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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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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)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20021203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush
Fun Hillary News...
With Republicans having won control of the Senate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is
vowing to be "outspoken" in criticizing President Bush. (NY Post)
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/63489.htm
Kerry to unfurl plan to halt Bush tax cuts...At Ohio luncheon, senator to push for
payroll tax rebate (Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/337/nation/Kerry_to_unfurl_plan_to_halt_Bush_tax_cuts-.shtml
Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry proposed new tax cuts now for the middle
class, while criticizing the Bush administration's tax policy as "unfair, unaffordable
and unquestionably ineffective in growing our economy." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=694&ncid=703&e=4&u=/ap/20021203/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_economy
Beam: There was one curious gap in Joe Klein's earnest and worshipful profile of
Senator John Kerry that appeared in last week's New Yorker. Although Klein published
characterizations of Kerry's first wife, Julia Thorne, as a depressed, dysfunctional
spouse and an unreliable mother, he never bothered to call her.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/337/living/A_slight_problem_with_Kerry_profile-.shtml
Milbank: U.S. Voices Doubts on Iraq Search...Bush, Aides Talk of Hussein 'Games,'
Renew War Threat http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A923-2002Dec2.html
"This time, as the president has said, delay and defiance will invite the severest
consequences," Cheney told the guard leaders at the Adam's Mark Hotel Monday Morning.
"Either Saddam Hussein will fully comply with the United Nations resolution, or the
United States and a coalition of other nations will disarm Saddam Hussein," Cheney
said to applause. (Rocky Mountain News)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_1583977,00.html
Monitors inspect presidential palace...U.N. weapons monitors made their first
unannounced visit of the new inspections regime to one of Saddam Hussein's
presidential palaces on Tuesday, the biggest test so far of new powers to inspect for
weapons of mass destruction anywhere, anytime.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842500.asp
Iraqi officials have admitted they tried several times to buy aluminum tubes to build
rockets - in violation of a U.N. ban on importing materials that could be used to make
weapons, it was revealed yesterday. (NY Post)
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/63480.htm
Key Aide Seeks Military Pledge From Turkey...Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D.
Wolfowitz launched a mission to press Turkey to allow the U.S. to use its military
bases for a possible war with Iraq. (The Washington Post)
http://msnbc.com/news/842490.asp?0dm=N17MN
Al-Qaida link seen in Kenya attacks...The United States said Tuesday there was
increasing reason to believe that al-Qaida was involved in last week's dual attacks on
Israeli interests in Kenya, as reports emerged that suggested authorities received
bomb warnings months ago.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/840985.asp
Why the Pentagon will watch where you shop New Total Information Awareness project
will sniff company databases
for terrorists. (CS Monitor) http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1203/p01s01-usgn.html
Saudis planning financial crackdown...Shocked by devastating publicity about their
charities, the Saudi government is mounting a counter-offensive, after a week of
accusations that they have failed to stop money flowing to terrorists.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842364.asp
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings plans to run for the U.S. Senate in 2004 if Sen. Bob Graham
decides not to seek reelection, the congressman's spokesman said Monday. (AP)
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/4651331.htm
Rendell aide is facing drug charges...Police said that a car driven by Charles
Breslin, 45, nearly hit an officer. They said pills and heroin were found.
(Philadelphia Inquirer) http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/4653205.htm
Sen. Fred Thompson plans to lecture, write an autobiography, teach at Vanderbilt
University, help some civic causes here and in Tennessee and act in movies and
television (Memphis Commercial Appeal)
http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/politics/article/0,1426,MCA_1496_1583750,00.html
Kerry hair controversy...
Facing the first national scandal of his nascent presidential campaign, Sen. John
Kerry yesterday denied, through a spokesgal, that he's sporting a $150 haircut.
(Boston Herald) http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/inside_track/track12032002.htm
Statement: "John Kerry has never had his hair colored or highlighted although a lot of
people tell him he should . . . [and] if it looks like his haircut costs $150, he must
be getting an extraordinary deal, because it's not even in that ballpark. I wonder if
this is a 'not so subtle hint' from some in the hair care industry that Kerry should
start covering his grey, but don't expect him to star in a Just for Men commercial
soon." (Lloyd Grove) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A570-2002Dec2.html
Lizzie update: Spin maven Lizzie Grubman wants the remaining civil suits against her
moved to Albany, saying she can't get a fair trial because of massive - and negative -
publicity about her case. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/63518.htm
Opinion/Editorial
The Wall Street Journal: Anatomy of a Slur...The New York Times smears a potential
Alan Greenspan replacement
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002711
Flight fright...Last week's missile attack on an Israeli airplane in Kenya will prove
scarier in the long run for airline travelers than Sept. 11, 2001, writes James
Fallows.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842254.asp
Cohen: Bush should rebuke the sins of the far right
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/40325p-37984c.html
Bazelon: Abortion Contortions...Arizona is funding a poor woman's right to choose.
Texas could be next. http://slate.msn.com/default.aspx?id=2074736
Kaus Files: Kerry Mystery Contest Plus: Raines Remains Silent, Day 6!
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2074546
Wasserman: Who profits from campaign finance?
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/4645026.htm
Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp
Doonesbury http://msnbc.com/comics/daily.asp?sFile=db021203
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