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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

GOP Leaders Lay Out Agenda; Congressional Authority For War On ISIS; Ebola Stricken Doctor Recovering; Kidnapped Woman Found Alive; Ray Rice's NFL Appeal Hearing; Stocks Celebrate GOP Win

Aired November 06, 2014 - 05:30   ET

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

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JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The election is over, but this morning the hard work is just beginning. President Obama congratulates Republicans on their big win, vows to work with leaders in Congress, but also vows to do things he knows will make them angry.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A new strategy for how the U.S. fights ISIS in Syria. President Obama is now asking Congress to get involved. We are live with what this for the war on terror.

BERMAN: Breaking overnight, new developments in the violent abduction of a Philadelphia nurse found alive. Her suspected captor arrested. We'll bring you the latest this morning. Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It's 30 minutes past the hour this morning. President Obama faces a drastically changed political landscape this morning. Republicans is now in control of both houses of Congress. The president is wasting no time Wednesday extending an olive branch at a major news conference. But he also made a point of arguing for his own continued relevance.

CNN's Michelle Kosinski has more from the White House.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, John and Christine, a tone that sounded resigned, the president responded to this loss even it was a vote of lost confidence in him.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What stands out to me, though, is that the American people sent a message. So to everyone who voted, I want you to know I hear you. To the 2/3 of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: OK, so he said now is the time that we have to work together. He committed to actively reaching out to Republicans, to finding the common ground, to get certain things finally done. You have to wonder, though, why wasn't all of that going on for the last two years. Instead of it being Democrats and Republicans locking things up between the House and Senate, it is going to be in some ways Republican votes up against the president's veto power. He made it clear that even though he is all about compromise, he is willing to use that power.

There are certain lines that he is not going to let Republicans cross. On health care, for example, he said, yes, it is not a perfect law. There are ways that he may even be willing to change it. But he is not going to allow votes by Republicans to try to repeal Obamacare or take away chunks from it that will essentially be repealing it.

But the big one is immigration reform. We heard him say let's sit down. I want to hear Republicans ideas. See ways that we might work together, but if they don't act as they haven't acted on immigration, then I'm going to take executive action.

Work for amnesty for possibly millions of undocumented immigrants in the country. That's something that infuriates Republicans. He said he is willing do it. He will do it if Congress doesn't act.

You know, they could after the fact and pass something that he said would supersede executive actions seeming to temper it there. It looks like this is going to happen and before the end of the year -- John and Christine.

BERMAN: All right, our thanks to you, Michelle. The Republican leaders of the House and Senate, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, have their own notes of compromise, but their own notes of toughness as well.

In the opinion piece for the "Wall Street Journal," they pledged bipartisanship with the agenda that repeals the Obamacare and Keystone pipeline and tax reform.

The speaker and Mitch McConnell mocked the Democrats one-party rule of Congress during the president's first two years writing, "We won't repeat the mistakes made when a different majority ran Congress in the first years of Barack Obama's presidency.

Attempting to reshape large chunks of the nation's economy with massive bills that few Americans have read and fewer understand."

The Republican leaders finished with a vow that says, quote, "The skeptics say nothing will be accomplished in the next two years. As elected servants of the people, we will make it our job to prove the skeptics wrong."

President Obama signaled a big change in the war against ISIS calling for new authorization, a vote on Congress for a use of military force. This is a significant change in the administration's claim up until now that use of force authorizations against al Qaeda way back in the early 2000s and Saddam Hussein that those measures were enough.

Let's turn now to our senior international correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh, for more on this. Nick, this is a big change. NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is and it suggests perhaps we are in for a longer fight against ISIS on the U.S. side than previously suggested. Officials are now talking about potentially years.

And maybe this is Barack Obama playing a bit of politics here if it will go before Congress. Debate and discussion, the Republicans will have to disagree with the White House and present their own ideas too ahead of the 2016 presidential debates where the fight against is ISIS is surely bound to take central stage when it comes to foreign policy.

The White House policy itself may have changed substantially just overnight. There have been hints they are thinking about expanding who airstrikes will hit. Overnight, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a well-known monitoring group, fairly well respected and said that the northwestern town of Idlib have been hit.

A group affiliated with al Qaeda, one target belonging to a more moderate group known as Al Sham. That is also being hit by explosions that were thought to be airstrikes.

It is possible these could have been rarely pinpointed strikes by the Syrian regime, but it's more likely this was the coalition perhaps if it proves to be the case. This presents a bit of explaining for Washington to do. Al Sham, well, they fought alongside the Nusra front.

They are not a terrorist organization and have not pledged allegiance to al Qaeda. It is complex if Washington has overnight decided that they could be on a target list and an area that could explain it.

But certainly U.S. policy now getting both congressional scrutiny in the weeks ahead and if this is the case, they were involved in the airstrikes, taking overnight a sudden turn to broaden who they consider to be a target -- John.

BERMAN: All right, we'll keep looking at that. Nick Paton Walsh, thank you, Nick.

ROMANS: All right, President Obama says nearly 4,000 soldiers being deployed to Liberia will not be treating Ebola patients. More than 70 doctors and nurses from the U.S. Public Health Service Commission Corps, they will begin treating infected health care workers in Monrovia this week.

Now that group of doctors and nurses part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The president is also asking Congress for more than $6 billion in emergency funding to fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Dr. Craig Spencer appears to be improving in his battle with the Ebola virus. The New York doctor said to be getting better at Bellevue Hospital and is listed in stable condition now.

City health officials tell us one person who was quarantined after coming in contact with Dr. Spencer has now been released and is Ebola free. The New York papers are reporting this morning he is asking for his guitar and stationary bike from his apartment so he can while away the hours.

BERMAN: When I hear guitar and banjo, I think deliverance. That is just me.

It's 36 minutes after the hour. More than 24 hours after polls closed across the country, a handful of Senate and gubernatorial races are still up in the air. Senate races in Alaska and Virginia remain too close to project this morning.

The third race in Louisiana is heading to a runoff next month. Among the gubernatorial races that had very close finishes, Vermont and Alaska, still yet to be resolved. Vermont could end up in the legislature up there.

ROMANS: All right, time for an early start on money this morning. It was called the GOP rally. U.S. stock futures are down a little bit this morning, taking a bit of a breather after our record day yesterday. The Dow jumped at the open. Climbed at 100 points and closed at the record high.

The S&P 500 also finished the day at a record high. Investors are hoping that more Republican leadership means more pro-business policies and less regulations. And that would be good for company profit.

Yesterday, European stocks also climbed on the GOP win. Today, the focus shifts to the European Central Bank's policy meeting. Stocks are lower. Asian stocks ended mixed.

Oil prices, I want to bring you up-to-date on oil prices. Look at this chart, this has been remarkable, down here at $78 a barrel right now. Gas prices falling with these declining oil prices. A gallon of regular is $2.95 on average nationwide. I paid $2.74 in Jersey.

BERMAN: You got a deal.

ROMANS: I had to use cash to get it that cheap, cash, $2.74.

BERMAN: All right, breaking overnight, a kidnapped nurse rescued this morning, found alive after her violent abduction was caught on camera. Who police have charged with the crime that's ahead.

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BERMAN: Dramatic development of a story of a woman whose kidnapping was caught on camera. She is found alive in Maryland. Carlesha Freeland-Gaither is out of the hospital. Her alleged kidnapper behind bars. The development comes as much needed relief for her family.

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KEISHA GAITHER, MOTHER OF KIDNAPPING VICTIM: She was upset. She was crying. She was asking for me. She said she missed me. I'm going to get my daughter. CHARLES RAMSEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE COMMISSIONER: He is a vicious predator. He is off the streets and hopefully, he will be in jail for the rest of his life. That's the only thing he deserves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So how did police crack this case? Our Jean Casarez has the latest developments.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police made the announcement a little after 7:00 last night that Carlesha Freeland-Gaither has been found alive. She was found in Jessup, Maryland. Police say she was in the car of her abductor pulled to the side of the road.

They were able to locate him because they were able to locate his vehicle. They moved in and they apprehended him and rescued her. She was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, police say.

They began to question her. She has been through a lot. They will find out more in the upcoming days. They do believe this is a stranger abduction. It was just Sunday night at 9:40 and you can see the video here.

It is extraordinary horrific video of a kidnapping caught on tape from a surveillance camera that happened to be on and rolling that Sunday night.

As you can see, her kidnapper, with purpose, walks across the street, walks down to where it is believed she got off a bus, finds her, introduces himself or speak some words to her and minutes later, the kidnapping begins.

She can hardly struggle because of the force of that kidnapper as she walks her off that street toward his car. She fights, she loses her cell phone and he actually gets her into his vehicle.

The windows of the back passenger area were broken out by Carlesha, but he sped off. There is video the next morning of him taking her ATM card to get a small amount of money and then going to a convenience store.

But it is that surveillance video that helped locate who we now know is 37-year-old Delvin Barnes being held this morning on attempted murder out of Virginia waiting federal charges in this case in Pennsylvania -- John, Christine.

BERMAN: All right, thanks, Jean Casarez.

Activists in Ferguson, Missouri hoping to head off any possible tension if the grand jury decides not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown.

Members of the "Don't Shoot" Coalition are asking prosecutors for 48 hours advance notice before any announcement is made to the public. This request is being considered. A grand jury decision is expected to be handed out by the middle of the month. ROMANS: A federal grand jury now hearing testimony on whether George Zimmerman violated Trayvon Martin's civil rights when he fatally shot the Florida teen in 2012. Zimmerman you'll recall was acquitted of second degree murder in the criminal case last year.

BERMAN: Former Baltimore Ravens runningback, Ray Rice, and his wife, are expected to testify today at his appeal hearing here in New York.

Rice claims the NFL violated the league's collective bargaining agreement and subjected him to double jeopardy by extending his two- game suspension to an indefinite ban after video surfaced of him punching his then fiance in an elevator. Commissioner Roger Goodell testified for more than two hours on Wednesday.

ROMANS: Here's the shocker, Alex Rodriguez, reportedly admitted to DEA agents that he paid Biogenesis founder, Tony Bosh for testosterone and human growth hormone between 2010 and 2012.

Now publicly A-Rod has denied any connection to Bosh. The "Miami Herald" says Rodriguez's admission came after he was granted immunity from prosecution.

It comes on the heels of another report that A-Rod paid nearly a $1 million to keep his cousin quiet about the slugger's use of performance enhancing drugs.

BERMAN: Signed for three more years and $60 million.

ROMANS: Do you think he will play?

BERMAN: They have to pay him whether he is on the team or not. That still remains to be seen.

Virgin Galactic forging ahead one week after losing SpaceshipTwo in a deadly crash. The company is announcing to resume test flights as early as next summer if it can finish construction of the new spacecraft in time.

The company also confirms the 20 customers who put down $250,000 each for a future flight, they have now asked for refunds.

ROMANS: All right, let's take a look what's coming up on NEW DAY. Chris Cuomo joins us this morning. Hello, Chris.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Hello, my friends. Excellent job yesterday watching your coverage of Election Day and what it meant, I must say, but now, what's the question looming? So now what?

What will they do? Now they have the mantle of power. We have the president come out with a long press conference. He obviously had to acknowledge what happened. He did that.

There seems to be this vagueness about what they will do with the power and how will the Democrats deal with it and will the man on your screen, the most powerful man in the world allegedly. Will they take it into his own hands and blow up any chance of cooperation? We will bring in the best experts we have as well as White House Press Secretary Josh Ernest to talk about this. The idea of who will caucus with who. We actually have an independent senator. His name is Angus King. He does caucus with the Democrats.

He just said he is going to do it again. He gives us good insight into what he thinks will probably happen especially in the Senate.

A question we will push guys, if you want to show us you can do something, get a nice debate going on the war that we're all in.

We also have developments for you on the woman abducted in Philadelphia. Thank God, found alive. We have the Philly police commissioner on how they were able to do this.

How they learned about the abduction, all of the details that we have not gotten yet. So we will have the latest on that story and do our best for you at the top of the hour.

ROMANS: I'm glad they found her. It looked like it was good police work. That looked like really good police work along the way that led to her being found.

BERMAN: Thanks, Chris. All right, 48 minutes after the hour, a big chill coming to millions across the country. This could be our first real taste of winter and it is here, folks. Jennifer Gray tracking down how the temperatures will hit you right after the break.

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BERMAN: We have a sighting in North Dakota, a snow sighting. The first of the year and I have to tell you, there is so much more to come.

ROMANS: No, this is it. Just this little bit is all we need.

BERMAN: Jennifer Gray has an early start on your forecast -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER GRAY, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I wish you were right, Christine. We will see a lot more. We had a couple of inches fall in that area. That's all pushed to the east.

Now seeing a bit of snow this morning in Michigan, Wisconsin, only about 1 or 2 inches expected. The rain across a lot of major cities in the U.S., new York, Philly, D.C., all the way down to Houston and even Chicago getting in on the action.

Temperatures will start to trend down. That's right. Today, right now, 49 degrees in New York, 56 in D.C. Temperatures are not going to warm up all that much today. We are going to continue to get cooler and cooler as the week progresses into the weekend.

Snow expected for more than Maine, 8 to 12 inches possible. We also have winter storm warnings in effect for those areas tonight through Friday. Keep that in mind. If you think that is cold, that is nothing.

We have the storm that is approaching Alaska that's going to cause a dip in the jet stream by the time we get to the beginning part of next week. We are going to have some very, very cold air across a large portion of the country.

Minneapolis, these are high temperatures in the 20s in 30s. New York City, high temperatures in the mid-40s by Wednesday and Thursday, guys.

BERMAN: You know, no one asked for that.

GRAY: We're not ready for it.

BERMAN: All right, Jennifer Gray, thanks so much.

ROMANS: You cannot complain in the northeast. It is just the way it is.

So now that Republicans control both houses of Congress, what does it mean for your tax bill? We will get an early start on your money next.

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ROMANS: Let's get an early start on your money this Thursday morning. Republicans win. Stocks hit records. U.S. stock futures are down a bit right now, but it was a record day yesterday.

The Dow jumped at the open, closed at a record high. The S&P 500 did too. Investors are hoping more Republican leadership means regulation.

Oil prices still low this morning, about $78 a barrel right now. Gas prices are falling with it, $2.95 a gallon this morning nationwide.

Tesla revving up, the company delivering 33,000 Model S vehicles this year, 2,000 fewer than expected, but it's still 50 percent more than last year.

The CEO Elon Musk says it is a supply problem. The company has more demand than it can meet without advertising or endorsements. Tesla is predicting more solid growth next year. The stock is up about 6 percent right now.

ROMANS: Not so bad.

BERMAN: All right. President Obama congratulates the newly elected Republican-led Congress. He vows to work with them or not. "NEW DAY" breaks it all down coming up next.