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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Regardless of your position on the Lott controversy (and trust me, I ain't all that
sympathetic) you gotta feel for the guy when he picked up The Washington Post this
morning....Two big headlines above the fold would cause anyone indigestion with their
morning coffee and bagel (donut, if you come from the heartland)...On the right:
"Senate GOP to decide Lott's fate on Jan. 6"....On the left side "Bush won't resist
leadership change."
Be that as it may, we must all choose our words and actions carefully and then account
for them....We'll carry on with the story that has been engulfing this town for the
last week and is gaining critical mass by the day, if not hour...It is essentially
centered in the GOP Senate caucus where Russert says Lott doesn't have the votes to
survive...Also, we can't for the life of us find many conservatives, much less elected
officials, willing to come on and defend Lott...(And don't say Terry or Pat...We've
been alternating them for the past week as you've seen)...Laura "it's not just a radio
talk show, it's an addiction" Ingraham will be here along with former GOP congressman
Joe Scarborough...
We're also on the hunt for a Lott defender...Terry, check your voicemail...
In the D block debate, we'll look at Lott from the PR angle and how he managed, or
mismanaged as the case may be, his situation...Was he doomed from the beginning or
could he have done something different? We'll talk to Hardball Briefing subscriber
and author of "Nail 'em" and "Money Wanders" and all around PR guru Eric Dezenhall...
I'm watching the ISO (pronounced "ice-oh" and short hand for isolated or single
shot...you don't see both people...only one view) of Chris interviewing Peter Jennings
for the Buzz Block...Jennings co-authored "In search of America", an interesting book
not unlike Chris' book "American" about the ideals this country was founded on and
where those ideals stand now...They're conversing on race in America in the context of
the Lott controversy...You'll notice a Christmas tree or something behind Chris...He's
doing the interview from 30 Rock...The rest of the show will be on from our usual
studio N-6 in Washington...
Should be a great show...It's critical that you tune in and encourage your fellow
Americans to tune in as well...We're America's NewsChannel after all...
PS Today is Chris' birthday so if you see him, wish him a Happy Birthday!
Mortman: The comedian within http://www.msnbc.com/news/848334.asp
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing in Washington, DC...
Laura's latest: Ingraham: Who is the better leader: Gore or Lott?
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1202/ingraham.html
Roff's Capital Comment: Daily news notes, political rumors and important events that
shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press
International. Who's your candidate?
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021216-062452-5041r
Embattled Sen. Trent Lott so far doesn't have the 26 Senate Republican votes needed to
retain his job as majority leader, sources told NBC's Tim Russert.
http://msnbc.com/news/845511.asp
Bush Won't Resist Lott's Ouster...The president has decided not to intervene to save
Sen. Trent Lott after concluding that he has become an albatross to the party and no
longer has any chance of surviving as Republican Senate leader, sources said Monday
(The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/848292.asp?0cv=CA01
White House officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Monday that Bush would
not try to save Lott's job (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=512&e=2&u=/ap/20021217/ap_on_go_co/lott
Republicans with close ties to the Bush administration said that Senator Trent Lott
had no chance of remaining majority leader and that the White House wanted him out.
(The New York Times)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=68&ncid=68&e=3&u=/nyt/20021217/ts_nyt/republicans_say_lott_lacks_bush_s_support
Sammon: The White House yesterday repeated its sharp criticism of Senate Majority
Leader Trent Lott, calling his praise of Sen. Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential
campaign "repugnant," and declined to defend him against a challenge to his
leadership. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021217-16015605.htm
>From Lott, Denials of Racism -- and Explanations...In BET Interview, GOP Leader Says
>He Was Product of 'Wrong and Wicked' Positions of Past (The Washington Post)
>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64245-2002Dec16.html
Black Democrat could fill Lott's seat...Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott's
insensitive remarks have triggered a chain of events that could put a black Democrat
in his Senate seat. (The Sun Herald) http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/4755043.htm
If Trent Lott is forced out as Senate majority leader, the party will face the same
leadership vacuum that gave rise to his selection in 1996. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-12-16-lott-inside-usat_x.htm
Missouri's two U.S. senators did not come to the rescue of their increasingly
embattled leader, Sen. Trent Lott, as the Mississippi Republican struggled Monday to
hold onto his post as Senate GOP leader. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/494F11C01EDCF18086256C9200153790?OpenDocument&Headline=Bond,+Talent+remain+silent+on+whether+Lott+should+resign+
Daschle being urged to reconsider candidacy...Advisers, friends cite value in Senate,
organizational effort needed to contend (The Washington Post)
http://msnbc.com/news/848290.asp
Gore: Not Running Is 'the Right Thing'...Longtime Aides Caught by Surprise (The
Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64103-2002Dec16.html
With Al Gore out of the race, Sens. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of
Massachusetts are leading the pack in the race for the 2004 Democratic presidential
nomination among New York party members, a statewide poll reported Tuesday. (AP)
http://rc.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-bc-ny--presidentialpoll1217dec17,0,1854815.story?coll=ny-nynews-reddots-headlines
Marist Release: Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman and Massachusetts Senator John
Kerry are the early leaders for the 2004 New York State Democratic Presidential
Primary. Among registered Democrats, Lieberman has 23% and Kerry has 20%.
http://www.maristpoll.marist.edu/nyspolls/021217PZ.htm
Gore says it is too early to give endorsements...In Raleigh, the former vice president
says he is at peace with his decision not to run (Raleigh News & Observer)
http://www.news-observer.com/front/story/2027698p-1958776c.html
For the Gore Corps, Sadness and Relief...Decision Frees Followers From Limbo (The
Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/848289.asp
The competition by Democratic presidential hopefuls to enlist top supporters of Al
Gore started as soon as Gore announced he wouldn't run for president. One veteran
fund-raiser said the pace was "fast and furious." (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=694&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20021217/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_2004
U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who was once on Gore's 2000 list as a potential running mate, is
also said to be considering what most insiders consider an unlikely White House bid --
a process that could keep some Florida activists from choosing sides in the short
term. (Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/4754574.htm
Gertz: President Bush has decided to begin deploying by 2004 a nationwide defense
system against ballistic missiles, The Washington Times has learned.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021217-10394100.htm
President Bush appointed former New Jersey Gov. Thomas H. Kean yesterday to lead an
independent commission to investigate intelligence failures preceding the September 11
terrorist attacks, replacing former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger after he
resigned abruptly. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20021217-317183.htm
Attackers hurled a grenade into a jeep carrying two U.S. soldiers and an Afghan
interpreter in the heart of Kabul on Tuesday, wounding all three, the U.S. military
said. (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/848513.asp
"When I came to office, I made a commitment to transform America's national security
strategy and defense capabiliites to meet the threats of the 21st century," Bush said
in a prepared statement. "Today I am pleased to announce we will take another
important step in countering these threats by beginning to field missile defense
capabilities to protect the United States as well as our friends and allies." (AP)
http://www.msnbc.com/news/848503.asp
de Moraes: '60 Minutes' Knew Al Gore Was Marking Time on 'Saturday Night'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64541-2002Dec16.html?referer=email
"As soon as he got into that hot tub, I knew he wasn't running," said Chris Lehane
yesterday. He was Gore's ubiquitous media proxy during the 2000 presidential campaign.
"I turned to my wife and I said, 'That's it.' " (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64120-2002Dec16.html
Johnson: Gore throws a serious curve
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021217/4706229s.htm
Battaglio: '60' ways to keep a secret...Lesley Stahl on Gore scoop
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/43977p-41447c.html
BET made news of another kind. The Washington-based cable network announced it was
eliminating most of its news division, including a nightly public-affairs program
hosted by Gordon. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64539-2002Dec16.html
Opinion/Editorial
Rousseaux: The mouse that chuckled
http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20021217-855148.htm
Hitchens: Three Stooges...Who's worst-Kissinger, Lott, or Law?
http://slate.msn.com/?id=2075467
The Nashville Tennessean: A graceful and timely exit for Al Gore
http://www.tennessean.com/opinion/archives/02/12/26586817.shtml?Element_ID=26586817
Jeffrey: Turning the Law Upside Down
http://creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?columnsName=tje
Landfield: Thank You Al Gore For Not Seeking the Presidency in 2004
http://www.practicalpolitics.net/landfield/12_16_02.html
Barone: The Long Goodbye...Al Gore retires from politics--just like Nixon in 1962?
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002782
Charen: Jews, blacks and Senator Lott
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/monacharen/mc20021217.shtml
Funny Gore cartoon: http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/garner.htm
Chicago Sun Times: With humdrum Gore gone who will be life of party?
http://www.suntimes.com/output/commentary/cst-edt-edits17.html
>From the Heartland: The GOP's Race Problem...Why the party can't afford Trent Lott.
>http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/tbray/?id=110002781
The Washington Times: Sen. Lott's misplayed hand...The selection of the Senate
Republican leader is up to the Republican senators, but events are trending badly
against Trent Lott, in substantial part because of what Mr. Lott has said and done
since the story broke. http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20021217-96501894.htm
Sowell: Lott, race, and hypocrisy
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell.html
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
Mallard Fillmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp
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