The Daily Nightly began on May 31, 2005. As Brian wrote in his first post it aims to provide a narrative of the broadcast day and a window into the editorial process at NBC Nightly News. Brian weighs in every weekday and NBC News correspondents and producers post regularly.
Brian Williams became the seventh anchor and managing editor in the history of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004. Read his full biography.
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Much of our editorial meeting today had to do with the running order of the stories in the broadcast tonight, and exactly how we come on the air and express to all of our viewers just how much news is going on, and on how many fronts. Suffice it to say: tonight we'll talk about the NSA story, immigration (the President's upcoming speech Monday evening and the plan to send National Guard troops to the borders) and the BUST today at the CIA. About the latter: when was the last time you heard of a "raiding party" entering the office of a senior-ranking intelligence official, say nothing of the sight of same being led out of the building?
So that's where we'll begin tonight, followed at some point by a superb piece by Anne Thompson -- on American companies that are bucking the trend of sending jobs overseas. If you care about the subject, you'll want to find out who these employers are. There was potentially devastating news out of New Orleans today, where the Army Corps of Engineers (which has of late been nothing but candid with us as they struggle to compress years of work into several months), made it known that the levee effort will NOT be ready by the start of hurricane season.
Finally, tonight will feature an installment in our popular MAKING A DIFFERENCE series of reports, as I sit down again with an old friend. You may recall Maria Friedman's heroic Broadway debut (link)... back on stage just days after major breast surgery, then knocked down again, then the show ceased production. Now she is singing in the very same room that Bobby Short made famous at the Carlyle Hotel here in New York, being cheered on, literally and figuratively, by so many.
THE FINE PRINT
Just when I was thinking I was the only person who noticed it, I see GAWKER has picked up on the tiny, well-placed and craftily-worded farewell to an important veteran of the New York Times today.
And: the Associated Press and others had a field day with Tony Snow, and his attempt to hold his morning meeting with reporters (called the "gaggle") in the Press Secretary's office, as it was back when I covered the Clinton White House and Mike McCurry held court each morning. As Kelly O'Donnell noted earlier in this space, it apparently didn't go well today, and it's taking him a while to build up to his first on-camera briefing... all of which gets chewed over (and written about) in press circles.
OPERATION: CHANGE THE SUBJECT
Skeptics are already aflutter over the White House effort today to hop on a passing news cycle (heading into a weekend of Sunday political talk shows) and pass on details of the President's speech Monday night on immigration. The use of the National Guard, while not firmed up in number or scope (at either leak time or press time) is clearly the hoped-for talking point. And the theory (quoting pesky skeptics here) goes: it sure beats talking about collecting the phone records of phone-loving, freedom-loving Americans!
YOUR LETTERS...
What a boisterous group of e-mailers you all were yesterday...a very entertaining and mostly polite, highly readable collection of comments. Special thanks to Margaret in Tranquility, N.J., (isn't that redundant?) and Bill K., who seemed to like the author's theory on Operation Viper. We special members of the community need to stick together, especially with the cranks out there who would deny us this small moment of pleasure! To Justin in Buffalo: never apologize for posting... that's what this space is all about. There's nothing like telephone records that were once thought to be private, controversial Presidential appointments and the nation's porous borders to spark a little conversation among friends.
Speaking of friends, tonight I get to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of my old Firehouse in Middletown, N.J. And I am attending the celebration despite just now learning (from my former Captain Bruce George) the names of the other firefighters who I'll be sitting with tonight. I was happy to learn, however, that some of them are no longer incarcerated, and that they are all pursuing productive lives. I'll put it this way: if you live in Middletown, N.J., try not to start a fire tonight. We'll be busy.
Wishing you all a good weekend, I do hope you'll join us for tonight's broadcast.
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The Border Debate
What has happened to your coverage of the war in Iraq? All of a sudden you don't have anything to report when our troops are still getting killed and wounded. Neither your website or the Nightly News have much of anything to say. Could it be because of White House and republican pressure not to cover it? Maybe you and they, figure that if you don't cover it, we will forget it. I realize that it's unpleasant but we need to be reminded of what a waste this unnecessary war has been and continues to be. I never thought that the day would come when I would have to tune in to a channel other than NBC to find out all the news. It's a very sad situation.
Robert Donnelly Corinth VT (Sent May 13, 2006 11:47:19 PM)
I am trying to figure out whether the photos of the poker games interposed with the story of Foggo are of the actual card games. Or are they, Oprah-like, essential truth? Not really his card games, but the photos represent what Foggo's card games were like. Or must have been like in the minds of the NBC "News" department? Was it just an editorial comment in a news story, mixing commentary and opinion visually?
Arthur Barton; East Greenwich, RI (Sent May 13, 2006 8:34:07 PM)
Qwest just got my business.
"All tyranny needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing."
Lee Steele Mountain VIew , CA (Sent May 13, 2006 2:36:49 PM)
Mike Taibbi's report on the New Orleans levees last night was excellent--that was devastating news.
Here's another worrisome development: Recently the Times-Picayune reported that, in a plan approved by the Bush Administration, the east wall of the Industrial Canal is being raised to 15 ft. above sea level, while the west wall will remain at 12.5 ft. above sea level until Sept. 2007. This may sound arcane, but is significant in that everything west of the Industrial Canal including the French Quarter (which largely escaped Katrina's wrath) will be more vulnerable to flooding than ever when the next hurricane hits the New Orleans area.
I think the whole mess regarding the levees is due to broken promises, both by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bush Administration. Evidently to keep costs down they are trying to do on the cheap a job that takes know-how and premium materials, both of which cost beaucoup bucks, to accomplish successfully. In other words, they are being penny wise and pound foolish.
There's also cause for great concern in a report on CNN's website yesterday that Mayor Nagin's evacuation plan is full of holes and could result in the same sort of chaos that happened during Katrina. Too many questions remain unanswered... Between that and the problems with the levees, it's time for everyone who's a praying person to start praying that the hurricanes spare Louisiana.
Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. (Sent May 13, 2006 2:18:21 PM)
Congratulations to Brian for having the wit and daring to be an anchorman blogger! As one who covered the fall of Saigon for CBS--after it's whole staff, let's not name names--bugged out in the panic, I am totally overcome with envy.
Dan Cameron Rodill (Sent May 13, 2006 11:28:19 AM)
We couldnt call out troops for Americans dying in the streets of our homeland because the constitution legalities. Its so convenient to interpet the law in the way it benifits the administrations policys and agendas. Immigration issue has been screaming for attention for tweny years, its just spin we all know it accept those, OBLIGATED, media exeutives that allow themselves and there profession to be manipulated. We have soldiers dying daily horrible deaths, we have average Americans being left behind in a mad dash to take the money and run. There are so many important issues that need to be addressed yet this organization andnits medium is used as a promotional tool for ratings and to push the agenda of incompetent crooks. Yes Americans are disgusted and getting angrier by the moment. You can fool some of the people some of the time.... you guys so busy enjoying the jet set and making commercials to find a moment to update your own home page, sometimes for as much as three days? Cmon, do something worthy of that salary you take home. Substance with class PLEASE if we wanted to tune in and here gossip and trashy flash and pushed spin we would be FOX fans. Bring back dignity and inform your audience. We want the truth presented unbiasly. Just read the posts here, you guys are losing our trust and admiration. Everyone wants to hear they are doing a good job, only those with an ear and an eye can take the critique and improve, the rest just dismiss and blindly follow the masses. Are there not any true journalist left at the rock?
(Sent May 13, 2006 10:56:38 AM)
Well it is another day and another politician being investigated. Maybe we should have a general amnesty for these people. Any politician who resigns before the end of May will not be investigated. Then we can go after the ones remaining.
W.D.Russell East Liverpool Ohio (Sent May 13, 2006 6:39:59 AM)
It takes a brave person to put herself out there in order to encourage women everywhere to do the right thing for themsleves and get that rediculous bad feeling checked out. Especially during a time in their lives when they have great highs (Opening of a broadway show- awesome achievement!) to saddening lows (Closing of same broadway show). I for one am impressed, keep up the great work Maria!
Denise S., Chicago, Illinois (Sent May 12, 2006 7:57:28 PM)
Brian,
It seems the only way out from under "BIG OIL" and high energy prices is to push E-85 Etholnal. Why dosn't the nightly news media research this & inform the public????
Bobby Amos (Sent May 12, 2006 7:38:09 PM)
Please! Why is this happening?? DO NOT send the NG-a very big mistake!! Something /another thing to regret and cause more shame to good people. Try getting someone else to work the chicken factories or tobacco fields!! It doesn't happen where we live...I have great respect for these people doing the nasty jobs no one else will! - Judith Tate, Woodlawn, TN (May 12,2006 5:57 PM)
Judith Tate (Sent May 12, 2006 6:49:21 PM)
Who knew that Quest made a great opportunity to score big in the popularity issue by confronting the Bush administration with W.'s illegal wiretapping , trolling, and data mining NSA-abridging communication's saddling operations. I am thinking of giving up my Verizon simply to go with a truly privacy-oriented company. Quest, what a boon!
(Sent May 12, 2006 6:32:40 PM)
It seems like it’s been one of those weeks. One moment the stock market on the brink of a new high, the next, the bottom falls out. CIA, taxes, Medicare, Bush Administration seemingly going to having its own 7 years of tribulation (8 to be politically correct)...
I support guarding the border but sending the National Guard? That's kind of scary. Close to martial law in a since of being that it shows our government wont rule out the use of troops inside our borders.
My hats off to you and your staff on your hard work, as always. Day after day; week after week; story after story. Maybe in the Navy, I'll understand what a long day (or even long week) really means, eh?
Michael Salvo, Georgetown, Texas (Sent May 12, 2006 6:15:25 PM)
in Tranquility, N.J., (isn't that redundant?)
-no
(Sent May 12, 2006 5:55:00 PM)
ain't got no love for west wing in the broadcast? ain't got no love? come on talk about it since it was a great show on nbc for years and will be concluding as yet another great piece of television leaves us. it seems like so many quality programs are leaving us.
(Sent May 12, 2006 5:54:10 PM)
Qwest CEO is a true American hero.
Norm Sandlin, Las Vegas, NV (Sent May 12, 2006 5:28:03 PM)
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