portland, oregon, temperatures dipping below freezing. this is the first time that happened in november in 25 years. yikes! that is where i'm heading tomorrow. also this. much of the same screen across much of the pacific northwest here down into the middle of the country. nevada, utah, even parts of california. be prepared for rough conditions. in fact, listen to this tow truck driver in idaho. >> it's just horrible. three foot snowdrifts we're running right through the middle of them. >> take a look with me. conditions in fargo. the entire state of north dakota and much of minnesota and south dakota under a winter weather advisory. and that of course changes to a much more serious blizzard watch tonight into your thanksgiving afternoon. that is weather. we're keeping our eye on that. but of course related to that air travel facing basically this one/two punch. this will cause delays in some areas. probably already is. icy runways in seattle. a lot of wind in boston. but then there are all of those new security measures that some said they would be protesting. but at least more air travelers today seem a bit more interested in getting through the security, getting through those lines as fast as possible and have for the most part no major protests to speak of. that is great news if you're hopping through the airports. tsa administrator john pistole making the rounds, urging all of us to work with, not against the security agents with this busy travel week. >> so it really comes down to everybody agrees they want to arrive safely. everyone wants to know everybody else on that flight has been thoroughly screened. by the way, everybody else wants to make sure you and i have been screened also. that's the dynamic tension that we're dealing with. >> all across the country. this hour we have cnn's jeanne meserve at reagan national for us in washington. ted rowlands fairly fresh off a flight in san francisco and jacqui jeras here on weather impacting travel plans. i want to begin with jeanne at reagan national. talk to me about security lines. we've been talking about this a lot this week. how are they? is anyone causing a problem in this whole optding out? >> reporter: well, brooke, there are a handful of protesters here at reagan national. but i'll tell you the security lines have been virtually nonexistence. it doesn't appear that very many people are deciding to say no to the body scanners in favor of those more intimate pat-downs. there's no slowdown visible here. so does that mean that opt-out day was a failure? organizers say absolutely not. >> i think it's been a success. i think even before today it's been a success. you've had the tsa step back and say are we going to look at is there a better way to do them? you've had them back off of children under 12. i think they get it now. >> reporter: but tsa is clearly also feeling good after being criticized for rolling out these new security measures with virtually no explanation. the administrator has been blanketing the airwaves with explanations of why they are doing this. they say they needed to improve security at the airport, particularly as regards threats like the underwear bomb. the public apparently was listening. travelers we have spoken to by and large are quite comfortable with these new security measures. if they object to them, they are not protesting by opting out. at least not at this airport. apparently their big priority today is getting home for the holidays. >> i have been through reagan many, many times. i know you're on the main level. you had a chan to walk downstairs? any tempers flaring at all or is everybody really behaving themselves? >> reporter: i've flown in and out of this airport for a couple of decades and i have to tell you i've never seen it like this. several times today the transportation security officers were standing there waiting to check i.d.s and there was absolutely nobody in line. >> hallelujah. >> reporter: tempers flaring, no. people here seem to be pretty happy about getting through security as quickly as they are. >> excellent news. jeanne meserve, thank you. now to ted rowlands. i know you started your day in l.a. you are now in san francisco. how did the flight go? oh,ee don't hear ted. >> reporter: a lot of passengers moving through. i'll start that from the beginning. >> take two. >> reporter: l.a. was fine. lots of folks. lots of folks moving through l.a.x. this morning. but security lines not a problem at all. this opt-out thing not holding on the west coast either. you can see at san francisco right now the security lines are great if you happen to be boarding a plane. you will be in and out in about five minutes. those fluctuate as flights come in and out. the big board we've got big delays but not bad at all when you consider that it is a holiday weekend. one thing, though, there are a lot of opinions about this pat-down scanner issue. we talked to dozens of people both in l.a. and san francisco. here's a sampling of what people think out here about the pat-down controversy. >> i don't look anything like osama bin laden. i'm not tall enough, don't have the right color hair or speak the language. there's about 99% of people in this airport same situation. this is a joke. we should profile if it's a security risk. >> i think sometimes people have chosen this to be angry about. i would rather be safe. >> reporter: it's amazing, a lot of people came up and said they think the tsa should profile at airports saying that frisking that old woman in the wheelchair is ridiculous and a waste of time. it's amazing how many people actually articulated those feelings to us. bottom line, nobody has held up a line here and a lot of people are on guard for it. everybody coming in, have you seen any of the scanner problems? so people are looking for it but we haven't seen any evidence here in -- at sfo or in l.a. >> well, hopefully, given all the hype, we're glad to know everything is fairly smooth sailing today. i think the other big day we'll be watching is friday. ted rowlands, we will check back in later. meantime. go ahead. >> reporter: okay. you say hype. one of the other things we're getting is the media is hiyping this too much which maybe. maybe we are guilty of it. but we didn't know what to expect. we thought there would be delays. >> we were listening to people. people were frustrated and outraged but at least today smooth sailing where you are and a couple of other spots around the country. now to jacqui jeras with a little bit of what's going on. i guess, what, air, roads and a lot of people -- we're putting so much attention on today but also friday is a huge travel day. >> and saturday and sunday. pick your day. there's definitely going to be issues because of volume. that's what's going on now. in new york city you take a look central park and manhattan. it's beautiful. 51 degrees. the winds a little gusty, about 21 miles per hour. but we've got a lot of volume and a lot of people trying to get in and out so a lot of airport delays as a result. let's look at those delays that we have across the u.s. teterboro we have departure delays, over an hour now. so this has been really picking up in the last few hours. laguardia ground delays of 35 minutes. that's people taking off from other cities trying to get into laguardia. newark same story. washington, d.c., this is reagan national. 45 minutes. notice here those delays are on the increase unfortunately. and then white plains we're looking at 30 minutes and only 10 minutes in calgary. what's happening on the roadways. let's look at the you touch screen. this is a website where you can enter your city and see what the congestion is. at chicago we have seen rain as well as spotty freezing rain and sleet. we have a big accident now on the eisenhower expressway at 64 north. one lane is blocked and there's also law enforcement as well as a tow truck on the scene. so be aware we're getting spotty reports of accidents now across the chicagolands area. but the airport at this time is doing okay. we'll check in on des moines where they also had freezing rain. unfortunately lots of accident. our affiliate reporting one person was killed on i-35 as a result. you can see the slick roads they've been experiencing throughout that area as well. we've been talking a lot about airport security. i found this great website on tsa. they have their own blog now and they've been giving us updates periodically throughout the day. remember this is not necessarily the public. this is tsa telling you what they have been experiencing. and some of the delays that we've seen have been good. no opt-outs. following the patdown one passenger made a comment here. the highest wait time 12 minutes there. no problems. another thing i thought was really funny was the tsa agent reported the wait line to get a coffee was longer than it was throughout security. >> the wait line to get coffee is longer than the wait to go through security. >> yeah. we've been checking on tweeter. we're seeing good stuff. it's great. >> maybe all this talk people were prepared and rolling through. jacqui jeras, thank you. obviously a lot of attention today on the airports but many of you are hitting the highways. some of you may be texting, talking while driving. but one woman says that has to stop. she is spending the holiday -- she is spending her thanksgiving without her mother because of a distracted driver. she's going to join me live, willing to share her story. that is ahead. plus a u.s. aircraft carrier making its way to the korean peninsula for joint exercises with south korea. but is the u.s. also sending a message to north korea in the wake of the recent shelling? pa. it blocks pain signals for deep relief precisely where you need it most. precise. only from the makers of tylenol. precise. if you live for performance, upgrade to castrol edge advanced synthetic oil. with eight times better wear protection than mobil 1. castrol edge. it's more than just oil. here's a couple of stories that are moving right now. south korea on highest military alert. north korea claiming to be on the brink of war. the united states standing between them, urging restraint on both sides but sending an aircraft carrier to the yellow sea today. this is one day since that deadly exchange of artillery fire across the maritime border killing four south koreans, two troops, two civilians. north korea blames the south for starting it. stay with cnn. we have a crew there and we'll get the latest from the ground in minutes. oh, the airports, they are insane today with travelers. millions of americans traveling last minute to get to thanksgiving day destinations. here is something the tsa has been keeping an eye out for really all day long. large numbers of passengers refusing to enter the full body scan machines. have you had to do this? a nationwide resistance move meant by people angry about new ramped up security measures but guess what so far all major airports reporting a smooth flow of passengers. no security incidents and wait for it even people complimenting the tsa in behaving quite pleasantly. th maybe it's something about the holiday season. look at this woman, a nurse, a major in the u.s. air force and she is a lesbian. last part of that sentence got her kicked out of the service back in 2006. today official word that after a long legal battle, margaret witt will be reinstated in the military. a federal judge ruled that witt's sexual orientation does not impact military morale of co-hetion. the government is appealing that ruling. and in related ruling the senate armed services committee announced two days of hearings late next week into the pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. >> you have my blessing. ah the blessing. keeping the thanksgiving holiday tradition, the president pardoned two turkeys today. did you hear their names? you have to wait for it. also these birds now get to live out their lives in mt. vernon. you know george washington's old digs. not too bad instead of winding up on your dinner plates. that and your breaking political ticker is next. impressive resume. thank you. you know what, tell me, what makes peter, peter ? well, i'm an avid catamaran sailor. i can my own homemade jam, apricot. and i really love my bank's raise your rate cd. i'm sorry, did you say you'd love a pay raise asap ? uh, actually, i said i love my bank's raise your rate cd. you spent 8 days lost at sea ? no, uh... you love watching your neighbors watch tv ? at ally, you'll love our raise your rate cd that offers a one-time rate increase if our current rates go up. ally. do you love your bank ? ♪ we know why we're here. to design the future of flight, inside and out. ♪ to build tomorrow's technology in amazing ways. ♪ and reshape the science of aerospace -- forever. [ female announcer ] around the globe, the people of boeing are working together -- for the dreams of generations to come. that's why we're here. ♪ welcome back to the "cnn newsroom" on this day before thanksgiving. a lot of us, we're thankful for our family and friends and thankful if you're one of the lucky few for a few days off. pretty good for starters. speaking of holiday sentiments some of the folks in our political world have much to be thankful for as well in the year 2010. for that we turn to one of our top guys paul steinhauser, deputy political director. let's begin with a name many of us know, sarah palin. >> reporter: i think it's fair to say she has a couple of things to be thankful for. let's start with the tea party movement. that nearly two-year-old movement that's become a real player not only in the republican primaries but also the general election, probably a big player in the next race for the white house. i think it's pretty obvious a lot of the tea party activists are big fans of sarah palin. remember she gave the key note address at the first tea party convention earlier. another thing for her to be thankful for. us, i guess, the media. everywhere on the media. you name the network, the outlet, she is there. just recently as she's talked about the possibility the running for the white house she's been everywhere as well. take a taste. >> to be made so it would be prayerful consideration and then getting a good lay of the landscape too, the political landscape because i would be in it to win it. if there are others willing to do it and make the sacrifices i'll support them. if there's nobody else i would do it. >> if you ran for president could you beat barack obama? >> i believe so. >> reporter: okay. talking for the next race for the white house and if palin decides to run that's another thing for her to be thankful for because all the early polls indicate there is no front-runner at this very early point in the battle for the republican nomination. three things for her to be thankful for. >> the former alaskan governor thankful but what about the tsa? 24 hours ago we would think they had nothing to be thankful for but today fairly smooth sailing we just heard. >> reporter: seems that way. the tsa and new screening procedures have been the top story it seems the last couple of weeks here in the united states. they have a couple of things to be thankful for. surprising but they do. one is automobiles i guess. check this out. according to government statistics people traveling a long distance for the holiday, about seven out of ten or i'm sorry 91% are going to be traveling by car. that's only 9% that will travel by rail or air. they have that to be thankful for. here's another thing. let's talk specifically about frequent air travelers. a new poll by gallup indicates 71% support those enhanced screening procedures. there you go. i guess that's something to be thankful for. let's just be serious here. the holiday thanksgiving travel season is going to be over in a few days and there's nothing i guess down the road until christmas and then way down the road until summer. i guess the tsa will get a breather in a couple of days. >> for a second and then deal with christmas. then also i'm sure you were glued to your tv set as i'm sure our entire team was, the pardoning of the turkeys. the president and his daughters. i think they were apple and cider but the president obviously has a little bit to be thankful for as well. >> reporter: yeah, some people -- >> there are the turkeys. >> reporter: good, there it is. look at that. a tradition every year at the white house, no doubt about it. people are saying what does he have to be thankful for. as he said even he got a shellacking in the midterm elections but it could have been worse. remember the democrats did keep control of the senate. so it could have been worse in the midterm elections, the number one thing for the president to be thankful for. another thing that the president could be thankful for and that is the economy. let's talk about general motors. remember the auto bailouts a big controversial thing and the president, look at gm and the company seems to be on the republican. take a look at the president talking about the automotive industry yesterday in indiana. >> for the first time in over a decade, americans are buying a larger share of chryslers, ford and gm cars and a smaller share of their foreign counterparts. for the first time. >> reporter: applause there for the president on that. you don't hear a lot of applause for the president it seems and when it comes to the economy and what he's done, not a lot of love for the bailouts or stimulus but at least on gm looks like he may have a winner. finally one other thing the president can be thankful for. his re-election 2012. things are tough for the president and democratic party but 2012 is a long long long way off. so i guess he has that to be thankful for. things change quickly here in politics. >> they do. have a great thanksgiving. >> you too. thank you. now this. look at these pictures. these are students in london furious today, taking to the streets in protest over what, you have ask? find out ahead. and the west gets socked with heavy snow just in time for thanksgiving travel. that doesn't look so fun, does it? maybe it does. we've gone through the best pictures. to keep in balance after 50, i switched to a complete multivitamin with more. only one a day women's 50+ advantage has gingko for memory and concentration plus support for bone and breast health. a great addition to my routine. [ female announcer ] one a day women's. just got more powerful. introducing precise pain relieving cream. it blocks pain signals fast for relief precisely where you need it most. precise. only from the makers of tylenol. let's talk weather, shall we? i know some of you love the snow. i don't know about these folks. i don't know if they're loving it driving through this stuff. a lot of people hitting the roads or catching a flight, some of them hitting rough spots. very much so rough going. this is i-80 that runs through nevada. overnight there truckers were reporting zero visibility. not so fun. deep snow. stranded vehicles. and cnn is your holiday travel headquarters. i want to get over to bonnie schneider. the big story is still the west. >> that's right. the west, plenty of snow there. a lot of that sliding east. where it's too warm for snow we're getting freezing rain and seeing heavy downpours of rain particularly south into kentucky. i want to show you what it's been looking like because it may not be winter. it may still be november but we're seeing lots of snow in many place s. check out these pictures. this is washington state. wow! completely covered in white today and it's cold there too. really unusual to see snow so early in the season. we're going to move on to oregon now where, that's right, the scars are spinning out. this is the worst. i hate when this happens. >> this is where i'm goin