Alexis c-span has all the ceremonies posted if you have real player installed http://www.c-span.org/

I'm going miss Ole Rummy.

Hi Brian,

Tonight's broadcast was one of best I've seen (this year... kidding, kidding) due to the eclectic selection of stories. Your segement on President Ford's final trip back home was very moving and the story on Mr. Autry was inspiring (and it's not even Friday!). I was wondering if the Nightly News website will be uploading Vice President Chaney (since you wrote so fondly of it), President Carter and prior Secretary of Defense Mr. Rumsfield's eulogies.

Looking forward to your broadcast on Thursday night!

In these dark times, there arose a beacon of hope as the country said its goodbyes to Gerald Ford, a man of decency and integrity. These virtues have become obsolete in politics of late, and I wonder if there were more of us willing to stand up and give visible witness to the values we hold dear, it might make the world a gentler place. I am encouraged to believe that true peace continues to be a possibility but each of us will have to take up the responsibility for making it happen in our corner of the world. Thanks for your compassionate coverage of this tribute to President Ford and his grieving family.

Farewell, Mr. President. You were and remain an honorable and principled man. With you dies those two very important qualities, both nonexistent in Washington today.

You will be missed.

That was a very gracefull, appreciated time out for all of us. We say good bye to a true leader, an American patriot who stood tall when he was called. Now we must return our attention back to the buisness at hand and stand up ourselves and help eachother out of this deathly, global, quicksand, quagmire we have allowed ourselves to be carried forth into. No matter which side of the fence we view it, the barn is definetly on fire and we damn well better hop to extinguishing the blaze before it spreads any further. If, as the recently released Baker Hamilton report suggests, the only solution is a political soultion, than why haven't we paid off those that are casuing all this bloodletting? Is it because of the plunging value and reputation behind our greenbacks? Is it because they dont want our money? Or is this a giant global struggle for control of resources and thus global influence, using all methods and maneuvers. What ever the answers are, we shall soon discover. This is shaping up more and more like a game for all the marbles and only one winner but many many losers. In the interim timing is the strategic plan. Like a well choreographed play, timing is everything. The force is with us if we are resolute in our values and motivations. May the new year bring us all peace, health, new friends and prosperity. Now lets all strap in, its promises to be a rough ride but ride together, we shall. Lets get our guys and gals some critically needed back up both in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must also jump in and DO SOMETHING in Africa. We must stregthen our resolve to find solutions, real lasting solutions both here at home and abroad. There are enormous tasks before us. The motel of complacency, denial and procrastination has no further vacancies. We cannot and must not let our children inherit our responsibilities. The time has arrived. This is our time in history. This is our time to, not just right the wrongs but leave our world a place for our children to appreciate caretake and enjoy. This is our time, our watch, lets make a difference and lets do it now. President Ford stated, " I dont see the responsibility to run around the globe rescuing folks." I ask, if we can, how can we not?

P.S. The data published, on bistro and mentioned in an earlier post, is a good old fashioned weathervane, sitting atop the ole barn, thats abalze. Will some patriot stand front and center and ring that bell and get some help, quick, there wont be much to salvage if we sit here and watch her burn.

Thank you for doing a wonderful job showing the funeral. I noticed another network cut away about the anti war mom and luckily, I was taping the funeral on MSNBC. I like that your commentators didn't talk to much. I watched the Reagan funeral on your network and liked how you guys did.

Ford came to the presidency 3 weeks before I was born. I am sorry that I only really "knew" him after he died. I truly don't remember studying much, if anything, about him in school! I am sad that we lost such a giant man - a giant in terms of character. They don't make them like him anymore. *sigh* (I couldn't agree more with your statement, Brian that "[m]any of us can't help but view this President and his era against our own times and leaders.")

My lasting memory of the funeral of President Ford will be the long, long row of Boy Scouts, standing at attention, saluting with their honor guard holding the flags. They were on the roadside as the motorcade was returning to the Museum for the final time. They continued to salute and stand at attention until the entire motorcade had passed. I commented to my husband that there was a time when Scouting was important and Eagle Scouts were held in much esteem. Nearly all the original Mercury astronauts were Eagle Scouts.

Another nice surprise was the former Secretary of Defense mentioning they would know in a few weeks if the newest aircraft carrier would be named after President Ford. I suggest he wouldn't have mentioned it if it weren't a done-deal.

Brian
I read today's entry with great interest and at the time was most confused with the word torture in reference to former President Carter's eulogy. I am so glad I was able to view it on the website tonite and even more so that an edit was made to your blog entry for sad. Former President Carter's euology was beautiful, poignant and yes sad. It was most obvious how devastated he is to have lost this great friend.

It's not an overstatement to say that Gerald Ford saved this nation when he pardoned Richard Nixon. Had he not done so, the resulting legal wars breathlessly reported in what would have been the Mother of all Media Circuses would have torn this nation apart. President Ford saved this country from all that, and very likely saved this Republic in ways not seen since the Civil War. Say what you want about President Ford, he was a miracle at a time when we desparately needed one.

For proof that Nightly News does indeed excel in the coverage of "hard news", check out: www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser and note "2006: Most Heavily-Used Reporters" and especially the following entry "2006-Top 20 Nightly News Stories".

Thanks to the Managing Editor and all you guys. It's why we watch.

Also for those addicted to intriguing rumors, on the same page, scroll down and read about the possible appearance of Bill O'Reilly on "The Colbert Report". If that comes off--I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Happy New Year everyone!

"REMEMBERING GERALD FORD" WAS A EXEMPLARY COVERAGE OF A PREVIOUSLY MALIGNED PRESIDENT. KEITH AND CHRIS PERFORM AS ONLY FEW PROFESSIONALS WOULD - THEY ALLOWED THE VIDEO TO TELL THE STORY - INSTEAD OF A INTERRUPTIVE NARRATIVE. MSNBC PORTRAYED OUR 38TH PRESIDENT WITH THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT HE JUSTIFIABLY DESERVED - AND YOUR PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS AND COMMENTATORS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR EXCELLENT COVERAGE.

MSNBC did a good job covering today's ceremonies, but could someone please mention to whoever was speculating on what President Carter MIGHT say that it was tasteless and a waste of bandwith? Similarly, the ongoing political dissection of the Ford presidency that did not stop as the casket was being moved out of the library to go to the church was quite inexcusable.

The coverage at the church itself and finally at the gravesite was excellent and moving. The Ford family reminded us of how gracious they are by greeting people at the museum this morning before all the ceremonies began.

I agree that Rumsfeld's eulogy was beautiful and clearly heartfelt. I was left with a much more positive impression of him than I ever saw at the Pentagon. And I appreciated his tribute to Ford; it was elegant.

Similarly, President Carter's eulogy was so personal and so filled with wonderful rememberances. There is something comforting about knowing that he and Ford ended up being so close and sharing so much.

Thank you for the entire week of coverage; it has been quite a journey emotionally, and you made it easier.

I am extremely dissappointed in NBC for opting to show Dr. Phil today instead of the Gerald Ford burial.I watched it on another sation and was spellbound with the wonderful family service. You definetely missed the mark in my eyes. I feel that the burial of a President is much more important than a talk show. Every other major station covered it. What a shame for NBC.