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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This city has taken on a different feel this week -- more roadblocks at the airport, more sudden traffic stoppages on the streets, more troops and military vehicles on patrol. There are obvious security concerns here because of the number of dignitaries visiting. We changed planes in Paris and were stunned to read news of the Hadley memorandum on our BlackBerries. I've just discussed it with David Gregory (who is across town from me at the President's hotel) and Richard Engel, who is here alongside me on his laptop at a converted dining room table at the hotel we are using in Amman. Richard just gave our small team his latest briefing on Iraq, and it was sobering.
We'll begin with the news from here: not just the leaked administration memo, but the decision to put off the talks between President Bush and the Iraqi Prime Minister until tomorrow morning. As Engel warned us: don't be surprised to see some manifestation of the famous Iraqi pride. We are already seeing that in part, in what aides to al-Maliki are saying about why they canceled tonight's session.
We'll hear from David, Richard, Miklaszewski and Russert on this moment in history -- the history of this region and the involvement of the United States.
Pete Williams will report tonight on the intersection of global warming and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ned Colt will report on this new chapter of the spy story in the United Kingdom -- the three British Airways aircraft said to have tested positive for the highly dangerous nuclear substance that killed the former Soviet spy.
And I will do some reporting for tonight's broadcast on the part of Amman that now feels like Baghdad, due to the high number of Iraqis who have fled here. Seeing an Iraqi license plate on a car in Amman used to be exceedingly rare. It no longer is.
There is another news item that we're watching coverage of on SKY News right now -- the sad word that the infant son of British Chancellor Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, Fraser Brown, has apparently been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. The couple lost a child a few years ago, in a heartbreak that played out all too publicly. Just today they announced this diagnosis, which has apparently been known to them since July. I was able to spend some time during the last year with the Chancellor, in Africa and elsewhere, and I know how much joy this four-month-old child has brought to their lives... this is a sad story indeed.
We will stay here in Amman for as long as it takes for this story to play out. We hope you can join us for the broadcast from here tonight.
Read more from Brian Williams 2006
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Iraq's fragile coalition
I am retired army person. I gave the same pride and dedication to my duties as the men and women that are there now but I don't feel that they are as awear what their purpose is as we were that. It pain me to see so many of them loose life and limbs for what. It is not for the freedom of America. May be the suvival of the life style as it is today.
Judd Newton (Sent Dec 1, 2006 11:29:28 AM)
After much debate at the highest levels and after discussing it with its reporters in the field NBC and the NYT has now declared civil war in Amman, Jordan. Film at eleven...
Don, USA (Sent Nov 30, 2006 1:09:27 PM)
Joe in Philly - Sure- in the same sense people are free to leave a burning building, if they can find a way. I'll add that I tend to trust Richard Engel's reporting, too.
Lee in CA (Sent Nov 30, 2006 11:36:24 AM)
That promo saying on Monday NBC Nightly will be sponsored by Phillips and have limited commercial interruption is good news. Is this going to be permanent?
(Sent Nov 30, 2006 8:20:33 AM)
I appreciate the espirit de corps the NBC news team displays. Working together, the news from Jordan and Iraq seems to be accurate and direct, and above all, honest. Keep up the good work on your reporting, we are finally hearing some truth.
R. Thomas, Aloha, Oregon (Sent Nov 30, 2006 1:10:03 AM)
Dear Mr. Williams,
All of you did a great job tonight as always. Stay safe. I agree with the sentiments purposed by Amar Nath Chakraborty, Belton, TX. Richard Engel is one of the best in the field. The idea of having a similar show to AndersonCooper360 sounds like good idea.
I was sorry to hear the news concerning British Chancellor Gordon Brown’s son’s diagnosis. They are in my prayers.
As a response to the civil war in Iraq and the Iraqi family you profiled tonight, it is truly sad to see what horrid acts we inflict on each other. Is it not enough that natural disasters and diseases can take our lives? We are supposed to be the most intelligent species, but events like these make me wonder if we are not the most asinine species,
leila (Sent Nov 29, 2006 9:34:46 PM)
Brian it is good to hear that a real leader stood up to help end the problem in Iraq. Now that Iraq/Iran have finally resolved their issues the American troops can come home. Now the Middle East can start rebuilding. It took a true smart educated leader like the Iran President to step up to the plate. To bad the United States doesn't have a strong educated smart leader who could have been the one to end this. Well now Americans see that none of what the Bush Administration/GOP said was true they lied. This invasion wasn't to help the people of Iraq it was for big business. All the soldiers that died and thought it was for peace and believed the President's story. Look for North Korea to take advantage of the weak cowardly United States President. Boy we need a leader here in the US quick.
Jackie Rawlings Riverside California (Sent Nov 29, 2006 9:01:51 PM)
Joe you should know better than to ask questions that might not lead to their truth. :-)
(Sent Nov 29, 2006 8:37:24 PM)
Great broadcast tonight!
I think you at Nightly News should take the little time that you have on the broadcast to cover as much 'hard news' as possible more often (instead of switching to more 'soft news' items after the first break).
Tim Reuter, Essen, Germany (Sent Nov 29, 2006 7:06:13 PM)
Great report Brian!
Rumsfeld is Gone! Gates will do the job he was tapped to finish. Cheney needs to take a leave of absence. The skirt needs to be relieved , and Bush needs to beg from his knees for Colin Powell to help him through the balance of his administration !..
War ain't pretty, and Bush is finally coming to the realization that God don't take sides!
Some answers will become very clear by January 16, 2007!
Dick Paoliello, Xenia, Ohio (Sent Nov 29, 2006 7:00:43 PM)
U.S. and U.K oil company executives are probably climbing their office walls about now as they watch a minimum of $6 trillion in oil revenues over the next fifty years rapidly slipping away.
Robert Pike, Santa Clarita, California (Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:43:22 PM)
Brian-
Sounds like you've got a lot for our plates. Too much, I think, for the time available. It's too bad this isn't the week Philips Corp. is sponsoring your broadcast with only 3 commercials, allowing for more news coverage. If it was this week, you would have time to REALLY go into the Iraq situation in depth. Any chance of getting Richard to blog about his analysis? And please tell him his vlog was great. It was neat to get to see some of the hardware you guys use to send a seamless broadcast to us.
By the way--if anyone from Philips is reading this--your have made at least one customer. And I thank you for your upcoming contribution to in depth news coverage.
Celine, JC-NJ (Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:27:07 PM)
By leaking the Hadley memo, the administration hopes to prod the Iraqi government into distancing itself from U.S. military efforts, thus appearing ungrateful (as well as incompetent) to the American public. What better way to set the Iraqis up as the party to blame for Bush's collossal blunder - a strategy his team is already successfully pursuing?
(Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:15:20 PM)
I hear that prices have doubled to the average Jordani citizen with the presence of so many Iraqi immigrants. Their good will may dissolve like Houston's good will for New Orleans' flooded out families. I wonder what role Pres. Hussein can play in meeting with Bush and Malaki.
Jack A, New Port Richey, FL (Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:09:13 PM)
What happens if there is no meeting tomorrow? where does this leave the us policy in the region?
Also, I think it would be great to speak about the colonial period of the brits, turks, and french... what have we learned? A christian army in the middle of an islamic civil war..
(Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:05:06 PM)
I am news fan. I listen all news from all sources. In my opinion Richard Engel is the best journalist since Iraq has started. I will suggest NBC to start an hour show like CNN’s AndersonCooper360 hosted by Richard Engel. Richard should get the award of best journalist in last five years. Brian, Please tell him my regards and ask him to always stay out of harm's way. Amarnath, Belton, TX, (254)247-2940
Amar Nath Chakraborty, Belton, TX (Sent Nov 29, 2006 6:03:22 PM)
Brian...Be safe... all others as well that are with you. But also, really....lets have the whole truth.. George Bush really needs to start facing the truth..Iraq is in CIVIL WAR.... tell him not to deny that....we must find a credible way to get out asap...
(Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:54:34 PM)
Bush 43 is worried about his legacy. Right now it is 43. No worries! We started the war. The settlement will be by the people that live in the region. We love the NBC team. Be there for us!
Gene Lakewood California (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:39:32 PM)
Joe, people were free to leave before but did not. They are leaving now to save their lives. Why do you have to politicize it to fit your views. Just state facts and quite try to gloss over the civil war that is happening. What good is freedom if you are killed. Get off your freedom kick and look at what is happening in Iraq. Joe if you like Iraqi freedom , then why are you not over there living or fighting for it. Pretty easy to talk freedom from your couch, now go do something about it.
bobf,savage,mn (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:39:02 PM)
Well this had to happen given the Politics of Iraq. As for how things are goin to proceed, well we are living in a world of spin where nothing is what it seems anymore. So have a great ride and stay safe.
R Singh, Washington DC, Washington DC (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:32:30 PM)
By that same token, Joe, of Philly, I guess the media should have been reporting at the end of August, 2005, that the people of New Orleans had just experienced a glorious liberation, and were now free to do as they pleased (as long they didn't want to stay dry).
Jonathan, San Marcos, Texas (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:23:03 PM)
As usual everybody has their spin. I take it for what it is and don't try to look under the covers. Malaki is in trouble at home - he and his entourage were stoned in the streets just last week. Bush as usual plays it aloof, which is always to his demise as he appears a bumbling manager. The fact is Malaki has to fall or find another partner in his coalition - with Sadr as a ally who needs enemies.
(Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:22:33 PM)
I will not be surprised if the Prime Minister to Iraq will change his mind again about the meeting on Thursday. I've seen it here in Jordan with other Iraq personnel and for other anti-American cabinet members from Iraq. I am presently here in Jordan from Texas.
Gerard Galvan, San Antonio, Texas (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:10:01 PM)
Does Joe in Philly really think that all those displaced Iraqis were just waiting for Saddam to fall so that they could all move to Jordan? That is spin if I ever heard it. I would be surprised if NBC News could find 5 Iraqis that would express their pure pleasure with the reasons for re-location.
Come home safe, you guys!
Mich, St. Petersburg, FL (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:07:18 PM)
Brian, are you aware that the White House is spinning this by saying they were the ones who postponed the meeting until tomorrow?
Steve Soto, Sacramento, CA (Sent Nov 29, 2006 5:03:57 PM)
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