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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Tracking Ebola in the U.S.; Islamist Fighters Continue to Advance; Is Khorasan Plotting an Attack?; Vatican Meeting Focused on Family

Aired October 06, 2014 - 04:30   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: NBC News cameraman Ashoka Mukpo has been evacuated from Liberia on a specially-equipped is due to arrive in Nebraska for treatment this morning.

And in Delaware, a child from Liberia has been placed in an isolation unit. But officials says the child was past the incubation period for Ebola. And the CDC believes the likelihood of infection is, quote, "extremely low".

CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is in Dallas tracking efforts to contain the spread of Ebola there, and at other entry points in the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: John, authorities are following 48 people who may have come into contact with Thomas Eric Duncan.

And the breakdown is like this: they are following seven hospital workers who had contact with Duncan and they are considered in the higher risk category and also three family members also in that higher risk category. The rest of the contacts, 38 of them, are considered lower risk.

So, what's happening with these contacts is that they get visits twice a day from a health care worker and their temperature is taken and the health worker will ask them how they are feeling, we'll run down the list of the symptoms of Ebola to make sure that they're not experiencing any of them.

Now, this helps explain how they are trying to keep Ebola from spreading within the United States. But authorities also want to keep it from arriving in the U.S. a second time. So, I know when I came back from Liberia, it was just about the same time that Thomas Eric Duncan arrived. And what I found was basically no screening.

Now, they took my temperature in Liberia at the airport there, but they didn't take my temperature in the United States. In fact, they basically had no screening for myself and my two colleagues who arrived even though we said we were journalists arriving Liberia who have been covering Ebola.

So, now, federal officials say that they may start having more stringent measures which may include taking temperatures from people who've been visiting Ebola-affected countries -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: Our thanks to Elizabeth Cohen for that.

So, the White House already has lot on its plate with the elections coming up, the war against ISIS. Now, Ebola is beginning to add to the political complications facing the administration. Our Erin McPike is at the White House with more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, as you know, the midterm elections are just one month away and the Ebola crisis is beginning to become a campaign issue. So, the White House is trying to send the message that they have this under control and they're trying to manage the fear.

So, listen here to White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer do that on NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday.

DAN PFEIFFER, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: I think the first thing we need to do is make sure the American people understand how hard it is to contract Ebola and to understand that there's no country better prepared than the United States to deal with this, the best public health infrastructure and the best doctors in the world.

MCPIKE: But there is a slightly different message coming from the CDC. The director, Dr. Tom Frieden, held a briefing just yesterday. In that briefing, he made the point he wants health care officials and health care workers to have a healthy respect for any kind of lapse in protocols, that that is a big risk.

So, he wants health care officials to be very meticulous even though officials are warning that an Ebola outbreak in the United States is extremely unlikely. But he said that anytime there is still an outbreak, as there is in Africa, there is a potential risk everywhere. So, he did say that increased airport screenings are something they are considering.

Take a listen.

DR. TOM FRIEDEN, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: And, of course, we are now looking at the issue of entry screening. And we are looking at all possibilities. There have been suggestions from people in Congress and the public and media. We'll look at those and see what works to protect Americans and to make sure that whatever we do doesn't unintentionally actually increase our risk. If we make it harder to fight the outbreak in West Africa, we actually increase our own risk.

MCPIKE: Now, increased screenings are something that is recently as Friday administration officials said that they weren't considering them just yet. But we're hearing from more and more lawmakers, including New York Senator Chuck Schumer say that those are important to consider. Well, Tom Frieden will be at the White House today to brief the

president -- John.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: That should be an interesting meeting. Our thanks to Eric McPike for that.

Other news this morning: Kobani is a city on edge, in imminent danger of falling into the hands of ISIS fighters. That Kurdish city is on Syria's border with Turkey. It has been under siege for weeks. And on Sunday, ISIS fighters took a strategic hill overlooking the city. Now, the fighters defending the city are looking for a way out.

Meanwhile, Islamist fighters, possibly with the Nusra Front, that is another group, attacked a Hezbollah checkpoint on the Syria's border with Lebanon.

Senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is live now with us from Beirut.

And, Nick, that is a separate front there on the border with Lebanon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And this is a country that has for months now been worried about the build up potentially of radical militants on the Syrian rebel side trying to make their way into Lebanon. What happened yesterday in the town called Brital (ph), a checkpoint run by Hezbollah, a militant group near that, isn't entirely clear. It's pretty brazen. It seems raid by Syrian militants, potentially from some from the al-Nusra group, they are linked to al Qaeda and also being hit by U.S. airstrikes in the north of Syria.

They seem to have come quite far in to Lebanon's territory. There's a very patchy mountainous border area. They're hard to control. But with equally forcibly repelled by Hezbollah forces. There are suggestions potentially Hezbollah may have lost a couple militants from media reports and maybe over a dozen, though, of the Syrian-based militants killed in that attack.

But it's got really temperatures rising here because there was an equally brazen raid on another border town over a month ago. There are still Lebanese soldiers held hostage by Syrian-based militants, too, and, of course, this plays into wider fears in Lebanon. Could this country be the next place that ISIS, not involved necessarily in the raid, but building strength along the border, could Lebanon be next in their crosshairs and to the political crisis -- a government in deadlock. Maybe will this fears will feed into the notion that Lebanon needs a strong man president to see it through and keep it safe, John.

BERMAN: So many different fights, so many different complications in that area.

Nick Paton Walsh in Beirut -- thanks so much.

Australian fighter jets completed their first mission over Iraq, in the effort to battle ISIS. The Australian FA-18s did not drop bombs over Iraq. Instead, we're told the military was on call overnight to attack targets as identified. The Australian Super Hornets have joined an eight-state coalition which conducted attacks against ISIS forces inside Iraq over the past week.

A heart-wrenching plea this morning from the parents of the American man being held captive by ISIS. They are begging the terrorists to release their son. Abdul-Rahman Kassig's parents begging for mercy in a video released on Sunday. CNN is respecting Peter Kassig's parents' wishes to now refer to him by his Muslim name.

The 26-year-old former Army Ranger was in Syria providing humanitarian aid when he was captured last October. His parents say they are torn apart.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA KASSIG, MOTHER OF ABDUL-RAHMAN KASSIG: Please know that we are all praying for you and your safe return. Most of all, know that we love you and our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom so we can hug you again.

ED KASSIG, FATHER OF ABDUL-RAHMAN KASSIG: Like our son, we have no more control of the U.S. government than you have over the breaking of dawn. We implore his captors to show mercy and use their power to let our son go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The FBI director is warning about a possible terror plot to attack the United States. Director James Comey told "60 Minutes" that the al Qaeda affiliate Khorasan may be plotting to do something very, very soon.

As for identifying and finding the hooded English-speaking man in the ISIS execution videos, the FBI director says the U.S. and British intelligence are making progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES COMEY, FBI DIRECTOR: We are working pretty hard not to just identify that savage, but all of them.

SCOTT PELLEY, CBS NEWS: Do you know who he is?

COMEY: I believe we do.

PELLEY: Do you have a name?

COMEY: I have it on my head.

PELLEY: But you're not willing to share it?

COMEY: I am not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The FBI director went on to say that FBI knows the identities of about a dozen Americans who have joined ISIS. He insists his agency is prepared to track them carefully should they attempt to return to the United States.

The Enterovirus has claimed the life of a 4-year-old New Jersey boy. Eli Waller's death is the first confirmed fatality directly caused by the mysterious respiratory diseases. Swelling in that boy's brain and lymph nodes was determined to be a result of the virus. At least four other people who tested positive for Enterovirus 68 have died. CDC officials are investigating whether the virus played a role in their deaths.

The next phase in the search for Malaysia Airline Flight 370 is underway. Australian transport officials say the search vessel Go Phoenix and two others will conduct detailed sonar sweeps in the Southern Indian Ocean in an effort to find the wreckage. MH370 disappeared back in March with 239 people onboard. An extensive search thus far has failed to turn up a single piece of definitive evidence as to the plane's whereabouts.

All right. Thirty-nine minutes after the hour right now. Let's get an early look at our weather with Samantha Mohr.

SAMANTHA MOHR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, John.

Over the course of the weekend, we had some of the coldest temperatures of the season. And now, it looks like we're going to moderate a little bit in the next few days. But we still have a chance for showers here across parts of eastern Ohio, the Ohio Valley, into Tennessee Valley. Some thunderstorms could form here. Some could be severe as we head into the afternoon hours in central Tennessee. We're certainly be watching for that.

Notice, we are still on the cool side of the Great Lakes and Northeast, and very warm across the Southwest, with temperatures expect to be unseasonably warm once again today.

So, on our Tuesday, frontal boundary still pushing east. We'll see some showers along that. And then to the south, a lot of sunshine, beautiful fall weather for much of the Deep South as across the Midwest. We'll see similar conditions.

And notice here in the Southwest, we have Hurricane Simon off the Baja Peninsula. That could bring in some moisture. So, we could see enhanced monsoon thunderstorms for our Tuesday. If not Tuesday, likely by Wednesday.

So, temperatures getting back up a little closer to normal in the northeast on our Tuesday. Beautiful across the south, with temperatures getting back into the 80s. And we'll start to see some heat relief across the West as well. Thank goodness.

John, back to you.

BERMAN: Thanks, Samantha. It was downright cold in the Northeast this morning.

All right. Forty minutes after the hour.

Roman Catholic leaders kicking off a landmark meeting. Why Pope Francis is getting leaders from around the world in this unprecedented two-week gathering. That's coming up on EARLY START.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone.

In Rome this morning, Pope Francis is convening a landmark two-week meeting of Catholic leaders from around the world. The focus is the family and how to better present the teachings of controversial issues of same sex marriage, abortion and divorce.

CNN's Delia Gallagher is live this morning in Rome.

Good morning, Delia.

We have the latest from Rome this morning.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, John.

It is the first day of this highly anticipated meeting which will go on for the next two weeks. It's called a synod. And on the table, a number of important and delicate issues. As you mentioned, same-sex marriage, divorce, polygamy, teen mothers, the annulment process in the Catholic Church, and a host of other things.

These topics were all chosen because of a survey which the Vatican sent last year to Catholics around the world, to see what were some of the challenges that they were facing, and how the church could bet better address their needs. It's been a top priority for Pope Francis. We know from the beginning for his pontificate, he says he doesn't want the church to be a useless structure, which is out of touch with the real needs of people.

I can tell you, John, the pope addressed the assembly a few moments ago. And he told the bishops and cardinals there he will be participating every day. So, he told them, I don't want you to be afraid to speak your mind, to speak openly on all of these topics even though the pope is here and might not agree with you.

So, obviously trying to encourage debate and open up discussion on some of these topics -- John.

BERMAN: It will be interesting to see the results of that discussion if anything concrete comes from it.

Delia Gallagher in Rome, thank you so much.

Forty-six minutes after the hour right now.

Please help end this nightmare. Those words from the parents of missing college student Hannah Graham. The 18-year-old University of Virginia sophomore vanished last month. Yesterday, her parents made a new emotional plea for her safe return. Authorities even upped the reward to find her to $100,000.

With tears in her eyes and her husband by her side, Sue Graham beg anyone with information to come forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUE GRAHAM, MOTEHR OF HANNAH GRAHAM: Despite all of your efforts, Hannah is still missing. Somebody listening to me today either knows where Hannah is or knows someone who has that information, we appeal to you to come forward and tell us where Hannah can be found.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: I feel for that family so much.

This just in, by the way -- NBC News is reporting the cameraman who was diagnosed with Ebola in Liberia is now on U.S. soil. He is making his way to Nebraska for treatment. We'll bring you more on that as it comes in.

Meanwhile, protesters in Hong Kong ignoring an order to disperse. Will the government crackdown?

We are live in Hong Kong next. This is EARLY START.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Protesters and the government remain at a standoff in Hong Kong this morning. Pro-democracy activists ignored a deadline to disperse, but they also did decide to allow city workers to enter offices that had been blocked last week.

CNN's Kyung Lah is live for us now from Hong Kong on the streets I have to say, Kyung, that are decidedly less full than they had been.

Good morning to you.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

That opening you were talking about, allowing some of the government workers to go back to work. I'm standing on it. This is the pedestrian bridge. They opened it up so a good number of employees were able to go back to work, the government essentially functioning using those workers.

But if you look over here, this is the sign that this is still not over. These streets are definitely emptier than they have been in the last few days. But you can see that they are certainly still blocked off. This is a major thoroughfare in Hong Kong, still closed. And what these protesters are saying is that they intend to try to keep this area closed down so they can meet with the government to talk about how they want true democracy in Hong Kong, not where Beijing calls who they get to vote for -- John.

BERMAN: Kyung, do you have a sense the protests are waning or is there a chance they could pick up in terms of numbers?

LAH: There is a bit more concession. That is why we see the bridge being open and government workers walk back and forth. But, yes, it does appear they are at least coming closer together, coming to a meeting of the minds. But that meeting hasn't quite happened yet.

BERMAN: No, nevertheless, where Kyung is standing right now, she would not be able to step foot nearly a few days ago.

Our Kyung Lah in Hong Kong -- thanks so much.

Fifty-two minutes after the hour.

A new apology from Vice President Joe Biden. He has offered regrets now to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for comments he made last week during an appearance at Harvard Kennedy School of Government. The vice president suggested that U.S.-Arab allies are partly to blame for strengthening ISIS and other militant groups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our allies in the region were our largest problem in Syria. The Saudis, the Emiratis, et cetera, what were they doing? They were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni/Shia war. What do they do? They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens -- thousands of tons of weapons into any one who would fight against Assad, except that the people who were being -- who were being supplied were al Nusra and al Qaeda and extremist elements of jihadists coming from other parts of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: He is apologizing, doesn't mean he wasn't right. But he's apologizing.

The White House says the president spoke to the crown prince of Abu Dhabi by phone to say he did not intend to imply that the UAE supported terrorists.

The manhunt for suspected cop killer in Pennsylvania is now in its fourth week. Eric Frein is accused of ambushing two state troopers, killing one and wounding another. A possible sighting was reported on Sunday. Police have found food, ammunition and supplies believed to be Frein's in the rugged search area of northeast Pennsylvania. So far, he has managed to avoid capture.

A new huge recall this morning and this one could impact what is on your family's plate tonight. What you need to know now, coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: A new recall and a milestone for General Motors. More than 60,000 vehicles involved in this latest recall. Pontiac G8 and Chevy Caprice models may have ignition problems and Cadillacs are being called back because of a fuel pump issue. The latest recall brings this year's total to 30 million for General Motors.

And then there has been a huge recall of beef in Texas. Sam Kane beef processes recalled 90,000 pounds of products after four people reported finding pieces of metal in their beef. The packages were produced between September 9th and September 18th. All of the products were shipped to retail outlets in Texas.

EARLY START continues right now.

(MUSIC)

BERMAN: Breaking news this morning. As a second Ebola patient lands on U.S. soil, NBC freelance cameraman, he makes his way to a Nebraska hospital for treatment of the deadly virus and what the U.S. government is now considering to keep you safe.

Gaining ground. ISIS now closing in on Kobani, as the Syrian city's defenders start to retreat. Are coalition efforts falling flat? We are live from that region.

And imminent danger. Could an attack on the United States be coming any day? FBI Director James Comey said the terror group Khorasan may be planning to do something soon, but how real is this threat from that al Qaeda affiliate?

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans is out this morning. It is Monday, October 6th, just 5:00 a.m. in the East.

And we do begin with breaking news this morning. NBC News is reporting that its cameraman Ashoka Mukpo has now arrived on U.S. soil.