October 2009 - Posts
By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor
The White House is reacting to a new development in Afghanistan today that could affect how and when it decides whether to commit more American troops to the war. President Hamid Karzai's election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, is now expected to drop out of a runoff election as soon as tomorrow.
Whether he does it gracefully, or in effect boycotts what he has previously labeled a fraudulent election process, is the burning question. Clearly Washington would like to remove any stain of illegitimacy from the election before deepening American involvement in the conflict. Our Richard Engel is in Kabul and will bring us the latest from there. We'll also get the early reaction from the White House.
We're also covering an unsettling discovery at the home of a convicted rapist in Cleveland.
That case of a Northwest Airlines crew who overflew their destination last week has stirred up discussion about fatigue in the cockpit. Ron Allen looks into the problem.
And by the way, for those of you who watched TODAY this morning, I can promise there will be no encore tonight to our little Halloween musical (ok, lip-syncing) performance. It will be suit and tie the whole way this evening. I hope you'll join me for Nightly News, and in the meantime have a safe and enjoyable Halloween night.
By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor
While we didn't fly halfway around the world just to interview generals or ambassadors, its nonetheless notable that we've been in the region a week and we will depart for home having not been granted an interview with a single senior U.S. official.
It's not for lack of asking... and it's not as if there's a shortage of them here in Kabul, either. Tonight I was invited to a dinner at the official residence of U.S. Ambassador Eikenberry, where Generals Patreus and McCrystal were present (among others) but the talk was gently but quickly steered away from the elephant in the room: the pending decision by the president regarding the future direction of the military effort here in Afghanistan.
Some of those in the room tonight will no doubt join today's White House military session by secure teleconference. While there have been leaks, they've been classic trial balloons to guage early reaction to a policy idea that may or may not be what the president ultimately announces. It is abundantly clear the word has gone out that no one is to say anything during this period. Today I spoke (on background) with two Army Generals and assorted Army and Marine Colonels -- they all said they will adjust, carry on and carry out the order when the new plan is announced. I guess I'd be surprised if they'd said anything else.
This will be my last post from Afghanistan on this trip, so please allow me one more note: while I get to have my name on the broadcast and on this blog -- and while the slideshows and on-air coverage show only me in Afghanistan, I'm the least of this effort. Right now, technicians are standing in the cold on the roof of this building preparing for the broadcast. An adjacent room is filled with producers who are enduring another sleepless night. A videotape edit room in New York is churning out the coverage you'll see tonight. So far on this trip, we've had explosions, gunfire, an earthquake -- and among the staff we've had a non life-threatening electric shock, one debilitating migrane, one Cipro-worthy illness (and countless minor ones) and that's actually a shockingly low number of ailments and injuries in a dangerous place. And then there are the local drivers, there are the men who protect us with machine guns, there are the Afghans on our staff without whom we could not do our work.
Just some of the NBC staff in Afghanistan, photographed with soldiers in uniform. Left- John Kooistra, cameraman; Bob Lapp, audio technician; producers Subrata De and Madeleine Haeringer; and Brian Williams (far right).
Long after we are gone, many of our people stay on, continuing to cover this changing story, continuing to cover the tireless work of those stationed here in uniform. None of them ever get the credit they deserve -- and while this isn't enough, it's something. My thanks to our incredible team all around the globe.
I hope you can join us tonight for the broadcast they put together. Have a good weekend, and we'll see you from New York on Monday.
by Subrata De, Nightly News senior producer traveling in Afghanistan with Brian Williams
"Please come inside, please tell them it is not safe for them to be out there."
I'd just walked inside the high walls of the orphanage compound run by AFCECO (Afghan Child Education and Care Organization). Andeisha Farid, the NGO's Executive Director was waiting and worried.
Before most shoots like this, Brian Williams and the crews prepare outside, getting him "wired up" with a mic so that we can record his audio while he walks into a place where he'll be followed by a camera. We didn't want to make a big fuss inside around the kids, so we were preparing just outside the gates.
But Andeisha advised we enter the compound immediately. NGO's -- especially those that have worked to provide education and safe havens for girls and young women -- are often targets in this country. Thankfully, this place hasn't suffered any retaliation, but the threat is still there.
Guards are posted at the door all night and the girls are only allowed outside for school each day.
And yet, once you step inside this place, the fears and threats that have begun to encroach on Kabul melt away. A huge flower garden added a burst of color to this cheerful and warm home for 67 girls and 15 boys. Children spilled out of the doors to greet our group.
CONTINUED >>
Editor's note: Here's more information on Brian Williams' Making a Difference report.
Video: A home for Afghanistan's war orphans
Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO) is an Afghan non-profit organization based in Kabul, founded by a group of volunteers in 2001. They are working with international partners in the United States, Italy and Australia on projects that benefit Afghan children. The Child Sponsorship Program is one of the successful projects they started in 2004 through a partnership with CharityHelp International (CHI), a U.S.-based organization.
If you would like to make a donation online or sponsor an Afghan child, please visit: https://www.charityhelp.org/afceco
AFCECO
P.O. Box 5820
Kabul, Afghanistan
info@afceco.org
Please note: Many viewers have inquired about the possibility of adopting war orphans from Afghanistan. There is no adoption under Afghan law--but specific questions regarding adoption should be directed to the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. More information can be found here: http://kabul.usembassy.gov/adoption2.html
By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor
This has been an eventful day: the ride (under heavy guard) from Bagram into downtown Kabul, our tour of the courtyard of the guest compound where so many died yesterday -- and then to top it all off, while we were working in our rented building in Kabul late tonight, an earthquake. It was a long, slow roller -- like surfing -- though somewhat weaker in intensity than some of the quakes I’ve experienced in California. We went through the usual "delay" before realizing just what was happening (considering where we are, every time something shakes, its also possible there's been an explosion), and then watched as fixtures started to swing. Obediently, I stood in the doorway of my room as Senior Producer Subrata De did the first thing she thought of: she got her Flip camera and we started making a video toward the end of the quake. Several of our staff members were jolted out of bed by it and we've had one small roller since then. We hopped on an earthquake-monitoring site on the web and discovered that today's quake had been a 6.0 centered near the Hindu Kush -- the scene of the last big one -- and we had felt one of the outer bands. Just another day in Afghanistan. We sure hope you can join us tonight.
By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor
I am living inside a containerized shipping box. It’s a base housing unit here at Bagram, and it’s actually perfect. Small? You betcha. It’s tiny, taken up mostly by bunk beds. But it’s got all the comforts of (a very tiny) home, and we feel fortunate to have a place to rest our heads and take a shower at an Air Base where they have other things to worry about... aside from where to put the folks visiting from NBC.
During a few hours of down time this afternoon, I quickly fell into a deep, exhaustion-fueled sleep. I was awakened by an explosion. Luckily, I've heard my share (like one every 30 seconds on the third night of the invasion in Bagdhad) and wasn't overly alarmed. I could tell it was some distance away. Only when I got to our workspace tonight was I told it was a "Controlled Det" in military parlance: a detonation conducted by the Army. I apparently slept through the announcement on the P. A. system warning that it was about to happen. Considering the violence in Kabul today, an explosion made perfect sense to me.
It was also a reminder that we are in a war zone.
Then there are the people you meet here in uniform. CONTINUED >>
editor's note: Brian was busy preparing for the broadcast from Afghanistan and was unable to blog. However, he did vlog. Watch it here.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
In just the space of one long day (actually the equivalent of two at home, since we're just pretending to have slept), we've seen such an extraordinary mix of images: the regional Afghan commercial aircraft we flew this morning that still bore some of the interior markings of its apparent previous owner, American Airlines...the various nationalities among the soldiers at the air base in Kabul...the Army Major whom I first met (back when he was a Captain) when I visited David Bloom on the Iraq/Kuwait border just prior to the invasion (in the other war)...and the palpable sadness tonight in the dining hall (at the Army Special Forces camp where we're spending the night) when the assembled soldiers heard the news that 8 more Americans had been killed in action here today.
We've tried to send back (despite some very dicey satellite communications, made more difficult tonight by the first downpour of the coming rainy season) a full package of coverage of our travels so far -- including still photos, web videos and of course what we were able to assemble for the broadcast tonight.
VIDEO: Winning over hearts and minds
For now, we press on...and we hope you can join us for the broadcast tonight. My thanks in advance to Ann Curry for splitting the duty with us.
By Ann Curry, NBC News anchor
Brian Williams and I both anchor tonight's broadcast--he from Afghanistan, me in New York -- and this as the number of U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan reached 55 for the month of October, the highest in one month since the war began eight years ago. That's because today, bombs killed eight more troops.
And, just as alarming, is another reason why the toll is up: Experts say the Taliban now has bigger bombs and more powerful IEDs--more evidence the war is changing as the enemy becomes more radicalized.
Also tonight, we make sense of the confusion over where people can get H1N1 flu shots, the anger that boiled over in Chicago at banks lobbying against financial reforms, and get this: there is now a Broadway stage production of 101 Dalmatians--with real dogs.
The chuckling around Nightly News is over the fact that the correspondent who will bring us this story is Kevin Tibbles -- so do not be surprised if you see a graphic long desired by some among our ranks: "Tibbles 'n Bits."
Oh help!
See you tonight.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
I am en route to Afghanistan tonight. We are going there to report on the military and political situation. Our reporting from the field will begin on tomorrow evening's broadcast. Today's sobering news and staggering loss of life has certainly forced us to re-check our logistical planning, and we are confident that we have the correct plans in place.
Richard Engel and his team will be there for our arrival, and I look forward to getting back there after a year's absence. We'll see you from Afghanistan tomorrow night.
By Ann Curry, NBC News anchor
Yours truly in for Brian Williams tonight on this very tough day for Americans in Afghanistan. Fourteen people died, including some civilians, in two separate helicopter crashes--the worst during a raid on drug traffickers. Remember, the Taliban is funding their war with drug money. A firefight is reported, but the military says its preliminary investigation finds the helicopter was not shot down.
As our NBC News team just happened to videotape the troops on the mission earlier, our challenge now is to make sure these images are used informatively, and yet respectfully, given the loss of life. This is the kind of ethical dilemma that happens behind the scenes that can rip your heart out.
We have the first interview with New York Times reporter David Rohde on the broadcast tonight, in which he describes his recent, daring escape from the Taliban after seven months of captivity in the tribal areas, where presumably Osama Bin Laden is holed up. Scary place for Americans, and Rohde's story is something out of a movie. The crazy thing is, Google Earth can zero in on the exact area where he was held hostage.
Rohde also said something quite interesting as we think about the way forward in Afghanistan.
DAVID ROHDE: "I saw the contradiction that exists in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. You know, one Afghan lied to me and kidnapped me. Another Afghan, you know, helped me escape. So, it's--it's really a question of sorting through the complexities. And backing the right Afghans. But there are courageous Afghans and Pakistanis who--who are fighting the Taliban. And want to help us fight the Taliban.
NBC News: So, it is on them, then, that the U.S. would have to rely to win?
DAVID ROHDE: Yes. It's finding more effective ways to back moderate Afghans and Pakistanis. They exist. And we have to find better ways to help them.
This, it would seem, hits the administration's dilemma square on the head, as it weighs the war strategy there.
On that point, President Obama talked about the crash and said he "will never rush" choosing whether to send US troops to war, referring to his upcoming decision about whether to send additional troops to Afghanistan.
There is other news, including new information about what those two Northwest Airlines pilots say they were doing in the cockpit that caused them to miss landing at the Minneapolis airport; what's taking so long for the swine flu vaccine to become more widely available; and a cool story about a dentist working to organize free dental care for children around the country.
As a girl raised poor enough to not always get to go to the dentist when she had a toothache, I am pretty glad about that.
See you tonight.
By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor
The government's decision to declare the H1N1 flu outbreak an "emergency" is meant to break through some of the usual bureaucratic red tape that could hinder the ability of hospitals to respond to a big surge of flu patients.
Unfortunately it does nothing to speed up the flow of flu vaccine, which so far, is available in far fewer doses than was originally promised. While the production back log is expected to be fixed soon, the health care system is racing against a clock it can't see. Meaning experts can't say when the outbreak will peak, and when or whether the virus will mutate. On Nightly News this evening we'll have a lot more on what this emergency declaration means and when the flow of vaccine will increase.
I'm getting on a red eye flight after the broadcast tonight, and I'll be thinking a lot about what's going on the other side of that locked cockpit door. The flying public deserves answers quickly about why that Northwest Airlines flight overshot its destination and was out of radio contact for over an hour last week. Tonight we'll let you hear what one of the pilots from that flight has to say about what didn't happen, and what's being done to get to the bottom of it.
I hope you'll join me for those stories and all of the day's important stories on NBC Nightly News.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
My thanks to the good folks at NPR's "Wait, Wait...don't tell me" radio program for including me in their taping this week at Carnegie Hall. The broadcast airs this coming weekend. Anything you hear that doesn't sound like something I'd say...simply isn't me. They have people on the staff who can mimic voices, and you know what these media types can do with editing. We had a lot of fun. Growing up as a kid in Jersey, I certainly never thought I'd stand at center stage and look out at the audience at Carnegie Hall. What an extraordinary experience. And (as they say in show business) what a great crowd -- this was like the Super Bowl of public radio last night.
We'll update you on goings-on with the broadcast on Monday. In the meantime, have a good evening, and we'll see you Monday night.
By Rich Gardella, NBC News producer
If you watched Lisa Myers' report on executive pay tonight, you might be interested in knowing more of what the Obama Administration's point man on the subject had to say. Kenneth R. Feinberg, officially known as the Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation and unofficially known as the Obama Administration's "pay czar," presided over a "pen and pad" media briefing at the Treasury Department this afternoon.
Reporters typically attend these events and scribble and type like mad to record what's said. Today, approximately 100 reporters (by my very rough visual count) filled chairs in the Treasury Department's "Media Room."
The purpose of today's briefing was to announce and describe Feinberg's decisions on compensation packages for the top 25 executives at 7 firms which received "exceptional" TARP assistance.
CONTINUED >>
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
Sometimes, from our usual perch in Midtown Manhattan, this nation's dual wars can seem awfuly remote and distant and far away. Then it comes roaring back. Yesterday I addressed close to 100 Marine officers here in New York. All of them so impressive, all of them freshly decorated from various battlefields overseas. It is a gathering I attend every year.
Today we are hosting 6 Marine Colonels, and today I also spoke with an Army Lt. Col. who is in the fight, on the battlefield in Afghanistan. Some days it comes roaring back, indeed.
We hope you can join us tonight.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
Well...our series on women this week sure has ignited a blast of email...we are wading through it, reading all of them as we always do. I hope to address some of the criticisms as well.
Tonight we have two interesting stories to wrap our arms around: financial executive's wages and cancerscreening...the latter applies to us all. We hope you can join us tonight.
By Kevin Tibbles, NBC News correspondent
In the year or so that the economy has been in the tank we have been spending quite a bit of time in Elkhart County, Indiana. It's the kind of place that boasts small towns with leafy streets and even a few old-fashioned soda shops. There's quite a bit of history here too. Did you know Alka Seltzer was invented here? Or that, at one time, Elkhart's claim to fame was the manufacture of brass band instruments? Lately, Elkhart has been the creator or maker of Recreational Vehicles for America and beyond. The recession dealt a body blow to that industry, one it is still trying to recover from.
At the height of the downturn this battered corner of the nation had an unemployment rate pushing 19 percent. Today is still more than 16 percent, and nearly 12 thousand households rely on food stamps. Our first visit to the region was to cover a charitable organization handing out food packages.
Tonight we report on, hopefully, a better trend. Our colleague Nick McGurk at South Bend affiliate WNDU told us some of the RV companies were tooling up again. One in particular, Keystone, plans to re-hire some 500 employees in coming months as orders are on the rise. There is still a long way to go in a place decimated by recession; still as one Keystone employee told me, "I see a light at the end of the tunnel; but it's a candle and it's windy."
VIDEO: Seeing signs of a turnaround in Elkhart
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
First, my thanks to Jon Bon Jovi. As a New Jerseyan, I regard Jon and Bruce as our own twin towers of music in the State, and I was able to spend the morning with Jon (for a Making A Difference segment to air later this fall) focusing on his vast charity work. Like a lot of successful people, he has chosen to do great things with his money, and uses his name to shake astounding sums loose from others. Bottom line: like the work Bruce has done with food banks across this country (and other causes between the two of them), Jon has made life better for a whole lot of Americans.
On a sad note, the nation has lost another Medal of Honor recipient. He was a friend, a great patriot...and his death leaves 94 living recipients. Please take a moment and read the story of Len Keller. May he rest in peace.
I hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
My thanks to Ann Curry and David Gregory for filling in for me last week and allowing me to take some vacation time. From here on in, it’s the "busy season" for our broadcast and the news business in general. While I miss my job and my co-workers when I'm away, I candidly did not miss being on duty for the balloon story. I'm afraid it combines a lot of the most unpleasant aspects of our society in one tidy little package.
On a more serious note: The days ahead will bring some important moving pieces on health care and Afghanistan -- we will watch both closely. I get the chance this week to address some military officers here in New York, an annual event I always look forward to, as invariably I see men and women I've met on trips to Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s always good to see them enjoying all there is to enjoy here in New York.
I spent some time this morning with Maria Shriver -- the report she's highlighting this week is important, and deserves a read. Her appearance on Meet The Press on Sunday was equally interesting, and featured an arresting clip from the show's archives. Maria will join us tonight on the broadcast. We hope you will join us as well.
By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor
Many of us would have been just as happy to see that little Colorado balloon adventure turn out to be an innocent misunderstanding so that we could all move on to other things. We learned today, however, that apparently isn't the case.
Colorado authorities said today that they were duped – and so were all of uswatching that balloon careening through the sky while silently praying for a little boy we were told was in it. Sheriff's investigators say they plan to file charges against the parents that could lead to jail time. Toying with a country's emotions is not a crime, but intentionally leading rescuers on a wild goose chase is. Tonight on the broadcast, we will tell you why authorities now think the whole thing was a hoax and what was behind it.
We'll look for you later on NBC Nightly News.
By David Gregory, NBC News anchor
After being transfixed yesterday with the story about kid who actually was never in the wayward Colorado balloon, we are going to turn our attention tonight to some disturbing new facts about the H1N1 flu. Our Science Correspondent Bob Bazell is tracking the developments including an upward trend in the number of childhood deaths because of the flu and a delay in the availability of the vaccine. I know parents who have questions about getting their children vaccinated, but I have spoken to doctors in recent days who say they don't see any downsides to doing it.
We have some other important news including the sticker shock going on among employees who are currently seeing the cost of their employer-provided health benefits going up. All of this as health care reform is debated.
As we prepare for Nightly News, I am tracking the Dodgers who must win today to keep up with the Phills.
I hope you will join us when I fill in for Brian Williams on Nightly News tonight.
By David Gregory, NBC News
In the newsroom all afternoon we have been following the same story many of you have: this bizarre and perhaps tragic case of a Colorado 6-year-old boy floating away inside a makeshift balloon he crawled into in his backyard. At this hour we don't know what has happened to him, but as a dad I can tell you I have been sickened by it imagining how quickly a child can run off and get into a dangerous situation.
There are reports that a portion of the balloon-- like a box-- fell off. There are also questions about whether the boy ever crawled into the balloon in the first place.
On top of that, we are learning more about the boy's family which has appeared on a reality show and shows unusual interest in science and experimentation.
We are following all of this and will have complete coverage on it tonight.
Also tonight, troubling news for older Americans getting Social Security. You won't be getting a raise in payments this year. What's the political fallout?
Plus, the latest on H1N1: Are intensive care units ready for the onslaught? Bob Bazell reports.
I hope you will join us tonight as I report NBC Nightly News while Brian Williams is away.
by Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent
We spent some time this week trying to find a picture of Christie Basham.
Most of my colleagues asked, "Who was Christie Basham?" Then, they asked, "Why do you want her picture?"
The answer is simple, and complicated. Basham was a pioneer in our business: quiet, strong, talented, and professional. And did I mention that she was a woman? The hunt for her picture was a another story.
One stalwart colleague found a small glimpse of Christie in a group picture taken for the 44th Anniversary of Meet the Press, a group shot among a series mounted along an upstairs corridor. At the time, Christie was senior producer of the Sunday broadcast. Tim Russert hadn't yet taken over as host from former anchorman Garrick Utley. In the picture, Christie stares out with an even, no-nonsense gaze. We stole it from the wall to digitize it. No one noticed it was gone.
I also recalled another, larger picture of Christie, unposed, and characteristically intent, leaning over the assignment editor in our old newsroom. For years, it hung on the wall of Christie's office, once she became deputy bureau chief and had an office. We tracked it down in storage, packaged in bubble wrap, at the home of one of Christie's recently retired successors.
CONTINUED >>
By Mike Taibbi, NBC News correspondent
Funny how memory works. You can think about something that's familiar to you, research the subject in the ways encouraged by Google, and begin the work of reporting on that same subject because, after all, that's your job, and then in a moment, a millisecond, something internal kicks in and it's no longer about information, it's about how you felt in your bones and your heart when that subject first became familiar to you.
That's what happened during the process of reporting on the fortunes of family-owned CF Martin and Company in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. They make Martin guitars, the standard in the industry for, oh, around 175 years. From Dylan and Clapton, to Elvis and Johnny Cash. Threesomes like the Kingston Trio and Peter Paul & Mary. Duos like Simon and Garfunkel...you get the idea.
Nightly News producer Bob Adschiew had pitched the story to me and I'd said “sure.” His take was that family owned businesses, which make up 90 per cent of the businesses in America and employ 60% of all workers, had unique challenges and opportunities in the tanking economy. With the economy cratering last fall, Martin, like other businesses, considered all the options while some stopgap measures – a freeze on hiring and overtime, for example – were put in place. But because of the unique nature of the business, not just ownership but employees handing down their love of the craft from generation to generation, the current boss, CF Martin IV, refused to resort to layoffs or even a temporary plant shutdown. They'd continue to make guitars...by hand. Each instrument went through 60 work stations and over 300 individual processes, all visible to anyone from the public who wanted to see how it's done.
CONTINUED >>
by Ann Curry, NBC News anchor
In for Brian again tonight, and the Nightly News team is gathering information on just what it means that the Dow rose above the 10,000 mark for the first time in a year today, while unemployment is still at least 10 percent in 14 states.
It's not the number that's the focus, it's whether the hope it represents, when so many need hope, is based in something bankable, or reveals a dysfunctional disconnect between the haves and have-nots, as evidenced by the size of yet more executive bonuses revealed today.
Sometimes I am stunned, with the painfully slow pace of this economic recovery, and the added worries about swine flu, health care reform, and the deteriorating war in Afghanistan, how Americans actually do make sense of it all.
I'm thinking our children may remember swine flu vaccines as some of us remember polio shots – and the current state of airport security checks and red alerts are not too unlike our memories of duck and cover.
And yet despite all this unfortunate fear, challenge, confusion and anger, we just keep moving forward, trying to be smarter than the challenges before us.
This grit is our glue. It's what we need to bind us until we reach better times again.
To help you be smarter than the challenges before us, our stories tonight include a report about fake Tamiflu, new evidence we need to rethink how our nation's children learn math, and an idea to corporate America that comes from a small company that found a way to stay in business so it didn’t have to fire employees.
by Ann Curry, NBC News anchor
Olympia Snowe explained her decision to be the only Republican to back the health care reform bill that passed 14-9 this afternoon in committee saying, "Is this bill all that I would want? Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time."
History was written today with the vote, a major step forward in the president's goal of affordable coverage for a more Americans.
But as every other Republican on the Senate committee voted against the bill, and even Snowe herself said, "My vote today is my vote today. It doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow," this monumental issue is far from solved.
Tonight we will explain exactly what kind of health care reforms are in this bill now emerging from the 2009 summer of discontent.
And among our other stories, reports on that unusually big storm on the West coast which is causing serious worries about landslides, and also the compelling story of a brave young woman credited with the arrest of an alleged rapist today. She kept the case alive for 19 years. Why? She allegedly was his victim when she was just 8 years old.
We hope you can join us tonight.
by Mike Mosher, Nightly News Senior based in Los Angeles
Mosher was based in the Middle East from 1974-1980
Imagine the knock on the door early in the morning to be told, “You’ve won the Nobel Peace Prize. It happened to me.
Cairo, Egypt October 27, 1978, (BC) -- before cable and before Twitter there was telex, often the only means for my New York headquarters to relay breaking news to the field reporters. The telex machine was especially important in places like Cairo where an international phone call required booking a day in advance.The machine punched out and received lines of text messaging on a roll of paper. If the news was really urgent there was a bell key. The sender could ‘ding’ ‘ding’ ding’ until someone woke up on the other end.
Ahmad was the overnight doorman in the Cairo news bureau. During the day Ahmad made tea for the staff, but at night he knew if the telex ‘dinged’ he was to find someone from the news staff.
“Dr. Mosher”, Ahmad said with excitement, (Egyptians are generous with titles), “Bell is beating! Bell is beating!” I thanked Ahmad for his diligence.
‘Now Ahmad read it to me slowly.’
“It is saying …URGENT URGENT, MOSHER SADAT AND BEGIN HAVE WON THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE MILLIS”
Millis was Walter Millis the New York desk editor that day. Telex talk often omitted punctuation.
CONTINUED >>
By Ann Curry, NBC News anchor
In tonight for Brian Williams, and can offer you an interview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, conducted over the weekend in Zurich, during which she gives NBC News a rare glimpse into the intensity of the administration's internal debate over Afghanistan.
"What is going on in this analysis, is the kind of deep, stripped down investigation of assumptions," Secretary Clinton said, adding, "This process has certainly clarified for me, some of what we're up against. Kind of cleared away some of the mythology. And the presumptions."
She gave our news team the impression, that this war review is both intellectually challenging and emotionally intense, and that the wrangling was over the consequences of options that have not yet been made public.
Just Friday, White house spokesman Robert Gibbs said the President's final decision is still "weeks away."
We asked Secretary Clinton, given that in the weeks the President has already taken to conduct this review at least 10 US troops have died in Afghanistan, what is taking so long.
"Well, first of all, every one of those deaths...weighs heavily on all of us who are sitting around the table in the situation room.. When we make the decision and when we recommend to the President what we believe he should do, we're going to be all in," the Secretary said.
VIDEO: 'Eyes are wide open' in Afghanistan
Listening to her describe this struggle behind the scenes for the administration to present a united front now eight years into this war, Bill Cahir's face came into my mind. A former Senator Ted Kennedy aide and a journalist, Bill at age 34 suddenly joined the marines as a grunt, though he had the college degree to be an officer. His wife Renee told me he joined because he felt America needed him to step up. Like the 68,000 other troops now in Afghanistan, he had no choice but to put his faith in the hands of our military and political leaders.
Trying to put myself in their shoes, I imagine they must sometimes feel like sitting ducks, operating a strategy that will likely change, once their leaders to make up their minds. Bill was scared when he went to Afghanistan on his third tour of duty last summer, but Renee says his loyalty to his fellow marines and their mission made him go. He left having just learned his wife Renee was pregnant for the first time, and with twins.
He will never meet his twin girls. Bill died on the front lines of Helmand Province last August, one of more than 872 US troops so far who won't come home from Afghanistan alive.
"I think everyone's aware that we never, in the prior administration, as a country, gave sufficient attention to Afghanistan."
We can't turn the clock back. We can't recover those eight years. But during these eight months, we've learned—that we've got to be right about our commitments. And our expectations. Our military leaders are participating in these discussions. You know, one is at the table. One is on the video screen. Our ambassadors for example Islamabad and Kabul are participating."
My father, career military and a war veteran, would be glad the President is listening to all parties. But he used to say politicians shouldn't ultimately be in charge of wars, because they lack the personal war experience that is critical to show the way to peace.
With all due respect, Dad, I really hope you are wrong about that.
Secretary Clinton on Afghanistan and whether her role has been marginalized, the street fight over health care, and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics all will figure in our broadcast tonight.
By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor
From the open window of my Rockefeller Plaza office I am enjoying the crisp and coolish afternoon air, the sounds of drums and music from the Spanish Columbus/Hispanic Day parade making its way down Fifth Avenue, and just below me, tourists are skating on the newly re-opened ice rink. It's a feast for the senses, and a reminder of why I love fall in New York City.
In the meantime, we're busy preparing tonight's broadcast, which will include coverage of today's massive gay rights rally in Washington, where some of the spotlight is on president Obama and his so far unfulfilled pledge to end the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
We will also tell you why Wall Street is now getting into the business of investing in death - or to be more specific, life insurance policies.
Plus, what a newly re-discovered mummy in Miami is telling scientists about life 2,700 years ago.
Thanks for checking in. Please join us later for NBC Nightly News.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
I was disturbed to see that we received several negative emails overnight regarding last night's segment with Chris Rock. Some people just don't like Chris Rock, others felt that we used precious network news time for what I like to call an "elective" feature topic–not among the most compelling events of our day. Actually, I feel (and have always felt) that we have the time, the room and the flexibility to offer such electives—whether it's highlighting our "Making A Difference" stories—or generally bringing our attention to a topic we would normally not dial into. But it’s a conversation we will continue...
In the meantime, have a good weekend.
I hope you can join us tonight.
By Thanh Truong, NBC News Correspondent
What is the secret of good health? That's a question many Americans are trying to figure out, and there's no shortage of "groundbreaking" new diet fads or some new workout routine that supposedly will shave inches from the waistline. But Joe Smith, an Atlanta Police Detective and retired Marine, doesn't buy any of it. He's a faithful follower of old-school exercise.
"All I demand is a body and dedication," Smith says.
Three days a week, Smith, 55, leads a fitness boot camp, but the participants are not his clients. They're co-workers. During the hour-long session, he barks out orders to dozens of Atlanta city employees looking to lose weight or tone up. It's a non-stop class of running, calisthenics and stretching.
Workers like 55-year-old municipal court reporter Jill Carter say Smith is tough and effective.
"He motivates you and he'll push you to do things you think you couldn't do," Carter says.
Smith started the boot camp two months ago after city workers lobbied the Atlanta human resources department for a workout class. The city already had a health and fitness program in place, and on the fourth floor of city hall you can find exercise equipment and treadmills. But the workers wanted more. With no budget and no instructor for such a class, the city had a void -- until Smith stepped up.
"I would be working out anyway, so whoever wants to join me can jump right in, if they can keep up," Smith says.
VIDEO: Fighting obesity at city hall
Many of the "boot campers" can't keep up -- and Smith is dedicated to changing that. Carter has been attending for about two months and says she's lost nearly 25 pounds thanks to the class and dieting. Those are results any gym would be proud of -- and more than willing to charge for.
But not Smith. He volunteers his time after work and the city employees enjoy (or in some cases don't enjoy) the class for free.
"It just makes me feel great knowing that I can help them achieve the goals they've set out for themselves," Smith says.
When he's not keeping an eye on his boot camp students, Smith is keeping an eye on thousands of municipal workers. His day job as a detective is to weed out city corruption and employee misconduct. His supervisor, Jeffrey Norman, who also sweats it out at the boot camp, says Smith is a shining and sweaty example of good values.
"He stays after work, free of charge, and provides a class that you'd pay who-knows-what for in the private sector, so I don't think you can get more of a public servant that that," Norman says.
Smith recently started wearing his old battle dress uniform. He says it was just the "natural" progression in the boot camp. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, passersby can hear the echo of Smith's voice emanating from the old Atlanta City Hall chambers as he does jumping jacks in the combat boots he was issued in 1972. It's the sound of one man trying to lead his troops to healthier living.
By Courtney Kube, NBC News Pentagon producer
The National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council put out a comprehensive study of Camp Lejeune water issue in June 2009.
It found no conclusive link between the water contamination and illnesses in marines and their families. Here are two paragraphs that explain the findings:
"Evidence exists that people who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune Marine Base in North Carolina between the 1950s and 1985 were exposed to the industrial solvents tricholorethylene (TCE) or perchloroethylene (PCE) in their water supply, but strong scientific evidence is not available to determine whether health problems among those exposed are due to the contaminants, says a new report from the National Research Council."
"It cannot be determined reliably whether diseases and disorders experienced by former residents and workers at Camp Lejeune are associated with their exposure to contaminants in the water supply because of data shortcomings and methodological limitations, and these limitations cannot be overcome with additional study. Thus, the committee concludes that there is no scientific justification for the Navy and Marine Corps to wait for the results of additional health studies before making decisions about how to follow up on the evident solvent exposures on the base and their possible health consequences."
Study press release:
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12618
This part of the study shows a model of the Camp Lejeune water system and the possible illnesses associated with exposure to these organic solvents: http://www.nationalacademies.org/includes/clfinal.pdf
Few facts:
- American Cancer Society says 1 in 1,000 men have breast cancer
- Marines at Camp Lejeune have 40 cases out of 400,000 marines
- To date, DOD has spent $14 million studying the Camp Lejeune water issue
Camp Lejeune Water Study registry:
https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clwater/
"The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten" is an organization focused on Camp LeJeune water contamination and it hopes to identify other possible cancer patients who lived at the base and provide support and resources to those affected. While our story focused on male breast cancer, a number of other cancers including childhood leukemia have been noted.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
I spent time today with the great Chris Rock and the actress Nia Long. They were here to talk to me about Chris's new documentary "Good Hair." Chris has attacked this serious topic with his usual funny style -- and proves to be a unique documentary filmmaker. I had never met Nia before -- she is as smart and lovely as she appears to be on the screen. So take a watch and take a listen and we'll run a substantial chunk of the conversation tonight on Nightly News.
We hope you can join us tonight.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
One of the strangest aspects of a career in television is waking up, as I did today, to see your own face on the back cover of the New York Times. It’s an unnatural act that takes some getting used to -- and I've frankly never really enjoyed that part of the business. I understand that it’s a necessary evil, and part of what I signed up for. The photograph in question is unusual -- and because it’s also been on billboards and busses, I get asked about it a lot...and got asked about it again today. When I told the story behind it to a friend today, he suggested I blog about it.
The story behind the photo is actually almost interesting, and 100% organic, as publicity photos go. I was at the Hotel Intercontinental here in New York, for my second of three interviews over the years with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. We were in a rented hotel suite, in fancy chairs -- the lighting was set, the translator was there and we were waiting for him to arrive. At the moment he appeared in the doorway, flanked by his security detail, I looked up and saw him...and at that very instant, our staff photographer snapped the picture. Far from being staged, it’s as candid as they get...and enough people liked it around here to decide to use it for promotional purposes.
That's the story of the photo -- right now, we're preparing the stories we plan to air tonight. We hope you can join us for our broadcast this evening.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
The Daily Beast has done its own study of data and has ranked U.S. Cities...in terms of where the smartest people live! When I spotted it on the web last night, I scrolled through it and found myself rating their choices, based on my own findings and experiences. It’s an interesting
exercise...and if nothing else, you get to see some astoundingly beautiful photography of some great American cities. The Daily Beast is trying to say, apparently: they may be great cities, but they're not all that SMART.
And in response to a posting left here over the weekend, I just wanted to say that I am watching and enjoying the Ken Burns series. I happen to think Ken's films are why we have television. To see this series on a big screen, HDTV (if you are lucky enough to have one or have access to one) is a real treat. I went as far as to tell a co-worker here that he should wait and see it on a good new TV as opposed to watching it on his antiquated television at his kitchen table. It’s so sweeping and majestic and beautiful that at times it can almost bring tears to your eyes.
And as someone who for years enjoyed family vacations in Yellowstone, I'm already a fan and supporter of the parks -- and I agree with Ken's subtitle--they may well be "America's Best Idea." Certainly my friend Ken Burns is America's best documentary filmmaker.
We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.
By Rehema Ellis, NBC News correspondent
Imagine this: You're an eighth grader doing your math homework one night and need help. So, you dial your math teacher's cell phone number and bingo. You get all the help you need. Pretty farfetched, right?
I mean, what kid calls their teacher at home? Well, it happens if you're a student in the KIPP public charter school program, like Gabriel Gomez. He lives in the Bronx and travels an hour and 15 minutes every day, riding a bus and two trains to get to school in Harlem by 7:00am. He's there until 5pm.
Connecting to teachers during after school hours is foreign to most students whether you're at an inner-city school like Gabriel or in private school. Gabriel admits it took some time getting used to the idea.
"I felt very uncomfortable calling my teachers…but when I did, I understood the homework and got what I needed to know for that day," he said.
KIPP teachers and administrators have figured out that learning AND teaching doesn't happen in a confined space and time or in a straight line. They say that's why they've given out their cell phone numbers and made themselves accessible to students and parents 24/7.
I wonder what kind of student I would have been if I had that kind of access?
What I saw when I visited the Harlem school in preparation for our story was nothing short of devotion. Devotion from everyone: teachers, students, parents, the principal, secretaries, cafeteria and maintenance staff. They all want these kids to succeed and they're putting in the time and hard work that it takes to make that possible. And the whole atmosphere in the school supports that.
VIDEO: Great Expectations: KIPP schools close the gap
KIPP is a clean, comfortable place with messages everywhere about being successful. And it is possible. KIPP test scores prove it. David Levin, co-founder of the KIPP network of schools said when he came up with the idea 15 years ago in Houston people thought he was crazy.
VIDEO: KIPP co-founder: "We're all in this together"
"There was tons of resistance," he said. "People did not think we could find students who would go to school from 7:25 a.m. to 5 p.m. We went door-to-door explaining what we were doing. We got 45 kids who were excited."
What they were doing was offering families a chance to turn school failure into success with very hard work. Today, there are 20,000 KIPP students nationwide and long waiting lists of others who want to participate. That says, contrary to stereotyped notions, inner-city kids are just like kids everywhere and they really do want to learn.
You could think about all the failure that exists in American schools and get discouraged. As New York Times columnist Bob Herbert wrote recently, "American kids drop out of high school at an average of one every 26 seconds."
And studies show even the best students in the best schools in the United States score below students in other major countries on math, science and reading exams.
But what I saw at KIPP gives me reason to still be hopeful. The KIPP students are constantly pushed to do better and they're responding in positive ways.
VIDEO: Erin Chapman, an eighth-grade student at the KIPP school in Los Angeles, films a typical school day--starting at 5:45 a.m.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
My wife and I had a weekend that resembled a MasterCard commercial. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it, and I can now die happily: We saw Springsteen on Friday night and U2 on Saturday night. I can hear about 10 percent less than last week...an indicator that I had a really good time.
Forgive me the short post, but I'm trying to focus my meager concentration on the broadcast tonight. We hope you can join us.
By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor
The deaths of 8 Americans in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan is raising the stakes both on the battlefield, and in Washington, over the question – what now?
With American casualties mounting, and the administration weighing whether to deploy tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan, we'll have firsthand accounts of the situation on the ground. Our Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski will join me live from Kabul this evening after touring the region where the attack occurred. In addition, our veteran war correspondent Richard Engel is just back from Afghanistan, and will be with me in studio to offer his perspective on what American troops and their commanders are facing.
We're also covering the imminent release (slightly ahead of schedule) of the H1N1 flu vaccine. We'll tell you who is slated to get the first doses.
We will look at what's on the Supreme Court's calendar as they prepare to begin their fall term, as well as examine the extreme lengths an Illinois man is accused of going to in order to stalk and secretly videotape ESPN reporter Erin Andrews.
I hope you can join me later for NBC Nightly News.
Photo credit: Adam Ferguson/VII Mentor for Time
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
Reprinted above is the centerfold photo in this week's Time magazine—the centerpiece of really nice, old-school feature called "A Window On The War in Afghanistan." It’s the cover story, photojournalism by Adam Ferguson, and it represents the best of what magazines do well. Like all good photographs, it causes the eye to dwell—it challenges us to think about what it is we're looking at, where it is, and who they are.
While I am not, nor have I ever been in the military, I've had the great honor of spending time with guys like these guys—and in places just like it—in Iraq and Afghanistan. So, some observations:
1) They are all tired and dirty. That's pretty much what they do. They're on the job, enjoying a brief break. True exhaustion has driven one of them to give into sleep. Most infantry veterans learn to sleep when and where they can.
2) From their uniform markings we can tell they are all Army, and one 10th Mountain Division patch is visible. One may be a Ranger—the Sgt E-5 standing in the doorway.
3) Look at their clothing and gear. It’s not much. Some have their Army-issue fleeces on, one is wearing only his t-shirt. Look how cold it is in September in Afghanistan. One soldier is using his vinyl poncho as a blanket to keep his legs warm. We can assume it’s been a long time since anything they own has been washed or free of dust and dirt.
4) Of the 10 men in the photo, five are smoking. Of the non-smokers, I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the others use dip. While cigarettes are no longer given out with rations as they were as recently as the Vietnam era, tobacco use (smokeless and regular) is a huge, under-discussed issue in today's military. A high percentage of infantry have the tell-tale worn circle on their pants pocket, indicating the presence of a can of dip. Many will tell you it gives them a rush they need and keeps them alert on long patrols when focus and stimulation are essential. It’s a hard habit to break when they get home.
5) Look at their digs. A typical dwelling, just shelter, nothing more. Perhaps a family was raised here. Not anymore. Now it’s an outpost, a haven, a roof with walls and a floor like a manger. It’s what was available. Whoever it was once home to—and may be again someday—when the photo was taken, it was the temporary home to U. S. forces.
6) There are weapons next to several of the men. They appear to be standard-issue M-4 rifles. One has a SureFire flashlight affixed—another weapon has a barely-visible example of Army resourcefulness in the field: duct tape covering the buckle on the shoulder strap of the weapon—to prevent it from making a jingling noise on patrol.
7) If you were one of the members of this patrol, you'd be looking at your closest friends in the world. They will never forget each other. They are willing to die for each other. Daily. Hourly. They know everything about each other: wives, girlfriends—and which cars the single guys are planning to buy when they get out. They have volunteered for this duty. They are the very best at what they do, and I think about them—all of them—every day.
We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
Arriving at LaGuardia to take the Shuttle to Washington today (where I interviewed Gen. David Petraeus, the 4-star head of U.S. Central Command), I considered it a good luck charm when I caught a glimpse of "Sully" at the USAirways terminal -- he was there for the media event preceeding his flight today to North Carolina. It made me wonder what the reaction will be when, in his new job as management pilot, people hear his name over the P.A. on the plane. I'm guessing the "no water landings today, okay?" jokes will run their course rather quickly.
I also considered it good luck when the Captain of my flight to Washington said he'd flown me to Pittsburgh on Thursday of last week. This may all be an object lesson in flying too much -- and while as an aviation buff I have the ultimate faith in the equipment and those who fly us, today especially I felt the odds were on my side. And I was right. I got here, didn't I? If Sully wouldn't mind flying me home, that would be great.
We'll see you from our NBC News Washington Bureau for tonight's broadcast.
