democrats ready to unload on michael bloomberg as he takes the debate stage for the first time tonight >> he doesn't have the right to buy the selection. >> the latest on the showdown in vegas, including the new poll showing sanders far out in front. under siege. the south braces for a second round of rain in areas already ravaged by floods. >> how many people did you have to rescue in this neighborhood >> six people were evacuated from this neighborhood we have those stories, plus, road to recovery an update on nascar driver ryan newman's condition after that terrifying crash law and order. see how a married couple at dinner, who happened to be off-duty cops, sprang into action to take down an armed robber and "today's best in show," thousands beat out as finalists to come to our studio for the first canine competition we'll crown the winner, today, wednesday, february 19th, 2020 >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza good morning, everybody. welcome to "today. nice to have you with us on this wednesday morning. there's a big competition today. and it is not the debate tonight in vegas >> it is not we have a dog competition here we have not gotten this kind of a response to a competition for so long. so many people put in submissions. we're going to narrow it down to the best dog >> we have a celebrity judge that's one of the ainges. we'll do that in a little while. we have to get to the news coming out of washington the president bringing out the pardon pen in a big way. granting clemency to 11 people convicted from everything from extortion to security fraud. including former illinois governor, rod blagojevich. and nbc news is confirming word that the attorney general, william barr, considered stepping down because of the president's tweets about justice department investigations. we have a lot to cover this morning. let's start with nbc white house correspondent, peter alexander peter, good morning to you >> reporter: good morning to you. rod blagojevich was in prison for pay-to-play politics, the kind of corruption that president trump has vowed to end, with members of the president's own party in illinois urging him not to pardon blagojevich who's who of criminals, busted for corruption and financial crimes this morning, rod blagojevich is a free man the disgraced former governor of illinois, walking out of prison overnight, four years sooner than expected, after president trump signed off on a spree of pardons and commutations >> president trump is one who did this like i said, profoundly grateful if you're asking me what my party affiliation is, i'm a trumpocrat >> reporter: blagojevich on "celebrity apprentice. >> rod, you're fired >> reporter: then convicted on corruption charges in 2011 after trying to sell barack obama's vacated u.s. senate seat >> i've got this thing and it's [ bleep ] golden i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> reporter: his wife had taken her plea to the president on fox news just over a year ago. >> when he mentioned my husband last may, it did give us a tremendous amount of hope. >> he will be able to go back with his family after serving eight years in jail. that was a powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion >> reporter: among those pardoned, former new york police commissioner bernie kerik, who pleaded guilty for eight felony charges, including tax fraud michael milken, so-called junk bond king, locked up for securities fraud >> he paid a tough price, but he's done an incredible job. >> reporter: a billionaire advocate for milken, throwing a $10 million fund-raiser for the president last saturday. the president using his clemency powers as part of his re-election pitch. >> i want to thank president donald john trump. >> reporter: two days before the president's friend, roger stone -- actually, a day before stone is expected to be sentenced. the president, with those pardons and commutations was sending a clear message, allies tell me regardless of the sentence, president trump can do whatever he likes to erase anyone's criminal record or to set them free >> peter, back to the reports that the attorney general actually considered resigning and got word to the white house about that, was this for real? how close did he actually come to stepping down, if at all? >> reporter: good question we know the attorney general has publicly and privately made it clear to the president that he needs to back off and stop tweeting about the justice department's criminal cases. the president, again, yesterday, either ignore organize defying that warning now, we learned on tuesday, that barr told people close to the president that he is and has considered resigning over the president's continued tweets, according to an administration official the president casting himself as the nation's top cop and acknowledging barr's complaints that he's making his job impossible to do >> i do make his job harder. i do agree with that i do he's a straight shooter. i'm allowed to be totally involved i'm actually, i guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country. but i've chosen not to be involved >> reporter: again, the chief law enforcement officer in the country is considered to be the attorney general, someone not motivated by politics. barr's spokesperson told us last night that the attorney general has no plans to resign >> peter, a lot going on thank you very much. a showdown is shaping up in las vegas, as the top candidates take the stage for the ninth democratic presidential debate it will be the democrats' first chance to challenge the newcomer, former new york city mayor michael bloomberg. kristen welker is in vegas with the latest here. >> reporter: good morning to you. six candidates are going to face off here in las vegas later tonight. and it could be a game-changer, with former new york mayor, michael bloomberg, set to take the debate stage for the first time the candidates making it clear that the gloves have come off. they're ready for a fight. as the democratic presidential candidates prepare to roll the dice tonight in las vegas, all eyes will be on former new york city mayor, michael bloomberg, making his debate debut. >> mike bloomberg will get it done >> reporter: bloomberg has surged in polls after pouring $400 million into campaign ads he could face tough questions, including about this video resurfacing overnight. first reported by buzzfeed news, it shows bloomberg criticizing democrats last year, saying they're too progressive and too far left, creating an opening for president trump in 2016. and then, making this comment about the transgender community. >> if your conversation during a presidential election is about some guy wearing a dress and whether he, she or it can go to the locker room with their daughter, that's not a winning formula for most people. >> reporter: a campaign spokesperson telling nbc news, bloomberg was describing how others might view the issue, not his own view adding, mike understands that the transgender community has been under attack for decades and the advance of rights has not been equal the candidates have been targeting bloomberg, including bernie sanders on cnn overnight. >> mr. bloomberg has every right in the world to run for president. but i don't think he has the right to buy this election >> reporter: elizabeth warren calling him an ego maniac billionaire. pete buttigieg saying he'll likely face questions about his experience in business and mayor. also, he'll probably be asked about stop and frisk, which he's been criticized. what does he have to answer for? >> i think he has to answer for his treatment of others, for his language and for an attitude that seems to have dismissed the humanity of a lot of people. >> reporter: it comes as an nbc news/"wall street journal" poll, shows bernie sanders opening up a double-digit lead over the democratic field, with 27% support nationwide a virtually four-way tie for second place, with joe biden at 15%, bloomberg and warren at 14%, and buttigieg right behind at 13% all setting up a high-stakes night in vegas, just days before nevada's voters have their say our new poll also shows that five democratic candidates beat president trump in a head-to-head match-up. there's good news for the president. his approval rating at 74% that's tied for his highest ever in our poll. he's actually here in nevada, for a series of west coast events he's watching this all closely he engaged in a war of words with bloomberg yesterday, where he accused bloomberg of trying to illegally buy the election. bloomberg fired back saying, see you in november. and just to clarify, the president's approval rating is 47%. that's tied for his highest ever >> it's early in vegas it sounds like the democrats are ready to unload on bloomberg we've seen poll after poll, including the one you talked about. our nbc news/"wall street journal" poll, bernie sanders is the one to beat. do you expect them to train some fire on him? >> reporter: absolutely. there's no doubt about that, savannah if you talk to establishment democrats, many of them say, sanders could have the nomination locked up by super tuesday. they're undoubtedly going to train their fire on sanders, as well pete buttigieg in my interview with him signalled as much he said the country is not ready for someone calling for a revolution you'll hear more of those jabs on the debate stage tonight. bottom line, savannah, there are going to be fireworks here in las vegas. >> no question kristen, thank you very much you can watch tonight's debate on nbc news, and msnbc, it starts at 9:00 eastern time, or you can stream it live on nbc news now and nbcnews.com craig joins the table and we're talking severe flooding down south >> hoda, savannah, good morning. good morning to you, as well with more rain on the way, folks in the water-logged south are keeping a weary eye on the sky. parts of jackson, mississippi, are already flooded. and now, communities farther south are watching and waiting nbc's blayne alexander remains in the flood zone for us with the latest blayne, good morning >> reporter: craig, good morning. that rain started overnight, and it's continuing this morning an unwelcome sight for many in jackson who are still waiting for this water to leave their homes. now, communities further downstream are bracing for the worst. this morning, with whole neighborhoods underwater, much of central mississippi remains under flash flood watch, with storms moving in bringing as much as 2 inches of rain all of it eventually expected to flow downstream. south of jackson, in marion county, a desperate rush to get ready. for many, it's already too late. it's a similar scene in the state capital, jackson, while the mississippi department of wildlife is on patrol, at the height of the flood, using these boats going door-to-door how many people did you have to rescue in this neighborhood? >> six people were evacuated from this neighborhood >> reporter: now, eyes and ears for anxious homeowners >> it may have gotten over the water. -- threshold, so she may have a couple inches of water >> reporter: janet harris is desperate for news on her house. >> it's unbelievable i had to leave all my belongings, and i just moved in this area. >> reporter: but officials are warning her and others to stay out of the water, not just because of snakes and contaminants, but another hidden danger. exposed manholes covers swept away from the current. >> you'll step on it and fall in there are channels under the manhole cover that will just suck you in. >> reporter: and there's no coming back from that. >> no coming back. >> reporter: from the midwest, down to the gulf, rivers in 14 states are at flood levels, with many of those areas expecting rain through thursday. it's possible that this could just be round one? >> very possible very possible. >> reporter: and the pearl river is well above flood level this morning. and it's expected to remain high through the end of the week. craig? >> my goodness blayne alexander there in mississippi for us thank you. now, to the latest on the coronavirus and some welcome news this morning. the rate of transmission in china appears to be slowing. this crisis is far from over miguel almaguer is following this good morning >> reporter: savannah, good morning. with the cases climbing above 70,000 and the death toll above 2,000, there's a travel ban on chinese nationals, joining a lost list of nations with restrictions designed to stem the outbreak here in the u.s., more people are being quarantined at sea it comes while there still remains problems out at sea. overnight, the two-week quarantine is finally coming to an end for that cruise ship in japan. about 500 passengers who tested negative for the disease left "the diamond princess" overnight, with about 2,000 more still onboard, some with test results pending. more welcome news, as the chinese government says, its aggressive measures to contain the outbreak, are showing results, with the rate of transmission slowing but it appears to be gaining steam elsewhere. and officials in the u.s. are scrambling to limit its impact this morning, delta airlines is notifying passengers who shared a flight with a couple from japan, who tested positive after visiting hawaii. officials in hawaii are trying to track down anyone who may have come into contact with them during their trip earlier this month. the coronavirus, which started in wuhan, china, in december, has reached nearly 30 countries and territories. over 73,000 cases have been confirmed. china is now restricting the movements of 760 million people, more than double the entire u.s. population 150 million of them are on lockdown, the largest quarantine in history >> whether those measures are aggressive or restrictive of people, there's a lot at stake here >> reporter: in cambodia, hundreds of americans from this cruise ship, are being asked to self-quarantine in hotels, while dozens more remain onboard here in the u.s., nearly 750 people are being held in 5 locations across the country we spoke to yin, who has been trying to get home from china with her two children since december now, reunited with her husband and grateful for the treatment she received in quarantine >> they were there to help me with the kids and everything >> reporter: a moment of relief, amidst the global outbreak with no known cure. the coronavirus is still considered an emerging virus the cdc says the best way to protect yourself is the same as the flu. stand six feet away from anyone showing flu-like symptoms. savannah >> miguel, thank you very much we will turn our eyes to the weather. wnbc's dave price is in for al this morning morning. >> good morning. a little hoarse. forgive me for that. let's talk about the southeast at this point and through the gulf we have energy out to the west we've got moisture-packed air coming up. that's bringing heavy rains. let's walk out here and talk about what we can expect today the heaviest rains over texas. but all of that moving over alabama and mississippi. we're going to continue to watch for flooding, as we just heard about. additional rainfall amounts, 1 to 3 inches. but in some areas, we could see up to 3. that's a quick look at our maps. here's a look at what's going on right where you are, in just about 30 seconds u unpaid movers and "never miss a bedtime" parents. we see how you go out your way for others, and that inspires us to go the extra mile for you, every single day. hertz. proud to be ranked #1 in customer satisfaction by j.d. power. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we start out with a clear sky and some light patchy fog in some spots. after we see that clearing out, a lot of sunshine in the forecast for today. and temperatures still well above normal. reaching the upper 60s and a few low 70s. we'll see more weather hike this going into the rest of the week. a few more clouds will move in on friday with the rest of the weekend dry and also well above formal reaching into the upper 60s and low 70s extending into next week. san francisco today reaching 62. >> and that's our first look at the weather. >> all right, dave >> we'll get there we'll get there. looking for perfect attendance coming up, guys, new details on the condition of ryan newman after that horrific crash at the daytona 500. and we're going to look at how nascar's new safety standards may have played a roll in saving his life plus, you've seen all of the campaign ads but how much do you know about mike bloomberg andrea mitchell is live in vegas with a look at how he became a billionaire and a candidate. but first, this is "today" on huge tax breaks for the rich, while the middle-class continues to struggle. that's what happens when billionaires are able to control the political system. our campaign is funded by the working people of this country, and those are the people that i will represent. no more tax breaks for billionaires. we are going to guarantee health care to all people and create up to 20 million good paying jobs to save this planet. i'm bernie sanders and i approve this message because we need an economy that works for all of us, not just wealthy campaign contributors. they traveled far and wide to be here for "today's best in show." now, our finalists are here to impress the celebrity judges for the top prize. you can go to today.com to vote for your favorite. first, your local news all dogs descend from wolves and for thousands of years they've shared a love for meat. blue wilderness is formulated to satisfy this desire. it's made with more of the meat they instinctually love. feed the wolf that lives inside your dog with blue wilderness. ...tells a story ...that deserves... -the best care. dove body wash's new formula works with your skin... ...for lasting care. so your skin... ...can keep telling stories... ...beautifully. new dove body wash proven lasting care for the skin you live in. new dove body wash proven lasting care ♪you got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive♪ ♪ e-lim-i-nate the negative "slow it down a little" ♪ and latch on to the affirmative ♪ "it's okay" ♪ but don't mess with mister inbetween ♪ ♪ it's no secret that a little sweet, is better with a little salty. nature valley sweet and salty bars. also in minis. (howling wind) (howling wind) in making tea, is saying no. in our real brewed iced tea, we say no to artificial flavors and sweeteners. which means, no settling. unless it is into a comfy chair. pure leaf. no is beautiful pure leaf. quickly, get the big blue bag. here are your groceries. groceries! teamwork makes the dream work. you try to stay ahead of the mess. but scrubbing still takes time. now there's new powerwash dish spray. it's the faster way to clean as you go. just spray, wipe and rinse. it cleans grease five times faster. new dawn powerwash. spray, wipe, rinse. from an irresistibly delicious idea. in 2020, the jones family also had some delicious ideas. what if we make king's hawaiian breakfast sandwiches? yum! and king's hawaiian monkey bread! yum! yum! king's hawaiian what an irresistibly delicious idea. you don't need to go anywhere dad, this is your home. the best home to be in is your own. home instead offers personalized in-home services for your loved ones. home instead senior care. to us, it's personal. home instead senior care. the only thing that makes t-mobile's new offer on iphone 11 better is the people you share it with. so right now, switch to t-mobile and get 2 lines of unlimited for only $90 and 2 iphone 11s on us. all on our newest, most powerful signal that goes farther than ever before. hurry into t-mobile now and get 2 lines of unlimited for only $90 and 2 iphone 11s on us. only at t-mobile. woman: what? you sure you wanna do this? 'cause once you take that bite, there's no turning back to breakfasts like this... [coworker sneezes] vo: nope! vo: or this... vo: or this... woman: wow. vo: it's time to change your life... for breakfast... ...with freshly-prepared buttery, crispy mcchicken biscuits and savory sweet chicken mcgriddles now at mcdonald's nationwide. wake up breakfast. for adults with moderately to severely active crohn's disease, stelara® works differently. studies showed relief and remission, with dosing every 8 weeks. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer. some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection or flu-like symptoms or sores, have had cancer, or develop new skin growths, or if anyone in your house needs or recently had a vaccine. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems, including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems. these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. talk to your doctor today, and learn how janssen can help you explore cost support options. remission can start with stelara®. a very good morning. it is 7:26, i'm laura garcia. deputies investigating a homicide in the east san jose foothills. after finding a woman's body inside of a home on mountain view avenue. they made the discovery yesterday afternoon. so far there is no information on the woman who died. but we did see investigators searching through trash cans and interviewing neighbors of whom told us the home was listed on airbnb. someone who stayed there last night told us he never saw a woman inside. so deputies will not say if they have a suspect description into checking the forecast, waiting for the fog to burn off. >> we've seen that in the north bay. at least it is clear as we look at this view in oakland as you get ready to head out of the door. our temperatures today there head to 66. 68 in livermore. 70 in morgan hill and into the rest of the week, a slight warm up and more clouds moving this on friday. may mean a couple of spotty sprinkles but then our dry weather continues to the start of next week as we see temperatures reach up to 72 degrees next tuesday. san francisco, low 60s today and tomorrow. slight chance of very light rain on friday but then we'll see more sunshine for the weekend. mike, how are the roads moving. overall, a lighter wednesday build -- not friday, it is wednesday. but looking at northbound 101 critical toward 87. there is slowing approaching sjc, san jose airport. a crash reported on 87 before the merge with 101 but both freeways are getting complicated with slowing now. across the dumbarton and san mateo bridges more slowing toward the toll plaza and here is the span of the san mateo bridge and it does move smoothly but bogged down at highway 101. back to you. we'll be wack with another local news update in half an hour. hope to see you then. welcome back, everybody. welcome back, everybody. 7:30 on this wednesday morning, february 19th, 2020. you know what that is? if you're a nintendo fan, you know we're calling all nintendo fans. this is fun. we'll explain why our plaza looks like a scene out of the super mario brothers, and why somebody, somebody, one of those, is going to win a trip to japan. >> oh, what? >> my 11-year-old self is geeking out. that used to be my jam >> nintendo, sure. for me, it was atari, but i'm a little older than you. let's look at the headlines this morning 7:30 on a wednesday morning. rod blagojevich is out of prison, former illinois governor, hours after his sentence for political corruption was commuted by the president. blagojevich served 8 years of his 14-year sentence his crimes included his attempt to sell the appointment of barack obama's former senate seat the president said that punishment on blagojevich, that was a one-time "celebrity apprentice" contestant, was excessive. authorities are trying to figure out why a car plunged off a ferry, killing both passengers it was between fisher island and miami beach. searchers spent almost fiv hours looking for the vehicle on the ocean floor. two female victims were found inside the car they were unresponsive it's unclear if the vehicle rolled or drove off the front of that boat. check this out a would-be robber got more than he bargained for when he tried to hold up a restaurant in kentucky he walked to the counter and allegedly demanded money he pulled out a gun. little did he know, two of the diners were married off-duty police officers out on a date. they saw what was going on and sprang into action they pulled their service weapons and approached the suspect that runs out of the door the 30-year-old suspect was taken into custody a few blocks away >> wow i mean, that's impressive. if you've seen the heart-stopping crash at monday's daytona 500, you know it is a miracle that veteran nation car driver ryan newman escaped with serious but non-life threatening injuries. we're learning more this morning. he's awake and talking to family members. nbc's sam brock has the latest from daytona hey, sam good morning >> reporter: hoda, good morning. all over the racing world, people are talking about this update because it is so uplifting. in a race that needed overtime laps to complete, it is the final lap that will be remembered the most, not for who crossed the finish line first, but for the horrific crash and the survival of ryan newman. this morning, ryan newman, awake and speaking to doctors in a florida hospital >> ryan newman off turn four >> reporter: following a catastrophic crash on the final stretch of the daytona 500, which he was leading >> crash, into the wall, into the air, goes newman >> reporter: newman's car, thrown off-track by a bump from behind, hit a wall and went airborne, flipping, before being crunched in the driver's side by another car. >> a shower of sparks on his roof ryan newman comes across the line >> reporter: fans who attended the race, describing the terrifying crash as this was happening, what was going on in your mind when you saw a shower of sparks >> scary it was scary >> we had to cut open the roof to get him out because the car was so smashed and to get him out safely, we had to lift him straight up. >> i didn't think he would survive. >> reporter: crashes are not uncommon in nascar, but fatalities are >> all it takes is that one split second of something happening. >> reporter: former driver kyle petty is the son of the legendary richard petty. in 2000, kyle's son, adam, died at a practice session in new hampshire, when his throttle got stuck and caused the car to collide head-on into a wall. 130 miles an hour. kyle says newman's crash affected him deeply. >> my heart and my soul are right back in the same place it was when adam passed away. like opening an old wound because of adam and dale sr. >> big trouble >> oh, big wreck behind him. >> reporter: the last fatality in a nascar cup race, involving one of racing's most iconic drivers, dale earnhardt sr. who, in 2001, like newman, crashed on the final lap of daytona his death prompting nascar to rev up safety standards for cars and tracks, changes that likely saved newman's life. dale earnhardt jr. said he is happy that ryan is awake >> we can start thinking about his future and his recovery and what that may look like. we try to make contact with those close to ryan, to show our support and make sure everybody is in good spirits, as they possibly can be in this time >> sam, it looks and sounds like the new safety standards that you mentioned likely saved rya newman's life. >> reporter: craig, experts in the racing community say the better safety standards are the reason that ryan newman is alive today. kyle petty was telling m there's drivers that have never seen or been part of a serious accident would have been unfathomable 20 years ago. but dale earnhardt's death was a watershed moment for this sport and it's the last time a driver died in a cup series event again, remarkable statistic. the changes that came out of that have saved lives, including ryan newman's. craig? >> sam brock from the track in daytona. thank you. it's interesting initially, when some of the safety measures were introduced, some of the drivers were reluctant. >> pushback, yeah. >> now - >> grateful for them yeah coming up, guys, it is almost show time for former mayor michael bloomberg, joining the democratic candidates on the presidential debate stage for the first time tonight, after qualifying just yesterday. >> our andrea mitchell is in vegas. she's taking a closer look at the former new york city mayor's rapid rise in the race, coming up after these messages. ♪ ♪ (animal noises) morning. ♪ ♪ this room's booked. oh. yeah. okay. ♪ ♪ (animal noises) life's more fun with a dog. ♪ ♪ and doglife is more fun with milk-bone. ♪ ♪ this is hal's heart. it's been broken. and put back together. this is also hal's heart. and his relief, knowing he's covered by blue cross blue shield. this is hal's heart. and it's beating better than ever. this is what medicare from blue cross blue shield does for hal. and with easy access to quality healthcare, imagine what we can do for you. this is the benefit of blue. where does your almondmilk almond breeze starts here with our almond trees in our blue diamond orchard in california. my parents' job is to look after them. and it's my job to test the product. the best almonds make the best almondmilk. blue diamond almond breeze. ♪ we only come out at night ♪ ♪ we only come out at night ♪ i walk alone ♪ i'll pretend to know the way ♪ ♪ we only come out at night ♪ ♪ we only come out at night ♪ stand up to moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. and take. it. on with rinvoq. rinvoq a once-daily pill can dramatically improve symptoms... rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. and for some... rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. that's rinvoq relief. with ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints. rinvoq regulates it to help stop the attack. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious infections and blood clots, sometimes fatal, have occurred as have certain cancers, including lymphoma, and tears in the stomach or intestines, and changes in lab results. your doctor should monitor your bloodwork. tell your doctor about any infections and if you are or may become pregnant while taking rinvoq. ready to take on ra? talk to your rheumatologist about rinvoq relief. rinvoq. make it your mission. hashtag vacay. sonoma? i want wine with lunch... it's 11am, cindy. thanks, captain obvious. don't hate-like their trip, book yours with hotels.com and get rewarded basically everywhere. hotels.com. be there. do that. get rewarded. but one blows them all out of the water. hydro boost with hyaluronic acid to plump skin cells so it bounces back... neutrogena® and for body... hydro boost body gel cream. so it bounces back... ♪ dramatic music intensifies ♪ dramatic music really, really intensifies ♪ ♪ dramatic music ends, dramatically ♪ chobani flip. all good. no bad. with the world's first invisible trailer. invisible trailer? and it's not the trailer right next to us? this guy? you don't believe me? hop in. good lookin' pickup, i will say that. oh wow. silverado offers an optional technology package with up to 15 different views - including one enhanced view that makes your trailer appear invisible. wow. - that's pretty sweet. - that's cool. oooohh! that's awesome. where'd the trailer go? i love it. it's magic. today," we want to head back to las vegas where presidential hopefuls will be setting sights on the newcomer tonight, michael bloomberg. an unexpected con tind -- contender who has become a big player in this race. >> the campaign ads seem to be everywhere how much do voters really know about him. correspondent andrea mitchell takes a look at his rise good morning >> reporter: good morning, savannah and craig some know him as the former new york city mayor, others for his philanthropy but there's a chance you know him from his ads that have been blanketing the country in recent weeks. now, he is facing scrutiny for rivals for past comments and policies the big question, how is he going to face criticism from all sides? how will he defend himself on a platform that does not always play to his strengths, the debate stage he's one of the wealthiest people on the planet mike bloomberg with a self-made worth of $60 billion founder of the media company that bears his name. elected as new york city mayor just months after 9/11, and dealing with the aftermath one of bloomberg's top priorities was public health successfully banning smoking in bars and restaurants his failed efforts to ban big, sugary drinks made national headlines. >> if we are serious about fighting obesity, we have to be honest about what causes it and we have to have the courage to tackle it. >> reporter: bloomberg, a democrat turned republican, turned independent and democrat again, has donated over the years to candidates on both sides of the aisle on his campaign site, pledging to give away much of his fortune during his lifetime. in recent years, championing causes like climate change and gun safety now, as he climbs in the polls, his career and record are under renewed scrutiny "the washington post" on saturday, reporting on court documents, alleging that bloomberg made crude and sexist comments to female employees at his company in the 1980s and '90s his campaign called the lawsuits old news and bloomberg responding that he will always be a champion for women in the workplace and his campaign released this video, featuring women who work for bloomberg, praising him. >> there's nobody that i respect more and felt more respected by. >> reporter: also supporting him on the trail, the woman who has been at his side for the past 20 years, diana taylor, a wall street success in her own regard >> i'm looking forward to traveling around the country and meeting lots of women, all kinds of women, and helping them lift their voices >> reporter: bloomberg facing criticism over his controversial new york police policy of stop and frisk, which disproportionately targeted minorities seeking to blunt the fallout, bloomberg apologized at an african-american church days before announcing his candidacy for president. >> i was wrong and i'm sorry >> reporter: explaining his change of heart to craig earlier this year. >> how much of this is about you trying to appeal to a sizable block of democratic voters, black voters >> i don't have to bring it up every time i made a mistake i should have done it earlier. plain and simple >> reporter: as mayor for three terms, bloomberg got the "snl" treatment. >> it's very, very funny, steve. you can see, i'm really laughing right now. >> reporter: bloomberg, hoping to recast himself as a guy that can bring the fight and also being able to crack a joke >> you all heard the slogan mike will get it done if you haven't, i've been spending a lot of money to get it out there >> reporter: that spending includes $1 million a day on facebook, and pushing viral ads like this one, taking on president trump. >> go home to mommy. bye. >> are you going to cry? >> reporter: the billionaire businessman betting his money and his record will help him win the white house. >> we're a long way from that. andrea, he has talked about what he would do with his humongous company if he were to become president. >> reporter: well, unlike the president, he has pledged to release his tax returns. and if elected, he says he will sell his company while he says he is the best qualified to run against donald trump, he's saying he will pledge all of his financial resources if he's not the nominee, around and behind whoever is nominated by the way, savannah and craig, he is practicing for that debate tonight. it is not his best format. and he's had a former aide playing bernie sanders, testing lines by using the muppet characters the cranky muppet characters, statler and waldorf. >> we remember those >> little detail >> the grumpy old men from the muppets. is that who that is? >> yeah. >> i know them >> good move >> they are our spirit muppets andrea, thank you so much. what do you say we turn now? mr. dave price, you have a check of the weather >> yeah. i sound like oscar the grouch, so it all fits let's look at what's happening across the country we have bitter cold air in the northern plains states, from minnesota to wisconsin talking about numbers 30 degrees below zero got to bundle up that's dangerous stuff as we look at numbers this morning, feels like it's 2 degrees below in cedar rapids. low single digits in chicago and just 12 as we head into detroit. that cold air, not only restricted up here, but stretching all the way to dallas, where we see numbers this morning and today, which are going to be off the mark by about 13 degrees that's a quick look at the national maps. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. here is a live look outside in the south bay. we're enjoying another beautiful sunny day. temperatures heading into the upper 60s and a few low 70s coming down but still well above normal. into the end of the week, into the weekend, we're still looking at some mostly dry weather and early next week we're staying in the low 70s inland. and san francisco will be in the lower 60s. >> and that's your weather >> thank you, dave hey, carson. >> coming up, she was a television icon and a pioneer who gave us what is arguably the world's greatest tv theme song ever. today, we are remembering ja'net dubois, after these messages fec. hey, i'm giovanni and a little thing i love about chick-fil-a nuggets is that they're perfectly breaded. there's just that right amount of crisp. i don't know what they're doing in the kitchen, but it's pure magic. (whistling) big thing i recently learned as a parent? baby's skin is absorbent her skin could actually soak up wetness her diaper doesn't that's gross. that's why i use pampers pampers absorbs quickly to trap and lock wetness away keeping your baby's skin drier and healthier for a diaper that stays drier, count on pampers. the health of your baby's skin starts with the pampers they're in. for me, i would do anything for teddy bear. and even dogs are what they eat. and so i know that when i'm giving him the best food that it helps him to look his best physically and just be his best. teddy bear's family so i feed him blue. you're stronger than you know. so strong. you power through chronic migraine, 15 or more headache or migraine days a month. one tough mother. you're bad enough for botox®. botox® has been preventing headaches and migraines before they even start for almost 10 years, and is the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. botox® is for adults with chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 hours or more. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions, and medications including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. go on with your bad self. you may pay as little as zero dollars for botox®. ask your doctor about botox® for chronic migraine. you got this. welcome welcome back this morning, tributes are pouring in for actress and song writer ja'net dubois she probably came up with the best theme song, as carson put it >> dubois was best known for her portrayal of the single sexy neighbor in "good times. it's the '70s theme song she both wrote and sang that has people singing this morning. ♪ good times >> reporter: many remember ja'net dubois, for her portrayal of willona woods, on the '70s sitcom, "good times. >> j.j., why are you the only one not dressed in a costume >> reporter: a hit with the audience, her role was expanded. taking in a little girl named penny, a newcomer janet jackson. dubois would play jackson's mother again in the superstar's video "control." but her talent went beyond acted and she wrote another theme song for "the jefferson." ♪ moving on up >> reporter: the theme got a reboot recently from jennifer hudson ♪ that deluxe apartment in the sky ♪ >> reporter: the theater-trained actress caught the attention of norman lear, who produced "good times" and "the jeffersons." dubois was a guest star on a variety of shows, including "everybody loves raymond," "hanging with mr. cooper," and earning two emmy awards for her voicework on "the p.j.s. >> you had me at stool softener. >> looks like momma will have to teach you manners. >> reporter: on the big screens, she worked on movies like "i'm going to get you sucker," and "full throttle." earlier this month, dubois was reunited with some of her "good times" cast mates. >> she will certainly be missed. i woke up this morning on my instagram feed it's interesting how many people that i know or i follow who had a connection to her at one point or another >> i love how she entered a room remember she came in and you knew brought the energy >> star power. >> thank you, sheinelle. still ahead, guys, "today's best in show." we snagged a celebrity judge >> good morning. >>. >> who else could do it but john o'hurley >> it will be a tough one. >> yes, it is. and i'm pleading for calm in the streets. whatever artists there are - >> remember, you can vote, too vote for your favorite pooch online, today.com, before we choose a winner. fan favorite and john's favorite first, your local news for more than five hundred thousand miles, my outback always got me there. so when it was time, of course i got a new one. because my kids still need me. and i need them. (vo) welcome to the all-new subaru outback. the most reliable outback ever. go where love takes you. over here! (shrieking) is that the only peanut butter that you have? what? i can't. ♪ ♪ jif peanut butter. it's that jif'ing good, you'd brave the apocalypse for it. jif peanut butter. ♪you got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive♪ ♪ e-lim-i-nate the negative "slow it down a little" ♪ and latch on to the affirmative ♪ "it's okay" ♪ but don't mess with mister inbetween ♪ hey allergy muddlers... achoo! ...do your sneezes turn heads? try zyrtec... ...it starts working hard at hour one... and works twice as hard when you take it again the next day. zyrtec muddle no more. leadership that makes a difference. vo: a great president and an effective mayor. obama: he's been a leader throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: together they worked to combat gun violence, and again to improve education for every child. obama: i want to thank the mayor of this great city, mayor bloomberg, for his extraordinary leadership. i share your determination to bring this country together to finally make progress for the american people. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg, and i approve this message. the french girl's yogurt is set in a glass pot for eight whole hours. for her, it is more important to feel special than to be practical. oui, the french style yogurt. sounds like a really good deal- jake, from state farm at 3 in the morning? who is this? its jake, from state farm. what are you wearing, jake from state farm? -uh-khakis. like a good neighbor, state farm is there. sdriven by a primal desire for meat, -uh-khakis. a lynx in the wild in your cat. for a lynx this need is satisfied by what the wild provides. for your cat it's blue wilderness. blue wilderness is made with more of the meat she loves. blue wilderness because your cat is wild inside. and blue wilderness comes in a variety of meat-rich recipes for cats of all ages. good wednesday morning. right now at 7:56 and' live look outside in san francisco. enjoying sunshine. and just a few patches of clouds in the north bay. and once that clears out our temperatures head into the upper 60s. still well above normal and feeling springlike and more of this kind of weather into the rest of the forecast. by friday we will see a few more clouds moving in but still reaching 72 in the valley. and san francisco will have a slight chance of spotty sprinkles. elsewhere we're looking at some dry weather and then going into the rest of the forecast some low to mid-60s, that works into the start of next week. we'll continue to monitor our rain chances as we head over to mike keeping an eye on the roads. we're looking at a smooth drive around the bay. things have sorted out through san jose. with north 101. toward the san mateo and dumbarton bridge, the lag over here kicks in later and eases up later. and we have a smooth drive overall, toward the bay bridge bogging down around university are speeds below 25. slow from richmond to the back-up at the bay bridge toll plaza and building for oakland, 580 and 880 through downtown and the bay bridge toll plaza constant goal for a lot of folks in the east bay toward san francisco. back to you. >> thanks, mike. happening now, we're still awaiting an update on the elderly hiker rescuers found last night in marin county would disappeared on monday. searchers are still looking for a palo alto seen on friday who were believed to be hiking in inverness, we're posting update to our twitter feed. the stage is set for the democratic debate in las vegas. this is the first time michael bloomberg will debate. it airs tonight at 6:00 or head to our home page with a preview there. and join us for our midday show at 11:00. >> nbc bay area news presents "making it in the bay." every day, every newscast, we broke down the housing crisis and meet the people fighting for survival and find real solutions. "making it in the bay," every day, every newscast on nbc bay area. vo: a great president and an effective mayor. leadership that makes a difference. obama: he's been a leader throughout the country for the past twelve years, mr. michael bloomberg is here. vo: together they worked to combat gun violence, and again to improve education for every child. obama: i want to thank the mayor of this great city, mayor bloomberg, for his extraordinary leadership. i share your determination to bring this country together to finally make progress for the american people. bloomberg: i'm mike bloomberg, and i approve this message. coming up, free man. >> my gratitude is forever >> former illinois governor, rod blagojevich, returns home overnight, after the president commutes his prison sentence and pardons ten other convicted criminals. all this amid reports attorney general william barr considered resigning. we're live with all of the details. plus, getting candid ben affleck speaks out about his struggles with alcohol and his divorce in a new interview just ahead, what he calls the biggest regret of his life and "today's top dog." we're introducing you to furry friends from across the country, putting these pups to the test, to find out who is best in show. today, wednesday, february 19th, 2020 ♪ >> mississippi sisters loves the "today" show >> good morning, gorgeous. >> from florida and me >> whoa. >> yeah. i like that. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." nice to have you with us, in the middle of the week smack dab in the middle of manhattan, our plaza, and a wonderful crowd out there. >> it's packed we're happy to see you out there and happy to see you on video. keep the shoutouts coming. join us. tag your twitter or insta #mytodayplaza. boom >> put you on tv virtual plaza. coming up tomorrow, something really special the cast of "west side story" will join us live in the studio, just hours before they officially open on broadway. we're going to look at this generations highly anticipated takes on tony and maria. >> i'm excited for that. >> it will be good >> that's tomorrow on "today." let's get to the news at 8:00 the president went on a pardoning spree for 11 convicted criminals, including former illinois governor, rod blagojevich, whose sentence was commuted this, as democratic candidates are gearing up for a presidential debate with a newcomer on the stage. peter alexander joins us with the three things to watch today. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. let's start there. the disgraced illinois governor rod blagojevich, leaving prison overnight after president trump commuted his sentence. blagojevich, a former contestant on "celebrity apprentice," was in prison for pay-to-play politics the very corruption the president has vowed to end president trump also pardoning the so-called junk bond king, michael milken, and bernie kerik, all ahead of the sentencing of the president's long-time ally, roger stone, set to take place tomorrow and we learned that the attorney general, william barr, told people close to the president, he considered resigning over the president's tweets less than a week after he said the president's constant commentary on justice department criminal cases was making it, quote, impossible to do his job a justice department spokeswoman saying barr has no plans to resign and tonight in las vegas, the democratic 2020 contenders take the debate stage for the ninth time but only the first one for michael bloomberg. the candidates previewing attacks on bloomberg, who will have to fend off questions about his policies as new york city mayor, past controversial comments the latest, his words about the transgender community. and the latest poll shows bernie sanders has a double-digit lead, that's nationally, with biden, warren, bloomberg, and buttigieg all vying for second right now >> you can watch tonight's debate on nbc, as well as msnbc. it starts at 9:00 eastern time you can stream it live on nbc news now and nbcnews.com now, to the latest on the coronavirus outbreak the two-week quarantine is finally ending for the cruise ship in japan. 500 passengers who tested negative for the disease lef "the diamond princess" overnight. another 2,000 passengers are still on board some have their test results still pending. the rate of transmission in china appears to be slowing. the government says its aggressive measures to retain the outbreak are showing good results. in the u.s., 750 people are being held in quarantine across the country. this morning on "your health at 8" a new diet called dry fasting, is generating a lot of buzz on social media these days. dry fasting involves drinking no water at all nbc medical correspondent, john torres is here filling us in on exactly what this is. what is it why would anyone do it >> the overall, basic, don't do it this is a dangerous diet fad >> okay. and it's over. thank you. >> they're touting this on social media they say it's a cure for everything in addition to fasting, don't drink anything it's anti-aging, increases stem cells, rests your organs, all these things it does not do. it's a dangerous diet and can cause long-term health problems. >> are people doing this that's not even a question what are you talking about not drinking water that seems insane to me. >> it seems they're doing it because, again, they look at social media and the health influencers who are saying, this helped me immems nsimmensely. i had skin problems and sinus infections it cured those things. it doesn't >> what can that do to your system >> numerous. you'll have low blood pressure you might faint and have problems your body uses water in every cell including the brain cells. it can cause urinary tract infections most concerning, even if you do it short term, it can cause permanent kidney damage because did knee kidneys are so reliant on water. >> okay. >> don't do it >> thank you so much can we get a "boost" >> we got a "boost" for you right now. the harlem globetrotters are known for pulling out pretty incredible tricks. this one has nothing to do with basketball there is a man, 3-year-old daughter posing for a picture with the team during a recent game in memphis. look screen left that's sergeant diandra proctor. she is secretly joining the group and watch what happens right after this >> is that momma where is she at? >> oh! oh >> proctor had been deployed for seven months okay how about that hug the globetrotters played a part in that. >> that's great. >> so lovely guys, coming up this morning, talk about ben affleck. he's giving a candid interview about his struggles with alcohol over the years and what he is calling the biggest regret of his life ladies and gentlemen, we could not be more excited for our first-ever best in show contest. looks like they're making themselves quite at home there in the control room. we brought all six of these furry friends from all over the country to compete for a big prize. that's coming up in a few minutes. first, these messages. clearer skin.in proviy tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya®. uncover clearer skin that can last. janssen can help you explore cost support options. what if we attack the enemy with a hail of fire and brimstone? or we could do a hail of coupons? i can assure you gina, the enemy does not fear coupons. well there are no bad ideas. yah, except coupons. possibly the best yogurt in the world. ♪all strength, we ain't stoppin' believe me♪ ♪go straight till the morning look like we♪ ♪won't wait, we're taking everything we wanted we can do it♪ ♪all strength, no sweat ...tells a story ...that deserves... -the best care. dove body wash's new formula works with your skin... ...for lasting care. so your skin... ...can keep telling stories... ...beautifully. new dove body wash proven lasting care for the skin you live in. dealing with our finances really haunted me.ttle cranky. thankfully, i got quickbooks, and a live bookkeeper's helping customize it for our business. (live bookkeeper) you're all set up! (janine) great! (vo) get set up right with a live bookkeeper with intuit quickbooks. ♪ (howling wind) (howling wind) in making tea, is saying no. in our real brewed iced tea, we say no to artificial flavors and sweeteners. which means, no settling. unless it is into a comfy chair. pure leaf. no is beautiful pure leaf. non-drowsy claritin cool mint chewables. feel the clarity of new the only allergy product with relief of your worst symptoms, including itchy throat. plus an immediate blast of cooling sensation. feel the clarity and live claritin clear. (director's voice) cue rachael ray. hey friends! today we're whipping up some delicious recipes. so? who's hungry? (barking, meowing) pets love rachael ray™ nutrish® and its kitchen-inspired recipes. with real meat, poultry or fish. rachael ray nutrish. real recipes. real ingredients. real good.® wityour money almostes offered seems like it's frozen. but not here. with capital one, you can open a new savings account in about 5 minutes and earn five times the national average. open one from here. or here - in a capital one café. plus, there are no fees or minimums on savings or checking accounts because that's how it should be. this is banking reimagined. what's in your wallet? this morning, "today's talker" and ben affleck getting candid in a surprisingly new, raw interview. >> he talks about his ongoing battle with sobriety, and his divorce from jennifer garner, calling it the biggest regret of his life joe fryer has more this morning. >> reporter: good morning. after a hiatus, ben affleck has a lot of projects in the works, including an upcoming big screen movie call "the way back." he plays a basketball coach whose alcohol addiction disintegrates his marriage and puts him in rehab. it's a character that shares similarities to the actor's own life ben affleck is opening up and speaking candidly with the "new york times" about regret, sobriety, and ultimately his journey toward self-acceptance you're trying to make yourself feel better with eating or drinking or sex or gambling or shopping or whatever but that ends up making your life worse affleck told the "times," then you do more of it to make the discomfort go away, and the real pain starts. it becomes a vicious cycle you can't break. a vicious cycle that's taken a deeply personal toll in recent years. affleck's addiction to alcohol sent him to rehab for the third time and put a strain on his personal life. in 2018, he was seen in this photo, being driven to a treatment facility by his ex-wife, jennifer garner the 47-year-old calls his divorce from the actress, quote, the biggest regret of my life. i drank relatively normally for a long time. what happened was i started drinking more and more when my marriage was falling apart this was 2015, 2016. my drinking, of course, created more marital problems. addressing short comings head-on is nothing new for affleck >> being an alcoholic is part of my life. it's something i deal with >> reporter: he opened up to hoda last year about facing personal obstacles >> it's about yourself, and your life, your family, and people, we encounter these hurdles we have to deal with them. >> reporter: but months later, affleck faced a public relapse he told "the times," i wish it didn't happen. i wish it wasn't on the internet for my kids to see jen and i did our best to address it and be honest affleck says the constant grapple with sobriety is a part of his past, present, and future there's a lot of alcoholism and mental illness in my family, he says the legacy of that is quite powerful and sometimes hard to shake. through it all, affleck's had help, calling robert downey jr. and bradley cooper, guys who are supportive and to whom i feel a great sense of gratitude brad pitt recently credited him at an awards show. he's a sweetheart. >> i got sober because of this guy. >> reporter: and as for affleck, he says, i have certainly made mistakes i have certainly done things that i regret. but you have to pick yourself up, learn from it, learn some more and try to move forward affleck says he's teaming up with matt damon on a new movie it's the first time they've worked together as screen writers since 1997's "good will hunting. that's a script that won them an oscar and made them two of hollywood's best-known stars back to you guys >> look forward to that. >> ben affleck is not usually open we've had him here a bunch of times. he doesn't really speak about his personal life. >> he took that role alcoholism is at the center of the role you knew when he was going to promote that movie, he was going to be asked these questions. i commend him for the way he's handling the honesty of it all it's not an easy topic like mental health, we need to start talking. >> have the conversation >> and sobriety, addiction, it's not a destination. it's a journey >> yeah. >> for folks who have dealt with that, it's an agonizing thing sometimes. >> and talking health and taking off some of the pressure turning to groundbreaking new technology, which is offering freedom and hope to people with speech impairments, including those with als >> natalie morales has a story that will touch a lot of lives natalie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, guys. the als therapy development institute has partnered with google to embark on a technological journey that will not only help restore a sense of self and independence to those fighting this terrible disease, it could also potentially help them discover a cure for andrea, every day is the best day of her life that's because andrea is living on borrowed time after finishing a half-iron man, she was diagnosed with als >> i saw athletes there. a physical therapist said your muscles just don't seem strong enough >> reporter: she and her husband, david's, lives upended by those three letters als, also known as lou gehrig's disease, causes the death of euro-r r neurons that control voluntary muscles. there's no treatment and no cure victims are generally given two to five years to live. the voice is often the first to go >> all set >> yeah. >> reporter: how afraid were you that you were going to lose your ability to talk to your husband and your family? >> to be able to tell my husband that i love him, it was, like, the most fundamental part of being human. >> the ability to speak and communicate is intimacy. >> reporter: andrea enrolled in the als tdi precision medicine program in cambridge this is the chief scientific officer. six years ago, they began collecting and banking movement and voice samples from als patients, with the hope that one day, technology could help turn that data into a cure. >> we formed this database in hopes that somebody would come along and care and it turned out that google came along and cared >> the goal was to maybe detect whether a person has als or not by looking at what their speech sounds like. >> reporter: julie is part of the google team that took 6,000 als voice samples and plugged them into their voice recognition technology they discovered the technology could grade voice impairment, showing the progression of the disease and potentially giving them insight into ways to treat it they also discovered something else >> i am a research scientist at google >> reporter: dmitri, a russian-born mathematician, has been a pioneer in speech recognition technology for 30 years. the technology works well for about 90% of people but not so well for those with speech impairments. >> it's very personal for me >> reporter: dmitri, profoundly deaf since the age of 1, speaks three languages, but has always struggled to be understood so, using his own voice and als tdi's vast database, he figured out that with enough samples, voice recognition technology could be trained to understand and communicate with anyone google's project uphonia was born this phone has project uphoneia, that interprets what you're saying the applications are profound. voice for the speech impaired. independence for the physically disabled home automation. andrea part of the research. armed with her 4,000 voice samples, the google team came to her and created a smarthome using uphonia. >> turn on bedroom lights. >> reporter: what was it do for you? >> it enables me to lock the door and change the temperature. >> it gives me peace of mind it gives her the independence of feeling like she's not a patient. right? she's a person >> reporter: in her sixth year with als, andrea has outlived her diagnosis, making her even more important in understanding the disease. >> play "dreams" by the cranberries. ♪ >> reporter: she lives each day with tenacity and hope every day is a blessing. >> yeah. i've been given the gift of time and i want to make the most of it >> wow >> i mean, sometimes you just marvel at what technology is able to achieve and what the people who come up with it are able to achieve. and there seems to be so many different applications for this. >> reporter: yeah. that's right, guys in fact, they have partnered with the canadian down syndrome society, to see how this technology can be applied to those who live with down syndrome ultimately, in addition to giving those with down syndrome and als more independence, the goal is to use the technology eventually, perhaps, to even help find a cure for diseases like als and google is hoping that, with the partnership with als tdi, that people will volunteer themselves for the data research and collection project uphonia is in the research stamgges, but it'll become available for everyone with sufficient database collection, guys >> natalie, thank you very much. we turn, again, to dave price for a check of the weather. >> would like to see 100 stories like that. sorry about the hoarse voice let's see what's happening across the country let's see what we're dealing with we have moisture across the southeast, through the gulf states and back into texas we're looking into a little bit of snowshower activity in the midsection of the country. cold air for the north and as we head into places like oswego and syracuse, you'll be talking as we roll into tomorrow, some lake-effect snow. six inches to half a foot and beyond now, that heavy rain continues tomorrow through the gulf states, into the southeast more warm temperatures for florida before we cool off and the west is best it just looks great out there, all the way from southern california through the pacif the west is the best. we're enjoying more sunshine. here's a look outside in dublin right now as we head out the door. no fog here but it's drifting around the north bay, temperatures this afternoon in the 60s in the north bay. up to 68 in liver moore and antioch. san jose 69 degrees. we'll keep the spring like weather going into the weekend. just a few more clouds moving in on friday and the weekend is also looking very nice with highs near 70. >> and that's a quick look at your weather >> all right, dave >> make some tea >> exactly. >> dave price needs a ricola what have you got, carson? >> royal news. harry and meghan may not be able to use the sussex royal brand. a source close to the couple telling nbc news that while discussions are still ongoing, it is looking more and more likely they'll have to drop the lucrative term from all their branding sussex royal is the name of the couple's instagram account and official website they were going to use it for their nonprofit. harry and meghan made the announcement in january they were officially stepping back as senior members of the royal family we'll keep an eye on that story. a little more news out of the uk of the lizzo variety. the brit awards took place their version of the grammys and lizzo's gown stole the show. showed up like a hershey bar it was complete with a bar code and nutritional facts were on the side of the dress. and finished it off with a clutch, with diamonds to make it look like a chocolate bar. label reading, 100%. a nod towards her big hit. >> only she can pull it off. >> 100%. how about a little pearl jam this morning the band releasing a new track from their upcoming album. here's a little bit of a listen of "superblood wolf moon." ♪ ♪ >> come on anybody excited for pearl jam? it's been a minute it's their 11th album, the first one since 2013 that's the longest stint between albums it's coming out on march 27th next month looking forward to it. they put out "dance of the clairvoyance" is the first single sounds good. this could be a good record. >> big one for them. you have a click >> we have a click you know the disappearing human tricks pet owners pull on their dogs they toss a blanket. then they run away, looking like they vanish. today's features a bit of a twist. instead of running away, the owner stays under and hides under the blanket. you see the sheepdog a little baffled where the owner went eventually figuring it out what happened? >> how long does it take - >> another eight minutes >> we got time there she is >> oh, yeah. >> that's cute >> works for toddlers, too, right? all right, guys. fasten your seat belts two big showdowns coming up on the show first, these five lucky people are playing a version of super mario in hopes of winning a trip to universal studios super nintendo world in japan. and john o'hurley is here with our furry friends good morning 8:26. deputies are investigating an apparent homicide in the hills of san jose. this is after finding a woman's body inside a home on mountain view avenue. they made that discovery yesterday afternoon, and so far no information on the woman who died. we saw investigators searching trash cans and interview neighbors. some who told us the home was listed on airbnb. someone who stayed there last night told us they never saw a woman inside. deputies will not say if they have a suspect description. let's get a look of the commute for you. >> looking like a typical a pattern for a wednesday. some south bay schools have winter break. west 84, no break here. the bridge late to start the commute, late to end. still going on, a crash at university. that's between two box trucks. you see the difference in speeds between the dunbarton and the san mateo bridge. oakland, here's 580, 880 and 518, all slowing towards the bay bridge things up ease up a bridge. the toll plaza has a lot of folks there. back to you. >> we'll have another update in 30 minutes. vo: four years ago, donald trump beat the democratic establishment. and then he outlasted democratic insiders in washington on impeachment, despite his obvious crimes and corruption. romney: the president is guilty. vo: now, if we don't do something different this time around, he'll win again. that's the hard truth. we simply can't afford to nominate another insider or an untested newcomer who doesn't have the experience to beat trump on the economy. we need to think different. tom steyer is a progressive businessman who left his company and is using his time and money to beat big corporations and address climate change. he can expose donald trump as a fraud and failure on the economy. tom steyer: he's running on the economy. he running on the idea that democrats can't grow an economy, are a bunch of socialists, you can't afford to vote for him. my job is is take on mr. trump and kick his ass on the economy. i'm tom steyer and i approve this message. back, now, 8:30. wednesday morning, february 19th, 2020 check out our cool crowd super mario out here on the plaza. y'all having flashbacks? >> yeah. >> we have five people playing for a nintendo-themed game, in hopes of winning a trip to japan, to visit the new super nintendo world, thanks to our sister company, universal studios. we'll speak to the players in a minute to find out who, of the five, are going to go to osaka, jap japan, for this awesome prize. >> that's insane you've been waiting for it all morning. you've been waiting for it for weeks, probably. our first-ever, "today best in show" contest. the judges are getting psyched the dogs are ready to strut their stuff. and anything, anything is pawsible >> all right >> i got it. pawsible >> roker would have sold it better how about a "crowd moment," to redeem myself looking for east cooper montessori what's up, guys? what grade are you >> sixth >> and you're part of the east cooper montory montessori charter school >> yeah. >> who is the spokesperson here? >> i don't know. >> it will be you. what's your name >> hugh. >> you're in new york for what reason >> we're doing this and then - >> united nations? >> yeah. we go to conferences on -- today, it's our opening ceremony >> all right they're here for a united nations conference this is a sharp group. you're the principal >> yes >> name? >> jodie flanagan. 31 delegates here from east cooper montessori, representing countries from all over the world. >> i was part of my team at my school for the united nations. i have a soft spot in my heart for you guys good luck. east cooper montessori charter school, dave price >> love that guys, let's get a check of the weather. dave price, he's hanging by a thread, but will give the weather right after this >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by capital one, what's in your wallet? >> all right we got a great crowd out here. nice to see you, everybody a shoutout to st. peters in rhode island good to see you guys let's check the weather across the country. heavy rain through sections of the southeast and the gulf states today florida, another day, especially in south florida, of nice, warm weather. lake-effect snows working their way into syracuse. west coast looks good, into tomorrow milder air replaces that bitter cold up in the northern plains states heavy rain moves into the southeast. mid-atlantic, you may see some snow, even in charlotte and raleigh and up in the mountains near asheville you can see upwards of a few inches or more that's a quick look at the weather. here's good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we look at the golden gate bridge we're enjoying some sunshine and it's going to be another beautiful spring-like day. also dry as our temperatures reach into the upper 60s, even a few low 70s. still not a lot of rain in this forecast. we will see an increase in clouds on friday and a chance of spotty light showers near the coast. then we continue on with warm temperatures and mostly sunny skies going into the beginning of next week. weather. wear a hat it's cold today. carson >> i like your hat it's a nice segue to what's going on right now who is ready to play some nintendo last month, we asked you at home to send us a video saying why you are a nintendo superfan. that's because our sister company, universal studios, will send one person and three guests, to osaka, japan, to visit super nintendo world in universal stud crios japan befoe it opens this summer the mario-themed area will make you feel like you're living in the game, with your favorite characters, new rides and a whole lot more here on the plaza, we have our five finalists here ready to compete in a game of chance to win the grand prize. here they are. going to start with john you have an 8-year-old that calls himself the ultimate mario master >> yeah. >> this is steven, the ultimate mario master >> you excited, buddy? >> yeah. >> look great. >> look awesome. a little mini host you should host "the voice," too. >> i am a host >> i knew you looked familiar. >> on youtube. good to see you, buddy good luck, all right >> you've seen my channel? >> i have. i love your channel. >> thank you >> welcome >> of course i have. i have kids, too scottie, i understand you want to take your son for his 13th birthday >> absolutely. excited about jonathan being here we're here because of an answer to prayer, really. >> i love it >> yeah. >> best of luck. good to have you here. meghan, you have a touching story. what does this mean to you >> it would fulfill parker's greatest passion he loves mario it's been a big part of our lives. in helping keep our family together and moving. it'd mean a lot to us to go. >> bust of luck. you have the outfit on >> alex, superfan since a kid? >> yes >> are you excited for this moment >> yeah. we played all our lives. let's go to japan and do it. >> good to get you back there. and the downey family, last but not least. you're a legacy nintendo family? >> my wife and i played nintendo in college mario kart is a great way to blow off steam, healthy way to do it. we brought it into our family. a good way to connect with the kids >> you excited >> yes, sir. it keeps our family together super excited to be here >> you ready to play ready to do this >> absolutely. >> you can head over to your box. i'm going to start a countdown here i'm going to count to three. when i count to three, you jump and punch the box with your glove. each glove has a smartphone that will randomly decide the winner. if your screen turns gold, you are the grand prize winner are we ready >> ready >> here we go. one, two, three. jump ♪ >> jump. who has the gold screen? jump and press it. ♪ >> jump and press it anybody have a gold screen yet no look in your glove ♪ >> keep pressing it. anybody have a gold screen lo look in your glove no gold yet? no gold yet? >> is that it? >> we'll do a check. is that it we have a congratulations here do we have any judges? i believe we have our winner right here congratulations. scottie and the hollands family. after quick deliberation, the judges have decided they're the winner congratulations to all of our contestants. nobody is going home empty-handed everybody else is going to get a nintendo gift basket with a bunch of cool stuff. the new nintendo switch, and lots and games and more provided by nintendo and universal studios. $600 worth of gear in the baskets. we want to say thanks to our friends at nintendo and universal studios. congratulations. >> turn around >> scottie and the family is going to osaka, japan. what a morning congratulations. hoda >> that was awesome. congratulations. enjoy the trip check it out, which one of the six dogs from all across the country is best in show? you do not want to miss our inaugural dog show but first, this is "today" on nbc. oh, welcome back are you ready? >> ready >> are we ever >> the moment we've been waiting all morning long for it's time for "today's best in show." we brought in six amazing dogs from all over the country. we'll get to the competition in a moment yes, the dog is wearing pearls but first, let's meet our finalists. >> reporter: in a dog-eat-dog world, we are looking for the very best. >> think you have america's most amazing, adorable pup? >> reporter: 1,200 of you submitted your furry friends from far and wide. this was serious business, so we narrowed it down weighing in at 3 1/2 pounds is vincinza you can call him vinny the yorkshire terrier is small but mighty and known for giving his owner an endless supply of kisses for dynamic duo, rusty and dixie, they steal the spotligh with their matching outfits. when this lovable pug isn't posing for photos, you'll catch her eyeing up the pizza box. max is a real class act who helped his mom, lily, graduate from college the australian shepherd likes to be rewarded with a good belly rub. and if you need a co-pilot, he'll hold your hand rolling in hot, is florida's fashion diva, lola, she's always dressed to impress like this english bulldog's style? how about a tour of her personal walk-in closet her owner, maureen, will lead the way. please, no pupar puparizi. daisy made saying i do a lot easier this goldendoodle won't share details about the bachelor party but will give you a high-five if you're having a bad day. bear lives up to his name. >> big dog, all the way. >> reporter: his owner, roseanne, jokes they should have named him tiny clocking in at 156 pounds, all this alaskan malamute wants to do is give you one big bear hug. all right. the competition, looking fierce. our spectators have taken their seats. let's meet our celebrity judges. we pulled out all of the stops this morning john o'hurley is here. and john is the 18-time host of the national dog show. and you've heard this voice before, david frey, expert analyst, professional judge who officiated dog shows all over the world. mr. frey, honored to have you. judges will pay attention to every detail including several top qualifications first, the buddy factor. how good of a companion the dog is and next is your pet's aww-dorabe factor. they're looking for canine style and swag and lastly, the judges are keeping a watch out for any special tricks or skills you're pulling out of your doggy bag. for barking rights, contestants are competing for something else >> you bet your booties, craig we have an all-expenses-paid trip to the beverly hills dog show provided by purina, our event sponsor. >> all right a lot up for grabs spectators, are you ready? >> yes >> here we go. don't forget, you can vote at home for your favorite right now, today.com/contestants are we ready >> let's do it >> let's get the show on the road first up, we have johnny and vinny. miamisburg, ohio vinny, a 1-year-old yorkshire terrier. john, your question. >> obviously, the most dangerous dog in this competition. 3 1/2 pounds this is a small guy with a big personality. tell us more >> this is one of the best dogs i've ever had. a friend to everybody. he loves everyone. not afraid of anything >> excellent that's exactly right how big does he think he is? >> 100 pounds. as big as bear >> have him take his walk. all right. >> come on >> i love his tie. >> they are both in costume. i love this. >> wow >> look at that. >> i own the ground i walk on. >> make america great again. i heard we were voting i wanted to make sure. >> okay. >> they went political all right. we have rusty foster and dixie from leesburg, virginia. she's a 10-year-old pug. what do you want to know about dixie? that's a tutu. >> that's a tutu she has pearls keeping in with everything going on here. but rusty and dixie are stars of holiday cards in their hometown. i've seen them, they're great. that's why he got here it's great fun tell us what makes dixie everybody's best friend. >> we have pizza night every friday night she gets so excited for pizza crust. she loves pizza night. and when the doorbell rings, she gets so excited, she screeches and it sounds like, i'll get it, i'll get it. of course, when i get my pizza, right there next to me on the chair. >> let's rock the runway here. >> come on, babes. >> undeniable little pug >> let's say hello to lily and her friend, max, from virginia a 1-year-old australian shepherd hello. >> hello >> lily and max. >> you got max your senior year in college, right? >> i did >> you call him a spirit lifter. what does he do with the students >> he goes up to every person he meets and he licks them. can't even resist all these people in the room right now he wants to lick them all. >> you have to be as active as your dog >> oh, yeah. >> one of the smartest dogs. >> beautiful color blue color >> piercing eyes, huh? >> now, we have marie and lola what part of florida >> ovido right you -- outside of orlando. >> low la is a bulldog, also in pearls >> i like to say, this is a little winston churchill tutu comment there another set of pearls, but these look like small bowling balls. we saw it in the video you have the walk-in closet for the dog. when did you get involved in dressing up the dog and why? >> it is not so much dressing up the dog. low la dresses up for a good cause because me and four other ladies that are bulldog lovers have raised $65,000 over the last 4 1/2 years >> great >> the runway is yours >> take your strut and take your time, too. >> you look great. >> austin summers and daisy. oskaloosa. illinois did i get it right >> yes >> she's a goldendoodle. >> yes turning 4 next month, and she's also wearing shoes >> she rocks them. >> the streets of new york >> exactly right >> the goldendoodle. >> that's me, i'm sorry. great story about this dog, actually, saved a life >> yeah. it's more of an emotional save everybody is overmedicating. and i went through anxiety and depression she brought me out of it >> congratulations >> take your stroll. take your stroll >> daisy, oh >> and last but not least, you asked for big, we went big this is roseanne and bear. appropriately named. from massachusetts an alaskan malamute. >> he's very friendly. >> the biggest alaskan malamute you've ever seen i asked if she lived near a nuclear power plant. >> he is big giant guy with a gentle spirit >> this is the teacup variety. >> it helps everybody and shows his affection. >> he does >> your question >> that was the question how does he do it? >> we have a dog-friendly restaurant we bring in all the dogs people want to work, they come and get to bring their dogs. >> we love the dog-friendly restaurants. >> take your stroll there. be sure to stop and say hi to savannah >> there you go. >> have to be some tabulating here we will take a quick break and give our judges some time to pick the winner. before we go, let's check in with our spectators. who is your favorite >> can we say? >> we can't. >> we'll deliver it after the break. >> you heard from our crowd. don't forget to vote at home, today.com. the fan favorite, we can tell you, the votes are in. the fan favorite, bear >> what? >> bear is the fan favorite. so, the people have spoken we'll get the judges to weigh in after this quick break first, this is "today" on nbc. i work hard and i want my money to work hard too. so i use my freedom unlimited card. even when i'm spending, i'm earning 1.5% cash back on everything i buy. (shouting) earning on headphones! huh? earning. earning. still earning. always earning. i don't know where you're pointing. not that one! the big one. you can't sneak a good earning opportunity past me. in fact... i've got a hand modeling gig that starts right now. earn 1.5% cash back on everything you buy with freedom unlimited. oooh. my hand looks good. chase. make more of what's yours. try to win by attacking, now, we know the trump strategy- distorting, dividing. mr. president: it. won't. work. newspapers report bloomberg is the democrat trump fears most. as president, universal healthcare that lets people keep their coverage if they like it. a record on job creation. a doable plan to combat climate change. i led a complex, diverse city through 9-11 and i have common sense plans to move america away from chaos to progress! i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message. ♪ nothing but a hound dog we're back with "today's best in show." dogs are putting their best hat forward. they're going to take one final walk, down our runway, before the judges make the final call there's the fan favorite, bear, leading the way. >> daisy, close second >> lola, shaking the pearls. >> okay. >> come on >> all right this is difficult. dave, john have we made a decision? >> negotiate >> we did. yep. we deliberated quite a bit over this >> like regular dog shows. >> exactly right >> we have a reserve winner -- >> second place. >> that would be lola. >> lola. >> congrats. >> good job, lola. >> you can tell, she is stunned by that announcement stunned by that announcement that leads us to -- we did deliberate and take the fan choice into heavy consideration. we decided, unanimously, to go in another direction, with the natural enemy of the malamute, the 3 1/2-pound yorkie is our winner ♪ >> vinny >> what do they win? >> they win -- you're winning ag show including round-trip airfare, hotel accommodation. >> love it >> road trip >> all right >> thanks to sponsor purina. >> you get to travel with that little one >> congratulations >> in a backpack >> thank you >> congrats. the beverly hills dog show airs april 5th here on nbc. we're back in a moment growing up in a family that struggled economically powerfully influenced my values. bernie sanders he's fighting to raise wages. and guarantee health care for all. now, our country is at a turning point. hard working people, betrayed by trump, struggling to survive. in this moment, we need a fighter. bernie sanders. we know he'll fight for us as president because he always has. i'm bernie sanders and i approve this message. all right. welcome back thanks to all of our competitors in "today's best in show" contest. great news good morning, 8:56 i'm marcus washington. so far no updates on the elderly man rescuers found late last night in moran. he disappeared monday while hiking near stone valley trail. k-9 units helped track him down. he's at the hospital this morning with his family. rescuers resume their search for an elderly couple near palo al alto. it's believed that carol and ian were hiking after leaving their rented cabin. we'll have a live report on that search effort in the midday newscast. and two to our website where we have the latest as we get updates on both of those stories. two people back from the quarantined cruise ship in japan are being treated in the north bay. doctors say one has tested positive for the coronavirus while the other is showing symptoms. the stage is set for tonight's democratic presidential debate in las vegas. this will be the first time contender michael bloomberg participants. you can go to our home page right now for a preview. i can't believe it. that chad really was raised by wolves? which one is your mother? that's her right there. oh, gosh. no, i can't believe how easy it was to save hundreds of dollars on my car insurance with geico. it's really great. well, i'm just so glad to have met your beautiful family. and we better be sitting down now. believe it! geico could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. tomtrump on the economy.ald his people over profits plan makes a living wage a right. creates thousands of good paying green jobs in california. and provides a 10% tax cut for everyone making under $250,000. tom's plan also makes health care a right, by adding a public option to obamacare. protects union negotiated plans. and ensures californians can make their own health care choices. i'm tom steyer and i approve this message. live, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today." >> good morning. welcome to the third hour of "today." look who is classing up the joint. >> maria. >> maria shriver is here. going to spend the whole hour with us. and for the rest of the week, right? >> yes. i'm excited. >> we love it when you come east. al will be back tomorrow. he had the extended vacation. >> i heard about that. >> roker gets 12 weeks a year. you have a great story. >> i love the series that you've been doing.

Related Keywords

Australia , Nevada , United States , Chad , Alaska , China , Sonoma , California , Syracuse , New York , San Francisco , Cambodia , Beverly Hills , Texas , Hampshire , Wuhan , Hubei , Japan , Sussex , New Brunswick , Canada , Oakland , Florida , Illinois , Virginia , Morgan Hill , Washington , Mississippi , Marin County , Osaka , Leesburg , Orlando , France , Fisher Island , Hawaii , Americans , Australian , America , Canadian , Alaskan , French , American , King Hawaiian , Michael Bloomberg Kristen Welker , Kari Hall , Cooper Montessori , David Frey , Blagojevich Isa , Ryan Newman , Michael Bloomberg , Sam Brock , Andrea Mitchell , Janet Jackson Dubois , Lola , Janet Harris , Matt Damon , Jeffersons Dubois , Lou Gehrig , Robert Downey Jr , Bernie Sanders , Ben Affleck , Diana Taylor , Laura Garcia , Tom Steyer , Botox , William Barr , Michael Milken , Barack Obama , Maria Shriver , Las Vegas , Pete Buttigieg , Dale Earnhardt Jr , Peter Alexander , Dale Earnhardt , Mike Bloomberg , Bradley Cooper , Bernie Kerik , Rachael Ray ,