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Tonight Chris begins MSNBC coverage at 6:30 pm ET with David Gregory previewing President Bush's trip to the Rotunda at 7 pm ET as well as Time mag's Hugh Sidey...We'll take the live shot of Bush at the Rotunda with Ed Meese (fmr. top Reagan guy and Attorney General) and former executive assistant to Reagan, Jim Kuhn... Earlier today Chris spoke with former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (who'll speak at the funeral tomorrow) and Reagan PR czar Michael Deaver...We'll roll those interviews as well... Chris taped his own tribute piece to Reagan which we'll air tonight as well... By the way, that Irving Berlin rendition of "I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places" which closed out our coverage last night at 10 pm ET was done by Chris' son Thomas...We've got Thomas doing "America, The Beautiful" as well which we hope to run in the next day or two...Stay tuned... Programming note...Chris and Lester anchor live coverage of Reagan's funeral at beginning at 9 am on Friday...That will go to about 3 pm ET when Reagan's plane will be "wheels up" from Andrews...Chris & Lester go back on the air around 7 pm ET to cover Reagan's arrival at Pt. Mugu etc...In other words, we've got it all covered... And this sad news from the music industry: Music legend Ray Charles dies at 73...Grammy-winning R&B star sang hits such as 'Georgia on My Mind' http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5182959/ Not to mention this...SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) -- President Bush says he does not expect NATO countries to offer more troops in Iraq. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040610/D834C2R81.html Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC MSNBC Reagan Legacy Page http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3294076/ Reagan on MSNBC TV homepage http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/ Thousands honor Reagan in D.C....Some are coming in limousines and dark suits, others in shorts and T-shirts. By 5 a.m. ET Thursday, 80,000 had passed by the casket of Ronald Reagan, paying tribute to the nation's 40th president. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5144264/ They waited, some for more than five hours, for a minute or two with a closed casket in the Capitol Rotunda, where the body of Ronald Wilson Reagan lay in state. Reagan breathed hope into the nation, many said, and after the long twilight that was his last decade, they were eager to pay homage. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30441-2004Jun10.html Cheney recalls Reagan as faithful, optimistic...Excerpts of Vice President Dick Cheney's remarks last night at the state funeral of Ronald Reagan in the Capitol Rotunda (AP) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040609-113520-4000r.htm For Reagan, final honors 'by the book'...Army's Old Guard brings history, tradition, pride to somber duty (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5165538/ America's affectionate farewell to Ronald Reagan has focused attention on the similarities between the 40th president and President Bush, whose policies of tax cuts and a stronger defense parallel his Republican forefather. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040610-122510-9761r.htm Moran: The legacy game...'The Gipper,' the world and a soft-focus lens http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5173436/ G-8 summit yields no new pledges for Iraq assistance...Bush makes fresh appeal as meeting wraps up (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5156236/ Kerry leads Bush by 7 points in new poll...Democrat ahead 51 to 44 percent (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5181338/ Economy provides no boost for Bush...Foreign policy concerns hurt approval ratings (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5175889/ Rumsfeld may expand prison abuse probe...Move would give leeway to follow allegations up chain of command (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5180837/ The State Department is scrambling to revise its annual report on global terrorism to acknowledge that it understated the number of deadly attacks in 2003, amid charges that the document is inaccurate and was politically manipulated by the Bush administration. (Los Angeles Times) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=716&e=28&u=/latimests/20040609/ts_latimes/uswillrevisedataonterror If it ain't pro-war, it ain't on country radio...While Toby Keith gets airtime, Emmylou Harris gets ignored (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5174757/ Post's Woodward: Journalists should have been more skeptical about Iraq war buildup (AP) http://www.boston.com/dailynews/161/nation/Post_s_Woodward_Journalists_sh:.shtml 'Six Feet Under' just as dark as last year...The series gets off to a slow start but pick up in episode two (Hollywood Reporter) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5175510/ Opinion/Editorial The Washington Times: Ronald Reagan's faith...Ronald Reagan spoke eloquently in many ways. But the Great Communicator may be best remembered for his words of faith and the cultural changes that followed them. http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20040609-084115-5037r.htm Katrina: Responsive Chords...Questions to get Republican voters to reconsider their support for Bush. http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7 Landfield Stem Cell Research: Ethical Dilemma or Promise? http://www.practicalpolitics.net/landfield/6_9_04.html Cirignano Counterpoint: Cloning and Killing http://www.practicalpolitics.net/cirignano/6_9_04.html 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. 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