INSURANCE.>>> GUYS, T
WORLD IS FACING A TRANSATLANTIC
CRISIS, WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF
REALLY A FORCE ON THE FOREIGN
STAGE.
THE LIFE OF MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.
THE FIRST WOMAN TO BECOME U.S.
SECRETARY OF STATE, AND A FORCE
IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS DIED
YESTERDAY.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID SECRETARY
ALBRIGHT WAS A "FORCE FOR
GOODNESS, GRACE AND DECENCY AND
FOR FREEDOM."
"HERS WERE THE HANDS THAT TURNED
THE TIDE OF HISTORY."
SHE WAS THAT, AND SO MUCH MORE.
>> AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD
FACES A TRANSATLANTIC CRISIS, WE
LOST A GIANT IN FOREIGN POLICY.
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WAS THE FIRST
FEMALE SECRETARY OF STATE IN
AMERICAN HISTORY, AND HER LEGACY
DOES NOT STOP THERE.
BORN IN PRAGUE, MARIE JENA KOV
LOAF VIRGINIA IN 1937 HER FATHER
MAY HAVE LIT THE SPARK IN HER
BRILLIANT MIND SERVING AS A
MEMBER OF THE CZECHOSLOVAKIA FOR
FOREIGN SERVICE AND LATER
AMBASSADOR TO YUGOSLAVIA.
AFTER CZECH OVERFLEW THEM IN
1948 THE FAMILY IMMIGRATED TO
AMERICA WHERE MADELEINE AGE 11
BECAME MADELEINE.
AT THE AGE OF 20, MADELEINE
ALBRIGHT BECAME A U.S. CITIZEN
IN 1957, AND WOULD EARN A DEGREE
IN POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH HONORS
FROM WELLESLEY COLLEGE IN 1959.
SHE WOULD GO ON TO EARN A Ph.D.
IN PUBLIC LAW AND GOVERNMENT
FROM COLUMBIA WHERE SHE STUDIED
UNDER ANOTHER FELLOW REFUGEE
FROM POLAND.
MY FATHER, MR. BRZEZINSKI.
IN 1976 WORKS FOR SENATOR MUSKY
OF MAINE AND TWO YEARS LATER
FOUND HERSELF IN A WINDOWLESS
CUBBYHOLE IN THE WEST WING AS A
STAFFER IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
BROUGHT THERE BY MY FATHER THEN
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER FOR
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER.
HE BROUGHT HER IN FOR HER
KNOWLEDGE, HER SKILLS, AND HER
ABILITY TO BLUNTLY TELL HIM WHAT
HE NEEDED TO HEAR.
>> HE DID MORE THAN ANYONE,
APART FROM MY FATHER, TO SHAPE
MY VIEW OF THE WORLD AND MY
UNDERSTANDING OF FOREIGN POLICY
THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP THAT
SPANNED SIX DECADES.
>> WITH THEIR SIMILAR
BACKGROUNDS AND SHARED IDEALS,
MY FATHER AND MOTHER AND
MADELEINE QUICKLY BECAME THE
CLOSEST OF FRIENDS.
FROM THAT POINT ON OUR FAMILIES
WOULD BE INTERTWINED FOREVER.
FROM THE WEST WING DR. ALBRIGHT
WOULD GO ON TO GEORGETOWN
UNIVERSITY OF SCHOOL OF FOREIGN
SERVICE AS DIRECTOR OF ITS WOMEN
AND FOREIGN SERVICE PROGRAM.
THEN IN 1993 SHE WAS APPOINTED
AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON.
ON DECEMBER 5th, 1996, MADELEINE
KORBEL ALBRIGHT WAS NOMINATED TO
BE THE 64th AND FIRST WOMAN
SECRETARY OF STATE BY PRESIDENT
CLINTON.
>> I, MADELEINE KORBEL ALBRIGHT.
>> CONFIRMED JUST OVER A MONTH
LATER IN THE U.S. SENATE WITH A
VOTE OF 99-0 SHE SERVED IN THE
POSITION FOR FOUR YEARS.
A TRANSATLANTIC GROUNDBREAKER,
ALBRIGHT PROMOTED EXPANSION OF
NATO EASTWARD INTO FORMER SOVIET
BLOC NATIONS.
SUPPORTED THE NON-PROLIFERATION
OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM THE
FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICANS TO
ROGUE NATIONS, AND CHAMPIONED
AMERICA'S ALLIANCES.
SHE SUCCESSFULLY PRESSED FOR
NATO TO INTERVENE MILITARILY
DURING THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
IN KOSOVO IN 1999.
FURTHERED THE NORMALIZATION OF
RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM AND
FAVORED THE RATIFICATION OF THE
KYOTO PROTOCOL ON GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE.
SHE TIRELESSLY AND FIERCELY
ADVOCATED FOR DEMOCRACY AND
HUMAN RIGHTS.
IN 2012, DR. ALBRIGHT RECEIVED
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF
FREEDOM.
THE NATION'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN
HONOR FROM PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA.
>> ONCE AT A NATURALIZATION
CEREMONY AN ETHIOPIAN MAN SAID
ONLY IN AMERICA CAN I MEET THE
SECRETARY OF STATE.
SHE SAID ONLY IN AMERICA CAN A
REFUGEE BECOME THE SECRETARY OF
STATE.
>> SHE NEVER FORGOT.
YOUNG MADELEINE, A CHILD WAR
REFUGEE, WHO ALONG WITH HER
FAMILY WAS FORCED BY THE NAZIS
TO FLEE HER HOMELAND, CAME TO
AMERICA, WHERE DEMOCRACY, RULE
OF LAW AND PEACE ENABLED HER
TALENTS TO BE LEVERAGED AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF PUBLIC
SERVICE.
SHE NEVER TOOK FREEDOM FOR
GRANTED.
>> THE GREAT LESSON OF THIS
CENTURY IS THAT WHEN AGGRESSION
AND BRUTALITY GO UNOPPOSED LIKE
A CANCER THEY SPREAD AND WHAT
BEGINS AS A TREATABLE SICKNESS
IN ONE PART OF THE BODY CAN
RAPIDLY ENDANGER THE WHOLE.
>> Reporter: ALBRIGHT'S LIFE AND
LEGACY IS TESTIMONY TO WHAT IS
AT STAKE IN EUROPE TODAY.
THE ACCESSION OF CENTRAL
EUROPEAN DEMOCRACIES INTO NATO,
WERE THEY NOT ONLY FLOURISHED
BUT ADD VALUE TO COMMUNITY OF
DEMOCRACIES AND THAT FINDS
ITSELF UNDER THREAT TODAY.
HER PASSING SHOULD INSPIRES ALL
TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS ONCE AGAIN
AT STAKE IN EUROPE AND THE
WORLD.
I WILL MISS HER DEEPLY.
I'VE KNOWN DR. ALBRIGHT SINCE I
WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
SHE TRIED TO GET ME TO CALL HER
MADELEINE IN LATER YEARS.
IT NEVER WORKED.
>> FROM WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED,
MIKA HAS DECIDED TO TAKE JOE'S
NAME.
AS A FORMER STUDENT AND DEVOTED
COLLEAGUE OF HER FATHER'S, I
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WOULD
DO THIS, BECAUSE SCARBOROUGH IS SO HARD TO SPELL.
SO HARD TO SPELL.
>> SHE HAD A QUICK WIT, A LOVING
HEART AND A KNOWLEDGE THAT CUT
DEEP ABOUT THE PRECIOUS NBC NEWS
OF FREEDOM.
SHE DID NOT SUFFER FOOLS AND AS
LOVING AS SUPPORTIVE AS SHE WAS
TO ME GROWING UP, IT WAS HOW
FIERCELY PROTECTIVE SHE WAS OF
FREEDOM.
THAT'S WHAT I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER
ABOUT MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.
AND MORE ON A PERSONAL NOTE.
WHEN MY FATHER, WHEN WE ALL
MOVED TO WASHINGTON HERE FOR HIS
SERVICE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, HE
DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT
MADELEINE'S STAMP OF APPROVAL.
HE BOUGHT A WILD PONY IN McLEAN,
VIRGINIA, FOR MY MOM.
MADELEINE FOUND IT FOR HIM AND
SHE FOUND OUR HOUSE FOR US, OLD
FARM HOUSE.
AND ON MY DAD'S BIRTHDAY EVERY
YEAR WOULD CALL ME TO REMIND ME
TO TELL HIM HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND
WHEN HE PASSED, SHE WOULD CALL
ME ON JOE'S BIRTHDAY.
SO JOE'S BIRTHDAY'S COMING UP,
AND I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS
THAT PHONE CALL, BECAUSE WE
ALWAYS WOULD HAVE SUCH A GREAT
CONVERSATION.
JOE?
>> YEAH.
YOU ACTUALLY, MIKA, STARTED --
BY THE WAY, WE WERE AT THE, AT
CIAS FOR A REMEMBRANCE EVENT FOR
YOUR DAD AFTER HIS FUNERAL.
SHE LEANED OVER IN THE MIDDLE OF
IT.
SOME PEOPLE SAYING GLOWING
THINGS ABOUT YOUR FATHER.
LEANED OVER GOES, WHEN'S YOUR
BIRTHDAY?
I TOLD HER.
SHE SAID, ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING -- OKAY.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CALL MIKA.
BRZEZINSKI WOMEN ARE VERY BAD
WITH BIRTHDAYS.
MIKA, YOU STARTED CALLING HER A
MONTH AGO PRETTY REGULARLY.
WHY DID YOU DO THAT?
>> ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO I GAVE
HER A CALL.
ACTUALLY GOING TO TALK TO HER
ABOUT A WOMEN'S EVENT I WAS
HAVING AND SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS
SICK.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M
GOING TO BE OKAY, BUT I DON'T
KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO END.
AND SOMETHING ABOUT HER VOICE
AND HOW SHE SAID THAT, THAT MADE
ME FEEL LIKE I NEEDED TO CALL
EVERY WEEK, AND SO I DID, AND
SHE WOULD GET ME OFF THE PHONE
QUICKLY.
SHE'D BE LIKE, I'M FINE.
AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING.
AND -- SO -- IT JUST WAS
SOMETHING I STARTED DOING
EVERYTHING WEEK JUST TO CHECK ON
HER, AND -- TO HEAR HER VOICE.
>> YOU KNOW, WILLIE, MAYBE IT
WAS LAST WEEK.
MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT ON THE
LAST CALL SHE MADE, YOU KNOW,
MIKA WOULD HAVE HER ON SPEAKER
FOREIGN.
HI, MADELEINE.
HOW YOU DOING, JOE AND I ARE
YOU.
I'M FINE.
>> HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
I'M DOING WELL, I'M GOING WELL.
WE'D LOVE TO GET -- OKAY.
HANG UP.
I SAID, MIKA, MAYBE -- MAYBE YOU
SHOULD STOP CALLING HER AND
ASKING HOW SHE'S DOING?
SHE DOESN'T SOUND LIKE SHE --
SHE'S, LIKE APPRECIATES IT.
MIKA GOES, AH, THAT'S HOW WE
EASTERN EUROPEAN WOMEN TALK TO
EACH OTHER.
SURE ENOUGH, WHEN MIKA GOT THE
CALL YESTERDAY FROM SOMEONE WHO
HAD WORKED WITH MADELEINE FOR A
LONG TIME, ONE OF THE FIRST
THINGS HE SAID TO HER WAS, SHE
SURE DID ENJOY MIKA'S PHONE
KAUMS.
SHE REALLY APPRECIATED THEM OVER
THE PAST MONTH.
SO I GUESS THAT IS HOW EASTERN
EUROPEAN WOMEN TALKED TO EACH
OTHER.
IT WAS -- BUT SHE WAS
INCREDIBLE.
SHE ALSO LOVED, WILLIE, TELLING
STORIES ABOUT DR. BRZEZINSKI,
ESPECIALLY STORIES IN WHICH SHE
SORT OF TUGGED ON DR. BRZEZINSKI
AND PUNCTUATED THAT BIG PERSON
AGENT OF HIS AND WOULD JUST
LAUGH AND LAUGH ABOUT IT.
INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE FRIEND TO
THE BRZEZINSKIS, BUT WHAT AN
UNBELIEVABLE FORCE FOR FREEDOM.
WHAT A TRAILBLAZER IN AMERICA'S
FOREIGN POLICY.
>> YEAH.
I LOVE HEARING THOSE STORIES
ABOUT THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
AND THEN ON BIG GLOBAL ISSUES
LIKE UKRAINE, ONE OF THOSE
GUESTS WHEN SHE CAME ON THE SHOW
EVERYBODY KIND OF STOPPED,
LEANED IN TO LISTEN.
BECAUSE YOU KNEW SHE HAD BEEN
THERE, HAD TALKED TO THE RIGHT
PEOPLE AND YOU REALLY VALUED HER
INSIGHT.
YOU KNOW, MIKA TOUCHED ON HER
PERSONAL STORY, TOO.
IT'S JUST WHEN YOU DIG INTO THE
DETAILS OF HOW SHE EVEN GOT TO
AMERICA, TO ASCEND TO BECOME AT
THAT TIME THE HIGHEST RANKING
WOMAN IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT AS THE FIRST
SECRETARY OF STATE. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> HER FAMILY FLED CZECH
CZECHOSLOVAKIA FROM THE NAZIS.
ENDURED THE BLITZ AS A CHILD.
WAR ENDS.
GO BACK TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND
THE SOVIET-BACKED GOVERNMENT
OVER TOPPLES THE GOVERNMENT
THERE.
THEY FLEE AGAIN AND GO BACK TO
LONDON, EVENTUALLY END UP IN THE
UNITED STATES AND SHE GOES ON TO
BECOME THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
IT'S TRULY, TRULY AN
EXTRAORDINARY FAMILY STORY.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN
STORY, AND DAVID IGNATIUS, I
KNOW YOU HAD A CLOSE
RELATIONSHIP AS WELL WITH
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS THIS
MORNING ABOUT THE WOMAN BUT ALSO
THE DIPLOMAT?
>> HMM.
>> WELL, AS MIKA'S WONDERFUL
EVOCATION OF HER TELLS US, SHE
WAS JUST A REMARKABLE PERSON.
SHE HAD THE GIFT OF LIFE.
SHE HAD THAT ABILITY TO GO INTO
A ROOM, VERY SERIOUS PEOPLE
TALKING ABOUT BIG SUBJECTS AND
JUST BRING A SENSE OF HUMANITY
AND OFTEN LEVITY.