. >> patti labelle looks so cool, the coolest coat on i have ever seen. look at patty. >> she looks comfy. >> she does. let's get a check at he headlines. natalie is in while ann is on assignment. >> people in parts of arizona assessing the damage trying to recover from four tornadoes at least, that hit the state on wednesday. there could be more severe weather today in utah and colorado. >>> today, the war in afghanistan is entering its 10th year, more than 1200 u.s. troops have died there since the war began. this morning, president karzai hosted the inaugural session of a new peace council to reconcile the taliban and other insurgents. >>> today, pakistan says it will not reopen a border with afghanistan despite an apology after a helicopter attack that killed two pakistani soldiers. there were more attacks on nato trucks trying to bring fuel through that border crossing to troops in afghanistan. >>> asking mexico's president for help finding the body of an american tourist whose wife says he was killed by mexican pirates. they tossed flowers on the bor

patti labelle will buy my tickets. >> and your wife's. >> oh, yeah. natalie?e there, al. thank you. >>> this morning on today's health, the five germ iest places in our life. with cold and flu season knocking on your door it's good to be reminded of the germs lurking around us. a "today" contributor, dr. raj, good morning. let's get to this cringe-worthy list. they're everywhere, as we know. especially not just inside our homes, but the number one offender is the good old clicker, the tv remote? >> exactly. everyone is touching that in your house, a magnet for germs. we're talking about e.coli and salmonella, flu virus, everything is there. the problem is you're using them. if someone is sick especially, they will probably watch more tv when they're sick. >> right, exactly. >> you want to wipe it down daily with a disinfectant wipe. one thing people are in these high-tech kitchens, watching tv while they're cooking and that's actually a really bad idea. when you're touching raw meat and raw segs, you don't want to be touching your remote because then you reall

and then head here to this new york theater, to headline an event with sara jessica parker and patty labelle. >> and former president bill clinton and vice president joe biden are also making the rounds. and in a frenzied effort to gain some ground. >> man up, harry reid. >> reporter: republicans are focusing much of their attention on a still sluggish economy, trying to capitalize on voter anger. >> today, unemployment remains at a heart-breaking 9.6%. making this the longest period that unemployment has been at or above 9.5% since the great depression. >> reporter: the tea party movement led by former alaska governor sarah palin has sparked excitement among conservative voters and if it is successful, political experts say be prepared for a different kind of fighting in the nation's capital. >> it is clear that the tea party backed candidates are coming to washington not to play along and we should see some early indications of conflict between the leaders and the new tea party members. >> reporter: democrats are hoping that conflict will splinter the republican party, rather than strength

connecticut and head here to this new york theater to headline an event with sara jessica parker and patty labelle. >>> former president bill clinton and vice president joe biden are also making the rounds in a frenzied effort to gain some ground. >> man up, harry reid. >>> republicans are focusing much of their attention on a still sluggish economy trying to capitalize on voter anger. >> today, unemployment remains at a heart-breaking 9.6%. making this the longest period that unemployment has been at or above 9.5% since the great depression. >> reporter: the tea party movement led by former alaska governor sarah palin has sparked excitement among conservative voters. if it is successful, political experts say be prepared for a different kind of fighting in the nation's capital. >> it is clear that the tea party-backed candidates are coming to washington not to play along, and so we should see some early indication of conflict between the leaders and the new tea party members. >> reporter: democrats are hoping that conflict will splinter the republican party, rather than strengthen it. catherine b

. >> meanwhile, the reading effort is going strong on the plaza, patti labelle doing her part to getcosby into the act to read that fabulous book "the snowy day." >> i think she's actually teaching. >> i don't know, doesn't look like she's teaching right now. >> get your >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. time for a final check of the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> a very busy ride right now. accidents all over the place. this is a multi-bill " crash at rossville boulevard -- to-be of a crash at rossville boulevard. definitely an area to avoid. a crash at the outer-loop of the harrisburg expressway br. but those reports could be in the inner loop instead. falls road and is dead road, all lanes closed. at the west side outer loop delays. whiskey bottom, watch for an accident at columbia. 24 on the west side outer loop. it will take you 15 to travel on southbound 95. let's give it could live look outside and show that things are almost at a standstill. inner loop on the south side approaching i-95, all

. ♪ i know where i'm going and i know what to do ♪ ♪ i got a new attitude >> that of course is patty labellef her signature songs new attitude and she will being here tomorrow along with the likes of bill cosby and some other famous faces about a new program on reading. coming up in this half hour, keeping your space safe. do you know that each year 20 million americans are injured at home from ladders to candles and medications. we're going to show you what you can do to protect your family from every day risks. >> if you want to start a discussion or a fight in any bar or any town, just ask who the best baseball player is of all time. our friend len berman is here with his top picks. >> he actually had a blue ribbon commission. >> he's got a panel. >> a panel for picks. >> that's going to start a big fight. >>> and in "today's" kitchen, where's the beef. we got a new take on a classic comfort food, beef stroke november. but we're using chicken instead. >>> first you got a check of the weather for us. >> absolutely, let's show you what's happening for today. we have got more heavy rain in t

both great ladies. >> bill cosby and patti labelle tomorrow. >> have an awesome wednesday, everybody.

sarah jessica parker and patti labelle. >> moms kind of know when something's wrong. >> reporter: however polarizing sarah palin might be, she may be on to something. >> you don't want to mess with the momma grizzlies. >> if she is referring to culturally conservative, working-class white women, they have moved away from the democrats pretty sharply under obama. >> reporter: some of the candidates getting the most buzz this election cycle are women running as republicans. bill maher on hbo, created an obama alter ego. barry white house. >> appointing two women to the supreme court. don't tell me that didn't seal relations. >> reporter: and, george, because women members of congress are disproportionately democratic, experts say the number of women in congress will almost certainly decline after the midterm elections. >> thanks. that bill maher clip was funny. >>> beginning tonight, i will host the first of three pivotal senate debates to determine who will hold the power in washington. we'll kick off things in florida. the debates will air throughout the state. and i will be broadcasting

then she'll head to new york where she'll appear alongside patty labelle and sarah jessica parker. they're hoping that star power will drive out the votes. george? >> okay. sharyn alfonsi, thanks very much. >>> it's time for weather and sam. hey, sam. >> hey, good morning, george. big, sloppy, messy storm in the mid-atlantic, northeast in the next 24 hours. this gets together on the coastline area. then moves north. washington this morning. new york city, your drive home.. wind and rain little bit on into fri and the deal on paula, which was once a category 2 hurricane travels almost comple acr there will be rain from the keys to miami. just not a lot. >> another big story is the heat out west. it's slightly cooler today. and we'll show you how that breaks. george and robin? >> thank you, sam. >>> coming up, new information in the case of that missing girl in north carolina. more people coming forward with accusations of abuse. but why didn't someone help little zahra baker? >>> and more of my one-on-one interview with the secretary of state, hillary clinton, here in brussels, belg

then, on to new york, where she'll be campaigning alongside patti labelle and sarah jessica parker. they're hoping that star power will drive out the votes. george? >> sharyn alfonsi, thanks very much. >>> it's time for weather and sam. >> hey, george. big, sloppy, messy storm in the mid-atlantic, northeast, in the next 24 hours. this gets together on the coastline area. then, moves north. washington this morning. new york city, your drive home. boston, overnight. wind and rain, probably lasts a little bit into friday. that's developing. and the deal on paula, which was once a category 2 hurricane. there will be rain from the keys to miami. just not a lot. >>> because it will be a damp and cool thursday with off and on rain showers all day today and it will be heavy as this morning into the midday hours. 55 degrees at reagan national airport. the moderate to heavy rain is yellow and red in culpeper. there is some light rain around springfield and alexandra and arlington. we will have often on trade today with about 1 inch on we will have often on trade today with about 1 inch on ano