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. Happy valentines day to you. 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 edas a shock because it was so unexpected. Justice Antonin Scalia was 79. We have full coveragerom his legacy on the court to that looming battle now in washingtov 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 he with about 40 guests friday evening. When he didnt show up for breakfast the next morning, 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, quote, nural causes. A devout catholic, authorities ushered in a priest to perform last rites, and school whysalias body was moved to alpine nearby and with Police Escort transported more thann200 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. Era . 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 cocoespondent Pete Williams has a look back at scalias life and legacy. 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 austice with a powerful intellect and his death means the Supreme Court has lost its most outspoken conservavave. I Antonin Scalia do solemnly swear given what a controversial figure he came, nominated by ronald rean, 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 off 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 drafterss intent. 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 accusers in court, another 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 t tt the Second Amendment guarantees an individuals right to own a firrm 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 answsw to legal problems. Reporter his sudden death after 29 years on the Supreme Court has stunned the nations legal community. Off t court he was incredibly energetic in his questioning from the bench he was always completely engaged. Family of people that are in and around the court. So this leaves the court with eight justices, evenlnl split ideologically as it prepares to take up such divisive issues as abortion, immigration, 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. Reporter good morning, erica. From his long weekend in lifornia, where the president will be hosting a summit of asian leaders, president obama spoke about the death of Justice Scalia and paid tribute to his life and public service. And the president also quietly signaled there will be a confirming a successor to the high court, though hes in his final year in office, the president s ss he will not wait. I plan to fulfill my Constitutional Responsibilities to nominate a successor in due time. There will be plenty of time for me t do so and for the senate to fulfill its responsibility to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote. Reporter now, the president made his intentions clear because Top Republicans wary that another Obama Justice would d the conservative majority on the court had already drawn a line. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell put out a stement 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 president. While Senate Democrats pushed back that republicans should not attempt to obstruct the process and leave the court with an open seat. Top democrat harry reid said the the senate a nominee right away, failing to fulfill ts vacancy would be a shameful abdication of one of the senates most essential Constitutional Responsibilities. Now, the political wins are clearly drawn this morning and the fight will play out on the campai trail and here in washington with republicans having 54 seats in the senate more than democrats, and giving them the power to really control this process going forward. Erica . Kelly odonnell at the white house this morning, thank you. Ron cling clerked in the Supreme Court, white House Counsel to both president s clinton and obama. Full disclosure, youre working 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 known, 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 person. He loved the back and forth of debate. Even in the years after i left he and i had Public Exchange about bush v. Gore, always very warm and kind. I think he leaves behind a personal level a wonderfrf legacy as a family man and beloved mentor to generations of 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 how divisive his decisions could be, that he was unanimously confirmed. This is going to be a little bit different this time around to fillis seat. But when president obama goes into this process, if he in fact nominates someone as he said he will, what is yourdvice . You helped other president s do this. What republicans are proposing is an unprecedented three branch gridlock of the federal government. They say the president should nominate nun nominate someone, they say the Supreme Court should remain deadlocked at 44 for two terms, thats never happened before, ats not what should happen now. President should and will fulfill his constitutional obligation to nominate someone person a fair hearing. And make a judgment on that persons individualerits and qualifications. But should the president be looking for Something Else . A person who maybe Merrick Garland is a name that has come 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 seriously. He taught constitutional law at the university of chicago. He is a real constitutional scholar himself. Hes going to pick the person whoe thinks will be the best justice for 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 jo but it is their responsibility to do that job, to give the person a fair hearing, to let the person make their case, and then to judge that personn based on the case they make before the senate. Ron cling, thank youor coming in on a sunday morning. Thanks for having me. Antin scalias death and the question of who should nominate the next Supreme Court justice was the topic during it did not take long for the sparks to start flying in what was easily a rowdy debate. Nbcs gabe due tegutierrez is in South Carolina this morning. The future of the Supreme Court is ngw front and center in the president ial election, but this debate quickly got personal and turned into an allout brawl in a state known for rough and tumble popotics. On a less crowded stage, the ninth republican debatat started with some rare agreement. I do not believe the president should appoint someone. Reporter several candidates wanting to block president obamas nominee to the Supreme Court. It is called delay, delay, delay. Reporter but then, things gott ugly. Why do you lie . This is a man who insults his way ted cruz has been telling lies. Reportete frontrunner donald trump blasting jeb bush on foreign policy. The World Trade Center came down under your brothers reign. Building a reality tv show, my brother was buiuiing a Security Apparatus to keep us safe. Reporter marco rubiooping to rebound from his last debate came to bushs defense, slamming trump. I thank god all the time that it waseorge w. Bush in the white house on 9 11 and not al gore. Reporter but the florida senator clashed with tedruz over immigration. At one point cruz took issue with something r rio had said in a Spanish Language interview. First of all, i dont kno how he knows what i said on univision, because he doesnt speak panish. And second of all, the other point i would make [ speaking spanish ] reporter cruz trounced on trump for what he calald the billionaires past liberal positions on abortion and social issues. You are the single biggest liar. Youre probably worse than jeb bush. You are the single biggest liar. Hes a nasty guy. Donald has this weird pattern, when you point to his own record, he screams liar, liar, liar. Eporter striking a i got to tell you, 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 need it scream and jump up and down like everybody else. Is that really what you want . What we just saw . I dont think so. Reporter the gop primary here ip in just six days and we expect Justice Scalias replacement to become a major issue on the campaign trail. On the democratic side, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are slamming the republicans plans to hold up a nominee. Erica . Gabe gutierrez, thank you. Chuck todd is moderator of meet the press,s, Andrea Mitchell isp nbcs chief Foreign Affairs correspondent. Good morning to both of you. Good morning. Chuck, this race changed overnight. What does the death of Justice Scalia do to this election moving forward . Supreme court front and center. This has been something that the candidates have been talking to base voters for a long time, that this election more than anything else could determine the balce 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 now with scalias death, it only reinforces that nation with voters. It is going to it is going to throw washington into a t zzy. I think it could shut down the senate essentially for t year if things go as badly as it 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 the Supreme Court 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 short list. In terms of president obama, what do you hear from your sources . Does he have a short list of nominees at the ready . Absolutely. Every president has a short this is the eventuality that people worry about. But that people have to prepare for. Every white house council, every Justice Department has prepared a list. But the problem now is he has to make a decision, is he going to propose someone who would be more in his line ofhinking or at this time as a lame duck will he prose someone who is so centrist and so universally respected that that person, he or she, could be viable for confirmation if there were not the block of Mitch Mcconnell and chuck grassley, who within an hour or two of the death the untimely death of Justice Scalia came out saying they would not confirmanyone. Chuck, it seemed as if at the debate last night, the onl thing 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 the losers . It was nasty. Look, i think that jeb bush and marco rubio came out on top as compared to everybody else. Consistent throughout the debate. Jeb bush had some ofhe better back and forths with trump so that also should get garner him extra attention. What Donnell Donald trump s sd about george w. Bush at 9 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 next couple of days to see if this has an impact. Very quickly, though, to follow up on what andrea said, keep an eye on aentleman named Merrick Garland, a judge in the d. C. Circuit. 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. If the president goes down that road, that tells you he wants to get somebody confirmed. We will all be watching intently. Chuck todd, andrea tchell, thank you to both of you. Catch more a little later on meet the ess. Chuck will also be talking to marco rubio, donald trump, and that bitter blast of freezing cold air continues to impact tens of millions of people this morning. The good news, it should soon be over. But t t 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 breaking records all over and 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 pennsylvania. This was out near harrisburg, along i78. Three people were killed in this re than 50 car pileup. It was this front that moved through, it dropped visibility instantly, and it made things very difficult a very dangerous on the roads. Thats that arctic front now dragging down this cold air from cold air from canada. Were going to see temperatures out. Today is as cold as it is going totoget. Watertown at 29 degrees below zero. They bottomed out. Boston, we broke a record of the old record, minus 3. Were krurkcrushing the 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 earthquake has jolted the new zealand city of christchurch. The 5. 7 quake was caught on security cameras as it shook cars and homes. It also collapsed cliffs along the coast, but no serious damage or injuries were reported. The front m