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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama Urges World Leaders to Fight Climate Change; Paris Terror Attacks: Manhunt Continues; Trump Declares Black Pastors "Love" Him; Warriors Stay Perfect with Win Against Jazz. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired December 01, 2015 - 05:00   ET

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


ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: 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.

[05:00:08] JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, on a lot of subjects as well, because it's rare that this many leaders get together, and so, a lot of them are using this opportunity to have bilateral talks, including the United States, which this morning, President Obama led a bilateral talk with Turkey's President Erdogan.

Of course, that talk very important because of what happened a few days ago when Turkey shot down that Russian fighter jet. The Russian President Putin refused to meet with Erdogan. But Obama did this morning, basically saying, reminding everyone that Turkey is a NATO ally and the U.S. supports Turkey's sovereignty.

For his part, Erdogan said that he's wanting to use diplomatic language and he wants to avoid tensions. We don't want to get hurt, he said, to members of the press that heard the end of that meeting.

So, there's all sorts of bilateral meetings going on here. But, of course, the main show is COP21, basically the climate change conference that's going on here. And the leaders all yesterday spent their entire day expressing good intentions. Everybody was on the same page, saying it's important to take action, to take action now.

But the devil is in the details. There is a 50-page document that has to be gone through and reduced to a manageable size with a lot of sub- clauses and clauses, and things that have been added, exceptions that have to be crossed out and rearranged so that the leaders can eventually sign on to something that everyone can commit to. It's a big question how that's going to operate. The U.S. saying this cannot be a legally binding agreement. Whereas the rest of the world is saying it should be a legally binding agreement.

So, that's one of the bones of contention here, Alison.

KOSIK: Jim, you think about the climate change summit. The goal is to slow the pace of climate change. Do you even see that happening? Sort of the baby steps of getting a handle on climate change?

BITTERMANN: Well, we do from the commitments from the countries have made, to get away from business as usual. They made -- about 180 of the 195 countries here have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which will help. But the U.N. did a calculation on this and said that is nowhere near the 2-degree mark that everybody is talking about, holding the rise in temperatures of the planet 2 degrees over the next century. They are still a ways away from that, even with the commitments they have.

And, of course, we hear from the island nations. President Obama is going to be meeting with their leaders in just a few minutes. In fact, they are deeply concerned by all this. They say two degrees is not enough, that it has to be even lower than that because they're expecting their nations to be washed literally away as the oceans rise -- Alison.

KOSIK: So many different views, so many different countries in this. Jim Bittermann, thanks so much.

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

CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance live in Moscow for us this morning.

Climate talks, of course, the agenda there in Paris. But this meeting, this 30-minute huddled between these two presidents, Syria is the subject.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. They discussed Syria. They discussed Ukraine as well, but the focus clearly on the situation in Syria. It's a recognition, I think, in some sense, by the United States if there's going to be a solution to the conflict in Syria. Russia has to be part of that solution. It's the strongest backer at the moment of Bashar al Assad, the Syrian president has got its Air Force inside Syria, carrying out air strikes against ISIS and other rebel groups. And, of course, it's those other rebel groups that those list refers to, they were certain rebel groups that are back by the West, by the United States even, and they want to make sure that they are not pounded even more than they already have been by Russian warplanes that are attacking opposition positions inside Syria.

But the priority for the Russians seems to support Bashar al Assad and to attack the rebel groups that pose the biggest threat to it. So, that includes ISIS. But it also includes non-ISIS rebel groups that are backed by the ISIS, as I say.

The big concern at the moment, the current crisis in the prospects for a situation for a resolution in Syria is the fallout between Russia and Turkey over the Turkish shoot down of a Russian jet last week. Again, you mentioned, the U.S. president expressing his regret for the loss of life in that incident, one of the two men was killed, the pilot, he was shot by rebels as he parachuted to the ground. Another Russian marine was killed in the rescue attempt that was staged to rescue the surviving crew member.

It's led to a massive fallout in relations between Russia and Turkey.

[05:05:01] The Russians demanding an apology from Turkey's president. That apology not forthcoming. The Russian President Vladimir Putin refusing to meet his Turkish counterpart in Paris, giving an indication of just how deep the animosity is at the moment between Russia and Turkey. And he threatens to derail any kind of grand coalition to solve the Syrian war.

ROMANS: Animosity between Russia and Turkey, no question animosity in sanctions that could potentially hurt both countries.

Let me ask you quickly. We are looking at pictures of the Russian president and the American president and no smiles. It looks pretty grim.

Is there in these recent meetings between these two leaders, is there any common ground?

CHANCE: Well, it's interesting because those pictures indicate to us what we know about the relationship between Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama. There is no love lost between them. They're not friends. They don't have a great personal chemistry.

But there is a recognition on both sides that they have to deal with each other when it comes to resolving big diplomatic crisis in the world. We have seen the meet over Iran. Of course, Russia and Iran are very close. And Russia has been instrumental in bringing Iran to the table in resolving the problem with its controversial nuclear issues.

And the same process is happening now over Syria. They might not like each other, but they are agreeing and, you know, for practical reasons to work together towards a political solution. And they are both recognizing that in their statements afterwards as well.

ROMANS: All right. Matthew Chance in Moscow live for us this morning -- thank you, Matthew.

KOSIK: Chilling new details emerging this morning on the Paris terror attacks. Sources telling CNN the 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.

So, we've got French intelligence thinking that Salah Abdeslam may be in Syria and you got Belgian officials saying, hmm, we're not convinced. What do Belgian officials know that French officials don't know?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Belgians are saying, Alison, that they don't have any concrete reason to believe that he's already slipped out of Europe. They believe that it's something that he would probably like to do, that he'd like to get to ISIS controlled territory in Syria.

But they have hunted for him on the ground in Belgium, which is where he was last believed to have traveled to after being in Paris on the night of the attacks. Probably no one is seen since they don't have any concrete evidence pointing to it. They think he'd like to get there, whereas the French are operating under the extraordinary theory that says basically Europe's most wanted man whose face and identity have been everywhere since the attacks has slipped the net and made the journey to a country bordering Syria and then crossed over into Syria itself.

This is a journey that would involve some sort of commercial air travel. So, a pretty extraordinary idea that Salah Abdeslam could have possibly slipped the net. But still in dispute that actually happened. I guess what it actually comes down to is no one really knows.

Meanwhile, what we are hearing from French authorities is that they believe that the group responsible for the Paris attacks had other plots, that were in their words ready to go. Information suggesting that they were ready to target Jewish areas and transportation networks and schools as well. This information they say has come from a witness who presented himself to police after being in direct contact with one of the people involved in the attacks here in Paris.

This was a woman, part of the terrorist squad who was killed during a raid by French police in the days after the attack. What we understand is that this woman, she was killed in this attack specifically.

This information was given between her and to the witness. It comes in addition to information that the French authorities here have already discussed which is that they believe they conducted that raid, disrupted this group just in time to prevent them carrying out another attack on the city's financial district.

It all points to a greater since of ambition among this terrorist squad, if you like, that they did intend to carry out other attacks in addition to those which killed 130 people on the streets of Paris just a little over two weeks ago now, Alison.

KOSIK: All right. Phil Black, thanks so much for latest on that.

ROMANS: All right. Time for an early start on your money this morning.

Asian stocks finish higher. European stocks mixed right now. And U.S. futures are starting the month higher. For November, stocks managed a gain. The Dow up 0.3 percent.

It was a record Cyber Monday. Earliest estimates show $3 billion in sales. Up 12 percent from last year. Maybe proof Cyber Monday's importance is growing. More sales are on mobile phones than ever before.

But not everyone had the best day. Target's Web site crashed because of all the traffic. So, the site set up a queue so some people could shop while others waited. Frustrating but showing exactly how popular it's become.

[05:10:05] KOSIK: I didn't get to check out.

ROMANS: No.

KOSIK: Donald Trump asking dozens of black pastors to endorse him in the race for president. What happened inside that meeting, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: All right. Donald Trump back on the campaign trail again today in New Hampshire after meeting with black pastors that was not followed by a big endorsement news conference as originally planned. That part of the event was canceled after several pastors listed said they had no plans to endorse Trump. This as the Republican frontrunner faces new flak from his opponent, Chris Christie.

Joining us to break down all the day's political news, CNN politics reporter Tal Kopan in our Washington bureau.

Good morning, Tal. So nice to see you this morning. Bright and early. We love it when you get up in the 5:00 hour for us.

Let's start with Chris Christie, shall we, because our Jamie Gangel got to sit down with him, had a really extensive interview with him. And she talked to him about whether these thousands of people in New Jersey were cheering after 9/11, and whether he would call out Donald Trump on that -- on that accusation that has been widely discredited.

[05:15:14] Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Did it happen?

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No.

GANGEL: Absolutely not?

CHRISTIE: No.

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

CHRISTIE: What's the use? Everybody knows it didn't happen. Everybody knows it didn't happen. What's the use? Join the cacophony?

I'm about distinguishing myself and making myself different from everybody else in a 14-person field. Not the same. And so, you know, to just pile on? I don't -- I don't -- I don't see that as being useful. Listen, Jamie, I'm trying to win this race.

(END VIDEO CLP) ROMANS: What are his chances of winning that race? He is trying to differentiate himself and not necessarily be with the other almost 100 percent who think that -- candidates who say Donald Trump is wrong on this.

TAL KOPAN, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, it is really interesting. Chris Christie has a reputation as a straight shooter. Keep in mind -- he also just picked up a really big endorsement in New Hampshire. And that's really important.

You know even know he is far down in the polls. It seems like he might be out of it when he was a frontrunner two or three years ago. The fact he is building support in New Hampshire, if he can pull off an early state win, he could be in the thick of things with how the diverse race and how many candidates there are.

So, he is really thinking right now, how can I position myself to really capitalize on that? And he's being pretty honest when he says he has to stand out. And it's funny. I heard you say earlier, you know, Chris Christie has a reputation as a straight shooter, as a brash guy. Now with Donald Trump in the race, that might not be his distinguishing characteristic.

KOSIK: All right. Let's talk about Donald Trump with this meeting with black pastors. A lot of controversy obviously surrounds this one. Did they support him at the beginning? Did they not?

Trump emerging from this meeting, though, saying there was love in the room. Can we believe him?

KOPAN: Well, he certainly had some supporters that came out. People going in said they were there to support Donald Trump. We heard from some of them.

Now, we also heard from some of the other folks in the room that it was not an endorsement. They were not pitched this was an endorsement, that they had no intention of endorsing him afterwards.

So, there was a lot of confusion with it when Donald Trump spoke about it yesterday before the meeting. He said he was sort of told that the meeting would happen as an endorsement. His campaign put out a press release that would occur afterwards. That is when a bunch of the people that were involved in the meeting said hold up. That's not what we signed on for.

So, you know, with all that controversy leading into the meeting, even if only some of them endorsed him, it still looks off for the Trump campaign to go through that mess.

KOSIK: You know, Donald Trump cracking a joke about waterboarding. I want to play that SOT and then come back to you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I said, what do I think of waterboarding? Well, do you want to go a step further than waterboarding? Because I'm OK with that, too.

KOSIK: OK, hardy har har. I mean, in the past, Trump said he thinks waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they do to us, referring to ISIS. Hard to disagree with that part, but the joke on waterboard, eh.

KOPAN: Well, once again, Donald Trump is known as a straight shooter who says what is on his mind. We haven't seen anything really from Donald Trump yet that we see from typical politicians where they kind of try to hedge their bets. They are already looking ahead to a general election. They are thinking, how am I going to get those moderates base of support?

Donald Trump is speaking to his base and exciting people who feel really unhappy with the direction the country is going. He is giving them exactly what they want. You know, we talk about red meat. I don't know if the majority of Americans believe in or not. But there is certainly a strong, active subset that love what Donald Trump is saying to them and that's why we see his continued support in the polls.

ROMANS: Absolutely. And those polls are consistent.

All right. Thank you so much, Tal. Nice to see you this morning. We'll see in a few more minutes.

KOPAN: Thanks for having me.

KOSIK: All right. It's the hockey hat trick on steroids. The Teddy Bear toss. The great holiday tradition in minor league hockey, but this toss may have been premature. Coy Wire has more next in this morning's bleacher report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:23:57] ROMANS: Another heart breaker for Cleveland sports fans as the Browns snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

KOSIK: Coy Wire has more on last night's amazing end game in today's bleacher report.

Good morning.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alison and Christine.

On paper, the Monday night game looked like a Monday match up between two bottom feeders, the 2-8 Browns, the 3-7 Ravens. Lucky for us, they don't play the game on paper. This one went down to the wire. The heated rivals went toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow, tie score with just 3 seconds.

Cleveland kicker Travis Coons 51-yard attempt. If it's in, you win. If you miss, overtime. No, blocked by Brent Urban, Will Hill scooped up the pill and feet don't fail me now. He takes it to the house. The Ravens, somehow find a way to win, 33-27. It's OK, Cleveland, it's basketball season now and you still have

LeBron.

There's still no stopping Steph Curry and undefeated Golden State. But the Utah Jazz sure did give them a scare last night. Put on your Warriors coach's cap and answer this question -- game on the line, 101 tied, 51 seconds to go, who do you give the ball to?

[05:25:02] Steph Curry, he drains the trey, giving Golden State the lead. That's a 76th three-pointer for the month. A new NBA record.

The Dubs win 106-103, moving to 19-0 for the season, extending their winning streak to 23 in a row. That's just ten away from tying the all time record.

Now, the Army/Navy game, December 12th is going to make history as the midshipmen will be the first team in NCAA history to have its players wear different helmets based on the position they play. Each position group will wear a custom hand-painted helmet representing one of the seventh history ship that make up the U.S. naval fleet. I'm on assignment at that game and we can't wait here at CNN to bring you some coverage.

Now, finally, the holidays are here. It is time for the best tradition in hockey. The Teddy Bear toss. After the home's first goal, fans throw stuff the ice which are then donated to sick kids.

One little problem, that wasn't a goal in the minor league hockey game. The red light went off, guys, but it never went in. Too late. You cannot stop the barrage of Teddy Bears. It all worked out in the end, though guys. The hometown Kingston Frontenacs ended up scoring three times and beat the Guelph Storm, 3-1.

So, I guess sometimes almost is good enough when it comes to Teddy Bears and hockey.

KOSIK: You know, it's the thought that counts, right?

WIRE: That's right.

ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Coy. Nice to see you.

WIRE: You're welcome.

KOSIK: World leaders convening with a new pledge to fight climate change, but in the city of Paris, the war on terror remaining front and center. We're going to take you there live, next.

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