from president obama in 2012. >> the first american to orbit the earth. john glenn became a hero in every sense of the word. but he didn't stop there serving his country. as a senator, he found new ways to make a difference. >> we're going to explore john glenn's life in two ways. first we're going to focus on his space there and then we'll cover his political life. frankly, he pioneered our coverage of the space program. he joins me on the phone and he is somebody that can call john glenn not just a friend but a close friend. jay barbree, i can't imagine what you're feeling today. >> it's a bad day, chuck, and we expected it. i talked to john for the last time a few weeks ago, and he was bedridden at that time, losing his eyesight, but he still had