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Secretary of State Pompeo Meeting with Turkish Leaders; Trump Taunts Stormy Daniels; Dangerous Flooding in Texas; New Mega Millions Jackpot: $868 Million; Dodgers Tie NLCS in 13-Inning Thriller. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired October 17, 2018 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: They promised accountability.
REPORTER: Including a member of the royal family?
POMPEO: They made no exceptions to who they would hold accountable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: The Saudis promising a full investigation, the secretary of state now meeting with Turkish officials about a missing journalist.
[05:00:03] The president says this is another case of guilty until proven innocent.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Nothing says leadership like a series of Twitter attacks against women. The president not backing down after calling stormy Daniels, quote, horse face.
BRIGGS: Epic flooding in Texas forces evacuations. A bridge washed away. One body already recovered.
ROMANS: All right. How does $868 million sound to you? That's the next Mega Millions jackpot with no winner in last night's drawing.
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs.
Big news, Christine Romans is actually going to play the lottery, I'm told, for the first time.
It's October 17th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.
We start in Turkey. The Secretary of State Mike Pompeo there this morning. He just met with Turkey's president and is sitting down with the foreign minister to discuss "The Washington Post" journalist presumed killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Yesterday, Secretary Pompeo met with Saudi Arabia's king and crown prince. Overnight, Pompeo told reporters the Saudis promised to figure out what happened to Jamal Khashoggi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POMPEO: They told me they were going to conduct a thorough, complete, and transparent investigation. They made a commitment to hold anyone connected to any wrongdoing that may be found accountable for that, whether they are a senior officer or official. They promised accountability.
REPORTER: Including a member of the royal family?
POMPEO: They made no exceptions to who they would hold accountable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Three sources tell CNN that a Saudi team sent to interrogate and possibly abduct Khashoggi from his Istanbul was organized by a high-ranking officer in the main Saudi intelligence service.
International diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is live this morning. He is outside the Saudi consulate where two weeks and one day ago, Khashoggi disappeared.
What's the latest, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, Christine, according to several sources, this high-ranking intelligence official was the one that put together what Turkish officials are calling the hit team that came to abduct or kill Jamal Khashoggi. What the sources depict is Khashoggi being injected with tranquilizers with the intention of renditioning him.
Another source says perhaps it wasn't known by the crown prince, but what is very apparent to Turkish officials is that this doesn't pass the sniff test. And to many international observers, as well, that Mohammed bin Salman is a one-man rule of Saudi Arabia. And his close officials around him, intelligence officials included, would not mount such a complex information without his knowledge. What Turkish officials are seeing is, in essence, obstruction for their investigation.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it's of the utmost importance that Saudi Arabia has this thorough transparent, speedy investigation, also that they be given time to complete the investigation. What Turkish officials are seeing when investigators went the night before last night into the consulate, they found it had been painted over on the inside, and this was after we'd seen a cleaning team go in a couple of hours life. When they went to the consul general's house close to here, he had fled the country just a couple of hours before. They wanted to search the premises, search his vehicles. They weren't able to do that. We anticipate they'll try again today.
So, what Turkish officials are seeing is not compliance and transparency and help with an investigation but, in fact, the complete opposite, obstruction -- Christine.
ROMANS: The president talking about here we go again, guilty until proven innocent.
But, Nic, the Turks are leaking a mountain of evidence in this case. Tell us about the new information we have.
ROBERTSON: They have. One o the pieces of new information is that a senior Turkish official told CNN that Jamal Khashoggi was dismembered inside the consulate. Very graphic, very horrible.
They release d overnight seven passport photographs and passport details, scans of passports they say were part of the Saudi hit squad coming into turkey in the hours before Jamal Khashoggi disappeared. They tracked these people going into the consulate.
And also one of the people identified last week, Abdul-Aziz Mutreb, has been identified by CNN as being the former first secretary of the Saudi embassy in London. And also, while there, the second intelligence liaison. And he's been identified in several photographs. Very, very close to Mohammed bin Salman. Indeed our source says that Mutreb was seconded as part of a new brigade, seconded to provide personal security around him.
[05:05:06] So, what the Turkish officials here are leaking because they are not getting the cooperation from Saudi Arabia is the information that they want to expose to, if you will, force Saudi Arabia's hand to come clean on this. They essentially are saying the longer they leave it, the Saudis, any narrative, explanation, holds less and less water. Doesn't pass the sniff test -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right, Nic Robertson. Certainly disturbing, disturbing details there. Thank you.
BRIGGS: To say the least, right?
A senior adviser telling CNN Mr. Trump's handling of the crisis with Saudi Arabia, quote, may be the most consequential decision of his presidency.
The president once again defending the Saudi regime tweeting, they totally denied any knowledge, then offered this talking point -- you see here, answers will be forthcoming shortly.
Here's what he told Fox Business last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It depends whether or not the king or the crown prince knew about it in my opinion, number one, what happened, but whether or not they knew about it. If they knew about it, that would be bad. If they didn't know it, things -- bad things can happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Key Republican leaders are demanding answers from the Saudis, particularly about the role of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or MBS. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I've been their biggest defender on the floor of the United States Senate. This guy is a wrecking ball. He had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey.
There's a difference between a country and an individual. The MBS figure is, to me, toxic. He can never be a world leader on the world stage.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: This is going to alter the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia for the foreseeable future. What those specific measures are obviously is going to be up for debate, but they'll be strong and they'll be meaningful. Congress will act.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Attorney General Jeff Sessions is leaving the door open to possible U.S. involvement in the Khashoggi investigation.
Meantime, Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford says, quote, it's premature to speculate on the effect this will have on the U.S.-Saudi military relationship.
BRIGGS: President Trump joining in a lowdown schoolyard name-calling contest that started during executive time Tuesday morning. First, POTUS unleashed a tirade against Senator Elizabeth Warren, then he turned the Twitter taunts to Stormy Daniels whose defamation suit against the president has just been dismissed.
He tweeted -- now I can go after horse face and her third-rate lawyer. She knows nothing about me, a total con. That "total con" phrase is what triggered the lawsuit. The adult film star tweeted back -- ladies and gentlemen, may I present your president, in addition to his shortcomings, he has demonstrated his incompetence, look of self- control on twitter again. And perhaps a penchant for bestiality. Game on, tiny.
BRIGGS: Asked if it was inappropriate to insult a woman's appearance, the president told the "A.P.", quote, you can take it any way you want. According to an official, the president told people he was aggravated by the coverage of the Saudi Arabia crisis. Asked whether Mr. Trump was trying to alter the news cycle, the official said, he's good at doing that.
ROMANS: A fiery Senate debate in Texas last night as Democrat Beto O'Rourke tries to translate his titanic fund-raising, $38 million in the last quarter alone, into votes. O'Rourke and Republican Senator Ted Cruz sparring on key topics, including border security, tariffs, climate change, and regulating social media to combat foreign election interference.
BRIGGS: The wrangling showcased a major shift in tone for O'Rourke. So far he's mostly bypassed opportunities to take direct aim at Cruz.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. BETO O'ROURKE (D), TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE: Senator Cruz is not going to be honest with you. He's going to make up positions and votes that I've never held or have ever taken.
He's dishonest. That's why the president called him "Lyin' Ted" and it's why the nickname stuck because it's true.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE: It's clear Congressman O'Rourke's pollsters have told him to come out on the attack. So, if he wants to insult me and call me a lair, that's fine. But, you know, John Adams famously said, "Facts are stubborn things."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: A new CNN shows Cruz with a solid seven-point lead over O'Rourke, less than three weeks to go.
This programming note: our Dana Bash moderates a Texas Senate town hall with O'Rourke tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. We should note, Senator Cruz declined to participate.
BRIGGS: North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp personally apologizing after an ad for her re-election campaign listed several women as survivors of abuse without their consent. The ad was an open letter slamming Heitkamp's Republican opponent, Congressman Kevin Cramer, for saying tough people do not identify with the #metoo movement. Among of the 120 signers of the letter are several women who have come forward saying they were included without permission or that they were not survivors of sexual or domestic abuse.
One group of women say they're looking for a lawyer to take their case because the ad, quote, ruined their lives. Heitkamp says there will be consequences for whoever provided the unauthorized names.
BRIGGS: No winner in last night's mega millions drawing, bringing Friday's jackpot to a mind-boggling $868 million.
[05:10:09] If you were to take a lump sum, you would walk away with shy of half a billion bucks. The winning or rather non-winning numbers were 3-45-49-61-69, and the mega ball was 9.
Tonight, though, another big drawing, Powerball, an estimated $345 million.
ROMANS: That's a lot of money. You can buy companies with that.
All right. The Dow bouncing, the best day since March. So, why is the president still targeting his Fed chief?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right. President Trump once again attacking the Federal Reserve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: Biggest threat is the Fed because the Fed is raising rates too fast.
[05:15:03] And it's independent, so I don't speak to 'em. But I'm not happy with what he's doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: He, of course, is Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell who Trump appointed last year. Trump has been critical of Powell and the Fed of raising interest rates.
Here's the thing: the economy is red hot. Companies are making fat profits. There are a record number of job openings, and the unemployment numbers as low as they've been in a generation. The Fed is trying to keep the red-hot economy from overheating.
But also the talk from the president is freaking out Wall Street, right. Overt White House criticism of the Federal Reserve, an independent agency, is rare. The president sees the stock market as his personal scorecard.
So, last week, Trump blamed the Federal Reserve for Wall Street's worst week in months. But coming to the rescue this week, corporate America. Really good profits had stocks rebounding yesterday. The Dow alone soared 546 or 2.2 percent. Tat's its best day since March.
BRIGGS: Severe flooding in Texas forcing the governor to issue disaster declarations in 18 counties. Llano County hit especially hard.
Evacuations have been ordered because of flooding from the Llano River. The FM 2900 bridge over the river has collapsed and residents are being told to remain away from their homes for the next 24 hours.
And take a look at the flooding around the LBJ Dam in Texas Hill Country, 45 minutes northwest of Austin. At least one death reported in the area.
ROMANS: All right. In Ohio, a police officer with strong words for kids playing with a BB gun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE OFFICER: I could have killed you. I want you to think about that tonight when you go to bed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Dramatic how this went down and what the officer says now.
BRIGGS: And it took more than five hours, 13 innings, 16 pitchers for the Dodgers to even the series with the Brewers.
Coy Wire has the L.A. story, next in "The Bleacher Report".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:21:20] ROMANS: Chinese mega-star Fan Bingbing has been seen in the public for the first time since she vanished back in June. Pictures published by the photo agency Visual China says the snaps were taken October 15th. They show Fan arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport. CNN cannot independently authenticate the photos.
Earlier this month, Chinese state media reported Fan was fined $130 million for misreporting earnings on film projects.
BRIGGS: A tense exchange between a Columbus, Ohio, police officer and two boys with BB gun captured on bodycam.
Officer Peter Casuccio sent to a call about boys waving a gun. He says when he pulled up, one of the boys pulled a BB gun from his waistband and threw it to the ground. That's when the officer drew his weapon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER CASUCCIO, COLUMBUS COP: Are you scared?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
CASUCCIO: OK. You know why you should be scared? This is getting kids killed all over the country.
Do you think a want to shoot an 11-year-old? Do you think I want to shoot a 13-year-old?
I could have killed you. I want you to think about that tonight when you go to bed. You could be gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The officer later spoke to the families about the danger of kids carrying BB guns. He said they needed to hear it.
ROMANS: More states with confirmed cases of a polio-like illness affecting children. There are 62 cases of AFM confirmed in 22 states. There are 127 cases under investigation. The average age of patients suffering from this illness is four.
AFM is a rare and serious condition that can make muscles weak or paralyzed. Cases peak in the summer and the fall, but the CDC says there's no single factor explaining those peaks, Dave.
BRIGGS: All right, Christine.
Some late-night drama out west last night. The Dodgers needed 13 innings to even up the National League Championship Series with the Brewers.
Coy, we had five-plus hours, 16 pitchers. And I got to see it on the way to work at 2:00 a.m. COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: That's rare, isn't it?
BRIGGS: Yes.
WIRE: To be able to see the ending of a game. This was so intense, Dave. Every pitch, every swing so important. And you can sense that both teams were almost desperate to take the pivotal game four that went well into extra innings.
This comes to the bottom of the 10th. That's where L.A.'s Manny Machado at the plate. Time good tied at one. And emotions hit a boiling pot.
Machado, you now, hits a routine round, but gets thrown out at first, he kicks the foot of first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Look at his ankle getting twisted there. Aguilar gets in the face of Machado, messing with someone's livelihood here.
Both benches clear. Aguilar was okay. Stayed in the game.
Machado, though, part of more drama. In the 13th, still tied, and Cody Bellinger hit the shot. Machado sliding into home past the catcher's mitt there. Scoring the winning run. The Dodgers win, two games apiece now.
Bellinger and boys, they can't celebrate too long, as Dave mentioned. It's a long one. Game five starts just about 15 hours after this ended.
Now, the ALCS. The Red Sox take the 2-1 series lead over the Astros. Jackie Bradley Jr. blowing this open by hitting the grand slam to right field. Red Sox winning 8-2, handing the Astros their first loss at home this post season. Our sister network, TBS, has game four of the ALCS tonight at 8:30 eastern. That follows game five in L.A.
The NBA is back. And so are the Warriors, raising their third championship banner in the last four years. They got off the -- the show off with their bling.
They did them up right. How about this -- reversible rings for the first time ever. They can be white or blue. There are 74 diamonds on one side, 74 sapphires on the other.
[05:25:03] Once the game got started, Curry brought his usual flair and sizzle, hitting the three on the run, and then putting the spin cycle. Check this out. Mid-range jay, Curry with 32 on the night. Warriors beat the Thunder 108-100 to open the season.
And how about those Celtics? Their fans happy to see their stars Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward back after missing a good chunk of last season. Who says the Celtics-Sixers is a rivalry?
Jalen Brown throwing it down over the Sixers' Joel Embiid who after the game says this isn't a rivalry. They always seem to kick our butts, to paraphrase. Celtics get to win 105-87. Don't forget, LeBron James making his debut as a Laker tomorrow night
against the Blazers. See that also on our sister network TNT. Exciting stuff to have the NBA back in action.
Baseball playoffs, my brother, a good time to be a sports fan.
BRIGGS: It is a glorious time. I am right with you, Coy Wire. Thank you, my friend.
Romans, over to you.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Dave.
Right now, the secretary of state meeting with officials in Turkey about the murder of a journalist at the Saudi consulate. The president says this is another case of guilty until proven innocent.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
