Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

North Korea Releases Captive American; The Death of an Icon; ISIS Video Appears to Show Captured U.S. Aid

Aired October 22, 2014 - 05:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news overnight, an American held in North Korea for five months has been released. He is heading back home right now. But a mystery over why Jeffrey Fowle was released and what it means for two other Americans that remain captive.

There are new U.S. Ebola screening systems at five major airports. They are in action. And two locations have already isolated passengers on Ebola fears.

And the death of an icon. Legendary "Washington Post" editor Ben Bradlee has died. We are remembering him and his tremendous contribution to journalism and accountability.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans is on assignment today. Thirty-two minutes past the hour. And we do have breaking news overnight.

After being held by North Korea for five months, an American man is on his way home to Ohio right now. Jeffrey Fowle is due to arrive there in an American government plane within the next couple of hours.

Now this was really the answer to a plea that Fowle made in an interview with CNN. An interview that really out of nowhere, North Korean officials abruptly arranged last month.

Standing by live in Seoul in South Korea is CNN's Paula Hancocks with the very latest on this very surprising development -- Paula.

PAUL HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, certainly, it seemed to come out of nowhere. Of course we know that the U.S. government, the State Department has told us they have been working behind the scenes to try and secure the release of all three of these U.S. citizens. There's currently three in detention. Of course now two in detention in North Korea for various crimes.

But what effectively happened was Pyongyang said we're ready to release Jeffrey Fowle. You have to come and get him, so that's what they did. Washington sent a government plane to Pyongyang. It parked on the tarmac in Pyongyang, something you don't often see for a U.S. plane there.

And then took him to Guam for refueling. They also evaluated him in Guam. The State Department said that he seemed to be in good health, but of course they do have to bear in mind, he was held prisoner in North Korea. So certainly there will be future support for him and now he's on his way home to Ohio.

So a very happy day for the Fowle family. Of course less so for the families of two other U.S. citizens still in captivity. The State Department says they're happy that Fowle is a free man, but they want to work on getting those other two out of the country -- John.

BERMAN: We can only hope this portend good things for those two other men still being held inside North Korea.

Paula Hancocks, our thanks to you.

Thirty-four minutes after the hour right now. Ebola news this morning. Two airline passengers who arrived in the United States are under close watch in Chicago. Officials say they are both Liberians. They arrived on separate planes and both vomited during their flights. Now neither had a fever. They and their traveling companions, though, are being isolated and screened at Chicago area hospitals.

Another Liberian man landed at Newark Airport. He had a fever. The CDC says he was isolated and is being screened at a local hospital right now.

And according to the Department of Homeland Security Web site as of Sunday, Washington Dulles had also referred four people to a medical facility for Ebola screening. The administration announced it is tightening the net on these airport screenings. It has ordered all passengers entering the United States from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to come into the United States through one of the five airports doing enhanced screenings.

Those airports are Chicago, Newark, and also New York's JFK, Washington, Dulles and Atlanta.

All right. One of the giants of American journalism is gone. Legendary "Washington Post" editor Ben Bradlee died Wednesday at the age of 93. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for several years.

He edited "The Post" from 1968 to 1991, leading that paper's groundbreaking coverage of the Watergate scandal, really helped to inspire generations of journalism and put a new emphasis on accountability in government.

Joining us to remember Ben Bradlee and his contribution is CNN's senior media correspondent, Brian Stelter, host of "RELIABLE SOURCES."

Thanks so much for being with us.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.

BERMAN: Such an incredible contribution. I was reading this morning, you know, I can't get enough of the obits because really they speak so much to the man. And Ben Bradlee was offended by lying.

(LAUGHTER)

STELTER: Yes. And as he went on and on in his career, he sensed more of it from politicians and wanted more accountability. But you were mentioning the number of years that he was the top editor of "The Post." Twenty-six years, that's unimaginable these days. But it goes to speak to the moment in time he was a part of, that he was at the top of the journalism world when newspapers were at the top of the journalism world.

With his passing we also see the passing of an idea in some ways. And that's why Bob Woodward last night said in some ways, his passing is the end of the 20th century, at least for journalism, it is.

BERMAN: Let's hope it's not the end of accountability or the end of people asking questions to keep government officials from lying.

STELTER: No. Instead it's inspiration. You know?

BERMAN: Yes.

STELTER: It was his newspaper that published the Pentagon papers along with "The New York Times." And then most famously, his newspaper, his leadership, on the Watergate scandal. And that continues even today to inspire new young journalists. That's why so many of the obituaries, so many of the appreciation we've seen in the last 12 hours or so have come from people who worked for him when they were, you know, low on the totem pole who are now editors in their right. People like David Remnick at the "New Yorker."

BERMAN: He really did two sort of specific and separate things. One micro, one macro in the world of journalism. Number one, to me, at least he put the "Washington Post" on the map. I think people forget.

STELTER: Right. Right.

BERMAN: Historically speaking it was one of Washington's city paper. Really a local paper.

STELTER: Yes. He made it a national newspaper. Yes.

BERMAN: Yes. Vital to the everyday goings on of this country. And the second thing he did, which you so eloquently point out, is highlight accountability and say, we as journalist are going to ask questions of public figure. Just because they say it doesn't always mean it is so. We have to check what they are saying and after Woodward and Bernstein published what they did, after the "Washington Post" did what they did on Watergate, every journalist coming up, you know, I think wanted to be Woodward and Bernstein.

STELTER: Totally true. President Obama said last night that journalism for Ben Bradlee was more than a profession. It was a public good vital to our democracy. Now journalists of course are the ones challenging President Obama. And yet I'm glad he's recognizing that role that Ben Bradlee was so key to encouraging.

But at the same time, Ben Bradlee was close friends with then President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s. There were relationships he had in kind of old Washington that would be looked at very skeptically today. He was a part of that Washington culture. And yet, he was so appreciated for challenging his reporters. For pushing them harder to double and triple check.

One of the things he would say to his staff is, you got it yet? You got it? Are you sure you got it? And he wanted his stories to have impact. That "I" word, impact, is something that I think journalists today think about, you know, still. And he was thinking about it before -- even in ways that I think young girls can learn from.

BERMAN: I think you're totally right.

STELTER: That a story needs to land. The story needs to mean something. That we're not just in it in for the day-to-day news cycle but to have impact over the long term.

BERMAN: Absolutely. And just get it right, which is always a lesson in journalism, not said in any time. Just get it right.

Brian Stelter, thanks for being here to talk about this, this morning.

STELTER: Thanks.

BERMAN: Appreciate it.

And stay with CNN. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, they are going to get together. They're going to reunite, they're going to talk about the memories of Ben Bradlee, their boss, their mentor, also their friend. They shared so much history. I cannot wait to hear what they have to say.

It's coming up at 7:00 on "NEW DAY."

Thirty-nine minutes past the hour right now. Shocking new pictures and sound from the family of Sarah Palin following a brawl in Alaska. The former governor's oldest daughter telling police how she and her younger sister were assaulted at a party. You'll hear for yourself. You're also going to hear a lot of bleeps coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: This morning, we have new pictures and audio recordings released by Anchorage Police from the September brawl involving Sarah Palin's family. The fight reportedly broke out at a birthday party for Todd Palin.

Listen to taped interview from the scene between police and Bristol Palin. Now we have bleeped out some of the language because we had to as she offers her version of events.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

BRISTOL PALIN, SARAH PALIN'S DAUGHTER: Some lady with gray hair who wants to push my little -- my 20-year-old sister.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

PALIN: I'm going to defend my sister. She's 20 years old.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then a guy came out of nowhere and pushed you on the ground.

PALIN: A guy comes out of nowhere and pushes me on the ground, takes me by feet and my dress, and my thong dress in front of everybody. Come on, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Come on, you (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

I don't know this guy. I've never seen this guy in my life.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BERMAN: No charges have been filed in connection with this fight. Other witnesses interviewed by police say the Palins instigated the altercation.

As he does each year, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn going after wasteful government spending as he defines it. The senator unveiled on Tuesday what he calls his "Wastebook 2014" outlining what he believes are the most egregious examples of federal government spending. Highlights include $6.4 million for the Border Patrol to build homes for temporary workers, $300,000 for what Coburn describes as synchronized swimming for sea monkeys. And $1.5 million spent, he says, to monitor attendance at science festivals.

Let's take a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo here worth it at any price joins us now to discuss the day's events.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: No government waste here, JB.

BERMAN: Absolutely not.

CUOMO: No government waste. I'm surprised you didn't have anything about the sea monkeys. You just let that go right on by? It was enough on its own?

BERMAN: Yes. Synchronized swimming and sea monkeys, and Chris Cuomo, that is a given.

CUOMO: My nickname in college was sea monkey. No, it wasn't.

All right. So here's what we have for you. We're following the latest on Jeffrey Fowle, the American freed by North Korea. Why did the regime let him go? What makes him different than the Americans who are still being held? We're going to talk with the sister of one of those detained Americans.

And Euna Lee. She's a journalist who was imprisoned in North Korea in 2009. We're also going to have former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson and former White House press secretary Jay Carney to discuss the politics of why these people are still stranded in North Korea.

And then Ben Bradlee, I hope you heard about this. We'll be talking about this, this morning. He is of course the legendary editor of the "Washington Post." He died a great life, 93 years of aging.

We have very special guests today, the men themselves that Bradlee you could say built. Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. Obviously they all came into the public recognition with the Watergate scandal. We have those giants of journalism with us today as they remember their former boss and friend.

BERMAN: You know, champion, Chris, is something I know you hold very dear, which is accountability. Ben Bradlee fought for truths, he fought for answers and as they say he was offended by lying. That's a standard we should all hope for.

CUOMO: Amen, brother. Amen.

BERMAN: All right. See you in a little bit, Chris. Look forward to that interview.

A new video released by ISIS claims that group has secured a pallet of aid dropped by the United States meant for Kurdish fighters. So how will these weapons now affect the fight against ISIS? We're live from the region straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: New video this morning of what appears to be U.S. supplies captured by ISIS. This video which is on the Internet claims to show weapons and ammunition, including hand grenades and rockets on the ground dropped from U.S. planes. These weapons were meant for the Kurdish forces that have been battling ISIS inside Kobani.

We want to go live now to CNN's senior international correspondent Nick Paton Walsh with the latest on this.

Good morning, Nick.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, CENTCOM, when they made a statement saying they had dropped 28 bundles of aid, did except that one had gone astray, that was subsequently destroyed by one of their airstrikes.

This video which seems as far as we can tell to be relatively authentic, no reason to doubt it, too strongly may have been filmed before that airstrike came in or potentially maybe another bundle that went astray.

Now we know that the U.S. military does have the ability to drop with relative accuracy using guided parachutes bundles of aid like this but put into perspective here, one going into ISIS hands even if it did contain the weaponry they seemed to show in that video that doesn't change the balance on the battlefield.

What did change the balance on the battlefield is the 26 or 27, depending how you count it, bundles of medicine, munitions that landed with the Kurds.

They are much more constant now, John. They are waiting potentially the arrival of Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, complex that they'll be coming from Iraq but as the Kurdish population through Turkey into the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani. Perhaps with heavy weaponry, according to Kurdish media reports, to back up the defense of the city, ISIS, though, still trying to harass the Kurds.

A lot of mortars landing in the city's center. They're fired from the east of the city where it seems ISIS still have some positions. The far east where they initially made their advance. That's where the heavy clashes are happening. Three airstrikes overnight. And 10 ISIS bodies recovered, say the Kurds. The fight is ongoing but certainly going in the Kurds' favor -- John.

BERMAN: That's right. The resupply of the Kurds and the reinforcement for them probably are more important development than one missing pallet.

Our Nick Paton Walsh in Turkey, thanks so much.

Fifty-two minutes after the hour. Homegrown Islamic militants appearing in several places all at once. Three high school girls from Denver are back home now after leaving the U.S. to join ISIS fighters in Syria. The teens were stopped in Germany before they could board a flight for Turkey. The agents are now combing through e-mail to see who if anyone recruited these girls. They're ages 15, 16 and 17. They allegedly stole money from their parents to finance the trip.

In Canada, police shot and killed a 25-year-old man who ran over two soldiers in his car. One of those soldiers is dead. Authorities say the suspect may have been radicalized. He was on their radar they say.

And a newly released video shows a 17-year-old Australian teenager alongside ISIS fighters in Syria threatening to behead Western leaders.

Toys 'R' Us is pulling an action figure off of its shelves. And you are not going to believe why.

We'll get an EARLY START on "Your Money" next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: What is going to happen to your money today? Alison Kosik here with the answer.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: What a difference a week makes. I'll tell you what, stocks are on the rebound. U.S. stock futures, though, are slightly lower at the moment. But yesterday, stocks had a huge day. The Dow climbed 215 points or 1.3 percent. The S&P 500 rose 2 percent. The Nasdaq actually had the best day of the year, surging 2.4 percent.

Gosh, you know, it's been quite the rocky month but yesterday's climb erased a good portion of October's losses and actually put the Dow back in positive territory for the year. We're keeping an eye on shares of Yahoo! which are on the move and

they're moving higher. The Web giant posted strong earnings. And the highlight from its earnings was $6.3 billion that it earned from selling part of its stake in a little known company called Alibaba. You may have heard of it. The Internet giant went public last month. Its IPO is the biggest in Wall Street history.

Aside from its ties to the Chinese company, Yahoo! has struggled to impress investors but last quarter sales grew a bit including growth in a key area, mobile advertising. We are seeing shares of Yahoo! up about 3 percent before the open.

Toys 'R' Us made its decision, it's going to go ahead and pull that controversial "Breaking Bad" doll from its shelves. Action figures are based on the hit show about chemistry teacher Walter White who makes and sells meth. The doll comes with a little bit of cash, a little bag of cash and a little bag of meth as well. That upset a Florida mom who began a petition on change.org that had more than 9,000 signatures.

And looks like Toys 'R' Us listened to those angry moms. The company says it will immediately take those dolls off the shelves. And Bryan Cranston who starred in that "Breaking Bad" series tweeted, "I'm so mad I am burning my Florida mom action figure in protest." So he had a little fun with it. Moms did not.

BERMAN: Yes, you know, the bag of meth not such a great toy, it turns out.

KOSIK: No. Common sense, right?

BERMAN: All right, Alison, thanks so much. Great to have you this morning.

All right. There is a lot of news this morning. Breaking news overnight, as American Jeffrey Fowle has been released by the North Korean government. Any moment now due back in Ohio.

"NEW DAY" is covering that.

Plus, a dramatic new hairstyle for Chris Cuomo starts right now.