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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Youthful Drinking Could Prove Problematic for Kavanaugh Confirmation; 3 Key Republicans Will Likely Decide Fate of Kavanaugh; First Lady Heads to Africa; Trump Credits Trade Threats for Successful NAFTA Renegotiations; Death Toll Rises in Indonesia. Aired 4:30-5p ET
Aired October 02, 2018 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[04:30:38] DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I wanted to be comprehensive. I actually think it's a good thing.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: We'll be voting this week.
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DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: The Senate leader has made up his mind on Brett Kavanaugh before the FBI finishes its work. But Kavanaugh's drinking and whether he lied about it could pose a problem.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The first lady en route to Ghana for her first solo foreign trip. What will she see hear following the president's controversial comments on policies towards Africa?
BRIGGS: And a Florida teenager back with her high school baseball team after being kicked off the team because of her gender.
There's the play right there. You can see it.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
BRIGGS: I'm Christine romans. It is 31 minutes past the hour this Tuesday morning.
We start with a shift from the White House this morning allowing the FBI wider latitude in the Brett Kavanaugh probe. Even if the FBI clears the Supreme Court nominee of sexual misconduct, his youthful drinking and the way he described it could be damaging. Several Senators said lying to the Judiciary Committee would be disqualifying.
The FBI has now reached out to one of Kavanaugh's former Yale classmates, Chad Ludington, who said Kavanaugh was not truthful about his alcohol consumption. Here are Kavanaugh last week and Ludington last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRETT KAVANAUGH, U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: I drank beer with my friends. Almost everyone did. Sometimes I had too many beers. Sometimes others did. I liked beer. I still like beer. But I did not drink beer to the point of blacking out.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: He testified he did drink and wasn't proud of everything.
CHAD LUDINGTON, FORMER YALE CLASSMATE OF KAVANAUGH: He did. But he also downplayed to a great degree the possibility that he could ever not know what was going on.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You are saying there were omissions?
LUDINGTON: I'm saying there were omissions. There were certainly many times where he could not remember what was going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Ludington says he witnessed a 1985 bar fight started by the future Supreme Court nominee. The police report says the victim accused Kavanaugh of throwing ice at him. The brawl ended with the man hit in the head with a glass. The police report does not say if anyone was arrested. The White House released statements from two other Kavanaugh friends from Yale who say they never saw him black out.
ROMANS: After the reports in the West Wing that the FBI was trying to limit the investigation, but now the president and the White House said agents can follow leads as they see fit so long as they finish by Friday.
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TRUMP: I want it to be comprehensive. I actually think it is a good thing for Judge Kavanaugh. I think it's actually a good thing, not a bad thing. I think it is a good thing. With that being said, I would like it to go quickly. I think the FBI should interview anybody they want within reason.
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BRIGGS: That was the temperate Trump talking to reporters in the Rose Garden yesterday. Last night, at a rally in Tennessee, the president attacked Democrats and defended his nominee.
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TRUMP: They've been trying to destroy him since the very first second he was announced because they know Judge Kavanaugh will follow the Constitution as written.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: And he's a good man. Great student. Great intellect. Never had a problem. All of a sudden, let's go back to high school. Before high school.
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ROMANS: Three key Republican Senators making it clear they expect a legitimate investigation of Brett Kavanaugh. Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski will likely determine the fate of the president's nominee.
Flake sent this message to the White House from the conference in Boston.
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SEN. JEFF FLAKE, (R), ARIZONA: We certainly want the FBI to do a real investigation. We are working to make sure that happens. It does no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover.
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BRIGGS: Senator Collins said she is confident the FBI will follow-up on leads that result from the interviews. Senator Murkowski says the FBI should be free to conduct an investigation without limits.
ROMANS: No matter what the majority finds, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already decided to plow forward.
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MCCONNELL: The goal post keeps shifting, but the goal hadn't moved an inch, not an inch. The goal has been the same all along. And so let me make it very clear, the time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close. Judge Kavanaugh's nomination is out of committee. We're considering it here on the floor. And, Mr. President, we will be voting this week.
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[04:35:26] ROMANS: Mark Judge, a witness to the alleged assault involving Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, has been interviewed by the FBI. His lawyer says the questioning has not been completed. The Senate Democrats are concerned about the short initial witness list. They gave the FBI the names of 24 witnesses they want interviewed.
BRIGGS: A large group of men and women marching from Madison Square Park in New York City to protest Kavanaugh's nomination.
In the meantime, Senator Lindsey Graham was asked what would happen if Kavanaugh falls short of confirmation. Graham pulled a page from Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's playbook, telling FOX News, let the voters have a say in November.
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SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I would re-nominate him and I would take this case to the American people and I'd ask voters in Indiana and Missouri and North Dakota and other places where Trump won saying who he would nominate if he got to be president see --
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GRAHAM: -- if voters want to appeal the verdict of their Senator.
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ROMANS: Even if the FBI comes up with nothing new on Kavanaugh, Republican John Kennedy, of Louisiana, believes every Senate Democrat will still oppose him. He is making the point as only he can.
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SEN. JOHN KENNEDY, (R), LOUISIANA: If you think this is a search for the truth, you should put down the bong. It's not a search for the truth. Our Democratic colleagues have accused Judge Kavanaugh of being a rich drunk, lying sexual predator. And the six FBI investigations that he's been through did not support that.
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ROMANS: Judge Kavanaugh will not be returning to Harvard to teach in January. Law students have been informed his classes have been canceled.
BRIGGS: He's been accused of many things, but the president got a laugh in the Rose Garden after admitting he does not share Brett Kavanaugh's love of beer.
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TRUMP: I am not a drinker. I can honestly say I have never had a beer in my life. OK. It's one of my only good traits. I don't drink. When they are looking for something, I say, I never had alcohol. I've never had alcohol. For whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had, what a mess I'd be? I would be the world's worse.
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BRIGGS: That's pretty funny. A year ago, the president opened up about his older brother Fred's lifelong battle with alcohol. Fred Trump Jr died in 1981 at the age of 43.
ROMANS: President Trump getting combative with female reporters during the press conference. Listen to the exchange with CBS's Cecilia Vega and CNN's Kaitlan Collins.
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CECILIA VEGA, CBS REPORTER: Now that you've answered some questions on trade, I'd like to turn to Judge Kavanaugh.
TRUMP: Don't do that. Don't do that. Do you have -- do you have --
VEGA: Mr. President --
TRUMP: Excuse me. Do you have a question on trade? One or two more questions on trade.
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TRUMP: Don't do that. That's not nice. Listen. Listen.
VEGA: Can you promise --
TRUMP: You've really had enough. You've had enough.
She's shocked I picked her. A state of shock.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm not thinking --
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TRUMP: It's OK. I know you're not thinking. You never do.
COLLINS: I'm sorry?
TRUMP: No, go ahead.
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ROMANS: It sounds like the president said, "I know you're not thinking." That is what us watching thought. The transcript says, "I know you're not thanking." Mr. Trump later referred to the press corps as "loco." He said he used that word, called the assembled media loco because of the new trade agreements with Mexico.
BRIGGS: Does it matter? It is more of a condescending tone to a female reporter.
ROMANS: Yes.
BRIGGS: If you're expecting a female reporter to thank you and -- does it matter?
ROMANS: I thought the demeanor veered from engaging and cocktail humor to insulting --
(CROSSTALK)
BRIGGS: Yes. He had a nice moment with the joke. He should have stayed on that.
Melania Trump, meanwhile, on her way to Africa. This is her first significant solo international trip she has taken as first lady. First stop is Ghana, followed by Malawi, Kenya and Egypt.
Let's go live to Johannesburg and bring in CNN's David McKenzie.
David, good morning.
What's on the agenda?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave. On the agenda is health, education, tourism. Also the first lady's way of taking her Be Best campaign international to the African continent. In fact, the USAID boss, the head of the USAID developmental agency, said it was the first lady's idea for the first solo trip.
[04:40:00] There was a subtext, Dave and Christine. Recently, President Trump has been direct in how he views foreign aid. At the U.N. G.A. in New York saying they should only give foreign aid to those who respect us and frankly, quote, "are our friends." I put that to the head of the USAID on the eve of the first lady's trip and said that is faced by partisan pushback. What is his view? He said, "I think the president's charge to us is that foreign assistance always serves America's best interests and there's nothing wrong with insisting that it does, and that's certainly something that I support."
There has been push back from Congress, which refused to push through the foreign aid cuts that President Trump has tried to get on the table in Washington.
So the first lady's trip is important, both for her to come to the continent and fly the U.S. flag, but also to maybe improve relations with America, which has been strained in recent months.
Dave and Christine?
BRIGGS: Should be a fascinating trip.
David McKenzie, live for us, thank you.
ROMANS: Former President Barack Obama is backing the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, endorsing dozens of Democrats and racing across the country, including liberal hero, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in her New York House race, and Andrew Gillum who is taking on Republican Ron DeSantis in the Florida governor's race. Ayanna Pressley picked up an endorsement from former President Obama. She upset incumbent, Michael Capilano (ph) in the 7th congressional district in Massachusetts. Not on President Obama's endorsement list is Texas Senate Candidate Beto O'Rourke and Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison. Ellison is facing a domestic abuse allegation.
The president's new trade deal is done. Now comes his favorite part, getting it through Congress.
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TRUMP: But anything you submit to Congress is trouble. No matter what.
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ROMANS: Now the deal sets up a showdown with China. We'll explain.
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[04:46:10] President Trump crediting his tough trade tactics for the successful renegotiation of NAFTA. The U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to replace the 24-year-old trade deal with the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement, USMCA. Trump said it would never have happened without his trade threats.
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TRUMP: By the way, without tariffs, we wouldn't be talking about a deal. Just for the babies out there that keep talking about tariffs, that includes Congress. Oh, please don't charge tariffs. Without tariffs, we wouldn't be -- we would not be standing here.
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ROMANS: Trump will continue to use tariffs for other trade deals like with China. Trump calls the USMCA a win for the U.S. economy. Who wins under NAFTA modernization? U.S. dairy farmers. They get access to Canada's protected dairy market. That was a Trump campaign promise. U.S. wheat farmers get more value for their crops. U.S. Auto workers get protections. To stay duty free, two-fifths of a car sold in North America must be made by a U.S. worker earning at least $16 an hour. And 75 percent of car parts must be made in North America. In theory, that means higher wages and more domestic production. The deal does not kill the steel and aluminum tariffs. That could raise costs for automakers and, eventually, car buyers.
The biggest win? Donald Trump. He kept a campaign promise. He closed a major trade deal. This puts pressure on other allies. He has a South Korean deal now. He has USMCA. He is looking at negotiations with Japan and, of course, China.
BRIGGS: Time will tell how big a bump people feel from this. In terms of the ordinary average citizen, will they feel much of this?
ROMANS: Maybe in higher car prices, but a stronger manufacturing base, that could --
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BRIGGS: Texas Democratic Senator candidate, Beto O'Rourke, apologized this morning for objectifying women in his 1991 review of a Broadway musical in his college newspaper. In Columbia University's "Daily Spectator," he wrote the actresses' only qualifications seemed their, quote, "phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks." O'Rourke now apologizing, saying he's ashamed, "Of what I wrote." He is in the middle of the high-stakes race against incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
ROMANS: One year after the Las Vegas massacre, the lights on the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed to mark the anniversary of that massacre. And 58 people were killed. Names of the victims were read at the ceremony last night.
President Trump on Monday suggested bump fire stocks would be banned over the next couple of weeks. The devices allow semiautomatic weapons to fire at the rate of automatic rifles. Last week, the Justice Department submitted its proposed final rules starting a 90- day review period.
BRIGGS: At least 400 guns were stolen from a UPS facility in Memphis. Authorities say two people driving a U-Haul truck swiped the weapons Sunday. The ATF spokesperson said there's concern that the fire arms would end up on the streets, not just in Tennessee, but potentially all across the country. ATF agents and Memphis police are reviewing manifests and bills, trying to determine where the guns were shipped from and where they were going.
ROMANS: A teen baseball star in Florida back on the team after being told she should play with the girls. And 14-year-old Violet Mendez booted from the team last week even those she played for the boys' team for the past two years. A parent complained to Mendez's principle after her first game last week. Mendez believes that parent is the same person who called her a freak of nature and used various anti-gay slurs. Officials originally pinned the decision on a paper work problem after she had been on the team for two years.
BRIGGS: Yes.
ROMANS: That paper work problem has been ironed out.
[04:50:03] BRIGGS: Glad they got that sorted out.
The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies square off tonight for the National League wild card. Both lost one-team tie breakers for the division titles Monday. The Dodgers celebrating the sixth consecutive N.L. west crown with the 5-2 victory over the Rockies. The Brewers clinched the N.L. central with a 3-1 win over the Cubs. Milwaukee will host the winner of tonight's Cubs-Rockies contest in the NLDS. Tomorrow, Yankees host the "A's" for the American League and the winning team heading to Boston to face the mighty Reds.
ROMANS: Tesla stock -- did you see it yesterday?
BRIGGS: I did, indeed.
ROMANS: To the moon. Roaring back after Elon Musk made the deal with the SEC. Shares up 17 percent after he agreed to pay $20 million and step down as Tesla chairman.
I'll tell you why investors like that so much, next.
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[04:55:36] BRIGGS: Breaking overnight, the death toll after the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia rising sharply, up to 1,234.
Alexandra Field joining us live from Hong Kong with the latest.
Alex, what are we learning?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Another heartbreaking spike in the death toll. As the authorities are finding more bodies. This is becoming increasingly more difficult to identify. The mass burials continue. We now know some 66,000 homes have been destroyed. Hundreds of people injured. Many still missing. The rescue operations continue day and night. Conditions for survivors are grim. They have been desperate for food, fuel and supplies. Cargo ships moved to the hardest hit areas and aircraft carrying fuel. Trucks full of fuel have been moved to the hardest hit areas with police guards. People are desperate not just for fuel but for other essential supplies. Some 26 countries have made offers of aid and assistance to Indonesian officials.
How did it all happened? How did you get devastation on this scale? Criticisms against the government that the tsunami warning system was inadequate. The government has pushed back against all of those accusations. International experts have also weighed in saying there are ways to improve Indonesia's tsunami warning system, but given the geographical location of the island, and given the scope of this disaster, there was little that could be done to defend against it. That is the reality the people are confronting. It is a scene of devastation and heartbreak. There's certainly much work to be done. Still, some hope for many that more survivors will be found.
BRIGGS: Nothing left standing.
Alex, thanks so much.
All right. A statue of Donald Trump now stands face-to-face with a formidable adversary. Matilda. A figure of the intrepid school girl staring down the president's likeness was erected to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1988 novel. The U.K. polls show the British public believes the president is the person Matilda would be most likely to confront today. In the book, Matilda uses telekinetic powers to exact revenge on her tyrannical bully of a school principal.
ROMANS: Almost the top of the hour. Let's check in at "CNN Money" this Tuesday morning. U.S. stocks rising after that deal, U.S.-Canada trade deal to replace NAFTA. The countries agreed to replace the 24- year-old trade pact with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, USMCA. The deal aims to help the U.S. auto industry, sending auto stocks higher. Dow and S&P closed higher. Nasdaq fell slightly because of Facebook shares. Right now, global stocks are mostly lower.
G.E. ousting its CEO barely a year after he led a turnaround. G.E. is in a major slump, facing a cash crisis after years of poorly timed deals and needless complexity. CEO John Flannery planned to narrow G.E.'s focus to aviation and power. The makeover wasn't fast enough. Flannery is out. He is replaced by Larry Culp, the former CEO of the manufacturing company, Danaher (ph). He is the first outsider to lead G.E. in the company's 126-year history. That is really saying something.
Tesla stock roaring back after Elon Musk made a deal with the SEC. Shares jumped 17 percent after Musk agreed to pay $20 million. He will step down as Tesla's chairman. That settles claims that Musk misled investors tweeting he had secured funding to take Tesla private. Tweeting this, by the way, in the middle of a trading day. The SEC says that wasn't true. Musk will pay the fine and leave the board but stay on as CEO. That's what investors want. It keeps the genius of Elon Musk at Tesla, but with oversight, with guardrails, with a grownup on the board. Just as Wall Street got the news about Tesla's Model 3, Tesla produced 53,000 cars last quarter meeting the production goal. Musk e-mailed Tesla was close to making a profit.
BRIGGS: So good news for him, too, perhaps.
ROMANS: I think so. A lot of folks have been telling him, publicly and privately, for some time, you need a chief operating officer.
BRIGGS: Yes.
ROMANS: He also has the boring company, which is a different company --
BRIGGS: Boring, nothing boring about Elon Musk.
ROMANS: -- a nice plan that works for him. And he has Tesla, which -- you know, he raises a lot of money and has a lot of high expectations. This is good.
[05:00:05] BRIGGS: Perhaps back on track.
EARLY START continues right now.
