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The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
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Tonight: a Hardball Special Report on how we went to war in Iraq. Did President
Bush lead our country to war based on faulty intelligence or did his
administration twist and cherry-pick the information for a war they'd already
decided to start? Who is responsible for the war? Tonight, a Hardball
investigation with high-ranking CIA operatives who were actively involved in
the run-up to the war. Chris talks to two former CIA officials who know: Tyler
Drumheller, the former chief of operations for the CIA in Europe, and Gary
Berntsen, a former CIA field commander who was on the ground in Afghanistan
pursuing Osama bin Laden and author of the book "Jawbreaker." They'll both talk
about failures and fights within the U.S. intelligence community that led up to
the invasion of Iraq. Did the White House purposely dismiss information that
didn't bolster the case for war? Is there still a battle between the CIA and
the White House over intelligence? Could political agendas and power struggles
lead the U.S. into a military confrontation with Iran?
Here's the AP's latest on the diplomatic efforts on Iran:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12541482/.
Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter Dana Priest of the Washington
Post will join Drumheller and Berntsen to talk about the discord in the
intelligence community that has led to leaks -- like the one she used to
report on secret CIA prisons in Europe. Chris will ask Priest why she thinks,
in addition to the leaks, there is a growing number of former military and
intelligence officials speaking out against U.S. actions and policies in Iraq
and in the fight against terrorists.
Also tonight, Newsweek's Howard Fineman and The Hotline's Chuck Todd will be
here to talk about the festering fight over gas prices, the president's
persistent poll problems, and the outlook for control of Congress. Read
Fineman's thoughts on Tony Snow's arrival in Newsweek:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12518912/site/newsweek/. And check out The Hotline
On Call: http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/.
It's primary day in three states today, including the 2004 election spotlight,
Ohio, where a gubernatorial primary and several congressional primaries are
front and center. Here's more on that in the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/.
Plus, Matthew Continetti, author of a new book called "The K Street Gang," will
be here to talk about the latest in the corruption wars in the nation's
capital. The Wall Street Journal reported today that the third ranking official
at the CIA took part in poker games that included lobbyists, politicians
(including disgraced former Rep. Duke Cunningham, R-CA), and possibly
prostitutes.
Here are some things you might not have read yet today:
--AP reports on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA)'s NFL bid (a two-fer!)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12596178/
--Newsweek ponders former Gov. Mark Warner (D-VA)'s 2008 potential
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12553711/site/newsweek/
--Hardblogger (!!!) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5445086/
--NBC's First Read http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3626796/
--Doonesbury http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html
Brooke Brower compiled the "Hardball Briefing" in Washington, D.C.
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