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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
CNN Debate Stages are Set; Biden's Emotional "Late Night" Interview; Clinton Support Plummets in New CNN Poll; Tom Brady Shines in NFL Season Opener. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired September 11, 2015 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: But Commissioner Roger Goodell wants more. He says he wants to double the league's revenue to $25 billion to the year 2027.
[05:00:04] With people like John Berman watching and his children, maybe he'll get there.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: He wants to inflate the revenue, Roger Goodell. Patriots win.
EARLY START continues right now.
(MUSIC)
BERMAN: The stage is set. The CNN Republican presidential debate, we know where Donald Trump will be on the stage. We know who will be there with him. And we know the insults are flying.
ROMANS: Joe Biden in a late night interview with Stephen Colbert. Emotional, candid and expressing doubt that he's ready to run for president.
BERMAN: A new CNN poll shows Hillary Clinton support slipping. Pretty big across the country. Does she have the right strategy to dig out of this hole and regain the momentum?
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is Friday, September 11th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East this Friday morning. Nice to see you.
Brand new this morning: at long last, we know where they will stand. The official staging for the CNN debate.
CNN has announced that Donald Trump will be center stage next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Where will you be?
That location determined by his standing at the top of the polls. The most notable addition to the main stage, Carly Fiorina now eligible after CNN changes the requirements. Trump and Fiorina will be joined by Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, John Kasich and Chris Christie.
The undercard debate starting at 6:00 Eastern will include Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki and Lindsey Graham. These debates are looking even more crucial and contentious with the race heating up and getting much more personal.
CNN's Sara Murray has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning, John and Christine.
The gloves are coming off on the Republican side. Candidates are trading insults as Donald Trump dominates the Republican field. Our CNN/ORC poll shows Donald Trump ahead with 32 percent among Republican supporters, a wide lead over Ben Carson who's at 19 percent support, but gaining momentum. Both candidates far ahead of Jeb Bush who comes in at 9 support.
And the tenor of this campaign has really changed over the last couple of days. You're seeing Trump insulting Carly Fiorina about her looks.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS: You want to take this back about Carly Fiorina?
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Many of those comments are made as an entertainer because I did "The Apprentice." It was one of the top shows on television. I decided not to do it again because I wanted to run for president. But some comments were made as an entertainer. And as every said, as an entertainer, it's a much different ball game.
MURRAY: Christine, Ben Carson insult Donald Trump about his faith, and Bobby Jindal even laid into Donald Trump, calling him a carnival act and an egomaniac.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R-LA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What's more dangerous is, here's got -- we got a man, there's no ideology, there's no policy, there's no intellectual curiosity. He is only for himself. He said his favorite book is the Bible. He couldn't name one verse that he liked, that had an impact on his life.
Wolf, I don't think he's read the Bible because he's not in it. This is a complete narcissist. It's been a fun show. The idea of Donald Trump is great. The reality is awful.
MURRAY: Now, we had Jeb Bush on CNN. He said he agreed with everything Bobby Jindal had to say about Donald Trump.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think he believes that he can insult his way to presidency. And I don't think history is a pretty good guide for that. I think he needs to begin to say what's his vision is for the future. And up until now, I think Governor Jindal is absolutely correct. That he is not a serious candidate.
MURRAY: Now, those comments alone give you an idea of how this debate has moved beyond the substance of the candidates to attacks over their personality, getting much more vicious more quickly than many people intended.
As for Bobby Jindal, it will be difficult to see whether this will actually help him in the polls. He is much further behind Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, even Ben Carson.
John and Christine, back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BERMAN: All right. Fascinating.
You know what, though? The most important and surprising political story overnight may have been this. Joe Biden, very emotional, casting some doubt it seems on the potential bid for the presidency. This came during a remarkable appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
The vice president spoke about his faith, his parents and the pain -- raw pain from the death of his son Beau. But he did speak at length his plans for the future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, I don't think any man or woman should run for president unless, number one, they know exactly why they would want to be president, and two, they can look at folks out there and say, I promise you, you have my whole heart, my whole soul, my energy and my passion to do this. And I'd be lying if I said that I knew I was there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: He doesn't know he's there. It's fascinating to hear him say that. So candid with Colbert, especially with how he's coping with the loss of his son.
[05:05:04] He told a story about a moments during a recent visit to a military base.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I was talking about them being the backbone and sinew of this country. And all of a sudden, it's going great. A guy in the back yells, "Major Beau Biden, Bronze Star, sir, served with him in Iraq." And all of a sudden, I lost it. How could you -- I mean, that's not -- I shouldn't be saying. But that --
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST: You know, we --
BIDEN: You can't do that. You can't do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Really just -- what an interview. You know, how he was so candid and so raw, really, I think.
BERMAN: You know, look, Stephen Colbert, we talked about it. Stephen Colbert lost his father and two siblings in a plane crash. So, Colbert knows loss and knows suffering. And that's what made that discussion so interesting.
ROMANS: Both of them also devout in their faith, interesting parallels between the two.
Troubling news overnight for Hillary Clinton's campaign. A new CNN/ORC poll shows support for Clinton sliding against Republican candidates and a more immediate concern against her Democrat opponents. Clinton's lead now cut to just 10 points over Bernie Sanders, compare that to last month, Clinton was 18 points ahead, or June, her lead was 43 points.
The picture even grimmer for Clinton in early voting states like Iowa, or New Hampshire, where Sanders is neck and neck with Clinton in the polls. Or even Sanders ahead in some polls.
Sanders tells Wolf Blitzer even he is shocked at the speed of his surge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I'm stunned. Look, we have a message that I believe from day one was going to resonate with the American people. Did I think they would resonate as quickly as they have? The answer is no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: I thought they'd listen some. I didn't think they'd listen that much that quickly.
ROMANS: He had such big crowds in Iowa and New Hampshire. It's really -- from the very beginning, it startled him. He had to move venues much like Donald Trump because he had so many people.
BERMAN: So, what is Hillary Clinton doing about this? Not talking about Sanders so much. She is talking about the Republicans she could face in a general election if she gets there. She blasted Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker on his home turf in a speech at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. And in Ohio, she took a shot at Donald Trump and what Trump has been saying about Carly Fiorina though she didn't exactly mention Trump's name.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We hear from candidates on the other side about turning back the clock on women's rights. There is one particular candidate who just seems to delight in insulting women every chance he gets. I have to say if he emerges, I would love to debate him.
Now, it seems to me just observing him that Governor Walker thinks because he busts unions and starves universities, guts public education, demeans women, scapegoats teachers, nurses, and firefighters. He is some kind of tough guy on his motorcycle, a real leader.
Well, that is not leadership, folks. Leadership means fighting for the people you represent and putting their interests first.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The campaign has been talking about the fact we may see Clinton's more fun side or personal side. You are looking at it with the appearance with Ellen DeGeneres. Here she is trying to dance "The Nae-nae." Judge it for yourself. She appears on "Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on September 16th.
ROMANS: All right. Democrats in the Senate, though, handed a major victory to President Obama. They rejected the nuclear deal with Iran. That means the historic measure will go into effect without a veto showdown between the White House and Congress. The Iran deal did not have the support of a single Republican senator.
BERMAN: Did the CIA miss a chance to identify and possibly rescue American hostage Warren Weinstein months before he was accidentally killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan? A report in "The Washington Post" says the CIA detected a possible western hostage being held by al Qaeda but failed to continue drone surveillance. The apparent surveillance lapsed as part of the internal investigation into Weinstein's death.
ROMANS: All right. Time for an early start on your money this morning this morning, nine minutes past the hour.
Asian markets closed, mostly lower for the weekend. European U.S. stock futures are also down. Let's look at the score from yesterday. Dow climbed 77 points, the S&P and NASDAQ also up a bit.
New York could become the first state in the nation with the first $15 minimum wage, $15 minimum wage for all profession. Governor Cuomo will push the state legislature to adopt that wage. He has a big ally on higher wages. The Vice President Joe Biden, in town to appear on Colbert.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[05:10:00] BIDEN: It's reasonable. It's rational. It's the right thing to do. And the federal minimum wage needs to be raised. It's been ten years since Congress has increased it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Biden calls stagnant wages the single biggest issue facing the economy. And he says the missing piece of the economic recovery for him and his boss. Cuomo announced New York wage approved a $15 wage for fast food workers. He now wants it to be construction workers, retail workers, all workers in the state, $15 an hour.
Restaurant owners not surprisingly not happy with the increase. The New York State Restaurant Association says the increase will cause a host of negative unintended consequences.
John, we heard again and again from the small business owners, and the business community that when you raise wages, especially something like $15 an hour, it means fewer hours for their low wage workers. It means fewer jobs, new jobs and maybe higher menu prices.
BERMAN: Their opposition has been long and known on this. But change is afoot.
ROMANS: And it's falling on deaf ears in many of these states.
BERMAN: It is September 11th. The nation will pause this morning for events at the World Trade Center and Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to remember the attacks on this day 14 years ago. Names of the nearly 3,000 people who died at the World Trade Center in 2001 and the 1993 attacks there, they will be read at the site.
The president and first lady will observe a moment of silence at the White House. That comes at 8:45 this morning.
ROMANS: Yes. And on Wall Street, they'll stop and they'll pause at the moment when the planes hit. There will be a moment of silence there. It is an emotional time there and around the country, too. But --
BERMAN: Right, for sure.
All right. New York's top police officer and mayor both apologizing for what they called the mistaken identity takedown of a tennis pro. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BERMAN: New York City's top police official has apologized to former tennis star James Blake. The police commissioner, along with New York City's mayor reached out to Blake after he was thrown to the ground and handcuffed by a plain clothes officer in what police are calling a case of mistaken identity.
[05:15:06] Let's get more now from CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, New York's police commissioner finally was able to reach James Blake by phone and apologized to him late Thursday afternoon. Police say Blake accepted the apology. The tennis star was roughed up by a plain clothed police officer and what police call a case of mistaken identity.
It happened Wednesday afternoon while Blake was in front of his midtown hotel. He was waiting for a car to take him to the U.S. Open when suddenly an unidentified man rushed him.
JAMES BLAKE, RETIRED AMERICAN TENNIS PRO: I even thought maybe -- I thought maybe it was someone I didn't recognize, a high school friend or something coming in to mess with me and give me a bear hug me. And it turned out quickly that it wasn't. When he picked me up, but he picked me up and body slammed me and put me to the ground and turned me over and shut my mouth.
CARROLL: Blake cooperated with police, though, he was handcuffed and held for about 10 minutes. He says the plain clothed officer who tackled him did not identify himself nor did he say why he was being held.
There were six officers involved in the incident. All were white. Blake is biracial.
The police commissioner William Bratton says this incident was not about race, but just simply a case of mistaken identity. He says Blake looked very much like the suspect police believed they were looking for. Police have video of the incident which they are not releasing.
However, after review of the video, they placed the officer who tackled Blake on administrative duty pending the outcome of an investigation -- Christine, John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Jason.
Police in Phoenix are on the hunt for the possible serial sniper. Targeting cars on I-10. The police reported an 11th freeway shooting. A bullet hole was found in a semi truck.
Officials say seven of the attacks have involved gunfire and others projectiles, possibly BBs or pellet guns.
BERMAN: Six police officers facing charges in the death of Freddie Gray will be tried in Baltimore. A judge rejected arguments by defense attorneys that the officers cannot get a fair trial in the city. Protesters outside the courthouse cheered the decision chanting the trial stays here. Gray died from a traumatic spine injury in police custody last April. All six officers have pleaded not guilty.
ROMANS: New concern about Pentagon laboratories and their handling of deadly material. Investigators say bubonic plague bacteria may have been mislabeled and improperly stored at secured military facilities. Defense officials also are trying to determine if deadly material was shipped from its labs.
New investigation comes just months after the revelation that an Army lab in Utah had mishandled anthrax samples for ten years.
BERMAN: Bubonic seems like something you want to be careful with.
ROMANS: Yes.
BERMAN: More than masking tape on the jar.
The cooling trend taking hold across the eastern half of the country. Will it continue? Let's bring in meteorologist Derek Van Dam -- Derek.
DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, John and Christine.
That's right. The dog days of summer are a thing of the past. We would typically see our warmest temperatures late August and into early September. But by the time, we start to round the middle of September, we see a big change in the weather patter patterns.
Look at this, this is a temperature hour temperature. And check out the cooler temperatures inundating the eastern half of the U.S. this weekend, that's going to impact places like Chicago, D.C., as well as the Big Apple, 24-hour temperature change prevalent across the East Coast. Look at Boston, 12 degrees cooler right now compared to this time yesterday. That's all thanks to a series of cold fronts moving across the Upper Midwest as well as the East Coast.
Here they are progressing eastward. There's a break in the precipitation that we experienced for New York and Boston. More rain is in store for late Saturday and into the day on Sunday.
In fact, here is the forecast rainfall going forward through the weekend. Anywhere between 1 to locally 2 to 4 inches across Massachusetts.
Back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that.
BERMAN: All right. Derek, thanks.
Speaking of Massachusetts, can we finally talk about football? The defending champion New England Patriots, they started the season. Tom Brady, he played in that football game. How did he play?
Coy Wire with the highlights in the bleacher report, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:23:50] ROMANS: Smile.
BERMAN: It was worth staying up all night. The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. And Tom Brady was very, very handsome.
ROMANS: Coy Wire, he's got a smile on his face and black circles under his eyes. It must have been a Tom Brady night.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS: It was a Tom Brady night. A John Berman morning. Pats Nation rejoices.
Good morning to you.
The Pats -- the crowd was rowdy last night. At one point, a chant going through of "where's Roger", a dig at Commissioner Roger Goodell in the wake of the Deflategate saga. Now, before the game, the Pats -- they unveiled their fourth super bowl banner. Robert Kraft holding up the trophy. Brady got a huge ovation, too, when the Pats stormed into the field in front of the home crowd.
And when it was time to shine, Brady looked in midseason form. He found his favorite Rob Gronkowski three times for TDs. Brady threw his four touchdowns altogether, completing almost 80 percent of his passes. Unstoppable. Patriots win, 28-21.
Here's Tom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK: Yes, it was pretty special night. So, I was excited. Our team was excited. We haven't had one of these games in a long time. It is fun being out there and getting the opportunity to go play. We took advantage of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Now with Deflategate on pause, the last thing we would have in this game would be some sort of Patriots controversy, right? Well, first quarter, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was fired up on the sideline. Headsets the Steelers coaches were using were malfunctioning.
Here is Tomlin addressing the issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE TOMLIN, STEELERS HEAD COACH: It is always the case. Yes. We were listening to the Patriots radio broadcast for the majority of the first half on our headsets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Now, the NFL was quick to take the blame themselves for the head set problems, releasing a statement in part, "The Pittsburgh coaches experienced interference caused by a stadium power infrastructure issue, which was exacerbated by the inclement weather. The coaches' communications equipment, including the headsets, is provided by the NFL where both clubs used on game day."
[05:25:06] The Pats didn't do it, people.
OK, crazy video here at the Braves and Mets game last night. Turner Field completely under water, delayed the game almost two and a half hours. Once it got going, the Mets stayed hot. Pitcher Bartolo Colon's scoreless inning streak ended at 31, but he showed up and knocked in a run, 42 years young. What an athlete. Mets win, 7-2. They won four in a row.
Now, speaking of rainouts, Serena Williams' quest for the calendar grand slam at the U.S. Open was washed out last night. It is rescheduled for today, a few hours from now at 11:00 Eastern. She'll face Italian Roberta Vinci.
Serena is just two wins away from history, guys.
ROMANS: Man, it was too hot and then it was too wet, and now, they got to keep going. Thanks, Coy.
WIRE: You're welcome.
ROMANS: Coy Wire.
We know which one of the Republicans running for president will face-off on CNN's primetime debate stage set for next week. Who made the cut? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: The debate stages are set for CNN Republican presidential candidate debate. We know who will face-off in primetime.
BERMAN: And you don't want to miss this. Joe Biden's late night interview. He opened up to Stephen Colbert about the loss of his son and why it sounds like he may not be ready to run for president. At least not yet.
ROMANS: A new CNN poll showing Hillary Clinton's support plummeting across the country. How she's trying to turn it all around ahead.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: I'm John Berman. Thirty minutes past the hour right now.
