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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Trump Questions Clinton's Faith; Clinton Calls Trump "Dangerous" for the Economy; Orlando Gunman Visited Club Hours Before Attacking; Golfer McIlroy Drops Out Olympics Over Zika Fear. Aired 5- 5:30a ET

Aired June 22, 2016 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump just hours from unleashing a new attack on Hillary Clinton, accusing the former secretary of corruption while on the job. Where will he hit hardest?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN NOBLES, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump dangerous, making dire predictions of an economy rigged for Wall Street.

ROMANS: And new information this morning on what the gunman in the Orlando club shooting was doing just hours before that massacre.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

NOBLES: And I'm Ryan Nobles. Thank you for starting your day with us. It's Wednesday, June 22nd, and it is 5:00 a.m. in the east.

In just hours, Donald Trump will deliver what is expected to be a scathing speech blasting Hillary Clinton's foreign policy. Overnight, a source telling CNN that Trump will try to use his speech to retake control of the political narrative, something Republicans have been praying for. Among other things, he'll accuse Clinton of pay for play corruption while she was secretary of state, attack's Clinton use of a private email server and slam her support for countries with shoddy human rights records toward women and gay people.

On Tuesday, Trump leveled a new line of attack against Clinton. Speaking to evangelical leaders, he questioned her faith and also promised to appoint anti-abortion judges if elected.

CNN's Jim Acosta has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Ryan, Donald Trump is trying to pivot away from some of the recent troubles hampering his campaign. He's got a speech set for tomorrow aimed at attacking Hillary Clinton here in New York City. And as Trump has been brushing off concerns about his poll numbers and recent fund- raising totals, the presumptive GOP nominee has been attempting to turn up the heat on Hillary Clinton. At a meeting with evangelical leaders here in New York, Trump questioned Clinton's faith.

Here's what he had to say.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: About Hillary in terms of religion. She's been in the public eye for years and years, and yet there's no -- there's nothing out there. There's like nothing out there. It's going to be an extension of Obama, but it's going to be worse, because with Obama, you had your guard up. With Hillary, you don't.

ACOSTA: And as part of the Trump campaign's full-on assault on Hillary Clinton, he's created a new website called LyingCrookedHillary.com. But the campaign says it's not ready yet and will be up and running in the coming days -- Ryan and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Jim Acosta for us -- thanks, Jim.

Today, Hillary Clinton moves into round two of her new attack on Donald Trump as a menace to the U.S. economy. On Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, Clinton gave her first general election campaign speech on the economy. Following the pattern of her foreign policy speech earlier this month, Clinton painted the billionaire real estate mogul as a danger to America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: You might think that because he has spent his life as a businessman, he'd be better prepared to handle the economy. Well, it turns out he's dangerous there too. Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: CNN's Jeff Zeleny covered that speech for us. He's with Clinton. He has more from Ohio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Ryan, Hillary Clinton delivering the second part of her economic message today in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the heels of a speech Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio. This was a blistering take down of Donald Trump's economic policies, going at his -- heart of his economic success, his financial success, how he has in fact made his money.

Hillary Clinton made clear that all Donald Trump's products are not made in America.

CLINTON: And interestingly, Trump's own products are made in a lot of countries that aren't named America.

Trump ties are made in China. Trump suits in Mexico. Trump furniture in Turkey. Trump picture frames in India. Trump bar wear in Slovenia -- and I could go on and on. But you get the idea. And I'd love for him to explain how all that fits with his talk about "America first".

ZELENY: Now, politically speaking, that could be a problem for Donald Trump here in Ohio where the eighteen electoral votes of the state are critical for the general election race with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

But moreover, Hillary Clinton gave a complete take down of Donald Trump on the economy but she used historical perspective, saying he would be a disaster here and she also tied in this foreign policy speech she made some three weeks ago in San Diego, another installment here of how she's trying to define him before he can define himself. Today, she continues that in North Carolina -- Christine and Ryan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBLES: All right. Thank you, Jeff. Helping us now to break down this new tougher tone in the 2016 rhetoric is Zach Wolf, the managing editor of CNN politics digital.

Good morning, Zach.

ROMANS: Good morning.

NOBLES: I want to talk a little bit about what Donald Trump has planned today. A speech that he promises is going to go after Hillary Clinton in a big way. And we saw a little preview of that in an interview he did with CBS yesterday.

Let's take a listen to what he claims Hillary Clinton is promising folks that donate to her campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: When she raises this money, every time she raises money, she's making deals. Can I be the ambassador to this, can I do that? Make sure my business is taken care of. I mean, give me a break. All of the money she's raising, that's blood money. That's blood money.

Look, she's getting tremendous amounts of money from Wall Street. She's going to take care of Wall Street. She's getting tremendous amounts of money from lots of people. She's going to take care of all those people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: Maybe in any other political cycle, if someone accused another candidate of blood money, we'd be shocked, but this is kind of how this campaign has gone. Should we expect more from Donald Trump today?

ZACHARY WOLF, CNN POLITICS DIGITAL, MANAGING EDITOR: Still a pretty incredible charge, saying that a major candidate for office is getting blood money or, you know, is offering blood money, it's not something you hear every day, even, I think for Trump, that's a new line of attack. I think, you know, he needs to really change the narrative today.

There have been a couple of really, really bad news cycles for hi his fired campaign manager, the, you know, even going back to the comments about the judge who he said had Mexican heritage, you know, a couple weeks ago. And then moving forward, he has the, you know, tactical problems in his campaign right now. And this gets at the issue of money that he hasn't been raising that much money. He doesn't have that much of it that's coming in.

He says he's a billionaire. She has criticized him, you know, yesterday, questioning how much money he has. He might have to start writing his own checks to start buying ads and things like that. She's put hundreds of millions of dollars towards buying ads in swing states, and he's put less than a million or as of a day or so ago less than a million.

So, you know, most of Trump's attention comes from us interviewing him and from him being on TV. She's playing a much more, you know, traditional campaign, where she's getting on TV, and today, he needs to change that narrative, regain control of what we're talking about. Because we are how people are seeing him.

ROMANS: And this is what so many Republicans have been wanting, not the distractions of the other statements that have Fed into the news cycle about the judge, et cetera, et cetera. But they want him to go after Hillary Clinton. They want him to take her apart. There are some Republicans who may vote for Hillary Clinton because they are so dissatisfied with their candidate. He will talk human rights violations, we're told, the trade deficit, immigration and this pay to play arrangement between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation. That's what he's really going to hit on today.

The question is, Zach, can he, can he stay disciplined on that message, or does he get distracted?

WOLF: Well, you know, the question is, is he going to use a teleprompter? Is he going to stick to the script in other words? That's something he hasn't done for a while. He said he was sort of warming to the idea. He's done it for a couple speeches.

You sort of feel when he does that that he loses a little bit of his oomph maybe when he's speaking. But at the same time, when he does these more in-depth policy speeches, he does have it out there, you know, when he gave a big speech to AIPAC, on the Middle East and Israel, he used. When he gave another foreign policy speech he used it. When he really wants to make sure he makes his point, he has been doing that.

NOBLES: And we saw Hillary Clinton yesterday talk about the economy. And our new CNN/ORC poll shows that's a liability with her with Trump.

ROMANS: She's got a lot of work to do. NOBLES: Yes, he's actually outperforming her in that category. Did

Hillary Clinton do enough to point out what she would do for the economy or did she spend too much time hammering Donald Trump's record?

WOLF: Well, it did feel like she was trying to get under Donald Trump's skin. She had a couple of one-liners and zingers, talking about his bankruptcies over the years and Chapter 11s and all of that. It was definitely a speech that was felt, gauged at him. But it was a second she gave a foreign policy speech and economy speech, laying out her case about why he would be bad for the economy.

And the thing that kind of strikes me when you hear her deliver these one-liners about him, it doesn't sound unlike what Mitt Romney did a couple weeks ago when he was trying to oppose Trump. So, you almost have this political class recoiling, and that's what it feels like.

ROMANS: It's interesting for somebody who covers the economy and a lot of my colleagues who cover the economy. She didn't spend too much time being inspirational about what she would do, not making the case about how she is better for the middle class that hasn't had a pay raise. She mentioned clean energy and college affordability. She rattled off some of these things that will be the centerpiece of a Hillary Clinton strategy, but it really seemed like taking down Trump first, and then we'll see maybe later today in North Carolina if she starts building up her own -- you know, reacquainting people with what her own agenda is.

[05:10:16] Zach, thanks so much. Talk to you again, very, very soon.

Hillary Clinton, of course, casting Donald Trump as dangerous and reckless for the American economy, and she does have more work to do to convince Americans when it comes to the economy that she is right for the job.

Here's the poll again. When voters are asked who would be better to handle the economy, 51 percent said Trump, 43 percent said Clinton. Now, that was taken before Clinton speech yesterday. In that speech, she cited a new report by Moody's Analytics, that says that a Donald Trump presidency would be dangerous for the economy.

A report that echoes what many mainstream economists have said about a President Trump. If his policies were enacted, it would lead to a down turn, longer than a Great Recession according to Moody's, it would cost 3.5 million jobs. The unemployment rate would jump back to 7 percent, home prices would fall and the stock market would plummet.

Moody's says it plans to do an analysis of Hillary Clinton's economic policies next.

But in part, that economic reaction would be because of big tax cuts for the rich and also potential trade war with China and some of the other things he said he would do about trade and immigration, deporting 11 million people. All those things wrapped up in that report. NOBLES: And you wonder if voters are looking for substance now. A lot of people have tried the one-liners attack on Trump and have been unsuccessful.

ROMANS: Yes.

NOBLES: So, new information on what the Orlando club gunman was doing hours before the massacre. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:15:39] ROMANS: New details this morning emerging about the Orlando gunman. A man who attended the same Florida mosque as Omar Mateen telling CNN he notified the FBI back in 2014 of his suspicions because of radical comments he had made. Omar Mateen's father says his son received a proper Islamic burial in Florida, but gave no other details. All this as we learn new information about where Mateen was, he was at the Pulse nightclub hours before the massacre.

We get more from CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Ryan, investigators are trying to piece together the hours leading up to the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub here in Orlando. Investigators are focused on building a timeline in those hours leading up to it. Law enforcement sources tell us that Omar Mateen had come to the Pulse nightclub several hours before the shooting, had actually purchased a ticket to get in and had a wristband and then left two hours before the shooting.

Now, what he was doing during those two hours, investigators weren't aren't sure, but that's one of the things they're looking at, but he did return to the club and begun the shooting spree. Investigators suspect that perhaps Mateen had come here to the club to check out the security situation inside. All of this happening several hours after Mateen had to abruptly lift and stormed out of his house which is about two hours away.

According to law enforcement sources, the say Mateen's wife has told investigators three was angry, had packed a bag full of his guns and made the drive up here to Orlando. So, that timeline of that day Saturday into early Sunday morning is something that investigators are taking a much closer look at -- Christine and Ryan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBLES: All right. Thanks for that update, Ed.

Three suspects on an alleged vigilante mission arrested with an arsenal of weapons during a routine traffic stop at the Holland Tunnel between New York City and New Jersey. Police say two men and a woman were stopped on a Jersey side in a brightly colored pick up, there it is right there. And it was loaded with drugs, rifles, bullet proof vests and thousands of rounds of ammunition. They told police they were heading to New York to rescue a girl being held against her will in a drug den. All three are facing weapons charges.

ROMANS: Two Anaheim, California, men found guilty of conspiring to support ISIS. It took a federal jury just over one hour to convict them, during the two trial, jurors heard a detail account of the defendant's efforts to fight with the terror group in Iraq and Syria. One of them was arrested trying to board a plane to the Middle East. Both face decades behind bars when they're sentenced in September.

NOBLES: Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert reports to prison this afternoon in Rochester, Minnesota. He was sentenced to 15 months behind bars in April for making illegal payoffs to cover up acts of sexual abuse. The 70-year-old Hastert has publicly admitted abusing several high school wrestlers when he was a coach decades ago.

ROMANS: It's about 19 minutes past the hour.

Breaking bleacher news: top ranked golfer Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland backing out of the Olympics, driven out by of fears of the Zika virus. Coy Wire has the latest on this morning's bleacher report. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:23:15] NOBLES: Fans of the U.S. men's national team may be brought down to earth a little bit after advance to the Copa America finals. But they ran into a major roadblock. International super power, Argentina.

ROMANS: Coy Wire has more in this morning's bleacher report.

Hey, Coy.

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

Sure, it still was a big old piece of humble pie. Argentina, the number one-ranked team in the world, and they showed why. Last night, team USA soccer match got messy. Lionel Messi. He had his way with the Americans.

Just three minutes into the match, and Messi -- check out the past. This would be Argentina's first goal. Later in the first half, Messi's free kick. I mean, can you get any better than this? Talk about putting a pint glass into a shot glass. Incredible. Argentina goes on to win in a blow-out, 4-zip. They're rolling into the finals.

All right. Fourth-time Major champion Rory McIlroy pulls out of this Summer's Olympic Games in Rio over fears of the Zika virus. He released a statement saying, in part, quote, "I've come to realize that my health and my family's health comes before anything else, even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless, and I am unwilling to take." That's the end of that quote.

Opening ceremonies, guys, just 44 days away. Big, big news out of the Olympic Games. The city of Cleveland going to host their first championship parade in 50 years, starting today at 11:00, as they celebrate the Cavs win over the Warriors. The good new, if you have a court date in Cleveland and you have to miss it because of the parade, Cleveland judges are not going to issue a warrant for the Ohio state marching band will be there, awesome will be there as well.

[05:25:04] All right. LeBron James kept his promise to bring a championship home to Cleveland. Now, he's on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" holding the Larry O'Brien trophy with the caption "The Promise Keeper". His former Miami Heat teammate, though, Dwyane Wade, in his own cover, wearing a little less in this one. It's the cover of ESPN magazine body issue.

There are other athletes in that one going to be Cub's Jake Arietta, Connor McGregor, and all 325 pounds of Vince Wilfork will be there as well.

Greg moment here. Rodney Sumter, shot three times while bartending at Pulse nightclub in Orlando and he got a special visitor at the hospital yesterday. His high school teammate Tim Tebow visited him.

Governor Rick Scott, soccer players (INAUDIBE) and baseball player Johnny Damon also paid a visit to the hospital earlier in the week. Big Shaq was there. they handed out Orlando Strong Governor's Medals of Unity to survivors and family members and the hospital workers, as well, guys.

ROMANS: Gosh, wish him a speedy recovery. Thanks for that. Coy Wire, thanks.

NOBLE: Thanks, Coy.

WIRE: You're welcome.

ROMANS: All right. Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump dangerous for the American economy as he prepares to give a new speech this morning, accusing the former secretary of state of corruption on the job. Details next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)