on this saturday night, the loss of an american hero. >> that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. >> tonight we remember neil armstrong. >> state of emergency isaac proves deadly tearing towards the caribbean. millions on alert in the keys from tampa to louisiana. tonight the latest track as a huge storm takes aim at the gulf. >> this is "nbc nightly news"

with lester holt. >> good evening it is fair to say no single event of the modern era has held the awe and fascination that we witnessed 33 years ago when neil armstrong was the first man on the moon. fitting to his words one giant leap for mankind he would be decorated. he inspired a generation to believe that anything was possible. we learned "today" thtoe today s dead. >> reporter: they are words forever etched in the memory transmitted from 240,000 miles

away. >> that is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. >> with those words neil armstrong gently touched his foot down on the moon. minutes later, armstrong describeed to all of us what it was like. >> it was a stark beauty all its own. much like the high desert of the united states. different but very pretty out here. >> americans were first introduced to armstrong in 1962. he was the quiet farm kid from ohio who became a test pilot and a rising star at nasa. in 1969, the soft spoken armstrong spoke to nbc about what he expected. >> i hope it will be relatively mild.

there is no intension to make a smooth touchdown that you might expect in a helicopter of a plane. >> it was anything but smooth. as the spacecraft was headed straight for a boulder field. he flew to a safe landing in the lunar dust. >> lights on forward, forward, 40 feet down two and a hast picking up some dust. >> and then the message that meant humans accomplished something truly unbelievable. >> houston, the eagle has landed. >> back home the crew of apollo 11 were hailed as true american heros. but neil armstrong never cashed in on his fame or name recognition. instead returning to ohio to teach. never signing an autograph that

could be auctioned to the highest bidder. he talked to the "today" show in 1984. >> i think it was about 99% dedication of the people who put our spat spacecraft together and ensured it worked the way it was supposed to work. >> he was a reluctant hero, but every bit a hero. >> he celebrated the 40th anniversary of the mission. >> young minds in our own country and around the world now believe they can do great things and they can. >> anyone old nenough to remembr knows where they were on that day in 1969. i was six years old, lester and my dad got me out of bed and he shook me and said do not forget this day. and he never did. my wife had a similar experience with her father.

the world remembers tonight. >> thank you, nbc's jay barbery has covered every manned space mission in history. he was the first to break the news today. jay, it was good to have you here. it was a prevledge, you introduced me to neil armstrong. tell me about the kind of man that he was that he shunned the celebrity that would go with something as monumentales as landing on the moon. >> he was a good man. he would appreciate us remembering his death of ours. he would be most pleased if what he accomplished here on earth during his 82 years was remembered by those who would come again and if they would continue the progress here in space. >> i know you lost a very close friend and we thank you for

sharing your thoughts with us on this day. >> we want to turn to another major story tonight. tropical storm isaac picking up staem as it barrels towards the caribbean. right now we want to go to weather channel meteorologist mike seidel in cuba feeling the effects of the storm. good evening. >> reporter: good evening lester. isaac left haiti behind today and hit cuba pretty hard. cuban television reporting wave heights as high as 20 feet. all flights have been suspended at the airport. cubans have been bussed to federal shelters. that is about the only way they can get out. tonight as the storm ride as long the coast, it will dump a lot of rain along the island

nation. winds will be gusting upwards of 60 miles-an-hour and tonight the real threat is the water out here in the straights, water temperatures are running above average. the water temperature here is 87 degrees, that is fuel for the fire, we are more than likely to have a hurricane on our hands by this tomorrime tomorrow. >> we want to bring in brian norcross from the weather channel. >> this is a threatening storm for the u.s. let's take a look at where it is right now. it is not too far. the center of it, actually from the cuban coast. that curl there is the sen tice. it is moving in the direction of south florida. 60-mile-an-hour top winds just north of the cuban coast. let's track it. there is the center right now and here we are, this evening

here we go through the night, through tomorrow into late tomorrow afternoon 4:00 tomorrow afternoon eastern time in the vicinity of key west and there is the spaer ear influence the strongest wind stlz s in the lo keys. extremely warm fuel there. close enough to be in the spear of influence of significant wind. we have computer models that take it both to the right and to the left in the general direction of new orleans all of the gulf coast threatened on tuesday. rising water along the coast 2-4 along the keys and 5-7 along the naples area. tampa bay up to 3-5 feet if it comes in near high tide. which it looks like it is going to be close on tuesday. this forecast will be refined.

this could be disruptive to everything going on in tampa. >> tampa as we know the home of the republican convention. as the storm makes its way across cuba toward our shores it first hit the island of hispaniola killing at least three people in haiti. as people are still living in tents there. mark potter has the report for us. >> reporter: in port-au-prince a river rolls close to a tent camp housing thousands left homeless by the earthquake. leaving residents again without places to live. charles spent the day picking up pieces and trying to rebuilt his tent in the rain in the mud.

the rain he said is what knocked him down. a man known as little brother lost his tent and carried his son out of the camp hoping to find shelter somewhere else. as the day wore on, everyone here worried about this river hoping it wouldn't swell further and that the lovy would hold. mile away at a bigger tent camp, residents made their way through the mud and tried to resume their lives. at a nearby school women and babies sought shelter from the blowing rains in the middle of the night after the tents blew down. >> these families are losing everything that they had. all of their stuff a very wet and they are in the mud. >> with the rain still falling many here were beginning to clean up all of the mess. in a country that has seen so much misery, there is now even more. mark potter nbc news

port-au-prince, haiti. >> tonight florida's governor declares a state of emergency. key west at the southern tip of florida you are seeing here on this live picture will be first to feel the effects. commercial airlines have added extra airlines out. mi on florida's gulf coast folks there are taking no chances. tom good evening. >> reporter: lester, in 24 hours conditions here in southwest florida are expected to worsen. hurricane warnings are in place from naples and points south, but because this is a massive storm, an entire region is br e bracing for isaac. florida on alert. in key west, businesses are shutting down and boarding up with isaac expected to strengthen to hurricane force and barrelling through this

popular vacation spot. further north for myers resid t residents have a short window to prepare. this woman is hoping 40 sandbags will keep her bed and breakfast dry. >> we are only two feet above sea level. >> even the storm's projected path runs west of the coast line, the effects will be widespread. even forcing the precautionary closing of the port of miami >> this is a state that has dealt with hurricanes forever. we are a state that we know we have to get prepared for hurricanes. >> in tampa where 70,000 are expected for monday's republican convention, organizers are preparing but hoping isaac won't flood downtown. the storm could have an impact on the nation's energy supplies.

oil companies are suspending drilling in the gulf of mexico. plywood is a hot item. this small community was pounded by hurricane charlie in 2004 and once again another storm is threatening. >> i don't know what i'm going to do. >> and many schools here have cancelled classes for monday. emergency shelters are opening up and because southwest florida is so difficult to evacuate officials say if families are going to leave they should do it now. >> still ahead, hurricane or not, republicans are just 48 hours away from kicking off their big party in tampa and today both sides came out brings and later that moment caught on tape at the empire state buildings. ♪

one a day men's 50+ is a complete multi-vitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. ♪ it has more of seven antioxidants to support cell health. that's one a day men's 50+ healthy advantage. insuring that stuff must be a pain. nah, he's probably got... [ dennis' voice ] allstate. they can bundle all your policies together. lot of paperwork. [ doug's voice ] actually... [ dennis' voice ] an allstate agent can help do the switching and paperwork for you. well, it probably costs a lot. [ dennis' voice ] allstate can save you up to 30% more when you bundle. well, his dog's stupid. [ dennis' voice ] poodles are one of the world's smartest breeds. ♪ bundle and save with an allstate agent. are you in good hands? tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and the streetsmart edge trading platform from charles schwab...

tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 gives me tools that help me find opportunities more easily. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 i can even access it from the cloud and trade on any computer. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 and with schwab mobile, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 i can focus on trading anyplace, anytime... tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 until i choose to focus on something else. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 trade at charles schwab for $8.95 a trade. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 open an account and trade up to tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 6 months commission-free online equity trading tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 with a $50,000 deposit. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 call 1-866-967-8625. why use temporary treatments when you can prevent the acid that's causing it

with prevacid24hr. with one pill prevacid24hr works at the source to prevent the acid that causes frequent heartburn all day and all night. and with new prevacid24hr perks, you can earn rewards from dinner deals to music downloads for purchasing prevacid24hr. prevent acid all day and all night for 24 hours with prevacid24hr. tonight as a big storm heads toward the gulf. there is a late word of a change at the republican convention in tampa. mitt romney and paul ryan were out today. david gregory joins us. i understand there has been late changes to the schedule david? >> yeah, a cancellation of the first day of the convention.

monday will be a curtailed session. don't let the florida sunshine behind me fool you. they have been busy looking at the security. it is an armed camp around the tampa bay forum but also the incoming weather. they hope to get this thing started. the romney camp not all here yet. the real mission for the former governor of massachusetts here and it is all about introducing romney to not only the participants in the hall but to a wider audience on television over a shorter period of time to deal with some of the negatives that have built up in the course of the campaign so far. to focus on his biography and credentials. the fact that this is such a close race despite the fact that

romney has had some setbacks over the course of the summer. >> program note, jeb bush and arizona senator, john mccain will be guests on a special edition of "meet the press" tomorrow morning. our coverage of the republican convention starts tuesday night here on nbc. we are back in a moment with some of the day's news. including what apples huge win some of the day's news. including what apples huge win could mean for stores.

bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger. advil pm® or tylenol pm. the advil pm® guy is spending less time lying awake with annoying aches and pains and more time asleep. advil pm®. the difference is a better night's sleep. on my feet and exactly where i needed more support. then, i got my number. my tired, achy feet affected my whole life. until i found my number. i tried the free dr. scholl's foot mapping center.

in two minutes, i got my foot map and custom number. i'm a 440. that matched up to the dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts with the right support and cushioning i need. i am a believer. i'm a believer! i'm a believer. go to drscholls.com to find your closest walmart with a foot mapping center. spending the day with my niece. i don't use super poligrip for hold because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well-fitting dentures let in food particles. super poligrip is zinc free. with just a few dabs, it's clinically proven to seal out more food particles so you're more comfortable and confident while you eat. so it's not about keeping my dentures in, it's about keeping the food particles out. [ charlie ] try zinc free super poligrip.

we're back now with word of a deadly day in syria civil war opposition forces say at least 330 people were killed in that country today. more than 100 found after government forces allegedly went house to house executing men, women and children in a damascus suburb. officials in new york, video by the nypd shows the gunman, jeffrey johnson walking up the street after shooting and killing a co worker. when he walks up the street he pulls out a gun and police shoot him. >> the young man known as victim number one who testified against former penn state coach is suing

the university. he claims the university made deliberate decisions not to report sandusky. the university is not commenting on the suit. >> now to that huge billion dollar victory for apple in court over samsung over technology used in the iphone. what does this mean for consumers? >> reporter: so if you own a samsung phone or iphone, nothing to worry about. those will keep working the way those always have. apple's next step will be to get the popular products banned from sale in the u.s. so the biggest potential impact of all of this will be on people who will thinking of buying a new phone or tablet this fall.

s samsung's phones and tablets are the biggest threat to apple. so we'll see if judge lucy co decide to block the sales of the phones and tablets. we are weeking away from knowing if that is going to happen. >> thank you very much. in ven wes la, the blast and a fire that followed killed 26 people and injured more than 80 others. refinery would be restarted within two days and said the country had plenty of fuel to meet needs at home and export commitments. we are back with al roker in key west. and commitment is not limited to one's military oath. the same set of values that drive our nation's military

are the ones we used to build usaa bank. with our award winning apps that allow you to transfer funds, pay bills or manage your finances anywhere, anytime. so that wherever your duty takes you, usaa bank goes with you. visit us online to learn what makes our bank so different. ♪ [ male announcer ] start with a simple idea. think. drink coffee. design something totally original. do it again. that's good. call in the engineers. call in the car guys. call in the nerds. build a prototype. mold it. shape it. love it. give it a starting price under 16 grand. take it to the track. tweak. tweak. tweak. stop. take it to the car shows. call the critics. call the marketing team. get a celebrity endorser. he's perfect. i am? [ male announcer ] yes, you are.

making a groundbreaking car -- it's that easy. ♪ those little things for you, life's about her. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away.

ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. we're back now and want to update you on tropical storm isaac. nbc's al roker joins us from the florida keys. >> here in key west folks are taking it somewhat easy but they have a weary eye out there. stores and homes are boarded up as well. the latest it is about 120 miles east of cuba or 200 miles away from the bahamas. 60 mile per hour winds moving

northwest at 21 miles per hour. we have hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings up this morning afternoon into tomorrow as this system gets closer. the path of the storm will bring it along the northern coast of cuba, and as it gets into the warmer waters of the caribbean, it is going to start to strengthen. so by late sunday night early monday, it is a category 1 storm coming across and look at these rainfall totals, 5-10 inches from west palm beach to miami. 2-3 inches through monday evening in tampa. but don't let that fool you because this storm will be a slow-mover. we will still be feeling the effects in tampa into tuesday. the storm surge not good news for downtown tampa. we continue to watch this storm.

sit it is a wide storm and disorganized and we look for it to get itself together and by the time it makes land fall some time early wednesday along the gulf coast we are looking at a minimal category 2 storm. get your latest developments on the weather channel and on the "today" show with you tomorrow morning lester. >> we look forward to your reports and the latest tracking. >> that is "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today" and right back here tomorrow evening. as we sign off tonight we again remember space pioneer neil armstrong and his defining moment in human history. >> that is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. >> that looks beautiful. >> sit has a stark beauty all is

own, it is like much of the high desert of the united states but it is very pretty out here. ♪