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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

President Praises Congressman's Attack On Reporter; Trump Waiting For Results Of Investigations Into Death of Jamal Khashoggi; Close Call For Top U.S. Commander In Afghanistan; Mattis Takes Aim At South China Sea Militarization. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired October 19, 2018 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:05] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: A dramatic reenactment there. The president praises a Congressman for assaulting a reporter as the world waits for answers on a journalist presumed murdered by the Saudis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI HALEY, OUTGOING U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: In America, our political opponents are not evil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.N. ambassador with harsh words for both sides of the aisle, condemning language used even by the president.

BRIGGS: And, the Boston Red Sox are headed back to the World Series, the Sox fourth strip to the fall classic since 2004. That young man is thrilled. It wasn't just a good night for Sox fans.

And sports, in general, Romans -- last night the NBA, the Major League Baseball, the NFL, the MLS, the NHL, and college football all played while we slept.

ROMANS: It sounds like a dream for you.

BRIGGS: It was a good night for sports --

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- fans. It was a dream because I was asleep.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 31 minutes past the hour.

We begin here with the body of Jamal Khashoggi allegedly tortured and dismembered and has yet to be found.

With that story topping the headlines around the world, the president decided last night to praise Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte for assaulting a reporter from "The Guardian" in 2017.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Greg is smart. And by the way, never wrestle him. You understand that -- never.

Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy. I had heard that he body-slammed a reporter and I said oh, this is terrible -- he's going to lose the election.

Then I said well, wait a minute -- I know Montana pretty well. I think it might help him, and it did.

No, he's a great guy -- a tough cookie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The crowd went wild.

The owner of "The Guardian," not so much. John Mulholland said, quote, "It runs the risk of inviting other assaults on journalists both here and across the world."

Here's a reminder of what Gianforte did to "The Guardian's" Ben Jacobs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN JACOBS, POLITICAL REPORTER, THE GUARDIAN: Yes, but there's not going to be time. I'm just curious about --

REP. GREG GIANFORTE (R), MONTANA: Speak with Shane, please.

I'm sick and tired of you guys. The last time you came in here you did the same thing. Get the hell out of here.

JACOBS: Jesus.

GIANFORTE: Get the hell out of here. The last guy did that same thing. Are you with "The Guardian"?

JACOBS: Yes, and you just broke my glasses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Gianforte pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault.

The president standing by him, capping off a week where he refused to criticize another ally accused of murdering a journalist -- the Saudis.

In a slight hedge, the president tells "The New York Times" he has confidence in the intel report suggesting a Saudi role, but he said he's waiting for the results of investigations by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, following the lead of two key advisers.

ROMANS: Jared Kushner, who has close ties with the Saudis, urging the president to move slowly. Two sources tell CNN Kushner is warning his father-in-law against being pressured into a quick decision on Khashoggi.

Another voice in that camp is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. He briefed the president on his trip to Ankara and Riyadh and then said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I told President Trump this morning that we ought to give them a few more days to complete that so that we, too, have a complete understanding of the facts surrounding that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: "The Washington Post" reporting that hardline Republican lawmakers and commentators are mounting a whispering campaign against Khashoggi aimed at protecting the president from criticism here.

The "Post" says conservatives have privately exchanged right-wing articles that highlight decades-old assertions about Khashoggi's connections to the Muslim Brotherhood and raised conspiracy theories about his work as a reporter covering Osama bin Laden.

We just learned Twitter has suspended accounts that appear to be setting out to smear the missing journalist. No evidence the accounts were Saudi government-backed.

ROMANS: That's just remarkable.

BRIGGS: Wow.

ROMANS: All right, let's bring in some analysis from CNN White House reporter Sarah Westwood. Good morning, Sarah.

BRIGGS: Good morning.

ROMANS: So now we know that Jared Kushner and Mike Pompeo -- they want a little bit more time here. Do you they want -- it seems as though they're setting this up. They want more time so the Saudis can find someone to pin this on -- so that they can move forward here -- that's not the crown prince and move past this.

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Right. I mean, the Trump administration's entire Middle Eastern policy is sort of built over this realignment with Saudi Arabia that the Trump administration pursued to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East. And the Iran piece of it is so important because just this week the White House has been signaling that it wants to move forward with more sanctions on Iranian groups and individuals. They clearly want to keep up this campaign that's been championed by National Security Adviser John Bolton, by Mike Pompeo to isolate Iran, get rid of the nuclear deal that the Obama administration pursued. And that's really tough to do if there are also untenable tensions with Saudi Arabia.

[05:35:06] And so, the Trump administration is very clearly reluctant to throw away all the work that they've done in reestablishing that firm alliance with Saudi Arabia.

And as you've noted and sources have told CNN, Jared Kushner has sort of been withdrawn from the front lines of the Saudi Arabian policy because he's under so much scrutiny for the fact that he did champion Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. And now, obviously, that relationship is being questioned in light of the Khashoggi disappearance.

BRIGGS: Yes, so the White House essentially waiting for this to blow over -- waiting for the Saudis to come up with their own cover story and hoping it doesn't become a midterm issue. And here's how the president, at least, attempted last night to frame the midterms now 18 days away -- last night in Montana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This will be an election of Kavanaugh, the caravan, law and order, and common sense. That's what it's going to be. It's going to be an election of those things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: There's also another way the president went last night, Sarah. It's not just Kavanaugh and the caravan, there was this new line that was crowd-tested last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The choice could not be more clear. Democrats produce mobs, Republicans produce jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Now, of course, setting aside the fact that during the Obama years the line was government does not create jobs -- the private sector does that -- which of those two arguments will resonate in the midterms?

WESTWOOD: Well, President Trump has sort of been trying to marry both, right? He's been pointing to the opposition to Kavanaugh to suggest that Democrats are somehow too extreme. That they have mob- like tendencies.

And that kind of language has been echoed by Republican candidates across the country since President Trump started rolling it out earlier this month after Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court. Now, Trump is clearly trying to give himself some cover if Republicans lose because he's not on the ballot. He constantly brings up the fact that he's not on the ballot so he obviously doesn't want to accept the blame if Republicans do lose.

But he is banking on the fact that maybe this language could help motivate complacent Republicans to go to the polls. That enthusiasm gap has been one of the main factors holding Republicans back and contributing to these predictions of a blue wave.

So, President Trump trying to use this mob language to make up that gap. But there's less than three weeks left now. It's difficult to make up so much ground --

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: Yes.

WESTWOOD: -- with so little time.

ROMANS: There's a little bit of irony there, though, when he's talking about the mobs -- and he's talking about the mobs and --

BRIGGS: A little.

ROMANS: -- a little.

And then you hear him talking about assaulting a -- body-slamming a reporter and the crowd goes wild, and the cheers, and the enthusiasm. So, I mean, there's a bit of irony there.

Let's talk a little bit about --

BRIGGS: Pretty sick, yes.

ROMANS: Yes. Let's talk a little bit about the Democrats here because we have two running for Senate who basically are running away from their party in doing so.

Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE DONNELLY (D), INDIANA: I split with my own party to support funding for Trump's border wall. The liberal left wants to chop defense spending. No way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you a Democrat?

KYRSTEN SINEMA (D), ARIZONA SENATE CANDIDATE: I am.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Proud Democrat?

SINEMA: Gosh, it's hard to say proud. I don't know that -- I'm not sure that people are even proud of parties anymore because I feel like the parties are, ick, not doing a good job. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: "Ick, not doing a good job."

That's Joe Donnelly in Indiana and Kyrsten Sinema -- Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona. And it looks -- if you look at the polls this might be working for them.

WESTWOOD: That's right, and there have sort of been these two divergent schools of thought in the Democratic Party. One is to double-down on this progressive energy to try to make the party -- imposing litmus tests on candidates. That's certainly something we're likely to see in the 2020 primary.

And the other is that that progressive approach isn't going to work in the country and Democrats need to be given the space in the middle of America to fit their districts, fit their states, and adopt some of those more moderate positions.

And what you are seeing is that those Democratic politicians who are running in states that supported Trump, where Trump and Republicans have high support, are finding success if they seem more moderate -- more centrist. And so, perhaps that's a lesson that Democrats can take, if those candidates are successful, into the Democratic primaries in 2019 and 2020.

BRIGGS: And what we're seeing for now, 18 days out, is the House going left and the Senate going right. Eighteen days to find out.

Sarah, good to see you -- thanks. Have a great weekend.

ROMANS: Have a nice weekend.

BRIGGS: All right.

Last night at that Montana rally, the president took a shot at Sen. Elizabeth Warren, blasting his potential 2020 rival for that DNA test she recently made public.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The only good thing she did -- and I think she's probably disqualified because she made a fool out of herself -- but I think the only good thing she did -- I can't call her Pocahontas anymore.

She has so little Indian -- she has none -- that I cannot call her Pocahontas anymore. But if you don't mind I'll continue. Do you mind? Because it will show everybody what a phony she is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:40:10] ROMANS: Senator Warren's DNA test revealed she is between 1/64th and 1/1,000th Native American.

BRIGGS: Democrats accusing President Trump of a clear conflict of interest on efforts to replace the FBI headquarters. Internal government e-mails show the president was more involved than had been known, scrapping plans to move the FBI out the decaying Hoover Building to the Washington suburbs.

The decision may benefit the president financially. His hotel, one block away and could have ended up in competition with any hotel built on the current FBI site.

ROMANS: Now, the Hoover Building will be replaced on the same site -- the more expensive option, according to the GSA inspector general.

Documents released by House Democrats site e-mails from the General Services Administration. In one, a top GSA official described the headquarters' decision as, quote, "what POTUS (the president) directed everyone to do."

The GSA said in a statement the e-mails were taken out of context.

BRIGGS: Outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley drawing the biggest laugh of the night at the annual Alfred E. Smith Dinner in New York. Haley was the featured speaker at the fundraiser for Catholic Charities and boy, was she a hit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: Two years ago, President Trump was here and he made some waves with his remarks. Apparently, no one here could have predicted that.

So last year -- last year, he went with Paul Ryan who's a Boy Scout, and that's fine but a little boring.

So this year he wanted to spice things up again, right? I get it. He wanted an Indian woman but Elizabeth Warren failed her DNA test.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: A good delivery.

Haley, though, ended her remarks on a far more serious note.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: In our toxic political environment, I've heard some people in both parties describe their opponents as enemies or evil. In America, our political opponents are not evil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Now remember, the president called Democrats evil during that Brett confirmation -- Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process.

ROMANS: All right.

A very close call in America's longest war. A top U.S. commander in Afghanistan narrowly escapes injury in an insider attack that killed a powerful police chief. More from the Pentagon, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:46:41] BRIGGS: A stunning breach of security in Afghanistan as the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan narrowly escapes injury in an insider attack on local police. A powerful Afghan police chief was killed in the attack.

Here's Ryan Browne with the latest from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN BROWN, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, Christine and Dave.

A senior Afghan police chief and critical U.S. ally was killed in an insider attack in a government compound in Kandahar yesterday.

Now, this attack took place while just after the senior Afghan official was meeting with the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, Gen. Scott Miller, who was not injured in the attack. But, two Americans were wounded -- a U.S. service member and a U.S. civilian government employee. A coalition contractor was also wounded in the attack.

Now, U.S. troops were able to kill the assailant but the Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt.

And the assassination of a key U.S. ally as Afghanistan readies for elections this month raises questions about the country's ability to ensure security and stability as the U.S. seeks to transfer full security responsibility to the Afghanistan government.

Back to you guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right, Ryan Browne at the Pentagon, thank you.

Let's get a check on "CNN Business" this morning.

Recreational marijuana now legal in Canada, but U.S. investors have the munchies -- pardon the pun -- for the cannabis stocks. Shares of Canadian cannabis companies that trade in the U.S. -- like Canopy Growth, Cronos, Tilray -- they have soared this year.

So has this company called Aurora Cannabis. That's thanks to Coca- Cola. There's speculation Coke will likely invest in Aurora, which could make sense. People are drinking less soda and Coke is looking to expand its business beyond soft drinks, telling CNN it's closely watching the growth of cannabis-infused drinks.

But, pot-infused drinks won't hit U.S. stores anytime soon. Cannabis is still illegal in the U.S. under federal law even though a number of states do allow it.

So what can you do if you're traveling to Canada? A lot of questions about that this week.

Even if you live in a U.S. state where pot is legal, like Colorado, you cannot cross the U.S. border with it. So don't try to fly with it in your carry-on. And the exact rules are different across different Canadian cities and provinces. So, business travelers, check local laws and age limits before you go.

All right.

Global stocks slightly higher today but volatility back on Wall Street. It's been a rough October for stocks. The Dow lost another 300 points yesterday, now down about four percent this month. The Nasdaq's October losses, seven percent.

Selling yesterday accelerated after the Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin backed out of that conference in Saudi Arabia. We're told no other U.S. officials will attend.

Global investors have a long list of worries here. Rising interest rates and the U.S. trade war with China on top of that list. In fact, China's economy is growing at the slowest pace since the financial crisis -- 6 1/2 percent in the third quarter.

Elon Musk's newest Tesla is more affordable but not as cheap as he promised. Tesla announced the newest model 3 sedan on its Web site yesterday.

Without all the bells and whistles it was supposed to be around 35 grand, but that's after rebates and discounts. The actual listed price is $45,000.

Tesla says customers will still be eligible for a $7,500 tax credit if they take delivery by the end of this year. That tax credit drops by half on January first.

[05:50:01] Sorry, Charlie. StarKist faces up to $100 million in fines after pleading guilty to price fixing. Federal prosecutors announced this plea deal yesterday.

Three companies, including StarKist and Bumble Bee -- they're accused of working together to keep canned tuna prices higher, raising costs for consumers from 2010 to 2013. This is part of a larger investigation into the canned tuna industry.

Bumble Bee paid a $25 million fine last year.

BRIGGS: Blah.

And, America, Dave Briggs has never had canned tuna. Who has never had canned tuna?

BRIGGS: A vile, evil, heinous substance.

ROMANS: You've never had it. How can you say that?

BRIGGS: I don't know.

ROMANS: I can't -- I don't know anything about you. Who has not had a tuna salad sandwich? BRIGGS: Right, America? It's nasty.

ROMANS: Who has not had a tuna sandwich? Who has not had a tuna salad sandwich? All right.

BRIGGS: Sorry.

Ahead, who has it tougher, a congressman or a prison inmate? One congressman's remark will surprise you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:55:24] ROMANS: New overnight, Defense Sec. James Mattis telling officials from the Pacific Region no single nation can rewrite the international rules of the road. That's Mattis taking aim at China's efforts to militarize parts of the South China Sea.

Joining us now is CNN's Matt Rivers, live in Beijing with the very latest.

This has been a big concern with the United States and its allies for some time.

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, and part of the reason why the secretary of Defense is here in Southeast Asia is to rally support of other countries against what he would call China's militarization of the South China Sea.

What he's saying there is by building up these artificial islands, by installing military equipment on those islands, China continues to threaten the flow of open commerce. That's why you see the United States continually undertake these freedom of navigation operations where they transit very close. Navy ships will transit very close to these islands to challenge Chinese territorial claims.

But it's worth mentioning here that he makes these comments as tensions in this part of the world between the U.S. and China continue to go up.

You had two B-52 bombers flown by the Air Force over the South China Sea -- over disputed islands. China wasn't happy about that.

And you also had an incident just last month where a U.S. Navy destroyer came within 45 yards of a Chinese warship during one of those freedom of navigation operations. The Chinese not happy about that nor were the Americans.

So clearly, the secretary of Defense sticking with the line from the Trump administration that they are going to challenge China in the South China Sea. Even though there might be a little bit of daylight between President Trump and James Mattis right now, they're on the same page when it comes to China.

ROMANS: All right. Matt Rivers for us in Beijing this morning. Thanks, Matt.

BRIGGS: All right.

A curious comment from Republican Congressman Dave Brat, who stopped by a Virginia jail Wednesday to speak with inmates about addiction. In an audio obtained by "The Washington Post," Brat drew parallels between the campaign attack ads against him and the challenges inmates face -- listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DAVE BRAT (R), VIRGINIA: You think you're having a hard time? I got $5 million worth of negative ads going at me. How do you think I'm feeling?

Nothing's easy for anybody. You think I'm a congressman -- oh, life's easy. This guy's off having steaks -- baloney.

I've got a daughter. She's got to deal with that crap on T.V. every day -- all right. It's tough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Tough.

Moments later, he told inmates he's not dismissing the fact they do have it tougher.

His Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, called Brat's comments, quote, "disturbing and damaging."

ROMANS: All right, throw some more money into that office pool, folks.

The Mega Millions jackpot is up to $970 million -- cash option, $549 million. That's the largest Mega Millions pot ever. The jackpot has been building since July 24th.

The drawing is at 11:00 p.m. eastern tonight.

BRIGGS: With so much negativity in the world doesn't it just make you feel good to dream about your yacht?

ROMANS: You know your chances of winning are just about the same if you don't buy a ticket.

BRIGGS: Oh, whatever.

The Red Sox are winning, back in the World Series for the fourth time since 2004. A big 3-run homer here in the sixth by Rafael Devers.

And six stellar scoreless innings from starter David Price. The leftie lifting the Sox to a 4-1 win over the defending champion Astros in game five of the ALCS. That was Price's first playoff win as a starter in 12 tries.

In game one of the World Series, Tuesday at Fenway, the Sox will face the winner of the Dodgers-Brewers series. Game six in the NLCS tonight. L.A. leads that series three games to two.

ROMANS: Look at John Berman.

BRIGGS: A young John Berman.

ROMANS: All right.

BRIGGS: I wonder if John Berman slept much --

ROMANS: I don't know about him.

BRIGGS: -- staying up to watch the Sox.

ROMANS: He doesn't sleep. He's kind of a news robot.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. "NEW DAY" starts right now. Have a great weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy.

ROMANS: President Trump praising a reporter's assault as the world waits for answers about journalist Jamal Khashoggi's apparent murder.

POMPEO: We ought to give them a few more days so that we, too, have a complete understanding of the facts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an opportunity for the Saudis to create a narrative that takes the blame off of the crown prince.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time to revoke the blank check the Trump administration has given to Saudi Arabia.

(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 around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Friday, October 19th, 6:00 here in New York.

And last night, President Trump supported violence against journalists. He praised and joked about a Republican congressman who assaulted a journalist last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I had heard that he body-slammed a reporter. Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)