------------------------------------------------------ The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC ------------------------------------------------------
Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7p, 11p & 4a ET & 4p, 8p & 1a PT Find MSNBC on your TV http://www.msnbc.com/CableOperator.asp MSNBC also is on your XM satellite radio on channel 130 This week the White House is hosting what it dubs "Securing Our Economic Future: White House Conference On The Economy"...Panels will be held on the state of the ecomony, making healthcare affordable, reforming Social Security and ending abusive lawsuits...We'll preview it with one of the panelists, Brian Wesbury, chief economist at a top Chicago investment bank...We'll also get perspective from Pete Peterson, former Commerce Secretary under Nixon and the author of "Running on Empy"...Plus, liberal NY Times columnist and Princeton economist Paul Krugman... Here's a couple of background pieces Stocks mark time ahead of Fed decision...Another quarter-point hike in key lending rate expected http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3683270/ First-quarter hiring to grow in 2005...Manpower survey shows gains in finance, insurance, real estate http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6712003/ Shuster does a package on Kerik and the litany of allegations swirling around him...In the back half we bring back Russ Buettner of the Daily News and Dana Priest of The Washington Post to slice and dice it and maybe some other news of current topicalility... We finish up with former Air Force Academy cadet Beth Davis and her lawyer...Beth claims she was raped at the Academy and then punished for reporting it...We talk to her about it in the final block... Here's some background on Beth and her case http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&u=/ap/20041208/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/academy_assault_report_11&printer=1 By the way, You can see a preview for our special Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital show which will air on Thursday, December 16th and send a message to the troops here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6686538/ Pls join us tonight...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Brieing from deep inside the Beltway... 7 die in another Green Zone car bomb blast...Monday's blast at same checkpoint left 13 Iraqis dead (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6692775/ Bush Awards Medal of Freedom...3 Men Central to Iraq Policy Receives Civilian Honor (AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A63623-2004Dec14?language=printer Road to Baghdad a highway of hazards...Troops struggle to counter attacks along 'Route Irish' (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6709113/ Rumsfeld under fire for handing of Iraq...McCain has 'no confidence'; Schwartzkopf expresses anger http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6708495/ Bernie cops to trysts...'Very close' to publisher & correx officer, he sez (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/261923p-224273c.html He Coulda Put Spice In The Bush Cabinet http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A62072-2004Dec13?language=printer Bernard Kerik's nanny problem might have proved the least of his troubles if he had pressed ahead with his bid to become homeland security secretary. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041214/D86VFVJ80.html Two years after shutting what critics called a deceptive propaganda office, the Pentagon is embroiled in a new high-level debate over how to polish the fading U.S. image abroad, defense officials said on Monday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=FABD1SB1RZXXGCRBAELCFEY?type=politicsNews&storyID=7078341 Libel Suit Takes Aim at Print Reporter's Words on TV (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A62088-2004Dec13?language=printer Iraqi PM: War crimes trials to start next week...No details on which Saddam regime 'symbols' to be tried (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6711142/ 'Frivolous lawsuit' irks Pentagon...The Pentagon expressed concern yesterday about a "frivolous" complaint filed against Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld by a leftist group that is using a new German law that claims the right to investigate war crimes anywhere in the world. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041214-122616-9927r.htm Hearings examine soldiers' conduct...Questions emerge in Article 32 proceedings (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6709118/ Iran says U.S. could join nuclear program talks...Official makes comment as European delegation opens negotiations (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6711653/ Hundreds of Wash. votes wrongly rejected...Finding could swing governor election to Democrat (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6708517/ Opinion/Editorial Georgie Ann Geyer: Rumsfeld May Soon Regret His Arrogance Towards The Troops http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2205&ncid=742&e=14&u=/ucgg/20041213/cm_ucgg/rumsfeldmaysoonregrethisarrogancetowardustroops Katrina: Needed: Enlightened Business Leaders...Making fair play into reality. http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7 The Wall Street Journal: Free Speech v. Tax Code...The IRS takes on the NAACP. We're on the NAACP's side. http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110006026 Pat: Christianophobia http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41900 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 Microsoft Corporation - One Microsoft Way - Redmond, WA 98052 MSN PRIVACY STATEMENT http://privacy.msn.com