Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

President Obama Meets With World Leaders In Paris To Discuss Climate Change Policy; Ringleader Of Paris Attacks Had Other Attacks Planned; Obama And Putin Discuss Syrian Crisis At Climate Change Summit; New Details Emerge From Paris Attacks; Chris Christie Disputes Donald Trump's Claims That Muslims In New Jersey Were Celebrating On 9/11. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired December 01, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:48] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, President Obama with World Leaders meeting to fight climate change. But in Paris, the war on terror is front and center.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CNCHOR: New information this morning in the manhunt for one of the Paris attackers as we learn about new attacks the ringleader had planned before he was killed.

Welcome back to "Early Start." I'm Alison Kosik.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. Thirty minutes past the hour. John Berman has the morning off. Happening now President Obama on his last day in Paris for the climate change summit. Amid extremely tight security head of state from nearly 150 countries, 40,000 delegates there. They're meeting with one mission, to hammer out legally binding reductions in greenhouse gases, keeping global warming under a critical threshold, 3.6 Fahrenheit, 2 degrees celsius.

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

Joining us from Paris with the latest Senior European Correspondent Jim Bittermann. Good morning, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. And thank all the leaders expressing their good intentions to try to do something, expressing a need for urgency. President Obama was one of those people who spoke. And here's the way he expressed the U.S. position.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: That this is a turning point, that this is the moment we finally determined we would save our planet, is the fact that our nations share a sense of urgency about this challenge and a growing realization that it is within our power to do something about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMANN: And President Obama doing a lot of other meetings while he's here with the other leaders that are here for example meeting this morning with Turkish President Erdogan to talk about the fact that Turkey shooting down the Russian jet the other day. And that's cause something with diplomatic incident. Obama saying that in fact recognizing that Turkey is a NATO member and that U.S. supports its sovereignty and need to defend itself.

And for his part Turkish President Erdogan saying in fact that Turkey wants to find a diplomatic solution and a peaceful way out all over this. The President right now meeting with members of the American embassy at the officer of -- OECD where he'll be meeting later on with members of the -- the Presidents rather of the small island nations. Now these are nations that are deeply concerned about global warming. Because their nations could be flooded as oceans rise. So, they'll be expressing their concerns. And then later on, the President will hold a news conference before departing later on this afternoon. Christine.

ROMANS: Jim Bittermann covering all it for us. A very busy couple of days. Thanks Jim.

KOSIK: President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin huddling for 30 minutes on the slide line of the climate talks in Paris. The two leaders working on solving the Syrian crisis. Even agreeing to drawing up two lists to distinguish between that country the extremists and legitimate opposition groups. President Obama also expressing regret to Putin over the downing of one of his fighter jet by turkey.

Let's go live in Moscow and bring in CNN Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance. So it sounds like this side is sort of side meeting between Putin and Obama was a bit productive, but I'll tell you what that picture coming out about that handshake and they're not looking each other in the eye. How did that meeting really go?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Well, it's difficult to assess since I was actually there. But I can tell you that a lot of these photo editors, pick pictures to show the kind of way that the people want to see this relationship between Russia and the United States.

Look, I mean, it's a working relationship that they have clearly. It's no secret there is no love loss between the two leaders. They're not friends, they don't have a great personal chemistry. But I can't believe this line that they never once in each other eyes. I mean, that clearly would not have happened.

But look, you know, they got a joint problem here which is how to resolve the problem in Syria. Both Russia and the United States are key players in this. Russia has air force bombing ISIS targets and other rebel groups as well as we're post to Bashar al-Assad, at the Syrian president.

[05:35:04] And so, you know, inevitably they have to speak to each other if there's going to be a solution to the Syrian crisis. Russia is inevitably going to be part of it. One of the big concerns that United States has right now, I think is the standoff between Russia and Turkey when turkey shot down at Russian war plane last week. Instead to a massive deep, you know, problem with relationship between Russia and Turkey. Russia was imposed sanctions against Turkey. Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, refuse to meet President Erdogan of Turkey in Paris where they both of that climate summit for face-to-face talks.

And so, you know, look. The U.S. President calling for measure deescalation that crisis. He expressed regret about the loss of the pilot and the other Russian soldier on the ground who was involved in the rescue attempt, for the crew that was shutdown. And that was well received here in Russia as well.

And so look, they may not like each other, but they are apparently prepared to work with each other to try and get to the end of this conflict's end in Syria.

KOSIC: OK, so a picture of maybe in this case does not tell a thousand words. Matthew Chance, thank so much.

ROMANS: Chilling new details emerging this morning from the Paris terror attacks. Sources telling CNN the terrorists may have been planning more far reaching attacks than previously known. This as we learned the attacker who survived Salah Abdeslam may have successfully escaped to Syria. From Paris this morning, with the latest CNN's Phil Black. Phil.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Christine, it's an extraordinary idea. Effectively Europe's most wanted man whose name, identity, picture has been everywhere here for the last two weeks. Salah Abdeslam. This additional member terror team that somehow escaped on the night. The idea and this is being suggested as a theroy and it apparently being worked on by French intelligence, but he may actually left Europe already, that he slipped the nest here, returning to ISIS control territory in Syria.

This is a working theory for French intelligence. The idea that this man who was in Paris moved to Belgium, then went to ground, hasn't been seen since. So somehow been troubled a fair distance really to a country like Turkey or rock boarding Syria and crossing the boarder.

The Extraordinary thing about it, that it's likely he would have had to take some sort of international commercial fly in order to make that journey. That's a French theory. The Belgium say and they're still looking for him because he was last believe he had been in Belgium here that they don't have any concrete reason to believe that he has successfully made that journey, but they think that it make sense that someway he would always who've gotten to. So, indeed it is possible and we like to see what further details are revealed here.

Meanwhile, what we're hearing from a French source close to the Paris attach investigation is more [inaudible] idea about the terror group here in Paris had planned after those attack terrorists were killed 130 people. According to sources, we had told that they had other plots ready to go. And this information suggests they were getting ready to attack Jewish areas, schools and transport networks. And the information is said to have come from a witness who presented himself voluntarily to French police.

And who says he was in direct contact with the member of the terror team here in Paris. A woman who was killed during a raid by French police in the days after the attack that wasn't successful. Now, French authorities who have already said they conducted that raid they believe just in time to thwart another suspected attack that they thought was going to be target the financial district in Paris. All of it suggests is this team was getting ready to go for far more than the attacks that killed more than 130 people. Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Phil Black live this morning in Paris. Thank you, Phil.

KOSIK: Chris Christie disputing Donald Trump's claims about Muslims celebrating on 9/11. Taking on the presidential frontrunner in a new CNN interview. We're going to break it down next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:43:06] KOSIK: 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. 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 plot from his opponent Chris Christie. Joining us now to break down all the day political news, CNN Politics Reporter Tal Kopan and our Washington bureau. Good morning to you.

TAL KOPAN, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning.

KASIK: So Chris Christie sat down with our Jamie Gangel in this great interview where it almost feels like he's putting the focus back on him by taking jabs at Trump. Listen to what he says and we'll come back on the back side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Did it happen?

CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) 2016 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, so what's the use? GANGEL: If any...

CHRISTIE: Did you join the cacophony? I want that distinguish 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 see that as being useful. Listen, Jamie, I'm trying to win this race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIC: OK, so Christie talking about the claim that Trump is making that he saw on T.V., Muslims in New Jersey cheering after the 9/11 attacks. Christie coming out and say, look, its just not true.

KOPAN: Yeah, an important bit of context is that, when he was first asked about this right after Donald Trump made the claim, he actually hedged a bit and said I don't recall it. And so this is him coming out much stronger than we saw him initially coming out with this position. You know we're seeing a little bit of frustration I think from some of the candidate out here with Donald Trump. He continues to get media attention. He continues to make statements that may be factually inaccurate, or are factually inaccurate.

KOSIK: Right.

[05:45:04] KOPAN: And no matter what the other candidates can't really call him out on that. So, you know, when Chris Christie says what's the point of, you know, joining the chorus of people saying it's not true. On one hand, he's the governor of New Jersey. So, you know, there is a point to his perspective. But on the other hand, you know, he's saying, why go after Trump. It's not going to accomplish anything, let me focus on setting myself apart however I can and it's very difficult race.

ROMANS: And doing well in New Hampshire, that's what he wants, he got a big endorsement this week. He got good headlines this week. So Chris Christie is really focusing on New Hampshire and focusing on himself trying not to, you know, make a headline for take a hit on Donald Trump.

Let's talk about Hillary Clinton because 13 of 14 female senators stood with her united and standing behind him endorsing their candidate. All of these women in the senate-- no, no not all of these women in the senate, there was one woman who was missing. Senator Elizabeth Warren.

KOPAN: That's right. It sort of I'll give you one guess kind of thing, right? The Democrats have had a fascination with Elizabeth Warren for years now, even before she arrived in the Senate. She has a real importance with some of the ideas that are especially on the progressive side of the Democratic Party really strong. And she is one of the very few Democratic senator whose has yet to endorse Hillary Clinton. Not just women Hillary Clinton has locked up a real solid number of her former colleagues in the Senate who have come out and endorsed her over Bernie Sanders, who is also a current senator.

And so, having Elizabeth Warren be absent is noticeable. Because everyone is looking at her and saying how are you going to go with this? Where is the wind of the really progressive arm of the Democratic Party blowing? Are they willing to get on board with Hillary or they going to sit this one out? It has serious implications for Hillary Clinton candidate.

ROMANS: Do progressives hope that Bernie Sanders will pull Hillary Clinton to the left? Could Elizabeth Warren be withholding endorsement, you know, hoping for some sort of sign that a president Hillary Clinton would be more progressive and less moderate and less middle?

KOPAN: It's certainly possible. I mean, there are a lot of possibilities here. It's possible she may never endorse Hillary Clinton and just won't choose too. But she may be trying to pull her to the left. Remember that some of the strongest moments for Bernie Sanders and weakest moments for Hillary Clinton in this race have come as she was trying to explain her relationship to Wall Street and the banks.

ROMANS: That's right.

KOPAN: Which is of course Elizabeth Warren's most important issue that she speaks on. And so, it's difficult for Hillary to navigate this situation. And certainly anytime you see a candidate in the race that sort of it supposedly not able to win or a third party candidate, many of the times their purpose is to pull the conversation in the direction they want it to go.

So, Bernie Sanders' candidacy has definitely drawn a sharper focus on the issue. How Hillary Clinton handles that, we still have to watch.

KOSIK: All right, Tal Kopan. Thanks so much for coming on the show today. Great analysis.

ROMANS: We love it when she gets up early. Someone else who gets up early is Alisyn Camerota. She joins us to tell us what's coming up on new day. Good morning.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CO-ANCHOR: That is true. We are all early risers, Christine. Great to see you guys. So, another day, another installment a Donald Trump's claims about extremists in New Jersey cheering after the 9/11 attacks. Today's episode will be a very good one.

Former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani will join us live. And if there is one person who knows what happened that day, it's him. Did he see any celebrating? We will also hear from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie about what he thinks about Donald Trump's claims.

Plus, our fearless partner Chris Cuomo is live in Paris for all of the climate change talks also security is of course a very big issue there. So Chris will bring us all of the latest live.

This morning, President Obama is meeting with Turkey's leader about the tension with Russia.

And later the President will address the world. And we will bring that to you live at 8:40 eastern. So we have a very big program schedule and we'll see it in about 12 minutes.

KOSIK: We will be watching. Thanks, Alisyn.

[05:49:07] ROMANS: Nice done, looking forward to that. Our big banks, too big to fail. The Feds latest move says not anymore. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: Day two of jury selection in the trial of Baltimore police officer William Porter. He's the first of six cops to stand trial in connection with the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. A new batch of jurors will be questioned today with the judge hoping to have a jury seated by Wednesday. Protesters gathered outside the courthouse on Monday. Gray's death in police custody sparks riot in the city and Baltimore again is on edge.

ROMANS: The man accused of killing three people at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs facing a judge for the first time since that shooting. 57-year-old Robert Dear appearing by video from jail. He was told he's being held on suspicion of first-degree murder, which could mean life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. Dear will be formally charged at a court hearing next weeks.

KOSIK: For the first time since his arrest in the Laquan McDonald shooting. Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke is free on bond. Van Dyke posted the $1.5 million bond on Monday. He's charged with first- degree murder for allegedly shooting a black teenager 16 times. Police dash cam footage was released last week. That's more than a year after the shooting actually happened.

ROMANS: A 21-year-old man arrested for allegedly threatening to kill students and kill staff at the University of Chicago apparently in response to the Laquan McDonald killing. The threat shut the school down on Monday. The suspect identified as Jabari Dean.

[05:55:04] Police say he posted a message on social media over the Thanksgiving weekend, threatened to kill 16 white male students or staffers. The social media threat noted that was the same number of shots fired at McDonald.

KOSIK: Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be back in federal court today seeking a new trial. He will be back in federal court to seek that new trial. Tsarnaev, you recall, was convicted and sentenced to death back in June for the marathon attack. Since then, the Supreme Court struck down part of the law Tsarnaev was convicted under. The judge who oversaw Tsarnaev's trial is scheduled to hear arguments on the defense motion for a new trial. Tsarnaev will not be in court for the hearing.

ROMANS: OK, let's get an early start on your money. U.S. stock futures are up this morning. It is the first day of December with a great deal for investors to tackle this month. Beginning with the latest jobs report on Friday, it's a last report before the Fed makes a decision on interest rates. Consensus is Fed is likely to raise interest rates this month for the first time in a decade. Nearly every jobs indicator has been improving. Even the under employment rate is falling rapidly, especially for college graduates. It's now just 6.2 percent, compared with 10.2 percent during the recession. Analysis from Georgetown University shows those tales of college educated baristas are becoming rarer. Georgetown says more and more the college degree is the ticket out of under employment.

The Federal reserve's new message to big banks. Don't expect a bailout over the next financial crisis. Under the new rule adopted Monday, the fed can't give funding to banks going bankrupt. If it had been in place during the financial crisis, it would have prevented the Fed giving money to AIG and Bear Stearns. But some say this rule doesn't go far enough in ending two big to fail. Here's why, the Fed can still lend the banks during times of emergencies as long as the banks can pay it back. But issue help of struggling bank can be difficult to assess.

The latest in the drug price gauging war. Remember this drug Daraprim? It's the drug that highest price go from $13.50 to $750 a pill overnight own by Turing Pharmaceuticals and this controversial CEO Martin Shkreli. Now the largest prescription drug manager Express Scripts will offer an alternative, an alternative to cost just a dollar a pill. The compound medicine would the same match of ingredient is Daraprim. A Turing on the other hand is offer discount to hospitals and financial assistance it says to needy patients, but the $750 sticker price has not come down. I expect you're going to be hearing more about this in Congress and on the campaign trail. Because especially Democrats say this price gadget should be illegal.

KOSIK: Absolutely. All right, President Obama in Paris to fight climate change, but the war on ISIS and tensions with Russia is taking center stage. "New Day" starts now.

CAMEROTA: Unprecedented security surrounding world leaders in Paris.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin appeared to be looking right past each other. But two leaders are still at odds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Paris is under an official state of emergency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Investigators suspect the fugitive eight terrorist may have escaped to Syria.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We had the African-American pastors, so many came up to Trump tower.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not here to endorse Mr. Trump. I'm here to have a dialogue.

CHRISTIE: In conflict with Donald outrageous is a high bar. He said what he said. Now the people who vote will judge him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first thing you have is to be here the right to remain silent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At Women's Health Centers across the country, the numbers of incident of harassment and violence have doubled in last five years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Too soon to still to determine whether or not the prosecution will seeks the death penalty.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to "New Day." It is Tuesday, December 1st, 6:00 in the east. Alisyn and Mic are in New York. And we are in Paris and we begin with breaking news.

On the sidelines of the climate change summit here in Paris, President Obama meeting this morning with Turkey's President after holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But there was no meeting of the three together so far as we know.

The President urging both leaders, we're told, to focus on a common enemy ISIS. But is Russia ready to move beyond its jet beam shutdown. We have more on that in a moment. And all of this of course comes with some 150 world leaders hoping to forge a deal to reduce carbon emissions. Now, what's the biggest development so far? President Obama is going to hold the news conference later this morning before departing from Paris. We're hoping for some headlines out of that. We'll bring it to you live of course. But we have CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta is live at the summit with the latest.

Jim, what do we know about these meetings and climate talks?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPODENT: Chris President Obama just wrapped up a meeting with Turkey's President Erdogan making it very clear which side the U.S. is on when it comes to the NATO allies' dispute with Russia.

[06:00:00] Moscow is still outraged over Turkey's downing of a Russian bomber near the Turkey, Syria border last week. Russian President Vladimir Putin refuse to meet with Erdogan at this climate summit here in Paris.