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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Crisis at the Border: Obama's $4 Billion Plan; Death and Destruction in Gaza; Tragedy in Texas as Man Accused of Killing Family; Argentina and Germany Face Off in World Cup Final
Aired July 10, 2014 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't -- by definition, it's science. And it works. And it's repeatable. And it's verifiable. And it's accepted.
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JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: Crisis at the border. Today, Congress considering President Obama's $4 billion plan to solve the problem. But as thousands of children continue crossing into this country illegally, is it too little too late?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST: Death and destruction in Gaza, dozens of Palestinians dead, hundreds more injured, as Israel vows to step up its attacks on Hamas militants. We are live as the violence there intensified.
BERMAN: Tragedy in Texas. A father behind bars this morning accused of killing four of his children and two other family members. Who else police say he planned to go after?
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is Thursday, July 10th, 5:00 a.m. in the east.
So let's get started. Happening today, the Senate appropriations committee will consider the President's $3.7 billion request to help some stem the immigration crisis. It comes a day after the President traveled to Texas meeting with Governor Rick Perry and other officials about the issue. President has been highly critical. Congressional Republicans were screaming about immigration problems after refusing to act.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The problem here is not major disagreement around the actions that could be helpful in dealing with the problem. The challenge is, is Congress prepared to act, to put the resources in place to get this done? Another way of putting it, and I said it directly to governors, are folks more interested in politics or they are more interested solving the problem. REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: If you look at the
President's request, it's all more back continuing to deal with the problem. We have to do something about sealing the border and ending this problem so that we can move on with immigration reform.
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ROMANS: Several Republicans are now pushing a plan to dial back a Bush era policy. That policy guarantees minors who cross from Central America a deportation hearing before they can be sent home.
So as lawmakers try to hash out their issues, people along the border are left to deal with the mess. Border Patrol on high alert by air, by land, and by sea as families tried to get to the U.S.
Our Alina Machado has a look at the situation.
ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right on the border, right on the Rio Grande. On one side, you have Mexico, on the other side, you have the U.S. There's a very strong law enforcement presence throughout this area. Border patrol had had boats out here. And also helicopters, inside towns, in towns, in Magalon (ph), in mission. You see border patrol agents everywhere.
We stopped by the bus stop, the bus station where people make a stop before heading to their final destination heading to their family in other parts of the country. And we found a mother who was traveling with her 5-year-old son. They had traveled for 15 days from El Salvador to make it here to the U.S.
We also stop by a catholic charity shelter where they have a mobile medical unit that has been helping treat some of these immigrants. Take a listen to what the owner has to say.
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RAYMOND SANCHEZ, OWNER, We have no knowledge of where they are coming from, what detention center area. But we have seen sometimes where, let's say, 30 come on a bus, which is shuttled from the city and we will see let's 80 percent. And then there are times where the same number come by and we will see 25 percent.
MACHADO: Of people who are sick?
SANCHEZ: Yes. So it just varies, it varies a lot.
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MACHADO: I asked the owner how long it is sustainable. And he said it is sustainable as long as it needs to be. He is relying on volunteer doctors and nurses to make sure that these people get the medical treatment they need -- Christine, John.
ROMANS: All right, stay with us this morning for Kate Bolduan's interview with Texas governor Rick Perry. Hear what he says about this immigration crisis. That's a NEW DAY at 6:00 eastern. BERMAN: We will hear about his meeting with the President.
Developing overnight, Israel cracking down on one of its own. A police officer seen in amateur video beating an American teen is now suspended as criminal charges are considered. While that's going on, no signs of tensions easing in the Middle East. Israel launching air strikes on 322 Hamas targets in just the last 24 hours including rocket launchers, smuggling tunnels, and command position of the terrorist group. No sign Hamas and other groups are ready to back down. More than 120 rockets fired in to Israel the other day.
Several of them were intercepted by the ire dome missile defense system including one, at least one headed for Tel-Aviv.
Diana Magnay is along the Israel-Gaza border.
Diana, what is the latest this morning?
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John. Well, rackets continued to be fired out of the Gaza Strip behind me and Israeli air strikes as we have been standing here just in the last hour. We have seen a couple intercept by Iron Dome above us.
It is interesting, the rocket that is have been coming out of Gaza, however numerous they are have been largely useless. All those that are threatened in any way, large civilian population areas have been intercepted by Iron Dome. The rest have fallen on barren land causing at most, fires.
But fear amongst the population, clearly, siren sounding across the major cities. And also Hamas and other militant groups there, showing that they are capable of firing extremely long range rockets which effectively have most of Israel within range.
But, in Gaza, the death toll mounts. These air strikes continuing overnight. The death toll now is some 76. We believe more than 500 people injured. However, much Israel says it is targeting Hamas and precision targeting, there will be the inevitable killing of innocence which is why human right group described this really as collective punishment.
And of course, John, the question is, where does it end? Israel now has already called out 20,000 reservists. It is authorized to bring in 40,000 for possible ground troops. Once you have troops on the ground in face-to-face combat, you will inevitably have more bloodshed. Do the Israeli people have the appetite for that, for a long, sustained operation? And if you manage to uproot Hamas in any sort of effected fashion, and remember, they are deeply embedded within Palestinian society. What comes in that place? There are plenty of jihad groups facing themselves in Gaza of whom Israel possibly has more to fear than Hamas -- John.
BERMAN: As you said, Diana, the question is when does it end?
Diana Magnay for us on the Israel-Gaza border this morning, thanks. ROMANS: Iraq is pleading for help after insurgents took nuclear
materials from a university in Mosul. A letter obtained by Reuters shows Iraq are asking the U.N. to help keep the material from getting in the hands of terrorists. The concern is it could make its way into ISIS control parts of Syria despite recent efforts to removing chemical weapons.
CNN has also learned the U.S. may have their sights on the leader of ISIS. The Pentagon is considering whether a drone strike would be the way to take out Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The final call, of course, will rest with President Obama.
BERMAN: Talks resume in Vienna today over Iran's nuclear program. Six world powers in Tehran are looking for permanent deal on a future of the program. And interim six-month agreement expires in just ten days. The U.S. and Iran have found some common ground recently over the issues in Iraq, in trying to extend the tide of ISIS there.
ROMANS: Newly released testimony suggest official believe two separate groups could have been behind deadly the attacks at U.S. facilities in Benghazi. Top commanders involved in the U.S. response say the attack on a CIA complex that killed two contractors showed clear signs of military training. But attackers were likely taking advantage of reports of violence from the night before. That's first attack on the U.S. mission killed two others including ambassador Chris Stevens.
BERMAN: Bowe Bergdahl's reintegration process nearly complete. The military source tells CNN the former Taliban prisoner is expected to be assigned to a new army unit soon. He has already taken trips off the Texas army base to get used to everyday in America following five years in Taliban captivity.
Also, go on a photo has surfaced of Bergdahl posted by the militant Haqanni Network. It shows Bergdahl posing with a top member of the insurgent group. We don't know the context, really at all, of this undated photo which shows Bergdahl with a Haqanni commander who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in August 2012.
ROMANS: All right, developing this morning, anger from the Germans is mounting with reports of a second spy handing information to the U.S. The alleged spy has linked to the German defense ministry, although, no one has been arrested yet. It comes just days after employee of Germany intelligence service was arrested for passing hundreds of documents to a U.S. contact.
BERMAN: Concerning revelations about another hacking attempt from China. "The New York Times" reports that Chinese hackers penetrated a system in the government's personnel office where employees applying for security clear and their personal information. The attack in March was reportedly detected and blocked. A Homeland security official says no loss of information has been identified.
An IRS official warned her colleagues to be careful what they say in emails. That revelations according to newly disclosed emails. Lois Lerner said Congress might request the email and warned other employees to be cautious. She also responded favorably when he found out internal instant messages were not archived. Lerner was ousted over allegations at the IRS targeted conservative groups.
ROMANS: All right, time for an EARLY START on your money this Thursday morning.
Tough goes for European stocks so far and Asian stocks ending the day mixed. U.S. Futures is weak right now. Some troubling reports overnight. A Chinese trade weaker than expected and a report on European manufacturing also disappointed. Yesterday, the Dow gained 80 points.
OK. Remember all the hype over GoPro? Far from the only company going public, 89 companies held initial public offerings in the last quarter. That is the most, John Berman, since 2007. Those companies raised $21.5 billion from those IPOs. It's also been a good year so far for mergers. Mergers, on track to be the best since 1998.
BERMAN: But all these deals mean that people feel better about doing business?
ROMANS: And it means that companies are starting to loosen up the first strings and do some deals. It's good for the economy. It shows there's oxygen again in the economy.
BERMAN: All right.
So, Argentina is taking on Germany on Sunday's world cup finals. Argentina secured its spot with a really riveting 0-0 tie. That then developed to do 4-2 shootout win over the Netherlands. This game was excruciating, it was long and frankly, it was completely uninteresting.
However, now, Argentina with the best player in the world (INAUDIBLE) does advances to the finals to play against Germany. Germany you may remember beat Brazil, 7-1. This is the third time in Argentina --
ROMANS: Look. I think the shootouts are so unfair for the goalie.
BERMAN: But the goalie saved, you know, three shots there.
ROMANS: Yes. But that must be the hardest shot in the world to be in the world cup, be the goalie in a shootout at the end.
BERMAN: Argentina's goalie proved himself worthy, not so much the Dutch goalie yesterday.
Argentina, by the way, Argentina and Germany have met three times in the final before -- two times the finals before. They tied 1-1. So, it's kind like the rubber match here.
Breaking overnight, a tense standoff ends with a father in handcuffs, cornered by police after they say he killed six family members including four of his own kids. What we learned about this tragedy overnight. ROMANS: Plus, Donald Sterling delivering drama to n the courtroom
trying to stop his wife from selling their NBA team. The choice words he had for her.
BERMAN: One way to put it, choice.
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BERMAN: Breaking overnight, an unspeakable tragedy in Texas. A man shot and killed his four children and two older family members who are watching after the kids. This happened in spring about 20 miles from Houston. Authorities say all of the children were either biological or adopted children of the suspect. He surrendered after the chase and hours long standoff.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Evidently, the suspect and the female that is out of state or estranged from each other. The children were left in custody of this couple. He went to that house, began firing, killing the children and the two adults while they were there. The grandparents were also targets. Fortunately they were brought out of the house before that could happen. We would have had more tragedy. It's a tragic day today.
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BERMAN: Just awful. A 15-year-old girl is also in the hospital after being shot. No word, yet, on what prompted this awful shooting.
ROMANS: All right, Shelly Sterling expected back on stand today in the probate trial over whether she was authorized to sell the Clippers to Steve Ballmer. The testimony in court was, it was frankly gripping, at times bizarre, at times emotional. Donald Sterling verbally berated his estranged wife when she finished testifying for the day. He said quote "stay away from me, you pig, prompting a rebuke from the judge."
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ADAM STREISAND, SHELLY STERLING'S ATTORNEY: He proved today that he absolutely has to go, in his outburst, yelling at his wife, get away from me, you pig, in court was just hideous. But just reveals how truly demented he is.
MAX BLECHER, DONALD STERLING'S ATTORNEY: He's a little bit irked at lawyers of the trust, you know. So he has a little bit of a problem staying cool again. So once in awhile, he goes off the deep end.
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BERMAN: His own attorney there couldn't keep a straight face. Attorney knows that he just made a major, major mistake in the courtroom.
ROMANS: He said he was irked. The other attorney said he was demented.
Well, Shelly Sterling, she expressed concern for her husband, Donald in her testimony. She says he is declined in recent years and she still loves him very much.
BERMAN: Despite the fact he said stay away from me you pig.
ROMANS: Well, despite the fact, that is.
BERMAN: There's a few other things.
ROMANS: There is a kind of a long list of things that make it sort of difficult to love someone after all this.
BERMAN: Sixteen minutes after the hour right now.
More testimony expected today in the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. His friend accused of impeding the Boston bombing investigation. An FBI agent testified that Azamat Tazhayakov did Google searches for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Miranda rights of suspects in police custody. Tsarnaev's former roommate also testified he heard Tsarnaev talking about the September 11th attacks as a government conspiracy.
ROMANS: A judge will consider whether to force the New England patriots to hand over all scouting reports and psychological test to the defense attorneys of Aaron Hernandez. They want the judge to subpoena those papers possibly of the hopes of a diminish capacity defense. Patriots argue release of the test could hurt the team on the field. And they are not relevant because they were conducted years before the murder of Odin Lloyd.
BERMAN: More details emerging about the Georgia father who allegedly left his son to die in a hot car. Justin Harris had a secret twitter handle @RossHarris. One of his tweet tweets read, new invention, snooze buttons on babies. Several of the tweets also appear to be to underage girls. Harris had been charged with murder. He says he left the boy in the car by accident.
ROMANS: Former New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin will report to prison September 8th for a ten-year sentence. Nagin was convicted of fraud, bribery and other charges for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from businessmen who wanted work from the city including hurricane Katrina recovery projects. No one is happy with his sentence. Prosecutors say that (INAUDIBLE) Nagin also has to pay $82,000 in restitution.
BERMAN: Prosecutors are furious it's only ten years.
Giant fan badly beaten after a Dodger game at Dodger stadium gets nearly $18 million in a judgment from a California jury. The Dodgers are on the hook from almost $14 million to Brian Stow after juror found the team did not provide adequate security. The dodgers are considering whether to appeal. The rest of the judgment is against the two men who took part in this attack.
ROMANS: Breaking overnight, a U.S. marine will remain jailed in Mexico until at least August 4th now. That's the next hearing for the sergeant Andrew Tamoohressi whose detention was extended at a hearing last night. Tamoohressi is facing weapons charges. He says he took a wrong turn on the California side of the border. His lawyer now says more irregularities come to light including the order to search his car being dated three days before the incident.
BERMAN: Residents picking up the pieces after violent storms store through the east this week. People in central New York lived through debris for battered homes. Four people were killed in Syracuse and building collapses. One home was blown hundreds of feet before it landed on another house.
ROMANS: Crews are also working to restore power in several eastern states. Hundreds of thousands in the dark at the height of the outages, most of them in Pennsylvania. Power lines brought down by wind that knocked trees on to homes.
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It also when I looked down, the wind and the trees are laying over. It looked like a freight changes, rolling right through here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The storm hit and we don't have record yet.
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ROMANS: Hear the chainsaw in the background? Fire up the chainsaws because there's some tree damage to get away.
Indra Petersons is here.
BERMAN: Fire up the chainsaw.
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I like it from Christine.
Even likely the slow moving cold front for really the last several days. I put up about a 12-hour loop so you can see the storms firing up along this cold front.
Today, we are still going to be talking about some showers. Look at the difference. Yes, you see showers, but nothing like what we saw in the last several days. So finally, things are calming down especially in the northeast.
We are seeing high pressure kind of building in here. But I do want to show you, notice where there still area of low pressure. Look all at all the humidity that's kind of affecting the Carolinas today. You are going to be feeling that. We talked number that is high with the highest temperatures of the day. And it come up to the north and notice it is a little bit drier. So and should start to feel a little more comfortable behind the cold front. That's the difference you get other than the cool air.
But two to four inches around the Carolinas, of course, without lows there and right along the front, we will still some pop-up showers right along that front itself. It is about maybe one to three inches in the southeast, maybe a scattered shower here or there in the northeast.
But generally speaking, we are talking about that front moving out, high pressure moving in as soon. It is going to be a lot better as it goes toward the weekend unless, of course, you are in Chicago where you are talking about the next cold front, of course, right as it go towards the weekend by about Saturday and Sunday. And so, they will start to see more showers.
But everyone feeling a lot cooler today. Temperatures have gone down thanks to the front kind of kicking in through. It is milder for a day or so. Just keep in mind, doesn't mean it's perfect because yes, that rain is going to be hitting Chicago Saturday and Sunday. There is a cold front, where does it want to go? It wants to go east by the end of our weekend and to the northeast as well. A couple showers come our way, but kind of milder. So that's the plus side of it all.
ROMANS: All right, Indra. I'm scrutinizing your outlook because I'm vacationing.
BERMAN: You're heading to the Midwest.
ROMANS: Where are you going, that's the key?
PETERSONS: Where are we going?
ROMANS: I'd like a personal-tailored forecast in a break.
PETERSONS: You got it.
BERMAN: Indra, stick around because you want to hear this next story. It is about Justin Bieber.
Justin Bieber will have to pay up after pleading no contest to egging a neighbor's house. Mr. Bieber has to pay the neighbor about $81,000. He has to take 12 weeks of anger management classes and he will be on probation for two years. And he has to perform five days of labor. The pop star was not in court when the lawyer entered the plea for misdemeanor again.
Do not egg, folks, that's the lesson here.
ROMANS: So did he get to stay in the country?
BERMAN: Yes. I guess he does get to stay in the country.
ROMANS: America gets keeps Justin Bieber?
BERMAN: America keeps Justin Bieber.
ROMANS: All right, coming up, rumors swirling Lebron James could be planning a reunion with the cavaliers? Would fans welcome him back to Cleveland? Andy Scholes has the details. Our bleacher report is next.
BERMAN: Welcome back to Andy Scholes.
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BERMAN: I have to tell you, I could not fall asleep last night because there was news blind fast and furious about Lebron James. And I was nervous. If I went to sleep, I was going to miss it. Is he going back to Cleveland? The world is holding its breath.
ROMANS: Andy Scholes has more on this morning's Bleacher Report.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Good morning, guys. Now, who would have thought that in four years after that infamous decision, Lebron may be taking his talents back home? We could find out as soon as today, Lebron met with Miami Heat president Pat Riley yesterday in Las Vegas. And according to report, Lebron has not made his decision yet. He's going to discuss it with his family before making any kind of announcement.
The Cavs, in the meantime, are doing everything they can making a big trade yesterday clearing cast space so they can give Lebron a max contract. The entire city of Cleveland is on pins and needles. They are the front-runners right now. Of course they would be crushed, again, if Lebron decides not to go back home.
Now, the rest of the NBA free agency for the most part, remains on hold, waiting for Lebron's decision.
Carmelo Anthony is reportedly still weighing his options. However, the "New York daily News" is reporting that barring any last second change of heart, Carmelo will resign with the Knicks. You will not like to hear anything from Carmelo until Lebron makes his announcement.
Turning on the Bleacher Report, I found this morning, the world cup final is now set. It will be Argentina taking on Germany. Argentina out laughing the Netherland at penalty kick in yesterday's semi-final match up. Goalie, Sergio Romero, came up with two huge saves. And that initiated, team mate took care of the rest.
Host country Brazil's nightmare did even worse, their art rival Argentina back in the finals. It can be their first appearance since 1990. Ironically, that year they played West Germany for the world cup. This will be the third time these two countries battle for soccer's biggest prize. Kickoff is going to be at 3:00 eastern Sunday afternoon.
And guys, in the meantime, everyone's just got their twitter feeds. Like you said, John, refresh, refresh, refresh. That's all I was doing last night waiting for some sort on news about Lebron and where he's going to go and when he is going to make a decision.
BERMAN: I think he goes. I can't think of a reason for him not to go.
ROMANS: Good young players?
BERMAN: Good young players. I mean, and you could argue, they have a better team than the Heat do this around him right now. And he would just be a hero.
SCHOLES: Yes. At this point, he let it get this far. And he would just crush all of the hearts and souls.
ROMANS: It's not like he hasn't before. Let's be honest.
BERMAN: He wants to be liked, though, especially in his hometown. So I think he goes. I think it's a slam dunk, he's going back. And we could here as soon as today. Stay with us, CNN and the Bleacher report, all day for the very latest.
Andy Scholes, thanks so much.
ROMANS: All right, crisis at the border today, Congress considering President Obama's $4 billion plan to fix the problem. Is there any chance at all they will agree? And if they do, will it be enough? Next.
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