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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Ebola Patient in Maryland; Baghdad Rocked By ISIS Car Bombs; Pistorius Back in Court; The Giants Win The Pennant
Aired October 17, 2014 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: the first Texas nurse to contract Ebola in the U.S. has been moved to the new treatment center in Maryland, and we hear from Nina Pham for the first time in her own words as she fights for her life.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Is it time for an Ebola czar? President Obama is opening the door to appointing someone to lead the charge in the fight against the virus? Plus, why he will not budge on banning flights from West Africa, at least not yet.
Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. Thirty minutes -- 31 minutes past the hour this Friday morning.
Let's breaking news. Overnight, the first Dallas nurse infected with Ebola, Nina Pham, arrived in Maryland. She was taken by ambulance to the National Institute of Health in Bethesda for treatment.
We're also getting our first glimpse of Pham in her Texas hospital room where her doctor made this video and uploaded it to YouTube at Pham's request. Look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. GARY WEINSTEIN: Thanks for getting well. Thanks for being part of the voluntary team to take care of our first patient. It means a lot. This has been a huge effort by all of you guys. We're really proud of you.
NINA PHAM: I love you guys.
Come to Maryland, everybody.
WEINSTEIN: Party, party in Maryland?
PHAM: Party in Maryland.
WEINSTEIN: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Two things about the video. I see a woman who's sitting up, a young woman sitting up, and I see here laughing.
Brian Todd outside the hospital where Pham is being treated in Maryland with more for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nina Pham, the 26-year-old nurse who contracted the Ebola virus from patient Thomas Eric Duncan, has arrived here at National Institute of Health right behind me. Got here a short time ago and is treated in Building 10. This is the special clinical studies unit at NIH. It's a high containment isolation unit where she will be treated indefinitely until her recovery is complete.
This unit is very highly specialized. Everybody who comes in contact with Nina Pham will wear hazmat gear, will be wearing isolation gowns, special gowns, things like that.
Also, the air inside her room is highly isolated. They are running what they call powered air purifying respirators in her room. No air from the outside will get into her room and her room's air will not get to the outside.
So, this unit is very highly specialized. This is where she's going to be receiving treatment over the next several days and weeks.
As to the actual treatment she'll be getting, that's classified. Officials here will not reveal to us the specific drug protocols or other specific treatment that she'll be getting.
But we can tell you is that the NIH, this facility, is now on the frontlines of the fight against Ebola on two different fronts. Number one, they are treating Nina Pham here, but this facility is testing out an Ebola vaccine -- one of two places in the United States testing the vaccine out for the first time on humans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Our thanks to Brian Todd for that report.
Now, this morning, there are contradictory reports about just when the second Texas nurse infected with Ebola, Amber Vinson, just when she started to feel sick. Vinson's uncle says she was fine the time she was in Cleveland, but now, a federal official with knowledge of the case tell CNN that Vinson felt fatigued and achy in Ohio on Friday or Saturday.
The prospect that she might have been contagious earlier has led officials to reach out to passengers on Vinson's flight to Cleveland, in addition to those who flew back to Texas in the same plane that she did. While this is going on, a bridal shop that Vinson visited in Ohio has closed, and at least eight people she came in contact with in Ohio, they are under self quarantine. ROMANS: A nurse is slamming the Texas hospital's readiness to treat
the Ebola patients it received. Briana Aguirre told Anderson Cooper on Thursday night that the hospital failed to provide the staff training and protective equipment they needed to contain the virus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIANA AGUIRRE, TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN NURSE: I feel like if you are in there with an Ebola patient and your life is on the line and your family safety is at risk, you should have the number to anyone. You should have the number to Obama administration to get you whatever it need -- you need to perform that job safely. And that I'm not satisfied with any answer that the hospital has to offer at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Texas Health Presbyterian responded with a statement saying it is committed to a safe and healthy workplace for its employees. The hospital has a strict non-retaliation hospital on employee feedback.
BERMAN: President Obama says the ban on travel to the United States from Ebola stricken countries in West Africa, he says it is not the way to go. The president met Thursday with CDC director Tom Frieden and homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco and others.
Afterwards, he told reporter that a travel ban could create more problems than it solves. He is still leaving the but, I should say, he's perhaps leaving the door slightly ajar.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't have a philosophical objection necessarily to the travel ban if that is the thing that is going to keep the American people safe. The problem is, is that in all the discussions I've had thus far with experts in the field, experts in infectious disease, is that a travel ban is less effective than the measures that we are currently instituting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The president also did not rule out appointing an Ebola czar. He said it may be appropriate to appoint an additional person behind those there that you see in the room, Frieden and Monaco and others already working on the Ebola issues.
ROMANS: CDC Director Tom Frieden faced a tough grilling on Capitol Hill. House members from both sides of the aisle pressed Frieden to explain to how two Texas nurses could have come down with Ebola while caring for a patient, and how the federal government will prevent a larger outbreak -- prevent an outbreak of the deadly disease.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. BILL JOHNSON (R), OHIO: Was it a breakdown in the training of the protocol? Do we know whether or not the protocol works? FRIEDEN: The investigation is ongoing. We identified some possible causes. We're not waiting for the investigation to be --
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: So, we don't know.
FRIEDEN: We're immediately --
JOHNSON: We don't know. OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Thirty-six minutes past the hour. Time for an EARLY START on your money this morning.
What another crazy day on Wall Street? U.S. futures right now pointing higher. If that holds, it would be a good day for stocks.
BERMAN: I'd take that. Let's do it.
ROMANS: But, you know, I'm not willing to say it's going to hold. It has been frenzied selling. The Dow plunged 200 points yesterday and closed down just 25. So, the six straight days of losses.
The market rebounding on something in particular here. Comments from the president of the St. Louis Fed. He said the Federal Reserve should consider extending its bond-buying program schedule to the end of the month.
Another move we're watching this morning. Oil prices up slightly to $83 a barrel right now. They have been falling. I would say they have been plunging for months as global demand weakens. Yesterday, they started ticking up on tight news of stockpiles.
So, you've seen this trend of stocks down, oil down. Now, you've stocks up this morning. Oil ticking up a little bit.
BERMAN: It is not often you think of good economic news being that oil prices are going to up. But crazy days.
All right. Thirty-seven minutes after the hour.
Cold weather on the way. Tropical activity to tell you about. Chad Myers has an early look at the weather.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: A very good early morning to you.
This morning, a much better day today than yesterday. I have to be honest. It was wet. It was nasty. Much better.
The rain has moved away, even moved away from Boston. Sunny skies across the East Coast and sunny across a lot of the United States. Not too bad for travel today. Airplanes should be on time for the most part -- 55 in Minneapolis today, 62 in Chicago, and 70 in New York. Here is the forecast for tomorrow. Another cold front will reinforce
the first one that made the rain yesterday. But we'll also make significantly colder air where New York City, we're only going to be 53 for a high on Sunday. So, that's where we go from here. Around 70 today to 53 on Sunday and intermediately tomorrow will be 68, 68 in D.C. as well, 51 in Chicago, and 53 in Minneapolis.
The hurricane center will update. Tropical storm Ana and also major hurricane Gonzalo in the 5:00 hour. I'll have that update then.
BERMAN: All right. Looking forward that.
Let me tell you my stories about covering hurricanes in Bermuda during the break.
All right. Thirty-eight minutes after the hour.
Police clear out a main road in Hong Kong for the first time in weeks, forcing out protesters. So, is this the beginning of the end of the mass demonstrations?
ROMANS: And guess who is on the latest Wheaties box? It's not a movie star, but a diplomat? Find out who.
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BERMAN: All right. This morning, ISIS militants trying to make good on their vow to destabilize Baghdad. They set off two car bombs in a Shiite neighborhood, killing at least 14 civilians, wounding another 34. According to police, militant attacks elsewhere in Iraq killed even dozens more.
CNN's Ben Wedeman is live for us now in Baghdad.
Ben, what's the latest inside that city?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you mentioned, there's twin car bombs yesterday, yet another example of how ISIS appears to be and, in fact, ISIS did claim responsibility for some of the bombings, really underscoring their effort to sow terror within the capital and keep pressure on outside.
Now, we are hearing that the town near Fallujah, only about 40 kilometers from -- or rather miles from Baghdad to the west in Anbar province is the scene of some intense fighting where ISIS is gaining more ground there.
Now, a better picture to the south of the capital, we were with the Iraqi army and some Shia militia and in the area where they managed to retake land in an area traditionally is sympathetic, shall we say, to al Qaeda, and, of course, ISIS. Now, and the commanders in that area were telling about Saudi fighters and Egyptian fighters, Tunisians and Libyans who are joined ISIS in that area, and the Iraqi army and the militias had been able to capture.
But we also saw the problems the Iraqi army and its allies are going to face as they try to take ground from ISIS. Many of the houses still booby trapped. Others completely destroyed.
So, even in the areas they retake from that organization, it's going to be a while before the population can return -- John.
BERMAN: The population extremely sympathetic in some cases to what ISIS is doing there.
Ben Wedeman for us inside Baghdad, thanks so much.
ROMANS: All right. Developing news in Hong Kong this morning. Hundreds of police with shields and wire cutters launching a dawn raid on a protest camp that's been blocking a major intersection for nearly three weeks.
Police tore down tents and barricades and tried to open the area back up to traffic. Many of the pro-democracy protesters caught off guard. They did not put up resistance. They still occupy a major thoroughfare near the city's financial district.
BERMAN: There has been another Kim Jong-un sighting. North Korea's state media releasing this photo of the reclusive leader, giving field guidance at a newly built residential district. There's no way to verify really when this picture was taken.
The leader had not been seen in public since early September, which fueled speculation about his health, even speculation about whether he's really still in charge in North Korea.
ROMANS: Yes, we saw him in September, he's limping.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: To this country now. The youngest son of Vice President Joe Biden was discharged from the Navy back in February, that was after testing positive for cocaine. This confirmed by U.S. officials.
Hunter Biden putting out a statement saying he's embarrassed by his actions. He says he respects the Navy's decision. He did not address why he was discharged. The 44-year-old Biden is now a managing partner at an investment firm.
BERMAN: The head of the FBI warning encryption in some cell phones could hamper criminal investigations. Director James Comey is calling for a legislative fix to restrict technology companies growing use of encryption to protect user privacy. He said if nothing is done, investigators will not be able to get forensic data to solve crimes.
ROMANS: It's such a conundrum for the tech companies, because people want privacy, but law enforcement want to be able to go ask child pedophilia rings and they want kidnapping, they want to be able to have those resources, but people are screaming for privacy.
BERMAN: It's a tough position for the FBI to be in, because I don't think he's going to get a large public outcry for people who say, please, you know, have more access to my cell phone.
ROMANS: All right. Forty-six minutes past the hour.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright going where no diplomat has gone before. She is the new face of Wheaties. Albright tweeted a picture of herself on the Wheaties box saying, "I just finished my breakfast of champions. Thank you."
The honor is usually reserve for star athletes. General Mills said a champion is a person who looks inside and challenges their personal --
BERMAN: I love that. That's great.
ROMANS: I think it's really cool.
All right. After days of testimony, the prosecution will finally wrap up its case against Oscar Pistorius today. We're going to go live to South Africa for the latest.
BERMAN: And it will be a Giant World Series, also a Royal World Series. A Giant versus Royal World Series. It is all set. Game one takes place next week. We will tell you the remarkable, heroic way we got to that point, next.
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BERMAN: This morning, the prosecution expected to wrap up its case in the sentencing hearing for Oscar Pistorius. On Thursday, Reeva Steenkamp's cousin said the athlete should be locked up. But the defense argues that his disability will make Pistorius too vulnerable in prison.
I want to go to CNN international correspondent Diana Magnay from Pretoria with the latest.
And, Diana, there is still so much drama around this case.
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there certainly is, and not least the image of Oscar Pistorius himself listening to part of the defense advocates closing statement, tears streaming down his face.
The last lines from the defense attorney just now were, is this someone you want to see removed from society? His argument is that Oscar does not have the characteristics that make help a danger to society. He listed other instances in other South African case law where people shot a family member who they believe accidentally to be an intruder, a burglar into their home. And the fact that these people served non-custodial sentences, i.e., didn't go to jail.
And Oscar has compromised in terms of his disability, not a danger to society and deeply remorseful.
And the other thing I think I want to bring up, John, a central part of that whole argument by the defense advocate was how exposed Oscar Pistorius has been because of the trial by media. The fact that this case has been televised and the fact we are talking about it now that so many people around the world on social media are talking about this, accusing him of being a liar, a cold-blooded murderer, that not only had the consequences of his actions already caused him so much emotional trauma, but also this incrimination, this global incrimination has been such a punishment to him.
Now, John, we are hearing from Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor, who is also giving his closing arguments. You can be sure they equally convincing to send Oscar down for a long time -- John.
BERMAN: Interesting to see. All right. Diana Magnay for us in Pretoria, thanks so much.
This morning, the NTSB investigators will be on the scene of a train wreck in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Five people suffered critical injuries when a passenger train and freight train collided head on, about 20 miles from Fayetteville. Authorities say the passenger train was on a sight seeing tour when it got stuck on the tracks because of wet leaves. In all, 44 people were injured in that crash.
ROMANS: More than a month after she died, we are learning details, official cause of Joan Rivers' death. The New York City medical examiner says Rivers died of brain damage caused by lack of oxygen. Rivers went into cardiac and respiratory arrest during a procedure to check voice changes and stomach reflux. She was 81 years old.
BERMAN: All right. Fifty-three minutes after the hour.
The World Series now set. Look at how it happened. The San Francisco giants with this unbelievable dramatic walk-off NLCS championship winning home run from Travis Ishikawa. You know, this guy barely in the Major Leagues. What a story.
They beat the Cardinals, 6-3. They take the pennant now in five games. They're back in the World Series for the second time in three seasons. They win every other year, it seems. Game one against the team of density, the American League champ Kansas City Royals, will be Tuesday in Kansas City.
ROMANS: Every other year. So, they're getting even.
BERMAN: They had two World Series in the last, you know, five years. It's amazing.
ROMANS: All right. Apple unveiling new iPads. Are they worth the hype? We're going to tell you when you get an EARLY START on your money, next.
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ROMANS: Let's get an EARLY START on your money. A wild day on Wall Street, quite frankly. And right now, U.S. futures are higher. If it holds, it could be a good day of stocks or maybe just another day of really frenzy trading.
Yesterday, the Dow plunged 200 points, and bounced back, closed down just 25 points. It was six straight days of losses, but only 25 points lower. The market rebounding after comments from the president of the St. Louis Fed. He said the Fed should consider extending stimulus, continuing stimulus that is scheduled to end this month.
Starbucks employees, you can finally show your ink everybody. Starbucks notoriously at the strictest dress codes in the coffee industry. Employees complained about the no visible tattoo rule, starting Facebook groups and blogs and protests. Now, starting next week, baristas will be allowed to have untuck shirts, nose studs, and you can proudly display your tattoos folks. The chain also announced plans to give all baristas a raise but didn't specify how much.
BERMAN: It gives me a back-up plan if this news thing doesn't work out now. Finally, this avenue is open for me.
ROMANS: John's got plan B.
BERMAN: All right. But I digress.
ROMANS: Apple, by the way, unveiling new iPads. And investors are not impressed. The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come with touch ID finger print sensors which can be used online with Apple Pay. Guess what? Apple Pay launches on Monday.
These things are thinner, faster. They have better cameras. What happened to Apple stock? It fell about 1.3 percent, signaling investors may not be happy with the new products. IPad sales have slumped in recent quarters. It was smartphones getting bigger.
There's a big debate about whether tablets are redundant. What do you think?
BERMAN: I think they're just too expensive. I think if you spend that much for something, you need it to last for a while. So, you're not going to get a new one every two years like you do with iPhones.
ROMANS: (INAUDIBLE) Apple Pay?
BERMAN: No. Well, I don't. I do whatever they tell me. I just do what Apple says.
All right. EARLY START continues right now.
