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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Tornadoes Rock North Texas; Iraqi Forces Claim Key Victory in Ramadi; Vienna Issues Warning to European Cities; Trump Attacks Bill Clinton's Sexism; Two Killed By Chicago Police; Israeli-Palestinian Violence Erupts; Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired December 28, 2015 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:15] MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Dozens dead as severe storms strike. Tornadoes, flooding and snow crippling cities across the country.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A terror alert across Europe. Several cities warned about possible attacks this week right up until the New Year.
MARQUEZ: And Donald Trump striking back at Hillary Clinton. This time taking some personal shots at her husband.
Good morning. And welcome to EARLY START. I'm Miguel Marquez.
ROMANS: Nice to see you this morning.
MARQUEZ: Good to see you.
ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is Monday, December 28th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East.
Up first, deadly Christmas weather claiming at least 37 lives across the country. Thousands of Texans picking up the pieces this morning, shattered by devastating tornadoes. Hundreds of people huddled in shelters right now in the suburbs of Dallas. Homes, churches, businesses flattened by at least 11 reported tornadoes. One of them classified as an EF-4. Packing winds up to 180 miles an hour. Eleven people including an infant killed. The damage still being calculated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the grace of God, man. I'm really grateful. You know, my wife works not that far from here. If I didn't call her, she'd be here right now and my kids will be here, too, so, you know, a lot of things.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I actually looked at the twister.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You looked at it. Describe it for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a dark funnel. It was just a big roar. It was really scary. It scared me. I mean, I don't scare that easy. But I was scared.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Scared and shaken up. The number of tornadoes that touched down and the death toll could climb. Many communities that hit so hard Saturday night. Authorities still haven't reached everyone.
We get more from CNN's Nick Valencia. He's in Garland, Texas.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miguel and Christine, the damage in this areas affected by the tornadoes that ripped through the suburbs of Dallas has just been extraordinary. This is the closest that we've been allowed to get to the damage just about a quarter mile away. Road closures, police blocking roads has made it impassable to get to some of the hardest hit areas affected by this EF-4 tornado that ripped through here on Saturday night.
The force of which was so strong that it ripped -- ripped off the roofs in some of these apartment homes behind me. A storage facility with cars flipped over. Cars into the structures, into buildings. More than 600 structures have been effected as a result of these storms. And when you consider the force of that EF-4 tornado, up to 200 miles per hour coming through here, it's amazing that there weren't more lives lost.
At least 11 people killed as a result of this storm system that swept through here. Texas governor Greg Abbot declaring a disaster zone for four counties throughout the state of Texas. And we understand local authorities are still going door-to-door spending a significant portion of Sunday to make sure that everyone that was affected by these storms is accounted for -- Miguel, Christine.
MARQUEZ: The governor of Missouri declaring a state of emergency. Storms packing torrential rains pummeling the state, triggering flash floods, road closures and evacuations. Authorities reporting over 100 water rescues since Sunday morning alone. And with drivers expected to rise rapidly between now and New Year's, residents are being warned not to leave their homes.
Just take a look at the water levels in Springfield, Missouri. This Ford dealership and its inventory submerged. Highways and roads throughout the state impassable right now. Interstate-70 shut down. The heart of Charles County. Transportation officials say it is not expected to reopen in time for this morning's rush hour.
ROMANS: Blowing snow causing big problems this weekend in Oklahoma. Take a look at the roads in Oklahoma City. Ice and snow triggering spinouts all over the state. 60-mile-an-hour winds causing two-foot snow drifts in some places. At least 11 Oklahoma counties forced to shut roads and bridges because of flooding.
MARQUEZ: A massive winter storm also slamming southeastern New Mexico. The land of my people. At least one person killed from exposure to the cold. Up to 20 inches of snow reported in some communities with snow drifts 10 feet high. Unbelievable there. National Guard called in to rescue stranded drivers. The governor declaring a state of emergency. Interstate-40 in Albuquerque shut down indefinitely. Amazing. ROMANS: So -- I think like 32 millions of people are in the path of
some sort of crazy weather.
MARQUEZ: 140 million, incredible.
ROMANS: Wow. 32 states I think. OK, for the latest on the severe weather threat this morning, let's go straight to CNN center and bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.
What is going -- this is just so much weather, so many weather events across the country.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's incredible. You know, what's funny is just about a week ago we were in a spell that's extremely quiet and it was extremely good news in the sense that it was quiet because tornado fatalities, we only had 10 fatalities leading up to the 23rd of December for the entire calendar year since and of course we know at least a dozen fatalities, potentially more based on which ones are considered related to tornado, which ones related to other weather events.
But you take a look, just a remarkable pattern here when it comes to spring-like pattern classic nature has set up over this region where you have heavy snow and blizzard conditions. Background, western Texas.
[04:05:08] In places like Dallas, guys, where temperatures were about 82 degrees on Saturday afternoon before the series of tornadoes. They are now feeling closer to 27 to 28 degrees. That is how dramatic of a change in the weather patterns occur over that region. And the tornado watches that are in place over an area including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Jackson, Mississippi. About six million people underneath tornado watches for the next couple of hours.
Meaning conditions are favorable for some tornadoes across this region. In fact, some tornado warnings have been indicated. Radar indicated rotation just east of Baton Rouge near McCollum, Greensburg, Natchez, Mississippi, to the north there. Tornado potentially on the ground imminent or occurring. So certainly a pattern that is not done with yet. And the Storm Prediction Center puts about eight million people in line for severe weather. Notice now it pushed off towards the eastern areas and Mississippi on into parts of Alabama.
The main threat for Monday is going to be damaging winds. But again the storm has had a history of producing at least 67 tornadoes over the past week. And a series of storms have. So certainly not something to let off your guard. And you know this is what Miguel was talking about. At least 140 million people underneath some sort of a weather event here when it comes this afternoon. From severe to flooding to ice to blizzard to winter storms.
This is something that will keep the roads very, very dangerous over the next couple hours as people try to travel back from the holidays -- guys.
ROMANS: All right, Pedram. MARQUEZ: Crazy.
ROMANS: It really is. OK. Thank you for that.
MARQUEZ: Thank you.
JAVAHERI: Thank you.
ROMANS: Turning now to Iraq. Security forces recapturing a key government facility from ISIS in Ramadi. Fighting reportedly fierce in the region for several days now. Iraqi officials insisting they now have control of that city. They're even predicting deliberation of Mosul next.
Let's go live to Abu Dhabi and bring in CNN's Becky Anderson for the very latest.
We knew this would be a hard-fought battle. I mean, are they confident that they're going to be able to secure Ramadi here?
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, they're confident they can secure it. It's holding on to it, isn't it? They say they are in control of that government compound which is previously held by ISIS fighters in Ramadi. They say the army now controls all key points of the city. And they are suggesting an imminent ISIS withdrawal from the city.
Now the government is confident enough to say that plans to have a flag raising ceremony later today. And they are saying that they expect the complete retaking of Ramadi in the coming days.
There are caveats here, of course. Still some pockets of ISIS resistance. So security forces are advancing slowly. I guess, you know, it's important to point out why this all matters. Retaking Ramadi will be the Iraqi army's single biggest victory over ISIS since the group swept through the country. You remember in 2014, this is a predominately Sunni-Arab city. The capital of Anbar Province, about 60 miles west of Baghdad. And it fell to ISIS in May.
You may remember after it was captured U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter questioned the Iraqi army's will to fight. Now importantly, victory here will be seen as a test of Washington's military strategy which is providing the Iraqi army on the ground with U.S. air support and military advisers. Now this is a strategy which has been much derided by those who want to see the ratcheting up of Washington's efforts and for example U.S. boots on the ground. So the Pentagon and the Obama administration will see this as an important victory.
Another point here, there are some 6,000 to, say, maybe 9,000 Sunni tribal fighters supporting efforts on the ground. Now this is as oppose to the controversial Iran-backed Shiite militia who have been used in other operations. Again, considered a solid achievement in it of itself. So as you rightly point out, the government has said the next target in its sights is Mosul. That is the biggest population center.
ROMANS: Right.
ANDERSON: Under ISIS control, either in Iraq or in Syria. That could prove a much tougher proposition. Back to you, guys.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that. Becky Anderson for us this morning.
MARQUEZ: Serious. The leader of ISIS trying to rally his troops in the face of military setbacks in Iraq and Syria. An audio message online reportedly made by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi mocks the Western military coalition, threatens Israel and assures ISIS fighters they are on the right path.
The voice on the recording also urges ISIS troops to be patient. If the voice on the recording is al-Baghdadi, it's the first time since May he's been heard from.
ROMANS: A grim admission from top Afghan military officials. The Taliban is making a comeback and gaining ground. That assessment from Afghanistan's chief executive to his national security council, he says, the Afghan military has failed to meet the people's expectations because it lacks discipline. More than 7,000 members of the Afghan security force have been killed by Taliban fighters this year.
MARQUEZ: Now police in Vienna issuing warning from authorities in several European cities about possible terror attacks.
[04:10:03] They're not saying which cities might be targeted only that attack would involve explosives and their guns, and could occur between now and New Year's.
For the latest on the threat, we go live to London and bring in CNN's Robyn Kriel.
Robyn, a fairly generic threat, but has to be taken seriously, I take it.
ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed. And you are seeing a response to this threat in European cities across the continent. Not specific cities as you said, but specifics in terms of what kind of weapons could be used. Guns or bombs.
We also understand coming from Vienna that there were attackers or possible attackers' names mentioned in this threat coming from a, quote, "friendly intelligence service." We're not sure who that could be. But these are names of attackers according to Vienna police. They say they have investigated who these people could be and they have not had any concrete results. So guns or bombs sometime between Christmas and New Year obviously across Europe.
This is an incredibly busy season. A festive season. A number of people will be out on the streets, shopping, sightseeing and hugely concerning to people here. In Britain, however, the terror threat level has remained constant since 2006. That was the last time it was changed. And at that moment, that current threat level here is listed as severe. MARQUEZ: All right. Robyn Kriel for us in London. Thank you very
much.
ROMANS: All right. Time for an EARLY START on your money this Monday morning. Stocks reopen today after a three-day Christmas break. So far U.S. stock futures pointing down a bit. Stocks climbed last week before closing early on Thursday. The Dow gained 2.5 percent, but it has still been a tough December and a flat year. The Dow is now down 1.5 percent for the year. The S&P 500, for the year, is actually up, but just barely.
With only four more trading days left this year, there is still a chance for a last-minute rally this week. And investors who weren't chewed out of vacation will focus on a consumer-based metric due out this week.
MARQUEZ: Donald Trump hitting back at Hillary Clinton and the insults this time bringing in her husband. The war of words in the race for president escalating next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:15:13] MARQUEZ: Welcome back. The presidential candidates get back to business of campaigning today after a holiday week break.
Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is once again in the spotlight. How surprising. His feud with Hillary Clinton escalating. Trump suggesting it's open season on Bill Clinton as the former president gets ready to hit the campaign trail for his wife.
We get more from CNN's Chris Frates.
CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Christine and Miguel. The fight between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is getting increasingly personal, with the billionaire attacking Bill Clinton for sexism. Trump said in his tweet Saturday night attacking Bill Clinton, quote, "Penchant for sexism turned the tables on Hillary Clinton," because she used the same phrase to criticize Trump earlier in the week after he used a sexist vulgarity to describe Clinton's loss to Barack Obama in 2008.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think he is fair game because his presidency was really considered to be very troubled to put it mildly because of all of the things that she's talking to me about. I mean, she is mentioning sexism. So I actually turned her exact words -- I don't know if you saw the following tweet. But I turned her exact words against her from that standpoint. Then she's got to be careful. You know, it's got to be fair. And we all have to fight fairly and we have to fight, you know, for the good of the country, for the good of the people, for the good of everybody. But we have to fight fairly. And she is playing the woman's card and it's like, give me a break.
(END VIDEO CLIP) FRATES: The chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention fired back saying Trump is playing gutter politics and that the whole GOP field is following him down the sewer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ, CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: It's really outrageous the depths and how low he has allowed the campaign to sink. And the rest of the Republican field, Andrea, is going along.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRATES: Trump's slam on Bill Clinton's marital infidelity and alleged sexual misconduct comes a week after the Democratic frontrunner announced that her husband will hit the campaign trail for her next month. And the attack appears to be a kind of preemptive strike on the man regarded by many as one of the country's campaigners. It also suggests that Trump is feeling secure enough in his lead atop the GOP field to take on the leading Democrat. Trump and Clinton are neck and neck in a hypothetical match up. And of course it doesn't hurt that criticizing Clinton is also a very popular past time among Republican primary voters -- Christine, Miguel.
ROMANS: Very good point. Chris Frates, thanks for that.
Donald Trump also taking aim at South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy blasting him for his expected endorsement of Republican rival Marco Rubio. After Gowdy announced plans to campaign with Rubio in Iowa this week, Trump ripped him for his -- what he calls his failed role in the House Benghazi investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: And I hope he does a better job than he did frankly in the Benghazi hearings because they were a total disaster. And I've been seeing on Twitter many, many people extremely angry about the whole thing because, you know, Marco has been very strong for amnesty and very weak at the border. And a lot of people are very upset with Trey Gowdy for doing that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Another of Trump's GOP rivals, Ted Cruz, has been rising in the polls and leading in Iowa. Cruz announcing a six-day, 36-county swing through the state after the New Year. Chris Christie will be back in Iowa campaigning today holding two town halls. Jeb Bush has three campaign events at home in Florida today before heading to New Hampshire on Tuesday.
The Democratic side, Bernie Sanders begins a campaign week out west with several stops in Las Vegas today before returning to Iowa.
ROMANS: The Chicago Police Department and the city's mayor under intense scrutiny once again after an officer fatally shot two people this weekend while answering a domestic disturbance call. Now demonstrators planned a march to city hall this morning demanding that Mayor Rahm Emanuel resign. Meantime, the medical examiner has ruled the deaths of 55-year-old Bettie Jones and 19-year-old Quintonio Legrier homicides. Police officials admit Jones was shot accidentally.
We get more from CNN's Ryan Young.
RYAN YOUNG, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Miguel, you have a community in Chicago that's very upset about another police- involved shooting. If you look right across the street, you can see where hundreds of people gathered on Sunday to talk about their pain over this last shooting. There is a memorial that's there for 55- year-old Bettie Jones. She was a grandmother and a mother of five. She was shot as police responded to a call about Quintonio Legrier.
He is a 19-year-old college student who apparently had a bat in his hand and his dad called 911 for help. When police arrived, they opened fire, killing the young man but also hitting the 55-year-old grandmother and mother of five. This community is very upset about this, outraged by another police shooting, wanting to know why a taser couldn't be used.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why do you got to shoot first and then ask questions later? It's ridiculous. Somebody needs to do something about this. This is ridiculous. What about the taser? Tase him down. Don't start shooting people. Innocent people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:20:06] YOUNG: The Chicago Police Department has apologized for the shooting of Bettie Jones saying that was an accident. The other shooting, the 19-year-old, of course is under question.
There is a new procedure in the city of Chicago that officer who opened fire has now been put on 30 days desk duty as they evaluate this shooting. But a lot of questions here in the city obviously after the tumultuous month that they've had with all the protests and the calling for Rahm Emanuel to quit after the shooting death of Laquan McDonald that was caught on tape. A lot of questions really about what happens next here in the city -- Miguel and Christine.
MARQUEZ: And a strong denial from Peyton Manning to a report by Al Jazeera that he was among a number of pro-athletes given human growth hormone by an Indiana doctor. The Broncos quarterback calls the allegation garage. It stems from a documentary claiming Manning received HGH in the mail. But the doctor and the source who made the claim to Al Jazeera now say it's is false. The star quarterback says he's considering filing a lawsuit against Al Jazeera.
ROMANS: All right. In Israel, tensions rising. A deadly weekend as Israeli-Palestinian attacks escalate. We are live there next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROMANS: Welcome back. About 24 minutes past the hour. More bloodshed in Israel this weekend. Israeli troops shooting and killing two Palestinians after they attacked and stabbed a soldier near a West Bank checkpoint. Earlier in the day another Israeli soldier was stabbed and wounded in Jerusalem.
CNN's Oren Liebermann tracking the latest developments for us live from Jerusalem this morning -- Oren.
[04:25:01] OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, the number of attacks, the level of violence, not letting up at all over the holiday season here. We saw this in Jerusalem as well in the West Bank. And what's interesting here is Jerusalem is a city that had been relatively quiet for weeks since the beginning of all this violence back in October.
Now we're seeing more attacks including one last week that killed two Israelis just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. And the other attack where two Palestinian assailant were shot and killed after stabbing a soldier in the north West Bank, that has become the newest flash point just south the city of Nablus, near the town of Huwwara. So we're seeing these attacks likely will stretch into the New York which means it will be in fourth straight month -- Christine.
ROMANS: Fourth straight month, Oren. Let me ask you about this. The ISIS leader in the new audio recording this weekend, directly threatening Israel. What has been the response there?
LIEBERMANN: There actually hasn't been much of a response yet. And that's because Israel's assessment is that ISIS still remains a fairly distant threat. They're certainly aware of the video, but they don't see this as something imminent or a very serious threat at the moment. They see this as more ISIS propaganda right now. There have been some arrests to people here spreading ISIS propaganda, or trying to go fight for ISIS, but those numbers at this point still very small numbers.
ROMANS: All right. Oren Liebermann, thanks -- thanks for that this morning. I have trouble speaking.
(LAUGHTER)
MARQUEZ: Dozens dead as tornadoes, floods and snowstorms pound parts of the U.S. The damage done and what's still on the way next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Dozens dead as severe storms barrel across the U.S. tornadoes, floods and snowstorms. The new damage this morning and what's still on the way.
MARQUEZ: And a terror warning for several cities across Europe preparing for possible attacks that could happen before the New Year. We are live.
ROMANS: Donald Trump extending his attacks on Hillary Clinton to her husband now. The new insults flying in the race for president.
It is 30 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
MARQUEZ: And I'm Miguel Marquez. Very good to see you.
ROMANS: Nice to see you.
MARQUEZ: It's New Year week. We begin with brutal Christmas weather killing at least 43 people across the country. The state of Texas hit the hardest. Thousands of people there picking up the pieces this morning. Their lives shattered by devastating tornadoes.
