By Lester Holt, NBC News Anchor

I can't say I ever imagined a meeting of the Democratic rules committee would be "must-see television." However, anyone who has become caught up in the drama of this year's nomination battle would have a hard time looking away. MSNBC has been airing today's session all day as members debate whether to award delegates from the Florida and Michigan primaries. It reminds us that unlike the general election, the primaries are largely governed by the parties themselves, not election officials. The outcome of today's meeting, which we hope to know by the time we hit air tonight, could change the math in the Obama-Clinton race.

Since Hillary Clinton was the big winner in both states, she stands as the one with the most to win or lose from today's decision. As I watched the coverage, it struck me that if there is one good thing about this prolonged race, it is that it has taught us all a lot of things about the nomination process we never knew or didn't quite understand (okay, maybe some of it is way too inside). But think about it: Before 2008 had you ever uttered the words "super delegates" in casual conversation?

We'll be turning to Andrea Mitchell, Ron Allen and Chuck Todd for our Nightly News political coverage tonight.

There were a couple more crane accidents today, one in Wyoming and the other in Nevada raising more questions about the safety of the machines. Pat Dawson has more on yesterday's crane disaster in New York and whether a dangerous pattern is emerging.

We're also watching the scheduled space shuttle lift-off this afternoon, a potential new weapon in preventing recurrences of breast cancer, and why a new gold rush may be getting underway out west.

Thanks for checking in. We'll look for you tonight on NBC Nightly News.

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

From the apartment this morning, I knew something was wrong when I watched as Rescue One's rig drive uptown from midtown.

The FDNY Rescue companies don't carry water, they don't have hoses -- they are the specialists -- their job is to rescue people. It's also why their ranks were decimated on 9-11. They were trying to rescue people. They were among the first responders to today's crane collapse, which recieved live television coverage across the board here today.

I spent most of the day in a board meeting of our Medal of Honor Foundation. We learned today that one of the 105 living recipients is badly ailing, and so we head into the weekend girding for possible bad news about a genuine American hero.

Time to get the broadcast together, and to wish you all a good weekend. We'll see you back here on Monday.

By Lisa Green, Senior producer, NBC News

Once I heard about the collapse, realized why helicopters were whirring past my Upper East Side apartment, and touched base with my colleague at Today, I headed to the accident site just a couple of blocks away to look for eyewitnesses who could describe what happened to our viewers.

As is often the case, even in New York City, people who moments ago had experienced a terrifying event were gracious enough to stop and share stories. Tara Hamilton, a resident of the 22d floor of the white brick high-rise hit by the crane, made it out with her two dogs and her valuables, but not before watching water damage begin to wreck her home. Nathan Cochran, her neighbor, was in bed when the accident occurred, but managed to scramble out and offer to help in the rescue effort. And Leonard La Russo, who had just relocated from a higher floor apartment in the same building that was now damaged in the wreck, to one on a lower floor, was aware of his good timing.

To a person, all residents I interviewed said they immediately knew, without seeing it, that the crane was what caused their building to shake as if an earthquake had hit. All said they worried, at least a little, about the towering crane in their vicinity, especially after the March accident.

In short order, I was joined by Lester Holt, my Today colleague, and producer Stephen Weeke and their crew, and they got on tape what I had managed to scribble down on paper -- stories of shocked Upper East Siders whose sunny Friday had been shattered by an accident.

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

A story you'll next hear on tonight's broadcast: US Airways is eliminating snacks in coach effective June 1st. You know those pretzels, or the pouch of 3 cookies served as "breakfast" on flights before noon that often have to suffice as a meal? Forget it. They will still serve basic fluids -- apparently recognizing passenger rights to stay hydrated and maintain a measurable pulse during the flight -- but that's it.

Ran out of time today. Just came from a seat on the floor at a China planning meeting, and now the day is off at a full gallop. Charity benefit dinner tonight, the third in three straight nights.

We're watching politics, a massive fire in Peabody, Mass, a gathering weather situation in the Eastern Plains and more. All by way of saying: we hope you can join us tonight.

By John Rutherford, Producer, NBC News, Washington

Names are still being added to the Vietnam Wall 33 years after the war's end.

The latest is that of Marine Lance Cpl. Raymond Mason, who died at age 58 of wounds suffered in 1968 during the Tet Offensive.

"He was shot right between the shoulder blades, and it nailed his spinal cord on the way through, and he was paralyzed from mid-chest down," his widow, Priscilla, said. "He had full use of his arms but lost everything else."

Confined to a wheelchair, Mason still managed to own four businesses over the years back home in Riverside, R.I.

"He took everything that was thrown at him and made the best of it and never felt sorry for himself, never whined or moped about it," Priscilla said. "Nothing got in his way."

But infections from his wounds eventually took their toll, and Mason died of septic shock two years ago today.

"He just kind of went to sleep, basically into a coma, and just never came out of it," Priscilla said.

Since his death was a direct result of his war wounds, Mason was eligible to become the 321st name added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial since its dedication in 1982. For Priscilla, last month's engraving ceremony was an emotional moment.

"To me, he was 19 years old again, and he was 6 foot 2, and he was with the best friends he ever had in his life once his name got put on that wall," she said.

There are now 58,260 names on the Vietnam Wall, and counting.

Click here to view tributes to the 207 service members who've died this year in the Middle East, including the following eight casualties from last week:

1. Army Pvt. Branden Haunert, 21, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

2. Army Master Sgt. Davy Weaver, 39, of Barnesville, Ga.

3. Army Pfc. Howard Jones, 35, of Chicago.

4. Marine Cpl. Justin Cooper, 22, of Eupora, Miss.

5. Air Force Lt. Col. Joseph Moore, 54, of Boise, Idaho.

6. Army 1st Lt. Jeffrey Deprimo, 35, of Pittston, Pa.

7. Navy Lt. Jeffrey Ammon, 37, of Orem, Utah.

8. Army Pfc. Kyle Norris, 22, of Zanesville, Ohio.

(Family photo shows Raymond Mason as an 18-year-old Marine and Defense Department photo shows Priscilla Mason making a rubbing of her husband's newly engraved name on the Vietnam Wall)

Washington Producer John Rutherford is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He also posts stories on the military at www.fieldnotes.msnbc.com (click on "John Rutherford" under "categories") and at http://john-rutherford.newsvine.com/. The tribute gallery can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22802019/.

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

Allow me, please, to direct your attention to the cause that unites us all these days: cancer. As you may have seen, I did something unusual today: I spent the morning with my competitors. Charlie and Katie and I hopped in an SUV and went to all three network morning shows, to unveil the new campaign called Stand Up To Cancer.

We are enormously proud of it, gratified that our employers are fully supporting it, and we all have our own family stories of involvement in the fight against cancer. By my own accounting, everyone does.

It was a great morning. Whatever people might think of these jobs we are so lucky to have, and however fierce the competition can sometimes get, the three of us have a very easy relationship. We understand each other and have known one another for many years. I was proud to be in their company as a part of this project this morning, and we hope to make more appearances together to promote the cause, raising awareness and funds.

Please take a moment and explore the website, and consider making someone a "star", as I did with my late sister. Cancer has hit three members of my family, and it took two of them away from us. It truly is time we all stood up.

We're compiling tonight's broadcast now (all three anchors having retreated to their respective newsrooms) and we hope you can join us.

Editor's note - Nightly News won't be seen in some areas on the West Coast due to hockey coverage, but remember you can watch the Netcast on nightly.msnbc.com

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

My thanks to Lester Holt for filling in, and allowing me to be with my family yesterday. After a weekend of family cookouts, the annual Memorial Day parade, and a visit with my Father on the sparkling Jersey shore -- it's back to work here in New York. It was an eventful weekend: a heartbreaker for Danica at Indy, the horrendous weather in the Midwest , and the staggering losses to the entertainment industry, both of which we will mark on the broadcast tonight: Dick Martin, one of our own here at NBC, and the outstanding Sydney Pollack.

The understatement of the weekend was a quote I found on a wire service story on the web: after a Kalitta Air 747 cargo jet (auto racing fans might recognizing the Kalitta name from the world of drag racing -- the air charter firm was indeed founded by racing family patriarch Connie Kalitta) broke in half after a rough landing in Belgium, an official was quoted as saying the aircraft was "very seriously damaged." Broken in half...that would pretty much qualify as "very serious" damage. Anything that can't be repaired with duct tape -- especially on an aircraft -- is pretty serious.

We hope you can join us for our Tuesday night broadcast tonight -- we're back on the job in New York.

By Lester Holt, NBC News anchor

In a nation at war, is one day a year enough to properly honor the fallen? Tomorrow, most Americans will return to their jobs, classrooms, and regular day to day lives. For one group of dedicated women, however, paying tribute to America's veterans is a full time commitment.

Tonight, NBC correspondent Jim Miklaszewski tells the story of the "Arlington Ladies," a group of volunteers who attend every funeral at Arlington National Cemetery and offer hand written condolences to the families of the dead.

They are remarkable individuals who remind us all that service, sacrifice, and gratitude don't require a holiday.

In addition, there is potential for more severe weather. We'll be reporting the latest on the deadly tornadoes that hit Iowa and Minnesota last evening, and get some answers as to why this tornado seasons is on a record pace.

Mike Taibbi is looking into the ways high gas prices are affecting Americans on this usually busy travel weekend. We'll also tell you what's next for scientists, now that that Mars lander "Phoenix" has successfully touched down on the surface of the red planet.

Brian Williams returns tomorrow, meantime I hope you'll join me for the Monday edition of NBC Nightly News.

By Lester Holt, NBC News Anchor

Lately, I've spent a great deal of time researching China in preparation for covering this summer's Olympics. While China's history and culture are fascinating, it is the numbers—a population of 1.3 billion people—that I find hard to wrap my mind around. China makes up twenty percent of the world's population, more than four times the population of the United States.

By extension, I find the casualty numbers from the May 12th earthquake equally tough to comprehend. Tonight we will be reporting on a strong aftershock that has rocked the Sichuan region, collapsing another 70,000 homes, and leaving 200,000 other structures at risk of destruction. Officially, the death toll from the original quake stands at 62,664, with 23,775 people still missing. Officially 5,000,000 people are homeless. There is nothing in our experience in this country that compares to the scope of devastation and suffering there, and so I suppose it is understandable that we look on with both sympathy and a sense of awe. Tonight our Beijing-based correspondent Mark Mullen continues his excellent reporting on the disaster, including word of yet another "miracle" rescue of a quake survivor.

We're of course following up yesterday's deadly and damaging round of tornadoes in Kansas and Oklahoma. CNBC's Sharon Epperson will lay out what the summer will look like in terms of gasoline prices. Lee Cowan is on top of the Democratic presidential race, including what Barack Obama told Wesleyan University grads at their commencement, and Hillary Clinton's latest response to the flap over her "Robert Kennedy" remarks.

A quick thanks to my colleague Amy Robach for sitting in for me last night while our family celebrated my youngest son's high school graduation. You know what that means; stay tuned for lots of stories in the coming months on "empty nest syndrome."

Thanks for checking in on the blog. I hope you can join us later for NBC Nightly news.

By Amy Robach, NBC News Anchor

It was mid-afternoon when everyone in the Nightly newsroom looked up from their computers. A dramatic scene was unfolding on the televisions in front of us; a monster tornado was destroying an area just north of Oklahoma City. I can say with great certainty that witnessing the unstoppable power of Mother Nature leaves you simply in awe.

By Mark Potter, NBC News correspondent

Over the years, while covering many different stories in Cuba, I would walk into the famed Hotel Nacional and be greeted by a bellman named Jorge Pupo. And during all those times, I had absolutely no idea who he really was.

On my last trip, though, as I was leaving that hotel one day, NBC's Havana Bureau Chief Mary Murray stopped me and said, "I want you to meet someone."

She then formally introduced me to Pupo and told me his amazing story. And that is how tonight's Nightly News "Making a Difference" story was born.

By day, Pupo makes a modest living helping foreign tourists at the hotel, feeding and clothing his family with the tips he receives in dollars and euros. But on his own time, he teaches and counsels as many as 90 children from the same tough, run-down Havana barrio where he lives. And he does it all for free, up to four times a week.

As you'll see in our report tonight, Pupo has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and instructs these kids in the martial arts. Some have become tournament champions. His primary goal, though, is to use the sport to instill respect and other important values. He also wants to give these children something beyond the poverty, broken homes and hopelessness into which they were born.

Before shooting the story, we visited Pupo, his wife and his own children at his modest home, where he talked excitedly about his teaching mission. And we walked with him through his neighborhood known as Jesus del Monte. The children he works with there are proudly known as Los Tigres, or more formally, The Tigers of Jesus of the Mount, in English. Everywhere we went, kids of all ages would run up or call out to him--from balconies, porches or doorways. He is known by all there, and is beloved.

Unlike most stories reported from Cuba, this one makes no mention of political passions or conflict. It's simply the tale of a humble and dedicated man making an extraordinary difference in the lives of so many people around him. Seeing him only at the hotel, you would have no clue.

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

I have been a fan of auto racing (admittedly more stock car-oriented than open-wheel) since I attended my first race at our local fairgrounds at the age of five, and yet I've never made it to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...until now.

I'm in an office inside the famous "pagoda," the multi-layered "reviewing stand" that is instantly-recognizable to viewers of the sport on television. It's a dreary, rainy day here at the track -- thankfully, the forecast for the race weekend is stunning.

The track, an American sports legend first built in 1909, will be our backdrop for tonight's broadcast, which will also feature an interview with the biggest star in the starting grid, Danica Patrick.

We had a great day here, including a visit to our incredibly dominant NBC Station (in our industry parlance, it's a "blowtorch") WTHR in Indianapolis -- one of the most successful network affiliates in the nation, and home to a huge chunk of Nightly News viewers. Our station, and this city -- are home to a huge number of truly terrific people.

I've just completed our afternoon conference call/editorial meeting -- we've got a lot of news to get to -- and let's just say I'm in a distracting environment. Racing fuel, famous drivers, stacks of tires, fast cars, race fans and over two miles of smooth asphalt make concentration difficult for me -- but I'll soldier on, and we hope you can join us as we wind up another week.

By Ann Curry, NBC News anchor

All three emotions flood through me, as I wait to see tonight's story NBC Nightly News is airing about my father's death from cancer last month, as part a series on aging parents.

A lot of the images are from my video camera, but in my grief, I have not been able to look at them, and did not participate in putting the story together, as a matter of journalistic integrity. So I am nervous.

The embarrassment comes from knowing Bob Curry has had more than his fair share of airtime on NBC News, especially since he is not a newsmaker at all.

But because losing these irreplaceable ones, our parents is a suffering we all share, there is a chance tonight's story might be useful to you watching. That's why Dad agreed to let me record these glimpses inside our family's suffering. I am not certain what sense I made speaking about this in an interview so soon after losing him, but I deeply hope you benefit, so I can make one last wish come true for him.

To you then, with love.

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

This has been the most changeable day in months. In the course of just the last hour we've had three stories in the lead position, and as I write this we have a few hours yet to go until airtime.

So I've chosen to use my posting today to talk about one thing in particular: our final piece tonight. It's from Ann Curry. It's about her father, his fight against cancer and his eventual death on April 13th.

Bob was a great man, and he raised a great daughter. This story is emotional -- almost hard to watch. I don't think Ann will mind me saying that its my understanding that she is not planning to watch herself. This was difficult for her -- she did it for us, and for the audience, in keeping with the design of the Trading Places series: caring for elderly parents.
My own father is still recovering from abdominal surgery (on top of, in order, a heart attack, cancer surgery, two fractured hips and subsequent replacements and a pacemaker) and one of these days I will take a camera along with me when I visit him and we'll air an update.

Tonight we hear a very personal story from a friend of ours...a woman of such dignity and humanity and affection. That is probably why it's so hard to watch.

We hope you can join us tonight.

 

By Mark Potter, NBC News correspondent

COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO -- In reporting tonight's Nightly News story on how the vicious war between drug cartels and police throughout Mexico is affecting U.S. border towns, we came across some disturbing evidence that adults aren't the only victims.

In Columbus, New Mexico, some 400 American-born children, who actually live across the border in Palomas, Mexico, come to the Port of Entry most mornings to clear immigration, board buses and then head off to school on the U.S. side.

In talking to some of those elementary and middle school children, we found out that they are quite aware of the dangers that traffickers have brought to their tiny town. So far this year, a drug-related turf war in Palomas has claimed some 40 lives. Throughout Mexico, that war has caused about 4,000 deaths since the start of last year, with many of the victims being top law enforcement officials.

Talking with the children, we heard one boy describe a gun battle near his home in Palomas. "They start shooting everywhere and you don't know where to go," he said. He added that while in the relative safety of the American side of the border he is still concerned about the dangers back home. "When I walk from there over here I worry about my parents," he said. "When I'm coming back I worry about myself."

Many of the children talked casually about the killings and the weapons involved. "You can hear by the sound, AK-47," one said, describing the traffickers' rifle of choice. And a boy who lives near the border fence said, "All the time you can hear shootings downtown, drive-bys, too. Everywhere you could hear the shootings. It's, uh, people dead."

Some of the girls we met had similar stories. One stunned us by saying, "It has happened around my house, 'cuz people who are involved live there."

When asked if they are afraid, many of the children said they were. But others said they had just become numb to the violence. "At first, when it all started, it was kind of scary, but then you have to get used to it," a young girl told us.

When asked if he had actually seen a shooting, a boy said firmly, "I haven't seen that and I don't wish to see it, 'cuz if you see something like that they can kill you, 'cuz they want no witnesses."

A life-saving thought perhaps, but surely too much for a little school-kid to have to know.

photo by NBC's Stephanie Himango

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

Too much sadness lately. I received word at home last night that Hamilton Jordan had died.

My wife and I had dinner with Hamilton and his family a few months ago in Georgia. He was carrying his ever-present oxygen tanks that evening, without complaint. He matter-of-factly ran through his most recent medical procedures, surgeries and treatments and talked only about his family and the future. He was the personification of bravery in the face of illness. His bestselling book, No Such Thing As A Bad Day, survives him as a monument to courage and positive thinking.

In journalism, we no longer say things like "cancer victim" -- a phrase that was still in active use just a few years ago. Instead, we try to talk about those "living with cancer." Hamilton Jordan truly lived WITH cancer -- and taught everyone around him how to do the same. In life, he was devoted to his family--and to Jimmy Carter.

While his surname is quite common, his preferred pronunciation was not. Introducing himself in Washington, he was known to tell a first-time acquaintance, "My friends call me Jerd'n."

Some resented the forced customization, and when he became a public figure, not all television anchors of the day went along. Hamilton played a big role in then-Governor Jimmy Carter's amazing victory in 1976. At 34, he was the youngest White House Chief of Staff in American history. He was brash, impatient, intense, irreverent and obsessed with his boss's Presidency. He was a political animal, from a political family -- who was moved to enter the trade after watching Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. march through his native Georgia.

Hamilton died at home last night at the age of 63. He suffered from mesothelioma. He leaves his lovely wife Dorothy and their three beautiful children. He also leaves behind Camp Sunshine and Camp Kudzu, summer camps for children with cancer and juvenile diabetes. Hamilton's legacy will be with us for ages to come. It's Hamilton we will miss.

We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.

You can watch the video about Jordan from Nightly News here.

By John Rutherford, Producer, NBC News, Washington

Last year, Army Sgt. Peter Neesley adopted two stray dogs off the streets of Baghdad and named them Boris and Mama. He fed them, built them a dog house, and loved them dearly. After Neesley died in his sleep of an undetermined cause on Christmas Day, his family began a successful effort to bring Boris and Mama to America to live with them in their suburban Detroit home (01/03/2008 Daily Nightly and 02/11/2008 Field Notes).

Today, three months after their arrival in Michigan, Boris and Mama are doing just fine, thank you.

"They are adjusting well to domestic life and especially love sleeping on the sofas," Neesley's sister Carey wrote. "They are very affectionate and especially love my son (Peter's nephew), Patrick. They love running around the backyard with him and taking walks at night. Spring has finally arrived in Michigan and they love laying in the grass and Boris loves chasing ants on the driveway."

Most importantly, they're helping Peter's family heal.

"They make us feel closer to Peter, to hold and love something he did in his last days," Carey wrote. "And they remind us that it is OK to smile and laugh sometimes, when we were not sure we would again."

---

A new "Interactive Vietnam Veterans Memorial" Web site was created in March with the names, service records and casualty reports of the 58,256 Americans who died in the Vietnam War. (03/26/08 Field Notes) Visitors to the Web site are encouraged to contribute their own comments, stories and photos of the fallen.

"These are individuals, these are people who have given their lives, these are many of them my friends," Vietnam veteran Richard Schroepfer says in a video on the Web site.

Schroepfer's son, Justin, who helped put the Web site together, said the site was viewed nearly 250,000 times in its first month, exceeding all expectations.

"We've had mothers leaving comments to their fallen sons, sons leaving comments to fathers they barely knew, and friends thanking their war buddies for their sacrifices," Justin said.

The site has received lots of praise.

"This is beautiful," one person wrote. "My cousin was 19 when he died in Vietnam in 1968. I was only 8. My last memory of him was huge - we were out in his yard saying goodbye and he was smoking - I have this lasting impression he was a man. He was just a baby. His father was never the same after he died. I haven't been able to go see the Wall in person - this is just so beautiful. Thank you."

So far, Justin said, over a thousand people have contributed comments, spotlight pages and photos to the site.

---

I received over 100 comments to a tribute I wrote in March to Army Maj. Alan Rogers, who was killed in Iraq and buried at Arlington National Cemetery (3/14/08 Field Notes) Several of the comments were highly critical of me for not mentioning that Maj. Rogers was gay.

"It is absolutely pathetic that John Rutherford timidly avoids broaching this fact for the sake of his conservative readers," Rick Segreda wrote.

Added Bridget Wilson: "Shame on MSNBC for joining the conspiracy of silence and denying comfort to those he loved and who loved him."

Believe me, there was no conspiracy on my part. I did not mention Maj. Rogers was gay because I did not know it when I wrote the tribute. None of the articles I read prior to his burial referred to his sexual orientation. Had I known, I would have mentioned it because he apparently made no secret of it. Several readers pointed out he was treasurer and membership coordinator for a gay and lesbian veterans organization in Washington, DC.

Click here to view tributes to the 199 service members killed this year in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the following four casualties from last week:

1. Army Pvt. Matthew Brown, 20, of Zelienople, Pa.

2. Army Cpl. Jessica Ellis, 24, of Bend, Ore.

3. Army Staff Sgt. Victor Cota, 33, of Tucson, Ariz.

4. Army Sgt. John Daggett, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz.

Washington Producer John Rutherford is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He also posts stories on the military at www.fieldnotes.msnbc.com (click on "John Rutherford" under "categories") and at http://john-rutherford.newsvine.com/. The tribute gallery can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22802019/.

 

By Maria Menounos, NBC News contributing correspondent

 

Like most children, I love and respect my parents dearly.   I have known no better guardians, no better friends and no better heroes.  To this day, I value and treasure their company as much -- if not more -- than I did when I was a teen. 

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

That they said a prayer in the Republican and Democratic Senate caucuses today says a lot about the news we received earlier this afternoon, and the man it concerns. It was a fear of so many who heard the news Saturday morning: Senator Ted Kennedy had suffered a seizure. Those who know that brain tumors sometimes present that way were given pause -- and a good many folks have spent the past few days hoping that it would turn out to be something else.

Because of the times we live in, and the man we're talking about, it's inevitable that much of the coverage of Senator Kennedy's illness will be viewed through a partisan lens. Viewed instead through the lens of American history, it's important to remember that Edward Moore Kennedy, in the course of his lifetime, lost a brother, a sister, a brother, a brother and a sister. Joe, Kick, Jack, Bobby and Rosemary. Ted endures. As the nucleus of the family, the Irish-American political dynasty, as the liberal lion, as the icon from Massachusetts. A uniquely American figure -- flawed and checkered, robust and ebullient, fighter and survivor. Now this father of two cancer survivors enters the "cancer community" himself. So many of us are members -- either personally or by extension. At a hearing two weeks ago, Ted Kennedy called for a "new war on cancer", never dreaming he'd soon be a warrior himself.

We'll have coverage of this news tonight, as well as tonight's primaries. We have an exclusive story on oil, and we begin the reprise of a terrifically popular series called "Trading Places." We hope you can join us tonight.

The following is a letter from Counselor to the President Ed Gillespie to NBC News President Steve Capus:

Steve Capus
President, NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

Mr. Capus:

This e-mail is to formally request that NBC Nightly News and The Today Show air for their viewers President Bush's actual answer to correspondent Richard Engel's question about Iran policy and "appeasement," rather than the deceptively edited version of the President's answer that was aired last night on the Nightly News and this morning on The Today Show.

In the interview, Engel asked the President:  "You said that negotiating with Iran is pointless, and then you went further. You said that it was appeasement. Were you referring to Senator Barack Obama?"

The President responded: "You know, my policies haven't changed, but evidently the political calendar has.  People need to read the speech. You didn't get it exactly right, either.  What I said was is that we need to take the words of people seriously.  And when, you know, a leader of Iran says that they want to destroy Israel, you've got to take those words seriously.  And if you don't take them seriously, then it harkens back to a day when we didn't take other words seriously.  It was fitting that I talked about not taking the words of Adolph Hitler seriously on the floor of the Knesset.  But I also talked about the need to defend Israel, the need to not negotiate with the likes of al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas.  And the need to make sure Iran doesn't get a nuclear weapon."

This answer makes clear: (1). The President's remarks before the Knesset were not different from past policy statements, but are now being looked at through a political prism,    (2).  Corrects the inaccurate premise of Engel's question by putting the "appeasement" line in the proper context of taking the words of leaders seriously, not "negotiating with Iran," (3).  Restates the U.S.'s long-standing policy positions against negotiating with al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas, and not allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Engel's immediate follow-up question was, "Repeatedly you've talked about Iran and that you don't want to see Iran develop a nuclear weapon.  How far away do you think Iran is from developing a nuclear capability?"

The President replied, "You know, Richard, I don't want to speculate – and there's a lot of speculation.  But one thing is for certain – we need to prevent them from learning how to enrich uranium.  And I have made it clear to the Iranians that there is a seat at the table for them if they would verifiably suspend their enrichment.  And if not, we'll continue to rally the world to isolate them."

This response reiterates another long-standing policy, which is that if Iran verifiably suspends its uranium enrichment program the U.S. government would engage in talks with the Iranian government.

NBC's selective editing of the President's response is clearly intended to give viewers the impression that he agreed with Engel's characterization of his remarks when he explicitly challenged it.  Furthermore, omitted the references to al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas and ignored the clarifying point in the President's follow-up response that U.S. policy is to require Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment program before coming to the table, not that "negotiating with Iran is pointless" and amounts to "appeasement."

This deceitful editing to further a media-manufactured storyline is utterly misleading and irresponsible and I hereby request in the interest of fairness and accuracy that the network air the President's responses to both initial questions in full on the two programs that used the excerpts.

As long as I am making this formal request, please allow me to take this opportunity to ask if your network has reconsidered its position that Iraq is in the midst of a civil war, especially in light of the fact that the unity government in Baghdad recently rooted out illegal, extremist groups in Basra and reclaimed the port there for the people of Iraq, among other significant signs of progress.

On November 27, 2006, NBC News made a decision to no longer just cover the news in Iraq, but to make an analytical and editorial judgment that Iraq was in a civil war.  As you know, both the United States government and the Government of Iraq disputed your account at that time.   As Matt Lauer said that morning on The Today Show: "We should mention, we didn't just wake up on a Monday morning and say, 'Let's call this a civil war.' This took careful deliberation.'" 

I noticed that around September of 2007, your network quietly stopped referring to conditions in Iraq as a "civil war."  Is it still NBC News's carefully deliberated opinion that Iraq is in the midst of a civil war? If not, will the network publicly declare that the civil war has ended, or that it was wrong to declare it in the first place?

Lastly, when the Commerce Department on April 30 released the GDP numbers for the first quarter of 2007, Brian Williams reported it this way:  "If you go by the government number, the figure that came out today stops just short of the official declaration of a recession."

The GDP estimate was a positive 0.6% for the first quarter.  Slow growth, but growth nonetheless.  This followed a slow but growing fourth quarter in 2007.  Consequently, even if the first quarter GDP estimate had been negative, it still would not have signaled a recession – neither by the unofficial rule-of-thumb of two consecutive quarters of negative growth, nor the more robust definition by the National Bureau of Economic Research (the group that officially marks the beginnings and ends of business cycles). 

Furthermore, never in our nation's history have we characterized economic conditions as a "recession" with unemployment so low – in fact, when this rate of unemployment was eventually reached in the 1990s, it was hailed as the sign of a strong economy.  This rate of unemployment is lower than the average of the past three decades.

Are there numbers besides the "government number" to go by?  Is there reason to believe "the government number" is suspect?  How does the release of positive economic growth for two consecutive quarters, albeit limited, stop "just short of the official declaration of a recession"?

Mr. Capus, I'm sure you don't want people to conclude that there is really no distinction between the "news" as reported on NBC and the "opinion" as reported on MSNBC, despite the increasing blurring of those lines. I welcome your response to this letter, and hope it is one that reassures your broadcast network's viewers that blatantly partisan talk show hosts like Christopher Matthews and Keith Olbermann at MSNBC don't hold editorial sway over the NBC network news division.

Sincerely,

Ed Gillespie
Counselor to the President

To View The Edited Version Of NBC News' Interview, Click Here
To View The Full Interview Of The President, Click Here.

NBC News president Steve Capus responded to Ed Gillespie's letter complaining about the editing of NBC News' interview with Pres. Bush.

Here is a link to the text of  Ed Gillespie's letter. Below is Capus' email:

Mr. Gillespie,

I'm in receipt of your email and want to assure you we take this matter very seriously.

We appreciated President Bush's decision to do the interview with NBC News, and believe Mr. Engel's reporting accurately reflects the discussion with the President.

Let me assure you, there was no effort to be "deceptive," as you suggest. Furthermore, the notion this was, "deceitful editing to further a media-manufactured storyline," is a gross misrepresentation of the facts.

In fact, the entire interview was posted Sunday on our website, MSNBC.com, thus allowing everyone to draw their own conclusions about it, the subject matter and our editing. In addition, the entire section in dispute has already aired, unedited, on NBC's Today program and in edited form on other NBC News broadcasts.

Editing is a part of journalism. We take the collective body of information surrounding a story, distill it and produce a report. We strive in all cases to be fair and accurate. In some instances, where appropriate, we offer interviews in their entirety — in live broadcasts, or posted on our website.

Your letter goes on to address a series of issues beyond this matter. I think it wise to discuss those matters in a more appropriate forum.

We take our jobs and responsibilities seriously and respectfully suggest the interview was conducted in like manner.

Sincerely,

Steve Capus

Editor's note:

Here was the video as in it aired on Nightly News last Sunday:

 

Here is the full interview, posted on msnbc.com on Sunday:

By Brian Williams, Anchor and managing editor

We are doing something a bit different tonight in airing a very powerful story from China -- from our British broadcasting partners at ITN. Because of our shrinking attention span -- we can't air enough reminders of the scope of the twin tragedies the world is dealing with right now in China and Myanmar, the former Burma. This is gripping stuff, at times hard to watch, but revealing and striking at the same time.

We have a lot of political coverage tonight (on the eve of another Democratic primary) in addition to news from Texas and a story from the world of health.

I was privileged and happy to be on hand for SNL this weekend, as the show and cast wrapped up another season. Their fall premiere has been moved up in order to make the most of our political calendar, but it's still going to seem like a long time to go without late-night appointment television on Saturday nights.

And a heads-up: we're going to be revisiting some of our popular "Trading Places" series of reports, where members of the NBC News family talk about caring for their aging parents. It will begin tomorrow night and is a subject we will revisit from time to time.

We hope you can join us tonight.

By Lester Holt, NBC News Anchor

The routine in the Nightly News newsroom was briefly disrupted today as we reacted to some breaking news right below our 30 Rock headquarters.  An SUV ran up onto the sidewalk, striking a pedestrian before coming to rest along the edge of the famous Rockefeller Plaza ice rink.  The pedestrian was treated for minor injuries at the scene, and we've since learned the driver was a pregnant woman who had just gone into labor. She was whisked away by an ambulance. It was unsettling to watch, and we are certainly hoping the mom and her baby will be ok. It goes without saying they are in all of our thoughts today.

While that's a story you likely won't see on our program tonight, we do have a pretty full plate of news on this Sunday afternoon, including Richard Engel's exclusive sit-down interview with President Bush in Egypt.  Richard got the President Bush's reaction to the political flap he caused back here at home over his "appeasement" remarks made during that address before the Israeli parliament last week. Richard will also tell us about the tepid reception Mr. Bush received today before a mostly Arab audience at the World Economic Forum meeting.

NBC's Ann Thompson is in Boston for us again tonight to update the condition of Senator Edward Kennedy, who was hospitalized following a seizure at his Cape Cod home Saturday.

The stories and pictures coming out of disaster struck China are no less compelling even after days of rescue and recovery operations.  Tonight, Ian Williams takes an extraordinary journey into some hard hit villages to show how rescuers are moving mountains to reach the victims.

Our Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski has a fascinating story on the impact of the military's "stop loss" program which has prevented almost 60,000 American troops from leaving the service at the end of their regular enlistments.

The story that has brought a smile to many of our faces is tonight's spot from correspondent Mark Potter about the little circus that can. Though this troupe performs under a surplus army tent, and has suffered everything from political defections to performers who are afraid of heights, they still manage to generate some big top worthy excitement.  I hope you'll tune it for it.

Lastly, a reminder; as of this weekend the Saturday and Sunday editions of Nightly News are now available as a netcast. If you miss the over the air broadcast you can now watch it in its entirety right here on the on our Web site.

 

By Lester Holt, NBC News Anchor

A line of reporters, cameras and satellite trucks is gathered in front of the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, ready to report any news on the condition of Senator Edward Kennedy. The initial report was that he had suffered symptoms of a stroke, but a spokesman for his office later described it as "a seizure."  Little else, however, was immediately forthcoming. The information vacuum has left a lot of room for discussion about what he may have been stricken by, the causes, severity, and recovery. We will pick up our coverage this evening with Anne Thompson's reporting from Boston. Anne will walk us through exactly what we know while Dr. Nancy Snyderman will join me here in New York to discuss strokes and seizures, as well as the treatment Sen. Kennedy underwent last fall to unblock a major artery in his neck.

During this campaign cycle, Sen. Kennedy has been an active campaigner on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama. Lee Cowan will have more on that, and how all three major presidential candidates reacted to Kennedy's health scare.

 

We get a new view from the ground in cyclone-stricken Myanmar. NBC's Martin Fletcher managed to get inside the country where he will show us why a distribution bottle neck continues to deprive victims of what they need. Kevin Tibbles will share the story of a man who even though he lost both his legs, is hoping to break new ground on the Olympic running track.

 

Finally, if you miss tonight's live broadcast, I have some great, and long-awaited news. Starting this evening, a weekend edition of the Nightly News netcast is available. This allows you to watch the entire program here on your computer screen, or even on your iPod. On our Web site, nightly.msnbc.com, you'll find netcast information in the "Special series and related links" section, located just below the video player.  

 

We'll look for you later, wherever you happen to be watching.