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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Presidential Spotlight on California; Sanders Softening Attacks on Clinton; Investigators Look at Overdose in Prince Death; NFL Draft Begins. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired April 29, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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


CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning: violent protests outside a huge Donald Trump rally.

[05:00:02] The Republican frontrunner drawing thousands late last night. California is now the battleground in the Republican race for president.

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

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'm -- what's my name? Miguel Marquez.

ROMANS: You are Miguel Marquez. And it is Friday.

MARQUEZ: Very important. You are good. You're right on it.

Five a.m. here on the East. California taking the spotlight in the race for president, with a chance to play decisive role in the nomination for the first time in more than 50 years. Late last night, frontrunner Donald Trump holding a huge rally in southern California. Confident he is in his words the presumptive nominee, while a raucous anti-Trump protest raged just outside the amphitheater with several people injured and 20 people arrested.

The frontrunner enjoyed limelight inside, returning to his standby themes -- illegal immigration, bashing Hillary Clinton, and mocking rival Ted Cruz. This afternoon, Trump is set to speak at the California Republican Convention. Later, he'll be joined there by rivals Cruz and John Kasich.

CNN's Jason Carroll was at Trump's rally last night.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, Miguel, Donald Trump wrapping up the speech here in Costa Mesa, California, already setting his sights at least for a short while on California, and the 172 delegates up for grabs.

For the first time at one of his rallies, he opened up his speech talking about the issue of illegal immigration, an issue that is a divisive issue here in the state, one very important to the state of California. One of his opening speakers, a father whose son was killed by an

undocumented worker back in 2008. Donald Trump talked about the need to be tough on illegal immigration, talked about building that wall. He also continued to criticize Ted Cruz for building that so-called alliance with John Kasich.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So, now, what they're doing is Kasich has given up on Indiana and hurt all of the people because he has like all of us, you know, we have all of these people working hard. And the people working for Kasich, what happened? We are going around ringing doors, now all of sudden, we're out. Nobody even told us.

So, he dropped them terribly. And now, Cruz gave up a couple of other states. So, what they're doing is playing Russian roulette. That is the dumbest move. The next day, they were criticized incredibly because shows weakness. They choked under pressure.

CARROLL: As Trump supporters left the fairgrounds, some were surrounded by anti-Trump protesters. They surrounded their cars, waving Mexican flags. Trump called his rallies some of the safest in the world. He vowed not only to take the state of Indiana but California as well -- Miguel, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Jason Carroll for us last night.

Joining us this morning to break it all down, all the political action, "Washington Post" political reporter, Ed O'Keefe.

Good morning. Thanks for getting up so early with us.

I want to stay, Ed, on these remarkable protests last night. Watching protesters outside of a political event rocking police cars and seeing Trump supporters in Trump t-shirts put in the back of ambulances. This marks a new level in the campaign season. What do you make of it?

ED O'KEEFE, WASHINGTON POST: Well, we saw a little bit of this in Chicago which is why they had to postpone that event there. It is not surprise that people are going to try to do this kind of thing. I think there is a lot of anticipation with the primary coming that way. And, certainly, you know, while he may win the primary, there are going to be a lot of people who are opposed to his candidacy.

So, I don't think he will see this everywhere he goes in California, but I'm not surprised it happened because I think we have been anticipating this is the reaction he would get in a bigger place like that.

MARQUEZ: "The Washington Post" has a story about how the Republican establishment is starting to maybe line up behind Trump. Perhaps against their better judgments, but they're doing it because they feel they have to. It looks like a fait accompli for him in winning the nomination. Trump not backing down an inch after saying earlier he'd be more presidential.

Here is what he said about Ted Cruz last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have this guy, Lyin' Ted Cruz. We know Lyin' Ted, right?

(BOOS)

I mean, nobody likes him. I have never seen a guy like this. In fact --

CROWD: Lyin' Ted! Lyin' Ted! Lyin' Ted!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Doesn't he have to at some point pivot toward the general?

O'KEEFE: Does he? It's been working for him.

I think it continues to be the struggle inside his campaign. (INAUDIBLE) Those that have been with him longer like Corey Lewandowski and others that put the campaign together and new group who come in and tried to help him pivot.

[05:05:02] Remember, he got upset last week that advisers were telling the Republican National Committee that he's going to pivot, that he was going to change. What did he do? Turned around right away and said, no, I'm not. He started using nicknames that he became famous for that stuck to his opponents. So, we'll see.

I think -- you know, we saw him deal with the foreign policy speech this week, widely panned for lacking details or a real sense of politics around the world right now. But, you know, I think as we get closer to the convention, something I know he is concerned about, we may see him start to talk more broadly about finding a way to unite the country. But first, he's got to finish off Ted Cruz and John Kasich. That's his goal.

ROMANS: Speaking of, you know, Ted Cruz. John Boehner speaking to a newspaper at Stanford University, and really just unleashing his fury and disgust for Ted Cruz. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

QUESTIONER: How about Ted Cruz?

(LAUGHTER)

JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: Lucifer in the flesh. I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everybody, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) in my life.

(END AUDIO CLIP) ROMANS: A more miserable SOB. Ted Cruz said I have spoken 50 words to this guy in my life. I don't really know him. What do you make of that?

O'KEEFE: What he's doing here is publicly stating things he has been saying about Ted Cruz for the last three years in private to fellow lawmakers and frankly, I think it can be revealed and most of us ho cover congress, my colleagues will tell you off the record to reporters. There's no secret that these two don't like each other.

Remember, Cruz came to town as a renegade senator designed to shake up the establishment. Who did he go after but his former client John Boehner whom he conspired with the House Republicans to overthrow him during the Obamacare debate and push for government shutdown. They have a long bitter history. And it's no surprise that now free from the shackles of political office, Mr. Boehner is speaking his mind.

MARQUEZ: I take this is not an accident. He just didn't happen to be recorded and say this. Peter king is weighing in. I mean, his timing on this could not have been more perfect.

O'KEEFE: Exactly. I think that's exactly right. He knows what he's doing at this point. He is looking for opportunities to draw this out.

And it's interesting. Boehner is close to John Kasich. They are both from Ohio. Known to prefer the candidacy of Jeb Bush and wants nothing to do with Ted Cruz.

He is doing the raw political math and realizes he has to get over it and support Donald Trump. He is willing to do that because he has personal animosity to Ted Cruz.

ROMANS: Our Jamie Gangel sat down with Jeb Bush, by the way, yesterday. And he supported Ted Cruz. Listen to Jeb Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My personal belief is if Donald Trump is the nominee, you know, look -- my views have been pretty consistent about this, we'll lose the Senate and we'll lose the presidency in a landslide. And our country can't afford that.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you think the Republican Party should get around him if he's the nominee?

BUSH: I think they should support Ted Cruz.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: I think they should support Ted Cruz.

That's happening the same day Boehner calls him an SOB. The Republican establishment, Ed, I mean, they -- it has been -- what a year for them?

O'KEEFE: It has. I covered Jeb Bush's campaign. I would hear that every day. You are giving me shivers hearing it all over again.

But, you know, no love lost between he and Trump. He believes that Cruz is the more consistent conservative still in the race. He didn't believe Kasich had a chance. The two of them probably have more in common politically.

He has said he admires Cruz's tenacity and willingness to go after the establishment, even if it means going after his friend John Boehner. So, it's no surprise he is doing that now. Probably one of the more prominent Cruz surrogates, he had not done anything publicly on his behalf. So, he is speaking out now, suggests he has been asked to say more and do something to build support.

MARQUEZ: Ed shiver me timbers O'Keefe, thank you very much.

ROMANS: Thanks, Ed. Talk to you soon. Thanks for getting up so early for us. We love the early bird.

Time for an early start on your money. The U.S. stock market just hit the milestone. The current bull market is now the second largest in history, 2,608 days. Seven years.

[05:10:02] A bull market is streak of gains without a 20 percent drop from the high point, jumps from the run of 1949 to 1956. Still has a long way to go to surpass the crash in '87 to the year 2000.

S&P 500 over those days is up 206 percent. That ranks number four in bull market gains in U.S. history. There had been a couple of pullbacks, but nothing significant to stop the run. An old bull.

As for today, Dow futures ticking down after a big drop yesterday, a 1 percent drop for the Dow. Oil up $46 a barrel. Stock markets in Europe and Asia mostly lower.

Watch tech stocks today. You could see Apple could fall today and you can see Amazon rise.

MARQUEZ: It is amazing. The stock market and economy and how they just seem disconnected.

ROMANS: One of the leading indications. We'll talk about it in the break.

MARQUEZ: I'm more lagging indicator of most things.

Investigators revealing a new information about Prince's death. We have that coming right up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:15:19] ROMANS: New developments this morning in the probe surrounding Prince's death. Law enforcement releasing call logs from the late singer's home as investigators try to determine if the pills he apparently had were prescribed by a doctor.

CNN's Sara Sidner with the very latest. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Miguel, as the memorial grows outside Paisley Park, we are hearing sources familiar with the investigation into Prince's death. One, we found out from a source that when Prince's body was found inside of that elevator in Paisley Park, that he had opioid prescription medication on his person.

We are also hearing that medication, the same type of medication that is for severe pain was found inside of his home.

And what we have now heard from investigators is that they have not been able to find any evidence that Prince had a valid prescription for that medication. We also know now that the Drug Enforcement Administration is going to be helping investigate this case to give some idea. The Drug Enforcement Administration has a top priority. That is dealing with the misuse of opioid medicines, trying to figure out if potentially someone got those medicines illegally. So, it gives you an idea of what's happening with the investigation.

We also looked into documents given out by the sheriff's department here. Five years of calls to local enforcement from Paisley Park. And as we look through them, there were 47 different calls. One of which was the call when Prince died. There were also four other or three other, excuse me, medical calls. Those medical calls, though, we are not sure if Prince was the subject of the calls. All we know that they were made from Paisley Park. The others are innocuous. There are things like suspicious activity or harassing phone calls.

But the picture is starting to get a little more light onto it. And we also know that everyone is waiting for the toxicology report, because in the end, the only thing -- the only scientific evidence is going to let us know exactly what killed this amazing star is what it says in that toxicology report and autopsy -- Miguel, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: Thanks to Sara Sidner.

Breaking overnight, an Oregon man charged with threatening President Obama. Agents arrested John Martin Roos Thursday at his apartment. They said they found what appeared to be several pipe bombs in this home. FBI and Secret Service agents reportedly had contact with the 61-year-old last month after he posted online threats against the president. Roos is being held in jail. He will likely face a judge within a few days.

ROMANS: Breaking news overnight. North Korea sentencing an American man to ten years of hard labor for spying. Sixty-two-year-old Kim Dong-Chul was arrested last October when he was found with military secrets on a USB stick. In March, Kim told a group of North Korean operators who wanted to apologize saying he was guilty. CNN cannot determine whether Kim's admission was made under duress, but 10 years of hard labor.

That's Will Ripley interviewing him earlier this year. MARQUEZ: The NFL draft kicks off in Chicago. Round one in the books. Andy Scholes with this morning's bleacher report, coming up. There he is.

See you in a minute, Andy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:23:00] ROMANS: So my kids watching the NFL draft last night like it is the most riveting thing in the world.

MARQUEZ: It's not?

ROMANS: Apparently, it's riveting.

OK, one of the NFL top prospects unexpectedly slid down of him wearing a gas mask and substance of him with a bong. It was tweeted minutes before the draft.

MARQUEZ: Not a good call on that.

Andy Scholes has all of our bong news this morning -- Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Unfortunately, guys. Yes, good morning, guys.

I can see teams right now in war rooms ready to pick offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil. And then they must have been like, wait, what video was just posted on his account? Tunsil was projected as a top pick. But after this picture of him wearing a gas mask and substance of a bong was posted on his verified Twitter account. That happens before the first pick.

Then, he went tumbling down the draft board. Tunsil, he apologized for the video and said it was from a couple years ago. He was hacked on Instagram after being picked 13th by the Dolphins. Someone posted a screen grab Tunsil and a coach where he appears to have accepted money.

Definitely not the night, Tunsil expected. Rough night for him.

Now, before all that drama, as expected, the Los Angeles Rams selected quarter Jared Goff out of Cal, first overall. The Eagles then followed up that pick with another quarterback taking Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State. The second straight year the first two picks in the draft had been quarterbacks.

All right. Major League Baseball suspending Miami Marlins second base man Dee Gordon for 80 games for violating the league's performance enhancing drug policy. Gordon had a best season last year, leading the National League in batting average, and Gordon signed a $50 million five-year deal with Miami in January. His suspension is going to start immediately.

All right. Two years ago, Johnny Manziel was hugging Roger Goodell after being picked first round by the Cleveland Browns.

[05:25:02] Well, he is now out of a job. Last night, Manziel was at a bar in Columbus, Ohio, watching the draft.

MARQUEZ: Oh my God.

SCHOLES: This picture of Manziel posted on Twitter last night. Manziel apparently in Columbus to see his friend Justin Bieber perform. This is actually the second time this week he has been with Bieber.

And Manziel indicted in Texas on a misdemeanor assault charge earlier this week, guys. He has to appear in court in Dallas on May 5th. It appears he is not concerned about that.

MARQUEZ: Not too concerned but that's a pretty depressing picture.

SCHOLES: Unbelievable where we have gone in two years.

ROMANS: So John Berman says the best quarterback out there right now, Tom Brady, that's what John Berman says. He wasn't a top pick. Where was he?

SCHOLES: The sixth round compensatory pick.

ROMANS: It's what you do with it.

MARQUEZ: What an amazing picture. Says everything about his situation.

ROMANS: Sure does.

All right. Thanks so much. Nice to see you.

MARQUEZ: Thanks.

SCHOLES: All right, guys.

ROMANS: Breaking overnight: violent protests outside the Donald Trump rally. California is the battle ground in the race for president. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)