>> we should go out and have crossain good morning. tough talk. >> the president's campaign has been i think outrageous in making the kind of charges they have. i think the kinds of attacks are beneath the dignity of the presidency. >> this morning a rare one-on-one interview with the republican presidential candidate mitt romney. >> holly woo tragedy. sylvester stallone's son sage done at the age of 36. there are no signs of foul play. this morning reaction from his devastated father. >> and j-lo, tyler out. big changes at "american idol" as jennifer lopez and steven tyler say their judges days are

over. could randy jackson be the next to go? the search for new talent is on today saturday, july 14th, 201. >> from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and tamron hall live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good evening, i'm lester holt. >> and i'm tamron hall. >> the obama campaign has been trying to turn mitt military's time at bain capital into a negative. now in a rare interview, mitt romney is firing back and calling the obama campaign's attacks outrageous. we'll hear more from him in a moment. >> and more legal could you believe for a member of the kennedy family. robert kennedy's daughter kerry

has been charged with driving while impaired by drugs. it comes just months after her close friend and former sister-in-law committed suicide. we'll have much more. >> and what should happen to penn state's football program in the wake of a child sex scandal? some say the ncaa should suspend it for a year. others are calling for a much more severe punishment. the experts weigh in for what could be next for a very storied football players. >> and a problem for more and more baby boomers, they're addicted to drugs. now the rate of addiction among americans 50 years and older is rapidly rising. we'll ask our experts why it's such a serious problem and how to break the habit. >> we're going to switch gears and talk about purchasing a new car specifically, whether it is better to purchase or maybe lease that car. you might be surprised by what we found. that's coming up. >> let's begin with the republican presidential

candidate mitt romney slamming the obama campaign and defending his own business record. peter, he was anxious to talk. >> we were invited to talk to him on only the second time in an increasingly nasty presidential campaign. romney insisted to me that the president should apologize for what he called reckless and absurd allegations. >> the president's campaign has been i think outrageous in making the kind of charges they have. i think the kind of attacks are beneath the dignity of the president and. i think the president needs to rein in the campaign and start talking about the economy. >> reporter: room any says documents that lists him as ceo

of bain capital, he says he had no daily responsibilities in the company after 1999 when he left to turn around the winter olympics. despite the fact he shared 23 years of tax returns with john mccain's cam pan in 2008 when mccain's team was vetting romney and the fact his own dad released 12 years of return in 1968, romney says he will only share two years of his tax returns during this campaign cycle. obvious yeses ises an to what is going on here? the obama campaign is trying to set the terms of the debate right now. this just released obama campaign ad, they're going to air it in nine swing states, trying to keep the pressure on romney and avoid talking about the weak economy on their watch. as the obama campaign indicated to us after our interview, they say they are still not satisfied with romney's answers and believe the american people will want to see more information.

a lot more questions still to be asked. >> richard wolf, good morning to you. >> good morning, lester. >> romney did five interviews yesterday trying to refute these allegations. did he do himself any favors? >> on the surface this was a confident, assertive performance by mitt romney. he had tremendous discipline between these various interviews and he certainly tried to land some punches against the obama campaign, but if you look at the substance of what he said, he was so assertive and so clear that i think he left himself a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of problems moving forward. for instance, he told peter he had no responsibility whatsoever for what happened at bain capital. and it's very hard to square that kind of statement with the official documents he signed where, in fact, he had a legal responsibility at ceo and managing director. so this story has some way to run still. >> did he need to offer more than just the interviews? in order to change the

conversation back to the economy where he feels more comfortable, did he need to come out with even more. >> these interviews deal with his central premise for saying he's an economic chief and has the ability to create jobs, which is the most important part of this whole election debate. there are very limited formats, these interviews. 15 minutes, he does five of them, it about an hour long. when you compare it to what candidate obama did when he was faced with a questionable land deal, he sat down for hours with a couple of editorial boards. there were no documents here, the questioning was very limited. so, again, there really wasn't enough here to put this story to rest. >> the conventional wisdom is we're in the summer, people aren't paying close attention to this race, yet there was a "washington post"/abc poll that surveyed voters in eight battleground states and found that 32% found that romney's time at bain is a reason to vote against him versus 16% who said it was a reason to support him.

he'd like to put this to bed sooner than later before things get hot down the stretch. how will he do that? >> well, i think there have got to be some other documentary evidence they lay out, a fuller answering and they've got to do it before we get through to the convention time. so that same miscalculations frankly were made by the kerry campaign in 2004. they thought the attacks on john kerrey's service, whether he knew where he stood on the iraq war, they happened over the summer. no one wanted to hear negative ads, that's what they thought. it's having an impact. >> what do you think of conde rice's name as being floated as a possible vice presidential running mate? >> it's very curious. she's a very charismatic person. but she's never run herself. she doesn't track with the domestic policy of mitt romney or even the foreign policy. a compelling character but maybe

not the best fit and a strange time for this to come out. >> and governor romney officially is not talking about any vice presidential speculation. here's tamron. >> thank you. to the child abuse sex scandal at penn state. an independent report released this week blasted four top penn state officials, including joe paterno, for failing to report allegations of crimes committed by jerry sandusky. what does this mean for the future of penn state? as well as paterno's legacy? sonny hostin is a "today" legal analyst. john, let me start off with you. this report was unbelievable from top to bottom. we know joe paterno, other power players are blamed for turning a blind eye to these horrific crimes. but the university itself, what

might happen as a result of these allegations? >> this is unprecedented. there are bylaws in the ncaa manual that sort of address that, unethical contact, loss of institutional control but there's never been anything like this so criminal in nature the ncaa is going to have decide do we wade into this territory. we'll have to see. >> you've had people call for the so-called death penalty in football, which means no football for at least a year. is that possible? >> it's very possible. that knocks out a program for five years at least. that happened in dallas. the ncaa is waiting for penn state to make a move as well. they are waiting for penn state to answer four questions they asked them back in november and then they're going to have to make their decision. but the football season is seven to eight weeks away and it will be very curious if they haven't tendered a decision by then and football starts. >> sonny, you believe this report or conducting the report was a preemptive report by penn

state. was it to show transparency? >> i don't think it was altruistic at all. institution does this because they want to show they can do the work themselves, the justice department doesn't have to get involved, the ncaa doesn't have to get involved, they can have louis freeh come in and they can fix it and ward off prosecution and crimes. it's a smart move. is it altruistic? i don't think so. >> it didn't ward off anything. if anything we learn more about this deep coverup and sandusky was found guilty on multiple crimes here so what did they prove? >> they proved that there was a problem but that they're trying to address the problem. let's face it, the blame was placed squarely on four men, one no longer with us and two men facing criminal prosecution and one who hasn't been charged criminally. >> president of the university,

graham spanier. >> i suspect that's coming. i think the attorney general did not have those very damning e-mails, that evidence, to go forward against him. >> what about the football culture here? i'm from texas, friday night lights, penn state, the same way. these schools depend on football, people go to universities if the program is good not just to play but to attend and be part of that pride and the billions brought in here. >> it comes down to doing the right thing. i heard someone say the other day it isn't about football. it's all about football. everything done was to protect the football program. people say joe paterno was trying to protect himself. everything was about keeping this culture in in tact. >> in corporation not cover up these horrific crimes but cover up crimes, protect the money?

>> of course but that doesn't make it morally correct. never in the freeh report it was mentioned that they tried to find out who these children were, they that an they ever tried to contact the children and fight out about their welfare. >> and that's egregious. that's what people are so surprised at, there were ch children here and there was a complete disregard for the children. >> let's go to tom at the newsdesk. >> good morning, everyone. the united nations is blaming government forces for the latest massacre in syria. we have more from cairo. >> reporter: good morning. activists are saying the syrian military began surrounding the town and went to the village, house to house, street to street killing at close range. the syrian residents say it was

fighting armed terrorists and they were simply rescuing it from the hands of terrorists. the united nations has confirmed the use of heavy weaponry, implicating the syrian military on on saturday morning they left damascus, sent a team of investigators to hear firsthand accounts of exactly what happened. they've not conclusively determined the accounts of either side. the united states and european allies have strongly condemned the massacre, as they've described it. u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton has described it as a deliberate attempt by the assad regime to murder civilians. many are calling on the united nations security council to take a decisive decision as to how to stop the violence. the u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton will be arriving in egypt later this afternoon. she's expected to be meeting with egypt's president to discuss the crisis in syria as well as the country's democratic transition and other bilateral economic issues here.

>> thank you. >> four people are still missing after a land slide flattened a tiny town in british columbia. a wall of rock, mud and trees came sliding down the side of a mountain crushing at least three homes. they've declared a state of emergency in the area. >> in the states, 2,000 firefighters are battling a wildfire in northern california. the fire has grown to 1,200 acres. this latest wildfire is burning in rugged terrain and is only 10% contained. >> a crash of cultures leaves a woman seriously hurt in pennsylvania. authorities say a horse-drawn carriage which the 21-year-old woman was driving stopped at a traffic lied friday in philadelphia's historic section but the horse was startled and ran into traffic. the horse hit an suv and the woman fell on the vehicle's windshield. the, tent of hers injuries hasn't been released the horse was found unharmed a

block away. >> zoo is showing off a pair of rare white lion cubs. for now they're living in the zoo director's office. their favorite toys are a stuffed monkey and a soccer ball and the cubs actually, we got late word, they wanted to thank tamron for honoring them this morning by wearing white. >> oh, i'm so honored. they can come home with me at least for a day or two. >> i want the web cam set up. >> i'm concerned, though, they let them play with stuffed monkeys. that trains them to eyeball monkeys later. >> trust me, at some point they will be eyeballing monkeys. that's going to happen. >> bill karins has hour first check of the forecast. >> the drought and heat wave of the summer, thisf the summer, this is like a tease weekend. it's not as hot, some areas of rain. we need the rainfall, we had a

little yesterday in phoenix, and the green on the maps where it's raining, so there is areas of rain but no spot where it will get drenched. it's cooling you off, and in the east it's the same. it's a so-so weekend. last a look at your national forecast. >> good sat morning, i'm chuck belle, we're off to a start of rain showers and a rumble or two of thunder. 66 rain cooled degrees now. you can see our one storm drifting up to prince gorge's county. be on the look out here and on the north sides as well. scattered showers to >> that's your saturday forecast. lester? >> bill, thanks. when we board a plane we take for granted the money and women sitting up front have the experience and qualifications to keep us safe.

flying obviously a crucial job but aviation experts are warning pilots could soon be in very short supply. we get more from tom costello. >> reporter: 21-year-old costas was born to fly. he just graduated from airnautical university. he can't fly planes until he's 23. >> this himself been my dream. now that i am flying, that's what i'm going to do and i'll go wherever i need to go to continue flying. >> reporter: bowing is now forecasting 460,000 new pilots will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years, 69,000 in north america alone. why so many? an expected flood of retiring pilots is one reason and thousands of u.s. pilots are

taking jobs overseas where pay is higher and demand is skyrocketing. u.s. military pilots are staying in the service longer and for civilians, becoming a pilot isn't cheap. just paying for aeronautical school could use new pilots were debts approaching $200,000 while the starting pay at a regional airline averaging just $25,000. >> we're going to have to address that problem and make sure we're paying pilots appropriately so they'll be trained here in the u.s., be able to have a job in the u.s. and have a livable wage in the u.s. >> reporter: low pay and poor piloting were cited in the crash that killed 50 people in buffalo in 2009. aviation analyst john cox. >> i'm more concerned about the quantity and quality of pilots in oversea pilots than i am the pilots in the u.s. >> reporter: the coming challenge, attracting and keeping enough pilots like

costas who are willing to stay in the u.s. and do their flying here. >> it's now 19 minutes past the hour. >> now to a story of family ties and how a devastating diagnosis brought long-lost sisters back together. >> reporter: they say twins have a special bond. >> i move here, she moves here. it just -- it's weird. >> reporter: washington state sisters stephanie and kim shared everything, including cancer. >> everything steph gets i get. >> reporter: stephanie was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. kim a year later. both got double mastectomies, preventive hysterectomies and similar tattoos to cover their scars. but it turned out they also shared something else, the breast cancer gene mutation

brca1. >> that explains why i got family. >> reporter: the twins wanted to warn other family members to get tested. but there was a catch. >> we were adopted in ft. lauderdale, florida. >> reporter: they had no idea who their biological mother was and the record across the country in florida were sealed until a genetic counselor from seattle swedish medical center stepped in. >> i said to the judge that this information is critical for the medical care of her biological family. >> reporter: the records were unsealed. while the twins learned their mother died from breast cancer in 2003, they also found out unbeknownst to them she lived less than an hour away, was treated at the very same hospital they were and she had another daughter. >> she says, hey, my name is steph, i am your natural half sister. >> reporter: while hearing from her half sister was welcome news for laurie, it also meant the possibility she shared their

gene mutation and the potential to also develop cancer. >> november of 2011 i got tested and found out i was also positive. >> reporter: her half sisters knew her pain but unlike them, laura had no health insurance and couldn't afford what could be life saving preventive surgery. >> if i won the lottery, i would pay for everything and i would do everything for her. >> reporter: and that's when their family got one more surprise. the hospital had seen their story on the local nbc station and offered to do laurie's surgeries for free. >> i've never won anything in my life and i think my luck just changed. >> reporter: luck with a lot of help from her new-found sisters, a family who shares so much, including a new determination to keep saving lives. for "today," kristin dahlgren,

nbc news, washington. >> what a story. they came of age in the 60s and now millions of baby boomers struggle with addiction. coming up, what to do if you're one of them? >> but first, this is "today" on

they spent a week planting 6,000 oak trees leaving a perfect heart shape in the center. he did this in honor of his wife who died 17 years ago. i think somebody was coming by in a balloon and photographed that. >> someone saw it and saw what a labor of love that i thought was so special. the point of the heart points in the direction of where his wife was born, her hometown. i know. water works in a second.

he he sits on the hill and reflects on their marriage and their love. >> i don't know how a guy can do that. very special. >> they were married for 33 years. >> more tom come on "today," we'll tell you whether you should buy or lease your new car.

good morning, it is 7:26 on this saturday, july 14th. topping the news, drivers on the gw parkway might want to pick a different route today. a three mile stretch is closed for most of today as crews clean up trees down from last month's storm. and roads between bell view and colling are closed. the biggest issue is on the blue and yellow lines for trains. . there will also be single

tracking on the red, green, and orange lines.

the weekend is off to a wet start, but let's find out when the rain will clear out of here. >> good morning, you waited all week for your weekend, it's finally here, and we're starting off with rain showers on the radar first thing this morning. temperaturing generally 70 degrees. . the radar shows one thundershower now going straight up i-95. the folks that live out on the north side will have showers to contend with. more clouds than sunday today, passing showers, a rumble or two

of thunder, lostly in the 80s today. more humid tomorrow. tomorrow, rich, more like upper 80s good morning. we're back on this saturday morning, july 14th, 2012. we're joined by a great crowd here at rockefeller plaza on a warm summer morning. i am tamron hall with lester holt who booted me. this is lester's side. i sat on this side. he came over with a barry white tone and said "get off my side." >> i said "excuse me, i think you're getting in my seat." >> no, you said this is my house, get on over. >> i don't make the seating charts. >> i got it. i know my place. coming up this half hour, a medical crisis that just might surprise you. baby boomers and drug addiction.

>> it's a problem affecting more than 5 million american adults. we'll hear from one man who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years. the experts will weigh in on why this problem seems to be hitting baby boomers especiay hard. what you can do if you or someone you love needs to kick the habit. >> then we'll talk about buying a car. it's fun thinking about the model or color but you should be thinking about how you're going to pay for it and whether you want to buy or lease. did you buy or lease your first car? >> my first car i bought. i've leased one, too. >> i've done both, too. it's interesting whether you save money. we'll look at both and see how you come out the end. >> i never did the arithmetic. >> you just had money to throw away like that? >> no, i didn't. i don't own a car now. that's the cheapest way. and get this, it's been 50 years

since the rolling stones' first gig. mick will tell us what keeps them going 50 years later. >> baby boom and addiction. a recent study finds substance abuse is a growing problem for people in their 50s and early 60s. for many addicts, their lives have to fall apart before they put things back together. >> there were many, many binges and disappearances by me. i think the wheel fell off the cart, my family situation was not good, my wife had had enough, my children had enough. the business that i owned was falling apart. >> rich, who asked to us use his first name only spent decades battling an alcohol and cocaine addiction. >> progressively things got worse. the types of drugs, the way i was using alcohol and drugs, the method of using became worse. and it was hard for me to come back. >> for a generation that came of

age until drug fueled era of the 60s and early 70s, experts are warning baby boomers about a dangerous turn, rising drug abuse later in life. in a government sponsored national survey, more than 5 million adults used an illicit drug last year, more than any generation ever before. >> they're worried about finances, they're worried about their parents, they're worried about their kid and at the very same time, they're experiencing their bodies breaking down. they're looking for a quick fix. there are no quick fixes. >> and for many, their substance of choice is readily available. >> alcohol is legal. prescription drugs, they start off being prescribed by a physician. if a physician is prescribing you a medication, you better take it. >> the increase has caused the national institute of health to send out a consumer alert, the first ever to warn boomers about

the signs and dangers of precisions and illicit drug abuse. the warning all too late for rick, who is recovering and rebuilding his life. >> i have a job, i'm a positive influence and role model for my children. i lf a day at a time. >> dr. janet taylor is a psychologist and brad lamb is an interventionist. brad, this is what you do? >> i've seen it booming. i've heard a client mention it as an aarp onset. when the client is getting older, they're turning to the drug to deal with life's normal stressors. >> dr. taylor, a lot of it is stress and depression. we've seen in the baby boomers, an almost denial of growing older. is this part of the crisis, not wanting to accept the process >> one is that baby boomers are

use to utilizing whether it's street drugs or self-medicating and they've grown up in that era of reaching for certainly. i think not enough physicians inquire about whether older americans are using substances in terms of how to cope. and then the fact is people are more stressed, whether it's retirement, life transition and there is an increase in depression and anxiety. >> let's talk to both of you about the idea of self-medicating. when do you turn that corner from glass wine after a tough day to really having a problem? >> to that moment where you say i can't feel my nose and things start to fall apart. we're seeing clients more and more take anxiety medication like xanax or add medication, even in the boomers. both those drugs have a high rate of dependency. so if you are a person prone to addition, you can start it very innocently with a doctor's prescription and, boom, you're off to the races before you know

it. >> the line between use and abuse and dependence is when you're not able to work, your relationships are impaired, everything you do in terms of unhealthy coping means, you need a drink or a bill, you have a problem and up need to talk to someone like bill or your health care provider to establish whether you need outside help. >> we're talking a generation where 60s and 70s drug use was more prevalent and social. does that impact addiction later in your life? >> the younger you use, the more maliable you are to using later. when you're using in your teens and early 20s, you're much more likely to go back to that later in your life. >> and the people who we think of are normal addicts but also you have older people trying to cope with the stress of life but

suddenly developing what can be really a habit. and so i think no one is immune from this and so it's not about pointing fingers but understanding how you cope, what you use and really being aware of it. >> and the one thing that the boomers definitely still need help with is talking with each other about addiction and intervention. we don't just have to sit still and wait for somebody to drop. we really can step in and help interrupt and get help. >> thanks to both of you for coming on this morning. >> bill karins is on the plaza with our forecast. >> the folks from washington state, is this the first time you folks have been able to wear tank tops? >> pretty much. >> it's bang to get warm. >> the rest of the country was boiling hot. let's talk about your forecast out there. let's talk about the uv index.

the gulf we expect to be high, but a couple spots with clouds today in virginia and maryland it will be cloudy. water temperatures are warm. virginia beach looks like a nice spot to head to the water. and a mix of sun and clouds, a lot of areas of the country, it will move up there louisiana and kentucky. we desperately need rainfall in the state of indiana. that's a look at your national forecast. >> a good saturday morning, i'm chuck bell, it's raining hard now across much of howard county, maryland. this is headed to the city of baltimore. if you're traveling this morning and going up i-95 be ready for rain chances for sure. forecast for today, present of clouds around, a passing shower cannot be ruled out this afternoon.

today's highs upper 80s. well, there's going to be a lot of hit-and-miss showers today. if you want help for your daily forecast hour by hour, go to weather.com. >> catching up with the rolling stones, who have been rocking for a half century now. and should you lease or buy your next car? we'll weigh the pros and cons of each option right after this. as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior,

or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. ask your doctor if lyrica is right abracadabra. ♪ hershey's milk chocolate with almonds in pieces. your favorites, in pieces. the moisturizer in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down.

dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. this morning on "today's consumer," should you lease or buy when you're getting a new car? there are plusses and minuses for both objections. and we're here to accept sort through the pros and cons of each. john, good morning. it's good to see you. >> thank you for having me. >> when someone is considering leasing or purchasing, what is the first thing to think about? >> you should first think about

what you want a car? do you want a car in a hyundai budget and bmw dreams? tease the real issue, what money you have and what you want to pay for a car. >> people say you should buy a car, buy a house. but leasing you're not really owning it. >> leasing let's you have a new model all the time, it's a car you don't have to worry about repairing on a maintenance schedule. with a lease you're only paying for a small part of it. you're buying that three-year window of the lease and that let's you get into a little more expensive car for the same price you would be pay fog buy a less expensive one. >> on the flip side, purchasing a car versus a lease, what's the

up side there? >> you'll have an asset at the end. if you keep it six or seven years, which many people do, you have three years without paying any kind of payments. you have a lot of money in the bank and in the end you can trade that car in. it may not be worth a ton but can you trade it in. >> a recent study said americans are keeping our kaurs eight to t -- cars eight to ten years in the past, longer than ever before. at the end of the lease, do you walk in, hand in your cars? >> it depends on the manufacture. my ex-wife and i leased as well. we had to pay when we turned in the car. sometimes they'll say come in six months early, we'll get you into a new car, we'll waive some fees but you're always going into that situation where you have to plan ahead because at the end of the three years, you're stuck, you have no car whatsoever. >> let's talk financing. better interest rate if you buy or lease? >> you tend to get good interest rates with both depending on the

manufacture but with the lease you're paying for the depreciation in that little window. you're paying the most amount of depreciati depreciation. that's where you get hurt. >> is there an ideal candidate for leasing? someone who is younger and likes to mix it up? >> if someone looks something new and doesn't want to worry about repairs, that's great. an older person who doesn't drive a lot. with lease you get 29 miles a day without paying. that's not a lot. >> bottom line, does one save you more money over the long run? >> over the long run buy. buy your car, save the money, even if it's zero dollars of value, you've had four, five, six years of paying nothing that you've been hopefully banking that money. >> thank you. up next, they started it up 50

years ago. we'll catch up with mick jagger, keith richard and the rest of the rolling stones as the band marks its 50th anniversary. they don't look a day over 20. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] you've been years in the making. and there are many years ahead. join the millions of members who've chosen an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. go long. insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. without the baby-sitter calling. girl: i think she likes it! try the $20 dinner for two, at chili's. have multiple ways to help you save. they'll reach out to your doctor...

♪ go above and beyond to find lower priced options... ♪ and enroll you in walgreens prescription savings club... which saves members an average of one hundred and seventy dollars a year. ask your pharmacist how much you can save today at walgreens. ♪ do you ever wish you could make some things just disappear? [ ping! ] that's why i use new tampax radiant.

with its best-ever leak protection, it helps keep my period out of sight. hi. so i can stand out. new tampax radiant. for their "destination wedding." double miles you can "actually" use. but with those single mile travel cards... [ bridesmaid ] blacked out... but i'm a bridesmaid. oh! "x" marks the spot she'll never sit. but i bought a dress! a toast... ...to the capital one venture card. fly any airline, any flight, anytime. double miles you can actually use. what a coincidence? what's in your wallet? [ all screaming ] watch the elbows ladies.

it's hard to believe but the rolling stones started their legendary career 50 years ago this week. despite their advanced ages, the band is showing no signs of slowing down. michelle kosinski caught up with them in london. ♪ start me up >> we're still young in some ways. i know lots of people that can't even walk that are at my age, poor things. >> reporter: 50 years ago, the middle-class british teen-agers play their first gigs earning 50 bucks. >> it went down really well. >> they outlasted the club and now a bank. ♪ what a drag it is getting old ♪ >> reporter: appropriate for the group that has sold hundreds of millions of records, played before many other band in

history. in the beginning mick quit the prestigious london school of economics to do this. and you were going to be a banker or something? >> i wanted to be in the foreign service. i ended up, you know, in a back yard of corrupt african country and stolen a lot of money off them. >> well, you've still got time. ♪ time is on my side >> reporter: something they never thought would last. >> we were just living day to day and that's how we approached life and to a large extent that's how i still think about it. >> i'm looking forward to see what happens next really. >> reporter: together they have plans to play live again soon. when was the last time you had an idea for a new song? >> this morning in the shower. >> reporter: are you amazed that you're still going and that you're still alive and that you're still at it? >> yeah.

it's been pretty difficult to be bored doing this really. >> about 56 years' time i think we'll get bored of it. ♪ and i tried, and i tried >> i still get a kick out of playing "satisfaction." i still haven't got it quite right yet. >> reporter: did you find the satisfaction? >> still looking for more. >> reporter: and ever managing to keep their biggest secret yet that these rock gods are senior citizens. >> just ahead on "today," a tragedy for sylvester stallone. his older son, age, who followed in his show biz foot steps is debt. we'll get reaction from the hollywood icon.

still to come on "today," more public trouble. one of robert kennedy's carrs is arrested for driving under the influence. and jennifer lopez and steven tyler leaving "american idol," after these messages. [ woman ] dinner with the girls tonight. i better skip breakfast. [ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] skipping breakfast to get ahead? research shows that women that eat breakfast like the special k breakfast actually weigh less. what will you gain when you lose?™ look no further than the new chocolate chip frappé from mccafé.

bits of chocolate chips in every sip, blended into mocha and caramel, all topped with a double drizzle of chocolate and sweet caramel. the simple joy of the perfect sip. i've been fortunate to win on golf's biggest stages. but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit, even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like. i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage. because enbrel, etanercept, suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness.

[ phil ] get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biolog medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. everyone's talking about the all-new american girl movie. it's empowering. i'm going to be up there wearing my gold. a celebration of friendship. an american girl, mckenna shoots for the stars. tonight 8/7 central here on nbc.

good morning, it is 7:56 on this saturday. . the dc police officer accused of making a threat against michelle obama is on desk duty. he reportedly said he would, quote, take out the first lady in a roll kal meeting. another often heard and told the supervisor. two rich monday police officers are out of jobs after making threats against the first family. they made the comments after the president's last trip to rich mon in may. investigator wills not reveal consumers today have a legitimate concern about the chicken they eat.

they want to know more about how they were raised, what they were fed. we spend a lot of time on the feed because a chicken is what it eats. [ jim ] this seal verifies we feed my fresh all-natural chickens an all-vegetarian diet including corn, soybeans, and marigolds. we actually ask the usda to come check us. we have never fed steroids or hormones and never will. no blood meal, no meat and bone meal. yuck. no animal by-products. it means when you put my chicken on the table, you know where it came from.

♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] what's the point of an epa estimated 42 miles per gallon if the miles aren't interesting? the lexus ct hybrid. this is the pursuit of perfection.

rain to get us started this weekend. >> good morning, everybody. plenty of clouds and rain drops out there first thing on your saturday. temperatures are finally starting to inch their way up just a little bit. upper 60s to low and mid-70s. the thunderstorm is on the north and west sides of annapolis. be on the look out for that. may be in for slight delays. more clouds and sunshine, passing showering, not expecting much in the way of severe weather. upper 80s to near 90 today. upper 0s to low 90s tomorrow before the heat starts to build back in. richard? >> all right, we have another

news update in 25 minutes. now we'll send it back to new york and "the today" show. welcome back to "today" on saturday, july 14, 2014. inside studio 1a, i'm lester holt alongside tamron hall. >> i understand we're ending with activity, we're not doing food. every time we end with some kind of sport and i want to end on a pan take. >> it's not going to end that way. i think it's some kind of agility course they have for us after. we'll have pancakes after.

>> i love that. coming up, kerry kennedy was arrested for driving under drugs after an accident in new york. police found her behind the wheel of a damaged car on the side of the road. her attorney is disputing the charges. more on this story in a few minutes. >> then tragedy for sylvester stallone. the rock star's 36-year-old son is dead. sage stallone solid in his father's foot steps. they acted together in "rocky 5." we'll have the family's reaction to this very sad ending. >> and a tennessee woman adopted a little boy from russia, then sent him back saying he had severe emotional problems and is extremely violent. should she still have to pay child for for him? >> and then american idol helped launch careers like kelly clarkson. now judges jennifer lopez and steven tyler are leaving the

show. randy jackson may have a new role on the show. we'll look at what the future of idol may be. >> republican presidential hopeful mitt romney is going on the defense of disputing allegations that he was dishonest about his ten year at the helm of bain capital. he sat down with peter alexander. >> reporter: we sat down with a rare opportunity to be with mitt romney, only our second in eight months traveling with his campaign. the former massachusetts governor has been facing growing scrutiny about his business record at bain capital, his private equity firm, and his personal finances. romney insists that the president should apologize for what he called reckless and absurd allegations about him. in a heated campaign that's become increasingly nasty with

president obama's and mitt romney's making charges against each other. >> i think the attacks are beneath the president's dignity. >> reporter: they are bringing new allegations, specifically about when he stopped running the firm. romney said he retired in '99. but these sec documents list him as the company's chief executive officer in 2000 and 2001. >> i think most americans figure if you're the chairman, ceo and president of a company, that you are responsible for what that company does. >> reporter: so if you were officially the boss in those years, why are you still responsible for bain capital's activities, including the outsourcing of jobs at that time? >> if february of 1999 i left bain capital and left all management authority and responsibility for the firm. hi no ongoing activity or involvement in the affairs of

bain capital. >> reporter: if in fact it is the case that you left in february of 1999 and some independent fact checkers suggest that that is exactly the case, is it fair then to take credit for jobs that were created by bain capital after that time? can you have both ways? >> well, what i pointed out was that businesses that we helped create and helped start went on to create lots of jobs. so if you're responsible for starting a business and it grows and adds a lot of jobs in the coming years, then i'm happy to point out that my involvement was in helping get that business started and seeing it grow over the years. >> reporter: romney's personal finances have also been in question. despite sharing 23 years of tax returns with senator john mccain's campaign when being vetted for vice president in 2008, romney insists he'll only put out two years during his own presidential campaign. >> i understand the opposition research people at the obama campaign want more information that they can try and dig through. you know what? i put out as much as we're going

to put out. >> reporter: romney was also tight lipped regarding reports that condoleezza rice is a front-runner for a running mate. and the obama campaign is still not satisfied tenure at bain and they still want to see his tax returns, as well as minutes from bain meetings. he said they believe the american people want to see more and they'll back with a new ad they'll unveil. >> and a week after bad unemployment numbers about this and romney would like us to get back to that. >> now let's get a check of the rest of the day's stories. >> u.n. observers are on their way in syria's rebellious hama province because of reports of yet another massacre. the united nations blames government forces for the deaths of more than 200 syrian, mostly

civilians. if confirmed, it would be the worst single incident of violence in 16 months that residents have been fighting to get rid of president bashar al assad. >> back in the u.s., lawyers for george zimmerman said his current judge is biased because he said zimmerman flaunted the system after failing to disclose thousands of dollars from an online defense fund. >> when team usa competes in the 2012 olympics in london, it will be wearing uniforms designed by american ralph lauren but made in china. that's making people in congress very angry. senate majority leader harry reid said the u.s. olympic committee should be ashamed. lauren said starting with the 2014 games in russia, uniforms for the american athletes will be made in the united states. >> and olympic runner debbie dunn is dropping out of the

london games after failing a doping test. she was to compete in the 4 x 400 meter relay but doesn't want the issue to distract her teammates. coverage of the olympics begins friday, july 27th on nbc. >> hollywood producer richard zanuck has died. he died of a heart attack in his home in beverly hills. he was 77 years old. >> and in san jose, the 33rd annual meeting of comic-con. for fans of sci-fi and super naturals, it's like christmas in july. a lot of fun there and exciting characters. that's the news. back to lester and tamron. >> that's my dream vacation?

>> really? >> yes, yes. i would love to go as a star wars character, princess leia or that kid. >> this is the "today" show, let's make it happen. bill, i am your father. see, i'm going crazy. >> come on, princess leia a little too obvious. maybe one of the fun, something like that. let's talk about houston, texas. the last three mornings in the road, they have had the worst weather in the country. some people had to be rescued and you have to try to make the best out of it. the system responsible for this moved to the north now in louisiana. and how much would we love to get some of this rain up in indiana. we're really hurting. this is the driest 45 day

stretch that und nap lis has ever recorded. that's saying something. they had nine tenths of an inch of rain. it looks like it will be warm out there. the best chance of rain in indianapolis is today. look what happens, it gets hot and hue mind all the way out there monday and tuesday, and doesn't look like a lot of relief until thursdays. we have farmers and friends out here from iowa and they say they're hurting just as bad. here is a look at your weather. >> good saturday morning. i'm chuck bell, a cloudy start here in washington and there are showers with rumbles of thunder now headed out to the bay. 68 in hagerstown. 73 in fredericksberg.

there is that thunderstorm going to the open waters. plenty of clouds today with the >> and i have to give my congratulations to the newlyweds here. and your last name is the niblets. >> was that like a make or break? >> no, but they did laugh. >> congratulations to you guys. hope you had a wonderful wedding. back to tamron. >> a new round of legal trouble for the kennedy family. this time it's rfk's daughter kerry. >> reporter: kerry kennedy, human rights activist -- >> why not stop torture. >> reporter: and the daughter of robert f. kennedy was arrested

for driving while under the influence of drugs. witnesses say the vehicle collided with tractor trailer and embasxited the interstate. police found her behind the wheel of her damaged luxury suv. a report says the an investigation found the 52-year-old was operating the vehicle while her ability was impaired by drugs. in a statement to nbc news, a kennedy spokesperson disputes the charges saying kerry kennedy voluntarily took breathalyzer, blood and urine tests, all of which showed no drugs or alcohol whatsoever in her system. the charges were filed before the test results were available. those test results, according to kennedy's attorney, were provided by the hospital but sources familiar with the case tell nbc news blood and urine tests were also sent to a police lab and it could take several

days for results to come back to show any proof of drugs in her system. in may kennedy gave an emotional speech following the suicide of mary kennedy, her lifelong friend and brother rob are the f. kennedy, jr.'s estranged wife. >> mary was my best, best friend. >> reporter: kennedy's attorney tells nbc news she was shaken by the accident but didn't sustain any injuries and is doing okay. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> now here's lester. >> tamron, thanks. now to a hollywood tragedy. the 26-year-old son of actor sylvester stallone is dead. authorities are looking into what happened. >> reporter: sylvester stallone is facing one of the toughest fights of his life, dealing with the loss of his oldest son, sage, after a housekeeper found

his body at his hollywood hills home on friday. >> i've been told that they'd been very close, it was a very, very close, special relationship he had with his oldest son. >> reporter: movie goers were first introduced to sage when he starred side by side his dad in "rocky 5." he went on to star and direct other projects. a rep for sylvester stallone issued this statement: "sylvester stallone is devastated and grief-stricken over the sudden loss of his son sage. his loss will be felt forever. >> it's a mystery that a guy relatively young with a lot going for him with suddenly die. >> reporter: according to entertainment web sites, drugs could have played a role in his death and prescription bottles were taken from the home. >> there's rumors it may have been a drug overdose. it's too early to say what exactly killed him. >> reporter: police are

investigating, trying to find an exact cause of death. the coroner said late friday there were no signs of foul play. >> he was planning on getting married. he had a lot of film projects and all types of things moving ahead in his future. >> reporter: another hollywood tragedy and a life gone too soon. >> it's now 14 minutes past the hour. once again here's tamron. >> thank you. now to the fallout from the child sex abuse scandal at penn state, the school faces mounting legal issues and an uncertain future in the ncaa. >> reporter: with former fbi director louis freeh's stinging indictment of penn state leaders, calling joe paterno, calls for the ncaa to act have been mounting. >> you've got the very significant possibility that the ncaa will step in and deliver its own version of the death penalty, which is to suspend penn state's football program

for a year or possibly more. >> reporter: the ncaa says it now expects answers to tough questions it posed to penn state last november after jerry sandusky's arrest. among them, did the individuals come play with all ncaa bylaws, including one requiring coaches and administrators to have moral values so certain and positive that those younger and more pliable will be influenced by a fine example. a penn state spokesman told nbc news the school is now preparing a formal response and is hiring a special counsel to deal with the ncaa. but the school's defense could prove difficult in light of freeh's findings that top penn state officials -- >> repeatedly concealed facts relating to sandusky's child abuse. >> reporter: football has been central to penn state's identity and brings in $53 million a year. all of that could be in jeopardy if the knancaa were to impose i most severe penalties.

>> this is an opportunity for the ncaa to take some leadership. >> reporter: vicky thinks freeh's report is right on target. >> it tells us that really well intentioned people at one point lost sight of what higher education and what the university is all about. >> reporter: the former officials singled out by freeh deny wrong doing and many here believe it would be wrong to punish the entire program. >> it would be totally unfair because it would penalize people that had nothing do with jerry sandusky. >> reporter: the verdict by the ncaa may mean as much to the penn state community as any delivered by a judge or a jury. >> still to come, another breakup for jennifer lopez. she and steven tyler are leaving "american idle." is randy jackson far behind? right after these messages. and every footstep should tell us we made the right decision. so when we can feel our way through the newest,

softest, and most colorful options... ...across every possible price range... ...our budgets won't be picking the style. we will. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. make room for savings with $37 basic installation on martha stewart living and platinum plus carpet.

would they switch? notice a difference? it feels a bit tight. [ female announcer ] soap leaves behind soap residue that can cause a tight draggy feeling. with 1/4 moisturizing cream, dove cleansers rinse cleaner than soap. trick question. i love everything about this country! including prilosec otc. you know one pill each morning treats your frequent heartburn so you can enjoy all this great land of ours has to offer like demolition derbies. and drive thru weddings. so if you're one of those people who gets heartburn and then treats day after day, block the acid with prilosec otc and don't get heartburn in the first place. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. . a major shake-up this week at "american idol." big changes are coming to the

judges table again. veronica de la cruz has details. >> reporter: the american idol exodus is in full effect. on thursday aerosmith front man steven styler said "i decided it's time for me to let go of my mistress before she boils my rabbit. and jennifer lopez told ryan sea crest she was leaving as well. >> i was dreading this phone call with you. >> i am thinking that maybe it's time for me to go and do the things -- other things that i really am -- love to do. >> reporter: the next big question is will randy "dawg" jackson stay or go? ♪ should i stay or should i go >> what we're being told at the

moment is that randy will not be staying with "american idol." >> reporter: the only original judge remaining, jackson has been there for 11 years. >> he's kind of part of the old idol and they're very keen to rejuvenate the show, freshen it up a little bit. >> reporter: fox hasn't made an official comment about jackson. e says look out for mariah carey, nicki minaj. ratings have been slipping in the field. >> if america doesn't vote therks don't go through. >> reporter: some say idol is showing signs of wear and tear. but will it bring back an audience to primetime? >> there's nothing better than a shake-up. people will tune in and see who the new judges will be and what the new show will look like.

>> reporter: one this evening is certain, idol researchers have to start a different kind of talent search before singers even sing a single note. >> and still ahead, oscar nominated actor michael clark duncan rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. we'll have the latest. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

did a kangaroo just hop by here? >> not only did it hop by but it eyeballed us. >> we will talk to a kangaroo. >> well, we're not going to talk to a kangaroo. >> i'm excited a kangaroo went hopping by. we'll be back in a moment but first -- >> a kangaroo and olympic athletes coming up. just your an. it's your daughter's wedding.

did you know with your health insurance you may now have some preventive benefits with no co-pays or out-of-pocket costs? it isn't just your cholesterol screening. it's all the tomorrows you're looking forward to. learn more at healthcare.gov. ♪ power surge, let it blow your mind. [ male announcer ] for fruits, veggies and natural green tea energy... new v8 v-fusion plus energy. could've had a v8. use the points we earn with our citi thankyou card for a relaxing vacation. ♪ sometimes, we go for a ride in the park. maybe do a little sightseeing. or, get some fresh air. but this summer, we used our thank youpoints to just hang out with a few friends in london. [ male announcer ] the citi thankyou visa card. redeem the points you've earned to travel with no restrictions.

rewarding you, every step of the way.

. good morning, it is 8:26 on this saturday, july 14th. topping your news for today, an electrical short is to blame for a massive apartment complex fire. more than 100 firefighters work to contain the blaze and rescued 17 people trapped in their homes. it happened on castle boulevard yesterday morning. no one was hurt in that fire. the red cross is helping those whose homes were destroyed. nose on the gw parkway may want to pick a different ruth today. crews are cleaning up downed tree's from last month's severe

storm storms. both the north and southbound lanes are closed, and delays on the metro this weekend as crews work on all five lines. they will replace trains between braddock rod and pentagon city. there will be single tracking on the red, green, and orange

a lot of us waking up to a wet saturday morning. >> that's right, luckily for now the heavier showers are lifting north and eastbound from the immediate area. but for those of you out by shady side, still con temperatures to content with this morning. thanks to the clouds and early morning rain showers it's a nice start to the day. a thunderstorm now right over top of annapolis. it's lifting eastbound. it could be a slow go for folks going out to the beach. if you're sticking around, more clouds and sunshine.

thanks to our cooler start we should stay in the 80s today, but back in the 90s tomorrow. >> thank you. we h we are back on this saturday morning, july 14, 2012. it's a beautiful summer morning here in new york city. our special thank you to the summer crowd who has come out to spend part of their day would us outside on the plaza. i'm tamron hall alongside with lester hall. coming up an update on mark howard duncan. >> he's the star from "the green mile." he had a heart attack on friday. it's fortunate that his girl friend knows cpr. >> and the eyes of the world will soon be on london in the coming weeks. when it comes to security and traffic, is the city ready?

a live report. >> reporter: and in our studios we'll have the world's fastest runners, jumpers and divers. they are not athletes, at least not in the traditional sense. they are some pretty amazing animals. it include as kangaroo. >> the kangaroo that you were going to talk to. >> i think that was a bobcat. >> we begin with the story of an american woman who adopted a boy from russia and sent him back after changing his mind, sent him on a plane by himself. she found himself in a tennessee courtroom lately. we have the latest. >> reporter: tory hanson in a tennessee courtroom. it's a rare public appearance for the woman who two years ago sent her adopted russian son on an airplane back to his home country with a note saying she no longer wanted to be his parent because he was mentally unstable. >> i can say he was very violent. i can say he wanted to kill me. i can say that he tried to kill my sister and that he started a

fire. >> reporter: hanson briefly broke donwn in court when she explained how he tried to kill her mother. but she never reported the violent information. >> when did you go to the police? >> i didn't go to the police. i was told to call the police. >> when did you go to the department of children services with the information? >> i didn't go to the department of children services. >> the agency that brought him to tennessee sued her for u base, neglect and ordered her to pay child support until he's 18. >> if you leave a child in the car with the windows rolled up, you can be charged with child abuse. but he is shipped across the world. >> reporter: she says she should not have to pay child support.

>> is it your contention you have not any way mistreated or abused the child? >> i have never abused or mistreated a child. >> reporter: the judge upheld the order. >> but the fight is not over, no. >> reporter: in moscow, the child is said to be doing well. hanson has since given birth and is a mother, now with a child of her own. >> and we'll switch gears. we'll get a check of the weather from bill karins. >> thanks, lester. we want to wish you a happy 13th birthday. welcome to being a teen-ager, big guy. >> thank you. >> how does your mom feel about this? >> she's kind of this. >> yeah. i'm sad. >> let's break down your weekend forecast, enough to make your weekend plans, we'll see a chance of rain continue frg a

few spots through arizona and areas of utah. louisiana, memphis, nashville. we're hoping for a little rain today. if we don't get the rain today, the next shot will be a wednesday or thursday. there is hit and miss storms. maybe the showers or storms would laugh a half hour to an how far over any location. here is a look at your weather. >> your weekend off to a cloudy start, but we will see a little sunshine today and a little more tomorrow. none the less, if you have a lot of activities down, you'll want a back up. it is 72 down in culpepper. the rain right on top >> and that's your weekend

forecast. >> bill, thank you. a serious health scare for the actor michael clark duncan from the movie "green mile." he had a serious heart attack on wednesday and his life was saved by his girl friend. kristen dahlgren has more. >> your name is john coffee? >> yes, sir, boss, like the drink. >> reporter: michael clark duncan is perhaps best known as the gentle giant in the tom hanks movie "the green mile." in the film he plays an inmate with supernatural powers to heal. >> i helped dale's mouse. >> reporter: but it was the 54-year-old duncan who needed healing on friday morning when he had a heart attack at home, and it was his girl friend, reality star amrosa, who saved him. >> allegedly she performed cpr

and kept him alive until help arrived. >> i think you're one of the finest men who ever lived. >> reporter: amarosa is best known for being a villain on "celebrity apprentice." she's reportedly been at do you known's side since his heart attack. >> she made a career out of being a villain on reality tv and now in real life she's something of a hero. so this could completely change our image of amarosa. >> reporter: a new view of a reality star after a real life turn as a life saver. for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. >> up next the countdown to the olympics is on but are they ready? but first these messages.

they'll reach out to your doctor... ♪ go above and beyond to find lower priced options... ♪ and enroll you in walgreens prescription savings club... which saves members an average of one hundred and seventy dollars a year. ask your pharmacist how much you can save today at walgreens. ♪ look no further than the new chocolate chip frappé from mccafé. bits of chocolate chips in every sip, blended into mocha and caramel, all topped with a double drizzle of chocolate and sweet caramel. the simple joy of the perfect sip. why severy room deserves ll us. what outo look great.or is?

and every footstep should tell us we made the right decision. so when we can feel our way through the newest, softest, and most colorful options... ...across every possible price range... ...our budgets won't be picking the style. we will. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. make room for savings with $37 basic installation on martha stewart living and platinum plus carpet. mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve.

without the baby-sitter calling. girl: i think she likes it! try the $20 dinner for two, at chili's. last season was the gulf's best tourism season in years. in florida we had more suntans... in alabama we had more beautiful blooms... in mississippi we had more good times... in louisiana we had more fun on the water. last season we broke all kinds of records on the gulf. this year we are out to do even better... and now is a great time to start. our beatches are even more relaxing... the fishing's great. so pick your favorite spot on the gulf... and come on down. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home.

we're less than two weeks from the opening ceremony at the london olympics, but before the games begin, london is dealing with transportation nightmares, security issues and even worse weather than usual. duncan, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. you know when you've been talking about something for so long that it seems like it's never really going to arrive? well, this week here in london something changed. suddenly the olympics seem very close and very big. the venues are ready, the olympic flame has had the royal seal of approval and london is more secure than it's ever been. but if you read the british

papers, olympic crisis, balmy. london has a serious case of preshow nerves. this week the companying supplying more than 10,000 security guards has admitted it might not be able to meet its target. >> i knew it was going to happen. when i was there, they were struggling and didn't have enough staff, weren't vetting the staff properly. so absolutely no shock. >> reporter: the british government's answer, send in the troops, another 3,500 of them. it's not just boots on the ground. the royal navy's biggest ship on the river thames, missile on apartment blocks. london is on high alert. >> this is all preparatory to making it known to the mischievouses out there that the games will be secure and that

they won't get near. >> reporter: if only the british weather weren't so easily to scare off. remember that rain during the queen's jubilee celebrations? well, it hasn't stopped since then. it's making london as gloomy, but then we do like to grumble. >> i think there is a tremendous can-do spirit in britain and when the ceremony smart, there will be we got to put the greater show on and do well. >> reporter: the olympic spirit is bound to show up sooner or later. after all, we have got two weeks to go. yes, it is still raining here but bad weather shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone in britain and organizers say it has always been part of their planning. lester, pack your rain coat. >> duncan, it's funny that you mention that. tamron and i are both going offer shortly. when i saw you with the rain coat, i was like ut oh, i was

wondering what to pack. >> i need to pack a lot of hair spray. >> i'm looking forward to going. it's going to be a fun time. >> you can't control the weather but the traffic they're working on. it's going to be awesome. >> this will be my sixth olympics. it going to be great. >> and coming up, animals, the

♪ this morning on "today's call of the wild," athletes in the animal kingdom. >> these athletes will not be in london. sea world and busch garden animals. julie has brought along a high jumper, a sprinter and a swimmer. >> that's right. >> good morning. the swimmers. you asked if we wanted to help hold these guys.

>> lester said -- >> everybody's afraid of poop! >> i didn't want to say it that way. >> they're so beautiful. >> beautiful and well adapted for their life in the water. they're not only great swimmers. most don't realize even the fastest swimmers are only going about 4 miles an hour because swimming through water is very dense. these guys can swim two and a half times that speed. they can outdo any human athlete. >> it's remarkable because they're so goofy on land. >> well, you know what, that's exactly -- one of the reasons why because they waddle is why they're so great in the water. their legs are positioned so that they make it for easier swimming and more efficient swimming. >> they get out of the water, they're like a torpedo. >> what swimmer wouldn't like to jump out of the pool without having to touch the side. that's what she's gthese guys d. you should see them at our

penguin encounter at sea world. they're great divers and swimmers. they'll go up 20, 25 feet off a cliff and go right into the water. excellent swimmers. >> we do that figuratively on this show from time to time. so that's our swimmers. >> pass these guys off. >> so cool. >> now you brought some high jumpers or a high jumper. >> this guy would definitely be the gold medallist. >> i thought i was hallucinating earlier because this came hopping by the set. >> this is sheila, the name for every female in australia. she's a female red kangaroo. these are the most proficient hoppers. these guys are perfectly adapted for that life in the wild, the open spaces of australia. >> how far on a single lunge? >> you know how long a city bus is? >> yeah. >> they can hop from one end to

the other in one leap, about 35 feet if they get going well. >> basically the width of this studios. that's pretty amazing. >> now do they ever walk? >> they don't really walk in the way that we -- you can see they'll go two by two because it's -- even though they're not as efficient when they are moving like that, when they're hopping for longer distances, they can actually go -- now they'd win the mile sprint as well, or the mile mid-level run. >> how old is sheila? >> sheila is about 8 years old. >> sheila's a girl? >> with a name like sheila? >> no, i'm just looking at the anatomy there and i wasn't sure. >> lester's checking out the anatomy. >> i mean, everybody sees it. i just don't know what it is. >> let's see if sheila wants any of thee bananas. >> you called her a dude, she may not want to. >> you can see she's about 4 feet tall and weighs about 50 pounds or so. they're very hardy animals. can you see them at busch

gardens. >> will she come over? >> if she will come over. >> you got to get rid of her? >> we'll give her the bowl. >> she has a mind of her own. >> now we've got speed here. >> quick reflexes, the sprinter. as we talked about, sheila would be the mid distance, the mimer. sheila can go about 25 miles an hour. these guys can reach about 35 miles an hour. >> it's an bob cat. >> yes. >> can we come close? >> you absolutely can come close. >> keeping an eye on shesheila,e kangaroo. >> how about a toy. they've got very quick reflexes. >> not as fast as a cheetah. >> a cheetah can go 65 miles an hour. that's the fastest land animal there is. these guys pound for pound would make the best athlete around. >> we found something that jerry is interested in. all right. >> bad kitty. >> this guy, even though he's a

flyweight -- jerry, you just hang out over here. he's like i'm going for the kangaroo. >> the neat thing about these guys, they could take down prey that's almost ten times their size. >> that would be the kangaroo. >> if they lived on the same continent. >> julie, always a pleasure to have you come by. thanks for bringing our friend. >> he can't wait for the olympics in a couple of weeks. >> we'll be there. we're back after these messages. [ woman ] dinner with the girls tonight. i better skip breakfast.

[ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] skipping breakfast to get ahead? research shows that women that eat breakfast like the special k breakfast actually weigh less. what will you gain when you lose?™ your mouth has giggled, snuggled, bubbled ...and yellowed. because if you're not whitening, you're yellowing. crest whitestrips remove over ten years of stains and whiten 25 times better than a leading whitening toothpaste. crest 3d white whitestrips. why severy room deserves ll us what outo look great.or is?

and every footstep should tell us we made the right decision. so when we can feel our way through the newest, softest, and most colorful options... ...across every possible price range... ...our budgets won't be picking the style. we will. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. make room for savings with $37 basic installation on martha stewart living and platinum plus carpet. to your kids' wet skin. neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®. you get a 50% annual bonus. and everyone likes 50% more cash -- well, except her.

no! but, i'm about to change that. ♪ every little baby wants 50% more cash... ♪ phhht! fine, you try. [ strings breaking, wood splintering ] ha ha. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. ♪ what's in your wallet? ♪ what's in your...your... ♪ this morning on "today's summer saturday," it's field day. i just changed.

>> you went from a three-piece suit to this. >> we have an obstacle course that's often reserved for kids but today it's our turn to take on the challenge. bill, this was your brilliant idea. >> i asked for the slip and slide by the way. >> it's very simple. four of us in the potato sacks at the same time. you grab a bat and do ten spins. the bat has to be -- your head has to be on the bat, on the ground. interns are only going to count it if your head stays on the bat and is on the ground. you run back to the start line, you're going to throw, i'm going to catch. tamron and i are going to run down and get the baskets. first one with three balls in the basket first wins. tamron cheating already. >> oh, i didn't know! >> when i say go, grab the potato sacks and go. ready? one, two, three go!

come on, faster! >> this is ugly. >> it's fun! >> come on. >> how many? five? >> come on! >> okay, now you got to go back. go back. >> come on! throw the ball to me. >> yeah! >> are we done? >> yeah, we won. >> you got three? >> we got four! >> victory. >> i feel nauseous!

>> it was only supposed to be five bat spins and i decided on ten. >> i feel nauseous. thanks for watching. >> we'll be back. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] what's the point of an epa estimated 42 miles per gallon if the miles aren't interesting? the lexus ct hybrid. this is the pursuit of perfection. good morning, everyone. straight ahead today, a solemn event turns tragic in

seconds. they search for a suspect that shot up with candle light vigil. >> and president obama pushes through virginia as machinery hits the air waves to demand an apology. >> and off to a cloudy and cool start for now, but i think we will see a little sunshine before the day is threw. we'll talk about your rain chance. >> and why a sprinter removed herself from team usa less than two weeks from the

good morning, i'm richard jordan. >> i'm ainngie goff. a wet start to the weekend, and we could have more downpours interrupt your weekend plans. >> czech bell is tracking what's ahead for your saturday and sunday and joins us from the weather center. >> good morning to you and everybody. as you're panning around the skies here it doesn't look like a lot of blue out there just yet, but from our sky watcher camera looks out to the west, there are patches of blue starting to appear. that will ince