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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Police Shooting During Ferguson Protests; Stock Futures Point Higher; Warren Buffet Close On Latest Big Buy; Trump Stands Behind Megyn Kelly Insult; Clinton's College Affordability Plan. Aired 5:30- 6a ET
Aired August 10, 2015 - 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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[05:30:19] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, shots fired in Ferguson, Missouri. Violence breaking out as crowds marked a year since Michael Brown was shot and killed. More demonstrations planned today and this are fears more violence could be on the way. We have all the breaking details.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. It's 30 minutes past the hour. John Berman is off today.
Breaking overnight, gunfire in Ferguson, Missouri, one year after a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown. CNN reporters on the ground say there were at least three rounds of gunfire.
Officials in Ferguson say two people were shot after officers came under heavy gunfire. CNN's Sara Sidner was interviewing Ferguson's Interim Police Chief Andre Anderson when shots rang out. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDRE ANDERSON, FERGUSON INTERIM POLICE CHIEF: We are trying to work with the community. We are explaining to them their rights. We just want to be as patient as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take cover.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So you heard the shots fired there. The police department says one of its officers was hurt by a hurled brick, but none were injured in the exchange of gunfire.
Joining us now from Ferguson is CNN's Sara Sidner who has been in the middle of it all. Sara, tell us what happened.
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Basically, I was actually on my way somewhere down that road after going to an event tonight that was very calm. There were dozens of people who went to listen to speakers from the civil rights movement. As I made my way through the city, I got trapped, basically, like several other people. We saw a line of people standing in front of police and having words with police and protesters standing their ground.
A few minutes in, we hear the sounds of gunfire as I'm listening to the interim police chief who has just gotten here about two weeks ago and talking about being patient and let things not explode into unnecessary violence.
Fascinating to see his eyes turn with the sound of gunshots and everyone was told to get down. Police in the streets were told to take cover. They had nowhere to go. They had to dive down behind their cars.
We had police near us that were diving and of course, the protesters themselves trying to get out of the way of the barrage of gunfire that happened a few hundred yards away from the police line where protesters were lined up.
There were people that we saw and businesses that we saw that had been broken into. There was some looting that happened earlier just maybe a few minutes from when those shootings happened.
We heard the first barrage of gunfire and then a few minutes later, we heard a second blast of gunfire. Fewer shots, but we certainly heard two separate shootings.
Now we understand why. The police have talked about the fact there was one incident where there were people shooting at one another. When police engage, police say some of the suspects turned to shoot at police.
Shot at a police car and hitting that car, but not injuring any officer inside. Then the officers engaged with the people who were believed to be suspects shooting one of them.
We have been trying to find out some more details about who the suspect is. People believe that he is from the Ferguson area. Right now, we know from police officials that he is in unstable, but critical condition in the hospital after being shot by a police officer.
I do want to talk to you a little bit about the scene here earlier. It was completely peaceful. I have been here now for a week doing some stories on the changes that have happened here since Michael Brown's death at the hands of Officer Darren Wilson, who was later cleared of all wrong doing.
Since then, this really did start a movement here in Ferguson. People talking about the relationship between police and African-Americans, and how that relationship is really damaged and needs to be repaired.
What we were now seeing is a bubbling up of violence again. The police speaking about that this is a very small segment, but having a big effect on the situation here. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON BELMAR, ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE CHIEF: While this is a tragedy for the family of this man and certainly for the officers involved, it is truly a tragedy, there is a small group of people out there who are intent on making sure we don't have peace that prevails.
[05:35:08] I don't know how else to say that, but that's just the bottom line on this and that's unfortunate. Because even with the folks in the street with last night, listen, you know, a lot of emotions. I get it. This is something different.
We can't sustain this as a community as we move forward. We have other individuals out there who are armed out there and part of this group. We need the public's help. We can't do it by ourselves. We have to have the community out here helping us and working with us to identify this and make this stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIDNER: So he is asking Chief Belmar of the St. Louis County Police and asking for the public's help saying that someone needs to come forward and stop this from happening. He's been careful to say and separate the fact that the protesters were in one part and this happened a little bit further down.
People were gathered outside, but not right up against the police officers. There is a lot of frustration in the community. This community has been racked by violence and it has also endured days and days and days, months of protests before the grand jury came with the decision in the case of Michael Brown.
And so what we are really seeing now is the resurgence of something. Nobody knows exactly what, but the police are careful to say that they believe these are just criminals, not part of the protest movement -- Christine.
ROMANS: Sara, he told reporters that they did recover a handgun, a stolen handgun from the scene. He's concerned about guns. He said there are people and elements there with guns. He is worried about a potential tragedy with the legitimate protesters and with the police while you have guns on those streets.
SIDNER: Absolutely. He has every right to worry because now I have been out here for a very long time. I spent several months here. I can tell you that when we were out in the streets today after we heard that first barrage of gunfire and the second, which was the police engaging the suspect.
We then ended up walking down the street on Canfield where Michael Brown was killed and we heard another round of gunfire within that community inside of that apartment complex. People started scattering and running as we were trying to get out of the way.
That's after that we saw that there were smoke bombs released by police to try to disburse the crowd. When you have a crowd of people, even if it is shot into the air, it has to on come down somewhere.
What the residents here have been saying what are you doing? If you are there to protest, that is your constitutional right. But whoever is bringing guns and using those guns in the situation where there are young people around out and about, what are you thinking?
The only thing that they can come up with as well as police, you are there not for protesting. You are there for something else. To either disrupt or to do things like loot stores and break windows. That has people here very, very frustrated including the legitimate protesters -- Christine.
ROMANS: Yes, it's certainly sad because it overshadows some of those, you know, beautiful images that you saw earlier in the weekend of people talking about change and trying to remember Michael Brown. You feel for his family on this anniversary. Sara Sidner, thank you for that. Sara, I know you have a lot of work this morning. Thank you.
All right, 38 minutes past the hour. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. European stocks lower. Asian stocks, U.S. futures up, but it was not a great week, folks.
The Dow closed 45 points lower Friday. It was a seven-day losing streak, the longest losing streak for stocks in four years. The Dow is now down 2.5 percent for the year. The trend could continue as investors watch how the Federal Reserve handles an interest rate hike many think it's coming next month.
Warren Buffett closing in on his largest deal ever. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is reportedly buying Precision Cast Parts. That's an Oregon-based Fortune 500 company that manufactures components for air space, power, and industrial companies. That deal worth $30 billion could be announced today.
It would add to Buffett's growing list of brands including Fruitaloom, Dairy Queen and Geico. And of course, he's got stakes in a lot of other big companies too.
All right, friends and fans this morning mourning the loss of an icon, Frank Gifford passed away this weekend. More on his life and legacy.
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[05:43:11]
ROMANS: Legendary football star and broadcaster, Frank Gifford, is being remembered this morning for his grace and quiet dignity. The Hall of Famer died of natural causes at his Connecticut home on Sunday.
The husband of talk show host Cathy Lee Gifford was the NFL's most valuable player in 1956. After a brilliant career on the grid iron, he successfully moved into the broadcast booth as an announcer and an analyst on Monday night football. Frank Gifford was 84.
Let's take a look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Michaela Pereira joins us now. Hi, Michaela.
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Christine. Obviously we are following on the breaking news happening overnight out of Ferguson.
Gunfire ringing out in Ferguson, Missouri during demonstrations marking the one-year anniversary since Michael Brown was killed. We will take you live to Ferguson for all of the latest.
We have the law enforcement experts lined up. We want to have conversations about how police community relations have changed and if they have changed at all in the last year and how healing has to at some point begin and be sustainable.
Also Donald Trump backing down after the comments that he made directed at Fox debate moderator, Megyn Kelly. You have been hearing about this all weekend. Many interpret it to mean that Kelly was, you know, that time of the month, when she grilled him on his record with women.
Well, Trump for his part, that's not the case. Could the latest controversy sink his poll numbers? We will talk to someone who knows him well. "Apprentice" contestant, Amarosa is joining us this morning on "NEW DAY."
ROMANS: I'll be very interested to hear what she has to say.
PEREIRA: Tune in to "NEW DAY."
ROMANS: So Donald Trump in another dust-up. Who would have thought? All right, thanks, Michaela. Talk to you soon. More of the day's top stories next.
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[05:48:35]
ROMANS: All right, Donald Trump not backing off from his controversial insults aimed at Fox News' debate moderator, Megyn Kelly. Listen to what he told CNN Friday night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions. You can see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever. In my opinion, she was off base.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So some of Trump's opponents claim the billionaire was suggesting that Megyn Kelly had been menstruating. Trump now says, quote, "Only a sick person would think that's what he meant." But as criticism mounts, some political strategists say this might be what turns the tide against Trump. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has more from Washington. SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, Donald Trump again not backing down, sticking to his guns refusing to apologize. Saying there is really nothing he believes he needs to apologize for. He says his comments were misinterpreted. Here is how he explains what he was trying to say on "STATE OF THE UNION" with Jake Tapper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP (via telephone): No, I said, blood was pouring from wherever. I wanted to get off the whole thing and back on to the subject of jobs or whatever we were talking to right after that.
I didn't say anything because I didn't finish the thought. I was going to say nose and/or ears because that's a common statement. It's a statement showing anger.
[05:50:07] She had great anger when she was questioning me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: And this gives an opening for many of the Republican candidates. Most notably Carly Fiorina as the only woman in the Republican field to come out and speak up against this.
She talked about times in her past in the corporate world that she had to put up with the same sort of insinuations herself. She called Trump's comments completely inappropriate and offensive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think presidential campaigns test character under pressure and over time. So it is a moderator's job to ask tough questions. All of the moderators asked tough questions of everyone. And so there's no excuse for personally attacking one of the moderators for asking a set of questions he didn't like.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SERFATY: Trump meanwhile fired back on Sunday afternoon at Fiorina taunting her a bit with this tweet writing quote, "I just realized if you listen to Carly Fiorina for more than 10 minutes straight, you develop a massive headache. She has zero chance."
And this comes as there's been some broader turmoil in the Trump campaign, another shakeup, the second one in two weeks, cutting ties with one of his top advisers, Roger Stone. Now Stone says he quit. The Trump campaign says they fired him. Regardless, Stone is leaving in part because of Trump's behavior like this -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right, Sunlen Serfaty for us in Washington, thank you.
New developments in the Hillary Clinton e-mail controversy this morning. The State Department spokesman confirming to CNN, the former secretary of state has now sworn to a federal judge she turned over all of her work related e-mails. Clinton and two of her aides were ordered to certify under penalty of perjury that they've turned over all government records in their possession.
Also happening today, Hillary Clinton kicks off a two-day campaign swing in New Hampshire. She is going to lay out what is said to be a cornerstone of her domestic agenda.
It's an expansive program to access higher education and help ease the burden of student debt, including helping people who have current student debt to refinance with lower rates.
Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, of course, has really gotten a lot of attention for his higher education plans. You know, he is going to the west coast again today, a visit to Oakland. Bernie Sanders, this follows the biggest rally of his campaign, 12,000 people in Seattle on Saturday.
That followed a planned speech earlier in the day that had to be scuttled. Black Lives Matter protesters confronted the senator and eventually that event was shutdown.
All right, are you ready for the iPhone 7? More details on Apple's next move coming up.
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[05:55:00]
ROMANS: Good morning. I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. U.S. stock futures pointing higher right now. It could mean a reversal of last week's drop. Stocks have been climbing for six years.
It turns out think can go down. They did last week. The Dow has closed lower for seven days in a row. It is the longest losing streak in four years. The Dow is 2.5 percent down for the year. Expect more volatility as the September interest rate hike looks likely.
All right, Hillary Clinton is unveiling her plan to make college more affordable today. The proposal is a centerpiece of the domestic agenda. It states guaranteed no loans at four-year schools and free tuition at community colleges will get more federal funds.
She is trying to propose basically debt-free college tuition at these public universities. Those people already repaying loans, she wants them to refinance student loans at the new lower interest rates. The total cost is $350 billion over ten years paid for by capping itemized tax deductions for the wealthy.
Now Clinton doesn't go as far as some candidates like Bernie Sanders who wants to eliminate tuition at public schools, period. But it certainly is Hillary Clinton's campaign recognizing that Bernie Sanders is getting a lot of energy on the college tuition front.
All right, get ready for a big Apple announcement on September 9th, the new generation of iPhones on Wednesday. It is expected to feature a better camera and faster processor plus something called forced touch display that detects how hard a user touches the surface. Apple may also unveil a new version of the iPad, a bigger 12.9-inch pro-model. The company unveiled the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6+ a year ago on the same date.
All right, shots fired in Ferguson a year to the day after Michael Brown's death. One man in surgery in grave condition after being shot by police. Police who say he fired at them first. "NEW DAY" picks up the story right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Shots fired in Ferguson, Missouri, a year to the day after Michael Brown was shot and killed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone in the streets started running. Two distinct different and shooting scenes here.
TRUMP: You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald Trump on the offensive.
TRUMP: You think I would make a stupid statement like that? Only a sick person would even think about it.
FIORINA: They were completely inappropriate and offensive comments.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We want to win. Do we want to insult 53 percent of all voters?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Monday, August 10th, 6:00 in the east. You got me, Mich and Ana Cabrera here this morning.
We have important news overnight. While you were sleeping, multiple shootings broke out on the first anniversary of Michael Brown's death. No riots. After peaceful protest all day long, night brought gunfire to the streets again.
PEREIRA: Reports of at least two rounds of gunfire. One in fact involving plain clothes officers responding after police say they came under heavy fire. The alleged shooter is in critical condition and undergoing surgery.
Let's get the very latest from Sara Sidner. She has been on scene all night and I understand, Sara, you witness some of that gunfire.
SIDNER: I did, got caught in the middle of it, though, as protesters squared up with police who were standing across West Florescent and those --