and breaking overnight, syrian president bashar al assad makes an unannounced trip to moscow. his first face-to-face meeting with vladimir putin since joining forces almost three weeks ago. it's 5:30 on the east coast, 2:30 out west, and this is "way too early." good morning. it's wednesday, october 21st. i'm jonathan capehart in washington. paul ryan says he's willing to step up to fill the void being left by john boehner. in a meeting last night with a house republican conference congressman ryan laid out the terms on which he would be willing to serve as speaker. ryan, who initially said he was not interested in the job, told his republican colleagues that he's willing to serve, but only if the caucus unites behind him by friday. late last night ryan said the quote, need for leadership,

drove him to make this offer. >> first, we need to move from on opposition party to being a proposition party. second, we need to update our house rules, and it needs to include fixes that ensure that we do not experience constant leadership challenges and crises. third, we, as a conference, should unify now, and not after a divisive speaker election. last point is personal. i cannot and i will not give up my family time. but i pledge to try and make up for it with more time communicating our vision, our message. what i told members is, if you can agree to these requests, and if i can truly be a unifying figure, then i will gladly serve. nothing is ever solved by blaming people. we can blame the president. we can blame the media. and that's kind of fun sometimes.

we can point fingers across the aisle. we can blame each other. we can dismiss our critics and criticism as unfair. people don't care about blame. people don't care about effort. people care about results. >> many members welcomed ryan's offer, including some who were entertaining bids for speaker. congressman jason chaffetz immediately withdrew his bid, and pledged his support. but not congressman daniel webster of florida, who told "the washington post," what we saw was power at work for ryan. is anyone surprised? this as the drudge report labeled ryan king paul, while highlighting this endorsement from top senate democrat harry reid yesterday. >> paul ryan, who i hope gets to be the next speaker, very reasonably said last week, quote, if the united states missed a bond payment it would shake the confidence of the world economy. well it appears to me to be one

of the people that would be reasonable. i mean look at some of the other people. i'm a paul ryan fan. i don't agree with him on much of what he does. >> paul ryan is adamant that he wants a unified caucus if he is to serve as speaker. "the washington post" quotes him telling colleagues last night, i'm willing to take arrows in the chest, but not in the back. the polls indicate a majority of the republican party is with him. 63% of republican primary voters in the latest nbc news/"wall street journal" poll say they would feel comfortable and positive with him in the top job. while 28% say they feel skeptical and uncertain. now, a new monmouth university poll shows 45% of republicans think ryan is a good choice, while only 13% think the opposite. let's turn to the race for the white house and vice president joe biden, who's doing little to quiet the chatter surrounding a possible 2016 run. yesterday, at a pair of events honoring former vice president walter mondale, biden sounded much like a presidential

candidate, especially when touting his role in the current administration's foreign policy. >> it really matters. i mean, it really matters when people know you are speaking for the president, and you have his confidence. and like you and foreign policy. if you notice, i will get sent to go speak to putin or go speak to erdogan, or go speak to whomever, and it's because the secretary of state -- we've had two great secretaries of state, but when i go, they know that i am speaking for the president. there is nothing remiss between whatever i say, the president is saying. >> and later in the evening, biden repeated a line that has been perceived as a critique of hillary clinton's comments during last week's democratic debate when she said she was proud of the republican enemies she's made during her career. >> it is possible, it is necessary, to end this notion.

to end this notion. that the enemy is the other party. end this notion that it's naive to think we can speak well of the other party and cooperate. what is naive is to think it's remotely possible to govern this country unless we can. that is what is naive. the other team is not the enemy. if you treat it as the enemy, there is no way we can ever, ever, ever resolve the problems we have to, and you end up with the dysfunction that we're experiencing here in washington. >> biden is also facing scrutiny over his telling of the advice he gave president obama in the run-up to the raid that killed osama bin laden. here's what the vice president said about it yesterday. >> i didn't want to take a position to go if that was not what he was going to go. so as we walked out of the room

and walked upstairs, i said -- i told him my opinion, that i thought he should go, but follow his own instincts. but it would have been a mistake. imagine if i had said, in front of everyone, don't go, or go, and his decision was a different decision. it undercuts that relationship. >> now, that version differs from the one biden gave "the new york times" in 2012, when he recalled saying, mr. president, my suggestion is don't go. we have to do two more things to see if he's there. it also seems to contradict an account biden gave on "meet the press" back in 2012. >> the president had a roll call. everybody had some -- some -- some maybe yes, maybe no, i think i'm balanced, go. the only guy who had a full-throated, full-throated go, mr. president, was leon panetta. i walked out of that meeting, as i usually do, i get to be the last guy to be with the president, we walked up toward the residence, toward his

office. and i knew where he was going to go. and what i always tell him, i looked at him again, i said follow your instincts, mr. president. your instincts have been close to unerring. follow your instincts. i wanted them to take one more day to do one more test to see if he was there. >> and now, a former senior administration official involved in the deliberations tells the hill that biden did not back the operation. the official said, quote, both leon panetta and hillary clinton favored the raid. and i don't recall the vice president sharing the same view. meanwhile, more new polling is showing a significant post-debate bump for hillary clinton. a "washington post"/abc news poll now has clinton in front of bernie sanders by 31 points. that's a 13 point swing since september. this comes a day after our nbc news/"wall street journal" poll showed an identical 13-point swing in clinton's favor over the same span. and it comes as a wbur poll out of new hampshire shows clinton now ahead of sanders, 38% to

34%. it's the one state sanders had let in consistently prior to the first debate. the field of 2016 democratic candidates is now 20% smaller this morning. former senator jim webb has announced that he's dropping out of the democratic race. instead, he's considering the possibility of running as an independent. >> if you look at the history of the democratic party, it is the party that has given the people who have no voice in the corridors of power a voice. i've also said, for a number of years, that the democratic party needs to get back to its more traditional message. i'm not seeing that in the way that i wish that i could see it. >> and republican front-runner donald trump said on boston herald's morning meeting radio show, he thinks webb would be, quote, wonderful as an independent. senator marco rubio returned to the senate floor for the first time in more than 3 1/2

weeks yesterday. and said this. >> all we're saying in this bill is, if you work at the v.a., and you aren't doing your job, they get to fire you. i think people are shocked that that isn't actually exist in the entire government. since there is really no other job in the country where if you don't do your job you don't get fired. but in this instance, we're just limiting it to one agency. this should actually be the rule in the entire government, if you're not doing your job, you should be fired. >> many found irony in the statement, since rubio has, what "the washington post" says, is the worst voting record in the senate this year. an nbc news analysis found he has missed 44% of floor votes since he announced his candidacy in april. while a report earlier this month found a quarter of rubio's missed votes this year came before he was a candidate. let's look overseas, breaking overnight, the syrian and russian governments confirmed the surprise meeting between presidents bashar al assad and vladimir putin in moscow. the two leaders reportedly

discussed russia's growing military presence, and willingness to assist in the, quote, political process. the trip is assad's first time abroad since violent protests descended into full-scale civil war in 2011. news of the meeting comes as russia and the united states strike an agreement to avoid conflict among drones and pilots in the air over syria, as both countries conduct airstrikes in the region. the pentagon says the deal does not constitute u.s. cooperation, or support for russia's actions in syria. meanwhile, american backed syrian rebels are reportedly asking the u.s. for surface-to-air missiles in hopes of shooting down russian helicopters. back in the u.s., the push for comprehensive prison reform just got a big boost. more than 130 of the nation's most prominent law enforcement officials are set to launch a group today aimed at reducing sky high incarceration rates. according to "the new york times" the plan includes coming up with alternatives to arrest

and ending mandatory minimum sentences. the senate is now considering a bipartisan bill, and the white house is already moving forward with its own reform efforts. some 6,000 nonviolent drug offenders are set to be released early from federal prison in just over a week. let's turn to business, where you can finally get your hands on a ferrari for less than 200 grand. cnbc's jeff cutmore joins us live from london. jeff, ferrari makes its public market debut this morning? >> yeah. this is very exciting. ticker symbol race, r-a-c-e, and this ipo is purring like the sound of a v-12 moving into high gear. $50 a share. that is the upper end of the range here and it means the fiat chrysler group that control this business will walk away with nearly $900 million to invest in other brands. so very exciting. very different story, though, when it comes to tesla.

consumer reports has dropped their recommendation on the tesla. they say the model "s" has significant owner complaints about squeaking noises, motors that needed replacing, and also faulty door handles. so, some concerns around tesla at this point. but i have to tell you, those ferrari shares look like they will move when they start trading in the market today. back to you. >> all right, jeff cutmore, live from london, thank you. still ahead, the woman at the center of a major scandal involving one of the most storied basketball programs in the country breaks her silence. we'll have her interview in a moment. plus, the way the new york mets are playing, it doesn't look like the cubs will be breaking their curse any time soon. highlights and a check on weather when "way too early" comes right back.

it takes a lot of work... to run this business. but i really love it. i'm on the move all day long... and sometimes, i just don't eat the way i should. so i drink boost® to get the nutrition that i'm missing. boost complete nutritional drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. all with a great taste. i don't plan on slowing down any time soon. stay strong. stay active with boost®.

i use what's already inside me to reach my goals. so i liked when my doctor told me i may reach my blood sugar and a1c goals by activating what's within me. with once-weekly trulicity. trulicity is not insulin. it helps activate my body to do what it's supposed to do release its own insulin. trulicity responds when my blood sugar rises. i take it once a week, and it works 24/7. it comes in an easy-to-use pen and i may even lose a little weight. trulicity is a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. it should be used along with diet and exercise. trulicity is not recommended as the first medicine to treat diabetes and should not be used by people with severe stomach or intestinal problems, or people with type i diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. trulicity is not insulin and has not been studied with long-acting insulin. do not take trulicity if you or anyone in your family

has had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 or if you are allergic to trulicity or its ingredients. stop using trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as itching, rash, or difficulty breathing; if you have signs of pancreatitis such as severe stomach pain that will not go away and may move to your back, with or without vomiting; or if you have symptoms of thyroid cancer, which may include a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. medicines like trulicity may cause stomach problems, which could be severe. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and any medicines you take. taking trulicity with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase your risk for low blood sugar. common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, and indigestion. some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may cause kidney failure. with trulicity, i click to activate what's within me. if you want help improving your a1c and blood sugar numbers with a non-insulin option, ask your doctor about once-weekly trulicity. and click to activate your within.

time now for sports. and we begin with playoff baseball. the cubs are now on the verge of elimination after losing a third straight game to the mets in last night's nlcs match-up in chicago. the cubs were held back by sloppy defense while another solid pitching performance for new york allowed just two earned runs over seven innings of work. daniel murphy meanwhile homered in his record-tying fifth straight playoff game. the mets are now just a win away from heading to the world series, after the 5-2 victory. one chicago error, a blunder in right field, could have been particularly costly if the line drive hit by flores hadn't rolled all the way into the wrigley field ivy. now ground rules state runners get two bases when the ivy becomes involved. the play has some suggesting he dove to allow the ball to reach

the ivy so that the runner from first base wouldn't score. and in toronto, the royals are also now a win away from a return trip to the world series, after a 14-2 win over the blue jays. the game marks the largest margin of victory by a road team in american league playoff history. to kentucky, the university of louisville is facing increased scrutiny after the latest report from espn's outside the lines. according to the report, five former players and recruits said they attended parties at a dorm on louisville's campus that included strippers who were paid by the team's former assistant coach andre mcgee to perform and in some cases have sex. the report also links mcgee to the woman at the center of the parties through phone records and a wire transfer. the report features the first on camera interview with katina powell, a self-described former escort and author of the

revealing book published earlier this month "breaking cardinal rules: basketball and the escort queen." >> not only dance, but had sex with -- >> right. >> either former, at the time current, or recruited university of louisville players? >> yes. the recruit will pick out what girl he wanted, andre would come to me and tell me what girl the recruit wanted, and i would tell the girl, and she would say her price. i would tell him. he would say okay. give me the money, i pretty much would sometimes hand it to them, sometimes he'd give it to them. and that was just it. he would take them into another room, her and the recruit would do what they did behind closed doors. >> following the latest details on the sex scandal, louisville head basketball coach rick pitino spoke to espn and yahoo! sports in a conference call yesterday where he demanded mcgee come forward with his version of the story. mcgee, who left the cardinals to become an assistant coach at the university of missouri kansas city before the 2013-2014

season, has been placed on paid administrative leave as the ncaa and louisville continue to investigate. louisville says it was shocked to hear of the allegations, but will not comment on details until the investigation is complete. while the new york mets remain poised on the field, one player is calling in to question their steadiness off it. video captured pitcher bartolo colon taking a spill while heading to the clubhouse after the mets 4-1 victory in game two of the nlcs. luckily, the -- luckily the only injury the veteran suffered was to his pride. poor man. time now for our weather. let's send it up to will karens at 30 rock. >> you've never done anything like that, have you? >> oh, you have no idea, bill. >> are you clumsy? >> well, not especially, but -- >> oh, you hesitated. you gave me that little pause. yes. >> there's no video, so it didn't happen. >> that's true, there's not. i got some pretty good images

for you from new mexico, texas and arizona yesterday. there was a lot of bad weather that happened. we had thunderstorms that went through and this lady was rescued in that minivan there. the suv. and the firefighters had to go in the rushing waters there in arizona. also, take you into west texas. the hail was impressive. came down, it was about quarter sized hail. when it goes through the trees, still with their leaves on them, just rips them right down. little dings in the car, too. not a nice sign. so yeah, as we go throughout the day today we could see a repeat of some of those scenes. as far as the forecast is going to go, as we head down into areas, especially of northern texas, that's where we have some storms this morning. nothing too bad between amarillo and lubbock. as far as severe weather goes, about 2.5 million people in slight risk of severe weather. we could see an isolated strong thunderstorm with damaging wind and also hail just like we saw yesterday. and the possibility of flash flooding, too, with any storms that linger over any one spot. texas has been in a drought over the last couple months. the end of summer was very warm

and very dry. so drought conditions have now spread. so this is a forecast we like this slow moving storm moves across texas. it's going to be a three-day soaker here. areas around dallas could pick up four inches. houston, san antonio, as much as one to two, maybe even three inches of rain. the rest of the country is great. jonathan, if you like the warm, beautiful fall weather, great lakes into the mid-atlantic, the next two days are for you. because it's going to be like 75 degrees, low humidity, very enjoyable. then we cool it off towards the weekend. so enjoy. >> very nice, bill. thanks very much. still ahead on "way too early" -- >> whoo! whoo! >> take your blazer off. >> he's running for president. but when martin o'malley showed up on "the view" it was all about his good looks and guitar. we'll explain when "way too early" returns. at mfs investment management, we believe active management

can protect capital long term. active management can tap global insights. active management can seek to outperform. that's the power of active management. thinking of new ways to make treat time fun. (vo) at the friskies playhouse, the cats and us are always busy. that's how we came up with new friskies pull 'n play. with tender string treats cats can eat. that part was their idea. lucy always thought strings should be edible. chloe thought the same. and charlie, well, he's up for anything as long it's fun. new friskies pull 'n play with tender strings. the whole new way to treat 'n play. many wbut hope...ms come with high hopes, doesn't work on wrinkles. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair has the fastest retinol formula... to work on fine lines and even deep wrinkles in just one week. neutrogena®.

you know, donald trump was supposed to be here tonight. that's right. his people called late last night and canceled on us. they were a little bit -- they were cryptic as to why he canceled. they said he has a major political commitment. why did he cancel? we told him there were cameras here, right? are tuesday nights the night he volunteers down at the orphanage? but don't worry tonight we're going to give everyone in the audience a basketball dipped in cologne so you can fully experience what it would have

been like had donald trump been here. okay? >> jimmy kimmel last night. not impressed with donald trump's last-minute cancellation. the campaign plans to reschedule something, quote, bigger, and with, quote, more trump. time for a check on the morning's other headlines. for that we go up to 30 rock to louis bergdorf. good morning. >> good morning, jonathan. talking about more trump when it comes to presidential campaigns, donald trump has rewritten a lot of the rules. but an endorsement from bill clinton? the former president wants to make america great again, at least according to a caption on a new video posted on trump's instagram account. >> he's a master brander. and he's the most interesting character out there. there is a macho appeal to saying, i'm just sick of nothing happening, i make things happen, vote for me. and i like him. >> got to love that. now, while we're on the talk of presidential candidates, what martin o'malley is lacking in

the polls he's made up with raw, musical talent. yesterday he was on "the view" and when the hosts were fawning over his physique they asked him to serenade them. >> katy perry i'm told is doing like a benefit concert for one of my opponents in iowa. so in response, i thought i'd offer this up for taylor swift. >> taylor's my girl. ♪ because baby now we got bad blood ♪ ♪ you know it used to mad love ♪ so take a look at what you've done ♪ ♪ and maybe now we got mad blood ♪ ♪ hey and you made a really deep cut ♪ ♪ and baby now we got bad blood ♪ . >> martin o'malley taking a jacket off, sitting down at "the view" performing bad blood by taylor swift. did you ever think you were going to see that? >> yeah, the only thing that would have made it better, if

sherri shepherd would have lost her mind if he had taken his shirt off. >> well >> but anyway. that's it for me and -- that does it for me and "way too early." coming up on "morning joe," in demand and making demands. congressman paul ryan says he's ready to step up and take the speaker's gavel as long as certain conditions are met. one of paul ryan's closest colleagues, republican congressman tom cole, joins "morning joe" live. and marco rubio takes v.a. workers to task for not doing their jobs. just one thing, he's missed dozens of votes in the senate. that and much more coming up next on "morning joe." the great beauty of owning a property is that you can create wealth through capital appreciation, and this has been denied to many south africans for generations. this is an opportunity to right that wrong. the idea was to bring capital into the affordable housing space in south africa,

with a fund that offers families of modest income safe and good accommodation. citi got involved very early on and showed an enormous commitment. and that gave other investors confidence. citi's really unique, because they bring deep understanding of what's happening in africa. i really believe we only live once, and so you need to take an idea that you have and go for it. you have the opportunity to say, "i've been part of the creation of over 27,000 units of housing," and to replicate this across the entire african continent.

it takes a lot of work... but i really love it.s. i'm on the move all day long... and sometimes, i just don't eat the way i should. so i drink boost® to get the nutrition that i'm missing. boost complete nutritional drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. all with a great taste. i don't plan on slowing down any time soon. stay strong. stay active with boost®. xerox personalized employee portals help companies! make benefits simple and accessible... from anywhere. hula dancing? cliff jumping! human resources can work better. with xerox. which allergy? eees. bees? eese.

trees? eese. xerox helps hospitals use electronic health records so doctors provide more personalized care. cheese? cheese! patient care can work better. with xerox. that's it.