and visible and rather heroic fit of defiance and blowing the whistle. and that story is amazing and it's coming up on tomorrow's show. and it's coming up on tomorrow's show. "first look" is up next. good morning, right now on "first look." overnight breaking news in a search for airasia flight 8501. a major part of the plane found floating. one that could finally give us answers. dangerous weather is clamping down on large portions of the u.s. from mud slides to crippling low temperatures. plus newly discovered. could this be earth's twin. a scary crash landing at a ski tournament. and at least someone is enjoying all this cold weather. good morning everybody. all right, we have breaking news to tell you about overnight. the first major wreckage of 8501 is found. inside the search zone, these eerie images the tail of the missing plane, identify the air

bus a-320. they'll reveal while the plane fell from the sky. also in the search zone, more heartache for families as more bodies are found. the number recovered is now at 40. 162 were onboard. and the "wall street journal" reports the airline is offering family members of each victim $100,000 in compensation. a lockdown has been lifted at a west texas v.a. medical center, but this was the scene yesterday as gunfire rang out at that clinic. according to el paso affiliate ktsm, a doctor was killed before the shooter turned the gun on himself or herself. the army hasn't identified either of them. the clinic serves the army base the fbi is investigating what caused that shooting. also this morning, parts of the u.s. are just being whacked by brutal weather from dangerous mud slides to deep freeze. nbc's kevin tibbles begins our coverage from chicago.

>> pennsylvania roads became skating rinks. soon filled with sliding cars and multiple crashes. accidents, too, some fatal, from iowa to indiana. whiteouts and car crashes became synonymous. >> here in chicago, there are 300,000 passenger rail trips per day. frozen switches would cause travel chaos. rail crews light gas heater fires to thaw them out. washington, d.c. woke to about 6 inches of snow in some areas. still, most schools remained open. and more than a dozen bus accidents were reported. in ohio many schools closed for the deep freeze. still, winter storm and windchill warnings remain in effect through thursday. nbc news, chicago. >> i'm miguel almaguer where out west the problem is too much rain. hillsides have come crashing down.

this massive mud slide sweeping at least six houses right off their foundations. with up to 9 inches of rain pounding the region monday rivers burst their banks, leaving some homes flooded while streets and highways are closed, cracked and crumbled. the snoqualmie falls is cascading at three times its normal rate. too much water, too fast. even the wildlife trapped. the massive cleanup will take weeks, maybe months. >> that was nbc's miguel almaguer reporting from washington and nbc's kevin tibbles from washington. the president plans to discuss the issues he will highlight in his upcoming state of the union address. meanwhile, though, republicans are now in control of congress. and leaders are already making their agenda known. let's get to tracie potts. she's live in washington. good morning to you, tracie. are the battle lines being drawn between dems and the gop?

>> oh no question about that especially between the white house and the republican leadership here, betty. you know, the president's headed out on this three-stop tour to talk about things he wants to promote. jobs, manufacturing, housing, college savings and how to pay for college. but republicans here on capitol hill say he is not driving this train. day one and they're already drawing lines in the snow. >> he's not going to determine what we do. >> in an interview with his hometown tv station, new senate majority leader mitch mcconnell says the bill to approve the keystone oil pipeline will land on the president's desk. >> the president is not going to set our agenda in the senate. >> but the white house after leaving the door open to compromise a day earlier now says -- >> i can confirm for you if this bill passes this congress the president wouldn't sign it either. >> the president's off to michigan today to talk jobs. >> i'm going to detroit to talk

about more things we can do to promote advance manufacturing and innovation in our research base. >> republicans insist keystone will create jobs, some democrats agree. >> making us stronger as a nation or less dependent on energy as far as oils. >> in the polls consistently, the american public by about 70% wants this project done. so in essence, the president would be saying no i'm going to overrule the congress and the people of this country. >> senate republicans think they have enough democrats onboard to override the president's veto. >> so that's where they are in all of this right now. but really the senate is already running behind. just a one, and they were supposed to have a hearing today about the keystone pipeline to kick off weeks of debate. but that hearing's been postponed. it's canceled for today. >> thank you, tracie. we appreciate that report. for 12 years, felicia rashad played cosby's wife on the cosby

show. she's coming to his defense for the first time since sex abuse allegations resurfaced. she says quote, forget these women. what you're seeing is the destruction of a legacy. and i think it is orchestrated. i don't know why or who's doing it. her comments come one day after keisha knight pulliam also came to his defense. >> i hope that people won't allow allegations. again, because none of us were there. there are two sides to a story. it's a horrible situation however you slice it. but i feel that once the dust settles that people recognize how much he's given to our society. and with all of his work. >> in recent months more than 20 women have come forward with claims he either drugged or sexually assaulted them decades ago. cosby has never been charged with a crime and his representatives have dismissed all of the allegations. just yesterday he issued a statement to fans warning them

about possible demonstrations against him at upcoming shows in canada. he told them quote, if a disruption occurs please remain calm until the matter is resolved and do not confront the perp making the disruption. i'm going to give my fans the show of their life. let's get down to business now. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. the markets will try and shake off the new year blues after stocks fell for a third straight day to start 2015. investors continue to worry about europe's economy and oil prices. crude hovering near $47 a barrel today. trade deficit and minutes from last month's fed meeting. intel wants to power the next big thing, wearable devices. at the consumer electronics show intel's ceo showed off a computer the size of a button for smart clothes and a wristband drone that becomes a flying camera that takes selfies. if you don't want to break the bank, avis has a solution. the rental car company is now

offering the new maserati which sells for $70,000, but it's only available in select cities such as miami, l.a. and lax. las vegas. >> why buy when you can rent one of those. now let's get the latest in sports. nice to see you this morning. let's start with an nba buzzer beater that didn't go as planned. >> mills and there it is. turnover! jennings! >> how about a big old oops for that one. the spurs turn it over and the pistons beat the clock to win it. another close call in college hoops. in o.t. they take the early lead but the wildcats remain undefeated edging them out 89-86. four former players elected into the baseball hall of fame on tuesday. randy johnson, pedro martinez along with long time astros

craig. four former players in a year and the first since 1955. ufc light heavy weight champ john johnson has admitted himself into a drug treatment center after testing positive for traces of cocaine. days after the main event on january 3rd. but since the test was given on december 4th it's considered out of competition and the result of the fight will stand. a skier makes a scary crash landing. all looks good here. watch, he goes down and face plants multiple times repeatedly slamming his head against the snow. he suffered facial injuries, lost and regained consciousness after that but was responsive and reportedly in stable condition once he reached the hospital. but still painful to see. >> that's why they wear helmet even though he sustained those

injuries. thank you, francis. still ahead, another country is dealing with a shortage of mcdonald's french fries? plus, the latest nasa discovery. could there be another earth out there? these ally bank ira cds really do sound like a sure thing but i'm a bit skeptical of sure things. why's that? look what daddy's got... ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!! growth you can count on from the bank where no branches equals great rates.

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well among those enjoying yesterday's snow was the 16-month-old panda at the zoo. took her first tumble down a snowy hillside and wrestled with her mama in the fresh powder making the best of d.c.'s snowy situation yesterday. good times there at the zoo. well it's not good times heading outside, the next two days could likely be the coldest we've seen all winter long. these are the warnings and advisories we have for the wind chill over the next two days. and the blue is the warnings. 15 different states this is mostly today and tomorrow we're mostly worried about northern new england. they go down to north florida. this is 118 million people under windchill warnings or advisories. the coldest i could find. this is not a misprint.

grand marie minus 50 windchill in northern minnesota. minneapolis, you're not as bad, but minus 28 doesn't feel good. and we have negative windchills to kansas city and almost st. louis. and it's cold and chilly columbus and buffalo. it'll get worse in new england during the day with some snow squalls mixed in. and there are some snow. be careful driving, northern kentucky this morning, southern portions of ohio and indiana, a little coating of snow blew through there. you get the picture. it's -- it's about as -- this is one of those times where you're jealous of those people with the scar starters when they start from inside their house. >> but you know what bao bao will have fun this week. bob mcdonnell has been sentenced to two years behind bars. far less than the ten years prosecutors had wanted. mcdonnell gave this reaction to his sentence. >> as i said in court

fallen human being. i made mistakes in my life. i tried to put the best interests of the people first as governor. but i have failed at times and some of the judgments i have made during the course of my governorship have hurt myself, my family and my beloved people of virginia. and for that, i am deeply, deeply sorry. >> mcdonnell is slated to report to prison on february 9th, but says he'll continue to fight the accusations that landed him there. asking a missouri judge to convene a brand new jury to consider charges against darren wilson in the shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old michael brown. the organization says its review of the grand jury proceedings revealed a grave legal concerns. they include confusing instructions given to them and the decision to allow testimony from witnesses who lied. the move comes one day after an enormous grand juror filed suit

against bob mccullough for the right to speak about the case. could there be another planet earth out there? well nasa thinks it has found two of them. they're the closest to earth than any others previously discovered. but before you start packing your bags wait a second because scientists still have to determine for sure if they are capable of supporting human life. yeah. it's kind of important. and a few weeks ago, we told you about a french fry shortage at mcdonald's in japan because of a labor dispute. now having some problems there. the same problem, in fact. they've resorted to serving yuca fries made from the starchy yuca fruit. just ahead, the revenge of john boehner which lawmakers' new beard is generating buzz. and congress's first day back. scramble politics is next. ( ♪ )

grown in america. picked and packed at the peak of ripeness. with no artificial ingredients. del monte. bursting with life. this is jim. a man who doesn't stand still. but jim has afib, atrial fibrillation an irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. that puts jim at a greater risk of stroke. for years, jim's medicine tied him to a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but now, with once-a-day xarelto®, jim's on the move. jim's doctor recommended xarelto®. like warfarin, xarelto® is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto® is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem that doesn't require regular blood monitoring. so jim's not tied to that monitoring routine. gps: proceed to the designated route.

not today. for patients currently well managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. xarelto® is just one pill a day taken with the evening meal. plus, with no known dietary restrictions jim can eat the healthy foods he likes. don't stop taking xarelto® rivaroxaban, unless your doctor tells you to. while taking xarelto®, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. xarelto® may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious bleeding and in rare cases, may be fatal. get help right away if you develop unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. if you have had spinal anesthesia while on xarelto® watch for back pain or any nerve or muscle related signs or symptoms. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto®, tell your doctor about any conditions such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. jim changed his routine.

ask your doctor about xarelto®. once-a-day xarelto® means no regular blood monitoring, no known dietary restrictions. for information and savings options, download the xarelto® patient center app call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com. here's your dish of scrambled politics. boehner takes revenge. foes find themselves losing committee post. reelected speaker of the house, despite losing 25 votes. he took revenge by booting two lawmakers who did not vote for him from the influential rules committee. meanwhile, after being reelected, boehner gave nancy pelosi a quick smooch on the cheek. the image is going viral on social media. a new video by senate minority leader harry reid shows just how rough his injuries were

following an exercising accident last week. >> i didn't go bull riding i wasn't riding a motorcycle i was exercising in my new home. and the doctors have told me i better take it easy. paul ryan's new beard is generating some buzz. sported some facial hair yesterday. he told reporters, it's a playoff beard for his green bay packers. well, there was so much talk over his look that someone created the twitter handle @paulryansbeard. yesterday was the 70th wedding anniversary for george h.w. bush and barbara. he wrote, 70 years ago this very day, barbara made me the happiest and luckiest man on earth. that is a sweet picture. vice president joe biden was a busy man yesterday. there were a couple of awkward moments and hilarious ones as well. like when he met republican

senator lindsey graham and some of his staff. >> hi caroline o'neil. how are you? >> i knew this would happen. i'll tell you what man, i may be irish, but i'm not stupid. >> no you're not stupid. >> and mr. biden called joni ernst the wrong name. >> oh gail. >> just kidding. it's getting late. >> that's your morning dish of scrambled politics. well it's not late right now. it's very early, 5:21 on the east coast. joined by lauren french. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> we do have to talk about what's being called boehner's revenge. a third term speaker booted colleagues from the rules

committee. could this be just the beginning of payback for those who voted against him. >> well, it did come very swift. it was hours after the speaker election that we started hearing that boehner would take action against at least two fellow republicans who, while one who ran for speaker and one who voted against him for speaker. and you could see more. about 25 members of the republican party that voted against him. daniel webster of florida was not the only republican to actually be nominated for speaker. so you could see more committee spots taken away. but a lot of the republicans that voted against boehner, part of that caucus the problem caucus as we like to call them. four republicans who have consistently bucked leadership. so what else could they really do to them seeing as now they've been sidelined from committee spots. they've been sidelined from negotiations. >> yeah, but on the whole, what does a move like that say about what is happening inside the gop? especially since they've only been back to work for one day?

>> it really does highlight the dysfunction within the republican party. and those two branches within the house gop caucus. you have the establishment, the boehner allies, and then you have this separate group led by the hard right conservatives who want a different route for the republican party. they want to see no compromise with the white house, no compromise with democrats. they want republican straight hard line republican bills. and you're just seeing that continued split within the house gop. >> i want to move to something else. first, it was bridge gate now it's cowboy gate perhaps. could there be an investigation launch? or is this just great publicity for chris christie who might actually run for president next year? >> well i'm sure he's questioning the choice to post the photo. but, yes, you hear democratic assembly men in new jersey saying they could investigate the trips he's been taking to see the cowboys play those trips before played by the

owners, jerry jones of the cowboys who has a stake in the 1 world trade center which is why this has become an issue, that's been run by the port authority in new jersey. yes, assembly men are saying they could investigate this. the g.w. bridge commissioner, the assembly men who run the bridge commissioner said it looks very suspicious and they might look into it as well. >> all right. lauren french from politico. thanks for joining us today. we appreciate it. >> thanks for having me on. did jimmy fallon blow his chance to date an a-list celeb. the most horrifyingly awesome baby bed ever.

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all right. so this bed is so cute. it is actually terrifying. inspired by the 1975 classic "jaws." the shark attack bed was made as a humorous gift to a close friend. >> that's an awesome gift. >> it's carved out of styrofoam and covered in plastic. enough to scare any parents. but don't worry because eventually baby will grow out of this, too. hopefully into a bigger one just like it, right? so last night on the "tonight show," nicole kidman stopped by to remind jimmy about a blind date that they went on years ago. problem is, jimmy didn't know it was a date. >> i swear! and you didn't talk at all. and so after about an hour and a half, i thought, he has no interest. this is so embarrassing. >> i had no clue at all. >> and i left and went, okay, no chemistry. and then i was like maybe he's gay.

>> come on! >> his wife's got to be happy. >> got to be thrilled. nicole kidman liked her husband and hep went like this. >> me instead. this is "first look" on msnbc. "way too early" starts right now. congress met for the first time, on a tuesday! a tuesday! couldn't come back to work on a monday. >> how is congress still a thing? i thought they got canceled after last season their ratings were terrible. >> as usual, vice president joe biden was responsible for swearg swearing in the new senate. he actually had to stop twice to reload. congratulations, congratulations. >> finger guns. welcome back congress. john boehner surviving a challenge to his speakership. and now the battles between either end of pennsylvania avenue begin. lockup bob mcdonnell sentenced to two years behind bars for a corruption

conviction. and then 120 million americans are under cold weather advisories or warnings today. we've got the latest on this arctic blast that is sweeping much of the country. this is "way too early." ♪ >> such a contradiction. we can give you hot music, but cold video. good morning, everyone i'm thomas roberts. wednesday, january 7th. welcome to "way too early," the show three days back from vacation, but two bags packed to go away. can i get an amen in here? >> amen. >> that was a weak amen. can i get an amen? >> amen! >> there we go. it's hump day and we are feeling it. straight to the top of the show. we begin with this breaking story we've been following overnight at el paso, texas. one victim and a gunman are dead after a veteran opened fire on