character and who his character is, too, at that moment in his life. and -- i feel like -- kind of flushing out his taste in music was one way i really got to know him and, you know, a lot of that was definitely influenced by, like, my favorite music. i wasn't cool enough to know about elliott smith in high school. definitely it was in my 20s. but it is, like, maybe the biggest honor to have heard from teens who read simon and that's the first time they've ever heard of elliott smith and then they have, like, gotten into elliott smith's music. >> yep. >> what a -- a legacy for them. it's like -- if i've done one good thing, like -- >> becky, a great book. thank you for being with us.

appreciate it. becky al albertelli. does it for me. stay where you are. "alex witt reports" starts right now. welcome to a special extended hour of "alex witt reports." 15 days left to inauguration day. president-elect donald trump's cabinet and administration picks have gone from a trickle to a downpour. overnight trump announcing nearly a dozen nominations for major roles including labor, treasury and the fda, and despite the president-elect disavowing having any ties to the heritage foundation's project 2025 in the leadup to the election, nbc news has learned transition officials are

using the conservative agenda's ex-tense live data base to help staff up the incoming trump administration. nbc's aaron gilchrist joins us from west palm beach, florida. welcome. tell us more about the picks, the downpour, i called it. who stands out to you? >> reporter: yeah. really a flurry of announcements late into the evening last night. we saw nine people announced. some of them to be nominated for secretary-level positions and others, appointed to other positions that might not need a confirmation. standing out, scott bessent for treasury secretary. a name we knew was in the mix for that position. this is someone who was a key economic adviser during the trump campaign. he's a hedge fund manager and someone who was a donor to the trump campaign as well. a person that we know had been aligned in many ways with trump's line of thinking about

economic policy. obviously now he would be the person a main driver of the economic policy of the incoming trump administration. and someone that, who in the last couple weeks in particular had started talking about the idea of tariffs. something donald trump spoke about on the campaign trail, increase and create more tariffs. this person in line with that thinking as well. others announced. russell vought, director of office of management and budget. someone who served in that role during the first trump administration, and also someone who is connected to project 2025. you referenced the fact seems to be an effort by the transition team to pick people a part of a database of personnel options for an incoming conservative administration. russell vought wrote a chapter in project 2025, and is someone who is seen as the type of person who would be instrumental in helping again form economic policy, fiscal policy, and to work on efforts to sort of rein

in the federal government, if you will. another person who stands out among the nine people is the choice for labor secretary. currently in the house of representatives representing an area in oregon. she is seen as someone who may not necessarily jump out as a maga republican. lori chavez deremer. someone pro-union, supported pro union legislation and someone who continues to see some support among unions in the country. remember, alex, during the campaign donald trump very much went after the union vote. this person, labor secretary, might help him solidify more support with unions in this country. >> lots to keep an eye on. thank you for doing that, aaron. joining me now, democratic congresswoman from new mexico melanie stansbury member of a house oversight committee. welcome. we're going to start this by playing sound, from you earlier

this week, reacting to donald trump's incoming administration. here it is. >> you're talking >> you're talking about putting into place leadership in these federal agencies who are absolutely unqualified, who are dangerous, and no knowing about the agencies that they're about to be appointed to lead. this is modern mccarthyism. they are preparing for a purge. they are going after members of the federal government who are advancing, because they are people of color, women, lgbtq+. other members of our community who have been excluded systematically from participating in federal service and leadership positions and then they're going to put their own unqualified loyalists in there to take out our federal workforce. >> got to say as i was listening thought a bit of irony in the fact you mentioned mccarthyism. the fact is roy cohn, you remember, senator mccarthy's right hand when it came to that

whole phase of what we went through in this country. given the fact he helped i guess tutor donald trump back in the day. the big question to you now is, donald trump's picks. which ones concern you the most? >> well, i think as of today the one that concerns me the most is russell vought. i'm a former omb employee. a lot of people don't know what exactly omb is and does but one of the most powerful agencies in the federal government. sits in the white house, makes the president's budget. issues presidential memoranda and essentially executes the president's plans through the business of what the government does. and this gentleman was not only an author of project 2025 he was the architect by hind it and it's not just the databases that were just mentioned but a vast project that lved hundreds of conservatives and trump loyalists that put the plan together and they plan to go in,

dismantle and remake the government. i want you to know about mr. vought, he was at the sent of the controversy that led to donald trump's first impeachment. after richard nixon left office they passed the budget control act to prohibit impoundment of appropriations and mr. vought helped execute impounding funds used to blackmail ukraine to dig up dirt on joe biden. dangerous individual and plans to execute project 2025 inside of donald trump's government. >> is there anything that can be done to keep him from leading up omb? >> well, it's certainly would be discretion of senate to vet donald trump's nominee. 's in ways more traditional than others like matt gaetz, obviously, and some of the other more unqualified folks. so i don't think he'll be prevented from going there but the public needs to understand

that donald trump lied for months on the campaign trail when he said that he had nothing to do with project 2025. he did not know what it was. it was always their transition plan. it contains what they tried to do in the first part of the administration and are coming back in full force with this appointee and many others to essentially take out significant parts of the government. >> we heard my colleague aaron gilchrist mention one of your current colleagues that being congresswoman lori chavez deremer choosing by trump for labor secretary. she's seen support from unions in her district and supported the pro act. that would have played it easier to unionize on a federal level. what do you make of her pick among trump's more pro-business choices? >> i didn't have the opportunity to interact with her during it her time and service together, so i can't speak to that. my hope, of course, all of us want the best for our country and for our people. so i hope that she will continue

to take pro-labor stance. i certainly am one of the most pro-labor members of congress, but i think, you know, at the end of the day you work for the president, and donald trump has been very clear that he supports tariffs, that he's not pro-union and so we'll see what she does in this role. >> something else pretty clear tr donald trump. one of his major campaign promises. in fact, mass deportation plan. remains unclear exactly how he'll carry it out. a recent stud you by the american immigration council estimates 4 million mixed status families could be separated under this as a result of trump's deportation plans. how do you see this all playing out especially in your home state of new mexico? >> yeah. new mexico is a border state and our governor just a couple days ago made clear we will fight donald trump and any efforts to conduct his mass deportation plan. you know, i think it remains to be seen how they plan to execute this, but the fact that they've put stephen miller and another

project 2025 guy in charge of these efforts show that they plan to try to do it. if they do, we will go to the courts. we will not consent. we will not participate. we will not allow state and local law enforcement to participate. it is unconstitutional. is illegal, and we will fight them every step of the way. >> as you know, republicans blocked the release of former congressman matt gaetz house ethics report. what does this tell you about how republicans will approach oversight in the next congress? and do you think that report will ever be made public? >> i hope it will. i mean, i think certainly the recommendation of my republican colleagues is that it is made public. it's very clear that he stepped down from congress and chose not to run again or to take his seat here in january, because he doesn't want it released. but i mean, he has already been investigated by the department of justice for his sex trafficking and illegal activities.

it's very likely that could be referred, or some other judicial action. you know, i've sat on the oversight committee the last two years. jamie comer, the chairman publicly plans to use the committee to go after trump's opponents, and so i think it's going to continue to be a circus, and a banana court. so -- i don't think there's going to be real oversight. >> how are you going to make your way through this republican trifecta? white house, senate, house, as you make your way through the next congress? >> yeah. well, i had a conversation yesterday with jamie raskin, who's the ranking member on the oversight committee and i thought he put it very well. the oversight committee and house democrats will become the headquarters for the resistance. our job is to show the american people what they are doing, to use every tool we have of oversight, the judicial system and resistance to stop them and to continue to build the power

movement that we need to take back the house in 2026. that's the work that's ahead of us, and we are dedicated to doing that work every day on behalf of the american people. >> i get the feeling you certain are. thank you very much. representative melanie standbury, great to see you from new mexico. still to come, backpack bibles inside text' decision to create a christian curriculum in the state's public elementary schools and the uphill legal battle it could face in court. first, justice delayed. the latest on federal judge march merchan's decision to postpone the hush money kate and what it means about the law in the united states. that's next. that's next. 10 antacids throughout the day when you can take 1 prilosec. for easier heartburn relief, one beats ten. prilosec otc. one pill. 24 hours. zero heartburn.

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the sentencing in donald trump's manhattan criminal case is officially on pause. judge juan merchan in a ruling friday canceled the president-elect the upcoming

sentences set for this tuesday. instead the court accepts the request to file a mission to dismiss the case that happens december 2nd. both cases shutting down and fulton county rico case dormant more months. glenn kirschner msnbc legal analyst and host of the justice matters podcast. welcome. so let's make clear here. the sentencing has not been completely taken off the table. it's just on pause, but that's indefinitely. right? so talk about the options that judge merchan has right now. >> yeah. alex, calling judge merchan's option the three ds. he can dismiss the case, he can delay the case, or he can deny the motion to dismiss and proceed immediately to sentencing. those three different options, i have some support in the law. some have less support. dismissing the case after a jury

has voted guilty 34 times over for donald trump falsifying business records to try to heat in 20916 election doesn't have a lot of support. no law, precedent, appellate court decision and no constitutional provision that says judge merchan should just dismiss the guilty verdict. delay that support in the law. delay proceeding to sentencing until donald trump left office and again became available to be sentenced. people may not know but there are often long gaps in time between when somebody is found guilty or pleads guilty and they are ultimately sentenced. then the third is deny the motion to dismiss and proceed immediately to sentencing. that would actually perhaps have legal support, but i think the practicalitying of it might lead the judge to say i simply can't sentence somebody to a period of

incarceration when he is about to be sworn in as president. three options as i see them. >> get to what the defense might play what they might use in a second. da bragg, december 9th will respond to the motion filed december 2nd. what do you expect happens? he doesn't want this whole case thrown out. right? >> i agree. as a former career prosecutor, boy, that would kill me a little inside if the grand jury indicted an entire investigation conducted, witnesses put their necks on the line, testified publicly. a jury returned guilty verdicts. really in a new york minute. they didn't take long to deliberate and return those 34 y verdicts and have all of that thrown out would be insulting and disrespectful even damaging to the victims in the case. those are the people of new york, voters of new york. i believe alvin bragg will probably recommend the delay route, which has legal support. you can delay a sentencing if

there is good cause to do so. and then we have to see where judge merchan lands. this is unprecedented and a really challenging decision for him. >> okay. now to defense. because trump's team released a statement about yesterday's ruling and here's the quote. president trump won a landslide victory at american people issue add mandate to return him to office and dispose of all remnants of the witch-hunt cases. all of the sham lawfare takes destroy and focused on making america great again. so is it accurate to call all of the court cases now destroyed and let's also be clear. trump won with a 1.6% lead in popular vote. not a land slide. >> no. politics and public relations. this is not an application of the rule of law. think about if a defendant came in after being convicted of felony crimes and said, you know

what, judge? i just won a big promotion and ask you to now just dismyself my guilty verdicts. that would not go over that well. frankly the same principle hold true for a president. now, we all ecognize, the department of jut is has a policy they don't believe a sitting criminal president should be prosecuted. but the premise of that policy is that, of course, a criminal president could be held accountable for his crimes once he leaves office. so i think delaying the sentencing would actually be honoring the doj policy. >> okay. let's get to new reporting from the "washington post." it reveals trump plans to fire the entire team that worked with special counsel jack smith to pursue those two federal prosecutions against the former president including career attorneys typically protected from political retribution. the question is, can he actually do that? >> not based on the rule of law

and the protections that civil servants enjoy. i was a federal government employ for more than 30 years, and just because donald trump may view himself as a king he can't come in and just banish federal government employees from his kingdom. first of all, when it comes to firing special counsel, if he remember back to richard nixon and watergate and the saturday night massacre, even richard nixon couldn't fire the special prosecutor. his ag asked to do it and he wouldn't and resigned. asked the deputy and he resigned and found somebody at the department of jut is, robert bourque, will be to fire the independent prosecutor actually ruled unlawful later. the career prosecutors, alex, they have robe butt civil servant protection. donald trump can try but we might want to view this as rt of attorney full employment act. leap challenges will be filed in

each and every unlawful termination. >> what about the failure of the doj to complete any of trump's cases prior to the 2024 election. where do you think they went wrong from the prosecution? too cautious? conciliatory to trump to avoid appearance from partisanship? and, therefore, it stretched everything out? >> yeah. i'm going to use an often quoted phrase, justice delayed is justice denied. they waited so long to initiate the prosecutions against donald trump, and they have yet to ever charge the hierarchy of the insurrection. the command structure. some of the state prosecutors have even charged some of those people. but there's no reason that they should have waited for the house select committee investigating the january 6th crimes to conduct its investigation, issue its report, and then make public in hearings all of the information that they amassed

from the doj to begin playing catch-up. off the dime way too late. i don't understand why and i don't think i would ever get an explanation that i found satisfy as to why doj did wait so long. >> still a good answer from you. thank you for that, glenn kirschner appreciate it. after the break, a controversial cabinet. donald trump's friday night flurry of cabinet picks and what we know about the project 2025 co-author, tapped to oversee the entire federal budget. don't go anywhere. don't go anywhere. llettelab! this green bar releases trapped hairs from my face. game changa! while the flexdisc contours to it, so the five blades can virtually get every hair in one stroke, for the ultimate gillette shaving experience. the best a man can get is gillettelabs.

what are folks 60 and older learning these days?

new perspectives! ♪♪ how to fix things. ♪♪ fun recip... (high pitched sound) (high pitched sound) (high pitched sound) russ vought the guy the last four years who's been developing the plan to take down the deep state. that's russ. he's going to be right there at omb to execute that plan. >> president-elect donald trump naming more maga loyalists to his incoming administration last night including russell vought. co-author of project 2025 to lead the office of management and budget. forrer nfl player leader at the

america first policy institute scott turner to lead the department of housing and urban development or hud. and scott bessent, a billionaire hedge fund executive formerly worked for george soar ros. joining me now, former gop communications director and co-founder and ceo of the seneca project. welcome. take a listen to this together. here it is. >> some on the right, severe right, came up with this project '25 and i don't even know -- i mean, some of them i know who they are but they're very, very conservative. >> come up with this -- i don't know what the hell it is. >> i know nothing about project '25. i haven't seen the document. i don't intend to really see the document. and it's a group of people that get toing to, wrote a dream document for them, but it has absolutely nothing to do with me.

>> nothing to do with project 2025. that's out there. i haven't read it. >> uh-huh. well, trump has named at least four other nominees who do have direct ties to project '25, 2025. those beam tom homan trump's pick for border czar. john ratcliffe planned cia director. brendan carr election to head the federal communications department. pete hoekstra, ambassador be to canada, trump's selection. trump previously tried to distance himself from project 2025 we heard clearly there. what does this tell you, though? his choices? what does it indicate? >> it indicates that donald trump as we know is a lying liar who lies and the proof was there before the election that he absolutely did know about project 2025 over 100 of his former trump administration officials or people who work with him co-wrote it. we tried at the seneca project to put out information

explaining this early on throughout the, in the summer during the campaign, to show people like, when you vote for donald trump you're not just voting for him. you're voting for the rogue gallery of degenerates he'll be surrounded by and this is their plan. they spent the last four years laying out this plan of how they want to dismantle our current system of government. and now they're telling you the truth. i mean, donald trump tried to coffee boy project 2025. never heard of it, never read it. chances are he probably didn't read it because we know donald trump doesn't ride but he damn sure did know what project 2025 was and surrounded by people who not only knew what it was but co-authored it. j.d. vance wrote the forward to a project 2025 book. he was surrounded by them. this is not a shock to those of us sounding the alarm for months. >> speaking of alarm, an alarming number of trump's picks are accused of sexual

misconduct. matt gaetz, since dropped out of the running, the subject of an fbi probe over sex trafficking allegations which he denies and again no charges filed. defense secretary pick pete hegseth assaulting a woman in 2017. kane charged claiming the encounter was consensual wool and robert f. kennedy accused groping his teenage baby-sitter. and linda mcmahon target of a recent lawsuit alleges she was aware of sexual exploitation of children during her time at the wwe. i mean, tara a time when allegations of sexual misconduct would completely end a political career. it wouldn't put you in the president's inner circle. has trump just normalized this type of conduct? >> absolutely. not only trump but the entire republican party. all maga has taken over. character doesn't matter anymore. when i was a republican character mattered. i remember those days. part of the reason i left the

republican party, because there is no integrity. there is no bar low enough at this point. the fact that we're not just talking about one or two. we're talking about several people who are credibly accused pretty significant sexual misconduct. that is abhorrent and should be embarrassing but goes to show you that it flows from the head. soon as the republican party turned a blind eye and shrugged at the "access hollywood" tape in 2016 and still supported donald trump we knew we on a path of character no longer mattering. i mean, the list is so long. i challenge all of the women who voted for donald trump, if they're proud of this. if they can look their daughters in the eyes and say, yes. i voted for someone who has no regard for women, for you, respect for you, for us, or for the safety of women. because this is what they voted for. and we tried, and organizations like ours, pointed this out. what was at stake for women.

and when you put people like this, who have no regard for women's rights, for women's autonomy, respect for women, what does that say to the young girls in this country? to the daughters who are coming up in this and looking at who's in power? it speaks volumes who you put at the head, at the top, who you represent agency leaders. the type of leadership? i think it's disgraceful and kbairsing and women who voted for donald trump really need to have a conversation with themselves about if they're proud of this choice. >> let's take a listen to trump's new pick for attorney general. point out it a woman. pam bondi. take a listen. >> when republicans take back the white house and we will you know what's going to happen. the department of justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted. the bad ones. the investigators will be investigated. because the deep state last term for president trump were hiding in the shadows opinion now they have a spotlight on them and they can all be investigated.

>> how concerned are you about that promise? >> very concerned. i mean, just because she's not accused of sexual assault or sex traffickinged way matt gaetz was doesn't mean that she's necessarily any less dangerous when it comes to executing donald trump's agenda of rett -- retribution. said it, dismantle the doj. said prosecutors should be prosecuted. standing next to donald trump during the big lie in 2020. stood by him, a big perpetrator of that and questionable whether she's corrupt or not. took as $20,000 donation from the trump foundation at a time when the trump university scam was being investigated by several state attorney generals across the country and we all know about the scam that that turned out to be, and that went away in florida, which she got her campaign, got that donation. i mean, this is not someone who

necessarily would be, would pass muster in a, in another normal time of transition but there's nothing normal about this and i hope the advise and consent aspect of the republican senate look at these people and at least not make it easy for them. 24e they need to be held account for potential corruption and whether or not they will uphold the law according to the constitution. not donald trump. >> one more question about the treasury pick scott bessent. little known but wall industry -of- -- wall street investor. also a former protege of democratic mega donor george soros. his name is often invoked negatively by the right. indicating an east coast money lead but trump's picks are literally billionaires in this case worked with soros. are republicans concerned how they will play with their base?

>> clearly they're not. this is not our grandfather's republican party. shoot, it's not even my republican party from 10 or 15 years ago. they believe in night. niallists and i challenge everyone who voted for affordability and price of eggs that donald trump said were for the working guy. take a look at his cabinet. >> thank you so much. coming up next, church and state. inside the texas board of education's party line vote allowing bible-based curriculum in public elementary schools and what it means for students whose family don't practice christianity. keep it right here.

. not only is learning about common stories and phrases from the bible important in a student understanding of history, but it is the first amendment right to have access to this information. >> the state may not turn public schools into sunday schools and force teachers into the position of preaching rather than teaching. >> on friday the texas board of education voted to allow bible lessons in public schools. in an 8-7 vote the board approved a new curriculum that includes several units based on passages from the bible. while the addition is optional there is incentive for schools that implement it. they will get an increase in funds. the newly approved materials to appear in classrooms soon as early next year. joining me now, texas state representative james talarico. welcome. let me just tell our viewers

what your about. you are a former middle school teacher. you are an openly devout christian. enrolling in the seminary last year, i'm told. i really want your take on this move by the texas board of education. >> yeah. as you said, before i was a legislator i was a public school teacher and i'm a current seminary student studying to become a presbyterian minister. i can tell that there is a profound difference between teaching and preaching. punder federal law schools can teach the bible as an academic text but not in a devotional way. because public schools are not sunday schools. or as greg abbott is fond of saying, schools are for education, not indoctrination. i'm not the only one who thinks that this new curriculum is unconstitutional. the texas republicans who created this curriculum put in their bill immunity for texas

educators who violate the establishment clause of the united states constitution, otherwise known as the separation of church and state. so they also think that this is unconstitutional. you know, i think that this new curriculum is un-american, and i also think it's deeply unchristian. >> so big picture here. it is part of a larger trend, republican-led states, making moves to incorporate the bible in public school education. louisiana, moved to display the ten commandments in classrooms. oklahoma wants a bible in every class and now this. what happened to our founding fathers' doctrine? the one you articulated there? separating church and state? this has to violate the constitution. >> and it doesn't justify the constitution and violates the gospel of jesus christ. christian nationalists are so focused on pushing christianity in schools that they've learned in church.

jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. and in the parable of the good samaritan, jesus specifically defines neighbor someone who's different religiously, racially, and this elevates christianity over the other major world religions. when i have the jewish, buddhist, atheist, muslim student to be my neighbor. as a christian i am called to love them as myself and forcing my religion down their throats is not love. i think if jesus read this new curriculum he would weep for those students, and then i think he would overturn our desks in the texas legislature. >> a couple questions on that. first of all, we have seen previews of this bible-infused curriculum. sharing with viewers what it includes.

golden rule and jesus' sermon on the mount for kindergartners. and first graders, life of jesus and christianity in the roman empire forred they graders. but to your point. can students who are not vision can they opt out? are there calls for them to incorporate other teachings in classrooms? judaism, islam, as mentioned? >> yeah. i should make clear. i think that all our students should learn about the major world religions. it's necessary for them to understand history, culture, art, literature. i think they should learn about christianity alongside the other great faith traditions. the problem is, this curriculum elevates christianity over the other traditions around the world. doesn't give equal time or respect to all of the diverse religions. that's why it is preaching instead of teaching.

some folks say it's because christianity is the dominant religion in the united states, which is certain is, but to me that is, that's a reason for teaching the other traditions from around the world. >> sure. >> your schools should be about exposing you to things you don't know about. that's what education is supposed to be, and so my problem the special treatment that my religion is given at the expense of my neighbors' religion. >> ask you a practical question. could this be a money-making opportunities for donald trump? bibles used be the "trump bible" seen for sale and who will pay for these bibles? >> i think we certainly have to be vigilant for something like that. we saw in oklahoma that there was a certain criteria for the bibles that were required to be used in schools, and those criteria met the trump bible. soap this is something wep have to be on guard against. to your question about the financial concerns. texas ranks 43rd in the nation

in per student education funding. texas teachers are making less than they did ten years ago when you adjust for inflation. we've got a school funding emergency in the state. so while they say that this new curriculum is technically optional, there are heavy financial incentives put on this new curriculum to encourage districts to use it. so it's not really optional when you are a starving school for desperately needing funding and dangling these unconstitutional curriculum. >> more to come on discussions on this. jame talarico, thank you. coming up after the break, digging out. how one east coast community is recovering after an early winter storm buried them under nearly 20 inches of snow. plus travel tribulations. on the ground at o'hare natural airport in chicago. how early holiday travellers are working around the wintry weather. that's next.

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from coast-to-coast millions of americans facing an early bout of extreme winterlike weather. one area of new jersey currently digging out of nearly 20 inches of snow. while the west coast continues to reel from torrential rain, heavy floods and high winds. nbc news correspondent sam brock has more. >> reporter: in parts of the storm-battered northeast where one person already died in a car crash, the sheer volume of snow came as a bit of a shock.

>> didn't think it would be this serious. >> reporter: drivers clearing off cars everything from coffee cups to hotel brooms. >> you don't see this in arizona. >> reporter: nearly nonstop precipitation piled more than six inches of snow here in scranton, pennsylvania. >> doesn't take me long to do my driveway. with snow like this it does. >> reporter: regional high of 20 inches in high point, new jersey. part of the system that knocked chicago's snowiest november day in five years and turned the browns/steelers "thursday night football" game into a snow game. and the jennings creek fire led to mass power outages. more than 125,000 in pennsylvania alone. >> i'm trying to at least shovel a little bit, because i have my limitations. >> reporter: maria lives with several disabilities and saw her electricity cut out briefly today. >> does the idea not having power in your situation -- it's

scary. absolutely, it's scary. >> reporter: with efforts to clear road blocks like these ongoing, the west coast is still reeling from that atmospheric river. >> right now still about 200,000 people without power between washington state and northern california. where the area is still getting hammered with rain. some areas could see up to 17 inches before the end of the week. all of this elevating the risk of serious flooding. >> reporter: and an out-patient clinic and hotel in santa rosa, calf, around 150 people stranded for hours. wit holidays approaching, nationwide weather disruptions have many anxious about what's next. >> i'm hoping that my car can take me where i need to go, and just pick up a few items, just in case. >> okay. nbc's sam brock. thank you for that report. people on both coasts are recovering from wild weather, millions set to hit the roads and skies for one of the busiest travel weeks ahead due to

thanksgiving. tuesday to monday december 2nd, screening a record 18.3 million people at airports across the country, up 6% from last year. to which i say, yikes! bring in shaquille brewster from chicago's o'hare airport with more. at least i can see a little bit of space behind you. maybe because it's saturday it's not so bad? what are you seeing? >> reporter: it's definitely been going in waves. talked to workers here who said it's definitely a busier saturday here. more people than normal, but the lines are moving fairly quickly, because they were prepared for it. look, talking to people who have come leer.here. trying to avoid what we all know will be a record-setting thanksgiving holiday rush. look what aaa is saying. estimating some 80 million people will be traveling for this thanksgiving period. that's going to be driven by what you see on the roads. a lot of drivers, record number of drivers, trying to take

advantage of lower gas prices, national average about $3 a gallon. also seeing that record travel in the air as well. you see there. international bookings up 23% compared to last year alone. i'm jealous. just talked to someone who said they're going to jamaica. all of that has the tsa really feeling the pressure and telling folks come airports early, know the guidelines. specifically what you can and cannot bring back from that thanksgiving dinner. listen to a little bit of that official. >> while passengers can bring solid food, such as pies and cookies, and other baked goods, through the checkpoints, remember, that keeping your carry-on bag uncluttered will lead to fewer bag checks and a shorter wait time. things like cranberry sauce and gravy and that bottle of wine. really needs to go in your

checked bags. quick reminder. >> reporter: some people laugh when he mentioned bringing gravy and cranberry sauce. you'd be surprised what people try to get through the tsa checkpoints. by the way, looking at travel so far so good here in chicago. seeing delays where the weather ask right now, of course, the west coast still dealing with severe weather and then you have that rain still trickling through and making its waynorth. one of those people going out on that thanksgiving break early make sure you leave and arrive at these airports early and give yourself as much time as possible. >> good advice. learned the hard way my last trip. bringing yogurt through. and they're like, no. ta hob frozen. literally left. ate my yogurt. fig yogurt. how often do you find that? then went through again. freeze it, folks. all of you don't go anywhere. another hour of "alex witt

reports" coming up next. alex witt. "alex witt reports." a alex witt.

a very good day to all of you from the headquarters in new york.

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