Subject of the movie lion nominated at tonights oscars for best picture. Separating from his family as a 5yearold boy when he boarded the wrong train, adopted by a family a world away, and more than a quarter of a century later, returning home to find his mother with the help of google earth. Sotle me about the real life moment, the moments that you chose in the movie where you spot that configuration including the water tower and you zoom in and zoom in and zoom in, and you say, thats it. I closed my eyes at that point in time and said, please, god, let me one last time see my family. A sunday sitdown i promise you dont want to miss a bit later in the show. Lets begin this morning with a horrific scene overnight in new orleans. A pickup truck plowing into a mardi gras crowd and injured more than two dozen people. Sarah dallof is on the scene in new orleans with the latest. Good morning. Reporter good morning, willie. Amazingly, there were no deaths or lifethreatening injuries. A suspected intoxicated driver is in custody this morning, however, as police try to piece together just how this happened. Fire alarm be advised. Reporter a Party Atmosphere quickly turned to a scene of destruction and despair. I saw a dark truck run a white car off the road, swerve, lose control, and run into like 100 people. At least 21 people were hospitalized after the crash, including Young Children as well as a new Orleans Police officer. A reporter for fox station wvue recorded this video and identified the man in custody as the driver of the pickup. The same man can be seen in this photo from the new orleans advocate. We suspect that subject was highly intoxicated. He is in custody. He is being investigated right now. Thousands of people were attending and participating in the crew parade in the new orleans city center last night. Its a popular event and one of many parades leading up to tuesdays famous mardi gras celebration. City Officials Say they planned for crowd safety and even took into accountresis nlt acts of terrorism in cities around the world, but there was just no preventing Something Like this. Innocent people were hurt here today. Families watching the parade. We had somebody who was intoxicated who ran, and its hard to protect against stuff like that. Both the citys mayor and the governor of louisiana, john bel edwards, praised First Responders and the public who jumped into action amid all the chaos and confusion, willie. Lets hope for full recovery for all those victims. Sarah dallof in new orleans, thank you. Lets turn to washington where momentum is building even now among some Congressional Republicans for an independent investigation into the Trump Campaigns alleged ties with russia. This as the president trained his twitter sights on the newly elected leader of the Democratic Party. Kelly odonnell is live at the white house. Good morning. Reporter good morning, willie. First, lets talk about that Important Development from inside the president s own party. California republican darrell issa, member of congress, has now come out publicly saying he believes a special prosecutor is needed when you consider the investigation of russian interference into the 2016 election. And possible ties to the Trump Campaign. Now, congressman issa, who is a friend of the president , supporter of the president , says he just believes that attorney general jeff sessions, also a friend, is just too close to this president and this white house to be the one overseeing that kind of investigation. Willie, you also mentioned sort of the twitter duel that has unfolded. The modern way between President Trump and the newly elected chairman of the Democratic National committee. Tom perez was selected yesterday by democrats gathered in atlanta. As head of the republican party, it was President Trump who offered congratulations, but he also suggested that he could not be happier for him or the republican party. Feint praise in that tweet. And then tom perez fired back saying, call me tom. Dont get too happy. I and the democrats are united in the country and will be be your worst nightmare. Already a spirited debate between the two heads of their respective parties. Now, dinners have been on the president s mind, willie. Last night, in d. C. , he went out just down the street to the trump hotel, which is on pennsylvania avenue. He traveled there to have dinner with daughter ivanka, soninlaw jared, and other guests including Florida Governor rick scott, and the head of the brexit movement, nigel farage. The press pool did travel along but was kept outside. The president was dining openly in the public and social media showed photos of that, but the whousz did not provide the list of guests for the dinner and so forth, and more dinner news. The president announced again using twitter that he will not attend the white house correspondents dinner, that is something that president s of both parties have done for decades. He will be a noshow this year. Willie. Kelly odonnell on the white house and on the dinner beat. Thanks so much. Chuck todd is moderator of meet the press. Good morning. Good to see you. Earlier this week, we had reports of the white house asking senior officials of the fbi, including the director, to pour water on the alleged ties to the Trump Campaign and russia. Now, we have the Washington Post report that in fact the white house may have asked the heads of the intel committees in the house and the senate to do the same. Where does this story go next and do we get the independent investigation that now even darrell issa is calling for. Most troubling may be the decision by the Senate Intelligence commitsy chairman, richard burr, to essentially participate in the white house request there of talking to some reporters about what he understood that the fbi had. The reason i say that might be the most troubling part or the part that launches a bigger call or a Bigger Movement for a special prosecutor is that right now, its the senate intel committee, richard burr and the lead democrat, mark warner, were going to put together a joint investigation on the russian interference, so has richard burr been compromised . If thats case, that could open the door and put prerth on republicans in the senate, and some Senate Republicans may feel pressure to say go along with what darrell issa said and say, you know what, the only way to eliminate political influence on this investigation is to take it to the outside. Either special prosecutor or one of those blue ribbon like 9 11 Type Commission panels. So i think that that is the unintended consequence here of the white house, i think, making a big mistake, which was making contact with other government officials who will be investigating some members of that west wing and their involvement in potential involvement, whether or not, in the russian interference. And some people wondering whether darrell issa is just the first republican domino to fall. Well see. President trump, as kelly mentioned, going at it with tom perez, the head of the Democratic Party. He said this morning, donald trump, that that was rigged. That guy got in place of bernie sande sanders guy. What does the selection tell you about what the Democratic Party is and the lessons it learned from the election four months ago. If tom perez is considered establishment today, that tells you how the party has moved substantially to the left. It wasnt that long ago when tom perez was nominated to be labor secretary, there was this it was going to be a tough push to get him confirmed because there was this feeling that, oh, is he too progressive, too outside the socalled establishment democratic mainstream to get confirmed in the u. S. Senate . So the point is that the establishment knew it was afraid of Bernie Sanders and the warren wing totally getting control of the party through keith ellison, so by recruiting tom perez, it was a progressive they could live with. What it tells you is how far the democrats have moved left. What the tweet fight tells you, willie, is that while there are divisions in the Democratic Party, there is no person that you can unite the party more easily than a republican and his name is donald trump. Thats right. A lot of talk about donald trump in that dnc election. Chuck todd, thank you so much. Were going to be watching you on transpacific partnership. Hell be joined by the new Democratic Party chair, tom perez. We have a look at the weather. Hello. Good morning. Incredible thunderstorms last night. Lets start with a look at the aftermath of the big storm that rolled across the country and hit the east coast on saturday. Look at this video out of pennsylvania. Downed trees narrowly missing a house. Another one blocking the road. The low viz ktd, wind, hissy rain making a dangerous drive for many commuters, especially this one with a flash flooding causing a driver to come to a standstill. Well show you where the system stands right now. Sary easy to see, the cold front already pushed well off to the east. Yesterday, we had that record heat. Youre going to feel this change today behind the cold front. Look at the temperature difference. Your high today, 47 degrees. This is no longer a morning low. I know thats tough to understand. Yesterday,io were 75 degrees. New york city today, also looking for the 40s. And of course, well be looking at a nice change, gnchts morning. It is cold. We are in the 40s along the south bay. But we do have a clear start on this sunday. Pa nins sul la 48 degrees. We are anticipate a generally dry sunday but as we head into the evening hours we are tracking a storm system that is expected to move in from the northwest and that will brick with it some rain chances into tonight and into monday. But right now in San Francisco 43 degrees, east bay 40 degrees, the north bay at a cold 32 degrees. Had to give you the headsup. Oscars today, rain in Southern California. Its the rainiest month. Theyll tent the red carped. Thanks. As we just mentioned, the 89th Academy Awards will be held tonight in los angeles. Safe to say, most of the celebrities youll see tonight, not supporters of President Trump warb will the winners use the big stage to take them on. Steve patterson is live outside the dolby theatre. Good morning. Good morning. Everyone remembers in the runup to last years oscars ceremony, the controversy was diversity, leading to the online trend oscars so white. This year, the speeches promise to be much more colorful, adding to a hash tag of its own, oscars so political. How would you like him remembered . The oscars celebrate the best movies and performances of the past year. But tonight, politics may play a leading role. The award season so far has been more political than ever. At the golden globes, meryl streep took on President Trump. When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose. At the Screen Actors Guild awards, mahershala ali, a muslim, support about the importance of inclusion. Theres an opportunity to see the texture of that person, the characteristics that make them uniq unique, and theres an opportunity to go to war tubt. An iranian directors film is nominated, but hes boycotting the ceremony over President Trumps travel ban. Every day theres news that pushes the buttons of liberal hollywood. I just dont see a world where people decide to be quiet about that. Marlon brando. The oscars have seen political protests in the past and they havent gone over well. He very regretfully cannot accept Marlon Brando turned down the best actor award, sending a native american in his place to protest their protrayal on screen. She was booed. Michael moore was jeered for criticizing george w. Bush. We have a man sending us to war. For fictitious reasons. The years front runner is decidedly apolitical, with 14 nominations, la la land is expected to make hollywood musicals great again. The Academy Awards are still the biggest show. Therefore, it will be all the more irresistible for a star with political opinions to speak out. So count on activism onstage after a Political Year even hollywood couldnt script. And this weekend, were learning much more about a 21yearold syrian cinematographer responsible for an oscarnominated documentary about his countrys own civil war. He said hes been denied entry to the United States after being flagged by security officials. This is just much more political fuel to the fire that has been burning for weeks now leading up to tonights ceremony. Willie. Should be an interesting show. Steve patterson up early, first man on the red carpet, looking sharp, too. Still ahead, the highs and lows of the week, including a moment for the jeopardy hall of fame as alex trebek spitz rhymes while rattering through a category on lyric wheres. And a 15yearold dodge ball player who became a web sensation for mowing down her friends. And nascar looking at new places for their rising stars. As we go to break, our photo of the week. A spacex rocket blasting off from Floridas Kennedy Space Center up through the clouds, headed for the International Space station. clucking noises Everyone Wants to be the Cadbury Bunny because only he brings delicious cadbury creme eggs. While others may keep trying, nobunny knows easter better than cadbury. Hi hey ive made plans for later in case this date doesnt go well. Likewise but, funny story. On top of that . My mom is my best friend. Uh oh. Yeah. Oop theres the rescue text from my roommate saying she needs me. Wouldnt it be great if everyone said what they meant . The citi double cash card does. It lets you earn double cash back the citi double cash card. Wait. Wait. Perfect. At del monte, corn is packed at the peak of freshness with just water and a dash of sea salt. Nothing else. So its allnatural and delicious. Were whipping through the highs and lows of the weekend. Off we go, our first high goes to the taste of pizza and the president. The president set off a worldwide debate when he took a strong stand in a q a session with High School Students against pineapple pizza. He said tongue in cheek he would move to have it banned if he could. They practically took to the street with pitch forks. Outrage that they would put hot tropical fruit on a pizza. On the other side, he became a cult hero for standing up at long last to what they view as a culinary abomination. It became an International Thing this week, he felt compelled to issue a statement saying, i like pineapples, just not on pizza. Do not have the power to make laws which forbid people from putting fruit on pizza. I recommend seafood. I got distracted with the seafood. If you put it on half, the pineapple leaks. Our first low goes to President Trumps score on a golf hole he played years ago with General Electric chairman jeff immelt. He was at the white house this week, when the president of the United States called on him to tell the story about the time i did the thing. Go ahead, tell it. Mr. Treads, good to see you again. Hi, jeff. Great to be here. Look forward to really working with you on creating more manufacturing. Jeff watched me make a hole in one. Should you tell that story . Were trying to talk President Trump into doing the apprentice. That was mine assignment when we owned nb krrb. He goes up to a par 3 on his course. He looks at the three of us and says, you realize im the richest golfer in the world. Thats a comment. Then gets a hole in one. I love, should you tell the story . Meaning tell the story. Our next high goes to longtime jeopardy host, alex trebek. After his performance reading clues this week in the category, lets rap, kids. Lets all enjoy now trebek reading clear lyrics from drake, designer, and lil wayne. Started from the bottom, now were here. Now the whole team here. Panda, panda, panda, panda, panda. 6 foot, 7 foot, 8 foot bunch. Young money militia and im the commissioner. You dont want to start weezy. I was just get nothing to this rap thing. Im not too good at it, but i was getting into it. You have to love him doing weezy. Gets no better than that. Our next low goes to your chances of survival if you find yourself in the path of 15yearold addison and her rocket arm in a friendly game of dodge ball. She throws 60 Miles Per Hour and the gun hanging from her right shoulder made her a viral star after she mowed down her friends with balls thrown so fast, it almost looked fake. As her victims will attest, it was all very real. Those are her safetyball teammates playing dodge ball as her dad manned the camera and giggles. Hes on the sideline because she had blown him up with a dodge ball moments earlier. That looks like it hurts. Get out of her way. Our final high goes to the boss. Once again, pulling a fan onstage at a concert courtney cox style. He was playing in australia when he saw a sign held by a teenage moy named nathan testa that reads, missed school. Can i play growing up with you . Bruce said sure. Go ahead, nathan. Once in a lifetime thing, right . Actually not for nathan. In 2014, bruce pulled a 12yearold boy up on stage in brisbane to sing waiting for a sunny day. That kid, the s