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President Bush Now Lies in Repose in Houston; Washington Bids Farewell to Bush 41; Senators Push for Deal Targeting Saudi Arabia; Marine Corps Planes Crash Off Coast of Japan; Murray Set to Claim Top College Football Honors. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired December 06, 2018 - 05:00   ET

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


CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Fast food chains use stunts to get consumers to pay attention and buy for this business. Burger King recently announced plans to upgrade its stores to include digital menu boards and self order kiosks, changes that its rivals have already put in place.

[05:05:00] They have already those at McDonald's.

The 1 cent deal runs through December 12th. And customers can only access it one time.

The whole story makes me so hungry.

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Delicious.

ROMANS: There's something about burger at 5:00 a.m. I just love.

BRIGGS: Creepy, though. You are always getting a warning where you are when you are near a Starbucks. And that pops up.

OK. EARLY START continues right now as we remember a great and noble man.

(MUSIC)

BRIGGS: Live pictures from Houston, Texas, as mourners file by the body of President George H.W. Bush, lying in repose right now at the Bush's family church of 50 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: The best father a son or daughter could have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Raw emotion as America's 43rd president eulogizes his father and there's another church service just hours away.

BRIGGS: The Trump White House faces more opposition to its Saudi Arabia policy after the murder of "The Washington Post" journalist.

ROMANS: Plus, why is a satanic sculpture on display at the Illinois state house?

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. It is Friday eve, December 6th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.

You know --

ROMANS: I got to get through Thursday first.

BRIGGS: That's what we're trying to do.

John Quincy Adams did not know his father was dead until after he was buried. So, we've never seen a president eulogized, his president father. Do you think we'll see it ever again?

ROMANS: I don't know.

BRIGGS: Safe to say no way. What happened was just something.

Right now, the body of the 41st president of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, lying in repose at the Bush family church back home in Houston. These are live pictures as people continue to file through at 4:01 Central Time, paying their respects.

So, later this morning, a memorial service at the church, St. Martin's Episcopal. It will be President Bush's second memorial, following the service yesterday in Washington.

And for more, here's Jessica Dean in Houston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave and Christine.

We are here at the St. Martin Episcopal Church where President Bush will lie in repose until 6:00 this morning. So, they are asking people who like to come pay their respects, to drive to a nearby church. They then walk through security. They board buses and brought here.

But that's been an important thing for many people in this community to do. The Bushes attended this church for some 50 years. So, they are familiar faces in this place, in this neighborhood. In fact, their home is not far from here, just over my shoulder.

It's a very important place to the Bush family, and it's important for this community to pay their respects to President Bush.

Now, at 10:00 a.m., again, Central Time, that's when this second funeral will take place. We are expecting to hear from President Bush's grandson George P. Bush, as well as his former secretary of state and best friend, James Baker.

We'll be following all those developments all morning -- Dave and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Wow, really the end of an era, right?

BRIGGS: Indeed it was.

ROMANS: Twentieth century founding father.

As Jessica said, President Bush and his whole family were a real presence in Houston. It is no surprise thousands of mourners, regular Houstonians lined up, some waiting for hours for a chance to pay their respects.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so happy that I came. I would have spent ten hours in line waiting.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: George Bush was Houston's president. We wanted to come and pay respect and honor him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Houston was President Bush's home, but Washington, of course, is where the late president built his career. His state funeral yesterday at the national cathedral was filled with emotional farewells.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON MEACHAM, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR: George Herbert Walker Bush was America's last great soldier statesman, a 20th century Founding Father.

BRIAN MULRONEY, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA: I believe it will be said that no occupant of the Oval Office was more courageous, more principled and more honorable than George Herbert Walker Bush.

SEN. ALAN SIMPSON, FRIEND OF BUSH: He loved a good joke. The richer the better. He would throw his head back and give a great laugh, but he never, ever could remember a punch line. And I mean never.

BUSH: In his inaugural address, the 41st president of the United States said this: We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it.

So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you. A great and nobleman. The best father a son or daughter could have.

[05:05:01] And in our grief, let us smile knowing that dad is hugging Robin and holding mom's hand again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Well done, Mr. President. Well done.

BRIGGS: Sure was.

ROMANS: Robin, of course, is George and Barbara Bush's little daughter. She died of leukemia at age 3.

This afternoon, President Bush's body will be taken by train to College Station, Texas, where he will be laid to rest at his presidential library.

Stay with CNN all day. We're going to have full, continuing coverage of President Bush's Texas memorial service and interment.

BRIGGS: Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators is looking to punish Saudi Arabia for its role in the killing of "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi. They'll meet today to discuss a deal aimed at suspending arm sales to the Saudis and curtailing U.S. support for the war in Yemen. They are hoping to reach consensus and bring it to the floor as soon as Monday.

It comes after the senators were briefed by the CIA Director Gina Haspel on Khashoggi's killing and came away convinced the Saudi crown prince was indeed involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BOB CORKER (R), TENNESSEE: What I do know is the CIA director came in with some analysts and gave the most precise presentation I've ever heard in 12 years. And I left there as somebody came up today and corrected me on my comments yesterday when I said if he went for a jury, he'd be found guilty in 30 minutes. Some of my colleagues come out and said, no, no, no, 20.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: A deal targeting the Saudis would also be a rebuke of the president. He has downplayed the Khashoggi murder and cast doubt on the role of the Saudi crown prince.

ROMANS: All of Washington is a whirl of speculation this morning. Everyone wants to know what's under the hundreds of black lines redacting the key court filing in the case of one-time national security adviser Michael Flynn. Special counsel Robert Mueller said Flynn provided substantial help in the Russia investigation. But Mueller isn't ready to say yet what that help was.

CNN's Sara Murray has more from Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Dave and Christine.

The heavily redacted sentencing memo from Michael Flynn, President Trump's former national security adviser, has Washington wondering what special counsel Robert Mueller is holding back. For all we've learned about Flynn's substantial assistance, 19 interviews with law enforcement spanning more than a year, Mueller's filing these many questions unanswered.

Flynn offered intel from multiple investigations. He cooperated in the investigation in the potential coordination between Russians and senior members of the Trump administration and campaign, offering long-term and first hand insight. What those insights were? That is still unknown.

Flynn also provided substantial assistance in a criminal investigation. The rest, black out.

As for a third investigation, the details of that one are entirely redacted in the filing. Those blacked outlines causing frenzied speculation as to what or who could still be in the Justice Department's crosshairs, and we're still waiting on at least two other developments this week. Mueller's team in conjunction with U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan is expected to file a sentencing memo in the Michael Cohen case and respond to his request for no prison time.

And on Friday, we are expecting an explanation from Mueller on what former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied to investigators about, jeopardizing his cooperation agreement. So, still a very busy week ahead.

Back to you, guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Sara.

We may learn more about President Trump's finances once the Trump Organization respond to subpoenas. Attorneys general of Maryland and District of Columbia demanding tax records, profit and loss statements and other documents. The president's personal taxes are not part of the subpoena. A federal judge on Monday gave the go ahead in the lawsuit by Maryland and D.C.

BRIGGS: The suit claims the president is violating the ban on the foreign or domestic governments to federal officeholders. "The Washington Post" reported yesterday, lobbyists for Saudi Arabia paid for at least 500 stays at the Trump Hotel in Washington over three months, shortly after the president's election.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scrapping a meeting today to advance more of President Trump's picks for the lower courts. An aide to Chairman Chuck Grassley says it's because Republican Senator Jeff Flake is not backing down on his threat. Flake vows to vote against all pending judicial nominees unless he gets a floor vote on the bill that protects special counsel Robert Mueller.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R), ARIZONA: We can solve this. Just have a vote. Have a vote. We need to approve more judges. That would be great. This has to be priority.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The committee has canceled meetings two weeks in a row, delaying 22 nominees from floor consideration by the end of the year.

ROMANS: All right. The chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei has been arrested in Canada and now faces extradition to the United States. What we know: Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on Saturday, December 1st. But a Canadian judge now has barred police and prosecutors from publicly releasing information about this case.

[05:10:02] That publication ban prevents media from reporting on whatever the evidence is that's been presented by the U.S. or what charges are expected to be filed by the DOJ against her in April.

"The Wall Street Journal" reported the U.S. Justice Department was investigating whether Huawei violated U.S. sanctions on Iran. A Huawei spokesperson said the company complies with all export laws and sanctions. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Canada to, quote, immediately correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal freedom of Ms. Meng Wanzhou.

Huawei sells smartphones and telephone equipment around the world. Of course, the U.S. and other countries warned of potential national security risks from using Huawei products. The U.S. is concerned the Chinese government is using Huawei networking technology to spy on Americans. A bail hearing has been set for Friday. The Justice Department declined to comment Wednesday.

BRIGGS: A search and rescue mission underway off the coast of Japan after two U.S. Marine planes go down. We'll have the latest.

ROMANS: Plus, the Satanic statue now on display at the state capitol building.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:15:15] BRIGGS: A desperate search and rescue operation under way now off the coast of southern Japan after two U.S. Marine aircraft collided in midair.

CNN's Ivan Watson has the latest for us live from Hong Kong.

Ivan, what do we know?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a desperate search. It involves the U.S. military and Japan's self- defense forces. They are all currently trying to find as -- the latest that we know is five missing Marines from the in-air collision which took place at around 2:00 a.m. local time, about 200 miles off the coast of Japan over the Pacific Ocean. Now, we just learned from the U.S. ambassador to Tokyo that this

occurred during an air-to-air refueling operation during what the Marines have described as routine operations. So what you have happening right now is a KC-130 Hercules from the U.S. Marines, as well as an F-18A Hornet apparently conducting this very delicate operation where they refuel with the hose while flying. It is quite something to see.

Now at this point, two Marines have been rescued. One who has been described in good condition thanks to the Japanese military who rescued him or her. And a second, we don't know the current status of that individual. The U.S. ambassador has thanked the Japanese self- defense forces for what they have done.

Take a listen to what that diplomat had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM HAGARTY. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: I would like to say my heart goes out to the families and colleagues of the marines that are involved in this tragedy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Now, unfortunately, it has been more than 17 hours since the collision. They are operating and the sun has set and the conditions are difficult, though there are more than a dozen aircraft and several ships, mostly from the Japanese helping in the desperate rescue effort -- Dave.

BRIGGS: Yes, dark now. At 6:17 p.m. Hopefully, some more good news ahead.

Ivan Watson, live for us, thanks.

ROMANS: Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general-elect says a flurry of Republican legislation this week is virtually certain to end up in court. The lame duck session of the GOP-led legislature passed a range of bills to diminish the power of the state's incoming governor who happens to be a Democrat. The measures include reducing early voting days and restricting the governor's influence over a state agency, the incoming governor-elect promised to disband.

Republicans say the bills just codify reforms eight years in the making. Critics say it is stripping away power, not the peaceful transfer of power that an election was supposed to bring.

BRIGGS: Yes, major implications down the road.

OK. A satanic statue among the holiday displays at the Illinois state capitol in Springfield, right alongside the nativity scene and a menorah. It is a gift from the satanic temple of Chicago called snake-tivity, depicting the forearm of a woman holding an apple with a snake curled around it.

State officials say the group applied for the display and has the same rights as other religious organizations. The snake-tivity statue will remain there through the end of the month.

Let us know how you feel about that -- @earlystart on Twitter.

ROMANS: I imagine the school groups, the bus groups of kids who are trumping through there for their field trips and getting a little lesson about freedom of speech, freedom of religion.

BRIGGS: I imagine there's some local outrage as well.

ROMANS: I'm sure there is. I'm sure there is.

All right. Who will win the Heisman Trophy? Oklahoma's quarterback is considered the favorite. Our Andy Scholes talked with him. More on the "Bleacher Report", next.

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[05:23:27] BRIGGS: Let's a little talk sports. It is awards season in college football.

The favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday is Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. But he's got a lot of talent, doesn't he, Andy Scholes?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: He certainly does, Dave, and I got the chance to talk to Kyler last night. And the big question on this mind right now, is, you know, is it be baseball or football for the rest of his career? You know, he's electric on the football field, but he's also an outstanding baseball player. He was drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland A's and he's got to go to spring training in March.

And last night, when I spoke with him, I talked to him about that. I asked if he's going to quit football after these playoff games and what it would mean to him to win the Heisman Trophy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KYLER MURRAY, OKLAHOMA QUARTERBACK: Incredible honor, obviously. Something I' would be truly proud of. I know my university would be truly proud of, my fans, my teammates, my coaches and my family would be truly proud.

SCHOLES: First round pick by the Oakland A's in the Major League Baseball draft. You signed with them. You are going to spring training. Does that mean you have one or two football games left?

MURRAY: As of right now, yes.

SCHOLES: But you haven't 100 percent ruled out the NFL?

MURRAY: I'm -- right now, I'm going to play baseball (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, fascinating that Kyler wouldn't say he won't play in the NFL. Could he be the next Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, could try to play both? Kyler is not ruling it out just yet.

All right. LeBron and the Lakers hosting the Spurs last night. LeBron just dominate in the fourth quarter in this one. He poured in 20 points in the final period alone, finishing with 42 for the game.

[05:25:05] The Lakers came back to beat the Spurs 121-113 for their fourth straight win.

All right. Finally, Atlanta United's Josef Martinez presented with Major League Soccer's MVP Award yesterday. His team plays Portland for the MLS Cup on Saturday.

Dave, look what I have here this morning? The MLS Cup trophy in studio, 35 pounds. Sterling silver made by Tiffany's. I'm sure Christine wanted those facts.

I tell you what, Dave, I have never seen a fan base grow so quickly as Atlanta United has the last two years here in Atlanta. They're the most passionate fans I have seen in quite a long time. They really want to take home this cup come Saturday.

BRIGGS: Not just Atlanta. I think you see the whole sport growing here in the country. At least as far as MLS goes. That league is growing faster than the other pro leagues. Does it have a keeper like the Stanley Cup, a guy with white gloves that carries it around?

SCHOLES: Paul is right over here. He said I cannot touch it at all. Don't touch the cup.

BRIGGS: All right. Paul, nice work for us this morning. Thank you.

Andy Scholes, good stuff.

SCHOLES: All right.

BRIGGS: Romans, over to you.

ROMANS: All right. Thanks.

Twenty-six minutes past the hour.

The final farewell under way in Texas now for America's 41st president. Live pictures here with his burial just hours away. More next.

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