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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Threatens The End Of Iran; GOP Rep. Says Trump Committed Impeachable Offenses; Buttigieg Reaches Out To Fox Viewers, Slams Hosts; Morehouse Graduates Get Loans Paid Off; Game Of Thrones, Game Over; Good Samaritans Help Track Down Abducted Girl; Trump Distance Himself From Abortion Laws; 2020 Dems Speak Out On Alabama Abortion Law; Ron Howard, Brian Glazer To Boycott Georgia; Columbine Survivor Found Dead At 37; Abducted Texas Girl Reunited With Family; Koepka Defends PGA Championship Wire-To-Wire. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired May 20, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN HOST: The official end of Iran, a new warning from the president just as tensions are simmering.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST: The first Republican lawmaker says the president committed impeachable offenses. But the rest of the GOP is not behind that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG (D-SOUTH BEND-IN) 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some of those hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network who do it in good faith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Mayor Pete Buttigieg makes his case on Fox News hours after the president said, Fox shouldn't even cover the Democrats at all.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Wow. A dream come true, a $40 million gesture giving the Morehouse College class of 2019 a lot to smile about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Christine, congratulations on hitting the 20 year mark here at CNN and thank you so much for being such a great colleague, you are a fantastic reporter and anchor. You always make sense of financial news that would otherwise sound like (inaudible) and you explain what it means and how it's going to affect people. But what I really admire you for is that you're always, always kind and encouraging and you're a great mom. Congrats my friend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: I did not see that coming.
BRIGGS: I would second all of thoughts.
ROMANS: That is so sweet. I didn't even realize it was my 20 year. I knew it was this month, but I wasn't aware. Feels like yesterday.
BRIGGS: I had that date circled on the calendar, months ago. We've been doing some hard work here behind the scenes. Good morning.
ROMANS: Thank you. Thank you for marking it. Good morning everyone. And welcome to my "Early Start," I'm Christine Romans, I started here when I was 10 years old.
BRIGGS: Ten years old. That's right. I'm Dave Briggs. Happy 20th anniversary with the network.
ROMANS: Thank you.
BRIGGS: A lot more ahead on that. It is Monday, May 20th, 4:00 a.m. in the East. Just when tensions with Iran seemed to be easing. President Trump reignited them. He is now literally threatening to exterminate the Iranians tweeting, if Iran wants to fight, that would be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again. Let's bring in Fred Pleitgen live from Tehran, good morning, sir. Any sense of what prompted this tweet.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Absolutely unclear, Dave. Especially since towards the end of last week. We really saw or seemed to see the tensions between the U.S. and Iran in this most recent standoff of kind of being toned down a little bit, and also of course, we got that news that apparently President Trump was even seeking some sort of back channel with the Iranians to try and jump start negotiations somehow.
So, really, unclear what prompted this, but of course this latest tweet has already provoked some reactions here in Tehran. There was a senior aide to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, who came out earlier today and he tweeted and said Trump himself once said that the U.S. was crippled and he said -- Trump must know that a crippled body cannot threaten Iran.
Meanwhile a tough talk from these commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, he came out on Sunday and the message was before President Trump's tweet, he reiterated that the Iranians don't want war, but are prepared in case war does erupt. He said the difference between Iran and the United States is that Iran is not afraid of war. So some pretty tough talk going on there. But again, all this coming as the supreme leader has said, that Iran doesn't war, and also the Foreign Minister that the Iranians continuing to say also no negotiations with the Trump administration at this point in time.
BRIGGS: All right. Fred Pleitgen live for us in Tehran, 12:34 p.m. Thanks, Fred.
ROMANS: OK. Republican Congressman says President Trump committed impeachable offenses. Now the president is punching back.
[04:05:00] Justin Amash of Michigan tweeting, he believes Attorney General Barr deliberately misrepresented the Mueller report to the American people and that the president engaged in impeachable conduct, he goes on to say, undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence.
BRIGGS: The president never too busy to fire back. Calling the congressman a quote, total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel says Congressman Amash is parroting Democratic talking points. Others like Utah Senator Mitt Romney, will go as far as Amash, but still believes the president has to set a higher standard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UH): I think it's a courageous statement, but I believe that to make a case for obstruction of justice you just don't have the elements that are evidenced in this document.
The president has distanced himself from some of the best qualities of the human character. I think he could substantially improve his game when it comes to helping shape the character of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Meanwhile, Barr's characterization of the Mueller report is now under criticism from former Attorney General Eric Holder, he accuses Barr of protecting the president and says he does not stand up for the good people he leads. He is not fit to lead the DOJ.
President Trump attacking free speech, press freedoms and Fox News in a single tweet. Saying quote, hard to believe that Fox News is wasting air time on Mayor Pete. Fox is moving more and more to the losing wrong side in covering the Dems. The president apparently mad that his favorite network is even covering the 2020 Democratic field. Fox hosted a Pete Buttigieg town hall Sunday night. The South Bend mayor and Democratic contender took on Fox, but also reached out to their viewers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUTTIGIEG: I mean, when you got Tucker Carlson saying that immigrants make America dirty, when you've got Laura Ingraham comparing detention centers with children in cages to summer camps. Summer camps, then there is a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem, but I also believe that even though some of those hosts are not always there in good faith, I think a lot of people tune into this network who do it in good faith.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BRIGGS: As for the Trump tweet, one Fox News host Brit Hume took
exception tweeting at the president, saying this for Buttigieg, he is willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something you've barely done since you have been president, oh, and covering candidates of both parties is part of the job of a news channel. Meantime, another Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris will roll out her plan today for closing the gender pay gap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to announce the first ever national priority on closing that pay gap and holding -- and holding corporations accountable for transparency and closing that gap. There will be penalties if they don't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: In his programming note, Washington state governor and 2020 Democrat Jay Inslee is a guest on "New Day" later this morning. Inslee just release a $3 trillion jobs plan centered on clean energy. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the climate plan the most serious and comprehensive to address the crisis in the 2020 Democratic field.
BRIGGS: The 2019 graduating class of Morehouse College in Atlanta, getting the surprise of a lifetime at their commencement ceremony, Sunday. They are celebrating there. Pay close attention to the reaction of the man in the lower left corner of your screen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we're going to put a little fuel in your bus, and my family is making a grand to eliminate their student loans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Making that speech was billionaire investor Robert Smith making the pledge during his commencement speech. It drew a standing ovation as you might imagine and chants of MVP.
ROMANS: I have goosebumps, this is such an amazing commencement address. The Morehouse president says the total amount covered for the 396 graduates is up to $40 million. The seniors could barely believe their ears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIJAH NESLY DORMEUS, MOREHOUSE GRADUATE: I mean, you know, loans added with interest, you know, sub and unsubsidized, so when I heard the message, it just brings back in my head, that first feeling I had, when I was like wow, to hear it will be taken care of, is just like, now I can pay it literally forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP) [04:10:06] ROMANS: Robert Smith is the founder of the investment
firm, Vista Equity Partners, and it is said to be worth about $5 billion. According to Forbes, he is the richest black person in America.
BRIGGS: Game over, after eight grueling and bloody seasons. HBO's "Game of Thrones" aired its series finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are my queen, now and always.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: So what happened next? We will not tell you. Who ended up ruling the seven king kingdoms, what happened to the iron throne and what character's story line could lead to a spinoff. Social media, of course, exploded as things went down and continued to this morning, but you'll have to watch to find out. No spoilers here on Early Start. I know you try to close your eyes.
(CROSSTALK)
I can tell you this, it was some brutal reviews online that I have read that really hated this. More than a million people have signed a change.org petition to re-write the entire season.
ROMANS: That's I not going to happen.
ROMANS: This is such a beloved series, that of course, some people are going to be unhappy.
BRIGGS: It will be miss.
ROMANS: We are not going to spoil it for you this morning. You have another day to watch it. All right, 11 minutes past the hour.
A Texas girl abducted from her mom has been found with the help of two strangers who had tracked down the car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Christine, I remember seeing you walking on Wall Street on your way to the New York stock exchange, when you anchored on then CNNFN. Now we had never met at the time, but I knew who you were and I admired you so much. Years later, once I knew you, another thing I remember was this, you telling me how you were carrying a stroller upstairs in your New York City apartment when you had three kids and I really admire that too. You do everything with grace and warmth and I admire you even more knowing you than I did from afar that day so long ago on Wall Street. Congratulations on 20 years here at CNN, Christine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROMANS: President Trump joining a chorus of Republicans distancing
themselves from new state laws banning the vast majority of abortions. Mr. Trump claiming to be strongly prolife with three exceptions, rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother. The president didn't specifically refer to a controversial Alabama law enacted last week that makes performing abortion a felony, unless a pregnancy seriously risks a woman's health. Now, 16 states have now passed or are in the process of passing anti-abortion laws. 2020 Democratic hopefuls call it an attack on women's rights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is dangerous. It is a place that we have never seen. I think people have always warned that this could happen and it has actually happened.
SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D-NY), U.S. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is nothing short of an all-out assault on women's reproductive freedom. I hope America's women are paying attention, because President Trump has started a war on America's women. If it's a fight he wants to have, it's a fight he is going to have and he is going to lose.
HARRIS: Women's access to reproductive health care is under attack and we will not stand for it.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I-VT), U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If they are implemented, the consequences will be absolutely disastrous and threaten the very lives of women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: SNL's Leslie Jones also weighed in during the show's season finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is how it starts, I'm out living my life, then I see on the news a bunch of states are trying to ban abortion and tell me what I can and can't do with my body. Next thing you know, I'm in Starbucks and they won't take my credit card, because I'm a woman, instead of the regular reason which is I don't have no money on it. This look like the casting call for a Lipitor commercial. This looks like the mug shots of everyone arrested at a massage parlor. When women have a choice, women have freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: That was viral all through the day on Sunday. Film maker Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer have joined a list of Hollywood stars who say they will boycott Georgia after that state's governor signed a controversial heartbeat bill into law, set to go into effect January 1st. It has been interesting to see some Republicans kind of distance themselves from Alabama in terms of the rape and incest portion.
ROMANS: Right.
BRIGGS: Because they can feel that this may have gone too far, that this debate will continue to rage. Ahead, twice as nice. Brooks Koepka holds on for a second straight win at the PGA championship. We'll have the history ahead on "Early Start."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: What is this I'm being told, Christine Romans is 20 years old? Is that right? Oh, she's been 20 years? She's been at the network, are you kidding me, she barely looks 20. That means she came here in 1999. So Christine Romans, congratulations, why don't you party like its 1999, and you don't look a day over 21. I don't understand how this math works. You being the money woman, maybe you can explain it to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRIGGS: 20 years after the Columbine massacre, one of the survivors has been found dead. 37-year-old Austin Eubanks was found at his home early Saturday during a wellness check. He had not been answering his phone. During the attack in 1999, Eubanks was shot in the hand and knee. His best friend died on the scene. Shortly after the incident, Eubanks said he developed an opioid addiction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AUSTIN EUBANKS, COLUMBINE SURVIVOR: When I took those medications, I felt better, and I thought that is what they were for. It's incredibly difficult. I mean, it's a journey that really doesn't ever end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: He later became a public speaker on substance abuse issues. Eubanks families said, he lost his life to a disease he tried to help others combat.
ROMANS: An abducted 8-year-old girl in Texas is home safe this morning. Police say Salem Sabatka was taking a walk with her mom on Saturday night in Fort Worth, when a car approached and a man grabbed her. The girl's mother tried to jump in the car, but the man shoved her and sped off. Two people called police after spotting a car in a hotel parking lot that matched a description put out by police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[04:25:08] BUDDY CALZADA, FORTH WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: These guys are heroes. You know, we're here in police uniform with badges and guns and everybody calls us heroes, and now we have two citizens that went out of our way and assisted us 100 percent, they're our heroes tonight, I tell you that.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Officers raced to a room at the hotel, rescued the girl, she
was taken to a local hospital and has since been reunited with her family. The 51-year-old suspect is facing aggravated kidnapping charges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a Koepka coronation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Brooks Koepka is the PGA champion for the second year in a row. He joins Tiger Woods as the only player to successfully defend a title since the current format started in 1958. He is the first to win the PGA Wire-to-Wire since 1983. That is four majors in the last eight tries for Koepka. Now the world's new number one ranked player.
ROMANS: All right. The official end of Iran, why did the president renew his verbal attacks on Iran just as things were settling down?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, the best way to describe who Christine Romans is to explain how we once wrote a book together in which we shared tough billing and the cover and for which I got 50 percent of the credit for maybe 25 percent of the work. Christine and I started our careers at roughly the same time and with roughly the same experience, but she could always do and still can do anything I do better, faster and smarter, but she won't ever tell you that, so I will. Christine you are a credit to your profession, and in an era where what we do is under constant attack, you are the one we can all point to as holding up the legitimacy and integrity of how to do journalism right. Here's to the next 20 years, and if you ever want to write a book together again, you know where to find me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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