------------------------------------------------------ The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC ------------------------------------------------------
Tonight, Academy Award winning actors Robert De Niro and Matt Damon will be here for a must-see Hardball College Tour! The stars of the upcoming movie "The Good Shepherd" join Chris at 5 and 7 PM ET on the final stop of the 2006 Hardball College Tour at George Mason University to talk about their new movie, the CIA and politics. And, you'll find out who their presidential picks are for '08! Don't miss it! And in Washington today, Robert Gates started as the new Secretary of Defense (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16263145/), replacing Don Rumsfeld. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) is still in critical condition but improving after brain surgery last week (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16224094/). Plus, just three weeks after announcing his plans for an '08 run, Evan Bayh (D-IN) decides not to run saying that "the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue" (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16235397/). Meanwhile, an announcement is expected before the new year from former Senator and vice presidential nominee John Edwards on his plans for an '08 run (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16239360/). Go to www.politics.msnbc.com for the latest on these stories and all of today's political news. Stories you may have missed today: - Newsweek takes a closer look at '08 contenders Clinton and Obama: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16238556/site/newsweek/ - The best political moments of '06 from the National Journal: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16265019/ - The latest from HotSoup: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16266880/ - The Hotline's Chuck Todd: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16268144/ - "The Fix" from Washingtonpost.com's Chris Cillizza: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/ - NBC's First Read: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/ - MSNBC's Political Calendar: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14708421/ The Hardball briefing was compiled by Tina Urbanski and Colleen King in Washington, DC. ========================================= This e-mail is never sent unsolicited. You have received this The Hardball Briefing Newsletter 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.msn.com/id/7140407/, select unsubscribe, enter the email address receiving this message, and click the Go button. Microsoft Corporation - One Microsoft Way - Redmond, WA 98052 MSN PRIVACY STATEMENT http://privacy.msn.com <http://privacy.msn.com/>