Jackie--I agree. I hope New Orleans and the rest of the storm zone can wait until Jan. 20, 2009 and even then that's optimistically hoping a Democrat wins the White House. If it's a Republican, forget it.

Celine thank you and I'm still praying for the rest of our troops everyday. I want every parent to have their soldier home safe.
Olivia no one should settle for nothing less then helping the Katrina victims. We might have to wait for a new honest President that gives the American people in need first before giving Trillions of taxpayers dollars for Halliburton oil rights in country invaded. Brian will always keep Katrina in the public eye and not forget. Looks like Waxman is going to try to get the stolen money that FEMA employees took back. Let's hope he get the contractors that Cheney worked with to defraud the Katrina victims money too.

Bear with me for bringing up a post that appeared when you were on vacation. It's about something I feel very strongly about and is still fresh in my mind.

I'm referring to Martin Savidge's post in which he goes into the dire state of New Orleans' health care system (yet to be covered by NBC Nightly, ironically when health issues such as cancer have dominated the news). And more importantly, he says in effect that whenever he reports out of New Orleans he gets two different reactions: a grateful one from New Orleanians, and complaints from viewers in the rest of the country that they're sick of hearing about New Orleans. He got a variety of responses to his post, which included a lot of favorable ones, fortunately not only out of New Orleans but from the rest of the country, and that was good to see.

But what I'm blogging about, which has me upset, are the negative comments, not only in response to Savidge's post, but also the complaints he mentions about his New Orleans pieces. The comments bother me because I worry that people at Nightly have been taking them into account lately. New Orleans news has either not been covered (for example, the much-needed Katrina-related measures attached to the Iraq bill Bush plans to veto, last week's decision by Gov. Blanco not to run for re-election, and the levee report that says the Corps and the federal government are at fault for their breaking) or gotten short shrift.

To be fair, the occasional negative comment is from a thoughtful, well-intentioned person who thinks New Orleans should be moved to higher ground, which does sound like a good idea. However, based on what I read in the Times-Picayune, etc., there seems to be zero interest on the part of city officials and residents who want New Orleans to remain in her historic location.

Then there are those resentful of the fact that New Orleans is being covered often (or, rather, had been until recent weeks) because she's not the only place that's suffered a disaster. This is sheer ignorance because while other states and cities have been hit by disasters, some major, none in recent history has had one of the magnitude of New Orleans' flooding. The breakdown of her social structure, loss of cultural heritage, and dramatically altered physical, economic, political, social, and psychological character are unprecedented in the US. Louisiana, her life snapped in half by the traumatic loss of 80% of her largest city, is fighting for her survival. Katrina's obliteration of Mississippi Gulf Coast communities and the fact that an area over the size of Great Britain was devastated make what happened on Aug. 29, 2005 truly unparalleled in scope. It is still not yesterday's news, and should not be treated as such, because recovery has been so slow and people are still in a world of hurt throughout the storm zone 19 months later.

Then there are bloggers playing the blame game the Bush Administration's spin machine set into motion, which poisoned their minds against New Orleans and Louisiana, right after Katrina. Hapless Louisiana found herself, instead of receiving the sympathy and help she needed and had a right to expect, being abused as though she were a foreign adversary. Reason being, as a CYA move, Administration officials started painting Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin, who had actually done the best they could in the face of an overwhelming disaster that I doubt any state or city would have handled successfully, as the villains. They also blamed Louisiana for not maintaining her levees, when a recent report Nightly has yet to cover says otherwise. And many people fell for that. I have news for them. As the levees broke and New Orleans filled with water, it wasn't Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin who first flew off to Arizona to celebrate John McCain's birthday, then flew to California to strum some show-biz buddy's guitar--it was President Bush.

Most distressing of all are those anti-New Orleans bloggers regarding whom a more sinister dynamic seems to be at work. These are people who perhaps prior to Katrina had an antipathy towards New Orleans and/or Louisiana and see in her destruction, her people's diaspora, and her threatened demise the opportunity for her light of diversity to be extinguished forever. They spout all the stereotypes about New Orleanians whining and sitting around waiting for hand-outs, when New Orleanians are actually doing what they can to rebuild with limited resources. Of all the anti-New Orleans bloggers, these are the most dangerous. I cringe at the thought that NBC Nightly has been basing its more recent New Orleans coverage decisions in what these mean-spirited haters have been saying.

NBC Nightly should never forget Katrina and its survivors, and never surrender to those who demand that New Orleans' and the rest of the storm zone's struggle to recover not be covered. Nightly should not be censoring news out of New Orleans at this critical time.

As cancer has been much in the news these days--think about a New Orleans cancer patient who, because her health care system is on life support, needs to travel miles for the chemo and other treatment he needs. Think of how difficult and stressful his life and that of his family would be in general, dealing 24/7 with the hardships of life in a still-devastated city that 19 months after the storm should be recovering more quickly than she has been. Take a moment to think about what New Orleans cancer patients and their families are going through, with New Orleans' health care system in a shambles, and ask yourself what is really important. I hope you will listen to your conscience.

Excellent piece on Medal of Honor recipients. I was both thrilled and angry. Thrilled by the character of these men, angry that the Pentagon Princes don't care about them or the ordinary troops. The Princes have managed to lose every war since 1945, even though heroes and ordinary troops win every battle. It is the Princes who tells the President what to do rather than the other way 'round. Thank God extraordinary courage and ordinary diligence are beyond politics.

Jackie--Glad to hear your daughter is back--safely.

Brian Williams was AWESOME at the dinner tonight (Coorespondence/Press dinner) He followed the President of the United Stated with improv sounds and did great. I will continue to watch you. This is the first time I hav EVER sent an email like this, but just had to do it.

I've been so busy today that reading your blog this evening, Brian, is my first dose of mews since walking out the door after watching the 1st half hour of the Today Show. (No news watching all day is very unusual for me.) It was also a hard day, and I came home feeling tired and worn out. Your mention of the House Speaker telling POTUS to "calm down" made me laugh right out loud.... though I'm sure the recipiant of the advice wasn't all that pleased!

Also, thank you for telling us about the Medal of Honor Society Dinner. I can only imagine how awed and dumbstruck I would be standing in the presence of all those men who represent the best of humanity while living through some of the worst humanity can create. It is necessary to always be reminded of how blessed we are to live in this country, no matter how messed up we might feel the politics are, and that there are those who paid high prices for us to have these blessings. Thank you for sharing this brief moment of "star gazing". Thinking of what these men went through in order to qualify for the Medal of Honor makes my bad day at work seem rather insignificant.

Mr. Williams, The report by Tom Aspell on the suicide bombing in Iraq was just horrifying. Watching people being pulled from the rubble especially the woman and the baby is heartbreaking. These groups are going to be fighting tooth and nail forever it seems. They keep going into eachothers neighborhoods on purpose to cause death and destruction. I would like to ask why? I mean they are hurting so many innocent people who didn't do anything to them. I feel as if all the innocent civilians and brave military should leave the country and allow these groups to fight it out. If anybody and anything is left standing then one can think about rebuilding this region. We are caught in the middle and I hope soon there will be a peaceful way out. Someday all the journalists in that region will have something good to report. I only hope that day comes soon. And I also hope that someday there will be no more threat of cancer in anybody. My thoughts and prayers go out to all mentioned in your broadcast. Find a cure! Peace to all!

Brian, it's good to have you in DC. Washington is definitely my favorite American city. Who hasn't been stuck on Dupont Circle?

On an Iraq note and another book recommendation, Marine Colonel Matthew Bogdanos, author of "Thieves of Baghdad" will be speaking at my school on Friday afternoon. I'll be interested to hear his perspective on the whole debacle.

Brian a busy day for you. In Washington right now so many lies and so many scandals. Nice picture with Sheryl Crow but the tie has to go to bright real bright. I will read about the Medal of Honor, but right now I'm listening to the stories of Afghan as my daughter just returned back to the States. She was one of the lucky ones and for that I am grateful.
I was glad to hear a email received proved that David Iglesias was telling the truth about him being fired. It sadly showed Al Gonzales lied. We have alot of sick public people to pray for like Mrs. Edwards, Mr. Snow and now John McCain. He stated Osama and Zarqawi would attack the US if we didn't pass the bill Bush wants. That says alot about McCain. I hope you enjoy your evening and check with a mirror before you pick the ties, now the color shows up really good and sometimes to bright with lights. Remember your manners it's something we all should do.

Mr. Williams, These Congressional Medal of Honor recipients are truly heroic men and much better to speak with than any movie celebrity. To hear some of their recollections of the war must have been so very interesting. I remember my visit with my mother to the beaches of Normandy. We visited the American Cemetary and it was so sad to see all the rows of white crosses. There were a few older gentlemen walking around and I wonder if they were soldiers back then on these same beaches. That trip to France was in 1997 and it was during another very newsworthy event in that city. But that is another story. These men had such a sense of duty, honor and showed such bravery during those battles. They still express that today. The soldiers engulfed in the Middle East are fighting a different kind of war, but exemplify the same qualities of duty, honor and bravery. God Bless all the brave military! Peace to all!