shockwaves through the gop. another establishment candidate loses to a tea party favorite, and what yet to come? >> the shakeup. everybody in the world of education is watching. a powerful controversial reformer. tonight, her job is in deep jedd jeopardy. the leader of iran, what he thinks about the fate of those jailed hikers and the controversial plan to put an islamic center near ground zero 679 tonight, the fate of a pill is hanging in the balance. and saying goodbye to edwin

newman. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. if there is a a lesson from last night, here it is. the tea party is for real, in case anyone had any doubts. and within the republican party, you could see some veteran politicians adjusting to that idea after watching a few establishment politicians go down to defeat last night. they were primary elections last night in a number of important places and races. the message of voter discontent, loud and clear. while that was last night's result, and november is something else entirely, lots of people awoke to a new political reality today. but there's a lot of that going around, starting in delaware where our own kelly o'donnell starts us off this evening. >> reporter: good evening,

brian. tonight, democrats and tea party supporters are excited about the big upset here, each believing it can help their causes. while republican officials are trying to figure out how to win with a candidate they did not want. up early to face a rash of national attention and new scrutiny. tea party conservative christine o'donnell defied the republican regulars who openly mocked her. even today, no congratulations from her gop opponent. >> he won't endorse me. >> reporter: her family and friends pause for a prayer as she made the media rounds. >> thank you, thank you. that is an exciting night last night. >> reporter: tea party upsets like hers have triggered a republican party civil war. >> i am perplexed about what's going on with karl rove.

>> reporter: karl rove insists republicans will lose the seat because she has said "nutty things." >> if she worked as hard for me as he is against me, then i have no doubt we can win. roit critics claim she's taken extreme positions on social and moral positions, saying that viewing pornography was like cheating on your spouse. >> that was a long time ago, i've matured in a lot of my positions. i am a practicing catholic. >> reporter: democratic officials labeled her ultraright wing. but joe biden told msnbc's rachel madow democrats should not be overconfident about winning his old seat. >> i think in my state, this new republican candidate is going to have an awful lot of money. i think you're going to see it pouring in. >> reporter: analysises say republican leaders were so focused and call lieu kating on a general election win, they

misjudged the anger channeled by o'donnell. >> to simply shun a candidate who did win the republican endorsement in delaware i think is counterproductive toward that end. >> reporter: today, a sudden turn around as national gop officials warm to o'donnell and donated to her campaign. >> i look forward to electing christine the next senator from the state of delaware. >> reporter: in new hampshire, the tight senate gop primary wasn't over until this afternoon. endorsed by sarah palin and party officials narrow he overcame a more conservative activist. and new hampshire's democrat is an imcome want. because her win was so unexpected and she's never held office before, so many of her public views and comments and positions are just being fully vetted now. brian? >> kelly o'donnell starting us

off tonight. a few other big races to note here. here in new york state, another win for tea party supporters, carl paladino from buffalo, defeated rick lazio in the primary. also here in new york, charlie rangel won renomination to congress in his harlem district despite ethics problems. and in washington, d.c., voters fired their mayor. while it was just a city mayor's race, that washington election result last night was heard across the country by those who follow education reform. that's because the defeat of mayor fenty means the departure of a big reformer. michelle ree is the chancellor of schools in d.c. this comes just as her profile is about to explode even bigger because of a new film called

"waiting for superman." that premieres tonight in washington. our own tom costello is there for us. >> reporter: good evening, brian. we're at the museum, waiting for the premiere. michelle has been the national symbol on education reform and admits she probably played a part in the mayor losing his job. so the question now, what happens to d.c. schools? for nearly four years, michelle ree has been on a warpath. along with the mayor, overhauling a school district many regard with national disgrace. closing 26 schools, laying off 470 teachers, she called underperforming, and demanding accountability from those who remain. there are signs of slow improvement. in three years, math proficiency scores have gone to 43%.

still snod good enough. >> it's only half of our children that are on grade level. so when i look at how much still yet has to be done, it's daunting. >> reporter: championed by education reform activists, she appears in a new movie "waiting for superman." >> you wake up every morning and you know that kids are getting a crappie education right now. >> reporter: she alienated teachers, parents and voters. >> i think she's smart and knows what she's doing. but she is a bull in a china shop. she's charging around without understanding this is politics. >> i make decisions as a mother. when i'm thinking about closing down a school, i think about it from the perspective of, is this a school i would feel comfortable having my own child in. >> reporter: she ease engaged to

the sacramento mayor, but today the man who will be washington's next mayor declined to say whether he wants her to say. >> let me assure everybody also that we're not going to be turning back any clocks on school reform. we're going to be moving full speed ahead. >> reporter: she said if she had to do it over again she would communicate better, but has no regrets about any decisions she's made. >> tom, thanks. while we're on this subject, we want to let you know starting september 26th, nbc news and all the networks of nbc universal, include thing broadcast, will shine a spotlight on education in america, with a huge gathering here in new york and a series of reports we're calling "education nation." and now to an nbc news exclusive. andrea mitchell was granted an exclusive interview today with iranian president mahmoud

ahmadinejad inside the presidential palace in tehran. they talked about a number of things, including the fate of the american hikers and the plan to build that islamic center in downtown manhattan. andr andrea, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. iran's president personally intervened to get sarah shourd released because of her medical problems. but when it came to the tough questions, tough details of subjects like the two other american hikers still in jail, and the international criticism today of iran's nuclear program, well, then he was defiant. iran's president mahmoud ahmadinejad wanted americans to know that sarah shourd had been released on compassionate grounds but the fate of shane bauer and josh fattal --

>> i think we should let the judge decide about the case. i think this is the greatest help to all of them. >> reporter: iran's government has been encouraging protests all week, trying to exploit anger against the u.s. because of threats to burn the koran. and the opposition to the proposed islamic cultural center. in our interview, president ahmadinejad seized the anti-muslim tension as a zionist conspiracy in america. >> translator: i should say there is no conflict between the two countries. we should find where the problem is. i ask this question -- do the people of the united states hate the muslims? is that so? that's not true. muslims do not hate americans, either. this is nothing to do with the people here. that has nothing to do with cultures. we believe that there is a

minority in a united states, and they are zionists. they have no religion. they believe in no religion and they have no culture. they are always thinking for their material interests. they are against all religions. against all divine books. against all divine prophets. their interest lies in hostility with nations of the world, and the hostility -- their interests lie in creating wars and conflicts. >> reporter: he suggested that so-called zionists are stopping president obama from improving relations with iran. >> translator: maybe president obama wants to do something. but there are pressures -- pressure grouches ps in the uni states who do not allow him to

do something. even if he wants to do something, there are certain groups that don't allow him. >> reporter: you're suggesting that president obama doesn't have -- doesn't have the -- as commander in chief and leader of the united states does not have the decision making power over what he does? >> translator: do you really think president obama can do anything he wishes, too? he does not say so even. there are different political groups and more important, there are zionists there. we say if he wants to do something, there are certain groups who do not allow him to do so. >> reporter: president ahmadinejad rejected today's demands by the u.n. watch dog nuclear agency to let inspectors back in. he said he would not let that happen, but senior u.s. officials tell me that if he continues to defy the u.n. on this, that could lead to a major

confrontation with the u.s. brian? >> andrea mitchell there today in tehran. we have another storm update for you tonight. tropical storm carl has come ashore in mexico's yucatan peninsula. hurricane igor in the middle, the strongest atlantic hurricane in three years, continues to churn in the mid-atlantic. and hurricane julia is strengthening further west. by the way, both these storms reached category 4 intensity today. that's the first time we've had two category 4s in the atlantic at the same time since 1926. when we continue in just a moment, will the fda take one of the few remaining diet drugs off the market? and later, remembering one of the greats. the wise, whitey, and wonderful mr. newman of nbc news. ice cream please ? i have se

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it is the holy grail of the drug industry, they say. an effective, safe pill for weight loss. but it still doesn't exist, and fda advisory panel today took a good, hard look at a diet drug that's been on the market for a long time and half the panel members said this one, like many before it, should be taken off the market. we get our report on this tonight from our correspondent robert bazell. >> reporter: it's one of only two weight loss medications available by prescription. and it's been on the market for 13 years. but a recent study of 9,000 people over six years raised serious concerns. on average, subjects lost only five pounds and experienced a 16% increase in heart attacks and strokes. the problems follow a long string of diet drugs causing

heart problems. >> our arsenal is minimal. we have two drugs that we can use. >> reporter: despite the failures, drug companies are trying to develop new medications for a market that could bring in billions a year. but it is a tough challenge. >> when you're dealing with something as profoundly basic as the organisms desire to consume food, it's not all that likely that we're going to be able to find one drug that is able to go to exactly the appetite center and zap it, and not do anything else. >> the risk greatly exceeds the benefit. >> reporter: the fda panel's advice, the pull the diet drug off the market or restrict it, is a huge disappointment to janet gebhart. she says meridia helped her. >> i understand people have concerned about the health risks, but at the same time, there are lots of drugs that people have concerns about. >> reporter: lately attention has turned to two newly approved

devices which use lasers or freeze fat cells to contour the body at a cost up to $3,000. another approach but no magic bullet for weight loss. robert bazell, nbc news, new york. when we come back, another health issue. the latest place where we're told the bed bugs are biting in this country. it's just so frustrating. the middle of this special moment and i need to run off to the bathroom. i'm fed up with always having to put my bladder's needs ahead of my daughter. so today i'm finally talking to my doctor about overactive bladder. [ female announcer ] if you're suffering, today is the day to talk to your doctor and ask about prescription toviaz. one toviaz pill a day significantly reduces sudden urges and accidents all day and all night. plus, toviaz comes with a simple plan

with tips on food and drink choices. if you have certain stomach problems or glaucoma or cannot empty your bladder, you should not take toviaz. toviaz can cause blurred vision and drowsiness, so use caution when driving or doing unsafe tasks. the most common side effects are dry mouth and constipation. [ jackie ] i asked my doctor about toviaz. and today i'm looking forward to my daughter's wedding. [ female announcer ] why wait? ask about toviaz today. you don't love me anymore do you billy? what? i didn't buy this cereal to sweet talk your taste buds it's for my heart health. good speech dad. [ whimper ] [ male announcer ] honey nut cheerios tastes great and its whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. bee happy. bee healthy.

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say she could not get confirmed by the senate. scary sight in louisiana. a massive fish kill. it looks like a gravel road. and it would be easy to jump to the conclusion that the bp oil spill must be to blame for this. but believe it or not, no. scientists say when the tide went out, it created a pool just two feet deep. fish were trapped. all the oxygen was depleted. experts say these kinds of mass kills are not uncommon in that area this time of year. huge land marks have been reached. more women than men in this country earned ph.d.s as of the last academic year. the margin is small but part of a steady trend, although in some disciplines, like engineering, math, computer sciences, women earning ph.d.s are a distinct

minority. confirming the worst fears of the bed bug outbreak, two more colleges reporting them. these are in the carolinas. they reported closing dorms, emptying them out for decontamination after the discovery of bed bugs. when we come back, remembering a family member who was watched by millions of americans. [ female announcer ] good friends never run out of things to talk about... and during endless shrimp at red lobster, you can keep the conversation going over endless servings of your favorite shrimp. from classics like garlic shrimp scampi and decadent shrimp pasta... to new creations, like crunchy parmesan shrimp. our best value of the year, endless reasons to get together. during endless shrimp, right now at red lobster. we've been best friends since we were two. we've always been alike.

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tonight, we are forced to say goodbye to a long-time and beloved member of our nbc news family. the veteran newsman edwin newman, he did it right, starting in radio in world war ii and then on television with nbc for more than 30 years until his retirement. he wasn't known for his bombast or volume or his opinions but for his way with words. it made him one of the very best of all-time. >> my name is ed newman and i'm one of nbc's london responds. >> president johnson has declared this a national day of mourning. >> when it got bad, he was good

to have edwin newman's calming presence on the air. as it was during the coverage of the assassinations that marked our times. >> the lives of all of us of today have been profoundly changed. >> president kennedy, senator kennedy and martin luther king, jr. and the attempt on ronald reagan's life. >> the president was shot and wounded. >> he reported from all over the world but he understood home the best. he explained who we were in political coverage. he was one of the first to serve as a convention floor correspondent and he moderated two presidential debates. >> the first question will go to governor carter. >> we watched him on "meet the press" and huntley brinky, the forerunner of "nightly news." he conducted countless interviews, including the first and only televised conversation, with japanese emperor hiro h

hito. he was a serious guy that never took himself too seriously. he had a great sense of hue nor and used it. >> here is mr. news, ed newman. >> ladies and gentlemen, edwin newman! >> and there was that famous appearance as host of "saturday night live" back in 1984. ♪ please don't talk about me when i'm gone ♪ >> he could carry a tune as well. and we're violating ed's wishes by talking about him, but it was words he loved because he loved the language. he looked after it so well. he was a guardian of the english language, both written and spoken. he corrected grammar wherever he found it being misused or mistreated, in our newsroom or in public. and he wrote two best sellers on the topic. and he showed the way for the

generations that came up behind him. he was living in england when he died at the age of 91. for us, that is our broadcast for this wednesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we sure hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. good night. everyone knows a fee is a tax. you raised some taxes during that period, particularly the property tax as well as a lot of fee increases. as you know, there's a big difference between fees and taxes. but...they're the same. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. it's a tax. there's a big difference between fees and taxes. fees and taxes are one in the same.