on the broadcast tonight, from kabul, not so fast. a planned day of national protest against airport security. what actually happened coast to coast on this busy travel day. crisis in korea. the fallout over the north's deadly attack on a south korean island. does the u.s. have any good options? a secret weapon for holiday shopping. it may be in the palm of your hand. and far from home. just a few of the many american stories in the war zone on this thanksgiving eve. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening from camp edgars here in the heart of kabul. we're here to spend the thanksgiving holiday with american troops as the countdown clock starts to the end of combat operations four years from now. and from one land of conflict to another, we're also keeping watch on the volatile situation on the korean peninsula and the tough choices for the u.s. after that surprise attack by the north. more on all that later, but we want to begin back home with a thanksgiving eve trip home that many feared would dissolve into chaos at the airport because of something called "national opt out day." it was a plan for a protest against those new tsa screenings and patdowns. but so far tonight, it looks like travelers have been more interested in getting where they're going than in making a point. nbc's tom costello is at washington's reagan national airport. tom, what does it look like there? >> reporter: lester, good evening to you. the talk is whether in fact all of this concern about passenger outrage may have been more hype

than reality. behind me, we have smooth sailing at this tsa checkpoint. same thing at checkpoints across the country. very few people opting out. and very little in the way of a slowdown at any checkpoint. >> you can opt out. you can say no. >> reporter: despite sporadic calls for passengers to take a stand against the tsa's new procedures, travelered today seemed more interested in getting home for thanksgiving. >> doing what i have to do to see the folks. >> people are moving through briskly. >> reporter: checkpoint wait times across the country have been running below average. >> remove all jackets, coats, sweaters. >> reporter: very few passengers opting out of the scanners. nbc correspondents have also been watching the travel day. >> i'm at laguardia airport in new york where the tsa has said nobody has opted out of full-body scanning and there's been almost no wait at security all day. >> i'm kristen dahlgren in chicago. security lines are moving

quickly and no signing of any protests. the bigger concern here may be the weather. >> in los angeles, the tsa says there were no problems this afternoon. in fact, many passengers got through security in about five minutes. >> reporter: on a cold morning in california, one traveler wore a bikini to avoid a scan ore patdown. >> i don't think there's many places to hide anything in a bikini. >> reporter: while they flew out of chicago divided over the tsa. >> they have to be a little more aggressive in their search to scan you, i don't mind it. >> reporter: monique, though, opted out in protest. >> it's just too much. it's like you want to be safe, but you don't want to feel violated. >> reporter: while a poll found 71% of regular flyers believe any loss of privacy from the scans or patdowns is worth it, the former lapd terrorism intelligence chief says ultimately the focus has to shift. >> we've got to get to know our

traveling public and understand how to find the bomber instead of the bomb. >> reporter: today, the biggest travel problem has nothing to do with the tsa. instead, it was a computer crash at spirit airlines. spirit says its computers have been up and running since noon. minimal delays there. the faa has some delays because of wind in the new york area. but beyond that, lester, system wide, a very smooth day for travel. >> tom costello tonight, thanks. millions more americans are making their thanksgiving journey by car. i want to show you a picture that's typical of what's going on, it's the new jersey turnpike between new york city and philadelphia. triple-a anticipates 94% people traveling 50 miles or more will be doing so by car. the weather is going to be a major factor. the upper midwest and west on this thanksgiving holiday, here was the scene in fargo, north dakota which got hit with heavy snow today and where more is expected tomorrow. heavy snow also forecast for parts of the west. breaking news tonight.

tom delay was once one of the most powerful people in congress. tonight, he faces the possibility of life in prison after a jury verdict this evening. our justice correspondent pete williams is in our washington bureau now. pete? >> reporter: lester, these are the charges that brought tom delay's political career to an end, forcing him to resign five years after he was indicted. he stepped down from his powerful position as the house majority leader, but tonight a jury in a texas state court convicted him of illegally channeling nearly $200,000 in corporate donations to candidates who were running for the state legislature. prosecutors accused him of doing it to get more republicans in the legislature who would draw more congressional districts with republican majorities. he did appear on "dancing with the stars" in 2009. but he's stayed mostly out of the public eye since losing his washington responsibilities except to attend his trial.

he'll be sentenced later. he could face some prison time, lester. >> pete williams tonight. pete, thanks. now to the other big story, south korea's military remains on high alert after a deadly assault by north korea, plunging the region into a new crisis. many on those on the tiny island that came under attack made their way to incheon. nbc's ian wps is there for us. good evening. >> reporter: good evening, lester. there were no fresh clashes today, but the border between the two koreas remains tense. the south korean army is preparing for big new military exercises with the u.s. heading to korea, the aircraft carrier "uss george washington" left japan today for joint exercises with south korea. but one intended as a show of force. the death toll from tuesday's artillery attack now includes civilians.

soldiers sifting through the remains of a fishing village on yoenpyeong island found two more victims thought to be construction workers. two soldiers were also killed. dozens of houses were destroyed in the one-hour shelling by the north, described as one of the gravest incidents here since the korean war. many shattered buildings were still smoldering today. several military facilities were also damaged or destroyed. shaken civilians continued to be evacuated to the mainland. most earn a living from crab fishing. they knew they lived on the front line, just two miles from the disputed sea border, but nobody had expected this. "it was a sea of fire" said this 10-year-old. many thought it was just an exercise. "i don't know how to describe it, it was very, very, very scary." the authorities are encouraging several thousand residents from a string of other front line islands to evacuate their homes. there was no sign of any regrets

from the north today, where tv news showed that their leader, kim jong-il, visiting a soy sauce factory. and later, a hospital with his heir apparent son. the north's official news agency accused the south of "driving the situation to the brink of war." the government line echoed on the streets of the capital pyongyang. "the army demonstrated to the whole world we don't make empty talk," this person said. in south korea, people have gone used to the threatening and the bizarre behavior of their northern neighbor. but amid blanket news coverage of the latest crisis, there is a growing anger and unease. much of that anger is also aimed at their own government for failing to prevent the attack, and that in turn is adding to pressure for a tough line, lester. >> ian, thanks. the united states made it year today that china, as north korea's main ally and economic partner, must take a leading

role in reducing tensions. nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell has more tonight on the u.s. position. hello, andrea. >> reporter: hi, lester. u.s. officials have been talking to chinese diplomats in washington, in beijing and at the united nations. officials say they are not hearing what they want from the chinese. while north korea was bombarding south korea, kim jong-il and his son were on north korean television at that soy sauce factory. all well orchestrated say u.s. officials. the president told abc news' barbara walters there will be repercussions. >> we want to make sure that all the parties in the region recognize that this is a serious and ongoing threat that has to be dealt with. >> reporter: aside from those joint military exercises with south korea, experts say the u.s. has very few options. the white house is pressuring china, north korea's closest ally, to stop pyongyang's

aggression. >> the one country that has influence in pyongyang is china, so their influence is critical. >> reporter: adrienne mong is abc's beijing correspondent. >> beijing expressed concern without condemning either side. china is under growing pressure to reign in its neighbor, but there is some question whether this regime is willing or able to do that. >> reporter: china's reluctance frustrates current and former officials. >> neutrality is over after the death of these civilians as well as the military in south korea. it's time for the chinese to tell the north to cut it out, to get back to the negotiating table, but to stop this very dangerous, provocative and risky behavior. >> reporter: what does north korea want? no one really knows, but experts believe pyongyang craves respect and a return to diplomatic talks. >> north korea thrives on crises. they then use those crises to declare they're ready to go to war, and the rest of us don't want to go to war and often will back down and negotiate. >> reporter: but should the u.s. cave in, given north korea's track record?

>> any deal that you reach, you have to wonder if the north koreans are going to keep it, because they never kept it in the past. >> reporter: days ago, pyongyang revealed it's made process building centrifuges to enrich uranium, that could fuel atomic bombs. >> we don't think that's the only enrichment plant, that there's got to be others. and it's what is happening in those plants has got to worry everyone. >> reporter: tonight, the u.s. and great britain are trying to get the u.n. security council to even consider taking a stand. but officials say that they are still days away from any u.n. action and when it comes, the chinese may not let them mention north korea by name. lester? >> andrea mitchell in washington. thank you. in new zealand today, a second powerful explosion at a coal mine ended any hope that 29 trapped miners might have survived. even if some of the miners lived through the first explosion five days ago, none could have survived the second blast.

relatives hoped for good news after rescuers finished drilling a narrow shaft into the mine. mean while on wall street, the dow was up more than 150 points after several economic reports, offering new hope that the economy may be improving. when "nightly news" continues tonight from kabul, forgotten families. while life here is hard for most, it's harder for them. we saw firsthand their struggle to survive. back at home. the holiday shopping wars. now as they say, there's an app for that. wars. now as they say, there's an app for that. [ susan ] i hate that the reason we're always stopping is because i have to go to the bathroom. and when we're sitting in traffic, i worry i'll have an accident. be right back. so today i'm finally going to talk to my doctor about overactive bladder. [ female announcer ] if you're suffering, today is the day to talk to your doctor and ask about prescription toviaz.

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we're back now from camp edgars, where nato trainers focus on that new 2014 deadline, trying to build an afghan army that can fend for itself. but amid the war that we have all known for the last nine years, there are other lesser known conflicts in afghanistan that tear at the edges of this fragile society. and as in most conflicts, it is the children who pay most dearly. as if its struggle against the taliban isn't enough, the suffering amid the tattered walls of kabul's old royal palace represent another burden afghanistan can ill afford at a time of war. they are kuchis, a disadvantaged nomadic tribe burned out of their homes in a land dispute, forced to now live in a world crumbling around them. this is the bushes we use as firewood, this man says. who then invites me into a tiny

cold room he shares with his family. the government food truck comes around three times a day. but it is the children who suffer most. there is no protection from the elements. no sanitation facilities. danger surrounds them from open windows and jagged rubble. many are sick. >> this is about as tough as it gets to be a child. >> reporter: what is it like to live here? too cold is the answer. her face is bruised. did she fall? 4-year-old akila wears the bruises after a fall from a third floor window. are you okay, sweetie? unicef operates a small makeshift school for the children. the supplies are meager. it's been estimated that 100,000 afghans have been forced from their homes by conflict in just the last year. add in those displaced by natural disasters and land disputes and that number easily triples. for a country already robbed of

so many of its cultural treasures by the taliban, the destruction and misery here are a double shame. >> it's very sad and the people of afghanistan, it's sadness for them. >> reporter: and now with afghanistan's government facing a deadline to take over the fight against the taliban, some fear these victims of internal strife, already a lesser priority, will run out of time. >> children are very vulnerable to disease. the main child killers. but made all the worse here because of the harsh climate. one in every five children born in afghanistan will die before their fifth birthday. >> the 3 million kuchis living here in afghanistan, it's estimated that 100,000 have been driven from their homes as a result of ethnic clashes. up next as our broadcast continues, hold the phone. it could be the best bet as you hunt for bargains this holiday season. ah, this is just what the eight layers needed.

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it is a thanksgiving tradition the night before the macy's thanksgiving day parade, new yorkers and holiday visitors to the city gather to watch the famous giant helium balloons get pumped up. this will be the 84th macy's thanksgiving day parade. you can see it right here on nbc with matt and meredith and al from 9:00 a.m. until noon. it's not too early to think about the day after thanksgiving. the shopping day known as black friday. this year there are some new high-tech secret weapons. in the hunt for big bargains and sweet deals. here's nbc's lee cowan. >> oh, there it is. the holy grail of christmas gifts. >> reporter: remember when window shifting involved real windows and not the virtual ones? well, that is so yesterday. these days it's not just santa who knows if you're naughty or nice, now a customer can tell almost instantly if retailers are offering the best deal or

not. >> to be a smart shopper, it would be better to have a smartphone. saves you a lot of time. >> reporter: we found brandon in one store using his inphone to scan bar codes looking for a flat screen tv. he found one somewhere else and saved $100. then there was chris green. googling websites that offer price comparisons right on the spot. he stayed, finding the best price at best buy. >> it's a new landscape for a lot of folks but it's where consumers are headed because it's easier to find the information that they need at their fingertips. >> reporter: she says 17% of shoppers plan to use their mobile phones this holiday. but what may be most surprising is that 12% say that social media sites may be the most valuable shopping tool of all. if you facebook sears, we found if you click like it on a product, say this gps, you can knock the price from $119 down to just $89.

what it means for retailers is getting customers into the store is no longer an option. because with a virtual shelf in the palm of their hands, retailers know they have to keep up. >> we use the apps ourself. we do the compare shopping ourselves. we're trying to meet the customer's needs, both in products and in pricing. >> reporter: in an age where there's an app for everything, there's still no app for holiday spirit. while black friday may have gone high tech, remember, it's still a contact sport. lee cowan, nbc news, los angeles. on this day before thanksgiving, president obama performed an important white house function. it was the annual ritual involving the national thanksgiving turkey. two of them this year, named apple and cider. the president talked turkey and politics. >> today, i have the awesome responsibility of granting a presidential pardon to a pair of turkeys. now, for the record, let me say that it feels pretty good to

stop at least one shellacking this november. >> the turkeys will live out their days at the home of george washington in mt. vernon, virginia. when we come back, i'll have some thoughts on service and sacrifice from here in afghanistan. > when we come back, i'll have some thoughts on service here in afghanistan.

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in a few hours when the sun comes up, american troops here in afghanistan will know to themselves that it's thanksgiving. they'll think about what their families are doing at home and then get back to the unrelenting business of war. nine years to the month after the taliban were driven from kabul. my colleagues, richard engel and jim ma saida in particular have done an amazing job cover thing story over the last nine years. but as a nation, we don't talk about much about the war anymore. not like those days in the fall of 2001. i arrived here eight days ago to see if just maybe we can help rekindle the conversation, at least about the folks who are carrying the burden of this war in ways you and i cannot imagine. humble, dedicated, and selfless. it's been a privilege to meet

people like senior airmen jimmy settle, the young air force rescueman, who a day after a bullet nearly took his life was back in the air. >> there's dudes out there that need our help. and that's more important than how i feel. >> sergeant casey, a 25-year-old marine, who defines honor and service. >> you have to give your entire self to not only make sure that you make it, but also your brothers to the left and right of you. >> his wife and the daughter he's never met will celebrate thanksgiving with family tomorrow, missing him an awful lot. just like thousands of other families across america. we hope you will think of all of them at your thanksgiving table. i look forward to spending the holidays with the troops here at camp edgars tomorrow morning live on "today." that's our broadcast here on wednesday night.

we hope you have a safe thanksgiving. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com roads, runways and rail lines stuck tonight. this thanksgiving eve, living up to its reputation is one of the most chaotic travel days of the year. welcome, i'm tom sinkovitz. >> the hustle and bustle of the holidays. 5 million more californias traveling for thanksgiving this