choices. sources tell nbc news retired lieutenant general mike flynn is at the top of the list to be donald trump's national security advisor, while the president- elect gets set to meet with south carolina governor nikki haley today. will she be the next secretary of state, or is it rudy giuliani, as hillary clion speaks out publicly for the first time since conceding the election. >> there have been a few times this past week when all i wanted to do was just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house again. >> this morning, what she's saying about where she goes from here. deadly blast. a gas explosion rocks an illinois town overnight.

windows shatter blocks away. the cause now under investigation. winter's arrival. the first major snow of the season now under way. white-out conditions possible from utah all the way to minnesota. in some cities nearly two feet expected. and, guess who? al has ambushed a deserving dad in maryland -- >> happy thanksgiving, my friend! >> what the heck? >> and shocked an unsuspecting student in florida. >> oh, my god! >> now i turkey trot surprise and one morning jogger is about to be stopped in her tracks "today," thursday, november 17th, 2016. >> 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 a thursday morning. once again, where is al?

undisclosed location. >> our lips are sealed. we cannot reveal a thing. >> we would never say that he is -- >> northern virginia. >> that took a lot. >> you know what? we're not going to trust you with any state secrets, al. but now we know where you are but we don't know who you are surprising. >> and history chef is on the bus as well. >> clip his mike before he reveals it all. starting with politics this morning. new names b key roles in donald trump's administration. as hillary clinton reflects on her loss in an emotional speech. our team has all of this covered. we're going to talk exclusively with laura ingraham who's been mentioned as the president-elect's potential press secretary at the white house. but first to nbc's hallie jackson outside trump tower. hallie, good morning. >> reporter: hi there, savannah, good morning to you. this morning, expect to see that revolving door behind my spinning today with people in and out of trump tower for what

president-elect. he's taking visitors today, including florida governor rick scott, south carolina governor nikki haley. with speculation now about who will make the cabinet cut. this morning, assembling an administration, and now word of a possible national security advisor. a top transition source tells nbc news donald trump is expected to name lieutenant general mike flynn to the position. though nothing's official until the president-elect goe flynn, long loyal to donald trump, considered controversial in certain gop circles for some of his foreign policy positions, including advocating regime change in iran, and his ties to russia. the president-elect today will meet with others he's considering for his cabinet. like south carolina governor nikki haley. now on the short list for secretary of state, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

rudy giuliani also in the mix for state department. >> we discussed the transition. >> reporter: now, new backlash. >> i will tell you something i haven't told anybody else. i've had some conversation with some other republican senators and i'm not the only one with some misgivings over both giuliani and bolton. >> reporter: the president-elect pushing back on talk his transition is in turmoil, staffers pointing to landing teams deployed today to four federal agencies to get ready that transition led by vice president-elect mike pence. >> great progress. great progress. >> reporter: who is ready to extend an olive branch across the aisle in meetings today with democratic leaders chuck schumer and nancy pelosi. the visit coming one day after touring his soon-to-be home with vice president joe biden. >> i told mike as vice president-elect, i am available

different democratic message aimed at pence from some in congress questioning the possibility of security clearance for trump's son-in-law, jared kushner. a trump transition official reiterates no such request has been made, but "didn't rule it out" down the road. this morning, we're also learning more about what the president-elect's appointees will be doing after their government service and it won't be lobbying. the transition team is asking members of the administration to sign a five-year lobbying part of donald trump's pledge to, in his words, drain the swamp. >> hallie jackson at trump tower, thank you. one name being floated as potential white house press secretary is nationally syndicated radio host laura ingraham. she's also editor in chief of "life set" and a fox news contributor. laura, good to see you. have you talked about this job? has it been offered to you? >> well, i think -- i think they're focused right now on the cabinet which is i think the

when you want to get your cabinet people in place, then you move down to other white house staff. the folks at the trump transition, a lot of them are very old friends of mine. known each other for a long time. we know our writing styles, we know our speaking styles. >> i'm going to take this as a strong yes. i'm going to take this as you've talked about it. do you want it, i guess it the other question. >> we have to have real conversations. it really is a privilege. i know it sounds cliche. it is of young people at the campaign and at the transition who really, they did the work to get donald trump elected and they have a lot of talent to choose from. it's nice to be considered. but they have a lot of great people there. so that's all i can say right now. >> real quickly, laura, we know you. we know your show. you are a sharp tongue. you are known for your sharp pen. >> oh, savannah! sharp tongue. please. >> this is one of those jobs

white house briefing room. >> is that what you're really worried about? look. i think some folks who are watching now, they know conservative talk show host. i was a supreme court clerk. i worked as a white collar litigator. i have a pretty broad career in both government as a young speech writer in the reagan assassination. i worked at the department of transition, department of education and the white house in domestic policy. i understand -- i understand there is a okay. we get it. >> a little more. >> and i'm a mother of three children. >> you make all your own clothes, great dancer -- >> i do! matt, you've already pegged me. thank you so much. >> let's move on here. nikki haley said some tough things about donald trump during the campaign. he said some tough things about her. it was only at the very end, laura, where she seemed to begrudgingly say i'll vote for donald trump. is she seriously being considered for secretary of state? would she be good for the job?

trump is not shutting out voices who were critical of him in the campaign. for all the talk that trump's going to be this guy who holds grudges against -- that's just not the way he is. he's very practical and very pragmatic. he might not be as ideological as some conservatives want him to be. i -- i understand that concern. he's very pragmatic. i think he is going to look at people with a wide variety of talents. you are seeing that in the people coming andng and if she's there, i imagine she's there to be considered for a serious position. but i do not have any inside information about what position nikki haley would be considered for. >> let me do this. let's go back to you and the potential you are white house press secretary. what's the dynamic going to be in that press room? donald trump spent the last year and half basically calling members of the press and media crooked, corrupt, dishonest.

takes that position? >> well, i think one thing that is going to be important, i would imagine, for the trump folks is to have a very transparent and practical approach to the press. i think the press has its own problems with credibility, building back credibility with the american people. every poll, not conservative polls, show that there are a lot of folks out there who believe the media is really biased and really was in the tank for hillary clinto that but that's the way most people view the press today. i think the press has a lot of work to do to build back its own credibility and i think for donald trump, i think he wants someone who knows the issues, who's going to try to explain them to the american people, and keep people updated. i don't think it is all that complicated. funds the agenda that the trump folks are going to be pursuing, then you'll be better prepared to take that message to the american people and to the

the press. i've known a lot of reporters who were covering the white house for many, many years. i happen to be friends with a lot of them. we don't agree on everything but that's okay. think this is going to be a process and people want clarity right off the bat. i think it is going to have to develop in its own way. >> laura, here is a quickie for you. do you think that trump should appoint a special prosecutor to look into hillary clinton, as he mentioned, and some of his supporters really wanted him to do. >> i mean i'm not thinking going to be in the justice department right now. i don't have a view on that. i think there are a lot of people that just want to turn the page and move past this very rancorous time in american politics. if i were on the outside commenting on it, i would probably say let's just move forward and get beyond that. i don't think most americans want to spend months and months and months going through what the clintons did or didn't do at the foundation or with the private server. that's my own sense. again, i am not speaking for the administration. but i think a lot of people want

fresh start. >> laura ingraham, i have a feeling we're going to be seeing more of you. >> matt, i like the beard, too. it looks really good on you. excellent. very cool. >> thanks so much. >> thank you, laura. . as hallie mentioned earlier, there are a lot off questions, interest and intrigue surrounding the role that donald trump's son-in-law, jared kushner, could play in the trump white house. nbc national correspondent peter alexander has the latest on that. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. multiple sources familiar the president-elect's son-in-law is mulling whether to serve with the white house in a special advisor or special counsel type role or whether to stay put in new york and maintain an influential but informal role. at least publicly kushner is as quiet and reserved as trump is as loud and outspoken. but his will certainly be an important voice in the new administration. >> reporter: wielding influence like few others, jared kushner, donald trump's son-in-law, has proven to be a major player in

circle. >> jared is a very successful real estate person but i actually think he likes politics more than he likes real estate. >> reporter: evidence of the role he might play -- while trump recently met inside the oval office with president obama, outside the 35-year-old kushner walked the south lawn with white house chief of staff denis mcdonough. harvard educated, born into an orthodox jewish family, kushner married ivanka in 2009. the couple has three young children. after critics anti-semitism for this controversial tweet with a six-pointed star and a stack of cash, kushner defended his father-in-law as an incredibly loving and tolerant person. like trump, kushner was raised in real estate, taking over the family business after his father, charles kushner, pleaded guilty to tax and conspiracy charges in 2005. the prosecutor -- new jersey's chris christie. >> mr. concerner in engaged in a conspiracy with co-conspirators.

be exercisiing his unfluinfluen. >> couldn't be further from trt truth. jared cdid a fantastic job. >> reporter: he certainly has trump's ear reportedly urging trump to dump campaign manager corpsly lewandowski last june and helping orchestrate trump's visit to mexico in august. still, an anti-nepotism law could limit kushner's role in the administrationhi cabinet level position. >> it is possible, though it's never happened, that a president could try to have a family member in an unofficial or advisory staff job that wasn't caught by that federal law. >> she's very tough, by the way. right, jared? >> reporter: still, trump could put kushner into a paid position on the white house staff according to several legal experts. now as an outspoken political insurgent prepares to move into the white house, his soft-spoken

the most influential men in washington. this morning i'm told kushner, who owns the newspaper "the new york observer" is being encouraged to join trump's inner circle at the white house by reince priebus and steve bannon, both men kushner worked very closely with during the presidential campaign. >> peter, thank you. hillary clinton was in the nation's capital last night and delivered an emotional speech. it was her first since conceding the election. nbc's kristen welker has more on >> reporter: hi, matt, good morning to you. secretary clinton spoke at the children's defense fund here in washington, d.c. last night. that's the organization where she first began her career. it was a speech filled with refl reflection and also raw emotion. >> reporter: hillary clinton stepping back into the spotlight, greeted by an overwhelmingly supportive crowd with a standing ovation. >> oh, thank you. >> reporter: it was an event aimed at helping children in need. but clinton wasted no time

>> now i will admit, coming here tonight wasn't the easiest thing for me. there have been a few times this past week when all i wanted to do was just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house again. >> reporter: a defeat, she tried to turn into a call to action. >> i ask you to stay engaged. stay engaged on every level. that's how we get through this. >> reporter: it's the first time clinton has are stunning loss since she conceded a week ago. >> this is painful. and it will be for a long time. >> reporter: and while she was spotted by a hiker last thursday, clinton has otherwise stayed out of the public eye. >> i know this isn't easy. i know that over the past week a lot of people have asked themselves whether america is the country we thought it was. the divisions laid bear by this election run deep.

say this. america is worth it. fight for our values and never, ever give up. >> reporter: and as clinton ended her speech, emotions overflowed remembering her mother, dorothy rodham, who as a maul chi small child faced a difficult life with no way to see what her future held. >> i dream of going up to her and saying, look, you will survive. and as hard as it might be to imagine, your daughter will grow up to be a united states as secretary of state, and win more than 62 million votes for president of the united states. >> reporter: and as democrats start to put the pieces back together, senator bernie sanders, clinton's former primary rival-turned top surrogate has emerged as a leading voice. he earned a leadership position in the senate yesterday and he delivered his own speech here in washington, d.c. last night and

any supreme court nominee that they find unacceptable. matt, savannah? >> kristen welker in washington, thank you. we'll turn from politics now and head back to al who's on the road. he's revealed that he is in northern virginia for the turkey trot today. hi, al, good morning. >> reporter: guys, i can get you this outfit if you'd like. >> that's nice. >> please! >> reporter: i know a guy. okay? so it's very, very fashionable. we're going to reveal our turke next half-hour. next hour. but in the meantime, we've got perhaps the first big major snowstorm coming across the country. look at this video coming out of do donner pass, california. they started making snow for ski resorts out there. in ogden, utah, they saw heavy snow as well near webber state university. here we go.

people under some sort of winter watch, advisory, or warning. blizzard watches even up for parts of minnesota. heavy snow with low visibility, as this system today makes its way out of the rockies. it starts to push its way into the plains. gusty winds with low visibility and it is going to be bringing heavy snow into the upper midwest. snowfall of anywhere from six inches to over a foot and half. and then it continues east and it is going to bring snow into interior sections of the northeast and new end. a lot of snowy weather. that's what's going on. with this ring... you brighten my world. with this ring... you are my true love, my ideal. with this ring, i will love you...forever. kay jewelers is the only store to bring you... the visibly brighter leo diamond. tolkowsky-the first-ever ideal cut diamond. and our very own now & forever collection.

ry store for... yes! ? every kiss begins with kay. ? >> wren: we're embarking on a mild stretch of weather today. a little bit more cloud cover across the coast and the cape this morning and a mixture of sun and clouds this afternoon. to our west, much nor sunshine. that's the scenario throughout the day today. temperatures in the upper 40s this morning in boston. cooler further west. temperatures in the low 40s. highs today are going the trend mild, in the mid-50s. your 7 on 7 forecastho clouds again a little bit more thick across the coast. take a will be at temperatures as we head into the end of the work week here. we're close to 60 degrees by tomorrow w >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> all right, al, thank you so much. coming up, the largest increase in highway deaths in this country in half a century. this morning we ask, are popular driving apps to blame?

terrorism in an online world. but first, on a thursday

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our home. on november 26th, get up, (all) get together and shop small. >> this is 7news now. >> christa: good morning, everybody. it's thursday. kind of gloomy the start. 7:26. will we see the sun today in let's check in with wren clair.

we even have some sprinkles this morning. further to our west they're faring much better. that's going to be the trend throughout the day. the further west you get today, the more you'll see of that. but i think as we head enter the afternoon especially, we're looking at a mixture of some sunshine and clouds. temperaturessed many rat again today. >> christa: okay, wren. thank you. revere police are searching for two people who left the scene of a crash with a commuter rail train. the car was torn in half after this collision. two people in that vehicle managed to get out and run away. train across the tracks at the time. and officials investigating the murder of a jogger in princeton several months ago say they're now looking for a dark-colored s.u.v. vanessa marcotte's body was found in the woods near her family's home. back in august she was visiting her family from new york. witnesses say an s.u.v. was

?hay holidays fr.

7:30 now on a thursday morning, the 17th of november, 2016. got a nice crowd outside. al's on the road so we're going to go outside and say hi to those good people in just a couple of minutes. >> of the headlines. a natural gas explosion has killed one person and injured at least seven others. it was so strong it shattered windows several blocks away. the area is shut down and crews are investigating. hillary clinton gave her first speech since concede egg the electi

of the election. i am, too. more than i can ever express. i ask you to stay engaged. stay engaged on every level. >> clinton did not talk about her own future plans and vowed to "keep working to make america better and stronger and fairer." incoming vice president mike pence has a busy day ahead on capitol hill. he's attending a morning meeting of the house gop conference. and he will sit down with senate majority leader mitch mcc democratic leadership. now to some troubling new statistics this morning that reveal a dramatic rise in highway fatalities. there is some fear there could be a direct connection to some of those popular smartphone apps. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer is in los angeles with that story. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. there are two things so many of us have -- a car and a cell phone. but together, they can be deadly behind the wheel, especially

>> in 1,000 feet turn left on to moore park street. >> reporter: from driving directions to applications that let users post photos of their current speed, very apps to designed to make driving easier and more enjoyable may be making the road more dangerous than ever before. >> yes, i am guilty of using the miles per hour filter on snapchat. >> reporter: chris admits he was distracted but was chirac to hear of a deadly and troubling new trend. nearly 18,000 killed on highways in the first six months of this year, a 10% spike in death compared to the same time last year. some experts fear the rise is linked to the rapidly growing use of apps behind the wheel. >> when i look at my phone i try and think, would it be worth it to looking at my phone for that snapchat or that text message? >> reporter: the sobering news on fatalities comes as some shift their attention away from

but some of the most popular apps like snapchat and pokemon go say their features are designed for passengers, not drivers. waze, the gps application, tells nbc news all core functionality can be performed hands-free by voice input and audio directions. it is not just apps that can be distractings. most new cars let you integrate your cell phone with your vehicle. and right here on the dash -- >> who shall i text? >> it is not your hand's off the wheel so much is your mind off the task of driving safely. >> reporter: today during the morning commute, drivers everywhere will face potentially deadly distractions. ones many of us could avoid. some of the most popular apps designed to get us from a to b can actually be adjusted on your cell phone or even right in your dial. press some of these settings

and send less alerts. that could also help less distracted drivers. >> but mess with all that when you are sitting in your driveway. right? >> that's right. let us head back down to virginia, al's got a check of the weather. >> reporter: that's right, guys. we are going to be showing you who our celebrity chef is in just a moment. even though it is pretty chilly here in northern virginia, like 39 degrees, with being look how warm it is today. we are looking at temperatures anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees above average from chicago to houston, out to washington, d.c. but behind the front, powerful cold winds coming in. as we move into friday, pierre down to san angelo, temperatures are below average. ahead of the front, way above average. as we move into the weekend we continue to keep the warmth in the east but november chill back behind the front, temperatures 20 to 30 degrees colder and

>> wren: we're embarking on a mild stretch of weather today. a little bit more cloud cover across the coast and the cape this morning and a mixture of sun and clouds this afternoon. to our west, much nor sunshine. that's the scenario throughout the day today. temperatures in the upper 40s this morning in boston. cooler further west. temperatures in the low 40s. highs today are going the trend mild, in the mid-50s. your 7 on 7 forecast showing clouds again a little bit more thick across the coast. take a will be at temperatures as we head into the end of the work week here. tomorrow >> and that is your latest wler. make sure you get the weather you need when you need it. go to the weather channel on cable. all right, let us reveal our celebrity chef. show yourself from the big "today" show turkey trot bus. it's katie lee! all right. >> good morning. >> we've got matching "today" turkey trot outfits.

they're good looking. >> they do. >> it is very comfortable and warm. it is cold here. >> i'm thinking using those for our thanksgiving day parade broadcast. >> now you're talking. >> absolutely. they are very stylish. >> and they're free. >> thank you so much. coming up, we're going to change subjects. google versus isis? ? ? google versus isis? roman farrell is here with an [ laughter ] ? ? [ male announcer ] for tim and richard smucker, giving a gift of their family's delicious jam always made the holidays just a little bit sweeter. we forgot to put our names on them! richard, i think they'll know who it's from. ? ? thank you boys. you're welcome. you're welcome. [ male announcer ] happy holidays from our family to yours.

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our special sear rid "under covered" continues where nbc investigative correspondent row n ronan farrow looks into companies. >> recent terror attacks have raised questions about

real practical challenges in how to take down terrorist propaganda and also free speech websites about what they should be taking down in the first place. but after years of experimenting one tech giant gave us an exclusive first look into a different kind of approach they hope will change the game. >> we're just ordinary people. i never thought it would happen. >> reporter: sally evans' son, thomas, grew up in this quiet suburb outside london, along with his brother, michael. >> we k >> he was just a normal little boy. very caring. >> reporter: but in his late teens something started to change. >> well, he became a muslim. i was quite happy with that. i had no problems. then little things begran to change. he grew the beards. stop listening to music. he just isolated himself. >> kind of felt like i was sharing a house with a stranger. >> reporter: thomas disappeared for a time, then called home from somalia to say he had joined the terrorist group al shabaab.

attack. his death uploaded to the internet as propaganda. >> no mother should have to see that. that was awful. it was just hearing the final moments. as a mom, and there was nothing i could do. i've seen it. yeah. >> reporter: thomas is part of a new generation of what some called bedroom radicals, people drawn into violent online. >> it was happening upstairs in our bedroom. he was on his computer. >> reporter: they commit lone wolf attacks or join terrorists in conflict zones. like the estimated 30,000 foreigners who have joined isis from around the world, many recruited online. tech companies have struggled to respond. this year, a break-through. google and facebook getting more aggressive about blocking propaganda. and in google's case, trying something more proactive.

collectively experimenting with how to respond. >> reporter: the head of research and development at jigsaw. >> rights of that there was an opportunity to use the interin et to get to those potential recruits before isis and protect them from being radicalized. >> reporter: they call it redirect. >> we've all had the experience of searching for something like a pair of sneakers, then finding and ad for those principle instead to find potential consumers of isis' messages online. >> if i'm a young person out there somewhere, maybe sympathetic to joining isis, what's the process i go through? >> so you would likely search for example for a term like martyrdom for allah. we would show you an ad directly relevant for your search.

like this. >> reporter: not videos produced by jigsaw but existing materials from imams and religious scholars. in an eight-week pilot program, redirect reached 300,000 people who watched half a million minutes of video undermining isis. >> what's really special about this approach is there is no google secret source. there is nothing that we did to be possible. >> so any tech company could do this. >> precisely. >> reporter: we wanted to hear firsthand from the kinds of people the program targets. >> if i had the ability to travel to the united states to carry out an attack, i most likely would have done that. >> reporter: this man never got to that point but he did feel deep into online radical communities and was considering a bombing in london before he pulled back. >> when you think back on your experience, do you wish tech companies had been doing more to

intervene in some way? >> what led me away from red callism was kind of listening to more relatively scholars and imams. if i had been exposed to that much earlier i think i would have turned away from extremism at a much earlier stage as well. >> he's writing when the infidels die, nobody cares just like when ants are crushed. >> reporter: t are often predictable warning signs. >> fighters before they travel become more fervent, more extreme. >> do tech companies have the power to catch who is about to be recruited before it happens? >> i think they have the potential to do it. whether they have the desire to do it is a different matter. >> could this redirect effort help the next thomas evans? >> i think the effort to redirect people will have some impact. >> anything is worth trying, isn't it. i guess we're never going to stop it completely, but at least

our children. >> this is very much a tentative first step. jigsaw isn't sure what the future of the program will be. experts we spoke with say it is not a silver bullet. terrorists are always moving to new online platforms that are harder to track. but those experts also say tech companies taking a more aggressive stance can make a difference, especially for some of the less hard line recruits. >> it seems like a very thoughtfulnd approach. >> finally tech companies are saying we've got to do more. >> just elevating a temporary view. >> using the systems we all use every single day. >> that's great. thank you very much. coming up next, guess who is back in his orange room? it is carson. he has the text message exchange

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other than carson daly. >> the whiskered one is back. >> if i call you miley cyrus and adam levine at any moment, i apologize. been a little busy, but great to be back. this is a great story of a 17-year-old named jamal who got a text message from an unknown number. he gets this text -- thanksgiving dinner is at my house, november 24th, 3:00 p.m. let me know if you're coming. hope to see you all. of and justin. response comes in, your grandma. jamal writes back, grandma, can i have a picture? she writes, of who? he sends a picture of him and says you're not my grandma. he adds, can i still get a plate though? she writes back the most grandma thing of all time here. of course you can. that's what grandmas do.

if i could do that in my mrs. doubtfire voice, i would. this gets -- goes viral. he sends out this whole exchange. half a million people retweeting, people are loving it. we get it confirmed just a couple nights ago, they actually meet and have dinner. this is the perfect example of a classic texting fail that ends up a great success. >> i love that. >> i wonder when brings people together. i love it. >> it happens so often. >> thank you, carson. coming up, oscar winner marion cotillard is here to talk about her new movie with brad ? happy holidays from crayola. so when do i start? um, shouldn't it be "spokes-crayon?" can somebody turn on the a/c? i'm melting here. ?air marker spraayer!!!?

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>> this is 7news now. >> kris: good morning. it's almost 8:00. not a bad day as far as rain falling. let's get over the wren clair with what pee t >> wren: we have a stub been cloud deck overhead. the mrl of the story is unfortunately we'll have the wait on seeing a it will bit of that nine until we head into the afternoon. at that point we'll see some peeks of sunshine. temperatures in the mid-50s. >> kris: wren, thanks so much. police still investigating after a commuter rail train collided with a car in revere this morning. take a look at that surveillance video. the car was literally torn in

look at this. they managed to get out of the vehicle and ran away. officials say the driver may have been trying the beat the train across the tracks. tufts university confirming that neighbor students have been diagnosed with mumps over the past three weeks. the department of health says it's working with the school to help prevent the illness from spreading. anyone who may have symptoms should go to the school's health services center. we're back in 25 minutes with another update. see you then. this year, i want the best bird for my family and my wallet. nature's promise fresh turkey with no antibiotics ever. everything for thanksgiving.

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thomas, that was a real nice declaration -- it is 8:00 on "today." cabinet battle. speculation reaches a fever pitch as donald trump gets closer to choosing who will make the cut and who won't when it comes to fng makes an emotional appearance overnight, her first since conceding the election. >> there have been a few times this past week when all i wanted to do was just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house again. plus, on the road again. >> it's thanksgiving! >> oh, hi, sasha. how are you? >> al takes his turkey trot to virginia this morning and gets ready to give one thanksgiving

lifetime. and record scratch. what had superstar singer adele freaking out on stage in the middle of a concert. "today," thursday, november 17th, 2016. ? >> it is our 25th anniversary -- >> and my 17th birthday. >> and we're woo! >> good morning, nashville. >> we're all the way from minnesota and we love the "today" show. ? if you start me up ? ? if you start me up ? >> all the way from texas celebrating madelyn's 10th birthday! >> today i'm turning 60! >> on a girls trip in new york for deian's 70th birthday! woo! good morning, everybody.

2016. beautiful day out on the plaza. still feeling rather warm and lovely. i've got to compliment you. >> why? >> great, great throwback thursday song. >> it is kind of a stones week. we hung out with them earlier in the week. they opened up their exhibit called "exhibitionism" in new york. i went with a little "start me up." we'll get to al's turkey trot in aom momento momentous. our boss, executive in charge here at the "today" show, noah, well, it is his birthday! >> there he is. happy birthday! >> he's just turning it 25 today. just kidding. no. he loves doughnuts. loves his family. his wife and his three kids. and we want to say help birthday, thank you. >> and one of the great qualities about noah, he loves

there, by the way. that's not his thing. let's get to "today's" headlines. time for "the news at 8." good morning. this morning we begin with our top headline about politics. i'm hallie jackson outside trump tower in new york where today president-elect trump will be holding what's been described to me as a series of interviews to see who will make his cabinet cut. one transition source tells nbc news the president-elect is expected to, at some point, name lieutenant general mike though cautions nothing is official until we hear it from the president-elect himself. today donald trump expected to meet also with governor nikki haley of south carolina. she is in contention for job as secretary of state according to sources familiar with those discussions. the president-elect himself has stayed mostly quiet other than a couple of appearances on twitter like this morning talking about the long hours his transition team is putting in. and now his former rival is

publicly for the first time since her concession speech. she admitted some days she just wants to curl up with her dogs and a book and never leave the house. she got emotional when talking about what she would tell her late mother if she were here. >> as hard as it might be to imagine, your daughter will grow up to be a united states senator, represent our country as secretary of state, and win more than 62 million votes for presid >> reporter: some of hillary clinton's fellow democrats, members of congress chuck schumer and nancy pelosi, will be meeting with vice president-elect mike pence as he heads to washington today, set to extend that olive branch across the aisle. >> all right, hallie jackson just down the road from us at trump tower. got some breaking news this morning from kosovo where police there say they have prevented simultaneous attacks by isis,

israeli national soccer team. 18 people now under arrest in kosovo. six more in albania and macedonia. police say they found weapons and explosive devices in the suspects' homes and say the group had clear targets on who should be attacked and when. a world cup soccer qualifier last weekend in neighboring albania was changed to a different location for what were described as security reasons. back here we move to illinois and the investigation into a powerful natural gas explosion that rocked a small town. nbc news' ron mott has the story this morning. >> good morning. this happened in the town of canton about three hours from chicago. this morning officials are telling people in that area to stay away. >> reporter: overnight, surveillance footage posted to social media shows the moment a natural gas explosion struck the central illinois community of canton. authorities say the explosion happened in a building near the

fronts up and down the block and rattling residents who say it sounded like a bomb went off. the city's 125-year-old opera house destroyed. a local power company worker was killed, and 11 others hurt in the blast. the contractor who died had been repairing a gas line when the explosion occurred. >> we never experienced something like that loud. >> reporter: witnesses say the blast was felt throughout the entire downtown area. >> it shook everything. it almost felt like an earthquake. >> just a massive rumble and a came crashing down at one time. >> reporter: officials have shut off natural gas in the area saying it is not clear when service will be restored. residents say they're thankful more people weren't hurt. >> it was pretty scary. something i would never want anybody to have to go through. it was bad. >> officials conducted a secondary sweep overnight and found no additional victims. >> all right, ron mott, thank you so much. coming up next, we've got al

unsuspecting foodie fan out for a morning walk -- oh, my gosh! don't shock the woman. she's going to get the surprise of a lifetime when she comes down that path. >> al is going to surprise someone on a wooded path. >> what can go wrong? also ahead, the mom desperate for your suggestions about how she should open that cabinet without breaking the plates. >> okay. and then oscar winner marion cotillard is here. cotillard is here. she stars cotillard is here. she stars you are gonna love this place. then i'd say expand your horizons. i'm very open-minded! no no, expand your horizons. it's the name of a smoothie. yeah, i see they have bee pollen. two of my favorite allergies. trust me, john grows half this stuff in his own backyard. it's true. two of my usuals, please. add spirulina. is that a... noodle? it's his first time. mmm. that's almost as good as a milkshake. cheers! get together and shop small on small business saturday.

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joining me this morning for "today's turkey trot," it's katie lee. let's see your turkey trot. oh, yeah, oh, yeah. oh, yeah, oh, yeah. going to surprise someb good is in every blue diamond almond. a good that comes in 20 flavors from whole natural to wasabi and soy sauce. and once good gets going, there's no stopping it. get your good going.

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can go side by side. ask how enbrel can help relieve joint pain and help stop joint damage. enbrel, the number one rheumatologist-prescribed biologic. ? get up for black friday. starts thursday, 6pm. walmart. we are back now with the third stop in "today's turkey trot." >> all this week al's been roaming around the country if had that truck surprising "today" food fans who love thanksgiving. he's about to leap out of the bushes into northern virginia. hi, al, good morning. >> hey, guys. we're in a park in fairfax, virginia. what could go wrong here?

in this place. she loves to cook. she is an aspiring tv food host and we're going to show you just why she deserves "today's turkey trot" surprise. >> i nominated bonnie because bonnie is fabulous. she's a grand dame, a lady. i met bonnie years ago, probably about ten years ago. she had a bed and breakfast she ran. we lost touch after then years later i learned i had breast cancer and my cousin had asked me to contact a friend named bonnie who had a television show to feature me on the show. i never realized it was the same person. bonnie was just so warm, so loving. and she was so nurturing and she did it through conversation and food. bonnie really has a gift for cooking. she loves to cook.

thanksgiving and christmas and the lobster back and cheese is to die for. she's been like another mom to me. i want to cry. i have no way to thank her for her years of support, her years of love, her years of nurturing me. and that's something that i can't quantify. i can't replace. i can't tell her thank you a million times. i look forward to giving her this gift of >> reporter: well, we are here in cutner park and we are looking for bonnie and mayma. they should be coming down this path any moment now. hey, hi! mayma, come on over! >> this is crazy. >> bonnie? >> i'm bonnie.

winner. >> i am? >> you are! >> come on over! >> oh, my god, wait a minute. this is crazy. let me get my hair down. you're joking with me, right? >> no, i'm not joking with you. >> i'm going to kill you. >> i know. i love you. >> oh, my god, no lipstick, no nothing. >> you thought you were just out for a walk. >> i got mad at her because i wanted to go run this morning and she made me -- >> we can run. let's >> we want to keep surprising you a little bit. just so you know, the folks that love you can lie to you as well as they do. >> oh, my god. >> your husband, matt. >> i'm going to kill you guys! you know what? this is crazy. okay. >> and, say hello to katie lee.

your husband's name mac. that's not a coincidence. >> okay. this is crazy. okay. >> you want to kill me right now? >> are you shocked? is your heart beating fast? >> have you seen the "today" turkey trot segments? >> i have. >> so you had no idea. >> no. i'm going to kill you. >> i lie very well. >> you are good. you are good. >> so she thought that she was having a bad day today. and -- she couldn't watch the "today" show. the keys got lost. so this was going all downhill. >> you thought you were having a bad day. >> i did. >> has it gotten a little better. >> why is al roker here? >> now you know. guys, another successful turkey trot surprise. >> oh, my god.

>> sorry i lied to you. >> why didn't you tell me to put on makeup or something? >> bonnie's like -- you don't even have lipstick on. >> we're going to be cooking with katie lee a little bit later in our "today" show turkey trot bus. mac and cheese. >> this is your moment to make mac and cheese. >> wait a minute. okay. this is crazy. oh, my god. >> nice going, al. >> see you guys in a little bit. >> you think you're taking a nice walk in the woods. >> meantime, your friend shows up all dolled up. she's going to pay for that one. >> oh, yes, she is. let's do what's "trending" today. let's start with a 9-year-old boy who swooped in and saved his falling baby brother.

roll this. keep your eye on the upper right side of the screen there. you see an 11-month-old baby on the changing table. mom just turns her back for a second to talk to the other kids, and that is when baby falls. >> whoa! >> but big brother is there and catches him. the baby is fine. mom said she posted the video because she wanted other parents to realize what they always say. just takes one second. >> one chubby leg to go off the table. the body >> major league baseball scouts. now can the kid hit. because he can definitely field. that's good. here is a kitchen conundrum that has stumped the web. what would you do if this happened at your house? it is a cupboard, glass door. but the bowls have tipped over inside and wedged themselves against the door. how would you open that? >> i'd get that 9-year-old kid from the other video to stand right under there and scoop it up. >> you know what i would do?

new dishes. other suggestions -- put thick blankets on the floor before opening the door. break a pane of glass and take the bowls out that way. or sell the cabinet to a museum and name it "the frozen in time" series. >> i think fluffy pillows. >> well, what happened? >> she opened it carefully and apparently got the hand in there and all the bowls were saved. >> good. no bowl was harmed in this segment. >> welcome back, carson. >> first we'll start with kate upton sticking up for her man in an epic twitter rarn ter rant. she's engaged to detroit pitchers justin verlander. on second he finishes second in

he had the majority of first place votes and two writers didn't win. >> did she say anything else? >> she would go on to tweet another segment of comments that is not on the teleprompter. nor will be on this fine family show in the morning but is worth going back when you're off work. now to adele and the concert on monday. just a bat flying around the audience. >> there's a bat! oh, my god. [ bleep ]. [ bleep ] [ bleep ]. >> adele has a couple of voice words for the bat.

the show. >> another reason to love adele. pop start, the critics choice nominated carson daly. >>by didn't even tell your wife. >> come on, we're late. move on. thank you. i appreciate it. >> don't be so modest. and tell us what kate upton said. >> i will. in a commercial break. back to virginia. al's got a check of the weather. >> that's right. bonnie's still upset with mayma because she d't on but it is okay. we're going to cook in a little bit. >> you get to meet al roker. >> wren: we're embarking on a mild stretch of weather today. a little bit more cloud cover across the coast and the cape this morning and a mixture of sun and clouds this afternoon. to our west, much nor sunshine. that's the scenario throughout the day today. temperatures in the upper 40s this morning in boston. cooler further west. temperatures in the low 40s. highs today are going the trend mild, in the mid-50s. your 7 on 7 forecast showing

thick across the coast. take a will be at temperatures as we head into the end of the work week here. we're close to 60 degrees by tomorrow >> and that is your latest weather. matt? >> wow. >> marion cottilard is no stranger to playing strong women on the big screen. she won an oscar and now stars alongside brad pitt in a new romantic spy thriller called "allied." she freedom fighter during world war ii. take a look. >> the lovely madame in apartment seven, she's married to a german captain and she's watching us. >> you are very thorough. >> that's why i'm still alive. >> we're married, why would we

>> kiss me. >> marion cottilard, how are you? >> i'm good. how are you? >> i'm fine. how are you feeling? >> i feel amazing. >> i'm surrounded by pregnant women these days so you're in good company. >> yeah? good. >> i was thinking before about this movie last night that, for all of the horrors of world war ii -- and it was a horrific time in world history -- it serves as the backdrop for so many amazing stories on the big screen >> well, yeah, of course. you know, it was -- it is kind of a fascinating yet terrifying but fascinating period because it puts -- it put people in very extreme situations. >> and these two deal in a very complicated relationship. which i guess for the times is perfectly understandable. >> well, yeah.

let's say the unknown with some information but they don't know what they're going to be put in front of. and they're absolutely not expecting to fall in love with each other, which happens. >> falling in love in a movie, and then having to shoot some of the scenes you shot in this movie with brad. you've talked about it being awkward because it is so choreographed. >> oh, because it's choreographed. >> but you have to do the choreography before you can actually do the scene. >> well, you have to. because, yeah, it is always awkward situation. but it is also very fun situation because it is awkward. >> as you know, there were headlines generated during the making of this movie between you and brad that you had denied. you can't go through a period like that without learning something, without being taught a lesson. good or bad. what did you learn?

personally when it doesn't concern me. and so i didn't take it personally because i had just nothing to do but this -- rumors or situation. >> did you you didn't allow it to affect your experience in making what is an amazing movie. >> no. no. i mean i don't give energy to this. and it was a wonderful, wonderful experience with such a visionary director and an amazing actor. so that's all that matters, you know. >> brad has to speak some french in this. >> yes. >> so you are pea a natural born critic, i would imagine. how did he do and did you -- >> critic and supporter. >> did you find yourself critiquing the accent and the pronunciation? >> well, because he asked me so i was very honest. he did an amazing job and his commitment to speak french and

>> this movie is fantastic. and it is so nice to see you. >> so nice to see you, too. >> it really is. and congratulations. good luck. marion cottilard and "allied" opens in theaters nationwide on november 23rd. we are just getting started with outstanding actor.

>> this is 7news now. >> sarah: good morning, everybody. it's 8:27 as you take a live look over boston. let's send it over to wren clair now with more on your forecast. >> wren: we're struggling to shake some cloud cover, in particular in eastern massachusetts. that's what we're dealing with in boston. i really do think we're looking at mostly clo most of the morning hours. a couple peeks of sunshine as we head into the afternoon. if you are west of 495, you have a better shot at seeing some sunshine this morning, as well as into the afternoon. temperature-wise, we're looking at pretty mild temperatures. we'll be in the mid-50s again today. we already start to warm up close to 50 degrees currently in boston and close to 50 in norwood, as well. >> sarah: now to our top stories. officials have a new clue in the investigation of a murdered jogger in princeton. they're now looking for a dark-colored s.u.v. vanessa marcotte's body was found in the woods in august.

parked on the road near where investigators found her body. police are still searching for the man who allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend and her mother in hyde park. 26-year-old jeffrey labathe is accused of stabbing the women tuesday night. both women remain hospitalized. labathe is wanted on several charges. mbta officials are investigating after a green-line train goes off the tracks in brighton. it happened on a b-line trolley near commonwealth avenue and lake street last night. no one was hurt.

we're back now, 8:30 on a thursday morning. it is a beautiful fall morning here in new york. we've got fans of pro football, some panthers fans and some saints fa we're getting ready for a big game tonight, thursday night football. >> saints fans! thank you. yeah, baby. >> thursday night football. this is exciting. >> you're almost in the right colors. >> a hat. these are the saints. >> hoda loves it when they get a home run. coming up, by the way,

thbs. nbc. sorry. we have great stars here. a new movie called "lion" is an incredible true story. you probably recognize him from his breakout role, "slumdog millionaire." and sterling k. brown is in one of the fall's most talked about dramas right here on nbc. let's check in with al down in virginia once again. this is one of our fave shows. love it. we're inside now our "today's turkey trot" bus and bonnie is getting a little makeup. we actually have a makeup person here because she does not go out of the house other than to run without makeup. we didn't want her to be uncomfortable. let's show you what we have for

midwest, wet weather in the pacific northwest, mild along the eastern seaboard. saturday we are looking at the wet weather making its way into the great lakes and northern new england. sharply colder behind that front. more heavy rain moving into the central u.s., central california. and then as we move into sunday, snow showers interior sections of new york and upstate new york and new england. we've got wet weather in the >> wren: we're embarking on a mild stretch of weather today. a little bit more cloud c this morning and a mixture of sun and clouds this afternoon. to our west, much nor sunshine. that's the scenario throughout the day today. temperatures in the upper 40s this morning in boston. cooler further west. temperatures in the low 40s. highs today are going the trend mild, in the mid-50s. your 7 on 7 forecast showing clouds again a little bit more thick across the coast. take a will be at temperatures as we head into the end of the work week here. we're close to 60 degrees by tomorrow

cooking with katie lee. ooh, mac and cheese, baby. ooh. >> come to mama. all right, al, thank you so much. well, dev patel first captivated audiences as the 18-year-old star of the oscar winning movie "slumdog millionaire." his latest film is called "lion," based on the true story of a man who was searching for his family two decades after he got lost on the streets of india. take a is like knowing my real brother and mother spend every day of their lives looking for me? huh? how every day my real brother screams my name? can you imagine the pain they must be be in not knowing where i am? 25 years. 25! >> why didn't you tell me that was happening for you? >> dev patel, good morning.

your heart. and it is a true story. >> yes. >> tell people about your character's story. >> it is an incredible story about triumph, really. this young boy -- it starts in tragedy. he's scavenging for food on a train with his older brother and they get separated and he's gone across the whole of india and when he gets out he doesn't even know his mother's name. he's so young, he is a he goes through a horrendous ordeal. it is kind of a tale of survival before he is adopted by an australian family. 25 years later he used loolg ear google earth to try to relocate his mother. it actually happened. >> it is so fascinating because here his life turned out okay. he ended up with a wonderful family but the ties that bind and the search for your mom and

is about. >> it is really a anthem of love, unity and how love can transcent couldnd continents. there are two beautiful female characters, nicole kidman who plays the australian mother and the indian mother and this buy who will stop at nothing to connect the two. >> nicole kidman said she felt like this was a love letter to her kids and i think i read you said it was kind after love letter to your own story. >> yeah, yeah, absolutely. yeah, i read the script and i was a complete puddle of tears. it is just so moving. >> i heard you showed up at the writer's house like -- hey, i'm available! >> i did. i did. they hadn't even finished writing the first act and i knocked on their door. there was a big white board with all these kind of story beats on there. and, yeah, it was classified information at that time. but, you know, we're here now. >> i know when you got the role,

it. like eight months of prep. what did that entail? had. >> well, scripts like this don't come around every so often for someone that looks like i do. you know? and to be able to play a role with so much meat on the bone, i called my manager up and said the next day, i am going to commit every fiber of my being to get this journey right. there was a lot of physical training. i ate like a glutton. i orphanages. >> there is a lot of oscar buzz. but you are getting so much much critical raves for this role and you met the real s summuru. >> his whole family, just so open and generous. he is the epitome of a fiercely driven young man. it is a very inspiring story around what the world needs

the move is "lion." dev patel, best of luck to you. it opens in select theaters on november 25th nationwide on christmas day. next, emmy award winner sterling k. brown is here to talk about "this is us" and a lot more. but first this is "today" on

we're back now, 8:39. sterling k b emmy this year for his portrayal of christopher darden in the hit mini series "the people v. o. 1y679 so.j. simpson. now he is earning praise for his role in "this is us." while he can't wait for the whole family to be together on thanksgiving, he may be the only one. >> man, i am pumped. my mom and biological father eating at the same table?

isn't this great? >> um-hm. okay, let me get that. be right back. >> what's with her? >> i have no idea. >> hey, sterling, good morning. nice to see you. >> thank you so much. >> when an actor takes on a role in a tv series, basically all they're hoping for is that somebody gets to sample the show. >> amen. >> anything above that is icing on the cake. >> gravy. >> how does the gravy taste? you're in the gravy zone. >> man, to have gone from "the peopleer is us." i've been doing this for 15, 16 years. so all of a sudden things just kind of exploded and i've been able to pay the bills. but now people see me and will wave and say hi. like it is a whole new world. i am enjoying it. >> do you even try to asian-american lies why you end up in a juicy period like this? >> no. not really. i just try to enjoy. it i think there's been such good work by so many people for

lightning in a bottle. >> i say hoda has been the major promoter of this series since it came out, "this is us." she's gotten us all to watch it. at one moment it can make you laugh until tears are in your eyes, and the next moment you are crying. and it is an incredible ability by the script writers. >> yes. well the show sort of encapsulates the writer of the ow has this biting sense of humor and he always undercuts that warmth with his u more. every day we laugh a little bit, sometimes you cry. >> we've already talked today about your success with "the people versus o.j. simpson." we know what that trial and episode did to this country. did you think the reaction to the series would be as strong as it was given that so many years had passed? >> no.

attached. i knew ryan murphy was behind the whole thing. sara paulson, cuba gooding jr. and john travolta. but until it was actually out there for public consumption, we had no idea. >> see how good an actor you are. take you back to the moment of opening the envelope. and the emmy goes to -- sterling k. brown. >> i think i almost fainted. i almost passed out. >> what part of you said i have a good shot, i think i am going to win this? >> there is a l telling me that. so the more people told you -- the more people said it, i was like, all right, let's hold off here for a second. because i was the least known commodity out of everybody out there. my cast mates were excellent. there are other people in fargo. hugh laurie who's never won. i said i'm just going to celebrate whoever wins. if it happens to be me, i'll celebrate. and it happened to be me. and it was surreal. i got a chance to uk with a up on that stage and people stood

really appreciated the work. i was humbled. >> you going to be part of the second season of "american crime story"? >> possibly. i haven't dotted the is or crossed the ts but i have expressed interest. hopefully it will come to fruition. >> i hope so, too. >> thanks a lot, man. >> you can watch "this is us" tuesdays, 9:00, 8:00 central, right here on nbc. just ahead we are b

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we are back now at 8:45 with a great program that's making a difference in the life of high school students in some of america's toughest neighborhoods. >> sheinelle is here with that story. >> good morning. this program is called build on. they are marking their 25th anniversary today. for a quarter century reducing poverty in some of this

they work in neighborhoods in the south bronx, boston, detroit, chicago, oakland, to name a few. a major goal is to raise the expectation for these kids. letting them know your circumstance may be tough, but you have the power to rise above it. for many families here in bridgeport, connecticut, making ends meet is tough. some teenagers experience extreme poverty and violence. fabi garcia saw someone gunned down across from her home. >> you lot and get scared walking down the streets. i'm like, i would get scared walking alone. >> reporter: their experiences outside of school affecting kids inside the classroom. >> i was skipping school. i was failing. i was -- honestly, i wouldn't stick to anything, like sports wise. everything, i would just kind of quit and give up. >> why do you think that was? >> when it got hard, i found it easier to just walk away. seemed like the easier way out. >> reporter: but everything

partners with schools around the country like bridgeport's basseck high school integrating service and volunteering into the curriculum. the goal is to help students change their own lives by helping someone else. >> they are able to study issues and challenges that they have, then they decide how they want to take action through service. they step up, they serve, they come back into the classroom, they share their experience. >> reporter: across america, build on teens have worked with the on this night here in broij pidt they are cooking up a hot meal for homeless veterans, some of whom view these kids like family. >> the kids are dear to my heart. these kids could have been out doing anything. but instead of doing anything, they took their time out even on their days off to come here to prepare food for us when they could have been doing other things? i appreciate it. >> reporter: and as they help others in need, their own

>> well, when i do community service, i see people. i actually have been through poverty so i know what it feels like. and so seeing them makes me want to give more. >> reporter: fabi has clocked in more than 500 hours of service and build on's impact reaches far beyond bridgeport or even the u.s. in addition to local volunteering, teens also help build schools in developing countries. to date, building 1,000 schools overseas for almost 2 children. steve's experience building a school in malawi changed his life. >> they just wish they had school. a lot of them don't even know how to spell their names. i'm given these opportunities and i'm throwing them away. so honestly, it just like registered eventually, like what am i doing? like i got to take advantage of what i have. >> the main reason the service has such an enormous positive impact for our students is because they're able to see what

expectation for their communities, for their schools and for themselves. >> it brings out a piece of you that you never would like to bring out when you were alone. when you are in build on, you are not alone. >> being involved in build on also has a huge impact on whether these kids make it to college. in neighborhoods where there is is a build on program, the average graduation rate is around 65%. in some cases, as low as 35%. but for students invd so looking ahead to the next 25 years, they are pledging to invest more in these communities and increase graduation rates by 50%. >> you want it in every school. >> it is making such a difference. i noticed it gives these kids a sense of purpose. they have someone to help. and then they feel like, if i can make an impact for you, maybe i can do it for myself. >> they are elevating their

>> even the donors with be people who help out with this program, they go with the kids side by side in some of these developing countries and build schools. i mean so it is just -- >> amazing. >> one of those things where they get the whole community involved. >> thank you for telling the story. nice job. coming up next, we know bonnie just got a big old surprise from al and katie lee. now she's getting ready to cook for country. but first, this is "today"

>> announcer: "today" food is brought to you by walmart. celebrate the holidays with walmart. finds gifts, groceries and fast checkouts. the moment has arrived. let's check in with al and his special guest. "today's turkey trot" is in virginia. bonnie, you are on, my dear. >> that's right, bonnie. you are now front and center. i want to clarify, bonnie was the one who asked for -- >> i need makeup. >> we think you are beautiful inside and out. >> do you feel >> i understand. >> i don't, but it's okay because you guys look fantastic. you are a consummate cook. you are working on a cookbook, aren't you? >> i am. it is coming out in the spring and it is called "basic." >> what is this? is this my mac and cheese? >> we tried to approximate. you don't give up your recipe to anybody. >> they were written in code. >> we had to approximate this

>> bonnie told us that it looked okay. >> would you like to try? >> yes, let me just see. >> tell us -- >> i feel like i'm on an episode of "chopped" right now and i'm getting red dri ady to be judge. >> that's not bad. >> it doesn't suck. okay. katie is going to make a little mac and cheese. stovetop mushroom mac and cheese? >> yeah. that's right. this you can make completely o thanksgiving, oven gets really crowded. you can just do all of this right on the stovetop. i've got some butter, mixed mushrooms, thyme, garlic. you can use just white button, whatever. it is fine. i'm going to add some flour. this is our thickener. you let that cook for about a minute just to get that flour flavor out of there. then i add some dijon to it. >> i like the dijon.

>> so that gives it flavor and it also helps it to thicken. >> you have anything against fat, bonnie? >> oh, no. i eat real food. i just work out. >> we just exercise. that's why she was out for a walk. >> she actually does a five-mile run. >> wow, five miles? that's good. maybe i should take some pointers from you. add in some whole milk. >> you doing this room temperature for you guys out there who are imitating this. >> she's got it. it has to temperature. >> you want to let this thicken. this takes about just a couple minutes. it starts to thicken up. then you add to it the cheese. >> what kind of cheese is that? >> i'm using parmesan. is that okay be? >> it's perfect. >> i'm bossy in the kitchen. i'm sorry. fontina, i love. >> fontina is a good melting cheese. gruyere would be good in this. or some cheddar.

stir it up and you just toss it together. >> let's take this out to have some of our friends try this out. >> i want to see if bonnie likes my mac and cheese any better than your lobster mac and cheese. >> we have family and friends gathered. we also to want to thank the nice folks at city of fairfax parks department for helping us pull this off. t' your husband, mack, is there. bonnie, we know how much you love herbs and stuff. we got an indire herb gooden for you just to thank you. >> thank you. that's going to my house. >> what do you think of katie's mac and cheese? >> i like the ingredients. >> also want to thank the nice folks at featherlite for helping us with the "today's turkey

>> excellent. >> all right, guys. recipes is at today.com. >> way to go. we've got a lot still to come. tony danza is going to be here. >> yes! >> in our next hour. stay tuned for that.

>> a commuter train ripping a car to pieces we learned the police have tracked down the driver of that vehicle. plus a helled td scare at

be spreading. a top honor for red sox pitcher comes with a little bit of controversy. crosswalk safety called into question. it's causing confusion at an intersection for drivers and pedestrians but there's help on the way after hank investigates. and it seems like we haven't

>> we have breaking news this hour. we're learning new details after a train slams into a car. police identifying the driver learning more about the moments before the crash. key clue in the search for a killer. the suv investigators are trying to track down hoping it will lead them to a murder in princeton. donald trump getting some big name visitors who stopping by trump t his white house team. good morning. just after 9:00 on this thursday. thanks for joining us. i'm kris anderson. great to have you here. i'm christa delcamp. we have ren claire watching the forecast. and hopefully we get some sun >> it would be nice to see. if it all lines up that way, ren. >> we been watching for some sunshine. so far this cloud deck the anchored over us in boston. we will continue to see mostly