bryant. when did owners worried about another team being too good get the power to stop it from happening? it's "way too early" for this. good morning, i'm willie geist and this is "way too early." the show that no owner is worried about being too good. aim glad you're watching or listening live on sirius xm radio. tweet me@willie geist one or text the word awake to 622639. the best responses later in the show. come on, guy, wake up. next 30 minutes your cram session for friday, december 9th. a lot going on including nicolas sarkozy telling his fellow europeans if they don't act today there will no check chance for the eu. what he means on that. plus, will ferrell is in

low-budget tv ads for old milwaukee beer and doing them for nothing. what's the story here? we'll show you the spots in a little bit. the news live at 5:30 a.m. the republican candidates for president gearing up for another debate tomorrow night in iowa as newt gingrich settles into his spot as the field's front-runner. with a rash of new polls showing gingrich with big leads in iowa, also in south carolina and florida, mitt romney is ramping up his attacks hoping to cast former house speaker asunelecta. in an e-mail obtained by nbc news they offer congressional supporters a list of anti-gingrich talking points in an effort to raise warning flags. in addition to highlighting the criticism of paul ryan's budget plan it aims to frame gingrich as a political insider saying gingrich creates theories mitt

creates jobs. for now at least gingrich is brushing off the attacks from his opponents vowing to stay away from negative campaigning. >> i only have one opponent. that's barack obama, and i'm going to continue to run a positive solution-oriented campaign. others ought to do what they want but my only observation, every time they've attacked each other they've gone down. i don't know that being the attack dog is necessarily a big asset. but that's the game i'm going to play. going on attack which is his prerogative -- everybody should run the campaign they're comfortable with. >> his response to the romney attack has been is that he likes mitt romney an awful lot and thinks they're a good family. 36% among likely primary voters up 13% from just last month. romney in second, 13 points behind gingrich and tied statistically with ron paul who is tied with romney in a lot of these poll, even the state by

state. texas governor rick perry meanwhile, polling in the single digits trying to revive his campaign before the iowa caucuses. he links both newt gingrich and mitt romney to president obama. >> we don't want government mandated health care. yet, newt gingrich supports it and mitt romney, he put it in the law in massachusetts. worse, barack obama forced it on the entire nation. rick perry, he'll repeal it starting day one. >> i won't let the big government liberals ruin this country. i'm rick perry. i'm an outsider who will repeal obama care, and i approve this message. >> outsider is your key word there. donald trump's debate scheduled for december 27th may end up being an intimate affair. rick perry, michele bachmann, the latest gop contenders saying they won't attend, newt gingrich and rick santorum confirm

they'll be there. even those two should reconsider, some say. >> we appreciate what mr. trump has done. but if you're still talking about potentially running as an independent candidate, i think that's a problem. there will be malpractice from me as an rnc chairman not to believe that is an issue. i wouldn't recommend it but i would also say to the candidates they can do what they want. >> a spokesman for the gingrich campaign commented on the feel turn ago way from trump's debate writing in part this, they're going to be the leader of the free world and they can't face questions from donald trump? you might want to re-evaluate if you are ready. heading into 2012 president obama's looking to highlight his efforts on everything from the economy to foreign policy. he weighed in on a host of issues yesterday in a briefing at the white house beginning with republican opposition to his nominee to lead the consumer financial protection bureau. republicans have now blocked by thrill buster a confirmation

vote of former ohio attorney general richard cordray for the post. the president would not rule out now making a recess appointment. >> we are not giving up on this. we are going to keep going at it. we are not going to allow politics as usual on capitol hill to stand in the way of american consumers being protected by unscrupulous financial operators. and we're going to keep on pushing on this issue. >> the president also responded to criticism from republican presidential candidates who have accused the white house of being weak on foreign policy. >> ask osama bin laden and the 22 out of 30 top al qaeda leaders who have been taken off the field whether i engage in appeasement. or whoever is left out there. ask them about that. >> well, with the deadline approaching to extend the payroll tax cuts, the president questioned republican motives for standing in the way of that legislation. >> they think we should do a

payroll tax but the question is what price will they extract from the president in order to get it done? and i just want to make clear, this is not about me. they shouldn't extend the payroll tax cut for me. they shouldn't extend unemployment insurance for me. this is for 160 million people who in 23 days are going to see their taxes go up if congress doesn't act. >> president obama warned of a quote white christmas in washington threatening to keep congress working through the holiday if an agreement is not reached. the motive in yesterday's deadly shooting at virginia tech is still unclear this morning. a shaken campus struggles to deal with its second act of gun violence in nearly five years. nbc news justice correspondent pete williams has more. >> reporter: it was just after noon the university says when a virginia tech policeman pulled over the driver of a car in a campus parking lot. police say another man walked up and shot and killed the

policeman then ran off toward a nearby rec center building. officers hurrying to the scene found a second body. >> in light of the turmoil and the trauma and the tragedy suffered by this campus by guns, i can only say that words don't describe our feelings and they're most elusive at this point in time. our hearts are broken again for the family of our police officer. >> reporter: the university immediately sent out a communitywide alert. stay inside, it said, secure door, call 911 for help. students stayed put as tactical teams swarmed through buildings. >> he came through, a whole deem of them like s.w.a.t. team guys with their guns drawn clearing out the entire building. >> reporter: law enforcement officials say they believe the second victim was actually the man who shot the policeman. the alert was canceled and search for the gunman called off. >> we believe the campus community to go about their

normal activity. >> reporter: they were getting ready for final exams though they've been postponed. it alarmed a campus achingly familiar with violence. in 2007 a student killed 32 people then himself inside university buildings. during that attack the university was criticized for waiting more than two hours to alert the campus. this time the alert went out within minutes. >> pete williams reporting for us. that police officer was an army veteran, married father of five. an official vigil as virginia tech is planned for tonight. that 2007 shooting remains the worst mass shooting in the history of our country. u.s. intelligence officials are analyzing new video from iran that claims to show a captured cia drone lost over the country several days ago. iran's state tv says the top secret aircraft was brought down by the country's military in a, quote, sophisticated electronic attack. the u.s. says a malfunction caused the crash. the video shows an aircraft with minor damage to a wing draped with anti-american propaganda.

u.s. officials not commenting on whether the aircraft shown in the video is, in fact, the downed drone. jon corzine continues to face tough questions over the failures of security firm mf global. the company he led until just last month. in a testy hearing on capitol hill, the former new jersey governor was pressed to explain an estimated $1.2 billion in missing customer funds. >> obviously on the forefront of everyone's mind including mine are the varying reports that customer accounts have not been reconciled. i was stunned when i was told sunday, october 30th, 22011 tha mf global could not account for many hundreds of millions of dollars of money. i simply do not know where it is or why the accounts have not been reconciled today. >> they expect mf global, trying to stay afloat after making bad bets on europe, moved the client money into firm accounts an

action prohibited by security laws. he said he did not authorize any movement of funds. their collapse is the eighth largest bankruptcy in united states history. turning to europe where a marathon meeting on the region's debt crisis ended with mixed results. for the latest we bring in jegef cutmore live in london. nicolas sarkozy saying make or break time for the eu. what did he peen? >> reporter: well, the argument he was making was unless we get these european nations to sit down and agree on some way of stabilizing the current crisis, we're only going to see the cost of the debt rise. and that, of course, we know has been the market's putting pressure on these countries to deal with their current deficits. what we have is a halfway house solution so far after these leaders pulled an all-nighter. france and germany pushing a new

fiscal pact that would argue countries must not run deficits of more than 5% of gdp and may not exceed deficits of government spending of more than 3%. if they do, automatic stabilizers will kick in to punish them. it's a fiscal pact. it is not a full treaty change and what it also isn't is the big ba suk ka that would stabilize the debt markets. having said that, we are higher on the european indices broadly on this so markets not that disappointed. back to you. > should be a fascinating day in brussels. geoff, thanks so much. still ahead on "way too early." albert pujols arguably the best player in baseball bolts st. louis for anaheim and it's $254 million. and kobe bryant thought he had a new teammate until owners said it would make the trade too

good. plus jon stewart versus bill o'reilly on the war on christmas. lech walesa was working in a shipyard then came solidarity and years of martial law followed by freedom then came politics. tonight after 45 years of communist rule the poles have elected a president apparently overwhelmingly. his name is lech walesa. [ male announcer ] drinking a smoothie with no vegetable nutrition?

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5:45 in the morning. a beautiful live picture of the rockefeller center christmas tree all lit up for you in new york city. a check in weather from nbc meteorologist bill karins. bill, stop talking to barnacle.

focus on the map behind you. >> barnacle is entertaining, though. >> barnacle, turn around. got a job to do. you're in time-out. >> telling stories from like the '20s. very entertaining. >> the roaring '20s. well, good morning, everyone. cold air continues to spill down to the northern plain, very quiet weekend coming your way but it will be cold especially minneapolis, chicago, through the great lakes. a little bit of light snow this morning. actually it's the first snowflakes of the season in many areas very late. chicago got its first snow last night and we're getting a little in detroit. even buffalo and syracuse haven't seen much this early winter season. a little lake effect the next couple of days, not bad from boston to new york, warmer today, the weekend will be much chillier, enjoy the 50s while they last. as far as the rest of the country no issues out there. travelwise throughout the weekend, no big storm, no big rain, no snow on the way either and it just looks very nice and quiet as we head into sunday. so everything is nice and peaceful just like the '20s, barnacle.

>> cool but clear. just like -- >> you're going to get traded. >> all right. you guys break it up. to sports and the lakers, will not be getting chris paul after the nba stepped in to kill the trade just a day before training camps open. the new orleans hornets agreed to send the all-star to los angeles as part of a multiplayer deal teaming up with kobe bryant in l.a. but the league, which has owned the hornets for the last year vetoed the plan. stern was lobbied by owners to stop the deal over concerns the lakers would be getting another huge name at the expense of smaller market franchise. what? cavs owner dan gilbert involved in that nasty over lebron james sent an e-mail "commission, it would be a travesty to allow the lakers to acquire chris paul in the apparent trade being discussed.

this trade should go to a vote of the owners of the hornets. i know the vast majority of owners feel the same way i do. when will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the washington agagenerals? please advise." they say it was based on basketball reasons. making for an awkward start to the season for pau gasol and lamar odom set to be traded to new orleans and houston as part of the deal. instead they'll be expected to report to practice in los angeles. odom tweeted "when a team trades you and it doesn't go down, now what? chris paul who averaged nearly 16 points and 10 assists last season is now expected back in new orleans. again, according to most report, the owners got together and whined that the lakers would be too good and david stern killed the deal. the bidding war for albert pujols is over, and the -- what do we call them, the los angeles angels of anaheim?

something like that have come out on top. the three-time n.l.mvp agreed to a ten-year deal leaving the cardinals after he racked up a rookie of the year award, two gold gloves and batting title. not the only big name, they signed c.j. wilson to a $77.5 million contract over 5 years. the team's owner called it a monumental day for angels fans. in football the pittsburgh steelers had a scare when quarterback ben roethlisberger was sent to the locker room raf a punishing hit from the cleveland browns. thursday night nfl, up 7-3. he drops back, hit by a couple of cleveland defenders going in opposite directions, oh. showed his left leg caught in an awkward position. the start of the second half, look who is back? roethlisberger hobbles onto the field getting a big ovation from the pittsburgh crowd and in the fourth quarter, roethlisberger finds antonio brown who races

downfield, a few evasive moves and he's gone, 79 yards for the score. steelers win, 14-7. they top the afc north with a 10-3 record. roethlisberger will have an mri to check that leg. pittsburgh's next game a week from monday in san francisco. coming up on "morning joe" newt gingrich plays the gracious front-runner smiling through the new line of attack from mitt romney and his surrogates. we'll assess the field now 3 1/2 weeks away from iowa at the top of the hour. when we come back here we'll huddle around the water cooler to watch will ferrell's new pro bono ads for old milwaukee. you've got to see these and you will when "way too early" comes back. ♪ you, you ain't alone ♪ and just let me be [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ your ticket home [ male announcer ] this is zales,

the diamond store. take an extra 10 percent off storewide now through sunday. i'd like a decaf 360 calories please. i'll have a triple iced 410 calories please. you know what... i'll have this instead. [ female announcer ] swap one thing a day for a yoplait light at around 100 calories. it will add up to amazing.

as we told you earlier the 2012 ad blitz is on in iowa where texas governor rick perry is unveiling some new ads to take aim at newt gingrich, mitt romney and president obama all at once. if you want to sound smart tell your friends $3.9 million governor perry has spent the most cash of the 2012 republican candidates on ads in iowa. that's according to our friends in the nbc political unit pointing out ron paul is second with over a million dollars and

mitt romney, 322,000 but has cash burning a hole in his pocket and start spending it soon. let's watch will ferrell in a campaign for old milwaukee airing in small midwestern markets, three in the quad cities of iowa, illinois, four in terre haute, indiana. it says ferrell came to them saying he loves their beer and wanted to shoot the commercials and he said he would do it for nothing. most people suspect there's more going on but for now let's just enjoy some old milwaukee. >> when i'm not being a big-time hollywood phony, i like to sit on my favorite log and crack open an ice cold old milwaukee. something i do. well, truth be told i've never been to davenport, this is my first time but it's something i want to do, you know.

looks like something that would be fun to do, come out and sit on a log and drink old milwaukee. do a little hand fishing here in the mississippi. haven't caught a catfish but did catch this piece of america, old milwaukee, yeah, i know you remember davenport, i sure do. in fact, why don't you go try yourself one while i go look for some more. >> i'm going to start drinking old milwaukee. it's just that simple. much more of those. go online and check them out. one more clip, bill o'reilly concerned about the war on christmas, he and jon stewart having a bill lack and forth on that. >> a couple nights ago i responded to the ginned up response when they are unable to celebrate christmas at all times in all places and i addressed our nation thusly. my fellow americans, tonight i

humbly come before you to declare war on christmas. well, last night one of santa's unusually large elves fired back. >> our pal jon stewart is following the various christmas controversies very closely. now, there is no question that mr. stuart is going to hell. >> i know. but here's what you and your mignons don't understand, o'reilly. your hell doesn't scare me. i make my living watching fox news eight hours a day. i'm already in hell. boom! boom!

your move, o'reilly. >> i like that thing, the stewart/o'reilly thing. >> your tweets are next and "morning joe" just moments away. this new at&t 4g lte is fast. hey, two tickets just opened up on the 50. ...yup, about to go pick them up from will call. so 46 seconds ago. did you guys hear that chapman rolled his ankle? done. get out there. so 12 seconds ago. you guys know how to post videos to facebook? you guys know how to post videos to facebook? you guys hear, someone stole... ...stole the other team's mascot? [ tiger growling ] so 27 seconds ago. [ male announcer ] stay a step ahead with 4g lte. with speeds up to 10x faster than 3g. at&t. how about both? with covergirl lashblast fusion. our biggest brush meets our fiberstretch formula for a blast of volume and length. lashblast fusion. from easy, breezy, beautiful covergirl.

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♪ that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm [ male announcer ] for half the calories -- plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8. let's show 'em what a breakfast with wholegrain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte. medium macchiato, light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos, make one a double. she's full and focused! [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good.