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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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It's Thanksgiving Eve and your Hardball team is watering at the mouth for a
hearty dose of L-tryptophan to launch the holiday season. While we wait for
that dining euphoria, we're juiced up tonight for (cue Ed Sullivan's voice) a
really big show.
We'll start with the still simmering fallout from last Friday's debate over
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)'s call to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in 2006. Rep.
Jean Schmidt (R-OH), the newest member of the House, set off a firestorm in the
people's chamber when she said a Marine Corps reservist told her "to send
Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do."
Facing a reprimand from the chair for insulting a colleague, Schmidt withdrew
her remarks, later apologized to Murtha claiming she hadn't meant to insult him
personally, and yesterday heard the reservist say that he never said anything
specifically about Murtha in the first place. Hardball's David Shuster will
recap the volatile verbal volley.
Paul Hackett, the Iraq War veteran whom Schmidt narrowly defeated in an August
special election, will join Chris to talk about the war of words over the war,
particularly in light of news today that the Pentagon already has tentative
plans to bring home up to three combat brigades from Iraq early next year and
Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. probably won't need to keep
current troop levels for "very much longer." Hackett, an intense critic of the
war and President Bush, will have much to say as he is making a run to be the
Democrat to challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) for his seat next year.
Chris continues on the war debate with former Pentagon official Frank Gaffney
and radio host Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.
Plus, former RNC chairman and Gov. Jim Gilmore (R-VA) and Hardblogger Bob Shrum
will be here to mix it up over Election 2006 and how much Iraq is on the minds
of voters...and candidates.
And finally, Chris talks with Christopher Kennedy Lawford, son of the late
Ratpacker Peter Lawford and presidential/senatorial sister Patricia Kennedy,
about his Hollywood-Hyannis Port upbringing and the Kennedy family legacy.
Lawford has a new book out called "Symptoms of Withdrawal." You don't want to
miss it!
Here are some things you might not have read yet today:
--Fineman reflects on Thanksgiving amidst tumbleweed in the Capitol
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10143705/
--Crawford's sheriff rounds up protestors outside the Bush ranch
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10173879/
--Alter opines on the troop withdrawal debate in Newsweek
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10117464/site/newsweek/
--Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) elected as a jury foreman
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10174732/
--Doonesbury http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html
Brooke Brower compiled the "Hardball Briefing" in Washington, D.C. The next
briefing will hit your inbox on Monday, so, until then, a very happy
Thanksgiving to you and be sure to tune in for Hardball on Turkey Day and Black
Friday.
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