♪♪ >> a beautiful way to reflect as we look ahead to the new year. that does it for me. have a happy and a safe new year. alex witt picks things up right now. a very good day to all of you. i'm alex witt here at msnbc world headquarters in new york city. political and legal battles are intensifying over the 2024 republican primary, as we inch closer to the first votes being cast. maine's secretary of state decided donald trump is constitutionally ineligible to appear on the state's primary ballot. it joins colorado in banning trump. on the other side of the country, california's secretary of state decided to keep trump on the ballot, as trump fights to stay on the ballot, his

republican rivals are crisscrossing early voting states, attempting to cut into his support in the new year. but they are battling their own conflicts. backlash grows for nikki haley over her response to a question on the civil war. we will dig into the latest on the race. new developments in gaza. israel is accused of hitting the same area they told people to seek refuge. they are facing allegations of firing on an aid convoy. as we gear up for the ball to drop in times square to ring in 2024, we are taking a look back at the biggest stories of 2023, the entire year, and what a year it has been. ♪♪ we begin the hour with the big pre-new year's push on the campaign trail. the republican presidential candidates are spread out across the early voting states of iowa and new hampshire today, as they try to find enough support to

turn the tide against frontrunner donald trump. the clock is kicking as we are just 17 days away from the iowa caucus, and 25 days from the new hampshire primary. amid this critical stretch, nikki haley is in cleanup mode as the fallout grows after leaving out slavery as a cause of the civil war during a town hall in new hampshire. as those comments have dominated headlines, vivek ramaswamy was asked the same question last night in iowa. >> it was slavery. but there were tensions brewing in the value system that was different in two countries that shared a geographic space, but a value system that was different. that's what led to the civil war. the powder keg was in the air. they caused it to boil over. >> joining us now is vaughn hillyard, rick tyler, msnbc

political analyst and republican strategist, and julia manchester, national political reporter for "the hill." i welcome you all. vaughn, you first. what is the backlash today? >> for nikki haley, there's a reality in this republican primary right now that donald trump has a sturdy base of loyalists. those voters, you could say it's one-third to half of the republican electorate that are solidly in his camp. you have to rely on republicans on the periphery who are opposed to donald trump, but also independent voters and folks that are right now saying that they are in the corner of chris christie, who in new hampshire has anywhere from 10% to 15% of support. when we talk about independents, look at new hampshire. up to 47% last go around, they were -- the republican primary electorate were registered

independents here. for nikki haley, she cannot afford to turn off some of the folks who are considering coming to her camp. i want to let you listen to some voters on the ground in new hampshire who spoke with our reporter there. >> i wish she would have answered the question historically accurate. >> i think any candidate running for the presidency should understand the context of the civil war. >> why do you think she didn't answer that up front? >> to be completely real, i think that it would offend some of her voters. i think that they don't pretend like slavery didn't exist, but they would rather not talk about it anymore. >> this was a moment in which nikki haley and her campaign were making the case that they were surging and that this should be a race -- a one-on-one race between her and donald trump. this provides an opening with 17 days left until iowa, 25 days left from new hampshire, in which other candidates from ron desantis to chris christie can

cut the contrast with her and the backlash she's received. as you heard from the voters, they are questioning with less than three weeks left. >> those two guys that were interviewed made reasonable points there. julia, what about chris christie, who criticized haley over her failure to say slavery was the cause of the civil war? let's listen to his take. >> she didn't because she's unwilling to offend anyone by telling the truth. she isn't willing to say the same things about abortion in new hampshire that she says in iowa, because she doesn't want to offend people in iowa who have a different feeling than people in new hampshire. then she comes to new hampshire, she doesn't want to offend them either. >> look, julia, clearly, haley's rivals jumped at this opportunity to hit her over this. she's in a serious battle for second place. the question is, can they

effectively knock her down? what do you think? >> yeah. she's really in a battle for second place mostly in new hampshire. she's 17 points behind former president trump in the state, which is by double digits, however it seems to be the closest she's gotten on average in these early primary states so far. look for chris christie to criticize haley. i don't think he is doing much to maybe boost himself. but in doing that, he could certainly knock her down. on average, chris christie has 10% support in new hampshire. if haley hadn't have made those remarks that she made earlier this week, there is a chance that she could be able to sway some chris christie voters. if the event he decides to drop out before new hampshire -- he has given no indication he will -- she could scoop of those voters up and very much narrow that gap with donald trump.

since these comments she's made, that throws that all into question, because it's such an unflattering news story. she would rather be talking about her vision for the country, her candidacy. instead, she's on cleanup duty all week. >> rick, republican candidates, they are piling on haley over this. but they continue to largely avoid piling on trump. does this ultimately help him remain the frontrunner? if you don't talk about it, then maybe it's not something you have to worry about? >> alex, i think you are right. nikki had the only plausible chance at being the alternative to trump, meaning, she would do well in iowa, which would mean losing to trump. going on to new hampshire and maybe getting close or even winning, possibility. then going into south carolina, her home state.

she really stepped in it this week. not only is it a slow news week, but it's unfathomable that someone like nikki haley, who comes from south carolina, and has dealt with the race issue a long time -- she was the governor who removed the confederate battle flag from the the capital grounds in columbia. but for her to not -- this was a layup question. i don't know any serious question who doesn't think slavery was at the root of the civil war. lincoln certainly did. i think he was paying close attention to the civil war. he talked about it extensively in his very short second inaugural address that both sides believe the war was fundamentally over slavery. even those people who say it was about states' rights, it doesn't matter. it was over slavery. states rights were if you could earn your living from the sweat of another man's brow.

it was such a layup, simple, easy question. it deserved a one-word answer. slavery, next question. she fumbled it. >> yeah. during a town hall, haley was asked about the prospect of becoming donald trump's vp. take a listen to the answer. >> can you tell us right here, right now, you would never be trump's vice president? >> i could say to you what you want to hear, and you could go check that box and go do whatever. but i'm going to continue to tell you my truth. the truth that i have always told the truth, even when i was in the administration. president trump and i worked well together. >> she goes on to say that she doesn't play for second. but then donald trump junior had this to say about that possibility. here it is. >> i wouldn't have her. i would go to great lengths to make sure that doesn't happen. nick nikki haley is a puppet of the

establishment in washington, d.c. no different than academia at harvard. >> "the wall street journal" editorial board says trump junior doesn't think his father will need to unite the party if his old man wins the nomination. as haley gave an answer that appears like she's keeping her options open, could the trump team's constantly banishing and bashing opponents, could it end up hurting donald trump? >> you know, possibly. i think before this week, before this incident that haley certainly has been dealing with, with the slavery question, she's been seen as a candidate who checks a lot of boxes. she's a woman. she's a woman of color. she's suburban, well educated. she falls into that very attractive box that i think any political candidate would fall into if they want to be successful. but these comments this past week certainly puts a blemish on that or tarnishes that. we have seen the trump campaign

very much hit back against that. going to donald trump junior and uniting the party, look, that's a big risk. speaking of suburban, suburban women voters, that's a group that trump and many maga, very conservative republicans, have struggled with ever since 2020, even maybe a little before 2020, in 2018 when democrats took back one of the 2018 midterms. that's something that they are going to struggle with. they need to unite both lanes of the party. >> haley told voters what she would do if trump is found guilty and she's elected president. >> i would pardon trump. a leader needs to think about what's in the best interest of the country. what's in the best interest of the country is not to have an 80-year-old man sitting in jail that continues to divide our country. what's in the best interest of our country would be to pardon him so that we can move on as a

country and no longer talk about him. >> who is she playing to there? >> she thinks she's playing to the trump voter. trump voters are fans. this is what trump called them. he gets away with what he gets away with because he's in the celebrity class. the political class gets held to a different standard. i wish someone would ask donald trump what started these wars. i don't think he would have a clue to any of the questions. >> vaughn, rick, julia, thank you all. the other big headline we are following, maine is the second state to bar former president donald trump from the ballot, following colorado. maine's secretary of state deeming trump ineligible because of his role in the january 6 insurrection, setting the stage for a major legal battle. joining us now, ryan reilly. welce. what are we hearing from the trump world about this decision?

where est go next? >> they responded as yld expect, strongly. thut a statement saying, we knowoth the constit and the american people are on our side in this fight. we will quickly file a legal objection in state court to prevent this atrocious decision in maine from taking affect. president trump will never stop fighting to make america great again. this comes at the same time as we have seen that california made the opposition decision. they will allow donald trump to be on the ballot. maine, it was a secretary of state who makes that decision which makes it different from colorado where this was decided through a judicial process and a number of judges getting together on the colorado supreme court. there's a different process in maine where basically, it's up to one official who is appointed by state elected officials. it's a big role that the maine law puts on her back there. it makes it different from the colorado supreme court decision.

ultimately, all of this is going up to the supreme court. that's where we will see this play out. >> reflects the difference in election laws. thank you very much. still ahead, a freed hostage speaks out about her time being held by hamas and why it felt like, quote, the holocaust. her gripping account when we return in 60 seconds. right now get a free footlong at subway. like the new deli heroes. buy one footlong in the app, get one free. it's a pretty big deal. kinda like me. order in the subway app today.

images out of southern gaza show people sifting through piles of rubble after a missile strike that the local hospital says killed 23 people. the palestinian health ministry says 21,000 have been killed in gaza total. rafah is the same place israel encouraged civilians to go and where the u.n. estimates 100,000 palestinians have come in recent days to escape israeli air strikes, and the intense ground fighting between israel and hamas. one man telling ap, he fled from the north hoping to find safety

saying, we should have stayed at our homes and died there. on the israeli side, we are hearing a new account from a former hostage who was held for weeks by hamas. joining me now, josh lederman from tel aviv, as well as four star general barry mccaffrey. josh, what is this former hostage saying? >> reporter: this is a 23-year-old woman. there was a video hamas released of her while she was a hostage, we assume made under duress, where she says she's fine, i'm being treated well, they are giving us good food. we knew that was likely not her able to speak freely while she was in captivity. now that she is a free woman, she's painting a very different picture. she likens her time in captivity to the holocaust. she says that she was operated on her hand without anesthesia by a surgeon who told her, you are never going back home alive. she says rather than being held in a tunnel, she was held in a

house, a family's home, with women and children who would taunt her. at some point i realized, why am i being held -- why are there women and children here? what's going on that civilians are mixed up in what is really a hostage captivity situation? this comes as we are hearing more from the israeli government about their efforts to bring these hostages home. the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu meeting with families, saying negotiations are ongoing. the egyptians who have been trying to broker a hostage deal, they say that their proposal has not gotten an answer from the israelis or hamas, as hamas just today is doubling down on their position that they are not going to release any more hostages until there is a permanent cease-fire. right now, despite the israelis saying they are still working hard at this, we are not seeing any signs of progress toward being able to bring any of the

100 plus hostages still believed to be in the gaza strip home. >> okay, josh, thank you so much. her experience is unfathomable. thank you for bringing it to us. general, welcome to you. this morning, the head of the u.n. refugee agency accused the idf firing on an aid convoy. how serious is that accusation? does israel have to respond to it? >> i'm sure they have to respond. there's no question that there's a catastrophic situation among the 2.3 million palestinian civilians. 85% are refugees. many, an unknown number, have been killed or injured. they lack adequate humanitarian aid. they are in the middle of an active war zone. it's a real tragic situation. arguably, entirely, brought on by hamas conducting combat operations underground, using the palestinian civilians as

cover for their warfare activities. non nonetheless, a problem. it's a gigantic burden on israel. there's more than 3,000 idf soldiers killed or wounded at this point. they have called up most of the nation's young men and many young women, who are reservists, with its impact on the economy, and israel is still under bombardment from hamas rockets with a pending giant war on the north with hezbollah. this is a terrible situation. >> terrible, indeed. very concerning, particularly at the north as well. let me ask you about the u.n. which says more than half of gaza's population is in rafah. that's where the israeli army told civilians to go. despite the u.s. urging against increasing civilian casualties, we are still seeing strikes there. what do you make of that? i know you talk about how hamas is using the palestinians as cover. they are hiding behind them or under them, as the case may be.

what do you make of the situation? >> i can't imagine it's anything but tragic, and it's going to get worse. even if you are using smart munitions and small diameter bombs and precision strikes, the situation is so tragic for the population who are, many of them displaced one or more times, trying to evade the fighting. this is to hamas' advantage. they think they are winning the information war. they are being backed up, to my somewhat surprise, by u.n. agencies. the egyptians are not helping. the latest peace proposal was a step in the right direction. the idf is in a very difficult position. they are still -- they are claiming they killed 7,000 hamas fighters. there may be 30,000 or so total

combat affected in the hamas organization. most of the leaders have not been killed or captured. maybe 600 or so hamas fighters have surrendered. the war goes on. they are trying to eliminate the underground threat. it could be weeks in the making. the israelis don't have weeks. i'm sure they know it. they have to come up with a cease-fire at some point and try to get back the remaining 100 plus hostages. >> is secretary blinken heading to israel? what questions should he ask israel? >> i think we are fortunate. we have a secretary of state of his caliber. it has been an exhaustive attempt to keep the war from widening. that's really the crucial question. the second crucial question is, what happens when the fighting stops? who is governing gaza?

it certainly is not going to be a two-state solution for a decade. what is the mechanism that allows the fighting to stop and allows the beginnings of humanitarian adequate aid to flow to the palestinian civilians? and also to allow, by the way, the hundreds of thousands of israelis who have been displaced from all the frontier towns in the north and along the gaza strip. secretary blinken has provided remarkable leadership along with lloyd austin, the defense secretary, and the biden administration. they have managed this terrible situation as best it could possibly be. >> very important questions. difficult ones to get the answers to. thank you very much, general. planes, trains, automobiles. an update as millions travel across the country ahead of new year's celebrations. you are watching msnbc. e watchic

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the tsa is predicting today will be one of the busiest travel days of the entire year, expecting to screen at least 2.5 million travelers heading home from their post-christmas plans to get ready for new year's. joining me from miami is nbc correspondent sam brock, and quinton henderson. sam at the airport, how is it looking? does it feel as crowded as it

looks behind you? it doesn't look too bad yet. >> reporter: there's a decent amount of people in the middle of the day. you typically hit the lull. but miami has been busy all day. the misery map nationa miserablt normally is. as far as the number of delays, we are only seeing a few dozen. yesterday, nationally, the picture was 6,000 plus delays. we are at a third of that right now. it's the volume that's really the story. when you talk about the tsa, discussing today and then next monday, january 1st, some of the busiest days of the week. we could exceed 2.5 million checkpoints. we are already, for days earlier this week, at 2.6, 2.7 million, which is exceeding what they are saying the busiest days might be. you can only imagine what the numbers for today and monday might look like.

miami is seeing record numbers for this airport. nearly 200,000 passengers just before christmas. that's an all-time record. i'm talking to folks going vacationing and trying to get back to philadelphia or d.c. or tulsa. one gentleman i spoke with is excited about his football pros prospects for sunday. your flight is on time right now? >> that's correct. >> reporter: what is your level of optimism it will stay that way? >> i'm positive. i'm a believer. the eagles are going to win the remaining two games. >> reporter: maybe the super bowl. i'm not liking their chances. we will see. >> they are bringing it back home to philadelphia. eagles! >> reporter: that's the spirit. he is excited. no one informed nick about the secondary issues, the back half of the defense for the eagles. that's okay. maybe they will wind up in the super bowl. people are maintaining their

sense of humor and energy despite a long travel week. >> how does he really feel? that was bold. thank you, sam. i know you have more people to get football predictions from. we look forward to seeing you again. we see the crowds in florida. there were delays and in the midwest, dealing with snow and blizzard warnings. how well have airlines performed this season as compared to last when they didn't do so well? >> what a difference a year makes. it has been incredible to see the performance of the airlines this year compared to last year. remember, we had the massive meltdowns, cascading failures among multiple airlines. i will say, mother nature helped this year. we didn't have the major snow and ice storms that we saw last year. i also think the airlines have really gotten their acts together. they have hired up. they have enough pilots now, enough flight attendants. there's enough tsa screeners. i really think that combined with the pressure from the biden administration -- the white house has been very tough on the

airlines, holding them accountable -- to account, making sure nothing like what happened last year happens going forward. i think it's a combination of things that are helping. we will take it, absolutely. it's been great this holiday season. >> give me a sense of what pete buttigieg -- how he communicated this cannot happen again? >> he has been constantly in front of the public and reiterating the message that the department of transportation is keeping a close eye on the airlines. they are increasingly passing new rules. they are telling the airlines that they are watching them and that they are looking even at their frequent flyer programs. things have got to change. they have rolled out this dot dashboard where consumers can find out what they are entitled to in the event of cancellations and delays. the airlines are trying to pre-empt federal legislation. last year, we heard a lot of rumbling from members of congress that they might have to pass something like a passenger bill of rights to protect

consumers. the airlines have gotten wide to that. let's head that off. we don't want something like europe has. let's try to get ahead of this. so far, so good. we will see if the pressure keeps up and what happens. >> makes sense. they will try to do better so they don't have laws telling them they have to do better. thank you so much. happy new year. looking back, next our comprehensive review of an exciting and tumultuous year in the united states and beyond. you are watching msnbc. deal, when you get a big deal. wayfair deals so big that you might get a big head. because with savings so real - you can get your dream sofa for half the price. wayfair. it's always a big deal. ♪ wayfair you've got just what i need ♪

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it's the final friday of 2023. what a year it has been from donald trump's legal battles to the coronation of the king. >> how do you define a year like 2023? was it the year of the strike? or year of the swift? did it offer a glimpse of the future with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence or a blast from the past? with the resurgence of a classic doll. was it the year a speaker was muted or simply a political prelude to 2024? a campaign trial lined with pit stops in the courtroom. 2023 can be defined in so many

ways. to much of the world it was headlined by war in the middle east. >> major breaking news tonight. war erupts in the middle east. a stunning surprise attack by palestinian militants. >> it started on october 7th, the day many now call israel's 9/11. >> they were just all around me. they were going three by three and shooting. >> israel's foreign ministry says 1,200 people were killed, more than 200 taken hostage, including young children. >> it's something no parent can ever imagine, to see a child in the hands of terrorists. >> israel's response was swift and relentless. thousands of palestinians killed and a humanitarian crisis growing. israel faced mounting criticism.

those tensions seen on american streets, on college campuses, with reports of anti-semitism and islamaphobia spiking across the country. as the war raged on, the one between ukraine and russia trudged on. ukraine's longawaited counteroffensive stalling and american help stalling. it january, it took 15 ballots. >> has not been elected. has not been elected. >> to elect kevin mccarthy as speaker, a position he held just nine months before he was ousted. >> i fought for what i believe in. i believe in this country of america. >> like a reality tv show, new contenders came and went. >> we are a ship that doesn't have a rudder. >> before mike johnson got the

gavel. an election followed by an expulsion. scandal-plagued representative george santos became the third congressman since the civil war to be ejected from the chamber. no controversy could shake the gop support for former president donald trump who in april made history, too. >> it was a legal spectacle never seen before in america. the former president being fingerprinted and charged with 34 felonies. >> mr. trump's appearance in a new york courtroom created a media circus repeated with indictments in florida, then washington, then georgia where he mugged for this shot. >> we did nothing wrong. i did nothing wrong. >> he pleaded not guilty to all charges, while reserving a vast lead for his party's presidential nomination. >> donald trump is different than he was in 2016. he owes it to you to be on this stage.

>> leaving the rest of the field to squabble for second. >> do you want a leader from a different generation who will put this country first, or do you want dick cheney in three inch heels? >> they are five inch and i don't wear them unless you can run in them. >> joe biden announced his re-election bid in april. >> are you saying that you would be taking part in our upcoming election? >> i plan on running. >> inflation dropped in 2023. so did the president's approval rating, hitting an all-time low. now voters are bracing for a potential 2020 rematch that's leaving many disenchanted. a wave of labor discontent swept the country in 2023, pushing unions to the picket line. the united auto workers went on strike against detroit's big three, eventually winning record pay hikes. hollywood was effectively shut

down with writers striking, then actors, before reaching deals with studios. >> the best day ever. >> it is the best day ever. >> the box office got a boost from an unlikely couple. >> we are in a race against the nazis. >> they opened at the same time. >> the double feature is legendary. >> the films are hoping to follow in the footsteps of this year's big oscar winner "everything everywhere all at once." sci-fi flick won best picture. its star became the first asian woman to win the academy award for best actress. there were firsts far less desirable in 2023. the u.n. declared in late november this was virtually certain to be the planet's warmest year on record.

a year with the most billion dollar disasters in u.s. history. including hurricane idalia. >> starting to pound us. we lost power. >> a firestorm that ravaged maui. >> local people lost everything. they lost their house, they lost their animals, it's devastating. >> the deadliest u.s. wildfire in more than a century, with more than 100 people killed. gun violence plagued the country again, with cities like lewiston, maine. >> why would he do this? >> 18 people were killed there. six were gunned down at a private elementary school in nashville. three of them children. >> how are our children still dying? why are we failing them? >> tragedy reached theocean. >> the world is watching. the urgent search for a missing submersible. >> in june, the titan vanished

while on a sightseeing tour of the titanic wreckage. a search openered hope the five people on board could be rescued. crews eventually determined a catastrophic implosion killed everyone on the ill-fated voyage. the u.s. military shot down a chinese spy balloon over the airspace. the crisis at the border widened in 2023, with places like new york and chicago running out of room to house migrants who were bussed to their cities. >> indict, convict. >> in january, protesters took to the streets, following the death of tyre nichols. the 29-year-old black man was kicked and punched during a traffic stop in memphis, dying three days later. five police officers were fired and charged with state and federal crimes. one has since pleaded guilty. the others not guilty.

in the courts, the supreme court handed down a historic decision in june, gutting affirmative action, effectively ending race conscious college admissions. >> this is a really disappointing decision. >> perhaps no court case generated more attention in 2023 than the trial of alex murdaugh, the disgraced attorney from south carolina, accused of killing his wife and son, took the stand in his own defense. >> did you take this gun or any gun like it and blow your son's brains out? >> no, i did not. >> the jury deliberated three hours before finding murdaugh guilty. king charles iii was officially coronated in may. prince harry was there for the event. his wife was notably not. the royal rift between the couple and palace spared no one. harry's memoir and a "south

park" parody. for many the year 2023 was the one we lost a friend. >> it's chandler. >> matthew perry died in october at the age of 54. ♪♪ the music world said good-bye to an icon, tina turner. ♪♪ and the mayor of margaritaville. tributes poured in for women in politics. dianne feinstein and rosalynn carter. it was a huge year for women in entertainment. stadiums were ruled by queen b who won a 32nd grammy and by taylor swift, who became a

billionaire and "time's" person of the year. the artist crossed over into football, shows up at chiefs games to support travis kelce. speaking of sports, simone biles returned to gymnastic, vaulting to her sixth world title. a comeback on the mat matched by one on the field. damar hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and medics started his heart. >> it's life changing but it's not the end of my story. >> he didn't just recover, he returned to the game he loves. a symbol of resilience and strength. that might be the best way to define 2023. >> what a year it has been. thank you so much, joe friar. organizers put the finishing

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for just $0.63 a day, only $19 a month. you can help provide healthy meals like a good breakfast in class to power kids through their days. breakfast in the classroom contributes to kids being more focused, which leads to higher grades. test scores, and simply just their well-being. ensuring all kids get a good breakfast and other nutritious food is a beautiful thing. it's a game changer and you can help make it happen. when you join me in supporting no kid hungry today, that food is not just food. it's energy, health, confidence, hope and even love. yes, love. so please call now or go online to helpnokidhungry.org, right now. give $19 a month, only $0.63 a day. and when you use your credit card, you'll get this special team t-shirt to show that you're helping

kids build a brighter future for themselves. thank you. families are struggling to make ends meet. these are hard times, but together we can help connect america's kids with meals. so please call now or go online to give. thank you. new york's times square is getting ready to ring in 2024 in style. earlier today a confetti test sent streamers into the air. that's just a fraction of the 3,000 pounds that would be tossed by hand when the clock strikes midnight on sunday night. what are organizers expecting for crowds this year? tom harry, president of the times square alliance.

welcome, tom, happy almost new year to you. i'll bet you've been busy. how are things looking for attendance this year? >> first off, thanks for having me. yes, we've been welcoming back over 300,000 people a day to times squarp. we're very excite to do women almost a million people who will come and join us in times square. a special thanks to the almost billion people that tune into our event worldwide. >> i have to say i was at the ball drop once, and what shocked me is how quickly everybody leaves. i mean, 10, 15 minutes later it's like a ghost town. it's crazy. the ball that's going to be dropping, it got a bit of a makeover? what is this? what can you tell us about that? >> sure. we did some programming changes for the ball this year. we put a beautie pattern on the

ball. times square proper from 42nd to 47th is called the bowtie. we partnered with they are use fountainbleu vegas, whose logia is the bow tie. and it's going to be there for everyone to watch. >> so advice, my friend. if people are heading to the big party, what are some of the big dos appeared don't? >> get there early. you can't bring any umbrella. luckily the weather seems to indicate no umbrellas. no backpacks, large bags chairs, nothing like that. you'll get to one of six access points in the area that you can find on our website at tsq.org. you'll be screened by the

police, welcomed into wonderful spectator viewing areas, and just wait for that clock to strike midnight. the confetti to drop, and first to welcome in 2024. >> i don't want to put a damper on thought things, but for those who are nervous about security, there's a lot going on in this world we're all worried about. how confident are you about the security in times square come sunday night? >> i'm confident, because we focus on it. the nypd focuses on it all year. our agencies are all working together with us, with the private security in the area, and the revelers to times square so they have a safe and memorable experience. >> it sounds like you are prepped and ready to go. we'll all be watching, either in

person or on tv. thank you. have fun. >> thank you. still ahead, the ballot battled destined for the supreme court after maine joins colorado for disqualifying trump from the ballot. for disqualifying trump from the ballot plans start at $25 per line guaranteed for 3 years. only on verizon. my frequent heartburn had me taking antacid after antacid all day long but with prilosec otc just one pill a day blocks heartburn for a full 24 hours. for one and done heartburn relief, prilosec otc. one pill a day, 24 hours, zero heartburn. interviewer: time is running out to give a year-end gift like no other, a gift that can help st. jude children's research hospital save lives. subject 1: i think it's the most worthwhile place

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will have two times the impact. hey there, everyone. i'm alex witt here. our top stories this hour -- blocked from the ballot. maine joins colorado, deeming donald trump ineligible for