It was such an important lesson on display here in Washington today: We live in a great country, where an ordinary man can rise to the highest office in the land, and when he dies he is remembered by the very best in our nation. We were on the air for close to four hours this morning, and I was happy to have my old friend Michael Beschloss at my side throughout. The death of Gerald R. Ford has had such an interesting effect on our country, and on our leaders. I believe Vice President Cheney's speech on Ford in the Rotunda Saturday evening might have been the very best of his life. Tom Brokaw delivered a beautiful eulogy today, as did both Presidents Bush and Henry Kissinger. (Editor's note: You can watch the complete eulogies here: Bush Sr., Kissinger, Brokaw, President Bush.)

The American people have been forced, in a way, into looking back -- at a man who was President for only 896 days, at another time in our history. And just now, as I write this, what a tender moment on the windswept tarmac at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids as Jimmy Carter kissed Betty Ford. I firmly believe that just as we ultimately respect and venerate our presidents, we enjoy the moments that bring our leaders together... those moments when we can cast aside the politics that are so often corrosive and destructive. Our U.S. military Honor Guards and cannon squads have never looked more impressive. It puts a lump in your throat when you look at the chest decorations worn by a young Marine carrying the casket of the former President -- and see a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star -- and realize he is just back from Iraq or Afghanistan. And what a sad version of the Wolverine's fight song they played this afternoon as the casket arrived in Grand Rapids. President Ford's friendships with many in the media (this reporter included to a small extent in his later years) has meant for a blending of roles these past few days: Tom said today he was delivering his eulogy "on behalf" of the White House press corps, and later admitted just how incredibly likable President Ford was. Andrea Mitchell, who got to know President Ford largely by dint of her marriage to Alan Greenspan, told a wonderful story on MSNBC this afternoon about arriving at the Ford's home as house guests -- and having to wrestle the former President for her suitcase, as he insisted on carrying it from the car indoors. So many major media figures have similar stories, feelings and memories.

Tonight David Gregory will take us through this long day of remembrance, while Bob Faw will look at the people who came to say goodbye. 

We will also check in on the other news around the world tonight, including Iraq, and the aftermath of the release of crude (in both quality and content) video of the Saddam execution in the Arab world. We'll update the story we brought you last night from New Orleans, and the weather in Colorado.

The media world seems consumed with the "new" Wall Street Journal, which made its debut today -- a friend of mine called it a "pamphlet" -- and I must say the front page, above the fold, isn't much larger than the size of my outstretched hand.  I've yet to dive into it, but will examine the content of it on the flight back to New York tonight. The New York/Washington corridor of the media world was also consumed today with the portrayal of the role of General Casey in today's New York Times. It generated a lot of chatter here in Washington today. Let the first draft of the history of the Iraq war begin... or at least various views of it.

We hope you will join us for tonight's broadcast, originating from Washington.

Politics were subordinate to the personal and the historic in this city today. Under the vaulted ceiling of the National Cathedral, Jimmy Carter was seated next to Lynne Cheney, Rosalyn Carter beside Nancy Reagan. Honorary pallbearers included Brent Scowcroft and Jim Baker, both critics of the Iraq invasion, and Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, the war's chief architects. On this day, at Gerald Ford's funeral service, there was no partisan divide. Sitting in the nave, I looked out at the former presidents and their wives and thought about the inescapable sweep of American history.  Here were former combatants and their successors, victors and vanquished, now considerably older, and presumably wiser.  Over the decades, adversaries had become friends. How else can you explain Ford asking Jimmy Carter to speak at his burial in Grand Rapids?

The eulogies reflected other facets of Gerald Ford's life. George Herbert Walker Bush served with him in Congress and was then sent by Ford to China, and finally to the CIA. Being sent to Langley briefly took Bush out of politics, causing resentment in the Bush camp at the time. Today, the elder Bush instead recalled Jerry Ford's decency and sense of humor.  Bush (perhaps identifying as a fellow victim of comic barbs) recalled Chevy Chase's satires of Ford and was even inspired to imitate Dana Carvey imitating him: "But it wouldn't be prudent."

Our own Tom Brokaw perfectly captured Citizen Ford: the man who, like so many of his generation, returned from the war to serve his country again by running for office. Ford, Brokaw said, had "no demons, no hidden agenda, no hit list or acts of vengeance." It was so typical of Ford to include a journalist among his eulogists: Ford was the only president I ever knew who actually liked reporters. In retirement, he even returned to Washington each year to personally award a journalism prize to a selected correspondent. Sure, he occasionally resented the criticism, but he never held grudges, not even against the press corps. A photo in the Washington Post this week was illustrative: Jerry Ford, laughing as he ran toward Air Force One, clearly amused at a question being posed by CBS White House correspondent Phil Jones, while a youthful Helen Thomas and the rest of the White House press corps ran alongside.

There were also solid achievements. At the funeral today, Ford's former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recounted how in only 29 months - 896 days - the Ford administration negotiated the landmark Helsinki Accords on human rights, and the first political agreement between Israel and Egypt. Without, Kissinger said, ever losing the virtues of small-town America -- "sincerity, serenity and integrity."

Jerry Ford was a religious man, but he kept that mostly to himself. He even rejected the advice of some aides to use faith as another reason to justify pardoning Richard Nixon. Ford did not want to wear his religion on his sleeve. But his longtime pastor, the Reverend Robert Certain, knew Jerry Ford's faith ran deep. Ford also cared deeply about the well-being of the church. In his homily today, Dr. Certain -- a former Air Force pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam -- recounted how Ford called him last summer. At the time, Dr. Certain was preparing to leave for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.  The church was facing a schism over the role of human sexuality and women's leadership. Ford told him there shouldn't be divisions among those who lived by the Great Commandments to love God and neighbor -- and asked him to work for reconciliation. Nothing could be more revealing of Jerry Ford's character. To the end, he was the great healer.

Under the Gothic ceiling of the National Cathedral, the mourners' spirits were lifted by the choirs and the soaring soprano of Denyce Graves. But for all its majesty, the service was as simple as could be designed for a former President -- no caisson, no flyovers in Washington. On one level, it was a simple celebration of a life lived well -- a time for a family heartbroken by grief to say goodbye to the man they all -- including Betty -- lovingly called "Dad." The family have been consoled in recent days by the thousands of people who lined the streets of Alexandria, Va., Washington, D.C., and Grand Rapids, Mich., to wave farewell. Betty and the children went to the Rotunda to say "thank you" to those who were streaming by to see the casket. It was an unprecedented, personal touch by the family of a former President from Main Street, U.S.A.  It was a gesture Gerald Ford would have understood.

There are different ways of experiencing history when you work in the news business. Usually, things happen in a rush, or a blur, so that there's little chance to process what's going on while it's happening. It's more like triage than anything else: suddenly rounding up crews, producers, correspondents, and satellite trucks. 

When news first broke of President Ford's death last week, first you get it on the air and then in the next moment, dozens of people are scrambling coverage plans. We get busy trying to figure out who goes where, who does what. Dozens of NBC people canceled family holiday plans over the weekend to cover the events surrounding the President's funeral.

It was probably only today that any of us really had a chance to reflect on President Ford. Seeing the Ford "children" who are now middle-aged with children, and grandchildren, of their own. Laughing as President George H.W. Bush (aka 41) imitated Dana Carvey imitating him. Hearing Tom Brokaw, who covered the President, referring to him as Citizen Ford.  Watching the current living presidents during the service, and wondering if they mentally take notes on the service, music, and details for when their own time comes.   

Ford did. After Reagan's funeral in 2004, Ford and his family were quite clear that his own funeral would be low-key. That did not change. No horse drawn caisson. No grand military parade along the streets of Washington. No riderless horse. It was no less moving, no less meaningful than a funeral on a much grander scale. It was much like Ford himself, offering us a glimpse of the man, not someone who symbolized the office of the President.

I take back what I said in the previous post. Brian found time to record today's vlog after concluding his live coverage of President Gerald R. Ford's funeral, which will dominate tonight's broadcast.

Click here or on the image to watch.

Brian is anchoring NBC News coverage of President Gerald R. Ford's funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., this morning, so he won't be available for the vlog.

While we look for a substitute, you can click here to watch NBC's live coverage, which is expected to last at least a couple hours. The formal service begins around 10:30 a.m. ET.

Allow me to wish you all a Happy New Year. While tonight's broadcast was not previously in the cards for me, the press of news called me here as it often does. From here tonight I'm off to Washington to get into position for tomorrow morning's coverage of the service for President Ford at the National Cathedral. We go on the air, on the NBC television network and on MSNBC, at 9 a.m. Eastern.

To the mission at hand: tonight's broadcast will deal with the news of the past few days: President Ford's mourners in the Capitol Rotunda today, and the aftermath following the hanging of Saddam Hussein. We will look at the milestone of the U.S. death toll of 3,000+ in Iraq as well. We have an interesting story from New Orleans tonight and we'll also air something we look forward to on this very day every year: Our Justice Correspondent Pete Williams will look at the new laws that went into effect when the ball dropped over Times Square last night ushering in 2007.

The tempo of news over this holiday period has been unlike anything since the early days of the war on terror. While it's our job to cover it and stay on top of developments, I hope all of you enjoyed time with family and friends. As we begin a new year, allow me to thank you again for your support, and we hope you'll join us for tonight's broadcast.