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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
The Race for President Moves to Iowa; U.S. Embassy Opens in Cuba; China Explosions: Death Toll Rises. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired August 14, 2015 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:29] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The race for president taking center stage in Iowa. Candidates moving in on the Hawkeye State to make their case to voters. Details ahead.
In just hours, the American flag will fly again in Havana. The U.S. embassy opening for the first time in more than 50 years.
The fire is still burning after the deadly explosion in China. New video capturing that devastation. We are live.
Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, August 14th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the east. Nice to see you all this morning.
This morning, presidential candidates descend on Des Moines for the Iowa state fair. It's an all but required early stop on the campaign trail, a chance for face time with some of the 1 million Iowans who attend the fair and who may go on to select the state's presidential nominees at the Iowa caucuses next February.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny is there with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Christine, and hello from the Iowa state fair.
For the next week and a half, it is Ground Zero in the presidential campaign. Jeb Bush is coming here to give a speech and meet with voters.
This is a key test for presidential candidates, one of those rites of passage for the summer where Republican candidates and Democratic candidates alike come and press the flesh, if you will. They give speeches, they answer questions, sometimes we have seen defining moments when voters challenge candidates on specific things.
Christine, we are looking forward to a big weekend here at the Iowa state fair. Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton will both be on the same grounds in the same proximity on Saturday. Donald Trump may bring his famous helicopter in. We'll see about that.
But, Christine, this really gives voters a chance to take a measure of candidates, to see how they interact with people, what their likability test is. If the old adage is who do you want to have a beer with is a test for presidential candidates, that's exactly what you can do here on the grounds for the Iowa fairgrounds.
So, for the next ten days, about the next week and a half, every single candidate, more than 17 or so on both sides, will be coming here to give speeches and meet these voters, Christine, six months before the Iowa caucuses. But over the next couple of days, this is a pretty defining time.
Sure wish you were here. We'd have a good corn dog and maybe even a pork chop on a stick -- Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Pork chop on a stick, for sure. Ten days of deep fried politics, blue ribbon politics look for you there.
All right. Jeb Bush hits the Iowa state fair in just a few hours. Yesterday, on the first day of the swing through the state, he defended his brother's decision to invade Iraq in 2003. At a college in Davenport, Jeb Bush said the Obama administration inherited a fragile, but secure Iran from George W. Bush in 2009. Then the Obama allowed ISIS emerged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MODERATOR: Had we not invaded Iraq in the first place, we wouldn't be dealing this ISIS problem?
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, who knows? This is such a complicated hypothetical. I can't answer that. I'll tell you though that taking out Saddam Hussein turned out to be a good deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The candidate polling second in Iowa suddenly on the defensive.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson trying to square his past use of tissue from aborted fetuses for medical research with his current for defunding Planned Parenthood.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To not use the tissue that is in the tissue bank regardless of where it comes from would be a foolish thing. That's a very different thing from killing babies, manipulating them, taking their tissues, selling them. That's a different thing. To try to equate those two things is absolutely ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Carly Fiorina barnstorming Iowa from her new perch as a top- tier candidate. The former Hewlett-Packard CEO highlighting her strength at a town hall as someone who can shakeup Washington and get things done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That means we have to challenge the status quo of Washington, something that the political class really hasn't been willing to do for a long time. And I think that's why you see so many people saying, I don't care if you have been in politics all your life. What I care about is, do you understand how to translate a good speech into real results?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Fiorina standing out controversial position at that same town hall. She said parents should not be forced to get their children vaccinated. She later added that school districts can still bar unvaccinated children, though, from attending.
Republicans don't have the fair to themselves, of course. There's some Democrats there. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton pushing her plan for making higher education more affordable. She's at a town hall in Dubuque. Then tonight, she crosses paths with three other Democratic contenders, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chafee at a fundraiser at Clear Lake called the Iowa Democratic Party Wing Ding.
[04:05:11] Democratic contenders could soon have a formidable rival in the 2016 race. Vice President Joe Biden reportedly is spending his South Carolina beach vacation consulting a family and supporters and weighing the idea of launching a campaign.
CNN White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Christine.
Right, this has been one of the big mysteries of this race. Is Joe Biden running or not? Even people close to him, when you ask them, they've been saying that they don't know because he himself is still wrestling with that decision.
Well, now we know that while he has been on vacation this week with his wife on this tiny island off the coast of South Carolina, he has been doing some reaching out to people close to him on that possibility.
Other people are starting to weigh in now, too. Hillary Clinton said she will respect whatever decision he makes, although some supporters have very publicly questioned whether it might not be too late in the game, whether it's the best decision for him or not. Martin O'Malley just said he would welcome Biden's voice in the race.
And Donald Trump wasted no time in treating Biden as an opponent by slamming him.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think I'd match up great. I'm a job producer. I have a great record. I haven't been involved in plagiarism. I think I would match up very well against Biden.
KOSINSKI: Well, he's referring to some issues Biden had back in law school, as well as during his 1988 campaign when he was accused of using somebody's line during a speech.
But you look at some new numbers. The CNN/ORC poll. It's pretty interesting, it puts Biden at number three of likely Iowa caucus goers with 12 percent of the support. He hasn't even announced yet.
Those close to him have said they feel sorry for him. He needs to make this decision during such a tough time personally with his son Beau dying just in May. They say he's still mourning his son and his son had urged him to take this chance and run with it, what could be his third and final chance to run for president.
But it looks like that decision now could be coming quite soon -- Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Michelle Kosinski for us -- thank you for that, Michelle.
In just about six hours, history and the American flag will unfold in Havana. Secretary of State John Kerry heading to the island nation to raise the Stars and Stripes over the newly reopened embassy in Havana.
As CNN's Jake Tapper reports, once the cheering and the ceremonies end, that's where the difficulty begins.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias from Havana, Cuba, Christine.
It is a hugely enormous day in Cuban and American history. Later today, Secretary of State John Kerry will come down and he will raise the American flag at the U.S. embassy here. The first time that flag has been flown here since January, 1961 when President Dwight Eisenhower ended diplomatic relations between the countries. In fact, the three marines who lowered that flag are going to be here today for that ceremony.
It's a day full of excitement and history. It's also a day with some criticism. Some dissidents here in this country expressing real disappointment to us, talking about how the Obama administration gave up too much, didn't demand enough in terms of human rights and other concessions regarding freedom from the Cuban government. But no matter what you think about what's going to happen later today, it is a significant day. We will bring it all to you live later on -- Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Can't wait for that. Indeed, history there unfolding with the flag. Thanks for that, Jake. Breaking news this morning. Greek lawmakers have just approved the country's third bailout after a marathon night of debate. But there are still hurdles to overcome. The loan needs to be given the green light by the eurozone finance ministers. They meet later today.
The $95 million agreement will secure the future in the E.U. It includes tax increases and spending cuts.
A quick check of the markets right now. Asian shares mixed. European shares and U.S. futures are higher. China allowed the value of the currency rise by a fraction of a percentage point. That ended three days of declines, the sudden devaluation.
And worries over China's economy pushing oil prices even lower. Big move in oil, folks, really important to note here. That the price of crude at a six-year low. Growth concerns, booming supply. Look at that, $42 a barrel, unlikely to hold about how much the supply the world is awash with, with oil.
Nine minutes past the hour.
Disturbing new information in the war against ISIS. Terrorists believed to now be using chemical weapons. Details in the investigation, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:12:58] ROMANS: A troubling new development in the war against ISIS. Pentagon officials believe the terrorist group is using chemical weapons against Kurdish fighters in Iraq. It's the first indication ISIS has obtained or can manufacture the bad agents.
We've got from CNN's chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, the U.S. believes it has credible information that ISIS used this chemical agent mustard gas, extremely powerful, dates back to World War I, outlawed in fact after World War I.
Why do they find it credible? Basically, the symptoms of these Kurdish soldiers attacked with it in northern Iraq, both breathing difficulty after the attack, but also signs of blistering on their skin. Mustard gas is a blistering agent.
Two explanations for how ISIS have gotten this. Either they overran old Iraqi security caches or officials say it's also possible that they figured out how to make this themselves and weaponized it. Both of those explanations frankly are alarming. It would be a real concern.
U.S. officials say, listen, in terms of the battle field calculus, this is not a major game changer, but chemical weapons are a weapon of fear, much like terrorism, much like the headings that ISIS has been carrying out. That's a factor on the battle field.
But also this, you've heard some U.S. officials mention putting U.S. soldiers closer to the frontlines either as spotters for air strikes or possibly forward deployed advisers. This, of course, would have to be added to the dangers that they might face on the battle field certainly, part of that calculation.
It is regardless of the explanation and still they have to confirm this was mustard gas. If it is confirmed, this is a very alarming development -- Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Yes, alarming indeed. Jim Sciutto, thank you for that.
To northern China now where hundreds of chemical specialists are now at the site of the devastating explosions that left a port city in ruins.
[04:15:00] More than 1,000 firefighters still dealing with hot spots and executives of the hazardous chemicals company at the warehouse where it all started, they are now in custody.
Will Ripley has been in Tianjin since the story broke. He joins us with the latest -- Will.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, we are learning more about this facility that was housing these dangerous chemicals. Given that this is a shipping port, this was a temporary storage facility handling some 50,000 tons of toxic chemicals, a variety of different agents and chemicals every single year. And they usually didn't stay there for more than 40 days. That's why the chemical and biological experts are trying to get a handle on exactly what was in the facility at the time of the fire and explosions.
There is a new fear here because there is rain in the forecast and some of the chemical agents known to be there have a volatile reaction with water. What that could mean? Dangerous air quality once again if these chemicals come in contact with water, which is why you see a lot of people around here continuing to wear face masks and continue to worry not only about the air quality, but also the unknown contamination to the water supply. They have not been able to assess that yet.
We are at one of ten relocation centers in Beijing. This is where they are handing out food and water and supplies to the thousands of people who can forced out of their homes from the three large communities near the blast site that the buildings are essentially unlivable right now.
People, this is a well-organized response I have to say. People are getting food and supplies.
But one thing I want to point out to you that's so touching, Christine, you see all these people, you see a lot of guys and women wearing the plastic sandals. That's because they were so fearful, they ran out side with what they were sleeping in. They're -- in many cases, their underwear, and they didn't have shoes. They have to give people everything here just so they can get by -- Christine.
ROMANS: Will Ripley, certainly, a tragedy there and investigation underway. Thanks, Will.
Seventeen minutes past the hour.
A deadly roller coaster accident, one of America's most popular theme parks. A 45-year-old school teacher, identified as James Young of East Canton, Ohio, killed Thursday evening at Cedar Point, moments after getting off the rafter roller coaster. Young apparently lost his cell phone. What he did next cost him his life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL FROST, SANDUSKY ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF: Information received from friends of Mr. Young is that Mr. Young rode the Raptor roller coaster. While riding the ride, lost some of his personal belongings. After completing the ride, Mr. Young decided to retrieve these items. He jumped over a fence in a restricted area under the Raptor and was looking for his belongings. Mr. Young was struck by the Raptor train that was in operation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The raptor roller coaster travels at speeds up to 57 miles per hour.
Connecticut's Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in the state. The justices ruling it would be unconstitutional to execute any of the 11 death row inmates. The decision comes three years after Connecticut abolished death penalty while leaving existing death sentences intact. The justices list inherent racial bias as one of the factors leading to their decision.
St. Louis County authorities extending the state of emergency in Ferguson, Missouri through today. This as the teen shot and critically injured by police in the exchange of gunfire Sunday is recovering. Reportedly, he is in stable condition. Eighteen-year-old Tyrone Harris Jr. is accused at firing at police during the mostly peaceful protests, commemorating one year since the death of Michael Brown.
According to court records, detectives pursued and fired at Harris after they saw him shooting a gun during a firefight between two groups and after he shot at this unmarked car. Police say Harris was already out on bail on other charges.
The head of the EPA announcing the agency is halting all field work in mines. The woman who runs the EPA says the EPA is determined to never let what happened in Colorado take place again. A week ago, crews accidentally dumped waste water in the Animas River while working in an abandoned goldmine. The water stained orange by the toxic sludge, but officials say containment levels are going down. The head of the EPA said she expects congressional discussions on how to safely address other closed mines.
Forecasters now saying the phenomenon known as El Nino could be the strongest on record since 1950. El Nino, an occasional warming of the Pacific waters around the equator can change weather patterns around the globe. In the U.S., it usually means heavier than normal rain in California and much of the south and east. It also suppresses hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.
Thunderstorms expected to pop up all over the country today. Let's turn to Derek Van Dam for the forecast.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Great Friday morning, Christine.
[04:20:00] Even though the mercury and the thermometer starting to climb along the East Coast, the good news is there is still blue sunny skies overhead. That will continue into Friday, sunny and hot with windy conditions across the southwest.
We do have an impulse that's moving across the Pacific Northwest. That will trigger stronger thunderstorms, possibility of damaging winds and large hail exists later today for Western Montana and portions of Idaho. But on top of the severe weather threat, we have upwards of 50 large wildfires burning out of control over the western U.S. still red flag warnings from Washington and Oregon, as well as Idaho and portions of Montana.
So some of those thunderstorms could create lightning that triggers off more wildfires. Elsewhere across the southeast, a stationary front will bring more rainfall to Florida this weekend, anywhere between two and four inches, especially across the south. Look at the difference in the temperatures from yesterday compared to today. The temperatures will continue to warm through the course of the weekend.
Back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Derek, thank you.
Reports of unauthorized drones soaring. The alarming problems facing aircraft pilots, ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: The FAA growing increasingly concerned about the number of drone sightings reported by pilots. Hundreds of close encounters so far this year, some of them at altitudes approaching 10,000 feet. Officials fearing it's only a matter of time before disaster strikes.
We get more from CNN aviation correspondent Rene Marsh.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[04:25:00] RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, they are in the sky by the hundreds, flying dangerous close to passenger planes. The number of close calls reported have more than doubled, and now, the FAA and pilots are expressing concern.
So far this year, the FAA has received more than 650 drone sighting reports from pilots. Compare that to 238 in all of 2014. Now, despite FAA rules that forbid flying above 400 feet near commercial planes or near an airport, hundreds and hundreds of drone operators have gone rogue.
Now, part of the problem is anyone can buy one of these drones online or at the mall for a couple hundred dollars and they don't need any training or aviation experience. But drone lobbyists blame the FAA for the spike in close calls saying the agency needs to be more aggressive in going after these rogue operators.
We should point out that the FAA has said it could be catastrophic if one of the drones strikes an airplane engine or even a wind shield of a cockpit. No testing has been done to see how much damage a drone could actually do -- Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Certainly troubling. Rene Marsh, thank you for that.
The race for president taking place on the state fairgrounds. Candidates in Iowa making their case to voters. Maybe having a funnel cake, maybe judging some pigs. No, they are just trying to become president. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Pork chops and candidates, the race for president moving to the Iowa state fair. How a soap box could help them get votes, ahead.
In just hours, history and the American will unfold over Havana.
