Transcripts For WBAL Today 20100608

and secret treasure. the hidden surprise left behind at 30 rock nearly 50 years ago. it's time to raise the curtain "today," tuesday, june 8th, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm meredith vieira. >> i'm matt lauer. wow, president obama did not hold back in our exclusive interview which was conducted in michigan on monday afternoon. he's frustrated, he's angry, not only because of the oil that is still spewing into the sea and the resulting environmental disaster, but also at how his handling of this crisis is being judged by critics. has his administration done enough? will it become president obama's hurricane katrina or iran hostage situation? and why hasn't the president spoken directly to tony hayward who is the ceo of bp? president obama speaks on all of that in a very candid interview in just a couple of minutes. also ahead, investigators in portland, oregon have been flooded with tips in the bizarre disappearance of a boy who disappeared from his school last friday. now that the fbi is getting involved, we'll have the latest on that. a crowd outside fired up on the plaza for a great summer concert. yes, even on a tuesday, christina aguilera will take to our concert stage in our 8:30 half-hour. but we begin on a tuesday morning with the disaster in the gulf now in its 50th day and our exclusive interview with president obama. we sat down on monday before his commencement peach at a high school in kalamazoo, michigan and i began by asking the president if the oil spill in the gulf has made this the toughest point in his presidency to date. >> this is tough, no doubt about it, because when you watch television or you go down to the gulf and you see birds covered in oil and you talk to fishermen who are on the verge of tears, big, tough guys, but their li d livelihoods are being smothered by this oil coming into thee eeu wares and marshes, it gets you frustrated. it has not reduced my confidence that our trajectory is right. we have to keep on moving. it is going to be tough but we'll get through it. >> do you feel at this stage 50 days into this your administration has been damaged by this oil spill? >> no. first of all, i'm not concerned about my politics right now. what i'm concerned about is what's happening down in the gulf and i guarantee you the folks in the gulf have been damaged by this oil spill. and livelihoods are at stake. this is the largest federal response to an environmental disaster in history. from day one we understood that this was going to be a major disaster. we have put unprecedented resources to deal with it. >> then why do you think there is so much frustration aimed not only at bp right now but at your administration? there are people who are starting to wonder outloud if the oil spill in the gulf could do to you what katrina did to president bush, or even what the iran hostage situation did to president carter. >> you know, i have to tell you, some of this is just the nature of the 24-hour news cycle. you've got a camera showing oil spilling out in the gulf and people are understandably frustrated and they're upset. and they have every right to be. but here's what i can say. that we have responded with unprecedented resources and when you look at what most of the critics say, matt, and you you ask them, specifically, what is it that the administration could or should have done differently that would have an impact on whether or not oil was hitting shore, you're met with silence. and the fact of the matter is there has not been an idea that is mentioned out there by any of the critics that we haven't evaluated and if it was going to work, we would have done it. but it happened under my watch that you still have these oil rigs out there that we thought could deal with this kind of situation and they haven't been able to deal with it. >> a day or so after that oil rig sank i spoke to rear admiral mary landry of the coast guard who was speaking on behalf of the administration. i asked her, we're seeing an oil slick in the middle of the water and she said there is no evidence that that's coming from this wellhead, that's residual oil coming from the rig itself. a day later she echoed those same comments. was the administration misled in your opinion? were you relying too much on information from bp, and from the start did bp try to downplay the situation? >> well, here's what i think happened. initially the thinking was that in fact the rig had sunk but the blow-out preventers had shut down the well because that's what they were supposed do. so the anticipation was mayor 1,000 barrels might be leaking a day but this is not going to be a monumental spill. as soon as people understood the blow-out preventers weren't working, that the valves that were supposed to shut down in the event of a blow-out like this had not functioned properly, then i think people understood right then that this was going to be a significant emergency. in terms of our relationship with bp, our general attitude has been that they have an incentive to shut this thing down because it is going to cost them money and i am going to stay on them if it is the last thing i've done in this administration -- >> have you spoken directly to tony hayward, the ceo of bp? >> i have not spoken to him directly. here's my reason -- my experience is when you talk to a guy like bp's ceo, he's going to say all the right things to me. i'm not interested in words. i'm interested in actions. and we are communicating to him every single day exactly what we expect of him. and what we expect of that administration. >> in all due respect, that feels strange to me, that here we've got the ceo of a company that's responsible for the worst environmental disaster in u.s. history, and i think i'm just curious why you wouldn't pick up the phone and in some ways just give him a piece of your mind. >> well, look. this has been the main critique of the administration is giving a piece of my mind to these guys. look, i would love to vent. i would love to just shout and holler because i'm thinking about this day in, day out. but my main job is to solve the problem. >> to solve the problem you have to have a reliable partner. let me read you some of the things that mr. hayward has said over the course of this disaster. he said the gulf of mexico is a big ocean. the amount and volume of oil and dispersant we're putting in is tiny in relation to the total water value. the impact of this environmental disaster is likely to be very modest. he says there's no one who wants this to end more than i do, i'd like my life back. >> well, i think -- >> family members of those 11 people who died on the rig and the people whose lives are going to be changed for years want their lives back, too. he doesn't work for you. but if he did, would you want him out? >> he wouldn't be working for me. after any of those statements. first of all, we're going to have to find out why this thing went in the first place and the fact of the matter is that there's going to be a thorough review and i don't want to prejudge it. but the initial reports indicate that there may be situations in which not only human error was involved, but you also saw some corner-cutting in terms of safety and that bp is a multi-billion dollar corporation. it's talking about paying $10.5 billion in dividends just for this quarter. >> right. >> we are going to have to make sure that not only do they shut down the cap, we are not only going to have to make sure any deep well drilling process that is out there is in fact failsafe and oil companies know what they're doing, but we also have to make sure that every single person who's been affected by this is properly compensated and made whole. when i went down -- >> can bp do all that? >> absolutely they can afford it. if i start seeing bp nickel and diming folks down there, then they are going to have for answer to us. >> we've heard time and time again throughout this crisis as bp has tried, and failed, with all their fixes that this technology is untested at this depth. and it just raises a question, if this is where we're drilling for oil at 4,000 and 5,000 feet under the surface of the ocean, where is the oversight in all that? where are they allowed to drill there if the worst case scenario method to prevent disaster are tested at that depth. it doesn't help to test them at that feet. >> when it comes to how we were operating in overseeing and taking the word of the oil industry generally -- not just bp in terms of the failsafe nature of what they could do, i think we have to completely review that. i've assigned this bipartisan commission, i want them to report back to me because you obviously cannot take the word of oil companies when they say they've got a bunch of redundancy and back-up plans when something like this happens and it turns out they have no idea what they're doing. >> even as the oil is spewing into the gulf, would you consider halting all drilling below a certain depth, right now? >> keep in mind what's happened. first of all, we've already instituted moratorium -- >> on new drilling. >> on new drilling. the production wells that are already pumping oil, those don't seem to be the problem. the problem has to do with actually drilling and starting a new well. so we've put a moratorium on new wells. shallow wells aren't a problem because the risers essentially come up above the water. if something like this happened in a shallow water well, then folks would just get up on the platform and they would start fixing it and it would be shut down fairly quickly. what we don't have right now is an assurance that in these incredible depths, a mile down, and then they're drilling another three miles down to get to oil, that we can actually handle a crisis like this. >> have you allowed yourself to even imagine what the gulf region will look like if oil continues to spew until august, what it will smell like, what the economic situation will be like down there? >> i have. and here's what i'll say. this is going to be a mess. it already is. but i've been down there and the people are resilient and these eco systems are more resilient than i think we anticipate right now if we act swiftly, if we act seriously, there are going to be marshes, for example, where the oil goes in, and the sea life that's there is decimated for a season. maybe two. but potentially we can preserve those estuaries and marshes so that three years from now, things have come back, things have bounced back. >> critics are now talking about your style which is the first time i've heard that in a long time. they're saying here is a guy who likes to be known as cool and calm and collected, and this isn't the time for cool, calm and collected. this is not the time to meet with experts and advisors, this is a time to spend more time in the gulf and -- i never thought i'd say this to a president, but kick some butt. and i don't mean it to be funny. >> no, and i understand. and here's what i'm going to push back hard on this. because i think that this is a -- just an idea that the media's run with. i was down a month ago before most of these talking heads were even paying attention to the gulf. a month ago i was meeting with fishermen down there standing in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be. and i don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar. we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers so i know whose ass to kick. right? so, you know, this is not theater. most of the decisions that i make on a day to day basis i make because i have gathered the best information possible in very difficult situations and my job is to figure out how can i move the federal government, the private sector, all the various players who are involved to perform some very, very difficult tasks. and i don't always have time to perform for the benefit the cable shows. what i do have is dedication and commitment to make sure that the people who are actually being affected by this are going to get the best possible service from me. and as long as i'm president, that's the approach that i'm going to take to this job. >> he's clearly heard the criticism. >> frustrate bid it as well. >> reacting very strongly to it. i think his term "this is not theater" is a very important one. and i wonder if you're going to hear a lot more of this type of emotion from the president from this day forward. >> i think he probably liked this opportunity to show that side of him because so many people had said that in fact he wasn't showing any emotion. obvious tli bothers him tremendously. we are going to hear more from president obama in our next half-hour. moving on, there has been a surprising development overnight tied to the arrest of joran van der sloot. police in peru say he has confessed to killing a young woman in his hotel room. nbc's michelle kosinski is in lima with details. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. yesterday police weren't saying anything. the last we would have heard from them was that joran van der sloot admitted to meeting the victim but denied he had beaten her to death in his hotel room. late last night that abruptly changed. a source within the government ministry confirmed to me that during police interrogation van der sloot confessed to the murder saying though that it was not intentional. >> police this morning are preparing to take joran van der sloot from his jail cell and bring him back to the scene of the crime. a brutal, violent scene he had denied any part of. until last night. the news broke all of a sudden from inside the government that, under police questioning for a third day straight, joran van der sloot had cracked, told an officer he had indeed killed 21-year-old business student stephany flores in his hotel room. according to television and newspaper reports quoting their police sources, van der sloot told investigators he did not plan this, did not want to do it. they claim van der sloot explained that stephany, who died from a blow to the head so fierce that it was likely what broke her next, had intruded into his private life, had looked at his laptop while he was out buying coffee and according to multiple reports found out about natalee holloway, the alabama teenager who disappeared five years to the day before stephany died. last seen getting into a car in aruba with joran van der sloot. local press claim he told police stephany had tried to get away from his anger but that he grabbed her next and hit her. police say she had multiple bruises and abrasions on her body, including her hands. in newly leaked video from the investigation, joran van der sloot appears absolutely calm and confident, even just caught by police across the border in chile the day after stephany's body was found. when they asked him to sign a document, he was concerned about his rights. but from the beginning, police said they had found incriminating evidence against him. they wouldn't say what. he was the last one to be seen with stephany after meeting her in this casino, going back to his hotel at 5:00 a.m., then leaving alone four hours later. yesterday police confirmed that van der sloot was on suicide watch, alone in his jail cell, guarded by four officers. and now, they say, the 22-year-old who has long been called suspect in another big case has confessed to killing a young woman he had known for merely hours here. if this is true that van der sloot is explaining this all happened at the spur of the moment, keep in mind you also have the family of the victim saying that her money and jewelry are missing. van der sloot has not yet been charged with a crime. that could happen today formally. the government says his family is also expected to arrive in peru today, including, they believe, his mother. meredith? >> michelle kosinski, thank you very much. coming up, we'll have much more on van der sloot's confession and what it could mean in the natalee holloway case as welling. for now let's go over to the news desk. ann has a look at all the headlines of the morning. good morning, everybody. in the news, today voters in 12 states go to the polls in primaries and run-off elections and among the closely watched races, arkansas where democratic senator blanche lincoln is facing a tough run-off challenge from lieutenant governor bill halter. two u.s. troops were killed in afghanistan this morning a day after the deadliest day this year for international forces there. the attacks monday killed ten, including seven americans. nato has lost 23 troops in just more than a week. officials investigating a natural gas explosion monday in texas say it happened when a crew installing utility poles struck a gas line sending the fireball into the air. one person was killed, at least seven others were injured. overseas markets are mostly lower this morning. cnbc's trish regan this morning is at the new york stock exchange. trish, europe's financial problems are the headline there. >> when was the last time wall street ever cared about hungary, ann? suddenly now everyone is watching europe. the reason is not really because of the fact that it is going to take its toll on our exports, but because it could potentially result in the freezing of the banking system. people are worried about how many bad loans these banks have on their balance sheets as a result of greece and places like hungary. that's the real issue. >> trish regan, thanks. the ceo of apple had some technical issues on monday while trying to unveil apple's much-awaited iphone 4, steve jobs couldn't get service. apparently because the wireless network in the conference hall was overloaded with too many people blogging about it. at another point, jobs made a joke saying that the new iphone looks just like the leaked prototype. remember the one left in a bar? anyway, 7:19. >> how long before you guys have >> we are off to a nice, quiet start. temperatures in the upper 50's and low 60s. lots of sunshine. might be a few clouds this afternoon. mostly sunny, with a high >> and that's your latest weather. matt? just ahead, the latest on the search for a 7-year-old who allegedly disappeared on the way to class inside his own school. why the fbi is now involved. but first, this is "today" on nbc. man. just ahead, more on joran van der sloot's overnight confession about a murder in a peru hotel. plus look outside, we've got a huge crowd gathered for an unusual tuesday concert. with christina aguilera. but first, your local news. 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[ male announcer ] chevy traverse. a consumers digest best buy. with a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. it seats eight comfortably -- not that it always has to. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. time to get a check of the morning comte with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> still looking at delays out there. the one at southbound 95 at powder mill road. for miles per hour according to our speed sensor. if you are going to travel on the west side, a slow spots there as well. on southbound 795, you are going to be tapping the breaks. accident coming in at reisterstown. disclosure remains in effect at harford county. there is an oversized load happening in that area. 16 on the northeast outer loop. it is credited to 5 minutes just to get you from the 895 split towards fort mchenry. coming off ramp some southbound 795, normal volume-related delays there. this delay stretches just past 32 all the way to approaching powder mill road. we have all the cars involved with that accident. it will be awhile before that filters out. let's check in with tony. >> it is a beautiful tuesday morning. clear skies, to breeders in the upper 50's and the 60's -- temperatures in the upper 50's and low 60's right now. fantastic forecast going into the afternoon. mostly sunny, with a -78. -- with a high rate near 78. -- with a high rate near 78. >> we are back at 7:55 with morning, the 8th of june, 2010. a beautiful day here in the northeast. we've got temperatures in the 70s, moderate humidity. big crowd on the plaza. this morning we have a tuesday summer concert courtesy of christina aguilera. a full half-hour of music. inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer along with meredith vieira. who spoke at your high school graduation? >> i don't remember. do you? >> geraldo rivera. why is that so funny? he was only a few years older than us but he'd just broken a big story in new york. he was a big local news reporter and he came and spoke. i'll tell you right now -- the senior class at kalamazoo central high school in michigan will never forget their commencement speaker because that is of course president obama. as we mentioned earlier, that where we caught up with him for an exclusive interview monday. we'll hear more from the president in a little while. also ahead, a dramatic story of survival. a man hiking in yellowstone is brutally attacked and nearly killed by a grizzly bear. this morning he'll speak out in a live interview for the first time. we begin this half-hour with the late night confession by joran van der sloot to killing a woman in a preruvian hotel. michelle kosinski has more. >> reporter: yesterday we knew joran van der sloot was being interrogated for a third straight day by police. then last night this abrupt report coming out in all the local press, then finally confirmed by our own sources within a government ministry that van der sloot had suddenly confessed to the murder of 21-year-old business student stephany flores in his hotel room. previously police had been saying that he admitted that he had met this young woman but denied he'd beaten her to death. he was the last person seen with her, in fact caught on surveillance cameras leaving a casio where they had met only two hours earlier, going back to his room. then you see on surveillance cameras he left that room alone four hours later. her body was later found inside badly beaten with her next broken. according to local reports that are quoting their own police sources, they're claiming that van der sloot told investigators that he did not mean to do this, that he beat stephany when, according to these reports, he found out that she had looked in his laptop while he was out of the room and that allegedly she had found out that he had for so long, in fact for five years precisely to the day, been a suspect in the disappearance of natalee holloway. so once again there's this odd connection between these two cases. but again the reports of those details are unconfirmed by our own source. we're hoping police are going to give some more information today. keep in mind, van der sloot at this point is not formally charged with a crime. we're expecting that, too, could happen today and the government is telling us that his family is expected to be in peru, including possibly his mother, meredith. >> michelle kosinski, thank you very much. dan abrams is nbc's chief legal analyst. good morning. you heard from michelle said, local press reports claim that he told the police van der sloot, i did not want to do it, meaning killing this young woman. the girl intruded into my personal life. what do you make of his confession? >> that's not going to help him avoid a murder charge here. remember, this is someone who has falsely confessed in the past. in the natalee holloway case he made all sorts of different confessions and as a result, the police thought that they were so unreliable that they couldn't even charge him even though he confessed. >> but in this case does his story seem to add up? >> in this case, they have evidence that may be even better than dna evidence, that is that videotape that we just saw. >> surveillance tape. >> that's right. walking into the hotel room with her, leaving the -- first leaving the casino, then walking into the hotel room with her. then he leaves alone and her dead body is found in that hotel room. i mean that's very strong evidence in and of itself. this is not -- in the natalee holloway case, you have a body that's never been found. she's just classified as disappeared. >> if anybody else walk into that room, that, too, would be on the surveillance tape. >> absolutely. so this is very strong evidence. i'm sure the police told him, hey -- maybe even showed him the videotape and said, look, we've got you walking in, we've got you walking out, we found her body there. >> do you think that's what prompted then the confusion? >> it's possible. it's possible. look, it sounds like a credible confession. we don't know, we'll have to find out more details, this is just what the authorities are claiming at this point. but it does sort of make sense in the big context of where his life is and something that might have happened. >> what type of sentence could he possibly face? at this point he hasn't been charged but likely that will happen today? >> up to 35 years in peru. in the peruian system you get some other credit. the reason he may have done this is he may have been told or realized he could get a reduced sentence if he comes forward and says what happened and maybe he believed they simply had so much evidence with this videotape that, why not? why not try to reduce what is almost a certain sentence. again, pure speculation at this point but all the pieces seem to be coming together. >> meanwhile, five years ago natalee holloway disappeared in aruba. he was arrested twice, van der sloot, never charged with any crime. is it possible it could affect that case at this point? >> he would either have to confess in a way that's credible, meaning offer up evidence, a confession, something that basically proved to the aruban authorities that he was responsible. or they would have to find her body. without that, i don't think that this case impacts that one. it is certainly going to lead the aruban authorities to say to themselves, my goodness, we need to take another look here and make sure we've done everything we can. >> if they got a confession from him that was valid or they did find a body, could the aruban authorities extradite him from peru? >> i think that the peruvian authorities are not going to let him go, they'll try him first for this crime, then if 30-something years in the future, something happened, it is certainly possible. but for now, even though there is an indictment in alabama, there is an investigation in aruba, the bottom line is peru is going to try joran van der sloot it seems pretty clear for murder. >> dan abrams, thank you very much. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: "today's weather" is brought to you by bush's grillin' beans. two new flavors, back bean fiesta and texas ranchero. >> good morning. we've got double trouble from albuquerque. who do we have here? >> sxwroe sel >> joseph and dominic. >> you're the big brother in what's your name? >> nicholas. >> let's check your weather, see what's going on. we've got the heat from las vegas to albuquerque. i know i should have made that left turn at albuquerque. high today 96 there. 89 in st. louis. memphis, they're going to be grilling on the sidewalks. 94 degrees. rest of the country, southern tier of states, 80s an 90s, 60s through the great lakes. 60s in the pacific northwest and new england. with the map, you can see today we have a risk of strong storms stretching from colorado all the way into ohio. wet weather in the >> we are off to a nice start. a little cool this morning, but temperatures will make it into the upper 70's. mostly sunny >> don't fer get, you can get your channel any time day or night from weather channel on cable or weather.com online. investigators that received more than 1,000 tips but so far there is no sign of missing 7-year-old kyron horman. the second-grader vanished from his school last friday. nbc's janet schamlian is in portland, oregon with the latest. >> reporter: good morning. this is day five since kyron went missing. you indicated, tips are pouring in, yet detectives can't even qualify it as a kidnapping at this point. simply because there is no evidence that that's what happened. with fbi agents in the parking lot, it was anything but a regular school day at skyline elementary. >> there's no such thing as a normal day when you're dealing with something like this. >> reporter: as kyron horman's classmates hit the playground, agents questioned parents desperate for any clue that would bring the second--grader home. >> kyron, we're going to bring you home, buddy. nothing is more important to your family, your friends and to us. >> reporter: the emotion is heartbreaking. officers like the rest of the community are living and breathing this case. >> it is gut-wrenching and i don't sleep at night. it's hard. it is very hard. >> reporter: robin lives in the neighborhood. her son conner goes to skyline elementary and plays soccer with kyron who disappeared friday morning just a short time after his mother took this photo at the school science fair which was open to visitors. his teachers never saw him in class and marked him absent. it wasn't until he didn't get off the afternoon bus that his family realized he was missing. a massive certainly has been under way for the last three days but the effort has turned up nothing. much of the land around kyron's school looks just like this, thick, wet, grassy fields and dense woods. even searching a very small parcel of it can take a long time. investigators are following up on the 1,200 tips that have been called in. as a community waits and hopes, and prays. what does your heart tell you about the outcome of this situation? >> i don't even want to think about it sometimes because it could go either way and of course, my hope is that he is returned safely. but i know that it's been four days and sometimes after four days you just don't know. you just don't know. >> reporter: credible tips are coming in from outside portland from as far as washington state. meanwhile, they are nearing the end of the school year here and there is nothing they'd like better than a homecoming in june. matt, back to you. >> janet schamlian in oregon for us this morning. coming up next, more of our exclusive interview with president obama right after exclusive interview with president obama right after this. fiesta....whoa... new bush's black bean you can't tell everyone about new black bean fiesta. but it's perfectly cooked black beans, in a zesty "south of the border" chipotle sauce with red and green peppers, onion, and crisp corn. a bold new taste. i know. but i want people to think i'm a great cook. so hide. delicious! can i have your recipe? 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[ male announcer ] if depression is taking so much out of you, ask your doctor about pristiq®. pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. for me, pristiq is a key in helping to treat my depression. ask your doctor about pristiq. back now at 7:43 with more of our exclusive interview with president obama and a bit of a potpourri. as we walked the halls of kalamazoo central high school, we talked about why he picked to deliver a commencement address at that school. that blown call during that could have been a perfect game in baseball and much more. so this white house challenge. you had 1,000 schools competing. why did you pickle ma zoo central? >> this school is a great example of what's possible when you've got a public school, it is not in a wealthy community, it is diverse, and yet because the community decided to invest by guaranteeing college tuition for any graduate here, we've got teachers and a principal who are dedicated and are willing to think out of the box. so they're not just bound by "it's in the in my contract" but they're doing all kinds of extra stuff. >> you're not going to find a more friendly audience than when you give this speech. i watched their enthusiasm when you met them a few minutes ago. your job is to inspire them. what are you going to say? >> high school audiences are the toughest. >> why? >> when you're a teenager you think you know more than just about anybody. >> not than the president though. probably not. >> my main message to these kids, number one, internalize a sense of excellence. you know, i think most of these kids have had a lot of support telling them do well. but as soon as you get out of here, nobody's telling you. you've got to want that on your own. second thing i'm going to tell them is no excuses. take responsibility and go out there and set your goals, then work for them and understand that stuff doesn't come easy. you've got to work. this is derek jeter's alma mate person one of the things i'm going to remind them is, that guy shagged a lot of grounders to end up being the captain of the yankees. so that's a message. and then the third one is i also want kids to internalize the of their community here which is give back. >> couple other quick topics. helen thomas, the dean of washington correspondents, sits in the front row at press conferences all the time. announced her retirement today after some inflammatory comments about israeli jews. >> tell them to get the hell out of palestine. >> your reaction to her retirement and your reaction to her comments. >> well, her comments from offensive. it is a shame because helen's someone who has been a correspondent through i don't know how many presidents, was a real institution in washington. but i think she made the right decision. >> is it something that taints her career in your opinion? >> well, i think that those comments were out of line and hopefully she recognizes that. >> on a much lighter note, you're a sports fan. so you must have watched with the rest of us the near-perfect game pitched by armando galarrago from the tigers. did bud selig make the right call in not award rg the perfect game? >> he made the right call but i think baseball is going to have to take a look at what football and basketball already decided. which is replay may in some cases be appropriate. >> are you fan of that? >> i'm saying that you may have a take a look at it. what was wonderful was how a potentially sour story ended up being, for me, an inspiring story. i think the class with which the pitcher handled it, the way joyce owned up to making a mistake, the way the whole team went out there the next day and said, you know what? we all make mistakes. but you've had a great career as an umpire. i think that showed something about sportsmanship that you don't see enough. >> in all the times i've had to explain bad sportsmanship to my kids this was a teaching moment, which was nice. president obama in michigan on monday. coming up, we're going to talk to a man who was on a hike when he suddenly was mauled by a grizzly bear. he'll share his story for the first time. but first, these messages. i didn't even think he read them. how many times did he try to get us to go fishing? 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[ male announcer ] now with 0% apr for 60 months. it's a whole new volkswagen. and a whole new game. we are back at 7:51 with a growing trend in china, pet owners are dying their dogs to make their average canines look like wild animals. that's a golden retriever disguised as a tiger. the next is a chow-chow. disguised to look like pandas. >> i have a feeling there's something up your sleeve. >> what happens when their roots come in? >> i don't know. what do you think of it? >> that's just wrong. >> it is wrong to do. >> that looks like a panda though. >> doesn't look happy. it doesn't look sad. it looks like a panda. >> you just know the dog's thinking, "i'm going to kill. you". >> i had a golden retriever andy it as camouflage and i haven't found the dog yet. no, i would not do this. >> you want a house dog, you can make it look like a pillow. >> then you sit on it. >> i think we've had enough of this. coming up, we'll reveal the secret treasure that stood behind that curtain here at 30 rock for more than 45 years. plus, superstar christina aguilera takes over the concert stage after your local news. ♪ ♪ ♪ do u gonna be there? ♪ are u sure u gonna call back? ♪ ♪ when am calling up and all that? ♪ ♪ ♪ can't u hear i'm sick? ♪ i'm lovesick ♪ can't u hear it explode? ♪ all down, all down it makes my skin really silky and velvety. this is my body wash. what do you mean? this is it? why?! oh, don't do that to me! dove creamoil body wash. now with nutrium moisture. nutrium moisture. i'm a believer. the nourishment in dove creamoil goes somehow deeper. i'm happy about the change. change is good. dove creamoil body wash. woman: i just joined extracare advantage for diabetes at cvs/pharmacy. i'm taking the right steps to manage my diabetes and my budget. extracare advantage for diabetes is a new program that helps me save money and earn double bucks on over 100 items, so we can stay a step ahead of... all: our diabetes! join extracare advantage for diabetes today and receive a free gift when you enroll. only at cvs/pharmacy. i've never tasted anything so delicious. richard, why are you wearing grandpa's jacket? i'm not richard. i'm grandpa smucker. male announcer: tim and richard smucker always looked up to their father and grandfather knowing that one day they too would make the world's best jam. grandpa says it like, i've never tasted anything so delicious! i've never tasted anything so delicious! tim: [ laughing ] you got it! male announcer: for five generations, with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. we get double miles with every purchase. so we earned a tropical vacation in half the time. we earn double miles every time we use our card. 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( gasps ) what's in your wallet? wait up! >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, everyone. it is a very busy ride out there, both on 295 southbound and i-95 southbound in howard county. 295 is at a crawl because of an accident on southbound 295 and 175. this stretch from the airport this and did all the way towards the capital beltway. a lot of that is bailout volume. this is off to the side. you can see some lingering delays from 100 down to the earlier accident scene. normal delays on southbound 95 out of the northeast. five miles per hour for that stretch. 20 on the west side outer loop on average. the cadet delays as well out of owings mills. -- looking at delays as well out of owings mills. 25 on the northeast side. at 20 to travel on the west side. delays in the area of 175. southbound 95, will still be allowed to recover. >> we are off to a beautiful start on this tuesday morning. temperatures in the will to on the cool side. -- temperatures a little bit on the cool side. 62 degrees in rock hall. mostly sunny skies. pleasant this afternoon. high temperature of around 70 degrees. rain coming in on wednesday. and we have the heat back and the forecast of the time we hit the weekend. send it back to stand, who gets a battery problems. a battery problems. 8:00 now on this tuesday morning, june 8th, 2010. we have a huge crowd gearing up for a special tuesday concert on the plaza from five-time grammy winning superstar, christina aguilera. she'll take our concert stage for the entire 8:30 half-hour. i'm meredith vieira, along with matt lauer and al roker. ahead in this half-hour, jim cole is a fascinating man. he spent a lot of his life photographing and studying grizzly bears. but a trip to yellowstone about three years ago nearly cost him his life, a mother bear and her cub crossed his path. the mother bear attacked him, nearly killed him. we'll talk about that fateful day. he's telling his story for the first time. he'll tell you why despite the attack, he still loves these bears. also ahead, a hidden treasure of 30 rock unveiled, a secret mark left across the street more than four decades ago. film director frank oz and nbc's jimmy fallon will reveal that just ahead. and later, from where you put your purse down to where you store your toothbrush, the unhealthiest places for you around. >> you should never store your toothbrush in the toilet. >> probably not. first let's head in to the news desk, ann curry is standing by. good morning, everybody. today marks 50 days since the deep water drilling platform exploded in the gulf of mexico killing 11 people and trigger is the worst oil spill in u.s. history. kerry sanders has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. there is no consensus that that cap on top of the well has reduced the flow of oil. in fact, some scientists believe there may be more oil flowing, not less. from the air, ugly black ink spots, what no one wanted to see an louisiana's barrier islands, miles and miles of thick black crude oil. on monday as the oil still gushed one mile down, the federal government says the containment cap installed by bp is now collecting nearly a half-million gallons a day. but all agree that's not good enough. >> i don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar. we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers so i know whose ass to kick. >> reporter: on monday, bp's new face in charge bob dudley toured the oil-soaked beaches with louisiana governor bobby jindal. dudley is a mississippi native. it is the first time he's seen or touched the oil since this disaster began. are you embarrassed when you see this? >> well, i think everybody at bp is devastated by this. we can't quite believe it's happened. >> reporter: this is as bad as we've seen it. this is thick, goopy oil. watch how my feet sink into this ooze right here. this is the thick stuff. would y wow, look at that. it's goopy, it's ugly. >> reporter: the scene is enuglier for the wildlife trying to live in this mess. their struggle to survive at times hard to watch. today officials from the university of south florida plan to present their study, their proof, that there are these large underwater plumes of oil that cannot be seen. bp continues to say they have no evidence that those plums exist. >> kerry sanders, thanks. california and nevada are among a dozen states holding primaries and run-offs today. in arkansas, blanche lincoln faces a runoff that's seen as a test of voter satisfaction with incumbents. today's results will kedetermin match-ups for november. a geyser of flame burned for two hours on monday. officials said at least one worker was killed and seven others injured. a new study finds gang violence in the u.s. may be linked to the economy. 67% of adults believe youth gang violence is on the rise because of the current economic crisis. it is 8:04. time to go back outside to matt and meredith. >> let's get a check of the beautiful weather from al roker. >> we are looking at a beautiful day in the northeast. let's show you the pick city of the day. that happens to be -- pick city of the day. that happens to be new orleans, louisiana. got a heat advisory, temperatures way into the 90s. as we show you what's going on as far as your jet stream, it takes a big dip up into the northeast. that allows that cool air to bring its way down. sizzling conditions continue through the south. as we move on into thursday, it doesn't really change thatch. we continue with the sizzling weather through the south, >> we are off to a nice, quiet start. this afternoon we will make it into the upper seventies. a mixture of sunshine and clouds. >> and that's your latest weather. up next, a man who survived a savage bear attack shares his story for the first time. a little bit later, christina aguilera rocks the plaza. huh? 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[ female announcer ] stay on your game by stopping mid-morning hunger with kellogg's® frosted mini-wheats® cereal. an excellent source of fiber from 100% whole grain that helps you stay full, so you can stay focused. uh, he's a little focused right now. can i take a message? 8:09. the grizzly bear is one of the world's most fascinating and ferocious animals. jim cole has dedicated his life to studying and photographing these amazing creatures. but in 2007, cole nearly died when he was brutally attacked by a female grizzly. he's here to speak about the attack for the first time publicly. he's written a new book called "blindsided, surviving a grizzly attack and still loving the great bear." hey, jim, nice to see you. how you feeling? >> i'm feeling great, matt. great to be here. >> we spoke about three years ago. i know you've had a long recovery but you're doing well. >> i'm doing great, back out in the field hiking. almost 100%. >> this was three years ago. i want to wash peoplrn people, images that show you shortly after the attack. they are a little bit graphic so if this sort of thing bothers you, you might want to turn away for a second. when were you? >> i was hiking out in hayden valley in a wide-open area. i apparently walked right on her without knowing it and she was on me, bing, she was on me real quick. she actually drove me into the ground like a linebacker driving a running back into the ground and i was trying to reach for bear spray which i had on my belt, couldn't get to it. >> she was using her claws or her mouth in. >> i didn't know it at the time. it was a very interesting question. dy not know at the time but she was using her claws. she actually ripped my face off. had she been using her mouth i wouldn't be here doing this interview. >> you had no chance to react as you just said. i've heard -- i don't know if it is just a wives tale. you hear people talk if you come across a bear and get in trouble, you do one of two things, you stand up tall and make a lot of noise or you curl up in a ball. >> i didn't have a chance to do either but i was going down. my momentum going down and her momentum going down on me at the same time. but again i was at her mercy. if she had wanted me dead, i would be dead. i had absolutely no chance. >> you have to ask yourself the question why didn't she want you dead. >> the reason is because most grizzly bear attacks are defensive. grizzlies are bigger, faster, stronger than us. if they wanted to be killing us and stalking us, they could be. >> so because she had her cub with her she felt you were a threat. >> well, i can't say if she would have done that if she didn't have her cub, but yes, that's certainly a fair thing to say. >> you ended up severely injured. you're miles from where you parked your van. you are a's all alone. talk to me about getting help. how did you survive? >> i just knew immediately i had to get right up off the turf. i knew if i sat there for one minute i'd be dead. i had to get out there and hike. dy not know what condition i was in. i was blind at the time. >> did you come across anyone or did you make it all the way back to your car on your own? >> i made it all the way back within 50 yards of the road which was approximately three mil miles. fortuitously as my doctor in idaho told me, the bear injured my right off. i lost my left eye in a way that i could just barely see the sunlight. so i followed the sun out. there is an area where even though i was bush whacking and there were no trails, i knew the area well, even though i was in a spot i'd never been in before. so i had to get up off the ground and i had to move. >> you must have lost a lot of blood. >> you know, i couldn't think about it at the time. i was asked in the hospital a while back, somebody was in the er, if i was holding my face on. i said i don't know, i didn't think about it. >> i want to mention, that was not the first time you were attacked. >> that's correct. >> in 1993 you were also attacked by a grizzly and survived that one, obviously. and yet you still insist that these are not the ferocious, scary animals that people think they are, they're intelligent, inquiz kwiquisitive inquisitive, majestic and calm. that doesn't seem to make sense to me. >> well, they really are. that's what i've seen. the only times i've had a problem with a bear, the two times, when i've seen the bear first. when you think of the amount of people that recreate in bear country, yellowstone, our first national park since 1872, 138 years, you know how many people have died in yellowstone from grizzly bear attacks? five. i mean bear attacks. not all grizzlies. five. hundreds have died in other ways but they don't get the headlines. part of it is the media. i made the headlines because i was attack by a grizzly bear. if i'd been hit by a car or been in a rock slide, i wouldn't have gotten the media attention. >> you still love these bears. that's what you talk and write about in this book. jim, it pleasure to meet you. we spoke on the phone after this happened and i'm glad to see you doing so well. >> i just want to say that my mission is to educate people about bears so they understand the true nature of bears and the bears are -- attacks are defensive and they're not out there stalking us. they're peace-loving animals and they are just the most fascinating and interesting animals i've ever known. >> i think you've done a good job with that. the book is "blindsided." 14 after the hour. up next, we'll unveil a secret that stood here at 30 rock for 50 years. secret that stood here at 30 rock for 50 years. what's behind that kucurtain? ive boys, it's sushi time. i'm donkey, feeling the ocean breeze on my hooves, gettin' my vacation on donkey style. why aren't you? ♪ the gulf spill is a tragedy that never should have happened. i'm tony hayward. bp has taken full responsibility for cleaning up the spill in the gulf. we've helped organize the largest environmental response in this country's history. more than 2 million feet of boom, 30 planes, and over 1,300 boats are working to protect the shoreline. where oil reaches the shore, thousands of people are ready to clean it up. we will honor all legitimate claims, and our clean-up efforts will not come at any cost to taxpayers. to those affected and your families, i'm deeply sorry. the gulf is home for thousands of bp employees and we all feel the impact. to all the volunteers and for the strong support of the government, thank you. we know it is our responsibility to keep you informed and do everything we can so this never happens again. we will get this done. we will make this right. on fridays, i have hockey before school, so i take two eggo homestyle waffles and put peanut butter inside. i add a couple chocolate chips when dad's starting the car. there's only one way to eat an eggo -- your way. l'eggo my eggo. on tuesday i go in even earlier than usual. thank goodness for eggo, a nutri-grain waffle... with a quick smudge of cream cheese. at least that part's easy. there's only one way to eat an eggo... your way. l'eggo my eggo. women preferred the softness and scent of concentrated snuggle blue sparkle to the leading brand. and snuggle costs less, too. so go on, buy snuggle today. and snuggle costs less, too. and my dog bailey and i love to hang out in the kitchen. you love the aroma of beef tenderloin, don't you? 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[ male announcer ] meet the family and the new sienna on youtube. toyota. if you travel a lot, the thrill of flying may have left you a long, long time ago. but "today" national correspondent jenna wolfe is here with a unique way to take to the skies. jenna, good morning. good morning. you know all those airline reward promotions like premier class and elite status, med medallion this, medallion that. i just took the most amazing flight of my life with no gimmicks whatsoever. but this is just for the pure joy of flying. waiting for us in a monstrous hangar at historic moffett field near san francisco, you'll find one very special ride. they are in fact only three air ships like it in the world. >> this is a zeppelin nt, which stands for new technology. >> this flying machine is a high tech version of the huge zeppelin air ships that roamed the skies nearly 100 years ago. some of the old ships used dangerous hydrogen and didn't always have, well, the softest of landings. but now it is a new day for the zeppelin. she's called the eureka, and on this morning, we're taking her out for a joyride. >> i'm excited! imanticipate getting excited! i've never been under the belly of something so big. >> reporter: at 246 feet long, she's the largest air ship currentfully operation, as big as boeing's newest and biggest 747, more than 50 feet longer than the goodyear blimp. but unlike an inflatable blimp, the zeppelin takes off with its helium held in a frame made of super light kevlar, carbon fiber and lime nualuminum. yep, there's no lead in this zeppelin. >> good morning, my name is alex. >> reporter: alex hall also happens to be co-owner of this $15 million zeppelin. >> the thing that we do that is different is that we are providing the passenger experience on an airship. we are the only commercial passenger air ship in the usa. >> so this is your first time ever in an air ship? >> first time. i read the manual last night. >> no look ahead! woo, that was close. >> reporter: okay, so this isn't about speed but pilot jim dexter is trying to break a distance record from flying nonstop from the bay area all the way down to san diego. >> what we're doing today is a record for modern day airships. >> reporter: cruising only 35 to 40 miles an hour, this is going to be a -- ♪ slow ride ♪ take it easy >> reporter: hey, i'm sorry to bother you, are we there yet? >> no, not quite yet. i'll let you know. >> reporter: okay, cool, thanks. luckily, we're flying over some of the most beautiful scenery and famous sites on the west coast. >> a lot of people describe it as being on a personal cloud floating above the earth. >> reporter: one of the best things about the air ship, not just windows, windows that open, great for taking pictures, and for doing this. i love the "today" show! ooh, it's freezing. bad idea. >> reporter: but for those who want an ann amazing view of the world, the zeppelin nt is a really good idea. >> i think it is more of a voyage, very nostalgic. it takes you back. this is what aviation should be. >> reporter: our ten-hour journey ends in san diego, setting a modern air ship distance record, 460 miles. we set the record! woo-hoo! but it is really the wonder of the ride that's worth celebrating. cheers! yeah, jim! air ship ventures now offers zeppelin excursions in several california cities. rides start at about $200 depending how far up and down the coast you want to go. >> 200 bucks not that bad for that kind of experience. >> it is not that bad, the view is unbelievable. you're in nice, fight quarters with some of your best friends. >> it looked fun. let's head across the street to meredith in studio 6b. >> today nbc is unveiling a new stop on the studio tour, studio 6b, currently the home of "late night" with this guy, jimmy fallon. good morning. 6b is really the birthplace of late night television. give us a sense of the history. >> it is a great studio. it goes back to the "tonight show" with johnny carson. he did the first ten years of the tonight show from new york. >> it started here. >> he did ten years here. before that, jack paar, of course did "the "tonight show"" from new york. "quiz show 21" was here. >> before tv, radio in the '30s here. >> yeah. bob hope. martin and lewis. but this is the big -- >> this is the centerpiece of the exhibit. there is a reason why film director and one of the original muppeteera is here. frank oz. >> i was just told to stand here. >> we're going to put you to work by opening up the curtains to reveal the neatest part of this exhibit. >> ready? >> now these are pipes decorated as muppets. >> jim henson and i and two others, the four of us did the jack paar show. they gave us this extraordinary dressing room. we did the -- actually i opened the door and there was these dark black-brown heavy pipes. scared me a little bit. >> this was in the utility closet. >> yeah. there was a door here. and we went to do the dress rehearsal and we came back and we had hours to kill before air. so jim said let's paint it. so we went back to the studio which was two rooms. that was jim. i'm standing here for jim, really. so we went back and there were boxes full of hair and eyes and noses and paint. and so in our two rooms at that time at 53rd and 2nd, we came back -- >> you went to town. >> more jim than anything else. then we closed the door, did the show and left. we thought it would be gone. so it's been fantastic. >> it's still here. jim, why was it so important to you? you went to nbc executives and said we've got to save this. >> i knew about this when i did "saturday night live" here i knew about this closet. it was in max weinberg's dressing room. that's the only way to get it. you can't really take the tour into max's dressing room. max went out to l.a. when we took over we had it opened up and put behind glass. nbc was like you got to make it part of the tour because it is so amazing and cool. like it kind of sets the tone for what we want to do with "late night," which is that creative and positivity. >> that's what's wonderful here is that the spirit of jim -- again, i'm standing in for jim more than anything else and the guys. it really is affectionate anarchy. and that really shows the spirit. >> i'm all in favor of affectionate anarchy. let's cut the ribbon, guys, and make it official. >> this is really exciting. >> you want to hold my hand? >> yeah. you can just do it. >> go for it, baby. >> yeah! >> all right! officially on o exhibit. to learn more about the nbc studio tours, head to our website, todayshow.com. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still recovering from early morning accidents on southbound 95 and southbound to 95. delays of lingering around 100 towards powder mill road. 295 stacked towards 32. falls road and 40th street, watch for an accident. you can see the delays tinkering around the area. five miles per hour on average through that stretch. on the north side, 19 miles per hour on average. one more accident and reisterstown road and franklin boulevard. 25 minutes on the outer loop northeast side. still looking at 20 minutes on the west side outer loop. getting on the ramp for inbound 395, delays developing there. switching over to a live view of traffic in the area of 175, where we still have some delays. these delays in place, so it will be all well. -- it will be a while. >> we are off to a beautiful start on this tuesday morning. comfortable temperatures, up to fifties and low 60s. 64 in rock hall. the forecast for today is about as good as it gets. mostly sunny skies. high temperatures about 78 degrees. throw a chance for rain and the forecast on wednesday. if you like the summer heat, you will be backed by the weekend. >> another update at 8:55. navigating today's real estate market is complicated. you've seen the signs. that's why having the right real estate agent is more important than ever. at remax.com, you can find experts in short sales or bank-owned properties or commercial real estate, agents who can help speed up the process, no matter how intricate. and that's good news, whether you're trying to sell or hoping to buy. because the only sign you really want to see is "sold." nobody sells more real estate than re/max. visit remax.com today. 8:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 8th day of june can be 2010. it is a beautiful day here in midtown manhattan. al promises temperatures in the mid 70s, maybe upper 70s, lower humidity and great music. >> yes. absolutely. >> great music on the plaza. we've got christina aguilera, the superstar taking to our stage in just a couple of minutes. five-time grammy award winner. she's going to perform for an entire half-hour. and then we have more music on friday. >> we've got rascal flatts, one of the great country western groups. they are fantastic. they'll be here. then carol king and the fabulous james taylor. t that's next friday after this friday. also coming up, have you noticed in your grocery stores, there's a lot of soy and almond milk in stores. it is a question a lot of people have, how do they stack up nutritionally? joy bauer will be in the house to try to answer that question. >> i love the almond. >> i love the almond milk myself! a reminder how to tep your favorite charity, "what do you care about today?" you have until friday to tell us about great work in your community. one lucky winner will receive a $100,000 grant from the pepsi refresh project. >> can we say hello right now to jessica beale? how are you? >> i'm well, thank you. how are you guys? >> a lot of times we like to flatter people by saying you're much too young for it, but you are much too young to have watched the "a team" when it was on television originally. what was your exposure when you took this role? >> it was mr. t. and the van. that's all i could remember. i really didn't have much of an idea of what the show was before. i love you too! that's a good way to start the morning. i really didn't know much about it. i just read the script and loved the director and loved the cast and just wanted to be a part of it. >> this is a testosterone-driven vehicle. you are a woman who takes no prisoners either. you came to play with the boys. >> i did. i really got to portray this amazing character who is an equal to the guys. just as smart, as talented, as powerful. i got to shoot amazing weapons just the same as they did. >> weren't you a tomboy growing up? >> yes. so it wasn't too much of a departure for me. i feel very comfortable in that type of environment. >> you were really gloving on using firearms, as i understand it. >> you know, i had the best trainer so he really helped us understand how to be safe with the weapons. once you feel safe, then you have an empowering experience. >> bradley cooper keeps his shirt off for half of this movie. it must have been pretty tough for you. >> i'm so glad it was him, not me. >> well! on that note. >> we should probably mention you climbed kilimanjarkilimanja. >> it was the most interesting thing i've ever done for myself. i know myself so much better, the lengths i can go, i can push myself to the extreme physically and mentally and know that i can make it and keep going. >> pretty impressive. >> it was really cool. i'd recommend anyone to do it. >> we want to mention also, back to the movie, the men from the "a team" will be here tomorrow. we are not going to enjoy that nearly as much. >> yes, you will! >> good luck with the film which opens up this s >> we are off to a nice start. a little cool this morning, but temperatures will make it into the upper 70's. mostly sunny >> that's your latest weather. coming up next, christina aguilera live in concert out on the plaza. but first, this is "today" on the plaza. but first, this is "today" on nbc. the plaza. but p.a.: it's a four-bedroom nbc. traditional home on an acre-and-a-half landscaped yard. there's a totally renovated chef's kitchen, with granite countertops and a butler's pantry. it's got a screened-in back porch, plenty of storage and a large backyard. it's the perfect home, in excellent condition, and ready to move in. anytime, anywhere. no one connects you with the home of your dreams like coldwell banker real estate. we never stop moving. brought to you by toyota. toyota. moving forward. after a break from marriage and motherhood, she's back. ladies and gentlemen, christina aguilera. >> after all you put me through, you think i'd despise you. but in the end, i want to thank you 'cause you made me that much stronger. ♪ when i thought i knew you thinking that you were true ♪ ♪ i guess i -- i couldn't trust 'cause your bluff time is up 'cause i've had enough ♪ ♪ you were there by my side always down for the ride ♪ ♪ but your joyride just came down in flames 'cause your greed sold me out of shame ♪ ♪ 'cause if it wasn't for all that you tried to do ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know how capable i am to pull through so i wanna say thank you ♪ ♪ 'cause it makes me that much stronger makes me work a little bit harder ♪ ♪ it makes me that much wiser so thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ made me learn a little bit faster made my skin a little bit thicker ♪ ♪ makes me that much smarter thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ oh, oh, oh, oh ooh-ooh-ooh yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ 'cause it makes me that much stronger makes me work a little bit harder ♪ ♪ it makes me that much wiser so thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ 'cause it makes me that much stronger makes me work a little bit harder ♪ so thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ i remember ♪ i remember all you put me through ♪ ♪ i remember ♪ 'cause it makes me that much stronger makes me work a little bit harder ♪ ♪ it makes me that much wiser so thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ you thought i wouldn't forget ♪ ♪ i remember ♪ didn't you not♪ ♪ i remember ♪ 'cause it makes me that much stronger makes me work a little bit harder ♪ ♪ it makes me that much wiser so thanks for making me a fighter ♪ ♪ makes me that much smarter thanks for making me a fighter ♪ >> thank you! >> christina aguilera. thank you very much. we'll have more music in a moment. but first, this is "today" on moment. but first, this is "today" on nbc. i was 7 the first ti found my best friend at 13. in college, i got caught up in a love triangle. and then i discovered what true love really is. experience the only ebook reader from the bookstore you've grown up with - nook, by barnes & noble. browse and download over a million titles wirelessly, and take your story wherever you want it to go. find nook at your local barnes & noble or nook.com. also available at best buy. christina aguilera holds the honor of being the only singer under the age of 30 included in "rolling stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. that's pretty heavy stuff. she's out with her fourth studio album, "bionic." christina, great to have you on the plaza. >> thank you for that great introduction. >> i'm driving in this morning listening to an interview with you on the radio. you were talking about now being a mom, having a young son, you realized it was the time to take music in a slightly different direction. that's why you wanted to try more techno sound. >> i was inspired by a lot of electronic music when my son was born. listening to it together. having a child makes you think about the future and the next generation. i got really inspired by electronicno with is no-holds bard in its sound and i wanted to experiment on that. dy a lot of collaborations on this record with a lot of interesting people. so i had a lot of fun. >> so max, it seems, has a broader taste in music than my son tice. >> he likes yo gabba gabba. we do do that. he did inspire a very playful side of me that i didn't have prior to having him. he really inspired this album to be about play and got me really in touch with my original pop roots of a decade ago. it's been really fun. >> can we also talk quickly about a movie you just finished. burlesque. >> yes. "burlesque." it was an incredible experience. i grew and learned so much. i had such great people to absorb from, cher, kristin bell was hill layerearioushilarious. it is going to be a really, really fun movie come this november. >> we look forward to that and look forward to you singing some new songs for us right now. >> yes. we're going to get into "bionic." ♪ this is the moment that i take over your mind brain ♪ ♪ step into the picture that i paint you to my brain game ♪ ♪ i let her date you so i give you a migraine ♪ ♪ over and over put it on me later you're insane ♪ ♪ this let me spell it out everybody shout my name ♪ ♪ are you ready ready ready to go ♪ ♪ bionic take it supersonic eh ♪ i'm bionic hit you like a rocket ♪ ♪ bionic so damn bionic ♪ go to hit you with my electronics electronic supersonic rocket eh! >> you know today i'm feeling a little out of control. is it me? you want a get crazy? because i don't give a -- ♪ i'm in rare form and if you know me it's not the norm ♪ ♪ i feel brand-new and if you don't like it ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ ♪ i'm dancing a lot and i'm taking shots ♪ ♪ i'm kissin' on the boys and girls ♪ ♪ cause i'm doing things that i know you don't do ♪ ♪ i feel brand-new and if you don't like it ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm not myself tonight ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ ♪ i'm not myself tonight ♪ tonight i'm not the same ♪ in the morning when i wake up ♪ ♪ i'll go back to the girl i knew to be ♪ ♪ but baby not tonight ♪ i'm not myself tonight ♪ i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ ♪ i'm not myself tonight ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ >> so, let me tell you, this song is all about letting go and having the freedom to express yourself. yeah. so you guys ready to get crazy with me today? let's go! ♪ eh yeah ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl ♪ ♪ i'm not the same girl ♪ eh yeah ♪ tonight i'm not the same girl same girl ♪ ♪ >> christina aguilera. thank you. we areback with more music and more from "today." this is "today" on nbc. here she is one more time with one of her biggest hits, ladies and gentlemen, christina aguilera. ♪ mm-mm-mm oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ oh-oh-oh oo-oo-oo-ooh ♪ ♪ every day is so wonderful and suddenly, it's hard to breathe ♪ ♪ now and then i'd get insecure from all the pain i'm so ashamed ♪ ♪ i am beautiful no matter what they say words can't bring me down ♪ ♪ i am beautiful in every single way ♪ ♪ yes, words can't bring me down ♪ so don't you bring me down today ♪ ♪ tell your friends you're so delirious you're so consumed in all you do, yeah ♪ ♪ trying hard to fill the emptiness ♪ ♪ the piece is gone let the puzzle undone and that's the way it is ♪ ♪ 'cause you are beautiful no matter what they say words can't bring you down oh, no ♪ ♪ 'cause you are beautiful in every single way words can't bring you down oh, no ♪ ♪ so don't you bring me down today ♪ ♪ no matter what we do no matter what we do ♪ ♪ no matter what we say no matter what we say ♪ ♪ yeah, it's all inside the truth, yeah ♪ and everywhere we go and everywhere we go ♪ ♪ the sun won't always shine shine ♪ no matter what they say words can't bring us down oh, no ♪ ♪ we are beautiful no matter what they say ♪ ♪ words won't bring us down oh, no ♪ ♪ we are beautiful in every single way words can't bring us down oh, no ♪ ♪ don't you bring me down today ♪ no no no no do not bring me down ♪ oh, don't bring me down today ♪ ♪ don't you bring me down mm not today ♪ >> thank you. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is a look at one of our top stories. it was a busy night for baltimore city council members as they had several bills to close the city budget gap. the bills passed include local income and parking and telecommunications, tax increases. the new police and fire pension reform plans were introduced last night. union officials say they are still not happy with some of the bill's content. officials of all the federal lawsuit against the city but say they are stiñoçpççç >> it looks like the weather is going to stay nice and quiet. it is the same stuff we had during the beginning of the week, will continue today. very comfortable i temperature in the upper 70's. average high is 81. rain is going to come back into the picture to margaret off and on rainshowers during the middle of the morning. if you like the hot stuff, it will be back this weekend. high temperatures in the low 90s. >> we will have another update at 9:25. how many ways can you be comfortable? an energy efficient infinity air conditioner by carrier can save you up to 56% on your cooling costs, while also reducing your impact on the environment. which is better for where you live, and better for where we all live. turn to the experts during cool choices and get up to $1200 cash back on an infinity system by carrier.

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