------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
We're all over the big scoop out the New York Times today naming Cheney as the
guy who first told Libby about the identity of Joe Wilson's wife, according to
notes of the meeting obtained by the Times...Libby had originally blamed a
journalist for getting the name...What does this mean for Libby? For Cheney?
How high will this investigation reach? The White House has continued to
remain silent and hasn't challenged the story...Of course we'll look at how
this plays into the broader push for war out of Cheney's office and his use of
the intel used to justify the invasion and occupation of Iraq...
Chris is on fire and intends to ask: Why has Cheney kept this little known fact
to himself and not public? And what's the big deal about it anyway?
Also, we know (based on an October 1st, 2005 Times piece) that Libby asked
Cheney on July 12, 2003 how to handle press inquiries about the Wilson
case...Cheney reportedly told Libby to refer the press to a statement put out
by Tenet...
This also begs questions: What did Cheney know? What and when did he tell
Scooter? and what did he tell Scooter to do with it?
Plus, what does this little sugar plum mean when Cheney denied knowing Wilson
or who sent him on the trip...(MTP, 9/23/03)
I don't know Joe Wilson. I've never met Joe Wilson. A question had arisen. I'd
heard a report that the Iraqis had been trying to acquire uranium in Africa,
Niger in particular.
((WHITE FLASH))
Joe Wilson-I don't know who sent Joe Wilson. He never submitted a report that I
ever saw when he came back."
Folks, we've been digging for answers from day one and we'll continue to
dig...Shuster's been all over is well and will set up the show with his
excellent reportage...And before some of you play the "did you think the
perjury impeachment charge for Bill Clinton was serious?" card, I'll remind you
that Chris was investigating the Clinton regime before investigating and
support impeaching of the Clinton regime was cool...
Cheney Told Aide of C.I.A. Officer, Notes Show...I. Lewis Libby Jr., Vice
President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, first learned about the C.I.A. officer
at the heart of the leak investigation in a conversation with Mr. Cheney weeks
before her identity became public in 2003, lawyers involved in the case said
Monday. http://fairuse.1accesshost.com/news5/nyt9.htm
Report: Cheney told top aide of CIA officer...N.Y. Times report on vice
president appears to differ from Libby's testimony (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9809681/
We'll talk to Ron Christie, a fmr. Deputy Assistant to Cheney and Democrat
attorney Stan Brand...
We'll talk to the Post's Jim VandeHei who has a "must read" piece I've linked
below...We pair him with NBC's David Gregory from the North Lawn...
In the D block we go old school with Pat and John Podesta (fmr. Clinton Chief
of Staff) on the White House damage control efforts, basically tying it back to
VandeHei's piece...
Finally in the E/F block we bring in decidely left of center commentator and
intellectual agigtator Katrina vanden Heuvel and conservative White House
correspondent for the National Review magazine Byron York who worries this leak
case may be a "cover up without a crime."
Something else of great note today as well....
A terrible milestone in Iraq as the KIA toll reaches 2,000
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9772398/
Reuters informs us that 93% of those deaths occured after President Bush
declared an end to major combat operations
Essential Pat reading http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47001
E/F Backgrounders
York: A Cover-up Without a Crime?...The origin of the argument over the CIA
leak case. http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200510240847.asp
Katrina: Fitzgerald Must Broaden Investigation
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?bid=7&pid=30583
Keepin' it real for real....Dominic Bellone wrote, compiled and edited The
Hardball Briefing from Washington, DC
VandeHei "must read" backgrounder: Presidents past inspire Bush damage
control...Advisers look to second-term scandals of Reagan, Clinton
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9808367/
CIA Leak Linked to Dispute Over Iraq Policy...As Grand Jury Term Nears End,
Officials' Critique of Administration Gains Attention (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/24/AR2005102401734_pf.html
Prelude to a Leak...Gang fight: How Cheney and his tight-knit team launched the
Iraq war, chased their critics-and set the stage for a special prosecutor's
dramatic probe.(Newsweek) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9787692/site/newsweek/
Milbank and Pincus: Husband is conspicuous in leak case...Wilson's credibility
debated as probe may be nearing end http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9808374/
Suicide blasts rock Iraq a day after hotel attack...At least 9 killed in
usually peaceful province; Baghdad hotel refortified (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9772398/
Iraq draft constitution approved, officials say...Results from Oct. 15
referendum indicate 78.59 percent backed charter (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9803257/
Study: 21 U.S. prisoner deaths were homicides...ACLU analysis of Defense
Department data says 8 resulted from abuse (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9808637/
Cheney Plan Exempts CIA From Bill Barring Abuse of Detainees (The Washington
Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/24/AR2005102402051_pf.html
Rumsfeld on tour in a changing world...Defense secretary's recent trips point
to shifting array of allies, adversaries (AP)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9806145/
Opinion/Editorial
Nichols: A (True) Conservative Case for Exiting Iraq
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=30573
Kaplan: Now They Tell Us...Why didn't Bush's foreign-policy critics speak out a
year ago? http://slate.msn.com/id/2128629/?nav=ais
Barone: The error of a political indictment
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/michaelbarone/2005/10/24/172504.html
Will: Defending The Indefensible
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/21/AR2005102101825.html?nav=rss_nation/special
The Wall Street Journal: All About Iraq...Patrick Fitzgerald is really
investigating a policy dispute.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110007447
Doonesbury http://www.ucomics.com/doonesbury/
=========================================
This e-mail is never sent unsolicited. You have received this The Hardball
Briefing Newsletter 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.msn.com/id/7140407/, select unsubscribe, enter the email
address receiving this message, and click the Go button.
Microsoft Corporation - One Microsoft Way - Redmond, WA 98052
MSN PRIVACY STATEMENT
http://privacy.msn.com <http://privacy.msn.com/>
