and, go to celebrex.com to learn more about how you can move toward relief. celebrex. for a body in motion. if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. all of a sudden, it's like an earthquake going off in your body. my doctor pute onn aspirin regimen to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. to my friends, i say, you know, check with your doctor, 'cause it can happen to anybody. [ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote.

good mornday, everybody. i'm contessa brewer watching the big storm coast to coast. and we are waiting for the senate's vote on the tax compromise which could signal whether you get a tax hike or a tax break come january 1st. >> this legislation will help 115,000 children gain access to school meal programs. >> the hunger kids free act helps hungry children in schools. the first lady was there for signing. and the first lady helping unwilling holiday corralers. >> everybody say cheese. >> and obama is having a tougher

time with live-in liberals. and today is the first signal of whether the come promitzed tax plan can pass without changes. senate democrats are expected to hold their noses and vote yes. >> i can say that we have a good caucus from left to right who are willing to accept this. >> the minor leader and majority leader mitch mcconnell and harry reid are expected to meet to see if they can all support the plan the way it is right now. >> i think it is worth it, and it will create jobs in the econo economy. >> but john boehner told "60 minutes" that he is not for compromise. >> when you hear compromise, a lot of americans say, they are going to sell me out. >> and the vote this week, some democrats are angry about the tax cut for the rich and especially those who inherit millions of dollars. >> is this your line in the

sand? >> i will have a difficult time. >> and kelly o'donnell is on capitol hill, and what are you looking to the nr the test vote today, kelly? >> well, it is an important first step, because we expect the senate to move this to the next point which is debate and shapes the next week. it will not get going until 3:00 this afternoon and to give you a matter of the sense of what is going on. normally the votes go by quickly, but harry reid will leave the vote open for hours if necessary to allow the senators who are traveling back with the bad weather around the country today. and this vote will signal what people are prepared the do. you heard dick durbin saying that they have the democrats on the whole spectrum of the party willing to go along with this. some of them are very much concerned about the estate tax, and others are a little bit more calm about it saying that this is a compromise they can live with. lots of republicans are coming out saying they support it, so it is expected to move through. then of course, all of the attention goes right back to the

house, and will they act on this? there is still real resistance of the piece of the estate tax and hard to imagine that can be changed significantly, perhaps some little tweaks can be made that will bring them along, but still democrats in the house are expecting that they there will be a vote, and somehow or another, it will get through. >> thank you, kelly o'donnell. we have breaking news coming in from virginia a. federal judge there has found part of the health care reform bill that was passed into law last year or this year unkons toougsal. the judge says that his address of the nation's health care overhaul in ruling whether congress overstepped the constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce, and there was a requirement for everyone to go out to get health insurance by the year 2014 or face a fine. and justice correspondent pete williams joins us now. so, pete, they say now that part of the law is unconstitutional,

and are they being specific about which part? >> yes. this is the most controversial part of the law. this is the requirement that all americans buy health insurance. the argument of the state of virginia was that, that is unconstitutional and one thing to require people who are already in the health care system that they had to buy a certain kind of insurance, but what the state said, if you are not part of that stream of commerce, then congress can't reach out and grab you into it, and say, you have to buy insurance. the federal government's argument is everybody gets health coverage at some time or another, even if you don't buy health insurance, you eventually show up in emergency room, and there is no such thing, the government argued as somebody in the health care system, and the judge said that the law is beyond to power of congress, and so found that part of it to be unconstitutionali unconstitutional, but he said, also, that he is going to cut that part out of the law and

leave the rest of it standing. now, the state is ordering enforcement stopped of the health care law, and the judge declined to do that. this is federal judge henry hudson in richmond, virginia, who said that because there are so many other lawsuits pending, and because there are a lot of questions to go, there's no point at this time to enter an order stopping enforcement of the health care law. so this is fair to say, one of the cases of the -- and there are about 20 of these cases around the country, and this is one of them that the obama administration expected to lose, because of how this case has gone so far. there's another important case that will be argued just this week in florida, and that's also maybe a tough one for the obama administration. so, we are a long way to go here, and we will go through the federal court of appeals and this is undoubtedly going to end up before the supreme court, but it is an important one, because the state of virginia had actually passed a law saying that people in virginia can't be

required to buy health care, and that gave them a better legal standing, a firmer legal footing upon which to stand to challenge this lay, so that this is a bit of a blow to the obama administration. >> all right. we will keep on top of what happens with the other case in florida this week, and of course, as the health care law moves through the federal courts, we are staying on top of it. pete, thank you for your help. criminal and civil investigators are turning their attention to bernie madoff's youngest son andrew after his other son, mark, committed suicide over the weekend. he hanged himself. it was the two-year anniversary of his father's arrest and the last day for victims of the ponzi scheme to file to get back part of the money. now, where does the investigation stand not just into the death, but where all of that money went and who knew about the ponzi scheme? >> well, that is pushing on, contessa. and federal investigators according to a "wall street

journal" posted hours before mark madoff's death showing that there was a probe closer against mark madoff and younger brother, andrew, and even though he is no longer with us because of his suicide, they are focused on andrew, and what did mark know as well. remember, that mark madoff was the subject of several lawsuits including one worth $274,000 that also named his wife, ex-wife and his young children. those lawsuits will continue on along with the criminal investigation, so that does not stop. a lot of questions about really, what sent mark madoff over the edge. friends say he was distraught, and visibly depressed in several days and knowing that the madoff name was radioactive in this country, and knowing that his wife had changed the name of their children so they did not have to go through life with the name madoff, and the lawsuits that the "wall street journal"

article say brought him closer to the brink. hours before his death, he visited the parking garage in his area, and we rein a trendy area here in soho, and went to the parking garage and gave the attendants a $400 tip, and said good-bye to them. now people who have written books to the madoffs and studying this case are trying to figure out what may have done it for good. >> his friends had invested their life savings and bankrupt and they turned on him. his wife had to change the name of his children, and he was facing a lifetime of misery. >> reporter: and friends say that weighed very, very heavily on him, so it will be interesting by the way to see if bernie madoff can attend the funeral. it is unclear if he had asked to, but he was notified of his son's suicide, and both of the siblings have not spoken to bernie and ruth, their mom and dad, since this scandal broke. ruth is said to be heart broken and angry at her husband,

bernie, and blaming him for all of it. >> thank you. you know the madoff brothers have repeatedly pointed out they turned their dad in. so what did they know? i would like to hear your thoughts on twitter, facebook or e-mail contessa@msnbc.com. and there is a powerful winter storm blasting several states with what feels like a never-ending barrage of snow, sleet and ice. this is a live picture right now from columbus, ohio, where the temperature is 18 degrees, but it feels like zero. it is the middle of the day. travelers are feeling a similar freeze on the roads and the skies and all over the region. thousands of flights out of detroit have been affected here. the windchill in detroit is minus 8, and cleveland minus 1, and chicago, minus 1, and those

flights again canceled, because it is so cold. drivers are skidding off of highways from illinois to indiana and dealing with everything from car damage to minor cuts and bruises. so far at least six deaths are blamed on the weather. as impending forecasts goes, experts are not optimistic, and more snow is coming and the thermometers are expected to take a plunge. the weather channel meteorologist scott williams joins me live from minneapolis where the monster storm made a mess, and the name of the game today is cleanup? >> yes, absolutely, contessa. we are contending with the bitter cold and i can top some of the windchill values you mentioned. right now it feels like it is 17 degrees below zero here in minneapolis, and of course, we are dealing with the snowfall as well. about 17 inches of snow fell in the twin cities. public schools are closed here today and the cleanup continues. numerous roads are still not able to be moved through as far

as the plowing conditions, and several plows have gotten stuck, but as far as the metro transit buses are up and running. behind me, the big story is the metrodome which collapsed over the weekend due to the heavy snow and also the winds. about three panels tore dropping snow down on to the mall of america field. repair teams are going to investigate the damage and assess it and see what happened and see how long it will take to repair the damage, and also, we will find out how much it will cost to repair the damage, but the game between the giants and the vikings, that was moved to detroit's ford field and take place a little later tonight. no word on whether the repairs will be made in time for the vikings' next home game against the bears on december 20th. they are exploring an alternative location for that game, if the repairs are not made in time. back to you, contessa. >> tough news for the vikings there. scott, thanks. it is a bipartisan meeting

for senators and congressmen and women, and trying to find common ground in the nation without labels. plus, looking at the damage here, another cruise ship in turbulent high seas, but why is there a difference in the stories we are hearing from the passengers and the crew? my doctor said most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. also available in small, easy-to-swallow petites. citracal.

a shopper helped to save a virginia girl from her alleged kidnapper. that search went coast to coast for brittany smith. she is safe and in state custody. police say that an observant shopper called police. she was reported missing after her mother was found dead inside of her home no roanoke,

virginia, on december 6th. and now police are questioning his alleged kidnapper. scott easley is in custody for credit card fraud and kidnapping and akduction. and don king got stopped for carrying ammunition in his luggage. the authorities confiscated the ammunition, and he is now in florida at the ending the wife of his former wife, henrietthen. and now a boat went aare drift after the engine stranded them. they were stranded for 15 hours before they were rescued. by the way, no booze or gambling on that boat. and firefighters who arrived to save the day had to clear trees and build a ramp to get everybody off. right now, more than 1,000 democrats and republicans and

independents are gathered in new york city, and they are all getting along. they are launching a new group today called no labels. the goal is to end hyperpartisan zi ship and move the country forward. but for more on how the group plans to do it, we have congressman rob ingliss who is representing the fourth district. >> all right. no labels. tell me what it is all about? >> well, the idea is not to go left or right, but to go forward and to figure out a way to solve the challenges that we face. we can get there if we want to have a honest and frank conversation with the american people, and if the american people engage and say, we want solutions and not just scapegoats from you. >> and all right. one of the listed goals is to establish a political action committee that can operate in the 2012 primary races of members who get challenged by the ideological extremes of either party. we talk about sometimes that the

primaries elicit more extreme candidates than a general election does. will you back any candidates in the general elections or national elections? >> well, of course, that is a decision for no labels. i'm here to support the effort. but i won't be making that decision for them. what i would say is that really, this is something called a higher citizenship. we need people at home to say to their members of congress and senators, really, we want you to solve problems. we want you to go there and to pull the best out of both parties. it will never work to have candidates saying, send me to washington to be a compromiser, because that is not a slogan that will win. but if you say, give me support, because i am trying to find the best in both parties. republicans are great at creating wealth and making systems based on merith, and th that is what we conservatives are good at, and democrats are

great at fairness, and america needs both. so if you are a conservative listen to liberals enough to gather from them ideas about how to improve the conservative concepts, but don't run over them and don't turn them into villains, because really, that is dividing the country. >> well, congressman, it is not just in washington though. if you look at here is the president, and he has gone to, with republicans and made a deal on the tax cuts, and the vitriolic backlash against him for making that deal and finding common ground and for compromising what he really wants, and what the democratic party really wants has just put him on a lot of people's naughty list for the holidays. so if that is the mood of the country, how do individual lawmakers move beyond it? >> oh, it is a great example of exactly what we are trying to deal with here at no labels in trying to create support for people who are actually trying to make reasonable deals like

this. you know, what the president and mitch mcconnell struck is reasonable. the idea is that we can't in the midst of a recession have a tax increase. we need to extend the bush era tax cuts, and so we do that and the price for us conservative republicans is that we have to do the extension of unemployment benefits. so, both sides get a little bit of something, but the key is at home whether there's support for that and whether members of congress are hearing from folks saying, listen, work it out. or whether they are hearing, no, over my dead body, it has to be exactly what we democrats say. >> right. >> it has to be exactly what wep ares say, and if that is who ends up deciding this because they are the loudest voices, then the country continues to be in gridlock and that is not a good place for us to be. >> and congressman inglis, good to have you with us, and spending some time with us. >> good to be with you. hot on the web, iranian

president ahmadinejad has fired his foreign minister and replace himd with the nuclear head honcho with whom ahmadinejad has been close. ironical ironically, he had been critical of ahmadinejad's policies, and look at where that got him. and miley cyrus has been caught smoking a herb in a bong, and now legal dealers of the hallucinogen credit miley cyrus for the booming sales of the salvia. and one of the hottest sites on the web is two cats playing patty cake. >> that is not rolling it. you dropped it. >> no, it isn't. i'm not going to do it if you don't know how. >> you don't know how to roll it. stop. [ coughs ]

[ breathes deeply, wind blows ] something wrong with your squeegee, kid? uh, i'm a little sick. sick?! you gonna let a sore throat beat you? you're fearless! ahhhhhhhhh! atta boy! [ male announcer ] halls. a pep talk in every drop. that saves you hundreds of dollars a year. it's called the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. ♪ it's a breakthrough in medicare prescription drug plans... hey buddy! hey grandpa! ...with monthly plan premiums less than $15

and copays as low as $2. but for savings this big, visit walmart.com or call 1-800-808-4003. introducing the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. a medicare prescription drug plan that's a step forward in health care... and a step forward in affording the things that really matter. but don't forget, you can only save if you enroll by december 31st. ♪ call humana to take advantage of the medicare prescription drug plan with the lowest national premium in the country. go to walmart.com for more details. ♪

if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. all of a sudden, it's like an earthquake going off in your body. my doctor put me on an aspirin regimen to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. to my friends, i say, you know, check with your doctor, 'cause it can happen to anybody. [ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, naturally colorful vegetables are often a good source of vitamins, fiber, or minerals. and who brings you more natural colors than campbell's condensed soups? campbell's.® it's amazing what soup can do.™

another cruise ship has taken a beating at sea. but the passengers and the cruise officials are telling different stories. photos of inside of the ship show damage. they were out to sea when winds and waves rocked the ship. some passengers describe being tossed around the cabins with furniture flying everywhere. a spokesman for the royal caribbean says no serious injury and minor damage and says that many of the reports are grossly exaggerated. a camel capsized causing chaos in a christmas dress rehearsal in florida. i can't make it up. amateur video shows one of the wisemen losing the camel in the pews, and how wise is that? and the camel fell on some of the members of the audience and nobody was seriously hurt, and turns out that the camel was okay and the rehearsal continued

after the spill, because afterall, the show must go on. and russia's prime minister vladimire putin stole the show singing "blueberry hill" to a room packed with celebrities. ♪ on blueberry hill ♪ on blueberry hill >> you know who he should pair up with? rod blagojevich, and maybe they can pick out a standard american classic and anyway, he got a standing ovation for the rendition. shows you that americans don't have a high standard. and people dicki idigging o even parts of georgia. how is the snow affects travel? you want to hear this. and plus, a medical breakthrough to help with children with autism. sorry we'r. milk looks warm. finally got the whole gang together. maple brown sugar, strawberry delight, blueberry muffin.

yeah, a little family reunion. [ wind rushes ] whoa! whoa! whoa! whoa! we're cereal here! what? just cooling it down. enough said. gotcha. safety first. whoo-hoo! watch the whole grain! [ female announcer ] try kellogg's® frosted mini-wheats® hot. just add warm milk and you've got a hot way to keep your kids full and focused all morning. oops. dude your eight layers are showing. [ female announcer ] mini-wheats® hot. keeps 'em full, keeps 'em focused. with an irresistible full key... oh, too much? now get an lg quantum™ for $199.99, and get one free. only from at&t. rethink possible. yeah. aww...that oj needs alka-seltzer plus. fast powder packs are a taste-free fizz-free way to transform your drink into a powerful cold fighter! there's a cold front moving in, but relief is on the way.

welcome back to msnbc, i'm contessa brewer. a federal judge in virginia ruled this hour that the yoigs administration's health care law, at least one part of it is unconstitutional, and this is a reversal of the law that has been upheld by two previous judges. and the suicide bombing in afghanistan yesterday killed six u.s. troops. and a rival to wikileaks is opening today. it was founded by key figures who used to work at wikileaks. supermarket chain a&p has filed for bankruptcy protection, and all of its stores are still en for business. even though you are not among those bearing the brunt of the wicked winter chill, it is being felt coast to coast, because air travelers are getting caught up in the cold snap. folks in columbus, ohio, are among them. here is the scene there, a balmy 18 degrees and it feels like

zero. actually some folks flying out of there today may have trouble saying good-bye to columbus, because thousands of flights in and out have been canceled, grounded, delayed and you are seeing that chicago and detroit and other places are taking big hits, so if you are planning to travel, make sure you check ahead. mike bettes from the weather channel has more on the travel troubles that folks might encounter. >> hi, contessa. we are in laguardia in new york, and this place was a mess yesterday. we averaged two to three-hour delays because of the winter storm that came through and we had heavy rain and gusty winds and today, smoother out of laguardia. i checked the boards inside, and generally, we are smooth-sailing. you may have delays as you mentioned, contessa, to places like chicago or cleveland or columbus, where we are dealing with the wintry weather and windy weather at this point, so check it out with your air carrier, if you are traveling to those locations and pack some patience as well. if you areful tare traveling by

there are issues from boston, massachusetts to, portland, maine, because we have rain there, but the interstates through lake ontario and the ohio turnpike, and i-70 from pittsburgh to columbus to indianapol indianapolis, and the roads will be snow-covered. and contessa, people of the northeast have been spoiled by the mild temperature, and guess what is in the forecast for them? you got it, snow later today. >> well, it is beginning to -- >> well, a little bit. >> beginning to feel like christmas if not look like it. thank you, mike. by the end of today, we will find out if the president's compromise tax plan will pass a vote. now democrats are planning a big fight over estate taxes. >> we have never put to the test this question, do we want to add $25 billion to the deficit over the next two years for the benefit of 6,600 estates?

>> i'm joined by jason scheckter who served as assistant press secretary in the clinton white house, and ron christy, former public strategist in the bush administration, and jason, let me begin with you. last week, the democrats were all up in arms with the tax cults for the wealthy and this week, it is the estate taxes, and are they picking a new fight? >> yes, i believe they are, because this tax cut is good for the middle-class, and there is a new payroll deduction which will affect middle income earners. and for small businesses, a detection for capital expenditures and for everyday, there is a maximum dividend rate, and middle-class benefits here, and a lot of the people on the wealthy is political posturing. >> why do you think that democrats are saying now, we can't afford the tax cuts? there was big spending going on all through the last congressional season, and all of the sudden now is when you are

hearing the democrats shouting about how we cannot afford this that and the other. >> well, it is a lot of political posturing and at tend of the day, this is going to pass. no democrat or politician wants to be responsible for taxes going up on 150 million americans. and you have heard chris van hollen saying that he expects a deal to be done, and there is a senate vote coming later today, which is expected to be largely favorable. and also, 52 house democrats who lost elections, and they are not beholden to the house caucus, and they are centrists, and i think they will support this. >> it is interesting, because boehner says he likes the bill, and he won't entertain a lot of changes in it, and he wants common ground, but not compromise, and well, how do you do that? >> well, it is easy, contessa. one thing that republicans have done and why we got fired from office is that we compromised too much, and we agreed with the democrats and really to spend

far too much than we were bringing n and the republicans gained their way back into power by making a promise to the american people that we wanted a smaller government. we wanted a more responsible government, and that is not compromising on the principles. so obviously, we can find ways to work with the president. i think that it is encouraging that the real size and shape of this tax package, but you don't have to compromise your principles, and that is difference. >> but you have to give in on some things that you want, and is boehner willing to give in on some things, and will we see movement for instance on the estate taxes? >> well, again, i think that the con ototours of the deal, that republicans are not thrilled about this tax deal, because it is going from zero to 35%, but i put it to you this week, contessa, where have the democrats been compromising with the republicans? you have not seen the democrats interested to work the republicanser, and didn't meet with the senate minority leader for the last 18 months, and two years, and speaker-elect boehner is exactly right, we can find

common ground, but we won't compromise the principles. >> since you bring it up, ron. we were talking about the big pow-wow in new york talking about moving beyond labels, and any chance that political strategist, that politicians are going to move beyond politics? is there the appetite for that? >> i think that there is the appetite for that once you get out of washington, d.c. and once you get out of new york and get into the real world. people want people to come together and to actually find solutions to problems rather than just bickering. and we have seen far too much bickering. >> jason, is there an appetite to move beyond labels? >> yes, there is. and this tax compromise is a good example of this. this is house democrats working with the republicans to find solutions to benefit all americans. >> jason and ron, thank you. >> pleasure. >> thank you. and sarah palin is home after a brief tour of haiti. she went to visit a cholera treatment center, and she said

that her visit made her realize that the conditions are harsher than she thought. >> if some of the politicians would come here, and again, not to get political, but if some of to politicians would come here to see the conditions, perhaps they would see the need for military air lifts to bring supplies so needed here. >> she may be needed to amp up her foreign affairs, but she also joked that she could see russia from her campground, and she took kate gosselin and her children out to rough it in alaska. >> why would you pretend to be homeless? i don't get it. i don't get the concept? >> i am freezing to the bone. i have 19 layers on. my hands from frigid. >> i held it together as long as i could, and i'm done now. i'm hungry.

[ laughter ] >> i think that we can safely say that kate was not a happy camper. the man about to become speaker of the house unable to speak. john boehner has had trouble keeping the emotions in check during his "60 minutes" interview. >> making sure that that these kids have a shot at the american dream -- like i did, it is important. >> you know what is happening over here? >> yeah, my nose is running. >> no, it is not. what set you off that time? because she is proud of you? >> he cries all of the time? >> no. but he is going through an emotional period, too. >> boehner addressed the speculation about his ruddy c e complexion and denies going to a tanning is i tanning salon or using products.

and 33% of teens say they contact their friends r s every by texting them. and one of three teens admits to talking face-to-face, and e-mail should be snail mail, because 11% of kids use it. last week in seattle, one school went old school and students stepped away from the keyboards and away from the phones for something called the social experiment. 16-year-old nikolai joins us. you just ended the experiment. how did you do? >> i actually think i did very well. it started on monday. monday was extremely hard for me. you know, i had the whole, you know, feeling of logging into facebook, but after monday, everything went fine and i didn't have any urge to do anything like that. >> what were the rules? no facebook and twitter, right. what else could you not do this whole week? >> no online gaming, no e-mail, no texting.

>> but you were allowed to call each other? >> yes. if, so basically the rules were if you have a cell phone, you can not text, but call people. and he, the teacher, mr. mitchell, recommended that you call people with the cell phone. >> did you do that? >> yes, i did. actually, all of my calls for this week were on my cell phone. >> and what did you learn by calling as opposed to texting people? >> most of my friends don't know how to talk on the phobe. that is what i know. >> you mean it is awkward that the conversations seem to stall? >> yes. you call and say, hey, is johnny there? oh, hey, it is johnny. then you talk to him, and he does not know how to carry on a conversation with you, so it is kind of like the awkward, you want to hang out? sure. bye. it is not like a conversation of do you want to hang out today, but it is a short 30-second conversation. >> nikolai, when i was in high school your age i talked on the phone all of the time, but it was corded and i had to stretch it into the closet to keep out

the nosey brother and sister, and it is that farfetched from what you experienced this week? >> not entirely, actually. >> okay. would you do it again? >> i would actually do it again. last night, i actually was thinking about, you know, like, you know, logging into facebook and checking my facebook and logging out, because the minute i got on the facebook after it was over, like i felt myself getting distracted again, and it is just -- i don't -- like after this experience, i don't like the distraction. >> so, your grades are going to be better then for at least that one week? >> yeah. it just shows how much time you can put into schoolwork versus social networking. >> thank you for sharing your experience with us, and i will try it myself, but just not in year. maybe next year. >> okay. >> and why fedex and other shipping companies are bracing for the busiest day of the year. my doctor said most calcium supplements...

aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. also available in small, easy-to-swallow petites. citracal.  areoueady for your boss: just going over how geico helps people save in even more talkways... ...with good driver discounts, multi-car discounts, defensive driver discounts...

woman: you! oh, don't act like you don't recognize me! toledo, '03? gecko: no, it's...i... woman: it's too late stanley. gecko: actually, miss, my name's not stanley. woman: oh...oh, i am so sorry! from behind you look just like him. i'm just.... gecko: well...i'd hate to be stanley. geico. 15 minutes could save you 15 percent. old legs. p.a.d., the doctor said. p-a-d... p.a.d. isn't just poor circulation in your legs causing you pain. it more than doubles your risk of a heart attack or stroke. i was going to tell you. if you have p.a.d., plavix can help protect you from a heart attack or stroke. plavix helps keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots, the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. call the doctor about plavix -- please? i will. [ male announcer ] certain genetic factors and some medicines such as prilosec reduce the effect of plavix leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment.

don't stop taking plavix without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. people with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines including aspirin may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. tell your doctor all medicines you take including aspirin especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. these may be signs of ttp, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than two weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. [ female announcer ] talk to your doctor about plavix. consider this: these duracell batteries were given... to the mattel children's hospital, u.c.l.a. because when it comes to kids and healing... you're not just powering a toy. you're powering a smile. duracell. trusted everywhere.

a teenager held six preschoolers and their teacher for four hours hostage today. the teenager took the children hostage at the preschool, and let most of them go early on. but he was arrested, and they say that the teen has a personality disorder. crew are searching for survivors of a sinking boat. rescuers saved 20 people, but 22 remain lost at sea. police searched a university after learning that a pair of suspects in a swedish terror blast attended school there. those blasts injured two people and killed the bomber. police are not talking motive. though an e-mail before the attack cites sweden's involvement in the afghan war and cartoons on the prophet muhammad as reasons for the attack.

and here is a look at kate middleton's engagement photos that. i show to couple in a warm embrace, and gives a gander at kate's sapphire engagement ring. if you spent all weekend getting your holiday presents ready to ship hoping to beat the rush, you are the rush. fedex says it expects today to be the busiest day of the season, and because so many online retailers are offering free shipping, today may be the busiest ever. we have jay greg in hutchins, and wow, jay, what is the story for the workers? >> well, here the deal, contessa. we are in the heart of the busiest fedex hubs of the country and the busiest day ever for the company, and there are absolutely zero package on the conveyor belt right now. let me explain why. we are in the middle of two waves. the first wave early this morning, the packages that have to go out have gone out, and

they are warming up the conveyor belts now for the next round that comes in. they will sort them and send them as well. look, there are ten miles of conveyor belts here running at 540 feet per second. they sort 30,000 packages every hour here at this hub alone, and they expect to see 400,000 packages today, 16 million across the system, but again, right now, it is wide open and empty. >> well, sometimes that happens in live television, and let me ask you, are the workers happy about that? because if they have had such an incredible rush this morning, maybe they need a break? >> well, it is funny, because i got here ooh early at 1:00 local time and expected to see a crew exhausted from the holiday shipping season that has already started, and they were frankly working through the boxes, and to a man and woman, everyone i talked to said this is the best time of the year for them, they enjoy being here and enjoy the work and the volume.

there are a ton of packages and i looked through a lot of them this morning, contessa, and -- >> what do you mean, looking through them? you are opening up packages? >> no, the labels from contessa to jay, and so far, i have not seen them, but again, a lot of them will be coming down the belt, not too long from now, and about an hour, and check back in an hour whenly have plenty of boxes. >> okay. jay gray, plenty of packages from me to you. thank you. and today, the senate holds the tax cut vote compromise in two hours. a final vote could happen as early as tomorrow. and a snow-delayed game between the detroit lions and the minnesota vikings have tickets that are free. people started lining up four hours ago. and rnc chairman michael steele will announce whether he will step down or seek a second term as head of the gop, although other candidates are lining up to replace him. ♪ should i stay or should i go

now ♪ ah, it's stinging a little bit more than usual! yeah, you'll get used to it. the longer you keep your high mileage car, the more it pays you back. get castrol gtx high mileage. it helps engines last longer by fighting the main causes of engine failure. i think a dime went up my nose. yeah, it happens. don't change your car. change your oil to castrol gtx high mileage. its more than just oil. it's liquid engineering. if anything, i thought i'd get hit by a bus, but not a heart. all of a sudden, it's like an earthquake going off in your body. my doctor put me on an aspirin regimen to help protect my life. [ male announcer ] aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. to my friends, i say, you know, check with your doctor, 'cause it can happen to anybody. [ male announcer ] be ready if a heart attack strikes. donate $5 to womenheart at iamproheart.com, and we'll send you this bayer aspirin pill tote.

i won't. ♪ [ female announcer ] clear some snow. ♪ or spread a little warmth. [ cellphone rings ] [ wife ] honey, where are you? i have no idea. [ female announcer ] maxwell house gives you a rich full flavored cup of coffee so you can be good to the last drop. try maxwell house coffee and cappuccinos in the tassimo single cup home brewing system.

andrea mitchell reports next only on msnbc. well, snow may be blanketing the midwest, but weather did not stop an important flight from leaving cleveland for the north pole. more than 60 children being treated at pediatric hospitals boarded a continental airline before the trip. well, the plane never left the ground, but the kid may not have realized it, because the flight attendants closed the shades so that the lights would not hurt the reindeer's eyes, and the kids were given gifts, and after the flight, they were treated with quality time with mr. and mrs. claus just like if they had made the trip to the north pole. new preliminary research may give hope to parents with children of autism and finding out why they have the disorder. researchers at the university of california davis have discovered a serious biological factor for

autism which has to do with the way that the cells maintain energy. and they hope that isolating a cause can lead to more effective treatment. robert bazell is our chief medical correspondent, and this is one of the most views on the "huffington post" today and getting a lot of attention and buzz online. any reason to hope that what this discovery means in the future could lead to important steps in breaking through autism? >> well, i certainly hope it will want to lead to it, because many of us know from personal experience and if not, it is such an enormous debilitating problem for so many families. autism is a terrible disorder that seems to be increasing quickly, and we don't know why and we don't know the causes, so that anything that indicates what the cause may be, gets a lot of attention. what the researchers did is they compared ten children, and this is a small number, but ten children with autism to ten children who don't have autism and they noticed a defect in the

mi tochondria which is a bundle of energy. >> they are the energy powerhouses of the cell? >> right. and they found out that the kids with the autism seemed to have a defect. it could be a clue, but also, they point out in the article that they don't know whether this is cause or effect. there are many other brain disorders including parkinson's where there is a defective in the mitochondria in cells, so because they have autism they have this and not the other way around. >> the researchers also noticed an increase in oxidated stress which there are other doctors who describe it as the same process that makes the apple core turn brown or the car rust. what evidence makes oxidative stress with the symptoms of autism? >> well, i don't know that there is any, because that has to do with the mitochondria, and what they do is to make energy by oxidizing the nutrients that come into the cell, so you have a problem when you have disruption in the cell's energy

levels, you have a problem with oxidation, but again, though, it is very, very important that everything like this is followed through as much as possibles and there are a huge number of organizations and government agencies out there trying to do that. every clue about what the cause of autism is and clue, and this is just a clue at this point, but every clue has to be followed through, because we do need to know the cause before you can start thinking about treatments. >> well, what is it the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step, and let's hope it is a step in the right direction. bob ba zel, thank you. that wraps up this hour for me. i'm contessa brewer, and appreciate your watching. i will see you tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in you are in the west. julian assange will be in court trying to fight extradition to sweden. and andrea mitchell comes up next talking to incoming house speaker john boehner. it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food.

citracal. that saves you hundreds of dollars a year. it's called the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. ♪ it's a breakthrough in medicare prescription drug plans... hey buddy! hey grandpa! ...with monthly plan premiums less than $15 and copays as low as $2. but for savings this big, visit walmart.com or call 1-800-808-4003. introducing the new humana walmart-preferred prescription plan. a medicare prescription drug plan that's a step forward in health care... and a step forward in affording the things that really matter. but don't forget, you can only save if you enroll by december 31st. ♪ call humana to take advantage of the medicare prescription drug plan with the lowest national premium in the country. go to walmart.com for more details. ♪

they believe with olay you can challenge what's possible and gave us their good housekeeping seal. for smooth, firm, younger looking skin shape up in the shower with olay total effects body wash. >> ( baby crying ) >> grandfather: our first grandson. >> father: he sees you. >> ( "imagine" by john lennon playing )

>> ( laughing softly ) >> ( woman speaking korean ) >> ( child speaking korean ) >> ( children chattering ) >> dwight d. eisenhower: in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed... >> john lennon: ♪ you may say ♪ i'm a dreamer ♪ but i'm not the only one >> ( blowing whistle ) >> ♪ i hope someday... >> good night, baby. >> ♪ ...you'll join us ♪ and the world ♪ will be as one >> woman: together, we are the human network. cisco. right now, i on "andrea