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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Threatens to Wipe Out Iran; Pete Buttigieg Reaches Out to Fox News Viewers; Morehouse Graduates Get Loans Paid Off. Aired 5- 5:30a ET
Aired May 20, 2019 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-HOST, EARLY START: Offenses, but the rest of the GOP is not behind Justin Amash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some of those hosts are not always there in good faith. I think a lot of people tune in to this network who do it in good faith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE BRIGGS, CO-HOST, EARLY START: 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)
ROBERT SMITH, INVESTOR: My family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Wow, the Morehouse College Class of 2019 has a lot to smile about, their student loans will be paid off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, SITUATION ROOM: From all of us here in the "SITUATION ROOM", congratulations on 20, yes 20 years at CNN. I think Christine might have been drafted right out of high school, but we'll have to fact-check that. CNN is so lucky to have her, we wish her so many more years of success.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Oh, Wolf, thank you, you guys are so sweet surprising me, I didn't even realize it was 20 years this week to be honest --
BRIGGS: I know, you haven't even kept track, happy anniversary, everyone's --
ROMANS: Time flies when you're having fun --
BRIGGS: Very happy for you.
ROMANS: Thank you, good morning, welcome to EARLY START everybody, I'm Christine Romans --
BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs, it is Monday, May 20th in the East, we'll get to that "Game of Thrones" finale, just a big --
ROMANS: Yes --
BRIGGS: They did it again, it appears, leaving a water bottle --
ROMANS: On the set --
BRIGGS: In one of the sets --
ROMANS: Oh, wow --
BRIGGS: Just like they did that food services cup that everyone thought was a Starbucks cup. We'll show you that later in the program. But we start overseas, President Trump reigniting tensions with Iran just when they seem to be easing. He's now threatening to literally 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 CNN's Nic Robertson live from Abu Dhabi. Nic, good morning.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, good morning, Dave, that really seem to come out of left field. You had earlier over the weekend, the Iranian Foreign Minister saying we don't want war, of course, he also added that no one bears the fighters.
You have the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia; one of the other big protagonists in all of this, saying we don't want to go to war, but we will defend ourselves. The temperature was coming down, President Trump lobs this grenade in that, the ripples are still flowing out from it.
But then he went on television shortly afterwards and said, look, actually, I don't want war with Iran, there are two good reasons. One, it has a huge human cost, it's costly for people in their lives, but he also said there's a big economic cost. He said I think I can do what I want with Iran, which is make sure it doesn't have nuclear weapons through the economy.
Where are we right now? Well, the senior commander with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has said, today, it seems to be perhaps in response to President Trump, we don't want war, but we will fight if we're attacked. The tensions exist and what's going to happen next here?
The next big thing to come is when the United Arab Emirates make a determination of who they think was responsible for those attacks on the ships off the coast here just last week. If the finger points to Iran, well, tensions could spike again. Dave?
BRIGGS: Tenuous times, all right, Nic Robertson live for us this morning in Abu Dhabi, thank you.
ROMANS: All right, a Republican Congressman says President Trump committed impeachable offenses. Now, the president is punching back. 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 that won't go as far as Amash, but still believed the president has to set a higher standard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITT ROMNEY (R-UT): 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 evidence to 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 DOJ.
All right, free speech, press freedoms and "Fox News" all under attack by the president 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.
[05:05:00] Now, "Fox" hosted Pete Buttigieg town hall Sunday night. The South Bend mayor and Democratic contender, he took on "Fox", but also reached out to its viewers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUTTIGIEG: I mean, when you've 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, say this for Buttigieg, "he's willing to be questioned by Chris Wallace, something you've barely done since you've 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), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am going to announce the first ever national priority on closing that pay gap and holding --
(APPLAUSE)
And holding corporations accountable for transparency and closing that gap. There will be penalties if they don't.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: And this programming note, Washington State Governor and 2020 Democrat Jay Inslee is a guest on "NEW DAY" later this morning. Inslee just released a $3 trillion jobs plan centered on clean energy. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the climate plan the most serious and comprehensive to address their 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. Pay close attention to the reaction of the man on the lower left corner of your screen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: 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 grant to eliminate their student loans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: That was billionaire investor Robert Smith making the pledge during his commencement speech to a standing ovation and chants of MVP.
ROMANS: The Morehouse president says Smith is willing to cover tens of millions of dollars for the 396 graduates. The seniors could barely believe their ears.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIJAH NESLY DORMEUS, MOREHOUSE GRADUATE: You know, loans added with interest and you know, sub and unsubsidized. So when I heard --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure --
DORMEUS: The message, it just ring back in my head. That first feeling I had when I was like wow, to hear that we'd been taken care of, it's just like now I can pay it literally forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: A priceless gift to be able to start out after college debt free. Robert Smith is the founder of the investment firm Vista Equity Partners, he's 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're not telling you who ended up ruling the seven 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 it continues to do this morning.
You'll have to watch to find out. But if you remember a few weeks back, one spoiler we will give you, someone left a coffee cup on set, a food services -- well, it happened again last night, all these shrewd Twitter users found a water bottle sitting on set.
ROMANS: Twitter slewed(ph) --
BRIGGS: Yes, look, you've got to have those prop people all around checking over, and that's the editing department clearly missed one. Twitter does not let any attention --
ROMANS: I know --
BRIGGS: And in detail, get --
ROMANS: Well, they're still talking about it. At least they're talking about that show. OK, nine minutes past the hour, a Texas girl abducted from her mom has been found with the help of two strangers who tracked down the car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first time I fell in love with Christine Romans was the first time that I ever met Christine Romans in person. It was back in the days of "AMERICAN MORNING" and I was in New York doing something, and it was Christine's last day before going on maternity leave.
[05:10:00] Not only was she working right up to the last moment, but it was also her third baby, and she's working as hard as ever with that ever present Romans' charm and wit and upbeat attitude, carrying around a baby that I think was close to 10 pounds, so that is no small feat. Rock star status achieved. Christine, congratulations my dear on 20 years.
I couldn't imagine CNN without you, and I definitely could not survive any financial breaking news without you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(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 pro life with three exception, rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother.
The president did not specifically refer to a controversial Alabama law enacted last week that makes performing abortions a felony unless a pregnancy seriously risks a woman's health.
[05:15:00] BRIGGS: Sixteen states have passed or are now in the process of passing anti-abortion laws. "SNL's" Leslie Jones also weighed in during the show's season finale.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LESLIE JONES, AMERICAN COMEDIAN: 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 then 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 -- instead of the regular reason which is I don't have no money on it.
(LAUGHTER)
This looks like the casting call for a Lipitor commercial.
(LAUGHTER)
This looks like the mug-shots of everyone arrested at a massage parlor.
(LAUGHTER)
When women have a choice, women have freedom.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP) BRIGGS: The crowd liked that line. Film maker Ron Howard and
producer Brian Grazer have joined the list of Hollywood stars, producers, directors, who say they will boycott Georgia after state's governor signed the controversial heart-beat bill into law. It's now set to go into effect January 1st.
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 Saturday in Fort Worth when a car approached and a man grabbed her. Two people called police after spotting a car in a hotel parking lot that matched a description put out by police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These guys are our 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 their way and assisted us 100 percent. They're our heroes tonight, I'll 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.
BRIGGS: All right, ahead, we'll talk a little sports, double overtime in game three of the Eastern Conference finals. Could Toronto use home court to get back in their series against Milwaukee? Andy Scholes has the "BLEACHER REPORT" from Bethpage Black, site of the PGA championship when we come back.
ROMANS: Is cool shirt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CUOMO, HOST, CUOMO PRIME TIME: Well, Romans, 20 years, so I guess you're not 32 after all, are you? I knew you were running around with that. I knew you were running me around. Listen, here's the beautiful thing about you.
Is that the enthusiasm you bring to what you do is the same as I would see on a kid right in here fresh with a new opportunity they've never had before. You've got a hunger and an eagerness, an appetite for being better and bringing in information that often, you know, the typical journalist and news management types aren't ready for.
You find a way to coax it in, how to create an angle, keep it relatable for people but sophisticated enough for the biggest brains that will be watching. That's you, Romans. You're great, 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, however long you want to do it, nobody will ever be what you are. Congratulations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[05:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BRIGGS: Brooks Koepka holding on Sunday to win his second straight
PGA Championship. Andy Scholes live at Bethpage Black has more in the "BLEACHER REPORT" with the world's new number one golfer -- boy, is he a star, Andy, good morning.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS REPORTER: Yes, good morning Dave, it's certainly seems like we've entered the Brooks Koepka era of golf. You know, the majority of fans came out here to Bethpage Black on Thursday and Friday to see Tiger Woods.
But they may have accidentally seen the passing of the torch. This Koepka, he was amazing, led this tournament wired to wire. Things did get very interesting yesterday afternoon. Koepka started the day up seven strokes, the lead got all the way down to just one stroke with four holes to go.
But he still was able to hold off Dustin Johnson, it went by two. This is Koepka's fourth major win in his last eight tries. He's now the first golfer ever to hold back-to-back titles in two different majors. Koepka is also the reigning two-time U.S. Open champ.
And the 29-year-old from Florida doesn't show much emotion out there on the course, but he did after putting in on 18. And our own Don Riddell sat down with Koepka and asked him about that moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS KOEPKA, WINS SECOND STRAIGHT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: To say howbeit it was special. Emotion I had there on 18 was something I've never experienced as a golfer, something you don't see very often even with me. I'm emotionless, I can be stoic at times, but that one -- that one meant more to me than I think people will ever know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: All right, Koepka, now, the new number one in the world with that win. We had some fun moments here yesterday on 17, Lucas Bjerregaard, the perfect approach and it will fall right in for the hole in one, the fans just going nuts here in New York after that.
And then moments later Lucas Glover was in the sand, and he's also going to knock it down. Fans loved that one as well, it definitely was a good day for guys named Lucas on hole number 17.
All right, Raptors in a much win situation last night against the Bucks in game 3 at the Eastern Conference finals. Jurassic Park; the area where the fans gathered outside the arena was just rocking, and this one was a nail-biter, closing seconds, the Bucks were down by two, Khris Middleton drive got blocked, he's able to recover though and put it back in to tie the game.
The game would go to two overtime and in the double OT period, Kawhi Leonard just taking the game over. Raptors win 118 to 112 to get back into series and Eastern Conference finals continues tonight.
[05:25:00] Dave, it might be a short series. Warriors going for the sweep, they lead right now 3 games to zero. No team has ever come back from 0-3, so not looking good for the Blazers.
BRIGGS: Not at all, no Durant, no problem for Golden State. Andy Scholes, great job out there all weekend long --
SCHOLES: Yes --
BRIGGS: Thank you. Romans, what's coming up?
ROMANS: The sounds of Spring with the leaf blower --
BRIGGS: Yes, the leaf blower --
ROMANS: A long way behind him, I love that. All right, what's coming up? The official end of Iran, why did the president renew his verbal attacks on Iran just as things were settling down?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, ANCHOR, INSIDE POLITICS: Christine Romans, the pride of the quad cities, happy anniversary. Quick messages here from the team at "INSIDE POLITICS", one, thank you, you're a master of the magic wall, we like that here and we love your break downs in the economy for us, trade issues and the like. You're gifted and we are grateful.
Two, if you judge a girl by the company she keeps, you need some help Miss Romans, especially with this guy here in the middle. But notice a pattern, there's Berman, here's your new world every morning on EARLY START, Mr. Briggs; Red Sox fans, Amen to that. Smart choice.
And some of us were here at the beginning, 20 years ago, we were grateful for Christine Romans then, we are even more grateful now. Happy anniversary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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