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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama Authorizes Surveillance Flights Over Syria; Stocks at Record Highs; Michael Brown Investigation: New Recording; Television's Best in Show

Aired August 26, 2014 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The hunt for ISIS. U.S. drones to fly over Syria searching for the Islamic militants. Airstrikes could follow, escalating America's role in targeting that terror. This, as ISIS gains more ground in Iraq and our investigators are getting closer to identifying the ISIS jihadist that killed American journalist, James Foley.

Live team coverage from London and Baghdad, ahead.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, a new audio recording surfaces in the death of Michael Brown. Attorney's claiming the sound of gunshots offer insight into the police shooting of the unarmed teenager. This as the community mourns the tragedy, and there are new calls for change there as well. The very latest overnight, coming up.

Good morning, everyone. Great to see you. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 5:00 in the East. It is Tuesday. It is Tuesday.

All right. We welcome all our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

Up first, the U.S. weighing military action against ISIS inside Syria. President Obama has authorized reconnaissance flights over Syria. U.S. officials say the first could happen at anytime. The Syrian government has signaled that it's ready to accept support from the U.S. and others to fight the Islamic terrorists. As for a possible ISIS attack here in the U.S., the White House says there is no evidence of a current plot, but they are concerned about the potential threat.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is following all of these developments for us. He's live in London.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, that authorization by the White House does potentially take U.S. military involvement against ISIS to a different level, one that U.S. officials say is absolutely necessary. You can't hit them hard in Iraq but not hit them in Syria, their original stronghold.

But it's not an easy task. An area reconnaissance would, you'd normally back up with human intelligence, that's spies on the ground, tough to get them into ISIS controlled areas. They are so ruthless in maintaining their own secrecy. Very hard for us, even as journalists, to get cameras in on the ground there.

So, a complex task and, of course, the history of Pakistan where U.S. strikes and some tribal areas there caused a lot of local population resentment, particularly the signature strikes they called where they targeted suspicious activity amongst military age males and hit them instead.

So, it's going to be difficult for the U.S. to do this effectively, but ISIS is on the march there both against the Syrian regime and against those moderate rebels that the U.S. would like to support. So, in many ways, a degree of urgency, particularly now, they determined in their mind what many thought that actually ISIS presented a threat to the United States, too, Christine.

ROMANS: It also puts the United States in this uncomfortable position where it could actually be supporting or allowing Bashar al Assad to remain. I mean, that's been the difficult position the U.S. is in.

WALSH: But since the start, there's always been a reluctance in Washington to push too hard against the Assad regime because they said the vacuum if it did fall for a while in 2012, yes, there were moderate Syrian rebels there in the majority, potentially they may have found it amongst themselves to form a rival government. But they're so quickly fractured, caught up and bickering in five star hotels in Istanbul rather than actually getting on the job to replace Bashar al Assad. He seized upon that disunity, ISIS did, too. He didn't attack ISIS.

ISIS did attack those Syrian moderate rebels. And now, you have those moderate rebels on their back for almost potentially facing an existential crisis. ISIS moving so fast against them, the regime moving so fast against them, and only now perhaps the regime focusing on the fact that ISIS is a threat to them, too -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Nick Paton Walsh -- thanks, Nick.

BERMAN: You know, ISIS is a major threat in Iraq as well. Airstrikes may have stopped the momentum, but U.S. military officials say defeating them will be a long process requiring more than just airstrikes, possibly including support from Iraq's regional neighbors. Meantime, the U.S. accuses ISIS of crimes against humanity in Iraq, including the massacre of hundreds of Shia prisoners in Mosul.

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh live in Baghdad with all the latest.

Good morning, Jomana.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, John.

The latest here from Baghdad this morning, according to police, a car bomb detonating in a predominantly area in eastern Baghdad. At least 10 people killed, more than 30 wounded in that attack. That comes a day after we saw multiple bombings, striking Shia areas here in Baghdad and also in the holy Shia city of Karbala, in the south of Iraq.

One of the attacks yesterday in Baghdad was targeting a Shia mosque. It's a suicide bomber hit that mosque during prayer time. And we heard later on in the day, a statement from ISIS claiming responsibility for that attack, saying it was revenge in retaliation for the brutal attack that we saw on Friday, northeast of Baghdad at a Sunni mosque. Gunman stormed that mosque as you recall, killing at least 70 people there.

And that attack was blamed by Sunni politicians on suspected Shia militiamen, really raising tensions here and fears and concern that attacks like this could be on the rise even further. That attacks like this could be driving the country closer to an all-out sectarian war. And this is something that we have heard in the past. The political situation here is key, trying to bridge the gap between the Sunnis and Shias, trying to bring everyone into a truly inclusive government would really be a key factor in fighting ISIS, in weakening that organization here.

And this is what's going on in Baghdad. Two more weeks left for that constitutional deadline to put together that government to try and recognizes that has exploited the diversion, the sectarian tension and gain so much ground in Sunni areas in Iraq.

BERMAN: Yes, the sectarian strike as we've been saying, just undermining any chance for political stability.

Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad, thanks so much.

ROMANS: And the business model for ISIS is terrifying. It is the richest terror organization in the world. It is using the currency of the Middle East, oil, to fund this reign of terror. ISIS, first, took control of the oil fields in Syria and now controls seven oil fields in northern Iraq. The production capacity: 80,000 barrel as day.

ISIS then sells that oil on the black market for 25 to 60 bucks a barrel. It's a deep discount to the $100 a barrel globally. ISIS is bringing in $3 million a day in oil sales. And the criminal activity like kidnapping, smuggling and extortion also bring in revenue as do wealthy private donors around the world, where ISIS fundraisers.

Now, the government has been trying to freeze the assets of those fund-raisers around the world. But it's very clear that ISIS is trying to become self-financing, by taking control of those oil fields and able to sell that oil. There are plenty, by the way, of traitors and black market barterers willing to do business as well. So, it's a really brisk business, it's only been growing.

Six minutes past the hour. Now, an EARLY START on your money. Futures barely moving, barely right now. But the S&P 500 briefly topped 2,000 for the first ever yesterday. It closed at a record high of 8 percent this year. Futures hold this morning. It will be a record. Record day.

BERMAN: Not bad at all.

ROMANS: Not bad.

BERMAN: Freed American hostage, Peter Theo Curtis, is waiting to be reunited with his family. Curtis was released on Sunday after being held captive by Islamic militants for nearly two years. His mother telling ABC News after learning her son was alive and free, she reached out to the mother of slain American journalist, James Foley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY CURTIS, MOTHER OF FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE: The first thing I did before I told my daughter was I sat down and sent an e-mail to Diane Foley. We have been through so much together. I didn't want her to hear it from the media first.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know what you will say to him?

CURTIS: I give him a big hug and I'll probably cry. And he'll probably cry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The mother also said she's going to take away his passport.

ROMANS: She's going to confiscate his passport, she told reporters.

BERMAN: Nancy Curtis says the family is so relieved Theo is healthy and safe and finally headed home after that unbelievable ordeal.

ROMANS: New revelations this morning from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden about the agency's secret database. According to new documents, the NSA built up a Google-like database that allows two dozen agencies to search through 850 billion records, including calls, e-mails and internet chats. The program called I-Reach has data on the private communication of foreigners and millions of Americans, according to Snowden.

BERMAN: This is interesting. The Veterans Administration says that no patients at its Phoenix hospital died because of long waits for medical care. An internal investigation by the V.A. looked into the deaths of 40 veterans and found no link to the scheduling backlogs. V.A. employees allegedly doctored records to hide the delays. CNN first reported the problems of the medical care at the V.A. hospital in Phoenix some months ago. Outrage over the delays led to the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

ROMANS: All right. President Obama meantime set to deliver remarks today at the American Legion's national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ahead of that speech, North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan blasted the president, questioning his commitment to veterans.

Hagan is a Democrat and locked in a tight re-election race. She says the administration hasn't done enough to earn the lasting trust of veterans and implement real and permanent reforms at the V.A. A Democrat blasting her boss.

BERMAN: All right. Some of the biggest names in television, some of the biggest stars, not including Christine Romans here. They were on hand for the primetime Emmy Awards, and it was a very good night for "Breaking Bad." The show got a final sendoff, taking home top honors for outstanding drama series.

Its star Bryan Cranston, he had one of the night's most unbelievable moments. Look at this. This kiss, 11 seconds, at least, from Julia Louie-Dreyfus. You know, he had appeared on "Seinfeld", you may remember those episodes, clearly had some unfinished business to take care of there.

Other big winners included "Modern Family", which won outstanding comedy series for a record-tying fifth time. Jim Parson's won his fourth gold statue for outstanding actor in a comedy. And Juliana Marguiles won the outstanding actress in a drama award for her role in "The Good Wife." She took a shot at the cable roles in support of her broadcast show.

Finally, it was an emotional Billy Crystal paying tribute to his good friend, Robin Williams.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILLY CRYSTAL, ACTOR: It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives. For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy. Robin Williams, what a concept.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Billy Crystal was good friends. Still struggling, I think, with the passing of Robin Williams now two weeks ago.

ROMANS: Wow, that was very, very nice remarks for him.

Ten minutes past the hour.

Breaking overnight, a new audio recording attorneys say capturing the sounds of police shooting and killing unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. The possible new evidence surfacing as the community mourns. You are going to hear it for yourself, after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Breaking overnight, new audio allegedly of the very moment Michael Brown was shot emerged. It was apparently recorded inadvertently during a video chat. I want you to listen to the audio, and then hear from the attorney of the Ferguson resident that captured the shots on tape. Listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are pretty.

(GUNFIRE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are so fine, just going over some of your videos.

(GUNFIRE)

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOPA BLUMENTHAL, ATTORNEY: He was in the apartment. He was talking to a friend on a video chat. He heard loud noises.

And at the moment, at the time, he didn't even realize the import of what he was hearing until afterwards. And it just happened to have captured 12 seconds of what transpired outside of his building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: It sounds like more than a dozen shots. The FBI is now investigating and has already interviewed her client. It comes on the same day thousands packed a funeral home for a final farewell to Michael Brown.

The unarmed teenager was fatally shot by police in his hometown in Ferguson just over two weeks ago. That was an emotional service. One that included calls for peace, calls for justice.

CNN's Nick Valencia says quiet has now taken hold in Ferguson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been another day of peace and quiet here in the streets of Ferguson in the overnight hours. We really saw a dwindling of the police force as well as the demonstrators that were showing their solidarity for Mike Brown. It seems as though people on the streets of Ferguson have really heeded the message of their elders, as well as the message of Mike Brown, Sr., who on Sunday, at a peace fest, urged and encouraged people in Ferguson, to keep the peace, to be respectful on the day his son was laid to rest.

Here in Ferguson, in the early morning hours, that's exactly what we see. This is the lot, the approved assembly area for Ferguson demonstrators, if you look around here, it's largely empty. There is a small contingent of folks still here who spent the night here overnight. About a dozen people tell me they will continue their demonstrations, even when the cameras leave.

There also still is a large contingent of support for Officer Darren Wilson, just not here in Ferguson. More so in St. Louis, about 30 minutes away from here. We know that his supporters have raised $400,000 for his defense. That money also is going toward his livelihood.

Darren Wilson supporters say that he's been given an unfair chance in the media, mischaracterized. They fear he will, one, never be able to be a police officer and, two, never be able to live in St. Louis again.

Here behind me, it's been clear to me and told to me directly that this group is for Mike Brown. And while it may be peaceful right now in these hours, they say that the demonstrations will continue again today, even if the cameras aren't here to catch it. They want the story out there. They want to focus on Mike Brown, as well as the youth here who they say suffer at the hands of the police.

In Ferguson, Missouri, Nick Valencia, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Our thanks to Nick for that report.

Prosecutors calling for a life sentence for Osama bin Laden's son-in- law. Sulaiman Abu Ghaith was convicted in March for conspiracy to kill Americans and providing support to al Qaeda. The government filed papers Monday saying a life sentence would deter future terror attacks. Abu Ghaith acted as a spokesman for al Qaeda and recruited new members through videos posted on the Internet. He's scheduled to be sentenced next month.

ROMANS: Texas Governor Rick Perry is still defiant. His lawyers filing a 60-page motion to dismiss abuse of power charges against him. It claimed his indictment, quote, "defies common sense and violates both the state and U.S. Constitution. The charges stem from Perry's veto of state funding for the office of a D.A. who refused to resign following a drunk-driving conviction.

BERMAN: I want to get now to look at the forecast today.

Indra Petersons is here with that.

ROMANS: Good morning.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.

Still liking this, kind of a nice break here or nice quiet week for us. We're taking a look at the middle of the country, this is where we are looking at it.

Watching the cold front make its way across, where you see that frontal system is where you see a couple of those scattered showers kind of popping up ahead of it. Of course, it's easy to see Cristobal as well. We're going to get to that in just a second.

First, talking about the heaviest amounts of rain, of course, it will be where that low is, so, that's going to be your heaviest amounts of rain, maybe out toward Chicago this morning, seeing some of those thunderstorms.

Otherwise, still the heat. These are the heat indexes still 100 degrees down to the South. Meanwhile, the mild air behind it. I like that contrast across the country. Billings actually even had snow in Montana, 72 degrees today.

What are we looking at? There's Cristobal. We're talking about currently 75-mile-an-hour winds. So, now, it is a category 1 hurricane. And remember, the path is keeping it offshore, but that doesn't mean we are not seeing the effects. It goes between Bermuda, staying as a hurricane, before finally dissipating into a low.

We are talking very high surf out there. That's going to be a concern with a lot of those beachgoers I know heading out early for Labor Day weekend.

Also, keep in mind, the West Coast, this is a huge story, with a cat 5. That means, we're talking about 10 to 15-foot surf, very rare in Southern California. We're going to have that for damaging surf to even appears over the next several days.

BERMAN: Keep an eye on that. Thanks so much, Indra.

Every year, the world comes to Flushing Meadows for the U.S. Open. Venus Williams battles an unwelcome opponent. Andy Scholes join us with that coming up with the "Bleacher Report".

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: An amazing, heroic act will keep one of the leaders of the UFC defense on the sidelines for awhile.

BERMAN: Yes, it's an amazing story. He says it was well worth it.

Andy Scholes has more in the "Bleacher Report".

Great to see you, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Hey, good morning, guys.

You know, the UFC player's name is Josh Shaw. He was at a family gathering Saturday when e saw his 7-year-old nephew who does not know how to swim struggling in the pool. Now, instinctively, Shaw leaped from a second floor balcony and he then crawled into the pool to help his nephew.

He suffered two severely sprained ankles from the jump. But Shaw says he would do it again, for any kid. And he hopes to be back on the field for the Trojans, playing as soon as possible.

Now, the player at the center of the Miami Dolphins bowling scandal may be getting a second chance. The NFL has reportedly cleared Richie Incognito to return to playing. The former pro-bowler visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. Many other teams are reportedly interested in his services. Incognito hasn't been on the field since being suspended by the Dolphins last September -- November, that is.

And trending on bleacherreport.com this morning, there's plenty of buzz around Venus Williams at the U.S. Open, literally. Check this out. A bee caused three delays during the first round match between Williams and Kimiko Date-Krumm. Eventually, two ball kids and others came out with a towel and they

did capture the bee, guys. They carried it off. Of course, getting a big ovation from the crowd.

Williams went on to win the match in three sets. But look at that. I'm terrified of bees. Full disclosure, I would have been running, running for cover.

BERMAN: We know you are a strong man, Andy. Mayor Dinkins, didn't he change the flight patterns over the U.S. Open of airplanes? You know, can they do that for the bees also?

(CROSSTALK)

SCHOLES: I don't know what it is. Maybe it was the sweat that's attracting the bees --

ROMANS: Andy, nice to see you.

BERMAN: Twenty-five minutes after the hour.

The United States moving in on ISIS this morning. New attack strategy may soon be launched to take down the terror organization. But as the organization gains ground in Syria, is this too little too late? We have live team coverage ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)