------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p & 4a ET & 4p, 8p & 1a PT
Maybe you've heard of the controversy surrounding the foundation which has been
collecting donations to restore and re-open the Statue of Liberty...Basically they
raised millions of dollars but we haven't seen much progress and that's raised some
eyebrows in Congress and elsewhere...In a Hardball exclusive, we'll talk to the head
of the foundation about where the money is going and when you'll be able to visit the
newly restored Statue...
Here's a couple of backgrounder pieces...
Senate committee that oversees charities' compliance with the nation's tax laws
requested records yesterday of contracts, staff salaries and other financial
information from the nonprofit foundation managing the reopening of the Statue of
Liberty. (The New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/06/nyregion/06liberty.html?ex=1081915200&en=25b6696831ec0904&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who donated his own money to the effort to reopen the Statue
of Liberty, blasted the federal government's decision to close the icon after the 2001
terror attacks and its plans not to immediately reopen it. (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040406/ap_on_re_us/statue_of_liberty_16
What is the Blackwater Security firm, what are they doing in Iraq and how much are we
paying them to do it? We'll talk to ret. Gen. Wayne Downing and the Post's Dana
Priest who has some great reportage in today's paper regarding these folks...
Private guards repel attack on headquarters...Blackwater Security sends helicopter to
ferry out wounded Marine http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4672324/
Plus, lefty independent adman Bill Hillsman (He's the guy who made the famous Jesse
Ventura action figure ads & Ralph Nader's "Mastercard, priceless" ads to name a
couple) has a new book out about the problem with the two party system in this
country...We'll talk about the book and his ad advice for Kerry & Bush...
And finally we talk to a Vanity Fair author about his new piece on David Kay, Iraq and
those illusive WMDs....
Former U.S. weapons inspector David Kay said on Monday that he had not concluded by
July 2003 that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction as reported by
Vanity Fair magazine. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4757037
Cool Pic...Check out POTUS in "Da Lou" yesterday
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040406/ids_photos_india_wl/ra3849702315.jpg
You know Thursday we're doing live special coverage of Condoleeza Rice's testimony
starting at 9 am ET with Lester and then a special edition of Hardball immediately
afterwards at Noon...But the real question is....What would YOU ask Rice?: MSNBC wants
to know what questions you think the 9/11 Commission should ask National Security
Adviser Condoleezza Rice when she testifies before them on Thursday
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4668895/
Shameless MSNBC cross marketing/guilty pleasure plug ahead...
Guess who's on Norville tonight? Barry Manilow http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3910275/
C'mon you know you've sung his songs in the shower or to your significant other!
(I'll admit it, I even saw him in concert in '98...My big brother will never let me
live that one down) Barry's actually gonna kick some of his cuts tonight for you and
Deborah! So after you've gotten fired up from Hardball, keep it on MSNBC and bust a
chill to the smooth sounds of Manilow...Tonight at 9 pm ET, only on MSNBC
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled & edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
Curry on running mates: In V.P. choice, risk often outweighs reward...Running mate may
help Kerry, but at worst must not hobble him http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4625702/
More GIs die; cleric threatens further violence...Battles on two fronts: Fallujah area
and with al-Sadr militia http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4667742/
Senior al-Qaida operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, sentenced to death in absentia in a
Jordan court on Tuesday, pledged to carry out more attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq,
according to an audiotape posted on a militant Islamic Web site. (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4676215/
Iraq's U.S. administrator said Tuesday he was confident America's occupation would end
as planned on June 30 despite an upsurge in violence, and insisted Iraq had nothing in
common with Vietnam. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=HMBNKBGPXPNFMCRBAE0CFEY?type=topNews&storyID=4762947
Commander punished amid detainee probe...Investigation involves allegation soldiers
forced 2 men into river (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4665229/
Squitty: A decision by the Pentagon to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is a
reversal of its plan to steadily reduce the U.S. force level there.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-04-05-troops-stay_x.htm
The CIA's former weapons hunter in Iraq realized within days of arriving in Baghdad
last summer that dictator Saddam Hussein was no longer stockpiling a banned arsenal,
according to a new report. (NY Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/180602p-156891c.html
Arms hunters in Iraq are still investigating two suspicious trailers, despite growing
doubts that these were mobile laboratories used to make biological weapons, the chief
U.S. weapons inspector said on Tuesday. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4761560
President Bush is to visit El Dorado late Tuesday morning to conduct a roundtable with
business leaders on employment. (AP) http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0404/137332.html
Poll: Support erodes for Bush's handling of Iraq...Americans haven't abandoned their
support of the decision to use military force in Iraq, but they're increasingly
skeptical about President Bush's handling of the situation there now. (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040406/D81PBB400.html
The final policy paper on national security that President Clinton submitted to
Congress - 45,000 words long - makes no mention of al Qaeda and refers to Osama bin
Laden by name just four times. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040406-121654-1495r.htm
President Bush said he will tell the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks
that his administration lacked the information needed to prevent the terrorists from
striking. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040406/D81PBDFO0.html
A day after Vice President Dick Cheney threw out the opening pitch at the Cincinnati
Reds home opener, Democrat John Kerry makes his pitch to Cincinnati voters today:
417,000 new jobs in Ohio. (Cincinnati Inquirer)
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/04/06/loc_loc1akerry.html
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Monday that President Bush should
lay out a security plan for Iraq's self-rule that involves the United Nations. (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4671122/
For Kerry aides, McCain would fit bill as running mate...Naming Republican seen as
potent lure to undecided voters (Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/04/06/for_kerry_aides_mccain_would_fit_bill_as_running_mate/
Kerry narrows gap in Fla....Bush leads by 8 points compared to 24 four months ago,
poll finds (Ft. Myer News Press)
http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/040406mason-dixon.html
Mr. Kerry became combative when told that some conservatives were criticizing him for
being a Roman Catholic who supported policies, like abortion rights and same-sex
unions, that are at odds with Catholic teaching. "Who are they?" he demanded of his
questioner. "Name them. Are they the same legislators who vote for the death penalty,
which is in contravention of Catholic teaching?" (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/06/national/06KERR.html?ex=1081828800&en=2754f66484bc4e12&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
A new book on the Bush political dynasty claims former President George H.W. Bush
opposed last year's invasion of Iraq. (NY Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/181041p-157188c.html
Saying rigorous screening standards would ensure recipients ''won't be terrorists,''
Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday strongly endorsed issuing state driver's licenses to both
illegal immigrants and foreign nationals who make Florida home for part of the year.
(Miami Herald) http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8364000.htm
White House hopeful John Kerry said on Monday a meeting may be "in the works" with
Ralph Nader, whose own bid as an independent is seen by some Democrats as a potential
boost to President Bush's re-election chances. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4755868§ion=news
Nader falls short in first bid for Oregon ballot...Petition-signing rally fails to
attract the required 1,000 supporters (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4675714/
Former Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean warned on Monday that "a vote for
Ralph Nader is the same as a vote for George Bush" as Nader sought to qualify for his
first state ballot. (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4671289/
Nader fires up Seattle crowd...Third-party candidate blasts Republicans -- and
Democrats (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/167846_nader06.html
Wonkette's Gossip Roundup
http://www.wonkette.com/archives/gossip_roundup_all_friends_at_the_ballpark_edition_014752.php
Opinion/Editorial
A soldier assures us: Our progress is amazing (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/2487509
Mondo Washington: Will Rice Stick?...If she brings up the Taliban, the whole damn mess
could boil over http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0414/mondo1.php
Katrina's Editors Cut: Lott Congratulates Vote Fraud...Putin's electoral fraud didn't
seem to bother leading GOP apparatchik Trent Lott.
http://www.thenation.com/edcut/index.mhtml?bid=7
Miniter: Rice's Best Defense...Two questions she should ask the 9/11 commission.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/bminiter/?id=110004913
Mickey Kaus: How Firm Is It?...Bush starts to hedge on the Iraq handover date.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2097964/
Crowley: Former Sen. Max Cleland...How the disabled war veteran became the Democrats'
mascot. http://slate.msn.com/default.aspx?id=2098171
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
=========================================
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
<http://www.msnbc.com/tools/newstools/e/emailextra.asp?nfeature=19>
