There is some relief in sight. C cer girls. Not one, not twtw but three ports lustrated swimsmst covers. The magazine highlighting beauty in many forms this year, including a plus size cover model. Why si decided to make history today, sunday februaryry4th, 2016. Announcer from nbc news, this is today, live from studio 1a inn rockefefeer plaza. And welcome to today on this sunday morning. Im erica hill. Glad to have you with us. Im craig melvin. Happy valentines day to you. Well get to the dangerous wicked weather in a ment. The big story yesterday afternoon, the late word that Justice Antonin Scalia had died. It camed as edas a s sck because it was so unexpected. Justice Antonin Scalia was 79. We have full coverage from his legacy on the court to that looming battle now in washington over who will take his seat. We begin this morning with nbcs outside the ranch where scalia died. Jay, good morning. Reporter good morning, erica. Before sunrise here and we are learning more about Justice Scalias death here at this resort and ranch. We know that scalia traveled to west texas friday and attended a party here with about 40 guests friday evening. When he didnt show up for breakfast the next morning, concerned staff went to his room where they found h h unresponsiveve locaca Law Enforcement, u. S. Marshals and fbi agents were all called in. Investigators say there are no signs of foul play here, and that scalia likely died of, quote, Natural Causes. A devout catholic, authorities ushered in a priest to perform last ritesesand school whysalias bodod was moved to alpine nearby and with Police Escort transported more thann200 mileses to a funeral home in el paso. Scalias family is expected to travel to el paso later today. At this point, nonformation service for the Supreme Court justice. Erica . Jayayray in texas for us this morning. Thank yoyo Justice Scalia was a giant on the bench, the most conservative voioi of all of the justices and his death already settp a fight over the next justice. Well get to that in moment. First, nbcs justice correspondent Pete Williams has a look back at scalias life and legacy. Good morning. Good morning. Certainlyyhe most outspoken conservative, Justice Scalia seemed to be in Robust Health so his death comes as a hugely unexpected blow. He was a justice with a powerful intellect and his death means the Supreme Court has lost its most outspoken conservative. I Antonin Scalia do solemnly swear given what a controversial fifire he came, n ninated by ronald reagan, it surprpres some to know he was confirmed unanimously, 980. The natitis first italianamerican justice soon staked out a position as a steadfast conservative, against affirmative action and hiring opponent of abortion rights. He said the landmark case o o roe v. Wade w w wrongly decidede that it declared rightss the nations founders never intended. Nobody ever thought that they d been included in the rights contained in the billf rights. Reporter scalia said judges should stick to following the interpret. T. Were not governed by the drafters intent. Were governed by laws. And what the law is is not what the drafter intended, butut what the drafter enacted. Reporter but he delighted liberals by pushing the c crt to expand the rights of defendants on trial to confront their accucurs in court, another ruling he inspired said judges should not consider facts in sentencing that werent found byy a jury. Among his most t table opinions for the court, the historic ruling that the Second Amendment guarantees an individuals right to own airearm for selfdefense. The most important gun decision ever. He met his future wife maureenen on a blind date whwh both were in college. Scalias were a big family, five two of his children became lawyers, following their father in a profession he clearly relished. I like thinking about the law. I like figuring outhe right answer to legal problems. Reporter hisis sudden death after 29 years on the Supreme Court has stunned thehe nations legal community. Off the court he was incredibly energetic in his questioning from the bench he was always completely engaged. And so it is a shock to the family of people that are in and around the court. So this leaves the court with eight justices, evenly split ideologically as it prepares to take up such divisise issues as abortion, immigration, obamacare, the future off Public Sector ununns. Anytime there is a 44 tie, the courts decision essentially dodont count andnd the Lower Court Rulings are l lt ststding, so Justice Scalias death casts a big shadow over the rest of the Supreme Court. Pete williams, thank you. As we mentioned, a Major Political fight is already ewing this morning overho should nominate the next Supreme Court justicic his successor . Nbcs Kelly Odonnell is at the white house with more on thatat good morning. Reporter good morning, erica. From his long weekendn california, where the president will be hosting a summit of asian leaders,s,resident obama oke about the death of Justice Scalia andnd paid tribute to his life and public service. And the president also quietly signaled there will be a political b btle ahead over confirming a successor to the high courtrt though hes in his final year in office, the president says he will not wait. I plan to fulfill my Constitutional Responsibilities to nominate a successor in due titi. There will b b plenty of time for me to do so and for t t senate to fulfill its responsibility to give that p pson a fair hearing and a timely vote. Reporter now, the president made his intentionss clear because Top Republicans wary that another Obama Justice wouldld end the conservative majority on the c crt had already drawn line. Mcconnell put out a statement saying, the American People should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Therefore this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new esident. While Senate Democrats pushed back that republicans should not attempt to obstruct the process and l lve the court with an open seat. Top democrat harry reidaid the president can and should send the senate aominee right awayay failing to fulfill this vacancy would be a shameful abdication of one of the senates most essential c cstitutional responsibilities. Now, the political wins are clearly drawn this morning and the fight will play out on the campaign trail and here in shington with republicans having 54 seats in the senate, more than democrats, and giving them the power to reaeaea control this process going forward. Erica . Kelly odonnell at thehite house this morning, thank you. Ron cling clerked in the Supreme Court, white House Counsel too bothresidents full disclosure, youre working with the Clinton Campaign this election cycle. Want to make sure folks know that. You spent two y yrs clerking at the high court there in d. C. His conservative legacy is well point. What was he like as a person . I never agreed with Justice Scalia on almost anything,ut he was an inconsiderably warm person. He loved the back andorth of debate. Even in the years after i lefef the court, when i ran into him, he and i had Public Exchange warm and kind. I think he leaves behind a personal level a wonderful legaga as a family man and beloved mentor to generations o o Supreme Court clerks who worked for him and for whom he was a key influence in their lives. We mentioned as Pete Williams mentioned many people would forget h h divisivee his decisionssould ,hat he was unanimously confirmed. This is going to be a little bit different this time around to fill his seat. But when president obama goes into this process, if he in fact nononates someone asse said he yoyo helped other president sso this. What republicans are proposing is an ununecedented three branch gridlock of the federal government. They say the president should nominate nunun nominate someone, they say the Supreme Court should remain deadlocked at 44or two terms, thats never happened before, thats not whathould happen now. President shoulul and wilil fulfill his constitutional obligation to nominate someone and the senate should give that person a f f f hearing. And make a judgment on that persons individual merits and qualifications. But shoulddhe p psident be looking for Something Else . A person who maybe merrick garlrld is a name that has come up a lot, aame that is easier to get through the senate. Whatt know about the president ts that he takes this responsibility very seriously. He taught constitutional lawaw at the university of chicago. He is a real constitutionana scholar himself. Hes going to pick thehe person who he thinks will be the best justice for the Supreme Court. And then the senate should do its job. Look, thehe have thehe right to the president s nominee. That is theirjob. But it is their responsibility to do that job, to give the person a a ar hearing, to let the person make their case, and then to judge that personased on t t case theyake before the senate. Ron cling, thank you f f coming in on a sunday morning. Thanks for having me. Antonin scalias death and the question of who should nominanana the next Supreme Court justice was the topic during last ninits Republican Debate. It did not take long for the sparks tootart flying in what wass easilil a rowdy dedete. Nbcs gabe due taregutierrere is in South Carolina this mornrng. The future of the Supreme Court is now front and center in the president iallelection, but thisisebate q qcklyot personal and turned into an allout brawl in a state known for rough and tumble politics. A less crowded stage, the ninth Republican Debate started withthome rare reement. I do not believe the president should appoint someone. Reporter several candidatess wanting to block president it is called delay, delay, delay. Repepter but then, things got ugly. Why do you lie . This is a man who insults his wayy ted cruz has been telling lies. Reporter frontrunner donald trump blasting jeb bush on foreign policy. The World Trade Center camee down under your brothers reign. While donald trump was building a reality tv show, my othehe was buiuiing a Security Apparatus to keep us safe. Reporter marco r rio hoping to rebound from his last debate came to bushs defense, slamming trumum i thank god all the t te that it was george w. Bush in the itithouse on 9 11 and not al gore. Reporter but the florida senator clashed with ted cruz over immigration. At one point cruz took issue with something rubio had said in a Spanish Language interview. First of all, i dont know how he knows what i said on univision, because he doesnt speak spanish. And second of all, the other [ speaking spanish ] reporter cruz trounced on trump for what he called the billionaires past liberal positions on abortion and social issues. You are the singlee biggest liar. Youre probably worse than jeb bushsh you are the single biggest liar. Hes a nasty guy. Y. Donald has this weird pattern, whennou point to his own record, he screams liarar liar, liar. Reporter striking a diffffent tone, john kasich. I got to telll this is just crazy. This is just nuts, okay. Geez, oh, man. Reporter and while most on the stage fought each other, dr. Ben carson fought for attention. So many people said to me, you neeeeee itcreamm and jump up and downike everybody else. Is that really whatou wawa . What weust saw . I dont think soso repepter the gop primary here is in just six days and we expect j jtice scscias replacement to become a major issue on the campaign trail. On the democratic side, hillary clininn and Bernie Sanders are to hold up a nomimie. Erica . Gabe gutierrez, thank you. Chuck todd is moderator of meet thththess, Andrea Mitchell is nbcs chief Foreign Affairs correspondent. Good morning to both of you. G gd morning. Chuck, this race changed overnight. What does the death of Justice Scalia do to this election moving forward . Well, look, it puts the Supreme Court front and center. This h h been something that the candidates have been talking to base voters for a long time, thatathis election morehan ananhing else could determine the balance of the Supreme Court going forward. It is one of the oldest Supreme Courts that we have had had in some time. Thats why this prediction has been made. And nowowith scalias death, it only reinforces that nation with voters. It is going to it is goioi to ththw washington into a tizzy. I think itt could shut down the senate essentially for the year if things go as badly as it could between what the president wants to do, what the senate so i think it is going to end up elevating the issue of the Supreme Court into a top five issue for the rest of the year. As it elevates that issue,e, andrea, you can imagine that maybe the candidadassight have had in theack of their mind a short list. In terms of president obama, what do you hear from your sources . Does he havav a short list of nominees at the ready . Absololely. Every y esident has a short st. This is thehe eventuality that people worry about. But that people have to prepare for. Every white house council, every Justice Department has p ppared a list. But the problem now is he has t t make a decisisi, is he going to proposos someone who would be more in his line of thinking or at this times a lame duck will he propose someone who is so centrist and so universally respected that thatperson, he or e, could be viable for confirmation if thereere not the block o o mitch mccononll and uck grassley, whoithin an ur or two of the death the came out saying they wouou not confirm anyone. Chuck, it seemed as if at the debate last night, the only thing the c cdidates did agree on is that president obama should notominate anyone for the high court. It was downright nasty at times last night, chuck. Who arerehe winners . Who are the losers . It was nasty. Look, i think that jeb bush and marco rubio came out on top as compared to everybody elsese i think t ty were the most consistent throughout the debate. Jeb bush had some of the better back and forths with trump so at a ao should get garner him extra attention. What Donnell Donald trump said about george w. Bush at 11 and in iraq is risky in South Carolina. George w. Bush is popular there. Ill be curious to see how trump is faring in the polls in the nextxtouple of days to see iff this has an impact. Very quickly, though, to follow up on whatt andrea said, keep an eye on a gentleman named merrick garlrld, a judge in the d. C. Circuit. President s backup plan for some time, hes always been identified as the judge hee would nominate if he were dealing with a republican senate. If the president goes down that road, that tells you he wants to get somebodyconfirmed. We will all be watching intently. Huck todd, Andrea Mitchell, thank you to both of you. Catch more a little later on meet the press. Chuck will also be talking t t marco rubio, donald trump, and john kasich. That b bter b bst o o freezing cold air continues to impact tens of millions of people this morning. The good news, it should soon be over. But the bad news, youre going to have to make it through today before you see that relief. Dylan is here with more on that. Dylan, good morning. Were breakinin records all over and all across the northeast. Came in with an arctic front that moved through yesterday and caused quite a pileup back through parar of eastern pennsylvania. This was out near harrisburgrg along i78. Three people were killed in this more than 50 car pileup. It was this front that moved through, it dropped visibility very difficult and very dangerous on the roros. Thats that arcticc front now dragging down this cold air from cold air from canada. Wereoing to see temperatures start to warm up from here on ouou today is as cold as it is going to get. Watertown at 29 degrees below steerr zero. They bototmed out. Boston, we broke a record of minus 9. The old record, minus 3. Were krurkcrushingnghe records. It is going to stay in the teens for today and tomorrow. For tuesday, it is not mostly a snowstorm for northeast, temperatures warm up to the 50s, were going to see rain by tuesday. All right. Thank you. Dylan, weird winter. Thanks. A strong earthquakak has jolted the new zealand city of christchurch. The 5. 7 quake was caughgh on security cameras as it shook cars and homes. It also collapsed cliffs along the coast,t, but no serious damage the front manor the eagles of death metal is now speaking out about the terrorist attack at the bataclan theater in paris. This as the band resumes its European Tour which was cut short by that att