interrogators pressured to make inmates talk...Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller arrived in Baghdad in September with one urgent mission: Improve the intelligence gathered from Iraqi detainees in 16 Army-run prisons, including Saddam Hussein's favorite, Abu Ghraib. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040505-122431-5035r.htm Staffers quit at U.S.-backed Iraq paper...'Suffocated' journalists prepare to start their own publication (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4901254/ Friends say Powell uncomfortable in job...Chief of staff says he's unlikely to stay; also rips Cuba policy (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4906842/ Pakistan has protested to the United States against an incursion by U.S. troops into Pakistani territory to hunt suspected al Qaeda or Taliban militants, a Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5047949§ion=news A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82C58581.html Vietnam veterans call Kerry unfit...Two dozen veterans who served the same swift boat duty in the Navy as John Kerry in Vietnam, including some who served with or commanded him, said yesterday the Democratic presidential candidate is not fit to be commander in chief. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040504-110913-2157r.htm Kerry spokesman David Wade denounced the statements as "a false, lying smear campaign against a decorated combat veteran." He added, "This is the ugly face of the Bush attack machine questioning John Kerry's patriotism." (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2143-2004May4.html President Bush's approval rating hovers at an all time low, but if the election were held today more voters would still vote for Bush than his Democratic rival John Kerry, according to a poll published on Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=A3FGZNX1YFWKMCRBAEKSFFA?type=topNews&storyID=5048233 Bush campaign tour bus made in Canada; Kerry's was, too (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/05/04/politics2329EDT0862.DTL Kerry campaign chided on diversity...Democratic strategist Donna Brazile criticized Sen. John Kerry yesterday for failing to put black and Hispanic leaders into senior campaign positions, saying it raised serious questions about his commitment to racial diversity. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040504-110932-5540r.htm At least six of the 10 members of a bipartisan commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have made partisan campaign donations since joining the panel, campaign finance reports show. Democratic Commissioner Jamie Gorelick has given roughly $14,000 to Democratic candidates and causes since joining in December 2002. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82CFNKO0.html The private jet that Mayor Bloomberg uses to travel the world is reportedly set to get the ultimate in corporate upgrades - its own anti-missile defense system. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/190368p-164511c.html The Republican National Convention in New York this summer will be drawing some unlikely visitors: supporters of Senator John Kerry. (NY Observer) http://www.observer.com/pages/frontpage2.asp A large area around Madison Square Garden will be turned into a security zone during this summer's Republican convention, organizers revealed yesterday. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/20185.htm Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's documentary linking President Bush with powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden, is stirring up controversy even before its release. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=5046930 Wonkette's Washington Gossip Roundup http://www.wonkette.com/archives/gossip-roundup-myself-or-my-country-edition-015920.php Opinion/Editorial Javers: Spinning Fallujah...Why the Marines say they're fighting "anti-Iraqi" forces. http://slate.msn.com/id/2099984/ Roset: 'We Have Other Priorities'...Why won't the U.N. answer questions about its Iraq scandal? http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/cRosett/?id=110005040 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 <http://www.msnbc.com/tools/newstools/e/emailextra.asp?nfeature=19>