about is ridiculous. i'm in this race because the truth needs to be spoken. he is unfit. this is a guy who just said this past week that he wants to use the department of justice to go after his enemies when he gets in there. i mean, the fact of the matter is he is unfit to be president, and there is no bigger issue in this race than donald trump, and those numbers prove it. >> that's republican presidential candidate chris christie addressing the lack of direct criticism for donald trump at last night's gop debate. we'll have much more from that heated yet perhaps not relevant event straight ahead. meanwhile, on capitol hill senate republicans are stalling a critical aid package, which includes billions of dollars in funding for ukraine. we'll explain why and what could happen next. and also ahead we'll bring you the latest from gaza. israel says its forces are closing in on the hamas leader is believed to be the mastermind behind the october 7th terror attacks. good morning and welcome to "way too early" on this thursday, december 7th. i'm jonathan lemire. thanks for starting your day with us. we have a busy morning, and we'll begin with the fourth republican presidential debate, the final one scheduled before the iowa caucuses. front-runner donald trump was once again a no-show, leaving just four candidates on stage last night in tuscaloosa, alabama. ron desantis, nikki haley, vivek vaum swami, and chris christie are all trailing trump by wide margins in the national polls. the debate kicked off with a question about trump's major lead. but instead of going after the presumptive primary front-runner desantis and ramaswamy instead focused their attacks on nikki haley. >> nikki haley, she caves anytime the left comes after -- >> the only person more fascist than biden now is nikki haley. >> they want to use economic power to impose a left wing agenda on this country. >> just to respond to ron, he continues to lie about my record. >> i was warning about the woke industrial complex in this country as a warning. apparently she read it as a how-to manual. >> in terms of those donors that are supporting me, they're just jealous. they wish they were supporting them. >> nicky you were bankrupt until when you left the u.n. after you left the u.n., you became a military contractor. now you're a multi-millionaire. that math does not add up. it adds up to the fact you are corrupt. >> i love all the attention, fellas, thank you for that. >> i look at my watch now. we're 17 minutes into this debate and except for your little speech in the beginning, you've had these three acting as if the race is between the four of us. the fifth guy who doesn't have the guts to show up and stand here, he's the one who as you just put it is way ahead in the polls. and yet i've got these three guys all seemingly to compete with voelder mort, they don't want to talk about it. >> indeed after not getting a word in the first 15 minutes of the debate chris christie unloaded on vivek ramaswamy for statements he made on the campaign trail and repeated attacks on nikki haley. >> all of us see it on video. we confront you on the debate stage, you say you didn't say it, and then you back away. no, i'm not done yet. >> hold on. >> this is the fourth debate -- the fourth debate that you would be voted in the first 20 minutes as the most obnoxious blow hard in america, so shut up for a little while. we're now 25 minutes into this debate, and he has insulted nikki haley's basic intelligence, not her positions, her basic intelligence. she doesn't regions, she wouldn't be able to find something on a map that his 3-year-old could find. look, if you want to disagree on issues that's fine, and nikki and i disagree on some issues, but i'll tell you this i've known her for 12 years, which longer than he even started to vote in a republican primary. and while we disagree about some issues and we disuh-uh agree about who should be president of the united states, what we don't disagree on is this a smart accomplished woman and you should stop insulting her. >> the dislike they all have ramaswamy is just so evident. we'll have more on the gop primary debate coming up on "way too early," and we'll have chris christie join us on "morning joe." meanwhile, here in washington senate republicans yesterday blocked a supplemental funding bill which included billions in foreign aid designed to help israel and ukraine. the vote mostly fell along party lines along every republican voting against legislation. to this point republicans have said any deal to send resources overseas must include significant money and resources from the southern border between the united states and mexico. an now we're learning more about one reason why democrats may be reluctant to sign on for those changes at the border. connecticut senator chris murphy told semafor that, quote, lots of democrats are going to vote against any changes we make to the border because they worry about what a future president trump might do with the changes we make. murphy's point comes in the wake of recent reporting detailing trump's desire to expand on and toughen his already controversial approach to the border. elsewhere here in the beltway, former house speaker kevin mccarthy is calling it quits. in a wall street journal op-ed yesterday the california republican announced he will not finish out his current term and instead will leave congress at the end of this year just a few weeks from now. he will, of course, now not seek re-election in 2024. mccarthy also released this video sharing his decision. >> today i am driven by the same purpose that i felt when i arrived in congress. but now it is time to pursue my passion in a new arena. while i'll be departing the house at the end of this year, i will never, ever give up fighting for this country that i love so much. >> the move comes just two months after mccarthy was ousted as speaker, a job he did not even hold for a year. california's governor must now call for a special election. joining us now here on set in washington, nbc news capitol hill correspondent julia circen. let's start with the aid package. this failed vote in the senate really the u.s. to aid israel and ukraine really on life support. tell us where do things stand in the wake of yesterday's events? is there any chanls of revival either this year or early next year? it's on life support but not dead yet. i'll tell you heading into the day yesterday i felt a lot more pessimistic about this whole thing than when the vote ended because of the comments made by president biden. it really seems like he's somebody who does want a deal. the border issue is something that could help him politically as well. it could hurt some progressive but could help independent moderate voters and voters on the right who really do see the border and talked to some democrats, moderates, vulnerable democrats of course many of them up for re-election, they do want to see something done on the border, and i'm told republicans in that negotiating group in the senate are willing to make them another offer. well, as far as that goes as speaker johnson the partisan republican border bill thahas no chance of passing in the senate, whether that goes anywhere with him and his members is another question. but i do think there's a chance we could see something before the holiday. we might go up until the nick of time but we could see something happen. >> we should mention the president gave some remarks yesterday pushing for this deal to get done. on that is there a sense the senate will come up with a border deal that would give a compromise and democrats to sign on and just enough republicans to sign on as well? >> according to my sources that's really the only plan forward. i did ask speaker johnson yesterday if he would accept anything less than hr2. he said no kmentd and i do think that is telling. he's not willing to publicly say yet he's going to go away from that because of those conservative hard-right members in his party who not only would not vote for border measures but really wouldn't even support any aid to ukraine and israel. so we're totally in a pretzel, puzzle, however you want to call it here, but it is very clear that senate republicans especially those that want to send money to ukraine like senator lindsey graham who told me yesterday he now sees the border as an important issue to ukraine, that's something they want to get done. >> one wonders if johnson who's thrown real olive branches to the hard right with impeach footage and the inquiry. infamo said he would never quit. well, he's quitting. what's the reaction you're hearing from the hill and talk to us about how the republican majority could be even that much slimmer? >> he said he'd never give up, a lesson taught by his father. obviously he's now giving up, but this is something that didn't really surprise those of us who covered him, the twists and turns the last couple of months. this the someone who couldn't get over those who oulsed him. he still had back and forth disagreements with them, arguments. now he's leaving. this is the end of an era, an end of the young guns, if you will, the maga republican popialist wing of the party taking over and flexing their muscle here. now mccarthy is leaving at the end of the month. he did say he's not going down quietly and we should expect something in the future. it does make the republican majority that much slimmer and fragile in the house. >> mccarthy spent so many years trying to become speaker and now leaving the congress altogether. nbc news capitol hill correspondent julia circen, thanks for being here. still ahead on "way too early" we'll turn to some of the major headlines this morning including two disturbing acts of gun violence. this is a uniquely american problem. one was in texas, the other a deadly mass shooting on the unlv campus. plus we'll bring you the latest indictments tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election. those stories and a check on weather and sports when we come right back. weather and sports when we come right back ♪♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing, non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick. and try vicks vaposhower for steamy vicks vapors. (carolers) ♪ iphone 15 pro, your husband deserves it! ♪ (mom) carolers? to tell me you want a new iphone?k. a better plan is verizon. (dad) no way they'd take this wreck. (carolers) ♪ yes, they will, in any condition. ♪ ♪ get iphone 15 pro and ipad and apple watch - all on them! ♪ (mom) please forgive him. (carolers) ♪ it's all good - just a little awkward. ♪ (soloist) think we'll wrap this up. (vo) for a limited time, turn any iphone in any condition into a new iphone 15 pro with titanium and ipad and apple watch se - all on us. that's up to $1700 in value. only on verizon. honey... honey... nyquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu relief with a dreamy honey taste. nyquil honey, the nighttime, sniffing, sneezing, couging, aching, fever, honey-licious, best sleep with a cold, medicine. my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose new neuriva ultra. unlike some others, it supports 7 brain health indicators, including mental alertness from one serving. to help keep me sharp. try new neuriva ultra. think bigger. welcome back. time now to talk about a uniquely american problem of gun violence. police have arrested a man after a shooting spree in texas left six people dead. nbc news correspondent morgan chesky has more. >> in texas police pouring over five crime scenes spanning 8 hours they say are all connected to a single gunman. >> we straukly believe one suspect is responsible for all the incidents. >> reporter: authorities identifying the suspect as shane james, a 34-year-old now charged with capitol murder. he served in the army as an infantry officer as recently as 2015. investigators say his shooting spree began tuesday morning at an austin high school. james opening fire on a school resource officer wounding him. inside the schoolteacher glen knew this wasn't a drill. you hear lock down over the intercom. what goes through your head? >> keep the kids safe. just take action, protect the kids mainly. >> reporter: no students were arm harmed, but nearby less than an hour later -- >> thought i heard something like fireworks or something. >> reporter: a shooting in south austin leaving two dead followed just hours later by another shooting. police reporting a cyclist wounded near a highway. finally, tuesday evening a crucial burglary call. >> shots fired. >> reporter: police arresting james after they say he shot an officer and killed two more people. san antonio authorities connecting james to 16 miles away a couple found dead. >> these are believed to be the parents of the suspect in travis county. >> wonderful people. >> every time i talk about it, it hurts me. they were wonderful people. a good man. >> that was nbc's morgan chesky reporting, but that wasn't the only mass shooting we have to tell you about today. there was one yesterday on campus at the university of nevada las vegas, which left at least three people dead and another injured as of this hour. police say the shooter was a man in his 60s who had unsuccessfully sought a job at the school there at unlv. he was killed during a shootout with police. the shooting began around 11:45 a.m. local time at a business school on campus. the gunman went to multiple floors before he was killed outside the building. in response to the shooting, president biden issue adstatement of support ahead of his scheduled trip to las vegas tomorrow. it's unclear if the president will now visit the campus. and staying in nevada, a grand jury in that state has indicted six republicans for serving as false electors in the 2020 presidential election. the group is accused of taking part in a scheme in battleground states to submit paperwork falsely naming former president trump as the winner. the indictment yesterday included a list of witnesses including former trump attorney kenneth chesebro. chesebro was a codefendant in the fulton county election interference case but took a plea deal there. he is reportedly cooperating with investigators in multiple state probes. nevada is now the third state to indict a slate of fake electors after georgia and michigan did the same. still ahead we're turning to sports and the blockbuster trade in major league baseball, and i'm not happy about it. plus we'll bring you an update on the new york jets starting quarterback. we'll be right back with that. quarterback. we'll be right back with that. and the giggles. the family that takes delsym together, feels better together. [group laughing] admit it. you use my old spice body wash. i'm not letting hotel soap. near my skin. it's the lavender and mint for me. let me get that, savannah, if you don't get your moisturized hands off my body wash. a few years ago, i came to saona, they told me there's no electricity on the island. we always thought that whatever we did here would be an emblem of what small communities can achieve. trying to give a better life to people that don't have the means to do it. si mi papá estuviera vivo, sé que él tuviera orgulloso también de vivir de esta viviendo una vida como la que estamos viviendo ahora. es electricidad aquí es salud. we're the ones who keep dealing with this same story, the same conversation every time it happen, and it just continues to happen. and, you know, the ability to get a gun, the ability to do these things over and over and over, and there's been no change is very ridiculous. it makes no sense we continue to lose innocent lives. and the fact we haven't changed anything, it's actually been a lot easier to actually be able to own a firearm it's -- it's stupid. >> good work, lebron. that was indeed lebron james reacting to the deadly mass shooting on the campus of unlv yesterday as the los angeles lakers are in town preparing for tonight's inaugural nba in-season tournament semifinals right there in las vegas. the lakers are set to take on the new orleans pelicans, and the indiana pacers will play milwaukee bucks. there's your final four. the winners will face-off in the final saturday night. now to the blockbuster trade in major league baseball. it sends superstaroutfielder juan soto to the new york yak yankees. in a deal announced late last night the yankees acquired the three time all-star from the san diego padres alongit two-time outfielder. and in return they received -- the 25-year-old soto is one of the best hitters in the game. he's set to be a free agent after the season. padres likely not to resign him. they got him from the nats. it's a big salary dump for san diego and a huge addition for the yankees who assume soto will hit just behind aaron judge in the line-up. not good, folks. we turn to the nfl now. zack wilson will be once again the starting quarterback for the newark jets when they host the houston texans on sunday. the team announced the return of wilson. wilson told reporters he is excited to be back as center, denying a report by the athletic on monday which said he was reluctant to take back the starting job. meanwhile week 14 of the nfl season kicks off tonight in pittsburgh with the steelers hosting the lowly new england patriots. time now for the weather. angie, a lot of bad sports news for my teams. can you improve my mood with the forecast? >> sure i can. especially if you're looking for some warmth in the middle of the country, i've got that. order up for you right here, jonathan. we've got warm temperatures expected across most of the plains. places like minneapolis will be warm today into the mid-50s. that is of course not what you'd expect for this time period in december. meanwhile we've got rain and snow on tap. no surprise there for parts of the north west. they've been battered and battered with more rain, more snow from these atmospheric river events, and we've got another storm system going to moval through and impact the west coast as we get through the day today. there's the low pressure we're watching this morning get closer to the coast. here's what happens as we get into tomorrow. moves east of the rockies, kind of gets back together and redevelops. this is going to leave us with the potential of strong storms, rain, and snow for the eastern half of the country. here's a look at saturday. that line of storms starts to develop especially through texas and periods of heavy rain and strong storms on tap specifically for parts of the south including shreveport, jackson, houston all included in the potential foror hail and st wind gusts. so that's something to watch saturday. as we get into sunday what a mess this will be especially for airports driving on sunday, we're going to have a lot of wet weather stretching up and down the east coast from florida up into the north east. we'll have the potential for some kind of wintery mix making roads difficult, the potential for some strong winds will be out there as well. we'll finally start to see this moving offshore as we get into monday, and some improvements will be had from the midatlantic south, but from the north east and parts of inmaterial yr england will be dealing with rain and snow. >> angie lassman, thank you so much. we'll talk to you again tomorrow. still ahead here on "way too early," we'll have more on last night's republican primary debate, and my new reporting about how the biden campaign is going to handle donald trump's comments he would be a dictator for a day. we'll be right back with that. we'll be right back with that. rsv is out there. for those 60 years and older protect against rsv with arexvy. arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower respiratory disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. arexvy does not protect everyone and is not for thos