Group of coworkers thinking they had won big today, wednesday, january 13th, 2016. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. And good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a wednesday morning. Our dreams of staying and living at the white house squashed. Were back in new york. Not that i dont like this desk, but can we agree the white house balcony was a little bit better than the spot we are this morning. Of course, the state of the union was last night. Well have all the latest on that and the republican response as well. Let us start with our top story, irans release of that group of u. S. Navy sailors after holding them overnight. The incident adding a new layer of tension in the relationship between our two countries. Nbcs Jim Miklaszewski at the pentagon. What can you tell us. Reporter good morning. The navy sailors are back at morning in good condition. U. S. Military Officials Say theres no evidence they were harmed during their captivity. Now, photographs released by iran show the ten sailors, the nine men and one woman, in fairly stark conditions, but in relatively good shape. Now, the ten sailors were in two riverine boats headed to bahrain yesterday when the boats apparently experienced some kind of navigational problems, drifted into territorial warts of a farsi island, were quickly captured by the iranian coast guard and taken ashore and handed over to the revolutionary guard. Now the rev guard initially accused the americans of snooping, but today said their investigation found no evidence of espionage. Whats more likely to have happened here, matt, is that iranian leadership in tehran ordered the rev guard to release the americans. Secretary of state john kerry was on the phone with tehran yesterday and no doubt told them released iran stood to lose billions of dollars in that nuclear deal with the u. S. Which is set to be implemented by the end of this week. A satisfied a satisfying ending to this but a reminder to many here in the pentagon, at least, that the iranians still cannot be trusted. Matt . Jim miklaszewski at the pentagon, thanks very much. President obama did not mention that incident with iran during his final state of the Union Address. It was a speech that was, as promised, big on his visions of the future of america with a lot of focus on the race to succeed him at white house. Well talk about all of it with South Carolina governor nikki haley who delivered the republican response and democratic president ial hopeful Hillary Clinton in just a moment, but first to nbc National CorrespondentPeter Alexander at white house with the latest on the speech. Peter, good morning. Reporter savannah, good morning. I stuck around when you guys left. This was the first of many lasts for president obama, and he really sounded liberated last night. For months more than 20 president ial candidates have framed his time in office. It sounded a lot like a Campaign Speech, attacking the politics of pessimism and carving out what he views as the path forward for democrats. Leading off his last state of the union a president ial pledge everyone could agree on. Im going to try to make it a little shorter. I know some of you are antsy to get back to iowa. Reporter less than three weeks before the first contest to pick his replacement to without naming names president obama repetedly rejected the Republican Campaign rhetoric. When politicians insult muslims, whether abroad or our fellow citizens, that doesnt make us safer. Thats not telling telling it like it is. Its just wrong. All the talk of americas economic decline is political hot air, and our answer needs to be more than tough talk or calls to carpet bomb civilians. Plenty of gray hair removed for his calls for hope and change, the president highlight the his greatest hits and offered optimistic goals, included putting joe biden in cool of what he called a moon shot to cure cancer. Im putting joe in charge of mission control. Reporter while ignoring the topic of gun violence at home, the president also forcefully rebutted criticisms that hes been weak abroad. In you doubt americas commitment or mine to see that justice is done, just ask osama bin laden. Reporter and, again, defended his strategy against isis. Over the top claims that this is world war iii just play into their hands. Reporter punctuating his speech, a call to fix our politics and a concession. Its one of the few regrets of my presidency, that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better. Reporter in his final address a soaring conclusion. I believe in change because i believe in you. Why i stand here as confident as i have ever been that the state of our union is strong. Still, the republicans were unimpressed. Ted cruz. Sadly i think it was less a state of the union than it was a state of denial. Reporter and donald trump, this time blasting the president as low energy dismissing the speech as boring, slow hand lethargic. South Carolina Republican governor nikki haley tasked with responding to the president made news for also taking aim at her partys frontrunner. During anxious times it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angryiest voices. We must resist that temptation. Reporter Republican Party right now trying to rebrand itself as new, young and diverse and what was really striking is that contrast on display between the party of nikki haley and paul ryan and the party of donald trump, already haley though is getting significant backlash from some conservative members within her own party. Matt . Peter alexander, thanks very we are joined now by South Carolina governor nikki haley. Governor, good morning. Good morning, matt. Let talk about the reviews. They are in. Prominent democrat David Axelrod tweeted, really effective speech by nikki haley, avoided the response to the state of the union curse. Paul ryan, jeb bush, both said you hit it out of the park, but as peter just mentioned some very conservative voices in your party were not so happy. Anne coulter tweeted donald trump should deport you, Laura Ingraham said the country is lit up with a populist fever and the gop responds by digging in on the candidates dominating the polls. Look, i respect all of those people and understand their opinion but, you know, i disagree. I think a lot of what were trying to do is saying the angriest voices are not helpful. If we have citizens who are lawabiding, who love our traditions and do everything to be productive citizens in america, they should feel i am not saying that i believe in illegal immigration. I dont. Ive always sailed that, but i do want us to be more inclusive and understand the reason that this country is so great is because of the fabric of america is made by immigrants. When you were talking about the loudest voices, those angriest voices, in that context, were you referring to donald trump, correct . He was one of them, yes. He was one. Theres other people in the media. Theres people in my state. I think were seeing it across the country, but, yes, mr. Trump has definitely contributed to what i think is just irresponsible talk. Some people on the far right of your party wanted you to deliver a fullscale partisan political attack. You didnt see that as your mission, did you . That wasnt me. Thats not me. I think that its important for us to look in the mirror. I think republicans need to understand that they, too, are responsible for the status of where we are in the country. Look, president obama has divided our country in ways were seeing disastrous things with health care, education, the economy, the national security. Right. But republicans need to understand that there are things that we could do bet their would help strength err own country, and i think its important that republicans look in the mirror and realize were also to blame. The attention youre getting in the wake of this speech is making you or cementing your place as a leading candidate for Vice President in your party. On a scale of 1 do 10, governor, how interested are you . 10 being the most . I really havent thought about it, and i know that people in the media dont believe that, but i was given an opportunity to say what i think and i appreciate that from speaker ryan and senator mcconnell. You mention speaker ryan. Speaker ryan didnt really want the job as speaker, but for the good of his party he took it. Youre saying you really havent thought about the position of Vice President. For the good of your party would you accept it . If a candidate wanted to sit down and talk, i would sit down and talk. I think that thats a big decision. Its a family decision. Its something id have to think about, but i absolutely would sit down and talk with anyone. When will you endorse a candidate in the race . I dont know. You know, right now im trying to roll out my budget for friday. Ive got my state of the state address next week. Were dealing with the debate. A lot going on, so im not sure of a timeline yet, but well see. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Governor, thanks for spending time with us this morning. Thanks so much, matt. Okay. Savannah. With the iowa calkuses fast approaching what we heard last night is sure to take center stage in the president ial election and things are getting interesting in the 2ke789ic side of the race. According to a new National Poll just out this morning Hillary Clintons lead is now just seven points over Bernie Sanders. It was 20 points just one month ago, and sanders actually leads clinton in two key battleground states, according to some polls. 49 to 44 in iowa and 53 to 39 in New Hampshire, results that have the vermont senator sanders feeling confident. Think its fair to say that the Clinton Campaign has become very nervous. And secretary Hillary Clinton joins us now. Secretary, good morning to you. Good morning, savannah. Are you nervous . No, im notner vougs at all. Im working hard, and i intend to keep working as hard as i can until the last vote or caucus goer expresses an opinion. Im excited about where we are. Youve called this as recently as yesterday the get real season in politics, and i wonder theres a lot of passion on the democratic side for Bernie Sanders. Are you telling those voters to get real, he cant be elected or to get real, he cant do the things he says he can do. What does get real mean to you . Well, i think were in that stage of a campaign where weve each been introducing ourselves. Weve been talking about our particular views on issues, and now its time to draw some contrasts. Now, look, the contrasts on substantive issues between me hand senator senators pale in us and the republicans, but there are substantive differences, and i think its only fair that voters know what those differences are. One of the big ones, as youre aware, is on gun safety where senator senators has been a pretty reliable vote for the gun lobby, and i have been standing against them for a long time, voted against them when i was a senator, so these are the kinds of differences that people deserve to know about as they make up their minds. Youve gotten pretty tough on sanders, as you said, in the recent days. Bringing up contrasts, as you put it, on a variety of issues. Did you underestimate him . Why are you only going on the attack now . No, not at all. I had a very different sense of the rhythm of this campaign. There was a lot for me to do to go around and meet with people, listen to them, put out my ideas. Ive been laying out, you know, very specific policies for months now and telling people how i would pay for them. Im asking that senator sanders we need to move now from generalization to specifics so people can see what the differences are. Thats what i always planned to do and that is what im doing. You said recently that you you wish we could elect a democratic president who could wave a magic wand and say we shall do this and we shall do that. That aint the real world were living in, and there it is again, that word real. Are you suggesting that Bernie Sanders is out there promoting a fantasy that cant come true . No. Im going to let him speak for himself, but, for example, we have a difference on health care. I want to build on the Affordable Care act. Weve got to make some changes because we have to improve it. Hes been talking very generally about a singlepayer system. Hes introduced legislation nine times that have laid out a very specific plan to take everybodys health care and roll it will into a great big bundle and hand it to the states, but my view is we shouldnt be ripping up obamacare and starting over. We should be building on it. You called bill clinton your not so secret weapon, but donald attack saying because you accused him of sexism you opened the door to allegations about president clintons past misbehavior. Was that a tactical mistake on your end . Did you open the door to those attacks . You know, donald trump can run his campaign any way he wants. What ive been pointing out is that a lot of the policies hes proposing would hurt working americans, and he doesnt seem to believe that americans need a raise. Thats at the centerpiece of my campaign. But hes saying that you played the socalled woman card and that you called him essentially sexist and when you did that you opened the door to these attacks about bill clintons past misconduct. Oh, you know, im im not going to engage with him on these matters. The voters can make up their minds. I am going to continue to point out what his proposed policies would mean to our country and to hard working middle class he has been very dismissive about equal pay for equal work, about raising the minimum wage which has twothirds of minimum wage workers being women and some of the other, you know, changes and kinds of policies that he trumpets, so im going to let him answer for himself. Im not going to respond to his personal attacks. If thats what he wants to engage in, thats what he can spend his time doing. In a word does he undercut the effectiveness of bill clinton as a surrogate for you . Oh, i am so proud my husband is out on the campaign trail. In fact, in New Hampshire and iowa in the last week where he has now been to both states, people are asking me when was he coming back, when could they see more of him, so he carries a message of peace and prosperity under his presidency, and i think a lot of americans would like to get back to those days. Hillary clinton, thank you for your time this morning. We really appreciate it. Thanks hey lot, savannah. Polls are tightening and getting to be a very interesting race on both sides. Looking back at the state of the union for a second, the man sitting behind the president last night, not Vice President joe biden but next to him, the new speaker of the house paul ryan, and were going to sit down and talk to paul ryan, speaker of the house, coming up in our next half hour. But right now lets talk about some big news from the nfl overnight. The st. Louis rams moving back to los angeles, a city they once called home for almost 50 years. Last night League Owners approved the teams relocation to l. A. Starting next season. The rams expected to play in the l. A. Coliseum for three years until a new stadium is built in 2019. As for the other two teams that had wanted to move, the San Diego Chargers have been given the option to join the rams. They have at least a year to decide if they choose to stay in san diego, the Oakland Raiders will then have the option to move to l. A. Big news. Should have diagrammed that. Need a football. Got a blast of cold air, snow sweeping across parts of the east. In fact, big, big snow, lakeeffect snows firing up. We have lakeeffect snow watches and warnings, lakeeffect advisories from ashtabula and ohio and Winter Weather in northern maine. We look at whats happening now for today. These snow bands will return as that clipper moves away. The winds are coming across the great lakes so low visibility. Dangerous travel. You can see there are those lakeeffect snow bands and you can watch the winds come across the lake and pick up the moisture and as it cools off it falls in the form of snow. As we get to brewerton, syracuse, oswego, we are looking for more snow making its way through the region. Snowfall amounts basically, the heaviest stuff is going to be what we call the tughill plateau. 24 inches of snow or more, and just to the south of buffalo about a foot of snow that will be making its way in. Lets turn now to dylan dreyer. She right now is making her way through central new york. Dylan, where are you right now . Hey, al. You know, this is my first time out in the snow so i had to ease into it this winter, thats why im in the comfort of the blue mobile right now, but driving through lakeeffect snow, the best way to show you what its all about. Take a look at what were driving through. Most of our ride you get stuck in the lakeeffect snow bands and youre in near whiteout conditions and the roads become snowcovered, visibility very poor and this is the type of situation well see today. What indiana saw yesterday. They had several multicar pileups involving several tractor trailers in South Central indiana yesterday. It closed a threemile stretch of the road. Just to the north of that on i70 there were nine tractor trailers involved in an accident along with four cars. There were no lifethreatening injuries, but you do run into very this will continue in western new york today and tomorrow. Weve had a little bit of problems there. Call snow fades when its snowing so hard you cant get that signal through, but dylan, as you can see, driving through a lot of that activity. Were going to get to your and thats your latest weather. All right. A thanks. Coming up, the countdown to tonights still growing powerball jackpot. The biggest