on our broadcast tonight from tucson, road to recovery, a big journey for gabby giffords. out of the hospital, now in rehabilitation. now for her the crucial next steps of recovery. also an nbc news exclusive. the shooting survivor who did all she could to protect the 9-year-old girl she had brought to the supermarket that day to meet her congresswoman. tonight she has shared her emotional story with us for the first time. deep freeze. winter going to extremes now. snow, ice and would you believe 46 below 0? and that's not a windchill. and showdown, the long-awaited rematch between two american icons, legacies, arch rivals. some fans have to walk a very fine line.

"nightly news" begins now. fine line. "nightly news" begins now. fine line. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good evening once again tonight from tucson, arizona. we've returned here tonight to check back in on this community and the victims of the shooting which was two weeks ago tomorrow at a local safeway. congresswoman gabby giffords was shot in the head that day, and today she left the hospital here in tucson to begin her rehabilitation, to continue her extraordinary recovery, flying 900 miles away to houston, texas. in fact the first photo is just out tonight of her mother tending to her on the airplane during the journey. she's taking a temporary leave from her home state of arizona, and there was no way the people of this community were going to see her leave without the proper send-off. we have two reports to start with tonight, beginning here in

tucson with nbc's kristen welker. kristen, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. well, this is a day of victory for the congresswoman and tucson. many here say it's hard to believe that giffords is strong enough to leave the hospital just 13 days after being shot in the head, but this community has started to believe in miracles. a jubilant send-off for their congresswoman who continues to defy the odds. >> good luck, we love you! >> just wish that we would have an open window and she could hear us say "we love you, gabby." >> reporter: hospital staffers also emotional as the ambulance carrying gabrielle giffords and her husband left this morning. >> she's on her way to the next part of her journey. her full recovery. >> reporter: arizonans of all ages lined the sidewalks to say goodbye. >> emotional, very emotional. it feels like we're letting go a family member, but she's going to come back. >> reporter: and a motorcade of police officers and vfw

motorcycle riders escorted giffords along the seven-mile route. few could believe she has come so far so soon. >> it's incredible. it's a miracle of god. >> reporter: once at monthan air force base, giffords was transferred to an air ambulance. on board, her doctor, staffers, mother, husband, and a little piece of tucson. >> all our hearts and our love and our prayers all follow that plane, and wherever gabby goes, we'll be right there with her. >> reporter: kristen welker, nbc news, tucson. this is janet shamlian, for gabrielle giffords, the next step will be taken in texas with her husband at her side. she was flown on a friend's private plane to houston. then transferred pie a medical helicopter to memorial hermann hospital. the fight now moves here. giffords is already being

evaluated in the intensive care unit where she could stay a week or more until the drain or shunt in her head is removed. doctors say she has some movement in her right leg but none in her right arm. she hasn't spoken yet but might be trying to form words. >> the evaluation is quite comprehensive. we ask questions, we review records, we perform examinations and see what the person can and cannot do. >> how do you feel? >> reporter: later giffords will be moved to the nearby rehab facility, a stay expected to last four to six months. no vip floor. giffords will stay in a standard room like every other patient, cared for by doctors and therapists who will coordinate everything from muscle work to art therapy. >> great rehabilitation potential, great rehabilitation candidate. she will keep us busy. we will keep her busy as well. >> reporter: doctors strive for a new normal for giffords, which may not include a complete recovery. it's a long, grueling process. the results uncertain. with the progress she's made so far, all agree gabby giffords is up for the challenge.

and we learned giffords has just finished her first rehab session here in houston tonight. for now it's a temporary home, but just until she can return to the city she represents and her true home in tucson. brian. >> janet shamlian, her home base of houston along with kristen welker, who remains here in tucson. thanks to you both. and now to the emotional time we spent here earlier today with suzi hileman. if you don't know her name right off, she is the woman who brought her 9-year-old neighbor and friend to meet her congresswoman that morning at the supermarket. suzi hileman was shot three times and is recovering, but 9-year-old christina taylor green didn't survive. suzi hileman is dealing with that while building her own body back up. she's a strong woman, smart and quick. she's a new yorker, ivy league educated, with a strong family and a long road ahead. what you're about to hear is at times heart-breaking as she talks with us, along with her

husband, bill, about survival and loss. >> congresswoman giffords is shaking hands with the people in front of us and talking. i said, okay, you have your question, you know what you're going to say. she goes yeah, yeah, yeah. i said christina, let's do the math. how many senators do we have? hold that number. how many representatives do we have? add that number. hold that number. let's add the president and the vice president. you got that number? that's the number of people who make the laws that tell us how we live here in america today. and you are going to get to shake her hand. wow, gunshot. >> that was the last thing. [ crying ]

>> there's a moment of deafening silence, does that make sense? people -- there was no doubt that this was a noise i had never heard before. congresswoman giffords slid down with the flags behind her. >> did you see loughner? the gunman? >> he's not in my space. i don't -- he who should be slapped. i need a name. i am having a hard time labeling my emotions. right now my space is christina and me. >> at this point in time, the mug shot and everything else about it is not going to be part of our space.

>> his face comes on the tv screen and if somebody doesn't change it, i put my hand up like that. i can't -- >> there's a parking lot, there's a vinyl banner, congress on your corner, the seal of congress of the united states, flags. congresswoman is under the plastic table. and all these characters we have now come to know. >> hear us, hear us. there was a fabulous ball, 30, 40 something pima county s.w.a.t. team officers who told me to lie down and put my leg up because, ma'am, you're bleeding. yeah, of that i am aware. the next thing i remember, so there's that memory, there's that memory. i have snippets. pieces are gone. >> some may come back.

>> let's hope good ones. the next thing i remember is i'm lying on the concrete and christina is to my left. and she was beautiful. she was undamaged. and she didn't talk. but we were eyeball to eyeball. and i'm yelling at her, christina taylor green, don't you die on me. don't you go away from me girl friend. don't leave me to do this by myself. stay here. christina, christina taylor green. and she's looking at me. and it was -- she was wondering, she was confused, she was asking me what is going on, and i'm just telling her to stay with me. do not leave me here by myself, young lady. and then someone, a big, calm

but definitely pay attention to this voice, lady, legs, khaki legs came between us and said "ma'am, we are -- christina is being taken care of." she, because they didn't know her name then. she is being taken care of, your friend is being taken care of. you are bleeding. your job is to stay calm and let us help you. and i was worried about where is my purse, where is my wallet, where is my wallet. who knows why you think of these things, and how is christina. where is christina. i was responsible for her. it was my job to bring her home to her mom and dad. i took christina taylor green on january 8th, 2011, to see gabrielle giffords, and i said to christina, that could be you. there is no reason on god's green earth that you can't grow up and be that if that's what you want to be.

>> it was a very tough conversation, and there will be more of our interview with suzi hileman and her husband on "dateline" this coming sunday night at 7:00/6:00 central. when our broadcast continues tonight, in just a moment, president obama settles on two famous initials in his pick to take the lead on creating more jobs in this country. and later, a legendary sports rivalry divides towns, neighbors, even at times families. ve my grandma. i love you grandma. grandma just makes me happy. ♪ to know, know, know you grandma is the bestest. the total package. grandpa's cooooooooool. way cool. ♪ grandpa spoils me rotten. ♪ to know, know, know you ♪ is to love... some people call us frick and frack. we do finger painting. this is how grandpa and i roll.

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we're back now from tucson tonight with some of the day's other news, including the economy and the jobs front. that's what president obama was focused on today at the ge plant in schenectady, new york, where duty bound to remind you ge is the parent company of nbc universal. we mention that because the ceo of ge, jeff immelt, was by the president's side today for an announcement. our white house correspondent, savannah guthrie, has more on

all of that for us tonight. savannah, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. the president has asked jeff immelt to head a new advisory panel on jobs and competitiveness. immelt was with the president today in schenectady, the birth place of ge to make this announcement. it's part of the white house's shift in focus now that the economy is in recovery to try to get businesses to actually hire. >> the past two years were about pulling our economy back from the brink. the next two years, our job now, is putting our economy into overdrive. our job is to do everything we can to ensure that businesses can take root and folks can find good jobs. >> reporter: well, the president has a new economic team, a new chief of staff from the business world. and some see the choice of immelt as more evidence the president is trying to mend fences with the business community. immelt has been critical of the administration in the past but has been spending a lot of time with the president lately. some labor leaders were

skeptical today, saying that ge has cut jobs and sent them overseas. the president said companies like ge are key to his export strategy, which he says will create jobs in the u.s., brian. >> savannah guthrie on the white house north lawn tonight. savannah, thanks. an impressive moment, by the way, involving the obamas youngest daughter, sasha. she's been taking mandarin chinese in school, like an increasing number of american kids lately. she got to use her skills when it really counted. the visit this week of chinese president hu jintao. in fact we could see her talking to him during the welcome ceremony, and the chinese president answered her. sasha obama is all of 9 years old. i think i remember three words of french after four years of high school. this nation has lost its oldest living medal of honor recipient. barney hajiro has died. he was awarded the medal of honor for his service in world

war ii. he died early this morning in hawaii. he was 94 years old. his death now leaves 85 living recipients of the nation's highest military honor. when we come back here tonight, legendary american arch rivals about to go at it again. [ male announcer ] from jet engines that have fewer emissions, to new ways to charge electric cars, to renewable sources of clean energy, ecomagination from ge is advanced technology that's good for both the economy and the environment. ♪ it's technology that makes the world work. [ squawking ] ♪ [ record scratches ] ...and over [ record scratches ] probably isn't giving results you want. discover neosporin® lip health™. shown to restore visibly healthier lips in just 3 days.

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and you know how the news media only mentioned international falls, minnesota, because of the cold? we're about to do it again. they just today set an all new all-time record low temperature of 46 below 0. that's not the windchill, that's temperature. and schools in fargo were closed and they don't scare easily there. new england got dumped on with snow again today. officially it's only been winter for a month, but for the east coast in particular, it's already been a brutal one. snow totals for this season have already surpassed the average for the year, and that stands from south carolina all the way north to massachusetts. if you have tickets for the football game at soldier field in chicago on sunday night, bundle up, you know that. way more important than the weather, though, is the game. to an nfl fan, the chicago bears and the green bay packers are known for a brand of football, tough, cold weather, take no

prisoners football. one of them will go to the super bowl. there's no love lost between them. it's a big rivalry. but because they are close geographically, just about 200 miles apart, there are either packers fans or bears fans, but not both. nbc's kevin tibbles reports. >> reporter: i'll tell you what's wrong with this picture, the barbers in this suburban chicago shop are all green bay packers fans. lots of pregame banter. >> you threaten to cut off any eyebrows? >> i have. i remind them that i do have sharp scissors in my hand. >> reporter: and some friendly wagers should the bears win. >> i'll get my hair cut for free. >> all of them? >> reporter: football fever on the bone-chilling midwestern tundra has folks doing the strangest things. ♪ chicago bears, bear down >> reporter: this green bay radio station has even banned the band. >> no songs by chicago. >> reporter: genoa city,

wisconsin, where the 2500 residents wear their colors with pride. it's the american way. >> it's a free country, you do what you want and vote for who you want and root for who you want. the bears are going to win, i think. i hope, yeah. >> reporter: does she sound convinced to you? >> do you have any message for those bears fans? >> yeah, get ready because we're on our way. >> reporter: you'll never believe it but ken and larry parker are brothers. >> are you going to be on speaking terms? >> oh, yeah. we'll see how the game goes first. >> reporter: you can pull up on your snow machine to this watering hole. inside it's quite heated. >> rhonda, is this a town divided? >> it is. >> reporter: even out on the frozen lake, the fishermen are talking football. bears or packers? >> oh, i'm bears all the way. go bears! >> reporter: but come sunday -- >> turn it up! >> reporter: these fans will have one thing in common. they'll all be in front of a tv. kevin tibbles, nbc news, genoa city, wisconsin.

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well, here in tucson today we met once again with members of congresswoman gabby giffords' staff. remember, one of their own was killed in that attack, two people were wounded, ron barber and pam simon were both there today in wheelchairs. and of course they all just want their boss, the congresswoman, back in good health and back on the job. they know that means rehabilitation, and houston is the best thing for her right now. her chief of staff agrees. >> it's an emotional day, i think, for the staff and the community to see her go to houston, but it's obviously a positive step in her recovery, so it's exciting on one hand, but certainly sad to see her go, but it's the right move. >> notice they're all wearing those ribbons for their boss. and again, we came back here to tucson to see how this great place was doing after that terrible day two weeks ago tomorrow. and what we found is the most

extraordinary and ordinary acts of kindness popping up everywhere you look, everywhere people could use one, and so many people here have stepped up and really are making a difference. their stories here in tucson tonight from nbc's lee cowan. >> reporter: what gabby giffords left behind today was tucson's ever-growing memorial, and its soundtrack. there in the midst of all the flowers, candles and balloons, a soul violinist. >> i found maybe my violin could help a little. i know it helps me. >> reporter: beth hodges wanted to help too so she took it upon herself to be the unofficial caretaker here. she relights candles, props up flowers and just tidies things up. >> we should just be considerate of everybody. >> reporter: that's what michelle zemba took away. she runs umc's trauma center. although the survivors are now recovering somewhere else, their

words remain, especially mava stoddard's words. >> she was praying for all the other victims and praying for the congresswoman. she just lost her husband and was shot herself and she's worrying about everybody else. >> reporter: it's that everybody else sentiment that has become almost infectious here. it's not that people are trying to help those directly affected by the shooting, it's almost as if the shooting became a catalyst for people to help almost anybody with almost anything. a safeway checker witnessed the carnage firsthand. no one, it seems, has forgotten her. she told us shoppers have driven 50 miles out of their way just to show compassion. >> we're getting hugs, hugs and hugs. and a lot of handshakes. just grabbing the hands. >> reporter: it stretches all the way to the local food bank, one of gabrielle giffords favorite charities. bill carnegie says he's gotten $91,000 in donations so far, $10 at a time, all in her name. >> it's humbling to know that so

many people are placing their trust in us and, you know, we're not going to let them down. >> reporter: turns out, that soundtrack of grief is also a soundtrack of hope. there are lots of angels in this field of sorrow. lee cowan, nbc news, tucson. >> and a reminder, we'll have more of our interview with suzi hileman, who we heard from at the top of our broadcast tonight, on "dateline"his coming sunday night at 7:00/6:00 central time. also sunday night more of our extraordinary conversation just yesterday at texas a&m in college station, texas, with the first president bush and his war council 20 years now after the first iraq war. that entire conversation can also be seen in a one-hour long special we're calling "the reunion" the that airs on msnbc at noon eastern time on sunday, and it is online now, the

conversation is, at nightly.msnbc.com. for us for now, that's our broadcast for this friday night and for this week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams reporting tonight from tucson. lester holt will be with you for "nightly news" this weekend. i'll see you back in new york monday night. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com right now at 6:00, did flaws fuel the inferno? a new report suggests avoidable mistakes may have led to the deadly explosion. >> good evening, everyone. welcome. >> a scathing federal report tonight reveals details on the pipeline involved in the deadly san bruno explosion. among the flaws uncovered by investigator f