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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Hardball airs tonight at 7, 11 & 4 am ET and 4, 8 & 1 am PT
Housekeeping up front...Chris wants to know you all thought of last night's
coverage...His first words to me upon return (and usually every morning when we speak)
are "what are you hearing on e-mail?" Send mail to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] with the
subject line "primary coverage"...Give us the "good, bad & the ugly" as it were, so to
speak...He'll read 'em trust me...
We loved our coverage last night of course but hey, we're a tad bit biased...
Tonight we move on dual editorial tracks...Fmr. MSBNC analyst/Chief weapons
inspector/Jerry Matthers lookalike David Kay checks in on his surprising revelation
that he hasn't found weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq and that we're unlikely
to...He testified to Congress today to that effect...Whether you supported the war or
not, it's important you watch this segment...It's also important that you watch MSNBC
The other track of course is the Dem primary with Kerry in the lead but Dean a strong
second...We'll talk to a couple of Members of Congress from key Feb. 3rd primary
battleground states...My home Rep. William "Lacy" Clay (D-MO) from the mighty first
district and Sen. Lindsey "I don't know about you but where I come from if you're on
the phone with someone at 2 am you're up to no good" Graham (R-SC) will slice and dice
what it'll take for the candidates to do well in their states..
We'll also check in with our own David Shuster from South Carolina (one of 7
battleground primary states on Feb. 2nd)...Here now, an exclusive peek at Shuster's
"reporter's notebook":
"Best battle now is the one brewing between Kerry and Edwards here in SC and in
Missouri. Kerry's campaign is going for the knockout blow asap. To that end, Kerry
has decided to take on Edwards in the southerner's own backyard. Kerry has made a
big ad buy in SC and will be campaigning hard in SC thanks in part to the latest
endorsement of SC Rep. Jim Clyburn ... Clyburn is a major setback to Edwards who
calls SC a "must win." SC is not a "must win" for Kerry... and the frontrunner's "win
fast" approach is risky, as his own strategists have acknowledged. If Kerry puts a
huge effort into SC and loses, an Edwards victory would be perceived as even more
significant. Battle #2 between Kerry and Edwards is in Missouri... both candidates
are flying in paid staff, making significant ad buys, and are twisting the arms of
every Gephardt organizer in the state...
Dean's strategists want to ignore SC and Oklahoma... and focus most of their efforts
on Missouri, Arizona, and New Mexico (and the Feb. 7 states of Wisconsin and
Michigan.) But the candidate has overruled his advisors and will continue a
"national campaign aimed at every one of the 7 Feb. 3 primary states." Dean made the
decision himself... and is apparently wanting to be in place everywhere in case Kerry
implodes or gets whacked by the media. One Dean stragtegist acknowledged, "this is
out of our hands now."
And finally we'll talk to a slew of reporters: Milbank from the Post, Lee Bandy from
the Columbia, SC State, & Amanda St. Amand, editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
about the Dem primary and the hunt for WMD and hunt for Dem delegate votes...
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
Weapons inspector denies politics affected WMD assessment...Kay says misreading of
Saddam's capability reflects larger problem in intelligence gathering
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4049012/
Kay says evidence shows Iraq disarmed...Action taken in 1990s, ex-inspector says (The
Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4067144/
At least 4 killed in Baghdad blast...A car bomb exploded in front of a hotel in
central Baghdad Wednesday, partially destroying the three-story building and killing
at least three people, police said. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4016883/
Going national...Following Sen. John Kerry's impressive win in New Hampshire, the
candidates shift to next week's nine-state battle. (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4087956/
St. Louis and Kansas City are emerging as the prime targets for the remaining
Democratic presidential hopefuls as they woo Missouri voters for Tuesday's
presidential primary. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/10280984876C872186256E2900192641?OpenDocument&Headline=3+Democratic+hopefuls+will+be+in+St.+Louis+today
As the candidates made final pleas to New Hampshire voters Tuesday, their campaign
advisers scrambled to plot strategies for a vastly different political battlefield in
the coming days. (Cox News Service)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/9D096B7ED713521086256E29001A4E81?OpenDocument&Headline=With+7+states+up+next,+candidates+plot+their+moves
Analysts say S.C. can seal it for Kerry...Edwards has lead in the state, but Kerry has
momentum after two big wins (Columbia State)
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/7812849.htm
Broder...Analysis: The Race Ahead...History Favors Kerry, But Geography May Not
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4081426/
Exit Poll graphic
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/graphics/nhexitpoll_012704.htm?nav=hptop_ts
Dick Cheney's peace offering...Vatican visit part of effort to reconcile with war
critics (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4082495/
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
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