Brian -

Some of you may remember my mentioning a local wounded soldier who prompted a Comfort Afghan from our yarners newsgroup last year. Her name is Marissa Strock and she is the woman on the cover of this week's Newsweek.

More details of her recovery can be found at:http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=567311&category=RENSSELAER&BCCode=&newsdate=3/1/2007

Thanks for the excelllent coverage of the tornadoes in the South. My heart goes out to the people in Enterprise, Alabama whose high school had been hit and also to those in Americus, Georgia, which was hit overnight.

Now for the main course--I second much of what Anthony of Boston said about your New Orleans coverage and how she has been covered elsewhere. Even though I've regularly voiced my complaints, I still find that Nightly has aired more consistent and better New Orleans coverage than ABC or CBS. If it hadn't been doing a better job than those networks have been, I'd have changed the channel long ago and you wouldn't be hearing from me because I wouldn't be watching.

I must say, however, that I was upset last night to notice that David Gregory, instead of covering Bush and the White House as he normally does, instead covered the flap over what McCain said about Iraq. This was the sort of "mundane matter" I imagine Anthony must have had in mind that other networks have moved on to instead of covering New Orleans. What McCain said was by no means the big deal it was made out to be and did not merit full coverage--I mean, a lot of people, including presidential candidates such as Obama, have said similar things.

Gregory should instead have covered Bush's visit to the Gulf Region in detail. I suppose you may be wondering why, when Bush's trip there, after he didn't even mention Katrina or New Orleans in his State of Denial message, was essentially a series of photo-ops. This is precisely why Nightly should have aired a full report instead of a newsbrief--to show how Bush is merely doing photo-ops in Mississippi and New Orleans while there are very substantive things--for example, waiving the requirement that states pay 10% of any rebuilding aid back to the federal government before they even see a penny of these funds that have already been allocated--that he should be doing for Mississippi and Louisiana, that haven't been taken care of.

Under this current 10% requirement, Louisiana alone would have to pay $1 billion back to the federal government--$1 billion she has better uses for, such as such non-federally funded things as rebuilding school buildings, rental assistance for poor who want to come back home, and mental health services for her agonized people.

Anthony is 200% right in saying it's a travesty that the government "does not see fit to put forth a concerted effort to rebuild and give the people of the state of Louisiana hope." Bush's inattention has had a deleterious impact on the morale of her people. He put on a show with his trip when in actuality he has washed his hands of Louisiana. A full report on Bush's trip to the Gulf Region would have exposed Bush Administration short-sightedness, neglect, and mean-spiritedness.

I am very curious as to why the NBC Nightly News did not even mention the administration's Korea uranium enrichment mistake that arguably led to the development of North Korea's plutonium bombs. This was the lead story in the NY Times and a front page story in the Wahington Post. I think that this was the most important story of the day.

The ":Wounds of War" series has been great. I think there ought to be a lot more stories about our wounded veterans, how they are coping now, and the impact on the rest of their lives and the lives of their families. I would like to see more stories about the treatment veterans are getting from the VA--both good and bad. I know there are two sides to the story of VA hospitals--speaking as a retired R.N. who worked in the VA for 25 years. I was also a nurse in the Air Force during WWII.

Brian,
With the job of executive producer going to someone different, regardless of the reason, it means that changes are in the offing.
Only time will tell if THEY are for the greater good.
Good luck with it, and I mean that sincerely.

Mr. Williams, The report by Robert Bazell "The Wounds of War" was very moving. Seeing those doctors working so very hard to save the lives of the Iraqis showed dedication and heroism. The soldiers standing in line to give blood moved me. When Mr. Bazell said to the soldier that this could be for the enemy and he answered that a human life is a human life that is an example of a true hero. When we are born into this world we are given a path in life. Some people choose a good path some people a not so good path. It all depends on you and the things you expose yourself to in that life. These soldiers remind us that it matters not the place of birth, religous background or anything. Every human life is priceless. May they always remind us of the power of the human soul and spirit. God Bless all the heroes of this war.

Thanks so much for your coverage of the combat hospitals in Iraq. My brother Steve is a doctor in the 28th CSH and the whole family and his friends have been waiting each night to catch a glimpse of him in the footage. It is a relief to see him walk in and out of the footage and get the visual reinforcement that he is OK. We communicate frequently via email but it is nice to have the luxury of seeing him in video. The Doctors and Nurses in the CSH have a tremendously difficult job and it is great to see their work first hand. Thanks again.

thank you very much for your series wounds of war. I served in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 and was on the ground as an air force medic. Your show last night was great and I was finally able to show people that I work with here in the US what I did on a nightly basis. I would like to know if there is a way I can get a copy of that report as well as the raw video footage I saw on the web of the C17 being loaded. Thank you again for your report.

With so much controversy over Iran supplying weapons to Iraqi militants, why are you not also reporting on weapon supplies provided to militants from other countries such as Saudia Arabia, Syria,... etc. I recently heard that the number of bombs and bomb making equipment supplied to the Sunni's by Saudia Arabia accounts for most of the civilian deaths in Iraq. Whether it is true or not... shouldn't you identify this as a greater problem than just Iran?

Mr. Williams, I commend you on your consistent and accurate coverage of the plight of the citizens and city of New Orelans. I have visited the city twice in the last 4 months and was completely overwhelmed by the degree of devastation and the lack of reconstruction in many areas of the city. New Orleans is but a shell of what it used to be compared to when I resided as a student in the city in the 70s. What a travesty that our government does not see fit to put forth a concerted effort to rebuild and give the people of the State of Louisiana hope. I am appalled that the media, with the exception of your excellent and consistent reporting from the city, has dropped the ball and has given coverage to more mundane matters. You have not forgotten that the story is about the struggles of 'people' who make up the city and the difficult journey they have taken for the last 18 months. My family and friends who live there have been changed forever and face many hurdles as they try to rebuild their lives after devasting losses. I thank you for continuing to make America aware that New Orleans is not completely lost but will be lif our country and its leaders do not rally behind the region and its peoples. Our attention span of the Gulf region should be far greater than it is now.

Just wanted to say that I really like Brian Williams on NBC and feel he gives reality to anything he works so hard to share with us. Many thanks for all your very hard work and long travels! You can hold your own with all the best out there.

Did I see somewhere that Walter Reed Army Hospital was slated to close as the result of consolidation with the Navy's Bethesda medical facility--with a new building to be built on the Navy's campus??? If I'm correct, this might explain the conditions at Walter Reed as the facility will be abandoned.

Brian, What a great story on the flying hospital taking our troops to better care. I appreciate you doing positive stories instead of the constant diet of doom and gloom from Iraq.

Mr. Williams,

As a loyal NBC nightly news viewer, I would like offer a suggestion for improvement. I’m not certain why you don’t do it but it would be nice to see the name and rank of the military personnel that have direct appearances on your military pieces, such as your special “Wounds of War” segment. I think Americans what to know the names of the folks that are making an enormous sacrifice when possible. We may not know them but sometimes a name makes you feel a little closer to the story.
Thank you for highlighting the efforts of the Army Medical Department.

Robert Bazell has done a great job. It's hard to wrap my mind around the idea of donating blood to save someone who would be an enemy target outside the hospital walls. Whatever the "suits" at NBC decide about management and ratings...thank you for doing the right thing with your news. You could have been first in the "sweeps" with Britney and ANS. I wonder if you have any regrets about that. You shouldn't!

Which is it? AP states that Mr.Reiss was fired for performance and NBC states he is leaving. Maybe its not so friendly in the newsroom anymore.

Why don't you just admit your kicking John Reiss out the door due to poor ratings and give us an honest read on what you're doing to improve the broadcast and ratings with whoever replaces him? You make him sound too good to let go!

Good to know that Ms. Dozier is doing well too; I watched the "To Iraq and Back" special with Bob Woodruff, and was astounded that he even survived, let alone is functioning as well as he is. Truly that is a miracle!

I did read (elsewhere) about the departure of Mr. Reiss. I'm sorry that the "arms race" in the business has claimed another victim, and hope that the excellence of Nightly News is maintained with whomever is next.

As for the weather .. well up here in Minnesota, we are having an old-fashioned white-out. Probably have about 10" of snow down so far, and lots of roads closing. I am watching as busses and trucks are losing the spin battle out there, and am VERY happy to be inside!

I am confident John and his accomplishments will be missed along with his snow globes. Is this an indication to a contnuied leaning/strongarming toward soft fashionable reporting? Be a true shame to give our new audience in Asia the wrong impression about American jounalistic integrity.