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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Targets CIA Director; Europe Immigration Crisis; Feud Escalates Between Trump and Lewis; Kidnapped Women Meets Biological Parents. Aired 4-4:30 am ET
Aired January 16, 2017 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[04:00:00] MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Developing overnight. Donald Trump suggesting the head of the CIA is behind the leaks that caused a stir for the transition team. What did John Brennan say that has Trump in another showdown with the intelligence community four days before he sworn in?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: China's state runs media laughing at the President-Elect taking swipes at him as amateur and arrogant. This as Trump opens up to European media about a wide range of problems.
BERMAN: And Donald Trump trying to set the record straight on his health care plan. He is promising coverage for all and warning congress not to get cold feet. Good morning, welcome to "Early Start." I'm Miguel Marquez.
ROMANS: Good morning.
MARQUEZ: Happy MLK day.
ROMANS: Yes. I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, January 16 so happy it is Martin Luther King Day. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East here. Overnight: Trump lashing out at the head of the CIA John Brennan. Brennan criticizes the President-Elect in an interview with Fox News Sunday suggesting that Trump desire for friendlier relations with Russia could run smack in to the reality Moscow's real intentions.
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JOHN BRENNAN, CIA DIRECTOR: I don't think he has the full appreciation of Russian capabilities, Russian intentions and actions that they are undertaking in many parts of the world. And that is what the obligation and responsibility Intel community is. I very much hope that our relationship with Russia improves in the coming administration, but there is a fair amount of responsibility on Russia's part to change their behavior, change their actions. I think he has to be mindful that he does not yet, I think, have a full appreciation and understanding of what the implications of going down that road as well as making sure he understands what Russia is doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Sunday night, Trump hit back, quoting a Fox News headline
about the interview in tweets. Outgoing CIA Chief John Brennan blasts President-Elect Trump on Russia threat. Says he does not fully understand Trump responds, oh, really, could not do much worse. Then Trump with a few recent a sore spots from the U.S. relationship with the Kremlin. Just like at Syria, the use of chemical weapon across President Obama redline. Crimea, Ukraine and build up of Russian nukes, not good. Was this the leaker of fake news? That last line aimed at Brennan refers to a dossier of unverified claims that Russia allegedly has compromising information on Trump and the Trump's belief the intelligence community leaked that dossier to the media.
MARQUEZ: And new word this morning on Donald Trump own plans to dismantle Obamacare. In the interview with the Washington post, the President-Elect said his proposal for Obamacare replacement is just about ready for unveiling. He would not reveal specifics, but said quote, we are going to have insurance for everybody, even those who can't afford it. That is in apparent contrast to Republican leaders who say they are aiming for universal access, not necessarily universal coverage. Trump promised his plan would be quote, much less expensive and much better part of achieving what will be, targeting pharmaceutical companies and forcing them to negotiate lower prices for Medicare and Medicaid.
ROMANS: In that interview, Mr. Trump offered a combination pep talk and warning to lawmakers saying quote, the congress cannot get cold feet, because the people would not let that happen. That was the message carried by thousands of people at more than 40 rallies from Maine to California on Sunday. Former Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders appeared in one of those valleys in Michigan where he spoke to CNN.
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BERNIE SANDERS, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Millions of people think it is insane to repeal the affordable care act without having a replacement. You just cannot throw 20 million people off health insurance and raise costs for prescription drugs for seniors and do away with very important patient protection provisions. You just can't do that unless you have another plan in its place.
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ROMANS: Some Republicans have also expressed concern about rushing to repeal Obamacare without replacement plan on the table. Even so, the house voted Friday to take the first procedural step on the road to repeal.
MARQUEZ: A Chinese state run newspaper slamming Donald Trump as amateur over his remarks on Taiwan. On Friday, Trump told the wall street journal that America's one China's policy which is officially recognizes Beijing government, but not Taiwan. He said it is negotiable overnight. The tabloid Global Times called it despicable fro Trump to use the U.S. stance on Taiwan as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations. The state newspaper says we were simply angry initially, but now we cannot help but laugh at the U.S. leader and waiting. Maybe American voters promoted him too quickly. His amateur remarks and over confident manner are equally shocking. The editorial adds that a fight with Trump over one China would only make Beijing speed up efforts to reunify with Taiwan. Quote, we would strike back so hard until the entire Taiwan society realizes that Washington is hurting them.
[04:05:12] ROMANS: All right, Donald Trump has plans to cut a deal with Russia, the President-Elect congesting a new interview, he will offer Russian President Vladimir Putin, an end to sanctions in an exchange for a nuclear arms reduction agreement. Trump is quoted saying, a lot of people are going to benefit on the deal he plans to offer. That is not the only headline that comes out of Trump's interview with European media. I want to bring in to you former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief, Russian Journalist Jill Dougherty. Good morning, Jill. Talk to us a little bit about, what had been just a weekend full of headlines regarding Russia and President-Elect.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, really amazing. Let's starts with the idea that the United States would lift sanctions and then Russia in return would do some type of a nuclear arms reduction deal. Now, it is kind of interesting, but it conflates a lot of different things, Christine, you know usually, arms deals, stand by themselves, because both sides realize everything is so dangerous, that you want to cut back on nuclear weapons. And you don't -- let's say tie it to economic sanctions or political sanctions or anything like that. So I think there's a lot of lack of clarity that you have to drill down and find out what he means. Especially on that, and don't forget we have different types of sanctions. We got the hacking sanctions and we have the sanctions about Ukraine and Crimea as well.
ROMANS: Some of the supporters who are trying to be confirmed in front of the senate weren't tough enough on Russia when it went in to Crimea. Some of them are in response to that. Jill, also the President-Elect talking to a German newspaper this weekend, and making some pretty stunning comments about Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor and Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader. Putting them on the same footing, Angela Merkel has been America's best friend in Europe, especially since the financial crisis.
DOUGHERTY: That, too. I mean basically he is saying I'll trust both of them, but at the end of that, he also says maybe I won't. Maybe it won't work out that way. So I think at this point, what he is doing is putting out a lot of very, very general statements that he is going in and wants to work with a whole lot of people, but we don't know how it will turn out. Here in Russia, sure, they love to hear that Donald Trump wants to work with Russia, but they are not going to put their eggs necessarily in that basket either, but let's listen exactly to what President-Elect Donald Trump said about that.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whom do you trust more as you talk to them, Merkel or Putin?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: I start off trusting both. Then let's see how long that lasts. It may not last long at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: And so then the other issue we have. He was criticizing Angela Merkel on what he called the catastrophic mistake of letting in what he referred to as illegal's and corrected that to migrants and refugees in to Germany and he argues that was a very, very big mistake. We have sound on that. So, let's listen again to what the President-Elect said.
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TRUMP: I have great respect for her. I felt she was a great, great leader. I think she made one very catastrophic mistake. That was taking all of the illegals -- you know, taking all of the people from wherever they come from. I'll see her and meet her and I'll respect her. I like her, but I think it was a mistake. People make mistakes. I think that was a very big mistake.
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DOUGHERTY: Ok. There were a lot of different subjects we will go quickly through them. On Iran, the Iranian nuclear deal, he wasn't really clear about precisely what he would do about that. He has definitely criticized it in the past. On Syria, critical of Russia, he said it was very bad thing that they did and it has led to humanitarian issues and crisis. He also said, something for the Europeans, he might restrict Europeans entering the United States. That also is unclear. Said he would tighten borders. U.S. borders. No surprise there. Then on Brexit, the U.K. pulling out of the E.U. or the European Union, he said that is going to end up just great. And that he is going to work on some type of trade deal directly with the U.K. And he would not be surprised if other countries pulled out of the European Union. And then finally, is he going to keep tweeting or not? And he said yes, definitely he will, because he has millions and millions of people who follow him on social media. Essentially what he is saying is, he going to side step the press and deal directly with the American people.
[04:10:10] ROMANS: All right, a handful of days until he becomes the President of the United States. Jill Dougherty, thank you for walking us on all of those big headlines over the weekend. You know, we were talking earlier. It is as if people hired President-Elect Donald Trump, because they wanted a new way of doing business. And it is almost, it is as if he is starting each bilateral relationship with a negotiating, starting here and everything is negotiable.
MARQUEZ: It all feels like a negotiation particularly the nukes for Russian sanctions. It is not clear how is that going to play out and if that is going to works on the world stage. We will soon find out.
ROMANS: Thanks, Jill.
MARQUEZ: T-4.
ROMANS: T-4. MARQUEZ: President-Elect Donald Trump not backing down in a battle
with congress member John Lewis, but did the civil rights icon goes too far with his own comments that prompted Trump's tirade? We will get to that next.
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ROMANS: A feud between President-Elect Donald Trump and a civil rights icon John Lewis escalating tension in Washington over Martin Luther King weekend. It started when Congressman Lewis said on NBC "Meet the Press" he will not attend Trump's inauguration, explaining it this way.
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JOHN LEWIS, GEORGIA'S CONGRESSMAN: I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It will be hard. It will be very difficult. I don't see the President-Elect as a legitimate president.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do not consider him as a legitimate president? Why is that?
LEWIS: I think the Russians participated in having this man get elected and they have destroyed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.
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[04:15:00] ROMANS: Trump fired back at Lewis in a series of tweets. Of course, he wrote, Congressman Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district which is in horrible shape and falling apart. Not to mention crime infested. Rather than falsely complaining, about the election results, all talk, talk, and talk no action or results, sad. The controversy has both sides digging in. More Democrats are saying they will not be at the inauguration either. CNN Suzanne Malveaux has the latest Suzanne Malveaux from Washington.
SUZZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine Miguel. Trump's war of words with Congressman Lewis especially coming during the MLK weekend is deeply troubling to many African-Americans. But Lewis is getting strong push back from both the RNC heads Chief of Staff Reince Priebus as well as Vice President-Elect Mike Pence. Some Republicans are clearly trying to give Congressman Lewis his props regarding the civil rights movement, but at the same time they are coming to Trump's defense, because they are opposed to any notion that Trump is not the legitimate winner of this controversial election, despite Trump's own admission that Russia had a role in hacking it.
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MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: Donald Trump won this election fair and square, 30 out of 50 states, including Georgia, more counties than any Republican candidate since Ronald Reagan. To hear John Lewis, a man that I served with and that I respect, to question the legitimacy of the election and to say that Donald Trump is not a legitimate president is deeply disappointing to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: This comes on the day where Washington is preparing for the inaugural event. We have seen reversals and band practices taking place at the capital. This week, law enforcement officials, they are gearing up not only for the close of 800,000 expected in D.C. for the inauguration, but also for the close to 100 protest groups that have formally announced they are coming as well. Christine, Miguel.
MARQUEZ: Thank you, Suzanne Malveaux. The list of Democratic lawmakers boycotting the inauguration of President-Elect Trump is growing. At least 24 house members are now on record saying they will not attend. Many of them point to Russia meddling in the election. Many come from the dust-up with congress member Lewis. Some Democratic lawmakers say they plan to participate in protests in Washington or in their district. And Donald Trump now has the lowest approval of rating of any incoming President-Elect in the history of gallop polling. Here goes the numbers, Trump's approval rating stands at 44 percent with 51 percent disapproving. Contrast that to the 83 percent approval rating for Barack Obama during his transition and in the approval ratings in the 60s for George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
ROMANS: All right and Donald Trump prepare to take office as American preparing for the Trump economy. And the new survey shows a deep divide and how people feel about their money right now. Overall, 51 percent of respondent believe their own financial situation will improve over the next four year, jus about half. 37 percent think everyone's financial situation will get better. That is according to these new surveys from credit tracking firm Experian. Check out the difference between the Democrats and Republicans, 70 percent of Republicans are optimistic about their personal finances. 77 percent think the entire country will be lifted financially. Only 36 percent of Democrats feel they are better off in four years. And just 19 percent think all Americans will benefit from the Trump economy. Donald Trump has certainly has Republicans who supported him or people who consider themselves Republicans who supported him, they expect he is going to lift their financial life. So, a lot there, riding on that.
MARQUEZ: Well I mean this stock market. I think that is not the only indicator we are looking at.
ROMANS: No, there are stocks and there is housing, there are jobs, a lot of different things out there. Not just the stock market. Ironically, the people who benefitted the most from the Donald Trump incoming president are the richest people in the world. They are doing very great now.
All right 18 minutes past the hour. Confusion in outside Chicago after police use quite a bit of force to bring down a black man after stealing a car, so whose car was it? We will tell you next.
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[04:22:31] MARQUEZ: Breaking news. At least 37 people are dead after a Turkish cargo plane crashes. Authorities say the Boeing 747 owned by Turkish Airlines departed from Hong Kong and went down in Kyrgyzstan. They say the plane crashed while landing -- trying to land at the international airport. Victims were rushed to the hospital with severe burns after a fire broke out. At least 15 homes in the area were destroyed. Officials say poor visibility was reported at the time of the crash, terrible.
ROMANS: All right South Korean prosecutors seeking an arrest warrant for the air parent who leads Samsung Electronics Jay Y. Lee. In connection with a massive political corruption scandal, the Samsung Vice Chairman and other top South Korean business leader are being investigated over allegations they tried to bribe South Korea President Park Guen-hye. A judge will decide whether to issue the warrant and detained Lee at the hearing on Wednesday.
MARQUEZ: A big question being raised in Evanston, Illinois after the release of dash cam videos showing officers arresting a black man accused of stealing someone's car. Turns out, the car was his.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the ground. On the ground! Get on the ground! Turn around! Stop resisting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, you're on video, FYI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. Fine, I am cooperating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop resisting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is my vehicle. I was trying to get something. I have evidence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we tell you to get down, you got to get down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Incident started when the woman driving by saw Lawrence Crosby leaning against his car with a metal bar and called police. Crosby says he was fixing something on his roof. Evanston police gave us 40 minutes of pre produce video and audio. In the 911 call, you hear the woman question whether her concerns were racially motivated.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did the guy look like?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was African-American with a black hood. I feel bad. I feel like I'm racial profiling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see him jimmy the door open? Or doing anything?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had a bar in his hand. It looked like he was jimmying the door open.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: The driver was arrested and charged with disobeying officers and resisting arrest. Those charges were later dropped. Crosby is now suing and seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
[04:25:08] ROMANS: That is remarkable, all on tape. All right, an update on a story that CNN is following. A young woman abducted a newborn, finally meets her birth parents. Kamiya Mobley was taken at the hospital in July 1998 by someone posing as a nurse. Her heartbroken mother would bake a birthday cake every year for her missing daughter, on Saturday the world change forever, Kamiya and her birth parents met for the very first time. Her father overwhelmed with joy.
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CRAIG AIKEN, KAMIYA'S FATHER: It was beautiful, it was wonderful, could not have gone any better. Just keep hope alive. Keep praying. Keep fighting, if it happened to me. It can happen to anybody.
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ROMANS: What a beautiful young woman. Meantime, Gloria Williams, the woman who allegedly abducted Kamiya, is facing a number of charges, including kidnapping. Authorities say not only that she had abducted now 18 years old, she has bogus documents to establish a new identity for Kamiya. Investigators are now talking to William Stanley in hopes on learning more. What a story there.
MARQUEZ: Amazing. Four teams left standing in their quest for the super bowl. After a heart pounding weekend of playoffs - football playoffs, Kansa city hosting Pittsburg last night, the Chiefs are attempting a two--point conversion to tie the score, late in the fourth quarter last night and its good, but wait. The red flag Kansas City for holding, now the Chiefs need to convert the two pointers from the 12 yard line and the pass, incomplete. The Steelers failed to score a touchdown, but 6 field goals and hang on for an 18-16 victory.
Earlier, Sunday, Dallas hosting and Green Bay, the Cowboys Dez Bryant hauls in a 7 yard touchdown pass with just over four minutes left to tie the score, 28-28, after the teams exchanged field goals. The Packers Mason Crosby boots a 51 yarder. I know, even I know that is a long way.
ROMANS: Unbelievable. I watched this with the kids.
MARQUEZ: As time expires to give the Packers a thrilling, very thrilling 34-31 win. Go pack, eliminating America's team. Next Sunday, The Falcons host the Packers for the NFC title and the Steelers travel to New England to battle the patriots for the AFC championship. The winners meet in Houston for the Super Bowl 51, LI.
ROMANS: LI, I know my Romans numerals.
ROMANS: All right inauguration week for Donald Trump -- very bad. Beginning the - the joke not the inauguration, beginning, why so many of his weeks to start before, you are going after a top U.S. Intelligence official is fending off criticism at home and abroad. We are going to bring you up to date next.
