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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Turkish Protesters Square off with Police; Severe Weather Plagues United States; Snowden Back in Hiding; Tweets From Hillary; Woman Teams Up with Animal Control, Saves Deer
Aired June 11, 2013 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: First, we're going to get back to breaking news straight from Turkey. Some very dramatic pictures there. Police in riot gear have moved into Istanbul's Taksim Square where they've been facing off with protesters using tear gas and water cannons. We've seen it happen live here this morning on CNN.
Turkey's prime minister spoke with lawmakers about the situation just moments ago and plans to meet with protest organizers tomorrow. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is really just feet away from where these protests have been going on. We've seen some dramatic images right behind them. Nick, what's the latest right now?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, since we last spoke, a calm has descended on the square behind me, but those riot police we saw move in which were the source of a huge (INAUDIBLE) as we saw. They're still in place as of their armored vehicles facing in front. But what remains now of this protest in Gezi Park.
This started early on today, eight o'clock this morning, roughly calmly (ph) walking in, then clashes below the bureau where I'm standing, a lengthy back and forth that being protest -- with nothing but rocks, really, and Molotov firebomb cocktails. They managed to take out one of the police trucks, catching it on fire, and then walk to canon (ph) and a tear gas to push them back. The police now, though, are trying to control that central Taksim Square, itself, leaving protests -- in Istanbul.
(INAUDIBLE) mostly at conservationists trying to protect the trees there. They won't be touched. But obviously, police want now it seems control of the concrete and road spaces around that group of trees -- John.
BERMAN: Some file video, Nick, of a few moments ago when police did use the water cannons and the tear gas to disperse the crowd. You see the crowd basically is evaporating, fleeing to the outskirts of that square. I understand the Turkish prime minister just finished speaking. He's in a tough spot. What did he have to say?
WALSH: Remarkable, actually. As he was talking, we saw that cloud of gas against -- in the square. It wasn't the (ph) sound (INAUDIBLE) we heard. He said the protests are not Democratic. He claimed 95 percent of the folks didn't really know where the place behind me actually was until these protests actually started. He said they've been hijacked by various groups to push forward their agenda. Sounded like they felt there was a broader conspiracy against Turkey as a whole, and in particularly his administration. He did say they've always tried to listen to those people who haven't voted for him. And I should stress, half of Turkey did vote for him. He is democratically elected there. The criticism is simply is -- part of that 50 percent feel like their way of life, that secular lifestyle here is being oppressed by the creeping conservatism many criticized the other administration -- in Turkey -- John.
BERMAN: The United States has to be watching the developments there very, very closely.
WALSH: Well, this is the first stop for Barack Obama here in Turkey, a vital ally on the edge of the Middle East have already in it. Absolutely vital member of NATO, bordering Syria. The most pressing foreign policy administration for the Obama government at this particular point. Turkey is so vital for both decisions. It's so vital for America's prospective upon the European Union.
America wants to be part of a broader European Union. So, yes, many watching what's happening here to see what situation leave the administration. Now, a decade long ally through thick and often very thin moments with the United States. Certainly, Erdogan, they'll be keen to see dozens emerge from the Democratic reputation in passes (ph). Very outspoken remarks from Secretary John Kerry.
When we first saw the unrest right here, heavy handed tactics from police. I saw it (ph) myself. Lots of tear gas. They even kicked a cameraman in the capital, Ankara, seemingly senseless. When this all began, that really has damaged the idea of this being a pluralistic (ph) democracy for many. And of course, I'm sure Washington will hope to see Turkey emerges as democratically or acknowledge the country after this unrest is behind it, John.
BERMAN: All right. Nick Paton Walsh in Istanbul right in the middle of a dramatic morning there. Thanks so much, Nick.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: So, back home, powerful storms have been spinning off tornadoes around the country. Officials in Howard County, Maryland near Baltimore believe a twister touched down there around 6:30 last night. It downed several trees, destroyed a garage, and shed in the town of Woodbine.
BERMAN: So much extreme weather across the country. We have heat waves out west, storms spinning out of control, tornadoes in places like Maryland and Kentucky. Indra Petersons is here with the forecast. What can we expect today, Indra?
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEREOLOGIST: Yes. Definitely, you're still seeing a lot of wet weather on the east coast today and even more heat again on the west coast. Just take a look at some storms we saw yesterday. Some of these are severe. You can actually see the storm reports of tornadoes yesterday. Today, we're still going to be dealing with some rain on the east coast, but it's now really kind of trying to move offshore where we're really dealing with more of the rain. It will be more upstate New York and up course into Maine. Here's what it looks like actually the next 48 hours. So, that one to two inches for the New York area and I want you get in towards New England. We get some of those heavier mounts as it kind of just like lingers. That the low just kind of wraps around some of that moisture. So, some heavy rain even up to four inches.
As far as what we're looking for today for the slight risk area for severe weather, we're going to watch the boundary between the warm air and that cold, dry air from Canada. It's the kind of sliver in between. So, really, Montana all the way down through like Indiana is where we're looking for some of these thunderstorms to be popping, especially as we go through late afternoon today.
Otherwise, that big storm, we keep talking about it. I mean, it's that heat. Look how hot it is, and now, these above normal temperatures are spreading all the way to the east. So, forget the rain in the southern portions in the southern states. We're going to be talking about high temperatures. And of course, out west, we still have that fire danger.
Red flag warnings out there. And the temperatures aren't getting any better. So, there, yes, high heat, low humidity and winds not making for a good combination.
BERMAN: Bad combination, indeed. All right. Indra, thanks so much.
The Oklahoma medical examiner has released the names of all 21 people who died in the May 31st EF-5 tornado, including those of the six children who were killed. Another 115 people were treated at hospitals. The National Weather Service says the tornado at 2.6 miles wide was the Widest U.S. tornado on record.
ROMANS: More NSA secrets will be revealed soon. That's what a reporter for "The Guardian" is promising as the source of the leak, Edward Snowden, goes back into hiding. Snowden is said to still be in Hong Kong, but where is a mystery. The White House now says it welcomes debate over the electronic surveillance programs Snowden exposed.
And it is open to changes of a national debate shows the public wants them. Federal agents are still building a case against Snowden. And an ex-FBI official says computer forensics would factor in a major way if this investigation keeps moving forward.
BERMAN: Schools in Newtown, Connecticut had to be placed on modified lockdown Monday because of a telephone threat. Nearly six months after the Sandy Hook massacre, parents scramble to pick up their kids after receiving an e-mail yesterday informing them of a threat against staff and students at the hallway school.
That's less than two miles from Sandy Hook. All the district schools locked their doors for about an hour. Nothing was found. But the school employee says nerves were certainly frayed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have changed. People are kinder. And I think Newtown -- people who work and live here, they've been through enough. They just need to be left alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Two days from now, House Republicans John Boehner and Eric Cantor plan to meet with families of the Newtown tragedy. A spokesman for the House speaker says he wants to hear their stories and discuss ways to reduce the culture of violence in America.
ROMANS: And happening right now, live pictures from the Gobi Desert in Northern China where three astronauts are set to blast off into orbit onboard the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft. This is China's the most ambitious crude (ph) mission. It's scheduled to last 15 days. The crew will attempt to dock with a Tiangong space module.
It will transfer supplies to a space lab that's now been in orbit for nearly two years. Let's watch this, because this is sort of a symbolic of China's space race, engineering inhibitions.
BERMAN: You can hear the countdown right here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five, four, three, two, one -- ignition and we have a lift off. The astronauts onboard. They're happy, and confident, and waving their commands to the command center here on Earth. It is on its journey to space. To join China's photo (ph) tops space dock Tiangong 1 which was launched in 2011.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Of course, it happens at a time when the U.S. space shuttle program has been retired. The Chinese space program advancing --
ROMANS: All right. When Hillary Clinton tweets, people listen. The former first lady, New York senator, and secretary of state made her debut in a Twitterverse, and it didn't take 140 characters. It just took three little characters to trigger a new round of speculation about her political future. We'll get more from CNN's Brianna Keilar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The now iconic image of then secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, sporting dark glasses intently studying her Blackberry is her profile picture on her new Twitter account. Clinton is taking Twitter by storm. The former secretary of state, senator, and first lady, also described herself as wife, mom, lawyer and get this, hair icon and pantsuit aficionado, which she joked about at a recent fashion awards dinner.
HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: All you really need is a small, but passionate audience to be successful. We could call it project pantsuit. KEILAR: Perhaps, most telling of all in Clinton's Twitter bio, TBD. Immediately interpreted a sign she'll launch another run for the White House. "Happy to welcome our 45th president to Twitter," one of her supporters tweeted.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
KEILAR: Clinton has kept a low profile since leaving office in February, though, she's remained in the headlines connected to the Obama administration's handling of the September attack in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed, including a U.S. ambassador. Clinton's poll numbers have slipped slightly in recent weeks, but she still remains a popular figure. And while she hasn't said publicly she'll run in 2016 --
(CHANTING) Hillary! Hillary!
KEILAR: Her allies are getting ready in case she does.
HILARY ROSEN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: There are groups who are getting ready. Whether or not she's ready, there are other people ready for Hillary. They want to be sure that if she makes a decision to run, that there is support right off the bat.
KEILAR: Bill Clinton responded to his wife from his Twitter account asking, "Does Twitter have a family share plan?" Daughter, Chelsea Clinton said simply, "welcome, mom." President Obama also welcomed his former rival. Judging by Hillary Clinton's first tweet, "There will be many more. Thanks for the inspiration," she said to the creators of the Tumblr parody texts from Hillary which made this photo of her famous, and then, "I'll take it from here."
Brianna Keilar, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: I don't think she's leaving a lot of ambiguity. I think these teases have kind of crossed that bridge to now where she's dropping these major, major hints.
ROMANS: It's just TBD. Three little letters, Berman. Three --
BERMAN: More than three little letters.
ROMANS: To be determined.
BERMAN: They're three big letters.
Coming up, don't call him Ochocinco, but do call him inmate. What Chad Johnson did to get himself thrown in the slammer just as his legal troubles were about to come to an end. You won't believe this.
ROMANS: And talk about going in style. A new RV fit for a chic (ph) with a price tag to match. We're going to take a look at that next. Whoa!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN (voice-over): Rescuers in Mumbai in India looking for survivors under a collapsed apartment building. At least seven people were killed, six injured. Authorities think at least a dozen more people may be trapped at this moment. It's believed the building gave way after heavy monsoon rains pounded the area.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Witness the power of nature on a river in Russia. A group of men were checking it out the raging current on a local bridge after heavy rains when suddenly a huge tree came floating by.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS (voice-over): The snapping branches as the water pushed the tree into the bridge sound like firecrackers. Watch this. No one was injured, but imagine. That's how fast that water is moving.
BERMAN: I've never seen anything like it. That's crazy.
ROMANS: That's why sometimes those rivers where they're swollen with water, they look like maybe you could try to put a foot in or something and then people are swept away so quickly. Look at that. Wow!
BERMAN: It's so powerful.
The Senate has passed a bill that sets the federal food and farming policy for the next decade. A house version which makes larger cuts set to be considered next week. The Senate version costs about $955 billion over ten years. It includes cuts to direct subsidies paid to farmers whether they farm or not. It also includes about a $4 billion cut to the $80 billion federal food stamp program over the next decade.
ROMANS: The federal government endorsing a new drone program. Unmanned remote control helicopters are flying over American soil, targeting crop-eating bugs. Scientists say they're precise targeted strikes that cut down on the amount of pesticide and its range. The 200-pound choppers are about half the size of a golf cart. They're highly mobile. It can cover uneven terrain more efficiently.
BERMAN: Look a lot bigger than the bugs. Doesn't seem like a fair fight.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: So, you have cash to burn ahead of your next summer road trip? Well, the ultimate road warrior is now on sale in Dubai. The 40-foot long eleMMent Palazzo is the most expensive RV ever. It is got a palatial master bedroom, a 40-inch flat screen TV, even a fire place and push button, pop-up rooftop terrace which you just saw. That thing is crazy cool. But all that glamour won't slow you down. This thing reaches speeds of 93 miles per hour on the open road. So, it's fashionable and fast. The manufacturers say it's popular, apparently, among oil rich sheiks but would be perfect, for say, touring music stars, maybe even you. Of course, the ever (ph) summer road trip with the family would really spice that up a little bit.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS (on-camera): It really takes the yacht to the next level. You don't need the port. You don't need the --
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN (on-camera): $3 million for the low, low price of $3 million, this can be yours. $3 million. And you, too, can get a portable, pop-up push button rooftop terrace.
ROMANS: What did you do this weekend? Went camping in the desert?
BERMAN: With my portable push button top terrace.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: I can't do --
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Twice is enough.
ROMANS: All right. Coming up, what former NFL super star, Chad Johnson did, what he did to get himself thrown behind bars just as he thought, just as he thought his legal problems were behind him? That story is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Former NFL star, Chad, don't call me Ochocinco anymore, Johnson was this close to resolving his legal troubles in court, but as they say, almost didn't count in this case. CNN's Pamela Brown now on what Johnson did to make the judge throw a flag.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Questions of (INAUDIBLE).
PAMELA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Did you hear that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Questions of (INAUDIBLE).
BROWN: That little snap you just heard is going to cost this guy 30 days in the slammer. Former NFL star, Chad Johnson, also known as Chad Ochocinco was in court for violating probation and domestic violence case involving his ex-wife. A plea deal was about to be reached but then --
Then Johnson gave his attorney a playful congratulatory smack on the butt. That behavior might be OK in the locker room, but not in this courtroom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Johnson, I don't know that you're taking this whole thing seriously. I just saw you slap your attorney on the backside.
BROWN: Broward County judge, Kathleen McHugh, was not amused.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's something funny about what's going on here today?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But the whole courtroom laughed because you slapped your attorney.
BROWN: Johnson's attorney, Adam Swickle, apologized for his client's behavior, but it was too late.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think anything's funny about -- this isn't a joke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't do it as a joke.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody in the courtroom was laughing. I'm not accepting this --
BROWN: Judge McHugh sentenced Johnson to 30 days in jail and tacked on an additional three months of probation. Johnson seemed to take the sentence in stride tweeting, "love me through the good and the bad because I'm going to love you regardless. See you in 30." Pamela Brown, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Johnson was arrested last August for allegedly head butting his newly wed wife, Evelyn Lozado. She filed for divorce after only 41 days of marriage. The Miami Dolphins immediately cut Johnson. He didn't play at all last season.
ROMANS: All right. Coming up, talk about stuff between a rock and a hard place. Jeanne Moos says why do all these animals keep winding up trapped in very unfortunate situations. Oh, look at the kitty! Oh!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Some minute ago, we teased the cutest little -- the cutest little kitten caught in a pipe or something. You've seen these pictures, right, animals forging for food. They stick their heads in a tight spot and they get more than they bargained for.
BERMAN: Sometimes, as Jeanne Moos, tells us, it is tough to shake free.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A deer stuck in a bag, a deer stuck in a jar, a kitty stuck in a hole. This is the story of critters in over their heads. In this case, in a Dorito's bag, a sheriff's deputy on patrol spotted this deer at the side of the road after midnight down in the Florida Keys.
VOICE OF DEPUTY BECKY HERRIN, PIO, MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: I suspect that the deer was trying to get that last Dorito in the bag.
MOOS (on-camera): And this deer didn't get bagged by regular Doritos. Judging from the color of the packaging --
(voice-over) the green is a giveaway, but the deer as hankering for chili lemon chips. The animal was passive as the deputy pulled off the bag and then it scampered away.
HERRIN: Save all the lives in the world and nobody pays attention. And then, you pull (ph) a bag from a deer's head and it's all over the country.
MOOS: At least this deer in Minnesota could see, but it couldn't eat or drink, kept showing up in Janet Murphy's yard with its head stuck in a plastic jar. Janet turned for help to an animal rescue organization called Wildwoods. They showed her how to use a catch pole, sort of like a dog catcher uses. Janet managed to get the loop around the jar.
NANCY WOLFE, PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF WILDWOODS REHABILITATION: And the apparatus tightened up. The deer stood up, tried to jumping around, and it was a bit of a rodeo.
MOOS: The struggle lasted a few minutes.
WOLFE: Eventually, she just gave it one hard tug and the jar came off the deer's head.
MOOS: The deer seemed dazed after days without a drink, and it's headed for water. Is this what they mean by curiosity killed the cat? Don't worry, in this case, it wasn't fatal. This kitty in Oregon was found with her head stuck in a hole under an air-conditioned unit.
KAREN BURNS, SHELTER MANAGER, HUMANS SOCIETY AT CENTRAL OREGON: When she was tranquilized and relaxed, we're able to push her back through the hole. We had to jimmy a rope around her to kind of pull her down to a bigger hole.
MOOS: When they finally popped her out.
(CHEERING)
MOOS: She was uninjured. She'll be put up for adoption. One lesson from these jarring images is that when people litter, animals are left holding the bag, even a bag of Doritos.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Oh, this is a story about trash. This is definitely a story about trash.
BERMAN: It's a trashy story?
ROMANS: I know. I'm just telling you. My kids are always telling me at school they're learning about don't litter, don't use so much stuff and renew, recycle --
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: EARLY START continues right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS (voice-over): In hiding the man who exposed the government's secret spying program on the run in Hong Kong, how he may have planned the perfect getaway.
BERMAN (voice-over): Tornadoes, flooding, and the sizzling heat wave. Extreme weather taking a hold of the country from coast to coast.
ROMANS: Breaking news in Turkey this morning, riots raging in a crucial hot spot. Police unleash tear gas and water cannons on the crowds. Our Nick Paton Walsh live overlooking taksim Sqaure. His report ahead. BERMAN: And look at this, a base jumper cheating death, the parachute malfunctions while she's falling, the terrifying scene, all caught on camera. You will not believe what happens to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
