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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

New Russian Airstrikes in Syria; ISIS Gaining in Afghanistan; Biden Decision Imminent?; Astros Dominate Yankees in NL Wild Card. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired October 07, 2015 - 05:00   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Nice to see you today.

[05:00:01] I'm John Berman. It is Wednesday, October 7th, 5:00 a.m. in the East.

And breaking overnight, Russia has launched new airstrikes in Syria, hitting targets in the western part of that country. This appears to be a coordinated assault in conjunction with forces loyal with Bashar al-Assad. All of this is according to a U.K.-based human rights group which says these clashes are the heaviest they have seen there in the last month.

This comes after NATO's secretary general confirmed a second incursion by Russian fighter jets into Turkish airspace, Turkey, which is a member of NATO, also had a close relationship with Russia, tells Russia now they risk losing a friend.

Secretary of State John Kerry is entertaining the motion of a no-fly zone in Syria now to protect civilians caught in the civil war. This is interesting because over the last several months, not to mention years, President Obama has seemed to reject this idea.

Let's get the latest, though, on the conflict, on the new and extended Russia involvement. Matthew Chance is in Moscow.

And, Matthew, the Russians seeming to be escalating their involvement even more this morning.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

That now a week into this air campaign in Syria, it's been seven days since they started bombing targets across that country. They say they're targeting Islamic State. But, of course, other rebel groups, opponents of Bashar al-Assad have also fallen into the firing line. They seem to be focused again this morning with overnight airstrikes intensifying as you mentioned in the west of Syria.

As you mentioned as well, they're coordinated. This is really interesting. Because they're working hand-in-hand with the Syrian army and other forces like Hezbollah and the Iranian forces that are on the ground in Syria. To really crack down as hard as they can on these opposition groups that pose a challenge militarily to Bashar al- Assad. That seems to be the strategy now the Russians playing games to basically play the air force of that pro-Assad coalition against the rebels in Syria, John.

BERMAN: And there is some diplomatic news or at least the possibility of diplomacy here, Matthew. The Russians now saying they are opened to the idea of coordinating these efforts, these airstrikes with the U.S. and its coalition partners?

CHANCE: Yes. I mean, it's interesting. The Russians are sending mixed messages, on the one hand they are intensifying the airstrikes, tightening their relationship with Bashar al-Assad and his allies on the ground in Syria. But on the other hand, they are sort of holding out an olive branch, if you like, to the United States and to the U.S.-led coalition saying, look, we are prepared to look at this Pentagon proposal that we coordinate more closely airstrikes against the Islamic States. They haven't agreed yet.

The Russian defense ministry saying this morning there are some technical details that they have to hammer out. But one has been done, if it's done, then there could be a lot closer cooperation on the ground.

BERMAN: Matthew Chance for us in Moscow with the news this morning. Escalation in the Russian efforts there, thanks so much, Matthew.

ROMANS: There is escalation in another conflict with high stakes for the U.S. the top American commander in Afghanistan says U.S. plans to draw down troop levels there may have to be changed. General John Campbell telling the Senate Armed Services Committee, ISIS and al Qaeda are getting stronger in Afghanistan. He says that has forced him to recommend changes to the existing plans that would cut U.S. troop strength by 90 percent. Campbell did not say what troop levels he is proposing.

Campbell also added a nuance to his explanation for an airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz that killed 22 people. After earlier statements, came to a response to a request by Afghan forces, Campbell told the Senate panel Tuesday it was, quote, a U.S. decision made within the U.S. chain of command.

CNN's Nic Robertson live for us now in Kabul with the latest.

I know, Nic, you have been talking to villagers, you've been talking to people who live there who say they want help from the U.S., but they don't want civilians to be hurt anymore.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, they really feel the Afghan army can't stand up to the Taliban. They say without the help of the U.S. military and others, the Taliban could overrun more places. So, they say, yes, we won our support. One man told me, if you are going to hit hospitals, then we don't need you. So, they are clear on.

That which heard from Doctors Without Borders laying out specifically what they want. They're saying it's no good calling this incident in the hospital a mistake. They say it was precise and repeated targeting. What they're saying is that this is not just a war crime. This is not just an attack on one hospital, but it's an attack on the Geneva Convention, and they are calling for an independent investigation by a body set up by the Geneva Convention, the international fact finding commission.

For this group, to lay all the facts on the table, because they say for Doctors Without Borders, it's very simple. If they are going to operate in a war environment, they need to understand everyone's rules of engagement.

[05:05:03] Currently they do. They say it took two years of sort of talking to set up these hospitals in Afghanistan.

So, they say if the rules of engagement and understandings have changed on the U.S. side, or the Afghan side, then they need to know about it. It needs to be on the table from this investigation. And then they can decide how to operate.

So, really, there is a very strong diplomatic coordinated as they call eight professional pushback from what they're hearing from General John Campbell -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Nic Robertson for us in Kabul. Thank you for that, Nic.

BERMAN: All right. Breaking overnight. A decision from Joe Biden. It could be imminent. Will he run for president? Is he already?

A source close to the vice president tell CNN's Gloria Borger there will be a Biden family conversation at the Biden home in Delaware this week to discuss the source of the candidacy. The source says this conversation, this one could be conclusive.

Hillary Clinton is on a campaign swing through Iowa. What is she up to?

CNN's Jeff Zeleny in Davenport with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning from Iowa, John and Christine.

Hillary Clinton is beginning a second day of a campaign swing through this key state, and she'll be campaigning in Mt. Vernon and Council Bluffs, Iowa, today.

She is trying to project an image of certainty, in this very uncertain Democratic race. Of course, Bernie Sanders has been surging, and Joe Biden is waiting in the wings. But Hillary Clinton is focusing all of her attention, at least publicly, on the Republicans in the raise. And we've learned that she has reached out to them directly. She sent them signed personal autographing copies of the book, "Hard Choices". She said this to an Iowa audience on Tuesday night.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are so many of them, they could have a book club. And if they want to know how you put together a coalition that imposes international sanctions on a country like Iran, they can read about it, because that's what I did.

ZELENY: Of course, even as she tries to project strength among Democrats by saying that she can take on Republicans, it is that uncertainty in the Democratic presidential race that is really hanging out there. Democrats want to know if Joe Biden is going to get in this race.

We are told by people who have been talking with them in recent days he is leaving the impression that he is leaning towards running. But all the caveats apply, he still has not reached a decision yet. So, we will not yet know, probably today, but in the coming days, definitely in the next two weeks, I am told, he will make this decision.

Of course, this race will go on all leading up to that first Democratic debate next Tuesday on CNN in Las Vegas -- John, and, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. Jeff Zeleny, in beautiful Davenport, Iowa. Thanks, Jeff.

Republican front runner Donald Trump is also in Iowa this morning. He is set to speak about his newly rolled out tax policy at a rally today.

Jeb Bush is in the state as well. He is now taking shots at his former political protege, Senator Marco Rubio, for spending days away from pawing on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We should cut the pay of elected officials that don't show up to work. I don't know about you, but this idea -- this idea that somehow voting isn't important. What are they supposed to do? They should go to the committee hearings. They should vote.

The idea somehow the private sector when you don't show up for work I get a pay cut. Why should it exist in state capitals as it does, and why shouldn't it exist in Washington, D.C.?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Rubio missed another key vote on Tuesday this one on a defense policy bit. He's on a campaign spring through New Hampshire.

Ben Carson taking heat for comments he made about the school shooting in Oregon. Carson told FOX News that he would have taken on the gunmen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Not only would I probably not cooperate with them. I would -- I would not just stand there and let them shoot me. I would say, hey, guys, everybody, attack him. He may shoot me but he can't get us all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Donald Trump says civilians with guns couldn't shop the Oregon mass shooting. He says he supports allowing Americans to illegally own assault weapons. He told "NEW DAY" the bad guys will have them anyway.

BERMAN: A new poll is coming out in less than an hour that I think are going to change people's perception of this race.

Meanwhile, 6,000 federal inmates will be released from prison in an effort to fight prison overcrowding, and provide relief inmates given harsh sentences in drug cases. The move follows a decision by the U.S. sentencing commission last year to lower maximum sentences for drug offenders. The release is the largest in the Bureau of Prison history in the first of what could be tens of thousands of early releases on the way.

ROMANS: All right. Time for an early start on your money. It's a good morning for stocks, European and Asian shares are after oil price rose overnight. U.S. stocks futures higher as well. One stock not following the trend this morning, Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut is plunging before the open.

The company says it's not likely to meet its earnings goals for the year. Partly over the quality of foods sold in China. Forty thousand Fiat Chrysler workers ready to go on strike. Negotiations between the United Auto Workers and the car company have broken down. Now, the union says it's terminating the current labor contract at midnight Wednesday, threatening to strike starting Thursday.

[05:10:06] It will be the first U.S. auto strike since 2007. It could cost the auto maker an estimated $300 million a day, John.

BERMAN: We seen in the auto industry in general, a pretty good run for a long time from they have.

ROMANS: Businesses are goods for auto workers, and now, workers say, after the crisis, many of them have to take a pay cut or a two tier pay plan and now, they like to receive some of the benefits too.

BERMAN: Interesting. All right. The desperate search for an 800 foot ship that vanished in Hurricane Joaquin. A little sign of December this morning. Officials are hoping to find signals from the ship that could be on the ocean floor.

We have more from Florida, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: In South Carolina the rain has finally stopped after two long weeks, but many rivers and streams are still rising, still rising from the records volume of water that has submerged hundreds of roads and bridges. Eleven dams have now failed and the death toll from the floods has risen. Seventeen people lost their lives in South and North Carolina. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is warning residents about hidden dangers in those deep waters.

The state highway patrol shared this picture when cars went around road blocks. Making matters even worse, for more than 300,000 people, the water is undrinkable. Donations now have been pouring in.

BERMAN: The Coast Guard right now engaged in an active search still from survivors from the cargo ship El Faro that sank in the Atlantic. New debris has been located as we learn a power failure may have left the ship helpless against the powerful storm.

CNN's Martin Savidge is in Florida. He reports the investigators there are hard at work.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Christine.

While the U.S. Coast Guard is focused on a search and rescue effort, trying to find survivors, the NTSB has a different job. Their job is to try to determine what happened, why it happened, and, if necessary to then instigate changes that would prevent a strategy like this from ever happening again.

[05:15:08] At their briefing last night, they pointed out that this vessel has on board something very similar to what we have all become knowledgeable of, like a flight data recorder. Only in this case, they call it a voyage voice recorder. And that device apparently records everything that occurred onboard the vessel in the last 12 hours leading up to whatever catastrophic event struck it.

That information would be vital for the NTSB's investigation, because right now, they do not have a lot to go on. But to find it, you pretty much have to find the ship. And that's believed to be in very deep water.

And again, like the flight data recorders, there is something called a pinger. And the voyage data recorder has one and its batteries have a time frame of about 30 days. I asked if they have been listening and have they heard anything? The answer so far is no -- John, and, Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right, Martin. But the search does go on.

High water means these conditions are still dangerous in South Carolina, but relief is in sight.

Let's bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: John and Christine, good morning to you, guys.

High pressure is back, and that's the good news here, is we are finally getting about dry conditions across parts of South Carolina. And Columbia will drop off the temperatures over the next couple of days, some thunderstorms possible. But, generally, beyond Saturday, everything looks dry, so a pretty good expansive area of high pressure will keep us that way, while we do have cold temperatures lock in across much of the northern tier of the country. We have the freeze threat in place where you would expect the ice box of the U.S., International Falls, working their way just north of Minneapolis, around St. Cloud, also seeing very cold conditions this morning. Generally clear over this region.

Temperatures dropping off into the mid-30s. They would warm up into the mid and upper 50s across that region. A gorgeous perspective in New York City. Down in Atlanta, we make it to about 81 degrees.

But we leave you with this, because, of course, South Carolina has had issues, but southern California, the single driest location in North America, they also have record rainfall, about a half an inch came down, which doesn't sound like much when you compare to the 11 plus in Columbia that occurred during this particular event.

But that is 29 percent of their annual average, which is just shy of two inches. Compare that to South Carolina, of course, a much largely infrastructure, and substantially much more damage occurred across this region. But about 26 percent of normal. But still damage across parts of California as well as the flood there -- guys.

ROMANS: Just remarkable number. OK, thanks, Pedram.

The former president of the United Nations General Assembly is accused of taking bribes and tax fraud. John Ashe is charged with taking over a million dollars over several years in exchange for favors and for not reporting it to the IRS. The U.S. attorney says Ashe sold himself in the U.N. for things like as Rolex watches, custom suits and a private basketball court.

The U.N. secretary general office says Ban Ki-moon is shocked and deeply troubled by this news.

BERMAN: All right. The Boston Red Sox, they were not eliminated from the playoffs last night. But the New York Yankees were. And that's what counts this morning. The Houston Astros moving on.

Coy Wire with the highlights, a one-sided highlight in the bleacher report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:21:48] ROMANS: This is the sports card, right?

BERMAN: This is sports right now -- a big game in the Bronx, a one game wild card. Houston Astros.

Coy Wire tell us who actually won, but more importantly who lost in the bleacher report.

(LAUGHTER)

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Good morning, John. Good morning, Christine.

Last night, the American League win or go home wild card game came down to pitching. Yankee's hero Tanaka versus Astros' bearded wonder and Cy Young candidate Dallas Keuchel. Now, the Yankees were hoping Tanaka's playoff experience from his Japanese league days would pay dividends, both went deep and solo home runs give Astros an early lead.

And that's all Keuchel needed. Only three days of rest he dominated. Threw six scoreless innings, cool, calm, collected. Houston hangs on to win 3-0 and eliminates the Yankees in the process. John Berman rejoices some more.

Next up for Houston, they have a date with the Kansas City Royals in the American League Divisional Series.

Now, more sudden death baseball tonight as Chicago cubs Pittsburgh Pirates match up in the National League wildcard game. It's been 107 years since the Cub versus won the World Series, but there isn't your average ordinary run of the mill mundane Cubs team.

A lot of young talent like stud pitcher Jake Arrieta. And the Pirates, no slouches, third straight appearance mission out on the playoffs over two decades. These two teams have the 2nd and 3rd best record if baseball this year. If they don't win tonight, it doesn't matter, it all gets going tonight at 8:00 Eastern on TBS.

Now, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is launching an investigation of two leading fantasy football sites, Draft Kings and Fan Duel, to see if some of their employees gained an unfair financial advantage using inside information to win money on each other's site on their daily fantasy football game.

A Fan Duel spokesperson told EPSN.com the internal data showed Draft Kings employees won only .3 percent of the money they were awarded. Given they were sold out nearly $2 billion, tht would mean Draft Kings employees won approximately 6 million from Fan Duel.

Now, hands down, the highlight of the week goes to the pee-wee football team out of Massachusetts. Seven to 9-year-old kids, they started dancing when the watch me nae-nae starts playing over the PA system. It's the middle of the game, guys.

I tweet out a link on a YouTube video, just over two minutes long, worth every single second of your day. It is outstanding stuff and Christine, you know, if we had a nickel for every time John Berman busted out the whip or nae-nae on air or in between sets, we would be all right I think.

ROMANS: Seven to 9-year-olds the best age for sports, they only just love it and sometimes they have no idea what they're doing. BERMAN: What a false start. You can't move on the line. Can you?

WIRE: Only you, John Berman. Only you.

BERMAN: True.

I'm sorry. Who is your team? I have never seen so much great young talent in baseball in the post-season at once.

[05:25:01] So many exciting teams. Who do you like?

WIRE: I'm rooting for the cubs. Marty McFly "Back to the Future 2" they predicted this was the year the Cubs would go all the way.

ROMANS: They did?

WIRE: Yes, yes, I'm going with that. The "Back to the Future 2" prediction is going to hold true, Cubs take it.

ROMANS: I hope that isn't like a Marty McFly in Wrigley Field.

All right. Thank you so much. Nice to see you.

WIRE: You too. Thanks.

ROMANS: A landmark CNN study goes inside the secret world of teens revealing they are largely addicted to social media. Child development experts studied the social media habits of more than 200 8th graders, analyzing what teens say to each other on social media and why it matters so much to them. Fifteen percent reported receiving inappropriate photos.

And, you know what, an overwhelming number of parents, 94 percent, said they didn't realize the amount of fighting that occurs on social media.

And it's interesting, there have been other studies that have shown for teen agers, there is anxiety. Parents take the phone away at night. There is anxiety. Tray so worried about what others say about them. They feel they have to be there defending their reputation and being involved in the conversation all the time.

BERMAN: FOMO. Fear of missing out.

ROMANS: Fear of missing out. Scary.

All right. Ninety-six minutes past the hour.

Russian forces with new strikes overnight, decidedly increasing their presence in Syria. Could the trio of Russia, the U.S. and Turkey be doing more harm than good in the battle against ISIS? The latest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: Russia launching new strikes in Syria overnight. This time it appears to be a coordinated assault with forces from Bashar al- Assad, a new situation there on the ground. We will go live to Moscow with an update.

ROMANS: ISIS is surging in Afghanistan. A top U.S. commander says the situation could mean big changes for Americans troops on the ground.