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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Historic Landslide Victory For Leftist AMLO; Senator Collins Will Not Back Anti-Abortion Supreme Court Nominee; Denuclearizing North Korea; LeBron James Joining Lakers; Rescue Story In Thailand. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired July 02, 2018 - 05:30   ET

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


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[05:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Viva Mexico.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, voters in Mexico, sweep a populist through the presidency and now he'll square off with President Trump on critical issues including NAFTA, the border wall, and immigration.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: I would not support a nominee who demonstrated hostility to Roe V. Wade.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A warning from one of the Republicans critical to confirming the next Supreme Court justice, Susan Collins, wants the President respected for a woman's right to choose.

BRIGGS: And LeBron goes Hollywood, the new NBA superstar sawing the four-year deal with the Lakers, a new leading man in Hollywood.

ROMANS: You're speechless.

BRIGGS: I am. I was speechless when I first get up and saw the alert on my phone, but it was expected that he would land there. But still, a stunning decision nonetheless. Welcome back to Early Start, happy Monday, I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 31, almost 32 minutes past the hour of-- but let's begin here with this breaking news overnight. Political upheaval in Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known by his initials, AMLO, winning the Mexican presidency in a landslide. The former Mexico City mayor triumphed against opponents from two parties that have ruled Mexico for nearly a century.

BRIGGS: All the candidates opposed President Trump's immigration and trade policies and anti-Mexican rhetoric. CNN's Leyla Santiago joins us live from Mexico City. What's the reaction there, Leyla?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dave, really there was a night of partying, a lot of folks taking to the plaza, the Zocalo, and cheering him on as it was announced that he would become the next president of Mexico. Certainly, he has made his platform out to be tackling corruption and violence. That is something that as we were talking to voters in the month leading up to the election. Many people said that's what they wanted, that it wasn't about necessarily global affairs, that, yes, it was important to stand up to President Trump and sort of restore dignity to Mexicans. But really what they wanted were the things that would affect them in their daily lives.

You know, violence, when it comes to violence, Mexico's seen an all- time high in homicide. When it comes to corruption, the current president is at an all-time low. A remarkably low approval rating, so people want a change in that government. And AMLO said, "I will be the man to give that to you," so really a big change in terms of the leadership of Mexico, not only for the president, but also in Congress, in mayoral elections and in governors as well.

Now, it was pretty quick to see how quickly people conceded the other candidate and how quickly President Trump tweeted about it. He was quick to go to Twitter and say, "Hey, congratulations to AMLO," and said, "He looks forward to working with him." In his speech, when he spoke, AMLO also said that "He's looking forward to a relationship that he call a friendship," and even specifically said, "One always rooted in mutual respect and in defense of our migrant countrymen who work and live honestly in that country."

He has said that he wants changes for immigration for NAFTA, that free trade agreement that really has become a point of contention between the two countries. And also that he wants to work together but we'll see. He's really softened his tone during the campaign. It will just be a matter of time to see what actually comes of this new relationship.

BRIGGS: Yes. The over-under on how long that lasts, maybe a week. Leyla Santiago, live for us this morning. Thanks so much

ROMANS: ALL right. This morning, President Trump is just a week away from naming his choice to replace Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Two key Republican Senators raising warning flags on that critical topic, Roe V. Wade, Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham both suggesting any nominee should respect President, including the landmark case guarantee women's right to an abortion.

[05:35:04] Here's the Senator Graham yesterday.

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Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: One of the concepts that really means a lot in America is stare decisis, that means you don't overturn president unless there's a good reason. And I would tell my pro-life friends, you can be pro-life and conservative, but you can also believe in stare decisis, Roe V. Wade in many different ways has been affirmed over the years.

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BRIGGS: Senator Collins met with the President to discuss his prospects for the court. She said, "She encouraged him to broaden the list beyond the 25 candidates announced by the White House.

Remember though, the President said during the campaign, "He would only pick anti-abortion jurists for the high court.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you want to see the court overturn Roe V. Wade?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, if we put another two or perhaps three justices on, that's really what's going to -- that will happen. And that will happen automatically, in my opinion, because I am putting pro-life justices on the court. I will say this, it will go back to the states and the states will then make a determination.

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ROMANS: Right, joining us again, CNN Political Analyst, Julian Zelizer, good morning again.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.

ROMANS: Let's listen to what Senator Collins said on STATE OF THE UNION yesterday.

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COLLINS: I would not support a nominee who demonstrated hostility to Roe v. Wade, because that would mean to me that their judicial philosophy did not include a respect for established decisions, established law.

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ROMANS: Is this most important witness test, Roe V. Wade, for the President's choice, do you think, for a Supreme Court justice?

ZELIZER: It's important but it's not about overturning Roe v. Wade, it's about chipping away at that right. That's the main issues. Very few nominees are going to say, they're going to over turn it. They'll say they respect the president, so I file this under pretty meaningless.

BRIGGS: Yes, it will more likely be death by a thousand cuts, right? Not one sweeping overturning Roe v. Wade. So this leave the left once again as they always are with this game show that John Oliver made up yesterday on LAST WEEK TONIGHT.

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JOHN OLIVER, THE LAST WEEK TONIGHT HOST: It's time for Democrats' favorite game, Hope Susan Collins flips and be disappointed when she doesn't.

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BRIGGS: He has good fun with the issue--

ZELIZER: Yes.,

BRIGGS: --but Susan Collins' vote, how consequential is it? Because they still have Mike Pence, the potential of John McCain coming back to vote and some keys red state democrats, including three that voted for Neil Gorsuch. The Democrats have any play here at all.

ZELIZER: I don't think they have much play. The filibuster is gone. I think some of the centrist Democrats might be up for supporting President Trump on this. And in the end I think Oliver is exactly right. I think it's little like Lucy and Charlie Brown. I think Collins might be voting in favor of the President's pick, so the Democrats are in a terrible position to really sway this vote at this point.

BRIGGS: She did tell Jake that there are some people on the list she cannot support--

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: --so that maybe she can push the President about few--

ZELIZER: It's a big list.

BRIGGS: --of those people right. Maybe--

ZELIZER: Right.

BRIGGS: --she can knock a few off.

ROMANS: Let's talk about Democrats here because over the weekend, you saw these rallies, and this mantra starting to creep into centrist democratic talking points, abolish ICE, get rid of ICE, the Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency, which enforces American law which is made by Congress and I guess interpreted by the White House.

You know, Elizabeth Warren at a rally in Boston, she didn't go as far as saying abolish ICE, but she used it as a point of, you know, we're going to fix immigration top to bottom, listen.

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SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D), MASSACHUSETTS: The President's deeply immoral actions have made it obvious, we need to rebuild our immigration system from top to bottom, starting by replacing ICE with something that reflect our morality and--

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ROMANS: The lightning rod, Julian, of course, is separating children at the border from their families. There seems to be no plan or strategy for the White House to get them back together, but by saying you want to abolish ICE, do they go too far?

ZELIZER: It's a bad move. I think it's good policy-bad politics. I think this is not the time for that debate. This is about President Trump, it's about his policy and it's about this very vivid step that he took of separating children from the adults, which is what energized people to go on the streets by shifting to ICE, the government reorganization, I think they will hurt themselves in accomplishing what they want to do.

BRIGGS: President Trump has taken it one step further saying he thinks this actually-- this whole rallying cry will help the GOP in the midterms." It may have given--

ROMANS: Yes.

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: --them a political issue. It may have set a trap, if you will.

ZELIZER: I think that's true. most Republicans already supported his policy before the weekend started, so by injecting this new issue of ICE, which allows him to frame them as far left, I think he might solidify support and get Republicans all around the country to rally around him rather than against his policy.

[05:40:07] BRIGGS: He's a marketer, he's a brander. If he is going to the midterm saying, "We want to keep you safe and protect the borders.

ZELIZER: You might give control to Congress.

BRIGGS: Yes, right.

ROMANS: Julian Zelizer, thank you so much.

BRIGGS: And the US and North Korea with the first face-to-face talks since the Singapore summit, but a new report suggests Pyongyang is not being very forthcoming. Will Ripley live in Beijing, next.

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JOHN BOLTON, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We have developed a program on how to dismantle all of their WMD and ballistic missile programs in a year. If they have the strategic decision already made to do that and they're cooperative, we can move very quickly.

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[05:45:10] BRIGGS: Again, the big if, if North Korea decides to cooperate. National Security Adviser, John Bolton, revealing the US has a denuclearization plan, but it has not been put into action yet. Bolton would not address "The Washington Post" report that US Intelligence Agencies have concluded North Korea has no intention of fully dismantling its nuclear stockpile.

For the very latest, let's join Will Ripley live in Beijing this morning. Will, that agreement was to work towards denuclearization. Are we seeing that or are we seeing just the opposite?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: According to US Intelligence, we are not seeing North Korea work towards denuclearization. But, in fact, they are working to expand their capabilities in terms of missile production and the enrichment of plutonium and uranium, which they used to make nuclear warheads.

There's been a lot of intelligence, a flood of it really in recent days indicating everything from expansion of a missile production facility, there's indications that there might be secret nuclear facilities that North Korea is operating. US Intelligence even estimating that North Korea may be preparing to deceive the United States, revealing not the full extent of how many warheads they possess, for example, perhaps hiding some of their nuclear warheads.

The New York Times even saying there might be a reactor under construction that would dramatically increase North Korea's ability to enrich plutonium and uranium, which means that the conversation is expected to happen in the coming days between the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterparts, the stakes really couldn't be higher right now.

There was a meeting over the weekend between US and North Korean officials, perhaps laying the groundwork for this meeting, which we're told officially, will happen in the very near future, and they need to get specific. They need to talk about what steps North Korea is willing to take in terms of verification, in terms of allowing inspectors into the secretive locations, or else, frankly, this broadly worded statement to move towards complete denuclearization might not really lead anywhere at all, other than back to where we were before all of this with North Korea ramping up its nuclear capabilities. Dave.

BRIGGS: Perhaps yet another coming confrontation. Will Ripley, great reporting. Thank you.

ROMANS: All right. Forty-seven minutes past the hour, that means NEW DAY is about 10 minutes away. And the talented and lovely Alisyn Camerota joins us this hot Monday morning, summer Monday.

BRIGGS: Welcome back to you.

ROMANS: Hi there.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN'S NEW DAY ANCHOR: Hi, guys. Thank you for that lovely introduction. I've been on vacation in Italy for a week. So did I miss anything?

ROMANS: Three generations in Italy.

BRIGGS: Nothing. We want to hear about you.

CAMEROTA: OK. Well, I've been eating a lot of cheese and pasta, and it has been fantastic. It was wonderful. But I'm happy to be back. I'm restored and rested. And we have a lot of news. I've had to write it down for everything that we'll be covering. Here's just a small sample. OK. Overnight, new president in Mexico, of course, what's going to happen with the Supreme Court vacancy, we're going to dive into all of that with our legal experts.

We have important updates for you on family separations at the border. What's happening with that? And is there a plan to restore parents and their children? And then, of course, we're going to talk about the tragedy at "The Capital Gazette" in Annapolis.

We're going to have Maria Hiaasen, the wife of Rob Hiaasen who's one of the journalists who was killed. They're planning an unconventional celebration of his life today. So we're going to hear all about that from her. And these are all just a few tidbits of what we'll be covering when we see you at the top of the hour.

BRIGGS: Of course you buried the lead. You're wearing Lakers yellow. You will learn all about LeBron James' next destination. I know its top of mind for you, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: Yes, no. Don't tell me about this newcomer, LeBron James? Is that how I pronounce it?

BRIGGS: Yes, yes.

ROMANS: Bright future, got a bright future.

BRIGGS: John Berman will educate you throughout the morning.

CAMEROTA: He already is. It's his favorite story.

BRIGGS: He's a basketball player. He's a basketball player. Yes, yes.

CAMEROTA: He can't wait to talk about basketball.

BRIGGS: Yes.

CAMEROTA: I'm going to write this down, basketball player.

BRIGGS: Good. All right. Guys, we'll see you in a little bit. Thanks.

CAMEROTA: All right. Thanks, guys. Back to you.

ROMANS: Let's get to your money this morning. President Trump's Iran policy is boosting oil prices and that could mean higher gas prices by the midterms. Global oil supply is tight.

On Friday, the US insisted other countries stop importing Iranian oil by November. That will cut off significant amount of crude, sending US crude oil prices to the highest in more than three years.

President Trump tweeted Saturday the Saudi Arabia's king will produce more oil to make up the shortfall. The White House later clarified, locking that back a bit, saying Saudi Arabia will only raise production if needed. President Trump has long blamed OPEC, the major oil producing countries, for higher prices. But OPEC already plans to help supply by boosting production.

A rise in crude will mean higher gas prices for US drivers. Crude oil is the largest sort of ingredient in what you pay at the pump, and rising gas prices could spell political trouble for the GOP ahead of midterm elections. Higher gas bills could cut into gains from tax cuts.

Trade tensions between the US and the rest of the world are still shaking the markets. Global stocks, US futures starting the week lower. On Sunday, Canada slapped tariffs, new tariffs of $13 billion of US goods. That's in response to the President's metal import tariffs.

[05:50:01] It's a short trading week on Wall Street. US markets are close Wednesday for the 4th of July, but then investors come back to two big events, the June jobs report on Friday and tariffs. The US tariffs on Chinese goods take effect. China has vowed to retaliate.

Tesla finally reaching that production goal for its first mass market car. CEO Elon Musk set out to make 5,000 model 3 Sedans per week by the end of June. Reuters said Tesla hit that goal early, in the early hours of Sunday, July 1st. That was close enough for Musk. He e- mailed employees that I think we just became a real car company. Investors were betting Tesla would do it.

Tesla shares up about 18 percent over the past month. I guess he spent his 47th birthday like on the factory floor, trying to rally troops.

BRIGGS: Good, doing there. They needed to win on this. Three words to the company, "Yes, we did it." It's in the company e-mail. All right.

High temperatures in New York falling today from 96 all the way to 95, that's a step. How long will the scorching heat last, the update next.

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[05:55:27] BRIGGS: In Thailand, rescuers closing in on the spot they think a youth soccer team could be sheltered inside a flooded cave system. The group has been missing for nine days now. Six Navy Seal divers reached the chamber in the cave. They send up an operations based with 600 oxygen tanks. Communications and electrical systems more than a thousand people are involved in the rescue operation.

ROMANS: Nine people are in the hospital after a stabbing attack at a child's birthday party in Idaho. Victims include six children ages 3 to 12. Police say a resident of the apartment complex where this happened was allowing the suspect, Timmy Kinner, to stay there, but Kinner's host had recently kicked him out.

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CHIEF WILLIAM BONES, BOISE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Due to his behavior, he had been asked to leave. Kinner had done so. He returned last night to exact vengeance, not just on those that he had been with because they were not at the apartment, but at any target which was available.

ROMANS: Kinner has been charged with nine counts of aggravated battery, six counts of injury to a child.

BRIGGS: A heart wrenching message from the 32 surviving staffers of the Capital Gazette, Annapolis, Maryland. And letter to readers appeared Sunday, three days after five colleagues were killed on the newsroom. It says, "We are your neighbors, your friends, we are you. We will never be the same as we were now that Rebecca, Wendi, John, Gerald, and Rob are gone. Someday we hope to be as good again. Until then, keep reading, we've only just begun." The paper's editor-in- chief says a search for a new office space is under way.

ROMANS: All right, another of our dangerous heat in Eastern US more than 30 million people under a heat advisory today. Here's meteorologist Ivan Cabrera.

IVAN CABRERA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, guys, good morning. Still looking at heat indexes in the 100s today, we are begging for 90s at this point here. Look at the heat advisories that continued from the Carolinas all the way up into New England. And the pinks, well that's where we have the heat warnings in effect, a couple of degrees probably not going to notice that as far as the difference. It will be less hot than yesterday, but still brutal stuff with temperatures.

This is without factoring in the humidity, right mid and upper 90s through the afternoon. When you do that, factor in that humidity, we're talking about triple digit heats. Look at this, every warmer in D.C., New York, than it will be across the Southeastern US, Atlanta, in the lower 90s.

But relief is on the way. We're talking about temps at the 80s, so with front coming through by the end of the week, and that will head us back to closer to average, we'll have temperatures back in the mid and in upper 80s. That's going to feel fantastic.

By the way, we're still monitoring severe weather potential for today across the nation's heartland here, damaging winds, large hail, and even some isolated tornados as well, later this afternoon and into the evening hours, guys?

ROMANS: All right, Ivan, thank you for that.

BRIGGS: All right, the biggest star in basketball, if not sports, headed to Hollywood. LeBron James get the four-year $154 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron sending a message to the hometown fans in an Instagram story saying, "Thank you Northeast Ohio for an incredible four seasons, this will always be home." Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who famously slammed LeBron when he left for Cleveland for Miami back in 2010 with a different tone this time, saying in part he has nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything LeBron has done.

ROMANS: Wow.

BRIGGS: Congrats to LeBron. But now they need more, not a great team, as presently constituted.

ROMANS: This speculation is over now.

BRIGGS: Yes.

ROMANS: All right, thanks for joining us this Monday morning, I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. NEW DAY starts right now. See you tomorrow.

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