good morning. showdown on the strip. republicans set to square off at the last debate of the year with ted cruz hot on donald trump's trail. who will take off the glovers first? and things already got ugly at a raucous trump rally tonight. there? yes, i do. byepei. >> just ahead, our political team will game out the stakes for tonight. disgruntled gust. surveillance video showing the frantic moment when a pickup truck plows through a hotel lobby in oklahoma. two women seen diving for their lives. the man behind the wheel reportedly seeking revenge after

out in force, the original cast of "star wars" reunites on the red carpet at the world premiere of the most anticipated film in decades. >> surreal. i mean -- >> can the film live up to its stellar expectations. and how sweet it is. 65 years with nbc. 35 of them with "today." he's celebrated thousands of birthdays, and now it's time to honor him. we will host willard scott's legendary run with us as he heads off into retirement today, tuesday, december 15th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning, everybody. welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. it's a bitter sweet morning. in fact, matt and al have already said bring the tissues for the last half hour as we say good-bye to willard.

pictures we put up there. going to be very nostalgic for a lot of us. he's been a constant for us and for several generations of americans and we'll pay tribute to willard in a little while. >> first the stop tory, the next republican presidential debate out in las vegas where donald trump was met by a contentious crowd at a real late last night. got all of this covered starting with nbc national correspondent peter alexander in position in las vegas. peter, good morning. morning. keeping with this las vegas theme, this donald trump lead is not a mirage. a new national poll out just this morning showing him with his biggest advantage yet, expanding his lead now to 23 points, 38% to 15% and in second place is ted cruz, republicans and republican-leaning republicans dub him the most

candidate with the best chance of winning the general election. along the vegas strip high stakes for the last debate of the year. >> the other candidates should be thankful because i'm giving them a chance to make total fools of themselves in front of millions of people. >> reporter: donald trump now looking to stave off his latest rival, ted cruz, surging into first place in iowa and trailing trump nationwide. >> you know, the bottom line. i think we're going to win iowa. i think we're going to win new hampshire big. >> reporter: trump repeatedly interrupted by protesters who were escorted out by security. trump supporters lashing out at one of the hecklers screaming profanities, one man even yelling a nazi salute. meanwhile, a new battle over who will become the republican foil to trump. the feud is simmering between freshmen senators cruz and marco rubio. as cruz looks to consolidate social conservatives and tea

rubio as too moderate and rubio gaining traction as the establishment pick is dismissing cruz as weak on national security and now in the wake of paris and san bernardino americans' top concern. monday night he leveled his sharpest attacks at president obama. >> this is exactly why the american people increasingly have zero confidence that this administration has any idea on how to keep our country safe. >> reporter: rubio may have tonight's homefield advantage spending part of his childhood here. for jeb bush, once the establishment candidate, is vegas his last stand and despite spending $35 million in tv ads in the first three battle grounds bush is posting single digits across the board, still exas operate by trump. >> he can't be commander in chief. he doesn't have plans. this is all -- this is all dog whistle talk. this is to provoke anger. >> reporter: back on tonight's main stage and getting a second look, chris christie, especially in new hampshire, where he's

50 visits since june. and here in las vegas at a pre-debate event, sarah palin defended donald trump's proposed muslim ban saying she believes it's not islamophobic, that trump in his words is trying to keep the american people safe and the republican party need not marginalize someone like donald trump. >> thank you. msnbc political analyst nicolle wallace served as white house communications director for president george w. bush. good to see you. >> thank you, guys. >> we're coming out of perhaps the most controversial two-week period in donald trump's entire campaign. guys in the control room, put the numbers back up that we just showed, the polling numbers. he is strengthening his grip in the national polling. >> right. >> are you surprised? >> well, i'm a little disheartened because behind those numbers was a ban on muslims coming into this country, and more importantly those comments and the reaction

from the republican party, republican leaders, distracted from a conversation a lot of republicans wanted to have, a conversation that would have helped candidates like marco rubio who really want to have a debate in our party and country about the best way to keep america safe, the best way to enter the new phase in the war against terror so after paris and after san bernardino instead of talking about bringing technology companies into the fold, instead of whether we need a new intel package of laws like we did with the patriot act after 9/11, we talked for ten days about trump's muslim ban. >> i have to say when you see a poll and another one, monmouth poll, that has trump at 41%, you ask yourself why are we even talking about any other candidate because it's so monumental in terms of his lead. let's talk about some. other candidates. ted cruz is the one who seems to have the momentum right now. has he played this campaign just perfectly? >> you know, he's the only example in the entire field of the 14 left, for who

he's run a superb campaign, completely disciplined. now the knock on ted cruz, and there's a pretty devastating piece in the "wall street journal" today by brett stevens, is that one should doubt his intelligence but we have to ask serious questions about his character because a lot of his positions, particularly on foreign policy, are calculations. >> do you think in any way that ted cruz is the current version of carly fiorina and ben carson? each one of them rose quickly and fell sharply. is ted cruz that type of a candidate, or does he have staying power? >> i think ted cruz has staying power and something really important in the republican grass roots happened yesterday, in the fight between trump and cruz, rush limbaugh, very widely listened to and respected conservative radio host, mark levine, not quite widely ly ly listened to, both defended cruz in the trump/cruz cage match. >> which is interesting because

in the issue of temperament and how he doesn't get along with anyone fed into what a lot of conservative media about ted cruz. >> exactly. they finally found their breaking point and whether the far right has broken up with trump. they have always doubted his true conservative credentials, but whether they have broken up with him and putting all the force that have conservative talk radio and the grass roots operation behind cruz is a question mark. >> this is the last debate of this year. 48 days to go until iowa. is this the last stand for any candidate, or will this entire until iowa? >> well, i think they can get another look for themselves in iowa, but i think what happens is most people with kids, kids are out of school friday and they stop having time to really follow this, so i think like a jell-o mold it sort of firms in place on friday and i don't think people pull it out and take another look at it the until after the holiday. >> do you think all of them stay and will be on the debate stage the next debate in january? >> i was wrong in predicting that it would shrink after a couple of debates.

the factor that's winnowing the field,led polls that show these guys way, way, way, way down in the polls at 1%, 2%, 3% and the money dries out. that will push people out. >> the one more note on donald trump. his personal physician apparently cut from the same cloth as the republican front-runner because you've got to hear this statement released by the trump campaign. dr. harold bornstein and this is a quote. if elected, mr. trump, can i state unequivocally will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency. the doctor also said the candidate's physical strength and stamina are extraordinary and his recent lab test results were, quote, astonishingly excellent. the statement makes good on trump's pledge earlier this month to release his medical record, and he promise that had they would, in fact, show, quote, perfection. >> i've got to get a new doctor, no question. on the other side. aisle democratic front-runner hillary clinton is planning a preemptive strike against the bat rafnlg criticism she's

rivals on the stage tonight so today she will make her case on how to take on the isis threat. nbc's kristen welker is in minneapolis with that part of the story. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: hey, matt, good morning to you. secretary clinton won't be on that debate stage but she will try to pre-butt the republican candidates and is going to try to paint herself as adult in the room when it comes to national security, that's, of course, a top issue for voters. you might remember last month secretary clinton rolled out her strategy to defeat isis in the me. here at the university of minnesota today she's going to detail final part of that plan. how to defend the country here at home. she's going to point to minnesota's robust plan to counter violent extremism which has plagued this area and clinton will detail her strategy to counter an attack from san bernardino from, quote, from recruitment to training to planning to execution all while staying true to our values. clinton will aim to draw a sharp

republican field, especially donald trump, who, of course, called for banning all muslims from entering the united states. clinton has called that type of security. now, our latest nbc news/"wall street journal" poll showed clinton leads donald trump and ted cruz in a general election matchup. she also has a strong lead in her own primary. the next big test for democrats will come on saturday when they face off in their own debate in new hampshire. matt, savannah, back to you. minneapolis, kristen, thanks. to a major about face in the case against one of the most controversial american figures in the american military, former prisoner of war bowe bergdahl is facing a court-martial and the potential of life in prison less than two years after the obama administration traded five taliban detainees for bergdahl's release. nbc chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell is following this for us. andrea, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it was just last summer that president obama welcomed bowe bergdahl home, insisting that

behind, but now amidst mounting pressure from the republicans the u.s. military says if it has its way america's last prisoner of war could soon be headed to jail. in this tense 2014 handover, sergeant bergdahl got his freedom and now in a twist of fate perhaps only to trade his taliban captivity for an american prison. >> i'm going, good grefrks i'm in over my head. >> reporter: bergdahl is mounting his public defense on the popular podcast serial. >> i was fully confident that people would understand that i was right. >> reporter: but soon he'll have to make his case in a military court, even as it becomes an issue for donald trump again monday night. >> i hear there's not going to be jail time. it's incredible, you know. 50 years ago what would have happened? boom. >> reporter: bergdahl is now facing a court-martial on charges of desertion and endangering the safety of fellow soldiers. after walking off his army outpost in afghanistan. he claims a misguided effort to challenge himself and his commanders.

world that i was, i don't know, jason bourne. >> reporter: desertion charges against him even more severe recommended. bergdahl now an attack line for leading republicans. >> we traded senior terrorist leaders for someone who is right now being tried for effectively deserting his troops. that makes no sense >> reporter: obama administration is left defending from the start. >> the beau is coming sneem even as the president brought his parents to the rose garden congressional republicans were furious about a trade that released five taliban prisoners from guantanamo bay, now the last prisoner american of war could spend the rest of his life behind bars. >> let's fly him over and we'll dump him right in the middle and throw him out of the play. shall we give him a parachute or not? i say no. >> reporter: for now sergeant bergdahl remains on active duty in ft. bragg, north carolina where the army says he'll be arraigned at a later date. as for the taliban prisoners the white house says they are being

under house arrest in the persian gulf country of qatar. savannah, matt? >> amichel, thank you. a lot of eyes on washington today as federal reserve begins its last meeting of the year, and this is a big one. the fed is expected to raise its benchmark interest rate for the first time in almost a decade when that meeting wraps up tomorrow. the key short-term interest rate has been close to zero since december of 2008. that's when the country slid into recession. a rate hike would signal confidence in the u.s. economy but some investors worry it may actually slow growth. >> a new government policy that goes into effect is causing turbulence among drone owners. starting next monday people will be required to register their drones with the faa and pay a $5 fee. penalties for failing to do that could reach more than $27,000. the new rules are designed to help curb the growing dangers that drones pose to commercial aircraft, but not everybody is happy about it.

the $5 fee may deter users from registering. want to bring you an update to a story we've been following i think since last september. a former assistant high school football coach accused of ordering his players to hit a referee during a game has now plead guilty to assault. a judge sentenced mack bree to 18 months of probation and ordered him to serve 120 hours of community service. he'll also have to pay restitution to referee robert watts who was targeted by two players from the san antonio high school this past season. officials say he also has to forfeit his texas teaching certificate permanently and all right. and now to the frenzy over "star wars, the force awakens" the and the world premiere for the most anticipated movie was held in hollywood. a spectacle complete with storm troopers, droids and some familiar faces from the wildly popular franchise. nbc's joe fryer was there and covered it for us.

>> reporter: good morning, savannah. super fans have been waiting in lines, even camping out here at the tcl chinese theater for over a week. they will see "the force awakens" thursday night but hours ago here in hollywood a lucky few got to see it and are raving about it after the world premiere. star power was the force on display at this premiere. >> john williams crescendo at the beginning. it's the greatest thing ever >> reporter: franchise's newest faces share the mass of red carpets with legends from a long time ago like harrison ford, carrie fish and mark hamill. >> i mean, it's pinch me time. everything seems to be louder and bigger and busier. >> reporter: on opening weekend analysts predict "the force awakens" to generate at least $150 million to $200 million domestically shattering "the hobbit's" december box office record and when it's all said and doesn't seventh installment of "star wars" could earn between $1.5 and $2 billion

the highest grossing film of all time is "avatar" at $2.8 billion. >> no movie has made $3 billion worldwide. "the force awakens," a lot of pressure could, it achieve that monumental landmark in terms of box office? we'll have to wait and see. >> reporter: this is the first "star wars" film made without creator george lucas who sold his company to disney for $4 billion, a big project putting a lot of pressure on j.j. abrams speaking with "60 minutes." >> a moment of abject terror of what we're taking on. >> reporter: still the buzz is louder than a light saber. on top of movie tickets, merchandise is expected to brick in billions with everything from high heels to humid fires hitting the shelves. at brand new alamo draft house cinema in omaha the decor is totally inspired by "star wars." >> literally was like, whoa, i need to get tickets here. >> got me on the ropes. >> reporter: at that line

caroline ritter and andrew porter plan to we had right before they see the movie. >> it's got three important things here. it's got "star wars," caroline and good friends. >> reporter: wait, don't you mean caroline and then "star wars"? >> i mean, of course. i'm probably more excited for the movie. >> reporter: keep in mind, in addition to this movie there will be two more chapters in the "star wars" saga, plus some spinoff films. bottom line, analysts say this franchise will be paying dividends for decades to come. back to you guys. >> all right. joe fryer, thank you so. like my nerd meter is just peaking into the red right now i'm so excited. outfit. >> thank goodness. meanwhile, tamron is over in the premeter. what's the story, tamron? >> reporter: the time. i almost e-mailed you at 2:00 in

from the red carpet and look what we found joseph gordon levitt dressed up as yoda. this has to be our costume tonight. >> not as good as hoda's yoda. any yoda is not bad. after the movie some secrets chaired and rainn wilson. first "star wars" review. it was epic, awesome and perfect. the cast was stellar and j.j. killed it. and comedian patton oswalt says j.j. did it. trying to motivate, one living creature not motivated in this "star wars" thing. wrangler wrangler, good morning. with you. going to dress him up in the next hour. >> try a liver treat. >> had the liver treat and the force but he'll get on the excitement, too, this morning. we'll see, guys. going to be good. >> all right, tamron, thank you very much. miss dylan, a check of the weather. >> remember what snow looks like? >> no. >> none of us around here do but

utah, where they saw a big storm system yesterday just sitting to north of holiday is salt lake city where they picked up 8.3 inches of snow yesterday. that's a specially made bike for the snow. they need it out there. this is the biggest storm system that salt lake city has seen in a while. last year they saw 6 inches of snow the entire season. right now we're seeing the snow in denver, visibility around a quarter of a mile and temperatures around 21 degrees and the windchill is around 5 degrees right now and winds are gusty reducing visibility and winter storm warnings and advisories through the rockies. this storm system will make its way through the northeast. that's a look at weather across

wind will be the issue this afternoon. wind advisy in effect later today. occasionally winds gusting between 40 and 50mph. make sure you tie down inflatable santa or he'll end up in the next town over. mix of clouds and sunshine tomorrow. mid-40s tomorrow. a few rain showers return th >> and that's your latest forecast. >> all right, dylan, thank you so much. coming up, caught on camera, a disgruntled guest makes good on a threat to plow his truck through a hotel lobby. what set that man off. and mr. roker is down in

thank you to willard scott for 35 unforgettable years on "today" and 65 at the network. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. >> thank you, net people are working harder than ever, but the everyday cost of perscriptions, child care, or even just buying groceries can be a stretch for too many families. hillary's plan: raise the minimum wage, get equal pay for women, cut taxes for the middle class, and new incentives for business to share profits with employees instead of just rewarding ceos. those at the top are doing just fine. it's your family that needs a raise. i'm hillary clinton, and i

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let's get over the jeremy reiner with a peek at the forecast. >> jeremy: kris, we're noticing the back edge of the rain at the harbor, cape ann. another 30, 40 minutes and it's out of there, as well. 50s. it's a windy day with winds gusting between 30 and 40 miles this afternoon. temps 53 to 58. >> kris: j.r., thanks so much. our top story this morning, commuters are hoping for a smoother rail after a problem on the kingston-plymouth line last night. a train stopped between the braintree and plymouth station. it was stuck there for about an hour. two people rushed to the hospitals after an armed home invasion in brockton. police are searching for at least two suspects. it's still not clear if they stole anything from that home. the victims are expected to be okay. we're back in about 25 minutes with another news update. we'll see you then. anncr: when the attacks come here... ...the person

protect your family. will he be impulsive and reckless, like donald trump? will he have voted to dramatically weaken counter-terrorism surveillance, like ted cruz? will he have skipped crucial national security hearings and votes just to campaign, like marco rubio? 27 generals and admirals support jeb bush. because jeb has the experience and knowledge to protect your family. right to rise usa is responsible for the content of this message. mornings.

have time to wait on hold. that's why at xfinity we're hard at work, building new apps like this one that lets you choose a time for us to call you. so instead of waiting on hold, we'll call you when things are just as wonderful... [phone ringing] but a little less crazy. we're doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life. not the other way around. [sfx: sound of hippo's roar] hippo. [sfx: sound of hippo's roar] crit. [sfx: sound of hippo's roar] one bellows. [sfx: hippo sound, light music] one bellows malarkey. donald trump repeatedly says one thing, does another. the hypocrite says he's champion of american workers, but had his line of trump ties made in china. some of the laborers on his palatial dc hotel? illegal immigrants. [sfx: hippo sound] neither for president. america needs proven, honorable leadership. john kasich. new day for america is responsible for the content of

7:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 15th of december, 2015. ten days to go until christmas, but with record warm temperatures across the east, it feels a little bit like we're counting down to easter. we're going to go outside and say hi to those nice people without coats for about the fifth day in a row. >> back inside studio 1a where we can cool off, stories making headlines, the new found friction between donald trump and ted cruz likely will be in the spotlight at tonight's republican presidential debate in las vegas. trump will once again take center stage and cruz will be

his left. the texas senator leads in iowa and is a close second nationwide. deliberations now under way at the trial of boston police officer william porter charged with manslaughter in the death of freddie gray. prosecutors say porter abused his power by failing to save gray's life after he was injured in the back of a police van. the defense says the case is evidence. you may remember this story. the former texas assistant high school football coach accused of ordering people to head a referee during a game has now pled guilty to assault charges. mack proceed was sentenced to 1 months probation and was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service and attend anger management and forfeit his texas teaching certificate. also this morning we're saying good-bye to a legendary wonderful figure here on nbc. after 60 years on the air on

scott is retire. a special tribute is planned next hour and al is down in virginia with willard for the festivities. guys, good morning. >> hey, good morning, guys. we are here on will yard's farm, and we're just watching the sun coming up. why now? why did you decide after 65 years this was it? >> well, donald trump wrote me in his will and i said i don't need to work anymore and this is crazy so i told nbc to take this job. >> and enjoy it. >> and try it. >> we'll be chatting with willard a little bit more. >> that's the interview. >> we've got more coming. >> you drove 400 miles and i got out of bed at 1:00 for this? >> that's right, willard. >> i love this man. this is my guru. >> i know, i know. >> hey, guys in the control morning? >> might wanted to think about it. >> yeah, exactly.

check in with you a little bit later and a great tribute to willard and he'll like it. shocking video that we've been telling you about and showing you. a guy intentionally plowing his truck into the front desk of a hotel in oklahoma. natalie's got more on this story. >> it is crazy and that's an understatement, but the man was reportedly upset about his bill. the hotel clerk thought he was bluffing when he threatened to crash through the lobby. shocking new video released monday shows the heart stopping moments for two employees at an oklahoma hotel after a disgruntled guest trashed his truck into the front desk. the driver identified by police as john edward parsley can at first be seen talking with the police officer last thursday outside the alva comfort inn and suites about 110 miles northwest of oklahoma city. surveillance video then shows parsley crashing his 2006 sierra gmc through the hotel entrance

women frantically dive for safety. parsley backs up the truck, stops and then pulls back into the lobby. he says something to the women, gets out of truck and calmly walks back to the entrance with his hands raised. the 62-year-old man was reportedly upset that the his credit card had been declined twice. according to a local newspaper parsley told police he drove into the hotel because hotel staff thought he was bluffing and he proved he wasn't. no one was injured, but the lobby of the alva comfort inn and suites was severely damage the. parsley from gonzalez, texas, was held on $1 million bond monday night on two felony counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of malicious injury to property. i mean works does something like that? but now he's facing felony charges. >> wow. >> the what is the world coming to? >> i don't know. >> stories where you just can't react. there's nothing to say. let's get check of the weather

well, it's warmer in the northeast than the southwest today. we've got record high temperatures likely across the eastern half of the country. in fact, in new york city we hit 6 degrees at 1:00 this morning. that already breaks the record for today. we are looking for temperatures to once again remain about 15 to 20 degrees above average. atlanta 70 degrees. indianapolis 49, but that's still ten degrees above average. richmond, virginia, about 67 degrees today. as we go into wednesday. it starts to cool off a touch in chick and still warmer than normal for this time of year. new york will be around 54 and thursday temperatures still in the 50s and 60s up and down the east coast and then we'll see a dip in the jet stream. temperatures will drop down into the 40s and 50s through the weekend and we'll even head 40s in new york city. on friday in cincinnati we'll hit about 36 and then that's it. going into next week we'll start to see temperatures once again get back into the upper 50

rain moving away. we hold on to the clouds for much of the day. a few peeks of sunshine, a windy day and mild day. temperatures this morning, mid-50s this afternoon. wind will be the issue this afternoon. wind advisory in effect later today. occasionally winds gusting between 40 and 50mph. make sure you tie down inflatable santa or he'll end up in the next town over. mix of clouds and sunshine tomorrow. mid-40s tomorrow. a few rain showers return thursd and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you very much. coming up, the most talked about magazine covers of the year as we get ready to turn the page on 2015. coming up next, wintertime warning, jeff rossen takes the plunge to show us how to get out alive if you happen to fall through thin ice, hi, i'd like to make a dep-- scanner: rescan item. rescan, rescan. rescan item. vo: it happens so often

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even the tiny bubbles in a johnson's bath help to enhance the experience. so why just clean your baby, when you can give him so much more? johnson's. so much more we're back now, 7:41 with more of our rossen report series called "saved my life." >> the this morning the danger posed by thin ice and national correspondent jeff rossen is here with a demonstration. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it may be warm outside as dylan has been reporting, but make no mistake the cold temperatures are coming. lakes and ponds freezing over, and the ice may look thick and may look safe to walk on and what you may not know is thin ice is everywhere, breaking without warning. kids playing on ponds, falling in, people chasing their pets on to the ice and crashing down, and once you're trapped under

is ticking. this morning i'm going in to show you how to get out alive. just weeks ago frantic moments on a frozen lake in utah. >> the ice is crashing right here. >> reporter: this woman clinging to the ice after falling in trying to save her two dogs. rescuers pulling her to safety just in time. >> no way you should have survived that. >> reporter: another rescue caught on camera this year. this teenage girl falling through the ice in new jersey. rescuers finally pulling her to safety. this dangerous scene playing out every winter. >> give me the rope. >> reporter: people plunging through the ice. others falling in trying to save them. so how dangerous is it? we teamed up with certified rescuers to show you how to save a life, maybe even your own.

walk out on to this frozen pond and in an instant i'm under. >> oh, that is cold. >> survival tip number one, put your hand over your mouth and nose the moment you hit your water. if you take a breath of cold water, it's going to shut down your airway and you're going to stop breathing. >> if i want wearing this suit right now what would be happening. >> if you had regular clothing they would become very heavy very quickly and it will sick you right under the ice. >> and once you're trapped under the ice your chance. survival plum sglets trying to get out. >> all this as your arms and legs go numb. >> i'm a good swimmer and this is harder than i thought. i can't get a grip on the ice. survival tip number two carry ice picks if you're working on a frozen lake or upon. the metal picks dig in so it can help pull you out. cost a few dollars at outdoor

>> short, choppy strokes and once you're out roll away from the hole, roll away because we're distributing away from the hole. >> what if your friend or relative falls in? >> tip number three, stay on shore and try a rescue from there. >> i take a represent and can throw a rope to the victims. >> jumper cables, anything, and have them wrap it around the wrist and now you're safe and i'm safe too. >> that's correct. i'm not putting myself in danger. >> reporter: saving a life and staying alive when the ice breaks right under you. we were just watching that here soent, and here is the problem. lakes and ponds freeze in patches. everyone thinks that all is equal. it is no. you may have thick ice here, a few feet away dangerous thin ice. you just can't tell and experts say the best advice is to stay off the ice entirely, but if you have to go out bring some kind whistle so you know if you need help. >> a lot of ponds and kids

always made me nervous. always. >> scary, and as you know there's no warning. when you walk you can hear the crackling a little bit but then it's too late. >> good information. coming up, a force to be reckoned with. more from last night's big "star wars" premiere. >> and next your tributes to uncle willard as we say thank you for a remarkable time here at "today" and a remarkable career, burks first, these mess with ingredients like roasted hazelnuts and cocoa, there's a whole lot of happy in every jar of nutella.

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before we go to break i want to say congratulationses to willard scott. retiring after 35 years on the "today" show. he is irreplaceable. yep. it's hard to be on tv. it's hard to do the weather. it's hard to just stay focused. thereto are people that are trying to replace him, but they will not. for instance, this woman will not replace him. >> from carmel, using u.s. 31 southbound -- >> and she keeps talking, on the ground. >> that's our good friend ellen degeneres helping us celebrate willard scott day as our good friend heads off into retirement after 35 years at "today." >> al is lucky spending time with willard down in virginia and tamron, people are really letting us know how they feel about him online. >> they are. wonderful hashtags coming in filled with wonderful memories and wishes for willard.

nbc's andrea mitchell sent out a bit sweet and where the legend started and weatherman dave price, that same warmth that jumps through the tv screen greets you in person so thanks willard for being so great for so many years at being you. and emily one of our viewers wrote this. so many of his great lines are a part of my life. you have made a mark and most certainly a difference in the world. so we ask that you keep the well wishes coming to us and use the hashtag that we put up and use the #thankyouwillard and a look of all of willard's amazing look and the thing that stands out most, that smile. we'll be talking about it. >> love that smile. >> tamron, thank you. coming up, are you pushing the envelope? why today is very important if you want to get your holiday packages in time for christmas.

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everybody. more on your forecast. sarah. good morning, everyone. rain done. still a little rain on the south shore, that also moves away. some breaks in the overcast, some sunshine out there. and not cold, 40s and 50s at this time. winds have been somewhat gusty, but they will intensify this afternoon. winds gusting over 40mph this afternoon. not a cold wind. temps this afternoon in the upper 50s. >> sarah: checking our top

jury deliberations in the philip chism murder trial. jurors spent about three hours deliberating yesterday after beth sides gave closing arguments. the defense said the then-14 year old was suffering from mental illness when he killed his teacher, 24 year old colleen ritzer in 2014. the prosecution said chism knew right from wrong. officers in quincy are asking for the public's help in finding a driver involved in a hit-and-run accident. 78-year-old akiu ngo died sunday after she was hit by a car on december 3rd. we're back people are working harder than ever, but the everyday cost of perscriptions, child care, or even just buying groceries can be a stretch for too many families. hillary's plan: raise the minimum wage, get equal pay for women, cut taxes for the middle class, and new incentives for business to share profits with employees instead of just rewarding ceos. those at the top are doing just fine. it's your family that needs a raise. i'm hillary clinton, and i

it's 8:00 on today. coming up, delivery dilemma. with more consumers shopping online than ever before shipping companies struggling to meet their holiday deadline. what you need to know to make sure your presents make it under the tree. then, paying it forward. >> this is so cool. >> one, two, three, smile. >> how we helped one deserving family kick off the holidays with a special surprise. plus, thank you, willard. >> thanks. how about that.

>> we'll pay a tribute to a living legend, our beloved willard scott as he gets set a say good-bye after an unbelievable 35 years here at "today." >> he's a mentor, a friend, literally my second dad. >> today, tuesday, december 15th, 2015. >> thank you, willard! >> hey, willard, i'm retiring, too. we love you, willard. >> we're on the "today" show for willard. >> tennessee lovers the "today" show! >> it is 8:00 on a tuesday morning, 15th of december, 2015. what a crowd. what a day. it's absolutely gorgeous outside

everybody here. >> feeling like the holidays. >> by the way, a lot of people still talking about the "star wars" world premiere last night. i have a gift for you. >> oh, my gosh. >> just what i wanted. >> mate force be with you. >> from my own personal light saber collection. >> you're not giving it to me? >> yes, i'm giving it to you because you're a big "star wars" fan. i love it. saber. >> so awesome. that's so cool. >> that's how you turn it off and on. it the does make a sound. you makeled sound. >> i love it. let's go inside and get a natalie morales. in the news this morning the republican presidential candidates face off tonight for the first time since the attacks in paris and san bernardino with

donald trump will likely have to defend his controversial comments on muslims and immigration. he held a high intensity rally in las vegas monday that saw conflicts break out among members of the crowd. on stage tonight he'll face texas senator ted cruz who has surged into first place in iowa, and new jersey governor chris christie who is making gains in new hampshire. democrat hillary clinton is unveiling her strategy today for battling domestic terrorism. she wants to disrupt each step that can lead to an attack, including the recruitment and training of extremists. secretary clinton is speaking in minneapolis where she says local officials have already made a strong effort to combat home-grown radicals. secretary of state john kerry is taking the fight against isis to moscow where shemeeting today with russian president vladimir putin. the u.s. and russia are still at odds over how to end the civil war in syria. the chaos resulting from that war has helped isis establish a

a new study has link the the use of a certain type of anti-depressant to dramatic increase in the risk for autism. nbc news medical contributor dr. natalie azar is here to explain what this means for women. dr. natalie, we know taking anti-depressants during pregnancy can be harmful to the baby but this study says what types of anti-depressants you take and when you take those anti-depressants can be of most harm for autism. >> the conclusions for the study is that the use of ssris, prozac, zoloft, paxil, those types of medicines, particularly in the second and third trimester can significantly increase the risk of having child. most of the experts we reached tout are really urging caution when interpreting these results for a number of reasons. number one, again, the relative risk number was kind of frightning, 87%. the absolute risk, on the other hand, was actually quite low, less than 2% risk. secondly, and this is also really important and talked about this many times, an association or correlation

that's incredibly important. >> right. >> and finally, and i think maybe most importantly is the issue of maternal depression. the women takingans depressants in the send and third trimester very likely have more severe depression and depression alone can be a risk factor for autism. lots to think about and, please, we urge patients to discuss with their doctor before stepping their medicine and there might be alternatives but this opens up the discussion about this very important issue. >> very important to talk with the doctors. thanks so much, dr. natalie azar. howard stern fans this morning. howard revealed live on his show he's agreed to a new five-year exclusive deal with sirius pm satellite radio. his old contract was about to expire at the end of the year and he's been the cornerstone of sirius xm service since 2004. the king of sirius. santa's helpers enjoyed one last fling before their busiest week of the year. 320 surfing santas hit the waves in australia today.

guinness record for the world's biggest surfing lesson and since it was only a lesson didn't matter if santa had a trouble staying upright. very cool video. congrats, meanwhile, to howard. >> great news, really is. >> happy for him. >> pashlgs you're buying dinner. natalie, thank you so much. if you've got holiday packages to mail expect a big crowd at post office today. >> this is the last day to ship a package with basic delivery and guarantee it arrives by christmas. if you think you can push, it think again. olivia sterns is here. >> reporter: do not push, it already delays and thanks to the surge in online sales and also, believe it or not, thank this unseasonably warm weather, both big factors and new fears that santa may not make it to everyone's house on time. >> this year's christmas miracle might be getting all those presents under the tree in time. online shopping is far outpacing shipping this holiday season

customers not getting their cyber monday orders on time. the average delivery date, 20% slower than last year. with an estimated 1.2 billion packages expected to be delivered across the country this season, that could turn a lot of would-be santas into scrooges. >> consumers are frustrated that their packages are just not arriving when promised. >> reporter: fedex says in part as online shopping patterns continue to shift we are experiencing volume surges earlier than ever before. a lot of that volume comes from black friday and cyber monday breaking sales records, but insiders say it's ordinary orders from the other days of holiday hassle. >> this has been the tipping point for online shopping. people caught on to the fact that they can order everything online, from their drug store supplies, to their groceries, to their dog food. and the wild weather is only making it worse from west coast

>> both of those things prevent people from going to the stores. either you want to be outside or you don't want to leave your house. people shop online. so if you want to avoid a christmas crisis, mark your calendar. today is the deadline for orders with basic delivery from the post office. the 19th is the priority deadline and the 22nd is the last chance for paying a premium and shipping your items express. but experts say your safest bet going old school >> if you don't have to ship a package across the country. would i absolutely go to the store and pick it out and bring it home with you and wrap it yourself and hand it over. >> reporter: and another way to play it safe is with click and collect. you buy online and pick it up yourself in the store, lots of stores, including walmart, best buy and even macy's all give you the option. the best part it's always free and, guys, it's often the >> true. they set it aside for you and put your name on it. >> make it dangerously easy.

>> all right, olivia, thank you. next up, how the stars celebrated the world premiere of "the force awakens. can the ". >> and we'll pay it forward and help brighten one family's holiday season as they deal with the loss of a loved one. and the celebration of all things willard scott as he heads off into retirement. we're back right after this. nivea in-shower body lotion. first i wash... then i apply it to my wet skin. it moisturizes with no sticky feel. i quickly rinse off.

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work of fred shapiro. you know who fred shapiro is? >> no. >> a librarian at yale and every year compiles a list of memorable quotes. >> that fred sharp row. >> that sparks discussion and published in the yale book of quotations. here's part of the list. first, look at the face. would anyone vote for that. remember that? yeah, donald trump talking about carly fiorina back in september. it makes the list. >> this made the list, tooed. >> american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails. bernie sanders, remember, that at the democratic debate in october. >> not all of the quotes are from politicians. you're not going to believe this one. this one comes from a nobel laureate in medicine. it's a guy. he was talking about female scientists, and he said this. three things happen when they are in the lab. you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticize them, they cry. tim hunt. >> wow. >> tim hunt said that at the world conference of science

guess what? the next day mr. hunt was forced to resign from university college london. >> wasn't the nobel peace prize that he won. >> no. >> wow. >> that's crazy. >> any good quotes or all -- >> you'll have to buy the yale book of quotes. >> call fred sharp row. >> speaking of memorable lines, one guy in chicago definitely had one and used his 15 minutes of fame for all it's worth. stopped by a news reporter covering the rainfall and unseasonably warm weather. >> where's your shirt? >> great day for a run. too wet for a shirt. i love running in the rain and i'm also single so give me a shout-out. >> oh, my goodness. and clear. >> he's 24. he is single, people. he's single. >> let me ask you this question. >> do you think ethan is going to be taken soon or single for a >> i don't know. >> i think he's going to enjoy

>> certainly got everybody's attention. >> took advantage of the moment. >> people will take up running. >> that path will be popular. >> take a look at this video, one of my worst nightmares. a man in arizona captured what happened when a europal exploded with water. this happened at the mall gym where chris morales works, a geiser of water comes out of the bathroom and hits the mirror and floods the space. a co-worker accidentally broke the handle and chris couldn't turn off the water than would have shut off water to the whole mall and finally after an hour and a half he was able to get the situation under control. all can i think about when i see that is that water is spraying everything that is on every surface of that public restroom into the air. i would not be videoing that with my phone. >> that's the difference between -- you think it's spreading germs. bathroom. >> it was a good cleaning. >> feel like it's kicking floor.

>> there's naturally backwash coming off the floors and the wall in that place. >> wow. >> and now to the star who stole the show at the "star wars" premiere and best-selling magazine of the year. tamron's got that in "pop start." >> the we just can not get enough of "star wars" so here are more highlights indeed from the red carpet. fans went wild for the reunion of the franchise's biggest stars. there they are. harrison ford, mark hamill and carrie fisher and that's sofia vergara and joe manganiello but it was lupto nyong'o people were talking about fashion-wise, dazzling in the red carpet in the shimmery mcqueen gown, according to the internet. she joked she bought the whole galaxy with her in that dress. i love that. and the best-selling magazines of the year. the annual list coming from ad

"vanity's fair" most popular issues featured caitlyn jenner introduce herself to the world. blake and miranda moved magazines for "people" with the announcement of their divorce" and that sold over 800,000 copies and one you probably didn't expect. stevie nicks on the cover of >> i saw it. >> i'd buy it over and over, looking back at her career, proved that she is a hit selling 64,000 copies. that is a beautiful cover there. finally, bear grylls. been a fortunate person to hang out with bear on one of his survival journeys. we get to see president obama's turn at it and bear asks the president for a special favor. >> i promised my wife. i said i'll get to you sign something for her. >> of course. >> the only thing i could find in the airport. >> oh, this is -- >> this is a classic. this is a classic. >> amazing. >> obama bottle opener.

>> i am pretty ripped, actually. >> you can't do that with winston churchill. >> no, i'm fairly cut, but it's possible that that bottle opener is a little dated. i noticed, for example, there was no gray hair on the obama figure iron and clearly the presidency has taken a little bit of a toll. >> all right. so this episode of "running wild" with bear grylls" airs thursday at 9:00 p.m. on nbc. talking about that and the president says he's ripped, not as ripped as that chicago jogger, going back to that moment in time. >> he needs a bottle opener. >> got bring it full circle. >> thank you. get a check of the weather now from miss dylan. >> thanks, guys.

and here we're already watching the next storm system as it moves over the pacific and will eventually make its way onshore as we go into the next couple of days. we could see another round of 5 to 7 inches of rain around the coast of oregon. we're looking at some that have to fall in a short period of time which could lead to flooding of the rivers because they are getting very much close to flood stage. we're looking at also for mountain snow. this is very much needed in this part of the country and we could see up to a foot or more, especially through the case cades. this is mostly high elevation snow. snow morning in denver and this will make its way and stay north of minneapolis and northern mi >> jeremy: good morning. rain moving away. we hold on to the clouds for much of the day. a few peeks of sunshine, a windy day and mild day. temperatures this morning, mid-50s this afternoon. wind will be the issue this afternoon. wind advisory in effect later today.

between 40 and 50mph. make sure you tie down inflatable santa or he'll end up in the next town over. mix of clouds and sunshine mid-40s tomorrow. a few rain showers return thursd this morning on "make your today," more of our pay it forward series and savannah, it's your turn. >> all love the holidays, one of the best times of the year and filled with excitement and joy and for a lot of people it's filled with sadness, especially those coping with loss. you guys know my father died suddenly when i was 16 years old and i will never forget how hard that first christmas was so with that in mind i wanted to reach out to a family going through a loss, hopefully to brighten their holidays a little bit and help create them some new

>> for me one of the biggest events in my life was losing my dad when i was 16 years old. i really have a heart for people who have lost someone or somebody who is grieving. you wish you could hug those peel. you wish you could say i understand, and when you lose somebody, the holidays take on this whole new significance. this is the first christmas for the hoban family without their beloved mother. tom hoban's wife jen, mother to meg answer, katie and t.j., lost her battle with pancreatic cancer earlier this year. how has this year been? how has this kind of adjustment been? >> it's definitely rough, but we have a lot of family members and friends who are helping, and we always know she's still with us. >> how about for you, t.j.? >> i feel like t.j. everybody else has a parent and you're here with just one but you get through it.

through a new routine without her. >> i remember when my dad passed away, the first christmas was really hard because he did love christmas so much and his birthday was on christmas, and are you looking forward to christmas, or is there a part of you that it's a little bit hard to? >> it's going to be a little bit rough because we'd always open up the family presents in the morning with mom and she's not going to be there. >> there will always be a huge void without jen. she would want us to laugh and have fun and not -- just to remember and not be sad. >> the tom turned to the comfort zone camp, a nonprofit that provides support nationwide for children who have lost a parent or sibling. rudolph the red-nosed reindeer >> what we're going to do is go around in a circle and say a one-word pulse check for where we're at right now to how we're feeling. >> connected. >> fantastic. >> happy. >> loved. >> eger. >> peaceful. >> blessed. >> honored.

helpful like you're not only one going through all this. there's other people there, too. >> megan, what are some of your favorite christmas memories i have? >> the cooking of my mom. she passed on so many recipes and to make our fatty mashed potatoes for thanksgiving and christmas. >> i think we can also say it was our mom's favorite holiday. >> i really just wanted to reach out and connect with this family, and i hope give them some happy memories on what's going to be a hard year. >> so i invited the hoban kids to hang out behind the scenes in an exclusive tour. >> real 71. >> that's so cool. >> to get a view most people don't get to see. >> the you guys, that's awesome. you're here on a good day. >> what they didn't know is that we had a huge superstar on our set today, adele. >> we're going to be hearing from adele in just a little while. >> she's right over there.

will walk right through there. >> oh, my gosh. >> we brought them in and she got to see adele perform. that was a million years ago [ applause ] >> after the show we decided to go across the street to the top of the rock. >> this is so cool. >> and i just think there's something really exhilarating that. okay. one, two, three, smile. >> but you guys want to be my guests next week when we do the tree lighting? >> oh, yes. >> will you come with us? >> yes. >> sure. >> one week later they returned to the tree lighting. >> does it look smaller or bigger than you thought? >> i think it looks -- it's smaller but it's fatter than i thought. >> it is, it is fatter. >> a drizzly evening did not

>> i never saw it but i was going to be even skating on the rink and now i'm going to be walking across it. >> i think there's like 45,000 lights, yeah, and if one goes out they all go out. no, i'm kidding. >> it gets you in the christmas spirit instantaneously and everybody singing "joy to the world." joy to the world >> to seat lights come up on the tree and it's just an awesome moment. >> five, four, three, two, one. >> i hope it becomes, you know, one of their new favorite family memories. >> thanks, savannah! >> i love that. >> so sweet. >> a great family, and the kids are darling and a testament to their father and their mother who raised them so well and so it was just so neat to be with them. >> the camp, too, the group where they get together.

were actually honest. they weren't sure at first if they wanted to do it and then they were so happy that they did so our love to them for the holidays. natalie, you get to go tomorrow. >> tomorrow i get to introduce you to an amazing woman i've noefr known for years and have never met until now and how

>> this is 7news now. >> sarah: good tuesday morn, everybody. 8:27 as you take a live look over boston. let's send it over the jeremy reiner with a look at your forecast. >> jeremy: sarah, rain moving away. a few peeks of sunshine. temperatures 40s and 50s. 50 in town. occasionally gusting over 20mph this morning, and wind gusts as high as 40mph likely this afternoon. wind advisory in effect for all of southern new england. but it's not a cold wind. temps this afternoon middle and upper 50s. >> now to our top stories. commuters are hoping for a smoother ride this morning after a mechanical problem caused a severe delay on the commuter

a train stopped between the braintree and south weymouth station around 10:00 p.m. and was stuck for over an hour. jury deliberations continue this morning in the philip chism murder trial. jurors spent about three hours deliberating yesterday after both sides gave closing arguments. the defense says the then-14-year-old was suffering from millness when he killed his teacher, 24-year-old colleen ritzer, in 2013. the prosecution said chism knew right from wrong. at 9:00.

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world of country music. our elf this morning on the plaza collecting toys as part of our annual toy drive. >> very nice. >> and she will step inside and perform in our next hour. >> looking forward to that. >> also ahead, we'll celebrate the man who has been the heart of this show for 35 years, mr. willard scott. he is irreplace able. we're all wearing red carnations in his honor, as you can see. our crowd is holding red carnations for willard as well, and some smuckers swag, and we are going to check in with willard in a bit. >> after section decades in the business willard will enjoy retirement and we'll take back a look at his remarkable career and lined up a few surprises for him as well. let us get to the weather and for that we've got dylan here. >> the eastern half the country still enjoying some very warm temperatures. we do have some snow but it's all out west. looking for the rockies and up to the northern plains and upper midwest to see some of the snow

looking for some snow in denver causing delays at airport. eastern half, enjoy the temperatures in the 60s and 70s once again today. tomorrow the rain inches closer to the northeast. it will set up shop through the gulf coast and scattered showers and even a thunderstorm and >> jeremy: good morning. rain moving away. we hold on to the clouds for much of the day. a few peeks of sunshine, a windy day and mild day. temperatures this morning, mid-50s this afternoon. wind will be the issue this afternoon. wind advisory in effect later today. occasionally winds gusting between 40 and 50mph. make sure you tie down inflatable santa or he'll end up in the next town over. mix of clouds and sunshine tomorrow. mid-40s tomorrow. a few rain showers return thursd >> and that's your latest forecast. >> all right, dylan, thank you very much. up next we, ear going to say a big thank you to our dear friend

pack now at 8:35, and we're ready to honor and celebrate our beloved uncle willard as he retires after an incredible 65 years at nbc. >> started out as an nbc page back in 1950 and was connected with this show from the very beginning. >> i love the "today" show and love my job so much. >> willard is the heart and soul of the "today" show. >> let's see what's happening in your world. >> i always try to get your goat. just people laugh by making them

>> he was first bozo the clown. >> ronald mcdonald. >> i don't think a lot of people realized. he created the clown character ronald mcdonald. >> he's in the marrow and the dna of this show. when i think of willard scott, i just think of joy. >> funny. >> real. >> born showman. >> he's entertaining and warm, and he's endearing. he cares. he represents the tradition of the show all in one lovable package. >> to me -- >> uncle willard. how are you? >> he is a mentor. he's a friend, and he is literally my second dad. >> from the inception of the "today" show willard scott was part of the weather and part of the "today" show. >> let me get the weather bureau here. >> dave garrowway would stand in front of a giant chalkboard map and a meteorologist from the u.s. weather bureau in washington, d.c. telling dave where all the weather systems were and the nbc page who connected the very first phone call was willard scott.

nation's gain. willard scott, joining the "today" family this morning for the first time. >> a nice shot in the my little career. >> and of course, he became the beloved uncle willard across this country. >> i think that shook them up a little bit. >> and, boom, willard comes. >> willard is such a character. of course, you never knew what to expect. >> we all remember when he dressed up as boy george. >> they asked me who my favorite rock star was and that's what i did. you must remember this. a kiss is just a kiss >> with will armed there are no boundaries and that's usually a good thing. >> i love you. >> boom. here's carmen miranda. there. they are still talking about it. >> that was one of those moments on television that became a phenomenon. >> you didn't think i had fun, you are crazy. >> he loved introducing america to america. >> willard was america in a lot of ways.

>> during the inaugural. >> got barbara bush to come over and kissed him. >> thanks. i've been kissed by the best. >> raced back to george and he said i didn't know you knew willard scott, and i said i don't know willard scott. i just love that face. >> i remember smiling from ear to ear for willard at that moment. >> willard. >> he is magnetic. you are drawn to him. >> can you believe this? >> willard was doing the weather from washington, d.c., and the cherry blossoms were out, and -- and suddenly bill clinton jogs by. >> i came out to see if you wanted to jog with me today. >> i'm ready. >> willard made it cool to age. >> happy birthday. >> happy birthday. >> 103 years old today. >> 100 years old today. loves to ride his bike. >> it made you feel like he was celebrating your grandparents. >> i just love how much

celebrating birthdays. happy trails to you until we meet again pal. >> congratulations on a wonderful career. >> best of luck, pal. >> i love you, willard. >> love you and wish you the best. >> nothing but best and good health to you, so much so that i get to announce your birthday on a smuckers jar. >> that is a sentiment repeat the. we love you, willard, by so many millions of americans right now. folks, all around the world. there are few other people who wanted to say how much they love you. first, as a young lady you may know, i think first lady barbara bush. >> oh, yeah. my friend. >> willard. >> i love her. >> you can't retire. i'm only 90, and who is going to

george and i send you our very best wishes and truthfully i love that happy face. >> what lovely people i sgleet when she came over to kiss you during the inaugural, what did you think? >> i just passed out. the rest of the show was on automatic. >> they are such lovely people, they really are. here's the moment. i -- i remember seeing this with the rest america and i went, yes! >> i've been kissed by the best. >> i've got a seven-year contract out of that kiss. >> mr. president. >> another person that wanted to say hello is another 90-year-old, 90 years young. mr. gene shallat. >> you can't retire. people will stop getting 100 years old. 65 years ago at nbc you started as a page, and now you're closing the book after some

that's a lot of mornings. anyhow, happy retirement, willard. we love you. >> i don't know where all this retirement. i said i'm expiring, not retiring. i'm going -- you better change the locks on that door. i've retired twice before, you know. >> it hasn't taken yet. and as mate said you made aging cool and the folks at smuckers gave you that platform and tim smuckers wanted to say happy retirement. >> what a lovely -- >> willard, for more than 0 years you've been a cherished member move our schmucker family. we have greatly appreciated you being the voice of smuckers and all you have done to buildled birthday and anniversary segment into such an iconic part of the "today" show, and we look forward to continuing this great tradition on "today." so from the entire schmucker family we wish you the very best. thanks, willard. >> thank you, willard. >> wow.

>> they are the nicest people you could ever rock for and our cards. i remember going out to kansas for one year. >> did you ever think the they became? >> are you kidding. happy birthday. >> the well, over i think 40,000 birth days, a heck of a legacy, my friend, and speaking of legacy. smait back in the plaza with a little honor we wanted to bestow. >> willard, take a look at this. we do the show at the studio here between 48th and 49th street on rockefeller plaza. no longer, because we are, thanks to the mayor of this city, bill de blasio renaming rockefeller plaza on this particular block this morning willard scott way. >> willard scott way. >> that's very nice.

>> congratulations, pal. >> i love that so much. had more fun up there with the police, beautiful police department, the macy's parade, all the good things that we did. it's terrific. >> it's a heck of a legacy and you guys have -- have a little cake down there? >> yeah, we've got cake and got some champagne. willard, you know, i think you can count on one hand the number of people in the history of broadcasting who touched as many people of as many different generations as you have. you've shared your warmth and kindness with an entire nation. i know it's with great appreciation. people all across this country are wishing you the best today. on a personal note though, willard, i want to say thanks for caring so much about all of us. thanks for being the first one who has welcomed all of us to this show on our first days and also for being there with a hug or a pat on the back when times were good or bad. willard, every time we've seen each other over the past 20 years plus i've been here, we've

and a kiss, and while i'm not thereto today, as i raise a glass to you, i'm going ask al to be my surrogate hugger and kisser and say it is with a huge hug and kiss that we all say willard, thank you and good bless you. >> cheers, willard. >> god bless. >> thank you and god bless you. >> we love. >> just a couple of people, nanette, our field producer. she passed away. we loved her so much and nancy fields. >> your nancy. >> dear nancy, was my assistant producer, officer manager, and she was fantastic, and my old friend eddie walker, my partner on radio and he just pass the away three weeks ago. >> i wanted to bring this to you, willard, it's something i found in an antique shop, and i knew this was to be for you. it's a radio -- a radio i.d. >> this is nbc, the national

>> this is for you, my friend. i love you. >> oh, thank you. >> you have been my second dad, and i could not -- i would not be here without you. i love you so much. >> well, i appreciate that. are you going to buy me dinner? >> i'm going to buy you dinner. >> and we've got -- we've got special cupcakes for you. >> oh, boy. >> with your face on them. >> oh, my lord. >> that will be delicious. >> we'll try those a little later. >> what do you mean a little later? >> the sun came out. tomorrow. >> oh. what's your favorite song and what's the song that you always do? >> my song. happy trails >> wait a minute. >> are we off the air? >> no, we're not off yet. >> well, forget. >> i'm going to be fading off into the sunset after 130 years at nbc and i'm going over >> all right. where's beyonder?

>> are you ready? >> ready. happy trails to you until we meet again happy trails to you keep smiling until then >> here's to willard scott. >> cheers, willard. >> cheers. >> we love you. we love that face. >> and we wish willard and his whole familiar lit very best. we're back in a moment.

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back at 8:48. on "today food" a new critic criticizing some of the biggest chefs. >> the sam, good morning, good to see you.

>> her name is julep molton, only 7 but when it comes to food she knows what she likes. everything is on the line at new york city's famed star. one of the most revered kitchens in the countries is preparing to be critiqued by one of the food scene's youngest and most sophisticated pal sglaet tonight we have our sheep's milk ravioli with black truffle butter. >> are you nervous? >> i am a little nervous, not going to lie. >> although she's not the most feared food critic. >> i love this. >> i like the tuna and it's really soft. >> good, right? >> she's certainly the tiniest. this is 7-year-old julep, diminutive in stature. >> it has a lot of flavor to it. >> but big in opinions. >> not oversglookd this has truffle butter, see all the

smells pretty great, huh? >> i don't know what truffle butters are. >> julien is the daughter of "bon appetite" deputy editor andrew knowlton. >> where did the idea come to bring her into the restaurant review process. >> parted of my job is eating out and basically reviewing restaurants and i wanted julep to see what i do. i think people who eat and enjoy food are happy people. >> the oysters with daniel ballew. >> this is from in. >> ooh, la, la, superb. >> tasted just how i wanted. just in the middle. perfect. >> and i always try to get her to use her words, but most important at the end of the day is to make her feel good and does it get her excited? >> what do you hope she takes away from the experience. >> when i see julep there's a whole generation of eaters not raised on fast food and eating

kiddie menu at bay, huh? >> tasty, flavory, salty. flavor. >> mm-hmm. >> and it's crunchy. >> mm-hmm. healthy for you. >> food is a window into every single culture and i think julep respects that and can respect the world through food. >> cheers. >> cheers. >> puts my kids to shame. >> she was really great. >> tries everything. >> got to be expensive having a 7-year-old food critic. >> i've never seen so many oysters like that. >> all in love with her name, julep. >> does her dad have tips for other parents who might want to -- maybe not oysters but to be more exploretive. >> she eats whatever they eve. there's no kids food and when you do that from the very normal for them. >> what can you do? >> sam, thank you very much. we're back in a moment.

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or concentrating. which brings us to our end product. simply orange. honestly simple. that's just the night watchman. sfx: owl 15 days from new year's eve and we'll check it out. we have the number 16 as in 2016 here on the plaza. >> the final stop before it makes its way to times square.

tall right there. >> phillips, by the way, sponsored the more than 200 bright lights on them and the ball in times square. >> over here. >> this is the wishing wall right here. >> times square and people write their wishes on a piece of confetti and this comes down in times square. that's cool. >> we've got a job to do. we'll write our wishes. >> i know. >> get ready to blow away and tweet your new year's wish that will get to the celebration as well. >> hoping for a white christmas. >> that's not going to happen. >> didn't you say it will be in the 50s christmas week here. >> yes. it's not going to be cold on christmas. >> what do you guys have coming up? >> i have my pay it forward, our series, of course. we highlighted. yours is tomorrow and i pay it forward to a woman who impacted my life after meeting for just a few minutes. >> and grammy nominated country star cam will be performing for us.

minutes ago and now will be performing as we say, meaning us, good-bye on this tuesday morning. let's take one more shot at our dear friend or of our dear friend willard scott and the newly named willard scott way

the dark commuter train stranded in the dark. breaking silence the driver on runway red line denying allegations that he rigged the controls >> the patriots celebrating a new division tied without stepping on the field. and the force aweakens in new england we're checking tout boston art studio that's praying a big role with the hit franchise. you want to see that and your forecast features windy conditions through the day. i'll have the wind time line, coming up. all that and much more

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