Pres. Obama on Hurricane Irene: ‘We all hope for the best, but we have to be prepared for the worst’

ABC, NBC and CBS all broke into regular programming around 11:30amET to carry Pres. Obama’s remarks on Hurricane Irene. As was the case earlier this week, the remarks were audio only, with the tape being fed back later from the feed point in Martha’s Vineyard where Pres. Obama continues his vacation, also in Irene’s path.

Diane Sawyer anchored on ABC along with Sam Champion; Harry Smith anchored on NBC and Bob Schieffer anchored for CBS with WFOR (Miami) meteorologist David Bernard contributing.

At the end of NBC’s special Harry Smith said Brian Williams would anchor “Nightly News” from the Jersey Shore tonight. Williams has a home at the shore and had been on vacation there this week before being called back three times to anchor.

> Update, 1:03pmET: Politico reports Obama is ending his vacation on Martha’s Vineyard early and will return to Washington this evening. “I think the president simply reached the conclusion that it would be more prudent for him to be in Washington, D.C., and to be at the White House at the end of the day today,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

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