day. captioning funded by cbs good morning. it is thursday, january 19th, 2017. welcome to "cbs this morning." breaking news, 30 people are missing after an avalanche buries a hotel. rescue workers desperately trying to reach them after receiving text messages that they're inside. he ditches the press pool and makes a surprise visit to his own hotel in washington. charlie spoke with mike pence and paul ryan. >> and every night for the last eight years president obama has met ten letters from americans. we'll meet the women who decides which ones to send to him and

one man's reply. first we look at today's "eye opener," your world in 90 sko seconds. >> a desperate search for those missing. >> a deadly avalanche buries a hotel. >> a series of earthquakes in italy triggered the avalanche. >> in iran a high-rise building collapsed. >> 30 firefighters were killed. >> you enter this white house for the lowest approval ratings of any person who's assumed the presidency. >> i have to tell you, the polls weren't always right during the election year, so i'm a little skeptical about the polls going into the inauguration. >> about 5,000 democrats are going to boy caught the inauguration. >> i will be there and so will michelle. >> massive flooding swept through houston.

torrential rain wreaking havoc on several roadways. >> i was scared. the water kept on rising and rising and rising. >> the door of baseball's hall of fame is swing open for three of america's great. >> make some noise. >> he came out for the 43rd people's choice awards. >> all that -- >> if you don't win an award, you will be given one of these adorable babies. the biggest shock, novak djokovic, he's been knocked out by a wild-card. >> -- and all that matters. >> people are looking at you like what's up with that guy? >> now and then. >> i'll take that. you're the ambassador. >> let's talk about global warming. >> i'll do that. >> -- on "cbs this morning." >> president obama had his final press conference today. maybe the final press

conference. >> we'll have to fight for it, not take it for granted. i know you will help us do that. thank you very much, press corps. good luck. >> gud luck. see ya, wouldn't want to be ya. welcome to "cbs this morning." and all that rescue effort is going on right now in italy to reach at least 30 people at a four-star ski resort. an avalanche buried their hotel under mounds of snow. some people trapped inside are sending text messages with desperate pleas for help. >> now, this is uning in a mountainous region in northern rome that's been hit hard by deadly earthquakes. allen pizzey is tracking the deadly earthquake from rome. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the avalanche came after a series of aftershocks but the epicenter was in the mountains

covered by days of heavy snowfall. the alarm was raised by two survivors who helped on skis after 4:00 in the morning. the massive cascading snow slammed into the hotel rigopiano. the first thought was many were dead. inside the hotel they found a scene of utter destruction. the weight of the snow appeared to have collapsed the hotel down to the ground floor. heavy snow hampered ambulances' ability to get to the scene. even plows struggled to get through. a text message included the message, be calm. tomorrow you'll come down. but another one received by rescue workers simply said, help, we are dying of the cold. the area is part of the region that was hit by a series of four strong earthquakes on wednesday, the biggest of which was 5.7 on the rick tore scale.

multiple aftershocks followed, but it's not clear if they are what triggered the ashe lanch. a major quake last august killed nearly 300 people and ruined historic buildings in towns and hamlets. this time it added to the disaster that one described as apop lick tick. the hotel was built to be earthquakeproof, but there's no protection from avalanches. >> allen. thank you. ald being in iran collapsed this morning. iran's state run tv said 30 firefighters were killed. most people had evacuated. in just over 24 hours donald trump will be sworn in as our 45th president. he made an unexpected visit last night to his washington hotel a few blocks from the white house. surprised hotel guests captured the video. the president-elect left his

press pool behind. major garrett is in washington where the trump transition team is rejecting reports of a rocky transition of power. good morning. >> good morning. it's chaotic and stressful. that is especially true when trump is using younger less experienced teams than teams before it. here's another story. the number of democrats boycotting the inauguration is now up to 61, around a third of the house democratic caucus. in washington last night the president-elect attended two dinners including one for his cabinet nominees. at best only three of those could be confirmed by the nomination, secretaries of defense, homeland security, and the head of the cia. even with the republican senate, mr. trump is on pace for one of the slowest confirmation timelines in modern u.s. history. under the same circumstances, incoming presidents obama in 2009 and bush 2001 each had seven confirmed on inauguration

day. >> this is a swamp cabinet filled with bankers and billionaires. >> they blamed it on the democrats who threaten to hold up floor votes unless more time is given. >> it's no surprise the republicans want to rush through these hearings. they don't want people to know the true views of their nominees. >> of particular concern for democrats and even some republicans nominee rex tillerson who developed a friendly relationship with vladimir putin as ceo of exxonmobil. >> i'm very concerned about someone who took a friendship award from vladimir putin who is a butcher. >> aside from a five-minute call last month, tillerson has not spoken to or with secretary john kerry. there's been little contact between the secretary of state and mr. trump's team. amid the cabinet scramble the

president-elect tweeted a photo of himself in his florida home purportedly writing his inaugural address. in it he appears to be holding a sharpie and a legal pad. they say it's a joke because he's been working on it, not from scratch. >> it was an emphasis of big em nomic security goals and setting a populist anti-washington tone. norah? >> it is not boring, that's for sure. this morning treasury secretary nominee steve money chin and rick perry are the latest trump picks to face questioning. senate democrats grilled the epa nominee scott pruitt and hhs nominee tom pruitt. the u.n. ambassador nominee also

testified. he'll name former georgia governor sonny purdue to be his secretary of agriculture. nancy cordes is at the front of the capitol where the inauguration will take place tomorrow. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. by the end of the day, 15 of trump's nominees will have gone before congress and the fight right now is how many of those will be confirmed tomorrow right after mr. trump takes the oath of office. democrats are trying to slow the process. they say they have ethics concerns about some of them including one who testified yesterday. >> it really beg fres the quest sir, when you say you did not -- they hammered tom price over a stock deal wednesday. >> you made a decision to purchase that stock now to broker, yes or no? >> that was a decision i made, yes. >> he purchased stock in a drug company at a special price while helping form legislation to speed drug approval.

>> you were notified of this trade on april 4th, 2016. did you take additional actions after that date to advance your plan to help the company that you now own stock in? >> i'm offended by the insinuation, senator. >> reporter: if confirmed, price would oversee any replacement to obamacare. >> you may have an insurance card. it may have a wonderful name of an insurance company on it, but you don't have any care because you can't afford the deductible. >> reporter: down the hall -- >> you're the attorney general. obviously you have stood up and said you will do everything you can to stop future earthquakes as a result of fracking. >> senator, i've acknowledged i'm concerned. >> you have acknowledged you're concerned. >> reporter: democrats were also throwing punches at scott pru t pruett, oklahoma's attorney general. >> if that's the kind of pe a administrator you will be, you're not going to get my vote. >> reporter: they argued that his lock-time ties to energy companies will prevent him from

carrying out the core mission of the environmental protection agency. pruitt said that's not the case. >> this paradigm that we live within today is something that i think is just a false narrative. >> reporter: mr. trump's pick for u.s. ambassador to the u.n., south carolina governor nikki haley, testified yesterday and describes nato as vital the same week trump called it obsolete. and that, charlie, has left some european diplomats to say they're confused about the incoming administration. >> thank you, nancy. >> pressure will be on mike pence and president-elect trump. we spoke with pence yesterday from our set on the national mall in washington about the expectations and the transition. as you know, you enter this white house and this city with the lowest approval ratings of

any person who's assumed the presidency. what kind of challenge is that, and at the same time, how important is it to double the efforts to reunite. >> i think the american people are going to see a president inaugurated this friday who is going to keep the promise he made on election night, president of all of the people of this country. the polls weren't always right during the election year, so i'm a little skeptical about the polls going into the inauguration, but i can tell you the president-elect and our whole team are ready to go to work and really advance the kind of policies that, to borrow his phrase, will make america great again. >> you've been asked this before. tweets, are they, a, necessary, b, distracting, and does he have to tilt at every windmill that criticizes? >> you know, i think one of the really refreshing things about the president-elect is that he speaks his mind. sometimes he does that from a

podium. sometimes he does that in an interview. sometimes he does it on twitter. >> does it send a message on the economy and foreign policy? >> i don't believe it does. >> you're okay with that. >> yeah. i can tell you some of the treatment he's gotten and we continue to get in the media is frustrating and his ability to literally reach tens of millions of people with his particular issue or of particular news is of value to the administration. i expect to continue to see him use that. you ooh going to see a president donald trump who will use that bully pull pet in new ways to communicate to the general people and market support to bring real change to washington, d.c., and restore our place in the economy and the world. >> wow. mike pence also said the president-elect is confident in the team he chose to lead in the intelligence community that mr. trump has repeatedly criticized. regarding his own role, he said, i'm just here to serve.

president obama is gearing up for his last full day as commander in chief. he held his final conference yesterday. his first was two weeks after he was sworn in. nearly eight years later he took questions in the white house for the last time. the president said he will not remain silent if what he says america's core values are threatened. margaret brennan was in the room yesterday. good morning. >> good morning. president obama said he's looking forward to a break from public life but then he rattled off a list of actions that would prompt him to protest, specifically if donald trump deported immigrant children covered by the so-called d.r.e.a.m. act. >> the notion that we would arbitrarily or because of politics punish those kids when they didn't do anything wrong themselves, i think, would be something that would merit me speaking out. >> the president said he would speak out on actionsly. ing dissent, the press, or

voting rights. the outgoing commander in chief said lifting sanctions in russia could be dangerous, saying that he, too, tried to work with mosc moscow, but relations soured in 2012 after president putin returned with a anti-american rhetoric. >> i think it would best serve not only american interests but the interest of preserving international norms to make sure we don't confuse why these sanctions have been imposed with a whole set of other issues. >> reporter: surround yourself with strong advisers, mr. obama urged, and think twice before taking the provocative action of moving the u.s. embassy to the disputed city of jerusalem. president obama shared what he told his own daughters about

trump's vow to erase their father's legacy. >> they were disapoichblt point. we tried to teach them hope and the only thing besides the end of the world is the end of the world. >> and he tried to end on a up note. >> i think we're going to be okay. >> reporter: he urged the president to keep the public informed. notable words, norah. >> all right. thank you very much, margaret. we'll have the closing line there. we're all going to be okay. i think that's a very powerful message. >> at his core he's optimistic. >> yes, always is. cbs news will bring you all-day coverage. it begins tomorrow. we'll be live from washington, d.c. former president george h.w. bush is resting comfortably in a houston hospital this morning. the 92-year-old is stable in the intensive care unit. a family spokesperson said he has been battling pneumonia.

his wife, 91-year-old barbara bush, is also in the hospital as a precaution. the former first lady is not in intensive care. omar villafranca is outside houston methodist hospital where the 41st president is being treated. >> reporter: good morning. he was quietly admitted on saturday. according to a spokesman, his wife of 72 years, barbara, was taken to the hospital wednesday after she was not feeling well for several days. >> stable now and resting comfortably in the icu. he's going to stay there for observation. >> reporter: president bush is recovering from what jim mcgrath describes as acute problem stemming from pneumonia. >> he said he's a fighter.

>> he e's 92. he has pneumonia. he's in the icu. again, you don't bet against george bush. >> he doesn't let age slow him down. he jumped out of an airplane. he has parkinson's that has limited his ability. president bush sent a note saying he apologizes for not being able to atenltd the inauguration. he says, my doctor says if i sit outside in january, it will likely put me six feet under. same for barbara. president-elect trump tweeted back and thanked him for his wonderful letter. president george w. bush said he will be attending. >> they have been a constant

source of friendship. we want to send our love and prayers to him. >> another one of his son, president george w. bush still plans to attend the inauguration tomorrow. charlie? >> thanks. i think all americans feel what the americans said. this man was much loved and is much loved. >> by everybody. according to the weather houston is expecting more rain after the storm brought mattive flooding. roads became rivers and drivers were forced to leave their cars behind. there were more than 60 calls for rescue. one man waded through chest-high water to rescue drivers an a personals from a bus flooded on a street. ahead, what scientists hope to learn from the metal formation that is the size

>> announcer: this national weather report sponsored by weightwatchers. lose weight and enjoy the things you love. weightwatchers. live fully.

britain's former ambassador to moscow said unverified reports of russian blackmail should set off alarms. ahead, why the dip employee mat backs the former spy who complied with the alleged trump's dossier. >> the news is back in the morning right here on "cbs this morning." lungs. i never thought that at only 45 it would give me a heart attack. my tip is; do your heart a favor, and quit now. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now. my advice for looking get your beauty sleep. and use aveeno® absolutely ageless® night cream with active naturals® blackberry complex. younger looking skin can start today. absolutely ageless® from aveeno®.

befi was active.gia, i was energetic. then the chronic, widespread pain drained my energy. my doctor said moving more helps ease fibromyalgia pain. he also prescribed lyrica. fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. for some, lyrica can significantly relieve fibromyalgia pain and improve function, so i feel better. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or blurry vision. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica.

don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can be more active. ask your doctor about lyrica. that's werther's originallatey. sugar free hard or chewy caramels. just one taste and you won't believe they're sugar free. discover chocolate flavored werther's original sugar free.

new. don't just eat yogurt... wear it. daily moisturizing body yogurt. enriched with the nutrients found in greek yogurt, intensely nourishes skin for 48 hours. aveeno®. naturally beautiful results®. (amanda) my i was pregnant.while

this is the view i had of my baby in the nicu. my tip is, speak into the opening so your baby can hear you better. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit-now.

good morning, i'm rahel solomon. police are searching for suspect who robbed an up scale consignment shop in manayunk. investigators say two armed men entered remix at 7:00 o'clock last night, held up a clerk and customer. short time later more robbers entered and stole cash, fur, leather jackets, boots and other items. lets check the forecast with lauren casey. it should be a thighs day. >> nice day mix of sun and included in store for today and very nice element we will see temperatures at 54 degrees 15 degrees above our average for today and then tonight chill which above average mostly clear dropping down to 36 degrees and tomorrow still mild near 50 degrees but rain develops as we head in the afternoon and meisha, for upcoming weekend it is january but we will be again in the middle 50's to kick things off

on saturday. >> craziness, but we love it. thanks much for that. good morning. happy gateway to the weekend. we have a problem spot out there you can see schuylkill westbound at gladwynn pulled off to that right shoulder but you will slow down and have gaper delay in that area another accident here in cheltenham ashburn road at old york road you will use alternate spring avenue as your best bet. stay away if you can. another accident pennsylvania turnpike eastbound near mid county and we have another one northeast extension northbound past mid county spilled off to the shoulder. rahel, back to you. our next update 7:55. up next on cbs this morning shedding new light on donald trump's dossier, i'm rahel solomon, good morning.

explore your treatment options with specialists who treat only cancer. every stage... every day.... at cancer treatment centers of america. learn more at cancercenter.com/experts

the secret service agents who will protect president-elect trump, vice president-elect pence and their spouses for tomorrow's inauguration are training hard. they practiced a potential walk during the inaugural parade. dozens of agents ran through nearly 40 different scenarios involving everything from protesters to first lady spraining her ankle. one thing that's different, the presidential drone above the motorcade. >> they practice for everything. that's the thing. >> get ready. >> best in the world. welcome back to "cbs this morning." coming up this half hour a former diplomat talked. he knows a former british agent

who compiled a dossier of unverified allegations against the president-elect. >> plus a tweet can influence the business strategy of a fortune 500 company. his critical messages may also shake up the company stock. find out how some businesses could profit from mr. trump's tweets. time to show you some of this morning's headline. the "washington post" reports the scientists declared last year the hottest year on record. 2016 was the third year in a row of record-breaking heat. average surface temperatures last year were .07 higher. three government lawsuits were filed against navient yesterday. they handle $300 billion in loans. every customer could be affected. navient is accused of serious

mistakes in collection and driving up loan repayment costs. the company has denied all wrongdoing. in a lawsuit he says apple failed to deploy technology that would disable drivers' phones. a similar suit has been filed by the parents of a girl who was killed by a driver who was using face time. apple was asked to comment but did not. "the wall street journal" reports on more airlines charging basic economy stairs. america is following delta and united. they're rolling out a cheaper fare next month. fewer amenities, no overhead bins, and various seating. it's in an effort to compete with different carriers. novak djokovic lost the second round of five sets to

denis is stow min. he's from uzbekistan. he was trying to win it seven times dhouchls that happen? he must feel hop. 117. >> after being so brilliant. he's had a tough time. >> wow. >> we're learning more and more about how an unverified report of russian blackmail attempts against president-elect trump reached officials. it was compiled by former british spy christopher steele who went into hire. he shared the information with ambassador wood. he found it credible enough to present it to john mccain last november at a security conference. charlie d'agata spoke with wood. charlie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. mi6 headquarters, home to britain's secret intelligence services where a man behind a trump dossier learned his craft.

christopher steele is now in hiding but the former ambassador to moscow knows him well and said the practice of sexual entrapment in russia is rife. sir andrew wood says he can readily vouch for christopher steele because he's known the ex-spy for years and as britain's former diplomat in moscow he's seen politicians and businessman targeted. >> they're expressly told to avoid sexual entrapment. is it the same for british diplomats? >> well, yes, of course. >> you're cautioned specifically about russia. >> well, certainly. >> reporter: because he says nowhere else are honey traps and blackmail part of the spying playbook as it is in russia. >> no question about it. >> no question. >> no question whatsoever. it's one of those things that one supposes everybody knows. >> reporter: everybody like

president-elect donald trump here himself here at the miss universe pageant in moscow. he said he routinely warned his own staff of being aware of hubby traps while in the country. mr. trump says it's a complete fabrication. wood told us he doesn't know if the allegations are true but somebody like donald trump would certainly be a potential target. >> he's in a position of possible inference in the united states. no one knew, i suppose, that he was going to become president then. why not give it a go and stick it away for possible use later. >> because that's what russians do. >> yes. >> reporter: the russians may be looking for christopher steele, too, but he's gone to ground after telling one of his neighbors to look after his cat. but what we do know is he's not under the protection of the british secret service intelligence services.

gayle? >> i learned something new. honey trap. something to look out for. >> and steele has cats. >> wouldn't you love to talk to mr. steele? yes. open invitation. the so-called tweet never chief is what some are calling him now. followers should expect more posts. he has 20 million followers making social media a social tool. how his twitter attacks on businesses create unprecedent inferences. >> good morning, gayle. it's no secret. just ask companies like boeing, ford, toyota, or macy's. all it takes are 140 characters for him to move markets in a big way. >> i've been quite active, i guess you could say, in an economic way for the company. >> the president-elect was busy tweeting at big business. earlier this month trump

targeted general motars for chevy made chevy cruzes. gm stock dropped 1%. the company said most cruze models are made in ohio. when he tweeted that the prices were out of control. they vowed to lower costs. >> we're going to get those costs way down and get the plane to be even better. >> reporter: hits to both stock companies were better. >> this is an entirely new level of it. >> because trump's twitter feet can instantly hurt or help a company, she said branlsd need to be ready for everything it's about thinking through the motions how would we react if trump tweeted a positive thing to us a negative thing.

>> reporter: a popular app called trigger notifies them if trump tweets about a company they invested in. >> he's tweeting about specific companies calling them out on twitter and that's having massive effects in the stockmarket. >> reporter: the company's app tracks major financial news and events or triggers to help investors. tumblr recently became their most popular feature. >> we've seen cap losses in the billions of dollar. one single tweet can affect billions. >> reporter: klaassen says some companies may profit. >> do you think we're going to see the tables turn where companies go after trump in the hopes of baiting themselves into a twitter war and raising their public profile. >> do you know the adage all publicity is good publicity? i'm sure they're thinking of

that. if you're on trump's radar, there's a good chance you're going to be on a lot of other people's radar very soon. >> while the majority took hits some companies have seen boosts including fiat chrysler which saw an uptick after a favorable tweet from the president-elect. experts say the lasting effects of mr. trump's tweets on the economy and big business are yet to be seen. >> it's so interesting the things that make some people cringe are what people who support him really like. why would he stop? >> it's the trifecta of the power of social media and mr. trump. >> it demands attention. >> indeed it does. >> thank you, alex. >> good to see you guys. nasa plan as mission to an asteroid that may contain minerals. ahead, how it could prepare the way for potential mining expeditions in the future. and we invite you to sub excite to our "cbs this morning"

podcast. you get news of the day, interviews, and podcast originals. i saw gayle tapg one yesterday. >> i was. original. >> find them all. very original. find them all on apple's ipod apps. we'll be right back. i have asthma... ...one of many pieces in my life. so when my asthma symptoms kept coming back on my long-term control medicine. i talked to my doctor and found a missing piece in my asthma treatment with breo. once-daily breo prevents asthma symptoms. breo is for adults with asthma not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. breo won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. breo is specifically designed to open up airways to improve breathing for a full 24 hours. breo contains a type of medicine that increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. breo is not for people whose asthma is well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid.

once your asthma is well controlled, your doctor will decide if you can stop breo and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. do not take breo more than prescribed. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. ask your doctor if 24-hour breo could be a missing piece for you. learn more about better breathing at mybreo.com. is caringing because covering heals faster. for a bandage that moves with you and stays on all day, cover with a band-aid brand flexible fabric adhesive bandage. all eyes are on olay ultimate allurclaire's most wanted.marie eyes show emotion, not your age. olay eyes. ageless. the uncertainties of hep c. i don't want to live with or wonder whether i should seek treatment. i am ready.

because today there's harvoni. a revolutionary treatment for the most common type of chronic hepatitis c. harvoni is proven to cure up to 99% of patients... ...who've had no prior treatment. it transformed treatment as the first cure that's... ...one pill, once a day for 12 weeks. certain patients... ...can be cured with just 8 weeks of harvoni. harvoni is a simple treatment regimen that's been prescribed to more than a quarter of a million patients. tell your doctor if you've had a liver transplant, other liver or kidney problems, hiv, or any other medical conditions, and about all the medicines you take including herbal supplements. taking amiodarone with harvoni may cause a serious slowing of your heart rate. common side effects of harvoni may include tiredness, headache and weakness. i am ready to put hep c behind me. i am ready to be cured. are you ready? ask your hep c specialist if harvoni is right for you.

nasa's working to uncover the mystery behind an asteroid that may contain a priceless trove of minerals. they plan to send an unmanned spacecraft to the chunk of metal in the solar system known as 16 psyche. some scientists estimate its minerals could be worth 10 quadrillion dollars. that's a 10 with 19 zeros behind it. what behind this out of this

world value. >> when the film armageddon debuted 20 years ago, the idea of getting close to an asteroid, the idea seemed like science fiction. not anymore. >> we've been to all the different planets, the other asteroids, but we never visited a body that's been made entirely of metal. >> reporter: now nasa led by the e arizona state university they plan to review this. the mission's leader at arizona state estimates the iron alone today on the market would be worked 10,000 quad rillion dollars. that's a 1 followed by 19 zeros. >> is there a plan to take advantage of all the metal on an asteroid like this? >> we're going to learn about

planetary formation but we're not going to try to bring any of this material back and use it for industry. >> reporter: nasa already launched a separate mission last september with plans to return to earth with a sample and a private company called planetary resources is working to develop a satellite geared toward potentially lucrative asteroid ex-plor racing. do you expect that people would want to go mine that some day? >> well, you know, let's go explore it first and let's see what it's made of and then we can let people decide what they want to do with it. >> reporter: once the psyche mission launches in 2023, it will take seven years to get to its out of this world destination. for "cbs this morning" carter er evans, los angeles. >> so much to explore. it's amazing. >> a big universe. >> a big old world. you're right, charlie.

more than this room. the night sky lit up in mexico. ahead, a massive volcano >> announcer: this portion of "cbs this morning" sponsored by cigna. together all the way. the more complicated, the better. i love you. but i love him. i love him, too. so do i.

they also know you should get your annual check-up. it could save your life. it's a new year. schedule your check-up today to learn your four health numbers and start the year off right. cigna. together, all the way. that just tastes better. fresher. more flavorful. delicious. with more great nutrition. and 25% less saturated fat. only eggland's best. better taste. better nutrition. better eggs. say hi to xiidra, lifitegrast ophthalmic solution. the first eye drop approved for the signs and symptoms of dry eye. one drop in each eye, twice a day. common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied to the eye,

and an unusual taste sensation. do not touch the container tip to your eye or any surface. remove contacts before using xiidra and wait for at least 15 minutes before reinserting them. if you have dry eyes, ask your doctor about xiidra. listen, sugar, we're lettin' you go. it's that splenda naturals gal, isn't it? coffee: look, she's sweet, she's got natural stevia, no bitter aftertaste, and zero calories. all the partners agree? even iced tea? especially iced tea. goodbye, sugar. hello, new splenda naturals. goodbye, sugar. z28cnz zwtz y28cny ywty cottonelle asked real people their bums.ing... what? (laughs) (laughs) what does cleanripple texture do? catches all the stuff that you want to get out. this is really nice. this one is, like, it goes the extra step.

it gets it all clean. how does being clean feel? kind of sassy. uh, breezy. hands up. weeeeeee. my bum is saying, "thank you very much." cleanripple texture is designed to clean better. go cottonelle, go commando.

dramatic video shows a volcano erupting. the massive explosion was followed by a large plume of ash yesterday. lightning strikes could be seen inside the smoke that rose more than 6,500 feet into the air. this volcano is in western mexico. it is part of the pacific ridge of fire. the volcano had been growing more active for the past couple of months. that is reportedly because a new lava dome is expanding. >> that's part of the big world you were talking about. it's a big old world you were talking about. >> yes. all right.

bob schieffer. he doesn't erupt but he has covered the past events. he shares what makes this inauguration so different from the others. good morning, guys. nice to see you. >> good morning. >> what a cute pair. >> i know. they're going to "face the nation" coming up. >> bobby and johnny will join us. >> bobby and johnny sitting in a tree. 7 days ago, karen wasn't thinking about joining her daughter's yoga class. she was thinking about her joints. but now that she's taking osteo bi-flex, she's noticing a real difference in her joint comfort. with continued use, it supports increased flexibility over time. "she's single." it also supports wonderfully high levels of humiliation in her daughter. "she's a little bit shy." your joint comfort can be your kid's discomfort. try osteo bi-flex ease. our 80% smaller tablet. osteo bi-flex. made to move. i'm raph. my name is anne. i'm one of the real live attorneys you can talk to through legalzoom.

don't let unanswered legal questions hold you up, because we're here, we're here, and we've got your back. legalzoom. legal help is here. legal help is here. i wanthat's full.life full of a happiness found in living the life i want. full of the energy that comes with good health. full of the great foods i love. and at weight watchers, i don't have to choose between weight loss and living well. i live well, while losing weight. it is easier than it's ever been, and not one day have i felt deprived. most important, it works! join for free and get one month free. hurry, offer ends february 1st. wish your skin coulback like i? neutrogena hydro boost water gel. with hyaluronic acid it plumps skin cells with intense hydration and locks it in. for supple, hydrated skin. hydro boost. from neutrogena

[phi anne.g] so those financial regulations being talked about? they could affect your accounts, so let's get together and talk, and make sure everything's clear. yeah, that would be great. being proactive... it's how edward jones makes sense of investing.

good morning, i'm jim donovan. eight people are out of their homes this morning after a overnight tire, in delaware. the two alarm fire damage four town houses, on toscanini new castle shortly after midnight. the one person was treated foreshock inhalation so far there is no word on the cause of that blaze. lets go over to lauren for today's weather. >> thanks jim, mild january day in store high temperatures will be topping off ten to 15 degrees above average, you can leave those winter mittens behind 54 degrees mix of sun and cloud, a thighs day wind out of the northwest at five to ten. tonight still quiet mostly clear, chilly because above average with a low of 36 degrees. the as we head into tomorrow still above average at 50 but rain develops as we head in the afternoon, a dry start to

the weekend and mild again with highs in the middle 50's but meisha watching out for rain rhea arriving late day sunday and continuing into hon , yeah. >> we don't need mittens but sunglasses, don't we, lauren. thanks for. that good morning everyone. happy gate the way to the weekend. boulevard very slow approaching the schuylkill and also we have an accident still out there schuylkill westbound at gladwynn pulled off to the right shoulder height be clearing throughout. the accident in cheltenham ashburn road at old york road you will use the spring avenue is your best bet. ape overturn vehicle on 842 still there, scrim. next update 8:25. coming up on cbs this morning bob schieffer and john dickerson break down the presidential that you go racial. i'm jim donovan. make it a great

it is thursday, january 19th, 2017. welcome back to "cbs this morning." there is more real news ahead, including bob sheechieffer and n dickerson, there they are on the national mall. what to expect tomorrow and the expectations of president-elect trump. but first here's today's "eye opener" at 8:00. the avalanche came after a series of earthquakes and aftershocks. the hotel was covered by mountainous snow. >> iran says 30 firefighters were killed. that was an emphasis of big economic security fofss. >> by the end of the day, 15 of

trump's nominees will have gone before congress and the fight is how many will be confirmed tomorrow right after mr. trump takes his oath of office. >> there was an aspiring moment where he expressed his point that he'll not be the last. >> a white, a latino. who knows. i suppose we'll have a mix jum of presidents at some point that nobody know as what to call them and that's fine. >> we wanted to bid a fond farewell to the 44th president barack obama. they've already started moving out of the white house. they moved to an eight-bedroom home in washington, d.c. they wanted a place for plenty of room in the house for the girls and plenty of room out in back for joe biden to run around. i'm charlie rose with gayle king and norah o'donnell. rescue workers in central

italy are trying desperately to rescue people that are trapped in a hotel by snow. some have sent messages from inside pleading to be rescued. the hotel was built to be earthquake-proof but has no protection against avalanches. >> that mountainous region was hit by earthquake fwhs the past and received three feet of snow last week. alpine skiers were reaching them by skis. some believed to be inside the buried building tweeted help, we are cold. the president-elect escapes his press pool last night to visit his hotel near the white house and he banned reporters from seeing or hearing his remarks at two inaugural events. instead he tweets photos honoring mike pence. mr. trump is at trump tower and

will return to d.c. to lay a wreath at the atom of the unknown at arlington cemetery. he'll stay at the blair house. it's the guest house. and it's traditional for president-elects to stay there the night before the inauguration. that is a very different tone than president-elect trump has taken toward russia and toward president vladimir putin. speaker ryan told us he's not sure what mr. trump's long-term plan is for dealing with russia. >> you're having conversations with him. wouldn't you want to say -- >> i think he believes in carrot stick diplomacy. >> transactional. >> first offer but not my final position. >> i think it served him extremely well. i think it's worked very well and he's made a difference already before he's gotten in office on this, and so i think that's nontraditional. i said this. i'm going to go on a limb here.

>> all right. >> i think there's going to be an unconventional presidency here. >> that's a big limb. >> russia, i manevolent actor. >> he said he'd reduce the sanctions if they do something, we know not what. >> i can't speak to that but he knows they're up to no good, he knows they tried to meddle in our elections and he knows they do not share our interests. >> i asked about the affordable care act and he said they'll have it together. >> he seems in good humor. >> he's in good form. we spoke for about 60 minutes. >> you have mike spence, josh

earne earnest and mike beer. >> he was at my table. we're hearing that trump in terms of regulations having do with securities industry, regulations having to do with the environmental is going to be a principle target. >> that's what republicans and conservatives want. >> it's almost ahead of tax reform. hundreds of thousands of people will go to the inauguration. 59% believe he'll bring change to washington but 61% believe he'll divide the country. bob schieffer has covered 13 inaugurations since 1965. he's on the national mall with "face the nation" moderator john dickerson. great to have both of you with us this morning. great to see you. >> good morning. >> let me start with you. donald trump is on track for one of the slowest confirmation timelines in modern history. reports, too, about a national

security team that hasn't been coordinated. what are you hearing? >> well, talking to a democrat last night -- democratic senator s, this senator said they're going to try to confirm as much of the national security team as much as possible because they want some people in there to balance out some of donald trump's exciting views particularly on countries like russia, so i think he's likely to get that team in place. and then the others, you know, it will depend. the speed of the team coming into place is one thing, but the really interesting question is the distance between donald trump and what he says publicly and then what these cabinet heads are going to do and believe and actually put into place when they get their jobs and that is the more important question here at the dawn of the trump administration. >> bob schieffer, for example, suppose the defense minister in russia or china wants to speak to the man who's running the military this weekend.

who does he talk to? >> well, that's the question and that's why there is so much anxiety in the foreign policy community, foreign policy establishment as it is. i spent a lot of time with some foreign policy types this week, and to them that is the thing that worries them the most, and that is no one really knows what to expect. they're very disturbed by all this tweeting that's going on, for example, for fear that someone in another capital, read that north korea, might misinterpret what is said. they don't know whether to take that seriously or not. they don't know who at this point actually speaks for the president. this is a very unusual transition that we're going through here, and let's not forget. a big part of the reason for that is this took everyone by surprise. a lot of people were pleased

with what happened. a lot of people were not pleased with what happened. but most people were surprised by the outcome of this election including the people closest to trump. i'm told that the day before the election they were giving themselves a 20% chance of winning. >> wow. and he made it clear, bob schieffer, that he's not going to give up tweeting. i'm wondering how you hear this compares to the mood and expectations of past inaugurations that you've covered and that you've attended? >> well, there's a drinking game among the younger people in our washington bureau, how long will it take ol' bob to say, i've never seen anything like this in my life. so, okay, guys. >> drink up? >> i must have said it a hundred times. >> is ol' bob saying it now? >> it's very, very different. >> so an interesting question it seems to me, john, we don't know how much of this is going to be a continuing part of the trump administration. >> this question of where the president stands and where his -- >> all the tweeting and using

social media and violating what would have been norms of the past. >> yeah. well, the -- the changing of norms is one of the key and important questions of the trump administration. the twitter can be used as a distraction. it is -- i think what will end up or is likely to happen is there's a lot on a president's plate or there should be, anyway. and creating distractions will become ever more burdensome as the administration goes on. there aren't enough hours in the day just to deal with the things in front of a president let alone the distractions being created. so my guess is -- and president obama said this yesterday in his press conference. reality will start to impinge, and once it's pointed out to the president, the new president that this is causing issues for secretaries of state and defense, that might limit the kind of tweeting that goes on. >> bob -- >> may i just add one thing to

that? you know, at the end of the republican convention this summer, i said one of the few things that actually did come true. i said what we've learned from this convention is that donald trump is going to run in the general election as donald trump, and that's exactly what he did. he did not change anything. so i think at least in the beginning of this administration, we're going to see the same trump that we came to know in the primaries, in the general election. i think that's the donald trump that will be taking the office. >> so far it's been working for him. it's been working for him, bob schieffer. >> bob, one of the things, too, in the past when george w. bush handed over things to president obama, he said the next president deserves my silence. yesterday we saw president obama in the white house briefing room draw some different red lines saying there would be some issues that would cause him to come back and speak on that issue. obama is going to be less two miles away living in washington. this is going to be very different than what we receive.

>> extremely different. and i think the president will take a little time off in the beginning, but we've not heard the last of barack obama. i think you're going to hear him speak out on issues when he thinks he needs to do that. >> yes. >> not only that, the democratic party has got to start rebuilding and looking ahead. >> i think the democratic party is in total at the eaal tattern. if you were to sit down and see who would be the next democratic nominee in four years, nobody knows that. >> i think he's probably aware of it. second airily, he knows and the democrat know it would be a gift to president trump to have barack obama kibitzing from the side. what donald trump needs is an opponent, an enemy. he gets all those behind him rooting against barack obama. so i think that president obama

will be very careful actually about when he weighs in. >> i agree with you, john. i think he wants to remain silent. he said to friends he wants to be quiet for a while. >> he talked about being sigh leshlts for a year. he said that parenthetically, but that was an interesting remark. >> lots of questions to be continued. as norah said, never boring, never dull. >> we're going to be busy too. >> bob schieffer and john dickerson, always good to soo you both. cbs news will bring you coverage all day. it begins right here on "cbs this morning." we're heading down to washington. >> what time are we on from? >> 7:00 a.m. until whenever. >> well, donald trump takes the oath of office, movers will be hard at work at the white house. ahead what michelle obama said about leaving the home she has raised her

a team in the white house wants to make sure all americans are heard. ahead, how they cyst through millions of pieces of snail mail and electronic messages to share the pulse with the president. >> i can't believe that. look at that there. >> that's a big job. you're watching "cbs this morning." we'll be right back. 4 i used to run, i loved it but a bad injury led to chronic pain. prescription opioids helped with the pain... but left me constipated. fiber, laxatives, still constipated. finally, i let it out, told my doctor. that was my movantik moment. he said movantik is specifically designed for oic and can help me go more often. don't take movantik if you have a bowel blockage or a history of them. movantik may cause serious side effects, including symptoms of opioid withdrawal, severe stomach pain and/or diarrhea,

and tears in the stomach or intestine. tell your doctor about any side effects and about medicines you take. movantik may interact with them causing side effects. let it out like i did. have your movantik moment. talk to your doctor about opioid-induced constipation. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

gayle is heading over to trump tower for an interview you'll see tomorrow morning dur our inauguration coverage. throughout history when the president gets sworn in, a massive makeover takes place. it's transformed in hours. about 100 decorators will redecorate the home. chip reid is outside with how this chaos will work. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this move has been planned for months but it will be executed with military precision in a matter of hours. by the time the trumps arrive here tomorrow, it will be like walking into a new home designed just for them. >> so help me god. >> congratulations, mr. president. >> reporter: as the nation focuses on the transition of power outside the capitol building, a whirlwind of activity is taking place as the

staffers make the home for them. >> they literally move your stuff out in one day. you are living there and suddenly -- it's not all out on the side lawn. they pack it up. >> it's about five hours of organized chaos at the white house. >> kate anderson brauer covers transitions inside her book. >> resident staffers moves mattresses and headboards and putting framed photographs on dressers and making sure the house is absolutely perfect for the new family. >> reporter: and while the trumps will have reign to decorate the private residence, the oval office will remain true. >> dwight eisenhower put in a putting greene on the south lawn. president bush 41 put in a

horseshoe pit. barack obama made the tennis court a basketball court. there's certain tweaks you can do. the history of the white house will not change. >> i'll miss it. i mean i miss this magnificent house that we've had a chance to live in, the staff that work here. >> reporter: it's a similar feeling for michelle obama who wednesday posted to instagram her final walk through the white house. >> i find myself choking up because we have raised our kids in the white house. we've had so many amazing experiences. we're going to be walking away from all that. >> the obamas won't be going far. they'll be renting a house less than two miles from here while sacha finishes high school and school is also affecting the moving plans of melania trump. she'll spend most of her time in new york while her 10-year-old son barron finishes the school year.

charlie? >> thanks. they say they're going to miss "air force one." >> yes. the greatest plane ever. yes. certainly, the team at the white house, they stay on through the presidents, you know. the staff at the white house and they help regardless of political party. the hamilton broadway helps make gold. ahead, the price tag on the founding father's letters. accelerate healing. let's review: heat, plus relief, plus healing, equals thermacare. the proof that it heals is you. of bad breath germs% for a 100% fresh mouth. feeling 100% means you feel bold enough to... ...assist a magician... ...or dance. listerine®. bring out the bold™ fothere's a seriousy boomers virus out there that's been almost forgotten. it's hepatitis c. one in 30 boomers has hep c, yet most don't even know it.

because it can hide in your body for years without symptoms, and it's not tested for in routine blood work. the cdc recommends all baby boomers get tested. if you have hep c, it can be cured. for us it's time to get tested. ask your healthcare provider for the simple blood test. it's the only way to know for sure. do you know how your you might be surprised. stimulant laxatives make your body go by forcefully stimulating the nerves in your colon. miralax is different. it works with the water in your body to hydrate and soften, unblocking your system naturally. miralax. take one of those pillows they smell really fresh. what if we told you we washed these sheets 7 days ago. really no way downy? downy fabric conditioner. give us a week, and we'll change your bed forever. want more freshness? add new downy fresh protect.

america's nationwide hopes

and fears with the good morning i'm rahel solomon, the fbi is investigating a series of bomb threats direct at jewish community sent's cross the country and jcc in wilmington was evacuated yesterday after a threat, same center threaten less than two weeks ago, 28 different centers in 17 states have been targeted but federal authorities are investigating possible civil rights violationness connection with those threats. lets turn it over to meteorologist lauren casey in the weather center. mild day. >> mild take in store we had cloud, and those cloud clearing out as we have a live look at the our neighborhood network palmyra cove nature park in new jersey overlooking center city philadelphia, that cloud deck lift ago way, temperature right now 42 degrees we are starting off above our average high temperature for the day and

temperatures will be cruising in the middle 50's this afternoon, good amount of sunshine just a really nice, january thursday, in store and for tonight the mostly clear, chilly but still above average with the low temperature dropping back down to 36 degrees and we have a nice, mild stretch in store in your seven day forecast but couple soggy days, starting tomorrow rain moving in during the afternoon hours could impact our try evening commute, and dry gannon saturday backup in the middle 50's but then rain, redeveloping into late day sunday and continuing into our monday. >> so, just to have stay in the moment right now, lauren. >> yes. >> we can do that. >> beautiful out there. good morning. new jersey 42 freeway northbound at creek road, it is less than posted speeds approaching 295 and take a look at the this area schuylkill westbound approaching city avenue both directions west and eastbound. we have an accident out there in berlin, new jersey route 73 southbound closed at jackson road you will use alternate route 30 and white horse pike is your best bet. it does sound like this is a

clearing out of the way right the thousand. thanks, meisha. our next update 8:55. ahead this morning a philadelphia man is getting mail there president obama i'm rahel solomon good morning.

after the hit "hamilton", prices soared. man skrupts and letters raised more than $2.5 million. that's about $500,000 more than they anticipated. one manuscript sold for $262,500. a lock of his brother's hair went for $37,000. >> hamilton is hot. >> oh, boy. rise up. welcome back to "cbs this morning." gayle is doing an interview at trump tower right now. we'll see that tomorrow during the inauguration coverage.

many who voted for trump have a positive outlook. others have doubt. our new series "we the people" examine that. plus, president obama will receive his final mail delivery from americans tonight as commander in chief. ahead we hear from the women who sort through millions of messages and from one letter writer who received a reply. right now it's time to show you this morning's headlines from around the globe. mccartney hopes to regain copyrights next year to songs he wrote for the band. now under american law works produced before 1978 must be returned to their creators 56 years after the date of the original copyright. guess what? 2018 will be 56 years since john lennon and mccartney first started writing songs together. >> wow. >> 56 years.

wow. the "los angeles times" reports on the priciest house for sale in the united states. it is a newly built mega mansion in bel air. the list price, $250 million. it has 12 bedrooms and a helicopter on the roof. there's a bowling alley, a candy room, two wine cellars. it includes a fleet of cars. it's for billionaires who may want to move in red-home. >> it looks like there was a tv in the pool. pretty awesome. all right, "the wall street journal" report as what gives money its distinctive smell. a german perfumer says he thinks he's found the perfect blend. it has over 100 chemicals and leather from being in wallets and change. the tv streaming service

netflix added 7 million members in 2006. net new mexico was $67 million. netflix ended 2016 with nearly 94 million subscribers worldwide. and "the cincinnati enquirer" says an unusual monkey was the first creature born this year at the city zoo. babies of the threatened species are snow white with little pink faces. scientists say that makes it easy for mothers to see them in dense african rainforests. the monkey will turn black and white. that's bananas. tomorrow we'll witness the inauguration of our 45th president. we're launching a new series this morning called "we the people." we go beyond the pomp and circumstance of the swearing in to examine america's hopes and fears for the trump presidency. we traveled across the country

and spoke with four people with different political backgrounds and beliefs. here they are in their own words. >> my name is steven. >> i'm steven. >> i'm a special education teacher and i teach instructors, ohio, and i voted for hillary clinton. small town, blue collar, we've always been a democratic stronghold. i don't understand why so many people in this community would vote for him. it just felt like a joke, like this was the best pick from the republican party, a man with no political experience who is abrasi abrasive, brash, mocks people that aren't like him. >> trump's won the presidency. in a lot of ways, i feel like i can't express what i really feel. i can't express like that i'm grateful or i can't express those things because suddenly i'm the bigot. i really want to see people have

the opportunities. i grew up in a christian home. my daud who's a general contractor taught me the value of hard work. i've begun my own business with heavy equipment. i'm excited for what's to come with the new by and new economy. >> and we will make america great. >> i voted for donald trump because i believe that he represents the best options for creating an ecosystem where my children can prosper. i felt that hillary clinton was kind of presenting a picture and some of nair active there was capitalism was bad. >> and i believe wall street can never ever be allowed to wreck main street again. >> the market is boning and i believe a lot of that is because of donald trump's presence there. i don't deny that donald trump used the art of rhetoric, the art of influence with words, and the art of tickling people's emotions. i don't deny that. but how he governs is a whole different thing.

>> they're screaming we want the wall, we want the wall, build the wall. we're going to build the wall, don't worry about it. >> when donald trump says those things, one, it's not presidential, two, it's not what this nation is about. i was born in mexico and i emigrated to the u.s. when we us 5 years old. i remember crossing, running, all of a sudden being in a whole new world. i felt like any typical american kid. i'm the first attorney to be allowed to practice in the great state of new york being i'm documented. >> i think that everybody should have the opportunity to work hard and make something of themselves, but that's what it takes. it takes hard work and america is not built on free handouts. when i was 20, i had to have brain surgery. i was told i had a year to live. thus i've habed to have, you know, specialized health care and i'm going into starting my own business.

i'm responsible for my own insurance. i really hope that donald trump will work on the obamacare problem. >> my mom's on obamacare. obviously he's going to repeal it and she's going to lose her health care insurance and he says he's going to replace it immediately after. i don't understand how the united states can vote for a man whose rhetoric is so hateful. >> look at my african-american over here. look at him. are you the greatest? >> i don't believe he's racist, no. i can say sometimes he's not the best cultural communicator in the world. the reason i do the dop work is to bring ideas. i receive lots of backlash in my support for trump. >> i'm going to bring your jobs back to america. >> i think that if donald trump does increase the number of jobs that are available in america, that this would be a great boon

to the self-esteem of our country. >> anyone who has entered the united states illegally is subject to deportation. >> one of the fears i do have is i could be subject to deportation any day. my family, many of them, are residents or u.s. citizens. we have a broken immigration system that is going to separate families, american families. >> you can't trust him with a cell phone. how are we going trust him with nuclear launch codes. >> a lot of people are like, he's going to hit the red button. and my response to that is, you know what? he's not because he's surrounded by a great team. >> working together we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation. >> my biggest hope is that the american people will reflect on what makes us great, which is our immigrant background, our diversity, and our strength to your come challenges.

>> i hope that he works closely with democrats and republicans on bipartisan ways to further the country. >> do i agree with everything he does? no. did i vote for him? no. but i live in america. i'm an american. of course, i want him to succeed. because if he succeeds, our country succeeds. >> we will follow up with holy, steve, leo, and caesar, to see how their perspective changes on donald trump's presidency. the white house receives around 10 million messages every year from funny to critical. ahead we hear

this is amazing. 20 is -- i mean -- 17, i get it. 18, sure. 19, i can see that. but 20 is outrageous. this is -- this is really something that means more to me -- >> ellen degeneres made history at the people's choice award. she was a three-time winner bringing it to 20. that's the most of any person in the awards history. >> 20 years is a long time in television. >> congratulations to you,

ellen. the united states postal service handles billions of mail each year. millions wind up at the most recognizable address. 1600 pennsylvania avenue in washington, d.c. tony dokoupil is here to show us what happens to all of those letters after they arrive at the white house. tony, good morning. >> good morning. the inside story at washington is always full of intrigue but for his entire presidency president obama has asked his staff to bring him a daily dose of the outside story, the thoughts, the feelings, and the ideas of the rest of america. that i do it by reading something that a lot of people think gets thrown away, letters to the president. >> i get a lot of letters if there the constituents. i get about 40 thousand every day. i don't read all 40,000. somebody does. >> reporter: for the past eight years one of those somebodies has been fiona reaves. >> i read on the elven lope, alert, cutest baby photo inside.

>> reporter: as director of presidential correspondence, she runs the team that looks at every single letter, e-mail, and message sent to the white house, about 10 million a year. >> all those people who self-identify as little ol' me, this is sort of their entry point. >> reporter: but in the first week president obama asked for something other presidents have not. to read some of the letters every night. >> >> he asked for ten that were representative and he was clear about the point it shouldn't be ten fan letters. >> reporter: reed herself reading 200 to 400 a night herself before giving the president ten for his briefing book. >> that's not easy to do. the content of the letters is often searing and personal. >> yeah. it can be emotionally draining. people are often reaching out to the president as a last resort. >> in this tradition, feelings matter more. >> reporter: it's powerful

because of what it conveys about your voice or what you've been through. we've received letters from veterans who are writing that could be stream of consciousness but that makes it so much more powerful. >> reporter: ore the years some of the letters have been sweet. >> she set up a vegetable garden and she sent me a picture. >> reporter: others have been funny. >> one was i'm retired, i've got some advise for you. you know, ride your bike a lot, spend time with your wife, draw. and then it said don't be afraid to day drink. i just thought that was pretty good. >> reporter: but many are critical. >> sometimes the letters say you are an idiot and the worst president ever. >> do you ever feel like he's had a bad few days and he needs uplifting letters? >> we do feel like when we give a bunch of tough stuff in them particularly if it's a friday we throw in a tenth letter that we sometimes refer to as a chaser like a kid letter. >> a chaser to make the hard

stuff go down easier. >> mm-hmm, yeah. >> reporter: president obama not only reads his letters, he often responds. >> dear stefan, thank you so much for your letter. we're so proud of you. keep up the good work. >> reporter: he's a graduate student in public policy at oxford university in england. in high school he wrote the president a letter thanking him for being an inspiration. the president's reply inspired him even more. >> even though the letter was short in a number of words, probably the most profound words that have ever been addressed to me before. >> reporter: reed says she's seen an uptick in praise for the president as more say good-bye. >> i'll always regard you as my president because you were the president who believed in me. >> reporter: later today she'll select the final ten letters president obama will read in office. >> what do you hope the president walks away with? >> i hope that he and the

country walk away with all of these people continuing to feel engaged and like their government here, that they can help change their government. think they's what he leaves with the government. i hope he walks away feeling pretty good about that. >> reporter: it's too late to send a letter to president obama but the white house will be accepting e-mail throughout the day. who knows. if you get in early, you might be in the hands of the president this evening. >> i might have missed it. how many does he respond to? >> about half. every night he's in the white house he writes ten, he writes margin notes and fiona writes them up and they get a reply. >> is there a number of how many he's received? >> it's millions of the course of the presidency. the way the people approached this president, it reminds me of a story. when fdr died, she fell over on the street and a reporter walked up to him and said, did you know

the president? he said, no, but he knew me. >> how are they going to now about. >> they're going to be archived. >> thank you. an extra special gift to a fan on her special night.

you can call the rockets james harden player of the game last night and not just because he scored 38 points. he took the game ball after houston got the ball, signed it, and gave it to a rockets fan who was celebrated her 100th birthday. he talked about it later and said he was blessed to meet her. >> that james harden is having a great year.

he's a good guy. tomorrow we'll bring y

good morning everyone i'm jim donovan police say security cameras captured an image of the suspects wanted for an armed robbery in manayunk. investigators say two armed men entered the designer consignment shop remix on main street around 6:00 last night they tied up a clerk and customer got away with $200 cash lust furs and other items , worth about $10,000. here's lauren's with a look at the today's forecast. >> thanks, jim. we are off to a nice start this thursday, mild conditions and really nice yan day, it is in store, high temperatures soaring about ten to 15 degrees above average up to 54, mix of sun's cloud but nice sunshine right now, definitely a less ant day. then for tonight mostly clear, quiet falling back to 36 degrees, bit chilly but

still above our average low and we will keep things very mild in the extended forecast, 49 degrees for tomorrow, and need to pass that umbrella with afternoon rain developing , a dry start to the weekend and extremely mild on saturday at 55 degrees. dry during daytime hours meisha on sunday but rain comes back late day sunday into hon. >> always got the to come back , toss than the it. thanks very much. right now we will look outside , take a look at ac expressway eastbound pass route 50 at carver right lane block including injuries. we have a disable vehicle ac expressway westbound, left lane blocked there another accident around that same area ac expressway east on route 40 mays landing, left lane is block there so head up on the ac expressway give yourself extra time. say at least half an hour at this point. boulevard pushing in the southbound direction toward schuylkill thinks what you are looking at there ones you jump on the schuylkill looking slow too. if i were you i would give yourself extra time there one area looking nice this morning right now is as we approach 9:00 o'clock hour is vine, pushing westbound treks you can see it looking goodies

bound side still traveling at posted seeds, we will go wide 18 on the schuylkill 14 on i-95, 11 on the blue route in the northbound direction. jim, over to you. >> thanks, meisha. that is "eyewitness news" for now. join us for "eyewitness news" at noon. i'm jim donovan. make it a great day.

i'm val. the orange money retirement squirrel from voya. i represent the money you save for the future. who's he? he's the green money you can spend now. what's up? gonna pay some bills, maybe buy a new tennis racket. he's got a killer backhand. when it's time to get organized for retirement, it's time to get voya.

the extreme weight loss power couple is here and they explain why you may want to re-think that new year's resolution. the ncis, star stricken with a debilitating disorder. >> i had a panic attack. and a seizure. >> should half of the planet be battling for this bad word? >> did kim k put herself at risk. and, recycling. >> i gave myself time to did it safely. >> announcer: that's today! ♪ [ applause ] ♪ >> dr. travis: it's a good day! dr. ordon, you want to know why? >> why? >> dr. travis: because we are joined by dr. nita landry. >> thank you! [ applause ]