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(cheerios spilling) (announcer) how can something so little... ...help do something so big. good morning, america, on this monday, november 30th. man hunt as we await, police surround a house searching for the man who shot four police officers execution style. when they stopped for their morning cup of coffee. we have the latest from the scene as police move in. tiger woods, what he says about that early morning accident that sent him to the hospital and the n questions and details from police. open house. we show you exactly how the couple who crashed the white house state dinner got past the secret service as congress launches an investigation. anclose call. holiday shoppers watch an aerial gymnast fall 30 feet to the floor. the young woman survives as retailers assess the risk the morning after. and good morning to all of you. we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving. diane sawyer with robin roberts and this morning, of course, we are following this ongoing drama unfolding as you wake up this morning as police are determined to find the person who killed four of their own. >> it had happened over the holiday weekend. a lone gunman opened fire on four police officers at a washington coffee shop outside of tacoma. the four killed execution style. the officers had almost 50 years experience between them and nine children. >> so let's get the latest at this hour. abc's neil carlin skin is in parkland, washington. neal. >> reporter: we're in the middle of a tense police standoff. we have some pictures of the scene right now. police believe in fact that suspect may be suffering from a gunshot wound that he sustained at the time of the attack on police officers yesterday. an attack on officers as they sat in a coffee shop just down the road behind me here. early this morning a seattle neighborhood in lockdown. police used tear gas and explosions targeting a house where their person of interest, mauresmo clemmons, is believed to be holed up. officers could be heard at times firing shots and encouraging clemmons to surrender. hours earlier in a shroud of flashing blue and red, the bodies of the four officers were escorted out from the crime scene under a huge american flag to salute and heavy hearts. >> saluting them as the procession went by, you know, i couldn't help a few tears rolling down my eyes. it was just -- you know, it was just sad. >> reporter: the four officers were gunned down inside this coffee shop as they prepared to begin their shift. police say the suspects stood at the counter as if to order then opened his coat, pulled a gun and began firing. >> he pulled open his coat and shot and fled and they were writing reports. >> reporter: police are calling it an ambush, an execution. in a last-ditch effort, wounded and in shock one of the officers struggled with the suspect. >> one of them managed to fight his way with the suspect fight all the way out the doorway until he was shot and died of a gunshot wound. >> reporter: they are faces every cop in town newell. sergeant mark renninger with a five and three children, in in a statement his brother called him a loving and dedicated father. officer ronald owens who leaves behind a daughter. officer tina griswold, married, a mother of two and stickler for safety procedures and officer greg richards, a husband and father of three. >> it's just unimaginable and our hearts are just breaking. >> reporter: maurice clemmons has a long rap sheet including assault on a police officer and a pending child rape charge. here he is in 2008 talking about a fire at his rental property. >> property and stuff like that can always be replaced so it was a blessing that, you know, nobody get hurt. >> reporter: he was released from custody just six days ago even though he was wanted on a fugitive warrant out of arkansas, a state where then governor mike huckabee granted him clemency nine years ago. >> some people have to answer to that. >> reporter: former governor huckabee for his part in the statement overnight said that clemmons' release or his being out is a result of failures in the criminal justice system both in arkansas and in washington state. as for the standoff that is ongoing right now. a fluid situation. police have not heard from clemmonsf he is inside that home. diane? >> all right, neal, back to you as we learn more. joining us from the crim scene in parkland is ed troyer, the pice county sheriff's department spokesman leading the investigation along with the team there and thank you so much, officer troyer. i want to ask the direct question, how did you come to suspect maurice clemmons as a person of interest? >> well, it was a trail through our investigation through together which brought us to a residence and as we talked to acquaintances, it became pretty clear that he was our person of interest and then once we found out he was suffering from a gunshot wound last night, it was immediately changed to being our number one suspect, in fact, he's the only pers we're looking for that's responsible for this. >> we had heard he had been spotted near the coffee shop and found a cutoff electronic tracking bracelet that he had cut off his ankle? >> well, during one of the operations where we were checking residences we did find a tracking device that was cut off his ankle but there by the bond company and not the prosecutor's office as a condition of his release. that's obviously that they were afraid of losing their bond when he bailed out of jail. >> was there any more insight from anyone about why these four officers in particular, we know they were in uniform, they were in marked police cars. do we think he just trailed them or that he was targeting them in particular? >> we don't believe he was targeting them in particular. we believe that he was just out to kill some police officers execution style. we are now learning after the incident getting reports he made comments the night before to watch the news because he was going to kill a bunch of cops. those people did not report that and till after the incident occurred so we believe that he was just after police officers and, unfortunately, they were the four in that coffee shop when he went by and saw that they were there. >> there are reports that his sister has been saying he was not of his right mind. others were talking about he was flying, he was the confirmed messiah. are these reports that came to you? >> well, when we're getting the information to the charging sheets and looking at the police reports and lookg at his history in arkansas he does definitely have some issues, and part of our investigation will be is why he was out of jail. we know here in washington, we didn't do anything wrong because we've arrested him multiple times. we got him charged and he was being held on $150,000 bail and bailed out and wt happened was is once we told arkansas that we had him in custody they quashed the warrant so they had a chance to get him back on whatever reason they let him go in the first place and that's something we'll take a strong look at to determine why he was even here to begin with. >> looking at this, five felony counts in arkansas, eight in washington, d.c. state, serving in arkansas 11 years of a potential 60-year sentence. how angry does this make you and your fellow officers. >> well, you know, the criminal justice system works when it works. when it doesn't there is usually a breakdown someplace. when we do the math that he was supposed to have 65 years in arkansas and he's only 30 something years old the simple math is somehow or another some reason he was out in our state when he definitely should be back there and didn't even come close to serving his sentence. >> officer troyer, again, we want to thank you. we want to honor all of the officers on your team. i know so many of them came in on their own time to do everything that they could from the entire region. >> right. >> and, of course, the families of those nine children. nine children. >> that's absolutely right. >> of the four who died. >> yes. >> thank you again. >> thank you. all right, diane. thousand to the latest on tiger woods. the golf legend refusing t speak with police about the early morning accident outside his florida home early friday morning. but in a written statement yesterday woods did take responsibility for the car crash. we're also hearing the 911 call made by tiger woods' neighbor. our john berman has the latest from windermere, florida. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, robin. well, in his statement tiger woods says "the situation is my fault. "but he doesn't say what situation or how he managed to crash his car just outside his driveway or why he was unconscious after the crash. these are just some of the unanswered questions in this mysterious case and right now tiger woods is not talking. the celebrity website tmz released these photos of tiger woods' mangled car but for the third time woods refused to speak to investigators to explain the 2:po a.m. accident just past his driveway but released a statement saying "i'm human and i'm not perfect." the florida highway patrol released the 911 call from a concerned neighbor 2:28 friday morning. >> i have someone down in front of my house. they hit a pole. >> is it a car accident, sir? >> it's a car accident, yes. >> and are they trapped inside the vehicle? >> no, they are laying on the ground. >> reporter: five minutes later police arrive and find woods on the ground breathing but slipping in and out of consciousness. >> is he outside or inside his car. >> outside. >> is he unconscious? >> yes. >> the back window of woods' vehicle was smashed. woods' we have elin said she broke it with a golf club in order to pull him from the vehicle but the tabloids have been abuzz with rumors of a domestic dispute. the national enquirer published a story saying woods was seeing a new york nightclub hostess. the woman denied the affair and hired gloria allred. in his statement he said the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. my wife elin acted courageously when she saw i was hurt and in trouble. any other assertion is absolutely false. pr experts say the statement might be the in nick of time. >> had it taken any longer to release than it did, i think there would have been some real concern and that brand might have well been in real jeopardy. >> reporter: woods is the first athlete ever to top $1 billion in career earnings. he is also fiercely protective of his image. with a yacht named "privacy" this is not the kind of attention he relishes. woods has hired a high-profile local attorney who says that woods has no plans to speak to the police and legally he doesn't have to. he has to turn over his license, registration and insurance information, which he did. police, however, say this investigation is continuing. robin? >> all right, john. thank you for that. joining us now is abc news consultant christine brennan joining us from washington. christine, other than the written statement on his website, we have not heard from tiger woods. is this the right strategy? >> it's a great question, robin, obviously tiger woods and his people are very controlling, disciplined, maybe the most disciplined athlete on the planet in terms of his image so they think it's the right strategy. i don't think his sponsors will leave him. i don't think his fans will leave him but such an incongruous image from the man we're seeing from the man we know. >> it's sump a different world. you know that, christine, with the internet and anything can be said. so how do you confront the things that are being said in blogs and -- in the atmosphere? how do you confront that. >> tiger, of course, said it. it's a private matter and accepted blame and said his wife was khoury rajsz and doesn't like the fact the rumors are out there. they're hoping that's the end of it of the he may or may not show up on his own golf tournament in los angeles. if he does that, robin, then he'll have to speak. if he doesn't show up i think more questions. i don't think this is over. i think it's one of thosthings tiger hopes it's over. his people hope it's over but is it? i don't think so because of the blogisphere. >> the florida highway patrol say they got the information that they need, it's optional if tiger wants to talk to them and made it clear he does not. there are people who want to know more but there are a lot of people who just saying leave tiger woods alone. which one is it? >> you know what, i think our world is such that the internet will keep going and fans and sponsors will speak, as well. and my sense is that tiger will be just fine in the long run and maybe this is a weird chapter in the story of tiger woods, one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen and is such a part of our culture too, robin, as a superstar but we don't know yet and the bottom line is the -- the mainstream media might have said, okay, that's done but the internet will not stop. >> and he is fiercely private. he always has been but you feel that, you know, he does have endorsements but from a business standpoint he has nothing to worry about. >> i don't think he has anything to worry about with the current ones. whether others would sign on, not that he needs anymore, he's a billion dollar athlete, i don't know that othe would jump on the bandwagon this week. this is bizarre and strange of this button-down image of tiger woods. >> remains to be seen if he will speak at some point. a lot doubt that. christine, thank you very much for your insight. have a great day. now chris cuomo is here with the other headlines including a look ahead to president obama's speech tomorrow. the big speech. good morning, robin, diane, everyone. the president is putting the finishing touches on tomorrow's night speech at west point. after months of contemplating while our fighting men and women tangle with an increasingly formidable foe, the president's now ready to tell americans how he plans to finish the job in afghanistan. for details on what we know to jake tapper at the whiteouse. good morning, jake. >> reporter: good morning, chris. well, president obama just yesterday held more meetings with his national security team to prepare for the rollout of his new strategy in afghanistan and pakistan, the first draft of the speech has been written. many revisions are expected, of course. officials say that the speech will attempt to do the following thing, one, the president said last week he would finish the job in afghanistan. he needs to explain to a war weary american people just what that job is. two, exit strategy. part of sending more than 30,000 new u.s. troops to the region bringing the total to more than 100,000 or around it is explaining to the american people that he needs to bring them home and his plans to bring them home. three, to the international community, a message that this is not just a mission for the u.s. and that's part of trying to get nato countries to send 5,000 to 10,000 more troops and finally a message to the afghan government that they need to step it up when it comes to anti-corruption and good governance efforts. chris? >> all right, jake, thank you very much for the reporting. of course, abc news will bring you live coverage of the president's address tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. eastern. the white house is also beginning a new push to help more homeowners facing foreclosure. part of its plan involves naming and shaming lenders into permanently lowering mortgage payments under the administration's foreclosure prevention program. that program is supposed to be helping about 650,000 struggling borrowers but only a fraction of them have received permanent relief so far. there is an escalation in the standoff over iran's nuclear program. president mahmoud ahmadinejad has responded to a u.n. demand to stop work on a nuclear facility by vowing to build ten more facilities just like it. the white house is hoping iran's defiance will convince russia and china to support new sanctions. finay there's good news about a study on autism. researchers found that behavior therapy can improve symptoms in autistic children as young a18 months old. it's known as the early start denver model that emphasizes social interaction for 20 hours a week at home with a child playing. now, after two years, the study found that children had significantly higher i.q. scores and better language skills. still, researchers say more study is needed to confirm the are yous, but very promising. that is the news at 7:16. >> it shifted the severity of the diagnosis in some cases. thanks so much, chris. and sam champion, happy post-thanksgiving monday. >> thank you. feeling a lile full. good morning, diane, chris, robin. did anyone notice that elves threw christmas all over the place? if you need a little christmas they gave it. i'm sure you'll see it throughout the next few days all over the studio. to the boards. one or two things going on. area of low pressure and front that moves into northern new england and really the mid-atlantic so scattered showers throughout the day today. not going to look at any big-time rainfall totals for the most part but you are going to be mild before the front then colder air sharply behind the front as it gets to the coastline later orange tonight. heavy rainfall totals later tonight into the day tomorrow. it'll be south texas also into louisiana. some of those areas will pick up more than 4 inches of rain and talk about that in the days to come. d cle inhweo cf73. a very good morning, brian van de graaff here. you see some moisture looking into the area from the north and west. there is a little such as this morning but the clouds will thicken and and it will be fairly mild temperatures today in the 50's. temperatures will start to drop later. you can see the clouds on the radar that will come in later. in the next half hour we'll talk about a little west texas snow. el paso could get 4 inches. thanks, sam. now that tape from a show at a mall in beverly hills that nearly ended in tragedy. an aerial performer hanging upside down from a metal hoop fell. there was no net to catch her and it was part of a big promotion meant to boost sales, something malls are trying to do all over the country this time of year. here's abc's lisa fletcher on what happened. >> reporter: it was a holiday spectacular. designed to draw crowds to the mall. but something went horribly wrong. this cell phone video captured the aerialist performing without a net falling nearly 20 feet as hundreds helplessly watched. >> working over 30 feet we typically always use safeties. the net has to be a minimum of eight feet off the ground. if the net is two feet off the ground, it's not functional. >> reporter: miraculously she survived. the 26-year-old performer who is asked not to be identified is optized with a broken wrist and pelvis. she says she and the rest of the troupe know the risk is part of the job. >> these are not ordinary people. these are the top traid athletes in the world. >> reporter: retailers across the country are going to extremes in the downed economy to attract coveted shoppers. but free giveaways are other thing, a dangerous aerial show, some are wondering if that's going too far. your answer is no is. >> not at all. it is very safe. is it foolproof, no. >> reporter: while shoppers were horrified, the show will go on. 60 performances leading up to christmas. for "good morning america," lisa fletcher, abc news, los angeles. >> thank god she wasn't seriously hurt. >> no. details now on the white house crashers. we wondered how they made their way through those checkpoints at the white house. we'll learn. attention shoppers. it is cyber-monday and tips to finding rock bottom deals just a click away. ♪ it'sistmastime ♪ ♪ and wouldn't it be nice ♪ ♪ to find a simpler way ♪ ♪ to get the best prihr ♪ ♪ to stop chasing sales ♪ ♪ when i'd rather be ♪ ♪ having story time by the tree ♪ this christmas, you don't have to chase sales. walmart checks other store's prices so you don't have to-- and if there's a better advertised price out there, they'll even match it. christmas costs less at walmart. save money. live better. walmart. ou find a wayve money. live better. to eat right at work... grab it. 100% natural white meat chicken and no msg added. with egg noodles soup. harvest chicken/ m'm! m'! good! @ work. (announcer) tr out a fewt differs this cold and flu season. the kleenex virtual mos getmommed.com. bonus on every single purchase. what you do with it is up to you. what will you get back with your cash back? >> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. and good monday morning everybody. i am alison starling. 7:22 is your time. let's begin with a look at traffic. >> we started this morning with an accident on the suitland parkway at forestville road. about 10 minutes ago, the last roll back was looking up and they should be leaving by the time you get there. things should be settling down. now this is a live picture of virginia on 95 to get to the beltway. this is a picture of 270 traffic with an accident at montgomery village avenue with delays before this. this is rockville maryland with an accident. police are directing at the intersection look at this shot from the roofscam this morning. it is gorgeous. the clouds are building but it will aid be mostly cloudy day. temperatures are in the 50's downtown. your forecast a calls for a light rain and showers developing later. we have a mild start but we will see some cooling in the afternoon when the wind shifts. we clear out later tonight and temperatures will be in the 30's. to mark a cooler with sunshine in the 50's. we will be right back. in the 50's. we will be right back. and now we're insuring over 18 million drivers. gecko: quite impressive, yeah. boss: come a long way, that's for sure. and so have you since you started working here way back when. gecko: ah, i still have nightmares. anncr: geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. grief counselors will be in maryland today after a football player was killed in a crash yesterday morning. the 17-year-old was killed. police said the driver had been drinking. his 17-year-old brother who was in the truck is now in critical condition. no class is today at a virginia school after an exosion and fire. the blast happened is they morning as workers were repairing 8 rout at the cittendon middle school. because of the fire is still under investigation more safety questions for metro after two trains collided over the weekend. and good morning, it happened sunday morning at 4: 30 a.m. as the last train was headed into the rail yard yard. the oncoming train was coming into the guard when it struck a parked train. this sent three employees to the hospital and destroyed three train cars. the damage is estimated to be at $9 million. metro is in the middle of investigating because of the crash. they will review what was captured on in any event recorder. some safety concerns have come up in regards to the damage. two of the three cars were considered beyond repair and were part of metro's older 1000 series. those models had been sent in- between new work] = new models. but metro says it will investigate for the next few days. it was close but once again the redskins, on the losing end. the philadelphia eagles staged a late fourth quarter comeback for the 20 -- for the wind. we will have another news update at 7:56. for continuous news coverage, tune in to our sister station, news channel 8. affect wheat output in the u.s., the shipping industry in norway, and the rubber industry in south america? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex global economy. it's just one reason 80% of our mutual fundr beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus with investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and more information to read and consider carefully before investing. mr. and mrs. salahi. >> they are the party crashers seen around the world. crashing a white house state dinner, so why did the secret service wave them through the first checkpoint and should the couple face criminal charges? we have new details straight ahead as we say good morning, america, on this monday morning and we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving and, sam, you did point it out well, we just moved right on to christmas in the studio all the way around us. >> before the turkey soup is done in nye refrigerator. also a verdict in the amanda knox mder case is expected and she is the american college on trial in italy. but there's a startling new twist in the story. her parents are now under investigation. could be facing charges themselves. we're going to tell you what that is about. >> it is cyber-monday, so before you click on any holiday shopping site, we've got insider tips to save you big bucks in your online shopping. but first to that husband and wife team. you saw them announce there who embarrassed the secret service created a security crisis by crashing a tate dinner at the white house and so far investigators have interviewed both party crashers but the fallout is far from over and we're learning more all the time. abc's pierre thomas joins us live now from washington with the latest. pierre? >> reporter: hi, diane. this morning the secret service continues to investigate this case and i can tell you they're taking it extremely seriously. one reason, that white house couple, that couple was on the white house grounds nearly two hours. our abc news cameras caught the aspiring reality tv stars, tareq and michaele salahi arriving at the white house with a bravo tv crew in tow. one problem, the salahis were not invited. but they got in anyway. sources tell abc news a leading theory is that the first secret service officer at the initial checkpoint waved the couple in assuming their names would be checked at the next one. the couple walked to the next critical checkpoint. at least a couple hundred yards away. their name should have been checked there but they apparently were not. next the couple went through a metal detector and were screened for weapons. they were in. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> at 7:35 p.m. a marine announced the salahis to the world as part of the country's elite waltzing into the supersecure state dinner supposedly. with that an extraordinary breach was complete. >> these people could have had an outstanding arrest warrant for murders, they could have been involved with a terrorist group. they could have been agents of iran or north korea. >> reporter: they mingled at an exclusive reception in the east room and at about 8:00 p.m. entered the prestigious blue room where presidents have greeted kings and dignitaries. there they shook the hand of the leader of the free world. >> this is simply taking a tremendous risk with the life of the president much the united states. >> reporter: but the salahis weren't done. by roughly 8:30 they were rubbing elbows in the tent where the actual dinner would be held. our robin roberts was there. >> but she was working that tent. boy, was she working that tent. >> reporter: they met the white house chief of staff. they even hugged the vice president. the salahis' attorney suggests it was a misunderstanding and says "my clients were cleared by the white house to be there" but the white house says flatly the couple was not invited. >> ladies and gentlemen, at this time please take your seats. >> reporter: and by 9:00 p.m. just as dinner started the salahis were gone. the secret service has taken full responsibility admitting they were deeply concerned and embarrassed by the breakdown. the seek service interviewed the couple over the weekend and by the end of the week, they're expected to decide whether to seek charges. robin, diane? >> working the tent, huh? >> yeah, they were working the tent. i got to tell you i think partly because the way she was dressed, even commented to her that, wow, you must have put a lot of thought into this because it was the traditional indian attire but people asked were they acting strangely or anything like that. no, they were just really making their presence known and taking as many pictures as they could. >> got a hug from the vice president. >> yeah, that too. >> anyway we wanted to know more about the personal lives and what we tracked down about the biography of the couple and we have that. we have some revelations for you in the next half hour. >> that is coming up but right now we'll talk more about the legal drama unfolding in italy for the family of amanda knox. the american college student on trial for murder. a verdict is expected later this week. but now her parents are also under investigation by italian authorities and could face charges themselves. our lama hasan is in perugia, italy, with all the details. good morning, lama. >> reporter: good morning, robin. on the very day that amanda knox's parents arrived here in italy to stand by her and support her as she learns her fate later this week, they were slapped with allegations of defamation. it is the latest twist in this long and grueling murder trial. amanda's parents are now being investigated for a crime that could mean spending up to three years behind bars. speaking to "good morning america" after these allegations were made, her parents say they're ocked at the latest revelations. >> we said what amanda had told us. she had been kept all night. she was without a lawyer when she asked for a lawyer. they told her it would be make her situation worse. she was never going to see her family again. >> reporter: a claim they maintain in which they told us about in june last year. >> there was a lot of men tall abuse. you're never going to see your parents for another 30 years. she was actually hit in the head a couple of times. it was just an all-night you're not coming up with the right answer for us. >> reporter: her parents don't want these allegations to be a distraction taking attention away from the trial. a trial that is taking its toll and nearing an end. >> what she's seen for the last two years is through a prison window. that's not how it's supposed to be. >> reporter: dubbed by the italian media as angel face, amanda and her ex-boyfriend stand accused of murdering her british roommate meredith kercher two years ago. she was found semi naked in a pool of blood with her throat slashed in the home they shared in perugia. in the courtroom this week it is the defense's turn to make their closing arguments. amanda's lawyers get two days to tell her side beginning tomorrow and her fate lies in the hand of two judges and six jurors. because they've been deliberating as it's going on it could come as early as friday. since there is no death penalty in italy prosecutors last week asked for the harshest sentence possible. if convicted, she could get life in prison with nine months daytime solitary confinement. her defense team says this is normally what italy's mafia bosses get, not a 22-year-old college kid with no criminal past. for the next couple of days amanda's defense team will look at all the evidence against her including why there is no forensic evidence placing amanda in the room in whi meredith kercher was allegedly killed in. >> thank you, lama. a verdict expected sometime this week as you said. thanks so much. 7:37. time for the weather and sam. sam, stand away from the decorations. you're getting awe the glitter all over the place. >> i'm taking it all with me, holiday. i had to stand up. when we were sitting i'm kind of like -- >> lapful of glitter. not that that's a bad thing. to the boards. let's show you what's going on one or two things. caught some pictures, a dust storm that's in casa grande, arizona. in general these gusts for saturday and sunday anywhere from 30 to 60 miles per hour. now things quiet -- look at what that looks like from a helicopter. you can see the vantage point of that dust cloud making its way across ahead of the winds. but things are in much better shape during the day today and for the next couple of days. large area of high pressure settles in into the southwest 67. bakersfield, 63. there are a few gusty winds in the canyons but again less wind as we get into the nt 24 hours. we'll watch two impulses of low pressure kind of form a storm into the southeast over the next 24, 48 hours. this means it'll be very wet and rainy from texas into louisiana and then also into the eastern seaboard we believe this low will step off the coastline by middle to the end of the week and form a nor'easter so we have an awful lot of action to cover over the next few days as we watch that low bring some rain from the south, deep south all the way to the east before this week is over but for today 57 in dallas and right through the middle of the country absolutely and a very good morning, outside today, we had some sunshine early on and it is fairly mild. we're watching shore's develop this afternoon and clear tomorrow. wednesday and thursday is the >> all that on t >> all that weather on this monday morning was brought to you by the amazon -- >> you're sparkling. >> yes, you are. thanks, sam. next our insider tips to score the top online holiday deals on this cyber-monday and we're off to the races. come 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[ female announcer ] sometimes you get so much out of so little. like charmin ultra soft. it's soft and more absorbent, so you can use 7 sheets versus 28. charmin ultra soft. well, shoppers turned out in force on black friday but early reports show they spent less than last year. there is one bright spot. online sales, one on line tracking firm says they're up 11% and another 97 million americans are expected to shop online today, cyber-monday. so how do you get a great deal if you're one of them? our technology contributor becky worley has, of course, all the answers for you and joins you from san francisco. good morning, becky. >> reporter: good morning, robin. yeah, you're shopping online. you click that buy button and facilities like this all around the country start worrying. this is a u.p.s. distribution center here in south san francisco. u.p.s. says it plans to deliver 400 million packages this holiday season. we know people are buying online and we know they're looking for deals. so my mission, find the latest online shopping techniques to help you save big. you search and yourowse and you hunt for the best deals. but what are the newest tools and the insider tricks for paying rock bottom as you shop online? we asked professional bloggers who search web deals for a living to share their newest secrets. use a site like extrabux to compare prices, find coupon codes and get cash back from making your purchases. >> it's a cash back site. it's online shopping ptal but has a comparison shopping element as well. if you're looking for the tickle me elmo, you can find it. >> look for free gifts you can turn into presents. buy $25 worth of makeup online you get this clutch purse. >> i think it would be a nice stocking stuffer for someone in your life who was into makeup or beauty products. >> a new study says 30% of adults have an internet-enabled smartphone. that means the line between online shopping and shopping in a store is beginning to blur. so our next tip, make that iphone blackberry or google phone earn its keep. >> there are apps that will turn your camera into a bar code scanner. let's say you're in a store and about to buy something and wonder if i can get a better deal online. whip out your phone, point the camera and in a matter of seconds it will scan the bar code and return information about pricing from any number of different online stores. >> reporter: now, one of the most important tips i can give you is find those savings codes. best site for doing that is savings.com. they have a staff that vets all those codes and makes sure they're current and actually working, robin. >> those coupon codes really rock. i like going into the stores because a lot of them, if you buy a lot, they give you a little bit of a discount. is there a similar kind of incentive online? >> reporter: yeah, that's really happening this season. this concept of the total volume discount so, for example, kohl's will give you 15% off if you buy $100 online and great for items rarely discounted like designer jeans, purses or makeup. >> all right. so is today the day or should we wait a little bit longer for the better deals, becky. >> reporter: right. buy or wait? well, it depends on what you're actually after. so apparel and books, i say wait until that last day of free shipping and then when it comes to things like dvds or toys, i think you should buy now. there's already been a huge price war on dvds have come down a lot and toys are relatively scarce. electronics where my personal opinion, wait till the last possible minute. here's why. many stores have a price guarantee and what this means is that if you buy something and within a certain period of time they put it on sale and there's a discount, they'll refund you the difference. so the longer you wait to buy, the more space you have to get that refund if the price goes down after christmas and there are even web services like price protector that will e-mail you. you tell them what you bought, where you bought it and what you paid. theyl e-mail you if the price goes down in the future. >> good little info there. one last thing, the deadline for free shipping, when is it, becky. >> reporter: generally it's december 17th. it varies site to site but december 17th get your shopping done, robin. >> all right, becky. help out. go ahead and help them out there. >> alberto, good job, buddy. what can i do here? let me move one here. >> have a good day, becky. >> you're a great sport. thanks so much. coming up next dr. mehmet oz and dr. michael roizen are here. they have a new list. what affects your healthnd that of the next generation. what are you guys doing over there? they'll all explain in our next half hour. come on back. now snuggly softness comes in 2 new scents-- from snuggle exhilarations! (announcer) with a variety of unique combinations, like sweet blossom & pomegranate. exhilarating, freshening, and softening. because everyone loves to snuggle! you can blow your nose but nothing comes out! because the real problem isn't always mucus. it's often swelling rom inflammation. advil cold & sinus relieves swelling an sinus pressure. the right medicine for the real problem. advil cold & sinus the more options you have, the more likely you are to stay on track. ♪ that's why there are eight delicious kinds... of special k® cereal. ♪ because every girl could use a little variety. ♪ special k®-- now in eight delicious flavors. qu quest for fame coming up. how far would you go to be in the spotlight. not lives of the white house party crashers. you've heard of coupons. but have you heard of groupones. we'll talk about that and so much more after your local news and weather. rubbing my tummy with all the turkey and stuffing and minced pie. cer) elizabeth is going to show us how easy it is to earn cash back from holiday shopping. that was easy. earn cash back on purchases to pay down your credit card or go into savings. with the power rewards® visa® credit card. only from bank of america. that can take so much out of you. i feel like i have to wind myself up just to get out of bed. then...well... i have to keep winding myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the trouble concentrating, the lack of energy. if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq®. (announcer) pristiq is a prescription medicine pven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease... or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. 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(announcer) ask your doctor crafted to be exceptionally smooth... decadently rich... delightful... chocolate... bliss. hershey's bliss chocolate. >> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. and good morning everybody. 7:56 is your time. i am alison starling with your local update on a monday morning. let's look at traffic and weather. we are back to routine this morning. we have had a couple of problems on 270 southbound, an accident at montgomery village avenue. it is out of the way but i will show you a live picture. this is southbound leading clarksburg through germantown. virginia traffic is next at 395, slowing after the beltway up to the pentagon. next, i will take you out to rock bill at month castor mill road. the accident is being documented at muncasdter mill road. tomorrow you will probably need some would in the fireplace. it will be colder with a cold front that is cing in. there is a little bit of sunshine to the east and them -- this morning but clouds continue to build in. 55 degrees downtown and a look at our maps shows an area of green off to our west. look for showers to develop through the afternoon. temperatures will be milder earlier on before the wind shifts and it will drop in the afternoon with scattered light showers and rain. it will be better tomorrow with sunshine. police are on the scene of a deadly accident in rockville, maryland. this was on muncaster mill road. part of the area remains shut down while police investigate. we will be back at 8:25 with another news upd(dial-up modem) remember when connections to the internet sounded like this - when high speed internet was out of reach of most american families and small businesses? as recently as the year 2000, only three percent of american families had high speed internet. then competition drove innovation - spurred private investment, and thinternet took off - at record breaking speeds. at at&t we're taking the lead - investing some thirty-eight billion dollars in our wired and wireless networks over the past two years. last year alone we invested more than any other public company in america. and at at&t we support a national plan that makes high speed internet available to every american family in the next five years - because we know that now is not the time to stall momentum or to stifle innovation or investment. the future is at stake, and at at&t, the future has always been and at at&t, the future has always been our business. at&t... your world... delivered. "good morning america" continues with the white house party crashers. we have a closer look at the reality star wanna-bes. is this going too far for your 15 minutes of fame? and you having a baby. doctors mehmet oz and michael roizen are back. can you change your baby's genes before birth? ♪ got to have friends plus, united we save. groupons, the new shopping trend proving that when it comes to big holiday savings there's strength in numbers. ♪ to make that day last >> nice to have friends. >> hey. >> how are you? >> good to see you. good to see you. >> i just will dance here. oh, that's sweet. brought her to tears. she's crying. aw. >> your bucket list. that's wonderful to have you here. happy day. happy holidays, everyone. and as we said, coming up in this half hour -- >> this was a moment. >> coming up in this half hour dr. mehmet oz, dr. michael roizen are here and this was brand new to me. is it possible that we can actually change our health at the genetic level? both with unborn babies and afterwards, a whole list of new things to think about as they join us in just a few minutes. >> it is that time of the year. you're trying to find that perfect gift for that someone in your life and, you know, funds are a little tight. but give something from the heart and we're going to show you in our last half hour some wonderful ideas, some wonderful crafts and some wonderful gifts that you can make yourself and we'll give you a little inside tip on how to do. first to chris with the news. >> all right. thank you very much, robin. we want to get everybody up to date on the breaking story in seattle where police have voubdzed a house in their search for maurice clemmons. the man accused of shooting four police officers execution style in a coffee shop. so let's get out there to neal karlinsky monitoring the situation. good morning, neal. what's the newest information? >> reporter: chris, good morning. police are in fact in the midst of a tense standoff with their suspect, maurice clemmons. s.w.a.t. teams have surrounded this house and in fact they are preparing we're told to send in a police robot to have a look inside. the reason they're doing that, they say is because they haven't heard anything and police now believe that maurice clemmons was shot through the abdomen through and through during the initial confrontation with police officers yesterday. they have learned that they say from associates who worked with him overnight and say this is a wound that if not treated could prove fatal. believed to be dangerous. don't want to go in. that's why they're sending in the robot. there is a fair amount of frustration among police officers out here that this man was even out on the street. this is a person with a long criminal record and according to police, he should have still been behind bars on several charges in the state of arkansas. but before they can get to that and figureut what he was doing out here, they want to get him in custody. they believe he is inside that house and they're just trying to get him out right now. chris? >> all right, neal, thank you. karlinsky will stay on it. moving on now to the sweeping health care reform bill gets under way today in the senate. supporters are facing solid republican oppositions. are they going to have to iron out differences with moderate democrats to get the 60 votes needed to pass the bill? today the white house is launching a new campaign to combat misinformation about health care reform urging americans to trust doctors and nurses instead of those resisting change. on wall street this morning things are a bit calmer than friday when the dow dropped 154 points but one big concern continues to be the debt crisis in dubai. the united arab emirates promised sunday to support its banks. this will help ease concerns at least for now. the florida highway patrol says its investigation of tiger woods' apparent traffic accident is continuing. tiger woods is not required to talk to police regarding the early morning friday events and he is not volunteering any more information to them at this point. woods did release a statement saying "the situation is my fault and that it's a private matter." woods also addressed recent tabloid reports he's been cheating on his wife calling them false, unfounded and malicious rumors. time for another reason to fear food. this time it's the chicken we buy at our local grocery store. "consumer reports" found two-thirds checked harbored salmonella or another dangers bacteria. air-chilled organic broilers were among the cleanest as were chickens with the purdue name brand. tyson and foster farms found to be the most contaminated. this according to "consumer reports" testers. finally, all right, a good story for all of us, a reversal of fortune at the collection basket. instead of putting money in churchgoers got to take some out. grace church of humble handed out $22,000 in cash sunday giving each kong gre gantt anything from $6 to $500. the catch, they want everyone to pay it forward. spending the money on random acts of kindness. that's the news at 8:05. raises an interesting question. what would you do with that money? assuming you got some the big buck, a few hundred bucks. what would you do, abcnews.com. tweet me and let me know or tweet mr. sam champion down there with the weather. i know you would do something very special. >> good morning, chris. i'd probably go holiday shopping because that's what you got to do now. i mean i feel like -- i feel completely caught off guard. anybody else? i mean it's like holiday time already. we just got through thanksgiving and i haven't done a lick of shopping. how are you doing with it? have you done any? >> no. >> you're here with the dental conference? >> yes, we are. >> are you missing anything yet. >> no, not yet. >> what time does it start? >> 9:00. we can get you there. one or two things this morning going on. by the way we've got a little low pressure moving through northern new england. into northern maine they're actually getting snow out of this but for the rest of us from boston all the way through new this but for the rest of us from boston all the way through new showers and rain along the cold front but substantially colder air moves in behind the front. speaking of cold air, snow near >> outside this morning, else little sunshine to the east. mild and mid 50's downtown. chantilly, 51. look at the satellite composite picture together. showers off to the west. light rain and showers as the front moves on through. sliding back gradually as the cooler air moves in. 52 on tuesday. >> m >> more from a very active times square in the next hour. >> it is active out there. all right, sam, thank you. a closer look now at the washington, d.c., couple behind the embarrassing security blunder at the white house. the salahis have a long history of living large but this time the spotlight-seeking husband and wife may have gone too far. our yunji de nies joins us live from the white house with more on that. good morning, yunji. >> reporter: good morning, robin. yeah, the backlash has already started. there are anti-salahi websites all over facebookment for now the couple is keeping its silence but they are willing to talk for the right price. they are reportedly shopping their story around for hundreds of thousands of dollars. >> how did they give the slip to the secret service? >> michaele and tareq salahi, the party crashers. >> reporter: they have become washington's most notorious couple. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> reporter: before michaele and tareq salahi crashed the white house state dinner, they headed to this upscale salon. >> with michaele, she has a history of saying that i'm going to show up, never shows up. >> reporter: but when she finally showed up, she stayed for seven hours. irwin gomez did makeup. peggy handled hair. >> i had asked her, i said do you have the invitation? she says, yes, i do. i said can i see it and she tried looking for it and she couldn't find it. >> she loves to wow people. >> reporter: but she didn't wow the staff. after that marathon session, she left no tip. in fact, gomez says the salahis own the salon thousands of dollars for services from their wedding day. an extravagant event that they posted on youtube featuring 2,000 guests, 15 photographers, supreme court justice anthony kennedy and doves to complete the mome. michaele has called herself a model using these pictures to back up her claim. but pictures don't always tell the full story. take these snapshots of michaele at a redskins cheerleader event. in one she's posing with alumni. she told local media she was a former redskins cheerleader but management told us she had never been on the sidelines for them. >> no one who knows them has expressed surprise that they would pull this off. >> reporter: that may be because the limelight-loving couple are textbook face braggers. people who document their every move on facebook. the salahis carefully recorded all of their brushes with celebrity over the years on their page. a quick glimpse of their online photo collection and you can see them posing with actors, musicians, royalty, even a certain dancing with the stars winner. they painstakingly document the fact that this wasn't the first time they met president obama. check out this undated photo of them alongside the black eyed peas and another from inauguration day in the president's private viewing booth at the lincoln memorial. boasting they sat exactly where president obama and the first lady were seated. the irony, of course, is that had they not face-bragged about their night at the white house they may never have found themselves in such hot water. on the evening in question, the salahis showed up with a reality tv crew from bravo. the couple is angling for a spot on the upcoming real housewives of d.c., the network says the salahis lied and told them they had an invite. >> people that would lie to get into the white house are definitely not the people that i would want to necessarily rub elbows with. >> the hostess is not here. >> reporter: luann is part of the real housewives of new york, a sister to that show and says reality tv is not to blame but the behavior of certain individuals who will do anything in the quest for celebrity while compromising their integrity like balloon boy and his part. >> we did this for a show. >> reporter: whose stunt cost the government thousands and shut down the denver international airport all in the hopes of landing a reality show. >> i think that these are people that are desperately seeking to be on a reality show and doing crazy things in order to make that happen. if you seek out to be on a reality show that there's nothing wrong with that. i think if you do something obnoxious, badly -- by behaving badly and breaching white house security to be on a show, i think that's over the top and i think it's definitely not acceptable. >> reporter: so far no one has publicly offered to pay the salahis for their story, but as their notoriety grows so too could their price, robin. >> nothing good comes from face-bragging. yunji, thanks so much. love to know what you think about this and other stories. go to our website at abcnews.com and weigh in. coming up next, doctors mehmet oz and dr. roizen. aren't they so distinguished and, of course, diane over to the size. but about our health and the health of the next generation when we come back. gangtogether: maple brown sugar, strawberry delight, blueberry muffin. yeh, a little family reunion. 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[ male announcer ] a 46" tv with 120 hertz. delivered right to your home. the best gifts come from best buy. what matters to you? nothing. you don't enjoy things the way you used to. you're sad. you have no energy. maybe you feel guilty or anxious. changes in weight, sleep and appetite. and the aches and pains. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a prescription medication that treats many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. ask your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. ask your doctor about cymbalta. and i always will be. 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. turns out there is a lot of new information about what can be done at the genetic level even if the genetic level to ensure health even while a baby is still in the womb and it says a lot too about the rest of us later in life. well, here to tell us that, dr. mehmet oz of the "dr. mehmet oz show" and dr. michael roizen with a new book out called "you having a baby." they join us now. at the genetic level there are changes. >> yes. >> this is new. >> it's new and i think -- mike and i both agree but i think for all scientists looking at what determines our genome this is the biggest breakthrough. here's why it's important for everybody, not just if you're pregnant but for all human beings. 50% of women when they become pregnant don't realize it. >> how long for weeks. >> for weeks and months and many of the things that occur to us early in our gestational period in the mother's womb will affect not only our lives but or children's lives. the good news is we are learning that this field is able to influence our genome throughout our life. animation, what wiem talking about. >> epigenetics. >> imagine you have a spool -- a string around it that purplish stuff is your dna, your blueprint. you put markers on -- see that marker went by. there is a copying machine that copies your dna. when it hits that little marker it'll stop. what's happened is something occurred while you're still in your mother's stomach or because you change your lifestyle as you got older that influences how you copy your dna. this is critically important because our ancestors had to adapt to the environment more quickly than our genome would all if the ice age came, we couldn't change. we have to change within a generation and looked at kids in famine-torn europe, the dutch, for example, when these kids were born they survived the famine but when the 20 years later and their grandchildren had more obesity and more chronic illnesses. these are important clues for moms. it's empowering. >> things that we think are cultural may be embedded at the genetic level. dr. roizen, we'll go through the list of things but this could be overwhelming. >> well, the reason -- >> for mothers-to-be. >> this is really quite simple and quite empowering. you can do things, all new research. so bpa, bisphenol a associated with heart disease and birth defects. >> we know about in baby bottles. >> and reusable bottles, are something you want to look at the bottom and make sure it has a 2 or a 4 inside that recycle label. same thing with -- >> first you want to make sure you have young people telling you. i didn't know this. doesn't have bpa in it if it has 2 or 4. >> same thing with cans, look for canned goods that say bpa-free because the lining of canned goods is another source of bpa. >> bpa is one of those things that could affect these proteins in the genes. >> right. for all of us really in recent research so in the last couple of weeks we learned that receipts, you know, these receipts -- >> that you get at the register. >> that you get at the register have 100 times more bpa in them than you even get from that so these nonprinted if you will your carbonless paper, put those down, would you? >> yes. >> all fertile women should wash off. >> wash your handsfter you've touched them. >> let us race through these. this next category which is some makeups and plastic parts that you heat when you shouldn't. >> right. again, we have to teach a couple. second big word is phthalates. when it is stored in the freezer and not supposed to have the container that's microwaveable you pull chemicals from that packaging into the food even the ink can get pulled into it. these can sometimes influence how your dna gets replicated. >> do you just read on makeup. do you read and see if it has a phthalate. >> many will say if they're phthalate free. it's not that simple to find out. look online and figure it out. the microwavable food, put it on a plate. >> caffeine. >> stress and ffeine. stress is the real reason we wrote the book because that's the leading cause of problems. so it's associated with a lot of things as you go through pregnancy and knowledge is the antidote. one of the things you want to avoid is, in fact, caffeine, because caffeine constricts blood flow to the uterus so the child is predicting what's going to happen later on, so the child will change their genome or their whether they're reading their genome based on whether you're having caffeine. get under 200 milligrams a day. one cup of coffee can have 200. even decaffeinated coffee, a lot of surprising parts of it. >> the last thing real quickly, again, since we have to have an antidote for a bad diet need a multivitamin, all women, pregnant or not, need to be on it. 50% of the time. you want dha omega-3 fats and folic acid. it reduces childhood cancers we think by 60%. >> you having a baby, it's dr. oz. dr. roizen, always wonderful to have you here. all of this is spelled out. it's easy and clear if you go to the website. coming up, "good morning america's" holiday handbook brought to you by cadillac. i had chronic muscle pain all over. and i was so tender o the touch-- but i didn't know why. my doctor diagnosed it a fibromyalgia. and then he ecommended lyrica... fibromyalgia is though .to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is .fda-approved to help relieve the unique pain of fibromyalgia. so now, i'm learning what a day islike with less pain. lyrica is not for veryone. tell your doctor about any seris allergic reaction that causes swelling or affects breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or ired feeling. lyrica may cause suicidal " thoughts or actions in a very small numbr of people. some of the most common side efects of lyrica are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. do not drink alcohol while taking lyrica. you should not drive or operate machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. could your pain be caused " by fibromyalgia? ask your doctor about lyrica today. hey, how about an extra hand? how about an extra arm? great. they have all the lights and decorations you need. all at great prices. so you can really do things up right. something's missing. a little to your right. go to walgreens.com to receive $15 off... your online order of $75 or more. and get free shipping. walgreens. there's a way to find your joy. >> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. good morning. i am doug mckelway. time for a look at traffic and weather. >> it is ever flowing on 95, 66, 270. no major accidents to report. we do have our share of volume. we will show you some cameras so yo know what to expect. on 395, we are settle in down nicely at duke street. stay with it to get up to the pentagon. moving nicely in shirlington. no major delays at all. then this is the 14th street bridge. we have our first real delight in the camera. 270 southbound, an accident has been moved out of the way. we're good from 70 three route germantown. we take you down to falls road. outer loop delays from new hampshire avenue. brian van de graaff, rain today? >> yes, indeed. the clouds are building into the west. cloudy skies are moving in. our forecast today, mostly cloudy. temperatures in the upper 50's. by lunchtime, upper 50's. it will be cool on the backside. chilly tomorrow. sunshine and seasonable. sunny but downright chilly for the upcoming weekend. >> thank you. we will take a short break. police say a man was drunk when they crashed his truck. it happened early yesterday morning in ellicott city. steven dankos was killed. he was a star football player at riverdale -- at river hill high school. david erdman has been charged. his brother is in critical condition. >> as far as the person driving, the boy is going to of punishment enough. i lost my heart. >> police say dankos was thrown from the bed of the pickup truck. his brother is in critical condition. another metro train collision is under investigation. three workers were hurt. this happened at the west falls church rail yard. no passengers were on board. today is cyber monday. experts believe this suburb monday can attract 100 million shoppers. nine out of 10 retailers are offering sales online. people are mostly sticking to their lists. >> i do not think we are as frivolous. we're paying attention to the price tags and looking forward to the sales and starting to take advantage of the sales. >> overall, holiday sales will be down 1% from last year. a new law bans smoking in most restaurants and bars in virginia. specially ventilated smoking rooms are allowed. smoking will be allowed on outdoor patios. we will have another update for you at 8:26. ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ >> yes, it is. especially here in our times square studio. all decked out for the season. a more colorful, festive and joyful way to begin all of our mornings. it's just -- there's just no time between thanksgiving and christmas anymore, is there? there's -- boom, right there b happy to have it. good morning, america. i'm robin roberts here with diane sawyer and these are the windows that we have, our holiday windows we'll be unveiling them in the cities later this week. >> i always love that moment when the -- wait a minute. >> yes. >> can i peek? are they up yes. >> yes, they're in there. they're absolutely in there. love it when it comes do and see which cities -- >> don't send somebody over. >> also, the new coupon called groupons, the bigger the group, the bigger the savings and tell you about the whole new way to shop that's sweeping the country. >> what if we told you did not have to go holiday shopping. you already had gifts for everyone right there on your list and you do. just ahead how to make the most personal and thoughtful presents from things you already have around the house. oh, so diligent, smile, smile. you're on camera. >> smile. >> she's very intense. >> would you want to see in your future is the question posed by a film would you want to change it if you could? it's a provocative new series as we know called "flashforward" and shore is here, one of the stars talking about it later and we know her well from films too. coming up. chris and sam have a special guest right now. >> how excited i am. danica patrick right here this morning. of course, can we just say this, still the only woman to win an indy car race. still holding on. >> yeah, i am and i have some coat. >> exactly. >> more than an armful because in this box danica, tell me what's in here, by the way. >> we've got like, you know, 50 or 100 or something coats for warm hearts and gloves to match. >> from godaddy. all over the box and all over you. >> something special to show everyone this morning. >> you know what and while we do that because this is all brand new, right? >> this is brand new. this is -- >> michael -- we're going to pull this way. >> yeah, one, two, three. >> what do we got, danica? >> we've got the new indy car godaddy car at andretti auto sport. godaddy has been part of it for three years, but only in new york, right? >> here comes the recycling truck. >> but now we've got them -- >> bright green. i can take them in this, that's for sure. >> now, with andretti motorsports that was a little announcement because i've been following you on the tweet >> yeah, yeah, yeah, well, you know, andretti is now just andretti. it used to be andretti-green. cool, good step for us. good year for us next year and especially with the bright colors. you're notoing to miss me. >> first of all i can't miss you. you're lovely. second of all we can't miss you in the car and can't miss you going past the checkered flag first. >> it will be an exciting year. >> thank you for the coats. huge offering. a single person offering. >> it's christmas. it's a time to give back when you can. and we can. >> allight. so if you want to help us out with the coat drive go to abcnews.com. we'll show you how to do it all. one or two things we want to know about as you walk out the door. a few spots. one of them into the northeast. we've got the cold front with an area of low pressure. snow into maine that will take care of itself. watch an awful lot of scattered shers all the way to atlan >> a lot to get out, sam. 53 right now in oxon hill. 53 downtown. stly cloudy today. >> thes late morning. >> the heels are like four inches. >> enough to make me over five foot. >> i thought everything was going to go crazy when pulling on the cape. this film is not yet rated. diane? >> thanks to you and to danica and on this cyber-monday a new online shopping trend sweeping the country saving people cash, community by community, mailbox by mailbox. elisabeth leamy joins us from washington with all the details. good morning, eli. >> reporter: good morning. here it is. a groupon. short for group coupon. groupon.com has operations in 35 cities and claims to have made more than 800,000 deals so question is how big are the bargains? check it out. ♪ the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. ♪ >> reporter: can make you want to settle down for a long winter's nap. or at least escape to the hiatus spa and retreat in dallas where 225 customers got to experience all this relaxation for a fraction of the cost. all thanks to groupons, a revolutionary new service. groupon.com is a website where collective buying power means big savings, up to 80% off. >> i've already got christmas all done this year and i didn't have to go anywhere. i've got them all from groupon. >> lisa english checks the daily offers online every morning. the deals are diverse and savings deep. >> what i'm doing is finding some new adventures, different places that we've never been. >> reporter: they're usually for services. everything from spa treatments to skydiving lessons to limo rides, wine clubs, even eth cleaning. it's like a group coupon. if i wanted one myself that's not enough. i have to hope that five of my friends and five of their friends and so on and so on all sign up. once we meet the minimum, then the deal is on. >> i tell a lot of my friends about it. >> free to sign up at groupon.com. once you do you'll receive daily alerts and be warned, the deals only last a day. so you have to act fast. karen cochran did and saved 180 bucks on a facial. >> $240 facial for $60. i went on the spa website just to make sure that was the real price. it really is $240. >> reporter: we checked out a few offers in the washington, d.c. area. zee pizza offered half off pizza if 150 people responded to the groupon. 2,000 online bargain hunters bought in. >> difficult to find new customers. maybe they end up being a regular guest. >> reporter: they charge the business owner a small cut of each sale for each service. at hiatus spa and retreat the owner said it brought in hundreds of new customers. >> groupon is targeted to local communities. and so your -- you're advertising and reaching out to people in your immediate area. not looking at potential customers, they're bringing you actual customers. >> reporter: with more than 35 million saved so far, local businesses and buyers both win. thanks to power in numbers. and there is one final perk to groupons that is very pertinent this holiday season. you can give a groupon item as a gift and the recipient doesn't have to know what a big bargain it is. the paperwork you get states the value of the item rather than the price you actually paid, diane. pretty good tip. >> let me double-check, eli. did i miss it. you get a piece of paper certifying that you're groupon candidate. >> reporter: you get daily e-mails telling you point latest groupon offers in your area and then if you buy one of them then you get some paperwork. >> you get a receipt to show when you go there. it's amazing. it's like the family plan only. the family plan. >> reporter: right (announcer) you have dreams for your children. don't let times like these stand in the way of them. protect your family with the gift of financial security. backed by the highest possible ratings for financial strength. new york life. the company you keep. >> mom just had a fall and it looks like it will be a slow recovery. i travel a lot and i can't always drive her to all her doctors appointments. >> if you have an aging parent or loved one there is help. the elder care locator can put you in touch with local resources to help older persons and their families access home and community based services. call theldercare locator at 800-677-1116 or visit eldercare.gov today! the eldercare locator is a free public service of the u.s. administration on aging. (announcer) now more than ever you want to keep your loved ones safe and secure. give them the gift of financial security from new york life. we've been protecting families for over 164 years. new york life. the company you keep. we a we are delighted to have with us emmy award winning actress schori agdashlu oscar nominated for "house of sand and fog." there's oscar buzz again for her in a role and very dramatic movie. if that wasn't enough guest starring in the new hit science fiction television show "flashforward." so good to see you. >> thanks so much. thanks for having me. good morning. >> good morning to you. >> "flashforward." when you first saw the script, what did you think? >> well, i was overwhelmed. another larger than life tv series. amazing, this mysterious, you know, it's an answer to our fascination with the future. what's going to happen with the future. whether to know it, whether to control it. >> and your character, you have a guest appearance. when you have your -- we should tell people that there's a moment where everyone on earth except for one person, everyone on earth, they lose consciousness for 137 seconds and they have a vision of what their life is going to be like in six months. i want to play a clip because your character saw a vision of a crime and you're afraid to reveal too much, it might be even worse. did i say it right? >> absolutely. >> let's take a look. >> your death is the first in a long line of dominos. rather not see it. >> stop it from happening. >> i can't. >> you can. by telling us. >> if i tell you more, the act ofelling you may end up bringing about the unfortunate incident we're all trying to avoid. >> i'm willing to take that risk. >> i said you would be shot three times. shots at close range. >> which means i probably know my killer. >> in fact, you do. >> woo! >> yes. >> normally very critical of yourself. you're like everybody else. you don't know what's happening. >> that's why. usually when i keep watching myself in a movie or tv series, i'm always -- i guess all arcs are like that. criticizing myself. i should have done this. i should have -- worked it this way but with this since i don't know what's going to happen next i'm always satisfied with what i say. okay, okay, you're prey mysterious because i don't know what's going on. >> you're just -- you don't even have to act. you don't know what's going on. >> they don't tell us everything so it's strange that we all know a little bit here and there, so we are like the audience. we know as much as the audience know. >> oh, we know so much about your work and it is just so powerful. it's always memorable when you're on the little screen or the big screen. and tell folks, you're originally fm iran >> that's right. >> and you left there to have higher education. >> absolutely. i left iran in 1979 to pursue higher education and somehow faith or destiny what we're playing with in this tv series brought me back to acting. i wanted to be a politician. i started studying international relations, political science. i got my b.a. in 1983 but then again went back -- >> you were huge for decades in iran. i mean -- you were very big, very well known. >> thank you. >> then you got back into it and politics. you worked very hard for women's rights. >> that's right. >> and congratulations on the humanitarian award that you'll be receiving soon. >> thank you very much. >> we've been hearing the stoning of -- >> stoning -- a hard one to work on, yeah. >> but how was that for you because -- it's very powerful. it's dealing with something from your homeland so how difficult or was it difficult to play that role. >> it is and you can imagine as you were saying very close to home, very close to heart and i had seen a real one on tape. >> a real stoning? >> a real stoning. >> wow. >> that's why when the director called i was wondering how sensitive i am to the subject. i said never mind my sensitivity. where have you been for the last ten years? and he just said why. i said i've seen a real one on tape. i was hoping pray tock god that somehow some people would shed light on it and bring it to people's attention and at last they did. >> and they really did and caughteople's attention and even caught perhaps oscar's attention for to you have yet another nomination for -- >> any kind of attention to this -- >> absolutely. >> -- small, yet meaningful film with a great message that stands against cruelty, you know, against women under religion and any attention would do. >> you're bringing a lot of attention to a lot of things as you said, the humanitarian award. as i was telling you in the commercial break loved you in "will & grace." you said you want to do more medies. >> yes, i love to do comedies. they dent trust me with comedies. haven't seen enough comedies but give me tragedies t a comedian friend of mine said every time i want to do a comedy they don't give me a comedy -- play a simple role or mysterious and says, sure, just imagine you come in and say, madam, the a is ready. the tea must be poison otherwise there is no reason of bringing you in >> that's true because your voice is very mysterious. well, you have a terrific range, you do and you are delightful. i was excited about meeting you. continued blessings and all the hard work you are doing for others and "flashforward" airs you something about osteoporosis you don't already know. it runs in families - my mother has it, and now i have it. so even though i tried to keep my bones strong, it wasn't enough. now, once-monthly boniva is helping me do more. it didn't just stop my bone loss. boniva worked with my body to stop and reverse my bone loss. and studies show, after onyear on boniva, nine out of ten women stopped and reversed theirs, too. 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(announcer) for a free trial offer call 1-800-4-boniva or visit boniva.com ♪ jingle bell jingle bell jingle bell rock ♪ >> this is an exciting time. right time to get here because we are starting something on "gma." we now kick off our "gma" holiday handbook series. anyone can buy a gift in the store. why not take some time. make your holiday presents special with some personalized homemade touches and homemade gifts straight from the heart from our family and friends. easy, inexpensive and have great ideas with nancy sore annie here. good morning. thanks for starting us off for us the right way. so if everybody is giving gift cards but a chip of plastic seems impersonal to me. what do you do with that. >> go through your scrapbook material and your paper and you create your own personalized holiday gift card holder. it's so easy to do. you can take papers, cut an oversized hang tag, use scraps of paper, ribbon, glue them, sew them, put a person's name on them. >> you can put a picture of you and them. make it personal. >> you can even sew a little pouch which is wonderful. you can even cover an -- >> go ahead. let it out, audience. >> you can cover an existing card and personalize it so they don't have to be generic anymore. >> i did not like the gift card idea until you showed me this. i now think this is something -- >> gift cards are practical. this is how you own it and make it personal. >> now, everything is really electronic so do people still care about paper. >> i think they do especially people who are hobby enthusiasts, gardeners, cooks, people who want to create memories or scrapbooks. >> you buy these craft paper notebooks, you can get clip art off of the internet. use scraps from sewing buttons, all these ideas, you have 70% of all this product in your home. you have to shop for very little. >> you pull things together. if you're giving holiday gift towels, when you walk in and see this lovely gift towel is it wrong to use it? i feel badly. >> not at all. just say, this is so much easier than it might appear. first of all the ink is washable. all about using it in your everyday life. you personal identify it with a rubber stamp or stencil. it's a wonderful gift. >> let's move to host. going to a party. i mean if you show up at the door without a gift, does it make you a bad person? >> it doesn't have to be fancy. can be a handwritten note but nice to bring something. candles are fabulous. you can personalize them with paper. >> by putting ribbon on it. i like the idea that you can personalize it with stuff you get at the card store. >> scented sugars are fabulous. >> go ahead and let it out. >> infused. use citrus skins, vanilla beans, infuse them for three to seven days in an airtight container. wonderful in oatmeal and tea. >> and decorate the heck out of these things. just wrap them up. cover them up with bows. >> with everything in your >> can i actually do this or is this incomprehensible? >> it's easy. the recipe is online. spiced nuts whether sweet or smiesed are always great. perfect during the holidays. canister, decorative items. think about planting spring bulbs and gifting them. perfect for easter in the springtime. >> something i can do. i love the idea bakg dog treats. where do i get the recipes? >> online. get it online. on "good morning america," abc.com. personalize the bowls for your dog or cat. >> put them together in a little bowl and put together a whole gift. find more tips at abcnews.com. for robin's pet. bring dog biscuits. come right back. bring biscuits. while i was building my friendships, my family, while i was building my life, my high cholesterol was contributing to plaque buildup in my arteries. that's why my doctor prescribed crestor. she said plaque buildup in arteries is a real reason to lower cholesterol. and that along with diet, crestor does more than lower bad cholesterol, it raises good. crestor is also proven to slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. crestor isn't for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems. you should tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, or if you have muscle pain or weakness. that could be a sign of serious side effects. while you've been building your life, plaque may have been building in your arteries. find out more about slowing the buildup of plaque at crestor.com. then ask your doctor if it's time for crestor. announcer: if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. by putting an end to paper medical records, we have ushered health into the digital age. saving lives, sometimes when seconds count. managing chronic conditions. making amazing new discoveries. and, oh yes, saving a lot of trees. kaiser permanente. thrive. might be better with a piece of cheese. >> thank you again very much. these are dog biscuits >> that's peanut butter and cinnamon. >> they're natural. >> they're all natural. >> chris, thoughts? >> i think it's for a dog. that's a crazy thing to do. that's just me. have a great day. >> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. good morning. i am doug nicola. let's get a look a traffic and weather. -- i am doug mckelway. >> a pretty decent trip heading across the 14th street bridge up to pennsylvania avenue. traffic is pretty light in that area. it has been great all morning on the dulles greenway way, the dulles toll road. this is live in the george washington parkway. it looks great. no problems to the cia. this is springfield. southbound 95 in virginia, wrote work under way to the occoquan with no delays. in looks like the beltway is getting better between 95 and the american legion bridge. i understand rain is on the way. >> we ha temperatures in the 50's. fairly mild to start off. around lunchtime, the front will go from southwest to northwest. look at the scam. you can see the rain off to the west. look for showers, light rain. the forecast calls for light rain and showers. cooler but seasonable. next chance of rain is wednesday to thursday. >> thank you. a status hearing is set for the man accus in the deadly shooting a
people's biggest enemy. but, no, that's no longer the case. >> we are pushing forward with the next hour of cnn "newsroom" with kyra phillips. we are pushing forward with goals. and from new boots on the ground to corruption in kabul and critics on capitol hill, we are covering every angle right now in the cnn "newsroom." a veterans' new fight. he's cooking up a super sized lawsuit after a restaurant refuses to let his service dog in. and that's just the beginning. plus, tricked and then trapped. forced to work for free in a strange country. human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the world and it's happening right here in the usa. we've got lots of bases to cover and we're going to push forward on the war today. but, first, a developing story out of the pacific northwest where a man hunt is under way for finding a convict. today he's proving to be elusive as well as brazen. patrick, police thought they had their man? >> reporter: they closed in on there was nothing in it. they were shocked and, frankly, very frustrated after spending 12 hours blocking down this neighborhood, bringing in s.w.a.t. resources and getting negotiators out and gunned down four officers yesterday in blake wood and came up with nothing. they believe though that he was in this neighborhood and said that there was evidence outside of a home just down the street from where i am now. when they actually got into that home, they sent in a robot not wanting to lose any more. >> pat trirks obviously a number of questions right now while police are wondering how could -- >> i can hear you, kyra. sorry about that. >> that's okay. we just have a bad connection. i have two questions for you. first of all, a lot of outrage about the fact that this man was even pardoned. huckabee getting a lot of criticism with that. what can you tell us about this side of the story? >>. >> well, he was awarded clemency. we're learning the fact that he had gone to prison and received his lengthy prison ent ens when he was 17 years old but since being released from jail had run-ins in washington and the state. if is a suspect, he has not been charged but out on bail for, of all things, a sex crime involving a child and assaulting an officer. there is a certain amount of outrage of what was he doing on the streets and allegedly he told people the night before the shooting that he was going to go out and talk to officers and a number of other people may have helped the suspect and they are in a lot of trouble with the police right now. >> and we'll continue to talk to this man and hunt for the man i'm told we got a statement from mike huckabee and we'll bring that to our viewers as soon as they are ready. >> the ambassador knows, the secretary of state know, tomorrow the country will know. the white house pretty much guaranteed to get questions ahead of the speech. ed henry is in the briefing room right now. it was definitely a late night of high octane meetings, wasn't it? >> absolutely. the president had here in the oval office last night, 5:00 p.m., gives you an idea of the urge you are general see. others to spell out exactly what the strategy in afghanistan is going to be, and to formally issue the orders to start implementing it and start getting new troops into place secondly, we're told on the ground in afghanistan, implementing this, all of the days that he had a face-to-face meeting with a key ally, working the phones as well, talking to leaders of france, great britain, russia, we're told by robert gibbs, he's not spelling out all of the details of the strategy to these world leaders before he actually speaks to the american people the president is likely to announce sending 30,000 more u.s. troops to afghanistan. great britain will reach out to nato as well to get other countries to step up. and the president wanted to talk to the american people about how they are being end game and it's not a bottomless pit and the key is to explain that to the american people when he's escalating this war for a second time in one year and especially at a time when it's not clear that the afghan government is growing quick enough to actually be able to have this handed off to them, kyra. >> most americans want to see an end to both wars and we're in debt right now and it's hanging over the entire debate, not just on gaf began stan but health care and whether to pump more money into afghanistan and it was raised yesterday by congressman democrat, david olby and it shows the skepticism out there among democrats on how to pay for it and whether or not it's a wise strategy to even send more troops. this president is much more likely to get help from the fellow democrats and that's an important question, how do you pay for it? a war sur tax or taxing the rich to help pay for this thing, that it's not enough shared sacrifice. a lot of people very skeptical that they can get a tax like that through, kyra. >> let us know when that will begin and when afghanistan will become part. >> say you send 30,000 troops to afghanistan. where do you put them all? they have to be fed. you basically have a population of a small city coming up on notice. fred shows us what it takes to actually prepare for this. >> tens and thousands more american soldiers in afghanistan leads to a basic question. will they stay? tech sergeant is building a new road and says that the navy and air force engineers are working over time to expand the base. >> we're working hard and doing as much as we can. it would be nice to get some help. >> they've been told that they have an increase to 5,000. in charge of construction, new roads, new air field, more housing units, and a tight schedule. >> 20 soldiers is one toilet, and we are still doing a lot of that right now to get ready to bring in the mass of troops. >> the workload is huge and subcontractors don't always perform. lieutenant says this afghan contractor he caught on camera showed up with a few men and wheelbarrows and only managed to lay a tenth of the agreed upon concrete and even that needed to be torn up because the quality was poor. set backs that the military doesn't need anywhere in afghanistan. bases like this in kandahar are already overloaded. much of camp wolverine looks like this and the engineers are trying to clear it up. >> we'll put concrete in there and then backfill this whole area and come across the top of it with rock. >> right now we're standing at the perimeter of the base and most of it is going to be right over here as you can see right now, not much of the space is occupied and a couple of months from now it will be filled with all kinds of living quarters for soldiers that are coming in here. and that meempbs more work for these men that have to make sure that there is space for every new soldier on the battlefield. >> camp wolverine where i'm at is a case in point for a large part of afghanistan. in just a few months they have to make this place three times the size that it is right now you can see that the troops wait to see that and it's something that everybody is talking about. >> fred, thanks so much. telling your family good-bye before you head to war is hard enough one time but seven times? yep. staff sergeant gary hartman had another farewell over the weekend. he's shipping to afghanistan. his seventh tour of duty overseas. >> it stinks a little bit that you're going to be away from family but i enjoy serving. if i didn't enjoy serving, you know, i wouldn't be doing what i'm doing. >> he expects to spend about six months in afghanistan. >> we're pushing forward on the next stage of the afghan war in the next hour. what kind of partner the afghan partner is going to be would be nice. president karzai is part of that solution, not a part of the problem. we all wait to hear how many proops will be sent to afghanistan. general david petraeus spent time with the troops and there's a special message for the commander as he strapped into the f-18, a handwritten message on the canopy awaited him. general petraeus, things to do before lunch, five-mile run, 1200 pushups. general petraeus says that life comes at you fast. i think we all can agree on that. >> we are very, very proud of the police officers, the men and women who make up this department and let there be no mistake, let there be no mistake about our resolve, we are very proud of these officers and proud of their leader. chief? >> thank you. i want everyone to know that i am getting their messages and their help is greatly appreciated. if i was to name them individually, we'd be here until about 3:30. so i hope they know that i am thinking about them as they think about us. we're a young department and the four officers that we lost yesterday were the four original members of the department. they were good people. they were great officers. and we will all miss them very much. one of the questions that i get throughout the day yesterday is, how is everybody doing? this is how serve doing. they are here, they are doing dlar jobs, they are working hard they are dealing with their loss and they are here for the citizens. they are here to carry on. this is what we do and this is where we are good. in the face of adversity is where we try ump and we will in this instance. every one of these men and women behind me, as the city manager said, through this strategy, the resolve and dedication to the citizens of lakewood and to each other has never been stronger. we will get through this. however, it is a very, very tough time for us and the families of our fallen officers i had the opportunity to meet with the family yesterday and it's the hardest thing i've ever done and i hope i never have to do it again. please respect their privacy. they are going through a very tough time right now. we are doing everything we can to assist them through this. i would also like to extend the thanks to those who have worked tirelessly throughout the night and there's no question in my mind that this person will be brought to justice. i believe that all i can say at this point i've said. i want to you look at my family. they are strong. they are good people. and they are hurting but they are working through it. and we will be there thanks for coming. thank you. >> i know there may be some interest in speaking with independent guild, the police union. if there is such an interest, the president of the union will make himself available regarding the donation fund that has been set up for the families. so if you would like to speak with him, let me know. is that a yes? okay. give me a few minutes and we'll be back out. >> you just saw a pretty emotional meeting with the police chief. a man hunt is under way at this hour for a pardoned suspect, accused of taking four police officers lives' there in washington. police need your help finding maurice clemmons, the pardoned convict gunning down four police officers. we'll stay on this story. we remember the four officers that lost their lives. they're running the men's room marathon. with lots of guys going over and over. and here's the dash to the men's room with lots of guys going urgently. and then there's the night game. waking up to go. these guys should be in a race to see their doctors. right. those could be urinary symptoms due to bph, an enlarged prostate. but for many guys, prescription flomax reduces their urinary symptoms due to bph in one week. only your doctor can tell if you have bph, not a more serious condition like prostate cancer. when taking flomax, avoid driving or hazardous tasks until you know how flomax will affect you, as a sudden drop in blood pressure may occur, rarely resulting in fainting. tell your doctor about all medications you take. if considering cataract surgery, tell your eye surgeon you've taken flomax. common side effects are runny nose, dizziness and decrease in semen. ask your doctor if flomax is right for you. call 877-4-flomax to see if you qualify for up to $40 off new or refill prescriptions. for many men, flomax can make a difference in one week. the dubai investment arm, the word from the top government chief, the stocks plunged more than 7% today, the first day of trading since dubai world asked to freeze repayments on the $60 billion debt for six months. in a bid to prevent dubai from defaulting, the united air rain emirates says they will buy stocks to and u.s. and asia, they have all managed to tweak out gains as fears of a possible default have ceased somewhat. again, i say somewhat. we still have a big financial mess on our hands. let's get to jim. what more can you tell us? the dubai government went on tv and said, hey, it's not our debt. we're not responsible for the debt. it's those people who loaned us the money and the investors who got involved in the dubai government's fund. it's ir their responsibility. let's hear that today from dubai television. >> the government is a shareholder of the war but the company was set up and that it will be on a commission basis and considering the diversity of the business that it is doing and the risk of war, it was decided from the inception, at the time of establishing that it's a commission entity, not guaranteed by the government. so lenders and contractors that have been dealing on that basis, they consider the viability of the business, the projects of the world and provide on that basis, not on the basis of government. and they are apparently opening tomorrow in las vegas. they could sell that and they have 20% of the queen elizabeth ocean liner. pretty good deals for someone out therebying the assets. if dubai decides that's the way to go to pay off this debt. >> we'll definitely be following that. jim joining us live. wall street has its eye on dubai right now. allison joins me from new york at the stock exchange. how worried are investors and tell us why they are so concerned and the connection that they have, allison. >> wall street not seeing much fallout from dubai and here is why. we've seen wall street react. on friday, the dow tumbled more than 100 points because investors did not know how much exposure that they had to the debt. since then, investors have learned that the u.s. does not have much exposure there. things have calmed down considerably. also, the united u.s. emirates boost stocks there. there's more certainty to investors are feeling better about the situation. instead they are turn yirg focus to shopping. national retail federation saying that 195 million people, which is 20 million more than last year. we saw that the parking lots were full. and shares of retailer, macy's and jcpenney's, they are done 4%. people are sticking to their lists and sticking to their budgets. we've still got several weeks to go of the holiday shopping. despite what many people think, black friday, cyber monday, they are not always an accurate gauge as to how the entire shopping season is going to go. the busiest shopping days are ahead of us because, if you're like me, we're all a bunch of procrastinators, right, kyra? >> that's right. and you mentioned cyber monday. what do you think? could we even see if that's going well thus far? >> you know, it is going well. there's one-tracking firm that said that more than 207 retail websites are getting more than great deals, like free shipping and gift cards with a purchase and analysts are saying that these retailers really need to work hard to keep people shopping through christmas. these deals are going to continue. how do you like that? 4 million a minute? >> that's a lot of cash, my friend. allison, thank you. all right. other top stories right now, spending the next few weeks with 100 of your closest friends? in the next hour, the health rare reform as harry reid takes up reform. and there's a divided democratic party. president obama has made his decircumstance the troops in afghanistan are getting word of it today. the rest of it find out tomorrow night in the presidential arrest with the best political team, beginning at 7:00 p.m. eastern. and wedding bells for 29-year-old chelsea clinton. that's right. she's all grown up. the former first daughter is engaged to marry her boyfriend investor banker. 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>> most of them, quite frankly, are likely scheduled for tomorrow. >> we haven't talked in detail about afghanistan. what is the president hoping to establish and what does he want to get in exchange? >> well, phil, i think you can anticipate that a good portion of the president's speech tomorrow will discuss our relationship with pakistan and touch ongoing back to the very beginning of this administration in a renewed engagement diplomatically with the pakistanis. as i said, to talk about the violent extremism. our relationship is stronger and efforts are stronger in dealing with that as a result of that engagement and diplomacy. the president will build on that and talk about the importance of them in the region tomorrow night. >> we're going to talk about benchmarks tomorrow night 1234. >> i will let the president make a little news tomorrow. but i anticipate that the president will be pretty clear about how we are moving forward with afghanistan and pakistan. >> how much has he talked with the officials ahead of tomorrow's speech? >> the president is on the list and will be called either -- there was a scheduling flux. whether it's and, look, i think -- i don't remember the last time or don't remember the last time that the president spoke directly with the president but i know that many of the national security team president clinton visited not too long ago and others have made trips to pakistan and throughout the region. >> how specific will the president be about the strategy and the costs? >> i think the president will reiterate tomorrow what i've said a number of times, which is that this is not an open ended -- this is not an open-ended commitment. that and wage the battle against the unpopular insurgency against that count try that. is first and foremost our primary mission. >> you said last week that we wouldn't be there in eight or nine years. would the president spell that out as a timetable for when troops will be? >> again, i found that good policy is not to get too far ahead of where the president s i think you can be assured that the president will talk about the fact that this is not an open-eped commitment. >> on the cost question as well, will he talk about -- when you give us the cost of what is costs per soldier, will he talk about what is will pay for and does he have a position of the war tax? >> and inreceive tab blee, result manage more casualties well, jake, we've discussed this before and i think the amount from the sacrifice from the men and women that we have there already is something that i know the president is i sured about each and every day. i think he signs a letter of condolence and obviously the trips to dover is something that i doubt you ever truly forget. i think the president will reiterate the importance of why we are there but also very early on acknowledge the tremendous cost and sacrifice to our men and women in uniform. i don't think there's any doubt that we are all in awe of the commitment from our military and our civilian side in order to get this right. >> where does making sure that we have a stable afghan partner and nation building begin? what is the line? is it just a question of our responsibility -- the u.s.' responsibility to training afghan troops? is that the -- because we've heard a lot about what the u.s. intoends do and i know you don't want to get ahead of the president's speech. but just in terms of -- if you could define the terms a little for us. >> well, i guess i would more ask you to -- i am unclear as to what continuum you're putting -- are you asking me to -- the president has said, in regards to the new strategy, that it's important that we have a secure and stable ally. >> well, and a partner that is -- and a partner that understands, as the president directly told president karzai in of oval office, that it's time to turn -- it's time for a new chapter in our relationship as it relates to corruption and improved govern nans in order to address the security situation, not just because it's hard for a civilian -- it's hard for civilians to go in and improve areas. it's impossible, that aren't secure. so i would say this is all part of what has to be a partnership. and i think anybody would tell you, jake, that -- and i've said this and i think, quite frankly, you've seen this from democrats and republicans in congress, that without partners that are willing to do stuff in both afghanistan and pakistan, no number of american troops can solve all of those problems unless or until those steps are taken inside both of those countries will we see a change in the security situation. >> stable partner mean as partner willing to have his own troops stand up, not a fragment democracy, not a great economy. it doesn't mean -- >> well, look -- >> i think first and foremost, we have to have a partner that can identify, recruit, retain a security force and a police force that are able to take improved security -- an improved security environment and eventually hold that area. once that area is cleared, that area then has to be held ultimately the strategy will be to transfer the security responsibility of an area to the afghans. that is a big part of what you'll hear the president talk about tomorrow. >> if that's what we want from the afghan government? >> i would say that is a big part of it, yes. >> so let's go back to the war tax. you say that the president is not likely to get into more detail and how to pay for it. why not, when we're $14 trillion in debt, why don't the american people deserve some explanation? >> i don't think you heard me say that they didn't deserve an explanation. >> he will certainly touch on the cost. this is neither the beginning of this debate nor will this be the end of t i think you'll hear the president acknowledge the resource requirements and the responsibilities and the tradeoffs that are going to have to be discussed, both here and, more importantly, on capitol hill as they control the purse strings. >> how will he have those off sets? with new tax cuts or spending -- >> again, i think the discussions, once the president has a policy and can put a price tag on it, you'll see those more unearthed. >> at the state dinner last week with india, the white house has asked the secret service to investigate the incident, what went wrong. as part of that review, will they just be reviewing what the secret service did or also take a look at white house staff and the secretary office to see whether they made mistakes as well? >> i will check with folks here. my understanding is that the secret service will look at what the secret service did. >> do you think the whus staff should look at this as well? it's not really the responsibility of the secret service to look at the list of names. >> but what is important is that the couple that attended was not on any list. they have admitted that somebody who wasn't on a list and not waved in was allowed into an event that, clearly he said shouldn't be. and that no call or reach out ever came to anybody in terms of the secret service. >> but, again, i assume in absence of somebody being there, that because they are tl are working telephones in the white house, somebody would have checked. >> again, the focus is on the fact that the name wasn't on a list and wasn't waved in but. >> if normally in the past -- before this administration would come, there was always a checks and balances of this type of system for a social office as well and you're saying. >> go ahead. i'm sorry. >> again, there's always been a checks and balances, and they would always relay it back to, it was a back and forth between the social office and the secret service. >> let me finish, please. >> no. but i think the question was asked. so let me reiterate my answer. again, april, none of that relay happened, right? none of that relay happened between the secret service and social office. whether or not the social office was standing at the gate or whether somebody was standing at their office. >> allow me to finish so you can understand what i was saying. >> the relay did not happen because that person was omitted at the gate from the social office. the way we understand -- >> omitted? >> the person was fired earlier in the year. >> again, april, the answer continues to be the relay didn't happen because someone was or wasn't there. the relay happened because nobody relayed the information. i mean, i appreciate the observation that somebody could have been or not have been at a specific gate. you don't have to be standing in my office for me to convey information to. >> you are you saying that the social office does not have any responsibility at all? >> i'm going wait for that to be complete. >> even while we are questioning the social office and secret service, because in the past, both have worked in conjunction and successfully were able to protect the president of the united states without anybody coming in and now because the social office did not have that other layer of checks and balances, this is happening and people are questioning why they are not putting the onus on the social office as well. >> what i'm simply doing is exaiyo a series of facts that include the notion that if somebody was confused about whether or not somebody was on a list on the exterior somebody could pick up the phone and ask. i'm saying that the secret service and the statement that they released a few days ago acknowledged that that didn't happen and that that was a mistake. >> the change at that gate, will the social office be working in conjunction with the secret service now? >> i think first and foremost we'll go through this investigation and i'll refer you to the secret service about operations that might change. >> and many people are saying that the white house was not in danger and these people met with the president they shook his hand. hypothetically, what if a person walked in and did something to the president? do you -- >> i appreciate the opportunity to indulge in a grand hypothetical. i think the president shares the concern that the director has for how this happened and how we can remedy about how this will not happen again. >> is he ans credit louse that people could walk into the white house just like that? >>. >> the president, rightly so s. concerned about what happened last week. >> can you confirm -- >> i've -- that is not a power be stoeed on me as the press secretary. according to media reportses, they have been interviewed by the secret service. i think that's a decision made byce and the uney in that area. >> >> zm presumably f. someone from the social office had been at the gate, they would have overheard the couple -- >> >> they would have overheard the couple announce themselves and they wouldn't have required a phone call. it wouldn't have -- they wouldn't have pled it right away. generally when people when people have questions, despite the fact that you may have answered your question, you can answer me right in that office. just as they could sitting in the briefing room and in one of those offices. >> the secret service didn't have questions and didn't relay a call but the second layer of -- >> besides the fact that that did not happen -- how did that -- i think that's -- >> are you concerned or is the white house going to do what is necessary to make sure that the secret service is not scapegoated here and that there could responsibility for this at the white house? >> of course. that's why there is an investigation. understand, i'm simply reiterating the three questions that i got on the same subject, what the u.s. secret service put out on this last week. chip, i have walked with and been next to the secret service for the 2 1/2 year, virtually every single day that the president has had the valuable nobody, nobody is more thankful for that than the president as well as the country. the president has faith in the secret service, always has and that's not about to change. >> let me start with afghanistan. in the march 27 speech, some of of the things he said in the march 27 speech sounds like what you're previewing now. we cannot turn a blind eye to the corruption that causes afghans to lose faith in their own leader, we will seek a new compact that cracks down on corruption. he said, going forward, we will not blindly set the course. how much is that march 27 speech going to end up being applicable to what we hear tomorrow? >> look, we were asked in the lead-up to a skruecurity forces situation in march. the answer now is yes and then was yes -- >> is it changing or finish setting the benchmarks? >> we finished setting the benchmarks. not to get ahead of what the president announce, but i think there will be new wrinkles to what we're doing. >> there have been wrinkles? >> yes. as reported to congress, absolutely. in terms of the corruption and the governance, obviously when you mention -- >> re-election, i understand that. same government, though. >> well, somewhat up in the air as of the middle of august, right. >> i guess the thing is, what is going to be different about what he said than what he said on march 27th? new wrinkles? >> i will let the president outline what the mission is going forward and discuss in depth the benchmarks that will go along with it. >> and can you get into the -- is the president going to try to simultaneously assure folks that we're going to withdraw troops in a timely fashion and let allies know we're there for the long haul? is that a balance he's going to try to strike? >> i think nobody should underestimate the commitment of a president that has thus far doubled the number of american men and women on the ground in afghanistan. i don't think anybody could look themselves in the mirror with a straight face and say that this president hasn't in any way been anything been resolved to do what has to happen in afghanistan to make this country safe. >> does the president think there should be charges filed against these folks, to set an example? does he want them to have some sort of punishment? >> i haven't talked to the president on that. again, the white house would leave that up to relevant law enforcement to determine whether -- >> it could be used as a reality tv show. >> i think the concern goes greatly beyond the real housewives of d.c., yes. i love that we've gone from afghanistan to the real housewives of d.c. >> but the security was breached. >> on the benchmarks issue, you talk about the benchmarks for success, training of afghan security forces, stability, corruption in the government. but are there also benchmarks for failures and consequences for not reaching those benchmarks? >> i don't know -- >> will u.s. forces be withdrawn if these benchmarks can't be met? >> again, i will let the president outline the benchmarks. i think what the president believes is we will be setting forward a mission that he believes can be attained. i think part of that is we have to look at, again, jonathan, the president will look at what that mission is and make sure that what we're doing is setting out a mission and a series of resources that are attainable. as i mentioned to chuck a minute ago, there are now twice as many forces there now than were there just a year ago. i think what the president has to do clearly with the american people is let them know that we now have what's needed there to accomplish what that mission is rather than somehow assuming that we could do that with half of what is there now. >> one quick housekeeping question -- the reporters who were going up to west point tomorrow with the president -- not with the president but with the press corps, will have a whole lot of time up there. >> it's a beautiful area. >> are there going to be briefings up there or anything available to us? >> i think we will do a briefing by phone that will allow -- >> how many more troops are going to go to afghanistan? what will the exit strategy and costs be? all those questions being asked to robert gibbs. tomorrow night, live here on cnn, that decision on afghanistan, we will finally hear from the president of the united states. he'll make an address, special coverage, 7:00 eastern tomorrow night right here on cnn. also now we're getting word -- this actually happened a few days ago, actually back on wednesday, but apparently there were some sailors on a racing yacht headed from bahrain to dubai, allegations that they may have strayed into iranian waters. we're getting word the iranian navy has seized their yacht, detained them and they're trying to negotiate a release. we'll follow up on that story as well. and you trust your doctor's advice to keep your child healthy. but what happens if your instincts tell you something else? one mom trusted her gut and it saved her daughter's life. eal. i'll just use my phone. let's say we crashed. whoops, you lost your phone and you're disoriented. i'm not disoriented. now you are. onstar automatic crash response can call to see if you're ok. onstar emergency. is everything ok howie? you don't answer, they can automatically send help to your exact location. i think i'll ride with you. the award-winning malibu. from chevy. medicare. it doesn't cover everything. owwww.... 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(announcer) you need a sinus medicine ooohhh... that rescues you from all three symptoms introducing new sudafed pe® triple action™. for more complete relief from the sinus triple threat. get more complete relief. with new sudafed pe® triple action™. also find sudafed® behind the counter. parents, this is your wake-up call. a teen almost dies from the swine flu after doctors tell her mom not once but twice to let her recover at home. but it's what her mom did right that actually saved her life. here's elizabeth cohen. >> reporter: jessica samples was captain of her high school swim team, a perfectly healthy 15-year-old girl until h1n1. so on september 27th, jessica's been feeling sick but not horrifically sick. >> no. >> reporter: you took her to the urgent care center? >> yes. she was to stay out of school for 48 hours. >> reporter: the next day, september 28th -- >> she had a really bad cough. and i just wanted to be safe than sorry. >> reporter: you took her for the second time to go see doctors. once again, doctors sent jessica home. jept 29th, this is now day three, she's already been to the urgent care center, she's been to the hospital. but you took her in a third time. >> she said her hands and feet were numb. i knew something was wrong. i didn't know what, but i knew something was wrong. >> reporter: how would you describe the speed of it? >> in 0 to 60, in ten seconds. that's how fast it went down. >> reporter: after being told twice to go home, this is how jessica spent the next two weeks, fighting for her life in the intensive care unit at cook children's medical center in ft. worth, texas. the virus had gone to her heart. her heart couldn't function on its own. dr. linda thompson was one of the first doctors to treat jessica. sounds like when she got here, her heart was barely beating. this machine did the work that her heart and lungs couldn't do anymore. three times, jessica almost died. but in the end, it was maternal instinct that saved her life. so if jessica's mother had waited another 12 hours, another 24 hours before bringing her back in, would jessica have survived? >> i don't think we would have pulled her through. >> my first prayer when she woke up was, thank you, god, for giving me a second chance with her, something that a few days before i didn't think i was going to have. >> reporter: your mom really saved you. >> yes. >> reporter: that's pretty amazing. >> she asks, mom, did i almost die? she didn't even comprehend how sick she's been. >> that is heart-wrenching and it's outrageous. talk about a bonding moment for mother and daughter, they'll never forget this. but what do you do if you're in that position and you've got a doctor saying, go home, go home, but your gut tells you, no, something a horribly wrong, what do you do? >> you have to get very specific with the doctors and advocate for your child. you have to say, look, i've been watching my child for days, i know my child best. i am seeing signs that tell me she is going downhill. i want to give you some of the signs that you should look for when your child has h1n1. most kids are fine. but if you see any of these signs, fast breathing, their skin around their toes or fingers turns blue, they develop a fever with a rash or if they get better and then worse, those are signs you need to hightail it to the doctors or the hospital. keep repeating this to yourself, i know my child best, because you really do. >> case in point right there. thank you so much. we're going to check our top stories as we hit the top of the hour. manhunt for a cop killer. seattle's on high alert after an all-night s.w.a.t. standoff comes up empty. police thought they had their guy but now confirm the shooter is still on the loose this hour. congress coming back from thanksgiving break to a full plate. the senate is debating the health care reform bill today. democratic leaders are still seeking the crucial 60 votes. and the countdown to president obama's big decision on afghanistan, his announcement about troop levels will come tomorrow night at west point, coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. eastern. after all the high-level meetings, late nights and months of speculation, tomorrow night we finally learn how president obama will make the 8-year-old afghan war his war. how many troop, how much money, how much help from the afghans and our allies and how long before we're out of there? here's a question we asked minutes ago at the white house. we apologize for that. we'll try to bring that back to you in just a little bit. the president's speech, 7:00 eastern live right here on cnn. now, at some point, the afghans will have to take over, push forward and keep their own peace. but you've got to wonder, are president karzai and company up to the task? here's cnn's atia abawi. >> reporter: officials allege to have squandered billions of dollars in foreign aid, aid that most afghans say they have yet to see. >> it will be a much closer watch on how money is being spent. there is a responsibility on the part of the international community. >> reporter: this canadian ambassador knows the afghan government needs reform. after many years wasted, both the new administration led by president hamid karzai and the international community are changing the way things are done here. >> we too often turn to power broker and warlords to fight against the taliban and al qaeda and turn a blind eye to perhaps whether or not those individuals were inappropriately using government offices or using their power. >> reporter: individuals still within the ranks. early november, president karzai was sworn into his second term after an election marred with allegations of fraud. he is promising change but he is still criticized for turning a blind eye to corruption and surrounding himself with criminals and warlords. >> translator: we need to take into account in the past eight years what we have learned and what we have gained. what are the bad experiences and what are the good experiences? and of course, there are many questions and people would like me to answer some of those questions. and of course, we will do our utmost in the future to help the country. >> reporter: this is a member of the afghan parliament and believes that rampant corruption has killed the president's credibility. he says it's the president's job to enforce the law on his own cabinet first punishing any criminals found within in order to win back the trust of the people. >> it's not the strength of the taliban, it's the weakness of this government that's turned the people away from the government and created a gap in which the taliban are finding room to maneuver and breathe in that vacuum. >> reporter: a vacuum that he says can be filled by the government and welcomed by the afghan people once they know what good governance is. >> in the 262 years of our modern history, we have never been governed. we have been ruled or misruled. and for the western experts so-called afghan experts to say that afghans do not like governance, it's a very easy way out. >> and atia abawi joining us live. will a troop increase help the situation in afghanistan according to people on the ground there? >> reporter: it really depends on who you talk to. we went out to a refugee camp here on the outskirts of kabul, many are from where the heavy fighting is occurring. they're afraid more afghan civilians will be killed. but afghans in the city say they're afraid of the international community leaving. they want the extra troops as long as they help them the way they see it's necessary, to help build a stable society and help the afghan government. in the south and east in afghanistan, we're seeing more afghans turning to the taliban because they're afraid of their own government authorities in their areas. >> atia abawi, appreciate it. the speech tomorrow, huge. the president's going to have to sell a pretty skeptical public on why an 8-year-old likely will intensify. republican senator richard lugar and democrat jack reed talked about what they're looking for tomorrow nigh. >> the president needs to start by outlining the war we are in. by that, i mean the war not against the taliban, al qaeda, but what is at least the objective of continuing in afghanistan or in any place. that is basic, because this has to be a confident speech in which the president recognizes we're at war, the american public recognizes that. >> the president has to speak to the american people, remind them why we're there and also lay out a strategy, not just a reflective response to a recommendation, but a strategy that involves protecting the homeland from al qaeda and that involves a presence in afghanistan, it involves being influential in pakistan. it involves having counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. all these things. >> it's not a troop build-up. it's a civilian surge. their targets? afghan civilians. we'll take you inside. no shirt, no shoes, no pets, no service. but assistance dogs are okay. there's a sign clear as day, so tell me, why did a disabled vet and his hairy helper get chased out of this place and allegedly attacked like criminals? hi, may i help you? yes, we're looking to save on car insurance, even if that means we have to shop all day, right, honey? yep, all day. good thing you're starting here. we compare your progressive direct rate to other top companies', so you can save money! look! we saved a lot! and quick, too. and no more holding her purse! it's a european shoulder bag. it was a gift. mm-hmm. shopping less and saving more. now, that's progressive. call or click today. it's not easy being a disabled vet. just ask captain luis. in iraq, attackers with knives and hand grenades changed his life forever. however, they didn't ruin his life. his dog tuesday assisted in that. he's a service dog and a best friend. don't tell that to a certain group of mcdonald's workers in brooklyn. first they turned him and his dog away. then he says they came after him armed with garbage can lids. you'd think the attacks would have stopped when he got back home. he's suing mcdonald's for damages and wants to make sure this never happens to another vet and he's even inspired a senator. the captain and tuesday join me live from new york. explain to our viewers what exactly happened here, how many times you went to this mcdonald's and how it escalated to this point where you were chased with these garbage can lids. >> sure. on december 11th, 2008, i visited mcdonald's in brooklyn with my service dog tuesday. and when we went there, the employees immediately erupted with, get out, get out, no dogs. i mean, it was quite offensive. and so we approached the counter and i tried to explain to them that tuesday was a service dog and that he assisted me with my disabilities. they were just insistent that we get out. and finally i even had to threaten to call the police because they were discriminating against me and violating the americans with disabilities act. they served me but harassed me and i ultimately got a migraine and left, deeply affected by that incident. several days later, i wrote a letter to the president of mcdonald's, ralph alvarez, explaining to him that his employees were not trained in the ada and that they were harassing people and veterans with dibbles and it's just unacceptable. i received a phone call weeks later from a regional manager who offered me coupons. i said, i don't want your coupons, i'd like for you to treat people with dignity and respect and abide by the americans with disabilities act. she wrote a letter of apology and took up my suggestion that they post stickers in their front doors saying something to the effect of, no pets but we welcome assistance animals. sure enough, they put stickers in their doors. and i thought, wow, this is a real act of corporate social responsibility. then on january 28th, tuesday and i were coming home from school. and we -- i was hungry. so i walked into the mcdonald's with him, and we were served. i sat down, was just about to begin eating when a manager came up to me and said, excuse me sir, your dog -- you need to leave. i said, what do you mean i need to leave? he said, no dogs allowed. and i said, well what's your name? and he said, i'm a manager. i said, have you read the sticker on your doorfront? and he said, yes. i said, what does it say? and he replied, no dogs. i said, why don't you go downstairs, re-read the sign, come back upstairs and we'll talk about it. well, i was pretty upset by that and he never returned to apologize or to discuss the matter. i subsequently left the mcdonald's in disgust because they had essentially not trained their staff. that manager wasn't trained himself on the americans with disabilities act. i thought this matter was resolved. then two days later, i decided that i would write another letter to president ralph alvarez of mcdonald's. so i walked back with tuesday to the store to take a picture of the sticker that they had placed in their storefront. >> and this is when you were -- the employees charged you with the garbage can lids? >> that's right. they started to ask me question, why am i taking photographs of mcdonald's? and then they proceeded to attack me with garbage can lids and punched me. i was just flabbergasted about -- at this entire thing. i called the nypd and they responded to the scene. and subsequently went to the emergency room because i pinched a nerve in my neck shielding myself and tuesday from these two employees. >> and we did get a statement from mcdonald's. they said, they can't go into details because they say they are investigating right now. >> there have been protests outside that mcdonald's. you've received obviously a lot of air time. we're talking about it today. you have definitely made your point. the stickers were put up into the window. that facility has now been shut down due to health violations. what do you want, luis, to come out of this? what do you want as the final outcome? >> well, that's a good question, kyra. that mcdonald's is a corporately owned mcdonald's and it's since reopened. as a matter of fact, they took down the stickers at that restaurant, strangely enough. mcdonald's hasn't owned up to these disgraceful acts of mistreatment and this attack. veterans, hundreds of thousands of veterans are coming back from iraq and afghanistan wounded and injured. and there are tens of millions of people with disabilities and it's unconscionable that mcdonald's say that they train their employees to treat people with dignity and respect and abide by the federal law, but the reality is is that they didn't in this case. and i hope that this incident serves as a lesson to both mcdonald's and others. >> well, i know that al franken was touched by your story with regard to what happened to you in iraq and why you needed a service dog. and he has actually passed legislation -- his first piece of legislation -- to call for more service dogs, is that correct? tell me about -- >> it sure is. >> tell me about what he has decided to do since meeting you. >> yes. well, before the attack in january, i had the great pleasure of meeting him at an inaugural ball. and upon that meeting, i asked him if he would consider if he were to be elected to champion some kind of legislation to get more service dogs to help veterans with disabilities, veterans of all eras of america's wars. and as is the case with any celebrity, you leave and you think that -- well, something may happen but probably not. well, strangely enough, i got a phone call a few weeks later from al franken and it was hey, this is al, we spoke for an hour and a half and i was absolutely delighted that subsequent phone calls led to he and his staff creating legislation with other members of congress that is now law. and there's a new pilot program to help place service dogs with veterans and hopefully that study will show the benefits of that many more veterans will get service dog. >> they need them. we see what tuesday's done for you with the spinal cord injury you suffered in iraq. i appreciate you talking to me today, luis. >> it's my pleasure, kyra. thank you. >> luis is one of 31,572 american troops wounded since operations in iraq began back in 2003. you could say it's all over, but the -- the secret service let this couple slip through and get into the white house. other lawmakers are calling for criminal charges against that couple. wedding bells are in chelsea clinton's near future. cnn's learned the former first daughter is engaged to her long-time boyfriend. a spokesperson says a wedding could take place next summer. a different kind of record for serena williams. seitz been fined $82,500 for her tirade at the u.s. open last october. the fine could increase to $175,000 and she'd be barred from the following u.s. open if it happened again. lenders, lenders, what are you doing to do when they come for you? 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guess what? lots of paperwork issues out there for people who are trying to become a part of the program. not enough income now to make payments is one of the big problems you're seeing. the issue now is that people don't have jobs so they can't become a part of the program. you can't get a mortgage if you don't have a job. this program wasn't day who ared to that. other folks find they have too much in savings or equity to even participate. and some banks have decided i make more money if i foreclose rather than changing or amending or making the mortgage easier to meet month to month. lots of hurdles for the program. the administration trying to make some changes to it, tweaks to it here and there to make it more effective. but devil's in the details. we'll be watching the reports monthly to see how many people they're helping and if more americans are really getting assistance. but some interesting changes, more stick, less carrot. >> keep letting us know about the changes. good-bye to the 2009 hurricane season. hello, chad myers in the severe weather center. talking travel delays today, aren't we? >> we sure are. a lot of people are in the air right now. i know it's not the biggest travel day of the year. but people that just simply couldn't afford to travel yesterday because it was too doggone expensive, today's a bet r way to do it. hurricane season is over. it's my son's birthday, too. nine thunderstorms today. three hurricanes and major hurricanes, there were two. not a big season by any stretch of the imagination. and in fact, we didn't even have any significant landfalling hurricanes. we had a couple of tropical systems that came in. other than that, tropical storms -- ida was one of them, came up here in this area. and there's going to be storms in new mexico as well. here are the travel delays. newark, laguardia, philadelphia, bwi and teterboro but nobody over 45 minutes at this hour. and everything's going pretty good. i have a website for you for today. we'll get it ever for you for tomorrow as well. weatherunderground.com. it's actually wunderground.com. go over to dr. jeff masters' wunderblog. and he'll tell you about the season coming up. >> is that who you were talking to earlier today? >> no, i was talking to the media guy. we always ant to make sure when we put a website out and put their website right on tv, that they have enough bandwidth. i've done it in the past where i haven't asked yet and we crash websites all the time because 40,000 people are trying to get into one website and it goes -- so i wanted to make sure that he was okay with that. >> very good, thanks, chad. manhunt across seattle happening right now. yesterday four police officers ambushed and gunned down. today, the accused trigger man proving elusive as well as deadly. rint mobile broadband. 31 are streaming a sales conference from the road. 154 are tracking shipments on a train. 33 are iming on a ferry. and 1300 are secretly checking email on a vacation. that's happening now. america's most dependable 3g network. bringing you the first and only wireless 4g network. right now get a free 3g/4g device for your laptop. sprint. the now network. deaf, hard-of-hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com welcome to idaho where the world's best potatoes come from. some people say it's the rich volcanic soil that makes our potatoes so special or maybe the pure water. whatever it is, idaho potatoes are a delicious part of a healthy diet. with zero fat or cholestrol and only 110 calories and they taste great. but remember not all potatoes come from idaho. so always look for the grown in idaho seal. genuine idaho potatoes, from the best earth on earth. tools are uncomplicated. nothing complicated about a pair of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? 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(announcer) priority mail flat rate boxes only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. in my kitchen, i want only the best in taste. eggland's best. i love eggland's best... because of all the great nutrition. that's why they're the only eggs... i give to my son. the chef. eggland's best. the better egg. happening right now, the manhunt is intensifying for a pardoned convict in seattle suspected of gunning down four police officers yesterday in a coffee shop ambush. and giving the seattle police the slip in a big way after a 12-hour standoff. patrick, do police have any clue where maurice clemmons is and how he got away from them? >> reporter: i just got off the phone with seattle police department. at this point, the trail has apparently gone cold. the last report citing that maurice clemmons was just down the street where from i'm standing. they got a credible tip he was outside a home, someone that knew him. they went to that house, somehow he slipped out. they believe as they were going house to house setting up this very wide-ranging perimeter, they closed out an entire neighborhood last night, that he was able to slip away. they believe he was wounded in that altercation with officers yesterday. they're hoping that will lead them to him because he's going to be seeking treatment possibly for a gunshot wound. but even with this intense manhunt on, officers are still saying today that the focus should also be on the four lakewood police department officers who lost their lives yesterday. you have to think about this. this is a police department that's only about five years old, only has about 100 officer, just over 100 officers. so the loss of four officers will be devastating for any police department even more so for the men and women of lakewood police department. >> you look at these four lives lost. you have this alleged murderer on the loose. it was then governor mike huckabee that granted this man a pardon. so what's the reaction been there with regard to the fact that he was let out on the streets? >> reporter: well, as governor huckabee said in his statement, there needs to be a close reexamination of perhaps laws in arkansas and in washington. people, though, are somewhat confused and skeptical as to what this guy was doing running around in washington. remember, he was out on $150,000 bond, only bonded out a week ago. he was charged with assault on an officer, sex crime against a child. as well as some other charges. police said that he had an extensive criminal history in arkansas and he was somebody they knew here and even threatened officers to people that he know, said he was going to go out and attack police officers. unfortunately none of those people reported those threats to police before they happened, perhaps what happened yesterday could have been avoided. instead, you have four lives lost and a very dangerous suspect still on the loose. >> could have been avoided. patrick, thanks so much. maurice clemmons has a long rap sheet and was serving a 95-year prison sentence in arkansas. but then governor mike huckabee, as i mentioned, commuted that sentence in 2000. clemmons went back to prison that next year but was later paroled. so here's what huckabee had to say in light of the seattle shootings -- >> clemmons only served 11 years, by the way, of that 95-year sentence. nearly 50 years of law enforcement experience snuffed out in a matter of seconds. a small but growing memorial has already begun today outside the lakewood, washington, police department. as we pay our own respects to the four fallen officers. they left behind nine children. they were husbands, fathers, a wife and mother. 39-year-old sergeant mark renninger is survived by his wife, son and two daughters. he had 13 years of law enforcement experience. he grew up in bethlehem, pennsylvania. his brother, a retired cop, says mark made the ultimate sacrifice. 37-year-old officer ronald owens is survived by his daughter. he had a dozen years of law enforcement experience and was a founding member of the lakewood police department. 40-year-old tina griswold is survived by her husband and two children. he wore the badge for 14 years. and just this past summer was awarded a medal for saving a life. and 42-year-old officer greg richards, eight years on the force, also a founding member of the lakewood police department. he is survived by his wife and three children. officer richards' sister-in-law called the shooting senseless and says her brother-in-law didn't have a mean bone in his body. i want to point out once again, maurice clemmons had just been released on bond six days ago. the charge? you heard our reporter repeat it once again, rape of a child, according to the seattle times newspaper. he was also recently charged with assaulting a police officer. gearing up for the war in afghanistan. but these volunteers are civilians, not soldiers. all part of president obama's new strategy bringing peace to a country that's known nothing but war. what doctors recommend for arthritis pain... in your hands... knees... and back. for little bodies with fevers... and big bodies on high blood pressure medicine. tylenol works with your body in a way other pain relievers don't... so you feel better... knowing doctors recommend tylenol more than any other brand of pain reliever. boss: ah! thank gecko: what's going on, sir? boss: we're slammed. tons of people interested in all the money they could be saving by switching to geico.. gecko: yeah, 'course. boss: boy, did we miss you last week. that temp wasn't working out at all. exec: took me all morning but i got those quarterly figures for ... you. (hissing noise, gulping) gecko: aw, he ate all my mints. anncr: geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. president obama's getting ready to put his plan for the war into action after another meeting with his war council. more than 30,000 more troops are expected to deploy. we'll get details tomorrow night when the president announces his plans to the rest of us. pirates upping the ante off the somali coast. they seized a tanker loaded with $20 million worth of crude oil headed for the u.s. yesterday's attack marks only the second time somali pirates have targeted an oil tanker. the tankers don't react well to pirate bullets or rocket-propelled grenades. how are we doing in the fight against aids? the world is preparing to take stock tomorrow on world aids day. grim statistics remain, about 1,000 people in southern africa die every day from aids-related diseases. they're in training for a dangerous mission in the combat zone like their comrade in arms, these troops are volunteers. but that's where the similarities end. our jill dougherty as the training ground with the new civilian force heading to afghanistan. >> reporter: our blackhawk helicopter flies low. this urban training center, a half hour flight from indianapolis, indiana. this week transformed into a village in afghanistan. on the ground, 36 civilian trainees in camouflage jackets and body armor. they're from the state and treasury departments, u.s. agency for international development and the agriculture department, all volunteered for at least a year in afghanistan, part of the civilian surge critical to the new strategy, tripling the number deployed on the front lines. they're using their skills in law, agriculture, medicine to help the afghan people get the services they desperately need. without that, they could turn to the taliban. the team's mission today, help solve a land dispute between two afghan tribes. >> i'm mr. harris, the senior represent ift of the state department. >> reporter: real afghans, some of whom don't speak english play the role of provincial leaders and tribal officials. >> from the bottom of my heart -- >> reporter: the reading from the koran, hot tea to drink. every detail as authentic as possible. how real is this? >> i thought it was very real, actually. >> reporter: brendan o'brien served in kabul, afghanistan. he's going back for another year as an information officer. this new training, he says, is critical to understanding how the military function. his life depends on it. >> the military culture is almost -- it is a foreign culture. it's almost as foreign as the afghan culture to state department, to u.s. aid. >> reporter: just as in afghanistan, these teams are accompanied every step of the way by the military. they rely on them for security and for mobile. at the same time, these civilians unarmed have to establish trust. the war they say can't be won only with guns. in this vignette, an afghan plays the role of a pregnant woman as a u.s. aid health document officer listens closely. mac has never been to afghanistan. she leaves this december for logar province snchl ] >> listening to the people, the et quit, the politeness, building that trust and rapport with them so they can share their concerns with you and be willing to work with us. >> what impressions did you have? >> the one thing nobody asked me was about what sort of diseases are common in this province. >> did a little ride, kind of windy. knocked us around a little bit. >> reporter: the afghan staff, the trainees, the military give their feedback, lessons that could make all the difference when these civilians take off for real to afghanistan. jill dougherty, cnn, butlerville, indiana. you've got plenty of questions on afghanistan. we've got answers. tomorrow, dennis mcdonald will join us. send us your questions or tweet us. it was a hit-and-run for sure. but it was no accident. a young woman's fighting for her life all because some guys wanted to fight her for a parking space. and this is a seat from the seven passenger toyota highlander. this is a little seat, i'm a big girl. well this is the eight- passenger chevy traverse. which offers more room and an epa estimated 24 on the highway. that's a big girl car. i want the big girl car. a very smart little girl. the chevy traverse. amer. compare us to anyone and . or visit a museum without art. so why rely on health care coverage that's missing something too? now more than ever, you should know about... aarp medicarecomplete from securehorizons. it combines your hospital, doctor visits, prescription drug coverage... and other medical services in one complete package... often for no more than what you currently pay for original medicare. in these changing times, it's dependable coverage... from a leader in medicare advantage plans. enjoy benefits like an annual preventive screening... and immunizations for no additional cost, vision and hearing benefits and more. and some plans have zero monthly premiums. with the cost of many things going up, aarp medicarecomplete is a smart choice. is your health care coverage missing something? get the complete package with aarp medicarecomplete from securehorizons. and don't pay more. just get more. annual enrollment starts november 15th. so call securehorizons today. or visit getcomplete.com. team sanchez working on the next hour of "cnn newsroom." you have a little hair there on your court. >> a little something-something. >> thank gdness your wife's a blonde. >> ron suskin wrote a fascinating book about the beginning of the war in afghanistan. and giving we're talking about that, i thought it would be interesting to look back into this. it was called the 1% quotient -- i get that wrong every time. what he says is that osama bin laden was in tora bora. the cia said we can get him, we just need a certain amount of troops. it went all the way up to the white house where they asked for that and didn't get it. what really happened? ha did it cause and is it why we're still dealing with afghanistan today? there's a new senate report out that essentially confirms much of what suskin wrote about in his book. it's brand-new information. we're talking to the players and taking it apart today at 3:00. >> you can go back to the clinton administration as well. osama bin laden was in the sites, there was an opportunity to take him out then. also you tend to wonder why for so many years there were opportunities to get osama bin laden -- >> the only difference was, clinton was prior to 9/11. that may have made a little bit of a difference. >> but everybody knew he was a threat. >> apparently not the bush administration since at the beginning they decided that clinton was enthralled with him. >> but imagine if he was taken out, there wouldn't have been a 9/11. >> either way, we're going to look at this. you hear about fights breaking out over ridiculous things all the time, but this one is almost unbelievable. a texas woman is in the hospital right now in really bad shape after she was run over in a walmart parking lot. her family says she's on a ventilator now with organ failure. they don't even know if he's going to make it. all of this because of a fight over a parking space. her brother describes what happened as some thug or thugs showed no mercy on his sister. >> my sister ready to pull up in the parking spot. an suv pulls around and rammed her in the right side. i told my little sister not to get out of the car. they get out with blades. they're waving their knifes saying all foul words. they come out. i told my sister to stay in. she gets out to check her car. when i got out, my hat falls, she picks it up. they run over her. i hope anybody that knows about anything can help us out. >> that's what we're hoping as well. if you do know anything, do help out that family and contact the police. it's not clear if there's any secure cam video of that incident. police are looking for the driver of a black dodge durango involved in that hit-and-run. a chance at a dream life turns into a nightmare. one man's quest to provide for his family leads to a fight for his freedom. as you know, we've been following this story about tiger woods thanksgiving night in this car accident that he was involved with, saying that it was his fault and that he didn't want the media getting involved in the personal issues surrounding what happened that night. still, a lot of questions lingering to what caused that accident and what exactly happened between him and his wife and what caused all the commotion. now we're getting word -- this is coming from the tiger woods foundation -- actually the public relations manager -- that tiger woods will not be attending his chevron world challenge. he was previously scheduled to be there. it was supposed to take place at the sherwood country club at thousand oaks, california. apparently what's being reported that doctors are advising him not to go due to injuries that he suffered in that car accident. we'll continue to follow the story as it develops and if we get any more information. it was like they won the lottery. they came to this country for a shot at a different kind of life but what they got is an age-old tale full of misery and deceit. they became modern-day slaves. sean callebs explains. >> reporter: the nightmare began four years ago. >> translator: i never imagined this kind of thing would happen in the united states. >> reporter: desperate to provide for his family, he says he answered an ad from a job recruiter in rural thailand. the are you kruter promised an $8 an hour job in america. >> he heard there was a job on a legal visa in the united states, that was really the golden ticket for them. >> reporter: but there were problems from the outset. first he says there was a payment upfront, 25,000 thy baht. once in north carolina, he says there was no work, no money and his passport was seized by the recruiter. he says he and the other 29 farmers who came with him realized they were trapped. >> translator: some of the men were so stressed out to the point that they seemed suicidal. >> reporter: he says he begged for work. and when katrina hit the gulf coast, some of the company's manpower were brought to new orleans. >> translator: we couldn't find anything to eat. we happened to have some uncooked rice with us so we trapped pigeons and cooked the pigeons to feed ourselves. >> reporter: eventually they were brought back to north carolina where one night they say they escaped. this man is the u.s. ambassador charged with fighting modern-day slavery. >> this is a hidden crime. the very nature of this crime masks it from us. >> reporter: eventually he sued million express manpower. the company never responded and the court said the evidence justified a default judgment of nearly $1 million. >> these men don't look like the typical trafficking victims. they're not women. they're not in the sex trade. they're not behind a
good morning. breaking news. authorities have surrounded a seattle home where they say a person of interest in the coffee shop murders of four police officers is holed up. this morning, the latest in a live repor "i'm not perfect." tiger woods issues his first statement about the early morning traffic accident that landed him in the hospital but cancels a meeting with police for the third time. this as tmz reports investigators are working on getting a search warrant to help them figure out exactly what happened. and mall fall. an aerialist plunges three stories during a performance at a crowded los angeles shopping center. thankfully she survived but future shows have been temporarily put on hold "today," future shows have been temporarily put on hold "today," monday, november 30th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm meredith vieira. right now police believe that maurice clemmons, the mananted for questioning in sunday morning's execution-style shootings of four police officers at a parkland, washington coffee shop is inside the seattle home that they have now surrounded. >> they've had that home surrounded all night long. obviously it is a very dense situation there. we'll get the latest in a live report just ahead. also ahead, an unusual development in the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. a verdict could come this week and now her parents are the focus of a separate investigation by italian police. we'll tell you why. also ahead, what would your home look like if you never threw anything away? we're going to meet a woman who suffers from a condition known as hoarding. she lived for years surrounded by piles of trash. things got so bad, that she couldn't even tell if possums were living in what used to be her bedroom. she's going to share an unbelievable story coming up. but first, let's get right to that overnight stand-off outside a seattle home where police are investigating the murders of four of their own. nbc's george lewis has the latest on this. george, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. police have spent the night trying to track down a man they want to o question in connection with a sying of those four officers. they've surrounded a house in seattle where they believe he's holed up. a solemn procession as the bodies of the slain officers were taken b motorcade from the murder scene to the county medical examiner's office. a huge blow for the police department in ts small tacoma, washington suburb. >> we have lost four officers today. >> reporter: according to their superiors, the four were at this coffee shop working on their laptop computers prior to going on duty when the gunman came in and opened fire. >> two of them were just flat-executed. sitting, writing reports. one of them was stood up and tried to go for the suspect and got shot. the fourth one fought his way out to the parking lot and fired off some rounds. we're hoping the suspect's hit. >> reporter: the department identified the officers as ronald owens, tina griswold, greg richards and mark renninger. all four were parents, leaving behind eight children between them. they had a combined 47 years of police experience. the youngest, owens, was 37. the oldest, richards, was 42. pete davis lit candles for the two officers he met. he said he spoke to renninger just last week. >> i had the opportunity to stop and talk to him for a minute and thank him and tell him what a good job that they were doing here in lakewood. they showed his picture first today, just like shocked me. >> reporter: sunday night police named this man, 37-year-old maurice clemmons, as a person of interest. clemmons has a long record of violent crimes. in arkansas he was sentenced to 60 years in prison. but the then-governor, mike huckabee, in a controversial move, commuted the sentence. as a washington state resident, clemmons came to the attention of law enforcement when his house was burned buy fireworks. later he was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl and assaulting a police officer. but he was let free on bail. investigators say whoever shot the officers was deliberately gunning for the police. no one else in the restaurant was shot. now at that house where clemmons is believed to be holed up, police have been using loud speakers trying to urge him to surrender but they say they're not even 100% sure anybody is inside the house. matt? >> george lewis in parkland, washington this morning, thank you very much. four minutes after the hour. now to the latest on that car accident involving tiger woods. he has now issued a statement about the crash as police say they are still investigating what happened. nbc's mark potter is near the woods' home in windermere, florida. good morning to you, mark. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. tiger woods says he alone was responsible for the accident and praises his wife for helping him. this as authorities have released the 911 tape. the 911 tape released by the florida highway patrol is of a neighb calling after tiger woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree near his house at 2:25 a.m. friday. >> what happened in what's wrong? >> i have a neighbor. he hit the tree. we came out here just to see what was going on. he's laying down. >> by hit the tree, do you mean auto accident? >> auto accident, yes. >> is he unconscious? >> yes. >> are you able to tell if he's breathing? >> no, i can't tell right now. >> reporter: on his website, tiger woods says he is suffering cuts, bruises and is sore from the single car accident. he also says, "this situation is my fault and it is obviously embarrassing to my family and me. i'm human and i'm not perfect. i will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again." following reports alleging the golfer's infidelity which a new york woman strongly denies, and allegations woods and his wife elin had been arguing before the crash, woods says, "the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible." he went on to say, "my wife elin acted courageously when she saw i was hurt and in trouble. she was the first person to help me. any other statement is false." >> tiger woods has been very careful throughout his career with what he says, who he says it to and when he chooses to speak to the media. >> reporter: on sunday, the florida highway patrol issued its own statement saying, for the third time since the accident, troopers attempting to interview woods were turned down after woods hed an orlando attorney who, according to authorities, said the interview had been canceled. now woods' agent tells cnbc that his client believes he has nothing more to tell authorities about what he feels is a private matter. the florida highway patrol concedes that woods does not have to talk to them. meanwhile, another unanswered question is whether woods will appear at his own golf tourney in california later this week. meredith? >> all right, mark potter, thank you very much. dan abrams is nbc's chief legal analyst. dan, good morning. another twist in the story this morning, report from tmz that authorities in florida, highway patrol, is now pursuing a search warrant that would allow them to seize the medical records from the hospital where tiger woods received treatment. apparently again, according to tmz, they are trying to prove that perhaps his wife calls the injuries or he was on prescription medication. if they can prove either one of those, it changes everything. doesn't it? >> yeah. the first question is, was there a crime. that's got to be the very first question they ask themselves, do we believe there was a crime here. if they do -- they've used the words up to this point "charges are pending." i even thought to myself this weekend, that sure sounds like they're looking at criminal charges. then they have to begin that investigation, so it no longer becomes just an investigation into an accident, it becomes an investigation into a possible crime. >> what do they need to obtain the search warrant? >> probable cause to believe the crime was committed. not a particularly high standard in the law. again if they believe that there was a crime here, it is very likely they'd be able to get those warrants. >> at this point, this is coming from tmz -- at this point, tiger woods has turned away authorities three times who wanted to get his side of the story what happened. is he under any legal obligation? >> none. he does not have to speak to authorities. we always hear about the right against self-incrimination. you can always say "i don't want to speak." there are occasions when they can force someone by giving them immunity, all sorts of issues that won't come up in this case. >> they aren't showing him any kind of special treatment here. >> by allowing him not to speak, absolutely not. the truth is that in many cases, a lawyer will advise someone involved in an incident not to speak. they'll say, you know what? we don't think it helps. why? because we think you may be the target of an investigation and in this particular case, if they believe even that his wife may be the target, they may say to themselves we simply don't want to assist in that particular investigation and that's their right. >> tiger woods did issue a statement on his website. he said, among other things, this situation is my fault. "situation." that word, you find that interesting. >> i just think that his statement isn't helpful to him. i think we're going to end up hearing more from tiger woods publicly. why? because it doesn't help that they made these three appointments with the authorities, or the authorities at least thought they had three appointments with tiger woods and show up, and they're turned away again and again. that doesn't help him. not because it is a legal obligation but because it just doesn't look good. >> from a pr point of view it is a disaster. >> yeah. and you follow that up with a statement which is intentionally vague. think about it. if what really happened here is that tiger woods got in his car, he just got in an accident and his wife rescued him, he'd say it. uldn't he? i mean then his position would be, look, goit in i got in my cd a little accident and my wife helped me out. he's not saying that. >> but on the other hand if there is no evidence of domestic violence or prescription drugs, he's saying it is a private matter, lee me alone. doesn't he have the right to say that? >> sure, he has the right to say that. i think when he has is sort of endorsements and public adulation he has, et cetera, there are going to be questions and people are going to want to know a little bit more. it is his right to say, you know what? i don't want to talk about this. again, if it was just an accident and he literally just got in his car, had an accident and his wife rescued him, will is not a lot of privacy to protect. >> if were his counsel? >> i would advise him not having made the statement he made already. now that he made that one, i think he has to come clean and talk a little bit more publicly about what happened. >> dan abrams, thank you very much. we want to know what you have is to say about it. logon to todayshow.com to share your thoughts and questions. we'll discuss some of them a little later on. let's get a check of rest of the morning's top stories from ann curry at the news desk. in the news this morning, afghanistan is expected to be a major topic today when president obama meets with australia's prime minister. the meeting comes a day before the president unveils his way forward on afghanistan in a big speech at west point. he is to outline plans for sending reportedly up to 35,000 more troops, as well as an exit strategy. the president met with his national security team again on sunday. iran has announc that it will build tenew new nuclear enrichments site in defiance of the iaea which demanded iran stop construction at a site previously secret. debate begins today in the senate for a health care reform bill. today the obama administration announces an expanded program aimed at home foreclosures. the government wants mortgage companies to do more to help people stay in their homes. overseas markets are up in asia and down in europe this morni morning. trish, a lot of attention onion line retailers today. >> that's because today is cyber monday. this is the day when everyone goes online to try and score really good deals. 90% of online retailers are offering deals and it is expected that about 100 million people are actually going to be online shopping today. that's up from 85 million jus last year. i want to point out though, only about 14% say they're going to be shopping from work. retail in general though, very much in focus after black friday. we saw more people out shopping but they actually spent a little less, on average, about $30 less on average. nonetheless, sales overall were up 11%. ann. >> thanks so much, trish regan this morning. an aerial performer's hospitalized inalifornia today after falling three stories saturday during a show at a shopping mall while hanging upside down from a metal hoop as hundreds of people were watching. she injured her wrist and her pelvis but she is said to be doing well this morning. fingers crossed for her. it is 7:13. let's go back to matt, meredith and al. >> that's not a good scene. clearly they're going to take a go look at that before they schedule anything like that in the future. mr. roker, yesterday was one of the top ten days of the year. >> absolutely. but now we're following it with a rough day throughout much of the eastern seaboard. a cold front drapg all the way from new england back down into texas. couple of low pressure systems attached. heaviest rain right now down through the southeast. upper-level low is forming through the southwest. that's going to be bringing snow. first, rainfall amounts, talking about anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain down through extreme southern texas. then snowfall, we're talking anywhere from 1 to 2 feet of snow -- 1 to 2 inches of good monday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell, with your monday forecast. back to work and school. there is rain on the radar. not too much around the washington area just yet. have your umbrellas ready to go. rain likely today through much of the afternoon. temperatures in the upper 50s, close to 60 degrees before the rain showers come on in. cooler weather. some sunshine back as we get towards tomorrow and early >> that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thanks very much. now to new revelations about that virginia couple that managed that crash last week's white house state dinner. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd has the latest on this. hi, chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it doesn't get any big they are week for president obama. he has the big afghanistan speech tomorrow at west point. thursday he hosts his jobs summit. the white house is finding itself distracted by this state party dinner incident. the secret service investigation is continuing just as new details are emerging about this fame-o obsessed couple. >> reporter: the uninvited state dinner guests who charmed their way into the white house are now, according to reports, trying to sell their story to television networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars. they canceled an interview planned for tonight with cnn's larry king. a publicist for the couple told nbc news "we are not making any formal comments or arrangements with any media at this time." the party crashing couple who shook hands with the president and posted photos of their escapade on their facebook page have a history of attention-seeking behavior. "the real housewives of d.c." were filming the couple the day of the dinner. but bravo, owned by nbc's parent company nbc universal, says the salahis have not yet been cast in the show. this latest publicity stunt appears to be a trend among aspiring reality show stars after last month's balloon boy hoax. beyond their reality tv dreams, the salahis wedding video shows off their taste for the extravagant. a ceremony with over 1,800 guests, including supreme court justice anthony kennedy. rachel, who's known the couple for ten years, says they have a history of exaggerating. >> they've gotten two other places before, they've done a lot of inappropriate things. in their head it is power. >> reporter: she claims she was a model for victoria's secret and a former redskins cheerleader. both say she's never worked for them. though the couple was first turned away at the vehicle entrance, they were cleared through a pedestrian entrance after a uniformed agent only checked their i.d.s but did not cross-check their names with the guest list. the secret service is conducting a full investigation. while criminal charges are unlikely, some lawmakers say the couple did break the law. >> i think you have to have a strong deterrent against this kind of thing. therefore if it is a federal crime to lie to a federal agent and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, th they should be in some way brought to justice. >> reporter: now, matt, the salahis were interviewed by the secret service over the weekend and we're told that this review process, or this investigation, should be wrapped up before the end of the week. >> chuck, thanks very much. chuck todd at the white house this morning. republican congressman peter king of new york serves on the house homeland security committee. ron kessler is the author of "in the president's secret service behind the scenes with the agents in the line of fire and the presidents they protect." gentlemen, good morning to both of you. congressman king, this couple did something that i think a lot of people would love to try to do. they got dolled up, they went to the white house, they attended a state dinner. they had to assume they would get stopped at the door and guess what? they didn't. you sit on a committee that oversees the secret service. how much heat will they face? >> they have to face a lot. i have great regard for the secret service and i still can't figure out how this happened. i've been to the white house any number of times. as you have. you're stopped at at least two, three checkpoints. at almost all of those points, at least a final point, there's always someone with the white house a well with the secret service. an event of this magnitude at the white house itself, it is beyond me how this could have happened. >> we've all heard what could have happened. if any of those other scenarios can taken place, whether anthrax or a kitchen knife, we'd be covering this story in a different way. have we learned a valuable lesson just by the fact that this happened? >> we need a full investigation to find out what the secret service is doing to ever prevent this from happening again, why it happened, woand why it will never happen again. we need more protection. if one secret service agent makes a mistake -- you have to assume someone's always going to make a mistake -- there has to be backup. has to be layers of defense. >> there are probably people sitting at home saying, wait a second, i had a harder time getting through security this weekend traveling on thanksgiving through an airport than this couple did at the white house. does it reveal a major flaw in security strategy or does it reveal one guy asleep at the switch? >> it is part of a systemic problem with the secret service. secret service has been cutting corners ever since homeland security took it over in 2003. for example, they don't do magnetometer screening at some events or shut it down early under pressure from staff. they're very sensiti to not offending political staffs or the white house. >> are you telling me they're cutting corners with the nation's first african-american president and we know that, unfortunately, that brings with it even greater risks than were faced by past presidents. >> it is just like any government scandal. you can't understand it but it is going on. this went on under the bush administration, bush white house aides were pressured then to let people in to events. sometimes they would even put people through magnetometers but turn them off so that even if there was happen that alarm would sound. i know that sounds unbelievable but this is what's been going on. as an example of the spinelessness of secret service management, when dick cheney's daughter mary insisted that secret service agents take her friend to restaurants and the secret service objected because that's not her job, she got the detail removed. the management did not back the agent. >> congressman king, he's saying they are cutting corners now that they're under homeland security. is that your take? >> i read mr. kessler's book, too. i don't see it that way at all. if anything, i think the secret service is better under homeland curity. their budget's gone up 35% and they're more suited to be within the department of homeland security. the treasury departmt where they were before was not a law enforcement agency and the treasury secretary didn't even want the secret service in the department. >> ten seconds for each of you. ron, start with you. you can't make up a charge just to fit the situation, but do you think these people committed a crime and do they have to be charged just to dissuade people down the road? >> i think they will be prosecuted just as a deterrent. really, i interviewed over 100 current or former secret service agents, as well as the people at headquarters and the belief is that it is just a matter of time before there is an assassination because of the corner-cutting that i detail in the book. you can argue about homeland security and the structure, but the fact is that the secret service has been shockingly derelict in its duty. >> congressman king, back to the question just asked, briefly, if you will, should this couple be charged with a crime? >> absolutely. this is very serious. people think this is a joke, it is not. we have the president of the united states and leaders of the free world, the prime minister of india whose country was attacked in mumbai last year. president obama is probably the most threatened president in our history. >> congressman peter king and ron kessler, thanks to both of you. i appreciate it. still ahead, a verdict could come this week in the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. we'll get the latest including why her parents are now being investigated by italian police. 1 in 3 america will shop online today. coming up, the hottest items on the list of cyber monday shoppers. plus, imagine living in a home that looked like this. we're going to go inside the life of a hoarder. but first, your local news and weather. good morning everyone. 7:26. monday, november 30th, 2009. i'm barbara harrison. in the news at this hour, metro says it could be weeks before they know what caused a crash yesterday morning. a train ending their overnight service his a parked train in the rail yard near the westphals station. three workers are hurt. they are expected to be okay. one person is dead after an early morning motorcycle crash in rockville. the road has been closed for several hours near avery road. no word when it will reopen. police have not released the name or age of the driver. we are back with weather and a good monday morning. nice and mild with a little bit early morning nshine. don't be fooled. there is rain in our forecast for later on today. don't stray too far from your umbrellas. temperatures are in the low to mid-s across the area now. up nir 60 for a brief time today for the rain showers settle in. chilly sunshine returns for tomorrow. barbara, back to you. we'll be back in 25 minutes. jerry, of course, jerry. good morning, quick check on traffic. interstate 66, all the rhodes headed for the roosevelt bridge loaded up. one more stop along 270, authorities still dealing with an accident southbound at montgomery village. now, barbara, your turn. we will be back in 25 minutes ather local news update. we are going back to the "today" show now after a short break. 7:30 now on this monday morning, november 30th, 2009. chilly start to the day here in midtown manhattan. we'll step outside and say hello to these folks in just a bit. i'm meredith vieira, along with matt lauer. did you do any holiday shopping over the weekend? >> very little. >> you did some? >> very little. >> i did none. i was in a turkey stupor, too. >> just the turkey? >> all right. online deals are everywhere on this cyber monday. you might be surprised to learn who's doing the most shopping and who they're buying for. we'll have more on that in just a couple of minutes. also ahead -- the life of a hoarder. we'll talk to a woman who could not throw anything away. her house was such a mess, goats had actually started eating through the walls. she'll share her story coming up. >> you don't hear that every day. much more on tiger woods's accident outside his florida home and the report now that police want to get a search warrant. we'll get the latest on that and check out some ofour comments that you sent to us on our website. let's begin with the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. a verdict could come this week. now her parents are the focus of a separate investigation by italian police. nbc's keith miller is in perugia, italy with details. keith, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. well in fact this case is running longer than many network tv programs. just over two years. and this week the final week promises to resemble a tv courtroom drama. the prison guard around amanda knox has been tightened up for the closing arguments. in a strange twist to this case, knox's parents, who are attending the closing sessions, may be back in court as defendants. prosecutors indicted kurt knox and his former wife for defamation regarding comments they made about police conduct more than a year ago to a british newspaper. >> frankly, i believe it is nothing more than just a ploy utilized by the prosecution to show the weakness of their case and wanting to try to divert any of the media to focus on that. >> reporter: in court today, lawyers for knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend called their client a victim. the prosecution is seeking to put knox and her former boriend in prison for life for the murder of knox's roommate, meredith kercher, an exchange student from england. during closing arguments for three civil cases against knox, lawyers attacked her character. amanda is all about hot sex, declared one lawyer, saying she looks like an angel but acts like the devil. knox, 22 years old, buried her face in her hands. >> it was really screaming and shouting at her at what a terrible person she was and that was just horrible for her to hear. >> reporter: defense lawyers called it a sexist rant. what wasn't mentioned in closing arguments was evidence connecting knox to the crime. >> there seems to be too much "analyze this" going on and too much focusing on evidence. you know what they say sometimes, when the package is no good, fluff up the wrapping. >> reporter: knox's parents will remain in court until a verdict is reached. both are optimistic their daughter will be home for christmas. >> it would be the best psent ever. >> reporter: but knox's mother knows there are no guarantees in this unpredictable trial. in fact, the judge and the six-member jury will go in-g in sequestration. >> anne emner is a lawyer in seattle, washington who advises the knox family and founded the group "friends of amanda." good morning. anne, why do you believe italian authorities are now investigating amanda knox's parents? >> well, i think it is a transparent attempt to make them be silent. the timing, the statement was supposedly made in '08, right at the end of the trial saying you're going to be indicted for speaking out against the prosecution is suspect at best but it also dilutes some of what's being said by the defense about this prosecution, which is in many people's minds wrongful. >> they have been very vocal in terms of criticizing the prosecution. do you think that has hurt their daughter's case? >> you know, in the u.s., of course, we have the first amendment and that's what keeps our system fair, people speaking out and media scrutinizing trials and the public doing so. there's been some arguments in italy that this has hurt the case but i don't think so, because facts are stubborn things and there are no facts in this case to support a prosecution, let alone a conviction, of amanda knox. >> both parents are in italy for the end of the trial. if they are charged by authorities there, would they have trouble re-entering the united states? >> you know, that's a danger. here's an even bigger danger. if the do come back and her daughter's convicted, would they be disallowed visitation and entering into italy. >> at one point you had thought about coming here for the end of the trial -- going to italy, i'm sorry, for the end of the trial and decided against it. why is that? >> because i guess i'm a lawyer and can't practice law if i'm in italy or i'm in jail or indicted for a felony. you know, the threat is real. we can speak out here. we take that for granted that we can do that in this system, including lawyers and parties. but look what just happened in italy. >> but do you believe you yourself would be charged if you went over there for something? >> well, i c't take the chance. i've said the same thing that the parents have said, they've been investigated for and maybe charged which is that amanda was abused during the interrogation. they said that's defamation, criminal libel in italy. >> i know that you and amanda's family are hoping for the best outcome that she will be found not guilty. but how have you prepared yourself for the possibility that in fact she will be found guilty? >> witnesses can and do lie. evidence never does. the evidence never lies. we're hopeful, i think cautiously optimistic that the jury will see that there is no evidence in this case. the knife doesn't match. there's no dna that matches on that. she didn't confess. there's no forensic evidence. and this ritualistic slaying theory is a pure fantasy. i guess we could also say cautiously pessimistic. if there is a conviction given the horrible media in this case and innuendo, "foxy knoxy," "she devil," "angel face from seattle," there is an appeal. justice should prevail with an acquittal in this case. >> anne bremner, thank you so much. now let's get a check of the weather. thank you, meredith. you stole this piece of cardboard. it's cardboard. where did you steal it from? >> off a guy on the street. >> off a guy on the street. wow! i hate when that happens. have to get the cardboard police on you. let's check your weather, see what's happening. midsection out to california, above-normal conditions. heavy rain in texas. by mid-week, it will be rough up and down the east coast, heavy rain, maybe rain for the tree lighting. dry conditions out west, below normal temperatures midsection of the country. late week period, dry weather ththrough the southern half of e good monday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. it is cloudy and very mild on your monday morning. temperatures in the mid-50s across the area. rain in the forecast for later on today. there, you can see the rain showers moving through central west virginia just now coming into far western virginia. the shenandoah valley getting rain shortly. rain in the metro area by lunchtime. mperatures in the upper 50s to near 60 before the rain showers. >> and tt' your latest weather. al, thank you. up next, 1 in 3 of us will do some online shopping today. what you need to know before clicking away on cyber monday. right after this. we're back at 7:41. if you're 1 of the 195 million americans who did a little holiday shopping over the weekend, you know there was plenty of traffic at the malls and at the stores. but retailers are hoping you'll spend a little more money online on this cyber monday. cnbc's jane wells has more on that. hi, jane, good morning. >> reporter: hi, matt. i am at this massive 600,000-square foot facility for amazon.com in phoenix, arizona. it is like that last scene in "raiders of the lost arc." it just goes on and on. this is the last zhu zhu pet. i've found the arc. if estimates are to be believed, today will be even busier than last year. >> the orders are coming in fast and furious. >> reporter: the 300-plus workers at this amazon distribution facility in phoenix prepare for a long day with the stretch and a pep rally spelling out the company name. it's cyber monday, the day that traditionally marks the start of the online holiday shopping season. the shopping and shipping, clicking and packing, never seem to stop here. cyber monday will be yet another test of the consumer appetite in this economy. >> cyber monday is a busy, busy day. it rivals black friday. >> reporter: cyber monday first got its name when retailers noticed a spike in online sales the monday after thanksgiving that was because back then, people would dial up internet service at home waited until they could use the broadband connection at work. these days with broadband available in so many homes, retailers still try to make cyber monday special. the national retail federation says 9 out of 10 retailers are offering specific deals just for cyber mourned. a 5% increase from a year ago. >> one of our kind of hero deals is last year's ipod touch, 8 gigabyte, for $158. >> reporter: the national retail federation also predicts that 97 million americans, nearly 1 in 3 of us, will shop online today. 12 million more than a year ago. and now most will do it from home. saving time will be almost as important as saving money. >> if a consumer you'll be far less forgiving if the product isn't there, if the site experience is slow, if the shipping is going to take too long or be expensive. >> reporter: google's head of retail says searches show people are shopping for e-readers, smart phones and the season's hottest toy. >> we're seeing 75% spikes week over week just in zhu zhu pets. >> reporter: who are most people shopping for? searches of men's gifts are outpacing women's 3-1. are men that hard to shop for? >> or that may be women are much more considerate when they're shopping for their husband or significant other. you choose. >> reporter: i say both. actually, today may not be the busiest online shopping day. they say that could be december 17th, the last day for free shipping with guaranteed arrival in time for christmas. matt? it's in the mail. >> i have a lot of people who want one of those right there, jane. thank you very much. i appreciate it. up next -- is roman polanski headed for house arrest at this luxury ski chalet? the latest on that right after this. back at 7:49. infamous director roman polanski could be released on bail from a swiss prison as early as today. this as he awaits a ruling on whether he'll be extradited to the u.s. to face charges for having sex with a 13-year-old girl back if 1977. nbc's stephanie gosk has the latest. >> reporter: gus stat is one of the places to skeescape from th public eye. polanski has been held in a swiss jail since last december. he's using the home in paris to post the $4.25 million bail. in their decision a swiss court ys the bail combined with house arrest and electronic monitoring was "sufficient to avert the risk of flight" while they consider the legality of the extradition. not everyone is convinced. >> you can't get a bigger flight risk than roman polanski. >> reporter: in 1978 roman polanski fled the u.s. to avoid sentencing for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. he had been charged with five other felony counts, including rape by use of drugs and sodomy. but the additional charges were dropped as part of a plea deal. >> $4.5 million to roman polanski is not a huge amount of money. this is someone who was willing to give up his career in the united states, his life in the united states, his family here in the united states, to stay away from the justice system. >> reporter: there is already speculation he may make a break for the border. france is just 40 miles away over the mountains, a tempting route for an accomplished skier. polanski is a french citizen. by law, the government there would not extradite him. he has some powerful support. over the weekend the director's sister-in-law told a french paper president nicolas sarkozy has been involved in the case. >> i wouldn't go so far as to say thanks to the president that roman is freed but he has been super. >> reporter: but running right now may not make sense. the court decision could take weeks followed by a lengthy appeal and this isn't a bad place to wait. >> that was stephanie gosk this morning. >> that story's just going to make more people angry. people who were already angry are going to be angrier. up next, much more on tiger woods' bizarre holiday weekend car crash. what really happened. plus, inside the mind of a compulser hoard compulserive hoarder. we'll meet her. ive hoarder. we'll meet her. \s 8 beautiful morning out there. 53 degrees. some clouds out there will bring rain. we will check on that coming up shortly. it is 7:56. i'm barbara harrison. in the news at this time, the howard county students from river hill high school was killed overnight. he is being remembered this morning by many of the students there after being killed in a drunk driving crash. 17-year-old steven dankos was ride nth back of a pickup truck on saturday when it went off the road and overturned. the 22-year-old driver of that truck now faces homicide and drunk driving charges. today is the last day to smoke inside many bars and restaurants in virginia. a statewide ban takes effect november 1st. nearly 70% of fast food and service restaurants in virginia are already smokefree. if you are caught after today, the penalty is $25. we will be back with weather and traffic for good monday morning. news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell, out on the radar. light showers moving into the area. heavier, steadier rain showers out to the west. in and around the city of washington, the pavement is dry. we have huge sprinkles towards fredericksburg. be on the lookout for more rain showers. temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. we will be in the 50s before the rain moves on in. cooler sunshine for tomorrow. jerry, over to you for a check on the rhodes. tough coming in on georgia avenue. out of silver spring down to walter reed. couldn't find anything on the roadway. an accident getting over there. heads up. elsewhere, the trip in along 95 northbound, looking good headed to the capital beltway. no incidents. all lanes open. we'll be back in 25 minutes with anoth local news update. we are going back to the " 8:00 now on a monday morning, the 30th, and final, day of november for 2009. that means tomorrow begins the 25 days of christmas. happy holidays to all of you. out on the plaza with the tree in the background. look at that beauty there. they'll light that thing up in two days. >> but we get lit up -- >> there you go. every year that joke works. out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer, along with medith vieira and al roker. we have some people back here giggling since we've been out here. there was this kaind of mysterious accident tiger woods was involved in a couple more days ago. more questions and this answers. reports now police may be looking for some kind of a search warrant to help you figure out what happened. we asked you in our first half-hour to comment on how tiger woods and his team are handling this. most of us have a messy desk or room in your house but nothing compared to this. take a look at this. ere is a woman -- there she is. that woman suffers from the disturbing condition known as hoarding. it is very, very serious. easy to make jokes but there's nothing funny about this. we'll talk to her in a moment. then a little bit later on as matt alluded to, it is time to light up this year's rockefeller center christmas tree. 77th annual treat lighting ceremony wednesday, december 2nd. featuring aretha franklin, michael bouble, alicia ke. and of course you can watch it all right here on nbc. >> that is a perfect christmas tree. >> that's beautiful. >> really stunning. >> they're always beautiful. >> sometimes they've got little holes, little oddities. >> this one has two tops. remember? >> they can put that star right between them. >> nicely done. let's gin side, ann is standing by at the news desk. good morning once again, everybody. in the news this morning, police surrounded a house in seattle overnight believing a suspect in the murder of four suburban police officers might be inside. maurice clemmons is wanted for questioning in the deaths of four lakewood, washington police officers who were gunned down in a coffee shop on sunday morning. sle clemmons had a long prison sentence in arkansas commuted nearly a decade ago by then-governor huckabee clemmons has recently charged with two more violent crimes. police have reason to suspect he's been wounded. as president obama prepares to lay out his new military strategy for afghanistan tomorrow night he's prodding u.s. allies for me help. today he meets with the prime minister of australia. the president will announce his way forward in afghanistan in a prime time address tomorrow and reportedly call for up to 35,000 more u.s. troops and also provide a detailed exit plan. retired u.s. auto worker john demjanjuk went on trial in germany charged being a nazi death camp guard. asia markets are higher but stocks in europe are lower because of lingering concerns about financial problems in dubai. cnbc's erin burnett is there. erin, good morning. >> good morning, ann. this morning dew buy really is reeling from a debt crisis that all began last week when one of the biggest developers here abruptly announced he couldn't pay his loans. november 2008. stars at the $20 million party for the new "atlantis" dubai. fast forward a year. more than half dubai's construction projects are on hold. >> dubai doesn't have any oil. it had to borrow everything to build a massive tourist destination. >> reporter: borrowed too much. experts tell us more than half of dubai's property owners might default and news that one of the city's biggest developers can't make payments on his loans sent stocks tumbling around the world. >> dubai hasn't dealt with its debt addiction. they are not alone. this could lead to a domino effect for the global economy. >> reporter: dubai dreamed big. an indoor ski resort. the highest end of high-end luxury stores. and the world's tallest building, 175 stories high with a 16,000-car garage. last month i visited with the man who built the tower. >> w have almost 300,000 people moving in to the city still now in these circumstances on an annual basis compared to probably 90,000 people moving in to the state of florida during the good old times. so the show must move on. >> reporter: the show did go on this weekend as tourists filled dubai's beaches. >> this is my first time to dubai. just arrived yesterday morning. really, reay enjoying it. >> reporter: it is not so bad for dubai's ruling sheikh either. "forbes" estimates he's still worth $12 billion. close advisors of the rulers here tell me that dubai will get a bail-out from its oil-rich neighbor abu dhabi. but in off the record conversations, they're afraid this could be a step back for the mideast becoming more secretive as opposed to more open to investors. the ruler actually replaced some of the business leaders with his sons. that could be an ominous sign to everyone around the world. another gauge of the economy, a yearly analysis finds that if you bought your true love everything listed in "the versus of the 12 days of christmas," it could cost you $87,000. that's up less than 1% from last year. inflation apparently not a problem so fa 8:05. let's get another check of the weather with al. >> that's because you get a deal or that partridge in a pear tree. or the lords a leaping. winter olympics just 74 days away as we countdown to vancouver. we have four team usa hopefuls with us here on the plaza. joining us, snowboarder seth wescott, skier julie mancuso, julie chu. 74 days away. pressure mounting formakering the team? >> well. september i got half my pressure out of the way with a good event. one more before christmas. >> how important is this do well in these race leading up to vancouver? >> there is a lot of races. i just actually got back from one in aspen. we're just traveling all over the place. so it is important to get going fast.assuming you'll make the team, this will be your third trip to the olympics. are you planning it to be jus as exciting at the first two? >> absolutely. we have a lot of young players on our team. we always make sure we travel with real comfort. some of that is carrying a toothbrush around and crest pro health. we are on the road all the time and always good to have comforts of home. >> j.r., you had a pretty serious injury to your leg earlier this year. >> yes, i did. actually i have a little pressure off because our olympic trials was in september and that's where i got injured. i'm working hard to come back from my injury and will be back soon. >> we wish you guys all good monday morning. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. mild, a little bit of sunshine, waiting for the rain showers to come in later this morning and early this afternoon. check of live doppler. sprinkles into charles county, northern portions of st. mary's county. a few sprinkles in parts of montgomery county. temperatures in the mid-50s now, will be near 60 before the rain moves in. chilly sunshine returns for tomorrow. >> don't forget, any time you want your weather, day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. and also don't forget, you can see all of the olympics on networks of nbc. coverage begins february 12th right here on nbc. meredith? >> can't wait for that, al. thank you very much. up next -- tiger woods' bizarre one-car accident and the unanswered questions that linger in that case. unanswered questions that linger in that case. but first, these messages. . like crispy shrimp, hand-battered, cooked until golden brown. and smoked chicken, topped with fresh ingredients just for you. part of our three courses, two people, $20 deal, where you can share an appetizer, choose two entrees, like our fall-off-the-bone tender baby back ribs or a new pulled pork sandwich, and share a dessert. for a limited time, only at chili's. by changing her medicare prescription plan. all we had to do was go to cvs.com and use the free savings calculator. we learned that changing your medicare part d plan could save an average of $612. woman: we just entered my prescriptions, and it compared plans for us. it was easy to find the right plan for the prescriptions i need. your cvs pharmacist can help, too. come in today, or go to cvs.com before december 31st to find the best plan for you -- at cvs/pharmacy. to earn cash back from holiday shopping. that was easy. earn cash back on purchases to pay down your credit card or go into savings. with the power rewards® visa® credit card. only from bank of america. caused by a coletely blocked artery, another heart attack could be lurking, waiting to strike. a heart attack caused by a clot, one that could be fatal. plavix, taken with other heart medicines goes beyond what other heart medicines do alone to provide greater protection against heart attack or stroke and even death by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots. ask your doctor about plavix, protection that helps save lives. (female announcer) if you have stomach ulcer or other condition that causes bleeding, you should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines including aspirin, tell your doctor before planning surgery or taking aspirin or other medicin with plavix, especially if you've had a stroke. some medicines that are used to treat heartburn may affect how plavix works, so tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines. if fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. a rare but potentially life-threatening condition reported sometimes less than two weeks after starting plavix. other rare but serious side effects may occur. (male announcer) if you take plavix with other heart medicines continuing to do so will help increase protection against a future heart attackr stroke. feeling better doesn't mean not at risk. stay with plavix. back at 8:11. it is one of the most talked-about car accidents ever that landed tiger woods in the hospital for a short time on friday. now he has issued his first statement about the crash. nbc's mark potter is near the woods' home in windermere, florida. mark, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, matt. on his website, tiger woods said that he alone was responsible for the accident. he also praised his wife for helping him and he asked the public for privacy. he said, "this situation is my fault and it's obviously embarrassing to me and my family." he vowed also to never let it happen again without actually referring to a -- defining what he was referring to. following records that suggest that he and his wife may have had some sort of disturbance, a fight, something like that, before the accident, woods said on his website, "the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible." he then went on to say, "my wife elin acted courageously when she saw that i was hurt and in trouble. she was the first person to help me. any other assertion is absolutely false." now meanwhile, his attorney and sat agents say that tiger woods will not speak with crash investigators by the florida highway patrol and by law, he is not required to do that. >> mark potter in florida for us this morning, thanks very much. a veteran sports journalist and author and also dan abrams, that's absolutely right, no legal requirements that tiger woods talks to these investigators right now. but, dan, if he's willing to issue a statement, the common sense question is why isn't he willing to talk to the police. >> well, because talking to the police is very different than issuing a statement. the bottom line is you can issue a statement and you can say basically whatever you want. once you start talking to the authorities, you've got to answer very specific, detailed questions and you've got to make sure that everything you say is absolutely -- think about a statement, it is so intentionally vague, there is no way the authorities would ever let him get away with it. >> but a typical sports fan and a typical person living in this country would have to ask the next question, why, tiger, is it a problem to answer specific and detailed questions about what you say is a simple car accident? >> matt, i get that he's trying to protect his wife here. i get that. you can never fault a guy. but he's acting like a guilty person. >> wait a second. you get that he's trying to protect his wife. you've already been a jury on this. >> no, i just think it is a preposterous version of thinks that somehow she took a driver or hybrid golf club and turned it into the jaws of life to get him out of this car. when you listen to the 911 tape, there's no mention of this and it sounds like the guy came out as soon as he heard the car hit the tree. >> you read his statement carefully. mark potter just read parts of it. it could be absolutely true that she is the first person who was there on the scene. it could be absolutely true that he is human, et cetera. but he's not addressing the fundamental question of, was this simply an accident or was it caused by something else. >> mike, this is the most famous athlete on the planet right now. one of the most famous people on the planet right now. he's the guy with millions and millions of dollars in endorsements. is the way he's handling this going to hurt him substantially in that area. >> >> i don't think it is going to hurt him substantially. i always said that the guys who got into problems with steroids in baseball were the guys who were old and couldn't hit or pitch their way out o trouble. he will golf his way past this. and i think he's relying on the goodwill that he has built up. but when you look at the way this has been handled in the last 72 hours, there ought to be some kind of joke like how many crisis managers does it take to screw in a lightbulb. the best way to handle this would have been to take it straight on from the start. >> we asked some of our viewers -- dan, il give you a chance in a second -- to weigh in on this. this one is representative of a lot of the comments we get and says, i'm wondering why this needs investigation. it was an accident where he did not do any damage to anyone else's property, no harm to anyone other than himself. if this was not tiger woods, would there be any interest, period? >> let me create a hypothetical situation. assume that a man -- not talking about this case -- a man goes after his wife. assume with a golf club. she's in her car. she says, you know what? i want to be done with this. a lot of people out there would say, wait a second, the authorities need to investigate this. >> because this guy showed possible domestic violence. >> exactly. when it comes to domestic violence, we take it seriously. don't know that that's necessarily the case here but let's not just say, oh, it is tiger woods, we need to just give him his privacy, et cetera, we need to apply the laws in exactly the same way in this case as any other case. if this were just an accident, that's one thing. if there are allegations that she had a golf club and she may that hit that car -- >> the problem is, if it hadn't been for national enquirer story that perhaps linked tiger woods to another woman -- let's be honest here. a lot of what the national inquirer and other magazines like that print is wrong. just plain wrong. some of it's true, some of it's wrong. but if that story weren't in the universe right now, these little scenarios wouldn't even be out there. >> possibly. they might still be out there because i think that there still might be some questions about what happened there. i don't think -- based on what we've seen so far, i don't think anyone is going to accept at face value the idea that tiger woods left his house, crashed into a fire hydrant, simply it was an accident, his wife comes in and rescues him. why? because tiger woods would have said that already if that's what happened. >> mike, if tiger woods grants an interview with the police in ten days, isn't it going to raise even more questions that perhaps he was waiting until some scratches or scars healed before letting -- smart police investigators get a good look at him? >> there is no question that once it went 48 hours it was bad. if it goes a week, it's bad. how did a car that wasn't supposed to be going 30 miles an hour end up with him unconscious in the street. >> too many questions. thanks, guys, very much. thanks for coming in on short notice, too. up next, the troubling life of a hoarder. we'll talk to the woman who actually lived inside this home. we'll talk to the woman who actually lived inside this home. right after this. first ballet recital. oh, and this is when i got a two-wheeler. pretty awesome. i used to have one of these. there's a new one. 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( squeaking ) good news for anyone with a lot of driving to d - ( barks ) - efficiency to move you forward. back at 8:21. now to the troubling and fascinating disorder known as hoarding. the excessive collection if terms and the inability to throw those possessions away. the a&e reality show "hoarders" highlights people who suffer from the condition as they try to get their lives back in order. >> what room is this? >> this used to be my bedroom. >> so what's back here, gail. >> that's where the goats have eaten a hole in the wall. yeah. i think creatures could be coming in. i think there may be possums living in the back rooms. >> we are joined now by gail who you saw in that clip. robin is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with the show and consulted gail as well. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> gail, if i can start with you. looking at that video now, what goes through your mind? >> it's alien. it's completely foreign to me. it's looking at a tv show. i don't associate with it at all. i know that's my stuff. >> and that is the way that you lived your life. >> oh, yeah, completely disassociated from that. >> gail, why did you decide to go public? we were talking on the break about the stigma attached to hoarding, people like to make fun of those or don't appreciate how serious the condition is. >> that's exactly why. because there are, i'm sure, millio of people out there who are living like that who aren't getting any help at all. >> but how did you live like that? we talk about the goats eating through your house. there were cats and dogs, dead rats, lots of garbage bags full junk. no heat, no running water. >> yes. that's a good question. because i really honestly don't know. i don't have an answer for -- you just go through the day- day-to-day grind and you do disassociate yourself from that. i was oblivious to it. >> you have a job so you would go out and nobody at your job knew what was going on whatsoever. >> oh, no. >> doctor, you referred to hoarding as a cpulsive disorder. what's the cause of it? >> there is a lot of research out currently and we are still trying to understand it but we believe it is due to chemical imbalance that causes people to have incredible difficulty being able to throw away items that to other people don't have purpose or value. ultimately as in gail's case, it begins to overrun the home to the point where rooms are not able to be used for the purpose that they're intended. >> gail, it was your daughter who alerted the show and basically called you on the carpet and said, mom, we got to deal with this. during the process where the show was removing stuff from your home, you get emotional at certain points. what was the process like for you? >> it was very difficult. it really was. i jokedround a lot about it. but it was very, very difficult. a lot of this stuff in my situation, a lot of this stuff was my parents' stuff, who were both hoarders, and i moved my stuff in on top of them to take care of them. and i said earlier to someone that when -- when something has been precious to someone that you love, and then you say it has no value to me, it's almost like you're saying they have no value to me. it was really difficult. it was really difficult. >> doctor, two points. one, gail said her parents had been hoarders themselves. is there a again nick component to this? >> it is pretty common that we'll see an overlap, up to 85% of people that become compulsive hoarders we tend to see that there is a genetic link. >> also, you were very protective of gail during this process of shedding those possessions as well because you wanted her to be in control. prognosis now for her, if it is a chemical imbalance? >> i'm sorry, what was the question? >> t good morning. i'm joy krebs. in the news 4 today, chopper 4 is over breaking news in prince george's county. a bad way to begin your monday. this car crashed into this pond off the beltway near branch avenue in forestville. the driver is okay after being rescued from the car. he was the only person in the car. the cause of that accident still under investigation. well, today is the last day to smoke inside many bars and restaurants in virginia. a statewide ban takes effect tomorrow. if you are caught after smoking after today, the penalty will be $25. we'll take a break now and come back and look at our weather good monday morning. cloudy with a lot of rain. a few sprinkles in charles and calvert county. steadier rain showers moving into the shenandoah valley, coming towards the washington area. temperatures, upper 40s and low 50s. near 60 for a brief time before the rain showers move in. jerry, over to you. a live look along i-270. an accident at montgomery village. that's cleared. headed for downtown, 395, loaded up. both the express lane bridge and the regular bridge headed for the 14th bridge and lower 14th street. all the travel lanes remain open. more news, 8:30 on this monday morning, november 30th, 2009. we are kicking off our annual -- 16th annual holiday toy drive this morning. actress natalie portman playing the role of santa with our crowd. we'll talk to her in just a moment. 16 years. a special music you're listening to courtesy of -- i'm not hearing it. >> that is special christmas music. darlene love. we do have some great music from andrea bocelli. we've got some folks -- problems with our nation's pets. there is a big health risk facing them. coming up, what every pet owner should be doing to help their animals live healthier live. >> when it comes to humans, we also have a problem staying slim. a lot of us. we'll get some advice from "today's" diet and nutrition editor, joy bauer. first let's say hello to natalie portman, one of the stars of the new film "brothers." natalie, how are you? first, thank you for kicking off our toy drive. >> i'm so happy to be here for that. >> in the new movie, "brothers" you play a wife and mother. two children. your husband's going off on his fourth tour of duty in afghanistan. i understand to prepare for this film you spoke to military wives. what did you find out? >> well, it was pretty amazing to get the opportuni to, because i hadn't met many military families before. i was just amazed that they're really -- at their strength, that they are able to keep so together. i didn't realize it was this whole sort of second army of people here who are missing family members who are deployed. >> for them it really is the home front. >> i was interested, when i read i were playing a wife and mother, i remember it wasn't too long ago you were here and we were always talking to you about, do you really want to sink your teeth into some adult roles. they were always casting you as the young teenager when you were older. this has to be nice for you. >> yeah, it was a great chance to be trusted with. i was 26 playing mother to an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old. that was pretty extreme. but a nice change from the girl/woman parts. >> a great compliment to your abilities. >> did it make you want kids, or you never want them? >> no, no, no. these girls are magic. >> they're great actresses. >> amazing. >> congratulations are in order. because natalie has a movie that's been accepted at sundance. is that right? >> yes. thank you. thank you. >> natalie portman, thank you so much. >> our first "today" show elf for 2009. >> "brothers" hits theaters this friday. if you'd like to take part in our holiday toy drive, head to todayshow.com. if you donate a toy from the wish list, amazon.com will actually match it. which is wonderful. not a bad day today, though we do have some rain moving in a little bit later on, week ahead rain along coast, heavy rain in texas. snow showers in the plains. midweek, heavy rain along the coast, may cause some problems for our tree lighting. dry out west. then the latter part of the week we've got snow showers across the american tier off good monday morning to you. hopefully, you enjoyed your thanksgiving holiday. we are off to a mild start on this back-to-work and school monday. a few light rain showers moving into the shenandoah valley. sprinkles in upper montgomery county and lower prince george's, calvert, and st. charles counties in maryland. steadier rain showers coming our way later today. temperatures in the 50s most of >> these nice folks back here are all saying hi to everybody back home. mr. lauer? >> yes, mr. roker. thank you very much. when we come back, hidden hazards of overweight pets. but first, even as i talk about marshall, the thundering herd, this i back at 8:36, this morning on "today's pets," overweight animals. obesity is now the number one health problem facing our pets and our resident animal lover jill rappaport has details. >> the msage here -- no more table scraps! >> you pointing at me if. >> you with jasper. i can tell. anyway, whether you have a pudgy pooch or flag flabby, tabby, yod to get the pounds off to extend your pet's life. while our pets devour every delicious more sell of table scraps, the sad fact is 40% of our animals are dangerously overweight. just like in humans, fat can be fatal, for our fur angels, too. like lady. because of her obesity, see couldn't even walk when we first met her back in april. >> we hopefully can get her to walk, get her back to the park and running around. >> reporter: this beagle presented quite a challenge for the rehab department at the animal medical center in new york city. >> both of her knees went because she had so much weight on her. we're going to concentrate on a lot of hydrotherapy with her since water will help support her. >> reporter: now after two knee surgeries and seven months of physical therapy, lady shed seven pounds and 17 centimeters off her abdomen. that's the equivalent to us losing 30 pounds. >> when she first came in, she couldn't breathe, she was drooling. the biggest change, not only her ability to walk but her cardiovascular function, she's so much more in shape. >> reporter: obesity is also prevalent in cats. at one point this cat weighed close to 18 pounds. >> we knew he was pretty fat but we just thought it was part of his "big" personality. >> as with people you most likely have extended his life. >> we hope. he was in a prediabetic state. we were actually injecting him and testing his blood sugar. the vet came back with his bloodwork and said he has diabetes. >> obesity is linked to a arthrit arthritis, heart disease, cancer. almost every disease we have out there, fat contributes to the inflammatory process along the way. >> it wasn't until you found out had he this life threatening disease that you actually thought, wow, you better put him on a diet? >> yeah. he's considerably happier. >> we'll bring in jill's vet from southampton, new york. dr. claude grossman and his pet, grace. who has a little bit of a weight issue. there is an irony there, doctor. >> well, we'll discover just how much of a weight issue she has. >> how do you identify whether your pet really is overweight? >> one of the tools that veterinarians use is what's called the body condition chart scoring system where we try to determine based on their size whether they're overweight or not. >> so based on grace now, her size, is she a little overweight? >> so what i like to have everyone do is to look at their own dog. grace, stand up. there we go. what we want to be able do is feel their ribs easily without a lot -- >> we've lost your mike here. there you go. so you're feeling grace's ribs. >> what we want to deal o is fe for their ribs and not have a git wad of fat. grace has a little bit. i can pivlg an inch. >> a little bit more. >> with cats, same thing. >> yes. cats have more of a paunch. what we want to see on a dog is a sculpted waist here. grace has a sculpted waite. lo looking down, you can get a nice sense for her waist instead of being scare. we want to be able to see an abdominal tuck here, not a big paunch. >> so i'm going to rate grace as "5" being perfect, "9" being severely overweight as the graphic that you showed. i'm going to say she is about a "6." >> so maybe a little bit of work. >> she's got a little bit of swimming to do. >> labs in general, my dog gets heavy on air. i think labs have a very difficult time staying thin. >> they do. they do. >> the point is that any creature overweight, whether it is a human or an animal, it is not a good thing. thank you, doctor and jill, as well, thank you so much. up next, a revealing new memoir from one of the nation's most cornell west is a guy who's known for telling it like it is on everything from race to religion to politics. now the princeton professor and best-selling author is telling all about himself in his new memoir "brother west living and loving outloud." brother west, good to have you here. >> blessing to be here. >> happy holidays. i want to go right to something you wrote about yourself because it jumped out at me. you say about yourself, i'm a blues man in the life of the mind and a jazz man in th world of ideas. what does that mean? >> it means i tried to find my own distinctive voice and my own unique style in the academy because to be a blues person, man or woman, it's somebody who deals with catastrophe with deep love, concerned about inspiring others, actually educating and instructing others but doing it so that people actually feel good. >> i read that and i tught, is this perhaps a guy who looks at the life of the mind in a way that's filtered through trouble and frustration? >> absolutely. what i call catastrophic. but also concerned about the power of love, and the power of alwa believing that things can be better. >> i have three little kids. i was particularly interested in some of the stories you recount from your childhood and the way you describe it. jump in any time you want. you were the product of a father who was hard working. >> clifton. my brother clifton, brothers sidney. >> your dad worked at an air force base, worked hard. one of the sweetest men you ever met. your mom was a ground breaker as far as educator, principal and teacher. you love your story about them finding a house they lived in an all-white neighborhood, they said that's okay, we're going to be the first african-american family here. what happened? >> they just went to each house and said the west family's here, we're here to stay, we're high-quality people, reached out, shook hands with them and kept moving. >> it couldn't have been easy. he did that, put on his jacket and tie and went out and introduced himself after he met with pretty fierce hostility from the neighbors. >> absolutely. man next door, very kind white brother who embraced us if that way. but i think more than anything else, it was a recognition that when you have integrity, dignity, and a sense of worth, that in fact you set a model and say i will never be half the person my mother or my father actually dad was and mom actually is. that means for me -- i think about living and loving outloud, if i can begin to bare witness to justice, always tie it to love, compassion, not revenge or bitterness. >> i love what a powerful role model and what a powerful example your father set for you and your siblings when he went out and did that. >> exactly right. >> you say every family needs to be family, education and spiritual grounding to be successful. it has to be frustrating to you, cornell, when you look today and realize how few kids are getting all three. >> it's true. oftentimes you can be in the church, in the mosque, in the synagogue and still not get t spirit owl grounding you ought, because by spiritual grounding i mean the recognition of the role of humility on the one hand but also determination on the other and getting outside of one's own ego. so you have a hypersensitivity to the suffering of others. i take quite seriously hebw scripture, the orphan and the widow at the center of our focus at the center of our moral -- >> your father knew the power of education. he also knew the tools of power, parenting. your success, he was once interviewed but. and he said, "you know what? i don't need 30 minutes to answer that question. i don't even need a minute. i can give you the answer to parenting in four words -- be there for them." >> that's exactly it. that's exactly it. i think more than anything else, what this book acknowledges is not the myth of being self-made. i'm not a self-made man. i am who i am because somebody loved me, somebody cared for me, somebody attended to me. i didn't birth myself, i didn't father myself, i didn't mother myself. i've got mentors, like martin keelson, press son williams, i got close friends, my brothers tavis smiley, as you know, published this text. maryann rodriguez, been my assistant to keep me going. i got close partners to sustain me. that makes all the difference, my brother. i'm a love child. >> somebody said it takes a village. that's what you're saying. cornell west, great to have you here. "living and loving outloud." >> thank you so much, my brother. have a wonderful holiday, you and your precious family. indeed, indeed. coming up next, a special holiday performance from andrea bocelli. but firs ♪ >> announcer: the "toyota concert series" on "today" brought to you by toyota. toyota. moving forward. >> tenor andrea bocelli is out with his first-ever holiday album, featuring some of the biggest names in music. "my christmas." >> why did you decide to do this now? a lot of artists choose to do holiday albums. why now? >> i've been thinking about it for a long time. but for an album so important like this, one needs to have the best condition. first one, to have the good foster with me. i discuss wh him. finally he said, why not? yes. for this reason now finally i have my christmas album. >> david, i understand you guys were talking about five years this was in the making. >> it was. this voice is so great and we paired him up with people like mary j. blige and reba mcintyre. natalie cole. the muppets. andrea's voice is so spectacular, he covers all the ground. we did a pbs special -- >> were those tricky collaborations? >> not really. because everybody wants to sing with andrea, from mary j. to the muppets. they're all going, yes, we'd like to sing with him. >> are you going on tour, andrea? >> yes. i will be soon in toronto, new jersey, los angeles and las vegas. >> fantastic. it is a pleasure to have you here. >> thank you very much. >> what are you going to perform for us now? >> yes. "white christmas." >> andrea bocelli. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ [ singing in foreign language ] ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas justike the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas with every christmas card i write ♪ ♪ may your days be merry and bright and may all your christmases and may all your christmases and may all your christmases be white ♪ >> again, the album is called "my christmas." andrea bocelli, thank you so much. we are back with more of "today" after your local news and weather. our time is 8:56 on this monday, the 30th and final day of november. a live look outside. clouds above us. good morning. i'm joe krebs. in the news 4 today, we are following breaking news. chopper 4 is over that news in montgomery county. there is a water main break in kensington near gail street between high view and woodbdge avenue. let's go to jerry to get the traffic impact. looks like traffic having not much of an impact at all, back in the neighborhood on gale street off of beersmill road. it does appear the integrity of the roadway will be compromised by the water main break. we will keep a close watch and keep you updated up in kensington. a little slow 66 to the roosevelt bridge, an earlier accident has been cleared. thanks very much. we will take a break and come back and look at our weather forecast. stay with us. good morning. light rain showers. dry around the metropolitan area. rain showers out into the shenandoah valley are moving our way. don't stray too far from the umbrella on your way out the door this morning. temperatures in the upper 40s to low and mid-50s. mostly in the 50s for high temperatures. cloudy and mild. passing showers becoming more and more likely with each hour going by. for tomorrow, sunshine makes a comeback. breezy and cooler with highs in the upper 40s and low 50s. 59 today with the rain showers. 52 tomorrow with the sunshine. rain returns again late wednesday night and lasts through the day on thursday. sunny and cold for this upcoming weekend. back over to you, joe. thanks very much. we will have more news, weather and traffic coming up in 25 mi we're back now with more of "today" on this monday morning, the 30th of november, 2009. final day of the month. the holiday season getting into full gear right now. the lighting of the christmas tree two nights away. lots of good things and lots of nice people out on the plaza. probably going to go off and do a little retail or cyber therapy after watching the show this morning. i'm matt lauer along with al roker an ann curry. coming up, lots of questions still swirling about that late night or middle of the night car accident, one-car accident that golfer tiger woods got himself into. the 911 call has been released. he posted a note on his website but as of yet he has not talked to police about that accident. we'll get the latest in just a little while. also coming up, after a weekend of eating stuffing and potatoes and pies, the bad news for your diet is that is just the beginning of the holiday eating season. we have nutritionist joy bauer here this morning to help us all with our diets and get them back on track and answer your questions. >> duct tape works. a little bit later on, ever wonder what goes on in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant? we'll reveal the secrets of servers and get the inside scoop on picking the right food and getting better service next time you go out. >> this going to gross me out? >> some of it might but some of these are good tips to get the best service. we begin with the headlines. police negotiators in seattle spent hours this morning trying to make contact with a suspect in the murder of four police officers. police surrounded a home overnight where they said that maurice clemmons was holed up or even possibly dead. they believe that he was wounded in the coffee shop where he allegedly gunned down four lakewood, washington officers on sunday. a search is under way this morning for a floda man suspected of fatally shooting four relatives after thanksgiving dinner. nbc's michelle kosinski is in j jupiter, florida with more. >> reporter: police consider this man, palmu paul merhige. they sate sat through thanksgiving dinner here like nothing was wrong. as everybody was saying good-bye, he went to his car, came back with a gun and started shooting. federal marshals have joined the search for him but there's no sign since thanksgiving night. it was a prominent fram, a dinner, and then a massacre without warning. police say merhige first shot and killed his sister carla, her husband was critically wounded. he turned his gun on a 76 aunt and 6-year-old cousin asleep in her bed. set to perform in the "nutcracker" the next day. this foe was taken hours before she was murdered. her father who tried to save her sat two seats away from the shooter through dinner. >> he literally stood at my baby's bed and shot her. >> reporter: the family says merhige was brilliant but suffered mental problems. still, no one imagined this and they don't know where he is. >> beautiful little girl. the whole family is beautiful. >> reporter: eerily, 30 years before, merhige's opera singer aunt going through a divorce shot and killed her husband and two children before taking her own life. now this family mourns again, a similar tragedy, an unfathomable ss. police say merhige was able to buy three guns in the weeks leading up to this. he drove away from the house in his blue toyota camera. that's what they're looking for. as president obama prepares to make a prime time address tomorrow night on his decision about afghanistan, today he prods a u.s.lly, the prime minister of australia. at a speech at west point, the president is reportedly to send 30,000 more troops. iran's president ahmadinejad made a defiant announcement sunday saying iran will now build ten new nuclear enrichment sites. the announcement appears in response to the international atomic energy agency which demanded iran stop construction at a site that was previously secret. rescuers in eye lard spent the weekend reaching out to stranded flood victims. on sunday boats were needed to evacuate houses and nursing homes near dublin. ireland has endured more than a week of heavy rains. today the grand slam tennis association levied a fine on williams, $175,000, but it will be cut in half if she commits no further major offenses during a two-year probation period. "twilight" held on to the top spot at the weekend box office taking in more than $42 million. "the blind side" was second, and "2012" was third. five minutes past the hour. let's get a check of the weather now from mr. roker. he has a special guest. >> absolutely. we indeed do. our 15th -- 16th annual toy drive has given out $15 million in toys and books so far. we hope to give every child on our list a book as well. rachel from dk publishing has been helping us reach that goal. over the years you guys have donated more than $9 million worth of books. why is it so important for you to do this? >> we just think that books are such important parts of kids' lives. you see pictures of kids we get from the toy drive, kids clutching the books we donate every year really touches our hearts. we made sure this year we continue donating. it is a rough year for people but we're still giving $1 million worth of books this year. >> that is terrific. thank you so much. why do you think a book makes such a good gift is. >> because kids get hours of enjoyment out of a book. they learn things about themselves. we've got a book about the human body. they can learn why they can't go to sleep at night or why they sneeze. all sorts of silly facts. then also they learn cool things like lego "star wars." we do that amazing visual guide. they can learn about the toys they love and get some education. it is educational and super fun. >> rachel, thank good monday morning, everyone. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. it is a mild and cloudy start to our work and school week here in the washington area. rain showers not too far away. most of the rain coming out of the shenandoah valley and over the blue ridge into western loudoun county. much of northern county getting in on the rain showers. these rain showers will continue to push into the area over the late morning and afternoon hours. keep your umbrellas handy. it is i >> let's take a quick look at your national weather. we've got a frontal system stretching from new england all the way down into texas with a couple of low pressure systems draped along it. that's going to bring in heavy rain especially down in the southeast with an upper-level low developing back through the southwest. that's going to be snow. first the rainfall, talking about anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain in extreme southern texas, heavier rain also along the gulf coast. and snow back through the southwest. we're talking about anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow throughout parts of the southwest. that's what's going on. now let's go back inside to ann. now we're going to have the latest on the car accident involving tiger woods. he's now issued a statement about the crash as his say they are still investigating what happened. nbc's mark potter is in -- near the woods' home in windermere, florida. hey, mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. tiger woods says he alone was responsible for that accident. he praises his wife for helping him and he's asking for privacy. this as authorities have made public that 911 tape. the 911 tape released by the florida highway patrol is of a neighbor calling after tiger woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree near his house at 2:25 a.m. friday. >> what happened? what's wrong? >> i have a neighbor. he hit the tree. we came out here just to see what was going on. i see him, he's laying down. >> by hit the tree, do you mean auto accident? >> yes, there was an auto accident. >> is he unconscious? >> yes. >> are you able to tell if he's breathing? >> no, i can't tell right now. >> reporter: on his website tiger woods says he's suffering cuts, bruises and is sore from the single-car accident. he also says this situation is pie fault and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. i'm human and i'm not perfect. i will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again. following reports alleging the golfer's infidelity, which a new york woman strongly denies, and allegations woods and his wife elin had been arguing before the crash, woods says, the many fats, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible." he went on to say, "my wife elin acted courageously when she saw i was hurt and in trouble. she was the first person to help me. any other assertion is absolutely false." golf.com says that statement is very much in line with woods' personality. >> tiger woods has been very careful throughout his career with what he says, who he says it to and when he chooses to speak to the media. >> reporter: on is under the florida highway patrol issued its own statement saying for the third time since the accident troopers attempting to interview woods were turned down after woods hired an orlando attorney, who according to authorities, said the interview had been canceled. now woods' agent has told cnbc that his client believes that he has nothing more to tell authorities about what he believes is a private matter and the florida highway patrol concedes that he does not legally have to talk to them. another unanswered question is whether woods will actually appear at his own golf tournament in california later this week. ann? >> mark potter this morning, thanks. coming up here on "today," what your restaurant doesn't want you to know about the food on your table when we reveal the secrets coming up. but coming up next on joy's di s.s., how to make sure your diet and waistline survive thholiday season. for little bodies with fevers... and big bodies on high blood pressure medicine. tylenol works with your body in a way other pain relievers don't... so you feel better... knowing doctors recommend tylenol more than any other brand of pain reliever. goodwrench... we roll out the blue carpet for drivers of these great gm brands. we can do the small things, the big things, just about everything... right inside your gm dealership. find out more at goodwrench.com. with two scoops! of raisins harvested at the peak of sweetness, and golden flakes of bran with 28% of their daily fiber, nothing gets your family's day off to a brighter start... than the goodness of kellogg's raisin bran cereal. feed their sunny side. like 2009 h1n1, wash your hands and get your flu shot. regularly disinfect surfaces. and talk to your friends about doing the same. let's help spread protection against flu viruses like 2009 h1n1. ♪ doo doo doo woman: there's only one disinfecting wipe with a low streak formula. clorox disinfecting wipes. what's the difference between rough winter skin and soft summer skin? jergens ultra healing lotion delivers healing moisture 5 layers deep for softer, visibly smoother skin no matter what the season. jergens ultra healing lotion. this morning on "joy's diet s.o.s.," holiday hang-ups. ifou're still feeling the stuffing and gravy bloat, you know how tough it is to stay healthy throughout the holidays with all the parties, family get-togethers. here to help, joy bauer. good to see you. you had a good thanksgiving? >> i did. thanks for color coordinating with me. we got the call. >> a lot of folks feel helpless after thanksgiving but it doesn't have to be that way. >> no. it is one day. now think about the entire month of december. you're going to go off here and there. >> a lot of people say, it is the holiday, just let it go. >> no, because it is an entire month. you can go off though from time to time. >> first question, kerry hea hartman, from muskegon, michigan. >> hi. i've lost 137 pounds. i'm determined not to gain anything throughout the holiday season. so my question is i plan on doing a lot of baking throughout now and christmas. can you give me some tips on how to lighten up my cookies? >> go, carrie! you are the ultimate holiday inn spiration. there are three baking tips that everybody needs to know that can literally shave off hundreds of calories when you hit the holiday treats. the first is when a recipe like brownies or quick breads, cakes, cookies, calls for oil, you can swap out the same amount that the recipe calls for in oil for 100% canned pure pumpkin or unsweetened apple sauce. your res me may be slightly more caky but it will be just as delicious. if you can imagine, if you swap out one cup of oil for one cup of the pumpkin or apple sauce for that recipe, you'll save 1,800 calories. the second tip is, when a recipe calls for a total amount of sugar, typically if you reduce the sugar by a quarter of the amount it calls for, the quality of the final product tastes and texture is not going to be tampered with or suffered at all. >> how many calories would you save? >> it depends how much sugar you start with. but you can reduce it by a quarter of the amount it calls for. the last tip is sort of obvis. you want to decrease the extras that recipe's called for. in other words, icings, whipped cream, sprinkles. >> but i like the frosting! >> but the dessert is usually sweet enough. really what the extras do is it competes with the original flavor. i know some ad schladds, color czar. >> but frosting is the dessert! just have frosting. carrie, did that help? >> thanks, carrie. >> we've got carol marshall on the phone. she's calling in. carol, what's your question? >> yes, hi. i know i'm going to splurge on a lot of rich, high-calorie foods at upcoming holiday parties. should i skip breakfast on those mornings? >> i know the answer to thi one! >> in theory it sounds like a perfect plan but most often what happens is you wind up going to these hiday parties rachbous, then you eat everything in sight. i'm going to bounce my answer o off of a lot of recent research that shows high-protein breakfasts, particularly the egg, leave you feeling satisfied for longer times than high-carb breakfasts. in the perfect world, this is what you do the morning of a party. have a low calorie and white omelet. one egg, beat with two to three egg whites. add in a whole lot of vegetables. on a skillet with no-stick spray. it is low calorie and high-protein. you'll go into your holiday party feeling light, in control in terms of your appetite and you'll have calorie wiggle room. >> befe you go to a holiday party, should you have a small meal before you go in, especially an evening party? >> if you're hungry. >> but if you're not? >> if you're not, can you go right to the party. if you're hungry and your mouth is already watering thinking about what's going to be at that party, do your appetite a favor and take the edge off. maybe nonfat yogurt, baby carrots, something. >> what are some of the best low calorie diet-friendly cocktails to order at holiday parties. >> love her question. >> drink up. you. >> when it comes to alcohol, the simpler the better. alcohol itself is really not that caloric, it is not that fattening. it is really the sugary mixers that put it over the top. a peppermint patty martini will cost you about 300 calories but a glass of red or white winer a glass of champagne is going only 120 calories. so keep it simple. again, look at list that we have as the graphic. these are all between 100, 120 calories. take a shot of vodka, club soda and a splash of your favorite juice. 120 calories. >> director joe michaels just has grain alcohol. >> whoa! >> all right. got aer waiting to ask a question, something about the worst foods out there for the holiday season. linda in tennessee. >> hi, joy! my question today is, i need to know what are some of the unhealthiest holiday foods that i should avoid at all cost. >> everything! >> oh, no! there are a lot of holiday fare that would compete for this prize. but my words of advice is to just load your plate with an appropriate portion of everything that looks good to you and jt stay at that one plate. if you pin me against a wall and say but what are those three foods, i would say for the entree, which may surprise people, prime rib. it is one of the fattiest cuts of meat. >> but it's so good. you know how you make it better? frosting! >> in terms of a dessert -- it's probably going to be pecan pie. then in terms of the beverage, eggn eggnog. eggnog is not only artery clogging with a lot of cal roaric fats, go with apple cry dar. >> hi, joy. i go to parties, i promise myself i'm going to stay away from the sweets and desserts. but then i see the cookies, i see the brownies and the cakes and i lose all myself control. s.o.s., any suggestions for me? >> i think there are a lot of people that relate to the scenario that you just described. if that's your m. 06o. -- it ist working for you. when the dessert starts to come out, fill your plate with fresh fruit. when there's none available, swipe some from the cheese platter. then you find the dessert, the decadent dessert that looks absolutely the most sensational to you and you take a palm-sized piece of it, whether it is a brownie, two small cookies, a half a slice of pie. you put it on your plate. first take the fruit to take the edge off. then you enjoy every single decade bite of that dessert. and no guilt allowed. >> there you go. all right. felicia, hope that helps you this holiday season. i got four words for you -- pigs in a blanket. >> al, i thought you were my friend. >> you are! i'm just saying pigs in a blanket. joy will be back a little bit later on. she'll welcome another member into the "joy fit club." this 20-something dropped a whopping 105 pounds without surgery. first, these messages. hey, i'm summer. one day something hit me. my pc should be safer. so i passed this along to microsoft. just like that, windows 7 comes out. and what do you know? it helps block out the stuff that might mess with my pc, and it keeps my personal info safer. now, was this all because of me? what do you think axel? that's a yes. i'm a pc and windows 7 was my idea. to earn cash back from holiday shopping. that was easy. earn cash back on purchases to pay down your credit card or go into savings. with the power rewards® visa® credit card. only from bank of america. hey jay. i think my lights are freaking out your dog. no, it's just that... he doesn't like people flaunting their wealth. but we're not wealthy. i believe you, but... that's a lot of lights. ♪ chestnuts roasting ♪ on an open fire coming up, what your waiter may not be telling you. from the lemon wedges to the special of the day. the inside scoop on what you should be ordering and maybe not be behaving badly about it. later on -- we'll have the five best winter travel deals out there. first your local news and weather. my favorite part? eating it. honey bunches of oats. taste the joy we put in every spoonful. honey bunches of oats. 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. new honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. my muscles just ache... ... all over my body... ...it just doesn't go away. it's so baffling. 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(announcer) there is hope. understanding your pain... ...is the first step to treating it. talk to your doctor and visit fibrocenter.com for answers and support. as what it looks like outside, 9:26 right now. 53 degrees. cloudy skies here in the nation's capital. beautiful picture of the jefferson memorial. this monday, the 30th day of november. good morning. i'm joe krebs. we are following breaking news in kensing con, maryland, where a water main break has caused serious flooding. it happens on gail street between highview and huggens drive. the ten-inch main broke around 8:00 this morning. not clear how many homes are affected. more on the story coming up on news 4 midday. let's check with jerry to see how it is affecting traffic. fortunately, gail street is just a small neighborhood street so from a traffic perspective, won't have a major perspective. watch for crews getting out there and taking care of that. it will be quite the mess for some time. elsewhere, on 66, still loaded up on the roosevelt bridge, had an accident there earlier on the e street expressway that now has been cleared. we will take a break and come back and look at our weather right afte good monday morning. rain showers are on the way. don't stray from home without your umbrella. more rain late wednesday and thursday. joe? thanks, jerry. another update in 25 minutes. ♪ did you know that barry manilow started his musical career by learning the accordion at the age of 7? he's gone on to be a crooner for decades. >> you didn't know that. >> you learn something new every day. coming up this morning in this half-hour, the question also is can you believe what your waiter or waitresses are telling you? >> i would like to. ask the waiter what's the best thing on the menu, but can you trust that recommendation? depends on the person. research reveals there is a code. we'll tell you how to crack it, when to order the special and when to avoid it and how to get the best service all around. i always think it is a good sign when he goes -- >> i think i would follow that advice. also speaking of food, there is a restaurant not far from here, about 45 miles out of the city that's earning some rave reviews. it is called the bedford post inn. you might actually recognize the proprietors. richard gere and his wife. we'll find out what they're cooking up coming up. but first a check of the weather. absolutely. first of all, we're talking about wet weather up along the eastern seaboard for the week ahead. heavy rain down in texas. then as we move into mid-week, below-normal temperatures from the plains down into texas. dry out west. heavy rain along the eastern seaboard. latter part of the week, now good monday morning, everyone. i'm news 4 meteorologist, chuck bell. it is, indeed, a cloudy start re in the washington area. rain showers are on the way. here is a check of live doppler. rain is encroaching on western fairfax. much of northern fauquier and prince william and loudoun county getting in on the rain showers. cloudy and mild today. rain showers on their way. the umbrellas will be needed today. sunshine returns for tomorrow. with a guy, northwesterly >> and that's your latest weather. on the nbc drama "heroes," millions of fans follow the lives of ordinary people who possess extraordinary capabilities. tonight nathan will be taking what could be his final flight before he exits "heroes" for the last time. good to see you again. >> good to be here. >> now last season you died. >> at the very end. if you go back, i've died at the end of every season so far. >> it is like a holiday tradition. >> i'm like, is it going to stick this time? they said, no, this time you're really dead. but i meant really really dead. really. they use three reallies. >> this is your last episode? >> i believe so. >> because in "heroes," dead is a state of mind. >> that's a funny word. it's all relative. >> not so much dead. maybe just not 100% alive. >> the prospect of not coming back kind of weighseavily on you because you love this. for four years you've been doing this part. right? >> yeah. i've come to really admire the true -- these are the people i'll miss the most. it is the people i spend every day with. it is like the people here, it is a family. you get to know everybody and i becomes a comfort factor in your life. i'll miss them. >> what a family. you have such a terrific ensemble that's really developed on this show. >> it's great. people are great. there is no ego. you know how that can be. one bad apple can spoil a thing -- >> oh, don't we know it here. just kidding. >> meantime, i have hato ask yo about the flying. how do you do that? anything is possible these days but tell us about the risks you took to actually do this part. >> because special effects have tten so complicated and so big in the movies, i think one of the things tv has to be responsible for is trying to update their ability to make things look as good as they do in the movie theaters. we shoot on blue screen or green screen. if i'm wearing blue it has to be a green screen. i'm in a harness, i'm hanging 40 to 50 feet above a cement floor. no bags below. quarter-inch steel cable and when you look up and it is just a tiny thing on a pulley, you know, and it's not very comfortable. >> ouch. >> but it is worth it because in the end when they fuzz out the cable that's remained seen -- they special effect it out, it really looks like you're hanging there -- sorry, flying there. >> you guys look like you're having a great time. >> we are. >> i hope you're not dead dead. >> i do, too. the way i look at it, there is a little window that i could come back. >> catch the finale -- fall finale of "heroes" tonight 8:00, 7:00 central. the secrets your waiters may not be telling you after this. 24/7 live support, and pet injury coverage. aw! are those real antlers? 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[ clears throat ] i mean, uh, ha ha ha. i like cashmere socks. covering you and your loved ones -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. of pillsbury cinnamon rolls bring everyone to the table in their sunday best maybe one of the most important... - no to fake foods. - and yes to real. yes to hellmann's. made with eggs, vinegar and oils. that are naturally rich in omega 3. with all the taste in the world. mmmmmm. hellmann's. it's timfor real. [ female announcer ] trying to be smart with the family budget? whooa!!!! [ female announcer ] let bounty help. it's thick and absorbent. in lab tests bounty absorbs twice as much as the bargain brand. why use more when you can use less? bring it. with bounty. the thick quicker picker-upper. oh, your mom brought that over. no way! these are the ornaments from when i was a kid. this is from mommy's first ballet recital. oh, and this is when i got a two-wheeler. pretty awesome. i used to have one of these. there's a new one. "for lucy, to get her started. love, grandma." look lucy, this one's for you. ( gasps ) hallmark keepsake ornaments. at your hallmark gold crown store. one of many ways to find meaning inside. the more options you have, the more likely u are to stay on track. ♪ that's why there are eight delicious kinds... of special k® cereal. ♪ because every girl could use a little variety. ♪ special k® -- now in eight delicious flavors. if you feel like going out to dinner tonight, you might want to listen to this first. the editors of readers's digest asks a dozen waiters from across the country to spill the beans on what really goes on in restaurants. the local editor in chief of "readers's digest," good morning. how did you find these waiters and waitresses and do you think they really spilled the beans? >> oh, yes. we interviewed 25 people around the country, some of them were ex-waiters and waitresses. some are active bloggers so you can find this out for yourself. but patterns started to emerge. that's when we knew we were preelly on to something. >> one of the things you found you were on to, there are lies. little white lies? >> yes. >> about what? >> is the coffee hot? oh, yes. is it homemade? yeah, but not by us. every now and then you might find somebody that would raise a fib to get more tips. you're working on christmas, why are you here? my sister's in the hospital. they might tell a fib to boost their tips. >> waiters get annoyed. what's the repercussion of that? >> well, waiters can do a little drive-by, listen in on your conversation. they can make fun of you if the back. that was one of the things i noticed. if you're having a fight with your husband and suddenly you're tting really good service, that's probably because all of the waiters are coming by to find what you're saying. >> oh, my gosh! okay. also asking for something like hot tea can be a major headache. that may make them hungry. >> hot tea. that really surprised me because i'm a tea drinker. i thought what could be so hard about this? you're not doing it. you're just boiling the water. well they haven't streamlined it the way they did with coffee, they have to go get the lemon, the honey, the assortment of tea. >> that might make them cranky. never snap, never whistle. you also say what's homemade may not be homemade but things you may think that are homemade like the soup are not necessarily homemade. >> we, i once worked in a resort kitchen. indeed, our "homemade" clam chowder came out of an industrial strength bucket. to which we added a little pat of butter to make it look like it had just come off the stove. >> the story you heard about what may be homemade cake? >> costco cakes sold for $10 a slice in a restaurant. that's a rare thing but -- >> that has to be pretty rare. it said homemade. so basically we want to have our food very fresh and you have also learned some tips about when to order what if you want freshness. >> right. i think a lot of people know that fish does not get delivered fresh every day so for example, sunday and monday you're not very likely going to get fresh fish. you have to be careful about that. also the chef special can sometimes be the thing that they really need to get rid of. it's fresh butnly for another minute or two. >> okay. now where we get down to brass tacks. if you're a germa-phobe. >> they don't really wash the lemons, they cut them up and everybody touches them. in through season, i'm just not doing lemons. >> in terms of getting the best service and the best meal, think about how you behave toward your waiter and waitress. what are tips there? >> absolutely. it is important to be nice. these folks are very busy and they're not working for a lot of money. they're working for their tips. can you get a much better experience if you treat server like a person. treat them the way you would like to be treated. recognize that if you're stiffing them on the tip you're probably stiffing the entire organization. it might not be the server's fault. always better to speak to the manager. and sometimes you can get a great experience by just saying to your server, it's a special occasion for me, it is my husband's birthday, can you help me make this something special. >> you're not recommending we lie about that. but having been a waitress, i think that being nice, having -- being engaged is a great tip. thank you so much for your information. coming up this morning still, secrets of the stars. recipes from one of the hottest restaurants with a touch of hollywood glamour in the new york suburbs. that's right after this. ackage. great. yea, mom you're the best. i thought you would like it. so, how are your classes, are you enjoying them? 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(announcer) yoplait's perfect blend of real fruit and the goodness of dairy... ...is just a peel away. explore all 25 delicious flavors. yoplait. it is so good. this morning in "today's holiday kitchen," the bedford post inn. esquire magazine named it one of the top places in the country. it's located about an hour north of new york city. but first let's meet the owners. they just might surprise you. richard gere has been a film star for the past 34 years. carrie lowell, an actress and model. married for the past seven years, their newest co-venture is inn keepers. they own the bedford post inn outside new york city. >> we live in this neighborhood. this was a building falling apart on the side of the road. we'd pass it every day, sometimes three times, four times a day. it was like a train wreck, you couldn't sort of take your eyes from. >> reporter: they mentioned the property to a friend and he said he'd help turn the wreck into a gem. >> i said absolutely not. >> and i said, yes. >> and so here we are. >> and we've had three divorces -- no, we're very happy right now. thank you. >> reporter: one thing they agree on is how great their chef is, brian lewis. >> the food is really good obviously. >> his personality is incredibly open and warm. >> he just fit with us. >> they're so passionate about not only food and wine and -- but hospitality and caring and creating an environment. this just feels wonderful and warm. >> i'm actually better at eating than cooking. >> i noticed that. i noticed that. >> you're the tester. >> it's not hot. >> put it on the burner. >> broad shoulders. i can take it. >> you want it to literally beg for more liquid. >> "give me liquid! i'm dying!" i'm just waiting for the truffle moment myself. i love my pepper. >> yes. >> love my wife. i love brian. >> you're just touching it. vigorously beat it. >> yeah, chef. >> more flavor. it just melts in with the same . >> this is the mediterrane abundance, the earthly taste. >> brian lewis now joins us. sounds like you have a lot of fun with richard and carrie in the kitchen. >> too much fun. we really have a great time. we take it very seriously but we have such a great time. lots of laughs. >> one of the things you're going to be helping us with this morning, you like to make an appetizer with roy sisotto and mushrooms. >> take next-day risotto. it's actually best second day, cold. add a little egg yolk to bond it. beautiful cheese known for its melting quality. >> you have some mushrooms. of what sort? >> black trumpet, torcinni. then just do a basic breading. keep one hand free. otherwise you end up with mittens. >> that's a trick. just use one hand at a time. then you can use the other hand because you need it. you are going to stick it in a big pot of oil. temperature about -- >> 350. >> olive oil? >> i like a mixture of olive oil and grape seed oil. a little bit of grape seed oil. more flavor but the grape seed oil keeps it so it can go to a high temperature. the olive oil gives you the flavor. didn't splatter. st a perfect, perfect level to cover. >> how long? >> just about three or four minutes. >> then you get this little item? which is delightful and crispy and perfect. >> the lovely part of this, they look so crisp and hot and warm. then you can simply take them over to your oven, 225-degree oven, leave them in there for 15 minutes. >> why? >> you want to make sure your cocktail's ready for your hors d'oeuvre party. >> very important! speaking of cocktails, who is arriving? oh, carrie's arriving! i thought it was hoda and kathie lee. >> i heard my name called. >> margaritas. >> great to have you here. i understand you dip these now. exactly right? you dip these in some yummy little -- >> my favorite. basically glorified mayonnaise, tarragon, parsley and chives or sicilian pistachio iolli, both the sauce and the orange ini come from sicily. >> how cool for you, getting this nod being one of the top ten in the country. what was your reaction to that? >> you know, we didn't expect it but we were so delighted. we didn't realize how much weight it carried in the food world. it's been a wonderful recognition and we had a great party that night, as i recall. >> yes, we did. >> congratulations to you. brian, thanks so much for showing us how to make this. we'll be right back. but first, this is "today" on nbc. and now joining us for cocktails, kathie lee and hoda. >> we have an author who's written an interesting book called "the viagra diaries." we also have a woman who dropped 105 pounds without surgery. plus the latest on tiger woods. >> thank you. our time right now is 9:56. look at thick clouds overhead. 53 degrees. looks like a fall day and feels like one as well. we have the forecast coming up. i'm joe krebs. we are following a vebidevelopi story in kensington where a water main break caused serious blooding on gail street between high view avenue and huggins drive. the ten-inch water main broke around 8:00 this morning. not clear how many homes are affected by the break. we will have more coming up on news 4 midday. right now, let's get a check off our weather forecast, chuck bell is in for tom kierein. good morning, everybody. welcome back to your work and school week after a nice holiday weekend. bright sunshine yesterday. in the mid-60s. that is now a thing of the past. here is a check of doppler radar. over the last hour, light to moderate rain showers coming out of the shenandoah valley. down into the district where temperatures sit in the mid-50s. cloudy and mild with the rain showers in and out for most of the afternoon. clears out tonight. sunshine, chilly sunshine comes back tomorrow. jerry? a couple of problems on 95 southbound, two separate accidents between newington and lorton. police are on the scene. elsewhere, prince george's county, right side, the outer loop, left side, inner loop, route 50, moving along very nicely. joe? we will have much more news, weather and traffic coming hi, everybody. it is monday, but it's going to be a great week. the last of november. >> you are in a chipper mood. >> i am. remember how kate moss got in trouble for saying nothing tastes as good as skinny feels? she's never had my mother's stuffing. >> so just so we're clear, this one has not been eating bread for how long? >> about two months. >> and you broke your little bread fast. >> yes, for my mother's stuffing. >> and how was it? >> it was unbelievable. >> what does she put in? >> i don't know if it's all wrapped up in tradition, but, no, it's -- >> that was weird. are you okay? >> it's just delicious. how was your thanksgiving? >> it was terrific. we had my brother, his wife, hanna, the cutest baby on earth and my mom and we all squeezed into my little apartment. >> you managed. >> we did manage. first of all, the prooked dinner from cinderella was the best theing we ever did. >> because you worked all day. >> it was a lot going on, but i got to tell you, that bird was delicious. and the other thing that we did was we went to radio city. and if you haven't gone there during the christmas extravaganza, it it s so worth going. first of all, they have like -- it's one of the best shows ever. it puts you in the best mood, all those santas, the songs, the rock rockettes. it was great. so tell me about yours. >> we just had a lot of family. my son's home from school. and, you know, it's just -- that's what it's all -- i don't care. my family's together. and that's what it's all about. i thought i had good knews for us about our friend, tyrone. he called on wednesday and said he had a job. tie ron is the guy that we met at the new york city mission who just has fallen on hard times. he had a job offer. i don't know that it's worked out, but hopefully we'll get you an update. if you have a job available for an incredible man in brooklyn area, you contact us here at the "today" show. >> yes. >> but over the holiday weekend, too many people had too much time to get into too much trouble. holiday weekends are tough, they're too long. >> they are. you guys know all about the tiger news. >> we don't that's the problem. >> the headline is i'm not perfect. so what happened was thanksgiving night, which bled into friday morning, 2:30 in the morning, he smacked in to a fire hydrant. and that's by his house. and i think the initial story was that his wife came with a putter or some driver and sort of became the jaws of life and smacked in the window and managed to pull him out of the car and he released a statement basically saying his wife was great and helped him and all that kind of -- >> afracted courageously. >> but he was up cnconscious ab six minutes. could not have been going more than 30 miles an hour. here's the trouble. by saying thlittle, it's create such a firestorm. everybody's coming up with their own theories and theories are dangerous things. we want to be very, very careful. but i've noticed how the headlines have changed. at first it was, oh, my gosh, he's okay. now it's like they don't like being avoided. >> and there are a lot of reports that have been circulated and up in of thenone confirmed, but a rumor that he had been are having an affair and his wife found out about it. >> she called gloria allred and said i needed apattorney. if you look at the raw video, they're both kind of standing there and looking around. >> they've never met. >> no, but it was a very public meetinging, we should say, with a gaggle of cameras. >> yeah, why? >> i don't know. >> in today's world, we can't help but being cynical. everything is spin, how it's going to look. and after a minor car accident, you should be able to say, hey, i had a fight with my wife or didn't or was going out to diaperses for the kids. but yyou better be sure you're telling the truth. >> we'll have dan on a little later and he'll say you don't need to talk to police, but i did a lot of stories on domestic violence and if there is a case of ghdomestic violence and ther are injuries -- >> whether the wife or the husband. >> and even if neither wants any charges filed at all, the police still ca file their own independent charges. >> are they required to or is it at their own volition? >> we'll ask dan. i'm not 100% on whether they make that choice himself. >> shall people are speculating that he is staying out of public view so what whatever wounds on his face can be healed so that there won't be any questions about the fact that they were i inflicted by his wife. >> so dan will be here. there are lots of meanings in tiger woods' statement. the is my fault and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. i'm human and i'm not perfect. i will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again. >> which opens again the pandora's box of so many questions about that are you human about or what are you imperfect about? people can't help but wonder. this map is one of the most famous people in the world. the highest paid athlete in the world. the first billion dollar athlete ever. you would that der abonder about situation. >> do you think it will affect it? >> somebody said earlier the people that have problems with the endorsements are the people that are no longer hitting well or golfing well. and it's certainly not going to affect his golf game except for maybe psychologically. so it remains to be seen. in michael vick's case, it was cruelty to dogs that did him in. i don't know. people seem to understand a dust-up with their wife or -- you know, a lot of people understand adultery and how much pain that causes in a person's life. >> we're also going to talk to dan, too, about those party crashers at the white house. that was a weird thing over the weend. they got all dolled up. michaele and tareq salahi showed up at the white house, they can't have i didn't have invites and somehow got in. >> they had month tickno ticket name of what taeble they had ben assigned to. >> what are they doing? >> they're happening out with joe biden. there's all kinds of talk that they were in the running for the latest bravo series, this had one call the real housewives of washington o washington, d.c. apparently they got to the white house with a camera crew and makeup artist. >> first of all, that should have been a red flag. >> can we please not give them a tv show? >> larry king was supposed to interview them and now he's not. >> because they're waiting for the big bucks. aren't we all. if somebody's willing to give me $250,000 for me to talk, i'm in. >> we have to make a phone call. >> this is everyone has a story, week. let's take a moment to listen to that. nancy hirsch from st. arles wrote in to honor her 19-year-old son. zack forever changed the life of a boy at his school simply by sitting mix to him at a lunch table one day. zack is a senior and young man he sat next to was a freshman. his name is graham jackson. always sitting by himself during lunch. and he just -- he had compassion for him. and it was a table of like ten and he was always sitting there alone. zack did a kind thing and when you find out what has happened because of the one act of kindness, that graham as as burger's syndrome, which is a form of autism. so it's just a story i can't wait to tell everybody on thursday. so right now we have the mom, nancy, on the phone, right? nancy, are you there? >> yes, i'm here. >> from st. charles, illinois, congratulations. >> thank you so much. p. >> i don't know if it was just that i have a 19-year-old son myself and i thought that's th kind of son i hope i have that would notice somebody sitting there alone and would did the kind thing. there's your son on the left and matt that on the right is graham. and they've become quite the friends. >> yes, they're great friends now and it keeps blossoming. and he's become such good friends with so many guys on the baseball team and the basketball team. >> they had a love of sport mishad common, right? >> yes, they did. it's an amazing story. it's one of those things that like a timex watch, a gift that keepses on giving sglp a real testament to you, too, just how he raised him. we can't wait to meet you and your son. >> and ingram oig and his mom will be here, as well. >> we've wren a song for you and kate baldwin who is brilliant will acceptising it for us on t. so have a safe trip to new york. >> thank you so much. >> i love this week. inlove when we get to ing these people into new york. how are you, miss sarah? >> it looks like the no bread paid off. jessica wrote in kathie lee is looking great, she deserved her mom's stuffing. >> and you're off bread again. >> yeah, not up christmas. you know what, it works. you give yourself an award and you go i can to do that again. it's only six pounds, but on a small -- >> six pounds? >> but you on a small bone person, you know, we all do what we can do. coming up next, we'll have the latest on tiger woods. we'll talk with dan abrams. real big stories creating a bhot lot of buzz. >> here to discuss the latest in the tiger woods car crash and give us low down on the white house state party crashers is nbc's chief legal analyst dan abrams. >> you probably didn't even sleep this weekend there was so much going on. >> so tiger woods crashes his car. he's okay. he says everything's fine. why are the police so interested in had talking to him and getting involved? >> well, it seens that the police are looking at the possibility of a crime, right? that's the first question. was there a crime. and then the second question is who committed the crime. meaning was it him or was it maybe even her? as you saw from this latest tmz report, they're suggesting that the authorities are looking at her possibly in terms of domestic violence. >> there are no marks on her. she's a beautiful, beautiful young lady. they would have noticed that when they came for the initial investigation. >> and no one has claimed that anything happened to her. so the question is why was his windshield smashed? the claim is that she helped me out. here's the problem. if you believe his story, which is i got in my car, i had a little accident, high wimy wife me, then just say it. if that's what happened, we would have lettered that already. but that's n what he's saying. >> how much trouble is this going to cause him not -- because he doesn't have to talk to the police. >> that's right. >> but this will hang over him forever. >> and the problem is what he's saying now isn't helping. so you get three appointments with the police, cancel. horrible pr, right? then he issues a statement which is so vague, which is basically saying don't blame her for anything, which is admirable. >> but he says i'm not perfect. >> he's clearly saying there's more to this story that we haven't talked about before but that i'm not going to talk about. >> let pretend there isn't a gh -- let's prtend there is a xhes tee charge. do they have to file charges? >> they don't have to. it if authorities come to the belief, they conclude that she swung at him, let's say, with a golf club, i think that they will file charges. now, this happen as lot. generally it tends to be a woman who is the victim -- >> even if they're arguing over alleged adultery? >> that's a moral defense. >> i knew that. >> we could talk about this forever. we have the salahis. is there a crime there? >> maybe. if you falsify federal record, if you lie to federal agents, et cetera, there are various crimes that could be filed. >> would they want to make them shall some sort of an example? because this has made us a laughing stock. >> and i think the authorities will want some revenge. oh, yeah, you think this is fun? you guys had a nice little time making a fool out of snus how about this? >> how about a reality show from prison. >> what could the possible crimes be? it's the white house. it's our house, it's not trespassing, is it? >> for example, lying to federal authorities is a federal crime. >> by pretendsing that you're invited, is that -- >> it depends what they said. it depends what happened there. that's what don't know yet. we don't know by any chance was their name mistakenly on the list, had they been able to get someone to put it down there? >> but this could not find the invitation. >> that's no question they weren't invited. these two are a piece of work. >> they come with a little louie, that's for sure. >> asking for hundreds of thousands of dollars for their story in. >> and yet we're talking about them. they got what they wanted. >> and we'll see whether they get the show. we'll see whether this backfires and hurts them or helps them. >> what do you think? >> i think it will help. >> you do? >> you look at reality tv, it is car crash tv, right? it is sort of in many cases like the worst of the worst, the most awful people in the world getting celebrated to some degree or publicly insulted. >> for bad behavior. >> right, for bad behavior. >> dan, thank you. happy holidays. >> thank you so much. all these uplifting topics. al wlis son hanigan talks about being a new mom. we'll be right back. this one time at band camp, we were playing this game. i don't know if you call it, but it's called spin the bottle. and i had to kiss this guy named mark on the lips. and he plays trombone. >> and then at band camp -- that is michelle the band camp from the enormously successful show called the american pie movie. she played the very talented -- by the very talented alilisoyso hannig hannigan. >> and she's playing her greatest role now, brand new mom. >> strange segue. >> but you were masterful. >> but your baby is eight months? >> just turned eight months. there she is. >> and who is the hunk on the left? >> that's my husband and he's actually taking that photo himself. >> you're kidding? and where were you there? >> we were on the beach in santa monica. >> right after she was born? >> yeah, that was sort of our first -- we took her out and we sort of got away from the paparazzi and went to the beach. >> i'm sure your life's changed completely. what's it like juggling and doing everything? >> it's very busy, but it is the most rewarding thing. everybody tells you, oh, it's the greatest thing in life and you're like, yeah, i'm sure it will be, but you have no idea until you experience it. >> and if it doesn't chaenk your life, you're doing something wrong. >> absolutely. >> he looks like he enjoys being the daddy. >> when you see the american pie clips, i saw you cringe a little bit 37. >> now that i'm a mom, i hope she won't see it. oh, gosh, i will set aside a nice little therapy fund for her for when the kids tease her in high school. >> you're busy with "how i met your mother" and you're reaching big milestone. >> we just shot our 100th episode. >> are you going be in rerun heaven. >> yeah, it's amazing. and especially in this day and age, it's so hard for a comedy to reach that 100 mark about. >> it's always in the writing and then in the acting and you have great writers and obviously a very talented cast. >> are they fun to work with? >> we have such a blast. we all get along and we're always pinching ourselves saying this is just too good to be true. >> how many times have you gone out for a sitcom that didn't happen? all the ingredients look like they'll come together but -- and you have no control. >> i know. >> you tnk you'll be set for the mix five years or something and they'll put your pie will the pilot on the shelf and you're at the beck and call of some studio executive. >> is everything else going well with you? >> it's really great. and i'm so fortunate because i get to bring my baby to work and they set up a big nursery for us. >> and everybody oohs and aahs. >> yes, she's great. so it's hard to juggle, but it's grar great. >> well, you got pack in shape very quickly. any advice for anybody out there? >> you know, i just breast feed. >> thank you for that. thank you for joining us. we areciate that. >> the viagra diary, one woman's take for looking for love over the age of 6 for. >> plus the latest inductee in the joy fit club. she dropped more than 100 pounds. but first your local news. a montgomery county road left crumbling after an early morning water break. we will have a report on how long it will take to clean up and repair. also coming up, what tennis player was find a record $82,000 for bad behavior at a grand slam tournament. the fine is not the only punishment. we will have all the details in and we're back on this monday with mower re of "today"? is life all about playing bridge once you turn 60? >> barbara soon discovered life isn't slowing down, it's just beginning. she's the author of the novel the viagra diaries. we have our book agent in common. so good to have you. why so good to be with both of you, and i'm 73, i'm not 60. tell the real age. >> a lot of women still lie. >> and it hurts a little, my tongueets a little dry. but i think you can be authentic and real and we can have real relationships. >> well, you have written 11 books before, but all of a sudden this little book as taken off. i heard there your daughter that they've sold the book rights, certain actresses are looks at it like sex in the city for the geriatric set. what make you want to write it? >> because i really got tired of after 60 suddenly i was treated like i was going to play bingo, i was supposed to go to assisted hifing. >> out to pasture. >> out to pasture, that i wasn't, you know, allowed to have sex anymore. don't have a career. you know, just put it all in your diary. >> let your dreams die. >> so i created annie applebaum and she's a hottie, she has a career, she wants lover, she wants sex, she wants it all. and she's true to herself. >> what are some of the issues that she has dating at that age? what things is she dealing with? >> she's dealing with a lot of men who want to be with 30 year olds, not with 70ear-old annie. shs dealing with a lot of men who cannot face age. she's dealing with her own issues of trying to be a more nest and truer self. and a lot of the men in the viagra generation use viagra like props. and i'm not saying there's anything wrong with viagra -- >> personally you're fond of viagra. >> yes, it's like a cure for polio. it's wonderful. but there has to be more intimacy. >> right. what is sexy? you talk about what's sexy at 60 or 70 or what do you see as, i don't know, something that would make you want to meet a man? >> well, first of all -- hello. >> same reason you want to. >> but sex is defined sex h. defendantly by different people. >> i know this will sound corn any, but it really isn't. once you feel good about yourself and you accept yourself, it's an inner thing. i really believe the fountain of youth is inside of us. so once you feel that and then you meet a man who also feels that, that's sexy. >> but annie applebaum meets one of those guys, a 75-year-old who is emeeotionally unavailable? >> yes, because annie has this problem and this conflict. i think just because you're 70 doesn't mean you're mature. so annie is working out a lot of her own issues where she was afraid of love and herself and she'be attracted to the jerks, you know. he was emotionally unavailable. >> so there are bad boys who have 75, too. >> bad boy beeoomers are huge. >> and there's a whole new group of people with ver near yal diseases now because they have all he's opportunities, shall we put it that way. >> at the nursing homeses? >> i won't name names, but, yes, it's a problem. >> i think after 60 they segregate us and compartmentalize us, which is really too bad. and i say pursue your dreams. follow your dreams. >> well, it would make a nice little stocking stuffer. and it's coming to a theater it sounds like pretty soon. >> braarbara, thank you so much. what's coming up next? >> i don't know. we'll have some great travel getaways, warm, cool weather, we'll take you there after this. now the best winter travel deals. if the stress of the holidayses is already getting you down, it might be time to book a vacation. >> some are lucky to get out during the wintertime. kate maxwell is the senior editor and there are nice bargains if you want to go to a warm weather place or cold weather? >> yes, we are seeing incredible bargains. even hotels that traditionally haven't discounted are doing it now. >> let's go to hmexico. >> great deals this year. very trepdy. but also good for families. and the western resort and spa has a really good deal right on the speech. you get the fourth night for free. and they'll throw in $200 worth of restaurant and beverage credits. >> i can't live and eat at my own house for that. >> are the flights reasonable? >> pretty reasonable. you're looking at about $400. so not too bad. >> if you're an expectant mom, there's a special package? >> they have a baby package there, as well. >> so there are other places, too. jamaica isne of the other spots? >> yes. beaches from the people behind sandals. it's their family brand and they have four properties in jamaica. total full on luxury. and it's 50% off at the moment. so that works out at about $165 per person. children under two travel for free. they have all sorts of great kids activities. a water park, an x box 360 game. >> like heaven. >> and what about santa fe? a little closer to home. >> one of our favorite cities. ranked number three in their favorite american cities. and loads of celebrations. a film festival this week and hotels are down about 30% at the moment. there's a place called the inn that you can see there, they have rates for $125 for the first two nights and it'ses also their birthday. the third night you get for $24. >> if you like cold weather and you're thinking about somewhere like colorado, what do you have available there? >> if you're a skier, then key sto stone, 90 minutes west of denver. stone, 90 minutes west of denver.>> if yo stone, 90 minutes west of denver.keystone, 90 minutes wes denver. $149 for a one bed condo. and there are three mountains in keystone, so you'll never ski thsame twice. >> what are the good times to travel? should you go right during the christmas holidays? >> if you can bear to, you fly on christmas day. that's a good time to go because flights are cheaper. but be as flexible as you can. try and avoid that christmas week from about the 24th to the 31st. >> and what about a city? >> this is from star wards, this is a more affordable version. kind of design or yen at a timed, great for younger people. they have a really cool bar. some have swimming pools and gyms and there are 40 around the country now including in new york and chicago. but we really hike dallas. they have a brand new performing arts center will, so amazing buildings. and they also have the knneimans flagship store. >> what is your favorite place in the entire world? >> wow. i love going to africa. i've been lucky enough to go a few times. >> and where will you be this christmas? >> i'll be back home in england. >> well, thank you so much. we appreciate it. up next, the newest member of the joy fit club tells us how she shed 105 pounds. >> the amazing results right after this. we're back with the joy fit club. she's a 28-year-old executive assistant there new york who lost 105 pounds. >> her name a stephanie and before we meet her, let's take a look at her story. >> my name is stephanie. i was not apoverweight baby and child. we loved to play outside, ride our bike, race, jump rope, all the things children do. when when i was 9-year-old rkt my grandma, who was my best fwrend, passed away. i did not know how to handle it and turned to food for comfort. it was at take point that i started my battle with my weight. when i was in my early 20s, i just accepted the fact that i would always struggle with my weight. i was 220 pounds at my wedding. when i was pregnant with my son, i ate for two. and then some. one evening, i was looking at vacation photos. i didn't recognize myself. my so that, steven, was nine months old, yet i looked like i was nine months pregnant. i saw a woman who was sad, quoefr weight, and hopeless. i had an empty smile. it was at that moment that i decided i needed to change my life. not only for my open sake, but for the sake of my son. i stepped on the scale for the first time since the day before he was born and i decided to focus my energy on creating a healthier self, someone my son would be proud to call his mom. >> okay. before we ask stephanie to come out, we're here with joy who will tell us more about her eating habits before. >> and so i asked stephanie who by the way went from a size 20 to a thin size two. how did she do it? >> two? >> and she said something so smart and profound. i didn't focus on the weight lost. i focused on on changing my bad habits there is to good habits. and she started with wlumpg. i wanted to show you this. she used to eat a bowl of creamed soup and a sandwich. had this is over 1,000 calories. and now what she does is she has some steamed veggies a and one of the portion controlled lean entrees. so this is a third of the calori calories. >> that adds up quickly. >> the weight started to come off. now for breakfast she does a high fiber bul of serial with skill him milk and berries. and then to dinner. i thought let's so he what her weight loss likes like in turkeys. 105 pounds. >> that ain't pretty. >> here is stephanie's before she lost the turkeys picture. all right. stephanie, let's come see the new you. >> size two. >> size two. there she is. wow. >> oh, yeah. >> oh, my gosh. >> now you're showing off. >> what i liked is you identified why they gained weight. a lot of peoe don't find that thing. you identified it with your grandfather p. did that help you knowing the why? >> it did help me once i stopped making excuses for myself. like i kind of just accepted that i would always be overweight because i started when i was nine years old and this and that. and then once i identified the exact point and then i accepted it and i just moved forward. >> look at your son. he is so cute. your mom looks like your sister. >> oh, look, hi. >> hi, teach. >> so at thanksgiving time, did you have some pie, did you fall off the wagon a little bit? >> there is no off the wagon. thanksgiving was just like every other meal. it was just another meal. >> did you eat a lot? >> i ate just like i eat every other meal. some veggies and of course a little bit of candiedyams. and i did have some pie and i didn't feel guilty about it. we were talking about that earlier. >> even joy confessed to me this morning she had that. >> so are you exercising, as well? >> do >> i do exercise a lot. i have a great trainer. >> so so beginning to end, how long did it take? >> about two years. >> nice and slow and steady. >> it would actually be hard for her to gain the weight back because, again, she changed her bad habits in to good habits and this is how she lives now. >> i know people are trying to lose weight, they're where you were at the beginning. what kind of advice do you have? >> start small. change would be habit and then when you you mass it ter that, you go on to the next one. >> did you weigh yourself daily. >> >> no. >> how often? >> once a week. >> is that a good idea, joy? >> i think different things work for different people. some people get off on getting on the scale every day and sort of -- >> it encourages them. >> other people get crazy. so for you, once a week worked. for somebody else, just going by their jeans hey work. for somebody else, getting on the scale every day may work. >> congratulations. you look amazing. >> i have got my stuffing gut going right now. >> stop it. if you know somebody who you think should be in the joy fit club, go to the website and read who are about stephanie and how she managed to take all that weight off. >> and we'll be right back with more of "today" on nbc. iñ oñiñ for the 16th year now, the toy drive has been delivering toys to families who can't afford to bif gifts. for many it's the only geft they get. >> we want our viewers to contribute. find out how at our website. but we also have corporate contriburs. sara lee is helping us out this year. thank you for being here. >> celebrating your 10th anniversary? >> i am. thank you very much. >> nobody doesn't love sarah l. >> this is our fifth year and we're giving away $70,000 of breakfast, lunch and continuer dinner to families that need help feeding their families. it's a really big focus for us. this year alone we gave away 1.8 mill why n million meals through feed america. >> we're so glad that cow every year. >> thank you for all that do you. >> and give our love to sara. plus a sneak peek at the finale of mtv the city. >> and also barry manilow will be here. you know you you love it. have a wonderful day. you know you you love it. have a wonderful day. we will see you tomorrow. captions paid for by nbc-universal television
we will break down all the latest developments and there has been a lot since you last left. meanwhile our slogan comes to you from 16-year-old troy in johnston, new york. no doubt in route to school. around the house we have a rule watch "fox & friends" and then go to school. [captioning made possible by fox news channel] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- gretchen: we start this morning with a fox news alert. police surrounding that mommy in seattle. inside the man officers believe murdered four police officers execution style. let's go right to the scene and jcpq's brian call la hand. >> we just heard from police in the past few minutes what they considered a person of interest earlier is now indeed a suspect. we are talking about 37-year-old maurice clemens. is he hold up in a house behind me here. police have kept us back several blocks back to make sure they don't jeopardize their situation and they are safe and we are safe as well. officers are hoping to get maurice clemens out of this home. we have heard reports over the last half hour here that shots have been fired at police at this home here in seattle where this man is believed to be hold up. detectives want to talk to him about this shooting yesterday that took four officers' lives. they believe this man walked into a coffee shop very close to tacoma in the seattle area. he pretended to order something. turned around around shot four officers in the shop in broad daylight. one officer was able to put up a fight and fire four shows of her own before he died. that really has what broken this case open. they have been able to confirm that maurice clemens does have some injury to him. apparent lay gunshot wound. they have been able to determine that in the past 30 minutes or is so. he is in this home in the seattle area. not quite sure what connection this home has to this shooting in the park land area. but this is where police tracked him down about 12 hours after the shooting happened. we are in hour seven of the standoff right now. working to get more information on maurice clemens. he has a long criminal history. including assaulting officer and second degree rape of a child. he was just in jail last week. in talking to police here, they say they have no motive for this shooting exactly. from what we understand they are believing there may be no motive other than the fact that these were police in the wrong place at the wrong time. clemens upset about his incarceration may have opened fire on them just for the fact that they were police officers. that's what police are going with right now. again, we do believe that this man is hold up in this house with a gunshot wound. that's what we understand from police. they are now calling him a suspect. not a person of interest in this case. reporting live in seattle, i'm brian callahan. i will send it back to you. gretchen: thank you very much for that update. now your headlines on a monday morning and another flemplet pirates seized a super tanker off the coast of somalia. the greek-owned trip was carrying crude oil from saudi aarabia to the u.s. before it was attacked. it could be worth millions of dollars it could pose answer veteran mental and security threat to the region. second successful hijacking of an oil tanker. as the president prepares to lay out strategy tomorrow night the senate begins health care reform today. the other issue on the table is government run and abortion. some members say they will vote no without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. senate majority leader harry reid wants to finish by christmas. no votes are scheduled for today. david hasselhoff and his ex-wife having a rocky start to the christmas season. over of the weekend he was in the hospital and she was in jail. seems david last hasn't come very far from this video filmed by his daughter a few years back. this time around he was reportedly placed under involuntary psychiatric hold at cedar sinai medical center after being treated for alcohol poisoning. also over the weekend the highway patrol arrested his ex-wife pamela balk on drunk driving charges. oprah winfrey and president obama are set to sit down for a holiday special. the queen of daytime will interview the president for the first time since taking office. tour of the white house with the first couple. even give viewers behind the scenes look as staffers get ready for the holiday season. brian: how did the party crashers get in? i want to see the way she opens up her show. first things first. other major thing that happened. thanksgiving. steve: here is a cover of the new york daily news today. tiger woods says i'm not perfect but he says his wife elin is heroic. meanwhile, tiger ducked police for third day. they showed up at his house yesterday for the third time. ed to ask him some questions about what went down with fire hydrant and whatnot. they were turned away at the door by his agent. and now sources are telling tmz which has got an lot of this story right, that apparently the florida highway patrol is focusing on getting a search warrant. here is some the pictures. apparently what they say is they want the search warrant so they can get his medical records to figure out whether or not to do so wag actually the victim of domestic abuse or the victim of a car accident. gretchen: interesting thing is he is not obliged under florida law to give a statement to police. wasn't surprising when we found out that he and his wife had hired an attorney. apparently he does not have to tell them what happened because it was a single car accident. they can subpoena, i believe, to get him to come and testify and his wife to give some sort of a statement. as of now, there is going to be no statement other than what he released via email. brian: what's the email that possibly he was scratch before he got in the car. steve: she might have whacked him with a golf club if you believe the stories. brian: her initial report has been changed original count of what happened where she got -- i did not read this but you say she got in the car, caught up to the car, saw that he was stuck in the car and unconscious shus and broke the back window with a golf club. steve: that's one of the reasons they are trying to get the search warrant. probable cause the wife has changed her story. she had told the florida highway patrol that she went looking for him with the golf cart, found him and whacked the window open. when she went and talked to the local police there was no mention of a golf cart. also, another reason for probable cause and, perhaps, a search warrant is the fact that apparently he had told somebody that he was taking prescription pain medicine, which would mean it could be a possible dui. brian: here's the 911 call that a neighbor called in when he saw what he saw. that was what turned out to be tiger woods laying on the street. >> i have a neighbor. he hit the tree. gretchen: that's the neighbor. original reports said his wife had also made a 911 call. she did not. this here is what this may all come down to is whether or not tiger woods was having extramarital affair with a rom named rachel. here is what she said in a statement to fox news. i never passed paths gretchen: she has gone on to throong talk to an attorney she has hired. apparently this woman works in new york city. works in p.r. for a nightclub here. steve: a hostess. gretchen: allegedly the two of them may have met back in may. brian: the reason why they were asking her questions because her friend, ashley sampson talked to the enquirer and said they were having this affair and that her friend told her all about it she passed a polygraph test. rachel came back and said i don't even know this girl and then they produced pictures of the girls together, the women together. steve: we should point out for long-time viewers for the "fox & friends" show rachel uchitel was on this program. she was engaged to a man who was in the south tower of the world trade center. two days are a that particular picture ran in the "new york times" she was on this program. she did marry another fellow along the way. that didn't work out. a couple years later she went to work for a fancy club in the new york city area for a childhood friend who she met once upon a time. gretchen: what the heck and how the heck did it happen that that couple was able to crash the party, the first state dinner at the white house with the obamas? here they are right here. ter reek and michelle. how did they get in? some senators are calling for investigation into whether or not crimes were committed here or at least protocol broken with the secret service. and whether or not they were even on the list. we have a friend coming up of theirs in a matter of moments. they say they have proof that they were on the list. whether or not that's true remains to be scene. brian: let's listen to senator jon kyle. >> i think you have to have a strong deterrent against this kind of thing. therefore, if it's a federal crime to lie to a federal agent and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, then they should be in some way brought to justice here, again, as an example to others not to do it. brian: absolutely. if i snuck into the white house for anything, you would think you are going to jail for a while. why this is a joke is unbelievable that they got away with this. steve: secret service guys at the front door are federal agents. now, the "the washington post" today has got the story of apparently what went down. they wound up getting into the white house because, it was raining. apparently they were out on the street and they were saying, look, we are getting all wet, can we just go inside? one agent broke protocol. broke standard operating procedure and allowed them in before actually checking them off a list. and then, extraordinarily, as soon as they got inside the white house, they started -- they found a white house aide and said we're not on the guest list. have you got to fix something about that apparently according to the "the washington post," there is an 11:00 p.m. email that talks about how they got into a fight with white house people saying why aren't we on this guest list? gretchen: all three of us have been to the white house before, you know the kind of stringent security you go to. you have to give your driver's license, i.d., social security number. they do a background check on you before you even come to the front gate. the idea that their social security numbers were never given at all, maybe they will be charged with a crime but somebody else is going to be in a heck of a lot of trouble. brian: congressman peter king ranking member on homeland security committee in the house wants congressional investigation into the security there and the secret service and their protocol. there is a history of this couple coming in contact with the soon-to-be-president. this photo being released shows them standing with the black i'd peas and the future president, president-elect of the united states. gretchen: there is discrepancy when this photo may have been taken. it could have been as far back as 2005. none the less they were in his company before. >> the white house, something they did during the bush administration and also during the clinton years as well is when they have a big party like that, they have somebody from the social secretary's office right there with the guest list. and the problem was there was nobody at that particular guard gate with the guest list. brings us to our question of the day. now, keep in mind, these people who were the party crashers were long-time fixtures on the social scene in washington, d.c. but if, you know, a normal person wandered in off the street and wound up that close to the president of the united states, getting a picture of him, certainly there would be charges and whatnot. is there a double standard? because right now, you know, the stories are they are trying to get on tv. gretchen: to the highest bidder. >> desperate housewives of washington, d.c. brian: the latest balloon boy incident. that's what this is. gretchen: narcissism galore going on here. this is where we are, folks, in this era of reality tv and people wanting to be famous. question of the day, is there a double stashed because they were a well-known couple in the area? brian: 12 minutes after the top of the hour. safety the 401(k) hanging in the balance this morning because of dubai? what you need to know about your savings now. steve: and a high flying performance at the mall goes horribly wrong right in front of holiday shoppers. how the performer survived. that straight ahead. because of one word, imagination and reality have merged. because of one word, a new generation-- a fifth generation-- of fighter aircraft has been born. because of one word, america's air dominance for the next forty years is assured. that one word... is how. brian: glad you are up. first it was the airlines and now the airports want to charge you even more. airports asking thriewrms increase passenger fees so they can pay for the construction of new runways and terminals. right now passengers pay up to $18 to cover those costs that could almost double if congress approves the hike. today is online monday. cyber retailers looking for another boost. deals similar to those on black friday. not on fox. we are working. over the holiday retail sales were up .5% over last year. spent less money but more people shopping. none were on the set. steve: meanwhile, brian, as dubai faces a debt crisis, it raise as question could the same thing that is happening over there happen here in the united states? gretchen: kevin is a columnist with bloomberg and a senior fellow at american enterprise institute. good morning to you, kevin. >> good morning, gretch. gretchen: a lot of people may have missed this the dubai market crashed. you are worried that what happened in dubai could happen here in the u.s. explain it for us. >> right. well, the problem is that dubai owes lots of people lots of money. in fact, they owe about twice as much money as they have g.d.p. each year. it's a really big debt for them. they informed creditors last week they are not going to pay them their money, their interest payments for a year. the problem is that set off a panic and made people want to flee from equities and maybe even flee from government debt from other troubled countries like ireland and greece. you remember back in the 1990s they had asian connotation where thailand went down and all of a sudden nobody would lend money to anybody. we are worried that might start again now. it could spread all the way to the u.s. given how big our deficit is. steve: you just touched on it right there. we have got washington, d.c. the town you are sitting in right there. they love to print money. but what they have to do is back it up with debt. unfortunately for us, the biggest holder of our american debt is the -- are the chinese. what if the chinese woke up one day and said, you know what? we are not feeling so positive that things are going to recover there. we would like to call that gent in which is essentially what happened with dubai. >> that's right. the risk is that that could happen at any moment. it's not that we are going to stop making payments. that's not going to set off the debt crisis for the u.s. what will happen will be on thursday we have a treasury auction, maybe nobody shows up or wants to buy our treasure is or lend us money because they are so worried about dubai. that's what has world markets and capital markets real scared right now. gretchen: this is not what u.s. has to worry about on a monthly basis we are selling debt every week. >> three our four times a week. there there l. be an auction today i'm sure it happens almost every day. steve: always a measure to talk to you on the program. have a great week. gretchen: tiger woods is not talking to the tape. we are hearing the 911 call from the neighbor. listen. gretchen: tiger even have to talk to the cops? is he getting special treatment? a fair and balanced appeal debate coming up next. steve: a special senate report says the military could have caught osama bin laden in the mountains of torah bora back in 2001. some say it's just being used for political purposes. a political panel weighs in in about 10 minutes. stay with us. #ñ#ñ#ñ#ñññññññ brian: we now have the 911 call from tiger woods' accident and statement from the golfer himself. but is he still refusing to talk to police. canceling three separate appointments. we heard the police are reportedly trying to obtain a search warrant to get records from the hospital that treated tiger woods to find out the nature, perhaps, of his wounds. we are joined right now by former federal prosecutor doug byrnes and defense attorney and fox news legal analyst arearthur aidala. how could you turn around cops three times that just want to ask you a few questions? >> you are right. first of all, legally, you are not required to speak to the police, obeing? but in a minor fender bender or accident they always okay here is what happened. i went outside. a hit a hydrant. other issues lurking here. some type of argument that must have happened. some type of domestic spat. and issue about the rear window of this cadillac escalate being smashed. makes it more complicated. >> you find out that the fhp three times wants a search of medical records. they actually suspect that perhaps he was scratched before he hit the hydrant and the tree. >> here is the deal, brian. the audience should understand if this was a regular person who crashed their car into a fire hydrant, these actions would not be taking place. tiger woods is paying a higher price because of who his name is number one, you are allowed to tell the cops i prefer not to speak to you. that is what our troops in rocks are -- iraq are fighting for. people don't have to submit to government force when the government knocks at the door. no thank you. brian: could be an abuse situation here. >> there has got to be a campaign nant. somebody has got to say something. >> you don't have to incriminate yourself. if you have done something wrong you can still technically. >> if you are tiger woods and you are a billion-dollar industry and you have a lawyer who went went to the first day of criminal law class you tell them to shut up. brian: here is what tiger woods has said et. even though he hasn't talked to the cops here is an excerpt. did. >> she smash the window out of anger or to save him. >> we will never know because we weren't there the other thing with the search warrant is there there are hippa laws and medical privacy laws. it's not that easy for the cops to give a doctor's subpoena and doctor turns over records. it doesn't work that way. brian: cops don't like to be humiliated whole world knows they have been stiff-armed three times. one that jumped out to me and many others is that the neighbor does not describe a woman next to him. they say my neighbor is down, not conscious. they didn't say his wife is attending to him, a woman is thravment could poke holes in her story. it takes her out of the story. maybe she was running into the house to get him ice and treatment. >> you know what's bothering me, bribe? >> what. >> leave him alone. he only injured his own property. leave him alone. enough. , at the end of the day i think they are making a federal case because is he a celebrity. >> leave the guy alone. brian: we are never going to leave you alone, tell us what's ahead. steve: tomorrow night president obama will lay out his blueprint for the war in afghanistan. at the same time he will also talk about getting out. is it a good idea? our political panel is standing by live here in the green room with the red wall. these people will join us next live. plus, straight ahead, shoppers horrified when a high flying performer falls during a show inside a mall. how is she doing? the very latest coming up. and happy birthday to ben stiller. how old do you think that guy is? well today he is 44, just like it says on the line right next to his name. 44. happy birthday. my digestive system didn't always behave. whatever i did my digestive upsets came back. but then came align. only align contains bifantis, a patented probiotic. it promotes a healthier digestive system helping to restore my natural balance with ongoing probiotic protection. align brings peace to my digestive system and to me. try align and discover a world of digestive peace. gretchen: we hope you had a great thanksgiving day weekend. we know that we all had a great time. i had the opportunity to go down to florida to disney world with my kids and before that sit down with governor sarah palin. so here are my two kids enjoying disney for the first time. we were with my sister and parents as well. we had a fantastic time. this is a time they weren't reeking havoc. my daughter lost her first tooth and my son got his first shiner. he went right into a brick wall and got a huge black eye. had to call the paramedics. this is my daughter losing her first tooth. this is with one of the princes. i don't know the name of the princess. sorry. steve: is that from aladdin? gretchen: i don't think. brian: did you go to -- gretchen: all the disney. brian: by the end of it were you like i have to run out of here as fast as can i? these are people are nice. gretchen: all disney hotels no fox news channel. brian: why is that? gretchen: no fox news channel. here is the flip side of it. when you go to the parks, they actually play christmas music. so go figure. steve: fantastic. while you were doing that. brian and i had a rather low-key kind of weekend. brian: we were actually at the state dinner. steve: party crashers. brian: you wouldn't wait and you had to go behind president obama right there. and there i'm wearing my outfit from 1987. gretchen: and young. brian: i think we had a better chance being on the list than the saleh. brian: you lost a tooth. steve: and you wound one a shriner. brian: disney is the one place now your kids every year are going to be like when are we going? when are we going? gretchen: mom goes every other year. maybe a two year in between. we will see. great time down there. other headlines because we have bombshell details about a new jersey blogger who is also an an you will ter right wing radio host. hall turner has been a paid fbi informant for years telling the feds about his neo nazi followers. the fbi reportedly paid him thousands and sent him undercover to brazil. sea could you seed of writing internet postings saying three chicago area judges deserve to be killed because they didn't overturn handgun bands. he claims it was part of his undercover role. brian? brian: iran continues to defy the west and the united nations vowing to build 10 new nuclear facilities. u.n. angses are pushing it to develop its program. the u.n. is demanding iran stop all enrichment activities and construction of new plants. experts say it would take iran years to actually build any new facilities. steve: a large explosion at a middle school in virginia has injured eight works. the men were using propane while working on the roof. the explosion brought down one of the walls of the school. classes are canceled today while investigators try to pinpoint the exact cause of the accident. brian: 57% of voters in switzerland ok to banned on the construction of minarets. even though there are four in the country they are symbol of religious law and spread of islam. muslim groups say the ban is against the freedom of religion and are considering legal action. that big vote will happen this week. gretchen: video terrifying aerial performer plunges three stories. the video captured on a cell phone cam. the 26-year-old was hanging upside down from a metal hoop suspended from the ceiling when she slipped falling to the ground. the woman who wasn't wearing a harness was taken to the hospital with injuries to her wrist and pelvis. steve: take a look what's going on weatherwise on this first monday after thanksgiving. you can see snow flying according to the doppler and northern portions of the great state of maine. this all part of a cold front that extends all the way down to the gulf coast and you can see thunderstorms moving through portions of louisiana, alabama, and mississippi. also the tennessee valley at this hour. take a look at the current temperatures. chilly in the northern plains. caribou maine 30. 29. about the same in minneapolis. only 27 in kansas city. about the same for provo and that miss sue la. it will -- missoula. can you see temperatures just in the 40's. it was a big game last night. they had that new guy come in off the bench to take over for big ben last night in the big game. big. brian: he was nurse ago concussion. time to welcome in a new quarterback. the last time ravens and steelers met was the afc championship game. at stake a berth in the super bowl. both teams clashed. both teams needed a victory to stay in contention. ben roethlisberger tall but hurt out with a concussion. here santonio holmes is open. this would tie the game. delaware and the ravens would come back. plaxico's touch down pass to mason. into overtime we go. ravens miss field goal. picked off my paul krueger. it would be enough though. billie would make the field goal this time sending the ravens to a 20-17 win to keep playoff hopes alive. roger good disal set to issue tighter rules on concussions. goodell would issue memo to all 32 teams this week and when players should be removed from a game. new rule could force players to sit out if they are would sey. after a concussion. i you thought that would mean they're sitting. they could return if cleared by a doctor. bad basketball. new coach, same old story. the new jersey nets continue march toward infamy. the nets fired lawrence frank earlier in the day so he would miss. this big loss to the lakers, they would lose. tom is the new interim coach. new jersey is now 0-17. if they lose to the mavericks they will have the worst start in nba history. dallas is in first. steve is first in my book. so are the people he is with. steve: thank you so much, brian. president obama is expected to announce his decision to send more troops to afghanistan tomorrow night. sources may also reveal a time frame for getting out of the region. should the president make a withdrawal before the troops have even arrived? today, on the panel, adjunct senior fellow at the manhattan institute and fox news contributor judith miller. that adjunct business is really cool. talk show host on the radio james t. harris and syndicated columnist joe mowbray. first time in history of the political panel whose first names all started with j. >> what does that mean? steve: joel, what do you make of the fact that here the president is going to announce his plan to win in afghanistan and, yet, is he going to also simultaneously talk about getting out? >> is he talking about winning? he hasn't talked about winning yet. steve: he is talking about getting the job done. >> he hasn't actually issued the w. word. that's kind of significant. this is a very weird political calculation. it's almost acrobatic. i'm not going to send 40,000 troops but i will send 35. we have an end date. how do you announce a date of withdrawal as you are putting in more troops. he has to do that otherwise he will hemorrhage his base. steve: he is probably going to mention the 35 figure because is he asking for our allies to cough up 5,000 if they possibly can. but although not too many takers right now. >> mile understanding is they are still massaging the numbers. the speech is still in draft form. the president is in a very tough situation here. i mean, look, he said that this was the war of necessity. so, how can he do anything less than what general mcchrystal wants. it's just an awful position to be in for a democrat whose base doesn't want to be in this war to begin with. >> it shouldn't be about the base. >> i would think you go into war you have some type of conviction and mission. i agree with you we are now in a phase where we have to redefine what win means. it depends on what the win means here. for him, it's always been about how soon we can get troops out. one of those situations with you can't get excited about it one way or the other. going in not knowing how you want it to end up. >> "the washington post" is reporting that part of the plan is to send 9,000 marines and 1,000 army trainers to the southern province of helmand. that's kind of reminiscent of vietnam. you need to put everybody you can as quickly as you can and deliver a knockout punch to the enemy. >> there is going to be all kind of referees here. let's just wait and see what the president does. the timing is absolutely. steve: he has got to go big. wouldn't you agree? he has got to go big. >> we are waiting to the point where even the british are jumping down our throats for taking too long. the british. at some point -- >> -- the british don't dither. >> don't dither but we do. this is a problem here when obama is losing our allies, our strongest most ally over the decade. >> they are going to make a big commitment. they are going to make a bigger commitment than they have made apparently. this is one where nato is going to step up if we have a mission at all. what's doing over there everybody is complaining about them. steve: report says that had we gotten bin laden in the beginning we wouldn't be at this place right now. james t. you look at the senate report that came out and said essentially you can blame george bush because they had the chance to get him at torah bora and they didn't. >> of course. the time something beautiful. back in 2001 there was a report that came out that said if clinton would have just reacted sooner or just went for the extradition we would have had osama bin laden. these reports are timed to embarrass the previous administration. and, again, we are sitting here playing monday morning football when, in reality, all focus should be on the president and plan for how it is going to roll out. >> let's remember this is a staff report. this is not the members of the senate foreign relations committee. this is. steve: it does sound a lot like what john kerry was talking about. >> absolutely. because of he has become mr. afghanistan. now that he persuaded the president of afghanistan to have a run-off that he wound up not having. >> we are listening to john kerry. steve: why the long face, joel? we will continue with the conversation with these three in just a mommy. the senate getting ready to rumble on the massive health care bill. county senate get enough votes to jam it through? our fair and balanced debate with the three j's continues. did they have an invitation or didn't they? and who is going to buy their story? coming up,, we're going to talk to a personal friend of the white house party crashers. he says he has the inside scoop. hi, joe. i have asthma. and when my symptoms-the coughing, wheezing, tightness in my chest came back- i knew i had to see my doctor. he told me i had choices in controller medicines. we chose symbicort. symbicort starts to improve my lung function within 15 minutes. that's important to me because i know the two medicines in symbicort are beginning to treat my symptoms and helping me take control of my asthma. and that makes symbicort a good choice for me. symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. and should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol may increase the chance of asthma-related death. so, it is not for people whose asthma is well controlled on other asthma medicines. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. i know symbicort won't replace a rescue inhaler. within 15 minutes symbicort starts to improve my lung function and begins to treat my symptoms. that makes symbicort a good choice for me. you have choices. ask your doctor if symbicort is right for you. (announcer) if you cannot afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. steve: president will be making his big pitch for how to finish the job in afghanistan. is he also going to -- his friends on capitol hill with the democrats in charge of the senate and the house are going to be working on pushing through some sort of health care things joel, what's going to happen? there was some of the sunday chat shows yesterday saying wait a minute, how are we going to pay for afghanistan? suddenly they are starting to think about how much this stuff is going to cost. now they want to reform health care. >> you can really think about how much all this costs because my head hurts between the stimulus and cap and trade and the regular spending bills and the health care. my goodness. it's all catching up. if the democrats get this and i don't think they will, but if they do it would be a victory because voters will be angrier at them for passing something. if it goes away, democrats will hold on to the house and senate and do much better without health care having been passed and they can give it a go in 2011. steve: you are say if the president's issue fails it will be good for democrats. >> sort of like bloomberg when he was running for reelection first time trying to have the jets stadium on the west side of manhattan it was very popular in new york. once that plan tanked his numbers went up because it was something that it was albatross holding him down. health care bill as fashioned right now is absolutely disgusting to most americans. steve: judith is going like. this no, no, no. the president is k. lose signature issue on the hill and wind up coming out of this stronger. i think they will get something. the issue is what are they going to pass really going to limit costs? this enormous growth in health care spending. steve: is it? >> i would doubt that. that's my concern about this legislation. steve: i saw howard dean on "fox news sunday" yesterday. he said you know we have done most of this stuff before and it hasn't helped. >> nothing new or innovative here. >> public option. steve: price tag is new. >> i actually had this visual based on your comments of barack obama on the phone saying harry, we want this one to go ahead and die because you are right, you are damned if you do it and damned if you don't. the american people don't want this bill. if it does pass, i mean, it's going to have to go back to the house and the whole abortion option, the costs is as stron no, ma'am mick call. had you a senate bill from ron out of oregon and bob bennett a republican out of utah. they could have used that which could have had a lower price tag and covered more americans with simplified insurance and brought down costs. the white house didn't even look at it. >> they wanted it all. they wanted to get it all in one fell swoop. >> left has wanted for years. >> we agree. >> right here it's starting. steve: thank you all for joining us today. straight ahead, the white house party crashers supposedly want to tell their story for a price is out there. perhaps a quarter of a million dollars. a close friend of theirs says that's simply not true. he joins us next. is anyone buying what tiger woods is saying? syndicated sports radio host steven a. smith does not believe him and says tiger is fanning the flames himself. stick around. dddddddddd brian: they strolled passed the secret service to attend a party at the white house. were they invited snornt are they shopping their story to the networks or not? gretchen joining us is a close friend of the couple. >> good morning, gretchen. gretchen: i read the knows last night. you claim this couple has proof that they were invited to this party. what's the proof? >> >> well, claim is probably a strong word. i have talked to them and they have told me and obviously i have no reason not to belief them that they have emails that have gone back and forth and they have been meeting with the secret service and have been talking to them and have said that they were invited and that they do have proof of such invitation. brian: in the past, have they been can did it with their assessments like this? >> i guess that's anybody's guess and the truth will always come out. brian: have they ever lied to you before? >> to me, no. gretchen: casey, let's face it, this couple, you would admit that they are publicity seekers, right? they were auditioning to get a role on some sort of a reality show, right? >> absolutely, yes. they do live a bigger than life life. they enjoy being in the spotlight. and the publicity that they are getting now, in some ways, i'm sure that they like and in other ways it's probably been a big roller coaster. brian: because their financial turmoil and tough financial situation they are in right now is now expoliciesed to everyone. the problem they're having and family business exposed to everyone. one thing she did not tell the truth about she was never a redskins cheerleader. they have deny it. say they never heard of her. >> i don't know. i never had heard her say that she was. i personally, when i heard that come across, i was saying i don't think that that's correct. i'm not sure that that was ever something that's reality. sometimes when you are living out there and you are -- and you are out on the scene as we have in washington, d.c., a lot of things get made up about you as well. so i'm not sure if that's something that became folklore or something that was true. gretchen: a lot of people are thinking these people made up stuff like getting invited to this party. should they face charges, criminal charges if, in fact, they were not on the guest list? >> i don't know how it should be their fault that and a criminal offense if they thought that they were invited and showed up and they were not on the guest list when isn't that secret service's problem that they let them in if that's really the case and don't you think that that's really the story here that we should be looking at? gretchen: yeah. maybe some would argue that both should face some sort of change or at least examination. casey thank you so much for being our guest this morning. >> thank you. brian: casey, thanks. we know a lot of people at the secret service could be losing their jobs at this hour. fox news alert. looking at live pictures of a standoff between police and the man they believe executed four of their fellow officers. we are live at the scene with the very latest. gretchen: president obama using the word "unprecedented" more than 120 times in appearances. >> it would be unprecedented con consensus. >> unprecedented. a crisis that required unprecedented international cooperation. gretchen is there a problem with using that word some times? is it always true? will that cause trouble for the president? we ask former white house press secretary dana perino. brian: one state's capitol building kicking out all public displays including a northeast scene any ofnativity scene but y are keeping a holiday tree. gretchen: good morning, everyone. it's monday, november 30th, 2008. thanks for sharing your time with us today. we begin with a fox news alert. right now a swat team standoff in seattle where cops are cornered the suspected wanted in the murders of four police officers. we are live on the scene as they try to get that suspect out. brian: new senate report says we could have had osama bin laden just months after 9/11. did the administration really just let him go and why is this report coming out now with information that's eight years old. former white house press secretary dana perino is here to tell us what really happened? steve: what really happened tiger woods. is he refusing to talk to the police. at least we are hearing from a neighbor in a 911 call steve: the latest tiger woods developments live from florida straight ahead. meanwhile our slogan in hour comes from laura in montana. she writes before i head out to field my mules, i tune in to "fox & friends" to catch up with fair and balanced news. it doesn't rhyme but nice. [captioning made possible by fox news channel] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- gretchen: we start doo start this morning with a fox news alert because right now police are surrounding this home in seattle. inside this man, a wounded man cops believe murdered four police officers execution style. let's go to the scene with brian call la hand. >> good morning, gretchen. officers have been here for eight hours. can you see where they blocked off this road here on the east side of seattle. they are waiting out a suspect who police believe shot and killed four officers yesterday. as of about an hour ago, police were calling this man a person of interest. now they are calling him a suspect. the only suspect in this case. the man we are talking about? 37-year-old maurice clemens. he has a long and violent criminal history. most recently charged mere in washington for assaulting an officer and second degree rape of a child. he was released on bail last week. now, officers believes clemens is the man who walked into a coffee shop in park land a 30 miles south of seattle. he pretended to order something and turned around and shot and killed four officers sitting in this shop in broad daylight. one officer was able to put up a fight. some of those shots we understand hit clep men's which helped officers pin him down and identify him as a suspect. >> we have determined that he has been shot. he is our suspect. we no r. not looking for anybody else. he is our person of interest. he is our suspect. >> clemens was just released from jail last week. that may be the motive in this case. nothing against these particular officers. merely the fact they were police in the wrong place at the wrong time with a man apparently angry about his incarceration. that's what police have told us this morning. as i mentioned, we're at hour eight of this standoff. hanging back here. they have kept us back from the scene so we don't show their positions on live television. the suspect who was shot maurice clemens. medics standing by. there is a possibility this man is deceased. however, they are remaining on this scene, remaining to make sure they have this area surrounded here. we have had police headquarters circling for the last several hours as well. as officers wait out this case. four officers killed in western washington. we will continue to update you as the morning continues. i'm brian call la hand in seattle. i will send it back to you. gretchen: thank you very much, brian. now your headlines. a pirates seized super tanker. the greek-owned trip was carrying crude oil from saudi arabia to the u.s. when it was attacked it could be carrying 2 million barrels of oil. taps security threat to the region. believed to be only the second successful hijacking of an oil tanker. the white house is hoping a little name and shame puts pressure on mortgage lenders to help struggling homeowners. the obama administration plans to call out lender whose are not helping homeowners modify their loans. the treasury says it will hold back cash incentives to companies if they do not help lower payments. more of a profit is made if a home goes into foreclosure. a minivan crashed with two too much wait. four children and the driver killed in that accident near baton rouge. seven others in critical condition. police say none of the children had seat belts on. it's still not clear why some people were crammed into the van. state troopers say the weight of all those people probably caused a tire to blow. >> americans say they would like to see john f. kennedy added to mount rush more. a pole conducted by 60 minutes. kennedy won with 29%. ronald reagan came in second. the national monument already portrays the faces of thomas -- those are your headlines. steve: is there enough room for another big head up there? brian: we don't know if there is enough mountain left. we have to wait to see. the president has a big speech on tuesday. he is going to west point to give it going to be talking about our way forward in afghanistan. joining us now to talk about, this because it's a war in which when she was press secretary she was talking about constantly. fox news contributor dana perino rejoins us. i hope had you a great thanksgiving. welcome back to "fox & friends." >> i did. thanks for having me again. steve: you had a house full of guests didn't you? >> i did. i got to have my sister from colorado and my niece who is a freshman at syracuse. fun to hear her surrounding stories mostly was about books and not parties which was heartening to hear. steve: the president has selected west point. the u.s. military academy just north of the city by about 40 miles. optically, that's a great image. of course, this administration has in the past, remember when they called out all the doctors and they asked them to put on lab coats in the rose garden and then what was it a week or two ago the president said in south korea he referred to some of the troops and he said you guys make a good photo on. this is more than a photo on, isn't it? >> well, sure, i think we all know what the president meant when he said that in korea. it was meant as an off the cuff, i think fun comment. but it can be taken the wrong way by some feel -- people. unfortunate comment. i don't begrudge him from going there to announce the speech. he was in the oval office on his own very serious times january of '07. this is a little bit different for president obama. he divided to go up to west point. i think the cadets will be happy to have him there. what's more important is what he actually says. if he can rally the nation to support this war. gretchen: one of the things that you believe he will focus on during that speech is the exit strategy. that has some concerned, right? >> it does have some concerned. i think it depends on how much emphasis he does place on it one of the things president bush says in the surge send more troops to iraq and hasten the day when our troops could come home. thankfully in iraq that strategy worked and that plan is on course can we do the same in afghanistan? i think we can. with general mcchrystal's plan and with enough troops, again, depending on what president obama says tomorrow, we should focus on that. if you focus too much on the exit sending more troops, in it might have some question whether or not you are really fully behind it i think most of america realizes that president obama, well, they think that he came to this decision reluctantly and maybe he doesn't have the full heart into it. hopefully tomorrow night he will change minds on that, too. brian: we will see. can he certainly deliver a speevment we'll see if this one grades a ten. it has the impact. i was shocked the foreign relations committee came one a report using figures and documents 8 years old to refamily size in their minds that president bush missed an opportunity along with then secretary of defense donald rumsfeld to capture bin laden and had he done that we might not be in the position we are now. what's your reaction? >> well, i'm shocked that you are shocked that there were politics being played by the senate democrats. this is the same claim that senator kerry made in the 2004 election. i don't have any operational knowledge of the torah bora situation. what i do know is that our administration and every single man and woman who was fighting in uniform wanted nothing more than to try to capture osama bin laden. and i would be careful if i were them of casting these type of stones because now they live in a glass house. this is nothing new. i think that most news reporters understood that once they took a quick look at it. it was the same report as before. general tommy franks has handled this in his book and interviews over the past. he was the general in charge at the time. steve: let's talk a little bit about this. there is a really good possibility that tomorrow or rather at west point the president might use the word unprecedented. because according to calculations he has said unprecedented an unprecedented amount of times. >> unprecedent the consensus amount of pressure come behind it. >> unprecedented steps to secure loose materials. >> crisis that required unprecedented cooperation. >> took unprecedented action to spread the foreclosures. >> the growing -- around that unprecedented coalition. >> we completed unprecedented review of our largest banks. >> our best chance to solve these unprecedented problems comes from acting in concert with other nations. >> that's why i have asked vice president bide ton lead a tough unprecedented oversight effort. >> sure this is done with unprecedented level of transparency. >> as we continue through unprecedented turmoil. steve: president obama has used unprecedented 129 times. >> that you know of. steve: that we know of. president bush used it 262 times just over 8 years. when he keeps saying that what do you think? >> first year of a new presidency. they are trying to establish a lot of groundwork and they want to show that they are new and different and they are doing it better than anybody ever before. one ever the things i learned in journalism school is you rarely use the word unprecedented because chances are something has actually been done like that before. that's the case i bet they tone it down at the white house from here on out. gretchen: something unprecedented was party crasher who got into the white house and got a picture with president obama. you say this is not the end of the story, you say there is something else going on here. what? >> i think we need to have a full report. we will get one. i think there is a couple of things that happen at these official dinners. yesterday i heard a journalist actually suggest that president bush never had any state dinners. that's not true. in fact there were six or seven state dinners. 13 official dinners. heads of state came and got a. -- this could have happened under the bush administration. i'm not saying that's not -- that couldn't have happened under us because things happen. and i think we just need to figure out how it happened so we can prevent it from hang again. i think one of the things that you have to find out is if you have been to one of these dinners, your names are printed on cards that you hand to the ushers that announce people. there is a lot more to come out on this. gretchen: areare you suggestingt could have been somebody on the inside. >> once they got in now that they're here, if we didn't have their name on the list. we better write them in or something like that. i don't know. i don't think we have the answers. brian: secret service stick up for themselves. they got to say look this is how it went down. they're the ones to do the investigation, right? >> they should. mark sullivan said they were deeply concerned and embarrassed. that he was an exact quoted from hill. can i understand that i'm sure they are. i think public criticism of the secret service that came out the first couple of days was unfortunate. but, i think now that the white house has real lived that that was a good thing to do and the president himself has come out and said how well they do protecting him and his family every day. steve: we should point out the "the washington post" says one of the reasons the officer let them in was because it was raining and, you know, went outside of protocol because of the weather. it was a one in a million thing. >> again we need to find out was it just a checklist and they let them in. at what point do they show their identification and go through the imagine know tom teres. that, i don't know. at least i don't know. brian: talk to you again. >> bye. brian: is tiger woods telling the truth about what happened. sports analyst steven a. smith not a believer. he joins us next. gretchen: why are college kids learning how to grow pot? steve: because they are in college. brian: tiger woods still not talking to the police after his accident over the weekend. but a 911 call from the incident made public. >> brian: police are trying to obtain a search warrant to get information from the hospital that treated tiger woods. wofl reporter patrick is just outside tiger's community in windemere, florida. what is the latest here? >> well, the latest is is that florida highway patrol troopers have been to this community three different times. one hours after the crash. a second time on saturday. and then yesterday. all three times though turned away by either tiger woods' wife, his agent, or his new orlando attorney mark kneejay. based on florida law no one has to answer questions from the florida highway patrol after they have a crash. they would like to know what possibly led up to this crash and what particularly may have caused tiger woods' injuries. but he is coming out with his team saying he has absolutely nothing else to add to this investigation and he wants to keep it private amongst his family. brian: thank you very much, patrick. i appreciate it now you have the latest. steven a. smith joins us now. syndicated talk show host commentator. steven, what's your first reaction to this? are you surprised? we still have not seen tiger on camera addressing this directly or discussing it with police. >> i am surprised by it. it adds fuel to the fire as far as i'm concern. the way it's been handled by him has been totally mismanaged. i don't know if he t. is him doing it himself or advice of his agent. whatever the case may be. there is abundance of holes in the story. at the end of the day he could have come out the first day and said you know what? this is a personal matter, mind your business, i'm just fine and move on. he is the greatest golfer in the world. his reluctance to conduct himself in that manner to me has added fuel to the fire and he deserves to get whatever he gets right now. steve: there is a story that his wife found out about an affair and she came after him with a golf club. we heard from the reporter down in florida they are thinking about a search warrant to figure out whether or not he was the victim of a car accident or his wife whacking him in the head watt golf club or something like that. why not come clean? why not do it sooner rather than later? >> i don't know if come clean. he did say it's a personal issue to. me, as far as i'm concerned, the damage is already done. let's think about the story that was being told. initially we heard that, you know what? he was pulling out of his driveway, he ended up crashing into a fire hydrant and then a tree. well, guess what? nothing happened so severely that deployed the air bag that did not happen. how are so you injured from it? then, by the way when have you got a golf club. i have a black escalate to be quite honest with you. you are talking about the wife smashing in the back window to help get him out of the escalade. was the car on fire or something? steve: why not open the door? >> i don't think she is big enough to smash in a back window of the escalate and then to go in there and drag him from the front seat all the way out the back of the escalade. it just doesn't make any sense. there is a bunch of holes in the story. the question is why are those holes existing. brian: steve, 10 seconds or less. tiger has had it too easy all the riders too long. do you agree? >> yes. steve: he has 9 on the count. >> brian: pick up the phone and get charles barkley on the phone. join us when you tell us what they said, right? >> i will do my ges. steve: thank you for joining from us philly. mary, joseph and baby jesus turned away from the state capitol this christmas. you can thank the atheists. gretchen will explain coming up next. brian: this turkey didn't end up on the dinner table. see how he escaped. turkey cam. steve: first up in news why the the -- numbers. 42.5 million is how much new moon raked in box office number one movie for second weekend in a row. $87,403 that's how much you would have had to pay for everything listed in the 12 days of christmas. like a partridge in a pair tree and stuff like that. that's up nearly $800 from last year mostly due to the high cost of gold. and 72%. that's the percentage of people who prefer seeing merry christmas signs instead of happy holidays. 72%, gretch. gretchen: all right. thank you, steve. another christmas controversy in washington state. last year outrage over atheist sign mocking religion. even a fess at this vast pole it was allowed in the capitol building beside the seen. they will allow the state sponsored holiday tree. joining us is the man who is responsible for displaying the nativity. >> good morning, gretchennen. gretchen: a a few years ago you put up a big fight and it took a fight to put the nativity scene on sight with the holiday tree and eighth atheist sign and everything else it radio. >> that's right in 2006 i went in and asked if i could put a nativity scene in the capitol. gretchen: you were allowed to do that. somebody wanted to put of fess at this vast pole said this year we are going back to the original the holiday tree. >> the public is misinformed about what the state can allow and not allow. and/or even say. the holiday tree should be a christmas tree. i'm really upset that the state is not allowing any of the nativity -- any kind of a design or decoration of any sort in the capital building. gretchen: all right. so you would feel better if you could be allowed to put up your nativity scene but also the atheists should be able to put up what they want to put up and festivas should be allowed to put up what they want to put up. that would make you happier than only having a tree. >> atheist has the same freedom of speech and equal access as i did. and so they have the right to be in there as i do. i think if someone was to look at the baby jesus, that has expresses hope versus atheist sign that's negative and no hope, i think people can take their own, you know, make their own chois from that. gretchen: some people might think going back to holiday tree would exeep hysteria out of it you can imagine how many people would put in their request for another kind of display. buff you don't see it that way? >> no, i don't. i mean we have the eighth atheists and a bunch of other organizations even trying to take christmas parades out of cities. there is little city in iowa -- no, excuse me, ohio, that considering canceling their parade because of being afraid of being sued. and alliance fund is there saying we will be there for you. gretchen: who whoever thought christmas would get this complicated. ron, great to visit with you this morning. thanks for getting up early for us in seattle. >> merry christmas. gretchen: merry christmas to you as well. thank you. are you deck tore rating the green room? >> the green room is red. >> i was trying make contact. >> country of iran has announced any will beth build 10 nuke harr power plants. you could pay a ton for your college education. i'm sure you will be happy to hear this now college kids learning to grow pot in class. are brian, here is the important part for you. do you see that critter on that guy's shoulder? >> i believe that's a monkey. steve: that is crystal who is a movie star. crystal the movie star is going to be your personal assistant all morning. brian: when does he start? steve: he started. brian: he started? great. i have got some stuff to do. let's go. steve: brian, you have a monkey on your back. >> i feel like i do. i have been carrying you forever. some lunch. you hungry? yeah. me too. (door crashes in) (broadview alarm) (gasp and scream) go! go! go! go! go! go! (phone rings) hello? this is mark with broadview security. is everything okay? no. someone just tried to break in. i'm sending help right now. thank you. (announcer) brink's home security is now broadview security. call now to install the standard system for just $99. the proven technology of a broadview security system delivers rapid response from highly trained professionals, 24 hours a day. call now to get the $99 installation, plus a second keypad installed free. and, you could save up to 20% on your homeowner's insurance. call now - and get the system installed for just $99. broadview security for your home or business - the next generation of brink's home security. call now. gretchen: you know that movie that came out a little bit ago. it was a good movie forever kids. night at the museum battle of the smithsonian. it's now available on blue ray and dvd. we have somebody very special from the movie here today. steve: ben stiller is 44. we couldn't get him. instead we have crystal who who plays dexter and abel. brian: hey, crystal. it's not a talking monkey. he is smiling. brian: i have worked out a deal where you guys have done this for me. i have personal assistant for the first time in my career. steve: how great was that. gretchen: i heard they were -- brian: for example, can i have the dvd, crystal? >> just hold your hand out. steve: look at the smile. gretchen: look how sheepish she is. [ laughter ] brian: can she hear me? steve: crystal do not pull off the hair piece? whatever do you steve. gretchen: i was going to say don't pull off the hair piece. gretchen: he is paying $12 an hour. brian: never had such an hostage assistant. it's my assistant. can i talk to her? steve: her? brian: crystal, what's she doing doing? brian: can i get a cup of coffee coffee? steve: how do you like it, mr. kilmeade? brian: just whatever crystal comes back with i will deal with. i would like milk and sugar. brian: whoa, thank you very much. [cheers and applause] gretchen: something you don't have to do with your dog or rabbit is change a diaper. i notice crystal has a diaper on. brian: thank goodness. if they made one for burmese mountain dogs. i don't mean to talk about other animals in front of you but they do have one. crystal can get me a cup of coffee and buy me a movie. what else do i need? can i get sports scripts, perhaps? could you jump off and get the sports scripts by the printer in? whale do you that we can do the rest of the headlines. steve: stand by for more crystal. gretchen: iran continues to defy the west and the united nations vowing to build 10 new nuclear facilities. u.n. actions are to blame pushing to to develop its pravment wants iran to stop all enrichment activities. experts say it would take iran years to actually build any new facilities. brian: the white house is offering pakistan an expanded partisanship. but -- partnership. it comes with a warning. extending economic cooperation but is he demanding an end to pakistan's use of insurgent groups to achieve policy goals. the offer was sent in a letter to president. the letter also discussed easing tensions with india. sounds good. steve: meanwhile, a 10-day hearing begins today to determine if the man charged in the 2002 abduction of elizabeth smart is able to stand trial. it's the third hearing for bribe david mitchell who has already been deemed incompetent for trial twice. mitchell reportedly suffers from a rare delusional disorder though federal prosecutors say he is faking it to avoid prosecution. elizabeth smart was taken from her home as you recall at knife point and held captive for nine months. mitchell's wife will serve 15 years for her role in smart's kidnapping. gretchen: mystery tv channel has popped up in iraq showing images of former dictator saddam hussein. shows saddam hussein along with audio clips from his speeches. the associated press says a man from syria may be behind. this he says he is beaming in the channel for iraqis who long for the days of saddam it began broad katzing on the anniversary of saddam's execution. steve: thanksgiving is over but a wild turk turkey is still hanging around town it has taken over intersection in brooklyn park chasing cars down the street. he has even taunted the police officers, pecking away at their cruisers. the bird is making travel dangerous but many residents consider him a local mascot and they are trying to call off the hunt. if caught, the wild turkey would be handed over to the department of natural resources. gretchen: just down the road where i grew up there is lots of those turkeys out there. steve: lots of turkeys to monkey business. brian: little problem. crystal is slow getting back with the scripts. thank you very much. do you want to hop on my shoulder during -- ok, fine. this is my best, crystal. did you watch the games yesterday? i will take that as a yes. let's watch together. first up best player. this week it's vince young and the tennessee tight at that points. remember when he was benched? he threw for 387 yards. game wing score as titans beat them 20-17. titans are playing really good. youngs is doing well. chad simpson of the indianapolis colts take breaks a few tackles. do you like football? look at this. colts get the award for the best come back, overcame 17-0 deficit beating the mighty texans. best catch, see if you agree. it goes out to san diego. and the chargers malcolm floyd. he makes this 53-yard catch. look at this catch. crystal, watch with me. i know you are athletic by nature, but could you have come up with that? no. floyd and red hot chargers whip the chiefs 43-14. aren't the chiefs a disappointment? best game happened last night. she was up watching sunday night football, both teams needed a victory radars and steelers but in the end it would take overtime for the ravens to pick off and hit the game winning field goal. baltimore wins 20-17. much to the chagrin of many here and steelers having trouble repeating. crystal another hour to work. are you up for it? all right. gretchen? back to you. gretchen: thanks, brian. oil price reiss bound to near $77 today in asia calming initial panic about whether there will be global fallout from dubai's debt problems. brian sullivan is live for us in dubai with the very latest. i don't know how you scored that gig but i have heard dubai is really nice except they have economic problems right now, right? >> they got a lot of economic problems. came out here at the last minute and decided on friday given all the chaos around the debt issues. flew out here and been pretty much on the phone and meeting with people for the last 24 straight hours. still a lot of questions. maybe more questions than answers. i know that the rest of the world market holding up relatively well. we will see how the u.s. does when it opens. i will tell you what happened here, gretchen. it was right down the major dubai stocks opened and promptly fell as much as they were allowed under trading law. none of the major stocks rose. so their headlines that the central banks around here are going to help out. guess what? investors didn't care they pulled their money out of the dubai stock market today. trading closed about a half an hour ago. about 4 3506r789 0 local time. -- 4:30 local time. brian: brian, how is that going to affect us here. >> we have to wait to see. dubai has grown fast but the absolute numbers aren't that great. i would agree with that. the bigger concern about dubai is whether or not this debt, and it all came last week when they said the they wanted six months to repay a through billion dollars in debt. you can't do that in the united states. you can't six months off of debt obligations. here they are asking bond holders to do that. if that happens, there is a greater fear, moral hazard, toik a break and not pay back for sticks months. that could cause her other countries to say why should we pay back our debt if others arelights not paying back their debt. it may be about the rest of the world saying hey you have some countries asking for six month stand stills. why should we do that as as well. don't do that on dubai focus on confidence around the world. gretchen: brian sullivan live for us in dubai. brian sullivan being upstaged by brian kilmeade this morning because there is a morningy -- monkey here. brian: what did you think of that report? gretchen: she is not sure. brian: i had nothing to do with the report. crystal is in night at the museum battle of smithsonian coming out on blue ray and dvd. brian: that is a movie you can watch with your kids and be thoroughly entertained. gretchen: let's talk about. this speaking of business as brian sullivan was from the fox business network. a lot of people are looking for ways to make money in the great state of michigan. there is a very high unemployment rate. and so a kid by the name of nick, 24 years old, has started a college called med grow can business cannibis college. can learn how to grow 12 plants if you are a caregiver or need medical marijuana you can grow it in your house yourself. gretchen: this guy had an auto detailing company. that we went belly up during the recession. he gets another small business idea. i'm not sure that this should be the topic of the business idea showing people how to grow cop. brian: next hour we will meet a mom who saw how marijuana affected her autistic child for the positive. this could be earth breaking. steve: she has said that the child was violent and did not respond and now he is actually doing well. he has gained weight. a fair and balanced debate about that straight ahead on this monday morning. gretchen: i wonder what the monkey thinks about the white house party crashers? how did those party crashers get past security? and should the secret service be held responsible? brian: crystal stuck his tongue out. gretchen: the man who crashed the oscars and the grammys. he will give us his expert perspective. steve: crystal ever win an oscar? she will. cyber monday, the day to get incredible shopping deals online. also big day to get scam and i.d. stolen. clayton morris our guru here what to look for on monday. brian: he is monkeyless, unlike us. óxñ steve: big story over the last couple of days. a paver associate lights from virginia were thrust into after crashing a white house state dinner of. the is a -- is a -- the couple how they were able to penetrate layers of top notch security. brian: having snuck into numerous parties and award shows himself todd would know a thing or two about crashing a party. scott, have you ever tried something akin to this? >> well, never the white house. but the largest party i ever crashed was the oscars and the oscars governor's ball. and working up to that. we started with the emmys. we did the grammys. golden globes, the sag awards and then the oscars. steve: oscars were like the olympics for gate crashing until this couple came along. >> oscars are ultimate party. not including the white house. steve: scott, when you look at what this couple did, how did they do it? >> well, i have no idea. i keep looking at the images of them arriving with the bravo cameras and i'm asking myself always, you know, was there someone there that helped them? did someone let them in? as this story unfolds, i think we are going to find out there is more to it than meets the eye. steve: scott, was it because it looked like they belonged there. you don't wear that to the grill. >> she looked lovely. and she absolutely and he absolutely looked like they belonged. that he was the key right there. if you look like you belong, and you act like you belong, you do belong. brian: i know on your thesis how to do it. you convince yourself you belong. therefore things flow naturally and you get through. in particular, scott, you are doing this for an adventure. in this situation arrest looms. this is lying to a federal official. this is sneaking past secret service. they can shoot you. >> well, i don't think they are going to shoot them. they look too cute for that the thing is, i would never ever attempt to crash the white house. it's, you know, it's our president. it's national security. so i don't know what possessed them. i think it's incredibly stupidity but somehow they did it. steve: they did it and some have suggested they did it to g.e.d. on one of those bravo shows. thank you for crashing our party this morning. >> you are welcome. brian: today is cyber monday. you can get amazing deals online. you can also get ripped off big time. many of you will. steve: clayton morris our resident guru is here with how not to get scammed. brian: number one song on the country charts "before he cheats" by carrie underwood. ♪ . . . ç çeeeeeeeeeeeeee gretchen: to date is cyber monday. there areç some awesomeç deal, but there are also some creeps looking to rip you off. with me right now is our tech çguruç clinton morse. clayton: have you done your shopping yet? çyou like toç shop online. gretchen: you are going to be telling us what to look up for. çfirst, look forç these e-mais coming from businesses. clayton: i am sure everyoneç hç a message in there and box this morning. a natural inclination is to go to the website from the e-mail. çnever do that. çthat is because a lot of peope will send you scammed e-çmails, and they know that you want to see these good deals. do not do it that way. ççgretchen: if i shop online, companies often send me deals. i should not open them? çclaytonto that is right. you can look in the e-mail, but go to the browserç yourself and typeç in the website address. do not go through the e-mail. ççgretchen: the next thing is, know how to spell. clayton: çpeople lie on that spellers. çthere might be a version of yr favorite web site with one letter of that looked just like your favorite web site. ççgretchen:ç also,ç update r browser before dropping clayton: ççshopping. clayton: first of all,ç i am nt a bigç fan of internet explorer, and get the latest security features from internet explorer 8,çó apple safariç, orç google chrome. use a secureç wi-fiç hot spot. çyou do not know howç secure t the market is. there are a lot of people on there, and they can steal your stuff. çgretchen:ç president obama sending more troops to afghanistan and talking about an exit strategy at the same time. a thanksgiving weekend fo+ david has a half -- hasselhoff. ççgretchen: and there is your system, brian. . [captioning made possible by fox news channel] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- gretchen: this is a fox news alert. swat teams cornering theç manç suspected of murdering four police officers in seattle. tiger woods has refused to talk to police officers. brian: canç marijuana help heaa kid with autism? one mother said yes. gretchen: we hope you had a ì(lc@&c+ surrounding that home in seattle. inside is a wounded man police believe murdered four officers. çmauriceç clemmons, the only suspect, is holed up in the home. swat team members say that he is çwounded, and could even be de. ç>> we have determined he is st and is our suspect. çhe isç no longer a person of interest but are suspect. gretchen: four officers were gunned down in a copy shop. çtheyç are greg richards, mark ranger, and tina griswold, and ronald owens. tucker was still not talciog to police after hisç accident over the weekend, but his 911 phone call was made public. gretchen:ç now we are hearing çpolice are trying to obtain a search warrant to getç further information. the whiteç house is hoping that name and shame put pressure on lendersç. the treasuryç says in will also hold back cash incentives to those companies if they do not help to lower payments. however,ç some say thatç morea profit is made if the home goes into foreclosure. an explosion at a school in virginia injuresçç a few work. glasses are canceled as workers tried to pinpoint the cause of the accident. çthis is another tragic story çabout david hasselhoff and his new wife. çhe and his ex-wkf spent the holiday in jail. this time around, he was placed under involuntary xsxchiatric hold at cedars-sinai medical çcenter for alcohol poisoning. the police also addressed in his wife on drunk driving charges. ççsteve: caller:, where were u for your thanksgiving -- karl rove,ç where were you for your thinking? ç>> i was spending the holiday with my family. with my family. brian: the president is talking 3 about upgradinh afghanistan. what should be in those remarks? >> we know he is sending another 30,000 troops to afghanistan. çhe up some of the difference. that is the right thing to do. even though i am a conservative, i can apple him for that. i wish she was doingç more -- e was doing more, but we have to realize that he is running against the left wing in his own party. çsteve:ç everyman or woman seg costs, on average, $1 million. we have cash for clunkers, the çstimulus, and nowç this, bute is careful to frame this with the exit strategy. >> that does concern me. the general mcchrystalç came up çwith 40,000, so what message does this send to the enemy, what message does this send to çpakistan, to the afghanis? çwe may be out here on our own pretty soon. ççgretchen: you see politics n this decision still. by talking about the exit strategy, appeasing peopleç frm the left. çthere is politics from the rit as well, sending in 30,000 troops. is there politics and this? >>ç absolutely. itç is politics in how long thy waited to do this, because they were concerned that if they were too tough onç afghanistan, it wouldç separate the left. there has been too much politics. brian: hereç is what is disconcerting theç will wall street journal -- the "wall street journal" says that they're puttingç money into training police. ç>> we have to forestall afghanistan returning into a failed state thatç would fall under the control of theç taliban or another ally. it is not an accident that when the fourth responsibilities of the president is to protect the nation and doubled the constitution. çhe has to protect theç county and we should support him in that. steve: last night -- we bought a new dishwasher a couple weeks ago. the administration -- it is not cash for clunkers -- but i might get a rebate for buying energy efficient appliances. ç>>ç first of all, 690,000 vehicles were bought in cash for clunkers. we ended up spendingçç $24,00r car. the administration says that there were 330,000 automobiles that would not have sold otherwise. çç$300 million for energy efficient appliances is ridiculous. we are spending $1 trillion more this year than last year in the federal budget. ççare we going to do this to y part of the economy? steve: but my plates are going to come out very clean. ççgretchen: we heard from appliance manufacturers, and they said, what about us? 3 +%-ponly to make the economy lok better than it is? >> we know that cash for clunkers movedç forward automobile purchases that would @awe happened otherwise. if we are going to spend money, we need to spend money for small businesses said they can continue to hire and put people back to work. çç$300 million in a $14 trilln economy is just ridiculous. brian: i can see by your body language that you areç befuddld by it. how about this couple at the white house state dinner? whose fault is it that they got into the event? ç>> iç love the secret servic, and in particular, the uniformed division. they are getting a beating. i cannot believe that the uniformed division officer with çthe two well-dressed people ì+ house -- regardless of who told them that it was okay. every night thereç are hundreds of people who are cleared to building. to the bottom of this, one of those aides got these socialites in. ççgretchen: when we went to te holiday party, it was raining and we still have to go through the security check. >> aç understand director sullivanç taking responsibilit, because ultimately they are, but i would not be surprised if there was a staffer who had worked this out with themç and brought them into the complex. çonce you are in, it is not vey far from the west wing to get into the residence. steve: if they lied to secret serviceç --ç there were some senators same over the weekend that they want them to be punished >> you do not want to have wannabes trying to get inside. you want toç send a strong signal. çthese are headline seekers. people in financial difficulty getting themselves onto a reality tv show. steve:ç what happened to that y çthat got through security and gave president bush -- they called him the handshake guy. it was banned from washington, çd.c.ç 45 years. >> the obama administration is trying to do the same thing with me. çbrian: can youç imagine whats going to be like going to the white house now? gretchen: we do have a question of the day. çlet's beç honest, and these e not good looking people who were nicely dressed, and they would be in one heck of a troubled perio. ç>>ç maybe it is a good wake-p call for the administration. i do not think we have seen what is really behind this. steve: always a pleasure. brian:ç the battle overç healthcare sheets up. senate democrats preparing to debate the reform bill. peter johnson has his prescription for truth. steve: and a mother caring for her autistic sonç says marijuaa saved her son's life. . brian: the senate is back to work today. they are debating health care reform but democrats are divided over key issues and a $848 so what can weç expect in the days to come? peter johnson has his prescription for truth. if you are a republican, what do you want to get forward? >>ç republicans want toç strie $400 billion in medicare cuts from the senate bill. what we have to understand is, in terms of the obama presidency,úbp rahm emanuel's own definitions,2this is the momentous week. not only is the president facing 10% unemployment, the afghanis are coming up on troop deployment. çnow harry reid says he wants o çget this passed by christmas. brian: there is something else you wanted to bring up. the priority should be the payroll tax. ç>> republicansç in the senate asking why there should be an increase. you also see the abortion issue come from dan center. why should the government pay for abortions? ç-- front and center. çby 2014, this is supposed to o into effect. what happens in the next five yearsç? çwhy does it have to be done in 25 days and then we wait five years? is this hurry up and wait? in terms of the actual effectç, there is nonç planned for a federal agency, monitored there have been discussions about how bad a german companies are. çwell, there is oó proposal for the regulatory agency for insurance companies. so who is supposed to monitor these folks? there was talk about pre- existing conditions. çyou would be able to get an insuranceç policy, that it woud be unlimited. well, if you have a pre-existing condition, wait until 2014. ççbrian: the bottom line is in libby democrats against democrats more than it will be republicans versus republicans. thank you. just peeling awayç the first layer of the onion. çwhat if your child at autism? how far would you go to help him or her? >> had i not gone this route, my son would not be here. controversial and some say that she has gone too far. and a high-flying performance at the shopping mall. çand this proud american is çgetting in the christmas spir. lee greenwood is here. gretchen: first and was the airlines, now the airport when to charge you more they are asking to double the fee to pay for the construction of terminals. and today is cyber monday. over the thanksgiving holiday, retail sales were up slightly, more shoppers, but on average, they spent less. steve: the battle over medical marijuana has a surprising new focus, kid to. a growing number of parents are turning to marijuana to treat kids with autism and adhd. while they say it is a lifesaver, some pediatricians say it is too far. one woman is waging -- raising an autistic child and says that her son is alive today because she fed him pot brownies. we also have 10 cromwell, her attorney. we also have dr. sharon hersh, a pediatric doctor. describe how your 10-year old was, his weight, attitude, before you started him on these brownies. >> he was 48 pounds, 10 years old. you could see the bones in his chest, legs, and torso were pretty much the same size. he was extremely thin. he had a behavior that was extremely aggressive. he had crying outbursts, running away, he was unstable. steve: he weighed so little, if you thought he was about to die? >> i did not feel left, he buzz going to die. there is a difference. he was going to die. steve: then you heard about this medical treatment where kids with autism were fed marijuana, so you found this doctor. did you have to talk him into allowing your 10-year old to use it? >> enjoy we pause psychiatrist actually provided in the documentation where we consider this as a solution. i did my due diligence and made sure that this was a choice that i was comfortable with and that his doctor was comfortable with and all the surrounding agencies near our home. i was praised -- raised pro- life -- steve: and you would never raise -- use marijuana yourself. dr. hirsch, you are troubled by this because there is not much research on the effects of marijuana on kids. >> that is correct. we know the brain is still developing so we do not know when adding this substance to the brain will do to the final development. steve: but you heard her. her son was about to die. can you blame her? >> certainly come at any time you have a child with a chronic illness, we always reach for something that we think will help. the problem is, when we do something that could be more harmful, it could cause something else to happen. i do not know what will happen to joey. i cannot comment on her particular case because i am not treating him. i see a lot of kids with problems with weight, autism, and we do not have to resort to the medical marijuana for that. steve: the american academy of pediatrics recommend the use of scientifically validated treatments. they go on to say -- 10, before you go, you are an attorney that is trying to help families who are in situations like hers. a lot of us say, it seems to be working for her, but we have a problem with marijuana. >> this is evidence that it can help. one of the reasons why it is not widespread is because only 14 states have a compassionate use act, like california. it is not surprised a doctor is not familiar with this treatment because illinois does not have a compassionate use act. we would love to consult with doctors. we think at the end of the day, doctors will be one of our biggest supporters. this is just one piece of evidence. we need the federal government to open up their eyes. making marijuana is could go one drug -- a schedule one drug was approved in 1970. steve: thank you for joining us. good luck to julie. -- joey. brian and britain are in the coffee room right now. gretchen: [no audio] we will have a live report. brian: and some serious monkey business. my assistant is taking soma bre. she is entitled to 110-minute break because she is a union capuchin gretchen: this is a fox news alert. you are looking at live pictures of a fire burning of of control in glendale, california. firefighters are on aerial ladders write that out of that factory. the word on any injuries. we will keep you posted. brian: it does not even up like he has a hose. steve: it is one of those ones that are affixed to the latter. that is going to be a rough commute into town. right now, police are surrounding a home in seattle, inside a wounded man police believe murdered of which you were officers yesterday in a coffee shop. dan springer is with us from the coffee shop. >> we are hoping this man and will come to an end shortly. police are confident they have their suspects around it in a house about 30 miles away from the murder scene. they have an eyewitness that places the suspect inside this home in seattle. it is the home of the suspect's aunt. we have some live pictures. police are keeping the media pretty far back from the house but we know that they have been using a loudspeaker to try to get the suspect out. the attack happened at 8:15 sunday morning inside the forza coffee shop just outside of tacoma, washington. four police officers for doing. four workers were inside. they said the killer walked up to the counter as if he was going to order coffee but then turned around and opened fire. the fourth officer was able to fight the suspect off, all the light outside, and he was able to shoot a suspect before he was also killed. police are focusing on maurice clemmons, a tacoma resident with a long criminal record. he was sent to prison for assault that then governor huckabee commuted his jail sentence. he then moved to washington state where she was before facing the colony charges, including assaulting a police officer as well as rape of a child. he is described as mentally unstable. the officer and gunned down were all like with police officers, three were married, all leave behind children, nine in all. this is the worst day in washington state in terms of police lives lost. officials believe he is inside and has been wounded. back to you. steve: thank you. awful story. gretchen: pirates are on the attack again, seizing a supertanker. the ship was carrying crude oil from saudi arabia. it could pose an environmental threat to the region. it is only the second successful hijacking of an oil tanker. steve: meanwhile, the markets are pointing to a lower opening as investors worried about the situation in dubai. the dubai government says it cannot guarantee the survival of dubai world. the market plunged today since the news broke. brian: it considered -- it seems acorn considered changing their name. apparently, they thought it could help to fix their tarnished image after the undercover videos like this. then they said that image would blow over in the year or two. gretchen: and. the former plunges three stores at a show at a shopping mall. the 26-year old hanging upside down from a metal hoop suspended from the ceiling when she somehow slips and falls to the ground. she was taken to the hospital with injuries to her wrist and pelvis. steve: meanwhile, pope benedict is lending his voice to a new album today. on the cd, he sings and praisep. part of the proceeds will go to music indication of the underprivileged children throughout the world. just in time for the christmas season. gretchen: brian's the system has shown up again. brian: can i have the sports? thank you, crystal. steve: you should point out, crystal is a movie star with ben stiller. brian, that is right, she is -- brian: that is right, she is in "9 at the museum." ok, we do not have it. williams can play in the grand slams next year but could be barred from the u.s. open with another outburst. it is unbelievable. john mcenroe gets pay -- a national rent a car deal. what do you think, kristol? you like it? gretchen: i hate to ask her what she thinks about the tiger woods saga. the family has decided not to speak to the police and according to them, they do not have to in a single car accident. steve: who could get away with that? it is interesting. according to tmz, the florida highway patrol is focusing on getting a search warrant. these are some pictures of the escalator. if they do that, and they can get the medical records to see if he was hurt in the car accident or if perhaps his wife hit him with a golf club. gretchen: but if you are not tiger woods, nobody would care about this. based on florida law, anyone can say that they do not have to speak to police. in his statement, he admits he is human and made a mistake. i think it is a private matter between him and his wife. steve: she gave two different stories to the police and that is what the highway patrol is concerned with now. brian: what i do not understand, too, is because sometimes police take it personal. they had to come to the house three times. they have the most high-priced lawyers. this is the best remedy they came up with? here is the crazy thing. he has a tournament this weekend. not just to play, he is the man. gretchen: will he show up, will he do the press conference? coming up, president obama will announce his plans to send troops to afghanistan, but why is he already talking about an exit strategy? peter king says it could be putting us at risk. steve: and stick around for a country singing superstar lee greenwood still tired of morning coming in the middle of the night? rooster crow. still tired the next day too? when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, remember 2-layer ambien cr. the first layer helps you fall asleep quickly. and unlike other sleep aids, a second helps you stay asleep. when taking ambien cr, don't drive or operate machinery. sleepwalking, and eating or driving while not fully awake with memory loss for the event as well as abnormal behaviors such as being more outgoing or aggressive than normal, confusion, agitation and halluciations may occur. don't take it with alcohol as it may increase these behaviors. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath, swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and in rare cases may be fatal. side effects may include next-day drowsiness, dizziness, and headache. in patients with depression, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide may occur. if you experience any of these behaviors or reactions contact your doctor immediately. wake up ready for your day. ask your healthcare provider for 2-layer ambien cr. gretchen: in the president will announce sending troops to afghanistan to more night. at the same time, he will announce an exit strategy. steve: it is that a good idea? peter king is with us. he is going to send as many people -- we do not know exactly. and judith miller says that they are massaging the numbers. >> if he is sending, i think that is important. we need to stand with him on that. if he talked about in packs of china j., the dust marie -- an exit strategy, that worries me. pakistan, in the late 1980's, we used them against the soviets and we pulled back. we have been in korea for over 50 years, germany, 60 years. we cannot say that we are going to pull out of the region. we have a goal to provide stability. gretchen: the reason he would talk about an exit strategy is to appease the left side of his party. can you make any decision as president without politics being involved? >> no, and i do not criticize the president in this. he is trying to bring as much of his party along as he can, but it is a tough situation. the trick is to bring as much of his base along without scaring off our allies, people in afghanistan. the fact that he waited till long was also wrong, too. that created uncertainty. steve: what about the suggestion from a number of people on the upside -- opposite side who say that we are going to commit to a bunch of guys, but afghanistan need to help us and they have not been helping enough. >> done they are far from perfect -- there are far from perfect but we are there for ourselves as well. we cannot allow the taliban or al qaeda to come back in. gretchen: something that happened over the weekend -- this couple managed to crush the white house party. you are calling for an investigation? >> this is a breakdown in security. i do not know how they did this. there is almost always someone there from the white house staff. i believe there should be in full investigation. i have great respect for the secret service and i cannot imagine how this could happen. especially president obama, our most current and president in history. gretchen: award winning country singer lee greenwood is here. steve: and bill hemmer is coming up at the top of the hour. bill: breaking news in this murder of four police officers. can tiger woods simply say no to investigators? and danica patrick is here with big news on her own are racing future. -- auto racing future gretchen: our next guest might be best known for his patriotic and done "don bless the usa" and lee greenwood is with us right now. brian: lee greenwood is with us this morning. what do the holidays mean to you? >> it is a special time for the families. my wife and i had our first kiss 20 years ago. she is just as beautiful today as she was then. gretchen: we got a chance to meet your family the last time that you were here. steve: speaking of christmas, how about a christmas song? >> sure, it is from my new album, which comes out tomorrow "point of destination." steve: here is lee greenwood with "he would be kaine." -- king." ♪ could she have known all the joy he would bring could she have known she would be king her companion watched in silence with wonder on his face and that a miracle could have been to a carpenter by trade when he grows strong when he here maybe one day he could became he would be king he would be king he would be lord of all the earth and everything. sheppard would quake, angels would sing he would be king so they tried to soothe his crying with a tender lullaby for the moment they would keep him hallelujah was already up going praise to the child who would became he would be lord of all the earth and every than he would became -- pete king he would be king ♪ [applause] steve: more lee greenwood, two minutes. what's our favorite part of honey bunches of oats? the sparkly flakes. the honey-baked bunches! the magic's in the mix. my favorite part? eating it. honey bunches of oats. taste the joy we put in every spoonful. 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. new honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. . steve: that was great. the album was already out? >> yes, it is. we are playing a huge opening tomorrow. brian: that is the best thing, everyone wants a new album. everyone wants a new album.
good morning, america, on this monday, november 30th. man hunt as we await, police surround a house searching for the man who shot four police officers execution style. when they stopped for their morning cup of coffee. we have the latest from the scene as police move in. tiger woods, what he says about that early morning accident that sent him to the hospital and the new questions and details from police. open house. we show you exactly how the couple who crashed the white house state dinner got past the secret service as congress launches an investigation. and close call. holiday shoppers watch an aerial gymnast fall 30 feet to the floor. the young woman survives as retailers assess the risk the morning after. and good morning to all of you. we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving. diane sawyer with robin roberts and this morning, of course, we are following this ongoing drama unfolding as you wake up this morning as police are determined to find the person who killed four of their own. >> it had happened over the holiday weekend. a lone gunman opened fire on four police officers at a washington coffee shop outside of tacoma. the four killed execution style. the officers had almost 50 years experience between them and nine children. >> so let's get the latest at this hour. abc's neil carlin skin is in parkland, washington. neal. >> reporter: we're in the middle of a tense police standoff. we have some pictures of the scene right now. police believe in fact that suspect may be suffering from a gunshot wound that he sustained at the time of the attack on police officers yesterday. an attack on officers as they sat in a coffee shop just down the road behind me here. early this morning a seattle neighborhood in lockdown. police used tear gas and explosions targeting a house where their person of interest, mauresmo clemmons, is believed to be holed up. officers could be heard at times firing shots and encouraging clemmons to surrender. hours earlier in a shroud of flashing blue and red, the bodies of the four officers were escorted out from the crime scene under a huge american flag to salute and heavy hearts. >> saluting them as the procession went by, you know, i couldn't help a few tears rolling down my eyes. it was just -- you know, it was just sad. >> reporter: the four officers were gunned down inside this coffee shop as they prepared to begin their shift. police say the suspects stood at the counter as if to order then opened his coat, pulled a gun and began firing. >> he pulled open his coat and shot and fled and they were writing reports. >> reporter: police are calling it an ambush, an execution. in a last-ditch effort, wounded and in shock one of the officers struggled with the suspect. >> one of them managed to fight his way with the suspect fight all the way out the doorway until he was shot and died of a gunshot wound. >> reporter: they are faces every cop in town newell. sergeant mark renninger with a five and three children, in in a statement his brother called him a loving and dedicated father. officer ronald owens who leaves behind a daughter. officer tina griswold, married, a mother of two and stickler for safety procedures and officer greg richards, a husband and father of three. >> it's just unimaginable and our hearts are just breaking. >> reporter: maurice clemmons has a long rap sheet including assault on a police officer and a pending child rape charge. here he is in 2008 talking about a fire at his rental property. >> property and stuff like that can always be replaced so it was a blessing that, you know, nobody get hurt. >> reporter: he was released from custody just six days ago even though he was wanted on a fugitive warrant out of arkansas, a state where then governor mike huckabee granted him clemency nine years ago. >> some people have to answer to that. >> reporter: former governor huckabee for his part in the statement overnight said that clemmons' release or his being out is a result of failures in the criminal justice system both in arkansas and in washington state. as for the standoff that is ongoing right now. a fluid situation. police have not heard from clemmons if he is inside that home. diane? >> all right, neal, back to you as we learn more. joining us from the crime scene in parkland is ed troyer, the pierce county sheriff's department spokesman leading the investigation along with the team there and thank you so much, officer troyer. i want to ask the direct question, how did you come to suspect maurice clemmons as a person of interest? >> well, it was a trail through our investigation through linking vehicles and people together which brought us to a residence and as we talked to acquaintances, it became pretty clear that he was our person of interest and then once we found out he was suffering from a gunshot wound last night, it was immediately changed to being our number one suspect, in fact, he's the only person we're looking for that's responsible for this. >> we had heard he had been spotted near the coffee shop and found a cutoff electronic tracking bracelet that he had cut off his ankle? >> well, during one of the operations where we were checking residences we did find a tracking device that was cut off his ankle but there by the bond company and not the prosecutor's office as a condition of his release. that's obviously that they wer afraid of losing their bond when he bailed out of jail. >> was there any more insight from anyone about why these four officers in particular, we know they were in uniform, they were in marked police cars. do we think he just trailed them or that he was targeting them in particular? >> we don't believe he was targeting them in particular. we believe that he was just out to kill some police officers execution style. we are now learning after the incident getting reports he made comments the night before to watch the news because he was going to kill a bunch of cops. those people did not report that and till after the incident occurred so we believe that he was just after police officers and, unfortunately, they were the four in that coffee shop when he went by and saw that they were there. >> there are reports that his sister has been saying he was not of his right mind. others were talking about he was flying, he was the confirmed messiah. are these reports that came to you? >> well, when we're getting the information to the charging sheets and looking at the police reports and looking at his history in arkansas he does definitely have some issues, and part of our investigation will be is why he was out of jail. we know here in washington, we didn't do anything wrong because we've arrested him multiple times. we got him charged and he was being held on $150,000 bail and bailed out and what happened was is once we told arkansas that we had him in custody they quashed the warrant so they had a chance to get him back on whatever reason they let him go in the first place and that's something we'll take a strong look at to determine why he was even here to begin with. >> looking at this, five felony counts in arkansas, eight in washington, d.c. state, serving in arkansas 11 years of a potential 60-year sentence. how angry does this make you and your fellow officers. >> well, you know, the criminal justice system works when it works. when it doesn't there is usually a breakdown someplace. when we do the math that he was supposed to have 65 years in arkansas and he's only 30 something years old the simple math is somehow or another some reason he was out in our state when he definitely should be back there and didn't even come close to serving his sentence. >> officer troyer, again, we want to thank you. we want to honor all of the officers on your team. i know so many of them came in on their own time to do everything that they could from the entire region. >> right. >> and, of course, the families of those nine children. nine children. >> that's absolutely right. >> of the four who died. >> yes. >> thank you again. >> thank you. all right, diane. thousand to the latest on tiger woods. the golf legend refusing to speak with police about the early morning accident outside his florida home early friday morning. but in a written statement yesterday woods did take responsibility for the car crash. we're also hearing the 911 call made by tiger woods' neighbor. our john berman has the latest from windermere, florida. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, robin. well, in his statement tiger woods says "the situation is my fault. "but he doesn't say what situation or how he managed to crash his car just outside his driveway or why he was unconscious after the crash. these are just some of the unanswered questions in this mysterious case and right now tiger woods is not talking. the celebrity website tmz released these photos of tiger woods' mangled car but for the third time woods refused to speak to investigators to explain the 2:po a.m. accident just past his driveway but released a statement saying "i'm human and i'm not perfect." the florida highway patrol released the 911 call from a concerned neighbor 2:28 friday morning. >> i have someone down in front of my house. they hit a pole. >> is it a car accident, sir? >> it's a car accident, yes. >> and are they trapped inside the vehicle? >> no, they are laying on the ground. >> reporter: five minutes later police arrive and find woods on the ground breathing but slipping in and out of consciousness. >> is he outside or inside his car. >> outside. >> is he unconscious? >> yes. >> the back window of woods' vehicle was smashed. woods' we have elin said she broke it with a golf club in order to pull him from the vehicle but the tabloids have been abuzz with rumors of a domestic dispute. the national enquirer published a story saying woods was seeing a new york nightclub hostess. the woman denied the affair and hired gloria allred. in his statement he said the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. my wife elin acted courageously when she saw i was hurt and in trouble. any other assertion is absolutely false. pr experts say the statement might be the in nick of time. >> had it taken any longer to release than it did, i think there would have been some real concern and that brand might have well been in real jeopardy. >> reporter: woods is the first athlete ever to top $1 billion in career earnings. he is also fiercely protective of his image. with a yacht named "privacy" this is not the kind of attention he relishes. woods has hired a high-profile local attorney who says that woods has no plans to speak to the police and legally he doesn't have to. he has to turn over his license, registration and insurance information, which he did. police, however, say this investigation is continuing. robin? >> all right, john. thank you for that. joining us now is abc news consultant christine brennan joining us from washington. christine, other than the written statement on his website, we have not heard from tiger woods. is this the right strategy? >> it's a great question, robin, obviously tiger woods and his people are very controlling, disciplined, maybe the most disciplined athlete on the planet in terms of his image so they think it's the right strategy. i don't think his sponsors will leave him. i don't think his fans will leave him but such an incongruous image from the man we're seeing from the man we know. >> it's sump a different world. you know that, christine, with the internet and anything can be said. so how do you confront the things that are being said in blogs and -- in the atmosphere? how do you confront that. >> tiger, of course, said it. it's a private matter and accepted blame and said his wife was khoury rajsz and doesn't like the fact the rumors are out there. they're hoping that's the end of it of the he may or may not show up on his own golf tournament in los angeles. if he does that, robin, then he'll have to speak. if he doesn't show up i think more questions. i don't think this is over. i think it's one of those things tiger hopes it's over. his people hope it's over but is it? i don't think so because of the blogisphere. >> the florida highway patrol say they got the information that they need, it's optional if tiger wants to talk to them and made it clear he does not. there are people who want to know more but there are a lot of people who just saying leave tiger woods alone. which one is it? >> you know what, i think our world is such that the internet will keep going and fans and sponsors will speak, as well. and my sense is that tiger will be just fine in the long run and maybe this is a weird chapter in the story of tiger woods, one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen and is such a part of our culture too, robin, as a superstar but we don't know yet and the bottom line is the -- the mainstream media might have said, okay, that's done but the internet will not stop. >> and he is fiercely private. he always has been but you feel that, you know, he does have endorsements but from a business standpoint he has nothing to worry about. >> i don't think he has anything to worry about with the current ones. whether others would sign on, not that he needs anymore, he's a billion dollar athlete, i don't know that others would jump on the bandwagon this week. this is bizarre and strange of this button-down image of tiger woods. >> remains to be seen if he will speak at some point. a lot doubt that. christine, thank you very much for your insight. have a great day. now chris cuomo is here with the other headlines including a look ahead to president obama's speech tomorrow. the big speech. good morning, robin, diane, everyone. the president is putting the finishing touches on tomorrow's night speech at west point. after months of contemplating while our fighting men and women tangle with an increasingly formidable foe, the president's now ready to tell americans how he plans to finish the job in afghanistan. for details on what we know to jake tapper at the white house. good morning, jake. >> reporter: good morning, chris. well, president obama just yesterday held more meetings with his national security team to prepare for the rollout of his new strategy in afghanistan and pakistan, the first draft of the speech has been written. many revisions are expected, of course. officials say that the speech will attempt to do the following thing, one, the president said last week he would finish the job in afghanistan. he needs to explain to a war weary american people just what that job is. two, exit strategy. part of sending more than 30,000 new u.s. troops to the region bringing the total to more than 100,000 or around it is explaining to the american people that he needs to bring them home and his plans to bring them home. three, to the international community, a message that this is not just a mission for the u.s. and that's part of trying to get nato countries to send 5,000 to 10,000 more troops and finally a message to the afghan government that they need to step it up when it comes to anti-corruption and good governance efforts. chris? >> all right, jake, thank you very much for the reporting. of course, abc news will bring you live coverage of the president's address tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. eastern. the white house is also beginning a new push to help more homeowners facing foreclosure. part of its plan involves naming and shaming lenders into permanently lowering mortgage payments under the administration's foreclosure prevention program. that program is supposed to be helping about 650,000 struggling borrowers but only a fraction of them have received permanent relief so far. there is an escalation in the standoff over iran's nuclear program. president mahmoud ahmadinejad has responded to a u.n. demand to stop work on a nuclear facility by vowing to build ten more facilities just like it. the white house is hoping iran's defiance will convince russia and china to support new sanctions. finally there's good news about a study on autism. researchers found that behavior therapy can improve symptoms in autistic children as young as 18 months old. it's known as the early start denver model that emphasizes social interaction for 20 hours a week at home with a child playing. now, after two years, the study found that children had significantly higher i.q. scores and better language skills. still, researchers say more study is needed to confirm the are yous, but very promising. that is the news at 7:16. >> it shifted the severity of the diagnosis in some cases. thanks so much, chris. and sam champion, happy post-thanksgiving monday. >> thank you. feeling a little full. good morning, diane, chris, robin. did anyone notice that elves threw christmas all over the place? if you need a little christmas they gave it. i'm sure you'll see it throughout the next few days all over the studio. to the boards. one or two things going on. area of low pressure and front that moves into northern new england and really the mid-atlantic so scattered showers throughout the day today. not going to look at any big-time rainfall totals for the most part but you are going to be mild before the front then colder air sharply behind the front as it gets to the coastline later orange tonight. heavy rain watching a significant front pushing out of the west. big time wet weather pushing in. rain headed our way by mid-day today. cooler temperatures behind the front will be in later tonight. forecast today, 52 degrees, we'll hover there through midday. cloudy, rainy temperatures falling out there. overnight tonight getting colder down to 34 degrees. in the next half hour we'll talk about a little west texas snow. el paso could get 4 inches. thanks, sam. now that tape from a show at a mall in beverly hills that nearly ended in tragedy. an aerial performer hanging upside down from a metal hoop fell. there was no net to catch her and it was part of a big promotion meant to boost sales, something malls are trying to do all over the country this time of year. here's abc's lisa fletcher on what happened. >> reporter: it was a holiday spectacular. designed to draw crowds to the mall. but something went horribly wrong. this cell phone video captured the aerialist performing without a net falling nearly 20 feet as hundreds helplessly watched. >> working over 30 feet we typically always use safeties. the net has to be a minimum of eight feet off the ground. if the net is two feet off the ground, it's not functional. >> reporter: miraculously she survived. the 26-year-old performer who is asked not to be identified is optized with a broken wrist and pelvis. she says she and the rest of the troupe know the risk is part of the job. >> these are not ordinary people. these are the top trained athletes in the world. >> reporter: retailers across the country are going to extremes in the downed economy to attract coveted shoppers. but free giveaways are other thing, a dangerous aerial show, some are wondering if that's going too far. your answer is no is. >> not at all. it is very safe. is it foolproof, no. >> reporter: while shoppers were horrified, the show will go on. 60 performances leading up to christmas. for "good morning america," lisa fletcher, abc news, los angeles. >> thank god she wasn't seriously hurt. >> no. details now on the white house crashers. we wondered how they made their way through those checkpoints at the white house. we'll learn. attention shoppers. it is cyber-monday and tips to finding rock bottom deals just a click away. ♪ it'sistmastime ♪ ♪ and wouldn't it be nice ♪ ♪ to find a simpler way ♪ ♪ to get the best prihr ♪ ♪ to stop chasing sales ♪ ♪ when i'd rather be ♪ ♪ having story time by the tree ♪ this christmas, you don't have to chase sales. walmart checks other store's prices so you don't have to-- and if there's a better advertised price out there, they'll even match it. christmas costs less at walmart. save money. live better. walmart. ou find a wayve money. live better. to eat right at work... grab it. 100% natural white meat chicken and no msg added. with egg noodles soup. harvest chicken/ m'm! m'! good! @ work. (announcer) tr out a fewt differs this cold and flu season. the kleenex virtual mos at getmommed.com. bonus on every single purchase. what you do with it is up to you. what will you get back with your cash back? it pays to discover. with two scoops!™ of raisins harvested at the peak of sweetness, and golden flakes of bran with 28% of their daily fiber, nothing gets your family's day off to a brighter start... than the goodness of kellogg's raisin bran® cereal. feed their sunny side. while i was building my friendships, my family, while i was building my life, my high cholesterol was contributing to plaque buildup in my arteries. that's why my doctor prescribed crestor. she said plaque buildup in arteries is a real reason to lower cholesterol. and that along with diet, crestor does more than lower bad cholesterol, it raises good. crestor is also proven to slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. crestor isn't for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems. you should tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, or if you have muscle pain or weakness. that could be a sign of serious side effects. while you've been building your life, plaque may have been building in your arteries. find out more about slowing the buildup of plaque at crestor.com. then ask your doctor if it's time for crestor. announcer: if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. good morning to you. coming up on 7:30. watching some big time rain moving into western maryland this morning. none here in baltimore just yet, but scattered showers beginning to break out in front of the main line here and behind this particular round of rain, much cooler temperatures and breezy conditions as well. forecast model in detail. rain coming in by lunch time. will stay wet this afternoon. temperatures drop as rain moves away. even a few snow flurries in pennsylvania tomorrow morning. i don't think we'll see it here though. 52 degrees, cloudy. temperatures will fall into the evening. hover around 52, 53 degrees for today. tonight down to 34. cold night on the way. quick check of your 7-day forecast, actually tomorrow, up to 50 degrees. plenty of sunshine, cool breezy weather on tap. >> we do have volume building in the southbound lanes at 795 as you approach the beltway. same thing on southbound 795. down towards the 895 split. good news in laurel, earlier closed intersection has been reopened. charles street remains closed. between hamburg and cross street. also traffic lights still out at baltimore national pike and winter lane. proceed through those intersections with caution. winter lane, wires remain down at that intersection. it is still closed at this time. as we look at the jfx volume is building southbound. traffic is still heavy and steady towards downtown baltimore. we'll be right back with your morning news update next. good morning to you. i'm jamie costello. it is now 7:27. a water main break is causing traffic problems for you in south baltimore this morning. let's take you out to it. happened around 2:00 this morning. south charles street, hamburg street in the federal hill neighborhood. by the furniture store and cvs. cvs will remain open. crews work to fix this break. well it was loud out there. steeler fans were all over the place. just before midnight we put them in their place. ravens 20, steelers 17 in overtime. seven catches for 129 yards. 4th-and-5. let's go for it. ron mcclain, part of the offense. the big play of the night, paul kruger in overtime stepped in front of dennis dixon's pass. game time winner. >> i want to work hard and do well in the games and give baltimore city the best team we can. i hope it's starting point. >> ravens go 6-and-5. they're still in the playoff jinx. now they'll go to green bay and play the game monday night. she's only 9 years old, but a maryland girl may be on the fast track to becoming an archeologist after she found a 100 million-year-old bone at the dinosaur park. she started digging and found her goldmine. she found a bone from the vertebrae of a raptor's tail. there you go. the find of the day. we'll see you in about 25 minutes with another morning update. good morning america continues out of new york at about 7:30. mr. and mrs. salahi. >> they are the party crashers seen around the world. crashing a white house state dinner, so why did the secret service wave them through the first checkpoint and should the couple face criminal charges? we have new details straight ahead as we say good morning, america, on this monday morning and we hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving and, sam, you did point it out well, we just moved right on to christmas in the studio all the way around us. >> before the turkey soup is done in nye refrigerator. also a verdict in the amanda knox murder case is expected and she is the american college on trial in italy. but there's a startling new twist in the story. her parents are now under investigation. could be facing charges themselves. we're going to tell you what that is about. >> it is cyber-monday, so before you click on any holiday shopping site, we've got insider tips to save you big bucks in your online shopping. but first to that husband and wife team. you saw them announce there who embarrassed the secret service created a security crisis by crashing a tate dinner at the white house and so far investigators have interviewed both party crashers but the fallout is far from over and we're learning more all the time. abc's pierre thomas joins us live now from washington with the latest. pierre? >> reporter: hi, diane. this morning the secret service continues to investigate this case and i can tell you they're taking it extremely seriously. one reason, that white house couple, that couple was on the white house grounds nearly two hours. our abc news cameras caught the aspiring reality tv stars, tareq and michaele salahi arriving at the white house with a bravo tv crew in tow. one problem, the salahis were not invited. but they got in anyway. sources tell abc news a leading theory is that the first secret service officer at the initial checkpoint waved the couple in assuming their names would be checked at the next one. the couple walked to the next critical checkpoint. at least a couple hundred yards away. their name should have been checked there but they apparently were not. next the couple went through a metal detector and were screened for weapons. they were in. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> at 7:35 p.m. a marine announced the salahis to the world as part of the country's elite waltzing into the supersecure state dinner supposedly. with that an extraordinary breach was complete. >> these people could have had an outstanding arrest warrant for murders, they could have been involved with a terrorist group. they could have been agents of iran or north korea. >> reporter: they mingled at an exclusive reception in the east room and at about 8:00 p.m. entered the prestigious blue room where presidents have greeted kings and dignitaries. there they shook the hand of the leader of the free world. >> this is simply taking a tremendous risk with the life of the president much the united states. >> reporter: but the salahis weren't done. by roughly 8:30 they were rubbing elbows in the tent where the actual dinner would be held. our robin roberts was there. >> but she was working that tent. boy, was she working that tent. >> reporter: they met the white house chief of staff. they even hugged the vice president. the salahis' attorney suggests it was a misunderstanding and says "my clients were cleared by the white house to be there" but the white house says flatly the couple was not invited. >> ladies and gentlemen, at this time please take your seats. >> reporter: and by 9:00 p.m. just as dinner started the salahis were gone. the secret service has taken full responsibility admitting they were deeply concerned and embarrassed by the breakdown. the seek service interviewed the couple over the weekend and by the end of the week, they're expected to decide whether to seek charges. robin, diane? >> working the tent, huh? >> yeah, they were working the tent. i got to tell you i think partly because the way she was dressed, even commented to her that, wow, you must have put a lot of thought into this because it was the traditional indian attire but people asked were they acting strangely or anything like that. no, they were just really making their presence known and taking as many pictures as they could. >> got a hug from the vice president. >> yeah, that too. >> anyway we wanted to know more about the personal lives and what we tracked down about the biography of the couple and we have that. we have some revelations for you in the next half hour. >> that is coming up but right now we'll talk more about the legal drama unfolding in italy for the family of amanda knox. the american college student on trial for murder. a verdict is expected later this week. but now her parents are also under investigation by italian authorities and could face charges themselves. our lama hasan is in perugia, italy, with all the details. good morning, lama. >> reporter: good morning, robin. on the very day that amanda knox's parents arrived here in italy to stand by her and support her as she learns her fate later this week, they were slapped with allegations of defamation. it is the latest twist in this long and grueling murder trial. amanda's parents are now being investigated for a crime that could mean spending up to three years behind bars. speaking to "good morning america" after these allegations were made, her parents say they're shocked at the latest revelations. >> we said what amanda had told us. she had been kept all night. she was without a lawyer when she asked for a lawyer. they told her it would be make her situation worse. she was never going to see her family again. >> reporter: a claim they maintain in which they told us about in june last year. >> there was a lot of men tall abuse. you're never going to see your parents for another 30 years. she was actually hit in the head a couple of times. it was just an all-night you're not coming up with the right answer for us. >> reporter: her parents don't want these allegations to be a distraction taking attention away from the trial. a trial that is taking its toll and nearing an end. >> what she's seen for the last two years is through a prison window. that's not how it's supposed to be. >> reporter: dubbed by the italian media as angel face, amanda and her ex-boyfriend stand accused of murdering her british roommate meredith kercher two years ago. she was found semi naked in a pool of blood with her throat slashed in the home they shared in perugia. in the courtroom this week it is the defense's turn to make their closing arguments. amanda's lawyers get two days to tell her side beginning tomorrow and her fate lies in the hand of two judges and six jurors. because they've been deliberating as it's going on it could come as early as friday. since there is no death penalty in italy prosecutors last week asked for the harshest sentence possible. if convicted, she could get life in prison with nine months daytime solitary confinement. her defense team says this is normally what italy's mafia bosses get, not a 22-year-old college kid with no criminal past. for the next couple of days amanda's defense team will look at all the evidence against her including why there is no forensic evidence placing amanda in the room in which meredith kercher was allegedly killed in. >> thank you, lama. a verdict expected sometime this week as you said. thanks so much. 7:37. time for the weather and sam. sam, stand away from the decorations. you're getting awe the glitter all over the place. >> i'm taking it all with me, holiday. i had to stand up. when we were sitting i'm kind of like -- >> lapful of glitter. not that that's a bad thing. to the boards. let's show you what's going on. one or two things. caught some pictures, a dust storm that's in casa grande, arizona. in general these gusts for saturday and sunday anywhere from 30 to 60 miles per hour. now things quiet -- look at what that looks like from a helicopter. you can see the vantage point of that dust cloud making its way across ahead of the winds. but things are in much better shape during the day today and for the next couple of days. large area of high pressure settles in into the southwest 67. bakersfield, 63. there are a few gusty winds in the canyons but again less wind as we get into the next 24 hours. we'll watch two impulses of low pressure kind of form a storm into the southeast over the next 24, 48 hours. this means it'll be very wet and rainy from texas into louisiana and then also into the eastern seaboard we believe this low will step off the coastline by middle to the end of the week and form a nor'easter so we have an awful lot of action to cover over the next few days as we watch that low bring some rain from the south, deep south all the way to the east before this week is over but for today 57 in dallas and right through the middle of the country absolutely gorgeous. denver, 55. phoenix at 67. >> all that on t >> all that weather on this monday morning was brought to you by the amazon -- >> you're sparkling. >> yes, you are. thanks, sam. next our insider tips to score the top online holiday deals on this cyber-monday and we're off to the races. come on back. ♪ stains surrender to the power of all. our powerful stainlifters fight stains and leave clothes whiter and brighter. win the battle for clean clothes while saving over 25% versus the leading brand. for coupons, go to all-laundrytv.com versus the leading brand. no additives. no artificial ingredients. select harvest from campbell's now has twelve soups that are 100% natural. with 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[ female announcer ] sometimes you get so much out of so little. like charmin ultra soft. it's soft and more absorbent, so you can use 7 sheets versus 28. charmin ultra soft. america's softest bath tissue. well, shoppers turned out in force on black friday but early reports show they spent less than last year. there is one bright spot. online sales, one on line tracking firm says they're up 11% and another 97 million americans are expected to shop online today, cyber-monday. so how do you get a great deal if you're one of them? our technology contributor becky worley has, of course, all the answers for you and joins you from san francisco. good morning, becky. >> reporter: good morning, robin. yeah, you're shopping online. you click that buy button and facilities like this all around the country start worrying. this is a u.p.s. distribution center here in south san francisco. u.p.s. says it plans to deliver 400 million packages this holiday season. we know people are buying online and we know they're looking for deals. so my mission, find the latest online shopping techniques to help you save big. you search and you browse and you hunt for the best deals. but what are the newest tool s is officers t cash back from making your purchases. >> it's a cash back site. it's online shopping portal but has a comparison shopping element as well. if you're looking for the tickle me elmo, you can find it. >> look for free gifts you can turn into presents. buy $25 worth of makeup online you get this clutch purse. >> i think it would be a nice stocking stuffer for someone in your life who was into makeup or beauty products. >> a new study says 30% of adults have an internet-enabled smartphone. that means the line between online shopping and shopping in a store is beginning to blur. so our next tip, make that iphone blackberry or google phone earn its keep. >> there are apps that will turn your camera into a bar code scanner. let's say you're in a store and about to buy something and wonder if i can get a better deal online. whip out your phone, point the camera and in a matter of seconds it will scan the bar code and return information about pricing from any number of different online stores. >> reporter: now, one of the most important tips i can give you is find those savings codes. best site for doing that is savings.com. they have a staff that vets all those codes and makes sure they're current and actually working, robin. >> those coupon codes really rock. i like going into the stores because a lot of them, if you buy a lot, they give you a little bit of a discount. is there a similar kind of incentive online? >> reporter: yeah, that's really happening this season. this concept of the total volume discount so, for example, kohl's will give you 15% off if you buy $100 online and great for items rarely discounted like designer jeans, purses or makeup. >> all right. so is today the day or should we wait a little bit longer for the better deals, becky. >> reporter: right. buy or wait? well, it depends on what you're actually after. so apparel and books, i say wait until that last day of free shipping and then when it comes to things like dvds or toys, i think you should buy now. there's already been a huge price war on dvds have come down a lot and toys are relatively scarce. electronics where my personal opinion, wait till the last possible minute. here's why. many stores have a price guarantee and what this means is that if you buy something and within a certain period of time they put it on sale and there's a discount, they'll refund you the difference. so the longer you wait to buy, the more space you have to get that refund if the price goes down after christmas and there are even web services like price protector that will e-mail you. you tell them what you bought, where you bought it and what you paid. they'll e-mail you if the price goes down in the future. >> good little info there. one last thing, the deadline for free shipping, when is it, becky. >> reporter: generally it's december 17th. it varies site to site but december 17th get your shopping done, robin. >> all right, becky. help out. go ahead and help them out there. >> alberto, good job, buddy. what can i do here? let me move one here. >> have a good day, becky. >> you're a great sport. thanks so much. coming up next dr. mehmet oz and dr. michael roizen are here. they have a new list. what affects your health and that of the next generation. what are you guys doing over there? they'll all explain in our next half hour. come on back. now snuggly softness comes in 2 new scents-- from snuggle exhilarations! 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(announcer) pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease... or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. 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(announcer) ask your doctor about pristiq. in lumber. in rubber. in bellies. and precious metals. it's time to put everything you have into your 10k. your 5k. and even your 1k. and, of course, you can never go wrong with futures. kaiser permanente. thrive. here's one for your skin that's clinically proven. olay professional pro-x wrinkle protocol is as effective as the leading wrinkle prescription brand at reducing the look of wrinkles. that's because olay has teamed with a highly specialized group of dermatologists and created a wrinkle protocol that gives you the results of the leading wrinkle prescription brand, without a prescription. olay professional pro-x. this is a guarantee you're guaranteed to love. it's tough out here. the days are long. the nights get lonely. but we have a job to do. i tell you, temperature-wise, we aren't going to see much movement today. clouds moving in. rain as well. i don't think we go up more than a degree or two as we head towards midday. cooler weather on the march. moving into western maryland with the cold front. showers lining up from southwest to northeast. back through west virginia and into central pennsylvania right now. couple showers in here by no later than lunch time or so. 52 for your high temp today. cool one on the way tonight. we drop down to 34 degrees overnight. let's get a check of your roads now. let's head to the traffic center. >> we do have heavy traffic on the west side of the outer loop this morning. between 795 and the route 70 interchange. you'll see slowdowns on southbound 95. towards the white marsh boulevard area and toward the beltway towards the tunnels. we have a couple incidents to let you know about. southbound on the harrisburg expressway. there's a crash on the shoulder. not causing too much of an incident right now. another crash in dundalk, rossville we have a crash working rossville boulevard at pulaski highway. as we look at the jfx you'll see heavy and steady traffic downtown. fortunately no incidents this morning. we'll be right back with good morning america coming right back. "good morning america" continues with the white house party crashers. we have a closer look at the reality star wanna-bes. is this going too far for your 15 minutes of fame? and you having a baby. doctors mehmet oz and michael roizen are back. can you change your baby's genes before birth? ♪ got to have friends plus, united we save. groupons, the new shopping trend proving that when it comes to big holiday savings there's strength in numbers. ♪ to make that day last >> nice to have friends. >> hey. >> how are you? >> good to see you. good to see you. >> i just will dance here. oh, that's sweet. brought her to tears. she's crying. aw. >> your bucket list. that's wonderful to have you here. happy day. happy holidays, everyone. and as we said, coming up in this half hour -- >> this was a moment. >> coming up in this half hour dr. mehmet oz, dr. michael roizen are here and this was brand new to me. is it possible that we can actually change our health at the genetic level? both with unborn babies and afterwards, a whole list of new things to think about as they join us in just a few minutes. >> it is that time of the year. you're trying to find that perfect gift for that someone in your life and, you know, funds are a little tight. but give something from the heart and we're going to show you in our last half hour some wonderful ideas, some wonderful crafts and some wonderful gifts that you can make yourself and we'll give you a little inside tip on how to do. first to chris with the news. >> all right. thank you very much, robin. we want to get everybody up to date on the breaking story in seattle where police have voubdzed a house in their search for maurice clemmons. the man accused of shooting four police officers execution style in a coffee shop. so let's get out there to neal karlinsky monitoring the situation. good morning, neal. what's the newest information? >> reporter: chris, good morning. police are in fact in the midst of a tense standoff with their suspect, maurice clemmons. s.w.a.t. teams have surrounded this house and in fact they are preparing we're told to send in a police robot to have a look inside. the reason they're doing that, they say is because they haven't heard anything and police now believe that maurice clemmons was shot through the abdomen through and through during the initial confrontation with police officers yesterday. they have learned that they say from associates who worked with him overnight and say this is a wound that if not treated could prove fatal. believed to be dangerous. don't want to go in. that's why they're sending in the robot. there is a fair amount of frustration among police officers out here that this man was even out on the street. this is a person with a long criminal record and according to police, he should have still been behind bars on several charges in the state of arkansas. but before they can get to that and figure out what he was doing out here, they want to get him in custody. they believe he is inside that house and they're just trying to get him out right now. chris? >> all right, neal, thank you. karlinsky will stay on it. moving on now to the sweeping health care reform bill gets under way today in the senate. supporters are facing solid republican oppositions. are they going to have to iron out differences with moderate democrats to get the 60 votes needed to pass the bill? today the white house is launching a new campaign to combat misinformation about health care reform urging americans to trust doctors and nurses instead of those resisting change. on wall street this morning things are a bit calmer than friday when the dow dropped 154 points but one big concern continues to be the debt crisis in dubai. the united arab emirates promised sunday to support its banks. this will help ease concerns at least for now. the florida highway patrol says its investigation of tiger woods' apparent traffic accident is continuing. tiger woods is not required to talk to police regarding the early morning friday events and he is not volunteering any more information to them at this point. woods did release a statement saying "the situation is my fault and that it's a private matter." woods also addressed recent tabloid reports he's been cheating on his wife calling them false, unfounded and malicious rumors. time for another reason to fear food. this time it's the chicken we buy at our local grocery store. "consumer reports" found two-thirds checked harbored salmonella or another dangerous bacteria. air-chilled organic broilers were among the cleanest as were chickens with the purdue name brand. tyson and foster farms found to be the most contaminated. this according to "consumer reports" testers. finally, all right, a good story for all of us, a reversal of fortune at the collection basket. instead of putting money in churchgoers got to take some out. grace church of humble handed out $22,000 in cash sunday giving each kong gre gantt anything from $6 to $500. the catch, they want everyone to pay it forward. spending the money on random acts of kindness. that's the news at 8:05. raises an interesting question. what would you do with that money? assuming you got some the big buck, a few hundred bucks. what would you do, abcnews.com. tweet me and let me know or tweet mr. sam champion down there with the weather. i know you would do something very special. >> good morning, chris. i'd probably go holiday shopping because that's what you got to do now. i mean i feel like -- i feel completely caught off guard. anybody else? i mean it's like holiday time already. we just got through thanksgiving and i haven't done a lick of shopping. how are you doing with it? have you done any? >> no. >> you're here with the dental conference? >> yes, we are. >> are you missing anything yet. >> no, not yet. >> what time does it start? >> 9:00. we can get you there. one or two things this morning going on. by the way we've got a little low pressure moving through northern new england. into northern maine they're actually getting snow out of this but for the rest of us from boston all the way through new this but for the rest of us from boston all the way through new showers and rain along the cold front but substantially colder air moves in behind the front. speaking of cold air, snow near el paso new las cruces. in that southwest corner of >> m >> more from a very active times square in the next hour. >> it is active out there. all right, sam, thank you. a closer look now at the washington, d.c., couple behind the embarrassing security blunder at the white house. the salahis have a long history of living large but this time the spotlight-seeking husband and wife may have gone too far. our yunji de nies joins us live from the white house with more on that. good morning, yunji. >> reporter: good morning, robin. yeah, the backlash has already started. there are anti-salahi websites all over facebookment for now the couple is keeping its silence but they are willing to talk for the right price. they are reportedly shopping their story around for hundreds of thousands of dollars. >> how did they give the slip to the secret service? >> michaele and tareq salahi, the party crashers. >> reporter: they have become washington's most notorious couple. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> reporter: before michaele and tareq salahi crashed the white house state dinner, they headed to this upscale salon. >> with michaele, she has a history of saying that i'm going to show up, never shows up. >> reporter: but when she finally showed up, she stayed for seven hours. irwin gomez did makeup. peggy handled hair. >> i had asked her, i said do you have the invitation? she says, yes, i do. i said can i see it and she tried looking for it and she couldn't find it. >> she loves to wow people. >> reporter: but she didn't wow the staff. after that marathon session, she left no tip. in fact, gomez says the salahis own the salon thousands of dollars for services from their wedding day. an extravagant event that they posted on youtube featuring 2,000 guests, 15 photographers, supreme court justice anthony kennedy and doves to complete the moment. michaele has called herself a model using these pictures to back up her claim. but pictures don't always tell the full story. take these snapshots of michaele at a redskins cheerleader event. in one she's posing with alumni. she told local media she was a former redskins cheerleader but management told us she had never been on the sidelines for them. >> no one who knows them has expressed surprise that they would pull this off. >> reporter: that may be because the limelight-loving couple are textbook face braggers. people who document their every move on facebook. the salahis carefully recorded all of their brushes with celebrity over the years on their page. a quick glimpse of their online photo collection and you can see them posing with actors, musicians, royalty, even a certain dancing with the stars winner. they painstakingly document the fact that this wasn't the first time they met president obama. check out this undated photo of them alongside the black eyed peas and another from inauguration day in the president's private viewing booth at the lincoln memorial. boasting they sat exactly where president obama and the first lady were seated. the irony, of course, is that had they not face-bragged about their night at the white house they may never have found themselves in such hot water. on the evening in question, the salahis showed up with a reality tv crew from bravo. the couple is angling for a spot on the upcoming real housewives of d.c., the network says the salahis lied and told them they had an invite. >> people that would lie to get into the white house are definitely not the people that i would want to necessarily rub elbows with. >> the hostess is not here. >> reporter: luann is part of the real housewives of new york, a sister to that show and says reality tv is not to blame but the behavior of certain individuals who will do anything in the quest for celebrity while compromising their integrity like balloon boy and his parent. >> we did this for a show. >> reporter: whose stunt cost the government thousands and shut down the denver international airport all in the hopes of landing a reality show. >> i think that these are people that are desperately seeking to be on a reality show and doing crazy things in order to make that happen. if you seek out to be on a reality show that there's nothing wrong with that. i think if you do something obnoxious, badly -- by behaving badly and breaching white house security to be on a show, i think that's over the top and i think it's definitely not acceptable. >> reporter: so far no one has publicly offered to pay the salahis for their story, but as their notoriety grows so too could their price, robin. >> nothing good comes from face-bragging. yunji, thanks so much. love to know what you think about this and other stories. go to our website at abcnews.com and weigh in. coming up next, doctors mehmet oz and dr. roizen. aren't they so distinguished and, of course, diane over to the size. but about our health and the health of the next generation when we come back. gangtogether: maple brown sugar, strawberry delight, blueberry muffin. yeh, a little family reunion. 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[ male announcer ] a 46" tv with 120 hertz. delivered right to your home. the best gifts come from best buy. what matters to you? nothing. you don't enjoy things the way you used to. you're sad. you have no energy. maybe you feel guilty or anxious. changes in weight, sleep and appetite. and the aches and pains. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a prescription medication that treats many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. ask your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. ask your doctor about cymbalta. and i always will be. 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. turns out there is a lot of new information about what can be done at the genetic level even if the genetic level to ensure health even while a baby is still in the womb and it says a lot too about the rest of us later in life. well, here to tell us that, dr. mehmet oz of the "dr. mehmet oz show" and dr. michael roizen with a new book out called "you having a baby." they join us now. at the genetic level there are changes. >> yes. >> this is new. >> it's new and i think -- mike and i both agree but i think for all scientists looking at what determines our genome this is the biggest breakthrough. here's why it's important for everybody, not just if you're pregnant but for all human beings. 50% of women when they become pregnant don't realize it. >> how long for weeks. >> for weeks and months and many of the things that occur to us early in our gestational period in the mother's womb will affect not only our lives but or children's lives. the good news is we are learning that this field is able to influence our genome throughout our life. animation, what wiem talking about. >> epigenetics. >> imagine you have a spool -- a string around it that purplish stuff is your dna, your blueprint. you put markers on -- see that marker went by. there is a copying machine that copies your dna. when it hits that little marker it'll stop. what's happened is something occurred while you're still in your mother's stomach or because you change your lifestyle as you got older that influences how you copy your dna. this is critically important because our ancestors had to adapt to the environment more quickly than our genome would all allow. if the ice age came, we couldn't change. we have to change within a generation and looked at kids in famine-torn europe, the dutch, for example, when these kids were born they survived the famine but when the 20 years later and their grandchildren had more obesity and more chronic illnesses. these are important clues for moms. it's empowering. >> things that we think are cultural may be embedded at the genetic level. dr. roizen, we'll go through the list of things but this could be overwhelming. >> well, the reason -- >> for mothers-to-be. >> this is really quite simple and quite empowering. you can do things, all new research. so bpa, bisphenol a associated with heart disease and birth defects. >> we know about in baby bottles. >> and reusable bottles, are something you want to look at the bottom and make sure it has a 2 or a 4 inside that recycle label. same thing with -- >> first you want to make sure you have young people telling you. i didn't know this. doesn't have bpa in it if it has 2 or 4. >> same thing with cans, look for canned goods that say bpa-free because the lining of canned goods is another source of bpa. >> bpa is one of those things that could affect these proteins in the genes. >> right. for all of us really in recent research so in the last couple of weeks we learned that receipts, you know, these receipts -- >> that you get at the register. >> that you get at the register have 100 times more bpa in them than you even get from that so these nonprinted if you will your carbonless paper, put those down, would you? >> yes. >> all fertile women should wash off. >> wash your hands after you've touched them. >> let us race through these. this next category which is some makeups and plastic parts that you heat when you shouldn't. >> right. again, we have to teach a couple. second big word is phthalates. when it is stored in the freezer and not supposed to have the container that's microwaveable you pull chemicals from that packaging into the food even the ink can get pulled into it. these can sometimes influence how your dna gets replicated. >> do you just read on makeup. do you read and see if it has a phthalate. >> many will say if they're phthalate free. it's not that simple to find out. look online and figure it out. the microwavable food, put it on a plate. >> caffeine. >> stress and caffeine. stress is the real reason we wrote the book because that's the leading cause of problems. so it's associated with a lot of things as you go through pregnancy and knowledge is the antidote. one of the things you want to avoid is, in fact, caffeine, because caffeine constricts blood flow to the uterus so the child is predicting what's going to happen later on, so the child will change their genome or their whether they're reading their genome based on whether you're having caffeine. get under 200 milligrams a day. one cup of coffee can have 200. even decaffeinated coffee, a lot of surprising parts of it. >> the last thing real quickly, again, since we have to have an antidote for a bad diet need a multivitamin, all women, pregnant or not, need to be on it. 50% of the time. you want dha omega-3 fats and folic acid. it reduces childhood cancers we think by 60%. >> you having a baby, it's dr. oz. dr. roizen, always wonderful to have you here. all of this is spelled out. it's easy and clear if you go to the website. coming up, "good morning america's" holiday handbook brought to you by cadillac. i had chronic muscle pain all over. and i was so tender o the touch-- but i didn't know why. my doctor diagnosed it a fibromyalgia. and then he ecommended lyrica... fibromyalgia is thought .to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is .fda-approved to help relieve the unique pain of fibromyalgia. so now, i'm learning what a day islike with less pain. lyrica is not for veryone. tell your doctor about any serious allergic reaction that causes swelling or affects breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or ired feeling. lyrica may cause suicidal " thoughts or actions in a very small numbr of people. some of the most common side efects of lyrica are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. do not drink alcohol while taking lyrica. you should not drive or operate machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. could your pain be caused " by fibromyalgia? ask your doctor about lyrica today. hey, how about an extra hand? how about an extra arm? great. they have all the lights and decorations you need. all at great prices. so you can really do things up right. something's missing. a little to your right. go to walgreens.com to receive $15 off... your online order of $75 or more. and get free shipping. walgreens. there's a way to find your joy. . good morning to you. meteorologist wyatt everhart in the storm center. forecast model brings it in in a big way towards lunch time. wet roads through the middle part of the day. slick commute this evening. cooler, breezier weather. light snow showers up in northwestern pennsylvania. up to 52 degrees, cloudy with rain. tonight we clear it out. also keep it breezy and colder. your 7-day forecast, the trend here is for more 50-degree temperatures with sunshine tuesday. chance for rain coming in late wednesday into thursday. now let's get a check of your roads. >> earlier crash in the northbound lanes of the harbor tunnel has been cleared away. you can expect residual delays in that area. traffic is pretty much heavy around the area with minor slowing in certain spots. few road hazards to let you know about in the westbound span of the bay bridge. the baltimore national pike in both directions. you'll see traffic lights out. use caution through those intersections. you'll still see a water main break there on the scene. use hanover or light street to get around that. as we look at the jfx expect slow traffic between cold spring lane and 28th street this morning. we'll be back with your morning news update next. good morning, thanks for joining us. here's some of the local headlines we're following this morning. students at river hill high school are returning back to school this morning with very sad news. 17-year-old steven dankos died in a car crash early sunday morning. the driver, 22-year-old david erdman may have been drunk and flipped his pick-up truck. dankos died at the scene. the driver and another passenger were treated for minor injuries. david erdman will be charged with homicide by a motor vehicle, manslaughter by a motor vehicle as well as dui. the jury will return to court after their four-day thanksgiving weekend break. this is the sixth day of deliberations in a public corruption trial of mayor sheila dixon. she's accused of stealing giftcards intended for poor families. it was loud steeler fans all over the place. just before midnight we put them in their place. ravens 20, steelers 17 in overtime. mark clayton had a night. flacco hit ray rice for the big game. nice to see. the big play was when rookie paul kruger jumped in front of dennis dixon, set it up. the new game winner, check it out. >> want to do well in the games. give baltimore city you know, the best team we can. and so um, i hope it's starting for them. >> ravens still in the playoff chase. now we go to green bay next sunday. don't forget about good morning maryland coming up at 9:00. cyber monday. before you log on, click and buy, we have advice for you to make sure you don't get scammed on your holiday gift. plus: paying for your child's college education is something you should do early. just how easy it could be ahead. all that and more coming up this morning. we'll see you in about 30 minutes. have a great morning. ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ >> yes, it is. especially here in our times square studio. all decked out for the season. a more colorful, festive and joyful way to begin all of our mornings. it's just -- there's just no time between thanksgiving and christmas anymore, is there? there's -- boom, right there but happy to have it. good morning, america. i'm robin roberts here with diane sawyer and these are the windows that we have, our holiday windows we'll be unveiling them in the cities later this week. >> i always love that moment when the -- wait a minute. >> yes. >> can i peek? are they up yes. >> yes, they're in there. they're absolutely in there. love it when it comes down and see which cities -- >> don't send somebody over. >> also, the new coupon called groupons, the bigger the group, the bigger the savings and tell you about the whole new way to shop that's sweeping the country. >> what if we told you did not have to go holiday shopping. you already had gifts for everyone right there on your list and you do. just ahead how to make the most personal and thoughtful presents from things you already have around the house. oh, so diligent, smile, smile. you're on camera. >> smile. >> she's very intense. >> would you want to see in your future is the question posed by a film would you want to change it if you could? it's a provocative new series as we know called "flashforward" and shore is here, one of the stars talking about it later and we know her well from films too. coming up. chris and sam have a special guest right now. >> how excited i am. danica patrick right here this morning. of course, can we just say this, still the only woman to win an indy car race. still holding on. >> yeah, i am and i have some coat. >> exactly. >> more than an armful because in this box danica, tell me what's in here, by the way. >> we've got like, you know, 50 or 100 or something coats for warm hearts and gloves to match. >> from godaddy. all over the box and all over you. >> something special to show everyone this morning. >> you know what and while we do that because this is all brand new, right? >> this is brand new. this is -- >> michael -- we're going to pull this way. >> yeah, one, two, three. >> what do we got, danica? >> we've got the new indy car godaddy car at andretti auto sport. godaddy has been part of it for three years, but only in new york, right? >> here comes the recycling truck. >> but now we've got them -- >> bright green. i can take them in this, that's for sure. >> now, with andretti motorsports that was a little announcement because i've been following you on the tweet. >> yeah, yeah, yeah, well, you know, andretti is now just andretti. it used to be andretti-green. cool, good step for us. good year for us next year and especially with the bright colors. you're not going to miss me. >> first of all i can't miss you. you're lovely. second of all we can't miss you in the car and can't miss you going past the checkered flag first. >> it will be an exciting year. >> thank you for the coats. huge offering. a single person offering. >> it's christmas. it's a time to give back when you can. and we can. >> all right. so if you want to help us out with the coat drive go to abcnews.com. we'll show you how to do it all. one or two things we want to know about as you walk out the door. a few spots. one of them into the northeast. we've got the cold front with an area of low pressure. snow into maine that will take care of itself. watch an awful lot of scattered showers all the way to atlanta on the eastern seaboard. northwest, everything is calm and quiet and stays that way for today. into the southwe >> the >> the heels are like four inches. >> enough to make me over five foot. >> i thought everything was going to go crazy when pulling on the cape. this film is not yet rated. diane? >> thanks to you and to danica and on this cyber-monday a new online shopping trend sweeping the country saving people cash, community by community, mailbox by mailbox. elisabeth leamy joins us from washington with all the details. good morning, eli. >> reporter: good morning. here it is. a groupon. short for group coupon. groupon.com has operations in 35 cities and claims to have made more than 800,000 deals so question is how big are the bargains? check it out. ♪ the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. ♪ >> reporter: can make you want to settle down for a long winter's nap. or at least escape to the hiatus spa and retreat in dallas where 225 customers got to experience all this relaxation for a fraction of the cost. all thanks to groupons, a revolutionary new service. groupon.com is a website where collective buying power means big savings, up to 80% off. >> i've already got christmas all done this year and i didn't have to go anywhere. i've got them all from groupon. >> lisa english checks the daily offers online every morning. the deals are diverse and savings deep. >> what i'm doing is finding some new adventures, different places that we've never been. >> reporter: they're usually for services. everything from spa treatments to skydiving lessons to limo rides, wine clubs, even teeth cleaning. it's like a group coupon. if i wanted one myself that's not enough. i have to hope that five of my friends and five of their friends and so on and so on all sign up. once we meet the minimum, then the deal is on. >> i tell a lot of my friends about it. >> free to sign up at groupon.com. once you do you'll receive daily alerts and be warned, the deals only last a day. so you have to act fast. karen cochran did and saved 180 bucks on a facial. >> $240 facial for $60. i went on the spa website just to make sure that was the real price. it really is $240. >> reporter: we checked out a few offers in the washington, d.c. area. zee pizza offered half off pizza if 150 people responded to the groupon. 2,000 online bargain hunters bought in. >> difficult to find new customers. maybe they end up being a regular guest. >> reporter: they charge the business owner a small cut of each sale for each service. at hiatus spa and retreat the owner said it brought in hundreds of new customers. >> groupon is targeted to local communities. and so your -- you're advertising and reaching out to people in your immediate area. not looking at potential customers, they're bringing you actual customers. >> reporter: with more than 35 million saved so far, local businesses and buyers both win. thanks to power in numbers. and there is one final perk to groupons that is very pertinent this holiday season. you can give a groupon item as a gift and the recipient doesn't have to know what a big bargain it is. the paperwork you get states the value of the item rather than the price you actually paid, diane. pretty good tip. >> let me double-check, eli. did i miss it. you get a piece of paper certifying that you're groupon candidate. >> reporter: you get daily e-mails telling you point latest groupon offers in your area and then if you buy one of them then you get some paperwork. >> you get a receipt to show when you go there. it's amazing. it's like the family plan only. the family plan. >> reporter: right. >> you can find all of the holiday shopping tips the abcnews.com. coming up next shora coming up next. [ kick ] stronger, healthier babies. it's what the march of dimes is all about. with the verizon quad play. call now and you'll get verizon wireless, america's most reliable wireless network - plus mind- blowing verizon fios tv - plus lightning- fast fios internet - plus unlimited nationwide calling - all together for an insanely low $134.99 monthly access with one year agreements. it's a bundle you can't get with cable. call now and we'll add a special bonus: $150 back. it adds up to the deal of the year. there's only one thing that doesn't add up: staying with cable. we've put them all together so you can save more than ever - verizon wireless, plus fios tv, plus fios internet, plus home phone - save $14.99 a month. call now and we'll add $150 back. pick the phone and save. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v nominated for "house of sand and fog." there's oscar buzz again for her in a role and very dramatic movie. if that wasn't enough guest starring in the new hit science fiction television show "flashforward." so good to see you. >> thanks so much. thanks for having me. good morning. >> good morning to you. >> "flashforward." when you first saw the script, what did you think? >> well, i was overwhelmed. another larger than life tv series. amazing, this mysterious, you know, it's an answer to our fascination with the future. what's going to happen with the future. whether to know it, whether to control it. >> and your character, you have a guest appearance. when you have your -- we should tell people that there's a moment where everyone on earth except for one person, everyone on earth, they lose consciousness for 137 seconds and they have a vision of what their life is going to be like in six months. i want to play a clip because your character saw a vision of a crime and you're afraid to reveal too much, it might be even worse. did i say it right? >> absolutely. >> let's take a look. >> your death is the first in a long line of dominos. rather not see it. >> stop it from happening. >> i can't. >> you can. by telling us. >> if i tell you more, the act of telling you may end up bringing about the unfortunate incident we're all trying to avoid. >> i'm willing to take that risk. >> i said you would be shot three times. shots at close range. >> which means i probably know my killer. >> in fact, you do. >> woo! >> yes. >> normally very critical of yourself. you're like everybody else. you don't know what's happening. >> that's why. usually when i keep watching myself in a movie or tv series, i'm always -- i guess all arcs are like that. criticizing myself. i should have done this. i should have -- worked it this way but with this since i don't know what's going to happen next i'm always satisfied with what i say. okay, okay, you're pretty mysterious because i don't know what's going on. >> you're just -- you don't even have to act. you don't know what's going on. >> they don't tell us everything so it's strange that we all know a little bit here and there, so we are like the audience. we know as much as the audience know. >> oh, we know so much about your work and it is just so powerful. it's always memorable when you're on the little screen or the big screen. and tell folks, you're originally from iran >> that's right. >> and you left there to have higher education. >> absolutely. i left iran in 1979 to pursue higher education and somehow faith or destiny what we're playing with in this tv series brought me back to acting. i wanted to be a politician. i started studying international relations, political science. i got my b.a. in 1983 but then again went back to -- >> you were huge for decades in iran. i mean -- you were very big, very well known. >> thank you. >> then you got back into it and politics. you worked very hard for women's rights. >> that's right. >> and congratulations on the humanitarian award that you'll be receiving soon. >> thank you very much. >> we've been hearing the stoning of -- >> stoning -- a hard one to work on, yeah. >> but how was that for you because -- it's very powerful. it's dealing with something from your homeland so how difficult or was it difficult to play that role. >> it is and you can imagine as you were saying very close to home, very close to heart and i had seen a real one on tape. >> a real stoning? >> a real stoning. >> wow. >> that's why when the director called i was wondering how sensitive i am to the subject. i said never mind my sensitivity. where have you been for the last ten years? and he just said why. i said i've seen a real one on tape. i was hoping pray tock god that somehow some people would shed light on it and bring it to people's attention and at last they did. >> and they really did and caught people's attention and even caught perhaps oscar's attention for to you have yet another nomination for -- >> any kind of attention to this -- >> absolutely. >> -- small, yet meaningful film with a great message that stands against cruelty, you know, against women under religion and any attention would do. >> you're bringing a lot of attention to a lot of things as you said, the humanitarian award. as i was telling you in the commercial break loved you in "will & grace." you said you want to do more comedies. >> yes, i love to do comedies. they dent trust me with comedies. haven't seen enough comedies but give me tragedies but a comedian friend of mine said every time i want to do a comedy they don't give me a comedy -- play a simple role or mysterious and says, sure, just imagine you come in and say, madam, the tea is ready. the tea must be poison otherwise there is no reason of bringing you in >> that's true because your voice is very mysterious. well, you have a terrific range, you do and you are delightful. i was excited about meeting you. continued blessings and all the hard work you are doing for others and "flashforward" airs right here on abc thursday night 8:00, 7:00 central. holiday gifts from the heart when we come ♪ jingle bell jingle bell jingle bell rock ♪ >> this is an exciting time. right time to get here because we are starting something on "gma." we now kick off our "gma" holiday handbook series. anyone can buy a gift in the store. why not take some time. make your holiday presents special with some personalized homemade touches and homemade gifts straight from the heart from our family and friends. easy, inexpensive and have great ideas with nancy sore annie here. good morning. thanks for starting us off for us the right way. so if everybody is giving gift cards but a chip of plastic seems impersonal to me. what do you do with that. >> go through your scrapbook material and your paper and you create your own personalized holiday gift card holder. it's so easy to do. you can take papers, cut an oversized hang tag, use scraps of paper, ribbon, glue them, sew them, put a person's name on them. >> you can put a picture of you and them. make it personal. >> you can even sew a little pouch which is wonderful. you can even cover an -- >> go ahead. let it out, audience. >> you can cover an existing card and personalize it so they don't have to be generic anymore. >> i did not like the gift card idea until you showed me this. i now think this is something -- >> gift cards are practical. this is how you own it and make it personal. >> now, everything is really electronic so do people still care about paper. >> i think they do especially people who are hobby enthusiasts, gardeners, cooks, people who want to create memories or scrapbooks. >> you buy these craft paper notebooks, you can get clip art off of the internet. use scraps from sewing buttons, all these ideas, you have 70% of all this product in your home. you have to shop for very little. >> you pull things together. if you're giving holiday gift towels, when you walk in and see this lovely gift towel is it wrong to use it? i feel badly. >> not at all. just say, this is so much easier than it might appear. first of all the ink is washable. all about using it in your everyday life. you personal identify it with a rubber stamp or stencil. it's a wonderful gift. >> let's move to host. going to a party. i mean if you show up at the door without a gift, does it make you a bad person? >> it doesn't have to be fancy. can be a handwritten note but nice to bring something. candles are fabulous. you can personalize them with paper. >> by putting ribbon on it. i like the idea that you can personalize it with stuff you get at the card store. >> scented sugars are fabulous. >> go ahead and let it out. >> infused. use citrus skins, vanilla beans, infuse them for three to seven days in an airtight container. wonderful in oatmeal and tea. >> and decorate the heck out of these things. just wrap them up. cover them up with bows. >> with everything in your kitchen. >> can i actually do this or is this incomprehensible? >> it's easy. the recipe is online. spiced nuts whether sweet or smiesed are always great. perfect during the holidays. canister, decorative items. think about planting spring bulbs and gifting them. perfect for easter in the springtime. >> something i can do. i love the idea of baking dog treats. where do i get the recipes? >> online. get it online. on "good morning america," abc.com. personalize the bowls for your dog or cat. >> put them together in a little bowl and put together a whole gift. find more tips at abcnews.com. for robin's pet. bring dog biscuits. come right back. bring biscuits. might be better with a piece of cheese. >> thank you again very much. these are dog biscuits >> that's peanut butter and cinnamon. >> they're natural. >> they're all natural. >> chris, thoughts? >> i think it's for a dog. that's a crazy thing to do. that's just me. have a great day. start you off with a check of this morning's weather, and 53 right now. i just have not seen this temperature move more than a degree or two all morning. don't expect to either because wet beth a cold front punching in out of the west. clouds holding the temperatures down and chilly winds with the rain showers in just the next hour or so. rain continuing through middle part of the day as well. so again, your temperatures cool in the 50s. big time rain moving in out of the west. and i think that's going to continue through the middle part of the day so. be ready for that. forecast for today and temperatures doesn't move much. when the rain gets out of here and look ahead toward tuesday. all that coming up. >> thank you. well, you can expect to still see slow traffic on the topside of the outer loop at charles street exit. and traffic slow in the southbound lanes of 95 as you approach the beltway towards the harbor tunnel freeway. only one crash lingering. that's lynch road at paulette road. and the ongoing water main break at south charles street. just be careful there. and as we look at the cameras, this is sharp street through downtown. traffic appears to be moving at a nice pace. we'll be right back with good morning maryland starting at 9:00.
we have ushered health into the digital age. saving lives, sometimes when seconds count. managing chronic conditions. making amazing new discoveries. and, oh yes, saving a lot of trees. kaiser permanente. thrive. good morning. breaking news. authorities have surrounded a seattle home where they say a person of interest in the coffee shop murders of four police officers is holed up. this morning, the latest in a live report. "i'm not perfect." tiger woods issues his first statement about the early morning traffic accident that landed him in the hospital but cancels a meeting with police for the third time. this as tmz reports investigators are working on getting a search warrant to help them figure out exactly what happened. and mall fall. an aerialist plunges three stories during a performance at a crowded los angeles shopping center. thankfully she survived but future shows have been temporarily put on hold "today," future shows have been temporarily put on hold "today," monday, november 30th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm meredith vieira. right now police believe that maurice clemmons, the man wanted for questioning in sunday morning's execution-style shootings of four police officers at a parkland, washington coffee shop is inside the seattle home that they have now surrounded. >> they've had that home surrounded all night long. obviously it is a very dense situation there. we'll get the latest in a live report just ahead. also ahead, an unusual development in the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. a verdict could come this week and now her parents are the focus of a separate investigation by italian police. we'll tell you why. also ahead, what would your home look like if you never threw anything away? we're going to meet a woman who suffers from a condition known as hoarding. she lived for years surrounded by piles of trash. things got so bad, that she couldn't even tell if possums were living in what used to be her bedroom. she's going to share an unbelievable story coming up. but first, let's get right to that overnight stand-off outside a seattle home where police are investigating the murders of four of their own. nbc's george lewis has the latest on this. george, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. police have spent the night trying to track down a man they want to o question in connection with a slaying of those four officers. they've surrounded a house in seattle where they believe he's holed up. a solemn procession as the bodies of the slain officers were taken by motorcade from the murder scene to the county medical examiner's office. a huge blow for the police department in this small tacoma, washington suburb. >> we have lost four officers today. >> reporter: according to their superiors, the four were at this coffee shop working on their laptop computers prior to going on duty when the gunman came in and opened fire. >> two of them were just flat-executed. sitting, writing reports. one of them was stood up and tried to go for the suspect and got shot. the fourth one fought his way out to the parking lot and fired off some rounds. we're hoping the suspect's hit. >> reporter: the department identified the officers as ronald owens, tina griswold, greg richards and mark renninger. all four were parents, leaving behind eight children between them. they had a combined 47 years of police experience. the youngest, owens, was 37. the oldest, richards, was 42. pete davis lit candles for the two officers he met. he said he spoke to renninger just last week. >> i had the opportunity to stop and talk to him for a minute and thank him and tell him what a good job that they were doing here in lakewood. they showed his picture first today, just like shocked me. >> reporter: sunday night police named this man, 37-year-old maurice clemmons, as a person of interest. clemmons has a long record of violent crimes. in arkansas he was sentenced to 60 years in prison. but the then-governor, mike huckabee, in a controversial move, commuted the sentence. as a washington state resident, clemmons came to the attention of law enforcement when his house was burned buy fireworks. later he was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl and assaulting a police officer. but he was let free on bail. investigators say whoever shot the officers was deliberately gunning for the police. no one else in the restaurant was shot. now at that house where clemmons is believed to be holed up, police have been using loud speakers trying to urge him to surrender but they say they're not even 100% sure anybody is inside the house. matt? >> george lewis in parkland, washington this morning, thank you very much. four minutes after the hour. now to the latest on that car accident involving tiger woods. he has now issued a statement about the crash as police say they are still investigating what happened. nbc's mark potter is near the woods' home in windermere, florida. good morning to you, mark. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. tiger woods says he alone was responsible for the accident and praises his wife for helping him. this as authorities have released the 911 tape. the 911 tape released by the florida highway patrol is of a neighbor calling after tiger woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree near his house at 2:25 a.m. friday. >> what happened in what's wrong? >> i have a neighbor. he hit the tree. we came out here just to see what was going on. he's laying down. >> by hit the tree, do you mean auto accident? >> auto accident, yes. >> is he unconscious? >> yes. >> are you able to tell if he's breathing? >> no, i can't tell right now. >> reporter: on his website, tiger woods says he is suffering cuts, bruises and is sore from the single car accident. he also says, "this situation is my fault and it is obviously embarrassing to my family and me. i'm human and i'm not perfect. i will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again." following reports alleging the golfer's infidelity which a new york woman strongly denies, and allegations woods and his wife elin had been arguing before the crash, woods says, "the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible." he went on to say, "my wife elin acted courageously when she saw i was hurt and in trouble. she was the first person to help me. any other statement is false." >> tiger woods has been very careful throughout his career with what he says, who he says it to and when he chooses to speak to the media. >> reporter: on sunday, the florida highway patrol issued its own statement saying, for the third time since the accident, troopers attempting to interview woods were turned down after woods hired an orlando attorney who, according to authorities, said the interview had been canceled. now woods' agent tells cnbc that his client believes he has nothing more to tell authorities about what he feels is a private matter. the florida highway patrol concedes that woods does not have to talk to them. meanwhile, another unanswered question is whether woods will appear at his own golf tourney in california later this week. meredith? >> all right, mark potter, thank you very much. dan abrams is nbc's chief legal analyst. dan, good morning. another twist in the story this morning, report from tmz that authorities in florida, highway patrol, is now pursuing a search warrant that would allow them to seize the medical records from the hospital where tiger woods received treatment. apparently again, according to tmz, they are trying to prove that perhaps his wife calls the injuries or he was on prescription medication. if they can prove either one of those, it changes everything. doesn't it? >> yeah. the first question is, was there a crime. that's got to be the very first question they ask themselves, do we believe there was a crime here. if they do -- they've used the words up to this point "charges are pending." i even thought to myself this weekend, that sure sounds like they're looking at criminal charges. then they have to begin that investigation, so it no longer becomes just an investigation into an accident, it becomes an investigation into a possible crime. >> what do they need to obtain the search warrant? >> probable cause to believe the crime was committed. not a particularly high standard in the law. again if they believe that there was a crime here, it is very likely they'd be able to get those warrants. >> at this point, this is coming from tmz -- at this point, tiger woods has turned away authorities three times who wanted to get his side of the story what happened. is he under any legal obligation? >> none. he does not have to speak to authorities. we always hear about the right against self-incrimination. you can always say "i don't want to speak." there are occasions when they can force someone by giving them immunity, all sorts of issues that won't come up in this case. >> they aren't showing him any kind of special treatment here. >> by allowing him not to speak, absolutely not. the truth is that in many cases, a lawyer will advise someone involved in an incident not to speak. they'll say, you know what? we don't think it helps. why? because we think you may be the target of an investigation and in this particular case, if they believe even that his wife may be the target, they may say to themselves we simply don't want to assist in that particular investigation and that's their right. >> tiger woods did issue a statement on his website. he said, among other things, this situation is my fault. "situation." that word, you find that interesting. >> i just think that his statement isn't helpful to him. i think we're going to end up hearing more from tiger woods publicly. why? because it doesn't help that they made these three appointments with the authorities, or the authorities at least thought they had three appointments with tiger woods and show up, and they're turned away again and again. that doesn't help him. not because it is a legal obligation but because it just doesn't look good. >> from a pr point of view it is a disaster. >> yeah. and you follow that up with a statement which is intentionally vague. think about it. if what really happened here is that tiger woods got in his car, he just got in an accident and his wife rescued him, he'd say it. wouldn't he? i mean then his position would be, look, goit in i got in my cd a little accident and my wife helped me out. he's not saying that. >> but on the other hand if there is no evidence of domestic violence or prescription drugs, he's saying it is a private matter, leave me alone. doesn't he have the right to say that? >> sure, he has the right to say that. i think when he has is sort of endorsements and public adulation he has, et cetera, there are going to be questions and people are going to want to know a little bit more. it is his right to say, you know what? i don't want to talk about this. again, if it was just an accident and he literally just got in his car, had an accident and his wife rescued him, will is not a lot of privacy to protect. >> if were his counsel? >> i would advise him not having made the statement he made already. now that he made that one, i think he has to come clean and talk a little bit more publicly about what happened. >> dan abrams, thank you very much. we want to know what you have is to say about it. logon to todayshow.com to share your thoughts and questions. we'll discuss some of them a little later on. let's get a check of rest of the morning's top stories from ann curry at the news desk. in the news this morning, afghanistan is expected to be a major topic today when president obama meets with australia's prime minister. the meeting comes a day before the president unveils his way forward on afghanistan in a big speech at west point. he is to outline plans for sending reportedly up to 35,000 more troops, as well as an exit strategy. the president met with his national security team again on sunday. iran has announced that it will build ten new new nuclear enrichments site in defiance of the iaea which demanded iran stop construction at a site previously secret. debate begins today in the senate for a health care reform bill. today the obama administration announces an expanded program aimed at home foreclosures. the government wants mortgage companies to do more to help people stay in their homes. overseas markets are up in asia and down in europe this morni morning. trish, a lot of attention onion line retailers today. >> that's because today is cyber monday. this is the day when everyone goes online to try and score really good deals. 90% of online retailers are offering deals and it is expected that about 100 million people are actually going to be online shopping today. that's up from 85 million just last year. i want to point out though, only about 14% say they're going to be shopping from work. retail in general though, very much in focus after black friday. we saw more people out shopping but they actually spent a little less, on average, about $30 less on average. nonetheless, sales overall were up 11%. ann. >> thanks so much, trish regan this morning. an aerial performer's hospitalized in california today after falling three stories saturday during a show at a shopping mall while hanging upside down from a metal hoop as hundreds of people were watching. she injured her wrist and her pelvis but she is said to be doing well this morning. fingers crossed for her. it is 7:13. let's go back to matt, meredith and al. >> that's not a good scene. clearly they're going to take a good look at that before they schedule anything like that in the future. mr. roker, yesterday was one of the top ten days of the year. >> absolutely. but now we're following it with a rough day throughout much of the eastern seaboard. a cold front drapg all the way from new england back down into texas. couple of low pressure systems attached. heaviest rain right now down through the southeast. upper-level low is forming through the southwest. that's going to be bringing snow. first, rainfall amounts, talking about anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain down through extreme southern texas. then snowfall, we're talking anywhere from 1 to 2 feet of >> good morning. we're off to a quiet start but the further into the morning, the better chance for rain showers. otherwise mostly cloudy and mild with high temperatures in >> that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thanks very much. now to new revelations about that virginia couple that managed that crash last week's white house state dinner. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd has the latest on this. hi, chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it doesn't get any big they are week for president obama. he has the big afghanistan speech tomorrow at west point. thursday he hosts his jobs summit. the white house is finding itself distracted by this state party dinner incident. the secret service investigation is continuing just as new details are emerging about this fame-o obsessed couple. >> reporter: the uninvited state dinner guests who charmed their way into the white house are now, according to reports, trying to sell their story to television networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars. they canceled an interview planned for tonight with cnn's larry king. a publicist for the couple told nbc news "we are not making any formal comments or arrangements with any media at this time." the party crashing couple who shook hands with the president and posted photos of their escapade on their facebook page have a history of attention-seeking behavior. "the real housewives of d.c." were filming the couple the day of the dinner. but bravo, owned by nbc's parent company nbc universal, says the salahis have not yet been cast in the show. this latest publicity stunt appears to be a trend among aspiring reality show stars after last month's balloon boy hoax. beyond their reality tv dreams, the salahis wedding video shows off their taste for the extravagant. a ceremony with over 1,800 guests, including supreme court justice anthony kennedy. rachel, who's known the couple for ten years, says they have a history of exaggerating. >> they've gotten two other places before, they've done a lot of inappropriate things. in their head it is power. >> reporter: she claims she was a model for victoria's secret and a former redskins cheerleader. both say she's never worked for them. though the couple was first turned away at the vehicle entrance, they were cleared through a pedestrian entrance after a uniformed agent only checked their i.d.s but did not cross-check their names with the guest list. the secret service is conducting a full investigation. while criminal charges are unlikely, some lawmakers say the couple did break the law. >> i think you have to have a strong deterrent against this kind of thing. therefore if it is a federal crime to lie to a federal agent and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, then they should be in some way brought to justice. >> reporter: now, matt, the salahis were interviewed by the secret service over the weekend and we're told that this review process, or this investigation, should be wrapped up before the end of the week. >> chuck, thanks very much. chuck todd at the white house this morning. republican congressman peter king of new york serves on the house homeland security committee. ron kessler is the author of "in the president's secret service behind the scenes with the agents in the line of fire and the presidents they protect." gentlemen, good morning to both of you. congressman king, this couple did something that i think a lot of people would love to try to do. they got dolled up, they went to the white house, they attended a state dinner. they had to assume they would get stopped at the door and guess what? they didn't. you sit on a committee that oversees the secret service. how much heat will they face? >> they have to face a lot. i have great regard for the secret service and i still can't figure out how this happened. i've been to the white house any number of times. as you have. you're stopped at at least two, three checkpoints. at almost all of those points, at least a final point, there's always someone with the white house as well with the secret service. an event of this magnitude at the white house itself, it is beyond me how this could have happened. >> we've all heard what could have happened. if any of those other scenarios can taken place, whether anthrax or a kitchen knife, we'd be covering this story in a different way. have we learned a valuable lesson just by the fact that this happened? >> we need a full investigation to find out what the secret service is doing to ever prevent this from happening again, why it happened, woand why it will never happen again. we need more protection. if one secret service agent makes a mistake -- you have to assume someone's always going to make a mistake -- there has to be backup. has to be layers of defense. >> there are probably people sitting at home saying, wait a second, i had a harder time getting through security this weekend traveling on thanksgiving through an airport than this couple did at the white house. does it reveal a major flaw in security strategy or does it reveal one guy asleep at the switch? >> it is part of a systemic problem with the secret service. secret service has been cutting corners ever since homeland security took it over in 2003. for example, they don't do magnetometer screening at some events or shut it down early under pressure from staff. they're very sensitive to not offending political staffs or the white house. >> are you telling me they're cutting corners with the nation's first african-american president and we know that, unfortunately, that brings with it even greater risks than were faced by past presidents. >> it is just like any government scandal. you can't understand it but it is going on. this went on under the bush administration, bush white house aides were pressured then to let people in to events. sometimes they would even put people through magnetometers but turn them off so that even if there was happen that alarm would sound. i know that sounds unbelievable but this is what's been going on. as an example of the spinelessness of secret service management, when dick cheney's daughter mary insisted that secret service agents take her friend to restaurants and the secret service objected because that's not her job, she got the detail removed. the management did not back the agent. >> congressman king, he's saying they are cutting corners now that they're under homeland security. is that your take? >> i read mr. kessler's book, too. i don't see it that way at all. if anything, i think the secret service is better under homeland security. their budget's gone up 35% and they're more suited to be within the department of homeland security. the treasury department where they were before was not a law enforcement agency and the treasury secretary didn't even want the secret service in the department. >> ten seconds for each of you. ron, start with you. you can't make up a charge just to fit the situation, but do you think these people committed a crime and do they have to be charged just to dissuade people down the road? >> i think they will be prosecuted just as a deterrent. really, i interviewed over 100 current or former secret service agents, as well as the people at headquarters and the belief is that it is just a matter of time before there is an assassination because of the corner-cutting that i detail in the book. you can argue about homeland security and the structure, but the fact is that the secret service has been shockingly derelict in its duty. >> congressman king, back to the question just asked, briefly, if you will, should this couple be charged with a crime? >> absolutely. this is very serious. people think this is a joke, it is not. we have the president of the united states and leaders of the free world, the prime minister of india whose country was attacked in mumbai last year. president obama is probably the most threatened president in our history. >> congressman peter king and ron kessler, thanks to both of you. i appreciate it. still ahead, a verdict could come this week in the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. we'll get the latest including why her parents are now being investigated by italian police. first on a monday morning, 1 in 3 americans will shop online today. coming up, the hottest items on the list of cyber monday shoppers. plus, imagine living in a home that looked like this. we're going to go inside the life of a hoarder. but first, your local news and weather. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. one to get a check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> 22 watch for as you return to work or school. -- plenty to watch for as you return to work or school. this one involves a trash truck. there's a downed pole and traffic lights out as a result. delays are for men quickly on 795 down to convince -- forming quickly on 795 down to edmondson. charles street is closed in the city due to water main break repairs. southbound i-95 approaching the beltway northeast, you consider is up to 20 miles pupfish -- you can see delays up to 20 miles per hour. slow spots from the beltway down to west nursery road as a volume starts foto return to normal. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> so far, things have been dry for the morning commute. the law could change over the next couple of hours. -- a lot could change over the next couple of hours. the further we go into the morning, the better the chance of running into precipitation. right now, pretty quiet. 52 at the airport. 49 degrees in randallstown. forecast for today is mostly cloudy skies. high temperatures in the upper 50s to around 60. it will call off tomorrow. we will hit 49 on tuesday. maybe some snow or flurries on saturday. >> be sure to check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. our next live update at 7:55. 7:30 now on this monday morning, november 30th, 2009. chilly start to the day here in midtown manhattan. we'll step outside and say hello to these folks in just a bit. i'm meredith vieira, along with matt lauer. did you do any holiday shopping over the weekend? >> very little. >> you did some? >> very little. >> i did none. i was in a turkey stupor, too. >> just the turkey? >> all right. online deals are everywhere on this cyber monday. you might be surprised to learn who's doing the most shopping and who they're buying for. we'll have more on that in just a couple of minutes. also ahead -- the life of a hoarder. we'll talk to a woman who could not throw anything away. her house was such a mess, goats had actually started eating through the walls. she'll share her story coming up. >> you don't hear that every day. much more on tiger woods's accident outside his florida home and the report now that police want to get a search warrant. we'll get the latest on that and check out some of your comments that you sent to us on our website. let's begin with the murder trial of american college student amanda knox. a verdict could come this week. now her parents are the focus of a separate investigation by italian police. nbc's keith miller is in perugia, italy with details. keith, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. well in fact this case is running longer than many network tv programs. just over two years. and this week the final week promises to resemble a tv courtroom drama. the prison guard around amanda knox has been tightened up for the closing arguments. in a strange twist to this case, knox's parents, who are attending the closing sessions, may be back in court as defendants. prosecutors indicted kurt knox and his former wife for defamation regarding comments they made about police conduct more than a year ago to a british newspaper. >> frankly, i believe it is nothing more than just a ploy utilized by the prosecution to show the weakness of their case and wanting to try to divert any of the media to focus on that. >> reporter: in court today, lawyers for knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend called their client a victim. the prosecution is seeking to put knox and her former boyfriend in prison for life for the murder of knox's roommate, meredith kercher, an exchange student from england. during closing arguments for three civil cases against knox, lawyers attacked her character. amanda is all about hot sex, declared one lawyer, saying she looks like an angel but acts like the devil. knox, 22 years old, buried her face in her hands. >> it was really screaming and shouting at her at what a terrible person she was and that was just horrible for her to hear. >> reporter: defense lawyers called it a sexist rant. what wasn't mentioned in closing arguments was evidence connecting knox to the crime. >> there seems to be too much "analyze this" going on and too much focusing on evidence. you know what they say sometimes, when the package is no good, fluff up the wrapping. >> reporter: knox's parents will remain in court until a verdict is reached. both are optimistic their daughter will be home for christmas. >> it would be the best present ever. >> reporter: but knox's mother knows there are no guarantees in this unpredictable trial. in fact, the judge and the six-member jury will go in-g in sequestration. >> anne bremner is a lawyer in seattle, washington who advises the knox family and founded the group "friends of amanda." good morning. anne, why do you believe italian authorities are now investigating amanda knox's parents? >> well, i think it is a transparent attempt to make them be silent. the timing, the statement was supposedly made in '08, right at the end of the trial saying you're going to be indicted for speaking out against the prosecution is suspect at best but it also dilutes some of what's being said by the defense about this prosecution, which is in many people's minds wrongful. >> they have been very vocal in terms of criticizing the prosecution. do you think that has hurt their daughter's case? >> you know, in the u.s., of course, we have the first amendment and that's what keeps our system fair, people speaking out and media scrutinizing trials and the public doing so. there's been some arguments in italy that this has hurt the case but i don't think so, because facts are stubborn things and there are no facts in this case to support a prosecution, let alone a conviction, of amanda knox. >> both parents are in italy for the end of the trial. if they are charged by authorities there, would they have trouble re-entering the united states? >> you know, that's a danger. here's an even bigger danger. if they do come back and her daughter's convicted, would they be disallowed visitation and entering into italy. >> at one point you had thought about coming here for the end of the trial -- going to italy, i'm sorry, for the end of the trial and decided against it. why is that? >> because i guess i'm a lawyer and can't practice law if i'm in italy or i'm in jail or indicted for a felony. you know, the threat is real. we can speak out here. we take that for granted that we can do that in this system, including lawyers and parties. but look what just happened in italy. >> but do you believe you yourself would be charged if you went over there for something? >> well, i can't take the chance. i've said the same thing that the parents have said, they've been investigated for and maybe charged which is that amanda was abused during the interrogation. they said that's defamation, criminal libel in italy. >> i know that you and amanda's family are hoping for the best outcome that she will be found not guilty. but how have you prepared yourself for the possibility that in fact she will be found guilty? >> witnesses can and do lie. evidence never does. the evidence never lies. we're hopeful, i think cautiously optimistic that the jury will see that there is no evidence in this case. the knife doesn't match. there's no dna that matches on that. she didn't confess. there's no forensic evidence. and this ritualistic slaying theory is a pure fantasy. i guess we could also say cautiously pessimistic. if there is a conviction given the horrible media in this case and innuendo, "foxy knoxy," "she devil," "angel face from seattle," there is an appeal. justice should prevail with an acquittal in this case. >> anne bremner, thank you so much. now let's get a check of the weather. thank you, meredith. you stole this piece of cardboard. it's cardboard. where did you steal it from? >> off a guy on the street. >> off a guy on the street. wow! i hate when that happens. have to get the cardboard police on you. let's check your weather, see what's happening. midsection out to california, above-normal conditions. heavy rain in texas. by mid-week, it will be rough up and down the east coast, heavy rain, maybe rain for the tree lighting. dry conditions out west, below normal temperatures midsection of the country. late week period, dry weather through the southern half of the >> after a quiet start, the chances of rain will be increasing as we had through the morning and into the afternoon. offutt and honoring showers likely to drop the day. >> and that's your latest weather. al, thank you. up next, 1 in 3 of us will do some online shopping today. what you need to know before clicking away on cyber monday. right after this. we're back at 7:41. if you're 1 of the 195 million americans who did a little holiday shopping over the weekend, you know there was plenty of traffic at the malls and at the stores. but retailers are hoping you'll spend a little more money online on this cyber monday. cnbc's jane wells has more on that. hi, jane, good morning. >> reporter: hi, matt. i am at this massive 600,000-square foot facility for amazon.com in phoenix, arizona. it is like that last scene in "raiders of the lost arc." it just goes on and on. this is the last zhu zhu pet. i've found the arc. if estimates are to be believed, today will be even busier than last year. >> the orders are coming in fast and furious. >> reporter: the 300-plus workers at this amazon distribution facility in phoenix prepare for a long day with the stretch and a pep rally spelling out the company name. it's cyber monday, the day that traditionally marks the start of the online holiday shopping season. the shopping and shipping, clicking and packing, never seem to stop here. cyber monday will be yet another test of the consumer appetite in this economy. >> cyber monday is a busy, busy day. it rivals black friday. >> reporter: cyber monday first got its name when retailers noticed a spike in online sales the monday after thanksgiving. that was because back then, people would dial up internet service at home waited until they could use the broadband connection at work. these days with broadband available in so many homes, retailers still try to make cyber monday special. the national retail federation says 9 out of 10 retailers are offering specific deals just for cyber mourned. a 5% increase from a year ago. >> one of our kind of hero deals is last year's ipod touch, 8 gigabyte, for $158. >> reporter: the national retail federation also predicts that 97 million americans, nearly 1 in 3 of us, will shop online today. 12 million more than a year ago. and now most will do it from home. saving time will be almost as important as saving money. >> if a consumer you'll be far less forgiving if the product isn't there, if the site experience is slow, if the shipping is going to take too long or be expensive. >> reporter: google's head of retail says searches show people are shopping for e-readers, smart phones and the season's hottest toy. >> we're seeing 75% spikes week over week just in zhu zhu pets. >> reporter: who are most people shopping for? searches of men's gifts are outpacing women's 3-1. are men that hard to shop for? >> or that may be women are much more considerate when they're shopping for their husband or significant other. you choose. >> reporter: i say both. actually, today may not be the busiest online shopping day. they say that could be december 17th, the last day for free shipping with guaranteed arrival in time for christmas. matt? it's in the mail. >> i have a lot of people who want one of those right there, jane. thank you very much. i appreciate it. up next -- is roman polanski headed for house arrest at this luxury ski chalet? the latest on that right after this. back at 7:49. infamous director roman polanski could be released on bail from a swiss prison as early as today. this as he awaits a ruling on whether he'll be extradited to the u.s. to face charges for having sex with a 13-year-old girl back if 1977. nbc's stephanie gosk has the latest. >> reporter: gus stat is one of the places to skeescape from th public eye. polanski has been held in a swiss jail since last december. he's using the home in paris to post the $4.25 million bail. in their decision a swiss court says the bail combined with house arrest and electronic monitoring was "sufficient to avert the risk of flight" while they consider the legality of the extradition. not everyone is convinced. >> you can't get a bigger flight risk than roman polanski. >> reporter: in 1978 roman polanski fled the u.s. to avoid sentencing for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl. he had been charged with five other felony counts, including rape by use of drugs and sodomy. but the additional charges were dropped as part of a plea deal. >> $4.5 million to roman polanski is not a huge amount of money. this is someone who was willing to give up his career in the united states, his life in the united states, his family here in the united states, to stay away from the justice system. >> reporter: there is already speculation he may make a break for the border. france is just 40 miles away over the mountains, a tempting route for an accomplished skier. polanski is a french citizen. by law, the government there would not extradite him. he has some powerful support. over the weekend the director's sister-in-law told a french paper president nicolas sarkozy has been involved in the case. >> i wouldn't go so far as to say thanks to the president that roman is freed but he has been super. >> reporter: but running right now may not make sense. the court decision could take weeks followed by a lengthy appeal and this isn't a bad place to wait. >> that was stephanie gosk this morning. >> that story's just going to make more people angry. people who were already angry are going to be angrier. up next, much more on tiger woods' bizarre holiday weekend car crash. what really happened. plus, inside the mind of a compulser hoard compulserive hoarder. we'll meet her. ive hoarder. we'll meet her. \s 8 >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. everyone is back to normal schedule this week after a long holiday weekend let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> we do have some accidents to note. in catonsville, this one is clear, but we still have traffic lights out among baltimore national pike and winters lane. west side outer loop, this is backing up traffic on southbound 795 from owings mills towards the beltway. towards the j.f.x., you'll find bill is beginning at greenspring. -- find delays beginning at greenspring. if you are heading out on southbound i-95, you will find delays from white marsh to the 895 split. southbound 83, an accident coming in, off to the side. 15 minutes is the drive time on the other west side. 11-minute ride on southbound 95. southbound 295, backing out heavily from the beltway to west nursery road. a harbor tunnel, an accident with all lanes closed. >> good morning, everyone. we are seeing rain showers pop- up on hd doppler agreed nothing of any significance. light rain is starting to pop up on the western suburbs. that trend will continue as we had through the morning. the temperatures are nice and mild. 51 in catonsville right now. forecast for today, off and on rain showers. has added a perfect is to around 60 degrees. -- is in the upper 50s to run 60 degrees. >> our next live update at 8:25. the holiday season with our delicious new peppermint mocha latte and chocolate mint donut. great flavors, great value. just another reason the holidays run on dunkin'. 8:00 now on a monday morning, the 30th, and final, day of november for 2009. that means tomorrow begins the 25 days of christmas. happy holidays to all of you. out on the plaza with the tree in the background. look at that beauty there. they'll light that thing up in two days. >> but we get lit up -- >> there you go. every year that joke works. out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer, along with meredith vieira and al roker. we have some people back here giggling since we've been out here. there was this kaind of mysterious accident tiger woods was involved in a couple more days ago. more questions and this answers. reports now police may be looking for some kind of a search warrant to help you figure out what happened. we asked you in our first half-hour to comment on how tiger woods and his team are handling this. most of us have a messy desk or room in your house but nothing compared to this. take a look at this. there is a woman -- there she is. that woman suffers from the disturbing condition known as hoarding. it is very, very serious. easy to make jokes but there's nothing funny about this. we'll talk to her in a moment. then a little bit later on as matt alluded to, it is time to light up this year's rockefeller center christmas tree. 77th annual treat lighting ceremony wednesday, december 2nd. featuring aretha franklin, michael bouble, alicia keys. and of course you can watch it all right here on nbc. >> that is a perfect christmas tree. >> that's beautiful. >> really stunning. >> they're always beautiful. >> sometimes they've got little holes, little oddities. >> this one has two tops. remember? >> they can put that star right between them. >> nicely done. let's gin side, ann is standing by at the news desk. good morning once again, everybody. in the news this morning, police surrounded a house in seattle overnight believing a suspect in the murder of four suburban police officers might be inside. maurice clemmons is wanted for questioning in the deaths of four lakewood, washington police officers who were gunned down in a coffee shop on sunday morning. sle clemmons had a long prison sentence in arkansas commuted nearly a decade ago by then-governor huckabee. clemmons has recently charged with two more violent crimes. police have reason to suspect he's been wounded. as president obama prepares to lay out his new military strategy for afghanistan tomorrow night he's prodding u.s. allies for more help. today he meets with the prime minister of australia. the president will announce his way forward in afghanistan in a prime time address tomorrow and reportedly call for up to 35,000 more u.s. troops and also provide a detailed exit plan. retired u.s. auto worker john demjanjuk went on trial in germany charged being a nazi death camp guard. asia markets are higher but stocks in europe are lower because of lingering concerns about financial problems in dubai. cnbc's erin burnett is there. erin, good morning. >> good morning, ann. this morning dew buy really is reeling from a debt crisis that all began last week when one of the biggest developers here abruptly announced he couldn't pay his loans. november 2008. stars at the $20 million party for the new "atlantis" dubai. fast forward a year. more than half dubai's construction projects are on hold. >> dubai doesn't have any oil. it had to borrow everything to build a massive tourist destination. >> reporter: borrowed too much. experts tell us more than half of dubai's property owners might default and news that one of the city's biggest developers can't make payments on his loans sent stocks tumbling around the world. >> dubai hasn't dealt with its debt addiction. they are not alone. this could lead to a domino effect for the global economy. >> reporter: dubai dreamed big. an indoor ski resort. the highest end of high-end luxury stores. and the world's tallest building, 175 stories high with a 16,000-car garage. last month i visited with the man who built the tower. >> we have almost 300,000 people moving in to the city still now in these circumstances on an annual basis compared to probably 90,000 people moving in to the state of florida during the good old times. so the show must move on. >> reporter: the show did go on this weekend as tourists filled dubai's beaches. >> this is my first time to dubai. just arrived yesterday morning. really, really enjoying it. >> reporter: it is not so bad for dubai's ruling sheikh either. "forbes" estimates he's still worth $12 billion. close advisors of the rulers here tell me that dubai will get a bail-out from its oil-rich neighbor abu dhabi. but in off the record conversations, they're afraid this could be a step back for the mideast becoming more secretive as opposed to more open to investors. the ruler actually replaced some of the business leaders with his sons. that could be an ominous sign to everyone around the world. another gauge of the economy, a yearly analysis finds that if you bought your true love everything listed in "the versus of the 12 days of christmas," it could cost you $87,000. that's up less than 1% from last year. inflation apparently not a problem so far. 8:05. let's get another check of the weather with al. >> that's because you get a deal or that partridge in a pear tree. or the lords a leaping. winter olympics just 74 days away as we countdown to vancouver. we have four team usa hopefuls with us here on the plaza. joining us, snowboarder seth wescott, skier julie mancuso, julie chu. 74 days away. pressure mounting formakering the team? >> well. september i got half my pressure out of the way with a good event. one more before christmas. >> how important is this do well in these race leading up to vancouver? >> there is a lot of races. i just actually got back from one in aspen. we're just traveling all over the place. so it is important to get going fast.assuming you'll make the team, this will be your third trip to the olympics. are you planning it to be just as exciting at the first two? >> absolutely. we have a lot of young players on our team. we always make sure we travel with real comfort. some of that is carrying a toothbrush around and crest pro health. we are on the road all the time and always good to have comforts of home. >> j.r., you had a pretty serious injury to your leg earlier this year. >> yes, i did. actually i have a little pressure off because our olympic trials was in september and that's where i got injured. i'm working hard to come back from my injury and will be back soon. >> good morning. we're off to a quiet start but the further into the morning, the better chance for rain showers. otherwise mostly cloudy and mild with high temperatures in >> don't forget, any time you want your weather, day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. and also don't forget, you can see all of the olympics on networks of nbc. coverage begins february 12th right here on nbc. meredith? >> can't wait for that, al. thank you very much. up next -- tiger woods' bizarre one-car accident and the unanswered questions that linger in that case. unanswered questions that linger in that case. but first, these messages. . like crispy shrimp, hand-battered, cooked until golden brown. and smoked chicken, topped with fresh ingredients just for you. part of our three courses, two people, $20 deal, where you can share an appetizer, choose two entrees, like our fall-off-the-bone tender baby back ribs or a new pulled pork sandwich, and share a dessert. for a limited time, only at chili's. by changing her medicare prescription plan. all we had to do was go to cvs.com and use the free savings calculator. we learned that changing your medicare part d plan could save an average of $612. woman: we just entered my prescriptions, and it compared plans for us. it was easy to find the right plan for the prescriptions i need. your cvs pharmacist can help, too. come in today, or go to cvs.com before december 31st to find the best plan for you -- at cvs/pharmacy. to earn cash back from holiday shopping. that was easy. earn cash back on purchases to pay down your credit card or go into savings. with the power rewards® visa® credit card. only from bank of america. caused by a completely blocked artery, another heart attack could be lurking, waiting to strike. a heart attack caused by a clot, one that could be fatal. plavix, taken with other heart medicines goes beyond what other heart medicines do alone to provide greater protection against heart attack or stroke and even death by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots. ask your doctor about plavix, protection that helps save lives. 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(male announcer) if you take plavix with other heart medicines continuing to do so will help increase protection against a future heart attack or stroke. feeling better doesn't mean not at risk. stay with plavix. back at 8:11. it is one of the most talked-about car accidents ever that landed tiger woods in the hospital for a short time on friday. now he has issued his first statement about the crash. nbc's mark potter is near the woods' home in windermere, florida. mark, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, matt. on his website, tiger woods said that he alone was responsible for the accident. he also praised his wife for helping him and he asked the public for privacy. he said, "this situation is my fault and it's obviously embarrassing to me and my family." he vowed also to never let it happen again without actually referring to a -- defining what he was referring to. following records that suggest that he and his wife may have had some sort of disturbance, a fight, something like that, before the accident, woods said on his website, "the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible." he then went on to say, "my wife elin acted courageously when she saw that i was hurt and in trouble. she was the first person to help me. any other assertion is absolutely false." now meanwhile, his attorney and sat agents say that tiger woods will not speak with crash investigators by the florida highway patrol and by law, he is not required to do that. >> mark potter in florida for us this morning, thanks very much. a veteran sports journalist and author and also dan abrams, that's absolutely right, no legal requirements that tiger woods talks to these investigators right now. but, dan, if he's willing to issue a statement, the common sense question is why isn't he willing to talk to the police. >> well, because talking to the police is very different than issuing a statement. the bottom line is you can issue a statement and you can say basically whatever you want. once you start talking to the authorities, you've got to answer very specific, detailed questions and you've got to make sure that everything you say is absolutely -- think about a statement, it is so intentionally vague, there is no way the authorities would ever let him get away with it. >> but a typical sports fan and a typical person living in this country would have to ask the next question, why, tiger, is it a problem to answer specific and detailed questions about what you say is a simple car accident? >> matt, i get that he's trying to protect his wife here. i get that. you can never fault a guy. but he's acting like a guilty person. >> wait a second. you get that he's trying to protect his wife. you've already been a jury on this. >> no, i just think it is a preposterous version of thinks that somehow she took a driver or hybrid golf club and turned it into the jaws of life to get him out of this car. when you listen to the 911 tape, there's no mention of this and it sounds like the guy came out as soon as he heard the car hit the tree. >> you read his statement carefully. mark potter just read parts of it. it could be absolutely true that she is the first person who was there on the scene. it could be absolutely true that he is human, et cetera. but he's not addressing the fundamental question of, was this simply an accident or was it caused by something else. >> mike, this is the most famous athlete on the planet right now. one of the most famous people on the planet right now. he's the guy with millions and millions of dollars in endorsements. is the way he's handling this going to hurt him substantially in that area. >> >> i don't think it is going to hurt him substantially. i always said that the guys who got into problems with steroids in baseball were the guys who were old and couldn't hit or pitch their way out of trouble. he will golf his way past this. and i think he's relying on the goodwill that he has built up. but when you look at the way this has been handled in the last 72 hours, there ought to be some kind of joke like how many crisis managers does it take to screw in a lightbulb. the best way to handle this would have been to take it straight on from the start. >> we asked some of our viewers -- dan, i'll give you a chance in a second -- to weigh in on this. this one is representative of a lot of the comments we get and says, i'm wondering why this needs investigation. it was an accident where he did not do any damage to anyone else's property, no harm to anyone other than himself. if this was not tiger woods, would there be any interest, period? >> let me create a hypothetical situation. assume that a man -- not talking about this case -- a man goes after his wife. assume with a golf club. she's in her car. she says, you know what? i want to be done with this. a lot of people out there would say, wait a second, the authorities need to investigate this. >> because this guy showed possible domestic violence. >> exactly. when it comes to domestic violence, we take it seriously. don't know that that's necessarily the case here but let's not just say, oh, it is tiger woods, we need to just give him his privacy, et cetera, we need to apply the laws in exactly the same way in this case as any other case. if this were just an accident, that's one thing. if there are allegations that she had a golf club and she may that hit that car -- >> the problem is, if it hadn't been for national enquirer story that perhaps linked tiger woods to another woman -- let's be honest here. a lot of what the national inquirer and other magazines like that print is wrong. just plain wrong. some of it's true, some of it's wrong. but if that story weren't in the universe right now, these little scenarios wouldn't even be out there. >> possibly. they might still be out there because i think that there still might be some questions about what happened there. i don't think -- based on what we've seen so far, i don't think anyone is going to accept at face value the idea that tiger woods left his house, crashed into a fire hydrant, simply it was an accident, his wife comes in and rescues him. why? because tiger woods would have said that already if that's what happened. >> mike, if tiger woods grants an interview with the police in ten days, isn't it going to raise even more questions that perhaps he was waiting until some scratches or scars healed before letting -- smart police investigators get a good look at him? >> there is no question that once it went 48 hours it was bad. if it goes a week, it's bad. how did a car that wasn't supposed to be going 30 miles an hour end up with him unconscious in the street. >> too many questions. thanks, guys, very much. thanks for coming in on short notice, too. up next, the troubling life of a hoarder. we'll talk to the woman who actually lived inside this home. we'll talk to the woman who actually lived inside this home. right after this. first ballet recital. oh, and this is when i got a two-wheeler. pretty awesome. i used to have one of these. there's a new one. 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( squeaking ) good news for anyone with a lot of driving to d - ( barks ) - efficiency to move you forward. back at 8:21. now to the troubling and fascinating disorder known as hoarding. the excessive collection if terms and the inability to throw those possessions away. the a&e reality show "hoarders" highlights people who suffer from the condition as they try to get their lives back in order. >> what room is this? >> this used to be my bedroom. >> so what's back here, gail. >> that's where the goats have eaten a hole in the wall. yeah. i think creatures could be coming in. i think there may be possums living in the back rooms. >> we are joined now by gail who you saw in that clip. robin is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with the show and consulted gail as well. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> gail, if i can start with you. looking at that video now, what goes through your mind? >> it's alien. it's completely foreign to me. it's looking at a tv show. i don't associate with it at all. i know that's my stuff. >> and that is the way that you lived your life. >> oh, yeah, completely disassociated from that. >> gail, why did you decide to go public? we were talking on the break about the stigma attached to hoarding, people like to make fun of those or don't appreciate how serious the condition is. >> that's exactly why. because there are, i'm sure, millions of people out there who are living like that who aren't getting any help at all. >> but how did you live like that? we talk about the goats eating through your house. there were cats and dogs, dead rats, lots of garbage bags full junk. no heat, no running water. >> yes. that's a good question. because i really honestly don't know. i don't have an answer for -- you just go through the day- day-to-day grind and you do disassociate yourself from that. i was oblivious to it. >> you have a job so you would go out and nobody at your job knew what was going on whatsoever. >> oh, no. >> doctor, you referred to hoarding as a compulsive disorder. what's the cause of it? >> there is a lot of research out currently and we are still trying to understand it but we believe it is due to a chemical imbalance that causes people to have incredible difficulty being able to throw away items that to other people don't have purpose or value. ultimately as in gail's case, it begins to overrun the home to the point where rooms are not able to be used for the purpose that they're intended. >> gail, it was your daughter who alerted the show and basically called you on the carpet and said, mom, we got to deal with this. during the process where the show was removing stuff from your home, you get emotional at certain points. what was the process like for you? >> it was very difficult. it really was. i joked around a lot about it. but it was very, very difficult. a lot of this stuff in my situation, a lot of this stuff was my parents' stuff, who were both hoarders, and i moved my stuff in on top of them to take care of them. and i said earlier to someone that when -- when something has been precious to someone that you love, and then you say it has no value to me, it's almost like you're saying they have no value to me. it was really difficult. it was really difficult. >> doctor, two points. one, gail said her parents had been hoarders themselves. is there a again nick component to this? >> it is pretty common that we'll see an overlap, up to 85% of people that become compulsive hoarders we tend to see that there is a genetic link. >> also, you were very protective of gail during this process of shedding those possessions as well because you wanted her to be in control. prognosis now for her, if it is a chemical imbalance? >> i'm sorry, what was the question? >> the prognosis for her now? five seconds. >> >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> a lot of folks are heading back to work. we are seeing the influx of volume, as we normally see at this hour. traffic lights are out here. want to give it a cautionary note if you are traveling here. in terms of what else is going on, charles and lafayette, we have a vehicle fire coming in. 39 miles per hour on southbound 95. still looking at a slow-go on the north side outer loop, 14 minutes, to get you towards the 83's. 95 just south of the beltway northeast, things are just starting to improve their. 895 approaching the harbor tunnel, accident and the northbound direction. >> good morning, everyone. we have light rain showers on hd doppler now. nothing of any significance. in the western suburbs, a few sprinkles a red frederick. -- of around frederick. the further we go into the one, the better the chance that the rain showers will catch up with you. upper 40's and low 50s, 53 at the airport. we will shoot for a high of the upper 50s this afternoon. mobilize 51 good way above that mark. -- normal high is 51. way above that mark. good chance for rain on wednesday night and into thursday morning. >> we will have another update at 8:55. 8:30 on this monday morning, november 30th, 2009. we are kicking off our annual -- 16th annual holiday toy drive this morning. actress natalie portman playing the role of santa with our crowd. we'll talk to her in just a moment. 16 years. a special music you're listening to courtesy of -- i'm not hearing it. >> that is special christmas music. darlene love. we do have some great music from andrea bocelli. we've got some folks -- problems with our nation's pets. there is a big health risk facing them. coming up, what every pet owner should be doing to help their animals live healthier live. >> when it comes to humans, we also have a problem staying slim. a lot of us. we'll get some advice from "today's" diet and nutrition editor, joy bauer. first let's say hello to natalie portman, one of the stars of the new film "brothers." natalie, how are you? first, thank you for kicking off our toy drive. >> i'm so happy to be here for that. >> in the new movie, "brothers" you play a wife and mother. two children. your husband's going off on his fourth tour of duty in afghanistan. i understand to prepare for this film you spoke to military wives. what did you find out? >> well, it was pretty amazing to get the opportunity to, because i hadn't met many military families before. i was just amazed that they're really -- at their strength, that they are able to keep so together. i didn't realize it was this whole sort of second army of people here who are missing family members who are deployed. >> for them it really is the home front. >> i was interested, when i read i were playing a wife and mother, i remember it wasn't too long ago you were here and we were always talking to you about, do you really want to sink your teeth into some adult roles. they were always casting you as the young teenager when you were older. this has to be nice for you. >> yeah, it was a great chance to be trusted with. i was 26 playing mother to an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old. that was pretty extreme. but a nice change from the girl/woman parts. >> a great compliment to your abilities. >> did it make you want kids, or you never want them? >> no, no, no. these girls are magic. >> they're great actresses. >> amazing. >> congratulations are in order. because natalie has a movie that's been accepted at sundance. is that right? >> yes. thank you. thank you. >> natalie portman, thank you so much. >> our first "today" show elf for 2009. >> "brothers" hits theaters this friday. if you'd like to take part in our holiday toy drive, head to todayshow.com. if you donate a toy from the wish list, amazon.com will actually match it. which is wonderful. not a bad day today, though we do have some rain moving in a little bit later on, week ahead rain along coast, heavy rain in texas. snow showers in the plains. midweek, heavy rain along the coast, may cause some problems for our tree lighting. dry out west. then the latter part of the week we've got snow showers across the american tier of >> after a quiet start, the chances of rain will be increasing as we had through the morning and into the afternoon. offutt and honoring showers likely to drop the day. >> these nice folks back here are all saying hi to everybody back home. mr. lauer? >> yes, mr. roker. thank you very much. when we come back, hidden hazards of overweight pets. but first, even as i talk about marshall, the thundering herd, this is "today" on nbc. back at 8:36, this morning on "today's pets," overweight animals. obesity is now the number one health problem facing our pets and our resident animal lover jill rappaport has details. >> the message here -- no more table scraps! >> you pointing at me if. >> you with jasper. i can tell. anyway, whether you have a pudgy pooch or flag flabby, tabby, yod to get the pounds off to extend your pet's life. while our pets devour every delicious more sell of table scraps, the sad fact is 40% of our animals are dangerously overweight. just like in humans, fat can be fatal, for our fur angels, too. like lady. because of her obesity, see couldn't even walk when we first met her back in april. >> we hopefully can get her to walk, get her back to the park and running around. >> reporter: this beagle presented quite a challenge for the rehab department at the animal medical center in new york city. >> both of her knees went because she had so much weight on her. we're going to concentrate on a lot of hydrotherapy with her since water will help support her. >> reporter: now after two knee surgeries and seven months of physical therapy, lady shed seven pounds and 17 centimeters off her abdomen. that's the equivalent to us losing 30 pounds. >> when she first came in, she couldn't breathe, she was drooling. the biggest change, not only her ability to walk but her cardiovascular function, she's so much more in shape. >> reporter: obesity is also prevalent in cats. at one point this cat weighed close to 18 pounds. >> we knew he was pretty fat but we just thought it was part of his "big" personality. >> as with people you most likely have extended his life. >> we hope. he was in a prediabetic state. we were actually injecting him and testing his blood sugar. the vet came back with his bloodwork and said he has diabetes. >> obesity is linked to a arthrit arthritis, heart disease, cancer. almost every disease we have out there, fat contributes to the inflammatory process along the way. >> it wasn't until you found out had he this life threatening disease that you actually thought, wow, you better put him on a diet? >> yeah. he's considerably happier. >> we'll bring in jill's vet from southampton, new york. dr. claude grossman and his pet, grace. who has a little bit of a weight issue. there is an irony there, doctor. >> well, we'll discover just how much of a weight issue she has. >> how do you identify whether your pet really is overweight? >> one of the tools that veterinarians use is what's called the body condition chart scoring system where we try to determine based on their size whether they're overweight or not. >> so based on grace now, her size, is she a little overweight? >> so what i like to have everyone do is to look at their own dog. grace, stand up. there we go. what we want to be able do is feel their ribs easily without a lot -- >> we've lost your mike here. there you go. so you're feeling grace's ribs. >> what we want to deal o is fe for their ribs and not have a git wad of fat. grace has a little bit. i can pivlg an inch. >> a little bit more. >> with cats, same thing. >> yes. cats have more of a paunch. what we want to see on a dog is a sculpted waist here. grace has a sculpted waite. lo looking down, you can get a nice sense for her waist instead of being scare. we want to be able to see an abdominal tuck here, not a big paunch. >> so i'm going to rate grace as "5" being perfect, "9" being severely overweight as the graphic that you showed. i'm going to say she is about a "6." >> so maybe a little bit of work. >> she's got a little bit of swimming to do. >> labs in general, my dog gets heavy on air. i think labs have a very difficult time staying thin. >> they do. they do. >> the point is that any creature overweight, whether it is a human or an animal, it is not a good thing. thank you, doctor and jill, as well, thank you so much. up next, a revealing new memoir from one of the nation's most provocative minds. we cornell west is a guy who's known for telling it like it is on everything from race to religion to politics. now the princeton professor and best-selling author is telling all about himself in his new memoir "brother west living and loving outloud." brother west, good to have you here. >> blessing to be here. >> happy holidays. i want to go right to something you wrote about yourself because it jumped out at me. you say about yourself, i'm a blues man in the life of the mind and a jazz man in the world of ideas. what does that mean? >> it means i tried to find my own distinctive voice and my own unique style in the academy because to be a blues person, man or woman, it's somebody who deals with catastrophe with deep love, concerned about inspiring others, actually educating and instructing others but doing it so that people actually feel good. >> i read that and i thought, is this perhaps a guy who looks at the life of the mind in a way that's filtered through trouble and frustration? >> absolutely. what i call catastrophic. but also concerned about the power of love, and the power of always believing that things can be better. >> i have three little kids. i was particularly interested in some of the stories you recount from your childhood and the way you describe it. jump in any time you want. you were the product of a father who was hard working. >> clifton. my brother clifton, brothers sidney. >> your dad worked at an air force base, worked hard. one of the sweetest men you ever met. your mom was a ground breaker as far as educator, principal and teacher. you love your story about them finding a house they lived in an all-white neighborhood, they said that's okay, we're going to be the first african-american family here. what happened? >> they just went to each house and said the west family's here, we're here to stay, we're high-quality people, reached out, shook hands with them and kept moving. >> it couldn't have been easy. he did that, put on his jacket and tie and went out and introduced himself after he met with pretty fierce hostility from the neighbors. >> absolutely. man next door, very kind white brother who embraced us if that way. but i think more than anything else, it was a recognition that when you have integrity, dignity, and a sense of worth, that in fact you set a model and say i will never be half the person my mother or my father actually dad was and mom actually is. that means for me -- i think about living and loving outloud, if i can begin to bare witness to justice, always tie it to love, compassion, not revenge or bitterness. >> i love what a powerful role model and what a powerful example your father set for you and your siblings when he went out and did that. >> exactly right. >> you say every family needs to be family, education and spiritual grounding to be successful. it has to be frustrating to you, cornell, when you look today and realize how few kids are getting all three. >> it's true. oftentimes you can be in the church, in the mosque, in the synagogue and still not get the spirit owl grounding you ought, because by spiritual grounding i mean the recognition of the role of humility on the one hand but also determination on the other and getting outside of one's own ego. so you have a hypersensitivity to the suffering of others. i take quite seriously hebrew scripture, the orphan and the widow at the center of our focus at the center of our moral -- >> your father knew the power of education. he also knew the tools of power, parenting. your success, he was once interviewed but. and he said, "you know what? i don't need 30 minutes to answer that question. i don't even need a minute. i can give you the answer to parenting in four words -- be there for them." >> that's exactly it. that's exactly it. i think more than anything else, what this book acknowledges is not the myth of being self-made. i'm not a self-made man. i am who i am because somebody loved me, somebody cared for me, somebody attended to me. i didn't birth myself, i didn't father myself, i didn't mother myself. i've got mentors, like martin keelson, press son williams, i got close friends, my brothers tavis smiley, as you know, published this text. maryann rodriguez, been my assistant to keep me going. i got close partners to sustain me. that makes all the difference, my brother. i'm a love child. >> somebody said it takes a village. that's what you're saying. cornell west, great to have you here. "living and loving outloud." >> thank you so much, my brother. have a wonderful holiday, you and your precious family. indeed, indeed. coming up next, a special holiday performance from andrea bocelli. but first this is "today" on nbc. ♪ >> announcer: the "toyota concert series" on "today" brought to you by toyota. toyota. moving forward. >> tenor andrea bocelli is out with his first-ever holiday album, featuring some of the biggest names in music. "my christmas." >> why did you decide to do this now? a lot of artists choose to do holiday albums. why now? >> i've been thinking about it for a long time. but for an album so important like this, one needs to have the best condition. first one, to have the good foster with me. i discuss with him. finally he said, why not? yes. for this reason now finally i have my christmas album. >> david, i understand you guys were talking about five years this was in the making. >> it was. this voice is so great and we paired him up with people like mary j. blige and reba mcintyre. natalie cole. the muppets. andrea's voice is so spectacular, he covers all the ground. we did a pbs special -- >> were those tricky collaborations? >> not really. because everybody wants to sing with andrea, from mary j. to the muppets. they're all going, yes, we'd like to sing with him. >> are you going on tour, andrea? >> yes. i will be soon in toronto, new jersey, los angeles and las vegas. >> fantastic. it is a pleasure to have you here. >> thank you very much. >> what are you going to perform for us now? >> yes. "white christmas." >> andrea bocelli. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ [ singing in foreign language ] ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas with every christmas card i write ♪ ♪ may your days be merry and bright and may all your christmases and may all your christmases and may all your christmases be white ♪ >> again, the album is called "my christmas." andrea bocelli, thank you so much. we are back with more of "today" after your local news and weather. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here's a look of one of our top stories. jurors in the theft trial of baltimore mayor sheila dixon continue deliberations this morning after a four-day weekend. before leaving the courthouse wednesday, the judge warned members against reading, discussing, or watching anything about the case. stay with wbal-tv 11 and wbaltv.com for the latest. back in a minute with a check >> now let's take a look of the forecast with tony pann. >> off and on rainshowers through this afternoon and into the evening. not a heavy rain. it will probably not be steady, either. mostly cloudy and milder but temperatures in the upper 50s to around 60. closer to that on tuesday with high temperatures falling back into the upper 40's. we will lose the rain, though. in that respect, a little better than today. wednesday night and thursday morning, the storm comes out of the gulf. is expected in the upper 30's to around 40 at the weekend. maybe a little light snow and floreen. floreen.