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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Malaysia: New Aircraft Wreckage Found; Republican Debate Tonight At 9 P.M. Eastern; New Details On GOP Debate Format; Alleged Theater Attacker Mentally Ill; Jon Stewart's Final Countdown. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 06, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:01] SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: -- French presser. The Malaysian transportation minister telling them that he believes and I'm going to quote this for you, "We have also found debris like window panes, aluminum foil, and seat cushions, where the wreckage from MH370 was found. Of course, that wreckage he is referring to is the flaperon that's inside that laboratory being tested now.

He also added to AFP that the wreckage that they have now found, the new debris, will be tested by French authorities. Now we know from before the practice before has been that it has left Reunion Island, flown to Paris, and then brought down by road to Toulouse to this laboratory where authorities have already started their investigations.

It is the French authorities, Christine, that will have to determine what this is exactly. Is it from an aircraft? Is it from flight MH370? It is the French authorities because Reunion Island is French territory.

And of course, the French are leading the investigation here in Toulouse because there is also a manslaughter case. Now I want to repeat the breaking news, debris which includes what is believed to be a window pane, seat cushions, and aluminum foil has been found on Reunion Island.

Authorities have collected it and they are likely to be flying it to France to this laboratory for testing. It is French authorities that have to confirm that this debris is from an aircraft and from flight MH370. We do not know that yet. This is AFP reporting this having spoken to the Malaysian transportation minister -- John, Christine.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: To be blunt, Saima, what are the complicating factors here? Uncomfortable issue international relations right now is sometimes the Malaysian officials say things that are not in concert with what the international community and other investigators are saying.

We have a stringer on Reunion Island saying that police sources say there's been no debris reported or handed in today and that nothing definitive has been turned in in the past week.

There is this issue occasionally of some Malaysian officials getting out in front of the investigation. It's the Malaysian prime minister who said that the flaperon was definitely from MH-370. Other international officials are saying probably, but we are not ready to give a definitive answer yet.

MOHSIN: Yes, that is what is confusing myself and the team here. We've been here since day one, since the flaperon arrived at this French laboratory. There is a discrepancy, of course, between the different bodies that are involved.

First of all, there are so many bodies involved. There is the United States NTSB, Chinese officials and Australian and French and of course, the Malaysian, and yes, there is this disparity between who says what and who seems to jump the gun.

Prime Minister Najib Razak last night saying there is conclusive confirmation that the flaperon being tested at this lab at the DGA in Southern France does belong to MH370.

The French prosecutor, of course, with words of caution, a cautious affirmation that he can strongly suppose this flaperon belongs to Flight MH-370.

This morning, we have the debris. The reason we are saying we are confused is that I have been reporting here every hour, bringing you the very latest since the flaperon was found and we have not been told by our CNN teams in Reunion that they have found anything that they can say decisively belongs to an aircraft, let alone flight MH-370.

Having said that, you know, we don't know what kind of state this debris is. How damage is it? Has it been changed in its status since it's been in the water so long?

Let's remember, 515 days since Flight MH-370 has been missing, 17 long painful months for the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board. We just don't know the state of the debris. A reminder, this is seat cushions and window panes and aluminum foil according to Malaysia's transport minister speaking to AFP -- John, Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: We also know that over the past 17 months and 515 days, there's been a lot of debris that has caught the attention of investigators and people collecting such things and has turned out to be sea junk.

It remains to be seen whether this debris is in fact part of MH-370 and what the procedure is to go from here. All right, Saima Mohsin for us in Toulouse, thank you very much.

We do know there is a flaperon that the French authorities are investigating as part of MH-370. The Malaysian government said it is definitely MH-370. There is one definitive piece of debris. Now they are looking for more.

All right, on to the big story tonight, ten presidential candidates are preparing for the first Republican presidential debate tonight in Cleveland, Ohio.

[05:35:04] That main stage event at Quicken Loans Arena begins on Fox News at 9 p.m. Eastern with another smaller debate set for 5 p.m. featuring the seven Republican hopefuls, who did not make the cut for the primetime event.

For the latest on what we can expect, let's bring in CNN's Dana Bash in Cleveland.

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, I know you're both big sports fans so I'm sure you recognize what is behind me. It is the Q, according to locals. It is the arena where LeBron James plays basketball now.

It is the arena where the first Republican debate is going to take place. It will be like nothing we have ever seen when it comes to political debates because we have never seen a billionaire reality TV star at center stage, which is exactly what tonight is going to be all about.

The candidates have been in town. They have been prepping. They have been going over their policies. They have been going over their one liners and zingers trying to figure out how to break through.

Because even though only 10 of the 17 are on the main debate stage primetime, it is so hard to get your message across when you are one of ten especially if you're on the outside flank.

So some of those campaign sources inside have been telling me that they are going to try to maybe seize on the kind of thing that Donald Trump has done very well, which is the outsider status.

Even one candidate's aide who is a senator told me that he is going to make the point that he is an outsider. He hasn't been there that long and he is going to add up the number of years that everybody else on the stage has been in elected office.

Because that is the thing that nobody wants to hear about if you are really pushing for an outsider or non-politician like Donald Trump. It's unclear how much that will be able to kind of carry the day when you have so many candidates.

And you have the Trump factor and the Bush factor because Donald Trump might be the most entertaining. Jeb Bush has the most to lose. He still has $100 million plus in his account that major donors and Republican establishment gave him from all over the country.

He has to prove that their investment was worth it and this will be a big setting for him to do that especially given the fact he has had stumbles just this week. The idea is he will have to show he has shaken off the cob webs from being out of the game for almost ten years.

And that he has the fire in the belly which people are still saying we are not sure he has. That is the tip of the iceberg of what we are looking for tonight and it will be a fun evening -- John and Christine.

BERMAN: All right, Dana Bash, fun indeed. We have new details about exactly how Fox plans to run the debate. The arena holds 20,000 people, but only 4,500 will be in attendance. The candidates will not give opening statements. The host will ask questions and candidates give one-minute answers.

The candidates called out by name have 30-second rebuttals. Actual non-Fox humans get to ask some questions submitted through Facebook. The "New York Times" reports about 100 questions have been prepared. Fox wants to get half of those asked. That would be 50. That would be a lot.

For candidates who run over their allotted time, Fox News is considering using the 24-second shot clock buzzer in LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers Stadium.

ROMANS: But will you be able to get a beer?

BERMAN: Run to the stands, get a beer, and come back, and watch the rest of the game.

ROMANS: And new this morning, some Clinton/Trump intrigue. Word of a private telephone conversation between Donald Trump and Bill Clinton just before Trump announced he was running for president. A Clinton aide confirmed to CNN, the former president returned the Trump call sometime in late May.

The aide said the 2016 race was not discussed, but an unidentified Trump ally told the "Washington Post," the real estate mogul did discuss his interest in a run for the White House and that Clinton responded by analyzing Trump's prospects. Trump's team declined to comment to CNN.

BERMAN: You know, the Clintons were guests at Donald Trump's third wedding so there is a relationship there and I think Republicans will point that out.

ROMANS: And Donald Trump has identified as a Democrat in the past. He also said the economy does better under Democrats than Republicans pointing to the Bill Clinton era.

BERMAN: Intrigue.

ROMANS: All right, new information about the man armed with a hatchet and a pellet gun. A man who attacked an audience in a movie theater, dramatic 911 calls released. We've got them next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:43:01]

ROMANS: Our breaking news this morning, the French press agency, AFP reporting that a Malaysian official, transport minister, says new wreckage has been found on Reunion Island in the Western Indian Ocean.

That's the same area where that wing component, the flaperon was found. The Malaysian transport minister says, quote, "We have also found debris like window panes, aluminum foil, and seat cushions. Stay with CNN all day long for the latest as this story develops.

And a reminder, there's been a lot of junk in the ocean that has received great scrutiny that's turned out to be nothing.

BERMAN: And to be completely frank, there had been occasions from Malaysian officials are out in front of what other investigators have been on the story as well. But we will stay on that all morning.

New details this morning about an attack on Nashville movie goers by a man wielding a pellet gun, pepper spray, and a hatchet, the attacker was shot dead by police. We have dramatic 911 calls released overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: I was in the movie theater a minute or two ago. The shady looking guy stood up with two bags and walked to the back of the theater and pulled out a hatchet and started attacking the family and pulled out a gun and we all ran out of the theater.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Police say 29-year-old Vicente Montano had been committed to the mental institution four times in the mid-2000s. Three days ago his mother filed a missing person's report that said Montano is homeless and suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

Luckily the only injuries reported by movie theater patrons were irritation from the pepper spray and a minor cut from the hatchet. One moviegoer, identified only as "Steven" expressed his relief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

"STEVEN", VICTIM OF NASHVILLE MOVIE THEATER SHOOTING: I'm eternally grateful to the Metro Police Department for their fast response today and the fact no one else got injured other than the person who did this. I ask to pray for his man's family because he has mental problems or something else.

[05:45:05] My family does not want any kind of 15 minutes of fame. We were not looking for any of this. We did nothing do bring this upon ourselves. I'm very, very grateful that no one else got injured here today other than the person who perpetrated this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Police say the weapon used which looked real was actually an airsoft gun. His backpack he had been destroyed by the bomb squad contained fake explosives.

ROMANS: All right, it's 45 minutes past the hour. Tonight, Jon Stewart signs off from his last "Daily Show." What we are learning about the final episode next.

BERMAN: Would you know Christine Romans was almost one of his final guests, sort of. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Jon Stewart's run on "The Daily Show" almost over, just one more show, tonight, the finale. Last night, he joked about eviscerating ISIS, racist and Fox News and Wall Street. By the way, Christine Romans made a special appearance on Jon Stewart's show right there a clip of Christine Romans.

ROMANS: It was the trader jailed for 14 years he was interested in. My phone went crazy last night.

BERMAN: What will happen on the finale? There was one man who knows, Brian Stelter, CNN's chief media correspondent and the host of "RELIABLE SOURCES."

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Jon Stewart is the one man who knows.

BERMAN: You are the half man.

[05:50:02] STELTER: I talked to the president of Comedy Central. She said a lot of love and care has gone into thinking about this final episode tonight. It won't be our usual "Daily Show." It will be longer like 50-minutes long. There will be some special guests.

But Jon Stewart will keep it a secret. He wants people to watch the debate at 9 p.m. then come over to Comedy Central and see his sign off. But of course, he won't be talking about the debate. This will be a deviation from the norm.

He will say his goodbyes. He started last night. Let's look at last night how he was joking about his contribution to the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": What the (inaudible) is going on here! The world is demonstrably worse than when I started. Have I caused this! Have -- have it been for naught?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STELTER: That is a great example of how we're the raw material. Fox News, CNN, the news is the raw material for Stewart and he has always made the most of it whether you are a friend or a foe of his.

ROMANS: It is better to be the set-up, not the punch line.

BERMAN: Will it be funny tonight or is it going to be all sentimental?

STELTER: He always framed himself as a comedian. I think he is a media critic. He speaks truth to power and holds politicians and news anchors accountable. He says he is a comedian. I think he will try to go out that way. There's no arguing with his legacy. He has had an impact even though he was joking about making the world worse. For one thing the use of video clips, the use of video montage to point out hypocrisy and also the idea of bringing people in, in a comfortable setting and then asking them tough questions, even tough questions to the president recently.

ROMANS: How will millennials ever get their news even their third version of the news?

STELTER: Well, I guess the short answer is the internet or maybe Trevor Noah. He takes over in September. Tonight, it is all about Jon. I'm not sure Trevor will make an appearance. We will see some correspondents, though, back to visit "The Daily Show."

ROMANS: Does Jon Stewart have a nice long vacation with his kids and family in New Jersey and then come back?

STELTER: I don't think he will ever have a daily type show again, but maybe a weekly show or occasional. We have not seen the last of Jon Stewart. He will be back on TV. Some conservatives are very wary of that. Some liberals can't wait for the moment when he gets back. He is a polarizing guy.

BERMAN: He is always welcome to come here as a guest on EARLY START.

ROMANS: Or co-anchor.

BERMAN: Brian Stelter, great to have you here with us.

STELTER: Thanks.

ROMANS: It is getting easier to get a jumbo home loan if you are Richie Rich. You can get a big loan easier. I'll tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:57:02]

ROMANS: All right, good morning. I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. It just got easier to get a big home loan. Chase is easing lending requirements on jumbo mortgage mortgages. Those are loans bigger than $400,000 in most markets.

Now potential buyers only need a credit score of 680 and a 15 percent down payment to qualify for a maximum $3 million. Jumbo loans have performed well in the recovery. Chase is hoping to attract more borrowers.

This is not a return to the loose lending standards that led to the housing collapse in 2008. Back then there were basically no restrictions on credit score and you could put zero down.

Availability still relatively tight keeping first time buyers out of the market, a lot of people saying you need to loosen some standards so you can get to more oxygen in the housing market.

BERMAN: Good news for rich people. All right, there are new reports of pieces of debris, wreckage found on that Reunion Island in Western Indian Ocean. A Malaysian official says it could be linked to MH370. Is that reliable? "NEW DAY" picks it all up right now.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. We do have breaking news about MH370. We are just getting reports that new plane debris may have been recovered in the Indian Ocean.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: According to the AFP news agency, Malaysia's transport minister says seat cushions, window panes, and aluminum foil were found in the waters off Reunion Island. That is the same place where part of a Boeing 777's wing was found.

So let's get right to CNN's Andrew Stevens live for us in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with all of the breaking details -- Andrew.

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. That's right. The transport minister in Malaysia telling local reporters as well as the French news agency that this new debris had been found related to an aircraft, that is his term calling it that.

But we are talking about window panes and strips of aluminum and seat cushions as well. He also went on to say and this is the direct quote. They were small and have to be verified by the French authorities.

People on Reunion Island, this was found on Reunion Island where of course the flaperon was found. Police are telling us so far today there have been no reports of any debris being handed in. This happened in recent days.

There is as we know a lot of debris in the area around there. This is not confirmed at the moment. We cannot say this is from an aircraft at this stage let alone 777 or MH370, but it does come less than 24 hours after the Malaysian prime minister stated very categorically that the flaperon was completely related to MH370.

It was a match. So he has ruled out -- he has basically said quite clearly that 370 and the flaperon are linked. So that's where we are at the moment. We cannot confirm this new debris, but certainly we are going to have to wait until it comes back from Toulouse --