good morning. . good morning. decision day. alabama voters cast their ballots today in that closely watched senate race. at a last minute rally the wife of candidate roy moore defends her husband against claims he is anti-semitic. >> one of our attorneys is a jew. >> the candidate himself accused of molesting teenage girls gives one of his few interviews to this 12-year-old. >> one of the most important issues for voters out there -- >> thorpg the lateis morning th the race that is still too close to call. >> terror in times square. new information on the suspect in that new york city subway attack. how he was inspired by isis and why he says he chose to set off his homemade device near a holiday display. sidelined.

the nfl network suspends three analysts, including one hall of famer, in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. as the food world reacts to disturbing accusations against celebrity chef mario batali. those stories, plus a passenger's chilling threat on a crowded jet. >> i will kill everybody on this plane. >> the heart-stopping moment. a woman on her honeymoon is attacked by a shark. and the truth about the so-called man flu. the new study that shows guys really do feel sicker than women. today, tuesday, december 12th, 2017. >> from nbc news, this is "today" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on a tuesday morning. a tuesday election in december. it's unusual. >> we've been talking about this election for so long, so it's finally here. >> yeah, family here.

finally the voters are going to get their say. it's our top story. the day has come in the alabama special election to fill the senate seat that was held by attorney general jeff sessions. it is a bitter race between embattled republican roy moore and his democratic challenger doug jones. this morning voters are now heading to the polls, and the eyes of the nation are upon them. nbc's gabe gutierrez has the very latest. gabe, good morning to you. >> savannah, good morning. the polls have just opened here in alabama. democrat doug jones casting his own vote just a few moments ago. this race is the tightest senate contest in a generation here in alabama. one that could send shock waves ahead of next year's midterms. >> reporter: this morning it's anyone's guess who will win alabama's crucial special election. the latest polls are mixed with republican roy moore trailing democrat doug jones by ten points in one, but leading him in others. >> the verdict rests on the people of alabama. >> reporter: protesters

demonstrating at a moore rally overnight. his first public event in almost a week. >> i want to make america great again with president trump, but i want america good, and she can't be good until we go back to god. >> reporter: once again he denied allegations of sexual misconduct with teen girls decades ago. kayla moore, accusing the media of trying to portrait her husband in a bad light. >> fake news will tell you that we don't care for jews. one of our attorneys is a jew. >> reporter: former white house chief strategist steve bannon firing up the crowd and ripping into republicans who have said the former judge should drop out. >> there is a special place in hell for republicans who should know better. >> mr. moore, why boewon't you answer any yes? >> reporter: one of his rare interviews went to a pro-trump super pact on-line video. the interviewer?

a 12-year-old girl. >> one of the most important issues to the voters of alabama? >> well, i think one is religious liberty. >> reporter: his opponent, democrat doug jones, sees the race differently. >> the majority of the people of alabama say that it is time that we put our decency, our state before political parties. >> reporter: experts say turnout will be crucial. jones calling on former nba hall of famer charles barclay to help get african-americans out to vote. the alabama native with some harsh words for his home state. zblie love alabama, but at some point we're not a bunch of damn idiots. >> reporter: for moore evangelicals -- >> judge moore is a good krern

man and all this bull crap that's going on is nothing but bull crap. >> in a final push former president obama and vice president biden recorded robo-calls for democrat doug jones after president trump recorded his own automated message for roy moore. despite all that attention, election officials expect turnout in this race will be 25%. savannah. >> all right, gabe. thank you so much. for more on what is at stake today, we turn to nbc national political correspondent steve cornaki. good morning to you. i can't believe we're talking about an alabama senate race that is this close. the polls are literally all over the place. why? i mean, who is up? who is down? nobody knows. >> nothing to compare it to. no competitive races in alabama in forever, and it really raises a question. the state is so republican, so is there an issue in these polls with people being afraid to admit they might vote for a democrat? is there an issue in these polls of people being afraid to admit they might vote for moore? you had one that this ten, one had nine, one had a tie yesterday. pick your poll.

thank god there's an election day. >> you mentioned, to say that a democrat in alabama faces headwinds is the understatement of the year. what would doug jones have to do to put together a coalition to win? >> yeah. there's a couple of things. two major things have to happen for him today. number one, it's not a question of black support. it's a question of black turnout. he has to get probably 90%, maybe more of the black vote, but is it going to turn out in the numbers you saw for president obama? the seconds thing in a state like alabama, it's a very polarized state racially. you got to win over if you are a democrat white voters. they're looking to the suburbs around huntsville, birmingham, mobile. places like that to look tonight. >> people in alabama do not like to be told what to do. they don't want washington telling them how to vote. how does that dine nick play when it comes to going to the polls. >> that's the thing that roy moore has tried to turn this into. he has tried to say this is the establishment that's out to get him. we saw before these allegations in the primary, he was running against mitch mcconnell, the republican establishment from washington and that worked. he is trying to turn this into

the media establishment is out to get him, is looking down his nose at alabama. it's interesting to hear that charles barclay line last night. i could see that playing two different ways today. one, it could play into moore's hands. one, it could rally folks for zwroenz. >> the whole nation is watching alabama, and i think, you know, how alabama voters decide to deal with that. how much does trump have riding on this? the president has stuck his neck way out for roy moore? >> he did not need to make the moves he has made in the last week. he is out there with phone calls now, and everything on his behalf. it's an embarrassment for if he loses, although we've seen before when his candidates lose, he pretends it didn't happen.

>>. >> stephanie gosk is a new blocks away at the port authority bus terminal. >> rush hour and traffic are back to normal, but the nypd tells us that they have charged 27-year-old suspect, a bangladeshi citizen. among those charges, criminal possession of a weapon, and support of an act of terrorism. we're also being told that his wife is being questioned. >> reporter: this morning new details about the man police say attempted a suicide bombing during new york city rush hour. a senior law enforcement official tells nbc news that 27-year-old, an immigrant from bangladesh, told investigators he detonated an explosive device in the name of isis. targeting midtown manhattan's port authority bus terminal. a major transit hub in the heart of new york city. the suspect's actions allegedly in retaliation for u.s. bombings of isis-controlled territories.

he also said he watched isis propaganda on-line, read extremist writings, and learned how to make the devees. he apparently orchestrated the attack himself. multiple senior law enforcement officials say that the bomb made in his brock lynn apartment included a pipe, nine volt battery, matches, and christmas tree lights. neighbors are in disbelief. >> i'm actually very shocked because, you know str, he is a religious person and very quiet. >> the would-be suicide bomber's plot didn't go as expected. >> we have the report of an explosion and some sort of suspicious device. >> you're saying that the perp has wires on him? >> at 7:20 a.m. monday he detonated the bomb strapped to his body in the middle of a crowded subway tunnel. three people suffered minor injuries, while the attacker could be seen on the ground with burns on his body. later hospitalized in serious condition. these port authority police officers are now being hailed as

heroes. immediately rushing into harm's way to restrain the suspect. while there was minimal damage, the explosion forced the morning rush to come to a standstill, causing a flood of commuters out of the subway. >> it just went off and exploded. everybody around him just hit the ground. it knocked people down, and people got up and started running. >> the suspect's family say they feel under siege and are outraged at how the nypd is interrogating some relatives. >> we are heartbroken by the violence that was targeted at our city today, and by the allegations being made against a member of our family. >> monday's brazen attack comes in the middle of the holiday season and nearly two months after an uzbek man plowed a truck into a new york city bike path on halloween, killing eight peop people. >> new york governor andrew cuomo announced there would be enhanced security around the state of new york at bridges, tunnels, and mass transit points.

there will also be more police at large public events, and here in new york city at this time of year in the holiday season those events happen pretty much every day. guys, back to you. >> that's right. thanks, stephanie gosk in times square. in the meantime, more democrats are calling for the president to resign after a group of women doubled down on their sexual misconduct allegations against him. nbc senior national correspondent kate snow here with the latest on this. good morning. >> good morning. in the wake of those accusers speaking out, today a group of more than 50 democratic female house members are call for a congressional investigation into the allegations against the president. a partisan but growing chorus. >> reporter: new york democratic senator kiersten gillibrand was the first among others to demand al franken resign. >> i think he should immediately resign, and if he doesn't, we should have the investigation. >> reporter: the call coming after several women who accuse

the president of bad behavior before he was elected are now coming forward again speaking out for the first time on megan kelly today. >> for us to put ourselves out there to try and show america who this man is and especially how he views women and for them. you know, now it's just like, all right, let's try round two. >> jessica lee said trump groped her on a plane in the 1970s. >> he suddenly lurched on top of me. he was like an octopus. it was like his hans were all over, and he was kissing me, and he was molesting me. >> reporter: rachel crooks, a former receptionist at trump tower says when she was 22, trump kissed her without permission. >> on one occasion, and he shook my hand, kissed my cheeks, sort of normally, but then he sort of held my hand and asked me questions that kept drawing me back in to kiss me. >> on the cheek?

>> kept kissing my cheeks, and -- which, obviously, became weird. then he kissed me on the lips. i was stunned. >> reporter: samantha competed in miss usa in 2006 and says mr. trump made her uncomfortable when he came back stage where women were dressed only in robes, but a woman who competed in the miss usa pageant along side her has a different memory of events. >> he is just a very kind individual, very sincere, and there was absolutely nothing inappropriate at all. >> reporter: the white house press secretary, again, dismissing the accusations. >> look, the president has addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations, and this took place long before he was elected to be preside president rinch the white house said the timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes and the publicity tour that has begun only further kwermz the political motives behind them.

all three women who spoke monday are democrats. on capitol hill one republican senator says democrats calling for investigations are just using the me too moment. >> i think it's nonsense. i think it's just political rhetoric. >> there was an a.p. report that the president was furious with u.n. ambassador nikki haley after she was asked about his accusers and said the women should be heard on sunday, but overnight administration officials pushing back on that one source tellings nbc news the president told haley she did a good job. >> literally in the last few minutes the president has just tweeted about this very issue. >> yeah. the president writing on twitter, "despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the democrats have been unable to show any collusion with russia, so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who i don't know and/or have never met. fake news. that just from the president now. >> all right. just as your report was coming on. thank you so much. >> thank you, kate. we have some sad news this

morning. san francisco mayor edwin lee has died at the age of 65. lee passed away at a san francisco hospital overnight surrounded by family and friends and colleagues. he is survived by his wife anita and two daughters. board of supervisors president london breed is becoming the city's acting mayor effective immediately. firefighters are hoping to gain further control today of a wildfire burning in ventura county, california. the thomas fire has burned over 230,000 acres. it's now the fifth largest blaze in sat history. it's about 20% contained right now. red flag warnings were extended on monday due to relentless wind gusts and bone dry weather conditions. that wildfire has destroyed more than 800 structures. >> time to bring in mr. al roker. we're talking fires out west and snow in the northeast. >> that's right. moving on into new england. also, the midwest and great lakes. we're watching this very closely. we're already seeing some -- we saw some heavier snow moving through cleveland. pittsburgh, along into buffalo and now making its way into upstate new york and parts of

new england. we right now have winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings and lake-effect snow warnings for 20 million people from the u.p. of michigan all the way to new england, but it's far south as beckley, west virginia. we're going to be watching this clipper come across. that's the first round of snow. it makes its way to the northeast of new england today. high winds and drifting snow especially around the great lakes. then a second storm dives south into the great lakes and the midwest. a cold blast and behind this we're going to have bitter cold wind chills. in the meantime, low visibility, and we're talking about snowfall amounts. especially around the great lakes. the west and eastern great lakes of about a foot to a foot and a half. some places could pick up to 18 inches of snow to 20 inches. we're getting to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. up in the next 30 s hes.

cold in the north bay. upper 60s and a few spots reaching the lower 70s. . and that is your latest weather. guys? is. >> thank you so much. coming up, bombshell new sexual harassment allegations rocking both the nfl network and the food world this morning. then social media soul searching. why a former top facebook

executive says the platform he helped create is actually ripping society apart. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ [vo] the season of audi sales event is here. audi will cover your first month's lease payment on select models during the season of audi sales event.

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well yeah... but also to catch-up. what's in your wallet? our breaking news: good morning, it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. our breaking news this morning, a look from nbc bay area sky ranger at san francisco city hall. if we have it. we want to show you that flags are flying at half staff following the unexpected death of mayor ed lee. he died at san francisco general hospital. friends including william brown and california speaker of the assembly, he claimed that lee died of a heart attack. he was 65 years old. lee was first appointed mayor in 2011 to finish out gavin newsome's term. he served a full term before being re-elected in 2015. supervisor london breed, who you

see there in the gray sweater will be the acting mayor. they confirmed the news early this morning. a news conference is planned for 10:00 a.m. nbc bay area will bring it to you live. i want to check in live with meteorologist kari hall. >> very cold start. as we look outside in san jose, downtown in the park, christmas in the park, it is a very chilly start to the morning. we'll have unhealthy air quality in the north bay and peninsula. moderate in the south bay and east bay. limit your time outdoors. look at how cold it is dropping to 28 degrees. it warms up quite a bit for morning and afternoon making it near record high temperatures. 69 degrees in san jose. 66 in oakland as well as concord. san francisco, 69 degrees. napa, expect a high of 67. let's head over to mike for an update on the commute.

>> a lighter drive than we often see on a tuesday. this happens at the end of the year. we have a crash northbound 101.

good morning, everybody. we are back at 7:30. tuesday morning, 12th of december, 2017. >> we're going to begin this half hour starting with a check of the headlines, including election day arriving in alabama. >> the verdict rests on the people of alabama. >> too close to call. a all eyes on alabama, where voters are heading to the polls to decide the tightly contested special election between republican roy moore and democrat doug jones. >> i want to make america great again with president trump. >> it is time we put our decency, our state before political party. inspired by isis. >> we have a report of an explosion. >> new details emerge about the suspect accused of attempting to blow himself up in a new york

city subway, as nypd officers are being hailed as heros for their quick response. >> just went off. it knocked people down. and people got up and started running. out of this world. president trump asks nasa to return u.s. astronauts to the moon, while setting his sights even higher for a groundbreaking mission to mars. >> the pioneer spirit has always defined america. underwater nightmare. a husband captures the moment his newlywed bride is bitten by a shark during their honeymoon in the caribbean. and monday night upset. a rough night for tom brady and the patriots, as the miami dolphins stun the super bowl champs, snapping the eight-game win streak. today, tuesday, december 12th, 2017. >> welcome back, everybody. meanti meantime, the nfl network and the food world are being rocked by the latest allegations of sis

misconduct. jo ling kent is here with more on all of that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, you guys. several women are leveling allegations against mario batali, leading him to step away from his empire. and later, the nfl network sus sending three members of its team, brought by a former co-worker. the nfl network suspending hall of fame running back, marshall fau faulk, heath evans and ike taylor monday night, in response to a ongoing lawsuit, by a former wardrobe stylists, who worked until her october 2016 dismissal. she put out a new alive amended complaint and said he was asked questions about her sex life, fondled and sent nude pictures and videos. nfl network made a statement, saying marshall faulk, ike taylor and heath evans have been

suspended from their duties at nfl network. in the lawsuit, kantor accuses eric weinberger, a former nfl network executive, who works as the president of trying to sexually assault her on one occasion. and sending her sexually explicit photos. weinberger was suspended by the company as a result of the allegations. this comes as celebrity chef mario batali is facing shocking allegations of his own. batali now pulled off his hit tv show and stepping away from his restaurant empire, after a chef and three employees accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct, over the last two decades. >> mario batali allegedly touched them inappropriately in unwelcome ways. it was nonconsensual. >> reporter: the food publication "eater" saying the women shared their stories anonymo anonymously. a chef in her 20s, said a glass of wine was spilled on her shirt.

then, she alleges, batali began rubbing her breasts with his bare hands, saying, let me help you with that, as he dwrogroped chest. batali rose the top of the industry food chain. overseaing the obama's final state dinner. apologizing. he said, much of the behavior described does match up with ways that i have acted. that behavior was wrong and there's no excuses. i take full responsibility and i'm deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort i caused my peers, employees, friends and family. abc is reviewing allegations. we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address if there are violations of conduct.

sexual misconduct has been on the minds of chefs. tom colicchio said it is time to change the culture in the history that has, what he is calling, crummy eggs. >> every industry is tied to this. back with mr. roker and a check of the weather. >> we have a big change of temperatures for half of the country right now. look at what's going on this morning. it will feel like 1 in milwaukee. 12 below in alpena, michigan. 12 in indianapolis. 12 in des moines. tomorrow, that cold air makes its way into the northeast, mid-atlantic states. and some of the coldest air of the season tonight. and into tomorrow morning, the bottom drops out. windchills of 7. 3 in burlington. buffalo, feels like 1. cleveland, 3 degrees. with that mercury dropping, we're going to see the temperatures really tumble through the beginning of t

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's a chilly start, really cold, but look where we are headed today. itis going to be mid to upper 60s. a beautiful afternoon. quickly warming up by late morning and livermore, a high of 67 degrees. 69 in san jose and oakland, up to 66 degrees. san francisco, mid-60s today and for the next several days more dry weather. cool mornings and warm afternoons. the inland valleys, 70 degrees by the end of the week. >> that's your latest weather. get that weather anytime you need it with our friends on the weather channel on cable. this one is for you. why do guys complain so much when they get sick. >> do you? >> all the time. >> well, there's proof they may feel sicker. the man flu could be real. and shining the light on kids with does orders. one family shares their story.

also, rossen reports. how friends are feeling a little desperate right now. what you can do when the holiday it toys can't be found. can facebook destroying society? a former executive says

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we're back, now, with a wave of soul-searching happening in the social media world. >> joe fryer is in los angeles with this story. hi, joe. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. facebook and other internet giants are under fire how they handled russia's influence campaign in last year's election. now, for the second time in recent weeks, a former facebook exec is making some eyebrow-raising comments. >> we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric how society works. >> reporter: a dire warning from the man who used to be vice president for user growth. >> we build our lives around

perceived perfection. we get rewarded with signals. hearts, thumbs up. >> reporter: he says social media sites prey on our chemical reward system and the rush we get from being liked. >> the short-term dopamine-driven feedback loops we've created is destroying how society works. no civil discourse. no cooperation. misinformation. mistruth. and it's not an person problem. this is not about russian ads. this is a global problem. >> reporter: as first reported by the tech site, the verge, he told stanford business communities, he is to blame. >> there aren't really bad unintended consequences. in the back, deep recesses of our minds we kind of new something bad could happen. >> reporter: his criticism is

shared by facebook's founding president, shawn parker. >> that thought process was how do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible? the inventors, creators, it's me, it's mark, kevin and instagram, all these people, understood this, consciously. and we did it anyway. >> just facebook. it's cleaner. >> reporter: parker played by justin timberlake in "the social network" described a social immediateback loop designed to hook users, a system that he says has gotten out of control. >> if you feed that beast, the beast will destroy you. if you push back, we have a chance to roll it and rein it in. >> reporter: facebook has not responded to the criticisms. but this summer at a facebook summit, mark zuckerberg defended the social media site. >> studies have proven that the

more connected we are, the happier we are and the healthier we are, too. >> reporter: he doesn't use facebook or similar sites anymore, telling the audience, you're being programmed. >> it was unintentional. but now, you got to decide how much you're willing to give up. how much of your intellectual independence. he said facebook does positive good in the world. and he's proud of the job he did when he was there. so far, none of the critiques common among thought leaders in silicon valley are making a dent in facebook's bottom line. the company that owns instagram and whatsapp has a market value topping half a trillion dollar. >> it's a good conversation to be having. not only among executives but among users. joe, thank you very much. well, we're going over the orange room to find out what's happening on social media. >> hey, guys. the controversy over this image the controversy over this image is an ad ( ♪ )

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we're back, 7:49, with an ad getting attention for all the wrong reasons. dylan is in the orange room, for carson, with that. >> the ecommerce website, wish, under fire for an ad selling tights. it shows a thin model with the tights over her entire body. wish, which is second behind amazon in online mobile retail sales, does not make the tights or come up with the images. they're a third party telling the product. but people online are criticizing the company for the listing. hannah says, this is so wrong on so many levels.

molly posts, i love figuring out my size by how many skinny people can fit in my clothes. >> i don't get my whewhy people upset on this. should wish pull the ad from the site? 62% say yes. wish saying, the products listed on wish are sold by stores from all over the world and these stores are in charge of their own inventories. if you place an order with a specific store, you have an opportunity to contact that sco store directly for more information on the product. as of now, the plus-sized tights are available for purchase on the site for $2. >> that's a terrible marketing idea. i like molly. how many of me -- skinny people does it take for those? >> bad advertising. coming up, the mom of the bullied boy who has touched so many hearts under fire. what she's saying to us in a new

interview. then, we have "rossen reports." why the hottest (amanda vo) i adopted scrappy on a fluke. and he totally has a super-power. didn't know i was allergic to ibuprofen. and i had fallen asleep... (scrappy barks) (amanda) he was totally freaked out, digging and pawing at me. and when i woke up i realized that i was in anaphylaxis and went to the emergency room. i don't know what i would do if he wasn't there. he's the best boy. (vo) through the subaru share the love event, we've helped the ascpa save nearly forty thousand animals so far. get a new subaru and we'll donate two hundred fifty dollars more to help those in need. (amanda) ♪ put a little love in your heart. ♪

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good tuesday morning. right now at 7:56, we look out the door to mostly clear skies and really cold temperatures. a live look outside in san francisco. we will still have unhealthy air quality today. it's a spare the air alert day meaning you should catch public transportation. if you have breathing problems, limit your outdoor time. not much of a wind and the weather near record high temperatures after this very cold start. san francisco will see more of those highs and low to mid-60s over the next few days. cool mornings. more dry weather into the start of next week. inland areas reaching the upper 60s to low 70s. and some of the valleys, getting close to freezing like we saw earlier this morning. let's head over to mike for an update ton commute. >> we are looking at a slower drive around the bay.

still, this is a lighter volume than a typical tuesday. we have northbound 101 gumming up north. you can see that on the map. the crash maybe on the shoulder is a distraction and slowing through san jose, pushing through cupertino for 280 and 85. slower drives on both directions of 92. 101 and elcamino remains slow as the crash is cleared. slow through berkeley. back to you. >> thank you very much, mike. happening now, continued breaking news we are following from the news room. the unexpected death of mayor ed lee. he died this morning at san francisco general. friends, including former mayor, willie brown and former speaker of the house says lee died of a heart attack. he was 65 years old. supervisor london breed will be the acting mayor. they confirmed that news earlier this morning outside of san francisco general hospital. another news conference is planned for 10:00 a.m. at city hall. we will bring it to you live. join us then. san francisco grieves ... after

the shocking, unexpected death of mayor ed lee. we )ll cover new reaction and how the city plans to turn the page. plus: new reaction overnight ... as alabama )s special election shakes up congress. watch tomorrow - 4:30-

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it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, all eyes on alabama. >> the verdict rests on the people of alabama. >> it is time that we put our decency, our state, before political party. >> voters head to the polls to decide the senate race drawing national attention. we're live with the latest. plus, man, oh, man. for years we heard about the myth of the man flu. but is there scientific proof that guys really do suffer more when they're sick? and it's not all fun and games. >> sold out? >> completely sold out. >> with less than two weeks until christmas, is it too late to find the season's hottest toys? and how do you make sure you don't buy a fake?

we go on the hunt today, tuesday, december 12th, 2017. ♪ >> who are your two favorite people? >> aaron rodgers. >> and? >> hoda. >> who do you want to say hi to? >> our mom. >> you're skipping school but you want to say hi to your teachers. >> hi. >> i'm trying to do the math. you're mother, daughter and sisters. >> i found people that want to say hello to their kids. >> we love you. >> i love their sign. cute. >> adorable. >> look at the crowds. crazy. >> it's a good holiday crowd. maybe they're here to see the tree. but we like to think they're here to see us. good morning. nice to have you with us. it's a tuesday morning and it's an election day. your news at 8:00.

alabama voters going to the polls today in the special election with the eyes of the nation on them. it's a bitter race between republican roy moore and democrat doug jones. speaking at his campaign closing rally last night, moore lashed out at the sexual misconduct accusations against him. he called them disgusting. the 70-year-old has been accuse ofdz sexually abusing teenage girls when he was in his 30s. there's new news on monday's terror attack in new york's subway system and the motives of the man wearing a homemade pipe bomb. nbc's stephanie gosk is a few blocks south at the port authority bus terminal. good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. you can see the port authority and traffic is back to normal. we have information to share with you. the nypd says it's questioning the wife of the 27-year-old suspect, akayed ullah. a bangladeshi citizen who had

been in this country for a number of years. he had held different jobs. but he was not on the nypd or the fbi's radar. and now, senior law enforcement officials who are familiar with the investigation tell us he was inspired by isis. and threats to carry out attacks during the christmas season. he detonated explosives right in front of a christmas display. in that crowded subway tunnel. the detonation actually failed. and the pipe bomb, which was attached to him with velcro and zip ties, didn't fully explode. had it fully exploded, the casualties could have been worse. even so, it created mayhem in this city. this is one of the busiest transit areas in new york. buses came to a stop. trains came to a stop. people fled the exits. now, governor andrew cuomo has announced enhanced security around the state.

at bridges, tunnels and transit areas. and you can see a lot more police in new york city during this holiday season. guys, back to you. >> stephanie, thank you. an update on a story we brought to you yesterday. so many saw the heartbreaking video of keaton jones, talking about being bullied at his tennessee school. this morning, we're hearing from keaton for the first time since that video went viral. he says he hopes the video will help other kids. >> to inspire people that are bullied, will -- just give them a voice they might not have to speak out about it. and how it's not right. to bully. >> in the meantime, keaton's mom is surrounded by controversy herself, criticized for seeking donations on a gofundme site. and her facebook posts. some showing her with the confederate flag were called racist. >> i mean, you know, yesterday, he was a hero.

yesterday, the world loved us. today, the world hates us. and i'm trying to think that i was trying not to get caught up in the positives. we're not going to get caught up in the negatives. >> people that are different, don't need to be criticized about it. >> jones has since made her facebook page private. the gofundme account has been frozen. an oregon woman is set to be arraigned in sacramento, after threatening fellow passengers on a crowded plane. >> i swear if -- land, i will kill everybody on this -- plane. >> a passenger captured the scene on a flight from portland to sacramento. it happened after the woman allegedly went into the airplane's bathroom, and tampered with the smoke detector to smoke a cigarette. that's when the threats began. southwest says the crew handled

the situation after the plane landed. i think the doctor has ordered a "morning boost." >> you got it, girl. sometimes even santa's helpers need help themselves. i'm speaking about elf on a shelf. this was the scene at orlando's arnold palmer children's hospital. it turns out the family's dog got ahold of him. but the doctors were able to sew him up. he's on the road to recovery. they wore special gloves for him. sam is back with his owner, 7-year-old aubrey. by the way, doing just fine. all is well in that home. >> we don't do elf on the shelf in our house yet. but apparently, you can't mess with elf on the shelf. >> you can't touch the elf. much more ahead, including the important conversation you need to have with your kids when it comes to anxiety and depression. also ahead, we are finishing off shopping with our biggest gift guide ever. first, let's see what's on

"megyn kelly today." >> a lot of headlines generated by our exclusive of three women accusing president trump of sexual harassment yesterday. another woman speaks out in a "megyn kelly today" exclusive, as calls get louder for the president to resign. we'll have that, top of the hour. >> thanks for all that. and much-needed holiday help >> good morning. i'm jeff rossen. the season's hottest toys sold out at many stores. don't worry, we're about to show you where you can find them online and how to avoid getting ripped off. plus, a big surprise. how you can get them for free, coming up. coming up. at carmax, we'll buy your car even if you don't buy one from us. because maybe you're already buying a car somewhere else. or maybe you want to shop around. or, maybe you don't want to drive a car at all anymore... like, maybe you want to ride a camel into the dessert and take a deep hard look within. just figure some stuff out for awhile. that's cool. whatever your plans for buying a car, carmax is the place to sell your car. okay, let's do this, tina, tchick-tchick. here we go, tchick-tchick.

i believe in ya tina. c'mon now. ah, we can just hang out here. giveand get $10 kohl's cash wefor every $50 spent! give the latest active and wellness gifts that will keep them on the move all year long and you'll get kohl's cash! presents for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy, get joy at kohl's! ♪

this new day looks nothing like yesterday. trails are covered. paths aren't what they used to be. roads nowhere to be found. ( ♪ ) and it's exactly what you're looking for. ( ♪ ) and it's exactly what you're looking for. ♪ i'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain ♪

♪ what glorious feeling i'm happy again, ♪ ♪ just singing, singing in the rain. ♪ ♪ we're back, now, with a closer look at something that can be tough for families to talk about. over the next year, nbc news will be focusing on kids and mental health issues. >> it's really important. we call this series one in five. according to the cdc, one in five kids has a diagnosable mental health disorder of some sort. from adhd to depression. and cynthia mcfadden is here to start the conversation. >> reporter: good morning. that's 15 million kids in america. adolescence is a very vulnerable time. we all know that. what you might not is it's also a peak time for developing

depression. how are parents to know if they're kid is just a moody teenager or in serious trouble. we met a family that went on an incredible and difficult journey and now want to help others. alex krody at 16, represents a troubling se ining statistic, o five. that's nearly 20% of american children that are suffering from a mental health condition. when did things start to feel wrong to you? >> probably around 1 11. >> reporter: for three, long years, she told no one. she decided to tell her mother. >> i said, i can't feel anything. and so, she just gave me a hug, like, cradled me in her arms on the bed and was like, can you feel me? can you feel my love? >> ready. >> go. >> reporter: even a mother's love wasn't enough to fix what was broken. at 14, alex was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety. >> teenagers suffer at

remarkably high rates. >> reporter: harold kopowitz is head of the mind institute, one of the leading centers for children. how big a problem is child mental health in america today? >> child mental health disorders are the most common illnesses that children will experience under 18. the number is so large, it's hard to wrap our heads around it. >> reporter: 15 million kids. and the vast majority do not get help. did you feel shame or stigma or embarrassment at the beginning? >> yeah. definitely. that's a big reason why i didn't tell anyone sooner because i was really afraid that my parents would underreact and say, oh, it's nothing. you got a great life. or they'd overreact and send me to a psych ward or something. i was too scared to reach out for help. >> if alex had gotten a rash, how many hours before she would have gone to a drugstore and

said, can i have some cream? and how many weeks before she would see a dermatologist. it was less than two years. the shame and the stigma surrounding these disorders has affected, in a great way, the ability for kids to get the help they need. >> i didn't know she was suffering from depression. i didn't know she had a mental illness. >> reporter: you use the term mental illness. it's hard for people to say that. especially with regards to their kids, right? >> it sounds like there's something really wrong with you. but a mental illness is just an illness of your brain. it's an affliction like any other affliction that a body can have. >> reporter: alex has been in therapy and on medication for two years. she's doing great. >> it takes a lot of guts to talk about this publicly. >> we're very proud. she's led the way. she's been outspoken, trying to help other people. we are along the ride with her.

>> reporter: what do you want your parents to know about you? >> i am so much stronger coming out of this. if i didn't have the parents i have, i don't think i could be sitting here today, talking to you. i would do anything for them because i know that they do the same for me. >> she is quite a girl. experts say this can happen in any family. and kids are particularly vulnerable in their teenage years. if a child isn't able to make or keep friends, or academic performance or drive changes, parents should consider seeking help. the other thing is if it lasts more than two weeks, you may need reinforcements here. you may need a professional. >> moody is a couple of weeks. >> everyone gets unhappy, right? so, you have to know how deep it's going. and the other big thing is, don't minimize. i don't have any friends. oh, of course you do. that's not -- >> listen. >> it takes a lot of guts for the family to come out.

and good for her. >> she wants to make a difference. >> she is. cynthia, thank you so much. let's turn, now. we have a check of the weather, don't we? >> yes, we do. let's look at what's happening across the country. mild and sunny weather into the gulf coast. the fire risk continues in california. lake-effect snow across the great lakes and that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's going to be a really cold start as you head out the todoo but look at these high temperatures today. another beauty with a lot of sunshine. we're going to be mostly in the mid to upper 60s and that's the kind of weather we'll see over the next few days. it would be nice to get some rain in here but it does stay drin even through the weekend. cool mornings and warm afternoons. it's not until we go beyond the seven day forecast that we will have a chance of rain so expect more continued above normal temperatures. >> that's your latest weather.

guys? >> all right. it's time to "trend." >> let's do it. >> it is flu season. there's another illness going around. it's an epidemic. it's called the man flu. >> all right. >> you thought that men complained more about being sick than women. there is a scientific study that concluded that, yes, men do suffer more. it was published in the british medical journal. estrogen boosts the immune system that may, in turn, make it more severe. >> i have the man cold. i can't lay down in bed and pat your back. i have things i have to do. let me get you some juice. you need tylenol? i felt your head and you don't have a fever. i'm not checking your head again. you're perfectly fine. i will check your head again. you don't have the ebola. i don't have that much empathy because i have the exact same cold as you do and i am doing

laundry and dishes and dealing with the kids. >> there it is. the women laugh. >> we so can relate. you know, we're like, yeah. i know that feels awful. i have had it for three weeks. >> mr. roker, being the resident male. >> yeah. i'm going -- my dad, you know, i remember one time him getting sick. and he just kind of sucked it up. >> it is this generation. >> i'm older than your husbands. but -- >> let's name names. does brian have the man flu? >> brian hurt his thumb the other way. he walked to the door limping. >> come on. really? >> he called me heartless because i have no sympathy. >> we know that the men aren't just being wimpy. they are hurting more than we are. >> there is a scientific reason for man spread. how about man-splaining. "pop start."

let's start out with dwayne johnson. he and his girlfriend had an announcement to make. he let his daughter do the honors. writing in part, it's a girl. we're boundlessly grateful as this spring will welcome our second baby. and jazzy is excited to boss around her little sis. the couple stepped out on the red carpet. here they are at the "jumanji" premiere. a huge congratulations to them. and paris hilton. you remember this famous photo? this is britney spears and lindsay lohan, out on the town. paris took to twitter to recognize the anniversary. 11-year anniversary since the first coming of the holy trinity. >> for real? >> somebody is self-impressed. >> paris was asked about that night, in an interview with mtv news australia. and here's what she had to say.

>> it was just brit and i out. and she chased us to the car and got in. she wasn't invited. >> and there's that. that's your "pop start." >> and there's the end of the world as we know it. let's switch to "daly click" now. >> al came down with a man flu from watching that. >> we all did. remember the water bottle flip? when you thought this fad was over, this tennessee toddler shows us with the flip of all flips. >> right here. >> turn this way. >> whoa. >> yes. >> the celebration at the end is the best ever. it was inspired by seeing her siblings perform the stupnt. a few failed attempts, and she did it, as well. >> ending on a high note. now, we go to a new rossen to the rescue.

getting your hands on the season's hottest toys is difficult. and the store shelves have been empty. >> jeff rossen is here and tell us how we can find the toys. >> this is a way to make you sick. your son or daughter come to you and tell you what you want this year. it's the most popular it toy of the season. you run to the store to get it because you're awesome. then, they're sold out. so is the next store and the next. this morning, we're finding the toys for you and giving you tips so you can do it without getting ripped off. at the end, stick around. really cool surprise. some of you could be getting the toys for free. we're going shopping. for this holiday's hottest toys. but you can't find them in the stores. parents, you get it. this is so annoying. always the toy you want. the stores are sold out online, too. where did the toys go?

blame greedy grinches that set up computer programs called grinch botts. buying up all of the most popular toys in bulk. and reselling them for double, triple and even quadruple the price. like the barbie hello dream house. retails for $299 online. we just saw it on ebay for $780. that's more than double the price. >> toy terrorists are holding the hot toys hostage. and i don't think parents should pay the ransom. >> reporter: three of the hottest toys this year, fingerlings, the lol surprise. and the supernintendo nes classic edition. old-school. how hard are they to get? our rossen reports team fanning out, trying to get them for you. first up, fingerlings, the tiny toys that fit on your finger. i tried toys "r" us.

do you have fingerlings? >> we are sold out. when we had them, they were gone in an hour and a half. >> reporter: next on my wish list, the lol big surprise, filled with tons of dolls and accessories. here at target, they haven't had the lol surprise big surprise doll in stock for three months. it was here when they did have. but you can't get it. okay. what about the classic superninten supernintendo. >> in the nintendo section and they don't have it. where can you find them? sites like amazon and ebay. my producers checking them out. who can get them first and pay the least? lindsay trying amazon. jovana on ebay. in stores, the retail price for fingerlings, $14.99. >> i found the fingerlings on ebay, cost $34.99. >> this fingerling on amazon is going for almost $45. >> reporter: next up, the lol

surprise big surprise. retail price, $79.99. >> the lol big surprise on amazon is going for $148. >> on ebay, this is nearly double what it costs in the stores. >> reporter: but what about the supernintendo. retail price, $79.99. >> this is going for $50 more. >> on ebay, the supernintendo is going for $199. >> reporter: they buy them. >> placing order. >> buying this one, too. >> reporter: if you're shopping to avoid rip-offs. >> look for a reputation of 99%. see if they use the brand name or if they don't. >> reporter: just look at this listing on ebay. it says finger toy, not fingerling. on amazon? >> figure out, are you buying it from amazon or from a marketplace third party seller?

>> reporter: how can you tell? look for the words ships from and sold by amazon.com, so you know you're getting a legit product. at the end of our challenge, amazon delivering all three toys to lindsay in one day. total price, 327 plus shipping. and ebay took longer to get here. lindsay wins. here's the good news. you win, too. it's time for our big surprise. i gathered the gang for the big surprise. we have bought extras of all of the toys. we want the give them to you, our viewers, for free. so many parents trying to get the toys but can't afford the sky-high prices online. tweet us right now, using #rossenreportscontest. we have a graphic on the bottom of the screen. use that hash tag. tell us why you want these toys for your kids and what it will mean to them.

specify which toys you want and we may surprise you. we will show you what happens tomorrow on "today." >> wow. >> that is awesome. >> this is like an essay contest but on twitter. >> don't write in. >> of course not. we get the lol -- >> i'm trying to figure out what's in this. >> like 50 accessories and dolls. >> we opened one on our show. the kids are going to love this thing. it's for little older kids. >> girls or boys or both? >> both. >> i thought this would be up your alley, al. old-school nintendo. >> and the fingerlings are huge this year. >> yeah. >> make sure you don't get fingerling potatoes. #rossenreportscontest. we're going to go through the mall and we may surprise some people.

i )m ... our breaking news: good morning. the time now, 8:26, i'm marcus washington. our breaking news, a look from nbc bay area sky ranger over san francisco city hall this morning. that's where flags are flying at half-staff. following the unsuspected death of mayor ed lee. lee died early this morning at zuckerberg san francisco general hospital. friends including former san francisco mayor willie brown say that lee died of a heart attack. he was 65 years old. he was the first appointed -- he was first appointed mayor in 2011. lee served a full term before being re-elected in 2015. supervisor london freed will be the city's acting mayor. she and other leaders confirmed the news early this morning outside of san francisco general. another news conference is planned for 10:00 this morning at city hall and nbc bay area will bring you that coverage

live. and right now, mike is covering a crash over in the south bay. >> that's right, marcus, we're looking at overall a lighter volume but it still means a slow drive. tuesday is tuesday. we have good traffic flow here. we do have an issue. a crash as marcus said over in the south bay, westbound 237 right around caribbean or caribbean, you choose, it's still the same locatiolocation. a new crash at kirtner for north 87 may be an issue, just happened, we will track that. good recovery for the peninsula. >> i'll have another local update in half an hour. ♪ toyland, toyland

♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhood's joy land never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the e300 sedan for $569 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.

♪ ♪ jingle bells good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." it's tuesday, december 12th, 2017. great crowd out in the plaza. a lot of fun going out in the plaza. there's our toy drive elf. she is teaming up with her husband for a new project on hbo. we're going to talk to both of them in a moment. >> all right, you guys. usually we do a crowd moment with one person. we're going to make the crowd happy. in our next segment, we're going with the the ultimate gift guide. these google home minis are on

fire. this is on the holiday gift guide. for each family on the plaza, one per family, they get a google home. [ applause ] >> what? >> that's a what? >> it is. >> everyone gets one of these. >> that's awesome. >> that's so fun. >> nick has one of those. he's talking to it all the time. >> that's so cool. all right. three words for you. homemade doughnut snowballs. >> i love your three words. >> when it comes to holiday treats, it doesn't get more f s festive or addictive. >> yummy. first, we have megyn kelly. >> yesterday, we had three women

on that are accusing president trump of sexual harassment. and there's another one coming today, that will describe what happened between her and the president at mar-a-lago. and we'll have a roy moore defender come on, as the alabama election goes to the polls. and then, megyn's month of merry. more stuff for the audience. >> i love how you end on the high note. >> harassment, harassment, merry. >> megyn, thank you so much. let's get a check of the weather from merry al. >> tsunami, then sunshine. and look at this cutie right here. who is this? >> this is howdy. >> howdy clark. >> howdy clark. that's the best name ever. howdy. how howdy, howdy. let's see what's going on for today. lake-effect snow coming across the great lakes. fire risk continues through southern california. mild and sunny from the plains down to the grulf coast.

tomorrow, through the gulf and the southeastern atlantic states. next clipper comes out of canada, through the great lakes, bringing another round of snow. and that cold air really comes blasting in into the nth that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. a lot of sunshine, but it is really cold still out there, but this is a look at our high temperatures today and near record highs once again. in san jose, expect it to reach up to 69 degrees and 66 in oakland and concord. 67 today in napa. the next several days, still dry, chilly mornings and warm afternoons. san francisco in the low to mid-60s. inland areas as warm as 70 degrees by friday. >> that's your latest weather. don't forget, you can always get the weather you need, anytime you need it, check out our friends at the weather channel

on cable. hoda and savannah. all right. this morning on today's hassle-free gift guide. if you are struggling, we have them covered. >> and we're streaming all of this on facebook right now. you can find even more ideas after this segment ends. it continues on facebook. >> going to be good. the only person savvy enough to handle this bonanza, the one and only lori bergamotto. get us started. >> battling hypothermia. >> i don't know if i'm savvy or crazy. i'm so excited about the giveaway you just did. with the google mini. it's like having a personal assistant. and right now, it's on sale for $29. it recognizes up to six voices. it can do anything from calling your grandmother to helping you cook to playing music. this is the hot item of the year. >> supercute. >> have you heard of the instant pot?

>> no. >> this replaces nine kitchen gadgets in your kitchen. a space saver, time saver. what do we have in here? rice. it can make rice, yogurt, oatmeal. and it makes the meals healthier. this is available on amazon. any person will love this in their kitchen. >> is that a wine cup to go? >> are you a white or a red drinker? >> white. >> there really is wine in there. these are triple insulated. it will keep the white wine cold and the red wine room temperature. it's really fun. >> for a roadie. >> i love that you just said that. next up is -- have you heard of pour-over coffee. we do a demo. pour-over coffee makes it less bitter. this is like the gold standard

in pour-over coffee. this starts at $14.99. and it was designed over 1, 00 years ago. used a notebook filter and did pour-over coffee. >> i love it. >> fenty beauty. this is one of the biggest innovations of the year because it does 40 skin tone shades. this is part of her holiday limited edition. what we love about it is that any millennial will love this. they're so hard to buy for. this gift spans the ages. this is 23, and have you done this yet? 23 and me is the only one that's fda approved and what's so neat about it is you do a few swabs and they can figure out your ancestry. i can't wait to do mine. special price, $79. we can't forget about --

actually, we're going to go here. sorry. can you guys see that? it's a peppermint twist. do you remember floats were the big things? now it's the snow tube. can you guys see that? and then, we'll not forget about our pet so we have some models here to really show you. this is from lands' end. this is $40 and it has the housekeeping seal and here's little elvis and his mommy here in a scarf from sandra roberts. feel this, guys. faux fur, really plush. >> you can't forget about the family. >> this is your little boy. >> this is my little boy leo and my buddy carrie and they're wearing the burt's bees jammies. they're certified organic. >> can i tell you? i'm saving them for christmas eve. >> oh! carrie is also in the slippers

which are from airy. they're mix and match. so you buy the poms and then you can say -- hoda's, like, what? you can buy these poms for a dollar and switch them out. >> what's this contraption? >> these are amazing and these are from goop and they flew off the shelves and they're aromatherapy diffusers. they look like a little object. >> do you mean object? >> we had wine, savannah, we're feeling good. this is a hot pick, and they're beautiful. >> think we're out of time. >> you turn it on and it makes your house smell good. >> it can ward off colds depending on the oils you use and keep you hydrated and make you feel beautiful. >> dylan, come over here because she's going to take this over. >> we're live streaming on facebook. >> we have a whole other section of gifts. ultimate gift guide, you can find everything by the way,

including the bonus, at today.com/shop. way to go. >> one of music's most powerful influential couple tommy we are back with legendary

music mogul tommy mottola and his wife latin music and tv star thalia. they teamed up for an hbo mini documentary and it is called 15, a quincianera story. it's a 15 party for 15-year-old girls and it serves as a coming of age ritual. >> everyone told me i couldn't be who i was, first of all, and then everyone told me i couldn't follow my dreams and this has always been one of my dreams. it's finally me getting to do something that i love to do, and i love to be girlie and be like

a princess. >> this is your moment and we're just going to have fun and just a celebration. like, this is going to be a celebration of you. >> looks fantastic. tommy is the executive producer and thalia is the co-director. good morning to both of you. >> thank you. >> good morning. >> thank you. >> so many exciting projects to talk about and we'll start with this one. thalia, we know you sing. i saw director, and i was, like, wait a minute. how was wearing that hat? >> you know what? it is amazing when you have an incredible team like the one hbo put together with me. working with matt o'neal is a gift. he's incredible. really, i learned a lot from him. he was so patient to teach me everything, and the rest is history. we have four incredible stories with five different girls that represent perfectly the ethnicity of the latino in america right now. >> compare a quinceanera.

>> biggest deal ever. >> in the latino family it's this rite of passage from a teenager into womanhood. >> yeah. >> and it's the equivalent of a bat mitzvah or sweet 16, but even more important. it's the centerpiece of the family. the whole family unit comes together to make this happen whether they have no money or whether they have money. >> and whatever the situation, they go through -- they have a lot of problems that, you know, right now our america is a little difficult for our community. >> true. >> immigration, d.r.e.a.m.ers, all of it is there in the documentary. >> it's interesting. we were just seeing zoe earlier, she's a transgender woman who comes from godmothers who are transgender. >> by the way, they see in zoe this new flag and this new bridge to celebrate free. >> the story comes at a very opportune time. >> without thinking about it,

without planning it. >> moving on to another topic that's coming up. tommy, you're associated with so many things. i always think of you with the music industry. >> right. >> all of a sudden any time on broadway your name pops up. "a bronx tale," there is a new proekt j coming up. >> we are very fortunate my wife and i both and we have great producing partners, michael david and lauren mitchell. we have "a bronx tale" which celebrated a one-year anniversary. we opened "jersey boys," and there will be "the donna summer musical" forthcoming next year and announcement to be made soon. >> say that again. "the donna summer musical". >> can i tell you something? that will be awesome. what made you decide that was a good road to go down? >> we were friends for 30 to 40 years, she and i. >> yeah. >> we had talked about it off and on with her family, and her music is known in every single place in the entire world.

>> yeah. >> and the story of her life and the way it's been put together by the director and the writers, really is brilliant. >> it's fantastic. >> terrific. we wish you, tommy, all of the luck and congratulations on this great project. >> thank you. >> it's going to air on hbo on december 19th. >> for four days in a row so you cannot miss it. hbo. i'll see you there. quinceanera. >> listen to the boss. >> coming up, al is making a sweet treat for any holiday stlebration, but fir, this is

oky, we're back at 8:47 with

a holiday today food, no kid hungry, raising awareness of childhood hunger. in that spirit, we want to bring deliciousness to the kitchen. we are making doughnut snowballs as seen in this video, but i'm going to slow things down because i'm slow and show you how to do things step by step. okay. so who doesn't like hot, fresh doughnuts? >> amazing. >> so here's what we're going to do. we're going to start off with our batter. so we'll start with taking an egg, some milk. here's your checkerboard thing here. chess board. you will take your milk and add it to one egg. >> okay. you're going to keep the two dry and the wet separate for right now. so you whisk that up, and you've got that. next, you've got two cups of all-purpose flour and your other dry ingredients, salt, baking powder, sugar and hot cocoa mix. >> oh! >> so you're going to put that all in together. >> i like how you said that together.

>> what? >> and you'll mix that together. i'm going to mix in the liquid together. there's still butter over there that's melted, but to make it all come together better you're going to leave the butter until the end. until after you mix everything together. >> is the butter hot or just melted? >> it's melted. it's melted. and you will mix that all together and it will come out looking sort of like this. >> deep thoughts. >> you want nonreactive cooking oil, and the other thing to do is to get a candy thermometer. >> you know what the temperature is. how hot should it be? 325, 350. take a small ice cream scoop and go into your batter and go -- >> that's it? >> that's kind of not that hard. >> no, it really isn't. now they said you could bake these if you wanted to on.

>> but why? >> but you don't want to. >> you're already in deep with doughnuts. >> you can save a couple of calories. come on, it's doughnuts, for god's sake! once they get nice and golden brown. >> how long does it take? >> three to five minutes. watch them because you don't want them to get too brown. >> again, because it's hot, boiling oil you want to be careful. >> okay. >> you know, nothing says the holidays like a trip to the emergency room. >> yes. >> okay. now, we've got two different kinds of doughnuts here. >> you can make the snowball by just taking some confectioner's sugar and sprinkling it or just take the doughnut and like that. >> okay. and then you can also do this. >> did someone say doughnuts? >> yes, we did, dylan. >> you've got to try this. >> i'm not going to miss a being coupi

cooking segment. >> take granulated sugar and cinnamon. that's what this is. yeah. >> i've got to tell you, you've got to do these hot because if they sit for a while, not so good. >> they become lumps, okay? you just don't want that. >> these are delicious. >> these are heaven, al. >> that's all you have to do. keep coating them. >> it's the same doughnut, just the outside. >> same doughnut, a different coating. >> no filling. it's just -- no, with the dough. >> that's dough. i guess you did that already. i missed that. >> it helps to be here at the beginning. >> that's true. >> thank you. i'm glad you liked it. >> by the way. citi will be matching donations to no kid hungry for 24 hours for up to $10,000. to learn more about how you can help fight childhood hunger and to get this recipe head to today.com. >> good job, al! season of giving is created with our sponsor citi.

citi is partnering with no kid hungry to help end childhood hunger in america. we are back in a moment, but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> mommies like? >> mommies like? for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the arm of an arm wrestler? the back of a quarterback? the face of a fairy? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa.

yes. al, first doughnuts. now, birthdays. >> full-service organization. all right. let's break out the smucker's jars. meet some sweet folks. first up, dorothy. she says the secret to longevity, bacon. wilfred, celebrating 105 years. he loves staying active playing golf until three years ago. happy 100th birthday to goldij.i

one of her adventures is a cross-country road trip. dr. zachary endress, an author from michigan. honored with the alumni of distinction award. hottie byrd of shaw, mississippi. and last but least, happy 100th birthday to virginia martin of denver, north carolina. she says a secret of longevity, a piece of chocolate every day and wine every night. if you know somebody with a milestone anniversary or birthday, let us know. go to today.com/celebrates. we have a lot of cool things coming up. gwen stephanie will join klg and i for a little chat. she's terrific. and the guys called the piano guys. >> i heard them downstairs. >> and some of them play the

strings. >> one piano or several? >> i )m - -... our breaking news: good morning. it's 8:56. i'm marcus washington. our breaking news. a look from nbc bay area sky ranger, san francisco city hall where flags are flying at half-staff, following the unexpected death of mayor ed lee. lee died early this morning at san francisco general hospital. friends including former san francisco mayor willie brown say lee died from a heart attack. he was 65 years old. lee was first appointed mayor in

2011. then served a full term before being re-elected in 20 sa. supervisor london freed as you see right there will be the city's acting mayor. she and other leaders confirmed that news early this morning outside of zuckerberg san francisco general hospital. that leaves behind a wife and two daughters. city leaders are getting really to hold another news conference at 10:00 this morning at city hall. nbc bay area will bring you that live when it happens. our pete is among the nbc bay area reporters reporting on lee's death. pete will have a live report at the top of our midday newscast. you can also go to our twitter feed right now for reaction from the bay area and beyond. san francisco grieves ... after

the shocking, unexpected death of mayor ed lee. we )ll cover new reaction and how the city plans to turn the page. plus: new reaction overnight ... as alabama )s special election shakes up congress. watch tomorrow - 4:30-

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dollars to those in need. >> this morning on megan kelly today the calls get louder. five senators now demanding president trump's resignation, while more than 50 other democratic lawmakers call for a congressional inquiry and another woman will tell her story here live. then alabama heads to the polls as roy moore battalions his own sexual misconduct allegations. >> the verdict rests on the people of alabama. >> i'll speak to one of his defenders. plus, it's the holiday season and acarolling we go. >> as the train of treats entering the station. >> all aboard. >> on megan kelly today right now.