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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Joe Biden's Defense; Grammy Nominee Gunned Down; 2020 Hopefuls Respond To Kiss Accusations; Border Battle; Suspect Arrested In Death Of SC College Student; Rapper Nipsey Hussle Shot And Killed; Brexit Meltdown. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired April 01, 2019 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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LUCY FLORES (D), 2104 NOMINEE FOR LT. GOVERNOR OF NEVADA: I'm glad that he is clarifying his intentions, frankly, my point was never about his intention.
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DAVE BRIGGS, CNN HOST: Joe Biden's team in damage control after a Nevada politician accuses him of inappropriate behavior.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST: Police say a murdered college student in South Carolina mistook her killer's car for her Uber.
BRIGGS: Fans are mourning Grammy nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle outside of a store where he was gunned down just hours earlier.
ROMANS: And down goes Duke in the NCAA tournament leaving just one top seed left standing in the final four. Welcome back everyone to "Early Start," I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. One and down for Zion Williams, it would appear, 4:32 Eastern Time on a Monday.
We start in the nations' capital, former vice president Joe Biden responding for the first time to allegations he made that a Nevada politician uncomfortably that he kissed on the back of her head. Biden was saying it was not his intention to act inappropriately, but one time Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, Lucy Flores said the kiss left her feeling uneasy, gross and confused.
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FLORES: Very unexpectedly and out of nowhere, I feel, Joe Biden put his hands on my shoulders, get up very close to me from behind, lean in, smell my hair and then plant a slow kiss on the top of my head. And that in and of itself might not sound like it's a very serious thing. That in and of itself might sound like it was innocent and well intentioned, but in the context of it, as a person that had absolutely no relationship with him afterwards, as a candidate who was preparing to make my case for why I should be elected, elected the second in command of that state, to have the vice president of the United States do that to me so unexpectedly, and just kind of out of nowhere, it was just shocking.
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BRIGGS: Other Democrats eyeing the White House of 2020 weighing in on the accusation. CNN's Rebecca Buck has more from Washington.
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REBECCA BUCK, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Good morning, Christine and Dave. Well, multiple 2020 candidates are responding to these allegations against the former vice president saying, Lucy Flores should be believed, but the same Democrats are also stopping short of saying this disqualifies Joe Biden from running for president, leading that judgment to the voters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She says she is coming forth now, because she thinks it's disqualifying for Joe Biden. Do you think it's disqualifying.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I-VT), U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think, that's a decision for alone disqualifies anybody, but her point is absolutely right. This is an issue not just the Democrats or Republicans, the entire country has got to take seriously.
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have no reason not to believe her, Jonathan, and I think we know from campaigns and from politics that people raise issues and they have to address them, and that is what he will have to do with the voters if he gets into the race.
JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D), U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that is why we have an election. That's set process, but certainly it's very disconcerting and I think that, again, women have to be heard. And we should really -- we should start by believing them.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe Lucy Flores and Joe Biden needs to give an answer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should he not run as a result?
WARREN: That is for Joe Biden to decide.
[04:35:03] JULIAN CASTRO (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe Lucy Flores. We need to live in a nation where people can hear her truth.
BUCK: Vice President Biden responded to the allegations with a statement Sunday saying in part, in my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once never did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it's suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully, but it was never my intention.
According to our reporting, Biden is expected to announce his decision on the 2020 campaign in the coming weeks. It's not clear how this will impact that rollout or his candidacy more broadly, but certainly, Christine and Dave, this cannot be the focus Biden wants as he prepares to jump into the race.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Rebecca Buck, thank you for that Rebecca. The Trump administration doubling down on threats to close the Southern Border and cut aid to three Central American countries. The president blaming congressional Democrats, for the border crisis, in a tweet Sunday, he said this, the Democrats are allowing a ridiculous asylum system and a major loopholes to remain as mainstay of our immigration system. Mexico is likewise doing nothing, a very bad combination for our country, adding Homeland Security is being so very nice, but not for long.
BRIGGS: Unclear whether that means new restrictions on asylum seekers or if it's a reference to his threat from Friday to possibly close the border, a move trade experts say could be very costly for U.S. companies, workers and consumers. The president also announcing Friday, the U.S. will cut off aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
ROMANS: Acting White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, explaining the move on State of the Union.
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MICK MULVANEY, ACTING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Mexico could help us do it, they need to do a little bit more. Honduras could do more. Nicaragua could do more. El Salvador could do more. And if we're going to give these countries hundreds of millions of dollars, we would like them to do more. That, Jake, I would respectfully submit to you is not an unreasonable position. We could prevent a lot of what's happening in the Southern Border by preventing people from moving in the Mexico in the first place.
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ROMANS: Mulvaney dismissing the government's own experts who say the aid money helps curb migration by making the countries more stable.
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MULVANEY: If it's working so well, why are the people still coming? Why are these historic numbers, again, a hundred thousand people across the border this month alone? That is a crisis. That is a humanitarian crisis, it's a security crisis.
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BRIGGS: Meantime in the number of migrants released by federal authorities do the overcrowded facilities in the Brownsville, Texas area is soaring. Border officials say as of Friday, 2,000 migrants have been released from three facilities. Initially Brownsville's city managers says, about 50 people a day were dropped off, more recently, the numbers has climb to around 300.
But a letter obtained by CNN says Customs and Border Patrol told city officials in the Rio Grande Valley, the number is actually much higher. Brownsville's mayor says, for now the city has been able to manage the influx.
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TONY MARTINEZ, BROWNSVILLE MAYOR: Right now, they're bringing them here. We're feeding them, sheltering them, clothing them, whatever they need at the time. Any health issues that they shouldn't have when they get here, but if they do, and we have, you know, we have asked some of our local doctors and friends in the medical profession to come give us an assistance, and that is what we're doing.
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BRIGGS: A customs spokesperson says about thousand migrants are being apprehended each day in the Rio Grande Valley sector. CNN contacted the agency to get comment on how many people will be released in the coming days, but officials declined to comment.
ROMANS: The White House insists Republicans are working on a plan to replace Obamacare just days after President Trump stunned lawmakers on both sides of the aisle by declaring the GOP will soon be known as the Party of healthcare. White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, and presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway meeting skepticism on the Sunday morning talk shows.
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KELLYANNE CONWAY, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: There is a plan. We've been working on a plan for a longtime and we hope that --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not on the air. You've never actually come up with a plan.
CONWAY: Well, Donald Trump surely been president for two years. So, give us a chance. And we'll have it -- we are working on a plan at the White House.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you guarantee that if you succeed in court that all of those tens of millions of people who have health coverage guaranteed, because of Obamacare will not lose their coverage?
MULVANEY: Yes, and it's here's why. The debate about pre-exiting conditions is over. Both parties support them. And anyone telling you anything different is lying to you for political gain.
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ROMANS: Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming a position says the Republican plan will be about health care choices. He says people will be able to buy what works for them. BRIGGS: A suspect in custody this morning in South Carolina, charged
in the death of a missing college student, police say 21-year-old Samantha Josephson was last seen early Friday getting into the suspect's car thinking he was her Uber driver. Her body was found 14 hours later in a field, some 90 miles away.
[04:40:02] Twenty-four-year-old Nathaniel Roland charged with murder and kidnapping. Police say Josephson's blood was found in his car and they are also questioning a woman who was in Roland's car when he was arrested.
This morning, rap fans are mourning the death of performer Nipsey Hussle. He was shot and killed in broad daylight Sunday afternoon outside his South Los Angeles clothing store.
Police say the Grammy nominated rapper was hit multiple times in a burst of gunfire that left two other people wounded. It happened in front of the rapper's marathon clothing store, one of several businesses he owned on the block where he was shot.
Hundreds of mourners gathering near the crime scene to pay tribute to Hussle. He was known to give jobs to local residents who were struggling to get by or even homeless. Hussle was scheduled to meet later today with the L.A. police chief and commissioner. They were going to discuss ways to stop gang violence.
Tribute's to Hussle pouring in. Rihanna tweeting, this doesn't make any sense. My spirit is shaken by this. From NBA star, LeBron James, so, so sad, man. Damn, man, this hurts and singer Pharrell Williams tweeting, you were about something positive and for your community and every chance you had to speak and because of that, you inspired millions, millions who will uphold your legacy forever rest amongst the stars. The suspect in the shooting is still at large. Nipsey Hussle was 33 years old and leaves behind two children.
ROMANS: All right, Facebook's billionaire founder wants help from the government. His company under fire for spreading misinformation, live streaming a mass murder in New Zealand and being a platform for election meddling. Mark Zuckerberg now wants the government to step in. He has called for the government to take a more active role in crafting new rules for the internet. He wants stricter regulation of harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability.
In an op-ed this weekend he wrote, by updating the rules for the internet we can preserve what's best about it, the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things while also protecting society from broader harms. Facebook widely condemned last month when it failed to stop a live stream by the suspect in the New Zealand terrorist attack that killed 50 people. The platform has also faced a number of scandals ranging from hate speech to privacy, and criticism over the widespread of fake news, especially during national elections.
Zuckerberg's post was the second op-ed from a Facebook executive over the weekend. You also heard from CEO Sheryl Sandberg, she wrote in the New Zealand Herald that Facebook had to get better at policing its platform. Sandberg said, the platform was considering restricting who can stream live video on its platform after the New Zealand attack.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Up ahead, no one near him, and he is going to come out with it, and Michigan State is headed to Minneapolis.
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BRIGGS: Magic celebrating there. The tournament's top seed, Duke, not going to the final four. Michigan State pulls off the upset Sunday, beating the Blue Devils, 68-67 to punch their ticket. In the other regional finals Sunday, Auburn beat Kentucky 77-71 in overtime during their first ever berth in the final four.
Spartans and Tigers will join Texas tech and Virginia in Minneapolis next weekend. The Cavs, the only top seed still standing. So, the final four matchups all set. Michigan State plays Texas Tech in the one national semi-finals Saturday. Auburn, Virginia, and the other winners play for the national championship one week from tonight. Most experts I know including this guy, had zero final four teams.
ROMANS: Yes.
BRIGGS: It is astounding final four.
ROMANS: I feel a lot better about my bracket.
BRIGGS: Yes, you should.
ROMANS: All right, 43 minutes past the hour, political upheaval in the U.K., lawmakers shooting down the Prime Minister's Brexit plan for the third time. What are the odds for two possible scenarios and no one wants. We have a live report from Downing Street, next.
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ROMANS: Chaos in the U.K. this morning after lawmakers rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal for the third time, Friday. That likely killed off he plan permanently and it increases the odds of two troubling alternatives, a lengthy Brexit delay or Britain crashing out of the E.U. without a deal on April 12th. Let's go live to London and bring in CNN's Nic Robertson. Of course, the levers is their call, they took to the streets this weekend, angry that this is taking so long to leave the E.U, and there are millions of others who are signing on that they want to stay in the E.U. What's happening here?
ROBERTSON: Six million people had more than signed that petition, and yes, as we finished work here on Friday, there were protesters blocking the way out of Downing Street, because they were demanding and wanting and angry that Brexit hadn't happened of course, Brexit was supposed to take place on Friday.
So, there is deep division among people here, but even deeper division, it seems within Theresa May's cabinet, and that scenario you just laid out, a no deal or a long extension. Let me add another piece in to that picture of potential chaos for you, and that could be a general election.
There's a possibility Theresa May, may call a snap general election concerning consternation within her cabinet. If she does that, a former Prime Minister, a former conservative Prime Minister John Major says, now is not the time to be calling an election. Now is the time for a government of national unity. Other M.P.'s have acted that way. So we stand today -- later today there will be indicative votes, the M.P.'s taking control of parliament again, trying to have votes that will show what there could be support for.
Remember, none of those got a majority last week. They might get a majority now. Theresa May might be held to try to implement some of those 170 of her M.P.'s, including 10 ministers have said, that if you try to implement things that would mean a softer Brexit, we're going to stand against you, calling for it to leave without a deal. And there are other cabinet members who are saying leave without a deal or look like you're going to leave without a deal and we will also leave the cabinet. So, a ribbon cabinet, a chaotic political situation.
[04:50:28] ROMANS: Running out of time, running out of options every day more interesting than the rest in consequential. Thank you so much for that, Nic Robertson.
BRIGGS: OK. Potential 2020 candidate Pete Buttigieg, defending a comment many interpreted as a knock on Hillary Clinton, an interview at the Washington Post, published back in January, the Democrat said quote, at least Donald Trump didn't go around saying America was already great, like Hillary did. Spokesperson Nick Merrill slamming that comment as indefensible saying Clinton ran on a belief in this country. Trump ran on pessimism, racism, false promises and vitriol. Buttigieg said, he was trying to make the lessons of the last elections and apply them to 2020.
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PETE BUTTIGIEG (D) EXPLORING PRESIDENTIAL RUN: Just to make this clear, I think America would be a much better place if she were president. That is why I voted for her and that's why I campaigned for her, and I have enormous respect for Secretary Clinton. I do think that she was ill served by a strategy and a media environment which made things much more about individuals, much more about all the problems with Donald Trump and much less about the concerns of voters.
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BRIGGS: The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, says he thinks many people voted for Trump because the system failed them and they wanted to burn the house down. Buttigieg has resonated in the polls far more than people thought he might, given the small time circumstances. He has an interesting conversation to have in this country.
ROMANS: Yes, absolutely, 51 minutes past the hour. Strong Wall Street debut for Lyft. CNN Business has the details next.
[04:55:00 (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BRIGGS: Elton John and some other big names joining George Clooney's
call to boycott a chain of luxury hotels controlled by the sultan of Brunei. A tiny Southeast Asian nations about to implement Sharia Law on Wednesday, including a provision that would impose a death sentence for gay sex. CNN's Alexander Field following the story. She is live in Hong Kong. Alex, good morning.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Dave, good morning. It is hard to believe, but you're talking about so-called crimes under Sharia Law, like homosexual sex or adultery being punishable not just by death, but death by stoning.
Those are the laws that are set to be imposed come April 3rd, just days away, and certainly they have caught the world's attention. You had George Clooney grabbing global headlines by urging this boycott of these hotels that are connected to the sultan of Brunei. Other celebrities jumping in to urge the scene boycott. We have been speaking to people inside Brunei. Members of the LGBTQ community who are living there in fear and in hiding, not certain of what the coming days or weeks will bring.
They say they're not certain that a hotel boycott would move the government in any direction, but they do believe that this boycott is drawing a lot of international attention that could be helpful to them. As for its part, the government of Brunei posted a statement on their web site on Saturday. They plan to go forward with imposing these laws. They say they are a sovereign country and this is their responsibility to enforce their own laws. The U.N. high commissioner for human rights calling on Brunei to put a stop to this before it starts. Dave.
BRIGGS: Wow. Just about 5:00 p.m. in Hong Kong. Alexander Field live for us. Thank you.
ROMANS: All right, 57 minutes -- 58 minutes past the hour this Monday morning, April fool's day, and no joke, markets around the world are higher here this morning. Global markets up after what was a very good week last week on Wall Street. We'll see if it continues this morning. Futures pointing to a positive open amid some progress on ending the U.S.-China trade war.
Stocks enjoyed a huge rally in the first quarter, folks. The S&P 500 finished up more than 13 percent. That is the best quarter since 2009, and the best first quarter since 1998. The DOW rose 11.2 percent for the quarter. The best gain since 2013. NASDAQ, 16.5 percent. That is the best showing since 2012. Now we get retail sales for February. That comes out in about four hours. The big question is the consumer faltering. So watch for that.
For years, it has been a race between Uber and Lyft. On Friday, Lyft beat its rival to become the first ride hailing company to go public. Lyft ended the first trading day at $78.29 a share. That is up 8.7 percent. Its founders announced plans to invest $50 million or 1 percent of its profits whichever is greater each year to support transportation initiative in cities, unless a billion dollars tax startups, the Unicorn Parade expected to go public later this year, including Pinterest, Slacks, Post Mates and Uber.
Dumbo didn't fly quite as high as expected over the weekend. Disney's live action remake of the animated classic brought in 45 million in the box office debut. A box office experts thought this film would make 50 million. In second place, Jordan Peele's "Us," it has now made 174 million globally. Now, even though Dumbo disappointed, Disney's live action remakes should rebound the box office soon the studio will replace two more remakes of its animated classic this summer, Aladdin and the Lion King.
BRIGGS: Hakuna Matata, Disney films. "Early Start" continues right now.
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