new polls showing hillary clinton and donald trump locked in a dead heatcubs win! the chicago cubs are world series champions, beating the cleveland indians in a thrilling extra-inning game seven to end their 108-year-long ou >> and the cubs have finally won it all! >> cubs fans erupting in the stadium, and back home. the party still raging this morning. down to the wire. new polls showing hillary clinton and donald trump locked in a dead heat in at least three swing states. the candidates making their final pushes, trump with a message to trump. >> stay on point, donald. stay on point.

normal election. >> voters heading to the polls in just five days. and, did we mention? cubs win! an epic championship worth repeating. al was there for the game, and has made his way to chicago overnight to join the history making celebration "today," thursday, november 3rd, 2016. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live and good morning, everybody, welcome to "today" on a great thursday morning. matt, where were you 108 years ago? >> can i just say, oh, baby. >> i know, right? >> what a game! i said to my son, this is a game you'll tell your kids about. game seven of this world series. >> not only do we have a game seven, we get a great game seven with all of this drama. even an act of god, a rain delay. we had everything!

night. he's made his way to chicago. got some screaming fans behind him. he's probably a little bit disappointed this morning. >> not in that crowd. i think everybody's just excited because it is a great day for baseball and for sports. let's start with nbc's ron mott. he also has made his way to chicago. hi, ron, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. i've got just one question for it was morable game. there were palpitations all across the country so not for a weak heart. but at the end of the day, the cubs' heart was just a beat or two stronger than the indians. >> reporter: a finish not even hollywood could muster. >> cubs win the world series! they finally won it all!

where the cubs first stormed to a four-run lead. a thrilling home run tying it for the indians in the eighth. a rain delay. and extra innings in this game for the then, the clincher, ben zobrist in the tenth. and with that, the chicago cubs broke the curse and the drought. world series champions again for the first time since 1908. >> this is a >> the cheers heard all around the windy city and outside wrigley field overnight. just as sweet as the bubbly bath players soaked in after beating the indians in a dramatic game 7. >> cubs number one. >> chicago is exploding with happiness. >> anchored by pitcher kyle hendriks, steady as stoic, the cubs struck quickly. lead-off hitter dexter fowler opening the game with a home run.

>> the cubs adding a pair of dingers in the fourth and sixth innings to hang on for the victory despite the spirited charge by the indians. >> we're into making history, not repeating history. >> bye-bye to the billy goat and his curse, so long steve bartman. no harm, no foul, all is forgiven now that history has been rewritten. >> this is why i came here. to beat the goat or black cat or god knows what. >> the mood cleveland. >> we'll be back next year. >> the late legendary cubs broadcaster harry carey once said someday the cubs will be in the world series. his beloved cubbies showed it out. the waiting begins a new but today it is time to party. >> the best world series ever. >> all right, the party continues here.

states. a white sox fan, we should point out. it happened. cubs win the world series. that changed even the south cider can believe in. want to come to the white house before i leave? it is a standing invitation for the cubs much we'll see if they take him up on it. >> you know when was up watching the game? bob kostas was watching the game. even without all of the history, the baggage, the drought, the frustration of these t one of the greatest world series games i've ever seen. >> reporter: yeah, it is one of the great game 7s even if you take away the back story. back and forth. it had heroics, misplays, strategy that was brilliant, strategy that could be questioned. both teams got off the mat. it went right down to the last pitch of the game. it had everything even if it didn't involve two franchises

>> is there a moment, bob. if you're a cubs fan, you're telling your grand kids about the game seven in 2016, was there one moment that crystallized it all? >> they blew a lead, a sizable lead, and then everybody across cub nation was saying, oh, my gosh, here we go again. but cleveland has its own experience with that. you had two teams with not exactly parallel histories but overlapping histories. i think there was someie involved. if you had to pick out one thing it would be the zobrist hit after the rain delay that gave them the lead in the the tenth. the indians pulled back and pulled within one and had a man on when it ended. >> as if hollywood needed more to make a great movie. the skies open up, here comes the tarp. the players go in and have a players only meeting. i'm trying to imagine who the actors will be when i watch that on the big screen.

jason heyward, a terrific base runners but had the moments in the post season, he apparently led the brief meeting and the indians had a little bit of mojo going because rajai davis had hit the home run to tie the inning. if there was momentum it seemed to belong to cleveland. some will theorioize that it reset things and gave the cubs a chance to get the bearings again. they got the two runs in >> you talk about strategy. i think you may r referring on one of the calls when joe madden takes out hendriks in the fifth. who is in the middle of pitching a gem, brings in lester, and then the pitch hits david ross in the mask and cleveland scores two runs. had the cubs not one that game, bob, how much second guessing of that call would there have been? >> joe madden is one of the great modern managers but the way he used his pitching staff,

arrieta and hendriks in game six and seven would have opened him up to legitimate second guessing and the noise and nonsense had the cubs loss. it is all forgotten and everybody loves madden as they should. >> he is doing a double ex-hail this morning. >> what does it mean to the city of chicago, bob? >> well, it means more than can possibly be expressed as it would have meant to cleveland. they have waited since haven't won a title in any sport since 1964. the black hawks have won, the bears have won, michael jordan's bulls won six times. cleveland had been without one in any sport since '64. they were looking down to double down in the fall. when it comes to just baseball in chicago, even though the white sox won in 2005, the cubs are the team. the identity of chicago baseball and to go from 1908 to 2016, and

that wrigley field was built in 1914. it wasn't called wrigley field until a bit later but wrigley field is the place where all of this played out just like fenway park still exists so all of the ghosts were there when they broke through in 2004, all of the ghosts, all of the history. all itself resides at wrigley field. had they moved to a new ball park, even had it been 108 years. i don't think it would have the texture and drama. people gathered even though the game was being played at cleveland to experience it communely. >> we wanted a good world series. we got a great world series. bob costas. we appreciate it. we'll have more on the first title in 108 years including al's big night at the ball park. >> we're jealous. now let's do politics. state of the presidential race five days to go. donald trump urged himself to avoid getting side tracked in

on point. >> quinnipiac university out with a new poll of likely voters in four swing states that could decide this election in head to head matches. clinton leads by two points in florida and north carolina. she is up by six points in pennsylvania but take a look at ohio where trump moved ahead with a three point advantage. >> it is a family affair on the trail today. both candidates will be in north carolina this afternoon. melania trump heads to pennsylvania for a rare campaign bill clinton heads to nevada, chelsea clinton rallies voters in wisconsin. >> we have reports from both campaigns beginning with donald trump's. peter alexander down in miami. good morning. >> reporter: matt and savannah, good morning to you. campaign aides tell me they're encoloneled by new polling that shows a tightening race in critical states like colorado and new hampshire. but perhaps the biggest news these days from the trump campaign is how little news

sticking to the script, even encouraging himself out loud not to veer off message. >> get out and vote! thank you. >> reporter: celebrating new momentum in some of the newest polls, donald trump giving himself a pep talk in must win florida. >> stay on point, donald, stay on point. no side tracks, donald. nice and easy. >> reporter: trump in the home stretch of the campaign, more disciplined. ticking off a check list of attacks on hillary clinton, dismissing her as unhinged. >> she is the c yesterday. we are the movement of the future. >> reporter: the crowd reacting on cue. just days to go, both campaigns making sure they touch all of the bases, airing competing ads last night during game 7 of the world series. >> hillary clinton won't change washington because all it takes is one wrong move. >> reporter: as trump tries to carve a path to 270 electoral votes, kellyanne conway is

heated exchange on the view. >> he has been very nasty about people i care about. >> let me tell you what is nasty. hillary clinton's endless, he is the first republican to elevate a woman to this position of presidential campaign manager. >> he loves women. >> yes, he does. he is very respectful towards women. >> this as trump targets the media including >> trump is trying out a new strategy to motivate the biggest backers. >> the polls are saying we'll win florida. don't believe it. don't believe it. get out there and vote. pretend we're slightly behind. pretend we're down. we're down! predend, right? >> reporter: nearly 16 months after launching the campaign, trump is appearing wistful for the outspoken candidate, a rare moment of reflection. >> it has been the honor of my life to share this journey with

there are two people however, who i did not really get to share this with and ha that is my mother and my father. i know they're up there watching. i just felt that nice breeze. it is hot. but i just felt that nice breeze. they're helping us out. >> reporter: and one note about the intersection of politics and baseball. in the last eight world series since 1924, decided in a game seven during a presidential electioneer, every time american league team won, the republican candidate won. every time the national league team won, the democrats won, so if you believe in baseball as any predictor, this morning, the advantage is with clinton. back to you. >> probably doing the whole thing with the baseball. >> need a chalk board or a dry erase board. >> thank you for summing it up. talking about hillary clinton, she is doing everything she can to turn out voters in the key battlegrounds. andrea mitchell is in raleigh,

>> good morning savannah, hillary clinton coming here to campaign in battleground north carolina. she will be joined later today in this park with bernie sanders in a state that had been leaning democratic but is called by nbc news, a toss up. in the closing days, clinton crisscrosses the country trying to shore up support in the face of the tightening polls. hillary clinton witnessing her hometown cubs win the world series, spending 45 minutes back stage after her campaign in arizona. watching the game on an ipad with aides. afterwards, rejoiing and holding up the cubs victory flapg. later tweeting, they did it. 108 years later and the drought is finally over. way to make history cubs! the celebration coming after clinton drew one of the biggest crowds at the arizona rally. >> hello, arizona! >> it is a long shot for her, trying to become the first

bill clinton 20 years ago. >> so for the first time, we have a real chance to turn this state blue again. >> reporter: with polls in arizona showing her locked in a tight race with donald trump, clinton is targeting the state's growing block of latino voters. >> half of the people he wants to deport, they've paid more in federal taxes than donald trump has paid! >> reporter: earlier in nevada, snapchating at a hair braiding salon and trying to fire up her lu you know what happens? we win! >> reporter: clinton rallying las vegas supporters with a new closing argument. imagining donald trump in the oval office. >> our girls would grow up with a president who proudly ranks women by their looks. who brags about doing things to them without their consent. >> reporter: with her own high unfavorable ratings a big

home. >> some are saying maybe i'll just sit this one out. you know, i can't really make up my mind. i don't know who is really going to help me and my family. >> reporter: so she is leaning heavily on a network of democrats. in addition to bernie sanders today, her husband bill clinton, running mate tim kaine and joe biden across the county and president obama rallying democrats in florida today. talking about her recent e-mail controversy but for the first time, president obama taking a swipe at his fbi director james comey. >> there is a norm that when there are investigations, we don't operate on innuendo. we don't operate on incomplete information. we don't operate on leaks. we operate based on concrete decisions that are made. >> reporter: a challenge for

early vote among african-americans is below what it was four years ago because of obstacles in places like north carolina, partly because hillary clinton is not barack obama. savannah and matt? >> thank you. i think we've got a shot now, hopefully. this is in chicago. this is at wrigley field where the cubs are arriving home early this morning, getting off a bus, as you can see, there are fans, we're waiting to find out when the big celebration is going to be or it is just going to continue, i'm sure. >> i still see huge smiles. they've probably been going since the middle of the night. >> al is a long time cleveland indians fan. first of all, al, sorry about that and sorry that you traveled

[ applause ] >> the most famous fans, bill murray got into the musical feel of things during one innings, starts dancing, trying to get the mojo going and despite that torrential downpour, the spirit, the festivities continued on the field and in fact, i got into the locker room last night, the big hero, mvp, ben zobrist. i caught up with him after the game. we'll show you that conversation coming up in the next half hour. i also met up with his lovely wife and their baby. i was actually down by the

running through to get back to the stadium. they had been outside in the clubhouse. she ran back just in time to see him make that historic hit. it really was a special, special night. we have more of that coming up. let's also talk about your weather. it was so warm last night in cleveland and it is going to continue with record highs across the southeastern and mid atlantic states thanks to a big area of high pressure. possible records in mobile, and washington d.c. and then look at the temperatures, how warm they are from kansas city, chicago today, 65 degrees, 15 degrees above normal. that is what is going on around the country, here is what is happening in your neck of the woods. rprising moments. they're everywhere. and as a marriot rewards member,

new marriott portfolio of hotels now has 30 brands in over 110 countries. so no matter where you go, you are here. join or link accounts at members.marriott.com. and that is your latest weather. coming up next half hour, my conversation with mvp ben zobrist. >> looking forward to that. coming up, curse reversed. we'll have a lot more on the

108 long years. >> and with tensions high between police and communities they protect, the new program launched this morning to bring the sides closer together. but first, this is "today" on nbc. i like my turkey carved thick! it isn't just grandmas who are passionate about turkey, so is subway. the all-white meat in our new, thick-cut autumn carved turkey sandwich has no artificial preservatives or flavors, and is topped with cheddar and cranberry mustard sauce.

an economy rigged for the wealthy. and ron johnson's made it worse. johnson took a shady $10 million corporate payout, then went to washington and voted to protect corporate tax loopholes for companies shipping wisconsin jobs overseas, supported privatizing social security, which would hand billions to wall street, and wants to eliminate the federal minimum wage. senator johnson works for wall street, not us.

just ahead, the night of celebration and surprises for the liberty mutual stood with me when i was too busy with the kids to get a repair estimate. yeah, with liberty mutual all i needed to do to get an estimate was snap a photo of the damage and voila! voila! (sigh) i wish my insurance company had that... wait! hold it... hold it boys... there's supposed to be three of you... where's your brother? where's your brother? hey, where's charlie? charlie?! you can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you. liberty stands with you? liberty mutual insurance ??

one bathroom. when families gather, things get messy. ours can help. sc johnson. sir? you give me that salad and i will pay for your movie and one snack box. can i keep the walnuts? yes. but i get to pick your movie. can i pick the genre? nope. with the blue cash everyday card you get cash back on purchases with no annual fee. backed by the service and security of american express. after brushing, you get cash back on purchases with no annual fee. listerine? total care strengthens teeth, helps prevent cavities mel. it's an easy way to give listerine? total care to the total family. listerine? total care. one bottle, six benefits.

black friday deals are here all month long at lowe's. get up to 40% off appliance special values $396 or more, like this washer and dryer pair for only $274 each. and this samsung french door refrigerator for only $998. make your home happy with great savings at lowe's. for lower back the search for relief often leads here. introducing drug-free aleve direct therapy. that uses technology once only in doctors' offices. for deep penetrating relief at the source. new aleve direct therapy. ?? ? well, if you want to sing out, sing out ? ? and if you want to be free, be free ? ? 'cause there's a million things to be ? ? you know that there are ?

? 'cause there's a million things to do ? ? you know that there are ?

i'm susan kim alongside brian gotter...lets get a check of

llary clinton: i'm hillary clinton and i approve this message. vo: in times of crisis america depends on steady seriously..."vo: clear thinking... donald trump: "i know more about isis than the generals do, believe me." vo: and calm judgment. donald trump: "and you can tell them to go fu_k themselves." vo: because all it takes is one wrong move. donald trump audio only: "i would bomb the sh_t out of them." vo: just one. ? ? ? ? can you say i love it? ? ? oh love it? ?

? ? that's the spirit! oooooh.? ? ooh ooh ? ? wooh ooh ? ? wooh ooh ? ? sing sing, baby baby i love you. oh yes.? ? ooooh oooh.?

7:30 now on this thursday morning, 3rd day of november, 2016. we decked out the plaza in the colors celebrating their world series championship, their first since 1908. ending the longest title drought if had major american sports. al is celebrating with cubs nation out in chicago. we're going to get to him in just a couple of minutes. >> it is really fun to go back and look at the history of what didn't exist in 1908, what hadn't happened, world war i and ii. wrigley field itself. it is really fun to look back.

we have today's headlines. breaking news overnight -- two u.s. service members were killed, two others wounded during operations in afghanistan's kunduz province. they were on a mission with afghan forces to clear a taliban position when they came under fire. donald trump wrapped up a day of campaigning in florida with a late night rally in pensacola. he predicted he'll win the state and the white house on election day. and even capped off the event with fireworks. >> meantime, hillary clinton was in of her largest campaign events yet speaking to an estimated 15,000 people. she says the traditionally republican state is in play for the democrats this time around. arizona has only voted for a democrat for president once since 1948. that was in 1996 for bill clinton. let's talk about "today's campaign moment" and the different ways the candidates will spend election night here in new york. clinton will watch returns from the famed javot center and a

>> trump is going to host a more low key affair, an invitation only event at a midtown hotel. a source told "the washington post" trump is "superstitious" and doesn't want to jinx himself with lavish party plans. let's get back to that thrilling game seven in the world series. the cubs needed extra innings to beat the cleveland indians 8-7 to win the championship. al was there. after the game, he talked to some players but he also made his way to chicago overnight. he's atry restaurant. al, good morning again. >> reporter: hey, guys. i know in my lifetime, i have never witnessed anything like that. and not only what happened on the field, but after the game off the feel, it was amazing. and even the weather couldn't dampen the enthusiasm. >> the cubs win the world series! it's over! >> hey, congratulations.

in fact, she was running out to see your at-bat. >> she said she -- she said she tried to get you to become a cub fan the other day. >> well, now i am. i mean this is great. how great does this feel? >> oh, it is unbelievable. i can't believe i get to be a part of this. it's been 108 years. this is my first year as a chicago cub, so, man, i'm spoiled to be a part of this. >> when you do something like this and -- do you have any idea how much this means to the city d >> i think we'll find out in a couple days when we have the parade. i know that there's generations of people that have waited for this moment. families, fans all across the nation, all across the world, cub fans have waited for this moment. we finally were able to give it to them. so, man, thank you to our fans. thank you for the opportunity the cubs have given me to be here. i'm just blessed, man. >> you feel like the weather had something to do with it? a little rain delay help?

remind each other that we're the best team. from that point on we just felt like it was our game. >> it's raining in here champagne! >> how you doing? >> hey, al. >> how does this feel? >> this feels unbelievable. it is amazing. i mean it is hard to explain. 108 years. 71 years since the cubs have been in a world series. this is the right group, al, and the right time. right everybody right on down to the bottom. right down to the last guy. extra-inning game. everybody participated. >> even a rain delay. >> even rain right now. you kidding? it's almost -- i think it is champagne from the skies. >> that's it. >> champagne from the skies. >> congratulations. >> all right. love it, man. >> what an incredible night! and you can feel the excitement. still we're here at harry caray's. we got to the airport, people were going nuts.

friday, if the parade in fact happens on that day, it is going to be as close to a national holiday in chicago as anything you could possibly see. >> all right, al, i'm glad you got to experience it, even if it didn't turn out the way you hoped, i'm glad you were there at the game. >> thanks, guys. carson's over in the orange room with reaction to game seven. carson. >> well, this says it right here. cover of this morning's new york post -- "game of the century." cubs and their fans as you just saw with al. bill murray. the actor here. you can see him in the stands just going nuts. then after the game he was taking some champagne to the face here from theo ebbstein. that's the cubs' president, rather. in an honest moment, cubs' first baseman anthony rizzo having this conversation kind of candidly caught online.

>> i'm an emotional wreck. >> it is only going to get worse. just breathe. >> say something i'm an emotional wreck. >> this eerie prediction. 2016 world series, cubs versus indians. then the world will end with the score tied in game seven in extra innings. thankfully he was wrong about the world ending part. but mostly, this was the fun last night. these are different generations of cubs fans. there was tons of these pictures. obviously these people have waited a lifetime for that moment. all the way down to the team's newest followers. here is a nice moment from dad writing, buddy, i've got some great news for you in the morning. as you can see, this little boy asleep with his cubs bat right there. it was an absolutely incredible night for the chicago cubs, guys. >> way to go with the apocalypse reference there, too.

where possible. >> i love that moment of candor. i can't take it! >> imagine the tension in that dugout. carson, thank you. now back to al for a check of the weather. here's an interesting thing. you talk about tension, guys. this is from our friends at major league baseball. the gear. world championship hats. shirts. well, imagine the folks at wrigley -- at progressive field who had to stop from the different locker rooms. i watched this one guy with his truck make this trip three times in the last two innings. bringing the gear, the world series gear, with the different teams on it back and forth. it was really -- they had a lot of tension going on there as well. let's look at your weather and while we've got some wet weather making its way from texas on into the midwest, you can see

now firing up in northern texas in the panhandle making its way into oklahoma. we've got so soggy southwest. jet stream dips down. we are looking for heavy rain. some gusty winds. could be some flash flooding. also bringing some mountain snows for the rockies. good news for the skiers there. but even better for drought, look at the rainfall amounts. flood threat though will increase from texas to arizona. some places may see up to five

>> get that weather any time you need it. check out our friends at the weather channel on cable. guys? >> all right, al, thank you very much. coming up, a treat in "trending." maria shriver will join us and we'll get her take on these lights that will forever change your middle of the night trips to the bathroom. >> lauer loves those lights. but first, a really important story. bigs in blue. a new program aimed at improving

what are these? what is it? duck lips. quack quack. plastic surgery duck! uh huh! you are a backwards duck. instead of quack, he says- no, kcauq. kcauq. kcauqqq. kcauuuu. ? ? pringles! well this here's a load-bearing wall. we'll go ahead and rip that out. that'll cause a lot of problems. hmm. totally unnecessary and it triples the budget. we'll be totally behind schedule, right? (laughs) schedules. schedules. great, okay. wouldn't it be great if everyone said what they meant?

the citi double cash card. double means double. good is in every blue diamond almond. a good that comes in 20 flavors from whole natural to wasabi and soy sauce. and once good gets going, there's no stopping it. get your good going. blue diamond almonds. tame frizz-prone hair with smoothing care. smoothing haircare. enriched with coconut oil & cocoa butter extracts. nurtures and protects for naturally-beautiful, shiny hair. garnier whole blends coconut oil & cocoa butter. ? ? ? ? can you say i love it? ? ? oh love it? ? ? can you say hey? ? ? hey! ? ? that's the spirit! oooooh.? ? ooh ooh ? ? wooh ooh ? ? wooh ooh ? ? sing sing, baby baby i love you. oh yes.? ? ooooh oooh.? ? every little thing. ?

k in my tempur-pedic, and it just kind of forms to my body. it comes up to you, like hey, there you are... hey, there you are... ...i'm going to put you to sleep now. it keeps us comfortable and asleep at night. can i take a nap now. it's our biggest event of the year ...and a great time to buy a tempur-pedic, with our best prices on all tempur-pedic mattresses. save up to $600, now thru november 29th. get your tempur-pedic. the most highly recommended bed in america. at progresso, we are passionate about our art. and our art is chicken soup. which is why we are now using 100% antibiotic and hormone free white breast meat chicken in all of our chicken soups! behold our greatest opus.

7:43. we're back with a new program aimed at easing some of the tension that exists between law enforcement and the communities they serve. >> kate snow has been looking into this. good morning. >> reporter: there has been so much discussion this electioneer about how to improve the relationship between police and the people they protect and today the mentoring organizations big brothers, big sisters which has been around for more than 100 years, they're ch "bigs and blue". >> in des moines and dallas, officers down. in charlotte, tulsa, minnesota, and too many other cities, protests rage after shootings by police. >> don't shoot him. he didn't do anything. >> often caught on camera. the distrust in some communities is out in the open. but at the same time, there are moments like this. >> what classes do you have?

>> okay. >> reading. >> reporter: growing up in roanoke, virginia, ryan brady knew exactly what he wanted to do. >> i felt the strong desire to help people. >> reporter: wearing a badge and paroling the streets wasn't enough. >> i felt like i was doing some good out there on the street, there was just something missing and something more i wanted. i wanted to be more a part of the community. >> reporter: two years ago, he signed up to be a big brother through big brothers, big sisters. >> is that how you spell it? >> his little brother, 9-year-old robert after scho. >> on your mark, get set, go! >> reporter: it is the model for a program going nationwide today, pairing police officers with kids in communities where trust has been strained. >> it is a really simple concept, but it works. >> the only way that we are going to understand one another better on any level, whether it is police in community or any other divide that we see in this

a one-on-one relationship. >> reporter: it is just about having someone who is going to be there for you. >> reporter: at a grade school in philadelphia, police commissioner richard ross is telling kids about the program they will launch here. the school's principal says on these streets, police see the police officers as the bad guys. they've seen parents arrested by police, quite often, police in the community, it is always something negative. >> that is why commissioner ross wants bigs in blue in this >> does it build trust on an individual level? >> i think it does that. there is no denying the climate we're in and police/community relations especially in communities of color and the need to cultivate the relationships so we're going to use that to help us do that and i think that is what we're optimistic about. >> robert and ryan are optimistic about their friendship, a bond that has only grown stronger. >> we were outback, you remember that, robert? we were kneeling down and i said we're brothers now, we're

through the good times and the bad times. >> 12 cities have "bigs in blue." they're talking about bringing it to dallas, l.a., baltimore, tampa and beyond. they would like to be in every mainly city. they need more funding to happen. i did serve on the board, the national board of big brothers, big sisters for many years. it is a great program. >> i like the way it is being applied in this setting and boy, do we need it. >> we need solutions. >> thank you. >> if you want more on the mentoring program, fin i on our website, today.com. >> from garth brooks to beyonce, the big winners and surprises at last night's cmas. that is right after this. it'll get better. i'm at the edward jones office, like sue suggested. thanks for doing this, dad. so i thought it might be time to talk about a financial strategy. (laughing) you mean pay him back? knowing your future is about more than just you.

ig deal. and it's how edward jones makes sense of investing. the easiest decision you'll make all week is to shop kohl's this weekend because kohl's will give you tax break savings with an extra 10 percent off everyone gets kohl's cash too! kohl's. you said you wanted to feel better about your cereal. general mills big g cereals hear you. that's why we say "yes" to whole grain as our first ingredient. and "no way" to high fructose corn syrup. so no matter what your favorite is, you can feel good about general mills big g cereals. if your sneezes are a force to be reckoned with... you may be muddling through allergies.

and zyrtec? is different than claritin?. because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. try zyrtec?. muddle no more?. (baby laughs) ? ? ? ? ? it's holiday time, and no fruit is as versatile as our ocean spray cranberries, which is why we're declaring it "the unofficial official fruit of the holidays." the fig's gonna be so bummed. [ chuckles ] for holiday tips and recipes, go to oceanspray.com. [ chuckles ] alright, did you know i was the mommy slam dunk champion? really? yes, really! don't sound so surprised.

ahhhh! i go to the right. i go to the left. fake 'em out. mama go up, up, up! she did it. -again? you can't avoid gravity. but unitedhealthcare can help you avoid financial surprises by helping you compare costs and doctor quality ratings. unitedhealthcare uh-huh what are these? what is it? duck lips. quack quack. plastic surgery duck! uh huh! you are a backwards duck. no, kcauq. kcauq. kcauqqq. kcauuuu. ? ? pringles! mmm... i can't believe it's so delicious. i can't believe it has 40% fewer calories than butter. i can't believe it's made with real, simple ingredients. i can't believe we're on a whale. i can't believe my role isn't bigger. oh, it's real. real ingredients. unbelievable taste. go ahead, enjoy. it's easy to love your laxative... ...when that lax loves your body back. unbelievable taste.

so you have peace of mind from start to finish. love your laxative. miralax. looking for balance in your digestive system? try align probiotic. for a non-stop, sweet treat goodness, hold on to your tiara kind of day. get 24/7 digestive support, with align. the #1 doctor recommended probiotic brand. now in kids chewables. introducing tresemm? botanique a blend of coconut milk and aloe vera in a professional-quality formula, blended by professionals to replenish for stunning healthy-looking hair. tresemm? botanique professional. at your fingertips. coming up, dr. oz is here to help men overcome stress and avoid its triggers. and meet the little girl who

hey zoomer skye, why do they keep saying we're only at toys"r"us? [bark] because you can only find us at toys"r"us? is anyone else only at toys"r"us? [bark] you ha theve allnswers. other hot toys you can only find in our whole store full of awwwwesome! toys"r"us ...awwwwesome! ?? how's this for a tv show? sous chef. lawyer by day, prep cook by night. no. here you go. i got this.

ard, you get cash back on purchases with no annual fee. backed by the service and security of american express. i'm hillary clinton and i approve this message. you get cash back on purchases with no annual fee. i could stand in the middle of 5th avenue and shoot somebody and i wouldn't lose any voters, okay? you know you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. you gotta see this, i don't know, i don't remember. he's going like 'i don't remember.' . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ends coconut oil & cocoa butter. impressive linda. it seems age isn't slowing you down. but your immune system weakens as you get older increasing the risk for me, the shingles virus. i've been lurking inside you since you had chickenpox. i could surface anytime as a painful, blistering rash. one in three people get me in their lifetime, linda. will it be you? and that's why linda got me zostavax, a single shot vaccine. i'm working to boost linda's immune system to help protect her against you, shingles. zostavax is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults fifty years of age and older. zostavax does not protect everyone and cannot be used to treat shingles or the nerve pain that may follow it. you should not get zostavax if you are allergic to gelatin or neomycin, have a weakened immune system or take high doses of steroids are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. the most common side effects include

e. it's important to talk to your doctor about what situations you may need to avoid since zostavax contains a weakened chickenpox virus. remember one in three people get shingles in their lifetime, will it be you? talk you to your doctor or pharmacist about me, single shot zostavax. you've got a shot against shingles. ? ? ? ? can you say i love it? ? ? oh love it? ? ? can you say hey? ? ? hey! ? ? that's the spirit! oooooh.? ? ooh ooh ? ? ? sing sing, baby baby i love you. oh yes.? ? ooooh oooh.?

russ: as i've traveled to all 72 counties, i've heard from a lot of people. including seniors, concerned that ron johnson is goin turnedare into a voucher program. senior: don't let it happen russ. lies in need of good paying jobs. blue collar guy: ron johnson's trade deals help other countries, not us. in- people want an economy that delivers for them. man: we just need a fair shake, an rushinkou need a bigger van. russ: i'm russ feingold

?? it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, changing the conversation. >> we need to talk about this. we need to be honest about it. >> dr. oz shines a light on the often overlooked issue of men d about the stigma, the symptoms and solutions. ? welcome to my house ? plus, getting to work. >> this is an unfinished office. >> yes. >> jill martin pulls off the ultimate renovation for a deserving veteran, transforming his junk room into a dream office. >> oh! >> wow. and golden celebration. the country music awards going

? your dreams, just watch them shatter ? >> a lifetime achievement award for dolly parton. >> wow, what a tribute! this was so touching. i would have cried, but i didn't want to mess up my eyelashes, you know. >> taylor swift presenting entertainer of the year to garth brooks. >> pretty sweet. wow. it's cool. >> even a surprise appearance from beyonce. ? when trouble comes to town, you come around, my daddy says ? >>ve the stars, the styles and the celebrations today, thursday, november 3rd, 2016. ?? >> nifty 50 in new york city! hello, utah! >> happy birthday to my niece! >> whoo! ?? >> good morning to all our

whoo! >> we love washington! >> congratulations cubs! whoo! >> go, cubs, go! >> good morning, everybody. it's 8:00 today. we've turned our little section of the plaza into cubs nation this morning. we even have a peanuts and cracker jacks guy, alex, on the plaza! i love it! has turned people who probably never rooted for the cubs or the indians into fans of both teams. >> oh, yeah. or even if you haven't watched baseball in a few years, you're suddenly really back into it. by the way, you never let me down on the throwback thursday song. "shining star" by earth, wind and fire. >> one of our favorites, matt and i. 1975. this was their first big hit, won them a grammy. but you think about the stars shining. they're not going to shine as

series. congratulations, again. >> exactly. as you can see, our crowd is all fired up, rocking the hats, t-shirts. it's all courtesy of major league baseball and its partners, new era caps and majestic, and i've already snagged these for "trending" snacks. coming up, our #noshavetoday, campaign rolls on. dr. oz is going to take a look at an important issue, mental health and men. >> that's right. nearly surveyed said the technology increases their anxiety. we're going to talk about ways to cope. first, our morning's top stories with the news at 8:00. >> reporter: we begin with a big party, 108 years in the making. the cubs are the champs. i'm ron mott in chicago, where there will be more than a few sick calls phoned into the office today because this must-see tv went late into the night. >> here's the 0-1. >> reporter: waking up to a dream.

>> reporter: long-imagined, long-delayed, the chicago cubs are champions of baseball, a feat 108 years in the making, perfect for all its imperfections. >> what a game. what a series. >> reporter: down three games to one to the cleveland indians -- >> what a start! >> reporter: -- the cubs battled back bit by bit. >> cubs will take the lead! >> reporter: can a can't-quit, don't-quit attitude. >> 8-6, chicago! >> reporter: the cubs becoming it all from the edge of elimination. the last two victories on the road in cleveland against an equally game and scrappy indians team. >> cubs won it, 3-2. >> reporter: meantime, back in chicago, delirium. unabashed emotion unleashed. >> i don't believe it. i just -- the whole game, i was like, is this really going to happen? and then it happened. i don't believe it. i don't know what to say, man. >> this is us.

>> i've been a cubs fan since i was a young man, young boy, and my father worked the grounds crew, so this is a dream come true. >> reporter: the mood somber but proud in cleveland. >> i thought it was the best game i've ever seen, in person or on tv. >> reporter: the beginning of a championship era, the ending of the longest drought in baseball history. 2016 finally chicago's year. >> the curse for me is an excuse of looking for a way out. we didn't care about a goat. we cared about each other. we cared about getting outs. we cared about playing good baseball, and we did that from day one. >> it was just a hard-fought game. i mean, they came back, we came back. th best game sevens er.one of i mean, and fortunate we were on the right side of it. >> reporter: and here they are. the champs are back in town, the

details are being worked out for a celebration parade sometime either on friday or perhaps next moay it is going to be full of emotion and full of a lot of people. matt? >> going to be a lot of fun. ron mott, thank you very much. hillary clinton watched the end of that game backstage after a campaign stop in arizona and then tweeted her congratulations to her hometown team. earlier she spoke before one of her biggest crowds of her campaign. she says she has a real chance of to win arizona since bill clinton 20 years ago. today she's campaigning in north carolina. donald trump will also be in the tar heel state and in florida. on wednesday he urged himself to stay on point and dismissed hillary clinton as totally unhinged and the candidate of yesterday. the election now five days away. chaos erupted in new orleans last night where former kkk leader david duke was participating in a u.s. senate debate.

who were trying to enter the auditorium at dillard university, a historically black college. six people were arrested for obstructing traffic. nobody was seriously injured. in response to the growing outrage over duke's presence, the university released a statement on wednesday, saying that it stands by its contractual obligation to host that debate. just ahead, strict voter i.d. laws that could keep you from being able to vote next tuesday. ronan farrow is here and he'll tell you what y and then we'll do "trending." the nightlight you never know you needed but won't be able to live without. >> like a toilet lava lamp. i love that. and the "cmas," golden anniversary filled with golden

??? ??? discover card. i'm not a customer, but i'm calling about that credit scorecard. give it. sure! it's free for everyone. oh! well that's nice! and checking your score won't hurt your credit. oh! i'm so proud of you. well thank you. free at at discover.com/creditscorecard,

?? ? well, if you want to sing out, sing out ? ? and if you want to be free, be free ? ? 'cause there's a million things to be ? ? you know that there are ? ? and if you want to be me, be me ? ? 'cause there's a million things to do ? ? you know that there are ? ?? just fifteen minutes and a little imagination are all you need to make thanksgiving magic. chex party mix. it's what thanksgiving is made of.

(vacuum) no matter what you love, we'll help you style your home from floor to ceiling. now get 15% off select hgtv home? by sherwin-williams paint, and make your home happy at lowe's. 8:11. we are back, and it is a good time to trend. we are getting a little help today from our dear friend -- >> maria shriver's here! >> new invention at the top of "trending." >> are you eating? >> maybe. >> wt is that? >> looks like wrigley out there. >> they were handing them out in the plaza. anyway, new invention. police chases, we've all seen them.

dangerous. there is is a in you device that promises to put an end to them once and for all. you just judge for yourself. okay? it is called the grappler. it shoots out a net from the police car, then wraps that net around the tires of a suspect's vehicle bringing it to a halt. one police official says if the grappler works the way it seems to be working in the video, it would be a huge advantage. >> why are you guys so doubtful? >> i'm not doubtful -- i'm like, well, if y >> well, they do get close a lot. they bump the cars a lot. they try to knock them off the road. >> i would think that would cause more accidents. >> just seems a little far-fetched. great. if it worked, that would be fantastic. >> if you're just on that country road with nothing else around. but on the 405 in los angeles -- >> i'll be the guy to invest in the grappler. not you guys. i'll laugh all the way to the bank. this ever happen to you? is it you get up in the middle

bathroom -- welcome to the world of a 58-year-old man -- you end up stumbling in the dark. or you turn on a light, then you wake up just it just freaks you out. well, this is called the illumi-bowl. it is a little device you strap to the side of your toilet bowl. it looks like a little egg there or lava lamp. why are you laughing at this? >> i'll see you your grappling investment and raise you this. >> it's something that's warm and it shoots up water. >> wow! >> that's big. >> that's tmi. >> i'll just use the toilet. >> i don't know. it makes the toilet look like a throne or something. >> so vegas. so cool. i worry when i take my lenses out at night, sometimes i'll

sorry, tmi -- i just need that. i can't see anything. but if that thing was lit up, yeah, baby, i know where i'm going now. >> you want to flush quickly. because you don't want to have to look at that all lit up. >> oh, my gosh! new topic! if you are feeling the blues this morning, we're hoping this video will help you out. check out this little girl and her dance moves. she stole the show at this recent sporting event. she created a spectacle all her own. she's so good, even the team's mascot j dance-off. we know it ends with a big hug. you probably know the song and the dance. >> juju on that beat. >> how did it go again? >> running man on that beat. running man on that beat -- yeah! >> that's new. >> the athletes in locker rooms, they do that all the time.

talking about country music's biggest awards. the cmas. maybe the biggest surprise of all, a singer you may not expect to see at a country show was there -- beyonce. took to the stage singing her twangy hit, "daddy lessons," sharing the stage with dixie chicks. >> taylor swift made an unannounced appearance to present entertainer of the year award. this year it went to garth brooks. peyton manning was there in the nationwide insurance. the show's host, brad paisley and carrie underwood wanted him to feel right at home. >> are you -- ? are you here to sell insurance ?? ? no i'm here for one of my favorite singers ?? ? thank you so much is it me ?

chesney ?? [ laughter ] >> those hosts are great. everybody was having so much fun. peyton very funny. the big winners, carrie underwood. but the night belonged to dolly parton ? working 9 to 5 what a way to make a living ? ? barely getting by it's all taking and no giving ?? ? and will always love you ?? >> people always forget dolly wrote that song. people associate it with whitney houston. some of the biggest names in music singing all of dolly's hits. she was presented with the willie nelson lifetime achievement award. that's your "popstart!."

different colors! red, blue, green, for the holidays? >> music expert carson daly. >> that's your "popstart!." maria, good to see you. who was that singing? >> i was just looking at hoda. >> one more. one more. it's not over. we've got one of the new acts in music doing something very cool. pentatonics. they will be singing the new theme for thursday night football. have a look. ?? ? >> yeah! there you go. you can watch that new open for thursday night football -- tonight. that's right. the bucs take on the falcons. >> strong comeback, carson. >> got to keep it moving. >> thank you very much.

on our ongoing campaign series "red, white and you," a trend that could have a big impact on how many people actually vote next tuesday. >> let's go to nbc investigative correspondent ronan farrell who's been looking into this. >> hello, guys. i think this will touch a nerve. 1 in 5 voters live in a state that require a photo i.d. to vote but don't know it. of new laws is making it tougher than ever just to cast a ballot. >> i just felt so stunned and disenfranchised. and angry. i should be able to go to my middle school two blocks from my house and be able to cast my vote just like every other american. >> reporter: this woman lives in wisconsin. she's a mother of three and a public schoolteacher. and this year she was told she wouldn't be able to vote.

>> reporter: but this year a new voter i.d. law took effect in wisconsin limiting the i.d. you can use at the polls. she is an american citizen who emigrated from ireland when she was just 6 weeks old. she has an illinois driver's license but not a wisconsin-issued photo i.d. or current passport. the dmv says she needed naturalization papers which u.s. immigration services told her would cost $325 and cause many months to get. . >> i'm heart broken. >> reporter: 14 states have new voting laws this election cycle, eight limiting the i.d. you use. >> it varies from state to state. in texas they accept concealed weapons for voting but not student i.d. cards. >> reporter: director of the voting rights project for the state says 10% of the registered voters don't have the right kind of i.d. >> while they are

who may be coming from out of state. >> i'm trying to get a wisconsin i.d. so i can vote. >> okay. >> i don't have my birth certificate but i got everything else. >> reporter: in september, a voter advocacy group recorded a wisconsin dmv turning away this resident, zach moore, who's homeless. >> i'm trying to figure out the other process, like how long would that take? >> six to eight weeks. >> disappointed at the government. i guess to try to keep from voting. >> zach had a social security card, pay stubs and an illinois i.d. but not a birth certificate. that entitled him to a temporary voter i.d. under wisconsin law but he was repeatedly told that wasn't an option. when she showed students at nearby university of wisconsin madison the list of valid forms of identification, some were surprised. >> do you have one of those forms of i.d. with you on campus? >> no. only thing i have is a passport but that's at home. >> i do not have one of these forms of i.d. >> i do not actually.

advocacy group is pushing back. >> new voters need to learn about the venue. it is a learning curve. >> reporter: she recorded zach and others being turned away from registration, that led a federal judge to order an investigation. so far courts have struck down or narrowed voter i.d. laws in seven states one wroting in north carolina new provisions target african-americans with mo the laws have numerous defenders. >> in our state we have a photo i.d. requirement making it easy to vote, hard to cheat. >> some places they probably do that four or five times. >> we've seen it with in-person fraud. voter rolls are not pristine. >> reporter: a conservative lawyer and activist -- >> you can have people showing up and they don't present i.d. so how does anybody know whether or not there was fraud committed? >> there are conservatives who say this is necessary, this is preventing fraud.

study of voter impersonation found that between 2004 to 2014, there were 31 credible allegations of voter impersonation at the polls. >> 31. >> 31 in a period in which over 1 billion ballots were cast. i mean you're literally more likely to get struck like a lightning bolt than to have someone impersonate you at the polls. >> he says the data are overwhelmingly for democrats. >> now we have photo i.d. i think photo i.d. is going to make a little bit of a difference. >> if i could say one message to politicians who are supporting these voter i.d. laws i would say, let me vote. i'm a american. i've earned my right to vote. let me vote. >> after weeks of lobbying for the vote riders, she was given a temporary exception to the

to fight the way she has. a study shows that states with these laws see a dro in turnout one to two percentage points. that may not seem like a lot but in a lot of close states that could be enough. tens of thousands of people to swing the race. >> you got to make a phone call, go online and find out what's required in your state. >> for certain people, homeless people who don't have proper identification, disproportionately people of color, there are very serious obstacles of i.d. >> you can see more of our series on nbc news app on amazon fire tv. let us head to al in chicago. >> announcer: "today's" weather is sponsored by netjets. the worldwide leader in private aviation. >> let's take a look at the beloved wrigley field, ladies and gentleman.

it is a beautiful sight to behold. a lot of folks very happy about that park this morning. we were happy with our friends at netjets who actually helped us get here from cleveland to chicago this morning. so a big thank you. early this morning we boarded that

words. guys? ? go cubs go ?? >> all right, al, thank you. before we get to local news, the cubs released a video in honor of their historic win. >> set to the music of a huge cubs fan, pearl jam's eddie vetter. take a listen. ? we are one with the cubs with the cubs we're in love ? ? yeah hold our hds ? we are not fair weather but star weather fans ? ? we're like brothers in arms in the streets and the stands ? ? there's magic in the ivy and the scoreboard what i stare at is a kid keeping score ? ? a world full of green i could never want more ? ? some day we'll go all the way ? ? yeah some day we'll go all the

way ? ? yeah some day we'll go all the way ? ? yeah some day we'll go johnson: i've always said i'll be the calmest guy on my election night. i win either way. narrator: if he loses, senator johnson has the ten-million-dollar corporate payout he gave himself. or johnson stays in washington, for tax loopholes that benefit millionaires -- like himself. rigging the system at our expense. to fight for us: russ feingold. he listens and he's on our side. russ: i'm russ feingold and i approve this message because we don't need an economy that works only for ceo's

i'm...vince vitrano alongside brian gotter...lets get a

?? we're back now, 8:30 on a thursday morning, november 3rd, 2016. cub mania on really kind of unusual. i don't remember this ever happening after a world series, that the country got behind a team like they are right now, getting behind the chicago cubs. >> it's so exciting. >> meanwhile, hoda, who is this? [ inaudible ] >> waving in the window -- >> i mean, we've got baseball, we have got babies, we've got puppies. >> dogs. >> i mean, it's awesome. >> cracker jacks. >> yeah.

new story that tells us about a program credited with actually reversing symptoms in some alzheimer's patients. can't wait to hear about that. >> all right. then wait until you see the room jill redid for a father and a veteran. oh, my god -- >> look at this little thing. >> can we just show him? >> tickle right there? >> hi there! >> ticky, ticky! >> val has a playmate. >> oh, my gosh, adorable. >> i feel like i know what he's going to look all right, we're serving up some perfect pairings for our table, savory and sweet. good food on the way as well. let's go to chicago and check in with al again. >> hey, guys. we're at harry caray's bar and restaurant here. here's dino. you've got a great harry caray impersonation? >> absolutely, al. it's great to have you here. you know, the cubs spelled backward is world champion. >> and the bleacher preacher.

>> and that is your latest weather. mr. lauer. >> all right, mr. roker. thank you. now to our #noshavetoday campaign. one of the least talked about issues facing men, mental health. as part of its focus this year, the november foundation put out a candid video encouraging men to open up. we sat down with two ambassadors to hear their stories.

ideal of masculinity and how they have to appear to be. we forget to cry. we forget to be emotional, to show vulnerability, to show pain. >> for a long time there's been this gender stereotype that men are meant to be really tough and strong and brave. when i dropped out of high school, it was because i was mentally unwell. >> at 17 i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a severe form. in battling that disease, people >> i know how hard it is to talk about this sort of stuff. i know how much of a barrier it can be, particularly for men, whether it might be seen as being weak or not manly enough or whatever. >> we need to talk about this. we need to be honest about it. >> it's one of those things that's kept under wraps so much. it's so much more common than we realize. and we just hide it. >> let's change the conversation. let's make it a point for humankind to recognize that the

every other part of the body and sometimes needs help. >> every single person on the planet can be a part of making mental health mainstream. >> whatever you're going through, whatever pain you're experiencing, you matter most. it's okay to be in pain. you're human. >> it doesn't make you a bad person. it doesn't make you less of a person. it makes you someone who has a condition or a situation that can be helped. so, please get t you'll thank yourself for it later. >> here with more on men and mental health, dr. mehmet oz and dr. steven snyder, professor of psychiatry at mt. sinai. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> we're talking about embarrassment again. tuesday we talked about men embarrassed to talk about testicular cancer and now it's mental health. >> the most profound thing is our mental health. and it's not just about lives, it's about quality of life.

with provocative insights gained about why men aren't talking about their minds. >> nearly half of the men, 46% say they're embarrassed to share their feelings about mental health, and this is significant. 49% admit that they're feeling more depressed than they let on. >> yeah. >> you know, men don't ask for directions when they're lost, either. this is a male quality of not wanting to get help. go it alone. be brave. it's a known male quality, but sometimes it can get in your way. >> so when you come across men, what do you tell them? how d hurdle? >> a lot of folks think they have to man up. we even have that phrase. if you really want to man up, protect your family. the most important thing a man needs to do is be there for the people in their life and it's important to let people know, if they're not healthy, they won't walk their daughter down the aisle and be there for their family if they need help. >> does depression manifest differently in men than women? >> well, there are more commonalities than differences. men tend to have an irritability

they get irritable, enraged. men want to go off by themselves. they want to do that anyway, but they want to go off by themselves because they're irritable, they don't feel good and often do self-destructive habits like drinking or drug use because it feels good. >> this subject is geared towards men, but it also should be geared toward the women in our lives. how do women play a role in this to try to help guys become more communicative about things like this? >> first of metaphors. but actually, literally, say pass the ball to me, honey. i'm here, too. you don't have to do it all yourself. in this survey, we did it together and found profound things out about men and they're very different from women. women want to be there for help. the man wants to protect, but the woman wants to be there for you as well. women want to help, and if you say that to a man, they'll step down a bit and say, all right, i'll let it happen. otherwise, they'll deny. >> day after day.

but war metaphors. men are mentally geared for battle. you don't want to show weakness, they'll attack. so respect the fact that a man has a battlefield mentality and work with it that way. >> doctors, thank you both. >> thank you, matt. >> appreciate it. important information. if you have questions about them, they're about to take part in a live chat on our "today health" facebook page, and you can find more information at today.com. up next, reversing alzheimer's disease. maria shriver on an experimental program showing promise. but first, on a thursday morning, this is "today" on nbc. what greases the gears in washington? money. and ron johnson fits right in. six years ago, johnson took a shady $10 million corporate payout, went to washington, then voted to protect $21 billion in tax breaks for the world's biggest oil companies. $21 billion. a wisconsin senator, protecting tax breaks for oil companies. that's ron johnson. that's washington.

end citizens united is responsible

back now with our special series "brain power today," this morning a new way to fight alzheimer's disease that's showing a lot of promise. >> special anchor maria shriver is back with this part of the story. hi, maria. good to see you. >> all three of you. well, november is alzheimer's awareness month. to kick things off we are

potentially extraordinary. an experimental program that some patients say has literally reversed their symptoms and allowed them to live a normal life. ?? >> reporter: at 50, deborah says her brain is sharper than decades before. >> mentally i feel at least in my 30s. it is amazing. >> reporter: amazing because this mother of four has the alzheimer's gene and struggled wither in her 40s. >> i was forgetting things. it became increasingly difficult for me to recognize people's faces. and my fuzziness worried me becauset wasn't like me. >> reporter: terrified of her future, deborah began an experimental protocol designed to stop the symptoms of alzheimer's. it's called the bredesen program. >> we are getting results that haven't been seen before. >> reporter: california

created it. >> how are you attacking alzheimer's in a new and groundbreaking way? >> we spent 27 years in the laboratory looking at what are the features that drive the underlying problem? >> reporter: he believes alzheimer's is caused by dozens of imbalances in the body that his program is designed to fix. his daily protocol includes eating a mediterranean diet high in vegetables and good fats, regular cardio at least 12 hours after dinner, brain training exercises, getting at least eight hours of sleep, and a regimen of supplements to address each patient's deficiencies. >> you are saying that all of these things done together reverses cognitive impairment and/or alzheimer's. >> yes. we see improvement time after time after time. >> reporter: in a small published study, bredesen found his program boosted cognitive

months. so much so, some could even return to work. did the bredesen program save your brain? >> yeah. >> reporter: this study patient asked us to hide his identity because he is a working physician diagnosed with early onset alzheimer's. when his memory started to slip, he began the bredesen program. a year in, he says his symptoms disappeared. his cognitive test scores back to normal. today, you're still pr i'm just functioning very high now. >> reporter: bredesen says his program only works for patients in early stages of the disease. do you consider yourself the alzheimer's cure? >> no, of course not. the longest we have the person on a program is four and a half years. we've not had a single example yet out of the hundreds in which someone has gone on the program, gotten better, stayed on the program, and then gotten worse. >> reporter: he's now partnered with the cleveland clinic for a

program. critics say until more research is done, the verdict is still out. but patients like deborah say they're living proof it works. >> i would stand on my rooftop and shout it out to people. >> i really felt like my life was saved. >> well, the alzheimer's association says it is encouraged by dr. bredesen's initial results, but they do say further study is needed. dozens of doctors across the country have now been trained to administer his program which you can find out more about at today.com. next year he's going to publish a book about his program. lot of people excited about this. other doctors saying wait, don't rush. this is not a cure. and also in this space it is all now about intervention and prevention. get to people early on. >> the good news is it can't hurt, right? it can only help. >> but people talking a lot about fat in the diet.

was interesting. and interval exercises, not just walking or going to the gym but really pushing blood to your brain. >> complicated causes but also complicated solutions. >> exa actually. coming up next, jill transforms one deserving veteran's junk room into the ultimate man cave. but first, this is "today" on

created with our sponsor, lowe's. for more content like this, visit the "today" facebook page and check out love notes. time for our series, "renovate today." we ask people going through major life transitions to tell us about a room they'd like to freshen up. >> jill martin gave a couple expecting triplets last week. how you going to top this? >> we three new ones we can't

one. i promise you that. the wheeler family from virginia wanted to turn their mess into the ultimate man cave so we teamed up with lowe's to make one deserving father's dream a reality. >> oh, wow! >> beautiful! >> reporter: meet the wheelers. army veteran and dad fernando wheeler recently started a new job working from home. one problem though -- he doesn't >> right now i work at the kitchen table. so i'm kind of in the middle of everything. >> reporter: fernando's wife, pam, really wants to give her college sweetheart a place of his own. >> most importantly, he deserves it. my husband is a very, very kind

>> reporter: his daughters who both live at home love their dad, but want him out of the kitchen! >> we're here and he's in the middle of everything. sometimes we have loud conversation. >> daddy's like, why are you all yelling? >> reporter: the good news -- the wheelers have the perfect room to transform. >> well, it is an unfinished room full of junk that has been like that for 14 years. yeah. junk drawer. we h a >> reporter: the wheelers had one request. >> we have a print of the tuskegee airmen. the program fighter pilots. that i would love to be the centerpiece of the room. >> reporter: with our mission at hand, we brought in lowe's head designer, deb, and her team. >> here is the space. >> this is an unfinished office, fernando! >> yes. >> oh, wow. this is a lot.

conditioning, drywall, insulation. we've got a lot to do in a short amount of time. let's go! ?? >> time for the wheelers to roll in to their new room. >> i know. i can't wait to see pam's reaction. >> so beautiful! >> wow! >> oh, my >> this is fabulous. wow. >> this is not our house! >> this is not our house! >> i am just so amazed! >> this is phenomenal. >> this office represents him perfectly. >> i never imagined my office looking like this. i was just thinking a room finished, desk, chair. got it. but this right here, this is great. >> and it is heated. >> yes!

>> it's so big! >> yes. >> beautiful! >> and of course, the "today" show will be on every day. >> reporter: major fernando wheeler finally has a room to call his own. >> we hung that picture that you love. that was the inspiration for the space, right? right behind you. it is the anchor of this room. so of course, we wanted to put in things that you need to work -- a desk, bookcase, some filing. no more moving plates out of the way and cups out of the way. sounds -- i'll be in my office. [ laughter ] >> beautiful! >> nice job. >> awesome. >> you couldn't have found a better family, either. they're fantastic. >> we had the best time with them. they were so appreciative. what i loved the most is they were happier for him than even he was. they were just so happy to give it to limb. we actually got a picture on halloween of fernando chilling in his office, watching us. >> that's funny.

big tv down there. coming up, three tasty ways to use cornbread this thanksgiving as a side and a dessert. but first, this is "today"

we're back, 8:53. day two of our "today food all-star thanksgiving."

savory recipes. ladies, good morning. so you -- we have a lot of different options here but you chose one ingredient. you are going to make a couple of different ways. >> it's cornmeal. i look for any excuse to make cornbread dressing. honey, we jumped on it. >> i got to make it sweet, baby. >> we know cakes. >> exactly. we start with the cornbread. self-rising flour, self-rising meal. we'll whisk up some things. i'm going to start pouring in our buttermilk. we need to get all of these ingredients incorporated. pour those eggs in. i'm going to let you mix it. we're going to talk about the most important step -- which is this pan. it has got to be as hot as the hinges of hell.

okay. >> all right? this is our beautiful cast iron skillet. it does have some oil in it. i'm going to pour that in. this is hot. i don't want to burn you. >> yesterday i almost died of smoke inhalation. >> you're going to pour your batter in here. mix it, mix it. we have sauteed vegetables. we are moving on to the best part which is the cornbread dressing. sage, poultry seasoning and a little bit of cayenne. saute this for about two minutes. you really want that flavor to get in there. we take our sauteed vegetables. then we're going to add them to our cracker crumbs. this is the cornbread. just a little bit later. we're going to add that to this. then we have our eggs. now, before we do that, let's talk about this real quick.

broth. then we are going to taste this. we have to make sure that this is right. literally if we sit down on thanksgiving day and these seasoning things aren't correct, the whole day is ruined. taste it, pour it, then we're going to bake at 350. look at that fantasticness. >> talk to me, baby. >> jocelyn, what are we making? >> we took cornbread. it had a cake baby. this is what we got. we got some sugar. you want to add as this, cream this as much as possible. we are going to add our eggs in one at a time because you want this to be a nice and silky batter. then slow this baby down. as soon as you start adding in your cornmeal, flour, you make sure this doesn't overdevelop. make sure it is just nice, light and fluffy. we've got our vanilla, buttermilk, that makes a nice moist cake.

you cannot have a country thanksgiving without a cast iron skillet. you are going to put this right in here in our cast iron skillet. bake this baby up. it comes out so delicious, so moist. you can even put it in a cake pan. you can do these cute little mini buns. whatever you want.

check of the weather.. at the same time county leadrers insist they must raise taxes and fees... they're about to hand out big raises to workers. happening y- board is set to vote on raising the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour. the "living wage" ordinance would boost pay for county workers... and those contractors doing business with the county... to 15 dollars an hour by 20-21. meanwhile... county supervisors set to take a vote next week on a tax levy increase and new 30 dollar wheel tax feeafter hours of debate, the milwaukee county finance committee voted to approve both measures. county

putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing. ?when i come home and dinner's?? not ready i go through the roof. grab 'em by the p****". when you're a star, they let you do it. you can do anything. more accusers coming forward to say they were sexually assaulted i'll go backstage before a show... yes.. and everyone's getting dressed. donald trump walked into the dressing room while contestants, some as young as 15 were changing. standing there with no clothes. you see these incredible looking women. i'd look her right in that fat ugly face of hers. she ate like a pig. a person who's flat-chested is very hard to be a 10. do you treat women with respect? uh... i can't say that either.

approve this message. good morning everybody why one man decided to traverse the entire length of the wisconsin river on his inflated paddle board. it's called the fourth trimester. help for new moms d is born. >> it's national sandwich day. >> to celebrate one local shop is giving away free subs next on the morning blend. ? ? [ music ] ? ? ? ? hi everybody. as my friend said, on facebook