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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Democrats Demand GOP Release Plans For Senate Impeachment Trial; Prince Harry Expresses Great Sadness On Stepping Back From Royal Role; 49ers And Chiefs To Play In Super Bowl. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired January 20, 2020 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00]

RYAN NOBLES, CNN ANCHOR: Twenty-nine minutes past the hour. Thanks so much for starting your day with us.

Rules for the president's impeachment trial still under lock and key just a day before the trial gets underway. Republicans who are already trying to limit new evidence Democrats can introduce are now trying to limit the trial duration as well. Instead of 24 hours of opening arguments over 10 days, like the Clinton trial, four sources tell CNN that Senate GOP leaders are considering two 12-hour sessions for both sides to move things along.

With no formal plan in place, Democrats are ramping up pressure on the majority leader.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Why is McConnell being so secretive about his proposal? Well, there are two obvious answers. One, he wants to rush this thing through so quickly because he's afraid of what the American people might hear. And there's a second reason. He's afraid that more damning evidence will come to light.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump has until noon today if he wants to file a trial brief with the secretary of the Senate. His lawyers fought back ferociously this weekend after Democrats 111-page trial memorandum called the president's conduct the framers' worse nightmare.

The president's lawyers called the articles a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the 2016 vote and interfere with the 2020 election. Republican senators who will serve as jurors already lining up to support that claim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DAVID PERDUE (R-GA): My personal preference, Chuck, would be to see this thing dismissed out of hand because I think it's an illegitimate process in the House. SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): This has been a political hit job, this

is political revenge, and what they're doing to the presidency is a danger to the institution itself.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST, ABC "THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS": We've seen the president in public ask the Ukrainians to get involved, ask the Chinese to get involved.

RICHARD SHELBY (R-AL): Well, those were just statements, political. They make them all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: Alan Dershowitz is a newly-named member of the Trump legal team and he argues that abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, even if proven, do not amount to impeachable offenses. But he didn't always feel that way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN DERSHOWITZ, TRUMP IMPEACHMENT DEFENSE LAWYER: Without a crime, there can be no impeachment.

It certainly doesn't have to be a crime. If you have somebody who completely corrupts the office of president, and who abuses trust, and who poses great danger to our liberty, you don't need a technical crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: That was the same guy saying very distinctly different things.

Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham says the president wants very much to deliver his State of the Union speech on February fourth but he'd like that impeachment trial behind him.

JARRETT: The president on the road in Texas last night speaking to farmers. The loudest applause came when President Trump went off- script, talking about impeachment. And without question, the crowd had the president's back.

CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more in Austin for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ryan and Laura.

The president speaking to a couple thousand farmers here in Austin, Texas and he did not waste any time touting his two big trade agreements -- the phase one trade deal with China, which he signed just last week; and USMCA, which he plans to sign very soon.

But his biggest applause line actually came when he mentioned impeachment. Take a listen to how the crowd here reacted. DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're achieving what no administration has ever achieved before and what do I get out of it -- tell me. I get impeached -- that's what I get out of it. By these radical left lunatics, I get impeached.

But that's OK. The farmers are sticking with Trump. They're sticking with Trump.

(APPLAUSE)

YURKEVICH: You hear the crowd really giving their support to the president, so we wanted to ask farmers how do they feel about impeachment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trump is innocent. He didn't do anything that he shouldn't have done. He was doing -- everything that he did was for our benefit as this country and we need to recognize that and let this move forward. The politics of it is -- it doesn't -- it doesn't help us on the ground at all. It needs to go away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I go by what we see and what impacts us directly. The political side of it, there's always going to be that. That's just the nature of Washington, D.C. But as far as that goes, that doesn't have any impact on how I'll vote the next time around.

YURKEVICH: Farmers we spoke to say while they will be paying attention to impeachment it is not top of mind for them. What they really want to focus on are these two new trade deals which they say are promises that have been delivered by the president -- Ryan and Laura.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: All right, Vanessa. Thanks so much.

Breaking overnight, "The New York Times" editorial board bucking tradition with its highly sought after endorsement in the Democratic primary.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

"THE WEEKLY", "THE NEW YORK TIMES" FX AND HULU SERIES: In this perilous moment, both the radical and the realist model warrant serious consideration. For this reason, we are breaking with convention and putting our support behind not one but two candidates, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: The "Times" editorial board acknowledging divisions within the party, writing, quote, "Ms. Klobuchar and Ms. Warren right now are the Democrats best equipped to lead that debate. May the best woman win."

[05:35:07] NOBLES: Now, the decision could be a blow to frontrunner and former vice president Joe Biden. The editorial board writes the Biden agenda tinkers at the edges of critical issues but quote, "merely restoring the status quo will not get America where it needs to go."

In an almost Trumpian takedown of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who I can guarantee did not expect to get this endorsement -- but the "Times" writing, quote, "We see little advantage to exchanging one overpromising divisive figure in Washington for another."

JARRETT: There was some sparring this weekend between Biden and Sanders, both almost 80, over Social Security. Sanders directly attacking Biden's record but also forced to admit a video one of his aides promoted should have included a fuller context. That video supposedly showed Biden backing cuts to Social Security. In reality, Biden was mocking cuts proposed by former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan.

NOBLES: And the "Times" will probably get some criticism for not picking one candidate. In Iowa, it does matter -- a little bit different because you do get to pick first, second, third so you do have more than once choice there. But I have to think, Laura, at the end of the day, voters in Iowa probably care a lot more about perhaps the endorsement of "The Des Moines Register" than they do "The New York Times."

JARRETT: Well, and there's been some debate about it, even in today's environment, whether you should be endorsing anyone at all.

NOBLES: Right.

JARRETT: What purpose is it?

NOBLES: And I -- and I think the "Times" did try and show a little bit more transparency with the television show and everything like that. But yes, voters are making this decision on their own, not with the help of an editorial board.

JARRETT: Absolutely.

NOBLES: Impeachment may be the focus in Washington but in other parts of the world there are more pressing concerns. What matters and why? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:40:48]

NOBLES: All eyes in Washington are on impeachment, but the eyes of the world have no shortage of other issues to focus on. Conflicts and urgent matters brewing from Australia to Europe to South America to North Africa.

JARRETT: CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson fresh off coverage of the Iran crisis in the Middle East is here with us this morning. Nic, thanks so much for joining us here in person. NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Thank you.

JARRETT: Good to see you.

So many big international stories. We put up a map here to just show you everything from Iran, which you've obviously covered, to Venezuela, Libya.

What stands out to you that's going to have the biggest impact globally?

ROBERTSON: I think Iran, right now, because of the potential for conflict. But also, it's shown the world that political rift in the United States -- you know, the president being called out on the reasons to kill the Iranian military commander, Qasem Soleimani. So, United States allies caught off guard.

Plus, the real impact for the world that the United States and President Trump don't really seem to have a game plan going forward. So that creates uncertainty but it's also left this narrative of well, the United States is going to go it alone. And there's that growing sense, particularly in Europe, that that transatlantic alliance is not as strong as it was before.

That's the big one but I think perhaps behind all of that is going to be climate, which we'll hear at Davos -- which we're seeing in Australia at the moment.

NOBLES: It's interesting that you point out the relationship that President Trump has or the framed relationship he has with European leaders.

I do want to play some sound for you about President Trump actually weighing in on that. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We've been taken advantage of by everybody. Europe -- who would think Europe? Europe was in many ways more difficult and is more difficult than China. Nobody would believe that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBLES: Nobody would believe that. That's an American president actually saying that he has a better relationship with the totalitarian regime in China than he does with European leaders. I mean, how would European leaders respond to that?

ROBERTSON: They would take a long view and they would recognize their relationship and the strategic national interest of their countries with the United States and not with an individual president. But they would also look at the elections coming and say well, is he going to get another four years? And that's a very real question at the moment.

What we're hearing from European leaders -- we heard this from Angela Merkel -- probably the sort of moral compass or the sort of guiding light on Europe if you like. And she was the one that held this conference over the weekend about the -- to talk about another briefing about another conflict in the world, Libya, which is -- there's a sort of semi-ceasefire there and it's not holding.

So, Angela Merkel said just last weekend we cannot rely on the United States the way that we used to. She's been saying for a couple of years but that feeling is real.

We heard it from the British Secretary of Defense the weekend before, as well. Ben Wallace saying that the United Kingdom can't look to the United States the same way.

So I think that's how -- you know, when the Europeans hear President Trump say it's difficult dealing with the Europeans -- you know, you're not going to hear them say this publicly but they're going to think we're having trouble dealing with this U.S. president. But underlying is this -- is this the future or is there some kind of reset with the next president?

JARRETT: Talk to us more about his idea of the U.S. going it alone when it comes to climate change. Obviously, President Trump pulling out of the Paris climate deal. He's going to Davos this week. You're not going but he's going to be there.

NOBLES: I'm not going either, just for the record.

ROBERTSON: We're all missing out.

JARRETT: How is this -- how is this going to play out there? What's the conversation going to be like in Davos surrounding climate change?

ROBERTSON: Look, if you look at the World Economic Forum -- the hosts for this event in Davos -- the top five points on their global report are all about the climate. Greta Thunberg, the young Scandinavian climate change activist, is going to be there.

There's going to be pressure on the delegates there to use more public transport, to use more -- well, they're going to be given grips for their shoes so they can walk about in the snow rather than take limousines between the different venues. So there's going to be a stronger narrative about that.

There is going to be a hope, I think, to build on what we've heard from some business leaders that they want to put their employees and the climate ahead of shareholders. This will be a new sort of thinking narrative.

[05:45:02]

But, President Trump's stance on climate change is just one of many areas where he's sort of out of step with many leaders in the world.

But, you know, you won't be having Justin Trudeau at Davos this year; the French president Emmanuel Macron, who is a big champion of climate change. Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, won't be there and Britain is going to be the host this year in Glasgow of the next climate forum.

So, you know, it's going to be an issue on the table but I don't think you're going to find people confronting President Trump about it. They might on other issues.

NOBLES: Yes.

JARRETT: There's a lot.

NOBLES: So speaking -- yes. Speaking of Boris Johnson, a week and a half away from Brexit, theoretically. I mean, we've been talking about Brexit for so long. Is the British government ready for this transition?

ROBERTSON: They would say yes, they have a huge majority. So what they're -- what they are undeniably ready for is to politically move this forward. So, Boris Johnson is in a hugely different position than previous Prime Minister Theresa May.

We do -- Britain does leave the European Union at the end of this month -- January -- but it's not the end of the story because there's the future trade relationship to be negotiated.

NOBLES: Yes.

ROBERTSON: And, Boris Johnson has put a very strict time limit on that -- to the end of this year. And the other European leaders are saying well, whoa, hold on a minute. This is a negotiation and we don't think that that's enough time to do this.

So although we think leaving the European Union is done and the divorce part of the deal is done, it's like OK, how do we move forward? And that's yet to be done. And the indications are, that we're hearing in the U.K., that Britain's going to move further away from E.U. regulations and standards, which is going to make any deal harder to -- you know, harder to agree and therefore, longer to agree.

So, you know, we're headed for another showdown towards the end of this year.

NOBLES: So what you're saying is we're never going to stop talking about Brexit. It's an indefinite discussion.

ROBERTSON: But I think you and I could probably agree to put it to one side. But, no, it's going to continue.

NOBLES: All right. Thank you so much, Nic.

JARRETT: All right, Nic Robertson, thanks so much. Good to see you here on set.

All right. Well, Prince Harry making his first public statement since Buckingham Palace announced he and his wife Megan would give up their royal titles and would no longer represent the queen as working members of the royal family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks of so many years of challenges. And I know I haven't always gotten it right, but as far as this goes there really was no other option.

What I want to make clear is we're not walking away and we certainly aren't walking away from you. Our hope was to continue serving the queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: CNN's Max Foster is live for us at Buckingham Palace. Max, you know, was the prince trying to have it both ways or was he actually trying to find a workable solution here to not accept public funding?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: I think he was trying to get what he wanted and he didn't get what he wanted. He got most of what he wanted. The crucial thing that he wanted, which was freedom to do what he wants where he wants and to get that freedom for his wife as well. So that was the priority.

The queen clearly put her foot down and said you're either in or you're out. You either receive public money for public work or you don't.

He opted for out. He said there was no choice in that. A very powerful speech last night showing his sadness.

So he had to give up various different roles but the ones that are most sensitive to him are those military associations. He was part of the military, the queen's commander in chief. He wanted to keep them and he couldn't, so there's compromise on all sides here.

You have to remember the queen has lost two key members of the royal family who carry out a lot of royal work and step in for her quite regularly. So she's lost out here as well.

But hopefully, I think everyone feels a line has been drawn under this so we'll wait to see how the rest of the family respond to Harry's speech because it was quite poignant in places.

JARRETT: And we've seen some details the palace released this weekend about Harry and Meghan's future roles, and they have a very robust Instagram account. What do you -- what do you think comes next?

FOSTER: Well, it's interesting -- that speech. I was told it was happening -- I wasn't told what was in it -- and I was told there would be video but that video was put out on Instagram. No media at all were invited to the event.

So this is the new future, I think. Because they are no longer public individuals -- they are private individuals -- they can do things in their own way which is what they've always wanted to do. They are publishing their media on their Instagram feed like any other individuals do. It's an indication of how things are going to go.

They're obviously moving over to North American as well, where they'll split their time between the U.S. and Canada. We'll have to wait to see on that.

The other key part of the speech though was the way that Harry really stepped in and tried to under -- get rid of this narrative that Meghan is to blame for all of this. He said he made the decision for the family to leave the royal family and she has the queen's values and she hasn't changed since they got married.

[05:50:15]

These are all things that you've seen in the papers. He's trying to counteract that and I think that's quite important as well.

JARRETT: Yes, a notable pushback there from Harry.

Max Foster in London for us. Thanks so much. See you soon.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBLES: The FBI and local law enforcement in Virginia responding to threats of violence at a big gun rights rally today in the state capital of Richmond. Federal authorities already arresting several suspected neo-Nazis around the country.

[05:55:05]

Gov. Ralph Northam declaring a state of emergency after it was learned that out-of-state hate groups had planned to attend.

The Virginia House Republican leader says that anyone spreading white supremacist garbage is not welcome in Richmond.

JARRETT: Two police officers are shot and killed responding to a domestic violence call in Hawaii.

Authorities say the first officer to arrive outside a home in Waikiki found a stabbing victim. When she and other officers approached the home, suspect Jerry Hanel opened fire. Then another group of officers arrived and they were fired on as well. Officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama were killed.

The Honolulu police chief says the families and the department are just devastated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN BALLARD, HONOLULU POLICE CHIEF: They left in the morning alive and they get notified -- you know, they come to the hospital and find out that their loved ones are no longer around. So, very emotional -- very emotional.

REPORTER: Did you know the officers personally?

BALLARD: I'm sorry?

REPORTER: Did you know the deceased officers personally?

BALLARD: I did. They were like my kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: The gunman also allegedly set a fire that completely destroyed at least seven homes. Possible remains of three people are unaccounted for -- two adult females and the suspect.

NOBLES: Arctic air rolling across much of the eastern two-thirds of the United States. In Iowa, a state trooper and an Omaha man near the shoulder of I-90 -- I-80 I should say, nearly crushed by a truck that lost control on the ice. Incredible video there.

Wind chill advisories across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest could make temperatures feel 25 to 35 below zero.

Here's Pedram Javaheri.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Ryan and Laura, good morning, guys.

Yes, the cold air here going to be the significant story moving forward over the next couple of days and really, not just for the Midwest or northeast but even down south into parts of central Florida over the next couple of days. We'll see wind chills dropping down pretty significantly.

And, in fact, this time yesterday compared to this morning, temperatures running about 15 to 20 degrees colder this morning than this time yesterday. And in New York City, about 13 degrees colder this morning than this time yesterday as well. So certainly becoming noticeable.

And, in fact, wind chills in the afternoon hours -- you'll notice they'll struggle to get up above zero across portions of the Upper Midwest, while Chicago only at 20. And look at New Orleans. It will feel like 46 degrees where temps were well into the 70s just a few days back.

So the trend, about 10 to about 15 degrees below average for this time of year. In New York City, about 31 for the afternoon high. That is about seven degrees below average for this time of year. And you'll notice, again, it does shift into parts of Florida in the next couple of days.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel and it does warm up into the 40s and gets above average and stays there for a few days, as early as Thursday and Friday -- guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Pedram, thanks so much for that report.

And in Puerto Rico, two more cabinet members have been fired after the discovery of a warehouse filled with unused disaster supplies. Gov. Wanda Vazquez announced the dismissal of her secretaries of family services and housing Sunday. The emergency services director was fired just a day earlier.

Pallets of water and boxes with emergency supplies like food, diapers, and baby formula were found on Saturday. It's believed they were there since Hurricane Maria in 2017.

NOBLES: Super Bowl LIV will feature the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers defeating the Green Bay Packers 37 to 20 in the NFC championship game. Raheem Mostert had a record-setting game, rushing for 220 yards and four touchdowns for San Francisco.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, defeating the Tennessee Titans 35 to 24 in the AFC title game. Patrick Mahomes throwing for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

This is going to be a powerhouse matchup. The Chiefs had the league's sixth-ranked offense; the Niners the second-best defense. Super Bowl LIV in two weeks, February second, in Miami.

And thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Ryan Nobles.

JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett. So glad you are here. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Rules for the president's impeachment trial still under lock and key just a day before the trial gets underway.

SCHUMER: We will force votes on witnesses and documents, and it will be up for four Republicans to side with the Constitution.

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): I don't want this proceeding to be a circus. I don't want it to be viewed as a mockery or a kangaroo court.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): This seems to be more of a political or policy differences than actually a high crime and misdemeanor.

GRAHAM: His mood is to go to the State of the Union with this behind him.

REP. JERRY NADLER (D-NY): If there is ample evidence -- overwhelming evidence -- any jury would convict it in three minutes flat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman. JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Monday, January 20th. It's 6:00 here in New York.

Alisyn is off. Erica Hill joins me this morning.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Always a pleasure.

BERMAN: Great to have you here.

The impeachment trial for President Trump begins in earnest tomorrow.

END