good morning. hard line. in his first speech to the united nations general assembly, president obama will tell the global community they cannot stand by and wait for the u.s. to solve the world's problems. we're live at the u.n. and live in our studio, israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu. not each a scratch. a 6-year-old girl walking in front of a convenient store when a car ces out of nowhere and nearly crushes her. this morning, how she got away injury-free.

and wait, there's more. on tuesday, we introduced you to these three long-lost siblings who just found each other after nearly 40 years. well, guess who called us, yet another sister. they'll all meet for the first time live in our studio today, wednesday, september 23rd, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> and i'm meredith vieira. you know, matt, people around the world are going to be listening very closely today to what the president says in that major speech at the u.n. >> they certainly will be. the president plans to say that the size and the scope of the world's challenges are not being met. this a day after he delivered a stern message to israel and palestinian leaders, telling them it is past time to talk about starting negotiations when it comes to the mideast peace process. we're going to talk about that

in a live interview with israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, in just a couple of minutes. and also ahead, the other side to that emotional embryo mix-up. on monday, we met an ohio couple, the wife pregnant with someone else's baby, after doctors accidentally implanted her with another couple's embryo. well, this morning, that other couple, the genetic parents of that unborn child, are with us for an exclusive, live interview. but we want t begin this morning with the president's first speech to the u.n.'s general assembly. nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell is joining us now from the united nations. andrea, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. the president will be calling for international cooperation on nuclear proliferation on the middle east and on global warminand climate change. and he'll also outline his economic priorities in advance of the g-20, tomorrow's gathering of financial leaders in pittsburgh. ahead of today's u.n. meeting, awkward handshakes, as a clearly impatient barack obama delivered a tough message to israeli and

palestinian leaders. stop arguing and start negotiating. >> it is past time to talk about starting negotiations. it is time to move forward. >> reporter: the two sides are deadlocked. palestinians demanding a complete freeze on israeli settlements before talks can begin. israel offering only a partial freeze. and the u.s. and israel have to deal with iran. before leaving for new york and the u.n., iran's controversial president ahmadinejad ratcheted up his threats, another setback for u.s. diplomacy. >> this, in some way, may be a serious effort on his part somehow to block the initiatives the president has taken to try to open the conversations with iran. >> reporter: but israel will not wait forever for diplomacy to work. at the pentagon monday, israel's defense minister would not rule out military action against suspected iranian nuclear sites, despite warnings from the u.s. >> if they take military action, it can have profound consequences for u.s. national

security interests. >> reporter: the president is also on the spot on climate change. blocked by the senate, he is promising far less than during the campaign. >> we understand the gravity of the climate threat. we are determined to act. >> reporter: but he didn't make specific commitments, nor did the world's largest polluter, china, although it did promise greener development. and u.n. traffic jams delayed the president's arrival at bill clinton's global initiative, forcing clinton to vamp for ten minutes. >> and even presidents face traffic problems in manhattan at this time of year. >> reporter: when the president finally arrived, he explained how clinton had gotten him to come in the first place, over pasta at a restaurant in greenwich village. >> i think everyone knows what it's like when bill clinton asks you to make a commitment. he looks you in the eye. he feels your pain. >> reporter: now in new york, the iranian leader says that he will ask for leniency for those

three american hikers being held prisoner in tehran, but only a few days ago, he told ann curry that he wanted iranian prisoners released in exchange. so, the question for u.s. officials today is which ahmadinejad will show up when he addresses the general assembly tonight. matt? >> all right, andrea, thankou very much. andrea mitchell at the united nations this morning. benjamin netanyahu is the prime minister of israel. mr. prime minister, it's good to have you here. good morning. >> good morning. >> let me put that picture right back up, okay, the handshake between you and mr. abbas. does it mean anything? does it show any sign of progress or is that a long-overdue photo op? >> well, i think it's long overdue and i don't think it's just a photo op. i mean, i've been -- since being installed as prime minister, which is about six months ago, i said let's meet and let's talk peace. let's not talk about talking peace. let's just get together and do it. and i'm glad that president obama hosted this meeting, and i think with goodwill from all sides, we can get this thing going. >> but where do we stand?

the president -- you're saying the right things, president obama's saying the right things. he says it's time to act. there's a window of opportunity. he's going to send hillary clinn and george mitchell back to the middle east and try to build on this progress, but the fact of the matter is, george mitchell just returned from the middle east and accomplished almost nothing. he didn't get the palestinians to agree to negotiate without preconditions. he didn't get you to agree to dropping your insistence there could be no freeze of settlements. so, where do we stand? what progress can we build on? >> i think the crucial thing is preconditions. we can all pile on preconditions from here to infinity and we'll waste another six mths or another six years. i think the main point is to do exactly what we began doing yesterday, to get into a room and say, look, how do we get a real peace between israel and the lestinians? why don't we resolve our problems so we can give our children a better future? now, mind you, i haven't waited -- we've been six months in office. we've removed hundreds of road blocks, checkpoints, opened the

bridge so goods and services and people can come back and forth into the west bank. the results are spectacular. the west ba economy, according to the imf, is growing at 7%. if we meet and talk, we can make it grow double digits, and that is good for peace. it's not a substitute. >> but your critics say you say that you're willing to talk to the palestinians without preconditions, but by refusing to freeze settlements on the west bank, they say that that's a hollow promise, that you know you have basically stopped peace talks before they can begin. how do you respond to that? >> this is an amazing claim. we've been talking to the palestinians from 1993, which is, what, 16 years. successive israeli governments to successive palestinian administrations. there's never been this precondition of freezing settlements. it's just been put up now artificially. look, i'm willing to make gestures to make this possible -- >> how big a gesture? have wel >> well, we'll get there very

soon, i suppose. but i can't freeze life. there are 250,000 people there in these communities, called settlements. they're really bedroom suburbs of tel aviv and jerusalem. they need schools, they need kindergartens, health clinics. mind you, the fate of the settlements will be determined in the negotiations at the end of the negotiations, but you can't determine it before the negotiations. so, i think the sooner we get off this obstacle and get down to the business of forging the real peace with the palestinians recognizing the state of israel and allowing for them a demilitarized state, that is, a state in which they can govern themselves with all the powers they need, absent those that could threaten the state of israel. i think that's the winning formula for peace. a demilitarized state that recognizes the jewish state. >> does president obama -- blunt question -- possess right now the clout and the power to move this process forward? some have suggested that the weak economy in this country has weakened this president to the point where he has no clout. >> oh, i disagree. i think that any president of

the united states wheels clout. don't sell short the united states of america and its presidents, including president obama. of course he has clout and of course he has- he commands respect. i think also, his speech to the arab world was very important because many in the arab world will say, if president obama supports this process, if he would support an outcome, a resolution that mr. abbas and myself would arrive at, that would have, i think, an important boost -- it would give an important boost to a peace that we want. and i think we can achieve if we have on the other side a sadat. you know, we got sadat, we made peace. i'll never forget how he came to the river conference from his death bed and he moved me to tears. we can make peace. now mr. abbas has to decide abuse massin, head of the authority, are you an arafat or a sadat?

if you're a sadat, i will make peace with you. >> real quickly, and i'm sorry to cut short the time, but you said iran is weaker than people think. you are convinced they are intending to build nuclear weapons and you say tougher sanctions are a way to prevent that. china and russia have never been on board with tougher sanctions. the president tried yterday to talk to the chinese about that. it's unclear if he made any progress. absent china and russia, joining that move for tougher sanctions, if they continue to move down the road, iran, and develop nuclear weapons, in your opinion, at what point do you go it alone? at what point do you strike? >> i will say, matt, that i don't deal in hypotheticals. every country reserves the right to defend itself, and we're no exception, but iran's acquisition or development of nuclear weapons is a threat to everyone. i mean, it's the major terror sponsoring state of our time, and it could give those nuclear weapons to terrorists or give them a nuclear umbrella, which would bring terrorism beyond our wildest dreams to levels that

are unimaginable. we just had a scare here in manhattan. just imagine terrorists with nuclear bombs. it makes this development so dangerous that it should not be merely israel, but the entire world that unites to prevent this outcome. and let me say one thing, i don't know if they'll pass it through the u.n., through the security council, but this is the time to act with what hillary clinton called crippling sanctions. and the iranian regime is vulnerable. it's economically vuerable. it's politically extremely vulnerable, because for simple reason, the iranian people hate. it they detest this medieval, backward regime that is gunning them down, you know. they're like choking in their blood on sidewalks protesting for freedom. this is the time to apply pressure against this criminal regime. and even if the u.n. security council can't get its act together, the leading powers of the day can put enormous pressure on iran, especially when it comes to imported petroleum products, what we call

in simple language gasoline. >> mr. prime minister, good to have you in the studio. good luck this week at the u.n. >> thank you, matt. good morning. >> pleasure to see you. it's 11 minutes after the hour. here's meredith. >> matt, thank you. now to the new nbc news "wall street journal" poll on how people are viewing the president and his policies. chuck todd is the political director and chief white house correspondent. chuck, good morning to you. >>ood morning. >> let's look at these numbers, beginning with the president's approval rating, unchanged since last month, still at 51%. meanwhile, congress' approval rating plummeting 66% disapprove of the job that congress is doing. and if health care reform were to fail, most people are not blaming the president, they're blaming congress. so, what do you read in these numbers? >> this is a beating for all of washington. all of washington took a beating in this poll. you point it out, congress' job rating, speaker pelosi has almost her recor low, her own favorability rating record low. the democratic party as a whole went down, the republican party. as as if the public is watching

this debate in washington and they're fed up. and so, there's a building anti-washington backlash. it's not necessarily -- democrats might pay a bigger price at the polls if this continues, but it's not as if republicans are out of the woods. people even told us about their own member of congress. 50% said they'd rather give somebody new a chance. only 40% was ready to re-elect their current member. that tells you there's a growing sort of tide out there, and the question is, you know, how long will it last. >> but interestingly enough, not anti-obama at this point. >> not yet. i mean, the president -- 51% isn't a great job approval rating. >> right. >> but it does make him the most popular politician in a town, frankly, that seems to be growing very unpopular with the entire country. >> according to the poll, people are feeling better about the economy over the next 12 months, but not so good about the war in afghanistan. nearly six out of ten are not confident that things will end well here. >> and this is a potentially big political problem for the president, because when you look at the idea of sending more troops to afghanistan, it's republicans that are more

supportive of that idea, not democrats. so, here you've got the president dealing with a tough political situation with health care, tough political situation with the economy. then, all of a sudden, these are the problems, this is what makes being president hard. all of a sudden, you can't pick and choose your next issue. afghanistan is now staring him in the face, and right now, democrats aren't interested at all in sending more troops. so, he may have to sit there and spend more time convincing his own party to support a policy that is not very popular. >> and his chief military man in afghanistan is saying we're going to need more troops. >> it's clear that what the president seems to do, and everything i understand of what they're trying to do is he's trying to create a new metric way to measure progress so that whatever short-term troop increase they have, the idea is that they somehow hit their measurables so they can hurry up and pull people out. >> chuck todd, thank you very much. >> all right, guys. >> chuck, good to see you. let's go to the news desk now. ann's standing by with the rest of the headlines of the morning. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt and meredith. good morning, everybody. also in the news today, this morning, dramatic, new images showing just how bad the

flooding is in georgia that we've been telling you about all this week. even though floodwaters are starting to recede, entire neighborhoods are still under water in some places. at least nine deaths in georgia are blamed on the flooding and damage is estimated at $250 b l million. a state of emergency is in effect in california where 8,500 acres have burned in ventura county. hot, dry, windy conditions are making it hard for firefighters to bring it under control. four people were injured tuesday in san diego when federal agents fired shots across nine lanes of traffic at a busy border crossing to stop three vans suspected of smuggling illegal immigrants from mexico. more than 70 people inside the vans are now in custody. overseas markets are mostly higher this morning. as for wall street, cnbc's melissa lee is at the new york stock exchange. melissa, lots of attention today on the fed. >> definitely, ann. the fed's two-day meeting ends today with a statement expected out at 2:15 p.m. eastern time. no change is expected to interest rates, which will stay close to zero, which is good

news for mortgage rates as well as credit card rates, but investors will be focused on what the fed might say about its exit strategy, its move to dial back all that easy money pumped into the system shortly after the financial crisis began. and certainly, it is a balancing act, becse if it pulls back too quickly or too late, that will be bad news for the economy. so, certainly a key issue for the markets. >> all right, melissa lee this morning, thanks so much. a huge dust storm is creating health concerns in parts of australia, triggered by a massive drought. it is the worst dust storm there in 70 years. look at that. aye-yi-yi. what do you think, matt, meredith and al, what do you think? >> it's dust. >> actually, in australia, that's oy-yoy-yoy. >> woo! >> mr. roker, how are you? >> pretty good. r friends in georgia at least doing a little bit better. we're not looking for much rain there. that's the good news. we've got a system along the coast, rain there. a cold front back to the west, rain there, but nothing in between. out west we've got red flag warnings from the pacific northwest down into southern california and we've g some

santa ana winds. that's going to cause some problems for our firefighters down there, fueled by temperatures that are going to be 10 toç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç7 >> that's your latest weather. matt? all right, al, thanks very much. he's one of the most controversial leaders attending the u.n.'s general assembly, libya's moammar gadhafi, so, where does someone like him stay during his first trip to the united states in 40 years? well, not in the suburb of

bedford like he planned. the town has put a stop to that. nbc's jeff rossen is there with details. jeff, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, matt, good morning to you. when you travel for business, i'm sure you stay in hotels. i know i do. most of us do, but not moammar gadhafi. he likes sleeping in tents, tried to pitch one in central park. the city said no. he tried to pitch one in new jersey. they said no. and so, gadhafi actually did pitch a tent, or he started to, here in the small town of bedford, new york, about an hour from the city, right on the estate of donald trump, and there's no welcome mat here, either. bedford, new york, home to mansions othe rich and famous, like donald trump and martha stewart. and now home to a tent of the powerful and infamous libyan leader moammar gadhafi. his tent is so secluded, you can only see it from the air. this is where gadhafi may sleep this week while attending the u.n. general assembly. >> we don't want any terrorists anywhere near us. what the hell is he doing here?

you know, it just doesn't make any sense. >> reporter: neighbors and lal officials complained, but his tent is on private property owned by donald trump. this is gadhafi's first time on u.s. soil in 40 years, and the timing couldn't be more controversial. gadhafi angered u.s. officials recently, celebrating the release of pan am 53 bomber abdel basset al meg. so americans haven't rolled out the red carpet for his visit. khaddafy originally planned to pitch a tent on property owned by the libyan embassy, but neighbors, even new jersey's governor fought back. >> mr. khaddafy is not welcome in new jersey. >> reporter: khaddafy backed out. he made a similar request to pitch a tent in new york central park. that request was denied. it seems bizarre, a world leader, the man ronald reagan once called the maddog of the middle east, referring tents over glamour. turns out, moammar khaddafy

hates elevators and reportedly refuses to ride in them, ruling out many of new york's high-rise hotels. so wherever he goes, he brings the tent, from paris to rome, belgium to tripoli. the tent follows khaddafy everywhere, which brings us back to the posh town of bedford and the tent on donald trump's property. in a statement to nbc news, the trump organization said "we have business partners and associates all over the world. the property was leased on a short-term basis to middle eastern partners who may or may not have a relationship to mr. gadhafi. we are looking into the matter. late yesterday, just as libyan workers were putting the satellite dishes on top of the tent, city officials from here in bedford worked in with a stop work order. turns out, matt, they don't have the proper permits to build that tent, so it won't happen here. there are reports that ga tafdh is staying at the libyan mission near the u.n.

he speaks to the u.n. later today. >> jeff rossen in bedford, new york, for us. thank you very much. it's 20 minutes after the hour. once again, here's meredith. >> matt, thank you. now to the potential legal trouble for former senator and presidential candidate john edwards. following his admitted affair with a former campaign worker and days after a "new york times" report that edwards may be ready to admit that he is the father of the woman's 19-month-old daughter. nbc's senior investigative correspondent lisa myers has the latest. good morning to you, lisa. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. a federal grand jury in north carolina is now investigating whether tens of thousands of dollars in payments by edwards' campaign donors, used to help his former mistress, were hush money, whether edwards knew and whether any of it was a crime. what was once merely a sworded tale of a politician's infidelity and serial untruthfulness now is playing out inside this north carolina courthouse with potentially serious legal consequences.

rielle hunter, a campaign video yog for with whom edwards now admits having an affair brought her 19-month-old daughter when she testified before the grand jury last month. how much legal trouble might edwards be in? steven saltsburg is a former federal prosecutor. >> i think he's in substantial trouble, because i think the hush money looks bad, smells bad, and the grand jury seems to be serious. >> reporter: at issue was the $114,000 paid by edwards' campaign to hunter for legitimate work, or was some of it to keep her quiet? also at issue was money from two big campaign donors which was used to move hunter, pay her rent and pay other costs, actually hush money. prosecutors are considering what would be a novel legal theory, that money to keep an affair quiet and maintain edwards' viability as a candidate amounted to campaign contributions which edwards should have reported. one former prosecutor thinks it's a stretch.

>> as far as a criminal case goes, i consider it pretty far-fetched. >> reporter: edwards has denied any knowledge of the payments. >> i know absolutely about this. >> reporter: edwards also first denied the affair. >> the story's false. it's completely untrue. it's ridiculous. >> reporter: then admitted the affair but denied he fathered the child. >> i know that it's not possible that this child could be mine. >> reporter: now those close to him say he's considering declaring that he is the child's father. back in may, his wife elizabeth, who is battling breast cancer, was asked by matt about the possibility edwards is the father. >> i wish for it to never be an issue, but if it becomes an issue, that's just another thing to deal with, but that's not like a further betrayal that i need to deal with. >> reporter: neither edwards' lawyer nor his spokesman returned calls about the grand jury proceedings. edwards has denied wrongdoing and says all campaign funds were used properly. meredith? >> all right, lisa myers, thank

you very much. and just ahead, the genetic parents of the embryo implanted in the wrong woman during an ivf procedure. they're going to speak out for the first time in an

is. good morning, everyone. i'm barbara harrison. the time rht now is 7:26 on this wednesday morning. the ntsb. it is tuesday morning. the ntsb has come out with a new list of safety regulations it wants metro to flow after june's deadly crash. there are nine safety recommendations. six are urgent. most center around the train control systems. a bethesda tina cuesed of stockpiling weapons and

bomb-making materials is sked s. scheduled to make a court appearance. he is also had a map showing the camp david presidential retreat and it is wednesday, not tuesday. we'll check the weather and traffic for t

. summerlike september morning. warm and muggy. remaining humid. more of the same tomorrow. turning less humid during the afternoon. ashley linder, how is the

traffic? we have significant delays. 270 southbound, very slow from 109 to the truck scales. more delays from father hurley down toward montgomery village. elsewhere, a big problem on 295 to be avoided at malcolm x. delays from the beltway northbound. back to you. thank you, ashley.

7:30 now on this wednesday morning, september 23rd, 2009. an energetic contingent is with us here in rockefeller plaza. we'll send al outside to keep them all company in just a bit. i'm meredith vieira alongside matt uer. and just ahead, more on that story of a pregnant woman who accidentally received another couple's embryo. we talked to that woman and her husband on monday. well, in a moment, the other couple, the genetic parents of the embryo, speak out in an

exclusive, live interview. and that baby due to be born next week or the week after. >> yeah. it's a fascinating story. also heartbreaking in some senses. also ahead, a dramatic accident caught on tape. look how close this car comes to slamming right into that little girl who was walked on the sidewalk. how she walked away unharmed, just ahead. plus, an amazing twist to a story that we brought to you on tuesday. three long-lost siblings who found each other by chance. well, we have found their other long-lost sister. notice the empty chair there. that's for her. they're all going to meet in just a moment. but let us begin this half hour with that little girl in washington state who is extraordinarily lucky to be alive after a frightening accident outside a convenient store. nbc's lee cowan has the story. >> reporter: outside a washington mini market, a little girl without a care in the world, and then this. out of nowhere, a car flies into the picture, slamming into the wall right where the little girl was walkg. in slow motion, it's even more

revealing. the toyota corolla actually hits the wall in reverse. the girl is nowhere to be seen. everyone fears the worst. especially her father, who said through a translator, he looked back and thought the car was resting on top of her. he was wrong. >> the car went back like that. >> reporter: miraculously, the 6-year-old walked away sunday night without so much as a scratch. what saved her? those parking poles that have probably taken out more than a few bumpers by cident. but this time this pushed the car up and over the little girl. the force of the crash was so strong, it practically ripped the poles from the asphalt. the driver was arrested for reckless driving and driving on a suspended license. and if all this wasn't shocking enough, take a look at the moments just before the accident. the little girl is actually playing outside those poles, only walking behind them seconds before the car hits. the benefit of luck, timing and

perhaps a guardian angel. lee cowan, nbc news, los angeles. >> definitely a guardian angel, not perhaps. that's amazing. >> how old do you have to be to buy lottery tickets? that little girl should buy one. >> buy one in her name, for sure. >> it's extraordinary. >> yeah. >> and you're right, how many times by accident did we bang into one of those poles and thought what a nuisance. and boy, are they there for a reason. that was good stuff. let us get a check of the weather now from mr. roker. al? >> hey, guys, how are you doing? we're out here with -- oh, our camera guy, jim cork! and oh, they were rushing out, they weren't ready quite yet. a little bungee cord action. are you okay, bud? wasn't that amazing, our camera guy jim? awesome? have you ever seen anything like that? >> never. >> never. wow, oh, my gosh. let's check your weather, see what's going on. you'll see for today -- are you okay, bud? all right. sunshine out west, a lot of heat. we're talking temperatures in the 90s in the pacific

northwest. portland, oregon, has already set the record for the number of 90-degree days this year. we've got wet weather down through the gulf coast. tomorrow the rain gets ready to move back into georgia, probably more, unfortun good morning. its most cloudy and muggy on this wednesday morning. there is a view of the monument under this cloud cover. a few breaks in the clouds. a little sunshine trying to break out. it is in the 60s to near 70 all around the region. 72 in washington. highs today in the low 80s, partly sunny, warm and humid and a small chance of a passi shower. less humid during the afternoon. >> and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you. and now to that extraordinary story of an ohio woman implanted with the wrong embryo. in a moment, the other family

involved speaks out for the first time. but first, "today" national correspondent amy robach is here with the latest. good morning to you, amy. >> meredith, good morning to you. carolyn savage and her husband shawn are less than two weeks from having a baby who is not theirs, and shortly after that delivery, they will have to hand that child over to the actual genetic parents, who live a state away in michigan. meet shannon and paul morrell. like the savages, they still have a hard time believing what happened. >> it's overwhelming. it is. i mean, now that the birth is close, it's almost too much to fathom. >> reporter: after four years of trying to conceive naturally, shannon and paul turned to invitro fertilization or ivf. after suffering two miscarriages, they were thrilled to give birth to twin girls ellie and megan 2 1/2 years ago. and like shawn and carolyn savage, they had their extra

embryos frozen for future use. >> you were hoping for a third child? >> sure. we have two cute girls that are adorable and fun and have blessed us. we always thought about those embryos. >> reporter: but then the morrells received news from their ivf doctor that would change their lives forever. >> he said, um, your embryos were implanted into another woman. and i said -- and i just fell back in the couch. >> we just stared at each other, and -- >> and i said, and she's -- >> we were confused. i mean -- >> -- pregnant. and i thought, oh, my. >> reporter: when carolyn savage was 14 weeks along, the savages met the morrells. they described that meeting on monday. >> she started with the thank you. >> she was so grateful for what we had done. >> i just spoke from my heart, and i said, you know, this has been really tough for us, too. and i just wanted them to know how much we appreciated what

they were doing. >> reporter: that was five months ago, and now as carolyn savage prepares to give birth to the morrells' baby boy, the savages have one request. >> i said, we want a moment to say hello and good-bye. >> reporter: as for any future contact, they told meredith they are leaving that up to the morrells. >> we will wonder about this child every day for the rest of our lives, and we have hopes for him, but they're his parents, and we'll defer to their judgment. you know, we just want to know he's happy and healthy. >> reporter: pod, paul and shannon prepare their daughters for the arrival of their new baby brother. >> ellie said, no baby brother, baby sister. so, anyway, she'll love him when he comes. >> reporter: a child they didn't expect to get under these circumstances and grateful to the savages for bringing him into the world. >> there's no way we could

possibly repay them for what they've done for us. >> i mean, how? how do you do that? >> you can't, because you can't put a price on human life. it's priceless. i think just trying to be the best parents that we can be and be respectful of them as a family. whatever access they want, they have. and hopefully, we'll move forward together. >> and meredith, after meeting both couples sitting down with them, you really feel how bittersweet this situation is. the beauty, of course, of the savages, the gift they are giving to e morrells, but also the emptiness and the helplessness that both couples have felt in this process. >> yeah, so many emotions. amy robach, thank you so much. shannon and paul morrell, good morning to both of you. thanks for joining us. >> thank you, meredith. >> hi, meredith. >> hi. you know, i spoke to carolyn and shawn, as you saw, on monday, and they talked about how difficult this has been for them, but i'm sure it's been very hard for you as well, to find out that another woman is carrying your embryos.

initially, you told one of our producers there was shock and then anger and also a bit of feeling very powerless. what do you mean by that, shannon? >> well, when we were told, after a couple of days of finding out that the embryos had been implanted in her, we had no idea who this person was. and once we had contact through our legal counsel with theirs, for 14 weeks, that was the longest 14 weeks probably in my entire life, because we didn't know who they were, were they good people? it's just the oddest feeling to have somebody else carrying your child, because as a parent, you want to do everything possible to protect your child, and we were totally powerless and out of ntrol, and even though we were grateful that they were going to continue the pregnancy,

it's just a terrible feeling. >> so, paul, when you finally did meet the savidges, was there a sense of relief as you got to know them? >> um, yeah. when we first met, it was very cordial and, i don't know, it's just hard to -- there's just a lot of emotions that were going on, but i just tried to take it all in and just -- we're very thankful in the beginning for what they were doing, and i think that came across when we met them. >> i'm sure it's difficult to process it all, shannon. for you, we saw those pictures of your beautiful little girls, your twin daughters, megan and ellie. and you've been through a pregnancy. you know the wonder of it. and now to have somebody else carrying your son, you've gone on some of the doctor's visits

with carolyn. what have those been like for you? >> well, very -- just odd. you know, you walk in there, and i just sort of felt like an outsider. and carolyn and shawn were there, were very welcoming, but you just -- is a lot different when you're going through it yourself, but i was grateful that she invited me. it was very, very neat to see. >> and yet, you also have anger. where is that anger directed, paul? >> well, what you have to understand is we have a little daughter who was born deaf, and so, we had a whole process we had to go through to get her through that. so, that's what rlly prolonged, you know, the time. so, when we were just ready to

get the process going, then we found out that this happened. so, it's like, oh, now we have to start and do something else, and this is just something you can't plan for. so, yeah, you get angry. it's just -- >> nobody could possibly plan for this. and now the baby is due to be delivered in a couple of weeks. and carolyn has said that she's really scared about this. this is probably going to be the hardest part of the process for her. how do you envision the day going, shannon? how have you prepared for it? >> we've talked about it. we've both discussed what we'd like to see happen. we're on the same page, which is great. and i think there's going to be a lot of joy, sadness, tears, excitement for us, all the emotions that a woman feels throughout their pregnancy, to bond with their child i haven't had. it's been a very empty feeling. and so, i think all of the emotions from nine months will

be packed into that one day when i actually get to hold my baby. i've never felt the baby kick, none of that. so, it will be amazing. >> and i imagine your heart must also break little bit for carolyn, because as she said, all they want to do is to have the opportunity to say hello and good-bye. >> oh, totally. >> yeah. >> totally. and we don't know what the right thing to do is. you know, we've talked about having e-mail contact and so forth, but we'll see how we all feel. we'll always keep in contact, but we have no expectations of them and they don't have of us. so, the nice thing has been, we've been able to work together on this, and unfortunately, this has been a terrible thing that's happened to two good families, but we're doing the best we can for the health of this baby. >> shannon and paul morrel more thank you so much. >> thank you, meredith.

this morning on "today's money pits," more on the trend known as stripping, people taking anything with value from foreclosed properties. nbc's kerry sanders is in miami. kerry, good morning to you. >> reporter: well, good morning, matt. according to realtytrac, a stunning 1 in 28 homes in miami-dade county is in foreclosure, and now those who are losing their homes are trying to stick it to the banks, selling off everything, including the kitchen sink. >> everything that you see is for sale. >> reporter: when the bank told zorine brodak she lost her house that she had lived in for a decade. >> the fan is for sale. >> reporter: she decided to strip the place. >> the stove, the refrigerator. >> reporter: everything, even the kitchen sink for sale. >> the cabinets, if anybody wants them, you're welcome to come in and take them out. >> reporter: including what is nailed down. this is for sale?

>> this is for sale. >> reporter: even the commode? >> eve tn the commode. anybody who's interested, it's beige in color, it's in good condition. and if you give me $20, it's yours. >> reporter: so, you're stripping everything. >> yeah, unfortunately, i have to. i need the money to pay my bills. >> reporter: and what about the bank? >> well, it's their tough luck. they're the ones that gave me a loan that was really ridiculous to give in the first place, so they're stuck with it all. >> reporter: increasingly -- >> this is the foreclosure pape papers. >> reporter: -- desperate and angry homeowners. >> if i get an offer, yeah, i'll sell it. >> reporter: like oscar alfonzo, posting ads on craigslist that pronounce everything must go. cabinets, windows, even the air conditioning unit. >> let me open it, because the compressor is new. you can take a look at it. >> reporter: less than a year old, the ac cost $3,000 new. now? >> $500. >> reporter: by the time banks get the keys to these houses, they often look like this, every room stripped clean, in some cases, ripped apart. pool pumps torn from the pipes.

doors, even hinges gone. is it illegal? banks say, yes, it's theft. still, prosecutions are rare. >> the more prevalent this becomes, the more aggressive services are going to have to become to protect their investor, protect the property, and frankly, seek return of damages from borrowers or law enforcement. >> reporter: is it illegal? well, that's decided on a state-by-state basis. here in florida, it'sonsidered a gray area of the law. matt? >> all right, kaewl saerry sand thank you very much. still ahead, why more adults are heading back to school.

just ahead, the siblings who found each other after 45 years find anotherster.

a nice morning out there. some clouds. 71 degrees. pleasant. we will talk to come kierein about the out look for this wednesday. i'm barbara harrison. it's 7:55. in the ws, police are investigating a violent home invasion at 10:30 last night in the forrest heights area. an armed suspect forced two women from their car to their apartment. he told them to get in the closet while he stole items from inside their apartment. metro says it is not making any security changes in the wake of a nationwide terror alert. there is no word of a specific

threat but authorities are warning that terrorists are interested in attacking public places like transit systems, hotels and stadiums. this came after some high-profile arrests in denver. investigators are looking for more suspects and a possible plot to set off backback bombs. they already boosted security after the 9/11 tacks. we will take a look at traffic.

good morning. a mild and muggy start to your wednesday. temperatures now near 70. will climb into the low 80s today. rather humid. partly sunny and a small chance of a passing shower. more of the same on thursday. turning less humid during the afternoon. friday and saturday, much cooler. now, ashley, how is the traffic? well, we do have big delays as you can see here on the top side of the beltway. this is the view on the outer loop after college park. what we've got is heavy delays as you travel through this area. serious accident activity continues on 295 northbound. do not commit to 295 northbound. it is jammed from the beltway to make it up toward malcox x. coming up tonight at 5:00, got a bum ankle. well, you

♪ ♪ tramps like us, baby we were born to run ♪ 8:00 now on a wednesday morning, september 23rd, 2009. you know what? right now, these nice people out on our plaza are enjoying the music of the one and only bruce springsteen -- >> the boss! >> and the boss. we are playing the boss's music not because he is coming here for a concert -- maybe he'll come back very soon. >> maybe he's listening.

>> but because it's bruce springsteen's 60th birthday today. >> wow. >> the boss still rocking at age 60. he's a good friend of the show. bruce, happy birthday. >> can you tell him what that feels like? you're -- no, just kidding. i know, i shouldn't start. >> anyway, out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer with meredith vieira and al roker. >> shouldn't go there. coming up, you thought that family reunion from yesterday was good. it gets better. >> we met two guys who worked together for two months before they realized they were brothers. then their long-lost sister showed up on the show yesterday. well, a woman in florida was watching the show and she realized she was their sister. that is her. they're going to meet her for the very first time in just a moment. and needless to say, all of them extremely nervous right now. >> and our phone lines are open. >> but excited. i'm a sister! so, that's good news. >> also, did you realize that 40% of college students these days are 25 years old or older? >> really? >> so, we're going to talk about some things that you should

consider if you're going back to school as an adult. >> and when you think turkey, you always think thanksgiving, right? oh, you mean me? >> no. >> you're making friends, aren't you? >> what a pal! anyway, giada de laurentiis is here showing us how to make some fantastic turkey dinners without thinking of thanksgiving. >> stuffed turkey. >> that's right. >> i love turkey. all right, but first, we should go inside to ann curry at the news desk. >> absolutely. >> okay, thanks a lot, meredith. good morning once again, everybody. in the news, today president obama takes the world stage in his first address to the u.n. general assembly, and the president calling for a new era of engagement from the international community. nbc's white house correspondent savannah guthrie joins us from the u.n. with more on this. hey, savannah, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. aides say the president will have a stern message for the world, a call to action when he makes his first address to the u.n. general assembly later this morning. they say it will be a wide-ranging speech that really covers the terrain of foreign policy issues, from climate

change to terrorism to the global economy. we have an excerpt of the speech. the president will say those who used to chastise america for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for america to solve the world's problems alone. he also will say the magnitude of the challenges that face the world have yet to be met by the measure of our action. and in the audience today, the libyan leader, moammar gadhafi, will be waiting in the wings. he's next to speak, so he will hear the president. no word yet on whether iranian leader mahmoud ahmadinejad will listen to the president's address. ann? >> all right, savannah guthrie this morning, thanks. today, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu on this broadcast said that israel will not freeze the building of settlements on disputed territories, saying the fate of those settlements will be determined at the end of negotiations with the palestinians, not as a precondition. this comes a day after he and palestinian president mahmoud abbas met with president obama to try to jump-start the peace

talks. abbas and netanyahu shook hands, which netyahu said today was long overdue. floodwaters are beginning to recede in parts of georgia, but days of heavy rains have entire neighborhoods under water. nbc's ron mott is at austell, georgia, with the latest on this story. hey, ron, good morning. >> reporter: hey, ann, good morning. this elementary school behind me was almost completely submerged in water, and as you can see, most of that water is gone now, but like a lot of homes that flooded here, it's going to be a while before this building can be used again. many houses remain flooded to their rooftops. schools, too. even the great american scream machine at six flags amusement park was soaked in silence. for some of those able to reach their homes, the trip back was wrenching. >> we don't have anything. everything we worked for is in the house. we've only been in there for a year. >> reporter: others were luckier. >> it's not as bad as it could have been. you know, we have our lives, you know. >> reporter: parts of interstate 20 outside atlanta flowed, but

with water, not traffic, taking a major commuter thoroughfare out of commission for thousands. georgia governor sonny perdue asked people to be patient. >> i know it is a huge temptation for people wanting to get back in their neighborhoods and wanting to see the damage to their homes. but please, please, please, safety first. >>h, my god. >> reporter: and safety was berry burke's primary concern as he waded through water, finding damage -- >> everything we worked for is gone. it's gone. >> reporter: and also his two little ones, safe and sound. >> i couldn't believe it. everything that we own is fleeting around in there. everything that we own is floating around in there. these cats were clinging on for dear life in there. never seen this before. >> reporter: all right, updating the death toll now, nine confirmed fatalities here in georgia, one in alabama, a suspected fatality in tennessee and still, ann, a lot of people missing. >> all right. ron mott in austell, georgia, thank you so much for reporting

on the tragedy there. firefighters are trying to gain control of a wind-whipped wildfire burning in ventura county, california, where the governor has declared a state of emergency. the fireas burned more than 13 square miles. today, former alaska governor sarah palin made her first public appearance since abruptly resigning in july. she spoke at a meeting of global investors in hong kong, calling for stronger ties and trade with china and criticizing the obama administration's plan for health care reform. and while visiting the u.s., tibet spiritual leader the dalai lama was introduced to a new type of welcome from the mayor of texas on friday, the fist pump. you saw it there. after a couple tries, his holiness, the dalai lama, got a hold of it. you don't see that every day. it is now 8:06. let's go back outside for a check of the weather with al. hey, al, what do you think? >> i like it, ann. give me that bump. yeah, i love it. we've got a couple nice folks here and a couple pretty girls. what's your name? >> cocoa. >> and? >> noni.

>> aww. where are you guys from? >> st. paul, minnesota. >> and you guys eat breakfast with us every morning. >> we eat breakfast with you every day. and when we were coming, they said we want to see matt and al and ann. >> i like your hello kitty sunglasses. let's check your weather -- hi, auntie. so you know, billings, montana, nbc 8, sunny and warm, temperature of 80 degrees. and as you check it out, a jet stream band of air way up to the north, high pressure dominating means santa ana winds in california. big problems there. upper level low in the rockies ñ oh, gray clouds whoever over the potomac river on this wednesday morning. it is feeling more like a morning in summer than the first day of astronomical autumn. right now, a muggy 72, near 70, around much of the region from the blue ridge to the atlantic beaches. west of the blue ridge n the 50s and 60s. partly sunny and warm and humid,

small chance of a passing shower. more of the same >> that's your latest weather. matt? >> all right, al, thanks very much. when we come back, an incredible family reunion gets more incredible. two brothers and a sister reunited after nearly four decades. meet another sister they've never met before. ♪

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remarkable, new chapter to an incredible family reunion that we told you about yesterday. two co-workers realize they are each other's long-lost brother, then a sister they never knew walks through the door, but there is a fourth sibling out there as well, and in just a moment, they will meet the woman who believes that she is that missing sister. but first, how it all unfolded. ♪ for two months, gary nesbitt and gary joubert worked side by side at a furniture store and laughed at everyone who thought they were brothers. just last week, they realized they were. >> something clicked. i don't know what it was. i said, gary, don't take this personal, i'm not trying to offend you, but were you adopted? and he said, "yes, i was." >> it was just incredible, knowing i was by myself and now i've got a brother. >> reporter: joanne campbell lived with foster families growing up and knew she had younger siblings but didn't know how to find them, until she saw gary and randy's story in the local news.

>> i grabbed my mom's birth certificate, her social security card and her medical records and headed to dow furniture. >> as we're driving out, we see this little woman, you know, 5 feet tall, 100 pounds with some documents in her hand and shaking, you know, and crying. >> i said, "i think i'm your sister." and they're like, what? >> reporter: yesterday, gary, randy and joanne told us what it was like to meet their family for the first time. >> you're adopted, you always hunger for that person you might look like. you want to look like someone. and i thought that was just gone, you know. i'll never look like anyone, to see, and i look like this guy. >> you do. >> yeah. >> and you have one more sister, right, that you're possibly looking for? >> yes, claire marie was what she was born as. she would be probably 39 or 40. >> reporter: in florida, 39-year-old kathleen cooper was watching the "today" show. >> i just started screaming,

"that's me! that's me they're looking for. they're searching for me. oh, my god, i have brothers." >> reporter: at 8 years old, kathleen learned she was adopted. the original name on her adoption papers was claire marie ogden, the same last name joanne campbell was given at birth. >> i have this whole family out there that i haven't met yet, and it's going to be a great adventure to get to know them all, you know. i'm just sorry it's so late in life, bu you know, at least, you know, we've got the rest of our lives to be a family together. >> randy joubert, gary nisbet, joanne campbell, good morning and welcome back. joanne, you're already tearing up. it was important for you yesterday to get that name out there, claire marie. you told me that after the seguement. were you hoping she might be watching or someone that knew her might be watching? >> i was. like i said, she has no idea about this story, but i had gone to school with her. i knew, like my freshman year

that she was my sister, but i had been told that she didn't know, so i needed to respect that. >> so, you actually knew as a teenager that you had this sister, in fact were in school with her, but never said a word, and then she disappeared from your life altogether. >> it's true. >> how have you guys been processing this? before we get -- i mean, you just met one sister and now you're about to meet another one, randy -- >> i -- >> and you just realized you have a brother. >> yeah. down it up, up is down. i don't know. are we related? >> i don't think so. well, i don't know. i'm going to check my birth certificate after i get done with this, but before we even check that, i'd love to bring her out here for you to meet kathleen finally. are you guys ready? >> yep. >> all right. kathleen, you want to come on out? this is your sibling, kathleen. >> hi. >> you can say hello to each other. >> i knew it was you. >> i knew it was you, too. it's okay.

it's okay. hi, guys. >> hi. >> "hi, guys." kathleen, have a seat. hi, sweetie, nice to meet you. >> nice to meet you. >> have a seat. you're watching the show yesterday, just -- >> yeah. >> and you hear the name and did you even put it together? >> i saw her on the couch and i said, that's joanne. i always knew she was my sister. i just knew it. because look at us, you know? and seeing these two guys and hearing the story. i kept saying to myself, oh, gosh, you know, this is going to turn out, this is goi to be my family. and she said my name, and i just lost it. >> so, when you were in school, you had that same vibe about her that she -- well, she knew about you. >> yeah. >> why didn't you say anything to her? >> we did at one point. my sister joey actually, told joey, you know, do you have a sister? and joanne said, no, i don't. and she said, but you and my

sister look alike, you know? because we knew growing up that we were adopted, so you know, just, she said no, so we just dropped it and let it go, you know. >> were you nervous coming up here today? >> very nervous. very nervous. >> it has to be hard, because it's very joyous, as we've said, but it's also so much time lost between all of you. how do you put it together? >> i don't know. >> don't know. i think we're all dumbfounded, really. >> yeah. >> but we can start getting to know each other now. >> yeah, you sure can. >> right? >> what plans do you have? are you already planning reun n reunions and -- >> the holidays. >> figure it out. >> yeah, yeah. so, you two are -- you have the same mother and father. you guys have the same mother and father. you all share the same mother. the back story for people who may not understand. she had emotional issues and was abusive, and that's why you were all eventually removed from the family? >> correct. >> that's what i've learned, so

far. >> so far? >> yeah. >> how have your adoptive families handled this, because that's a lot for them to take in as well, randy. >> my mother's through the roof. she's down in florida just going nuts. she's so excited, happy. she thought we looked great and just like each other. >> gary, same thing for you, or? >> yeah. my mother's probably teary right about now. >> i don't know if this was me how i would begin to process all of it, but it does speak to what you said, about the law changing in maine that allows adopted kids the opportunity to seek out their birth parents and find out really who they are. >> yep. the controversy is it could always go bad or this and that, but you know, this turned out good. >> right. >> well, i know you have a lot of catching up to do. we're so glad -- >> i know we do. >> yeah, i know you do.

a lot of time. do you see similarities in each other now? >> definitely. >> beyond the physical. >> yeah, yeah. >> so, oldest, you then you? >> i'm the big sister. >> then randy, and finally, the little baby. don't pick on the baby. >> we won't. >> all right, thanks, guys, so much. >> thank you. you're welcome. >> best to all of you. and we're back after this. [heavy rock music plays] you've got some pretty important reasons to eat better. so now 23 campbell's chunky soups have 100% lean meat and a full serving of vegetables. a man's gotta eat. he just wants to eat better. campbell's chunky.

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♪ i've got to go back, back, back to school ♪ >> announcer: "back to school again today" is brought to you by university of phoenix, because today's best opportunities start with a quality education. ♪ >> and we're back now at 8:22, and this morning we're kicking off a special series "back to school again." an increasing number of adults are hitting the books later in life. in fact, close to 40% of all college undergraduates are now 25 years of age or older. so, what should you consider if you're thinking about going back to school? freeman robowski is president of the university of maryland baltimore county. freeman, good to see you. >> hey, matt, good to be here. >> is this about the economy or people losing their jobs or worried about losing their jobs, so they're investing money in further education now with the chance of getting a better job? >> that's certainly part of it. clearly, people are needing more education in their jobs. i mean, it makes all the difference in the world for promotions. other people have lost their

jobs and are coming back because they need to find other opportunities. >> so, if people are thinking about it at an older age going back to college, whether a brick-and-mortar college, community college or online college, what are the questions they want to ask? >> call admissions or e-mail and say do you have a lot of adults on campus? how are the adults doing? are they graduating? can i talk to some of the adults? get the experiences. understand that there's flexibility. do you have online courses? do you take into account the courses i took at other places? most important, you want tonow that the institution really wants you there. >>hen you're 18 and go to college, you dive into it as an experience. when you're 35, you often have children, you've got a job, you've got responsibilities. >> right. >> scheduling becomes a real problem. are schools adapting to that? >> oh, yeah. online campus, we work hard to have day courses, evening courses, hybrid courses. we work to be flexible and a lot of institutions around the country, two and four-year institutions, are doing exactly that. >> what about the skills? again, going back to when you're 18 -- >> sure.

>> you've just come out of high school. you're used to studng, you're used to computer skills. >> right. >> you're an adult. sometimes you haven't actually taxed that part of your brain in a long time. how do you get back up to speed? >> first of all, adults have much more to offer than they may think. they've en solving life's problems and raising children and getting a job and being knocked down and getting back up. they've got resilience. and quite frankly,e find that adult students around the country and on our campus do quite well. they are motivated, they know why they are there, they are serious, they're disciplined. faculty like them in the classrooms. they bring considerable expertise. >> do schools offer financial incentives for adults returning to school? >> oh, yes. >> in the same way that they do for younger -- >> because of federal financial aid -- and i think you're going to talk about that later -- there are all kinds of opportunities, but there are also programs to become a teacher, for example, or in health care fields and to go into the military. the are a lot of programs focused on getting people into certain professions. >> and does it have to be all about attaining a degree or can you just pick up a couple of courses just to enhance your

abilities in certain areas? >> that's the good news, there's flexibility. you can go for a certificate program, take certain courses or come in and just get opportunities to connect. >> freeman, thank you. >> thank you. >> good information. good luck to you, if you're thinking about it. >> thanks, matt. our time right now is 8:26. we have clouds over the nation' capital this morning. 72, muggy, humid degrees. well get the forecast coming up for this wednesday, the 23rd day of september. good morning. i'm joe krebs. the ntsb has come out with a new list of safety recommendations it wants metro to follow after june's deadly crash. there are nine nup recommendations. the safety board considers six of those urgent. most of those concerns center around the safety of the train control systems that detect the

presence of trains on the tracks. we're going to take a break and come back and look at weather and traffic. stay wit

good morning. warm and muggy. quite a bit of cloudiness. some breaks in the clouds. a little sunshine breaking out. temperatures now near 70. will climb into the low 80s. partly sunny, warm and humid. turning less humid tomorrow afternoon. much cooler friday and saturday. ashley, how is the traffic? well, we certainly do have big delays. 270 headed southbound.

the lineup continues toward the beltway. delays are beginning to ease. 66 eastbound at washington boulevard. there is accident activity reported there. it is very heavy on 66 eastbound inside the beltway. joe, back to you. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," got a bum ankle? why not replace it?

8:30 now on this wednesday morning, september 23rd, 2009. some rain, actually, in our forecast. but at least we have a bunch of

sunny faces spending their morning with us here on rockefeller plaza. okay, guys, we all know the drill. during the week, you rush around, barely get dinner on the table, right? >> yeah, happens a lot. but giada de laurentiis is here. what she would like to happen, you have a busy week, but on sunday, stop and smell the roses. or in this case, stop and smell the turkey, which is what she's cooking. she says it's not just for thanksgiving. she's going to make a great meal this morning, and i believe it's called turkey asabuka. normally veal. >> that's right. >> not this morning. >> sounds amazing. also, did you know that walmart has a secret team that travels around in an unmarked van all over the country? >> no. >> now you know. we have a look inside the world's largest employer and what are they doing in that van? also this morning, we'll be talking about with our "money 911" group, how to balance debt and also being more realistic about your investments in this economy. a lot of people have questions about that. >> but before we get to all of that, first, nbc's brand new

medical drama called "mercy." it premieres tonight, focusing on life inside mercy hospital in new jersey through the eyes of three nurses. >> and that's played by newcomer taylor -- >> hey, taylor, come on in. >> good to see you! >> how are you? welcome. >> i'm good. how are you? nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> you've had acting gigs in the past, but this is big. this is big. >> yeah. >> not to make you nervous, but -- >> no, no. it's such a wonderful opportunity. >> exciting. >> and i'm so excited and i wake up in the morning and i feel so lucky to go to work. so, it's really exciting. >> the character you play in this, she's just come back from a tour in iraq. >> yeah two tours of duty. >> she's a tough cookie. >> tough. >> she is. she's tough. and you know, she's coming from an environment where survival at any cost was the priority, and she's trying to transition back into like a more controlled environment, and you know, makes her kind of a bull in a china shop sometimes.

>> so, she can be really intense with the people she's with. mean, this really is, a lot of it is about how you really jump off the screen and connect with people watching you. there's something very real about the character you're playing. and how you're playing it. >> thank you so much. thank you so much. i just -- all i can do is sort of just kind of pay homage to the people that i'm representing, because there are women and men who go to work every day as nurses and are returning home from serving our country. so, i'm just so proud to be a part of the show. >> and there's a little kind of love triangle sort of thing going on. >> oh, my gosh. >> ooh, i didn't hear about this, taylor. >> yeah, i know. >> you kiss a guy? >> i do. >> wow! >> he's not your husband. >> i know. >> more than once. >> i know, i know, i know. it gets a little frisky. >> ooh, frisky! >> it is so good. it does. >> and i should point out, it's another another "grey's anatomy." >> no, no. this is really -- it's located in a hospital, but this is really about beautiful characters, you know. liz heldance has written a show

based around three really strong and dynamic women, and we get to sort of follow the ups and downs of their lives inside and outside the hospital. so, it's a cool show. >> and we should say that if ann is gushing a little bit this morning -- >> well, i am gushing. >> -- over taylor's success, it's because -- >> taylor is a family friend. >> -- they've known each other for a long time. so this has got to be a lot of fun. >> we're having a love fest. and my girlfriends are feeling like this show is really going to rock. >> yeah. >> we like the strong women thing. >> no pressure. because we could use this. >> well, you know -- >> we need resuscitation. >> clear! >> it took a nurse to do it, but we got it. >> we're like, you ow, i feel like we're having such a good time making this show and we have this amazing crew and amazing cast, and i think that will shine through, you know. >> fingers crossed. >> fingers crossed, everybody. nice having you here. >> the season premiere of "mercy" tonight at 8:00 p.m./7:00 p.m. central time here on nbc. >> look at the picture. >> mr. roker -- >> yes, r?

>> have a check of the weather? you bet ya, how about it? the forecast for saturday, we have hot weather really from west of the mississippi all the way to the pacific coast. rain, though, from the great lakes down to the gulf coast, where they do not need it, especially in georgia, and it will continue on sunday on into# good morning. it is certainly feeling more like a summer morning than the first full day of astronomical autumn. it is in the low 70s and quite humid. highs should reach low 80s, partly sunny, warm and humid. small chance of a passing shower. looks like we will repeat this. lower humidity by the afternoon. much cooler on friday and saturday with highs near 70. could get >> and that's your latest weather. you need weather anyime of the day or night, check out the

weather channel on cable or weather.com online. now, let's check out the man, the myth, the legend, mr. willie scott! willard! >> love you, baby. >> yeah, baby! >> and i wake up every morning, i'm telling you, and i've got a bad neck. i've got to get a new pillow. anyways, fall is officially here, and it's going to be 100 degrees. no, it's so hot and sticky and humid. it's more like, what? anyway, happy birthday! how sweet it is from our friends at smucker's. as we turn that jam jar around to the right just a little, nudge it little bit. that's an electronic turn, but happy new year. that's the battery. elizabeth howell, denver, colorado, 111. we're getting more people that are 110 and 111. retired maid at the hilton hotel for over 40 years. enjoys reading the bible. very lovely lady. god bless you. lillian fong of fremont, california, 100. secretary. actually, to the chine club that has been active since the

'50s in this country. we love her very much and she says one of the secrets of life is be tough as nails. don't let them walk over you. unless you're a bank, walk over you. a bank? frank sargent, naples, florida, is 100 years old. hotels the patent to the port-a-potty. now, how about it? you never know where your fortune sits. loves to play poker. isn't that something? everybody's got to be someplace. sometimes it's kitty litter. you know, from dust, a lumber mill. helen carter ventress from terlton, oklahoma. 100 years old today. started a clothes and food pantry in the '70s for those in need. done many good deeds in her life. and joseph gresalfi of st. james, new york. and he loves betting on horses and playing the lotto and a little red wine with dinner. malto bene.

kathryn sanders rieder, wooster, ohio, 102 years old today. retired school teacher and loves abraham lincoln. reads all she can. and we have catarino and margarita romero from mineral, texas. 79 years they've been married. he's 100 and she is 96. god bless them all. how about that? now back to meredith in little old new york. >> willard, thank you very much. up next, giada cooks up a delicious meal that the entire family is sure to enjoy.

♪ this morning on "cooking with giada," a sumptuous sunday supper. it features a meat that's usually not on the menu until thanksgiving day. "today" contributor and italian chef giada de laurentiis, good morning. nice to see rou. >> good morning, matt. >> you're paying respect to the

often neglected turkey. i like this. >> that's right. you know, people only think about it during the holidays and i think year round you can make great dishes. >> people hear asavuka, they think veal. so it's a simple switch, turkey for veal? >> that's correct. and we'll add lots of flavor to it. i had the leg cut crossward. >> let's say you didn't go with the whole bird, you went with parts of the bird. >> parts it, yeah. it makes it a lot easier. the cooking process is about an hour and 30 minutes, but the prep is easy. most of it is just oven time. so salt and pepper. we want to make sure we do this. >> why do you make sure it's dry? why is that important? >> otherwise, it doesn't dry evenly. there's a lot of water and it gets wet so it steams instead of browning. >> or first do the water, then pat it. seems strange to me, but i'm not a chef. >> either way. i just padded the salt into the turkey.

>> want some pepper? >> that be great. >> and because i didn't touch it with mhands, i don't have to wash it. >> yeah, be careful, if you do touch raw turkey, wash your hands. >> yes, absolutely. >> okay what are we doing now? >> so, to avoid touching it, we are just going to dust it with a little flour. now, you know why we do this? >> that is so that it browns evenly. i have no idea. >> it thickens it. >> okay. >> basically, that's what the flour does, thick yaenz the sauce little bit. not a lot, but a little bit. >> i catch you on one thing and you have to quiz me. >> i just have to get you back. i just have to. >> no problem. >> anyway, we put them in here and brown them for about 45 minutes on each side, get a nice, golden color. moving down over here, this is what it ends up looking like, creates a nice crust. >> if i see veal osobuko, it's got the heavy, is it called gremalata? >> yes. >> on top. is it easy to make? >> yes, but we'll get to that in a minute. a little flavoring for the turkey. onion, carrot, celery.

>> yeah. what's that? >> tomato paste. >> okay. >> again, a nice flavoring, very rich. so you saute this for four or five minutes, until all the veggies are nice and soft. then i add white wine. >> white wine. >> it's turkey, so you add white wine. >> what works well? >> i use a dry white wine, anything that -- you know what, you have to be able to drink it. if you like to drink it, you can use it to cook. it reduces down and intensifies the flavor, so if it's a bad wine, you don't like drinking it, you're not going to enjoy eating it. then chicken brother. >> okay, great. >> all we do is add the turkey right back inhere, and i'm using dark meat and white meat, so basically, there's something for everybody. >> so this is almost going to stew right now. >> it's going to braze, yeah. for an hour and 45 minutes, and -- >> will it get to the point like veal osabuko, where it almost falls off the bone? >> sure does. and cover it with a lid and put it in the oven. also, use a pan that's oven-safe. oh, matt, rosemary, bay leaf, thyme and two cloves.

>> then open it up again. >> then you take it and pat it with a paper towel. that always helps. now we're going to make the gremalata. you got me. >> it's never going to end. >> so, how do we do this? >> see how nice it looks? >> and tender. >> okay, so then, why don't you do it? parsley, rosemary, garligarlic,n zest. then mix it all together, little salt, a little pepper. this is great. matt makes a great sous-chef. >> yeah, right. you know how often i do this, about once a month when you come here. how much parsley? >> oh, hold on. that's the finished product. >> matt made -- >> it's a disaster, but honestly, it's a good dish, i promise. >> matt will make a good sous-chef. okay, go ahead. >> top it with a little gremalata. with your hands, whatever. sure, use your fingers, it's your dish. it's all good. there we go. then i like to finish it off with a little bit of extra

virgin olive oil, just to make it glisten and look really pretty. and that, my friends is turkey osobuko. >> boy, you say my friends and matt? that's not nice. that's not nice at all. >> anyhow, is it delicious or what? >> hold on, i haven't tasted it. >> and i serve it with a lemon rios yoeto and that makes a nice sunday supper. >> can i tell you something? for all the fun whad, it is fantastic. >> thanks, matt. >> it is fantastic. we'll see you again in the next hatch hour. up next, the secret to walmart's success.

we are back at 8:47 with an inside look at walmart, the world's largest retailer. despite the economic downturn, the company is thriving. 8,000 locations in 15 countries. last year alone, sales topped $400 billion.

cnbc's david faber takes a look. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> you did a special on walmart in 2004. at that point, they had image problems, were being criticized for wages, health insurance, environmental record. now you go back five years later. how has it changed? >> you know, the company has done a good job answering many of its critics. as you say, five years ago, we took a look at this company, then the most powerful company in the world, and it's only become more powerful, but it went through a critical period. critics took it on its low wages, lack of health care benefits for employees, on its environmental record. the company has tried to change in a variety of ways. what we do tonight is look at whether it's changed in terms of the image or whether it has really changed in terms of actual specifics. >> you know, at one point in this report, you ride along with a team that's secretly traveling around the country in this unmarked van to find places to set up walmarts. what are they looking for? >> they are looking for an

opportunity for them to put a store somewhere where they can draw traffic from the surrounding area, that is a stable economic area. they look at things like a lack of for sale signs on the homes. they look at, of course, where the closest other big-box retailer wld be to where they may want to put their store. they look at things like traffic patterns and what they would need to do to update the road system in order to allow it, allow the traffic that would start to come as a result of a walmart being there. it's part art, part science. they have never let anybody take a look at this process. you know, if you've ever wondered, how do they figure out where to put the next walmart, we have the answer. >> one of the places they picked was ellenville, new york. and you would think given the economy, people would love this business coming in, it means jobs. but you talked to residents. they weren't as thrilled as maybe you would expect. >> many communities are divided over whether a walmart should come to town, so to speak. not always, but certainly, there are cases where there is bitter acrimony between residents, and it sometimes splits a town.

we took a look at ellenville, where unfortunately, that is the case. walmart wants to come in. some of the town support it, saying, hey, they're going to create 200 jobs. >> right. >> and we are down on our luck here. others say you're going to put a lot of the stores in town out of business, stores that rely on other merchants that rely on other merchants, and ultimately we'll end up losing more jobs than we'll gain. it's a debate that's taken place many times and will in the future as well. but we take a close look at it tonight. >> you also look at product placement within walmart. 140 million people visit each year -- no, each week. you walked with an executive to see about product placement. let's take a look. >> milk, a high-volume seller, is in clear sight from the entrance, all the way in the back of the store, so shoppers will pass a multitude of products on their way down the aisles. >> we spent a lot of time looking at so the customer is walking what does she actually see, so that it pulls her in

that direction. >> so, there really is a science to all of this. >> absolutely. and walmart has done a very good job in redesigning many of their stores, and they continue to renovate that. that was eduardo castro wright, who is in many ways the number two at the company. he is vice chairman. he runs all of walmart's stores in north america, and they have widened aisles, as he alluded to, increased sight lines, and they have really catered toward their customer, who is typically a woman. they got rid of the smocks and the smiley faces, for example. and so, they have done a lot of things to try to change the shopper experience. >> okay. and despite the economic downturn, they have grown internationally, and that's covered as well. >> it is. >> david favor, thank you so much. "the new age of walmart" premieres tonight at 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. eastern time

stil thinking about that family from maine, reunited. i mean, two weeks ago, they didn't know -- one of them had no idea he even had a brother. then to find out there's a brother, there's two sists. there they are hugging. that's kathleen, who was watching the show yesterday, with the long hair, saw this and realized she was the other sister. called us, by the way. and also, we had an adoption expert, just so folks out there know, who looked at her documents and seems to agree that they are the real deal. and, obviously, joanne confirmed, that's the same girl

she went to school with. but what was interesting, when i was talking back there, they said, you know, there's something so surreal. it's wonderful to finally be a family, but it's really scary to some extent because you really don't know each other. >> i wonder what christmas will be like. >> wild. >> i would imagine great but little strange. but what a change in their lives. thanksgiving, christmas. i love what one brother said, up is down, down is up. >> kathleen has two teenage kids. so that's kind of cool. >> they're adjusting and people are meeting each other. we saw them outside the studio. >> literally an instant family. >> you know, once they get through that transitional period and they realize that they're going to be there for each other as siblings, i think this is going to be such a sweet -- >> i thought they were coming into this family, you know. what are you -- >> no, it's nice. that's nice. >> i thought you were going to offer me a little piece of turkey. >> i didn't give you a nasty look. i was reaching a hand out to you and you slapped it away. >> mwah. >> you, too. >> we'll be back after this.

8:56 is our time. 27 degrees. good morning. i'm joe krebs on this wednesday, this 23rd day of september. metro says there are not making any security changes in the wablg of a nationwide terror alert. there is no word of a specific threat. authorities are warning that the terrorists are interested in attacking public places like transit systems, hotels and stadiums this. came after some high-profile arrests in denver. investigators are looking for more suspects in that case and whether a possible plot was afoot to set off backpack bombs. a baltimore police officer will not be in court after an

enkour ter that became a u tud saen sayings. this police officer is seen yelling at young eric bush, who was 14 at the time. the altercation started when bush did not listen to the officers demand that he stop skateboarding. the teenagers family filed a lawsuit. a judge granted a motion to dismiss the case last week. he is now working in a different part of the city, still a police officer and a departmental disciplinary case against him is still pending. we'll take a break and come back and look at our youtube.

good morning. here is the four-day forecast. it will be warm today and tomorrow. cooler friday and saturday. how is the traffic, ashley? 95 has cleared out out of fredericksburg. we have significant delays on 395 to and across the 14th street bridge. more new coming your way in 25 minutes.

we're back now with more of "today" on a wednesday morning. it's the 23rd day of september 2009. just a stop to say thank you to these people. they have been here since the wee hours of the morning on what is, believe it or not, kind of a warm, humid day here in the northeast. >> given that this is the first full day of fall, kind of odd. >> strange. and it's a good hair day for us. >> and not so much for you. >> not so much for me. i'm going to have an afro in five minutes if we don't get that --

>> many different looks in one day. all right. this isamron hall from cnbc, helping us out while natalie is on assignment today. we appreciate that. >> thanks for having me. thank you. coming up, we'll have a bizarre and sad episode to one family's fertility story. the morells had twins, and then they saved their six remaining embryos for future use, but those embryos were implanted by mistake in another woman. so, now what? we're going to hear from the morells and hear what they have to say about that in just a couple of minutes. >> wow, incredible. and then, in case you haven't heard, we're looking for "today's" kid reporter. if you know a curious kid between the ages of 8 and 12, we want you to have them report on any story they'd like, send us the tape. the video submissions should be no longer than, oh, say about a minute. mail that to today's kid reporter, 30 rockefeller plaza, new york, new york, 10112. >> can i nominate a family member? >> no.

todayshow.com. >> i have a question for you guys. >> yes? >> what do you think of women who wear leggings -- ion't see any leggings -- >> we don't see any legs, that's the problem. >> we see toes. but you know, the leggings tight like these that we like to wear. >> i think it's one of those depends moments. >> safe answer. what about you, al? >> love them! love them! i think they're great. >> here's the problem, like swimsuit and jeans, finding the right pair of leggings is a tough thing. you get anxiety. you have to call your friends, you take the camera, send the pictures to your mom. >> between the afro and the leggings, you're having a nice day. >> i'm a southern hot mess today. what we're going to do is look at leather leggings, rar, and denim leggings, rar, ra, and we'll show you the hottest styles for the season and how to wear them the right way. i'm nearly 40, so i think you have to cover everything when you talk about leggings. >> what the heck is going on here? >> we are learning more about you in this open -- >> more than we need to know. "today's money 911," the crack panel is solving your emergency,

whether short-term investment advice or trying to figure out the best way to pay off all that credit card debt. we will have the solutions to your problems. >> jean chatzky is part of that panel and she is in there wearing leather leggings. >> careful! >> let's go inside. ann's standing by at the news desk. she's got a check of the headlines. ann? >> it's a look. okay, thanks a lot, matt. good morning, again, everybody. in the news, in his first speech to the united nations general assembly, president obama is telling leaders that the u.s. should not and cannot tackle global problems alone. his message is that cooperation involves a higher level of responsibility, calling for a new era of engagement from the international community on issues such as nuclear proliferation, the middle east and climate change. also addressing the u.n. today, iran's president mahmoud ahmadinejad, and he says iran presents an opportunity, not a threat, and he insists its nuclear program is geared toward energy, not weapons. the u.s. and other nations will hold talks with iran next month, and this morning the united nations ambassador susan rice told us that iran has a choice

to make. >> it can abandon its nuclear weapons program, it can open up its facilities, come clean on its past or -- and pursue a peaceful civilian program, if indeed that's its intention -- or it can refuse to do sond face continuing pressure from the united states and its partners. >> ambassador rice also said the u.s. agreed to talk with iran not as a reward, but because it is in the u.s. national interest. floodwaters in parts of georgia are receding today and residents are adding up their losses. state officials estimate that property damage is at $250 million, most of it around atlanta. at least ten deaths in georgia and alabama are now being blamed on this week's heavy rainfall. and a pretty frightening scene in sunnyside, washington where an out-of-control car slammed into a wall of a market right where a young girl was walking. amazingly, that little girl escaped without a scratch, saved by a parking pole that absorbed the force of the impact. lucky. it is now four minutes past the

hour. let's get another check of the weather from our al. >> ann, that is one of the most amazing pieces of videotape i've ever seen, really unbelievable. all right. let's take a look, see what's going on. and we've got wet weather along the east coast. we've got some wet weather back through the mississippi river lley, but the good news is, georgia dry. not going to be that way, though, unfortunately, by saturday. then out west we've got red flag warnings from borrego springs in california up to woodland, oregon, and we are looking at a big area of high pressure dominating, and that's bringing santa ana winds, causing big problems for firefighters. add to that temperaturesç#ç#ç#ç a muggy start to this wednesday. good morning. it's 73 in washington. we have high humidity in place and quite a bit of cloudiness. breaks in the clouds. sunshine coming out. partly sunny. highs reaching low and mid 80s. rather humid. small chance of isolated shower. a small chance again tomorrow.

still, warmer than average. much cooler friday and saturday. highs only in the perhaps low 70s. ♪ somebody call 911 now onto "today's money 911" and solutions to your financial emergencies. our all-star team is here, and they are "today's" financial editor jean chatzky, minus the leggings, stacey tisdale, the author of "the true cost of happiness," and carmen wong ulrich, cnbc's personal finance expert. tamron hall is upstairs ready to take video questions. everybody ready? >> yes. >>ure, let's go! >> let's go. >> let's get started. we've got a phone call in from lynette in fairbanks, alaska. she has a question about investing. good morning, lynette. your question? >> caller: i recently sold my house and probably won't purchase another house for a couple of years. so, in the meantime, i'd like to invest the proceeds from the

sale in something safe where i won't lose principal, but i'd also like to at least get a return that keeps up with inflation. what would you suggest? >> so, jean, what would be good for lynette? >> it's a tough call these days, because if you don't want to lose any principal at all, lynette, and you're looking at money market accounts and cds, you're looking at under 2%, which doesn't keep you pace with taxes and inflation. >> right. >> a couple of new things that i want you to look at. first are higher interest rate checking accounts. there are actually checking accounts out there that are paying about 4% interest. now, they do require of you that you use a debit card fairly frequently, 10 to 15 times a month. so g to bankrate.com. you'll find a list of those. also, something called structured cds, which actually tie their payoffs to currencies, to inflation, to returns of the stock market. you won't lose principal, but you can gain on the other side. "smart money" magazine has a good cover story that talks about those. and if it's really inflation

th you're concerned about, part of your portfolio should be in treasury inflation protection securities tips, which you can buy at treasurydirect.gov. >> all right. thank you very much, jean. >> sure. >> good luck, lynette. now amy in memphis has an e-mail she sent in. "we have $20,000 of debt on five different credit cards. we are playing the 0% apr for 12 months game to keep from paying interest and pay double the minimum on all the cards. it feels like it's going to take us forever and we're thinking of having a third child and we'll need a newer car. we don't think anyone would approve a consolidation loan or heloc for us due to the debt. what is your best chances to pay this debt off?" >> i want you to take the extra money you're spreading out on the cards and put it on the card with the highest interest rate. once that card's paid off, take that money and move it to the card with the next highest interest rate, still paying the minimum on the others. that's called snowballing. the amount of debt you have goes down, the money you have to pay for the debt goes up.

great way to reduce your cards. but it really sounds like we're talking about a spending problem here. >> yes. >> you need a spending plan that you can stick to. you're only going to stick to the plan if you're motivated. you're only going to be motivated if you have specific goals. i want her and her husband to come up with three specific goals for the year, maybe $2,000 down on the car, $1,000 down -- >> should they even get the newer car? >> no. >> that's the thing, if the couple has more money than they can find, stacey, you say really look at their spending. you'd be amazed at another $200 towards that $20,000 can shave a year off of how long it's going to take you to pay that loan back. if you go to dinkytown.net, there are free calculators there, but your money can be really powerful. you just have to get it there and get it on the cards and stop spending. >> yeah, the stopping spending. we should not be talking right now about another car. we should not be talking, perhaps, about a thirdchild. take a look at where your money is and if you actually have enough to support these things. because if you go ahead and you spend that money and you truly don't have it, you're going to

be really unhappy a year from now. it's a no. >> you're not getting rid of the problem. >> right. >> just be motivated to cut your spending for the right reasons. you're going to have to stick to that plan. that's the whole point. you really have to stick to it. >> and reduce the debt. >> exactly. >> let's go up to tamron with a viewer on skype. tamron? >> hey, al. we have sarah from townsend, maryland. are you there, sarah? >> yeah, i'm here. >> tell us what your question is. >> i'm currently a grad student and i have a year left. i took out student loans, was fortunate enough to get an assistantship this year, so i got a substantial refund. now, currently, it's just sitting in a checking account and a savings account that's not really making any interest and i was wondering if there is some way to invest it in the short-term, because i know i'm going to have to give the money back, that i'm going to earn some interest, at least for the next year. >> how soon will you have to start paying back your student loan, sarah is this. >> about a year and a half from now. >> let's hear what carmen has to say. carm carmen, what's your advice? >> i'm scandalized by sarah.

she's very smart because this is scandalous. this is arbitrage. it sounds sassy and that's what it is. it's basically borrowing money and investing it and then basically taking the profit and paying the loan back. but here's the thing -- you signed a loan agreement, so you have to be very careful, especially with student loans. now, a lot of folks back in the heydey took credit cards and did this, which is a dangerous game, but student loans is even more dangerous because you signed a contract and you could be violating your loan agreement, so you want to be careful. also, it's a short period of time, a year, year and a half. on a cd, as jean mentioned earlier, you're not going to get a great rate. what you can do and what is safe to do is a high-yield checking account, a high-yield, online-only web bank where you can invest the money, but be very careful about doing this and locking up your money, because if anything happens to you, say medically, and you need that money right away, you do not want to lock it up in a cd or any investments. >> wow. >> okay, now we've got a phone question from nancy in haynesville, illinois. nancy, good morning. what's your question? >> caller: good morning. i am a 56-year-old widow and have been unemployed for the

last two years, all of last year fighting cancer with no insurance. since my recovery, i have been unable to find work, and when my husband died four years ago, i've been paying a $2,000-a-month mortgage from his retirement account, which is now depleted. i am now behind on the mortgage and my other bills. the mortgage was in my late husband's name and i've been trying to get bank of america to transfer it to my name. however, the process is very slow and they're very uncooperative. i need some advice on what i do from here. i desperately don't want to lose my home. >> wow, it's a very difficult time. we're sorry for your losses and yourproblems, nanci. jean, what can she do? >> absolutely, nanci. you want to find yourself a certified housing counselor who can look at your financials and see if, in fact, they can get you some help or if you need to file bankruptcy. nfcc.org is the website of the national foundation of credit counselors or hud.gov.

either one of those places can lead you in the right direction. you just keep your chin up. >> all right, nanci. and we wish you the best. thank you for calling in. jean chatzky, stacey tisdale, carmen wong ulrich, thank you so much for being here. and if you have a money emergency youant our panel to tackle, check out todayshow.com and submit the question. coming up next, meet the michigan couple whose baby is being carried by another woman by mistake. then later, some of the secrets from new york's fashion week that have nothing to do with the clothes. okay. but first, these messages. down, boy!

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now to that story about the embryo mix-up. carolyn savage, a mother of three in ohio, was mistakenly implanted with embryos that belonged to shannon and paul morell of michigan. on monday, we spoke with carolyn and her husband sean. she's less than two weeks away from giving birth and is going to turn the baby over to the morells. this morning, meredith had a chance to talk to the morells about the baby and also about their extreme range of emotions. >> well, when we were told, after a couple of days of finding out that the embryos had been implanted in her, we had no idea who this person was, and once we had contact through our legal counsel with theirs, for 14 weeks, that was the longest 14 weeks probably of my entire

life, because we didn't know who they we. were they good people? it's just the oddest feeling to have somebody else carrying your child, because as a parent, you want to do everything possible to protect your child, and we were totally powerless and out of control. and even though we were grateful that they were going to continue the pregnancy, it was just -- it's just a terrible feeling. >> so, paul, when you finally did meet the savages, was there a sense of relief as you got to know them? >> um, yeah. we fir met, it was very cordial, and i don't know, it's just hard to -- there was just a lot of emotions that were going on, but i just try to take it all in and just -- we were very

thankf in the beginning for what they were doing, and i think that came across when we met them. >> i'm sure it's difficult to process it all, shannon. for you, you know, we saw those pictures of your beautiful little girls, the twin daughters, megan and ellie, and you've been through a pregnancy. you know the wonder of it. and now to have somebody else carrying your son, you've gone on some of the doctor's visits with carolyn. what have those been like for you? >> well, very -- just odd. you know, youalk in there, and i just sort of felt like an outsider. and carolyn and sean were there and were very welcoming, but you just -- it's a lot different when you're going through it yourself, but i was grateful that she invited me. it was very, very neat to see. >> nobody could possibly plan

for this, and now the baby is due to be delivered in a couple of weeks. and carolyn has said that she's really scared about this. this is probably going to be the hardest part of the process for her. how do you envision the day going, shannon? how have you prepared for it? >> we've talked about it. we've both discussed what we like to see happen. we're on the same page, which is great. and i think there's going to be a lot of joy, sadness, tears, excitement for us. all of the emotions that a woman feels throughout their pregnancy to bond with their child i haven't had. it's been a very empty feeling. and so, i think all of the emotions from nine months will be packed into that one day when i actually get to hold my baby. i've never felt the baby kick, none of that. so, it will be amazing. >> and i imagine your heart must also break a little bit for carolyn, because as she said, all they want to do is have the

opportunity to say hello and good-bye. >> oh, totally. >> yes. >> totally. and we don't know what the right thing to do is. you know, we've talked about having e-mail contact and so forth and else, but we'll see how we all feel. we'll always keep in contact, but we have no expectations of them and they don't have of us. so, the nice thing has been, we've been able to work together on this. and unfortunately, this has been a terrible thing that's happened to two good families, but we're doing the best we can for the health of this baby. >> and that was meredith earlier today talking with paul and shannon morell. and still t come this morning, the lesson you may not have picked up from the runway at new york's fashion week. but first, these messages. in the middle of the night, s [ rooster crow ] it affects your entire day. to get a good night's sleep, try 2-layer ambien cr. the first layer dissolves quickly... to help you fall asleep.

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also discuss the medicines you take, even eye drops. side effects may include dry mouth, constipation and trouble passing urine. every day could be a good day to breat better. announcer: ask your doctor if once-daily spiriva is right for you. my two granddaughters are my life. they always ask me, grandma, take me here, grandma, take me there. but with my occasional irregularity i wasn't always up to it. until i discovered activia and everything started to change. announcer: activia is clinically proven to help regulate your digestive system in two weeks when eaten every day. now i enjoy every minute. my grandkids are happy, and so am i. ♪ activia if you're looking for a litt comic relief, we've got just the guy for you. he's aziz anzari from abc's

"parks and recreation," stars with amy poehler. hello, aziz. how are you? >> hello. thanks for having me on the program. >> your character, if you had to work with him, you'd probably kill him, because he's a weasel. >> if you had to work with him, you probably wouldn't have to work with him long because tlrpd be several sexual harassment lawsuits and he would be out of there quick, but it's a fun character to play, yeah. >> so, you enjoy being a jerk, is that what you're saying, pretty much? >> yeah, it's aretty fun character to play. i told my agent, i either want to play like a jerk character or play batman and that went to christian bale and i got the tom character. >> the fans are loving this show. they're obsessed with your character's wardrobe and just the overall tone and humor of this show. you guys have been embraced. >> oh, it's good to hear. >> inhe blogosphere. >> in the blogosphere. it's gre to hear. we're really excited about the second season, if you like. the first season we had just six episodes and this season we have more time to figure out the show

and get in the groove, similar to the way "the office," the second season, oh, my god, the show's so good. i hope the same happens with our show. >> watching the first episode back, people said were just absolutely hilarious. >> yeah, yeah, ah. >> and people need to laugh, man. >> yeah. >> this is the time when we are just needing it. thing about it is, seems like laughing is your business, because now also, you've had roles in "i love you, man," in "funny people." is this your groove or are you going to do like spakz peer? >> i'm hoping to take over the "die hard" franchise for bruce willis. >> nice. >> excellent. >> he's getting a little older. >> and you look like you're buff, like ready to take on that. >> there's a lot of unique peop in entertainment now. >> and you have killed a guy. well, aziz ansari, thank you so much. you can catch aziz in "parks and recreation" right here tomorrow at 8:30/7:30 central. and the right way to wear leggings.

old el paso stand 'n stuff. true genius. mexican style. a. cloudy skies. 73 degrees. i'm barbara harrison. a bethesda teen accused of stockpiling bomb materials is scheduled for a court appearance. he is expected to plead guilty to possessing a destructive device. he also had a map shong the camp david presidential retreat. vice president joe biden

will hold a health care town hall at leisure world this morning. the montgomery county community is home to 8,500 residents age 50 and up. he will be joined by u.s. senators and health and human services secretary, kathleen is he sa sebelius.

good morning. temperatures hitting the low and mid 80s later today. a small chance of a passing shower. more of the same tomorrow but less humid during the afternoon. cooler friday and saturday. steve, how is the traffic? we are taking a live look at

southbound 270, the heaviest stretch. after that, it gets better heading to the beltway. springfield, everything moving very well north and southbound on i-95. barbara? thank you. if you have a bum ankle, you could replace it. we will show you a cutting-edge

ma, you said i could get a car in i earned the money. >> not that wreck with the missing door. >> it's not missing. it's in the trunk. >> she was a '70s sitcom star, one of the biggest shows around, "one day at a time," but mackenzie phillips was living a life that was far from funny. well, now she's detailing her battle with drug addiction and family traumas, including consensual incest in her new memoir. she'll tell us all about that tomorrow on "today." i'm al roker along with ann curry and msnbc's tamron hall, helping us out. >> hey, tamron.

>> while natalie's on assignment. and i guess you're getting the lowdown on leggings is this. >> apparently, al. women, we have a love-hate relationship with leggings. that's why i jokingly said the best segment of the day because it's the hardest thing to purchase. but this season, leggings are the hottest accessory ever and we'll show you how to wear them and how they're different from the ones we -- excluding al -- wore in the '80s. >> oh, i had the flash dance things working. it was very -- ♪ maniac, maniac on the floor >> maniac for a different reason. also ahead, fashion week beauty tips. it's not just about all the clothes. we're going to go behind the scenes at new york's fashion tents to check out the new trends in cosmetics, so you need to take notes about your history with those as well. and giada de laurentiis is back. >> yay! >> move over chips and dip. she's got some great snacks the whole family will love and can help make for this weekend's football parties. >> before that, let's get to the weather. how's the weather going to be for these football parties? >> well, forget about that.

how's the weather going to be for leggings? but let's take a look, show you what's happening for today. going to be warm. don't worry about needing the leggings out west. 90 degrees in portland, oregon today. we have showers in southern texas, where they actually need the rain and rain along the frontal system through the great lakes. tomorrow morning, we're looking at more rain through the upper -- i should say the lower s ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç#ç# after a cloudy start, the sunshine now breaking out around the region. live view from the sky watcher camera. temperatures are now climbing into the low 70s. 73 in washington. highs today into the low andid 80s. partly sunny. small chance of a shower and rather humid. turning less humid tomorrow. still, warmer than average and a small chance of a shower. friday and saturday, much cooler. we will have the sunshine back. saturday night throu

>> and that's your latest weather. all right, al, thank you so much. coming up next, the aforementioned leggings that may walk into your wardrobe this fall. my parents all smoked. my grandparents smoked. i've been a long-time smoker. you know, discouragement is a big thing in quitting smoking. i'm a guy who had given up quitting. what caused me to be interested was, chantix is not a nicotine product and that intrigued me. the doctor said while you're taking it you can continue to smoke during the first week. (announcer) chantix is proven to reduce the urge to smoke. in studies, 44% of chantix users were quit during weeks 9 to 12 of treatment, compared to 18% on sugar pill. today i see myself as a jolly old man,

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if you have kidney problems. the most common side effect is nausea. patients also reported trouble sleeping and vivid, unusual or strange dreams. until you know how chantix may affect you, use caution when driving or operating machinery. chantix should not be taken with other quit smoking products. the urges weren't like they used to be, and that help me quit. (announcer) talk to your doctor to find out if prescription chantix is right for you. why choose between delicious or 100 calories? with the new yoplait delights... ...now you can finally have both. it's the perfect parfait... ...with two indulgently rich layers... ...of chocolate... ...and raspberry yogurt... ...and only 100 calories. new yoplait delights.

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magazine. rachel, good to see you. >> thank you so much. >> i said earlier, jeans, swimsuits and leggings, the three hardest things to find the right fit and you spend all day in a dressing room trying to put the look together. >> absolutely, but now there's styles for everybody. it's not just an '80s flashback anymore. we have reinvented them for today's times. they can fit everyone. there's sizes, there's colors, there's shapes, so it's great. we love it. >> so, if you can't find your right leggings, something's wrong. >> yeah. they're the perfect piece for layering. >> and they're comfortable. let's look at the first look we have here. >> i love this. >> our first model. what's she wearing? >> this is the leather legging, which we call the liquid legging. >> okay. >> these are about $48, and what i love about them is, you know, leather can be so expensive. >> yeah. >> and they also can be quite thick. these have spandex on them. when she tried them on she said i didn't think i could wear leather leggings. they really suck the thighs in, gives you a slim, sleek look. >> i love it. suck the thighs in. but i love the way you paired it with this blazer. >> the boyfriend blazer.

everyone needs one. this is a line from jc spendey, again, under $50. you can wear it wit everything. and i love the homage to the '80s, run dmc. >> there you go. it's this way and that's the way it is. i like how her blazer hits right below her bum, so you're not exposed. >> you definitely want tops that are long enough, at least to the top of the thigh so you feel comfortable in your leggings. >> you're rocking it. next, the other trend is the denim legging? >> yes. >>his can perhaps be the most comfortable denim you wear. >> absolutely. this is the new skinny jean. they're more snug than ever. these are new york and company, about $26. >> they look so affordable. >> so soft. they're so soft. they really give you a really sleek look and they even have faux pockets, which i love. everything is faux this year, faux leather, faux pockets, faux fur. this vest, forever 21. you have to have a staple like that. >> what i like about this look is you have it paired with flats. a lot of times when you wear leggings with heels, it can give

you that certainly sexy look, but you don't always want to be sexy. you want to look good, but not over the top. i like this. did i say that? you don't always want to look sexy? what's wrong with me? but you want to be comfortable and hot. >> absolutely. it's versatile. you can wear heels, flats, booties. anything can go with those. >> thank you. you look lovely. the next look, what's this trend? >> this trend is the super slimming leggings. these are from spanx. they're about $26. >> these are from spanx. >> these are spanx. we love these. >> the girl's best friend. >> we love these at "life & style" because they are perfect for women of any size. they go up tobout size 16. they have tummy control, they have thigh control. so, it really keeps you looking smooth under dresses, under tunics, under anything you want to layer it with. you can take any dress from summer, put on a cardigan and belt it. you have a super chic look. >> maybe i'm focusing in too much. her legs are bare. isn't it the point in the fall to stay warm? so you wear it like that with the short boot and leave out the skin? >> you know, it shows a little

ankle, which is the thinnest part of a woman's body. >> amen. >> so, yes, so it's a great look for fall. >> excellent. i love that, spanx. congratulations. that's a great invention. the best invention ever. no the next look is really cute, the color, but i would associate it, rachel, a younger person. i would expect maybe someone in their 20s or early 30s, but can you rock this at any age group? >> yeah. i would say the color is a little more youthful. the older you get, i would stick to darker, but this is a darker bright, so wearable at any age, and color is great for fall. >> and that's a great color to experiment with because you don't feel as exposed. >> and for $14 from express, you can afford to try this trend and really rock it out with the leopard booties. >> okay. >> these are newport news. >> those are great. >> when you keep the rest minimalistic, the colors, you can show off the booties. >> now, when you're in the dressing room finding the right fit, someone said get your leggings as tight as possible because they will give in your knees and other places. is that true? >> yes. like your denim jeans, you want

to get leggings that are tight because they are going to stretch. also, be careful when you wash them. do them by hand and don't dry them. >> the next look i think is perfect for the holiday season. >> yes. >> these are awesome! $19, h&n, sequins. >> yes, sequin. holidays are coming up. if you really want to shine, walk in the room and make a statement, these are beautiful. you really want to pair it with a long jacket. >> okay. >> i love this tuxedo jacket. that's going to be a major staple for people's wardrobe, and it's $44. this is a great look to go out at night. leggings are not just sweatpants anymore. >> ladies, come on out. you look amazing. truly, you've answered our question, is there a legging for everyone? you've got to be able to find something. >> i know, right? >> that is awesome. thank you so much, rachel. we have all the tips we need. now let's get out there. from your legs to your face, up next, the hottest fall makeup trends. (whistle blowing) ♪

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give her one of these... (announcer) cheerios, with one single gram of sugar... ahh... hey... (announcer) ...makes for a perfect beginning. maybe we'll keep her. (cheerios spilling) (announcer) how can something so little... ...help do something so big. this morning on "today's beauty," secrets of the runway. new york's fashion week focuses on what the well-dressed will be wearing next spring, but as we found out, there are many lessons to be learned on the catwalk that have nothing to do with clothes. >> reporter: it may be called fashion week, but these shows aren't just about the clothes for next spring. they also reveal what you'll be wearing on your ce. ♪ one, two, three, four, uno, dos, tres ♪

>> there's so much to be learned about makeup looks from fashion week. >> this is really the first time that we see what people are thinking in terms of the mood for spring. >> reporter: once designers finish a collection, they meet with makeup artists for a test run of the show's beauty look. >> yeah, i love it. >> reporter: a look that will be painstakingly copied on model after model backstage before being revealed on the runway. dozens of looks will debut at these shows, but only a few key trends will make their way into everyday life. if these shows are any indication, the next big thing in beauty -- less is more. >> i think this spring, women are going to see probably kind of a lighter and fresher look. >> nothing heavy and dark that you were seeing before. >> reporter: that was the look at charlotte rosdon. >> very fresh and pretty. >> reporter: where makeup artist charlotte willard created this ultranatural look built around a flushed cheek with just a hint of shimmer. >> it looks like there's no makeup. so, the key is not, it shouldn't

show. you just have to look healthy and fresh. >> reporter: there's a more subdued approach to color -- >> focus brights, like a really beautiful bright lip and bright eye, but not at the same time. >> reporter: and even that classic smokey eye is taking it down a notch. >> i think a lot of women immediately go to that black, smokey eye, but it's really fun to play with brown. >> the eye is a dark brown. i'm pulling it out a bit. >> reporter: the shows also reveal what not to wear. ♪ you so two thousand late >> reporter: one spring look that's off the runways is the '80sbrights. >> the neon colors i think are done. >> reporter: when it comes to fashion, the mode is all about mood. this lighter look reflects the real beauty trend of next spri,optimism. >> people are ready for a change. they're ready for like a little, you know, subtle, but at the same time, just happy. >> everyone wants to feel happy and hopeful and light again. >> reporter: after all, the real secret to looking good is feeling that way.

♪ tonight's gonna be a good night ♪ >> reporter: nbc news, new york. coming up next, giada de laurentiis with some snacks for your football party this weekend.

>> announcer: "today's kitchen" is brought to you by cheerios. ♪ >> this morning in "today's kitchen," we're "cooking with giada," "today" contributor and italian chef giada de laurentiis, that is. with the kickoff of football season, giada'searing to go with snacks that fans of all ages will be rooting for. giada, good to see you! >> hi. >> who do you like coming up in the notre dame game? >> fir thing i said was don't ask me about football because i don't know about it. people like to eat great treats. so that's what i'm here to do. >> what are we doing? >> burris yuto and pinwheels.

i like to call it pinwheels because it looks like a pinwheel. they've already helped you out. >> now, do you have to make your own pizza dough or can you get store-bought? >> no, yes, you can make your own pizza dough. it's not that hard to make, but you can definitely buy it. >> so, you roll it out. >> a lot of times, i'll make a giant one, but if you have kids and they want to make their own ingredients, you can add your own. and i thought, you're like a kid and we can have fun, right? >> exactly. so, you roll it out. >> you're good. >> that's done, okay. >> so, start with some greated mozzarella. just put it right down on the actual dough, okay. >> right. as opposed to the virtual dough. >> oh, my gosh, back to back. first matt, now you. oka okay, prosciutto. a nice layer. then chopped spinach. >> could you do arugula? >> you could do arugula. you could steam some broccoli, do whatever you want. a little green. i like the colors.

>> yes. >> and then, on top of the spinach, more cheese. >> more cheese. >> please. because that way, it sticks to the dough. >> and it's cheese. >> basically, dump it all on there. >> there we go. okay. >> then i roll it up. >> roll it up. >> kind of like a calzone. make it as thin as you can because it will grow in the pan. tuck it under. tuck the sides unr. >> all right. >> and then i put it -- oh, no, that's okay. you saved it. >> see? see? >> so, seam side down onto the baking sheet and then i brush the whole thing -- >> mm-hmm. >> looks like a manatee. >> wow! it's like a manatee, look at that! >> it does look like it's going to come alive. >> wow. >> but anyway -- >> it's alive! >> brush it with olive oil until you get a nice, golden crust. but you see how artistic you feel? >> yes. >> then you can actually eat it, too, which is the best part. >> right. >> okay, so, move over here, al. >> so you put it in the oven for

how much? >> 25 minutes at 425. this is what it looks like. >> right. >> then i take a serrated knife and cut it. >> kind of on an angle? >> because it looks prettier. >> you can. and there are the pinwheels. >> see how pretty that is? >> wow, smells great, too. now, let's move onto these lovely tuscan mushrooms. >> correct. these are little bite-sized little appezers. really nice because they sit really well and you can make them ated of time. take the mushrooms. make a filling, red bell pepper, some olives, pecerino and scallions. so pop it in there. and use a knife. sometimes they get stuck -- >> or pop right out. sometimes. >> you did it! >> unibelievable. again, you sound amazed. unbelievable. and how long do they go in the oven? >> 20 minutes. >> 20 minutes. >> 400. >> that's fantastic. >> then you've got these little guys. >> the one thing everybody's talking about is the little baby donuts. >> yes, they're called zapalis.

>> isn't that something that flies in the air? oh, those are zeppelins. this is really important. >> these are little things sold on the streets of naples. and i serve them with chocolate sauce with orange zest and sugar on top of them. >> that's fantastic. >> do you want one? >> do you have a dipping sauce? tamron, come on in. >> amazing. are you serving me? >> there you go. >> okay. >> mm-hmm. >> whoa! we almost have another spit day -- >> you're like a child. >> yes. >> did i not say that at the ginning? >> that's right. >> what's your point? >> anyway, giada, thank you. >> fantastic. >> great ideas. >> thanks for coming in, ann, saving the day. >> the pinwheels are great. >> i imagine, you put these on the platter. look how pretty that is. oh, where's the camera? there's the camera. >> that was like 3d! >> there youre. there you are. fantastic. well, great. >> yeah! that's the one that got me! >> manatee. >> all righty.

well, thank you, giada de laurentiis. recipes are on our website. and still to come? >> another hour of the "today" show. >> nick cannon and sandra burn hart stop by. >> and what your shoes say about you.

9:56 is our time. 73 degrees. plane coming in for a landing at ronald reagan national airport where the temperature is 73 degrees on thi wednesday, the 23rd day of september. good morning. i'm joe krebs. in the news today, police are investigating a violent home invasion in prince george's county. this happened around 10:30 last night in the forest heights area. an armed suspect approached two women in a car and forced them into their art in the 1700 block of audrey lane. he told them to get into a closet while he stole items from inside the apartment. let's get a check of our forecast. here is meteorologist, tom kierein. >> only a small chance. right now, we have sunshine breaking out after a cloudy start on this sort of summerlike september morning. there is a vw from our sky

watcher camera showing some sunshine and blue sky. now, we're in the low 70s, should hit the low and mid 80s later on this afternoon. it will remain rather humid and a small chance of a passing shower. more the same tomorrow and less mid in the afternoon. lower humidity and cooler temperatures friday and saturday. now, let's check traffic. steve, how is it looking? we have road work north and south of town. two work zones northbound on i-270. south of town north and southbound on i-95 in lorton blocking the right lane both ways on i-95. tonight on "news 4 at 5:00," got a bum ankle? why not replace it. we will show you a cutting-edge implant that will put patients on the road to recovery o

hello, everybody. it is wednesday, september 23rd, 2009. it is my last day with pierce. >> i'm distraught. >> it's a sad, d, day. >> you have pulled out the big

gun dress today. >> i try to amp it up for you every day. >> i hadn't seen the world's cleavage until today. i hadn't seen it in quite its splendor. thank you. >> i brought you a couple parting gifts. >> what are these? >> coffee flavored beer. i know you fancy -- >> really? >> do you like beer? >> it's cool. brits love beer. >> how is it? >> delicious. >> a little coffee, a little caffeine. >> what is this? >> scotch flavored ice cream. >> shall we? >> you better. why not. eat and drink. >> i'm going to do this set more often. >> nice? >> i'm already drunk. great. let's get cracking. >> are you sad to be going back? >> i'm actually really sad. i'v enjoyed working with you. >> it's been fun. >> i think i managed

successfully in just two days to eradicate hot rod. he's gone. he's toast. >> who? >> no one's mentions him anymore. >> apparently on the facebook there's still a little bit about him. >> he's hanging on by his fingertips. >> look at the split screen. who's better? yeah. that's good. you know what, though? let me say something. you have the accent. >> exactly. there's nothing he can do about that. he'll always sound american, poor bloke. only joking. just a little joke. >> tomorrow we're going to have mckenzie phillips on. she was the star of the sit cco. she has an explosive new story out. she had two really astonishing things. one was she said the first time she tried, i think it was heroin, her father injected her with the drug. and she said he missed the vein and that her whole arm went numb. she talks about a lot of her drug use. what really stun med, she said

on the day before her wedding, she was 19 years old, about to get married. she says her dad came into her room, raped her. >> unbelievable. >> then she said they continued to have consensual sex, she and her father, beyond that time. i got to tell you, started reading her book yesterday. i just picked it up. it is the most fascinating memoir. it sounds like it's out -- it's got such incredible stories and it may be hard for someone to grasp. >>o many of these kids of celebrities that have appalling upbringings, don't they? fame is a very corrupting thing. i've always thought that. you meet a lot of these big stars, they are so overwhelmed by the sex, drugs, rock and roll lifestyle. they forget about parenting. >> her mom was apparently very strict. they were divorced. so the mother had, like, rigid, rigid rules. then she'd go with the dad where it was like sex, drugs, rock and roll all over the house.

mick jagger. >> not with your daughter. >> she waited until after he died before she decided to do this. she said her family's very upset th her. anyway, she'll be with us tomorrow on "today" here and she'll also be on in the earlier hours. okay. back to the brits. all right. so, now they say, i was reading this thing about lap dancing in britain. it's like a huge deal? >> i'm flying back to britain tonight. i haven't been there for two months. each time i go back it's like going back to a war zone. we brits, we have the worst records, particularly with teenagers, underage drinking, binge drinking, violence, you name it. we now have apparently more lap dance clubs per ten miles than anywhere in the world. what is going on with my country? is this what winston churchhill fought wars for? it's not. l.a. they don't drink at all,

they don't eat, they don't do anything apart from plastic surgery. i go back to britain, the women drink more beers than the guys. >> do they. >> yes. on a friday night you'll see carcasses, trembling female carcasses. up to 20 points of beer. this inot working from me. this isfeminine. >> the lap dance thing is interesting. companies are turning a blind eye to the use of sex clubs. they're basically green lighting it. >> i think it's got out of hand. when they first came out i remember going to a couple, this is the great. you go in, order your wine and a load of very attractive women take all their clothes off. what's not to love about that? i know, i know. it's wrong. also very enjoyable. after a while you think hang on a second. let me get this absolutely straight. they don't really fancy me? >> you're paying them. i'm paying these women loads to money to derobe. at the end of the evening i have to go home on my own?

this is not working from me now. i gave them up a long time ago. but i think this is quite -- the fact that how many -- 300 or something in london alone? it's ridiculous. >> yes, yes. >> embarrassing. >> if you're flying back, they have this new way to fly back that's dirt cheap. >> i've heard about this. >> they have these new planes that they want to squeeze even more seats in. >> they're like tin cans, aren't they? >> this is designed by a uk company to save money. the seats are rimming on the sides. here's the bad part. you have to face had on someone sitting directly opposite you all the way to london. >> let me tell you, there is only one way i'd ev do that flight. that's if you were sitting opposite me, hoda. then i would literally spend all my time in midair. you're going to miss me, aren't you? >> i am going to miss you. look at this. okay. look at the deal here. >> that's ridiculous. >> if you've ever ridden amtrack, sometimes they have those four seats where you have to sit knee to knee with a

stranger. it is the most awkward and uncomfortable feeling. >> this the ridiculous. you cannot fly like this. >> it's cheap. would you do it -- i know you're a -- iyou didn't have that much money -- >> my ex-wife is the >> would you do it? >> no. flying should be a pleasurable experience. this is a flglorified tin can. campaign, hoda. what are you looking at? >> one of your hairs is just -- i'm just fixing it. >> you've been wanting to do that for two days. rod? who? >> would you tell me if i had something in my teeth right now and we were doing this? >> rather unfortunately, you do.

>> would you tell me? >> this is about the survey in the workplace, isn't it? >> there is a survey that's out that asks people what would you tell a colleague or coworker. one of them is -- okay. let's start with you have something in your teeth. would you tell a colleague coworker? >> that's quite awkward, that one. it's a bit too -- i probably would, actually. in your case i would. >> what if it was your boss? would you tell your boss? >> that's where it gets awkward. what are the other categories. >> the other ones are your zipper's undone. >> is it? >> but i would tell you. >> you shouldn't be looking. >> i would tell my boss or anybody. >> i probably would tell somebody that. that's so glaringly embarrassing. >> okay. you have somethi in your nose. >> that's really awkward. >> i would do this. i would start like this. i would just do this. >> can i blow my nose, please, very prominently, yeah. >> until they get the message. >> yes. >> would you say you need a breath mint? >> oh, god, what? you stink? that's what you say.

anything to do with personal hygiene you're basically looking your partner in the eye and saying, hoda, you stink. there's no easy way to do that. >> i get a mint and say, would you like one? there are ways to make it work. >> sharon osborne does it with david hasselhoff. just says would you like ten mints? maybe 20? >> what about needing a shower? >> how do you say that? >> you can't. at a place i knew about, someone left a bar of soap on someone's desk. >> no! >> that's what they did. >> having said -- i mean, we all say we wouldn't do it. if somebody genuinely is stinking the place up, i would delegate the most junior member of staff. but i'm a very evi person like that. yeah. i'd just find a junior runner and say could you go and tell matt lauer, please, the bad news. it's a joke. >> you've got trouble already. >> i'm leaving the country. who cares. i'm on a plane. bang. gone. >> what's going on with "america's got talent"?

you guys are on hiatus. >> we are. season five starting up early next year. >> what's the story with you and nick? >> he's obviously the second best looking, second coolest guy on the show. he causes tension between us. he would rather be me. i understand that. >> so bad. >> married to mariah carey. big deal. hope he's not watching this. >> he's in the green room, by the way. >> is he? >> yes, he is. >> always loved your work. >> okay. so they have a -- >> we tease each other all the time. >> there's a british company. we're trying to keep everything in sync with you. they're making this new kind of underwear for left-handed guys. it's called left-handed underwear for men. it claims that it will save left-handed men up to three often critical seconds when visiting the loo. >> when visiting the loo? and no other circumstances? >> in no other circumstances.

yeah. because underwear are geared toward men who areright-handed. >> what are you trying to ask me here? am i left or right-handed? what's going on here? what are you getting at? >> i'm just suggesting -- >> whose hands are we talking about mine or yours. move on. this is too embarrassing. >> this is too embarrassing. what else do we have? >> left-handed underwear. everything's so absurd in my life. you're going to miss me, aren't you? admit it. >> i really am going to miss you. i'll be honest. i didn't know you before. i thought you were this kind of tough, like you were yesterday, remember wlen you were judging the people on the show, i thought you were kind of a little bit mean. >> we have a guest coming out. sandra bernhard. i'm looking forward to this. i thought she was terrifying. >> i think it's important he's afraid of me. >> are you terrified? >> am i terrified of you? >> yeah. >> or am i terrifying? apparently yes, yes. i used to think i should start soft selling. become a little more gentler.

i look into the world. i see the craziness and animosity, i think it's good. i want people to be a little daunted by me. >> you would be a great talent show judge, i think. >> yeah, i agree. no kidding. really? yeah. i couldn't agree more. i won't go there. >> little bit upset about the ellen thing? do you think -- >> i'm not upset about any of it. honestly,s that what i aspire to after working in this business? perfecting my craft? >> wait a minute. it's the best job in show biz. >> i'm a performer. i don't want to sit and critique other people's work. i'm going to get on stage in front of a paying audience and do what i do best, which is entertain. engage. >> have you any idea how hard it is to look someone in the e and say, you suck? have you got any idea? >> you've done that. she is done that before. >> 20 years to get to that stage in my career. >> i don't do it in that setting. there's a way of approaching people. >> see, she has tone. you have to learn from her, piers. don't spray it.

you're going to gag. this is piers's sent. >> is this your new scent you're trying to sell on the show? >> it has a devastating effect on women. >> apparently. >> where there's fire, there's desire. >> be careful. be careful. >> look, see! >> do you need some viagra? >> no need for that, sandra. >> i'm sure. i'm sure not. >> this is going downhill. we're going to go to sara. hi, what are the facebook people saying? >> quick, cut. >> no segue needed, we'll go straight from viagra to facebook. we're talking about team rod versus team piers. >> it's so over. come on. >> christine wrote in she should date both. she could pull it off. heather things piers brings out the chemistry in everyone so that doesn't count. then we had a write-in.

becky wrote in for team curtis. >> who the hell's curtis. >> we love curtis. >> curtis? >> curtis stone. >> where did curtis come into e the equation. coming up next, we're going to sit and talkith sandra bernhard. >> i get to sit eventually?

that's my song from my new album. "whatever it takes." how perfect. "whatever it takes." >> all right. we have to give a shout out to -- sandra bernhard has been

on the cutting edge of comedy and music for a long time. for more than 25 years. >> you don't want to say how long. when you look at me you go, how's it possible? >> she has a new album out, "whatever it takes." "it's a new world." >> it is a new world. that's a beautiful thing about my album. it was sort a bridge between the last world and the present world. meaning, you know, the last administration where everybody was afraid to travel, where everybody was, you know, paranoid and waiting for another terrorist attack. you know, people got very complacent and cmfortable in that sort of paranoid way. >> i didn't know you sang. >> between my -- i can actually use those words. >> let's listen. let's listen. >> okay. listen to some. ♪ obsession, regression, just blue skies forever, repression,

depression ♪ ♪ just blue skies forever >> you do sing! ♪ free again >> wow, the new susan boyle. ♪ let your chains that would bring you down ♪ >> loved it. >> chrissy hin also signs on that song with me. chrissy's a very good mate of mine. >> really? >> yeah. >> you have strong opinions on a lot of things. >> yes, i do. on everything. >> let's talk reality. >> steve: are you thumbs up or thumbs down. >> i am completely against reality television. it's not about hate. it's the idea that people like me, people like i mentioned before have honed their craft, i think you're born with the dna of wanting to be an artist and

performer. it's something inherent to people like me. when i was 5 years old i knew i wanted to be a comedian. i knew i wanted to be a singer. i saw carol channing when i was 8 years old in "hello dolly." i wept that i couldn't meet her. i struck out on my own at 18. started singing. got "king of comedy." i did it on my own merit. i'm an artist and performer. i don't believe that people who come from, you know, this sort of day-to-day life should be taking up the air time fromhe time who work so hard. >> some people on piers's show, they may have won a contest, but they're really good. >> that's a little different. it's kind of a throwback to -- you know, i think there's always en those shows. >> what about kate gosselin and those guys. >> listen. kate gosselin should be back home. she's crying that she misses her family. go home to your family. don't get used to having this lifestyle. because it isn't a lifestyle you

earned. you did this sort of reality show to show what it was like to be a parent, to raise your kids. now you're not doing it. go home and do your 9:00 to 5:00 life and stay home with your family. >> would you do a reality show? >> no, no. >> the thing i love about you, you've got a very british humor. very sarcastic, ironic. mickey taking as we call it. >> mickey taking. they take your mickey. >> you can take my mickey any time. >> i thought you would say that. >> now she's been flirting with some guy called curtis who i've never heard of. >> i'm over piers. it's over. >> we started something special today. >> i think we already have. you came into my green room and you were very sweet and delightful. i do. i think it's very important for the american public, public at large to understand the difference between performers, artists, people who create and people who just sort of step in. >> we've got to run, sandra. >> that's it? are you kidding me? >> we lasted through the stool softener. tell the name of your album again. >> it's "whatever it takes."

>> say it again. >> "whatever it takes." it's a fabulous music album. please go out, buy it, down load it on i tones, get it on amazon. >> coming up next, we're going to talk about high heels.

we have a question for you. are your high heels holding you back from getting ahead? >> plus my friend nick cannon is here. >> after these messages ands your local news.

new video of a carjacking suspect who led police on a high-speed chase through two staits. good morning. i'm joe krebs. >> come you go p on news 4 at midday, a woman says her belongings are being held hostage by a moving company. she claims they are trying to scam her. "news 4 mi

we're back on this wednesday with more "today" and some shoe business. >> sure. pair of pretty high heels can boost confidence. what do those heels tell others? personally i love them. >> we sent our own sara hanes to find out. >> shoes like these. you should be living a life of scandal.

>> yes. i think that heels are empowering. i feel a lot sexier when i'm wearing heels. >> and they're great. we spotted you from the ankle down. if you were finishing the sentence women in heels are oppressed or empowered? >> empowered, definitely. >> i would say empowered. >> empowered, definitely. >> i don't wear them because i'm expected to. i wear them because i want to. >> do you think women in heels have to work harder to garner a certain respect in the workplace? >> i actually think they do. i think the way a woman dresses, just the way a man dresses, but more so a woman has more to do with how they're perceived. >> i work in the fashion industry. so it's all about heels there. but since i'm on my feet all day i have to say that i'm usually in flats. >> did you see "devil wears prada"? >> i did. >> when they say she's coming and everyone puts on their heels, do you have a pair of heels -- >> i actually have a pair of heels in my drawer. >> what would be the occasion to whip those out? >> when very important people come on, that's when you have to

change your shoes. >> after prowling the pavement at grand central, would the answers be different in a bar? we stepped into 48 to find out. i noticed all the women who work in here have heels. was that on purpose? >> yes, it was on purpose. for me seeing a woman in high heels gives me a sense of sophistication, sexiness, class. >> do you ever think as a woman in the workplace in meals that because it's such a feminine thing that you have to prove yourself more to earn kind of the respect? >> no, not at all. i think it's just a part of a woman's attire. they just look a lot better with a heel than with a flat shoe, a sandal. >> does that carry over into the social setting as well? do you seem to roll with that same mentality? >> absolutely. you can't go to a bar anhave a flat on. it's a no-no. >> i love your rolling with the nike. why do you wear heels in the workplace? >> they're professional. a little sass as you walk around the office. just don't want to be in flats.

>> and leah goldman is the features editor at "marie claire" magazine. helen fischer is a biological anthropologist at rutgers. when i wear heels i feel good. i don't see the downside. sometimes i feel pain in my feet. >> from a very basic level heels elongate. they make you look slimmer. that makes you feel confident. you walk into your office, your workplace and feel like a million buck. contrast that with a pair of ballet flats which tend of compact your calf. comfortable but not so nice. >> men like heels. piers has been talking about -- >> look at these. >> these are a hot number. >> i could barely speak when i saw these this morning. >> there's a reason. >> we had a ban on heels on "america's got talent" set the whole season. apparently they can trip and fall. no pain, no gain. the last day they were allowed

to wear heels. all these girls looked fantastic. i think hills, as marilyn monroe said, i don't know who invented high heels, but i want to thank them. >> since the 1500s and extremely popular ever since. >> they not only elongate the leg. they tip the buttocks up and arch the back into a copulatory pose. cats do it. rats do it. people do it. >> how painful is it? >> it's very painful. >> it's painful. >> after a long day, it's painful. >> is it hurting you as you sit here? >> after a few hours, yesterday i wore heels, i walked around midtown, by 4:00 i could have cried. i wanted to peel them off. >> do you feel sexier? >> yes. >> that's a key. >> it also gives you power. among all the primates, height, being taller, is simply powerful. >> where's melissa?

does chef her shshe have her sh. she's tall. she jacks it up. those are terrific heels. >> you can't run. you can't walk all day. >> i see nick cannon looking at those heels. watch it. your wife's watching. mariah. >> the foot is beautifully built. it's like a kite. there's an arch going front to back and side to side. you naturally fall forward and spring forward. this kills that ability to walk in that human stride. >> when is it -- okay. there are heels that are beautiful and tall. and there are ones that are so high that they're sort of tipping you over to a point where it doesn't even look good anymore. where's the range? when is it too high? >> depends on where you are. >> i always go with my mother's adage on this one. when in doubt, do without. if you have to ask yourself or your friends, is my heel to high? your heel is too high. >> can i interrupt. when in doubt, do it. i want to see you literally almost unable to walk.

>> tell me why you like them so much. >> it's so sexy. >> and he's a man. >> you're barely able to move. >> he likes to protect. men like to protect. >> you're a protecter. she says it's more than just the heels. >> it's a bit of protection, hunting, fighting. i want to come back with a big old wild boar over my shoulder. welcome home, big boy, wearing these enormous heels. >> there's a subtle advantage in the office with heels. you are eye level with men in the office. that means you're a force to be reckoned with. they have to acknowledge you. >> when i was a boss at a newspaper, women came in with high heels, they computed more power. flat heels, it wasn't quite the same. >> height is associated with test to testosterone. >> you were right about this whole segment. >> i'm always right. up next, nick cannon sits down with us. to get a right grilling. >> oh, yes, he will. look at melissa's shoe. oh, no! no!

we are back with the very talented nick cannon who just wrapped up his first season as host of "america's got talent." but there's no down time on the horizon for this guy. >> he's quite talented. that's right. besides being mariah carey's husband he has a new job to look forward to. it's something your teens might enjoy. nick. >> hello, nick. >> what up? hello. >> do you guys get along? be honest. >> we got a love/hate

relationship. >> yeah. i love him. he hates me. >> he was always singing your praises about how grate you were. >> you know what? he is wonderful at his job. he's the best ogre i've ever seen. he does it well. he's like a great judge and kind of like a real, you know, he knows people's character. >> he's a cool host, though. i thing i love about -- let me tell you what i hate about him. he's young. he's good looking. he's rich. he wakes up every morning with mariah carey. i want your life. >> can't argue with that. >> do you think he's tough on some of your guests? >> i love the kids on the show. he doesn't care that they're children. >> you crush them. >> i've got three children. he doesn't. i'm an expert in the field. i know that kids, you can't -- fake love doesn't work. tell them when they're great when they're not about something, my kids try a few things. when they're good, i praise them. when they're not so good, ballet is not for you, sunshine. move on. >> she's going to be like all

just tortured for the rest of her life. >> no, he's a boy. >> then that makes sense. and you call him sunshine. >> tell us about the winner. the guy from the chicken farm. >> kevin skinner. >> he's huge. huge. >> i called it from the beginnin as soon as i saw him walk out there and just kind of just gave so much energy and passion, i knew he was going to take it all the way. >> he's such a humble, sweet guy, isn't he? nick and i got to know him well. he's really sincere. this a guy, unemployed chicken catcher from kentucky. used to play on his porch. won the biggest talent show in the world. >> you've got a lot going on. what else is cooking? >> i think i'm going to be like a scientist. i'm doing a study, actually, with axe shower gel. we're looking for the most sensitive men, which city is the most sensitive. >> sensitive? >> sensitive. >> like smelling? >> yeah. they have the shower gel is sensitive. >> come here. come here. >> no.

disgusting. >> you smell clean. >> clean. >> you smell like soap. >> yeah. because i'm a sensitive type of guy. >> what do you like? >> i'm more of like -- i like those natural smells like the fresh smell. don't give me the potpourri. >> nonsensitive people like me? >> i mean, yeah. we got the ogre brand, too. we could hook you up. but, really, we did a study of all of these different cities. what is the most sensitive city. >> what was? >> new york, l.a., you know, ironically you would think, like, you know, the south. like nashville was like the worst on the list. >> really. >> yeah. so you should go there. >> nashville? i don't think so. can i ask you, i just want to just invade your privacy for a minute. married life to mariah carey. come on. how good is this? >> it's amazing. i mean, i don't know about everybody else's marriage, but i'm having the time of my life.

it's like truly, i mean, pardon the pun, but a fantasy. >> do you worry that all guys look at mariah and think that they want her? does it -- >> i hope so. i wouldn't want the girl that didn't nobody want. >> real quick, plug this thing. 30 seconds. >> i'm the chairman, youngest television chairman in television history. >> of what? >> team nick. i'm my own channel. >> you have your own channel? >> yeah. you got some shows. pitch them to me. pitch some messages as the chairman of team nick. >> hey, nick. it's taylor. >> taylor swift. >> congratulations. you're going to make an incredibly cute chairman. >> nothing like a little taylor swift. >> all right, mr. ceo. we got to say good-bye. good luck with everything in your next season. >> see you soon. we'll be back with "who knew" right after this.

it's that time of the week when we take you outside our

studio walls for our "who knew?" quiz show. it is officially autumn. we thought we'd quiz you on everything fall. piers is across the street at dean & deluca. $100 for those who answer correctly, for those who don't, they get kathie lee's cd. these are not real simple questions. >> no, these are not. >> will they do okay? >> some of them i was a little per flple perplexed. >> ladies, who are you? >> i'm kristen. >> dana. >> danielle. >> autumnal equinox.

>> yes. she wins! >> piers, that shocked the three of them and that shocked me. i didn't know what it was. >> it is b. it happened yesterday. i don't know if you were aware. 5:19 p.m. the earth crossed the celestial equator. the days are going to start getting shorter than the nights. >> that starts now? >> yep. >> back across to piers. >> jason, david, right, from toronto. good luck. chicago. get it right. >> i'm going to say vermont. >> vermont. >> yay! >> vermont is right answer. congratulations. >> kathie lee is going to be incredibly disappointed so far. vermont's the spot, huh? >> vermont is the spot.

they have the perfect climate for sugar maples. a lot of the reds. also produce maple syrup. actually the world's leading producer of maple syrup, too. another factoid. >> back across to piers. >> we have tim and lynn from north carolina. third question. >> vanilla. >> yes! there's the gift card. congratulations. >> okay. this is a streak. that's unbelievable. three out of three. i don't think we've had that. >> i guess these questions are real simple. basically, it is vanilla. mulled sigh d ee eed cidar has different ingredients. vanilla is one of the ingredints that's not in mulled cidar. >> let's get that streak continues. >> where you from? >> washington, d.c.

. >> iowa. >> iowa? oh! but the good news, you get the kathie lee cd! >> yay! >> all right. the correct answer there is illinois. >> yeah. it's illinois. so in kings, illinois, there's a pumpkin patch called frays farms. it's a family run business but it is huge. they deliver over 1 million pumpkins around the country every year. >> look at that picture. back across to piers. >> okay. joe from virginia. here we go. >> america. >> america is the wrong answer. it's actually, i'm irish, it's from ireland, i think. yeah. i get the prize. you get the cd. >> so the correct answer is, in fact, ireland. >> the legend is hundreds of

se centuries old. there was a black smith stingy jack. he was not to gain entrance to heaven or hell. he roamed the world with a carved out turnip to light his way. they would put out the ja jack-o-lanterns to ward him off.

we're back with ms. sara haines. >> if you need a tech makeover go to klgandhoda.com. >> she'll come to your house. piers, this has been fun having you here.

we wanted to have a little toast. one of your favorite beverages. it's pimm's. what is that? >> a drink in england. probably the only two weeks of summer we ever get. we get the pimm's out. tastes quite sweet. let's get drinking. >> thank you so, so much. >> i've actually got a little something for you. a little surprise for you. a little thing fro an english gentleman to a beautiful american rose. thank you so much. >> thank you. that is so sweet. thank you so much for coming. you're welcome back any time. we want you back. >> i'd love to come back. thank you. tomorrow we don't have piers, but we do have brooke shields, mckenzie phillips.