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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama on ISIS Airstrikes in Syria; Ukraine Accuses Russia of Full Scale Invasion; New NFL Rules on Domestic Violence

Aired August 29, 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. The terrorists leaving a deadly trail of destruction through Syria and Iraq. This morning, recruiting new members from here in the U.S. Now, Congress is weighing in after the president says the U.S. has no clear strategy to take the terror organization down.

We are live in Iraq now with new information on ISIS' latest mass execution.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Russian invasion. Violence escalating in Ukraine. Russia accused of arming and fighting alongside rebels moving in to take over territory in Ukraine. World leaders are outraged. Right now, the United Nations holding an emergency meeting.

We are live in Moscow, just ahead.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, August 29th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East.

Up first, reports of imminent airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria, apparently, those reports premature. President Obama says there is no military strategy to attack ISIS in Syria, yet. He is under pressure to punish ISIS terrorists inside Syria. That made clear, he's not yet ready to take that step. The president says removing this threat needs to be a regional effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As I said, ruling out a cancer like ISIL will not be quick or easy. But I'm confident that we can and will, working closely with allies and partners. And I do think it will be important for Congress to weigh in and our consultations will continue to develop so that the American people are part of the debate.

But, I don't want to put the cart before the horse. We don't have a strategy, yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: We don't have a strategy, yet. The president says he's meeting with top advisers on the ISIS threat

in Syria and Iraq and is sending Secretary of State John Kerry to the region to build support. Meantime, these militants claimed to have carried out a mass execution of Syrian soldiers.

CNN's Anna Coren live for us in Irbil, Iraq.

And just -- I mean, this report is just -- it's just terrifying. These pictures are terrifying as well. Tell us what happened.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Christine.

This video came on YouTube yesterday. It shows Syrian soldiers where ISIS claims it captured Syrian soldiers, marching through the desert, stripped to their underwear, many with their hands tied to their heads. You can see ISIS members filming them on their phones as they walk past. The next image is a pile of bloody bodies. The camera then turns around and that's we see this horrific scene, these line of bodies, these soldiers, dead soldiers lying face down in the dirt.

Now, according to ISIS, these captured Syrian soldiers from the battle to take al Tabqa military base in Raqqa province in northeastern Syria, was the last stronghold for Bashar al Assad's regime in that particular area. ISIS claims it captured 250 of them. These are fundamentally prisoners of war, and this is what they do to them. They march them through the desert, these men knowing full well what their fate is and then executing them and then gloating about it on the Internet.

A short time after that video was posted, Christine, there was another video from ISIS. This time showing Kurdish forces who are being captured, there was 15 of them in the room, all wearing orange jump suits, the same jump suit worn by American journalist James Foley, who was horrifically beheaded in a video last week. One of the soldiers makes an appeal to his president here in Kurdistan, President Barzani, to stop cooperating with the United States, allowing the U.S. airstrikes to be conducted here in Iraq.

The video finishes with one of the soldiers kneeling before a mosque in Mosul. Three ISIS militants standing above him. One of them grabs his head, the tuft of his hair and gets out his knife and beheads him. This is how the video ends.

We have seen this time and time again. Certainly, it's just a horrifying image that really shows that this terrorist organization has no moral code, no code of conduct and certainly shows no mercy what so ever on people who do not agree with them -- Christine.

ROMANS: No mercy whatsoever.

Anna Coren in Irbil -- thank you, Anna.

BERMAN: This morning, we are learning more about the man who could be the second American killed fighting for ISIS this week.

The family of Abdul Rahman Muhammad (ph)says he was killed during terrorist clashes in Syria. CNN is still waiting on government officials to confirm his identity. Friends of the Minnesota father of nine say his change to radicalism and sudden move to the Middle East came out of nowhere.

CNN is learning new information about American terrorist Douglas McCain who died fighting for ISIS. His one-time best friend and Minnesota classmate Troy Kastigar was killed fighting for the al- Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia back in 2009.

CNN spoke with Kastigar's mother, who still, after five years after her son's death, is struggling with his loss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIE BOADA, MOTHER OF TROY KASTIGAR: I don't easily talk about it to people because I don't want to have to also defend him. My family is great, and my friends are great. But just in general, in the world -- I mean, it is, it's the hardest, the hardest loss that there is. And I'm really grateful that I had him and that I knew Doug.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: ISIS is recruiting people from the twin cities because of the state's large Somali population. Terrorists apparently targeting young, disaffected people there using recruitment videos. It is now believed at least 100 Americans have left the United States to take up arms alongside extremists inside Syria.

ROMANS: Think about it from the point of view of parent who is settled in Minnesota, so their families could live away from the violence in Somalia at that time, and then, now, to have them recruited to another battlefield. Very sad.

Now, to the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Ukrainian military officials say it's a full-scale invasion with Russian forces now fighting alongside separatist forces in southern Ukraine. The U.S. and NATO say there's evidence 1,000 or more troops crossed over into Ukraine. They are now directly involved in the latest fighting.

President Obama blames Russia for fuelling Ukraine's civil war and says their actions will have consequences.

CNN's Matthew Chance is live in Moscow.

Good morning, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, that's right. It's like scene from the battle days of the Cold War, isn't it, with the United States essentially condemning the increased involvement by Russian forces according to them, in the situation in eastern Ukraine.

NATO, the western military alliance called an emergency session. The organization released satellite images that are proof up to 1,000 Russian forces engaged in combat operations in the east of Ukraine and also in the southeast of the country as well. For their part, the Russians, the Kremlin categorically denying there are any Russian troops that have been officially deployed inside eastern Ukraine.

One pro-Russian rebel commander in eastern Ukraine saying there are Russian forces fighting with the Ukrainian rebels, but they're there on a voluntary basis, using their leave time to essentially volunteer and fight and in some instances die for the rebel cause in eastern Ukraine. So, a certain amount of plausible deniability, although just how plausible is under question. So, at the moment, the Kremlin categorically denying that.

The United States saying there will be more consequences for this continued Russian support of that insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Stopping short, though, President Obama indicating exactly what would be done. There have been sanctions implemented in the past, of course. They do not appear to have had direct impact on Russian policy except perhaps to increase its support of those rebels in Ukraine -- Christine.

ROMANS: Matthew, the vacation invasion is plausible deniability, I guess. I mean, they have to take a vacation, then borrow the military equipment from the Russian military at the same time. It just defies real logic.

CHANCE: Absolutely. I don't think anybody seriously believes that. But for the Kremlin, it's an increasingly thinly veiled attempt to disguise the fact that there is real material support for those rebels on the ground in Ukraine. They have essentially been exposed, because not least -- at least 10 Russian paratroopers were detained by the Ukrainian authorities and shown on Ukrainian television of it the last couple of days inside eastern Ukraine.

But the Kremlin dismissed that saying they were on a border patrol in Russia and accidentally went over the border. But it's been well known from western governments over the past several months, really since the hostilities broke out in eastern Ukraine in March of this year, that the insurgents have been pretty much supported by forces inside Russia. It's what President Obama was talking about earlier when he said there would be increased consequences if that support continued, Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Matthew Chance in Moscow for us -- thank you, Matthew.

Nine minutes after the hour. Time for an EARLY START on your money.

European stocks higher this morning. Asian shares are mixed. U.S. stock futures pointing higher right now. Futures hold, it would be a rally for stocks and could bring the S&P back above 2,000.

It's finally office -- Apple will make a big announcement on September 9th. John Berman cannot contain himself.

You know, the invitation was vague, as they always are. But it's widely expected, Apple roll out two versions of the iPhone 6. The phones are expected to have a much bigger screen to battle competitors like Samsung and HTC. There's also speculation that the long awaited iWatch will be

unveiled. It would be Apple's first wearable device and perfect for someone like you apparently, because you've got a heavy focus on health and fitness.

BERMAN: And I am --

ROMANS: It's going to go, run faster, Berman, run faster.

BERMAN: It was going to yell at me, just what I need.

All right. Ten minutes after the hour.

Call it the audacity of taupe. I did not write that line, but, boy, I wish I had. President Obama showed up into White House on Thursday wearing a tan suit or is it beige or is it khaki or all the above.

ROMANS: Stone?

BERMAN: It may be.

You know, look, Twitter went bonkers during this news conference because, the president usually wears gray or blue suits. He once said in a "Vanity Fair" interview that he only, only wears gray or blue suits. There are more than 4,000 tweets about this tan suit.

People stopped talking about the tan suit only once the president says he has no strategy, yet, to deal with ISIS in Syria.

ROMANS: For a long time, it's been female politicians who get the comments about what they're wearing.

BERMAN: It's a good point.

ROMANS: Not necessarily the men, you know? And I would say, who cares about a pantsuit? I don't care about the blouse. I don't care about the fancy clothes on whatever female candidate.

But he got a lot of attention --

BERMAN: I hadn't thought about that. He welcomed this talk about the suit.

ROMANS: It's equal opportunity fashion complain -- I don't know. I mean, I thought he looked fine. He looked good. He just never wears anything other than a blue or dark gray suit.

BERMAN: Wait until he shows up wearing limerick (ph), when then people will really start --

ROMANS: Can you imagine seersucker? It's his second term.

BERMAN: Only his second term.

ROMANS: Maybe he could wear seersucker.

BERMAN: Eleven minutes after the hour.

ROMANS: The audacity of taupe, that was good.

BERMAN: Best line of the morning.

ROMANS: All right.

BERMAN: Legendary comedian Joan Rivers in critical condition this morning at a New York hospital. What her family said overnight, right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Eighty-one-year-old comedian Joan Rivers said to be resting comfortably this morning in a New York City hospital. She was rushed to the hospital after she apparently stopped breathing during an outpatient surgical procedure on her throat. She went into cardiac arrest. She said to be in critical but stable condition. Her daughter Melissa releasing a statement thanking everyone for the overwhelming love and support for her mother.

ROMANS: The audio recording that captured the moment police opened fire has been authenticated by Glide. The company says the recording was created at the time that the unarmed Missouri teenager was killed this morning. It bolsters a man's claim that he inadvertently recorded audio of the shooting. It's important to note: CNN has not independently authenticated this recording.

Meantime, a group caught up in protest in Ferguson is now suing the police. The city and county seeking $40 million in damages. They allege their civil rights were violated through arrests and assaults with rubber bullets and tear gas.

BERMAN: Authorities in Arizona say no criminal charges will be filed in connection with the gun range incident in which a 9-year-old girl fatally shot her instructor with an Uzi. Thirty-nine-year-old Charles Vacca was killed when the automatic weapon recoiled in the arms of the 9-year-old, spraying bullets just everywhere. The incident has sparked a national debate over young kids handling firearms.

On Thursday, Hillary Clinton weighed in calling it heartbreaking and horrifying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: What 9-year-old little girl is strong enough to manage an Uzi submachine gun, which is apparently what it was. You know, the kick, the effort to control it. I mean, that's just the height of irresponsibility to say nothing of the choice of letting your child do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The instructor's family is grief-stricken as you can imagine. Charles Vacca's widow says the kids are just taking it really hard.

ROMANS: I would like to know what the family, the parents of the little girl think.

BERMAN: I have read their take. It's very, very hard on them as well.

ROMANS: All right. Authorities in Israel now confirm that a body found in the forest near Jerusalem is that of missing American Aaron Sofer. The 23-year-old disappeared last week while hiking with a friend. The yeshiva student from New Jersey was studying in Israel. Police investigators have yet to determine the cause of his death, but his family believes it was accidental and no foul play was involved.

BERMAN: Closing arguments on tap today on the corruption trial of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen. They are accused of taking $165,000 in gifts and loans from a businessman in exchange for promoting his dietary supplement.

The defense claims the McDonnells' marriage was so broken that they couldn't communicate, let alone conspire on anything. They are facing years in prison, if convicted.

ROMANS: Heavy rain in Texas triggering flash floods and leading to this rescue in Lubbock, Texas. Fire crews needed a ladder truck to rescue a driver after the car was nearly submerged in floodwaters. Look at that.

Indra Petersons is here with a look at your forecast.

BERMAN: She's having heart palpitations right now saying that.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Every time I do that, of course.

Remember, it is Labor Day weekend and we're talking about the place maybe you don't want to be, we are talking the heaviest amounts of rain. Look what we're talking about -- two, if not five inches of rain around the gulf. As we go through this holiday weekend, just keep in mind, by maybe Labor Day itself, possibly we start to get a less chance for showers in the forecast.

Taking all the way at Atlantic, yes, Cristobal still out there. Look how quickly it is exiting off into the Northeast. So, with that, yes, we are still going to have higher surf, but nothing like we saw yesterday. Yesterday, we were talking 12 feet of surf, down about three to five feet, and improving as we go through the weekend. So, that's a piece of good news there.

Still looking for some strong rip currents, but now you've been going downward to about moderate. But of course, that still brings a lot of concern into the water ahead of the weekend, as so many of you are going to be going to the beach. Take a kind of a quick glance at the nation as we go the entire nation. The severe weather threat, we are going to be watching that, maybe out towards the plains and the Mideast. But, generally, everywhere else, looking at a threat of scattered showers as we go through the weekend.

So, the best thing to do, day by day, where we're talking about the rain, what are the temperatures going to look like, a little bit cooler in the Northeast today, again, with Boston going down about 70, New York City, 77. Scattered showers are going to be out there if you're in the Northeast. Maybe towards the tail of the weekend, like Sunday and Monday, that's going to be the bigger threat for showers. So, keep in mind, the first half of the weekend, if you have it off, right, enjoy the first half.

If you are working, don't worry, that's where it's raining anyway.

BERMAN: Get the fun done fast.

PETERSONS: Right.

ROMANS: Thanks, Indra.

BERMAN: All right, Indra. Appreciate it.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell now admits it was wrong. He got it wrong when he suspended Ray Rice for only two games after domestic violence case. Now, he's now doing something about it, at least going forward. Andy Scholes with details in the "Bleacher Report", next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Imagine my surprise, not my joy, when I turned on the television yesterday evening and there was college football being played. It's happening. It's happening.

Andy Scholes is here.

We already have our first upset.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Yes, that's right, guys. Texas A&M, man, they just put a beat down on South Carolina last night. A lot of people are expecting the Aggies to take a step back without Johnny Manziel. But hey, they did not miss a beat.

Sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill just lit up the gamecocks in his first start, Hill threw for, get this, 511 yards. That broke Manziel's single game record. He added three touchdowns in a 52-28 upset win over South Carolina.

Everyone, including Manziel jumped on the nickname, Kenny Football. Manziel has been tweeting it out with a #GigEm. But Hill said, you know, he doesn't like that nickname. Probably wants something a little more original.

All right. A rough week for the USC Trojans football team continues. Senior running back Anthony Brown, who quit the team a week ago, says he did so because head coach Steve Sarkisian is a racist. Brown posted on Instagram, quote, "Sark treated me like a slave in his office. Can't play for a racist man. #fighton."

That post was deleted. Sarkisian said he was shocked to hear Brown's comments. And it couldn't be further from the truth.

All right. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has admitted he made a mistake by suspending Ray Rice for only two games. As a result, Goodell announced new harsher punishment for players who are accused of domestic violence. Under the new plan, offenders will receive a six-game suspension for the first offense and possible lifetime ban for a second offense. This new policy applies to all NFL personnel, not just the players.

All right. Finally, the clock struck midnight for the young Cinderella of the U.S. Open. Fifteen-year-old CiCi Bellis lost in the second round last night. She actually dominated the second seat, winning 6-0. But she ended up losing the match in three.

She was the talk of the tournament after becoming the youngest player to win a match since 1996. Bellis called the experience unbelievable and mind-blowing and the best couple days of her life.

BERMAN: Like 5 percent of her life at age 15.

ROMANS: Now, she goes back to high school.

SCHOLES: I'm sure we are going to hear much more from her in the future.

ROMANS: Awesome. All right. Thanks, Andy.

The hunt for ISIS. The terrorists leaving a trail of destruction in Syria and Iraq, recruiting member here in the U.S. and there's concern this morning President Obama may (AUDIO GAP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)