Heated debate yet. Breaking overnight, officials reveal the first two coronavirus deaths from the quarantined cruise ship in japan as hundreds more passengers are disembarking some experts are questioning if thats still a good idea were live with the very latest. Relentless 4 million americans waking up under flash flood watches this morning from rain that just will not let up as millions more brace for snow that could cause major chaos. Al has everything you need to know those stories, plus real talk the real i. D. Deadline is looming and officials are already warning dmvs and airports are not prepared for the crisis its official. A royal exit date for prince harry and Meghan Markle has the couple scrambling to figure ou whats next without the buckingham brand. Speedy recovery. Nascar driver ryan newman walks out of the hospital after that terrifying crash that could have cost him his life. This morning, touching images everyone is talking about today, thursday, february 20th, 2020. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in Rockefeller Plaza hey everybody. Welcome to today were so happy youre joining us on this thursday morning, february 20, 2020. In a world where you want good news, you look at ryan newman, see him walking out of the Hospital Holding his little girls hands walking out, what is it, two days after that terrible crash when you see the crash and you think about how he was able to walk out, its just its hard to believe definitely a miracle. Well have the latest on what exactly happened with him a little later we have to talk about last night. Boy, were the knives out at th democratic debate in las vegas sponsored by nbc while several candidates fought back from the attack, the biggest target of the night, Michael Bloomberg, the newest candidate in the race. We have a full analysis as well as a report from the white house. Lets start with nbc White House CorrespondentKristen Welker shes in nevada. Caucusgoers will cast their ballots on saturday. Boy, this debate gave them a lot to think about, kristen. Reporter it sure did, savannah good morning to you. This was the ninth democratic debate but by far the most contentious. The main target was former new york city mayor Michael Bloomberg who suffered a series of bruising blows from rivals. It was a night of fireworks that was make or break for so many on that stage in las vegas, the gloves coming off quickly, the candidates piling on newcomer, former mayor Michael Bloomberg, senator Elizabeth Warren leading the charge democrats take a huge risk if we substitute one arrogant billionaire for another. Reporter warren also slamming bloomberg for his alleged history of sexist remarks in the workplace. A billionaire who calls women fat broads and horsefaced lesbians no, im not talking about donald trump. Im talking about mayor bloomberg. Reporter bloomberg trying to downplay the matter. None of them accused me of doing anything other than maybe they didnt like a joke i told reporter warren calling on bloomberg to be more transparent. Mr. Mayor, are you willing to release all those women from those nondisclosure agreements so we can hear their side of the story . Theyre agreements between two parties that wanted to keep it quiet thats up to them. They signed those agreements and well live with it reporter also under a microscope, bloombergs support over a controversial policing policy when he was mayor which he has apologized for. Mr. Bloomberg had policies in new york city of stop and frisk which went after africanamerican and latino people in an outrageous way. When we discovered, i discovered that we were doing many, many too many stop and frisks, we cut 95 of it out. Reporter former Vice President joe biden challenging that defense the reason that stop and frisk changed is because barack obama sent moderators to see what was going on. The policy was abhorrent and it was a violation of every right people have. Reporter bloomberg who spent more than 350 million of his own money on political ads fending off repeated attacks on his vast fortune all i know is ive been very lucky, made a lot of money and im giving it all away to make the country better a good chunk goes to the Democratic Party as well. Reporter when pressed on releasing his tax returns. The number of pages will probably be thousands of pages it cant go to turbo tax. Im looking at my husband in the front row that has to do our taxes all the time we probably could go to turbo tax. Reporter bloomberg mocking sanders, a selfdescribed democratic socialist. What a wonderful country we have the best known socialist in the country happens to be a millionaire with three houses. What did i miss here reporter sanders, the National Front runner, was the nights other target, with mayor Pete Buttigieg taking sharp aim at both men. We shouldnt have to choose between one candidate who wants to burn this party down and another candidate who wants to buy this party out. Reporter buttigieg questioning senator Amy KlobucharsForeign Policy knowledge after she admitted she forgot the name of mexicos president earlier this week. And were not able to speak to literally the first thing about the politics of the country are you trying to same im dumb, or are you mocking me here, pete reporter it was a heated night, that is for sure. Watching it all from the sidelines, the current commanderinchief, President Trump is actually here in las vegas for a west coast swing he unleashed his own scathing attack against bloomberg overnight tweeting, quote, mini Mike Bloombergs debate performance tonight is perhaps the worst in the history of debates and there have been really bad ones. As for bloomberg, he actually hasnt debated since 2009, a mayoral contest. His campaign striking a defiant stance overnight, saying bloomberg is just getting warmed up Kristen Welker in las vegas for us thank you. For more on last nights debate and what it means going forward, im joined by former democratic senator of missouri, claire mccaskill. Good morning to you. Good morning. I dont think theres even dispute even from the bloomberg folks this was not a good debate for him. Can he overcome this, basically buy more ads and hope to overcome the performance clearly thats going to be the strategy this guy has unlimited resources and he has organizations on the ground in all these super tuesday states theres staff in all these states for Mike Bloomberg. Theres some things money cant buy. That was a particularly weak performance. He didnt seem to have answers of course, he was fired on from all directions it was interesting to me they were in las vegas where there was one of the most dramatic brutal shootings in our countrys history, very little time on guns frankly, i was shocked that the mayor didnt pivot to that, because thats one place where he can legitimately say ive used my wealth to try to go after the nra and the gun lobby and, frankly, it is one of bernies vulnerabilities lets talk about Elizabeth Warren shes proven again to be a very fierce debater Something Like this, can one performance like that put her back into contention she never really was out of contention shes always been hovering in the top three or four, sometimes two, even one for a while. Yes, i think she had a really Strong Performance last night. I think she realized that she cant sit back this was a doordie moment for most of these campaigns last night, and it showed it was awkward to watch because it was so negative, but they all felt the urgency of right now we have got to stay in this thing youre going to start seeing people drop out. Thought the democrats would all be united, the 11th amendment, thou shalt not criticize another democrat it got personal between amy and pete it felt like a visceral dislike of one another im not sure it was as much that as the two of them are going after the same votes in many ways. Theyre trying to be practical, pragmatic, midwestern roots. So theyre in each others way and i think pete was trying to say, hey, washington experience is not all its cracked up to be and amy pivoted and said, wait a minute, be in the arena for a while before you pass judgment. Isnt that interesting . It is a circular firing squad in the nonsanders lane if that goes on, sanders is seeming to be collecting delegates. Hes so confident in nevada, hes going to california people are already voting there. He seems to be on a glide path at the moment. He certainly is in a commanding position right now. But weve learned things change. Theyve changed dramatically in this race over the last 12 months as some people are saying, this is when it starts really counting lets wait and see how everyone votes on super tuesday hes behind biden in texas hes way ahead of biden in california who emerges on super tuesday even as a close second, maybe somebody does, maybe somebody doesnt. What did you think about biden . Here is somebody who is very much struggling. His campaign telegraphed they think theyd come in second in nevada they need to have to win in South Carolina what did you think i thought he also had a strong night debates have not been his strong suit in this deal. Last night he was stronger, more forceful than in previous debates, but so was everyone else the question is does it help him move back into a more commanding position im not sure it does. After super tuesday, do you think the socalled moderate lane just winnows and, therefore, you have sanders versus some sort of moderate who emerges after that there will be a lot of pressure on three of those six candidates to leave the race and hopefully embrace another one other candidate so that you begin to see the oneonone contrast between bernie and his view of a democratic socialist versus some of the candidates that have a more pragmatic approach. Senator mccaskill, well continue to watch. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Hoda, over to you. Craig joins the table. Another big political story were watching later this morning, one of President Trumps longtime political confidants, roger stone, will be sentenced for charges stemming from the investigation into Russian Election meddling. It comes as the president is nominating a controversial figure to head up the countrys intelligence agencies. Nbcs White House CorrespondentPeter Alexander is following all of it for us peter, good morning to you reporter craig, good morning to you roger stone sentencing will punctuate an intense week that saw the president rebuked by his attorney general, who even considered resigning over President Trumps tweets, criticizing the Justice Department the question today, how tough a punishment will stone get and how will the president react despite the president s repeated complaints his longtime ally roger stone has been treated horribly. Nine years for doing something that nobody can even define what he did reporter later today his former political adviser will be sentenced by a judge he was convicted for lying to congress and witness tampering President Trumps constant commentary about stones case triggering his attorney general, william barr, to deliver this rare rebuke. I think its time to stop the tweeting about department of justice criminal cases. Reporter all four prosecutors on the case resigning in protest after barr overruled their sentencing recommendation of seven to nine years for stone. After the president commuted rod blagojevichs sentence this week. Im returning home from a long exile, a freed political prisoner. Reporter the disgraced former illinois governor praising the president but showing no remorse for his criminal conduct in an interview with fox news. Uncontrolled, unaccountable, lawless prosecutors who did this to me. I broke no laws, crossed no lines. Reporter the president tweeted blagojevich didnt sell the senate seat. In fact, he was convicted for trying to profit off Barack Obamas vacated seat ive got this thing and its [ bleep ] golden and im just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. Reporter all of it that wikileaks founder Julian Assange claiming that he was offered a pardon in 2017 on behalf of President Trump if assange agreed to say russia was not involved in leaking democratic memes during the 2016 election the former congressman and the white house have both disputed the claim. The white house calling it a complete fabrication and a total lie. On the topic of pardons, President Trump has not ruled out a pardon for stone aides here tell me the president is considering additional pardons and commutations and even assembling a team of advisers to recommend and vet possible candidates for clemency, effectively bringing what has been a process handled by the Justice Department into the white house. Savannah. The president s pick for the acting head of the Intelligence Community, director of National Intelligence, richard grenell. This is a controversial figure because hes been named as an acting head of the dni, he doesnt have to be senate confirmed. Reporter youre right. Grenell, currently the u. S. Bm ambassador to germany, a fierce trompe loeilist, will be the acting director of National Intelligence he is divisive, sharp twitter presence, and crashed with european allies and others critics say he has no intelligencerelated experience to lead the 17 agencies he will head up including the cia. He replaces joe maguire also in the role as an acting capacity because he is acting, he doesnt need to be confirmed by the senate the senate top democrat claiming the president is trying to sidestep the senates crucial role of proving such consequential figures. The president s relationship with the Intelligence Community has been rocky the critics warn the president politicizing this post with this hire, but it will give him an outspoken ally overseeing agencies. Hes expressed a suspicion. Peter alexander, a lot going on at the white house. Thank you. Turning to breaking news tied to the coronavirus virus. This morning were learning two people have died who were on board the diamond princess cruise ship and more people have been infected in japan nbcs Janis Mackey Frayer has the latest on this hey, janis, good morning reporter good morning, hoda, more passengers were able to come off the cruise ship, and they were relieved their quarantine is over there are a lot of concerns coming with it with so many confirmed cases on board, another 13 being revealed just in the last few minutes, and confirmation that two passengers have died after being infected on the ship this morning growing concerns for the hundreds of passengers finally getting off the diamond princess cruise ship. After japanese officials confirm two passengers have died from the coronavirus, a man and a woman, both japanese and in their 80s with chronic conditions they were infected on board and taken to the hospital a week ago when they tested positive. More than 620 cases have been confirmed among the passengers and crew on the cruise ship, raising worries about how the virus was able to spread so rapidly among people who should have been isolated some experts questioning ventilation and an apparent lack of controlled areas. I would not stay on this ship if i were you. Its been surreal reporter arnold and regina hopland from tennessee were ready to go on the evacuation flight back to the u. S then she was told she had the virus. It was a disaster waiting to happen i feel that were sitting in a petri dish waiting to get infected. Reporter Health Officials questioning how safe it is to let everyone go free any americans coming off the ship wont be able to return home to the u. S. For at least 14 days, and only if they test negative for the virus the hundreds of americans who were evacuated from the ship earlier this week are now under quarantine in the u. S. 13 of them who tested positive being monitored at the National Quarantine center in nebraska where another 57 people airlifted out of wuhan could be cleared to go home today in china, the number of infections appears to be easing, with entire cities locked down and restrictions on hundreds of millions of people the chinese have done something thats been unprecedented, and maybe it is working. I hope it is this may be the first sign that it is working. Reporter still dozens of new coronavirus cases are emerging elsewhere in the region, in south korea and singapore. Here in japan, there are dozens of coronavirus cases being confirmed even beyond the cruise ship, to the point where the government here is advising people to take precautions and avoid hosting large gatherings still, any passengers who test negative for the virus will be able to come off the ship by the end of tomorrow. The crew, however, will stay put and remain under quarantine for another couple of weeks. Hoda Janis Mackey Frayer in yokohama, japan, thank you let us turn now to the weather. I think we all agree aint no sunshine when hes gone. Al roker is back i see what you did. Thanks so much wed love to get sunshine in the southeast. This is jackson, mississippi, tons of rain more unfortunately on the way. River flooding a big problem we have river flood warnings, and we have 15 Million People under or i should say 14 Million People u