XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU SEPT 26, 2002 14:09:27 ET XXXXX

STREISAND TO 'GEBHARDT': DON'T ATTAQ IRACK

Barbra Streisand has reminded Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt in a blistering memo: "Sadam Hussein did not bomb the World Trade Center."

The Streisand memo, released by the President of the Barbra Streisand Foundation, Margery Tabankin, warns Democrats to "get off the defensive and go on the offensive."

The singeractressdirectorproducer took time out from rehearsals for a performance she's giving on Sunday for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to remind Gephardt [spelled "Gebhardt" in a faxed memo obtained by DRUDGE] not to "ignore the obvious influence on the Bush Administration of such special interests as the oil industry, the chemical companies, the logging industry... just to name a few."

Streisand notes: "Many of these industries, run by big Republican donors and insiders, clearly have much to gain if we go to war against Iraq."

Streisand urges the Democrats to "publicly convey this message to the American people."

While there are serious problems with Iraq, Barbra feels that we can't let this issue become a distraction from the country's domestic problems and the President's inability to fully dismantle the al Qaeda [spelled "Al Queda" in the fax] network.

After all, Saddam [spelled Sadam in the fax] "Hussein did not bomb the World Trade Center."

Feel free to call Barbra or me at 310-395-3599 if you would like to discuss this further, Tabankin offers to Gephardt.

Capitol Hill's top reporter, Ed Henry at ROLL CALL, later confirmed Streisand penned the "confidential memo" urging Gephardt to take the offense against Bush.

Tabankin tells Henry she sent the memo after she had a phone conversation with Streisand. "We had just watched Tom Daschle's speech," said Tabankin. "We were both very emotional."

Developing...

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