Transcripts For WRC Today 20100130

>> good morning. white out. a dangerous storm moves east, bringing snow and freezing rain to the mid-atlantic states after battering the southern plains. where it is headed next. question time, the president spars about health care. the political encounter has many asking what did it accomplish. >> a terrifying moment for shaun white. we will tell you what happened and the unbelievable come back. today saturday, january 30th, 2010. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and amy robach. live from studio 1 a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning and welcome to "today" on saturday morning. >> i'm lester holt. >> i'm jenna wolf. i know it's supposed to be cold, but it is really, really cold. >> at least we're not shoveling. that can't be said for a lot of the country. we have a lot to tell you about including this stormaking its way across the country. it will dump a foot or more on north carolina and virginia that brought the snow and dangerous ice to the southern plains and parts of the midwest earlier this week. that left about 200,000 people without power in oak home alone. the latest coming up. it was an unusual question and answer session between the president and republicans in the house republican retreat in baltimore has many asking what did it accompsh? we will talk with two prominent members of congress, a democrat and a republican about their take. >> part of the meeting was about bs, although the economy has seen growth. where some of the jobs are being created in this still tough economy. >> on a lighter note, we might learn a thing or two from the swedish band abba. we will take you to the opening of abby world in london. get out the bell bottoms and the platform shoes and get ready for disco. these are words for me, but you still -- i'm trying to stop talking now. i have to stop talking right now. >> i do dress in platform shoes occasionally. we move on though to talk about the winter storm moving east from oklahoma and parts of the south and the mid-atlantic states. >> reporter: some tennessee residents were taken off guard as the storm went through to glazing roads and snarling travel. >> ice. it was like ice skating. >> reporter: on 24, so many cars spun out of control. >> everybody went into the brick wall. >> reporter: they had to close the westbound lanes for several hours this. man narrowly avoided when he lost control of his suv. >> i was so out of control. >> reporter: in arkansas, white out conditions lasted all day friday. while in oklahoma, dire warnings again for a state battered by ice and snow. >> when the sun goes down this evening, it's all over. it quickly turns to ice. >> reporter: over a foot fell in some areas, closing schools and businesses and transforming it into a ghosttown. >> i hope we don't get a lot more. there a lot of power lines and trees down. >> reporter: more than 70,000 homes were left in the dark as utility crews scrambled and had trouble getting around. >> the roads get bad. slick in spots and windshield wipers freeze up. >> forecasters predict over a foot of snow from virginia to north carolina. >> it's headed right for the atlantic ocean. >> reporter: headaches and inconvenience for many, but for some kids, it was time to have fun, trying to forget the harsh reminder that it is still the dead of winter. today north carolina is one of the places to be hit hardest. the weather channel is in charlotte this morning. good morning. >> we are in the middle of a drizzle storm if there is such a thing. you go to the west on and there is as much as a foot of snow. up to the noh, they get socked with heavy rain. the trees are doing fine here. not much secretion on the limbs. this was freezing rain and a lot of this will be accumulating. we have a minor accumulation. the main power company reports about to 25,000 people without power and one being here in the city of charlotte. 25,000 being back where they had the heavy wet snow. it depends where you go as the snow is racing and met up with the cold air. behind me is the billy graham parkway and cars go by at 25 to 30 miles per hour. the bulk of the accidents on the interstate is with jackknifed tractor-trailers as you expect. they are cooling down and ice-covered, but as long as we have the sleet, the good news is the kids still slide on sleet. back to you. >> they will enjoy it. with more on the storm and where there is about seven inches on the ground, let's go to jeff with about seven inches on the ground. >> reporter: good morning. more in the way of snow and a little sleet. what joe was talking about in charlotte and we are not that far north from where he is. it's the latest storm and seems like it has been a stormy winter. this is the southern states, it's our turn as we mentioned starting in oklahoma and bringing lots of ice and sleet and snow all the way from new mexico to the texas panhandle. rolling through tennessee and arkansas last night and into the mountains of north carolina. we have at least to seven inches of snow on the ground. typically we are a whole winter season that takes up six inches. we made that up in one storm. the kids will have fun with this. the only silver lining is it's coming on the weekend. >> all right, jeff. it's not just about the kids. thank you. let's get a sense of where the storm is headed from the weather channel's scott williams. >> we are keeping tabs on the potent system as it is covering a large chunk of territory from arkansas all the way to the peninsula here. as we find out where the storm is headed, it will move towards the east. a bit of good news for the northeast. it doesn't appear it will move to the northeast. it will push offshore, but not before dumping a heavy amount of snowfall. case and point, look at the radar where you see the white and the blue. heavy snow falling as we move into virginia. the pink is the sleet and freezing rain. to the south we have heavy rainfall. aa triple threat as we continue to watch the storm system evolve and push towards the east. jenna? >> thank you very much. now here's lester. >> thanks. president obama placed himself in the middle of the winter storm cross winds on friday in a remarkable unscripted encounter with house republicans at their retreat in baltimore. mike viquiera has more on that. >> reporter: it was an extraordinary encounter that reminded a lot of people of question time in the parliament. there was recrimination over what happened between republicans and the democratic white house and talk of trying tobury the hatchet and get along in the coming months. for more than an hour, a lull in partisan warfare and truth. >> i am not an ideal. i'm not. >> reporter: president obama traveling to baltimore and into a political lion's den. >> keep your friends close and visit the republican caucus every few months. >> reporter: appearing before a conference, he defended his record on the economy and despite lingering anger over health care. >> how some of you went after this bill, you would think this thing was some plot. >> reporter: with polls showing a public fed up with gridlock in washington, the lack of bipartisanship is fast becoming a partisan issue. >> i can look you in the eye and say we have not been obstructionists. >> they didn't send us to washington to fight each other in a political steel cage match to see who comes out alive. >> reporter: republicans began by presenting the president with a booklet of ideas and as many complains mr. obama spent the last year ignoring them. >> multiple times from your administration there have been statements that republicans have no idea of the solutions. >> reporter: other sore spots remain. at the top of the list, jobs and how to create more of them. >> will you consider supporting across the board tax relief. >> reporter: the $787 billion stimulus, target of republican attacks, resulted in two million jobs and hit back at gop critics. >> a lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon cuttings for the same projects you voted against. >> reporter: despite the talk of getting along and bipartisan comedy, there is a desperate struggle for control. many republicans believe in outside experts concur. they had a chance to take back the house in november. how that bodes for bipartisans getting along in washington, only time will tell. >> mike viquiera at the white house, thank you very much. now we have more from the chair of the house republican conference and congressman chris van hullen of maryland from the campaign committee. it's good of both of you to be with us. >> good morning. >> watching that session between republicans and the president, it felt like i was watching an intervention or estranged couple trying to reconcile. was the cause furthered by the meeting? >> look, i think house republicans were grateful that the president came and met with us in an unstructured environment. words the american people have not been hearing from the democrats and that is republicans have been offering a positive substantive alternative to all the major legislative issues that have come before the congress. we had a stimulus and a budget that put our fiscal house in order. we had an energy bill that achieved energy independence and a health care bill that focused on lowering cost instead of the size of the government. the fact that the president acknowledged that republicans have been offering alternatives and expressed a desire to work with us on those i think represented measurable progress in the public debate. >> let me turn to the congressman. congressman, republicans have been cast by democrats as the party of no. did anything in the exchange you heard lead you to a different opinion now that the republicans are not necessarily saying no? they said we have ideas that need to be listened to? >> the president made it clear that he has listened to a number of republican ideas. he pointed out in the stimulus bill, he incorporated a number of provisions thatave been advocated by republicans and some were at that time. for example, the small business tax cuts and the bonus depreciation and pointed out that 1/3 of the bill involved tax relief, including tax relief for 95% of the american people. my friend, mike, characterized that as boutique tax cuts. tax cuts were 95% of working americans. he described it as boutique. the president has incorporated a lot of ideas and the point the president was making is, in a democracy you can't get 100% of what you want all the time. it's a process of give-and-take. sometimes the republicans say no, it's no give and all take. >> congressman, the president seemed to be saying i'm listening to your ideas, but in the case of health care, they are not realistic. how did you react to that? >> look, i do consider chris a colleague who i respect, but come on. the democrats in the administration spent the last year saying we are the party of no ideas. the stimulus bill a year ago was together in the back room by the democrats in this administration without considering a single republican proposal. the small ball tax cuts in there as well as the liberal spending priorities that made up the bill have been an utter failure. unemployment has gone from 7.5% to 10% across the country and it's a heart breaking 10.8% here in baltimore. the progress yesterday was that i think we have managed with the president's help to put to the lie this accusation that the republicans are the party of no ideas. i'm standing out here in the freezing cold and i'm glad chris and you are warm, but republicans have been out in the cold in in this debate for the last year. yesterday maybe the president said you have ideas and solutions and the american people can go to gop.gov and look at all of them. >> our time is almost up. >> can i just respond to that, please. >> quickly. >> the president pointed out that the economy grew at 6% growth rate this last quarter compared to a year ago when we were plummeting. i don't think what mike thinks caused that to happen. you have to believe in the tooth fairy to believe that that's magically reversed itself. the president said he is willing to listen to the ideas that the republicans have, but not willing to turn back the clock to the ideas that got us into this mess to begin with. mike pence said of the president, will you accept cross the board tax cuts and the president said i will accept them for middle americans, but again i will not push tax breaks to the wealthiest americans. >> you managed to get the last word. thanks very much. we appreciate you being here. i feel like the end of the conversation will continue after we move on. >> for a while at least. let's go to the news desk where melissa francis has more. >> good morning to both of you. a case of mistaken identity causes a plane to be diverted mid-air. a plane landed in jacksonville, florida after it was determined the passenger had the same name on the government's no-fly list. the birthday was different and the plane took off again. they are investigating. no comment from continental. jurors deliberated 37 minutes before finding scott guilty for killing a late term abortion doctor. he faces mandatory life sentence in prison. police continue to search for clues in the disappearance of susan powell. her minivan was searched after getting another search warrant. josh powell has moved from the family home where susan was last seen. they are living with relatives in washington state. finally today, winning the australian open lady's final. serena captured her 5th title a day after she and her sister, venus, won their 4th australian open double title. a very cool yellow dress. that would look great on you with the platforms. >> this is dress lester day? >> you look better than i did. now we are public. melissa, thanks. >> scott williams is back with a check of the forecast. >> certainly we have been watching the potent winter storm as it moves towards the east. thankfully it will not impact the northeast, but seeing frigid factors across the area. watching for the heavy snow in the carolinas and virginiasas ad good saturday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell, waiting on the snow here in northwest washington. snowflakes have already arrived in waldorf and la play ta, reaching the ground in fredericksburg. there is more snow in the forecast the remainder of the da current temperatures, upper teens, near 20. cloudy and cold today. moderate snow moving in this afternoon. around town could get that's a look at your weather. jenna? >> scott, thank you. even though the u.s. economy grew at the fastest pace in over six years in the 4th quarter, the country lost 85,000 more jobs last month. as president obama redoubles efforts to create jobs, many are asking where are the jobs and what are the jobs? meliss normally tackles the questions, but she will share her knowledge with us this morning. this is the big question. the gross domestic product rose to 5.7%. we had a good 4th quarter. is this going to translate into more jobs? >> absolutely. the economy grew at the fastest pace in six years. the economy has to spannd people are buying things and getting back out there again. that means that you are going to have to make more things to sell. businesses will hire people again. >> president obama unveils a series of tax incentives to help job creations. can tax cuts help build jobs? >> it will help. something gets dropped in the bucket, but it will help and motivate businesses who are maybe on the fence to get out and go ahead and make the next hire. >> there millions of americans out of work. the big question is where are the jobs and what are the jobs out there for people. >> the government predicts the economy will add 15.3 million. a lot of those in health care. we are looking at a 21% increase in hlth care jobs and 1.6 million new jobs and engineers. you can see that at the top of the year. these are the fastest growing professions and occupations. you hate your bank and wall street. that's one place where we see jobs grow by 18%. that should add jobs. even construction is looking at adding jobs. manufacturing not surprisingly is one of the places we will lose jobs. >> what can we expect from unemployment? >> that will tell us about january and some economists say we could see the first additn to jobs since the recession. that would be a great step in the right direction. it seems like unemployment is levelingoff. we have a long way to go to get people back to work. >> melissa francis, thank you so much. >> still to come, the music and the memories. it's abby world. first, this is "today" on nbc. there is something about their sound and beat that transports you back to the 70s. we are talking about abba. the swedish band and market phenomenon. we went to the opening of abba's latest. >> what's amazing about abba fever is not that it exists, but there seems to be no cure. to satisfy the demand, the swedish krueners came up with a new idea. welcome to abby world. a touring exhibit in london that is everything the sparkling bell-bottomed lycra forces have to offer. 25 carefully crafted rooms designed as an exactive history of the 70s swedish band. the costumes, trivia quizzes and the original recording studio and of course, plenty of opportunities to perform. a build up to the big finale. an on stage performance with the band, kind of. no talent required. ♪ . they are leading for a world tour, but the band doesn't seem interested. >> then it's too much effort. >> they are all right making a lot of money. it's the latest of the marketing of their decades-old music. something they have done with incredible financial success. there is the wildly popular musical "mamma mia!" that continues to pull big audiences. >> the songs are brilliant. >> the movie that failed to win over critics and managed to grow hundreds of millions at the box office. clearly there is something about this sugary pop that endures. >> will abba be successful? it's possibly one of the best tonics you can spend mono. you will feel happy. >> for those die-hard fans and those in training it seems to work. stephanie goss, nbc news, london. >> do you get the feeling that she is still there right now? she opened and closed the place. >> i know all the songs, but i can't name one member of the group. >> i couldn't either. sing all the songs for us as we head to commercial. >> still to come on foeds, the search for an 8-month-old boy missing taking a wloof look outside, very chilly. our ire ya getting ready for a snowstorm. good morning. it's saturday, january 30th. i'm kimberly suiters. chuck bell says the counties around fredericksburg like stafford, spotsylvania and king george could get up to six inches today. snow crews have pretreated the road. vdot plans to have up to 100 pieces of equipment in the streets. the december storm wiped out fredericksburg salt supply and caused trucks to break down. power companies ready for this weekend's snow. dominion power says it's trucks are stocked and fueled and ready to fix potential outages. officials suggestion people prepare, have flesh lights and extra batteries. turn off all nonessential electrical equipment in your home. if you have pets, make sure they are inside and have their essentials. customers will want to call 1-888-687-3000 to report power outages and downed trees. d.c. major fenty says the district employed all salt trucks this morning at 5:00 a.m. they are treating with rock salt. the mayor believes it is a benefit the storm is moving in on a saturday when most good saturday morning. chuck bell here to update you on the latest. snow just now creeping into the district of columbia. light snow reported. temperatures in the upper teens to near 20 degrees. windchills in the single digits. it's going to be a cold and snowy day today. heavier snow pushing in by about lunchtime. the steadest of the snow between 3:00 and 6:00. estimated totals, three to six inches around town. could get over a foot. coming up on "news4 today" at 9:00, saying good by to a panda, we will tell you what we are back on this saturday morning, january 30th, 2010 with a look at a brave crowd on a very, very cold morning at rockefeller center. we will bundle up and head out to join them later and inside studio 1 a this is lester hold and i'm jenna wolf in for amy robach. >> this is a serious crime in this country. >> he's lester holt e. seems more appropriate. it's one month since baby gabriel vanished and no signs of him. >> there is leads in arizona and detectives are working closely with san antonio, texas, the last place he was seen alive. we will speak with his baby-sitter who cared for him. >> we will look at a sign of the times with love and real estate. more and more unmarried couples are buying homes before they get married, but is it a wise decision before time or not? >> later, we are the world. it's been 25 years since the famous recording was made with lionel richie, bruce springsteen, michael jack to sing for famine in africa. it will be rerecorded for victims of the earthquake in haiti. we will talk about which artists may be taking part. i can't believe it's been 25 years. >> i used to sing every part. all different voices. you did it too? >> i did it too. it was a great recording. this is not only different artists, but a different arrangement. >> but first, the southeast is being hit by a winter wallop. how bad is it? we go to scott williams. good morning. >> good morning. how bad the storm is, we are talking about over a dozen states in the southeast and mid-atlantic under winter storm warnings. look at the moisture. a triple threat. the snow to the north and the middle where you see the pink, freezing rain and sleet. flash flooding concerns. as we move into virginia and up to a foot of snow and into greensboro. as far as the other weather story, we are seeing bitterly cold temperatures. watertown, 22 below is the air temperature. new york city is 13. folks are bundled up and extra logs on the fire. when you factor in wind, i system across the nation. here is ai look at weather happening outside your back door. a good saturday morning. news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell, once again, we are watching the snow fall, make its way steadily northbound. no snowflakes in northwest d.c. we have light snow falling from springfield, virginia, southbound through manassas. light snow into southern fauquier county. winter weather advisory into effect. fredericksburg, southbound, winter storm warning, could get will want to bundle up. that's a look at the weather where you live. >> now to the story of 8 month old gabriel johnson missing since last month. police in tempe, arizona and san antonio texas are looking for him. miguel has the latest. it's more than a month and still no sign of eight-month-old gabriel johnson. these were the last photos known taken of him. now just miles away a local landfill has been cordoned off. police will only say they haven't searched it and won't comment on future plans to sift through the garbage. on december 27th, gabriel's mother, elizabeth johnson claims she killed him and tossed him into a dumpster. in police custody and charged with kidnapping, she said she gave her baby away to strangers and is no longer talking to police. >> this is a very terrible card game going on. elizabeth has her cards up against her chest and not showing us. >> with few leads, police in tempe, arizona, gabriel's home state, work closely with san antonio, texas, the last place he was seen alive. his father said he too is retracing the path of his estranged girlfriend. >> everyone wishes they could do more and doing this might help and might not. at least we know we are doing something. >> police say they have identified a couple who is not doing enough. tamy and jack smith tried to adopt gabriel in the weeks before he disappeared. after cooperating with investigator investigators, they remain persons of interest. tammy smith said she continues to talk to elizabeth by phone. >> if i were her, i would think twice about holding her tongue. i would tell the truth. >> for now only one person seems to know the truth and she is not talking. for today, nbc news, los angeles. joining us more is clint van vandt, analyst and former fbi profiler and the lady who baby-sat gabriel before he went missing. if i can begin with you, it sounds like they are preparing to search the landfill. the case is considered a missing persons case, but does this tell you that police suspect this may turn out worse than we imagined? >> they have to look at that. it's a two-prong investigation. prong number one says it's like elizabeth suggested she gave the chide away and we have to find out who. she left the baby's car seat in the hotel. when she gave the baby away, why didn't she give the car seat too? she indicated to the biological father she killed the baby and disposed of it in a way that the child could have wound up in this landfill. those are the two alternatives. it has been a month and nobody surfaced with the baby. the landfill looks like someplace they have to search now. >> let me turn to you. you baby-sat gabriel shortly before he disappeared. what do you remember about the baby and the way the baby acted and anything that aroused suspicion on your part? >> the baby was very inactive. he wasn't your typical baby. he wasn't smiling and acting like he was happy at all. >> i understand that you also found a knife. can you tell me about the knife and your thoughts at the time? >> yes. there was a knife next to her bed on the shelf. it looked like it was for protection so i really didn't find that she was useing it for reons she is not supposed to. >> the mother would ask you to give gabriel medicine. you can tell us what it was for? >> she told me to give him ni quill and or gel for his teeth. >> for sore teeth or the gums? >> yes. >> let me bring you back in, among the pictures that police released, the baby is shown holding a dropper. we can presume it was for the teething, but what does it tell you? >> the challenge is, if -- realize this is a young single mother. that's a challenge, but if she had a baby who was crying and teething and she was frustrated and hadn't necessarily bonded with this baby and now she was using drugs to medicate. sometimes overmedicate the child. that could suggest why the baby may no longer be with us. realize when she left the motel and leaving the area, there were surveillance pictures of her getting on the bus and she doesn't have the baby with her. after 30 days no couple has said we have this baby and want it to get the proper care. the police are forced to consider the alternative which is maybe the baby died. >> it was a bitter custody battle, but would it be typical for this behavior for a parent to actually take the child's life because they can't have custody? >> lester, women commit 15% of the violent crimes in the country, but 50% of the babies that die in the hands of their parents, 50% of the time it's the mother who commits the crime. biological parents when they are blthsing back and forth, they use the child as a pawn. many times as you know, a pawn loses. >> it's a troubling thought. thank you both for coming on this morning. we appreciate it. >>e will take a break and be back with more. first these messages. you've reached a stage where you're comfortable with who you are. shouldn't your skin be just as comfortable? ♪ introducing new dove men+care with micromoisture. this new technology activates on contact leaving your skin moisturized. it's clinically proven to fight skin dryness better than any regular men's body wash... leaving your skin feeling comfortable. new dove men+care. be comfortable in your own skin. ♪ a whole new life for your hair. aveeno nourish plus. active naturals wheat formulas... proven to target and help repair damage in just three washes... for stronger, shinier... hair with life. aveeno nourish plus. so i got my nephew to build a website. i hired someone to make my website... five months ago. we are building a website by ourselves. announcer: there's an easier way. create your own small-business site with intuit websites. just choose a style that fits your business and customize, publish and get found in three easy steps. eet. all from just $4.99 a month, get a 30-day free trial at intuit.com. isn't this how whole grains should taste? eating well has never been so craveable with quaker caramel baked rice snacks. ♪ - you know these things e never wrong. you're an amazing, beautiful woman. i love you. - that's not on there. - no, it's in here. male announcer: savings on select diamond fashion. one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. unique in its german-tuned suspension, but in its maximum attention to detail, from individually operated dvd players, child monitoring mirror... [ gasps ] [ male announcer ] ...elegant leather seating surfaces and wireless headsets, to its voluminous storage compartments. make it the hero to any family. ew! ew! [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] the volkswagen routan with 0% apr and 3 years or 36,000 miles of care free maintenance. this morning on today's real estate, first comes love and then buying a house. here's the twist. unmarried couples are jumping in before getng married. >> i'm dave. >> i'm lauren. >> this is our first house >> for this couple buying their new jersey home. >> cape cod with three bedrooms and a spacious kitchen. >> it meant taking the plunge before popping the question. >> the price on the house was dropping and it was the right time to do it even if i wasn't ready. it was the right time. >> the market right for young love looking for a home. >> the average age of the purchaser is 30 years old. that is significant. 8% of all purchases are unmatter couples. they are being motivated by the credit. >> a first home was also the first major test for their relationship. >> we a in this for the long run, but you don't know what's going to happen to get it out there and talk. what happens if we can't afford the house? where do we go? >> conversations and a commitment that are laying the foundation for the future. >> we may not be ready for marriage. this is it. it's the times and the tax refund and the economy and everything. everything drove in our favor. >> is buying before marrying right for you? joining us is "today" real estate contributor and author of sanity savers. let me start with you. here's a couple with a great opportunity and they seized it. is it a great opportunity right now? >> for anybody it's a grit time. prices are inching up for the first time in the last three months. money is cheap and as they mentioned, there tax incentives. the rub here is that you need to have protection and you have to set it up for yourself. you have no protection in the eyes of the law in you are not married. >> for some people this is more than marriage when you buy a home. how do they know if theyre ready for the next step. >> you are not only committing to the house, but committing to each other. you have responsibility and issues together. one of the things that let you know is if you are having butterflie he said he wasn't sure he was ready, pay attention to whether it's about the relationship or the house. really you are committing to each other. if you have a strong and solid relationship, you have a better chance. i agree with barbara. you have to be protected. >> let's talk about what needs to be put down. there is more than the relationship talk. i have a hard time even saying the word. what absolutely needs to be put down on paper. >> who owns the house and whose name is on the deed? that determines exactly whose house it is. if you are not on that deed, all you are in the eyes of the law, unlike married couples is an interloper. you have no rights on thehouse. there many, many details that go into it, but they have to be stipulate and spelled out. what happens if you break out? who gets the say? do you divide the house? do you want to stay if you live next to your mother-in-law? >> that's a rhetorical question. >> they are practical, but they need to be addressed in advance. >> these are a lot of topics and issues to be discussed. how do you discuss the option or the possibility of breaking up. it's not something you want to talk about, but you have to be prepared for something like this. >> and you have to be mature. you have to pay attention to what are the chances tt you are going to break up. i are not going to know that, but a lot of these relationships don't last. you need to be prepared. i discuss it with patience and you try to learn as much as you can together. one half of the couple is a bit more knowledgeable and pushy. and she's a woman. you need to know what it is you really want. if you want something and your partner doesn't, say you want to get married and you are going along with it, you will be more dissatisfied. you mentioned the in-laws. will they be helping and how involved are they? there happy issues. >> if you can get through that now, now is a great time to buy. >> it's a great time to buy. the biggest mistake is a female often doesn't put her name on the deed and pays half of the mortgage. don't do that. >> you have to nurture the relationship. get to know each other and nurture the relationship. >> appreciate all your information. relationship. i said it. still to come, tense moments on the icy seas for this little guy. we will tell you what happened after these messages. (announcer) a cold or flu can start fast... new tylenol cold rapid release gels day and night release medicine fast to relieve painful cghs, congestion and sore throats. so you can feel better. oh, look, he went to jared. - excuse me? - what's in the bag, dave? - a diamond necklace. - may i see it? - uh, can i just get directions, please? - i'm sorry, dave. i'm afraid i can't do that. female announcer: jared presents the levian collection, featuring levian chocolate diamonds and levian chocolate cultured south sea pearls. - now can we go? - oh, dave, you shouldn't have. try the first great-tasting, zero-calorie... natural sweetener borne from the leaves of the stevia plant. truvía. honestly sweet. find it at your grocery store. ♪ [ male announcer ] calcium-rich tums goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum-ta-tum-tum, ♪ tums [ male announcer ] nothing works faster than tums. now express each side more with downy simple pleasures from calm... to daring, elegant and beyond... express every side of you and feel more and beyond... sticking to a plan matters, espeally when it comes to your finances. that's why chase cards come with blueprint. free and only for chase customers. with finish it, you can take your balance and decide your monthly payment... or how many months you wanto take to p it off. the faster you pay it off, the more you'll save... and the more progress you'll see every month on your plan. chase what matters i have my blueprint. do you? start your plan today. chase.com/blueprint. we want to share with you the story of a dog when a dog was rescued from an ice floe. >> it carried him 100 miles up the river and out on to the icy waters. >> people saw a shape moving on the water. it was the dog struggling not to fall in. >> the ship's emergency managed to coop off to inflatable dinghies and wrap him in a blanket. he didn't even squeal. he just saw fear in his eyes. looks like he was okay. >> not always a good idea to go with the flow. >> first, this is "today" on nbc. still to come on "today," snow, sleet, and wickedly cold temperatures are spreading across the southwest. where the storms are headed on this messy winter weekend. >> plus, we are the world is an angtle for another tragedy 25 years ago and it's being rerecorded for haiti. which artists are taking part? we will tell you, but first these messages. looks like it's time to stock up. so, save big at the stock up & save sale at petsmart. save up to 20% on hundreds of items. right now, at petsmart. ♪ (announcer) right now, all over the country, discover customers are getting five percent cashback bonus on travel. it pays to get more, it pays to discover. you're taking the medicine doctors recommend most for joint pain. more than the medicines in tylenol or aleve. the medicine in advil is the #1 doctor recommendation for joint pain. relief doesn't get any better than this. advil. until i had my coffee, okay? oh, hey, tim. sorry, i haven't had my coffee yet. - ( barks ) - ( grunts ) morning! welcome to mcdonald's. can i interest you in... not before i have my coffee. premium roast coffee for just a dollar? talk to me. introducing mcdonald's new dollar menu at breakfast. try a cup of freshly brewed premium roast coffee... for just a dollar each every day. and you'll see why nobody makes breakfast like mcdonald's. ♪ ba da ba ba ba love your scarf. it's beautiful out, huh? unique in its german-tuned suspension, but in its maximum attention to detail, from individually operated dvd players, child monitoring mirror... [ gasps ] [ male announcer ] ...elegant leather seating surfaces and wireless headsets, to its voluminous storage compartments. make it the hero to any family. ew! ew! [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] the volkswagen routan with 0% apr and 3 years or 36,000 miles of care free maintenance. it's 7:56. taking a live look outside, the skies look clear. they will be snowy shortly. good morning. i'm kimberly suiters. saturday, january 30th. virginia is under a state of emergency as the storm that pummeled states to the west and south moves north. fredericksburg, stafford, spotsylvania and king george could get up to 8 inches of snow. vdot has 100 pieces of equipment on the streets. the december storm wiped out fredericksburg's salt supply and caused trucks to break down. they have replenished for today's snowfall. d.c. major fendi says the district has ememployed all 180 salt trucks at 5:00. right now, they are treating the streets with rock salt until the storm false. the mayor believes it is a benefit that the storm is moving innen o a saturday when most don't have to go to work. today may be your last chance to say good by to tai shan, washington's favorite panda. more details on a farewell party that begins at 11:00 and goes until 3:00. chuck has your forecast in just a moment. we'll be right back. meteorologist, chuck bell, joining us now. how close is the snow to our area? the first flakes have fallen in wheaton, silver spring and out towards the blue ridge, white ground being reported. white grown from the fredericksburg area southbound. officially at the friendly peacock in northwest washington, nothing on the ground yet. i can't even see a snowflake out my window. don't worry, everybody. snowflakes are moving northbound. there is a look at live doppler. you can see the line of ♪ just moving into the southern parts of the metropolitan washington area. winter weather advisory in effect. the winter storm warning does pick up once you get down towards stafford and potsle vain ya. upper teens and low 20s. cloudy and staying cold today. moderate snow moving in from late this morning through the afternoon hours. the further south you go, the more snow you will get. some down to the south of fredericksburg, more than a foot of snow out of all this. kimberly? news 4 at 9:00, good morning. white out. a dangerous storm moves east bringing deep snow, ice, and freezing rain to the southeast and mid-atlantic states after battering the southern plains. we are following the path. > the recall of 2.3 million toyota cars have been recall and fixing the pedals again. what toyota said and important information you need to know if your car is in question. >> we are the world, 25 years old and an anthem to those in need. the song that inspired millions is about to be rerecorded this january 30th, saturday, 200010. noun nouns from nbc news, this is "today." here are lester holt and amy robach. >> nice to have you here. i'm lester holt. >> i'm jenna wolf. amy robach is on assignment. 25 years ago i walked around with a cassette tape in my walkman and must have listened to it 500 times. >> it's a wonderful song and will be a new group of artists. maybe some from the original one, but how they are puting it sdpog more importantly why. >> coming up in this half hour, we are following a large and powerful storm making its way across the southeast with more than a foot of snow falling on north carolina and virginia. this is the same storm that brought ice to the midwest, leaving almost 200,000 people without power. >> a terrifying moment for an athlete. he slammed into the half pipe during a practice and he finished the competition and proved why he is t world's best at what he does. we will show you more about what happened and the amazing come back. >> show it six more times. that freaked me out. a little bit later, he was the lead singer from hooty and the blowfish. this morning we will talk to darius about his unlikely 2nd act. >> she singing country and loving it. it's always what he wanted to do. he still performs the old hootie songs, but he is successful as a country artist. he's really happy. >> that's all that matters. >> more coming up, but first the big winter storm we are following in the southeast. we check in with the weather channel's jeff morrow in greensboro, north carolina. >> reporter: good morning, lester. greensboro typically only has five or six inches of snow a winter. we got six or seven inches overnight. it is creating road conditions and 70 in the background or 40 in the background behind me. a snow-packed and very, very icy. it's not just the roadways. jet blue canceled all operations on this saturday into charlotte and also up into richmond and raleigh. the best advice here is just to stay home and wait it out. if there is a silver lining to a winter storm, it's that it's coming on the weekend. the kids are not in school and they can play with it if they need to. the advice from the area is stay at home. don't travel. tomorrow will be a better day. >> thanks very much. where is this storm heading now? the weather channel's scott williams is with us tracking the storm. good morning. >> good morning, lester. the storm is on the move, but certainly it is covering over nine states with winter storm warnings here. as we show you where it will go, it will continue to move towards the east and into the atlantic ocean. by the time it continues to do that, it will have covered over 1700 miles. by sunday it will be out in the open waters, but not before dumping heavy snowfall. look at the snow falling into west virginia, roanoke and good morning as you move into the nation's capital and see a chance for snow. in the middle we find ice and concerns and watching for the heavy snow in parts of the carolinas and virginia. back to both of you. >> thanks very much. >> let's head to the other adlines with cnbc's melissa francis. >> good morning, everyone. it appears the terror trials for the 9/11 plotters will no longer be held in new york city. the obama administration will likely move the trial of khalid shaikh mohammed and four others to another location. new york city at first agreed to hole the trials in lower manhattan, but the mayor informed washington the price tag would be $200 million a year for security. president obama had no problem putting himself in the middle of the crossfire with house republicans. mike viquiera is live at the white house with more. this got ugly. >> reporter: that's right. it was a remarkable encounter and marked not only by ugh lowness with the back and forth and blame shifting and the economy and others, but both sides portray themselves as trying to reach out for the other and trying to be more bipart an and mindful and sick and tired of the gridlock. they defended the record against republican charge that is the stimulus was not effective. they hit him again and jen and he defended what he has done saying the stimulus is responsible for saving or creating two million jobs. along the lines, he went to baltimore earlier and unveiled a $5,000 tax credit formployers to hire new workers. on a different topic, the president will welcome george h.w. bush. a lot of people don't know that ex-presidents are in communication all the time. periodically they come for a visit. this is the first time in this presidency. prince harry arrived in barbados on the first officl visit to the country. he is there to py in a polo match for african children. he will attend a fund-raising event in haiti. olympian snowboarder shaun white must be feeling pretty lucky this morning. take a look at this. he overcame a brutal wipe out in a pre. that is hard to watch. the 23-year-old took a vicious hit on the chin and the lip of the pipe, getting a large bruise on the left of his jaw, but that did not deter him. 45 minutes later he nailed the double mctwist as it is called. jenna can do that. for that he won the gold at the winter x games. incredible and hard to watch. my goodness. >> you were wrong. we only showed it five more times. >> i'm freaked out or i would have responded to the whole jenna can do it. >> remember greg lu gainis knocks his head. that's amazing composure to come back. i'm saying nine. i will be nauseous by the time the story ends. thank you very much. the weather channel's scott williams is back for a look at the forecast. >> we dodged a bullet, but we have the arctic air. this is what we are tracking. 24 degrees for the high in new york city. look at the ice as we move into parts of the carolinas and virginias. as we move into the sunshine state watching the boundary and area of low pressure. alsoso watching good saturday morning. i'm meet, chuck bell. snowflakes are flying and falling across much of northern virginia. a few spots out towards the blue ridge are getting light snow. more on the way as we go through late this morning and through the afternoon hours. accumulating snow likely by at least lunchtime at the earliest. temperatures, high teens and low 20s right now.tures top out in the mid 60s. that's a look at your weather. back to you. now to the latest on that huge recall by toyota and millions of car owners who are waiting for the company to announce how they will deal with the problem of gas pedals that will stick. here's tom costello. >> reporter: day four after toyota's unprecedented decision to suspend sales of eight best selling models and customers and dealers are still searching for answers. late friday toyota released a statement saying they are finalizing details of the accelerator recall program and promises a comprehensive decision soon. the company said it is shipping new pedals to dealers and by stopping production, it will make more pedals available. as for existing owners, toyota said it continues to test effective pedal modification for existing vehicles on the road that will be available to customers quickly. at this dealership in knoxville, they generaled the phone lines, worried their car's accelerator might get stuck. the owner doug white understands the fear. >> we are carrying our families in the cars. toyota wants to make sure that we don't have an issue. >> in detroit, her toyota's accelerator got stuck. >> i put my life in danger trying to get to work and make a living for myself to pay my bills, including the car. >> toyota's ceo offered his first public comment on the massive recall, telling japanese tv am deeply sorry. we think of customers as a priority and we guarantee safety. auto industry observers say toyota needs to move fast if it's to rebuild trust. >> they need to get it out in the open and lay out the cards saying here's the problem and how we will fix it. not only that, to a assure the people and build back that reputation. >> we are told toyota is planning a massive buy over the weekento a assure customers andxplain how it plans to make their car safe. a second committee said it too plans to investigate this matter. for today, tom costello, nbc news, washington. >> if you own a model affected by the recall, what can you do? joining us now is cnbc's personal correspondent. good morning. toyota is now shifting gas pedals to the millions of cars that need them. what else is toyota's plan right now to fix the situation? >> toyota has not specified what the fix will be. what we are hear for example other sources is they will insert a spacer that prevents it from sticking n. this repair, it should be able to do in less than a month's time. they will be in the process of notifying people who may be affected by the recall. >> people are worried and don't know what to do if the car has been recalled. what should you do? >> the first thing you should do is it's probably not that big of a problem for many people. know it's a rare occurrence and it doesn't happen that frequently. if the pedal starts to feel sticky, figure out whether or not you are part of the recall. go on toyota.com and look at your vin number to see whether or not. >> if you are one of the eight models and it hasn't been recalled yet, what do you recommend? >> looking at the vin number, it's affecting certain cars made by u.s. manufacturers with parts of the supplier. other models are made by jab these suppliers and those are not affected. if the vin numbertarts with j, it was probably made boy a japanese supplier. if it does not, you may be one of the models affected. >> as we heard from the woman, some people have no choice. they have to drive and get to work. if your car has been recall and you have an issue like this, is there advice you can give car owners at this point? >> one thing to realize this could get worse as there is more wear and tear on the car. every driver needs to know what they would do. here are things you need to think about. you do not want to pump your brakes. be steady on the brakes. put the car into neutral and go to the side of the road and turn off the ignition and call for a to truck and the toyota dealership. >> it will take a considerable amount of time to get it fixed. what is toyota planning to do? will they give you a rental car or buy a new car for you? >> there will be so many people lining up and it's a deal wither by dealer situation. a lost luxury models will give you a loner, but for mid-tier cars, there is no legal obligation to give you a loner or reimburse you for the rental. it doesn't hurt to ask. >> good information. thanks for being with us. still to come, divine expectations. the choice more couples are making about children these days. next, we are the world getting a major update for a new cause. after these messages. our first kiss. i don't remember this place. you will. male announcer: the visibly brighter leo diamond: one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. i went to the dentist. he was poking around, he found the spots, and he said, "are those spots sensitive?" he recommended that i use sensodyne. i noticed it was working when i was drinking cold things and i wasn't even thinking about it. i never thought a toothpaste could fix that problem. with ragu, your kids get a full serving of veggies they'll actually eat. all natural ragu. feed our kids well. like i couldn't catch my breath. i couldn't believe i was actually having a heart attack. i remember being at the hospital, thinking about my wife. i should have done more to take care of myself. now i'm exercising, watching my diet, and i trust my heart to lipitor. (announcer) unlike some other cholesterol lowering medications, lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and certain kinds of heart surgeries in patients with several common risk factors or heart disease. lipitor is backed by over 17 years of research. lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. i'll never forget what i went through. don't take your health for granted. (announcer) have a heart to heart with your doctor about your risk. and about lipitor. as the relief operation continues, an unusual generation of more money. they are about to make a remix of we are the world. peter alexander is here to tell us more about it. >> funo see the old video. go down the list. every star was there. bruce springsteen, michael jackson, huey lewis. it's hard to believe it's been 25 years, but some of the biggest names will head back to the studio together again, raising voices and they hope millions of dollars for haitian relief. ♪ we are the world . >> with the unmistakable lyrics and unforgettable stars. we are the world still ranks among the most recognizable songs ever. the original cowritten by lionel rich skpie and the king of pop. it generated $63 million for famine victims in africa. that was 1985. jones is now 76 and lnel richie will return to do it again in the same studio to benefit haiti. >> for this generation, this cause could be a gigantic moment where they feel like wow. here's a place. let's give and all come together on this. >> the new roster of stars has not been revealed. among the names rumors, elton john, usher, carrie underwood, miley cyrus and jennifer hudson. after the success of the hope for haiti telethon, the features album shot to the top of the charts, raising $3 million. it's f it's like the original, it could be a logistical nightmare. 45 artists jammed in for a marathon recording session that lasted 10 hours. the song launched an era of activist among the most telebrighted stars that continue today. >> we spoke to the team and they told us the all-star list will not be revealed until monday at the earliest. they should know by then. the fact that it's not finalized. >> i love looking at the video. the video and seeing the faces is so cool. and michael jackson. my goodness. >> who would you put in it if you did it today. there is a lot of talk and people say you have to have beyonce and lady gaga and dave matthews. >> i would go for jason mraz and boys to men. a lot of great artists out there. >> the grammys are sunday and they are trying to get a lot to stay an extra day. taylor swift wanted to be a part of it and will be flying to australia. it's tough to get them under the roof at time. >> we will give them a ride. thanks very much. we'll be right back, but first this is "today" on nbc. still to come, why it appears more couples are choosing not to have children. >> a remarkable musical makeover from hootie and the blowfish to a whole new sound. but first, these messages. (jennifer garner) there's a lot of beautiful makeup out there to cover up flaws and make skin look pretty but there's one that's so clever, it makes your skin look better even after you take it off. neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% of women saw improvement in their skin's natural texture, tone, or clarity. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics recommended most by dermatologists. it's fidelity's guidance -- it shows you ways to spend in retirement that can help your money last, whatever your plans. like, if we wanted to travel? husband: or start a business? advisor: yep. wife: or take some classes? sure. or find the best cheeseburger? the line isn't for everything. whatever your destination, fidelity has the people, guidance and investments to help you find your way. we call the bunches in honey bunches of oats the prize in the box. well, now there's a prize inside the prize. pecans! pecans! baked into crunchy oat bunches. taste the delicious surprise in every spoonful. honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. and they can without even trying. caprisun 100% juice is a full serving of fruit and no added sugar. so your kids get 100% goodness in the pouch they love. caprisun 100% juice. i can respect that. - once, during a difficult time in my life, my mom gave me some advice. that advice inspired my open hearts collection at kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. you were right, mom. keep your heart open, and love will always find its way in. is also a great value? it's the difference between paying more... [ giggles ] [ female announcer ] ...and getting more. snuggle fabric softener gives you fresh, snuggly softness your whole family will love -- and it costs less than the leading brand! switch to concentrated snuggle blue sparkle, and over a year, you'll get more than 50 loads of softness for free. more, for less. now that makes all the fference. because everyone loves to snuggle! sticking to a plan matters, espeally when it comes to your finances. that's why chase cards come with blueprint. free and only for chase customers. with finish it, you can take your balance and decide your monthly payment... or how many months you wanto take to p it off. thfaster you pay it off, the more you'll save... and the more progress you'll see every month on your plan. chase what matters i have my blueprint. do you? start your plan today. chase.com/blueprint. taking a live look outside, it looks partly sunny, partly cloudy out there. snow is on the way. bundle up if you have to head outside. good morning, everyone. i'm kimberly suiters. it's 8:25, saturday, january 30th. virginia is under a state of emergency as the storm that pummeled states to the west and south moves our way. stafford, spotsylvania could get up to 8 inches. the december storm wiped out fredericksburg's salt supply and caused trucks to break down. d.c. mayor, adrian fenty says they employed all trucks this morning at 5:30 a.m. the mayor says it is a benefit the storm is moving in on a saturday when most washingtonians don't have to go to work. today may be your best chance to say good by to tai shan. washington's favorite panda will be moving to china next week. the national zoo is holding a farewell party at 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. chuck will join us next the radar shows steady, light snow pushing into the metropolitan area. it will be here over the next several hours. already snowing lightly to steadily. further down to the south, the check of live doppler, steady, light snow in southern fauquier county down towards daly city and manassas. heavier snow still well down to the south of there. our forecast for today, it will stay cold. highs in the low to perhaps mid-20's with heavier, steadier snows arriving after lunchtime today. snowfall amounts, about 3 to 6 inches on the swath through the heart of the city. 1 to 3 inches in northern maryland. 4 to 8 down towards fredericksburg and waldorf potentially more than a foot towards far northern maryland. coming up on "news4 today" at 9:00, a full hour and a half of news, weather and sports. li . we are back on the 30th of january, 2010. the whole crowd here on the plaza. we thank them so much. braving all 13 of those degrees. amy robach has the morning off and still to come, we are talking about being childless by choice. >> they are happy committed couple who is simply don't want children ever. we will find out why and why they believe their lives are complete without the pitter-patter of little feet. >> there is nothing better on a day this cold and miserable to snuggle up on the couch with a really, really good book. we are back with a look at one of the best reads you need to sit in front of the fire with. >> many know him as hootie, the front man for the 90s rock band hootie and the blowfish. darius rucker is back on the charts making the music he really loves. he had another love a lot of people didn't know about. how he made history in an unlikely genre, country music. >> we have a special guest with us. from the hit usa series psych joins us to talk about the new series and a little boot camp. good morning. >> hootie! >> when you say yes, he likes hootie. >> i love that. the 4r06 the promos for the show. you guys are singing. >> we do all of the -- it's a mullet! bring it back! hootie! >> if we are the world calls, you will be first on the list. absolutely. >> thank you so much. we are very, very lucky. i don't know what happened. we struck gold with this one. >> that's a quirky show. you have to get yourself into shenanigans in a fun, interesting way. >> we don't take ourselves too seriously. i think that's sort of the sympatico relationship. everyone has fun. sometimes there is male frontal nudity and sometimes not. >> okay. >> how much involved are you with the story lines? >> more than i have any right to be. they have been so fabulous to me over there. they let me write and let me direct now. it's ridiculous. inmates running the asylum and lots of crazy people doing whatever they want. >> give us one more hootie. >> hootie! >> congratulations and thanks for stopping by. >> beautiful. thank you very much. do you like it? psych, wednesday 10:00 on the usa network. check it out. it's fun. no facial hair in the picture. >> and no full frontal nudity. >> none at all. >> we have another check on the weather now. >> thanks so much, lester. the crowd is certainly dressed in layers, but that's not stopping them. they are come for example all over. where are you from? >> baltimore. >> baltimore, maryland. what's your dad's name? >> jack in new jersey. >> happy birthday! >> folks from long view. what's your name? >> susan kelly. >> happy birthday in long view. another birthday, sweet 16. >> i'm jean hogan from maryland. >> happy birthday. let's look at the weather happening across the country as we look at the satellite. look at the snow in the carolinas and virginia. as we move into florida watching thunderstorms and unsettled conditions in the pacific northwest. give yourself extra time and slick streets in the mid-atlantic and cold in the northeast. wind chill values well below zero. fairly quiet conditions as we move into your sunday forecast. we will continue to stay very frinlid light snow in metropolitan area. temperatures in the upper teens to near 20 degrees. cloudy and cold today. moderate snow this afternoon. about 3 to 6 inches possible temperatures near 70 and even dallas is cold with a high of only 37 degrees. that's a look at your weather. here's amy. >> here's something we didn't realize. more and more married couple are choosing to go childless. their conventional thinking about what makes a family complete go against the expectations of family members and friends. why some are choosing to go childless starting with a report. >> reporter: parent hood. for many one of life's greatest joys and often an expected milestone. now some are giving birth to a different way of thinking about kids. >> it's never been anything i thought was the right thing for me. >> tracey and jared have been married for 13 years. they always knew their only kids would be furry ones. >> maybe i'm missing a maternal instinct for whatever reason. >> jared was short on the feelings too and opted for a vasectomy. they call themselves childless by choice. happy and committed couple who is simply don't want children, ever. it's a decision that can be socially isolating. until about 10 years ago, they cofounded a local chapter of no kidding, one of many social groups for the child-free. >> it's nice to have the group to socialize with. >> other no kidding members, college sweetheart vincent and laura, married four years. they used to talk about how many kids they wanted. gradually realized the answer was zero. >> the more we discussed it, the more we realized that neither of us wanted to parent. >> man others feel the same. the percentage of women describing themselves as voluntarily childless has risen from 4.3% in 1990 to 6.2% in 2002. >> the end of the day when we come home, it's just the two of us. we relax and read and talk. it's exactly the life i want. >> even without the pitter-patter of little feet. nbc news, new york. >> joining us now with more insight is lisa who is a columnist for the "new york times" magazine and the author of the book two is enough. childness by choice. good morning. you intrude 170 people who are child-free by choice. you are married and remain child-free by choice as well. what do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions about couples without children. >> we make the decision out of selfishness or laziness. there is an assumption we will change our mines one day or or going to regret our decision. lisa, it's interesting. you wrote about the subject more than a decade ago. you do have children, but say you remember you were waiting for your maternal instinct to dmik and it never did. >> it didn't. it was i want to have had children some day. i was clear on that, but i didn't want a live that didn't include them, but there was not a biological imperative. >> was there pressure for women to have children at a certain time? >> many good reasons to have children. i blog about parenting and hundreds of parents gave us good reasons and hundreds of people say those aren't my reasons. they don't work for me. it would be a better world if it weren't the assumption. it was rather a decision. >> you interviewed both individuals and couples for your book. you said some of the most interesting responses you found were from the men. what were they? >> it was very interesting. most of the people, the men i surveyed for two is enough basically said i never wanted kids. or i really don't feel i can take on the responsibility for raising children. they really didn't realize they had a choice. they heard all through their life, you want the girl you have to sign up for father hood. until they found a woman who said i don't want children and they went wow! this is a revelation. >> as a society, do you think parenting is more in our faces today than 10 years ago? >> think we are hearing more about the child-free movement. the childless by choice. people pushing back against something that is louder. >> speaking to that, is there an assumption that having kids equals a happy marriage and makes the family complete? >> there is an assumption that kids will make you happier, but studies don't support that. a child-free by choice life doesn't mean an absence of children. >> you just don't have to wake up in the middle of the night withhem. i get it. we appreciate t. we'll be right back after these messages. [ male announcer ] prilosec otc. knock heartburn... into a whole new zip code. 24/7. satisfaction guaranteed. thataboy. [ male announcer ] prilosec otc. heartburn gone. power on. [thunder crashes] - i'm right here. and i always will be. male announcer: now you can surround her with the strength of love's embrace, new from kay jewelers. one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. >> get ready to curl up on the couch with one of the best books. whether it's a thriller or memoire, we got you covered. cosmopolitan magazine editor and author of strange but true. good morning. i want to fly through some of the books. this is your first pick. it's a follow-up. her first book was a "new york times" best seller and made into a movie. >> it's going to be made into a movie. it matches up and the fans will like this one. it's timely given that a woman here fell into a picasso and ripped it. i'm sure you read about that. the painter destroys a participating at the national gallery of art and after wars he goes to a hospital and utters one sentence. i did it for her. that sounds dramatic, but his psychiatrist looks into the reasons he did it and he is pulled into a deeper mystery. >> good story line there. this is a follow-up and this one is from joshua and it starts with a husband making an unusual announcement to his wife. >> he said honey, it's back. we don't know what that is, but he has a strange continue that he can't stop walking. it sounds unusual, but he can't stop himself. it makes a gripping read. >> forest gump action. this is the book for politicos out there. >> for so long, i couldn't think about the election, but enough time has passed and there is distance. it reads like a novel really. the great characters like the obamas and the clintons and mccains. the guys who wrote it were political reporters and it's shocking. what was revealed to them. >> if you are looking for a memoire, you say devotion. this reminds us of love? >> by the author, it's a nice blurb on the back. danny shapiro, her young son started asking questions about god and after and she wasn't prepared to answer them. she goes on a journey to talk to a rabbi and a yogy and this is the result. the book. >> appreciate that. the next one, you like this. it's a good thriller. >> it's a lot of fun. if someone asked you would you deliver a package in vegas and pick up a brief case, you know the is trouble. this guy fails to realize there is trouble and gets caught up in a world of not good stuff. >> is this the only thrill sner. >> it is. >> valentine's day is literally right around the corner. the main character happens to be named valentine appropriately. what will readers encounter? >> they are known for heart warming tales different from the italian americans we see on the jersey shore. >> i'm shocked. >> it's about a young woman's quest for love and family secrets. it's a great read. >> is there a romance? >> there is a romance. >> secrets of eden got rave reviews. >> it start when is a woman goes to a small town reverend and asks to be bapitized. then she said there. she goes home and she is murdered by her husband and turns the gun on himself. >> what are a bad day. >> the priest is haunted by this and this woman had dark secrets. great book. >> where are the god of love hangs out? any relation to judy bloom? just kidding again! kidding twice. me about this. >> samy bloom is known for the insightful prose and does not disappoint. some of them linked to recurring characters about all different kind of people. it's a great read if you want stories that make you think. >> a nice group of short stories. could you pick one? >> i will give you this one. the secrets of eden. they are all good. thank you so much. up next, he was hootie of hootie and the blowfish. the incredible come back. this is "today this morning on second chances, darius rucker, the lead singer of hooty and the blowfish accomplished what many have only dreamed of. sold out concert, fame and multiplatinum concerts. at age 43 he is making history in a new genre. country music. >> with that distinctively soulful voice, darius rucker is where he wants to be. center stage. ♪ many know him as hootie, front man from the hit 90s rock band, hootie and the blowfish. now a decade later, the sth carolina native has gone solo, em bratsing the music he always wanted to make. experiencing a come back in the unlikeliest of places. nashville. >> i have been listened to country music all the time. i listen to it every day. all the time. i'm 43 and i will make this record and it's either going to work or not. >> the cross over to country was a gamble, but it worked. >> darius rucker embraced country and showed willingness to start as a new artist to work like a new artist to drive from radio station to radio station and sell himself. >> his album learn to live produced three number one singles and the 4th is in the top 10. >> in the music world, did you feel like huh to prove something to make the leap or was it natural? >> i'm proud of all the things we have done. i didn't feel like i had to make my name in music, but i wanted to make the record and i wanted it to work. >> this past november, he was named best new artist at the country music awards, becoming the first african-american to ever win this honor. >> you and i sit down and i say in 10 years you will get best new country artist award and you would say that? >> i didn't think i would be nominatedful i thought about making the record, but accepted the record. i would have said no, no way. >> you are 43. new artist and 43 doesn't always jive. >> i agree. i didn't even vote for myself because i didn't think i could be nominated. when you win, you can't help but feel happy that the people say we heard what you did and we like it. >> fans are hooting and hollering over this country guy. >> he is a good singer. >> yeah, amazing. >> it's cute. >> i can't say that. i just like music. >> liked darius since hootie. >> a lot of people who didn't know who i was since the country record and they naturally progressed and had grown to country music. >> with a voice that needs no destruction, darius rucker is thankful he found success down this country road. >> i'm sure i will do another hootie record some day, but i will be a country singer until i'm done, i think. i don't listen to a lot of country, but i got the album before i did the interview and it's the same voice from hootie and the blowfish, but different music behind it. the quality is still there. >> what are a great guy too. very nonchalant and grounded. this is what he wants to do and if it works, it works and if it doesn't, it doesn't. >> at 70 maybe he will get best new opera artist. a guy who is willing to change. we'll be right back, but first these messages. our first kiss. i don't remember this place. you will. [gasps softly] male announcer: the leo diamond: the first diamond ever certified to be visibly brighter. that's just one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. this is where i said yes. one reason? lubriderm® contains the same nutrients naturally found in healthy skin. skin absorbs it for a clinically shown 24 hours. for skin that looks and feels truly comfortable. lubriderm®. your moisture matched. there's new robitussin® to go. in a neat little single dose spoon. liquid medicine already dissolved ready for your body to take in. new robitussin® to go. pure robitussin® relief... to go. isn't this how whole grains should taste? eating well has never been so craveable with quaker caramel baked rice snacks. ♪ that does it for us on this saturday morning. thank you both. how many times have you wished you could star in movie scene? now you n. >> we will meet a woman in this high paying job to volunteer in haiti. we will see you back here on nightly news. have a great day, everyone. good morning, everyone. i'm kimberly suiters. here is a look at what we are working on coming up at 9:00. a high school coach arrested accused of having sex with a student. what made parents suspicious. a panda party at the national zoo. why some may call the celebration more bitter than sweet. let it snow. winter weather is moving in. chuck will tell us how much and how often. we will have those stories and much more when news 4 continues in less than two minutes. out of bounds, a high school coach arrested and charged with having sex with a student. what tipped off some alert parents? remaking the grade, explosive new cheating allegations at a local high school. kids taking money, raising grades and sabotaging their enemy's report cards. the staggering number of students that might have been involved. it's here and here it is, the first of what promises to be a significant snowfall for part of our area has arrived. derrick ward. we'll have details coming up on news 4. good morning, everybody. welcome to the 9:00 edition of "news4 today." i'm kimberly suiters. it's saturday, january 30th, 2010. winter weather is ming in. let's head straight over to meteorologist, chuck bell, monitoring the conditions in storm center 4. how quickly is this storm moving, chuck? it's moving in fairly quickly. no snowflakes still in northwest washington but i can show you proof positive tt there is snow in the forecast. frank o'connor out in rickcyville snapped this picture. not quite over an inch on the ground there yet. winter weather advisory, officially for the