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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Hardball airs on MSNBC at 7, 11, & 2 am et and 4, 8 & 11 pm pt
Tonight we have some fun guests and topics I think you'll like...Our old favorite
Christopher Hitchens is in the House to discuss those rascally neighbors of Iraq, the
Syrians...Should we slap sanctions on them? And what is Christopher's take on post-war
Iraq, the Administration's PR strategy and the so called "central front on terror."
And you'll recall last night's Buzz in which we showed the poll on Hillary which has
her far and away leading the Dems nationwide for the presidential nomination...Should
she sit out '04?? Is it time for her to get off the sidelines, strap on a helmet and
get in the game? Love her or hate her, it'll be a 'must watch' segment....Obsessed
Hillary watcher and Briefing subscriber/CQ/ex-Hotliner Craig Crawford joins us...
And in the Buzz, two of your favorites: RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie and PA Gov/Fmr. DNC
Chairman Eddie Rendell....I'm throwing some Hillary in there, some Bill in there, some
Bush re-elect in there and also the upcoming state/local races in MS, KY & PA.....I'm
sure the new economic numbers will come up as well...
>From the Briefing Party File...Ingraham Book Party Revealed...Eat your heart our,
>Ian..
Tuesday night was Laura Ingraham's (www.lauraingraham.com) big book soiree to
celebrate the success of "Shut Up & Sing", now on it's 5th week on the NYT bestsellers
list.. Laura "It's not just a radio show, it's an addiction" Ingraham was feted at the
Georgetown mansion of her buddy Rick Ricktersen...And what a joint the place was!
Spacious, breathtaking antique works of art, jacuzzi out back...Bill Press dared folks
to get in but it was cold and rainy...No one took the bait....The place was "off the
hook" as my brother would say...Food was pretty tasty too: Chicken Satay (one The
Briefing's favorite Asian appetizers), Rosemary Chicken biscuit thingy with soy sauce,
Hoisin Duck in a pastry cup...Delicious sliced roast beef and horseradish crostini and
of course the obligatory cheese platter which was a hit with my coterie...The cool
thing was the huge sheet cake which was air brushed with the book cover and spine!
Laura insisted we take a piece home which we did...Laura, the sweetheart that she it,
signed my girlfriend's book "Thanks for putting up with Dominic."
Guests included Scripps-Howard Columnist and Buzz favorite Betsy Hart, Wash Post media
critic dude Howie Kurtz and his wife Sheri Annis (fmr. Arnold flack), "Axis of Evil"
speechwriter guy David Frum's wife Danielle Crittenden (who, btw, wore a black leather
mini and knee high stiletto boots), Newsweek super sleuth Michael Isikoff, Pat &
Shelley Buchanan, Bill Press, Buchanan & Press producers Tammy Haddad (who's produced
everyone in Washington and had a cameo on K. St) & Brian Doherty (of Judicial Watch &
Drudge TV show notoriety)...MSNBC Stategic Ops guru turned GOP pollster Alex Bratty,
MSNBC military analyst Ken Allard (who made it back to the studio for a 10p
Scarborough hit), fmr. Ashcroft/DoJ mouthpiece & Clinton oppo research czar Barbara
Comstock, Solicitor General Ted Olson, Uber-Hawk Frank Gaffney, MSNBC Washington
bureau den mother Patty McFarland, NBC makeup artist Nikki Iannucci, Squitty, TNR's
Byron York, The Washington Times' Ken Hanner, Head of USIA Ken Tomlinson, fmr. owner
of the Washington Wizards Jonathan Ledecky; Khris Bershers & Chris Kennedy, the
dynamic duo of the Heritage Foundation's press operations, Jim Kimsey (AOL
co-founder), fmr. top Bush domestic adviser Jay Leftkowitz, Bush 41 consigliere C.
Boyden Gray, Bush 43 buddy Fred Malek, Dave Pollin (real estate magnate), Alice Starr
(Ken's wife), conservative columnist Mona Charen & Msgr. Peter Vaghi...Anne Schroeder
and Lloyd Grove were MIA however...A fun night was had by all...
Laura gets a big wet kiss from the Washington Times today who inform us that her book
is intended to be a "love letter to the average American."
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031029-105107-2718r.htm
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
Schroeder's Names & Faces
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38427-2003Oct29.html
Blast rocks Baghdad's old quarter...Fire spreads in residential, shopping area after
explosion (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749.asp?0cv=CB10
The economy grew at a scorching 7.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter in the
strongest pace in nearly two decades. Consumers spent with abandon and businesses
ramped up investment, compelling new evidence of an economic resurgence. (MSNBC)
http://msnbc.com/news/986926.asp?0dm=N11LB
Congress nears approval of Iraq aid...Negotiators strip loan provision from $87
billion package (AP) http://www.msnbc.com/news/981452.asp?0dm=N13MN
Former President Bill Clinton says that the Democratic presidential candidates cannot
win the White House if voters think they are too far to the left, according to an
interview published this week. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031022-104645-8779r.htm
The Clinton Formula...Excerpts from Michael Tomasky's interview with the former
president http://www.prospect.org/print/V14/10/tomasky-m.html
Hil hits W on Iraq, 9/11...Sen. Hillary Clinton delivered her sharpest attack yet on
President Bush's handling of foreign policy - reviving speculation she may challenge
him for the presidency. (NY Daily News)
http://nydailynews.com/front/story/132124p-117857c.html
Gertz: U.S. lacks direction, cohesion in war of ideas...The Bush administration's
effort to wage a war of ideas against terrorism is hampered by divisions among
agencies and by a lack of focus on winning Muslim support.
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031030-120602-5737r.htm
Former State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler on Wednesday promised to work
with Congress to improve America's image overseas if confirmed as the new
undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031029/ap_on_go_co/senate_diplomatic_appointments_2
Democrat Wesley Clark on Tuesday blamed President Bush for the intelligence failures
that contributed to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=694&u=/ap/20031029/ap_on_el_pr/clark_terrorism_4&printer=1
Huge union to back 'Dean or no one'...But 1.6 million-member SEIU could decide to
delay decision (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/986956.asp?0dm=C12MN
In a move that might not surprise his fellow Democrats, Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia on
Wednesday endorsed President Bush for re-election. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/1003/30zell.html
President Bush, who put Campaign 2004 fund-raising on hold for travel to Asia and
Australia, is seeking to build up a re-election bank account already worth more than
$84 billion (AP)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=3&u=/ap/20031030/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush
Pentagon weighs WMD hunt cutback...U.S. may switch some Iraq resources to
counterinsurgency (AP) http://msnbc.com/news/986524.asp?0sl=-32
Iraq adds to '04 election uncertainty Occupation, $87 billion tab, Dems' anger set the
stage http://msnbc.com/news/985751.asp?0cv=CB10
U.N. to withdraw staff from Baghdad...Move follows attack on HQ, Red Cross building
(MSNBC) http://msnbc.com/news/986870.asp?0sl=-31
The US intelligence agencies have "badly underperformed" for years in assessing Iraq's
weapons of mass destruction and should accept responsibility for its failure, a
retired intelligence chief says. (LA Times)
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/29/1067233251514.html
Hatch proposal angers activists...Conservatives are furious over a Republican proposal
to create two new Michigan-based judicial seats in exchange for getting Sen. Carl
Levin, Michigan Democrat, to lift his blockade on four of President Bush's nominees
from that state. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031030-120550-7566r.htm
GOP crosses fingers in South...Fresh from their historic victory in the California
recall election, Republicans appear to be on a roll with gubernatorial candidates
running ahead in the polls in three Southern states that have elections next month.
(The Washington Times) http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031029-105107-6449r.htm
Some leading Democrats are moving to stake out more conservative positions on gun
rights, reconnecting with "people of faith," and even voting to ban partial-birth
abortion as the 2004 election approaches. (The Washington Times)
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031029-105103-3000r.htm
Congressional Republicans welcomed Arnold Schwarzenegger to Capitol Hill yesterday
with words of praise and plenty of stargazing for the governor-elect who delivered the
California statehouse from the Democrats. (AP)
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usarno30q3517274oct30,0,3721912.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines
Opinion/Editorial
Terry: Mel Gibson's Unavoidable Questions
http://humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=2217
Katrina's Editor's Cut: Beyond the War on Terror...It's a crucial moment to make the
case that the war on terrorism is only one of many wars.
http://thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7
Fund's Diary: Brush With Disaster...California's fires may end a legislative logjam in
Washington. http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110004233
Tina Brown: The Yankees' loss to the Marlins on Saturday night felt as if the book had
finally been closed on the Giuliani era -- the old my-way-or-the-highway,
Scotch-in-a-tumbler ethos of big-time New York, citadel of Jack Welch, Sandy Weill and
Dick Grasso. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38527-2003Oct29.html
Alterman: Of Broder and librarians...Altercation Weblog: Does David Broder only like
white people?
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_infobeat.asp?/news/752664.asp
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
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