Hey there, good morning, everyone, its friday, december 2 7bd. Im alex witt alongside ali velshi and louis burgdorf. President elect trump began his thank you tour. Trump made multiple diversions from his prepared remarks and about a half hour into his speech made the surprise announcement that james mattis is his choice for secretary of defense. Are we doing a good job with our cabinet and our people . I dont want to tell you this, because i want to save the suspense for next week, so i will not tell you that one of our great, great generals dont let it out tonight, right . We are going to appoint mad dog mattis as our secretary of defense. But were not announcing it till monday, so dont tell anybody. Mad dog. Hes great. Hes our best. They say hes the closest thing to general George Patton that we have, and its about time. Its about time. Mattis, who also went by the nickname warrior monk is revered in the marine corps. He headed u. S. Central command from 2010 to 2013. He has quoted controversy in the past saying, its fun to shoot to people while talking at a forum in 2005. Because mattis only recently retired, he must pass a waver for his appointment, but at least one member has already come out in opposition. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, while i deeply respect general mattis service, i will oppose a waver. I will not vote for any exception to this rule. Yet the committee chairman, senator john mccain, said he looks forward to fast confirmation and america will be fortunate to have general mattis in its service once again. The president elect began the first leg of the thank you tour, a victory lap of sorts which he talked about his plans for the country and frequently broke from his teleprompter to relive some of his campaign battles. Im going to discuss our action plan to make America Great again. Were going to discuss. Although we did have a lot of fun fighting hillary, didnt we . Right . We spend too much time focusing on what divides us. Now is the time to embrace the one thing that truly ewe newts us. You know what that is . America. America. Were going to seek a truly inclusive society, where we support each other, love each other, and look out for each other, and that means that people coming into our country have to be people that have the potential to love us, not to hate us. We condemn bigotry and prejudice in all of its forms. We denounce all of the hatred, and we forcefully reject the language of exclusion and separation. Were going to come together. We have no choice. We have to. And its better. Earlier in the day, donald trump savored his trip to indianapolis. His administration cheering their first victory, even before formally taking office, but as he began his remarks, he relished another victory. If you remember during the primaries this was going to be the firewall. This was where they were going to stop trump, right . And that didnt work out too well. And it was a firewall for me, it was a firewall, and we won by 16 points. And the election we just won by 20 points, almost 20 points, and that was some victory. Thats pretty great. Trump went on to say he was watching the news recently when he was reminded of a common refrain from his days campaigning. I was watching the nightly news, i wont say which one, because i dont want to give him credit, because i dont like him much, ill be honest. And they had a gentleman worker, great guy, handsome guy, he was on. He said something to the effect, no, were not leaving. Because donald trump promised us that were not leaving. And i never thought i made that promise. Not with carrier. I made it for everybody else. I didnt make it really for carrier. And i said, whats he saying . And he was such a believer. Then they played my statement, and i said, carrier will never leave, but that was a euphemism. I was talking like carrier, like all other companies from here on in. So now because of him, whoever that guy was. Is he in the room by any chance . Thats your son, stand up. You did a good job. United technologies is one of the top 50 companies in the United States. They make many other things other than air conditioners, believe me. In fact, hes right. United technologies also has billions of dollars in defense contracts with the federal government and sources familiar with the negotiations say that was a motivating factor. United technologies gets 10 of its revenue from the federal government. Inside this deal with United Technologies, 7 million in financial incentives over ten years from the taxpayers of indiana, the home of Vice President elect mike pence. That money comes in exchange for a guarantee that carrier retains at least 1,000 jobs and invests 16 million into its indiana operations. Still, according to the wall street journal, 600 jobs from that particular plant are still destined for mexico and cnbc reports 700 jobs will still be lost when a plant in nearby huntington, indiana, closes. During his speech trump also vowed to slash Corporate Tax rates and regulations he says are hindering American Business and spurring an exodus of jobs abroad. Alex . Reaction to the deal to keep carrier jobs in the u. S. Spurred some craze from the left and criticism from the right. Former Senior Adviser to president Obama David Axelrod tweeted, without knowing details of what was promised, any fair reading is the carrier intervention is a good early win for donald trump. While david beaux, executive Vice President said, when the president does it himself, it makes clear this is a crony economy to benefit the president s friends and that individual companies can be subject to pressure and punishment directly at the hands of the president. Thats not something that normally characterizes a democratic or republican form of government. Frankly, it brings to mind the term banana republic. Ali . Senator Bernie Sanders is criticizing the deal, as well, writing, carrier just showed corporations how to beat donald trump. Carrier says United Technologies took trump hostage and won. During the campaign we had mr. Trump running around the country saying he was going to be really tough on these corporations if they outsourced american jobs. And for American Workers out on the street. What hes doing now is saying to these corporations, well, its okay for half of the jobs to go to mexico where people will be paid 3 an hour, and for the other half, well, we are going to give a very, very profitable corporation, United Technologies makes 7 billion in profits last year, were going to give them a 7 million tax break in order to keep these jobs. United technologies today has 6 billion in defense contracts, and what trump should tell them is youre not getting a tax break, youre going to lose your defense contracts if you dont do the right thing and keep these workers, all workers, here in indiana, rather than sending half of those jobs to mexico. What trump is doing is setting a very dangerous precedent. My guess is today theres some corporation who may not have thought one second about leaving america, now they are going to announce, hey, were going to mexico, were going to china. Hey, mr. Trump, what are you going to do for us . Turning from politics now, as crews scour the mpts of tennessee, the death toll rises once more. 11 confirmed dead from the wildfires. Days later, others remain missing. No word still on the family of michael reed, his wife and two daughters are unaccounted for. This morning home, business, and rental owners will be able to return to gatlinburg for the first time, but only until 5 00 p. M. , as there are still curfews in effect. The Johnson City Fire Department posted this photo to facebook. The caption, as close as we got to seeing sleep in 36 hours. Those are some real heros, ali. No kidding, louis. Health scares forced one of the first men on the moon, astronaut buzz aldridge, who abandoned his trip to the south pole just days into his exertion. This photo was posted of aldrin recovering in new zealand. He is in stable condition and good spirits and hes got fluid in his lungs, but responding well to antibiotics. The 86yearold was scheduled to be in the south pole as part of a sightseeing trip. His manager also shared these photos. Earlier this week posting this photo of himself preparing for the trip simply capturing it, south pole here i come. Alex . Good for him. Still ahead, new details about an apparent road rage incident that left a former nfl running back dead. Plus, senator Elizabeth Warren offers a few kind words to former rival and possible trump cabinet pick. Those stories and more when we come back. For the holidays. Before his mom earned 1 cash back everywhere, every time. [ dinosaur growls ] and his dad earned 2 back at Grocery Stores and wholesale clubs. Yeah even before they earned 3 back on gas. Dannys parents used their bankamericard cash rewards credit card to give him the best day ever. Thats the joy of rewarding connections. Learn more at bankofamerica. Com getcashback. Explore your Treatment Options with specialists who treat only cancer. Every stage. Every day. At Cancer Treatment centers of america. Learn more at cancercenter. Com experts i want a hippopotamus for christmas only a hippopotamus will do at the United States postal service, we deliver more Online Purchases to homes than anyone else in the country. And more hippopotamuses, too. So whatever your holiday priority, our priority is you. Generosity is its oyou can handle being a mom for half an hour. Im in all the way. Is that understood . I dont know what shes up to, but its not good. Cant the world be my noodles and butter . Get your mind out of the gutter. Mornings are for coffee and contemplation. That was a really profound observation. You got a mean case of the detox blues. Dont start a war you know youre going to lose. Finally you can now find all of netflix in the same place as all your other entertainment. On xfinity x1. Welcome back. See this guy . Just days after telling new jersey voters hes, quote, not going anywhere, governor Chris Christie is reportedly making the case for himself to become the next Republican National committee chairman. According to politico, christie has told members of president elect trumps Transition Team that hes interested in running for the position. Sources tell politico the governor has embarked on an aggressive full court press Style Campaign for the job, which is currently held by trumps incoming chief of staff reince priebus. Christie may be facing an uphill battle for the job. Several members of trumps team have been encouraging the president elect to consider other candidates, which itself is creating divisions amongst that team. At the center of the reported battle are priebus, who has connections to the gops establishment, and steve bannon and top donor rebecca mercer, who pushed the president elect toward his populist base. Politico says Vice President elect mike pences team is also getting into the mix. Final approval of the next chair will come from the rncs 168 members who are expected to vote on the matter during their annual winter meeting next month. Congressman Keith Ellison is responding to new questions over his bid to run the democratic party. The Antidefamation League cites audio from the 2010 speech by ellison touching on u. S. Foreign policy in the middle east. In it the congressman questioned why decisions regarding the region are, quote, governored by what is good or bad by a country of 7 million people. The adl said ellisons remarks are deeply disturbing and disqualifying, implying u. S. Foreign policy is relaced on religiously or National Origin based special interests. Ellison issued an open letter in response saying hes saddened by their statement saying, the audio released was selectively edited and taken out of context by an individual the Southern Poverty Law Center has called an antimuslim extremist. My record proves my deep and long standing support for israel and ive always had the same values embodied by the Antidefamation League. Senator warren is getting behind one of Donald Trumps potential cabinet picks, giving a full throated endorsement of scott browns bid for secretary of veteran affairs. Warren unseated brown in a bitter 2012 senate race. Here she is on radio yesterday. If scott brown is the nominee for veterans affairs, i have no doubt that he would put his heart and soul into trying to help veterans, and i would put my heart and soul into trying to help him do that. You bet id support him for that. In response, my thanks to senator warren for her kind words. If nominated for secretary of the va, i would welcome her support, passion, and help to serve our vets. Troops. In 2014 he retired, endorsing trumps nomination a day after he lost the Iowa Caucuses and has been a vocal supporter ever since, but the republican may have some competition. Nbc news reported sarah palin is in contact with trumps transition officials, potentially for a role of va secretary. Alex . Okay, louis, lets get a check on your weather now with nbc meteorologist bill karins. Whats it looking like out there . Getting chilly. Thats the big story, a lot of people are feeling the chill, but we have a lot of Security Camera videos of the tornados and this was from atlanta. This was the day after the deadly ones in alabama and tennessee. This was pretty impressive. Two for the atlanta area. This was an ef1, winds around 100, 120 Miles Per Hour winds, but still impressive. Watch this tree fall right here. Thankfully nothing like that will be experienced today. Over the weekend, little more weather to deal with. We have a storm up in canada and the winds are bringing down the cooler air from canada. Im not going to say cold air, because were cool across the country. 31 in minneapolis, thats not exactly cold, but 20s and 30s across the country. Even in the southeast, people are getting winter coats and maybe the hats and gloves for the kids this morning. Whats going to change this weekend is that we have a big dip in the jet stream. Not really a big deal today, we have the santa ana winds in areas of california, so the fire danger is always a threat, and whats going to happen is when this shifts to the south, it will begin to pull moisture out of the gulf of mexico. That will cause another significant rain event beginning today, mostly saturday, sunday, monday and tuesday through the southeast. So that will be the story through the weekend, rainy weekend for you in texas, louisiana, eventually mississippi and alabama, too. So todays forecast, nice recovery after a chilly start in new england. No problems in the great lakes, cool and breezy, southeast warms up, too, but Rainy Weather on saturday and sunday will push the Rainy Weather here into areas of the southeast. Doesnt look like were going to deal with anything as severe as this week, the fire and tornados. Calm december week. Thankfully. Thanks so much, bill. Still ahead, the Minnesota Vikings almost pulled off a win in thursday night football, but the Dallas Cowboys winning streak lives on. Know more aboue food you choose. With beyond, you have a Natural Pet Food that goes beyond telling ingredients to showing where they come from. Beyond assuming the source is safe. To knowing it is. Beyond asking for trust. To earning it. Because, honestly, our pets deserve it. Beyond. Natural pet food. Welcome back. Sad news out of the sports world. Exusc star and former new york jets running back joe mcknight has died. The 28 year old was shot and killed in broad daylight yesterday following a road rage incident just outside of new orleans. Its unclear what led to the altercation, but a witness tells the times the suspect, 54yearold ronald gasser, shot mcknight, stood over his body and said, i told you not to bleep with me, then shot him again. That witness says mcknight was trying to apologize just before he was killed. Gasser remained at at scene, was taken into custody, and reportedly turned his gun over to police. The jets called mcknight a kind person. Pete carroll said, everyone loved joe and we are going to really miss him. Just a tragic story there. Turning back to the nfl now and bad news for patriot fans. Star tight end Rob Gronkowski is likely out for the remainder of the season, according to a joint statement from the team and gronkowski family. Espn reports the surgery is to repair a herniated disk, his third back surgery since 2009. Thursday night football, Dallas Cowboys and minnesota taking on the vikings. Second quarter, dak prescott finds a wide open dez bryant for the 56yard completion, setting up this Ezekiel Elliot td run to punch it in, giving dallas the lead there. Late in the fourth, 25 seconds to go, sam bradford hits mackinnon for the touchdown. That sets up minnesota for the twopoint conversion to tie and after a false start penalty they were backed up to the 7 yard line, then this. Rudolf all the way to the left. Three receivers to the right. Bradford looks over the middle. Whoa, where was that . Al michaels saying what we were all thinking, the cowboys have now won 11 straight, including three just in the last 12 days and proving a league best 111. To the nba and a battle, golden state hosting houston. James harden wide open as he goes in for the easy slam. Later st