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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p & 4a ET...If you live in the Midwest tune it at 6p,
10p or 2a CST...Set the dial for MSNBC and let the Hardball magic take control..
Housekeeping: Chris is taping tonight from 30 Rock tonight so you'll notice the softer
"Deborah Norville" set he's broadcasting from...Don't be alarmed...You'll like it
We're expecting the release of a couple of new spots tonight from BC '04...The Bushies
are finally "going neg" on Kerry...We'll of course roll them and do the usual Hardball
slice and dice with a couple of "political strategist" types (Charlie Black
representing Bush and Steve Elmendorf representing Kerry)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040311/D818BEE81.html
The other big story we're tracking is the GOP piling on Kerry for his unscripted
remarks yesterday where he referred to some folks as "the most crooked, you know,
lying group I've ever seen." (You saw the clip first on Hardball last
night)...Republicans say he's attacking the President...Kerry says he was attacking
the "Republican attack machine"
"I have no intention whatsoever of apologizing for my remarks," Kerry said during a
news conference on the Senate side of the Capitol. "I think the Republicans need to
start talking about the real issues before the country."
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040311/D818BKNG1.html
Shuster's got a hot package tying it all together
Some other big names involved with the show tonight: We'll check in with one of
the Democrat's most sagacious Liberals, Mario Cuomo, and get his read on the political
topography...
Also, we'll follow up on the terrible terrorist attack in Madrid with former Clinton
SecDef Bill Cohen...I'm sure Chris will want to do some more venting on the
Tenet/Cheney/NYT story from yesterday...
Meanwhile here's a little aperitif, if you will, of the Bush ads (courtesy of the AP):
TITLE: "100 days."
LENGTH: 30 seconds.
PRODUCER: Maverick Media.
AIRING: 18 battleground states.
SCRIPT:
Bush: "I'm George Bush and I approved this message."
Announcer: "A president sets his agenda for America in the
first 100 days. John Kerry's plan: To pay for new government
spending, raise taxes by at least $900 billion. On the war on
terror: Weaken the Patriot Act used to arrest terrorists and
protect America. And he wanted to delay defending American until
the United Nations approved. John Kerry: Wrong on taxes. Wrong on
defense."
----------------------------------------
TITLE: "Forward"
LENGTH: 30 seconds.
PRODUCER: Maverick Media.
AIRING: 18 battleground states.
SCRIPT:
Bush: "Over the past three years, Americans have faced many
serious challenges. Now we face a choice: We can go forward with
confidence, resolve and hope. Or we can turn back to the dangerous
illusion that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no
threat. We can continue to work to create jobs, reform education
and lower the cost of health care. Together, we're moving America
forward. I'm George W. Bush and I approve this message."
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We repeat our challenge to Comedy Central's Jon Stewart (Hardball joined last night in
progress)
Finally tonight, my friend Jon Stewart, the host of "The Daily Show,"
has a little bone to pick with HARDBALL.
Here is what he said last night at the beginning of his show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE DAILY SHOW")
JON STEWART, HOST: I wanted to tell you a little story about the
business, give you a little insight into how the show is made.
We had an opportunity to have on the program on the 16th of this
month, Bishop Desmond Tutu, who...
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: ... as you know, won a Noble Peace Prize. He was going to
come on the program. We were very excited. We have had a Noble Peace
Prize winner before. We had Dr. Kissinger, but his Nobel Peace Prize, of
course, given ironically.
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
STEWART: But Bishop Desmond Tutu, unfortunately, what we found out
was, on the 18th, two days later, Bishop Desmond Tutu is scheduled to go on
Chris Matthews` shows, the one that`s -- it`s called (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
HARDBALL. HARDBALL.
(APPLAUSE)
STEWART: And they won`t let Bishop Desmond Tutu be on our show first.
(BOOING)
STEWART: I guess they are playing, what`s the word I`m looking for,
HARDBALL.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEWS: OK, Jon, direct to you, I`ll give you a bishop if you give
me a Stewart. You come here, the bishop goes there. In fact, the bishop
goes there and we`ll hope you will do the show.
All this and a new Mortman column to boot: Kerry campaign plays the spouse
card...'Husband of' applies when wife is Playboy bigwig
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4507311/
Also, check out our new Hardball "Hardshots" link on our homepage
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
President Bush isn't backing down. His response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,
2001, is a centerpiece of his campaign for re-election, and he underscores the point
Thursday with a visit to a new victims' memorial, before headlining a campaign
fund-raiser. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040311/D8189PT80.html
Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) dueled with President Bush over taxes and the economy
yesterday and then, in an offhand comment to factory workers in Chicago, called the
Republicans "the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen," triggering an
angry denunciation from Bush's campaign. (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47992-2004Mar10.html
Bush, Kerry wrangle on economy...Their campaign rhetoric growing ever hotter,
President Bush and Sen. John Kerry focused on economic themes Wednesday with the
president defending his record in the crucial swing state of Ohio and his Democratic
challenger proposing middle-class tax cuts.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4497642/
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry was looking to shore up his support among
congressional Democrats and bring another former rival into the fold. Republicans were
looking for something from Kerry, too: an apology for comments they criticized as
"unbecoming of a candidate for the presidency." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4506228/
Poll: Faith in economy plummets...Americans have sharply lost confidence in the
economy, while John Kerry has pulled into a tie with President Bush, an NBC News/Wall
Street Journal poll found Wednesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4499877/
Howard Dean, whose primary-campaign criticisms of John F. Kerry are now featured in
Republican attacks on the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, met with his
former rival yesterday as Kerry began a two-day party unity effort. (The Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/03/11/kerry_dean_meet_in_party_unity_push/
Labor leaders voted yesterday to spend $44 million to mobilize union household voters
in November against President Bush, a record sum in an election they say is do-or-die
for the labor movement. (AP)
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/03/11/afl_cio_votes_to_spend_44m_to_unseat_bush/
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has lent her name and presence to a lecture
series co-sponsored by the liberal NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, an advocacy
group that often argues before the court in support of women's rights that the justice
embraces. (The Los Angeles Times)
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_04f4fe8d07a132d90065.html
At least 190 killed in Madrid train explosions...Spain blames attack on Basques; U.S.
wonders about al-Qaida link (MSBNC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4502950/
'It's like a war zone here'...Witnesses recall scene after devastating bombings in
Madrid (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4505641/
U.S. woman accused of spying for Iraq...Indictment says Maryland resident accepted
$10,000 (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4506229/
Some military families rethink war against Iraq...Organized opposition is small so far
(The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4501347/
On Wednesday morning, Republican Sen. John McCain floated a provocative hint that he
would "entertain" the idea of joining Sen. John Kerry on the Democratic ticket this
fall. (Contra Costa Times) http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/8158623.htm
McCain blasts Democrats' funding...Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., threatened Wednesday to
go to court to force the Federal Election Commission to crack down on mostly
Democratic fund-raising groups called "527s," which he said are circumventing campaign
finance laws by using massive contributions to run TV ads attacking President Bush.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4487131/
The Reliable Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47949-2004Mar10.html
Opinion/Editorial
Slate: The Seven Faces of Jayson Blair...Slate reads the prevaricator's book so you
don't have to. http://slate.msn.com/default.aspx?id=2096811&;
Peggy: An Eight-Month Run...Starring John Kerry in "Airplane" and George W. Bush in
"The Happy Warrior." http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110004799
Novak: Washington downplaying a tyrant's reign in Haiti
http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak11.html
Flip-Flop, Hedge and Straddle (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48096-2004Mar10.html
Broder: Would FDR Run Those 9/11 Ads?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48122-2004Mar10.html
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
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