with 13 stdays until the

election, candidates are going through swing states. and, as the race enters the final stretch, a scathing new interview from trump's longest-serving chief of staff. why general john kelly says his former boss fits the definition of fascist. a deadly e. coli outbreak linked to mcdonald's burgers. target sets its sights on savings. why the retailer is slashing prices on thousands of items ahead of the holiday season. lebron james and his son bronny in a league of their own. highlights from the history-making game. and the queen of halloween, a special surprise martha stewart is cooking up for treek for trick-or-treaters. good morning, good to be with you.

i'm frances rivera. the election is 13 days away, but many voters are choosing not to wait. in wisconsin, turnout for the first day of early voting was so high there, there were delays. officials say they have now been resolved. they will release their in-person totals today, but more than 320,000 people cast ballots by mail or dropboxes. meanwhile, in georgia, the state supreme court refused to reinstate contested election rules including one that would require counties to hand count every ballot on election night. let's get an update on the candidates with alice barr. vice president harris had her interview last night with nbc news. >> reporter: good morning, frances. she did. vice president harris sat down with nbc's hallie jackson. they talked about the role of sexism in this election, and here's what the vice president had to say. >> regardless of someone's gender. they want to know that their president has a plan to lower costs. that their president has a plan

to secure america in the context of our position around the world. >> do you not see sexism as a factor in this race at all? >> i don't think of it that way. my challenge is the challenge of making sure i can talk with and listen to as many voters as possible and earn their vote. >> reporter: the harris campaign just got a boost from some very famous men overnight in michigan. rapper eminem gave his endorsement in his hometown of detroit and introduced former president barack obama. mr. obama has been questioning former president trump's mental fitness and recent rhetoric, while, at the same time, mr. trump was in north carolina, increasing his personal attacks agait vice president harris. >> you don't know where she is? you know wre she is? she's sleeping. she took a day off. she's got no energy at all. she, her speeches last for about 15 minutes. does she drink? is she on drugs?

i don't know. i don't know. i don't know, i have no idea. >> if your grandpa was acting like this, you'd be worried. have you noticed grandpa? he acting a little funny. but this is somebody who wants unchecked power. we do not need to see what an older, looneyer donald trump looks like. >> reporter: vice president harris is getting even more star power, announcing that bruce springsteen will be performing at upcoming rallies, while donald trump will appear on one of the most popular podcasts. two sources say he will sit down with joe rogan for a taping on friday. today, vice president harris has a cnn town hall in pennsylvania, while former president trump will be campaigning in georgia. frances? >> alice barr for us, thank you. donald trump's former chief of staff, john kelly, has said the former president meets the quote, general definition of a

fascist. kelly made the remarks in an interview with the "new york times." he alsto the paper that trump viewed adolf hitler in a favorable light. >> he commented more than once that, you know, hitler did some good things, too. and of course, if you know history, and, again, i think he's lacking in that. if you know what history, you know hitler was all about, you'd be pretty hard to make an argument that he did anything good. >> a trump campaign spokesman said in a statement that kelly was retelling, quote, debunked stories about the trump administration. also the atlantic reports that mr. trump had said i wanted loyal generals like hitler had, citing two people who heard him say it. a trump spokesman called the atlantic's claim quote, absolutely false. intelligence officials warn that russia and iran might try to incite violence after the presidential election. an unclassified assessment released tuesday said that both countries are using online influence to push discord and

sow doubt about the election results. spokes people for the iranian and russian governments did not respond to requests for comment. u.s. secretary of state antony blinken met with prime minister benjamin netanyahu in jerusalem yesterday, urging israel to capitalize on the killing of hamas leader yahya sinwar by securing the release of hostages and indiending the in gaza. it comes the same day israel announced it had killed nasrallah's presumed successor. good morning, matt. >> reporter: the united states continues to ramp up pressure on israel to end the war in gaza. secretary of state tony blinken traveling throughout the region this week, pushing for a truce that would bring an end to the fighting in gaza and lebanon. earlier this month, blinken and u.s. secretary lloyd austin told

them that the u.s. wants to see an increase in aid into gaza and weapons deliveries would be curtailed if washington was not satisfied. blinken met with prime minister benjamin netanyahu where he urged the leader to capitalize on last week's killing of yahya sinwar in gaza and bring military operations against hamas to a close. according to the state department, blinken made the case to netanyahu that sinwar's death signified that israel had achieved its war aimand his death would make it easier to see the return of the remaining hostages kidnapped by hamas last year. israel has been targeting hezbollah leadership in lebanon. they killed nasrallah, raising questions over who speaks for the group. one of the obvious contenders was nasrallah's cousin, but the idf said he was killed in a massive airstrike against hezbollah leadership in beirut earlier this month. hezbollah in lebanon has become the focal point of israel'

tention in recent months. the idf continued to conduct airstrikes around beirut with one airstrike leveling a residential building. today blinken will continue his trip through the region traveling to saudi arabia to meet with the foreign minister there, frances? >> matt bodner reporting, thanks. former new york city mayor rudy giuliani has been ordered to hand over his assets. two georgia election workers are trying to collect the $146 million in damages they were awarded in a defamation suit. the items that are supposed to be handed over include giuliani's manhattan apartment, a luxury watch collection. and a mercedes benz once owned by actress lauren bacall. the former ceo of abercrombie and fitch has been arrested on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges. mike jeffries and two other men accused of recruiting men into

sex acts at events around the world with false promises of modeling jobs. >> sexually exploiting vulnerable human beings is a crime. and doing so by dangling dreams of a future in fashion or modeling or any other business is no different. >> the youngest of the 15 alleged victims was 19 years old. jeffries' attorney did not respond to request for comment. the alleged crimes are alleged to have commit between 2008 and 2015. an akron, ohio resource officer is on administrative l leave after he was seen punching a student in the head. security video shows a 16-year-old student trying to avoid a metal detector. officers tried to redirect him back multiple times, saying at one point the student triggered the alarm. the teen tries to force himself past officers, leading to a brief struggle. the officers cuff the teen and

start walking until a school resource officer who is on administrative duty now punches him in the head at least three times. a cell phone but no weapons were found on him. akron's mayor called the video upsetting, and the school's superintendent says they are conducting a review. the deputy police chief tells the akron beacon journal the officer is on administrative d duty pending the outcome of the investigation. either way, he will not return as a school resource officer at the request of the district. a fall cooldown is finally on the way. meteorologist angie lassman is tracking those temperatures for us. it's about time. good morning, angie. >> we've got to wait a couple days, but questionyes, we're go get get a bit of the paul trend back. we're headed to the low 90s for dallas. even philadelphia, you're running 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. we're headed to temperatures in the upper 70s across the

northeast. a little cooler for that region but not the central plains, texas, parts of it it, , you'll into the 90s. temperatures will wind down to more normal range for places like new york. we end up into the upper 50s by the time the weekend wraps up. similar story for chicago into the low 60s by sunday. there is a cold front we will track over the next day or so. it's going to bring showers to the interior northeast, but not so much to philadelphia, places that p into the low 90s for dallas and shreveport. partly cloudy conditions in tampa with a high of 83 degrees. and that's a look at your forecast, frances, back to you.

>> even with the warm temperatures, the nba season got off to a historic start. celticfans got the first taste of glory as the team received their rings and raised their record 18th championship banner at td garden. and the boston juggernaut showed no sign of rust as they took on the rival knicks. new york got blown out by the celts. boston shot 29th in the line in the dom nat 132-109 win. in l.a. all eyes were waiting for the first time the king and his sire stepped on the court. >> history tonight. the first father-son duo to play together in a nba game. >> with four mens left in the second quarter of the lakers' opener, lebron james jr. suited up with his father lebron james. strong performances from his dad and anthony davis helped him get

his first win as a pro. a 110-103 victory oivver the timberwolves. "early today" is back in a minute with an e. coli outbreak linked to mcdonald's. k linked to mcdonald's. vapocool drops? it's sore throat relief with a rush of vicks vapors. ♪ vapocooooool ♪ whoa. vaporize sore throat pain with vicks vapocool drops. my life is full of questions... how do i clean an aioli stain? use tide. do i need to pretreat guacamole? not with tide. why do we even buy napkins? thankfully, tide's the answer to almost all of them. —do crabs have eyebrows? —ex that one. for all of life's laundry questions... it's got to be tide. that grimy film on your teeth? dr. g? ♪♪ it's actually the buildup of plaque bacteria which can cause cavities. most toothpastes quit working in minutes. but crest pro-health's antibacterial fluoride protects all day. so it stops cavities before they start... crest. sounds like you need to vaporize that cold. dayquil vapocool?

it's dayquil plus a rush of vicks vapors. ♪ vapocooooool ♪ woah. dayquil vapocool. the vaporizing daytime, coughing, aching, stuffy head, power through your day, medicine. we are back now with consumer alert. the cdc has issued a food safety alert over an e. coli outbreak linked to mcdonald's quarter pounders. at least 49 people in ten states have gotten sick and one person has died. ten people have been hospitalized, including a child who developed a kidney disease. health officials are looking into slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties as possible sources of the outbrea mcdonald's has pulled both items from the menu in impacted areas, and they say they will continue to work with the cdc. walmart is bringing the pharmacy pickup to your doorstep. but first target is slashing prices on more than 2,000 items

hiding heading into the holiday season. shoppers will save on food and bing beverages and popular gifts for kids. >> cat litter, cough medicine, that's on the shopping list for some of the 2,000 items that we see the prices cut at target before the holiday season. now, back in may, target had already announced it was cutting prices on some 5,000 most popular items. by the end of the year, some 10,000 items will see their prices reduced in 2024. now target's announcement comes just one week after competitors walmart and aldi announced thanksgiving meal savings. nosticking with retailers, walmart will start offering

same-day deliveries for prescriptions, straight to customers' doorsteps. the service will start with six states and go nationwide by the end of january. with the new service, customers will be able to get their prescripti prescriptions and other items, including food in the same delivery. they were extending the same-day delivery for prescriptions. this as drugstores have announced hundreds of closures. >> thank you, charlotte. still to come, martha stewart is giving out 100 grand for halloween, and not just the chocolate kind. and we know you're thinking about it, but have you ever tried eating the roman empire? more on the new gladiator popcorn bucket right after this. —spray goodbye. —aaaaaaahhhhh! with an innovative power-jet to break through your toughest congestion. [groan] come on, man. congestion? nah, i'm good.

spray goodbye to tough congestion. [scream] you're very talented! [eagle screech] new mucinex 2-in-1 saline nasal spray has arrived. with a gentle mist and innovative power-jet. spray goodby to congestion. it's coback season! ♪ febreze man: i don't about y'all, but when it comes to working from home, i gotta have every part of my house clean. that means tidying up, then spraying my febreze air mist, to leave every room smelling fresh and clean. with that done, it's time to get to work. ♪ la la la la la we lose 1% of our collagen every year, starting in our 20s, which means we must start banking collagen for plumper, glowing skin. do it with neutrogena collagen bank. trust me, i'm a banker. shouldn't they trust me, the dermatologist? it's not a competition. with bugs, the struggle—is—real. that's why you need zevo traps. zevo attracts and traps bugs 24/7 using a blue and uv light with no odor and no mess for effortless protection. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly.

when you see what it's really like en our skin touches wool... you see why we need downy free and gentle with no perfumes or dyes. it not only makes your clothes softer, it is gentle on your skin. it breathes life into your laundry.

show off, to have fun and to

transform. ♪ ♪ >> beautiful. >> so, if you ring martha stewart's doorbell on halloween night, you may get more than just a few fun-size snickers in your pillowcase. she talked about what tr trick-or-treaters will find when they stumble upon her front door. stewart says despite never being home on halloween she still offers kids an assortment of candies and a little cash, too. she did not disclose how much cash she gives out to the lucky trick-or-treaters, but this is her 150-acre farm in new york that she opens up. the security guards know to let everybody in through the gates. ring the doorbell and get the little bags of goodies and cash. but you won't see her, no martha stewart sightings. >> i can't imagine what the decorations look like on her house. attention gladiators. a new popcorn bucket has entered the arena, or should we say, is the arena.

the custom popcorn bucket for the long-awaited gladiator ii was revealed. it even features a qr code that will allow fans to view a mini gladiator battle after finishing off their popcorn. it will be available at cinemark theaters on november 22nd. how cool and creative. just an added extra touch that you get to see that gladiator fight at the end. >> for the entire experience, you know you're going to get that refill. so cool to be able to do it in the actual coliseum. when we come back, how a.i. is helping every whaleell its tale. and amazon's new cost-cutting efforts. on's new cost-cutting efforts. start to break away from uc with tremfya... with rapid relief at 4 weeks. tremfya blocks a key source of inflammation. at one year, many people experienced remission...

and some saw 100% visible healing of their intestinal lining. serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms or if you ne a vaccine. healing is possible with tremfya. ask your dtor about tremfya today. ♪ can your pad flex with you without shifting? always flexfoam can. it's the only pad made with a flexible foam core with wings that fit securely for up to zero bunching and zero leaks. can your pad do that? see what foam can do for you. oh... stuffed up again? so congested! you need sinex saline from vicks. just sinex, breathe, ahhhh! what is — wow! sinex. breathe. ahhhhhh! (woman) purina onerue instinct unlocked her true instincts. from day one, it's high-protein nutrition with real meat #1,

supporting her healthy energy and strong muscles. and the life she was born to live. (vo) purina one true instinct. a difference from day one. jordan's sore nose let out a fiery sneeze, so dad grabbed puffs plus lotion to soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. when i was five, i began getting sexually abused by my stepfather. and he got me pregnant when i was 12. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ 64,000 pregnancies from rape have occurred in states with total abortion bans. and trump did this. women and girls need to have choices. with kamala harris we do. i'm kamala harris and i approve this message. look at this skin baby! she is glowing. she is 1 of 1! olay hyaluronic body wash

has 10x more vitamin b3 complex. for visibly-nourished skin. my skin is so much more moisturized. olay body wash and lotion. discover yours. sometimes jonah wrestles with falling asleep... ...so he takes zzzquil. the world's #1 sleep aid brand. and wakes up feeling like himself. get the rest to be your best with non-habit forming zzzquil. ♪ ♪ want a next level clean? swish with the whoa of listerine. it kills 99.9% of bad breath germs for five times more cleaning power than brushing and flossing alone. get a next level clean... ahhhhh with listerine. feel the whoa! time now for what's making headlines this morning. a class action settlement involving juul labs is doling out payouts to e-cigarette

users. amazon is shutting down its same-day delivery service from mall and brick and mortar retailers. the bulk of the program will end by december 2nd. it is part of their broader cost-cutting efforts. starbucks have released two new drinks inspired by the movie "wicked." one is flavored with pepper meant and topped with green macha cold foam. macha cold foam. swiffer sweeper dry* traps 2x more dust and hair for a clean even mom approves of. nice reach! brooms can just push stuff around, but swiffer grabs dirt and even traps the hair. swiffer. the mother of all cleans. love it or your money back! ♪♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick. and try new vaposhower max for steamy vicks vapors.

ahh, yellow! didn't pass the tissue test? buckle up! whoa! there's toothpaste white, and there's crest 3dwhitestrips white. whitens like a 400 dollar professional treatment. pilot: prepare for non-stop smiles. crest. when you smell the amazing scent of gain flings... time stops. (♪♪) and you realize you're in love... steve? with a laundry detergent. (♪♪) gain flings. seriously good scent. we're back with a tale of a whale and how new technology is helping researchers track their

migrations and health. our anne thompson got a first-hand look. >> reporter: ooh, i just saw a whale. it's feeding time for humpback whales off of californ's central coast. >> whales behind us. >> reporter: and prime time for scientist ted cheeseman. the cold water offering the whales an all-you-can-eat buffet of anchovies and krill. once hunted to near extinction, whales are now resurfacing here in monterey bay in dmatic numbers. now, with just a camera, photos from scientists and the public are helping researchers track whales from anywhere around the world. >> you can really see that whale there. >> reporter: thanks to artificial intelligence and real time, he can match their tails or flutes. they tell stories of where the whales have been and how healthy they are. how do you know that's a killer whale? >> by the parallel lines there.

>> reporter: the pictures are uploaded and matched on cheeseman's website, happy whale. through a.i., that image is matched to other whales already photographed, like this one called oldtimer. and monet. >> our last-recorded sighting of monet was back in february down in oaxaca, mexico. >> reporter: is it true that no two whale tails are alike? >> absolutely. li a fingerprint or face. every hump back whale. >> reporter: it's facial recognition technology that makes this possible and fast. over 100,000 humpbacks identified. some migrant thousands of miles, navigating threats from fishing lines and waters warmed by climate change, making food harder tfind. but cheeseman says the most valuable information gained may be human. >> you connect with one whale. it connects wityou with the who

ocean. to have that healthy ocean, we have to treat it like it's our home. >> reporter: using technology to connect and preserve the ocean for evyone and everything. anne thompson, nbc news, monterey, california. >> incredible, incredible creatures. ahead this morning on "today", all about the online service just answer. have you heard of it? the new subscription service where real people help you solve all kinds of questions from health care to home care. that's coming up on "today." another option besides typing in your computer and searching google, talking to a real person can be real helpful. thanks so much for being with us for "early today." i'm frances rivera. have a great wednesday. see you back he thursday morner yourin memory is an amazing thi, but sometimes it can start to slow down. but did you know prevagen canhi, help keep your memory sharp? the secret is the powerful ingredient, apoaequorin, originally discovered in jellyfish and found only in prevagen.

in a clinical study, prevagen was shown to improve memory in subgroups of individuals who were cognitively normal or mildly impaired. stay sharp and improve your memory with prevagen. prevagen. in stores everywhere without a prescription. kamala harris continues her media blitz, including a