alexander on the breakout hit "blind spot." and, of course, amy schumer jumped from the small screen to the big screen on "train wreck" and an unknown singer named adele made an impression this year selling breaking records, shattering records. it took her three days to have 2015. that's amazing. >> and it's going to be her year well. >> one of the hottest tickets yep. and -- >> finally -- wars." >> i've already seen it twice. i'm ready to go back a third time. i'm obsessed with it. >> well, you're part of the reason it became the fastest movie to earn $1 billion at the box office in just 12 days. everyone loves this movie. >> and it's girl power, too. >> it is. >> girl power story. >> love her. >> everyone in this movie except george lucas. >> really? you're kidding me. >> he complained recently he saw "star wars" as more of a family soap opera and disney made it into a movie about space ships. >> i thought it was awesome. and quickly, we have to mention caitlyn jenner. >> of course, a big year for caitlyn generaljenner on "vanity fair," a break through moment. at the espys said a few

, in music. we're talking about jamie alexander on "blindspot." melissa on "super girl." henson in "empire." amy schumer jumped to the big screen with "train wrecker." an unknown singer, adele, who made an impression this year, breaking records, shattering records. took her three days to have the biggest selling record in 2015. that's amazing. >> it's going to be her year in 2016 with her concerts, as well. >> it is indeed. one of the hottest tickets out there. >> absolutely. >> a little movie called "star wars." >> i've seen it twice. i'm ready to go back for a third time. i'm obsessed with it. >> you're part of the reason it became the fastest movie to earn $1 billion at the global box office in 12 days. >> awesome. >> everyone loves this movie. >> it's girl power, too. >> it is. >> it's true. >> everyone loves this movie except for george lucas. >> you're kidding me. >> he complained he saw "star wars" as a family soap opera and disney made it into a movie about spaceships. i'm not sure exactly. i like it. >> i loved it. >> it was awesome. >> quickly, we have to mention, caitlyn

keep you updated. if buses replace trains, which normally happens, we'll let you know. alexander hamilton bridge, that ride looks great. overall, we really haven't had too many problems on the roads. >> that's good. all right, emily, thank you. >>> up next, we're getting ready >> reporter: i'm katherine creag live in times square, where the biggest party on the planet will take place. more than a million people are expected to gather here . one of the main peopl e in charge just told us what is to be expected. you'll hear from him coming up. >>> i'm tracie strahan live in midtown, where investigators are trying to figure out how a man fell nine stories from this well-known hotel to his death. we'll have the latest on that straight ahead. >>> and if you're about to head out the door, take us with you. ep watching "today in new york." download the news 4 new york app what makes this simple salad the best simple salad ever? heart healthy california walnuts. the best simple veggie dish ever? heart healthy california walnuts. the best simple dinner ever? heart healthy california walnu

attention when we showed you the alexander hamilton bridge, would you have seen delays. we have reports of an accident southbound before yankee stadium. >> thanks, lauren. >>> it is 5:26. take a look at this surveillance video. this is video of thieves making off with arm fulls of furs in chelsea. it happened at madison avenue furs. the three men got will by throwing a brick through the the thieves were wearing head lamps and stole 30 fur coats valued at about 25 grand. >>> also the nypd looking for a couple who bought an engagement ring using someone else's credit card number. this this is ins on tar i can't back astoria back in act. they used a bogus credit card tied to somebody else's real account the to buy a $5200 engagement renk ing and wedding band set. >>> coming up, done in by delivery. the phone call that led investigators to the teenager who became an international fugitive. >>> plus two postal workers busted. what investigators say they were doing with the mail that they were supposed to be delivering. >>> and if you're about to head out the door, take us with you. keep watc

other things. i was on a panel a year or two ago with keith alexander, and eric schmidt from google. and we were talking about the nsa metta database, and eric was saying look, i understand why these guys want to do it. you run powerful algorithms, you public relationships, you learn this, you learn that, it goes on and on. and we were looking at one another and saying, well, if you're right, we don't do that. you know, the use of even that database was very narrowly circumscribed to quarry whether a known terrorist has ever had a phone call that ended in the united states. so you've got this unreal separation where the private industry takes it as a given that you would do it this way. not so much. with regard to the refugees, sure, stupid along with being generous. so my short summary would be simply that i would advise the chief executive to speak like and act like mother teresa, and then before the meeting broke up, to grab whoever is stealing my chair now, pull him aside, poke his finger into his sternum and say you, you make sure nothing bad happens. we can do both. we've got

. commuter checklist does. no delays reported. also, what looks nice is the alexander hamilton bridge. looks like that's cleared. moving along very well. heading to the george or the other direction, going to be a pretty nice ride. for your buses this morning, no detours, no delays reported. everything is running on schedule this morning. and alternate side, meter rules are in effect. we'll have more weather and traffic. >> thank you very much. >>> 5:05. right now, increased patrols a concern in a queens neighborhood. we showed you this video yesterday morning. it's of the man who slashed a teenage student in whitestone. assemblyman ron kim tells us his office has gotten to phone calls from residents who say a similar looking man has been harassing women in that neighborhood. the victim is a 16-year-old exchange student from china. she is okay, but she could have some nerve damage. >>> happening today, a bronx man learns his fate for that drop kick assault and robbery of a woman and her baby. you can see that there on the upper part of the screen. that attack caught on camera on east

message for his party. peter alexander has more. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. donald trump is picking up where the debate left off, again swatting at jeb bush, insisting he doesn't want bush's endorsement because he said nbc news bush does not represent strength, power and stamina, qualities he says the country desperately needs. donald trump marking six months in the race, almost all of them atop the gop field, the same way he spent much of that time on tv. overnight with jimmy kimmel. >> i would like to see the republican party come together, and i've been a little bit divisive in the sense i've been hitting people pretty ahard. >> a little bit, huh? >> trump dismissed critics who insist he's just a showman. >> somebody said trump's a great entertainer. that's a lot of bull [ bleep ]. >> and -- >> this is a tough business to run for president. >> you're a tough guy, jeb. >> i had jeb come at me. low energy. he said it just the way his pollster told him to say it. >> still bush is confident he's finally cracked the trump code. >> i don't think he's a serious candidat

to have a change of heart and a n message for his party. nbc's national correspondent peter alexander has more. peter, good morning to you. >> good morning. donald trump is picking up where the debate left off, swatting at jeb bush, insisting he doesn't want bush's endorsement. as trump told nbc news in a statement, bush does not represent strength, power, and stamina, qualities he sayss the country desperately needs. >> reporter: donald trump marking six months in the race, almost all of them atop the gop field, the same way he spent overnight with jimmy kimmel. >> i would like to see the republican party come together, and i've been a little bit divisive in the sense i've been hitting people pretty hard. >> a little bit, yeah. >> reporter: rallying supporters in arizona, trump dismissed critics who said he was a showman. >> somebody said, trump is an entertainer. that's a [ bleep ]. >> repepter: and bashed jeb bush afafr bush got under trump's skin in tuesday's debate. >> this is a tough business, to run for president. >> oh, i know. you're a toughuy, jeb. i had jeb come at me, you

cleared. the outbound ride, that's still there. the alexander hamilton bridge, you can see the outbound commute is a little slow. it is in the clearing stages. also, a check in queens at the l.i.e. at the grand central parkway. you can see the construction is still there. right now traffic is moving along okay. as more people get on the roads, you start to see it get a little more heavy. back tothe maps where the goethals construction has a right lane blocked staten island bound. that's going to be there a few more moments. also u construction at the covered roadway. both ways between jersey avenue to tonnelle circle. an accident with a downed pole, route 82 westbound. alternate side, meter rules in up. >> thank you. >>> it is 4:47 right now. five servicemen killed during a shooting at two navy facilities in chattanooga, tennessee, will now be awarded purple hearts. it's not clear exactly when they're getting these medals, but purple hearts are given to military members killed or injured in action. investigators say the gun michigan opened fire on the men. you may remember, this was bac

moment. let's start with nbc national correspondent peter alexander. >> reporter: good morning to you. this was the first republican debate since both paris and san bernardino. the contenders trying to cast themselves as best qualified to keep americans safe. jeb bush found his voice against trump but some ask if it's too little, too late. for the first time we saw ted cruz and marco rubio mixing things up. fight night in vegas. jeb bush flailing in the polls, taking the gloves off against donald trump. >> donald, you know, is great at the one-liners. but he's a chaos candidate. and he would be a chaos president. >> he has failed in this campaign. it's been a total disaster. nobody cares. >> reporter: trump's reactions alone priceless. bush argued trump isn't a serious candidate. >> i won't get my information from the shows. i don't know if that's saturday morning or sunday morning. i don't know which one. thises a tough business to run for president. >> i know you're a tough guy, jeb, i know. >> we need a leader that's tough. you'll never be president by insulting your way to the pre

, but let's start with nbc national correspondent peter alexander. peter? >> reporter: hey, matt, good morning to you. significantly this was the first republican debate since both paris and san bernardino with all the republican contenders trying to show strength. jeb bush finally found his voice against donald trump, but was it too little too late, and for the first real time we saw marco rubio and ted cruz battle back and forth. fight night in vegas. jeb bush flailing in the polls taking the gloves off against donald trump. >> so, donald, you know is great at the one-liners, but he's a chaos candidate. and he'd be a chaos president. >> he has failed in this campaign. it's been a total disaster. nobody cares. >> reporter: trump's reactions alone priceless. bush argued trump isn't a serious candidate. >> i won't get my information from the shows. i don't know if that's saturday morning or sunday morning. i don't know which one. this is a tough business. >> oh, i know. you're a tough guy, jeb, i know. >> and we need to have a leader. >> you're tough. >> you're never going to be preside

chaos candidate. nbc's national correspondent peter alexander was there. peter, good morning, again. >> hey, matt, good morning to you once again. the night's biggest headline donald trump again reaffirmed his pledge not to run as a third-party candidate, as an independent, the commander in chief debate with national security now a top priority for americans. no one was able to knock out donald trump, jeb bush tried and marco rubio didn't. rubio and ted cruz exchanging most of the blows. trump at center stage appeared more comfortable and in control than in some past debates, and he turned some heads with his comments about how to combat isis' online propaganda machine. >> isis is recruiting through the internet. isis is using the internet better than we are using the internet. i would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody. i sure as hell don't want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our internet. >> reporter: a lot of people were interested in his choice of words, our internet. as to what didn't. no fight between donald trump a

. a live look at the alexander hamilton bridge this morning. not bad at all. that earlier road work has cleared. still have a little bit of road work on the fdr southbound between 71th to 63rd. still a couple lanes blocked. you can see some minor delays there. alternate side, meter rules in effect today. more weather and traffic coming up on the 4s. >> emily, thank you. >>> it is 5:17 right now on this wednesday morning. now to decision 2016 and the race for the white house. the republican candidates faced off in another debate. this time donald trump was not the only one throwing barbs. nbc's tracie potts is live in washington with reaction this morning. tracie, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, darlene. we had cruz versus rubio. the big news came at the end when trump said for sure that he's going to stick with the republican party. he will not run as a third-party candidate. and he will support whoever the nominee turns out to be. this morning we are tracking social media reaction and online polls, all pointing to donald trump. >> this is a tough business to run. >> y

alexander in position in las vegas. peter, good morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah. in keeping with this las vegas theme, donald trump's theme is not a mirage. a new national poll out just this morning shows he's already expanding his already lopsided lead, 38-15, a 23-point advantage over his closest competitor, ted cruz, with republicans and republican-leaning independents saying they see trump as the strongest leader, the candidate most likely to bring change to washington and the candidate with the best chance of winning the general election. along the vegas strip, high stakes ahead of the last republican debate of the year. >> the other candidates should be thankful because i'm giving them a chance to make total fools of themselves in front of millions of people. >> donald trump now looking to stave off his latest rival, ted cruz, trailing trump nationwide. >> you know the bottom line? i think we're going to win iowa. i think we're going to win new hampshire big. >> trump, repeatedly interrupted by protesters, escorted out by security. one man even yelling a nazi salute. meanwh

by a contentious crowd. we will start this afternoon with our correspondent peter alexander out in las vegas. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. keeping with the las vegas theme. the donald trump lead is not a mirage. the poll showing him out with the biggest advantage yet. expanding the lead 28 points. in second place is ted cruz. republicans and republican leaning independents largely supporting trump in their words as the strongest leader. the man likeliest to bring change to washington and best chance of winning the general along the vegas trip, high stakes ahead of the last republican debate of the year. >> the other candidates should be thankful. i'm giving them a chance to make fools of themselves. >> reporter: donald trump now looking to stave off ted cruz. surging in iowa and trailing trump nationwide. >> you know the bottom line, i think we will win iowa. i think we will win new hampshire big. >> reporter: trump interrupted by protesters escorted out by support supporters at the rally and one man yelling a nazi salute. a battle over the republican foil to trump. the feu

with nbc national correspondent peter alexander in position in las vegas. peter, good morning. >> reporter: hi, savannah, good morning. keeping with this las vegas theme, this donald trump lead is not a mirage. a new national poll out just this morning showing him with his biggest advantage yet, expanding his lead now to 23 points, 38% to 15% and in second and republican-leaning republicans dub him the most strongest leader and the candidate with the best chance of winning the general election. along the vegas strip high stakes for the last debate of the year. >> the other candidates should be thankful because i'm giving them a chance to make total fools of themselves in front of millions of people. >> reporter: donald trump now looking to stave off his latest rival, ted cruz, surging into first place in iowa and trailing trump nationwide. >> you know, the bottom line. i think we're going to win iowa. i think we're going to win new hampshire big. >> reporter: trump repeatedly interrupted by protesters who were escorted out by security. trump supporters lashing out at one of th

with chuck todd in a moment. peter alexander in las vegas. peter, good morning to you. if. >> reporter: hey, matt good morning to you. the match up tomorrow night may be between donald trump and ted this is almost a nightmare for the republican establishment. ben carson has dropped and ted cruz has risen rapidly with very conservative voters. the question is can cruz knock off trump? >> donald trump and ted cruz are the two dominating the republican field. the new poll shows trump still leading nationwide but cruz gaining steam up 12 points since october with marco rubio at 15%. in iowa cruz is in control. trump is blasting the texas senator for criticizing trump at a private fundraiser tweeting i was disappointed ted cruz would speak behind my back, get caught and deny. welcome to the wonderful world of politics. trump argues cruz doesn't have the temperament to be president. skbr you . >> you look at how he deals with you can't walk into the senate and scream and call people liars. >> cruz is embracing trump's maniac label. tweeting the music video to the 1980s music vid

moment, but first, peter alexander is in las peter, good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, good morning to you. ben carson has dropped presipitiously. ted cruz was risen among voters. can cruz knock off trump? this morning, donald trump and ted cruz are the duo dominating the republican field. the new nbc news poll shows trump leading nation wide, but cruz gaining steam up 12 points since october. in iowa, cruz up ten points over trump. trump is blasting the freshman senator tweeting, i was disappointed that ted cruz would speak behind my back and get caught and deny it. well, welcome to the wonderful world of poll tibiticpolitics. >> you look at the way he has dealt with the senate where he like a bit of a maniac. you can't walk into the senate and scream and call people liars. >> reporter: cruz is embracing trump's maniac. tweeting the music video of the 1980s hit "maniac." quote, in honor of my friend donald trump and good hearted maniacs everywhere. >> i'm not looking to be politically correct. i'm doing this to do the right thing. >> reporter: rubio says the motivation is c

made in new hampshire. matt and savannah, back to you. >> peter alexander, thank you very much. >>> let's turn to chuck todd, nbc political director and moderator of "meet the press." good morning, chuck. >> good morning. >> a huge surge for trump. trump isn't falling but this is carson cratering. >> that's exactly what this is. everybody wants to somehow say trump is falling. he's not. he actually gained in that iowa poll and gained in our pot. cruz has become the traditional christian conservative candidate. what we normally see when it sort of breaks down between two lanes and the republican party, your conservative lane and establishment lane. trump is his own whole other entity. >> what do you get for your surge, you get attacked by donald trump. >> of course you do. >> that's what's happening now. ted cruz has been very careful, chuck, not to criticize trump publicly. got caught doing it behind the scenes the other day. >> right. >> but is his strategy make sure the trump supporters like him enough so that if trump then craters he'll get their support? >> his only path to

alexander hamilton bridge where that's a pretty good ride too. whether you're going to the george, which again looks great, or the cross box you should not have any problem. you have to move the cars today, alternate side rules in effect. >>> it is 5:16. now to decision 2016. new numbers overnight from our nbc/"wall street journal" poll show how the front-runners would fare against hillary clinton. they're out one day before the next republican debate. tracy potts is live in washington with the latest matchups. >> reporter: good morning. it's brand-new information this morning. kind of interesting. when you take a look at the fact that the top republicans have got some work to do if they want >> i think i'm going to be the one that beats hillary. >> reporter: but our numbers show right now he can't. brand gnaw at midnight from our nbc/"wall street journal" poll, both donald trump and ted cruz would lose to hillary clinton if the election were held today. trump by 10 points, cruz by 3. ben carson and marco rubio could beat her but they're not topping the field. >> they're kidding themselv

thank. first of all, senators lamar alexander and patty murray on the senate side and representatives john clyne and bobby scott on the house side, as well as their dedicated staffs. this would not have happened without them. [ applause ]. and i just want to point out that it's not as if there weren't some significant ideological differences on some of these issues. >> laughter. >> no, there were. this is an example how bipartisanship can work. people did not agree on everything at the outset. but they were willing to listen to each other in a civil constructive way and to work through these issues compromise were necessary while still keeping their eye on the ball. and i think it's really a testament of the four leaders of the respective committees that they set that kind of tone. and that's something we don't always see here in washington. there wasn't a lot of grandstanding, posturing. just a lot of good, hard work. i just want to thank them for the outstanding work that they do. [ applause ]. i also want to thank my outgoing secretary of education arnie done. duncan. arnie has ded

correspondent peter alexander is in washington. peter, good morning. >> tamron, good morning. it's increasingly clear that donald trump's strongest challenger may be ted cruz. cruz just picked up a coveted endorsement in iowa from that state's tonight lange evangelic power broker. cruz questioned trump and ben carson's readiness to serve. >> who am i comfortable having their finger on the button? now that's a question of strength, but it's also a question of judgment. and i think that is a question that is a challenging question for both of you. >> now it looks like trump may be itching for a fight. he just tweeted cruz shouldn't make statements behind closed doors, he should bring them out in the open. more fun that way. as for trump's controversial proposed muslim ban. look at this. our new nbc news/"wall street journal" poll, it shows nearly six in ten americans oppose trump's proposal. but republicans are divided, 42% in favor, 36% against. now trump's rivals are hesitant to say whether they would support him as nominee. tamron? >> all right, peter, thank you very much. the fbi

different story when you focus just on republican voters. peter alexander takes a closer look at the numbers this >> reporter: hi, matt, good morning. hard to believe it was this week that donald trump rolled out that explosive plan to bar muslims from entering the u.s. and the party is grappling with its s mistakable and unapologetic front-runner and as the new polls show@trump's tough talk is resonating with a lot of republicans who simply aren't going to abandon him. donald trump in new hampshire snapping up an endorsement fro a major police group. >> the first people i see, you know, even when i come in through all the towns, the first people i see are the police and i always feel safe and always feel good. >> reporter: it comes just hours after an audio recording of ted cruz from a private fund-raising event was made public obtained bybyhe "new york times." cruz can be heard dismissing trump and ben carson, questioning their readiness to serve. >> who am i comfortable having their finger on the button? well, that is a question of question of judgment, and i think that is a quest