Brian Williams Taking Leave From Nightly News

In a press release Saturday, Brian Williams announced he is taking a temporary leave from NBC News. The NBC Nightly News anchor and NBC News managing editor recently admitted he was not actually aboard a helicopter in Iraq that was shot down by enemy fire in 2003, as he had recounted many times. "In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news, due to my actions," said Williams in the release. "As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days, and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit in for me to allow us to adequately deal with this issue. Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us." For years, Williams has said that he was on a helicopter that was shot down while covering the Iraq War.  The men who actually did get shot down disputed Williams’ account to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. The soldiers, who are understandably upset, say the reporter was actually about an hour behind them. “There was no need to polish the story by saying, ‘I was on the aircraft that took fire,’" a soldier named Reynolds told Stars and Stripes. "I don’t know how he could have mistaken that … I don’t think it was a mistake he made at the moment.”