an ied attack killed eight service members on foot patrol in southern afghanistan's kandahar province. that attack is the deadliest on americans this year in afghanistan. another american died in a helicopter crash in eastern afghanistan, bringing the day's death toll to nine. back here, after weeks of speculation, embattled former illinois governor rod blagojevich testified in his own defense yesterday. blagojevich spent four hours on the stand, regaling jurors with details of his personal history and denying the corruption charges against him. we get the latest now from nbc's nick bogert, who joins us from chicago. so, nick, what was blagojevich like on the stand? and did he score any points in his own defense? >> well, savannah, rod blagojevich was a rambling witness, i think it's fair to say that. that may actually help the defense, because one of the arguments they're going to make is that he's such a disorganized, messy thinker, so to say, that he couldn't have