July 2009 - Posts
By John Baiata, NBC News’ Senior Editor
NEW YORK – He was widely traveled, but he cited his time in Chicago as crucial to his later success. He entered into contests with a large number of men but emerged as the last man standing. He was a trailblazer who rose to the height of his profession.
Yes, it turns out Jack Johnson and President Barack Obama have more than just skin tone in common.
Both houses of Congress have now approved a resolution Wednesday urging a presidential pardon for Johnson, who became the first black heavyweight champion in 1908 a century before Obama’s election as the nation’s first black president.
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| Getty Images file |
| American boxer Jack Johnson, the world heavyweight champion, in a boxing stance, during the early 1910s. |
Johnson, publicly defiant of the Jim Crow-era laws that ruled the day, was the first person prosecuted under the Mann Act, which banned the transportation of females across state lines "for immoral purposes." The official offense cited was for consorting and traveling with a white prostitute whom he later married. Unofficially, it was his destruction of Jim Jeffries, the white American titleholder whom Johnson met in the ring in 1910.
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By Ron Allen, NBC News Correspondent
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. –The most intriguing moment in the confrontation between Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley was when Crowley came to understand that the man in the house was in fact who he said he was, that he was in his own home and that there had not been a break-in. What did Gates say or do, or not say or do, that pushed Crowley to charge him with disorderly conduct?
Police have said Gates was causing a public nuisance. Gates defenders insist that at that point, the officer should have turned his back and walked away.
Of course, only the two men will ever know all the facts, including the thoughts running through their heads.
It's interesting that when respondents were asked in our recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll who they felt was most at fault in the incident, 27 percent said Gates was at fault, 11 percent said the police officer was at fault, 29 percent of respondents blamed them equally and 31 percent said they did not have enough information to form an opinion. (Question #35 in the poll.)
Personally, I have wrestled with these issues almost round the clock since July 16, when I started covering the story. And last night as I walked around Harvard Square, I was hoping that perhaps the spirit of one of the great university’s best thinkers might help me resolve some of my lingering questions. There have been lengthy discussions with producers and editors about what our stories should say, or not say. We all knew we were dealing with very sensitive stuff.
There are a few people who said things that stood out for me as I tried to explain the story, what it all means and what should perhaps be learned.
CONTINUED >>
By Mark Potter, NBC News Correspondent
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – While growing up here many years ago, my brother, Alan, and I idolized Paul Rosasco, the World War II veteran who lived on the corner of our street. With rapt attention, we'd thrill to hear his stories of danger and high adventure in the South Pacific and would pester him to tell us more.
Now that Alan and I are much older, we understand that those stories back then were softened for young ears and actually came from tough memories of a brutal war. We've since heard the unvarnished version and have learned more about the injuries our neighbor suffered and about all the friends he lost. For that reason, and because of the life he lived in recent years, we actually came to admire him even more.
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| Courtesy of the Rosasco family |
| Paul Rosasco as a young soldier during World War II. |
We are deeply saddened to learn that our friend and hero has just died at age 85. Now his remarkable story, which he was reluctant to draw attention to publicly while he was alive, can be shared with the blessing of his widow.
Enlisted for war
In November 1942, Paul Rosasco enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 19 and received his basic training in Florida. After advanced training in Illinois he then joined the 1896th Engineer Aviation Battalion in Virginia.
Near the small town of Elko, he and other trainees actually built a fake airport, complete with a runway, landing lights and empty buildings. It was a decoy to distract German bombers from the nearby Richmond Airfield should they cross the U.S. coastline. Luckily, the Nazi aviators never came calling.
After finishing up in Virginia, Rosasco headed by train for California. There he began a nearly-month-long voyage to New Guinea on a military transport ship with 3,500 men crammed aboard. After arriving in, Lae, New Guinea, he helped build airfields and housing for American forces fighting the Japanese. His second stop was Biak, where his company followed the infantry ashore during a bloody fight to wrest the island from Japanese control. As the Army engineers there built roads and a landing strip for U.S. bombers, Rosasco helped fend off attacks from hold-out Japanese soldiers.
Kamikaze attack
Rosasco's next mission was the one that nearly took his life.
CONTINUED >>
By Jeff Rossen, NBC News Correspondent
LOS ANGELES – Day 1, 7 hours, and 14 minutes. That's how long it took for me to realize this story was going to be different than any other I've covered.
High-profile deaths are always tricky. But, the story of Michael Jackson’s death and the ensuing legal, financial and custody matters are different.
Between TMZ, the British tabloids, and what feels like 32 million blogs writing about his death and its aftermath, information continues to pour in by the second, 24-hours a day.
You don't even want to see my blackberry when I wake up from my overnight nap. Yes, a nap. I sleep about three hours a night because doing live shots for the Today Show at 7 a.m. EST means an early wake-up call in California. And when I say "early," I mean 2:30 a.m. Pacific time. And there they are: 23 emails with all the latest information about the ongoing Jackson story on all the blogs.
Our job is to sift through the "tips," "leads," "exclusives," "sources," all of it. What's real? What's sorta real, but exaggerated? What's flat out false? We make quick decisions on what to report, but those decisions are critical.
CONTINUED >>
Despite a violent drug war being waged in Mexico, U.S. officials say the dramatic drop in the number of Mexicans entering the United States illegally shows the economic downturn and increased enforcement are having major effects. NBC's Mark Potter reports from the U.S-Mexico border.
By John Baiata, NBC News’ Senior Editor
NEW YORK – Looking around during Paul McCartney’s final show at the Mets’ Citi Field – and at all of the women alternately screaming his name/wedding proposals, a question occurred to me: "I wonder if this ever gets old for him?"
If it does, Sir Paul is not letting on. In fact, at 67, he is exhibiting few signs of slowing down. He played a raucous two hours with no breaks, sprinkling in a few new songs to go along with healthy doses of Beatles classics and hits from his "Wings" headlining days.
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| Frank Franklin II / AP |
| Musician Sir Paul McCartney performs at Citi Field on July 17 in New York. |
His only concession to age was a tinge of nostalgia. He choked up during "Here Today," his melancholy ode to John Lennon, but managed through it. He sang George Harrison’s "Something" in memory of his old band-mate. And "My Love" was dedicated to his late wife, Linda – a New Yorker like most of the crowd. (Ex-wife Heather Mills did not warrant a dedication.)
He also reminisced about the Beatles first time playing in a Mets ballpark – their historic appearance at Shea stadium on August 15th, 1965. McCartney playfully complained that during that concert they couldn’t hear a thing due to the girls screaming.
It should be noted that that concert lasted just 35 minutes – fairly standard for the time – but still a long time to scream continuously. And in a neat twist, McCartney’s set list at Citi Field included the last song played at Shea Stadium that day – "I’m Down."
CONTINUED >>
By George Lewis, NBC News Correspondent
HAILEY, Idaho – A young mother with three small children and a bunch of American flags pulled up to Zaney's River Street Coffee House where Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl used to work before he joined the Army.
They began planting the flags in the ground and in nearby flower pots.
Elsewhere around Hailey, people have tied yellow ribbons around trees and put up signs saying "Bring Bowe Back." The print shop that made the signs reportedly ran out of them and local stores are running low on supplies of yellow ribbons.
It's all part of what Bergdahl's family calls the "overwhelming" show of public support for the 23-year-old who was taken captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan on June 30.
CONTINUED >>
By Rehema Ellis, NBC News Correspondent
NEW YORK – Ten years ago I was visiting my family in Boston when the phone rang just before dawn on a Saturday morning. The call was from the NBC News assignment desk.
The person on the other end apologized for the early call on a summer weekend morning but explained there was a report that John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane was missing and might have crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
I remember being asked, if need be, could I drive to Cape Cod to the Kennedy family home in Hyannis Port?
As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes my first response was, "Of course I can."
But I also thought this can’t be happening. This is a terrible mistake – some kind of a mix up. How could Kennedy’s plane just go missing? He can’t be dead. He’s too young, too handsome and too famous.
Of course, none of those things makes anyone immune to the tragic realities of life. And goodness knows, those qualities have not shielded the Kennedy family. Still, I wanted to dismiss the prospect of horrible news and hope for the best.
CONTINUED >>
5:47 p.m. ET - LAPD tells NBC News that as of 11:25a PT, the downtown command post counted between 17,000 and 18,000 attendees inside the Staples Center.
This suggests that despite thousands of unclaimed tickets at Dodger Stadium yesterday, the Staples Center was filled as planned. Event organizers previously stated they would move people from the Nokia Theater if empty seats an issue. NBC can't confirm whether or not this actually happened.
5:10 p.m. ET - Jeff Rossen spoke with fans outside the Staples Center shortly after the memorial ended. Many seemed pleased with the tone of the memorial. Watch video here.
4:40 p.m. ET -- Plans for Jackson's body remain unclear. Many had anticipated that the singer’s remains would be interred at Forest Lawn cemetery, the final resting place for many stars. But when police instructed members of the media gathered at the cemetery’s gates to disperse midway through the memorial ceremony, they said his body would not be returned there. They did not say where it would be taken. Jackson’s brother, Jermaine, has expressed a desire to have him buried someday at Jackson’s Neverland estate in Santa Barbara County.
4:19 p.m. ET -- The Jackson family motorcade is leaving the Staples Center.
4:05 p.m. ET -- The Los Angeles Police Department estimates that approximately 750,000 people turned out for the Jackson service, either attending the service at the Staples Center, viewing the remote broadcast at the Nokia Theatre or congregating outside the venues. That was far short of the more than 1 million that some officials had forecast.
3:53 p.m. ET -- Michael Jackson’s family and friends are believed headed to the Beverly Wilshire-Four Seasons hotel for a post-memorial gathering. A Beverly Hills police spokesman told NBC News that approximately 800 guests were expected to attend the private event, which the family is calling a "repast." A repast is a time of fellowship following a funeral or memorial. It's an African tradition, where people have a chance to meet and greet, eat and drink and generally get together to try to relax after such a stressful event. Repasts have been adopted by the African-American community across the country.
Read posts from the public memorial service
3:47 p.m. ET -- The Rev. Lucious Smith delivers a closing prayer. "The King of Pop must bend his knee to the King of Kings," he says.
3:42 p.m. ET -- The service ends. Pallbearers wheel the casket out of the center as individuals call out, "I love you, Michael!"
3:40 p.m. ET -- Jackson's daughter, Paris, addresses the crowd: "Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father I can imagine," she says before dissolving in tears. "I just wanted to say I love him so much."
3:39 p.m. ET -- Marlon Jackson recalls Michael Jackson's difficult childhood, recalling him being ridiculed for being different. "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone," he says.
3:36 p.m. ET -- "I hurt," adds brother Marlon Jackson.
3:35 p.m. ET -- As friends and family embrace behind him, Jermaine Jackson takes the mike and thanks everyone for attending.
3:34 p.m. ET -- Crowd on its feet as the song ends.
3:29 p.m. ET -- Now its the kids' turn, including Jackson's three children, as they join the adults to sing "Heal The World."
3:28 p.m. ET -- Family and dozens of the performers from the service are on the stage. Big applause as they finish up "We Are The World."
3:25 p.m. ET -- Group ensemble sings "We Are The World."
3:23 p.m. ET -- Kenny Ortega, Jackson's choreographer for Jackson's London tour, addresses the crowd.
3:22 p.m. ET -- Jafargholi thanks Jackson for "blessing me and every other person on earth."
3:19 p.m. ET -- Shaheen Jafargholi, a finalist from "Britain's Got Talent," sings "Who's Loving You?"
3:18 p.m. ET -- Robinson says Jackson will live forever in heaven and on earth, saying his musical legacy will never be forgotten.
3:15 p.m. ET -- Robinson says young Jackson was able to communicate musically far beyond his years: " I did not believe that someone that young could have that much feeling and soul and 'know.'"
3:13 p.m. ET -- Smokey Robinson, who wrote the song, returns to stage and recalls his first meeting with the Jacksons.
3:12 p.m. ET -- Video clip shows the Jackson 5 singing "Who's Loving You?" in an early appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
3:11 p.m. ET -- An emotional Usher removes dark glasses as he concludes, shares a group hug with the Jacksons.
3:08 p.m. ET -- Usher takes the stage to sing Jackson's "Gone Too Soon."
3:06 p.m. ET -- Rep. Jackson Lee recalls Michael Jackson visit to Walter Reed military hospital to visit wounded soldiers and speaks of his philanthropy: "Michael never stopped giving."
3:01 p.m. ET -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas addresses the crowd. She refers to accusations of child abuse against Jackson in reminding the crowd that the U.S. Constitution guarantees that a person is considered "innocent until proven guilty."
2:59 p.m. ET -- Bernice King calls Jackson "a thoughtful and selfless man full of unconditional love."
2:57 p.m. ET -- Martin Luther King III tells a parable of a street-sweeper who became the best street-sweeper ever to illustrate Jackson's devotion to being "a great entertainer who did his job well."
2:53 p.m. ET -- Martin Luther King III and Bernice A. King, children of Martin Luther King Jr., take the stage.
2:52 p.m. ET -- Jermaine Jackson returns to the family seating area in front of the stage.
2:48 p.m. ET -- Jermaine Jackson sings "Smile," the theme music for Charlie Chaplin's 1936 film, "Modern Times." Michael Jackson also recorded the song.
2:47 p.m. ET -- Shields reads from "The Little Prince." She concludes by quoting from the song "Smile" and reminding the crowd that "we need to smile."
2:45 p.m. ET -- Fighting back tears, Shields continues: "To the people who were lucky enough to know him personally, he was caring, funny, honest, pure, nonjaded and he was a lover of life. He cared so deeply for his family, his friends and his fans."
2:43 p.m. ET -- Shields says Jackson tried unsuccessfully to teach her the moonwalk. She recalls that "Michael loved to laugh" and that his laugh was "the sweetest and purest of anyone that I have ever known."
2:40 p.m. ET -- Actress Brooke Shields says she "had the most natural and easiest of friendships" with Jackson.
2:39 p.m. ET -- Mayer embraces Jackson's after he leaves the stage.
2:36 p.m. ET -- Choir chimes in with the refrain: "Why? Why? Tell them that it's human nature."
2:33 p.m. ET -- Crowd claps in accompaniment as John Mayer plays "Human Nature."
2:32 p.m. ET -- Sharpton concludes heartfelt appreciation of Jackson. "Thank you, Michael! Thank you, Michael! Thank you, Michael."
2:31 p.m. ET -- As the service continues, Forest Lawn issues a press release saying that Jackson's body "is not coming back here" and instructing the media to "vacate ASAP."
2:29 p.m. ET -- Sharpton continues to praise Jackson as instumental in breaking down racial barriers: "He created a comfort level where people who felt they were separate became interconnected with his music. ... Michael made us love each other. Michael taught us to stand with each other."
2:27 p.m. ET -- Sharpton: "He never gave up a dream. It was that dream that changed culture all over the world... Because Michael kept going, because he didn't accept limitations... he opened up the whole world."
2:26 p.m. ET -- The Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime family friend, speaks.
2:24 p.m. ET -- Emotional voice-over by Michael Jackson concludes the song.
2:22 p.m. ET -- Jennifer Hudson, 7-months pregnant sings the Jackson 5's "Will You Be There?"
2:20 p.m. ET -- Magic Johnson says Jackson's children will be well cared for by the Jackson clan.
2:18 p.m. ET -- Johnson says he's known the Jacksons for 30 years. He recalls being invited by Michael Jackson to co-star in a music video with the late "King of Pop." Jackson family responds with grins and applause.
2:16 p.m. ET -- Basketball stars Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson address the crowd. Bryant says Jackson set the Guinness Book of World records by supporting the most charities.
2:15 p.m. ET -- Rousing applause as Wonder leaves the stage.
2:10 p.m. ET -- Wonder performs “Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer," from his 1971 album “Where I’m Coming From,” then segues into his "They Won't Go When I Go."
2:08 p.m. ET -- Stevie Wonder takes the stage: "This is a moment that I wish I didn't live to see come. But as much as I can say that and mean it, I do know that God is good. And I do know as much ... as we needed Michael here with us, God must have needed him far more."
2:07 p.m. ET -- Jackson video montage showcases his dance moves, the adoring fans, his kids and his efforts on behalf of charity.
2:04 p.m. ET -- The crowd greeted Gordy’s comment with “a huge roar and a standing O,” msnbc.com’s Courtney Hazlett reports.
2:03 p.m. ET -- Powerful close from Motown’s Gordy: “I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.”
1:59 p.m. ET -- More from Gordy: “When he did his iconic moonwalk, I was shocked. It was magic. Michael Jackson went into orbit and never came down.”
1:56 p.m. ET -- Berry Gordy: "He raised the bar and then broke the bar. … Michael had a quality that I couldn’t completely understand. But we all knew he was special."
1:52 p.m. ET -- Lionel Richie sings “Jesus is Love” with Gospel choir back-up.
1:49 p.m. ET -- More from msnbc.com’s Courtney Hazlett inside the center: “No backing tracks here. This is the real deal. Amazing!”
1:46 p.m. ET -- Queen Latifah offers tribute to Jackson: "All you people who came to pay respect to someone you felt was one of you ... a human being first."
1:45 p.m. ET -- She is joined in duet by Trey Lorenz, who recorded the song with her.
1:40 p.m. ET -- Mariah Carey sings Jackson's "I'll Be There," a No. 1 hit for the Jackson 5 in 1970.
1:39 p.m. ET -- Pastor Lucious Smith addresses the crowd: “As long as we remember our time with him, the truth is he is never really gone at all. As long as we remember him, he will be there forever to comfort us.”
1:35 p.m. ET -- Gospel singers perform "We are Going to See the King."
1:33 p.m. ET -- Music resumes. Msnbc.com’s Courtney Hazlett reports from within the Staples Center: “I have never seen such a large, respectful group of people in one place. Nearly complete silence for almost 15 minutes.”
1:30 p.m. ET -- More from Diana Ross’ condolence message: Jackson was "part of the fabric of my life in a way that I can't seem to find words to express. Michael wanted me to be there for his children, and I will be there if they ever need me. I hope today brings closure for all of those who loved him. Thank you Katherine and Joe for sharing your son with the world and with me. I send my love and condolences to the Jackson Family."
1:22 p.m. ET -- Long silence continues after Robinson’s reading.
1:20 p.m. ET -- People.com’s TVWatch blog reports that Stevie Wonder will sing the song “Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer,” from his 1971 album “Where I’m Coming From,” at the memorial.
1:16 p.m. ET -- More celebrity sightings at the service: Terry Crews of "Everybody Hates Chris," Lou Ferrigno, the former "Incredible Hulk" star and Jackson's personal trainer; Omarosa of "The Apprentice"; and Mike Tyson.
1:14 p.m. ET -- Message from Nelson Mandela, also read by Robinson, closes with words to family: “Be strong”
1:12 p.m. ET -- Public memorial service begins with Smokey Robinson reading of condolence message from Diana Ross.
1:08 p.m. ET -- The Associated Press describes the venue: “A stage was bathed in blue light and a spray of yellow and orange flowers was placed in front of a podium. The backdrop features a photo of a smiling Jackson looking up toward the sky and the words: "In loving memory of Michael Jackson King of Pop. 1958-2009."
1:04 p.m. ET -- An announcement inside the Staples Center says the performance will start in 10 minutes.
Click here to read posts preceding the public service.
By Mark Potter, NBC News Correspondent
MOREHEAD, Ky. — Late in the morning last New Year's Day, Sam and Lynn Kissick received a devastating phone call that would tear their lives apart.
The caller informed them their 22-year-old daughter, Savannah, was being rushed by ambulance to the St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead, Ky. She had long battled drug addiction, but it looked like this time, Savannah had overdosed on a combination of painkillers and sedatives while celebrating New Year's Eve.
After racing to the emergency room to be by Savannah's side, her parents were met by a physician with grim news. "I'm sorry, Mr. And Mrs. Kissick, but she didn't make it," he said.
Savannah had just become the latest fatality linked to prescription drug abuse, a fast-growing problem that killed more than 8,500 Americans in 2005, according to the latest available statistics from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says nearly 7 million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, noting that is "more than the number who are abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy and inhalants combined." The DEA also reports that "opioid painkillers now cause more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined."
"Something needs to be done, because it's killing our kids every day." said Lynn Kissick. "People need to stand up and take notice. Our kids are dying. They're dying because of these drugs."
Click here to read the rest of Mark Potter's story and see his video reports on the scourge of prescription drug abuse in Kentucky.
