Too Cool!

Good Evening Mr.Williams, Glad to hear you had such a great time at the Bruce Springsteen benefit concert last evening. It sounds just wonderful and something you will remember for a long time. Much news happening today as always. Looking forward to your interview with Senator Obama which I'm sure will be interesting. It appears possibly that aid to Myanmar may begin to trickle into the country. Although the generals need to give the "green light" so to speak if these people are going to receive the help they need ASAP. And I did see Richard on video speaking about the violence in Beirut with the Hezbollah and Sunnis. I feel sorry for all those innocent people caught in the middle. Great reporting as always Richard! Stay safe! I hope I see him in Nightly News! Anyway, looking forward to the broadcast Mr.Williams! Peace to you and to all!

Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie and Stephanie!
Hi to all great ladies of this blog!
Be Well Always!

Brian,
From one Jersey guy to another ... (CBA Grad), I thought your opening was great, many of us could relate to your perfect walk down memory lane with Jack's and the funny mini-mall and going to lock stock and other places on rumors that Bruce was going to show up.  It had to be quite a thrill to be on the other side and to be doing the introduction.  
It was a legendary night and is a tremendous cause.   Hopefully a good bootleg comes soon.   Good job!!

Hi Brian,
I bet you had the time of your life at the concert! I too have been a Springsteen fan for 30 years.  I stood in ticket lines overnight (in Seattle) to get the good seats (pre-Ticketmaster), and developed friendships with other diehard fans that lasted for years. I know what you mean when you speak of the amazing experience you had the other night. Hearing Bruce and the band play the songs, in order from both Darkness and Born to Run, that must have been something! I saw Bruce and the band in Seattle several weeks ago, and felt that the music restored me, again. There were years when my family and I drove up and down the West Coast to see shows, and once I bought "scalper" tickets to see him in Madison Sq. Garden (my first trip to NYC in 1979)... we wrote our names in the dust on the bumper of his tourbus, to say "hi" and that we'd come from Seattle.
One year I got lucky and got tickets in the front row of a Seattle concert in December of 1980 (?), I was young and this was before the heavy duty security kicked in. A good friend of mine had GONE HOME to the Bronx for christmas vacation... my mom said "that's nuts, Joey has to be at the show!", and she bought him a very expensive ticket to come back from his vacation for one night, to see the show. It was Joey who had turned us on to Bruce in the first place. We picked up Joey from the airport, we hunted down the band (not too difficult in those days, there were only a couple of good hotels, and only one of them had a big bus parked out front)... I had a harmonica I wanted to give him, in honor of "the promised land". We went to the front desk and my mom tried to sweet talk the desk clerk. He did agree to call the room of the road manager. He didn't want to see us, but my mom had seen the number the desk man punched in to the phone, so we hopped in the elevator and went to the room... no luck. He didn't want to let us in, so we gave him a note explaning about the harmonica, and our friend Joey. We were a little naieve I suppose but we were fans! We went to the back stage door at the arena and dropped off another note. FINALLY the concert began, and there we were in absolute HEAVEN in the front row. I had my camera (I had a press pass from my college and I was working on behalf of the college radio station KAOS) and I SWEAR Bruce angled himself so I'd get a good picture. He made eye contact with all of us and smiled and nodded hello.
Later in the show between songs, he jumped down from the stage and came over to us. He shook our hands and thanked us for coming to the show. We were starstruck. He hopped back up on the stage and continued the show. When the band started playing "Promised land" I leaped up from my seat, scampered up to the stage and handed up my harmonica. Bruce traded me for his and wished me a merry christmas. That was the most amazing moment of my 19 year old life...I'm 48 now and I still have the harmonica, and I still see every show I can. Friends of a co-worker sent their 10 year old scampering up to the stage in Oakland a couple of weeks ago and HE traded harmonicas with Bruce. I know he has a strong connection with his "people", and we to him, and to the whole band. What an amazing national treasure he is. He has fostered a relationship with his audience that has us all feeling like he's part of the family.

Brian a quick note

The Media had Headlines of Spitzer but nothing about Republican Congressman Vito Fossella's DWI and out of wedlock child. Why Spitzer and not Vito who is Finito?

As for Senator Obama getting Hillary's voters it would be a cold day in hell. He can talk until the sun doesn't shine and I wouldn't vote for him. He has a lot of nerve on his part. Will he give his voters to Hillary when she win? I think not!  Obama is getting cocky and showing his real self and not hiding behind Dr. King's words and speeches. The race isn't over and Obama hasn't won and with God's help he might get a big surprise and end up asking Hillary if he can be her running mate. Just don't get me started.

See you at 6:30pm

Way to go Brian!  As soon as I heard what the set list was last night, I knew it had to have been fantastic.  I watched the broadcast tonight hoping for a mention on the news, and maybe a video clip, but this blog will have to do.  I've also been known to stalk the Boss when he is here in Atlanta recording new stuff.

What a cool night for you, Brian.  Glad you got to have it!

Good interview with Obama.  Imagine the scandal - Brian jinxes Obama?  Sounds like something the opposition would say!  :)  One thing that struck me during the interview, but doesn't have any particular angst on my part: what is this "Midwestern values"?  Are they different from "New England values?"  I have often wondered why we say things like that. Oh, if only Clinton would back down... it would make political life so much easier!  I couldn't handle having another Clinton in the White House.  Not even the ground in Texas can handle the weight of this political season.... okay, poor joke, but still!

Its about time relief supplies have finally arrived to Myanmar.  The photos and video coming from there are so heartbreaking.  

I'm less than a week from my maiden flight... I don't want to hear about panels falling off planes!  

That sink hole is fascinating as well as terrifying.  I can't help but wonder "where does it all go?  It's gotta fall somewhere."  So sad.

Also sad to hear about Eddy Arnold's passing.  I'm not very familiar with his music, but I know how important he is to country music.  We have lost a great voice today.

Hi Laurel, Jackie, and Lisa!  Hi Matt!  I've got my Mother's Days cards all signed & mailed; Mom's gift is wrapped on my desk.  Are you ready?  :)

Get Clinton's votes? Heck no. I will NOT vote  for that lying racist pig. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. He is so arrogant it makes my skin boil. I can't even watch the news anymore. NBC has given him a free ride and tonight it more evidence of that. I am ashamed of you. I will get my news from CNN. Not the Obama network.

Good Evening Mr.Williams, I enjoyed the interview with Senator Obama on your broadcast this evening. Nice picture with a nice view. I don't really get into politics that much, but it was a nice conversation. Certainly has been a long drawn out race for the nomination. The report by Mr.Connery from Myanmar showed these people need help now. Terrible devastation everywhere and so many lost lives. I hope aid from other nations is granted by the government. Time is of the essence. Regarding the Middle East, the arrest of that al-Qaeda leader is good news if it is confirmed by the authorities and the fighting in Beirut needs to come to a peaceful end. That is a very tense situation and after seeing Richard's report earlier I hope it does peacefully end soon. On another note the panel of the airplane that fell off the aircraft sounded scary. That must have been some noise during the flight. Good to know everyone arrived in Paris safely. The sinkhole in Texas looked huge and I really hope for the residents of the area it stops. Hopefully, the geologists will find the cause. Finally, the report from Anne Thompson was most interesting and shows how these students are doing some good work to help the environment. Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Williams. Peace to you and to all!
Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie and Stephanie!
Hi to all great ladies of this blog!
Be Well Always!

I'm envious, being a huge Springsteen fan. That would been a fantastic show to have seen.

I found an interesting, if not just odd, endorsement for Hillary today. If anyone's interested you can find it at my blog.

Best,

Jeff

Dear Brian,
I am a Springsteen fan and rock and roll is probably your escape from the real life for awhile.

I saw the Obama interview and hope the sniping that is not going on between camps stays on the back burner.  

@ Stephanie:

Good luck on your maiden voyage!   Wow! Amazing!  Flying is just wonderful so sit back relax and enjoy the ride!  

Mother's Day is overnight mailed!    Matt, don't forget your Mom this weekend!  Breakfast in bed would be fine along with fresh coffee and a hug!    (Just because you are our token son!)

For those of you that have lost their Moms always keep the memories alive in your heart for ever and ever.

@ Richard:

Don't forget dear it is Mother's Day in the USA!  I am sure your Mom would enjoy a call or e-mail.  (Just because you are our token foreign reporter.)

@ All:

Don't forget Mary J on the NBC Plaza with Matt and Al tommorrow morning!    Brian, can you get me a press pass for a Mary J concert?    I am okay if we bring David along.  

Also, don't forget NBC's favorite Mom with Donny and Marie on Sunday night!

Bests to all!

Thanks for the mention of one of the oldest water suppliers in the Water Industry

Brian, I too am a huge Springsteen fan, I remember in 1984 going to the Stone Pony in As- wait...you haven't done a story on the Pentagon Propaganda program on the Nightly News yet have you?  I wonder what the delay is?  Did you have to run out to make that concert?  Priorities?

That's too cool about the Boss - I know you loved it!  He just played last week at JPJ Arena in Charlottesville and we went to that and Van Halen - with the original David Lee Roth 2 nites later,  It was awesome!  I'm still deaf:-)  Loved the piece on Obama tonite - its such an exciting time to be an American, & I feel sad for Hillary, I want there to be a woman president, but just not her.  Sorry Hil!  I think she needs to bow out before it gets embarrasing.  Even Jennifer McClellan - our local SuperDelegate has switched sides today - to Obama - and what about that Rock Star welcome when you were walking with him through that 6 story building - too cool Brian!  See ya~  

So, you have the opportunity for a one-on-one interview with Obama, and you ask about Reverend Wright?? And a joint ticket with VP Hillary? This is well-trod territory... did you expect to hear anything new?  

Why didn't you end the interview by asking him, "Do you think that NBC News has been stonewalling about the Pentagon analysts story? Me neither!" and then quickly cut to a commercial.

Wonderful interview.  Direct questions and responsive answers.  Every time I see Senator Obama in an extended conversation with anyone, I am more and more impressed.

Give'em Hell Jackie,  They want our girl our the race but she ain't leaving.  I will not vote for Obama either.  I said all along there is nothing there to vote for.

Just noticed that this blog is mentioned in a new story on Politico.com, titled " 'Deafening' silence on analyst story"

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10204.html

Good show Brian

Now I've calmed down but still support 150% Hillary!!
Now it's good that Bruce is doing a benefit but as I'm from Asbury Park New Jersey all I have to do when I go home is go to the Stone Pony and hear him for free. The Stone Pony is still in business on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

I've watched the stock market go up and down. Those rebate checks wont change anything. But I'm thinking about investing some money in Dubai or other Middle Eastern companies. After listening to the Business news and your show it looks like the Middle East will continue to grow and give high earnings for the next 10 years at lease.  I watched the new President of Russia and of course the new Prime Minister and the out line they have for Russia's future looks good.

Now Isreal has a 60th anniversary and I'm over 60 so something is really wrong with that fact. Isreal says the land was their given by words of the bible one could ask what did they leave and if everyone took Mose's time the US wouldn't be here.  I hope Isreal gets and honest Leader who can work with Hamas. Hamas was elected by the people like it or not. Yes Isreal wants more land but who doesn't. Killing people isn't the answer.  Now Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert must resign as he will be indicted for crimes he committed.  To bad a good leader wasn't in office when President Carter spoke with Hamas for a deal to end the violence.

Will now any Law Maker who hires a prostitute will not be charged by the Ethics Committee as Barbara Boxer and her committee feel those actions are find. Senator Vitter did not do anything wrong by hiring prostitutes per the Ethic Committee. Yes great example for our youth and future generations. Democrats can't blame the Republicans as they approved of it. To bad Spitzer didn't go in front of the Ethics Committee he would have been cleared.

Cindy McCain said she would never release her tax information.  Most likely it's in the billions and I can't blame her.  Nor will she release it if her husband is President.  John McCain can never release his personal medical records because it most likely would disqualify him from Office.

The city of Vallejo California filed for bankruptcy. Yes now American cities have started filing bankruptcy as the White House says there's on problem everything is fine. Most likely other cities will follow this path.

Best as always to my friends Lisa, Laural, Stephanie, Claudia, Anne and Matt

Have a great evening all

Mr. Williams,

I'm sure that Springsteen concert in Red Bank, NJ was very important, but the American public still deserves to hear about NBC's role in allowing Pentagon-briefed flacks belonging to an organization explicitly devoted to the public advocacy of the Iraq invasion to appear on NBC disguised as independent, unaffiliated military analysts.

Could you please take a moment from your very important reportage on the E Street Band and explain to your readers how this happened at NBC News, and what NBC News is doing to keep it from happening again?

Thanks,

Patrick Meighan
Culver City, CA

Intelligence and common sense have become arrogance.  Interesting.  

That was a fantastic interview.  Obama really impressed me the other day with Tim as well.  Tim is not known to be fended off easily, but as you probably noticed awhile back, when you ask Mr. Obama a question, he answers you.  It seems one can tell when an answer is genuine, and I feel that his answers are just that.

I look forward to your books later in life Brian, I cannot wait to hear the contrasts in personality and ability from all these very powerful people you have interviewed throughout your career.  

You follow in a line of great reporters, and you do a fine job.  Keep an eye on those paycheck signers, and report the "real" reality.  Too often financial cutbacks and mergers result in replicated news reports, little background news investigation, and canned reports from the oval office.  Keep fighting for real news.  Thank you for what you do.

Kudos to Anne Thompson (and her producer) for her recent reports highlighting positive environmental developments.

I particularly liked her report on Earth University, because when you teach young people sustainability = profitability, that lesson is likely to be practiced and spread for many years. This old earth is the beneficiary, as are we all.

Isn't it nice that real news can be good news?!! It isn't all dreary out there.

Thanks Anne--and Brian for airing the piece.

Oh, and Brian--I watched the whole Obama interview on the web--nice going! As they say: you did good!

Best to all the "usual blog suspects"!!

Brian, as a long time fan of yours, I was very disappointed with your Obama interview.  All of the questions were softballs to say the least and very similar to your interview in January.  Please cut down on the touchy feely stuff and ask some more in depth questions.  After all this man is running for President and not American Idol!

If Mr. Obama's comments in SanFrancisco were elitist, what were Hillary's "white" comments yesterday in West Virginia ?

from one olde white grandmother !

MR. WILLIAMS,
I AM WRITING THIS COMMENT IN REGARD TO MY COMPLIMENT, THAT YOU ARE THE BEST DRESSED PERSON IN BROADCASTING.
YOUR TIES ARE FANTASTIC AND I WOULD WELCOME ONE OF THEM AS THE BEST GIFT EVER. ESPECIALLY A BOLD STRIPED ONE. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS.
SINCERELY,
T. JOHNSON
A TRUE FAN!

How come Hillary said in the debate that Obama could be elected and now says he cannot ?

Brenda D. Lipcomb

Mr Williams - please check out the audio recordings of "independent" retired Generals - including those who appeared on NBC Nightly News, brainstorming  with Donald Rumsfeld in 2005 about how to promote the war.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/05/audio_military_analysts_laud_t.php

At one point, one of the generals mentions the constitutional objections to what they are doing, and everyone laughs.  Big, meaty laughter.

How about you?  Do you think it's funny that your news coverage was controlled via a "black" psychological warfare operation run out of the Pentagon?

Why won't you mention the issue, on or off the air?

P.S.:  Americans are still dying in Iraq, every day.

Wow. Thank you for sharing about the Bruce Springsteen concert; I wish I could have been there. I literally got chills just reading about it. Thank you - I knew there was a reason I liked you!! (This sounds sarcastic, it isn't meant to be. I'm from Minnesota, it's how we talk, doncha know.)

Am a father of two daughters ... appreciate your biased favoring of Obama ... you did alot for the daughters and women of this country by trying to tell a woman candidate to quit ... marvelous job!!  Been a lifelong democrat .. but not anymore ... I believe in change .. but not chaos ... another 4 years are coming around the corner of another Republican presidency ... marvelous ... am no longer a democrat ... I think I will watch Fox News for my evening news ... very sad for me to say that Fox News is Fair and Balanced ... my daugthers easily saw the difference ... thanks!!

Have you ever thought of having Bruce on your show as a military analyst?

I see that you won't post my comment - that is okay - you are a biased organization just like FOX NEWS - no difference!  Expected that from you and your network!

Hi Brian -

Great account of the band and your participation, now, the question -  how many live performances have you seen since the early days?

I spent some time in the Point Pleasant area during the early days and have only seen Bruce once.

The Obama interview showed how much better Obama is reacting to the press now than a few months ago - or, maybe it's just that he knows and respects you.

Thanks for putting the full interview on the site.

Peggy is a day late this week, but don't miss her.

Wow, Springsteen!  I'm sure he would have a few comments for you on the following (From Greenwald's blog):  

"But what is most extraordinary about all of this is that huge numbers of Americas who were subjected to this propaganda by their own Government still don't know that they were, because the television networks which broadcast it to them refuse to tell them about it, opting instead to suppress the story and stonewall any efforts to find out what happened. As corrupt as the Pentagon was here, our nation's major media outlets were at least just as bad. Their collective Pravda-like suppression now of the entire story -- behavior so blatantly corrupt that even the likes of Howie Kurtz and The Politico are strongly condemning them -- has become the most significant and revealing aspect of the entire scandal."

I too like the way you dress and am glad you had fun with the Boss and say hi to your family. However, your very intentional ignoring of the pentagon generals story is repulsive. Anyone who is interested in truth more than triviality, go read Glenn Greenwald at Salon dot com.

Hey, Brian!

Still stonewalling on the military analyst scandal? The Pentagon has publicly released transcripts related to this propaganda effort that duped NBC. (At least, I hope you were duped and you only unintentionally mislead your readers.) You're not looking very good at all.  

But the story is not going  away as Congressional investigations are starting. And NBC only looks worse and worse when your only comment is smug and arrogant dismissals.

For my part, I hope Congress reviews the terms of NBC's access to the public broadcasting spectrum. There must be some language in there about lying to the American people in the guise of news reporting. Penalties, including revocation of licenses, should follow.

Thanks!

Oh, Brian, you are so handsome.  Your hair is so perfect.  Where do you get it cut?  I just love your voice too.  Keep telling the truth, Brian.  Your credibility is above reproach.

Why do you continue to ignore the military analysist story?  Do you have something to hide?  Did you know about the financial ties to the MIC?  Do you have ties yourself?  Are you making money off the deaths of our sons and daughters?  Your viewer deserve to know.

Oh geee another Liberal smoking gun that turns out to be nothing more than a water pistol. I'm just shocked shocked I tell you to find out that the administration and the pentagon had conversations on how to combat the cherry picking lies of the left in this country. Go write some more articles trying to prop up the sorry Clinton era. You must be so proud of that effort at this point.

What cherry picking lies would those be, Dave?

Brian,
    I have to say that as an OSU alumna and a mother of a soon- to- be graduate I am quite disappointed to  learn that you will be giving the commencement address on June 8. I find it very difficult to respect what I consider another biased member of the mass media.
    I consider your recent interview of Obama nothing but patronizing and transparent in your viewpoint. I am quite concerned that your "words of wisdom" to our new grads will include your own personal agenda.
 A wise old black woman once told me to "know things as they are and not as they may seem--look within and search behind, know the heart and read the mind."
I think most of the country has a fairly strong sense of where your heart lies.
  Briefly, on another note, your friend Bruce sang for the OSU students 4 years ago as an enticement for them to vote for Kerry.  We know what happened then.
Sorry, love his music, but I do not agree with his politics, and I intensely dislike the use of one's celebrity to attempt to influence another.
    This mother will be listening carefully to what you have to say to my child and her fellow graduates.  
Leave your biases back at the station. Given truthful and straight forward reporting, our graduates, families, and friends are well capable of making their own political choices. Go Bucks!

What about the generals, Brian, trhe government lies and propaganda enabled by nbc, and your excuses.
Saw Dan Abrams scuttling away from the subject last night as fast as he could.

Today, Glen Greenwald quotes at length from one January 2005 internal document, which he then summarizes this way: "So the Pentagon would maintain a team of 'military analysts' who reliably 'carry their water' -- yet who were presented as independent analysts by the television and cable networks. By feeding only those pro-Government sources key information and giving them access -- even before responding to the press -- only those handpicked analysts would be valuable to the networks, and that, in turn, would ensure that only pro-Government sources were heard from.

"Meanwhile, the 'less reliably friendly' ones -- frozen out by the Pentagon -- would be 'weeded out' by the networks. The pro-Government military analysts would do what they were told because the Pentagon was 'their bread and butter.' These Pentagon-controlled analysts were used by the networks not only to comment on military matters -- and to do so almost always unchallenged -- but also even to shape and mold the networks' coverage choices.

"Even a casual review of the DoD's documents leaves no doubt that this is exactly how the program worked. The military analysts most commonly used by MSNBC, CNN, Fox, ABC, CBS and NBC routinely received instructions about what to say in their appearances from the Pentagon."

Greenwald, a constitutional lawyer, believes this all points to "an illegal covert domestic propaganda program."

And there's much, much more, via Greenwald at:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

So the same man who swooned over Bush's codpiece on the aircraft carrier in'03, and now covers up for NBC and the Pentagon in the "military analyst" scandal, and thinks Peggy Noonan is Pulitzer-worthy, is also a Springsteen fan.  To paraphrase the Boss, when it comes to Brian Williams, "Trust none of what you hear, and less of what you see."

Brian,

  Sounds like a concert to remember. With my being in Iraq, connectivity is hit or miss, so I didn't realize Bruce was even doing the show.  Being a fellow Jersey Shore boy, as we discussed back in April 2003 in the Iraqi desert after your helicopter landed next to the one my Bradleys were securing, I am certainly a big Bruce fan.  I would have liked to have been home to see the show, but duty calls again.
  I would like to take this moment to thank you for your continued coverage of what's going on over here.  When I do get a chance to surf the net or watch the news, it appears Iraq and Afghanistan have fallen off most news reports.  It is nice to see someone is still covering the effort of our service members.  

Oh, some of you've also noticed or been affected by the dirty FOXNEWS tricks...not posting honest mails or comments that tend to enlighten people against the media bias and lies against Obama.

FOX is directly guilty of this kinds of shabby treatment against those who don't think, talk, behave or look like those running it. If you don't think like the racist Greta, O'reilly and their likes, you're an outcast and bound to be stoned. To the chagrin! They shall reap what they sow. That's what Dr. Rev. Wright said and they hate him, even when they know he's been honest.

Truth is, whether they like it or not, their racism wouldn't stop Obama. 'cause the winner of the year's presidential election come November is....BARACK OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Wonderfully soft questions to Sen Obama - the media is so in the tank for this guy!! I am a native of Illinois and Sen Obama has done nothing (zero, zip, nada) for our state. The only thing he has accomplished is his own elevation from a State Senator to US Senator and now Presidential candidate. He is all about self promotion. Charisma? Ugh!! He is so nothing. As useless to Illinois as Durbin, Blagojevich and the like.

The Democratic party is discriminating against women!!! They know Hillary has twice the experience and frankly the core of what a President should be for America but the Democratic party men are doing everything they can to knock her out so they can have a male president. I believe the Democratic party should be sued for using the ADA for discriminating against her, and ganging up on her. If they think we women will vote for their Obama come Nov. they will see the brunt of our anger as we vote for McCain.

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