but i'm following that one closely. >> we're back at 7:25 with another local news update. we'll check back with you. thanks for joining us this morning. >> we'll be back at 11:00 for more news on nbc bay area. good morning. final journey home. the celebration of george h.w. bush's life shifts to his beloved city of houston after three days of tributes in our nation's capitol. the emotional sendoff filled with tears. >> the best father a son or daughter could have. >> laughter. >> he loved a good joke but he never, ever could remember a punch line. and love. >> overnight a touching new tribute on a navy ship that bears his name while the bush family prepares to lay their

patriarch to rest. breaking overnight desperate search. five marines missing after two u.s. military planes collide midair off the coast of japan. two crew members rescued. a race against time to find the others. we're live with the very latest. winter wallop. storm watches for the south with a powerful system ready to march coast to coast. more than a foot of snow, sleet and freezing rain, set to cause power outage it's and a travel nightmare, as much of the nation battles brutally cold temperatures. al's forecast just ahead. those stories plus in the hot seat. gm's ceo facing tough questions on capitol hill. but will she reconsider plans to lay off thousands of workers? bankruptcy. usa gymnastics makes a bid for survival as it struggles to recover from its sex abuse scandal. what the move could mean for hundreds of victims. and rise and shine.

the nominations for the golden globe awards revealed this morning. kicking off hollywood's award season. today, thursday, december 6th, 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from studio 1 a. welcome back. it's 7:00 a.m. on the west coast. savannah, you're back in new york. i'm trying to find out what was actually like there. >> >> what a moment in our nation's history and what an honor to be part of our coverage as we said good-bye to the 41st president. we're so proud of our friend and colleague jenna bush hager who did a beautiful reading from the scriptures during that service. >> she certainly moved. the tributes have moved to his adopted hometown of houston. a family tribute where the bush

family has worshipped for over 50 years. >> take a look at this from sails aboard the "uss george bush," they spelled out his name. >> we have more from peter alexander. >> today marks the final day of remembrances for george h.w. bush, washington bid its farewell, now, it's texas' turn. the state's first funeral in more than a decade, power and poignant, a day filled with american pageantry to honor 41. >> reporter: this morning, george h.w. bush back home in texas, today being laid to rest. the remains of the late president arriving on the last leg of special air mission 41.

taking a ceremonial lap in the skies above his presidential library. cannons roaring on the ground. his family looking on. it follows bush's state funeral at washington's national cathedral. a rare moment of unity. president trump greating president and mrs. obama. face to face with his predecessor and the clintons. mrs. clinton looking straight ahead. then george w. bush thanking his guests. handing kane to michelle obama. every living president together to remember 41. biographer and friend jon meacham hailed him as the last statesman. >> lincoln and bush both called on us to choose the right over the convenient. to hope rather than to fear, and to heed not our worst impulses but our best instincts. >> reporter: recalling a defining moment in bush's life when the world war ii afb yater was shot down.

>> the george herbert walker bush who survived that fiery fall into the waters of the pacific three quarters of a century ago made our lives and the lives of nations freer, better, warmer, and nobler. >> former senator allen simpson praising his humility. >> those who travel the high road of humility in washington d.c. are not bothered by heavy traffic. >> the most powerful tribute from 43 about 41. a son celebrating his father. >> he was born with just two settings full throttle then sleep. >> and sharing what he learned from his dad. >> he showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage, and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country. >> reporter: the former president recalling 41's short comings. >> recalling his shortcomings. >> his short game was lousy. he wasn't fred astiare on the

dance floor. the man couldn't stomach vegetables, especially broccoli. and by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us. >> reporter: an eternal bond with his beloved wife, barbara. >> in his old age he enjoyed watching police show reruns. the volume on high. all the while holding mom's hand. after mom died, dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold mom's hand again. last friday when i was told he had minutes to live, i called him. i said dad, i love you and you've been a wonderful father. and the last words he would ever say on earth were, i love you too. >> reporter: a celebration of his father's life defined by loyalty, faith and family.

including the daughter he lost when she was just 3 years old. >> so through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you. a great and noble man. the best father a son or daughter could have. and in our grief, let us smile knowing that dad is hugging robin and holding mom's hand again. >> those moving words punctuated by the entire cathedral breaking out in applause. you really couldn't help but appreciate the sense of relief that washed over w., his brother jeb, reaching over, grabbing his hand. the former president there knowing it was a tribute to make his father proud. you can only imagine being a son to eulogize your dad. >> he hit it out of the park. >> let's go to houston for today's events honoring president bush. nbc's gabe gutierrez is there. gabe, good morning.

>> reporter: savannah, good morning, a setting for a powerful tribute. president bush lying in repose here. about 12 people co,000 people c to pay their respects. the church where george and barbara worshipped for years. and jim baker, the president's longtime friend, farmer secretary of state and chief of staff, as well as his grandson george p. bush. we're expecting performances from reba mcentire, and the oak ridge boys. and somethings expected a trip from houston area to college station. this casket is expected to be taken on this custom-painted train on the final resting place on the grounds of the presidential library and museum. again, this is a hometown ceremony that's expected to

bring lots people here to houston area. the final day of remembrances for president george h.w. bush, his final farewell from the place he called home. savannah and hoda. >> gabe, thanks so much. we will have several live coverage of today's houston events on many of our stations and nbc. and we encourage you to watch jenna bush hager hour-long tribute to her grandfather. and to breaking news. a frantic search for a ship off the coast. nbc's keir simmons with the very latest. good morning to you. >> savannah, good morning, that news of two rescues marines has come in the past hour with five marines still missing. and this morning, the question,

why did two planes go down at the same time. five marines missing this morning, overnight two res scue but the marines are confirming one has died. the u.s. ambassador hearing the news at an event in japan. two planes were conducting regularly scheduled missions. the desperate search for survivors overnight supported by the u.s. 7 fleet. nine aircraft and three vessels quickly deployed by japan. they crashed approximately 200 miles off the coast. at 2:00 a.m. local time, the

kc-130j which provides refueling went down with an fa-hornet. the combat jet receives the fuel up to 3,000 pounds per minute. the accident coming just one day after the release of a report into another fatal military accident over mississippi last year. in that case, 16 died, when a ck-130t went down. the report, finding bad maintenance led to a propeller blade breaking off. and the cause of this latest crash still very much unclear. did something go wrong during a refueling exercise? it does appear that two planes collided. our thoughts to the family, one receiving terrible news, while the others are praying for they are loved one. turning to craig. another story. >> a huge story potentially, savannah. good morning. major winter storm ready to bring snow, ice and freezing rain to tens of millions up and down the coast.

al is here on what we can expect, what's the word, al? >> craig, thank you so much. and thank you for getting the first weather from us. let's start here in california, from san luis obispo, we've got heavy rain that's going to generate a storm system coast to coast. rain in southern california. we may even see water spouts off the southern california coast. it will come to an end and then rain and snow increases over the four corners area. rainfall amounts generally about 1 to 2 inches. during the heaviest, we could see half an inch to an inch of rain per hour. so we have a risk of floods and debris flows while they have the wildfires. as the system continues in the east from snow and ice from texas to arkansas, heavy rain starts to move into the southeast. then saturday night, we've got

snow from missouri, on kentucky. carolina show exists and this could be a system from virginia to the carolinas. torrential rain and flooding from texas from san antonio to houston. flooding of low-lying areas could be an isolated severe threat as well. icing is going to be a big problem. stretching from amarillo and lubbock, all the way into kentucky. and then we're talking about unbelievable snow amounts possible. it's not going to be so bad throughout the panhandle of texas and oklahoma, but as we make our way to the east, we're talking 1600 miles along this system. potential record for asheville, charlotte, greensville/spart greensville/spartansburg. some meteorologists are comparing this like the superstorm of 1993, when asheville got 22 inches of snow. airports are going to be affected. as will be the roads.

there's going to be a big impact storm, literally, coast to coast, guys. the ceo of general motors is back on capitol hill today defending her company's decision to lay off 15,000 workers and close four plants here in the u.s. she's being meant with anger on both sides of the aisle. nbc's tom costello is on the hill with more on that. >> reporter: savannah, ceo mary barra meeting with delegation. and all of them demanding to know why does gm need to lay off thousands of people plus the supply chain as well at the time when the company is posting near record profits. gm ceo mary barra? >> do workers deserve better? >> reporter: facing tough questions from members of congress after announcing the company is laying off 15,000

workers and closing four plants in michigan and ohio. >> we expect general motors to stand with its workforce and give them a chance. >> reporter: as barra works congress in lordstown, ohio, worker michelle ripple is worried about how she will support her family. >> they close this plant or we sit idle, there's going to be a struggle because there's no good paying jobs around here. >> reporter: gm is ending production of sedans, including the cruze and bolt to focus on electric vehicles. meanwhile, it's shipping truck and suv production to mexico but barra won't comment to the plants set to close. it comes eight years after taxpayers spent $13 billion bailing it out. money gm repaid. >> you've benefitted from a bailout from the taxpayers. you've also got a really big tax cut in the last year. do you owe the people of the country more than this decision?

>> we will be forever grateful for the assistance the u.s. government provided general motors. and we're trying to make sure we're good corporate citizens and continue to provide jobs and provide vehicles and transportation that customers want in this country. >> reporter: many analysts say gm has to make tough choices to compete in a cut throat business but back in ohio -- >> it's emotional and devastating. >> reporter: -- the future is far less certain. gm is under tremendous pressure from president trump and members of congress to find jobs for those laid off employees. meanwhile, members of congress considering legislation that would make it far more difficult and costly for companies to move jobs overseas. back to you. >> thank you, tom. now, to the golden globe nominations just announced out in hollywood this morning. and there were more than a few surprises. nbc's gadi schwartz has more on that, hey there, gadi. >> good morning, guys. yeah, another award show where

the silver screen is crashing into the big screen. all of them on tv or streaming when it comes to the big stream drama, there's a pop star competing with a comedian showing this year, anything can happen. ♪ >> reporter: this year, the line between drama and the musical or comedy categories is more blurred than ever before. music driven films like bohemian and "a star is born." if beale street could talk. black panther, all nominated for motion picture drama. for best picture musical or comedy, a crazy rich asian made the cut. mary poppins returns and vice, christian bale nominated. >> i believe we can make this

work. >> reporter: going head to head with minulin-manuel miranda. and the lead actress in a musical, constance wu. olivia coleman a favorite. and elsie fisher goes up against emily blunt in "mary poppins returns." the nominees will pit him against willem dafoe. lucas hedges in boy erased. and bradley cooper who starred in and directed "a star is born." with lady gaga looking her way into lead actress, actress

melissa mccarthy. roseman pike. and glenn close in the wife. and nicole kidman nominated for the destroyer. ask anyone out here in hollywood, "a star is born" was nominated. >> gadi, good to see you. hollywood's counting, literally. >> good to see john david washington get the nod. >> saw him a couple months ago. poured his heart and soul into the role. and established in the golden globes.

also his first mark kmarquee ro. >> and john c. reilly will be on the third hour with us. >> look at you in your segues. >> we'll have much more on the nomination. >> to al from a segue into the weather. >> we're not going to snub you, know, no, we want you to feel included. you can see we've got show pushing its way through the mid-mississippi river valley. lake-effect snow in the northeast going to be causing some problems. so far today, we do see some places up around the tug hill plateau may pick up a foot of snow, sunny but chilly down through the southeast and the florida peninsula. ♪ ♪ ♪ the united states postal service makes more holiday deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country. ♪ with one notable exception.

♪ good morning. it is about 7:20 right now. you can see storm ranger. the rain has cleared out quite nicely. we still have cloud cover out there. overall, the rain off to the south. we're seeing plenty of moisture down near southern california. current temperatures, it's pretty cold in santa rosa. 35 degrees. the rest of the bay area in those 40s and 50s. 52 degrees for oakland. 49 degrees for san jose. mid-50s by the afternoon. >> and that's your latest weather. all right. coming up, monica lewinsky getting honest about her m mistake. her new advice to young girls about recovering from obstacles in life. >> and our frank conversation with lance armstrong. speaking out on television for the first time in nearly six years. his surprising new take on the

cheating scandalhat ended his t

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♪ ♪ ♪ a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. i want you to watch closely the corner of your screen. you'll see two boulders. one flies straight into the windshield of a car. slowed down, the same video actually captures the image of what appears to be a man hurling the rock. this is from a dash cam. the driver says since posting her video online, others are reporting similar things happening to them near the same location. it's now gotten the chp's attention. they're now investigating and would like help from anyone who can provide more information. let's check the forecast right now. vianey is in for kari. >> as that sun creeps on out,

we're starting to notice that the skies are still pretty cloudy but eventually we'll see those clouds clear out. temperatures right now, for the most part, in the 40s and 50s. we've got a couple 30s on the map. this is in the north bay, 35 degrees for santa rosa. down through napa, 44. and even down through the south bay, upper 40s, 49 degrees. expect your temperatures to be rather cool into the afternoon. your daytime highs today will be in the upper 50s. we'll get some low 60s. check out your san jose temperature trend. we'll keep the 40s through the 8:00 hour and then we'll warm up just a bit. mike? we're looking towards what may be improving. the arrow shows you westbound 80 jammed up, also coming off san rafael to richmond bridge. central avenue, reports of an earlier crash. the good news, earlier truck fire, it's not a fire. it's just recovering from a crash. west 580 at 238, we're recovering from a car crash and looks like lanes are clearing. northbound 880 starting to jam up through san leandro.

there may be additional problems. the rest of the bay shows a smooth flow of traffic. another local news update in half an hour.

7:30 now this thursday morning. december 6th, 2018. let it ring. a cold morning here in midtown manhattan. this is fun to get you in the spirit. the rockefeller christmas tree. the christmas music. people dressed in their christmas. >> there were a lot of savannah guthrie signs and heads yesterday. >> i didn't know my mom was in town. >> i'm very happy to be back. we'll get outside in a bit. let's get a check of the headlines, first. george h.w. bush will be buried today alongside wife barbara and daughter robin on the presidential library grounds at

texas a&m university. overnight, the former president lied in repose at st. martin's episcopal church. thousands of mourners lined up to pay their respects. later today a private funeral service at the church with about 1200 guests. the country said a formal good-bye to president bush wednesday in a national funeral service in washington. two people are dead after a wrong-way crash involving a semi truck and a school bus carrying a girl's basketball team. it happened last night just outside of bloomington, illinois. police said the bus was head on by a semi truck going the wrong way. two were killed. all the students were taken to the hospital and are said to have nonlife threatening injuries. a spacex rocket that carried

more than 5600 tons of supply to the space station landed in the atlantic ocean wednesday. the falcon 9 missed the intended target, a concrete landing pad. it splashed down off the coast. elon musk tweeted the rocket seems to be undamaged. in the meantime we're hearing from monica lewinsky in a new speech, about recovering from what she called her mistakes, namely, the clinton affair. kate snow has been following some of these comments. good morning to you. >> good morning. good to see you again. it was the first time that we really heard from monica lewinsky since her lengthy interview for the docuseries that aired before thanksgiving. this time, she wasn't dwelling on her history, but talking to teenagers about how she moved beyond the biggest mistake of her life. hundreds of hollywood insiders and a-list celebrities all garied to join the power 100 list. but monica lewinsky wanted to

speak to the high school students there. >> i'd like to speak directly to them. the rest of you 400 people, you can check your phones or something. i won't be offended. >> reporter: they weren't even born when lewinsky became a household name. >> if you know the music of eminem and beyonce, you may have heard of me in a couple of those songs. aside from being a former beret model i'm also a lyric in songs. >> we can all probably agree that when it comes to being in this room, the worst mistake or the mistake with the worst consequences, i definitely win. hands down. >> reporter: but mistakes she says are rich with learning and growth. even when they're devastating. lewinsky sharing a piece of advice that was given to her 20 years ago by the grand jury foreperson when she faced questions about her affair with

the president. >> monica, none of us in this room is perfect. we all fall and we fall several times a day. the only difference between my age and when i was your age is now i get up faster. i have now lived long enough to know that she was 100% right. >> reporter: it's the first we've seen lewinsky since her revealing interview for the a&e docuseries. >> i felt terrible. i was scared, and i just -- i was mortified. >> reporter: last week, lewinsky tweeted, hinting she'd come under attack since the series aired. hallelujah. think the paid caravan moved on. >> it was a difficult time in my life, and it was hard for the country. >> reporter: that was the last time hillary clinton was asked about lewinsky in october. the clintons launched a speaking tour last week with two stops in

canada so far, but they have not been asked by moderators about lewinsky's recent remarks or the impeachment saga 20 years ago. >> and this week, the clintons postponed an event in texas to attend president bush's memorial in washington. they're taking a break from the road and will start a run of east coast cities in april. lewinsky has more public speaking appearances scheduled in the new year as well. >> all right. well, thank you, kate. we appreciate it. >> thank you so much. now we get the weather. >> mr. roker. >> a lot of cold air coming across the great lakes. that's creating lake-effect snow, we have lake-effect warning. and we're looking at anywhere from 2 to 6 inches of snow, but watertown new york could see upwards of a foot of snow and that cold air continues to pour in from canada. this cold blast will see temperatures today, 6 degrees above normal in new york. rapid city, 20. little rock, 44. pensacola at 55. tomorrow boston in the upper 30s.

midland texas, 41. 19 degrees colder than usual. chicago in the mid 20s. as we head into the weekend it stays chilly all the way down look at the sky right now. we've got some sun peeking through. we have a couple of dark clouds. have no fear. the rain that made its entrance and kept the drizzle overnight, will be making its exit. over the next couple of hours we are expecting a decent temperature trend, into the 50s. slightly warmer in some spots. but it won't be by much. we're talking low 60s into the afternoon. a combination of sun and clouds with dry weather through tomorrow. latest on the coast to coast storm in the 8:00 half hour. >> all right, al, thank you. coming up lester holt sits down with steven spielberg the legendary director, opening up about the movie that changed his career and the lessons he hopes it still teaches 25 years later.

and harry smith goes for a ride with a paralyzed former race car driver. the incredible new technology helping him and others like him get back behind the wheel. plus, a celebration of top chef's return with a delicious recipe. first lance armstrong's first u.s. tv interview in nearly six years. what the former cyclist is saying about the life after his scandal and his future coming up right after this.

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today." a rare and remarkable interview with lance armstrong. >> the disgraced cyclist is speaking out about his rise, his fall and his hope for redemption. he had that conversation with cnbc's and drrew ross sorkin. andrew joins us. this is quite the conversation. >> good morning. you know, lance armstrong, the seven-time tour de france winner stripped, of course of those victories. he sat down and opened up for the very first time since that life-changing admission to oprah winfrey back in 2013. >> the last six years in a lot of ways has really sucked. it's been terrible. >> reporter: a blunt assessment from lance armstrong, vilified for lying to investigators about

his use of performance-enhancing drugs. armstrong was banned from competitive cycling in 2012 for life. and stripped of his record tour de france titles after he was called the ring leader of the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen. i think that people still six years on want to know whether you have been humbled, whether you are apologetic. >> funny. i get both sides of it. i get people that say he hasn't apologized enough. and then i get a lot of people that say, dude, stop apologizing. >> for now i'd just like a yes or a no. >> okay. >> reporter: armstrong first opened up about the controversy in a 2013 interview with oprah winfrey. >> yes or no. in all seven of your tour de france victories did you ever take banned substances or blood dope? >> yes. >> that interview came at an

interesting and difficult time and maybe in a lot of times too soon, but i knew i was going to be facing four or five different lawsuits. at that point in my life i wasn't going to be able to lie. i was going to have to be honest. >> reporter: did you think it worked? >> no, i don't think it worked. i think it did not work. for half of the room it wasn't enough. and then for the other half of the room, it was way too much. >> reporter: everyone had an opinion, even donald trump then hosting nbc's "the apprentice." >> donald trump the morning after wrote lance armstrong did himself great harm last night. lawsuits and failure will follow him. did you see that? >> i did see it. yeah. >> what did you think when you saw that? >> you have to remember this is six years ago. donald trump was just a loud mouth out trying to get attention. he's right. he's half right. he's going to cost himself a lot of money. we know that happened. and a lifetime of failure, but i don't feel like a failure. and i've never felt like a

failure since then. >> reporter: armstrong maintains that his actions were part of a rampant culture of doping in the sport of cycling at the time. i read recently that you said, if you could do it all over again, you'd do it the same way. is that true? >> what i would rather do is against seven in a row against everyone else drinking water and eating bread. i believe that would happen. >> he believes his high profile partly due to his live strong foundation caused the blowback against him to be greater than than it might be for someone else. >> i do think it's a double standard, but i'm okay with it. >> reporter: new york yankees star alex rodriguez, another prominent athlete who recently admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs was suspended for the season but later returned to the field.

>> a-rod didn't raise half a million dollars and try to save people's lives. it's great when somebody hits home runs and does an event here and there for the boy's and girl's club. this story held a place in people's hearts and minds that was way beyond those guys. >> reporter: armstrong is now focusing on building a new media brand which includes hosting two popular projects, starting his own investment company and spending time with his fiancee anna and his two children. while he bristles at being called a fraud, he acknowledges he has a long way to go to make amends. >> i don't know if it's fraud. you can call it what you want. it doesn't matter. fraud, betrayal, all of these things that we know people felt, that's on me. i'll spend the rest of my life trying to make that right. >> andrew, it's a bizarre conversation, because it sounds mea culpa. but other times, it sounds like he's essentially saying, yeah, i was bad, but these other guys were just as bad if not worse. you've talked to him over the

years, do you think he's truly remor remorseful? >> it's interesting, because it has been a journey for him and life is relative. i remember speaking to him years ago, and he is in a different place than he was then. having said that, he has tried to apologize on one side of it to the people that he lied and hurt. at the same time there is still that element that you're talking about where he still feels that he is the victim, and i think that remains very hard for some people to hear. >> all right. sorkin for us there. cnbc's andrew ross sorkin. thank you. >> fascinating. thank you. coming up, the story behind oscar winner diane keaton's lost wallet and how she just got it back after 50 years. first, these messages. the clarke st street crater, the mother of all potholes, for decades its tormented the people of this town, they've tried to fill it but it always returns, got me good. but you know state farms got you too. yeah. you hear that, you ain't nothing! are you trash talking a pothole?

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give the latest from patagonia plus gifts from the north face. every holiday starts at dick's! >> announcer: this i news special report remembering george h.w. bush. here's lester holt. good morning, everyone. we're coming on the air to bring you our continuing coverage of the nation's farewell to its 41st president george herbert walker bush. this morning, a final good-bye. the funeral at st. martin's episcopal church in houston, texas, where the president's body has been lying in repose since yesterday evening. yesterday, we saw the solemn ceremony at the national cathedral. today in houston, a more personal service attended by family and friends.

the president's closest friend james baker will deliver a eulogy. that train ride went to college station, texas and the george h.w. bush presidential library where the president been buried today beside his wife barbara and daughter robin. joining me andrea mitchell and chuck todd. but first, let's bring in kelly o'donnell outside of st. martin's church in houston to set the scene for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is the bush neighborhood, not far from where they live, at the church where they worship. in this community there has been an enormous outpouring, more than 12,000 visitors have come throughout the hours to pay their respects. and now from the bush's life here, that has been a big part of this farewell. the nation said good-bye on wednesday.

texas, the hometown, will say good-bye today. among the eulogists will be the man who brought him to the service, george prescott bush. and part of george h.w. bush's love of sports. many athletes will be a part of this today. they also turned out at the air force base to welcome the family home in washington. this will be personal. and it will be relevant to the life that the bushes lived. outside of the white house, outside of the white house years, where houston was home. lester. >> let me bring in chuck and tom. we're looking at the guest list. yesterday it was the past and present, looking at all of the presidents. today, as kelly noted, you're going to notice teri hatcher, chuck norris, arnold schwarzenegger and a lot of these sports names. >> my favorite thing is, they sent out the list, nolan ryan, of course, a hall of famer for

the houston astros and also a hall of famer for the texas rangers. this is 41 that we're honoring, not 43. and nolan ryan today is a houston astro. >> and tommy lasorda will be a guest as well. >> how about that. >> tommy is in advanced age. they had a great relationship because lasorda arrives in any room in america with something to say about what's going on around him. this is a reflection, i think, of the very personal side of the president, with the oak ridge boys playing there as well. >> there's tommy lasorda there stepping off the bus. i don't know if this is live or earlier. >> this is tape. this is him arriving earlier. >> it's my understanding, the basic divide, if you will, families, close friends west of the mississippi were invited to this service. and close friend east of the mississippi were invited to washington.

>> let me bring in andrea mitchell. ving james baker deliver the eulogy at this funeral, what's the significance of that versus the washington one? >> it's all texas. it's houston. these were the tennis partners, the doubles partners back in the day. and jim baker saying in recent days that his life might have been over, he might have been an alcoholic if george bush did not save him when jim baker's first wife died of cancer and he was left with four little boys to take care of. jim baker is probably the most accomplished public figure who has never figure. to george bush and managing his campaigns and also being so expert that nancy reagan plucked him from the bush team and made him chief of staff and campaign manager for ronald reagan back in 1980. so, he could bridge so many divides. and he was best friends. you saw him weeping in the cathedral yesterday. he was at his bedside.

he and his wife susan visited three or four time ossen that final day. he were neighbors, friends for life. >> as we watch family take their seats there in the church. i want to bring in michael beshloff and andy carr. let me ask andy, first, i guess maybe it's hard to answer this question, but without texas would there be the bushes as we know them? >> no. yes, they were old yankees, but the truth is, they became texans. and very proud texans. both the mom and the dad. and then george w. bush. he's texan through and through. george h.w. bush was born in milton, massachusetts. and george w. bush was born in connecticut. so, texas was very important to not just the politics the bushes brought, but also their sense of

adventure. and they were grounded in kind of the rough and tumble world of competition in the oil industry. and, you know, in texas, everybody celebrates everybody else's success. they love people who take risks. and george h.w. bush took a big risk going to odessa, texas and joining the oil industry, rather than go to wall street and work with his dad and all kind of stuff. and george w. bush became a real texan and proudly wore his cowboy boots. talked like a texan, played like a texan and was a texan, or is. >> and michael, we typically send our presidents off in a national funeral like we saw yesterday. how common it to have another funeral that's a little more unique to where they're from? >> well, that was exactly what we saw with the gerald ford funeral in 2006. i think we're almost beginning to ea template for presidential

memorial services which is big services in a national cathedral. and perhaps a smaller, more intimate service in a town that they felt home. that was sure of houston. george bush went there in 1959 to get in the offshore oil business, but he as wanted to get a start in politics. three years later, he ran for county chairman of the republican party. and i agree with what andy said, i think if george bush had not been a texan, he would not have been president. he anticipated the movement of the republican party from new england and the northeast, down to the southwest. if he had run, let's say, in 1988 as a moderate, let's say, a senator from connecticut, he would have had a much harder time. >> and here comes the family. >> well, the family is -- as we have seen, in the last few days,

a very large, very close, very athletic outgoing family, with the exception of one member. and that's marvin bush, the son who just never got involved in politics. he would talk about it in big events. this is not not interested in d >> i think that's why he became "w's" best friend rmgt t. >> the other jewel giual gist i bush. >> jim with wright never accepted him as a true texan. i believe i took his library to texas a&m in part because it is the quintessential texas institution. he could have gone to a number of schools like ut and other places, but he went there because he wanted to be

associated with the aggies. he wanted to be a part of the true blue texas kind of, if you will, dna. >> and it's interesting with houston. the reason houston so embraces the bush family is in some way he was, he is symbolic of how houston became houston, you know. houston is one of america's largest cities, not thanks to texans. thanks to yankees and thanks to northerners moving south, whether it was for a job, a lot of the oil industry. he was a northern immigrant into texas, but in many ways it's the modern republican party was built by many of these northern immigrants. >> you recall, we took "nightly news" -- of our across america series. >> and it is more cosmopolitan, not more, you know, it has a -- there is a texas feel to it, but it is a larger city where other

cities in texas sometimes feel -- >> to the extent that some are wondering is it political -- we are going to take you inside as this funeral begins. >> the life and faith of our 41st president, george herbert walker bush. if you would, please turn in your bulletins to page 6. let us sing together with strength, o beautiful for spacious skies. ♪ o beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ for amber waves of grain

♪ for purple mountains majesty ♪ above the fruited plain ♪ america america god shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ and crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ from sea to shining sea ♪ o beautiful for pilgrim feet ♪ whose stern impassioned

stress ♪ ♪ america america god shed his light on thee ♪

♪ >> please be seated. we have one anthem we are going to play. this was one of the anthems offered on the day of the 41st president's inauguration. this is my country.

♪ >> with faith in jesus christ, we receive the body of our brother george herbert walker bush for burial. let us pray with confidence to god, the giver of life, that he raises him to perfection in the company of the saints. deliver your servant george, o sovereign lord christ from all evil and set him free from every bond, that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations where with the father and the holy spirit you live and reign one god forever and ever, amen. let us also pray for all who mourn that they may cast their

care on god and know the consolation of his love. almighty go ahead, look with pity upon the sorrows of your servants for whom we pray. remember them, lord, in mercy. nourish them with patience. comfort them with a sense of your goodness. lift up your countenance upon them and give them peace through jesus christ, our lord, amen.

please stand. >> he that beliefth in me yet shall he live and who liveth and believeth in me shall never die. i know that my redeemer liveth and he shall stand on the latter day of the earth. i shall see god whom i shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold and not as a stranger. for none of us leffeth to himself, and no man dieth to

himself, for if we live, we live unto the lord. if we die, we die unto the lord. whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the lord's. blessed are the dead who die in the lord. even so, sayeth the spirit, for

they rest from their labors. >> let us sing together our national anthem. ♪ o say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at

the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪

♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave ♪ >> the lord be with you. remain standing. let us pray. o god, whose mercies cannot be numbered except our prayers on behalf of thy servant george herbert walker bush and grant george an entrance into the land of light and joy and the fellowship of thy saints, jesus christ, thy son, our lord, who liveth and reigneth with anthth the holy spirit, now and forever. amen. please be seated for the

lessons. >> a reading from lamentations. the stead fast love of the lord never ceases. his mercies never come to an end. they are new every morning. great is thy faithfulness. the lord is my portion, says my soul. therefore, i will hope in him. the lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. it is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the lord, for the lord will not cast off forever, but though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love, for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.

the word of the lord. >> today's appointed psalm is psalm 23. the lord is my shepherd, i shall not want. he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. he leadeth me beside the still waters. he restoreth my soul. he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. >> though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i will nfear no evil. >> thou prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. surely, goodness and mercy shall

follow me all the days of my life, and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever. >> my friends, we're here today in the house of the lord to say good-bye to a man of great faith and great integrity. a truly beautiful human being. and to honor his noble

character, his life of service, and the sweet memories he leaves for his friends, his family, and for our grateful nation. for more than 60 years, george herbert walker bush has been my friend and he's been my role model. today, as we entrust his soul to heaven, his name to history, and his memory to our hearts, i must begin with an apology. heffy, i'm about to do something you always hated and that your mother always told you not to do. brag about yourself. i will do this because it must be done, and because, as a lawyer, i see that thing beloved by all lawyers. a loophole.

now, don't brag about yourself, you once wrote. let others point out your virtues, your good points. well, today, mr. president, i am that other. with the special privilege and joy of sharing your good points. as we have heard and as we know, george bush was a charter member of the greatest generation. as we gather here to salute him, his incredible service to our nation and the world are already etched in the marble of time. after becoming the youngest naval aviator, he served in increasingly responsible positions on behalf of his country. congressman, ambassador to china, and to the united nations, director of the cia and vice president. then, as history will faithfully

record, he became one of our nation's finest presidents and beyond any doubt our nation's very best one-term president. for millions and millions across the globe the world became a better place because george bush occupied the white house for four years. he was not considered a skilled speaker. but his deeds were quite eloquent, and he demonstrated their eloquence by carving them into the hard granite of history. they expressed his moral character, and they reflected his decency, his boundless kindness and consideration of others, his determination always to do the right thing, and always to do that to the very best of his ability.

they testify to a life nobly lived. he possessed the classic virtues of our civilization and of his faith. the same virtues that express what is really best about this country. these same ideals were known to and they were shared by our founding fathers. george bush was temperate and thought in word and in deed. he considered his choices, and then he chose wisely. the berlin wall fell in november 19 1989, less than one year into his presidency. it was a remarkable triumph for american foreign policy as joyous east and west germans danced on the remains of that hated wall, george bush could have joined them metaphorically

and claimed victory for the west, for america, and, frankly, for himself. but he did not. he knew better. he understood that humility toward and not humiliation of a fallen adversary was the very best path to peace and reconciliation. and so he was able to unify germany as a member of the north atlantic treaty organization, notwithstanding the initial reservations of france, the united kingdom, and the soviet union. thus, the cold war ended. not with a bang, but with the sound of a halyard over the kremlin on a cold night in december 1991 as the flag of the soviet union was lowered for the very last time.

need we ask about george bush's courage? during world war ii, he risked his life in defense of something greater than himself. decades later when saddam hussein invaded kuwait in august 1990 and began to brutalize kuwaitis, george bush never wavered. this will not stand, he said, and he got the rest of the world to join him in reversing that aggression. yes, he had the courage of a warrior, but when the time came for prudence, he always maintained the greater courage of a peacemaker. he ended the wars in central america. he signed two nuclear arms reduction treaties, and he brought israel and all of its arab neighbors together face to face for the first time to talk peace. his deeds for his fellow man always spoke for him.

give someone else a hand, he would say. and he did. when a friend is hurting, show that you care, he would say, and he did. be kind to people, he would say, and he was. to the parents of a young son who lost -- a young son lost to cancer, he wrote, "i hope you will live the rest of your lives with only happy memories of that wonderful son who is now safely tucked in god's loving arms around him." his wish for a kinder, gentler nation was not a cynical political slogan. it came honest and unguarded from his soul. after they left the white house, george and barbara bush continued to display their compassion for others. their dedication to the points of light, the barbara bush

foundation for family literacy, and countless other charities is a model for all former first families past, present, and future. to these virtues we can add one more source of his character. his family. as a friend once put it, george bush believed that family is a source of both personal strength and the values one needs to face life. and, of course, history has shown that few families have accomplished as much as his has. barbara wrote the book on how to be a great first lady. his legacy lives on with his children who have contributed so very much to making our nation great. and who knows what the future will bring for his grandchildren and their children. i have always been proud that george bush used to describe our

relationship as one of big brother and little brother. he used to say that one of the things he liked best about me was that i would always tell him what i thought, even when i knew he didn't want to hear it. then we would have a spirited discussion about that issue, but he had a very effective way of letting me know when the discussion was over. he would look at me he said, baker, if you're so smart, why am i president and you're not? he was a leader and he knew it. my hope is that in remembering the life of george herbert walker bush and in honoring his accomplishments we will see that we are really praising what is best about our nation. the nation he dearly loved and whose values he embodied.

there is more to say than time permits, and anyway, when measured against the eloquence of george bush's character and life, our words are very inadequate. and so i conclude these remarks with his words. written some years ago to his old tennis buddy, "we have known each other a long time," he wrote to me. we have shared joy and sadness. time has indeed gone swiftly by. now it races on each faster, and that makes me treasure even more this line of william butler yates about where man's glory begins and ends. namely, with friends. my glory is i have you as such a friend. to which i reply, on behalf of his friends here today, across america, and throughout the

world, we rejoice, mr. president, that you are safely tucked in now and through the ages with god's loving arms around you because our glory, george, was to have had you as our president and as such a friend. had you as our president and as such a friend. >> good morning.

today i stand before you as the oldest grandson as the man i knew as gampy. george h.w. bush was the most gracious, decent, humble man i will ever know. we're here to give thanks for his extraordinary life. i would like to talk about things he was thankful for. my grandfather was thankful for his family. when he began running for president in 1988, my grandfather released a campaign book outlining his views for the future. the book opened with a letter to a grandson. it was addressed to me and recounted some of our recent experiences together in maine. pete, the letter read, i've been thinking about it a lot. the most fun was the big rock boat, climbing out on it, near the end of summer when the moon

was full, the tides were high. there was a special day when the boat seemed real. in those few words my grandfather said more about his life than i could say. here's a man gearing up for the role of a lifetime, yet his mind went back to his family. he found time to talk about an imaginary boat he built with his grandson. he would wake up around 5:00 a.m. and review security briefings. when the coast was clear, all the grandkids would try to grab a spot on the bed and nestle up between him and gamy. he would be the first to host intense horse shoe match ups among family, secret service or any willing head of state. while encouraging trash talk like power outage if your horse

shoe was short or wood row wilson if your shoe was long and you hit the back stop. his typical spread was barbecue, tacos with hot sauce and blue bell ice cream with sauce. at the end of the night he would challenge all the grandkids to win the first asleep award. he would write letters of encouragement to us all, whether one of us had a hard semester at school, whether one of us, not me, drove his fidelity on to the rocks, or whether one of us, not me, ended up in gamy's cross hairs. he wrote an email to us all saying the only thing wrong with

the last five montecihs is none you were here enough. i had to give up fly fishing off the rocks in maine, but there are plenty of wonderful things to do. i think of you a lot. i wonder how you're all doing in school and in life. if you need me, i'm here for you because i love you very much. in the psalms god makes a promise to show him my salvation. we know my gampy led a long and joyful life. my grandfather was thankful for his country. he was grateful to lead a country where people can go as far and fast as their dreams take them. individuals working alone or in groups can help their individual man, a bright home for america he evoked so brilliantly when he

spoke of 1,000 points of light. he spoke about duty, honor, country, the values that sustained the republic. this wasn't something he just talked about. it was something he lived. having flown 58 combat missions and shot down and rescued at sea he never saw his own heroism being greater than anyone else that wore the uniform. he was proud when walker joined the marine and i joined the navy. our service never compared to his, yet we could never convince him of that. in our times together, our big wonderful family saw the personal goodness that led to his recognized historical greatness. he left a simple, yet profound legacy to his children, grandchildren and country. when the last words are written on him, they will include this,

the fulfillment of a complete life cannot be achieved without service to others. you should know my grandfather was thankful for his god. he once told us god is good, but his love has a cost. we must be good to one another. it was his faith and love for others that fulfilled him, that drove him, that led him to a life of public service. here in houston at a prayer breakfast he once reflected on his time on the deck of the submarine that rescued him after he was shot down in world war ii. he went on the deck, stood the watch and looked in the dark. he said the sky was clear, the stars were brilliant, there was a calm inner peace. halfway around the world in a war zone, a calm inner peace. god's therapy. today, after 94 years, the heavy hand of time has claimed the

life of my gamps. in death as in life, my grandfather has won. he has exchanged his earthly burdens for a heavenly home and is at peace. george h.w. bush is the most gracious, most decent, most humble man i will ever know. it's the honor of a lifetime to share his name. god bless you, gampy, until we meet again. maybe on that rock boat we built together.

>> the first letter of paul. i will show you a still more excellent way. if i speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, i am a noisy gong. if i have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if i have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love i am nothing. if i give away all my possessions and hand over my body so i may boast, but do not have love i gain nothing. love is patient. love is kind. love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. it does not insist on its own way. it is not irritable or resentful. it does not rejoice in wrong

doing, but rejoices in the truth. it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. >> love never ends. as for pro at the sis they will come to an end. as for knowledge, it will come to an end. we know only in part. when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. when i was a child i spoke like a child, i thought like a child, i reasoned like a child. when i become an adult, i put an end to childish ways. for now we see in a mirror dimly. now i know only in part, then i will know fully even as i have

been fully known. >> now faith, hope and love abide these three and the greatest of these is love. the word of the lord. >> a favorite him of the president's "eternal father strong to save." we'll sing the first two verses before the gospel, the last two after the gospel. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ >> the holy gospel of our lord jesus christ, according to john. martha said to jesus, lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. even now i know that god will give you whatever you ask of him. jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. martha said to him, i know that he will rise again in the r resurrection on the last day.

jesus said to her i am the life. those who believe in me even though they die will live. everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. do you believe this? she said to him, yes, lord, i believe that you are the mess messiah, the son of god, the one coming into the world. the gospel of the lord. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ >> bow your heads for prayer. god, the source of all life my our eyes and hearts this day give thanks for this remarkable life. may our eyes and hearts turn to you as did the heart of this great man. in christ name i pray, amen. a few days before barbara bush's death, i was called to the bush home and the president asked me

to pray with her. i went and knocked on her door and barbara answered, hello, russ. i'm not checking out yet. we talked for a bit. i asked permission to anoint her head with oil and pray with her. we did. we prayed. i left and then she called me to come back in. are you okay, i said? she said yes. just tell him i adore him. today we are gathered to celebrate the life of a man that we all adored. at the beginning of a journey

that began june 12, 1924 george herbert walker bush was born into the cradle of a loving family that held fast to the values of friendship and family and faith, of integrity, honesty and loyal, of character, courage and service. now at the end of that journey that cradle that sustained him throughout his 94 years of life has released him into the loving arms of his heavenly father. the end depends on the beginning. this is a good ending because from the very beginning george bush was committed to a life, not for himself, but for others. so we gather today charged with three tasks. saying good-bye, giving our thanks and lifting up our lives to hope. bidding fare well is the hardest of these tasks because we must

acknowledge the world is not the same without this great man. the plates of our world have shifted. in today's world we sometimes recoil at the complex emotions, instead of shedding tears of grief that honor our loved ones. george bush was never afraid to shed tears. today i bid you to follow his example. we also gather to give thanks for the actions of this incredible public servant who improved the lives of so many around the world, across the nation and in our great state of texas and our beloved city of houston. each of us gathered here today join untold millions around the globe to mourn the death of one of history's greatest leaders. we have lost more than a leader.

he, like his wife of over 70 years barbara, had that unique ability to make you feel like he was your best friend and you were his. he pulled it off with charm and humility and humor with few, if any, rivals. however you do it today whether through quiet meditation, or quiet remembrance, give thanks his life brushed up against yours. good-bye, thank you. there is one more thing we come to do and that is lift up our lives to hope. what i mean by that, well, president bush was a man of faith. a faith that sustained him in this life. the president and barbara bush were active members of this church for over 50 years. in a talk the president gave here in 1982 he spoke of his

love for st. martin's, his memories of teaching sunday school. he said i remember sitting in the back and how my pew wiggled and shook as our four boys and sometimes doro got the giggles. how many of you can say of the christmas present my grandson was a shepherd in 1980 and his sister and angel both in the same year. as he was giving this talk, barbara said did it ever occur to you they both made it because you had just been elected vice president? there was a deeper purpose in his faith. in an open letter to clergy across the united states just before his inauguration, the president elect bush wrote

worship is basic to my own life. our family has endeavored to uphold our faith by participation in the life of our church. in an address two years into his presidency he recalled president lincoln's response at the height of the civil war when asked if he thought the lord was on lincoln's side. lincoln responded my concern is not whether god is on our side, but whether we are on god's side. make no mistake about it, george bush was on god's side. it's why together we carefully chose the lessons for this service which i hope you'll take home and read and reflect upon. they're lessons that speak of the love of god and the comfort of god and the hope of life eternal given to us through his son jesus christ. martin of tours is the patron saint of this parish. he's known for tearing his cloak

in two to cover a barely dressed beggar. he did so instinct ifly knowing it was the right thing to do. only later was it revealed to him in a dream his self-less act clothed christ himself. those of us fortunate to worship with george and barbara bush witnessed a simply self-lessness as we worshipped together, they never made a show or fuss of arriving or leaving. they loved to spend time with the members here. they had a favorite spot right over there. if they arrived and someone beat them to it, they never created a problem. in fact, particularly crowded days, christmas and easter, they often released their seats to a mother overloaded with children or a son with his elderly parents. one particularly cold day as the president came in the back, he was met by an usher who didn't have on an overcoat.

aren't you cold the president asked? the young man said, i'm fine. before he could finish his sentence, the president whipped off his own coat and placed it around the man's shoulders and he walked in with a smile and without another word. george bush loved our lord and knew our lord loved him. it was that connection that birthed in the 41st president a desire to serve. a few years ago the president and i discussed his deteriorating health. at the time he didn't know how that struggle would end and he put a question to me about as simply as anybody could. he said what do you think heaven's like? it was a confident statement, one that be spoke of a resolute faith. he didn't want to know if there was a heaven or whether he would

be there, he just wanted to know what it was like. he was ready for heaven and heaven was ready for him. my guess is that on december 30th when the president arrived in heaven that barbara was standing there with her hands on her hips saying what took you so long? then a big old texas-sized hug from his wife and daughter with the words we adore you. his very first act, after being sworn into office as the 41st president, was to lead our nation in prayer. as the end depends on the beginning, as we say our

good-byes, i want to invite you to pray in honor and thanksgiving and celebration of this man that we know and love, this man we adore. would you bow your heads. this was his prayer on the day of his inauguration. it's his first act as president. heavenly father we bow our heads and thank you for your love. accept our thanks for the peace that yields this day and the shared faith that makes its continue wa continue i can't answer likely. make us strong to do your work, willing to heed your will and write on our hearts these words, use power to help people, for we are given power not to advance

our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. there is but one just use of power and it is to serve people. help us remember, lord. amen. >> we're here, sir. we told you we would be. it's an honor. we first sang for him in october

of 1983 on the lawn of the white house when he was vice president and he said fellas -- he always called us fellas. would you sing me a few songs? i'm a big fan. for decades we have sang for him. this is again a real honor to be here. what a lot of people may not know he fancied himself to be a good bass singer. he was not. we'll sing for our president. ♪ amazing grace how sweet the sound ♪ ♪ that saved a wretch like me

♪ i once was lost but now am found ♪ ♪ was blind but now i see ♪ was grace that taught my heart to fear ♪ ♪ and grace my fears relieved ♪ how precious did that grace appear the hour i first believed ♪

♪ when we've been there 10,000 years ♪ ♪ bright shining as the sun ♪ we know less faith to sing god's grace ♪ ♪ than when we first begun >> in the church, which was the president's tradition, we stand

to say things we believe. in the sure and certain hope of resurrection i invite you to turn to page four. i believe in god the father all mighty, maker of heaven and earth, in jesus son his only son our lord who was conceived by the holy ghost, born of the virgin mary, was crucified dead and buried. he descended into hell and the third day he rose again. he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of god. from then he shall judge the dead. i believe in the holy ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the resurrection of the body and the