hysteria. call in the national guard. the question is, what do you do for your second sh after this? that was only the beginning. "way too early" for this. good morning, i'm willie geist. this is "way too early", the show that would send its studio audience to hysterics too if we could find so much as two people to come to the studio at this hour. so far, no luck. i'm glad you're up with us watching on msnbc or listening live on sirius xm radio. shoot me an e-mail, waytooearl early@msnbc.com. you can do what oprah and gail do, text your response to 622639. we'll read the best responses later in the show. i know you're watching, gail. the next few minutes will be the cram session for tuesday, september 14. a lot going on, including new surveillance video of the explosion that leveled an entire neighborhood outside of san francisco last week.

plus -- with absolutely no chance to win whatsoever, nancy pelosi's republican opponent goes for shock value, comparing the speaker of the house to the wicked witch of the west. we'll show you the ad in a few minutes. but first, get to the news here live in new york city. voters in seven states and the district of columbia head to the polls to finalize ballots for the november elections. across the country, a theme is playing out where the tea party is hoping to cash in on the anger against the establishment in general. in the delaware republican primary, a new survey shows tea party favorite christine o'donnell leading nine-term republican congressman mike castle by three points, though within the margin of error, they've tied. o'donnell surged ahead after endorsements from sarah palin and the tea party express.

the two are trying to replicate the success they had in alaska's republican senate primary. establishment republicans are looking for castle to win since polls show an o'donnell victory will make it much harder for republicans to claim joe biden's former senate seat there in delaware in november. in a matchup with democrat chris koonz, o'donnell trails by 11 points. but if castle wins, he holds a double digit advantage against coons. a lot of people saying the tea party consulting off its nose to spite its face to hand the election to mr. castle. kelly ayotte is in a tight battle against tea party backed ovid lamontagne and two lesser known candidates. sarah palin is backing ayotte. it's paying off. ayotte leading lamontagne by

seven points. also playing out right here in new york's race for governor, tea party republican, carl paladino, millionaire developer and political novice is closing in on rick lazio. he's the choice of the republican and the conservative leaders in the state. the new poll shows lazio leading paladino by one percentage point. not a lead at all. on the democrat inge siic side, rangel has been charged with 13 ethics violations, stripped of his position as the chair of the ways and means committee. he's going to hold on. he's raised more campaign money than all of his challenger combined. and in wisconsin, watch out for republican businessman ron johnson. if the political newcomer wins it primary today as expected, analysts say he's got a good chance of unseating democratic senator russ feingold, a main stain in washington for years. republican leaders in congress are backing away from a possible

compromise with the obama administration into that by house minority leader john boehner on the sunday talk shows. extending bush-era tax cuts that's set to expire by the end of this year. yesterday, senate leader mitch mcconnell said on the senate floor he's introducing legislation that will guarantee no one will pay higher income taxes. >> we can't allow this administration to demand that small owners in this country pay for its own fiscal recklessness. that's why i'm introducing legislation today that ensures that no one in this country will pay higher income taxes next year than they are right now. we can't let the people who've been hit the hardest by this recessi recession, and who need to create the jobs that will get us out of it foot the bill for the democrats two-year adventure and expanded government. >> all through yesterday, house republican leader john boehner, again, backed off the previous indication that he might agree to let tax relief for the nation's highest earners expire

if it's politically necessary to save middle class tax cuts. president obama took on mcconnell and boehner while speaking in virginia when he was taking questions about the economy. they should definitely get an extension of the tax cuts of 2001 through 2003. we could get that done this week. but we're still in this wrestling match where john boehner and mitch mcconnell about the last 2% to 3% where on average where you make $100,000 for people making $1 million or more. >> president obama heads to philly today to deliver the second back-to-school speech. last year, the speech got some national attention. according to the text released by the white house last night, the president will tell students your future is in your hands, your life is what you make of it. and nothing, absolutely nothing is beyond your reach. last year, obama gave a similar

televised pep talk at wakefield high school in arlington. but as you remember, that speech sparked controversy beforehand as critics suggested it could inject ideology into the classroom. they said he was spreading propaganda to children. new surveillance video out of california shows the deadly pipeline explosion in san bruno that killed four and left four others missing. meanwhile, pacific gas and electric company -- the owner of that pipeline is setting aside $100 million for victims of last week's disaster. the company says the money is for day-to-day expenses and comes with, quote, no strings attached. that development comes as industry watchdogs are raising concerns that there are thousands of aging pipelines nationwide just like the one that exploded in california. a nigerian man accused of sneaking explosives in his underwear and trying to blow up a plane over detroit on christmas day last year is suggesting that he plans to

plead guilty to some charges. during a hearing in the detroit u.s. district court yesterday, he fired his lawyers saying he would like to act as his own attorney from here forward. he also asked the judge that if he wanted to plead guilty to some counts, quote, how would that go? the judge then said a standby lawyer would help abdulmutallab and set a court date for next month. cuba laying off half a million state workers to help with the struggling economy. cuba helps to land more private sector growth and hopes those jobs will be replaced. analysts say it's the biggest private sector shift there since the 1959 revolution. earlier this month, fidel castro told the journalists that the island's economic system is not worth exporting because it does not work for cubans anymore. although he walked back that statement a little bit early this week. take a look at the markets

right now as we get all up in your business this morning. cnbc has the latest. stocks saw a nice rally yesterday, most of the major indices closed higher by around 1%. that came on the back of better-than-expected economic data out of china. a new banking regulation that was less stringent than feared. now optimism was very much the scene yesterday. and the other investor who made bullish comments about the economy with warren buffet. he said he is not worried about a double-dip recession in the u.s. he spoke out an economic conference in montana yesterday and he said that i'm a huge bull of this country. i see our businesses coming back almost across the board. now, he went on to say that sentiment in the media had turned somewhat sour, but that was certainly not the case at his holding company, berkshire

hathaway. he said he's employing more people than just a couple of months ago. that's it for the moment. back to you. >> warren buffett himself saying no double dip. still ahead on "way too early." the jets had all of the heart knocks hype coming to the season. but the ravens had ray lewis last nightmen. the man is just frightening as the jets can tell you after last night's ugly offensive performance. monday night football is ahead. plus, oprah is rivalled only by justin bieber in her ability to make women scream. she did it again yesterday opening the final season with the near riot. that following the weather when "too early" comes right back. when you look back on our history over the past 20 years,

25 to maybe as an old history major, i would tell you even 50 years, 60 years if one really wants to analyze all of the problems. i think we've been headed for this for a long, long time. good job, keep going !

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center, almost draws a straight line towards bermuda. that's the only concern. you also noticed it weakened from a category 4 down to a category 2. the storm will continue. it will produce large waves that will make it to the east coast the upcoming weekend. the beginning of next week. that's it, no other effects from the tropics. yesterday, storms rolled down the hudson valley right through new york city. today will be different. today will be dry, sunny, breezy out there. a nice day, very much like late summer, early fall. some of the hotter spots will be in the southern half of the country. temperatures from texas to the gulf near 90. so pretty nice day. >> good weather today. keeping an eye on the hurricane. thanks so much. i don't know if you're a jets fan. i hope not. last night was ugly. the first week of the season, the new york tabloids already calling the jets a bust. after one game. how about "stupor men" for the new york jets. ray lewis and the ravens taking on their old coach, the old

defensive coach, rex ryan. the season opener for both teams. things heating up before the game started. that's ray lewis of the ravens. rice throws a football. the jets' bart scott picks it up and throws it right back. the jets showing off the defense. boy, this year it's got to be about the defense. blind siding joe flacco. flacco loses it. the jets recover. an early 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals. the ravens drive the goal line. willis mcgaheepumpings in for the score. the jets can do nothing on offense. third and four, mark sanchez sacked. a little later, that's the man, the baddest man on the planet now that mike tyson is over the hill. jets have one last chance on fourth and ten with 40 seconds left. sanchez passes to dustin keller. you might want to get the first down, you see, because it's fourth down. he steps out of bounds a half yard short of the first. the jets lose the game. the offense was terrible.

ravens win the game, 10-9, jets had only six first downs for the entire game. that's tied for the fewest in team history. they're going to have to do better than that. the late game last night, san diego and kansas city, the chargers got an early touchdown. the chiefs respond. and the first, jamal breaks from the pack. the one man to beat. takes it in for a 56-yard touchdown. later in the second, chargers with a long punt to dexter mccluster. mccluster is going to make some nice moves. dancing a little bit to the outside, cutting it back inside. all he has to do is beat the punter. you know that's going to happen. sit down, pal. mccluster goes 94 yards for the touchdown. the chiefs are up 21-7 at the half. in the fourth, 39 seconds to play. the chargers down by only a touchdown. philip rivers has a chance to tie it. he scrambles. sees malcolm floyd in the back of the end zone. oh -- sails wide. the chance to tie the gape. the chiefs beat the chargers,

21-14. the u.s. open men's final is rained out on sunday, so it was pushed back to monday. it was raining again during the match yesterday. rafael nadal looking to complete a career grand slam winning the french, the aussie, wimbledon, and the u.s. open playing novak djokovic in the first set, nadal gets in djokovic's head. djokovic slamming the racquet against the shoes, break one on the ground. come on, pull it together. breaking the racquet on the court. nadal and djokovic split the first two set else. nadal takes the third. the fourth, on match point, djokovic hits it wide. at age 24, nadal becomes the owner of a career grand slam winning all four majors, the feat accomplished by seven other tennis players with the victory. improves to 9 and 2 all time in grand slam titles. halfway to federer's career total of 16 grand slams. battle for supremacy in the a.l. east. the rays hosting the first of three games against the yankees with the yankees up a half game

coming in to the series. 0-0. no runs in the ninth. crawford is called out on strikes. home plate umpire tom hallion runs them after they exchange them. joe madden can't get out to save his guy. still scoreless, bottom of the 11th. oh, boy. walkoff home run off of sergio mitre for the rays. they win 1-0. they are in first place with the half-game win over the yankees. the yankees got a good start from c.c. sabathia. didn't give up a run, pitched eight innings. the yankees have lost seven of their last eight. they're now the second place team behind the braves. back to the new york jets for a moment. the jets' owner woody johnson made a phone call to personally apologize to the female reporter for mexico's tv azteca who was harassed by jets' players and coaches as she was reporting at their workout facility the other day. according to a complaint filed by the association for women in

sports media, she was harassed on the field and in the locker room on saturday's practice after some questioned if she was dressed appropriately, she took to twitter to defend herself. she posted this photograph on twitter to defend herself saying this is not a controversial outfit. before last night's game, reporters caught up to her to ask her about the incident. >> when i arrived in the locker rooms, everybody start to make jokes and everything about me. i tried to not pay attention of that because i was focused on my job. i wanted to make interview with mark sanchez. the woman is a professional and go to do her job in a way, she deserve to be treated like -- like a professional. not like a woman who is crossing in front of them. >> she wanted to make interview with mark sanchez. coming up at the top of the hour, it's primary day across the country. we'll handicap some of the races where the tea party has taken on the establishment. the candidates looking to go to

washington to join mitch mcconnell and john boehner who were at war again with president obama with the extension of the bush tax cuts. back in a few minutes. >> come back here, huddle around the water cooler to watch oprah winfrey with a group of adult women in to medically dangerous states of hyperventilation. paramedics were standing by for oprah's big announcement when "way too early" comes right back. [ whistling ]

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the battle of the sexes has reached a milestone in the work place thanks in part to the recession. want to sound smart today, the wage gap between men and women has shrunk to a record low in the united states now. women who make up nearly half of the u.s. workforce earned 82.8% of the median weekly wage of men during the second quarter of this year. that's the highest level ever reported, although, still not enough. what's the reason? industries like construction and manufacturing which employ more men have been hit hardest by the recession. all right, enough of the real news. let's huddle up around the water cooler to watch oprah incite a riot in her own studio. as you know, of course, this is oprah's 25th and final season of her show. and, boy, did she open this thing in style.

she's got a history of making women hyperventilate, scream, cry, their heads popping off with the announcements of gifts. yesterday, she outdid herself. >> you're going to australia! going to australia! you and you and you. >> she's taking her audience to australia. it got better. look who got off the plane? this is like a parody, it's too good to be true. john travolta, her dear friend, johnny, is going to be flying the audience to australia on that airplane he got off saluting. how do you live up to this now? this is her first show. she's got a long way to go. it could be a fun season to watch. all right, let's talk some more politics now. nancy pelosi's challenger has no chance of defeating miss pelosi.

but he's going to try. mainly with this ad right here where he compares nancy pelosi to the wicked witch of the west. >> hello, my pretty! i will save you from those evil republicans. my pay $18,000 a month for my downtown office and then go to massive debt, the wall street bailouts. and here are my monkeys to make you pay for it all. >> step back, everyone. oh, i'm melting. >> thank you for saving us, who are you? oh. >> i'm john dennis. >> that's mr. john dennis. mr. john dennis pouring a bucket of water and melting nancy pelosi. yesterday we told you about lady gaga wearing a costume, a dress made out of meat, real meat, freshly cut meat. peta wasn't happy about that. as you might have gathered, she was on well len yesterday with

lady gaga and ellen offered a responsible alternative to a meat dress. >> it has many interpretations. but for me this evening is if we don't stand up for what we believe in, if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon, we're going to have as much right as the meat on our bones. >> i have a suggestion -- this is just a suggestion. the next time you want to pose in a bikini somewhere -- >> that's fabulous! oh, it's kale. it's kale. >> a kale bikini. apparently, a type of lettuce. and pita not happy with joe biden. why? he was on colbert showing hot dogs to the troops. they're mad at joe biden. >> come on! >> they say, these men and women have seen enough violence, so the nicest thing they can do is

spare them from animals -- that is a delicious vegan food. >> they don't like wieners either? >> they don't! they don't. pita you can't win with peta. still ahead on "way too early" while you're awake. and "morning joe" just minutes away. dancing there? flying there? how about eating soup to get there? delicious campbell's soups fill you with good nutrition, energy, farm-grown ingredients, and can help you keep a healthy weight. helping you get to a happier place. have a nice trip. campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. what i wouldn't do for a do-over. [ female announcer ] neutrogena® clinical skincare helps restore collagen depleted skin to undo the look of a year's worth of skin aging in just 4 weeks. clinical skincare. neutrogena®.

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