------------------------------------------------------
The Hardball Briefing On MSNBC
------------------------------------------------------
Dear Hardballers,
A visit to 30 Rock is enough to send any hardworking Hardballer into
happiness, but walking the red carpet into Rick Stengel's Time 100 party at
the Time Warner Center with NBC News Snr. V.P. Phil Griffin, Arianna
Huffington and Ana Marie Cox and, excuse me, Cate (Blanchett) so nice to meet
you, that's a grand slam!
With Chris Matthews, Mayor Mike (Hey, I asked Kevin Sheekey if you
could announce on Hardball's 10th Anniversary show), John Mayer, Jeffrey Sachs,
Matt Lauer, Dan Abrams, Page 6's Richard Johnson, Richard Branson, and Brian
Grazer among the notables..a killer time was had by all.
(GO TO WWW.HARDBALLBLOGGER.MSNBC.COM TO SEE ALL THE PICTURES FROM LAST
NIGHT)
Rick Stengel might be getting his own show soon after his Oprah-esque
host role of introducing some of the honorees to talk about their inspiration.
NBC's own Brian Williams was among those who spoke so beautifully, but all eyes
(some wet) were on Elizabeth Edwards as she spoke of growing up in Japan and
the geisha-in-training who inspires her to this day. She carried the scars of
Hiroshima on her chest, yet showed up at their home every week to teach
Elizabeth and her sister how to dance. Silence followed by wild applause.
ABC's Elizabeth Vargas told Elizabeth Edwards she too had spent part of her
youth in Japan in a military family. And, look at Elizabeth "Mayweather"
Edwards to Time Washington Bureau Chief Jay "de la Hoya" Carney a piece of her
fist -- I mean mind.
Ana Marie Cox told your briefer that the new Newseum not only wanted
her turquoise slippers as the New York Times reported yesterday, but they also
wanted the pajamas she wore as she changed the media industry with Wonkette.
She declined. She was in diamonds and Armani.
Our table included the fabulous Jeffrey Sachs and Iceland's DNA tracker
Kari Stefansson and movie and TV impresario Brian Grazer who was surrounded by
such an elite crowd no one asked him to read their script! The group including
Brian flipped as Phil showed us MSNBC live on his experimental PDA.
Two of NBC News biggest stars behind the cameras were in attendance,
Today show's super booker Matt Craig (affectionately known as half of Matt
squared) and senior producer Noah Oppenheim, the bestselling author of "The
Intellectual Devotional: American History: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your
Education, and Converse Confidently about Our Nation's Past." Noah and George
Lucas were really yakking it up. Switching to pictures, Noah?
Of course, any party where Meet The Press topper Betsy Fischer, with
Condi's deputy Dina Powell (Double kisses from Queen Rania), Phil and CNBC's
Jim Cramer are laughing together is one you need to attend.
NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and his wife Veronica could not be
talked into moving back to DC, despite all your briefers efforts. A note to
bookers, John Mayer is a great talker as well as a terrific entertainer.
Okay on Hardball tonight we have Clinton senior adviser Howard Wolfson,
a debate between Eric Soltz, Iraq War Vet, VoteVets.org, the group that made
the ad from NY Media 3 and Lt. Pete Hegseth, Vets for Freedom. Another debate
with Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif) Armed Services Cmte vs. Rep. Chris Shays
(R-CT) Post-debate, 2008 Politics with Susan Molinari, Giuliani surrogate and
Chuck Larson a senior adviser to candidate McCain and the Chicago Tribune's
Clarence Page.
Compiled by the Hardball road team
=========================================
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/>
