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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Ferguson Police Chief Stepping Down?; NASA Rocket Explodes After Liftoff; Security Increased at Federal Buildings; Royals Force World Series Game 7
Aired October 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: Breaking overnight: sources telling CNN that Ferguson's police chief could soon step down. That town still reeling from the police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown and preparing for the chaos that could ensue if the officer who killed Brown is not charged. We're bringing you all the new developments this morning.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Fire in the sky. A crucial rocket for NASA exploding just seconds after liftoff. This morning, investigators trying to figure out just what went wrong.
ROMANS: Security watch to thousands of federal buildings across the country this morning. Terror threats forcing the Department of Homeland Security to sound the alert. We'll tell you what we're learning. About that threat and how specific it is.
Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. Great to see you this morning. It is Wednesday, October 29th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.
And we do have breaking news from Ferguson, Missouri. There is word that the police chief there could soon step down. Government officials familiar with ongoing discussions tell CNN that Chief Thomas Jackson's departure would be part of efforts to reform the police department. That, of course, following the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by Darren Wilson.
Chief Jackson and the mayor of Ferguson both flatly deny these reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Is there a plan in place to have Chief Jackson stepped down?
JAMES KNOWLES, MAYOR OF FERGUSON, MISSOURI: No.
REPORTER: Are you getting any pressure from any other federal --
KNOWLES: People have been saying that for months, I mean, for him to step down. But we've stood by him this entire time. So --
REPORTER: There's nothing --
KNOWLES: There's no change on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: There is growing concern in Ferguson this morning about what might happen if Officer Wilson is not indicted in the Michael Brown shooting. School officials in St. Louis County have written to prosecutor Bob McCullough asking him to announce whether or not Wilson will be indicted at night or a weekend, so as to avoid putting students in the middle of any possible protests.
Residents have told CNN's Sara Sidner that if there is no indictment, the reaction could be violent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY DAVIS, PROTESTER: Some people -- that's what some people say. I've heard a lot of people saying it. Some people say it will be a part of blowing it up, you know, if he doesn't get indicted. I just hope it doesn't get bad. I hope they don't like -- you know, I hope nobody gets hurt.
GABRIELLE HANSON, PROTESTER: I know they're going to be really upset with the government building. I've heard about curfews that are going to happen. People are still thinking that they're going to be able to protest and some people are scared.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Officer Darren Wilson has not been seen in public since shooting Michael Brown. At least six felony drug cases have been dismissed because Wilson failed to show to court to testify.
ROMANS: The countdown went smoothly, but then came the launch. An unmanned NASA-contracted rocket exploded at the space port in Wallops Island, Virginia.
Look at this -- the debris crashing down on the launch pad, spewing fiery wreckage everywhere. There were no injuries, but significant damage to property and vehicles. The Orbital Science's Anteres rocket carrying 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments, scientific experiments to the space station.
This morning, NASA and its partners trying to figure out exactly what went wrong.
Let's get more from CNN's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John. Hey, Christine.
This was really a cataclysmic launch that happened just moments after this Antares rocket took off. People who are watching over from across away, you could hear people just gasp out loud as they felt the explosion. That's about three quarters of a million pounds of thrust being released all at once as this thing blows up in an unexpected way.
The company that was contracted to do this, Orbital Science, has a $1.2 billion contract to get supplies up to ISS over a number of trips. This was the third of those trips. It has vowed that it will look into this to figure out what went wrong, saying, of course, right now, it's far too early to know what happened.
They do know that nobody was hurt. The safety protocols are in place to keep everyone far away from any sort of rocket launch like that, which is unmanned.
But there is a real cost of this. There was about 5,000 pounds of gear going up, some of it food for the ISS crew. A lot of the rest of it space gear that they needed and experiments, experiments that are obviously important to all the researchers who are sending them up toward the ISS.
The plan was for this to fly on the first stage of this rocket for about four minutes, and then that stage would release the second stage, which was a new design, was going to kick in and it would release the payload called Cygnus which would then be grabbed by the robotic arm from the ISS and pulled in. That payload is not going to come back until December.
But, now, of course, it was all lost. So the space community has to regroup and figure out how to make up for that loss. There are other launches coming up fairly soon from Russia that will take some supplies up and make a difference.
And no sooner than December, there could be another private launcher, contract launch by SpaceX. That would be out of Cape Canaveral, Florida. But for the time being, not only that they have to figure out what went wrong with this rocket, but whether or not it did damage to this launch facility, which is very important here and whether or not that will have a future impact on supplying for the ISS, and the privatization of the space program.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: You can imagine whoever the scientist is work on it and it blows you up.
BERMAN: Worst feeling ever.
ROMANS: All right. Russia on the other hand, this morning, successfully launched a resupply mission to the International Space Station. The unmanned Progress 57 spacecraft took off atop a Soyuz rocket just a couple of hours ago from Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Three tons of supplies on board, estimated time of arrival off the space station, shortly after 9:00 a.m. Eastern.
BERMAN: More news from the Time Warner Cosmodrome now.
The Department of Homeland Security is ordering security tightened at nearly 10,000 federal buildings across the country. A department official tells CNN there's no new intelligence or specific additional threats to government buildings. Officials described the move as a precautionary measure following two attacks last week on the Canadian military personnel. Specifics on the new security measures are not being disclosed this morning.
ROMANS: The tide of active Ebola cases in the U.S. appears to be turning. Nurse Amber Vinson released Tuesday from an Atlanta hospital. She contracted Ebola, of course, while caring for Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Presbyterian in Dallas. At a news conference, she thanked those who helped save her life. She stressed that the fight against Ebola is not over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMBER VINSON, FORMER EBOLA PATIENT: As a nurse and now as someone who has experienced what it's like to be cared for through a life- threatening illness, I'm so appreciative and grateful for your exceptional skills, warmth and care. While this is a day for celebration and gratitude, I ask that we not lose focus on the thousands of families who continue to labor under the burden of this disease in West Africa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Vinson's release from isolation leaves just one person hospitalized with Ebola in the United States. Dr. Craig Spencer who contracted the disease working with Ebola patients in Guinea for Doctors Without Borders.
Our national correspondent Miguel Marquez, he's at Spencer's hospital in New York. He's got more for us this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, John, Dr. Craig Spencer remains in serious but stable condition here at Bellevue Hospital. His case sparked a national firestorm about health care workers on the frontlines in Ebola stricken areas and coming back to the U.S.
The president now weighing in.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But we don't want to do things that aren't based on sciences and best practices, because if we do, then we're just putting another barrier on somebody who is already doing really important work on our behalf.
MARQUEZ: The president taking a not so veiled shot at state governors like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York's Andrew Cuomo, who imposed a mandatory quarantine for workers returning from Ebola stricken areas. That issue now a growing national debate.
Meanwhile, the 5-year-old boy who was her at Bellevue who they thought might have Ebola, it turns out he had a respiratory infection. He will be taken out of isolation to remain at Bellevue to be taken care of -- John, Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: Our thanks to Miguel Marquez.
A nurse released after a weekend spent quarantined in New Jersey says she will not agree to mandatory isolation in her home state of Maine. Kaci Hickox treated Ebola patients in West Africa. She was isolated against her will after she flew into New Jersey, even though after registering a fever she had no temperature after that and tested negative for Ebola.
Her lawyers say now that she will not comply with Maine health officials demand that she remain under quarantine for 21 days. Maine officials saying they're trying to figure out what to do now.
Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie still unapologetic to say the least about confining Hickox to a tent and he dismisses her threat to sue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Looks like you're going to have to defend this in court?
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Well, whatever. Get in line. I've been sued lots of times before. Get in line. I'll be happy to take it on.
REPORTER: Governor, did you have any pause about the tent and those conditions?
CHRISTIE: No, Kelly, the tent was inside the hospital. It's called an isolation tent because she needed to be isolated because she was suspected to have Ebola. So, no, I had concerns -- and, by the way, neither the CDC who is on the ground in University Hospital monitoring the condition she was in. She had access to the Internet and we brought her take-out food.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Health officials in New York are apparently softening their quarantine plan even further. New guidelines issued Tuesday called for travelers who may have contact with aide workers with Ebola patients in three West African nations. The new measures say they can choose where they've been held in isolation. This is somewhat different from Governor Cuomo's warning last week, that these travelers, mostly again medical workers, might be held at government- regulated facilities.
At the same time, President Obama is calling for monitoring instead of quarantine. The U.S. army has decided to put troops returning from Ebola-stricken hot spots into mandatory isolation. They will not be able to have physical contact with their families or anyone else for 21 days. The administration explains the difference between treatment of soldiers and civilian volunteers as one of efficiency.
ROMANS: All right. Ten minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money this morning.
A great day ahead for stocks around the world. European stocks are up. Asian stocks ended the day much higher.
Futures in the U.S. mixed but it was a great day yesterday. The Dow climbed 187 points. That's about 1 percent. It closed about 17,000 for the first time since early October. The NASDAQ did even better, ending the day up 1.7 percent.
Right now, NASDAQ futures are pointing lower. And the reason is Facebook. Shares are down 8 percent before the bell. Facebook having huge success in mobile advertising. But executives warned costs will increase next year. The companies will be making big investments.
BERMAN: Huge investments. They're going to spend a lot of money next year. And then it has people concerned.
ROMANS: Yes.
All right. Eleven minutes past the hour.
The fight against ISIS in Syria intensifies this morning. New help arriving on the scene. We're live with just who has arrived on the battlefield and who soon will join them.
BERMAN: Plus, lava chest high in some places creeps ever closer to some homes in Hawaii. We have the new dangers and new video from overnight just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: All right. We have breaking news in the fight against ISIS this morning in Kobani. The first reinforcements to back up the Kurdish fighters in the strategic city, they just arrived. And they are not the troops that we are expecting. The Peshmerga fighters from Iraq.
So who are they?
Let's go straight to our Nick Paton Walsh on the border between Turkey and Syria.
Nick, who's there?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as for so many things in the Syrian conflict and help does finally arrive, it tends to be a surprise and unexpected. Certainly, this town has badly needed it for weeks. What they got this morning at dawn, it seems according to the Syrian rebel commander leading the Syrian rentals, was members of Free Syrian Army turning out potentially to their commander 200. Although that seems to be a lot more than the Kurdish fighter he saw.
They entered with light to medium weapons and since dawn, there have been heavy classes behind me. We're looking at the vernaculars here and we've been seeing a lot of activity to the west in the city where the Kurds are normally present.
Now, this is key as we say, they were expecting this morning, perhaps last night or during the day, the Peshmerga to arrive. That's the Iraqi Kurdish fighter. Their act would have been the Kurdish brothers, if you like, coming to the rescue of Syrian Kurds here inside Kobani.
They're still in route. They've got possibly 38, maybe more vehicles on land traveling through here. And they got over 100 individuals who have seems to have flown in and now in mini buses headed as well. They'll join up and head had on in later today. But the surprise, those Syrian Kurds defending Kobani at dawn this morning was the first help that came. The Turkish government has been pushing not something the Syrian Kurds were desperately keen to embrace early on. I think it's possible the reason why we're hearing such heavy fighting behind me now -- John.
BERMAN: They're getting help inside of Kobani. Again, this shows a level of solidarity that didn't necessarily exist before between the Kurdish fighters in that city and the overall opposition group. Isn't that so, Nick?
WALSH: Well, we have seen Syrian rebels fighting alongside the Syrian Kurds inside there in the past few weeks.
I think the issue was that Turkey have tried to take control of who came to the rescue of Kobani. They said, well, let's send the Peshmerga in, because they consider those Iraqi Kurds familiar to their political goals. They also said let's send Syrian rebels in, because they want to make sure whoever wins there doesn't feel they control the city outright, because Turkey doesn't want to have their independence and ambitions to easily recognize. It's got messy, but finally this morning, reinforcements have arrived not ones expected, and heavy fighting is going on behind me -- John.
BERMAN: Reinforcements, that may be the key for the people inside Kobani. Nick Paton Walsh, thanks so much.
ROMANS: All right. In Hawaii, a slow motion natural disaster on the big island. As many as 50 homes in the town of Pahoa directly in the path of the lava flow from the erupting Kilauea volcano. Residents are beginning to evacuate, but officials say if they wish they can say to witness the destruction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DARRYL OLIVEIRA, HAWAII CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATOR: There will be an opportunity for them to remain on site, provided it's safe to do so, and photograph, document, as well as observe what's happening to their property. It's a means of them possibly recovering some of their expenses or recovering from this event, as well as provide closure, because it a very traumatic experience to go through. It's something that could be drawn out over months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Over months.
So the lava is 2,000 degrees. John, it's chest high in some places.
We're talking yesterday about the crackle, the sound of the lava as its -- its methane explosions as it just devours trees all of the crackling brush. Unbelievable.
All right. Indra Petersons has an early start on your forecast this morning.
Good morning, Indra.
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
Everyone has been kind of talking about how nice it is, it's warm outside. Very easy to see that's not going to be lasting long. In the mid-Atlantic or the Northeast, it still feels good for one day, but look how close we are to seeing the temperatures drop. Notice the temperatures behind that cold front. Chicago today only looking at highs into the 40s.
So, yes, we're talking about a lot of changes coming our way. Yes, there's going to be showers in the mix today. Just keep in mind, this is the best it gets from here on out. Not only are we talking about temperatures diving down and significantly. We're talking about 70s going to the 50s. New York City also going to the 50s.
But we're go to be talking about, what's the word -- snow, guys. Thursday, Friday, Halloween, think about this. This is not the time we want the chill.
BERMAN: Get out.
PETERSONS: Right when the kids are dressing up, these are going to be the first flurries of the year now making their way in.
So, let's take it each event one at a time. We're talking just a little bit. Nothing likely to stick here. But maybe lake-effect snow first and along the coastline, more snow by Friday, Saturday.
So, talking about temperatures dipping down enough to snow.
ROMANS: So Spider-Man is going to have to be covered in a parka.
BERMAN: Yes. Spider-Man does not wear a parka.
PETERSONS: Extra big cape.
ROMANS: Extra big cape.
All right. Indra Petersons, thank you, Indra.
BERMAN: All right. We're talking about snow. And there is still a World Series going on. One more game. Win or go home.
Andy Scholes here to break down the high drama that will be coming tonight.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: It certainly will.
ROMANS: Airlines tend to push out bargain fathers early in the week, but if you're looking to improve your odds to getting a cheap ticket you may want to shop over the weekend. A new study by the airlines reporting corporations which processes ticket sales for about half of all travel agencies found the cheapest average ticket prices on Sundays.
The tickets sold for an average of $432, 71 bucks less than the average price on a Monday. Overall, the day of the week seems to be less important than how far in advance you buy the ticket. The study found the cheapest domestic tickets were purchased at least six weeks before departure.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: The Kansas City Royals demolished the Giants last night. Demolished them. Setting up the greatest thing on planet Earth. A winner-take-all game --
ROMANS: John Berman is so happy, just because there will be a game 7.
Andy Scholes has more on this morning's "Bleacher Report".
Hi there.
SCHOLES: Hey, guys.
They play the 162 games, the wild card, the division series, but it's all coming down to one game tonight. The Royals kept the World Series dreams alive in game six by absolutely crushing the giants. The bats exploded for seven runs in the second inning.
The Giants just didn't know what hit them. Royals shut out San Fran 10-pop.
Christine, I know you love stats. I've got a great one here. Since 1980 the Royals are the ninth home to win game six that went down in the World Series. All of the previous eight have gone on to win game seven. First pitch set for 8:00 tonight. It should be a good one.
All right. College football playoffs committee releasing their first ever poll last night. No surprise who is on top, the undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs come in number one in the inaugural rankings. They're followed by depending champs, Florida State. And Auburn and Ole Miss. Three of the top four teams right now, guys, come from the SEC West.
BERMAN: They can't skip. These teams will play each other.
SCHOLES: I think they did this because they know it's going to play itself out.
All right. NBA season tipping off on TNT last night with the crew on "Inside the NBA" live from Times Square. Ernie, Kenny, Shaq and Charles having a grand old time with folks. On the court, the world champion San Antonio Spurs receiving their brand-new shiny diamond champion rings.
BERMAN: Glad they got enough finger.
SCHOLES: They got five now. They got a whole hand complete now. They played Mav and it was good night all around in San Antonio. Tony Parker hit that 3-pointer late in the game, give the Spurs the win on opening night.
A night cap, Kobe Bryant made his much anticipated return to action. You got to check this out, though. He gets into it with his old friend Dwight Howard under the basket. You can see Kobe now, try me. Dwight responded, come on, man, you know me.
Rockets ended up beating the Lakers, 108-90. A tough night for L.A. all around, guys. And rookie Julius Randle, so unfortunate, he broke his leg, first game in the NBA had to be carted off. He is going to be out a long time. It is going to be a long season for the Lakers.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks --
BERMAN: Andy, thanks so much. Going to be game seven?
SCHOLES: Yes, I've got a flight to Kansas this afternoon, deciding time.
BERMAN: We'll to you tomorrow morning from Kansas City.
ROMANS: I like his job. How do I get his job?
BERMAN: Up all night, KC.
ROMANS: All right. Twenty-seven minutes past the hour.
An unmanned NASA rocket exploding just seconds after liftoff. This morning, investigators trying to figure out what went wrong. We've got the very latest on that, ahead.
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