------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Looks like we'll lead the show with a slice and dice of the Iraqi "document dump" and
where we go from here...Saddam's Bombmaker Dr. Khidhir Hamza, will join us in the A
block for sure...Calls are out for other elected and policy wonk types...Howard
Fineman will bring us the "inside the oval office" view of things in a way only Howard
can..
Howard's latest: Bush In No Hurry to Order a First Strike...President likely to
tighten screws on Saddam before acting http://www.msnbc.com/news/843689.asp?0cv=KB20
In the D block debate, we'll take a closer look at Bush's economic agenda and tax cut
post O'Neill/Lindsey sacking with Robert Kuttner of The American Prospect
(http://www.prospect.org/authors/kuttner-r.html) and Dan Mitchell of Heritage
http://www.heritage.org/About/Staff/DanielMitchell.cfm
In the Buzz we'll talk to Donna Brazile about Lott's comments to Strom on his
birthday, the ensuing firestorm, Landrieu's victory in Louisiana and the latest Marist
college poll from New Hampshire...
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC
And don't forget...Al Gore will join Chris at Lehman College in the Bronx for the
College Tour on Wednesday http://www.msnbc.com/news/840159.asp?0cb=-11h105844
Kerry's nipping at Gore's heels and NH Dems say No to Hillary in '04 (Marist Release)
http://www.maristpoll.marist.edu/usapolls/NH021209.htm
Document Dump latest: http://msnbc.com/news/842500.asp?0cv=CB10
Bush picks rail exec for Treasury...CSX chairman John Snow in final review
http://www.msnbc.com/news/845133.asp
Balz Analysis...On Economy, Bush Reveals His Soft Spot
http://msnbc.com/news/844987.asp?0cv=CB10
Condi Profile: The Quiet Power of Condi Rice...Born in 'Bombingham,' the enigmatic
adviser has become the 'Warrior Princess'-Bush's secret White House weapon
http://www.msnbc.com/news/844173.asp
Armitage in Tokyo: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said on Monday that
President Bush was willing to be patient with Iraq but that Baghdad would be disarmed
eventually if it did not disarm itself.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28922-2002Dec9.html
Blasting comments attributed to Sen. Trent Lott, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. on Sunday
called for the incoming Senate majority leader to quit. "Trent Lott must step down,"
Jackson said in a statement. "He is supposed to be Senate majority leader for all
Americans, but he once again has shown he is interested only in Confederates."
(Chicago Tribune) http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/4697608.htm
Gore, Lieberman Fault President's Economic Policies....Democrats Al Gore and Joe
Lieberman criticized overall White House's economic policy today, but expressed
support for tax cuts aimed at the middle class and a stimulus package to revive the
economy. (AP)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26809-2002Dec8.html?referer=email
Landrieu Beats GOP Challenge In Louisiana...Democrat Takes 52% of Vote In Runoff for
Senate Seat (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24308-2002Dec7.html?referer=email
The Republican playbook for deposing Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana was fine-tuned in
Washington and battle-tested with glorious results elsewhere in the South: Recruit a
plausible challenger. Unleash attack ads skewering the Democrat on taxes and abortion.
And for the grand finale, bring in President Bush to campaign at the Republican
candidate's side. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27966-2002Dec8.html?referer=email
U.S. military begins Qatar war game...Military walk-through tests readiness for
Mideast deployment (MSBNC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/844449.asp
Western officials expected Saddam Hussein to employ a charm offensive to try to
convince the world that he has changed his ways in an effort to avoid a U.S.-led war
that might end the Iraqi leader's 23-year rule. (USA Today)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=676&e=5&u=/usatoday/20021209/ts_usatoday/4684036
A defiant Iraq yesterday challenged the United States to produce evidence of the
weapons Baghdad insists it does not possess. (London Times)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-507833,00.html
Several prominent Democrats came out firing at Iraq yesterday and urged President Bush
to get tough with Saddam Hussein. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut called the
inventory of arms the Iraqi government submitted "a 12,000-page, 100-pound lie (The
Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20021209-688706.htm
The leaders of the joint congressional intelligence committee investigating the Sept.
11, 2001, attacks are expected to recommend the appointment of a Cabinet-level
intelligence czar in the committee's final report, parts of which may be released this
week, according to government officials familiar with a draft of the study. (The
Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24904-2002Dec7.html?referer=email
Economist tallies swelling cost of Israel to US (CS Monitor)
http://csmonitor.com/2002/1209/p16s01-wmgn.html
Why now for Edwards?...No more playing coy. Within weeks, John Edwards is expected to
make an official leap into the 2004 presidential race, sharpening questions about his
readiness and support in the South (Raleigh News & Observer)
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2005705p-1943675c.html
Pelosi Shifts Forum's Goals...With House Democrats set to begin two days of
pre-session strategy talks, the incoming leadership scrambled late last week to head
off possible embarrassment as disorganization and logistical difficulties plagued
organizers into the 11th hour of planning (Roll Call)
http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/12/news1209a.html
Just weeks after securing her party's top post, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) faces an important choice in deciding who will be chairman of the party's
House campaign arm. The decision will help determine how or whether the party can
recover from its disappointing midterm election results. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28086-2002Dec8.html
Another Bush team departure? Calio Headed Back to K St.? Even as President Bush shook
up his economic team by ousting Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and National Economic
Council Director Larry Lindsey last week, another high-profile White House official is
likely to depart soon, according to GOP sources. (Roll Call)
http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/12/news1209b.html
A conservative watchdog group is seeking a criminal investigation into the U.S. Postal
Service's handling of last year's anthrax contamination that killed two workers at a
Washington post office. (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/64095.htm
Neighbors of Vice President Dick Cheney are being shaken and rattled at least once a
day by mysterious blasts at the U.S. Naval Observatory where Cheney lives. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20021208/ap_on_go_pr_wh/noisy_neighbor
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack today is expected to follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton,
Michael Dukakis and Howard Dean...They have all served as chairman of the Democratic
Governors Association. Vilsack is expected to be elected vice chairman of the group
during its meeting in Washington, D.C. The vice chairman typically becomes the group's
next chairman (Des Moines Register)
http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/19938647.html
Howie: A Very Public Ousting...White House Trashing of Economic Team Was Unexpected
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29751-2002Dec9.html
Washington Prowler: Bad turnout and Landrieu still wins? Also: What Lindsey-O'Neill
knew. Plus: Edward to burn candles at both ends of table tonight.
http://theamericanprowler.com/article.asp?art_id=2002_12_8_23_7_24
Opinion/Editorial
Nobles & Knaves: http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20021207-39557863.htm
Pat: Just as the Battle of Gettysburg was about far more than who would control the
tiny Pennsylvania town, so the Battle of Augusta National Golf Club is taking on an
importance far beyond the issue of whether the famed Georgia club admits women
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29924
The headless economy...With the resignations of Paul O'Neill and Larry Lindsey, the
Bush administration now seems to understand what its many critics have been saying for
months: Its economic program is nonexistent. By Dan Gross.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/844262.asp
Novak: Why O'Neill's out
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20021209.shtml
Lambro: Democrats slouch towards tax cuts
http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20021209-24174669.htm
Barnicle: For growing kids, love is the difference
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/41666p-39187c.html
Greenberg on the return of Kissinger, Poindexter & Abrams: Back, But Not By Popular
Demand http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21113-2002Dec6.html
Hentoff: Ashcroft vs. civil liberties...More Americans are resisting the attorney
general�s infringements on freedom
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20021209-1359934.htm
The Wall Street Journal: The Bush Shake-Up...The president needs advisers who believe
in tax cuts as much as he does.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002742
Point/Counter Point: Marriage and Divorce -- Our Evolving Views
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4113754&BRD=2157&PAG=461&dept_id=463115&rfi=6
Washington: Jacksons' Machine is revving up
http://www.suntimes.com/output/washington/cst-edt-laura09.html
Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.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
