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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Clinches Republican Nomination; Clinton Defends Email Use; Obama's Historic Visit to Hiroshima; Signal Detected from EgyptAir Flight 804. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired May 27, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:12] ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump now has enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination, celebrating his win with new attacks aimed at Hillary Clinton and President Obama.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary Clinton doubling down, defending her use of e-mail as secretary of state.
CABRERA: President Obama on a historic visit to Hiroshima. This morning, a first for any U.S. president. We are live.
Good morning. Happy Friday. You made it to the end of the week.
Welcome to EARLY START.
KOSIK: Good morning, Ana.
CABRERA: Good to see you, Alison.
KOSIK: Good to see you, too.
I'm Alison Kosik. It's Friday, May 27. It's 4:00 a.m. in the East.
And this morning, Donald Trump is now the presumptive Republican nominee. By CNN's count, he's crossed the threshold of 1,237 delegates, enough to win him the nomination at the GOP convention in July.
Trump campaigning across the West Thursday, attacking Hillary Clinton and President Obama, brushing off the president's remarks that the world leaders have been rattled by Trump. Donald Trump saying there's nothing wrong that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's good if they're nervous. That's good. That's good. That's good. Let them be a little bit nervous.
By the way, I'll have a better relationship with other countries than he has, except we'll do better and they won't be taking advantage of us anymore, and they won't be calling us the stupid people anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: The latest now from CNN's Phil Mattingly traveling with the Trump campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Ana and Alison. Well, Donald Trump had two campaign events in Thursday, on in North Dakota, one in Montana. These were supposed to be events that were crucial to getting him over that 1,237 delegate total to secure the Republican nomination. At least that's what they were supposed to be about.
Donald Trump reached that total. Obviously, the rest of his opponents dropped out weeks ago. Donald Trump now has clinched the number of delegates needed to be the Republican nominee. He's ready to attack. High on his list: the man currently in the office that he hopes to win in November. Take a listen.
TRUMP: He is a president and does a horrible job. He is a president that allowed the countries to take advantage of him and us, unfortunately. And he's got to say something. And it's unusual that every time he has a press conference, he's talking about me.
So, you know, it's just one of those things. But I will say this. He is a man who shouldn't be really, you know, airing his difficulties and he shouldn't be airing what he is airing where he is right now. And I think that you're going to see it stop pretty soon.
MATTINGLY: Now, Trump speaking to reporters in North Dakota also targeting Hillary Clinton and also continuing his fight with Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat who has attacked him so thoroughly on both Twitter and in YouTube videos over the last couple weeks, a fight -- a heavyweight fight, if you will, that you can pretty much expect is going to continue in the weeks and months ahead.
For Trump, though, this is a crucial moment. He has been shifting to the general election for the last couple of weeks. But now, it has become very official. That is his job. That is his sole role here. And you're seeing, while he's been on the campaign trail the last couple of days, it's likely he will head back to New York soon and really start to mobilize, not just for the Republican convention in July, but the path forward.
His poll numbers right now are fairly even with Hillary Clinton. But no question, through certain segments of the national population, he has a lot of work to do. His campaign advisers acknowledge that but say the work ahead will cause his numbers to rise and give him an opportunity to beat Hillary Clinton.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABRERA: All right. Phil reporting. We appreciate it.
Now, Hillary Clinton remains on the defense as her e-mail practices continued to haunt her following an inspector general scathing report this week slamming her for using that personal server as secretary of state. Clinton telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that she, quote, "thought it was
allowed" and that government email rules were hardly a model of clarity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): This report makes clear that personal e-mail use was the practice under other secretaries of state and the rules were not clarified until after I had left. But as I said many times, it was still a mistake. If I could go back, I would do it differently. I understand people have concerns about this. But I hope voters look at the full picture of everything that I've done and full threat posed by a Donald Trump presidency. And if they do, I have faith in the American people they'll make the right choice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: Today, new testimony expected on this issue. Her former chief of staff Cheryl Mills is set to give a deposition in the Freedom of Information lawsuit by conservative watchdog. Now, late last night, the judge overseeing this ruled that the video recording of Mills' testimony and that of others will remain sealed. Mills says she doesn't want the video used in partisan attacks against Clinton her former boss.
[04:05:00] And for now, only transcripts will be released.
KOSIK: Polls tightening in California with the state now looking much less like a sure thing for Hillary Clinton than it is just a few weeks ago. A brand new poll showing Clinton just two points ahead of Bernie Sanders, a statistical dead heat. Both Democrats barnstorming the delegate rich state again today.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny has the latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Ana, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigning across California once again, fighting for those 475 delegates in the June 7th primary. But a shifting tone from Hillary Clinton. She is going after Donald Trump over everything from his taxes, foreign policy, to asking voters whether he should be the commander in chief, but a softer tone against Bernie Sanders.
Take a listen to what she said in San Francisco. Some actual kind words and perhaps an olive branch for Sanders.
CLINTON: Whatever differences Sanders and I have or supporters and I have, they pale -- they pale in comparison to our differences with Donald Trump and what he represents. But that's why the California important, because we need to send a message.
ZELENY: The key right there, Bernie Sanders supporters. Hillary Clinton is trying to win them over gradually after the California primary. She knows she needs them in her fight against Trump. She is going after Donald Trump aggressively. She said that she's not going to respond to every attack that's coming his way, but she would like a strong finish in those June primaries to finally end this primary race and turn toward the general election -- Alison and Ana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CABRERA: Thank you so much, Jeff.
Now, the wheels are in motion for a primetime debate with Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Donald Trump says the networks are showing interest. He's in if the event generates $10 million to $15 million for women's health causes. Bernie Sanders says game on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hillary Clinton has not agreed to debate me here in California. I look forward to debating Mr. Trump on that, because I think it's important that somebody hold him to task.
TRUMP: I said I would love to debate him. I want a lot of money to be put up for charity. So, what we'll do is if we can raise for maybe women's health issues or something, if we can raise $10 million or $15 million for charity, which would be a very appropriate and I understand the television business very well. I think it would get very high ratings.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
CABRERA: Hillary Clinton was asked about this possible Trump/Sanders debate. She tells CNN she doesn't believe it will happen.
KOSIK: Dozens of Secret Service employees are facing disciplinary action this morning for leaking personal information about one of their leading critic in Congress. Utah Republican Jason Chaffetz has slammed the agency for its recent security lapses. When he held a hearing on the matter last March, details of his failed attempt he made in 2003 went public. Punishment for the 41 Secret Service workers ranged from letters of reprimand to 45-day suspensions without pay.
CABRERA: Another battle in the war over LGBT rights. House Republicans voted against their own routine spending bill Thursday rather than give in to a bipartisan amendment that would have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Some Republicans calling the measure a threat to religious liberty. The bill's failure sets up the chance of another major showdown over spending even possibly a government shutdown come October. We'll watch that for you.
KOSIK: A Wall Street firm is predicting the Democrats will win the November election because the U.S. when is doing well. Moody's Analytics has correctly predicted every presidential election since 1980. It says this year's contest will put Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders in the White House. It doesn't track individual candidates, but the margin of victory for the Dems has increased since August. Their forecast is all about the economy which is the top issue for voters.
Moody's says when economic conditions are good, voters pick the party currently in office. When things are bad, they vote for change, like Donald Trump is proposing. One of the things that would have to change for Trump to win, this is according to Moody's, gas prices would be to spike to $3 a gallon.
The national average is currently sitting at $2.32. That is still below what drivers were seeing this time last year. It's interesting how consumers really feel like if they are filling up the car and they look at that sort of sticker shock at the pump, if it is not too shocking, they feel a little wealthier as they drive away from the gas station.
CABRERA: I have noticed, though, they're going up, gas prices.
KOSIK: Yes, they are.
CABRERA: We'll see.
KOSIK: Thanks.
CABRERA: Well, President Obama arriving in Hiroshima this morning, more than 70 years after the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb. We will take you there live, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:13:54] CABRERA: In just minutes, President Obama arrives in Hiroshima, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Japanese city more than seven decades after the U.S. launched an atomic attack there.
White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski is traveling with the president and joins us now.
Michelle, the president intends for this to be a gesture of reconciliation, but he's not expected to apologize.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right. I think that surprises people sometimes when you hear about this happening both the U.S. and in Japan, that you come to something like this where the U.S. became the only nation in the world to use a nuclear weapon that regrets and apology would go along with it.
But that is so politically complicated. And I don't mean not just on the U.S. side. I mean, for the long time, privately, the Japanese government didn't want the Americans to apologize. They wanted a U.S. president to come here and knowledge this and have it be a symbol of moving forward, but not necessarily an apology, because that opens the door to anti-American feeling here.
It also -- you know, most Americans and most American historians believe ending the war this way was necessary and reduced the number of deaths that would have resulted.
[04:15:10] So, you can see how complicated an issue this is and the White House did not feel that an apology was appropriate. They also didn't feel like a policy speech was appropriate here. Some analysts say that kind of less is more in the situation. That a short statement by the president that doesn't get too complicated or too laden with policy might actually be more powerful in this case.
So, we'll see what he says. He just previewed his remarks minutes ago, speaking before U.S. Marines at a Marine Air Base here. And he talked about being able to move forward and the need to learn from history and to work toward a world of peace and security where some day nuclear weapons would not be necessary, Ana.
CABRERA: All right. Michelle, thank you so much. We will be checking back with you, of course, as the president arrives and we'll be listening in as he makes his remarks.
KOSIK: The state of Louisiana now has a Blue Lives Matter law on the books. Governor John Bell Edwards signing measure that expands the state's hate crime statute to include the targeting of police, firefighters and EMS workers. Louisiana is now the only state to have a chosen vocation on its list.
Critics like the Anti-Defamation League says that waters down the impact of the Hates Crime Act.
CABRERA: The rapper who gave the opening act at a T.I.'s concert in New York is now facing attempted murder charges. Detectives say rapper Troy Ave, real name Ronald Collins is the man seen right there on the surveillance video firing that gun. One man was killed, two other people injured. Collins also took a bullet to the leg. Now, police say gunfire broke out in the VIP room upstairs while T.I. was getting ready to go on stage downstairs.
KOSIK: Health officials are very concerned about the first patient ever diagnosed in the U.S. with the an infection completely resistant to all known antibiotics. The case involves a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman with a urinary tract infection cannot be cured even with the most potent antibiotics known to medicine, a drug called colistin. The director of the Centers for Disease Control expressing grave concern about the superbug spreading, saying, "We know risk living in a post antibiotic world."
CABRERA: That's scary.
Well, a devastating storm system damaging homes and businesses all across Kentucky, and really across that whole region. Take a look at this dash cam video, this is taken from a police cruiser patrolling the street of Paducah. Watch.
That was a bolt of lightning striking a nearby house. The force blew the camera right off the windshield. It also triggered a small roof fire. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Across the state, tornadoes and violent storms damaged or destroyed 30 homes and building in just the last 48 hours.
In fact, Alison, more than 100 twisters across the region in just this past week.
KOSIK: Mother Nature is no joke. You know, the severe weather threat continues today.
Let's turn to meteorologist Derek Van Dam. Good morning.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, Ana and Alison, there have been over 100 tornado touchdowns in the Central U.S. this week alone. And just on Thursday, there were 17 with dozens of wind reports and hail reports as well.
This is all thanks to a very deep area of low pressure that continues to pull in the Gulf of Mexico moisture. We've got a dip in the jet stream, and that is setting up all the ingredients, all the appropriate dynamics for the potential severe weather. And that will be continuing into Friday time frame as well, the early parts of the weekend, from Nebraska through Kansas and Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Look out for isolated large hail, strong winds and a possible tornado this Friday.
Temperatures today, we're looking at daytime highs in the middle and upper 80s along the East Coast. Cincinnati, 89. Chicago, 80 degrees. Of course, it's Memorial Day weekend, and Fleet Week in the Big Apple.
Look at this. You'll reach 90 degrees by Sunday. Watch out, though . We're still monitoring the potential of tropical development for the coastal areas of Carolinas and Georgia.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: All right. Derek Van Dam, thanks so much.
These are a couple of kids who don't need spell check. For the third year in a row, the national spelling bee has ended in a tie. Thirteen-year-old Jairam Hathwar of New York and 11-year-old Nihar Janga of Texas battling to a draw after 39 rounds. What?
The judges, get this, they ran out of words. These kids are so smart.
Scripps tried to avoid a tie by adding more words this year and making them more difficult. Each of the co- champions goes home with $40,000 in cash. Nice.
CABRERA: Just 11 years old and 13 years old.
[04:20:01] And a little interesting tidbit. Jairam apparently is the brother of a past winner. The younger brother of the guy who was the co-winner in 2014.
KOSIK: Runs in the family.
CABRERA: He might have had a advantage. He could ask his brother for some tips going on.
KOSIK: Could be genetics.
(LAUGHTER)
KOSIK: Lucky him.
CABRERA: Smart guys.
KOSIK: New clues bringing investigations closer to finding black boxes of EgyptAir flight 804. What caused the jetliner to fall from the sky?
Plus, breaking news right now. President Obama has just landed in Hiroshima set to speak any minute. We're going to go live there, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KOSIK: Welcome back.
[04:25:00] Airbus confirming it has detected a signal from the emergency locator transmitter onboard EgyptAir Flight 804. It is coming from the location where the jetliner crashed in the Mediterranean last week. The developments are decreasing the search for the black boxes from the area of Connecticut to the three-mile radius.
CNN's Ian Lee is tracking the latest from Cairo.
So, Ian, just to be clear here, the ping that's coming from the Mediterranean is not from the black box, but from a different device.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. It is coming from the emergency locater transmitter. This is a device which is activated and manually or automatically activated when the plane has crashed.
It usually lasts a few hours and not days. The plane has three of them. We don't know which one exactly has been detected or when it was detected. It can be detected by satellites.
But this is different from the black box ping. That is detected by sonar. That can last up to 30 days. And again, this narrows the search area to roughly a radius of three miles, Alison.
KOSIK: But the race against time is still on, because now, it's less than 30 days to go before the ping would drop out.
All right. Ian Lee, thanks very much. We're going to go live now to where President Obama is right now. He has landed in Hiroshima. Just visited a museum and he is visiting Hiroshima. He just stepped up to the microphone at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum to make a few remarks as well.
CABRERA: And we will be listening in as soon as we see him take the microphone. We can tell you this visit comes seven decades after the U.S. launched the atomic attack in Hiroshima, of course, killing ultimately 140,000 people. So, this is a somber visit for the president, first president ever from the U.S., a sitting president, to visit this city.
He is expected to just be here for a matter of hours. We expect to see him lay a wreath at the peace memorial park. And then he will say a few words. He's expected to give a short speech of reflection, we're told. Meant to provide reconciliation, but without actually apologizing as we heard Michelle Kosinski talk about, Alison.
KOSIK: Yes.
CABRERA: It is a tough political climate.
KOSIK: It is. You know, the White House debated if this was right time for President Obama to break this sort of taboo that's been in place. I mean, he is the first sitting president to visit Hiroshima and it is also an election year. So, this is a visit that doesn't come without controversy. The fact he is not giving an apology, there is significance in that.
CABRERA: And there is a little bit of politics at play here, because we know the president intends to make statement by visiting, to draw attention to the nuclear weapons issue and to remind the world of the harm and danger of the weapons if they end up in the wrong hands. And so, he is trying to call attention specifically to one of the darkest days in history.
KOSIK: Yes, these atomic bomb survivors, they've said an apology form President Obama, you know, would be welcome for many, you know, because the priority here is to ultimately rid the world of nuclear weapons. But it's a goal that is elusive when you bring North Korea into the discussion.
CABRERA: North Korea, of course, and also the Iran nuclear deal which is controversy, at least in the United States. Again, these are live pictures right now. It is 5:30 in the afternoon essentially Hiroshima, Japan, where the president just landed minutes ago, expected to lay a wreath here any moment after he visited a memorial museum.
This visit intended to draw attention to the nuclear weapons use, as we mentioned. And he is expected, we're told, to meet with some of the victims, the survivors of the blast. Of course, many of them were just children at the time.
KOSIK: And this is a wide ranging trip that President Obama has been hoping to take for a while. His trip to Asia, he did spend several days in Vietnam as well.
Interestingly enough, though, this is a trip that was quite overshadowed by U.S. politics, especially yesterday when he addressed the media. There was a good amount of questioning about the presidential race and he really made news with some of this comments about the presumptive nominee, Donald Trump. So, you saw a little bit of an overshadowing there. CABRERA: And, in fact, he even said that Donald Trump has rattled
world leaders all across the globe. And, you know, Donald Trump has come under criticism for comments he made about interacting or dealing, having a conversation with the North Korean leader. And nuclear weapons at the heart of the concerns over what is happening in North Korea, among other issues.
And so, Donald Trump getting the world's stages as the president marks historic moment here visiting Hiroshima, Japan.
