it is a 19 foot fraser fur. it was harvested in october. and it will go on display in the blue room. this beautiful 19 foot fraser fur. there's bo, the white house dog checking out the tree. i hope this is as close a look as he gets to it. you know how dogs get in your trees sometimes. the fraser furs in north carolina are popular trees if the white house. there was one that sat in the blue room in 2008. another fraser fur from ash county was the white house christmas tree in 2008. this one you're looking at it arriving now. the 19 foot fraser fur will be the white house christmas tree. a tradition. >>> meanwhile, another tradition. thursday is the new friday. big retailers getting ahead on black friday sales opening their doors earlier than ever. the turkey hadn't even settled before some hit the stores last night. walmart, toys r us, sears. 147 million people are expected to shop this weekend. $21 billion in sales expected. that is up just a bit from last year. and today we are in full swing covering the holiday shopping season. we are st

simpson said she was bullied by fraser and was defending herself. the jury took about three hours to deliver the not guilty verdict. >>> rockets and shells have been criss crossing the skies over israel and gaza, causing death and destruction. massive airstrikes on gaza were reported earlier this morning. israel says that more than 1400 rockets were fired from gaza since wednesday. the country's defense forces reportedly intercepted more than 100 missiles before they could hit their targets. >> i hope that hamas and the other terror organizations in gaza got the message. if not, israel is prepared to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people. >> both israelis and palestinians report innocent women and children have been killed on both sides. egypt's prime minister arrived in the gaza strip this morning to meet with palestinian officials about the attacks. >>> president obama is in budget negotiations with top members of congress. democrats and republicans say they will work together in order to get a deal done. if they don't, the u.s. e

fraser, great to see you.re folks who buy an item, they wear it, and they run it and they are habitual returners. >>guest: it is a huge problem. returners cost retailers $16 billion a year. 10 percent of all prepares during this holiday will be returned. the real issue is the one you cite, the returners, serial returners. by serial, we do not mean cerealed, those go in and buy four shirts or skirts, they bring them home, they try them on, they wear them, they bring them back and the stores have to do something. >> there is wardrobing, people go in to a store and they steal the merchandise and they go to the counter and say i want cash for return. >>guest: it is an epidemic. you are a lawyer. it is not illegal. can you do this, you can return things but it is difficult problem for retailer and p.r. it has to be a delicate balance between enforcing the new policies, looking at your i.d., and swiping your license, and balancing it with not alienating the customers. >>gregg: steal something and getting cash is ill

alexis simpson is accused of stabbing her roommate dominique fraser to death last year. the two

this year the 19 foot fraser fir comes from peak farms in ash county, north carolina. >>> and if you missed the thanksgiving day broadcast of the national dog show, hey, you're in luck. it's going to re-air again tonight at 8:00 p.m. on this nbc station. >>> and all day long you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and others as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with "nbc nightly news." >>> and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. find out if the early start to black friday shopping is paying off for retailers. >>> and a soldier stationed in afghanistan pulls out all the stops to surprise his wife just minutes before the birth of their son. so cool. >>> and now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports, and more. i'm veronica de la cruz. thank you so much for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station. >>> new this morning, just into our newsroom, video of the late-night fire that sent a firefighter to the hospital.

the fate of alexis simpson charged with murdering her roommate at bowie state university, dominique fraser. we'll be back. >> it does not get anymore up- to-the-minute on that. we'll get back to you if things change. >>> new information tonight about a sheriff deputy who shot and killed a suspect. this one happened on 63rd avenue east of maryland last night. investigators say that the deputy attempted to serve as the temporary peace order. the woman let the deputy inside the home. but once in there, they saw sweeney holding what appeared to be a black handgun and then shot and killed sweeney. we now know that firearms was a replica handgun. the sheriff department is investigating him out on administrative leave. >>> a strange story out of northwest d.c. where a hoose principal was arrested and charged with assaulting a former staff member after a football game. we've got that story from matt jablo. >> reporter: it was a normal day today for students, except for the fact that their principal spent much of the day a few miles away at police headquarters downtown. according to the police repo

this year the 19-foot fraser fir comes from ash county. >>> the national dog show is going to re-air again tonight at 8:00 p.m. on nbc. >>> an incredible sight. 150 cars and trucks mangled over a two-mile stretch. we'll have that next. >>> plus, a feat even new york jets fans might find amazing. gang green gives up an astounding 35 points in just 2:14. you're watching "first look" on msnbc.an - you can stay in and like something... or you can get out there and actually like something. the lexus december to remember sales event is on. this is the pursuit of perfection. yeah. then how'd i get this... [ voice of dennis ] ...safe driving bonus check? every six months without an accident, allstate sends a check. ok. [ voice of dennis ] silence. are you in good hands? hurry in this friday for great deals. like the droid razr by motorola in cranberry, free. or a white 7-inch samsung galaxy tab 2, just $99.99. this friday, get the best deals on the best devices on the best network. exclusively at verizon. ♪ don't know what i'd do ♪ i'd have nothing to prove ♪ i'd have nothing to lose [ male

this year the 19-foot fraser fir comes from peak farms in ashe county, north carolina. >>> if you missed the thanksgiving day broadcast of the national dog show, you are in luck because the event is going to re-air tonight at 8:00 p.m. on nbc. >>> an incredible sight. 150 cars and trucks mangled over a two-mile stretch. we'll have that next. >>> plus, a feat even new york jets fans might find amazing. gang green gives up an astounding 35 points in just 2:14. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. new prilosec otc wildberry is the same frequent heartburn treatment as prilosec otc. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill? because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. satisfaction guaranteed try running four.ning a restaurant is hard

. >> romney needed help so he rallied an old friend from bain capital, fraser bullock, to be the gamesperating officer. >> mitt did describe it as stepping into an empty elevator shaft because you're falling and you're not sure when you will hit ground. >> bullock joined the team that tried to do damage control. they created an operating plan and tried to convince sponsors to stay on board and took a critical look at the nearly $400 million budget deficit staring them in the face and even got rid of the usual catering at olympic board meetings. >> we had domino's pizza, and it was a dollar a slice. because he knew he could buy a pizza for five bucks, cut it into eight slices, sell them for a dollar a slice, get $8 of revenue for every pizza at a cost of $5. he turned the lunches from a cost center into a profit center. >> the olympics is like putting on seven super bowls a day for 17 days straight. >> and he became the public face of the games, even becoming and amateur participant, seen here on the skeleton. so did he say one day, i think i'm going to try the skeleton? >> yeah. he sai

. >> the images of domenik fraser -- dominique frasier being rushed from her door room. >> she was well liked. >> she of lifted everyone around her. >> it was homecoming week 2011 and in the dorm suite a share they were getting ready for a night out. music blared and frasier and alexis sims and began to argue. their feud when violent. it is alleged that simpson plunged a pair of scissors into frasier's neck. her trial begins after jury selection today. frasier's mother denise has called it a case of murder. >> prosecutors will argue that simpson was the aggressor and could have stayed in her room but charged frazier. simpson was released from h jail and her defense is calling the self-defense and she was bullied. on campus there seems little sympathy. >> it was a dumb reason to kill someone over. >> you do not do something like that without suffering the consequences for it. >> expect this trial to come -- kick off with opening arguments on tuesday. the challenge will be to convince the jury that this was a first-degree murder. the defense will try to convince the jury that it was somet

. >> romney needed help so he rallied an old friend from bain capital, fraser bullock, to be the games chief operating officer. >> mitt did describe it as stepping into an empty elevator shaft because you're falling and you're not sure when you will hit ground. >> bullock joined the team that tried to do damage control. they created an operating plan, tried to convince sponsors to stay on board and took a critical look at the nearly $400 million budget deficit staring them in the face. and even got rid of the usual catering at olympic board meetings. >> we had domino's pizza, and it was a dollar a slice. because he knew he could buy a pizza for five bucks, cut it into eight slices, sell them for a dollar a slice, get $8 of revenue for every pizza at a cost of $5. he turned the lunches from a cost center into a profit center. >> the olympics is like putting on seven super bowls a day for 17 days straight. >> and he became the public face of the games, even becoming an amateur participant, seen here on the skeleton. so did he say one day, i think i'm going to try the skeleton? >> yeah. h

the official white house christmas tree came from north carolina, and it's a 19-foot tall fraser fir.dorned with more than 300 ornaments. >> the day after thanksgiving is generally the first day when christmas trees go on sale, and we look at how this year it seems thin is in. >> reporter: the christmas trees are back. >> noble fir. >> how much does this weigh? >> feels like 200 pounds. >> reporter: at toby's trees if walnut creek, customers are pouring in. >> we like a fat tree. >> do you like skinny or fat trees? >> fat tree. >> reporter: yes, now, skinny christmas trees. on-line, there's a six and a half prelit pine slim, and the list glows on. retailers saline trees, some is as narrow as 18 inches are popular this season. last year u.s. consumers spent $1.7 billion on trees. toby childs said that's exactly what his customers want. although we did find one looking to slim down. and so you would like the skinnier tree? >> absolutely. >> reporter: she likes the smell of a real tree, but one with a bigger waist she says a s a no-no. >> it's too hard to try to get your furniture around

. >> romney needed help so he rallied an old friend from bain capital, fraser bullock, to be the gamesng officer. >> mitt did describe it as stepping into an empty elevator shaft because you're falling and you're not sure when you will hit ground. >> bullock joined the team that tried to do damage control. they created an operating plan, tried to convince sponsors to stay on board and took a critical look at the nearly $400 million budget deficit staring them in the face. and even got rid of the usual catering at olympic board meetings. >> we had domino's pizza, and it was a dollar a slice. because he knew he could buy a pizza for five bucks, cut it into eight slices, sell them for a dollar a slice, get $8 of revenue for every pizza at a cost of $5. he turned the lunches from a cost center into a profit center. >> the olympics is like putting on seven super bowls a day for 17 days straight. >> and he became the public face of the games, even becoming an amateur participant, seen here on the skeleton. so did he say one day, i think i'm going to try the skeleton? >> yeah. he said, i'm go

. >> kevin fraser and brook anderson anchoring this moaning's parade coverage. in alaska. it's not that cold out there today. >> give us a break. our blood has thinned. but -- >> understand, the wind is whipping down. it's still a little chilly today. if you're still coming out bundle up because it's still the morning. it will get up to 55 degrees unseasonably warm. right now it's a little child. it's crisp. >> it's going to be record crowds. more than 3.5 million people on the streets of new york to get a curb side view because of the mild temperatures i believe. >> here's my contribution to this conversation. what are you looking forward to? >> oh, boy. we had so much to look forward to. there's new gigantic colossal floats. hello kitty is new and improved. the patriarch of the smurfs poppa smufr will be here. the elf on the shelf is making his debut. my daughter her head will explode. she will lose it when she sees the elf on the shelf. >> we're looking to the goldfish float from pepperridge farm. the gibson guitar folks coming down sixth avenue. >> that's go

how does he explain that and how to see fraser. how tenuous is this?ll talk about it and we will watch with what the prime minister says. we will also bring you a new study that suggests america is on the brink of a major doctor shortage. doctor marc siegel takes us into the quickly growing number of patients and the decreasing numbers of physicians and how that could put a strain on the president's health care plan. a little less than 30 years ago, a beloved thanksgiving speech about the one thing americans should be thankful for. today, his son joins us to tell us how that one thing may be slipping away from millions. >> americans have many things for which to be thankful, but none is more important than our liberty. liberty. the quality of government and brightness of mind and the spirit that the pilgrim fathers braved the disease through two centuries of americans laying down their lives. it megyn: a fox news alert. breaking news on two stories. we are awaiting a news conference from benjamin netanyahu regarding this inspired deal expected to begin

obama welcomed the 19-foot fraser. >> it arrived in a horse driven carriage. >> the white house christmasing on monday. >> good morning. on monday flight delays are so frustrating and can make the holidays even more complicate pad we'll show you which five flights are most likely to be delayed so that you can make other plans. we'll see you on monday at 7:00 on cbs "this morning." >>> and neck week on cbs "this morning saturday" they are the hippest thing to hit classical music, the pi anno guys will be here to perform live. thanks to both of you for being here. >> enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend, everybody. we'll see you. >> take care. >> michael ferraro is back with us. we didn't get to talk about this. cheers. happy thanksgiving weekend. >> thank you very much. . >> what are we drinking. >> it is pomegranate, mint strawberry and vodka. it's one of the owner's mothers, she still lives in the building 96 years old. so cheers to tilly. >> she came up with this? >> no just in honor of her. it's as sweet as she is. >> 96 still working on this. >> i was going to tell you that i took co

emmett fraser of merck and another person walking out. we're going to move onto william in maryland on our republican line. hi, william. caller: gorn. i love watching c-span, i'm a first time caller. host: welcome. caller: thank you. i'm not the greatest at this, but i can tell you as an african-american republican, who is a home owner association's president for his community of 339 homes, and someone who works in security, and someone who volunteers at least 40 hours a week on his community, there is a issue with us as americans and picking up slack. we put too much on the federal government to do. we as people need to stand more for each other and help each other. and i guarantee you if we took the money out of the politics, and we as the people stood together with one another and helped each other as in the churches and the communities, just americans, if we helped each other we would see places go down. we would see jobs come, we would see our kids educated better because we would have an invested understanding of it's about us being