mi mind. breaking after midnight, new covid cases. the restrictions ahead. the national guard is on alert 30 hours before joe biden is set to be sworn in as our nation's 46let president, a flurry of activity this morning. we'll tell you what's ahead. we go inside one of the toughest hit neighborhoods hit by the covid cases.

kamala harris will tell senators they'd better act big or this country is headed for a major recession. "early today" starts right now. good tuesday morning i'm phillip mena. >> glad you're with us i'm frances rivera it's the eave of the inauguration of joe biden. the nation's capitol looks more like a fortress guarded by over 2,700ive duty troops and there are chemical and other detection. lights it illumination the national mall and nearly 2,000 flags line the ground for americans unable to travel to the inauguration because of the pandemic meanwhile president trump will depart d.c. with his lowest approval rating ever, just 34%, beckoning the outgoing leader.

the president could be holding a final wave of pardons. >> reporter: sources close to those conversations, he went over the list with his son-in-lawer son-in-law jared kushner and daughter-in-law ivanka on sunday those sources tell nbc news the president at this point is leaning toward not pardoning himself and his family there has been a lot of talk about that and, frankly, whether pardoning himself would be legal. but he is not leaning toward that he is leaning toward pardons including people like rapper and music executive lil wayne who pleaded guilty to carrying a gun out of state on his private jet, sheldon silver, a democrat in new york, big power broker up there who got seven years in a fraud case and others believed to be on that list in addition to the pardons, the president is also focused on his impeachment defense with democrats and republicans here still split over whether they can actually hold a trial for

president trump after he's out of office. >> the record has to reflect he was convicted. if this was a serious enough offense for us to impeach in a bipartisan way, it's serious enough for the senate to go forward. >> there's questions whether or not what they're doing is constitutional, having a trial and impeaching him when he's already out of office. we're all right divided as a nation this will throw gasoline on a fire. >> looking ahead to today, president-elect joe biden and president elect kamala harris will be in washington. on capitol hill senators are focusing on getting biden's cabinet not neats approved there are five hearings set for today, another the day after the inauguration frances? >> a lot of business before the

historic event thank you, tracie. ♪ well, washington may be moving ahead with these events, but it's definitely not business as usual the capitol is looking more like a war zone as law enforcement continues to hunt down expects from the january 6th riot. here ee tom costello. >> reporter: less than 24 hours before the inauguration, the police and the fbi continue to warn that right-wing extremists are plotting more attacks. it was during inauguration rehearsal just after 10:00 a.m. that the alerts suddenly blared. >> due to an external threat -- >> reporter: a threat outside the capitol. >> make sure you know who's around you if you lose anybody, let us know. >> reporter: this shows how skittish everybody is.

with that alert, everyone came rushing inside, sheltered in the crypt. moments later all clear. nothing more than a fire under a bridge meanwhile a video shot by a reporter from a magazine shows a mob intent on tracking down speaker pelosi and vice president pence. rifling through senators' desks, convinced president trump and senator ted cruz would approve at least 139 have been arrested by the fbi and d.c. police at least 330 open fbi cases. many of the i tips have come from facebook and instagram threats. here's riley june seen carrying something inside a zeeb bra bag. robert gieswein facing multiple

charges including assaulting police jon ryan schaaf er of indiana, a heavy metal rocker accused of spraying campus police with bear spray. a number of military, past and present who were part of attacking the capitol. senator amy globe car is on the safety committee. >> are you concerned about an attack on the outside? >> at this point there's every reason to believe we can go forward with the inauguration outdoors even if it was indoors, there would be a lot of security anyway. >> reporter: the inauguration traditions need to continue. she said the country simply can't give in to an angry mob. phillip? >> thank you for the update. the threat of a possible inside attack has the fbi and others securing the inaugural events let's get the latest inside from

pete williams. >> guard members have been vetted in the past for inaugurals, but this time it's much more extensive. the decision was made to check the backgrounds of thousands more of the guard members deployed given that a national guardsmen from virginia was one of those arrested from the capitol for entering illegally on january 6th and fbi members said retired members were also among the rioters. the defense secretary says there's no intelligence indicating there is one. a law enforcement official says the vetting will more thorough for the guard members assigned to positions near eest the capitol. the nation has now crossed a sobering threshold this morning surpassing an unimaginable 400,000 covid deaths the death toll is far higher than any other country keep in mind it hasn't been a year since america's first case of covid, and as people line up

for vaccines around the nation, there are still millions wondering when they'll be able to get the vaccine our stephanie goffing has more >> reporter: the vaccine is rolling out in fits and starts, and frustrations >> you try to call back, you get a busy signal. january, february, march, no dates available. nothing. >> reporter: not enough appointments or supply washington governor jay inslee critical of the federal distribution. >> they started cutting our doses in half. then the other day, they pulled the rug out from under us and say they don't have a reserve for the second dose. >> reporter: he has a new partnership with others including starbucks. >> figuring out the math, it's going to take six, seven, eight years for this country to get vaccinated we can't think that's an acceptable pace. >> reporter: people might hear starbucks. how are they going to help in the vaccinations

>> well, notice they've beenen prpretty good at deliverering gd cocoffee with good c coffee arad the woworld. they have logistical assistants, which is quite helpful in fact, training other entities how to run a high through-put vaccination center. >> reporter: microsoft is offering data expertise, andaneo helping. >> they all have good intent but they're governors. they don't operationalize things to scale businesses do. so why don't we partner with them. >> reporter: it's not just in washington state uber offered to partner with the federal government to assist with transportation including donating 10 million free rides disney opened up a parking lot in california. >> it's that type of total mobilization of our community we're going to need to see to meet these very, very am bishl targets. we did it in world war ii. we can do it now.

>> reporter: it's time, he says, for all hands on deck. stephanie gosk, nbc news >> let's turn to meteorologist janessa webb to get a check of our weather. good morning, janessa. >> good morning. we have snow showers across the northeast. they'll be consistent all the way into wednesday this is some lake-effect snow impacting the higher elevations into northern new england. pretty stubborn as that system continues its way offshore but i do think the bigger weather story is happening across southern california into the four corners where they're dealing with a little bit of moisture, but the high impact situation is high wind warnings and advisories for 49 million people look at these wind gust, 50 to 80ee a dramatic

change you can see for texas into the deep south, we're still in the mid-70s. i'll have that d.c. forecast coming up. >> big day all right, janessa thanks >> eltette is back with a high-balancing act with kamala harris in n the senatete. >> and the e young poet s se make history a at joe bideden's inauguratition geico o makes it e easy to fila clclaim onlinene, on the a app, oror over the e phone. yeah, but t what ifif i never h hear back?? that's g gonna make e me wantnt to go jabab...jab! nope! ! your geicoco claims team is s always thehere for y. thatat makes me e want to celebratate with somome firewo. 5,6,7 go..... boomom, boom, boboom, boomom boom boomom boom boom boom, yeyeah! gegeico. greatat service without t all the drdrama. does youour vitamin nc last twentnty-four houour? only natature's boununty . does youour vitamin nc last twentnty-four houour? new w immune twewenty-four h hos does youour vitamin nc last twentnty-four houour? hahas longer l lasting vititam. does youour vitamin nc last twentnty-four houour?

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he will be officially sworn in, but even then, the covid crisis in his own neighborhood, the neighborhood he grew up, is far worse than anywhere else in the nation he's now poised to tackle that on day one. >> this school, 25% of the students here are homeless. >> did you say 25? >> 25. >> they're homeless? >> this is a community that has a lot of poverty, a lot of pain. >> reporter: for many here, life was hard well before the pandemic now, crippled with record covid rates and massive unemployment, we visited a food bank where the line stretched down the block. >> since the pandemic started, everything has gone down. >> reporter: we met him at a busy covid testing site. >> the virus has disproportionately attacked lower income communities and that describes this community. >> reporter: it would be the epicenter of the next covid wave because it has the most economic inequality in the country.

in brentwood where kamala harris has a home, covid averages 601 for every 100,000. in pacoima, that number is twice as high. they bring the virus to their families. >> is it pretty difficult with people living together like this >> yeah. >> reporter: senator padilla is heading to washington with all of this in mind. >> we need to advance policies like living wages. the way to raise a family and live on, it's different in different parts of the country, but here in california, they're really feeing the pinch. >> reporter: alex padilla ee neighborhood, the northeast san fernando valley is where he grew up, was raised, and still has family and friends today right now it couldn't be worse in terms of the coronavirus there. he said policy solutions, you heard him say, like a living wage are essential at getting at the underlying inequalities in a place like that part of los

angeles. he'll now have the opportunity to act on that as california's junior senator phillip? >> fistula tino to represent that state in the senate all right. jacob, thank you. up next, treasury secretary nominee janet yellen's dire warning about the economy amid the pandemic. and joe biden ingrained in historory before taking g offife the cocool tributete to tin cocg president.t. just s spray, wipepe and rie it cleanans grease f five tis fastster dawn p powerwash.. spray,y, wipe, rininse. how didid kellogg'g's combine crcrunchy oat t clusters with a tououch of honeney... plump, juiuicy raisinsns and tatasty fiberr intoto one delicicious cerea? it took a a lot of bran-n-storming.. get t it? kellogogg's raisinin bran crun. twtwo scoops o of deliciouo. my wheat f farm in utatah ps for my pototato farm i in ida, whwhich complilicates my t t. i'll f file those e taxes for , hahand them ofoff.

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in "today's quick hits," poet amanda gorman is set to read tomorrow joining the ranks of others. she was named the first national youth poet laureate. the now famous blimp depicting president trump as a baby has found a new home. the museum of london has accepted it and will put the blimp in its collection. it first took to the skies in 2018. an artist created a portrait of president-elect joe biden made out of grains and seeds look at this he used 265 pounds of grain, corn, sunflower seeds, and rice to cook up that portrait. we'll get a major warning from president-elect joe biden

here with a preview is cnbc's karen tso. hey, karen, good morning. >> good morning. janet yellen has urged bold action, this ahead of her senate confirmation hearing janet yellen, the former head of the federal reserve has said that the government must act big with its next coronavirus relief package, this as biden, ahead of his inauguration fleshed out that $1.9 trillion stimulus package. yelin has tried to assure fiscal hawks saying both her and biden appreciate the country's dead burden, but with historically low interest rates is is to alkt big. yelin wants the economy to be rebuilt so that it creates pros pare rity for all she says wealth has been built upon wealth leaving many families behind, so she's calling for more equality across the board. keep in mind janet yellen is very much a business-friendly

pick the market has very much welcomed the selection we'll wait it out to see what comes out of the senate hearing. there will be a call for dramatic action. >> the stockmarket is up, but there are food lines that we're facing here. major discrepancy here thanks. janessa is taking a look at the inauguration forecast. that's coming up nexext. >> plus thehe 1 1.5 in n jac. ththat's up fofor grabs. and isis the onlyy apprproved medicication to reducuce inflammamation on and belelow the sururfae ofof the intesestine in uc. you, g getting on n that fli? back off, , uc. ststelara® m may increasae yourur risk of i infection, some serioious, and cacance. bebefore treatatment, get teststed for tb.b. tell your r doctor if you h have an infnfectio, flu-lilike symptomoms, soreres, new skikin growth, hahave had canancer, or if you u need a vacaccin. rpls, a rarare, potentiaially fatal l brain conditioion, may be e possib. some s serious allergicic reactionsns

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we're back with a pair of jackpots now worth more than $1.5 billion combined. no one took the big prizes in last week's mega millions and powerball millions now the mega millions stands at $850 million the second and third largest in u.s. lottery history tomorrow night's jackpot not bad either $730 million for that one. let's turn back to janessa who's watching the inauguration forecast how's it looking, janessa? >> this one is a looker. a lot of sunshine, but still very chilly. you could see a few snow showers today. tomorrow afternoon, we're at 39 degrees. bright sunny skies by 3:00 p.m. with temperatures in the lower 40s. you can't get much better. guys >> peaceful and quiet. that's what we're looking for today. janessa, thank you so much. when we come back, the sobering texas t tbu tthe sto e papandemic

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both president-elect joe biden and vice president-elect kamala harris took part in voltaing on monday the inaugural committee hosted a virtual skmoen featuring entertainers and speakers like reverend al sharpton along with dr. martin luther king's son and daughter they filled boxes with fresh fruit and nonperishables a did vice president kamala harris and her husband who helped martha's

table in d.c. by filling bags up with produce. now to a touching tribute the all the texans who have died from covid-19. one man in austin has planted a sea of flags in his front yafrmtd tom miller of kxan has more. >> reporter: a mesmerizing field of red, why, and pink transforming the grass in fromts of shane's home into a blanket of color. >> i thought, how do i visually represent it these are real people and a lot of them. >> reporter: this eye-catching tribute became a daily project for him beginning in may. when we met riley, texas had recently crossed 31,000 deaths. >> i'm putting the flags in wherever there's an empty space. >> he puts out 200 every single day. >> i had a need row like arlington ceremony i never thought i would be hunting for places to put flag. >> reporter: this is personal for riley. his son is immuno compromised and can't afford to get sick.

>> we've been pretty diligent about being safe. >> reporter: others have fought for their lives. >> i've had family members hospitalized thankfully no one has died. >> reporter: his yard serveremit been so lucky. >> this isn't just a flag. it's someone's mom or dad or somebody they know who died. >> reporter: he hopes this memorial will encourage others to stay safe and potentially save lives. unfortunately but predictably he's run out of room on his lawn. he wants to find a more permanent place. it's a shock display, but it should be. >> it should put it in perspective of the lives lost and what's missing in so many families >> coming up this morning on the "today" show, jenna bush haber's exclusive interview with president-elect joe biden and

his long journey to the family we heard about the biden boys. now we get to meet the daughter as well. thank you for waking up with u

right now at 4:30, fallen tree limbs, brush fires and power outages. the bay area waking up to damage from an overnight wind storm. we have live team coverage throughout the morning as "today in the bay" begins right now. good morning to you. i'm laura garcia. >> and i'm scott mcgrew. marcus washington has some time off. kari hall told us this would happen, and it happened exactly as she said. good morning, kari. >> good morning. and of course that's not the outcome we wanted, but we are still under the threat of some high winds as we go into this morning. here is a live look outside in walnut creek, can't tell now, but i