------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Has the American military secretly paid Iraqi media outlets to run stories
written by -- but not attributed to -- U.S. troops about the war? That's the
question raging in Washington since the Los Angeles Times ran a story on
Wednesday reporting just that. Is the U.S. producing propaganda? Is paying for
press appropriate? Is it illegal? Does it affect American credibility?
On Hardball Wednesday, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) reacted by saying, "Chris, I saw
that for the first time today. And as chairman of the Armed Services
Committee, we'll look into that because I'm concerned that our credibility
abroad is very important."
Here's that initial L.A. Times' story in case you missed it:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-infowar30nov30,1,4797092.story?track=mostemailedlink&ctrack=1&cset=true.
And Knight Ridder Newspapers advanced the story today with even more
information: http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/13295806.htm
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said today, "We are very concerned
about the reports. We are seeking more information from the Pentagon. General
Pace indicated that they are looking into it. And we need to know what the
facts are."
So, tonight on Hardball, Chris will have all of the latest with NBC's Chief
Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell and NBC's Chief Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski. Plus, Hardball's David Shuster will recap how
this story has developed in the last 48 hours, and MSNBC political analysts Ron
Reagan and Pat Buchanan will break down what it all could mean politically both
here and in Iraq.
Also, you don't want to miss Chris' conversations on this with Rolling Stone's
Jim Bamford, Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, and National Review's Byron York.
If that's not enough, Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) will be here with his take on
propaganda, the war, and the state of politics in the Keystone State.
It's going to be a great show -- please join us! And, before or after the show,
check out Hardblogger: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/
Here are some things you might not have read yet today:
--AP reports on Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)'s prediction that most U.S. troops will
come home in 2006 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10281459/
--Newsweek updates on the still festering story about alleged U.S. plans to
bomb Al-Jazeera http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10269701/site/newsweek/
--AP follows families returning to the ninth ward in New Orleans
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10282083/
--AP finds that Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) isn't the only 2004 presidential
candidate to have a jury summons lately http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10282630/
--Doonesbury http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html
Brooke Brower compiled the "Hardball Briefing" in Washington, D.C.
=========================================
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/>
