Brian,

I regret your choice of words Friday evening announcing that the deaths of two Lt. Colonels in Iraq was "notable," or "noteworthy." I am among 100+ thousand parents of kids currently serving in Iraq .. my son is a USMC CPL serving with the 2/8 in Al Anbar [see the picture & article in the Saturday NYTimes about a fellow 2/8 Lance Corporal being shot by a sniper] .. and the deaths of our corporals, privates, and lance corporals are every bit as noteworthy as two Lt. Cols. I know you meant or intended the meaning, "unusual."

I have long believed leadership comes best from those that lead by doing what they ask followers to do. So I am inclined to believe if more officers were in the thick of the dangerous daily patrols these fine young men and women undertake several times a day under very restrictive rules of engagement, etc., and the officers nobly shared in the notable price being paid, we might have better tactics on the ground. And, if our leaders and generals led by the same rule, letting their kids participate in this war, we might have a much better and honest overall strategy, commitment, etc. But meantime, the death of two Lt. Cols. is unusual. The death of three young marines the same day is more notable to me, for they die unmentioned by you, by your and my fellow citizens, and by virtually all their peers that go right on with their lives and beginning careers and so forth with little if any real involvement in the daily walk with death these kids undertake on your behalf, my behalf and their officers' behalf.

If you want to report on something "notable" for these young marines, examine the notable travesty underway wherein the Pentagon will force the USMC to use the IRR clause to make these young kids, if they survive their second or third deployment, to have those combat arms corporals and privates that leave the USMC after having already given their country a combat intensive four years INVOLUNTARILY return for up to two more deployments. Now that is notably unfair .. ask Tim Russert's Big Russ about that .. I bet he would agree that even his fine grandson should postpone his career for a few years and do his part rather than making Lance Corporal Valdez-Castillo, or Sgt. Leach, do it again if they don't want to. Even the first President Bush might say that about his grandsons and granddaughters; Dick Cheney about his kids; John Kerry or Hilliary Clinton about their kids. You know what I mean?

The last war this country won was WWII. I think that may well have been so because most everyone in this country was involved. That involvement has increasingly dimished every since. I begin to think we as a country should never again be involved in war until we are all involved, and we have leaders that are too.

A Marine dad

Dear Mr. Brian Williams,
Firstly, let me say I love your newscast; my wife and I watch you every
night during the week. But I have an issue that I think many newscasters,
including yourself, have missed when talking about the Democrats trying to
take over the Senate. I keep hearing how the Democrats need to win 6
Republican seats (while keeping all theirs) to take over the Senate. Well,
that very possibly might not be true.

The current breakdown right now in the Senate is: Republicans (55),
Democrats (44), and Independent (1). We all know that the one Independent
Senator is from Vermont, Mr. James Jeffords, and he is retiring. However
another Independent, Bernard Sanders, is well ahead in all polls and appears
to be a lock to win that seat in Vermont. Assuming that does happen,
Vermont will still have one Independent Senator. But the main problem is in
Connecticut. Nobody is talking about that Senate race [Joe Lieberman (I) vs
Ned Lamont (D) vs. Alan Schlesinger (R)] and how the Democrats are likely
going to "lose a seat". Lieberman has become an independent. He is leading
in every poll fairly comfortably. If he were to win, he would go into the
Senate as an Independent. Meaning the Democrats would be net down 12 seats
and would need to win 7 Republican seats (while keeping all others) to gain
control of the Senate.

Now, both Lieberman and Sanders (both likely Independent Senate winners this
Tuesday)vote mostly Democratic, but unless they change their affiliation
there will be two Independents in the next Senate. Sanders has been an
independent for awhile in the House and has said he will not change his
affiliation, but Lieberman will be an interesting situation to watch. The
Democrats have all mostly turned their backs on him and supported Lamont.
He might stay Independent and still vote mostly with the Democrats. In that
likely case, the Democrats winning 6 current Republican seats, while holding
onto all of their seats (except Connecticut), would only tie for the control
in the Senate. The breakdown would be: Republican (49), Democrats (49) and
Independents (2).

I would be very interested in hearing your take on this. Thanks for your
time and I look forward to watching your coverage Tuesday night.

Sincerely,
Tony Scott
Shelton, CT

MSNBC.com should stream the entire NBC News history tape that was played at the Reuven Frank ceremony last week. It would be great to see it all ... from those early video days in the late '40's, thru Swyze, Huntley-Brinkley, "Oswald has been shot!" and everything else.

Dear Brian,
Thank you sao much for both reporting the truth and providing some balance in your features which keep us from being overwhelmed by misery in Iraq and the mudslinging of the election. Keep up the good work.

Brian,
Tonight we were watching your news program and one of the emails you mentioned said 'once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout'. Not so!!!!!!!!!!!! I can testify that the rank of Eagle Scout CAN and IS revoked. If the Eagle Scout disgraces the rank and Scouting, then the honor of Eagle Scout can be and does get revoked. I do not know whether the decision comes from the local Scout Council or the National Council individually or jointly, but I know that it happens. It was a sad thing to see two young men be stripped of their Eagle rank for misconduct. It just shows that the rank is not given or taken lightly.

Mr. Williams perhaps you could write a few words here to explan why it's Anchors Away from time to time.

We so often see local remotes where they have plastered LIVE across the screen only to hear the reporter tell us, "I'm LIVE in front of the local courthouse, where 6 hours ago something happened inside" .

The only thing more over done on TV is the term BREAKING NEWS...haven't any of these editors heard the story of the boy who cried wolf (not the CNN reporter)?

I think a big part of the problem was the reason you were not at the Nightly News Anchor Desk was too subtle, and thus viewers assume things we should not...but can you blame us?

Huntly and Brinkly were an institution, I grew up with them, I was looking forward to their sign-off to night and what does MSNBC do, botch it! You cut off the last word of Brian Williams, we get a black screwy looking screen and then we are hit with the Las Vegas News! What a bummer! You need to send whoever botched downstairs to the mailroom! That was just toooo disappointing.

Great e mail from the viewer about eagle scouts once an eagle allways an eagle so true may god bless the united states and may god bless the boy scouts of america

Dear Mr. Williams,

I'm a school librarian who is finally dipping her toes into the blogging world, learning more and more. I grew up with NBC -- it was the channel my parents watched, probably because it received the better reception! Tonight when you played the Brinkley/Huntley sign-off, the music struck a chord in my genetic memory. (I will admit I was born in 1953.)

I would like to say I really respect your effort to tell the "good news" -- the people who are "making a difference." It is typical that when people are unhappy about something, they are the ones who will e-mail and complain - the rest of us sit back and enjoy. I tape Tim Russert religously (no pun really intended but I AM in church at the time Meet the Press comes on!-- and I have to remember I can listen to him on the computer if I miss him and/or the evening news). I appreciate all the political pro's and con's you report -- I'm one of those who have typically voted Republican, but am disappointed with the Republican Party at this time for their lack of following through on promises, and really not making intelligent choices. Since I live in Austin, Texas, you can see I'm really conflicted as to who to vote for -- but this former Republican is leaning toward the Democrats, just for a change.

I think YOU make a difference -- Thank you!

Betty Copeland
Austin, Texas

Today I encoutented a man walking downtown who was a well known, decorated WWII pilot. I stopped long enough to thank him for what he did some twenty years before I was even born, mentioning that he made the country safe for today. Thinking he would accept my thanks, he instead said that I need to tell my son that today, it is the soldiers in Iraq who are keeping another enemy from encroaching on our way of life. He said that I should fear the enemy within as much as the one overseas. What a wholesome dose of reality from another member of the greatest generation. I love America, the values for which we stand and the fact that we trying to provide leadership and morality in a devoid world. As much as I want world peace, I cannot bring myself to forget the sacrafices made by those before me, those serrving now and what awaits my son. Although registered as one, I will not be throwing away all good sense, judgement and thought by allowing myself to vote Democratic. God Bless America and the millions who died standing in for the cause liberty, justice and freedom. May God continue to bless America as long as we stand for what is right.

Back in the 60s my dad would take me on hay buying trips to visit an old farmer we knew who lived several miles away. At the time the farmer seemed to me to be a simple and almost crude man, with his old overalls and hardened hands, but he owned a large farm that was a successful business. If we were there near the dinner hour, he would always finish our business quickly and excuse himself to go watch Huntley/Brinkley, insisting that they were the authorities on the news of the day and he needed to watch to keep informed. His passion for the news inspired me to watch also, a habit that I have followed to this day.

Keep up the good work, Brian Williams and NBC.

Brian, I'm looking forward to that iconic sign-off; I grew up listening to it and when it ended, it felt like an era truly had ended too. Thanks for bringing back the memory, at least for one night.

I do wonder .. in this age of blogging and email... how many of those vitriolic missives would have been written on paper in an earlier era. Seems to me that email makes it too easy to attack without thought, to insult without remembering that there is a real human being on the other end, to accuse without fact or foundation. Maybe you should find these people in person and make them sit down for a face to face interview with the target of their bad manners?

For what it's worth .. though the negative, nasty folks tend to write in droves, there are millions of us out here who appreciate the work all of you do, and even more, appreciate the opportunity to truly think about issues as you present the whole story. Thanks for the excellent work all of you do .. despite the whiny, bad-tempered,overgrown crybabies in cyberspace, you are honored and appreciated !!

can't wait for the end of the broadcast tonight..

Dear Mr. Williams,
As you peruse the e-mails for tonight's broadcast, I hope that you know that many of us do not believe that you and your staff are part of a left-wing (or for that matter any-wing) conspiracy. And there are still people in the United States who believe that you can disagree with someone without taking personal pot-shots or being rude. That being said, I applaud you and your staff for the amazing effort that you put into your show. I may not always agree, but I respect the effort and professionalism behind everything that your team puts together, even when you are responding to cranky viewers.
Sincerely,
Pamela Christensen

Brian,
For what it is worth, today's post was one of the most beautiful, sensitive writings I have read from "your pen" since you first began The Daily Nightly. Further, you are so much a wonderful husband and father by including your wife and children in your accounts, as often as appropriate. Bless you.

3 cheers on NBC and its superb news division and 3 cheers on the men that made NBC "America's news leader" during the last 50 years. Thanks Chet Huntley, David Brinkley and Reuven Frank for creating a phenomen that still exists today as "The Nightly News on NBC". My prayers are also with these 3 men and also 3 cheers to the man previously unknown to me, Dick Salant. Cronkite and Huntley-Brinkley rocked the television news and are also cited today. Thanks NBC.

Let's see how the story is spinned and supported by the church and the GOP
Paster Haggard a man of God said the gay guy was lying he never knew him it was a way of getting Dems votes. Next Haggard said this was like the lie about Kerry. After evidence was submitted Haggard said he brought drugs he didn't use but he didn't have sex. This story changes with each word the Man of God speaks. As his friends say the media is at fault for tellin the story Haggard slowly confuses. Now who do we believe. Bush/Cheney have lied from day one now a Christian man of God lies. How will Tony Snow spin this one and we thought fingers Foley was bad. I pray for the 30 millions people who followed the word of Paster Ted Haggard only to see a worker of Satan.