there's always a bull market somewhere, i promise to find it for you right here on do you want to be complimented by that former kgb officer? >> i think when he calls me brilliant, i'll take the compliment, okay? >> there is no evidence my system was hacked. i communicated about material on a wholly separate system. >> praising putin and defending e-mails. the candidates put on the defensive during a highly focused event over who will be america's next commander in chief. a russian fighter jet flies within ten feet of a u.s. aircraft, increasing tensions between the two nations. apple iphone 7 unveiled, lots of changes, but should you wait for the iphone 8?

suspension over the rio gas station incident. plus, major incident for nasa today. marilyn's jfk dress could fetch millions, and a busy thursday. "early today" starts right now. >> thanks to be with us this morning. >> if you were an undecided voter last night and watched the commander-in-chief forum, you probably still have questions, but certainly a lot of sparks >> call it an appetizer before the three debates. >> going to be fun to watch. americans are looking at their next commander-in-chief with fresh perspective. donald trump bashes the top military brass, while hillary clinton continues to get dogged about her e-mail server. trump used the occasion to level unusually harsh criticism against the country's military leaders. >> i know more about isis than the generals do, believe me.

barack obama and hillary clinton have not been successful. >> do you know more about isis than they do? >> i think under the leadership of barack obama and hillary clinton, the generals have been reduced to rubble. they have been reduced to a point where it's embarrassing for our country. >> and this morning president obama responded to trump's comments. >> as far as mr. trump, i think i've already offered my opinion. i don't think the guy's qualified to be president of the united states. and every t opinion is confirmed. >> trump did little to fight back criticisms that he is unprepared to serve as the country's next commander-in-chief. in fact, he dug in on previously debunked assertions on the war in iraq and the intervention in libya. while remaining tight lipped on any plans he has for defeating isis. >> the main thing is, i have great judgment. i have good judgment. i know what's going on. i was totally against the war in

magazine from '04. you can look at before that. >> you said this, "we're going to convene my top generals and they'll have 30 days to submit a plan for soundly and quickly defeating isis." so is the plan you've been hiding this whole time asking someone else for their plan? >> no, but when i do come up with a plan that i like and perhaps agrees with mine or maybe doesn't, i may love what the generals come back with. >> but you have y >> i have a plan. >> and the billionaire businessman also had this eyebrow raising moment when he lavished praise on russian president vladimir putin. take a listen. >> when referring to a comment that putin made about you, i think he called you a brilliant leader, you said it's always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his country and beyond. >> well, he does have an 82% approval rating, according to the different pollsters, who, by the way, some of them are based right here.

complimented by that former kgb officer? >> i think when he calls me brilliant, i'll take the compliment, okay? >> you think the day you become president of the united states he's going to change his mind on some of these key issues? >> possibly, it's possible. i don't know, matt, it's possible. >> while the nominees never appeared on stage together, their sessions served as a preview for their upcoming debate. secretary clinton tried to focus on her national security credentials while pushing her view in the fight against isis. >> security interest to defeat isis, and i intend to make that happen. when you're sitting in the situation room, as i have on numerous occasions, we have to defeat isis. that is my highest counterterrorism goal. they are not going to get ground troops. we are not putting ground troops into iraq ever again, and we're not putting ground troops into syria. >> a majority of clinton's time was spent fighting back

server. >> it was a mistake to have a personal account. i would certainly not do it again. there is no evidence my system was hacked. classified material has a header, which says "top secret, secret, confidential." none of the e-mails sent or received by me had such a header. i communicated about classified system. >> and now this morning we have the very e-mails clinton exchanged with former secretary of state colin powell released by the democratic head of the house oversight committee. powell in the back and forth told clinton after she sought his advice he did, in fact, have a personal computer and private phone line for e-mails and used it to, "do business with foreign leaders and senior folks in the state department."

release of the e-mail exchange. that came after usa today reported saying the decision to not recommend criminal charges against clinton wasn't a close call writing, "the case itself was not a cliff hanger. there really wasn't a prosecutable case." today on the trail, hillary clinton will hold a rally in the swing state of north carolina and deliver remarks at a baptist church, while trump heads to ohio, as his running mate mik ronald reagan presidential library in california. tensions between russia and the united states continue to escalate not only on the ground, but now in the skies above. a russian fighter jet came within ten feet of a u.s. navy plane over the black sea on wednesday in what the pentagon is calling an unsafe close-range intercept. russian defense ministry says the navy's jet didn't have transponders on.

u.s. plane was conducting routine operations in international air space and did, in fact, have its transponder turned on during the entire fight. pentagon spokesman jeff david has responded to the encounter, which lasted around 19 minutes saying, "these actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions and could result in a miscalculation or accident. fallout continues over olympian ryan lochte's rio scandal. this time from the international olympic committee. a source with knowledge of the situation has told usa today that the 12-time olympic medalist will face a ten-month suspension and ban from next year's world championship meet. three other u.s. swimmers involve face suspensions, as well, but it's not expected to be as long as lochte's. the action follows a long line of major sponsors that dropped lochte after brazilian authorities revealed evidence

robbed last month. no shortage of apple's unveiling of the iphone 7. division between the biggest change, it's the elimination of the traditional headphone jack. some analysts are already expecting 2017's iphone 8 version to be packing major design challenges in time for the iphone's tenth anniversary. i can't believe it's been ten years. raising the question, is it worth holding out for? have ever created. >> reporter: apple eliminated one of its most iconic features on the new iphone 7, the headphone jack for the white ear buds gone. the port is being replaced with an additional speaker, along with water proof casing and higher quality camera. the iphone 7 itself starts at $649. wireless air buds will cost an additional $160. apple will include corded ear

through the charging port. apple eliminating the headphone jack is a controversial move, an attempt to change consumer behavior. >> historically apple has always removed things and i think initially gave consumers pause. i think apple has shown over time that the decisions they make are pretty good. >> reporter: apple needs the new iphone to sell well. earlier this year global iphone sales declined for the first time ever, putting it at a disadvantage against rival samsung, but just last samsung recalling 2.5 million galaxy note 7 phones because of fires linked to lithium ion batteries, giving apple a shot to make a bigger shot this time around. nbc news, san francisco. just ahead, good news for drivers heading into the fall. plus, who wastes more time at work, millennials, baby boomers, or genxors?

rain, emergency crews wading through chest-high waters in some areas. any relief today, bill? >> for people in milwaukee, yes, but south could deal with isolated flooding. milwaukee is located up here, shifting into illinois, missouri, kansas, that's where it's going to stay over the next two days. heavy rainfall amounts, isolated flooding. that's where the worst weather in the country will be over the next 48 hours. a woman -- one of the valley's busiest freeways.. team 12's busiest valley's one of the

nasa's probe is launch from the kennedy space center. its mission to hunt down astroids, pick up some rock samples, and return them to earth. the trip is expected to take seven years and a small price tag of $800 million. a u.s. flag that was photographed being hoisted by firefighters at ground zero after 9/11 was later memorialized on a postage stamp will go back on display at the national september 11th memorial and museum. and the skin tight dress

happy birthday to president kennedy in 1962 is going up for auction, expected to sell for $2 million or more. francis, get your checkbook out. ?? when is your flu shot more than a flu shot? when it helps give a lifesaving vaccine to a child in need. ?? thanks to customers like you, walgreens "get a shot. give a shot." program has helped provide 15 million vaccines through the un foundation. it's that easy to make a difference. ??

[music] no, no, no, no, people are both soft and strong... yey! which is why our products are too. angel soft. nexium 24hr is now the #1 choice of doctors and pharmacists for complete protection all day and night

right now u.s. investors are keeping a close eye on european

decides interest rates. what's moving markets today, good morning. >> good morning to you, as well. wall street could be set to edge higher at the opening bell today. stocks ending mixed on wednesday with the nasdaq hitting another record high. a report from the federal reserve striking a positive tone on the economy, but also notes the presidential election is making some companies cautious about expanding their business. meanwhile, gas prices have stayed low this summer and could go even lower this fall. bo summer for drivers since 2004. aaa noting this week's seasonal trends will likely keep downward pressure on gas prices through the rest of the year as refineries move to cheaper winter blend fuel. and a recent survey finds millennials waste more time at work than older generations. career builder says cell phones are the most common distraction, followed by surfing the web and office gossip.

rep. >> not anything like that. >> not at work. >> three phones here on the desk alone. cnbc's landa downey, thank you. football night in america. we'll go live in denver with a preview of tonight's super bowl sequel. that's next. sequel. that's next. l come out tomorrow... ? for people with heart failure, tomorrow is not a given. but entresto is a medicine that helps make more tomorrows possible. ? tomorrow, tomorrow... ? in the largest heart failure study ever. entresto helped more people stay alive and out of the hospital than a leading heart failure medicine. women who are pregnant must not take entresto. it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren. if you've had angioedema while taking an ace or arb medicine, don't take entresto. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure... ...kidney problems,

ask your heart doctor about entresto. and help make tomorrow possible. ? you're only a day away ? hey team, i know we're tight on time, but i really need a... ...sick day tomorrow. moms don't take sick days. moms take nyquil severe: the... ...nighttime sniffling,sneezing, coughing, aching, fever best... ...sleep with a cold, medicine. americans... ... 83% try to eat healthy. yet up 90% fall short in getting key nutrients from food alone. let's do more. add one a day women's gummies. complete with key nutrients we may need... ...plus it supports bone health with calcium and vitamin d.

[music] no, no, no, no, people are both soft and strong... yey! which is why our products are too. angel soft. going to the skate park today? maybe... you can make it gr-r-reat! ?? kellogg's frosted flakes gives you the sweet spark to go all in and let your great out. they're gr-r-reat! it is a huge day for football fans. tonight, the 2016 nfl season officially kicks off with a

broncos take on the carolina panthers. >> jay gray is outside sports authority field for us at mile high stadium. jay, good to have you with us. big changes for the broncos, most notably a starting quarterback that won't be returning this year. >> reporter: yeah, aman, francis, good morning to you. you're right, no peyton manning here, but still a lot of excitement as the broncos and panthers line up for a rematch of super bowl 50. it is game day in after another off-season of controversy and suspensions and a preseason of sit-ins, tonight the attention and players return to the field. >> this is a big day. tomorrow's a big day. it's where it all begins for everyone, all eyes for the nfl are on denver. couldn't be more excited to be here to kick things off. >> reporter: and the nfl starts right where it left off last season, a rematch of super bowl 50 between the broncos and panthers. >> finally after seven months

>> reporter: the nbc team that will bring you the action is ready to get the ball rolling, as well. >> it's going to be unbelievable. i mean, this is the type of energy you want. this kickoff game is like the super bowl. i mean, the magnitude of it. >> reporter: and for the fans -- >> go broncos! >> reporter: seven long months without a game is just about over. >> i'm super psyched. i'm ready. >> reporter: kickoff now just hours away. yeah, you know, tailgaters already lined up waiting to get in once the parking lots open. should be an exciting night. frances, aman, back to you. >> hopefully get to enjoy the game. don't miss the kickoff 8:30

if you' try clarispray.mes to escape your nasal allergies... from the makers of claritin. clarispray provides 24-hour, prescription strength relief from sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion. return to the world.

a woman -- shot dead on one of the valley's one of the

a woman -- shot dead on one of the valley's busiest freeways.. team 12's bryan west has what you need to know before you head out the door... behind bars for stealing from drake.. what police say he took while the performer was n valley.. and disney wants to fingerprint your kids! the new security measure that has some parents outraged.. plus.. mayhem in the mall.. ellen and britney play celebrities for a day -- we've got some of the best stuff -- in the morning juice.