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New Day
24 Officers Injured after Fatal Police Shooting in Memphis; Trump: 'I Think I'd Take' Dirt from Foreign Governments on Political Rivals; St. Louis Blues Win First Stanley Cup Championship; Explosions on Two Tankers in the Gulf of Oman; Bernie Sanders Makes Case for Democratic Socialism; Police: Suspects Offered Money to Shoot David Ortiz; Hong Kong Messaging App Says It Was Hit with Chinese Cyberattack. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired June 13, 2019 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Two dozen officers injured in Memphis during clashes with protestors after a fatal shooting by police.
[05:59:17] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Officers encountered a male wanted on multiple warrants. He reportedly ran his vehicle into the officers' vehicles multiple times. The officers fired, killing the individual.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If somebody called from a country -- Norway -- "We have information on your opponent," oh, I think I'd want to hear it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think he should have said that. But that's subjunctive, whether we would or wouldn't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is criminal. We need to hold this president accountable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Thursday, June 13, 6 a.m. here in New York.
And a dangerous situation breaking overnight. Two dozen police officers have been injured in Memphis during clashes with protesters. This happened after Memphis police shot and killed a man they say rammed into their cars, then got out of his car with a weapon.
So details are just coming into our newsroom on this. CNN's Martin Savidge has the very latest on this breaking story.
What's happening, Martin?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning, Alisyn. Yes, this all began when U.S. marshals were attempting to make an arrest on a man who was wanted on several warrants. They did fatally shoot the man. And there was a crowd that gathered after the shooting in protest. Some people began throwing rocks.
There were 25 officers that were injured in the chaos. Most of the officers, minor injuries, but there are at least six officers that were taken to hospital. There were two civilians, at least two civilian journalists that were injured in the melee, as well. Here's the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation describing how the shooting occurred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLI MCALLISTER, TBI SPOKESPERSON: While attempting to stop the individual, he reportedly rammed his vehicle into the officers' vehicles multiple times before exiting with a weapon. The officers fired, striking and killing the individual. No officers were injured.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: The TBI is continuing to investigate the shooting here. The mayor of Memphis is appealing for calm, asking for people not to react until they know all of the facts. But John, it is going to be another very tense day in Memphis today.
BERMAN: All right. Martin Savidge on that story for us. I know you'll keep on watching it, Martin. Thank you.
Also breaking overnight, the American president essentially invited Russia and any other foreign intelligence service that feels like it to attack the 2020 election. He announced from the Oval Office, for the world to hear, that if Russia has any dirt on his opponents, he would be willing to listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: Your campaign this time around, if foreigners, if Russia, if China, if someone else offers you information on an opponent, should they accept it or should they call the FBI?
TRUMP: I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen. I don't -- there's nothing wrong with listening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: From the Oval Office itself in an interview with ABC News. So what message does that send to Russia? If you're Vladimir Putin, what does that make you think? Does it make you think twice about attacking the next election? Why would it?
Well, the president also said he would not necessarily tell the FBI if Russia came to him with dirt or information. This puts him directly at odds with FBI Director Christopher Wray. CAMEROTA: It also comes as Donald Trump Jr., who organized that
infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with the Russians, returned to Capitol Hill for more testimony. And Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director and long-time Donald Trump aide, will testify next week before a House panel investigating her former boss. So will the White House exert executive privilege to keep another witness from cooperating?
Let's go to CNN's Joe Johns. He is live at the White House for us this morning. What is the latest, Joe?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a great question. We'll see what the day brings. But look, the president has made a lot of stunning statements across the course of his political career. But in the Trump hall of fame, some of the stuff goes right up near the top, especially given what you might call the totality of the circumstances, all that we know about the 2016 campaign and all that we know about the Mueller investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: If somebody called from a country -- Norway -- "We have information on your opponent," oh, I think I'd want to hear it.
JOHNS (voice-over): President Trump making a stunning admission, telling ABC News he's willing to accept damaging information from a foreign power about political rivals ahead of the 2020 election, instead of immediately informing the FBI.
TRUMP: I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen. I don't -- there's nothing wrong with listening.
JOHNS: The president also shutting down the idea that a foreign government like Russia or China providing material about his opponents is against the law.
TRUMP: It's not an interference. They have information, I think I'd take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I'd go maybe to the FBI. If I thought there was something wrong.
But when somebody comes up with oppo research, right? They come up with oppo research, "Oh, let's call the FBI." The FBI doesn't have enough agents to take care of it.
JOHNS: Mr. Trump's words clashing with his own attorney general.
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): If a foreign intelligence service, a representative of a foreign government --
WILLIAM BARR, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yes.
COONS: -- says, "We have dirt on your opponent" --
BARR: Yes.
COONS: -- should they say, "I love it. Let's meet" -- BARR: If a foreign intelligence --
COONS: -- or contact the FBI?
BARR: If a foreign intelligence service does, yes.
JOHNS: And his FBI director, who issued this warning last month.
CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: If an public official or member of any campaign is contacted by any nation state, or anybody acting on behalf of a nation state, about influencing or interfering with our election, then that's something that the FBI would want to know about.
JOHNS: Trump saying he strongly disagrees.
TRUMP: This is somebody that said, "We have information on your opponent." "Oh, let me call the FBI." Give me a break. Life doesn't work that way.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The FBI director says that's what should happen.
TRUMP: The FBI director is wrong.
JOHNS: On Capitol Hill, Democrats outraged by President Trump's apparent readiness to cooperate with foreign adversaries.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Donald Trump has made it clear that he will engage in any action, no matter how unethical or unpatriotic; that he will go right up to the line of what's legal; and indeed, it looks like he crossed that line many times.
[06:05:09] JOHNS: Twenty-twenty presidential hopefuls igniting an even hotter firestorm toward Mr. Trump from the campaign trail.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's outrageous. And it tells me the guy just doesn't understand the job and can't do it very well.
JOHNS: Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeting, "This isn't about politics. It's a threat to our national security."
Senator Bernie Sanders also weighing in, saying he's not shocked.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think we have a president who neither understands the Constitution of the United States or respects the Constitution.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: So what do the rules say? One of the controlling Federal Election Commission regulations -- I'll just read it for you -- "prohibits foreign nationals from directing, dictating, controlling or directly or indirectly participating in the decision-making process of any election-related activities."
And just a reminder: the Mueller report did establish that the Trump campaign made contact with the Russians but did not determine whether the president committed a crime.
Back to you.
BERMAN: All right, Joe. Joe Johns at the White House. I have to say, it is stunning to see any president of the United States in the Oval Office speak the words, "I think I take it," when asked if he was handed information from a foreign country on a political opponent.
CAMEROTA: Particularly after the past three years. If you liked these past three years, you're going to love the next four. Because -- if the president is re-elected. Because I mean, he says from anybody. So Russia. Does that mean China? Does it mean Venezuela? Does it mean Iran?
BERMAN: Well, he brought up Norway. He seems to have a Norway fetish.
CAMEROTA: He does like Norway, but he said any country. Anywhere.
BERMAN: Anywhere. But again, you know, Samantha Vinograd, who's worked in intelligence, will be with us later, said, "The president announced he's basically a laundromat for stolen information that helps advance other countries."
This is a national security issue when the president says this from the Oval Office. And we're going to talk much more about the implications of this, because we can't let this one slide by.
All right. Something I wish I'd let slide by. From last place to lifting Lord Stanley's Cup, the St. Louis Blues are the hockey's champions for the first time ever. They absolutely deserved it. Coy Wire has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report."
Good morning, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.
Sorry for your Boston team, but I know even you appreciate this. The underdogs have their day. Dead last in the NHL in January, then rallying to do something no other Blues team had done before them.
Crazy scene in Boston. Olympic medalist Aly Raisman and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman hyping up the fans. Meantime, 1,200 miles west in St. Louis, fans selling out the Blues arena with thousands more watching from inside Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. And their Blues deliver.
Ryan O'Reilly getting a stick on the puck and deflecting it in. St. Louis scoring two goals in the opening period, taking control of the game. From there, goalie Jordan Binnington, rookie, unreal. Thirty- two saves after starting the season in the minors.
Blues win 4-1 and for the first time in their 52-year history, they are Stanley cup champs.
Ryan O'Reilly matches the great Wayne Gretzky with goals in four straight Stanley Cup final games, winning MVP honors.
But John, Alisyn, look at this. What a moment for 11-year-old super fan Laila Anderson, battling a rare immune disease. She's there, celebrating on the ice with her team. She got special clearance from her doctors in St. Louis to travel to Boston for the game. Blues players saying she's been an inspiration to them all season long. She's hugging, kissing, crying, smiling. That is what it's all about.
BERMAN: I've got to say, you introduced us to Laila yesterday. We are so happy for her. That is such a wonderful thing that she got to do.
CAMEROTA: Such a beautiful moment when her mom surprised her. And she didn't believe it, and then she broke out in tears, and then it happened. We're so glad she got to go to the game, Coy.
BERMAN: Coy, maybe some day, a Boston team will win something, and Boston fans will have a chance to celebrate.
WIRE: Yes, yes. You guys are doing all right, John.
BERMAN: We'll hold on for that moment.
CAMEROTA: Thanks so much, Coy.
Also breaking overnight, explosions on two ships in the Gulf of Oman just a month after four ships were attacked nearby. A live report next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:14:02] BERMAN: Breaking overnight, a potentially dangerous escalation in the Middle East. Two explosions on tankers sailing through the Gulf of Oman just off the coast of Iran there. You can see it on the map. This is just a month after attacks on four tankers nearby. The U.S. Navy, we are told, is now sending assistance.
Nic Robertson live with what we know at this hour -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, USS Bainbridge is on its way to render assistance. The U.S. Fifth Fleet says it got calls at 6:12 a.m. in the morning and at 7 a.m. in the morning, local time, indicating that something was happening aboard those two ships.
What we know is that these ships, according to the captain of one of them, was struck by some sort of shell. That's how he described it. One was an oil tanker. One was transporting chemicals.
The captains of both those ships decided to abandon ship. The -- the Iranian navy says that they have rescued 44 people, that they are now on an Iranian island nearby, that one of those people is injured and receiving medical treatment.
[06:15:03] This appears to be a significant escalation over that attack on four commercial vessels a month ago just off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Why do I say it appears to be an escalation? These ships were on the
move. They appear to be targeted by missiles of some kind.
That previous attack on those four ships, the ships were at anchor. They were stationary. They appeared to be attacked by mines that were placed on the ships overnight.
The U.N. recently announced the results of their investigation into what happened to those ships. They said a state actor was involved. Both the United States and the Saudis said that Iran was that state actor that was involved. Their suspicion is going to fall on the Iranians again. The Iranian foreign minister is saying not so fast. This all looks very suspicious -- Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: This is a troubling development. Nic Robertson, thank you very much for the reporting.
Back here in the U.S., Democratic presidential candidates pouncing on Bernie Sanders after his staunch defense of democratic socialism. CNN's Ryan Nobles is live with the latest. So what are they saying?
RYAN NOBLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alisyn, despite that criticism from his opponents, Bernie Sanders is excited for the fight over democratic socialism, and he's arguing that it is the best way to beat Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDERS: I believe in a democratic socialism that works for the working families of this country.
NOBLES (voice-over): Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has embraced the democratic socialist moniker for decades. But now some of his 2020 rivals are pushing back on the Vermont senator.
Frontrunner Joe Biden challenging Sanders' ideology at a Chicago fundraiser Wednesday saying, quote, "Things have changed in a way that needs to be turned around. And it doesn't require socialism, and it doesn't require some fundamental shift. It requires sort of reordering capitalism to make capitalism work and save it."
But Sanders insisting he's prepared for the backlash.
SANDERS: I do understand that I and other progressives will face massive attacks from those who attempt to use the word "socialism" as a slur.
NOBLES: And doubling down Wednesday.
SANDERS: In the wealthiest country in the history of the world, economic rights are human rights. And that is what I mean by democratic socialism.
NOBLES: Still, moderate Democrats in the race worry the Sanders rhetoric is too divisive. SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When Bernie says
it's either Trump or Democratic socialism, that's a completely false choice.
NOBLES: Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper expected to give a speech to rebuff Sanders today, a tactic that didn't go over well at California's Democratic convention last month.
JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Socialism is not the answer. I was re-elected --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bernie, Bernie, Bernie!
SANDERS: Thank you.
NOBLES: In an impassioned speech Wednesday in Washington, Sanders laid out a vigorous defense for his policy stances, calling for an individual's right to a living wage, health care, education, affordable housing, clean environment and a secure retirement.
SANDERS: They may hate democratic socialism, because it benefits working people. But they absolutely love corporate socialism that enriches Trump and other billionaires.
NOBLES: Sanders lamenting that, if they want to defeat Donald Trump, Democrats need to embrace his vision, something the president has consistently slammed.
TRUMP: Nothing's free. You're paying for it. Other people are paying for it. There's nothing free. They'll destroy this country. We'll be another Venezuela.
NOBLES: Sanders' speech comes when polls show his support dwindling to Elizabeth Warren. The Massachusetts senator, who identifies as a capitalist, despite her tough regulatory policies, now stands second to Biden in a new Monmouth University, Nevada, poll while Sanders has dropped to third.
Meanwhile, today is the day to qualify for the first Democratic debate. This is the group of candidates that will make it in that first debate, at least 20 of them. Three candidates that are announced will likely not make the debate, including Steve Bullock, Wayne Messam and Seth Moulton.
And of course, John, we still don't know exactly how this format is going to work and exactly which candidates will appear on which night -- John.
BERMAN: All right. Ryan Nobles for us. Ryan, thank you very much.
We're getting some disturbing new details in the shooting of Red Sox legend David Ortiz. Police in the Dominican Republic say it was a murder for hire. The question is who was behind it and why?
CNN's Patrick Oppmann live in Santo Domingo with the very latest. Patrick, what have you learned?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it really sounds like a chilling plot. Police presenting some of the suspects yesterday, at least six they say they have captured, one who is still on the run.
And one of the people they say they have behind bars now is the alleged shooter, Rolfi Ferreira Cruz. They showed the pistol that they say he used to shoot David Ortiz.
[06:20:08] And then they showed videos taken from the area, the scene of the shooting, that showed a much more coordinated attack. There were several cars in the area that the shooter and the motorcycle's get-away driver, they stopped and spoke. It seems like they were conferring with some of their colleagues, fellow hitmen, allegedly, police say, before going and carrying out the shooting.
The incredible thing here, though, is what it all cost: 400,000 Dominican pesos may sound like a lot. It's less than $8,000. You know, so we've been hearing all week that life is cheap in the Dominican Republic, even for a millionaire famous baseball player, that is also the case -- Alisyn.
CAMEROTA: And still, of course, what was the motive? And why were so many people involved? Obviously, there are still a lot of questions. Patrick, thank you for your reporting from the ground there.
So police and protesters facing off again in Hong Kong. Now the founder of a messaging app that is popular with the protesters claims that China tried to sabotage these protests with a cyberattack.
CNN's Ivan Watson is live in Hong Kong with the latest. What's happening, Ivan?
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.
The scene is much, much calmer today, compared to the tens of thousands of demonstrators we saw yesterday clashing with riot police. Instead, here outside the headquarters of the city government, you have maybe several hundred people. You've got a Christian group here singing songs, and they're right in front of barricades here, where the police are on guard.
We have seen some of the demonstrators calling the police dogs, saying, "Go back to China. This is Hong Kong. You're unpatriotic."
There are tensions, because around a hundred people have been hospitalized. Demonstrators and police in those scenes of teargas and clashes on Wednesday here. But there were tropical rain showers. Maybe that calmed things down. Or maybe people are just exhausted from the tension and the clashes yesterday.
As for now, the discussion of the controversial extradition legislation that's supposed to take place in this legislative council, it's been postponed for the time being. But the government does not show signs of backing down. Neither do the demonstrators.
We have signs from the social media app Telegram, for example, which many of these protesters were using to organize. They say that they were being hacked from I.P. addresses in mainland China yesterday.
But for the time being, this test of wills continues, though fortunately, we're not seeing the violence repeated anywhere near the scale that we saw on Wednesday -- John and Alisyn.
BERMAN: All right, Ivan. Thank you for watching that for us. We appreciate it.
Turn away if you are afraid of heights. Look at this.
CAMEROTA: Wait. Should I turn away or look at it? Which one?
BERMAN: Well, both. You're right. That is a mixed message there.
I'm told, if you look closely at the video, there are cracks in the floor of the glass viewing platform --
CAMEROTA: Oh, God.
BERMAN: -- of the Willis Tower, otherwise known to those of us who are more than ten years old as the Sears Tower in Chicago. A hundred and three floors up. A spokesperson says protective coating has some minor cracking.
CAMEROTA: Doesn't look minor.
BERMAN: I think that any cracking 103 stories up is not minor.
CAMEROTA: It's major.
BERMAN: Right. We are told that no one is in danger, except for the cracking. The Willis Tower SkyDeck attacks -- attracts about one and a half million visitors each year.
CAMEROTA: You'll notice no one is using the platform, thankfully, right there.
BERMAN: You don't walk out on the cracks 130 stories up?
CAMEROTA: No. That looks --
BERMAN: Shrewd tourist there.
CAMEROTA: All right. Our next guest says that President Trump is a counter-intelligence threat to the United States of America. She calls him a laundromat for stolen information.
We have two intelligence veterans weigh in next on the president's open invitation to other countries.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:28:11] CAMEROTA: Is it open season on the 2020 election?
BERMAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: I'm going to -- I'm not ready for your answer yet.
BERMAN: All right, sorry.
CAMEROTA: I have a --
BERMAN: I'll wait, I'll wait. I'll wait, I'll wait.
CAMEROTA: OK, there's a new interview with ABC News --
BERMAN: Yes!
CAMEROTA: -- in this President Trump suggests he would be open to any foreign country that claims to have dirt on his opponents. Hold your thoughts.
BERMAN: Yes.
CAMEROTA: Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: OK. Let's put yourself in a position. You're a congressman. Somebody comes up and says, "Hey, I have information on your opponent." Do you call the FBI? I don't think -- I'll tell you what.
STEPHANOPOULOS: If it's coming from Russia you do.
TRUMP: I've seen a lot of things over my life. I don't think in my whole life I've ever called the FBI, in my whole life. I don't -- you don't call the FBI. You throw somebody out of your office. You do whatever you --
STEPHANOPOULOS: Al Gore got a stolen briefing book. He called the FBI.
TRUMP: Well, that's different. A stolen briefing book. This isn't a stolen -- This is somebody that said, "We have information on your opponent." "Oh, let me call the FBI." Give me a break. Life doesn't work that way.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The FBI director says that's what should happen.
TRUMP: The FBI director is wrong.
STEPHANOPOULOS: In your campaign this time around, if foreigners, if Russia, if China, if someone else offers you information on opponents, should they accept it, or should they call the FBI?
TRUMP: I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen. I don't -- there's nothing wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country -- Norway -- "We have information on your opponent." Oh. I think I'd want to hear it. STEPHANOPOULOS: You want that kind of interference in our elections?
TRUMP: It's not an interference. They have information. I think I'd take it. If I thought there was something wrong, I'd go maybe to the FBI.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAMEROTA: Now you can answer.
BERMAN: Yes!
CAMEROTA: OK. Joining us now are former FBI supervisory special agent and CNN law enforcement analyst Josh Campbell and former senior adviser to the national security advisor and CNN national security analyst Samantha Vinograd.
Sam, I'm going to start with you, because you say that what you just heard there shows that President Trump has a "for sale" sign on his forehead. Meaning?
SAMANTHA VINOGRAD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, what a difference three years doesn't make. Right? We know from the.
END
