The Hardball Briefing for July 10, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight on Hardball we'll get more reax on Bush's speech from Arizona Senator John McCain...The other day he wrote an op-ed in the Times calling for the resignation of SEC chairman Harvey Pitt...He's also been a frequent critic of this administration...Could he be gearing up for another presidential bid? Who knows? Chris will try to pin him down a bit...Also, the new set is looking real cool...Sleek design, all the bells, whistles and cool stuff you'd expect...(It will be debuted on Monday, the 15th, 9 pm and 12 midnight et, exclusively on America's Newschannel, MSNBC) You're also starting to see the new editorial layout of the show with Chris getting deep into an issue up front...Plus, the new B block segment...Let us know what you think mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Monday, you'll see even more changes with our new Hardball correspondent David Shuster who'll set up the D block debates with smart taped packages.. Back to the show at hand...In the D block debate we'll look at the latest from the Inglewood police beating and whether it was justified...DeLacy Davis of the group Black Cops Against Police Brutality, will join us with Joe Tocapina playing defense...I'm expecting some fireworks from this one...As public outrage mounts, various law enforcement agencies have opened investigations into the arrest of a teenager who was videotaped being slammed onto a police car and punched in the face while he was handcuffed. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020710/ap_on_re_us/police_video_12 Deputy's Report Offers Account of Beating...Inglewood: Protesters at City Hall decry brutality. Mayor says the teen's civil rights were violated. (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-inglewood10jul10005053.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dcalifornia We'll do something on the polls and more Bush reax with Gergen and Buchanan in the buzz: Public confidence in President Bush's ability to manage the economy and look out for the interests of ordinary Americans appears to be eroding as business scandals mount and Democrats question his past business practices. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/07/09/usat-poll.htm Complete poll: http://www.usatoday.com/news/2002-07-09-poll.htm Mortman is still playing around with topics for the B block...Should be cool... The Hardball Briefing was compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone in Washington, DC WashPost: Corporate abuse hard to prosecute...The world according to George W. Bush is often portrayed as a matter of good and evil, you're either with us or against us. Yesterday, he brought the same approach to issues of corporate ethics and responsibility. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/778284.asp NYT: Bush, on Wall Street, Offers Tough Talk and Softer Plans...Some of the president's calls for change on Wall Street were endorsements of measures already sure to be enacted, while others were efforts to jawbone corporate America. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=3u=/nyt/20020710/ts_nyt/bush__on_wall_street__offers_tough_talk_and_softer_plans As an accounting oversight bill moves toward Senate passage this week, President Bush expressed confidence to legislative leaders Wednesday that Congress will be able to get this done, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=536ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20020710/ap_on_go_co/congress_business_fraud_7 Mr. Bush did not mention former President Bill Clinton specifically, but the Republican National Committee yesterday called the 1990s the era of irresponsibility and said, Scandal after scandal revelation after revelation, Clinton-Gore always had an excuse. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020710-72630360.htm Gallup Release: Public's Reaction to Bush Speech May Be Muted...Americans skeptical of need for new regulations, and half say Bush is more interested in corporate well-being than in ordinary people http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr020710.asp Secretive Group Re-emerges With Advertising Hostile to Bush (NY Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/10/business/10ADS.html?ex=1026964800en=beacb1d47ecd1ea2ei=5006partner=ALTAVISTA1 Great Milbank satire on the beltway rhetorical wars...A Bull Market in Political Trading...The starting gun in the race to condemn corporate wrongdoers sounded at 7:06 a.m. Tuesday in the White House driveway. It was a day of political jockeying that summoned groans even in a capital well accustomed to such maneuvers. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46704-2002Jul9.html Senate OKs Yucca nuclear waste site...In the climax to a 20-year-long battle, the Senate voted Tuesday to allow much of the nation's nuclear waste to be permanently stored inside
The Hardball Briefing for July 18, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight on Hardball we're are going to go in depth into the Secret Service and the stuff they don't want you to know...U.S. News World Report did a rather disturbing investigative piece on the Agency...We'll talk to the reporters who broke the story and ask them what they found out...Unfortunately the story on their website is on a pay to play basis so I ain't linking it... Howard (Fineman, not Mortman) will do his unique inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave type deal in the B block In Mortman's Real Deal segment, he'll explore whether Traficant can get re-elected, Boxer's stance on guns in the cockpit, and the Justice statue nudity controversy... Do you want snoops working in your home? The government does...We'll debate the TIPS program tonight with Jay Sekulow who says YES and Bob Barr who says NO http://www.citizencorps.gov/tips.html The Postal Service has decided not to take part in a government program touted as a tip service for authorities concerned with terrorism, but which is being assailed as a scheme to cast ordinary Americans as peeping Toms. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020717/ap_on_go_ot/operation_tips_9 And the Buzz (my favorite segment) will be Shrum and Reed...Two heavy political hitters going at it over the latest New York Times numbers, Gephardt's 40 seat pick-up prediction over the corporate scandals, and whether Al Gore should ditch his consultants in '04.. Chris on Imus Alert!!! Tomorrow 7:27 am ET Dominic Bellone, Hardball Briefing editor Polish state dinner last night at The White House: Guests dined on a menu that White House chef Walter Scheib III described as strictly American, each course paired with an American wine...Guests dined on lemon-basil striped bass, pepper-smoked beef filet and an orange-and-avocado salad. White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier created a light concoction of peaches and cherries and ginger almond ice cream for dessert. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020718-41987490.htm Americans worry that President Bush and his administration are too heavily influenced by big business, fear that Mr. Bush is hiding something about his own corporate past and judge the economy to be in its worst shape since 1994, the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll shows http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=68ncid=68e=2u=/nyt/20020718/ts_nyt/poll_finds_concerns_that_bush_is_overly_influenced_by_business House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) has told senior Democrats that the party could pick up as many as 40 House seats if the continuously unfolding corporate scandals can be kept on the political radar screen until November, according to sources. (Roll Call) http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/07/news0718a.html High-level State Department officials have circulated e-mails accusing Rep. Dan Burton and Bush administration officials of McCarthyism and neo-Nazism for criticizing the visa system's failure to keep the September 11 terrorists out of the country. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/world/20020718-174815.htm Israel puts Palestinian talks on hold...With its police on high alert, Israel on Thursday put on hold plans to ease a military crackdown in the West Bank and canceled talks with Palestinian officials after a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/677951.asp Officer indicted in taped beating...The California police officer whose violent arrest of a teen-ager was captured on videotape has been indicted by a grand jury on an assault charge, his lawyer said Wednesday night. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/777480.asp Sheriff: Girl victim of 'serial rapist'...Five-year-old Samantha Runnion, whose nude body was found Tuesday night in an open field 50 miles from home, was sexually assaulted and asphyxiated, authorities said Wednesday, warning that her killer could strike again within 24 hours. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/781040.asp Traficant admits expulsion certain, predicts death in jail likely (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) http://www.post-gazette.com/nation/20020718traficant0718p3.asp A House panel found flamboyant Ohio Rep. Jim Traficant guilty Thursday of ethics violations stemming from his conviction on bribery, tax evasion and fraud. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=512ncid=716e=1u=/ap/20020718/ap_on_go_co/traficant_53 Unconventional Transactions Boosted Sales...Amid Big Merger, Company Resisted Dot-Com Collapse (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21983-2002Jul17.html?referer=email Bob Pittman is to be tossed as AOL Time Warner COO - the only question is when, The Post has learned. AOL CEO Dick Parsons is talking to HBO boss Jeffrey Bewkes
The Hardball Briefing for July 23, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Wanted to let you guys know up front what's going on with Chris...He's been hospitalized with malaria and is resting comfortably at this hour (Actually he's been busy this afternoon dictating his latest book to his researchers)...He's expected to make a full recovery and return home by week's end...As you know Chris has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia...Just got off the phone with him and he's betting on Zimbabwe as to the origin of his illness...Nonetheless, it hasn't dampened his spirits or feistiness, however...Watch this space for updates.. Tonight Barnicle will talk to Jesse...Check below for two big Wash Times pieces on him We'll do the economy story with Robert Reich, Ben Stein, and Warren Rudman...The debate will be over the sexualization of kids..We got Donna Rice Hughes and Richard Walters (UCLA Film Prof) Jesse will be in B The orders came from on high in Secaucus this morning to kick it up a notch...This will be a good one, trust me...Rios v. vanden Heuvel on the Priscilla Owen Judiciary fight among other topics... The Hardball Briefing is written, compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone in Washington, DC Housekeeping: Thanks for all your wonderful e-mails about the new layout, the new lineup and MSNBC access...Just because some of you don't get MSNBC anymore, doesn't mean you can't get value from the Briefing...So pls folks, don't unsubcribe...I've been there for you, now please be there for me...Besides, it will give you hope as the crack team here works to get you access.. Where's my MSNBC?? http://msnbc.com/tools/newstools/n/msnbc_tv.asp There's a lot of buzz today up in the Big Apple over one of our former All Star Friday panelists...Al The Rev Sharpton The Rev. Al Sharpton discusses a major coke deal with an undercover federal agent on a 19-year-old video that will be aired tonight. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/53144.htm I can get pure coke ... for about 35,000 a kilo, says Victor Quintana, the FBI agent, as Sharpton nods during the sting operation. But I gotta get, you know, more than one. Right, Sharpton replies. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/5261p-4844c.html This is nothing but some dirty tricks from some law enforcement officials, the civil rights activist said from Cleveland on Monday night. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020723/ap_on_re_us/sharpton_tape_2 President and Dog: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2u=/020722/168/1wb9o.html Teens Before Their Time...With budding breasts and pubic hair, girls are developing earlier than ever. What's causing it? And what are the psychological effects? (Time) http://www.time.com/time/pacific/magazine/20001030/cover.html A decade ago, more than half of high school teens had sexual intercourse while they were in high school...Now, according to new federal data, it appears that the tables have turned, and virginal teens outnumber the sexually active ones. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020722-76660856.htm SEC considers rule on analysts' picks...Influence of investment banking colleagues under scrutiny (The Wall Street Journal) http://www.msnbc.com/news/784136.asp Senior credit officers of Citigroup misrepresented the full nature of a 1999 transaction with Enron in the records of the deal so that the energy company could ignore accounting requirements and hide its true financial condition, according to internal bank documents and government investigators. (The New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/23/business/23CITI.html?ex=1028088000en=521970df2888ac6eei=5006partner=ALTAVISTA1 President Bush came to the southwest suburbs Monday to cheer on local scientists and trumpet his homeland security plans, but he found himself giving a pep talk on the economy as the stock market zigged and zagged like a football player who lost his playbook. (Chicago Sun Times) http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-bush23.html Bush's task: Turn back the bears...President presses for Congress to finish corporate-reform package by Friday, as White House takes heat on economy (Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0723/p01s01-uspo.html Lobbyists Lose Clout...Business Groups Find Their Influence On Audit Reform Legislation Shrinking (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47300-2002Jul22.html As millions of Americans watched in horror as their nest eggs shrank with the stock market's big nose dive last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill was noticeably missing from the scene (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020723/ap_to_po/us_o_neill_mia__2 Corporate wrongdoing and economic jitters have soured the national
The Hardball Briefing for July 24, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Barnicle's in Washington today so I gotta make this short and get right to producing the Political Buzz segment which will be B-1 Bob Dornan and a Lefty TBD...I got a call out to Caddell but sometimes he takes a while to get back to me, so Caddell if you're out there and reading the Briefing (last I checked his e-mail was broken) call me and join the fun tonight... We'll lead with the arrest of the Adelphia Communications execs and the fight against corporate corruption with Stu Taylor and Joe diGenova (I hear he's on fire on this one...Maybe he'll bring his cigar...I call him Joey D)...Plus, the fight in the Senate over Priscilla Owen's nomination with Gloria Feldt and C. Boyden GrayIn the D block we'll ask the question Can Harvey Pitt over at the SEC credibly investigate Dick Cheney? Is it a conflict of interest for him? He was appointed by a transition team headed by Dick Cheney and is now asking for a raise and promotionWhat do you think? We'll do the Shuster/Jamison package and then talk to Kudlow and Robert Lenzner of Forbes magazine Still working out the buzz topics...Probably more polls numbers on Bush plus I'm looking for some Clinton sound out of Chicago yesterday...Also, there's an NYT piece on Conservative discontent with Ashcroft.. Don't miss the fun folks! Written, compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone in Washington, DC...For those of you with hard copies of the Washington Post, the Briefing got a little shout out on C7, the de Moraes column... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53711-2002Jul23.html We got a kick out of Johnson's take on Chris' illness: Malaria quiets Chris Matthews - for now http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/media-mix.htm From Imus this morning: Bernie: He was half on his death bed listening to some barbarian in a cowboy hat savage him on the radio and TV. Rick Sanchez: It could be caused by stress. If you were really beating the guy up that badly, which I recall you were, there is a possibility that you may have something to do with it Don. Imus: I might have contributed to Chris being in the hospital, he has malaria what difference does it make what some jerk on the radio says about him. MSNBC's Rick Sanchez explains to Imus the repercussions of him bashing on Chris Matthews. Three members of the founding family of troubled cable operator Adelphia Communications Corp. were arrested on Wednesday as government officials claimed they looted the company they created over 50 years ago. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;jsessionid=FQG4ZYLC02PKCCRBAEKSFEY?type=topnewsStoryID=1244422 We had a wonderful lunch Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill's only public comment after meeting with Wall Street on Tuesday Chutzpah award... Harvey L. Pitt, who barely goes a week without new calls for him to step down as chairman of the S.E.C., is asking Congress for a raise and more respect. (NY Times) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=68ncid=68e=2u=/nyt/20020724/ts_nyt/s_e_c__chief_seeks_promotion__chances_look_dim The White House on Wednesday dismissed a request by Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt for a raise and a higher profile, calling it a potential distraction. (Reuters) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55859-2002Jul24.html Fun Clinton news... Former President Bill Clinton took several swipes here Tuesday at the Bush administration for focusing on the war against terrorism at the expense of the deepening AIDS epidemic. (Chicago Sun Times) http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-push24.html The 2000 presidential election case between George W. Bush and Al Gore is an example of a hypocritical Supreme Court majority that broadens the rights of states only when it serves conservative ends, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020724/ap_wo_en_po/us_clinton_supreme_court_1 Is the Torch in danger of being extinguished? The latest exclusive Eyewitness News Survey USA Poll of the New Jersey senate race shows a real deadlock between incumbent Senator Robert Torricelli and Republican challenger Douglas Forrester. http://kyw.com/news/StoryFolder/story_103336632_html President Bush's approval rating has slipped to the mid-60s amid growing nervousness about the economy. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2ncid=716e=3u=/ap/20020724/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_polls Americans sour on the economy...Corporate accounting scandals and the plummeting stock market have taken a heavy toll on public confidence in the economy, according to results of an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll
The Hardball Briefing for August 1, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- We talked to Chris this morning and he's still resting comfortably at home and is expected back by Monday...He's well aware of your concern and is very appreciative of your well wishesI don't want to bug him too much...Too many calls at home when you are recovering from illness can be irritating (trust me I've been there)...We expect him to return with great fanfare on Monday to an all star lineup of guests... By the way, if like our Real Deal segment you gotta see what our techie types do with it online http://ChrisMatthews.MSNBC.com In fact, If you're a Hardball junkie like me, I'd bookmark the page and check it often... On to tonight's show...We're going to do the kidnapping story Bo Dietl and Clint Van Zandt...A man kidnapped two teenage girls at gunpoint early Thursday from a lovers' lane in a remote area, authorities said. Tamera Brooks, 16, and Jaqueline Marris, 17, were sitting in separate cars with male friends when the gunman approached them shortly after 1 a.m., authorities said. http://www.msnbc.com/news/788577.asp In the B block we'll go more in depth into that bombing yesterday at the Hebrew University...Were Americans deliberately targeted? We'll talk to Alon Pinkas and a congressman who represents some of the victims.. In the debate block, we'll do Saudi Arabia: Friend or Foe? Rep. Eliot Engel and James Zogby will get into it... Thursday is a Howard day so he'll be here to discuss Bush Cheney's Cayman Island business stuff when they were CEO's and maybe some other things too...Plus, we're looking at an F block Buzz with Katrina and a conservative tba...I haven't figured out the topics yet but it will be fun as usual...How about Terry hammering Donna last night on the Gore stuff? That's my kinda TV... You won't believe the latest in the Traficant saga either! We'll do that in the Real Deal segment along with some other cool stuff...I've got a lot of tasy morsels in the Briefing today so be sure and read all the way 'til the end... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited this bad boy in Washington, DC...If you still haven't complained to me about not getting America's NewsChannel and you're furious with your local cable provider, hit reply and fire away...Cheers! or send a message to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Congratulations to our NBC colleague David Gregory: We're pleased to report that Gregory's wife, Beth Wilkinson, delivered a 6-pound, 12-ounce boy Tuesday evening. The 6-foot-5 inch Gregory's first child is named Maxwell, and yesterday White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer dubbed him Mini-Stretch. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28188-2002Jul31.html For my people in Tennessee, here's a backgrounder on today's primary: Strong early voting, lively contests indicate high interest in primary (Nashville Tennessean) http://tennessean.com/elections/2002/archives/02/08/20608857.shtml?Element_ID=20608857 Archerd: Democrats seeking Hollywood money http://webcenter.newssearch.netscape.com/aolns_display.adp?key=20020731230226369_aolns.src A bomb detonated by a cell phone that blew apart a Jerusalem university cafeteria claimed victims from around the world, five of them American citizens, in what a violent Islamic group called revenge for an Israeli attack. (Jerusalem Post) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFullcid=1027506413849 5 Americans among 7 killed in Israel blast...An explosion rocked a crowded cafeteria at Hebrew University in Jerusalem at lunchtime Wednesday, killing seven people, including five Americans, and wounding more than 80 others. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/677951.asp Thousands of demonstrators marched in Gaza, in a display of celebration over the suicide attack at the Hebrew University earlier Wednesday, which claimed the lives of seven and wounded thirty-nine, Itim news agency reported. (Jerusalem Post) http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ShowFullcid=1027506413198 President Bush mourned the deaths of five Americans in a Jerusalem bombing as he met Thursday with King Abdullah of Jordan on how to move the Mideast peace process forward. I am just as angry as Israel is. I am furious, he said. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=540ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20020801/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_mideast_42 Experts see growing threat from Iraq...A panel of Iraq experts told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday that Saddam Hussein will have nuclear weapons by 2005, if he does not already possess them. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/786933.asp U.S. will have to go it alone against Iraq...The drumbeat is growing louder in the United States for a war against Iraq, but it hasn't drowned out the grumbling of
The Hardball Briefing for August 15, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight we lead with Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf who'll get into the whole Iraq question from soup to nuts...Plus, National Security Advisor Condi Rice took some shots at Saddam...Hot stuff from her recent BBC interview...Also, Bush 41 National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft comes out in the Wall Street Journal today against war with Iraq...Plus, Clinton SecDef William Cohen will be here with reax to all of the above...Talk about some major league gravitas! And speaking of soldiers, dig the Quote of the week Our boss and MSNBC prime time chief Phil Griffin on the competition: We're not worried...If [Fox News chief] Roger Ailes judged O'Reilly after four weeks, O'Reilly would be selling hot dogs in Times Square. (NY Daily News/Wash Times) Hardball ain't just a TV show around here folks...It's a way of life... Are you worried about the airline industry? Longer lines, delayed flights, lost luggage, security concerns, economic turmoil...What the heck is going on? We'll check in with Mary Schiavo on this vexing issue... And the Hardball debate: Should minors be required to notify their parents before they get birth control? Gloria Feldt from Planned Parenthood and Wendy Wright from Concerned Women of America will join the debate... Mortman/Jensen topics in the ether tonight include Jesse Jackson from MSNBC this morning, Fred Thompson's new Hollywood gig, Hillary disses Al, and Leno's joke about Chris' malaria...Peter Beinart and Terry Jeffrey will do the Buzz tonight on Scowcroft/Iraq, Bush's economic cheerleading tour and that Jesse quote...He slammed McAuliffe and other national Dems this morning for ignoring Cynthia McKinney's campaign in Georgia...BTW, dig this conversation with me and Jesse... Me: I loved the line: 'Stay out the Bushes'...Classic Jesse: You didn't heed me, now you need me Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from deep inside the Beltway A special welcome to our new viewers in the Mankato, MN area who can now watch us on Channel 37 (Charter Communications)...Welcome aboard...Hey, wait a second, why don't I get Hardball?? Have you dropped us a complaint? mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] This item comes in late to the Briefing from my buddy Doug: P. Diddy Gets Into Polling Business (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020815/ap_on_en_mu/puffy_poll_3 I wanted to tantalize you with this Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack discussing a walking pork chop, a unique cut with the meat removed from a portion of bone so that it resembles pork on a stick at yesterday's Iowa state fair... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17265-2002Aug14.html I forgot to add the stuff from the Post Food section yesterday...Here's a good one: The Right Flank...The Steak That Soaks Up Flavor (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12075-2002Aug13.html Cohen slams Coulter: Blaming of the Shrew http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19833-2002Aug14.html Condi on Saddam: We certainly do not have the luxury of doing nothing...We believe the case for regime change is very powerful. (Reuters) http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/3867529.htm Scowcroft knocks it out of the park on this one: Don't Attack Saddam...It would undermine our antiterror efforts http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html United Airlines said yesterday it would file for bankruptcy protection in the fall unless it succeeds with urgent, significant and immediate cost-cutting measures. Yesterday, American Airlines said it would restructure its operations. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/business/20020815-68272207.htm U.S. passenger rail operator Amtrak suspended Acela Express trains from service in the Northeast for the second time in a week on Thursday, citing previously undetected cracks in their suspension systems. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20020815/ts_nm/transport_amtrak_dc_5 President Bush, using Mount Rushmore as a patriotic stage set, is insisting the Democratic-controlled Senate approve a Homeland Security Department with no bureaucratic strings attached. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20020815/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_21 Yepsen: Nothing personal, Al, but your nomination isnt a sure thing http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c5917686/18952349.html Gephardt Tries to Put House in Order Before a 2004 RunAs speaker, the Missouri Democrat may receive spark needed for another presidential bid. (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-gephardt15aug15002056.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection Iowa Hosts Dueling Politicians...On a lazy summer day, Iowa became the epicenter of American politics, testament to the critical role it may
The Hardball Briefing for August 27, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Looks like we're leading with the Bush/Bandar meeting in Crawford...Remember Bandar? He's the Saudi ambassador who said BS on our air last year when asked about some of the negative publicity his country was receiving post 9/11...We'll talk to former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hume Horan and Saudi advisor Adel Al-Jubeir about the meeting...Apparently, it's an attempt to thaw relations and discuss the Saudi's role in the war on terrorism...Obviously Iraq will be a big topic on the agenda as well... In the B block, we'll do the secrecy stuff...The Washington Post leads with two pieces on the matter...One is the federal appeals court ruling which says that 9/11 detainee hearings should be public and open to the media...The Bush administration disagrees for national security reasons... Plus, under the header of Fun Clinton News...The Bush administration is witholding documents related to the controversial Clinton pardons claiming executive privilege...A privilege, they claim, that extends to people and documents the President has never seen nor met...Critics charge the definition is way too expansive...Jonathon Turley and another legal type will join us...A call has been put out to Jay Sekulow.. The D block debate will be over Iraq...Is there an Iraq/Al Qaeda connection? And does there need to be one for an invasion to occur...Fmr. Reagan defense official Jeb Babbin thinks we don't need that type of justification but Samer Shehata of Georgetown University says we do...We'll get some sparks going on it... And in a genius stroke of editorial synergy between the Real Deal and Political Buzz segments we'll play some cool Clinton bites from his campaign appearance in West Memphis, AR last night...One of our old colleagues at Hardball who now works at a TV station in that region was at the event and tells me there was some great must cut sound from itLaura Ingraham and Clarence Page will get into it...Plus, more Iraq around the clock... Also, a fullscreen was mailed around with the disgustingly decadent menu from that sustainable development summit in Johannesburg...We'll expose it tonight in the Real Deal.. Pls join us...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited the Briefing from Washington, DC Our website http://msnbc.com/news/hardball_front.asp?0dm=C26CV Our Blog http://msnbc.com/news/751547.asp?0ct=-34t Our network locator http://msnbc.com/tools/newstools/n/msnbc_tv.asp The Fun Clinton/Gore stuff: Clinton gives 'em the spirit in home state...Former president Bill Clinton returned to his roots to reminisce and joke with friends in an energetic Arkansas Democratic Party unity rally in West Memphis Monday evening. (Memphis Commercial Appeal) http://gomemphis.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_1350091,00.html Former President Bill Clinton told Democrats in east Arkansas that they hold the key to the results of November's elections in the stateReturning to the heart of his own political base, Clinton rallied supporters for the state Democratic Party's slate of candidates. (AP) http://gomemphis.com/mca/politics/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_1349869,00.html Bush Backs Pardon Secrecy...President invokes executive privilege in blocking release of information on Clinton's last day. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64818-2002Aug26.html Wow, a dateline from Clarksville, TN: Former Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Rep. Bob Clement, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, will headline the Middle Tennessee Labor Day Celebration. (Knoxville News) http://www.knoxnews.com/cr/cda/article_print/1,1250,KNS_356_1349635,00.html Is Pryor repeating Gore's mistake?...Reports that Arkansas Senate candidate Mark Pryor wants to distance himself from local-boy-made-good Bill Clinton have Clintonites spitting bullets. (Washington Whispers) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/whisphome.htm President Bush is opening his ranch to Saudi Arabia's ambassador, hoping to thaw relations chilled by the Sept. 11 attacks and questions about the kingdom's commitment to defeating terrorists. (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/799725.asp Court wants open detainee hearings...Judges chastise Bush administration over secrecy (Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/799650.asp Legal questions aside, lawmakers say President Bush needs to seek Congress' approval before sending American troops to attack Iraq because it's the right thing to do. Vice President Dick Cheney warned of grave consequences from not acting quickly against Saddam Hussein (AP) http://dailynews.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=512ncid=703e=7u=/ap/20020827/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq_45 Cheney fires back at Iraq critics...Rebutting skeptics of a pre-emptive strike on Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that the United
The Hardball Briefing for September 6, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I regret to inform you The Briefing will not be published on Monday as its editor must attend an urgent wedding in Tahoe...And there's only a couple of links today as I'll be traveling...We shall return on Tuesday the 10th...This does not, however, absolve you from watching the show and staying ahead of the news curve... Congress convenes a ceremonial session in New York City on Friday...We'll lead off the show with a number of heavy hitters from that august body plus fmr. NE senator, congressional medal of honor recipient and New School chief Bob Kerrey, from mayor Ed Koch and Rep. Charlie Rangel... Fund e-mailed me today and said he was doing the Buzz... On Monday, we got Senator John Kerry (sources tell me he'll have a piece published in the NYT on Friday re: Iraq)...Chris said tonight on the show Kerry will be the only Democrat not to lay down on Iraq...Plus fmr. NATO Supreme Commander George Joulwan, Simon Reeve (British Al Qaeda specialist guy who looks like he's in the band Oasis)and of course Yossef and Howard... All of this is subject to change without prior notice, natch The most thoughtful and conscientious news gathers log onto http://msnbc.com regularly Those who hunger for television with an attitude instinctively plan their evenings here http://tv.msnbc.com And it just wouldn't be The Hardball Briefing without a dollop of Fun Clinton news: Clinton: Get bin Laden before pursuing Hussein http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/4276358p-5296555c.html The Hardball Briefing was written, compiled and edited by your friend in Washington, Dominic Bellone = 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
The Hardball Briefing September 20, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Not sure if you got a chance to check out Chris on MSNBC this morning with Alex Witt but he was positively en fuego on Iraq...A number of you have already been sending in e-mails about the appearance...He's really pumped up today and I suspect that will continue on through the show tonight...It's becoming increasingly clear, at least in my mind, that Chris is the biggest media figure expressing a healthy skepticism about war with Iraq... The Big story comes from The New York Times today and we'll devote the majority of the show to it...The Bush administration published today its first comprehensive rationale for shifting American military strategy toward pre-emptive action against hostile states and terrorist groups developing weapons of mass destruction. The strategy document also states, for the first time, that the United States will never allow its military supremacy to be challenged the way it was during the cold war. (NY Times) http://nytimes.com/2002/09/20/international/20CND-STRA.html Reuters update: The United States should maintain forever its global military superiority and defeat terrorism by destroying the threat before it reaches our borders, the Bush administration said on Friday in a new strategy document http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=politicsnewsStoryID=1476323 We'll slice and dice the new doctrine with an All Star Panel: Ex CIA chief James Woolsey, Presidential Historian Doug Brinkley, Middle East expert Shibley Telhami and Congressman Nick Rahall... And tommorow night is the big Miss America Pageant in Jersey...Is it out of touch? Is it demeaning to women? We'll get into tonight with Sari Locker, sex educator and author of Sari Says...She doesn't like the Pageant...We'll ask her why And the Buzz looks like Barnicle and a GOP Pollster Dave Winston...More Bush and Iraq stuff there... Erratum: Soiree vs. Suarez...Yes, I said Suarez and clearly I meant Soiree...Here's the confusion...My boys, Led Zeppelin, have a song titled South Bound Suarez in which Plant pronounces Suarez like Soiree...Thanks to a loyal New Hampshire reader who spotted this... Also, I'd like to revive the old Hotline style reception reviews...Beltway insiders know of what I speak...If you go to a good political reception, anyway in the country and would like to write a briefing paragraph on the food and/or political chatter, I'd love to put it out there... Folks, I'm sorry this is so late and not up to typical snuff but all of the sudden we had some last minute guest change ups and other typical hectic stuff...Peace out...Bellone PS Thanks for all the shout outs in Minneapolis...My colleague Rani Brand told me she talked to a number of you...Appreciate it.. Hussein Denies U.S. Weapons Allegations...Iraqi President Saddam Hussein declared Thursday that his country is clear of all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and urged the United Nations to resist the Bush administration's campaign to obtain U.N. backing for a military strike against his government. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41742-2002Sep19.html President Bush on Friday failed to get Russia's support for his strategy against Iraq, hearing from Russian President Vladimir Putin that dispatching U.N. inspectors - not a U.N. threat of military action - should be the next step in dealing with Baghdad. (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/805226.asp My dark brown hair is rolled, teased and pinned into what can only be described as a hood ornament, a lacquered bouffant that's part Lady Bird Johnson, part Bride of Frankenstein. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/life/2002-09-19-1acov-miss-america_x.htm When the Miss America contestants parade down the runway this weekend, they will represent a broad cross-section of America in a competition that has never been a model of inclusiveness. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020916/ap_en_tv/multicultural_miss_america_4 Fun Clinton News... Page Six: Bill's blondes befuddle News...The Daily News has linked Bill Clinton to three different unidentified blond women since Sunday, even though there is no mystery as to any of their identities. And supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, husband of one of the flaxen-haired bunch, as the News put it, is not amused. http://www.nypost.com/seven/09182002/gossip/pagesix.htm Is Gore a Go?...Maybe not. Inquiring minds are starting to wonder whether Al Gore is really going to take the presidential plunge again. Let the most recent unvarnished speculation begin. (Kurtz) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43177-2002Sep20.html Gertz: U.S. eyes pilot with ties to al Qaeda...U.S. intelligence agencies are looking for a missing Sudanese air force pilot who is said to be planning to hijack an
The Hardball Briefing College Tour Edition, September 25, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I'd be lying if I told you I'm not a little bit giddy over Daschle's tirade on the Senate floor this morning...You know when you see politicians on tv saying something like The American people are sick and tired of partisan politics in Washington?? Folks, I ain't one of those people...I like my politics like my food: hot and spicy...And I bet if you're reading this Briefing and watch Hardball, you're like me...It's not really a partisan thing...I like to see Dems slam Republicans and Republicans slam Dems...After all, politics is a contact sport...It's not called Hardball for nothing...More on that below Anyway, now that I've got that off my chest let's take a look at the show tonight...It's Wednesday which means its the College Tour... Who: House Majority Leader Dick Armey and Chris Matthews Where: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, Center for the Arts, Concert Hall...Doors open at 7:30 tonight..It's of course free and open to the public Directions to the gig http://www.gmu.edu/cfa/directions.html College Tour website http://www.msnbc.com/modules/tvnews/Hardball_CollegeTour/ Hot Seat Site (this kid looks like a young Tommy Thompson) http://www.msnbc.com/news/810538.asp I'm even planning on kicking it there myself...I told Chris to make sure he gives a shout out for the Briefing tonight...He told me to sit in the front row but I'm not sure where I'll end up...Should be a hoot no matter what...We're trying to boost the Briefing's exposure and soon I'm gonna ask for your help on that... We've got Shuster and Jamison putting together a hot package on all of Armey's greatest hits...You won't want to miss that.. Armey money sot for tonight: Two Lawmakers Assail Armey For Comments About Jewish Voters (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62438-2002Sep24.html MSNBC lede at this hour: Daschle: Bush politicizing war...Senate leader accuses president of impugning patriotism of Democrats http://msnbc.com/news/812825.asp The piece that started it all... Bush has suggested that Democrats do not care about national security, saying on Monday that the Democratic-controlled Senate is not interested in the security of the American people. (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/812646.asp From The Hardball Briefing Really Does Make You Smarter file... Dig this from Briefing subscriber Pam Brady (The woman who brought you South Park and Just Shoot Me)...Congrats Pam! We'll be monitoring your success...Evans Will Stay in Picture at Comedy Central (Variety) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/variety/20020919/tv_variety/television_evans_dc_3 Remember when I told you The Briefing can make you a smarter and more succesful person? It can happen folks, send me your Hardball Briefing Success Story and I'll give you a shout out too! Another must read piece from VandeHei: Louder War Talk, and Muffled Dissent...Party Leaders Make Opposition Difficult, Wary Democrats Say (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62793-2002Sep24.html The Briefing was written compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone inside the Beltway Steiner delivers the fun cartoon of the day: http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/steiner.htm This recipe really turns me on: Sweet and Sticky Glazed Chicken http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59533-2002Sep24.html Cookie Dough: Freeze Now, Bake Later (Post Food Section) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59528-2002Sep24.html Gore in Sante Fe: Are you better off now than you were two years ago? (Sante Fe New Mexican) http://santafenewmexican.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=5485740BRD=2144PAG=461dept_id=367954rfi=6 Gore on Ashcroft: He put Lady Justice in a burqa Al Gore's former running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, sharply disagreed yesterday with Mr. Gore's assertion that President Bush was pandering to conservative Republicans with his push for military action against Iraq. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020925-942036.htm Babs update: Barbra Streisand is emerging from self-imposed retirement as an entertainer to help out her old pals in the Democratic Party. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20020925/people_nm/politics_streisand_dc_4 Fun Clinton news: Former President Bill Clinton is on a trip through Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa with Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, the star of Rush Hour and its sequel. (Page Six) http://pagesix.com/pagesix/pagesix.htm Hot...Hot...Hot...Page Six: Sen. John McCain going to quit the Republican Party and become the running mate of Sen. John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race? http://www.pagesix.com/pagesix/48083.htm Cheney on Bin Laden: As the president said recently: If he's alive,
The Hardball Briefing September 27, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- It looks as though the debate over Iraq has finally erupted in Hollywood...You've got Spielberg and Cruise on the Hollywood Hawk side and Barbara Streisand on the other...Roll Call's Ed Henry broke the Babs memo to Gephardt story last night...BBC reports on the Cruise/Spielberg presser... Spielberg: If Bush, as I believe, has reliable information on the fact that Saddam Hussein is making weapons of mass destruction, I cannot not support the policies of his government. Cruise: Personally, I don't have all the information President Bush has...But I believe Saddam has committed many crimes against humanity and his own people. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2282774.stm Ed Henry's Piece: Streisand Pens Confidential Memo Urging Gephardt and Daschle to 'Take the Offense' Against Bush...Hollywood diva Barbra Streisand fired off a confidential memo to House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.) on Wednesday evening urging Democrats to Take the Offense against President Bush. http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/09/news0926aa.html Gephardt spokesman on the Babs memo: We take advice from many people...People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. (Grove, the man who still hasn't reported on Mortman's shindig) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9227-2002Sep27.html Plus, Uncle Teddy comes out swinging at Johns Hopkins today, bucking his own party leadership: War should be a last resort, not the first response...It is inevitable that a war in Iraq without serious international support will weaken our effort to ensure that Al-Qaeda terrorists can never, never, never threaten American lives again. http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=topnewsStoryID=1506737 We'll play the sound... Rush Molloy: Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg gave two thumbs up to President Bush over Iraq - even as Barbra Streisand shot off a screed against him http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/22169p-21026c.html Streisand Memo (Requires Adobe Acrobat) http://www.drudgereport.com/streisand.pdf We'll slice and dice all of it with an All Star panel including Time's Jay Carney (Mr. Claire Shipman), Frank Luntz, Congressman David Dreier and another Cat, TBD...Also, we've got the latest MSNBC/Zogby polls on some of the hottest races in the country... In the Buzz we've Jerry Springer and B-1 Bob Dornan...Folks, this is one of those must watch episodes...If you're not at home tonight, set the VCR...If you're making dinner at home for that special someone, break out the TV trays... Yes, of course we'll play the Clinton sound from the morning shows and we're looking for the Gore/Reagan playbook bite as well... PlusWe'll do the D block debate on the huge IMF protesters here in DC...So far, 500+ people have been arrested and the protests are expected to continue through the weekend...Do they have a legitimate gripe or are they just Hooligans? I may even head down there tomorrow myself just for the fun of it..I told you how I like my politics hot spicy... This one's just for you...The Hardball Weblog: http://www.msnbc.com/news/751547.asp?0ct=-34t From the Hardball Briefing can make you successful mailbag Dear Dom, Yeah, people do think I'm smart. Especially guys, they say things like,'You have a mind like a steel trap' and other clichés. I've actually been attracting men of higher caliber, too. I know it's hard to believe but it's true! All I do is watch Hardball, get in some radio talk shows in the AM and PM and whammo, I'm a brainiac. It is fabulous for single women and best of all, I have more to discuss and am more interested in the world and in life. Chris' enthusiasm has rubbed off onto me, and yours does as well. Love you guys, much! Please don't put my name on TV or anything... Thanks! -Jayne in Connecticut Thanks Jayne! The Hardball Briefing, changing lives one subscriber at a time Hardball Hot Seat video...Kevin the stud http://www.msnbc.com/news/810538.asp -Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from his playpen inside the Beltway...Everything is making so much sense... MSNBC/Zogby Polls http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=621 Fun Clinton News: Former President Clinton said Friday he favors getting United Nations backing for the use of force, if necessary, to disarm Iraq's President Saddam Hussein (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20020927/ap_on_re_us/clinton_iraq_3 Hillary, You got some 'splain' to do!! The U.S. Olympic Committee is investigating whether Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton improperly discussed New York City's bid to host the 2012 games with an Olympic official. (AP)
The Hardball Briefing from September 30, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- If you've been under a rock this morning you'll need to know the big story is New Jersey Senator Bob Torricelli's presser set for 4 pm et today (although that time is not hard booked as we say in the business)...There's a strong chance of a deliberate auto asphyxiation of The Torch...Amid ethics problems and plummeting poll numbers, it appears all over but the shouting...Lisa Meyers is reporting the situation as fluid, confused and chaoticQuestion is who'll step into the breach? Names floating in the ether: Pallone, Lautenberg, even Bill Bradley...Plus, how will this effect the Dems chances of holding on to their majority? According to a must read piece leading The Washington Post, GOP hopes this November are brightening. Sources: Torricelli may quit Senate Embattled Democrat hurting his party's chances of keeping the Senate (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/815055.asp Sen. Robert Torricelli, a prolific fund-raiser whose re-election hopes were severely damaged by an ethics controversy, told colleagues Monday he will drop out of the race if a suitable replacement is found for the Nov. 5 ballot, two Democrats said. (WNBC) http://www.wnbc.com/news/1693980/detail.html Forrester surges ahead by 13 points...Gap opens in last 2 weeks as ethics question erodes support for Torricelli (The Star Ledger) http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-4/103320439055040.xml Federal memo re: David Chang (AP) http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?0927memo.html NJ political source http://politicsnj.com/ GOP Hopes Brighten in Fierce Fight For Senate...Democrats Must Win Big to Regain House (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20527-2002Sep29.html Howard will lead the show with the inside scoop Plus, the latest on the situation with Iraq weapons inspectors with Neocon intellectual Hawk guru Richard PerlePlus, a special appearance by famed '91 Baghdad correspondent Peter Arnett...No, he's not the Scud Stud...That was Arthur Kent...Arnett brings more gravitas to the table... And in the D block: MSNBC Host/Fmr. Presidential Candidate/Nixon aide/all around cool dude at the office Pat Buchanan will join us to discuss the current state of the Conservative movement and the GOP...He launched a new magazine called The American Conservative to combat the rise of Neo-Conservativism...We've got David Frum from The Weekly Standard (the Newcon Bible) playing defense...Expect some heat out of this one folks!! Dig this cool quote from Pat on his new mag: We are not neo-anything. We are old church and old right. We love the old republic, and when we hear phrases like 'New World Order,' we release the safety catches on our revolvers. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3338-2002Sep25.html In the Buzz, we've got Zogby (John, not James), Seattle Times columnist Carl Jeffers The Washington Times' Tony Blankley...Zogby's got some new Iraq numbers plus more Torch...Also, we'll do some stuff on the Babs/DCCC fundraiser, Housekeeping: I hit the protests downtown over the weekend and it was pretty lame at the pre-func stuff near the Washington monument. When they started the march however, that's when the excitement hit...Thousands marching, dancing, chanting and such...I was walking near the front with the speaker clad truck playing disco and other exotic tunes...It was all fun and games until I got shoved by a cop for walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk and hundreds of battle gear clad cops boxed us in at Farragut Square...I like my politics hot and spicy but that's a bit muy caliente for my tastesAnyway, I survived unscathed... And don't forget, we've got Giuliani for tomorrow on his new book...Gotta run folks... From the Hardball Briefing mailbag...Debra Brady writes I must be an idiot. I'm flat broke, while you get paid for writing this sophomoric nonsense. I know I can produce trash, where do I apply? Call it trash Debra, but it sure beats selling insurance in Topeka! Whatever you call it though, just keep reading! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Here's a fun little nugget: Minnesota politics took an edgy turn Saturday night when Republicans staged an in-your-face protest outside the Fine Line Cafe in downtown Minneapolis, where Hollywood celebrity Alec Baldwin appeared at a DFL fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Roger Moe and U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. (Star Tribune) http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/452.html Gephardt: Well, what I want to say to my friends in the Republican Party is, eat your heart out. I get faxes from Barbra Streisand, they get faxes from Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21890-2002Sep30.html Dick Julia
The Hardball Briefing for October 1, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Sorry the Briefing is late today...Mortman and I had to get the new Giuliani book, read it and put the questions together for an afternoon interview...And I thought cramming for college exams was tough??!! Rudy kicks off the show with Leadership...Part memoir, part management primer, the book explores important leadership lessons he's learned over the years in public office as well as his childhood growing up a Yankees fan... Some of the lessons learned? Stand up to bullies, Weddings discretionary, funerals mandatory and Bribe only those who will stay bribed. Chris talks to Rudy about war with Iraq, standing up to bullies, being a Yankees fan, John Gotti and the Soprano's... More from on the book: Leadership Making choices at the right time and with the right information to reflect decision-making on a larger scale http://www.msnbc.com/news/815138.asp In the D block, we'll ask Michael O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institute and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center on whether and how Israel should respond to an attack from Iraq... In the Buzz, Laura Ingraham and Clarence Page take on the Torch and Iraq politicsLooks like Pallone's the one who'll attempt to replace the Torch on the ballot but a court fight still looms http://www.house.gov/pallone/ The Torch also took some shots at NBC's Lisa Meyers because of her Today show piece...We'll show it to you...Sorry things are bit sparse today in The Briefing...What can I say? Stuff happens...I'll have some more fun stuff tomorow...Plus, The College Tour with John Kerry tomorrow... http://www.msnbc.com/news/808827.asp?0cb=-11b105844 Justices to rule in N.J. Senate race...Democrats ask for exemption to replace Torricelli on ballot (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/815055.asp In His Own Eulogy, a Senator Unbowed...Torricelli Recites Litany of Accomplishments During 20-Year Political Career (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24977-2002Sep30.html Babs is in hot water again...This time for a misquote from Shakespeare...Drudge broke it and Grove followed it up today... Grove:Streisand, Beware the Quote! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27905-2002Oct1.html Drudge http://www.drudgereport.com/strei4.htm Lloyd Grove also delivers the goods on Georgie Porgie's little run in with the man at Barnes Noble: TV Star Tossed Out of Bookstore! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24906-2002Sep30.html In solidarity with my Postie compatriots, Dominic Bellone's name will not appear in the byline of The Briefing...Instead, The Hardball Briefing was written, compiled and edited by a member of the Hardball staff.. Fun Gore News...Gore's role minor in state politics...Bredesen keeping his distance from ex-vice president (AP) http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/politics/article/0,1406,KNS_356_1448624,00.html ''My opponent will pick (Thompson's) desk up and move it clear across the aisle and put it next to Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy and make it one vote harder for the president to lead our country and represent our values'' -TN Senate Candidate Lamar Alexander on his Dem Opponent Bob Clement http://www.tennessean.com/government/archives/02/10/23101904.shtml?Element_ID=23101904 Inspectors keep talking with Iraq...An Iraqi delegation and top U.N. weapons inspectors met Tuesday for a second and final day of talks on the return of inspectors to Baghdad in an attempt to prevent a threatened military strike by the United States and Britain. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/811728.asp WashPost: 2 GOP senators urge Iraq coalition...Two prominent Senate Republicans called on President Bush yesterday to build an international coalition before striking Iraq, setting the stage for a lively and divisive debate this week. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/815363.asp As a candidate in 2000, President Bush backed Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital. But he has turned aside a congressional demand for steps toward moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=703e=5u=/ap/20021001/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_mideast Democrats Stand With Ehrlich...Townsend Aide Calls Group 'Has-Beens' (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25025-2002Sep30.html?referer=email Babs: If it was a different administration, I might consider a political appointment. http://pagesix.com/cindyadams/48498.htm In an effort to help Democrats take back the House of Representatives this fall, Barbra Streisand brought down the house at a fundraiser Sunday at the Kodak Theatre. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021001/4495017s.htm Babs official statement on the infamous Gebhardt (sic)
The Hardball Briefing College Tour Edition, October 9, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- If it's Wednesday, it's The Hardball College Tour...Folks, we're going a bit outside the box tonight with Joe Eszterhas, famed Hollywood screenwriter...You may not know the name or face but you certainly know his movies: Basic Instinct, Show girls, Flashdance Sliver...He also authored the book American Rhapsody about the Bill/Monica scandal...Eszterhas, a self-described militant smoker, was faced with a life-altering choice when 18 months ago, he was diagnosed with throat cancer at The Cleveland Clinic. Now, he's crusading against the glamorization of smoking in Hollywood...He's got an amazing story and we'll discuss it with him, his wife and his doctors live from Cleveland State University... And if you're in the neighborhood, why don't you drop on by?...You can ask a question and get on TV (and btw, if you do, ask Joe whether he subscribes to The Briefing)...It's free and open to the public...Here's all the details: http://www.csuohio.edu/news/releases/nr2002/nr2002-09/anc_Hardball_at_CSUhtml Read Joe's piece in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer: A reason to rethink smoking as 'cool' http://www.cleveland.com/homegrown/index.ssf?/homegrown/more/joe/pd2.html Hardball College Tour write up http://www.msnbc.com/news/808828.asp Joe's Filmography http://us.imdb.com/Name?Eszterhas,+Joe Should be a real hoot and you may learn something...Especially if you're a smoker or ex-smoker (like me)...We'll ask Joe about his crusade, Hollywood, the media and some topical political issues as well In other news. Dear Policeman, I am God read the Death Tarot card left about 150 yards from where that 13 year old kid was shot on his way to school Monday morning...This morning Montogomery Co. police chief Charles Moose railed on the media for leaking this piece of info...He also criticized everyone from MD Governor Parris Glendenning to our guy Clint van Zandt for talking too much about the case on TV...Also: Police were also searching a wooded area behind a school in Prince George's County after reports Wednesday of a suspicious man seen carrying a long black bag in the area. A woman driving in the area was detained for questioning. We don't know whether or not she was the person who dropped the subject off but we are talking to her trying to find out why she was here, Prince George's County Police Cpl. Diane Richardson said (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2ncid=716e=1u=/ap/20021009/ap_on_re_us/sniper_shootings Sniper said to leave 'I am God' note...Tarot card reportedly found near Md. school (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/816566.asp You'll want to know...This day in history: In 1926 the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was formed. Here's something kinda fun looking...Webcast: White House Beat,,,Got a question? E-mail it to NBC's White House correspondents, and watch each week for answers http://www.msnbc.com/news/761167.asp?launch=/m/mw/mw.asp?id=whbpl=White_House_Beat_0cm=c40 Sneed delivers the goods on a big time Bill/Hill fundraiser, Chelsea's new do and Rahm's new political project in Tipsville: http://www.suntimes.com/output/sneed/cst-nws-sneed09.html Grove: Renaissance lawyer Jonathan Turley -- who has frequently appeared in the media as an expert on everything from the Monica Lewinsky scandal to the finer points of environmental law -- is getting heat for some credential confusion during a recent guest spot on the public radio show To the Point. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63715-2002Oct9.html Look who's going to Iowa: Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley will return to Iowa next week to campaign in Dallas County for John Norris, the Democratic candidate for U.S. House. (Des Moines Register) http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/19423364.html Food Stuff: The Cornmeal Connection...In Italy, it's called polenta; in America it's called cornmeal. But cooks in both countries use the same ingredient in a variety of tasty dishes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59146-2002Oct8.html Dinner in 25 minutes: An odd-sounding combination of grapes and chili peppers makes for a refreshing addition to a simple pork chop. (Wash Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59153-2002Oct8.html Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited the Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC...Weather cloudy, overcast and some rain possible Four weeks before Election Day, the battle for control of the Senate appears to hinge on seven closely contested states, including a reshaped New Jersey race that has dramatically bolstered Democrats' chances of holding their fragile majority. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-10-08-senate_x.htm After months of criticizing the Bush administration's approach to Iraq, Senator John F. Kerry plans to announce
The Hardball Briefing for October 10, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Big news day today folks...The House is scheduled to vote on the Iraq war resolution and the Senate debate is humming alongIt now appears that Nebraska Republican Senator Chuck Hagel and Massachusetts Democrat (and Hardball College Tour guest) John Kerry will now vote Aye on the resolution...This is significant because both were holdouts and both are Vietnam combat vets...Plus, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) announced this morning that he's on board as well...Of course Byrd went on another tirade this morning...We'll play the sound... We'll also talk to some electeds about the House vote and continuing Senate debateLook for Texas Republican/'88 Libertarian presidential candidate Ron Paul who opposes the resolution and someone who supports it...Plus, Rhode Island Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee who also opposes the resolution... I know what you're thinking: Stop having all the anti-war folks on! Don't worry, we're gonna have some Hawks on too...Part of the deal with news is that you gotta look for the man bites dog story...Everyone's for the war, that's the dog bites man story...Anyway, we'll bring you highlights from the debate, the hot sots (sound on tape) if you will... I love Lester's phrase: The lowdown on the showdown Plus, There's a great piece in the Post this morning about the Democrats problem politically with supporting this war while at the same time trying to differentiate themselves on other issues from Bush... Hardball guest Donna Brazile: Our liberal base wants us to stand up and challenge Bush on the war We'll talk to Donna and Hardball favorite Pat Caddell about the state of the Democrat party and how they can win this November despite rolling over on Iraq... And in the Buzz block, we'll serve up some lighter fare with Washington Post television critic Tom Shales...He just co-authored a book entitled Live from New York...It's an oral history of the popular NBC hit comedy show, Saturday Night Live.. Al Qaeda/Bin Laden specialist British dude Peter Bergen will give us the latest on those clowns and their evil work... Plus, we'll also do the Hardball Hot Seat as well... http://www.msnbc.com/news/810538.asp Lots of fun to be had tonight folks...Do kick it with us... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled, and edited The Briefing deep inside the Beltway... Focus on War Talk Trips Democrats...The prospect of war with Iraq is pushing their best issues into the background, while also damaging fundraising and voting enthusiasm among key constituencies upset over the party's failure to challenge war plans (Wash Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3631-2002Oct9.html Boxing promoter Don King to President Bush: I did tell George, the president, 'You're a great fighter, but you need a promoter. I'd like to be your promoter.' And he said, 'I don't know if I can afford you.' And I told him, 'I'll do it pro bono -- for a great nation called America!' (Grove, Reliable Source) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3060-2002Oct9.html Sadly there was another shooting in the DC area last night and while not conclusive, it appears to be the same M.O. of previous shootings...You know about the death Tarot card left at the scene of Monday's shooting but here's something of interest buried in today's Washington Post... Police sources who have seen the card said that in addition to scrawling an apparent taunt on the card - Mister Policeman, I am God - the sniper also asked that his message not be revealed to the news media. Sources said some detectives had hoped that if they honored the request, the sniper might communicate with investigators again. This was a personal message to us, and the intention of the [shooter] was to develop a relationship with us, said one detective, who spoke yesterday on the condition of anonymity. The detective said some investigators believed that the sniper was attempting to build a rapport with us. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4858-2002Oct10.html?referer=email Fun Clinton News...Denise Rich, Malcolm Forbes, Nelson Mandela and other friends and supporters of the Clintons showered the couple with roughly $1 million in previously unreported gifts during the Clinton presidency, according to documents released by Republican congressional investigators. (New York Times) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/10/10/MN69696.DTL Poor Al Gore. Republicans are giving him the ultimate diss - they don't think he's worth using in TV attack ads while anti-Hillary ads keep popping up all over the country. (Orin) http://www.nypost.com/commentary/59399.htm More from Sneed: U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton , who received an $8 million advance for her upcoming book, joked last week that the title for her tome
The Hardball Briefing for October 24, 2002
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- While still in a cautiously optimistic holding pattern, this clearly is the best news we've had in the region since the shooting spree begin...NBC's Pete Williams broke the news that investigators found a Bushmaster .223 assault rifle in the car of the 2 men arrested today at the rest stop in Frederick. It fires .223 rounds...The AP is reporting Police found a gun, a scope and a tripod in the car... While no one is conclusively saying this is the guy, all signs are pointing in that directionLike me, I'm sure you were all glued to your sets until late into the night...The story is clearly breaking on a number of fronts and we're constantly picking new bits of information by the hour...I've laid out a number of stories below and prefer they speak on my behalf... Due to travel and other exigencies of his schedule today, we're sidelining Chris...Mike Barnicle will host the show live from Rockville, MD and of course Shuster will do a live report at the top and a tick tock of the last few days wrapping up what we know...We'll then bring it out to a panel of experts...As you can imagine, things are very fluid and up in the air...Rest assured we'll have the best hour of news and analysis anywhere...Period Stay with MSNBC on air and http://msnbc.com for the absolute latest... Oh and by the way, the Arnold Schwarzenegger College Tour will air on Tuesday, the 29th and Rudy Giuliani from U Penn will be live on Wednesday, the 30th... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited the Briefing from Washington, DC Two in custody in sniper case...In a dawn raid on a Maryland rest stop, police on Thursday detained two men described as people of interest in the investigation into the Washington, D.C.-sniper attacks. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/816566.asp The two--identified as John Allen Muhammad, 41, once known as John Allen Williams, and Lee Malvo, 17--were arrested without incident after a flurry of police activity in places as far away as Tacoma, Wash., and Montgomery, Ala. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4422-2002Oct23.html Profile: John Allen Muhammad (BBC) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2357393.stm Sniper suspects' lives offer few clues...There were few clues in the unremarkable life of John Allen Muhammad to suggest he could have launched one of the most terrifying killing sprees in recent American history. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/825361.asp Baton Rouge Connection to Man Arrested in Sniper Investigation (WAFB) http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=984588 Sniper hunt reaches Northwest...Arrest warrant follows searches in Tacoma, Bellingham (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/92652_fbi24.shtml Sniper link in Ala. fatal shooting?...Police are investigating if a fatal shooting in Montgomery, Ala., last September is linked to the sniper, and sources said fingerprints at that scene match those of one of two men detained Thursday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/825363.asp [Montgomery] Mayor Bobby Bright also said Malvo's fingerprint was found on a weapons publication in a parking lot outside the state liquor store where one female employee was killed and another was wounded. (AP) http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?j5316_BC_SniperShootings-Alabanewsnewsflash-al Several federal sources told the Seattle Times that Williams and Malvo may have been motivated by anti-American sentiments in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. Both were known to speak sympathetically about the men who hijacked jetliners over Washington, New York and Pennsylvania, the sources said. (The Baltimore Sun) http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/crime/bal-sniper1024,0,3638977.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines President Bush was told on Thursday that federal officials were hopeful those responsible for a wave of sniper attacks in the Washington area were in custody, but that it was not conclusive, a senior administration official said. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=politicsnewsStoryID=1627971 After Arrests, Area Residents Cautiously Optimistic...Schools Maintain Security Precautions, Await Updates From Police (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10604-2002Oct24.html Poll finds appetite for sniper coverage...The story may be running round the clock on cable, but a majority of Americans say the press hasn't yet overplayed its coverage of the Washington, D.C., sniper case. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021024/4561448s.htm Kurtz: Confusing Drama Unfolds on Television http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9728-2002Oct24.html Harper on
Hillary Clinton College Tour Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight will mark one of our most exciting College Tours to date...Certainly it will be the most riveting hour in televisionHillary Clinton live from the University at Albany-SUNY...We'll do every issue from Iraq and the war on terror, Dems in disarray, her White House years, to her future and how things are going for BillPlus a surprise or two... Truly break out the TV tray, pop the popcorn must see TV! I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary turned the tables on Chris and played a little Hardball herself!!...Of course, we'll let the kids ask questions too... Lots of fun for sure...It's only open to the students so don't even ask about attending! Hey, did you see Chris on Leno last night? I loved his line about I'm the Don King on my show...Refereeing the political fight...Something like that... Anyway, pls make sure to join us...9 pm et exclusively on America's Newschannel, MSNBC Hillary College Tour Homepage http://www.msnbc.com/news/831604.asp Book signing in Albany http://www.albany.edu/main/announcement/cmatthews.htm Main College Tour page http://www.msnbc.com/modules/tvnews/Hardball_CollegeTour/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC...Weather sunny pleasant...I'm tired today so I'm not doing a lot of cutesy commentary but I do have some cool links... Rush Molloy (click and scroll) Bill Clinton probably contemplated another run for office, this time in Japan, when he stepped off a plane in Tokyo yesterday and found hundreds of screaming teenagers. Then he discovered that the mob was waiting for a guy who once interviewed him http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/36999p-34924c.html Kurtz: The whispering in Washington these days is that John Kerry could emerge -- emerge being one of those great hocus-pocus journalistic words -- as the Democratic front-runner in the race for president should Al Gore decide to remain an author. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14293-2002Nov20.html Lieberman on '04: I haven't made the final decision because it's an enormous personal decision and it's going to require some final discussions with our family, I guess for now I probably should say probably. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=548ncid=703e=4u=/ap/20021120/ap_on_el_ge/lieberman_president Dig this: He never got the flat tax that spurred him to run for office, but House Majority Leader Dick Armey departs Washington with his cowboy-boots image and one more bomb to throw as he exits the stage: He may go work for the ACLU. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20021120/ap_on_go_co/armey_adieu_2 President Bush urged NATO allies, as they gathered in this Bohemian capital under cover of American F-16 jets, to stand together in a strong coalition of the willing against Iraq's Saddam Hussein so that war might be averted. (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/837040.asp Bush-Havel verbate: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=703e=5u=/ap/20021120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_havel_text We're not close to that decision point yet because we're just beginning the process of allowing Saddam the chance to show the world whether or not he will disarm, Mr. Bush said of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (Sammon) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20021120-24260671.htm U.S. asks allies for Iraq war support...50 nations queried on possible participation in coalition (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/837464.asp Senate passes domestic security bill...Measure passes by 90-9 margin; Bush expected to sign sweeping legislation http://www.msnbc.com/news/833668.asp Homeland Security comes loaded with gifts (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021120/4637199s.htm More Senate Wins for BushThe Senate gave President Bush two more victories, voting overwhelmingly for a bill to help the insurance industry cover the cost of claims from future terrorist attacks and confirming one of Bush's appellate court nominees. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12425-2002Nov19.html?referer=email Iraqi Officials Pledge 'Full Cooperation'...The promise raises hopes among an advance team of inspectors that their mission could be spared the evasions that plagued previous efforts to hunt for banned weapons. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12231-2002Nov19.html?referer=email Moussaoui Linked to Plot...CIA Captive Says Suspect Met With 9/11 Planner (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/837463.asp Pentagon Plans A Redirection In Afghanistan...Troops to Be Shifted Into Rebuilding Country (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12295-2002Nov19.html?referer=email Seper: Terrorists seeking to attack U.S. military and
Hitchens On Henry the K Tonight!!!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I know how you feel folks...It's Monday, it's cold (at least in most of the country), you're back from a long holiday weekend and all the leftovers are gone...It's depressing I know...I didn't even want to get out of bed this morning myself...But take comfort Mr. Mrs. America (and of course my international friends), we've got a great show lined up for tonight which should warm your spirits and get you back in the swing of things... We'll lead with the terrorist attack in Kenya last week and the resurgence of Al-Qaeda...We'll talk to some terrorism expert types and maybe do a hit with the mayor of Jerusalem as well...Is Al-Qaeda trying to bring Israel and the U.S. into the same war on terror?...Later in the B/C block we'll talk to fmr. UN ambassador Ken Adelman and Barry McCaffrey about the coming war with Iraq and what our allies in the region may demand from us... In the backhalf we'll take a look at the Dem 2004 field...As you know John Kerry announced a presidential exploratory committee yesterday on MTP which is one step away from announcing for real...Basically he'll see how much money he can raise and if he can get any traction in the polls and decide from there...Right now he's at 6% while Al is at 49%, according to a Wash Post poll of Dem voters...We'll survey the Dem landscape with Howard, Donna and Tony...Plus team Shuster/Jamison is putting together a package on it.. btw, dig Howie's piece on Tony in today's Post...Looks like he's the new conservative power broker in town... Kurtz: Since taking over the Washington Times editorial page last summer, Tony Blankley has thrown some hard rhetorical punches. And it's not just Democrats who have been on the receiving end. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61623-2002Dec1.html?referer=email And of course, what segment on Kissinger's appointment to head the 9/11 Commission would be complete without a visit from Hitch?? He'll do the Buzz with a Henry the K defender...I just got off the phone with Hitchens and his wife who are both very jazzed about this segment...Plus, we'll do the Dilulio/Esquire thing as well...Details below... Hitchens in da House!! The Latest Kissinger Outrage...Why is a proven liar and wanted man in charge of the 9/11 investigation? http://slate.msn.com/?id=2074678 His book on the case against Kissinger http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1859846319/ref=lib_rd_ss_TFCV/102-6916146-3926516?v=glances=booksvi=readerimg=1#reader-link There is no precedent in any modern White House for what is going on in this one: a complete lack of a policy apparatus. What you've got is everything, and I mean everything, being run by the political arm. It's the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis. Fmr. White House faith based advisor John Dilulio, Jr. (The New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/02/politics/02BUSH.html?ex=1039496400en=5259a93662906113ei=5006partner=ALTAVISTA1 Ari: I dismiss it as baseless and groundless http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20021202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_diiulio_1 Odds and Sods...Chris will be in Cambridge, MA tonight 7:30-8:30 pm at Wordsworth Books, 30 Brattle Street...Tell him the Briefing sent you! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC I always left that room feeling like a cheap prostitute who'd had a busy day Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA) after a day of fundraising http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61624-2002Dec1.html?referer=email President Bush is honoring NASCAR champion and auto racing's reigning bad boy Tony Stewart, adding a sport with a prized voter profile to the list of winners who get his White House treatment. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=693e=3u=/ap/20021202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_nascar Kerry to Start Run for President...Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts said Sunday he will file the necessary papers this week allowing him to raise money for a possible run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2004. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61537-2002Dec1.html?referer=email I've made a decision to file a committee. I'm going to file this week an exploratory committee, a formal committee, and I'm going to begin the process of organizing a national campaign, Mr. Kerry, 58, announced yesterday on NBC's Meet the Press. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20021202-23429179.htm ''I think there's a deep anxiety in the American people about security,'' not only about national security, but about jobs, pensions, and education, Kerry said. ''And I think on almost every issue, literally, on almost every issue facing the country, I believe there is a better choice for this nation.'' (Boston Globe)
Hot Stuff on Hardball Tonight! Join Us...
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Lots of stuff on the agenda tonight and Chris is still doing book stuff in Cambridge so we're operating in a compressed production schedule tableau, as it were... Anyhoo, for a change of pace we're going to lead the show with The Supremes (as we call them in DC) taking up the affirmative action policy at the University of Michigan...That'll happen next year but the debate rages nonetheless whether this is reverse discrimination against white folk...Terrence Pell, the lawyer for the white kids will argue the case in A and Dersh will play defense of the admissions policy...Should be quite fiesty right off the top tonight... Is Al Qaeda kickin' it with Saddam? Or, Is there a link? (for those who don't speak jive) Investigative reporter David Rose thinks so and he's written about it for the upcoming edition of Vanity Fair, that highbrow mag... In the back half we're going political with a Shuster package on Bush campaigning down in Louisiana today...Lots of red meat from the speech down there...We'll play the hot sound bites and contextualize things a bit with the Clint van Zandt of MSNBC politics and Hotline's own, Craig Crawford (who's a loyal Briefing subscriber I might add) Btw, this Saturday is that Louisiana Senate runoff with both candidates neck and neck... Ron Suskind of Esquire mag will discuss the powerful role of top Bush political advisor Karl Rove and why many are concerned inside The White House about the role of politics inside this administration... Dig this hot excerpt we're fullscreening: Certainly in domestic policy, there has been almost no meaningful consideration of any real issues. Its just kids on Big Wheels who talk politics and know nothing... This leaves shoot-from-the-hip political calculations -- mostly from Karl's shop -- to triumph by default. No one balances Karl. In the Buzz we've got Terry Jeffrey, (who btw, just got syndicated through Creators syndicate...He's supposed to be a Briefing subscriber but I'm not sure...I'll check with him)...We'll do the Kerry speech and Clinton speech (he's speaking at the DLC conference) among other things... We hear Gephardt is having a holiday media bash today for Hill reporters...The Briefing would have loved to cover it for you but our invitation still hasn't arrived...sniff, sniff Gotta run...Keep it real...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing in Washington, DC...Weather: biting winds and freezing temperatures... Howard Mortman reveals, for the first time, the age old media mystique of the fresh face...This has been the hot topic du jour around the water cooler and Howard crystallizes the discussion perfectly...Looking for a fresh face...Why every Democratic candidate wants to be portrayed as new to the scene http://msnbc.com/news/839858.asp The U.S. Supreme Court will decide next year whether admissions policies at the University of Michigan that give an advantage to racial minorities can continue at the nation's colleges and universities (Free Press) http://www.freep.com/news/education/affirm3_20021203.htm The big question -- which could be answered as soon as today -- is whether the justices will agree to hear two Michigan cases and clarify how far colleges can go in giving minorities a leg up in admissions. If the justices say yes, the result next summer could be the most significant ruling on affirmative action in a quarter-century. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021202/4664902s.htm Bray: Bakke to the Future...The Supreme Court may finally strike down racial preferences. http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/tbray/?id=110002710 I used to be known as the president of the United States, Bush said. Now, I'm known as the father of the president or Barbara's husband. (Monroe News Star) http://www.thenewsstar.com/html/207A2DD8-2E82-4FA6-AB4D-066769B37CA0.shtml Politics, not crisis, brings Bush back...President to rally for GOP Senate candidate (Shreveport Times) http://www.nwlouisiana.com/html/3DFB51FF-F2F5-456A-9379-636B85B4A6AC.shtml Attacks continue in final debate...Landrieu, Terrell square off on abortion, taxes, ads (New Orleans Times Picayune) http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/newsstory/debate03_3.html Before she headed to Washington, D.C., to begin orientation as one of the newest Republicans in the 108th Congress, U.S. Sen.-elect Elizabeth Dole made a get-out-and-vote pitch in Shreveport on Monday on behalf of GOP Senate hopeful Suzanne Haik Terrell. (Shreveport Times) http://www.shreveporttimes.com/html/19CF88BB-05B5-4A3C-93BF-E2DBC9880DEA.shtml President Bush's $141 million fund-raising drive helped carry three dozen Republican candidates to victory last month, and he returns to the campaign money trail Tuesday seeking one more victory. (AP)
Al Gore on the College Tour Tonight....
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I needn't remind you to tune in tonight for Al Gore at Lehman College in the Bronx...but I'll do it anyway...Chris will spend the full hour with the former Veep in front of the students discussing a potential run for the White House, his critique of the Bush administration and his run in 2000...We'll hit all these topics plus the impeachment of Bill Clinton and much more... Al Gore has said repeatedly that should he run, he'll dump the pollsters and consultants, let 'er rip and let the chips fall where they may...We expect that tonight...9 pm et only on MSNBC... In other news, the Trent Lott controversy is heating up since it's been revealed that he made similar statements about Strom in 1980...We'll see how that plays out and check in on the topic tomorrow night...Senator John McCain will join us as will former Senator Bob Kerrey...Plus, should the DoD use landmines in Iraq? We'll debate it... You've all been following the N. Korean ship that was clandestinely shipping scuds to Yemen? Guess what? The U.S. just released the vessel and it's cargo to Yemen... http://www.msnbc.com/news/845880.asp A particularly disturbing piece of news on the front page of the Washington Post this morning which I believe is worthy of everyone's attention...It concerns Bush's preemptive military doctrine and its application vis-a-vis nuclear weapons... Dig this excerpt...Against today's new enemies, the administration has argued, it may be necessary to strike preemptively and with nuclear weapons that would keep fallout to a minimum. U.S. Will Use 'All Options' To Defend Against Attack...The United States reminded Iraq and other countries Tuesday that it was prepared to use nuclear weapons if necessary to respond to an attack from weapons of mass destruction (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/845955.asp Mortman on the Soprano's and HUD http://www.msnbc.com/news/845423.asp En fuego!! A new Hotline poll, due later this week and sure to generate media buzz, will have Kerry leading Al Gore in New Hampshire. (Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/345/living/In_image_race_Kerry_is_starting_to_pick_up_pace-.shtml Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing in Washington, DC...Weather rainy, icy, cold gloomy Gertz: The missile shipment was first disclosed by The Washington Times on Dec. 2 after the vessel departed several weeks ago from the North Korean port of Nampo with the Scud missiles and their components and a missile fuel chemical http://washingtontimes.com/national/20021211-17872888.htm Squitty: The Pentagon is preparing to use anti-personnel land mines in a war with Iraq, despite U.S. policy that calls for the military to stop using the mines everywhere in the world except Korea by 2003 http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002-12-10-landmines-usat_x.htm U.N. force steps up Iraq inspections...A reinforced team of U.N. arms monitors on Wednesday sent experts to sites across Iraq, including a newly declared site mentioned in Baghdad's massive weapons report and a return visit to a large complex where Iraq once worked on a nuclear bomb. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842500.asp Key factor: Iraqi scientists...US dampens expectations of 'smoking gun' on Iraq weapons and urges access to scientists (CS Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1211/p01s04-wome.html The CIA, coordinating a rush effort by as many as eight U.S. agencies to translate and evaluate Iraq's 12,000-page weapons declaration, expects to deliver a preliminary assessment to the White House today, administration officials said. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20021211-16072764.htm The United States needs a chief executive in charge of its various spy agencies to ensure they overcome a reluctance to share information, the co-chairman of a Congressional committee investigating intelligence failures related to Sept. 11 said on Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=1888479 U.S. Catholic church in uproar...The Roman Catholic Church was in turmoil Tuesday after the New Hampshire diocese acknowledged that there was probably enough evidence to convict church officials of child endangerment and dozens of priests called on the archbishop of Boston to resign. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/844789.asp White House officials spent Tuesday trying to douse political brushfires sparked by conservatives' concerns that President Bush is putting together a new team of economic advisers who are more interested in balancing the budget than seeking the new round of tax cuts he plans to propose. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-12-10-econ-team_x.htm Friedman Appointment as Bush Advisor
Slice Dice of Lott Presser Tonight...
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- News flash: Trent Lott to hold press conference 5:30 pm et in Pascagoula, Miss...Sources tell NBC News that Lott will not step down but offer a more forceful apologyThis type of news will shake up our production process and previously laid plans...It's the nature of the news biz...We'll go for at least half of the show on Lott with sound bites and a massive slice and dice...Depending on what he says, we may go for the full hour...Lots of calls out for guests so it'll have to be a surprise for now...Clearly this is a Howard night for sure... If there's room for any non-Lott related news, we'll do Barnicle and Dornan on Law's resignation and the fallout Plus, in the D block we'll do alpha-hawk James Woolsey on the latest from the Axis of Evil: Iraq, Iran North Korea...Stories moving on each front... This is one of the big nights you'll not want to missBellone, out... Pope accepts cardinal's resignation...Pope John Paul accepted the resignation Friday of embattled Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/844789.asp Mary Matalin, Vice President Dick Cheney's top public relations strategist, is leaving her job for the private sector. She will remain an informal political adviser to the White House as President Bush prepares for re-election. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20021213/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cheney_matalin A new world order? The Bush administration announced an ambitious program to encourage fundamental economic, political and educational changes in the Arab countries of the Middle East yesterday, steps that Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said are critical to achieving U.S. objectives in the region. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48149-2002Dec12.html Sen. Trent Lott clung to support from his Republican colleagues as President Bush denounced his comments showing a nostalgia for the nation's segregationist past. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544ncid=703e=1u=/ap/20021213/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_lott White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. called Lott to notify him of Bush's intentions. After the speech, Bush called Lott and held a conversation characterized as conciliatory. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47806-2002Dec12.html Shot at Nickles, Dana? The Senate is famously clubby, and Lott benefits from the fact that he has no obvious and widely popular successor. Tumulty: At Ole Miss, the Senator helped lead a fight to keep blacks out of his national fraternity http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,399310,00.html The National Organization for Women on Thursday joined the chorus demanding Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott's resignation for remarks he made at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party -- not just for race-related remarks but also his sexual innuendo-filled comments about pop star Britney Spears and a Hooters restaurant. (Palm Beach Post) http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/today/news_d39fb6bc41b4a18900c7.html Democrats plan to use the flap over Senate Republican leader Trent Lott's praise for Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign to try to derail any renewed effort to put Mississippi jurist Charles Pickering on a federal appeals court. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=512ncid=703e=5u=/ap/20021213/ap_on_go_co/lott_pickering U.S. says Iraq dossier full of holes...Iraq's 12,000-page weapons declaration does not account for a number of missing chemical and biological weapons and fails to explain purchases U.S. intelligence believes are related to Saddam Hussein's nuclear program, U.S. officials said. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842500.asp Iraqi Scientists Seen as Key...U.S. says preventing them from being interviewed would violate U.N. deal http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47980-2002Dec12.html The Bush administration, increasingly focused on the looming confrontation with Iraq, reacted calmly Thursday to North Korea's announcement that it would restart a nuclear power plant shuttered since 1994. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47743-2002Dec12.html A senior Iraqi general today dismissed as ridiculous a published report that Iraq may have provided nerve gas to Islamic extremists affiliated with al Qaeda. (AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47793-2002Dec12.html Iran invites inspectors to nuclear sites...Tehran rejects U.S. claim that it is developing secret weapons http://msnbc.com/news/847051.asp?0sl=-23 Al Qaeda Still a Major Threat, Tenet Says...CIA Director George Tenet issued a new warning that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda
Air Force College Tour Tonight...Lots of Lott News As Well
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Soft-landing scenario...That's the buzz phrase I'm picking up today to explain what GOP senators in Washington are hoping for in the Lott situation...This soft landing scenario would encourage Lott to step down under face-saving conditions, which could include another prestigious Senate office. I'll remember that when I have to dismiss my first underling: Buddy, don't think of it as a getting fired, think of it as a soft landing scenario...Geez, you gotta love the obfuscation of language... Here's a hot little development you need to be aware ofJust how involved behind the scenes The White House is on the Lott situation is a big angle to track todayAri's on the hot seat in his briefing now over the matter... The signal is being sent from the White House: 'Get us a new guy,' said a top GOP congressional sourceA Bush source said the President has indicated his choice for a replacement would be the moderate Frist. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/44491p-41916c.html Lott Reax There seems to be some things that are seeping out that have not been helpful, Lott told reporters after a speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Biloxi, Miss. I understand how that happens because you've got a lot of people who work there that have different points of view, I'm telling you here this morning, I'm hanging in there, Lott told the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce. I'm going to find a way for myself, my family, my friends, you the people of Mississippi and America to benefit from this experience. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=512ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20021218/ap_on_go_co/lott The other angle is the jockeying for a post-Lott regime... Top Four Contenders for Lott's Leadership Post Tennessee Senator and The White House's pick, Bill Frist http://frist.senate.gov/ Oklahoma Whip Don Nickles (Lott's #2 and the first GOP Senator to publicly call for Lott's ouster) http://nickles.senate.gov/ Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum (GOP Conference Chairman and 3rd in command...Said last night he supports Lott) http://santorum.senate.gov/ Incoming Majority Whip and the Darth Vader of Campaign Finance...Kentucky's Mitch McConnell (Lott backer) http://mcconnell.senate.gov/ Pat just hand delivered this to me...He's back in the game: Trent Lott: Victim of a hate crime http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30051 Meanwhile: Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee said Wednesday that Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott should not continue as Senate Republican leader. It's time for a change. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=512ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20021218/ap_on_go_co/lott Chafee's office disputes the story...developing hot Btw, tonight we'll air an encore presentation of the College Tour at the Air Force Academy http://www.msnbc.com/news/831599.asp?0cb=-e1i105844 And yes guys, Norah will be there too... A housekeeping note...Are you an Iraq junkie? Want the latest news on Iraq delivered to your mailbox?? Dig our new newsletter... Learn more about the Showdown with Saddam: sign up for the Countdown: Iraq newsletter, premiering today... your on-air and online guide to the unfolding conflict. http://www.msnbc.com/tools/newstools/e/emailextra.asp?nfeature=31 Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC... Food item: Brownies for Everyone...No gift is more universally appreciated than this fudgy, moist, dark treat. (Wash Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1233-2002Dec17.html The official media swooning has begun over Frist: Frist Suggested for Leadership PostThe stock of Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) soared in his party after he helped engineer last month's midterm victories as chairman of the Senate Republicans' campaign committee. Now some Republicans think he should replace Trent Lott (R-Miss.) as Senate Republican leader (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/848995.asp?0sl=-13 Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, brother of President Bush and a Republican who has actively campaigned for black votes, said Tuesday that the uproar over Sen. Trent Lott's remarks supporting a 1948 presidential candidacy based on a segregationist platform is politically damaging the GOP. (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/4762398.htm Grove: Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles -- a longtime Trent Lott rival who has called on fellow Republicans to consider ousting the embattled Mississippian as the Senate's GOP leader -- might have some explaining of his own to do about his membership in the men-only Burning Tree Club. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3882-2002Dec17.html Lott vows to fight for leadership job...Senator says he has the votes; MSNBC finds video where Lott praises Thurmond's presidential bid http://www.msnbc.com/news/845511.asp Santorum
Turn on the air conditioner, its gonna get hot tonight!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight's gonna be a fun 6 most interesting newsmakers of the week front half...Bush, McCain, Blix, Kim Jong Il, David Frum and Paul Tagliabue (NFL Commish)...We lead with Howard and debrief him for the top part of A (roughly 5 minutes)...Then we'll break out the Hardball all star panel: Terry, Dornan, Carl and Barr (Yes folks, it's gonna be that hot...We're phat like that)...Topics we'll get into include Bush's new stimulus plan, McCain's opposition and his teaming up with Joe Lieberman to take on the administration over global warming...In today's Wash Post, EPA honcho Christie Whitman comes out on the offensive declaring air pollution is a priority for the administration (a little preemptive action here folks?) Hey dig this little sugar plum: President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney each stand to reap thousands of dollars in savings from Bush's proposal on Tuesday to eliminate taxes on stock dividends...Based on income reported in his tax returns for 2001, Bush would have saved $16,511 on dividend payments of $43,805 if his new proposal had been in effect for the year. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20030107/pl_nm/economy_bush_taxes_dc_1 We'll of course hit the Axis of Evil behaving badly stuff...N. Korea came out swinging today pulling out of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which drew the ire of the international community and further escalated an already tenuous situation...Plus, Blix declares there's no smoking gun in Iraq... David Frum gave us the inside scoop and his impressions of the Bush White House on Wednesday from his new book The Right Man which is creating quite a stir inside the beltway...We'll get panel reax... And finally with respect to Tagliabue, we'll get into the field goal heard round the world...The first time in history the NFL ever admitted they made a wrong call...I'm told this is equivalent to the Supreme Court admitting it was wrong about Campaign 2000 http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/6114046 In the D Block date: Have reality TV shows gone too far?? Are they debasing American values and why are they so popular? We'll talk to UCLA film professor dude Richard Walter... And finally, in the Buzz we'll talk to Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC political analyst, regular Buzz guest and now executive producer of the as yet new hit NBC series Mister Sterling...The star of the show, Josh Brolin, will join us as well...Think West Wing meets Congress...Btw, Lawrence sent me an e-mail and suggested you read Tom Shales review of the show. 'Mister Sterling': The Ayes Have It http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35902-2003Jan9.html Terry's latest piece: A Tale of Two Investors http://www.creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?columnsName=tje Should be en fuego and one to set the VCR for if you plan to be out...Pls do join us... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing in Washington, DC Hart Hints At Running...Twice A Candidate For President, Former Senator May Try Again (The Hartford Courant) http://www.ctnow.com/news/politics/hc-hart0110.artjan10,0,1497064.story?coll=hc%2Dheadlines%2Dpolitics Hart to gather Iowa supporters...State Democrats say the event probably is meant to be more than just a friendly visit. (Des Moines Register) http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/20191919.html Hart: I'd love to be president, he said. I'd think I'd have been a good president and, in some ways, would be a better president now. (The Rocky Mountain News) http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/politics/article/0,1299,DRMN_35_1664492,00.html Dating games for the new millennium grabbed huge audiences this week, securing their place on hit-starved TV lineups for months - or seasons - to come. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-01-09-dating-shows_x.htm About 7,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune and fighter pilots from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will leave for the Persian Gulf region over the next few days as tension with Iraq grows, officials said Friday. (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/852248.asp?0cv=CA01 N. Korea pulls out of nuclear pact...North Korea said Friday it was withdrawing from the global nuclear arms control treaty, but has no plans to develop nuclear weapons at this stage. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/850567.asp Vice President Dick Cheney said on Friday that North Korea's decision to pull out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was a serious concern to the international community. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=EIBH55LW3MQ5WCRBAEZSFFA?type=politicsNewsstoryID=2025089 New Mexico, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, became a focal point of world nuclear diplomacy Thursday as representatives from North Korea traveled to Santa Fe to meet with Gov.
The Hardball Briefing for January 13, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- A number of production elements are still up in there air at Hardball HQ this Monday afternoon but here's the layout thus farWe've got the sweeping commutation that Ilinois governor George Ryan granted to 167 death row inmates which is generating heat on both sides of the issue...More than likely, this will lead the show...Famed anti-death penalty crusader Barry Scheck and fmr. prosecutor Wendy Murphy will join us... Over the weekend The Washington Post reported a senior Bush administration official blamed the Clinton administration for the trouble with North Korea...Is that accurate or fair? We'll debate it in D... In the Buzz we'll get into the shape of the Dem '04 field...Lieberman jumped in the fray today at his Stamford, CT high school (The Briefing spotted The Post's Dan Balz which clearly adds a marked level of gravitas to the presser), Sharpton did the standard MTP (Meet the Press) presidential job interview yesterday and Graham made this rather cryptic statement on Saturday... I am not running for president...I am going to to be the president of the United States. Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) (Palm Beach Post) http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/sunday/news_e302ae8ba68d32c900e5.html PS Brother Novak drops this little morsel in the mix today which I highly recommend: GOP senators on the warpath http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak13.html Lieberman enters White House race...'Rise above partisan politics,' Senator urges audience at alma mater http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/856649.asp Balz: With Gore Out, Lieberman Announces Bid...Former VP Candidate Is Latest to Join Presidential Race http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48545-2003Jan13.html Kerry sets tone for campaign...''When I'm president of the United States, we're going to have early childhood education,'' he said Friday night to a hearty round of applause (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/013/nation/Kerry_sets_tone_for_campaign+.shtml Gephardt on Bush: He is a nice man ... but he is uninformed, he is inexperienced and he has no curiosity...He is not up to this job, and he needs to be replaced. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/news/AE11B3999B44F6C786256CAB00165468?OpenDocumenthighlight=2%2CGephardtheadline=Gephardt+courts+Democrats+in+South+Carolina,+offers+harsh+criticism+of+Bush While Rep. Dick Gephardt's entry into the race for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination makes him the instant front- runner for the Iowa cau- cuses in 2004, political insiders agree an early favorite will not diminish activity in Iowa and may even invite more (Des Moines Register) http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/20211198.html Sharpton Off and Running, Going 'Full Speed Ahead' (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47267-2003Jan12.html?referer=email A Leap of Fate...A governor's controversial last hurrah clears out Illinois's crowded death row (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/858247.asp?0cv=KB10 They wept--again. For the many relatives of victims of some of Illinois' most brutal murders, Sunday was the day to let the world know how they felt about Gov. Ryan's decision to commute the sentences of 167 Death Row inmates. (Chicago Sun Times) http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-death13.html Human rights activists around the world on Sunday applauded the move by the governor of Illinois to spare death row prisoners from execution and urged President Bush to follow his lead by abolishing the death penalty. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/857602.asp The Rev. Jesse Jackson said yesterday that Illinois Gov. George Ryan did an awesome thing in commuting the sentences of 167 death-row inmates. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/53154.htm Bush team blames Clinton for crisis...Says 1994 N. Korea agreement left `the difficult things' for next leader (The Washington Post) http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/nation/1732955 GOP Tightens Hold In the House...House Republican leaders, through a series of rule changes and key appointments, are tightening their hold on power as they prepare to push for new spending cuts, bigger tax breaks and a more ambitious social agenda (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/858429.asp Frist: Eyes always on the next step...Quest to stay ahead of pack leads to primacy in the Senate (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/858149.asp?0sl=-13 High Roller...Bush upped the ante with his bold tax plan. But the Democrats are also feeling lucky. Does the president have a winning hand? (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/858239.asp?0cv=KB10 Paul O'Neill on the Bush tax cut: 'I would not have done it' (Pittsburgh
Chris Anchors Coverage at 6:30 pm eastern tonight...
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- **6:30-8 pm et** Chris Matthews will anchor coverage tonight on MSNBC from 6:30-8 pm eastern time...I apologize for you West Coasters who've been writing in...Set you VCRs, it's worth it...You'll get the latest from our NBC correpondents around the world as well as The White House, The Pentagon and CentCom with Hardball's own David Shuster who is stationed in Doha, Qatar... Other reasons to tune in: Pat will join us, Buchanan, not Caddell...He, of course, co-host's MSNBC's Buchanan and Press which is temporarily on hold due to our continuous coverage of Operation: Iraqi Freedom...We'll let you know when it comes back...Luntz is back from his world tour and informs us he has his finger on the pulse of international opinion...He'll share it with us tonight... Senator Joe Biden will do a live hit with Chris today around 2:15 pm et on MSNBC, we'll replay it tonight Also, Howard and Gergen will do the buzz type segment with the inside skinny on the Rummy/Shinseki fight detailed in the New York Times below...Bush has come out today in defense of The Donald...We'll get the latest...Plus, The Washington Post reports our old buddy James Woolsey may be in line for a big job in post war Iraq but there's a split between The Pentagon State over who gets to appoint whomThat story below as well...Also, Powell announced today that he is going to Turkey for a kiss and make up tour...Obviously my description, not Colin's Pls join us tonight at 6:30 pm eastern... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC The first and last issue concerning this war is the young American men and women fighting itWe at MSNBC salute these heroes everyday with our America's Bravest wall which you've seen many times...If you would like to honor them as well, here's a couple of links for you... Looking for a way to support the troops?...Far away from home, close to our hearts http://www.msnbc.com/news/892128.asp America's Bravest http://www.msnbc.com/news/785157.asp http://iraq.msnbc.com Kurdish officials say bombing raids in northern Iraq had increased over the past 24 hours, a sign the U.S. military was intensifying its campaign along the northern front. On Tuesday afternoon, U.S. warplanes attacked targets close to the northern oil city of Kirkuk, a Reuters correspondent said from a hilltop vantage point in Kurdish-held territory nearby. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/886517.asp Iran next on W's list...Nukes program will get U.S. attention after Iraq war (The NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/71782p-66580c.html U.S. forces snuff out Iraqi defenders...Packing overwhelming firepower, U.S. forces snuffed out Iraqi fighters in several towns and cities south of Baghdad, consolidating their steady advance Tuesday toward the Iraqi capital http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp American soldiers on the road to Baghdad fought bloody street-to-street battles with militants loyal to Saddam Hussein while tense troops in southern Iraq shot and killed seven women and children when the driver of a van failed to stop at a checkpoint. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=540e=1u=/ap/20030401/ap_on_re_mi_ea/war_rdp U.S. forces resumed their northward advance toward Baghdad on Tuesday after a pause of several days, Reuters reporters traveling with the troops said. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=2487641 President Saddam Hussein said in a message to the Iraqi people Tuesday that jihad (holy war) was a religious duty and he urged them to fight invading U.S. and British troops wherever they found them. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=2487957 Pentagon, State Spar On Team to Run Iraq...Rumsfeld Rejects State Dept. Choices (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63223-2003Mar31.html Long-simmering tensions between Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Army commanders have erupted in a series of complaints from officers on the Iraqi battlefield that the Pentagon has not sent enough troops to wage the war as they want to fight it. (The New York Times) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=68ncid=68e=1u=/nyt/20030401/ts_nyt/rumsfeld_s_design_for_war_criticized_on_the_battlefield President Bush has complete faith in Donald Rumsfeld, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday, dismissing new criticism of the defense secretary's handling of the Iraq war as second-guessing by one of 1,000 colonels at the Pentagon. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=2487656 Two fatal shootings at U.S. roadblocks...U.S. troops shot and killed at least eight Iraqi civilians, including some children, in two separate
The Hardball Briefing for June 5, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- We're coming out of the box tonight with the bombshell from The Old Grey Lady. Executive Editor Howell Raines and Managing Editor Gerald M. Boyd have resigned...Nachman's gonna be in the House of course as will Chicago Tribune guy Jim Warren...He used to do the old Sunday Capitol Report on CNN back in the day with Howard...The Media Research Center's Brent Bozell will join us as well...He put out a fiery statement on the matter this morning... http://www.mrc.org/press/2003/press20030605.asp NY Times Statement http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030605/55352_1.html MSNBC story http://www.msnbc.com/news/922499.asp?0sl=-31 Btw, the reason why Caddell had to cancel at the last minute yesterday was because his dog Nosey was getting her stitches out and there wasn't any appointments available until next week...We were trying to get a studio near the vet but we couldn't make it work...Nosey's fine and she's doing a little bit of running Caddell informs us...He'll probably do the back half panel tomorrow... In the B/C blocks we'll do more on Martha with her biographer Christopher Byron and Kudlow... Byron on Martha http://nypost.com/commentary/514.htm And in the D block, should your tax dollars be funding anti-American art? In the Buzz we got Dee Dee on Hillary and that big Campaign for America's Future confab which is the Liberal answer to the centrist Democratic Leadership Council gang...A number of presidential candidates are speaking today...Shuster's at the event and getting the hot sound...We'll roll it in the Buzz today...I'm working on getting Terry from Modesto... Last night was quite the wing-ding at the Washington Hinkley Hilton where media, political and other hangers on gathered for the 59th Annual Television and Radio Correspondents Dinner...You may have seen some of the clips from the event this morning...It was official Washington on display...Cheney was quite a stitch with his one liners...He was the guest of honor and who knew he had a sense of humor?...My favorite line was something to the effect of I love being in charge of the government.when Karl Rove is out of the country...The headliner act, comedian Henry Cho, had some good lines as well...If the audience had any doubts about Mr. Cho's credibility they were quickly put to rest with this line from his intro (He starred in 'Revenge of the Nerds III')There were too many names to mention but I gotta give a special Briefing shout out to Sam and his three lovely angels at Crossfire...Apparently they're big fans of this sheet...Very flattered to meet them...You wouldn't know it from their programming but those guys at CNN sure know how to party...Their post dinner suite, Club 24, was rockin' to the old school jams of Rick James and the Heatwave classic Boogie Nights...FNC had a commendable imitation of Club 24 and NBC's post-dinner party bespoke of an operation more concerned with newsgathering and being the best in the business than being the best in frivolous partying...Wolfowitz was kickin' it at the NBC suite though...Fund was making the rounds as well...Roger Ailes had a red carpeted pre-dinner reception and entered the dining room with his golden boy Bill O'Reilly...NBC's own Lisa Meyers won an award for investigative journalism with her series on Enron and Russert announced the formation of the David Bloom award for excellence in enterprise field reporting... The meal was nothing to write home about...Some kind of New Orleans salad with corn fritters (which I enjoyed)...Had to substitute the salmon for another filet mignon (The Briefing is allergic to fish)...Standard veggie side and and sweet potato dichynoise (which had a hint of cinnamon)...Dessert was a chocolate cream creation, decent presentation...We sat at table 5 with Shuster, Jamison, Mortman, Bill Press and his producer Ann Klenk, Kerri Forrest, Rani Kahle and Tina Urbanski, Hardball producers all... Mortman's take: They couldn't get George Bush, so they went with Dick Cheney. The couldn't get Margaret Cho, so they went with Henry Cho. What, Kucinich was unavailable? Washington Post account: Media Rare...Broadcasters Dish With the Newsmakers http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15822-2003Jun5.html Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC U.S. soldier killed, 5 hurt in Iraq...Grenade attack at a checkpoint in troubled Fallujah (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0cv=CB10 The pre-publication reports of some emotional details from the memoir of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton sent her publisher, Simon Schuster, scrambling Wednesday to protect its carefully calibrated marketing plans, including threatening to sue Associated Press for quoting from a leaked copy of the book. (The New York Times)
Sharpton, Caddell, Terry, Lucianne and so much more!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- So tonight is one of those show's I'm throwing in the must watch category...Dig this lineup: Sharpton in the A block...Folks, he was on fire this morning at the Take Back America convention (story below)...Remember Shuster's package last night in the Buzz? That's the convention I'm talking about...In the B/C blocks, we got Lucianne Trixie Goldberg and get this, David Brock, on Hillary's big interview this weekend with Barbara Wa-Wa (as Caddell calls her) on the new book...Hey, did you hear Sharon Stone may play Hillary in an made for TV movie?? In the back half panel we've got the high energy Jolt Cola gang: Caddell, Jeffers, Terry and Sandy Rios... Topics include: Are we a nation of cheaters?? Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction? A new report out casts doubt about what we knew and when we knew it with respect to WMD...Also, how did Bush's overseas adventure go? Plus, more on Hillary...Why don't New Yorkers want her to run for President? Yeah I know it's a beautiful summer night and you want to hang outside...Wheel the TV out to the deck, set the VCR, do what you have to do but trust me folks, if you like a little Tabasco sauce on your food and on your cable news, tonight's the night! Here's a sentence used to describe our show...Hardball is a show that examines politics with spirit, passion and the ability to provoke. 7, 11 2 am Eastern exclusively on MSNBC... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC... New Yorkers to Hillary: Don't Run for President...Some suspect Hillary Clinton's tell-all memoir is an early move in a potential presidential run, but a new poll on Thursday revealed most New Yorkers do not want her to ever bid for the nation's highest office. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20030605/pl_nm/politics_clinton_dc_2 Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton, in an appeal to liberal activists Friday, mocked President Bush for failing to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, deposed leader Saddam Hussein or terrorist leader Osama bin Laden (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20030606/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_2004_13 We could not specifically pin down individual facilities operating as part of the weapons of mass destruction program, specifically the chemical warfare portion, http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=542ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20030606/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/iraq_us_intelligence Mortman: Are Democrats too negative?...Presidential candidates feeling pressure from left http://msnbc.com/news/922839.asp?0dm=C11PO Speaking of Mortman and Lucianne, her website is abuzz with the aforementioned piece above http://lucianne.com/threads2.asp?artnum=47868 Major league FOB (Friend of the Briefing) Valerie Walston on California's absence in national news http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/fri/opinion/news_mz1e7walston.html AE to Make Movie About Hillary Clinton (AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20660-2003Jun5.html Hamas ceases truce talks with Abbas...The militant Islamic group Hamas said on Friday it was breaking off talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas on ending its attacks on Israelis. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/801833.asp Groups gung ho for Gore...If former Vice President Al Gore won't throw his hat in the ring for the 2004 Democratic ticket, apparently others will do it for him. (Nashville City Paper) http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=9screen=newsnews_id=23414 U.N. inspectors back in Baghdad...A small team of U.N. nuclear experts arrived Baghdad on Friday to begin a damage assessment at Iraq's largest nuclear facility. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/920379.asp U.N. Presses Bush On Iraq...Return of Weapons Inspectors Urged http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21815-2003Jun5.html?referrer=email Firm Saw Favor as Tied to Donations...Executives of an energy company believed that $56,500 in donations to political groups linked to four key Republican lawmakers last year would prompt Congress to exempt their firm from a problematic federal regulation, according to documents. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21913-2003Jun5.html?referrer=email Senate expands child tax credit...The Senate voted Thursday to give 6.5 million low-income families a check worth $400 for each of their children, as Republicans buckled under demands from Democrats. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/922609.asp Attorney General John Ashcroft told House members yesterday that the investigative and prosecutorial tools Congress approved after September 11 have helped thwart terrorist attacks but that more are needed. (The Washington Times)
Jerry Springer's in the House tonight...
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Some housekeeping stuff right up front: The Briefing is going on vacation next week and will return on the 23rdChris is going on vacation for the next couple of weeks and Barnicle will guest host...We may have a surprise host or two as well! I've taken a peek at our stacks list (our super secret file where we keep our guest bookings) for next week and fun guests include Hillary biographer Gail Sheehy and Republican strategist Ed Rollins... As always, I encourage your bookmarking of http://msnbc.com to get the latest news...And just because The Briefing is going out of town doesn't mean it's exempt from watching the show...It still remains appointment viewing even on vacation... Yeah I'm late but this has been a very, very crazy dayYou can still watch the show at 11 pm and 2 am eastern... Hey, even the President is on vacation...President Bush opened a long Father's Day weekend at his parents' estate here, starting his RR by riding a Segway - the standup, motorized scooter that resembles a push lawnmower. (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/926145.asp?0cv=NB10 Is Jerry Springer running for Senate? Chris grills him on that question tonight... Jer-ry! Jer-ry! http://runjerryrun.com/ Is Hillary Clinton deliberately ignoring sexual harassment in the workplace issues in her new book? Congresswoman Anne Northup is upset and will tell us why...This you gotta see.. Katrina's in the Buzz with National Review's Byron York...They discuss this whole issue of the fabricated evidence of an Iraq-Niger connection on WMD that Bush mentioned in the State of the Union Gotta run...See you on the 23rd... Mortman's latest... http://msnbc.com/news/926291.asp?0dm=C12RO CIA Says It Cabled Key Data to White House...But Officials Say Document Lacked Conclusion on Iraqi Uranium Deal (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52813-2003Jun12.html?referrer=email U.S. troops kill 27 Iraqi attackers...U.S. forces killed 27 Iraqi fighters in a ground and air pursuit Friday after the Iraqis attacked an American tank patrol north of Baghdad, the military said. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Covert unit hunted for Iraqi arms...Amid raids and rescue, Task Force 20 failed to find weapons (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/926076.asp?0sl=-21 Soldier braved ghosts in darkness...The story of one 19 year old gunned down in Iraq (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/926096.asp?0cl=cR Nobody scouring Hillary Clinton's cautious but admirable new memoir for revelations appears to have stuck around for the acknowledgments. On page 529, Clinton somewhat shockingly identifies her longtime right arm, Lissa Muscatine, as [r]esponsible for many of the words in my speeches as first lady and in this book. How's that again? Responsible for many of the words (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/06/12/DD186346.DTL She has pity for Lewinsky...Sen. Hillary Clinton says she feels sorry for Monica Lewinsky. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/91995p-83589c.html As his popularity plummets, Mayor Bloomberg is stuck doing the political version of a limbo dance, a new survey says. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/58686.htm Israel, Palestinians vow to fight on...Israel has decided to target top Hamas leaders, including founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Israeli officials and media said Friday, confirming a policy change likely to speed up an attack-revenge cycle that has already claimed 46 lives in four days. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/801833.asp Opinion/Editorial Taking freedom for granted...Do the Department of Homeland Security and other outgrowths of 9/11 add up to a threat to my freedom? Would we even notice if the Patriot Act took away our liberties? By Michael Kinsley. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/925667.asp 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
The Hardball Briefing for June 24, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- We're gonna come out of the box tonight with that strange case in Ft. Worth, Texas of the woman who hit a homeless guy in a drunken/drugged stupor in her car and he got stuck in the windshield...He bled to death in her garage...Is she liable for murder? We'll get come legal types to hash it out... Defendant's friend describes how man died in windshield (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/6157583.htm Peggy Noonan will be here to discuss the Bush/Cheney fundraising juggernaut, the Wash Post poll (below) and Dean's announcement... There's a new poll out from The Washington Post which says a majority of Americans want to use military force against Iran to stop its nuclear program...Other interesting numbers as well: 24% of Americans think Iraq actually used Weapons of Mass Destruction...We'll debate the wisdom of attacking Iran in our D block debate... Poll: Majority Backs Use of Force in Iran...Survey Reflects Concern on Nuclear Effort http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23974-2003Jun23.html In the Buzz, J.D. Hayworth and Sheila Jackson-Lee will discus J.D.'s proposal to lower our U.N dues, SCOTUS decision on Affirmative Action and maybe some other fun stuff...Maybe some stuff from the poll... Shuster was up in Vermont yesterday for the big Dean announcement and reported to The Briefing on the Ben Jerry's graveyard of flavors and the poems dedicated to their demise...He read the Cannoli flavor poem on my voicemail and it sounded so yummy I think there should be a recall movement to bring it back...In honor of Dean's announcement, Ben Jerry's Ice Cream dedicated a sundae to him: The Maple Powered Howard, Vanilla ice cream, maple-flavored whipped cream, maple syrup and walnutsChristina Jamison Dig the Dean coverup...A Nader supporter held up a sign behind Dean...Click and scroll: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24098-2003Jun23.html Mortman's latest: The Clintons suck. No, really. They do suck. Seriously, that's what the media keep telling us. Apparently - and I'm not making this up - Bill and Hillary Clinton are able to suck oxygen. And they can do it right out of thin air! Their only props are one book and one 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Everything else is pure lung. http://msnbc.com/news/927935.asp?0dm=C1FRO Curry on the Moveon.org primary Democrats vie in Internet 'primary'...Group expects hundreds of thousands to cast votes http://www.msnbc.com/news/928506.asp Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC 6 British soldiers killed in Iraq...8 others wounded in a separate attack near Basra http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0cv=CA01 U.S. and British forces came under fire in Iraq on Tuesday, as security around the country's vital oil pipelines was beefed up after several explosions blamed on sabotage (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=SD3CIL5MRGZWSCRBAE0CFFA?type=topNewsstoryID=2979378 Split decision on racial preferences...A divided U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld a university law school admissions policy that gives minorities an edge, but the justices overturned a second policy that relied on a point system. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/929326.asp Post Analysis: Court Mirrors Public Opinion...The U.S. Supreme Court can be awfully imposing in those black robes on that elevated bench inside that Corinthian temple, but sometimes, the court looks just like America. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24534-2003Jun23.html?nav=hptop_tb White House Statement: President Applauds Supreme Court for Recognizing Value of Diversity http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/06/20030623.html Democratic White House hopefuls called yesterday's Supreme Court rulings on racial preferences a defeat for President Bush, and a reminder of the need for defenders of civil rights on the nation's highest court. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/1684.htm Library online filter law upheld...Congress can force the nation's public libraries to equip computers with anti-pornography filters, a divided Supreme Court ruled Monday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/930166.asp President Bush banked $4 million for his re-election campaign Monday, telling donors in this city scarred by Sept. 11 that terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is what they got. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/927796.asp?0dm=C19ON Vice President Cheney began his 2004 fundraising chores today with a 13-minute speech in Virginia's mecca of political money, raising about $500,000 for the White House reelection effort. (The Washington Post)
The Hardball Briefing for June 30, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- You've seen her around a lot lately but you haven't seen her done Matthews style...Ann Coulter is in the House tonight...She'll of course be discussing her new book Treason for the first couple of blocks http://www.msnbc.com/news/931594.asp She'll explain why and how treacherous liberals have undermined this country... In the C or third block of the show Mortman will do his Decision 2004 political update minute...Fineman will join in for a quick commentary as well...Some of things out there of interest: Dean raises $6 million and confounds his enemies and makes a serious bid for frontrunner status...Bush is scooping up a lot of cash these days as well...He's on target to raise like $30 million just in the last two weeks...I actually saw Air Force One taking off from San Francisco International on Friday as POTUS left from a fundraiser in Burlingame, CA...Why all the sudden buck raising? Midnight tonight is the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) deadline for fundraising for the 2nd quarter of this year...Numbers are due on the 15th and all the presidential candidates will want to have a strong showing...In politics as you know, money is power... In our D block debate: Should Utah school teachers be allowed to carry conceald guns? Would you like your kids in that classroom? Are you a teacher yourself? Maybe you've wanted a gun in there sometime? We'll debate it... And in the Buzz we'll look at the latest in California and the Davis recall effort...Luntz did a focus group of voters out there on why or why not they should recall their Governor...And then da Mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown and B-1 Bob Dornan will do reax and have some fun with the topic It's gonna be hot... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Fun MSNBC links...News you can use... Sam's at it again...First it was missed opportunities now it's.Sleeping with strangers...Hospitality clubs allow travelers to score free lodgings across the globe http://msnbc.com/news/931294.asp?0dm=C11VR Mortman: Laughing it up...Mirth and Franken cents: When comedy causes collide http://msnbc.com/news/931925.asp?0dm=R13PO Calif. Near Financial Disaster...Hours Remain to Solve $38 Billion Shortfall (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48925-2003Jun29.html?nav=hptop_tb Looking to advance his re-election bid on two fronts, President Bush on Monday sought seniors' votes by promoting his role in Medicare prescription drug legislation and wrapped up the fund-raising swing of his campaign's initial $30 million cash-collection drive. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20030630/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush Democrat Howard Dean's presidential campaign said Sunday it has taken in $6 million in the past three months, fund raising the former Vermont governor attributed to support from people not previously involved in politics. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20030630/ap_on_el_pr/dean_fund_raising_4 The Senate majority leader said Sunday he supported a proposed constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage in the United States. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20030630/ap_on_go_co/frist_gay_marriage_5 Countdown, Keith Olbermann's new weeknight news show with attitude on MSNBC, could offer a glimpse of the future of TV news, writes Phil Rosenthal. http://www.suntimes.com/output/rosenthal/cst-ftr-phil26.html When the 2000 presidential election melted down in Florida, Democrats were admittedly exhausted, caught off guard and outmaneuvered by Republicans. Now, Democrats are applying the lessons they learned 3,000 miles away to the potential recall of Gov. Gray Davis (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/06/30/MN284061.DTL Dig the kid with the Davis pinata http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object.cgi?object=/chronicle/pictures/2003/06/30/mn_recall.jpgpaper=chroniclefile=MN284061.DTLdirectory=/chronicle/archive/2003/06/30type=news Former Cleveland, Ohio mayor Dennis Kucinich, one of nine people seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, promoted his peace platform Sunday in Connecticut (AP) http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-30011922.apds.m0294.bc-ct--candjun30,0,897858.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire The Bush administration is getting the same advice on Iraq from some Democratic and Republican senators: Sign on anybody who wants to help police and rebuild the country, including NATO allies who opposed the U.S.-led invasion. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2u=/ap/20030630/ap_on_go_co/us_iraqe=4ncid=703 Ralph Nader, still blamed by many Democrats for draining critical votes from Al Gore in the 2000 race for the presidency, says he
Lott, Liddy, Gergen Kucinich Reax
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- There's so many fun and interesting things in Hardball land I don't know where to start...Everyone's on fire today...Did you see/hear Chris on Imus this morning? En Feugo on the intell flap...Plus, they replayed the Buzz bite from last night when Chris got stupid (That's old school slang for going crazy in a positive way) on Kucinich...If you missed it tune in tonight...We're going to replay it and have Congressman Chris Smith respond...He's the guy Kucinich accused of wanting to criminalize abortion...And that's just a small part of tonight's show! We got G. Gordon Liddy who's riding in on his motorcycle to do the hit...One of our producers wants to get some B-Roll of him on the bike outside of the studio...Not sure if we'll get it though...Kerry's in the Bronx blasting Bush and we'll probably cut some sound to play for The G Man and get his reax.. Plus, There's going to be some grilling on the Hill today and CIA chief George Tenet is tops on the menuHe's going to give a closed door testimony to the Intelligence Committee on Iraq's nuclear program and we'll lead the show with one of the Committee's top Republicans, Trent Lott...Washington Wiseman David Gergen will be in the B block with some reax and thoughtful, gravitas laden analysis... And your favorite roaming Hardball producer Howard Mortman checks in with another edition of Extreme Mortman from last night's Frank Luntz Baseball All-Star Game party: Oh, the sprawling Frank Luntz resort and palatial home deep in monied, desirable McLean, Virginia -- home to half the Republican establishment and Saudi kingdom. As always, Frank's Baseball All-Star game party was equal parts frolic and bucolic. Every year we enjoy strolling the grounds without official escort, admiring the pictures of Frank Luntz, the name tags featuring Frank Luntz, and various signs with Frank's name on it, as well as the oily love grotto (ooops, that's Hef's place). Spotters identified political and media celebs such as Katherine Harris, Cliff May, Harry Reid, Malcolm Hoenlein, Jonathon Karl, Matt Cooper, Barbara Comstock, Pat Harrison, and Governor-in-waiting Darrell Issa, who balanced his plate like he was balancing a $38 billion deficit. We also got a fleeting glimpse of Frank Luntz himself. Which leads us to wonder, if Frank Luntz was in McLean -- WHO THE HELL WAS ON TV?!? Frank's All-Star game party has grown deep roots in Washington social lore, ever since he snatched the franchise away from Extreme Mortman many years ago in a still-unresolved and mysterious manuever. Be that as it may, we still appreciate the invitation and opportunity to observe and interact with all the Frank Luntz political paraphernalia he's captured for his home. We still maintain that Frank's house features the greatest collection of Frank Luntz memorabilia ever assembled in one place. Trust us -- we've been to museums. That was Extreme Mortman reporting And on a different yet important note, is Abercrombie and Fitch discriminating against minorities? We'll debate in the D block http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20030618/bs_nm/retail_abercrombie_dc_1 Oh and I almost forget...The following piece is being put in The Briefing sine qua non must read file...Pincus is on his game on this one...Bush faced dwindling nuclear data...Much was undercut, disproved by U.N. inspectors in Iraq (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/939538.asp?0sl=-13 Just asking...Is famed Roll Call Scoopster Ed Henry in line to succeed Lloyd as the new Reliable Source?? Our man at Human Events, Terry Jeffrey, checks in with his latest piece and would like you to pay particular attention to his exchange with Rep. Porter Goss (Chairman, House Intell Committee) on how the blame for the flap must be laid at Clinton's doorstep: Our man in Niger http://www.townhall.com/columnists/terencejeffrey/tj20030716.shtml Katrina is hopping mad along with Chris on the Intell stuff...Read her editor's cut http://thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7 Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Wednesday's Wash Post recipe...Definitely a clip and save: Basil and Garlic-Slathered Chicken Breasts http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57995-2003Jul15.html CIA Director George Tenet was expected to testify behind closed doors Wednesday about President Bush's claim in his State of the Union address that Iraq was trying to buy uranium in Africa to restart its nuclear weapons program. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=512ncid=703e=1u=/ap/20030716/ap_on_go_co/iraq_intelligence U.S. soldier killed near Baghdad...Three attacks Wednesday on U.S. troops in and around Baghdad killed one soldier and an Iraqi child, and wounded at least seven troops.
Ralph Reed, Ed Rollins Dee Dee Meyers!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I really can't stop the guy folks...Chris barrelled into the office today rambling about this or that guy he spoke to, this or that news item and I can barely even get a word in...He's still fired up about the Intell flap so we're going hard on it again tonight (picture your dog with the Outback leftovers)...Ralph Reed, who's now a senior Bush-Cheney re-elect campaign consultant, will be here as will Dee Dee, Rollins Howard to discuss the story that just won't die: the latest, the damage control, the spin, the fact, the fiction, the horror, the horror...(a little Col. Kurtz, Apocalypse Now action for you there) Lots of news out over the weekend...I've thrown in a few of the pieces below... Plus our man Steve Emerson will chew on this for the F BlockNewsweek Exclusive-The 9-11 Report: Slamming the FBI http://www.msnbc.com/news/941425.asp It's late and Ralph is getting here any minute to do the pre-tape so I gotta run...Later... Dominic Bellone wrote, edited and compiled The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi interpreter were killed and three soldiers wounded in a gun and bomb attack in Baghdad on Monday, a military spokeswoman said. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=FNSQP4VPRE2AUCRBAEKSFFA?type=topNewsstoryID=3125652 White House Didn't Gain CIA Nod for Claim On Iraqi Strikes...Gist Was Hussein Could Launch in 45 Minutes (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17424-2003Jul19.html?nav=hptop_tb Expert: Iraq nuke proof was thin...Even as the Bush administration concluded Iraq was reviving its nuclear weapons program, key signs -- such as scientific data of weapons work and evidence of research by Iraq's nuclear experts -- were missing, according to several former intelligence officials http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/937524.asp Report cited threat in Hussein defeat...Declassified report: Iraqi leader posed more danger after war (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/941757.asp?0dm=N13ON The War Comes Home...The White House launches a political counterattack as Bush's approval rating slides, casualties mount in Iraq and questions linger about the case for war (Time Magazine) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030728-465797,00.html Democrats Still Lack Front-Runner...Six months of intense campaigning by nine candidates have left the race for the Democratic presidential nomination every bit as unsettled as it was at the beginning of the year. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20525-2003Jul20.html Bush boosts coffers on Texas trip...Fund-raising is juggernaut amid recent criticism (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/202/nation/Bush_boosts_coffers_on_Texas_trip+.shtml Curry: Green Party ponders 2004 strategy...Activists scoff at Democrat Dean, some look to a Nader bid http://www.msnbc.com/news/941276.asp?0cv=NA01 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Monday that President Bush circumvented portions of the congressional resolution authorizing war against Iraq by failing to exhaust all diplomatic options before attacking Baghdad. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20030721/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_iraq Coalition troops battle Taliban...Afghan militants step up attacks on foreign troops (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/941833.asp?0cv=CB10 No letup in Iraq insurgency...Iraq's insurgency against American troops continued on Monday with a fresh grenade and small arms fire attack that killed an American soldier and his Iraqi interpreter in north Baghdad. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp W. Va. readies for Lynch's return...Tuesday's homecoming of former POW Jessica Lynch is providing a brief economic boom for her hometown in West Virginia. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/941827.asp President Bush has agreed to appear next week at the annual convention of the National Urban League, just two weeks after skipping the NAACP's national conference for the third year in a row. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030719-114325-2220r.htm U.N. Chief Endorses U.S-Backed Iraqi Council...Annan's recommendation could help to garner U.N. approval of the Iraqi body, a step in building international legitimacy and recruiting foreign aid. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20598-2003Jul20.html?referrer=email Bremer believes Saddam alive near Iraqi hometown...L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, said yesterday he believes that Saddam Hussein is alive and hiding near his Iraqi hometown of Tikrit, where loyalists of the ousted dictator are orchestrating
The Hardball Briefing for July 25, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- I know it's Friday and y'all are heading out for the weekend, firing up the grill, mixing the blender or otherwise popping a few cold ones but I urge you to include Hardball in tonight's plans... We got Francona, Gergen and Hackworth on the new video of the Saddam's dead sons... We'll do Sharpton in B on Liberia, the Intelligence controversy and the DNC's new ad on it In D we're doing Kobe and in the Buzz we've got Katrina, Armey Fund on the DNC ad, Tom Delay playing Hardball on the Middle East and why Fund thinks Arnold's going to run for Governor out in the Golden State...Btw, John and Katrina are both Briefing subscribers which brings an added value of gravitas and hipness to their game plan... Fund's Diary: Total Recall--III...His advisers say Arnold Schwarzenegger will run for governor. http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110003797 Katrina's editor's cut http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?pid=847 Now I got a little bone to pick with the folks over at ABC's The Note (Their weblog knock off of The Briefing and The Hotline)...Here's a shot they took at Chris last night on our Gillespie interview... Of course, those tracking the run-up to the Gillespie coronation exclusively through cable TV will have also seen last night's 'Hardball' confrontation, during which Mr. Matthews' Joe Wilson obsession (like his Juanita Broaddrick obsession, but without the frission of sexuality and violence) was smacked in the face by a record-clarifying incoming chairman. Mark Halperin, ABC's chief political guy writes this stuff...Now Mark, only the most die hard blindly partisan Republican could say that Gillespie smacked Chris...Does George agree with you on this point? As a matter of fact, once Chris subjected Gillespie to further questioning, Gillespie revealed that he didn't know anything about Cheney's role in the matter...We found his White House talking points rather inferior, actually...I'm happy to send over a copy of the tape if you'd like...As far as any obsession charge is concerned, we're only obsessed with getting at the truth, not flacking for any party, candidate or Administration...Why you chose to bring up Juanita Broaddrick who has nothing to do with anything smacks of some ulterior motive on your part... Here's last night's transcript with Gillespie http://www.msnbc.com/news/944080.asp Dominic Bellone And a fond farewell to a Washington Institution and loyal Hardball Briefing subscriber Lloyd Grove, who's Reliable Source column in the Post's Style section is a must read for every WashingtonianHe's moving up to the Big Apple to work for The Daily News...Hey Lloyd, make sure you re-subscribe when you get your new e-mail...Lloyd's last Post posting: Savoring Some Favorite Dishes http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43297-2003Jul24.html Btw, we're still pushing for Roll Call Scoopster Ed Henry to take over the Reliable Source...His CV notes that In 1998, Mr. Henry secured the only newspaper interview with then-President Clinton on the day that the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke. http://www.wmal.com/pages/108372.asp Besides The Hardball Briefing, Ed comes with that added benefit of a Howard Mortman endorsement which, if it doesn't, ought to count for something in this town... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing in Washington, DC McCain's slam against Dean on Wednesday night's Hardball gets some play in Greg Pierce's column http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/inpolitics.htm Fresh from Liberian peace talks, black activist the Rev. Al Sharpton accused the Bush administration on Friday of having a double standard in foreign policy when it deals with people of color. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=3162011 Jack Kemp, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 1996, emerged Thursday as a possible candidate on the Oct. 7 ballot to recall California Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/07/24/national1918EDT0789.DTL Kobe's accuser 'a danger to herself'...Alleged victim was hospitalized 4 months ago, police say (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/943797.asp?0dm=N15VS U.S. troops, acting on a tip from an informant, have captured at least five people thought to be members of Saddam Hussein's personal security detail, a U.S. Army general said Friday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Bush Navy nominee found dead...New Mexico oilman might have killed himself (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/944090.asp?0dm=N15RN Former President Bill Clinton's advice that Democrats should quit harping on President Bush's disputed statement that Iraq had pursued nuclear material from Africa was well-received by many Democrats on Capitol Hill - but
The Hardball Briefing for August 13, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7p, 11p 2a in the East and 4p, 8p 11p in the West...You've got no excuse for not watching... Tonight's big story is the arrest of those 3 dudes in the surface to air weapons sting...What went down and what does it mean for the war on terror? We'll talk to terrorism analysts Larry Johnson and Steve Emerson plus Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, author of the book Funding Evil 3 arrested in missile-smuggling plot...A British citizen was arrested in New Jersey and accused of trying to smuggle surface-to-air missiles into the United States, authorities said Tuesday. Two others were also arrested. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/951575.asp In the B block we bring you fmr. CA Gov/Senator and San Diego mayor Pete Wilson who is now a top spokesman for Arnold's campaignWe'll ask him when Arnold's gonna get specific on the issues and lay out some platforms and such... Few Details From Schwarzenegger...California Voters Waiting for Candidate's Platform (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50881-2003Aug12.html In the D block we'll do the Libya payoff story and what it portends for other terrorist deals...Libya, the United States and Britain have signed off on a deal under which Tripoli would accept responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, diplomats said Tuesday. http://www.msnbc.com/news/951507.asp We'll talk to Allan Gerson, Author of The Price of Terror: How the families of the victims of Pan Am 103 brought Libya to justice Tony B-1 will be in the Buzz with a Dem strategist TBD...We'll do the NYT story on Clinton advising Davis, The new Wash Post Poll and maybe some Dem primary story... Tony: Wishing California well http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/tblankley.htm Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Major Philly gaffe by Kerry yesterday!! Steak Raises Stakes for Kerry in Philly...If Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential aspirations melt like a dollop of Cheez Whiz in the sun, the trouble may well be traced to an incident in South Philadelphia on Monday. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51517-2003Aug12.html More follow up on Arianna gratuitous publicity grab on the back of Arnold On Saturday, the day Schwarzenegger filed the paperwork for his gubernatorial run, bystanders noticed rival candidate Arianna Huffington waiting in her car for hours outside the Los Angeles County registrar's office. She sat there and camped out, and as soon as Arnold's caravan pulled up, she hopped out of the car and got into the melee, says our spy. Huffington was able to get her picture taken and share the limelight, but while her rep admits that was the intention, he claims she only waited 15 minutes. Meanwhile, although Gov. Gray Davis criticized Schwarzenegger for announcing his candidacy on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, insiders tell us Davis secretly called Leno and asked to appear on the program himself. The governor was turned down - and he is not happy about it, says our source. Leno's reps did not return calls. (Page Six) http://www.nypost.com/gossip/38822.htm Bush Ratings Stabilize Despite Economic Ills...Post poll shows war, budget fueling partisan division, foreshadowing contentious reelection campaign. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/951647.asp?0dm=N21CN Fun Clinton News... Even with Barry Bonds in the ballpark, President Bill Clinton was the biggest hit at Shea Stadium on Tuesday night. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=545u=/ap/20030813/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_mets_clinton_8printer=1 California's Embattled Governor Gains a New Adviser: Bill Clinton (NY Times) http://nytimes.com/2003/08/13/national/13CLIN.html Americans troops face fresh attacks...Two U.S. soldiers were killed and three wounded in bomb attacks on their military convoys in Iraq over the last 24 hours, the military said Wednesday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Former Gov. Pete Wilson is quickly becoming the political face for Arnold Schwarzenegger, moving everything from his political team to his policy positions into the actor's camp. (SF Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/13/MN199899.DTL Calif. contenders whittled down...The number of Californians who had filed to challenge Gov. Gray Davis rose to nearly 250 Tuesday as election officials went through applications submitted by Saturday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/945950.asp Dilemma over Schwarzenegger films...California broadcasters will be unlikely to show Arnold Schwarzenegger movies or TV shows with Gary Coleman in them for fear of other gubernatorial candidates requesting equal
Jesse Ventura on Hardball Tonight!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball conveniently airs at 7 pm, 11 pm 2 am eastern (4, 8 11 pm pacific) exclusively on MSNBC As promised, we're leading with Jesse Ventura tonight and his thoughts on Arnold and the Recall...Although he's a buddy of The Terminator (Arnold attended Jesse's gubernatorial swearing in back in the day) he's not a fan of the Recall...We'll ask him why and get his advice for Arnold on running as a celebrity politician...I'm not sure if Barnicle's gonna ask JV about the smell of the race but it sure would be nice to ask him about the taste...When NBC's Al Roker was competing with his team, Roker's Smokers at the Memphis BBQ national championship, the judge asked Al Tell me what I'm supposed to be tasting as he ate Al's offering...I think it's a great, dare I say, counterintuitive question... We'll do more Jesse in B but throw in Dreier to play defense for Arnold...He's a big backer if you haven't noticed... In the back half we're doing Whole Lotta Luntz part deux! Back by popular demand...You want him, you got him...Quite Frankly, it's more Frank and his Iowa Dems Frankly discussing the candidates and issues effecting this Primary in a Frank focus group, to be quite Frank about it...This is must see TV for all you presidential campaign staffers... Dornan of course continues as anchor buddy and we'll probably throw in a Dem strategist type for the back half... Pls join us at the aforementioned times...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC President Bush added to his swelling re-election fund Monday, scooping up $1 million in a half-hour speech here...Bush hit two states that he won in 2000 but that had tilted to Democrat Bill Clinton at least once. It was his first trip since starting a monthlong break on his Texas ranch Aug. 2. (AP) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1151slug=Bush%20Politics George Will: Recall and Ruin http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46940-2003Aug11.html Fund's Diary: No Cakewalk...Schwarzenegger faces obstacles en route to Sacramento. http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110003874 More from that poll we featured on last night's show...Schwarzenegger seizes early lead...NBC News poll: Majority of Californians want Davis out http://www.msnbc.com/news/951060.asp Actor Missed Elections...Schwarzenegger did not cast a ballot in 5 of last 11 CA elections, twice losing chance to vote for Bush. (SF Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/12/MN277951.DTL California Faces New Recall Burden...Election officials across California say staging a recall election with nearly 200 candidates is posing monumental challenges that include using ballots that may confuse voters and be difficult to tabulate. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46636-2003Aug11.html Schwarzenegger seizes early lead...Most California voters believe Gov. Gray Davis should be thrown out of office, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is the favorite to replace him, an NBC News survey shows. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/951060.asp Schwarzenegger in his own words: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ownwords12aug12235621,1,4661080.story I love this one...Attorney General John Ashcroft will embark on a multi-city tour later this month to talk about the war on terrorism and the benefits of the USA Patriot Act, officials said Monday. (AP) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1152slug=Ashcroft%20Tour The Rev. Al Sharpton says his run for the White House has something in common with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's candidacy for governor of California. (AP) http://augustachronicle.com/stories/081203/met_124-1448.shtml The last sighting of the Democratic presidential candidates - before they were buried in the news by Arnold Schwarzenegger - was last week in Chicago, when they were vying in vain for the AFL-CIO's endorsement and jousting over whether centrism or liberalism was the best path to the White House. (The Philadelphia Inquirer) http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/6512714.htm Democratic presidential candidates blasted California's recall campaign against Gov. Gray Davis on Monday, calling it part of a larger Republican assault on the U.S. electoral process. (Reuters) http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3259614 The two Democrats running for president next year who are also up for re-election to the Senate are losing support back home because of positions they have taken on the national campaign trail. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030811-114014-6303r.htm Bush Tries to Boost Environment Image...Trips Intended to Fend Off Criticism (The Washington Post)
The Hardball Briefing for August 5, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- We lead Hardball with the burning question: Who's more dangerous: Osama or Saddam? We whupped Iraq, but Saddam's still on loose...We whupped Afghanistan but Osama's still MIA...Are we any safer? Why all the onerous terrorist threats and new terror tapes? How many wars will it take to get off this merry-go-round? Have we lost focused on Al-Qaeda in order to get Saddam? Are our forces stretched too thin? Sacred Rage author and LA Times hot shot Robin Wright opines on the matter this evening...Plus, Retired General Wayne Downing will let us know how the War on Terror is playing in Peoria...LiterallyHe's out Peoria today but I doubt he'll be doing the Luntz thing...Expect some serious military analysis for sure... In the B block we're taking you out to The Windy City and the big AFL-CIO confab...As a matter of fact, we'll talk to one of their grand poohbahs, Richard Trumka. He'll size up the Dem field and maybe give us a preview as to who they'll endorse...The guy to watch is Gephardt...He got the Teamsters endorsement and desperately needs this one too...Tonight the AFL-CIO is hosting a big Presidential Forum which airs after our show but we'll bring you the hot sound tomorrow... In the D block we'll do the big issue of North Korea and our diplomatic dance over there...They've said of our diplomat over there, John Bolten, such human scum and bloodsucker is not entitled to take part in the talks, in response to Bolten saying that living in North Korea is a hellish nightmare. Quite an egregious obloquy wouldn't you say? We've got a Hawk (Jed Babbin), who hasn't met a rogue nation he doesn't want to pre-emptively strike and Clyde Prestowitz, an anti-Hawk and former Reagan guy who wrote a book about the U.S. entitled Rogue Nation and who hates the pre-emptive doctrine...Watch for sparks to fly... In the Buzz we've got a Norah, Clarence Stephen Hayes threesomeWe'll continue with the Dean stuff as he was out on the Today show this morning saying he is going after Nader/McCain/Perot voters...Can he do it? Plus, Gore's going to give a big speech on Iraq this Thursday but says he ain't running...What's his gig? Plus, we'll follow up on the Colin Powell story from yesterday: who planted the retirement story and why? I've also cut some Fritz Hollings sound from his presser yesterday where he's slamming Bush... Pls join us...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC The White House yesterday stood behind a top arms-control official's description of life in North Korea as a hellish nightmare and rejected Pyongyang's demand that he be banned from upcoming talks on the North's nuclear weapons program. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20030804-111212-6491r.htm Pyongyang, calling a senior American official human scum for criticizing North Korea's leader, banned him from U.S.-proposed multilateral talks on its suspected development of nuclear weapons. (AP) http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20030804-121425-6611r.htm New Mortman content: What do Democrats really want?...Polls show schizophrenia, angst, fickleness guide voters http://www.msnbc.com/news/947009.asp Howard Dean said Tuesday he has the best chance of beating President Bush because he appeals to supporters of former independent candidates John McCain, Ross Perot and Ralph Nader as well as to Democratic Party faithful. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20030805/ap_on_el_pr/dean_politics_6 Fresh Face Alert: He's a Washington outsider, a fresh face, at a time many Democrats may be looking for someone who hasn't been part of the Washington establishment. (Des Moines Register) http://www.dmregister.com/opinion/stories/c212/21916593.html Fun Clinton News Former President Clinton rallied the ground troops of the Democratic Party - organized labor - with a pep talk to union leaders gathered Monday to draw up a political strategy they hope will take back the White House in 2004. (AP) http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-wh/2003/aug/04/080405030.html Fun Hillary News Hillary and Rudy - the best of friends? Asked last night by Tonight Show host Jay Leno if she thought Rudy Giuliani would challenge her for the Senate in 2006, an evasive Hillary Rodham Clinton did a political soft shoe. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/2440.htm Former Gov. Howard Dean will attend the court appearance of his teenage son today on charges he was one of several teens involved in a scheme to break into a country club and steal alcohol. (Barre Montpelier Times Argus) http://timesargus.nybor.com/Regional_News/Story/69660.html Powell denies departure plans...Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissed as nonsense and gossip a report that he and his top
The Hardball Briefing for August 11, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Housekeeping right up front: Chris is on vacation this week so we've got Barnicle in the chair with a twist...B-1 Bob Dornan will be co-hosting, serving as an anchor buddy as we call them in the Biz...A color commentator if you will...It may get a little crazy but you've come to expect that from our show...Barnicle will be out of Boston and Dornan's here in DC...No surprise we're going big on Arnold and the Recall tonight...We're throwing together a fun cast of characters including San Fran mayor Willie Brown, Congressman David Dreier, GOP Strategist Ed Rollins and others...A couple of polls taken over the weekend show Arnold would steal the show if the vote were held today... In the back half of the show we've got a Luntz extravaganzaCall it Whole Lotta Luntz...All apologies to Zeppelin...He's done some serious focus grouping among Iowa Dems and we'll get their read on the primary, the importance of their First in the Nation status and the current bumper crop of folks vying for that Presidential nomination...Btw, Biden just released a statement this morning: He's officially out of consideration...Not gonna do it... Hardball: The only show that dares to ask the tough questions like: What's this race gonna smell like?...Pls join us tonight at 7 pm, 11 pm 2 am eastern... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC GI killed, 2 hurt in Iraq bomb attack...Violence ebbs in southern city of Basra, coalition says (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0cv=CB10 Running Man's in N.Y.C. today...Ah-nold brings his campaign to New York today when he comes to City College to visit an after-school program he helped found to help city kids, many of them homeless, avoid drugs, gangs and violence. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/108183p-97772c.html Only in CaliforniaAs Schwarzenegger tries out for governor, America's largest state is hosting a helluva show. But politics isn't just a circus. Behind the recall-and what's at stake. (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/950553.asp?0cv=KA01 A key California Democrat yesterday all but conceded the gubernatorial race to Arnold Schwarzenegger, while the state's senior U.S. senator focused on saving the party rather than Gov. Gray Davis. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030811-123909-5137r.htm A Gallup survey released last night found 64 percent of voters favoring the recall. A Time magazine/CNN poll taken Friday , showed 54 percent in favor of ousting the governor, with 35 percent willing to keep him in office. Even among Democrats, only a scant 51 percent majority backed Davis. (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/11/MN296167DTL All That's Missing Is the Popcorn...Come one, come all, to the greatest political show of the fall as Arnold Schwarzenegger vies for a chance to run California. Inside his stunning decision-and why it would be a mistake to write off his chances. (Time) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030818-474507,00.html Gov. Gray Davis called the effort to recall him an insult to those who voted for him last year, and Bill Simon, one of the Republicans challenging him, cited his vision for the future Monday and promised to be the candidate of ideas. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=511e=3u=/ap/20030811/ap_on_el_gu/davis_recall Arnold's Finances: The movie star earned $26.1 million in 2001 and paid $7.4 million in state and federal taxes, and, the year before, he made $31.1 million and paid $10.8 million in taxes. (San Jose Mercury News) http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6506298.htm Scores file for Calif. recall...With California Gov. Gray Davis fighting for his job, at least 150 potential replacement candidates will angle for attention as party leaders search for strategies in an election with no historical precedent. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/945950.asp Jesse Has Advice for Arnie...Be yourself. Be Arnold. Scripts are for actors (Time) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030818-474508,00.html As governor, Mr. Schwarzenegger would be a darker villain than any he has faced in his movies, said the Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition, who has formed a group called Californians for Moral Government to stop the actor's march on Sacramento. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/108184p-97773c.html In a season of excess, it had to happen - a command performance every day this week for Democratic presidential candidates. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2003-08-10-forum-frenzy_x.htm Democrats Unlikely to Retake Majority in House...Strong GOP
Chris is back! CA Recall Big Time Tonight...
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7pm, 11pm 2 amThat's 4, 8 11 pm on the West Coast... Chris is back from vacation and is hot to trot on the Recall...A new poll out suggests this is gonna be a horse race folks with Dem Lt. Gov. Bustamante at 25% Arnold at 22%...Plus, the sniping has already begun on the Dem side with Bustamante accusing Davis minions of sabotaging his campaign...Also, is Arnold a conservative? His top economic advisor Warren Buffet said on Friday that property taxes in Calfiornia were too low and Arnold's camp has since been distancing themselves from the comment...And some Republicans are urging the other two GOPers, McClintock Simon to bow out of the race and back Arnold...Plus, the ACLU is going to court today to try and delay the election...Lots of action all over the Golden StateWe'll slice and dice it with a panel of political pros including David Dreier, Gergen and Fineman In the D block we'll do the political blame game over last week's energy blackout In the Buzz we've got Norah and Conason on the Recall, energy politics and Joe's new book: Big Lies: The Right Wing propaganda machine and how it distorts the truth...Wow, sounds like the Left Wing equivalent of a Coulter book... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC... Bustamante Snipes At Guv...Bustamante accuses Gray Davis of sabotaging efforts to keep state in Democratic hands. (SF Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/18/MN258838.DTL California's high-stakes recall election is producing fresh cracks in party unity, with the state's second-leading Democrat accusing Gov. Gray Davis of personal disloyalty and two leading Republicans bickering about which one hates taxes more. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-18-candidates-recall_x.htm Poll Places Bustamante In Lead to Succeed Davis...Schwarzenegger Tops the Other Calif. Hopefuls (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A712-2003Aug15.html Suddenly, the Terminator looks vulnerableArnold Schwarzenegger, who just last week seemed likely to flatten the opposition in the gubernatorial recall election, has come under fire, and his once formidable lead in the polls has disappeared. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2003-08-17-schwarzenegger_x.htm Davis turns on a charm offensive...Calif. governor reintroducing himself to key voters (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/953808.asp?0cv=CB10 Mortman's new stuff: Schwarzenegger's fantastic world...On the campaign trail, Arnold is positively positive http://www.msnbc.com/news/953920.asp The nation's worst blackout is putting energy - especially upgrading high-voltage transmission lines - back on Congress' radar. But resolving the problem could be difficult and expensive. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=519ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20030818/ap_on_re_us/power_politics The Army acknowledged Monday that it had killed a television journalist after soldiers mistook his camera for a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Press advocacy groups called for an investigation. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=540e=3u=/ap/20030818/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq Israeli pits U.S. politics against 'road map' plan...Israeli tourism minister Benyamin Elon has embarked on a Bible Belt tour to exploit evangelical Christian enthusiasm for Israel, to lure Christian tourists back to Israel and to derail President Bush's road map to Middle East peace. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030818-122328-1683r.htm Joe Lieberman is on the presidential campaign trail, embracing his inner centrist. Wherever he goes, he calls himself an independent-minded Democrat. His rivals, he says, are big spenders, weak on defense - or both. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2003-08-17-lieberman-usat_x.htm 'How to be Gay' course draws fire at Michigan...A course called How to be Gay: Male Homosexuality and Initiation, scheduled this fall, has reignited a culture war at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030818-122317-3268r.htm Rep. Bill Janklow says he feels anguish over the death of a motorcyclist who collided with a car he was driving. Authorities said the intersection had a stop sign only for Janklow and an investigation was continuing. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-08-17-janklow-accident_x.htm Opinion/Editorial Vulnerable in the dark?...Could a terrorist cause a blackout on the scale of the one that hit parts of the United States and Canada? Doubtful, writes Slate's Fred Kaplan. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/953089.asp Barnicle: Arnold's a nice
The Hardball Briefing for August 19, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7p, 11p 2a4, 8 11p on the West Coast We'll lead the show tonight with that devastating suicide truck bomb in Iraq which exploded outside the hotel housing the United Nations headquartes...At least 15 are confirmed dead at this point. Among them, Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN's top diplomat who was trapped under the rubblede Mello was only days away from finishing his tour of duty according to the AP...We'll show you the dramatic footage inside the Hotel when the bomb went off... We'll also bring you the latest and talk to our military and terrorism experts... A truck bomb exploded in front of the hotel housing the U.N. headquarters on Tuesday, collapsing the front of the building, the U.S. military said. The top U.N. official in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was among the dozens wounded and trapped in the rubble. A U.S. official said there was evidence the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp In the D block debate we'll get into conservative conundrum over Arnold and the direction of the partyShould they go with Arnold who's not ideologically pure but potentially has the stuff to win or do they go with Simon or McClintock who are correct on the issues but probably don't have statewide appeal? This is a real junkie type of discussion you'll appreciate if you're an ideologue or party person of any stripe Calif. Conservatives Face Quandary...Although the front-running, media-grabbing, superstar candidate for governor in the California recall election is a Republican, many conservatvies are wary of Arnold Schwarzenegger. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11803-2003Aug18.html In the Buzz we've got comedian Ben Stein on the Recall and where he stands...He's the guy who said Bueller...Bueller in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off...He now hosts Win Ben Stein's Money on Comedy Central...As a committed Pro-Lifer will Stein go with his head or his heart on this one? Pls join us tonight... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC President Bush cut short a round of golf on Tuesday and headed back to his ranch to be briefed on a massive truck bomb that ripped through the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=JQ24HCXSOZWHGCRBAELCFEY?type=topNewsstoryID=3302028 Former Iraq VP in U.S. custody...Taha Yassin Ramadan, who served as vice president under Saddam Hussein, was handed over to U.S. forces in Mosul on Tuesday, the U.S. Defense Department said. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/954345.asp Bush Revises Views On 'Combat' in Iraq...Major Operations' Over, President Says (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11485-2003Aug18.html Sexed up Dossier Continued...Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief of staff warned that the British intelligence dossier used to justify war against Iraq failed to provide evidence that President Saddam Hussein posed a military threat, a government inquiry was told today. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11426-2003Aug18.html 'Bolder' Taliban steps up attacks...Expanded guerrilla attacks in Afghanistan put more pressure than ever on a fragile U.S.-backed government struggling to rebuild the country. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/953849.asp Leading Republican Sen. John McCain said on Tuesday the United States needed additional troops in Iraq to deal with increasingly more sophisticated attacks against U.S. forces and strategic targets. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3301020 Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous on film for beating up, blowing up and gunning down opponents, said on Monday he was ready to engage in another form of combat -- a political debate. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3297358 Bill Simon faces lingering bitterness among fellow Republicans in his battle to defeat three other California political heavyweights in the Oct. 7 recall election for governor. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030818-115040-3681r.htm Lieberman refuses to run to the left...Democratic presidential hopeful hammers on beliefs of his constituency (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/954233.asp?0cv=CB20 Dean Jumps ahead of the pack in New Hampshire http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/nhpoll/dem/ Rep. Bill Janklow ran a stop sign before his Cadillac collided with a motorcycle at a rural intersection over the weekend, killing the motorcycle rider, a prosecutor said Tuesday. (AP)
Biden, Jerry Brown Cramer tonight on Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Looks like we're leading with Joe Biden on Iraq and the President's big speech in da Lou...That's what rapper Nelly calls our hometown of St. Louis...The administration has begun a fresh PR offensive on the state of Iraq this week and President Bush picks up the baton this afternoon at an American Legion convention... He will talk about fighting the war on terrorism, the importance of winning that war to the United States and to the world, White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan told reporters on Monday. We'll roll the hot sound of course... Senator John Sununu will play defense as he just returned from Iraq... Are you fed with rising gas prices? Been doing a lot of cross country driving this summer with the kids? Got a girl across the country you need to see regularly? Then this segment is just for you...We'll talk to Jim Cramer who's just as ticked off as you are and he'll share his outrage with us tonight... You want him you got him...Jerry Brown's in the House tonight to get into the latest from the California scene...Arnold spokeman Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) will throw in his two cents for good measure... Still working on the Buzz block...All the media glitterati elite seem to have taken off to the Hamptons or Nantucket...Not to fear though, Jim Warren of The Chicago Tribuen will bring his unique brand of wry wit and borderline political satire...Jim, btw, personalizes his voicemail greeting on his office phone and gives a daily weather report for Chicago..It's great... Chris is fired up about this file: GAO Criticizes Energy Plan Formation...The White House collaborated heavily with corporations in developing President Bush's energy policy but repeatedly refused to give congressional investigators details of the meetings, according to a report issued Monday. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44891-2003Aug25.html Byrd: Unprepared for Peace in Iraq http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45132-2003Aug25.html Mortman Must Read...One of his best! On tenterhooks for Clark's decision...To care or not to care, that may be the question http://msnbc.com/news/954925.asp?0dm=C23HN Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Gas costs a record $1.74 a gallon Adjusted for inflation, not so bad (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030826/5441115s.htm Trailing in the latest poll for governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger attacked Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante for the first time Monday while taking his campaign to conservative talk radio programs.It's like one newspaper pointed out, Bustamante is (Gov.) Gray Davis with a receding hairline and a mustache. It's the same person. Same philosophy, the Republican actor said on The Roger Hedgecock Show in San Diego. (Sacramento Bee) http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/recall/story/7293036p-8237636c.html Bustamante Seeks Distance and Support From Davis...Analysis: Bustamante is trying to make a case against the recall while separating himself from the governor. Republicans hope to link the two men http://www.latimes.com/la-me-cruz26aug26,1,3340965,print.story The toll of U.S. troops killed in postwar Iraq surpassed the number killed in major combat on Tuesday, reaching 139 with the death of a soldier in a roadside bombing. (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0dm=C15MN Rising Toll Shows U.S. Challenges...139 Deaths Since May 1 Reflect Shift in Fighting (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47272-2003Aug26.html Despite continuing violence in postwar Iraq, President Bush's top advisers say he will not back away from fighting terrorists there or anywhere else. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20030826/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush Aides Defend Iraq Policy...Bush advisers argue that more troops are not needed to counter violence. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44757-2003Aug25.html Now a player, Dean raises campaign goals Vermont Democrat's angry-man style, use of Web is forcing foes to alter their strategies (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030826/5440929s.htm Democrats getting in tune...Campaigns seek perfect song for their candidates (Boston Herald) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/08/26/democrats_getting_in_tune/ Saudis join U.S. probe of funding...Anti-terror task force seeks to cut money to al Qaeda, others (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/957318.asp?0cv=CB10 Dean expects $10 million quarter...Former Vermont governor's campaign to air new TV ads (Reuters) http://msnbc.com/news/957472.asp?0dm=N13MN Democratic contender Dean alters Cuba stand...On easing the embargo: 'Can't do it right now' (Miami Herald)
The Hardball Briefing for August 27, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- We'll lead with Senator Trent Lott on the latest on Iraq: Paul Bremer, our top civilian chief over there is now saying the reconstruction is going to cost tens of billions of dollars more than expected...This on top of the news that our federal deficit will top a record $480 billion for the year...2 more soldiers died overnight as well...Plus, negotiations begin today between the U.S. and North Korea on dismantling their nuclear program... Those 10 Commandents have been removed from the State Supreme Court in Alabama...What's next in this battle for Judge Moore's supporters? We'll talk to one of his attorneys... John Hinckley, the man who tried to kill President Reagan wants out of prison for more unsupervised visits to his parents' home...Should he get it? We'll debate at the half hour with Joey D...That's Joe DiGenova to you...Not sure if he'll bring his trademark cigar or not.. In the Buzz we'll talk to pollster John Zogby about his new poll out of New Hamphire which shows Dean surging ahead with 38% and John Kerry dropping to 17%Could the Dean surge be for real? We'll also talk to NH Radio talk show host Arnie Arneson and Opinionjournal.com's John Fund...Also, Dean is set to raise over $10 million for the 3rd quarter, a Democrat record...Will he forgo public matching funds and break his pledge? Democrat Howard Dean has jumped out to a commanding 21-point lead over rival John Kerry in the latest New Hampshire poll. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=1u=/ap/20030827/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_poll 'Ten Commandments' moved in AlaMonument supporters pray outside court building http://msnbc.com/news/954934.asp?0cv=CB10 Moore: In God I Trust...Why I'm standing up for the Ten Commandments in Alabama. http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110003926 WashPost: Bremer says billons needed for Iraq...Iraq will need several tens of billions of dollars from abroad in the next year to rebuild its rickety infrastructure and revive its moribund economy, U.S. occupation coordinator L. Paul Bremer said Tuesday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/957720.asp Iraq insurgents kill 2 U.S. soldiers...As U.S. soldiers hunted Saddam Hussein loyalists in remote hideouts north of Baghdad on Wednesday, the military reported that two more U.S. troops were killed in separate attacks in Baghdad and a city just to the west. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Katrina's editor's cut: War is a tragedy for some and a boon for others. As American soldiers continue to die in Iraq, and the length of the war and its costs escalate, Halliburton, the company headed by Vice-President Dick Cheney before the Bush Administration took office, announced that it had converted a half billion dollar quarterly loss of a year ago into a quarterly profit of $26 million for the same period in 2003. http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7pid=898 John Hinckley Wants OutHis lawyers say the man who shot Ronald Reagan needs more freedom in order to get well. The president's daughter says 'who cares?' (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/957608.asp?0dm=s20Qk Dean surges in new Zogby Poll http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=729 Dean to Top $10M for Quarter...Democratic candidate might forgo public funding (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50101-2003Aug26.html The federal government will post a record $480 billion deficit next year and accumulate nearly $1.4 trillion in new debt over the coming decade before climbing back into the black by 2012, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said yesterday. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46805-2003Aug26.html U.S.-North Korea hold direct talks...The United States and North Korea held direct talks for the first time in months Wednesday, meeting on the sideline of a six-nation summit to resolve the standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear program. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/956870.asp The foot soldiers are rebelling...Getting into Iraq proved easy. Getting out is already a nightmare (London Guardian) http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1028759,00.html Democratic 2004 presidential front-runner Howard Dean wrapped up a cross-country fund-raising and campaigning tour last night with a raucous rally at Bryant Park that looked more like a Phish concert than a political gathering. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/4287.htm Editorial Daniel Gross: Is Detroit doomed?...The U.S. auto industry is driving straight off a cliff. Or so we're being told. The problem is an industrywide strategic failure, argues New York Times reporter Micheline Maynard in her new book,
McCain, Sharpton and Mario tongiht on Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Our show airs at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8 11 pac Sorry 'bout yesterday folks...It was one of those days...We had Posner's Why America Slept book in the Buzz last night so I had to put that segment together...Books are always the toughest because you have to read and digest them within a few hours and then regurgitate it to Chris in a matter of minutes, thus no Briefing... Be that as it may, we're gonna kick the show off tonight with several superstars: McCain, Mario and Sharpton...We'll do the whole Bush going to the UN and seeking billions from Congress on Iraq...The Congress, including Republicans, are growing increasingly skeptical of the cost and scope of the occupation but the CW (conventional wisdom) is that the President will get his budget request...Oh and the French and Germans are now publicly opposing our UN draft proposal... Devastating quote from Bill Kristol in the Post yesterday, Looks like Rummy's on the Neocon boat...Rumsfeld lost credibility with the White House because he screwed up the postwar planning, said William Kristol, a conservative publisher with close ties to the administration. For five months they let Rumsfeld have his way, and for five months Rumsfeld said everything's fine. He wanted to do the postwar with fewer troops than a lot of people advised, and it turned out to be a mistake. http://msnbc.com/news/961151.asp?0dm=C23CN Sharpton will critique last night's debate and why he didn't show up Should illegal immigrants in California get driver's licenses? We'll debate it with Bob Dornan in the D block... After weeks of accusations that he was ducking controversy, Arnold Schwarzenegger seized on one of the state's most bitterly debated issues on Thursday, vowing to fight a California law granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20030904/us_nm/usa_politics_california_dc_1 The Buzz looks like Mario will do some post Dem debate slicin' dicin' as well...Plus, I'll throw in some Powell sound from his big foreign policy speech at George Washington U. today... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC...And no we didn't go to that nonsense on the Mall last night...I've already seen Aerosmith twice back in '87 anyway Hill Braces For Iraq Request...Lawmakers in both parties expressed surprise Thursday at the newly disclosed estimates for spending in postwar Iraq and said they will demand more details from President Bush, including an exit strategy and a multiyear forecast. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28097-2003Sep4.html The Democratic candidates for president joined together here tonight to attack President Bush's handling of Iraq, saying he has unnecessarily put U.S. troops in danger and destroyed international alliances, but the Democrats split, sometimes bitterly, over global trade, health care and tax cuts. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26082-2003Sep4.html Democrats hammer Bush on Iraq...Democrats out to replace President Bush welcomed his decision to finally seek U.N. help in stabilizing postwar Iraq but argued Thursday that his delay has jeopardized U.S. relations. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/961926.asp As a panel of federal judges prepared to rule Friday on the final challenge to the California recall election, Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was unfazed by criticism about his command of the issues following his no-show at the rcampaign's first debate. (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/945950.asp The debate was so boring, you could play tapes of it to insomniacs who don't respond well to drugs,'' said Todd Harris, a Schwarzenegger spokesman. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28169-2003Sep4.html Democratic Gov. Gray Davis continued his Unplugged Tour in this solidly Republican area by blaming GOP lawmakers for sabotaging the state's colleges and telling actor Arnold Schwarzenegger that he needs to take a math lesson about government financing. (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/09/05/MN69600.DTL Republican gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger cast himself Thursday as the poster child for immigrants and suggested that Democrats have no right to use immigration issues against him in his bid to replace Gov. Gray Davis in the Oct. 7 recall election. (San Mateo Daily Journal) http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article.cfm?issue=09-05-03storyID=25030 Gunmen open fire at Iraq mosque...Three gunmen sprayed bullets at congregants at the end of dawn prayers Friday, wounding three people, the imam at the Sunni mosque in northeast Baghdad said.
Santorum, Ted Kennedy, Woolsey Jerry Brown Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs exclusively on MSNBC at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8 11 pm out West.. The other day on Tim's show, RNC chairman Ed Gillepsie made a rather Briefonian statement...He was referring to how he was going to watch the CA Recall: I'm like most other Americans, Tim, as RNC chairman, I'm limited in my role, in fact, proscribed from doing anything. So I just throw my popcorn in the microwave and watch it on television like everyone else http://msnbc.com/news/963025.asp?0dm=C219V As a loyal Briefing reader you know we've been the first and, as far as I know, the only news outlet to recommend popping the popcorn, breaking out the TV dinner trays with your favorite food and checking out the political action on MSNBC...In fact, certain big news days require it and when appropriate, we make the call at The Briefing on these types of nights...Tonight is such a night... Tonight we lead with Senators Ted Kennedy and Rick Santorum on the big Iraq hearing in Congress today...Wolfowitz and Meyers are up there making the case for the $87 billion dollar package...They're facing sharp criticism... Check out this quote from Iowa Senator Tom Harkin: This may not be Vietnam, but boy, it sure smells like itWe dig the olfactory angle of politics at Hardball as you know... If you were watching the MSNBC simulcast of Imus in the Morning today (6-9 am et) you heard Pat Buchanan promo James Woolsey...Pat gets a soldiers' citation for this one...Woolsey will do the second block to give his take on the situation on Iraq and the pre-war intel...Check out Walter Pincus' piece in the Post below for the backgrounder In the back half we'll go big on the Recall...A new CA Field Poll which is all the buzz puts support for the measure at 55%...Bustamante leads on the second question with 30%, Arnold at 25% McClintock at 13%...Plus, Maria Shriver got shouted down by the anti-Recall forces at a Wal-Mart when she tried to register voters...We'll show you the tape...Plus, are women Arnold's political Achilles' Heel? We'll talk to Dem Strategist Gail Kaufmann, Luntz and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown will do the Buzz on CA Recall and Bush...Jerry also has some advice for Howard Dean on how to keep Kerry in second place... Oh and get this, Peter Ueberroth is holding a 4 pm et in which we strongly suspect he may pull out of the race...What's it all mean? You've got questions, we've got answers...Tonight only on MSNBC... From the Hardball mailbag Some of you liked that obscure word I used yesterday, exegetical in the Briefing...Here's an example... EXEGETICAL? really! I Love it when you use those big words!! Briefing Subscriber -Thank you Briefing subscriber...We try to inform and entertain around here...I figure you could drop that term at a cocktail party and really impress your friends and collagues...Here's what it means: It comes from exegesis which is an explanation or critical interpretation of a text...In other words, it's a fancy word for slicin' and dicin' A number of you criticized my grammatical error in yesterday's shout out to Sam Feist...Here's an example C'mon, Dominic, Shuster and I's? Shuster's and my favorite. Did you go to public school? -Big deal, get off my back...Sue me... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC President Bush's plane, en route to Florida for a political trip, aborted a landing Tuesday after being waved off by the airport control tower. It landed successfully on the second attempt. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3413904 Army extends reservists' Iraq tours...A new Army deployment policy requires a 1-year stay in Iraq, nearby nations. Vernon Loeb and Steve Vogel of the Washington Post report. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/963676.asp Pincus: Spy agencies forsaw Iraq resistance...Intelligence concerns proved broadly accurate (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/963691.asp?0cv=CA01 Senators maintained Tuesday that President Bush's request for an additional $87 billion, mostly for Iraq, buttresses contentions the administration seriously miscalculated the cost of going to war there. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=514e=6u=/ap/20030909/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq The purpose . . . is to hold the president accountable for a failed policy, not to cut off funding, said an aide to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who will try to bar any of the money from being spent until the administration issues a detailed report on its long-term plans for Iraq. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45117-2003Sep8.html New Iraq poll: More people now think the war in Iraq as increased the risk of terrorism in the United States than
Joe Lieberman, Ed Gillespie and Willie Brown
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs exclusively on MSNBC at 7, 11 2 am est and 4, 8, 11 pm pst We'll lead the show with none other than Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman with his reaction to last night's debate, the state of the Dem primary, his spat with Howard Dean over the U.S. foreign policy towards Israel and his big speech today... On the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman delivered a blistering critique of President Bush's handling of the war on terror and said an international administrator should take control of Iraq within 60 days. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20030910/ap_on_el_pr/lieberman_bush RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie will respond in the B block... On the eve of the two year 9/11 anniversary, we'll examine the decision by a federal judge yesterday to allow a lawsuit against the airline industry to proceed...The lawsuit was brough by 9/11 families who claim the airlines could have prevented the tragedy.. A federal judge in New York City said Tuesday that the airline industry could have guarded against the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and he ruled that lawsuits brought by 70 families of victims can proceed. (USA TODAY) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/usatoday/20030910/ts_usatoday/11829561 In the Buzz we'll talk to San Francisco mayor Willie Brown about the Recall and Bustamante's new strategy to distance himself from Gray... Faced with a rising unfavorable rating driven in part by his reliance on Indian casino contributions, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante's campaign said Tuesday it was abandoning the no on recall part of its platform. (AP) http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1865~1622296,00.html# The governor is focused on the first question, and I have to be focused on the second, he said (SF Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/09/09/MN219178.DTL This just in...Mortman (or as we now call him, dad) has a new column and a new kid: http://msnbc.com/news/960838.asp Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Democrats clash in 2nd fall debate...In Baltimore, Democratic presidential contenders criticized President Bush's handling of the war on terrorism Tuesday in a campaign debate two days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/964178.asp Former Vermont governor Howard Dean and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) clashed sharply here tonight over the Middle East in a lively Democratic debate, with Lieberman charging that Dean would recklessly reverse half a century of U.S. policy and Dean accusing his rival of demagoguery. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51099-2003Sep9.html Democrats assail Bush to gain the black vote...Amid questions on race, the 9 candidates attack Iraq policy, each other (The Baltimore Sun) http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/bal-te.analysis10sep10,0,3893376.story?coll=bal-home-headlines Bush to deliver 9/11 progress report...Ahead of the Sept. 11 anniversary, President Bush on Wednesday embarks on two days of events in which he will claim progress bolstering America against future attacks. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/964322.asp Curry: Post-war politics come bubbling up Senators see the local costs in U.S. occupation of Iraq http://www.msnbc.com/news/964073.asp Riddles remain about 9/11 attacks...FBI disputes findings of congressional inquiry (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/964101.asp?0dm=O15JN Santa Cruz Considers Impeaching Bush..Council Would Be First To Ask Congress...The Santa Cruz City Council is considering becoming the first local government in the country to ask Congress to look into impeaching President Bush. (Oakland 11) http://www.nbc11.com/politics/2467827/detail.html Opinion/Editorial Terry's latest: May Norton's Nightmare Come True...Eleanor Holmes Norton, Democratic delegate for the District of Columbia, went to the floor of the House last week, huffing and puffing that if Congress allows school choice in the Nation's Capital it will blow the doors off public schools nationwide. http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=1763 Margolis: The truth about 9/11: http://www.eric-margolis.com/archives/08.php Miscalculating Sept. 11's aftermath...On 9/1, President Bush was handed a historic opportunity to unite the world against a common enemy. He rejected it. By Fred Kaplan. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/963859.asp Ilana: Bush is a neoconservative http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34517 Olbermann: Reflections on 9/11...MSNBC's Keith Olbermann covered the attacks and the
The Hardball Briefing for September 19, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- It's the morning after the night beforeWashington, DC's one night stand with Isabel has come and gone...Helluva night...I lucked out and kept power but millions of others including a couple on our staff, weren't so lucky...We won't flood the show with more coverage though... Hey, did you see Ted Kennedy's comments on Iraq? One of the most forceful critiques of the war to date...Dig it: There was no imminent threat. This was made up in Texas, announced in January to the Republican leadership that war was going to take place and was going to be good politically. This whole thing was a fraud http://www.msnbc.com/news/968712.asp?0dm=N14MN We'll do a hit with Norah to discuss the growing criticism on Iraq and White House reaxPlus, President Bush admitted this week that there was no connection between Iraq 9/11...Weldon and Rahm will debate Kennedy's remarks and the state of affairs over yonder... President Bush said Wednesday there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 - disputing an idea held by many Americans. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20030917/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_saddam_4 Oh, and did I mention the wonderfully addictive Laura Ingraham will explain her new book, Shut Up and Sing: How Elites from Hollywood, Politics, and the UN are Subverting America as well?...Dig the new sassy look with the NYC T-shirt... http://www.lauraingraham.com/public/ Is Osama dead or alive? and why haven't we caught him? The questions linger...The questions burn...We'll stoke the fires in D... Breaking news folks...Court recall decision likely Friday...Appeals court weighing a re-examination of Calif. vote postponement http://www.msnbc.com/news/945950.asp?0si=- We may have to lead with this... We've got some special stuff for you in the Buzz block...Madeleine Albright will be here to discuss her new book, Madame Secretary and Academy Award winning producer/director will be here as well...Remember Rain Man? The Natural? Good Morning Vietnam? Diner? That's the guy... Dominic Bellone wrote compiled and edited The Briefing from DC Late-Arriving Candidate Got Push From Clintons (NY Times) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=1u=/nyt/20030919/ts_nyt/latearrivingcandidategotpushfromclintons Clark 'Probably' Would Have Backed War...On First Campaign Stop, Democrat Lacks Specifics but Rallies Crowd (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32450-2003Sep18.html Remarks by Clinton reignite Hillary buzz...Bill Clinton tantalized a Democratic audience in California Tuesday night with a suggestion that his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has said she won't run for president next year, might change her mind after all. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030918-113413-5205r.htm The Rev. Jesse Jackson, in Southern California Thursday for the second time in a week to campaign with Gov. Gray Davis, called on Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger to engage in a head-to-head debate with the Democratic governor. (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/09/19/CANDIDATES.TMP Schwarzenegger is under the gun...Rivals team up to assail the GOP front-runner (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/968974.asp?0sl=-11 Isabel still cutting power on its path...Still a dangerous storm with 50 mph winds, Isabel by Friday morning had already left a strong legacy: cutting power to some 3.5 million people, flooding homes on the coast and along rivers and causing at least 11 deaths. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/961894.asp Bush plans personal appeal on Iraq...President Bush will try to win support for a U.N. resolution on Iraq through face-to-face diplomacy -- including meetings with French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/965704.asp 3 U.S. soldiers killed near Tikrit...U.S. military officials confirmed Thursday that three American soldiers were killed, two wounded in an attack near Tikrit on Thursday night. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp BBC Staffer Admits Errors, Apologizes...False Statements Not Corrected, Inquiry Told (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24536-2003Sep17.html Steel Tariffs Appear to Backfire...President Bush imposed heavy tariffs on imported steel last year in a decision driven by his political advisers, but now key administration officials have concluded that the order has turned into a debacle. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/968866.asp?0dm=N2CHN Opinion/Editorial Crucifying the messenger...Reaction to Mel
CA Recall and New White House Investigation
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7, 11, 2 am eastern 4, 8 11 pm pacific Just so you know, Chris is out in Los Angeles for the duration of the Recall...We'll have him tracking down some of the candidates and smart California political observers...A new USA Today/Gallup poll is out which puts the Yes on Recall question at 63%, Arnold at 40%, Bustamante at 25% McClintock at 18%...Just got off the phone with John Fund who tells me those numbers are exaggerated in his opinion but basically right...We'll have a fun panel lined up to give you the latest... We'll do that poll tonight and the big news on Iraq/Joe Wilson deal...The Justice Department is investigating whether the White House purposely leaked the name of Fmr. Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife in retaliation for his going public on the Niger-Uranium story...We've got all the background below...John Kerry Joe Lieberman are both calling for an Independent Counsel to investigate...Watch for other candidates to follow their lead...Plus, fresh doubts on pre-war Intelligence are being raised by the House Intell CommitteeSenator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) weighs in... Fineman and Norah will do the Buzz on Iraq, the Dem primary/Bush's re-election maybe some Recall stuff... Oh yeah, and another thing...Tomorrow night, we're pre-empting Olberman's show to bring you two hours of Hardball... More Facts, More Angles, More MSNBC Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Bush Aides to Comply With Probe...Despite the promise by Bush aides to cooperate with a Justice Department inquiry into an administration leak that exposed the identity of a CIA operative, Democrats call for an independent probe. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14909-2003Sep28?language=printer Iraq, 9/11 Still Linked By Cheney...In making the case for war against Iraq, Vice President Cheney has continued to suggest that an Iraqi intelligence agent met with a Sept. 11, 2001, hijacker five months before the attacks. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/973241.asp?0dm=N14KN White House grapples with allegation...Senior Bush administration officials took to the Sunday television talk shows to downplay allegations that White House officials revealed the identity of a CIA agent. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/973047.asp Iraq Data Not Old, Bush Aides Insist...Rice, Powell Rebut Committee Assertion That Intelligence Was 5 Years Out of Date (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14347-2003Sep28.html U.S. troops battle Iraqi resistance...U.S. troops backed by tanks and helicopters battled Iraqi resistance fighters Monday near Khaldiyah, west of Baghdad. The military announced the arrest of 92 people in a series of raids north of the capital. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Lawmakers eye Iraq costs, intelWith the Senate on Monday taking up President Bush's request for $87 billion to cover Iraq costs, lawmakers were expected to question the numbers and whether U.S. data on weapons of mass destruction was reliable. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/967844.asp Media Review Conduct After Leak...CIA Inquiry Leads to Questions About What Should Be Published (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14399-2003Sep28?language=printer The White House defended its proposal to spend $87 billion on Iraq and Afghanistan, while disputing assertions by leaders of the House Intelligence Committee that President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq on the basis of outdated and vague information. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544ncid=703e=3u=/ap/20030929/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq California voters are ready to fire Gov. Gray Davis and replace him with actor and political novice Arnold Schwarzenegger, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds. http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2003-09-28-poll-recall_x.htm CA Poll Results http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/2003-09-28-recall-poll.htm No Bump for Bush...A new Newsweek poll shows a nation deeply divided as the political campaign heats up (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/972703.asp?0cv=KB10 Howard's latest: What, Me Worry? The numbers are off. The world won't heed his call to arms. But if Bush is fretting about his future, he won't show it. Inside Karl Rove's game plan http://www.msnbc.com/news/972982.asp Dean calls Clark a Beltway puppet...Presidential hopeful Howard Dean yesterday attacked retired Gen. Wesley Clark as a puppet of establishment politicians while repeatedly and explicitly comparing his own policies to those of former President Bill Clinton. (The Washington Times)
New LA Times Recall Poll!!!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 2 am eastern and 4, 8 11 pm pacific on MSNBC We're leading with the brand, spanking new LA Times poll which shows support for the Recall at 56%-42%...On question two, Arnold leads with 40%, Bustamante at 32% and McClintock at 15%...We'll talk to a couple of firecrackers: Arnold spokesman David Dreier and California Dem spokesman Bob Mulholland... Chris is out on the beach right now and we're trying to corral him back to the hotel to get some work done...Hey I don't blame the guy I'd be kickin' hard on the beach if I was out there too! In the next block we'll talk to a Senator (we got a couple of calls out) about the FBI investigation of The White House and maybe throw in something on the Iraq reconstruction funding issue which is heating up on the Hill this week... And in the D block debate we'll ask the question: Should journalists who interview Iraqi resistance fighters be obligated to turn them over to the authorities? Nachman and Brent Bozell will go at it... In the Buzz we'll talk to Blankley and Zogby about the Recall poll and then talk to film producer Al Ruddy (The Godfather, Mean Streets, The Longest Yard) about his friendship with Arnold... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Don't forget to check out our new Jesse Ventura show debuting this weekend... Ventura ready for talk-show attack...The ex-governor's slimmed-down show, taped in St. Paul, debuts (St. Paul Pioneer Press) http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/6901274.htm Majority Now Favors Recall; Schwarzenegger Leads Rivals... Davis loses ground with key voters. For the first time, the actor outpaces all other candidates as he makes double-digit gains among the GOP, independents, women. (LA Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/recall/la-me-poll1oct01,1,4913112.story?coll=la-home-headlines LA Times Poll (requires Adobe Acrobat) http://images.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2003-09/9620532.pdf Fun Gore News... Gore close to cable buy...Call him Al Gore, media baron. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/business/story/122270p-109917c.html Must Read Novak: Columnist wasn't pawn for leak http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak01.html Criminal inquiry over CIA leak...The Justice Department has opened a full criminal investigation into the disclosure of an undercover CIA employee's name, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Tuesday. President Bush ordered all staffers to cooperate with the probe. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/973047.asp Hill Democrats Demand a Special Prosecutor on Leak...Republicans Say White House Is Serious About Investigating (AP) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27694-2003Oct1.html For Bush, how damaging a leak?...For three years now, the Bush administration has avoided the kind of roiling scandal that has hampered, to one degree or another, every president since Watergate forced Richard Nixon to resign. But is the leak scandal different? Analysis. By Michael Mor http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/973890.asp At this point, some analysts say, the issue remains largely inside the Beltway, somewhat arcane for the public, and therefore has not risen to a full-fledged scandal. (The Christian Science Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1001/p01s03-usju.html The man behind the furor...Joseph Wilson, former envoy, bears a streak of independence (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/974167.asp?0cv=CA01 Iraqi WMD may have been bluff...David Kay eyes theory of deliberate deception (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/974235.asp?0dm=N13LN Huffington drops out of recall race...Arianna Huffington dropped out of the California recall election Tuesday as a poll showed strong support for ousting Gov. Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger leading rivals to replace him. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/945950.asp Clout Brings Cost for California Tribes...In California's recall campaign, gambling Indian tribes have emerged as influential players -- they are the most deep-pocketed givers, surpassing even organized labor as the biggest campaign donors this season. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25309-2003Sep30.html Firm with Bush ties consults on Iraq...Former FEMA director heads New Bridge Strategies (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/973765.asp?0dm=N16NN Food Corner... Fall's Perfect Combo...In fall, when the fruits on the apple and pear trees began to show red and gold, it's time to get cooking. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21367-2003Sep30.html Dinner in 40 Minutes...Roast chicken and lemons on wilted watercress. (The Washington Post)
Chris is on the Arnold Bus today!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7, 11 2 am on the East coast and 4, 8 11 pm out West Folks this is definitely one of those there's so much news out there I don't know were to begin day...We've got the Arnold and the women bombshell in the LA Times...We've got Arnold in the last hour apologizing for it...We've got Arnold in his big campaign tour bus moving across the state...We've got Chris ON THE BUS! No joke... Six women who came into contact with Arnold Schwarzenegger on movie sets, in studio offices and in other settings over the last three decades say he touched them in a sexual manner without their consent. (The Los Angeles Times) http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1001arnoldwomen-ON.html Gubernatorial front-runner Arnold Schwarzenegger acknowledged that he has behaved badly to women and offered an apology Thursday. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=511e=1u=/ap/20031002/ap_on_el_gu/davis_recall And I haven't even started on Iraq yet! Big news there too...Weapons Inspector David Kay is testifying before Congress on his WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) report card...Still haven't found any yet...Plus, more calls and questions for a special counsel to investigate The White House over the alleged leak...69% of Americans according to The Washington Post favor one...Btw, a couple of sine qua non reads today: Milbank's lead Wash Post piece and George Will's latest column (see editorial section below)...Milbank gives Chris and the show a nice shout out! MUST READ Milbank: Outside Probe of Leaks Is Favored...Poll Findings Come As White House Softens Denials (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/974684.asp?0cv=CA01 John Kerry just said on MSNBC that the situation is almost positively Nixonian I love that term Nixonian...Sometimes I myself have been accused of being Nixonian... We'll lead with a CA Recall group and bring you the latest from the campaign trail... We'll talk to Senator Dianne Feinstein about Leakgate and get her take on the Recall... In the D block debate we'll get into the controversy over Rush Limbaugh's comments about Donovan McNabb with Coloring the News author Bill McGowan and Court TV's James Curtis... In the Buzz we'll do THE Washington Wiseman himself, David Gergen, and then talk to legendary Hollywood producer, director and actor Carl Reiner... Clearly must see TV tonight folks! I've got my VCR set, do you? Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Jesse's new Saturday show on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.com/news/890183.asp?0ct=-37j Want to be on Frank Luntz's new show?? Fill out this form http://www.msnbc.com/news/970808.asp White House gathering inquiry data...The White House staff has begun preserving records and phone logs that might be relevant to the criminal inquiry into disclosure of a CIA undercover officer's identity, President Bush's spokesman said Wednesday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/973047.asp The White House on Thursday gave no ground on Democratic calls for a special counsel to investigate the leak of a CIA agent's identity, despite a poll showing most Americans want such an independent probe. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3548588 The FBI 's first task in the investigation of a leak that disclosed the name of a CIA officer is to narrow the list of government officials who may have known her identity, a number that could be in the hundreds (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544e=2u=/ap/20031002/ap_on_go_pr_wh/cia_leak WashPost: Puzzling out the logic of a leak...Here's today's question, chattering class: If the White House wanted to discredit and/or shut up Joseph Yellowcake Wilson, who was embarrassing the administration over Saddam Hussein's alleged quest for nuclear weapons, why would aides try to accomplish http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/974685.asp The criminal investigation into alleged Bush administration leaks has increased the vulnerability of a president already weakened by the public's doubts about his policies for Iraq and the economy. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=3542796 Columnist plays down his story Robert Novak, no stranger to controversy, goes on defensive over column (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031002/5553453s.htm Housekeeping link...California Recall coverage: Live all night next Tuesday Chris Matthews and the best political experts on television guide you through a night where anything can happen. Primetime coverage of the California Recall will begin with a special 'Hardball with Chris Matthews on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m. onwards. Click here for more information. http://www.msnbc.com/news/974609
The Hardball Briefing for October 3, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7, 11 2 am Eastern and 4, 8 11 pm Pacific A couple of housekeeping items up front: Chris hosts an everything you wanted to know about the Recall but were afraid to ask special Sunday night at 10 pm ET...We'll repeat it Monday night at 9 pm ET...On election night, Tuesday, Oct. 7th we're broadcasting at 7 pm et until the last dog dies http://www.msnbc.com/news/974609.asp This will be a faced paced, no holds barred, no issue off the table evening where ANYTHING can happen...We'll have more news, more facts, more angles, more juice, more guests, and more heat than the competition can handle...As a matter of fact folks, if you're a novice cable viewer this may not be the night for you...This is strictly Varsity cable news viewing...If I EVEN have to tell you to break out the TV trays and popcorn you're done in this business...Hang up your cleats and hit the showers.. Now on to tonight...More allegations against Arnold and more political fallout...More poll numbers on the President and Iraq and a weapons inspector who's found no weapons..What are all the details?, whats it all mean? and who'll be left standing at the end of the day? Only Matthews knows...Btw, what did you think of last night's Arnold interview...I thought Chris kinda had a Michael Moore gonzo journalist thing with the baseball cap, stick mike and a glazed look on his face... All the big guns are out campaigning in Californina as the days and hours tick away on the Recall...Jesse Jackson is out in LA campaigning against it...We'll speak with him on why he opposes it...We'll also talk to Joan Blades of Moveon.org which is running new anti-Arnold ads that highlight the allegations of sexual harassment...Plus, Jerry Brown looks likely as well... In the Buzz we'll talk to fmr. top deputy to Paul Bremer in Iraq/Fmr. NYC Police Commish Bernard Kerik about the Reconstruction effort over there... Luntz will check in and spin the new NYT/CBS polls... Mortman's latest: Great dropout lines for the Dems...How straggling candidates can spin their departures http://www.msnbc.com/news/974182.asp Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Bush defends war after WMD report...President focuses on possible evidence of covert programs (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/967844.asp?0si=- The public's confidence in President Bush(news - web sites)'s ability to deal wisely with an international crisis has slid sharply over the past five months, the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll has found. And a clear majority are also uneasy about his ability to make the right decisions on the nation's economy. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=3u=/nyt/20031003/ts_nyt/pollshowsdropinconfidenceonbushskillinhandlingcrises Search in Iraq Finds No Banned Weapons...Tenet Assails Panel Leaders' Criticism of Prewar Data (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35638-2003Oct2.html Sanger Analysis: The preliminary report delivered on Thursday by the chief arms inspector in Iraq forces the Bush administration to come face to face with this reality: that Saddam Hussein's armory appears to have been stuffed with precursors, potential weapons and bluffs, but that nothing found so far backs up administration claims that Mr. Hussein posed an imminent threat to the world. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=2u=/nyt/20031003/ts_nyt/areckoningiraqiarmsreportposespoliticaltestforbush Enemy Is 'More Lethal,' U.S. General Says...The enemy has evolved. It is a little bit more lethal, little bit more complex, little bit more sophisticated and, in some cases, a little bit more tenacious, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez told reporters at a news conference. He added that the evolution of enemy tactics was about what we expected to see over time. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37094-2003Oct2.html New Schwarzenegger allegation...Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger said late Thursday he had no memory of praising Adolf Hitler or sexually harassing women. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/945950.asp What was supposed to be the final victory bus tour in actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's run for California governor has turned into a not-so-magical mystery tour dogged by skeletons from his past -- allegations that he admired Hitler and groped women. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=3553607 The opening-day theme of Arnold Schwarzenegger's bus tour, called the California Comeback Express, was supposed to be rolling back the recent hike in the state's car tax. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2003-10-02-arnold-bus-usat_x.htm Kurtz: For the Right, Bad News Day
McCain, Woolsey, Peggy Corn Tonight On Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8 11 pm pst... We lead with the explosive Rummy Memo on the war on terror and his admission to his top deputies that things ain't going so well...Far from the tough guy, macho image the Washington press corps loved to swoon over back in the heady days of the Afghanistan war and the lead up to Iraq, Rummy comes across as someone looking for answers to an almost insurmountable problem...You realize these big shots in Washington are just normal people without the omnipotent power, knowledge and experience that we often project on them...Unfortunately, these guys are literally dealing with life and death issues... Rummy's Must Read memo: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/executive/rumsfeld-memo.htm Be that as it may, we'll get reax from McCain and WoolseyPeggy will sound off on the Reagan mini-series hit piece and we'll get into the political fallout of the Terri Schiavo... In the Buzz we've got one of Katrina's underlings, David Corn, author of the new book The Lies of George W. Bush: Mastering The Politics of Deception (Can you guess which side of the political aisle he's on??) vs. Tony Blankley and a 3rd person I'm trying to work out studio arrangements for right now... Here's a sampling of David's work: I Am No Novak...Here's why I'm not naming a CIA officer in the Wilson leak probe. http://thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3pid=1007 We'll do the Rummy memo and some Fun Clinton News I got below...I think you'll dig it... The United States has no yardstick for measuring progress in the war on terrorism, has not ''yet made truly bold moves'' in fighting al-Qaeda and other terror groups, and is in for a ''long, hard slog'' in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a memo that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent to top-ranking Defense officials last week. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031022/5609351s.htm What's the political fallout of the Schiavo in Florida? Decision could aid GOP at the polls...Gov. Bush and the Legislature reflect the wishes of conservative voters who could be critical to Republican election success. (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/7074643.htm Battle over coma woman to drag on Attorneys for the husband of a comatose Florida woman on Wednesday were preparing an appeal of Gov. Jeb Bush's order that his wife's feeding tube be reconnected. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/980564.asp Anne Schroeder's column today notes that a Hardball studio tour went for $300 at a recent Washington charity event: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61951-2003Oct21.html Mortman's California post mortem: Democrats find plenty to spin from California Self-serving explanations for the demise of Gray Davis http://www.msnbc.com/news/979949.asp Fun Clinton News... Clinton, hip-hop to share billing at DNC fund-raiser...Pulsing lights, throbbing hip-hop music and Bill Clinton are on tap next week for a Democratic National Committee fund-raiser at a Washington nightclub designed to transform young professionals into political donors. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20031021-104451-2179r.htm Democratic 2004 wannabe Howard Dean yesterday said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton told him she wouldn't run for president this time - and that Bill Clinton said he won't publicly support any candidate in the primaries. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/8784.htm It's gettin' tight in Iowa folks! Dick Gephardt and Howard Dean remain close atop an Iowa poll released Wednesday, but half of the voters who say they're likely to vote in the Jan. 19 Democratic caucuses think it's likely that President Bush will win re-election. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031022/ap_on_el_pr/iowa_poll_1 Senate OKs ban on abortion procedure...After years of emotional debate, the Senate voted 64-34 Tuesday to send President Bush legislation to ban what critics call partial-birth abortion. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/983016.asp Arizona Republic's ear to the ground: The rumor-mill buzz regarding a possible independent run for president by John McCain in 2004 had increased several decibels. The political gossips asserted, not implausibly, that things were shaping up well for such a bid, with Bush's approval rating falling and a Democratic field still looking pretty weak. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1022robb22.html Senior advisers to President Bush will recommend that he veto a spending measure for Iraq's military and reconstruction needs if it requires Iraq to repay any of the money, White House officials said yesterday. (The Washington Post)
Al Sharpton For The Full Hour Tonight!!!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8 11 pm pt Tonight's show takes us once again to Harvard and our Battle for the White House SeriesThe Rev. Al Sharpton will be here for the full hour to go one on one with Chris. I'm expecting at once an informative and entertaining night. It's definitely a must see or Tivo this kinda show. Sharpton was on fire last night at the Dem debate with his thoughts on Iraq It's no longer Russian Roulette, it's Bush Roulette You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll not want to miss it. Sharpton's in the House tonight and so should you...Oh, and keep the fire extinguisher handy. It could get hot in here tonight.. MSNBC Sharpton embed Tommy Llamas gives us a backgrounder on tonight's guest: http://www.msnbc.com/news/984006.asp?0cb=-11f105844 Must Read Mortman: Clintons keep us on our toes...Favorite political couple manages to stay in spotlight http://www.msnbc.com/news/981830.asp Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC America's Voices w/Frank Luntz: http://www.msnbc.com/news/americasvoices_front.asp?0dm=V2CDVta=y Want to be a guest on Frank's show? http://www.msnbc.com/news/970808.asp Series of blasts rocks Baghdad...Nearly 40 people have been killed in Iraq in a series of bombing attacks on the international Red Cross headquarters and on police stations across Baghdad. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Bush: Iraq insurgents 'desperate'...Says U.S. progress spurs attacks (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/965704.asp?0cv=CB10 Saddam ally an insider at hotel hit by rockets...A contractor supplying kitchen staff and secretaries for the Al Rasheed Hotel, the scene of yesterday's rocket attacks, was allied to Saddam Hussein's security services and might have been providing intelligence to the anti-U.S. resistance. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/world/20031027-121040-9514r.htm Search in Iraq Fails to Find Nuclear Threat...No Evidence Uncovered Of Reconstituted Program (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/985303.asp?0dm=N24AN Former Vermont governor Howard Dean holds a strong 12-point lead over Senator John F. Kerry in the New Hampshire primary race, but Democratic primary voters are evenly divided over which of the two men would better be able to defeat President Bush, according to a new Boston Globe and WBZ-TV poll. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/09/07/dean_holds_strong_lead_over_kerry_in_nh_poll/ Dems attack Bush in debate...Candidates tackle manufacturing job losses, Iraq policy, each other at Fox Theatre forum (Detroit News) http://www.detnews.com/2003/politics/0310/27/a01-308224.htm Curry: Lieberman rips rivals in debate...Senator tries to position himself as Dean alternative http://www.msnbc.com/news/985052.asp As it has for months, Iraq dominated and divided the Democratic presidential campaign Sunday while candidates attacked President George W. Bush's leadership of the war but then took turns sniping at one another for their positions. (Detroit Free Press) http://www.freep.com/news/politics/debate27_20031027.htm Howard Dean has stunned the US political establishment by topping opinion poll ratings for the Democratic presidential contenders, and now he must turn that support into votes in the US heartland. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyncid=1963e=1u=/afp/20031027/ts_alt_afp/us_politics_deansid=96378801 The chairman of the federal commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks said that the White House was continuing to withhold intelligence documents. (The New York Times) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=5u=/nyt/20031026/ts_nyt/911commissioncouldsubpoenaovalofficefiles Fineman: What Will Iraq Cost Bush?...Even administration insiders are starting to worry about how the war will affect the president's re-election chances. In New Hampshire, the omens aren't reassuring (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/985284.asp?0sl=-10 GOP Puts Stock In 'Investor Class'...Parties Debate Impact of Rise In Voters With Money in Market (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/985426.asp?0dm=N18MN Is Rumsfeld Losing His Mojo?...Facing persistent enemy attacks in Iraq, the Defense Secretary now finds himself fighting battles at home (Time Mag) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031103-526352,00.html Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger will storm the nation's capital this week, and much like his grand entrance in Sacramento this past week, the visit is expected to be longer on symbolism than substance. (SF Chronicle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/26/MNG4L2JMJJ1DTL Lloyd Grove's Lowdown: Trouble with shooting stars
No Tricks, Just Treats...Tonight on Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8, 11 pm pt As you know, MSNBC is committed to bringing you the news, whenever and wherever it happensSometimes breaking news occurs during our show or its re-air at 11 pm 2 am et...If you don't see Hardball at the appointed times, it means we decided to take you to an important breaking news story...Last night for example, we were pre-empted at 11 pm et due to the California forest fires...Of course, commensurate with our editorial philosophy is the fact that the guests and topics in The Briefing are always subject to change at at moment's notice...We'll always keep your best interests in mind for sure.. We lead with the New York Times splash on Saddam's possible role in the continued attacks against our forces in Iraq...How plausible is it? What does it mean for our strategy and troop morale? Ret. General Wayne Downing weighs in In the B block we'll go behind the 3rd quarter economic boom with fmr. Clintonista Labor Secretary Robert Reich and Martin Anderson of the Hoover Institution... In case you didn't know it, this is national Protection from Pornography Week according to the President http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031025-1.html We'll talk to Sandy Rios of the Concerned Women for America about what it means and whether we're being protected from pornography or not...Is the White House doing enough? Do even we need to be protected? Has porn gone mainstream? That sort of thing...You get where we're going here folks... The Buzz consists of Janet, Howard Barnicle...(Parshall, Fineman Mike for you newcomers)...Last night Mortman was at an Empower America dinner where Rummy gave a ringing defense of operations in Iraq and said the American people haven't heard enough of the good news...We'll roll some of the sound and kick it around with our panel...I'm also thinking of throwing some economy stuff in there as well...Plus, our friends over at the RNC are asking CBS to allow a group of historians and people who knew the Reagans personally to review the movie...If not, Chairman Gillespie requests, I love this part, a crawl every 10 minutes under the movie saying that the program is a fictional portrayal of the Reagans and the Reagan Presidency, and they should not consider it to be historically accurate. The crawl is the text that scrolls across the bottom of the screen when you watch MSNBC... http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031029/ap_on_en_tv/tv_reagan_drama_2 MSNBC cross promotional section... Mortman content: Political lessons in a kids' cartoon...Does 'Harold' hold some campaign ideas for John Edwards? http://msnbc.com/news/985492.asp?0dm=C23KN Frank talks to Civil Rights Legend John Lewis and debates whether Americans should be able to import cheap drugs from Canada on America's Voices...Saturday at 6 pm et http://msnbc.com/news/americasvoices_front.asp?0dm=N2CDVta=y No Tricks, Just Treats tonight folks... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Milbank: President Bush, savoring Thursday's upbeat economic report from the Commerce Department, credited his tax cuts for producing the fastest growth rate in nearly 20 years in the third quarter. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44071-2003Oct30.html Democrats won't give Bush credit for gains...Democrats yesterday downplayed the strongest quarterly economic growth in 19 years, refusing to give President Bush credit and stressing still-lagging job creation, while Republicans gloated over the news. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031030-113115-1684r.htm Saddam Hussein may be playing a significant role in coordinating and directing attacks by his loyalists against American forces in Iraq, senior American officials said Thursday. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=68ncid=68e=3u=/nyt/20031031/ts_nyt/usofficialsseehusseinshandinattacksonamericansiniraq Graphic videos of torture committed by Saddam Hussein's militiamen portray a regime that was about as vicious as any regime could conceivably be, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said yesterday. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031030-105934-7754r.htm Fineman latest: Echoes of Vietnam Grow Louder...Comparisons between Iraq, war in Indochina are inevitable http://www.msnbc.com/news/986611.asp?0cv=KB10 Saddam playing role in Iraq attacks?...The suicide bombers who attacked in Baghdad this week used thousands of pounds of plastic explosives and diversionary tactics that are hallmarks of al-Qaida, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official said Thursday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/987360.asp Demo Derby: Happy holidays for Dean...Democratic front-runner Dean is
The Hardball Briefing for November 10, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight and every weeknight at 7, 11 2 am et/4, 8, 11 pm pt There's a lot of stories going around these days about Iraq and what exactly is going on there...Tonight, tomorrow night every night this week Hardball will bring you Iraq: The Real Story...We'll do what we do best: slice and dice the situation from every angle imaginable...Our chief foreign correspondent Bob Arnot and his crack producer Noah Oppenheim are over there reporting from Baghdad to get you the Real Story...So please, put the remote down and don't be tempted to turn to a faux story... Tonight we'll lead with the latest headlines from the war zone (and there're lots of 'em folks) and a big picture package from Bob...Then we move to Mik over at the Pentagon for an inside look at the new bombing runs in Tikrit Falluhjah as well as other important directives being issued from the DoD ...We'll then roll an 8 minute in depth interview with Norman Schwarzkopf...A special Iraq-centric Battle for the White House C block will round out the half hour... In the D block we'll debate the efficacy of The President's post war plan with Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle...Don't worry, we'll have In the Buzz we'll talk to Washington Post foreign affairs whiz Robin Wright (formerly of the LA Times) plus Christian Caryl of Newsweek live from Baghdad...We'll take a look at that Iraqi governing council problem (Robin reported on it yesterday for the Post...See below), life on the front line for the grunts and maybe some of Gore's speech yesterday... I can't recall if I plugged this last week or not but in case you missed it...Mortman: Why Zell Miller is eating his own Retiring Democratic senator says party knows 'nothing about modern South' http://msnbc.com/news/988942.asp?0dm=C2JQN Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Sen. Kerry fires campaign manager...Democratic candidate John Kerry fired his campaign manager Sunday night in an attempt shake up his beleaguered presidential bid, The Associated Press learned. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/991467.asp Robin's latest byline: Alternatives to Iraqi Council Eyed...Inaction of Hand-Picked Baghdad Officials Frustrates Washington http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17199-2003Nov8?language=printer With the Ghost Squad...At The Front: Mortar attacks, night raids, troubles identifying friend and foe. On the edge with soldiers fighting in the gray zone (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/991235.asp?0dm=s129k U.S.: Bomb aimed at toppling Saudis...A top U.S. official said that the deadly bombing in Riyadh over the weekend was aimed at toppling Saudi Arabia's royal family http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/984977.asp U.S. expects increased attacks as Iraq rebuilds...Latest incident takes life of military policeman (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749.asp U.S. administrator Paul Bremer said on Monday that Iraqi and foreign insurgents would step up attacks to stop reconstruction, and a weekend grenade attack killed another U.S. soldier south of Baghdad. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=578ncid=578e=3u=/nm/20031110/ts_nm/iraq_dc The U.S. military is ratcheting up its use of firepower against Iraqi guerrillas by calling in fighter jets to bomb enemy targets, military officials said Sunday. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-11-09-us-blasts-iraq_x.htm U.S. forces have arrested 35 pro-Saddam holdouts in connection with last month's rocket attack on Baghdad's Al Rasheed Hotel, a senior American officer said yesterday. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20031110-120738-7694r.htm Senator: Intelligence says new attacks likely...Intelligence officials told lawmakers a week ago to expect a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, and other strikes like the Riyadh bombing are in the works, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/991278.asp Fighting a 'Battle of Perceptions'...General Says Iraqi Resisters Create False Impression of Strength (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20191-2003Nov9.html?referrer=email For the men of Alpha Company, whose world is this insect-infested, agricultural village 60 miles north of Baghdad, major combat operations didn't end when President Bush said so on May 1. They were just beginning. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-11-09-alpha-company-cover_x.htm Strategy memo 'poisons' panel...The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday said his nonpartisan panel will continue operating, but in a weakened capacity because of a Democratic memo that surfaced last
The Hardball Briefing for November 12, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7, 11 2 am et and 4, 8 11 pm pt on MSNBC More on Iraq: The Real Story tonight...Lots of news to report...Bremer's hastily arranged visit to the White House (Administration officials are concerned about the pace and process of establishing Iraqi rule)...Sanchez (our top military commander in Iraq) announcing we'll be employing more get tough measures and that we're gonna step up the seek and destroy operations to capture/kill those Iraqi insurgents...And a new classified CIA report in the Philly Inquirer saying the situation in Iraq is bleak... We'll talk to Woolsey about the CIA report... CIA has a bleak analysis of Iraq...A report found more civilians there are supporting the resistance. It conflicts with upbeat public assessments.(Philadelphia Inquirer) http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/7239049.htm Bush, senior advisers to meet on Iraq...President Bush was to meet with his War Cabinet and Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer on Wednesday to discuss a new plan to accelerate the transfer of power to an Iraqi government, sources told NBC News. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/992125.asp In the B block we'll talk to Col. James Hickey who led Operation Raider Justice near Tikrit (That's Saddam's 'hood)...He's confident he nabbed one of the perps who took down a U.S. black hawk helicopter on November 7th...It ought to be a very compelling story.. In the D block we'll talk to famed Black Hawk Down author Mark Bowden about the similarities he sees between Iraq Somalia... In the Buzz we'll talk to notorious smut peddler with a heart Larry Flynt who has topless Jessica Lynch photos...He's decided not to publish them...We'll ask him why...Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nachman will join in as well...(It's unclear as we go to press whether Jerry will bring his signature cigar) Pornographer Larry Flynt says he bought nude photos of Pfc. Jessica Lynch to publish in Hustler magazine, but changed his mind because she's a good kid who became a pawn for the government. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031112/ap_on_en_ot/lynch_photos_11 Hardball Briefing subscriber/MSNBC political analyst/Friend of Mortman Craig Crawford outs the Kerry claim the he was 15 points ahead of Hillary in a recent presidential poll (remember that one from the recent Boston debate?)...Crawford got a Kerry 'misspoke' out of the campaign (http://drudgereport.com/flash.htm) Crawford will speak further on the matter today when he appears on Rush's radio show (which Drudge is guest hosting today)...More from Crawford on the Kerry camp: i just think it is SO revealing about how testy these guys get about Hillary. they are simply furious about her participation Saturday in Iowa dinner, but she was added after they agreed to do it and they can't get out of it. Should be hysterical watching her introduce each of the candidates who actually don't want her there in the first place. http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/11/12/120126.shtml PS last night on Leno, John Kerry took a page from G. Gordon Liddy on Hardball by riding up on stage on his Harley...Well, we didn't have the hog on set but we did shoot him rolling up on North Capitol St Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Spectre of Somalia haunts UN role in Iraq (Reuters) http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/aef12cd002e79515c1256db90046007c?OpenDocument At least 14 Italians die in Iraq attack...A truck bomb rocked the headquarters of the Italian Carabinieri police in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Wednesday, killing at least 14 Italians and possibly trapping others under the debris, Carabinieri officials said in Rome. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Italian PM: Iraq blast won't deter us...Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Italy would not be intimidated by a bombing that killed at least 14 Italian military and eight Iraqis in the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Wednesday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/992450.asp Berlusconi verbate: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30124-2003Nov12.html Iraqis Call Saddam a Military Weakling (AP) http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-weapons-mystery,0,7169269.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines Fineman: Kerry train wreck easy to predict...The problem, perhaps the fatal problem, with John Kerry's presidential campaign is that, from the start, it's had two of everything: two sets of handlers, two centers of power and a candidate who often can't resist having two positions on an issue. http://www.msnbc.com/news/992510.asp Talkfest on the Hill...GOP's 30-hour marathon may not get new judges on the bench but will help shore up political base.
The Hardball Briefing November 13, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7, 11 4 am et and 4, 8, 1 am pt... Some of you who are night owls or have trouble sleeping will want to take special note of our new overnight (actually early morning) time...It brought me no small joy to hear my local radio news this morning brought to you by Hardball w/Chris Matthews...The promo went on to say something like presenting Iraq: The Real Story all week, every minute...It gave me a renewed sense of purpose as I left home for my morning commute...Be that as it may, I'm fronting a must read Washington Post piece that I believe will serve as a good editorial road map for the front half of the show tonight... Here it is: Is This Hussein's Counterattack?...The recent string of attacks on U.S. and allied forces in Iraq has appeared to be so methodical and well-crafted that some top U.S. commanders now fear this may be the war Saddam Hussein and his generals planned all along. (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/992941.asp?0cv=CA01 President Bush's approval ratings are taking a turn for the better, boosted by a recovering economy that has driven unemployment claims to the lowest point of his presidency, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. http://www.msnbc.com/news/992733.asp?0dm=N16MN Haig will do the military stuff and Peggy will do the NBC/WSJ poll in the A block... We'll talk to some U.S. soldiers freshly back from Iraq about what it's like on the ground in Iraq and their sense of the mission over there... In the Buzz we'll talk to Tony and one of our producers, Noah Oppenheim, who is on the ground with Arnot... Tony's latest: http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/tblankley.htm We're working on a couple of other guests but they aren't in the can just yet so I don't want to reveal any names... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from deep inside the Beltway.. From the Hot File... The President has two fundraisers in Florida today -- one in Buena Vista at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort and one in Ft. Myers at a private residence. At the Buena Vista fundraiser he will raise $860,000 and 600 will attend. They will dine on a menu of cinnamon rolls, chicken salad and crispy treats in the shape of Mickey Mouse. At the Fort Myers event, he will raise $1.7 million and 700 will attend. Schroeder: Chris Matthews for president? Well, maybe not, but John Kerry, who is running for that high office, may need to take a few notes from the shouting journalist who is proving to be a bit more popular -- among the cop crowd, at least. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34395-2003Nov12.html The United States wants to speed up the transition in Iraq to self-rule and is consulting with Iraqis to do just that, President Bush said Thursday. He did not elaborate, but the U.S. administrator in Iraq has returned to Baghdad, reportedly with a proposal to hold elections in the first half of 2004 and leave the drafting of a constitution for later. http://www.msnbc.com/news/992125.asp We're looking at all sorts of ideas and we do want to accelerate the pace of reform, Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=540e=1u=/ap/20031113/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq Moran: Picking off the stragglers in Iraq...Is targeting U.S. coalition allies a new strategy? http://www.msnbc.com/news/992530.asp The forces opposing the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq total no more than 5,000 insurgent fighters, the top American general in the region said Thursday. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=540e=3u=/ap/20031113/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_us_military Fun Clinton News... Small Chinese clothier courts Clinton...Bill Clinton, spokesmodel? A small clothing manufacturer in eastern China says it hopes to sign the former U.S. president to represent its brand, citing his worldwide charisma. (AP) http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2003/11/13/small_chinese_clothier_courts_clinton?mode=PF New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will use a weekend appearance in Iowa to tout the field of candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination and make it clear she won't be among them. (AP) http://www.theunionleader.com/prez_show.html?article=28867 Iraqi police: Saddam's around Tikrit...Saddam Hussein has disguised himself and moves around outside of his hometown of Tikrit, an Iraqi police official said. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993053.asp Japan balks at sending Iraq force...As the death toll from an attack on an Italian compound in southern Iraq rose to 32, including 19 Italians, Japan announced it was deferring the planned dispatch of non-combat troops to Iraq. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Barring a major change
Jerry Bremer's in the Hardball House Tonight!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7, 11 4 am et and 4, 8, 1 am pt My short term memory is not what it used to be so I've been quite remiss in plugging Chris' big JFK anniversary special next Monday...Perhaps you've seen some of the commercials associated with it...As you know being a Chris Matthews fan, he wrote the book Kennedy Nixon and grew up in the shadow of those two men's politics...Chris' worldview is very much shaped by the Kennedy/Nixon era which makes his hosting of this documentary rather appropriate... And this special is interactive as well...MSNBC is fortunate to have Sam Go, one of television's premiere interactive online cross platform synergistic strategists. She's made it possible for you to share your thoughts with Chris of that fateful day by simply following the link below...You can also read the thoughts of others... Monday, Nov. 17: JFK - The day that changed America...Learn more about an upcoming one-hour documentary that commemorates the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Hosted by Chris Matthews, the show includes interviews with Sen. Hillary Clinton, Gerald Ford, Jay Leno, Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, Jr., among other pop culture icons and politicians. Airs Monday, Nov. 17, 9 p.m. ET http://www.msnbc.com/news/987494.asp It's the first time that everyone sat at their television set and watched a real-life, real-time tragedy play out, says Tamara Haddad, executive producer of Matthews' special. http://www.nydailynews.com/11-13-2003/entertainment/ent_radio/story/136315p-121264c.html Now enough of the shameless Chris Matthews promotion and on to promoting Hardball... We lead with Arnot's exclusive interview with L. Paul Jerry Bremer, America's top governor in Iraq...You know the name, you know the face but do you know his Real Story? Arnot will bring you that Real Story...Transferring the power to Iraqis (Iraqification), stepped up attacks (read Operation Iron Hammer) and what the Administration's view is from the top guy in Baghdad...Bob will ask him all the questions you'd want asked from the comfort of you living room on a Friday night after a long, hard slog of a week... Our notorious B block is a bit up in the air pending some booking calls and other assorted editorial loose ends... I'll be putting together the back half panel of Hitchens, Raghida, Todd Purdham (New York Times guy/Dee Dee's husband/author of the new book A Time of Our Choosing)and our MSNBC producer Noah Oppenheim, the guy I promised you earlier in the week...Arnot's got a package on what the media isn't telling you in Iraq (present MSNBC company excepted of course), the good news, the day to day stuff...We'll lead with that and then move on the big picture issues...Should be a lively, informative and engaging discussion... As always, Hardball provides an excellent intellectual platform to launch your weekend social activies...In my estimation, beginning a conversation with Well I heard on Hardball tonight is a great icebreaker and will bring you instant credibility and gravitas... Pls Join us... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Four Decades Later, Majority of Likely Voters Believes Two or More Gunmen killed JFK; One in Five Believe Government's Theory of Lone Gunman http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=758 Rumsfeld: No Iraq pullout planned...As the United States pledged to hand power to Iraqis faster, the Pentagon said that did not mean pulling out troops before they crushed guerrillas who fight on, seven months after the fall of Saddam Hussein. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp WashPost: New urgency, risks in 'Iraqification'...At least four factors forced the administration to overhaul its military and political strategy in Iraq, despite the danger that a new approach might actually diminish U.S. control over the country's future. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993411.asp U.N. says Iraq plans still uncertain...Return of full staff remains delayed due to security fears (Reuters) http://msnbc.com/news/993494.asp?0cv=CA01 Ex-security chiefs blast Israeli policy...Four former heads of Israel's security service launched a joint attack on government policy toward the Palestinians in an interview on Friday in which they called for withdrawal from occupied land. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993523.asp Israeli warns of terrorist training...Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said yesterday in an interview with editors and reporters of The Washington Times that terrorist bases in Lebanon are training some of the foreign fighters who are moving into Iraq to kill American troops. (The Washington Times)
The Hardball Briefing for November 17, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight and every week night on MSNBC at 7, 11 4 am et...4, 8 1 am out West... Tonight we're back in the Battle for the White House with Carol Moseley-BraunLive from Harvard...She's a long shot but that's the beauty of our system: Everyone at least gets a chance.. Hardball- Battle for the White House: Carol Moseley Braun http://www.msnbc.com/news/994471.asp Democrat Carol Moseley Braun has hired former National Organization for Women president Patricia Ireland to head her presidential campaign amid questions about the future of the long-shot bid. Braun, the only woman in the nine-way field, lost two key advisers on Friday (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031117/D7USF5TO0.html Don't forget to check out Chris' special tonight... Matthews's one-hour show, JFK: The Day That Changed America, at 9 tonight on MSNBC, is a sensitive evocation of those days, of a weekend when we realized how unbelievable reality could be. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50191-2003Nov16.html Howie does a decent write up of Chris todayKurtz: Sunday Best...To Chris Matthews, whose bellowing style tends to trample his guests, the new forum is like moving from a barroom to a high-toned brunch. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49956-2003Nov16.html Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC CIA: No evidence of WMD transfer...Agency has no proof that Saddam gave weapons to terrorists (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/994201.asp?0dm=V23EN Howard Dean extended his double-digit lead over rival John Kerry among likely voters in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary, according to a poll that showed Wesley Clark losing ground. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=4u=/ap/20031117/ap_on_el_pr/new_hampshire_poll Dean Must Show Strength, Iowa Governor Says...Vilsack Contends Candidate May Be Vulnerable to GOP Criticism That He Is Not Tough Enough (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49845-2003Nov16.html Democrat Howard Dean, in a close battle with Dick Gephardt in Iowa, launched a television commercial Monday that takes his rival to task for backing President Bush on the war against Iraq. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031117/D7USG13O0.html Hillary Rodham Clinton had hundreds of her supporters glowing at a book signing in West Des Moines on Sunday...I had goose bumps when I walked away, said Jennie Salvato of Des Moines after Clinton autographed her book. (The Des Moines Register) http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22779233.html Retired Army general Wesley K. Clark agreed to take a brief hiatus from his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination to go to the Netherlands in mid-December and testify at the United Nations war crimes trial of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic (AP) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/11/17/clark_set_to_testify_at_trial_of_milosevic/ Arnold Schwarzenegger was upbeat and in a joking mood as he met friends and supporters late on Sunday on the eve of becoming California governor after a remarkable career change. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=EVKRMILLGGMNWCRBAELCFFA?type=topNewsstoryID=3834265 In a departure from recent inaugurations, there will be no big parties and no gala balls after Arnold Schwarzenegger takes the oath of office as California's 38th governor on Monday. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=519ncid=703e=1u=/ap/20031117/ap_on_re_us/schwarzenegger_inauguration Organized Iraq rebels coordinate strikes...Iraqi resistance fighters in just six months have gone from loose-knit bands of Saddam Hussein followers to organized cells that communicate with each other and carefully pick bombing targets to drive a wedge into the U.S.-led coalition. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031117-121127-4225r.htm U.S. puts on show of force in Tikrit...Mortar and tank fire lit up the night sky over Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit Monday in a show of force to intimidate the resistance, while troops angered residents by mounting their biggest-ever hunt for weapons and explosives in a middle class Bagh http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Saddam 'is around,' Bremer says...The U.S. administrator in Iraq suggested Monday that a new audiotape purported to be that of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was legitimate, but that in any case it was simply a voice from the wilderness. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993053.asp It's so much more than toothpaste now...When George W. Bush and Tony Blair first met at the U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David, the folksy
Dominick Dunne on Jacko Tonight!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight and every weeknight at 7, 11, 4 am et...4, 8, 1 am pt...If you miss any episode, tune in Sunday afternoon from 1-6 pm et and we'll re-air the whole week! Very hectic day around here yesterday...I swore I had The Briefing all set to go then we had a Jacko Attack and reworked the whole show...Hope you enjoyed it...We'll do more of that tonight but throw in a lot on gay marriage as well... Btw, what do you think? Should there be a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage? Send your reply to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] and put Briefing question in the subject line...If you have any comments about the Briefing or Chris throw those in there as well...But keep it short...Chris and I will try to read as many as possible... Fans of Vanity Fair and true crime stories will dig the fact that we're leading with Dominick Dunne...His bio and credits are too numerous to list: Hollywood writer, author, Vanity Fair diarist, Court TV host, etc...He also wrote a great book Justice in which he describes the ordeal of his daughter Dominique's murder and subsequent trial...She was an aspiring actress and starred in the hit movie Poltergeist...The killer got off which is why Dominick has so assiduously pursued and tracked other murder cases in the search for justice..He'll give us his take on Michael's situation... Book excerpt http://www.courttv.com/archive/store/dunne_book1_excerpt.html Here's a cool old school shot of Dominick kickin' it freestyle at the famed Stork Club back in the '50's. http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/dunne/photo_gallery3.html#anch For more on Dominick click here: http://www.courttv.com/onair/shows/dunne/profile.html In the B block we'll do more Jacko legal slice and dice with Pat Lalama from Court TV, Defense attorney Bruce Barron and another prosecutor type tbd... In the D block Shuster will do a package on gay marriage and then PA Republican Senator Rick Santorum will tell us why a constitutional amendment is necessary to preserve the traditional notion of marriage... That'll lead us into the E block where we'll debate where gay marriage is headed legally...Will it spread to other states? Will it hit the U.S. Supreme Court? In the F block we'll roll a clip from Hillary reminiscing on JFK's assassinationTomorrow's show btw, will be a re-air of JFK: The Day That Changed America http://www.msnbc.com/news/987494.asp MSNBC.com remembers that fateful day http://www.msnbc.com/news/jfkanniversary_front.asp?0cb=-419190665 News of the weird: Air Force fighter jets were scrambled and the White House was briefly evacuated on Thursday after birds or possibly disturbances in the atmosphere tripped radar that keeps watch on restricted air space around the complex. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544ncid=703e=1u=/ap/20031120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_evacuated Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Michael Jackson and his attorney will choose their own time and their own place to surrender to face child molestation allegations, a family attorney said Thursday. A friend said he was going to fight this tooth and nail. (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/995113.asp?0cv=CB10 New Calif. laws could snare Jackson...Law allows evidence of a defendant's prior sexual conduct (Reuters) http://msnbc.com/news/995878.asp?0sl=-11 Can Jackson's career survive?...Fans unlikely to give him 'One More Chance' if convicted (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/995676.asp?0sl=-13 Under pressure to respond to the Supreme Judicial Court's decision on gay marriage, Governor Mitt Romney and a top House lawmaker said yesterday that they believe the justices would be satisfied if lawmakers craft a civil union statute that grants many of the benefits of marriage but does not legally sanction same-sex marriage. (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2003/11/20/civil_union_law_sought/ Gay marriage is now poised to rival abortion as an issue that inflames and divides American voters...The 4-3 decision Tuesday by Massachusetts' highest court recognized a right for same-sex couples to marry. One conservative activist calls it ''the starting gun'' for a debate that pits cultural and religious traditions for one side against principles of equality for the other. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031119/5691750s.htm At least 15 killed in Turkish blasts...Explosions shattered the Turkish headquarters of the London-based HSBC bank and the British consulate in downtown Istanbul on Thursday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993947.asp Bush, Blair vow 'no holding back'...Moving up a press conference to address the bombing Thursday of the British consulate in Turkey, President Bush
JFK Anniversary Special Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11, 4 am et and 4, 8 1 am pt Tonight we'll air Chris' special on the JFK assassination anniversary...Whether you were alive at the time or not you'll enjoy it...Chris interviews a number of politicians, celebrities and former Kennedy confidantes about that fateful day...Since a lot of the cocktail chatter this weekend will focus around Jacko and the JFK anniversary you'll want to see this.. http://www.msnbc.com/news/987494.asp http://www.msnbc.com/news/jfkanniversary_front.asp?0cb=-419190665 Mortman: Kennedy mystique, by the numbers...Few leaders even come close to slain president's popularity http://www.msnbc.com/news/992313.asp?0cb=-41c193097 Btw, did you see Jacko's personal magician on Scarborough last night? Lisa Bloom totally slammed him and said Who has their own personal magician? Monday we have a very special day planned as Brokaw anchors a two hour Democratic presidential debate live from Des Moines, Iowa...We'll do some pre-funking from 3:30-4 pm et...Tom and the Dems take over from 4-6 pm et and then Hardball does a 2 hour slice and dice from 6-8 pm et with our Superstar Panel including Howard, Peggy, Pat and a cast of fun Hardball characters... http://www.msnbc.com/news/983193.asp Before we say goodbye I'd like to leave you with a pearl of wisdomOn December 2, 2002 Jerry Nachman was interviewing rock roll legend Paul Stanley of Kiss and had this little sugar plum we should all live by: And since there is no rehearsal for your life, you only get one chance. And, if we believe anything, it's that we need to go out and live the life that we choose. If you're behind somebody else, you need to start your own parade. -Paul Stanley, Nachman 12/2/02 Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Carl's gotta a new Sunday radio show! Check it out http://www.wlsam.com/showdj.asp?DJID=18670 Concerned about President Bush's slipping popularity and criticism from rivals who want his job, the GOP is questioning Democrats' commitment to fighting terrorism in its first TV ad of the 2004 race. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20031121/ap_on_el_pr/bush_ad Final Vote on Energy Bill Blocked in the Senate...Six Republicans join Democrats in delaying $31B legislation that critics say caters to special interests. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3307-2003Nov21.html Celebrity endorsement of presidential candidates has long been a predictable quadrennial, and the 2004 campaign is no exception. A survey of some stars and candidates finds America's pop-cultural constellation backing the whole range of Democratic presidential aspirants. http://www.msnbc.com/news/992200.asp?0dm=V21KN With her trademark bluntness, Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of the Massachusetts Democratic presidential hopeful, took swipes yesterday at rival Richard A. Gephardt's foreign-affairs knowledge, Wesley K. Clark's diplomatic skills, and front-runner Howard Dean's ability to govern. (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/11/21/kerry_heinz_offers_a_critique_of_husbands_rivals/ His staff shaken but voters not stirred, Democrat John Kerry has adopted a sharp shift in rhetoric and tactics, including 24-hour campaign sprints and a full-court press in Iowa. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-11-20-kerry-campaign_x.htm Sen. John Edwards has been defined by two experiences. He talks about one all the time: growing up the son of a mill worker in a small textile town in North Carolina. The other, the death of his 16-year-old son in a car accident seven years ago, he never mentions. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-11-19-edwards-son_x.htm WashPost: Al-Qaida's terror style spreading...Leaders of the al-Qaida terrorist network have franchised their organization's brand of synchronized, devastating violence to homegrown terrorist groups across the world, according to intelligence analysts and experts. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/996291.asp More than a dozen rockets fired from donkey carts slammed into Iraq's Oil Ministry and two hotels Friday - attacks dismissed by a U.S. general as militarily insignificant but which also exposed weaknesses in gathering intelligence on insurgents. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031121/D7UV64SO0.html Britain warns of more Turkey attacks...Explosions shattered the Turkish headquarters of the London-based HSBC bank and the British consulate in downtown Istanbul on Thursday. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/993947.asp Analysis: Turkey in the middle...Muslim but not Arab, its territory, like its national identity, Turkey is
Must Watch Super Sized Hardball Tonight!!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Special timing tonight...Pls take note...3:30-4 pm et pre-debate preview...4-6 pm et Dem Des Moines Debate...6-8 pm et Post-Debate Super Sized Hardball... Democratic Debate Specs http://www.msnbc.com/news/983193.asp You know when you go through the drive through at McDonald's or Burger King and you order the # 1 and they ask you if you want it super-sized with cheese? You want to say yes even though it's bad for you...Tonight's Hardball is like that meal except it's good for you.. If you have a TV at the office I urge you to commandeer the remote from those dweebs who want to watch the Soaps all day and switch it over to MSNBC at 3:30 pm et today...Chris and his superstar panel (Peggy, Howard, Stephen Hayes Jesse Jackson) will be all over this debate from top to bottom, soup to nuts... We'll talk to Brokaw before the event to preview his moderating strategy and what issues he'll be hitting on...We'll also talk to RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie about the new ad he's running touting the President's doctrine of pre-emption and his War on Terror performance...Needless to say a number of Dems are crying foul over the ad and a couple of them (Kerry Dean) are going to run counter ads in Iowa...We'll even talk to Des Moines Register political reporter Thomas Beaumont for the on the ground perspective... From 4 to 6 pm et Brokaw takes over and moderates the debate from Des Moines...Kerry Edwards will participate via satellite from our MSNBC Washington bureau due to the emergency Senate vote on the Medicare bill...Lieberman won't be in the debate, don't ask...Long story.. From 6-8 pm et Hardball is back on the case with the aformentioned panel and a cast of Dem contenders with post-debate reax...We'll also throw in a Luntz focus group from DC...Lots of other surprises so pls tune in...The CW (conventional wisdom) is that Iowa is a Dean-Gephardt battle...We'll have a post-debate debate with Steve Murphy from the Gephardt camp and Steve McMahon from the Dean to discuss their campaign's death match in the Heartland... David Shuster's What to watch for tonight: Dean-Gephardt, Gephardt-Dean. Iowa is a two man race... and the battle between these two over the last week has been downright nasty. Clark will be trying to raise his own stature... Kerry will be portraying his appearance by satellite as a reminder of his experience in fighting republicans on the front line... same with Edwards. Finally, there are still some democrats in this state who think the best candidate would be Hillary Clinton. Given Hillary's show stealing performance last week at the JJ dinner, the most important group to watch tonight will may be those Iowa 'undecideds,' who may be as much as 25% of the electorate. More Shuster tales from the road: My flight from NY to Chicago took off really late... so late, in fact, that I missed the last connection last night from Chicago to Des Moines. 3 abc producers/embeds were on my flight...so we rented a car at midnight and drove the 5 hours to Des Moines. Got in at 5am.. slept for 3 hours... but the adrenaline rush of this event has me totally wired. You gotta see this folks...We'll put the Zoom in the Zoom-Zoom Btw, in case you can't see the debate live, we'll re-air it at 9 pm et on MSNBC... Dominic Bellone wrote, edited and compiled The Briefing from Washington, DC Curry: Dems battle before Iowa debate...Gephardt blasts Dean positions on fiscal matters http://msnbc.com/news/997195.asp?0sl=-13 Nearly a year of solid campaigning by Democrats running for the 2004 presidential nomination has failed to produce a solid favorite in the race for the Iowa caucuses. (Des Moines Register) http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22842271.html Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt says Howard Dean, as governor of Vermont, was prone to targeting services for the poor and disabled when his state's budget had to be cut. (Des Moines Register) http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22837177.html Two Democratic presidential candidates will participate in Monday's Iowa debate by satellite, allowing the senators to continue fighting against a GOP-backed Medicare bill in Washington. One rival cried foul because he was excluded from the special arrangement. (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/11/23/national2214EST0574.DTLtype=printable Sen. John F. Kerry is facing a backyard beating at the hands of presidential primary nemesis Howard Dean, losing his own state by a staggering 9 points in a new Boston Herald poll. http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/kerr11242003.htm US Senator John F. Kerry is facing a serious challenge from Democratic rival Howard Dean in Massachusetts, according to a Boston Globe/WBZ-TV survey of likely voters
The Hardball Briefing for November 25, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et and 4, 8, 1 am pt Gotta make this short and sweet as we're actually taping two shows today...One of them will air on Friday after you're recovering from your big Thanksgiving meal and eating the turkey cranberry sandwiches...Mike Barnicle will interview Chris his wife Kathleen (http://www.wjla.com/news/talent.hrb?i=18)... We'll do some of the news of the day stuff of course but we'll also go heavy on the up close and personal with the Matthews family thing as well...We were just digging through Chris' desk drawer for pictures of his recent family trip to Africa as well as some nice shots of his kids to show you...You'll feel all warm and fuzzy so mark you calender for Friday's show... Today is the last Briefing of the week as I'm heading out for Thanksgiving...There will still be a show tomorrow however...Not sure who'll be on but I am sure the show will make an excellent companion as you prepare Thursday's dinner and it will also help take your mind off those annoying relatives who are staying over... As far as tonight goes, we lead with Jacko and the latest stuff on himWe'll have some legal types and our man on the scene, Jerry Nachman...Mortman will have his usual C block Battle for the White House...D block will be something different...Ron Reagan checks in with an exclusive interview on the upcoming Reagan biopic...You know, the one that caused all the uproar, hoopla and general kerfuffle? In my Buzz block we'll drop some hardcore gravitas with The New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman...His first book, From Beirut to Jerusalem is a must read for anyone interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict...Here's a sampling of his latest intellectual output: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/23/opinion/23FRIE.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fColumnists http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/20/opinion/20FRIED.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fColumnists We'll get his take on Iraq and where we go from here... Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Miss any of our slice and dice last night? click here http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.asp?id=/d/ip/After_the_debate/data.jsnavid=NEWS Jackson accuser didn't mention abuse...Attorney claims victim's mother said singer was 'good to us' (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/997869.asp?0dm=C12UL Authorities probing Michael Jackson on child-molestation charges are investigating at least 100 other leads on The Gloved One - and the possibility of new victims, The Post has learned. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/11747.htm Gephardt, Kerry take shots at Dean...Growing clash takes spotlight at Iowa debate (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/997569.asp?0sl=-11 Curry Analysis: Kerry goes on attack in Iowa fracas...In Monday's Democratic presidential candidate debate, the vulnerabilities of front-runner Howard Dean and rivals Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Dick Gephardt were front and center. http://www.msnbc.com/news/997620.asp Bush leads challengers in Florida...Republicans say Democrats will narrow the gap (Ft. Myers News Press) http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/031125poll.html Congress passes Medicare overhaul...GOP surmounts last-minute hurdles by Democrats (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/992373.asp?0cv=CA01 Despite an eleventh-hour deal with the Bush administration to let networks own more television stations, Congress seems unlikely to complete an end-of-session $390 billion spending package until January. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031125/D7V1NR400.html U.S. economy seen growing faster...The economy roared ahead at an astounding 8.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the fastest pace in nearly two decades and a much stronger performance than previously thought. It raises hope that a long spell of lackluster business activity is finally over. (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/997861.asp?0cv=BA01 Large explosions were heard after sundown Tuesday in central Baghdad but the precise location was unclear. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031125/D7V1P3TO0.html Officials see shift in Iraq attacks...Iraqi insurgents have shifted from attacking U.S. and other coalition forces to attacks on Iraqis who are working with the U.S.-led occupation. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp President Bush on Tuesday was interrupting his Thanksgiving vacation at his Texas ranch to travel to Las Vegas, his first visit to Nevada since signing the legislation that ended a decade-long drive to locate the nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031125/D7V1HNC00.html Jeannette Walls: Did Jackson sing
The Hardball Briefing for December 2, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et and 4, 8 1 am pt Tonight we'll lead with the politics of the economy and what it might mean for the President's re-election chances...Jack Kemp James Cramer (Kudlow Cramer) will be here...In the B block we'll do the daily Jacko segment with Nachman and Access Hollywood's Tony Potts... In the D block we'll get into that shocking tape of the police beating the Cincinnati man to death...We'll talk to Joe Tacopina (who'll defend the cops) and DeLacey Davis from Black Cops against Police Brutality... http://www.b-cap.org/bcap_bio.html In the Buzz block we'll play some of the hot sots (sound on tape) from Dean last night, slice and dice that and then do some more on the President's surreptitious trip to Baghdad and Hillary's trip as well...Fineman, Laura It's not just a radio show, it's an addiction Ingraham http://www.lauraingraham.com/public/will and The Chicago Tribune's Jim Warren will do the honors... The Hardball Briefing is written, compiled and edited by Dominic Bellone in Washington, DC What did you think of Chris Kathleen's show on Friday...Remember the one where Barnicle interviewed them? Send your comments to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] and type Chris Kathleen in the subject line.. Iraq: The Right Stuffing...Stealing away in the dark, Bush makes a secret trip to Iraq, boosting troop morale and confounding cynics http://www.msnbc.com/news/999495.asp?0cv=KB10 An American soldier was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy south of the tense Iraqi town of Samarra on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. (Reuters) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27796-2003Dec2.html The U.S. Justice Department is gathering information to determine if federal action is necessary in the death of a man Cincinnati police officers were attempting to subdue, according to a spokesman. (WLWT News) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ibsys/20031202/lo_wlwt/1901497 It's a case of bad timing for the White House: President Bush is collecting $1 million for his re-election campaign in Pittsburgh, while America's Steel City girds for bad news from Bush on tariffs that have buttressed the hometown industry. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031202/D7V677L01.html When President Bush comes to Pittsburgh today to pick up more than $1 million in campaign donations, he will be heavily lobbied to retain the protective steel tariffs that some believe he has already decided to lift. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03336/246308.stm After returning, Bush planned a photo session with NASCAR drivers - an event that Bush inaugurated exactly a year ago. It was one sure to resonate with coveted voter blocs, the NASCAR dads. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_33 When unexpectedly good job numbers suggested the long U.S. economic slump was finally over, it looked as if Democrats would lose one of the weapons they had planned to use to unseat President Bush next year. But persistently weak job markets in a handful of crucial states still pose a serious threat to Republicans. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031202/5722939s.htm WashPost: Iraq council resists powerful cleric...A majority of Iraq's U.S.-appointed Governing Council has decided to support an American plan to select a provisional government through regional caucuses despite objections from the country's most powerful Shiite Muslim cleric, according to several counc http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/175.asp WashPost: Samarra fight reveals new Iraqi tactics...For the U.S. military, the weekend firefight at Samarra, Iraq, revealed a startling new reality about the Iraqi fighters -- unprecedented coordination and tactics and numbers yet unseen. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/144.asp Mystery over fate of Saddam deputy...U.S. troops may have killed or arrested Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Saddam Hussein's top former deputy, an Iraqi official said Tuesday. The report could not be confirmed. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/870749.asp Home again, Hillary bashes Bush...Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, fresh from her own trip to Iraq, accused President Bush yesterday of conducting the war by a political calendar, saying he had dispatched the wrong mix of troops to secure the country and that victory is not certain. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031201-115114-7633r.htm Howard Dean kept his cool last night during his hour in Chris Matthews's hotseat even as he admitted during a furious round of questioning that he had hoped to receive a deferment from serving in Vietnam when he presented a draft board with evidence
The Return of Pat Caddell Tonight! (Maybe)
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et---4, 8 1 am pt Tonight we're gonna do a super sized Political Buzz panel for the full hour and kick around some of the hot topics of the day: President Bush, Iraq, Howard Dean and the Dem primary, latest polls, Hillary and her future, etc...You know, all the good stuff...Panelists to include Peggy, Stephen Hayes of The Weekly Standard, Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. and I'm hoping Pat Caddell if he returns our calls...We'll probably throw in a surprise or two to keep it interesting... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Vowing to reverse President Bush's foreign policies, Democrat John Kerry is outlining new plans to stem a widespread and widening network of terrorists, such as targeting Saudi Arabia for sanctions and naming a special ambassador to the Mideast - perhaps Bill Clinton (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694e=3u=/ap/20031203/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_kerry Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry said on Wednesday he would quickly appoint an ambassador to the Middle East peace process -- and named two former presidents and an ex-secretary of state as likely candidates -- if he won the 2004 election. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=584ncid=584e=3u=/nm/20031203/pl_nm/politics_kerry_dc A new poll shows President Bush has received a substantial immediate boost in popularity and approval ratings after his surprise visit with the troops in Iraq on Thanksgiving. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031202-104859-8090r.htm Seven in 10 Americans do not think the war in Iraq has reduced the threat of terrorism, according to a poll released Wednesday. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031203/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_poll_2 Release: Dean Regains Slight Iowa Lead in Neck and Neck Race With Gephardt, 26% - 22%; Kerry 3rd in Single Digits in Latest Zogby International Poll http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=762 There is life in politics after New Hampshire and Iowa...Democratic presidential hopefuls who survive those two early presidential contests in January will face a daunting seven-state challenge in three time zones: the Feb. 3 primaries. (AP) http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEMOCRATS_SUPER_SEVEN?SITE=NCGRESECTION=HOMETEMPLATE=DEFAULT Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark will begin airing television commercials this week in three states with Feb. 3 primaries, spreading the TV ad wars beyond Iowa and New Hampshire. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031202/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_ads_3 Dean Records May Remain Sealed...Addressing Criticism from GOP, He Says Decision Is Complicated (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29684-2003Dec2.html?referrer=email Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie on Tuesday went to Vermont - Howard Dean's home state - for the first time and criticized the Democratic presidential candidate for his stance on the war, comments about military pay and refusal to open his records. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031203/D7V6KHQ02.html In a bid to curb special interests in Washington, Sen. John Edwards plans to propose stringent disclosure requirements for lobbyists and bar them from moving directly into government jobs where they can help former colleagues. (Raleigh News Observer) http://www.newsobserver.com/edwards/coverage/story/3099910p-2811939c.html Gephardt, like no other, weaves his life into campaign Candidate draws from the painful and the private (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20031203/5726732s.htm Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger kicked off a campaign-style tour Tuesday for his fiscal plan, taking aim at reckless spending in Sacramento and urging voters to pressure lawmakers into placing a massive borrowing plan on the March ballot. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031203/D7V6LQ500.html Snazzy-looking stock cars were parked on the White House driveway on Tuesday and a top NASCAR driver was featured on the White House Web site -- clear signs that President Bush was reaching out to a potent political base. (Reuters) http://news.myway.com/politics/article/id/133935|politics|12-02-2003::18:45|reuters.html In a footnote to President Bush's surprise trip to Baghdad, the White House identified the location and time when Air Force One was spotted en route to Iraq last week by a British Airways pilot. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=544e=2u=/ap/20031202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_baghdad_1 Beaumont: Dean to help Boswell; no strings attached The presidential candidate says he does not expect the Iowan to endorse him. http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/22914659.html WashPost: U.S. to form
Wesley Clark Faces The Matthews Primary
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et/4, 8 1 am pt... In our ongoing Battle For The White House series, retired General Wesley Clark takes the stage at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government to face the Matthews Primary...We'll hit all the hot topics and maybe throw in a curve ball or two...Does he have what it takes to bring regime change to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? We'll find out out tonight...Don't miss it... Marissa Buchanan, MSNBC's Clark embed provides this snappy backgrounder http://www.msnbc.com/news/1001231.asp Democrat Wesley Clark, focusing his presidential campaign on domestic issues, said Sunday he has plans to raise family income by $3,000 a year and provide health coverage to 30 million more people. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20031208/ap_on_el_pr/clark_6 Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC A memo written by a top Washington lobbyist for the controversial Iraqi National Congress raises new questions about the role Vice President Dick Cheney's office played in the run-up to the war in Iraq. (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002223.asp Calling it the greatest advance in health care coverage for America's seniors since the founding of Medicare, President Bush on Monday signed into law a $400 billion overhaul. In doing so, the president checked off another priority amid questions about the law's fiscal wisdom. (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002622.asp U.S. Solider Killed in Iraq While Guarding Gas Station...Sunday, Roadside Bomb Kills 1 Solider, Wounds 2 (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45638-2003Dec8.html U.S. regrets Afghan children's deaths...U.S. officials offered their regrets Sunday and said they were deeply saddened by the deaths of nine children in a raid on an Afghan village. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/1002011.asp As the current frontrunner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor and the only physician in the field of candidates, has been clear about his support for abortion rights, but adamant that he never performed an abortion himself. (CNS.news) http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200312\POL20031208a.html Curry: Dean airs ad blitz in key states...If pattern over six elections holds, Dean's financial clout will lead to his winning the Democratic nomination http://msnbc.com/news/1002716.asp?0cv=CB10 Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton busted some James Brown moves on his Saturday Night Live debut, but many viewers didn't get the chance to see them. (AP) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/7438026.htm Democrats' ads attack Bush tax cuts...Major presidential candidates take calculated risk (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002607.asp?0sl=-12 U.S. troops north of Baghdad seized $1.9 million in cash and false identification documents in a raid targeting a suspected financier of insurgents, the U.S. military said Monday. Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed in a drive-by shooting in northern Iraq. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0dm=N14ON Dissent in the Bunker...Newt Gingrich, a quiet Rumsfeld confidant, thinks the U.S. went 'off a cliff' in Iraq. A NEWSWEEK exclusive http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002188.asp?0cv=KB10 Former House speaker Newt Gingrich said yesterday that the Bush administration has gone off a cliff in postwar Iraq and that the White House has to get a grip on this. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44036-2003Dec7.html Actor and longtime conservationist Robert Redford criticized the Bush administration's energy legislation, calling it one of the worst bills he's seen in his lifetime. (AP) http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2003/12/07/58545.php?sp1=rgjsp2=Newssp3=Local+Newssp5=RGJ.comsp6=newssp7=local_news Bin Laden's Iraq Plans...At a secret meeting, bin Laden's reps give bad news to the Taliban: Qaeda fighters are shifting to a new front (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002197.asp?0cv=KB10 Campaign 2004: Looking for Skeletons...The attack season has begun. The oppo squads are busy scrubbing their files-to figure out what's in Howard Dean's closet (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002289.asp?0cv=KB10 Pork hidden in big budget bill...Critics say the $373 billion measure is packed with pork-barrel projects at a time Congress should be worried about soaring budget deficits. (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002064.asp John Kerry used profane language to assess President Bush's Iraq policy, and Bush's chief of staff said Sunday the Democratic presidential candidate was out of line. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20031208/D7VA9A8G0.html
2 Hours of Hardball Special Tonight 7 9 pm ET
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Special Hardball airs two unique hours tonight at 7 pm et and 9 pm et--4 pm at 6 pm pst on MSNBC... Ladies and gentlemen, we got him, U.S. administrator for Iraq L. Paul Bremer addressing reporters in Baghdad today... No doubt by now you've heard the big news on Saddam...We nabbed him...What you probably don't know is that MSNBC has nabbed Chris Mattews for two special hours tonight to bring you the latest on the story, the political fallout for President Bush and what this means for the Democratic primary... We've got an all star group of guests lined up for you tonight including Schwarzkopf, Peggy, Howard, Norah, Gephardt, Wes Clark, Woolsey as well as a number of Saddam/Iraq expertsAnd yes ladies and gentlemen, Pat Caddell will be in the House! And we've also rolled out a cool new look and design on the website, dig it! http://msnbc.msn.com/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC U.S. forces capture Saddam near hometown...'In the history of Iraq, a dark and painful era is over,' Bush declares http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3708151/ Celebratory gunfire greets Saddam capture...News of former dictator's capture spreads http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3708757/ TIME Exclusive: Notes from Saddam in Custody...Saddam is talking, but he isn't cooperative. New details on his capture and his first interrogation... When asked How are you? said the official, Saddam responded, I am sad because my people are in bondage. When offered a glass of water by his interrogators, Saddam replied, If I drink water I will have to go to the bathroom and how can I use the bathroom when my people are in bondage? http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,561472,00.html Saddam's capture may not end unrest...Arrest seen more as a coup for Bush administration (Reuters) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3708609/ Moran: Saddam's capture a goal, not an end...Insurgency could still rage without Iraqi despot http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3709919/ Curry: Saddam's capture could hurt Dean...Democratic presidential front-runner has been harsh critic of Bush's handling of Iraq operation http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3710459/ Looks like 'Ol Strom had a case of the Jungle FeverWoman claims Thurmond as father...A 78-year-old retired teacher said she is breaking a lifetime of silence to announce that she is the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of former U.S. senator James Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), once the nation's leading segregationist. (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3705241/ = 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
The Hardball Briefing for January 13, 2003
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et and 4, 8 1 am pt on MSNBC The big buzz inside the Beltway this week is of course Paul O'Neill's bombshell tell all book about the Bush administration (as written by Ron Suskind)...We'll talk to Robert Reich, Clinton's former Labor Secretary... Also, Campaign gurus Mike Murphy (who drives a fancy sports car with the license plate go neg meaning Go negative in your campaign ads) and Tony Coehlo, former head of the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) in the '80's...Widely credited with turning the corporate world into the cash cow for the Dems and bringing muscle into the House Dem caucus in the '80's...He was also Gore's campaign chairman in 2000...Coehlo also used to sometimes sleep outside at night to bring notice to the plight of the homeless... They'll do the latest political campaign stuff in Iowa There's also news on the Michael Jackson front. His top dogs were meeting at a posh Beverly Hills hotel to pour over his finances...We'll talk to Linda Fairstein, a legal type who knows about sex crimes... Plus Terry Jefrey will kick it in the Buzz...He's fired up and will discuss his experience running Pat's '96 insurgent campaign... New Mortman content...Politicians sink their teeth into your diet...Big battles of 2004 may center on the dinner table http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3940177/ O'Neill denies spilling secrets...Ex-Treasury Secretary: Documents came from department counsel (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3925358/ White House fires back at O'Neill on Iraq...Accused of trying to justify 'personal views' (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3941719/ Dean extends lead in Iowa poll...Former Vt. governor has 5-point lead over Gephardt (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3945850/ Dean Goes on Offensive in Iowa...Democrat 'Tired of Being a Pincushion' (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11415-2004Jan12.html A combative Howard Dean said he's tired of being the pincushion as he lashed out at rivals and tried to recoup from a stumble over race that has raised new questions about his campaign. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/15608.htm Dean defends record on hiring minorities...Ex-governor led a state that was 96 percent white (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/394/ Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, the national chairwoman of John Kerry's campaign, renewed criticism Monday of Wesley Clark's praise for the Bush administration two years ago (AP) http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=31520 Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark said Monday a statement he made in 2002 about connections between Iraq and al-Qaida was consistent with his belief that Saddam Hussein was not linked to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20040112/ap_on_el_pr/clark_iraq_4 Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to focus this year on improving health care, beginning with a proposal designed to modernize the sharing of medical information nationwide. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20040112/ap_on_re_us/clinton_health_care_1 Edwards banking on populist charisma...As Monday's Iowa caucuses approach, Sen. John Edwards' campaign - buoyed by an endorsement from the state's biggest newspaper - is carefully trying to keep expectations within bounds. MSNBC's Tom Curry reports. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3941728/ By accident or design, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina seems to be pursuing an Avis strategy in Iowa's Democratic presidential caucus -- to be No. 2. (Atlant Journal Constitution) http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0104/13edwards.html D.C. residents go to the polls today in a Democratic presidential primary that is the first of the 2004 campaign. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040112-115314-2164r.htm Michael Jackson's inner circle met at a posh Beverly Hills hotel Monday to examine the entertainer's business affairs, four days before his first court appearance on child molestation charges. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11584-2004Jan12.html Fox backs immigration plan...Questioned by leaders of Canada and some Latin American nations at the Americas Summit being held here, President Bush was having a hard time selling the idea of a free trade pact for all the Americas. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3920890/ The public is evenly split on President Bush's plan to build a space station on the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars, according to an Associated Press poll. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040113/D801PN300.html Former Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., an early opponent of the Iraq war, will run again, the
Iowa Caucus Coveraget 7 pm Until The Last Dog Dies
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight from 7 pm until Midnight ET...4 to 9 pm ptUntil the last dog dies Of course you've blocked out the evening for wall to wall coverage from Chris and MSNBC...Remember when Jack had the famous speech at the end of A Few Good Men? The you can't handle the truth speech and you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall? Lemme tell you this folks: You want Chris in Iowa, you need Chris in Iowa. We've got our regular pros in the House: Howard, Scarborough, Campbell Brown Dem strategist Jacques DeGraff...Plus Shuster and a bevy of reporters on the ground, in the field and at actual Caucuses...We'll also talk to a number of campaign strategists from the top contenders...Plus a few surprises...This is one of those types of nights in the business where you can never say with 100% certainty who will be on the air until they actually make air... A big treat you won't see on any other network tonight is our special Pat Squared segment: Caddell Buchanan will tag team throughout the night with expert analysis...Caddell is even in DC now if you can believe it! I called him at his hotel room and was pre-interviewing him in between him literally snoring...I worked on McGovern in Iowa '72..SNOORE...Me: Pat...Pat: Snoore, ummm then there was Carter in '76 '80, Snoore...I'm not quite doing the conversation justice but it pretty funny... He'll be fired up tonight trust me...I couldn't shut him up before his nap... Lieberman and Kerry will give us Caucus reax as well Folks what was once thought of as a likely Dean race has now become quite a horse race with John Kerry leading the latest MSNBC-Zogby-Reuters poll...You'll not want to miss this... Breakout the TV dinner trays, pop the popcorn and order your favorite dinner...Lots of fun tonight... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Kerry keeps slim lead on decision day...Poll: 9 percent still undecided on best Democratic candidate (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3992425/ Iowa's caucus campaign was drawing to a close Monday as four Democratic candidates made a push for victory in the suspenseful opening act of the 2004 presidential election (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=694u=/ap/20040119/ap_on_el_pr/iowa_caucus_rdpprinter=1 A late surge by Democratic presidential candidates John Kerry and John Edwards has pushed them slightly ahead of long-standing front-runners Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt in the race to win Monday's Iowa caucuses, a new Des Moines Register poll shows. (Des Moines Register) http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/23290009.html Yepsen: Organization will be key to victory http://desmoinesregister.com/opinion/stories/c5917686/23293251.html With the race for first place in tonight's Iowa caucuses too close to predict, the top four Democratic presidential candidates blanketed the state Sunday hoping to sway undecided voters on the last full day of campaigning. (Quad City Times) http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1023129l=1t=Local+Newsc=2,1023129 Curry: Democrats battle for every last vote in Iowa...In final push, Kerry grabs edge in polls http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3993786/ Howard Dean, looking for an edge with Iowa voters on the eve of the caucuses, got a show of support from his campaign-shy wife and a stalwart of the Democratic Party: former President Jimmy Carter. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040119/D805VM080.html Invitation? What Invitation?...Howard Dean says Jimmy Carter asked him to church in Georgia. Carter doesn't think so (Time Mag) http://www.time.com/time/election2004/article/0,18471,579006,00.html Howard Dean's campaign-shy wife made her speaking debut on the presidential campaign trail just in time to show support for him in the Iowa caucuses. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040119/D8060J780.html Democratic presidential hopeful Wesley Clark, whose opposition to the Iraq war has come under renewed scrutiny in recent days, won the endorsement on Sunday of George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic Party nominee known for his progressive, antiwar politics. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNewsstoryID=4154287 Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards vowed to defeat President Bush across my back yard in the South as he strained to convert late campaign enthusiasm into an Iowa caucus surprise. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040119/D8060QR82.html Below is the transcript of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney by USA TODAY and the Los Angeles Times. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-01-18-cheney-transcript_x.htm Fund on the Trail: Meany vs. Deanie...Big Labor and Big Government are increasingly one and the same.
South Carolina Dem Debate Tonight...Must See TV
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Special Programming Note: Live Dem Debate from Greenville, SC hosted by Brokaw exclusively on MSNBC tonight at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT... Folks this is down to the wire...If you've been with us from the get go on this horse race, don't stop now...The candidates will be en fuego...Look for a big bullseye on Kerry's back tonight...He's the guy to take down...If Dean's gonna get his mojo back, he's gotta knock the Massachusetts senator off his stride...And with Dean's campaign rapidly imploding, look for him (along with Clark Edwards) to be lobbing some serious grenades.. More from your MSNBC lineup tonight 8:30 pm ET-9 pm/5:30 pm PT: Chris slices and dices with Buchanan and others for a half hour post debate reax...We're definitely efforting some candidates...We'll also talk to the Palmetto state's newest king maker, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), who endorsed Kerry today... I would not call that dancing, Clyburn cracked in his deep baritone, to laughter from the audience. With a wounded look, Kerry said, I thought for a white guy I showed some rhythm. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60495-2004Jan29.html?nav=hptop_tb 9 pm ET/6 PT Norville Tonight...She talks to Kerry's kids tonight...It's a cool show, check it out...It had my hooked last night 10 pm ET/7 PT Scarborough Country...It's not just geographical, it's a state of mine -Joe Scaborough 1/27/04 Then we're back live at 11 pm ET/8 pm PT with a full on explosive, must watch, post game slice and dice exegetical! Oh, did I already say that? How about chew spew? Whaddaya you think of that imagery? Hah! Ron Reagan is back by popular demand from Seattle as well as an in depth look at the candidates' southern strategy with Steve Jarding and Mudcat Saunders (The guy who first identified and targeted the NASCAR dad)...Plus, Katrina and Buchanan will join us as well... I forgot to put this in yesterday's Briefing...Here's the NY Observer's interpretation of Tuesday night's coverage: No word from Dean, huh? asked Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27. He was off the air, between commercial breaks, sitting in the makeshift set at a ski lodge in Manchester, N.H. http://nyobserver.com/pages/frontpage5.asp Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Democrats head to South Carolina for debate...Kerry gains momentum as Dean campaign continues to regroup (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4087956/ This is a two-man race, former S.C. Democratic Party chairman Dick Harpootlian said. It's Kerry and Edwards. (Columbia State) http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/7821726.htm Fun Clinton News...Former President Clinton huddled with Senate Democrats Thursday to discuss how best to unite the party as it draws up its agenda for this legislative year and prepares for the presidential election this fall. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20040129/ap_on_go_co/clinton_democrats_1 Three of the Democratic presidential candidates swept into St. Louis with a common message Wednesday: President George W. Bush must go. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/AB82BE98EDC610A186256E2A002558D8?OpenDocumentHeadline=Candidates%3A+Bush+must+go White House raising Medicare bill by a third...Bush's new budget predicts record half-trillion-dollar deficit (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4098618/ Afghan weapons explosion kills 7 U.S. soldiers...Three others injured and one missing after blast (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4098731/ Rice rejects calls for outside probe of Iraq intelligence...Security adviser admits some prewar data flawed (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4049012/ With seven crucial nominating contests looming next week, the Democratic presidential hopefuls rolled into South Carolina on Thursday for the first debate since John Kerry rose to the front-runner's position. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=615e=4u=/nm/20040129/pl_nm/campaign_dc Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Thursday that he doesn't need to win any of the seven states holding contests Tuesday to keep his beleaguered campaign alive. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040129/D80CM1PG2.html Facing a new Democratic front-runner in John Kerry, President Bush's re-election campaign is quietly shifting gears, preparing for the possibility it will confront a war hero and current senator. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-01-29-bush-kerry-run_x.htm In a speech to the Republican winter meeting today, Gillespie plans to attack Kerry's past votes to cut intelligence budgets. The votes do not support his assertion that his approach to national security will make us safer as a nation,
Joe Trippi Darrell Hammond Tonight on Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am ET 4, 8, 1 am PT Tonight you'll want to tune in to the show just to see our exclusives with fmr. Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi and Saturday Night Live comedian Darrell Hammond (he's the guy who does all the Hardball spoofs!)... Plus, we've got a political roundtable with fmr. Senator/New Zealand ambassador/presidential candidate/current Dean surrogate Carol Mosely Braun, USA Today's Walter Shapiro Hardball Briefing subscriber/Batchelor Alexander fill-in/MSNBC analyst/another unnamed competitor network political analyst/Congressional Quarterly columnist/Friend of Mortman/Fmr. top Hotliner/Did I miss anything? Craig CrawfordHe's in Phoenix Of course we'll do a hit with Shuster as well...He's down in Colubia, SC Another big day coming on Tuesday Feb. 3rd with primaries in MO, SC, OK, AZ, NM, DE ND...Dig on the new Zogby numbers below...Kerry's go the big mo! About last night...I was combing through your e-mails and a number of you were clamoring for more discussion of General Wesley Clark and his performance at last night's debate...We wanted to get him on but his folks are opting for a local media strategy and bypassing us national media types...When you're e-mailing us, CC his campaign and encourage him to come on the show...One thing you definitely gotta give the Clark folks some props for is that at their New Hampshire post election party they were kickin' Steely Dan's Reelin' in the Years...You could hear it playing in the background when Chris Jansing was doing a hit from there... As always, if you have any comments or suggestions about our coverage, simply hit reply and fire away... Might I add that this is Super Bowl weekend and you'll not want to get caught off guard at those parties on Sunday when the conversation turns to politics...Watch our show tonight and you'll be on top off all you need to know... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Shapiro's Hype Glory: Kerry picks up the rhythm just as Dean screams the blues http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/shapiro/2004-01-29-hype_x.htm Hill probers fault Iraq intelligence...Panel's early findings are similar to Kay's (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4101806/ President Bush said Friday I want to know the facts about any intelligence failures concerning Saddam Hussein's alleged cache of forbidden weapons but he declined to endorse calls for an independent investigation. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040130/D80D92U80.html Poll: Kerry leads in key states...As the Democratic contenders struggle for victories in seven states that hold primaries and caucuses next Tuesday, John Kerry holds substantial leads in the two states which have the largest number of delegates at stake, according to a new MSNBC/Reuters Zogby tracking poll released Friday morning. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4105973/ Democrats heard gut-wrenching stories of a son killed in Iraq and health care benefits denied to a dying relative, promising South Carolina voters Friday that they will reverse President Bush's policies if sent to the White House. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040130/D80D8SA01.html Democrats scramble for Tuesday votes...Debate behind them, new poll shows Kerry gains, Dean falters http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4099821/ Bandy: S.C. no longer big prize for Democrats...Gephardt's exodus puts Missouri's delegates up for grabs http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/7831366.htm The Democratic candidates who debated Thursday night focused their harshest words on George W. Bush, repeating their now-familiar assaults on the president's conduct of the war in Iraq and his alleged neglect of problems at home. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/44196684772E84A086256E2B00190FDD?OpenDocumentHeadline=Bush,+Kerry+are+targets+in+debate++ Candidates feel cash crunch Dean, Lieberman cut costs; Kerry appears in best shape (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040130/5884520s.htm Democratic presidential contender Wesley Clark on Friday criticized rival John Kerry for failing to take responsibility for comments he said Kerry made about affirmative action. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040130/D80D96NO1.html When Rep. Richard A. Gephardt dropped his bid for the presidency, it ripped apart the coalition of Missouri Democrats - from the governor to local autoworkers - who had been solidly behind the congressman. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/B7CB2A407395454B86256E2B00190EDE?OpenDocumentHeadline=Kerry,+Edwards+split+up+Gephardt's+base Kerry not unstoppable, analysts say...John Kerry will be hard to beat in Tuesday's
The Hardball Briefing for February 2, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET 4 am ET/4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT As you anxiously countdown the hours until Hardball begins, here's a little sugar plum to whet your appetite...We look at primaries past in tonight's Contenders series...We talk to past aspirants for the nominations of their parties: Jerry Brown, Pat Robertson Jesse Jackson about what it takes to Plus a political roundtable with Norah O'Donnell, Roger Simon and some other folks TBD...We'll slice and dice the latest from the campaign trail and President Bush's announcement on an independent probe of the Intel which mislead us on a wild goose chase of Iraq's WMD...What's the political fallout on that? On the Dem Primary trail, it looks like a blow out for Kerry in Missouri Arizona...South Carolina looks like an Edwards/Kerry toss-up and Oklahoma looks like a Kerry/Clark toss-up according to the latest Zogby tracking poll... Good news for XM subscribers: MSNBC is now on XM Radio! Channel 130 on XM Radio...Can't get enough of your favorite MSNBC programs? Starting last Sunday, Feb. 1, you can find MSNBC on XM Radio Channel 130. Get the latest breaking news, plus our primetime talk shows featuring Chris, Keith, Deborah, Joe and Dan. Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Howie: I've just listened in on Joe Trippi's Hardball interview, airing tonight on MSNBC, and the man is still with the program. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64031-2004Jan30.html Bush to order inquiry of Iraq intelligence lapses...Executive order responds to growing pressure for inquiry (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4049012/ Milbank: For Bush, a tactical retreat on Iraq...Analysis: Review acknowledges pre-war intelligence issues http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4131787/ Edwards, Clark see gains in new poll...Ahead of make-or-break Tuesday primaries for the Democratic presidential contenders, a new poll showed Sen. John Kerry losing ground to rivals in two states while maintaining comfortable leads in two other states. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4134601/ Former Vermont governor Howard Dean vowed yesterday to stay in the Democratic presidential race even if he goes winless in the seven states holding primaries Tuesday, but pledged that he will not take his candidacy to the convention simply to prove a point if he falls insurmountably behind in the battle for delegates. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4098-2004Feb1.html?referer=email John Kerry and Howard Dean wrangled over the role of special interests in Kerry's Senate career as Democrats seeking their party's nomination for president lined up support in seven key states the day before the biggest test yet of the campaign. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040202/D80F5LTO0.html On the brink of the New Hampshire primary, Democrat John Kerry yesterday stood by past remarks suggesting President Bush went AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard during Vietnam. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/16524.htm The struggling rivals of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) were alternately good, bad and borderline ugly yesterday as they tried to slam the brakes on the front-runner's sprint for the Democratic presidential nomination. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/160538p-140812c.html Cash and Kerry...The gift: He rails against big donors, but he knows the drill. Just ask Johnny Chung (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4121890/ Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean said Sunday that he regretted burning through most of the $41 million his campaign raised last year on losses in Iowa and New Hampshire. We took a gamble and it didn't pay off, (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040201/D80ENM300.html Analysis: Dean's pitches lack heatWhat Howard Dean needed to do in Thursday night's debate on MSNBC was something best described in baseball terms: fire brush-back pitches at front-runner John Kerry, then finish him off with a curveball for a strikeout. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4101704/ John Kerry leads the race for the Democratic presidential nomination with the support 42 percent of Democrats, according to a national poll released Monday...The Quinnipiac University poll also gave the Massachusetts Senator the edge, 51 percent to 42 percent, in a head-to-head race with President Bush (AP) http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-02075321.apds.m0523.bc-ct--presfeb02,0,6799577.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire Kerry's Loan Was Key to His Revival...Federal Funds Were Crucial to Edwards (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4094-2004Feb1.html?referer=email Gazing into the campaign crystal ball...Political experts -- one Republican,
Sine Qua Non Viewing 7 pm-2 am ET Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Tonight Hardball coverage of today's primaries in AZ, MO, DE, OK, NM, SC ND runs from 7 to Midnight Eastern and then 1-2 am Eastern (no joke folks!) Keith is doing Midnight to 1 am ET...In other words: Until the Last Dog Dies For those of us who are Hardball junkies, this is a huge night...Gather the family, break out the TV trays, strap yourself in and get ready for the political ride of your life...7 States, 7 Candidates...Who will be left standing at the end of the night? Doe's Kerry have it locked up? Will Lieberman bow out? Will Clark surge and take Oklahoma? Can a South Carolina win for Edwards propel his campaign to further victories elsewhere? What ever happended to Dean's invincibility? So many questions and we've got the answers from the smartest political minds in the business...Folks if I wasn't stuck in the office until 2 am I'd be more excited about this...Obviously I'd like to be hangin' like you at home with my feet on the couch chillin' freestyle... We've got Dean's fmr. Campaign manager Joe Trippi on board as an MSNBC election analyst, Ron Reagan Jr., Scarborough, Jacques De Graff, Dee Dee, Pat (Buchanan) Howard plus a smattering, a bevy, dare I say a cornucopia of candidates, their top satraps, key governors, strategists, hangers on and just plain TV personality types...If you thought Super Bowl Sunday was big folks, wait until you see tonight...We're not just serving sizzle, we're serving steak... Several big themes to keep top of mind tonight: President Bush's military service in '72-'73 and the fight brewing there...Plus, Kerry's attack on special interests and his possible glass house on the matter...Also, how will the lack of Iraq's WMD play out on the campaign trail? Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Mortman's latest: Key to S.C.'s status is the Charleston chewState's 'significance' is really media's quest for grub http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4150740/ Click and scroll here for Hardball shout out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7375-2004Feb2.html Voting begins; do or die for some Democrats? Edwards needs South Carolina, Clark covets Oklahoma (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4134601/ Lois Romano from The Washington Post will give us the 411 from the campaign trial and her latest piece...Bush's Guard Service In Question...Democrats Say President Shirked His Duty in 1972 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7372-2004Feb2.html Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry sought a string of victories and a winner's share of delegates in seven primary and caucus states Tuesday, while campaign rivals looked for spots to slow his rush to the nomination. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694e=2u=/ap/20040203/ap_on_el_pr/democrats Powell Says New Data Might Have Altered Support for War...Secretary of state says he might not have backed invasion had he known there were no stockpiles of WMD. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4143313/ Democrats say they're worried an inquiry into intelligence failures planned by President Bush won't be truly independent. Some Republicans worry the inquiry - at least the fifth now under way - will distract the CIA from key tasks. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040203/D80G1SLG0.html Intelligence panel will cast net beyond Iraq...Commission to review CIA on Iran, Libya, N. Korea (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4143312/ Democrat Joe Lieberman, facing an uncertain showing in his must-win state of Delaware, was making contingency plans Tuesday to withdraw from the presidential race, according to sources close to the campaign. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040203/D80FVH400.html Evoking the image of Gen. George Custer's famed last stand, one of Wesley Clark's chief backers in New York said Tuesday it appeared the former general's race for the Democratic presidential nomination might be over. (AP) http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--democrats-newyork0203feb03,0,2756211,print.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire Maybe Wesley Clark Jr. saw the early exit polls. For whatever reason, he's standing in front of a crowd of reporters outside Clark's campaign headquarters in Oklahoma, looking bitter and sounding as if he thinks his father's campaign is over. It's been a really disillusioning experience, the candidate's 34-year-old son says. We sacrificed a hell of a lot for this country over 34 years. We lived in a damn trailer when I was a freshman in high school (Slate.com) http://slate.msn.com/toolbar.aspx?id=2094860 Curry: Dean 'superdelegates' holding firm...Despite daunting prospects Tuesday, Dean loyalists see hope ahead http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4147124/ Frist Says Powder Found In Senate
The Hardball Briefing for February 4, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am et/4, 8 1 am pt on MSNBC Lots of big news tonight...From the just announced speech by CIA chief George Tenet tomorrow and the WMD investigation to a new Mass. high court ruling on gay marriage to figuring out what last night's election's results meant, we're all over it... We've got a panel of top political strategists including Tony Coehlo and Frank Donatelli to slice and dice today's political topography as well as a couple members of the House Intelligence Committee to discuss the sexed up intel on Iraq and what the Congress is gonna do about it.. A number of other guests are being efforted at this hour so stay tuned. The fruits of our work will be self evident at 7 pm ET... Pls join us and thank you all for staying up with us late last night. It was a real hoot and I think we broke some news with Dean in full pooh-pooh mode on Michigan Michigan, we don`t think we have a shot at winning, but we would like to pick up some delegates. Don't miss it tonight! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from deep inside the Beltway.. It probably won't prompt his former boss to raise his fist and shout Yeahhh! but Howard Dean's ex-campaign manager, Joe Trippi, made is debut on Tuesday as a political analyst on MSNBC. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/nm/20040204/tv_nm/media_msnbc_dc_5 Bob Novak, the pugnacious conservative pundit, may have to answer an assault charge in Manchester, N.H., stemming from an altercation with an activist on primary night last month. The dust-up ensued after Brad Carr, 54, who calls himself an independent citizen who's against the Bush administration, taunted Novak, 72, a host of CNN's Crossfire, which was broadcasting live from a restaurant. (The Reliable Source) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10511-2004Feb3?language=printer John Kerry's chief rivals campaigned on the strength of their Southern roots Wednesday, all but ceding Democratic presidential nomination contests in Michigan and Washington state in favor of a showdown closer to home. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040204/D80GH8I02.html Dean rules out Michigan...Kerry's lead too big; Edwards gets boost (Detroit Free Press) http://www.freep.com/news/politics/cauc4_20040204.htm How will Edwards run against Kerry?...With Sen. John Edwards' win in South Carolina, a crucial questions now arises for the Edwards campaign: Are there significant differences between Edwards and front-runner Sen. John Kerry on the issues that Edwards could use as the lever to pry Democratic voters away from Kerry? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4156095/ Exit polls: Economy, electability top voter concerns...Many voters in Democratic presidential contests around the country Tuesday said they thought the economy and jobs were the top issues in the campaign, according to NBC News exit polls. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4155532/ Anti-Bush sentiment driving Democrats to polls...Exit polls reveal that beating the president is prime issue (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4159963/ Democratic presidential hopeful Wesley Clark, appearing energized Wednesday by his first election victory, questioned policy positions of his major rivals while focusing his campaign on the Tennessee primary next week. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040204/D80GIDP00.html The race for the Democratic presidential nomination shifts next to delegate-rich Michigan and Washington, where Howard Dean will be back in the ring and fighting to recapture the support and momentum he has lost in both states to John F. Kerry. (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/02/04/race_moves_on_to_mich_wash/ The Massachusetts high court ruled Wednesday that only full, equal marriage rights for gay couples - rather than civil unions - would be constitutional, erasing any doubts that the nation's first same-sex marriages would take place in the state beginning in mid-May. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040204/D80GI6504.html Film director Spike Lee criticized Janet Jackson's surprise breast-baring during the Super Bowl halftime show last weekend as a new low of attention-getting antics by entertainers. (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyu=/ap/20040204/ap_on_en_tv/super_bowl_jackson_43 Sharpton vows to continue campaign despite showing...The Rev. Al Sharpton may not have clinched the South Carolina Democratic primary yesterday, but he said he has invigorated black voters, one of the key goals of his campaign. (The Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040204-123037-1944r.htm Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday he is not ready to conclude that Iraq did not have weapons of
Whole Lotta Haas....Plus Ronald Reagan Tribute
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight exclusive on MSNBC at 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET 4 am ET...That's 4 pm PT, 8 pm ET 1 am PT Housekeeping note: Hardball will be live on the air Saturday night (2/7) from 7 to 9 pm ET/4-6 pm PT to bring you exclusive coverage of the Michigan and Washington state Democratic Caucuses...Don't Miss It! Haas is in the House! We've got the head of the Council on Foreign Relations and former sr. State dept. official Richard Haas for two segments tonight...We'll talk to him about Iraq and the WMD controversy, Tenet's speech and the President down in South Carolina... Tenet said today that the intelligence never suggested an imminent threat and the President said basically we haven't found the WMD but the decision to go to war was still rightI'm confusedWe'll try to make sense of it tonight... Also, tomorrow is Ronald Reagan's 93rd birthday...We'll talk to some folks who knew him best: Fmr. Reagan aide Sheila Tate, Fmr. Hud Secretary/Veep nominee Jack Kemp, CBS News White House Correspondent Bill Plante and ABC News legend Sam Donaldson... Plus, Howard Dean says he's if he doesn't win in Wisconsin, he's done... Pls join us...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC CIA chief defends intelligence gathering ahead of Iraq war...Tenet says U.S. analysts never claimed Iraq posed an imminent threat (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4049012/ President Bush acknowledged Thursday that the United States had not found the banned weapons that his administration believed were in Iraq, but he defended the war as the right thing to do. (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4180021/ Bush slipping in S.C., nation...As president visits Charleston today, many in GOP worried about his re-election hopes (The State) http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/7878520.htm Kerry, rivals focus on different states for votes...Clark, Edwards cede weekend contests, look to Tuesday and South (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4160281/ Democrat Howard Dean said on Thursday his once high-flying U.S. presidential bid would be over if he did not win the Wisconsin primary on Feb. 17, declaring the entire race has come down to this. (AP) http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/377343|top|02-05-2004::08:46|reutershtml Dean E-mail: The entire race has come down to this: we must win Wisconsin. ... We will get a boost this weekend in Washington, Michigan, and Maine, but our true test will be the Wisconsin primary. A win there will carry us to the big states of March 2 and narrow the field to two candidates. Anything less will put us out of this race. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4178076/ Democratic Party officials are predicting packed houses across the state at Saturday's presidential caucuses but are optimistic that all voters will have a chance to be heard and their candidate preference recorded. (Seattle Times) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001851123_caucus05m.html Edwards, Clark Count On Virginia...Kerry's Challengers Plan Push for Tuesday Primary (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14076-2004Feb4.html John Kerry intervened in the Senate to keep open a loophole that had allowed a major insurer to divert millions of federal dollars from the nation's most expensive construction project, then received tens of thousand of dollars in donations from the company during the next two years, documents show. (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/04/politics1709EST0760.DTL In an attempt to compete with President Bush's unabashed discussion of religion while in office, Democratic presidential candidates are making similar stabs at God-talk. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040205-120813-3550r.htm Mass. lawmakers review strategy on gay marriage...Critics of state justices' ruling look at fine print (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4161820/ At least 160 of the 650 detainees acknowledged by the Pentagon being held at the United States military base at Guantanamo, Cuba -- almost a quarter of the total -- are from Saudi Arabia, a special UPI survey can reveal. http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040204-051623-5923r Opinion/Editorial Peggy: Janet Jackson and the Frog...Has our culture gone iredeemably to pot, or can we jump for our lives? http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110004649 Carr: The Real Kerry: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/17337.htm Newsweek: Hitting the Right Notes...John Edwards clearly has found a message that resonates. His campaign, however, remains vulnerable http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4161104/ Novak: Dixie could prove tricky for Democrats http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak05.html Pat: What are
Really Cool Show Tonight Folks!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight on MSNBC at its regular time: 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET 4 am ET and out west at 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT Howard Dean drops out but says his cause continues; refuses to endorseI sensed Howard might be firing the opening salvo in a Democratic party civil war...What's next for Dean and the new two man Democratic primary?? We'll talk to our man Joe Trippi (Dean's former manager), Dean congressional supporter Loretta Sanchez and MSNBC Dean embed reporter Felix Schein...Plus, attention David Shuster Fan Club-Bloomington Chapter members...Shuster makes his debutOn Set! Then, back by popular demandThe Contenders series rolls on with Pat, Jerry Jesse...I speak of none other than Buchanan, Brown Jackson...They'll regale you with stories of running for president and the elation of feeling a political surge, winning a few states and riding that Big Mo! And later, in the segment formerly known as the Political Buzz, we'll kick it freestyle with Tony Katrina and Andrew Sullivan (Yeah, I finally persuaded him to come back on the show)...We'll slice and dice Dean's big day and the political storm brewing over gay marriage... And how about our coverage last night? We're the best, aren't we? I flipped around the channels a bit last night and found the others guys pretty boring and don't have any personalityChris and our panel delivered hard news and facts with a serious dose of fun and personality: What Emeril would call kickin' it up a notch...When I spoke to Chris earlier today I called it Razzmatazz... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Andrew's blog http://andrewsullivan.com/index.php Tony: Kerry's pre-emptive war policy http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/tblankley.htm Dean abandons White House bid...He asks supporters to remain politically active (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4300993/ Kerry, Edwards sprint toward Super Tuesday...Democratic race down to two after close finish in Wisconsin (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4276026/ John Edwards, the principle pursuer of Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry, is sure to come under increased scrutiny as voters take a closer look at the self-made millionaire trial lawyer who projects the image of a common man. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040218/D80PTQJ00.html John Edwards, who finished a close second in the Wisconsin primary, said Wednesday he would campaign coast-to-coast for the Democratic nomination for president now that he was in a two-man race with front-runner John Kerry. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040218/D80PNOO00.html Curry Analysis: Wisconsin raises questions about Kerry...Cloak of 'electability' slips a bit as Edwards makes strong showing http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4297664/ Balz Analysis: Democrats on Course for More Competition http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49356-2004Feb17.html?referer=email Bush 'troubled' by S.F. gay marriage...But he won't say if he'll back constitutional ban (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4251510/ Laura Bush says gay marriages are a very, very shocking issue for some people, a subject that should be debated by Americans rather than settled by a Massachusetts court or the mayor of San Francisco. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544u=/ap/20040218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/laura_bush_interviewprinter=1 At least 11 killed in Iraq attack...Suicide car bombers killed at least 11 Iraqis and wounded over 60 civilians and soldiers with the U.S.-led coalition on Wednesday at a base used by coalition soldiers in the Iraqi city of Hillah. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4016883/ Richard Perle, a chief proponent of last year's U.S. invasion of Iraq, yesterday called for the chiefs of the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency to step down because of their faulty conclusions that Saddam Hussein possessed mass-killing weapons. (The Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1c=Articlecid=1077059707877call_pageid=968332188854col=968350060724 In Iraq, contractors' security costs rise...Attacks on private companies could jeopardize coalition efforts (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4296784/ Drudge Pitches, Media Swings: 'It's Too Easy,' Says Web Gossip http://www.observer.com/pages/nytv.asp Opinion/Editorial Alterman Tomasky: Wake-Up Time...Yes, Bush has bullied the national media. But are they really powerless? Only if they play along. Herewith, five suggestions for how the Fourth Estate can stop the charade. http://www.prospect.org/print/V15/3/alterman-e.html Du Pont: The Bush Paradox...Wasn't the era of big government supposed to be over? http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pdupont/?id=110004706 York:
The Hardball Briefing for February 19, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at its typical time on MSNBC tonight at 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET 4 am ET and 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT Another star studded Hardball comin' at ya tonight folks...We'll lead with presidential candidates Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton on their strategies to knock off Kerry Edwards for the nomination... Then we'll talk to Bush-Cheney Southeast Regional Chairman Ralph Reed about what he's doing to knock all the Dems off and deliver victory to POTUS... And in the back half of the show, we'll talk to White House veteran correspondents Sam Donaldson and Leslie Stahl, whose book Reporting Live makes for compelling entertainment if you're driving long distances and like to listen to books on tape... We'll ask Leslie and Sam to give us their sense of the political topography, Bush's re-election prospects and to perhaps prognosticate on future political trends...I'm certain their wisdom will not disappoint... And before the headlines, let's take a dip in the Hardball Briefing mailbag shall we? It's been a while... Chris, There is a really good reason for your show's popularity. It's the love baby. The love that's so evident in your life shines brightly in your eyes. You give me hope every night. Bobby in Va Beach ,Va Amen Bobby, Amen...It's all about the love: In Hardball and in life... - And how cool is this? A reader checks in from Hong Kong.. Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I love getting my Hardball updates over here in Hong Kong. I'm a political junkie, and this is my first primary election cycle overseas. Unfortunately I don't get to watch MSNBC, so I feel I am missing the best election coverage available. I most certainly miss watching Chris and Pat Caddell and Frank Lunz and Howard Fineman. But just reading your updates gives me a little bit of home. I also have to say that reading this, and reading the transcripts on the internet really makes me proud of my countryI really thank you all for doing a great job. Thank you and keep the updates great! Ms. Kyle L. Great to hear from you...We're proud of the our country and Briefing too...Keep it real in Da Kong Ms. KL... Hi Dominic, Yes. You are the best. I can hardly wait to get home and see the results via Chris and crew. Always a highlight in this election year run upKaren Karen, I don't know what your question was but I accept your answer implicitly...I agree with you and can hardly wait myself to watch Chris everyday too...I even watch the repeats when I get home at night sometimes... - And if you want to sent your comments to the Briefing, hit reply and fire away...Keep it short and family friendly please... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Go Pat Go!! Pat's got his trusty pitchfork out again!...This time slamming the Frum-Perle book...No End to War...The Frum-Perle prescription would ensnare America in endless conflict. http://amconmag.com/3_1_04/cover.html Howard Fineman's latest piece recalls a 1999 dinner with John Edwards at a favorite restaurant of the Briefing, Kinkaid's...It's a popular seafood place but I don't eat seafood so I get the pork chop...It's one of those take your parents when they are in town restaurantsBut we digress: Edwards continues to defy skeptics His political rise is nothing short of meteoric http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4313129/ Kerry wins AFL-CIO's endorsement...Union group plans massive effort to mobilize members http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4276026/ Kerry, Edwards Spar Over Trade...Democratic Rivals Begin Key Push For Delegates (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52736-2004Feb18.html Both John Kerry and John Edwards are ahead of President Bush by double digits when matched against him in hypothetical elections, says a poll released Wednesday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040219/D80QCUN81.html Two U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq...A roadside bomb killed two U.S. troops and one Iraqi in the city of Khaldiyah on Thursday, the U.S. military said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4016883/ Suicides in Iraq, Questions at Home...Pentagon Tight-Lipped as Self-Inflicted Deaths Mount in Military (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4306831/ Out on the campaign trail raising re-election cash and promoting reading, Laura Bush is staunchly defending her husband's credibility and taking a shot at Democrats who claim he skipped out on his National Guard duty. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2cid=544u=/ap/20040219/ap_on_go_pr_wh/laura_bush_interview_5printer=1 President Bush touts his economic stewardship as a top re-election asset, yet
Maher, Nader, Roeper, Norah POTUS speech
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET, 4 AM ET 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT We're gonna kick off the week right with an action packed Hardball for you...We lead with the newest presidential aspirant, Ralph Nader...Last we heard from him he was complaining about the officiating at one of the NBA championship games...We'll ask him about his plans, his platform and which states he thinks he can win...I think you'll like this one...Chris asks several questions you won't see elsewhere... We'll also talk to Steve Coll, the author of the new book Ghost Wars about the CIA's covert activities in Afghanistan and the hunting of Osama bin Laden...If you're a covert black ops junkie, you'll love this segment..Here's a sneak peak http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4340038/ Then we'll talk to Richard Roeper, film critic...You know him as the other half of Siskel and Ebert...We'll ask him about The Passion of the Christ and his Oscar picks... Plus, HBO comedian Bill Maher will be here to weigh in on Nader, Bush, Kerry, Edwards and the whole political kit and kaboodle (whatever the heck that means)...It'll be fun...We'll also play Saturday Night Live's latest Hardball sketch... And tonight would't be complete without POTUS' big speech...President Bush addresses the Republican Governors Association (RGA) dinner in what numerous aides are calling one of this opening salvo speeches for re-election...We'll take it live and get some context from everyone's favorite NBC correspondent, Norah O'Donnell...The speech, we're told, will layout some broad themes about the President's vision for the next term. In addition he will discuss some choices the American people face this November...We're also told that the campaign will go up on the air soon with a slate of ads... Slipping in the polls, President Bush is striking back with an aggressive new stump speech and preparing a multimillion-dollar advertising barrage. It's going to be the year of the sharp elbow and the quick tongue, Bush said Monday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040223/D80T7J000.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4352103/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Peter Johnson: Chris Matthews: MSNBC's best shot at staying in the game...The new chief of also-ran cable news network MSNBC, Rick Kaplan, brings with him two decades of broadcast news experience at ABC and, more recently, three years of cable news work at CNN. http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2004-02-22-media-mix_x.htm Calling on William Hung fansHe's a loser, baby...But William Hung, 'American Idol' reject, found fame anyway http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4305972/ President Bush begins Monday what his campaign manager calls a significant stepping up of his re-election efforts that includes the airing of his first TV ads in more than a dozen states next week. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-02-22-bush-commercials_x.htm President Bush's re-election campaign told Democrat John Kerry that it does not condone any effort to impugn his patriotism, but insisted his voting record on national security and defense is fair game in the presidential race. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040223/D80T6ILO0.html Marines land in Haiti as rebels eye capital...Non-violent opposition weighs U.S.-backed plan (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4244322/ Ralph Nader said Monday he won't back off from his latest campaign for the White House even if the major candidates are tied in polls going in to Election Day, a scenario that led many friends and former supporters to urge him not to run again. (AP) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-02-23-nader_x.htm Democrats shrug off Nader candidacy...Kerry, Edwards keep focus on 'Super Tuesday' states (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4276026/ Democratic front-runner John Kerry remains the favorite of labor leaders and party stalwarts in Ohio, an economically ailing state that rival John Edwards could capture March 2 with his populist appeal. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040223/D80T1A981.html Howard: Smiles to Go...Power Drive: Edwards looms in the rearview mirror. But Kerry's got his foot on the gas, and the Bushmobile's wobbly. Revving up for Super Tuesday http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4340667/ A Tighter Race...A Kerry-Edwards ticket could beat Bush-Cheney, according to the latest NEWSWEEK poll. And while the Massachusetts senator remains the clear Democratic frontrunner, John Edwards increasingly appeals to voters http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4333712/ Red Cross visits Saddam Hussein...Delegates meet former dictator at undisclosed location in Iraq (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4336997/ The World According to
Special Live 7 11 pm ET Shows Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs two unique live shows tonight at 7 pm ET 11 pm ET, 4 am ET and 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT (The third show will be a repeat) Today Idaho, Utah Hawaii (don't laugh, Kucinich is actually campaigning there) hold primaries tonight with 61 delegates at stake...We'll have our wing ding political panel: Howard, Norah, Trippi Peggy We'll also do the Axelrod (Edwards)-Elmendorf (Kerry) combo of campaign strategists to hash out where their guys stand in this race and what the next move is and whatever bugaboo Chris has in his bonnet tonight.. Shuster's gonna be at the Kerry campaign with an exclusive look inside their strategy and he also has a great nugget (a word he explicitly authorized me to use) on how the Edwards campaign plans to win IllinoisWe'll follow that up with a panel of editor/reporter types from a few Super Tuesday (March 2) states: Phil Bronstein of the San Francisco Chronicle and formerly the husband of Sharon Stone, Marie Cocco of New York's Newsday and Brent Larkin of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer...Btw, what's a plain-dealer and what's it got to do with the news in Cleveland? Speaking of bugaboos (btw, I don't know what bugaboo means either but its a cute G rated term), Chris is really fired up about this gay marriage amendment President Bush is backing...We just had a meeting where he spent a half hour going through it and us producers couldn't get a word in edgewise (shocking, huh?)...Chris will be on fire tonight on this one! Trust me...We'll talk to some legal types like Turley and the congresswoman who is authoring the constitutional amendment, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO)..Although Bush has not endorsed any specific bill, the legislation supports his principles according to spokesman Scott McClellan earlier today. We'll have a few other surprises and tricks up our sleeve so stay tuned...We've even ordered the super duper extra special election campaign desk from world headquarters in Secaucus just for tonight...That allows us to see four guests on set instead of two... Quick, someone call Lucianne Goldberg: Mortman's column is now live! Where do we get jobless stats? Go figure http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4362251/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Did you miss Maher last night? Disappointed that it was all the water cooler buzz at the office today and you were left out? Here's the transcript! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4356213/ Larkin: Dennis Kucinich is coming home...But he's going to receive something less than a warm welcome. http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1077447361165930.xml?oclar President Bush on Tuesday announced his support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, in an attempt to halt same-sex unions like the thousands that have been allowed this month in San Francisco. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4360783/ Battle joined over same-sex marriage...Regional cases foreshadow fight over U.S. Constitution (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4304099/ Bush unveils 'clear choice' in campaign speech...President says Dems prone to tax increases, waffling in war on terror http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4347250/ Aiming to counter Democratic presidential candidates who have dominated the recent political debate in California, President Bush will visit the state for a two-day swing on the heels of the March 2 Super Tuesday primary. (San Francisco Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/24/MNGSO56RCK1.DTL San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom invited Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Monday to visit San Francisco so he can see for himself what the same-sex weddings at City Hall have wrought. (San Francisco Chronicle) http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/24/MNGO056V7I1.DTL Thousands of gay rights supporters are posting open letters on the Internet urging Mary Cheney, the vice president's daughter, to speak out against amending the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A487-2004Feb23.html The other party's nomination battle is still playing out. The candidates are an interesting group, with diverse opinions. For tax cuts, and against them. For NAFTA, and against NAFTA. For the Patriot Act, and against the Patriot Act. In favor of liberating Iraq, and opposed to it. And that's just one senator from Massachusetts (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040223-115212-2061r.htm Past votes may dog Kerry campaign...Democrat's support of Bush at issue (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4356093/ Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry charged here Monday that President Bush is on the run from what he termed a failed record on jobs, health care and
Kerrey, Dreier and the other Scarborough
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p , 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT The day just seems to slip by so quick so I'll attempt to be brief...Fmr. Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE) joins us for a frank discussion about the 9/11 Commission he serves on (that's the one the president and congress put together to investigate 9/11)...Big story in the New York Daily News about his frustration with that panel...We'll get into that topic with him plus Vietnam and that war's troubling legacy in today's campaign...As you know Kerrey was a Navy SEAL during that war and ran for president and 1992 Frustrated by Bush administration restrictions, a former senator said yesterday he might quit the special commission investigating the Sept. 11 terror attacks. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/168092p-146920c.html Congressman David Dreier (R-CA) will be here to wade into the gay marriage debate...He's a Republican who's opposing Bush's constitutional amendment...We'll ask him why...We'll also ask him how he plans on delivering California for Bush in November...Should be a hoot Plus, Washington Times Pentagon dude Rowan Scarborough's gotta new book out called Rumsfeld's War...It's one of these behind the scenes, how Rummy kicked major @#$% inside and outside of the Pentagon to transform into the fierce fighting machine post 9/11 that it is today kinda books...Rowan will be here to give us the inside scoop! Tomorrow we got Hitchens and we're gonna do a special on the culture wars...Very hot Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Kerrey Backgrounders... In a blow to the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives told the White House he will not bring up legislation to extend the May 27 deadline for completing its report, officials said on Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4440746 Rumsfeld, Tenet to testify publicly to 9/11 panel...Commission to meet privately with Bush, Cheney, Clinton, Gore http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4297428/ Dreier Backgrounders.. GOP isn't united behind ban on gay marriage...Congressional leaders cautious on Bush's call for amendment (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4360783/ One day after President Bush called on Congress to approve a constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage, Republicans and Democrats agreed that prospects for passage in this election year look dim. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040226/5958095s.htm Rowan Scarborough Backgrounder Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's determination to kill terrorists and transform the military is detailed in Rumsfeld's War (Regnery Publishing Inc.), the new book by Rowan Scarborough, defense reporter for The Washington Times. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040223-012306-4708r.htm Tonight, Cubs fans will go to the extreme to erase a piece of their cursed history as an infamous foul ball. The Bartman Ball literally goes out with a bang. See it happen live on Countdown. 8 p.m. ET on MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4372354/ John Kerry holds a double-digit lead over John Edwards among likely voters in Tuesday's Georgia Democratic presidential primary, according to a new poll conducted for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV. http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/election/0204nation/26poll.html Sen. John Edwards says he doesn't need to win a single Super Tuesday primary to stay in the Democratic hunt, and won't drop out if he loses every March 2 contest to John Kerry. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/168107p-146911c.html Sen. John Kerry yesterday accused President Bush of playing politics by backing a constitutional amendment defining marriage, but Republicans are plotting to make the Massachusetts Democrat walk his own fine line over the next nine months. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040226-120406-2501r.htm Front-runner John Kerry arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday ready to debate his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination but unsure about the city's latest controversial production, The Passion of the Christ. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4448594section=news N. Korea makes nuclear offer...North Korea said it would abolish its military nuclear program but will maintain a peaceful nuclear capability, the Chinese government said Thursday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4365670/ Motorists face gasoline shortages as well as record prices the next few weeks because of the skintight U.S. refining and distribution network. (USA Today)
Peggy, Hitchens, Bennett, Donahue (Bill, not Phil) Much More
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Need I even remind you that Hardball airs at 7p, 11 4 a ET and 4p, 8 1a PT exclusively on MSNBC? America's raging Culture Wars have come into sharp relief this week with the release of Mel Gibson's major fuss film, The Passion of The Christ, gay marriage/Rosie's marriage/constitutional amendment, congressional decency hearings, Stern getting yanked from Clear Channel stations and so on and so forth...And you thought the whole debate over Janet Justin's half time show was over! We've got a helluva panel for much of the hour planned to hash it all out...Peggy (great pre-interview from her), Hitchens (If you caught his piece in Vanity Fair or his appearance on Charlie Rose the other night you know homey's castin' some serious dozens on the film), Bill Donahue of the Catholic League (he's a real firecracker too), Hollywood producer guy Mike Medavoy San Fran's KGO radio talk show host Ron Owens...His new book is called Voice of Reason...Perhaps he can bring some of that to the table tonight We close the show with the disturbing report on sexual abuse by Catholic priests conducted by the National Review Board on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops...We'll talk to Bob Bennett (Brother of Bill and fmr. Clinton sex scandal lawyer), a member of the Board...See quote below With all these hot topics afoot, the cocktail/dinner party circuit chatter promises to be particularly intense...You'll not want to go without your Hardball prep... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Catholic reports count sexual abuse allegations...10,667 claims were filed against 4,392 clergy in U.S (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4389928/ The abuse of children was a national health problem, said Robert Bennett of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops National Review Board. It's always bad when a child gets abused but when the abuser wears a collar, it's worse, said Bennett, who described the scandals involving the Catholic church as a crisis of trust and faith. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4456465 Read the full report here http://www.catholicreviewboard.com/ Edwards, Kerry debate in CalifSens. John Kerry and John Edwards struggled to define their differences at the outset of a debate five days before Super Tuesday - seen by many political observers as the likely end of the 2004 Democratic presidential sweepstakes. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4360607/ Curry Analysis: Edwards too mild in challenging Kerry...No dramatic confrontation in pre-primary debate http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4394199/ Crawford's White House Trail Mix Bush Still Not Done Confronting Confederate Flag http://www.cq.com/corp/show.do?page=crawford/crawford_current Democratic hopeful John Edwards said in a debate last night that he opposes the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows the federal government and other states to ignore homosexual marriages granted by states. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040226-113754-5375r.htm President Bush's ratings have fallen among Michigan voters in the past two months, as worries about the economy and the war in Iraq raise doubts about his role as the country's leader. (AP) http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw93598_20040226.htm Josh Green: The Southern Cross...Georgians want the Confederate emblem back on their state flag, and are frustrated that a referendum this month won't give them that option. What they don't know is that if the emblem's creator were alive, he'd vote to bury it http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2004/03/green-flag.htm Shock jock Howard Stern, whose radio show was yanked in six cities across the country, will continue to be aired on about 40 stations owned by his syndicator, Infinity Broadcasting, company executives said yesterday. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10891-2004Feb26.html Lawmakers on Thursday acknowledged recent steps by broadcasters to clean up their programming, but vowed to pursue legislation beefing up fines for indecent material. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNewsstoryID=4447395 Bush Highlights Social Issues...Culture Joins Terrorism, Economy in New Campaign Speech (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10356-2004Feb26.html John F. Kerry, who once served as an altar boy and later felt a calling by God that led him to consider the priesthood, said yesterday that he was interested in seeing the new film The Passion of the Christ but has yet to decide if he will, and expressed concern about news reports that the movie may convey an anti-Semitism message. (The Boston Globe)
Must See TV Tonight...Turn on MSNBC Now!
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Folks don't fail us now...We're starting up at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT and going until the last dog dies as Clinton once said back in the day...Or 2 am ET, depending on what time that actual dog dies Did anyone listen to Chris on Imus this morning? If you did you heard Imus and his top consigliere Charles bustin' Chris' chops over his energy level and enthusiasm...Charles said something like Chris, we're gonna be watching tonight with a big bowl of popcorn...Right on Charles! Me too but we'll be working at the same time...All of you get to chill freestyle on the couch...Btw, according to the Imus e-mail Chris will be on tomorrow morning at 8:29 am ET or something like that... The show is smoking hot tonight but you already knew that: We've got the full panel of the smartest folks in the biz (Howard, Dee Dee, Trippi, Pat, Ron Reagan, Brokaw, Russert, Trippi De Graff)...In addition we're throwing together a cornucopia of cool guests you won't find anywhere else: Norah, Barnicle, Reps. Barney Frank, Marty Meehan, Maxine Waters Elijah Cummings, Hoffa, Devine, Axelrod, Senator Bob Graham, Gov. Bob Taft and Jerry (Brown, not Springer)...As you'd expect we'll have some surprises along the way and all the campaign speeches and stuff... This'll be bigger than the Oscars, trust me... Oh yeah, Cheney's out making the interview rounds trying to steal some of the press attention from Kerry and spoke with our own Lester Holt...We'll talk to Lester and roll some clips from his Cheney interview http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4430696/ Dominic Bellone put this together from Washington, DC Mortman's in the House: Get ready for super spin from Edwards...Perhaps Iraq's ex-Minister of Information can help http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4429815/ Kerry, Edwards stump down to the wire...Massachusetts senator looks to sweep 'Super Tuesday' states (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4429063/ Scores killed in Iraq blasts...Scores were killed and wounded Tuesday in a series of coordinated blasts that struck major Shiite Muslim shrines in Karbala and in Baghdad as thousands of pilgrims converged for the final day of a major religious festival. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4426435/ Bush on terrorism: We are relentless, Bush said, adding that two-thirds of the key leaders of the al-Qaida terrorist network have been captured or killed. We are strong. We refuse to yield. The rest of them hear us breathing down their neck. We're after them. We will not relent. We will bring these killers to justice. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040302/D812BH880.html Super Tuesday voting under way...With Super Tuesday voting under way, Sen. John Edwards' best chance for a win appeared to be in Georgia -- where a new opinion poll had him narrowing the gap with Sen. John Kerry in the Democratic presidential race. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4400168/ Scattered glitches as e-voting gets biggest test..Some machines fail to boot up; problems with encoders, security (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4424621/ Iowa is supposed to be the beginning of the process, but instead it was almost the end of it, pollster Patrick Caddell said. What you don't get in this process is a real testing, in which candidates get poked and prodded by voters, not just reporters and insiders, over a sustained period. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4424567/ GOP plans votes to put Democrats on the spot...Gay rights, abortion and guns to highlight candidates' positions (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4424568/ A Democratic-leaning online group will run television commercials in 17 presidential battleground states starting Thursday to counter President Bush's multimillion-dollar advertising blitz that will begin the same day. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4430844/ In the final Atlanta Journal-Constitution/WSB-TV tracking poll leading up today's vote, Edwards narrowed Kerry's once 20-point lead, gaining the support of 37 percent of voters to Kerry's 51 percent. http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0304a/02super.html Senate votes to extend assault weapons ban...Amendment is part of broader lawsuit immunity bill http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4429245/ In the coming days, Republicans will step up their push to register 3 million voters this year with the help of an election-year prop - an 18-wheeler full of computers, plasma TVs and multimedia equipment designed to communicate the GOP message. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/19493.htm Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who announced his bid for governor last year from Jay Leno's couch, returned to The Tonight Show with a friend - the man he defeated in the recall election. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040302/D8129UDG0.html Opinion/Editorial WP: In a week, U.S. shifted on HaitiThe U.S.
It's all Martha Tonight...Deal with It
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7 p ET, 11 p ET 4 am ET and out west at 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT Stewart jury returns guilty verdict on all counts...Former stockbrocker guilty on most counts http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4429271/ Text of statement issued by Martha Stewart following guilty verdict: Dear Friends: I am obviously distressed by the jury's verdict but I continue to take comfort in knowing that I have the confidence and enduring support of my family and friends. I will appeal the verdict and continue to fight to clear my name. I believe in the fairness of the judicial system and remain confident that I will ultimately prevail. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the words of encouragement I have received from thousands of supporters. It is your continued support that will keep me going until I am completely exonerated. Sincerely, Martha Stewart Complete Indictment http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/mstewart/usmspb10504sind.html Clearly we're going hard on the Martha verdict but we'll hit from the bigger picture, political, what's it all mean? kinda angle...This ain't Court TV as you know and Chris ain't Dan Abrams, but we'll talk to Dan who'll break it down for us plus NBC reporter Anne Thompson who was in the courtroom when the Martha verdict went down Also, Former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt and Martha Biographer Christopher Byron... And get this, more insight and analysis from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Here's a convenient AP timeline for Martha's case A timeline of events in the Martha Stewart stock trading scandal: --Oct. 31, 2001: ImClone Systems asks the government to review Erbitux, its new cancer drug. --Dec. 26, 2001: ImClone founder Sam Waksal is tipped that the government will deny the company's Erbitux application, then tips his daughter to sell her ImClone stock and tries to sell his own. --Dec. 27, 2001: Stewart sells all 3,928 shares of her ImClone stock. The government later contends she was tipped that Waksal was trying to sell his shares. --Dec. 28, 2001: The FDA makes its decision public. On Dec. 31, the first trading day after the news, ImClone drops 18 percent. --Jan. 7, 2002: Stewart's broker, Peter Bacanovic, tells Securities and Exchange Commission attorneys that he and Stewart had agreed on Dec. 20, 2001, to sell ImClone if it fell below $60. --Feb. 4, 2002: Stewart tells the SEC, federal prosecutors and the FBI the same story. --June 12, 2002: Waksal is arrested and charged with insider trading. Stewart issues a statement repeating her assertion that she had a $60 stop-loss order. --June 18, 2002: Stewart insists she is fully cooperating with authorities. --Oct. 2, 2002: Former Merrill Lynch Co. assistant Douglas Faneuil pleads guilty to taking a payoff to keep quiet about the Stewart stock trade. --Oct. 15, 2002: Waksal admits tipping his daughter to sell ImClone ahead of the government decision and trying to sell his own shares. --June 4, 2003: Stewart and Bacanovic are indicted. Stewart resigns as chairwoman and CEO of her company but remains chief creative officer and a board member. --June 5, 2003: Stewart unveils a personal Web site in which she proclaims her innocence and insists she will fight to clear her name. --June 10, 2003: Waksal is sentenced to more than seven years in prison. --Nov. 7, 2003: Stewart tells ABC she is scared of prison but I don't think I will be going to prison. --Jan. 6, 2004: Potential jurors fill out a questionnaire that reportedly asks whether they have visited Stewart's Web site or cooked with her recipes. --Jan. 26: Jury of eight women and four men is selected. --Jan. 27: Prosecutor claims in opening statements that Stewart sold ImClone stock based on a secret tip, then lied to cover it up. Stewart's attorney compares case with the Big Brother novel 1984. --Feb. 3-4: Faneuil testifies that Bacanovic ordered him to tell Stewart that Waksal was selling stock. Faneuil claims Bacanovic pressured him to cover it up. --Feb. 10: Stewart assistant Ann Armstrong testifies Stewart personally altered log of a message Bacanovic left on day she sold ImClone. But Armstrong says Stewart ordered the message changed back. --Feb. 19: Forensic expert testifies ink Bacanovic used on worksheet of Stewart's portfolio to make an (at)60 notation next to ImClone is different from other ink on the document. Stewart friend Mariana Pasternak says Stewart told her days after ImClone sale that she knew about Waksal selling and says Stewart added: Isn't it nice to have brokers who tell you those things? --Feb. 20: Under cross-examination, Pasternak
Omarosa Enters The Hardball Boardroom Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am ET and 4, 8 1 am PT 3 big segments we're cooking up for you tonight: Florida, foreign policy and The Apprentice...Somewhat eclectic I'll grant you but we know you viewers are a sophisticated lot...Chris and his wife Kathleen are down in Miami this morning picking up the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Communication from Barry University so tonight's show will originate from there...That ties in nicely with our lead story...Florida is definitely a key battleground state and we'll talk to a couple of members of congress who'll give us the lowdown on what to look for...A new poll out of the sunshine state puts Kerry at 49% Bush at 43%. Nader nabs 3%...Shuster will set up the segment with a Florida retrospective package... We'll chat with fmr. Clinton national security advisor Sandy Berger on Iraq, Haiti and some of the other hot spots and issues percolating across the foreign policy landscape And the interview you've all been waiting for: Omarosa just got fired by The Donald last Thursday and tonight she faces the Hardball Boardroom...Yeah, she's the one you loved to hate...She broke down and cried in Donald's boardroom...Will she cry tonight when she faces Chris? We'll ask her about the experience, what she's up to now and her current read on the political scene...She is a political consultant according to the show and used to work in the Clinton/Gore administration...If you don't watch NBC's hit reality show, The Apprentice you don't get it so don't worry about it... Omarosa backgrounder http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice/contestants/about_omarosa.shtml Here's what Bush and Vincente Fox had for dinner the other night...Friday, March 5, 2004 In honor of His Excellency The President of the United Mexican States And Mrs. Fox Herbal Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomato Prairie Chapel Ranch Bass Southwestern Crab Cakes Green Chile Cheese Grits Soufflé Spring Vegetables Apple Cake Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream Landmark Chardonnay Overlook 2001 Prairie Chapel Ranch Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC President Bush calls himself a windshield cowboy, the kind who patrols his ranch from a pickup truck, not from a horse. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040308/D8162AA80.html Democrat John Kerry leads President Bush by 6 percentage points in the Sunshine State, whose 27 electoral votes are crucial to the president's re-election, a St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald poll shows. http://www.sptimes.com/2004/03/07/State/Another_presidential_.shtml Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry accused President Bush of breaking promises to senior citizens and called the prescription drug package approved by Congress a billion-dollar giveaway to drug companies as he campaigned Monday in health-conscious Florida. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040308/D8169O400.html John Kerry is pressing President Bush on national security issues, raising questions about the handling of probes into terrorist attacks as well as intelligence suggesting weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040308/D8162JB81.html Bush Hindering Probes, Kerry Says...President's Campaign Says Charges of 'Stonewalling' on 9/11, Iraq Are Inaccurate http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38886-2004Mar7.html Florida voters not in favor of gay marriage...Florida voters say they're not in favor of gay marriage, but they would rather see the state -- not a federal constitutional amendment -- regulate civil unions (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8131741.htm A conservative group headed by one of former President Clinton's harshest critics is airing an ad that pokes fun at presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry's haircut, designer clothing and property holdings. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040308/D8169OM80.html During a campaign swing through Mississippi yesterday, Senator John F. Kerry excoriated President Bush from the lectern of a black church, insisted that New England has much in common with the Deep South, and decried the crucifixion of the young gay man Matthew Shepard as he compared civil rights for blacks to gay and lesbian rights. (The Boston Globe) http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/03/08/kerry_compares_black_gay_struggles/ Three top Democrats, all talked about as possible running mates for presumptive presidential nominee John Kerry, on Sunday suggested a lack of interest in being vice president, but none ruled it out. (AP) http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0308kerry-veeps08.html Democratic stars weigh No. 2 spot...Florida Sen. Bob Graham is in, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is out and Gov. Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania
The Hardball Briefing for March 9, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs live tonight at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT...It replays at 11 pm 4 am ET and 8 pm 1 am PT Today voters in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas go to the polls tonight to vote on the Democratic nominee...I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say John Kerry cleans up big tonight...The important news we're focusing on is really Florida, a top, key, battleground (insert your cliche here) state...Kerry was down there stoking the flames of '00 with comments such as: We will identify those districts where people have had trouble voting in the past, trouble showing up and being told, 'well, we don't have you registered' or 'you didn't do this or that', and we're gonna pre-check it, we're gonna have the legal team in place, we're gonna take injunctions where necessary ahead of time, we'll pre-challenge if necessary, but i guarantee you not only do we want a record level turnout to vote, we want a guarantee that every vote is counted, and we will do that Plus... You'd think that somebody, remembering what happened here in this great state, who was finally put in office by the Supreme Court of the United States, would actually recognize the divisions in the nation and try to reach out, but oh no... Here's Bush in Texas yesterday: My opponent clearly has strong beliefs - they just don't last very long In politics we call that energizing the base... We've got the bites cut and hopefully Chris will throw to 'em Our political panel tonight: Norah, Howard and Pat...Our guests: Congressman Bob Wexler (No, he's not too impeachment...Those days are long gone) and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (and no, she's not too Elian that's Lincoln Diaz-Balart) In the B block we'll talk to fmr. HUD Secretary/Bush Florida pick for Senate/friend of Elian Mel Martinez...How's the campaign going? What's his strategy for victory? How will he defeat Larry Klayman and Bob Smith? It's quite a formidable duo...We'll ask him... We'll also talk to everyone's favorite pick from Florida for Dem veep, Senator Bob Graham plus Kerry's Florida chairman, Congressman Kendrick Meek, Carrie's son...Do his constituents want revenge for '00? Lots of ghosts of FL '00 lurking about tonight...Pls join us... Oh, and it's about time we gave Robert Cox over at http://thenationaldebate.com/ a nice shout for all the wonderful work he does...If you're a political media junkie like us you'll dig his site...And hey, get over there and give Chris some love in Robert's online poll of the best talk show host... Did you miss Omarosa's first primetime interview last night? Everyone was fired up about that one! Click here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4489787/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Kerry Slams some more: If the president of the United States can find the time to go to a rodeo, he can find the time to do more than one hour in front of a commission that is investigating what happened to America's intelligence and why we are not stronger today, WP: Bush approval ratings slide...President Bush, the target of months of criticism during the Democratic primary season, has seen public support fall to the lowest level of his presidency for his performance on the economy and the situation in Iraq, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll has found. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4482401/ Kerry visits South Florida...On the eve of today's Florida presidential primary, Sen. John Kerry rouses supporters with talk of avoiding another recount battle and protecting Social Security. He also strikes at the GOP. (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8139905.htm John Kerry said Monday he is ready to go to court -- even before the November election -- to ensure that he does not lose Florida's 27 electoral votes because of ballot problems (Palm Beach Post) http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/tuesday/news_04d4e4290587121e005c.html Bush launches early attack on Kerry...Senator accused of trying to weaken intelligence services (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4482814/ A Democratic-leaning group financed in part by billionaire George Soros plans to run $4.5 million worth of TV ads in 17 presidential battleground states, beginning Wednesday, that criticize President Bush's policies and priorities. (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/08/politics1916EST0753.DTL In Florida Martinez's candidacy seen gaining strength...A poll of voters shows former U.S. Housing Secretary Mel Martinez gaining on former Rep. Bill McCollum -- a boost that comes on the heels of Katherine Harris' decision not to run. (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8134939.htm The White House said on Tuesday it was possible President Bush could be
New Bush Ads Out Kerry Fights Back
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET...If you live in the Midwest tune it at 6p, 10p or 2a CST...Set the dial for MSNBC and let the Hardball magic take control.. Housekeeping: Chris is taping tonight from 30 Rock tonight so you'll notice the softer Deborah Norville set he's broadcasting from...Don't be alarmed...You'll like it We're expecting the release of a couple of new spots tonight from BC '04...The Bushies are finally going neg on Kerry...We'll of course roll them and do the usual Hardball slice and dice with a couple of political strategist types (Charlie Black representing Bush and Steve Elmendorf representing Kerry) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040311/D818BEE81.html The other big story we're tracking is the GOP piling on Kerry for his unscripted remarks yesterday where he referred to some folks as the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. (You saw the clip first on Hardball last night)...Republicans say he's attacking the President...Kerry says he was attacking the Republican attack machine I have no intention whatsoever of apologizing for my remarks, Kerry said during a news conference on the Senate side of the Capitol. I think the Republicans need to start talking about the real issues before the country. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040311/D818BKNG1.html Shuster's got a hot package tying it all together Some other big names involved with the show tonight: We'll check in with one of the Democrat's most sagacious Liberals, Mario Cuomo, and get his read on the political topography... Also, we'll follow up on the terrible terrorist attack in Madrid with former Clinton SecDef Bill Cohen...I'm sure Chris will want to do some more venting on the Tenet/Cheney/NYT story from yesterday... Meanwhile here's a little aperitif, if you will, of the Bush ads (courtesy of the AP): TITLE: 100 days. LENGTH: 30 seconds. PRODUCER: Maverick Media. AIRING: 18 battleground states. SCRIPT: Bush: I'm George Bush and I approved this message. Announcer: A president sets his agenda for America in the first 100 days. John Kerry's plan: To pay for new government spending, raise taxes by at least $900 billion. On the war on terror: Weaken the Patriot Act used to arrest terrorists and protect America. And he wanted to delay defending American until the United Nations approved. John Kerry: Wrong on taxes. Wrong on defense. TITLE: Forward LENGTH: 30 seconds. PRODUCER: Maverick Media. AIRING: 18 battleground states. SCRIPT: Bush: Over the past three years, Americans have faced many serious challenges. Now we face a choice: We can go forward with confidence, resolve and hope. Or we can turn back to the dangerous illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no threat. We can continue to work to create jobs, reform education and lower the cost of health care. Together, we're moving America forward. I'm George W. Bush and I approve this message. -- We repeat our challenge to Comedy Central's Jon Stewart (Hardball joined last night in progress) Finally tonight, my friend Jon Stewart, the host of The Daily Show, has a little bone to pick with HARDBALL. Here is what he said last night at the beginning of his show. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, THE DAILY SHOW) JON STEWART, HOST: I wanted to tell you a little story about the business, give you a little insight into how the show is made. We had an opportunity to have on the program on the 16th of this month, Bishop Desmond Tutu, who... (LAUGHTER) STEWART: ... as you know, won a Noble Peace Prize. He was going to come on the program. We were very excited. We have had a Noble Peace Prize winner before. We had Dr. Kissinger, but his Nobel Peace Prize, of course, given ironically. (LAUGHTER) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) STEWART: But Bishop Desmond Tutu, unfortunately, what we found out was, on the 18th, two days later, Bishop Desmond Tutu is scheduled to go on Chris Matthews` shows, the one that`s -- it`s called (EXPLETIVE DELETED) HARDBALL. HARDBALL. (APPLAUSE) STEWART: And they won`t let Bishop Desmond Tutu be on our show first. (BOOING) STEWART: I guess they are playing, what`s the word I`m looking for, HARDBALL. (LAUGHTER) (END VIDEO CLIP) MATTHEWS: OK, Jon, direct to you, I`ll give you a bishop if you give me a Stewart. You come here, the bishop goes there. In fact, the bishop goes there and we`ll hope you will do the show. All this and a new Mortman column to boot: Kerry campaign plays the spouse card...'Husband of'
Tonight's Hardball Lineup, March 12, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7 pm ET, 11 pm ET 4 am ET or if you live in Portland (Oregon not Maine) tune in at 4 pm PT, 8 pm PT 1 am PT First up...Jon Stewart was out last night again blasting Hardball over the Desmond Tutu booking flap and having some fun at our expense...We'll roll the clip and Chris renews our offer...You'll not want to miss it... But first, we follow up on the tragic terror attack out of Spain and get the latest from NBC's Norah O'Donnell on the north lawn and Robin Wright from the Post newsroom...We'll talk about the President's response and his wreath laying ceremony at the Spanish Ambassador's residence... And the ad wars are heating up with the new release of a John Kerry spot responding to Bush's attack ad yesterday...We're calling the segment Ad wars part II...They're not all that tough by our Hardball standards but its a start at least...We've got Bush spokesman Terry Holt going at it with Kerry advisor Mark Mellman on the set...It's gonna get a little hot in studio N6 tonight... Then we'll do a little something I'm calling Iraq war stories...Rick Atkinson (The Washington Post), David Zucchino (L.A. Times) NBC's own Chip Reid discuss the Iraq war embedded experience. It's a really cool segment and that'll take us to 3/4 past the hour... The last couple of blocks we'll interview a good friend of Chris', Ron Owens...He's a day time radio talk show host out of San Francisco (KGO-AM 810)...My grandma used to listen to him until she went hard right and switched the dial to KSFO and Michael Savage...Be that as it may, Ron has a new book out titled Voice of Reason about the radical center in this country and why we must as Americans eschew the political extremes...Maybe grandma needs to read it...We'll talk about the CA Supreme Court order to immediately halt the same sex marriage licenses being issued in San Francisco (what I'm calling Banned in San Fran)...We'll also get Ron's take on the Bush-Kerry match-up and he'll reveal who he voted for over the last 20 years for president...Here's Ron's website http://www.ronn.com/ And in other news... Our buddy Robert Cox is tangling with the big boys over at the gray lady...In Hardball land Chris always likes to quote P.T. Barnum: If you want a crowd, start a fight...A cyber-gadfly, hit with a copyright-infringement charge by The New York Times, yesterday stripped his Web site of a Times parody and watched it pop up elsewhere online. (NY Daily News) http://www.nydailynews.com/03-12-2004/business/story/172603p-150473c.html Where would our website be without the talent of Sam Go? She checks in the latest from our favorite reality show The Apprentice: Fired 'Apprentice' contestant says racial slur used on the show...Accused contestant denies use of 'n' word http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4514795/ Our friend and queen of Washington snark, Ana Marie Cox, over at http://wonkette.com does her Thursday with Tina routine, slicin and dicing the latest Tina Brown column which we missed in yesterday's Briefing http://www.wonkette.com/archives/thursdays_with_tina_mirror_mirror_on_the_wall_edition_013853.php Have a great weekend...If the Lord is willing, the creek don't rise and Grand Jury don't meet we'll see you on Monday, with another great lineup... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Sen. John Kerry refuses to provide any information to support his assertion earlier this week that he has met with foreign leaders who beseeched him to prevail over President Bush in November's election. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040312-120719-7926r.htm Court halts S.F. gay marriages...The California Supreme Court halted same-sex marriages in San Francisco and said Thursday that it would hear a case in May or June on the legality of such ceremonies. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4508782/ '04 slugfest may appeal to, not repel, voters...It isn't even spring. Most voters have yet to see a daffodil. But it feels like October in the presidential campaign. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-03-12-cover-election-season_x.htm Fineman: The Bush vs. McCain rivalry...Truth be told, John McCain really can't stand George W. Bush, even if he agrees with him on a lot of things, especially Iraq. It's amusing for us political reporters to watch the senator from Arizona struggle with the role fate handed him: riding shotgun on the Bush re-election stagecoach. Howard Fineman reports. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4506988/ Senate OKs $2.36 trillion budget...Senate approval of a $2.36 trillion budget easing President Bush's tax-cutting and spending plans shifts the spotlight to the House, where a similar package has so far bounced along a rocky road.
Blix, Friedman, Buchanan Kay tonight on Hardball
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs at 7 pm, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT We're rollin' tonight on a heavy foreign policy tip with a little Pat thrown in to do some old school Nixon era reminiscing...We lead with fmr. chief UN weapons inspector guy Hans Blix who's shopping a new book and background on the lead up to the Iraq war. What did he know and when did he know it? And what's the story on his claim that Bush administration officials tried to vilify and crucify him...He's also has some juicy things to say about Dick Cheney and other memoirs of dealing with the big boys in the Bush administrationYou know Chris will definitely be on fire for this one... Then we'll get reax and perspective from another fmr. weapons inspector dude turned NBC News analyst turned weapons inspector dude turned NBC News analyst, David Kay... At the half hour we'll drop some serious gravitas on you with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman on the Spanish elections, Iraq and John Kerry's claim that several foreign leaders privately want Kerry to beat Bush...Yesterday, Colin Powell lashed out at that assertion...We've got the tape cut and ready roll...Whether Chris will take the bite is anyone's guess...We'll get Friedman's take on it all... And here's the really cool segment...Pat Buchanan will discuss his time in the Nixon White House when John Kerry was a nuisance to them as an anti-war activist and Nixon was deliberating on how do deal with Kerry's rising popularity and agitation...Pat will give us an exclusive look at a 1971 memo he wrote to then chief of staff H.R. Haldeman on Kerry... Pls join us tonight... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC 2 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq...A roadside bomb in Saddam Hussein's hometown killed two American soldiers and wounded four Saturday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4448093/ Spain vows to pull troops from Iraq...Spain on Monday began looking towards a new government -- one that has promised to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq in July -- after voters ousted the ruling party Sunday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4522638/ President Bush on Monday congratulated Spain's newly elected Socialist prime minister who ousted the Spanish leadership that had supported Bush in the Iraq war. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=43TG5D051CPSICRBAE0CFEY?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4571044 Blix backgrounder: Arms and the Man...A memoir of the U.N.'s search for WMDs in Iraq. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A49753-2004Mar11?language=printer Kerry defensive on 'foreign leaders' claim...Powell doubts claim that Bush administration lost friends (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4531796/ Like some before him, Kerry snared by large boasts...Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday challenged Sen. John Kerry, the likely Democratic nominee, to identify the foreign leaders who he says want to see him elected president. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040315-122457-7534r.htm The United States has no evidence now that al-Qaida was behind the railway bombings in Spain, Bush administration officials said Sunday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040314/D81ADQF80.html President Bush, hoping to move Pennsylvania to his win column in this year's election, is reaching out to voters in the state by touting record home ownership in America - a bright spot in the economy. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040315/D81AS4QG0.html Candidates narrow focus to 18 states...The election-night mapmakers created an indelible image of political America in 2000: red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats, and a handful of states, crowned by disputed Florida, that remained competitive until the very end. Campaign 2004 begins where 2000 left off. (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4529049/ Balz Analysis: For Bush, new role, different script...Reelection campaign notable for defensive tone http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4523624/ Raising the Volume...It's only March, but it feels like September on the campaign trail. A TIME guide to the suddenly fast and loud presidential race http://www.time.com/time/election2004/article/0,18471,600858,00.html Bush administration officials continue to hold out hope that weapons of mass destruction stockpiles will be found in Iraq. But even if they're not, they say, the war to topple Saddam Hussein was still worthwhile. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040315/D81AQRRG0.html W's attack dogs bite back...On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the first bombs in Baghdad, President Bush's inner circle hit back in a coordinated attack at political opponents who hope to use the war against him. (NY Daily News)
Perle, Holbrooke Latest on Baghdad Bombing
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET and 4p, 8p 1a PT By now you've seen the tragic images and events unfolding out of Iraq: Deadly blast hits Baghdad hotel...Apparent car bombing kills at least 27, injures 41 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4448093/ ..The blast left a crater about 8 by 10 feet in the street in front of the five-story Mount Lebanon Hotel where Iraqis, Europeans and Americans were all staying, according to someone who made it out of the building. The explosion was deafening, shaking buildings and shattering (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1234-2004Mar17.html We will meet this test with strength and resolve. Democracy is taking root in Iraq and there is no turning back, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. This is a time of testing, he added. We will continue to stay to finish the job for the Iraqi people. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=584e=3u=/nm/20040317/pl_nm/iraq_blast_bush_dc Today we know that the mission is not finished, hostilities have not ended, and our men and women in uniform fight on almost alone with the target squarely on their backs, Kerry said at George Washington University. Every day they face danger and death from suicide bombers, roadside bombers, and now, ironically, from the very Iraqi police they are training. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4547422/ Had the decision belonged to Senator Kerry, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today in Iraq. In fact, Saddam Hussein would almost certainly still be in control of Kuwait, Cheney said in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040317/D81CB9PG0.html As you might imagine we're busy gathering all the latest news and getting all of our proverbial ducks in order...We'll lead with NBC's Chip Reid live from Baghad then we'll get reax from Andrew Mitchell at the State department and David Gregory from the White House... We come back with BC04 spokesman/Fmr. NYC police chief/fmr. sr. advisor to the U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, Bernard Kerik, on the President's response... Then we'll talk to one of the top intellectual godfathers of this war, Richard Perle. A man whose intellectual output needs no introduction.. Representing John Kerry tonight is fmr. Clinton UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke...Then we wrap the show with The Washington Post's David Ignatius on the latest Pew Poll: A Year After Iraq War...Mistrust of America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=206 I defy you to find a better lineup in prime time television tonight...Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC In Case You Missed It: Biden endorses a fusion ticket: Kerry-McCain...Democrat's 'Hardball' comments likely to fuel new speculation http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4542473/ Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said yesterday that President Bush's decision to send troops to Iraq appears to have contributed to the bombing deaths of 201 people in Spain. (AP) http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/03/17/dean_ties_madrid_bombing_to_iraq?mode=PF Presidential candidate John Kerry said Wednesday he does not share fellow Democrat Howard Dean's position that President Bush's decision to send troops to Iraq appears to have been a factor in the Spanish train bombing. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040317/D81C7BEG0.html As anniversary of war nears, Kerry rips Bush...Democrat says president spread military too thin http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4547422/ CIA had video of bin Laden...NBC's Lisa Myers has exclusive information on what may have been missed opportunities - by both the Bush and Clinton administrations - to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4540958/ A new television ad by a liberal interest group admits President Bush has created jobs - in places like China - while another anti-Bush spot accuses the president of lying to Americans about the reasons for going to war in Iraq. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4548284/ Powell: Al-Qaida is on the defensive...Secretary of State visits coalition forces in Afghanistan (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4544206/ Spain's new leader stays firm on Iraq pullout...Calls occupation 'fiasco,' plans to withdraw troops by June 30 (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4522638/ Nader campaign gives Bush a boost in polls...Democrats who cringed publicly upon Ralph Nader's entry into the presidential race are finding merit to their fears, as the independent candidate is cutting a wide swath into the party's base. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040317-122908-7194r.htm Nightly: Nixon targeted Kerry
Kick Your Monday Off the Hardball Way
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT You know the big news stories out there today: Fmr. counterterrorism guy Richard Clarke slamming the Bush administration with the splash of his new book Against all Enemies and the assassination by Israel of the Hamas leader...We've got both stories covered for you tonight but first I want to clue you in on a special treat... As you know, Hardball is on the forefront of providing you with the latest political ads barraging the airwaves with strikes, counterstrikes and the like...Tonight we take it to the next level...Kickin' it up a notch if you will...David Shuster, Howard Mortman and producer Christina Jamison take you inside the world of political ad making by actually producing several ads themselves and bringing you the process from soup to nuts, idea brainstorming to finished product...And I'm not just plugging this because I make a cameo in Shuster's package...I'm not that egotistical...The spot takes you behind the scenes of the production process and portions of it are filmed in our little suite of executive cubicles which you'll want to see so you get a sense of what it looks like in the Hardball nerve center... I dare the other shows to try that! By the way, dig our new special website Hardball Hardshots which chronicles the daily to and fro between Kerry Bush http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4497771/ But that's not all for you tonight...We've got more...Much more...We lead with David Gregory from the north lawn with the latest Beltway brouhaha swirling around former NSC guy Richard Clarke and his big fuss book just released (If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, I've got all the links below)...Then Florida Senator and fmr. Intel Committee chairman Bob Graham weighs in... We go to break and then speak with White House spokesman Jim Wilkinson who'll respond to Clarke Graham... BTW, Dick Cheney was on Rush today going on the offensive against Clarke... Later in the show we speak with Palestinian legislative council member Hanan Ashwari and Israeli cabinet minister and Knesset member Uzi Landau...They will of course discuss the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and what it means for peace and stability in the Middle East... We round out the show with the Shuster ad stuff... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Memoir Criticizes Bush 9/11 Response...President Pushed Iraq Link, Aide Says (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13607-2004Mar21.html White House at war with ex-terrorism chief...President accused of having 'ignored' al-Qaida before 9/11 (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4568982/ When you compare Dick Clarke's current rhetoric with his past comments and actions, the bedrock of his assertions comes crumbling down, said chief presidential spokesman Scott McClellan. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040322/D81FGV2G0.html Condi Rice: 9/11: For The Record http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13881-2004Mar21.html 2 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq...Insurgents fired a rocket at American troops in western Iraq, killing two soldiers, while in Baghdad, rockets fired toward the coalition headquarters Sunday killed two Iraqi civilians and wounded a U.S. soldier. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4551230/ Hamas leader killed...In a move likely to escalate Palestinian-Israeli violence, Israeli forces killed Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of the violent Islamic Hamas movement, in a missile attack in Gaza early Monday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4575552/ Yassin was ideological force behind Hamas...Unyielding rejectionist attitude marked him for death by Israel (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4577891/ Calls for vengence, calls for restraint...Reaction to the assassination of Sheik Yassin (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4577902/ The United States strongly denied any involvement in the assassination on Monday of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and appealed for calm in the region following his death. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4620770 Newsweek: Missed terror signs...Bin Laden was a threat, but Clinton never pushed it and Bush seemed more interested in Saddam. What went wrong http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4571338/ FBI Budget Squeezed After 9/11...Request for New Counterterror Funds Cut by Two-Thirds (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13541-2004Mar21.html Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Sunday he has asked for copies of a new book in which a former White House counterterrorism coordinator accuses the Bush administration of manipulating America into war with Iraq with dangerous consequences. (AP)
The Hardball Briefing for March 23, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 4 am ET 4, 8 1a PT We bring you the latest on the 9/11 Commission hearing on the Hill today which has the Beltway all in a tizzy today and will also tomorrow...Rummy, Powell Madame Secretary (Albright that is) were the star witnesses...Bill Cohen was in the house as well (he said OBL personally wanted him dead, even issued a fatwah)We'll talk live with a couple Commission members: fmr Senator Bob Kerrey (He's got the second e in his name, John doesn't) and fmr. WA senator Slade Gorton about what we learned today... More fallout from the release of the Clarke book on 9/11, Iraq, terrorism and the Bush administration...We'll talk to Clarke's successor Wayne Downey and Clarke's fmr. deputy Roger Cressey at 1600 Pennsylvania AveCressey was one of a handful in the Situation Room on September 12, 2001 with Clarke when Bush closed the door and said basically find me any shred of evidence to see if Iraq was behind 9/11 even though he was told earlier that Al-Qaeda was behind 9/11...The White House disputes this meeting ever taking place... Clarke book précis (I finally found a way to work that word in the Briefing): http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040322/D81F3KG80.html We'll also talk to Trent Lott and Bill Richardson about the hearings, the Clarke book and something about the Dem Veepstakes but I got distracted by a phone call and missed the tail end of the interview... Today is the first anniversary of the capture of 8 U.S. soldiers including Jessica Lynch. We'll talk to two of those POW's, former specialist Shoshana Johnson and Specialist Patrick Miller who were imprisoned alongside Jessica Lynch... By the way did you read The Reliable Source today? In case you missed it...Chris Matthews, Not Smarting From Bush's Dumb Brother Joke (The Reliable Source) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16282-2004Mar22.html You saw the man behind Shuster's ads last night, now read his hilarious new piece...We give you Mortman's latest: How Bush can keep the media in stitches Tips to keep the laughs flowing at annual dinner http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4575461/ PS we've got the video up on our site of Shuster's ads...Click scroll http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4548790/ BTW, if any of you missed it last night, we ran a clip from last Friday's interview with Bishop Tutu...Chris Tutu had some words for Comedy Central's Jon Stewart... We join last night's show progress Last Friday, we ran out of time with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, but we wanted to show you what you missed. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MATTHEWS: Well, Archbishop Tutu, it seems like you`ve come here and it`s created something of a turmoil between myself and one of my friends and rivals, Jon Stewart. He wanted to have you on the show, but I got you on the show. And I want to show him your book. And thanks to me and my good offices, Archbishop Tutu, the Nobel Prize winner, is willing to send you a book as well, Jon. So don`t complain. Be happy. Archbishop Tutu, do you have a comment for Jon Stewart? ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU, SOUTH AFRICAN LEADER: Yes, well, as the chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission... (LAUGHTER) TUTU: ... I`ll come between you two guys. Next time, I`ll come to your show, Jon. MATTHEWS: OK, Well, that`s a good way to handle it. (LAUGHTER) MATTHEWS: Your turn next, Jon. (END VIDEOTAPE) MATTHEWS: History in the making. End Transcript Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC U.S. OK'd plan to topple Taliban a day before 9-11...Disclosure comes as panel begins public hearing http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4585010/ President Bush said Tuesday he would have acted more quickly against al-Qaida if he had information before Sept. 11, 2001, that a terror attack against New York City was imminent. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040323/D81G972O0.html Clinton, Bush Chose Diplomacy Prior to 9/11...Administrations Failed to Aggressively Pursue Bin Laden (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17097-2004Mar23.html He was very precise in issuing a personal 'fatwa' against me. I was put on a list, there was a price tag, there were several attempts that I don't want to go into details about going after me, Cohen told a national commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4637613 Even if the United States had gone after al Qaeda before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks it might not have prevented them from taking place, Secretary of State Colin Powell told investigators on Tuesday. (Reuters)
The Hardball Briefing for March 24, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT Tonight we bring you the latest from Day 2 of the 9/11 Commission hearing...Richard Clarke testifies and we'll bring you his explosive testimony...He's the guy with the new book on Bush, 9/11 Iraq that we've been discussing the last couple of shows...We'll talk to Newsweek sleuth Mike Isikoff who is covering the hearings plus reaction from the White House from David Gregory...(unless he's crashing on a Nightly News spot in which case we'll get an appropriate replacement)...We'll also chat with Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) who was chairman of the Senate Intel committee during 9/11... Ron Reagan and BC '04 spokesman Terry Holt will do some political analysis for us and legendary comedian George Carlin rounds out the show On Friday we'll have a special on the wounded troops back from Iraq...Chris visited Walter Reed hospital and spent time with the wounded soldiers...We'll show you these compelling men and their stories...You won't want to miss it Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Panel: Confusion hindered efforts to get bin Laden...Tenet says CIA worked dilligently to track the al-Qaida leader (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4592469/ Clarke to Testify on 9/11 Today...Author of Book Critical of Bush Bridged Two Administrations (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18978-2004Mar23.html Blame game avoided at 9/11 hearing...Unity is surprising theme on Day One (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4588729/ Faulty and incomplete intelligence prevented three military attacks against al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 1998 and 1999, according to a commission investigating the September 11 terrorist attacks. (The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040324-121418-4081r.htm Forgotten Lessons...The Clinton era should have taught the Bush administration that fighting terrorism does not mix well with domestic politics. The drama surrounding the 9/11 commission suggests that it didn't (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4588255/ U.S. patrol attacked in Iraq...Insurgents attacked a U.S. patrol in Fallujah early Wednesday and an ensuing battle left three civilians dead and three wounded. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4551230/ Bush Backs Israel on Self-Defense...U.N. Begins Debate Over Killing of Hamas Founder (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18980-2004Mar23.html Hamas chief says U.S. not a target...Rantisi backs off from earlier threat against Americans (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4575552/ Kerry to visit Michigan: Allies of Democrat John Kerry in this down-on-its-luck industrial state are armed with depressing statistics on unemployment and poverty, hoping to persuade voters to blame President Bush for the hit on their pocketbooks. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040324/D81GQ0500.html For young Americans who care more about G-Unit than the GOP, choosing their favorite music videos on MTV's Total Request Live may be as close as they've come to the democratic process. (AP) http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--mtv-republicans0323mar23,0,6216962.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire Morano: Five days after CNSNews.com reported that Democrat John Kerry had attended a 1971 anti-war meeting at which the possible assassination of U.S. senators was discussed, the presidential hopeful is still backpedaling on statements regarding his whereabouts during that meeting. http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200403\NAT20040324a.html Democratic spending as team effort...Groups' advertisements level field for Kerry (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4588730/ Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry has accused President Bush of shortchanging the nation's veterans by cutting the Department of Veterans Affairs budget, increasing many veterans' health care costs and excluding thousands more from the system altogether. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18958-2004Mar23.html Opinion/Editorial The Washington Post: The 9/11 Debate http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19205-2004Mar23.html Steiner Cartoon http://www.washtimes.com/national/steiner.htm 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
Democrats Unify at Dinner and 9/11 Hearings Review
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET and 4p, 8p 1a PT We'll get to the Briefing in a moment but first a programming note...It's not often we send Chris out on field which makes tomorrow's show very unique...We bring you a special segment from Walter Reed hospital where Chris visited with wounded troops back from Iraq...Chris tells us he was moved by the soldiers he met and is looking forward to sharing the experience...You'll not want to miss it... A couple editorial strings we're gathering today revolve around the 9/11 Commission hearings and the big DNC dinner...Dean endorsed Kerry today and the grand poohbahs of the party hold a big unity dinner with Clinton and Carter...Our own David Shuster will cover the dinner for us and we'll dip in and out of it throughout the show... The Democrats will also unite themselves with about $11 million big ones as a result of the dinner...Unfortunately not all Dems are in the Kumbaya spirit...Moseley-Braun and Kucinich will not be in attendance (not sure if it's a simple scheduling snafu or that Braun is holding out for another ambassadorship and Kucinich a Secretary of Peace appointment)...Fineman Trippi will be at the dinner tonight so maybe they can sort it out for us.. We'll also show you the new ads released by BC04... On the 9/11 Commission issue, we'll talk to former SecDef under Clinton/Maine Senator William Cohen who testified the other day...He'll give us reax and tell us what it all means for President Bush, our understanding of 9/11 and the upcoming election...We also talk to 9/11 widow Kristen Breitweiser who will give us her thoughts on the hearings and if she feels satisfied with where the investigation is heading... And yes we were all at the big Correspondents dinner last night...Too many names to recount...Everyone was there...Although I was especially impressed to see Sam and Omarosa from The Apprentice but I wasn't about to jock them...Even The Donald showed up (Trump, not sure about Rummy)...The President had a funny comedic routine in the theme of a White House photo gallery although some were upset that he joked about not finding any Iraqi WMDs...Much of the fun was had of course at the post parties held by the big 3 major cable networks...MSNBC was the only one with the famous chocolate fountain, however (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62408-2004Mar16.html) Who really needs a dance floor vodka bar anyway? It's actually funny watching stiff Washingtonians dance in their formal wear. We're not really into that kind of thing. Nonetheless, Washington's media/political establishment were doing there best to get their groove on. But the night was not without controversy...Kerry just issued a release on the President's WMD jokes: If George Bush thinks his deceptive rationale for going to war is a laughing matter, then he's even more out of touch than we thought. Unfortunately for the President, this is not a joke. 585 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in the last year, 3,354 have been wounded, and there's no end in sight. George Bush, Entertainer In Chief...At Radio-TV Dinner, President Competes With Trump's Show (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22713-2004Mar25.html Bush put on a slide show, calling it the White House Election-Year Album at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association 60th annual dinner, showing himself and his staff in some decidedly unflattering poses. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4596717/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC President Bush, fearing political backlash over the loss of U.S. jobs, casts Democratic rival John Kerry as a tax-raising threat to the American economy in a new television commercial airing Thursday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040325/D81HGGEG2.html Clarke: Government 'failed you'...President Bush's former counterterrorism adviser, the star witness at hearings into the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, apologized to the families of the victims Wednesday, testifying that your government failed you. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4568982/ Milbank Analysis: Clarke stays cool under fire...Ex-Bush adviser not rattled by GOP attacks (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4596317/ Fournier Analysis: Clarke hurts Bush on signature issue...Ex-official's accusations may have election impact http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4600713/ Panel: Confusion, Afghan 'proxies' hurt terror fight...Tenet, Berger insist U.S. heeded terror threat (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4592469/ Transcript of committee interim report...Panel finds significant diplomatic efforts by Clinton http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4586448/ Kerry gets loud and clear Dean endorsement...Clinton, Carter joining Democratic
The Hardball Briefing for March 29, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET4p, 8p 1a PT Lots more stuff to talk about tonight RE: 9/11 Commission, Will she or won't she? (Condi testify under oath), The White House campaign to correct Richard Clarke's recollection of his years as counterterrorism czar and the political fallout thereof... We're really jammin' and Mortman is out this week so I'm on banner duty which means writing those cute and informative factoids you see in the lower third of your TV screen during the show... Here's our lineup... Lee Hamilton, 9-11 Commission co-chair does the continuing brouhaha over the hearings and the Condi V. Clarke story... Roger Cressey, Clarke's former deputy and current business partner weighs in on Clarke's behalf http://www.goodharbor.net/sides/aboutus-cressey.html A group of 9/11 families are ticked off at Clarke, his testimony and his book...They wrote an open letter to Clarke which appeared in the NY Post yesterdayWe'll talk to one of the signatories to the letter No Thanks Mr. Clarke http://nypost.com/seven/03282004/postopinion/opedcolumnists/17665.htm In the back half we'll talk to Congressman David Dreier and Ron Suskind, author of The Price of Loyalty (you know that one about Paul O'Neill and the inside scoop on the Bush White House?)...Those two will debate the Condi V. Clarke story and the White House strategy vis-a-vis the 9/11 Commission...It gets a little heated between those two trust me... Finally, Howard Fineman wraps it all for us with the White House 2004 angle, the latest polls and his reporters notebook on the White House's negotiations to get Condi to testify... PS A special shout out and major kudos to Briefing subscriber Robert Cox over at http://thenationaldebate.com who was instrumental in reshaping the New York Times' corrections policy on the editorial page...As you know his website played Hardball with the Times (parodying their corrections policy) which caused some heartburn over at The Grey Lady...They tried to shut him down but ultimately he prevailed...His ideas and name appear below... http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/weekinreview/28bott.html?pagewanted=printposition= Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC Rice steadfast in refusal to publicly testify...Pressure grows for open testimony from national security adviser http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4601195/ The White House looked for a deal on Monday with the Sept. 11, 2001, commission under which national security adviser Condoleezza Rice would appear in private before the panel, but it refused to budge in the face of demands she testify in public and under oath. (Reuters) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyncid=578e=1u=/nm/20040329/pl_nm/security_rice_dc 9/11 Hearings Backgrounder http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4601064/ Bush welcomes seven new NATO nations...White House ceremony showcases new European defense http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4623309/ Clarke wants info declassified...Richard Clarke, the former chief counterterrorism adviser at the White House, told NBC's Meet the Press Sunday that he would welcome the attempt by Republicans to declassify his testimony before Congress. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4619346/ Several hundred people stormed the small yard of President Bush's chief political strategist, Karl Rove, yesterday afternoon, pounding on his windows, shoving signs at others and challenging Rove to talk to them about a bill that deals with educational opportunities for immigrants. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31890-2004Mar28.html A Massachusetts police officer describes his Democratic senator, John Kerry, as a presidential candidate who likes higher taxes in a radio ad that President Bush's re-election campaign began airing nationwide Monday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040329/D81K9C0O0.html Cheney: Kerry would erase Bush tax cuts...Vice president seeks to bolster president's standing on economy (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4623329/ Sen. John Kerry brought his presidential campaign to a St. Louis church Sunday, mixing preaching with politics, and Scripture with soul. (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/St.+Louis+City+%2F+County/C880131FB7D7C7D686256E660025D041?OpenDocumentHeadline=Kerry+preaches+jobs+at+church+in+city John Kerry cited a Bible verse Sunday to criticize leaders who have faith but has no deeds, prompting President Bush's spokesman to accuse Kerry of exploiting Scripture for a political attack. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694u=/ap/20040329/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_21printer=1 John Kerry lashed out at Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday, accusing Cheney of distorting his Senate record on taxes as the
The Hardball Briefing for March 30, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p, 4a ET out west at 4p, 8p 1a PT Big news today as Condi agrees to testify in public under oath...Bush Cheney will testify jointly but not under oath (Don't ask me, I don't know what that means either)...We focus on this for the hour and how this will all shake out politically with Commissioners Jim Thompson (R) Richard Ben-Veniste (D) from the Commission plus an update on the day's news from David Gregory on the White House's north lawn and Lisa Meyers from the Bureau We'll also get reaction from a couple of Hill veterans, Anna Eshoo (D) from California and Dana Rohrabacher from California...She's from the Northern Silicon Valley area around San Mateo County, Woodside Stanford...Rohrabacher is from the southern LA/Orange County, Huntington Beach area... Then we wrap it up with Tony Blankley and Washington Wiseman David Gergen slicing and dicing the White House's handling of this And finally David Shuster offers up two distinct packages tonight...One on the latest ad wars and the other on the latest political tomes to hit the book shelves... And don't forget...Richard Clarke tomorrow for the full hour...Chris is flying up to New York to do it...This is definitely one of those must see interviews...Unpredictable as Chris said on Imus...Maybe you've seen him on other shows, but you know good and well that we're not like other shows... Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Mortman: Clarke's creative writing...In his new book, Richard Clarke heads straight for the politicos. He gets real juicy - liberally taking pot shots at President Bush while heaping praise on President Clinton. And he makes pop political references, which some might find odd for a counterterrorism czar. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4624813/ NBC: Rice to testify in public, under oath...Bush, Cheney also agree to speak before entire 9/11 panel http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4623066/ Most Americans still approve of President Bush's leadership in the war on terrorism, even after a week of accusations that he failed to pay enough attention to intelligence warnings before the Sept. 11 attacks. (USA Today) http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/2004-03-29-poll_x.htm Bush, Kerry clash over gas prices...President unveils ad; rival unveils plan to curb cost (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4630191/ Vintage cars spin around a police officer, prices rise on an old-fashioned gas pump and a man wearing a chauffeur-style hat pumps fuel in a new campaign ad from President Bush that claims Democratic rival John Kerry supports high gas taxes. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040330/D81KUUG00.html Although President Bush has been battered by a former aide's claim that he did nothing to counter the al-Qaida threat before the Sept. 11 attacks, a poll released Monday finds American voters still consider Bush far stronger than Democratic rival John Kerry in defending the country against terrorism. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040329/D81K8TJ01.html John Kerry is looking to name a running mate early - by the end of May - to help raise money, build momentum and serve as an attack dog, sources said yesterday. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/22159.htm H.J. Heinz Co. has launched an election-year campaign of its own, this one to distance the ketchup maker from what is shaping up to be an acrimonious presidential race. (AP) http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=509u=/ap/20040329/ap_on_bi_ge/politics_of_businessprinter=1 Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, responding to remarks by a top U.S. official that outsourcing can be good for the economy, said the Bush administration isn't facing reality _ at least reality in upstate New York. (AP) http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--snow-outsourcing-0330mar30,0,2948211.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, al Qaeda's purported operations chief, has told U.S. interrogators that the group had been planning attacks on the Library Tower in Los Angeles and the Sears Tower in Chicago on the heels of the September 11, 2001, terror strikes. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040330-120655-9785r.htm The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the government does not have to release 11-year-old photographs from the suicide of Clinton administration White House lawyer Vincent Foster. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040330/D81KP6KO0.html UK police arrest 8 terror suspectsLondon police arrested eight men Tuesday and seized half a ton of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer that can be used to make bombs, in anti-terror raids in and near the British capital. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4629706/ Pakistan: Al-Qaida chief not killedAn al-Qaida suspect
Richard Clarke's In The House For Full Hour Tonight
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET and 4p, 8p 1a PT You've yearned, hungered and longed for this night...It's finally here and you've got a front row seat...Chris goes one on one with Richard Clarke for the full hour...I know he's been on other shows but there's nothing like a Chris Matthews interview...Chris asks the questions about 9/11, the War on Terror, Iraq and the people and motives behind it all...The kind of stuff you won't hear anywhere else...Break out the TV dinner tray, pop the popcorn, make your favorite dinner and chill freestyle... And please...Don't be alarmed by the different atmosphere...Chris is doing the interview from the softer looking Norville set at 30 Rock not from Washington... Here's a little aperitif to whet your appetite http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4639380/ And after the interview, come back to the Briefing hit reply and give me a brief paragraph with your thoughts on tonight's show...Trust me, when Chris walks into the office tomorrow he'll say to me first thing What's new, what are you hearing from your people? That's our code for What are the Briefing readers thinking? So you gotta give me some ammo to present to him... Keep it Real Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC 9 Americans, including 4 civilians, killed in Iraq...Contractors' bodies mutilated, dragged through Fallujah's streets (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4551230/ The White House on Wednesday blamed terrorists and remnants of Saddam Hussein's former regime for the attack. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters, There are some that are doing everything they can to try to prevent a June 30 transfer of sovereignty to an Iraqi government...The four contractors were U.S. citizens, State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli told reporters in Washington. (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37891-2004Mar31.html NBC News: Those killed today included both former Seals and former Delta Force members who worked for Black Water USA http://blackwaterusa.com 2nd deadliest month for U.S. since war's end...Toll hits 48 for March after death of 5 soldiers in Fallujah (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4638538/ President Bush's former counterterrorism adviser objected Wednesday to the use of his name and critical comments about Bush in a new broadcast advertisement from a political group supporting Democratic candidate John Kerry. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4639661/ Rice expected to testify next week...9/11 panel will also hear separately from Bush, Cheney (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4637234/ When she testifies publicly before the Sept. 11 commission, Condoleezza Rice will be making an election-year defense of the Bush's administration's anti-terrorism policy prior to the 2001 attacks. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040331/D81LHRG80.html An emotional former President George H.W. Bush on Tuesday defended his son's Iraq war and lashed out at White House critics...It is deeply offensive and contemptible to hear elites and intellectuals on the campaign trail dismiss progress in Iraq since last year's overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the elder Bush said in a speech to the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association annual convention. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4704789 Sexual assaults by U.S. military men against their female comrades-in-arms amount to a different kind of friendly fire in the Iraqi-Afghan theater, victims' advocates told members of Congress on Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4716283 White House won't criticize OPEC move...Bush, Kerry squabbling over rising gas prices (Reuters) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4638631/ OPEC's decision to cut crude oil production shows that President Bush has not kept his promise four years ago to pressure the cartel to keep supplies plentiful, Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry said on Wednesday. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNewsstoryID=4713789section=news Kerry undergoing shoulder surgery...Democrat plans to be back on campaign trail soon (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4615078/ President Bush's campaign and the GOP on Wednesday accused the campaign of Democrat John Kerry of illegally coordinating political ads and get-out-the-vote activities with anti-Bush groups and donors including billionaire George Soros. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040331/D81LGUEO0.html Is it a radio business, or is it politics? The two seem inextricably entwined for the leaders of Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network that launched on five stations around the country Wednesday (AP)
The Hardball Briefing for April 2, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET at 4p, 8p 1a PT Tonight's another big night and one you won't want to miss of course but I've been up to me knees in lower third banners so I'm late to the Briefing...Lower third banners? Those cutesy factoids that bring so much editorial enrichment to the segments and quite frankly, take the segment to the next level...They flash at the bottom of your screen and someone has to write them...I've been on banner duty all week... Anywho, we lead with Lisa Meyers and the latest on what the evildoers are up to and the new spooky Al Qaeda documents...Plus, the FBI just put out a new terrorist warning saying those rascals may come after our public transportation system this summer...We'll talk to Lisa and then get some reax and analysis from terrorism expert Neil Livingstone... Did you read that NYT front page article about Bush aides withholding Clinton terror docs? http://nytimes.com/2004/04/02/politics/02PANE.html We'll hash it out with David Frum (Yeah, the axis of evil speechwriter dude) and Clinton impeachment lawyer/counsel uberspinmeister Lanny Davis...And no, Lanny's not too impeachment...Get over it...You'll hear Chris hear use the word exculpate which I find rather classy... The we introduce you to Battleground America and MSNBC's Chris Jansing who takes you directly to New Mexico, a huge battleground state...What's at stake in the Land of Enchantment this November and what's it all mean for Bush Kerry? In the back half of the show, Joe Trippi and BC04 spokesman Tucker Eskew duke it out over the politics of the pump (gas pump that is...We're calling the segment pumped up), the new job figures and David Shuster's package on the air wars which are heating up...He'll dissect the latest Bush/Kerry ads And we wrap up the show with the newest Liberal shock jock, Al Franken...He's got the new radio network, Air America and new show, The O'Franken Factor...Can he compete with Rush, Drudge and all the other big boys of talk radio? All this from the comfort of your own living room...What more could you ask for? Oh and get this...Did you miss the Richard Clarke interview or want to see it again? Tune in on Saturday 5 pm ET or Sunday at Noon ET And dig this...The Washington Times did a big piece in the D section to commemorate the birthday of the late and great DC native Marvin Gaye http://washingtontimes.com/entertainment/20040401-090734-9216r.htm And if you have a hard copy of the Wash Times check out the great pic of Chris on the back of the Metro section Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Memo outlines al-Qaida terror plans...Document lists preferred economic, religious and individual targets http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4647682/ Trains and buses in major U.S cities may be targeted this summer by terrorists using bombs hidden in bags or luggage, federal counterterrorism officials have told law enforcement and transportation officials in a nationwide bulletin. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040402/D81MU4M80.html U.S. gasoline prices hit a new high on Thursday at $1.755 per gallon for self-serve regular, inflicting more pain at the pumps for motorists, the AAA motor club said on Friday. (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4652952/ Kerry and Bush both raise more than $50 million...New records in campaign finance for both parties (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4653422/ Kerry fund-raising signals hope for party...Donations set record, but GOP still out in front (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4649176/ Bush basks in jobs data...Employment report released as president visits hard-hit W. Va. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4652978/ John Kerry's presidential campaign on Thursday again challenged President Bush to one-on-one debates, saying the fiercely negative tone of the White House race has clouded the issues. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4647638/ New Kerry ad rips Bush on jobs...President to respond with broadside on taxes (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4648434/ A financial dispute between Democrat John Kerry's campaign and a key part of his ad-making team has led to a shakeup. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040402/D81MQBD80.html John Kerry, seizing control of his party, tapped Michael Dukakis' 1988 presidential campaign manager to represent his interests at the Democratic National Committee (AP) http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storycid=694ncid=703e=2u=/ap/20040402/ap_on_el_pr/kerry The Sept. 11 commission will hear next week from National security adviser Condoleezza Rice as she tries to defend the Bush administration against criticism for how it handled the terrorism threat before the 2001 suicide hijackings. (AP)
The Hardball Briefing for April 9, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT It was a year ago today that the Saddam statue came down and Baghdad fellTonight we take a look at where we are militarily in Iraq one year later...We'll talk to some military types like ret. Gen. Monty Meigs and get an update on the ground from NBC's Tom Aspell We'll get the view from The Western White House in Crawford with David Gregory concerning the buzz on the PDB...Not to be confused with PDA, PDQ or even PYT...Yes, folks we're talking about the Presidential Daily Brief which is that super secret memo from August 6, 2001 titled Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States. You'll recall that it was the subject of some fairly pointed questions to Dr. Rice yesterday in her testimony...The White House saying they're working hard for declassification and at this hour the CIA is reviewing it for sign off...It's unclear whether this will occur by the time we go to air... What does it all mean? Basically it comes down to What did the Bush administration know before 9/11 and what did they do about? Under pressure from the 9/11 commission, the White House on Friday worked to declassify an intelligence memo that was used to inform President Bush on Aug. 6, 2001, that Osama bin Laden wanted to launch attacks inside the United States. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4794693 We'll also get into the issue of the hearings, the PDB and what is all means with intelligence and terrorism analysts Skip Brandon Neil Livingstone... Finally we talk to famed Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales about the dramatic spectacle of yesterday's hearing...Here's his analysis in the Post this morning http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62757-2004Apr8.html Latest Pentagon Release Date: April 9, 2004 Release No. 040409a COALITION UPDATE BAGHDAD, Iraq - Attacks killed five Coalition service members April 8 and 9. The casualties occurred in the following incidents: · One 1st Cavalry Division Soldier was killed and another wounded at about 8:30 a.m. April 9 when their quick reaction force (QRF) was targeted by a coordinated attack. The QRF was responding to an earlier mortar attack in the vicinity of Camp Cooke. The attack consisted of an IED followed by small arms fire. The wounded Soldier has been returned to duty. The Soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin. · One 13th Corps Support Command soldier and one civilian truck driver are dead and 12 are injured as the result of an attack on their convoy at approximately 12:25 p.m. April 9 near the Baghdad International Airport. The injured were evacuated to Logistics Base Seitz and some were further evacuated by air to combat support hospitals. The names of the dead are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The incident is under investigation. · Three Marines serving with the First Marine Expeditionary Force were killed April 8 as a result of enemy action in the Al Anbar province while conducting security and stability operations. Note: A fourth Marine who died April 8 has already been reported to the press via Release No. 040408a. -30- President Bush Issues Easter Message http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040409/D81RA7M00.html PS NBC News legal eagle Pete Williams guest hosts tonight as Chris is off today... Happy Easter to you all! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC U.S. recaptures one city, but Iraq remains tense...First anniversary of Baghdad's fall comes with British warning (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4667742/ The United States said it unilaterally ordered Marines to stop fighting in the besieged Sunni city of Fallujah on Friday, but after dark the U.S. military apparently rescinded the order as it called in punishing airstrikes from AC-130 gunships. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040409/D81RFDM80.html Insurgents says 2 Americans among 6 hostages...Meantime, Shiite militia denies holding Japanese captive (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4684713/ Bloody turmoil reigned in Iraq on Friday, the first anniversary of Saddam Hussein's fall, with Sunni and Shi'ite rebels battling U.S.-led forces and holding three Japanese and other foreign hostages. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4794322section=news Shiites rally to their Sunni 'brothers'...Fallujah, once Sunni stronghold, gains shared identity (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4697207/ Leaders of Italy, Poland and El Salvador reaffirmed support for a free and democratic Iraq and vowed to defeat insurgents, the White House said on Friday as casualties mounted from attacks on U.S.-led
The Hardball Briefing For April 14, 2004
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Another big day in Washington and Hardball-land as we cover day two of the 9/11 Commission hearings...CIA Director George Tenet and FBI Director Robert Mueller take their turns on the hot seat today...We'll bring you live coverage throughout with political analysis from Howard Fineman and the reportage of David Shuster (live from the hearing) and Dana Priest who has an explosive piece fronting the Post this morning... And later, during our 7 pm ET show we'll wrap up the hearings with Commissioners Slade Gorton (R) Jamie Gorelick (D)...Plus the latest out of Iraq and maybe some more political slicin' and dicin' of last night's POTUS presser...Btw, where's Kerry in all this? He's out today on Iraq and maybe we'll play some sound from that...We'll use that to kick around a discussion on the Iraq/9-11 Commission hearings and how it's all playing out politically as Bush seeks re-election... Briefing must reads Dana: Panel says Bush saw repeated warnings...Tenet: 'System was blinking red' http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4734564/ Mortman: People magazine, Spears get it right on Sept. 11...No demagoguery from this sassy singer http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4733689/ Are you an Apprentice like the rest of us? MSNBC.com's Sam Go throws her support behind Bill on the eve of Thursday's grand finale...Here's why: Bill has the edge on 'The Apprentice'...Throughout the series, he's proven he's a leader http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4704160/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC Tenet: CIA five years away from terror readiness...Intelligence chief tells 9/11 panel more structural changes needed (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4738424/ Bush defends U.S. policy in Iraq...President Bush used a prime-time news conference to reassure the nation about the occupation of Iraq and defend the administration's response to a pre-Sept. 11 memo that warned of al-Qaida threats. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4723799/ Curry: A plea for perseverance - and for a second term...'I don't plan on losing my job,' Bush tells televised press conference http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4732837/ Shales: A Prime Time to Ask The President Questions http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9997-2004Apr13.html Iraqi cleric offers peace proposal...An Iraqi envoy appointed by rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said the cleric had asked him to convey a set of peace proposals to U.S. officials. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4667742/ Fallujah fighting flares, truce in doubt...Baghdad scare as rocket hits Sheraton Hotel (MSNBC) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4667742/ U.S. troops poised to seize al-Sadr in Najaf suburb...U.S. forces massed on the outskirts of Najaf yesterday as part of a campaign to capture anti-American Shi'ite cleric Sheik Muqtada al-Sadr dead or alive. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040414-010335-7691r.htm U.S. warplanes and helicopters firing heavy machine guns, rockets and cannons hammered insurgents Wednesday in the besieged city of Fallujah, and the commander of U.S. Marines here warned that a fragile truce was near collapse. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040414/D81UM8U00.html U.S. Army to extend Iraq combat tours...Move breaks earlier pledge to thousands of soldiers (AP) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4739978/ French journalist freed, U.S. soldier among corpses...Russia pulling workers out of Iraq over violence (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4684713/ John Kerry is caught in a political quagmire: How do you criticize the Bush administration's policy in Iraq without undermining the American troops fighting - and losing their lives - there? (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040414/D81UFG280.html President Bush appears vulnerable on several fronts, including support for whether he deserves re-election and worries about the country's direction, but Democratic rival John Kerry has been unable to capitalize on those weaknesses, a bipartisan poll suggests. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040414/D81UK3V00.html Ashcroft: U.S. 'blinded' to enemies...John Ashcroft blamed the refusal of the FBI and the CIA to work together during the Clinton administration for the failure to detect the Sept. 11 plot, quoting an FBI investigator Tuesday as complaining that whatever has happened to this, someday somebody will die. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4721976/ Wonkette's Gossip Roundup http://www.wonkette.com/archives/gossip_roundup_modest_edition_015065.php Toomey to appear on Friday's edition of Hardball Senate race splits Republicans...Conservative political organizations are at odds over which Republican to support in the Pennsylvania Senate primary between incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Patrick J. Toomey. (The Washington Times)
OBL Tape; Political Food Fight Remembering Kelly
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT So it appears Bin Laden is back with a new audiotape out and he wants to make a deal...A truce with European countries...It basically goes like this: You get all your troops out of Islamic countries and we'll stop the terrorist attacksEurope has responded with a resounding No Dice, Osama. We'll talk to terrorism expert Neil Livingstone Newsweek reporter Richard Wolffe who'll get us up to speed on the tape, its contents and global reaction... We jump back into the Battle for the White House with a little David Shuster cross-talk on the campaign ad wars...Then we open up the arena to our combatants: CREEP spokesman Terry Holt (CREEP, btw, is Nixon-era old school shorthand for committee to re-elect the president) and Tony Coehlo, former Gore campaign chairman, fmr. Dem congressman head of the DCCC back in the '80's...He is widely credited with being the man who first shook the corporate money tree for Democrat's back in the '80's; basically the Tom DeLay for the Dems...In cable TV parlance we call him a strategist. We're expecting him to come to play tonight... Remember Michael Kelly? He was a journalist/columnist with The Atlantic Monthy Washington Post among other outlets during his distinguished career...He also holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first journalist to die in Iraq last year...A new collection of his work has been compiled into a book as an encomium and Ted Koppel wrote a panegyric in the intro...We'll spend much of the back half talking to Ted about Michael, Iraq and the journalists working over there...Ted, btw, was over there for five weeks last year and also covered the Vietnam conflict... Kelly's work during the Clinton impeachment era was some of his best stuff ever...If you agreed with Chris on impeachment you'll love my favorite Kelly piece http://www.usactuary.com/I_Still_Believe.html Kelly was also a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq, which perhaps is why his collection of writings just out is titled Things Worth Fighting For... Pls join us tonight before you get into Apprentice finale mode...Btw, if you're not watching Apprentice I hear that Buchanan Perle mix it up pretty good tonight on Scarborough Country, 10 PM ET...Definitely a TIVO This segment, Robert Cox! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC 'Bin Laden' offers Europe truce...In a recording broadcast on Arab satellite networks Thursday, a man who identified himself as Osama bin Laden offered a truce to European countries that do not attack Muslims. Britain, Germany and Italy quickly spurned the offer. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4743768/ Excerpts from Osama tape: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4744890/ The reasons behind the pre-Sept. 11 intelligence failures just kept growing: not enough staff, poor technology, inadequate information-sharing, a piecemeal approach to intelligence analysis. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040415/D81V93S80.html 3 Japanese hostages released...Three Japanese hostages whose captors said would be burned alive unless Japan withdrew from southern Iraq were released Thursday, Japan's government said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4684713/ Iranian diplomat shot dead in Baghdad...First secretary of embassy is killed in car near embassy (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4746451/ Envoy urges interim Iraqi government...U.N.-appointed administration would take power (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4742390/ Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican ally of President Bush, says Iraq is a mess and voters are rattled. He ought to know: He's attending two funerals this week of servicemen killed in the Persian Gulf nation. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040415/D81V9EOO0.html Iraqi politicians called obstacle to U.S. force...Iraqi politicians are playing a growing role in blocking U.S. commanders from unleashing fatal force on insurgents. (The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040415-124445-9395r.htm Sharon gets big boost from Bush...President Bush's unprecedented U.S. backing for Israel to keep parts of the West Bank lifted support Thursday for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and left angry Palestinian leaders seeking international help. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4724610/ Post Analysis: Backing Sharon could help Bush in NovBut move carries foreign policy risks, too http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4743012/ For the second time since taking office, President Bush marks the April 15 tax-filing deadline in Iowa, a state he is eager to win in November after narrowly losing it in the election four years ago. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040415/D81V972O0.html Kerry Says Bush's Stubbornness Hurts Troops...Policy in Iraq 'Costing Us
More Woodward Analysis Plus NBC CEO Bob Wright
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p 4a ET 4p, 8p 1a PT exclusively on MSNBC Tonight we continue the slicin' dicin' of Woodward's book with James Mann, author of The Rise of the Vulcans (The one about the Bush war Cabinet) Neocon hawk type Frank Gaffney (Center for Security Policy) to hash out Woodward's interview over at black rock last night...Btw, Woodward's in the house on Wednesday so get the TV trays ready... We'll also get some input from Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria...And we'll check in on White House reaction from Howard Fineman...He'll throw in a heavy dollop of political analysis as well.. Couple items to bear in mind today: Kerry hits Bush over Woodward assertions that the Saudis will lower oil (thus gas) prices before November election...Saudis just released a statement denying it... Plus, Chairman CEO of NBC Bob Wright will be here to discuss his piece in today's Wall Street Journal, The Big Chill. (Unfortunately the Journal is totally subscription only so I can't link to the piece but check it out in the editorial section of your hard copy)...Bob argues against further regulation of the televison industry in the wake of Congressional calls to curb indecency on the airwaves...He'll make the case tonight on Hardball... Soon we celebrate Hardball's big 7th anniversary...Would you like to send a congratulatory greeting to Chris? Click here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/ Fineman: The Gospel According to George...The press wanted contrition. Maybe they don't understand the man. Bush's faith will guide him-in Iraq and at the polls http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4767275/ National security adviser Condoleezza Rice forcefully disputed on Sunday an assertion that President Bush decided in early January 2003 to invade Iraq, three months before official accounts say the decision was made. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040419/D821VVBG0.html Kerry slams Bush over Woodward book: Last night ... it was reported that in the Oval Office discussion around whether to invade Iraq that the president, the vice president (Dick Cheney), the secretary of defense (Donald Rumsfeld) made a deal with Saudi Arabia that would deliver lower gas prices, Kerry told a town hall meeting in Lake Worth. But here's the catch, he said. The American people would have to wait until the election, until November of 2004...Now, if this sounds wrong to you, that's because it is fundamentally wrong and if what Bob Woodward reports is true -- that gas supplies and prices in America are tied to the American election, then tied to a secret White House deal -- that is outrageous and unacceptable, http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=O5K02ZPOJJ3YMCRBAEOCFEY?type=topNewsstoryID=4868117 Saudi Arabia said Monday it will not use oil prices to try to sway the U.S. presidential election, denying an allegation that the kingdom would cut petroleum prices before November to boost President George W. Bush's re-election bid. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=4868753 Briefing Buddy Ana Marie Cox gets a massive shout out in Sunday's New York Times...We're very impressed http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/fashion/18WONK.html?ex=1397620800en=f58640baa2cb15f6ei=5007partner=USERLAND We went to Ed Jen Henry's party yesterday for their little son Patrick's 3rd birthday...Spiderman was the theme of the party with music, cake and of course a cameo by the webbed one himself...Ed, of course, was a long time writer of Heard on the Hill over at Roll Call (and a Briefing fan)...He recently defected over to CNN according to The New York Times and will cover Congress for those folks...The new Jonathan Karl we hear...His wife Jen is a PR czar over at Discovery channel...Happy Birthday Patrick! Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC 'I Haven't Suffered Doubt'...Bush wanted to invade Iraq. What's striking, Bob Woodward's new book reports, is how little he discussed it with anyone (Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4756962/ Plan of attack excerpt: With CIA Push, Movement to War Accelerated...Agency's Estimate of Saddam Hussein's Arsenal Became the White House's Rationale for Invasion http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/articles/woodward.html Bush names Negroponte ambassador to Iraq...U.S. diplomat to U.N. would assume post after June 30 handover http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4780027/ Violence stilled amid some progress in Fallujah...U.S. death toll at 99 in April, Bremer issues security warning http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4667742/ Fallujah Leaders Call for Fighters to Turn in Weapons...Commitments Represent First Results of Direct Negotiations (The Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23659-2004Apr19.html 10 GIs
More Abuse Photos Viewed On Capitol Hill
-- The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC -- 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 We've got another action packed show for you tonight as we talk to Guy Womack, a lawyer for Spc. Charles Graner, one of the MPs accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners...Was Graner just one of a few bad apples or was he part of a systemic problem of prisoner abuse? Were he and others engaged in isolated acts of abhorrent behavior or were they deliberately ordered to perform such acts? Today the U.S. Senate is viewing more disturbing photos in a 3 hour, classified briefing...We'll talk to a couple of Senators and find out what's in there: California Democrat and former San Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein (DiFi as she's called by some) and Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe who expressed outrage over the outrage over the pictures (Did I get that right?) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNewsstoryID=5109848 DiFi says Rumsfeld should not quit http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~2142300,00.html We'll also talk to legendary host of the Newshour with Jim Lehrer about his new novel Flying Crows and also get his take on the news of the day...Bet you didn't know he's written 14 novels and a few plays?...The guy's got talent! I look forward to telling him how much I appreciate his show's theme music...It's my favorite...I always flip on my TV stereo surround sound and crank it up at the end when they role credits...Flying Crows Backgrounder http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A6945-2004May6?language=printer We'll also chat with a Washington Post columnist from London, David Ignatius, and get a sense of how the story is playing across the pond...Ignatius Backgrounder http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/opinion/columns/ignatiusdavid/ Another reminder for you SoCal folks who want to tell Chris and the world how much you love us...Record your thoughts here and we might use you in one of our commercials http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4798015/ Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC NBC closes merger with Universal...New media giant to rival Time Warner, Viacom (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4960838/ Senators to view more photosSenators are getting a look at more photos of American soldiers brutalizing Iraqi prisoners but won't have the authority to release the pictures that the Pentagon warns could deepen international fury over the abuses. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4855930/ Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld defended military interrogation techniques in Iraq on Wednesday, rejecting complaints that they violate international rules and may endanger Americans taken prisoner. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040512/D82H5G200.html U.S.: Beheaded civilian was warned to leave Iraq...Al-Qaida-linked Web site claims revenge killing for prisoner abuses (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4953015/ The White House on Wednesday condemned the beheading of American Nick Berg in Iraq and scoffed at the reason the killers gave for the death. (Reuters) http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNewsstoryID=5120515 Lynndie England speaks! Lawyer defends soldier accused of prison abuses...Says Army reservist was smiling but didn't like what she was doing (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4955697/ An American soldier's video diary showing her disdain for Iraqi detainees who died in her charge is to be broadcast by a U.S. network on Wednesday in a further escalation of the prisoner abuse scandal that has shaken the Bush administration and provoked world outrage. (Reuters) http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/402079|top|05-11-2004::20:25|reutershtml General says she was overruled on prisons...Karpinski says she resisted takeover by military intelligence (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4955383/ Iraq's al-Sadr rallies followers to fight U.SShiite cleric vows American defeat; up to 25 insurgents killed (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899904/ The U.S. military has opened an investigation into allegations that an Afghan police officer was stripped naked, beaten and photographed at a U.S. base in Afghanistan, the American Embassy in Kabul said Wednesday. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040512/D82GV7P81.html The worldwide furor over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers imperils troop morale at a crucial time, say lawmakers from both parties. (AP) http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040512-122708-1316r.htm Vice President Dick Cheney suggested Tuesday that releasing additional photos of American soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners might do nothing more that cater to journalists' appetite for more pictures to print. (AP)
