Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Ferguson Bracing for a Decision; Iran Nuke Talks Down to the Wire; Flood Dangers in Buffalo; Benghazi Report Slammed
Aired November 24, 2014 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DEBORAH FEYERICK: Bracing for the decision. The grand jury meets again today and we could see a decision on whether or not Officer Darren Wilson will be indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown. What's expected this morning, ahead.
Down to the wire. The U.S. and other world powers are scrambling to reach a deal with Iran before tonight's deadline. Can all sides come to agreement on Iran's nuclear program in time?
A new threat after record snowfall hits Buffalo, New York. Rain and temperatures have created serious flooding fears. Evacuation plans now in place.
Welcome back, everyone, to EARLY START. I'm Deborah Feyerick, in for John Berman and Christine Romans. It is now almost 30 minutes past the hour.
Up first, the clock is ticking and the tension is building this morning in Ferguson, Missouri. The grand jury in the shooting death of Michael Brown meeting one more time today. After that, we could find out whether Officer Darren Wilson, the Ferguson who shot and killed the unarmed teenager, is indicted for murder or whether he is not indicted.
We get more from CNN's Don Lemon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR, "CNN TONIGHT": Good morning, Deb.
The grand jury met on Friday, did not come to a decision. So, it is expected that they will reconvene today, sometime tonight, not exactly sure what time and possibly come to a decision. Now, it had been said that each side or everyone would get a 48-hour notice as to when there was going to be a decision and to -- when they announce the decision.
But we are hearing now from justice correspondent Evan Perez, through a source, that they may not give that 48-hour notice. That as soon as they reach the decision of some sort, that a representative or an official might come out and say what that decision is. And, of course, we are talking about whether Officer Darren Wilson will be indicted or not in the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown. As far as the community here, one might think that the streets of
Ferguson were on fire if you look at some of the media coverage. But that, indeed, is not the case. Yes, there are still protests going on. There are still some angry protesters. Not much violence, though.
A few people are arrested in the course of those protests, sometimes daily, sometimes not. Usually about 30 or 40 people, we're told, have protests here every single night since the shooting happened. But from the media coverage, you might get a different sort of idea of what's going on here on the streets of Ferguson.
Of course, people are watching very closely as to when the decision is going to come and what that decision is going to be. And, of course, the people who are in charge of keeping everything safe here, they said they are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. But that decision from the grand jury could come at anytime after they reconvene again today.
Deb, back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: All right. Thank you, Don Lemon.
And tensions in Ferguson are now being blamed for young woman's tragic death. Police say the 26-year-old Becca Campbell may have accidentally shot and killed herself with a gun to defend herself from possible violence. She was riding in a car with her boyfriend Friday night when he says that she begun jokingly wave the gun around causing him to duck. He says that triggered a rear end collision, which caused the gun to fire. The fatal shot struck Campbell in the head. Police are still investigating the boyfriend's story.
Well, any chance for a nuclear deal with Iran appears to be gone this morning. The six nations sitting at the table with the Iranians reporting serious gaps between the two sides. But the deadline for an agreement expiring today.
With the deadline for agreement expiring today. President Obama insisting that the stakes are too high to abandon the talks now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm confident that if we reach a deal that is verifiable and assures that Iran does not have breakout capacity, that not only can I persuade Congress, but I can persuade the American people that it's the right thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: So, can anything get accomplished before time runs out tonight?
Reza Sayah live from Tehran this morning.
And, Reza, how important is this deal to Iranians both to the politicians and also the people?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Deb, this is no exaggeration. We haven't come across a single Iranian who said they don't want a deal.
All Iranians want a deal. They want these sanctions lifted. They want a better economy. And they believe the first step is an agreement with the world powers.
However, growing indications today that the most likely scenario is no agreement in Vienna and instead extension, after a meeting between Iran's foreign minister and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Iranian officials are saying an extension is being discussed.
In the meantime, Iran's position is the same. They say their nuclear program is peaceful. They also they've shown that they have made concessions.
Over the past year, they've stopped enriching uranium beyond 5 percent. They down-blended and therefore eliminated the 20 percent rich uranium stockpile. They stopped making advancements to their heavy water reactor and they agreed to broader inspections by the IAEA, Deb.
And these are all reasons why Iranians say it's the West, it's Washington that's inflexible hours before the deadline. We'll see what happens, Deb.
FEYERICK: Clearly, the Iranians want the economic sanctions lifted. What is the prevailing mood as to whether, in fact, this will be done? Because some critics have said the Iranians are simply stalling. They are buying time to make sure they are able to enrich whatever uranium they have or sort of speed up their nuclear program.
SAYAH: There's conflicting narratives. Iran is saying the West is stalling and the West is saying Iran is stalling.
However, the mood here is not an optimistic one. Iranians aren't very good at hiding their emotions. If they are excited, they're optimistic, they show it, but you don't see that today. And those are again signs of the most likely scenario for now is no agreement of what an extension many here hopeful that eventually a deal would get done.
FEYERICK: All right. Reza Sayah, thank you so much. We'll check back with you in a little while. Thank you.
And overnight, a security scare at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. The Army base was put on lockdown for several hours last night after a driver failed to stop at an entrance checkpoint. That driver is now in police custody. He was captured after a brief manhunt. An explosives team was brought to the scene, nothing was found in the suspect's car. Police say he was alone, they are not revealing a possible motive.
And in the wake of a bruising midterm, President Obama is acknowledging that the American people are ready for a fresh start. The president appearing on ABC's "This Week", likened himself to a used car while looking ahead to 2016.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: You know, you've got some dings and --
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC: You don't mind absorbing a few more if that's what it takes?
OBAMA: No, you know, I think the American people, they want that new car smell. They want to drive something off the lot that doesn't have as much mileage as me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: And he hasn't lost his sense of humor.
The president went on to say that he believes Hillary Clinton would be a formidable candidate and a great president if she decides to run.
Three civil rights workers killed by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi in 1964 will be honored posthumously today with the presidential Medal of Freedom. That is the nation's highest civilian honor presented for meritorious contributions to the security or national interest of the United States. The president is awarding 19 medals in all this afternoon. Among those honored, actress Meryl Streep, singer Stevie Wonder, and journalist Tom Brokaw.
Well, let's get an early start on your money. Business correspondent Cristina Alesci is here with us.
What's going to happen today?
CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it looks like a good start to the week with stocks. Asian shares rallied thanks to China's surprise interest rate cut on Friday. And European shares and U.S. stock futures are also up, coming off Friday's record for the Dow and S&P 500. That put the S&P in the record territory for the 45th time this year.
Now, Deb, I know you tweet a lot. So, you might be interested to know, a new report says brands are wasting their time on Facebook and Twitter. Posts from top companies reach just 2 percent of followers according to research and interaction is even weaker.
So, what does work? Smaller platforms, it turns out, like Instagram, I love it, and good old fashioned e-mail. Although I find that annoying to get too many ads on e-mail, right?
FEYERICK: Absolutely. It just fills up my inbox. Instagram is interesting because that you're really just looking and clicking as opposed to tweeting, which actually takes a little bit of brain power.
ALESCI: Well, you could argue that makes it a better platform. It's very visually-oriented, which was great for branding. FEYERICK: OK. Cristina Alesci, thanks so much. Appreciate that.
And new anger this morning over a report that clears the Obama administration of wrongdoing in the Benghazi attack. Why Senator Lindsey Graham calls the report, quote, "garbage".
And the University of Virginia under fire this morning after disturbing rape allegations surfaces from one of the school's frats. What the university and the students are now doing about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
After the big dig, the city of Buffalo is bracing for the big thaw, the big melt. Evacuation plans in place this morning with temperatures approaching 60 degrees today. Erie County officials expect heavy flooding with up to six feet of water predicted from areas. That's after the city was buried by seven feet of snow last week. Alexandra Field has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Deb, they are preparing around the clock for the possibility of flooding, and a lot of those preparations are happening right here at the state's stockpile in western New York. Manpower and supplies have been coming into this area all week.
Around me, you can see the more than 50 boats which have been brought in. There are swift rescue water teams on stand by, as well as emergency personnel from municipalities around the state; 176,000 sand bags have been brought in, along with hundreds of generators of all sizes, and water pumps brought in.
The goal right now before the temperature begins to spike to remove as much snow as possible. Already, more than 80,000 tons of snow had been taken of South Buffalo. The goal is to clear out some of those storm drains which are filled with snow. That could help to mitigate some of the risks associated with flooding.
People in the area are being told to clear out their basements in the anticipation of the possibility of flooding. The governor says that everything that can be done to prepare is being done to prepare. More than 500 national guardsmen and women are in the area on stand by should they need to respond -- Deb.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: Alexandra Field for us up there in Buffalo -- thank you.
And now, let's get to Jennifer Gray with an early look at your weather.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Deb, we are looking at rain across portions of western New York, Buffalo picking up a little bit of rain, less than an inch total but we are still going to see that pushing into that area. Sunny in the southeast for today. Temperatures around 65 in Atlanta, 74 in D.C., 67 in New York, Chicago at 45. Your temperature will drop as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
It is a big travel week for a lot folks, and good news is tomorrow, most of the country is looking good. We do see some thunderstorms pushing into South Florida. Sunny across much of the south. Mountain snow in the Rockies and rain pushing into the Pacific Northwest. We could see lake-effect snow across the Great Lakes.
As far as high temperatures go tomorrow, 55 in Atlanta, 30 in Chicago, 55 in D.C., New York at 50. We will see temperatures at 60 degrees in Dallas -- Deb.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: All right. Jennifer, thanks.
And no conspiracy, no cover up. That is the conclusion of the House intelligence report investigating the administration's handling of the deadly 2012 attack on the mission in Benghazi. It's an investigation that was spearheaded by Republicans, but at least one top ranking Republican is calling the findings crap in his words.
Erin McPike has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think the report is full of crap.
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Why?
GRAHAM: Quite frankly.
BORGER: Why?
GRAHAM: To say that Mike -- well, the deputy director of the CIA, when I asked him who changed the talking points with Senator Ayotte and McCain, and Susan Rice sitting by his side, said the FBI changed the talking points.
Only later did we find out through a lawsuit that Mike Morrell was deeply involved in changing the talking points, the deputy director of the FBI, when he was sitting in front of the congressional panel, and he was asked, does anybody know who changed the talking points, he sat silent.
BORGER: OK. But this --
GRAHAM: So, no, the intel community through him lied.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: Well, the report puts blame on the State Department for the deadly attacks, saying officials knew security at the Benghazi was inadequate.
Twelve thousand U.S. and NATO troops will be allowed to remain in Afghanistan through next year now that the country's parliament has approved a new agreement with the West. The troops are there to support Afghan forces in their fight against al Qaeda and the renewed offensive by Taliban. The deal so means the U.S. can conduct air support in the region if needed.
And no one is claiming responsibility for a deadly suicide bomb attack at a volleyball tournament in Eastern Pakistan. It happened Sunday in Paktika region. Authorities say 45 to 60 people were killed. They're expecting that number to climb higher. Dozens more were injured, 89 people were killed in the same province in July four months ago when a bomb went off in a crowded market.
Well, authorities in Cleveland are investigating the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy by a police officer who mistakenly thought that the boy had a real gun. The victim, 12-year-old Tamir Rice, was shot outside a neighborhood rec center.
Officials say police responded to a 911 call about a juvenile scaring people with a gun. They said that the officer fired at the boy after he pulled the replica gun from his waistband.
Student leaders at the University of Virginia expected to speak out about an apparent gang rape on campus. The horrifying allegations were revealed in a "Rolling Stone" article which describes a cavalier attitude by the school when it comes to student rape claims. One student reports she was sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members. UVA has now suspended all fraternity activities until January 9th.
Ad some alert bicyclists in Australia make a disturbing find in a storm drain, a new born baby boy. They made the discovery Sunday when they lifted the slab off a storm drain. They could hear the baby's cries even though he was more than eight feet underground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYLEY OTTE, CYCLIST WHO FOUND BABY: We felt sickened.
DAVID OTTE, CYCLIST WHO FOUND BABY: We still feel sick.
HAYLEY OTTE: Yes, we just wanted that baby, to know and see its face it was OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: Well, the-week-old boy is a fighter. Investigators say that they believe he was placed in the drain the day after he was born. He is in the hospital in serious condition. His mother has been charged with attempted murder.
And it is being called one of the greatest catches in football history. A New York Giants rookie -- look at that -- pulling off a play that one sportscaster called absolutely impossible. One hand. You've got to see it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder among the many sending their condolences to the family of former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry who died Sunday at the age of 78. Barry was an iconic and controversial figure in local Washington politics for decades. He had been released from the hospital a day earlier. And spokesman says he collapsed outside of his home. The woman who donated her kidney to Barry several years ago says he will be missed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM DICKENS, KIDNEY DONOR: Shock. Unbelievable. Hasn't really sunk in yet.
REPORTER: Obviously, you thought a lot of him?
DICKENS: Yes, I loved him so much. We all did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: Barry was reelected mayor after serving prison time for smoking crack cocaine. The medical examiner says Barry died of natural causes due to heart trouble.
One person is dead, three others injured after a bus overturned in California. It happened around 7:30 Sunday morning when the tour bus ran off a freeway 100 miles south of the Oregon border. Thirty people were rushed to the hospital. Earlier in the same trip, the bus driver crashed into a Denny's restaurant, but continued on the voyage. The bus was traveling to Washington state. Officers say the driver who is being held for questioning, showed signs of fatigue.
Today, Honda will have to supply federal officials with documents related to air bag incidents. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has started investigating whether the Japanese automaker failed to report deaths or injuries caused by airbag malfunction. Millions of cars have been recalled by dozens of manufacturers worldwide after at least four people were killed because of defected airbags.
Week 12 in the NFL featured more of the same from Tom Brady and New England Patriots. Brady leading the Pats to their seventh straight win. They crushed the Detroit Lions 34-9.
The Sunday night game featured one of the greatest catches you will ever see. Giants' rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. making an incredible one-handed grab to score a touchdown. The Giants though lost the game to the Dallas Cowboys 31-28.
"Saturday Night Live" having a little fun with President Obama's executive action on immigration. The opening skit parodied the classic "I'm just a bill" segment from the cartoon "Schoolhouse Rock". Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): I go through the House and they vote on me but they're not me from the Senate majority and yes, I passed the legislative test then I wind up on the president's desk and I --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Obama, what's the big idea? The bill is trying to become a law.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I realize that. But, you know, son, there is an easier way to get things done around here. It's called an executive order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): I'm an executive order and I pretty much just happen
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: Well, the president's order allows for 5 million undocumented immigrants to apply for delayed deportation.
And it's long been hailed as the king of beers, but is Budweiser losing its crown? We will get an early start on your money, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FEYERICK: And let's get an early start on your money. Business correspondent Cristina Alesci is here.
Good morning.
ALESCI: Good morning. It's green across the board. I feel like I should be wearing green these days.
Remember, the Dow and S&P 500 ticked up to new highs on Friday. Sound familiar? Stocks keep finding reasons to eke out records. And it looks like today could be more of the same.
Futures are up following markets around the world. Asian shares ended the day higher after China's surprise decision to cut rates on Friday. Europeans shares are also up.
Now, everybody's got their eyes on Black Friday. Kmart is putting in long hours on Thanksgiving, opening at 6:00 a.m. for deals and staying open for 42 hours state. That means a lot of holiday shifts for Kmart employees. Hundreds of workers are now petitioning to request holidays off. It's a nice idea.
It was started by a daughter whose mom was scheduled to work two five- hour shifts last Thanksgiving. Kmart says it tries its best to staff stores with volunteers.
And on to some drinking. Is Budweiser losing its crown as the king of beers? The last few decades, Budweiser has been hit by all sides. Bud light is the best selling beer from a decade ago. And now, craft beers are chipping away at market share as well. That's according to "The Wall Street Journal." Budweiser is trying to appeal to 20-somethings to revamp the brand. Who isn't? That means no more famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses. Instead, we'll see millennials talking about grabbing a Bud with friends.
FEYERICK: All right, Cristina Alesci. Thank you so much for that.
EARLY START continues right now.
(MUSIC)
