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New Day

Warren Says "No" to 2016; Apple Cracks China's Huge Mobile Market; NSA Tracking Cellphone Locations; Investigating the NYC Train Derailment; Steelers' Coach Punished

Aired December 05, 2013 - 06:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Republicans have a big interest in this because cultivating business here, cultivating job production here is much an agenda item for them on their platform as it is for Democrats.

JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It is. But there's really an interesting question. You know, what is the Republican agenda for poverty, for inequality. This Republican will actually cite Republicans like Teddy Roosevelt in making a case for an activist role for government, and especially when it comes from the economy, from a different progressive era, 100 years ago.

What's really interesting is whether the Republicans will put forward their own agenda to deal with poverty and inequality because these issues that they could take a lead in if they propose new policy. But if they're just content to criticize the president, then you've got this bifurcated system. And the president trying to straddle what is essentially and will be increasingly -- mark my words -- a divided Democratic Party on this issue. There will be a real split between those centrist Democrats in swing states and Democrats playing to the base in cities across America.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: I want to talk about that liberal base a little bit more. Elizabeth Warren, the freshman senator, she -- there were rumors she could potentially be making a run for it in 2016. She came out definitively yesterday to say that, no, she will not be running. But the fact that there's just been so much discussion about it for someone who is a relative unknown, does that -- what does that tell you? Does that tell you liberals are searching for a progressive alternative?

AVLON: Absolutely. This is the fundamental fault line that is starting to ruptures. We spent a lot of time talking about GOP civil war.

BOLDUAN: Right.

AVLON: But there is this divide in the Democratic Party. And liberals are resurgent. Folks on the left of the Democratic Party feel they've been ignored in the wake of the Clinton era. Now, they're getting their backup and looking at a couple of heroes like Elizabeth Warren and saying why not her for the presidency?

Here's the whole thing, the whole Elizabeth Warren for president, dynamic, has been a unicorn fantasy pumped up by people who would like to see that happen. She wrote a letter months ago saying she'd support Hillary Clinton if she'd run.

CUOMO: Sometimes, it's not the candidate, though. It's what they represent.

AVLON: That's right.

CUOMO: When Elizabeth Warren came to be and we were there to watch, when she came out after the banks and talked about financial responsibility and that people should be held accountable for what happened, that really resonated with Americans, you know, and that really launched her. That voice needs to be mentioned in the party today.

BOLDUAN: She is a rock star for many folks.

AVLON: Particularly. But, Chris said, you know, liberal Democrats were looking for that voice to be hard when it came down to the banks, to the issue of not just income inequality but saying who's to blame.

CUOMO: Yes.

AVLON: The Democratic executives have been more focused on trying to build bridges to business. The question liberals have been asking is, you know, what do we gain from that? So, Warren has become a star to that wing of the Democratic Party, and you're going to see the schism be a source of political debate, hopefully constructive debate over the next few years.

BOLDUAN: There's the operative constructive debate.

AVLON: Hopefully, constructive debate.

CUOMO: See that schism. Well said, I have to say that very slow.

BOLDUAN: See that schism. We'll watch that schism together. Thanks, John.

CUOMO: Nice segue. You're talking about money. Let's talk about money. Banks, it's now "Money Time".

Let's get a look at the business headlines with Ms. Christine Romans.

Christine, two words for you. Are you ready? Play off them: Apple and China.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Apple is working on a deal, Chris, this deal for six years. It looks like it's done, sending Apple shares up 2 percent. Apple finally signing with China Mobile to offer iPhones on the China Mobile network. This is according to "The Wall Street Journal".

China Mobile has 700 million subscribers, 700 million, twice the population of the United States. It's the world's largest carrier. China Mobile could have start offering iPhones as early as December 18th. If you own Apple shares, you could see the results today. All right. It's a sellout at FOX. FOX selling out all of its ad space for the Super Bowl. Forty-three advertisers buying time, ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. These ads, guys, this share sold out a month earlier than last year. Maybe a sign of a better economy? A 30-second ad cost $4.5 million, breaking last year's $4 million.

And Ford unveiling an old favorite this morning, introducing the 2015 Mustang. Ford hopes that the Mustang can be a breakthrough global hit, especially in the aforementioned China, the market everybody wants. It invented the market here in the U.S.

One thing that sticks in its craw, the Chevy Camaro now outsells the Mustang. Ford, you guys, Ford is out to change that.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Mustang, I love that.

CUOMO: I've got to tell you. I saw some sneak pics, it looks great. It's amazing how they continue to blend retro with new. There's great, Camaro is a great car.

(CROSSTALK)

CUOMO: I have a Firebird. Pontiac doesn't exist any more. But the Firebird many would argue is the best car --

PEREIRA: That's a nice-looking mustang.

CUOMO: You know, Mustang does something special unusual. Corvette is a very special car, an American muscle car, of course. Men and women bought Mustangs. That really jumped it.

PEREIRA: I can see Christine Romans rolling around in a convertible Mustang.

BOLDUAN: With all three of her kids, that's right.

ROMANS: I can only take one kid at a time.

CUOMO: Black fly shades, revving it up, get in the car.

BOLDUAN: Got to go check the markets!

Thanks, Christine.

All right. Coming up next on "NEW DAY": a stolen truck carrying extremely dangerous materials found in Mexico, suspects on the loose. So what about that radioactive cargo on board? The latest from that stunning heist.

CUOMO: And funerals begin today for the victims of the train derailment in the Bronx. Will charges be brought against that engineer who admitted to nodding off? We'll take you through it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BOLDUAN: Let's go around the world now starting in Mexico where a stolen truck containing radioactive cargo has been found but what did they find inside the truck?

Nick Parker has the story from Mexico City.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PARKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate, the stolen truck was found about one hour north of Mexico City. Mexican nuclear safety officials say a container of Cobalt-60 was found about 1 kilometer away from the vehicle and it had been opened. The isotope which had originally been used for medical purposes was found inside the container. But officials have not yet confirmed if any was missing.

Radiation was detected in the area but officials say the material does not pose a threat to anyone at more than 20 meters away. The two gunmen who carried out the hijacking are still at large -- Kate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Nick, thank you so much for that.

Now to Europe where a powerful storm is hitting the U.K. and coastal cities are bracing for severe flooding.

Matthew Chance is following that from London.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, large areas of northern Europe are bracing for severe storms over the next 24 hours, bringing gale force winds and flooding in some areas.

Forecasters in Britain and Germany predict winds gusting some 90 miles an hour. Already in Scotland, authorities say as many as 20,000 homes have had their electricity cut off. Dutch officials say more than 80 flights from the main airport in Amsterdam have been canceled. And as the stormy weather conditions sweep across northern Europe, they are warnings to disruption transport links across the continent.

Back to you, Kate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Matthew, thank you.

An unexpected singer is wowing the Arab world, taking a hit a talent show by storm. The biggest surprise, she's American.

Mohammed Jamjoom has more from Beirut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jennifer Grout is the all-American girl with a very Arab voice. The 23-year-old has become a fan favorite on Middle Eastern TV talent show "Arabs Got Talent" by swinging classic Arabic songs. She becomes so popular, in fact, many people think she'll win the competition outright come Saturday. She tells me she's honored to be singing Arabic music and hopes to continue to do so in the future.

Back to you, Kate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Mohammed. Fascinating. Go get them, girl!

CUOMO: Do you think that's the future of news that will be wind blown, would that help the viewing experience?

BOLDUAN: My contacts will dry out.

CUOMO: I played a lot of money for these plugs.

Breaking news overnight, new revelations about the NSA surveillance operations. "The Washington Post" says the agency, the NSA is reportedly gathering close to 5 billion records every day on the whereabouts of cell phones worldwide. And, by extension, the people carrying them.

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now with more.

Barbara, good morning to you. Please tell us exactly what they're collecting and why.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, all of this according to "The Washington Post" as you say, Chris, apparently another revelation from Edward Snowden -- 5 billion cell phone records, not the phone calls themselves, a day. So the next time you go overseas on assignment or on vacation and you pick up your cell phone to make a call, you better consider the fact that the NSA has a record of that call.

Why are they doing it? Well, they say that this is part of their overall bulk collection system. Basically what they're saying is, it's not that they believe people using their cell phones abroad are necessarily tied to terrorism but due to their advanced computer programs, what they can do is look at those records and make some connections, make some ties. If there's a known intelligence target, a terrorist that they're looking at and they see that some phone records indicate phone calls had been made to this person, then they move backwards and look at where the phone calls are coming from.

But the problem is, of course, bulk collection, you are going to sweep up an awful lot of phone records of a lot of Americans picking up their phone calls and making calls -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. So, let's go another step on that. You're saying worldwide. I hear that, especially overseas specifically. I hear that. But what about the privacy concerns of Americans? What's the chance of this reaching to your cell phone here? STARR: Well, it's supposed to only reach to your cell phone abroad. But the NSA, let's be clear, is not supposed to be collecting information on American citizens. That is not in their purview. They collect foreign intelligence information. What they have said since the Snowden revelation is yes, information on Americans gets collected incidentally because they do such broad sweeps, such broad collection.

You know, so there are going to be massive privacy concerns about this, people are going to be not very happy, one can only suspect, that their cell phones are potentially being monitored.

But, look, there's another reality here. In today's world we all know if you logon to the internet, if you make a few clicks on your computer, the chances are the company your service provider, Google, whatever providing, whatever company you're working with, they're monitoring you as well. They're monitoring your movements through cyberspace. This is the new reality probably everyone should really be aware of it.

CUOMO: Point well made, Barbara. And, you know what, it's also growing concern for people, the more they learn about it in all phases of their life. Thanks for the reporting this morning. Appreciate it.

STARR: Sure.

BOLDUAN: Let's check back in with Indra who is looking at a whole lot of snow in Minnesota, Indra.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We have an upside to the storm, right? Snow ball fights in Duluth, Minnesota, got about two feet of snow. This is what I'm waiting for to have fun in New York. Of course, it's going to take sometime. Anyone want to guess what the temperature was there yesterday versus today? Try 32 down to negative 4.

And look at the spread, we're talking New Orleans currently 72 degrees, look at that, almost 90 degree temperature spread. We're talking about Great Falls is below, negative 18 right now. So, this is the concern as this cold arctic air continues to push farther to the south today.

With that, we have a freezing rain threat already just starting to kind of get action here. Southern Illinois, back in through Texas, that's going to be the biggest concern, especially in through today. By tonight it spreads even farther into the Ohio Valley. Dangerous conditions here as we talk about the potential of over half an inch of ice.

Power lines, that means power outages, as we go through the weekend. Now by Saturday, the first wave does make its way offshore. But there is a way behind it.

Let's talk about what we're expecting. Big story, not the rain. Only about two inches into the southeast where it's warm. Snow, yes, we'll see some flurries anywhere from New York all the way back in through Texas. Again still not the story. Let's take you to where the action is. We're talking about anywhere again from Paducah right in through just east of Dallas. That's where we have the concern for a major ice storm. We're talking about over half an inch of freezing rain. That makes power lines weigh 500 pounds. And we have two waves of this coming through as we go through the weekend.

Here's the first guide. Look for the big U as this guys kicks on through, we have that first threat lasting all the way even through early Saturday but notice there is one almost identical to it just behind it. This guy kicks through Saturday in through Sunday. So you just imagine, now you're talking about power lines being down. Temperatures below freezing. And a second wave coming behind it.

Who knows when they get the power back up with temperatures 40 degrees below.

BOLDUAN: And freezing rain doesn't even offer any fun. It's just horrible. You know what I mean?

(CROSSTALK)

PETERSONS: Dangerous in every way possible.

BOLDUAN: Exactly. Thanks, Indra.

PETERSONS: Sure.

CUOMO: Slow work to get those lines back up especially those. That was a good point to make, Indra. So people are going to have to be patient.

All right. We're going to take a break here. When we come back, the engineer in that Bronx train derailment, remember, he says he nodded off. So does that make it an accident? Will he face charges?

We'll take you through the latest in the investigation.

PEREIRA: And check out those teeth. Oh, my goodness. Did you ever wonder what it looks like when a shark comes barreling at you with its mouth wide open? It is our "Must See Moment."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Welcome back to "NEW DAY".

Funerals start today for the four victims of Sunday's train derailment in New York, as two surviving passengers prepare to file a lawsuit against the railroad. And now investigators are looking into possible criminal charges against the engineer on that train.

CNN's Nic Robertson is joining us now with much more.

You've been following it from the very beginning. What's the latest, Nic? NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the question is now, was the MTA, and this is what the lawsuits will put forward, was the MTA negligent because they hadn't provided a positive train control, a backup for the driver if this sort of thing happened. If it was indeed the case that he was nodding off.

And the other question that will be posed to the MTA, should they have done more to maintain the tracks? This is what we're hearing in these suits?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The families of those killed in Sunday's derailment in the Bronx began laying their loved ones to rest today.

Linda Smith lost her sister, Donna, whom she expected to grow old with.

LINDA SMITH, SISTER KILLED IN TRAIN DERAILMENT: We would see old ladies, places, and we'd be like, well, that's going to be us someday and we (INAUDIBLE) ourselves. We could tell by then which one of us is going to be each one. That's going to be you. That's me. Yes.

ROBERTSON: For survivors, the toll of their injuries only beginning to come to light. This morning, we are learning two passengers among the seriously injured have filed a notice of claim against the commuter railroad. Taking the initial step of seeking punitive damages in connection to the accident.

The Bronx's District Attorney's Office launching its own probe after revelations from a union rep that train engineer William Rockefeller may have nodded off at the controls just before the crash.

ANTHONY BOTTALICO, ASSOCIATION OF COMMUTER RAIL EMPLOYEES: He caught himself, but he caught himself too late.

ROBERTSON: Prosecutors are not saying whether it could lead to criminal charges. Waiting for the NTSB investigation.

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Prosecutors are most likely looking now at a charge of criminally negligent homicide, which is a form of manslaughter in other states.

ROBERTSON: Rockefeller's lawyer says his client had a good night's sleep before the crash. But two weeks prior, his shift changed significantly, from late to early. Could be a defense. Could explain why Rockefeller might have nodded off.

CALLAN: A jury might look at this and say, you know something, it's a horrible situation but it's just a terrible accident. He had become so hypnotized by the repetitious motion.

ROBERTSON: Rockefeller's lawyer and his union rep say he's been emotional as are his friends.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wish it didn't happen to anybody but it sure as hell don't want to happen to him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: And so what we understand from the MTA is they are not going to respond at the moment to these possible (INAUDIBLE). What they have said is that they are working on the positive train control, the backups, the fail safes. So this is something they're spending a lot of money on. They have planned to spend more money. They say it takes time simply because the network is so big.

BOLDUAN: I mean the only -- if there is a silver lining, if there is some way they can make a change so this doesn't happen in the future, I guess that's the only thing you can ask for while the investigation continues.

Thanks, Nic.

CUOMO: All right. Let's take a look at your sports headlines this morning with Andy Scholes in the "Bleacher Report."

Hey, Andy. How are we?

ANDY SCHOLES, THE BLEACHER REPORT: Hey, good morning, guys.

The Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's wallet is $100,000 lighter today. The NFL fined Tomlin 100 grand for getting into Jacoby Jones' way on the field during a kickoff a week ago. That fine is the second largest ever given to a coach.

Now the Steelers also might have a draft pick taken away. The NFL says they're going to decide on that after the season.

Trending on bleacherreport.com today, an NBA game last night was canceled when the power went out and the arena filled with smoke. A generator malfunctioned and caught fire. This game was in Mexico City. The NBA scheduled this so international fans could experience the best basketball in the world firsthand. Now they're going to make up the game but not in Mexico. San Antonio will play at Minnesota.

Right now TV networks are in the middle of a heated battle, and it's all over Tim Tebow. According to a "USA Today" report, ESPN, CBS and FOX are in a bidding war to sign the former quarterback as a football analyst. Tebow was cut by the Patriots during the preseason. He's been looking for work on the field but it appears his playing days are over.

And it's going to be very interesting, guys, to see where he ends up landing. Of course ESPN has the SEC Network launching next year and there are reports that they've already built a set specifically for Tim Tebow.

BOLDUAN: Oh, wow. I guess you can see that fight coming at least. Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: Yes. All right. PEREIRA: Time now for our "Must See Moment of the Day." A unique and cool view of a show made possible by a GoPro. Queue the music. Right into a fish baited umbrella like rig. Reportedly shot in Ocean City, Maryland, over the summer. So fishermen apparently trying to catch some tuna but caught the attention of one famished Mako shark instead.

It comes (INAUDIBLE) time to rip fish off the rods. Clearly relentless and hungry. The video's producer sped it up, slowed it down for maximum effect. They added some music. We're glad they did. Because the effect is pretty -- that shot especially.

BOLDUAN: Look at those chompers.

CUOMO: Yes. He's not getting away that time.

PEREIRA: No.

BOLDUAN: No.

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: He's hooked that time. I'll tell you. That is really cool.

PEREIRA: It is cool. Look at that.

CUOMO: GoPros go -- well, they really do go anywhere now. Those umbrella rigs, that's so cool that they were doing that for tuna because tunas are line shy. But it really --

(CROSSTALK)

PEREIRA: I love it. We're learning so much. I want to be a very good fisherman.

CUOMO: It's helpful to fishermen, too, to see, oh, so that's how they came at it.

PEREIRA: The behavior of it all. Yes.

CUOMO: How cool is that.

PEREIRA: I know. There you go. My gift to you, guys.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

CUOMO: Wow.

All right. Coming up on "NEW DAY", a frantic rescue is under way to free dozens of pilot whales trapped in the Florida everglades. The big question of course is will they get them out in time? We'll give you a report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, we're Texans. It's 80 degrees today and then the next day it's going to be 30?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: Arctic blast. A deadly winter storm whited out the Midwest and is now potentially more dangerous because of where it's headed. We will show you the points south and east that should beware.

BOLDUAN: New this hour, under investigation. Florida State's star quarterback finds out today if he will be charged with sexual assault. He's a favorite for the Heisman Trophy and he could be pulled from this week's championship game.

PEREIRA: Stranded, dozens of pilot whales trapped in the Florida everglades. Rescue teams now desperately trying to free them. Can they save them in time?

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you need to know --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Challenges again to go out into deeper water. They're all freely swimming now. That 41 that are left.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you just have to see.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I grabbed the two kids.