Intelligence community . Well ask former cia director and defense secretary robert gates in a live interview. Frightening moment. Minnesotas governor begins to slur his words during a speech. Then suddenly collapses. Get him to the ground. Get him to the ground, please. People quickly rush in to help. This morning, the latest on his condition. And all eyes on la la land. An earlymorning call in hollywood as this years Oscar Nominations are set to be revealed. Live today, tuesday, january 24th, 2017. From nbc news, this is today with matlauer and savannah guthrie. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today. 7 00 on the west coast, day two of natalies stay here filling in for savannah. Youre my source for everything oscarrelated. Ive seen a lot of the movies. S the it is all about la la land. Well have much more on the nominations, but once again, the weather is our top story. Thats right. Out west the storms in california, they are the strongest storms in years causing a lot of problems. Well get to al in a moment. First, Steve Paterson is live in los angeles for us, hey, steve, good morning. Reporter good morning once again. Finally the deluge from this weekend now stretching into this week has ended, but the danger is far from over. Because basically of how much of the damage from the rain has fallen. Governor jerry brown issuing a state of emergency in this area for 50 count counties. The communities now dealing with tens of millions of dollars in damages because of the rock slides, because of the mud flows, because of the severe flooding. Meanwhile, the worst western winter storm that we have seen in years continued to pound the region last night. Evacuation orders remain in places for areas that were scarred by last years wildfires because they are more prone to these mudslides. All this is happening while basically the entire Southern Coast of california remains urn a flash flooding watch. It is the wettest january in more than two decades. And theres even more rain in the forecast today. Back to you. Steve paterson, thank you so much. Well get to als forecast in just a bit. Lets turn to politics right now, President Trump welcomed congressional leaders to the white house last night. And immediately stirred up conversation by repeating a wide he debunked claim about the president ial election. This happened as lawmakers began the process of confirming trumps cabinet mom niece. In a moment, former defense secretary and cia director robert gates will weigh in on mr. Trumps opening days in office. But first we have two reports from white house beginning with peter alexander. Good morning to you. Reporter good morning to you. It was President Trumps first meeting with congressional leaders at the white house after what aides viewed a strong opening day. But more than two months after winning the election, mr. Trump is still dwelling on having lost the popular vote and again repeated a bonus claim. President trump opening his house to congressional leaders, both republicans and democrats, a happy arm offensive, food and drink served. But during the bipartisan meeting, the president spent the first ten minutes reviewing the campaign, claiming without evidence that between 3 to 5 million undocumented immigrants who the president called illegals causing him to lose the popular vote to hillary clinton. According to the washington post, the number of documented cases of voter fraud in the election were four, including a woman in iowa who voted twice for trump. Its a widely debunked claim, but one the new president has made before just weeks after the election tweeting, in addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, i won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally. The evening punctuating a carousel of white house visits. Lawmakers in the state dining room, ceos in the roosevelt room, Union Leaders in the oval office. They are very happy with the meeting we just had, what do you think . Excellent meeting. Excellent. After campaigning on more than 20 dayone promises. In my first day in office, i am going to ask a Republican Congress to send me a bill to immediately repeal and replace obamacare. On day one we will begin working on an inpenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful southern border wall. Reporter a more modest opening day. Just three executive orders. Instituting a hiring freeze for federal workers, not including the military. Reinstating a policy to ban recipients of u. S. Foreign aid for providing abortions. And pulling out of the pacific trade deal, an obama pet project intended to check china. Great thing for the american worker. What we just did. Reporter the move triggering a political role reversal praised by Bernie Sanders but blasted by john mccain, calling it a serious mistake with lasting consequences. After press Secretary Sean Spicers combative weekend debut in the briefing room, making claims that were later described as alternative facts, spicer tried to smooth things over. I think sometimes we can disagree with the facts. Reporter but again coverage. D about the media its a little demoralizing to turn on the tv day after day, and hear cant do this. This guy is not going to get confirmed. No way they are going through. Reporter raising eyebrows, spicers refusal to say what the Unemployment Rate is almost a year after this trump claim. The number is probably 28, 29, as high as 35. In fact, i even heard recently 42 . Reporter spicers take . I think for two often in washington we get our heads wrapped around a number, in a statistic. Reporter for the record, the current unemployment statistic as of december is 4. 7 . And new this morning, nbc news has learned that at 11 00 here, just an hour from now, President Trump will sign executive actions to advance the keystone and dakota pipelines. Matt and natalie . Peter alexander at the white house, thank you. The president s new team is starting to take shape. And late last night, his director of the cia was sworn in. And secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, moved closer to his own confirmation. Hallie jackson has that part of the story. Hallie, good morning. Reporter hey, natalie, good morning. A busy day at the white house. But over on capitol hill, where the president s pick for transportation secretary is set to get a full senate vote later today. As more of his nominees get the green light, more scrutiny on some of the topics theyre set to oversee, like Foreign Policy, intelligence and national security. A cabinet coming together. Cia head mike pompeo successfully sworn in. Recommendation passes. Reporter Rex Tillerson clearing his Biggest Senate hurdle, all but certain to be secretary of state next week. New leadership for the intelligence and Foreign Policy teams with both of those topics in the spotlight. National security adviser, mike flynn, getting fresh attention for his interactions with russias ambassador to the u. S. , on december 29th. The same day the Obama Administration announced sanctions against moscow, for interfering in the election. Press Secretary Sean Spicer describes those discussions as routine, saying flip made another call to the russians as recently as three days ago. One call talks about four subjects. Reporter a u. S. Intelligence official tell nbc news overnight there was never an investigation of flynn. And that the calls were briefly scrutinized after being picked up as part of routine monitoring of the ambassador. Adding, the matter has been concluded. Any other conversations between general flynn and members of the russian government . Not that im aware of. Reporter back to this, broader questions about the investigation into russias meddling with the u. S. Election. One former intelligence official briefed on the matter, said that inquiry is looking into whether certain former Trump Campaign aides had improper connections with the russians. The Intelligence Committee looking into possible connections. At the white house, the press secretary downplaying any feud between the president and leaders of the intelligence community. Pointing to the response President Trump got in his visit to the cia on saturday. They were excited. They were clapping. They were cheering when he walked in. Reporter that cheering, audible for many of the 400 staffers in attendance. But not from Senior Agency leadership, staying silent during parts of the president s remarks. Former agency head john brennan not in attendance calling the president ial appearance a despicable display. Almost overshadowed at that visit saturday, these remarks by President Trump. If we kept the oil, you probably wouldnt have isis. Because thats where they kept their money in the first place. So we should have kept the oil. But okay. Maybe youll have another chance. We want to make sure our interests are protected. If were going into a country for a cause reporter can you unequivocally state that this administration will not send more troops into iraq as the president has put it, take the oil . Im not going to talk about what we may or may not do. Reporter and press Secretary Sean Spicer will hold his second briefing at the podium behind me, as the president starts his day with the auto meeting. And it also includes a bun oneonone with mitch mcconnell, matt. You know the topic of Supreme Court picks will be on the agenda. Absolutely. Hallie, thank you very much. A little earlier this morning we were joined by former defense secretary and cia director robert gates. Hes the author of the book a passion for leadership. We began by asking him if hes worried that Rex Tillerson, the guy he suggested to trump for secretary of state, will always face lingering doubts when he deals with russia or putin. I dont think so. Once rex is confirmed and in office, that his actions will prove that hes basically totally focused on looking out for best interests of the United States. And frankly, i was disappointed that it was a party line vote. I had hoped that a few democrats would support rex. Lets stay on russia for a second. Youre very aware of the things donald trump has tweeted about russia and vladimir putin, calling him a great leader, calling him an asset saying he wants a closer relationship with him. You four months ago said trumps expressions of admiration for putin and his aauthoritarian regime are naive and irresponsible. And youre the guy who said, i looked in Vladimir Putins eyes and saw the eyes of a stonecold killer. When you met with president elect trump a couple months ago, did you personally say those things to him . Did you warn him about putin . I did. I used i told him about that story about looking into putins eyes, but i also told him that i thought that the challenge for his administration was going to be to thread the needle between figuring out how to push back against putins aggressions and interventions and thuggery, and at the same time figure out a way to stop what i regard as a dangerous downward spiral in the relationship. But you have to do both things. Ou know thi and cia and other intelligence ageies are investigating possible improper contact between three of mr. Trumps former campaign associates, the New York Times goes as far as saying theyre looking at intercepted communications and financial data. Youve got an experienced gut. You were this nations top spy. Does this make you squeezezy . Well, i dont know anything about the investigation. What i have some confidence in based on experience is i have no doubt that the russians tried to intervene in our election, that they tried to discredit and legitimize the election. Theyre trying to do that in europe right now in elections there. So this is a part of the way the russians do business. Let me move on to the cia when President Trump went to the cia a couple days ago and stood in front of that wall of stars, which represent the people who gave their lives for this country and the intelligence community. And he chose the opportunity to pick a fight with the media and did some selfpromoting. Did you feel he was disrespectful to the agency and those people who gave their lives . Well, i think there was sort of there seems to be sort of a stream of consciousness that goes on. First of all, i thought it was an important gesture to go out there in the first place, even before mike pompeo was confirmed and basically say to the people at the agency he respected them and wanted to work with them. So i think that was important. Is there still a rift . Well, i this i to the degree there is. And there is always tension. But youre in contact with some of your associates. First of all, theres always tension between cia and president s, because cia says things president s dont like. And so, you know, i think mike pompeo, i talked to him several time, and i think hell be successful in sort of mending this, but more importantly figuring out how to make cia a useful asset for the president. When President Trump went to langley over the weekend, he made the comment, we might get another chance to steal iraq soil. Quote, if we kept the oil, we wouldnt have had isis in the first place. The old expression to the victor belong the spoils, we should have kept the oil but okay, maybe well have another chance. As the former head of the defense department, at is your reaction to that . I have no clue what hes talking about. If the u. S. Military were to go in now and try to steal iraqs soil, wouldnt that be International Crime . I think thats not going to happen. During his inaugural address, he said a new vision will govern or land. From this day forward, its only going to be america first. And historically speaking, how do you think that sounds to our allies . I think it reinforces their impression already that the United States is pulling back from engagement around the world. And i think its leading a lot of the this started before the election under the Obama Administration. And i think it just reinforces their view that they may be need to recalibrate their relationships with other countries including russia and china. If they think the United States is basically speaking from the role we have had in the last seven decades, other countries are going to fill that. In your book, you write this, important qualities for a leader. They need to have the right temperament and to keep their egoin check and treat people with dignity and respect. Having written that, are you confident donald trump will be an effective leader . I think that you have two sort of parallel universities, so to speak. You have the public commentary, tweeting and so on and so forth, thats a little mindboggling. But then, many people talk about meeting with the president in private and having very serious, very thoughtful conversations. That was the case when i met with him in december. So, i think when i look at the team hes putting around him in national security, tillerson, and mattis and kelly and so on, and i hear about the meetings in private, i think he can exercise very sound leadership and make good decisions about having to change would you like to see him bring though two sides of personalities together . Well, the problem is that the first impacts the second, in terms of perceptions around the world. Former defense secretary, robert gates and cia director. Its great to have you here. Really appreciate it. Thats a guy with a lot of history and interesting perspective. Sure is. Mr. Roker, quick check. We still have a few showers around much of central and southern california. But even though theyre ending, theres still going to be a lot of runoff. So that is why we do still have flood threats for central and southern los angeles. Maybe you dont need your agame today. You can bring your bgame instead. Youre just subbing for mrs. Tindalls fifthgrade class. Good morning, everybody. Start with world history. laughter talk about some science stuff. laughter the day basically runs itself. Yeah, thats not gonna work. Bring out your best you. And awaken your senses with the refreshing taste of tropicana. Good morning, San Francisco. Finally warming up into the mid40s across the bay area. Expect to see a few lingering showers off the. Were expected to exit the rain tonight. Closer look at the next seven daysing up. Natalie . Thank you, al. As we mentioned, this years Oscar Nominations were revealed and its been a good start of the day to anyone tied to la la land. Joe frye is with us. Good morning. Reporter good morning. After breaking the most wins, la la land tied another record, most Oscar Nominations with 14. One of nine films up for best picture in a year that features a much more diverse slate of acting nominees compared with the last two years. Hollywood is gaga for la la land, the original musical leaves them with 14 Oscar Nominations including best picture. Also vying for the top prize, hacksaw ridge, held or why water, manchester by the sea, hidden figures, fences and arrival. Making the lead in the competitive actress category, emma stone, Natalie Portman up for her portrayal of jackie kennedy, and ruth naga stop that. Reporter and 20time nominee meryl streep breaking her own record for most nods. Well, i cant be his guardian. Reporter as for lead actor, Casey Affleck is chasing his first oscar in manchester of the sea against ryans go link, andrew garfield, and twotime oscar winner den