Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Digs in on Claims Obama Founded ISIS; Pressing Trump to Release Tax Returns; Going for Gold in Rio; Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired August 12, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:01] LEMON: That's it for us. Thanks for watching. I'm Don Lemon. "EARLY START" begins right now.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump standing firm in his conviction that President Obama created ISIS. But now the party boss is trying to get Trump to tone it down. What did Trump discussed with the head of the RNC?
RYAN NOBLES, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary Clinton fending off increasing charges of pay-to-play when she was secretary of state. How close did Clinton come to a corruption probe? Her close ties between her foundation and her State Department.
KOSIK: And a night of historic proportion for Team USA. Michael Phelps nabbing another gold and two American ladies are breaking barriers. We are live in Rio with a recap.
Good morning. And welcome to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.
NOBLES: And I'm Ryan Nobles. It is Friday, August 12th. And it is 4:00 a.m. in the East.
Donald Trump doubling down this morning on his claim that President Obama founded ISIS. Digging in, rejecting conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt's attempt to get Trump to adopt a moderate sounding clarification of the founder accusation. This as Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus calls Trump, trying to get him to tone down his rhetoric in the interest of down-ballot GOP candidates.
We have more now from CNN's Jim Acosta who was with the Trump campaign in Florida.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Ryan, Donald Trump once again referred to President Obama as the founder of ISIS at a rally outside of Orlando. Trump said that the president bears responsibility for the rise of the terror group because he did not leave, what he called, a relatively small force in Iraq. But that runs contrary to what Trump told CNN back in 2007 when he said that the U.S. should declare victory and leave.
Here's more of what Trump had to say at this rally outside of Orlando.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Barack Obama is the founder. Hey, if he would've -- folks, we should have never been in Iraq. We were going to destabilize the Middle East. I said it. I was a civilian, nobody cares. I was a civilian, nobody cares. We should have never been in -- they should have understood it. They made a mistake, but we should have never ended it the way they ended it. By ending the way he ended it, and he got everybody out and he let them know when, and we're leaving, and they just sat back. They just sat back and they went in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Even before Trump started addressing the crowd at this rally there was an incident inside the venue. Three men were holding up a Confederate flag and refusing to take it down for 15 to 20 minutes. Eventually campaign staffers and local law enforcement officials convinced the men to take the flag down. So far no reaction from the Trump campaign -- Alison and Ryan.
KOSIK: All right, Jim, thanks for that. And now more on that chat where Reince Priebus reportedly warned Trump about the damage he can inflict on the down-ballot candidates. Something that has leading Republicans very worried. 75 of them signing a new letter urging the party to shift its resources away from Trump and toward at-risk House and Senate candidates. Trump says such a shift never came up in his talk with the party chairman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But I'm the one that's funding. I'm the one that's raising the money and other people are getting to use the money that I raise, so all I have to do is stop funding the Republican Party. I'm the one raising the money for them. In fact, right now I'm in Orlando. I'm going to a fundraiser for the Republican Party, so if they want to do that they can save me a lot of time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Sources familiar with the call are telling CNN that Priebus never threatened to shift party resources. That it's too early to make that decision anyway. But those sources say Priebus did underscore the need for Trump to take public criticism from vulnerable Republicans without lashing back. Priebus reportedly told Trump those candidates may need to put some daylight between themselves and the controversial top of the ticket, and that's the way politics works.
NOBLES: Donald Trump adding nine new members to his economic advisory council. Eight of them women. This just a week after he faced harsh criticism for unveiling an all-male economic panel. Trump's announcement came coincidentally just as Hillary Clinton took the podium in Detroit to deliver her economic address. The speech itself pretty light on new policy proposals. So it was mostly a rebuttal to Trump's economic address from Monday.
Clinton blasted what she called the Trump loophole. Cuts to business taxes which she said would mainly benefit Trump and wealthy people like him. This as a source tells CNN that Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine will increase pressure on Trump to release his taxes by soon releasing their own returns.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny with the latest from the Clinton campaign.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Ryan and Alison, Hillary Clinton calling again on Donald Trump to release his tax returns.
[04:05:04] Something he has refused to do. Of course, he is the only presidential nominee since Richard Nixon to not release any tax returns.
I am told by people close to her campaign she could release her returns as early as today, her 2015 returns. Of course that makes a library of some 38 years of tax returns the Clintons have filed. Their average tax rate is basically around 30 percent. We will find out later today if she releases them today and what her tax return rate was in 2015. But Tim Kaine also is scheduled to release some 10 years of tax returns.
The Clinton campaign wants to keep pressure on Donald Trump to release his returns or highlight the fact that he is not. It is all part of their argument to paint him as a wealthy man who is in it for himself. Part of her campaign message she made Thursday in Michigan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now compare what Trump says. Now there is a myth out there that he will stick it to the rich and powerful because somehow he's really on the side of the little guy. Don't believe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: And that is a central part of Hillary Clinton's message trying to point out to working class Americans that she would be a better fighter for them. Donald Trump as she says is in it for himself and the wealthy -- Ryan and Alison.
KOSIK: All right, Jeff Zeleny, thank you.
Clinton critics weren't the only people asking questions about the relationship between the Clinton Foundation and her State Department. CNN has learned FBI officials wanted to open an investigation into whether there was a criminal conflict of interest. A U.S. official says the FBI met with the Justice Department officials a few months ago after a bank reported suspicious activity by a foreigner who donated to the foundation.
Justice officials have looked into the foundation a year earlier after the release of the controversial book "Clinton Cash." But they found insufficient evidence to launch a probe. So at this year's meeting, the DOJ again declined to open a case against the foundation. The FBI, Justice Department and Clinton foundation all declined to comment.
NOBLES: The cyber attack against the Democratic National Convention included a breach of private e-mail accounts belonging to top party officials with direct ties to the Hillary Clinton campaign. That according to a source close to the investigation. They say campaign officials have already met with the FBI about the hack.
Now listen to the highest ranking Democratic Congress Nancy Pelosi compare the breach to another infamous moment in American politics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D), MINORITY LEADER: This is an electronic Watergate. This is an electronic Watergate. This is a break-in. Russians broke in. Who did they give the information to? I don't know. Who dump it? I don't know. But I do know that this is a Watergate-like electronic break-in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NOBLES: Now interim DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile announced the party is setting up a cyber security advisory board to deal with future hacking threats.
KOSIK: So Hillary Clinton sounded a little like Donald Trump talking about trade in her big economic speech yesterday. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: So as president, I will stand up to China and anyone else who tries to take advantage of American workers and companies.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CLINTON: And I'm going to ramp up enforcement by appointing for the first time a chief trade prosecutor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
CLINTON: I will triple the number of enforcement officers. And when countries break the rules, we won't hesitate to impose targeted tariffs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: The key phrase there is targeted tariffs. Something we haven't heard from Clinton before. No details yet on exactly what will be taxed.
Donald Trump says he wants to renegotiate trade deals and impose hefty tariffs on all goods from places like China. Experts say that could start a trade war that would sink the U.S. economy into a recession and cost millions of jobs.
NOBLES: American pride on full display in Rio. More gold medals for Team USA. Making history in the process. We are live in Rio next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [04:13:21] NOBLES: American swimmer Michael Phelps making history again adding new medals to his record Olympic haul. Winning his 22nd career gold on Thursday. Phelps is now 4 for 4 at the Rio games. And the gold rush for Team USA didn't stop there.
CNN's Christina MacFarlane, she is following it all for us live from Rio.
Christina, I thought that Michael Phelps was on the downside of his career? He is undefeated so far in these Olympic Games. Incredible.
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN WORLD SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right, Ryan. And he said he felt 22 years old today which matches his 22 olympic golds, of course, and his fourth of the week. But it seems, you know, the men's 200-meter individual medley meant more to him than most. He was in tears on top of the podium. He said he heard the announcer call out his fourth gold and he just couldn't hold it together. Phelps being the first Olympic swimmer now to win the same event in fourth straight Olympic Games.
And I'll tell you what, 38 minutes later, he came back and he raced again. This time in the men's 100-meter butterfly. Coming from behind to finish second. But his exploits almost certainly, almost overshadowed by what came next in the pool. Joint gold in the women's 100-meter freestyle for the first time since the Sidney Olympics in 2000. It was won by 16-year-old Canadian Penny Oleksiak and 22-year- old Simone Manuel. Manuel becoming the first African-American swimmer, would you believe, to win an Olympic gold after which she says that this victory was not just for her but for a bunch of people that came before her and for those that will come -- that will follow.
Now Phelps is due to be back in the pool today to compete in the 100- meter butterfly and a possible medal number five at this Olympics.
[04:15:01] And don't forget that we'll see Katie Ledecky as well who competes in her signature 800-meter freestyle. That's the one she won as a 15-year-old in London 2012.
But as you mentioned, Phelps wasn't the only superstar of the night. Simone Biles' victory in the women's all-around wasn't the surprise as a victory, but the performance I'll tell you was something to behold. She won by an enormous two-point margin in an event where gymnasts usually win by just tenths. The tumbles on her floor routines were almost twice the height of her tiny frame. She's won 10 world championship golds since bursting onto the scene in 2013. And now two gold medals. And remember, she could make it five with the beam and the vault and the floor still to come. And it was a double delight of course the United States, too, with teammates and her close friend Aly Raisman taking the silver.
Now we've had our fair share of controversy over the doping crisis with Russia in recent days. But on Thursday, it was Kenya who fell foul of doping regulators after the Kenyan athletics coach was sent home from Rio after posing as an athlete to give a urine sample. Kenyan Athletic Federation said that their sprint coach John Anzrah had presented himself as an 800-meter runner hopeful Ferguson Rotich and even signed the documents for the doping test. Well, the IOC has opened disciplinary proceedings into the matter. But it's pretty strange event to be happening at these games even though it's in the midst of this doping crisis -- Ryan.
NOBLES: Yes, Christina MacFarlane, thank you for that report. Live from Rio.
KOSIK: It is a deal fit for a king. LeBron James agreeing to a three-year $100 million contract that's going to keep him right where he is playing for the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. The deal will make LeBron for the first time the highest paid player in the NBA. James telling fans he couldn't be more excited about re-signing with the Cavs. Yes, I can't imagine why with a paycheck like that. You know, he says he's happy to be having the chance to defend their NBA title.
NOBLES: And pretty incredible, though, that he is as good a player as he is, and just now becoming the highest paid player in the NBA.
KOSIK: I know. Yes.
NOBLES: Tensions rising again between Ukraine and the Russians. Are hostilities about to be renewed along a disputed peninsula? That story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:21:44] NOBLES: Eleven explosions rocking five provinces across Thailand in the last 24 hours. At least four people have been killed with dozens more wounded including tourists from Italy, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Four of the blasts targeting the same location, the seaside resort town of Hua Hin. Now police say two other bombs were diffused before they could go off. Thai officials are calling the attacks coordinated but it is unclear who might be behind them.
KOSIK: The president of Ukraine putting his troops along the border with Russia in controlled Crimea on high alert. He's warning Vladimir Putin is looking to restart hostilities in the region. On Thursday the Russian president accused Ukrainian agents of engaging in terrorist activities on the Black Sea peninsula and vowed to respond with very serious measures.
NOBLES: Health and Huma Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell is redirecting $81 million from other departments to keep the fight against the Zika virus outbreak going. She just informed House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi that she is exercising her authority to transfer the money from the National institutes of Health and the Biomedical Research Authority. The White House asked Congress for $1.9 billion in Zika funding last February. But lawmakers have failed to act on the request.
KOSIK: Former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky is scheduled to testify in an appeal hearing in Pennsylvania this morning. The convicted child molester claims his lawyers bungled his 2012 trial. He'll have to convince the court his team was so ineffective they undermined the fairness of his trial. The 72-year-old Sandusky is serving at least 30 years behind bars for sexually abusing 10 boys.
NOBLES: And yet another amusement park accident to talk to you about. A young boy falling off a rollercoaster at the Idlewild theme park in western Pennsylvania. The boy was airlifted to a hospital in Pittsburgh. The extent of his injuries is not known. The Rolo- Coaster ride will be shut down while officials investigate. The accident coming just days after a 10-year-old in Kansas died on a giant water slide and three girls in Tennessee were injured after being thrown from a Ferris wheel.
KOSIK: Outrage in Colorado after a former university was spared a prison sentence for his sexual assault conviction. 22-year-old Oscar Wilkerson got two years in a county lock up, making him eligible for work release or to attend school during the day. Under Colorado law, this sentence could have been anywhere from eight years to life. Critics say it's disturbingly similar to the ex-Stanford swimmer sentenced two six months for raping an unconscious woman.
NOBLES: And if you've been outside in the northeast, you already know we're off to a hot and muggy weekend. Let's turn now to meteorologist Derek Van Dam with a look at the forecast.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Ryan and Alison. I hope you have a pool to head to after work today because the mercury in the thermometer is about to climb.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[04:25:31] VAN DAM: Back to you.
KOSIK: You know, I'll take the muggy weather over the snow storms that we're about to have.
NOBLES: Exactly. Let's not complain about this.
KOSIK: Exactly.
NOBLES: Right.
KOSIK: Who gets the blame for the rise of ISIS? Donald Trump says it's the president. Hillary Clinton pushing back on that and more of Trump's rhetoric. The latest on the 2016 race coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NOBLES: Donald Trump taking heat, but not backing down after claiming President Obama created ISIS. Now the head of the RNC is concerned that Trump's campaign could cost the party in other races. What Trump has to say about it coming up.
KOSIK: Hillary Clinton facing growing accusations of pay-to-play over ties between her --
