Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Terror Suspect Captured; Flash Flooding Paralyzes Louisville; Texas-Sized Shootout!
Aired October 07, 2013 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The debt ceiling battle is just beginning as the government shutdown continues now into its second week.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Some serious flash flooding in Kentucky. Parts of Louisville submerged. Families forced to evacuate. The damage this morning so widespread emergency officials still do not know if more people need to be rescued this morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN (on-camera): On that note, we're going to say good morning to you. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Zoraida Sambolin.
BERMAN (on-camera): I'm John Berman. Thirty minutes after the hour. Hope you had a great weekend.
We do have some more now on our top story. A top al Qaeda operative nabbed by U.S. special forces in Africa. This man you're looking at right here is Abu Anas al-Liby. He was captured in Tripoli 15 years after his alleged involvement in the deadly bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. So, what does the U.S. have in store for the suspect and could the rates (ph) prompt any kind of retaliation?
Let's turn now to CNN's Nic Robertson live in London this morning. Nic, what's the latest?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, what we're hearing from al-Libi's wife, she's saying, and perhaps not surprisingly, she's saying, look, he's been out of al Qaeda for at least a decade or so. He's been living in the open in Libya for the last couple of years and government there haven't picked him up.
So, on the surface of it, her narrative would be there's nothing much to get there in terms of sort of active intelligence and information. On the other hand, al Qaeda's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri has sent key operatives to Libya in the past couple of years in the sort of post- Arab spring chaos that's happening that in that country to set up training camps.
Al Qaeda is getting stronger in North Africa. So, al-Liby is going to face questioning aboard a U.S. naval vessel in the Mediterranean. And clearly, whatever he knows about al Qaeda in North Africa at the moment is going to be hugely important because they plan not just to spread themselves in North Africa but to target western interests inside Europe which in some places along the coastline there is not a long boat ride away. So, he's going to have potentially, potentially very useful information, John.
BERMAN: And this operation in Libya, coupled with the operation on the coast of Somalia over the weekend with SEAL Team Six, it does seem to send a message from the U.S. to terrorists who are still operating.
ROBERTSON: Yes. I mean, you got to look at both of these events really happening at the same time. Clearly, you wouldn't do one if you -- without -- either of them without careful planning. But, both coming on the same night sends a very, very clear message to al Qaeda and experts we've been talking to who have close contacts with some of these jihadists say, look, right now, they're going to be running for cover.
They used to being on the offensive. They're going to have to be on the defensive now and start hiding because they know the United States is going to go after them. This is a very clear message that has been sent. Al-Liby's success, the operation in Somalia, less so, lessons will be learned from that clearly. But for al Qaeda, big lesson learned, the United States is on the offensive and is going to come get you in Africa.
BERMAN: Very active. Nic Robertson in London for us this morning. Thanks so much, Nic.
SAMBOLIN: Thirty-three minutes past the hour. We are now in day seven of the partial government shutdown and there's little hope of any progress today or any time soon for that matter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN (voice-over): Neither side appears ready to blink. House speaker, John Boehner, says a clean spending bill that doesn't address Obamacare has zero chance of passing the House, although, many analysts question his math.
BERMAN (voice-over): The federal government acknowledging for the first time that the Obamacare sign-up website needs some serious upgrades or modifications. According to the "Wall Street Journal," federal officials said Sunday that the online marketplace needed design changes and more server capacity in order to improve efficiency. Really in order to work at all.
Last week, the Obama administration said there was an unanticipated surge of web traffic when that site went live. It did undergo some maintenance over the weekend.
SAMBOLIN: Russian president, Vladimir Putin lighting the official Olympic flame in Red Sqaure, but the four-month relay (INAUDIBLE) for the 2014 winter games got off to a rough start when the flame went out. It was for a brief time. So, the glitch occurred when a torch bearer, that guy right there, ran through a long passageway creating a wind tunnel that ended up doing that, extinguishing the flame.
The Olympic torch relay needed a lighter to get it restarted. The winter games in Russia begin in February.
BERMAN: It's the almost eternal flame.
SAMBOLIN: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: More than six inches of rain in 24 hours triggering some dangerous flash flooding in Louisville, Kentucky. Look at that. Homes damaged and roads closed, a mess. At least 100 people either rescued by firefighters or forced to evacuate. The flooding this morning is so widespread, the Red Cross still doesn't know exactly how many residents have been displaced. So far, no reports of serious injuries.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN (on-camera): Let's get a check at the weather now. Karen Maginnis live from the CNN Weather Center in Atlanta. What's going on, Karen?
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We've got a frontal system making its way towards the northeast. So, all of the way from Raleigh to Washington, D.C. and a vision (ph) towards Boston. It will begin around one to around three o'clock.
Some of that rainfall could be heavy. It's all part of that same weather system that produced the devastating flooding in and around Louisville, Kentucky, Jefferson County, but all across the Ohio River Valley where we did see dozens, if in fact, not hundreds of people that had to be rescued, not just from their homes but also from their automobiles.
Well, we do have a slight risk for severe weather extending from that I-95 corridor northward from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore extending up towards New York City. Don't be surprised by the thunder or the lightning and it looks like you could see one or two inches of rainfall. So, some locally heavy amounts expected there. Now, you probably have been waiting for winter or at least fall to arrive for a little while, anywhere.
Well, those temperatures have been exceptionally warm, running about five to 10 degrees above normal. Well, now, we'll see those readings just about average for this time of year. For New York City, usually it runs around 68 degrees. It will be 66 by Wednesday. And take a look at Philadelphia. Temperatures in the upper 70s, we go all the way down into the upper 60s. So, a nice cool down taking place, but you'll have to deal with that threat or the potential for severe weather.
And the Santa Ana winds will begin to calm down even more. It's going to be a storm system that makes its way there by Wednesday. Already about 2,500 acres have burned at camp Pendleton. They were saying just about 12 hours ago that that was only about 15 percent contained. Otherwise, high pressure dominates much of the nation's midsection. And last week, you may remember, blizzard conditions across South Dakota and they saw snowfall totals close to four feet. Yes. It's a little bit early.
BERMAN: Four feet? All right. Karen Maginnis, thank you so much. Great to see you this morning. Appreciate it.
SAMBOLIN (on-camera): And coming up, residents of Newtown, Connecticut, making their voices heard. We'll let you know what they decided to do with the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
BERMAN: And before you place your next order for those chicken nuggets, wait until you hear what researchers found inside.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Welcome back to EARLY START. Do you follow us on Twitter? We like to have a dialogue in the morning with you guys. And so, Berman came up with a #morningrhyme.
BERMAN: #morningrhyme. Our graphics department here meaning me and my magic marker has written that down right now.
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: #morningrhyme.
SAMBOLIN: You also have to hash tag EARLY START.
BERMAN: That's our graphics department right there.
(LAUGHTER)
SAMBOLIN: Anyway, yes, you got some good ones this morning. This one again Berman is forcing me to read. So, this one is from --
BERMAN: Left Jabs.
SAMBOLIN: @LeftJabs, "And it's Monday morning and my fantasy team lost. At least, I am watching Berman. That man is a boss."
BERMAN: Kudos to you, Left Jabs. You win our morning rhyme competition for today.
SAMBOLIN: We have another one.
BERMAN: OK.
SAMBOLIN: "Eats in bed." Really loves to participate in the morning. Thank you very much. "Eats in bed. Monday morning was a miss this time, maybe Tuesday I'll have a morning rhyme." Nicely done.
BERMAN: You, too, can have a morning rhyme and have it read out loud on television before 6:00 a.m. Everyone --
SAMBOLIN: If you're up at this crazy hour of the morning, engage us -- on Berman, ZoraidaCNN.
BERMAN: #morningrhyme, #EARLYSTART.
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: You do it.
SAMBOLIN: This is so sad that that's how you created your graphics this morning.
All right. Forty-one minutes past the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN (voice-over): Rebuild Sandy Hook Elementary School, that was the overwhelming message from Newtown voters this weekend. Officials demolished the Connecticut school building where 20 first graders and six staffers were shot to death in cold blood last December. The horrific killing sparking a nationwide debate over gun control and over mental health. Now, the town has accepted a $50 million state grant to rebuild on that very same site.
BERMAN (voice-over): All right. This story is sort of amazing. Aurora (INAUDIBLE) is still pinching herself this morning. One of the Oregon bar tenders regular customers always tips her with Keno lottery tickets. Last Tuesday night, he gave her two of them. The first ticket was a $5 winner. The second ticket worth 17,500 bucks, right? So, Aurora tried to give it back to her customer, but the customer would not hear of it.
SAMBOLIN: What a humble gal.
BERMAN: The bartender did end up giving the man a cut. Still, Aurora is using the rest to buy a new couch and pad her savings account.
SAMBOLIN: And if you were going to be talking to Aurora, what would you say to her?
BERMAN: I would say she should not have shared the winnings with the customer.
SAMBOLIN: Why?
BERMAN: Because he tips her with lottery tickets all the time, which I think is barely cheap, actually. You know, if he buys $20 for the drinks, he should be tipping four or five bucks more than a lottery ticket, I would think. And, you know, when she wins, it's hers to keep.
SAMBOLIN: You wouldn't share if this happened to you. If somebody gave you a lottery ticket and you end up with $17,500, you wouldn't say, hey, can I give you a little bit of money here?
BERMAN: She should buy him some free drinks and give him some lottery tickets in return, not share the winnings.
SAMBOLIN: All right. Whatever. Guy/girl, different prospective.
All right. So, meet the world's very first trillionaire. It's not Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. Reggie Theus of East Texas beat them both to it just by checking his bank account online it said, he had over $4 trillion! He took it in stride, even showing up for work at a locat restaurant chain. It turns out it was just a computer glitch which is too bad. Theus said -- would have gone far to help him pay down the national debt.
(LAUGHTER)
SAMBOLIN: He could buy --
BERMAN: Theus used to play basketball for the Sacramento Kings and for the Bulls, I think, but I think it's a different Reggie Theus.
Anyway, kids may love them, but what's really inside that chicken nugget. Mississippi researchers say they found more fat, blood vessel and nerves than what most people consider meat. But the National Chicken Council says that's unfair. "In making chicken nuggets, our members use quality ingredients and adhere to all food safety laws and regulations. This study evaluates only two chicken nugget samples out of billions."
The researchers say there's no harm in eating them occasionally but warn against serving them to kids too often.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN (on-camera): Yikes. You know, I purposely did open a link to the story this morning because I was worried about what they found inside and I would have rather not known.
BERMAN (on-camera): Better not known --
SAMBOLIN: Because my kids eat them.
All right. Let's take a look what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan join us. Good morning.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, you two. Happy Monday.
SAMBOLIN: Happy Monday.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're going to be talking about wars abroad and at home. Abroad, two major strikes against terror, one in Libya, one in Mogadishu, and both for different reasons. A key terrorist, most wanted in any FBI list, you look at him right there, he's taken hostage now. What does he know and what will he able to tell the U.S. about possible future attacks?
The other attack involves SEAL Team Six on the anniversary in Mogadishu of Blackhawk down. We all remember the scenario there. This time, thankfully, latest intelligence is that nobody was hurt there, but what happened, because SEAL Team Six had to retreat. So, we're going to talk about that and also obviously getting to the politics going on here at home.
We got big players here for you on Congress to talk about when they're going to end the shutdown and what does it means for the debt ceiling.
BOLDUAN: And we're also have this horrific crash over the weekend. The Indy car race track in Houston. The video, it just really heart- stopping and it also left Indy car driver, Dario Franchitti in a hospital and 13 spectators hurt after this. We're going to talk this morning with one man who was right there in the middle of it as it happened and caught some of these amazing images.
BERMAN: Amazing images. Amazing he is still alive this this morning and lucky, too. Thanks so much, Chris and Kate. We'll see you in a little bit.
Coming up, five touchdown passes, over 500 yards passing. And guess what? The QB still lost. How on Earth is that even mathematically possible? Joe Carter joins us next to explain it all in the "Bleacher Report."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: It's very difficult to stop the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning even if you throw five touchdown passes and 500 yards. Apparently, it's not enough, wasn't enough for Tony Romo. Joe Carter has more in the "Bleacher Report." Hey, Joe.
JOE CARTER, BLEACHER REPORT: Hey, good morning, guys. You know, who would have thought going into the game yesterday that the first team to score 50 points would win? Who would have thought Tony Romo would throw over 500 yards, would still come out a loser, and for the first time in five years, we saw Peyton Manning score touchdown by running it in.
Now, as good as Peyton was, and he was really good, you can argue that Tony Romo actually played better yesterday until he made the one mistake that will haunt him in Dallas for ages. That interception set up the game winning field goal. It was the fourth highest scoring game in NFL history. The Denver Broncos are now 5-0 after a 51-48 win.
Of course, Peyton Manning is having a historical start to a season. Little brother, Eli, is too. Just in the wrong kind of way. Eli has now thrown 12 interceptions in five games. Twelve! Three interceptions came in the fourth quarter against the Eagles yesterday. The New York Giants, if you remember, won the Super Bowl just two years ago. They're now 0-5, off to their worst start since 1979.
Let's talk a little baseball. In Pittsburgh, the Pirates won another playoff game yesterday and now stand just five wins from going to the World Series. They beat the Cardinals yesterday 5-3. The Pirates can win their first playoff series in 34 years with a game four win later today.
And in Los Angeles, the Dodgers absolutely hammered the Atlanta Braves last night. They scored 13 runs, the most for the Dodgers in a playoff game since 1956. Their 13-6 win just a reminder of how lethal this lineup can actually be.
And if you like baseball, we have a full slate of baseball games for you today. The Tigers and A's play at 1:00 p.m. eastern. That series tied at one game apiece after that on TBS. Pirates and Cardinals at 3:00 p.m., and at 6:00 p.m. eastern, Red Sox and Rays. Boston could close out the series with a win.
And the late game is at 9:30 eastern, Dodgers and Braves. Of course, the Dodgers can advance with a win as well. Both games can be seen on TBS. And three of the four series, guys, can close out today with a win. So, that's your "Bleacher Report" update.
BERMAN: That's right. A big night at baseball. On this programming note, I will be a basket case tomorrow on EARLY START from being up all night watching baseball.
SAMBOLIN: I'll be surprised if you show up, actually.
BERMAN: Joe Carter, thanks, man. Nice to see you.
SAMBOLIN: Fifty-one minutes past the hour. Coming up, Miley Cyrus is rocking "SNL." Not a whole lot of twerking but a whole lot of buzz coming out of it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Welcome back to EARLY START. It's 55 minutes past the hour. You know, we just had some morning rhymes a little while ago and I know you're going to talk about Miley Cyrus, right?
BERMAN: Yes.
SAMBOLIN: So, I have another morning rhyme that came in that's very appropriate. So, listen to this one. This one is from Vin Kim (ph). "Miley Cyrus did a good job as "SNL" host, but her big, long tongue is still really gross."
BERMAN: It's true --
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: -- and it rhymed.
SAMBOLIN: I love that one. Good for you, Vin Kim (ph).
BERMAN: She is, in fact, everywhere, Miley Cyrus is, including apparently with Halloween. A costume of her is apparently one of the hottest ideas of this year. We're talking the hot pants, bra, and foam finger combo. It seems like everyone wants to be Miley.
SAMBOLIN: I was little taken aback by this earlier. I was actually speechless, because I thought that this was for little girls. But these are adult costumes which I guess makes it better.
BERMAN: Let's hope they're adult costumes. And of course, as we get mentioned, she did pull double duty this weekend on "Saturday Night Live." It sounded great when she was singing.
SAMBOLIN: -- little bit more of this. So, blast off at the box office. The Sandra Bullock/George Clooney space thriller, "Gravity," was number one with a record $55.6 million take. The film is already hit with critics. It is an Oscar contender. Now, it has the biggest October opening ever. It's also a career best for the two Oscar winners. The "Gravity's" real (ph) star just may be the film's spectacular 3D special effects. I got to go see --
BERMAN: A lot of people talking about that.
All right. It was a family affair over the weekend for the Combs household. Sean P. Diddy Combs sat front row to watch his three daughters make their one way debut in New York City's kids fashion week. His twins, Delilah and Jesse, were joined by half-sister, Chance. They strutted down the catwalk. What is this? The swarsky --
SAMBOLIN: Swarovski.
BERMAN: OK. An oh-la-la fashion show. The trio done sneaker wedges, freely dresses, and sparkly headbands. And Combs shared his excitement later, tweeting, "My little three supermodels, #prouddad. Understandable.
SAMBOLIN: So, those sparkly headbands probably were Swarovski crystals. I'm going to send you a wing so that --
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: Fantastic. I need more sparkling.
(LAUGHTER)
SAMBOLIN: All right. And congratulations to Halle Berry. Did you hear? The actress gave birth to her second child over the weekend, and it is a baby boy. It is her first with husband, Olivier Martinez. The baby's name is still under wrapped. The 46-year-old Berry also has a really adorable five-year-old daughter, Nahla.
BERMAN: Congratulations to them.
SAMBOLIN: Yes. It's very nice.
BERMAN: All right. That is all for EARLY START this morning. It is time for "NEW DAY."
SAMBOLIN: Take it away, Chris and Kate.
BOLDUAN: Thank you, thank you. We'll see you guys a little later.
CUOMO: All right. And good morning to you. It's time for your top news. Let's get the show started.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States of America will never stop in its effort to hold those accountable (INAUDIBLE) terror.
CUOMO: Breaking new details inside two major strikes on top terrorist. SEAL Team Six back in action. One man captured, may have key Intel on possible attacks.
BOLDUAN: Sudden impact. This terrifying crash caught on tape. A dozen spectators injured. The Indy car racer now in the hospital. His Hollywood star wife rushing to his side. So, what went wrong?
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catch me if you can. The nine- year-old boy who sorted (ph) the TSA. How exactly did he manage to board a flight to Vegas unaccompanied without even a ticket?
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. Welcome to "NEW DAY." It is Monday, October 7th, six o'clock in the east. We enter week two of a partial government shutdown and what seems to be a total political stalemate. Markets around the world dropping sharply in reaction to the political instability and a looming debt ceiling deadline.
We're going to talk to people in the middle of it, former Congressman Vin Weber, very close to the Republican House leadership, and a key democrat, Senator Chuck Schumer.
BOLDUAN: Plus, two men are charged over the weekend in connection with that motorcycle pack beating and the man you see right there highlighted slowing down in front of the SUV, he is speaking out this morning. You'll want to hear what he has to say.
PEREIRA: You also want to hear more about this. An ESPN analyst getting a whole lot of heat this morning for his reaction to the rumors that former secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, is going to seat on a college football playoff section committee. That analyst saying women should not be allowed to hold that seat on that committee. We have more on his comments and the whole story --
CUOMO: Up first, two terror raides in two hot spots in Africa. One U.S. operation in Libya nabbing this man, al Qaeda operative, Abu Anas al-Liby. The other has SEAL Team Six back in action in Somalia on the anniversary of Blackhawk down. You remember that tragic event. The target, a commander for al Shabaab, the group responsible for that mall attack in Nairobi. The SEALs came under fire and withdrew before confirming if they had killed their target.
We're following the development as only CNN can. We have Joe Johns in Washington, and let's begin with Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Good morning, Barbara.
