making news this morning, put down the phone. >> we're talking about the most far-reaching idea yet. a nationwide ban on all cell phone use by drivers. sure to save lives. but can it be done? also this fired. newt gingrich sends a loud message to everyone on his staff. on top of that, donald trump makes a dig announcement about his debate. and turning down the volume. loud tv commercials are a nuisance for millions. one about to go away for good. good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin. no talking. no texting. no phones, period. >> hard and fast rule. that's the severe, new

recommendation by the national transportation safety board. a drastic idea that could actually save thousands of lives every year. >> abc's tahman bradley has the details.t too many drivers that talk or text end up in these -- [ screams ] >> reporter: the ntsb wants drivers to turn off all electronic devices while driving. it's an unprecedented recommendation. that every person ban personal devices in cars. no hands-free devices. no bluetooth. only technology that helps a driver, such as gps navigation. >> you need full focus. >> reporter: distracted driving causes 600,000 crashes and 3,000 deaths each year. shelly lost her 9-year-old daughter to a distracted driver. >> she slipped backwards. and she landed on her neck. >> reporter: the ntsb issued its recommendation after several

investigations found texting to be the cause of deadly accidents. like this one in missouri, where the driver of a pickup truck received 11 text messages in 11 minutes, before dying in his crash, killing another person, and injuring 38 others. we know that accidents happen in the blink of an eye. you have to be paying attention all the time. you never know what call, what text, or what post, could be your last if you're doing it behind the wheel. >> reporter: according to the national highway traffic safety administration, 90% of drivers support texting bans. 60% favor cell phone bans. the only problem is, too many drivers still use electronic devices. the ntsb wants every state to ban cell phones while driving. the only problem is, they can't enforce a nationwide ban. it's up to each individual state to decide. rob and sunny, are you guys ready to give up these things while driving? >> it's tough. >> give up texting. i've given that up. >> it is hard. >> it is. >> there is technology these

days, being put into some cars to help prevent drivers from using those devices, right? >> reporter: that's right, rob. there's fascinating bluetooth technology that won't allow you to take a phone call or use other electronic devices while you're driving. it's neat because it will send the person trying to call you a message, letting them know that you're driving and they should call back. the only problem is, it's not very widespread yet, rob. >> that and the enforcement issue. tahman bradley, thanks for that report. shifting gears now. facing a looming deadline, lawmakers in the house have approved an extension of the payroll tax cut. the measure would require construction of a canada to texas oil pipeline. that's something that president obama said he would veto. the bill will likely die in the senate, which sets up another 11th-hour deadlock. to politics now. newt gingrich has accepted the resignation of his iowa political director, after it was revealed that the man made

negative remarks about mitt romney's religion. craig bergman referred to mormonism as a cult. and donald trump is pulling out of the republican presidential debate he promised to host later on this month. trump wants to keep his options open, in case he decides to run for president after all. the debate was supposed to take place december 27th. now, to that stunning turn in the child sex abuse case against jerry sandusky. the former penn state coach showed up at court yesterday, where he was supposed to face his accusers. but instead, he waived his right to the hearing. he's simply ready to go to trial. abc's jim avila has the story. >> reporter: >> reporter: jerry sandusky went to court with a secret. his trademark grin on his face, wife at his side. >> the move was the first smart move i've seen from his attorney.

>> reporter: after weeks of promising a grueling public confrontation with all ten of his accusers, the defense changed its mind. waiving the preliminary hearing and instead pleading not guilty and heading directly to trial. >> we fully intend to put together the best possible defense that we can do. stay the course. play for four quarters. >> this is a fight to the death. this is the fight of jerry sandusky's life. >> reporter: the grand courtroom filled with 250 lottery-winning spectators, including sandusky's wife, his children and supporters. all set for drama. but the alleged victims, waiting in the wings to testify, never got to say a word. court adjourned, one minute after the first gavel drop, leaving them hurt and angry. >> i'm calling him a coward. anybody that would abuse children like this is, by definition, a coward. >> reporter: prosecutors had prepared alleged victim number four to be the first one up. he waited 45 minutes close by to take the stand. and when told to go home, wrote this note, read by his attorney. >> this is the most difficult

time of my life. nothing has changed. i still will stand my ground, testify and speak the truth. >> reporter: why the last-minute change? some observers believe that sandusky's attorney was trying to intimidate the accusers by promising a vigorous cross-examination. but when that didn't happen and they all showed up, he chose prudence over bravado. jim avila, abc news, bellefonte, pennsylvania. there's a new development in the sex scandal at syracuse university, as well. two men who claim assistant basketball coach bernie fine molested them repeatedly when they were young are now suing the school and head coach, jim boeheim, for defamation. the abuse claims are credible. but that is too late to prosecute. a california utility is taking blame for a horrific pipeline explosion and says it will compensate victims.

the blast destroyed dozens of homes in san bruno. pacific gas was due in court on friday for 90 civil suits in the case. the company hopes to settle before going to trial next july. arizona is getting a break in the weather today, after a storm there left some areas covered by more than two feet of snow. plows were on the move in flagstaff, trying to clear 15 inches of snow that shut down the city's public schools. and more good news for skiers. more snow may be on tap for the weekend. and that storm is moving east, bringing gusty winds, hail, and thunderstorms across san antonio, dallas and southern oklahoma. rain from little rock and memphis, up to minnesota. moving later to cleveland and buffalo. snow in the colorado rockies. a wintry mix from the dakotas to the upper peninsula of michigan. afternoon showers in the pacific northwest. >> 40 in seattle. 53 in sacramento. and 58 in phoenix. a wet 51 in chicago. 64 in kansas city. 70s from dallas to miami.

67 in atlanta. 54 baltimore. and 49 here in the big apple. you ever notice how some tv commercials are louder than the program you're watching? well, that's about to change. >> good news for a lot of us. and abc gets some action in washington. the government makes a major decision about its gold coin program, minting millions of dollars that no one actually uses. and some incredible video. a driver plows into a store, targeting someone inside. the full story, ahead on "america this morning." when i joined the national guard, i never thought i'd be saving lives. it's more than money for college. it's built my character and given me a sense of accomplishment.

now i'm on a career path, and i'm the leader of my team. i put on the uniform and i have a whole new outlook on life. country, community, family-- that's what matters most to me. if that matters to you, go to 1-800-go-guard.com.

j

well, your tv room should be a little quieter this time next year. the fcc is now ordering television channels and services to make sure commercials are no louder than the programs themselves. viewers have complained for decades about the volume of commercials. now, the new rule will take affect in one year. and there's a stay of execution for hundreds of post offices and mail processing facilities. the u.s. postal services will delay closing hundreds of facilities to give congress more time to pass legislation to help the debt-ridden agency. that puts off the changes that would have slowed mail delivery. and southwest airlines is delivering a christmas present for boeing. a huge order for airplanes. the $19 billion deal is the biggest in boeing's history. the new 737s will help southwest save on fuel costs because the new planes are more fuel-efficient. overseas markets are mostly

lower because of disappointment that the u.s. federal reserve is not taking any steps to stimulate economic growth. tokyo's nikkei average fell 34 points today. hong kong's hang seng was down 93. and in london, the ftse opened higher. on wall street, the dow slid 66 points yesterday. the nasdaq index lost 33. facebook is now taking steps to help those thinking of suicide. now, if you see what you think are suicidal comments on a friend's wall, you can alert facebook. and if reviewers agree with you, the friend will get an e-mail, offering an opportunity to speak immediately and confidently with a crisis counselor, on the phone or through a chat session. here's some disappointing news. you may never get a chance to buy a william howard taft coin. the white house is scrapping a program to commemorate every u.s. president on dollar coins. they weren't selling. abc news brought the problem to the government's attention. and the administration says the shutdown will save about 50

million a year. >> i really wanted that taft coin. i really wanted that. it was on my christmas list this year. >> $50 million in savings. >> i get it. all right. next on this wednesday, a major mixup involving the marine corps sending christmas ornaments to fallen marines and sailors. and a miami cop with some explaining to do. my name is robin. i'm a wife, i'm a mom... and chantix worked for me. it's a medication i could take and still smoke,

while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. my inspiration for quitting were my sons. they were my little cheering squad. [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you.

all-natural benefiber, the fiber supplement that's taste-free and dissolves completely. so you can put it in whatever you like, even water. benefiber. makes taking fiber easier. unseasonably warm weather is melting away a work of art in minnesota. owners of this duluth bar entirely of ice, had to use hundreds of pounds of dry ice to keep it from turning to water. mother nature will pitch in with plunging temperatures and even a little snow. >> keep the drinks cold. now, for a look at morning road conditions. slick on i-95, from duluth to minneapolis. i-80, from omaha to cheyenne. snow and ice on i-25, from

albuquerque to denver. and rain makes for a slippery ride on i-35, from the twin cities to dallas. also wet on i-20, from dallas to shreveport. >> if you're flying, airport delays are possible in dallas, memphis, kansas city, chicago and minneapolis. the marine corps is apologizing for mistakingly mailing christmas tree ornaments to over 1,500 troops who had died. >> the purple heart ornaments were supposed to go to wounded marines and soldiers. but marines started getting calls from the families of the decease. he started to make calls to apologize. and official apology letters are being sent out, as well. >> you wonder how mistakes like that happen. a tennessee man is in the hospital, now facing a string of charges, after a terrifying domestic dispute. eric whitaker is accused of trying to kill his girlfriend following an argument. and the dramatic scene captured on video. he allegedly followed her on a

highway. crashed into the side of her car. and then, he rammed his truck through the front door of the convenient store. the store owner was hit in all this. did manage to walk away. the girlfriend was unharmed. and take a electric at this miami police cruiser that ended upright after the driver lost control and struck a poll. the police officer admits he was distracted at the time. he reached down to pick up a pen. he was lucky to walk away. but needless to say, was a little embarrassed. a different kind of rescue in southern colorado, where a pregnant mare fell into a seven-foot hole. the horse is now resting after her ordeal. and the unborn foal appears to be okay, as well. married couples in america are about to be in the minority. a study out this morning shows that the number of married americans is at an all-time low. while the median age for first marriages is at a record high. in 1960, 72% of adults were

married. today, just 51% are married. that number is going down. expect it to drop below half in the next few years. co-habitation and single-person households are more prevalent. >> i'm not alone. >> i'm in the minority now. >> not alone. time, now, for a look at the latest sports highlights. here is espn news. >> good morning. i'm ducis rodgers. we start on the ice where the flyers are looking to win their sixth-straight game on the road. visiting alex ovechkin and the capitals. no score in the first period. scott hartnell, his 15th goal of the season. the flyers take the early, 1-0 lead. marc-andre, his first career you always remember your first. same count later on in the period. wayne simmons busts one in. 3-0, flyers. playing without the starter, claude giroux. the flyers have five different

players score goals. they win this one in a rout. 5-1, the final. head to the hardwood. pat summitt in tennessee, taking on vivian stringer and rutgers. top-25 matchup. first half. meghan simmons, jumper is pure. 13 points for her. tennessee up by 13. by sykes, down low. rachel sykes. second half now. rusten, lay-in. rutgers up 39-36. tennessee, down by one here. shakinastricklen. lady vols, 50% shooting from downtown. they win it by six. that will do it for this espn news update. i'm ducis rodgers. coming up next, a woman finds a seal pup on her living

room couch. and christmas comes early to some kids, with their parents apparently in on the joke. >> cute video there. and clips from the jimmy kimmel, coming up next in "the pulse." [ sue ] wow! i've been so looking forward to this. when my asthma symptoms returned, my doctor prescribed dulera to help prevent them. [ male announcer ] dulera is for patients 12 and older whose asthma is not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. dulera will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. dulera helps significantly improve lung function. this was shown over a 6 month clinical study. dulera contains formoterol, which increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. dulera is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. once your asthma is well controlled

your doctor will decide if you can stop dulera and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. do not take dulera more than prescribed. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. ask your doctor if dulera can help you breathe easier. ♪ can hwhy settle for aeasier. one-note cereal? ♪ more, more, more... get more with honey bunches of oats 4 nutritious grains come together for more taste, more healthy satisfaction. get more with honey bunches of oats. sears one-day sale 7 am saturday! 60% off coats, sweaters and fleece. up to 75% off all fine jewelry. plus, midnight madness! 6 pm to midnight only, extra 30% off all fall clearance clothing. shop preview friday. sears open 'til midnight select stores. sears one-day sale 7 am saturday! up to 40% off all craftsman combo kits. men's sweaters and coats 65% off. plus, midnight madness! 6 pm to midnight, extra 10% off all game room. shop preview friday.

sears open 'til midnight select stores. is the pain reliever orthopedic doctors recommend most for arthritis pain, think again. and take aleve. it's the one doctors recommend most for arthritis pain... two pills can last all day. ♪ welcome back, everybody.

time to check "the pulse," starting with a seal who made himself at home. take a look at this napping pup. he had crashed through a cat door in the home of a woman who lives along the coast in northern new zealand. she found it in the kitchen, just hanging out with her cat. >> and flabbergasted, the woman called her neighbors to assure she wasn't hallucinating. animal services came and took the critter back to sea. so cute. >> a cute, little guy. a little nap. you know, tired, pooped out from shopping. our next item in "the pulse," comes from our friend, jimmy kimmel, who asked parents to play a christmas trick on their children. >> let them open their present early, one they're sure to hate. and then, post the video on youtube. take a look. >> what is it, charlie? >> i don't like this. >> oh. >> what is it?

>> an old banana. >> an old banana. isn't that exciting? >> no. >> what are you doing? >> okay. >> what is that? >> i got a girl activity book with stickers. i'm not a girl. >> i'm not a boy. >> i'm not a boy, either. >> this is the worst stuff ever. >> it's the worst christmas ever. >> i know. i'm tempted to do that to my children. but i feel like it's so cruel. >> please, do it. and bring us the tape. we'll air it, i promise you. >> it's a good joke. well done, jimmy. those kids are great. for some of you, now, your local news is coming up next. for everyone else, two different political wives, raising their profile on the campaign trial. >> stick with us, everybody. "america this morning" continues right after the break. ♪

[ male announcer ] these days, even your trash can be a gold mine for identity thieves. ♪ we don't believe your garbage should be used against you. [ alarm blares ] we're lifelock. go to lifelock.com and join the fight against one of the fastest growing crimes in america. lifelock. relentlessly protecting your identity. call 1 (800) lifelock today. the pain was so frustrating. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. 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 less pain means i can feel better and do more of what i love. [ female announcer ] 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. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today.

updating the day's top stories. lawmakers on capitol hill are facing another 11th-hour deadlock over the payroll tax cut. abc news has a new poll out today that shows president obama's unfavorable rating's at an all-time high. we get the full story later on "good morning america." and donald trump will not host a presidential republican debate at the end of the month. trump says he wants to reserve the option of running for president himself. >> shocking. looking at today's weather, severe storms from texas to southern oklahoma. also, rain from little rock and memphis to minneapolis. >> a wintry mix in the dakotas. snow in the colorado rockies. and finally, political wives are more visible than ever on the campaign trail. >> abc's terry moran has a look

at why the woman next to the man now plays such a crucial role in her husband's success. >> reporter: nobody runs for president alone. >> my wife of 42 years. >> reporter: it's such a ruling thing, running for president, the men and women who do it, need their partners to stand by them. to vouch for them with voters. >> the reason we're interested in wives of important people, but particularly the president, is because it tells us something about him. >> reporter: the spouses are taking center stage. there's ann romney. >> i think more and more people are figuring out that mitt is the one that knows what he's talking about. >> reporter: she and mitt romney have been married 42 years, happily. and in ann romney's account on the campaign trail of how her husband has help her live with multiple sclerosis.

>> that's the kind of guy he is. he doesn't give up. he sticks with you. you can trust him. >> reporter: the point is clear. they aren't them. >> callista and i -- >> reporter: callista gingrich, newt gingrich's third wife. they fell in love when he was married to someone else. >> as you probably know, my husband, newt, is a republican candidate for president of the united states. we are a team. we spend a lot of time together. this was a joint decision, that he would run for the presidency. and i'm glad we made that decision. >> does she remind them that this is not his first wife? and their relationship started in a somewhat unsavory way? my view is everybody has a right to know these things. >> reporter: that's because electing a president is a gut-check decision for most voters. a matter of trust. and we know, deep down, nobody runs for president alone. >> it is a family affair. >> that's right.

d