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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump TV Speech on Immigration Tonight; Democratic Rebuttal; Second Trump-Kim Summit?; Clemson Batters 'Bama. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired January 08, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:18] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump taking his case to the American people, scheduling an Oval Office address tonight on immigration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: We want the symbol of America to stay as the Statue of Liberty, not a big concrete wall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Democrats lining up against the wall, how they plan to respond to the president's address.
ROMANS: North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un arriving in China overnight as we learn new details about a possible second summit between Kim and President Trump.
BRIGGS: And while you were sleeping, Clemson just dominating Alabama for the national title. We have all the late night highlights. Alabama led this game early in the second quarter.
ROMANS: Wow.
BRIGGS: All orange after that.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is Tuesday, January 8th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East.
Let's begin with the president launching an all-out PR blitz to make the case for his border barrier. Tonight, he will give a 9:00 p.m. televised address on what the White House is calling the humanitarian and national security crisis on the border. That speech will be carried on all the networks, including right here on CNN. The White House also announcing that the president will visit the border on Thursday, the location of that visit officially undisclosed, but "The Washington Post" reports that there is restricted air space over McAllen, Texas.
BRIGGS: Two sources tell us the president decided to make his primetime speech after allies told him his arguments aren't resonating. Some aides saying that his build the wall slogan is getting worn out from overuse. Mike Pence and Kirstjen Nielsen laying the ground work for the president to possibly declare a national emergency to get the wall built using military funds. At a press briefing, they used the word crisis 37 times.
ROMANS: The president vowing to keep the government shut down until he gets his wall however long that takes. Meantime, hundreds of thousands of federal workers brace to miss their first full paycheck on Friday, that's right, midnight Tuesday the deadline for those checks to be cut.
Congressional correspondent Phil Mattingly has the latest from Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Dave, has the partial government shutdown enters its third week, it is clear that there is no end in sight. You have negotiators on both sides deeply entrenched not building a bridge in any way, shape or form to try and figure out a solution. You have the president on one side. You have Democratic leaders on the other. Both are playing to bases that don't want negotiations, bases that don't want compromise. And as it currently stands, there is no clear pathway out of this.
Now, why that really matters particularly this week is because the pain of the partial government shutdown is going to start to be felt in a very acute manner. Now, it's interesting, over the course of the last couple weeks, it has been somewhat muted. First and foremost, it is only 25 percent of the government that shut down. That lessens the disruption to some bit.
And you also had the holidays which played some role and keeping it somewhat quiet over the course of the period of time. You got a change of the new Congress as well.
But when it really starts to bite is when people start to miss their paychecks. Starting this Friday, it will be the first full paycheck, the bulk of the 800,000 federal workers affected by the shutdown will start to miss. And as the weeks move on, the pain becomes more and are more acute.
You have federal housing vouchers, potential tax refunds, you have all sorts of issues because of those agencies in the government are shut down. Now, in the past, those have been the issues, that has been the pain that has brought lawmakers to the table. Basically, they are hearing constituents saying enough is enough, time to make a deal and make a deal.
The problem right now when you talk to negotiators on both sides is they haven't gotten any sense that that is doing anything to change the dynamic at the moment. In fact, it seems like both sides are just digging in further. You have the president's primetime address tonight. You have Mike Pence the vice president planning to come to Capitol Hill later this evening to basically rally Republicans, to stick together.
Democrats are doing the same saying they will block anything in the Senate if it comes to the floor so they can stick together. Basically, both sides playing to their base, both sides playing to politics, and to be frank, both sides believe they may have the winning hand at least as it pertains to the politics of it. That, of course, didn't actually pertain to the personal of it, personal people who are actually affected by this, those people don't seem to have a say and as long as that is the case, I think the real concern up on Capitol Hill is that there is going to be no deal, there is going to be no pathway forward and again, it is not days we're talking about, it is quite possibly weeks -- Christine and Dave.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRIGGS: Probably becomes the longest government shutdown. Phil Mattingly, thanks.
Democrats are demanding a chance to respond to President Trump's immigration speech tonight. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer releasing a joint statement saying now that the television networks have decided to air the president's address which, if his past statements are any indication, be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal air time.
[04:05:16] CNN plans to carry the Democratic response live. Details about who will speak and for how long have not been finalized. Some Democrats though already dismissing the president's pitch even before it is made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: I expect the president to lie to the American people. Why do I expect this? Because he has been lying to the American people and his spokespeople continue lying to the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: All right. When a serious sanctions bill comes up for a vote later this morning, Democrats will attempt to block it, in order to keep the focus on the government shutdown. And according to a senior aide, party leaders are discussing the idea of broadening the strategy to all legislation. The two Democratic first raised the idea to put pressure on the president and Mitch McConnell. Cardin and Van Hollen represent thousands of furloughed government workers. McConnell is refusing to put any government funding bills on the floor unless the president supports them.
BRIGGS: You can expect to get your tax refund on time even if the shutdown drags on. The acting director of the Office of Management and Budget announcing refund checks will be sent out during a shutdown. That reverses a longstanding policy. According to senior administration official, budget officials are relying on a 2011 IRS memo that argues refunds can be paid during a shutdown. The IRS says it plans to recall a significant portion of furloughed employees as tax season approaches. ROMANS: All right. And the shutdown stalemate is compromising the
safety, security and efficiency of the nation's air traffic system. It's quite a statement.
The president of the air line pilots association writing a letter to President Trump. He says, because of the shutdown, there are fewer safety inspectors at the FAA and that adversely affects the air traffic control system. On Friday, CNN reported hundreds of TSA screeners and officers called out sick last week from at least four major airports. TSA spokesman says that the agency is closely monitoring that situation.
BRIGGS: An advocacy group representing federal contractors asking Congress to provide back pay to contractors once the government reopens. Regular federal employees get back pay for the time they were furloughed or worked unpaid, but that's not the case for contract workers. They are usually just out of luck. The new letter from the Professional Services Council reads these contractors work side by side with their government counterparts motivated by the same goals of public service and safety. They deserve to be treated the same as their federal civilian counterparts.
Minnesota Senator Tina Smith and five Democratic colleagues pushing a bill that would compensate low wage contractors at the end of the shutdown.
ROMANS: All right. Three of the four living ex-presidents deny telling President Trump they distinguish they had built a wall on the southern border. Here's what Mr. Trump is claiming.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This should have been done by all of the presidents that preceded me and they all know it. Some of them have told me that we should have done it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Well, we've checked. Jimmy Carter says it wasn't him. The nation's oldest living former president tweeting I have not discussed the border wall with President Trump and do not support him on the issue.
Was it George W. Bush? His spokesman says, quote, they have not discussed this. Bill Clinton? No. His spokesman says he, quote, never said that and adds Mr. Clinton has not spoken to President Trump since the inauguration.
That leaves Barack Obama who has not responded directly to President Trump's claim but has publicly denounced the notion of a border wall.
BRIGGS: California Democratic Senator Kamala Harris set to begin a book tour today for her new memoir. The two are giving Harris a chance to preview her message ahead of an expected presidential announcement this month. Meantime, "The Wall Street Journal" reports former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke is planning a solo road trip to meet voters outside of Texas. "The Journal" says that he will pop into places such as community college campuses as he considers whether to enter the 2020 race. O'Rourke does not plan to make a final decision on a bid until at least February.
Fellow Texan and Democrat Julian Castro plans to announce his decision on a possible 2020 run on Saturday.
ROMANS: All right. Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords will return to Capitol Hill next week. She will help introduce a bill requiring background checks on private gun sale transactions.
House Democrats plan to unveil the bill on the eighth anniversary of the shooting in Tucson that nearly killed Giffords and left six other people dead. Despite some bipartisan support for gun legislation, the Democrats' background check proposal appears unlikely to advance in the Republican controlled Senate.
BRIGGS: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg missing the first day of oral arguments in the New Year as she recuperates from cancer surgery.
[04:10:04] The 85-year-old jurist had surgery last month to remove two cancer growths from her left lung. She has been recovering at home. Ginsburg has had two other bouts with cancer in 1999 and 2009, which never caused her to miss any oral arguments. A Supreme Court spokesman says she will still be able to vote on the cases by reviewing transcripts of the oral arguments.
ROMANS: All right. Wall Street is recovering from its worst December since the Great Depression. The closed 98 points higher on Monday, building on Friday's 747 point rally.
However, the market rally faded throughout the day. The Dow had been up 255 points at one point. The S&P 500 closed up near 1 percent, the Nasdaq closed up 1.3 percent.
And U.S. oil prices jumped more than a percent to $48.61 a barrel. Crude has closed higher six straight days, the longest winning streak since July 2017. What is driving the turnaround?
Cautious optimism about the trade war and health of the Chinese and American economies. Investors are hopeful that the U.S. and China will get a breakthrough here on these trade talks that began on Monday in Beijing. U.S. futures right now are higher on the second day of those trade talks. The Dow has surged 1,750 points. That is 8 percent since Christmas Eve.
That is why you don't sell right in the middle of a big rout. The market has been rebounding lately, but it isn't the case for all stocks. Apple fell slightly yesterday. Apple stock has fallen 36 percent since October 3. Apple now behind Amazon, Microsoft and Google in market value losing about $500 billion in market value over the past three months alone. That is -- BRIGGS: Five hundred billion.
ROMANS: It's so remarkable because that is such a widely held stock. You probably have it in your 401(k). And the declines have been so swift and aggressive. It's got an iPhone problem. It relies so much on the iPhone for its sales. It has so much of its revenue tied to it. And there are concerns about, you know, is the iPhone --
BRIGGS: Not just needing a resolution on China, it's more than that.
ROMANS: It's a lot of things, yes.
BRIGGS: All right. Ahead, actor Kevin Spacey pleading not guilty to charges he groped an 18-year-old bus boy in Nantucket. Why the defense attorneys asked the court to preserve cellphone records from the alleged victim.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:16:20] BRIGGS: Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey pleading not guilty in his sexual assault case. Spacey appearing in court in Nantucket Monday for his arraignment on the charge of indecent assault and battery. Prosecutors say he groped an 18-year-old busboy to bar on the island back in 2016.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE THOMAS BARRET, NATUCKET DISTRICT COURT: You're required to stay away and have no contact, direct or indirect, with the alleged victim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: According to the criminal complaint, the accuser filmed a short part of the incident on Snapchat and sent to his girlfriend. Defense attorneys asked the court to preserve cellphone data and other text messages from the victim for six months after the date of the incident. If convicted on a felony charge, Spacey faces up to five years in prison.
ROMANS: Comedian Kevin Hart and CNN's Don Lemon engaging in a cautious public debate over how far Hart needs to go apologizing. Furor over a series of years old homophobic tweets caused Hart to back out of hosting this year's Oscars. Last Friday, Lemon who is openly gay criticized Hart's appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' show. He said that instead of apologizing moving on, Hart should become an LGBT ally and make the world a better place.
Yesterday, Hart pushed back on his Sirius XM radio show.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KEVIN HART: I don't like the forcing. I don't like -- like Don Lemon goes -- Don Lemon goes on CNN and he is like you can fix this, become an ally. That's not my -- it's not my life dream.
Kevin Hart apologizes for his remarks that hurt members of LGBTQ community. I apologize.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ROMANS: So, this was Don Lemon's response last night on his show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Whether I like it or not, whether you like it or not, that is his right. If he doesn't want to be an ally, he doesn't want to be a spokesperson for the gay community. He doesn't have to do that. It's his choice as America.
Kevin is sorry for what he said. He says that he understands how it hurt, but he is not here to be an ally. OK. So we have to march on without him. Glad he apologized.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: There is still no official word on whether Hart will host the Oscars telecast. The Motion Picture Academy indicated that it would still accept Hart as a host if he approached the group about returning.
BRIGGS: All right. The Clemson Tigers rolled over Alabama 44-16 to win the college football national championship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wide open, caught. And off to the races goes Justin Ross. And he is going to score!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: After trailing 16-14 in the second quarter, Clemson reeled off 30 straight points to turn this title game into a rout. Trevor Lawrence threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns. He is your MVP. It is the second national title in three years for Clemson and Coach Dabo Swinney. Tigers finished the season a perfect 15-0 and time to recognize them as one of the great teams in the history of college football with a freshman quarterback. So, it could even get better.
ROMANS: All right. Nineteen past the hour.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un arriving in China in a bulletproof armored train if three days of meetings with President Xi Jinping. What is this about? Lots of mystery. We go live to Beijing, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:24:06] ROMANS: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arriving in China for three days of meetings. He came in an armored train. Here is his motorcade parading down Beijing's most famous boulevard. According to North Korea's state-run media, he was invited by President Xi Jinping. Their meeting comes as negotiators wrap up trade talks with Chinese officials.
Matt Rivers tracking the latest live from Beijing.
OK, peel away the mystery for us. What is this meeting about and why could it be that Xi Jinping has summoned Kim there?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think if you were to make an educated guess about that, and to be clear, we do have to make an educated guess because when it comes to North Korea and China, these governments are not two of the most transparent governments in the world. But I think really when looking at precedent from last year, I think this meeting is all about an upcoming summit between the United States and North Korea between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.
[04:25:03] Remember last year, the president -- the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, came here to Beijing -- came to China twice to meet with Xi Jinping before his summit in Singapore in June with Donald Trump. He then went to China a third time right after that summit. So if precedent is any guide for us here, when Kim Jong-un comes to China, it has something to do with Donald Trump. At least that is what recent history tells us.
So I think given what we know about how the North Koreans are preparing, about how the Americans are preparing for a summit, this meeting will be all about Kim Jong-un getting on the same page with his ally Xi Jinping, which is, you know, China is the North Korea' major ally, their economic lifeline. And we also know that the United States is going over potential location for that summit. CNN has reported that the Americans are considering locations in Hawaii, Vietnam and even Thailand for a potential second summit, but that is what this meeting is all about.
And, Christine, if that's not enough for you here, remember what we were doing live shots on yesterday, the trade delegation, they will leave Beijing tonight, no actual progress being reported as of yet, but that is something also we'll be waiting to hear more information.
ROMANS: Hey, Matt, do you think we're going to get any kind of a statement or readout from the between days of meetings between the U.S. and Chinese officials on trade?
RIVERS: Generally thinking I think that that will happen after the U.S. delegation gets back to the U.S. That's what we've seen before.
ROMANS: All right. We'll be looking for that. Matt Rivers, thank you so much for that, Matt.
BRIGGS: All right. Coming up, President Trump all in on immigration with a primetime address and trip to the border over the next three days. How the Democrats are responding, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
