------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Strange times in our Nation's capital, particularly today...The front page of The
Washington Post reports in detail about things we can do in order to prepare for a
terrorist attack (duct tape for the windows, water and food stockpiles etc.)...As you
know we're in the "High" terror state of alert and expect to be for the next 45 days
or so...Tenet & Mueller are testifying on the Hill that Al-Qaeda remains a
"resourceful, merciless" foe and that a possible strike this week could include the
use of a "dirty bomb''...On top of that Secretary Powell told the Senate that bin
Laden is to issue a new statement today which will detail his links to Saddam...He
said the statement would air this afternoon on Al Jazeera...We've got our hound dogs
on the case and will show it to you tonight...On top off all that war looks
increasingly inevitable which will only ratchet up the terrorist alerts...
It's enough to make a Washingtonian go crazy...Calgon, Calgon take me away!
We've got a trio of senators who'll give us the lowdown on all the haps: Saxby, Shelby
& Schumer...
We'll also show you a series of polls in today's USA Today on American attitudes about
handling a terrorist attack...Is our government prepared? Are we as scared as we were
just after 9/11?
Former Bush speechwriter David Frum and fmr. Clinton speechwriter Michael Waldman will
get into the rhetoric of President Bush...Is his "cowboy swagger" as Shuster notes, a
good thing for our country? Is it unnecessarily bellicose? Shuster also notes, in his
own cowboy swagger, that this could be he and Jamison's more provocative spots yet...
Mortman weighs in on the matter in his latest piece: Bush's fighting words...Why the
president's cowboy war rhetoric is helpful http://msnbc.com/news/871124.asp
In the Buzz we've got Blankley and Clarence wrapping up the Iraq-terror stuff...We may
throw in some Miguel Estrada as well...
Flash: Kerry to Undergo Surgery for Cancer...WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic
presidential candidate John Kerry
will have his prostate removed Wednesday after being diagnosed with "a very early,
curable" form of cancer, his doctor said. Dr. Patrick Walsh, a urologist at The Johns
Hopkins Hospital who pioneered the safest form of prostate removal, said the
Massachusetts senator should be back at work in a couple of weeks following the
surgery....Developing...
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing deep inside the Briefing...
The Washington Post's editorial board is quickly becoming indistinguishable from The
Wall Street Journal these days...My how times have changed...Standing With Saddam:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54434-2003Feb10.html?referrer=email
Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate panel Tuesday that what appears to be a
new statement from Osama bin Laden shows why the world needs to be concerned about
Iraqi ties to terrorism. (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20030211/ts_nm/iraq_usa_powell_dc
NBC's Robert Windrem reported that, according to officials, Powell's comment that bin
Laden is in "partnership with Iraq" is not a direct quote from the audio tape, but
Powell's characterization of what the speaker said. (MSNBC)
http://msnbc.com/news/842500.asp?0cv=CA01
Fun Clinton news:
Cindy Adams: Clinton did Hollywood last week. Ostensibly he'd come just to say a few
words for Global Warming and then introduce the Rolling Stones, who were going to sing
a few words for Global Warming. Once they'd all done their warming, President Bill was
backstage warming Pierce Brosnan and the A-crowd starlets.
http://www.pagesix.com/cindyadams/cindyadams.htm
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday the
United States should exercise patience in its standoff with Iraq to help build allied
support for a potential strike. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=2206608
New terror threat details revealed...Tenet says intelligence indicates al-Qaida
targeting U.S., Arabian Peninsula (MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/870313.asp?0cv=CA01
CIA Director George Tenet said on Tuesday that al Qaeda remained a threat and the
latest increase in the national alert level was due to suspected plots against targets
in the United States and on the Arabian peninsula. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=1I1BD3IXE44CQCRBAELCFEY?type=topNews&storyID=2207839
Gertz: FBI, CIA believe mass-casualty al Qaeda strike more likely...Al Qaeda's latest
threat of terrorist attacks is focused on operations in three areas.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030211-704598.htm
NATO chief seeks to bridge Iraq rift...The head of NATO on Tuesday urged France,
Germany and Belgium to reconsider their veto of defense preparations for Turkey,
saying the decision could have "enormous consequences" for the alliance.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842500.asp
Most Support Attack On Iraq...A majority of Americans support attacking Iraq even
without the approval of the U.N., provided that the U.S. has the backing of some key
allies, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53997-2003Feb10.html
Public support for going to war against Iraq grew after Secretary of State Colin
Powell made the case to the United Nations Security Council last week, a USA
TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll shows
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-02-10-poll-usat_x.htm
The federal government warned Americans on Monday to take its latest terrorism alert
seriously and to prepare for a possible attack involving biological, chemical or
radiological weapons. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-02-10-ridge-terror_x.htm
Terror alert advice gets personal...Americans told to stock food, water, prepare safe
rooms (The Washington Post) http://msnbc.com/news/871342.asp?0cv=CA01
WashPost: Anti-Americanism rising in Europe...Anti-Americanism, West European-style,
is widespread, rising and migrating from its traditional home among left-wing
intellectuals, academics and caf� society to the political mainstream. A Washington
Post report.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/871193.asp
Islamic charity leader pleads guilty...The leader of a Chicago-based charity linked by
Attorney General John Ashcroft to Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorist network
pleaded guilty yesterday. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030211-26952808.htm
Democrats try to derail Estrada's nomination...Senators battling over Bush's choice to
serve on D.C. appeals court (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/869475.asp?0dm=N237N
Second Democratic senator backs Estrada for judgeship...A second Democratic senator
has said he will vote in favor of the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the D.C. Circuit
Court of Appeals. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030211-90755.htm
President Bush neared a showdown with Democrats on Monday in his "first test" to win
confirmation of his stalled conservative judicial nominees in the new Republican-led
Senate. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=2203529
The United States yesterday accused Iran of mining and enriching uranium as a
"pretext" for developing nuclear weapons, a day after the "axis of evil" member
publicly disclosed the program and said it will be used only for peaceful purposes.
(The Washington Times) http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030211-25553905.htm
A group of around 50 Western anti-war activists received visas Tuesday to enter Iraq
where they plan to form "human shields" in an effort to deter a possible U.S.-led
attack on the Arab state. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=2207217
Conservatives clash on Muslim Bush aides...A dispute among prominent conservatives
escalated yesterday over accusations that radical Muslims have improper access to the
White House. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030207-79112788.htm
Saddam Hussein is moving his troops into civilian areas, turning innocent Iraqis into
"human shields," the White House charged yesterday. (NY Post)
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/68887.htm
Sammon: Bush says churches in white suburbs obligated to blacks...President Bush
yesterday told a national gathering that white suburban churches have an "obligation"
to help their black urban counterparts.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030211-84172982.htm
The Rev. Al Sharpton said Monday he hopes to reach out to Iowa Democrats the way the
Rev. Jesse Jackson did when he ran for president in 1988 (Des Moines Register)
http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/20461729.html
A bill to make the South Vietnamese flag part of state and public school functions
that display flags of foreign nations, though South Vietnam was defeated by communist
Vietnam 28 years ago, is making its way through the Virginia legislature. (The
Washington Times) http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20030211-23729464.htm
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
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030210-071102-8670r
Is CNN cooking up 'Politics' lite?...Network denies that Judy Woodruff's job is on the
line, but an executive says it is 'always' making changes. (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-et-jensen11feb11001449,1,6635207.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dpolitics
Add Willow Bay to the long list of former CNN employees (NY Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/58744p-55016c.html
Rep. Howard Coble, attempting to clarify remarks he made last week, said Monday the
internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II was wrong and should not be
repeated. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=512&ncid=703&e=5&u=/ap/20030211/ap_on_go_co/congressman_prison_camps
Ron Ziegler, the combative former press secretary to President Nixon who famously
called the Watergate break-in a "third-rate burglary," died yesterday of a heart
attack. He was 63. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55072-2003Feb11.html
Hollywood Auditions Candidates...Now that Gore's out, the five top Democratic
presidential hopefuls are courting the stars-- and their big campaign donations. (LA
Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-hollywood11feb11001449,1,1341833.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dpolitics
Opinion/Editorial
Noah: Chatterbox Goes to War...A dove on Iraq is persuaded by Colin Powell.
http://slate.msn.com/default.aspx?id=2078396
Widening the international rift...In the process of accusing France and Germany of
behaving stubbornly in the dispute over war with Iraq, the Bush administration seems
strangely determined to wreck NATO. By Fred Kaplan.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/871076.asp
Landfield: Adoption by gay couples - Don't we have more important things to be afraid
of? http://www.politicsvt.com/Landfield/2_10_03.htm
Gaffney: Islamists' White House gatekeeper...One of the hardiest perennials in the
Washington political scene is the spectacle of conservatives publicly disagreeing with
one another. The vicious personal attacks launched against me last week by Grover
Norquist, however, went way beyond the kind of dispute that so often enlivens policy
discourse, usually to the delight -- and advantage -- of liberals who agree with
neither camp. http://www.townhall.com/columnists/frankjgaffneyjr/fg20030211.shtml
Billings: Stars' views shouldn't be so easily written off
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/5155276.htm
The Washington Times: NPR's belated apology...National Public Radio has belatedly
apologized for airing a slanderous "news" story last year that suggested the
Traditional Values Coalition may have been involved in sending anthrax-tainted
letters. http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20030211-272175.htm
Fusilli: Ludacris Boycott? 'Cultural Disrespect' Could Cost Pepsi...Holding the moral
high ground isn't going to sell more soda.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110003056
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
Mallard Filmore http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/mallard.asp
=========================================
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
