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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Hillary Clinton Testifies on Benghazi Attacks; Right-Wing House Caucus Backs Paul Ryan; Kerry Meets Netanyahu in Germany; Aired 5:30- 6p ET

Aired October 22, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:55] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary Clinton on Capitol Hill just hours from facing new questions from lawmakers on the Benghazi terror attack.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Paul Ryan gets the support but maybe not the endorsement of a key conservative group in Congress. But that support may be all he needs.

ROMANS: Inside Joe Biden's decision to not run for president. Why insiders say he stayed out of the race.

A fascinating 24 hours, ladies and gentlemen.

BERMAN: If you skip yesterday, man, oh, man, you have no idea what's going on.

ROMANS: Welcome back to EARLY START, I'm Christine Romans.

BERMAN: I'm John Berman, about 31 minutes past the hour.

And so much for yesterday, what about today? It all happens this morning. Hillary Clinton goes before the House Benghazi Committee, this question and answer session could last eight hours or more. The committee says the focus will be the 2012 attacks on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, in Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

That Republican-led committee is expected to ask then Secretary of State Clinton about what she knew about reported security problems at the compound and why the U.S. even had a diplomatic outpost there.

There are huge political stakes here as well. Hillary Clinton, of course, running for president, all the questions about her e-mails. Democrats say this is just a campaign show.

CNN's Elise Labott has the latest from Washington.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, Christine, after months of anticipation, the day is finally here. And it's going to be a long day. We understand there will be four two- hour rounds of questioning of Secretary Clinton, with breaks.

Aides to Clinton say she is ready. She spent the week preparing with policy and legal teams, going over potential questions and studying up on the events leading up to and following the Benghazi attacks. It was a long time, after all.

Now there have been more than a half dozen congressional investigations following the Benghazi attacks. But there has been a greater political tone to this one. Democrats, of course, maintain it was designed as a takedown of Clinton. And you have a string of comments recently by Republicans almost backing up those accusations.

But Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy says he will prove the committee is not about politics with a hearing that is respectful of Clinton and focuses on the facts surrounding the Benghazi attacks. Democrats, Republicans, the State Department, all will be watching this hearing, putting out their own spin, their own talking points.

But for Secretary Clinton, this is really a chance to defend her record as secretary of state and argue that this committee is retreading old ground here. And, you know, in some ways, it's a chance to lay out her approach to foreign policy as she campaigns to be commander-in-chief.

So clearly this hearing a key moment for both Clinton's presidential campaign and the future of this committee -- John, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Elise, thanks for that.

Breaking overnight, Congressman Paul Ryan clearing a major hurdle in his reluctant bid to become speaker of the House. Last night, a supermajority of the House Freedom Caucus, the hard right Republicans, they voted to back Ryan not quite in that for a formal endorsement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The Freedom Caucus supports him but didn't fully endorse him. What does that mean in practical terms?

REP. MICK MULVANEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, in practical terms that means we couldn't get 80 percent as our rules require. But we got more than two-thirds of our group that said that they want to support Paul for speaker. So if Paul really has the votes that we all think that he has in the other portions of our conference, he's got enough votes to be the speaker of the House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Ryan had earlier said a formal endorsement as a condition for his bid. But by last night, two-thirds apparently was enough for him. Ryan tweeted, quote, "I'm grateful for the support of a super majority of the House Freedom Caucus. I look forward to hearing from the other two caucuses by the end of the week but I believe this is a positive step toward a unified Republican team."

BERMAN: All right. We have new details this morning about the decision Joe Biden made not to run for vice -- not to run for president. He is vice president. He ended months of intense speculation, much of it wrong about a presidential run. He said the window for a successful campaign, it has closed. [05:35:06] Let's get the latest, these new details from senior

Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny.

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

In the end, Joe Biden followed his head, not his heart, as he decided to back away from what surely is his last chance to win the presidency. In closing the doors to weeks of self-induced speculation about joining the 2016 presidential race, he opens the door to the rest of the Democratic campaign.

So was he ever serious at all? Several advisers and friends insist that he was. I'm told the more he knew about the race, the more exploring he did in calls to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, the more daunting his path to victory actually seemed.

So over the past several days, when he was out calling Hillary Clinton for saying Republicans are the biggest enemies, he wasn't firing a warning shot as much as offering a lesson in bipartisanship for how he thinks Washington should actually work.

Now Hillary Clinton is surely relieved. Bernie Sanders is now the leading alternative if Democrats are still looking for one.

Now Biden made clear he would not remain silent in the race going forward, urging Democrats to embrace President Obama and his legacy tightly. But his endorsement may depend on which candidate listens -- John and Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Jeff Zeleny. Thanks for that, Jeff.

So let's talk about all this political action. And there's so much of it this morning. We're welcoming CNN Politics reporter Eric Bradner.

Eric, good morning, nice to see you, 5:36 in the East. So you get -- you're going get a doughnut in the mail today for coming up so early for us. Let's first talk about what could happen today. Hillary Clinton, this Benghazi committee hearing, this could be eight hours of Q&A What does Hillary Clinton need to do to end these questions about Benghazi and what happened there? Or is there nothing she can do to stop the questioning until the election is over?

ERIC BRADNER, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, I mean, that's her campaign sense. There's nothing she can do to ever get these questions to go away. But Republicans have been billing this as the mother of all Benghazi hearings. Of course Clinton has testified on this before. But the Benghazi committee feels they have several questions that she hasn't answered. They want to press her on what she knew about the security situation there, leading up to the attacks, why more wasn't done.

And so this is really going to be a politically charged hearing. This is Clinton in the midst of a presidential campaign, trying to put this issue to rest and also trying to show that this is something that Republicans are really pushing as a political issue. It's sort of an attack on her as the Democratic frontrunner in the 2016 race. While Republicans will be trying to demonstrate no, despite what House majority leader Kevin McCarthy and a couple of other Republican leaders have said, this is really about just finding the facts, figuring out what went wrong and led to the deaths of four Americans.

BERMAN: One of the big questions today the e-mails, the e-mail server. And this issue really did come to light largely because of this House Select Committee on Benghazi. That's something the Republican members of this committee talk about with some pride.

How much do you think they will ask about the e-mails? What is the political peril for them in pressing that issue and where's the peril for Hillary Clinton there?

BRADNER: Right. So Republicans don't want to come off as overly political. They're very sensitive to that. But the e-mails will come up. They'll probably come up in the context of what she knew and when she knew it. And whether there were security risks that she created through her use of a private e-mail server. But they will come up. And for Clinton, this is an opportunity to put some distance between herself. And this issue that has dogged her presidential campaign since she announced her entrance into the race in April.

She had to get through the first Democratic debate. She had to get through Joe Biden making a decision about whether he will run. And now this is sort of the third of three big issues, the month of October has sort of laid in front of her. She will try to sort of demonstrate that she didn't put American security at risk. But, you know, it will definitely come up and she's definitely been practicing, preparing to answer these questions.

ROMANS: Yes. Let's talk about one of those things you just mentioned. Joe Biden, now we have some resolution. Joe Biden will not run for president. That is a big unknown for the Clinton campaign that has now been settled.

BRADNER: Yes, absolutely. And Hillary Clinton had been trying to give Joe Biden a lot of distance to make his decision but at the same time, her campaign had been sending signals that, you know, if the vice president did get in the race, it would be really hard for him to find a path to victory. One great example is earlier this week she put out a list of endorsements from dozens of mayors in South Carolina, which is a key early voting state and one that Joe Biden would have had to win or at least perform really strongly in, in order to have a shot at the nomination.

Clinton did that sort of as a show of strength to demonstrate that she's been organizing for months. She has a lot of Democratic officials in -- you know, in her camp. She has a lot of important endorsements and important organization that the vice president would have a really hard time replicating in such a short window. So she gave him a lot of space and is certainly breathing a sigh of relief now.

[05:40:17] But the Clinton's campaign had been preparing, had been sort of laying the groundwork to make it very difficult for Biden to run.

BERMAN: Eric Bradner, great to have you with us this morning. Great CNN political reporter, read his stuff online at CNN Politics. See you again soon, Eric. Thanks.

BRADNER: Thanks.

ROMANS: All right. 40 minutes past the hour.

Breaking news this morning, an urgent meeting to stop the violence in Israel. John Kerry now meeting with Israel's prime minister. We are live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Secretary of State John Kerry in Germany at this hour holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He's hoping to bring an end to a wave of violence that has already claimed dozen of Palestinian and Israeli lives this month.

Want to go live to Berlin and bring in CNN's Atika Shubert.

Good morning, Atika.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. That meeting under way and Secretary Kerry and Prime Minister Netanyahu made some brief remarks before going into that meeting. Prime Minister Netanyahu saying that it was Palestinian incitements particularly from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that sparked the recent round of attacks but Secretary Kerry saying that all emotional rhetoric on both sides needs to be dialed down to keep the violence from escalating out of control.

[05:45:09] Now what they're going to be discussing is the status quo agreement. This is the agreement that governs the rules for the disputed site in the Old City known as the Temple Mount or the Haram al Sharif. And it's been disputed for many years now. But in 1967 there was an agreement in which Jordan would hold custody of the site and very strict rules allowing Palestinian Muslims to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque there and allowing Jewish Israelis to visit the site but not to pray there.

Now in recent weeks there has been increasing concern on the Palestinian side that that may be changing. So what Secretary Kerry may hope to do is to get the status quo agreement down in writing, get it codified so that each of the sides can see it on paper and stick to it. That may be one way, he hopes, of diffusing and deescalating the tension.

ROMANS: All right. Atika Shubert, thank you for that this morning, live for us from Berlin.

BERMAN: Let's take a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY." The all of a sudden brand new Mets fan Chris Cuomo joins us now.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: You know, not only is that inaccurate but it's hurtful. So I'm going to ignore it, punk.

So good for the Mets. We'll see what they actually do. But today we've got our eyes on a much bigger situation, John and Christine. You've been reporting on it excellently all morning. We hope to pick up the ball from you soon.

Here's what it is. The Benghazi Select Committee is going to have its big moment today with Hillary Clinton. This is not hype. Yes, that's fair criticism of some political coverage. We want the campaigns to be interesting but this cannot be overhyped, this situation. It matters. Why? Well, because you had a loss of life in Benghazi. You had a failure in policy in Benghazi. There are significant questions about safety and the protocols and the accountability to them. All valid.

Now you could say that they've already been vetted in this situation and that this is motivated by something else, what's happening today. That's why you have to watch. That's why we have to cover it with a lot of heavy scrutiny on both sides. And that's what we're going to do this morning. We'll have one of the main members of the Select Committee on and we're going to go through it step by step, what got us to this point, where they hope to go today and what it might mean. And you'll be able to watch also.

Also, we have new video of a really terrible incident but it's important to show you, because it shows the moment in crisis for a law enforcement officer in the course of the job, what he dealt with, what he was forced to survive, and he is certainly a hero and he is on the show with us today. And it is a real window into the life of police officers but really, you can't overhype the significance of former Secretary Clinton going before this committee today. What they'll ask and how she answers, it matters for the election and beyond.

BERMAN: Critical day to be sure. All right, Chris, thanks so much.

ROMANS: 47 minutes past the hour. Breaking news overnight, an arrest in a road rage shooting that killed this 4-year-old little girl.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:51:39] ROMANS: Breaking news this morning, a suspect is in custody following a manhunt in the overnight shooting of an Albuquerque police officer. Officials say the eight-year veteran officer was shot multiple times in a struggle that started with a traffic stop. The officer who has not been named is in critical condition.

Officials just now identifying the suspect as 34-year-old Devon Lyman. They say he has an extensive violent criminal history.

BERMAN: Also breaking overnight from Albuquerque, a confession in a fatal road rage shooting. 32-year-old Tony Torres was arrested after police receive an anonymous tip. They say he confessed to the shooting on Interstate-40 Tuesday that killed 4-year-old Lilly Garcia as she rode in the back seat of her family's car. The governor of New Mexico says the loss of the little girl is being felt in every corner of that state.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SUSANA MARTINEZ (R), NEW MEXICO: Such a senseless act. I mean, they're just driving down the freeway and she dies over -- being shot. It is so senseless. And I just can't express how sad it is to know that something as simple as going down the freeway and your child dies because of road rage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The suspect now being held on $650,000 bail.

ROMANS: It is hot and getting hotter on planet earth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says global temperatures are running well above last year's record. All but guaranteeing 2015 will be the hottest year ever.

Officials at the agency say last month was the warmest September on record and the temperature increase from September 2014 was the largest since global tracking began in 1880.

Speaking of tracking, we know that the government can track our phones. Now the long-awaited answer for exactly how they do it, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:57:25] ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. U.S. stock futures pointing higher right now. It is earnings season. Reports this morning from McDonald's, Southwest, United Continental. Stocks fell yesterday, the Dow down about 50. Investors are cautious as these company profits come in, they're expected to fall in the third quarter.

All right. New details about just how the government can secretly track our phones. In testimony on Capitol Hill, law enforcement officials gave some long-awaited answers about the use of stingray machines. Have you heard of these? These are devices that mimic an actual cell phone tower and trick your phone into connecting.

Police nationwide have been using them for years. Officials said the devices are programmed to track cell phone locations, not gather calls or messages. Still unclear how many stingrays exist and how often they are used. But that testimony pulling back the curtain a little bit on one of those law enforcement tactics.

BERMAN: All right, today, a huge day, Hillary Clinton set to appear before the House Select Committee on Benghazi, eight hours of testimony. You will want to see every second of it. "NEW DAY" picks up the story right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: This morning, Hillary Clinton goes before the House Benghazi Committee.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Four two-hour rounds of questioning.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I really don't know what to expect.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She will have more experience with congressional hearings than most of the people there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like some sort of medical emergency. It's not an accident.

ROMANS: Concession in a fatal road rage shooting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a complete disrespect of human life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And she's going to be missed by a lot of people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And strike three called. We haven't been to the World Series since 2000, and the Mets are on their way back.

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY With Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: The theme this morning is destiny. You've got the Mets looking forward in baseball, you got Hillary Clinton in this Benghazi Select Committee looking at it politically.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: That's how you (INAUDIBLE).

CUOMO: It's kind of obvious in front of us this morning.

Good morning to you. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Thursday, October 22nd. 6:00 in the East. And there's just no way else to say it. Today is a big day.

Hillary Clinton's campaign for president, the state of political play, both may well change in status, after the former secretary of state testifies before the conversational House Benghazi Committee this morning.

What do we know to this point? What is Clinton responsible for in the security lapse that led to the deaths of four Americans? And is this committee able to conduct a fair search for answers?

We're going to tackle all of these questions in a moment.

CAMEROTA: OK. But we begin with breaking news for you. The manhunt is over. Authorities in New Mexico arresting a man who has confessed to gunning down a 4-year-old girl during a road rage incident. Police say the suspect opened fire on a pickup truck killing Lilly Garcia --

(END)