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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Americans Honored for Foiling Attack; North and South Korea Hold High-Level Talks; Joe Biden Leaning Towards 2016 Run?; Death Toll in Deadly U.K. Crash Could Rise to 20; Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired August 24, 2015 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:17] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Three Americans and a Britain honored as heroes in France for preventing a potential terror attack on a moving train Friday. We are live in Paris with what these men have to say about the stunning series of events.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Another day of talks on tap between North and South Korea. The reasons behind the latest dustup starting to emerge. Can war be prevented between these two neighbors?

HOWELL: And Joe Biden, he had a big meeting as he mulls a run for president of the United States. Who he sat down with and why it could really shake things up for the Democratic race for 2016. It will be interesting to see what this all comes together as.

Good morning to you and welcome to EARLY START. I'm George Howell in for John Berman this morning.

ROMANS: Nice to see you this Monday morning, George.

HOWELL: Good to be see you.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, August 24th. It's 4:00 a.m. in the East. And a lot going on this morning, folks.

First, three humble, heroic Americans being honored in France after preventing a possible massacre before it could happen Friday on a high speed train bound from Amsterdam to Paris. Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos subdued the gunman who French officials say has ties to radical Islam. The trio now speaking out about the incident for the very first time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEK SKARLATOS, AMERICAN WHO HELPED SUBDUED GUNMAN ON TRAIN: I feel our training mostly kicked in after this assailant was already subdued, frankly. When it came to medical care and things like that, and providing security and making sure there wasn't another shooter. But in the beginning it was mostly just gut instinct on survival basically.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Just gut instinct and survival. The three Americans and the British citizen receiving France's Legion of Honor medals and meeting President Francois Hollande. Overnight the suspect's lawyer painting a much different picture of the events the unfolded.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is live in Paris.

And Nic, that's just something to see these four everyday guys standing up there on the podium with the French president being awarded for their bravery, for their gut instincts.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And the French president couldn't have heed to anymore praise on them than he could. He said that these men are an inspiration for all of us. He talked about how they, you know, potentially they were going to sacrifice their own lives to save so many people. The man, the gunman on the train, his lawyer has tried to claim that he was merely on there to rob people and it found the weapons in the park.

The French president said that he had more than 300 bullets with him. There were 500 people on the train that these young American men potentially saved. Many, many lives. An ultimate carnage were the words that the French president used to describe the possible situation. For these young men themselves, this all for them something, as you say, still so hard to believe. And they've described their own actions this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER STONE, FRENCH TRAIN HERO: And I turned around and I saw he had what looked to be an AK-47. And he looked like it was jammed or wasn't working. And he was trying to charge the weapon and Alek just hit me on the shoulder and said let's go. And ran down, tackled him. We hit the ground. Alek came up and grabbed the gun out of his hand while I put him in a chokehold.

It seemed like he just kept pulling more weapons left and right. Put out a handgun. Alex took that. Took out a box cutter started jabbing at him with that. We let go. All three of us started punching him while he's in the middle of us. And I was able to grab him again and choke him unconscious while Alek was hitting him in the head with the pistol of the rifle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now the French president that they took an extraordinary risk, that they risked their own lives. And he's not just honoring them here today, not just giving them France's highest award. But what he's doing as well is trying to show the French people, the people around the world that they should be an inspiration. He took the words of Anthony Sadler, one of those three young men there who said when you're faced with a crisis, you have to act.

And that's what the French president said. He repeated those words. Quoting Anthony Sadler. Quite something to happen in that alone. But he said, you know, that the French with the Transport and Interior Ministry to work with the Transport services here to tighten up on security. But the message he said here and for the example of these young American heroes as they're being called here, is that we all have a role to play when faced with terrorism. That we are strong when we're united. That's what the French president said -- Christine.

ROMANS: Certainly a reminder that there is a danger on public transport. Certainly a reminder of this lone wolf threat. But let's not give short trip to the British gentleman who jumped in with them to help when he saw them running down the train corridor. You know, it's a reminder that you don't know how you're going to react, I think, Nic, until something actually happens. You know, that there were other heroes on that train, I think.

[04:05:17] ROBERTSON: There were. The president paid tribute to one of them. A Frenchman who doesn't want to be named and made public. And he will receive an honor later. The French president said he paid tribute to as well. The -- some of the train staff who'd helped in the aftermath of the attack and the subduing. He paid tribute to them as well. There was another French-American who was shot, badly wounded in the neck.

Spencer Stone saved his life. That's what the French president said. Saved this man's life by literally putting his fingers on a bleeding artery in this American-French professor's neck saved his life on that train.

ROMANS: Wow.

ROBERTSON: Not an -- not just an honor, but an example for everyone. It's a very high tribute that this French president has paid here. And I have to say we're talking to people all across this country this weekend. They all say that these young French men deserve all the honor and respect that they are being given -- Christine.

ROMANS: These young Americans, these three young Americans.

Thank you so much for that, Nic. What a story. Thank you.

HOWELL: So good that it ended the way it did.

Now on to the Korean peninsula. Tensions and rhetoric remain high there. Over the weekend, North and South Korea, they've been holding high level talks, meeting a historic Truce Village there inside the Demilitarized Zone. The talks are taking place against the backdrop of mutual distrust.

Let's go to straight to Seoul, CNN's Kyung Lah following developments there.

Kyung, good morning to you. What are the latest takeaways from the round of talks so far.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, no specific takeaway yet. We don't know if anything has actually been accomplished yet. What we do know is that these talks have been very long. The second round stretching well beyond 24 hours.

We are getting an indication of what is likely to be a major stumbling block. South Korea's president says she is demanding an apology from North Korea. She wants North Korea to apologize for putting landmines in the DMZ injuring two soldiers. She says without that, she will not remove speakers that had been placed along the DMZ on the South blasting propaganda into the North.

This sort of propaganda, which is being called propaganda where it's news and pop music, North Korea views as a major insult. So these talks long and difficult. Meanwhile, South Korea's Defense Ministry says that they're detecting troop movements on the North. South Korea's Defense Ministry saying that they have detected a doubling of artillery forces on the North. They've also seen 70 percent of submarines on the northern side leaving their bases.

So while all of these talks have been about peace, George, certainly what we're seeing on the ground indicates preparations for some sort of conflict -- George.

HOWELL: So the talks continue and you say that North Korea, according to reporting, is building up its military. I know that that area right around the DMZ has been evacuated, but for people nearby, is there still a great deal of concern even as these talks continue?

LAH: That evacuation order has not been lifted. But what we are hearing is that people are no longer in the shelters. A lot of this, as you just get numb to it. Those small towns right along the DMZ, even though it is dangerous, even though the government is urging them to stay in those shelters, a lot of them simply are not, now that these talks are stretching into days.

HOWELL: CNN's Kyung Lah live in Seoul, South Korea. Kyung, thank you so much for the reporting. We'll stay in touch with you.

ROMANS: All right, now to politics. There is more speculation this morning that Vice President Joe Biden could be leaning toward a run for president in 2016. It follows reports Biden met this weekend with a key influential Democrat, Senator Elizabeth Warren, to talk about it.

We get more from CNN's Athena Jones in Washington.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, George and Christine. This is probably the biggest political story of the weekend, certainly on the Democratic side. My colleague Jeff Zeleny broke this story.

We've learned that this meeting took place at the vice president's request and lasted about two hours. And we're told that during the meeting, the vice president said he was seriously thinking about making another run for the White House. This would be his third bid for the presidency. He asked Senator Warren for her thoughts on that. They talked about economic policy, they talked about foreign policy.

This is significant because of course Senator Warren is something of a liberal icon. She has a lot of fans, fans who have been pushing her to make her own bid for the White House in 2016. She's declined to do that. She's going to be sitting this out and she hasn't endorsed any candidates. So an interesting tidbit to learn about over the weekend, this meeting between the two of them. But Senator Warren is not the only big name Democrat the vice

president has met with. Democratic candidate Jim Webb, the former senator from Virginia, talked about his own meeting with the vice president on "STATE OF THE UNION." Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:10:06] JIM WEBB (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I met with Joe Biden for an hour one-on-one last month. I have great regard for Joe Biden. And I think his family and him personally have shown a tremendous amount of dignity over the past several months that have gained the respect of the whole country.

Private meetings are best left that way. And I wouldn't get into another individual's potential campaign. But it doesn't surprise me that he's sitting and talking to someone who has a strong economic affairs and issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: So there you have it, the meeting with Senator Warren part of a series of meetings. Now we know the vice president has told his associates that he plans to make a decision about whether he's going to mount this third run in about the next month. His advisers have told him that he has to decide by October 1st. So that's the time period we're looking at. We should know by early October what the vice president has decided. Back to you, guys.

HOWELL: Athena Jones, thank you.

And on the Republican side, Donald Trump, he says he is willing to take donations to his campaign but not from lobbyists who expect something in return. No strings attached. And Trump continued his attack on Republican rival Jeb Bush on the Sunday talk shows, questioning whether Bush has what it takes to be president. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't mind Jeb Bush. I think he's a nice person. I just don't think he has the energy. You need energy to this job. You need -- you can't be soft. And we need -- we're a country that's in trouble. We need a person with a lot of smarts, a lot of cunning and a lot of energy. And Jeb doesn't have that. I think he's a very nice person. If he became president, good luck. It's another Bush. It's going to be the same old story.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Jeb Bush for his part heads to the Texas-Mexico border today to talk immigration and border security with officials in McAllen, Texas. He's getting support from Hispanic Republicans who admit his use of the term anchor babies is offensive but don't see it as a major setback for the Bush campaign.

Meanwhile Republican Ben Carson is raising some eyebrows. He is advocating drone strikes to secure the border with Mexico. He tried to clarify that position on CNN Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wouldn't there be some instances where perhaps innocent lives might get killed?

DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Listen. Read my lips.

ACOSTA: Yes. Please. Let's do it. Let's read --

CARSON: Listen very carefully to what I'm saying. I said there are caves, there are caves that they utilize. Those caves can be eliminated. There are a number of possibilities. That could be one of them. I'm not talking about killing people. No people with drones.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Carson saying to read his lips, also said the National Guard should be used to help secure the southern U.S. border.

ROMANS: All right. Time for an EARLY START on your money. A brutal, ugly morning for world stock markets, folks. Asian stocks plunging right now.

I want you to look at Shanghai's benchmark index down 8.5 percent just today. European stocks are diving. U.S. stock futures, look at that Dow futures arrow down 2 percent. That's a huge move and it means more pain just like Friday. The Dow on Friday tumbling a stunning 531 points. The biggest one day drop in four years.

Overall, the Dow plummeted more than 1,000 points last week. The stock market is in correction territory down more than 10 percent for the first time since 2011. So why? Major concerns about China's economy. Uncertainty over the Fed's interest rate hike, when that will happen, and tumbling oil prices. Oil is now below $40 a barrel for the first time since 2009. That's because of a booming supply and weakening demand.

The global commodity selloff is raging this morning. Aluminum, zinc and copper, all tumbling. And, you know, George, when copper falls, it's down more than -- it's at a six-year low right now, that is a good gauge for industrial demand, when you have copper plunging like that, it tells you that there are concerns about worldwide demand. Mostly from China but worldwide demand so you're going to see some pain in the stock market and in your 401(k) today.

HOWELL: You get a sense this is long term?

ROMANS: Well, I think, you know, sometimes you see a big selloff like we did last week and then you find buyers. We're not finding those buyers right now.

HOWELL: Right.

ROMANS: We had, you know, record highs in the stock market just a few months ago so a lot of people were saying a correction was necessary. A lot of people saying that you need a correction but you're right in the middle of it right now. And it feels ugly.

HOWELL: Bleak. It is bleak.

ROMANS: Yes. All right. A popular air show in the U.K. turns tragic. A plane comes crashing down on a busy road. The death toll and anger are both climbing this morning. We're live in the U.K. next.

[04:14:48]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: The future of air shows in the U.K. in doubt this morning after a deadly crash Saturday near Brighton with a military jet slamming into cars on a busy highway. The death toll now climbing. Reports say the death toll could go as high as 20. Investigators trying to figure out what went so tragically wrong.

CNN's Ian Lee live from Shoreham, England this morning.

Just, just a terrible story, Ian.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Christine. And we're just on the edge of the cordon by police. I don't know if you can see it but that wind sock and past that the white building, that is where the crash is. That is how far they're keeping us away because there is still hazardous materials there, still jet fuel. Today they're expecting to remove the aircraft. They're bringing in a crane to haul it away. And that's when they expect to find more bodies.

And one of the biggest indicators that they believe there are more bodies out there are families are still calling, saying that their loved ones are missing. And they say that is one of the main reasons they think people are still out there. And it's easy to see why. That huge fireball, the crash was enormous. And police very carefully going through it to figure out what happened and to recover those bodies.

ROMANS: All right, Ian Lee, thank you for that. Again the death toll could rise to 20. Just really -- just a devastating scene there. Thanks, Ian.

HOWELL: A race car driver is fighting for his life after a crash. We'll have more on this story next.

[04:19:30]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Welcome back. The governor of Washington state taking an unprecedented step in the battle against wildfires that have scorched more than 500,000 acres. The crews stretched thin, the state is inviting qualified civilian volunteers to help fight these fires. At least 16 large fires are now burning across Washington, some 200 homes destroyed, thousands more are threatened by the spreading smoke and flames.

HOWELL: These fires really intense there in Okanagan County.

Indy race car driver Justin Wilson is fighting for his life after he was struck in the head by a debris from a car that crashed right in front of him during Sunday's event at Pocono Race Way. It sent Wilson's car crashing into the wall, you see there. The driver, 37- year-old driver was then air lifted to a hospital. Officials say presently he is in a coma and in critical condition.

ROMANS: Certainly wish him well.

HOWELL: Yes.

ROMANS: An apology from NFL Hall of Famer Chris Carter. ESPN and the NFL condemning comments made by the former wide receiver on a video from 2014 Rookie Symposium. Carter who works as an analyst for ESPN captured on camera advising first year players to have a fall guy in their crew in case they get in trouble.

Now Carter is backing away from those comments tweeting, "Seeing that video has made me realize how wrong I was. I was brought there to educate young people and instead I gave them very bad advice. Every person should take responsibility for his own actions. I'm sorry and I truly regret what I said that day."

ESPN also releasing a statement saying they completely disagree with Carter's remarks and have made that extremely clear to him.

HOWELL: Underscoring the word wrong.

It is two for the price of one at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a pair of beautiful baby cubs Saturday night. Zookeepers had no idea that the second was on the way, scrambling to assist Mei when she went back into labor. Four hours after delivering her first cub. This is only the third time giant panda twins have been born in the United States. So far, mom and her babies are said to be doing just fine.

[04:25:02] ROMANS: All right. A high honor for three Americans. This is such an amazing story. These three Americans helped fight off a possible terror attack in France.

We're live in Paris with the details on their meeting with the French president.

HOWELL: What a day for them.

ROMANS: And what the terror suspect's lawyer now claims really happened.

HOWELL: Right.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Three Americans getting a hero's welcome in Paris. They're being recognized for stopping a potential terror attack on a train headed for Paris. We're live in France with more on the ceremonies and what these three Americans have to say.

HOWELL: What an amazing story.

On the brink of war. North and South Korea getting ready for another day of talks in the DMZ. Both sides digging in. Both sides with high demands. Can Seoul and Pyongyang avoid further escalation? We look into it.

ROMANS: Joe Biden sitting down with a top Democrat about a potential 2016 run for the White House. Who he sat down with and what it means now that he's expanding the talks outside his inner circle. The plot thickens.

HOWELL: The questions swirl.

(LAUGHTER)

ROMANS: Welcome back to EARLY START this Monday morning. I'm Christine Romans.

HOWELL: And I'm George Howell in for John Berman. It is 29 minutes past the hour. And let's start this block with the story of three Americans and a British citizen honored in France for their bravery after shutting down a possible massacre before it could actually happen on Friday. All of this played out on a high speed train from Amsterdam to Paris.

The Americans, Alek -- Skarlatos, I should say, I'm sorry, Spencer Stone --

ROMANS: I tripped on it three times.

HOWELL: Got me this time. And Anthony Sadler. People are not tripping on those names now because these men did a heroic thing. They subdued a gunman who French officials say has ties to radical Islam. The trio is now speaking out about that incident for the first time. Listen to this.