on the verge. tropical storm isaac inches closer to the gulf coast and could become a hurricane within the hour. landfall expected sometime tonight right near new orleans. al made his way there this morning. in the spotlight. the storm shortened republican convention gets back on track today with the formal nomination of mitt romney as the gop's presidential candidate. this morning matt talks live with the man who will deliver tonight's keynote speech, new jersey governor chris christie. and emergency. a television news helicopter with smoke billowing from its engine forced to land in a parking lot. why its pilot is hailed as a hero today tuesday, august 28th, why its pilot is hailed as a hero today tuesday, august 28th, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to a special split edition of today tuesday morning, i'm savannah guthrie. >> i'm matt lauer in tampa, florida. we're going to have complete coverage from here in just a moment. first the central gulf coast, the people there already starting to feel the effects of isaac this morning. >> right now under the circumstances still a tropical storm with wind speeds of 70 miles an hour. that's just a few miles short of hurricane strength of the two biggest concerns with isaac right now, a 6 to 12-foot storm surge possible from mississippi to southeast louisiana, including new orleans and flooding rains. the region could see as much as 20 inches over the next 48 hours

or so. it adds up to what will be a major test of the region's new flood control systems. al is going to have the very latest in a live report straight ahead, matt. >> savannah, thanks. meanwhile mitt romney and paul ryan are expected to land here in florida. security is extremely tight. an 8 foot fence surrounds the secure hall, the hotel used by romney and the campaign. 4,000 police officers are patrolling the streets of this city each and every day. i was out on monday and shot video of these guys right next to our hotel. just ahead we're going to speak to tonight's keynote speaker, chris christie. a little later we'll sit down with romney's five sons to talk about their emotions heading into this very big event with their mother and their father. savannah. >> okay, matt. we're going to begin with isaac bearing down on the gulf coast this morning. we have two reports beginning with al who is in new orleans.

al, good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. right now on top of me clear skies. if you look in the distance off the mississippi river, we're starting to see those cloud beds starting to make their way toward us. as we look at the satellite, we can show you where -- in the last couple of frames of the satellite you're starting to see an eye develop. isaac 215 myself southeast of new orleans. 70-mile-an-hour winds northwest at 12 miles per hour. it's starting to slow up now. we have hurricane warnings from alabama-florida border all the way to morgan city, louisiana. and the path of this storm right now, it's not that far. but its forward momentum is slowing up. we expect it to make landfall sometime just to the west of in accordance, sometime later this evening as a category one storm. early wednesday morning 85-mile-per-hour winds and then it continues inland. the problem is this is a very

slow mover. as the system moves in, you can see the tropical force winds are niles out from the storm. the counterclockwise motion is a problem for this entire gulf coast region. as it continues to bring in those winds southeast, it's going to be piling water up. it's going to continue to pile water up. the storm surge, we're expecting anywhere from 6 to 12 feet above normal. it's probably going to come in right around high tide, so that will be a big problem. mobile, alabama, 4 to 8 feet, panama city 3 to 6 feet. and rain, this is going to be at least 24 to 36-hour event, see anywhere from 6 to 20 inches of rain. so the big problem, even though it is a minimal -- it will be a minimal hurricane, it will be able to do maximum damage because it is going to be a slow

mover. this will be at least a 24-hour event. savannah. >> all right, al. we'll check back with you in a bit. nbc's lester holt 12 miles outside of downtown new orleans in belle chasse, louisiana. good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. dozens of families spent the night in the auditorium behind me, one of the shelters put in place here for those part of a limited mandatory evacuation. here is why. if you look at the map of louisiana that finger that sticks out in the gulf, that's where we are, plaquemines parish. the mississippi river runs up the middle. the levees on the side, some built up since katrina. the others simply aren't strong enough to hold back the storm surge they expect here later today. the approaching storm is called isaac, but it's the legacy of katrina that sent many fleeing to higher ground. >> that's why i'm leaving, me and my grandbaby. i can get another house, vehicle

but i can't get another life. >> reporter: plaquemines par ickes where katrina came ashore seven years ago. vulnerable then and parts of it vulnerable for now. cars lined up for the ferry to cross to the east shore of the mississippi to relatively safer ground just hours after a mandatory evacuation order took effect. >> they are on edge. this is a big storm. nothing like katrina. but the whole south end of this parish was under water and people were kept out for months. >> in new orleans, devastated lower ninth ward, the scene of bitter misery in 2005 and where a slow rebirth had finally begun to take hold. many of those new homs built by actor brad pitt and residents boarded up. it now sits behind stronger and higher levee walls along with flood gates and better pumps. this time the system will hold. >> we've rehearsed, "we've

checked out our systems and we're comfortable with our preparations. >> but lisa haywood would be comfortable sitting out the storm elsewhere. she and her family decided on her own to evacuate. >> i have faith in god. i don't have faith in those walls. >> reporter: the uncertainty of isaac's landfall has left them uncertain. states of emergency from louisiana to florida. you'll be hard pressed to find water or batteries this morning in places like gulf shores, alabama and equally hard pressed to find someone in mississippi who doesn't have a harrowing tale of hurricane katrina. >> the day before katrina i owned three houses. the day after katrina i was homeless. >> for hundreds of miles the rituals of impending disaster, boarding up homes, topping off gas tanks and waiting. >> the message for our citizens is not to take this lightly. >> and around here, that is the enduring lesson of katrina.

>> yeah i fear all storms. you never know what you're going to get. >> about 7,000 people here in plaquemines parish are part of that limited mandatory evacuation. but the city of new orleans, they have great confidence in that new system of levees. no mandatory evacuation there. savannah, they told folks to shelter in place and hunker down. as al said, this one is going to take a while to pass. >> lester holt, so many bad memories. thank you so much. more on the storm throughout the morning. for now it's 7:08 and let's send it back to matt in tampa. >> after a 24 hour delay from the effects of isaac, the republican convention gets down to business at the tampa bay forum. we'll talk to the keynote speaker chris christie in just a moment. first nbc chuck todd our political director and chief white house correspondent has more on the big event for the gop and mitt romney. chuck, good morning. >> good morning, matt. the first full day of the convention kicks off tonight. the two big speakers tonight

represent the two twin goals of the romney campaign. chris christie in charge of the hard sell and ann romney in charge of the soft sell. mitt romney and his wife ann preparing for their turns in the spotlight. >> i like my speech. i really like ann's speech. our sons are already in tampa. they say it's terrific there, a lot of great friends. we're looking forward to a great convention. >> reporter: ann romney showed no signs of being nervous about her prime time speech instead making time to make welch case to bring to the convention in this photo. here in tampa on the first full night of the convention they will hear from john boehner, former rival senator santorum and tea party favorites scott walker of wisconsin and nikki haley of south carolina and keynote speaker chris christie of new jersey. thanks to isaac, republicans have scrambled to adjust their convention schedule. monday's session was over as

soon as it began. he gaveled in order and seconds later declared a recess. the louisiana delegation's empty chairs, a symbolic reminder. bobby jindal will be a tampa no show. >> certainly party conventions are interesting but there's no time for politics in louisiana along our coast. preparing to arrive in tampa today, mitt romney's running mate paul ryan received a rousing sendoff monday in his native janesville, wisconsin, previewing the republican convention's message. >> we're not just picking the next president for a few years. we are picking the pathway for america for a generation. >> while this gathering may lack the drama of past convention one staple remains, political rumor and gossip.

chris christie has quietly whit period to insiders romney is going to lose and that's why he's thinking about running himself in 2016. it's a report christie denies. well, today president obama is doing something most candidates on the opposition don't do, he's going out campaigning as well. he'll be in three states in the next two days starting in iowa, matt. >> thanks so much. we're joined by chris christie, the governor of new jersey and tonight's keynote speaker. good to see you as always. >> good to be here, thanks. >> let's go straight to the story. unnamed sources said you did not go for vice president's position because you did not want to give up the job of new jersey governor and you had real fears mitt romney couldn't win. >> the two reporters that wrote the story know me and know my phone number and never called me. they just wanted to put something on the front payable the day this was canceled.

i'm telling you categorically untrue. i've been working hard for mitt romney for the last year traveling 15 states across the country, absolutely believe he can win and will win. >> when you give the keynote address tonight, it's obviously a big moment at the convention. it's an enormous spotlight for you. a lot of people look and say this may be the moment he launches his bid for the nomination. is there any truth to that? >> i doubt it. i think mitt romney will be at the convention in 2016, renominated for a second term. you're looking at 2020, long way away. >> you want to tell hard truths to the country about the trouble we're in in this speech tonight will will you say the only way out of that trouble is the republican way, solely republican way or will you strike one of your common themes of compromise. >> we'll wait until tonight. i'll use new jersey about an illustrative example of what can

happen if you stick by your principles and solve problems. >> there's gridlock over your tax plan. is that the absolute right message to be sending now? >> sure it is. because if you look at over the course of two and a half years, we've compromised on significant pension and health benefit reform few others have done, property taxes. a number of different things people said we weren't going to get done. reformed teacher tenure. it can be done. you've got to be consistent, stick to your principles, send that to the people you're working with. >> speaking of compromise. the delegates working here have been vocal. they have come out and said they want a convention that takes a hard line against the democrats. if they win the white house and continue to control the house and perhaps control the senate, if your party does, do you think people in this party are going to be in the mood for compromise? >> i think what's going to matter is what the president of the united states is going to do. we've seen that the last four

years. the president of the united states did not want to work with republicans and didn't, didn't reach out to the republicans until they were in the majority of the house. i think mitt romney brings a much different experience to the table, worked with 85% democratic legislature in massachusetts. knows how to work akroos the aisle and get things done but also stands for his principles. i think both things are possible and we'll talk about that tonight. >> there's continuing pressure about mitt romney and tax returns. there's pressure not only from the obama campaign but conservatives in your own party to have him release more information. you gave a speech and said you can't lead by being a mystery. you can't lead by being an enigma. by not releasing more information is he not creating more mystery than needs to be created and has he not become somewhat of an enigma with his taxes. >> i don't think so. he's been very clear, he's not releasing his tax return. at some point 70 days out we have to take the man at his words. he's not going to do it.

i don't think he's been an enigma and mystery, whiches what i meant in the speech. i think the president has been an enigma and mystery what he believes in. >> you're a very savvy politician. >> thank you. >> if you were a guy like mitt romney who had been in public office, in and out of public office 10 years, running for president for the better part of five years, wouldn't you have taken steps to take all of your money out of known tax havens just to avoid the appearance of impropriety. >> here is the good news. i don't have enough for a tax haven, dependent have to comfort that issue. my general rule is not to answer hypotheticals. i hope to have enough money to look for tax havens. >> do you think he's taken steps to make it easier for him. >> you can always look back in retrospect and say maybe i would have done this or that differently. i think any american voter is going to say i'm not voting for

him because of this, no. the other issues we'll talk about joblessness, those will decide the election. >> every once in a while comments on the trail crop up. governor romney made a comment at a rally, he said, no one has ever asked to see my birth certificate, an obvious reference to the birther debate. he says it was a joke of is it funny to pay attention to a fringe group and question the very legitimacy of the president of the united states's citizenship. >> he hasn't. he's been the clearest and most affirmative of the candidates running for this nomination saying he doesn't believe that is an issue. he believes the president was born here and that shouldn't be discussed. i believe if he had it to do all over again, he wouldn't have made a joke. you're on camera 12 to 14 hours a day and say things off the cuff. believe me, i could put together a catalog of things i wish i wouldn't have said.

if you get a chance to talk to governor romney, i think he will tell you he wishes he could take that one back. >> is there going to be a line tomorrow we're all going to be talking about from your speech. >> i hope a few. >> chris christie. governor, always a pleasure. >> happy to be here. >> natalie has the headlines of the morning. >> good morning, matt, good morning, everybody. a nato helicopter crashed in eastern afghanistan. officials say no one was killed when the chopper made a hard landing in the eastern logar province. early evidence suggests there was no insurgent activity in the area. a former navy s.e.a.l. could face criminal charges as his book on the raid that killed bin laden is now under cia and pentagon review. the book "no easy day" is set to be released on the 9/11 attacks and already dethroned "50 shades of grey" on the amazon best seller list. they want to know if it revealed

classified information as it was not submitted for mandatory review before press. a student shot remains in critical condition as classes resume at perry hall high school. police have taken a 15-year-old student into custody as the suspected gunman as the boy's father said his son was bullied. meantime witnesses are calling a school guidance counselor a hero for grabbing the shooter and pinning him down. now let's head to wall street, cnbc's courtney reagan at the new york stock exchange. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. all eyes on isaac. one side effect could be temporary spike in gas prices leaving pain for consumer and the economy. prices are already at record levels for this time of year. elsewhere investors are holding their breath ahead of federal reserve chairman ben bernanke's big speech at the jackson hole symposium. we learned ecb president will no longer be attending citing heavy workload.

natalie. >> at the new york stock exchange, thank you. an emergency landing in los angeles as a tv news helicopter was forced to down in a parking lot as its engine billowed smoke. both passengers walked away unharmed. the seasoned pilot is credited for the safe landing. sometimes even the queen needs to roll with her crew attachment a look at these pictures of queen elizabeth driving her range rover. you see her decked out in a hoodie. these pictures are going viral. even though she barely clears the stoorg wheel, she still looks tough. she is a tough lady. 7:19. let's go back to savannah. she could take you down savannah. >> these are flying off the shelf now. >> better believe it. >> let's go back to al in new orleans and get more on the forecast. hey, al. >> hey, thanks so much, savannah. when you have an intense storm system like this, one of the things you have to worry about, severe weather besides the rain and the wind, the risk of tornadoes is a big problem.

so we have a risk of severe storms from houma, louisiana, all the way to tallahassee. the risk of thunderstorms, isolated tornadoes, hail, and of course those damaging winds. the rest of the country looks pretty decent, plenty of sunshine in the southwest, gorgeous pacific northwest, temperatures in the 70s and 80s. look for seasonal conditions through the great lakes, sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. hit or miss thundershowers in the northeast and temperatures in the midpe

weather. we have an update on isaac coming up in the next half hour. >> we'll look for that. a heartbreaking story. a new bride drowned while posing for pictures in her wedding gown. the photographer who was there speaks out. first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead at the gop national convention we'll talk to mitt romney's five sons. >> we'll talk to the woman whose car went to speeds of 120 when her accelerator got stuck. thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment.

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and freshens breath. ♪ tum...tum...tum...tum... tums! ♪ [ male announcer ] tums freshers. fast relief, fresh breath, >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. we could learn today whether charges will be filed against a 15-year-old student who allegedly opened fire inside perry hall high school. the boy carried a shotgun and 20 rounds of ammunition into school and his backpack and fired two shots before being subdued by a guidance counselor. the victim is listed in critical condition. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11.

>> a busy one, especially for motorists trying to get to the bay bridge. southbound 95, we are problems there might as well. mountain road, the local fire in the left lane. these speeds are right around 15. perring parkway and east joppa road, watch for closures in effect due to accident. very heavy traffic on the that is backing up traffic on southbound 795. washington boulevard and robert young wait, watch for crash in halethorpe. he spent span of the bridge, two-way traffic pattern one. spot july on 50 leading up to the bridge. it is barely moving. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> a little bit of light rain

out. this trend will continue. as we head into the morning and afternoon, the skies were clear out. it is monday. you will find that. a mixture of clouds and sunshine going into the afternoon. beautiful structure for the next few days. sunshine, low-

it's the 28th of august, 2012. the first and outer bands of isaac beginning to reach land in new orleans. the storm expected to hit the surrounding area tonight. we'll check in with al on the gulf coast again in a couple of minutes. meanwhile i'm matt lauer on the republican floor of convention in tampa. savannah, as we told you earlier, mitt and his five sons are there tonight. do they know what ann will say and did they help dad with the

acceptance speech. you probably heard this story yesterday. a mother behind the wheel as her suv accelerated up to 119 miles an hour. this morning she joins us with a live interview. tell us what happened. a bit later on "today's" professionals are here. among the topics we're going to discuss a doctor who refused to treat patients who weigh more than 200 pounds. we'll get go into that topic. we begin with the tragic death of a new bride who died posing for pictures in her wedding gown. mara schiavocampo here with this story. this is a sad one. >> a really sad story. the trend is called trash the dress. it's where brides will pose in their wedding gowns in unusual circumstances. in this case what started as a fun experience quickly turned deadly. in a split second a wedding photo shoot became the picture of tragedy. 30-year-old maria pantazopoulos

drowned in quebec while posing in a river in her wedding gown. louis pagakis is a friend and photographer. >> she had her wedding dress on and said take pictures of me as i try to swim a little in the lake. as she went in her dress got heavy. i tried everything to save her. >> reporter: reported by weighed down by her wedding dress she was unable to fight strong currents. >> she was a small girl, 100 pounds. her dress got heavy. i jumped in, tried, tried, tried. i was screaming, yelling. somebody else came. we tried our best to save her but we couldn't save her. >> reporter: pantazopoulos's body was found later. on her facebook page, friends, strangers struck by the tragedy of her passing. her friends who gathered two months ago for her wedding will now take part in her funeral. the bride was taking part in a new trend called trash the

dress. it caught on by brides who won't wear the dress again they take pictures in places like water. brad cooper credited with starting the trend with brides. >> it can be anything, some photographs put them in water, we've had them in the desert running, jumping through dirt clouds. it's not about trying to destroy a dress but about shooting something outside the box, something they haven't seen before, something memorable. >> reporter: investigators continue looking into the case trying to determine what exactly went wrong. safety experts say there's a lesson in the tragedy. >> you obviously have somebody in a full wedding dress, which is a lot of fabric and a lot of clothing there. the open water environment is very unforgiving. >> for the photographer whose idea became a national trend a heartfelt message to a grieving family. >> first our hearts go out to the family when we first heard about it. first you're heart broken

someone goes through that, especially being married so recently. it's hard to comprehend what the family might be going through. >> maria's family release add statement late last night saying one thing we are certain about is that our maria would never have put her life at risk. her love for life, for her husband and for her family would never allow it. she trusted mr. pagakis's recommendation. the family asked the municipal council of rawdon to put in place stronger security measures to avoid future tragedies. maria's funeral scheduled for saturday. >> unbelievably sad. maria, thank you. we want a check of the weather now from al who is keeping an eye on isaac from new orleans. >> again, we're awaiting the latest updates from the national hurricane center. should be in in about 25 minutes but we are starting to see some strengthening now of isaac.

right now isaac currently has 70-mile-per-hour winds just below hurricane strength. 215 miles southeast of new orleans, northwest movement is 12 miles an hour. path of the storm will bring it on shore sometime late tonight, early tomorrow morning. if it makes it on shore tomorrow morning, as you've been hearing, seventh anniversary of the landfall of katrina, comes on shore as a category one storm and continues on to the west. it will cause storm surge problems. storm surges anywhere from 4 to 12 feet above normal is what we're looking for for much of louisiana. alabama's coastline 4 to 8, 3 to 6 along the florida panhandle. rainfall is going to be a big issue as well. we're expecting upwards of 20 inches of rain locally, parts of mississippi, louisiana, and on into alabama. that's what going on around the country, here is what's tr

>> and that's your latest weather. savannah. >> the city of los angeles is facing a $50 million lawsuit from a high-profile banker who says he was brutally beaten at the hands of two police officers. nbc's kristen dahlgren has the details from los angeles. kristen, good morning. >> good morning, savannah. it's a complicated story with two very different versions. brian mulligan was once called one of the 50 most powerful men in hollywood. now he's asking for $50 million for what he says was an unwarranted and brutal beating

by the lapd. brian mulligan, a high-powered executive at deutsche bank, the former chairman of fox tv and former co-chair of universal pictures next to photo he said were taken after an arrest by los angeles police in may. mulligan a little he was beaten by police officers. his attorney, michael flanagan. >> they caused 15 nasal fractures. we think he has a broken eye socket, numerous abrasions and lacerations. i don't know why this kind of force was used, especially in view of the fact there was nothing for them to arrest him for. >> reporter: in a nine-page police report obtained by nbc news, officers state on may 15th, they responded to an attempted grand theft auto call at this l.a. area jack in the box. reports say they saw mulligan, who matched the suspect's description sweating profusely and walking with an unsteady

gait. according to the report officers determined mulligan wasn't under the influence but that he spoken tanously stated he had ingested marijuana and approximately four days ago he ingested white lightning, a type of over the counter bath salts with an intoxicating effect. mulligan's attorneys deny he ever told officers that but admit mulligan had gone to that neighborhood to buy medicinal marijuana, legal under california law. >> he's got a prescription -- >> for marijuana. >> for marijuana. the store where he was was adjacent to his doctor's office. he doesn't smoke marijuana. but from time to time when he has sleeping difficulties, he can eat muffins that contain it. they didn't have any. he didn't buy any that night. >> reporter: the police report said officers took mulligan to this area motel to rest but later confronted him when they saw the bank executive back on the street contorting his hands in a claw-like manner while

simultaneous simultaneously baring his teeth and snarling. i ordered the suspect to get on the ground at which point he attempted to strike me with both hands. after evading the blows, the suspect lunged toward me with both arms outstretched and temed to tackle me. i issued hum with both hands to the ground. mulligan was arrested but never charged with anything. >> mr. mulligan denies charging at the officers. he yelled at them and tried to get away. if you consider that resisting arrest, perhaps that is what he did but he did not attempt to make physical contact. >> now, nbc news reached out to lapd for comment. we didn't hear back. a former commissioner told me under new guidelines, it's likely an internal investigation is under way. >> all right. kristen dahlgren in los angeles. thank you. coming up next, matt sits down with mitt romney's sons at the republican convention in tampa. the story right after this. so, what's the problem? these are hot. we're shipping 'em everywhere. but we can't predict our shipping costs.

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and welcome back. we're here with more from the republican national convention. ann romney will take to the stage to address the delegates and tell the nation a little bit more about her husband. she's being supported here, as is mitt romney by their five sons, tagg, crying, josh, ben, and matt. good morning. nice to see you all. >> good morning. >> your dad is going to take to that stage, your mom on thursday night. he's going to walk up to that podium and accept the nomination as president of his party. raise your hand if you're going to cry. you're the crier? >> absolutely. i'm already crying just thinking about it. >> like the national anthem at the game. >> get away. it will be -- this is a big moment. it's amazing to see this happen. none of us really thought this would happen. >> give me the range of emotions

the rest of you will be feeling. >> yeah, it's going to be overwhelming, just incredible amount of pride for your dad to see all these people who believe in a common cause coming together to support my dad. that will be, it will be overwhelming. >> the fact he was unsuccessful in his bid four years ago, does that change your perspective this time around and make it even sweeter? >> definitely it does. we kind of -- we debated a little bit whether he should run again. that was not a decision for them and it wasn't an easy decision for us. ultimately we decided no matter how it is for the family, it's great for the country. >> have you seen the speech in the not at all. >> he's kept it from you completely? >> we've seen 100 different versions. we have supporters e-mail us pages, here is what you're going to say. >> you're not the focus group before he goes on stage. >> he's doing it himself, home writing -- >> he's starting to write the speech? i was going to say there's the

news flash of the day. maybe i should get around to that. >> he's been working on it. he's obviously had some help and some people. it's mostly his stamp and staying what he wants to say. >> what does he need to say, in your opinion? what does he need to say at this convention of he's preaching to the choir in this room but to the people watching at home, what does he need to say that he hasn't said. >> i think he's going to talk about the big ideas he has for the future, his optimism for this country, how we're going to move forward and get out of this economic mess, his ideas to do that, some specifics on that. really just big ideas about what he'd like to do to change this country. >> over the years that i've been following him and the press has been covering him intensely, the knock against your dad is that he's not the greater orator. he's not a guy loose as a goose on stage. is it a fair knock or is it who he is? >> it depends what venue you see him in. we see him in a lot of different

venues. at home with his grandkids, he's completely loose. there's different moments. if you see him at a rally, just a few people and they are animated, he gets animated, too. he shows a lot of enthusiasm. >> i want your take on a subtle shift after months of nothing hearing from your dad about your faith, the mormon religion, he has started to talk more about it in the last couple of weeks, couple of days, an interview with brian williams, interview with a magazine. why the shift? why the change of course in the last couple of days? >> i don't know if it's a conscious shift as much as it is just an opportunity to let people see more and more about him. he said that all along. he's obviously not running for pastor in chief, he's running for commander in chief but he knows people want to get to know him on a deeper level. the convention is going to be part of that. i think he's going to let people get to know him in a much more intimate way. >> even as he's opening up

agents more about faith, he gave an interview with the "wall street journal," he seems to be pulling back saying, this isn't going to be one of those events where i go out there and tell about myself. i'll describe views and issues but i don't have a plan to take everyone to my childhood home and say here is where i rode my bicycle. there is a reluctance on his part to share too much. >> i think he's anxious to share his vision for this country. tagg mentioned he's in this race because he cares about the future of america. i think he thinks the american dream is in danger of being washed away. there's 23 million americans that are unemployed. has he a plan to get those people back to work. >> your mom, as i mentioned is going to take the stage tonight. she has an enormous opportunity to personalize your dad. how much pressure is on her, first of all, what would you like to hear her say? have you seen that speech?

>> my mom is very naturally gifted somehow at these things. she somehow doesn't feel the pressure. >> i started out asking about the emotions you'll all be feeling as you watch your dad take to the podium thursday night. your mom is going to get up there and stand next to him thursday night. they have been married for more than 40 years. they are about to take an incredible journey together over the next couple of months. what will you be feeling like that? >> whenever you see your home up there, walking around, look at her helt and how well she's doing, we feel an enormous sense of pride for her overcoming ms and battling that. she has to struggle with it every day. doing so well with that, being with my dad supporting him in ways she shouldn't be able to. we have a ton of pride for my mom. it's overwhelming, it really is, seeing them together. >> it's safe to say when you see them holding hands, the balloons and confetti drop, you'll be crying again?

>> it's a good bet. definitely. >> guys, have some fun this week and congratulations. nice to have you. >> we're going to be back with much more from tampa right after these messages. the capital one cash rewards card gives you a 50% annual bonus. and everyone likes 50% more [ russian accent ] rubles. eh, eheh, eh, eh. [ brooklyn accent ] 50% more simoleons. [ western accent ] 50% more sawbucks. ♪ [ maine accent ] 50% more clams. it's a lobster, either way. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card. with a 50% annual cash bonus, it's the card for people who like more cash. [ italian accent ] 50% more dough! what's in your wallet? it's guaranteed they'll go through a lot.

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♪ and i'm bringing you a love that's true ♪ ♪ so get ready ♪ so get ready back now at 7:51 with this wild ride for a mom we told you about on monday. laurie ulvestad was driving on a highway when her suv started accelerating out of control. >> i'm coming up on a bunch of cars. >> okay. >> i'm so scared. >> for more than 35 terrifying minutes she was forced to dodge other drivers at a top speed of 119 miles an hour until finally coming to a safe stop. laurie ulvestad, good to have you here. good morning. >> thank you. >> is it hard to watch that? >> it's harder to listen to the 911 tape. >> i can imagine. you must have been terrified.

>> extremely. yes. >> how did you notice something was wrong an when did you notice it? >> well, the steering wheel started shaking at first and i started losing power and it started accelerating going faster and faster and faster and faster. >> the first thing you did was call your husband who owns a body shop? >> he manages a body shop. very familiar with cars. when he ran out of ideas, he said call 911. >> what did you try that didn't work. >> i tried to make sure nothing was under the accelerator, move the gearshift. no p so i tried to push the button 10 seconds, 20 seconds, put the emergency brake on, slam on the brakes. >> i don't know. do you have any past experience as a drag racer, because here you are weaving in and out of traffic. can you believe you were able to do that? >> no, i can't. >> you called 911. i asked you this before. you weren't hands-free. >> i tried 911 and i lost the

911 dispatcher. so she called me back and i had to grab the phone. i just held the phone and had to drive because when i went through the median, it was so -- the officer said it was like eight inches. so when i went back up, i had to have both hands on the wheel. i was scared to death. >> we can only manage. so finally the 911 operator tells you to basically put your foot on the accelerator, pull up and press the brake at the same time. >> correct. >> what did they say when you got out of the car? >> i had to do that multiple times. once the car slowed down i jumped out and they unhooked the battery. thank god it was over. >> how did you feel when your family came to pick you up. >> very emotional. yeah. >> you feel like you could have died? >> i did. i thought it was it. i mean, especially when i went underneath the bridge with the semiand the car. i thought that was it.

>> we have 10 seconds. this was hanging on your dash, never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly. you have a guardian angel for sure. back with "today's" professionals after this. xclusi, and commitment is not limited to one's military oath. the same set of values that drive our nation's military are the ones we used to build usaa bank. with our award winning apps that allow you to transfer funds, pay bills or manage your finances anywhere, anytime. so that wherever your duty takes you, usaa bank goes with you. visit us online to learn what makes our bank so different.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. >> good morning. bad news this morning. delays around big area impacting your morning rush. southbound 95, just prior to 32, the local fire causing the left lane closure. back approaching route 24. 1313 mileseeds around per hour. perring parkway, east joppa road, watch for crash. west side delays it didn't pass -- began past jfx.

oakland mills road, watch for an accident. 19 miles per hour on 295 towards 100. westbound 50 is completely jammed towards the bay bridge. that is due to the fact that it by doing bridge inspections on the westbound span. eastbound stand on the two-way traffic pattern. you will be lots of extra time. 95 towards harford county, that is the pace of things on route 24. >> we have had a little bit of light rain yet to start the day. most of the rain is south and east of baltimore. skies are going to clear from the north to the south. 74 at the airport, 72 in westminster. we will still see a chance for a couple of showers to start the day. mostly south of baltimore otherwise, a mixture of clouds

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♪ >> 8:00 now on a tuesday morning, the 28th day of august, 2012. labor day weekend fast approaching. there's still some time to have summer fun, especially when it comes to music. we're going to start things early on thursday, a live concert on the plaza. if you're a fan, come on down. friday, jason mraz taking to the holiday stage. bring a sign. jason will give one lucky fan free tickets to an upcoming show. good morning, i'm savannah guthrie outside the studio in new york. matt is in tampa for the

republican convention. >> by the way, it's not all business, some people are having fun at the convention as well. thirty painted and embellished elephants are all around this city. they are sponsored by everyone from hooters to msnbc, the national watermelon promotion board. it just livens thanks up. quick reminder, nbc's convention coverage, including governor chris christie's keynote address at 8:00 eastern, 7:00 central. we'll sit down with florida senator marco rubio, the man who will introduce romney for his speech thursday night, savannah. >> we'll look forward to that. matt, we're going to talk about the political convention with "today's" professionals and ask the question are they even necessary anymore. also talk about a doctor who refuses to treat a patient who

weighs more than 200 pounds. is it legal? ethical? natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. the decrease is bracing for high winds, heavy rain and storm surges as tropical storm isaac gains strength. janet shamlian in biloxi, mississippi, a city devastated by hurricane katrina seven years ago. good morning to you, janet. >> not only good morning, as the rain started in biloxi, the gulf is in full preparation mode. a couple blocks inland, there are lines at the gas station and at the grocery store, some of which opened early today, carts full of water and other supplies. here in biloxi, marinas are virtually empty. many boat owners moved boats upstream and away from the danger coming. the air force base moved c-130 to texas out of harm's way. the city of biloxi says it has strategically moved its fire trucks to locations around the city to avoid what happened during hurricane katrina when

much of its equipment was knocked out during the storm surges. speaking of katrina, there was a seventh anniversary memorial that was scheduled for tomorrow. that has been canceled as all eyes are now on the gulf. natalie, back to you. >> janet shamlian, can hear the wind kicking up there already in biloxi, mississippi. thank you. mitt romney is set to be formally nominated at the convention in tampa. the convention was called to order monday and immediately adjourned because of the storm threat from isaac. ann romd romney and keynote speaker chris christie are scheduled to deliver their speeches tonight. six army soldiers are receiving administrative for burning air force base, meantime three marines punished on their roles for urinating on corpses in afghanistan. they took a plea deal which puts a mark on their record which

impacts any future or reenlistment. obesity is an important factor whether a woman will study a recurrence. the study in the journal of cancer looked at nearly 7,000 women with stage one to three breast cancer who required chemotherapy as part of their treatment. those obese at the time of diagnosis had a 30% higher risk of recurrence and 50% higher risk of death than women of normal weight. now for a look at what's trending today. a quick roundup of what has you talking online. oprah winfrey tops forbes.com list of highest paid celebrities. forbes estimates she earned 145 million last year thanks to her magazine, satellite station and shows. runner up with steven spielberg. in third record producer dr. dre scored a fifth place because of his popular headphones. more than one way to wow on

looks with your new yacht, the ending of this viral video from russia. smooth sailing it was not. nelly the sea otter racked up more than a million youtube views with this cup stacking we showed you a few weeks ago. now maybe the fame has gone to her head. she's getting lipy with her handlers. >> what? >> really? how come? really? >> so is nelly trying to make pleasant conversation or maybe demanding an increase in her fishy treat allotment. who is to say? it's 8:05 right now. let's get an update on isaac. for that let's go to al in new orleans for a check of the rest of your weather. .

. >> thank you so much, natalie. we're on the mississippi river. that's the fabulous crescent city connector bridge. normally this time of morning there would be all sorts of barge traffic. because of isaac you see barges across the river they are tied up, as are the tugboats. nothing on this river today until the threat of isaac has moved on. we have the latest from the national hurricane center. isaac has slowed down. two things significant. not yet a hurricane, and its forward motion slowed down. right now isaac is 185 miles south southeast of biloxi, maximum sustained winds, moving west at 7 miles per hour. that's the big problem we're going to see withic. it's going to be a slow mover. we do have hurricane warnings up from morgan city all the way to the alabama florida border. that's an issue.

we're also going to be looking at the path of isaac. isaac will probably make landfall as a category one storm. we expect it probably right around 11:00 isaac will become a hurricane, category one, make landfall tonight or tomorrow, the seventh anniversary of katrina. again, moving very slowly. because of that, we have to worry about the storm surge, that wall of water being pushed by the counterclockwise winds of isaac. those winds, those tropical force winds extend out 250 to 290 miles. storm surges of anywhere from 6 to 12 feet. then we also have to worry about rainfall. anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of rain. locally we could see up to 20 inches of rain. this will be happening at least over 24 and maybe even 36 hours. that's what going on around the country, here is

>> and that's your latest weather. savannah. >> all right, al, thanks. coming up next, should airlines be able to tell you what you can and can't wear on a flight? we'll talk about that more with "today's" professionals. we'll be back right after this. all multivitamins give me the basics.

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[ male announcer ] the volkswagen autobahn for all event. at 0% apr for 60 months, no one needs to know how easy it was to get your new volkswagen. that's the power of german engineering. to get your new volkswagen. you know what's exciting? graduation. when i look up into my students faces, i see pride. you know, i have done something worthwhile. when i earned my doctorate through university of phoenix, that pride, that was on my face. i am jocelyn taylor. i'm committed to making a difference in people's lives, and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now. the lines, the cost, the hassle. ♪ express yourself [ female announcer ] why not try coffee-mate? with over 25 delicious flavors for a fraction of the cost of the coffee house. add your flavor, with coffee-mate, from nestle. with no added sugar. just one glass equals two servings of fruit.

very "fruit-ritious." or try ocean spray light 50, with just 50 calories, a full serving of fruit, and no added sugar. with tasty flavors like cranberry pomegranate and cranberry concord grape, it's like a fruit stand in every bottle. [ splashing ] just, you know, demonstrating how we blend the fruits. ahem. try all our tasty ocean spray 100% and light 50 juices. back now at 8:12 with "today's" professionals, break down hottest headlines that have you talking. star jones, danny deutsch and dr. nancy snyderman. hi, guys. let's start with the political conventions. every four years we have the discussion, are they really necessary? there's no expense. we know what will happen. big expense. tv networks barely show them

anymore. donny is sleeping. are you voting with sleeping? is there any purpose for them anymore? >> yes, because we're a democracy. it's still a great kind of celebration of who we are. a media observation of why they don't matter anymore. thirty years ago before cnn, fox, we didn't get to see hollywood and how it works. every day now, 24 hours a day we're peeking behind the curtain, there's nothing special about them. we're just going over everything happening in the media. >> outside my office are fabulous big pictures of huntley-brinkley, black and whites. take you back to when there was suspense and roll call mattered. sometimes we really didn't know who will get the nod. things are over. >> we've had many conventions since the primary convention began. >> for four straight years. >> everyone pays a close attention to politics, perhaps

as the three of you, for a lot of people this is the beginning. >> i would argue the opposite. it's the same 12 people politics who think it's exciting, most people are thinking big yawn. >> one thing important is to hear both candidates go ahead and sell themselves in their major speeches. i'm not as interested in the ra ra of everybody else coming before them but both major candidates, i'd like to hear what is your plan for america. that should really begin the political season. >> when something, as an ad person, what should the campaigns be doing to make it more compelling. >> it is what it is. the interesting thing is not the current campaign it's the key up the future, the keynote. i'm going to rest my case. >> we've got to get to the next one. airline dress code. a couple of airlines have kicked people off for what they are wearing, a t-shirt with an expletive, a controversial

message that made fun of the screening process, one for showing too much cleavage. airlines are within their legal rights to do it. >> 100%. you know good and well because they are considered to be a private company, privatentity, they can make a decision like a restaurant. if the restaurant owner doesn't want to you come in because your skirt is too short, they can refuse the right. >> i think there's a difference. technically they are private. i think the airlines are more of a public, i'm not going to say owned. a restaurant says that's bad, too much cleavage, something silly on a t-shirt. >> a restaurant can say no t-shirt, no shoes, no service, should an airline be able to do the same thing. >> too much cleavage. anybody in a restaurant say i don't like the writing on your t-shirt. that's ridiculous. >> i would like them to say no funk. >> there is no dress code.

if the airline enforces it, you don't know. >> you can show up and think you're okay. then all of a sudden they say it's too much -- >> common sense for traveling and maybe a little class and maybe shorts that go up to here -- >> i don't think a flight attendant should be deciding how short somebody's shorts are. >> i don't know how people wear shorts on airlines. it's cold. >> i don't know why they want to. >> some people walk in with pajamas. okay. enough already. put your clothes on. >> lance's legacy. lance decided to give up his fight the u.s. anti-doping agency stripped him of his seven tour de france titles. he maintains his innocence, says the process is illegitimate and will never get a fair result. what is the net effect. will people assume he's guilty? >> of course they are. this is a guy by nature giving up a fight. you can't help but believe he was cheating. that's tragic and sad. let me finish one second,

sweetie. no, mine, the guy has raised half a million dollars for cancer. let's give him the big kudos for that. barry bonds, the guys who define sports -- >> his sponsors like nike are keeping him. >> from a cancer perspective, he's done an amazing job. but think about this legally. the process is legitimate. legitimate means fair. it's the same process every single athlete has to go through. when it comes to lance armstrong, however, there were 10 to 12 witnesses prepared to come. even if they were telling the same lies that's compelling evidence. >> to give his tour de france winnings, the next person already convicted of doping, so everyone around him. the problem is he's unlikable but he's done a really fabulous job in creating an amazing foundation. >> sponsors will stick with him.

>> we'll see what happens of let's get to the topic quickly, the doctor will not see you a doctor turned away a patient in massachusetts because she's overweight and says anybody over 200 this doctor won't see. apparently it's legal and ethical. >> it's legal, it's not ethical, it's amoral. i'm sorry this doctor won't lose his license. >> her. >> look, if a person is obese, that person needs a doctor. for a doctor to turn someone away, that is unethical, amoral and the doctor should be -- >> 100% legally they can do it. one of the things that bothers me the most women by and large do not go and seek their own medical health information. with heart disease being the number one killer of all women, the thought that a female doctor would turn away a woman with a stroke or heart disease or cancer in her family, that's really unethical. >> well, star, donny, nancy, no

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thought they would come this far. they say they owe it all to 13-year-old madison. >> we've gone through our share of hardships. it's this unit right here, this team, together we can do anything. >> reporter: they call themselves team maddie, born with severe cerebral palsy, maddie cannot hear or see or speak yeltsin she defines what this family is about. >> just who she is made us better individuals all the way around. >> reporter: four years ago maddie was given the opportunity to take part in a marathon. that's when they discovered she loves to race. >> it was that day i realized madison is not a burden. she's a blessing and that changed our lives and so many other people. >> reporter: rick quit chain smoking and took up the triathlon, not to go it along but have maddie by his side

every stroke and plgts. >> before madison showed me a healthy lifestyle, you could say i was running away from it. >> reporter: now it's a family affair. while she's towed in a kayak, rachel does the swimming despite her fear of water. >> i can go out there and be strong for 500 meters. i can do it for her. >> brother hunter does the running. >> whenever i just think i can't do this anymore, i look inside of that cart and i see madison laughing and smiling. i'm just like, i can do this. i can't give up. >> moammary keeps the whole team going. >> it's not about finishing first. it's all about crossing the finish line. ♪ >> reporter: something else keeps maddie going, too. her love of the music of rascal flatts which plays in her

headphones along the way. it's also what she listens to at home in her room where the walls are covered with triathlons of the past. while maddie competes, spectators who line the route cheers them on. >> when you see what we do as a team, it's about love. i think that's what the people see. >> reporter: when the race has been run, maddie gets her medal and a kiss and every one of us goes home inspired. for "today," kevin tibbles, nbc news, michigan. >> they are an inspiration. >> amazing story. i love to see the whole family. she seems to really love it. >> she does seem to enjoy it. the smile on her face. >> just ahead last-minute labor day travel deals and a live performance from "american idol" winner philip phillips after your local news.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am in december. breaking news to a student at perry hall high school -- police have charged the suspect for shooting up. robert gladden is charged with first-degree attempted murder and assault now let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> it has been a busy rush out there. let's get you up-to-date on the latest accidents. both of these are alternates to 95. a lot of folks trying to avoid

this because of an earlier vehicle fire. inner loop of the beltway at the harrisburg expressway, an accident reported. j.f.x. filling up all the way to the beltway. westbound 50 is completely jammed. that narrows all the way to the bay bridge. you are in the two-way traffic pattern. let's switch over and show you what 795 looks like. it is crawling from owings mills down to the beltway. >> we have a little bit of light rain yet to start the day. most of that is south and east of baltimore. if you're walking across the eastern shore counties, we have seen rain we are seeing -- rain for 30 minutes. it will be a warm and humid day. high-temperature near 87. pitiful weathe -- beautiful weather coming up.

>> back with another update at 8:56.

>> 8:30 on tuesday morning. it's the 28th day of august, 2012. you can see our crowd is mingling with "american idol" champ philip phillips. his song became number one on the charts, become an anthem during the olympics. he's here with us. savannah guthrie alongside natalie morales. matt is down in tampa, al is covering the storm in new

orleans. we're having a bad hair day here in new york. >> we've got a lot coming up ahead. also ahead in this half hour, talk about shaving years off your look without going under the knife. the top anti-aging beauty products tested, tried and true. >> if you haven't made plans for labor day weekend, apparently it isn't too late. great ideas, deals, getaways. we'll show you where to look. >> all right. and first, though, want to get the latest on isaac right now and its path. al roker is tracking it from new orleans. good morning to you, al. >> hey, good morning, guys. winds are starting to pick up just a little bit here on the mississippi river as isaac continues to churn toward us. it slowed down, though. that's a really bad sign. let's look at the rest of the country's weather. we do have a risk of strong storms from isaac along the southeastern gulf coast. we're looking at showers in the

northeast. beautiful day in the pacific northwest, sunshine, temperatures in the low 80s, nice and dry through southern california. 91 in l.a. for tomorrow, look for that risk of strong storms as isaac makes its way inland to stretch up into the lower mississippi river valley. sizzling weather for the western third and two-thirds of the country with showers moving into the pacific northwest. sunny and mild around the great lakes. plenty of sunshine returning to the

>> that's your latest weather. don't forget with isaac out there, you want to check the weather any time, go to weather channel on cable, weather.com online. let's check in with big willie scott. hello, uncle willie. >> i like hot weather but arizona takes the cake. i love it out there. sand and weather, mountains, the stars. and i like sierra vista, arizona where sophie oreszak lives. happy birthday, sophie. loves to bake and is an eternal optimistic. the glass is always half full. steve wrubel from holiday, florida, 103 years old. says his best advice, tell your wife you love her every single day. and at night, whisper sweet

nothings in her ear, like, honey, would you get me a sandwich. mary dubowchik, 100 years old today. enjoys playing bingo with her many friends. i used to love to play bingo. i haven't played bingo in years. kate price, we love her. lives in alabama, athens, alabama. 100 years old today. owned and operate add restaurant. her special salad dressing was the talk of the town. a very tough thing to do. really good. and we have lucilla ervin doctor durham, north carolina, 105. enjoys going to church with her family. that's nice, too. harry hoffman. you know harry, he likes to play jokes. onawa, iowa, 100 years old. a practical joker. he likes to play it on people

younger. with him anybody is younger than him. >> willard, thank you. still looking dapper. up next, last minute labor day travel deals. first this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:37. this morning on today's travel, labor day deals. if you're looking for one last summer getaway, there's still a chance to book a deal. travel and leisure. you mean ittish it's not too late? labor day is this weekend? >> we have last minute deals under $200. everyone needs to recharge their relaxation battery now and get some deals. >> your first one outdoors and adventure, oregon. >> this is in the high plains of central oregon. this is a brand-new resort taken

over by this property, they do hospitality right. they are being hospitable offering 41% off on junior suites rate, plus their outdoor activities. i've done a lot of outdoor activities. this is a place with an outdoor paradise, 300 days of sun, tons of beautiful weft and things you don't necessarily get. kayaking, two incredible golf courses, something called spelunking. >> in a cave. >> former lava. kids would love this. >> two california hotels, but different. first a ranch theme. >> rancho los palmoss. this is about big, 25,000 square foot spa, 27 hole golf course,

tennis courts. they are offering lots and lots and lots, piling on the additional parts of this deal we have for their fily summer getaway package which starts $179 a night. one thing they are doing, dinner on the fair way. drive on a golf cart. >> the other hotel hollywood glam glamor, humphrey bogart. >> celebrities love to go to palm strings, it's so accessible. they are offering a great deal for couples who want to get away and reboot right before the beginning of the fall sets in. this is a deal where they are going to throw in not only your night's stay but a couples massage under the stars, some bubbly and breakfast in the morning. again, under $200 a night. >> when they do ask for those coupons, added amenities, is it worth the deal brf it's great when someone offers you something for free as long as something you want. look at the fine print and decide do you want 30% off yoga.

are you not a yoga person, it's not worth it. >> next, close to my heart, tucson, arizona. the ranch. >> i bet it was a property you went to maybe when you were a younger. this is a great resort if you're wanting to go and have outdoor activities, surrounded by the desert, lots of cactuses. >> cacti. >> this is a trip kids will want to rush back to school to tell friends about, hiking, climbing, horse back riding, you're going to be a little saddle sore, but the great kind, again, under $200 a night. >> personal voucher for sunsets in tucson, arizona. >> most beautiful in the country. >> south carolina, nice island. >> this is a resort readers are obsessed with. they love it, always voting it number one in our world's best

survey for family in the nation. they have a sanctuary that's fantastic, 500 vilas you can book from, much more value oriented. looking for a getaway, doing something where you can get a villa close to the beach, sand castle, kayaking you want to do and relaxing. that's the main thing, you need to relax, fall is coming. >> looks beautiful. can you still get a deal on airplanes. >> you can. fall is a great time to get airline deals. if you're not going to get away for labor day, september is a great, great time to get away. >> great ideas. thank you so much. thank you. coming up next, who doesn't want to look younger, the winners of good housekeeping's anti-aging award but first this is today on nbc.

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feeling younger, nearly 700 volunteers tested products for "good housekeeping's" annual anti-aging beauty award. here with results is editor in chief rosemary ellis. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> love when you're here, this segment in particular. this is true, tried and true. these have been tested. >> this is true. >> it take years off, perhaps not. >> they will definitely help you look better. we were a little skeptical, toif say, when we started anti-aging awards three years ago. we spent 18 months testing every product on the market that made anti-aging claim. skin care is different from makeup. we know our readers love getting information on what really works. frankly, most of this stuff does not work. so it's only through test ongoing hundreds of women we have -- >> you brought some back in to make sure -- >> before and after photos. we have machines that measure elasticity, firmness, color pigmentation, you can see if

dark circles do look better. these are the winners. these really work. >> ladies, without further ado, people at home are going tell us about the products. first off for undereye circles. you say the product that works is this one, age remind. >> it's 10 bucks. i love it. i'm using it every day. what testers love, the spongy applicator. helps it go on smoothly. very moisturizing, stays put. does have enough coverage to conceal undereye circle. >> for $10, it's an eraser. >> it is a good deal for $10. >> next foundation, some qualifications here, had to be spf 15 or higher and had to moisturize and firm. how long did you tess foundation. >> we tested them over a couple of months. typically we test for as long as the product says it takes to make a difference. we take their cue and say, okay, do you do what you say.

this is chanel, $55. >> top of the line. >> it's heavy enough to even out your skin tone but feels light, goes on velvety smooth. this is the only foundation we tested that scored a perfect score for firming skin. >> wow. >> helps firm your skin a little bit and moisturizes. i love it. >> with a name like that it definitely works. over here primers. a lot of people say if i'm using a good foundation, why do i need a primer? >> primers are great because they do two things. they help your makeup go on much more smoothly and also help it stay on. the whole day helps to keep your makeup from traveling into laugh lines, forehead creases. >> all those wrinkles. >> some primers are tinted, so you can use them instead of foundation, a sort of two in one. it worked very well. really helped keep things in place, light and moisturizing. >> to lipsticks, speaking of

moisturizing, you like this one here. tell us about it. >> all the lip sticks claimed to reduce fine lines. didn't work on any of them. they love this dior lipstick, moisturizing, stayed in place. the best lip sticks and liners keep from traveling, when it travels to the vertical lines around your mouth. these nicks that. >> liners, you like this urban decay. >> you want to define your lips. your lip line gets fuzzier as you get older. this helps feathering. >> over here to plumpers. a lot of people think a lip plumper, does it really work or is it a claim? >> it does. >> smash box. >> works very, very well harks a lasting effect. this is not a permanent effect. this is something you do just before you want your lips to be fuller, let it dry and put on your lipstick. it does last for limited amount

of time. >> mac wins for eye shadow. >> one of the things that works best is counter-intuitive to me, cream eye shadows. best anti-aging shadows don't crease, hold their tone through the day. this did that well. you want to use a synthetic brush when you put an eye shadow on, won't go into the brush, helps it go on more smoothly and stay in place. >> onhere here the brow pencil by lancome, brush applicator. >> helps smooth it after you put it on, also like how feather light. after a certain age you want a brow filler because your brows tend to get sparser as you age. >> mary, thank you. >> thank you. >> coming up next, a live performance from "american idol" winner philip phillips. first this is "today" on nbc.

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>> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today," brought to you by toyota. >> back now at 8:50 with the reigning "american idol" champion philip fip phillips. his coronation song "home" used for u.s. gymnastics team has gone platinum. now he's at work on his debut

album. good morning. good to see you. >> good to see you as well. >> we were hoping to see you last spring for a performance but you had to have kidney surgery. how are you doing? >> doing good, taking it slow, trying to make it. >> people probably can't imagine you did what you did on "american idol" delivering so many flawless performances and yet you weren't even feeling at your best. how are you doing now? how has the tour been? >> it's going really well, having a lot of fun going to the different cities and seeing all these new people and new things and playing with these guys, just having fun. >> the song "home." is such a favorite, an anthem, especially around the olympics. i know you're working on your favorite, your songs. are you excited to get out there and show people what you write as a songwriter. >> i'm excited to tell my own stories. maybe people will connect with it and enjoy them like i do. >> we mentioned before, home went platinum. that's your first single and it

sold a million copies. >> yeah, it's pretty insane. i never thought any of this would ever happen so it's a true blessing. >> we wanted to show you something your record company wanted to surprise you with. you're a genuine star if you have one of these hanging in your office. guys like it. >> i haven't even seen it. this is a surprise. >> i know. it's a surprise. okay. you can feast your eyes on that. >> philip, i have to ask you, what is your middle name. >> we don't speak of the middle name. >> it's not philip is it? >> no. >> philip phillips with "home." congratulations. we'll let you take it away. >> thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ hold on to me as you go as we roll down

the road although this wave. >> is stringing us along just know you're not along i'm going to make this place your home ♪ ♪ settle down it will all be clear don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear ♪ ♪ the trouble might drag you down you get lost you can always be found ♪ ♪ just know you're not alone i'm going to make this place your home ♪

♪ ♪ settle down it will all be clear don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear ♪ ♪ the trouble might drag you down you get lost you can always be found just know you're not alone ♪ ♪ going to make this place

your home ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> philip phillips. thank you so much. philip, do you think these "american idol" judges need to

be a little tougher? maybe you're just too good. maybe that's why they weren't tough on you. >> no. >> congratulations to you. you sounded great. we'll be back with more of "today" right after this. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. students at. hall high school are going back to class today. police have charged a suspect. robert gladden being charged as an adult with attempted first- degree murder and assault. he is being held without bond

>> any rain shower activity out there will be coming to an end at this morning. clouds and sunshine as we head into the afternoon. high temperatures expected around 87 degrees. beautiful weather through the middle of the week. sunshine and monday and thursday with a high near 84.