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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Joe Biden Looking at 2016 Run; MH370: Experts in France to Examine Plane Piece; California Wildfires Spreading. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired August 03, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's a big shake up coming to the race for president. Days from the first presidential debate, Donald Trump fires a top adviser, Hillary Clinton launches her first television ads as speculation mounts she could face a powerful, new challenger.

[04:30:10] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 widens. New islands now examined for debris as experts figure out if plane pieces found washed ashore belong to that vanished jetliner. We're live with the latest.

BERMAN: Wildfire spreading this morning across California. Dozens of homes destroyed. Thousands evacuated. We have the latest on this firefight. It is ongoing. That's ahead.

Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. Thirty minutes past the hour. Nice to see you this Monday morning.

The political world this morning buzzing over a possible shakeup in the 2016 race. "The New York Times" is reporting Vice President Joe Biden has started actively exploring a run. Now, "The Times" reports the vice president's late son Beau strongly lobbied his father to run in the months before he died. The Democrats close to Biden tells CNN he has not made up his mind, and that is likely to wait past August to decide.

A Biden spokeswoman says the family is still grieving and that speculation about a White House is, quote, "premature and inappropriate". The 72-year-old vice president would face a daunting prospect catching up with Hillary Clinton, who has already raised millions, staffed up a significant field operation in early primary states.

The Clinton campaign says it's not worrying about a decision by Joe Biden.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER PALMIERI, CLINTON COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: We will let him make his decision. The -- however hard it is to secure a Democratic nomination, it's however hard it is. And we have no illusions. We never thought that this was going to be easy. There's a lot of views in the Democratic Party, and, you know, we'll be prepared to handle whatever comes our way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The Clinton campaign rolled out its first set of TV ads overnight, along with $1 million ad buys in both Iowa and New Hampshire. In one ad, Clinton tells the story of her mother Dorothy, who grew up in poverty and was helped by a teacher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When she needed a champion, someone was there. I think about all the Dorothys all over America who fight for their families who never give up. That's why I'm doing this. That's why I've always done this, for all the Dorothys.

I'm Hillary Clinton and I approve this message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: There's just as much drama on the Republican side, where a campaign consultant to frontrunner Donald Trump was ensnared in a scandal over racially charged Facebook posts.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has the latest on that from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, the Donald Trump campaign announcing on Sunday that they have fired one of their political advisors Sam Nunberg. This after it was uncovered last week that there were some Facebook postings of his that were racially charged, dating back to 2007.

Now, he has denied any wrongdoing, said that those posts weren't his. But on Friday, the campaign said they would investigate these claims and by Sunday he was gone. Now, all of this controversy comes as the spotlight right on Trump as he enters the debate stage on Thursday night as the frontrunner, and certainly, there's an understanding on his part that he has somewhat of a target on his back being the frontrunner.

And he said over the weekend that he predicts that a lot of his opponents will come after him. He says he is not going to throw any punches, at least not the first one.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I always counterpunched and you have to counterpunch. But I'm not looking to start anything. A lot of people say they are getting ready and they have their lines given to them by the pollsters. You know, everything is perfectly put down by a pollster, what to say and how to attack me. And, you know, if that comes, it comes. And I'll have to handle it at the time.

SERFATY: And Chris Christie this weekend downplayed Trump's recent rise in the polls, saying that anyone can do well for a month. And he said it's up to Trump if he wants to be a serious candidate to bring that on Thursday night's debate stage. Here's what he told Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION."

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that Donald is going to be as serious a candidate as Donald wants to be. And he's going to determine through the depth of his answers and the seriousness of his answers whether he's a serious candidate or isn't. That's what I mean by campaigns matter. Anybody can do well for a month in this business, especially if you have talent and you have personality. And Donald has both of those things. So, let's see how it goes over the course of time.

SERFATY: Meanwhile on the Democratic side, there's a potential here for a shakeup as well. Sources telling CNN that Vice President Joe Biden is considering a run. He is being encouraged by friends and his advisors.

And it does seem that at the heart of this is what his son Beau Biden thought before he passed away in May. Sources telling CNN that he encouraged his father to make a run. Now, we do know that Biden has not made up his mind. At this point, he is expected to potentially decide in the next month or so after he discusses it with family -- John and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right. Sunlen, thanks so much.

The Senate votes tonight on a bill to halt federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

[04:35:00] Senate Democrats are confident the measure will not get the 60 votes needed to advance. Some Republicans are calling for a government shutdown if it is defeated.

Rand Paul of Kentucky not one of them, but he does want funding pulled after the undercover videos showing the staffers, well, discussing money and the issue of fetal tissue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They, you know, are manipulating the baby, turning the baby around to get to body parts and then selling the liver and the doctors cavalierly saying, oh, well, yes, livers are popular right now for sale, I think most Americans don't want their tax dollars going to this. So, I think when something is morally repugnant to so many people, why should tax dollars go to this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Senator Paul says he wants to see the millions that go to Planned Parenthood instead fund thousands of community health centers that provide the same services without performing abortions.

ROMANS: All right. Today, the White House will announce a major climate change plan designed to dramatically reduced greenhouse emissions from coal-burning plants. The president calls it the biggest and most important step ever taken to battle climate change. The plan calls for a 32 percent reduction in power sector carbon pollution by the year 2030, as well as more aggressive, a more aggressive transition to renewable energies, wind and solar.

Republicans are vowing to take the administration to court over the plan. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already sent the letter to governors in all 50 states urging them not to comply.

BERMAN: The president authorizing the use of air power to defend a new American-backed fighting force in Syria. This does raise the risk of the U.S. being drawn into direct combat with the Assad regime. The White House says the Pentagon-trained forces are committed to fighting ISIS, not Syria's government troops. But if they're attacked by either, U.S. air power will be used to protect them.

ROMANS: New information this morning on the investigation into Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Preparations underway in France to begin examining a part of the aircraft wing, the flaperon, that washed up last week on Reunion Island in the western Indian Ocean. Now, authorities in Malaysia say the flaperon is from a Boeing 777. Conclusive word on whether it is from MH370, that will have to wait until the examination starts on Wednesday.

For the latest, let's bring in CNN's Saima Mohsin in France's aviation lab near Toulouse.

Good morning.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

And those examinations will take place at this high tech lab in the south of France where forensic experts and scientific teams will take a closer look. And, of course, officials are flying here from around the world. Those are the French authorities, Malaysian officials from Malaysia airlines, the Malaysian judiciary and especially the MH370 team. They will be joined by air transport police from France as well.

And new addition over the weekend, Christine, Chinese officials will also be joining this team, and that is because, of course, the majority of people onboard Flight MH370 were from China. That flight was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Now, the flaperon, as you say, has been confirmed as being a part of a 777 aircraft, but not yet MH370. That will be determined inside the lab. Hopefully there will be definitive answers on that.

And to that end, the Malaysian transport minister tweeted this morning, saying that look, this piece is in line with drift analysis by experts saying they were determined that given the analysis of where we believe MH370 could have gone down, this piece would have drifted across the Indian Ocean westward towards Reunion Island where this piece was found. But he is reminded everyone, we must not speculate until we determine this is from MH370.

And to that end, over the weekend, a lot of other pieces have been turning up on reunion island. There was one object that was considered an object of interest. But so far, I want to make it clear to everyone, nothing has been determined to be from MH370 or indeed since this flaperon arriving here from any aircraft at all. But Reunion Island, we have teams keeping a close eye on developments there. And the search has been expanded to the potentially to Seychelles -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Saima for us in Toulouse, near Toulouse -- thank you for that. Keep us posted of whatever they find.

All right. Time for an early start on your money.

Not a great start to the week for stocks this morning. European and Asian shares are mostly lower. U.S. stock futures are down. Puerto Rico defaulting on its debts.

The U.S. territory missed a $58 million debt payment to its public finance corporation over the weekend. That's just a really small piece of Puerto Rico's $70 billion in outstanding debt.

The island's economy is in crisis after years of big government spending and mounting pension costs. The population is shrinking rapidly. Puerto Ricans moving to find stable work elsewhere. Puerto Rico's governor says the economy is in a, quote, "death spiral".

[04:40:02] BERMAN: Big problems there.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: All right. Happening now: wildfires spreading across California. Thousands evacuated as homes have been destroyed. Look at these fires blazing. We have new developments overnight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: A state of emergency has been declared for all of California where at least 21 wildfires are burning right now, 21. The worst of them destroyed two dozen homes and threatens thousands more in northern California. Hundreds of families have been evacuated. And authorities say the Rocky Fire, 100 miles north of San Francisco, is barely 5 percent contained.

Let's get more this morning from CNN's Stephanie Elam. She is in Lake County, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are inside the evacuation area for the Rocky Fire. And, as you can see right here, above us, that is active fire, where it has plenty of fuel that it can burn at this point. And this is why we are seeing so many firefighters out here monitoring this line.

We are standing along Highway 16. California 16. And what they want to do is contain this fire so it doesn't jump across the road. So, a lot of fires, back fires being built on the opposite side. But

as you take a look at this active fire here, you can see the wind is really pushing it.

And that is a big part of the problem with fires like this. When there is this much wind and such low humidity, it is the perfect environment for a wildfire, for one that is ballooning as quickly as this one has.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:45:03] ROMANS: Those pictures are just so dramatic.

BERMAN: And they have the work cut out for them with the drought and everything else happening there.

What's the weather hold for California over the next few days?

Let's get to meteorologist Derek Van Dam.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, John and Christine.

Unfortunately, still over 20 large wildfires raging out of control across California. We focus in particularly on this Rocky Fire, because it has spread exponentially almost over the weekend, upwards of 54,000 acres, have burned so far, only 5 percent containment, and over 6,000 structures currently threatened from the individual spot fires.

Look at how rugged this terrain is. Well, it's very difficult for the 3,000 or so firefighters trying to battle these blazes. Unfortunately, the weather doesn't look to play along. It's still going to stay sunny and dry with low humidity for the rest week.

And winds will also be a factor, light to moderate out of the southwest. This is what some of the dried and arid landscape looks around California. Remember, the state has about 43 percent coverage of exceptional drought conditions, as we speak.

Take a look at this. Our rainfall for today will be focused over the eastern half. Go figure. Here comes the cold front. That's going to bring a chance of severe weather later this afternoon. That means Pittsburgh to Columbus. Look out for large hail and damaging winds. In New York, it does spells a cool down for you, hold on tight. Looks like a middle of the workweek will feel much more comfortable.

Back to you.

ROMANS: All right. We'll take that. Thanks, Derek Van Dam.

And this amazing weather video just in. Look at this -- this white tornado silhouette against black clouds tearing across a field just southwest of Des Moines. This is part of the thunderstorm system in mid Iowa causing wind and hail damage around the area. No damage reported from this particular twister. But, boy, that's something to see. BERMAN: Look at that picture.

All right. A manhunt underway this morning in Tennessee for a suspect who is accused of murdering a Memphis police officer. Saturday, officer and Marine Corps veteran Sean Bolton was gunned down after he spotted an illegally parked car and approached it.

Detectives say Bolton actually interrupted a drug deal and got into a struggle with this man, Tremaine Wilbourn, who shot him several times. Wilbourn and the car's driver sped away, but police say the driver himself in and was later released. Wilbourn remains at large this morning.

Although they are shaken up, Bolton's fellow officers are determined to get their suspect off the streets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONEY ARMSTRONG, DIRECTOR OF POLICE SERVICES: When you look at this individual, you are looking at a coward. He's a coward. He's literally destroyed a family. Look at the impact that has had on this department, this community, this city for less than two grams of marijuana.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The mayor of Memphis says the White House has contacted city officials to show support. U.S. Marshals have joined the manhunt for Wilbourn and are offering a $10,000 reward.

ROMANS: Federal agents will join the Baltimore police department's homicide unit following the city's deadliest month in decades -- 191 people have been killed in Baltimore since January 1sT, 191. Forty- five of those homicides happened last month alone.

And here we are three days into August, and ten people have already been shot. Ten agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals and Secret Service, they will join 20 other federal agents who are already working murder cases on the streets of Baltimore.

BERMAN: The FBI, ATF and Homeland Security are now investigating two explosions outside New Mexico churches ahead of Sunday services. The incidents came in Las Cruces, about 40 miles north of the Mexican border. The first explosion tore apart a mailbox outside a Calvary Baptist Church, and the second explosion was in a trash bin outside the Holy Cross Catholic Church. No injuries were reported.

ROMANS: A powerful thunderstorm packing high winds uprooted a tent at a music festival west of Chicago Sunday afternoon, killing one man, seriously injuring three others. About 20 more were treated for injuries and released. Witnesses say a huge tent at the Prairie fest in Wood Dale was lifted straight into the air and dropped unto the crowd. Firefighters apparently had to cut victims out of that tent.

BERMAN: This morning, a word that a second lion has been illegally hunted and slain in Zimbabwe and once again, an American accused of being its killer. We're live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:53:00] BERMAN: This morning, we are learning of a second lion in Africa being illegally hunted and once again, an American is now wanted in connection with the killing. Wildlife officials say it happened in April and that was -- and that his guide was hunting without a permit. This on the heels of a death of a well known lion at the hands of a different American.

CNN's David McKenzie live in Johannesburg with more on both case.

Good morning, David.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

Yes, it does appear based on the evidence suggested by the Zimbabwe parks authority, that there was a long trend of illegally hunting animals or at least hunting without the proper permits on the margins of this park. They have named another American who they say was involved in the illegal hunt earlier this year in April. And they have, in fact, arrested the safari operator who organized that hunt, John.

But they do say they will clamp down on trophy hunting general. Banning hunting on the margins on the park where Cecil the Lion was lured out and killed and banning bow hunting, specifically the kind of hunting that Dr. Walt Palmer killed Cecil the lion earlier last month which caused such an outcry globally -- John.

BERMAN: So, David, there was the outcry for the dentist, the American dentist who apparently, you know, shot Cecil the lion with a bow and arrow to be extradited in Zimbabwe, any sign that that will happen?

MCKENZIE: Experts say it will be a tall order to extradite him from the U.S. to Zimbabwe since that extradition treaty was put in place between the two countries, there haven't really been cases of people sent over. It's both a legal issue in terms of did this dentist do something in Zimbabwe which would also be considered a crime in the U.S. and also a political one. Whether the U.S. will be seen to send someone to Zimbabwe, a country with huge problems in the judicial system and history of also bad treatment of prisoners in prison.

[04:55:05] So, it's probably a tall order as this point. But, certainly, Zimbabwe officials are trying to point the finger to these U.S. hunters. There might be some politics in there as well -- John.

BERMAN: I think a lot of politics, a lot of politics. David McKenzie for us in South Africa, thanks so much, David.

ROMANS: All right. That grilled cheese sandwich could be a choking hazard. Pay attention to the Kraft singles recall. We've got that for you, next.

BERMAN: Oh, no.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: All right. Good morning. It's Monday. Let's get an early start on your money today. I'm Christine Romans.

Stocks moving lower, Asian stocks and U.S. stock futures are down. European stocks are looking a bit more optimistic, except in Greece. Stocks plunging about 25 percent this morning. The stock market reopened today. You know, it's been closed for five weeks, during the height of the Greek financial crisis. Investors now reacting to this extensive shutdown, despite restrictions put in place by the government there. Some massive selling going on there.

Kraft is recalling 36,000 cases of individually wrapped cheese slices because the wrapper could be a choking hazard. The recall includes 3 and 4 pound packages of American slices. The problem: a thin strip of the film may stick to the cheese. The company says it has received ten complaints and three reports of choking.

BERMAN: My suggestion is don't eat the wrapper. If it sticks on, you don't know you're eating it. You don't choose to eat the wrapper.

ROMANS: Exactly.

BERMAN: OK.

ROMANS: Fresh off acquisition of DirecTV, AT&T just launched the first combined TV and cell phone plan. That means customers can pay for their satellite TV, their cell phone, their internet services all in one place.