joining us is nbc's anne thompson. i wonder if you can set the scene for us at this hour. >> reporter: people are getting ready, as you can imagine, for the arrival of the body of senator edward kennedy and the kennedy family. there is a group of people who have stood out here in the sun for the last 90 minutes. there is a line that stretches way past the point that i can see. there is another line here that is three people deep just lined up to try to catch a glimpse of the family and, of course, the coffin of senator kennedy. this is a show of gratitude. this is a show of appreciation. this is a way for the people of massachusetts to thank the man who has served them for some 47 years and who has been involved in their lives, whether they know him or not, they feel as if he has been involved in their lives. as i told you, i walked down the line, and i was just struck by the mix of people. there are men in very well tailored business suits and there are people in t-shirts and shorts, and it looked like they just have

ann thompson joining us live from hyannisport this morning. thank you, ann. >>> a police chase in kentucky took a wrong turn for law enforcement. while responding to the pursuit of a suspect on foot, a sheriff in an suv crashed into a metro police officer's squad car. the collision sent the sheriff's suv into a fish store, knocking out the front en trance. both law enforcement officials went to the hospital with nonlife threatening injuries. >>> meanwhile, firefighters in louisiana battled a three-alarm fire which they determined was the result of arson. fire crews fought the blaze at the local arts center for hours. investigators say seven separate fires sparked the inferno. >>> an ohio man brought more than his resume to apply for a job. security cameras outside a school board building captured the man hiding a handgun in a planter. before walking into the government building for a job application, a pedestrian actually claimed seeing the man bury the gun and called police, who then arrested him for carrying a concealed weapon. >>> for one ma

for more now we go to nbc's ann thompson in hyannisport, massachusetts, not far from the kennedy compound. goodmorning, ann. >> reporter: good morning, christina. this is where senator kennedy passed away late last night. sorces close to the late senator say he was surrounded by hismmediate family. ey were at his bedside, including his wife, victoria, and his three children, teddy jr., cara and patrick kennedy of rhode island, and care can line and karen. the extended kennedy family, they came thughout early evening last night to be with the family as well. there's noord on funeral arrangements at this time. we expect perhaps we will hear something later today or morrw. but in a stement today, the kennedy family said in announcing the death of senator nnedy, that ty had lost the irreplaceable center of their family. christina, back to you. >> all rig, thank you. ann thompson joining us live from mom nianhysport this ornin. thank you, a.an >>> a plice chase in kentucky took a wrong turn for law enforcement. while responding to the pursuit of a suspect on foot, a sheriff in an suv crashed i

as nbc's anne thompson reports, their anticipated arrival its creating quite a stir even on an islandtors. >> reporter: the invasion of martha's vineyard is under way. marine helicopters buzz overhead, suvs, tint ed windows, washington, d.c. license plates roll off the ferries as the island prepares for its presidential close-up. the vineyard where the clintons vacationed in good times and bad will host president obama and his family. a visit residents hope will be their very only stimulus package. >> what we hope to see is that people will catch on to the buzz and the excitement and the good economic news that is spreading across the world right now. we think we will have a positive impact. >> reporter: phil mcandrews says it has been a challenging summer at his offshore ale company. to celebrate the obama's vacation, he is brewing a special beer and hoping the president last seen drinking bud lite will try his ale to the chief. >> this is going to be a very approachable, easy-drinking style of beer. >> reporter: if he wants something more than 12 ounce curls, the b-strong gym hopes

our report tonight from nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: hyannisport, the kennedy touch stone for eightd but they always came back to this hamlet by the sea. the kennedy legend forged in touch football games on the manicured lawn. their vitality and come pet nifness on vivid display. it was here they waitedhrough the long election night in 1960 when john the secon son won the presidency. >> so now my wife and i prepare for a newdmistration and for a new baby. thanyou. >> reporter: three years later, senator ted kennedy would come here to tell his father the president had been shot. the draw in hyannis port, the water, at every stage of life, the kennedys sailed. on nantucket sound they found adventure testing their boats and themselves. none more so than ted kennedy. this man crewed for him in races and fun. >> he loved racing. ñ out on that boat for two, three hours and it would just iigorate him. >> reporter: as the second generation of kennedys grew up, the family's familia rhythm of great joy and great sorrow would continue at the cape. senator kennedy walked caroline down the aisle

here's nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: just five miles off the cape cod shore, martha's n vineyardlike a world away. but this weekend it has all the trappings of an obama campaign stop. >> he's our first black president. >> reporter: this island which host the clintons in the '90s is the proud choice of the obama, their home fb blue heron farm, a 28 acre compound on the southwest part of the island. the president himself is spay paying the tab speculated to be between $25,000 and $30,000. this is the way most people come to martha's vineyard, by ferry, but the obama's arrival will be slightly different. the first family will come by helicopter and unlike the clintons' visit there will be no flag waving crowds to greet them at the airport. >> in contrast, to the clinton whose went out often for ice creme and such like, there are no obama like events scheduled for the obamas and their arrival is closed to the press. >> reporter: low-key is the vibe here. the laid back atmosphere attracts a list of celebrity, including spike lee and sing isser james taylor. phil mcandrews owns the off

anne thompson. thanks as always. >>> now we have an illustration of just how big the problem of affordable health care has become in this country. a group of doctors who started out providing free medical services in third-world country has also been working in this country. and they have been seeing more americans ask for their help than ever before. nbc's miguel amagure is with us from los angeles. miguel, good evening. >>> good evening, brian. a volunteer army of more than 800 people working the floors behind me since 4:00 a.m. they won't go home for several hours. and this is just day one. they streamed in by the hundred. camping out overnight, just for the chance to see a doctor. many say they're hurting for health care. some are literally in pain. angel rivera has a tooth problem. how desperate would you describe yourself to get some help? >> desperate enough that i was going to take the damn thing out with a pair of pliers. >> reporter: well before dawn, just about every race and every age pa

anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> yep, we all feel old.adcast for this tuesday night. thank you for being with us. i am lester holt in tonight for brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

it's the latest nightmare in the flying business, and nbc's anne thompson has our report. >> reporter: the plane says continental, but the operator was express jet. tonight both are trying to explain how flight 2816 became the latest entry in the catalog of passenger horror stories. rtthey made no efforts toet us off the plane. >> reporter: link christin was one of 47 passengers on the 145 aircraft. continent flight 2816 ft houston at 9:23 friday night from minneapolis. it was supposed to arrive at 11:54, but thunderstorms forced the flight into a holding pattern. running low on fuel, it diverted to rochester, minnesota, at 12:28 a.m., 80 miles short of its goal. and that's when the real trouble began. the three-person crew hit its time limit and could not fly, so .be bught in. but the passengers were not allowed to get off the plane. >> i mean, there was no explanation at all. the terminal was 50 yards from where we were. >> reporter: express jet refused to let them deplane because the tsa screeners had gone home and there were not enough airport personnel to let the passengers sleep

and as nbc's anne thompson tells us tonight, health care is just one subject that has some americans feeling worried and downright angry. >> reporter: today pennsylvania senator arlen specter came face to face with what is now a familiar scene. >> he is right? >> he -- >> my constitutional rights! >> this is maoist china. this is -- >> reporter: voter anger at a townhall about health care. but the anger is not always about health care. this man erupted when he was not chosen to speak. >> i got news for you, that you and your cronies in the government do this kind of stuff all the time. >> reporter: and this self-described conservative republican railed against the direction of the country. >> what are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created, according to the constitution? >> if people have really -- >> reporter: when the discussion turned to health care reform this woman made it personal for the senator who survived cancer. >> what it says is, as a 74-year-old man, if you develop cancer we're pretty much going to write you off. what are you going to

. >>> nbc's anne thompson is at the kennedy library in boston. anne, thank you. it seems to me the ritual is following is a bit behind schedule. the past president of bc is up there to preside, right? >> he is and he's joined by father donald mcmillan. both priests have been very close to the kennedy family through the years. they are at this hour saying a prayer inside the kennedy library. when the senator's body was brought into the library, he went through a column of about 100 current and former staffers, chris, and, you know, in recent days talking to some of those staffers and people who know the senator, they said if you were on kennedy's staff, you really never left. it was -- these weren't people who just worked for ted kennedy, but they loved ted kennedy, and they have come here to pay their respects today, and some of them will be sitting vigil. there's going to be a military guard over four members of the armed services and then four civilians who will stand vigil as the public comes through tonight, and many of those civilians will be former staffers

anne thompson is live at the jfk presidential library. >> they're there making preparations -- >> just go ahead and set the scene for us, ann. >> david, they're making preparations for the arrival of the body of senator edward kennedy and his family. you can see behind me there are people who are waiting here. we believe the hearse will pull up and make a circle in front of the library, and then will be brought in. it will lie in repose in the smiths room, which is a wood-panelled room here in the jfk library. teddy kennedy was instrumental in raising funds for the jfk library and spoke here at the dedication of this library some 30 years ago. when he spoke, he talked about his relationship with his brother, jack, who was 14 years his senior. he talked about how jack wanted to be his godfather, how jack taught him how to throw a forward pass in football, taught him how to sail against the wind and how he was the best man at his wedding. so they were 14 years apart, the two brothers were extraordinarily close and senator kennedy idolized his brother, jack. now senator kennedy will come

>> i am trying to figure out a celebrity i have not heard rumored to be here. >> reporter: ann thompson, nbc news, martha's vineyard. >>> the president can use a vacation after another tough week in the health care debate. his critics are following him to martha's vineyard. a group has launched a ad campaign in the area. this has florida's governor adds his voice to the critics slamming the plan. >> i said it was cockamamie. that's the comment. >> why? >> because i am concerned about the direction the administration is taking. >> but president obama fired back in his weekly address. he slammed critics saying they were disporting the plan. he says the reform plan will not cover illegal immigrants or use llxpayer money to pay for so-cdalleth dso-called death e. >>>nd a senator orras hh will -o cefaff towards charles schumer, on "meet the press" at 10:30 here on nbc 4. >>> and senator schumer, one of the voicing growing outrage over the release of the convicted terrorist and mass murderer. 270 people were killed, and now he is free realliesed from a scottish prison because he is dying of c

ann thompson, a woman of the cape as well as being here on the cape. and joining me now on the phone, nbc special news correspondent, tom brokaw, joining me from out west. tom, thanks so much. you've spent so much time with the kennedys and the shrivers over the years. eunice kennedy, a very special woman. talk about what she meant, especially coming from a generation where it was not that easy for women to excel. >> no, and i don't think it ever occurred to her that it was not that easy for women to excel. eunice was a life force in that family of such enormous energy and dynamism, i said to somebody the other day, you didn't have a conversation with eunice, you had a cross-examination. she would come barrelling into the room and have a number of questions about what was in the news or in politics that day, and she almost always had some special project that she just couldn't understand why it wasn't getting more attention on the news. tlar couple of family laughs always. one was, you know, any number of the kennedys said, she's the one who should hav

nbc's anne thompson up in high xwran is port. that was also, of course, the place where ted kennedy after bobby was assassinated went up to and just sailed. go out sailing by himself alone. the metaphor obvious, he felt alone in the world. >> he took refuge in the ocean for most of the last month given the nature of our business vickie kennedy tried to avoid photographers with taking the senator out on the boat "the ""they moved the boat from the hyannis port yacht club, 100 yards from the kennedy compound, over to hyannis harbor, to a marine in hyannis harbor. at the marina they were able to take him out in a wheelchair out on the dock and onto the boat without the prying eye of us, our photographers, and so he enjoyed the solace and the r refuge and companionship of the ocean right up until about a week or ten days ago. as we talked earlier, he saw things out on that ocean in his mine's eye -- >> and you had said earlier for those that are just waking up when he was out in the ocean -- >> i did ask him that once when he was out

joining us now on the phone to talk about this is nbc's ann thompson in hyannis port, massachusetts. kennedy says he's been thinking about this for a while. tell us more about that. >> he has. the letter sent to governor patrick and delivered yesterday was dated july 2nd of this year. it says it lays out a request by senator kennedy that essentially says, look, i think we should amend the state law. he's not asking for anything special but amend the state law through the legislative process to give the governor the power to appoint an interim senator between the time of the vacancy and the special election and he -- and kennedy said that person should promise not to run in the special election, so that person does not have an advantage going into that election. but what is unspoken in this letter is the issue of health care reform. health care for everyone and health care that is affordable for everyone has been the issue of senator kennedy's life. he has fought for four decades now in the u.s. senate for that issue and it is clearly something that is very much on his mind. also in t

nbc's ann thompson is live outside the jfk library. ann, good to have you join us here. are we expecting heavy turnout for ted kennedy, 47 year senator? >> i think they are expecting thousands will come here to pay their respects over the next two days, carlos. there's no official estimate at this time but we can see a lot of police presence here. they have parking lots cordoned off for media and dignitaries. they have other parking lots set up for the general public expected to come to this point. in dorchester, the jfk library, to pay their respects to edward kennedy, who as you said was senator for massachusetts for 47 years. before the hearse and his coffin and the family get here, though, they will take what amounts to a sentimental journey through the streets of boston. they are expected to leave the kennedy compound about 12:30. it will take them about 90 minutes to get up here. when they arrive in boston they will first head to the north end. the motorcade will go past st. stephens church where the senator's mother rose was baptized and where her funeral mass was

anne thompson with the prep for the first family's arrival. what's the weather going to be like? it's not so great, right? >> reporter: yeah, it's cloudy and overcast here on the cape. and we're expected to get some rain tonight and then we're expecting to get some rain tomorrow as bill passes up -- goes up the atlantic coast. right now, we are at hyannis harbor and for most people they take a ferry one that leads out hyannis or woods hole. they are saying the ferries running today, planning to run tomorrow and taking vacationers over to greet the first family, as it comes to spend a week on martha's vineyard. you see the marine helicopters overhead, that's how the obamas are going to get to the island tomorrow. they will land, for what is expected to be a low-key vacation for them. there -- they have no public events scheduled. tear arrival is closed to the press and the public, but everywhere you go throughout the island there is genuine excitement about the first family coming. you see the obama t-shirts. t-shirts about bo, portraits of the first family everywhere and people a

from the show myth busters -- i'm kidding -- anne thompson in hyannis.ou. >>> still ahead on msnbc saturday, new signs of life for the economy. why are some consumes are not convinced? most for headaches. for arthritis pain... in your hands... knees... and back. for little bodies with fevers.. and big bodies on high blood pressure medicine. tylenol works with your body... in way other pain relievers don't... so you feel better... knowing doctors recommend tylenol... more than any other brand of pain reliever. it can be tough living with copd... but i try not to let it slow me down. i go down to the pool for a swim... get out and dance... even play a little hide-n-seek. i'm breathing better... with spiriva. announcer: spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled maintenance treatment for both forms of copd... which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i take it every day. it keeps my airways open... to help me breathe better all day long. and it's not a steroid. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. stop taking spir

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let's go to anne thompson. anne, we are at the top of the hour. president obama was going to give a speech at 8:30, a press conference talking about the life and legacy of ted kennedy. it's been pushed back. what is the latest? >> reporter: we understand president obama will address reporters about 9:30 this morning. we do not know what the delay is. i can tell you here, at hyannisport we have seen a priest go into the kennedy compound. we could see someone walking one of senator kennedy's portuguese water dogs by the ocean. he loved those dogs. they were very, very dear to him. he passed away late last night according to a family statement issued at 1:30 this morning. in the statement, the family spoke of the irreplaceable man, the center of their lives, who fought for justice, they were so proud of him. he was so optimistic. it's hard to believe he will no longer be here. in may of 2008, senator kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. he traveled to duke university where part of the tumor was removed. he came back, received chemother

ann and matt, back to you. >> anne thompson, thank you so much. president obama who is spending the week on martha's vineyard spoke with senator kennedy's wife overnight. ron alan is covering the president's vacation. ron, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. yes, president obama was informed the senator kennedy's passing around 2:00 a.m. this morning and he spoke with mrs. kennedy shortly thereafter. there had been a lot of speculation president obama was going to try and visit the kennedy compound but of course that was not meant to be. the president attributes much of his own success, in part, to the efforts of senator kennedy. his legislative efforts in the senate, his efforts for him on the campaign trail, and to a close personal relationship. the president's statement reads, in part, "i valued his wise counsel in the senate where regardless of the swirl of events he always had time for a new colleague. i cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the presidency. even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal ill

nbc's anne thompson is near the kennedy compound on cape cod this morning. ann, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. that letter to massachusetts governor duvall patrick and leaders in the house and senate was sent from senator kennedy at his home in hyannisport. he's spent most of his time here since being diagnosed with malignant brain tumor in 2008. it asks for an amendment law if the senator resigns or passes away. under the current law there would be a special election that would occur five months after a resignation or a death. senator kennedy is asking that the law be amended to allow the governor to appoint someone to hold that senate seat until a special election is held, and in the letter he writes to governor patrick, and the state leaders, "i am now writing to you about an issue that concerns me deeply. the continuity of representation for massachusetts should a senate vacancy occur." what he does not say in the letter is that, clearly, on his mind is the issue of health care. it has been the issue of senator kennedy's career and should a

here's nbc's anne thompson. >> reporter: ted kennedy was always there to say good-bye.ful days of november 1963 he walked with sister until jackie and brother bobby behind president kennedy the casket. he was just 31. a short five years later, a nation's heart would break with ted's voice at bobby's funeral. >> those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today pray that what he was to us, what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. as he said many times in many parts of this nation, those he touched and who sought to touch h him, some men see things as they are and say why. i dream things that never were and say why not. >> reporter: all too soon at age 36, he was the patriarch. his beloved mother rose would live to 104. >> as she did all our lives, whether it was when i walked back from the rain from school as a child, or when a president who was her son came back to hyannis port, she will be there ready to welcome the rest of us home some day. >> reporter: and of jackie he said no one ever had a better sense of self. >> she grace

for toad, anne thompson, nbc news, boston.>> and wll be right back, but first, this is "today" on nbc.d >>> still to come on "today" what were you doing when were you 16? >> this guy was sailing around the world solo. you'll meet him. >>first these messages. but nasonex relief may i say... bee-utiful! prescription nasonex is proven to help relieve indoor and outdoor nasal allergy symptoms like congestion, runny and itchy nose and sneezing. (announcer) side effects were generally mild and included headache. viral infection, sore throat, nosebleeds and coughing. ask your doctor about symptom relief with nasonex. and save up to $15 off your refills. go to nasonex.com for details, terms and conditions. start your three-course meals with a shared appetizer. choose two entrees from over 15 chili's favorites then share a decadent dessert. chili's -- but those days came and went, and the cigarettes remained. but today's a new day. and a few simple steps can make a real difference in your next quit... things like starting with a plan t

he writes -- ann thompson is in massachusetts. who did he send that letter to? to make those changes? >> it will be up to the massachusetts state legislator. in it, senator kennedy asks that the succession law be amended to include the ability for the government, for the governor to appoint an interim senator which would take about five months from the vacancy to the election. that's what he is concerned about, that there would be a five-month period where the people of massachusetts would only have one senator in the u.s. senate and in particular, if something happens to him, it could be five months and in that five month period, perhaps a health care reform bill would come before the senate and that has been the issue of senator kennedy's career and it's something he cares very much about. >> thank you for keeping us up to date. appreciate that. the health care battle is heating up in florida. robert wexler's hosting a public forum in delray beach right now. mark potter is there. what's the tone of this, inside and out? >> reporter: there are two tones here. i

nbc news ann thompson with more. ann? >> good morning, mark.he senator passed away late last night here at the family compound in hyannisport. the kennedy family released a statement calling him the irreplaceable center of their lives and they can't imagine that they are now going to face days without him. senator john kerry may have said it best in a statement this morning when he said, we knew this was coming, but no one wanted it to come. the senator kennedy was diagnosed in may of 2008 with malignant brain cancer. a few weeks after that diagnosis, he traveled down to duke university to have an operation to remove part of that tumor. and then he came back here to hyannisport where he underwent chemotherapy and radiation. he continued to work in the senate showing up famously for a vote on the economic stimulus package and a vote on medicare. and at the democratic national convention just a couple of months after he was diagnosed to rally the troops for barack obama who he endorsed early in the campaign, saying that he felt that president oba

. >> anne thompson, thank you so much, anne. >>> and just ahead, our face-off on health care. >> monicapresident obama finally adopts the right sales pitch as he refers to it as a more obligation and should he have provided details about what he wanted much sooner? you're watching "the big picture" on msnbc. what's our favorite part of honey bunches of oats? the sparkly flakes. the honey-baked bunches! the magic's in the mix. my favorite part? eating it. honey bunches of oats. taste the joy we put in every spoonful. honey bunches of oats. we call the bunches in honey bunches of oats the prize in the box. well, now there's a prize inside the prize. pecans! pecans! baked into crunchy oat bunches. taste the delicious surprise in every spoonful. new honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. my daughter was with me. i took a bayer aspirin out of my purse and chewed it. my docr said the bayer aspirin saved my life. please talk to your doctor about aspirin and your heart. i'm going to be grandma for a long time. it can be tough living with copd... but i try not to let it slow me dow

but first nbc's anne thompson has more on this story. good morning. >> good morning. police say before the wreck, 36-year-old diane schuler was both drunk and high. but her husband refuses to believe that. insisting something else caused the accident. was 36-year-old mother diane schuler hiding a secret addiction? >> gi to bed every night knowing. my heart is clear. >> reporter: daniel schuler says no way. he insists his wife was stone cold sober before she drove on new york's taconic parkway in the wrong direction. >> she's not an alcoholic. something medically had to have happened. >> reporter: toxicology results tell another story. >> diane schuler had a blood alcohol content of .19%. the legal limit for intoxication in new york state is .08%. >> reporter: that's the equivalent of ten shots of vodka. >> around that level of alcohol you also start to get what's called tunnel vision where your perception is changed. >> reporter: police discovered a broken absolut bottle in your mini van and test results showed she was high, too, after apparently mixing booze and mari

he writes -- ann thompson joins us live from hyannis, massachusetts. there's been a response from the massachusetts governor and says it's typical for him to be thinking about everybody else. but he doesn't address the request. >> the law -- until the public votes in that special election. the house and senate here in massachusetts met in informal session today, but nothing was expected to happen specifically on this. they had have to pass a law in order to make this change and no one is quite sure how quickly that could get done. the interesting thing monica, is this law was changed in 2004, when john kerry, the other senator from massachusetts, was running for president. at that time, there was a republican governor, mitt romney, who was in office and they wanted to prevent him from appointing a successor to kerry should kerry have won that election, so that's how this law came about and now, it's sort of be careful what you wish for because now, they're in a situation where if senator kennedy resigns or dies, that there could be a five-month gap bef

nbc's anne thompson is at the kennedy compound in hyannisport, massachusetts, where well-wishers haven gathering since early this morning. anne, any word yet on funeral arrangements? >> ed, we do not know what the funeral plans are. we hope to get that information later today or perhaps as late as tomorrow. we can tell you this morning, we have seen a roman catholic priest drive into the compound. we have seen other various people go into the compound this morning, but we have not seen any family members that we recognize. we do understand that last evening, as the senator's health deteriorated, his extended family gathered here at the family compound at his -- his house which was rose and joe, his parents' house and that when he died, he was surrounded by his immediate family. of course, his wife vicki and his son teddy jr. and daughter kara and his son patrick who is a congressman, along with two step-children curran and caroline. eye an hyannisport is forever change. the kennedys have been a presence here for at least six decades enanne they truly put hyannisport on the map. now, n

nbc's ann thompson is here with me on the cape. n, who has known the kennedys so many years, who came from this area and has deep roots here, this is really another one of those moments for hyannis. >> i think so. you saw hundreds of people literally lining south street here, catching -- trying to catch a glimpse of the family. and then when they brought out the casket of eunice kennedy shriver, there was applause. and then as each family drove by for bobby kennedy jr., for caroline kennedy and her family, there was subsequent applause. and people here at the cape really love the kennedys, they're part of the fabric of the land, part of the family. >> and maria shriver spoke, surround by her brothers, they spoke last night at the wake. she spoke, giving the eulogy today, and here is another one of those moments, and it was really just -- just moved you to tears. >> i see her urging my fathers to take me everywhere with my brothers, including right into a baltimore orioles locker room. and she let me know that there was no doubt in h

ann thompson join is live from hyannis, massachusetts this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. we're here at hyannis harbor at the dock where vacationers catch the ferry to martha's vineyard. the place of rugged beauty and this weekend of pride and excitement over the upcoming presidential visit. the invasion of martha's vineyard is under way. black hawk helicopters overhead and washington, d.c. license plates roll off the ferry as the island prepares for a presidential close-up. the vineyards where the clintons vacationed in good times and bad will host president obama and his family. a visit residents hope will be their very own stimulus package. >> what we hope to see is that people will catch on to the buzz and excitement and the good economic news that's spreading across the world right now. we think we'll have a positive impact. >> reporter: bill says it's been a challenging summer at his offshore ale company. celebrating the obama vacation he's brewing a special beer and hoping the president last seen brink as bud light wi

ann thompson, thank you very much. thank you. let's go to the health care debate. republicans and democrats fight anew this morning over those details. i'm joined now live from washington pat buchanan, and democratic strategist maurice reid. neither of you wearing madras, so we will proceed with this interview. >> please tell me no. we're not going there. >> pat, the debate, the speeches, the town halls this month, have they changed the status of the health care bill, the health care conversation? can you get a sense of where it is right now? >> sure. it's losing support weekly, and one of the reasons is the dramatic town hall meetings, some of them very raucus, and secondly, a lot of the negatives of the bill have been graut out by its opponents, republicans, and blue dog democrats, and they've benhamering it, and we've lost sight of sort of the overall idea of health care for 47 million uninsured. i'll tell you, alex, i looked at the drudge headline this morning, and the deficits for the next ten years are no longer $7 trillion. they've upgraded it to $9 trillion

>> ann thompson, who knows everything about massachusetts and is a resident and a long-time watcher of the kennedy family as well. ann, good to see you. thank you so much for the latest updates from there. and as we can see on the other side of our screen, the president has come in to the white house room for the diplomatic reception room, i believe, for that interview with michael smerconish. let's go with that. david gregory from "meet the press," host and moderator of "meet the press," is with me here and will be watching with me and we'll talk on the other side, david. here's the president. >> i don't know if the ear piece is going to be necessary, because i think they'll probably play in the rooms those calls. >> i know they're going to play them, if i can't hear the first one well, i'll put the ear piece in. >> david, as we're watching them get ready for this talk show moment, let's talk a bit about why this is such an important window for the president to try to reach out to a different audience. >> the reality is that the president and the white house are behind on health care

ann thompson is outside the kennedy compound this morning. ann, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, carl. this is where senator kennedy passed away late last night at the family's compound here in hyannis port. the scene of so many highs and lows of this political dynasty throughout 50 years of american history. this kennedy family said this morning, we have lost the irreplaceable center of on our lives. excuse me. that's my blackberry going off. we understand at the time of his death, he was surrounded by his immediate family, his wife, children, congressman patrick kennedy of rhode island and his daughter, cara, along with his two-step children, carolin and kuran. the extended family began to come to the compound last evening. he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in may 2008. a few weeks after that diagnosis, he had surgery at duke university to remove part of that tumor and then he underweunder went chemotherapy and radiation. he lived for 15 months with that diagnosis, which was far more than many expected. and in talk

anne thompson joins us live from hyannis, massachusetts, with that story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, mika. in about 3 1/2 hours at 9:30 eastern time this morning, the funeral procession for eunice kennedy shriver there begin here in the streets of hyannis. a group of special owe llympiand law enforcement officers will lead her body here to the church mind me, st. francis xavier church, to be followed by her casket and then the shriver family marching behind her. yesterday there was a public wake and there you see her five chirp, the four boys spoke and they remembered a mother who was competitive, who had a complete lack of vanity, a complete lack of modesty, as they joke, but most of all who was a mother to 0 them. three of her granddaughters got up and spoke as well and just touched the hearts of everyone who was there. throughout the afternoon at our lady of victory church where the wake was yesterday, there was a steady stream of mourners, many special olympians, many special education teachers, people here on the cape know the kennedy fam

i want to get out to ann thompson, however, in hyannis. what is happening, ann? body of eunice kennedy shriver being carried in by her daughter maria shriver, her husband, arnold schwarzenegger, the governor of california, and eunice kennedy shriver's four sons, anthony, mark, bobby and first came a group of special olympians down the street, followed by law enforcement, followed by the casket and the shriver family. standing at attention with their medals on and their hands over their hearts were some of the special olympians that eunice kennedy shriver made her own over the years when she founded special olympics back in 1968. the casket is now inside the church of st. frances xavier. the family has worshipped here for decades and it is where maria shriver married arnold schwarzenegger many years ago here in the church, there is an altar that was donated by the kennedys in memory of joe junior who was killed in world war ii. there was a plaque in this church where president john f. kennedy used to come and worship and it is -- it has a very special place in ken

anne thompson is in hyannis, massachusetts. tell us more about the letter. >> reporter: well, the letter -- in that letter, contessa, senator kennedy asked that the state law regarding succession of a senate seat is amended. currently, under state law, if a u.s. senate seat becomes vacant during this term, there is a special election that is to be held sometime within about a five-month period. there is no provision in the law for a gubernatorial appointee to fill that seat in the interim. senator kennedy is asking that the law be amended, that the governor be given the power to appoint someone to fill that senate seat until a special election is held, and that that person promise not to run for the senate seat, that they just serve as a place holder. now, what's not said in this letter, first of all, is one of the reasons many people speculate why senator kennedy wrote this letter, is his concern about health care reform and should that come to a vote and he would not be able to cast that vote on behalf of massachusetts. he sa

>> nbc's ann thompson on cape cod with that story.ere the government there is expected to release its decision to to release the terrorist on compassionate ground. lawyers say he's dying from prostate cancer and will return to libya. donna friesen is live in scotland with the latest on this. >> reporter: good morning, we're expecting the official announcement from the scottish government within the next hour or so that will allow the release of this convicted mass murderer abdel. his legal team has team has said he has weeks or months to live and the last wish to go home to libya to die. he has always maintained his innocence, spent eight years in prison, he's 57 now and been appealing his conviction. a few days ago he dropped the appeal and that opened the door to the possibility of compassionate release. it's understood that justice secretary of scotland will agree to that but the secretary here has been under intense pressure, especially from the united states. many of the families of the american victims of the lockerbie bombings