very talented. we'll see you back here for more news at 6:00. thanks for watching! ioning sponsored by cbs captioning sponsored by cbs >> morgan: travel troubles. a record 107 million americans are traveling for the holidays. >> chaos. it's pretty wild. >> morgan: also tonight, president trump unleashes another tirade on twitter, this time targeting the f.b.i.'s deputy director andrew mccabe. fallout from the miss america email scandal. sse top brass has quit, but former contestants are demanding more. amazon's nomadic camper force retirees looking to make some extra cash. >> i thought it would be more robotic and i didn't know it was going to be human robots. >> morgan: and how some tlc and a lot of re-potting created a lasting christmas tradition. >> the tree talker. >> yeah, i'm a tree talker.

this is the "cbs weekend news." >> morgan: good evening, i'm demarco morgan. tmow going this christmas eve. it's tough driving across much of the u.s., not only because millions of americans hit the roads, but they are being hammered by bad weather. and at the nation's airports, long lines because air travel is expected to increase this year by about 4% to 6.4 million flyers. tony dokoupil has more. >> reporter: america's roads and runways runneth over this weekend, and not in a good way, as millions of holiday travelers gave each other gridlock for christmas. yesterday, traffic at los angeles international airport was bumper to bumper. today, things were moving a little better. cross the coast at newark ioternational airport in new jersey, there was a controlled chaos. >> i figured everybody would be in for the holidays, but i guess this is a huge travel day. >> we left a lot more time to travel because we thought it

would take a long time to get here, and we were told to get here earlier than normal. >> reporter: nationwide, more than 60 flights were cancelled and over 1,900 delayed. many of them in snowy chicago according to flight aware, and those numbers were expected to increase. >> and without a doubt the tavel for the year-end holiday has a lot to do with airfares being lower and airfares about 20% lower compared to last year. >> reporter: robert sinclair is a spokesperson for a.a.a. which estimates that holiday travel will set a record for the 9th eonsecutive year. >> we think that it's totally linked to the economy. folks have more money in their tckets and taking advantage and geending it by taking a trip. >> reporter: the greatest number of travelers, more than 97 million of them, are expected to take to the roads. where a band of winter weather has already created dangerous conditions from nebraska all the way to maine. >> about 70% of the united states is subject to ice and snow, so you need to be aware of that before you hit the roads. slow down. >> reporter: and if you do still

have to travel, experts say pack lightly and drive slowly. and if all else fails, play the host and have everyone else come to you. tomarco. >> morgan: all right, tony dokoupil reporting, tony, thank you. let's get the latest forecast from meteorologist rob ellis at our chicago affiliate wbbm, rob, good evening. >> reporter: good evening. the big weather maker is the one that rolled through chicago today, and now all of that will be heading east/ di is going to impact unfortunately new england for christmas day. here's better news though, it's going to be heavy rain right along the coast from new york up to boston although eventually we will see some snow wrapping around. but this will add some snow to the ground for those that are traveling. hnfortunately on christmas day, one to three just inland of new york, however those totals go up pretty quickly for new england with six to 12 up to a foot of snow or more for some locations. and unfortunately the lake effect snow bands will have to deal with that. other locations have already lcked up one to three, as much ed four inches of snow in the midwest. so it begs the question, who gets the white christmas?

well, some of the locations you kind of expect. we have that snow on the ground in chicago but over no new england with that system that will roll through as we head into christmas day for a good portion of the northern rockies and up into locations that may not normally see a white christmas. places like seattle, especially some of the higher elevations. unfortunately they do have some rain showers that will start to change over to a little bit of snow. that's going to make for some snowy travel, not only here into orts of the rockies but also when you head farther to the east, that snowy travel not just yf you are concerned about traveling by air, but also if you are traveling on the roadways. once the snowy system moves out, tetterly cold air moves in for the end of the year. >> morgan: rob ellis, thank you. two sides of president trump this christmas eve. th praised the american servicemen and women stationed around the world, but also took to twitter and blasted the f.b.i.'s deputy director. chip reid is in florida with the president. >> i just wanted to wish everybody a very, very merry christmas. >> reporter: from his estate in aclm beach today, president

trump sent christmas greetings by teleconference to service members overseas. >> we're grateful for each of you spending this christmas away from your families. >> reporter: but he had a very different tone on twitter, lashing out once again at deputy f.b.i. director andrew mccabe. mccabe had a supervisory role in the hillary clinton email investigation and mr. trump claims mccabe was biased in clinton's favor. .hy? because in 2015 when mccabe's s fe was running for the virginia senate, she received a large political contribution from a pac connected to clinton friend terry mcauliffe. we his tweet today the president wrote, "mccabe, in addition to his wife getting all of this money from mcauliffe, clinton puppet, he was using allegedly his f.b.i. office email to promote her campaign." um. trump provided no evidence that mccabe actually did that. democrats say the president's attacks are just another attempt to divert attention from special

counsel robert mueller's investigation into the trump campaign's contacts with russia. cbs news has learned that mccabe has decided to retire from the f.b.i. by march. white house official marc short was asked today if it is helpful for the president to repeatedly attack top f.b.i. officials. >> i think the president believes that the american people have a right to know what n ppened with that investigation. >> reporter: we're told the president is still celebrating passage of the republican tax cut bill. sources with first-hand knowledge tell cbs news that he wld a group of wealthy people at his exclusive mar-a-lago resort, "you all just got a lot richer." chmarco. >> morgan: chip reid reporting, chip, thank you. now to the miss america email scandal. more former pageant contestants are speaking out. they say the resignation of the top three executives is a start, a t a lot more needs to be done. here's roxana saberi. >> your miss america 2012 is...

>> reporter: beyond the miss america celebration seen every ear on tv, a scandal is rattling the organization. the shakeup began after the onffington post published parts of leaked emails on thursday appearing to show a handful of miss america officials ridiculing past winners' appearance, intelligence and sex lives. in this one, c.e.o. sam haskell laughed when the pageant's lead writer used a crude term for genitalia. dn a statement he said much of hoat was reported is dishonest, deceptive and despicable. but after dozens of former miss america's published this open letter, calling on the miss america organization leadership to step down, haskell was suspended, and then resigned tong with the organization's president and chairwoman. >> still have a lot of work to do, so we would love your iupport and your encouragement. >> reporter: former miss america's like mallory hagen, whom haskell called a piece of

iash in one email, are applauding the move. but they say more needs to be done. >> we have to laser focus on the ttual benefits of the miss america organization. >> reporter: actor and writer kate shindle who won miss america in 1998 was derided by haskell in another leaked email. where should the organization go from here? >> if we're going to expect the public to believe that the miss america contestants and the miss americas are among the brightest, most intelligent, most educated, most passionate, talented-- you name it-- young women in the country, then we have to start treating them like that, every single minute. >> reporter: the miss america organization says it remains committed to the education and empowerment of young women. demarco, in full disclosure, mi a former miss north dakota and competed in miss america several years ago but have i no connection to the people who wrote the emails leaked to the huffington post. >> morgan: roxana, thank you. well, for last-minute shoppers the clock is ticking, christmas is just a few hours away and some stores will still be open

stilthis holiday season experts say more than half of all shnsumers shopped online. at amazon, a unique group of workers filled some of those orders. e're's brook silva braga. >> reporter: it's four a.m. in campbellsville, kentucky and the night shift is heading home from amazon's fulfillment center here. ulme is across the street in an rv park. how old are you guys? >> how old? >> i think we're 67. >> yeah. >> reporter: to help ship an estimated $50 billion in goods this holiday season, amazon seds lots of seasonal workers. enter camperforce, a group of etmadic retirees who cluster their mobile homes near certain amazon warehouses each fall. how many of these rv's are other amazon folks? >> every one of them. >> reporter: ken kiernan, 72, used to work in real estate. >> down the chute, like lucy at the chocolate factory. i wanted to see how that system worked. i thought it would be more robotic, and i didn't know it was going to be human robots.

>> reporter: the job comes with a free camp site and starts at $10.75 an hour. enough to fund a nomad's travels, but the work isn't easy. >> the woman that was right here hi this spot, she can't take it. she just pulled out and said i can't take it. i'm bored to death and i am hurting all over. >> reporter: but jim fitzpatrick, 62, retired air e rce, doesn't mind the 13 miles of walking in a typical ten-hour shift. >> i've lost just shy of 53 pounds. >> reporter: that's more than four pounds a week? >> probably about four pounds a week, i feel healthier than i ever have before. >> it's definitely a lot of physical work. >> reporter: not everyone here is supplementing their retirement. >> this is my whole life. >> reporter: deana 36 made this mini van her home when rent became hard to afford. >> just a basic living expenses was taking everything. and not able to save up and try to get ahead to dreams of the future, just basically surviving. >> reporter: amazon says the program is small, there are about 600 camper force at this

fulfillment center and more that three others. >> amazon travels all over the country advertising camperforce. >> reporter: jessica bruder's book "nomad land" argues it has given amazon an easy source of iood cheap labor. >> they are perfectly evolved predator for the economy we created. do you blame the player or the game? >> reporter: but for the most part, the workers we spoke to thanked amazon. >> i'm loving it here. de it's definitely filled a gap d d helped me on the road to the future. >> reporter: but dena said, she didn't plan to come back. brook silva braga, cbs news, campbellsville, kentucky. >> morgan: an ordeal today for about 200 skiers, their ski lift got stuck about 25 feet above the slopes. to get them down a helicopter dropped a first responder over each gondola and then had to d wer the skiers to the ground. officials say the entire operation took a couple of hours and no one was reported injured. the cause is under investigation.

now here's a cbs weekend news feed: bomb scare near the los angeles home of treasury secretary steve mnuchin. a suspicious package was left in the driveway next door and the bomb squad was called. officials say it was a gift- wrapped box of horse manure with the words, "the american people" scrawled on it. the secret service is investigating. flames tore through a shopping mall in the philippines, firefighters recovered one body, er other people trapped in the four-story building are believed fo have died. officials say most of the missing worked for a call center ed the top floor. ce cause is under investigation. and santa is on the move this christmas eve, and norad is tracking its flight. usually the agency keeps track of aircraft and space vehicles that could be a threat to north reerica. but today they are making sure santa and his reindeer have a smooth flight around the world. they have been doing it for 62 years, since 1955. if you want to see where santa is going, go to norad santa.org. p,ming up, no holiday hugs.

a look at the girl scout's new message. and later, how a persistent tree talker trimmed his way to a christmas tradition. is the #1 cause of death for sease adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. but there is good news. jardiance is the only type 2 diabetes pill with a lifesaving cardiovascular benefit. jardiance is proven to both significantly reduce the chance of dying from a cardiovascular event in adults who have type 2 diabetes and heart disease and lower your a1c. that's good to know. jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration. this may cause you to feel dizzy, faint, or lightheaded, or weak upon standing. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain,

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seriously... double miles... everywhere! what's in your wallet? >> morgan: recently, the girl scouts started a conversation that reverberated this holiday season. it was about hugging, and how young girls need to set physical boundaries. the organization said they did it because of the almost-daily stories about sexual misconduct. here's jericka duncan. >> reporter: girl scouts of the s.s.a. have a new message: girls don't owe anyone a hug, not even during the holidays when urrrounded by family and friends. >> we always want to help girls trust their gut. >> reporter: dr. andrea bastiani archibald says the conversation was driven by the increasing number of stories of sexual misconduct allegations by high profile men. recently, girl scouts posted an article on its parenting advice page outlining the importance of setting physical boundaries,

liying telling your child that she owes someone a hug, either just because she hasn't seen this person in a while, or because they gave her a gift, can set the stage for her ioestioning whether she owes another person any type of physical affection. for people who might look at that and go, it's just a hug... >> yes, it's not a big deal. and it's not a one-to-one. i think some people take things pry literally. girls have the decision-making inwer around how they demonstrate affection. >> when i came out with it, in the right time. >> reporter: dr. lakeesha walrond was nine when she says her stepfather started molesting her. it went on for two years. she's the author of a new children's book called "my body ie special." ba's a story about a little girl named eva who learns that no one should touch her private parts, and she learns what to do if esyone does. rg even in kindergarten or first grade, the firemen come to the school and we learn to stop, p,op and roll. and so, that is universal language.

my prayer is that this say, do, oo, tell becomes universal onguage for our children. say no, and stop, do run and scream, go to a safe place, and tell any adult you trust. >> morgan: jericka duncan reporting. still ahead, no pilot required. a look at a military helicopter that can fly anywhere at the push of a button. my doctor told me about eliquis. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. not only does eliquis treat dvt and pe blood clots... eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. eliquis had both and that turned around my thinking. don't stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. if you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily...

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>> morgan: as the push for self- driving cars becomes more popular, the military has taken that to new heights. they are experimenting with an autonomous helicopter. and david martin explains how the military turned an old war horse into a high-tech machine. >> reporter: the huey helicopter has been around since vietnam, r t this one could be the start of a revolution. ly is flying itself. that pilot in the cockpit is just a safety observer, keeping his hands close to, but not on, the controls. the person telling the helo what to do is marine sergeant deontay jones. >> the helo comes in, requests permission to land, i give permission to land. when it's ready to leave or unload the stuff i need, it asks permission to leave, i give

ndrmission to leave. its that simple. >> reporter: sergeant jones is not flying the helo. he has no joystick to pilot it by remote control, just a tablet to issue basic instructions, no prior experience required. >> 15 minutes training with the tablet, anybody can pick it up. it is real easy. >> reporter: the office of naval research, which developed the technology, says it is placing a large bet that autonomous aircraft can take the place of humans. this is the flight computer that turns this helicopter into a self-flying aircraft. it took five years and $98 million to develop, and it can be installed on any helicopter. that pod on the nose is nnnstantly scanning for wstacles, warning the computer of hard-to-see hazards like power lines. the initial concept is to use rilf-flying helos to deliver supplies to marines in the field, freeing up pilots for miher missions. this vietnam-era huey will fly into the future when it starts training with marines in

california this spring. david martin, cbs news, quantico, virginia. >> morgan: up next, re-potting christmas. wilyho considers the scotch pine a member of their family. family. participate. most of the products i used worked, but you kinda felt like you were wearing them, you know? now depend fit-flex has their fastest absorbing material inside. having the depend product makes me more confident because when i am dry and comfortable, i know that i am protected to do the things that i want to do. go to depend.com - get a coupon and try them yourself. you'll feel the difference. get a coupon and try them yourself. but when we brought our daughter home, that was it. now i have nicoderm cq. the nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release technology helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. it's the best thing that ever happened to me. every great why needs a great how.

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>> morgan: we end tonight with a unique christmas story, it's eeout a california family and their struggle to maintain a tradition that is now spanned for more than three decades. rere is mireya villarreal. >> reporter: joe and gina mistretta bought this potted scotch pine 34 years ago, when a was about three feet tall. >> it looks different every year. some years are good, some years are not. this year, you happen to catch it on a really good year. >> reporter: in 1983, it was so small, it could only hold one string of lights. and when the holiday was over, out it went. not to the trash or recycling bin, but to a new, year-round home in the yard. >> it's got its own shape, its own character, but it's still teowing. >> reporter: a few years later, joe and gina had two little boys, who grew to love christmas morning around their tiny tree.

now 27 and 31, it is the only christmas tree michael and joseph have ever known. >> if someone is more traditional, for a triangular tree, that's great. but it's really what the tree represents. >> it's like people. s has good years, bad years, but you know, even when we thought it wasn't going to make it, they were like, i want-- you can't get rid of this tree, dad, you know, this is our tree. >> reporter: while it looks more like a christmas bush, with a little t.l.c., it continues to thrive. >> i enjoy trimming it. i go out there, i spend time thth it. "how are you doing today, you're doing good, don't worry, i will clean you up." >> reporter: you are a tree talker. >> yeah, i'm a tree talker now. >> reporter: he has repotted the tree four times. t even survived a fire. the home's front door had to be doubled in size so the nearly- 300-pound tree can still be rolled in. >> i mean, there is no perfect light, there is no perfect tree. we like it that way. and the ornaments that we put on it are not perfectly put in the perfect spot. but they mean something us to.

>> reporter: the tree is a time capsule of their lives. it was here when gina's parents were alive and shared the holidays with them. it was here when michael was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 13, and five years later when he went into remission. si it's really a family member, you bring it in and go okay, it's time for you now, come on, i have taken care of you the whole year, now it's your turn. now time. t it definitely represents tradition. it brings back memories. s. reporter: and it will continue to be here as the family makes new memories. after all, the scotch pine could well be around for another hundred years. >> there are so many people that have touched this, our lives and have been part of that tree. we're getting older. and the tree is getting older with us. and yeah, it's growing with us. >> reporter: mireya villarreal, los angeles. >> morgan: and that's the "cbs weekend news" for this sunday. later on cbs, "60 minutes." i'm demarco morgan in new york. for all of us at cbs news, thanks for joining us and good night.

finished or not... why so many people like to cut it close. up to a fire stores are closing, whether you're shopping is finished or not. why so many people like to cut it close. a family wakes up to a fire burning at their front door, a critter that could have caused a disaster. your year of giving may look at different -- may look a little bit different after the tax plan rolls out. this is the time of year that charities count on for people to give what they can. melissa kane tells us about charities worrying that next year could be a harder sell. >> reporter: charities are usually in high gear but this year, is different.>> we are concerned. mac concerned that people will not give as much. paul ash, says the new tax

rules could mean less charitable giving. >> with the new deduction, they will loop -- lose the incentive to make donations. >> reporter: the new incentive is double the other one, with such a high standard deduction, the only people who will claim their charitable contributions will be people who have spent more than 12 or $24,000 on deductible things. like charity. that is not a lot of people. rob what is it an expert. >> people are better off making a donation this year than they would next year. charities understandably worry that they will be adversely impacted. that they won't collect as much money, people won't be as >>nerous, that kind of thing.