Charleston. Flash flood, rescu rescues, millions tonight in danger. A wild victory for the ages. Nightly news begins right now. Good evening. Im kate snow in for lester tonight who is interviewing president obama in chicago just hours before the president s farewell art address. We begin with a busy day. Senator Jeff Sessions spent more than eight hours fielding questions at a hearing about his nomination for attorney general. Pete williams has our report. Senator sessions served as an reporter Jeff Sessions held a granddaughter in his lap prepared to go before the very committee he was a member of but voted against him in 1986 when he was nominated to be a federal judge, concerned about his record on several rights. The caricature credited of me was not accurate. It wasnt accurate then and its not accurate now. Reporter in a hearing interrupted nine times by protesters, he said he would be against any blanket ban. He said he would step aside if investigations of the Clinton Emails or Foundation Came up. With regard to secretary clinton and some of the comments i made, i do believe that that could place my objectivity in question. Reporter he was also asked about mr. Trumps claim about women in the access hollywood video. Is grabbing a woman by her genitals without her con sent, is that Sexual Assault . Clearly it would be. Reporter senator sessions has long opposed the Supreme Court decision on abortion rights. Worst erroneous Supreme Court decision of all time. Reporter today he said if confirmed, hed enforce it. It deserves respect. Reporter he said he would support revoking president obamas executive order allowing 74,000 young people to say who came here illegally under age 16. I believe if you go through a cycle of amnesty, that you undermine the respect for the law and encourage more illegal immigration into america. Reporter more tomorrow, including opponents including john lewis and cory booker will oppose a colleagues nomination. With republicans control, this was sessions vote to lose and it appears he is headed for confirmation. Kate. Pete williams in washington. Thank you. Now to the controversy sparked to the when robert f. Kennedy junior said president elect trump asked him to lead a committee on vaccine safety. The trump team saying no decisions have been made and halie jackson has that story. Reporter a member of the kennedy political dynasty who favors fringe theories on vaccinations over mainstream medical practices said he would lead a new vaccination Safety Commission under donald trump. Robert f. Kennedy junior meeting with the president elect today even as a spokesperson says hes exploring the possibility of forming a committee on autism but adds no decisions have been made at this time. President elect trump has some doubts about the current vaccine policies. He has questions about it. He says his opinion doesnt matter but the science does matter. Reporter that science already settled with every Major Medical association in agreement. Doctors debunking a study that falsely claimed a link between vaccines and autism. It was reiterated that vaccines are safe, effective and save lives. The president elect said hes provaccine, hes tweeted about what he believes is a link to autism. Im totally in favor of vaccines but i want smaller doses. Reporter hes delivering a Different Health care message that couldnt be more clear telling the New York Times that after obamacare is killed, a new plan to replace it will come very quickly or simultaneously very shortly thereafter. Problem is thats practically impossible on the current timeline with serious disagreement in the gop about what replacement plan would look like. The president elect with plenty to talk about tomorrow here at trump tower in his first News Conference in about six months. Hes almost certain to face questions not just about health care but about russia and his own conflicts of interest. How he plans to separate donald trump the businessman from donald trump the president. Kate. Thank you. As president elect trump prepares to enter the white house, president obama is preparing to say goodbye. After eight years in Office Tonight he will deliver his farewell address from his hometown of chicago. Today lester had rare access aboard president obamas last trip on air force one for an exclusive interview looking ahead to his speech tonight. Tonight youre going to talk to the american people. Right. Is this hard one . Do you know what youre going to say . I know what im going to say. I have to make sure i get through it properly. When you reflect back on eight years, for all the highs and lows and the one thing thats a constant is the incredible dedication of the people who got you there and who helped you do your job. Everybody from the staff at the white house to the folks who made sure this airplane flies to supporters who would write me notes when things werent going well to people who would say that the work we did made a difference. I think that that sense of gratitude that i feel for those folks, i hope im able to express that. Lester holt with the president just moments ago and a program note, you can see lesters entire interview this friday in our primetime special, barack obama, the reality of hope. Thats at 10 00, 9 00 central. For more on what the president will say, we turn to nbc Kristen Welker who is out there in chicago. Reporter a homecoming here in chicago where president obamas political career was first born. Tonight saying goodbye one last time. Addressing a crowd of 20,000. President obama stood in this same spot and celebrated his reelection victory pour years ago. Ive never been more hopeful about our future. Reporter tonight a very different moment. While his Approval Ratings are at a seven year high he will talk to a divided nation. What is the tone . Its one of optimism and hope. Reporter top advisor says dont expect a rebuke of donald trump. The president will talk about fairness, justice and lay out his vision for the future of the country. A chance to be optimist optimistic, not critical and challenge us all to figure out how to engage. Reporter tonight hes expected to address the historic nature of his presidency, the first africanamerican to serve as u. S. President. Will likely tout what he sees as his accomplishments. To passing his signature piece of legislation, obamacare. Theres been defeats. Immigration reforms stalled, the rise of isis all happened on his watch and racial tensions are boiling over. The president acknowledging his biggest regret not passing stiffer gun laws. The president ial farewell a time honored tradition since george washington. Now chance for the 44th president to reflect with nine days until he closes the final chapter on his presidency. Thank you america. God bless. God bless you, united states. Reporter in speech excerpts released moments ago president obama will praise the American Values embodied in the city saying this is where change only happens with ordinary people get involved, come together and demand it. After eight years as your president , i still believe that. Kate. You can see president obamas address tonight at 9 00 eastern, 6 00 pacific right here on nbc. Theres breaking news now out of charleston where a jury late today sentenced avowed white supreme assist dylann roof to die for that Horrific Church massacre. We have late details from the courtroom. Reporter following weeks of disturbing evidence and testimony, the jurors unanimous decision took about three hours. Dylann roof convicted of 33 federal counts including hate crimes should get the Death Penalty. This is a very hallow victory because my sisters still gone. I wish that this verdict could have brought her back. Reporter for the loved onces of the charleston nine its 573 days of agony since he walked into the historic emmanuel ame church and opened fire forcing survivor Jennifer Pickney to huddle with her 6yearold daughter, she called 911. For weeks jurors saw videos of his target practice, videos of a chilling journal and representing himself during the penalty phase, he offered no apology. I felt like i had to do it, he said. I still feel like i had to do it. He tolds jurors that only one of them had to disagree with the Death Penalty sentence to spare his life. From what ive been told i have the right to ask you to give me a life sentence but im not sure what good it would dofully way. Its painful because they had to relive this whole night and its a story that had no good ending to it. Reporter dylann ro roofs family said we always loved dylann but we will struggle to understand why he committed this horrible attack. After the sentence was read roof stood up and asked the judge for new attorneys to file a motion for a new trial. Thank you. Now to the west where an unforgiving storm, the kind not seen in more than a decade is lhammering a region already water logged with flood waters. The Atmospheric River continues to dump steady rain and snowfall in a region that cant handle much more. Tonight this deadly storm is still pushing its way across a drought stricken area now slammed with a deluge. Miguel is in the thick of it. Reporter rain is falling, rivers are rising and hillsides are crumbling and vineyards are under water and so are homes. Were just watching to see if everybody else got out. Reporter the russirus Russian River climbing above flood stage. Watch and wait. Reporter with 13 million under a flood threat, the roads are dangerous. In ridgefield, washington a 4yearold girl and her family rescued by firefighters. In oregon, breaking through a sheet of ice just to see the road while some struggling to walk on it. In colorado, i70 shut down by an avalanche earlier and in california a news crew buried but not injured by land slide. Viz blsibility goes in and out. Reporter in n nevada, a white out with Hurricane Force winds. The run off headed downstream. These flood gates opened for the first time in a decade. Were just thrilled at how our flood defenses have held up. Reporter tonight more rain is on the way. This water logged region avoiding disaster for now but on the brink of even more serious flooding. With pockets of light and heavy rain falling at this very hour tonight, some communities could get eight inches of rain today alone. Roads are literally turning into rivers. This street here pouring into the Russian River behind me and all of that water behind me wont crest in for a few more hours. Back to you. Unbelievable picture. Thank you. In orlando, tonight the search for an accused cop killer is expanding and the reward for information leading to his capture has increased to 100,000. Authorities say Markeith Loyd is suspected of killing his pregnant exgirlfriend and fatally shooting Debra Clayton when she confronted limb. Police are calling him armed and extremely dangerous. Still ahead, warning about headphones for kids. Why they could be putting your childs hearing at risk and how to make sure youre buying the safest i didnt know where i was from ethnically. So we sent that sample off to ancestry. My ancestry dna results are that i am 26 nigerian. I am just trying to learn as much as i can about my culture. I put the gele on my head and i looked into the mirror and i was trying not to cry. Because its a hat, but its like the most important hat ive ever owned. Discover the story only your dna can tell. Order your kit now at ancestrydna. Com. For lower back the search for relief often leads here. S, today theres drugfree aleve direct therapy. A high intensity tens device that uses technology once only in doctors offices. For deep penetrating relief at the source. Aleve direct therapy. Back now with new concerns about one of the most popular gifts a lot of kids got for the holidays, head phones. Specifically the kinds advertised for kids. A site that tests Consumer Products says many marketing limiting the volume in childrens ears arent doing the job. Reporter like typical kids, the twins are big fans of their head fans. Like listening to music and stuff. Reporter their mom and dad thought manufacturers would make them safe. Any product that is advertise as a kid product, you just kind of assume it has all the whatever safety regulations. Test both of those things. Reporter a recent analysis of 30 childrens head phones by the wire cutter found nearly half of those advertising volume limits allowed sounds to play above safe levels. Some of them went to the level of a jam hammer or rocket concert. When you consider that volume level will be up against your childs ears, that could do permanent damage. Reporter a big concern considering headphone use by feteens is increased from three hours a week in the 80s to more than 22. Younger kids are using them too. Dr. Bryan helped the wire cutter with its analysis. Im going to have airplane noise coming out. Reporter he showed us how much we have to turn up the volume to overcome outside sound. I cant hear a word youre saying. Reporter children should be able to hear you in arms length away. All headphones and ear buds can be used safely. Limit listening time to 90 minutes a day at no more than 80 of maximum volume and consider headphones that block outside noise as they play. 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The reason, he left it running. The fine 128. Police say unintended and idling cars are easy targets for thieves. The force is with los angeles beating out San Francisco as the future home to the George Lucas Museum which will be filled with the legendary film makers personal collection including art and a ton of memorabilia from star wars. He will pay for the museum. The cost about a billion dollars. When we come back, the new national when we come back, the new national for adults with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer, previously treated with platinumbased chemotherapy, including those with an abnormal alk or egfr gene whove tried an fdaapproved targeted therapy. This is big. A chance to live longer with Opdivo Nivolumab . Opdivo demonstrated longer life and is the most prescribed immunotherapy for these patients. Opdivo significantly increased the chance of living longer versus chemotherapy. Opdivo works with your immune system. 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We have more on an instant classic that went down to the final second. Reporter when the Clemson Tigers returned to South Carolina today, they brought with them National Title that has alluded there school for 35 years. I didnt flow if wed ever win one in my lifetime. Reporter its an accomplishment that for a while seemed unlikely trailing by ten at the start of the fourth quarter, clem tson chipped away at their foes taking the lead and losing it be two minutes to go. In that tug of war moment, quarterback Deshawn Watson saw opportunity. They marched down the field and on the final throw of his College Career did this. Touchdown. Reporter back in South Carolina they did this. A night of cheers and even tears. Best night of my life. I love the Clemson Tigers. Reporter it was a different outcome last year. This time the gatorade shower poured down upon clemson coach. Im so thankful and blessed. Clemson waited 35 years. Its finally coming hope, baby. Its coming home. Reporter perhaps its no surprise fans couldnt wait a moment longer lining the road to greet the buses that carried their returning champs. It feels great. Best felling of my life. Reporter their patience and loyalty finally rewarded. Joe frier, nbc news. What game. That will do it for us on this tuesday night. Im kate snow in for lester who will see you at 9 00 p. M. Eastern time for our live coverage of president obamas farewell address. For all us of at nbc news, thanks so much for watching. Have a great night. George clooney, stris barbra streisand, and ben affleck take on trump. The fallout over the president elects war of words with stream streep. Now on extra. Trump versus streep. Hollywood sounds off. If theres one thing that you could say about meryl streep, it is george, barbara, charlie. You go, meryl. Whats taking the president elects side . And before the feud what trump once said about meryl. Jimmy fallon Photo Bombing sophia, goldie entertaining amy. 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