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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
President Trump In Philippines; Moore, I Will Fight Sex misconduct Accusations; Trump Insults Kim Jong-un; Ex-Intel Chief Blast Trump; Trump Backtracks After Putin Backlash; Most Widely Held Stock May Cut Dividends. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired November 13, 2017 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:31:46] ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: President Trump in Asia saying he is made some big deals on trade while abroad but raising eyebrows over whether or not he brought up human rights with the President of the Philippines.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, Roy Moore running for senate in Alabama says he'll sue "the Washington Post" over allegations he pursued relationships with teenagers when he was in his 30's.
Welcome back to "Early Start." I am Christine Romans.
MARQUARDT: And I am Alex Marquardt, it is 32 minutes past the hour. President Trump is in the Philippines this morning for the ASEAN summit, his final stop in Asia. Just minutes ago he met with India's Prime Minister. Before that President Trump first sit down with the controversial President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte. White House saying behind closed doors the President briefly brought up Duterte's human rights record. Duterte's spokesman however flatly saying, human rights was not brought up.
MARQUARDT: President Trump also meeting overnight with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Abe and Turnbull vowing to work with U.S. on answering the North Korea threat and President Trump saying he has met some of the important goals on trade.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've made some very big steps with respect to trade, far bigger than anything you know. This has been a very fruitful trip for us and in all fairness for other nations. The way they treated us, the respect of Japan and China and South Korea particular, because we went there, have been really a great respect to the people of our country and the people of the United States. We very much appreciate it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: The President not saying exactly what those big steps on trade are, but vowing an announcement Wednesday once he is back on American soil. Senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny live for us this morning in Manila with the very latest. Now Jeff President Duterte is accused of carrying out of thousands of extra judicial killings, his forces are to fight drug trafficking, do we know if President Trump did really confront him about this accusations, what about this discrepancy?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Alex. That is a central question really that is hanging over this meeting as the President makes his final stop here on his Asian swing. It was the question going into the meeting. Reporters try to ask President Trump that question, if he intended to bring it up. And in fact several aide to the Philippine president stood up and block of the view of the cameras and essentially, you know no reporters were allowed in there and the President did not respond. But the White House is saying the President briefly brought this up, but of course the Duterte spokesman saying, no it was not brought up at all. We do know it was not dwelled on. It was not a center piece of their conversation between the two. And this is we saw protests in the streets. Some are protesting the President, some protesting the meeting with Duterte. All of this coming at the end of the trip which President Trump confidently said today has been a smashing success. Let us watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The red carpet like nobody I think probably has ever received, and that really is a sign of respect, perhaps for me a little bit but really for our country and I'm very proud of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:35:00] ZELENY: A bit of a reality check to the red carpet praise, the President was accepting for himself. Indeed there were protests. In other places the president certainly was not respectfully, but we still do not know what the outcome of all of this meetings will be on trade, of North Korea, other matters here. This is very much the beginning of a conversation, hardly anything that will change that large trade imbalance that of course President Trump has talked so much about.
MARQUARDT: All right. Thanks to Jeff Zeleny there in Manila, where the sun sets.
ROMANS: President Trump taking a moment from his big Asia trip to use both the carrot and stick on North Korea dictator Kim Jong-un. Insulting his appearance and pondering the possibility of friendship all in one tweet. Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me old when I would never call him short and fat? Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend and maybe someday that will happen.
(LAUGHTER)
MARQUARDT: At a news conference the President suggested it is not impossible to imagine that he could be friends with the leader who he has also called little rocket man.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: Strange things happen in life. That might be a strange thing
to happen. But it is certainly a possibility. If that did happen it would be a good thing for, I can tell you, for North Korea. But it would also be good for lots of other places and it would be good for the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Trump insulted Kim Jong-un after under North Korean officials again called him a dotard. Which means a senile old man and they also called him a warmonger. The intentions unlikely to ease on the Korean Peninsula today. A North Korean soldier was shot and injured overnight while defecting to South Korea via a demilitarized zone.
ROMANS: All right. President Trump backtracking from his initial suggestion that he believed Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence agencies on the Russian meddling on the 2016 election. At a news conference in Vietnam the President put a different spin on his comments about the Russian leader, but still stopped short of a full throated endorsement of U.S. Intelligence assessments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I believe that he feels that he and Russia did not meddle in the election. As to whether I believe it or not I'm with our agencies especially as currently constituted with their leadership. I believe in our Intel agencies, our intelligence agencies, I've worked with them very strongly.
MARQUARDT: That followed earlier remark the President made on air force one when he referred to the Obama era intelligence chiefs as political hacks. After that comment the CIA released a statement reaffirming that Russia did meddle in the election.
ROMANS: One of those so called hacks the President singled out by name, former CIA Director John Brennan. He tells CNN the President may be jeopardizing national security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN BRENNAN, CIA DIRECTOR: I think what, by not confronting the issue directly and not acknowledging to Putin that we know that you're response be for this, I think he is giving Putin a pass and I think it demonstrates to Mr. Putin that Donald Trump can be played by foreign leaders who are going to appeal to his ego and to try to play upon his insecurities, which is very, very worrisome from a national security standpoint.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Let's go live to Moscow bring in our CNN Fred Pleitgen, how are the Russian reacting to all of this, this morning?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well the Russians are very happy with the way things went in that APEC meeting in Vietnam. The really kind of put a very positive spin on this. We had those debates about whether President Trump believes his Intel agencies or whether or not he believes the Russian President, well the Russians seem to be trying to move on from that. The way they're phrasing it is they're saying that Trump says although he relies on his intelligence agencies, he still wants better relations with Russia. In fact one of the big headlines that came out on late Sunday early Monday morning was that Trump believes, the Russians are saying that the U.S. and Russian should work together to try and solve global problems.
Now the Russians are obviously are saying that is something they would be willing to do but obviously talks need to happen before that. That we really can't overstate how positively the Russians are viewing what happened there in Danon at the APEC summit over the weekend. One of the things, even though there was no formal meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, that didn't really matter, because there were several informal meetings where they got together and that had common declaration on Syria. Which is also something that the Russians are look, this two leaders are clearly showing that they can cooperate with one another. So while a couple months ago it really seemed that folks in Moscow here were quite down on President Trump, they do seem to view the administration more positively now, after those informal meetings took place in there in Vietnam. Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Fred Pleitgen for us this morning from Moscow. Thanks, Fred.
MARQUARDT: A deadly 7.3 magnitude earthquake has rocked the Iraqi City of Halabja that is located near the countries border with Iran about 220 miles north of Baghdad. State run television in Iran reporting at least 328 people killed in that country with over 3900 injured. Fatalities also being reported in Iraq with dozens hurt. The quake was felt throughout Iraq and as far away as Pakistan, Lebanon, Kuwait and Turkey.
[04:40:14] ROMANS: All right. Doubts about the GOP tax plan are starting to effect the markets. Both the Dow and the S&P500 ended the week lower for the first time in nine weeks. Snapping the longest winning streak in four years. The concern here, a delay of those long promised corporate tax cuts. The house and senate introduced competing tax plans and the senate version delays cutting the corporate rate until the year 2019. Stocks had soared during the Trump presidency. The Dow went up 25 percent since the election driven mainly by hopes for lower taxes, boosting company earnings, but without tax cuts corporate profits have been very strong, the economy is solid. And no President deserves all credit for market's rise. The current rally is the tail end of an eight-year bull market. In fact it is even the strongest rally in the modern president, comparing the S&P500 during the first year of resent Presidents is only the seventh best.
MARQUARDT: They are taking a lot of credit for it.
ROMANS: they are and the President takes credit for it. But the markets want to see corporate tax relief. That is what they think is the center piece of all of this tax legislation. Not middle class tax cuts. Corporate tax relief that is what the markets wanted to see.
MARQUARDT: And seem optimistic.
ROMANS: They have been until now.
MARQUARDT: All right. Well Alabama candidate for senate, Roy Moore says he is suing "the Washington Post." He is fighting back against allegations that he tried to have relationships with teenage girls when he was in his early 30's. We'll update you on the latest, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:45:51] ROMANS: Alabama Republican senate candidate Roy Moore insisting he will stay in the race and he will fight back against allegations he pursued romantic relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30's. Republicans deeply anxious about reporting by "the Washington Post." That Moore pursued this relationships with teenage girls including an alleged sexual encounter with a 14-year-old when he was in his 30's. Members of the administration on this Sunday shows joining President Trump and saying Moore should step down if the allegations are true.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
04:15:10] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If more evidence comes out that can prove he did this, then sure. By all means he should be disqualified but that is a huge if.
KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: I also want to make sure that we, as a nation, are not always prosecuting people through the press. He has denied the allegations. I've read the stories. I've heard not the testimony and the evidence, but what people are saying publicly. I denounce that conduct. If the allegations are true, he should step aside.
STEVEN MNUCHIN, U.S. SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY: I only know what I see on TV and what I read on paper but if the allegations prove to be true, he should step down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: now it is worth noting that it was the Washington Post reporters who sought out the four women who are now making this accusations against Moore and on the on the record, they spoke to 30 corroborating sources. Also noteworthy, none of the administration officials you just saw would say directly whether they personally believe those women making the allegations. Moore denies the accusations and at a Veterans Day event he suggested that the whole thing is a setup.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROY MOORE, (R) ALABAMA: These attacks involve a minor. They're completely false and untrue. I have not been guilty of sexual misconduct with anyone. These allegations came only four and a half weeks before the general election on December 12th. Why now? (END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Moore last night said he plans to sue "the Washington Post" and he'll quote investigate the charges against him. Meantime some Republicans are still taking Moore's side, former White House strategist Steve Bannon saying in an event in South Carolina until he sees more evidence, he is standing with Moore. That is the view from political players. CNN Martin Savidge ask Alabama voters what they think.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Roy Moore continues to deny the allegations brought against him and it's important to know that some of the strongest support he is received throughout his political career has come from Christian conservatives. And so with this allegations, we want to know what church goers think. We talked to some and you get interesting reactions including this gentlemen, who from the get-go says I'm not voting for him, but there is twist. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roy Moore is my friend. I am a Democrats and I am not going to vote for him, because I'm a Democrat. But I've known him a long, long time. The thing that bothers me about the charges is that he is been in public life, run for many offices, and as many times as this happened, no one's ever said anything until now. And I don't think it comes from any place except Washington. It comes from the Republican Party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: He makes reference that he does believe this is some kind of political conspiracy to basically thwart the campaign of Roy Moore. But he is blaming Republicans. You might think that oh, that could be something the Democrats would do. Many people here have come forward and they say they belief it's the mainstream Republican Party that is trying to derail Roy Moore's campaign chances. He is not really popular with them. There are others coming out in support of these women. They know they'll telling the truth, as for why they came forward now, it has nothing to do with trying to derail a campaign. It's because reporters from "the Washington Post" came and asked them about it. And so, that is the timing question. But, it is that timing issue that has many here still skeptical. Christine and Alex.
(END VIDEO)
MARQUARDT: Lots of conspiracy theories swirling down there in Alabama this days. Thanks to Martin Savidge.
[04:50:05] Now just some context. Roy Moore for decades has been a highly polarizing political figure, he was infamously removed as Alabama's chief justice in the states supreme court for refusing to remove a 10 commandments monument from the court grounds. And then a second time for ordering state judges to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on legalizing same-sex marriage.
ROMANS: He has also said that Congressman Keith Ellison should not be in congress, because he is a Muslim. He blame the new town shooting and 9/11 on the country losing faith in god.
MARQUARDT: Now, there is new reporting about the investigation into the death of an army green beret in Mali. The daily beast which is now citing two special operations sources. Reports that army staff sergeant Logan Melgar discovered the two navy seals suspected of killing him back in June were allegedly taking money from a fund to pay informants. The Daily Beast citing a U.S. African Commander officials reports that Melgar told his wife he had a bad feeling about two of his partners. CNN has not independently confirmed the new details. The sources also told Daily Beast that the SEALS offered to cut Sergeant Melgar in, but he refused.
ROMANS: All right. 51 minutes past the hour. Big news for your 401k. One of America's widely held stocks is probably cutting dividend. We will tell you who it is on CNN Money Stream, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:55:50] MARQUARDT: The first Baptist church in Sutherland springs Texas holding its first Sunday worship service since a gunman massacred 25 of its members along with an un-born child just one week ago. They are assembling in a tent outside the church and it opened to the public last night serving as a memorial to the lives lost. Get more from CNN's Kaylee Hartung.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
KAYLEE HARTUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alex, Christine, there are 26 chairs inside the sanctuary. 26 chairs in the place that each victim's body was found. As you walk among the chairs and you see the names painted in gold lettering, you see where Joann Ward threw her body down in effort to shield her children from gunfire. You see the advantage point that Karla had, the loan chair sitting at the church's altar. Each chair with a red rose in it, one chair with a pink rose for the unborn baby Holcomb. The church leaders expressed a sense of urgency to reopen the church's doors for this church to be a part of the healing process, for it to bring close to some, particularly the victims' families. The first staff of congregation will hold next Sunday's worship service on its church's grounds. Alex, Christine.
(END VIDEO)
MARQUARDT: And that church, we understand from the pastor will be demolished, saying it will be too painful to continue holding services there. Our thanks to Kaylee in Sutherland Springs.
ROMANS: All right. "Saturday night live" aiming at sexual harassment and the growing number of complaints. The show devoted its cold open to Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore with a few shots at Attorney General Jeff Sessions thrown in. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really bad. I'm usually the creepiest one in the
room and I look at you and I go oh, my god. They say you even admitted to being with a couple of 16-year-olds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, Jeff, you know I was just kidding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. That is a relief.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Kidding is the term I use for dating young ladies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: they are now facing criticism for (inaudible) an accusations against comedian four time host Louis C.K. especially compared to the tension that are devoted to the Roy Moore allegations. Here is one place C.K. was mentioned sort of.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's a good weekend to stay inside since its 20 degrees out and everyone you've ever heard of is a sex monster.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Louis C.K. appearing in that graphic along with Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein and Roy Moore. The show also took a dig at the Democratic National Committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Together we're going to end the spirit of divisiveness in this country by focusing on how we won the governor's races in two of the ten states we care about.
And we learned our lesson from the last election, we can't just (inaudible). We need mouth breathers from Wisconsin, and window lickers from Ohio as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Now, controversy aside, last night was a landmark for SNL. A star of the movie girl's trip, was the first black female stand-up comedian to ever host the show.
ROMANS: All right. Let's get a check on CNN "Money stream." It is Monday morning, Dow about U.S. tax cuts are a rock in the market, global stocks are lower right now, both the Dow and S&P 500 end the week down for the first time in nine weeks. Snapping the longest winning streak in four years. The concern here a delay of those long promised corporate tax cuts. The house and senate introduced competing tax plans. The senate version delays cutting the corporate rate to 2019.
A new deal could bring G.I. Joe and Barbie together. The Wall Street Journal reports has made over the takeover bid for struggling rival Mattel. Mattel is suffering from week's sales forcing it to slash (inaudible) and suspend dividend. The deal may go nowhere joining the two biggest U.S. toy makers will most likely face antitrust issues.
Big news for the 401k. One of the Americans most widely held stocks is probably cutting dividends. General electric may reduce dividends for the second time since the great depression. Countless shareholders including retiree rely on its quarterly payments. The G.E. is the biggest Dow loser by a long shot. 1/3 of its market value vanished this year alone. So G.E's new CEO in under pressure, that sparked a turnaround and it was expecting to announce dividend cut and layoffs during an investor.
