make sure you have a great thursday. enjoy the day. >> you too. >> happy birthday! >> birthday boy! >> we're going to go eat cake. a sugar high at midday. ♪ good morning. el huracán michael, una de las devastation and destruction. hurricane michael, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the u.s. lays waste to the florida panhandle. >> utter destruction. utter destruction. >> 155-mile-per-hour winds destroying homes. heavy rains and a massive storm surge flooding entire neighborhoods. power knocked out to hundreds of thousands. this morning at least two fatalities with rescue crews still trying to reach stranded survivors. >> we'll be sending help from air, land and sea.

>> the massive storm now pushing inland, heading up the east coast and bringing with it the threat of even more dangerous weather. today, thursday, october 11th, 2018. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> thank you for joining us on a thursday morning. we're covering the pick storm. it is also a big day inside study yo 1a and outside. check out outside. it is international day of the girl. we have a lot of girls. >> we're going to do something really special. we're throwing out the scripts and holding a special live event featuring young women there and michelle obama will be here. it's a first live interview since leaving the white house. oh and we've got a great concert ahead as well. >> we've got kelly clarkson, jennifer hudson and meghan trainor and a couple other special guests.

lots to get to, but let's get right to the storm. michael's path of destruction and what is to come yet. the storm is being blamed for at least two deaths. a man in florida and a girl in georgia were both killed when trees crashed through their homes. >> right now, more than 500,000 customers are without power and crew, saying it could take weeks before power will be fully restored. >> this storm will go down in history. it's the strongest october hurricane on record to make landfall in the u.s. and the third most powerful ever to strike the u.s. mainland. >> we have complete coverage across the hard hit areas and we'll talk to the man leading the government's response. first, let's start with what hurricane michael is doing right now. nbc's kristen dahlgren is in hilton head, south carolina. how's it looking? >> reporter: not time for anyone to let their guard down. look. you can see the winds are really gusty here. tropical storm force winds. we could see trees down.

we could see more power lines down and more people losing power today. we also have the threat of tornadoes. all night my phone was going off with tornado warnings. we could see those as we go through the morning. then we've got the rain. it's dry where i am now. but some places in the carolinas could see another 8 inches of rain. keep in mind, this is an area that hurricane florence came through not long ago. the ground is saturated. there's nowhere for the water to go. that's where we could see the dangerous flash flooding. michael a threat through today. >> all right. thank you so much. we move to florida where this morning the full extent of the damage is just being revealed as the sun is coming up. nbc's gabe gutd tear gutierrez is there with the aftermath. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. there are massive trees toppled making it nearly impossible to

get around. in florida a man died when a tree fell on his home, and in georgia an 11-year-old child died. this was a fast-moving storm that showed little mercy. this morning hurricane michael's devastation is on display after the ferocious category 4 storm slammed into the florida panhandle, the most powerful hurricane on record here. >> i won't go through another one. i'd leave the next time. >> reporter: michael packed winds of 155 miles per hour. mexico beach took a direct hit. homes there under water. many in pieces. streets turning into raging rivers. and historic 'pa latch coal cola, a seven-foot storm surge. we're seeing the power within the past hour or so, we've seen the winds intensify significantly. parts of this town are completely under water. west in panama city beach the howling winds rip third down

house apart. lester holt and his crew forced to barricade themselves in a hotel room. >> put this mattress in front of the window. you know, we want to be on the air and we've got to take care of each other. know that we're safe but we're going to have to sign off. >> reporter: inland a middle school gym barely standing. this drone video showing what it looks like on the inside. michael blowing out bank windows and impaling this car with debris. for this region an unprecedented storm. how would you describe this? >> it's catastrophic. plus some of the roads under water, we don't know what kind of damage we'll have when the water recedes. >> reporter: right now with all the trees and power lines down, hundreds of thousands of people are without power. it could be days and even weeks before power is restored.

>> dave did show us the devastation in panama city. that's where kerry sanders rode out the storm. how is it looking there? >> reporter: good morning. it's really ugly. this is called the legendary marina. it will go down as part of the legend of hurricane michael. you can see how widespread is damage is and even beyond as we go to the other camera. that damage goes on. it's like that from block to block and getting around is extremely difficult. there are crews that are going to try to come in to start restoring power. because the roads in many places are impassable with debris and power lines down, it's going to be slower going than you might expect. that's important according to evacuated who are now thinking, well, can i come back? especially for those west of the eye wall who did not get the storm surge. east like in mexico beach, other devastation. in the greater populated areas like panama city and panama city beach, there may be an idea that they can return but really they're going to have to hold off.

the authorities right now say in excess of 500,000 people are without power. they have to boil their water if they are still here. bottom line is, this cleanup here, which you're looking at this devastation behind me, it's going to cost billions. guys. >> all right. kerry sanders, thank you. fema administrator brock long is coordinating the response to the storm. the guess question how bad was this? >> extremely bad for the florida panhandle and southwest georgia. we're all anxiously awaiting daylight to assess fully all damages but right now we're focused, hyper focused on search and rescue and obtaining access to some of the hardest hit areas. choosing to stay behind in small towns, as many as 50% of the town stayed behind. so, tell us how you go about finding those people.

>> so, you know, prior to the event, we staged national search and rescue assets from all over the country, in and near the area. last night we were able to mobilize a couple teams into some of the hardest hit areas. we're deeply concerned about mexico beach. in that area, and the areas between apalachicola and panama city beach. we were able to get teams in last night. because of night fall it's limited as to what we can do, and right now we're trying to do is assess the bridges. we're trying to air drop people but also trying to bring people in by vehicles, assess the bridges and obtain access to some of the hardest hit areas. we will methodically go through and comb the debris, working with our state and local partners and try to move as quickly as we can. >> did this storm kind of creep up on you? it was a fast mover. in some ways it felt like florence had days and days to prepare. but this seemed to come on fast and strong. >> well, that's the nature of living in the gulf coast.

this is not a new phenomenon. it's been happening since they've been collecting weather data since 1851. one of the strongest storms was hurricane camille, in 1969. it went from basically being named to a category 5 in 72 hours, killing hundreds of people. this was similar. the first indications were saturday. >> when you look at the debris and aftermath and you hear that two people died, i was personally surprised that that number wasn't higher. what are you seeing? >> well, i mean, we still have a long way to go. there's a lot of debris we haven't sifted through. one death is a death too many, unfortunately, but the system is not done. it's passing through georgia and north carolina through the remainder of today. we need people in south carolina and north carolina to remain vigilant and be careful. this is a strong tropical storm pushing through. >> critical hour still. brock long, thank you for spending a few minutes with us. we appreciate it. >> thank you.

time to bring in al roker with more on where the storm has been and where it's heading. hey, al, good morning. >> good morning, guys. and thank you for getting your first weather from us. right now this fast-moving system is 30 miles west of augusta, georgia. a tropical storm. 50-mile-per-hour winds. it's booking northeast at 21 miles per hour. 63 million people are under flood watches right now, and we have flood warnings from georgia, all the way up into new england today as the system makes its way to the north. the time line for today, flooding rain to virginia by 2:00, it's still a tropical storm near raleigh and fayetteville. continues up to the east makes its way out by thursday evening tonight. and then is still a tropical system but a low pressure system moving off the coast. heavy rain for coastal new england. here are the impacts we see. starting off strong winds, highest gusts in the mid atlantic coast. some close to hurricane force. downed trees, power lines.

from nantucket all the way to ocean city, we're looking at tropical force winds. flooding rains. rainfall rates 2 inches or more per hour. rising rivers and streams. anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of rain isolated 9 inches plus in this system. we are seeing these storms continually intensifying and, in fact, the fact is we are seeing more rapid intensification more often in the last several years. guys. >> all right. al, thank you so much. craig is here. story breaking overnight. >> ladies, good morning to you. two astronauts from the u.s. and russia made an emergency landing this morning after a booster rocket carrying them to the international space station failed moments after launch. nbc's tom costello covers space and aviation for us. tom, what more do we know this morning? >> reporter: this was a serious emergency. make no doubt about it. one of the booster rockets failed on liftoff on the six-hour journey to the space station.

that caused the system to immediately jettison the space capsule that was carrying the astronauts. one of them a russian. one an american. on his first mission into space. they went on very rapid descent, with excessive g-force, and the parachute bringing them back. they landed in kazakhstan. russian forces responded and they got to them quickly. in a nasa tweet they tweeted the search and rescue teams have reached the landing site and report the two members are in good condition and are out of the capsule. search and rescue teams are with the crew now. also this just coming in. russian officials saying they are now suspending all man space launches as they investigate this incident. this was a very close call. it could have ended in tragedy. keep in mind this is the only

way americans are able to get to the space station onboard a russian spacecraft until the american commercial enterprises get up and running and are able to take americans to the space station. that may come as soon as next year. space x is among those that will be doing that. again, a very close call this morning. thankfully both the russian and american are arrive. the russian, i should have mentioned, alexa ovicci, a veteran of space travel. guys, back to you. >> tom costello. thank you. there are fast moving developments as well in that mysterious disappearance of a saudi journalist who is a u.s. resident. the case has become a diplomatic crisis for the white house. keir simmons has been following it for us. >> good morning. nbc news has exclusive reporting showing what jamal khashoggi's text messages might reveal. meanwhile president trump demanding answers. "the washington post" reports the crowned prince in saudi

arabian prince ordered an operation to lure the journalist from the u.s. and detain him. nbc has not had access, but they raise more disturbing questions. >> it's a very sad situation. it's a very bad situation. we want to get to the bottom of it. >> reporter: president trump stopping short of blaming saudi arabia, for the disappearance of jamal khashoggi, a journalist for the saudi regime, but telling reporters he's spoken out to the country's leaders. i don't want to say that. i hope he's not. >> reporter: as the mystery deepens the president says he's been in contact with khashoggi's fiancee, inviting her to the white house. turkish officials insisting he was killed in the saudi consulate in istanbul. this tv video showing him entering the building but never leaving. three people familiar with the investigation tell nbc news turkish authorities told the u.s. they have audio listening devices inside the consulate giving them at least some insight into thing happening

there. adding to the mystery, the screen shots of text messages obtained by nbc news sent to khashoggi to a friend in the u.s. using whatsapp. with time stamps indicating he checked his cell phone just before entering the consulate but did not see messages sent to him minutes later. the saudis have denied any role in his disappearance maintaining there's no video of the exit because cameras weren't recording. but in washington, outrage on capitol hill. the republican chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, bob corker, sending a letter to the president invoking an international act calling on the u.s. to impose sanctions on saudi arabia, in response to the suspected murder of khashoggi. >> i look at it as a shot against saudi arabia. >> reporter: early wednesday new images shown on turkish television released by authorities there, reportedly

showing a 15-man saudi hit team arriving in istanbul on two private planes, and later, leaving their hotels the same day as khashoggi vanished. as turkish investigators continue to hunt for this black suv parked outside the consulate building that day. >> meanwhile nbc news learned turkish consulate employees were told to take the day of his visit off and a high level meeting was taking place. that's according to sources close to the investigation. here's the thing, guys, for the white house this is potentially both political and personal. jared kushner, president trump's son-in-law has been increasingly close to the saudi leader. >> keir, thank you. there's a major development in the case of the horrific limo crash in upstate new york. the man who runs the limo company 28-year-old hussain was arrested wednesday. he was charged with criminally negligent homicide. he pled not. his family owns the limo company involved in the crash that

killed 20 people last saturday. police insist hussain knew that his limo had been ordered off the road for multiple safety violations and that the driver did not have a proper limo license. time now to turn back to al roker for the forecast. freeze and frost warnings in the central planes. morning know in northern minnesota. winter like conditions in parts of the rockies. all eyes along the eastern seaboard. it could affect you all across the country. that's what's going on around the country. first, we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. . but allstate actually helps you drive safely... with drivewise. it lets you know when you go too fast... ...and brake too hard. with feedback to help you drive safer. giving you the power to actually lower your cost. unfortunately, it can't do anything about that. now that you know the truth... are you in good hands?

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we will get some sunshine later on today, but it's going to be another cool day as we start out with some mid-50s as you head out the door. we'll see the high reaching 73 degrees in san jose. 77 in concord. oakland, 69 degrees. and 64 today in san francisco and half moon bay. our inland valleys reach the upper 70s and then it will be even warmer tomorrow with some mid-80s. the warmest day will be on saturday, 87 degrees. >> and that's your latest weather. >> thank you, al. coming up a closer look at hurricane michael's path of destruction a what it will take to rebuild along the florida panhandle. plus michelle obama will be here for our exclusive television event celebrating international day of the girl. she got into town last night. we're looking forward to talking to mrs. obama. she has a special announcement

in store. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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in just about two hours .. transbay transit center leaders will meet. . a very good morning. i'm laura garcia. transbay transit leaders will meet. they'll be discussing the repairs made to the two cracked steel beams. it affects fremont street, which remains closed. it was originally supposed to reopen tomorrow. yesterday the opening got pushed back to next wednesday. we also don't know yet when the transit center will reopen as a whole. let's check in with kari and our forecast. a nice one? >> yes, a nice one. the clouds have rolled in for the golden gate bridge and parts of the bay area. we start out with cool

temperatures but we'll have a comfortable day with sunshine reaching the upper 70s for inland valleys. 73 in san jose. 71 in santa rosa. as we head through the forecast, it's going to start to heat up. starting out tomorrow with those highs in the mid-80s and some upper 80s on saturday. those breezy winds will increase our fire danger for the inland hills and that's something we'll keep you up to date on as we get a look at san francisco. we go from 64 today to 70 on saturday. winds continue to increase with some low 70s into the beginning of next week. let's get an update on the commute with mike. >> tough for the south bay, north 87, third incident of the morning. we're looking at a very slow drive. it's gumming up 85. you see that as folks make the choice, they see the jam on 87 so they continue to stay on 85 up 17. that means more traffic for 17. that ripple effect for the silicon valley. meanwhile, the rest of the bay moves well. i'm looking at 680 south over here around main, the second crash of the morning there. there may have been a traffic

break. more slowing through concord. more traffic now heading in towards lafayette. back to you. >> thank you very much. another local news update in half an hour.

7:30 now. thursday morning. the 11th of october, 2018. look at that. just some of the destruction along the gulf coast. hurricane michael ashore. an incredibly powerful hurricane that will go down in the record book. >> it's going to take a long time to recover from this one. hundreds of thousands without power. high winds and flooding rains in the carolinas. we start with christen dalgren an hilton head. what's the scene there? >> hi there. georgia and the carolinas bearing the brunt of the storm this morning. you can see the high gusty winds

that could mean more power lines down and trees and tree limbs. behind me the surf kicking up as well. here we're expecting about a foot of storm surge. we have the threat of tornadoes through the day today. and then the flooding from the rain. it's try here but some places could see another eight inches of rain. keep in mind, these are places that just saw hurricane florence. the ground is saturated. there's no place for the water to go. that's when we could see the dangerous flash flooding. michael going to continue to cause problems through the day today and into tomorrow morning. >> all right. christen, thank you. as mentioned this was the strongest hurricane ever to hit the u.s. in october. the damage along the florida panhandle is pretty much everywhere you look. nbc's gabe gutierrez is there. he's been there all night. gabe, good morning to you. >> good morning. there are massive trees toppled throughout the region. power lines are down making it

nearly impossible to get around. at least two deaths are being blamed on the storm. one man was killed in florida when a tree fell on his home. another -- this time a child, 11 years old according to emergency management officials was killed in georgia. this storm roar aid shore yesterday with maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour. in panama city beach, roofs blown off of homes. in mexico beach, that took a direct hit. that's where we're starting to see images of some of the most extensive damage. roofs blown off home. homes blown off their foundations due to the storm surge. in apalachicola, a surge of 7 feet flooding the downtown. hundreds of thousands of people without power. in some cases it could be weeks before it's restored. this morning authorities are just beginning to assess the damage. back to you. >> all right. gabe, thank you. let's check in now with

kerry sanders in panama city, florida. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is what 155 miles per hour winds looks like. you can see the marina behind me. it's possible that some tornadoes may have added to the damage here. as we cut to our second camera, you can see the sun is now beginning to come up. and with that first daylight that means air operations from the coast guard and other relief services will be able to go airborne and begin getting into some of the hard toi access ares where the damage has hit. when you're looking at just this spot here with the boat, you're talking about millions upon millions of dollars in damage. when hurricane andrew hit, a category 5, that was in '92, it was a $15.5 billion damage. this is definitely going to get into the billions of dollars. about nine miles from her is an air force base. we're hoping at first light to

get a better idea of damage there. the air force got the planes out before the hurricane arrived. those aircraft are safe and evacuated most of the personnel. power lines are down as well as roads being obscured by so much debris. it's going to be hard for days for people to get around here, but the first teams that are coming in are from the power crews. there are more than 5,000 powermen from duke that are coming in to start getting the power back in excess of 500,000 people without power. guys, this is going to be a very long cleanup. and when you look at this right here, i got to say, just looking at it, it looks like it exploded. just the storm came through and it blew it out. >> wow. all right. kerry sanders, kerry, thank you. >> hard to get your head around some of that destruction. al roker, what can we expect the

next few hours and days? >> we said this was the equivalent of a five to ten mile wide ef 10 tornado. it was. we're watching this push to the north and east. as it does, it's going to hook up with this cold front and tap into that moisture. michael moves into the carolinas into this afternoon. tropical rain along the eastern seaboard. heavy in the northeast into new england where we have flood watches. michael moves offshore and continues on. we are talking about isolated amounts of 9 inches or more. look for all that wet weather stretching from boston all the way down into the carolinas where the rain will be the good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we start out the day with some clouds across the bay area and then we're heading into the low 70s for much of our microclimates. we're up to 74 in napa. palo alto, 72 degrees. oakland, expect a high of 69 degrees. 77 in antioch.

and then as we go into the day tomorrow, it will be noticeably warmer with highs reaching the mid-80s. the warmest day will be on saturday with breezy winds and highs reaching 87. still in the 80s through early next week. we haven't had two consecutive years of two land falling major hurricanes in this country since 2004, 2005. and the number of rapidly intensifying hurricanes increasing as well. >> wow. al. puts it in perspective. coming up next, we'll kick off our celebration of international day of the girl. we have some of the most inspiring women in the planet right here. >> there are two of them right now. they're here along with hundreds of girls from around the world. michelle obama. some incredible singers. so much more. first, these messages. with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, you never know how your skin will look. and it can feel like no matter what you do, you're itching all the time.

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>> happy the "today show" support global girls education and head over to today.com to learn more. >> we're back on this international day of the girl. we're going to talk to the former first lady, michelle obama about her powerful campaign. >> mrs. obama paved her own path at the white house and her work inspiring others is far from over. as the first african american first lady of the united states, michelle obama was a barrier breaker from day one and promoted her passions with programs that got kids moving and brought healthier lunches to school as well as raising awareness for the need for girls' education around the world. >> being your first lady has been the greatest honor of my life, and i hope i've made you proud. >> while she was a champion for the american people, she was first and foremost mom in chief. they stayed behind in washington after leaving office so their youngest daughter could finish

high school. this year she opened up about life mostly out of the political spotlight. >> now i have a door and a doorbell, and people actually trip out when i come to my door and i open it. >> but the former first lady who embraced more than just politics inside the white house is still having viral moments outside of it. from officiating a wedding in chicago to exchanging a cough drop with friend and former president, george w. bush recently at senator john mccain's funeral. the obamas also taking on the title of producer signing a deal with netflix. but now the woman who inspired voters with this message in 2016 -- >> when they go low, we go high. >> is looking to do it again in 2018. >> believe me, i am frustrated too. i am sick of all the chaos and the nastiness of our politics. >> launching a voting initiative

with help from famous friends. that's just the beginning of the former first lady's next chapter. shortly after the polls close next month, she'll hit the road to promote her new book, becoming. >> it is candid and honest. it is totally me. >> her book tour already getting rock star treatment, selling out stadiums across the country. >> pretty cool. >> well, she's been busy. but she made time for us this morning. look who is in our studio. >> yes. first lady michelle obama. >> good morning, mrs. obama. >> good morning. >> we are excited to sit down for an exclusive conversation with her. she's got a big announcement. she's going to tell us all about it. we have tons of girls out on the plaza. a great concert ahead. a great concert ahead. this is a special whooo! want to get a move on your next vacation? tripadvisor now lets you book over a hundred thousand tours, attractions, and experiences in destinations around the world! like new orleans! from cooking classes, to airboat tours, tripadvisor makes it easy to find and book amazing things to do.

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this is special hour of "today" is sponsored by long john silver's. visit long john silver's and skip your trip to the same old same old. we're back with our international day of the girl celebration. >> al roker outside on the plaza packed with hundreds of girls from all over the world and special guests as well. mr. roker. >> that's right. we've got carly cross, a supermodel and role model for girls in tech and trisha shetty, one of the obama foundation scholars. give it up for them. carly, why was it important for you to be here for the international day of the girl? >> there's incredible energy here, first of all, and girls are our future. today is all about celebrating the incredible work that women and girls are doing around the

world. trisha started an organization that's reached over 100,000 young people in india. and i love any excuse to come celebrate that kind of important cause. >> trisha, what's your message for young women and girls around the world, not just in india? >> i have engaged with the most amazing young girls across the world, in india, and i have seen brilliance. i have seen them lead the wave of change. to anyone watching, you have the role to play in gender equality. if you want to know what it is, invest in young girls' quality education and watch them lead. >> education is one of the keystones. >> absolutely. and i work with teaching girls how to code and i think we all approach it from different angles. if you can empower a young woman with giving her access to education, you change her life. you change her community, her

future family. it all starts with education. >> that's right. it's the first time. thank you for everything you're doing. thank you for being part of this important day. it's really, really special. stick around. we've got a packed morning ahead in honor of the international day of the girl featuring former first lady michelle obama. we have an -- that's right. and an incredible concert from three favorite superstars. we've got meghan trainor. we've got kelly clarkson, and what would it look like... ...if we listened more? could the right voice, the right set of words, bring us all just a little closer, get us to open up, even push us further? it could. if we took the time to listen. the most inspiring minds. the most compelling stories. download audible. and listen for a change.

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good thursday morning. right now at 7:55, we see mostly clear skies for the south bay. live look out there where our temperatures are feeling nice and cool in the 50s. we're heading up to the 73 today. and in livermore, expect a high of 76. napa, 76 degrees. and some upper 60s for oakland today. and mid-60s for san francisco as

well as the coast. as we go into the next several days, our temperature will be heating up. and looking at a lot more sunshine with inland valleys reaching 85 tomorrow. 87 degrees on saturday. as we go into next week, only slightly cooler with san francisco seeing some upper 60s and low 70s. it will be a very nice weekend, but the winds will be picking up. for the inland areas, that could mean a high fire danger as we see those highs even in the inland areas very warm for this time of year. let's get an update on the commute from mike. >> i'm going to give my own traffic alert for the south bay. we have the volume building over the last half hour everywhere, but this is the ripple effect we talk about. the crash north 87, fourth one for the morning, tied up 87 at a bad time. that caused a backup. so folks along 85 are backed up as well and shifting over to 101 with build towards capitol expressway. north of san jose you have the issue for 101, a crash at lawrence has at least five miles

of backup there. the rest of the bay moves well. happening now at 7:56, transbay transit leaders getting set to meet. they're supposed to get an update on the fix to the two cracked steel beams. we're supposed to learn when fremont was supposed to reopen. it was originally set to reopen tomorrow but now won't happen before next wednesday. we're posting updates as we get them to our twitter feed snoom so you devastation hard to look at. hurricane michael left a path of destruction on florida. from our home page you can link to some of the latest images and the massive clean-up there. another update in half an hour. history! how you can take part in a memorial along san francisco )s presidio this weekend. and speaking of the weekend, kari is putting together specialized forecasts for all of the biggest events across the bay area. tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

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it is 8:00 on "today." coming up. >> it is a part of my passi it is 8:00 on "today." coming up -- >> it is part of my mission to make sure every girl has the same opportunity that i've had. >> former first lady michelle obama. wife, mother, activist, joining us in her first live television interview since leaving the white house to celebrate international day of the girl. a special event focused on bringing attention, action, and enthusiasm to improving girls' lives around the world. for the next hour, we go global. from jenna bush hager in east africa meeting women inspiring

change for future generations -- >> is your job done? >> not yet. it's just starting. until every girl is touched, i'm not leaving. >> reporter: to important voices of kelly clarkson, jennifer hudson, and meghan trainor performing here on the plaza. along with special appearances by carlie klauss and zendaya. plus, mrs. obama has a big announcement. she'll be making that right here. thursday, october 11th, 2018. >> girls are strong. >> brave! >> limitless! >> ethiopia! >> vietnam! >> colombia! >> and mexico for -- >> international day of the girl! >> here for -- >> michelle obama! >> international day of the girl

-- >> on "today." ♪ who run the world girls ♪ >> welcome back to "today" on a ve very special thursday morning. our plaza has over 600 girls all over the country, all over the world to help us celebrate international day of the girl. >> we have a star-studded hour in store for you. first without further ado, our special guest, help us welcome former first lady, michelle obama. she is here with a special announcement. [ cheers and applause ] an issue that is near and dear to her. we welcome her. mrs. obama, good morning. >> good morning. >> nice to see you. how are you? >> great to see you. >> my goodness. wow! look at this! >> oh, my goodness! >> welcome, welcome.

>> i would like to say we did not all plan to wear white. >> we did not. >> this just happened. >> this is -- it feels like a white day. >> yes. >> by the way, can i just saying about first lady must have super, super cool. what is the coolest thing about being a former first lady? >> you know, it's the small things. it's opening up my door and walking out and enjoying the weather and sitting on my patio. it's the small things. it's going to my girls' game. >> yeah. >> and just really being a mom. so there's -- you know, there's -- there's nothing new that's going on. it's just that we're out in the real world. we have a house -- >> i was thinking about you and the former president in your own house. like is he -- is he driving you crazy? are you like, "take out the trash"? i mean, it's different from being at the white house. >> one of the keys to a successful marriage is separate bathrooms.

so as long -- when he enters my bathroom, sometimes i'm like, why are you in here? >> what are you doing? >> he's like, "i live here, can't i enjoy my bathroom, too". we working on books. that keeps us busy. we've got one kid in college. one on the way. we've got a senior in high school. you don't know this yet, but senior near is intense. it's testinging -- senior year is intense. it's testing and applications. we are riding that wave with our senior. >> speaking of your girls, i was watching an adorable interview with oprah when you were leaving the white house. you said the eight years in the white house are either going to make or break my girls. >> yeah. >> what is the verdict on how it worked? >> they're doing well. i'm so proud of them. i mean, and they are -- some of the reasons why this issue means so much to me because i think about what it means for them to

have their voice and to have come out of those eight years confident and poised. as jenna knows, it is tough growing up in the public eye. they spent the majority of their life in the national -- international spotlight with all the criticisms and judgments. and now we're in the era of social media where every little thing gets blown out of proportion. they are down to earth. they are humble. they are normal. and it has been a huge relief. i said this before -- it took me several months in the white house before i could take a deep breath because i knew that this transition wasn't going to take them out. and i talk about in my book remembering the first day they went to school. it was before barak took office. we were in the hay adam -- we were living in a hotel out of suitcases. they were starting a new school. they were in their armored vehicles with men with guns going off to a new school, and i thought, what on earth are we

doing to them? and i prayed and hoped and -- you know, thank god they're good. and it's because of the love of so many people in their lives and the support. so they are on the other end, and i'm proud of them. thank you for asking. >> i'm sure you're proud and relieved. these are tough times politically that we are living in. you were famous at the democratic convention for saying "when they go low, we go high. dwht week the former attorney general -- high." just this week the former attorney general eric holder said there should be a new motto, "when we go low, we should kick 'em." hillary clinton said how can we be civil when our opponents are trying to take away everything we stand for? and i thought, what would you say now about your motto? do you think it still stands? when they go low, we go sydney. >> absolutely. fear is not -- it's not a proper motivator. hope wins out. and if you think about how you

want your kids to be raised, how you want them to think about life and their opportunities, do you want them afraid of their neighbors, do you want them angry, vengeful? if we think of the values we try to promote to our children -- sav savannah, you're a mother right now. what are you telling your girls? which motto do you want them to live by? and i have to think about that as a mother. as -- as someone who's a role model to young girls. we want them to grow up with promise and hope. and we can't model something different if we want them to be better than that. >> there was a tiny moment at john mccain's funeral where former president bush handed you a cough drop. it may have been a nothing to some people. but when you watch that moment, we realized how important that tiny moment was, right? the. >> i didn't realize at the time that anybody noticed what we were doing. we were sitting together -- you

know, president bush and i, we are forever seatmates because of protocol. that's how we sit at all the official functions. he is my partner in crime at every major thing where all the formers together. i love him to to death. he's a wonderful man, he's a sunny man. it was a simple gesture. he was getting a cough drop from lawyer, i looked over and said, "hand me a cough drop." he was like, okay. i was add that they were old cough drops. that's the funny thing. they were in the white house box. the altoids. i was like, how long have you had these? he said, a long time. we have a lot of those. >> it was funny. people thought, here's a bipartisan moment. as simple as a cough drop. >> that's what matters. that's what people are hungry for. they're hungry for what we all know, that party doesn't separate us, color, gender, those kind of things don't separate us.

it's the messages that we send. and if -- if we're the adults and the leaders in the room and we're not showing that level of decen decency, we cannot expect our children to do the same. that's what i think about when i think about the gestures and the symbols and what our words mean and -- the impact that it has. i think about the next generation. every single time. >> we have a lot to say on that topic, the next generation. we're going to pause our conversation just here. when we come back, mrs. obama's big announcement about what she's doing to help girls around the world. plus, jenna takes our celebration global. introducing us to the remarkable women that she met on a tripoli africa. and this crowd isn't here for nothing -- we've got an epic crowd. something we've never done. back-to-back performances. kelly clarkson, jennifer hudson, meghan trainor.

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celebration of the international day of the girl. the reason that the former first lady, michelle obama is joining us. >> she has a big announcement. she's announcing a brand new initiative today focussed on girls' education. a quality education can lift a girl and her community out of poverty, but unfortunately, nearly 100 million girls are missing out on school entirely, and a lifetime of opportunity. >> and that's why we are here right now. mrs. obama is officially launching the global girls' alliance. take a look. ♪ ♪

>> okay. now you've got us excited. your alliance is going to support more than 1500 grass roots organizations. you could have picked any issue in the world. why this one? >> well, the stats show that when you educate a girl, you educate a family, a community, a country. it makes no sense that the strength of our families that girls and women are not getting educated, that they're not in school. it absolutely makes sense for us. if we care about climate change, if we care about poverty, if we care about maternal child health, then we have to care about education. and as you said, right now there are 98 million adolescent girls who aren't in school, and let's just stop and think about that. think about our daughters. with all their promise, with all that they have in them, you know even now at this young age that there is something burning in them that is dieing to get out. that is true for millions of

girls around the country, and they are battling through misperceptions, violence, stigma to get their way into a classroom. and many of them don't have access to a classroom. so we want to play a role in building an alliance of young people that are out there doing the work on the ground, and we want to give them an opportunity to network with one another, because working on these issues out in the world can be lonely. so you imagine that you're a leader and jenna has talked to some of the leaders on the ground. they need to have links to resources and training and technical support, the alliance is going to provide that for them. a way for them to come together on a regular basis. >> you mentioned jenna. this work has been done and started to be beginning. she travelled to east africa to connect with a remarkable woman creating change in her community. she is joining with mrs. obama's global girls alliance.

she's an adoptive mother of nine children and an inspiration to thousands more. >> reporter: 14-year-old nelly is about to do something many girls her age have given up on. every morning she leaves the tiny shack she shares with her mother and sisters and walks two miles to school. nelly is unusual because in uganda only two out of ten girls make it past the seventh grade. nearly half are married by the time they're 18. >> there's no one telling them you can do it. all they hear is that you're stupid. you can't do it. >> reporter: monica was told that too. you never saw a woman drive? >> never. never. >> reporter: growing up in the slums, overen her own parents told her not to bother with school. >> boys are always given the priority. they're taught to be confident and that girls are taught to be quiet, submissive, thought not to be loud. >> reporter: not to use their

voice. any money the family could scrape together went to her brother's education first. >> i had my first when i was 13 years old, the shoes. i realized that really, for my own family, this is wrong. something needs to change. >> reporter: so monica turned that curse into a crusade. demanding she go to school too, and becoming the first in her family to graduate from college. but instead of leaving these slums, she came back. you went to university in london. >> yes. >> reporter: you could have stayed there. >> i could have, but i said no. this is not who i am. because if more and more educated girls left, then who is doing it? >> reporter: so she created girl up uganda, a program that teaches all girls to demand more. at this market, they're not just cleaning up trash. they're also picking up

important leadership skills. each is teamed up with an older sister. >> someone that you can talk to. someone who says they believe in you. >> reporter: she shows me how it works at missouri designs where women teach each other to show creating beautiful dresses and handbags. nelly's dream is to be a fashion designer. so a seamstress shows her how to make her own dress. what do you think? >> it's amazing. >> exposing a girl like nelly, you consider this machine, tomorrow she'll be a fashion designer, a big deal in new york, a big deal in uganda. >> reporter: can i wear your clothes when you come to new york? but before that can happen, a girl once afraid to raise her hand in class will have to overcome her fears at a neighborhood fashion show. she's going to walk on the cat walk. >> she's going to walk on the cat walk and show the power that there is in girls.

>> reporter: a beautiful transformation that proves when given the chance, every girl can be a star. even nelly's mentor is moved to tears. >> why were you crying? >> i'm so happy. i have a tear of joy. >> reporter: does it make you proud? >> yeah. >> reporter: and is your job done? >> not yet. it's just starting. until every girl is touched, i'm not leaving. when i see the girls smiling, happy, being confident, being able to raise their heads, to speak out, i see the world i wanted for myself. now i see that it's possible for them. >> all right. we're delighted to have my hero, monica here with us this morning. we loved spending time with you at your organization. you've helped thousands of kids stay in school and dream big including, of course, nelly and you're our hero. is it amazing to be part of this? >> it's very exciting for us globally to say we need to

prioritize on girl's education. the time is now. we need to work as a collective to raise arms to say this is the time when it is to rally around the global girls' alliance and say it's time for girls. girls now, girls are the future. >> girls are the future. you all can learn more about her story at today.com. savannah and hoda. >> thank you, jenna. michelle, you met her yesterday. your eyes are welling up. it's a moment. >> she is phenomenal, and she's one of millions. and that's the -- that's what this alliance is intended to do, so find energy and leadership like that and lift it up and support it. and fund it. one of the best parts of the alliance is the fund that will allow people -- we're teaming up with go fund me, and people right now, if you hear about the programs, learn about them online, but you can help support them in realtime and that's what people like monica need.

they need resources on the ground. >> i was so struck by monica's voice. it's so clear, and it is so cloud. and i was thinking about women's voices in the time we're in right now. in some ways they've never been stronger or clearer. we've had this me too movement. so much has happened in one year. i wonder what your thoughts are on it. are you surprised at how much as changed? >> i'm surprised at how much has changed but how much has not changed. and i think that's where the fire is coming from. enough is enough. the world is a sadly dangerous place for women and girls, and we see that again and again. and i think young women are tired of it. they're tired of being undervalued. they're tired of being disregarded. they're tired of their voices not being invested in and heard. and it's not just around the world. that's happening right here in this country. and it's -- and if we're going to change that, we have to give them the tools and the skills

through education to be able to lift those voices up. >> there are some who believe that the me too movement went to a point and some say there's a backlash that's happening. now men are saying wait a minute. you know? what about us? just your thoughts on that? >> well, that's what happens with change. change is not a direct smooth path. there's going to be bumps and resistance. i mean, there has been a status quo in terms of the way women have been treated, what their expectations have been in the society, and that is changing. and there's going to be a little uphooefl. there's going to be a little discomfort, but i think it's up to the women out there to say sorry. sorry that you feel uncomfortable, but i'm now paving the way for the next generation, and we as mothers, we have to think about the path that we want to pave for our girls. and if we don't start setting the tone now, they're going to walk into a world where they're still dealing with those issues in the workplace and at home and

in schools. and i don't want that for your girls and they're young. your girls are likely to be the beneficiaries of this work, this voice, these opportunities. >> you've talked about getting out the vote. that's another of your initiatives. you were candid recently saying you know, it's kind of depressing out there, politics. you could have easily checked out and go lived a nice life. why did you decide to engage, and when you say that politics is depressing right now, what do you mean by that? >> well, i chose to engage because there's no choice. i talked to some of the girls yesterday about that they asked me a question about how do you stay resilient in the face of difficulty. the thing i wanted to remind them that i have to remind myself in times when i get down is that change is hard. and it takes time. and we are planting seeds every day, and the alternative to do nothing, say nothing, sit back and watch things go unchanged.

but with every statement that we make, with every act, with every dollar we spend on this issue, we're moving the needle. and that's what we have to do. we have to move it slowly but surely. i certainly am going to play my part. i made a commitment to girls around the world when i was in the white house that i would not walk away from this issue when i left. and this is my fulfillness of that promise through the obama foundation. >> before i let you go, you've been asked one billion times, would you ever run for elected office, and you always say -- >> absolutely no way. >> but have you ever been asked why not? >> yes. and i've said it time and time again. you know, this is a one thing you learn -- you -- as a woman you understand where your voice works best. where you want to operate. what space you want to be in. i have never wanted to be a politician. it's one of those things that nothing has changed in me to make me want to run for elected

office. i want to serve. i want to do work. i want to be out there, but there's so many ways to make an impact. politics is just not my thing. it's as simple as that. find your passion. don't let somebody tell you what they think you should do and who they think you should be. it's up to you to determine what your message and how you want to use your voice. and that's -- this is how i want to work in the world. i want to work on positive issues with girls around the world. >> it's great to have this conversation. >> thank you for coming. >> thank you for taking time. >> a great concert coming up. if you want to find out more about the global girls alliance, just go to today.com. all the information is there. >> again, we are just getting started on the plaza. we have a lot of music coming up. before that, we'll go to al with with weather. >> heavy rain due to michael along the mid atlantic coast into the northeast later.

a freeze and frost warning. a little shower activity here right now. sunshine along the wes 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 reach into the upper 70s for the inland valleys and mid-60s for our coast. clouds lingering now but we'll get sunshine today. it will be warmer tomorrow with mostly sunny skies inland reaching 85 degrees, upper 80s for the weekend. early next week. we're still going to be feeling some warmer than usual weather. san francisco, mid-60s today but 70s for saturday and sunday. the ponchos are going on. in the meantime we have acclaimed actress freida pinto and ellie. freida, you've been part of this international day of the girl. how inspiring is this? >> this is really inspiring. come rain, come shine, we're going to be out here rooting for

these girls. everyone asks me how do you inspire these girls. it's the other way around. you come here, you see these girls from the girls club right there. >> ellie, thank you for being here. stici )m ... about one hour from now .. an. good more, 8:26 for you right now. about an hour from now, transbay transit city central leaders will meet. they're planning to provide an update to the ongoing closure to the transbay center. this is along with the repairs being made to two cracked steel beams. the work impacts freemont street. which remains closed in that area. freemont was originally set to reopen tomorrow. yesterday, the opening was pushed back to next wednesday. they also don't yet know when the transit center will reopen. as far as your morning commute, there's been tough driving for the south bay. >> it's been a tough problem for the bay. much of it shows the typical

pattern. north 87 had a series of problems but looking better. as far as speeds go from capital to kurtner. other arrows pushing to 1901 and north 85, those are two areas that caught more traffic diverting around 87 as folks rumored and heard about those problems. now through san jose, things are looking better. 280 still tough north towards cupertino. 101 recovering after the earlier crash at lawrence expressway. now blending in with the traffic off westbound 237. the rest of the bay shows a good drive. still slow through walnut creek. the interchange itself moves better. so does the east shore freeway. back to you. >> thanks, mike. we'll have a local update in 30 minutes. ♪

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we are back. it's 8:30. we are celebrating international day of the girl along with michelle obama. we're joined by three talented women and our daughters are along with us this morning. welcome. >> welcome. welcome. >> this is quite a moment for our little girls. i don't think they realize what's happening. >> why are we here? >> exactly. we've been talking about the day of the girl. we're going to have a great concert of all three of you wonderful girls. kelly, when you think of your little girl, when you think about the future, what do you

picture for river rose? >> she kind of came into the world super bold and confident. at this point i'm trying to tame it. >> jennifer, you have such strong words for women. you are a powerful figure. what does it mean to you to know that you are an example for a lot of women. >> you know, it's a blessing to be able to come from powerful women and all i want to be able to do is continue to set an amazing example for the youth that comes up out there. that's important to me. >> and meghan, you're music is empowering. your audience is filled with young girls. >> thank you. >> you kind of have a responsibility out there in the world. >> i guess so. i'm being myself, and if it helps aull the girls, i love th girls and the fans and love writing songs to inspire them. >> mrs. obama, when you said

that about how we feel about our girls and knowing how much potential is in them, it drive home the point about the work you want to do. >> absolutely. any good alliance needs allies. i want to thank the women on stage. this is the way that we want people to step up and help. if you care about this issue, if you care about your daughters, your sisters, we want you to be a part of that alliance. i'm grateful to all three of you for being amazing role models for my girls and for all these young women out there. so proud of you guys. >> the good feelings are going to keep going and the good music is going to start. first, a check on the weather. >> al koe koe. >> al cocoa loves my haley joy. we have zendaya, ladies, good to see you. >> we're so excited to be here. >> zendaya, the cheer that went

up from this crowd when you walked out, you're from a family of educators. is that where your passion for activism and education comes from? >> absolutely. having two parents that are teachers, i think it instills something in me and helped me value what education can bring to especially obviously why we're here, women. i don't know. it's always empowered me. i love watching my -- being that kid that grew up in a classroom. it's just a really special experience. >> and sara, you're among all these girl leaders. what's it like being one of them? >> it's so inspiring seeing all the girls here today and all the organizations that they represent, and i'm grateful for this opportunity. >> what -- when you see young women who are your peers out here, what's your message to them? >> to keep doing what you're doing. you're doing great work. little impacts add up and make a big impact overall. >> how big a foundation is education for this movement, zendaya?

>> it's huge. shoutout to education. that's what we're here for. right? look at these beautiful, brilliant -- i mean, that's what we're here for, and look at them. >> as the father of two girls, this is really inspiring. >> really important. i'm excited to be here. >> we are excited that you guys are here as well. let's check your weekend outlook. the sun returns the east coast now that michael is gone on friday. the chill continues in the plains. sun shine out west. saturday showers in the northeast. cold weather and snow in the rockies. heavy rain through texas. sunday, sunday, sunshine in the northeast of new england. rockies snow out west and plenty of sunshine along the west coast 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. we're going to see some sunshine later on today. our inland valleys will warm up to 78 degrees. really nice today. and this is before we get some warmer weather to move into the bay area tomorrow with highs

reaching the mid-80s. we'll be in the upper 80s by saturday with some breezy winds. we'll have the concern of fire danger due to low humidity. and those wind gusts for san francisco. it will be heating up into the low 70s and will stay there through the first part of next week thank you both so much for being here. all righty. let's go back to hoda and get this party started. >> you got it. who is ready to get it started? >> mrs. obama is. >> i am. >> first up in our all star concert lineup to mark international day of the girl, meghan trainor performing no excuses. meghan, take it away. what you sipping on that got you talking crazy ♪ ♪ looking at my sideways always coming at me ♪ why you why you acting hard when you just a baby ♪

♪ boy i keep it real with you but you trying to play me ♪ ♪ have you lost your mind ♪ open up your eyes ♪ huh ♪ you must have confused confused me with ♪ ♪ someone else you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ someone else there ain't no excuses excuses babe ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better than that ♪ ♪ what you sipping on that got you talking crazy ♪ ♪ looking at my sideways always coming at me ♪ ♪ why you why you acting like you never met a lady ♪ ♪ i don't disrespect you don't you disrespect me ♪ ♪ have you lost your mind ♪ open up your eyes ♪ you must have con dpuzed me confused me with ♪ ♪ someone else you must have

confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ someone else there ain't no excuses excuses babe ♪ ♪ someone else your mama raised you better than that ♪ ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better than that ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better than that ♪ ♪ have you lost your mind ♪ open up your eyes ♪ someone else you must have confused me confused me with ♪ ♪ someone else there ain't no excuses excuses babe ♪ ♪ someone else your mama raised you better than that ♪ everybody put your hands up ♪ ♪ your mama raised you better

than that ♪ ♪ she raised you better than that ♪ >> yes. meghan trainor, you are amazing. up next, another power house performer, jennifer hudson. performer, jennifer hudson. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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help craft the look you want with quality products in today's styles. all presented in a way that makes decisions easy. out with the old in with the new from design, to done! call 925-233-6471 and save $1000 off your complete bathroom remodel this is amazing. i hope everybody is enjoying this special concert. our girls are. jennifer, we are so excited to hear from you in a few moments. talk about the energy of this crowd. >> it's amazing. this is what girl power is all about. don't you feel the energy? >> and you have a great audience. so many celebrities.

great girls. we're going to let you take it away. >> you are going to perform for the first time on tv, i'll fight from the rbg documentary. ♪ when you feel you're taking all that you can take and you're sure you're never going to catch a break ♪ ♪ and the tears are rivers running down your face yeah ♪ ♪ when your faith is low and you've got no strength left when you think you've gone as far as you can get ♪ ♪ and you're too undone to take another step ♪ ♪ oh, i will take up the struggle ♪ ♪ oh i know it's a fight

♪ so i'll fight fight that war for you ♪ i'll fight stand and defend you ♪ ♪ take your side that's what i'm here to do ♪ ♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ when it's dangerous takes another piece of you ♪ ♪ everybody takes all they can get from you ♪ ♪ until you're left with almost nothing left of you ♪ ♪ when each night is like a battle you can't win ♪ ♪ and the pain is like a weight you're carrying ♪ ♪ i'll be the one to help you carry it ♪

♪ i will take on your trouble ♪ oh i know it's a fight ♪ so i'll fight fight that war for you ♪ ♪ i'll fight stand and defend you ♪ ♪ take your side that's what i'm here to do ♪ ♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ i'll help your back when your backs to the wall ♪ ♪ i'll catch your tears when your tears fall ♪ ♪ i will give it all i won't give up the fight ♪ ♪ so i'll fight fight that war for you ♪ ♪ i'll fight stand and defend

you ♪ ♪ take your side that's what i'm here to do ♪ ♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ i'll fight fight that war for you ♪ ♪ i'll fight stand and defend you ♪ ♪ take your side ♪ i'll be there to be strong ♪ oh i'll keep on keep on the fight ♪ ♪ i'll fight >> that was epic, jennifer hudson. stick around. river rose's mother, kelly darkson is going to perform. first, this is "today" on nbc. way to stay connected.

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oh, we are not done yet. we are going to wrap up our special international day of the girl concert with an anthem for all the ladies out there. it is by the one, the only, river rose's mother, kelly clarkson. we've got river here and kelly up there. how special to perform for your little girl. >> yeah. you gonna dance, baby? you want to sing with me? you can come up here and dance. >> okay. well, all right -- >> a lot of backup singers and dancers. girls are also about friendship. i think there's a huge friendship. >> i think our daughters, i'm in trouble because we're on different sides of the content. she wants a play date. >> kelly is about to perform whole lot of woman ♪

♪ hold on tight little country boy. i ain't no girl i'm a boss with orders ♪ ♪ all i'm needing is a baby love me ♪ ♪ like a warm biscuit on a sunday morning ♪ ♪ i got what you want i'm aiming

to please ♪ ♪ i got what it takes i sure got what it means ♪ ♪ i got what you want sugar honey iced tea ♪ ♪ all eyes on me oh oh baby ♪ i'm a whole lot of woman ♪ i'm a whole lot of woman ♪ one time for the green ♪ ♪ and rolling like tina ♪ loving heart ain't easy ♪ hold on tight little country boy ♪ ♪ i ain't no girl i'm a boss with orders ♪ ♪ all i'm needing is a baby love me ♪ ♪ like a warm biscuit on a sunday morning ♪ ♪ i got what you want i'm aiming to please ♪ ♪ i got what it takes i sure got the means ♪ ♪ i got what you want sugar honey iced tea ♪ ♪ all eyes on me oh oh baby

♪ i'm a whole lotta woman ♪ i'm a whole lotta woman ♪ i'm a strong bad ass chick with class and confidence ♪ ♪ ain't no competition baby ♪ it's just can you keep up with me ♪ i can't do a thing about my wicked ways with gravity ♪ ♪ higher than the leaves they fall from the trees like do double gs ♪ ♪ i reside in tennessee but texas still flows deep in me ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm a strong bad ass chick

with class and confidence ♪ >> we're coming right back. the girls have the microphone. great job, mommy. >> good job, mama. >> we're back right after this. first, this is "today" on nbc.

what an amazing way to celebrate international day of the girl. we hope everybody is feeling as inspired as we are. >> we want to thank the former first lady for joining us and all our guests. we had awesome singers. how would you describe the concert, meghan? >> the coolest concert i've seen in a long time. >> that is absolutely right. it's been pretty incredible. >> and mrs. obama, we know you're known for your dance moves. you were dancing down there. >> you can't help but dance. these strong voices get you moving and these young ladies. they showed me up today.

>> next generation. now we know what this is all about, the global girls alliance. what has it meant to you ladies to be here? >> extraordinary. >> it's all for the work you're doing. >> the time is now. let's get started. >> one of the strongest voices. >> that's great. >> kelly? >> i didn't hear. >> we want to hear your strong voice. what has this meant to you? >> i think this day means, especially having my daughter here, i grew up like in a city that was very small with different ideals from maybe what a girl should grow up to be. i'm glad i grew out of that bubble and i'm raising a girl in that environment. >> we love you. it's a wonderful time to be a young lady. mrs. obama, thank you for launching the global girls alliance today. you can find out for at i )m -

a first step .. in new good morning, 8:56 i'm marcus washington. a first step in the new line. this morning, demolition gets under way at the old vallco mall in cupertino. three weeks ago, council members green lighted a new housing and retail project. so farc the council has not selected a finalized future plan. whatever it may be, it is going

to happen fast. they got a fast track because each plan provides for affordable housing. opponents still vow to fight any new development. happening now, we have a crew on site. you can also link to more on the back story on our homepage. well, in the midst of another day of losses. today, sell-off, less intense than yesterday's slide but the dow is deep in the red. our business reporter scott mcgrew is keeping an eye on the market. he'll have an update on midday. and transit center lead remembers getting set to meet. we're supposed to get an update on the fix of those two cracked steel beams and when the transit center might reopen. we're expecting to learn more about when the freemont tree will reopen. that won't happen before next wednesday. on our tweeter feed, more updates for you. i'm marcus washington. more news in an hour. >> stay connected to your world wherever the world takes you, get the nbc bay area app.

at at&t, we believe in access. the opportunity for everyone to explore a digital world. connecting with the things that matter most. and because nothing keeps us more connected than the internet, we've created access from at&t. california households with at least one resident who receives snap or ssi benefits may qualify for home internet at a discounted rate of $10 a month. no commitment, deposit, or installation fee. visit att.com/accessnow to learn more. how you can take part in a memorial along san francisco )s presidio this weekend. and speaking of the weekend, kari is putting together specialized forecasts for all of the biggest events across the bay area. tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

this is a fight. not to the finish. but to the beginning. a fight that can only be won, if we stand together for one cause. him. expert care for every new beginning.

good morning, everyone. wac to the show. i'm megyn kelly. millions of people across the southeast are just beginning what is going to be a very long cleanup process after this historic storm. we're going to discuss it but we have a lot to discuss, actually. a lot of things to discuss with nbc's keir simmons, oamy holmes and also the host of american ninja warrior. what a mess michael was. a lot of people feel like this storm creeped up on us. cat