Hello, Lester.  It sounds like you still have that nagging cold.  I hope you feel better soon.

I look forward to Jim Maceda's report from Afghanistan.  The war there doesn't get enough coverage, and he always does a superb job.  May he stay safe, while he is on the embed, and always.

The confirmation that Sgt. Maupin had indeed died was tragic news for his family, but I am glad they will now be able to put him to rest.  He deserves all the honors this nation can bestow.

See you at 6:30.

Melissa from Winnepeg, Manitoba:  I really enjoyed your post the other night, about your husband, who has been transplanted from New Jersey.  My best friend was born and spent part of her youth there (Red Bank, Highlands) and much of her family remains (Piscataway, Cliffwood Beach/Keyport, Toms River, Edison).  So, her answer to the question, "Which exit?" would be, "Exit 10."

Anna:  You are very astute!  I join you in wishing Matt a belated, "Happy 20th!"  No longer a teenager.  It's downhill from here, buddy.  Just kidding.  That's when you turn 25.  Let me stop.  Also, Anna, thanks for the heads up on the Simon & Schuster website.  It'll be like watching NORAD on Christmas Eve, once the book tour info goes up.  I hereby nominate you Grand Poobah of the "War Journal" extended fiesta.  You seem to be really deft at this research stuff.  You must keep Lisa and Celine and myself informed....

Lisa:  Love ya, as always!
Jackie:  Where have you been, girl?  I miss you!
Stephanie:  Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Enough silliness.

Just saw the great story about a 15 year old going to the North Pole.  But what's with the PENGUINS!!!!!  Why did you show the pictures of penguins????  They only exist in the Southern Hemisphere, certainly not something the North Pole Travellers saw?

Lester, as always, its good to see you on the weekend desk.  Even better that I was home to SEE it.  

It is so heartbreaking to hear that after all this time of waiting and hoping, Sgt. Maupin's family gets the news no family wants to get.  However, I am grateful they get their loved one back.  I salute you, Sgt. Maupin.

Why can't the Dems stop talking?  Every time Obama or Clinton talk, the party gets more damaged.  McCain couldn't ask for better campaigning!  At least I'm not a registered Democrat.  *sigh*

I don't always agree with him, but I am always glad to see the lighter side of the president.  Does he come up with his own jokes?  I can imagine that he's going through parental withdrawal with Jenna's impending wedding!

I have not forgot Afghanistan.  I am part of a "support the troops" email group and several of them are either serving there right now or have immediate family serving there.  They are doing a thankless job right now; it must be the longest part of battle: not seeing the ending in sight.  

As an aside: I've been enjoying my Netflix subscription by catching up on my favorite TV show: JAG. It was always great that the show used real-world events as the backdrop for so many of its stories.  The show went off the air in '05, but started on NBC in '95.  It's like watching another era, with them active in Bosina, Kosovo, and scuffles with Saddam still in power.  The Gulf War is still spoken about as if it was just a couple years before.  It's so easy to forget how "tame" the world seemed just a few short years ago!

I do hope, Jackie, that you are not in danger with the wild fires.  My knowledge of California geography is failing me at the moment, so just know I'm sending good thoughts, wishes, and prayers to you and your fellow Californians.  

I missed Matt's birthday?  Pardon me for not offering a "congrats" for breaking the 20's barrier!  :)

If I read this blog much longer, I'm going to have to get my hands on Richard's book just to see what its got to say.  I find myself in the middle of his unofficial fan club!  

Good Evening Mr.Holt, Great to see you on Nightly News this evening. You always do a wonderful job! The report by Mr.Maceda from Afghanistan with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in Southern Afghanistan showed the determination of these US troops with British soldiers to fight off the Taliban on their own ground. Certainly a dangerous mission and hearing the one soldier speaking about IED's and other weapons thrown at them was troubling and that he and the troops would be ready for it. The medical units doing daily drills to take care of the wounded reminds one of constant care these medical units must be ready for all the time. God Bless all the brave men and women fighting in the region. Excellent work by Mr.Maceda as always! On another note I hope the wildfires in Southern California are quelled fast. Between the heat and the dry brush it is so difficult for the brave firefighters to stop the spread of the flames, but I hope they are able to quell the fires and stay safe too. The piece by Michelle Kosinski about the 15yr old British girl interested in global warming who went to the North Pole was very inspiring. She and her father are doing some fine work and she is learning much about how the melting of the ice is affecting the earth. She is a determined and smart young lady. Good Piece Michelle! Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Holt! Look forward to seeing you with Matt Lauer on Thursday on Today with the "Where in the World" segment. Peace to you and to all!

Lots of Love to Laurel, Jackie and Stephanie! Be well Always!
Laurel-Loved the front cover of Richard's book!    

Good Evening Again Mr.Holt, I forgot to mention the memorial for Matt Maupin. A brave and dedicated soldier. The services shown on the broadcast was heartwrenching. It is always truly sad to see a soldier put to rest. May he be remembered and honored always. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Peace to all.

It's really wonderful that President Bush with the
Goverment on his shoulders at this critical time
in history can still retain a sense of humor.  So
Jenna's moving out:o)  I empathize with the president.
When our daughter moved out, she left no forwarding
address but all is well now, thank God.

There is too much hype on Pastor Wright and it is
not fair to the man.  Rev. Billy Graham came in for
a lot of criticism when tapes of him and Pres. Nixon
were revealed with disdain for the Jewish people, which never changed my opinion of either men, I liked
them both, and I also like Jewish people.  In fact,
as a teenager, my daughter went steady with a Jewish
boy who later was in a movie. I kid you not.  And
our Mayor is Jewish and I highly respect him. That's
life!

When you are on Nightly News, I am glued to the t.v.
--totally mesmerized.  Have a nice evening, Mr. Holt!

Phyllis Kunz

The NBC Nightly News tonight highlighted Rev. Wright and his sermon today. They went on to detail the impact of this minister on Barack Obama's campaign for the Presidential nomination. It makes me angry that a candidate's minister takes front page when issues that truly affect our country are put on the back burner. It is amazing how wealthy corporate interests dominate our news. Andrea Mitchell is not a neutral reporter nor is NBC anything other than a tabloid when they sensationalize trivia.

Re tonight's (4/27/08) nightly news Northern Exposure segment:  What were the two penguins doing on an ice flow near the North Pole?

I am a regular viewer of NBC Nightly News and I do think your reporting for the most part is always fair and objective. HOWEVER, re Jeremiah Wright, could someone pls. address the question "Pastor Wright is NOT running for President so why is he still news?"  Those who keep beating this dead horse are people who were not going to vote for him anyway. They just want to distract voters as much as possible from the real issues. Unfortunately, that's a lot easier for them to do than I first thought. The average American populous is not very bright. To continue broadcasting stories about Wright is actually saying that Barack is a robot and follows the ideology of every person that he hears speak, and is incapable of independent thinking. I doubt if anyone believes that---but you never know. Many voted for Bush twice!!

Your film editors should brush up on world zoology! On tonight's news (April 27, 2008) you reporteg on a young 15 year old British girl making it to the North Pole with her father. Among other things, learning to to shoot a rifle to defend herself against polar bears, native in the Arctic (North Pole) In the same report you showed two penguins on an ice floe (twice), native in the Antactic (South Pole) Was it North or South !!!
Pedro Skofteland

Hi Lester I'm back. I celebrated a 50 year anniversary of friendship with my best friend from High School. Yes with all the talk about race, my friend is white, I'm black and we have been best friends for 50 years. Some marriages don't last that long. So that should end the question of race in America. Dr. King would be proud I know I am. We had a great time and yes I talked about Hillary. smile

The fire out here in California is under control but with the heat we might have more to come.

President Hamid Karzai former advisor to Unocal is seeing that his appointment as President by the Bush Administration has problems.  Unocal got the drilling rights in Afghanistan with the first order of business from President Hamid Karzai. I wish President Bush hadn't invited the Taliban to the US as he guest now we see how that turned out.

Laural I missed you ladies too.
Matt Happy Birthday
To my friends Lisa, Laural and Stephanie love always
Stephanie thanks for the kinds words about Peaches my daughter.

Have a great Sunday all!

Lester,

I just wanted to say that nothing before has brought home the impact of global warming like the story tonight on the British schoolgirl who made the trek to the North Pole.  I found the image of the two penguins sitting on the chunk of ice especially moving, since they obviously were marooned on it when it broke off the Antarctic ice sheet, then was carried by ocean currents all the way to the North Pole. I hope that NBC's next report from Antarctica won't show us the pitiful sight of polar bears, who, tired of dealing with the melting Arctic ice cap, have been forced to relocate to McMurdo Station.

Your story tonight featuring the English schoolgirl walking to the North Pole featured pictures of penguins on an iceberg. Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Dear Nightly News,

Shame on you.

I watched the PBS/Bill Moyers interview with Jeremiah Wright on Friday night.  I found Rev. Wright to be very intelligent, knowledgeable of history, articulate and passionate about the true meaning of being a Christian and how that relates to the human condition in this country and around the world.  

This is in VERY sharp contrast to what NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX have portrayed by taking that *same* sound byte and repeating it thousands of times, intentionally leaving out the rest of the context.

Even Friday evening, NBC continued to play this same clip for its apparent inflammatory value.

It would be comparable to snipping JFKs memorable words down to "Ask not what your country can do for you", leaving off the second half and therefore completely obscuring the intended meaning.

Suggestion:  Tom Brokaw in his reports during semi-retirement has portrayed a keen awareness of the human condition in the poor of this country.  Maybe he could get an interview with Rev. Wright so that NBC could then speak with some credibility on the philosophy of that man.

The complete program is still available on www.pbs.org/moyers/journal,  I welcome anyone else to judge after they have seen the entire 50 minute interview.  (Lester, Brian, Andrea ... how about it?)

Just read, Mr. Holt, that Dean says either Clinton
or Sen. Barack Obama must drop out in June.

You know when to get in and when to get out,
that's just part of the deal." said Dean

Sen. CLinton asks "WHy can't he close the deal?"
Well, in June.  You think!

Phyllis Kunz

If Rev. Wright is a friend of Obama and wants to see him become president, he should stop talking on national tv.  I am really not sure that he is not a "plant" for the Clinton campaign.  If he keeps on talking, you can bet Obama will not get the nomination.  

Mr. Holt: Local broadcasters broke the story
yesterday that Sen. Obama got a big endorsement
from Ben Chandler whose grandfather was former
governor and senator A.B. "Happy" Chandler who
helped payed theway for Jackie Robinson to reach the major leagues.  Ben Chandler has some sway in
Indiana.  He withstood a furious effort by the
Clinton campaign to patch through a last-minute plea from Hillary to support her instead.

Warm Regards
Phyllis Kunz

I just finished reading an article on the Indiana
Primary and the analysis was :  Impact on a
competitive Democratic primary:  UNKNOWN.

Who will win the Indiana Primary is impossible, in
my mind, to predict because the Hoosiers are a
different breed.  And I should know.  I grew up there
I am in Sen. Obama's corner because I do not think
Hilliary is qualified for the presidency.
Phyllis Kunz
Phyllis Kunz

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