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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Global Climate Change Begins in Paris; Paris Terror Attacks: Manhunt Continues; Trump Declares Black Pastors "Love" Him; Christie: I Can Win New Hampshire. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired December 01, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:03] JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT: Alison, good morning.

In fact, President Obama meeting right now with President Erdogan of Turkey. We think that has more to do with the fact that Turkey shot down that Russian fighter jet just a couple of days ago. In any case, after that, the president has a busy day ahead.

Yesterday was a day of good intentions. All leaders, 150 leaders here, were expressing their good intentions about what they want to see from climate change, the urgency of taking action, that sort of thing.

Here's a bit of what President Obama had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a turning point. This is the moment we finally determine we would save our planet. It's the fact that our nations share a sense of urgency about this challenge and a growing realization that is within our power to do something about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMANN: President Obama also saying in fact that the U.S. knew its responsibility for creating a problem and its responsibility for trying to solve it -- Alison.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: You know, trying to get all of these countries on the same page into this legally binding agreement, obviously very tough. How much can this really stick? How much can it be where once the two-week conference is over, everybody goes back home? How likely is it that what they talked about can really be carried out?

BITTERMANN: Well, Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said yesterday in his opening remarks that basically no one is expecting a perfect agreement here. It is a good time to think about consensus and compromise. It's not going to be any kind of a perfect agreement. But there is a more, I think, goodwill this time around and certainly the leaders expressed it yesterday, toward getting something done. And there's also commitments by 180 of those 195 nations with specific targets, specific emission control targets for the next five years or over the next century depending on each nation.

In any case, they've got some targets in mind. They've got two weeks to kind of work out all of the details and there are a lot of missing details here that have to be put in place. But in any case, there's a good possibility that they'll come up with something that will at least lay the framework. People are saying this is not the finish but just the start of the movement towards controlling the climate change of the planet.

So, I think that, you know, president Hollande says you have the future of the planet in your hands, the delegates. And I think they understand that responsibility -- Alison.

KOSIK: Baby steps to protecting the planet. I guess you got to start somewhere. Jim Bittermann -- thanks so much.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin huddling for 30 minutes on the sidelines of those climate talks in Paris. The two leaders working on solving the Syrian crisis. Even agreeing to draw up the two lists to distinguish between the country's extremists and legitimate opposition groups. President Obama also expressing regret to Putin over the downing of one of his fighter jets by Turkey.

I want to go live to Moscow and bring in CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance.

Good morning, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. That's right.

The -- President Obama meeting on the sidelines as you say of the climate change summit in Paris. It is interesting because, you know, there's not a great atmosphere with the two leaders, but clearly, there's a recognition by the White House that when they discuss Syria, they need to talk with Russia as well. President Obama expressing regret for the loss of life in the incident with the shoot-down of the Russian warplane by Turkish fighter jets last week. He said that he regret, you know, looking for ways to deescalate the situation between Russia and Turkey.

The Kremlin also saying the two leaders discussed the future of Syria, discuss the possibility of a political settlement as well. So, you know, this is something the two leaders are coming together with each other to discuss over the coming, I expect, weeks, in the further discussion of how to proceed politically in Syria, Christine.

ROMANS: Such a tense relationship between these two leaders and so, absolutely critical that they are talking to each other even on the sidelines. Multilayered different issues that both countries are involved in. MATTHEWS: Absolutely. And, of course, what the White House, one of

the things many people are looking at with concern is the standoff that's been taking place between Russia and Turkey. Turkey, of course, is a NATO ally. It shot down the Russian plane last week. And it's led to a massive escalation and tensions between Russia and Turkey.

The Russian president is refusing to meet President Erdogan who, as Jim Bittermann was just saying, he's now meeting with President Obama. So, hopefully, there's going to be some kind of a mediation between -- by the United States between Russia and Turkey to deescalate that situation.

Already, there is tensions between Russia and Turkey over the future of Syria. Russia backs Bashar al Assad. Turkey backs the opposition groups against Bashar al Assad, the Syrian president. And so, you know, there's potential for more escalation if the situation isn't address immediately.

ROMANS: All right. Matthew Chance for us this morning in Moscow -- thanks, Matthew.

[04:35:01] KOSIK: Chilling new details emerging this morning on the Paris terror attacks. Sources telling CNN that terrorists may have been planning more far reaching attacks than previously known. This as we learn the attacker who survived, Salah Abdeslam, may have successfully escaped to Syria.

Joining us from Paris with the latest is CNN's Phil Black.

Phil, this is more and more disturbing as we get these details. How far along were the supposed other attacks in the making?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's not clear, Alison, from what we're told. It comes from the man who's close to the French investigation into the Paris attacks. And they said they had this information which suggests that other attacks were ready to go. That's the expression that was used, and they were targeting, we are told, transportation networks, Jewish areas, and schools as well. The information itself is said to have come from a witness who presented himself voluntarily to French police, claiming that he had been in direct contact with one of the people who is directly involved in those Paris attacks, a woman who was killed during the raid by French police on an apartment in the Paris neighborhood of Saint-Denis just days after the attack.

Now, at the time, we were told the French police believed that they conducted that raid, disrupted this group before they were able to carry out yet another attack, but one that was targeting or due to target the financial district of Paris, Le Defense. So, all of this suggests there was greater ambition. This group wanted-- planned to carry out attacks in addition to those which killed around 130 people on that night itself.

Meanwhile, you mentioned there, the wanted suspect, Salah Abdeslam, the one man who is believed to have been involved in the attacks, but has since evaded authorities here. You're right. We have been told by French authorities here that French intelligence are operating under the theory that this man has gone to ground and may have already travelled back to ISIS-controlled territory in Syria. He has effective been Europe's most wanted man since the attacks. His image, his name is being everywhere.

He's believed to be in Paris on the night of the attack, played a role in the attacks themselves before traveling back to Belgium and from there, while he's largely disappeared. The authorities haven't been able to find him. They are suggesting, all this theory now suggests that somehow he was able to travel back to a country bordering Syria and then cross the border. Extraordinary development if you think he is somehow managed to evade authorities here despite his name and identity so widespread and publicized, and a journey that probably involved some sort of commercial air travel.

Belgian authorities say that it's possible, they've also believed that that's a journey that they thought he would like to make, he would like to find sanctuary back in Syria. But they have no concrete reason to believe he has left or successfully completed that journey just yet. So, they are still looking for him on Belgium soil.

KOSIK: All right. CNN's Phil Black, thanks very much for the latest.

ROMANS: The White House tightening the government's visa waiver program. The move is designed to stop people who have visited conflict zones from routinely board U.S. bound commercial flights. The U.S. administration is hoping to prevent an attack like the one in Paris. The new measure includes stiffer fines for airlines that don't verify passenger IDs and increased information sharing with other nations.

KOSIK: E-mails written by Hillary Clinton and sent to her daughter Chelsea on the night of the Benghazi attacks now released by the State Department. The former secretary of state using the name Diane Reynolds tells her daughter the attack was launched by, quote, "an al Qaeda-like group." Republicans have slammed Clinton for putting out a public statement that same night suggesting an inflammatory online video motivated the Benghazi attacks.

ROMANS: Thirty-nine minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money.

European shares mostly lower. Asian shares rose. U.S. stock futures are higher. November is now in the history books, folks, and stocks managed a small gain. Dow up 0.3 percent.

But now, it's time to brace for December's potential curve balls. Here they are, first up, the November jobs gains at the end of the week crucial because it is the last before the Fed makes its interest rate decision, and assuming the report shows steady job creation, the Fed is likely to raise rates for the first time in a decade.

Indecision about the timing of this hike has been rattling markets for months. Higher rates, of course, will be felt by almost everyone. And, finally, OPEC will decide whether to cut production. Oil prices

are half of what they were last year, driven by oversupply. But so far, the oil cartel has held its ground and output and kept prices low. Those are some of the big money moves for December to consider.

KOSIK: All right. Chris Christie disputing Donald Trump's claims that Muslim celebrating on 9/11, taking on the presidential frontrunner in a new CNN interview. We're going to break it down, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:43:58] KOSIK: Welcome back.

Donald Trump back on the campaign trail in New Hampshire today after meeting with black pastors that was not followed by an endorsement news conference as originally planned. The Trump campaign originally claimed 100 African-American pastors would endorse the GOP frontrunner. That part of the event was canceled after several pastors listed said they had no plans to endorse Trump.

CNN's Sara Murray has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning, Christine and Alison.

Donald Trump did a little bit of damage control yesterday, declaring his meeting with African-American pastors a big success even though several of those who were invited either declined to attend or decline to support the GOP frontrunner. But he still did pick up a number of endorsements, and he said the pastors who attended appreciated his tone.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We actually didn't think we were going to be having a press conference, but we all thought it was such a good meeting, we would do that. And we have many, many endorsements that came out of the meeting.

MURRAY: Now, later Monday evening, Donald Trump made his way here to the heart of Georgia where he got the crowd roaring with his attacks on Hillary Clinton.

[04:45:03] And he said he is expecting some incoming fire from his own GOP rivals.

TRUMP: Even I think Cruz is going to have to hit me because, you know, he is a nice guy. He has been so supportive. Everything I said, he supported -- every single thing I said. And he has been supportive.

But at some point, he's going to have to hit me, right? It's going to be a sad day. But we will hit back, I promise.

MURRAY: And Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail today in New Hampshire. So, we'll see if this is finally the day where he and Ted Cruz are trading barbs.

Back to you, Alison and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Sara, thank you for that.

Chris Christie looking to shock the world by winning New Hampshire. The New Jersey governor picking up the endorsement from "The New Hampshire Union Leader" newspaper. Christie thinks the Granite State is now within his reach. He will be campaigning there today and he had a few strong words for Donald Trump in this conversation with CNN's Jamie Gangel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Does this make you the comeback kid?

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We'll see. You know, that will be determined on February 9th when we see how the votes come in. But I think what it shows is that the work we've been putting in here in New Hampshire, the plans we laid out that people are taking them seriously and taking them to heart. And we're thrilled to have the endorsement.

GANGEL: Prediction today: Chris Christie could win New Hampshire?

CHRISTIE: Sure, of course. I could win New Hampshire. And anybody who is up here and watches any of it knows that I can.

GANGEL: Apparently, this endorsement is enough to worry your friend Donald Trump. Up to now, he has steered clear of criticizing you for the most part.

But first thing this morning, he was on Twitter. "How is Chris Christie running the state of New Jersey which is deeply troubled when he is spending all of his time in New Hampshire? New Jerseyans are not happy."

You say?

CHRISTIE: I'm just so glad to be noticed by Donald. Ain't that nice? It's great. And I'm happy to take whatever he wants to give me in 140 characters or less, which is apparently the way he communicates best. So, fine.

GANGEL: Is this a compliment that he is now taking a punch at you?

CHRISTIE: Who knows? You know, Jamie, I think -- I'm not going to play into the business of spending the precious time you and I have together, you know, talking about Trump.

GANGEL: Oh, yes, we are.

CHRISTIE: He is just one of a number of candidates for us to talk about and chew over and -- I'm not worried about it.

GANGEL: Right. He is the frontrunner. You have avoided criticizing him. But he insists he is now doubling down and tripling down, that he saw thousands of Muslims celebrating after 9/11 in Jersey City. Then he says from four miles away in his office, he could see people jumping from the World Trade Center.

Do you believe that either of those things happened?

CHRISTIE: No. All I know are the facts, you know, that what went on that day in New Jersey was not anything of like what he said and there's no film or video to prove it. He said he saw it on TV. It didn't happen.

GANGEL: But the first time you were asked about it, you said you didn't think it was true, but you didn't recall it. And as a former prosecutor, you know when a witness says I don't recall that, it sounds as if they don't want to answer the question.

CHRISTIE: It's an honest answer. I was not focused on everything in New Jersey that day. My wife and brother were trapped in Lower Manhattan. I didn't know if they were dead or alive. So, I said I don't think it happened, but I have to put that qualifier in there because I was not completely focused on what happened.

GANGEL: Did it happen?

CHRISTIE: No.

GANGEL: Absolutely not?

CHRISTIE: No.

GANGEL: So, why don't you call Donald Trump out on this? He has doubled down. He has tripled down.

CHRISTIE: Everybody knows it didn't happen. So, what's the use? To join the cacophony? I'm about distinguishing myself and making myself different from everybody else from a 14-person field. Not the same.

GANGEL: Yes or no. Is it outrageous that Donald Trump keeping saying these things?

CHRISTIE: It's wrong. It's just wrong. It's factually wrong. Everybody else can determine what they think is outrageous or not outrageous. I mean, in the context of Donald, the bar is high.

GANGEL: His latest is that he is mocking a "New York Times" reporter who has a physical disability. He now claims that he didn't know that the reporter had a physical disability. But if you watch the video, it's pretty hard --

CHRISTIE: I saw the video.

GANGEL: Do you think he knew what he was doing? CHRISTIE: It appears that way. He's got to answer for himself. I

mean, I think part of the folly of all this, is that we are answering for him. He said what he said. Now the people who vote will judge him. He shouldn't be making fun of people's disabilities. It's not just -- it's just not worthy of someone running for president of the United States.

[04:50:03] GANGEL: For someone who says sit down and shut up, not to say what Donald Trump is doing is mean, outrageous, seems very un- Chris Christie.

CHRISTIE: Pick whatever adjective you want. Wait a second, if I say something that is not worthy of coming out of a mouth of a candidate for president of the United States, when the person who's saying it is a candidate for president of the United States, I think that's pretty strong.

GANGEL: You think that is strong as sit down and shut up?

CHRISTIE: Well, in a different context, yes. Sit down and shut up is a guy yelling and screaming at you in the middle of the speech. If Donald starts yelling and screaming at me in the middle of the speech, you could be sure I'll say, sit down and shut up.

GANGEL: Will you go after him?

CHRISTIE: I will do the best I can to win this race and to be the next president of the United States, because the stakes are too high to have a vanity exercise.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: You know the irony in this? Chris Christie was thought of as too brash. Next to Trump --

ROMANS: Yes, it was the straight talk of Chris Christie that made people like him so much. And then the straight talk to the hundredth degree comes in the form of Donald Trump. Really interesting.

KOSIK: A great interview from Jamie. Thanks, Jamie.

Are banks still too big to fail? The Fed's latest move says not anymore. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:55:43] KOSIK: The man accused of killing three people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs facing a judge for the first time since the shooting. Fifty-seven-year-old Robert Dear appearing by video from jail was told he was being held on suspicion of first degree murder which could mean life in prison or death penalty if he's convicted. Dear will be formally charged at his court hearing next week.

ROMANS: For the first time since his arrest in Laquan McDonald shooting, Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is now free on bond. Van Dyke posted the $1.5 million bond Monday. He is charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of the black teenager. He was shot 16 times. Police dashcam footage was released last week, more than a year after that shooting.

KOSIK: Lawyers for Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be back in federal court today seeking a new trial. Tsarnaev was convicted and sentenced to death back in June for the marathon attack. Since then, the Supreme Court struck down parts of the law Tsarnaev was convicted under. The judge who oversaw Tsarnaev's trial (AUDIO GAP) on the defense motion for a new trial. Tsarnaev won't be in court for the hearing.

ROMANS: All right. Let's get an early start on your money.

First day of a new month, U.S. stock futures are up with a great deal for investors this month. Beginning with the latest jobs report Friday. It is the final report before the Fed makes a decision on interest rates. Consensus is the Fed is likely to raise rates this month for the first time in a decade.

Nearly every jobs indicator has been improving, even the underemployment rate is falling rapidly, especially for college graduates, now just 6.2 percent compared with 10.2 percent during the recession. Analysis from Georgetown University shows those tales of college educated baristas, those tales are becoming rarer by the day. The Federal Reserve's new message to big banks, don't expect a bailout in the next financial crisis.

Under the new role adapted Monday, the Fed cannot give funding to banks going bankrupt. If it has been in place during the financial crisis, it would have prevented the Fed from giving money to AIG and Bear Stearns. But some say this rule doesn't go far enough in ending too big to fail as it's known. Here's why: the Fed can still lend to banks during times of emergencies as long as the bank can pay it back. But the true help of a struggling back can be difficult to assess.

The latest in the drug price gouging war. Remember Daraprim? It's the drug that saw its price go from $13.50 a pill to $750 a pill overnight, owned by a company called Turing Pharmaceuticals, with the controversial CEO, this guy Martin Shkreli. Now, the largest prescription drug manager Express Scripts will offer an alternative, a pill that cost only $1. It's the compounded medicine with the same ingredient as Daraprim.

Turing is offering discounts to hospitals and financial assistance to needy patience, it says. But the $750 sticker price for that drug has not come down. This, of course, has drawn the ire of some in Congress who say it's just not fair, right. And they'd like to make it illegal.

KOSIK: We can all understand that.

EARLY START continues right now.

Happening now: unprecedented security surrounding world leaders in Paris as President Obama urges new action to fight climate change. ROMANS: New information in the manhunt for one of the Paris

attackers. Did the terrorist escaped to Syria? We are live.

Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

KOSIK: And I'm Alison Kosik. It's Tuesday, December 1st. It's 5:00 a.m. in the East.

And happening now: President Obama on his last day in Paris for the climate summit, amid extremely tight security. Heads of state from nearly 155 countries, 40,000 delegates, they're meeting with one mission: to hammer out legally binding reductions in greenhouse gasses, keeping global warning under a crucial threshold, 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, 2 degree Celsius.

Already, the leaders of the two biggest greenhouse emitters, China and the U.S., they have met. But the summit takes place under the shadow of repeated failures to reach or even keep to pass climate deals.

Joining us from Paris with the latest, senior European correspondent Jim Bittermann.

Jim, I'd imagine with so many world leaders converging in Paris, where those terror attack happened, their focus has probably slipped between terrorism and climate change.

BITTERMANN: Well, on a lot of subjects as well because it's rare that these many leaders get together.