good morning. breaking news. it's rex. just moments ago, the president-elect nominating rex tillerson for secretary of state. the exxon-mobil ceo with no government or diplomatic expe ties to russia, set to face a tough confirmation. polar plunge. utally cold temperatures taking hold across the midwest. 24 degrees in chicago. 9 in omaha. minus 3 in minneapolis. and by the time it's over, three-quarters of the country could be blanketed by the deep freeze. air scare. a flight from texas to germany forced to make an emergency landing at new york's jfk airport overnight. more than 500 passengers

this morning the credible threat that led to some tense moments. and, tom terrific. >> brady into traffic, touchdown. >> nfl star tom brady delivers a clutch performance leading new england to a key monday night victory. are brady and the patriots poised to make yet another super bowl run "today," tuesday, december 13th, 2016. >> annouer this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a tuesday morning. we'll have more on that game in just a second. but we got breaking news. >> we certainly do. our top story after weeks of interviews and mulling the decision, president-elect trump has announced his choice for secretary of state. it is exxon-mobil ceo rex tillerson. >> in an e-mail mr. trump

"forceful and clear-eyed advocate for american interests around the world." but, there is a lot of controversy surrounding this pick. we have complete coverage. let's start with nbc's peter alexander at the white house. peter, good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you. that breaking news within the last hour or so. president-elect trump, as you said, in an e-mail showering his secretary of state picked with praise. he said that this life-long oil executive, rex tillerson, will be, in his words, that forceful and clear-eyed advocated for america's vital national just moments ago he tweeted, "i have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world. rex tillerson." donald trump announcing his most important cabinet choice yet -- exxon-mobil ceo rex tillerson as secretary of state. despite tillerson's lack of diplomatic experience, trump has touted his pick as a world class player. >> he does massive deals in russia. he does massive deals for the company. not for himself, for the company.

putin could make tillerson's senate confirmation contentious. some republicans, including marco rubio and john mccain, already expressing concern. trump calling another finalist for the job, mitt romney, late monday to tell him he was going in a different direction. romney writing on facebook, his discussions with trump were enjoyable and enlighteng, adding he has veh hoigs for the administrati. so thimornin nbc news has learned former texas governor, rick perry, habeen tapped as trums searofney tower nday. meanwhile, the president-ele's ramping up his showdown with t intelligence commuty over ru allssia'sededdlinin t u.s. election with growing bipaan calls for a rel instigation. >> the key to this is t to find outthe t ssns' tentions were, were they intending to change the outcom of our election? if so, it've sio. >> reporter: even e most poweul republicain the sena, tch mcconn siding

iave thhight confidence in t intelligence community and especially tentr intelligence ageie >> reporter: trump questioning the ency's assessment that russiaas behind the hacks, tweeting, nless catch hackers the act, it's very hard to dneetmi who is doing the hacking cyber serity experts say 's nat true. top trump aidedismiss the entire controversy as politically movad. >> ihi clearlyypset t lost the debate and pushing ts after they lost the election that they thout they were going to win. >> reporter: hillary clinton's entering the fray. late monday trump postponed a planned news conference scheduled for this week intended to lay out how he'll wall off his business interests from the country's interests. trump tweeting overnight, "even though i'm not mandating by law to do so, i will be leaving my businesses before january 20th." turning his company over to sons

will be done during my terms in office and promising that news conference in the near future. in many ways the bet that donald trump is making on rex tillerson is the same bet he asked the country to make on him during the campaign, that he's been very successful pursuing profits in his own business interests and now that he's going to work for you, the american people, this morning a top transition official tells me trump's team is right now working to secure public endorsements of tillerson from past cabinet officials. that includes former secretaries of state condoleezza rice and james baker. matt and hoda. >> peter alexander at the white house. thank you. let's talk more about mr. trump's choice. andrea mitchell is nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent. andrea, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. in his statement announcing rex tillerson this morning, donald trump blasted what he calls years of misguided foreign policies. but in choosing a texas oil man with no government experience and deep ties to vladimir putin,

buying in to what could be a bruising confirmation battle. this morning donald trump is tapping rex tillerson to become the nation's top diplomat. but the ceo set to become a critical member of trump's cabinet could face a confirmation challenge on capitol hill. on the heels of the cia's assessment that russia meddled in the u.s. election. tillerson's ties to the kremlin are raising red flags with high-profile republicans like john mccain and marco rubio. both questni man's close relationship with vladimir putin. undeterred, the president-elect has been talking up his nominee. >> i have a tremendous respect for him. >> reporter: tillerson is the first person nominated for secretary of state in modern history with no public sector experience. working in the oil business for more than four decades. he has an estimated net worth of at least $150 million. joining exxon-mobil in 1975, rising through the ranks, eventually becoming the

his work sending him to dozens of countries, experience team trump says makes him qualified for the job. >> he negotiates, he develops oil, he employs many people, and he does have a facility to talk to leaders around the globe. >> reporter: the businessman is also shown a vast knowledge of the international economy and willingness to take on tough questions. like in 2012 when oil companies were under siege as gas prices were approaching $5 a gallon. >> as i look at just the supplyem would not expect to see prices reach that level. >> reporter: but it is his business dealings with russia that have some lawmakers on edge. in 2013, putin awarded him the order of friendship medal. one of the highest russian honors a foreigner can receive. this after exxon won a contract to search for oil in parts of the russian-controlled arctic ocean. now questions about his business holdings and how he will handle sanctions against putin are sure to come up in confirmation hearings.

with another american institution his entire life -- the boy scouts. >> scouting has been a part of my life, and it is who i am. >> reporter: a dedicated eagle scout, the 64-year-old served as the group's national president from 2010 to 2012. embracing the organization's recent inclusion of openly gay men and boys. his loyalty to the group, he says, has helped shape his values. >> we have a duty to this country as citizens to participate in our government, this democracy, and be active, productive, positive citizens. >> tillerson had supported jeb bush during the primaries. but it is another trump rival who was publicly paraded through an apprentice-style audition for the job, mitt romney. monday night trump called romney to tell him he didn't get the job. romney tweeted he was honored to have been considered. also passed over, rudy giuliani, david petraeus and foreign relations chairman bob corker who will chair those hearings,

matt and hoda, back to you. >> thank you, andrea. nicolle wallace, good morning. in the e-mail that announced this, trump hailed tillerson as one of the world's best business leaders. business and diplomacy are two different things. are you surprised by the choice? >> i'm not surprised at all. i think we now have our two frames that donald trump, a branding guru in his own view, is trying to put around his administration. one he values really, really rich guys, so far, who are willing to give up persona fortunes to serve this country. in his mind that defines a real commitment to the country. two, he values change. he ran on change and i think he looked at the entire list of other very qualified candidates and thought they all represented some sort of continuation of normal stuff. >> just to clarify, they aren't giving up personal fortunes, they are just putting them on the sidelines. >> but he will not be earning his exxon-mobil salary if and when he serves as secretary of state. >> let's talk about the up side

smarts and he got some big endorsements. we saw condi rice. we saw james baker. what does all that tell you? >> well, it tells you that he did not just show up on the trump tower security list and wander inside to see what this new president-elect actually looks and sounds like. it sounds like some very important people from the foreign policy establishment, my old colleagues, secretary gates and secretary rice, thought that this would sort of check both boxes, be somebody responsible would sort of fit trump's mold, which is someone from outside of politics. >> the ties to russia and vladimir putin, kellyanne conway was on the program yesterday saying don't mistake this, it is not like they're pounding putin and tillerson are pounding down vodka. but someone like john mccain says it concerns him. but the criticism goes on to say, putin is a thug and a murderer. are we going to see an awkward moment during a confirmation

forced to sit up there and say, yes, i agree with you, he is a thug and a murderer? >> this is where we are on russia. this came up in your interviews with donald trump. this has come up for the last 15 months in conversations. this is about donald trump's instincts and impulses vis-a-vis russia. where he has been pushed and probed about how he feels about putin and how he feels about russia, it is a stark departure from how john mccain and lindsey graham and former senator joe lieberman and all of the sort of -- and marco rubio. there is a caucus in the u.s. senate made up largely of republicans who are skeptical and really reluctant to accept sort of the warm words that donald trump -- >> is rex tillerson going to be forced to denounce putin in that confirmation hearing? >> i believe he will be and pushed about his own reflexes and his own impulses. this is going to become a threat that i think we will be able to pull through the first early months of trump presidency. what's the impulse and instinct

instinct and reflex is to defend putin from hacking. we know that rex tillerson in business dealings was able to be so sort of conciliatory and able to work with russia that he received a medal of friendship. what does that tell us about their impulses about russia as really not an ally but an adversary at this point to the united states of america. >> nicolle wallace, thank you very much. >> it won't be boring. >> also this morning, another dangerous deep freeze is under way. it will eventually bring bone-chilling temperatures to most of the country. nbc's ron mott is in very chilly chicago. hey, ron, good morning. >> reporter: hey, hoda, good morning to you. in a word -- it is cold out here. but it is going to get even colder. right now temperatures are in the mid to low 20s. we expect in the few hours for the mercury to dip and it will fall all day long before we bottom out between 5 and 7 degrees. for the first 12 days of this month, through yesterday, the

in chicago nine days. up in minneapolis, it's six days with temperatures below normal here in december. new york city has already registered three days below normal in new york city. now, this cold, this ice and all of this weather has wreaked havoc on travel. since saturday we've seen some 4,000 flights canceled nationwide and we've seen a number of chain reaction accidents on the nation's highways including a fatal one ohio that killed a youth hocy we can tell you that this is going to continue for some days now. what's to blame is this polar vortex. our old friend the polar vortex bringing these arctic temperatures here about to knock on the doors of 28 million americans and all of that weren't bad enough, we have another snow system starting to develop in the pacific northwest. by the time it is over, 12-plus states could have even more snow. so here in chicago, we expect temperatures to go well below zero tomorrow into thursday and thursday into friday with some very dangerous windchills. whatever snow falls is probably

ground is going to be so cold. here's the kicker. it is still fall. winter doesn't officially begin until next wednesday. matt? >> he had to rub that in, didn't he. ron, thanks. >> i think ron just did your forecast. >> we are talking though about 48 states are going to have below normal temperatures. 1 in 7 americans through friday are going to see temperatures at below zero. it is going to be rough. look at these windchills. five below in minneapolis. 11 in des moines. chicago, five above. then we get to tomorrow morning. it is going to feel like minus 5 in green bay. 14 in indianapolis. 4 in cleveland. 6 below in sioux falls. wednesday night, it stays cold. look at thursday. we continue to see this bitterly cold air. new york city will feel like 17, minus 7 in cleveland. plus, those winds are going to

around wisconsin. getting into western new york, some places picking up a foot to foot and a half in the tughill plateau. we are looking at another big storm that's going to cause havoc for the eastern half of the country into this weekend. and another blast of cold air that will go as far south as dallas. we'll look at that in the next half-hour. >> al, thank you. a lufthansa flight from houston to germany was diverted to jfk here in new york last night after someone called in a bomb threat mid flight. the plane landed safely, was directed to a remote area of the airport. more than 500 passengers were taken by shuttle to the terminal. the plane was searched by the joint terrorism task force but nothing suspicious was found. an investigation is under way in bakersfield, california this morning after police shot and killed an unarmed 73-year-old man. police were responding to a call about a man with a gun when they arrived on the scene, a witness

driveway. according to police, one officer fired several rounds killing that man. he was identified as francisco cerna. family members say he was showing early signs of dementia. there was no gun recovered at the scene, and it is unclear why that officer opened fire. former illinois congressman aaron schock once a rising star in the republican party, has been officially arraigned on federaau but schock and his legal team are saying they're confident he will be exonerated. nbc's blake mccoy has that story. >> reporter: moments after pleading not guilty to all federal corruption charges against him, aaron schock spoke briefly to reporters outside an illinois courthouse monday evening. >> i have full confidence in my legal team, full confidence in the good people of this community, and i'm confident that in the end, justice will prevail. >> reporter: a grand jury handed out the 24-count criminal indictment, including charges of

illegally pocketed more than $100,000 of government and campaign funds. elected to the house at 27, the young congressman seemed to relish life in the public eye, posting photos of exotic trips and famous friends on instagram. and showing off his six-pack abs on the cover of "men's health" magazine. but those headlines took a shocking turn nearly two years ago when a washington reporter exposed the elaborate redesign of his washin, apparently inspired by the show "downton abbey." that led to further investigations in how schock was funding his luxurious lifestyle. schock resigned from congress in march of 2015 citing the media frenzy surrounding him. later saying he never intentionally did anything wrong, calling any errors "honest mistakes." it is a message his lawyer echoed. >> aaron schock has pled not guilty in this case for one very

forward to defending this case at trial. >> reporter: trial that is set to begin in early february. for "today," blake mccoy, nbc news, chicago. let's talk about football now. what looked like another blow-out win for the patriots turned out to be a pretty exciting game last night. new england hosting baltimore. the patriots taking commanding 20-point lead in the third quarter on this pass. tom brady to martellus bennett. game over, right. not so fast. ravens come clawing back. in fact, they got within three points late in the fourth quarter. then tom brady does what tom brady does. he finds chris hogan wide open. that's for 79 yards and a touchdown. patriots hold on to win it 30-23. this brady is growing on me. >> he's got a future, that guy. >> al, you've got a check of the forecast. you bet. let's see what else is going on around the country. we've got some heavier showers and thunderstorms down through

that bitter cold making its way into the plains. we've got wet weather in the mid-atlantic states as well. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next

>> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> all right, al, thank you very much. coming up, two surprises from the defense of a florida woman accused of hiring a hit man to kill her open husband. her fate is now in the hands of the jury. we are live at the courthouse make your life easier? our "rossen reports" team is trying out two popular models. but first, this is "today"

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

7:30 on a tuesday morning. some reindeer out on the plaza. it is december 13th, 2016. nice shot of our friends on rockefeller plaza. the christmas tree around the corner there in the background. we're going to get outside in a second. they'll be able to listen to the sounds of pentatonix a little bit later on. >> i love those guys. a check of today's headlines. arctic air sweeping into the plain states this morning bringing bitter cold temperatures to that entire region. temperatures are going to fall well into the single digits in some spots like chicago later today. by the end of the week, the deep freeze will reach us here in the northeast. donald trump announced his

this morning, rex tillerson, the chairman and ceo of exxon-mobil. mr. trump calling him one of the most accomplished business leaders and deal makers in the world. but tillerson's business ties to russia are expected to be a source of debate during his senate confirmation hearings. a key hearing begins today tied to the criminal case against bill cosby. at issue, whether 13 women who claimed the comedian drugged and molested them will be allowed to take the stand. cosby was allegations of a 2004 crime against a former temple university employee. in a typical trial, only the accuser of the crime in question could testify. also this morning, a florida jury is set to begin deliberations in the case of a woman accused of hiring a hit man to kill her husband. police say they captured it all on video during a controversial sting operation. but the defense argues it's a case of entrapment. nbc's kerry sanders is in west palm beach with more on all of

>> reporter: good morning, hoda. dalia dippolito could have taken the stand in her own defense, but when it came down to the critical decision, as is her right, the 34-year-old decided to remain silent. instead, she and her legal team hope that the jury focuses on what they call police misconduct. this morning, 34-year-old dalia dippolito's fate rests with six florida jurors. if they again review the police videos of dalia dippolito allegedly firing a hit man or later bursting into tears when police told her her husband was murdered. even though he was very much alive. at the last moment the judge deciding to allow this emotional video into the case. as the jury now knows the husband's death was fake. set up by cops. prosecutors allege dippolito's crying was all an act. but the defense team argues the

beach police department are the real theater produced to enhance the reality tv show "cops." the police said they were aware the "cops" show was filming, but it in no way influenced their investigation. >> those videos, if you consider those videos, you know what you're doing? you are rewarding a police department for lying and cheating. >> reporter: in 2011, another jury found dalia dippolito guilty of solicitation to commit murder. she was but that conviction was overturned on appeal. >> you must find dalia dippolito not guilty in this case. >> reporter: now, seven years later, and after four days of new testimony, it is in the jury's hands. >> by her own words, her own actions, and her own intent. all day, every day. for $4,700 she wanted two bullets put in her husband's head. >> reporter: the state building

department. and, of course, the videos. >> we're talking about a young woman ha has a beautiful family and now a little infant boy. but i can't go into that any further other than this is a serious matter. a woman who might lose her freedom and we've got a police department who's predatory, who's manufacturing something that isn't there? >> reporter: in closing arguments, dalia dippolito's lawyers revealed that she is a mother, something we hadn' how that having a baby will influence a jury decision of course is unclear. the jury is expected to begin deliberating later this morning. hoda? >> kerry sanders in west palm, thanks so much. "dateline" will have more on this case friday night at 9:00, 8:00 central, right here on nbc. let's get another check of the weather from mr. roker. >> we are taking a look at our friends out west. the pineapple express is going full tilt bringing in that moisture all the way from hawaii. and it is going to start

bit. but look at this. by thursday, some areas may pick up five to seven inches of heavy rain. you add the snow melt. we have flood watches for northern california. this system comes onshore bringing snow on friday from bismarck, minneapolis, on into omaha. we are looking at an icy mix through central illinois. then as we move into friday and saturday, snow for chicago, detroit, we've got an icy mix moving into the northeast. snow into boston. look at we've got snow stretching from the west coast all the way into the east, especially around the great lakes, chicago. you've got upwards of possibly six to nine inches of snow continuing. and it is just going to continue

>> don't forget, get that weather any time you need it on the weather channel. >> all right, al, thanks so much. just ahead, how well do they i'm jeff rossen. coming up, it is the battle of the box. the vacuum box. they promise to clean your house with the touch of a button, but

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back now at 7:41 with more of our special "rossen reports" series "does it work." this morning we are talking about robotic vacuums that promise to make cleaning your home a lot easier. >> "today" national investigator correspondent jeff rossen has tried them out. so many people are in the office saying what did you find on this because they want to buy them. the holidays are here. our families are coming over. we know what that means, right? lots of messes to clean up. but instead of pushing a vacuum around the house, and this is what i look like when i vacuum -- what if you could just push a button instead? vacuum robots claim to be stronger and more powerful than ever, but can they actually clean your home, and how well do they clean your home? this morning we are trying out

we are making a mess. >> this feels so wrong! so wrong. >> reporter: dirt. that's a cup of dirt. cereal. >> exactly 100 cheerios. >> reporter: even a bag of pet hair. now introducing robots that will do the work for you. two of the top models on the markets. the dyson 360i and the roomba 980. both small but powerful machines that claim to clean an entire okay, so you can see this living room is filthy but there are a few spots we'll really be looking at. like under the couch. such an annoying place for us all to vacuum. we've stuck dirt and pet hair under here. we want to see if the robots can get under the couch. both robots say they can transition between hardwood floors and carpeting. we have filth on both. one other spot, here in the corner where grime builds up in all of our homes.

i want to see if they can get in there and get that. first up, the new dyson. advertising two times the suction power of any robot vacuum. >> there it goes! it made it up! it went from the hardwood to the carpet pretty easily. >> reporter: things were going pretty well. >> yes! stuck the landing. >> reporter: but soon the dyson, it's so tall that it can't get underneath this couch. then, more problems. stuck on the ledge. it does not like these tassels. it keeps faulting and it just shut off. each time he reset it and get it back to work. but -- it keeps happening. >> another fault. >> reporter: again. >> this ledge again. >> reporter: and again. >> fault. >> reporter: 12 times. after five hours, including two hours of mandatory recharging, we finally call it off. the room is definitely cleaner, it sort of got that dirt in the corner, but it missed some spots, too, like all that filth

do any better? we bring in a new identical carpet and drop the same amount of dirt, cereal and pet hair, including under the couch and in that corner. >> it's filthy. >> reporter: time to let the roomba loose. >> look at that roomba go. it's been about ten minutes and already half the carpet is done. >> reporter: so far, so good. >> impressives, right? right under the couch. >> reporter: the roomba is almost half done and hasn't faulted once. >> the roomba is going to town on that filth we put under the couch. it is rather cathartic watching a robot do your work. >> reporter: even on hard to climb surfaces like that ledge. it is getting all the dirt. after 2:42 minutes, including a recharge -- the roomba is done cleaning and automatically returns to the base.

way. overall, the room pretty clean. the maker of the roomba telling us the 980 is their most advanced and effective robot vacuum to date. dyson telling nbc news, at this stage, it has not been engineered to clean specific sections of the room. including designated spillage. dyson calls it a maintenance cleaner and advises people to tuck away carpet fringes and generally clear the floor area. adding, dyson engineers are contin t a battle of the bots to save you time and grime. >> by the way, these robotic vacuums, they don't come cheap. the dyson 360i costs nearly $1,000. the roomba 980 runs nearly $900. >> wow. it takes so much time to clean a room, even if you get the right one. >> they're loud, like a vacuum when you're there in person. i think the key is maybe to leave and go to work and come

you're lying on the couch watching it where you could get up and actually vacuum. >> that's how i do things, matt. >> what do you have tomorrow? >> tomorrow morning we have another great holiday gift task. tomorrow we are talking about kitchen products. so many gadgets out there promising to make your life easier from cleaning your microwave to cooking eggs like that in this little device you can deshell hard-boiled eggs. do these products really work? that is tomorrow right here on "today." we'll make it n the kitchen. coming up, it is your chance to help sir elton john make music videos for some of his biggest hits. we'll explain. and emoji alert.

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sure, you could sit around all night waiting for a pizza to be delivered. but wouldn't making it yourself be a lot more fun? it's baking season. warm up with pillsbury. it is time to turn it to the orange room where tamron is in for carson. we're talking emoji. >> just quickly, al, matt, do you use emojis? i know hoda and i do. >> sometimes. bitmojis more. >> these are cute. i think these will change the way we communicate. big news for us iphone users out there. apple just released a software update. hundreds of new and redesigned emojis.

new professions. some of them include, the astronaut. the farmer. the i.t. person and the singer. but i think the singer looks like bowie. i'm thinking this is homage to bowie. apple has had several animals out there but they've added these. shark, the fox, and the temple owl is what i call that one. it is just an owl but i am a temple grad. of course, we can never get enough food emojis. an avocado, a croissant. can you believe they just added bacon? why wasn't bacon there before? >> how do you not have bacon? >> how do you not have bacon? other newbies sparking chatter are the selfie, the clown -- i thought we cured ourselves of clowns. and the shoulder shrug. even if you aren't a big emoji user, prepare yourself. an agency in london just posted a job opportunity for the first ever emoji translator. emojis could be coming to an office near you. i like the gecko, too, hoda, look!

>> what is it? >> booze. champagne specifically. >> that will get a lot of use. >> i just avocadoed you. >> tamron, thanks. >> coming up just ahead, the >> coming up just ahead, the hilarious keegan michael key. he is here. looking at him makes us laugh. >> he is the shrug girl. and, pentatonix are also here. ?? this is for you. did you really? didn't have too! ?? getting the gift you almost kept for yourself? now that's a holiday mini miracle. and it's easy to create your own at walgreens... with 50 percent off the gifts of the week, just around the corner. walgreens. at the corner of happy and healthy. your insurance company won't replace the full value of your totaled new car.

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ture on sketchbook, and i'm going to draw mustaches on you all. using the pen instead of fingers, it just feels more comfortable for me. be like, boop! it's gone. i like that only i can get into it and that it recognizes my fingerprint. our old tablet couldn't do that. it kind of makes you feel like you're your own person, which is a rare opportunity in my family.

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? it's 8:00 on "today." coming up newly nominated. president-elect trump makes it official this morning. tapping exxonmobil chairman and ceo rex tillerson for secretary of state. choice yet is already proving to be a controversial one. then picking the perfect present, the new advice from researchers when it comes to giving gifts this holiday season. don't try so hard. we'll break down the new rules to make your holiday shopping a breeze. and spreading a good cheer. ? >> grammy winning acapella

studio 1a for a live performance that's sure to get you in the holiday spirit. today tuesday, december 13th, 2016. ? >> girls holiday trip in new york city. >> good morning to my mom wendy in phoenix, arizona. >> celebrating our 40th birthday, it only took three years. whoo! ? ? >> hello to our kids in austin, texas. >> hey, grandma, we are on "today." >> merry christmas from washington. whoo! ? we're back now, 8:00 on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th day of december, 2016. got a nice crowd on a morning that's a little bit chilly,

>> nothing? >> the deep freeze is coming, baby. it's coming. there is a woolly mammoth on your front lawn. >> looking forward to that. >> not. >> savannah is busy enjoying time with her little baby and i actually got a cute text during the show of her and charlie watching, we talked to her on monday. we know everybody is doing great. >> savannah is the subject of a really nice piece, it's in the hollywood reporter, so be sure to check it out. look at that beautiful picture. >> that's what we're talking about. >> i love that. >> savannah, hope you're doing well. let us get started this hour with headlines. here is the news at 8:00. i'm peter alexander. this morning at the white house president-elect trump in an e-mail praising his secretary of state pick this morning, rex tillerson. calling him the embodiment of the american dream. early this morning trump also tweeted, i have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world.

putin are certain to come under intense scrutiny. >> this morning donald trump announcing his most important cabinet choice yet, tapping exxonmobil ceo rex tillerson as his secretary of state. despite tillerson's lack of diplomatic experience trump has touted his pick as a world class player. >> he does massive deals in are rugs, massive deals for the company. >> the president elect dismissing bipartisan concerns that those business ties t relationship with vladimir putin could make his senate confirmation contentious, but some republicans, including marco rubio and john mccain, have already expressed concern. also this morning nbc news has confirmed former texas governor rick perry has been tamd as the secretary of energy. russia's alleged meddling in the u.s. election, with growing bipartisan support for a congressional investigation. >> the key to this is to try to

intentions were. were they intending to change the outcome of our election? if so, it's very serious. >> top trump aides dis 34ised the entire controversy as politically motivated. >> i think a lot of the democrats who are pushing this are clearly bitter that they lost an election that they thought that they were going to win. >> reporter: late monday trump abruptly postponed a planned news conference scheduled for this week intended to lay out how he will wall off his business interests from the country's interests. that announcement now set for trump tweeting overnight, even though i'm not mandated by law to do so, i will be leaving my businesses before january 20th. turning his company over to sons don and eric and other executives. back to that rex tillerson pick, this morning former defense secretary robert gates endorsed the choice with a statement that reads in part, he would bring to the position vast knowledge, experience and success in dealing with dozens of governments and leaders in every corner of the world, adding, he

who is only goal in office will be to protect and advance the interests of the united states. among the real questions going forward now, can tillerson translate that deal making experience to alliance going. we will wait to find out. back to you. >> thanks, peter. we've been talking about this all morning, that, a tick blast is getting ready to hit. it is expected to bring bone chilling temperatures and howling winds to tens of millions of americans. nbc's ron mott is in chicago this morning. hey, ron. >> reporter: good morning. cold is the word of the day. it will be the word of the day tomorrow, the word of the day thursday, friday, saturday, you get the picture. it is very cold here. right now pleasant compared to what it's going to be. we are in the low 20s now, the temperatures are going to start to fall today, they will fall all day, we bottom out between 5 and 7 degrees. bundle up temperature. temperatures overnight wednesday into thursday, thursday into friday will be below zero. well below zero with very dangerous wind chills and if all that weren't bad enough we are

toward the end of the week, that new system out west in the pacific northwest will start bringing snow and ice and it will blanket 12 plus states. this is going to increase the chances of a white christmas for a lot of places and that's good news for the little kids, not so good news for the bigger ones. hoda. >> all right. thank you. we also have important recall information to tell you about this morning. quisinart is recalling 8 million food processors because the riveted sng and break into your food. so far 30 cases of mouth lacerations or damage to teeth have been reported. 22 different quisinart models sold between 1996 and 2015 are affected. the problem blade can be identified by those four rivets. if you have one stop using it and contact quisinart for a brand new blade. for more on the recall go to our website at today.com. a police officer in el paso, texas, is lucky to be alive

dash cam video shows the officer performing a field sobriety test on one driver last friday when suddenly he pushes the man on to the side of the road. the officer had spotted a car speeding toward them, but he did not escape farm, he was hit and violently thrown in the air. remarkably the officer suffered only minor injuries. the female driver that struck him has been charged with dwi. wow. >> luckily he is okay. up next, still trying to find that we're revealing the actual science behind picking the perfect present. plus why sir elton john is asking you to make his newest music videos. and joy is here with a plan to undo the damage when you eat or drink a little too much at all those holiday parties.

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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 does. it lets you earn double cash back: 1% when you buy, and 1% as you pay. the citi double cash card. double means double. 8:11. it makes it a really good time to "trend." ladies and gentlemen, we have a special guest at the table this morning. keegan michael. >> let me tap my notes. like a walter cronkite. >> we'll talk about the movie

>> like the social media? >> yeah. >> listen, kids, i don't know. >> have you heard of the twitter? >> you see the twitter? do you watch the scandal? that's another network. so sorry i said that. >> how you doing on your holiday shopping? >> i'm doing okay. i'm a gift card guy but this year i'm going to try to break out a little more. more actual tangible things. >> like? >> here's the big thing. there is a very important in my life that want the fingerless gloves but then the pull the mitten over. my best friend is my notes app on my iphone. i now just follow my girlfriend. any time she says anything. it is the easiest way to do it. >> did you read this? if you're scrambling and you are stressed out, "the new york times" talked about gift experts. they say the best advice boils down to four simple words. don't try so hard. most people are happy with something quick and easy.

don't be ashamed to regift. you ever regifted? >> i have re-gifted. i may have re-gifted even 25 minutes ago. there was somebody, i was like, this bagel's for you. >> let the recipient do the work for you. in other words, forget the surprise. if they drop a hint and say something, take out your notes app on your phone and jot it down. >> just take a catalog, dogear thing -- bloom. >> i have something for you. perfect gift. look no further than the pony-up daddy. it is a saddle you strap to your back to give your child a fun run. >> don't you have one of those? >> we don't call it the pony-up dad. >> we actually have it here.

what is happening here? i got to suck it in. that might not be big enough. is this for a smaller man? this is for a jockey. a jockey being a pony-up daddy. first, you know who invented this? a chiropractor. why would we encourage children -- how do you get that thing on there? i got to get it on tam. all right. basically, it is a girdle. come on, hoda. >> wow. and then it took an ugly turn. >> i'm getting good support. you see? i take that back. >> then you kegel it. >> by the way, your line wasn't lost on me. give someone a ride. hopefully a kid. >> so wrong. >> we need some advice. you might be the perfect person.

awkward situation. tell me this if ever happened to you. you are in a relationship with someone, it is new, and they turn to you and say "i love you" for the first time. that's great, except you don't love them back. so what do you say? >> here's what you do. you just go, i'm just -- i'll use tamron. i'll use tamron. she says i love you to me. oh. that makes me so very happy. you can be happy because you enjoy -- you for a really long time and not be in love with somebody. you can just go, that's -- or you do this one. >> i love you. >> sorry, what? sorry, what? -- then the best thing to do is if you feel like the relationship is moving in that direction, just get a nice pair of wireless headphones. hmm?

though you've been dating them for weeks. >> tamron, you have "popstart!"? pony-up daddy! >> don't say that. first up, keegan's got a new movie. he stars as the right-hand man to a tech genius name laird. we love each other. in this clip laird is bummed after failing to dad. >> i need you to take me to them right now or i am going to burst. >> no. >> how did you respond? >> i was blind-sided, man. i didn't know what to do. i challenged him. i started calling him dad. >> oy vey! >> that's the reaction you can have when someone says "i love you."

that? >> maybe four or five times. but james is a good sport. he's really a sado-masochist. >> matt will talk to your co-star, bryan cranston, in the next half-hour. >> what? >> he didn't want to be on the set with you. >> that's typical. i'll just keep reading your book. two of the biggest divas one fantastic selfie. the ladies posed with their kids, mariah and her twins. look closely. that's blue ivy with a fan in front of her face. meanwhile, mariah's teaming up with lionel ritchie for a joint tour next week. presale tickets go on today,

concert. moving on, elton john bringing together undiscovered talent and some of his biggest hits. he's teamed up with youtube to create music videos for benny and the jets, rocket man, tiny dancer. those songs were released before the rise of music videos. the competition is time to mark the 50th anniversary of elton's partnership with bernie. finally, the most adorable reaction to the golden globe nomination, one of this year's break-out shows is "stranger things" on netflix. when the show got nominated for best tv drama, they did not hide their joy. >> from hbo, "stranger things." >> yeah! yeah! >> that's what you call excited.

what was happening in the makeup room this morning? >> oh. we were in hysterics watching your substitute teacher. crying. laughing. people were walking by going what's so funny. tell me. substitute teacher. yours. come on. we loved it. >> let's see. let's see. well, the only person at this table who seem to have a regular name is this one over here, tamron. i got tamron. ho-day? this ones. al. finally, man. thank you for cooperating! that's what i do. >> this is ridiculous! >> you feel me? >> i got my eye on you. i got my eye on you. we could go to war. i'm for real. >> all right. thank you so much. >> no, i'm serious. i know the whole skit.

movie. >> say hi to bryan for me. i can have the pony-up daddy? that's good. because the support is good. >> come back tomorrow for "trending." al, you have a check of the weather? >> you want to do weather with moo he? come on. let's do the weather. >> you want me to stand on this side? >> no. you hit the buttons. boom. you got that frigid air coming -- have a frigidaire refrigerator? you can see it is very chill. >> it is super chill. really relaxed in the midwest here. super chill in minneapolis but it feels like minus 5. down here des moines at 21 with a windchill of 11. in chicago 15. but -- what's this? high pressure front? these are big high low pressure bringing in the cold air all the way to the east.

upper michigan, meh. 23 degrees in rochester new york. >> you know about lake-effect snow. bear creek, kalamazoo. look at that. cleveland, gary, janestown. >> that's your latest weather. hoda? >> all right, thanks, al. this morning on "joy to the

we overindulge during the holiday season. >> holiday parties are a blast. but can often leave you feeling less than jolly. let's take a look at what happens to your body on overload. holiday excess. the more you eat and drink, the more your stomach expands. this causes uncomfortable pressure in your stomach and on neighboring organs. when you swallow and sip, your stomach fills with air producing acidic juices to break everything down. uncomfortable acid reflux, distension and gas. salt. holiday foods are filled with salt. sodium causes your body to hold on to water, leaving you puffy and bloated. excess water moves in to your blood vessels, increasing blood pressure, causing sweating, headaches, and puts a strain on your kidneys. sugar. sweets send your blood sugar sky

insulin can release other hormones leaving you sleepy and sluggish. alcohol. ever kick back a few too many cocktails at a holiday party? the next morning was your mouth dry? were you dizzy? did you have a headache? alcohol causes dehydration, adding insult to injury when you could already barely crawl out of bed. >> all right. i'm joined with joy. it is time to undo the horrible damage that we do not only during the holiday season but weekend. we want to undo it. it is possible? >> yes. everybody needs to have in their back pocket a one-day detox plan. that's what we're going to go over. >> first of all, you say wake up and exercise. >> yes. there's three rules. first rule is wake up and exercise. the reason is because exercise helps us to press the reset button so we don't allow a one-day splurge to turn into a full week splurge. also, you get those mood boosting endorphins. you sweat off some of the uncomfortable bloat.

university of michigan and it shows that if you exercise after over indulging you prevent inflammation and abnormal glucose response that people normally exhibit. >> no matter who bad you feel, hit the gym. >> 45 minutes. it could be a brisk walk. first thing in the morning, a brisk 45-minute walk will do the trick. next up, drink plenty of water. sounds counterintuitive because you feel so bloated but the more water you drink, the more water, fluid andal out of your system. you are going to deflate puffiness. >> carbs. >> first with the water, ten cubs a day. you got to do ten cups a day. coffee and tea are fine as well. rice, potatoes are not evil, but there is a chance we went way overboard when we indulge so i think it is a good idea for one full day.

exercised. now we'll break down our meals. >> for breakfast, you're going to have scrambled eggs and vegetables. if you could do egg whites, even better. the protein in eggs -- egg whites are only 17 calories a piece. could you have unlimited amounts. revs your system, stabilizes your blood sugar and it gives you brain power. the vegetable combination, go in your fridge and throw in any leftover vegetables -- tomatoes, mushrooms, onions. that has water combination of the protein and fiber helps give you staying power. >> let's get to lunch. then quickly to dinner. >> lunch is a bloat-busting salad. lots of leafy greens. make sure you include spinach because it is loaded with potassium, a national diuretic. lots of vegetables on top. protein. chicken, turkey, fish, lentils, tofu. then teaspoon of olive oil and unlimited lemon or lime. >> the first thing we have for dinner is -- >> wait.

>> just have time for a quick thing for dinner. >> six to eight ounceses of lean chicken or fish and two couples of steamed vegetables.

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

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we're back now, 8:30 on a tuesday morning, the 13th day of december, 2016. great day to be out on the plaza because our toy drive is continuing. look who is our elf today. >> wait a minute. is that lisa rinna? >> that is lisa rinna of "the "real housewives of beverly hills." collecting toys for children in

go to our website, today.com, and find out how to donate. you can see lisa's show, tonight, 9:00, 8:00 central time on our sister network, bravo. >> lisa is a sweetheart. she seems to be having fun. coming up, the amazing voices that make up the amazing group that we call pentatonix. they'll perform a special song from their holiday album. then more help to make the season stress-free. this morning, mail order treats for every person >> nice! as we mention, we'll catch up with bryan cranston. but first, mr. roker, you got a check of the forecast. >> let's start with today. we've got more wet weather and some dense fog down through the gulf coast. bitter cold making its way into the plains. cold front bringing snow from central illinois, indiana and on in to ohio and parts of the northeast. moving on in to tomorrow, we are

heavy rain and snow moves into the pacific northwest and northern california. lake-effect snow taking effect throughout the great lakes. arctic air making its way through the northern plains. that's what's going on around that's your latest weather. matt. brian cranston picked up a gold be globe nomination for his portrayal of president johnson in all the way.

that's the question his character asked after meeting his daughter's new boyfriend played by john franco. >> on christmas day i'm going to ask steffy to marry me and i'd really like your blessing. >> the answer is no. >> dude, i know i sprung this on you, my bad. let's just back it up, all right. >> all right. >> why don't you give me a few days to win you over, okay? and by christmas morning i promise you're going to be calling me son, i'm going to be calling you happen. >> well, i think it's going to, dad. >> don't. >> dad, come on. >> don't call me dad. >> don't call you dad. >> i am not your dad. >> well, i mean, you're going to be my dad. >> no. no. >> what, dad? >> okay. now you're playing with me. >> all right. >> brian, how are you? welcome back. >> immigrate. >> i want to talk about that in a second. congratulations golden globe nomination, i think it's your 234ered. >> no. >> feels good?

someone taps you on the shoulder and says guess what you were recognized for "all the way" which i played lyndon johnson and it was important and i relished the opportunity to do it on stage first and in the movie. >> you said that's important and i read an interview you did about this movie "with him" and you said it was the most fun you have ever had making a movie. so let's hit the brakes there and just stop and talk. why? >> because your job is to go to others laugh. >> it's still a job. >> it's still a job. >> still movie making and not always easy. >> right. right. and the hours can be long. but, you know, the idea of walking up on -- on stage and you're with a bunch of other people who are very funny and you're making each other crack up is just joyous. it's so much fun. >> he is an overprotective dad of a 22-year-old daughter and the james franco shouldn't need explaining, that's why you are overprotective.

>> yes, i do. >> just between us have you ever not liked who she has dated? >> no. no. i've been really fortunate. >> nobody? >> no, actually no, they have all been great kids. they kind of clump together now. in our way -- you're younger than i am, but we used to have to go to the door and meet the parents and say, you know -- >> look them in the eye, shake the hand. >> and the dad says be back by 11:00, yes, of course. and then you go out on your date. but they don't doha they go in clumps and they move and then maybe two separate and -- but they don't actually ask each other on a date. >> and what happens is you find out after it's too late that they've separated. >> that they've separated. >> and they are off as a couple. >> like the separation, matt. >> there are some people who are comparing this role to a more mature version of your character from "malcolm in the middle". >> oh, really? >> are there similarities? >> i would say so, he is a midwest guy, good guy, family

job and he has an idea of who his daughter would be mated with at some point. >> mated. >> mated. >> that's what we old folks say. >> who might have a relationship with. you make it sounds like horse trading of some kind. i'm not sure that's appropriate. g of some kind. i'm not sure that's appropriate. all right. well, get passed the mating part. >> well, it is a mating game. they're -- right? >> yeah, i guess so. >> oh, >> i hope it is a compliment. do you know my 10-year-old son is obsessed with "malcolm in the middle"? >> it was a good show. >> it was a really good show and it is really still holding up. you did a little cameo on "snl" this past weekend. how did that come about? >> got a call from lorn michaels. he said, are you interested in coming on? yes! yes, i love the show. i hosted it before. and it is a whirlwind.

that show and you go, it shouldn't work. but every week they pull it off and it is fun. >> the premise, so funny that walter white comes back and he is the nominee to head dea. you didn't get any tweets from donald trump. congratulations. >> no. i want one! >> look in the camera and beg him. >> donald. please. tweet tweet. tweet tweet. >> president-elect donald. >> yes. yes. president-elect donald. you know, he was not my candidate. but he i president. and i truly hope that he does an exceptionally good job. i really do. because if that is true, he has done well for the country. that's much more important than who i personally wanted to be president. >> i think that's a good way to end. better than the whole mating discussion would have been. bryan, nice to see you, as always. thanks. "why him" is in theaters december 23rd. hoda? >> all right, matt, thanks so much. i know you haven't done all your shopping yet.

but we'll show you the perfect mail order gifts. for a food lovers on your list. look at the choices. but first, this is "today" on

we're back with more on a stress-free holiday. mail order food gifts so you don't have to brave the crowds. >> adam rappaport "bon appetit." these will get there before christmas if you order them. right? >> they better. of course. >> start with sweet tooth. >> the texas trash pie from bud "the pie man" royer. it's got pretzels, coconut, chocolate, caramel. make sure you got a good dentist. warm it up. vanilla ice cream would work

come on, you got guns. that is caramel pecan apple pie. 18 apples in there from murder roy. it is insane. >> how much are these things? >> they're worth it. you can feed an army with that. >> $50. all right. >> matt, you're the healthy guy here. >> not because i love bread but olive oil. i love it. i like it spicy. >> nudo olive oil. you get three tins every order. spicy, fruity, you get to choose. you get tasting notes on the back. come every four months. >> this is for the man in your life. >> this is a sriracha man craze. peas, popcorn. jerky. little spray bottle with

>> that's a good one, matt. have to hire you at bon appetit. >> hot chocolate batons. >> what? >> you swirl them in there. get your hot milk or water or maybe almond milk. dark chocolate, milk cook lat and caramel chocolate. >> it is a unique gift. >> yeah, it's cool. christmas time. >> that little stocking stuffer you don't know what to get for someone -- oats. get them oats. >> come >> for the horse in your life. >> you get two bags of granola, spreads, bars. healthy guy. >> i don't know what squirrel is. >> come on, hoda. the coolest restaurant in los angeles. where the healthiest set goes in l.a. best jam in america right there. all sorts of cool flavors like blood orange with vanilla. you get a couple every couple months.

city, this is very cool. a tin of cookies. then edible markers for the can kids to decorate. >> that's genius. this is a perfect one. >> movie night in america. movie tin from nuts.com. >> if you had to choose one of those candies for the rest of your life -- >> it wouldn't be the chocolate covered raisins. >> you kidding? those are the best candy ever. >> i like >> i'm between the raisinettes and twizzler bites. >> all right. milk duds and malt balls. that's for the kids. watching "home alone" or something. mom and dad need a little something else. this company does their own wine. you get your olive oil, your red wine. you guys are good to go. you guys don't mess around. haven't even had breakfast yet.

squirrel jam is the best jam i've ever had. that's incredible. >> merry christmas. watch the dress. for more on these mail order foods in our ultimate gift guide, go to today.com/shop. watch this. john, you with me? up next, i'm going to get a little olive oil. get ready. little more olive oil and the sweet sounds of pentatonix. but first, this is "today" on

>> announcer: the citi concert series on "today" is proudly presented to you by citi. acapella sensations pentatonix have two grammy awards and have sold more than 5 million albums in the u.s. alone. >> they are out with their third holiday album, "a pentatonix

long hour-long special, we are happy to say, right here on nbc. good morning, happy holidays. nice to see you. >> thank you. >> we were just talking. it's been five years since this group has been together. try to get your arms around it. talk to me a little bit about what's happened over those five years. >> it's been such a whirlwind. there's been a lot of highlights. the grammy was definitely something that stood out. having our own special is another one of those pinch-me moments. definitely. >> how about singing with dolly parton? i felt like you were with us early on. now we get to see you. how does it feel to be recognized on the street and for this to be a real thing? >> i mean -- >> amazing. >> it is such a dream come true. something you dream about as a kid but you never think it is going to actually happen. now we get to live it every day. >> five years together. this is your third holiday album. something about holiday songs in this group seems to go pretty well together. >> what are you going to sing

ye merry gentlemen." >> pentatonix, take it away. ? god rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay remember christ our savior was born on christmas day ? ? to save us all from satan's pow'r when we were gone astray ? ? oh tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy ? ? oh tidings of comfort and joy ? ?? ? god rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay remember christ our savior was born on christmas day ? ? to save us all from satan's pow'r when we are gone astray ? ? oh tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy ? ? oh tidings

?? ?? ? fear not, then said the angel let nothing you afright, this day is born a savior of a virgin bride ? ? to free all those who trust in him from satan's power and might ? ? o tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy ? o tidings of comfort and joy ? ??

? god rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay remember christ our savior was born on christmas day ? ? to save us all from satan's pow'r when we are gone astray ? ? oh tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy ? ? oh tidings of comfort and joy ? ?? >> woo! >> pentatonix. they are back with more. and you can catch their christmas special tomorrow night. where? >> on nbc. >> on nbc! y'all were awesome, you guys. thank you. back with much more in a moment.

>> announcer: share kindness is sponsored by the y. supporting kids, families and communities for a better us. kids, we're back at 8:52. tamron is in the orange room with an update on our share kindness campaign. >> in honor of the holiday season we are working with our sponsor, the y, to inspire 1 million acts of kindness throughout the month. here are some of the numbers.

and the y has already far surpassed their initial goal by contributing more than 27,000 acts of kind in es. the needlers gets together weekly to knit blankets for cancer patients. and in massachusetts they've gathered over 300 pairs of shoes to send to malawi. keep the kindness coming. share your stories of generosity this holiday season. use the #sharekindness, guys. >> thank you so much, tamron. mr. little kindness to some people having birthdays. >> thanks to our friends at smucker's. first up, a very happy birthday to beverly green. this world traveler is from bal harbour, florida. francisco antonio hernandez of christmas, florida. he's got 20 grandkids, 30 great

grandkid. happy 100th birthday of fanny aiezenberg. who are ras alan rix. celebrating 100 years. he and his wife have been married 80 years. dorothy likes to keep busy by solving puzzles. elizabeth g georgia celebrating her 100th birthday. tell us about somebody in your life who's celebrating a milestone birthday or anniversary. head to today.com/celebrates. don't forget, include a picture. >> love that. could we sum up this last half-hour? bryan cranston, olive oil and pentatonix. how much better can it possibly get? >> wait. are you giving that away? >> got something to do with the

>> "freebie friday" is coming early though. that's right. how you can win at home. we've got more from pentatonix. and henry winkler is co-hosting again. >> we love him so much. >> going to be fun. >> i'm clutching this hatchimal. >> $50.

brian gotter...lets get a check of the weather.. as wisconsin electors prepare to cast their ballots for donald trump next week... ...the president elect is returning to the state to thank voters. trump... and vice president pence continue their thank-you tour with a rally in west allis this evening. it's at the state fair expo center. doors open at 4 p-m. trump comes to town as state elections officials have finally certified the vote... ...following a full recount. the effort requested and paid for by the jill stein campaign. when it was all said and done... trump actually gained votes in the final analysis... his lead over hillary clinton increased by 131.

good morning. today gifts that pair perfectly with books. >> plus teaching the kids the joy of giving. the best option for retirement, but there is a catch. how the right plan can provide a tax free stream of income next ? ? [ music ] ? ? ? ? it's like a holly day. we got holly filling in today for molly. good morning. >> happy holidays everybody.