♪ meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow. ♪ still the only one cats ask for by name. ♪ meow, meow. day 3 of the impeachment hearings provided some of the most compelling testimony to date but which side is delivering the more compelling argument >> the fifth democratic debate we'll tell you who's up, who's down and who needs to score a knockout new charges for the guards who were sposed to be watching jeffrey epstein the night he took his own life. what prosecutors say they were doing instead of watching him. oh, dear we'll show you how a well-placed chainsaw managed to save two stuck bucks. it is wednesday november 20th. "early today" starts right now good morning to you. i'm frances rivera >> and i'm mill ilsa rehberger we begin with breaking news

overseas two american service members were killed in a helicopter crash in afghanistan the cause of the crash is under investigation but according to preliminary reports they did not die by enemy fire. there are close to 13,000 u.s. troops in afghanistan supporting missions to train, advise and assist afghan forces the names of the service members won't be released until their families are notified. capitol hill bracing for a blockbuster day in the impeachment inquiry with possibly the most pivotal public hearing yet. ambassador gordon sondland will testify in front of cameras this morning. president trump's handpicked envoy to the european union has emerged as ae in the ukrar four witnesses raised the stakes even higher in a ten-hour marathon of hearings in one of the biggest blows to the republicans' defense, the former special envoy to ukraine kurt volker amended his closed-door testimony, acknowledging that conditions were laid out to ukraine for

releasing military aid >> at no te was i aware of or knowingly took part in an effort to urge ukraine to investigate former vice president biden. i was not on the july 25th phone call between president trump and president zelensky i was not made aware of any reference to vice president biden or his son by president trump. until the transcript of that call was released. in hindsight i now understand that others saw the idea of investigating possible corruption involving ukrainian company burisma as equivalent to investigating former vice president biden. >> well, he revised his testimony and echoed the earlier witnesses. the national security council ukraine expert lieutenant colonel alexander vindman and a trump foreign policy aide to the vice president jennifer williams, both of whom were on that july 25th call between mr. trump and the ukrainian leader >> i found the july 25th phone call unusual because in contrast to other presidential calls i had observed it involved discussion of what appeared to be a domestic political matter

>> it was inappropriate. it was improper for the president to request - demand an investigation. >> the references to specific individuals and investigations such as former vice president biden and his son struck me as political in nature given that the former vice president is a political opponent of the president. >> the hearing got heated when republicans questioned colonel vindman about whether he knew the whistle-blower the iraq war veteran and purple heart recipient pushed back hard >> mr. vindman, you testified in your deposition you that did not though the whistle-blower. >> ranking member, it's lieutenant colonel vindman, please >> lieutenant colonel vindman, you testified in the deposition that you did not know who the whistle-blower was i. >> i do not know who the whistle-blower is. >> how is it possible for you to name these people and then out

the whistle-blower >> i just got to watch, and the republicans are absolutely killing it they are doing so well because it's a scam. >> [ inaudible question ]. >> i don't know him. i don't know ease says lieutenant colonel un what i do know is even he said that the transcript was correct. >> vindman also spoke about why he felt comfortabl against the commander in chief >> because this is america this is thd and defended, that all my brothers have served and here right matters >> for more on what we can expect today let's go to nbc's craig boswell in d.c craig, all eyes on ambassador sondland this morning. >> they certainly are. and good morning, everyone it is a critical day in the impeachment inquiry. ambassador gordon sondland is the most pivotal witness so far.

he's also the first witness we're going to hear from that speaks directly to president trump about ukraine and according to witness testimony about withholding military aid until ukraine carries out investigations of president trump's political rivals one of the witnesses testifying tomorrow says he overheard sondland speaking with president trump on a cell phone ine invess sondland's also under pressure because he has changed his closed-door testimony saying he recalled military aid was being held up, now saying he recalls that military aid was being held up in exchange for investigationst of a september conversation that came up in monday's hearing so take a listen to this >> what did ambassador sondland tell you that he told mr. yermak >> that the ukrainians would have to have the prosecutor general make a statement with respect to the investigations as a condition of having the aid

lifted >> gordon sondland testifies at 9:00 this morning. now we're some 5 1/2 hours away. there's an afternoon session with laura cooper, the deputy assistant secretary of defense you seundersecretary of state for political affairss, on gordon sondland and what he's going to say he's going to be asked about changing his testimony guys, back to you. >> craig boswell for us. thank you. in our special live coverage of today's impeachment inquiry hearings, coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. on 2017. douglas hague admitted to making armor-piercing ammunition without license and selling 720 rounds to the las vegas shooter in the weeks before the massacre that killed 58 people. hague faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. there is growing outrage this morning at syracuse university the campus is stepping up

security after a series of racist incidents at least six in less than two weeks. monday night a white supremacist manifesto was allegedly sent to students' cell phones in the library. after several other incidents including slurs that were graffitied on campus the fbi is now investigating we're learning new details about the final hours of accused sex trafficker jeffrey epstein the two guards in charge of watching the disgraced financier have been arrested according to the unsealed indictment, while epstein was just 15 feet away in his cell the guards were online shopping and napping. here's nbc's chris pallone >> reporter: the federal indictment unsealed alleges the prison guards failed to complete mandated counts of prisoners and instead 159 at their desk, moved around the common housing unit surveillance shows no one entered the special housing unit that night and no one checked on

epstein over the course of eight hours despite his cell being just 15 feet from the guard ds k. today's 20-page indamt really doesn't change the question about about what happened to jeffrey epstein, just provides us with a much more detailed timeline of what happened that night or more appropriately what didn't happen. >> reporter: the new york city medical examiner ruled epstein's death was a suicide. his lawyers dispute the finding and a forensic pathologist hired by epstein's family claims the evidence points to homicide. >> this is a sex trafficking ring in the united states. >> reporter: at a senate hearing lawmakers battered the director of federal prisons who was appointed after epstein died >> do you concur with the opinion that it was a suicide? >> that was the finding of the coroner, sir >> okay. do you have any evidence to suggest otherwise? >> i do not. >> reporter: epstein was a convicted sex offender who was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died his suicide stunt, epstein's many accusers and their advocates. >> this case will continue on against anyone who was complicit

with epstein >> reporter: michael thomas's lawyer said there's been a rush to judgment and that federal authorities are going after the low man on the totem pole. chris pallone, nbc news, new york now to two deer in michigan who are lucky to be alive this morning. and this is why. >> oh! >> whoo! praise the lord. >> bucks had to be broken apart with a chainsaw after they got hooked together. the men who freed them happened to be hunters but said this would not have been a fair fight. so that's the way to use a chain saw right there. >> let's get a check on your day ahead with meteorologist bill karins >> we have some weather concerns today as we're going throughout the morning hours. be careful driving in the desert southwest flash flood warnings rupp heavy rain moving through 14 million people are included in these flash flood watches we even have thunderstorms overnight that have rolled from just outside san diego now between blithe and yuma. that's where the heaviest rainfall is. also a period of heavy rain

south vegas eventually this will move toward the phoenix area in the early morning hours. that's where the morning commute could be the same. flood threat increases with our rounds of rain it's going to linger for at least another 48 hours in some cases. snow for the highest elevations. finally by the time we get to thursday we see a little bit of it moving out. the winter weather houston, louisiana, not bad from cancel city to st. louis. i'd take low 60s this time of year with increasing clouds late in the day unfortunately we've got a busy weather pattern coming and that's going to include the travel impacts for next week we'll talk about that coming up. >> thank you all right. a suite inspired by the movie

elf. the $400 per night package includes a room decked out in christmas. admission to the empire state building and the rock grerl center skating rink. >> japanese guru marie kondo is facing backlash for selling items in her store that could cause clutter. they include a $145 cement bl. > and a 2020 calendar featuring new york city taxi drivers in funny poses is out. it's the calendar's final year ew. right? that's why febreze created new small spaces. press firmly and watch it get to work... unlike the leading cone, small spaces continuously eliminates odors in the air and on surfaces-so they don't come back for 45 days. now that's one flushin' fresh bathroom. breathe happy febreze... la la la la la. thanks to move free ultra i keep up with this little one. see the world with this guy. and hit the town with these girls.

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backseat chefs peer inside your oven but you've cleaned off all the baked-on business from meals past with easy off so, the only thing they see is that beautiful bird go ahead, let 'em judge we are just hours away from the next democratic 2020 debate on msnbc and this morning senator bernie sanders is speaking out to nbc news about an issue that democratic voters told us is very important to themy smith how he would confront that epidemic >> we spoke with senator bernie sanders at a restaurant beside the winuws kichlt river in

vermont. among democratic voters he heard a tragically common american story about opioids. >> i just recently lost my friend it was hard. the system's not created to treat that they push them to the side he was clean for a year. he went in remission and he slipped up. i lost him >> it's heartbreaking. i've heard that story over and over again this is unacceptable and that industry must be held accountable not only in my view in terms of paying many billions of dollars in fines but held criminally accountable as well >> reporter: sanders sees the opioidalthare system under sanders' medicare for all program addiction treatment would be able to any who need it, regardless of income and he says the same program would force u.s. drugmakers to lower prices no american will pay more than

$200 a month for their medications.mpans are going to say, well, we're not going to have enough money for research and development. >> really? well, they have a lot of money to put ads on nbc and cbs and abc. they have a lost money to give their ceos outrageous levels of compensation of course that's what they say they lie >> treatment medicare for all and a new hard line with the pharmaceutical industry. some of what matters to bernie sanders. harry smith, nbc news, winewski, vermont. the stage is set for a showdown in atlanta tonight. the 2020 race is heading to georgia for the fifth democratic presidential debate, which will air on msnbc ten candidates will go toe to toe on stage and it could be a make or break night for some of the lower polling candidates nationwide former vice president jo senator bernie sanders are still leading the polls but another candidate is surging in the early voting states

msnbc's shaquille brewer >> reporter: hi there. yes, it's mayor pete who is surging and now considered a contender in iication, just think about that first debate with vice president biden or last month's debate with senator elizabeth warren it's when these candidates start rising that's when they're on the receiving end of some more attention but also attacks mayor pete's rise has been prominent in those early states. just look at this early poll out of iowa. the des moines register poll showing mayor pete at 25%. senator elizabeth warren, senator sanders and vice president biden right behind him. this race is extremely close and very fluid mayor pete also feeling some energy on the campaign trail listen to what he had to say >> i've been feeling momentum and a sense that when people hear the message they connect to it and they get more and more interested in supporting is this campaign so it's great to see that

feeling validated in some of the numbers but we're not getting carried away by a poll result. >> and this may be the first debate where we see some daylight between senatorrr on all. since last month's debate you've their key issue of medicare xor seen senator warren come out with way a to pay for medicare for all first she said i'm with bernie but now she will possibly take tax from the more moderate candidates disagreeing with medicare for all but she may face pressure from senator sanders who wants to go and have the fight right now and not have the extended transition period >> thank you tonight's democratic debate live from atlanta begins at 9:00 p.m. eastern only on msnbc just ahead, this is us goes on the road. mandy moore plans her first tour no more than a weekend browns star myles garrett appeals his baov tn erhat helmet attack that shocked the league to our military service mes

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let's start talking about thanksgiving week storm and the travel issues it could have with it this is still five days away, things could change a little bit. but looks like we'll have a pretty decent size storm in the middle of the country with a little bit of light rain that starts monday maybe some thunderstorms rolling to the south on tuesday. then storm heads into wednesday, the busiest travel day of the year with high winds, rain, snow, tlou many of the major airports scl turkey warm. and all the those delays thank you. a heart-wrenching scene in southwestern australia a badly burned koala was trying to escape a bush fire. poor thing a local woman rushed toyotas aid wrapping the animal in her shirt and pouring water over it. she said she would transport it to a local koala hpil.osta dads embarrass their kids, but this is something different. digestive system isn't working at its best? taking metamucil every day can help.

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in today's top stories a sheriff's deputy in augusta, georgia has been killed in the line of duty narcotics officer cecil ridley seen here in 2018 was shot while on patrol. he encountered a group at a convenience store when a man opened fire. officials say the suspect was also shot but is in stable condition. the incident is under investigation. "full house" actress lori loughlin and her fashion designer husband are facing new charges in the college admissions scandal prosecutors added a bribery charge to her face and ten other parents. loughlin's now facing charges for three different crimes including fraud, money laundering, and bribery. she is accused of paying $500,000 to get her lawyers into usc. loughlin has waived her right to

appear in court. lawyers for the couple are expected to plead not guilty to the new charges on their behalf later today. this holiday season you might want to scratch these toys off your shopping list the non-profit group watch released their annual roundup of the most dangerous products. nerf's ultra one dart gun tops that list followed byspike the hedgehog and bunch 'ems. check safety.org for the foot list along with information on each toy's potential hazards in response industry trade groups has dismissed this list saying each product has required safety tests mariah carey sang all i want for christmas is you but it turns out there are fewer things on her wish list the singer revealed her must-halves on amazon and you don't have to be a pop icon with a salary they have to afford it. most of the items ring up for less than $100 mariah's hand-picked gifts include a stuffed giraffe, wine

glasses fit for mariah and a high-tech tea kettle that has eight temperature settings for eight different kinds of teas. you're up there. it's the christmas rush. >> get gift ideas. netflix's "the irishman" is taking over little italy the streaming service announced they will deage five blocks of little italy this friday and saturday in honor of the movie the blocks will be dated back to august 1st, 1975, the day after jimmy hoffa was reported missing. fans will be able to get free food and drinks from some of the restaurants in the area as long as they use the secret catchphrase "tell them jimmy sent you." >> streaming on netflix. over in south carolina the elegance of butsy inballet got a historic makeover. ballerinas were rehearsing the nutcracker when they decided to dress up in t-rex cameras. the parents said they wanted to give the girls a break and make

them laugh, make them laugh and all of us laugh. thanks for waking up with us thanks for waking up with us i'm frances whether you were borne for more dance-offs... more travels... or more touchdowns. get the immune support that gives you more. airborne gummies have 50% more vitamin-c than emergen-c...

plus our crafted blend of vitamins, minerals and herbs. airborne. n a great way. due to the high fire dangers today across the north bay. good morning. i'm marcus washington. >> i'm laura garcia. main roofed in so may have wet roads out there. this is what it looked like in san jose. the rain very much needed but not everyone picked it up. the big question this morning how much rain did we pick up and any more heading our way? let's check with carrie. >>