choice hotels is a family of brands with a hotel for any traveler you want to be. like #1 chef dad, cookin' up a free, hot breakfast for the entire family at a comfort hotel. mom made this. umm...i...added...the garnish. book direct at choicehotels.com. i would never show my teeth. book direct at never. i'd never smile. and it forces you into this submission of silence because you don't think that anybody is going to take what you have to say seriously. invisalign has changed my life forever. it's our second hour. >> gio: widespread weather watches more than 20 million waking up under flood alerts. ice jams in the midwest. the latest on the weekend storm sweeping the deep south to the northeast.

>> whit: encouraging news on the economy. the u.s. destroyer, "uss carney" hit with a ballistic missile launched by houthi rebels. the tension intensifying in a vital shipping channel as we hear from the chairman of the joint chiefs in an abc news exclusive. >> rhiannon: widespread storms. more than 20 million americans under flood alerts. ice jams in the midwest, water levels rising. severe weather threats in the south and snow in the northeast. our weather team with the full forecast. >> gio: dress disparity. a bride-to-be selecting a style, but shocked about an extra charge to match her skin color. >> it's incredibly isolating and embarrassing. >> gio: the couple's story getting a massive online reaction. ♪ >> whit: and anchors away. the largest cruise ship in the world ready to embark on its maiden voyage. so big it has eight different

neighborhoods. as the cruise industry launches a wave of new experiences on the high seas. good morning, america. so great to have you all with us and great to have rhiannon ally with us once again, back for more. we do have a packed show this morning. overnight an alaska airlines boeing 737 max 9 back in the air for the first time in three weeks after that frightening incident of a door plug blowing out. coming up, the latest on the new safety measures. >> rhiannon: yes, and also ahead, oh, joy, don't shoot the messenger, tax season is about to begin, but maybe there is a reason for a little optimism this year. how the irs is trying to make filing a little easier for everyone this year. >> gio: and the presidential campaign this weekend now focusing on nevada. vice president harris campaigning there ahead of next month's voting, and former president trump is also there flying to the silver state right after a jury ordered him to pay more than $83 million for

defamation, and that's where we begin this morning with that massive penalty. senior investigative correspondent aaron katersky has the details. good morning, aaron. >> good morning, gio. this is a staggering verdict by any measure and a stinging defeat for the former president. he's already vowing to appeal. this morning, e. jean carroll is celebrating. a jury in manhattan took less than three hours to decide donald trump should pay her more than $83 million for defaming her in 2019 after she accused him of sexual assault. this is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she's been knocked down, carroll said, and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down. her attorney said trump's relentless lies triggered a tsunami attacks on ms. carroll and caused her fear, her terror, her anguish. they said this trial is about getting him to stop once and for all. the jury of seven men and two women responded by awarding carroll $65 million in punitive damages on top of 18.3 million in compensatory damages.

trump was not there to hear it. he attacked the verdict on social media calling it absolutely ridiculous and unfair and vowing to appeal. >> we will keep fighting, and i assure you, we didn't win today, but we will win. >> reporter: trump walked out during closing arguments by carroll's lawyer. the record will reflect that mr. trump just rose and walked out of the courtroom, the judge said. carroll's lawyers used it against him telling the jury it reflected his belief that rules don't apply to donald trump. trump returned to hear his own lawyer say carroll deserved no damages at all, because she failed to prove his statements caused her any threats. president trump has no more control over the thoughts and feelings of social media users than he does the weather. the jury disagreed, and for trump, who has made the courtroom a campaign stop, the outcome served as a contrast to recent political victories. even if he appeals this, the judge will likely require him to set aside at least a portion of the $83 million while that's litigated. gio? >> gio: and, aaron, trump is

awaiting a verdict on another case, a civil case, a civil fraud case out of new york. we could see him pay even a bigger fine here. what do we know? >> sure could. any day now the judge in a different courtroom in new york is expected to issue his opinion. that will punish him for conducting a decade's worth of business based on fraudulent financial statements that inflated his wealth. the new york attorney general is seeking a penalty of $370 million. >> gio: $370 million. all right, aaron, thank you so much. whit? >> whit: gio, and the verdict against trump coming just before he headed to nevada to campaign this weekend for the next republican contest. abc's maryalice parks is joining us now with more. maryalice, good morning. >> whit, good morning. a day after a jury ordered that trump pay more than $83 million in defamation, he is back out on the campaign trail without apology. now, nevada is the next state up in the republican primary, and he has an event there in las vegas today, but nikki haley also has a packed schedule. even though she lost in new

hampshire, she has fund-raisers in new york and florida. she is fighting on, and this is interesting, her team says that they are seeing momentum because of trump's attacks against her. her campaign says that they raised more than a million dollars after trump said he would permanently bar donors who gave to her from his own maga campaign. yesterday she was on fox news. she called him totally unhinged, really embracing leaning into that head-to-head now with trump. president biden and democrats, his re-election campaign in full swing this weekend too. vice president kamala harris also in nevada. it's her tenth trip to the state since taking office. president biden, though, he is in south carolina. it will be the first state to award delegates in the democratic primary. even though it's not a real battleground state for the general election, it's the state that propelled him to the nomination four years ago. the president is going big there. he has staff on the ground. he was there just a few weeks ago. his team says that tonight they want to sell a message about

promises he made to black voters and promises he has kept to black voters. rhiannon? >> rhiannon: all right, our thanks to maryalice here in studio. now to the conflict in the middle east. a tanker in danger of sinking in the gulf of aden this morning after a houthi missile strike. abc's em nguyen has more now from washington on the u.s.' response. good morning, em. >> reporter: good morning, rhiannon. the houthis most recent and most direct attacks on commercial ships are the most aggressive yet since they started the conflict in the red sea months ago when the israel-hamas war broke out. escalating tensions overnight when the u.s. fired on a houthi anti-ship missile that it said was ready to launch and posed an imminent threat to vessels and u.s. navy ships in the red sea. this coming just hours after yemen's houthi rebels struck a british oil tanker, the "marlin luanda" with an anti-ship ballistic missile setting it ablaze in the gulf of aden. the crew forced to abandon ship.

the u.s. destroyer, "uss carney" and a french warship assisting. officials say earlier in the day, the houthis fired a missile at the "uss carney," which was shot down without any injuries. the latest strikes marking a new escalation in the iranian-backed houthi attacks on vessels transiting the shipping channel which they say are in support of palestinians in gaza. the houthis have launched nearly three dozen attacks on commercial and navy ships since october, and there have been more than 150 attacks by iran-backed militants on u.s. troops in iraq and syria. the chairman of the joint chiefs in an exclusive with our martha raddatz when asked about how some believe the biden administration should be tougher on these militants. >> i would also ask, do they want a broader conflict? do you want us in a full-scale war? >> reporter: this after the u.s. launched multiple air strikes against iran-backed

militants in iraq, including one a week ago that left four u.s. personnel with traumatic brain injuries. >> we can't predict exactly how any one of these groups is going to respond. >> reporter: some rank and file lawmakers have insisted congress be consulted first before striking, but the pentagon says it's firing in self-defense, and that these actions would make international waters safer and more secure. gio? >> gio: an incredibly intense situation there. all right. em, thank you so much. now to the boeing max 9 back in the air this morning three weeks after that frightening in-flight blow-out of a door plug 16,000 feet in the air. and this morning, even more passengers from that alaska airlines flight are speaking out. this morning, boeing 737 max 9 planes are back in the skies. alaska airlines flight 1146 taking off from seattle to san diego friday night. >> you have to put your faith in it. >> they just checked it, so we figured it was safe. >> reporter: it's the first time the airline has used the max 9 again since that horrifying flight earlier this month. nearly 200 max 9s were grounded

for three weeks after the door plug of an alaska airlines plane blew off midflight. video showing that massive hole with the plane 16,000 feet in the air packed with passengers. overnight boeing saying in a letter to employees, our long-term focus is on improving our quality so that we can regain the confidence of our customers, our regulator, and the flying public. frankly, we have disappointed and let them down. >> it's not a software problem. it's not a design problem with the airplane. it involves making sure that four bolts were put into the door and properly tightened. it's not hard. >> reporter: in response to the incident, boeing shut down its entire 737 factory for 15 hours this week. mechanics, quality inspectors, and engineers standing down to focus exclusively on quality control, visually inspecting work areas and figuring out what to improve. >> it was a good idea for boeing to take a step back. >> reporter: passengers from alaska 1282 speaking out about their ordeal. joan and gilbert marin were

sitting just two rows behind that missing door plug. >> we are distraught. our lives have changed, and i do encourage every passenger on that plane to step forward and talk to somebody. >> gio: it must have been terrifying. alaska is still rolling out its max 9s, so you may deal with some cancellations for a few more days. meanwhile, united airlines says it will start flying its max 9s tomorrow. whit? >> whit: it's comforting that those planes have been inspected. good information, thank you, gio. now to the wild weather we've been experiencing from coast to coast including dangerous flooding. abc's phil lipof joins us from fort lee, new jersey, with the latest. phil, good morning. >> reporter: whit, good morning to you. 20 million americans under this flood watch as we move into the weekend into this winter storm. in eastern texas alone, two months of rain fell in just the last few days. here in the east along with this fog you see behind me, snow is on the way.

this morning, a widespread weekend storm bringing flooding, heavy rain, possible tornadoes and snow. flooding here in texas, rivers near houston reaching major flood stage. watches in effect from the south into the mid-atlantic. hail hammering central texas covering the ground and roads, a rainbow appearing in the storm's aftermath. >> it's overwhelming. >> reporter: evacuations in northeast illinois after an ice jam break into the kankakee river in wilmington. >> there's always ice backups this time of year, but i've never seen it this bad. >> reporter: in ohio, noisy ice chunks pushing their way down the sandusky river. in conover, north carolina, this car hydroplaned and flipped. >> i just grabbed the bat, and i just swung as hard as i could. >> reporter: christina jenkins, a nurse driving by, smashing the car's window helping the three inside to safety. >> a lot of adrenaline, and i was just thinking, i don't know what's in that car, and getting the people out. >> reporter: in minneapolis, the ice palace attraction, 90,000

square feet of ice shut down after just four days because of the warm temperatures. all of this after a week of wet and warm weather across the eastern half of the country. >> it's crazy. >> reporter: friday, the warmest january day ever in the nation's capital, 80 degrees bringing with it that dense, heavy fog, and after all that warmth and rain, sunday into monday, snow from pennsylvania up into new england. whit? >> whit: not many looking forward to that. all right. phil, thank you. let's bring in somara theodore with more on the forecast and what we can expect. and, somara, a number of threats across the country. >> somara: a lot going on. but don't worry. we'll eat this cake in pieces. all right, so, check this out. we've got the storm system in the south that's bringing severe weather to states like alabama, georgia, mississippi. sunday into monday that's what phil was talking about. this storm is going to head to the north. we've got fog in the great lakes and out west, an atmospheric river dumping a ton of moisture. we're also seeing a bit of a warm-up.

here's what happens and the biggest threat today. if you live in georgia, if you live in alabama, south carolina down towards the florida panhandle, you have a threat for isolated tornadoes during brunch and lunch. damaging winds, flash flooding, gusty winds, and frequent lightning as well. coming up, stick around, because we have to talk about how this storm then makes its way to the northeast and brings a threat for snow to pennsylvania and new england. rhiannon? >> rhiannon: somara, thank you. now, to the university of idaho murders. overnight, we learned that a trial date could be still a year away for suspect bryan kohberger. abc's jaclyn lee joins us now with the latest on that. good morning, jaclyn. >> reporter: hey, rhiannon, good morning to you. kohberger's attorney making it clear to the judge that they are not ready. there's just so much information to go through, and they've only spoken to 10% of the 400 potential witnesses. this morning, bryan kohberger, the man accused of murdering four university of idaho students, is back in court to learn when he will face a jury. the prosecution requesting later this summer. the defense requesting to push

to summer 2025, stating it's not a six-week trial, but rather a 12 to 15-week trial due to its complexity with a mountain of information left to sort through. >> defense counsel said they're nervous about even being ready by then. they said they have 51 terabytes of information, citing that one terabyte of information can contain 500 hours of video, 250,000 pictures, and 6.5 million documents. >> reporter: kohberger's attorney is adamant she won't be ready, and she needs to see every bit of discovery. >> that's the duty i owe to bryan. >> reporter: the judge denying two requests from the defense including a dismissal of the grand jury indictment against kohberger. the indictment was used to charge him with killing kaylee goncalves, madison mogen, ethan chapin and xana kernodle in the early hours of november 13th, 2022. the house on king road was torn down late last month.

the parents of kaylee goncalves sharing never-before-seen photos and videos of her last days and their frustration with how slow the legal process has been, wanting justice for their daughter. >> it's a couple steps forward, ten steps back. >> yeah. >> you know, it just is just constant and just emotional, physically, emotionally. it's both actually, which is just the hardest thing to explain. >> reporter: in court on friday, the judge apologizing directly to victims' families. >> my heart goes out to the victims. i can't even imagine the pain, the grief. >> reporter: now, the judge has not made a final ruling on a court date and was reluctant about pushing this case to 2025. however, he said he is trying to be realistic just based on the sheer volume of evidence, and, remember, this is a death penalty case. the judge noted he only wants to try this case once, and they need to get it right. gio? >> gio: and it is a case that's

just captured the nation. jaclyn, thank you so much. we're going to turn to some good news now from the centers for disease control and prevention regarding respiratory illnesses. the agency says both flu and covid hospitalizations, as well as doctor visits have decreased over the last few weeks, and the cdc estimates there have been at least 18 million illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths from flu so far this season. whit? >> whit: tesla is recalling nearly 200,000 electric vehicles. the recall is due to a software problem with the rear view camera in which it may not function while the car is in reverse. the recall covers certain models, y, s and x, from the 2023 model years. the problem can be fixed with an online software update. now, this comes after tesla shares fell on thursday when the company reported earnings that missed expectations. >> rhiannon: all right, now, to everyone's favorite topic, the upcoming start of the tax season. >> gio: is it? [ laughter ] >> rhiannon: the new push to make it easier on filers to submit those forms. alexis christoforous joins us

now with what's new from the irs this year. give us some good news, alexis. >> i'm going to try, rhiannon. good morning, everybody. the irs is officially accepting tax returns on monday, and it's using some of that $80 billion it's getting from congress to make filing a little less, well, taxing. it's encouraging taxpayers to create a free individual online account at irs.gov. this lets you access balance and payment options. you can view your filing history, even file for an income tax extension, and instead of calling its toll-free number, the irs hopes you'll use its online interactive tax assistant to answer questions like whether you qualify for a tax credit or deduction, and the irs is launching its very own tax filing service. it's called direct file meant to be an alternative to turbotax and h&r block. it lets you file directly with the irs online for free, but most taxpayers won't be able to use it this year. it's only available to a small number of filers in a dozen states.

you can keep better track of the status of your tax refund by using a where's my refund tool at irs.gov, and this year, here's the good news, those refunds are expected to be about 10% larger than last year thanks to the irs raising its tax brackets to account for inflation. the average refund -- get this -- estimated to be a little less than $3,500. who doesn't want a little extra change in their pocket? i'm going to be back tomorrow with more tips to save time and money when filing your taxes this year. guys? >> gio: you know, the problem with that, where's my refund tool, you start getting obsessed with it, and you start going every single day. that's what i did last year. thank you, alexis. >> whit: tracking. >> rhiannon: where's my refund? i found some good news as we head to somara for the weather. tax season, you know what that means, spring is coming. >> somara: i think it may have come a little early, rhiannon, because in 152 years of recordkeeping washington, d.c., saw their warmest january day on record.

check this video. this is in january. okay, this was thursday, i believe, i'm sorry, friday, you can see here they've got shorts on. 80 degrees yesterday outside just enjoying the weather. d.c., i hope you loved it. okay, so here's what's happening next for you, d.c. you have this storm cyst that's moving in will bring rain not only to d.c., but cincinnati, state college in pennsylvania and chicago may see a few showers. heaviest through the delmarva peninsula and making its way into new york. the northern tier of the storm, snow, pennsylvania, new york state, i'm sorry, upstate new york, parts of new england under

>> somara: and that's a look at your local forecast. you know, i keep thinking back to when i was growing up coming to visit my family in new york and d.c. there was rarely a time you could come without a big puffy coat. >> whit: right. >> somara: now it seems like things are changing. >> whit: okay, can't come soon enough. we'll take that. all right, thank you. let's get to some basketball now. dallas mavericks star guard luka doncic went where a few players have ever gone before in nba history. doncic scored 73 points friday night in his team's road win against atlanta. that ties him for fourth highest score by a player in one nba contest. only wilt chamberlain and kobe bryant scored more. doncic tied david thompson's 73 points from 1978. this comes as the nba has been celebrating rivals week.

today's triple-header right here on abc will feature three key matchups. >> rhiannon: and they needed this because the dallas mavs were on a three-game losing streak headed into this game and needed every one of those points. >> whit: 70 plus points will definitely help. >> gio: and that's espn right there. thank you. wwe's vince mcmahon resigns from the sports entertainment company he founded. that's coming up here on "gma." >> rhiannon: and a reality show company claims a wedding boutique tried to charge them more to match the bride's skin color. >> whit: and a look at the big changes in the cruise business as what's billed as the biggest cruise ship ever is about to set sail. there's challenges, and i love overcoming challenges. ♪ when better money habits® content first started coming out, it expanded what i could do for special olympics athletes with developmental needs. thousands of bank of america employees like scott spend countless hours volunteering to teach people

how to reach their financial goals. it felt good. it felt like i could take on the whole world. (avo) kate made progress with her mental health... ...but her medication caused unintentional movements in her face, hands, and feet called tardive dyskinesia, or td. so her doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily td treatment for adults. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ austedo xr significantly reduced kate's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks. with austedo xr, kate can stay on her mental health meds— (kate) oh, hi buddy! (avo) austedo xr can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine. austedo xr may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking, or sweating. common side effects include inflammation of the nose

and throat, insomnia and sleepiness. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ ask your doctor for austedo xr. ♪ austedo xr ♪ your shipping manager left to “find themself.” leaving you lost. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire i brought in ensure max protein with 30 grams of protein! those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks. -ugh. -here, i'll take that. woo hoo! ensure max protein, 30 grams protein, 1 gram sugar, 25 vitamins and minerals. and a new fiber blend with a prebiotic. (♪) ♪ you must know what it's like ♪ ♪ baby, you must know what it's like ♪

♪ to love somebody ♪ ♪ to love somebody ♪ ♪ the way i love you ♪ nothing comes close to this place in the morning. i'm so glad i can still come here. you see, i was diagnosed with obstructive hcm. and there were some days i was so short of breath. i thought i'd have to settle for never stepping foot on this trail again. i became great at making excuses. but i have people who count on me so i talked to my cardiologist. i said there must be more we can do for my symptoms. he told me about a medication called camzyos. he said camzyos works by targeting what's causing my obstructive hcm. so he prescribed it and i'm really glad he did. camzyos is used to treat adults with symptomatic obstructive hcm. camzyos may improve your symptoms and your ability to be active. camzyos may cause serious side effects, including heart failure that can lead to death. a risk that's increased if you develop a serious infection or irregular heartbeat or when taking certain other medicines. so do not stop, start or change medicines

or the dose without telling your healthcare provider. you must have echocardiograms before and during treatment. seek help if you experience new or worsening symptoms of heart failure. because of this risk, camzyos is only available through a restricted program. before taking camzyos, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including current or planned pregnancy. today with camzyos, i don't lose my breath as often. my symptoms have improved, helping me go from expecting less to experiencing more. my name is mike. and this is my camzyos moment. call your cardiologist today and see if a camzyos moment may be in your future too.

i'm peter dixon and in kenya... we built a hospital that provides maternal care. as a marine... we fought against the taliban and their crimes against women. and in hillary clinton's state department... we took on gender-based violence in the congo. now extremists are banning abortion and contraception right here at home. so, i'm running for congress to help stop them. for your family... and mine. i approved this message because this is who we are. in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card

with qualifying internet. switch today. at the olympic valley in yesterday. a state parks peace officer tried to stop a vehicle involved in a carjacking in tahoe city, just about seven miles away, after a short chase, the driver crashed in a palisades parking lot. the driver then got out of the car with a knife, and that's when the officer shot him. he was pronounced dead at the scene. to weather now and some warmer days ahead. lisa is tracking the latest. good morning. >> good morning stephanie. here's a look from emeryville and temperatures are pretty mild from the upper 40s to the low 50s, so plenty of cloud cover. perhaps a stray shower. you see some sun here in san francisco. lots of 60s today and even

warmer for sunday. >> thank you lisa, and thank you all for joining us. the news continues right now with to protect the rule of law, or to build affordable housing, or write california's patients bill of rights. but i know adam through the big brother program. we've been brothers since i was seven. he stood by my side as i graduated from yale, and i stood by his side when he married eve, the love of his life. i'm a little biased, but take it from adam's little brother. he'll make us all proud as california senator. i'm adam schiff and i approve this message.

♪ if i get jealous i can't help it ♪ ♪ i want every bit of you i guess i'm selfish ♪ >> rhiannon: welcome back to "gma" on this saturday morning. have you heard it yet? justin timberlake dropping his

new single, "selfish," this week marking his first new music as a solo artist in more than five years. j.t.'s fans are loving it. coming up, though, we'll tell you why some britney fans are making sure her music is highlighted. britney fans will never let him forget. >> gio: they are upset about this one. >> whit: let's take a look at some other big stories we're following this morning. happening right now, authorities in hawaii say they have identified the last of the 100 known victims of the wildfire that destroyed the town of lahaina in maui last august. 70-year-old lydia coloma is the last victim to be identified. authorities say the victims range in age from 7 to 97 years old. >> gio: also right now, wwe founder, vince mcmahon, has resigned from sports entertainment company tko group effective immediately amid sexual misconduct allegations against him. mcmahon has denied any wrongdoing. his resignation comes after former wwe employee janelle grant accused him of sexual

assault, trafficking, and physical abuse in the lawsuit. >> rhiannon: the city of wichita, kansas, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of this bronze statue of baseball great jackie robinson. it went missing this week from a public park, and surveillance video shows two people loading the statue up on a truck early thursday morning. a nonprofit is calling for people to gather at a park this morning in wichita to reflect and support one another, and obviously this is disappointing to happen any time, but especially just days before black history month. >> whit: absolutely. bizarre and awful crime. that's for sure. we start this half hour with a closer look at the top political headlines this week, and joining us are deputy political director averi harper and abc white house correspondent maryalice parks. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> whit: averi, let's start with you and with nikki haley. she did not win new hampshire like some people thought she should. she came in third in iowa, but she is still staying in the race. how much pressure is on her to perform in these upcoming contests? >> right, she has been adamant

that she's going to stay in this race, but it's not going to be easy for her. after the loss in new hampshire, a place where the electorate has been very favorable to her, it really raises a question of whether she has a viable path to the nomination, and so when we look at what she needs to do, she needs to maintain the confidence of her supporters, of donors. we've seen donors pump the brakes on her as she lost new hampshire, and so she's going to be raising money. she'll have 17 fund-raisers in states across the country, and so she's trying to keep her campaign flush with cash. at the same time she's facing a lot of calls, a growing number of calls, from republicans to drop out of the race so that the party can unite around former president donald trump. now the focus is shifting to south carolina, and when we look at polling there, according to fivethirtyeight, she is trailing more than 30 points behind former president trump. >> gio: and, again, that's her home state, south carolina. maryalice, you've been out on the campaign trail. in new hampshire and south carolina, what do you think? >> i think there's more people

in san antonio, texas, than the entire state of new hampshire. i don't think it's crazy to let more than two states vote. that's the argument she's making, and i do think she exposed some real weaknesses in a potential trump candidacy. i mean, these numbers, she won 72% of people in new hampshire who describe themselves as moderates, 65% of people who are independents. it is really hard to win a general election without moderates or independents. i mean, you can't actually. so republicans have to think about whether their first priority is setting themselves up for success in a general election, and i also think that we're seeing on the trail more voters potentially animated to support haley because of trump's attacks against haley. in the last few days, he's mocked her clothes. he's mocked her race. he's made fun of her given name, and i met a lot of republican voters that just don't want to be associated with that kind of behavior. she sees that as a path, and we're seeing her lean in there. but, of course, democrats there out in full force right now. i mean, this weekend alone, the president in south carolina, the

vice president in nevada, they've moved white house staff to the campaign. they are in go mode for really a general election at this point. >> rhiannon: and, averi, you've been out on these campaign trails for weeks now and talking with voters. what are they saying about the campaigns? >> it's not just me who's been out. we have an entire team of campaign reporters talking to voters all of the time. i'll tell you that when it comes to the race, there are a lot of voters not particularly excited about the potential of a rematch between president biden and former president trump. there are voters who expressed concerns about the ages of both men. in terms of the republican primary, i think there are lots of voters, including republicans, who see a momentum behind former president trump, and then, in terms of the issues, i think across the board in every place that we go to, voters are the most concerned about the economy. conservative voters often raise issues around the border when they speak to our reporters, and then a lot of independents and democratic voters are pointing to issues around abortion access. >> whit: maryalice, let's shift

gears here on this last one, because we know negotiations are happening on capitol hill between the white house about border security, funding for aid in israel and ukraine. president trump though seeming to suggest that he doesn't want republicans to support this. so, is this potential deal now up in the air? >> it seems like it. look, president biden is begging republicans to send in this bill, a deal on immigration, and just last night he put out a statement -- we confirmed some of these details. he said, the deal they're working on would give the white house, the administration, new broad authorities to essentially shut down the border if it reached capacity in terms of people trying to cross on a given day, that it includes thousands of new border patrol agents, money for hundreds of new immigration judges, new technology to try to detect and stop fentanyl, but you're right. we've seen in the last few days former president trump weighing in. he posted and said he didn't think republicans should back this, because it could be a gift for democrats. think about that. republicans right now are going along with him, republicans that

were elected to govern right now are basically saying they're going to walk away from this deal, because instead of doing something on the border right now, it might be better to run politically on the border. that is remarkable, and to averi's point, it's sad for voters. i mean, voters tell us all the time they actually care about the issue. they are worried about what they're seeing on the border and want something done, and i do think it's going to be tough for republicans to continue to bring up the border if they walked away from this potential deal. >> whit: we see this time and time again too, especially on this issue where politics, the campaign, gets in the way of getting things done on capitol hill. maryalice, thank you so much. averi, as always, we appreciate it. let's turn and get another check of the weather. somara, we're hoping for a little piece of spring coming soon. >> somara: well, some of our friends in d.c. are getting that. for now, whit, we're going to visit your family and friends out west in california where we have the atmospheric river kicking into high gear. this means you all will be saturated over the next five days. seattle, eureka, medford

anywhere from three to six inches of rain. from san francisco down to los angeles, we could see one to three inches of rain and further inland in some of the higher elevations, about 6 to 12 inches of snow near tahoe city. into the rockies a little bit of snow as well, and it's not just the west coast. the east coast also getting in on some action with this next storm system getting ready to pull through the southeast bringing them severe weather. if you live in cities like cincinnati, washington, d.c., raleigh, prepare for showers, heavy rain, some rumbles of thunder as we head through your sunday. by sunday afternoon into monday morning, we start to see the wintry weather make its way into the northeast. there they have a winter weather watch there, and we could see anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of snow generally from buffalo all the way to burlington. that's a look at your forecast. let's see what's going on a little closer to h

>> somara: that was the forecast in your neighborhood. gio, back to you. >> gio: all right, somara, thank you. coming up on "good morning america," a couple sharing their shock at wedding dress shopping and how it's just blowing up on social media. stick around, you're watching "gma" on a saturday morning. this is how it feels to du more with less asthma... ...thanks to dupixent. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. and can help improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. dupixent helps prevent asthma attacks... and can even reduce or eliminate oral steroids. imagine that. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain,

or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. who knows what you can do when you du more with less asthma. ask your doctor about dupixent. the most prescribed biologic for asthma. ♪ sure, mcdonald's breakfast is good. ♪ but getting that mcdonald's breakfast two minutes before it stops being served... that tastes even better. ♪ have you ever considered getting a walk-in tub? well, look no further. that tastes even better. proudly made in tennessee, a safe step walk-in tub is the best in it's class. the ultra-low easy step helps keep you safe from having to climb over those high walled tubs, allowing you to age gracefully in the home you love. and now, back by popular demand, for a limited time, when you purchase your brand-new safe step walk-in tub, you'll receive a free shower package!

yes! a free shower package, and if you call today, you'll also receive $1600 off. now you can enjoy the best of both worlds. the therapeutic benefits of a warm, soothing bath, that can help increase mobility, relieve pain, boost energy, and even improve sleep. or, if you prefer, you can take a refreshing shower all in one product! call now! why are force factor vitamins so popular at walmart? force factor uses the highest quality ingredients to deliver powerful, healthy results from delicious and convenient supplements. that's why friends and family recommend force factor. rush to walmart and unleash your potential with force factor.

>> rhiannon: welcome back to "gma" and the couple shocked to learn of a racial disparity while planning their wedding day. their story now blowing up on social media. abc's reena roy is here with the details. reena, good morning. >> reporter: rhiannon, good morning to you. that's right. it certainly has a lot of people talking, and when it comes to your wedding, you want every detail to be just right, but one bride-to-be said she was told she'd be charged extra if she wanted the undergarments for her dress to match her skin. saying yes to the dress is usually a fairy tale moment for future brides. >> i tried it on, and it was the first time i almost felt like i could have cried. it was beautiful. it was stunning. >> reporter: but tessa tookes says that magical experience took an unexpected turn for her when she was told the brown undergarment option that matched her skin tone would be $200 extra instead of the beige and white versions that were free of charge. >> it was incredibly isolating

and embarrassing, and it definitely took me back to my childhood of being, like, a dancer and having to dye my own tights and ballet shoes. >> reporter: tookes got engaged to her fiance, joey kirchner, on season 2 of "bachelor in paradise: canada." >> want to go to the disco with me? >> let's go, baby. >> reporter: joey outraged when he heard about his fiancee's experience in the canadian bridal boutique, taking to tiktok. >> so, you're telling me that it's free to be white, but if my bride has a different skin tone than white, she has to pay extra money? >> reporter: that video now viewed nearly 4 million times. >> i was just livid and needed to vent about my emotions and thought that everyone should know and hear about this. >> reporter: fellow brides sharing their experience and offering support. this woman saying, i had to scrap my whole wedding dress because the upcharge was $1,200. since the story went viral, brands and bridal designers reaching out, some even offering to make her a dress. >> now i'm kind of just

embracing a fresh start. i'm really looking for a dress that holistically represents my values and how i would like to be treated as a bride. >> reporter: the couple now hoping tessa's experience sparks change. >> this is not an uncommon experience for people with darker skin. it really does expand well beyond brides. >> reporter: and tessa is now encouraging other brides to do their research ahead of time by making sure that the store they're looking at has inclusive policies already in place for people of all skin tones. guys? >> whit: all right, reena. thank you so much. coming up on "good morning america" we'll take you on board the largest cruise ship in the world ready to set sail on its maiden voyage. i've always been prone to hair thinning. i'm genetically predisposed. i just gave birth. i was under a lot of stress. i started taking nutrafol. we test our formulations with the highest rigor of clinical trials and we're the number one

dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement. i noticed it becoming... stronger and thicker. nutrafol has taken me back to the hair i was meant to have. i am back to me. start your hair growth journey at nutrafol.com ♪ you must know what it's like ♪ ♪ baby, you must know what it's like ♪ ♪ to love somebody ♪ ♪ to love somebody ♪ ♪ the way i love you ♪ dad, we're gonna be late! ♪ can't stop adding stuff to your cart? get the bank of america customized cash rewards card, choose the online shopping category and earn 3% cash back. mucinex nightshift fights your worst night-time symptoms, so you can get to sleep and wake up ready to go. how could you? ( ♪ ) wake up to a new you. with mucinex nightshift, it's not cold & flu season, it's always comeback season.

here's to getting better with age. here's to beating these two every thursday. help fuel today with boost high protein, complete nutrition you need... ...without the stuff you don't. so, here's to now. boost. look at these humans, just walking past the chance to save nearly $750. hey, you! look. here. look at this. -[ gasps ] -come on. let's go. oh, boy. ooh, that didn't turn out how you wanted. switch to progressive, and you could save hundreds. the sausage burrito. it's your mcdonald's breakfast wrapped in a cozy tortilla blanket. ahhh to be wrapped in a cozy tortilla blanket... mmmmmm. ♪ ba da ba ba ba ♪

...katie porter's whiteboard is one way she's: [news anchor] ...often seen grilling top executives of banks, big pharma, even top administration officials. katie porter. never taken corporate pac money - never will. leading the fight to ban congressional stock trading. and the only democrat who opposed wasteful “earmarks” that fund politicians' pet projects. katie porter. focused on your challenges - from lowering housing costs to fighting climate change. shake up the senate - with democrat katie porter. i'm katie porter and i approve this message.

>> gio: and we're back now on "gma," and the largest cruise ship will set sail on its maiden voyage. abc's morgan norwood has more about that and the industry that's definitely bouncing back. morgan, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning to you, gio. that's right. it's the megaship that is making waves set to coast out of the port of miami. we're talking about the "icon of the seas" debuting as the cruise industry rebounds from the pandemic. with more and more americans looking to set sail now, cruise lines are beefing up the ships offering longer trips and newer experiences. this morning, its bon voyage, the world's largest cruise ship, royal caribbean's "icon of the seas" welcoming passengers and setting sail. >> it's just been a dream come true to be part of the inaugural passengers. >> reporter: thousands of passengers sailing aboard the 1,200-foot long, 20-deck-high

floating city. and though the vessel is headed to the caribbean, this ship, well, it's a destination on its own. it comes as major cruise lines still try to rebound from their massive revenue losses during the covid-19 pandemic and several norovirus outbreaks in 2023 across cruise lines. rolling out new features and concepts to attract future cruisers. royal caribbean isn't the only cruise line looking to make waves. the voyages themselves are getting longer. villa vi residences offering a 3 1/2-year-long cruise, and princess has a three-month cruise that sets sail this month. then there's this nine-month ultimate world cruise that's traveling to 60 countries and taking tiktok by store. >> day in the life, day three at sea. >> reporter: the hype comes as cruising makes a comeback, with global cruising expected to grow 20% through the year 2028. the cruise industry as a whole rebounding faster from the pandemic than international tourism according to

cruising.org. >> we are seeing bookings higher than ever. we are seeing interest in cruising higher than ever. if you are thinking about your summer vacation now, it's not too early to book. you are likely to get the best rates you're going to see. >> reporter: okay, so listen up. we have good tips for you. even though it is wave season and there are great deals from now until march, experts say you should actually cruise in the shoulder season. that's going to be late spring and early fall. if you have some flexibility, that's going to really help you get that cruise at a price that might feel a little bit better to you. if you do book, just take me with you, guys. >> whit: deal. >> rhiannon: take the show on a cruise. >> gio: i like those slides. you saw those slides? >> rhiannon: yes. >> whit: zip lines. >> reporter: and the bars and the restaurants. >> gio: we know where you're going. >> rhiannon: i'll send the kids to the kids club. >> gio: it's 5:00 somewhere. thank you, morgan. >> rhiannon: we'll be right back with our "play of the day." >> whit: the bars. [ laughter ] feel darkest bef. with caplyta, there's a chance to let in the lyte™. caplyta is proven to deliver significant relief

across bipolar depression. unlike some medicines that only treat bipolar i, caplyta treats both bipolar i and ii depression. and in clinical trials, movement disorders and weight gain were not common. call your doctor about sudden mood changes, behaviors, or suicidal thoughts. antidepressants may increase these risks in young adults. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. report fever, confusion, stiff or uncontrollable muscle movements which may be life threatening or permanent. these aren't all the serious side effects. caplyta can help you let in the lyte™. ask your doctor about caplyta find savings and support at caplyta.com. i'm steve, i lost 138 pounds in nine months on golo and taking release. since taking release, my sleep is way better. my inflammation has gone way down.

i'm nonstop now, i feel way better than i did before. i don't sit down in life anymore. covid-19? i'm not waiting. if it's covid, paxlovid. paxlovid is an oral treatment for adults with mild-to-moderate covid-19 and a high-risk factor for it becoming severe. it does not prevent covid-19. my symptoms are mild now, but i'm not risking it. if it's covid, paxlovid. paxlovid must be taken within the first five days of symptoms, and helps stop the virus from multiplying in your body. taking paxlovid with certain medicines can lead to serious or life-threatening side effects or affect how it or other medicines work, including hormonal birth control. it's critical to tell your doctor about all the medicines you take because certain tests or changes in their dosage may be needed. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems,

hiv-1, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeed. don't take paxlovid if you're allergic to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or any of its ingredients. serious side effects can include allergic reactions, some severe like anaphylaxis, and liver problems. these are not all the possible side effects so talk to your doctor. if it's covid, paxlovid. ask your doctor today. there are some things that work better together. like your workplace benefits and retirement savings.

presentation looks great. thanks. voya provides tools that help you make the right investment and benefit choices. so you can reach today's financial goals. that one. and look forward to a more confident future. that is one dynamic duo. voya, well planned, well invested, well protected. >> whit: we are back with our

"play of the day," and snowboarder chloe kim making history during the x games in aspen. kim becoming the first woman to land a 1260 in snowboard halfpipe competition. take a look at that. yes! that's 3 1/2 twists and 2 flips and 1 piece of air in case you're wondering. it won kim her sixth title in aspen. her first appearance there since 2021. she said she really wanted to do that trick for a long time performing it at the end of her last run. the 23-year-old was just 17 when she catapulted to international stardom, remember, becoming the youngest woman to win an olympic snowboarding gold medal back in 2018. >> gio: just incredible. >> rhiannon: she tried that in 2022 at the olympics and fell. >> gio: that's right. stick around for our "gma" second hour. the dangerous flooding hitting part of the country with new storms on the move. >> rhiannon: and our "gma" cover story, j.t. may be out with a new single, but a dueling song with his ex-girlfriend, britney spears.

in the face of rising crime. kaiser permanente says it's committed to ensuring the safety and security of its employees and physicians across all its locations. however the chronicle reports kaiser employees are being told to stay in their buildings for lunch and to not hold any meetings in downtown oakland. looking ahead to the niners game tomorrow, officials are planning to close off multiple freeway off ramps in san francisco tomorrow night in an effort to control potential crowds after the game. here's a look at the map. it shows the ramps that will be closed starting at seven sunday night until midnight. officials say it's an effort to enhance public safety due to an expected increase in traffic. well, to weather now and some nice days ahead of us. good morning lisa.

>> good morning stephanie. partly cloudy skies here from the golden gate bridge and temperatures are in the upper 40s to mid 50s in hayward. 53 in oakland. you can see the sun here on the bay with 52 in concord and 46 in petaluma. so the cloud cover winning out today. chance for a stray shower through early sunday morning, maybe 1/100, but basically a mostly cloudy sky for most of us with temperatures above average. looking at low 60s in san francisco and san rafael, 66 in fremont with upper 60s south end of the bay. the accuweather seven day forecast even warmer and sunnier for your sunday as we get into monday. still mild, partly cloudy skies, late night showers on tuesday, breezy to gusty winds with a level two system on wednesday. looks like the rain is going to linger into the end of the week, and maybe some nuisance flooding by next weekend. stephanie. >> all right, lisa, thank you. and thank you all for joining us. the news continues with good morning america

to see the possibilities all around you. [ laughs ] yeah, what if i catch it first? then what? ♪ with capella university's game-changing flexpath format, get support every step of the way to help you stay on track. imagine your future differently with capella university.

choice hotels is a family of brands with a hotel for any traveler you want to be. like #1 chef dad, cookin' up a free, hot breakfast for the entire family at a comfort hotel. mom made this. umm...i...added...the garnish. book direct at choicehotels.com. i would never show my teeth. book direct at never. i'd never smile. and it forces you into this submission of silence because you don't think that anybody is going to take what you have to say seriously. invisalign has changed my life forever. >> gio: good morning, america. it's our second hour. widespread weather watches, more than 20 million americans waking up under flood alerts, ice jams in the midwest, water levels rising. the latest on that weekend storm sweeping the deep south to the northeast. >> whit: encouraging news on the economy.