let me go back to kristen welker. she spent much of the day talking with the campaigns ahead of tonight's debate. she's backstage. we see everybody getting wired up. what are you hearing back there? any -- do you see nervousness? do you see jitters? smiles? what are you seeing? >> chuck, you can feel the anticipation back here. there certainly aren't a whole lot of smiles. this is game time. the candidates are talking to their top aides. they're getting miked up. they're going over their last-minute thoughts and ideas before they step out onto that stage as we've been reporting all night. this is the most pivotal debate yet. it's coming just days before the all-important iowa caucuses. before the voters weigh in. and it comes about 24 hours after vermont senator bernie sanders changed his position on a key piece of gun legislation and just two hours after he released the pay for plan of his health care plan. so expect secretary clinton to draw sharp lines with him over both of those issues but also to paint him as a f

kristen welker is here with us in charleston. kristen. >> reporter: kate, good evening. you can feel the anticipation building. officials with the clinton and sanders campaign telling me their candidates have been prepping a little bit today and relaxing because with 15 days until iowa there is no room for error. it's fight night in south carolina. >> we have differences. >> they see that we have the momentum. >> reporter: with the democrats debate is pivotal. >> i always thought this was going to be close. i've worked as hard as i can to build an organization in iowa. >> they're losing ground. we started this campaign off at 3% in the polls, and now we are closing in in wa woo. >> reporter: two of the big issues, health care and guns. with the debate just steps away from the church where a gunman killed nine people in june. 24 hours ago senator bernie sanders seemingly reversed course on a gun law, announcing he supports a bill he once opposed, stopping legal protections for gun makers. >> there were things in it that i did not like, and i was willing to rethink. we hav

kristen welker right here in charleston. thanks to you both. you can watch tonight's debate here on nbc. lester holt moderates along with andrea mitchell. that's at 9:00 eastern time, 6:00 pacific. >>> the other big story we've been following this weekend, five americans who'd been held in iran released as part of a prisoner swap. as a nuclear agreement with iran took effect and some western sanctions were lifted. tonight most of those newly freed americans are in germany, and we get the latest from nbc's keir simmons. >> reporter: freedom for five americans imprisoned in iran. three of them arriving transferred to a u.s. base. the climax of a historic weekend. in texas a group of iranians walked free. a cold war style prisoner exchange just a day after a nuclear deal. >> today we're united in welcoming home sons and husbands and brothers who in lonely prison cells have endured an absolute nightmare. >> reporter: one of the five finally free is "washington post" reporter jason rezaian. brett mcgurk, the u.s. official who led the prisoner exchan

kristen welker, nbc news, charleston., now a political thriller. kristen welker, nbc news, charleston. >>> andrea mitchell is down on the debate stage. what should we be looking for on sunday? >> i think you're going to see fireworks on the stage. because when they come on out sunday night, they'll have to be continuing that race. you've seen them going after each other on health care, on wall street. and this is because hillary clinton is in a place she never potentially losing iowa once again. and this time against an insurgent bernie sanders. what he is tapping into is the same kind of anger we're seeing on the republican side fuelling the donald this is an anti-establishment race now and it is neck and neck. lester. >> andrea. and a reminder that nbc news you tube democratic debate will air live here in charleston on sunday night at 9:00 eastern. >>> tonight there is an active search for 12 u.s. marines missing after two military helicopters collided in mid-air off the coast of hawaii. but as our chief pentagon reporter jim miklaszewski reports

we get more from nbc's kristen welker. >> reporter: hillary clinton and bernie sanders escalating the sniping today. clinton firing the first volley, repeating her toughest attacks on health care and guns. >> senator sander has been a reliable vote for the gun lobby and i have been standing against them for a long time. >> reporter: on msnbc today, sanders punched back. >> to say i'm a supporter of the nra is a mean-spirited and unfair and inaccurate statement. >> reporter: her ramped up rhetoric comes with the democrats locked in an unexpected nail-biter. a new national poll showing her lead tumbling. she still tops sanders but only by 7 points, a sharp decline from month. the numbers. >> no, i'm not nervous at all. i'm working hard. and i intend to keep working as hard as i can. >> reporter: so why are more and more democrats feeling the burn? sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, could be tapping into voters desire for an anti-establishment candidate. that hunger particularly strong among younger voters under 45 who favor sanders nearly two to one. >> i think that bernie

let's get more from kristen welker. >> it is the showdown in south carolina. hillary clinton and bernie sanders set to take the stage on sunday. the most contentious democratic debate yet. >> reporter: senator sanders has been a reliable vote for the gun lobby. >> sect clinton voted for the war in iraq. >> reporter: it is the last time the candidates face off before the critical iowa caucuses, with the race in an unexpected dead heat. the latest des moines register bloomberg poll showing 42% to 40%. tonight clinton brushed aside her lead. >> this is not a job. you do have to work hard for it. >> but could it be deja vu when 2008 when she came in third behind upstart barack obama. today she argued she's evolved. >> i'm different. i have served as secretary of state. >> reporter: bernie sanders has energized young and independent voters. >> let us come out to vote. >> reporter: with preparations under way candidates are expected to draw sharp lines over guns, wall street and health care. clinton has been trying to gain traction by slamming sanders proposal for a

get all the latest from kristen welker. >> reporter: it is yet another surprise, another billionaire may enter the 2016 campaign. today multiple sources tell nbc news former new york mayor michael bloomberg is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring as an independent fed up with the state of the race. >> i think he'd really like to do it. who's not going to do it if it doesn't look like there's a real significant chance. >> reporter: bloomberg set to decide by march. he'd likely enter only if donald trump, ted cruz, or bernie sanders are destined to be their party's nominees. and with the caucuses just nine days away, trump and cruz are on track, running neck and neck in iowa. >> god bless the great state of iowa. >> reporter: trump today again raising eyebrows with yet another controversial comment. >> i could stand in the middle of fifth avenue and shoot somebody and i wouldn't lose any voters. okay? it's like incredible. >> reporter: this as his personal feud with jeb bush escalates. after the release of a new bush ad featuring his mother barbara. >> when push comes t

>> kristen welker, thanks. >>> in southern california, a man hunt is underway tonight for three inmates who escaped from a maximum security jail. they were last seen early friday before breaking out of the jail in santa ana. one is charged with murder. officials say the men cut through 1/2 inch steel bars, went through plumbing tunnels and went to an roof, using a rope to lower themselves to freedom. >> reporter: we've been reporting from iran, looking at the impact of the nuclear deal that led to the lifting of the crippling sanctions against that country. we wanted to know, could the agreement signal a liberal shift by iran's conservative religious leaders? our chief foreign correspondent richard engel posed the question in tehran and beyond. >> reporter: many americans wonder if the nuclear deal with iran could lead to a political transformation here. but this crowd gave its answer. loud and clear. to understand the power this regime still holds over people in tehran, you have to come here to friday prayer, where every week, shops close, traffic comes to a standstill, and they come t

we get the latest tonight from white house correspondent kristen welker. >> reporter: donald trump looking to lock it up in iowa, starting his day at church. later, joking about the lessons he learned there. >> we talked about humility at church today. i don't know if that perhaps. now, the church, i don't think knew i was coming. >> reporter: a little levity in this high stakes race where he's, again, surging. the latest iowa poll, trump leading ted cruz, 34% to 23%. jumping 11 points from just two weeks ago. a possible bump for his sustained bashing of his closest opponent. >> one of the problems with ted cruz is everybody hates him. >> reporter: and after another controversial outburst this weekend. >> i could stand in the middle of fifth avenue and shoot somebody, and i wouldn't lose any voters, okay? it's like incredible. >> reporter: today, trump brushing aside criticism. >> i mean, i have people so loyal, far greater loyalty than any other candidate, by double, triple, quadruple. i love my people. >> reporter: meanwhile, marco rubio, endorsed by the influential "des moines register"

back to you. >> kristen welker, thank you, kristen. >> we'll have much more on what is happening on the campaign trail coming up on the "today" show in just a few minutes. >>> developing reaction this morning to president obama's newly announced plans to title one control laws without congress. he could do it using an executive order. republican candidates for president are against the president's move. >> his first impulse also is to take rights away from law abiding citizens andite e wrong. >> the fact is if he wants to make changes, go to congress and convince congress that they're necessary. >>> again, stay tuned tore the "today" show for more on what's next in this process jo the president takes his gun control push to students at george mason university this week as well. cnn's anderson cooper will moderate a town hall at 8:00 thursday night. >>> the suspect in a brutal sex assault will be in d.c. court today. according to court documents, he attacked a woman. the documents say pitt gave the woman bruises all over her body and broke bones in her face. pitt was arrested and release

we get the lt tonighfrom white house crespondent kristen welker. ddtrumpngk up inio star dt . utthesonserned there. >> we talked about humility at church today. i don'know if tha wa aimedt, peap w, thechch, i do tnk knew i coming >> reporr: a little levity in this high stes race,here he again, surging. the lest ia ll, ump ldi ted cruz, % to 23%. jumpin 11ointro just two weeks o. a pose bumpor hi sustained bashing of clost opponent. one othroblems with ted cruz is evybodyeshim. reporter: and after another conoversial outburst thisween th middle of fif avenue andho somebody and ul't lose any , ay? 's likeincredib. >> reporteay, trump brushing aside criticism. >>mean, i have people s loyal, far grter loyalty tha an other candidate, by double,ip i love m people. >> meanwhile, marco rubio,ndorsed b the "des moines regier" this weekend, sll in ird place iniowa. the chall for the establhm favori, breakg through in cle voring outsider >> every time i've run for anying athi leve i'veak o th taishmen i d to dot whe i n thesena whe cided t for ident. >>te the newspe a suorting hilla clin

kristen welker gives us a preview of what we can expect. its the showdown in south carolina - hillary clinton and bernie sanders set to take the stage sunday...in what promises to be the most contentious debate yet. their heated rhetoric on the trail a preview....of things to come. senator sanders has been a pretty reliable vote for the gun lobby.. war in iraq! it will be the last time the candidates face-off before the critical iowa caucuses, with the race now in an unexpected dead heat. on the tonight show...clinton brushed aside her evaporating lead. "this is not a job they give away. you really do have to work hard for it and it is the hardest job in the world so i get up every day and go right at it." but could it be dj vu from 2008....when a surging clinton came in third behind political upstart barack obama.... the latest des moines register bloomberg poll shows her leas has narrowed to 2 points...42 to 40 percent. today on morning joe - she argued, she's a different candidate now. "look im different. you know, i have served as secre

>> that was nbc's kristen welker reporting. live cover achblg the debate begins here at 6:00. >>> coming up next -- >> hands down this was the scariest day, scariest time, scariest fire of my life. >> an untold story of heroism during the valley fire. how an entire neighborhood came through almost completely unscathed and the residents they had to thank for that. >>> it's brn four long months sinces destructive valley fire. leaving entire blocks charred. >> tonight the untold story of heroism in the faits of disaster. how one couple's determination changed the landscape of their eastern tire neighborhood. star garvin thomas has tonight's "bay area proud". >> reporter: rain. even just a little of it. what john and terri gormley wouldn't have given for a little rain on that day in september, the day they stood in this very spot on lake countis cobb mountain convinced the valley fire was in the process of consuming their home not more than a mile away. >> oh, gosh, just overwhelming emotion. just holding each other and sobbing and

welker has the latest from the campaign trail. >> reporter: donald trump looking to lock it up in iowa, starting his day at church, later joking about the lessons he learned there. >> we talked about humility at church today. i don't know if that was aimed at me. perhaps. now, the church, i don't think knew i was coming. >> reporter: a little levity in this high-stakes race where he's again surging. the latest iowa poll, trump leading cruz 34% to 23%, jumping 11 points from just two weeks ago, a possible bump for his sustained bashing of his closest opponent. cruz is everybody hates him. >> reporter: and after another controversial outburst this weekend. >> i could stand in the middle of 5th avenue and shoot somebody, and i wouldn't lose any voters, okay? it's like incredible. >> reporter: trump brushing aside criticism. >> i mean i have people so loyal, far greater than any other candidate by double, triple, quadruple, and i love my people. >> reporter: meanwhile marco rubio endorsed by the influential "the des moines register" this weekend, still in third place in iowa. the challenge

. `` we get the latest `` tonight from white `` house correspondent `` kristen welker. `` >> reporter: donald `` trump looking to lock `` it up in iowa, `` starting his day at `` church. `` later, joking about `` the lessons he learned `` there. `` >> we talked about `` humility at church `` today. `` i don't know if that `` was aimed at me, `` perhaps. `` now, the church, i `` don't think knew i was `` coming. `` >> reporter: a little `` levity in this high `` stakes race, where `` `` the latest iowa poll, `` cruz, 34% to 23%. `` jumping 11 points from `` just two weeks ago. `` a possible bump for `` his sustained bashing `` of his closest `` opponent. `` >> one of the problems `` with ted cruz is `` everybody hates him. `` >> reporter: and after `` another controversial `` outburst this weekend. `` >> i could stand in `` the middle of fifth `` avenue and shoot `` somebody, and i `` wouldn't lose any `` voters, okay? `` it's like incredible. `` >> reporter: today, `` trump brushing aside `` criticism. `` >> i mean, i have `` people so loyal, far `` greater loyalty than `` any other c

get all the latest from kristen welker. >> reporter: it is yet another surprise, another billionaire may enter the 2016 campaign. today multiple sources tell nbc news former new york mayor michael bloomberg is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring as an independent fed up with the state of the race. >> i think he'd really like to do it. but he's also the type of guy who's not going to do it if it doesn't look like there's a real significant chance. >> reporter: bloomberg set to decide by march. he'd likely enter only if donald trump, ted cruz, or bernie sanders are destined to be their party's nominees. and with the caucuses just nine days away, trump and cruz are on track, running neck and neck in iowa. >> god bless the great state of iowa. >> reporter: trump today again raising eyebrows with yet another controversial comment. >> i could stand in the middle of fifth avenue and shoot somebody and i wouldn't lose any voters. okay? it's like incredible. >> reporter: this as his personal feud with jeb bush escalates. after the release of a new bush ad featuring his mother