Nightly News Full Broadcast - March 8

>>> TONIGHT, PRESIDENT

BIDEN HITTING THE

CAMPAIGN TRAIL AFTER

HIS FIERY STATE OF THE

UNION SPEECH.

THE PRESIDENT

LAUNCHING A

BATTLEGROUND TOUR

AFTER MAKING HIS CASE

FOR A SECOND TERM TO

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

AND GOING ON THE

ATTACK AGAINST FORMER

PRESIDENT TRUMP OVER

JANUARY 6th, ABORTION

RIGHTS, AND RUSSIA,

AND TONIGHT, OUR

INTERVIEW WITH VICE

PRESIDENT KAMALA

HARRIS ON WHETHER

WE'LL SEE A

BIDEN/TRUMP DEBATE,

AND GIVEN THE CONCERNS

ABOUT MR. BIDEN'S AGE,

WOULD SHE BE READY TO

SERVE?

AND ONE OF THE MAJOR

TOPICS OF THE

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS,

THE BORDER CRISIS.

OUR NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE

WITH REPUBLICAN TEXAS

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.

HOW HE GRADES THE

PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AND

WHY HE CALLS THE SURGE

AT THE BORDER AN

INVASION.

>>> THE TERRIFYING

MOMENTS A UNITED

AIRLINES PLANE SLIDING

OFF THE RUNWAY IN

HOUSTON JUST A DAY

AFTER THE TIRE FELL

OFF ANOTHER UNITED

PLANE ON TAKEOFF.

>>> THE DEADLY AID

DROP IN GAZA.

A PARACHUTE FAILING

TO OPEN AND AT LEAST

FIVE PEOPLE ON THE

GROUND WERE KILLED.

>>> TRACKING THE

SEVERE STORMS ON THE

MOVE TONIGHT.

>>> FORMER PRESIDENT

TRUMP POSTING A NEARLY

$92 MILLION BOND AS HE

APPEALS THE E. JEAN

CARROLL VOTE.

>>> A TIKTOK BAN.

WOULD PRESIDENT SIGN

IT?

WHAT HE SAID ABOUT

THAT TODAY.

>>> AND THE MYTHICAL

MYSTERY.

WHO IS LEAVING

UNICORNS ALL AROUND

THIS AMERICAN CITY?

>> Announcer: THIS IS

"NBC NIGHTLY NEWS"

WITH LESTER HOLT.

>>> GOOD EVENING, AND

WELCOME.

THIS HAS BEEN A

CONSEQUENTIAL WEEK IN

AMERICAN POLITICS FROM

THE SUPER TUESDAY

PRIMARY LANDSLIDE

SETTING THE STAGE FOR

NOVEMBER TO THE STATE

OF THE UNION SPEECH

LAST NIGHT IN WHICH

PRESIDENT BIDEN FOUND

THE VOICE DEMOCRATS

HAD HOPED FOR AND

FORCEFULLY FRAMED THE

FIGHT AHEAD.

THE PRESIDENT TOUTED

THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY

OR, AS HE CALLED IT,

THE GREATEST STORY

NEVER TOLD.

ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

HE VOWED TO RESTORE

ROE V. WADE AS THE LAW

OF THE LAND, AND HE

BLAMED REPUBLICANS FOR

NOT GRABBING AN

OPPORTUNITY TO SECURE

THE BORDER, BUT THERE

WAS NO MISTAKING THAT

IT WAS ALSO A SPEECH

ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

TIME AFTER TIME LAST

NIGHT, MR. BIDEN

DRAWING A SHARP

CONTRAST BETWEEN

HIMSELF AND THE FORMER

PRESIDENT.

REPUBLICAN HOUSE

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON

TODAY BLASTING THE

SPEECH AS

HYPERPARTISAN.

PETER ALEXANDER STARTS

OUR COVERAGE.

>> Reporter: TONIGHT

AFTER A CRITICAL

SPEECH WHERE PRESIDENT

BIDEN TOOK REPEATED

SWIPES AT HIS LIKELY

REPUBLICAN OPPONENT,

DONALD TRUMP --

>> NOW, MY

PREDECESSOR, A FORMER

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT

TELLS PUTIN, QUOTE, DO

WHATEVER THE HELL YOU

WANT.

I THINK IT'S

OUTRAGEOUS.

>> Reporter: -- AND

SPARRED WITH

REPUBLICANS IN THE

ROOM.

>> YOU'RE SAYING, OH,

LOOK AT THE FACTS.

I KNOW -- I KNOW YOU

KNOW HOW TO READ.

>> Reporter: VICE

PRESIDENT KAMALA

HARRIS TONIGHT INSISTS

THE PRESIDENT PUT TO

REST VOTER CONCERNS

THE 81-YEAR-OLD IS TOO

OLD FOR ANOTHER TERM.

>> DID HE ANSWER THOSE

QUESTIONS LAST NIGHT?

>> HE WAS ABSOLUTELY

ON FIRE, AND HE

ANSWERED ANY QUESTION

THAT ANYONE MIGHT

HAVE.

>> Reporter: WE ALSO

ASKED ABOUT REPUBLICAN

CRITICISM OF HER

READINESS FOR THE JOB.

>> LISTEN, AS IT

RELATES TO ME, I'M

READY, IF NECESSARY,

BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO

BE NECESSARY.

>> Reporter: THE

PRESIDENT VOWING TO

PROTECT ABORTION

RIGHTS.

>> WHEN REPRODUCTIVE

FREEDOM WAS ON THE

2022, AND WE'LL WIN

AGAIN IN 2024.

>> Reporter: AND

SLAMMING REPUBLICANS

FOR REJECTING A

BIPARTISAN BORDER

SECURITY BILL AT THE

URGING OF MR. TRUMP.

REPUBLICANS SAY

PRESIDENT BIDEN COULD

SOLVE THE CRISIS ON

HIS OWN BY EXECUTIVE

ORDER.

>> THE FORMER

PRESIDENT TOLD THE

LEADERSHIP OF THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY IN

CONGRESS, DON'T PUT IT

ON THE FLOOR FOR A

VOTE, BECAUSE HE HAD

BEEN VERY UNAPOLOGETIC

AND CLEAR, HE'D PREFER

TO RUN ON A PROBLEM

INSTEAD OF FIX A

PROBLEM.

>> GIVEN THE

REPUBLICANS AREN'T

GOING TO FIX THOSE

PROBLEMS WITH

DEMOCRATS, WHY NOT DO

IT BY EXECUTIVE ORDER?

>> THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

DESERVE LEADERSHIP

THAT'S ABOUT FIXING

PROBLEMS, AND THAT'S

WHY HE'S GOING TO LOSE

IN NOVEMBER.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK

TO BE DONE, BUT LET US

NOT NEGATE THE ROLE

AND RESPONSIBILITY OF

LEADERS IN CONGRESS.

>> Reporter: ONE OF

THE MOST DRAMATIC

MOMENTS, REPUBLICAN

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE

CHALLENGING THE

PRESIDENT TO SAY THE

NAME OF LAKEN RILEY, A

GEORGIA NURSING

STUDENT POLICE SAY WAS

MURDERED BY A

VENEZUELAN MIGRANT WHO

CROSSED INTO THE U.S.

ILLEGALLY.

>> SAY LAKEN RILEY.

SAY LAKEN RILEY.

>> Reporter: THE

PRESIDENT THEN PICKING

UP A BUTTON GREEN GAVE

HIM.

>> LINCOLN RILEY, AN

INNOCENT YOUNG WOMAN

WHO WAS KILLED BY AN

ILLEGAL.

THAT'S RIGHT, BUT HOW

MANY THOUSANDS OF

PEOPLE BEING KILLED BY

ILLEGALS?

TO HER PARENTS, I SAY,

MY HEART GOES OUT TO

YOU.

HAVING LOST CHILDREN

MYSELF, I UNDERSTAND.

>> Reporter: AFTER

MR. TRUMP THIS WEEK

CHALLENGED PRESIDENT

BIDEN TO DEBATE

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE,

ANYPLACE, THE

PRESIDENT TODAY WOULD

NOT COMMIT TO ONE.

>> IT DEPENDS ON HIS

BEHAVIOR.

>> Reporter: WE

PRESSED THE VICE

PRESIDENT.

>> I HAVEN'T TALKED TO

THE PRESIDENT ABOUT

THAT, BUT I'LL TELL

YOU SOMETHING, ON THE

ONE HAND, YOU'VE GOT

JOE BIDEN, SOMEONE WHO

IS COMPETENT, WHO IS

PRINCIPLED, AND ON THE

OTHER SIDE OF THAT

SPLIT SCREEN, YOU'VE

GOT THE FORMER

PRESIDENT WHO

GLORIFIES DICTATORS

AND HAS SAID HE'LL BE

A DICTATOR ON DAY ONE.

>> WILL YOU COMMIT TO

A DEBATE?

>> PETER, WE DISCUSSED

THE STATE OF THE

UNION, AND I'M JUST SO

EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE

ACCOMPLISHED LAST

NIGHT IN OUR

PRESIDENT.

>> PETER, WHAT'S SOME

REACTION TO THE SPEECH

YOU'RE HEARING FROM

REPUBLICANS?

>> FORMER PRESIDENT

TRUMP WAS REACTING IN

REALTIME AND DESCRIBED

THE PRESIDENT'S

ADDRESS AS ANGRY AND

CRAZY, TOP REPUBLICANS

CALLING THE SPEECH

BOTH DIVISIVE AND

PARTISAN.

MEANWHILE, AS IT

RELATES TO PRESIDENT

BIDEN TONIGHT ALREADY

IN PHILADELPHIA, HE'S

GOING TO BE HITTING

FIVE SWING STATES IN

THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS.

>> ALL RIGHT, PETER

ALEXANDER, THANK YOU.

>>> AS PETER MENTIONED

SOME OF THE MOST

DRAMATIC MOMENTS IN

LAST NIGHT'S SPEECH

WERE ON IMMIGRATION

AND NOWHERE IS IT MORE

INTENT THAN IN TEXAS

WHERE THE GOVERNOR IS

IN A LEGAL BATTLE WITH

THE BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION.

HE SPOKE LATE TODAY

WITH OUR GABE

GUTIERREZ.

>> Reporter: AT THE

CENTER OF THE BORDER

BATTLING IS TEXAS

GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT

REPEATEDLY TAKING ON

THE BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION, WHICH

HE SAYS CAUSED THE

CRISIS.

>> THERE'S A NUMBER

ONE ISSUE IN AMERICA

AND THAT'S SECURING

THE BORDER.

IT'S AN ISSUE ON WHICH

HE HAS FAILED.

>> Reporter: WE SPOKE

WITH HIM LATE TODAY IN

AUSTIN.

>> ON A SCALE OF ONE

TO TEN, HOW WOULD YOU

RATE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S

STATE OF THE UNION

ADDRESS?

>> I GIVE IT AN "F"

FOR FAILURE.

>> Reporter: HE

FIERCELY OPPOSES THE

BILL THAT BIDEN IS

CALLING OUT FOR

REPUBLICANS OF

KILLING.

>> WE CAN FIGHT ABOUT

THE BORDER OR FIX IT.

>> GOVERNOR, WHEN DID

COMPROMISE BECOME A

DIRTY WORD?

>> SO, COMPROMISE

SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE.

THE HOUSE HAS PASSED

AN EFFECTIVE BORDER

SECURITY PLAN.

IF JOE BIDEN REALLY

BELIEVES IN

COMPROMISE, HE WOULD

WORK WITH THE HOUSE

CHAMBER.

>> AND WORK WITH THE

REPUBLICANS IN THE

SENATE.

WHY NOT PASS THAT BILL

NOW?

>> BECAUSE THE SENATE

BILL CODIFIES ILLEGAL

IMMIGRATION AND

ACTUALLY PROMOTES EVEN

MORE ILLEGAL

IMMIGRATION.

>> Reporter: GOVERNOR

ABBOTT HAS GRABBED

HEADLINES WITH

CONTROVERSIAL MOVES

INCLUDING BUSING

MIGRANTS TO

DEMOCRAT-LED CITIES TO

RELIEVE OVERCROWDED

BORDER TOWNS.

NOW HE'S FORGING AHEAD

WITH COURT BATTLES

OVER BUOYS IN THE RIO

GRANZE, RAZOR WIRE IN

EAGLE PASS, AND A NEW

LAW WHICH WOULD ALLOW

LOCAL POLICE TO ARREST

MIGRANTS FOR ENTERING

TEXAS ILLEGALLY.

>> THE JUDGE RECENTLY

WROTE, SURGES IN

IMMIGRATION DO NOT

CONSTITUTE AN

INVASION.

ISN'T THAT WORD

INVASION DANGEROUS,

GOVERNOR?

>> THE WORD INVASION

IS THE WORD THAT IS

USED IN THE UNITED

STATES CONSTITUTION.

THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO

ARE COMING ACROSS THE

BORDER IN VIOLATION OF

FEDERAL LAW IN THE

STATE OF TEXAS.

>> Reporter: MEANWHILE

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS

SLAMMED MANY OF HIS

ACTIONS HERE IN TEXAS

AS POLITICAL STUNTS.

LESTER.

>> ALL RIGHT, GABE

GUTIERREZ, THANK YOU.

>>> HERE AT HOME, YET

ANOTHER INCIDENT TODAY

INVOLVING A UNITED

AIRLINES JET.

THE PLANE SLIDING OFF

THE RUNWAY IN HOUSTON,

THEN ONE OF ITS

LANDING GEAR

COLLAPSING.

TOM COSTELLO REPORTS

ON WHAT WENT WRONG.

>> Reporter: OFF THE

RUNWAY, TIPPED OVER

AND STUCK IN THE GRASS

A UNITED 737 MAX 8.

ITS LANDING GEAR

COLLAPSED.

FLIGHT 2477, MEMPHIS

TO HOUSTON, TOUCHED

DOWN JUST BEFORE 8:00

A.M.

>> RUNWAY 27

CLEAR TO LAND.

>> Reporter: WITH

ANOTHER PLANE

FOLLOWING CLOSE

BEHIND, THE

PILOTS WERE TOLD NOT

TO SLOW TOO MUCH.

>> KEEP YOUR SPEED UP.

>> OKAY.

WILL DO.

>> Reporter: BUT THE

PLANE SLID OFF A WET

RUNWAY AS IT TRIED

TURNING ONTO A

TAXIWAY.

ANOTHER UNITED FLIGHT

CLOSE BEHIND ORDERED

TO CANCEL ITS LANDING.

>> UNITED 1383,

GO AROUND.

I SEE YOU IN THE

GRASS, ROLLING THE

TRUCKS EN ROUTE.

>> Reporter: NO

PASSENGER OR CREW

INJURIES WERE

REPORTED.

THE RUNWAY CLOSED AS

INVESTIGATORS LOOK

INTO WHAT HAPPENED AND

WHETHER THE PLANE'S

LANDING GEAR FAILED.

IT COMES ONE DAY AFTER

THIS INCIDENT IN SAN

FRANCISCO.

>> THE LAST DEPARTURE

LOST THE WHEEL ON

DEPARTURE, SO WE'RE

GOING TO HAVE TO

CHECK THE RUNWAY DOWN.

>> Reporter: A UNITED

777 HEADED TO JAPAN

LOST ONE OF SIX TIRES

FROM ITS MAIN GEAR

ASSEMBLY AS IT TOOK

OFF THURSDAY MORNING.

THE TIRE CRASHED

THROUGH A FENCE

CRUSHING SEVERAL

PARKED CARS.

NO INJURIES.

>> THE RUNWAY IS

TEMPORARILY CLOSED.

>> Reporter: THE

FLIGHT THEN DIVERTED

TO L.A.X. WITH

INVESTIGATORS LOOKING

INTO HOW THAT TIRE

CAME LOOSE, AND UNITED

SAYS THE FLAMES FROM

THAT MIDAIR ENGINE

STALL ON MONDAY MAY

HAVE HAPPENED AFTER

THE PLANE'S ENGINE

INGESTED BUBBLE WRAP

DEBRIS LEFT ON THE

RUNWAY.

EVERY FLIGHT LANDED

WITH PASSENGERS SAFE

BUT SHAKEN.

TOM COSTELLO, NBC

NEWS, WASHINGTON.

>>> WE ARE TRACKING

STORMS ON THE MOVE

TONIGHT IN THE MIDWEST

AND SOUTHEAST.

MILLIONS UNDER SEVERE

RISK ACROSS THE LOWER

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND

GULF COAST.

THE MAIN THREAT WILL

BE DAMAGING WIND

GUSTS, LARGE HAIL, AND

FLOODING OVERNIGHT.

TORNADOES ALSO A

POSSIBILITY.

TOMORROW THE STORMS

MOVE FARTHER INTO THE

SOUTHEAST FROM FLORIDA

TO NORTH CAROLINA.

>>> WE WANT TO TURN

NOW TO THE WAR IN

GAZA.

THE UNITED STATES SAYS

ALL OF ITS AIR DROPS

OF FOOD HAVE LANDED

SAFELY IN THE

TERRITORY, BUT THAT

WASN'T THE CASE WITH

ANOTHER COUNTRY'S AIR

DROP, AND THE RESULTS

WERE DEADLY.

RICHARD ENGEL HAS LATE

DETAILS.

>> Reporter: THIS IS

WHAT AN AID DROP INTO

GAZA IS SUPPOSED TO

LOOK LIKE AS TODAY A

JORDANIAN MILITARY

CARGO PLANE DROPPED

PALLETS OF FOOD NEAR

GAZA CITY.

THEY FALL SLOWLY, BUT

THIS ALSO HAPPENED

TODAY.

AS THE PALLETS ARE

DROPPED BY ANOTHER

AIRCRAFT, ONE OF THE

PARACHUTES ON THE

RIGHT OF THE SCREEN

FAILS TO OPEN.

THE PACKAGE COMES

APART IN MIDAIR, THE

PIECES FALLING DOWN

WITH HEAVY THUDS.

THE OTHER PALLETS ALSO

DROP VERY QUICKLY.

PALESTINIAN MEDICAL

OFFICIALS AND

WITNESSES SAY FIVE

PEOPLE WERE CRUSHED TO

DEATH.

>> TO ESTABLISH A

TEMPORARY PIER IN THE

MEDITERRANEAN.

>> Reporter: LAST

NIGHT PRESIDENT BIDEN

ANNOUNCED THE U.S.

MILITARY WILL BUILD A

PIER TO IMPROVE AND

EXPAND THE DELIVERY OF

HUMANITARIAN AID.

NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED

IT COULD TAKE UP TO 60

DAYS FOR IT TO BE

FULLY OPERATIONAL, BUT

WASHINGTON ALSO

SUPPLIES ISRAEL WITH

WEAPONS.

"INSTEAD OF TELLING US

THEY WILL BUILD A PORT

TO HELP US, STOP

GIVING THE WEAPONS

THEY USE TO KILL US,"

THIS MAN SAID.

WE WERE ON AN AID DROP

YESTERDAY AS A

JORDANIAN MILITARY

C-130 FLEW OVER

NORTHERN GAZA.

THEY'VE JUST GIVEN THE

SIGNAL THAT THEY'RE

READY TO DROP.

THE PALLETS CARRIED

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF

MEALS.

OUR CREW FILMED AS

HUNGRY PEOPLE WENT

SEARCHING FOR FOOD.

AS THEY SEARCHED, THEY

APPROACHED ISRAELI

TROOPS, BECAUSE THAT'S

WHERE THE FOOD AID

WAS.

NOT LONG AFTER, AN

EXPLOSION CAN BE

HEARD, AND AN INJURED

MAN IS TAKEN FROM THE

AREA.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY

SAYS ITS TROOPS HAVE

OPENED FIRE ON THOSE

WHO APPEAR TO POSE A

THREAT.

GAZANS FACE AN

IMPOSSIBLE DILEMMA,

DO NOTHING, AND GO

HUNGRY AND MAYBE

STARVE, OR SEARCH FOR

FOOD AT THE RISK OF

BEING SHOT OR HIT BY

RAINING PALLETS.

LESTER.

>> RICHARD ENGEL,

THANK YOU.

>>> THE MILITARY'S

TROUBLED OSPREY

AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN

CLEARED FOR RETURN TO

FLIGHT EVEN BEFORE