Now . Were live with it all. Dangerous and deadly. Another day to stay inside. Bone chilling temperatures affecting up to 90 Million People, the coldest negative 34 in western new york. The weather now responsible for several deaths after a major pileup in pennsylvania. Dylan has your forecast and there is some relief in sight. Cover girls. Not one, not two, but three Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers. The magazine highlighting beauty in many forms this year, including a plus size cover model. Why si decided to make history today, sunday february 14th, 2016. Announcer from nbc news, this is today, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And welcome to today on this sunday morning. Im erica hill. Glad to have you with us. Im craig melvin. Well get to the dangerous wicked weather in a moment. The big story yesterday afternoon, the late word that Justice Antonin Scalia had died. It camed as ed as a shock 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 Jay Gray who is in texas, 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 him unresponsive. Local 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, a devout catholic, authorities ushered in a priest to perform last rites, and school whys alias body was moved to alpine nearby and with Police Escort transported more than 200 miles to a funeral home in el paso. Scalias family is expected to travel to el paso later today. At this point, no information about a memorial or a Funeral Service for the Supreme Court justice. Erica . Jay gray in texas for us this morning. Thank you. Justice scalia was a giant on the bench, the most conservative voice of all of the justices and his death already set up a fight over the next justice. Well get to that in a moment. First, nbcs justice correspondent Pete Williams has a look back at scalias life and legacy. Good morning. Good morning. Certainly the 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 most outspoken conservative. I Antonin Scalia do solemnly swear given what a controversial figure he came, nominated by ronald reagan, it surprises some to know he was confirmed unanimously, 980. The nations first italianamerican justice soon staked out a position as a steadfast conservative, against affirmative action and hiring and School Admissions and an opponent of abortion rights. He said the landmark case of roe v. Wade was wrongly decided, that it declared rights the nations founders never intended. Nobody ever thought that they had been included in the rights contained in the bill of rights. Reporter scalia said judges should stick to following the words of the laws they interpret. Were not governed by the drafters intent. Were governed by laws. And what the law is is not what the drafter intended, but what the drafter enacted. Reporter but he delighted liberals by pushing the court to expand the rights of defendants on trial to confront their ruling he inspired said judges should not consider facts in sentencing that werent found by a jury. Among his most notable opinions for the court, the historic ruling that the Second Amendment guarantees an individuals right to own a firearm for selfdefense. The most important gun decision ever. He met his future wife maureen on a blind date when both were in college. Scalias were a big family, five boys and four girls. Two of his children became lawyers, following their father in a profession he clearly relished. I like thinking about the law. I like figuring out the right answer to legal problems. Reporter his sudden death after 29 years on the supreme 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 divisive issues as obamacare, the future of Public Sector unions. Anytime there is a 44 tie, the courts decision essentially doesnt count and the Lower Court Rulings are left standing, 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 brewing this morning over who should nominate the next Supreme Court justice. Should it be president obama or his successor . Nbcs Kelly Odonnell is at the white house with more on that. Good morning. Morning, erica. From his long weekend in california, where the president will be hosting a summit of asian leaders, president obama spoke about the death of justiced tribute to his life and public service. And the president also quietly signaled there will be a political battle ahead over confirming high court, though hes in his final year in office, the president says he will not wait. To nominate a successor in due time. There will be plenty of time for me to do so and for the senate to fulfill its give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote. Reporter now, the president made his intentions clear because top republicansnother Obama Justice would end the conservative majority on line. Senate majority leader mitchut out a statement saying, the American People should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice. Therefore this vacancy be filled until we have a new president. While Senate Democrats pushed back that republicans should not attempt to and leave the court with an open seat. Top democrat harry reid said the president can and should send the senate a nominee right away, failing to fulfill thisd be a shameful abdication of one of the senates most essential constitutional responsibilities. The fight will play out on the campaign trail and here in washington with republicans having 54 seats in the than democrats, and giving them the power to really control erica . Kelly odonnell at the white house this morning, thank ron cling clerked in the Supreme Court, white House Counsel to both president s clinton and obama. Full disclosure, with the Clinton Campaign this election cycle. Want to make sure folks know that. You spent two years clerking at the high court there in d. C. His conservative legacy is well established at this point. What was he like as a person . I never agreed with Justice Scalia on almost anything, but he was an inconsiderably warm he loved the back and forth of debate. Even in the years after i left the court, when i ran into him, he and i had Public Exchange v. Gore, always very warm and kind. I think he leaves behind a personal level a wonderful Supreme Court clerks who worked for him and for whom he was a key influence in their lives. We mentioned as Pete Williamsy people would forget how divisive his decisions could be, that he was unanimously confirmed. This is going to be a little bite around to fill his seat. But when president obama goes into this process, if he in fact nominates someone as he said he will, what is your advice . You helped other president s do what republicans are proposing is an unprecedented three branch gridlock of the federal government. They nominate nun nominate someone, they say the Supreme Court should remain deadlocked at 44 for two terms, thats never happened before, thats not what should happen ident should and will fulfill his constitutional obligation to nominate someone and the senate should give that person a fair hearing. And make a judgment on thatividual merits and qualifications. But should the president be looking for Something Else . A person who maybe merrick up a lot, a name that is easier to get through the senate. What i know about the president is that he takes this responsibility very aught constitutional law at the university of chicago. He is a real constitutional scholar himself. Hes going to pick the person who he thinks will be the best the Supreme Court. And then the senate should do its job. Look, they have the right to vote up, down, reject, approve, the president s nominee. That is their job. Ir responsibility to do that job, to give the person a fair hearing, to let the person make their case, and then to judge that person based on the case they make before the ron cling, thank you for coming in on a sunday morning. Thanks for having me. Antonin scalias death and the question of who should nominateourt justice was the topic during last nights Republican Debate. It did not take long for the sparks to start flying in what was easily a rowdy debate. Cs gabe due tare gutierrez is in South Carolina this morning. Court is now front and center in the president ial election, but this debate quickly got turned into an allout brawl in a state known for rough and tumble politics. Ded stage, the ninth Republican Debate started with some rare agreement. I do not believe the president should appoint someone. S wanting to block president obamas nominee to the Supreme Court. It is called delay, delay, r but then, things got ugly. Why do you lie . This is a man who insults his way ted cruz has been telling frontrunner donald trump blasting jeb bush on foreign policy. The World Trade Center came down under your brothers reign. While donald trump was building a reality tv show, my brother was building a Security Apparatus to keep us safe. Reporter marco rubio hoping to rebound from his last to bushs defense, slamming trump. It was george w. Bush in the white house on 9 11 and not al 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 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 point i would make king spanish ] reporter cruz trounced on trump for what he called the billionaires past liberal ion and social issues. You are the single biggest liar. Youre probably worse than jeb bush. You are the single biggest liar. Hes a n donald has this weird pattern, when you point to his own record, he screams liar, liar, liar. Reporter striking a different tone, john kasich. Ell you, this is just crazy. This is just nuts, okay. Geez, oh, man. Le most on the stage fought each other, so many people said to me, you need it scream and jump upike everybody else. Is that really what you want . What we just saw . I dont think r the gop primary here is in just six days and we expect Justice Scalias replacement to become a major issue on the campaign trail. On the democratic side,ton and Bernie Sanders are slamming the republicans plans to hold up a nominee. Gabe gutierrez, thank you. Chuck todd is moderator of meet the press, Andrea Mitchell is nbcs chief foreign ent. Good morning to both of you. Good morning. Chuck, this race changed overnight. What does the death of Justice Scalia do to this electionard . Well, look, it puts the Supreme Court front and center. This has been something that the candidates have been talking to base voters for a long time,his election more than anything else could determine the balance of the Supreme Court going forward. Courts that we have had had in thats why this prediction has been made. And now with scalias death, it only reinforces that nation withit is going to it is going to throw washington into a tizzy. I think it could shut down the senate essentially for the year if things could between what the president wants to do, what the Senate Republicans want to do. So i think it is going to end up elevating the issue of thet into a top five issue for the rest of the year. As it elevates that issue, andrea, you can imagine that maybe the candidates might have had in the back of their mind a. In terms of president obama, what do you hear from your sources . Does he have a short list of nominees at the ready . Ery president has a short list. This is the eventuality that people worry about. But that people have to prepare for. Council, every Justice Department has prepared a list. But the problem now is he has to propose someone who would beine of thinking or at this time as a lame duck will he propose someone who is so centrist and so universally respected that or she, could be viable for confirmation if there were not the block of Mitch Mcconnell and chuck grassley, who within an two of the death the untimely death of Justice Scalia came out saying they would not confirm anyone. Chuck, it seemed as if at the debate last night, theing the candidates did agree on is that president obama should not nominate anyone for the high court. It was downright nasty at times last night, chuck. Who are the winners . Who are thet was nasty. Look, i think that jeb bush and marco rubio came out on top as dy else. I think they were the most consistent throughout the debate. Jeb bush had some of the better back and forths with trump so what Donnell Donald trump said about george w. Bush at 9 11 and in iraq is risky in george w. Bush is popular there. Ill be curious to see how trump is faring in the polls inple of days to see if this has an impact. Very quickly, though, to follow up on what andrea said, keep an eye on a gentleman named merrick garland, a judge in the d. C. If he he has been the president s backup plan for some time, hes always been identified as the judge he would nominate if he were dealing with a republican senate. Nt goes down that road, that tells you he wants to get somebody confirmed. We will all be watching intently. Chuck todd, andrea ank you to both of you. Catch more a little later on meet the press. Chuck will also be talking to marco rubio, donald trump, and john hat bitter blast of freezing cold air continues to impact tens of millions of people this morning. The good news, it should soon be but the bad news, youre going to have to make it through today dylan is here with more on that. Dylan, good morning. Were breaking records all across the northeast. It came in with an arctic front that moved through yesterday and caused quite a pileup back through parts of eastern this was out near harrisburg, along i78. Three people were killed in this more than 50 car pileup. Moved through, it dropped visibility instantly, and it made things very difficult and very dangerous on the roads. Thats that arctic front nown this cold air from cold air from canada. Were going to see temperatures start to warm up from here on out. Today is as cold as it is going to get. 29 degrees below steer zero. They bottomed out. Boston, we broke minus 9. The old record, minus 3. Were krurk crushing the records. It is going to stay in the teens for today and tomorrow. Day, it is not mostly a snowstorm for northeast, were going to see rain by tuesday. All right. Thank you. Dylan, weird winter. A strong earthquake has jolted the new zealand city of the 5. 7 quake was caught on security cameras as it shook cars and homes. It also collapsed cliffs along the coast, but no or injuries were reported. The front man for the eagles of death metal is now speaking out about the terrorist attack at the bataclan theater in this as the band resumes its European Tour which was cut short by that attack in november. In an interview with swedish tv, jesse hughes describedhe stage only to meet a gunman face to face. The door shut behind me and i was trying to back up like very sneaky, but he noticed me. I was dead. And i just waited for the shot to hit me. And when he went to pull his rifle down, the barrel of his gun hit the door frame. Lso offering an night. Anything cowardly. I just saw people the most beautiful things that a person could do and for lack of a better way to describe it, my friends died very beautifully. The band began its new tour last night in months to the day after the paris attacks. Dylan is back, talking frigid temperatures here, but out west, were looking at warmer is certainly the flip side of this whole situation we have in the northeast. We have temperatures that will get into the 80s in the soidge in the jet stream is allowing temperatures to warm up 85 in l. A. Today. Thats 15 degrees above average. Las vegas, up to 77. , which is actually five degrees above average. We