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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Fourth of July Disaster in Simi Valley; Unrest in Egypt; Terror Plot in Seattle Arrest?; Heat and Flooding Across U.S.; A-Rod Wants to Stay in New York; Money in the Wine Business
Aired July 05, 2013 - 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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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fourth of July disaster. Fireworks shooting into a crowd of thousands. Spectators there running for their lives. It's just one of the celebrations that turned tragic overnight.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Alarming arrest. A man driving a stolen truck carrying cash, guns and body armor.
BERMAN: A missing child case that captivated the nation. Three-year- old Madeline McCann disappears while on vacation with her parents. Now, new evidence, new witnesses that could help prove she's still alive.
PEREIRA: And welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Michaela Pereira.
BERMAN: And I'm John Berman. Great to see you this Friday. It's 30 minutes after the hour.
New this morning: a fireworks show turning dangerous overnight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN (voice-over): At least 24 people were injured when something went very, very wrong in a park in Simi Valley, California.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That wasn't supposed to happen.
BERMAN (voice-over): Witnesses report fireworks flying towards the crowd. Screaming as spectators scrambled to get away. Authorities are calling this an accident. The "L.A. Times" says most of the injuries were for burns or shrapnel wounds.
PEREIRA (voice-over): And severe injuries for a worker at a South Carolina firework show. A shell exploded during the festivities in North Myrtle Beach injuring the worker and blowing a three foot hole into the pier. No word yet on the worker's condition.
BERMAN: And then, in Seattle, you have to look at this. Boats on fire on storage racks near Lake Union. That's where hundreds of thousands have gathered to watch the annual fireworks display there. But, apparently, an illegal fireworks shot up by someone nearby, that was apparently to blame for this fire. It landed on one of the boats and set that blaze. Just one minor injury reported. That's lucky. PEREIRA: And tragedy in Oklahoma at a Fourth of July parade there. A heartbreaking story, an eight-year-old boy fell off a parade float in the town of Edmond. He was run over by his own father who was driving the float. Apparently, he had not seen his son and had not seen him fall. Friends and the crowd watched in horror. Authorities, they're calling this a freak accident.
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BERMAN (on-camera): Overseas now, there are reports this morning in Egypt that the police there and army have been attacked with rockets in the Sinai Peninsula. That as prosecutors investigated post President Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood. They are accused of inciting the violence that led to the deaths of protesters. Reza Sayah live this morning for us in Cairo. Reza, what's the latest?
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, you can feel a little bit of tension and anxiety, because no one knows if there's going to be a backlash by the Muslim Brotherhood. This week has been an emotional roller coaster. Millions of Egyptians have been excited, because Mohamed Morsy is gone. But what about supporters of Mohamed Morsy, the Islamists, the Muslim Brotherhood? What are they thinking and feeling?
It's been a humiliating week. And now, they call for protests. And the question is, how big are these protests going to be? Is there violence? There is concern, because we've already seen bloodshed overnight. More than 100 people injured in clashes between supporters and opponents to the former President Mohamed Morsy in three districts including his hometown.
In the meantime, Mohamed Morsy now fighting for his freedom. He's still in custody. He's banned from leaving the country. The top prosecutor here investigating him on accusations that he's inciting violence. Other brotherhood members, they're in custody as well. Yesterday, the new interim president reached out to the brotherhood and said let's build this nation together, but you have to wonder what the brotherhood is thinking.
If they think with this apparent crackdown, that invitation is meaningful, and so, we'll see what happens today, John. Protests today. They're calling it a Friday of rejection.
BERMAN: As you say, Reza, one of the big questions, how many people will turn out and what will be the posture of those people protesting? And equally important question, how will the security personnel respond? How will they treat the rank and file of the Muslim Brotherhood who are on the streets? Any sign yet of how they may react?
SAYAH: Obviously, they're going to be key. They're out in the streets, apparently, an effort to secure the neighborhoods, where they're going to protest. We should point out the most hard lined supporters of Mohamed Morsy and the brotherhood have made some provocative statements, saying we're willing to die. But most of their leaders have said, let's keep things peaceful. We just want to demonstrate for what we believe are our rights and what has been an unjust week. But still, a lot of anticipation and anxiety about a possible violent backlash. We'll see what today brings.
BERMAN: A crucial few hours in Cairo. Reza Sayah, we know you'll be following every move for us there. Appreciate it. Nice to see you this morning.
PEREIRA: A stunning development this morning in a missing child case that Great Britain and really the world. Madeline McCann (ph) vanished, rather, while she was on vacation with her family in Portugal back in 2007. Police in Britain now say they have new leads. They actually believe that Maddie might be alive. Atika Shubert following the story for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Madeleine McCann (ph) was three years old when she disappeared from a resort in Portugal six years ago. Now, British police say they have new leads and are reopening the investigation called "Operation Grange." They want to question 38 people across Europe, including 12 British nationals who they believe were in Portugal at the time.
Madeline's parents, Kate and Jerry McCann (ph), have campaigned tirelessly to keep her in the public's memory while still raising two other children.
KATE MCCANN, MADELEINE MCCANN'S MOTHER: I don't want them to go through that emotion and I don't really want them to have the burden of this, of having to keep looking and looking and looking and not being able to stop, you know? So, we need to find her now.
SHUBERT: British police say their help from private investigators has made a difference. And after 16 visits to Portugal and reviewing more than 30,000 documents, police are hopeful.
DCI ANDY REDWOOD, METROPOLITAN POLICE: There is no clear, definitive proof that Madeleine McCann is dead. And so, on that basis, I still genuinely believe that there is a possibility that she's alive.
SHUBERT: Police have released this photo of what Madeleine may look like at nine years of age. She's now turned 10. And authorities are asking the public to help find this little girl wherever she may be.
Atika Shubert, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Thirty-six minutes after the hour. In Seattle, police are asking the question this morning, was this part of a terror plot or was it something else? A 21-year-old man is in jail, and authorities are trying to figure out why he drove a stolen truck from Montana to the University of Washington campus allegedly with guns, Molotov cocktails, and body armor in the back. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN VINSON, CHIEF, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON POLICE: We have no idea what his intensions are. Again, this is a very active investigation, and we're trying to rule out all -- everything at this point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: It's a big question that a big arsenal. Authorities say the man is not cooperating, but they don't think he was targeting the university. He is yet to be charged with any crime.
PEREIRA: A 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan taking an important step in her recovery after a double lung transplant last plant. Her family says the first biopsy shows no rejection over donor lungs. And in fact, they posted this video of Little Sarah after sharing the good news. She's waving and mouthing the words, I love you. You recall her family's request for an adult lung transplant for Little Sarah led to a change in the national transplant policy. A sight for sore eyes, that little girl is.
BERMAN: Beautiful wave --
PEREIRA: Yes.
BERMAN: The southeast is trying to dry out from some serious flooding. Nearly 18 inches of rain, 18 inches, fell on the Florida panhandle in just 36 hours. In the Panama City area, officials were forced to open shelters. Meanwhile, in Virginia, floodwaters are swamping the streets there. A man near Roanoke drown, apparently, while trying to clear debris from a (INAUDIBLE). The Roanoke River is now four feet above flood stage.
PEREIRA: Chad Myers joining us this morning keeping an eye on the weekend forecast. It's such a different forecast depending on what specific area of the country you're looking at. There's heat advisories for some areas.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, we're talking about the jet stream. This is always the big deal. When you're on the north side of it, you're cool. When you're on the south side of it, you're hot. If you're in the middle, you're OK. But I tell you what, a lot of people are on the south side today. Hot all the way from Boston down to Florida. Well above normal.
Ten, 15 degrees above normal with a heat index even in Boston of about 105. Now, that's in the shade, so think about that if you're inside (ph). Back out to the west, that's where it's hot, too. Back up 115 degrees in Death Valley, again, but mild in the middle. So, let's get right to it. Across the east coast, temps today 95 Boston. But with the humidity in the air, it's going to feel like 105.
New York City, 91. Same story, feeling about 100. Even D.C., out there on the mall, it's going to feel like 100. On the mall, it's just going to be feeling like 105 with that sunshine, because really, there's no shade at all. Back out to the west, this is where the hot weather is. And in the middle, this is where the jet stream dips down into the Gulf of Mexico and picks up all the moisture from the gulf.
It just dumps it right through here. Columbus, Cincinnati, at least two inches of rain today. And then back down to the south, down across Florida where it has been so bad, we're having -- right there, that white part, that's ten inches of rain in the next 48 hours plus. It just won't stop raining where it has rained so hard so long.
BERMAN: That is crazy. Crazy amounts of water about to fall there. Chad, thank you so much.
We should say, all this recent rain here in the east has turned some normally quiet rivers quite dangerous. It also made some unsuspecting people heroes. This is an example from the Philadelphia area. A couple was out having their engagement photo snapped along the Wissahickon Creek on Saturday when a five-year-old boy stepped into the water. It was too deep. And that's when the bride-to-be jumped into action.
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BECKI SALMON, BRIDE-TO-BE: It was almost over my head where we were. I had to swim to him. I grabbed him. I pulled him up into me, pushed him over my shoulder and just to -- throwing up water.
MATT WERNER, FIANCE: She's been humble through this process and she's not wanted to take the credit that she deserves. But, she definitely deserves the recognition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Humble, but awesome. Those pictures are fantastic. She is, by the way, a paramedic and a trained life guard. Her fiance is an EMT as well. You know, a good group of people that have some problems in front of them (ph). The photographer kept shooting through the whole thing. It's, really, it's a story they will never forget. How about the best engagement photos --
PEREIRA: Oh, and how about that family just feeling like what a gift they received, too.
All right. Coming up, more bad news for Paula Deen who is now parting ways with the "Celebrity Chef." We continue in a moment.
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BERMAN: More news this morning from the Paula Deen file. She is saying goodbye to her long time agent. The "Celebrity Chef" under fire for admitting using racially insensitive language in the past put out a short statement thanking Barry Weiner for his dedication over the years. He represented Deen for more than a decade and is said to have been a big part of her rise to stardom. Neither side is saying what led to that break up.
PEREIRA: So, I need to know if this is on your play list. Did you get this already? The new Jay-Z album?
BERMAN: Jeff Zucker
PEREIRA: Other Jay-Z.
BERMAN: Oh, other Jay-Z.
PEREIRA: (INAUDIBLE) Fourth of July, the owners of Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, you're not a Samsung guy, that's a problem. The rapper has faced (ph) some $5 million for million copies of "Magna Carta Holy Grail" given out to Samsung users via special app. But this is a thing, it doesn't hit stores for the rest of y'all until next week, but the move guarantees Jay-Z a big opening week for his new record.
Of course, Billboard is not counting the one million downloads towards his sales numbers records, but he's still got $5 million. That's not a bad day at the office for Jay-Z.
BERMAN: He knows how to do business.
PEREIRA: He's a savvy businessman. Yes. A papa and --
BERMAN: And a sports agent.
PEREIRA: And a sports agent.
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: A lot of things going on in Jaz-Z's world.
BERMAN: Speaking of a lot of things going on. Let's bring in Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan. What's going on on "NEW DAY" today?
PEREIRA: Hi, guys.
(CROSSTALK)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: It's great to see you both. I still feel betrayed every time I see Mickie there with JB, but I must --
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CUOMO: I must give Berman some props for that shameless, shameless pandering plug to our boss, Jeff Zucker.
BERMAN: You do what you have to do.
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CUOMO: There's a picture of Jay-Z, you mean Jeff Zucker? My favorite boss I have ever had?
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: The one and only. My one and only.
(LAUGHTER)
CUOMO: The godfather to my children?
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: -- tattooed on my chest.
(LAUGHTER)
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: You are too much, Cuomo, you really are.
PEREIRA: Hi, Kate. How are you doing, girl?
BOLDUAN: Hi. I have the giggles today.
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BOLDUAN: All I can do is laugh and blush. You want to tell them what's coming up on the show?
CUOMO: So, yes. Yesterday was the Fourth of July. A beautiful day, a beautiful celebration --
BOLDUAN: Beautiful.
CUOMO: -- of Independence Day, however --
BOLDUAN: Except this.
CUOMO: Fireworks danger. You can see it on your screen. Twenty- eight people rushed to the hospital when one town's show went wrong. We're going to talk to one of the officers from there about what happened and why. It really became very dangerous.
BOLDUAN: And after a day off for the holiday, a very big day today and likely an emotional day in the George Zimmerman trial. The prosecution could be putting Trayvon Martin's mother, you see right there, on the stand today.
The big question is, how will her testimony should likely be asked about the screams that you can hear in the background of a 911 tape, the tape we've heard a couple times. How and if. What she says about that will sway the case.
CUOMO: Two big points there. Fact and feel. If the mother can identify her son's voice on the 911 call as the person crying out, very persuasive and feel. This is a mother. Most of the people on this whole female jury --
BOLDUAN: All female jury.
CUOMO: -- are mothers. So, emotion is going to be at play here.
BOLDUAN: But almost as important.
CUOMO: No, no, yes, big day. You're totally right. And you know, yesterday, we're showing people, the woman who fell into the sinkhole, luckily, she survived. Imagine what it must have been like for her. Well, guess what, exclusively on "NEW DAY," she's going to talk to us about it.
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CUOMO: Amazing.
PEREIRA: I can't wait to talk to her. I'm so interested in what -- at what she was experiencing when it happened. All right. Chris and Kate, I'll see you in a minute. He'll liberate me, eventually.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Meanwhile, coming up here on EARLY START, Alex Rodriguez down on his luck, but is he on his way out? A-Rod opens up in his first big interview of the season.
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BERMAN: The current landscape of the NBA could change drastically today as Dwight Howard is expected to make his final decision on where he will play next season. Andy Scholes joins us now with more in this morning's "Bleacher Report." Andy, what's your bet?
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: If I had to make a bet, I would bet on Houston Rockets right now. You know, for the most part, NBA free agency period has been on standby, waiting for this Howard decision to be made. And reportedly, that decision is expected to go down today and a plenty of nervous fan base is waiting for it.
Lakers, Rockets, Mavs, and Warriors are all the way to still be in the running. Now, yesterday, ESPN reported that the Warriors have aggressively been pursuing trades to free up cap room to sign Howard. And they believe that they have the deals in place to make it happen. Now, when free agency began, the Lakers were said to be adamantly opposed to signing and trading Howard to another team.
But reportedly, they are rethinking that if he, in fact, chooses not to stay in Laker land. Now, the odd makers in Las Vegas, John, have the rockets as a favorite to land Howard and know the reason why I'm picking him to go to Houston.
All right. The Alex Rodriguez era in New York isn't going to come to an end anytime soon. A-Rod in an interview with the -- with "USA Today," Rodriguez said, "Most people would say get me out of here, trade me, do anything. But I'm the crazy man who goes, I want to compete. I want to stay in New York. I refuse to quit." It looks like Yankees fans can forget about A-Rod retiring or negotiating a buy-out for the more than $100 million left on his contract.
A Fourth of July tradition unlike any other. The Nathan's hot dog eating contest. Joey Chestnut is back to defend his title, and he crushed the competition once again. Jaws, as he's called, devoured his own record downing 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes. He's now in the competition seven straight times. John, 69 hot dogs amounts to over 1,100 grams of fat. I'm just astonished that anyone can eat that amount of hot dogs and walk away afterwards.
BERMAN: I find that to be terrifying. That video is shocking this morning.
SCHOLES: I can't even watch it.
BERMAN: Andy Scholes, I'm going to hold you to the Rockets prediction for Dwight Howard. I think he stays with the Lakers, but I'll probably be wrong. Andy Scholes, great to see you, man. We'll be right back.
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BERMAN: So, this is a trend that might leave you thirsty for more. There is big money to be made in the wine business these days. And Nischelle Turner says some big names are getting in on the action.
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NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Brad and Angelina to Sting and Drew Barrymore, more and more celebrities are pouring their star power into wines.
TOM MATTHEWS, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, WINE SPECTATOR: Well, let's face it. Some of them are in it for the money, but I think the serious ones really love the product.
TURNER: And the public is guzzling it down.
MATTHEWS: They want a little piece of a celebrity in the bottle of wine as a nice way to get there.
TURNER: But let's keep it real, are any of these any wines good? Wine Spectator magazine expert taster, James, Molesworth, poured us a few starting with Brangelina's Rose.
JAMES MOLESWORTH, SENIOR EDITOR WINE SPECTATOR: We gave this wine 90 points. We thought the quality was there. The flavors are beautiful. It's fresh. It's delicious. Excellent wine.
TURNER: Molesworth gives high marks to wines from Sting and Francis Ford Coppola, and he says South African golfer, Ernie Else, really hit a hole in one with his cabernet.
MOLESWORTH: Like current plum, it's dark, it's smoky. There's a lot of richness here.
TURNER: What about the other celebrity wines, though? What is the typical wine drinker make of them? We found our answers at a blind tasting of celebrity wine at KNL Wines in Hollywood. Rocker, Dave Matthews cabernet was a hit as was Iyalian singer, Andrea Bocelli's Prosecco. Drew Barrymore's Pinot Grigio also has some admirers. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good minerality to it. But also, a really sort of richness. A rich flavor to it. I liked it.
TURNER: But not all fared so well. Some found ex-port star Savannah Samson sangiovese unappealing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not enjoying it at all. This is it right here, and in fact, there goes it
TURNER: And what about Brangelina's highly sought after rose (ph)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was pretty unremarkable. It didn't have much of a nose for me. And, you know, it just was not real flavorful. No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love it. I love it. It's lighter than what I expected but is really sweet and nice. Refreshing.
TURNER: Fergie's Fergilicious, a red blend (ph), also polarized the tasters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terrific. the red blend, full bodied, lovely. Actually, great job, whoever did that one, spot on.
I was able to swallow one sip and I quickly dumped the rest. It tasted like evil.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just like smacked you and punched you in the face. Do I have a black eye?
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just wondering.
TURNER: By in large, most of the people we talked to were underwhelmed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- money at point doesn't make good wines seemingly. I mean, if all these are made by celebrities, none of them has stricken me as wow, that's incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe the celebrities should taste the wine before they put their name on the label.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: Hmmm, sounds like sour grapes.
Nischelle Turner, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: It tasted like evil. How about some Cuomo Chianti or Bolduan Beaujolais? Let's bring in Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan now for "NEW DAY." Hey, guys. BOLDUAN: Well, I know, our wine would taste very good, because everything we do is awesome.
CUOMO: Yes. And mine would be made with cheese, which is very tasty.
BOLDUAN: What?
CUOMO: Wine and cheese.
BOLDUAN: Oh.
CUOMO: I put a little cheese taste --
BOLDUAN: In the wine?
CUOMO: That's exactly what I would do.
BOLDUAN: Yes. Just combine it all.
CUOMO: That's what i would do.
BOLDUAN: All right. John, we'll see you in a little bit.
CUOMO: That's why I don't make wine, but we do make news here at "NEW DAY." And it's the top of the hour which means time for the top news.
