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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Fixing Obamacare; Prince George Christened Today; Gronkowski To Host Women's Football Camp
Aired October 23, 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: There were apparently red flags suggesting that Obamacare that the rollout would fail. So, how did the government miss these red flags about the health exchanges about the website? CNN's Joe Johns following that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Sources in and outside the government who spoke to CNN blame the problems with the website on a variety of issues, leading up to the launch, especially the lack of a true point person. A true project manager who could give CMS what one insider called a no-BS assessment of how imperfect the rollout would be. The White House is hoping to solve that problem by naming a fixer, business whiz, Jeff Zients.
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He's an expert in the field of effective management. And HHS will be tapping his experience and expertise as they address the challenges that have come up with the administration of the website.
JOHNS: What may have made the rollout worse was failure to manage expectations. Sources said they were aware of capacity problems. When confronted with reality that the website was going to under- perform, a source at higher ups circled the wagons over-promising that any glitches wouldn't be that bad. In fact, the Health and Human Services secretary was actually on CNN downplaying the capacity problems on the day the website rolled out.
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: I think the volume-related issues are ones that we welcome, frankly. It shows how many people are eager to get real information.
JOHNS: A source familiar with the situation tells CNN a subsidiary of Verizon has been working on the website's network capacity issues. As far as the website itself goes, sources said the government did not know what it wanted in the first place and kept changing the goal post or revising the plan on website design, making it extremely difficult for multiple contractors to deliver a product, but a former member of the president's technology team says contractors shouldn't escape blame either.
CLAY JOHNSON, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL INNOVATION FELLOW: I had a feeling that healthcare.gov wasn't going to go the way that everyone wanted back in February. But the only reason I had that feeling is because if you look at the history of federal I.T. projects, they almost always result in failure.
JOHNS (on-camera): Clay Johnson says the government should stop naming huge companies to do new technology projects and hire smaller more agile companies. We asked Verizon for a statement for this story and they declined to comment.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Republican leaders had their way. Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, would be the fall gal for that failed Obamacare rollout. She was asked about the possibility of resigning during an exclusive interview with our Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: There's a lot of frustration obviously in the country, and no one probably knows this better than you and the president. Did you ever talk about resigning to the president?
SEBELIUS: What I talked about is doing the job that I came here to do.
GUPTA: If this persists or even at this point now, would you consider resigning over this?
SEBELIUS: I think my job is to get this fully implemented and to get the website working right and that's really what I'm focused on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEREIRA: Secretary Sebelius says President Obama didn't know about the problems with health care website until it went live. As for delaying the launch, Sebelius says that isn't really an option.
BERMAN: So, he's not ruling it out. Arizona senator, John McCain, says he is giving serious consideration to a run for re-election in 2016.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN (voice-over): That would be McCain's sixth term in the Senate when he turns 80 (ph). There are a lot of senators that had been older than 80. McCain, as you know, lost his bid for the presidency back in 2008.
PEREIRA (voice-over): Authorities in Sparks, Nevada, still do not know why a 12-year-old boy opened fire at his middle school, fatally shooting a teacher and wounding two of his fellow students before turning the gun on himself and killing himself. 911 calls reveal the chaos and the sheer terror inside that school.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911 emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody brought a gun to school, they shot the teacher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The teacher's down?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I will get somebody out there right away. You're at Sparks Middle School?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. They shot again.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: This is a student at Sparks Middle School. Can you please send police out here? There's a kid with a gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PEREIRA: These children are absolutely terrified. The young man brought the handgun from his home. His parents could now face charges. Some students have suggested the shooter was a victim of bullying. Police say, though, it's too early to determine if that was a motive for the shooting.
BERMAN: Hundreds of people attending a vigil in Maryville, Missouri in support of a teenage girl, Daisy Coleman, who says she was raped. The special prosecutors have been appointed to re-examine the case which was dropped by local prosecutors. Daisy's family claims it's because one of the suspects if from a prominent local family. Protesters are calling for justice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTNEY COLE, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: This is a grassroots effort. And, there have been people throughout the entire nation that had been working to try to find some kind of solution and some way to help and that makes a difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The special prosecutor says her office will review the case, quote, "without fear or favor."
PEREIRA: One of convicted killers who allegedly used forged papers to get out of prison will be in court today. Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins were both serving life without parole in Florida. Authorities say they used fake documents with a realistic-looking county seal and signatures from a judge and a state attorney to walk free.
Both were caught over the weekend. Officials are trying to figure out who it was that helped them. At least five other inmates in Florida have gone for using similar fake paperwork.
BERMAN: A ninth biker under arrest for that infamous SUV attack last month in New York City. Forty-year-old Jason Brown faces assault charges. Court documents say he was seen on this video hitting the driver with his helmet. The NYPD says there could be still more arrests. Three officers who were at the scene are under investigation. They are accused of waiting several days to tell their superiors what happened.
PEREIRA: A judge will have to determine whether the city of Detroit qualifies for bankruptcy protection at a trial that begins today. Local unions and pensions funds claim the city failed to negotiate with them in good faith before declaring for chapter 9 protection in July. If the judge agrees, he could rule Detroit is not eligible for relief from $18 billion in debt.
BERMAN: There's been a big surge in support for legalizing marijuana. A clear majority of Americans now favor it for the first time ever. The latest Gallup Poll tells a story. Look at this, 58 percent of Americans now believe that marijuana should be legal. That's up 10 percent in just one year. Only 39 percent believe marijuana should stay illegal. The largest surge of support comes from Americans who describe themselves as independent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN (on-camera): It's almost dawn. It's almost light out in some places like the middle of the Atlantic.
PEREIRA: That sounded like, oh, no, I've got hours left to sleep.
BERMAN: So, what's going to be like today?
PEREIRA: Karen Maginnis has the answer. Good morning, darling.
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. And we start out with the big chill and it's across much of the east and into the Midwest where temperatures are running a good five to as much as 15 degrees below where they should be. And John, this is just for you. In Boston, it's 46. Now, that will be the temperature at just about eight o'clock this evening, and there's a slight chance for some showers there.
Pretty much to the east into the south of that i-95 corridor. Frontal system is trying move off the eastern seaboard, but there's an area of low pressure still kind of spinning around this region that will throw some of that moisture back on shore. But yes, we have to mentioned the lake-effect snow from Traverse City to Grand Rapids extending on over towards Cleveland into Rochester and Syracuse.
Now, I don't think there'll be much of an accumulation. Not now, but a little bit later, because that cold air is going to be in place. Now, temperatures up and down the eastern seaboard, Atlanta, 65, Cleveland, 48, New York City tops out at 55. Back to you.
BERMAN: Thank you so much, Karen. Forty-seven, it will chill the Cardinals' bats in Boston.
PEREIRA: I cannot wait to see what happens. You're going to be -- either way, it's interesting to see how you react tomorrow. BERMAN: I'll be very happy when the Red Sox win.
PEREIRA: You don't usually want your trip to the dentist to be eventful. This wasn't so bad, though. A bear hanging outside in a tree outside of a dentist's office near Orlando. It was like pulling teeth to get him out of there, ha-ha. He stayed for hours. Apparently, wildlife officials didn't want him to dart because they were concerned that it actually dart into traffic. Eventually, he did come down on his own and lumbered away.
BERMAN: They should have given him one of those treats that they give the kids when they go like -- plastic rigs.
PEREIRA: I got a solar (ph) molar.
BERMAN: All right. Coming up for us next --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a nation, we're celebrating the birth of someone who in due course will be the head of state. That's extraordinary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: You can see the excitement exploding from that Brit. It is a special day for all of England, all of the United Kingdom. Prince George set to be christened in just hours. Feel the excitement. Max Foster live at Buckingham Palace where a nation, where a world, prepares to celebrate. That's right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Folks, it is a big day for one family and an historic day for an entire nation.
PEREIRA: It's the christening of Prince George. He will be christened a little bit later this morning. Prince William and Catherine opting for a more private ceremony. CNN's Max Foster covering the story for us from London. Of course, they've been breaking with tradition here and there along the way. I imagine that today would probably be no exception.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYALTY CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. It is an historic occasion. You say, loads of people are interested, but we're not going to be able to get to see inside. It's a tiny family affair. We just heard that the godparents, close family will be there. Godparents, interestingly, are mainly old friends from school and university. So, this is Kate and William again doing it in their own way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER (voice-over): There's the baby, the new royal heir. Prince George making his first royal appearance in front of the world's media. A young prince for a young modern monarchy, and certainly, a new way of doing things. Next, a photograph taken by his grandfather, Michael Middleton, at the family home in Bucklebury.
So, the christening will be only his third public appearance. And we won't get to see the pictures from inside until tomorrow.
PRINCE WILLIAM, GREAT BRITAIN: I'm just doing the way I know. You know, if it's the right way, then bring it. If it's the wrong way, then I'll try to get better. I'm quite -- I'm reasonably head strong about what I believe in and what I go for.
FOSTER: The christening will be held here at the chapel at St. James Palace. A small intimate affair with only close friends and family invited. Princess Ann and Prince Andrew among senior royals who won't be attending. It's a distinct break from the traditional larger ceremonies that George's father and grandfather enjoyed in the music room at Buckingham Palace.
Being christened into the church is more significant for George than for most. When he becomes king, he'll also become supreme governor at the Church of England.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All babies are unbelievably special. Not any royal babies. As a nation, we're celebrating the birth of someone who, in due course, will be the head of state. That's extraordinary.
FOSTER: This is a moment in British history, the christening of a future monarch. William and Kate are doing it in what's becoming their signature low-key manner.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER (on-camera): There will be lots of tradition, however, for those inside able to see it. George will be baptized with water from the River Jordan. And remember that spectacular wedding cake Kate and William had. Well, they saved a tier and they'll be serving that after the christening at Clarence House. So, it is an important occasion, but a private one -- John and Mikaela.
PEREIRA: A very, very special day. Max Foster in London, thank you so much for sharing it with us.
BERMAN: Can't wait to see those pictures tomorrow either.
PEREIRA: I know.
BERMAN: Thanks so much, Max.
It is time now for our "Morning Rhyme." These are the best tweets of the day. And our first one comes from Beto Hoya (ph). He wrote, "When will I ever win, hall of fame let me in. The news keeps burning start the day with the homey Berman." Now, he wins for two reasons. One, he begged. He begged to win.
PEREIRA: And also because he called you his homey.
BERMAN: And two, because he called me his home. So, Beto, thank you very much that. PEREIRA: Michelle Daconey (ph), "Lights are bright. Nothing subtle about the 6:00 a.m. delta shuttle." Ooh, girl, we've been there.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: A CNN producer, you can participate if you work here at CNN.
PEREIRA: That's true.
BERMAN: We do not discriminate.
PEREIRA: We do not.
BERMAN: I guess, employees of Time Warner --
(CROSSTALK)
PEREIRA: He tweets us often.
BERMAN: Often. Another reason why everyone should get involved. So, tweet us with your own morning rhymes. The hash tags are #morningrhyme and EARLYSTART. Prince George, by the way, being christened today, get us an early rhyme tomorrow.
PEREIRA: Ooh, that will be good. And Prince George, you can find ways to run with that, too.
BERMAN: When he winks (ph) that little prince. Did you like that?
PEREIRA: -- do this off the top of his head.
BERMAN: Just like that.
PEREIRA: Let's see what's happening on "NEW DAY." They're getting ready for the big show at 6:00 a.m. Kate and Chris, good morning to you both.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right. So, we've been asking all these questions what's going on with the website, are they just glitches. Is it a metaphor for the law being flawed? That's the extreme view, right? Kathleen Sebelius, she's in charge. She's the health care honcho. The secretary of Health and Human Services hasn't spoken about it until now with the man you just saw on your screen.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta getting answers to the big questions about how they'll turn it around, what this means going forward, and whether this law will really achieve what its goals were. Big interview, he has it.
BOLDUAN: Big interview. He asked the right question. You'll want to see this. And we also are following a shocking case out of Utah. A doctor on trial accused of killing his wife with a lethal combination of prescription drugs. Well, now, his daughters are closer to testifying against their father. It's truly amazing. We're going inside the trial with our legal experts. You don't want to mist that.
BERMAN: That case, man, has so many twists and turns.
BOLDUAN: I know.
CUOMO: I've not heard one like it in some time.
BOLDUAN: I know.
PEREIRA: Absolutely. Head upstairs in a moment or downstairs. I can't remember where I am.
BERMAN: You're going upstairs.
PEREIRA: OK. Thank you.
BERMAN: I'm staying here all by myself. That's OK because I have the Red Sox.
PEREIRA: Oh, that's true.
BERMAN: And tonight, they play in game one of the World Series. Andy Scholes on what we can expect besides heartburn (ph). That's coming up next in the "Bleacher Report."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Right. Who is feeling Boston string? I can tell you, the entire Red Sox nation feeling that way right now. Tonight, game one of the World Series at Fenway Park. The Red Sox taking on a very, very good Cardinal team. Andy Scholes is here to break the whole thing down for us in the "Bleacher Report." Good morning, Andy.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Hey. Good morning, John. Well, you know, no one really expected the Red Sox to get to this point in the season. You know, just one year, they've gone from worst to first. The secret to their success truly has been their team chemistry. Everyone on the roster really has embraced the whole Boston strong mentality after the marathon bombings.
Whether it was visiting the hospitals or growing beards, they did it together. Now, they find themselves back in the World Series for the third time in the last ten years. This series should be a good one. The Cardinals and Red Sox tied for the best record in the regular season. First pitch for game one tonight at 8:00 eastern.
For all you ladies out there, everyone to learn the game of football and partying with Patriots titan, Rob Gronkowski, at the same time, well, here's your opportunity. Gronkowski is holding a football camp for women ages 21 and up during the Patriots by week. Participants get to learn the game and interact with Gronk, but the best part is, there's a cocktail hour before everyone goes and gets on the field. There's going to be beer, wine, and my favorite, Gronktinies. Not sure what's in a Gronktiny, but I'm sure it is awesome.
A high school football parent in Fort Worth, Texas has filed a bullying complaint against an opposing head coach. Friday night, Aledo who is year in and year out one of the best teams in the Dallas- Fort Worth area beat Western Hills 91-0. Now, after the game, a parent filed a bullying complaint.
But the thing is Aledo tried not to run up the score. The starters played only 21 snaps. They threw the ball only 10 times and they had a running clock going in the third quarter. So, short of taking every play, there was really no way Aledo could have avoided scoring.
A normal meeting for the Northwestern Men's Basketball team turned into a very special moment for one of their players. First year head coach, Chris Collins, called walk on James Montgomery to come to the front of room, and then, he made this very special announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guy who (INAUDIBLE) practices that has done the best job of doing what he's supposed to do every day is James. And that's why I'd like to say in front of the team right now that because of that, James is go to be put on full scholarship.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: And you can imagine, Montgomery overcome with emotions. Moments later, he shared the news with his mom and sister, and John, they, of course, were overjoyed to hear. And it's a great story, because it shows that true hard work does eventually pay off.
BERMAN: It's nice to see. A lovely message to send. Andy, thanks so much. We'll see you again soon. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: Welcome back, everyone. Fifty-seven minutes after the hour. That is Mariah Carey singing "Obsessed." Do not call it a comeback, folks, because she's been right here for years in our hearts. Mariah Carey, though, has announced her much anticipated next single, "The Art of Letting Go." It will be released on Facebook November 11th.
A string of recent injuries cause the singer to delay her latest album project. We will hear more from Mariah, herself, about the new single and how she is recovering a little later on "NEW DAY." More chance to play that wonderful music.
That is all for EARLY START this morning. It is time for "NEW DAY." Chris and Kate, it's all yours, guys. BOLDUAN: Thank you, John. We'll see you a little later.
CUOMO: It's time for "NEW DAY." That means it's time for your top news. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is not where we needed to be.
CUOMO: Cnn exclusive, under fire and finally speaking out. Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, is she the reason for the Affordable Care Act online complications? Can she fix it? Will she resign it if it continues? Dr. Sanjay Gupta gets answers to the big questions.
BOLDUAN: There's a kid with a gun. The dramatic 911 calls from the Nevada school shooting as it happened. New details this morning on the hero teacher who lost his life saving his students.
PEREIRA: Apple fights back. The tech giant releasing a new iPad, free apps, all in an effort to fight off the growing and cheaper competition. How do these new offerings stack up?
CUOMO: Your "NEW DAY" starts right now.
ANNOUNCER: This is "NEW DAY" with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CUOMO: Quick staff laughing around TV. Good morning and welcome to "NEW DAY." It's Wednesday, October 23rd, six o'clock in the east.
And we are following a truly tangled web of a trial in Utah. Dr. Martin MacNeill, that's the man on your screen, he's accused of killing his wife. First responders have been telling of bizarre behavior in the moment of crisis that made them fear for their safety as they were trying to save his wife's life. Prosecutors arguing that the doctor's 911 call was an act. Key witnesses in the case could be the doctor's daughters. We'll have a live report just ahead.
BOLDUAN: It's really fascinating.
Plus, we have been following the mystery of the blond hair girl found in Greece. Police suspect that she has been kidnapped. Well, now, there's a very similar case in Ireland with another child found. These cases are renewing hope for families of missing children truly around the world and DNA tests may already be providing some answers.
PEREIRA: Today is a very big day for Prince William and Duchess Catherine, even bigger day for the guy in the center there, young Prince George. He's set to be christened in just a few hours' time. And as they have all the way along, the royal couple veering a little bit from tradition in some very interesting ways. We'll share that with you coming up. BOLDUAN: We begin this hour, though, with the fallout from the Obamacare rollout. Kathleen Sebelius speaking exclusively with CNN. We're going to get to that in just a moment. You do want to hear what she has to say.
But first, the president is bringing in a new fleet of experts to get the website up and running properly. And in a new message, he's asking you to be part of team Obamacare.
