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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Obama in China for Asia-Pacific Trade Talks; Americans Freed from North Korea: New Detail; The War on ISIS: Leader Injured in Airstrike?; Packers Dominate Bears

Aired November 10, 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: Happening right now: President Obama in Asia tackling tough issues and testing an ambitious agenda, equality for women, freedom of information, much more, speaking less than an hour ago. We go live to Beijing and track some new developments latest.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New details this morning on just how the Obama administration helped free two Americans detained in North Korea. We are live on this new strategy to secure their release.

ROMANS: New airstrikes targeting ISIS, reportedly injuring one of their leaders, as President Obama unveils a new strategy to fight the terrorists. We are live with the very latest.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START, everyone. I'm Christine Romans.

BERMAN: And I'm John Berman. It is Monday.

Can you feel the excitement?

ROMANS: No, no.

BERMAN: It is November 10th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.

And happening right now: the president just finished speaking to the Asia-Pacific leaders. He was laying out an agenda for trade talks with these leaders. He touched on sensitive topics for China, the host country, including internet censorship, pollution, civil rights. Big trip for President Obama with a lot of the foreign challenges on his plate, issues including shoring up the U.S. key trade relationship with China, just as China strengthens its ties with Russia.

CNN international correspondent David McKenzie is live for us in Beijing.

The president with some tough words for China, but also really holding a hand to improve that giant trade relationships, David.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, John. It is a giant relationship between the two biggest economies on the planet. And President Obama is here in China to talk trade and he really reached out across the aisle, as it were, and said the United States, quote, "welcomes the rise of the peaceful and prosperous China."

This has been a chilly period relations between Beijing and Washington. So, certainly, he is trying to show the U.S. welcomes strong economic China, but he did also go into some tricky issues for the communist party. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Steady sustainable growth requires promoting policies and practices that keep the Internet open and accessible. Steady and sustainable growth requires a planet where citizens can breathe clean air and drink clean water, and eat safe food, and make a living fishing healthy ocean. Steady sustainable growth requires mobilizing the talents and resources of all our people, regardless of gender, or religion or color or creed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: He also said that human rights and press freedoms are important issues for the United States, particularly when coming to China. That's a hot button issue, John. But on the main, they want to try and push through trade relationships both multilaterally and between the U..S and China -- John.

BERMAN: They already relaxed visa restrictions on travelers and businesspeople on both countries, allowing for up to 10-year visa. Just a long stage, just a start of what could be this burgeoning trade relationship.

David McKenzie for us live in Beijing this morning, thanks so much.

ROMANS: All right. This morning, two men held captive by North Korea are waking up in their own beds after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered their release. Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller set free following a secret mission to Pyongyang by America's top spy.

Bae's family spoke out about his readjustment to life back home in Seattle. Our Ana Cabrera has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, what a weekend for the families of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller who have been reunited after months, even years apart. Both men arriving late Saturday night embraced by their loved ones as they step off the plane at McCord Field in Tacoma, Washington.

Of course, Kenneth Bae has been held captive for over two years. For Matthew Todd Miller, it has been seven months. Still a lot of mystery surrounding the details of why they were released now. But both families relieved and expressing a lot of gratitude to have those voice back.

We talked to Kenneth Bae's sister a little bit about what those first 24 hours back on American soil have been like. And listen to what she shared. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRI CHUNG, KENNETH BAE'S SISTER: We had just late night eating pizza. You know, he is a story teller to begin with. I mean, that's what he does. He holds court and he just regales people with like funny stories. And that's just who he is as a person, to begin with. So, you could tell he was hungry for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: Terri Chung also said she is seeing glimpses of the Kenneth, her brother that she remembers, but it hasn't fully emerged just yet. She said, realistically, it's going to be some time for him to readjust and get reacquainted with life back in the U.S.

I also want to mention, we reached out to the family of Matthew Todd Miller who is choosing not to speak right now to the media. They are asking for their privacy at this time as their family reunites -- John, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: You know, the release of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller surrounded in mystery. Why is it that the U.S. sent the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, instead of a senior diplomat? Why did it happen now, right on the outset of the Asia-Pacific meeting that the president is attending?

We want to go to CNN's Paula Hancocks, joining us live from Seoul.

Any sign this morning, Paul, about why now and why the methods were used happened here?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, nothing comes out of North Korea, John, without it being highly choreographed. So, certainly, this decision we're certain came from the top. This came from Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean leader to release these two U.S. citizens and it was definitely done for a reason, everything is done for a reason from Pyongyang.

Now, the most obvious suggestion by many analysts is the fact that it is good PR. Pyongyang is billing this as a humanitarian gesture. They also say they had a letter from President Obama. They say he gave an earnest apology.

Now, we have not had comment from Washington on the earnest apology. But the fact is that is propaganda gold for the North Korea leader. He can go to his own people and say the most powerful man in the world has apologized. So, obviously, this is in a short term a very positive development for Kim Jong-un himself.

And, of course, on the longer term, you look at what the United Nations is doing right now. There is a commission of inquiry which is effectively saying the human rights abuses in North Korea are crimes against humanity. This is working its way through the United Nations and North Korea is very nervous about this. They are worried about their reputation.

We've also just heard from President Obama as well at that APEC meeting on the sidelines, talking about Clapper's decision to go to North Korea, saying that they did not talk about any of the broader issues and there is still fundamental differences and areas of conflict between Washington and Pyongyang, most notably, the fact that Pyongyang will not denuclearize -- John.

BERMAN: Yes. The reports here in the United States are the reason the U.S. sent Clapper was the message was we're here to get these prisoners released. We're not here to talk.

Paula Hancocks for us live in Seoul this morning -- thanks so much.

ROMANS: All right. Nuclear talks with Iran are heating up. Secretary of State John Kerry meeting deep into the night with the Iranian foreign minister and European Union foreign policy chief. Negotiations continue this morning. The two sides facing a November 24th deadline to cut a deal. After that, an interim agreement that keeps the Iranians from building a nuclear bomb, that agreement, interim agreement, expires.

BERMAN: The White House is promising a more satisfying experience for Americans looking to sign up for Obamacare this week. Open enrollment on the retooled healthcare.gov web site begins Saturday.

But consumers can start window shopping now. Go check it out. You can look at your options. This is something you could not do when Obamacare was rolled out last year. But 7.3 million people have insurance through the federal and state exchanges.

ROMANS: All right. Time an early start on your money this morning.

European markets mixed. Asian shares mostly higher at the close, thanks to a big jump in the Chinese markets there. Stocks there got a boost after regulators set a date for trading link between Hong Kong and Shanghai's stock exchanges.

In the U.S., stocks eked out a gain on Friday after solid jobs data. It was enough for both the Dow and S&P 500 to hit record highs. Right now, futures are higher again. So, maybe adding on those gains.

Breaking overnight: e-mails from General Motors revealed the automaker ordered 500,000 replacement switches months before its massive recall. That's according to "The Wall Street Journal", who viewed the e-mail exchanges between GM and its ignition switch supplier Delphi. The urgent order took place in mid-December of 2013, almost two months before GM told federal regulator. GM's ignition switch recalls, of course, are linked to 30 deaths. We have reached out to both Delphi and GM for comment on this report.

Eight minutes past hour.

New airstrikes targeting ISIS reportedly injuring one of its leaders as President Obama unveils a new strategy to fight the terrorists. We're live with what we're learning this morning, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: A government official in Iraq is saying this morning that the head of ISIS was injured in airstrikes over the weekend. An interior ministry spokesman says Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was wounded in an air attack in a convoy. The reports conflict over the exact location of the attack and who launched it, Iraq or the U.S. The Pentagon officials say they have no information backing up the claim al Baghdadi was injured.

President Obama meanwhile says his decision to send 1,500 more troops to Iraq signals a new phase in the war on ISIS.

Senior international correspondent Arwa Damon is standing by for us in Southern Turkey with more.

Good morning, Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine.

And let's start off with those allegations that al Baghdadi may have been wounded in an airstrike. Now, it's important to point out at this stage that that claim is only coming from the Iraq's ministry of interior. It does not necessarily have the authority to make those kinds of statements. Normally, they would be coming of the ministries of defense or the prime minister's office, both are not commenting, not confirming that he has, in fact, been wounded.

The U.S. also not confirming at this stage. What we do know is that there was a coalition air strikeout side of Mosul that was targeting a convoy carrying senior ISIS leaders. There's also another airstrike that was carried over the weekend in the town of al Qa'im, along the Syria and Iraqi borders. But again, no confirmation that he has been wounded.

Also important to point out at this stage that even if al Baghdadi is wounded or killed, that does not necessarily mean an end to ISIS. We've most certainly have seen these types of organizations reemerge and continue to grow after losing their leadership. When it comes to the 1,500 troops, well, that's going to nearly double the U.S. presence in Iraq, this next phase the president is talking -- well, that is meant to signal the attempt at this stage train up the Iraqi security forces to a degree where they are capable of pushing back ISIS fighters.

So far, the coalition air strikes and any efforts to advise and assist the Iraqis has only resulted in really holding ISIS in its current positions. No significant gains have been made. This next phase is meant to allow the Iraqis to gain back territory. But it's also vital at this stage that the government in Baghdad, the Shia government, really make that effort to reach out to the Iraqi and Sunni tribes that they do not provide safe haven for ISIS to operate, Christine.

ROMANS: A lot going on. Thanks so much for breaking it down for us.

Arwa Damon in Turkey.

BERMAN: Fourteen minutes after the hour.

President Obama says blame him for the Democrats' midterm election miseries. The president says that he and his White House team failed to sell the benefits of his policies to the American people. He calls it a failure of politics, telling CBS News that he has to change in his final two years in office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Another saying of Harry Truman's was, the buck stops with me. The buck stops right here at my desk.

And so, whenever as the head of the party, it doesn't do well, I've got to take responsibility for it. I -- the message that I took from this election and we have seen this in a number of elections, successive elections, is people want to see this city work. And they feel as if it's not working.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The president hinted there could be some changes coming to the White House staff.

ROMANS: Former President George W. Bush says it's about 50/50 whether his brother Jeb will make a run for the White House in 2016. The president tells CBS's "Face the Nation" that if Jeb does decide to run, he is 100 percent behind him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT: I'll do whatever he wants. I will be one of his strongest backers. If he wants me out there publicly, I'll be out there. If he wants me behind the scenes, I'll be behind the scenes. You know, I'm all in for him. He'd be a great president. The country could use an optimistic view like his.

BOB SCHIEFFER, CBS: What about you?

LAURA BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY: I agree.

(END VIDEOI CLIP)

ROMANS: As for comments by their mother, that enough Bushes have run for president, he says sometimes her predictions have not been very accurate.

BERMAN: Now, the current Texas Governor Rick Perry looking like a presidential candidate. He was in New Hampshire, still is. He's wrapping up a two-day visit to the Granite State, with a series of events, including a town hall meeting at Keene College campus. You maybe aware that New Hampshire holds the nation's first presidential primary.

ROMANS: That's why. BERMAN: Exactly.

ROMANS: He is going to Iowa next week. I'm just kidding. But he might, I mean , he knows, he's been there a couple of times.

Running for president could require some multitasking by Perry, who's facing felony abusive power charges. Today, more than a dozen legal experts expected to come to his defense filing request for the Texas judge to dismiss those charges against Governor Perry. Perry was indicted in August for threatening to withhold millions of dollars in state funding if the Travis county D.A. failed to resign after a drunk driving conviction.

BERMAN: So, today marks the end of the 21-day Ebola monitoring period for nurse Kaci Hickox. Hickox publicly fought state-ordered quarantines in New Jersey and Maine after returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa. She tested negative for the disease and showed no symptoms. Hickox says she and her boyfriend are planning to move from Ft. Kent to Southern Maine. Exactly where they're headed is not currently known.

ROMANS: FEMA is asking at least a dozen residents of an assisted living facility who are displaced by Hurricane Sandy, to repay thousands of dollars in federal disaster aid. The residents spent four months in emergency shelters after their building was flooded. Now, FEMA has declared them ineligible for aid checks that they received two years ago because the money was supposed to be spent on temporary housing, which never happened because residents were moved from one state-funded shelter to another. That is a mess.

BERMAN: It is.

ROMANS: A real mess.

BERMAN: All right. Some plunging temperatures in the forecast this week. Indra Petersons is here with an early start on the forecast.

Good morning.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.

Nothing better than a visual. So, I'm just going to show you what the temperatures look like. Very easy to see the purples and the blues are. Right now, to the north, take a look, plunging down to the Midwest, all the way down to the South and eventually spreading to the east. Easy to see, right? That is the story we are expecting already today. So much snow is expected to fall in the Dakotas and Montana and Wyoming.

Let me show you this map a little bit farther to the east. Take a look at the Twin Cities. We're talking about over a foot of snow is possible today. Also winds gusting to 20 to 25 miles per hour. Also a wet snow. The concern there is of course for power outages.

So, here we go, today the story is a lot of snow out there. Watch the low. As we go into tomorrow, the low itself goes to the north. So, yes, the snow starts to taper off as the system lifts out of here, but the cold air stays, diving in day by day, let's take a look at it.

You may say it doesn't feel that cold in the eastern half of the country. Still pretty, you're actually seeing temperatures above normal. Now, let's drop you into tomorrow. Behind the front, temperatures are 15 degrees below average for St. Louis. Look at this, by the way, D.C. tomorrow, temperatures climbing almost near 70.

Enjoy that. Here goes the air pushing farther east by Thursday. I have to give you the four-day. You will see this drop. This is like New York City, you are holding on for three days and then they drop.

BERMAN: Deep plunge.

ROMANS: Oh, wow. We love you Minneapolis. Go get your shovel. You're going to need it.

BERMAN: Christine Romans, what is your favorite football team?

ROMANS: I like the Bears.

BERMAN: Yes, they got killed. Demolished.

ROMANS: I know.

BERMAN: Aaron Rodgers with six touchdown passes in the first half.

Andy Scholes with the gruesome details in the "Bleacher Report", next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Christine Romans, you cheer for a bad, bad football team. At least right now. The Chicago Bears are not playing well -- Andy Scholes.

ROMANS: Andy Scholes, look, he is making so much fun of my Bears.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: I'm sorry, Christine. It is too easy this morning. Packers and Bears. They're heading in two directions. What a disaster the Bears have become. They allowed more than 50 points in two straight games.

Aaron Rodgers. He was spectacular on Sunday night football. Six touchdowns in the first half. The Packers, they led 42-0 at the break. Rodgers, he spent most of the second half on the bench, planning his next State Farm commercials. The Packers won this game in a rout, 55-14.

All right. The wild finish award from yesterday goes to the Niners and Saints. San Fran down three in the closing minutes. On fourth and ten, Colin Kaepernick scrambles around. He eventually finds Michael Crabtree way down the field for the first down. That led to a game tying field goal. Then the Saints went for old the Hail Mary. It would be caught by Jimmy Graham, but he is flagged for offensive pass interference. The game goes to overtime. Drew Brees would fumble. Niners recover.

They escape New Orleans with a 27-24 win.

All right. What's the only thing that could stop the red hot Steelers as they go into New York as they face the 1-8 Jets? Justin Bieber. The Biebs showed up at Steelers Bible study on Saturday night and proclaimed himself a Steelers fan.

You knew what was going to happen next. Pittsburgh went out and laid an egg. Roethlisberger who had 12 touchdowns in the past two games, only threw one to go along with two interceptions. Jets would win this one, 20-13. Check out their victory formation. Mike Mitchell trying to leap over the line to cause a fumble. That caused a minor scuffle.

And as they came on the field to shake hands, Rex Ryan, he had two words for Mitchell. Try to be happy. You actually won a game for once.

In Seattle during the Seahawks and Giants game, Seattle's mascot (INAUDIBLE) the Hawk took a detour and landed on a fan's head in the stands. Guys, the most impressive thing is everyone in the crowd played it cool and no one freaking out. Amazing, this guy, look, reached over, pets the Hawk. If a Hawk comes at me and I'm at a football game, I'm probably taking a run for it.

BERMAN: I'm screaming and then running. That's how I would handle it.

ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: All right.

ROMANS: Bears.

BERMAN: Yes.

All right. Twenty-six minutes past the hour.

President Obama tackling some tough issues this morning in China, speaking less than an hour ago. We're going to break down everything he said for you, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)