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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Perhaps the most graphic way of viewing the political change that took place today is this: Nancy Pelosi is now second in line to the Presidency after the Vice President. The 66-year-old veteran member of Congress from California became Speaker today, the first woman to hold the job. In the meantime, across town, the Director of National Intelligence is out, as is the President's White House Counsel. It's a time of great political change, with more to come. We are days away from the President's policy speech on Iraq, and weeks away from the State of the Union. That nicely sets the table for our broadcast tonight.
As Joe Scarborough put it this afternoon on MSNBC, we all noticed several Republicans who were seemingly fighting the urge to stand up and applaud Nancy Pelosi today -- presumably because they were fighting back a 12-year habit of standing to applaud the Speaker. While much of it took place during my hour-long shift as part of MSNBC's political coverage today, there were several iconic scenes: the children-filled rostrum, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., rising to swear in the new Speaker, the trio of Tony Bennett, Richard Gere and Carole King in the House Gallery, Pelosi's handshake with Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, former Speaker Thomas Foley rising with great apparent effort to applaud, former Speaker Hastert's wan applause from his back seat in the chamber, the newest Pelosi (Alexandra's daughter and the Speaker's granddaughter) being passed between what seemed to be about 50 different people, the embrace between Congressman Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and Congressman Virgil Goode, R-Va., Sen. Robert Byrd's, D-W.V., trembling hand and determined expression while taking his oath from Vice President Cheney, and in Boston -- the swearing-in of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, using the Bible the Amistad slaves gave John Quincy Adams. More history.
There were questions today, on air and off, about Sen. Johnson's, D-S.D., health... and in that light, while he's reported to be "coming along well," people should remember that Sen. Joe Biden's, D-Del., recovery/absence lasted seven months.
David Gergen said today he sees "zero evidence" that the President will change his rhetoric or position. Are we headed for an inevitable, unchangeable train wreck? Even Joe Scarborough referred to President Bush in a question to Gergen today as "so isolated during wartime." I should add that a member of the Iraq Study Group expressed great ongoing frustration to me this week (even an air of futility) over the lukewarm White House response to their final report. Tomorrow, Moveon.org apparently plans a protest outside a press event by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., on increasing troop strength in Iraq. Former President Clinton appeared to have a warm and humorous conversation today with Vice President Cheney -- it would be great to know what was discussed.
Required reading: The op-ed pieces today by Brent Scowcroft (New York Times, login required) and by Shultz, Perry, Kissinger and Nunn (Wall Street Journal, subscriber login required) that are generating so many hours of chatter in the media.
Now to the rest of the broadcast: We'll report much of the above with the help of Chip Reid, Tim Russert, Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory. We have a pretty shocking piece on child car seat safety tonight, and we will revisit the hero of the New York City subway system. We are watching the skies (and the ground) in New Orleans today as they are dealing with a drenching and relentless rain... though so far most of the most serious rainfall seems to be centered over Lafayette, La., to the West.
In news from outside of this world, between the meteorites falling into houses and Russian booster rocket parts falling in parts of the American West, is it any wonder the folks at O'Hare thought they saw something in the sky other than a DC-9 on final approach?
And a word about the weather, especially here in the East: It's unseasonably, even strangely warm. Today the arrival of the new Speaker was heralded by cherry blossoms in the nation's capital. Indeed, I saw bulbs blooming in Washington this week, and pediatricians are telling parents that germs and illnesses are living on and incubating in unnatural ways this time of year. While it is officially being blamed on unusual weather patterns (a jet stream far to the north is one explanation), we'll do some special reporting on it here tomorrow.
It's a full broadcast. We hope you will join us.
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Early Nightly is up
The love affair of the press with Nancy Pelosi is almost too much to take.
We hear all this talk about the first woman speaker and the third person in line for the White House. Why was there none of this smarmy love affair from the press for Condoleeza Rice? After all she was (and is) forth in line for the White House and at the time she took office as Secretary of State, the highest woman in the USA, not to mention the highest position for an African American, male or female.
Of coarse I do not need to answer this question because it is so obvious, it is just part of the dishonest corruption over taking our country and this case by the press, but before I seem to partisan, the Republicans have some real issues here too.
An earlier comment made reference to the press ignoring Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel visit to the White House, Good Point!
Carl Strohmeyer, Grants Pass, Oregon (Sent Jan 6, 2007 8:49:08 PM)
Hi NN Team and Brian Williams,
I was stunned to see today on the NN video podcast, that the Democratic Party of the United States of America turned the House of Representatives into a kindergarten for children of now-mighty politicians of Washington D.C. It's a shame for the Dems to lower the prestige of a chamber of the US Congress. I guess for the USA, that this is a great moment when kids enter the House but for the world it's like a kindergarten with Nancy Pelosi as a guard with her newly-obtained power that she can't grasp at the introduction ceremony.
Why didn't you report on the visit of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House figuring out new policy steps towards the Middle East or "War Against Terrorism" as well as closer relationship between the EU and USA? It should be noted, because Merkel is the Chairman of the G8 as well as President of the European Council for the first half year of 2007 and she is the most powerful woman in the world (Forbes 2006) well ahead of Condoleeza Rice. Are stories involving Great Britain more interesting than stories about Germany, a nation that formed the USA still today with its cultural contributions towards the development of a multi-cultural United States?
Marc Schulz, Delitzsch, Germany (Sent Jan 5, 2007 6:02:21 PM)
Our rights as Americans are being "thumped" by this administration. More of the same stuff, now our letters will be searched when we mail a letter. It is an Federal Offense to tamper with the US Mail, yet this President is taking it on himself to do just that. Do I feel safe, not on your life. Why do we make a big deal of a woman speaker of the house, and is it time for a woman president, you bet it is. How in the world could we do any worse than we have done already. Time to turn the reins of this country over to a woman. If we as citizens had done half of what this administration has by breaking the law, we would be in cells someplace, with no hope of ever walking the streets of this nation again. Is it right he should do so, not in my books. I am all for impeaching him and his gang of thugs. Do I have much hope for this new congress, NO. Some where in this great nation of ours are people we could elect who understand we are the people, by the people and for the people. Where did it all get lost?
Betty, Newcastle, CA (Sent Jan 5, 2007 4:03:48 PM)
Those who look for good government and progress will like this change. Those who want radical change and disaster for the USA may well be disappointed. The best political figures do what it takes to be elected, but follow their heads when elected. I wait to see the reactions of some who will say they were betrayed.
Gary Masters, Rockville, Maryland, USA (Sent Jan 5, 2007 10:14:03 AM)
I look forward to your broadcast 1/5/07 on the un-
seasonably warm weather across much of the nation.
I only hope that your broadcast points out that the
U.K.'s Met Office (the official government agency
with climate change and global warming experts) just
came out with a highly respected prediction that 2007
in all likelihood will be the warmest year for our
planet on record. Perhaps we should all pray that the
new Congress should do something to slow down global
warming, for the sake of all of God's children. I
look forward to your report on the very unusual warm
weather.
Bill McEwen, Yucaipa, CA. (Sent Jan 4, 2007 10:33:32 PM)
Appreciated the story on the CEO of Home Depot's "golden paratchute" of 220 million dollars. What a country! Maybe this gentlemen should be required to live on a diet of leaves in Darfur for a month. Or, what about helping to rebuild New Orleans with some of that hard earned dough?
Jonelle Anderson and Nina Fletcher, Portland, OR (Sent Jan 4, 2007 8:33:48 PM)
Congrats to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
One hundred hours to change the nation? I don't think so. Just because you can propose and bring to the forefront legislation that's all show and no substance won't cut it. Some of the proposals are so radical that G.W. Bush won't even consider looking at them and is getting his veto stamp inked and ready.
At the end of the 100 hours Pelosi will say Look at all the reforms and ethics changes we Democrats want and see how the Republicans are fighting us.
Enough show and tell. That's was over when you were 8 years old and in grade school.
You are an adult now and we aren't children. No more 100 hours of fairy tales. Let's see some substance not politics as usual.
Dewey Quong, Reno, NV (Sent Jan 4, 2007 8:19:07 PM)
Brian we saw so much history making events today.
Woman Speaker, Thomas Jefferson's Koran and John Q. Adams bible given to him from a slave. Americans learned alot about the history of America and the pass great educated leaders we had. Our current elected officials need to learn at least about the States they represent. I know Rep. Goode is grateful to know that Thomas Jefferson who lived in the district he represents supported freedom of religion and even had a Koran. We will see more of history making events good and bad in our future. As we start to get America out the this mess that was created for 6 years. Speaker Pelosi is going to need her motherly skills to save America from the last rimnet of criminal acts. Some wont give up the criminal ways easily and some journalist will continue to spin the lies and the dirt. But most Americans are stronger and will continue to work to clean the swamp that was made by the 109th Congress. God does love and hopefully gives America.
Jackie Rawlings Riverside California (Sent Jan 4, 2007 7:57:53 PM)
The pressure is on, Democrats.
Less than 100 hours to waive your magic wand and make America perfect.
Otherwise, you loose all your credibility.
Can you do it, EVEN WITH the help of the press?
And why all the grandkids around Pelosi? Human shields?
The Clock is Ticking... (Sent Jan 4, 2007 7:39:17 PM)
Congrats to Ms. Pelosi on becoming Madam Speaker. But it's pretty sad that here in the "advanced society" known as the United States it's a big deal that a woman is Speaker of the House, and the media still talks about whether the country is ready for a woman as President.
Women have led many other countries as Prime Minister, notably Great Britain (Margaret Thatcher), Israel (Golda Meir), Germany (Angela Merkel) and even Pakistan (Benazir Bhutto). Perhaps we are not as "advanced" as we like to think.
Jack, Scottsdale, AZ (Sent Jan 4, 2007 7:23:25 PM)
Hard to tell how much effect global warming is having on this current warm spell but be rest-assured that such things WILL get more common. It may seem nice outside but--as we know--there are many adverse effects of global warming. Things might not generally be so bad if it wasn't for the mere fact that (A) most of the world's population lives along the coastlines or along major river systems: places that are very much at risk to sea-level rise, hurricanes and flooding rains. And (B) if the world's eco system wasn't already stretched to the breaking point.
More attention needs to be paid to the decline in arctic sea ice and how—-without that ice to reflect sunlight back into space--that will catapult global warming even further.
The situation is dramatic!
Chris Eldridge, Harrisburg PA (Sent Jan 4, 2007 7:08:10 PM)
And now, Pres. Bush (41) has had hip replacement surgery. You know, I would really like for the remaining former presidents to just stay healthy for a long time. Bush and Carter are both 82, and somehow, it's just a tad unnerving that the number of "exes" is down to 3, and 2 of them are over 80.
It does seem like every broadcast is "full" these days. I remember talking about slow news days, but I don't remember the last time one actually occurred.
Happy almost Friday! :D
Lynn G., Minneapolis, MN (Sent Jan 4, 2007 6:08:45 PM)
Hi Brian -
It's been a busy but fascinating week for CSPAN junkies (and MSNBC, NBC)
First the Man of the House and all the wonderful ceremonies, rituals and eulogies. I'm giving Brokaw and Carter A plusses. And thanks to the Ford family for sharing this very, very private time with all of us. Any man who will arrange to have the U. of Michigan play their football fight song as he deplanes Air Force One is very special. I'm sure his background in sports was part of his whole life of playing by the rules.
While speaking with Tony Paige on WFAN this morning, Tony mentioned that he was impressed by Ford's stand against racisim on the UMichigan football team back in the 30s.
Then of course there was the story Jack Nicklaus related about the golden retriever puppies. Jack also said that he didn't do interviews, but was always happy to say a few words about Jerry Ford.
Now we have the Woman of the House. I don't always agree with Nancy Pelosi, but she grew up in a house with a Father who was in politics. So did I, here in this small town, where my Mom used to say it took John four hours to go to the local hardware store.
Anyway, Nancy seems to love the spotlight and I hope for all of our sakes, she can influence the behaviour of the House and maybe even the Senate.
Joan Chapman
Joan Chapman, Cheshire, CT (Sent Jan 4, 2007 5:06:43 PM)
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