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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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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=politicsNews&storyID=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 Put Off for a 2nd Day...Conservatives rally
against choice for senior economic aide, saying he doesn't back tax cuts (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gopecon11dec11.story
Lott Remarks on Thurmond Echoed 1980 Words...Criticism Unabated Despite Apology for
Comment on Former Dixiecrat's Presidential Bid (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37288-2002Dec10.html
At 1980 rally, senator made similar controversial remarks (Jackson Clarion-Ledger)
http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0212/11/m02.html
Five days after Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott made his unfortunate comments
regarding the political heritage of the Dixiecrats, Republicans on Capitol Hill and
conservatives in Washington and around the country are discussing how best to call for
Lott's stepping aside as Senate leader. (American Prowler)
http://www.americanprowler.com/article.asp?art_id=2002_12_11_0_3_33
Several black Democrats, scolding Sen. Trent Lott for his remarks at Sen. Strom
Thurmond's 100th birthday party and saying his apology is insufficient to allay their
anger, directed some of their ire yesterday at Sen. Tom Daschle for defending his
Republican colleague. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021211-192903.htm
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Tuesday rejected Senate Republican leader
Trent Lott's apology for saying that America would have been better off if Strom
Thurmond had won the U.S. presidency in 1948, when he ran as a segregationist.
(Reuters) http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/4709058.htm
Congressional Democrats are preparing an economic plan focusing on short-term boosts
and long-term budget balance as an alternative to a package President Bush is expected
to unveil in a few weeks (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=1888425
Democratic national chairman Terry McAuliffe says his party's victories in statewide
elections in a number of states that were strongholds for President Bush give him hope
that Democrats can compete for the presidency in 2004. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=548&ncid=703&e=7&u=/ap/20021211/ap_on_el_ge/democrats_chairman
Can Daschle lead in a Senate crowded with hopefuls? The first battleground in the race
for the Democratic presidential nomination may not be Iowa or New Hampshire, but the
Senate floor. (Argus Leader) http://www.argusleader.com/news/Wednesdayfeature.shtml
New York City is close to winning the prize of the 2004 Republican National
Convention, the Daily News has learned, despite White House concerns that Mayor
Bloomberg is not enough of a team player. (NY Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/42555p-40158c.html
Republican Bob Beauprez was officially named the winner yesterday of the closest
congressional race of 2002, as three suburban Denver counties completed a mandatory
recount in Colorado's new 7th House district. Beauprez squeaked past Democrat Mike
Feeley by 121 votes of about 164,000 cast. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37451-2002Dec10.html
President Bush's 2000 presidential campaign should repay the government about
$700,000, but taxpayers owe Bush's election effort some money too, federal auditors
say. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20021211/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_gore_audits
GOP site question tests Bush's loyalties...Jeb Bush walks a fine line between touting
Tampa's bid to be the site and supporting whatever is best to re-elect his brother,
the president. (St. Petersburg Times)
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/12/11/TampaBay/GOP_site_question_tes.shtml
Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, choked backed tears yesterday
while publicly acknowledging mistakes in her involvement with an Australian con man.
(The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/world/20021211-335909.htm
Ruff: Capital Comment: Daily news notes, political rumors, and important...events that
shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1202/capital_comment.html
Opinion/Editorial
Hitchens: Imperialism...Superpower dominance, malignant and benign.
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2075261
Kramer: Lott & Strom: Time for both to pack it in
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/42544p-40150c.html
One step forward, two steps back...President Bush needs more people like William
Donaldson and less like John Snow on his economic team. By Dan Gross.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/845899.asp
Kelly: Left everlasting
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michael/kelly.html
Gross: Snow Job...President Bush appoints yet another phony businessman, this time as
treasury secretary. http://slate.msn.com/?id=2075270
Dupont: Power to the People...New energy for a new century.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pdupont/?id=110002751
Mercer: Purging Paul O'Neill http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29946
Conason: Lott Is Unfit To Run the Senate
http://www2.observer.com/observer/pages/conason.asp
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp
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