nbc's gabe gutierrez is at the world's busiest airport hartsfield jackson in atlanta. how is it looking? >> reporter: well, major airports caught a bit of a break today. nowhere near as many cancellations as we saw thursday and friday. instead this morning rain slowed down some flights in san francisco and up in the northeast there were some minor travel headaches as well as winds delayed flights from washington and the new york area. a lot of people were paying attention to weather reports today. nearly one in four americans will travel this holiday taking advantage of a longer break with both christmas and new year's falling on a tuesday. and this is good news for the 84 million americans who will drive. gas prices have dropped to an average of 3.24 a gallon. that's down nearly 20 cents in a month. here in atlanta, many travelers are just thankful that it isn't more hectic at this point but as you know, lester, with so many connections passing through here, that can always change very quickly. >> we know that indeed. gabe gutierrez, thank you. >>> more than two and a

gabe gutierrez is in atlanta. you're watching the entire country and newark, one of the spots. >> reporter: that's right, richard. it's not too bad in atlanta right now. it's actually moving around pretty well. certainly nothing like a widespread cancellation that we saw on thursday and friday, but as you mentioned there are minor headaches up in the northeast. wind is proving to be a problem in newark right now. we are told there is an average of 45-minute delay there due to wind and wind also delayed flights in washington earlier today. washington dulles, and it was a problem there and we are told that started to clear up and in the midwest, kansas city had long lines, as well and out west, rain slowed down some of the air traffic and san francisco this morning. a lot of people that were paying attention to the weather reports said nearly one in four americans will travel in the next few days and they'll be taking advantage of the longer break with christmas and new year's both falling on a tuesday this year. ba

but we have asked. >> gabe gutierrez from houston. we'll talk to you later. >>> up next from wall street to main street, real-world impacts are falling off the so-called fiscal cliff. we'll show them to you and we'll talk about them. this is msnbc. [ dylan ] this is one way to keep your underwear clean. this is another! ta-daa! try charmin ultra strong. it cleans so well and you can use up to four times less than the leading value brand. oh! there it is. thanks son. hey! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra strong has a duraclean texture that can help you get clean while still using less. and it's four times stronger versus the leading value brand. charmin ultra strong helps keep you and your underwear clean. we all go. why not enjoy the go with charmin ultra strong? starts with arthritis pain and a choice. take tylenol or take aleve, the #1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors. just two aleve can keep pain away all day. back to the news. >>> the economists, business leaders and all think that we're poised to grow in 2013 as

gabe gutierrez standing by in houston. gabe, what can you tell us? >> hi there, craig. the former president remains in intensive care at methodist hospital. he's been here more than a month and the family spokesman says he is improving and that his interactions with the medical staff include singing. there is no word on what exactly he's singing, of course, but the former president first went to the hospital in early november with bronxitis a ibronchitis and after developing a nagging cough and the family hoped to have him home by christmas and that didn't happen, and he developed a fever and so doctors put him in the icu and they were reluctant to get details about his treatment and this thursday his chief of staff sent an e-mail to supporters telling people to put the harps back in the closet. the former president is in very high spirits although he's not expected to leave this hospital any time soon. his family, right now, says he's in guarded condition and they are cautiously optimistic about his recovery, craig. >> gabe gutierrez from houston, thank you, sir. >> le

gabe gutierrez at the atlanta hartsfield international airport. we'll check back in with you, thanks. >>> egyptians are going back to the polls on the constitution. the document is divisive and ignores the rights of non-muslim egyptian ands and women. let's bring in nbc's eamon muha dean. >> when you look at that at the moment, the vice president specifically, what does that tell us about the state of disarray there? >> well, it's just an indication into the political turmoil that has gripped the country. keep in mind the president is the latest in the string of high-profile resignations. to explain more about the vrp's resignation, he did say it was not triggered by the political crisis and he wanted to resign as early as november 7th, but it was only accepted today and once the country passes political crisis. over the past several weeks you've seen close advisers and senior members to muhammad morsi who have stepped down because of the political turmoil and it is an indication in that the country is divided and polarized and even the top politi

gabe gutierrez is at atlanta's hartsfield-jackson international airport. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. a soggy start here in atlanta. there's been some rain moving through the area, and no major delays reported here or any of the other major airports throughout the country so far, but that could change as that winter storm makes its way east. on sunday it dumped rain and delayed flights in san francisco. the relatively calm weekend elsewhere was a welcome relief for millions of air passengers after a blizzard prompted more than 1,000 canceled flights late last week in the midwest and northeast. aaa estimates more than 93 million americans will travel this holiday season, most by car. for those drivers lucky enough to avoid the snow and the ice, there's some good news. gas prices down to an average of $3.24 a gallon. that's down almost 20 cents in a month. again, here in atlanta it's a soggy start. there are no delays reported at the major airports so far, but again, that could change as that winter storm makes its way east later this week. natal

gabe gutierrez is live with us at the world's busiest airport, in atlanta. you've got some rain, but i've been to this airport many a time, and it doesn't look too bad. >> not too bad. within the past hour we've been hit hard by a thunderstorm some delays had been reported here, but just as we came on the air, we know that the reports are it's back under 50 minutes. elsewhere in the country no big delays at any of the major airports, but 93 million americans plan to be traveling, and what they have to pay attention to is this winter storm that hit the west coast yesterday, delayed some flights in san francisco, now moving east, and has the potential to bring snowe into oklahoma tomorrow and possibly severe weather tuesday, christmas day into wednesday before heading to the northeast. drivers will have to pay attention to that. but right now airports around the country doing just fine. no major issues. back to you, richard, gabe, thank you. >>> here's a look at some of the other stories. this just into msnbc. nelson mandela will remain in the hospital for chr

gabe gutierrez is in atlanta for us. aren't most people gone for their holiday destinations or is it travel time today too? >> reporter: hey, alex pap lot of people are leaving right now. traffic is moving pretty well. the only reported delay or major delay throughout the country at airplanes right now is in san francisco because of some weather moving there. otherwise throughout the countritis looking pretty good. it's been pretty painless at major airports throughout the weekend. that is despite some high winds yesterday in the northeast which caused minor headaches over there. drivers across the country have been dealing with snow and ice in some parts of the country. but after thursday and friday, miserable weather there. prompted more than 1,600 cancellations throughout the country. this weekend has been a welcome relief for many of these travelers. what we'll need to watch is over the week ahead there will be a storm right now in the west coast and moving east. that will cause many disruptions across the country fo

. >> gabe gutierrez, thank you so much. here's a look at some of the stories we're also watching for you. idaho senator mike crapo was arrested for a dui. he failed sobriety tests after running a red light. he says he's deeply sorry. >> authorities are investigating after a civilian contractor advising u.s. forces was shot dead monday in kabul, afghanistan, by a woman wearing an afghan police uniform. it appears to be the first time that a woman member of afghan security forces carried out such an attack. and the death of a seal team 4 commanding officer in afghanistan is being investigated. >> so much for a santa claus rally. the stock market is teetering on the edge of the cliff. and first susan right, now opposition to chuck hagel. stamps.com is the best. i don't have to leave my desk and get up and go to the post office anymore. [ male announcer ] with stamps.com you can print real u.s. postage for all your letters and packages. i have exactly the amount of postage i need, the instant i need it. can you print only stamp

. >> nbc's gabe gutierrez reporting. >>> over the next few weeks president obama will decide how many troops to withdraw from afghanistan next year. coming up next, colonel jack jacobs talks about the global hot spots on president obama's agenda. >> merry christmas and a happy new year. irping ]hon [ buzzing ] bye dad. drive safe. k. love you. [ chirping, buzzing continues ] [ horn honks ] [ buzzing continues ] [ male announcer ] the sprint drive first app. blocks and replies to texts while you drive. we can live without the &. visit sprint.com/drive. >>> insiders in afghanistan and female afghan police officer opened fire on a u.s. civilian in gaza. police headquarters in kabul. the suspect is in custody. overall 61 american and coalition members have been killed by squalled green on blue attacks, but this is the first one we've seen since november. now, in the coming weeks president obama will decide on how many troops to bring home from afghanistan. they've called on the president to accelerate and hamid karzai has suggested he supports a more rapid exit. afghanistan is just one of

thank you, gabe gutierrez. > >>> alex, we are watching this huge storm finally start to pull away. on the back side, wind gusts across the northeast, perhaps to top out at 30 to 40 miles per hour. could create flight delays later on today. in the meantime, as far as precipitation is concerned, most of it off lake ontario, lake-effect snow in effect all day today throughout portions of the eastern side of the great lakes, up to new york state. winds gusting at this time over 30 miles per hour, again that could create some flight delays this morning. winter storm warnings and lake-effect snow advisories in effect. all through new york state, even in erie, pennsylvania, to northeastern ohio. we could end up with another three to six inches of snow on top of what's on the ground. lake effect in nature and most of the east coast will not be seeing snow like that. most of the country actually pretty quiet today after the big storm we had move through the midwest this week, but the west coast is still getting slammed with rain and wind and mountain snow and that is actually going to conti

nbc's gabe gutierrez is outside the hospital in houston for us. good morning. >> reporter: enagood morning to you. as you mentioned, the former president is here at methodist in the intensive care unit. he's improving. the family spokesman now says that his exchanges with doctors and nurses include singing. now the 41st president of the united states went to the hospital in early november for bronchitis. he was released after a few days but then returned after thanksgiving after developing a nagging cough. the family hoped to have him back by christmas, but this past sunday doctors put him in the icu. when he came down with a fever. now the family has not released many details about his treatment. but late this week, his chief of staff sent an e-mail to well wishers urging them to put the harps back in the closet. aides say that the former president is in very good spirits, although he's not expected to leave the hospital any time soon. jenna, back to you. >> all right. thank you very much. >>> philadelphia police is caught the alleged shooter in