Live, local news. Join us for the news at 11 00. Head to napa. Rejuvenate the economy fl. There. Good morning. Stunned and brokenhearted. White house chief of staff john kellys emotional defense of the president s condolence call to a soldiers widow. If youve never worn the uniform, if you have never been in combat, you cant imagine how to make that call. How will the generals deeply personal words change the conversation . The government urging airlines to ban laptops in checked baggage. New tests showing batteries can overheat, explode and trigger potentially catastrophic fires. Rare access. Nbc news inside north korea, on the same day the rogue nation vows an unimaginable strike on the u. S. How people there feel about the threats, President Trump and the possibility of war. All that plus Los Angeles Police open a new Harvey Weinstein investigation. O. J. Allsmiles for his new drivers license. And california dream. The catch is a touchdown. The Oakland Raiders pull off a stunning win on the last play of the game. Its a grand slam. While the Los Angeles Dodgers crush the cubs to reach their first world series in nearly three decades. From nbc news, this is today, with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a friday morning. We thank you for joining us. This weekend in houston, well find out who the dodgers will face in the world series. And youre officially neutral. Exactly. I go right down the middle on this one. Well talk about that in a little while. Meanwhile, its a busy morning. Lets start with john kellys deeply personal defense of donald trump and the call to to the gold star widow. We start with Kristen Welker who joins us from the white house. Good morning to you. Reporter matt, good morning to you. This morning as questions found over what happened to the four soldiers in niger, the chief of staff is going to end the controversy swirling around his boss outreach to one of those families. The chief of staff trying to end the controversy, swirling around President Trumps condolence call to the family of a soldier killed in niger. Theres no perfect way to make that phone call. Reporter retired general john kelly, delivering an impassioned defense to the president s call of the widow of sergeant la david johnson. If youve never worn the uniform, if youve never been in combat, you cant even imagine how to make that call. I think very bravely he does make those calls. Reporter kelly denounced frederica wilson, accusing of disrespecting the widow, by saying her husband knew what he was getting into. It stuns me that a member of congress listened into that conversation. Absolutely stuns me. Reporter a gold star father himself, kelly shed new light on why mr. Trump chose those words. In personal terms, kelly revealed when his son was killed, the joint chief relayed a similar message to him. He said, kel, he was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed. He knew what the possibilities were, because were at war. Reporter kelly saying he was so upset wednesday, he left the white house for Arlington National cemetery. I went over there for an hour and a half, walked among the stones, some of whom i put there because they were doing what i told them to do when thrp killed. Reporter the political firestorm, first erupted monday. You look at president obama and other president s, most of them didnt make calls. Reporter the president , tuesday, telling a radio station, former president obama hadnt called kelly. President obama, who was my commander in chief when i was on active duty, did not call my family. That was not a criticism. That was simply to say, i dont believe president obama called. Reporter now, kelly offering a powerful plea. A young man, young woman going out and giving his or her life for our country. Lets try to somehow keep that sacred. Reporter congresswoman wilson weighing in again today saying the president s call was not a good message to anybody that has lost a child at war. Tweets overnight, the fake news is going crazy with wacky congresswoman wilson, who gave a total lie on content. Meanwhile, another overnight development, the Senate Narrowly Passed a budget potentially paving the way for tax reform, which is, of course, a key trump agenda island. It was a remarkable day at the white house yesterday. Thank you so much. President obama and george w. Bush are stepping back into the political fray. In separate speeches they voiced concerns about the Political Climate with swipes at the current president. Andrea mitchell has that this morning. Reporter for nine months, President Trump has done it his way, with little criticism from his two predecessors. Without mentioning trump by name, george w. Bush and barack obama are silent no more. Its good to be back. Reporter back on the trail for the First Time Since he left office. Former president barack obama, rallying support for democrats in two big offyear elections. Governor races in new jersey and virginia. Our democracy is at stake. Its at stake here in virginia. Reporter slamming candidates who have taken a page out of Donald Trumps playbook. Were not at our best when were trying to put people down. But when were trying to lift everybody up. Reporter the president taking veiled shots at his successor. If you have to win a campaign by dividing people, youre not going to be able to govern them. Reporter mr. Obamas comments, coming as former president george w. Bush breaking his silence. Fiercely denouncing the current Political Climate, speaking at west point overnight. Weve seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty. At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than those bringing us together. Reporter mr. Bush expanding on a powerful speech he gave earlier. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theorys and fabrication. Reporter slamming the current administrations approach, without saying mr. Trump by name. Bullying and prejudice sets a national tone. Reporter since leaving office mr. Bush has stayed relatively quiet refusing to weigh into the political fray, but in the wake of the response to charlottesville, bush 43, urging political leaders to stands up for american values. When we lose sight of our ideals, its not democracy that has failed. Its the failure of those charged with preserving and protecting democracy. Reporter the former president was not criticizing President Trump, insisting these are the same themes president bush has spoken on for two decades. But in the world of politics, theres little doubt bush was admonishing the current occupant of the white house. Thank you. We are joined now by Nicole Wallace and retired conditional jack jacobs. We know how this started at the beginning of the week, with the president saying he calls Service Members families who have fallen and other president s havent. That started this off. As a veteran yourself, and a medal of honor recipient, what do you make of the fact that were having this conversation . We shouldnt have this conversation. These things are the best kept quiet. If the president is going to call next of kin, which is an extremely difficult thing to do. Those of us in the service have made these kind of calls and visits, thats between him and the family. Bringing it into the public view, i think demeans it. And its a very bad thing to do. We would be better off if we werent talking about this at all. Let me turn to you, nicolle. For several months, weve been asking, what can john kelly do in this white house . Can he bring order to the white house . Can he control the president from acting on certain instincts . What did we learn about the importance of john kelly to this administration in the Briefing Room . I think we learn the depth of what he views the code by which he lives. And for him, he was willing to share what i have to damage is the singlemost painful experience of his own life. When he described in his remarks yesterday how an american soldier comes home, if they lost their life on the battlefield, how the body is packed in ice, if you dont take that in, the way a soldier comes back from the battlefield. If you arent in the military or you are in the military and you havent lost a child in the military, if you dont take something from that, shame on you. However, he did that in service of a president who has us talking about this five days because the president has put it in the news five days in a row. On monday, by criticizing his predecessors. On tuesday, by telling radio listeners to ask john kelly. On wednesday, by making a widows grief worse. And thursday, by sending his chief of staff out there. Are you saying if john kelly cant control those instincts on the part of the president , how many times can he come out and clean up a situation like this . I think john kelly has probably a near bottomless well of goodwill because of his service to the president. But that doesnt help when the crises hes called on to contain are created by his boss. What were you going to say . We talked about this one time before, john kelly can control a lot of the input into the oval office, the information that goes in there and the people who go see him, but he cant control the president and the information coming out. Thats a difficult task. Good to have your perspective, sir, always, especially on this day. Nicolle, thank you, as well. A lot more to get to this friday morning, including an urgent warning about laptops on airplanes. The federal government is calling for an International Ban on large, personal Electronic Devices in checked luggage because of the potential of catastrophic fires. Nbcs tom costello covers aviation and other things for us. Tom, what can you tell us about this . Reporter we are talking about checked baggage. Lithiumion batteries are in every Electronic Device on the market. Placing those next to aerosol spray cans. The ffa said that combination could create an explosion so powerful it could bring down a plane. This morning, a serious new warning from the federal Aviation Administration to the worldwide airline community. The faa calling for a ban on allowing passengers to fly with laptops and other Electronic Devices in the checked luggage because of potential of catastrophic fire. It comes after cases of Electronic Devices bursting into flames inside airline cabins. The faa says its tests show when a laptops Rechargeable Battery overheats near an aerosol spray can, it can take out the pressure system. It can lead to the loss of the aircraft. I have significant concerns because we know theres a number of lithium batteries that are going to go into thermal runaway and create the potential for fire. Reporter the faa lugged 31 cases where batteries caught fire or smoldered on flights. Three cargo planes have been destroyed by fires, in part, to lithium batteries. Two of the accidents were fatal. Passengers should not pack large Electronic Devices in baggage. Also they have specific approval from the airline. The thing that makes them so useful is also what makes them so dangerous. That, of course, is that they are packed with so much energy and power. Hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover, can cause a fire next to the batteries. The u. N. Aviation body set to next week and to consider actually banning these laptops and Electronic Devices in checked bags. Tom, thank you very much. We have new perspective on the north korean crisis from inside that country. Keir simmons has made his way there, to see how new threats of war are confronting people in that region. Keir, good morning. Both sides today on a hair trigger. That is the border between the north and south, and inside socialism, and there is where the capitalism begins. Thats the difference between north and south. This side socialism. There, where the north begins. The vice foreign minister is telling them, President Trumps rhetoric is taking them to the ground of war. Ar and in a war, this will be ground zero. And our exchange with a north korean lieutenant conditional, reveals why these two sides, so close at this border, are so far apart. What do you think of President Trump . Trump is mentally ill, the guard tells me. If there is a war with america, we will win. In this closedoff country, the people are hard to read. Some officials we spoke to still hope for peace. How about we shift gears now, a big night in the world of sports. A lot of games finishing up late after people here on the east coast went to bed. The raiders were down by six with about 20 seconds to go, and finding derick cook on the 1 yard line. Th raiders pull off a big upset, 3130. Lets go on to baseball now. Los angeles dodgers headed back to the world series, that for the First Time Since 1988. They beat the chicago cubs last night 111. What a night for Dodgers Center fielder, kike hernandez. He hit three home runs, including a grand slam in the thur third inning. They will face the yankees or astros in the world series. I feel we need to say news, sports and traffic on the 8s. I throughout the mississippi and we have strong storms firing up around houston right now. Tomorrow we have a risk and 19 Million People under strong storms. And this front coming out of the rockies, bringing a heavy rain, and a strong storm risk into the evening hours tomorrow, and then as we move into sunday it continues to the east from chicago all the way down into louisiana, and look at the rainfall amounts from new orleans to houston, we could see upwards of six inch of rain. Thats whats going on, and we will get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. [ engine revving ] good morning, im meteorologist, kari hall. A live look outside san jose. Here is a look at the radar. The rain clearing the area, but leaving behind streaks. It will be a much cooler day for the inland arias. Antioch, a high of 68 degrees. 62 in oakland and 60 in San Francisco. North of the bay, highs in the mid to upper 60s with breezy blends starting to relax for the afternoon. That is your latest weather. Savannah. All right, al, thank you. And just ahead, the new allegations and new criminal investigations facing Harvey Weinstein as his former employees are speaking out. What they claim they knew and did not know about their now disgraced boss. Then are hidden cameras spying on you in hotel rooms and airbnb rentals. The new Police Warning after one couples disturbing discovery and how you can protect yourself. But first, this is today on nbc. Hey grandpa. Hey, kid. Really good to see you. You too. You tell grandma you were going fishing again . Maybe. vo the best things in life keep going. Thats why i got a subaru, too. Introducing the allnew crosstrek. Love is out there. Find it in a subaru crosstrek. Just ahead, what chip and Joanna Gaines have up their when you say wallpaper, most people think doilies and cabbage roses. We wanted to make wallpaper cool again. One of the greatest challenges of running a Small Business is having to do a little bit of everything. Office 365 really lets us collaborate in real time. 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