on the broadcast here tonight, fight night in florida, as republicans take aim at the front-runner, and it quickly gets personal on the subject of a cancer vaccine for girls. nbc news exclusive, the big news iran's president delivered to ann curry today about the fate of two american hikers imprisoned there. jobs wanted, american teachers with no jobs here heading overseas for work. is this the new brain drain? to the rescue. good samaritans spring into action to save a man trapped under a burning car. and jackie kennedy in her own words. the private tapes finally public. tonight they take us inside camelot. "nightly news" begins now.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. it started out as a republican debate last night in florida, and it quickly became about our daughters. texas governor rick perry, as you may know, got in this race late. he was instantly named the front-runner. and that makes him a big target for the other candidates. last night they came after him for an executive order he issued, calling for preteen girls in texas to be inoculated against the hpv virus that can lead to cervical cancer in sexually active girls. some of the other candidates, notably the only woman in the debate, michele bachmann, attacked perry's move as government power run amok. and an attack on personal and family rights. it was personal and political, and it kept exploding all day long today. it's where we begin here tonight with nbc's chuck todd. >> reporter: rick perry counted

on home field advantage at the tea party debate and had it over social security. >> it has been called a ponzi scheme by many people long before me. but no one's had the courage to stand up and say, here is how we're going to reform it. >> the question is, do you still believe that social security should be ended as a federal program, as you did six months ago when your book came out, and returned to the states? or do you want to retreat from that. >> i think we ought to have a conversation. >> we're having that right now, governor, we're running for president. >> reporter: it quickly went south for perry when michele bachmann hammered him for his support of mandatory vaccinations for girls 12 and over against a virus that could cause cervical cancer. >> to have innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flatout wrong. >> reporter: bachmann also questioned whether campaign contributions influenced his decision. >> there's a big drug company that made millions of dollars because of this mandate. >> the company was merck, and it

was a $5,000 contribution that i had received from them. and if you're saying that i can be bought for 5,000, i'm offended. >> reporter: nbc's michael isikoff. >> actually, the drug company merck has contributed $28,500 to perry's gubernatorial campaigns. and it hired perry's former chief of staff mike toomey as its top lobbyist in austin. toomey is now running a massive super pac that is planning to spend $55 million to support perry's candidacy. >> reporter: for perry, the tea party has made him, boosting him to an early lead. in our latest poll, 56% of all republican primary voters support the tea party movement. brian williams asked the president about the tea party in an exclusive interview. >> is the tea party here to stay? >> you know, i think the strains that you're seeing in the tea party are a permanent part of the american political landscape. i do think that the extreme position that you hear that says government has no role to play

in growing our economy, that the federal government has no function to play in building a strong middle class is absolutely wrong. i reject that view. >> reporter: brian, that tea party debate was made to order for rick perry. but he definitely lost, both on the hpv issue and on immigration. he faces the candidate field again in ten days, for the third debate in 15 days. and by the way, just a reminder, brian, rick perry's been an active candidate for president for exactly 30 days. >> unbelievable pace of things, chuck todd. thanks. returning to the debate over this hpv vaccine, this morning on "today" congresswoman bachmann elaborated on her criticism of perry for signing that executive order in texas requiring the vaccine, and added that she's been told it is dangerous. >> i had a mother last night come up to me here in tampa, florida, after the debate.

she told me her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter. it can have very dangerous side effects. >> nbc news chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman is with us tonight. and, nancy, i'd like to get you on the record with a reality check on the known risks of this vaccine. >> reporter: brian, the reality checks come from very august bodies, the american academy of pediatrics, the american academy of family physicians, and the cdc all weighed in today, disagreeing with michele bachmann's views, saying that over 35 million doses of the hpv vaccine have been given with a tremendously good safety record. the reason that's important to know, is that over 6 million young men and women will be infected with the hpv virus this year. and over 4,000 women will die of cervical cancer. it's important to remember that this is an anti-cancer vaccine.

and the reason it's given to an 11-year-old and 12-year-old, that's when the human body produces the best immune response that will protect kids later when they become sexually active. you want this on board. and, in fact, it has proven so successful there is now a call to vaccinate young boys too. from a safety track record, from an efficacy track record and frankly from a lot of different medical records today, a lot of august bodies, they've all said this is a very good and safe vaccine. >> nancy, thanks. dr. nancy snyderman in san francisco tonight. in other news tonight, there are new numbers out on poverty in the united states, and they are staggering. the poverty level is up again for the fourth year in a row, and there are now more poor people in america than any time since census records started 52 years ago. nbc's chris jansing is with us tonight with more on this. chris, good evening. >> and, brian, as an example,

just a year ago the hidalgo family in florida was living the american dream. they had good jobs, a nice house, their children were happy, and so were they. when we first met the hidalgo family three weeks ago, both parents had been out of work for a year. putting a face to today's devastating report on poverty in america. more than 46 million americans were living in poverty in 2010. that's more than 15% of american households. and nearly 50 million americans don't have health insurance. 16.3% of all households. the hidalgos lost their insurance last march when anhel was laid off as a building manager. the condo complex where he worked foreclosed. >> it's a nightmare. sometimes i get up in the middle of the night, what's going to happen tomorrow? >> reporter: just since we visited them in august, anarese's unemployment has run out.

the family of four is living on $189 a week. they send out about 65 resumes a week. florida's unemployment rate is even higher than the national average. and their own house is in foreclosure, now that $40,000 in savings is gone. >> i don't know. how can a 15-year-old deal with this? it's really hard. >> reporter: 15-year-old gave is worried about finishing her junior year where she just started it. her parents just worry, but they remain determined to keep their family together. >> we're trying. the main thing, we're trying. >> every day they drop the kids off at school and then they go to a career office, where they stand in line to apply for any new jobs that are listed. and, of course, there are millions more like this one. >> that's right, one family behind these stats out today. chris jansing, thank you.

president obama was back on the road today in columbus, ohio calling on congress to pass his jobs bill. he toured a high school which was recently renovated, giving construction workers needed jobs locally. he's also arguing that aid to state and local governments could help put thousands of teachers back to work. but some have already given up, and are finding work far from the united states. our report tonight from nbc's lee cowan. >> reporter: it was an old school style campaign stop, literally. the renovated high school that served as the backdrop for the president's speech today embodied everything he wants out of his jobs bill. >> tell congress to pass the american jobs act so we can put our teachers back in the classroom where they belong. >> reporter: one of those ohio teachers is nicole gentilly, who was invited to the president's speech in washington last week because of one uncomfortable distinction, she's about to be laid off. >> october 3rd will be my last day. >> reporter: she joins tens of thousands of other teachers who become bargaining chips in state

budget negotiations. not only are teacher layoffs adding to the jobs crisis, but some fear it's creating a brain drain too. >> we're bleeding our best and brightest. they do not want to go into teaching. >> reporter: take stephanie olson, a veteran high school english teacher in phoenix, who's packing it in. >> i'm doing more work and getting less money every year. >> reporter: she signed up for teachaway. a program that recruits u.s. teachers to work overseas instead. she immediately landed a job in the united arab emirates. she'll get health insurance, housing and no threat of a pink slip. >> money does talk. money is important. >> reporter: so far teachaway has placed more than 3,000 u.s. teachers in foreign classrooms instead. already just this year alone, applications are up by 50%. nayra wanted nothing more than to teach where most people don't, south central l.a., but she was turned away despite her master's degree.

>> i really didn't have anything else, you know. >> reporter: so now, she'll be using her talents in the middle east instead. >> i feel appreciated, i feel taken care of. i feel like they know exactly what i need in order to do what i need to do. >> reporter: if the door to teaching jobs isn't opened soon, many educators fear teachers may have no choice but to use it as an exit instead. lee cowan, nbc news, los angeles. >> unbelievable turn of events. overseas now. some major news today from ann curry's exclusive interview with the president of iran, mahmoud ahmadinejad about two american hikers being held by iran. after more than two years in prison, the two may soon be free. ann has spent the past couple days getting an inside look at the iranian president, and she reports tonight from tehran. >> many americans want to know how it could be that iran could sentence the two young hikers, josh fattal and shane bauer to

eight years in prison for spying. what is the evidence against them? at first that question drew a tough answer from iran's president. >> translator: all countries have laws for illegal border crossing, they have very tough laws. we have the same laws here in this country. >> reporter: but then a surprise. >> translator: we are also trying to make arrangements for the freedom -- for the freedom of the other two. i think these two persons will be freed in a couple of days. >> reporter: in a couple of days? >> translator: yes, in a couple of days, they will be freed. >> reporter: stunning news after 774 days in prison for the two young americans. today bail was set at half a million dollars each. in prison with bauer's fiancee, sarah shourd in july 2009, the two were convicted by iran last month for illegally crossing the border and spying for america. shourd was released a year ago, her bail also half a million,

paid by an unknown party. today's news comes just days before iran's president is scheduled to be in new york to address the u.n. >> translator: these two persons will be released. is it going to be over? we view it as a humanitarian gesture. is it going to solve the problems? i hope so, but i don't believe it. >> reporter: today the two american families released a statement saying shane and josh's freedom means more to us than anything. and it's a huge relief to read that they are going to be released. also in our interview, ahmadinejad claimed that iran is not building nuclear weapons. and he said that iran would never recognize israel. denied that iran had cracked down on the opposition among its own people, and again suggested 9/11 could have been the result of a u.s. conspiracy. so a lot of controversy along with the welcomed news about the hikers. >> ann curry reporting tonight from tehran. ann, thanks. in afghanistan today, a liocking, surprise attack.

barsfitategh attacked the american embassy in kabul. at least six people were killed, including four police officers in a siege that went on for five hours. this is an unbelievable turn of events there. the attackers used rocket propelled grenades, machine gun fire, suicide bomb vests. and the carefully planned assault, all of it raising concerns once again about the ability of afghan forces to maintain security there without american help. when we come back here tonight, a terrible accident and what a response. bystanders pulling together to save a total stranger. and later, how jackie kennedy really felt about her husband and her reflections on a very dark time for this country.

a 21-year-old motorcyclist from utah is alive tonight thanks to the kindness of strangers. brandon wright was on his bike when he was hit by a car and pinned underneath as both the

motorcycle and car then burst into flames. and the pictures of what happened next are remarkable to watch. our report from nbc's george lewis. >> reporter: it was captured on video by someone in a nearby office. >> oh, my gosh. >> reporter: trapped under the burning car, brandon wright, a student at utah state university. at first a small group of people tries to lift the car without success. >> oh, my gosh. >> reporter: then, within seconds, other bystanders rush in, ignoring the heat, the flames and the danger. one of them is anvar. >> it was very hot, just hot and kind of dangerous. i thought it was close to explode. >> reporter: together they tipped the car so brandon could be pulled out. >> it was amazing that they risked their lives -- 12 people, however many it was, risked their lives to save brandon's life. >> reporter: police ordered rescuers to back off as they summoned medical help.

paramedics arriving within minutes. this dramatic rescue recalls earlier incidents where ordinary people, without even thinking about it, put themselves in harm's way to save the lives of others. >> there's a baby in there! >> reporter: two years ago in milwaukee, there were those who rescued two children and their mother from this burning van. and in new york city in 2007, navy vet wesley autry jumped in front of an oncoming subway train to save a man who had fallen on the tracks. pinning him down between the rails as the train thundered over them with just inches to spare. >> i'm going to enjoy my little 15 minutes of fame. >> reporter: back in utah, where these people are being hailed as heroes, brandon wright is expected to make a full recovery. >> he knows it's a miracle, and he knows the strength of humanity came together and gave him a gift. >> reporter: the gift of life. george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. >> amazing story. up next here tonight, could it be? new rules on the patting down of small children at our airports. e

this is the lead story on local news in chicago tonight.

smoke from a forest fire in northern minnesota, over 400 miles away, is getting pushed into chicago -- look at that -- out ahead of a cold front. air quality warnings went out while they fight the fire on what is an otherwise beautiful early fall day. you'd never know it's september looking at the roasting temperatures in some places, like dallas/ft. worth today at 107. that makes a record 70 days of 100 plus temperatures for that city this year alone. that record has stood since 1980. houston hit 102 degrees today, breaking a 99-year-old record for the hottest september 13th on record. and look at what our friend mike seidel sent us from the weather channel. he noticed this satellite photo of the mud roaring down the susquehanna into the chesapeake bay. that's delaware there in the middle, and the tip of cape may, new jersey, visible off to the far right. at least it's better to have

that water head out to sea than where it's been, causing flooding in several states. we've seen a lot of this thing lately, clips like this one from youtube showing a 6-year-old girl getting patted down at the airport in new orleans. janet napolitano, the head of homeland security says new policies are coming for kids under 12. they will soon be able -- and among other things, to keep their shoes on, which is good news for parents who have ever tried to put a shoe on a 2-year-old while late for a plane at the airport. when we come back here tonight, jackie kennedy talks about her husband in a way we've never heard before.

we have more tonight on these fascinating audiotapes that jackie kennedy made almost 48 years ago, not long after the assassination of her husband, the president. these are conversations with the historian and kennedy aide arthur schlesinger, jr. the recordings are part of a new book, jacqueline kennedy, historic conversations on life with john f. kennedy. we bought a copy last week, and tonight we hear more about how she felt about her husband, her family during a very scary time. our report again from nbc's

andrea mitchell. >> reporter: they appeared to be a storybook couple from their marriage 58 years ago this week. >> you're pretty much in love with him, aren't you? >> oh, no. i said no, didn't i? >> yes, you did. you want to do it again? >> reporter: she described herself as a victorian wife. from the election campaign to the white house as a young family. at work and at play, she called the white house years the happiest in her life. before the tragedy and scandals, it was that brief shining moment she later called camelot, frozen in memory and brought back to life in her conversations with arthur schlesinger, jr. in 1964. daughter caroline says her mother was still in extreme grief at the time, less than four months after the assassination. on march 2nd, john jr. wandered into the room. >> john, what happened to your father? >> he's gone to heaven. >> he's gone to heaven? >> yeah. >> do you remember him?

>> yeah. >> what do you remember? >> i remember -- i don't remember anything. >> another emotional moment, you can hear the echos of desperation in her voice, recalling the possibility of being evacuated and separated from him during the cuban missile crisis. >> i said, please don't send me away to camp david, you know, me and the children. please don't send me anywhere. even if there's not room in the bomb shelter in the white house, which i had seen, i said, please, then i just want to be on the lawn when it happens. i just want to be with you. and i want to die with you, and the children do too. we don't want to live without you. >> she said she viewed her role as creating a climate of affection and comfort for her husband, and that she got all of her opinions from him. >> whatever he likes, i think i'd like. >> reporter: very different from the jacqueline kennedy heard elsewhere on the tapes. a woman with strong political opinions of her own, only adding to the never ending mystery of one of the most fascinating figures in modern american

history. andrea mitchell, nbc news, new york. and that's our broadcast for this tuesday night. thank you for being with us. i'm brian williams and we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good evening. i'm janelle wang. >> and i'm raj mathai. family and friends of the u.c. berkeley grads jailed in iran are waiting on a promise to release the men. >> it's been a long road for them. border guards arrested the hikers along with their friend