You wear it again. And time for taylor . What about putin or protesters . Weve shown you the short list sbch. And were about to reveal times person of the year exclusively today, wednesday, november 10th, 2014. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And good morning. Welcome to today on a wednesday morning. Have you cast why your final votes . Yes. I think so. For times person of the year. Or persons. You never know. Or persons. Well find out who that will be exclusively later in the show. And then well unleash the debate about who wasnt chosen. Thats right. Damning report of cia techniques used in the wake of 9 11. The program went much farther than anyone knew, laying it out in explicit detail. This morning, a lot of people are appalled. Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell has the latest on this. An andrea, good morning to you. Good morning to you. The debate continues to rage on over the charge that the cia tortured detainees for years at secret prisons around the world. The cia is fighting back, arguing that the twin towers were still smoldering when the agency was ordered to take on al qaeda. A president determined to prevent another attack, an agency told, do whatever it takes. People at the cia who worked with this program know it worked. How do you think we captured all these terrorists . Reporter but a report written by Senate Democrats say the cia overstated the programs successes while hiding its horrors. Responsibility was diffused, contractors were hired, paid 80 million, had no expertise in interrogation, and the techniques were brutal. Reporter at this secret prison in afghanistan, veritable dungeon, Khalid Sheikh mohammed was waterboarded and nearly drowned 183 times until the report says he started making up stories, fake Nuclear Suitcase bomb, a claim that al qaeda was recruiting africanamerican muslims in montana. And abd Al Rahim Nashiri was blindfolded, threatened with a gun and a cordless power drill near his head and given forced enemas. Not limited to waterboarding, went far beyond what president bush acknowledged to matt in 2010. We use this had technique on three people, captured a lot of people. And used it on three. We gained valuable information to protect a country. And it was the right thing to do as far as im concerned. Reporter with the report sparking headlines around the world today, president obama supported its release, telling telemundos jose diazbalart wuvent things that sets us apart from other countries, when we make mistakes, we admit them. Reporter for all of the outrage over the reports allegations, the Justice Department investigate this had interrogation five years ago and decided not to prosecute any of the cia officials involved. Savannah . Andrea mitchell, thank you very much. General Michael Hayden served as cia director during the Bush Administration from 2006 to 2009. General hayden, good morning to you. Good morning. Most of the conduct we just heard about took place before you were cia director. Yes. Yet we heard this morning about this waterboarding that escalated into near drownings, one detainee left naked, got hypothermia and died. And this is not pleasant to recount but many instances of recollect rectal rehydration that was medically unnecessary. Does it sit right with you . Do americans have the right to be appalled . I dont know if they have the right to be appalled. Its probably a good thank americans get to know with some accuracy about what the Central Intelligence agency did on their behalf. I dont know that the report that was released yesterday is that historically accurate report. It reads like a prosecutorial rather than an accurate. Do you disagree with anything that Andrea Mitchell talked about here . I disagree with the fact that you claim it to be news. The death was widely known, and the death of another detainee, who was just given to us in iraq from special forces also known. By the way, savannah, neither of those deaths were in this program, in the program were talking about, of highvalued detainees that president bush was talking about in that film clip you just saw. Youre saying its not news, but in essence it says that it was acknowledged about waterboarding, went much farther. For example, we knew there had been waterboarding. We didnt know it was described by cia officer whose saw it as escalating, sleep deprivation went on for days. It prompts the antidrowning reflex in an individual. And im sure its horrible but it was also horrible for tens of thousands of american airmen whom we used it against for their training. The report singles you out in particular. 38page aappendix, where it lays out testimony you gave to congress and where the report alleges there were inconsistencies. Right. Do you feel that you have been accused here of lying and Misleading Congress . And whats your response to it . My response is i didnt lie and i didnt mislead congress. And, savannah, give me a minute here. I know youve got a lot of questions. But lets describe this spring of 2007 conversation i had with both chambers, with both the house and the senate. I was the first director of cia to go down and actually convince the white house that we needed to expand knowledge of this Program Beyond the narrow gang of four or gang of eight. I actually argued within the administration that we needed to tell all of the members of the committee, and that Going Forward, we needed to devise a plan that wasnt strictly based on raw president ial authority, but had Political Support from the other Political Branch so that Going Forward this would no longer be identified as george bushs program, but would be americas program. So my purpose going down there was to put my arms around the other Political Branch and try to decide a way forward. I was straightforward and honest and gave information, as i knew it to be and as the agency knew it to be and, savannah, the agencys rebuttal to this report broadly supports the outlines, the testimony i gave in 2007. Look, my objective here was to get these people to be part of the game. They spent most of the time yelling at me. So, it was a real opportunity lost. And, very quickly, i heard you say in the interview a few minutes ago when cia officers were conducting these techniques that are listed in the report, they felt they were doing the nations will . Absolutely. Look, the way the nation speaks to us is the president authorizes something, we inform the congress. The attorney general says its legal and the director of cia says i think this is going to be effective. Its worth the gamble. At that point you think you have a social contract with the American People, not with a particular administration. So, whats happening now, these folks having the rug pulled out from under them, people who thought they were doing what we wanted them to do, thats unprecedented. Former cia director Michael Hayden, thank you for your time this morning. We appreciate it. Thank you. Those potent storms causing problems on both coasts. Heavy rain and now snow leading to flooding in the northeast. In and out california theyre beginning to feel the effects of a powerful system there this morning. Al, good morning to you. All right, guys, thanks so much. We are watching two storms, two coasts. Weve got low pressure developing. Theres a lot of warm, moist air coming out. Big slug of moisture coming here. Around the back side of that low, weve got colder air. Thats where were seeing the snow. This is going to be another 24 hours where well be dealing with snow in upstate new york, parts of pennsylvania. The rain starts to die down. Look at how the snow spins around and comes around that low pressure system. We are talking about generally six to nine inches of snow, but some areas up to a foot and a half to two feet of snow. One of those area sincere tannersville, new york. Thats where we find dylan dreyer. Its coming down pretty good right now, dylan. Reporter it sure is, al. We drove through nothing but rain to get here. Until we started climbing the mountain. This was an elevationdependent snow storm yesterday. Now it is cold enough for all snow all throughout new york. But it was the wind, rain and the Early Morning ice that caused all the problems on tuesday. Icy roads caused several spinouts and accidents, even a deadly accident in sullivan, new york, early tuesday morning. For most it was the torrential flooding rain that delayed traffic, caused airport delays across the northeast. On the beaches in new jersey, ocean waves battered the shores. We saw rough surf and wind gusts up near 60 miles an hour that brought coastal flooding to massachusetts. And now, as this noreaster is very slow to exit the northeast, al, as you mentioned, we are seeing that wrap around snow that could bring significant accumulations to parts of new york. Dylan dreyer in tannersville, new york. Big storm system there. This thing is going to bring in a lot of rain, a lot of wind. We are talking about wind gusts along the oregon coast that could reach 100 miles an hour. That, obviously, going to cause big problems. This system pushes south. Rain down into Southern California where they need it. Generally speaking, were talking anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of rain in Northern California and Southern Oregon and, as we move to the south, were talking about anywhere from one to three inches of rain in Southern California as well, which, again, they just got pounded last week with heavy rain, flooding, mudslides. We probably are going to be seeing a repeat of that right on into the next 48 hours or so. Al, thank you so much. Well, it was fun while it lasted. Right, natalie . It sure was. The duke and duchess of cambridge wrap up their whirlwind visit. National correspondent kate snow is here with the dets. Good morning to you. I got the dets for you, savannah. The duke and duchess, all decked out. For the royal couple it was kind of like a date night with Prince George safely back at home. Glamorous end to a whirlwind trip. The duke and duchess didnt disappoint, walking up the grand steps of the met past honor guard of former students of st. Andrews, the place where they fell in love. Kate wore a dress shes worn before. Fundraiser for the university with deep ties to the u. S. Almost 20 of its students are american. The duke, praising his alma mater but also poking fun at its reputation. One of two statements. Reporter a final event of a trip that took william to the white house and brought the royal couple face to face with kind of an american royalty. On tuesday, there were somber moment moments. Will and kate placing flowers on the 9 11 memorial, leaving a handwritten note, in sorrowful memory of those who die d. Signed simply katherine and william, touring the museum, pausing to ask questions. Like any parents away from the kids, they talked about their 1yearold a lot. At an event for digital innovation, Prince William revealed his son, george, has been playing ipad games and loves them. A mustsee for any visitor to the big apple, the duke found time to take in the iconic view from the Observation Deck of the empire state building. It was this show, performed by teens from the door and city kids that william said was the best moment he experienced in new york. But the words are yet to come. Reporter the duke of cambridge saying he was nearly moved to tears about steven prescotts monologue of turning his life around. He gave him his Contact Number and said he wants to help him bring his performance to a bigger stage. You can see her hand right there on the royal baby bump in that picture. You can see it, right . Oh, come on. Come on. You can see that. Shes due in april. How impressive is it that shes wearing that dress . Its a repeat. Yeah. Shes worn it before but shes five months pregnant. You can barely even tell. Its not a maternity dress, right . No. I love that she repeats her dresses. We knew they were like that. Shes pregnant. Give the girl a break. Not a lot of things fit you at that point in time. Thank you. Appreciate it. Natalie has a dramatic rescue at sea. This is the reason you never give up. Sailor missing since thanksgiving. The coast guard had all but given up on the search until one more distress call nearly two weeks later brought them to his rescue. A miracle on the high seas. Mayday here, mayday. This is the malia. Anybody picking this up . Reporter the call the coast guard wasnt expecting to hear from 60yearold ron ingram, an experienced fisherman sailing from moloka i, hawaii, when his sailboat started taking on water. He sent out two mayday calls before losing all contact. Coast guard and navy conducted an extensive search, over 12,000 square miles wide before calling it off on december 1st. I said, man, i dont think you should call off the search. I dont think hes gone. Reporter almost two weeks later, the coast guard picked up the new distress call 80 miles from ingrahams lastknown location and three miles from the nearest navy ship. Great job by the command center to hear it, recognize it. Reporter he was found within half an hour, dehydrated and hungry, but alive and uninjured. They said, well, we found your dad. Hes alive and well on his boat. For him to be found is awesome. I cant believe it. Great story there. A South African judge has ruled that prosecutors can appeal Oscar Pistorius acquittal on murder charges. A lesser charge of culpable homicide in the death of girlfriend reeva steenkamp. Prosecutors argue that the judge misunderstood the law when she cleared pistorius on the basis he did not intentionally shoot steenkamp. Protests will shift to oakland, california, where they expect hundreds to come down and shut down a Federal Building in response to the shootings of black men in ferguson and new york. Blocking traffic on a state highway and delaying train service. And some breathtaking video this morning that you have to see from slovakia. Two hikers discover aid frozen lake so Crystal Clear wow it appears they were walking on water. Isnt that amazing . You can see the rocks down below. Snowy conditions forced the hikers to abandoned their planned route. Instead they hiked down that stunning, Beautiful Lake below. That is a detour worth taking there. You have to have a lot of confidence in that ice to walk on that. Very slowly and and a couple of hamburgers before. Hey, theres my contact lens. Natalie, thanks. Mr. Roker . Lets show you what else weve got going on around the country. In between both coasts, fog parts of texas, sunshine through the gulf coast. Chillier than usual temperatures in the southeast. Well detail that coming up the next half hour. Well detail that coming up the next half hour. Well get give a journey. Give a new perspective. Give a little joy. A book is a gift like no other. And barnes noble is like no other book store in the world. With so many books to discover and the new nook by samsung now a full featured tablet. A book is the gift theyll remember long after the holidays are over. Good morning. Im meteorologist bill henley. Clouds moving back in. Look for showers to develop this afternoon, but through it all, the wind and the temperatures hold steady. Well be in the low 40s today. Snow showers for tomorrow, scattered light snow showers, especially north and west. Little to no accumulation for most of the area, though. 39 degrees tomorrow afternoon. Then we dry out for friday. Saturday up to 44. A little bit warmer on sunday with sunny skies. And then sunshine and into the low 50s monday and tuesday. Have a great day. And thats your latest weather. Al, thank you very much. Tamron is in for carson in the orange room. Were talking about times person of the year. Were moments away from the big reveal. Indeed. As savannah mentioned, times person of the year, today is the day. We decided to take a look at times short list and compare it to our viewers and who they selected on their facebook page. We know the names there at times short list. Who is moved out by our viewers and who is moved in. Here we go. Vladimir putin replaced by tim cook and mr. Mas replaced by taylor swift, according to our viewers. Number one pick, according it our facebook page, ebola caregivers. Thats the viewers vote. Times exclusive announcement here on today. Thats right, in our next half hour. Tamron, thank you very much. Coming up, nfl commissioner Roger Goodell reacts to our exclusive interviews with ray and janay rice as the league gets set to release a new policy on Domestic Violence. The most daring ski run ever. First this is today on nbc. Coming up, holiday steals and deals including, hold me back, American Girl dolls. 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