------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Hardball airs tonight on MSNBC at 7p, 11p, 4a ET & 4p, 8p & 1a PT
The White House is in full damage control mode as the controversy grows over the Iraqi
torture pix...Today POTUS went on a couple of Arab networks to say the actions of U.S.
personnel at the prisons is "abhorrent" and that "this is a serious matter, a matter
that reflects badly on our country."
"What did the president know, when did he know it and what did he do about it"? seems
to be the reigning theme of today's White House press conference...
We'll talk to a former Iraqi prisoner who was tortured by the U.S. and ask him about
that experience...Then NBC's Ned Colt will give us a tour of the infamous Abu Ghraib
prison and congressional reaction from a couple of members of Congress...
Then we'll talk to California First Lady Maria Shriver about her new kids book on
Alzheimer's and political life in California...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040503/ap_en_ce/maria_shriver_1
Shuster reports from Cumberland, MD where a number of the accused U.S. soldiers were
from...He gives us community reaction...
We've also got some new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll numbers that are being
released tonight...We'll have a journalist/political strategist type in the House
slicin' and dicin' 'em...
An action packed show tonight folks, we hope you join us...
Last night newly installed CNN Hill correspondent Ed Henry got the Juleanna Glover
Weiss treatment, or as Howard Mortman and I like to say he was "feted", in honor of
his new position...Henry was the long time "Heard on the Hill" columnist for Roll
Call, a "must-read" in this town, until he was scooped up by the Atlanta based cable
network...For those who don't know about Glover-Weiss, a former Cheney spokeswoman,
she's been described as "the Pamela Harriman for a generation of people who have never
heard of Pamela Harriman" according to Mortman, who was himself once feted by her back
when he first ascended to the role as a Hardball producer...
Food: Delicious Vietnamese spring roll things (of the Cafe Asia variety) with dipping
sauce, sushi, sliced rare roast beef with Dijon mustard, a Lebanese fallafah/kibbeh
type thing (of the Lebanese Taverna variety) which rocked and for dessert:
profiteroles, fresh strawberries with cream and an assortment of cookies...A full
spirits bar and wine of course. Top shelf only for this glamorous crowd at the
Embassy of Juleanna.
Personnel: Ed & Jennifer Henry, their kid Patrick, Mortman of course, Daschle staffer
Todd Webster, Bill Press, Jim Glassman, fmr. MSNBC Strat Ops guru turned GOP pollster
Alex Bratty, Frank Coleman of the Distilled Spirits Council served up bubbly
conversation, Marc Thiessen, gifted speechwriter for Secretary Rumsfeld, Brody
Mullins, rising star at Roll Call, Tim Burger, formerly of Roll Call now a rising star
at Time mag, Danielle Jones, loyal Briefing reader and multi-decade Hotline editor,
Eamon Javers, a G.E. colleague and investigative reporter for CNBC's Capitol Report,
Anne Schroeder of the Washington Post, political Internet guru Jonah Seiger, stand-up
comedian Grover Norquist, Mr. Bobblehead John Edgell, proud parent of children with
last name Edgell, Vaughn Ververs of the Hotline, Beltway Boy Mort Kondracke, Kellyanne
Conway/Fitzpatrick, Pete Snyder, your garden variety GOP strategist & Jake Tapper from
ABC News...If I left your name out I'm sorry, I either forgot or didn't see you...
Congrats on your new gig Ed, just stay out of the 7 pm slot!
Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The Briefing from Washington, DC
POTUS Sked Tonight
7 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush depart The White House en route
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
7:10 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush arrive Marriott Wardman Park
Hotel.
7:35 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush attend the Republican National
Committee Gala. Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
8:40 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush depart Marriott Wardman Park
Hotel en route The White House.
8:50 p.m. President and Mrs. Bush arrive The White House.
The Republican National Committee raised at least $38.5 million Wednesday at an annual
gala featuring President Bush, beating a party record set when big corporate and union
donations were still allowed. (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82CFKR80.html
Bush: Abuse of Iraqi prisoners is 'abhorrent'...In Arab TV interviews, he vows full
investigation (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4855930/
At the same time, Bush voiced full confidence in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
"Of course I've got confidence in the secretary of defense," he told the U.S.-funded
Arabic television network Alhurra (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5048332
"If it goes all the way to Rumsfeld, then he should resign," Biden told "Today" on
NBC. "Who is in charge? I mean, look, every single, solitary decision made almost
since the fall of Saddam Hussein has been mistaken. Who's making these decisions?"
(AP) http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1842333
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Wednesday "any American" felt apologetic for
abuses of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers but stopped short of offering a direct
apology himself. (AP)
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/401504|top|05-05-2004::08:08|reutershtml
Curry: Abuse flap not expected to cut support for war...Congressional leaders moving
ahead with billions more for Iraq http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4893826/
U.S. soldier killed at Iraq checkpoint...Driver rams dump truck into soldier's Humvee
near Kerbala (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4899904/
Bush to ask for $25 billion more for Iraq...Request comes amid plans to keep more
troops in country next year (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4908166/
Two Iraqi prisoners were killed by U.S. soldiers last year, and 20 other detainee
deaths and assaults remain under criminal investigation in Iraq and Afghanistan, part
of a total of 35 cases probed since December 2002 for possible misconduct by U.S.
troops in those two countries, Army officials reported yesterday. (The Washington
Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2179-2004May4.html
As the crisis over Iraqi prison abuse mounted, White House officials portrayed
President Bush as a distant witness to the controversy yesterday, saying the president
had only learned about graphic prisoner photographs and a damaging Pentagon
investigation through news accounts last weeks. (The Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/05/05/white_house_distances_bush_from_abuse_crisis/
U.S. to cut count in Iraqi prison...The U.S. general overseeing Army-run prisons in
Iraq said Tuesday that the population of overcrowded Abu Ghraib prison would be cut by
more than half and that he has ordered military intelligence operatives to stop
placing hoods over detainees' heads as an interrogation tactic. (The Washington Post)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4901238/
Family proud of Iraq abuses' whistleblower...Darby joined Army 'to take care of
people,' relative says (AP) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4906211/
Hometown shocked by reservists...All facing court-martial in scandal are in unit from
tiny Maryland town (NBC Nightly News) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4900336/
Interrogators pressured to make inmates talk...Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller arrived in
Baghdad in September with one urgent mission: Improve the intelligence gathered from
Iraqi detainees in 16 Army-run prisons, including Saddam Hussein's favorite, Abu
Ghraib. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040505-122431-5035r.htm
Staffers quit at U.S.-backed Iraq paper...'Suffocated' journalists prepare to start
their own publication (The Washington Post) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4901254/
Friends say Powell uncomfortable in job...Chief of staff says he's unlikely to stay;
also rips Cuba policy (MSNBC) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4906842/
Pakistan has protested to the United States against an incursion by U.S. troops into
Pakistani territory to hunt suspected al Qaeda or Taliban militants, a Foreign
Ministry official said Wednesday. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5047949§ion=news
A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq (AP)
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82C58581.html
Vietnam veterans call Kerry unfit...Two dozen veterans who served the same swift boat
duty in the Navy as John Kerry in Vietnam, including some who served with or commanded
him, said yesterday the Democratic presidential candidate is not fit to be commander
in chief. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040504-110913-2157r.htm
Kerry spokesman David Wade denounced the statements as "a false, lying smear campaign
against a decorated combat veteran." He added, "This is the ugly face of the Bush
attack machine questioning John Kerry's patriotism." (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2143-2004May4.html
President Bush's approval rating hovers at an all time low, but if the election were
held today more voters would still vote for Bush than his Democratic rival John Kerry,
according to a poll published on Wednesday. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=A3FGZNX1YFWKMCRBAEKSFFA?type=topNews&storyID=5048233
Bush campaign tour bus made in Canada; Kerry's was, too (AP)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/05/04/politics2329EDT0862.DTL
Kerry campaign chided on diversity...Democratic strategist Donna Brazile criticized
Sen. John Kerry yesterday for failing to put black and Hispanic leaders into senior
campaign positions, saying it raised serious questions about his commitment to racial
diversity. (The Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040504-110932-5540r.htm
At least six of the 10 members of a bipartisan commission investigating the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks have made partisan campaign donations since joining the panel,
campaign finance reports show. Democratic Commissioner Jamie Gorelick has given
roughly $14,000 to Democratic candidates and causes since joining in December 2002.
(AP) http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040505/D82CFNKO0.html
The private jet that Mayor Bloomberg uses to travel the world is reportedly set to get
the ultimate in corporate upgrades - its own anti-missile defense system. (NY Daily
News) http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/190368p-164511c.html
The Republican National Convention in New York this summer will be drawing some
unlikely visitors: supporters of Senator John Kerry. (NY Observer)
http://www.observer.com/pages/frontpage2.asp
A large area around Madison Square Garden will be turned into a security zone during
this summer's Republican convention, organizers revealed yesterday. (NY Post)
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/20185.htm
Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's documentary linking President Bush with
powerful Saudi families, including that of Osama bin Laden, is stirring up controversy
even before its release. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=5046930
Wonkette's Washington Gossip Roundup
http://www.wonkette.com/archives/gossip-roundup-myself-or-my-country-edition-015920.php
Opinion/Editorial
Javers: Spinning Fallujah...Why the Marines say they're fighting "anti-Iraqi" forces.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2099984/
Roset: 'We Have Other Priorities'...Why won't the U.N. answer questions about its Iraq
scandal? http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/cRosett/?id=110005040
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>
