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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Hardball airs tonight at 7p, 11p & 4a ET & 4p, 8p & 1a PT
Tonight we go heavy on the latest controversy buzzing around the Beltway: The Iraqi
POW torture pix...Senators on the Hill were stampeding in front of the cameras today
demanding answers while Rumsfeld called the conduct of the soldiers involved "totally
unacceptable and un-American."
We lead with the journalist who really started it all, The New Yorker's Sy Hersh
http://newyorker.com/fact/content/?040510fa_fact for a couple of blocks
We'll get the view from the Hill from Congressman turned Senator Lindsey Graham
(R-SC), a former Clinton impeachment manager who famously stated during the Senate
trial of Clinton: "I don't know 'bout you but where I come from if you're on the phone
with someone at two in the morning, you're up to no good."
We'll get the military perspective from ret. General Wayne Downing, the intel aspect
from fmr. CIA guy Larry Johnson and the military justice aspect from former JAG Brig.
Gen. Donald Hansen (counsel for the appeal of Lt. William Calley, the man behind the
My Lai massacre in Vietnam, another Hersh story)
We round out the show with something a little different...Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the
famous fmr basketball player is here to discuss his new book...No, it's not a tell-all
about his years in the NBA...It's called "Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the
761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes"...
Rumsfeld urged to testify on prisoner abuses...Military investigating possibility of
abuses at other Iraqi prisons http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4855930/
I love this Bush quote from his rally in Ohio today: "Just cause somebody has an
accent and a nice suit and a good table at a fancy New York restaurant doesn't make
them a foreign leader" http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899342/
Editor's Pick
Having a doll with a bobbing head in your own likeness may be all right for Abraham
Lincoln, Al Capone, Hilary Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Jesus. But California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger is outraged and wants out, distinguished company or not. (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040504/od_nm/politics_california_doll_dc_2
Gore's got a new gig
Former Vice President Al Gore and entrepreneur Joel Hyatt launched a cable television
network Tuesday by buying Newsworld International from Vivendi Universal Entertainment
for an undisclosed sum. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040504/D82BSVNG2.html
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled & edited The Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
U.S., Bulgarian troops...Four American soldiers die in vehicle accident (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4824213/
L.A.-Dulles flight seen as terror target...Federal officials have pinpointed an
airline flight from Los Angeles to Washington as a potential terrorist target in the
past two weeks and have begun scrutinizing the flight crew's luggage and using
security agents to follow pilots preparing for the flight.(Wash Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040504-121635-1825r.htm
Ex-hostage 'feeling well'...Escaped hostage Thomas Hamill, who was shot in the arm
when he was abducted, was treated for the wound and regularly received food during his
three weeks in captivity in Iraq, a military doctor said Tuesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4884602/
Abuse photos stun guard unit's hometown...Residents in Md. city say actions of a few
hurt company's reputation (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4898568/
The following are some of the key excerpts from the report prepared by Maj. Gen.
Antonio M. Taguba on alleged abuse of prisoners by members of the 800th Military
Police Brigade at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Baghdad.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4894033/
With six U.S. soldiers reprimanded and six others facing criminal charges, Iraq's
prisoner-abuse scandal looked far from over Tuesday as more Iraqis came forward to
allege maltreatment by U.S. troops. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=D1KWX1ORWXP4ACRBAE0CFEY?type=topNews&storyID=5033628§ion=news
The U.S. military did a "top-level review" last fall of how its detention centers in
Iraq were run, months before commanders first were told about the sexual humiliation
and abuse of Iraqis that has created an international uproar, a Pentagon official
said. (AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040504/D82BTB0G0.html
U.S. sought to boost prison training...Most military police not trained to run prisons
(The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4894534/
37,000 more reserve, Guard troops for Iraq...Pentagon concludes it must maintain full
138,000 force level (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899904/
After the deadliest month yet for U.S. troops in Iraq, top Bush administration
officials fear the situation will deteriorate in coming weeks as insurgents try to
create turmoil amid the June 30 handover of power to Iraqis. (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040504/D82BP02G0.html
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry pledged Tuesday to push for 1 million
more high school graduates within five years and blamed President Bush for failing to
provide enough money to help schools raise academic standards. (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899274/
Groups gear up for big RNC protests...From satire to civil disobedience, a variety of
tactics likely (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4871127/
Vice President Dick Cheney, who a week ago attacked John Kerry on national security,
turned to economic issues on Monday with a broadside against the Democratic
presidential candidate (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5019109
Sixty former U.S. diplomats have signed a letter to President Bush contending that his
"unabashed support" for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is costing the United
States "credibility, prestige and friends." (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040504/D82BR1F81.html
Opinion/Editorial
Crawford: Spring's Usual Political Lull Yields to a Food Fight
http://www.cq.com/corp/show.do?page=crawford/crawford_current
Andrew Sullivan: The Uncelebrity...Pat Tillman, R.I.P.
http://www.andrewsullivan.com/main_article.php?artnum=20040502
Unfit for Office...I was on Mr. Kerry's boat in Vietnam. He doesn't deserve to be
commander in chief. http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005036
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
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