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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Thousands Cheer Trump at Dallas Rally; Sanders Speaks at Christian University; Clinton Showcases Humorous Side; Battling California Wildfires; Migrant Crisis Overwhelms Europe. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired September 15, 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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[05:30:00] DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But when a man has a problem and he has his wife or his girlfriend and they move her over to the border for one day and has the baby on the other side of the border, our side, now that baby is a citizen of our country for however long the baby lives. Hopefully -- it's wrong. It's wrong.
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SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Now a number of voters were honest. They said they were here for the entertainment factor. On that, Donald Trump delivered.
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TRUMP: We will have so many victories. At some point, they will be coming out of your ears. I have to be careful what I say about coming out of somebody's ears. I have to be careful. Nose, ears, eyes. Those are the only places I'm talking about.
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MURRAY: He promised he would never participate in a bicycle race as president. He congratulated Arnold Schwarzenegger on being the new host of "Celebrity Apprentice." Those voters though expecting to get a little bit more serious when the candidates head to the CNN debate stage.
They say they want to see a number of candidates including Donald Trump layout more specifics of what they would do as president. Christine and Alison, back to you.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: OK, Sara, thanks for that. One of the Trump's opponents turning one of those patented put downs against him. Carly Fiorina rolling out a new campaign video that response to Trump's recent insult about her face. Trump said to "Rolling Stone," "Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?" Now watch Fiorina's ad.
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CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ladies, look at this face and look at all of your faces, the face of leadership. This is the face of a 61-year-old woman. I am proud of every year and every wrinkle.
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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Jeb Bush out with a new campaign video this morning likely seen as a rebuke to Donald Trump. In this video, Bush speaks entirely in Spanish. Remember Donald Trump said that he should speak only English on the campaign trail because this is America after all.
This is a video highlighting Hispanic heritage. Bush's rarely seen Mexican-born wife is speaking in English praising the value of Hispanic culture in the U.S.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have lived more than half my life here. So, you know, I agree that we all have the same interests and same feelings.
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KOSIK: Meantime, Ben Carson preparing for tomorrow night's debate. The Republican polling second behind Donald Trump tells Anderson Cooper he is getting an idea of what questions to expect by speaking with advisers and with average Americans he meets at town halls. The retired neurosurgeon says he is prepared for attacks and gets in a subtle dig at Trump.
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": I'm wondering if you anticipate more candidates coming after you and also Donald Trump?
BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I would imagine they probably will although, you know, I hope we will focus more on the issues and what our vision is and what the solutions are. You know, sometimes it is hard to resist.
I think everybody has different kinds of experiences. You know, it is human nature to think whatever you do is the greatest thing and provides everybody with their messiah. I don't have that complex.
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ROMANS: A Republican contender and former college athlete, Marco Rubio, answering football-themed questions and showing off his sense of humor in his new campaign ad.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More nervous before first presidential debate or first college football game?
MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I was more nervous before my first college football game.
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ROMANS: This video is mostly fun, but there are few digs. When was asked what is harder to recover, Hillary Clinton e-mails or Tom Brady's texts. He says Hillary Clinton's e-mails.
You can see everyone trying to stand out from a big crowd. For complete coverage of the debates on Wednesday night live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, you can watch it here. The main debate, 8:00 p.m. Eastern preceded by the undercard debate at 6:00 p.m. They will have a stage. It may be easier to get some points across.
KOSIK: There is so much personality in this.
ROMANS: There is, but where are the -- Jake Tapper will do a wonderful job.
KOSIK: All right, on the Democratic side, Monday, Bernie Sanders addressing crowds at opposite ends of the state of Virginia, which were also polls apart.
Sanders starting his day speaking to students at Christian Conservative Liberty University in Lynchburg. The self-described socialist got mostly polite applause apart from the small cheering section, but Sanders did not shy away from what he acknowledged were areas of sharp disagreement like gay rights and abortion.
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[05:35:07] SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do believe it is improper for the United States government or the state government to tell every woman in this country the painful and difficult choice she has to make on that issue.
And I honestly, don't want to be too provocative here, but very often conservatives say get the government out of my life. I don't want the government telling me what to do.
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KOSIK: And Monday afternoon, Sanders ventured back on to more comfort able ground taping an interview in front of students at the University of Virginia. There, Sanders drew a distinction between his views on economic issues and of frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
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SANDERS: I think if you look at Hillary Clinton's views on the issues, which is what the campaign is about, I think the views that I am fighting for, the positions that I am fighting for, will do more to address the very serious crises facing the middle class and working family.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: So you heard the big plans if Bernie Sanders is elected, government-run health care for everyone, expansion of Social Security, free tuition at public colleges. Those programs come with a price tag.
According to the analysis from "The Wall Street Journal," his expansion of government will cost at least $18 trillion in new spending over a decade. That includes $15 trillion for Medicare and $1.2 trillion in Social Security and $1 trillion to rebuild infrastructure.
So far, his staff says he detailed $6.5 trillion in new revenue, taxes, and additional tax proposals will be offered to offset the price tag on his health program.
KOSIK: OK, so lately Hillary Clinton has been focusing on the lighter, funnier side. It was coming through in campaign appearances Monday. At the University of Northern Iowa, she aimed at Donald Trump while criticizing the entire Republican field.
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HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is somewhat entertaining. Their flamboyant frontrunner has grabbed a lot of attention lately. If you look at the policies of all of them running, they are pretty much the same. They're trump without the pizzazz and the hair.
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KOSIK: Clinton even taping an interview with the entertainment show, "Extra." In the chat on the "Extra" web site Monday, she laughs at Mario Lopez's question about Vice President Bill Clinton?
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you consider Bill as a running mate?
CLINTON: He would be good, but he is not eligible under the constitution. He has served his two terms. I think the argument would be as vice president, it would not be possible for him to ever succeed to the position. At least that's what I have been told. It has crossed my mind.
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KOSIK: Never mind he would steal her spotlight. She talked about meeting Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and ask Kanye hold off, hold off on running for president until at least she completes her second term.
ROMANS: All right, breaking news overnight, at least eight people dead, five more missing, these are mothers and their kids caught in the flash floods in Utah.
KOSIK: Plus tens of thousands evacuating as a monster wildfire spreads. That's next.
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[05:41:54]
ROMANS: Breaking overnight, just a tragic story, eight people killed, at least five others missing this morning following heavy rains and flash flooding in Southern Utah. Fire officials say the victims are mothers and small children. The youngest age is about 4.
Water rushing down a mountain side in the town of Hilldale swept away two vehicles with 16 people inside. With thunderstorms moving into the area overnight, officials are warning there could be more dangerous flooding today.
KOSIK: The Valley Fire still raging out of control in Northern California. It began a few days ago, but it is the most destructive wildfire of the season. Hundreds of homes destroyed. Thousands more threatened by smoke and flames.
CNN's Stephanie Elam is getting a firsthand look of what the wildfire has left behind.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Alison. We are getting a better look at the devastation from this Valley Fire. You can see how hot and scary this fire was as it raged through the community.
As we were driving around today, you come across many places where the telephone poles are still burning and leaning over the streets. There are wires either in the trees or across the roadways.
At one point, we even saw one house that was just starting to burn and we were able to alert a fire crew that this house was about to light up. We were able to help out there. That's just how raw and tender this situation is here still.
For many people who were able to evacuate, they are still living in tent cities almost across the area. Evacuated to fairgrounds like the Napa County fairgrounds where we met people wondering what their houses look like.
We also know that there is one person who did not make it. An elderly woman who they said they got a call in requesting for help. They were not able to rescue this woman because the flames got too big and she was not able to self-evacuate.
Overall, though, this is a situation as you take a look behind me that obviously is going to take a really long time for these people to bounce back.
ROMANS: All right, Stephanie, thank you for that. Now these fires have proven devastating and hard to control. Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri explains why.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Alison and Christine, good morning. Showing you the scene across California, the Valley Fire with 62,000 acres consumed. That is twice the size of San Francisco. To the east, 71,000 acres consumed.
In this one, the butte fire, at least 35 percent containment and we know rainfall at least in the forecast across this region. That is minimal.
I want to talk about the other big story across Utah. We know severe flooding has taken place across Southern Utah in Hilldale. It doesn't take much water to cause flash flooding especially when it comes to people being trapped in their vehicles.
Precisely what happened in Hilldale with the fatalities in place, in fact just 6 inches of water up can knock a person off their feet. You take up to about 24 inches is enough to move a vehicle downstream.
Some of these fatalities occurred with people trapped in vehicles. That is the number one weather killer, flash flooding. Half of the fatalities occur with people trapped in vehicles. The landscape doesn't help. You look closely and the town of 2,900 people.
[05:45:07] Here are hillsides and ravines and the gullies meeting up right towards the city center. This is why this is the perfect storm with the destruction.
ROMANS: Yes, just tragic. Pedram, thank you for that.
KOSIK: All right, let's take a look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo joins us now. Good morning.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Good morning, Ladies. In case you do not know, tomorrow is a very important day in the race for president. It is the CNN Republican presidential debate. We will break down how the candidates are preparing.
We will tell you about how many will target the same person, known as the frontrunner, Donald Trump. What needs to be done for the candidates? It is still far out from the race, but not too far to set the table.
We have experts who have done debate prep for guys like this, one of them is the former head of the RNC. They are going to explain what's at stake.
We are also watching those big weather stories out west. You have deadly flash flooding in Utah and devastating wildfire in California, already 500 homes lost. We are live at the scene with the latest on both stories for you. Good morning, Ladies.
ROMANS: Good morning.
More European countries closing their borders trying to shut out migrants and refugees from seeking asylum, a crisis unfolding. We are live next.
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KOSIK: Welcome back. Border controls are tightening over Europe this morning. European ministers meeting in Brussels and failing to agree on a plan to deal with the spiraling migrant crisis, Hungary vowing to seal its border with Serbia by today. Austria mobilizes over 2,000 soldiers to patrol its border with Hungary.
Let's get more from CNN's senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman live from the Serbia/Hungary border. So there is no idea of how to coordinate the influx of these refugees, of these migrants wanting to come to these E.U. nations.
So there is no plan in place. You have these border controls up and you've got all these people still sitting in limbo?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the European Union, Alison, doesn't seem very united dealing when it comes to dealing with this crisis. What we have seen for instance today is that Hungary has made good on its vow to crackdown on refugees and migrants entering the country.
The border behind me, Roszke is effectively sealed. We see places where they put up new fortifications to stop people from crossing. A while ago, we heard Hungarian officials at a press conference updating the situation.
They say that for instance, there have been recently 73 cases of migrants or refugees damaging the border fence between Hungary and Serbia and 60 people have been arrested and will face criminal charges.
They are talking about ten-year jail sentences and confiscation of property for those found guilty of violating these new laws. You have to wonder how much property there is to confiscate from the refugees who made their way from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Syria to the very edges of the European community.
What we are hearing is a much harder line position. What is interesting, the migrants I have spoken to, they don't want to come to Hungary. They want to pass through it. One official was saying that out of as many of 190,000 people who have passed through Hungary, only 300 have actually applied for refugee status -- Alison.
KOSIK: So many of them, as you said, desperate. The crisis continues. Ben Wedeman, thank you.
ROMANS: All right, billionaire, Mark Cuban says he could crush the presidential frontrunners. Donald Trump in particular. Is he Donald Trump's latest competition? That's next.
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[05:56:38]
ROMANS: Good morning. Welcome back. I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money.
When Republican presidential hopefuls meet on stage tomorrow night for the CNN debate, they want to focus on the issues America care about the most, the economy. So where will the battles be?
First, minimum wage, Dr. Ben Carson, the only top candidate who says he is willing to raise the federal minimum wage. Next, immigration, Trump wants to have labor restricted. Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush have very different plans.
And then finally CEO pay, over the weekend Trump took a shot at pay for CEOs and hedge fund managers.
Mark Cuban says he could crush Donald Trump in a presidential election. The billionaire businessman said he would beat Hillary Clinton. He said in an e-mail, I think the conformity the Republicans require on social issues will make a far easier for any democratic nominee not named Hillary.
I think she has lost her shot. Cuban says he has no interest in running, but if he did, he would simplify the tax code and address income inequity and computer automated trading in the stock market. Everyone was abuzz. He could win against Trump or Clinton.
KOSIK: All right, CNN's Republican presidential candidate debate is one day away. "NEW DAY" starts now.
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TRUMP: Carly is giving me a hard time although her poll numbers are horrible. Ben Carson, he's a nice man. I think he's in second place. Nobody is going to do the job I will do, nobody. So, the debate, I hear they are going after me.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Bam, I'll come back at them. Don't worry about that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a tragic moment for this university.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The morning begins for Professor Schmidt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Overnight, officials announced the 45-year-old suspect, Shannon Lamb is dead.
ROMANS: Eight people killed in flash flooding in Southern Utah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of the victims mothers and small children.
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CUOMO: Enough about us. Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Tuesday, September 15th, 6:00 in the east. Most of the GOP candidates are off the trail and in the lab right now preparing for the primetime showdown here on CNN. I say most because one man aka, the Donald, is once again following his rules. ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. Frontrunner Donald Trump skipping the prep work to campaign in Texas. He is talking about his signature issue illegal immigration as Latinos marched in protest.
So we begin our coverage with CNN Athena Jones live from the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, the site of the debate. What is the latest, Athena?
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. You've heard of doubling down. Trump last night in Dallas tripled and quadrupled down on his fiery rhetoric on immigration while attacking his critics and the crowd there seemed to love it.
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JONES (voice-over): Just hours away from the CNN GOP debate, the frontrunner, shrugging off mounting attacks from his rivals.
TRUMP: I hear they're all going after me, whatever, whatever.
JONES: Donald Trump boasting about his 13-point lead to a crowd of 18,000.
TRUMP: We are killing it.
JONES: And none of his competitors were off limits.
TRUMP: Carly is giving me a little bit of a hard time even though her poll numbers are horrible. Ben Carson, he is a nice man. I think he is in second place.
