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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama to Speak at Memorial for Fallen Officers; New Protests Across the Country; Donald Trump: I Am the Law and Order Candidate. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired July 12, 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] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: In just hours, President Obama arrives in Dallas set to speak at a memorial for the five police officers slain in the street. We'll tell you what you can expect today.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: New protests across the country over police violence. Thousands take over the streets. The new arrests at demonstrations overnight.

BERMAN: Donald Trump declares himself the law and order candidate, but also the candidate of compassion. His new reaction to police protests across the country.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

KOSIK: Good morning. I'm Alison Kosik. It is July 12th. It's 4:00 a.m. in the East.

And in just hours, an important moment for the nation to come together after a week of pain and tension. A memorial service in Dallas for the five officers murdered after helping protect a peaceful protest. President Obama and former President George W. Bush are set both to speak and later visit with the victims' family. Overnight, emotions run high at the candlelight vigil organized by the Dallas police association. Chief David Brown embracing the families of those killed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF DAVID BROWN, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT: Families, we love you. Have. We are now your surrogate family members. We're your brothers and your sisters. When you need us, you call because we'll not only be loving you today, we'll be loving you always, always, until the end of time. We'll be loving you until you are me and I am you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: The probe into the Dallas gunman's plans and motives is still under way this morning with new questions emerging.

More from CNN's Ed Lavandera in Dallas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, investigators continue combing through the community college building where Micah Johnson was killed early Friday morning after several hours of a standoff with police in the hours just after he had shot and killed five police officers and wounded seven more. One of the things that investigators and detectives are taking a look at in trying to unravel is the bomb-making explosives that was removed and found at Micah Johnson's house.

We've told by a federal enforcement source that there was about 3.5 pounds of different kinds of explosive material that was found inside the home. But what is not clear is what the intentions of that was. Was this part of a bigger plan? Was this part of a plan that Micah Johnson had thought about carrying out and didn't, or what exactly the intention was there. So, that's what we are looking at. Local law enforcement here in Dallas tells me the material was found in every room in various parts of the house. So, that is one of the things that investigators are trying to unravel as well as those in the mysterious initials "RB" that according to the Dallas police chief Micah Johnson wrote with his own blood in two locations inside that community college building -- John and Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: All right. Ed Lavandera, thanks for that.

The Dallas shooter's parents are speaking out, saying he's time in the army changed him, turning him from an idealist who wanted to become a police officer into a disillusioned hermit. The gunman's father telling the media he was stunned by his son's actions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES JOHNSON, GUNMAN MICAH JOHNSON'S FATHER: I don't know what to say to anybody to make anything better. I didn't see it coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Overnight, new protests against police practices across the country. In Atlanta, police arrested at least 16 people after hundreds took to the streets protesting last week's police killings of two black men. One in Louisiana, the other in Minnesota.

The protesters marched to the Georgia's governor's mansion and met with top Atlanta City officials.

CNN's Polo Sandoval has more now from the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The city of Atlanta, one of several across the country erupting with protests now for the fifth night in a row. We ever march along with what were really hundreds of demonstrators, part of the Black Lives Matter movement that made their way here to the Georgia state governor's mansion, calling for accountability, for transparency, calling for justice.

Meanwhile, several police officers not just here on the ground but also in the air, keeping a very sharp eye on the crowd and making sure that they at least keep distance away from the governor's mansion.

[04:05:06] I should mention that there is at least a good sign that there is some common ground here, as we are now seeing Atlanta City officials, including Kasim Reed, the mayor, and also, the police chief, a native of this city, George Turner, also have conversations with some of these demonstrators, even asking them into what is a mobile command center that's been set up here, to talk about finding that common ground. So, that is a good indication that things could potentially improve.

While these demonstrations have remained simple, we have seen several arrests. While the NAACP chapter here in Atlanta, Georgia, here in Atlanta has raised reaction by law enforcement level of restraint, they say there are limits. What we have seen are police officers reach the limit and actually make their way into the crowd and actually begin to detain individuals who have defied orders to remain on the sidewalk.

Ultimately, at least 15,000 protesters that have already taken to the streets of Atlanta and only a few dozen arrests. That is a good sign that there is that dialogue that continues in one of several major American cities that are erupting with.

Polo Sandoval, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right, Polo.

That was Atlanta. In Memphis, the mayor and police held a town hall where police spoke out for community policing and more funding for youth programs. In Brooklyn, more than 200 people gathered for interfaith vigil honoring the officers killed in Dallas and the victims of the police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. A third day of the protests on the streets of Chicago, up to 1,000 people took part. The demonstrations did remain peaceful there.

And in Sacramento, hundreds marched on the state capitol. And many walking silently, telling reporter there is nothing to say that has not already been said.

KOSIK: New details in Minnesota this morning on the police shooting of Philando Castile. The lawyer for the police officer who shot Castile tells CNN that a broken taillight was not the only reason Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled Castille over. The lawyer says Yanez also stopped Castille because he matched the description of a suspect in an armed robbery days earlier.

Later this morning, Castile's family is going to be holding a news conference but already, critics are questioning the explanations for the traffic stop that ended in Castille's death.

CNN's Rosa Flores has latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, this is the intersection where Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer. It's been turned into a memorial.

Now we know from court records this was not the first time that Philando Castile had been stopped by the police. In fact, court records show he had been stopped 52 times since 2002 for things like driving without proof of insurance and with a suspended driver's license.

Now, protesters have said that all of this is racial profiling. The governor of this state agreed.

So, we took our question to a profiling expert. Was Castile racially profiled until the day he died?

PROFESSOR MYRON ORFIELD, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL: I would say looking at the record, it's consistent with the pattern of being racial profiled.

FLORES: So, we have been seeing this hashtag #driving while black. Is that what the data is showing?

ORFIELD: Well, I think, you know, it certainly suggests that that's what's happening. Particularly when you look at a case like Mr. Castile's, you take a look at his driving record, he's got an awful lot of stops. It suggests a pattern of very aggressive policing.

FLORES: Now, according to the shooting officer's attorney, he says that this had nothing to do with race and everything to do with a gun present at the scene -- John, Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right, Rosa.

New developments also in the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge. Sterling's family is calling on police to release surveillance video taken from the convenience store where the incident occurred. The owner of the store is now suing police, claiming officers illegally detained him for hours, for four hours, and confiscated his video security system without warrant. Baton Rouge police say the video will be turned over to the Justice Department.

The district attorney in the case has now recused himself because he is friends with the parents of one of the officers involved, although little significance in the investigation. The feds, Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has already taken over the investigation. They're leading the way.

KOSIK: All right. Donald Trump is declaring himself the law and order candidate. What else he had to say about the police shootings and protests. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:13:41] KOSIK: Donald Trump calling for an immediate end to hostilities against police and declaring himself the law and order candidate.

The presumptive GOP nominee also attacking Hillary Clinton as weak during a campaign appearance with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, one of those on the Trump short list for vice president.

Let's get more now from CNN's Jim Acosta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, Donald Trump will tryout another potential running mate later today when he appears at a rally with Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

The Indiana governor, along with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich appear to be the finalist for the vice presidential slot on the GOP ticket. Christie and Trump both spoke at the veterans event yesterday in Virginia Beach. That is where Trump ended the pause and political attacks since the shootings in Dallas and dubbed himself the candidate law enforcement can trust.

Here's what he had to say.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I am the law and order candidate.

(APPLAUSE)

Hillary Clinton on the other hand, is weak, ineffective, pandering and as proven by her recent e-mail scandal, which was an embarrassment not only to her, but the entire nation as a whole, she is either a liar or grossly incompetent.

[04:15:02] Personally, it's probably both.

(APPLAUSE)

Not only am I the law and order candidate, but I'm also the candidate of compassion. Believe it. The candidate of compassion.

But you can't have true compassion without providing safety for the citizens of our country. Every kid in America should be able to securely walk the streets in their own neighborhood without harm.

ACOSTA: Mike Pence, who is running for re-election as governor, has until Friday to make up his mind as state law bars him from seeking two offices at once in Indiana. But don't count out Chris Christie. One source familiar with the process said Christie has been fully veteted for vice presidential slot -- John and Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BERMAN: The Republican convention platform committee meets again in Cleveland in just a few hours. The party's official positions now emerging.

The party's embracing religious conservative values in the preliminary votes in that committee, opposing same-sex marriage, rejecting public restroom rights for transgendered people, and supporting the right of parents to put their LGBT children into conversion therapy. The head of the platform committee, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, insists the party and presumptive nominee are uniting behind these plans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R), WYOMING: I met with Donald Trump on Thursday in Washington. He met with a number of senators. He knew I was chairing the platform committee. He said, let the platform committee work its will. He has great deal of faith and confidence in the people coming together and expressing their opinions. I've asked him to embrace the platform. And I believe that he will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: House Speaker Paul Ryan's request to block Hillary Clinton from intelligence briefings has been rejected by the director of national intelligence. James Clapper telling Ryan that no officially nominated candidate will be denied access. Now, top House Republicans are asking the Justice Department to open a new investigation to determine whether Clinton lied to Congress about her private e-mail server.

And Attorney General Loretta Lynch facing questions about the Clinton email case when she appears before the House Judiciary Committee. That's happening later this morning.

BERMAN: In just a few hours after a long, long, long wait, Bernie Sanders is set to endorse Hillary Clinton at a campaign event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Now in an interview with CNN, Vice President Joe Biden says the choice of voters in November is clear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Here's the measure I think folks are going to apply. Look at Donald Trump and what he is saying and ask yourself, is it believable? Does he know what he is talking about? Will it solve any of my problems?

And look at what she has to say, what she's proposing, and the honesty of her proposals and her willingness to deliver on them. I think that's going to ultimately be the determination.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Biden also addressed protests over police shootings, rejecting comments from former Mayor Rudy Giuliani who describes the Black Lives Matter movement as inherently racist. Biden called that a very broad statement.

KOSIK: New details emerging in the deadly shootout in a courthouse in Berrien County, Michigan. Two bailiffs were killed, a deputy sheriff and civilian wounded. Police are saying an inmate, 44-year-old Larry Darnell Gordon was being transferred from his cell when he grabbed the deputy's gun and opened fire while attempting to escape. Gordon was the shot and killed by other bailiffs.

BERMAN: Video from police body and dashboard cameras will not be part of the public record in North Carolina under a new law signed Monday by Governor Pat McCrory. Social justice advocate and civil libertarians. They are furious, claiming the measure will make it nearly impossible to hold police officers accountable for their actions. North Carolina now joins five other states exempting police recordings from public record request.

KOSIK: Time for an early start on your money.

The S&P 500 has never been higher than it is right now. The index gaining a third of 1 percent on Monday, closing at an all time high of 2,137. The previous record was set back in May.

So, you want to see what $12.6 trillion of market value looks like? Well, look at this. That's how much investors have made since the S&P hit a bottom during the recession on March 9th, 2009. It's an amazing gain of 215 percent.

Next up is the Dow. It's about half a percent or 85 points away from a fresh closing high. And we could see the blue chips it that mark today. We will be watching.

Futures are pointing to a positive open. Stock markets in Europe are mostly higher, though shares in London are lower. Asian stocks closed up overnight. Oil prices are slightly higher. One thing that you're going to see move markets, earnings season getting under way this week.

BERMAN: Everyone, of course, is watching what's happening in Great Britain as well. We have new activity there, a new prime minister as of tomorrow. The lightning fast pace of change continues David Cameron resigns.

[04:20:03] Theresa May prepares to take office. The roller coaster of change brought on by the Brexit. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: By the close of business on Wednesday in Britain, the United Kingdom will have a new prime minister. It will be a woman. David Cameron announced he will step down this week and not by October as originally planned. This paves the way for Theresa May to take the reins on Downing Street.

CNN political contributor Robin Oakley is live for us in London.

So, Robin, why is Cameron stepping down earlier than expected? [04:25:04] ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Because Andrea

Leadsom, one of two campaigners for the conservative leadership which carries with it the prime minister's job, pulled out of the contest yesterday with Theresa May, ensuring that instead of a contest, we have a coronation.

Theresa May, the home secretary, the interior minister, will be the new prime minister of Britain, the second female prime minister as from tomorrow.

David Cameron, meanwhile, he is going through the last two days of the six-year period on Downing Street. He was humming as he walked back to Downing Street after announcing his impending departure -- Alison.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Wednesday, I would attend for comments for questions and after that I expect to go to palace and offer my resignation. So, we will have a new prime minister in the building behind me by Wednesday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: And there he was --

OAKLEY: Now, Theresa May is putting -- now Theresa May is putting together her team to succeed the cabinet that David Cameron is presiding over for the last time today, Alison.

KOSIK: Yes, I was going to say, the -- you know, the now soon to be former prime minister humming. It makes you wonder if he is feeling a sense of relief as he walks away, or is he thinking good luck to Theresa May. Lots of challenges.

OAKLEY: Yes, because David Cameron is the prime minister who gambled on Europe and lost. He tried to end the long-running disputes in his party over Britain's relationship with Europe. By holding the referendum, he thought he was going to win it. He's lost it. Now, Britain is coming out of the European Union.

The task that Theresa May has on the coming prime minister is probably the most daunting any prime minister in peace time has ever faced. And one of the key things will be how she gets a balance in her cabinet team between those who wanted to leave and those who like her wanted to remain, Alison.

KOSIK: Certainly going to be interesting to watch to say the least. Robin Oakley, thanks so much.

BERMAN: All right. President Obama arrives in just hours. He will speak at the memorial for the five police officers murdered last week. We have new details about what he plans to say, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)