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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Crisis In Egypt; Prince William Speaks about New Parenthood; Brady Injured At Patriots Practice; Former NFL Players Take Part in Doping Study
Aired August 15, 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: Our top story this morning -- the deadly, bloody, crackdown in Egypt. Now, it is quiet there this morning. But this was the scene Wednesday as police and protesters battled in the streets of Cairo and beyond. At least 421 people are now dead, that's since yesterday. Thousands more injured and the prospects for a resolution of the conflict, they really seem murky at best, and that may be an overstatement.
Reza Sayah live in Cairo this morning. Reza has been right in the middle of it all since yesterday. Reza, give us a sense of what the feeling is in the city today. Quiet, but for how long?
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's not clear, but it is quiet at the moment, John. Of course, Thursdays in Egypt are the end of the workweek. Usually, Cairo is buzzing with activity, but it's eerily calm and it's probably because of the state of emergency that was declared late last night after an awful day. It's difficult to describe the outrage, the grief, the widespread bloodshed that we witnessed yesterday.
Many are describing what happened yesterday as a massacre and considering the staggering death toll. I think many will tell you that's a fitting description. According to the health ministry, more than 420 people killed. More than 3,000 injured.
All of this, the outcome of an absolutely ferocious and brutal crackdown launch by Egyptian security forces and this military-backed interim government targeting two sit-in demonstrations that have been going on for six weeks in support of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsy. The government had threatened for weeks that they were going in. 6:30 a.m. yesterday morning it happened.
When we talked to these two sides, very different accounts. The interior ministry, they claim that they tried to use non-lethal weapons going in, using water cannons, tear gas to try to disperse people. They claim protesters fired first, and they were forced to retaliate with lethal force. But when you talk to the Muslim Brotherhood, when you talk to supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsy, they have a different story.
They say security forces came in, guns firing, aiming their weapons, unarmed protesters. And when you have these types of conflicting accounts, I think it's important to point out that we were there. And based on what we saw from our limited vantage point, we simply did not witness any armed protesters and we witnessed plenty of unarmed protesters who were injured. Many who were killed. Just an awful, awful day yesterday here in Egypt.
BERMAN: Reza, the words you used, you said ferocious. You said brutal. The strength of the crackdown here, the scope of it from the military, from the government there seems beyond anything we've seen, including in 2011 when this all started. Can the military there, if it wants to, completely subdue the population?
SAYAH: Well, it showed that it can, temporarily, but many say a backlash is coming, John. And I think it's important to step back and put this into context. This is not the first deadly crackdown we've seen after the ouster of the former president, Mohamed Morsy, on July 3rd. A few days after he was overthrown, you have the military cracking down at another mostly peaceful demonstration according to rights groups.
More than 50 people killed, most of them unarmed protesters, according to rights groups. Two weeks later, another crackdown into demonstration. More than 80 people killed. And that is why the international community, international rights groups are coming down hard in this interim government asking for an explanation, condemning what happened yesterday.
But the interim government maintains that this was justified. They claim that these demonstrations were a threat to national security. But I think they have a lot of important questions to answer in the coming days as to what happened yesterday and why they used such force, John.
BERMAN: Meanwhile, in a state of emergency there, which is tantamount to martial law. Resa Sayah, we are lucky to have you in Cairo. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: You know, I was asking about the undercurrent there, and you know what, people were saying and how they were communicating because there's been a call to action (ph) by the Muslim Brotherhood saying come out to the streets and for force to show your support. So, that becomes very worrisome, right?
BERMAN: At the same time, though, the government in the military there controls the television media and the state run media. So, you have two cross currents. Two media cross currents that are battling each other. They're both very effective in getting numbers out a different times.
SAMBOLIN: Yes. Very worried about the situation there.
Meantime, the Obama administration is strongly condemning the crackdown and the military leaders who backed it saying it's an indication they aren't working towards restoring the democratically- elected civilian government. Secretary of state, John Kerry, called it deplorable and pleaded for calm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: The promise of the 2011 revolution has simply never been fully realized. And the final outcome of that revolution is not yet decided. It will be shaped in the hours ahead, in the days ahead. It will be shaped by the decisions which all of Egypt's political leaders make now and in these days ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Kerry called on both sides to take a step back and to negotiate an end to the crisis. Will they pull the plug on the money, right, that's going into the Egypt? That's the big question.
BERMAN: Stay with us for the latest on this because it is developing all morning.
Thirty-five minutes after the hour right now.
Some other news, a Michigan doctor is being held on $9 million bond this morning facing charges that he intentionally misdiagnosed his cancer patients. Farid Fata is accused of manipulating the Medicare program ordering chemotherapy for people who didn't need it or had no chance of surviving. Many of these patients are shocked understandably saying they liked and trusted him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DUSTIN KALEY, CANCER PATIENT: It came as a total surprise when he was arrested. Looking back, now, there were things that were odd, but I never would have suspected that he was doing the things he's accused of doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The government says Fata's clinic billed Medicare some $35 million over two years. His lawyers argued there's no proof any of his actions were, in fact, fraud.
SAMBOLIN: That's just an unbelievable story.
A second sinkhole has been found at the Northern Indiana dune that swallowed up a six-year-old boy last month. The new hole is located about 300 feet from the spot where Nathan Mosner (ph) was buried in sand. The boy spent two weeks in the hospital after he was pulled out of that dune. And while he's recovering, doctors say Nathan could face lung problems in the future because of his horrible ordeal.
A five-year-old boy is hospitalized this morning after falling from a kiddy roller coaster in New York's Coney Island. The boy reportedly suffered a severe leg injury. Police say he apparently crawled under the lap bar on the sea serpent coaster and tried to get off before the ride actually stopped. He fell between the cars on to the track. He was on the ride with his seven-year-old sister who suffered a minor leg injury.
SAMBOLIN: Gay marriages will continue in California. The state's highest court has turned aside what many saw as the final attempt to stop the union, a challenge filed by supporters of Proposition 8. That's the ballot measure, that is, that stopped gay marriages in California back in 2008.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court turned aside a challenge to a lower court ruling ordering marriages resume in California. And they did just days later.
BERMAN: And if you are gay and married in the military, you will now be able to qualify for the same family benefits given to other married couples. That includes housing allowance, health care, up two weeks leave for travel for a wedding. This is the result of the Supreme Court throwing out the Defense of Marriage Act which barred federal recognition of same-sex marriages. The policy change is set to take effect in early September.
SAMBOLIN: In Utah, a wildfire continues to burn out of control near the resort town of Park City. It's already destroyed more than a dozen homes. Hundreds more are right in its path. That fire was started by a lightning strike. One official says when it broke out, the flame spread faster than a person could run. Right now, it's about 25 percent contained.
BERMAN: With fires there, we have fires in Idaho, also. Indra Petersons is tracking the weather for us. How do things look today?
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Still making friends, definitely. We're looking at red flag warnings in Utah and Idaho, of course, right where those fires are. What does that mean? We're talking about high heat and low humidity. And unfortunately, it looks like that's going to be the case for another day or so with temperatures nearing records.
I mean, look how far above normal we are. It's about ten degrees above normal nearing a 100 degrees. There is some relief by the weekend. But unfortunately, that does also brings a threat of lightning as thunderstorms roll into the forecast. So, here's kind of the story for today. Heat out west. Cool and dry, the northeast. It feels like fall and then flooding into the southeast.
So, speaking of the northeast. I mean, how beautiful has it been. I mean, look at these temperatures, well below normal. We're talking about a lot of 70s out there. Very gorgeous. Meanwhile, we want to give you a quick update on the tropics. We actually have a depression out here. We're going to contract (ph) this. It doesn't look to be the biggest concern. It's far out there.
We're actually monitoring something a lot closer to home here. Seventy percent chance for development right around the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba. We're going to be watching this, because this moisture, a huge impact into the southeast. When that low combines with the stationary front already into the southeast, we're going to be talking about drenching rainfall.
I mean, flooding is going to be a huge concern as we go through the weekend on top of it. So, definitely not making friend when I add that double whammy right in there. BERMAN: All weekend.
(CROSSTALK)
SAMBOLIN: We had high hopes that you're going to change everything and turn it around for us.
PETERSONS: Negative.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Appreciate it.
SAMBOLIN: Thank you, Indra.
BERMAN: All right. Time for (INAUDIBLE). Let's get charming.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Let's go to Britain now where it was a day out for the second in line to the British throne. A man named Prince William (INAUDIBLE), he was visiting a country fair and talking about what it's like to be a new dad. Erin McLaughlin reports from the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(APPLAUSE)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prince William is off diaper duty and back to work as a royal. While Catherine, the duchess stayed at home. William joked about being a father.
PRINCE WILLIAM, GREAT BRITAIN: King George would have loved to be here. He's pretty loud and, of course, extremely good looking.
MCLAUGHLIN: It's certainly not where you'd expect to find a prince. Midst cows and sheeps and horses, this agricultural show is Prince William's first official royal engagement since Baby George was born and one of his last as a resident of Anglesey, the remote island in Wales that both he and Catherine have called home for more than 2 1/2 years.
In September, William finishes his tour of duty as a royal air force search and rescue pilot. And he will be leaving Anglesey.
PRINCE WILLIAM: This has been our first home together and will always be an amazing special place for us both. Catherine and I look forward to returning again and again over the coming years with our family.
MCLAUGHLIN: The duke and duchess were able to live here in relative privacy. And it was here where William and Kate appeared for the first royal engagement, launching a lifeboat just before their wedding. Anglesey has been very good to the Cambridges.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, we don't go around searching for him. He was allowed to live his own life. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been quite low key as well. You know, he's been well accepted here. That was the main thing. That's what he liked, I think.
MCLAUGHLIN (on-camera): This visit is a kind of thank you to the Anglesey community for all of their support. The prince's first official and highly publicized royal debut as the father of a future king.
Erin McLaughlin, CNN, Anglesey, Wales.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN: You like that story?
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: You're not smitten? You're not smitten with the handsome prince?
SAMBOLIN: No, I'm not. Probably by Little George I would be, but not by him.
All right. Coming up, an unlikely hero emerges when a young girl comes face-to-face with a rattlesnake. Would you like to come face- to-face with that? How she got away without a scratch?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Welcome back to EARLY START.
So, we're hearing this morning about the moments before a Florida teen was tasered and then died. Police dispatch audio details the search for 18-year-old Israel Hernandez who authorities in Miami Beach say was putting graffiti on a building earlier this month. Officers tried to stop him. They say he ran and the search ended with the teen tased and dying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: BOLO at this time. It's going to be for a six foot, six foot one mulatto male. Advise. He had dreads.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right there, right there. Right there, right there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't know if the guy is having a seizure. Roll fire rescue on a 3. He is breathing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up the rescue. Reference a cardiac arrest. 71st Street Harding Avenue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Hernandez was buried Wednesday afternoon. Police are investigating what happened and why -- and what was supposed to be a non-lethal weapon actually turned deadly.
BERMAN: Forty-six minutes after the hour right now. I got a good one for you. So, dogs are man's best friend, right? Well, for one Texas family, their Chihuahua/poodle mix much more than a friend. He is a hero. Psycho --
SAMBOLIN: That's his name?
BERMAN: Psycho jumped between their little girl and a venomous rattlesnake. The snake bit the dog in the eye, but, did not bite the girl.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYA DELAROSA, SAVED FROM SNAKE: Me and my little sister were making mud pies and I hear a hiss and a rattle. And I look down and there's a snake. Psycho, he got in front of me and the snake bit him.
MARTHA RODRIGUEZ, PSYCHO'S OWNER, MAYA'S GRANDMOTHER: You know, I love dog. But, I mean, he saved her life. He's my hero.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Let's hear it for Psycho, right?
SAMBOLIN: All right. Psycho!
BERMAN: So, the dog's injury, you know, it looks serious. The eye looks tough. But veterinarian says Psycho will make a full recovery. That dog is an American. That dog is --
SAMBOLIN: Oh my goodness. I can't get over his name. So, there's got to be a little something going on inside of him that they named him Psycho and he lived up to his name. You know, he went after a rattlesnake.s
BERMAN: The right kind of Psycho.
SAMBOLIN: That's fantastic.
BERMAN: Psycho, I like.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: All right. Let's take a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, what's up?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I was waiting for the other psychos I like, Chris Bolduan (ph). There we go. You're officially married to me.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I like that.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK) CUOMO: I feel like I've been emasculated from this marriage.
BERMAN: You make a handsome couple.
BOLDUAN: Thank you. We are keeping it secret, but we just have to tell you.
CUOMO: Chris Bolduan works for me. I like it. And I like the use of American.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: That's an American canine.
(CROSSTALK)
CUOMO: There you go.
BOLDUAN: There you go.
CUOMO: All right, J.B. All right, Zoraida. Here's what we have this morning. You know, we're all following Egypt and it's because of the situation on the ground there as well as what could be yet to come. Over 400 dead. It looks like there are going to be more protests. This is not what the U.S. envisioned during the situation that it refused to call a coup.
The question is, what does the U.S. do now? Most are saying doing nothing, not an option. So, we'll take you on the ground. You'll see the situation that people are living with and we'll talk about what may have to happen next.
BOLDUAN: Yes. We're also following the heartbreaking custody case surrounding Baby Veronica. I know, Zoraida, you've been following this very closely. Her adoptive parents, they're trying to get their daughter back. Can they work out a compromise with the biological family? We'll talk with legal views, Ashleigh Banfield.
Many think that it needs to happen outside of the legal process. They need to figure this out themselves, because it's just not working.
CUOMO: Been a lot of law here. Made it all the way to the Supreme Court. It's complicated because state law, and federal law and tribal law. So, it's complicated and we'll take you through it.
And then, morning shows love to talk about this. Sleep.
BOLDUAN: How much of you slept?
CUOMO: People are turning to sleep medication to help them catch some Zs. It's growing. More people are doing it. The question is, what does it do to your body the next morning? It's a big thing for all of us, right? Am I taking enough? How much of a dose? Who knows better than Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's going to be here with new safety concerns.
BERMAN: Man, if he can help us, I would be so happy.
SAMBOLIN: He's just going to give you bad news.
BERMAN: We're just talking about how would I sleep last night. Thanks, guys. One of the reasons I lost so much sleep last night --
SAMBOLIN: The Red Sox.
BERMAN: No. Dan and Tom Brady hurt his knee. We'll tell you all about it right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Wake up, Berman. Patriots nation was in complete freak out mode. He still is after Berman's man crush, Tom Brady went down holding his knee during a scrimmage with the Buccaneers. Andy Scholes has all this morning for us.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Hey, good morning, guys. Well, John, it looks like you and everyone else who's already drafted Brady on their fancy teams can let out a big sigh of relief. An MRI on Brady's knee came back negative, and he is expected to be OK. But for a while there, the entire NFL world was on hold.
Sports books in Las Vegas even pulled down all Patriots related bets for a few hours. Now, Brady's injury occurred when the Bucs Adrian Clayborn pushed the Patriots lineman into Brady. And no one is supposed to touch the quarterbacks in these scrimmages, but Clayborn said his instincts took over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADRIAN CLAYBORN, TAMPA BAY DEFENSIVE END: You always got to stay away from the quarterback. I mean, if you got a guy on the street, on his heels, my instinct is to keep going. So, that's what I did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: NFL is always looking to improve their performance-enhancing drug police. And now, they plan on using former players to make that happen. According to "USA Today," the NFL is planning on having about 100 former players take part in a human growth hormone study. Two- thirds of the former players would receive HGH.
While the others would receive a placebo. The goal is to determine what a normal level of HGH is for an NFL player and what would be considered a violation under the new testing policy. NFL hopes to start testing for HGH this season.
Braves/Phillies last night in Atlanta. An injured bat finds its way on to the infield during the second innings.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHOLES: Who better to handle this situation, guys, than a bat boy.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: Boo!
(LAUGHTER)
SCHOLES: -- a couple players in the dugout with it. A bit later, it takes a bat back on the field. It's just fine and flies away into the outfield.
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: That is hilarious.
SAMBOLIN: It is. And that is your "Bleacher Report." We appreciate it. And, thank you for the good news on Mr. Brady, because Berman was dying.
SCHOLES: He needed it.
BERMAN: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: We spent too much time worrying about Tom Brady. So, that is all for EARLY START.
SAMBOLIN: You spent too much time worrying about him. Take it away Chris and Kate.
BOLDUAN: Thanks, guys. We'll see you in a little bit.
CUOMO: All right. Almost the top of the hour. Here at "NEW DAY," it means it is time for your top news.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are many injured people inside the hospital. How do you expect to believe them?
CUOMO: State of emergency. The death toll in Egypt tops 400. The country at risk of descending into civil war. What will the U.S. do?
BOLDUAN: Chilling new details of what happened the day Hannah Anderson was kidnapped as Hannah, herself, reveals more in an online account. We're touching tribute to her family.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rain, rain, go away. Parts of the east getting soaked again this morning. Is this proving to be the wettest summer on record?
CUOMO: Your "NEW DAY" starts right now.
ANNOUNCER: This is "NEW DAY" with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CUOMO: Good morning and welcome. You got one eye open, but that's enough. This is "New Day." It's Thursday, August 15th, six o'clock in the east. I'm Chris Cuomo.
BOLDUAN: Good morning, everyone. I'm Kate Bolduan, and we're here with news anchor, Michaela Pereira.
PEREIRA: Good morning.
BOLDUAN: Good morning. Time to wake up.
Coming up this hour, the mystery surrounding that UPS plane crash that left the two pilots dead. Several investigators s are on the ground now trying to determine just what brought that huge cargo plane down. We'll have the latest.
CUOMO: And then we have a legal situation we're following, but it's really just about a little girl. The case of Baby Veronica adopted by parents in South Carolina then taken back by her biological father in Oklahoma. The key phrase, he is a member of the Cherokee nation. The case made it all the way to the Supreme Court but still not over. And the question is, will this child ever have a happy home? We're going to take you through it. We're going to talk to the adoptive parents who are desperate to get the girl that they say is their daughter back.
PEREIRA: And if you have wondered if your e-mail is being snooped on, well, Google is now making it perfectly clear to you. Gmail users, yes, they are indeed reading your e-mail. We're going to tell you what they're doing with that information coming up.
