------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
They lowered the terrorist threat level to "elevated" this morning which I suppose
will set most of our minds at ease here in Washington, at least for the time
being...I'll now be able to get off the Metro subway and not think "Whoa, I made it
unscathed this time"
Anywho...Big show tonight...We lead with Senator Richard Shelby (a top GOPer on the
Intelligence Committee), Israeli Consul General Alon Pinkus, and fmr. Pakistani Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto....All will sound off on Bush's plan to Democratize the Middle
East, prospects for an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the latest diplomatic
wrangling at the UN and how that "coalition of the willing" is coming along...
B & C will be Frum and LA Times Ace reporter Robin Wright (She's on the
diplomatic/foreign affairs beat)....How did the speech go and is the Arab world ready
for Democratization? James Lilly and Nancy Soderberg weigh in...
D Block per Shuster: So, the question is... until North Korea halts its nuclear
program. should the U-S continue to avoid negotiations... or is that policy only
making the standoff more dangerous?
The Buzz will be Katrina and Fund with more speech reax and Bush Labor Secretary
Elaine Chao ruffled some feathers down in Florida at the AFL-CIO meeting...We've got
the goods...
It'll be an action packed hour...I'm really psyched about it...
Celebrity Briefing subscriber/Fmr. Hotline Honcho/MSNBC political analyst/all around
campaign gadfly Craig Crawford has a new gig at Congressional Quarterly
(Washingtonians know it simply as "CQ") covering campaign '04...An example of Craig's
genius and lasting legacy to National Journal is "Last Call" an afternoon "must read"
for all Washington politico/media types and people who just like to have a good
time...He'll still be checking in from the trail on our networking providing expert
punditry but don't be surprised by the new dropline...McCaslin makes mention of Craig
midway in his column today http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030227-65431064.htm
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC
The national terror alert will be lowered from orange to yellow later Thursday,
administration officials said, suggesting the threat of an imminent terrorist attack
on U.S. soil has eased somewhat. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=542&e=1&u=/ap/20030227/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_alert
A day after declaring that removing Saddam Hussein from power would pave the way
toward Middle East peace, President Bush defended his father for stopping short of
ousting the Iraqi leader in the 1991 Persian Gulf War (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=540&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20030227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq
President Details Vision for Iraq...Post-Hussein Nation Could Be Catalyst For Peace,
Bush Says in Defending Aims (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7505-2003Feb26.html
Bush speech verbate: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030226-11.html
U.S. Would Limit Action By Kurds in Postwar Iraq...Vow to Turkey Is Part of Deal on
Troops; Turkey Delays Vote Until Saturday (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10034-2003Feb27.html
Iraq will respond to a U.N. order to destroy its al-Samoud missiles within two days,
an Iraqi official said on Thursday ahead of Security Council talks on a draft
resolution laying the groundwork for war against Iraq. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=H0RA2ZMSHSKB0CRBAE0CFEY?type=topNews&storyID=2299517
The Ruskies may be on board: Still hoping to head-off a possible Russian veto of a new
U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing military action against Iraq, President
Bush appealed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin this morning, but got a
non-committal response. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10772-2003Feb27.html
USA Today's "how to" guide on building a nuke...Lots of ways to make a nuclear weapon
http://www.usatoday.com/news/2003-02-27-make-a-nuke.htm
Divided council picks up Iraq debate...A divided Security Council resumes debate
Thursday on a U.S.-British-Spanish draft resolution authorizing war against Iraq,
after President Bush vowed U.S. support in rebuilding a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/842500.asp
The general who designed the 1991 Desert Storm air war said in a public forum that the
current planned bombing campaign against Iraq is "risking more lives than are
necessary." http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030227-57592.htm
N. Korea Restarts Nuclear Facility...U.S. Expects 2nd Site to Go Online (The
Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8108-2003Feb26.html
Scarborough: Saudi billionaire supports use of force to oust Saddam...A Saudi
billionaire with close ties to the royal family has sent a private letter to Secretary
of State Colin L. Powell endorsing the forcible removal of Iraqi leader Saddam
Hussein. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030227-16072764.htm
Iraqi air defense a shadow of former self...Iraq's air-defense network, which in 1991
was a dense overlapping system that shot down 38 allied aircraft, is significantly
less effective today. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030227-1097769.htm
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, whose tough approach toward Palestinian violence was
strongly backed by Israeli voters in his landslide reelection last month, formed a new
government coalition today that leans heavily on nationalist parties that oppose a
Palestinian state and favor expanding Jewish settlements. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7984-2003Feb26.html
Intelligence supplied by Israel played a key role in the indictment last week of
University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian on charges that he is a leader of
the Islamic Jihad Palestinian terrorist group, the Forward has learned. (Jewish
Foward) http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.02.28/news1a.html
Kucinich goes pro-choice...Longtime abortion foe changes mind in time to run for
president (AP)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2003-02-27-prochoice-dem_xhtm
Sen. Bob Graham of Florida took a major step toward a likely bid for the Democratic
presidential nomination on Thursday, filing papers to begin raising money for a
full-fledged campaign. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=694&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20030227/ap_on_el_pr/graham_2004
Orin: Anti-war fever is all the rage in the Democratic Party these days, but
candidate-in-waiting Hillary Clinton is carefully sidestepping it, even though the
left is often seen as her natural base. http://www.nypost.com/commentary/69627.htm
Security adviser Rice weighs run for governor...Former Stanford provost rules out
Senate bid against Boxer in '04 (SF Chronicle)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/27/MN138053.DTL
Johnson: Did the media stumble on Iraq, downplaying opposition to war with Saddam
Hussein until the USA's recent confrontation with Germany and France in the United
Nations and worldwide protests gave them no choice?
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2003-02-24-media-mix_x.htm
TV's beloved 'Mister Rogers' dies....Fred Rogers, who invited millions of children to
be his neighbor as host of the public television show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'
for more than 30 years, has died of cancer. He was 74.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/878116.asp
Opinion/Editorial
Frum: The speech President Bush gave last night at the American Enterprise Institute
was not only one of the most important of the war - it ranks among the most important
state papers of the past three decades.
http://www.nationalreview.com/frum/diary022703.asp
Talking Points: Bush Backs Into Nation Building
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6853-2003Feb26.html
Reckless rhetoric...Is House Majority Leader Tom DeLay suggesting that Democrats who
oppose war in Iraq are reckless and disloyal? Let's apply that test to DeLay's
opposition to the war in Kosovo four years ago. By Will Saletan.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/877922.asp
Ledeen: He's Done Better...The president at AEI's dinner.
http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen022703.asp
Fund's Diary...Shut Up, They Explained...If you can censor this, thank a teacher
http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110003118
Zell Miller: Stereotyping, That Is...Mr. Moonves, call off your hillbilly hunt
http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110003127
Novak: Dems shameless in Estrada nomination
http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak27.html
=========================================
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
