John Palmer, a veteran reporter for NBC news, has died after a short illness, according to the network. He was 77. NBC News veteran John Palmer -- who worked the White House beat during two presidential administrations and anchored the network's initial coverage of the space shuttle Challenger disaster -- died Saturday, the network announced. The Kingsport, Tennessee, native, 77, passed away after a brief illness, according to NBC. "John was a brilliant, brave and tireless journalist who guided viewers through many of the most significant events of the past half-century -- from the early days of the civil rights movement through the tragedy of 9/11," NBC News said in a statement. "He covered five presidents and traveled to every corner of the world, always showing the empathy and compassion that helped set him apart." A graduate of Northwestern University and Columbia University, Palmer joined NBC in 1962. Read more http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/03/us/nbc-news-palmer-obit/
