First Read : Andrea Mitchell

Steele talks Palin

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:25:00 GMT

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Kelly Paice
NBC's Andrea Mitchell interviewed Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

Here is some of what Steele had to say about Sarah Palin. A clip is below with text after the jump.

HERE'S THE FULL VIDEO.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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The scene in Grand Rapids

Mark Murray — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:15:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea MitchellGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- More than 1,500 people camped out overnight outside the Woodland Mall here for the chance to return later and get a book signed by Sarah Palin -- the first stop on her book tour. People had driven for hours to get in line for an orange wristband and instructions to return and line up later. Palin is expected to be signing books from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Mall operators say she'd have to sign one book every 15 seconds to get through everyone with...(read more)

Reed acknowledges split

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:12:00 GMT

From NBC’s Andrea Mitchell
Fresh from a meeting at the Pentagon this morning, Armed Services Committee member and West Point graduate Sen. Jack Reed acknowledged that Ambassador (and Retired General) Eikenberry's warnings are in conflict with Gen. McChrstyal's recommendations.

In other words, the President's handpicked top military man in the war zone is now being contradicted by the president's top diplomat in the country. The two men, in fact, have disagreed in the past when McChrystal reported to Eikenberry. Clearly, say most experts, this is not a sustainable situation.

In an interview at the Newseum at a conference hosted by Bloomberg News, Reed said the fact that two experienced military men reached different conclusions makes the President's job difficult, because if Afghanistan (Karzai) can’t provide local governance, then our additional troop deployments won’t be decisive.

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Clyburn on abortion, health bill

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:31:00 GMT

From NBC's Michelle PerryHouse Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) acknowledged that House Dems still need to work out the abortion issue in the healthcare reform bill ahead of Saturday's vote. Clyburn told NBC's Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports," that the House bill is in a good place on substance, but some remain "skittish" about the language that goes into the bill on abortion. The potential stumbling block is whether or not the House bill would include explicit language restricting...(read more)

Clinton to meet with Abbas, Netanyahu

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:44:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea MitchellThe State Department is confirming Palestinian reports that Secretary Clinton is leaving Islamabad tomorrow evening for Abu Dhabi, where she will hold talks Saturday with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. The rest of her schedule is unclear, but she is expected in Jerusalem Saturday night for meetings Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to Israeli officials. She then heads to Morocco for meetings Monday and Tuesday....(read more)

HRC to Pakistan: Get real

Domenico Montanaro — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:19:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
Hillary Clinton, buffeted by tough questions for two days about the U.S. influence on Pakistan's military, said today she finds it hard to believe that no one in Pakistan's government knows where al Qaeda is -- and couldn't get them if they wanted to. She added that al Qaeda has had a safe haven in Pakistan for seven years.

The Secretary of State's very undiplomatic response came in a meeting with newspaper editors.

This exchange is not on camera:

Asked why other countries can't be involved in fighting terrorism -- not just Pakistan -- Clinton said: "Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002. I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to. Maybe that's the case; maybe they're not gettable. I don't know.''

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Hillary Clinton in Pakistan

Mark Murray — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:53:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was welcomed to Pakistan by a car bomb explosion in Peshawar -- as well as word of the latest terror attacks in Afghanistan.

Just as Clinton was embarking on a trip to emphasize that the U.S. was not only focused on security and terror -- but also wanted a broader relationship with Pakistan -- the terror attacks brought home the brutal reality of Pakistan's dilemma: Under pressure from the U.S., the government has launched its long delayed attack against insurgents in tribal areas. But the extremists have responded with a spate of attacks, undermining the legitimacy of the government and angering Pakistanis frustrated by the lack of security.

Video: A massive car bomb rocks a crowded market in Pakistan hours after Secretary of State Hilary Clinton arrives in the country.

At a news conference today with Pakistan's foreign minister, Clinton said that she wanted to turn the page on the U.S. relationship with Pakistan and build on mutual respect and shared responsibilities. "While we may disagree from time to time as friends and partners do" Clinton said, she vowed to do more thru people to people diplomacy.

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More on Pelosi and the public option

Domenico Montanaro — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:23:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea MitchellA spokesman for Nancy Pelosi is denying today's Politico report that any decision has been made about the public option in the House bill. "We continue to work with all the members of the caucus to build consensus," the spokesman says. Sources close to the speaker say leadership did not tell progressives last night that the robust public option is off the table. The votes are still being counted. They add that the House bill will have a public option. The...(read more)

Kerry works Karzai to accept results

Domenico Montanaro — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:17:00 GMT

From Andrea Mitchell and Libby Leist
Aides to Sen. John Kerry tell NBC News that he returned to Kabul tonight to continue negotiations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. And Kerry will be in place tomorrow for an anticpated announcement by Karzai about the election results. Hillary Clinton said this afternoon she was "encouraged" that Karzai will abide by the constitution and accept the Electoral Complaints Commission results that left him with 48% of the vote.

Kerry spent the day in Islamabad before returning to Kabul, where he had spent the weekend. Aides say Kerry spent a lot of one-on-one time with Karzai on Saturday and Sunday, including dinner both nights.

Kerry has been coordinating closely with the State Department. A senior State Department official said, "We have been telling Karzai ... to accept the results. That will be imporant."

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Update on Iran nuke talks

Mark Murray — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:53:00 GMT

From NBC's Andrea MitchellAn official at the Vienna talks says it is not clear yet whether Iran will agree to proceed with the International Atomic Energy Agency's proposal to ship their low-grade enriched uranium to Russia for reprocessing. Iranian officials met with the U.S and other western diplomats today in Vienna -- shortly after Iranian television declared that Iran would not agree to deal with France because of past disputes with France. France, in recent weeks, has been taking a...(read more)