Charm. Jon hamm finally wins an emmy for mad men and crawls his way to the stage. There has been a terrible mistake, clearly. A night filled with excitement, emotion and a standing ovation for tracy morgan. I finally regained consciousness, i was just excited to learn that i wasnt the one who messed up. And theres one member of our team who has a shiny new statue today, monday, september 21st, 2015. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a monday morning. Matt has the morning off. Willie is here, and i hope carson doesnt think he has the morning off, the old i won an emmy excuse. I think thats an excused absence. We have an update on his progress. Hes just cleared security at tsa and weve got a picture of it right there, carsons emmy, the voice winning and passing through security at l. Aflt x. And hell be back with us tomorrow. There are set off the metal detector. To our top story. Pope francis traveling to eastern cuba today ahead of husband muchanticipated arrival in the u. S. Tomorrow, and if the crowds in cuba are any indication the popes first ever trip to america will be something to see. Nbcs Anne Thompson is traveling with the pontiff. Anne, good morning. Reporter good morning, savannah. Pope francis has made all the stops expected of a head of state, but the magic moment has come when hes met the people. This is some kind of worship. A rock star welcome from cubas youth for the 78yearold pontiff even in the rain. Francis telling the crowd sunday night in them he sees hope urging them first and foremost to dream. He is for many here a sign of hope, drawing 300,000 people to the square where fidel castro once preached the virtues of communism. The pontiff preaches the virtues of christ. Sunday he traveled to Fidel Castros home for a private meeting and later met his brother raul all of is leading up to a trip to the u. S. On the popes agenda, a white house session and praying at ground zero in new york and the world meeting of families in philadelphia. Francis signature is reaching out, stopping for those in society often ignored, leaving no baby unblessed, no gift unacknowledged. On the flight to havana the pope told me he wants to meet the American People, so much so he requested a ride in central park. He will take in a sound up jeep wrangler. Francis love of crowds gives those charged with protecting him headaches and widespread security preparations are already well under way. The head of papal security tells me theres no specific Security Threat to the pope on this trip, and he is confident in the secret Service Protection plan. Today pope francis travels to the cuban countryside and he will visit one of the holiest shrines in this country, a shrine that draws pilgrims from all over latin america. Savannah, back to you. All right, Anne Thompson, thank you so much. John miller is Deputy Commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism for the new York City Police department, a key component of the massive security effort being put into place for the popes visit. John, good morning. Good morning. Its good to see you. How would you describe this type of security challenge. Well, this is the single larger and most complicated security undertaking in the history of the nypd, not because the pope hasnt been here before. Popes have traveled to new york many times its because you have the u. N. General assembly with 170 world leaders. You have the president of the United States coming at some point during this, and you have the pope, and the difference here is new yorkers especially are used to the president passing through. They are used to world leader traveling across town. Its a factor of having the u. N. In town, but they will actually stop in large, large numbers and gather to see the pope, so running all three of those at once has never been done before. Anne touched on it in her piece. This is a pope who likes to get out and be with the people. He wants to touch people and shake hands. Is that something youre comfortable with him doing in new york city . You know, when you are the pope, it really doesnt matter if were comfortable with it if he decides hes going to hope out of the car, so, you know, what weve done working with the lead agency here, this is a nsse, a National Security special event so the secret service has overall command for the protection of the pope and the event, but were going to have thousands and thousands of cops who work hand in glove and we have a very layered approach to this which is we have a plan and if we have to divert a plan, especially if he decides to, were prepared for that. Its about protecting the pope. Its also about protecting the crowds that come to see the pope because as you well know isis has made no secret of its desire to go after soft targets like that. Well, thats right. You know, weve seen that in the Boston Marathon bombing model, and well have a lot of eyes focused on the key protectee here which is the pope and well have a lot of things in the background and there will be plain clothes people in the ground and theres a network of cameras, a number of detectors and sensors and thats all part of it. Going to be a busy week for all of you. Thanks for being here. Appreciate it. Good to see you. With more than 60 million catholics in the United States, what will this pope find when he arrives here. According to the new shriver report, a survey of American Catholics 77 say his teachings match up with their beliefs. But there are notable exceptions and a lot more on this survey that later on when special anchor emshriver joins us here live. And well turn now to politics and things certainly getting interesting in the republican race for president bolstered by a strong debate performan performance. Carly fiorina is now in second place behind donald trump. Well talk to donald in a moment but first lets get to nbc National Correspondent peter alexander. Peter, good morning. Reporter hey, willie, good morning to you. Donald trumps momentum seems to be facing and ben carson is facing calls he drop out of the race from a prominent muslimamerican group after controversial comments he made about islam and the presidency and us a noted Carly Fiorina has rocketed up in the polls. This morning two toptier republicans are on the defensive. Ben carson telling Nbcs Chuck Todd he would not support a muslim president. I would not advocate that we put a muslim in charge of this nation, i absolutely would not agree with that. Reporter later carsons campaign clarified his statement insisting he has Great Respect for the Muslim Community but just doesnt people the American People are ready for a muslim president. Donald trump till fending off questions about his failure to correct a questioner who wrongly claimed that president obama is a muslim and blamed muslims for being a problem in the u. S. I have friends that are muslims. They are great people, amazing people, but we certainly do have a problem. I mean, you have a problem throughout the world. Reporter whats the problem . Well, you have radicals that are doing things. I mean, it wasnt people from sweden that blew up the world trade center. Reporter both controversial comments come after another shakeup and anp already unpredictable republican race. Trumps lead dwindling down eight points since the start of september, and catapulting over carson Carly Fiorina fresh off her strong debate showing. After fiorina trargted trump on the debate stage. I think women all over the country heard very clearly what mr. Trump said. Reporter trump is firing back. She shes got a good pitter patter, but if you listen to her for more than five minutes straight you get a headache. Reporter overnight trump attacked fiorinas Business Record tweeting fiorina did such a horrible job at lose ent and hewlettpackard, virtually destroying both companies, that she never got another ceo job offer, and one other item thats worth noting this morning. The total collapse of wisconsin Governor Scott walker. He once hovered at the top of the polls. Walker now gets legs than a half of a percentage point. Savannah and willie. Peter alexander on the campaign trail, thank you. Lets turn to donald trump who joins us on the phone. Mr. Trump, good morning to you. Good morning, savannah. Ill remind you at the top because i know youll remind me if you dont have you still lead in every single point but the latest National Poll by cnn does show a decrease for you and more importantly in all of the polls done postdebate Carly Fiorina is surging. Do you consider her a threat . Well, i think when people find out what a horrible job she did in business running two companies into the ground, lose ent and hp, i think that, you know, she lost to Barbara Boxer in a landslide. She was leading that race, a race that should have been won by republicans and she got absolutely decimated in that race. Why do you think shes surging now in. Because shes got a good line of pitter patter, and if you listen to her speaking its the same line that i will speak to my friend bebe netanyahu, et cetera, et cetera. She says it over and over and a lot of people didnt hear it in the debate and they heard it for the first time. Almost robotic. You look at it and its robotic, but i think people will understand her soon and when they look at her record of tremendous failure, look, she took lose ent into the ground. She took hp into the ground, destroyed it, and i think that, you know, and then she ran for the senate in a race that should have been won and lost because of the fact that she did so badly as a business leader. The head of the yale school of business, one. Heads, wrote a report that was one of the most vicious ive ever seen. I mean, it was true, but it was a very strong report, so i think, you know, when people see her record i dont see how she can possibly win and the reason she lost when she ran for the senate, and she lost in a landslide, is when her record was exposed. Lets talk about you. Obviously youve gotten a lot of attention for some comments that were made by a voter at a town hall late last week. The voters said, among other things, the problem in this country is muslim. Now you have since said that you know many muslims. You have friends who are muslims and they are excellent, fabulous and great and have a Great Respect and love for them. If thats the case why didnt you say that right then and there . Well, i said it always. Ive never had a problem with muslims. You do have an individual problem where you have some radicals that are causing problems, and i can be politically correct. Somebody said oh, how can you say that, and i said give me a break, its all over the world. Thats all were talking about. You turn on the nightly news and turn on the newscasts, no matter where you are, you have a problem. People dont have to admit that, savannah. They can try and keep it nice and cool, but the fact is you do have a problem, and its a problem that has to be addressed. I think there is this issue of radical islam, but thats not what this voter said. He said the problem in this country is muslims, and i guess my question to you is would you have corrected him if he had said Something Like the problem in this country is christians or the problem in this country is i assumed he was talking about the radical islam, and again, no matter where you turn youre reading about it and youre seeing it. Its an amazing problem. Its a very big problem. Now, i fully understand the muslims are great people and i have many friends and i have and they are great friends. By the way, they are concerned with radical islam, too, but i assumed that that what he was talking about. Let me ask you one more thing. He also said the president is muslim and the president is not an american. Do you take any responsibility for the popularity of those views when you yourself for many, many years were a big proponent of the notion that the president was not born in the United States . Do you bear any responsibility for the fact that voters who think that are attracted to your campaign . Well, savannah, he made statements. Its not my obligation to defend the president , and is the president going to defend me because last night during the emmy awards people said things about me or is the president going to hold a News Conference today . I dont think so. Do you feel response for attracting those views . I dont think its my obligation to defend him. I mean, i have no obligation to defend him, and most people agree with that. Now, you know, when he makes his statements, hes asking me a question. I actually said nothing. This is the first time in my entire life that people have made something controversial with respect i think thats because its so drinking, donald, for you not to say something. Thats why people think by remaining silent you tacitly agreed. A man was asking a question and i decided why should i come to the defense of the president , he wont come to my defense and most people agreed with what i did. As far as polls are concerned, the only poll you didnt put up which was the nbc poll where im way at the top. Im much more than double and i dont understand why nbc is using a cnn poll which was also a good poll. Im leading by a lot, but the nbc poll that you announced yesterday was fantastic, and you didnt talk about that. Well, i tried to. Im just saying this, why arent you talking about your own poll . Why are you showing a cnn poll which is very good but not as good as one you put up yesterday . I should have mentioned our nbc poll by name and i did say that you were leading by every poll. You put up the cnn poll but not the nbc poll and youre the ones that are paying for the nbc poll so i dont get it other than the nbc poll is a very good poll for trump. Its a good poll for trump. The cnn one is a good one for you, too, youre leading by double digits. Nbc was better. Fair enough. Well leave it there. Thank you for your time. Always appreciate it. Donald is up 15 in that nbc survey. A nighttime of stars in los angeles for the 67th annual emmy awards. Hollywood turning out in force to honor t vess best. Nbc joe fryar has the highlights and surprises. Joe, good morning. Reporter game of thrones made history winning 12 emmys shattering the previous record held by the west wing and veep took the crown dethrowning modern family on an emmy night filled with firsts. The red carpet was hot. Literally and figuratively hot. Reporter hovering around 100 degrees. I can male right now sweat running down my legs. Isnt that glamorous. Reporter so stars skuried inside for firsttime host andy sanberg eamon log. Ramps is over. Dont fact check that. Reporter history was made when viola davis became the first africanamerican woman to win lead actress in the drama. The only thing that search rates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You can not win an emmy for roles that are simply not there. Reporter going into the joe jon hamm had never won an emy. All just here for jon hamm. That was on invite, for jon hamm. Reporter the mad men star finally got his trophy. It was a terrible mistake. Reporter and jeffrey tram bore was a first time winner dedicating his trophy to the transgender. Reporter and Allison Janney got her seventh, almost an acting record. Ties you with Mary Tyler Moore and ed asner and puts you behind cloris leachman. The three in one sentence it enough to take me out. Reporter the top honors went to veep and game of thrones and the Biggest Surprise came when tracy morgan walked on stage, his sense of humor shining through last again after last years crash. When i finally regained consciousness i was just ecstatic to learn i wasnt the one who messed up. Came from my heart. My peers and my comrades and to the people in tv land, thank you very much. Reporter in all a dominant night for hbo winning 43 emmys this year, including several for the limited series olive kittredge and netflix won with uzo aduba wing for orange is the new black. Strangely enough she won a comedy emmy for that exact same character last year but this year the show was deemed a drama. Willie and savannah. Were big fans of hers. Thanks. A lot of great moment, tracy morgan coming back. Jon hamm finally gets that statue. Eighths time a charge. And of course, our buddy carson. Shall we call him right now and wake him up . Actually were going to find carson a bit early and have a lot more on the emmys coming up. Natalie, big story out of california this morning. Thats right, the fire season rages on out west. Officials in california say another 162 homes have been destroyed by a wildfire north of san francisco. That brings the total amount of more than 1,000 homes burned in tlat county. Meantime, at least one person has died in a fire in carmel valley. That fire has burned 1,200 acres and destroyed ten structures. Its now about 30 contained. Some scary moments at a u2 concert. The band had to cancel a concert after a security scare forced them to evacuate the arena in stockholm, sweden. Police didnt say what the reason was, but they had started an investigation regarding a possible weapons violation. The ire times is reporting a man had a gun inside the arena. No suspect was arrested. The show has been rescheduled for tomorrow. A video taken on the Southwest Airlines flight is raising some safety concerns this morning. It shows a Flight Attendant who appears to slur his words and then you see falls asleep there. That video was taken by a passenger on a flight from birmingham, alabama to dallas who thought the Flight Attendant was acting strangely. While the man was making the safety announcement he seems to forget the script, begins talking slowly and then momentarily nods off. He wakes up, as yo