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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Louisiana The Target Of First-Ever Hurricane "One-Two" Punch; GOP Convention Starts Today, And It's All About Trump; FDA Authorizes Blood Plasma As Coronavirus Treatment. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 24, 2020 - 05:30   ET

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


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[05:30:38]

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: The Republican convention is just hours away. The president will be a daily attraction. But in a surprise move, one of his most fierce defenders is stepping away. We'll tell you why.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And a twin weather threat in the Gulf Coast. Two major storms barreling toward Louisiana -- mandatory evacuations overnight. The latest forecast in just a moment.

Good morning, everyone. This is EARLY START, Monday edition. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett, 30 minutes past the hour.

And happening now, unprecedented back-to-back hurricanes targeting the same state, forcing evacuations in Louisiana.

First up, Marco. It weakened to a tropical storm overnight but it still remains a threat. Next, storm Laura forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before it makes landfall on the U.S. mainland late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Both are headed toward the Gulf of Mexico. Just moments ago, tropical storm warnings were issued for parts of the Florida Keys.

ROMANS: Weather officials say never before has a single state faced such severe storms in one 48-hour period. Mandatory evacuations ordered for Plaquemines Parish and Grand Isle, Louisiana. The timing couldn't be worse with shelter space limited because of the pandemic.

The governor's warning, don't let your guard down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS (D), LOUISIANA: The geographic proximity of these storms pose a challenge that, quite frankly, we've not seen before. With this one-two punch that -- what we are expecting, this is a situation where you really need to be prepared, as we've always told you, to ride out these storms, and the first 72 hours is on you. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: This water spout off the coast a sign of what's to come. So far, 114 oil and gas production platforms on the Gulf have been evacuated.

JARRETT: Flooding and storm surge are the major concerns right now, but there may not be enough time to get the water pumped out or recede in a short time between these back-to-back storms.

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri is live for us this morning. Pedram, what else can we expect?

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know, this particular storm system -- of course, Marco, as you noted, weakening rather quickly and that is the great news with this system. We know the storm surge threat still very high.

I want to show you what's happened with it here. There's quite a bit of wind shear or winds above it beginning to kind of break the system apart. That's fantastic news.

It is going to approach Louisiana within, say, the next 12 to 18 hours -- possibly either skirt the coastline and rain itself out on the coast or make landfall officially there in one of these southern parishes of Louisiana. And that's about it when it comes to what is left of Marco. About two to four-foot storm surge. Mandatory evacuations in place in this region of southern Louisiana.

But it is Tropical Storm Laura -- which, by the way, is actually pronounced Laura with a -- like a L-A-W pronunciation -- but this particular storm is forecast to skirt just south of Cuba and then eventually into the Gulf of Mexico by this time tomorrow.

At this point, ingredients are firmly in place for this system to intensify rather quickly. So we think it could get up to a category one, category two, maybe even a category three. If that is the case, the National Hurricane Center says anything is possible with this particular storm given the water temperatures and the wind shear that is going to be decreasing across this region.

But you'll notice water temperatures were Marco has been generally into the lower 80s. Where Laura is headed it could actually get up to close to 90 degrees here.

There's certainly going to be plenty of fuel for this storm system to intensify between Tuesday and Wednesday. We think it will approach land sometime Wednesday afternoon-evening or maybe even as late as, say, Thursday morning. But around the western area of Louisiana, eastern Texas, that is where we're kind of highlighting for the most likelihood scenario of Laura making landfall.

And, of course, the last time we had two named tropical systems simultaneously in the Gulf of Mexico was back in 1959. So, Laura, when you talk about seeing something that is essentially as 2020 as it gets with weather, this is it right here with tropical systems in the Gulf simultaneously.

JARRETT: All right, Pedram. We know you're staying on top of this for us. Thank you so much.

ROMANS: All right.

Before heading to the U.S. mainland, Marco and Laura are leaving flooding and wreckage behind in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. More than a million people without power and at least nine are dead.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann live for us this morning in Havana. What are you seeing there?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CUBA CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a calm and beautiful morning but we know that won't last. The storm is moving from eastern Cuba to central Cuba, and by the end of the day, will be where I am here in Havana before going to the Gulf Coast and heading towards the U.S.

[05:35:05]

And even though this is a tropical storm -- it's not expected to create the catastrophic damage we've seen from major hurricanes in the past -- it is already wreaking havoc in Cuba. We're hearing about trees down, a lot of power lines down, coastal flooding.

And this complicates the other crisis the world is dealing with right now, the coronavirus pandemic. Because when you talk about people having to evacuate their homes, go to shelters, stay with relatives -- of course, that's just not good when some of the governments around the world are telling people to isolate. But there really is nothing you can do.

If you live on the coast, the Cuban government is telling people here to get off the coast because there is going to be some coastal flooding. We've already seen how this storm has taken lives in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. So the government here is telling people to take heed -- to seek shelter now so that we don't see a repeat of that situation here.

And just -- you know, we were talking about it a minute ago -- it's so incredible. On Saturday, the Cuban government reported damage from Tropical Storm Marco in western Cuba. And now, two days later, we are seeing damage being caused by Tropical Storm Laura in the eastern part of the island. So just in as many days, we've seen damage from two different storms on this island, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, thank you so much for that, Patrick. Patrick Oppmann for us in Havana. Stay safe.

JARRETT: Breaking overnight, one of the president's most trusted aides is leaving his side. Kellyanne Conway says she is leaving the White House to focus on her family.

Her husband, prominent conservative lawyer George Conway, is also stepping back as the leader of The Lincoln Project. He says he still supports the Republican group's anti-Trump mission, though.

ROMANS: Political tension between the Conways had spilled into public view in recent years and one of the Conway's high school-age daughters had generated attention on social media about her parents and their political views over the last several months.

Kellyanne Conway says she and her husband disagree on plenty but they're united about their kids mattering most. She says the decision to leave the White House, quote, "...is completely my choice and my voice. For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama."

JARRETT: A slimmed-down Republican National Convention kicks off today in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bucking tradition, President Trump is set to appear every night of the convention. He's been pushing his aides behind the scenes hard to deliver a blockbuster event, never mind pandemic limitations.

Speakers tonight include prominent Trump allies and a black Democratic state representative from Georgia who endorsed the president, withdrew from the election, and accused his own party of bias against African- Americans.

ROMANS: The convention is expected to include moments designed both to surprise viewers and trigger outrage from opponents. The party will not adopt a new platform this year, backing the president's agenda in full. So there is one thing Republicans and Democrats agree on, this election is all about Trump.

All right, the wind-up for opening night of the RNC includes former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, Donald Trump Jr., and more. Special live coverage all week long starting tonight at 7:00 eastern on CNN.

JARRETT: This morning, there are some new questions about whether political pressure is driving government decisions related to coronavirus. The FDA is granting emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma as a treatment, expanding its use in U.S. hospitals.

That decision came shortly after the president accused the agency of slow-walking the development of vaccines and therapeutics to hurt him politically.

ROMANS: Convalescent plasma is made using the blood of people who have recovered from an infection. It's safe but not yet proven to work on COVID-19. And CNN has learned several top health officials have been skeptical there was enough data to justify emergency authorization.

President Trump touting the announcement while the FDA has taken a much more measured tone.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Laura.

President Trump announcing on Sunday that the FDA has authorized this emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma -- this potential coronavirus treatment. Now, the president characterized this as a breakthrough -- as a historic announcement that he was making on Sunday. That is certainly not the case.

There is no clear conclusive evidence as of yet that convalescent plasma is an effective treatment for coronavirus. There is some initial data, but there is not the kind of randomized clinical controlled trials that are viewed as the gold standard to assess the efficacy of a treatment like this.

But the president, nonetheless, insisting that he was able to break a quote-unquote "logjam" at the FDA, which earlier on Sunday, he accused of being part of the deep state.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I think that there might have been a holdup but we broke the logjam over the last week, to be honest. I think that there are people in the FDA and actually, in your larger department that can see things being held up and wouldn't mind so much. That's my opinion -- a very strong opinion.

DIAMOND: Now, there's certainly no evidence that there was any kind of political motivations here behind the FDA not issuing this emergency use authorization up to this point. But there certainly are questions about the kind of pressure that the president may have brought to bear on the FDA.

[05:40:06]

The timing of this, of course, is notable given the tweet from the president about the FDA, as well as the timing in a political sense. On the political calendar here, the president is heading into the Republican National Convention. He is looking for ways to convince the American public that he is handling the coronavirus pandemic effectively.

All you have to do, really, is look at the FDA's own words. While the president insisted that this was some kind of a breakthrough, the FDA is a little bit more cautious. They note that this product, quote, "may be effective in treating COVID-19 and that the known potential benefits outweigh the risks."

Christine, Laura.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JARRETT: Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much.

As for this virus, about 80 percent of the country is now seeing a drop in cases. Almost 35,000 new cases were reported on Sunday. Now, remember, weekend numbers are typically lower but that is the lowest total for a Sunday since June 21st.

Still, deaths are rising in 19 states, many of them in the Midwest and the mid-Atlantic. And, 31 states are struggling with rising positivity rates, which is usually a sign following a surge in cases. So, the U.S. is clearly not out of the woods yet, especially with Labor Day coming up.

ROMANS: Americans are feeling the pain of a devastated economy. One food bank in New York is feeding at least 10,000 people a week, with folks lining up for blocks to get food.

But, New York has come a long way in a short time. Museums and other cultural institutions are set to reopen today with limited capacity.

JARRETT: Overseas, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Parts of Europe showing clear signs of a second wave after reopenings. Italy recorded more than 1,200 cases yesterday. That's the most since May 12th. And, France saw the highest post-lockdown increase Sunday with almost 4,900 cases.

An interesting experiment in Germany. An indoor concert held by researchers to better understand how the virus spreads at big, busy events and how to prevent it.

But in Beijing, residents can now go mask-free as COVID cases hit new lows. Students returning today to a university campus in Wuhan after an eight-month break.

ROMANS: All right.

Millions of Americans are anxiously waiting for the emergency jobless benefits the president promised two weeks ago. Congress left without a new stimulus deal and emergency funding for the out-of-work and small business, that has expired. That leaves state jobless benefits alone to pay for food and rent for millions of people.

The numbers are grim. Massachusetts has the highest unemployment rate in the country, 16.1 percent. Three states set new highs in July.

A jobless check in Massachusetts averages $426 a week. But in two dozen states, jobless checks are less than $300 a week on average.

Now, the president said he would redirect federal disaster aid to give people $300 a week -- an extra $300 a week -- but it could take weeks for that money to actually flow. States have to apply for the grants and then set up new programs. At least 19 states have been approved for the lost wage assistance grants. Only Arizona residents have begun to receive the money.

Goldman Sachs notes the lapse in the original emergency $600 jobless benefits will suck $70 billion out of personal income in August. It says the $300 benefit that the president has promised is too little, too late for consumer spending.

All right, an unbearable scene, sort of. The foul ball this guy never saw coming, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:47:41]

ROMANS: Massive protests on the streets of Belarus. Tens of thousands showing unprecedented opposition to the country's embattled president, Alexander Lukashenko. Today, the State Department will meet with the Belarus opposition leader, but Lukashenko putting up a strongman show of force, refusing to be pushed out.

Frederik Pleitgen live on the ground in Minsk. We're looking at that video, Fred. Does he have an automatic -- what is it -- an automatic rifle? What is he doing there?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Christine.

Yes, that was really a bizarre scene that unfolded here in Minsk -- in the capital of Belarus yesterday. Because on the one hand, you had those protesters on the ground who were very, very peaceful with balloons, and flowers, and signs calling for change here in this country.

And then you had Alexander Lukashenko, who later released video of himself hovering above the city in a chopper with an AK-47 by his side. He then later was pictured landing that chopper, getting off, and then inspecting one of the checkpoints that was outside one of his presidential palaces.

But it really is part of the dangerous rhetoric that we're seeing from Alexander Lukashenko because as you rightly pointed out, you have these demos that came out yesterday with about 100,000 people at that protest calling for change -- calling for peaceful change and really just calling for another election to take place -- a transparent one.

But at the same time, you have Alexander Lukashenko claiming that there's some sort of invasion from NATO that might be imminent, and saying that he's the only one who can stop it. And essentially, trying to paint these very peaceful protesters as being a threat to the national security of this country.

Now, the protesters, themselves, are telling us they believe they need to come out right now because they want to enforce change in this country. But there are also a lot of those protesters who fear that Alexander Lukashenko, with that rhetoric, is essentially trying to pull Vladimir Putin on his side and making this -- what's happening here seem as though it is the west trying to infringe on Belarus, Christine.

ROMANS: Interesting. All right, thanks so much for that. Fred Pleitgen for us in Minsk this morning.

JARRETT: All right. Breaking overnight, a big protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin after police shoot a black man with children in the car.

We want to warn you this is disturbing to watch. The video shows at least two officers following the man with guns drawn as he walks from the passenger side of the -- to the driver's side of that car. When the man opens the door and tries to get in, one of the officers grabs him and then fires. At least seven shots are heard.

[05:50:05]

Both officers are now on administrative leave.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers identified the victim as Jacob Blake. Evers says Blake is critically injured.

Police say they were called to deal with some type of domestic disturbance, though it's unclear who called or what happened before the video we just showed you. CNN will bring you more details as they come in.

ROMANS: All right, to California now. Deadly wildfires scorching more than one million acres with no end in sight. Two fires -- one in the Northern Bay Area and Central Valley; the other, east of San Jose -- are the second- and third-biggest fires in state history.

And more trouble could be coming. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning across the Bay Area and Central Coast, cautioning residents that high temperatures, low humidity, and wind gusts could cause dangerous fires.

Two firefighters were saved from an advancing wildfire on Point Reyes. They were trapped in heavy brush about 75 yards from that fire.

JARRETT: OK. So remember earlier in the show, we mentioned a former elections official said it's more likely earth will be hit by an asteroid than mail-in voting would lead to a rigged election? Well, she picked the wrong day to say that. Twenty twenty just keeps getting better.

NASA says an asteroid is, in fact, headed toward earth just in time for the presidential election in November. Officials say it has a slim chance of entering the earth's atmosphere.

The good news here -- the good news here, the asteroid is about seven feet in diameter -- too small, they say, to do major damage even if it hit earth head-on.

ROMANS: All right, we'll see.

Let's get a check on CNN Business this Monday morning. First, a look at markets around the world, all higher. Asian shares closing up. European shares opening up strongly here boosted by hopes of new coronavirus treatments.

On Wall Street, futures also, this morning, leaning up about 236 points in the Dow Futures if it holds. Stocks finished higher Friday. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record highs.

Investors will focus on the Fed this week. The annual Jackson Hole symposium will be held virtually, Thursday. More economic data also in the mix. New homes sales, consumer confidence, durable goods, personal income, and spending -- all of these reports are due.

The housing market is a really bright spot in the economy right now. Existing home sales surged by a record 24.7 percent in July, the second month in a row of double-digit percentage sales gains.

The market has been boosted by record-low mortgage rates and a wave of people working from home. They're looking for more space. Increased demand along with low inventory has sent the median home price to the highest ever, $304,100.

All right, Apple is apologizing after another controversy over its App Store. On Friday, WordPress founder said it had been locked out of the App Store, preventing it from updates. Apple said WordPress had been advertising its premium service in the app, but WordPress is free to use and did not include any in-app purchases.

Apple later apologized and will no longer block updates or require WordPress to change its free app status to include in-app purchases.

Apple is already in a dispute with Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, over violations of in-app payments. Epic is now suing Apple.

JARRETT: We're getting our first look this morning at a new take on an iconic superhero.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Clip from DC/Warner Bros. "The Batman."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: That's Robert Pattinson as "The Batman." Warner Bros. unveiled the first trailer for the film at DC's virtual FanDome event this weekend. "The Batman" is scheduled to be released in October 2021 but a lot hinges on reopening of movie theaters.

Warner Bros. is, of course, owned by CNN's parent company, WarnerMedia.

ROMANS: All right, warning -- you may find this video unbearable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MLB ANNOUNCER: That's a rocket foul down the line in left -- oh, he got the bear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: A foul ball during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland A's nearly knocked the stuffing out of that giant teddy bear. That's one tough teddy -- kind of a metaphor for each and every one of us in 2020.

After the game, the Athletics showed the bear bandaged up and said he passed concussion protocol. He'll be back in the stands tonight.

There are a lot -- I was looking, there are a lot of them there, I guess to -- I don't know.

JARRETT: They've got to fill up the stands some way, right? Give the players a little bit of encouragement.

ROMANS: Oh my gosh, I'm sorry for the puns, everybody, on a Monday morning. That's terrible. Very not funny.

Thanks for --

JARRETT: Unbearable puns.

ROMANS: Unbearable.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" is next.

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[05:59:05]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A one-two punch. The Gulf Coast bracing for two storms.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: By themselves, each storm would be considered manageable. But combine their impacts and no one's really sure what to expect.

BENJAMIN SCHOTT, METEOROLOGIST, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: It is possible that there could be some spots measuring rainfall in one to two feet, instead of in just inches.

RYAN NOBLES, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: The delegates from across the country will formally cast their ballots for Donald Trump and Mike Pence to be the ticket for the Republican Party.

JARED KUSHNER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: Unlike the Democrats last week where there was a lot of complaints, they didn't offer much by way of policy or solutions. President Trump will be laying out real policies, real visions, real solutions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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 all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Monday, August 24th, 6:00 here in New York.

And we're just hours away from the kickoff of the Republican National Convention. President Trump scheduled to be front and center throughout the entire event. This morning, we have new details for you about who will be speaking and what to expect over the next four days. END