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            The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Hardball airs tonight 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

It's history repeating itself as that nasty little swift boat controversy won't seem 
to go away for Kerry...Addressing the International Association of Firefighters 
Conventionconvention this morning Kerry blasted the "swift boat veterans for truth" 
calling them a "Bush front group" and challenging Bush to "bring it on" if he wants to 
debate "our" service in Vietnam...The sound was smokin' to say the least and now the 
Bush campaign has a statement out saying Kerry "knows his accusations are 
false"...Kerry also has a new Vietnam themed ad out today...Folks my Outlook inbox is 
blowing up right & left with charges and countercharges over this issue...

We'll try to sort it out tonight with fmr. Senator Max Cleland, one of Kerry's top 
"band of brothers"...We'll also get reax from Washington Wiseman-cum-Harvard professor 
David Gergen and fmr. San Fran mayor Willie Brown...

No one from Bush-Cheney '04 wanted to come on the show tonight...

MSBNC campaign reporter Becky Diamond was at the Kerry speech and blogs on what she 
saw http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086

In the back half we talk to The Washington Post's Dana Milbank from the Western White 
House in Crawford and syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin whose new book "In Defense 
Of Internment" is certainly not going to win her any friends at the ACLU..

We finish up with Michael Sporgen, the lawyer in the case of "John Doe": War veteran 
sues to keep from being sent back to Iraq...GI says his rights violated under Bush 
redeployment policy (San Francisco Chronicle) 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/18/MNGJ889HO829.DTL

It's a great country we live in when a former Vice President drives his own car and 
actually gets a speeding ticket! Former Vice President Al Gore was cited for speeding 
as he drove a rented car to visit family on the coast, authorities said. (AP) 
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/186938_gore19.html

Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC

Kerry blasts Bush over Swift Boat vet ad...Says president allows 'dirty work' (AP) 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5758982/

"They're a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the president won't denounce 
what they're up to tells you everything you need to know: he wants them to do his 
dirty work," Kerry told a convention of the International Association of Fire 
Fighters, a politically active union which backs Kerry.  (Reuters) 
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=6020580

Military records counter a Kerry critic...Fellow skipper's citation refers to enemy 
fire (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5751284/

The Washington Times has an excerpt here from "Unfit for Command": 'Sampan incident' 
belies heroic image http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040819-123903-5094r.htm

The Washington Times editorializes: Was Kerry in combat on Dec. 2, 1968?...One of the 
criteria for awarding a Purple Heart is that the person in question was involved in 
action against the enemy. The writers over at Captainsquartersblog.com have raised an 
interesting question surrounding John Kerry's first Purple Heart. 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040818-092342-5914r.htm

Malkin Backgrounders: 

The left's war on the FBI 
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/mm20040818.shtml

Racial profiling: A matter of survival 
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2004-08-16-racial-profiling_x.htm

Milbank mentions our segment from Monday where Chris busted out the Bush campaign for 
cropping an interview we conducted with John Kerry: Bush Turns to Part-Time 
Troops...New Educational Benefits for Guardsmen, Reservists Proposed 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A11154-2004Aug18?language=printer

Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, a Democrat who long ago endorsed President Bush for 
re-election, will deliver the keynote address at the Republican National Convention, 
party officials announced Thursday. (AP) 
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040819/D84IC00O2.html

Iraqi PM makes 'final call' for cleric's surrender...Move comes as heavy fighting 
rages near holy shrine in Najaf (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5685031/

While U.S. forces have cordoned off the shrine and are responding to attacks from 
Sadr's militia, Allawi has told U.S. commanders he wants Iraqi forces, not foreign 
troops, to attack the shrine if necessary. (The Washington Post) 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14572-2004Aug19?language=printer

Developments in Iraq on Thursday (AP) 
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040819/D84ICM4O1.html

Curry: '527' groups rewrite campaign rules...From the outside, Bush, Kerry foes wield 
huge clout http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5747838/

Powell stays above the fray - sort of...No campaigning, but lots of defending Bush 
policies http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5748027/

Saudi export of strict Islam raises suspicions...U.S. is eyeing money trails of 
charities backed by kingdom (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5751289/

Unwilling participants...Iraqi soccer players angered by Bush campaign ads featuring 
team (Sports Illustrated) 

The mystery man who claims to be Golan Cipel's ex-lover said yesterday that not only 
is the handsome Israeli gay - he's also still in love with Gov. Jim McGreevey. (NY 
Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/223686p-192120c.html

Following a conversation with Gov. James E. McGreevey, U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine backed 
off the notion of a bid to replace the embattled governor in a special election. (AP) 
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040819/D84I7KVG1.html

First lady Laura Bush considers much of the national media biased against Republicans, 
but she empathizes with Democrat Teresa Heinz Kerry, who told a journalist to "shove 
it." (The Washington Times) 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040819-121932-1223r.htm

Intelligence vice chairman calls war unjustified...'Dangerous, costly mess,' Bereuter 
says as he leaves House (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5750615/

Rush & Molloy: Joe Piscopo gave the Garden State a new slogan with his "You from 
Jersey?" routine on "Saturday Night Live." 
But would voters elect him as a replacement for Jim McGreevey? 
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/223678p-191994c.html

Opinion/Editorial

Tony: The Cambodian candidate http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/tblankley.htm

Katrina: Dean's Dozens...Progressives need to recruit, train and support candidates at 
all levels. http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7

Reese in the House!! Turns out, according to The Washington Post, the information on 
which the latest terrorist scare is based is two to three years old. It was sold to 
the American public initially as if it were a brand-new discovery. It seems that the 
Bush administration is unable to level with the American people about anything. 
http://reese.king-online.com/Reese_20040816/index.php

Feith: (A man who was planning the invasion of Iraq before planning the invasion of 
Iraq was cool) A Smarter Way to Use Our Troops 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13742-2004Aug18.html


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