breaking overnight, sandy on the move. >> the superstorm growing into a major hurricane overnight. a path of damage across the caribbean. and new forecast. is it ready to take aim, now, at the east coast? campaigns in high gear. the president's late night in vegas, overnighting in air force one, after taking shots on "the tonight show." mitt romney still riding that wave of momentum. and campaign stop. photo bomb blowing up online. a stolen smooch, captured on camera. and the call of the wild at work. an office intruder with a news crew there to record the crime.

good thursday morning, everyone. hurricane sandy has roared into cuba as a powerful category 3 storm, packing winds of up to 115 miles per hour. >> this is now a major story and a major storm. now, earlier, the very strong weather system brought heavy flooding to jamaica. residents reported seeing crocodiles caught in the rushing floodwaters. on top of that, one man was killed when a boulder fell on his home. and a woman in nearby haiti drowned. >> the effects being felt in south florida, where swimmers are being warned about dangerous rip currents and high waves. tropical storm conditions could be in effect by this time tomorrow. >> forecasters are warning that sandy could merge with a powerful cold front here in the u.s. >> they are calling it an atmospheric bomb, which could explode just in time for trick or treating. >> accuweather's jim dickey has more on the now-looming possibility.

>> good morning, rob and paula. here is hurricane sandy. you see a massive storm system. center of circulation moving onshore in cuba, as we see. the cloud field extending northward. in the next 24 to 48 hours. gusty winds and rain to the bahamas. rain through florida. and soaking rain headed for, interacting with the system moving across the midwest. as we're into next week, likely impacts into new england. rob and paula, back to you. >> all right. thanks for that report, jim. we'll get another hurricane update from sam champion, coming up later today on "good morning america." and now, we turn to the final sprint to the white house. president obama and mitt romney, trolling for votes in those key, battleground states. >> with just 12 days to go, the president is stopping in chicago today, to cast his ballot early. abc's tahman bradley has the latest on the mad dash by both campaigns. >> reporter: there's little in the way of rest for the presidential contenders. >> stay with me. and work with me.

>> reporter: president obama, along with pop star, katy perry, showing her support in that dress, held a nighttime rally in battleground, nevada. the president stopped by nbc's "the tonight show," with jay leno. >> the debates are over. i assume you're glad. >> everything i was saying was true. but if y don't have the energy and the presentation that makes people kind of snap up and say, all right, i get it, then you're not doing your job. >> reporter: mr. obama spent the night aboard air force one, headed to swing state, florida, where he'll spend the day. mitt romney, who leads the president by one point, 49% to 48%, will focus exclusively on ohio today. yesterday in iowa, romney sounded confident about his chances to win. >> the obama campaign is slipping because it can't find an agenda to help the american families. but our campaign is growing in a movement across this country that says, we're going to get america back. >> reporter: but even as romney rides a wave of momentum, the math still seems to favor

president obama. the president holds traditionally democratic states and picks up three battlegrounds, where polls show he has small leads, ohio, iowa and wisconsin, he would win. over the next weeks, the campaigns and their allies will spend $81 million on tv ads in battleground states. spots like these, featuring first lady michelle obama. and clint eastwood. tonight, mitt romney and president obama will have events at just about the same time in ohio, a state that's increasingly looking like it will decide the election. rob and paula? >> the buckeye state, tahman, bradley. >> good to see clint talking to a camera and not a chair. more political news. two threatened october surprises turned out to be much ado about absolutely nothing. donald trump did not spring any big news about president obama yesterday. instead, the notorious self-promoter said he would give $5 million to the president's favorite charity if the

president released his college and passport records. on top of that, attorney gloria allred was in a massachusetts court trying to unseal testimony that mitt romney gave in a divorce case involving the founder of staples. a judge postponed a decision. a tunisian man believed to be linked to the deadly september 11th attack on the consulate in libya has been arrested on charges. an attorney denies his client was involved in the benghazi killing. saying he's a scapegoat to satisfy the americans. the fbi is working on permission from tunisia to question the suspect. in light of the liby attacks, secretary of state hillary clinton appears to be rethinking her tenure in office. clinton had said she would stay only one term. but she tells today's "wall street journal," she would consider staying on the job longer if obama is re-elected. she ruled out a possible run for

the white house in 2016. a secret service agent in vice president biden's detail is on administrative leave. hector cuellar was suspended for inappropriately touching a 15-year-old family member. it took place inside the home that the two shared. a wildfire tearing through southern colorado has destroyed at least 14 homes. hundreds of residents near the wetmore area were forced to evacuate, as flames spread, fueled by winds blowing 80 miles per hour. the fire's only 15% contained. it's time to check the weather from across the nation. it's going to be a messy morning commute in denver, with a rain/snow mix. severe weather threatening milwaukee, chicago, st. louis, and dallas. winds could gust up to 70 miles per hour. and hail is possible. it's going to be dry in the northwest. >> santa ana winds will warm up the temps in southern california.

billings gets a blast of winter with a high only of 26. seattle and portland are in the mid-50s. new york, boston and baltimore are pretty pleasant, in the mid-60s. phoenix and new orleans warm to the mid-80s. coming up, free food. i like the sound of that. a national chain with a big giveaway. but it all depends on baseball. >> nice tease. then, if you like meat, you have to love what's happening with prices. why this is the time to fill up your freezer. >> i do love meat. and the giants draw first blood in the world series, as a star player comes out swinging and hits three home runs.

welcome back, on this thursday morning, everyone. there is fresh fallout from the collapse of the housing market. the federal government is suing bank of america for $1 billion. the suit charges there was brazen mortgage fraud by countrywide financial, which was bought by bank of america. among the allegations that countrywide accepted phony applications, falsified data, and hid mortgages that sank into default. the oracle of omaha is opening up about the economy. warren buffett says there's no question that the global economy is slowing. but tells cnbc the u.s. is in better shape than europe and managing to inch ahead. he says he feels great after wrapping up radiation treatment for prostate cancer. barnes & nobel is revealing new details about the data breach that has customers paying more attention to their credit card and debit card statements.

it was a criminal effort. and the fbi is on the case. 63 stores from california to new york were hit. and experts say barnes & nobel will likely face customer lawsuits. and if you like meat, well make some room in your freezer and stock up now. it is supply and demand. there's a glut of beef, pork and poultry right now. a lot of animals were sold off early when farmers couldn't afford the sky-high price of feed because of the summer drought. the usda says prices are probably as low as they're going to go for now and should start heading higher soon. but important news for all of you that like beef. >> indeed. and the folks at taco bell better hope there's plenty of meat to go around. the chain is back with its world series gimmick. steal a base, steal a taco. promising to give away free tacos for the first base that is stolen during the fall classic. this year, the freebie will be the refills of loco tacos. the biggest launch in taco bell

history. there's 100 million of those things sold in the first 10 weeks. a lot of folks out there, like meat. >> and tacos. >> indeed. when we come back, a suspect nabbed in a colorado child killing. what led police to the teenager accused of murdering 10-year-old jessica ridgeway? and then, a tough day at the office for a deer, who busted his way right in there. [ dog 1 ] i am not a vegetarian! yeah, i might have ears like a rabbit... but i want to eat meat! [ male announcer ] iams knows dogs love meat. ...but most dry foods add plant protein, like gluten iams never adds gluten. iams adds 50% more animal protein, [ dog 2 ] look at me! i'm a lean, mean flying machine [ dog 1 ] i am too! woo hoo! [ male announcer ] iams. with 50% more animal protein. [ dog 2 ] i'm an iams dog for life. not a rabbit. woof!

a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can do more of the things that i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain.

woman: oh! tully's. how do you always have my favorite coffee? well, inside the brewer, there's a giant staircase. and the room is filled with all these different kinds of coffee and even hot cocoa. and you'll always find your favorite. woman #2: with so many choices, keurig has everyone's favorite. i just press this button. brew what you love, simply. keurig. well, if you have a need for speed, you might want to head down to the lone star state. texas now has bragging rights to the nation's fastest speed limit. 85 miles per hour. but it only applies to the final 41-mile stretch of highway 130. the new road is expected to ease traffic between austin and san

antonio. >> so 85, means they'll go 95. >> of course. now, for a look at morning road conditions. roads could be wet around new york city. thunderstorms are a possibility around milwaukee, dallas and houston. >> and if you're flying today, airport delays are possible in the following cities, denver, chicago and minneapolis. well, a suburban denver community is breathing a collective sigh of relief this morning, now that police have made an arrest in the death of 10-year-old jessica ridgeway. >> 17-year-old austin sigg is now facing charges of abducting, murdering and dismembering the little girl. abc's brandi hitt has details. >> reporter: it's the break in the jessica ridgeway murder case the 10-year-old's family has been waiting for. >> we have made an arrest in the jessica ridgeway case. 17-year-old austin sigg is in our custody. >> reporter: austin sigg, a community college student, was arrested wednesday morning at this home near kettner lake, not far from where little jessica's body was found earlier this

month. she vanished on october 5th while walking to school. >> we're all worn out. everybody in the family is worn to a frazzle. >> reporter: jessica's family watched for three weeks as police searched for evidence in nearby fields and parks. detectives say it was a phone call that led them to sigg. they're thoroughly searching his home and impounded this vehicle. >> we hope and pray that this arrest gives them some measure of closure. >> reporter: investigators are also linking sigg to an attempted abduction five months ago near the same lake. a jogger told police a man grabbed her from behind but she escaped. they are charging sigg with five criminal counts for both cases. >> charges will be filed in the next couple of days. and then, we start a different process. >> reporter: police say this is just the beginning in a long process seeking justice for jessica. sigg is scheduled to make his first court appearance this morning. >> thank you. a nephewf ethel kennedy

has lost his bid to get out of prison. michael skakel is serving life for the death of martha moxley. he knew his best bet for freedom was to admit his guilt. but he insists he is innocent. his next chance for parole comes in 2017. experts confirm it was a great white shark that killed a surfer off the coast of central california. they say the 15-foot to 16-foot shark left this bite mark on the victim's board. francisco javier solorio died after being bitten in the upper torso. the giant animal probably mistook the man for prey. employees at a jackson, mississippi, business had an unexpected visitor drop in. this sdeer found his way to the break room. the frightened buck made a mess

of things during that beef stint in confinement. tried to leap on top of cabinets. quite a vertical he has there. and in medical news, a surprising weapon in the battle against colon cancer. researchers say aspirin has shown remarkable promise in treating the disease, but only in people with mutations in the gene. the study found patients with the mutations who took aspirin on a regular basis lived longer than those who did not take it. it is an exciting start to the world series, if you're a san francisco giants fan. we get the highlights from espn news. >> good morning. and welcome to your "sportscenter" update. i'm zubin mehenti. round one of the world series knockout. justin verlander, hasn't lost since september 8th. that's going to change and change in a hurry. pablo sandoval, will be the player of the series. only one game in.

giving the team three home runs in the game. becoming only the fourth player in major league history to do that in a fall classic match-up, joining randy jackson, albert pujols and the babe. the giants had nothing but resilien resilience. but the one that needed to come from behind, defeated the tigers. the nba, knicks/nets, opens its rivalry. this contest in long island. for the knicks fans, this is not what you want to see. tyson chandler goes down. he would leave with a sore left knee. the latest on his condition. espnnewyork.com. later in the first, extending the rivalry. moving in that direction. jeremy lin, carmelo, 15.

later in the third, nets on the run. kris humphries, keeping up with the humphries. still in the third, felton back and forth through the lane. up and under. tight one on the island won by the knicks, 97-95, in overtime. once again, game two tonight. fister and bumgarner. that's your "sportscenter" update. i'm zubin mehenti, have a great day. >> we always have a great day. up next, "the pulse." and seeing double. the romney imperts nater who has a lot riding on the election outcome. and the president pays a late-night tv visit, with some and the president pays a late-night tv visit, with some good one-liners of his own. two servings of fruit. justs very fruit-tritious. or, try ocean spray light 50, with just 50 calories, a full serving of fruit and no added sugar. with tasty flavors like cranberry-pomegranate and cranberry- concord grape, it's like a fruit stand in every bottle.

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can you tell we're going for a presidential theme? >> indeed. >> in "the pulse," the stories you're going to be talking about, with a presidential twist, beginning with president obama's visit to "the tonight show." >> the president covered a wide range of issues with jay leno. he used his best zinger to, well, trump trump. >> what's the thing with trump and you? he's just like me and letterman. what's he got against you? i don't get it. >> this all dates back to when we were growing up together in kenya. >> yes. >> when we finally moved to america, i thought it would be over. but, no. >> well-played, mr. president. mr. obama reached out to trick-or-treaters. he's not too thrilled about getting fruit from the health-conscious first lady last year. since it's an election year, this year, it's candy for

everybody. we concur, mr. president. mitt romney insists he will make jobs if he's elected to the white house. >> and there's one man who is banking on it. his name is mike cote, a dry wall hanger from new hampshire. but he is hoping his uncanny resemblance to hit will allow him to hang up drywalling and make a living as a romney impersonator. the real president obama, who paid a surprise visit to a florida school on thursday, and a photo bomb was dropped right in the middle of his unexpected photo op. >> the commander in chief, the leader of the free world, hanging out with kids in delray beach, should be tough to upstage this. >> but this little guy managed to steal a kiss on the cheek of a classmate, a move that got the presidential seal of arrival. you have kids chewing on their shirts. >> my boy there is focus.

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search great grains and see for yourself. updating the top stories. south florida is already feeling the effects of hurricane sandy, as the powerful storm makes landfall in cuba, as a category 3. sandy is being blamed for at least two deaths in the caribbean. >> could be headed to the east coast now. also, president obama continues his 48-hour campaign swing today, speaking at events in florida, virginia and ohio. he's also stopping in chicago to cast his ballot early in person. challenger mitt romney will be logging in miles today in the key battleground state of ohio. the latest polls show romney trailing the president there by a narrow margin. looking at today's weather, santa ana winds kick off in southern california. severe weather is a threat in milwaukee, chicago and dallas. another bright idea on the gridiron. new touches of pink popping up this sunday.

>> the nfl had already been doing its part to raise awareness about breast cancer. now, it's doing even more. and it's all because of a little boy with a very big heart. more, now, from wabc's jeff begase. >> dear roger goodell. >> reporter: this is the letter dante sent to the nfl commissioner. >> i want to know if you can use my idea of pink penalty flags in october. >> reporter: just a few lines written with a pen with his simple idea. why not have the game's referees carry and throw pink flags instead of yellow, as another way for the nfl to promote breast cancer awareness? >> i came up with the idea because since they wear pink cleats and pink gloves. >> reporter: the nfl commissioner, roger goodell, liked the idea. saying, quote, sometimes the simplest ideas can be the best. so, this coming sunday, as the jets battle the dolphins, dante will be there, pregame,

presenting the pink flags to the refs. you might be wondering why an 11-year-old was thinking about breast cancer. we were, too. the answer might surprise you. >> his sister's syndrome, he's a little more aware of other illnesses that are out there. >> reporter: his 14-year-old sister, mickey, has a rare disease called acardy syndrome. it's a genetic disorder that usually only affects girls. >> she has epilepsy. she can't walk or talk. >> reporter: cano family says her struggles have taught them valuable lessons. >> and hope there's understanding and a cure for everything that's out there. >> reporter: which brings us back to these pink flags and the 11-year-old boy who believes throwing them in a game will make a difference in life. jeff