Judy Woodruff:

On this day he died, we want to take some time for personal memories of Jim, as a journalist, a writer, collaborator, and friend.

Robert "Robin" MacNeil, of course, is the co-founder of this program with Jim and his longtime friend and former co-anchor. He joins us from New York. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is the president and CEO of WETA, the public television station we are broadcasting from. Her work with Jim and Robin goes back to the very earliest days, when they covered the Watergate hearings. And Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is a longtime friend of Jim's.

And we welcome all of you.

We know it's hard on this day. It's hard for all of us. And so we especially appreciate your being here.

Robin, take us back to the early days, when you and Jim first got to know each other. He came from his newspapering in Texas, and you came from your background in network television news to work together.

Tell us about that.