up. there's an overflow room here as well. we expect people to start to line up. there's a few, about a dozen volunteers in there ready to help out. he's popular pretty much everywhere he goes. he exudes a celebrity atmosphere. not every stop that he makes is greeted with protesters. some of the bigger stops you see protesters. for the most part, people excited to see him. they're excited to hear his ideas. unclear at the moment, craig, if it's people that are just excited to see a celebrity, somebody that they liked on television, somebody who is bigger than life. or if it's someone they want to vote for for the next is the. >> katy tur, thank you so much. james holman, political reporter for "the washington post's" power post. let's get to this. you're on the donald beat. he's still surging in the polls. he's got the big rally in inspect. tonight. skipping the soap box in iowa. still planning to arrive at the state fair in his signature helicopter. sum up the state of the race involving him at this point. >> right now, craig, it's good to be with you. i think a lot of the crowds are interested in seeing the celebrity of donald trump. a couple of poll this is week show support is starting to soften. we have seen indications in the polls that people don't think he will win. they're interested to seeing what happens next. there's been a slight decrease in interest in trump. some reasons for the republican establishment to be hopeful. >> i want to call your attention to our friend josh barrow's piece. the main way mr. trump stands out from the field on economic policy is leftward. while most republicans favor free trade, mr. trump has called for much higher tariffs on imported goods to protect american industries from competition. he's criticized his opponents for proposing cuts in social security, medicare, medicaid. how is donald trump going to explain positions like that to his conservative critics? >> those are positions i think are politically good for him to be taking compared so some ed the more controversial thinks we have talked about. trump and mike huck kooe have staked out a protectionist stance. there's a lot of leeriness of the transpacific partnership. leeriness of nafta. they're a stand-in for the broader fear that people are coming into the country and taking their jobs. their jobs are being sent overseas. that's a very ripe sort of line for trump to tap into. >> let's talk about al gore here for a second. there's a source that's telling nbc news that humors of him running for president are quote overblown, similar to what most of us thought immediately when we read the buzz feed piece nes initially. your thoughts? >> we're at the stage of the democratic primary. the why not me stage. joe biden. and al gore, people close to them are looking in the mirror and saying, if bernie sanders can be leading hillary clinton in the polls in inspect. . there's the troubling stories about the e-mails every day that seem to be landing, why couldn't i run? my source is telling me al gore is not going to run. these are you know, hopeful conversations. his spokesman pouring cold what owner the report. this is not going to happen. maybe there was a trial balloon element to it. people are just sort of seeing a weak hillary clinton. none of the other kancandidatese that impressive. there's a belief among the anti-hillary democrats that none of the other candidates can go the distance. maybe someone like gore or biden could. i think biden is way more serious than al gore. >> let's talk about smokin' joe biden. the happy warrior. reports he's considering a one-term presidency, according to politico. does that make him more palatable or less or about the same? >> it's compelling. it's interesting. the idea that you would run for one term. you would think joe biden, who has been in congress since the mid 1970s would recognize it would be hard to get things done if you started in the white house as a lame duck. it's kind of surprising. but it also shows what pitch bide. would mak biden would make. he would be an elder staltesman. the one-term thick is a good contrast to the dynasty hit that a lot of democrats are uncomfortable with with hillary clinton. >> wouldn't joe biden, being vice president of the united states, wouldn't he have some what of a difficult time raising money at this point? aren't all of the big donors already committed? in terms of organization, it would seem to a lot of folks, some of the biggest organizers are already working for hillary or bernie sanders or matt o'malp chaffee. >> i'm glad you said that. a lot of people missed the reality check. a lot of people who like biden and have been close to biden are committed to hillary. they've already bundled for hillary. she has a masive staff in operation in iowa and new hampshire. it would be immensely hard for biden to build a serious campaign operation, especially one befitting a sitting vice president. you could not count on a lot of the obama coalition. i think biden would undoubtedly enter the race as a big underdog. it would be his third try for the presidency. i think he would event we are the mentality that he has nothing to lose and would approach it as happy warrior. it would be a very, very hard slog. i think that ultimately is one of the things that weighs against it. beau biden, before his tragic death, was encouraging his dad to run. i think biden is eyes open about what he would be getting into. >> james, wouldn't that be a race to cover? a joe biden criss-crossing the country with nothing to lose, no organization, and no money in the bank? oh, my goodness. >> it would be very fun to cover -- maybe even more fun that donald trump. >> yeah, james hohmann. always good to see you. >> thank you. here's what else we're following. an historic day in u.s.-cuban relations as the american flag is raised over the embassy for the first time in half a century. we're live in havana after this. also, pulled from the wreckage. an incredible story of survival out of that deadly china blast. we'll take you there as well. and things are about to get hot. really hot. your weekend forecast. much much more ahead this hour on msnbc. she'll log in with her smile. he'll have his very own personal assistant. and this guy won't just surf the web. he'll touch it. scribble on it. and share it. because these kids will grow up with windows 10. get started today. windows 10. a more human way to do. so, what did you guys they think of the test drive? i love the jetta. but what about a deal? terry, stop! it's quite alright... you know what? we want to make a deal with you. we're twins, so could you give us two for the price of one? come on, give us a deal. look at how old i am. do you come here often? he works here, terry! you work here, right? yes... ok let's get to the point. we're going to take the deal. get a $1000 volkswagen reward card on select 2015 jetta models. or lease a 2015 jetta s for $139 a month after a $1000 volkswagen bonus. the shot behind me of the cuban flag at the embassy in washington, d.c. that's been flying for about a month now. a symbol of the historic change in status between our two countries. the real action was in havana today. when the american flag was raised for the first time in more than 54 years. secretary of state john kerry was on hand to witness history. >> this morning, i feel very much at home here and i'm grateful to those who have come to share in the ceremony who are standing around outside of our facilities. and i feel at home here because this is truly a memorable occasion. a day for pushing aside old barriers. and exploring new possibilities. >> nbc's gabe gutierrez was also there for the monumental eviden. before we get to the news, what was it like for you to see all of this unfold in person? >> reporter: well, craig, good afterdmoon. it was an incredible moment to see the flag flying here for the first time in 54 years. there was the applause that we have seen throughout the day. as that flag was hoisted. three marines were present at this ceremony. that were here back in 1961, when the u.s. and cuba separated those diplomating tc ties. it was an incredible thing to witness. people on hand. journalists, tourists. this was unthinkable here in castro's cuba just a few years ago. craig? >> often in politics, optics are half the story. what, if anything, did secretary kerry and the foreign minister have to say about the logistics of this relationship going gu d forward? >> reporter: the foreign minister and secretary kerry wrapped up a news conference. nay met for a short amount of time. this is a delicate relationship. one that both sides need to be eager about moving forward. there's still deep difference here. the issue of the u.s. trade embargo. only congress with lift that. during his speech today, secretary kerry said he favorered lifting that trade embargo. that's up to congress. still, many issues remain, including regarding the advancement of human rights. here's some of what secretary kerry had to say. >> decades of good intentions aside, the policies of the past have not led to a democratic transition in cuba. it would be equally unreal isic to expect normalizing relations to have a transformational impact in the short term. after all, cuba's future is for cubans to shape. >> reporter: during that news conference, secretary kerry was asked about the potential closing of the u.s. prison at guantanamo bay. he said, let's not put the cart before the horse. both countries are trying to bite off a lot here. he signaled that so far, there would be no policy change when it comes to the prison at guantanamo bay. still, both sides agree a lot of progress has been made. again, the mere fact that this flag is flying at this building signals a lot. many people we have spoken with here on the ground even though some remain skeptical about the future of this relationship, overall, they think improved relations between cuba and the u.s. will lead to a better economy here. craig? >> you have spent more time on the ground there than most journalists, gabe. what is the mood like there? you indicated -- i mean, it sounds as if people are hopeful. would that be an accurate assessment of the mood? >> reporter: you could say than president now -- it's a tough question to answer. how the mood is here. because, the fact is, it's very complex. this relationship between cuba and the u.s. has been so complex for several decades. many people here do want some sort of interaction with the u.s. because they feel disconnected from the rest of the world. partly because of the u.s. embargo. we spoke with some digital entrepreneurs here having a difficult time because they say their access to wi-fi and internet here has been very difficult. the government has opened wi-fi hot spots in the past few months. they remain out of reach for many because they're too expensive. when it comes to tourism, more americans are coming to cuba despite the travel resixtrictio and embargo still in place. the number of americans is up 54%. the problem is, in cuba, the insti inf infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired. perhaps more money could come in. the economy could improve. people here will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life. over the next few years, will cuba and the u.s. be able to get through some of the hurdles that are bogged down the relationship over the last several decades. >> time will tell. gabe gutierrez. a front row seat to history. thank you so much, sir. from cuba to this dropping story. a sign of hope in the long hours after the horrific round of explosions. a firefighter pulled alive from the rubble nearly a day and half later. when the wind blows, shards of glass rain down there. and many who live there say they're very worried about the danger they cannot see. in fact, our nbc news crew just evacuated a short time ago that port city south of beijing for fear of their own safety. ian williams filed this report just before he left. >> reporter: at least one piece of good news today. a 19-year-old firefighter pulled out alive. nobody expected that. at the same time, a team of biochemical specialists has arrived with officials add mitting they don't really know precisely what deadly toxins they're dealing with. the fire raged on this morning. thick black smoke in the tianjin sky. today, pulling out a live one of their colleagues. more than 20 firefighters died in the blast. and 13 are still missing. officials say firefighters themselves may have triggered the blasts by hosing water on an niche fire in a warehouse containing the volatile chemical calcium carbide. that triggered the first blast which moments later triggered the following explosions as other chemicaling caught fire. american dan van durn continued to film. >> let's go! let's go down! >> reporter: he told me he thought they were going the die. >> i thought it was a nuclear bomb going off in my face. that's what it looked like. >> reporter: officials have tried to reassure nervous residents that pollution levels are normal but admitting they don't know what toxins are in the air. they've told people to move out of apartment buildings near the hot spots and into shelters. the police have cordoned off the blast area. it now resembles a post apocalyptic wasteland. the clock frozen in time. marking a moment this city won't ever forget. this is a city in shock. and in fear. the residents look at the smoke and wonder precisely what sit they're breathing. ian williams, nbc news, tianjin. >> just before he evacuated filing gnat report. let's turn to the weather. they don't call them the dog days for nothing, do they? some of the hottest weather of the summer is setting up shop across a large sth of the country. including right behind me. let's go the weather head quarters in atlanta. alex wilson standing by. alex, who is going to be sweating it out? and for how long? >> well, you know, the weekend will be hot for you guys. also another part of the country known for the heat, they're talking about excessive heat. first, your temperatures. new york at 86. this weekend, the humidity will be increasing. it felt good earlier in the week. that warmer air moves north as the jet stream stays well off to the north. low 90s new york tomorrow. 92 in d.c. by sunday, 89 for rochester and pittsburgh. we're talking five to ten degrees above average for many locations in the east. then, when we're talking about new york city specifics. you're looking at heading into next week with more temperatures that will stay on the warm side. look at monday and tuesday. mid and low 90s for you. heat alerts in effect for the desert southwest. places like phoenix. they're used to heat. excessive heat warnings and advisories in effect. temperatures there will be dangerously hot. you're seeing white and purples. 115 for phoenix. sunday, 111 in vegas. even in those areas, up to ten degrees, if not more, above average. >> alex, i have to ask you about reports of the strongest el nino on record this winter. they're calling it the godzilla of el nino. how worried should we all be? >> el nino with bring effects that are good for some folks. for places like california, they're going to get in on some much-needed rainfall perhaps if it shape up the way it usually does. also, the hurricane season could be quiet. if you have tropical vacations planned, might be nice for you. cooler and wet across the southern tier. those are the usual patterns we see with el nino. if this is a strong one and we can get much-needed moisture to parts of the west, this could be a good thing. other impacts, typically, from el nino would include warm across the northern tier and drying into parts of the midwest. the wet for california could be key. >> it could be good news, all right. >> could be. giver and take. >> could be the operative word. alex, thank you so much. up next, there's a concerning now report that isis, isis may have used chemical weapons in a recent attack. we'll look at that. the latest from our own richard engel. and as dangerous as isis is, should we be more concerned about russia? the conversation happening behind the scenes by top level defense officials. we have details on that. back in three. bp 64/40 sterilize sites. multiple foreign objects in the body. tweezers. 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(different holidays being shouted) back to work, guys! i love this times of year. for all the confidence you need. td ameritrade. you got this. we're back now with new reporting from richard engel overseas. richard is hearing that isis is now using chemical weapons in iraq. that is potentially a major game-changer there. and something the pentagon is paying close attention to. how about this? top military brass have recently said russia is where we need to be watching. in fact defense one reports american officials are preparing a missile defense system to protect u.s. cities from a potential attack. and despite our superpower status, there are concerning within the walls of the pentagon that we would not be fully prepared for a war with vladimir putin. marcus weissburger has been c e covering these head lines. let's talk russia versus yisis. who is the biggest threat? >> the theme is russia is the big threat to the united states. russia has nuclear weapons and could threaten the homeland itself. they say isis cannot do this, while they're a threat to the iraqis and the neighbors in the region. they can't threaten the u.s. homeland. the u.s. military has been deployed in iraq and afghanistan fighting insurgents that don't have modern weaponry like russia would have. >> what is the greatest concern with regards to russia? the greatest concern a military, a cyber concern, or a little bit of both? >> it's a little bit of both. a lot of the unpredictability of putin. the cyber concern, like you mentioned. the big concern is what we have seen happen in ukraine. we have seen what the u.s. military is terming hybrid war fa warfare. the militia being supported on the ground. not being directly involved by giving the supplies. you have the cyberthreat, like you said. russia does similarly to the way they're fighting the hybrid war. they empower third parties to attack the united states. we saw the pentagon e-mail system get hacked if n recent weeks by russia. >> what are we doing in response to the new concerns about russia? >> well there are a number of things being done. the pentagon is planning to spend a lot o