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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Former Boston Red Sox Star David Ortiz Shot; Dallas Crane Collapse Kills One, Injures Six; Trump Claims Victory In Tariff Tiff With Mexico. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 10, 2019 - 05:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:30:43] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning. Red Sox legend David Ortiz recovering after getting shot in the Dominican Republic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God, the crane is falling over. Oh my God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: One person dead after a falling construction crane sliced through a downtown Dallas apartment building.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump.

SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY): President Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Democratic candidates slam President Trump at the biggest event so far in the 2020 race.

ROMANS: United Technologies and Raytheon joining forces to create an aerospace and defense giant in one of the biggest corporate mergers of the year.

Welcome back, everyone, to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. It is 5:31 Eastern time on a Monday.

And we begin with breaking news. Former Red Sox star David Ortiz shot in the back at a club in his native Dominican Republic. According to authorities, the recently-retired slugger known as Big Papi now out of surgery and out of danger.

Coy Wire has been following this all morning. He joins us live from Atlanta with the latest. Coy, good morning.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning, Dave.

Authorities in the Dominican Republic say the shooter was on a motorcycle and ambushed Ortiz at a club in Santo Domingo. According to police, the former Rex Sox star was shot in the back and the bullet went through his stomach. The 43-year-old was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

A nurse at the hospital tells CNN Ortiz begged the emergency room doctor, quote, "Please don't let me die. I'm a good man." That's before going into surgery.

Now, Big Papi's father gave reporters an update on his son's condition outside the hospital after.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEO ORTIZ, DAVID ORTIZ'S FATHER (through translator): The operation is over and he is stable. We're just waiting for the doctors to take him out of the surgery ward. He is resting right now.

No, there are no other damages we know of. He is stable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Leo Ortiz also told reporters he has no idea why someone would have shot at his son. Investigators are trying to determine whether Ortiz was the intended target. A police spokesman says multiple people were taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

And according to police, the gunman was captured and beaten by a crowd of people at the bar. A spokesman says police are waiting until the man undergoes treatment before questioning him.

As news of the shooting spread, prayers and well-wishes from the sports world flooded social media.

Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman tweeting, "Prayers up for my bro David Ortiz man. One of the best human beings I've ever met. Hate seeing that. Hoping for the best!"

Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw said, "Please be Superman one more time, David Ortiz -- please."

David Ortiz played 20 seasons in the Majors, 14 of them for Boston. The 10-time all-star led the Red Sox to three World Series titles before he retired after the 2016 season.

Dave, I know this scenario hits you personally.

BRIGGS: Yes, man. When I woke up to that news on my phone, my heart sunk.

I mean, yes, you talk about the on-the-field stuff. I covered David for a number of years -- his best years. Seventeen post-season home runs.

But this is a giant of a man and a player. You couldn't help but love this guy. He walks in the press room, walks in the locker room and just lights up the atmosphere -- changes it immediately.

For everything he did on the field, I think Boston fans and that entire region will forever remember these words at Fenway Park after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID ORTIZ, FORMER DESIGNATED HITTER AND FIRST BASEMAN, BOSTON RED SOX: This is our (bleep) city and nobody's going to dictate our freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: "And nobody's going to dictate our freedom." "Boston Strong" really became the rallying cry for that city.

And he was just a tremendous human being that, again, just lit up everyone. The last time I saw him during his final season -- I saw him from across the field. He ran up and gave me this massive hug that everyone came to know. That's how David Ortiz greets people he knows -- his friends -- and took this photo with my young son, Will.

And I will forever remember him as just a wonderful human being. My thoughts and prayers with Big Papi and his wife, Tiffany, and all his friends there in the Dominican.

[05:35:00] Coy, he is a -- he is a myth. He is like Babe Ruth in the Dominican. Everyone knows him, everyone loves him. That's what it's so hard to believe that this would happen in his home.

Thank you for your reporting, Coy Wire. We will stay on it for you all morning here at CNN.

ROMANS: And thank you for your perspective there -- or reflections. That's nice.

BRIGGS: A tremendous individual.

ROMANS: That's nice.

All right, 35 minutes past the hour.

In Dallas, at least one person is dead, another six injured after a construction crane fell onto a downtown apartment complex.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God, the crane is falling over. Oh my God. Oh my God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: One witness said that crane, quote, "Sliced through the building like a hot knife through butter."

A fire and rescue spokesman called the situation really challenging because cranes more often collapse onto uninhabited construction sites.

JASON EVANS, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE: I don't recall ever responding to one where it's actually fallen onto an occupied building, much less an occupied 5-story residential high-rise building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The cause of the crane collapse still under investigation, but severe weather may have been a factor.

CNN's Cristina Alesci has more.

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CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN POLITICS AND BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Dave, Christine, here's what we know.

Shortly after the collapse, Dallas firefighters used rescue dogs to search for more missing or injured people. Now, what makes this so scary is part of the crane fell on a residential building and parking garage where lots of people could have been killed or hurt.

We don't know what could have caused the collapse. Weather, human error or both could have been factors here.

Look, the National Weather Service did issue warnings Sunday morning about damaging winds with gusts up to 75 miles per hour. And more than 227,000 people in the area experienced power outages. The wind may have also caused a billboard to crash onto a car in Dallas's Uptown neighborhood.

Now, the investigation will likely take months. Authorities are still investigating a Seattle collapse in April, which killed four people and the results of that inquiry will probably take a few more months. Experts say human error may have played a role there.

But in 2017, three cranes designed to withstand 95-mile-an-hour winds in South Florida collapsed during Hurricane Irma -- Dave, Christine.

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BRIGGS: All right, Cristina, thanks.

President Trump declaring victory in his trade battle with Mexico, but he may have been the only one fighting. "The New York Times" reporting Mexico agreed months ago to take many

of the actions in Friday's immigration deal with the U.S., and the president simply threatened tariffs first before accepting the agreement. Mr. Trump denies that report and his diehard supporters in the Senate praising his negotiating skills.

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SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): Tariffs are attacks on American consumers and we don't want to see them in place long-term nor do I believe that President Trump does either. He's using tariffs as leverage in trade negotiations and I think he used them as leverage in this situation brilliantly.

KEVIN MCALEENAN, ACTING SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: The president put a charge in this whole dialogue with Mexico with the tariff threat and brought them to the table. The foreign minister from Mexico arrived within hours. He arrived the next day with real proposals on the table.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: So, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. won't say whether her country has this agricultural deal with the United States as President Trump is claiming on Twitter.

The president, Saturday, tweeted this. "Mexico has agreed to immediately begin buying large quantities of agricultural products from our great patriot farmers."

But, on CBS's "FACE THE NATION" Sunday, the ambassador avoided directly answering that question.

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MARGARET BRENNAN, MODERATOR, CBS "FACE THE NATION": Very quickly, though, was there any kind of agreement by your government to buy agricultural products?

MARTHA BARCENA COQUI, MEXICO'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: It is our understanding that without tariffs and with USMCA ratification, that there will be an increased rate, both in agricultural products and manufactured products. But not now --

BRENNAN: But nothing was actually agreed to as part of this negotiation because the president's been tweeting, saying that Mexico agreed to buy all sorts of agricultural products.

COQUI: I would -- what I would say is that even now, we are the second buyer of the U.S., so what we are expecting without the tariffs is an increase. You have to remember that until last year we were the third trade partner.

BRENNAN: Yes.

COQUI: We are now the first, so we are your most important market and you are our most important market.

Our -- is trade on agricultural products going to grow? Yes, it is going to grow and it is going to grow without tariffs and with USMCA ratification.

BRENNAN: But there was no transaction that was signed off on as part of this deal, is what I understand you're saying.

COQUI: I'm saying --

BRENNAN: You're just talking about trade.

COQUI: I'm talking about trade and I am absolutely certain that the trade in agricultural goods could increase dramatically in the next few months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The president said that deal will be announced at the appropriate time.

Mexico has agreed to deploy its National Guard to the border with Guatemala beginning today. Their ambassador to the U.S. says that has been in the works for weeks and she hopes to see results in a month to a month and a half.

[05:40:00] ROMANS: All right, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa now where the Iowa Hall of Fame dinner was the place to be Sunday night and afternoon for the 2020 Democratic hopefuls -- most of them, anyway.

Nineteen of the candidates had five minutes each at the microphone to make an impression in the first caucus state. They each had their own message, of course, but there was one common theme.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOOKER: Donald Trump.

SANDERS: Donald Trump.

HARRIS: Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donald Trump.

GILLIBRAND: President Trump.

REP. TIM RYAN (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

ANDREW YANG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: President Trump.

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

GOV. STEVE BULLOCK (D-MT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

BETO O'ROURKE (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The former vice president and front-runner Joe Biden was not there. He was attending his granddaughter's graduation, which he tweeted about Sunday. Biden does plan to be campaigning in Iowa tomorrow.

CNN's Leyla Santiago has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, Dave, voters here tell me that this event didn't necessarily make things easier for them -- rather, more difficult in narrowing down their short list for 2020. You had 19 of the 23 candidates all in one room making a 5-minute pitch to voters here in Iowa.

Remember, Iowa, the very first caucus state. That's why there's a lot of focus here.

Among the candidates, you heard them talk about issues not so surprising -- abortion, voting rights, health care. And every single one of them made sure to sort of flex some muscle in talking about beating President Trump in 2020.

BOOKER: I'm running for president because we can't take four more years of Donald Trump. I'm running for president to beat Donald Trump. And, I'm running for president because beating Donald Trump is not enough.

REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need a president who lives like you live. We need a president who has the grit that you have. And we have a president, right now, that doesn't understand the dreams that you have. I will be that president.

SANDERS: While we are all united in the need to defeat Trump, there are disagreements amongst us as to the best way to do that. In my view, we will not defeat Donald Trump unless we bring excitement and energy into this campaign.

SANTIAGO: Now, what you did not see here for the Hall of Fame dinner -- you did not see the front-runner, Vice President Joe Biden. His campaign says that he had a longstanding family commitment that had been scheduled a while back. That's why he's not in Iowa.

But some voters tell me they took offense to that. That perhaps they didn't see themselves as a priority for the front-runner Vice President Joe Biden -- Christine, Dave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRIGGS: A long way to go. Leyla, thanks.

Joe Biden is the top choice among likely voters in the Iowa Democratic caucus, but the race really starting to tighten.

Check out the new CNN-Des Moines Register poll. It puts the former V.P. at 24 percent. And, boy, are they tightly packed thereafter. Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, all within two points.

CNN spoke to the three who have some catching up to do.

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REPORTER: Do you feel like it's really working -- your strategy is working?

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes. People are ready for real change -- for structural change. Nobody in this crowd was saying do less.

MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now, we've still got some work to do to get people used to the idea of a millennial Midwestern mayor running for president, although it's not quite as exotic as people thought it was in January if the polls are anything to go by.

HARRIS: Again, it is my full intention to work very hard to earn the support of the people of Iowa and to spend time here and continue to grow our staff on the ground and have a presence here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: OK, only five Democratic candidates scored above five percent in the poll.

All right. Joining us this morning, Princeton University historian and professor, Julian Zelizer, a CNN political analyst. Good morning.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, CO-AUTHOR, "FAULT LINES: A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1974": Good morning.

ROMANS: Good to see you.

I loved your most recent column. You know, I'm from Iowa --

ZELIZER: Thanks.

ROMANS: -- where every four years we bask in the glow of the national media and we're so important to every single --

BRIGGS: Right.

ROMANS: Every single Iowan is suddenly so important when you go the diner or the -- or the -- you know, or the -- where you get your seeds -- the seed dealer. Everybody wants to know what you think.

But you say that Iowa may not have a monopoly on this -- on who's going to become president. Why?

ZELIZER: Yes, Iowa's been important since 1976 to build momentum for underdogs. I just think there's other ways that can happen now. We have a vast media where there's many events -- town halls constantly taking place where you can see candidates pushing themselves --

ROMANS: Yes.

ZELIZER: -- upwards.

And, Super Tuesday is going to be really super now. And, California has moved earlier. So I think even if you lose Iowa, I do think there will be an opportunity a month later to really move up quickly.

ROMANS: Without Iowa, you would not have had Barack Obama, and that's something that I think a lot of Democrats --

[05:45:00] BRIGGS: True.

ROMANS: -- keep thinking about.

ZELIZER: Yes.

ROMANS: They keep thinking that they are trying to break out of this big pack. I mean, this polling we have is 600 Democratic caucusgoers.

I heard Bill de Blasio say look, it's too early. Like, you know -- I mean --

BRIGGS: Yes.

ROMANS: Ten days before the caucus is when Iowans get real interested.

BRIGGS: And to your point, Kamala Harris may be planning that comeback --

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- quickly in California where she's poised to do very well.

But let's talk about the guy who wasn't there. Joe Biden, again, at the graduation of his granddaughter.

They didn't take him on directly --

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- but you certainly heard whispers of who Joe Biden is when Bernie Sander said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDERS: And I understand that there are some well-intentioned Democrats and candidates who believe that the best way forward is a middle-ground strategy that antagonizes no one, that stands up to nobody, and that changes nothing.

In my view, that approach is not just bad public policy, but it is a failed political strategy that I feel could end up with the reelection of Donald Trump. The American people want change, they want real change, and we have got to provide that change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Strong words from Bernie Sanders.

When will they start taking on Biden by name, and how much of a -- is the large field a real asset to Joe Biden?

ZELIZER: It is.

So you'll hear more of this in the coming months. They're going to get tougher, they're going to get more pointed, and they're going to try to puncture Biden's main argument. He's the most electable. It won't just be about policy, it will be he can't actually defeat Trump.

But the division helps Biden because all the non-Biden votes right now are divided. So the question will be can someone like Warren pick up the votes of other candidates or Sanders, as they fall off -- or do they go to Biden because that's the only way for victory right now.

ROMANS: Let's talk about this Mexico mirage, as one of our writers called it. This Mexico tariff threat that after nine days evaporated this weekend.

The president, in almost reality show form, produced his way out of that problem by saying he had secured all of these new deals from Mexico and "The New York Times" and others reporting that that's just not true -- some of these things were already decided on.

Is this helpful in the United States trade war with China? What -- where does this leave us in terms of the president's multi-pronged trade wars?

ZELIZER: Well, it's going to embolden him to use tariffs with China and to use them even more aggressively because in his mind this was a win and in his mind this was effective. That's different from the reality.

We're learning the deal might have been put into place without the crisis that he created. And we don't even know what the deal is made of at this point.

ROMANS: Yes.

ZELIZER: We should remember that.

But in terms of how he approaches China, I think you're going to see more of this despite the pushback from the business community.

ROMANS: We're told that he won't decide on more tariffs against China until after he meets with Xi at the G20. BRIGGS: But it's really that phenomenon. Check it out. It's called "Firefighter Arson" where a firefighter --

ROMANS: Right.

BRIGGS: -- starts a fire and --

ROMANS: And then puts it out.

BRIGGS: -- and then puts it out. This seems to be the Trump playbook, claiming a victory for something that he started up.

Julian, thank you for being here, sir.

ROMANS: Nice to see you. Happy Monday.

ZELIZER: Thank you.

BRIGGS: Appreciate it.

ROMANS: All right, "CNN Business" after this.

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[05:52:38] ROMANS: Let's get a check on "CNN Business" this morning.

Two of the biggest suppliers in aerospace and defense are joining forces in one of the biggest mergers of the year.

United Technologies and Raytheon announced Sunday they will create a new company call Raytheon Technologies Corporation. "The Wall Street Journal" reported the combined company would be the second-largest aerospace and defense company, by sales, behind Boeing.

United Technologies is an industrial conglomerate. It makes everything from jet engines to elevators. It owns the Pratt & Whitney engine-maker. It owns Collins Aerospace.

Raytheon is rooted in defense. It produces missile defense systems and cybersecurity solutions. The companies both supply Airbus and Boeing.

The merger comes after United Technologies announced last year it was spinning off its elevator and HVAC divisions to focus on aviation.

BRIGGS: All right. Coming up, Broadway honoring its best at the annual Tony Awards.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Tony Award goes to --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The big winners and losers, next.

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[05:57:46] ROMANS: A celebration of Broadway's best at the 73rd Tony Awards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the Tony Award goes to -- I thought it was (INAUDIBLE) -- "Hadestown."

ROMANS: "Hadestown" was the big winner, taking home eight awards, including the biggest prize for Best New Musical.

Other musicals did not go home emptyhanded.

Santino Fontana won as Best Actor in a Musical for his role in "Tootsie." Stephanie J. Block won Best Actress in a Musical for "The Cher Show." "The Ferryman" won the Tony for Best New Play.

"Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston won his second Tony Award for his performance in the stage adaptation of the film "Network" about a T.V. anchor relentlessly in pursuit of the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRYAN CRANSTON, TONY WINNER FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY, "NETWORK": I would like to dedicate this to all the real journalists around the world, both in -- both in -- both in the press and the print media, and also broadcast media who actually are in the line of fire with their pursuit of the truth.

The media is not the enemy of the people. Demagoguery is the enemy of the people.

Thank you very much and good night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: "Demagoguery is the enemy of the people." Thank you, Bryan Cranston, for those powerful words last night.

Jim Acosta's new book is called "The Enemy of the People." It's out this week and he chronicles, sort of, this turn that discourse has taken in this country where suddenly telling the truth and asking for questions and providing facts is suddenly a negative.

BRIGGS: That (ph) timing for Jim Acosta.

ROMANS: Good luck, Jim.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. Here's "NEW DAY."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: A crane collapse in Dallas kills one and injures several more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cars feel from the top level and stuck on the garage (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just sliced through the building. There's people running around the hallways trying to figure out what to do.

BOOKER: I'm running for president to beat Donald Trump.

SANTIAGO: Nineteen of the 23 candidates making a 5-minute pitch to voters in Iowa. You did not see the front-runner, Joe Biden.

WARREN: Who does this government work for? I'm in this fight to make it work for the rest of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY.

END