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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Participants Set for First GOP Debate; Bernie Sanders Closing in on Clinton; FBI Looking into Clinton Email System; Bush, Clinton Trade Barbs Over Women's Health; Planned Parenthood Fetal Tissue Controversy; French Military Begins Testing Plane Debris; Lion Hunter's Guide on Trial. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired August 05, 2015 - 04:30   ET

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

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[04:30:52] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The stage is set for the first Republican presidential debate. We now know who will be facing off. All of those guys there and who will be left off, a whole bunch of other ones.

New reaction on the controversial roster as a new poll reveals possible trouble for Hillary Clinton.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman. Very nice to see you this morning. Thirty-one minutes past the hour.

This morning, at long last, we know who will be on the main stage for the first Republican presidential debate 8:00 p.m. tomorrow. Based on five recent polls, FOX News has selected Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, they will take center stage, literally center stage.

ROMANS: Yes.

BERMAN: Seven other candidates will be on either side. That leaves seven Republican hopefuls sharing the consolation prize of turtle wax and a 5:00 p.m. debate that is likely to draw far fewer television viewers.

ROMANS: I'm going to watch that one, though, too.

BERMAN: Oh, no, I think they'll both be fascinating. In some ways, the 5:00 p.m. debate might even be the most fascinating.

Let's get the latest on all this from Dana Bash in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, this is the biggest Republican field in modern history, 17 candidates. So, it's really not easy for the GOP or the networks to navigate such a crowded debate stage. Never mind candidates who have to face a front-runner reality TV star. That is why they decided to have just 10 people max on the stage, and FOX News announced which are going to make the cut.

And they determine that, by the way, based on national polling. Here they are: Donald trump, he's going to be in the middle. Next to him, former Governor Jeb Bush. On the other side, Governor Scott Walker. From there on out is former Governor Mike Huckabee, neurosurgeon and first-time political candidate Ben Carson, Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, as well as Governors Chris Christie and John Kasich.

Now, Kasich bumped former Governor Rick Perry out of this main debate, which is a big disappointment for him. He is the longest serving governor in Texas history. He really wanted to redeem himself from his embarrassing performance on the debate stage four years ago. Remember that oops moment?

But also, he's been the most aggressive in getting in Donald Trump's face. He called him a cancer on conservatism. So, that is going to be a big problem for him.

But for those who will be on the stage, prime time, the key thing, according to a lot of aides I've talked to is do no harm. One aide actually said something very wise, that you probably can't win at this stage of the game, but you sure can lose -- John and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right, Dana.

It certainly will be interesting. They don't have a lot of time each of them to define their goals, talk about their policies, talk their history. Oh, and then also hit Hillary Clinton. That's going to be a tough line for all of them to walk.

Now, candidates who does not make the cut for the marquee 8:00 debate, they are reacting this morning. Now, some lashing out to FOX News and the Republican National Committee. Some very frustrated, frankly.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum's spokesman issuing a statement, "The idea that they have left out the runner-up for the 2012 nomination, the former four-term governor of Texas, the governor of Louisiana, the first female Fortune 50 CEO, and a three-term senator from South Carolina due to polling seven months before a single vote is cast is preposterous."

But the RNC's chief spokesman defending the fairness of the debate selection process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN SPICER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, RNC: If you don't use some degree of polling, then it becomes completely subjective. And the last thing I think people want, frankly, is people in Washington or people at the RNC deciding who gets in based on the fact that they have held some kind of elective office.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: Others Republicans are trying to put an optimistic spin of being in the second-tier debate, the 5:00 p.m. debate. Rick Perry who just missed out on the 8:00 p.m. debate tweeted, "I look forward to being on the FOX News 5:00 p.m. debate for what will be a serious exchange of ideas and positive solutions to get America back on track."

Carly Fiorina put out a statement staying, "I look forward to answering questions on Thursday in Cleveland. I continue to be encouraged by the support of conservative activists and grassroots Republicans across the country."

A super PAC backing Bobby Jindal almost instantly posted an ad it plans to air in Iowa during the main event.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:35:02] AD NARRATOR: The debate in Cleveland is all about a celebrity. But one candidate is moving up where it counts, in Iowa -- Bobby Jindal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: And Lindsey Graham took a light-hearted approach, suggesting viewers pregame what he called the Trump debacle by grabbing a cold one, watching the happy hour debate and hiding their cell phone numbers.

BERMAN: The front-runner Donald Trump is getting ready for Thursday's debate, previewing the topics he plans to highlight. In an interview with Bill O'Reilly overnight, Trump said he does not plan to go directly at Jeb Bush or his other competitors for the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to be right down the middle. I want to talk about policy. I want to talk about the wall. I want to talk about illegal immigration. I want to talk about bad trade deals.

I may say that I can negotiate better than any of these folks. I did write "The Art of the Deal", I built a phenomenal business, as you know. And, you know, I have certain abilities that they do not have.

I'm not looking to hurt anybody. I'm not looking to embarrass anybody. If I have to bring up deficiencies, I'll bring up deficiencies. But certainly, I'm not looking to do that.

I'd rather go straight down the middle. You don't know what's going to come at you. You don't know where these other people are going to come.

You don't know whether or not the three folks that are asking the questions -- I mean, they're going to try and trick you up, which is unfortunate, because all of that has nothing to do with being a great president, but I'm doing it because it's something you have to do. And, again, I've never debated. My sort of -- my whole life has been

a debate, but I've never debated before. These politicians, all they do is debate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders is edging closer to front-runner Hillary Clinton in the early primary state of New Hampshire. A new WMUR poll finds the Vermont senator now trailing Clinton by just six points, 42 percent to 36 percent. That is in a poll where the margin of error is 5.9 percentage points, by the way.

Nationally, Clinton is still well ahead of Bernie Sanders, leading in polls by more than 30 points.

Meantime, the FBI now is looking into the security used to protect Hillary Clinton's private e-mail system during her time as secretary of state. Her lawyer David Kendall confirms to CNN that the bureau is checking to make sure materials were properly stored. "The Washington Post", which first reported the story, says the FBI is not targeting the former secretary and that she is not accused of any wrongdoing.

BERMAN: The Clinton campaign sent out a statement saying, "She did not send nor receive any e-mails classified at the time. We want to ensure that appropriate procedures are followed as these emails are reviewed will not unduly delaying the release of her e-mails. We want that to happen as quickly and as transparently as possible."

Now, Hillary Clinton is also sparring with Jeb Bush over federal funding for women's health, really interesting news overnight. The former Florida governor gave Clinton an opening while attacking Planned Parenthood at an evangelical conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You can take dollar for dollar, although I'm not sure we need a half billion dollars for women's health issues.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Jeb Bush said he's not sure we need half a billion dollars for women's health issues. I'm reading it because I want to quote it exactly.

Now, he's got no problem giving billions of dollars away to the super wealthy and powerful corporations, but I guess women's health just isn't a priority for him.

Now, this really isn't complicated. When you attack Planned Parenthood, you attack women's health and when you attack women's health, you attack America's health.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: This ended up as a Twitter war. Hillary Clinton told Jeb Bush, "You are absolutely and unequivocally wrong". Jeb Bush responded, "What's absolutely and unequivocally wrong is giving taxpayer dollars to an organization whose practices show no regard for lives of the unborn."

In the end, Bush walked back the remark that started it all, saying in a statement, "With regards to women's health funding broadly, I misspoke, as there are countless community health centers, rural clinics and other women's health organizations that need to be fully funded."

ROMANS: Jeb Bush gave a piece of video that could be used in an attack ad later on. It's early in the process for that kind of process for what many people would say is a slip-up. You're a keen observer of the political process. Jeb Bush so far a little rusty?

BERMAN: Oh, no. Look. You talk to even Republican strategists and they'll say there is some rust on him. We're talking to Margaret Hoover yesterday, you know, CNN analyst and Republican strategist, she was looking at the forum the other night in New Hampshire and said she said she is surprised in some ways that Jeb Bush is not much more polished at this stage of the game.

ROMANS: All right. Well, we'll continue to watch. And it is early in the stage of the game.

BERMAN: It is.

ROMANS: And that is true.

All right. A fifth undercover video has been released by an anti- abortion group alleging Planned Parenthood is illegally profiting from the sale of fetal tissue. It's sparking outrage in the Republican ranks and now is becoming a major talking point in the race for the White House.

Let's get more from CNN senior Washington correspondent Joe Johns.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, call this the latest sign this controversy over use of fetal tissues and research is going to stick around for a while. Some congressional Republicans are talking about linking the fight over Planned Parenthood to a possible government shutdown battle this fall.

And the release of another controversial video is adding fuel to the fire.

[04:40:01] It's like the other productions -- edited undercover video with a Planned Parenthood official identified as a research director in Texas apparently unaware she is being recorded, talking about extracting intact fetus cadavers and body parts from abortions for use in fetal tissue research, interspersed and talking about budgets and money.

The end of the video includes graphic pictures of what is described as fetal tissue with the voices of the actors who posed as representatives of a company that collects tissue samples, asking questions and identifying body parts with Planned Parenthood lab technicians. Several states including Texas has launched Planned Parenthood investigations with a video, accusing the group of offering to adjust medical procedures in order to preserve tissue and parts for research groups to purchase.

There are calls for the Justice Department to investigate. Planned Parenthood asserted in a statement that the footage released today doesn't show Planned Parenthood staff engaged in any wrongdoing or agreeing to violate any legal or medical standards.

The latest polling on Planned Parenthood from Monmouth University shows about half of Americans oppose cutting funding to the organization but it runs sharply along party lines, 68 percent of Democrats oppose defunding and 66 percent of Republicans favor it -- John and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All. right. Joe Johns, thanks for that.

Forty-one minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money.

Here's a look at markets right now. European and Asian stocks mostly higher, so are U.S. stock futures up after a lower day yesterday.

The big business this morning is higher interest rates are coming in September. The Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart in an interview with "Wall Street Journal" says, barring an unexpected deterioration in the U.S. economy, the Fed will raise rates next month. He is a voting member of the committee. So, his comments are getting a lot of attention.

The other big story: Apple's recent swoon. Now more than 3 percent yesterday, Apple now down 15 percent from its record high set in April. That has wiped out, get this -- $113 billion in Apple's value.

How much is that? That's like the entire value of companies like companies like Netflix or McDonald's.

So, why is this happening? Concerns Apple is losing ground in China. That's a very important market. The U.S. smartphone market is also saturated and, of course, it needs, you know, a lot of its profit is driven -- high profits are driven by the smartphone sales.

BERMAN: All right. This morning, expert examining the key piece of debris, the flaperon that washed up on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and it's in France. Investigators around the world are getting ready to look at it. Is it a piece of MH370?

We are live outside the laboratory. That's coming up.

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BERMAN: A crucial day in the investigation into what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Testing begins this morning in France to determine whether debris from a Boeing 777 that washed ashore on Reunion Island does come from MH370. Aviation experts in France will be doing their work in the presence of Malaysian authorities. They want to link that recovered wing fragment to MH370 and try to learn more about its final moments.

Let's get the latest from CNN's Saima Mohsin live in Toulouse.

Good morning, Saima.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

So much hanging on today, isn't there? The families and loved ones of the 239 passengers and crew on board MH370 holding on to every development. And today, as you say, is that crucial day. Inside there is that flaperon from the 777 aircraft in a sealed container.

We are expecting at some point this afternoon, it's 10:00 a.m. or so local time rear right now, this afternoon, that team of experts will arrive. They will assemble together to open that box likely to be intermediate as is standard operating procedure and then they will start running the crucial tests.

Now, of course, they want to establish a direct link so there is no shadow of a doubt that this flaperon does belong to MH370. Experts have reminded us there is still room for it potentially not to be and we shouldn't speculate because often parts are swapped around, bits and piece are changed on aircraft, usually, of course, registered in logs but it could well be that this time it wasn't.

So, they don't want to say definitively it's MH370 based on the numbers they found on this flaperon. Now, they'll then look how this plane came down and we've been discussing about those tests they carried out to see, did it come off in the air, did it come off when the plane apparently hit the Indian Ocean? These are the tests they will start carrying out today -- John.

BERMAN: Very, very careful and painstaking details.

Saima Mohsin, thanks so much.

ROMANS: All right. The guide who led the hunt to kill Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe is facing a judge. We are live there, next.

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[04:52:12] BERMAN: A guide accused of helping an American hunter kill Cecil the Lion, is expected to stand trial today. Theo Bronkhorst says he has done nothing wrong. As for the American hunter, Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer, authorities in Zimbabwe have called for his extradition. The land owner where the hunt took place also faces charges.

CNN's David McKenzie has the very latest from Zimbabwe -- David.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, I'm here near at this small magistrate in Zimbabwe, near the national park where the lion was lured out of that park and killed by an American hunter and sparked all of this outrage.

Theo Bronkhorst is the professional hunter who was on that hunt, appeared in court just moments ago. Take a listen to what he had to say to me.

What do you feel about the charges laid against you and the landowner?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: What do you feel about the charges laid against you and the landowner?

THEO BRONKHORST, PROFESSIONAL HUNTING GUIDE: I think it's frivolous and I think it's wrong.

MCKENZIE: And you think you'll come through this?

BRONKHORST: I got a good legal team and I hope so.

MCKENZIE: What is your feeling about the issue of hunting in Zimbabwe?

BRONKHORST: It's an integral part of our country and it's got to continue.

[04:25:00] And if we do not use wildlife sustainably, there will be no wildlife.

MCKENZIE: And do you feel you had all of the right permits and everything was above board?

BRONKHORST: I believe so.

MCKENZIE: And so, what do you think about the way you've been prosecuted like this?

BRONKHORST: Crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: Well, certainly, Theo Bronkhorst was in a very brief court session and he has now, in fact, left that court. They say they are postponing this trial until late September this year to give the defense a bit more time to prepare their arguments. They could face up to 10 years in prison.

But I have to say, there is a sense in Zimbabwe now from people I've spoken to that the intense pressure or the intense focus on this case might have really led the authorities to push with this prosecution. But, at the same time, you know, there is a big issue of hunting in this area and poaching, and so it's really conservationists hoping this will put a spotlight on the massive decreasing game numbers in Africa -- John.

BERMAN: Interesting to hear his point of view, says it's key to the economy. David McKenzie for us in Zimbabwe, thanks so much.

ROMANS: All right. Quick quiz, how much time do you get off (INAUDIBLE)

BERMAN: Barely any. Two and a half weeks.

ROMANS: Two and a half weeks. How would you like to have unlimited parental leave? The new reality for Netflix employees, next.

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[04:58:39] ROMANS: All right. I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an early start our money this morning.

European and Asian stocks mostly higher and so are U.S. stock futures. The big business story this morning, higher interest rates are coming in September. The Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart in an interview with "The Wall Street Journal" says barring an unexpected deterioration in the U.S. economy, the Fed will raise rates next month. This is the money quote, "The economy is ready and it is an appropriate time to make a change."

He is a voting member of the Federal Market Committee so those comments getting an awful lot of attention in global markets this morning.

"Captain America" and "Ironman" saving Disney's quarterly earnings. Disney's revenue up 5 percent than a year ago and lower than investors were expecting. But the right spot, movie studio revenues surged 13 percent because of this "Avengers: Age of Ultron". The blockbuster brought in more than $1.3 billion at the global box office.

Listen to this new employee perk at Netflix. Unlimited paid parental leave. Both moms and dads can take as much time off as they want during the first year a child is born or adopted. That means they can come back part time. They can come back for a few months and leave again. Netflix will pay their full salaries the whole time.

This is part of the talent wars in tech. These big companies are offering big perks to retain good employees.

BERMAN: Really interesting to see.

ROMANS: I know.

BERMAN: Facebook, you get a bonus! You get a cash bonus when you have a kid!