good morning. breaking news. former president bill clinton making a surprise visit to north korea this morning to negotiate the release of two u.s. journalists. will they be coming home with him? depressed nation. a new report finds the use of antidepressants doubled over nine years. what's goingn? and courtroom surprise. michael jackson's dermatologist asks for a say in the custody of jackson's two oldest children. why is he so interested? we'll ask katherine jackson's attorney in an exclusive interview "today," tuesday, attorney in an exclusive interview "today," tuesday, august 4th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning, i'm meredith vieira. >> and i'm matt lauer. let's start by talking about that breaking news this morning. former president bill clinton is in north korea, hoping to bring american journalists laura ling d euna lee back home with him. >> president clinton arrived in north korea's capital city pyongyang in an unusually warm welcome. this is just the second time a former president has traveled to north korea. ling and lee he been detained there for 4 1/2 months. they were convicted of entering the country illegally and committing hostile acts in june. we're going to get the very latest in just a moment. >> a little later on, a very strange case coming to us from wisconsin. three women are accused of luring a man who was supposedly cheating on all of them to a motel room to seek revenge. you aren't going to believe what police say they did to try to settle the score. let us just say it involves crazy glue. >> ouch. so those healthy sandwiches you pick up may not be so healthy after all. we'll get into that in a little while. but we begin with former president bill clinton's surprise visit to north korea to try to bring two american journalists home. nbc's savannah guthrie is at the white house with more. savannah, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. no comment from here at the white house on the former president's unannounced visit out of concern for the safety of the journalists. but experts say it's unlikely that clinton would go there unless assured of success. president bill clinton arrived in north korea this morning on an unmarked plane, greeted by a little girl holding flowers. the former president is reportedly there to negotiate for the return of two american journalists, euna lee and laura ling. the two were reporting on a story in mid-march when the north took them into custody. they were later tried and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for entering into north korean territory illegally. lisa ling spoke to her sister in late may, appearing on the "today" show with matt lauer. >> they're very, very scared. you know, imagine 11:00, phone rings, and i hear this little voice on the other end of the line saying, hi, it's me. we haven't heard their voices in over 2 1/2 months. so, they're scared. >> reporter: secretary of state hillary clinton recently asked the north for amnesty. >> we're engaged in all possible ways to every possible channel to secure their release, and we once again urge north korea to grant their immediate release on humanitarian grounds. >> reporter: well, all of this comes, of course, as tensions between the united states and north korea are at a high point. this spring, the north set off another nuclear device, has been launching missiles, and there's been a lot of tension between hillary clinton and the north. there's also new u.n. sanctions. so it's a very, very tense time. the white house all along has said that it hopes the north would separate these two issues, separate the journalist issue from the nuclear issue. unclear whether the north treats it that way. meredith? >> savannah, any indication as to why bill clinton was chosen as the special envoy? >> reporter: well, it's very interesting, it's a big name and a big part to play. of course the white house isn't commenting on it. but clinton has a history with north korea. he almost traveled there in 2000, and of course he struck a nuclear deal with the north in 1994. it fell apart in 2003. but the north fee that he has shown some respect, according to many experts. and of course his wife, the secretary of state, hillary clinton, has been deeply involved in trying to get their release. >> all right, savannah guth are you, thank you so much. we're going to bring in republican senator lindsay graham from south carolina. senator graham, good morning to you, sir. >> good morning. >> what message does this send to north korea, sending bill clinton as a special envoy to try to secure the release of these two american journalists? >> it's a try orty of our government at the highest level and that the world is watching how you interact with president clinton, and hopefully they will step up to the plate and let the young ladies go. >> there are reports, senator, that the u.s. would never send bill clinton unless there were some assurances that, indeed, he would get the job done. so does this trip at all seem to you that there may be some improv relations between our two countries? that this is a sign of that? >> you would expect that you would not send a former president, knowing that he's not likely to be successful. i don't know what this is. from the family point of view of the young ladies, this is great news and i hope they are released and maybe we can build upon this to do something better when it comes to lethal weapons. >> when you say you don't know what this is, can you be more specific? >> i don't know if this is the beginning of something larger, or it's just a effort, a humanitarian breakthrough in this particular case. it would be nice if it's the found apgs for a better relationship. >> would you approve of the former president addressing the nuclear program in north korea while he is there trying to release -- negotiate the release of these two women? >> if he has the authority to do so by the administration, i don't believe in cowboy diplomacy and i know this would not be that case. but, yes, if he could sit down with the north koreans and convey a message from the administration and the congress to be more reasonable when it comes to verifying their nuclear program, and getting away there the development of nuclear weapons, it would be a good thing. >> you were also one of the senators who had pressured the white house to classify north korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. >> right. they're not inconsistent. you've got to deal with people at every level. >> so you think you can have each of them and then that's fine. you can say first of al this is a state sponsored terrorism, but we want to talk to them? >> exactly. the truth is you're doing things you should not do. let's see if we can have a better relationship. it would be a win-win for both countries. maybe this is a breakthrough. i hope. >> let me switch gears and talk about domestic policy. the whus said yesterday that the president is going to hold true to his campaign promise that he will not tax the middle class, people earning less than $250,000. you smile as i say that. you not trust the white house when they say that? >> well, it's not a matter of trust. we all make statements to try to get elected. then you have to govern. you know the top 1% pay 40% of the taxes. the top 5% pay 60% of the taxes. when you look out over the next 50 years and have a long view of america, we're going to have toics a the tax base. we have 40% of americans who work, who pay no federal income tax, and that's just unsustainable over time. so eventually we're going to have to expand the tax base in this country to get more people in the game in terms of paying federal income tax. the sustained programs we already have that are, quite frankly unsustainable at the current revenue. >> you're saying the president cannot hold to that campaign promise? >> i don't think anybody over time can deal with medicare and social security, which are trillions of dollars underfunded, without tremendous reform and looking at ways to generate more revenue. you've got to reform the programs, generate more revenue, but you can't tax your way into solvency when it comes to medicare, which is $36 trillion underfunded. >> one of the programs in the stimulus package is cash for clunkers, which seems to have been a success. it's bringing people into the dealerships. cars are being sold. but the administration has said that they are going to run out of gas, that program, by the end of the week, unless the senate approves another $2 billion. are you prepared to do that, senator? >> yeah, i think the program is real good. i hope it comes out of the stimulus package and doesn't add to the debt. it seems to have worked. the tax code has been used to get people to buy homes, an $8,000 credit for a first-time home buyer. you've got tax advantages if you buy a hybrid car that will help the environment over the time. so i think probably the senate will act this week and get some of the clunkers off the road. but we've got to realize where we're going as a nation. how much involvement by the government in the private sector, where does it begin? where does it end? that's a big question for us all. >> but for now you will approve the $2 billion? >> yeah, i think the senate will pass it. >> senator lindsey graham, thank you so much for your time this morning. >> busy morning. let's go over to the newsdesk. ann, good morning to you. >> matt, and meredith, good morning. >> also in the news, today a plane skidded off a runway and crashed into the control tower in thailand. the bangkok airways plane with 72 people aboard had just landed in bad weather on a resort island. the pilot was killed and more than 30 other people were injured. the taliban is claiming responsibility for firing at least eight rockets into kabul, the capital of afghanistan overnight. at least one person, a child, was wounded. one of the rockets landed near the u.s. embassy in kabul. today, at least four people are accused of plotting a terror attack in australia. police say the suspects, with ties to a somali group linked to al qaeda, were planning to open fire inside an australian military base. overseas markets are mostly lower this morning and cnbc's trish regan is at the new york stock exchange. trish, what is wall street watching today? >> well, ann, you know, there could be a little bit of profit taking on the heels of yesterday's rally. based on the s&p climb above 1,000 for the first time since last fall. overall, there's suddenly a little bit more optimism on wall street, which is a good thing. investors are anticipating that the economy will recover in the second half of this year. they're pointing to strong corporate profits, and also that gdp figure that we saw last week. now a number of top economists have come out and revised their forecasts going forward, anticipating positive growth in the third quarter, so all of that bodes well. ann? >> all right, trish regan, thanks so much. and facing a $7 billion loss this year, the u.s. postal service is considering closing or combining almost 700 post offices around the country. the postal service is losing money as increasingly people are turning to the internet. man the world is changing. >> all right, ann, thank you very much. weather changing? >> our outfit should be changing. we're all wearing beige. >> khaki day here on the "today" show. >> ann didn't get the memo. >> i'm the holdout. i didn't realize. >> all right. actually we do have a little bit aofhange coming up. looks like what we're expecting today, some severe weather in the er ayndmshuorst tyerstornd expected, strong winds, hail, fro kansas fty out to cincinnati, on into centraceohio. columbus seeing some strong storms right now, as this front works its way through. we're looking at those storms firing up. rain fall amounts generally about an inch or summer haze in the air on this tuesday morning. good morning. 73 in washington. we're in the 60s in the suburbs and rural areas. highs today reaching low 90s. code orange for poor air quality by this afternoon. a likelihood of afternoon thundershowers. a slight chance of a morning shower. thursday and friday less humid and cooler. over the weend an oppressive heat wave moving in with high humidity and high heat. highs near 100 saturday, sunday and monday. that's your latest weather. matt? >> all right, al, thank you very much. now the latest in the michael jackson case, in a surprising court, jackson's dermatologist now claims he wants some kind of a say in the custody and upbringing of jackson's children. nbc's jeff rossen was in the courtroom when this happened. jeff, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, matt, good morning to you. just when you thought custody was all wrapped up in a nice little bow, along comes dr. arnie klein, in a move that shocked the judge, it shocked the jacksons, and the entire courtroom. dr. klein's own lawyer suddenly challenged the custody deal. the judge asked why? and then the mystery deepened. dr. arnie klein just went from beverly hills dermatologist to self-proclaimed protector of michael jackson's kids. in court monday his lawyer dropped a bombshell, telling the judge, dr. klein has unique interests in michael's children, but wouldn't say what those interests are. in a statement, he said, dr. klein was acting on promises he made to michael with respect to assuring the language long-term health and stability of the children. but this out-of-the blue move only fuels tabloid reports that dr. arnie klein is really the biological father of 12-year-old prince and 11-year-old paris. >> most sources have come forward to "us weekly" and said that arnold klein is the biological father of michael jackson's two eldest children. >> reporter: he didn't exactly deny it on cnn last month. >> i don't think i should go over my legal affairs. i think to the best of my knowledge i'm not the father. >> reporter: dr. klein was jackson's dermatologist, whose medical records were subpoenaed as pt of the investigation. monday the judge denied his request for a voice in the kids' lives. >> we look at fatherhood and motherhood as who's been doing the job. not, who's got the genetics. >> reporter: the judge approved the original custody deal. giving katherine jackson full guardianship, and debbieowe visitation. after the hearing, rowe's lawyer told me it was the right decision. and said this at the podium. >> today's result, 5 1/2 weeks after the tragic death of michael jackson, eliminates uncertainty and offers some stability to the lives of these children. >> reporter: michael jackson supported his family. now that he's gone, so is the money. katherine asked for an allowance to help raise the kids. monday the judge approved it. the exact amount wasn't disclosed. but the biggest battle of all, lives another day. the battle over jackson's des tate and who controls it, has been delayed until october. >> busy day in court. we've also learned this morning that the jackson estate is negotiating four separate deals right now, including movies and merchandising. that could net the estate, matt, more than a million dollars in pure profit. >> all right, jeff, thanks very much. katherine jackson's attorney is with u exclusively this morning. good to see you again. >> good morning. good morning, matt, how are you? >> i'm all right. thanks very much. so the expecd in court. katherine jackson gets permanent custody of the three children. michael wanted that. he stated that in his will. the deal with debbie rowe that you helped to work out, the agreement, she gets visitation, and then this bizarre twist, landle, where the attorney for dr. arnold klein says he's got a unique interest in these children and wants some kind of a say. did that strike you as odd? >> it was quite bizarre. but let me first say that it was a great day for these children, it was a great day for mrs. jackson, and debbie rowe to put this behind them, and to many out there who are watching, to have one less thing to be consumed by on a daily basis. dr. klein's counsel's appearance was quite odd. he has no legal standing, and the judge was kind enough to at least allow him to be heard. but was quickly able to dispense with the appearance and his lack of standing in the matter. >> but why -- what do you make of this unique interest, as you heard a second ago in a previous interview, he said to the best of his knowledge he's not the biological father of these children. now he's got some unique interest. he has no legal standing. what if he is proven to be the biological father? does that change things? >> well, the concept of unique interest has no legally cognizable standard in t law. he is not going to be the legal parent, even if he was somehow genetically connected to these children. >> well, might he have some input? here's what the statement says, dr. klein has always had a special relationship with paris, katherine and prince michael, loves and cares deeply for this children, is looking out for their best interests. dr. klein has been involved with the children in sharing holidays and other special events, and wishes to have the ability to continue his involvement as a very close friend of their father and offers his guidance and protection forever. does katherine jackson have any intention of giving him visitation, any kind of a say at all? >> absolutely not, to my understanding. it is somewhat interesting from a media standpoint, but it has no basis of relevance from a legal standpoint. he has no standing, and we just moved quickly on to the proceedings that were at hand yesterday. >> let me just ask you another question. i know katherine jackson had expressed some interest in being an executor of the will, that hasn't happened. no court has sided with her on that. you said it might be a good idea if she becomes one of the trustees. what legal power would that give her? >> that would give her legal power to observe and to review, oversee and protect the legacy of her son, which, at the time of his death, there can be really no question, in fact, and we can prove that she was the most trusted person for her son, michael jackson. not just from a personal standpoint, but also from a business standpoint. >> right. >> the will was drafted by mr. brankowicz's firm and he has a fine firm and a great entertainment firm. but at the same time, a lot has changed from 2002 to 2009. and a trustee is not whether or not you're a good lawyer or whether or not you're a good business person. a trustee is really whether or not the decedent trusted you at the time of his death, and whether or not the documents reflect that. and we intend to show additional documents which reflect, there is no better person than the mother of michael jackson to be at least one of the executors, and the fiduciary to oversee her son's legacy. you look at whether it's the elvis presley estate, whether it's the beatles estate, all of these estates have family members there looking at, watching over, their precious assets. this should be no difference in the michael jackson case. >> real quickly, there were two autopsies performed on michael jackson after his death. one by the coroner's office, the other side to be a private autopsy requested by the family. has mrs. jackson learned the results of that private autopsy? does she know the cause of death? >> it's my belief that she is aware, at least from one report, and there are several reports happening. so we're going to wait until all of the conclusive evidence is turned in, and then we'll be able to at some point know exactly what's the best way to proceed. >> but she has received the results of that private autopsy? >> at least one, she has. >> and you can't divulge what the cause of death was on that autopsy? >> not at this time. very sensitive, potentially cri