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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Deadly Winter Storm Rolls Across the U.S.; The Race for President: Pataki Suspends Campaign; "Affluenza" Teen to Return to U.S. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired December 30, 2015 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:25] ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: A deadly rare winter storm flooding the Midwest. The death toll rising this morning, and it's only going to get worse.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The race for president shrinking this morning. George Pataki calling it quits. But not without a few parting words.

KOSIK: The affluenza teen expected back in the U.S. in just hours, what we are learning about his time in Mexico.

Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.

ROMANS: So nice to see you here, Alison. So nice to see you. I'm Christine Romans.

It is Wednesday, December 30th. It's 4:00 a.m. in the East.

Breaking overnight, officials say almost 50 people have been killed in weather related accidents in the past week, and while the storms are over, the flooding downstream is about to get worse. More than 18 million Americans in 13 states now living under flood warning. For some, it's already too late.

A newspaper reporter camera caught this cabin floating down the Merrimac in rural Missouri. Look at that.

Across the state, residents have been warned about major to historic flooding over the next few days and to early next week. They are preparing for the worse. One place where the worse is expected is West Alton, Missouri, that is just north of St. Louis.

CNN's Alina Machado is in West Alton. She has the latest for us this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alison and Christine, high water is already blocking several roads in and around West Alton, Missouri. And the situation is expected to get much worse before they improve.

And just 70 miles from here, there are several homes and businesses already underwater in Union, Missouri. Authorities there telling CNN that they had to rescue at least two people who got caught up in the rising flood waters.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is asking people to please avoid driving through roads that are covered with water.

GOV. JAY NIXON (D), MISSOURI: The amount of rain we received in some places in excess of a foot has caused river levels not only to rise rapidly, but to go to places they've never been before. Now that the rain has moved out, the threat has changed. But it is not by any means over.

MACHADO: The mayor of West Alton, Missouri, has already issued a voluntary evacuation order and most people has followed that order. But he says about 50 residents have decided to ride this one out -- Alison and Christine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: This is some incredible pictures. Now, Illinois also hit by severe floods. This inundated road you see here. This is in a residential neighborhood in Wood River. And city workers filling and piling up sandbags along the Mississippi River to protect against the flooding.

ROMANS: Areas of the Arkansas River which flows into the Mississippi, topping flood levels they set in the spring, topping flood levels they set in the spring, topping flood levels by a foot. Look at that rushing water. Forecasters warn it will stay above flood stage through Thursday night at least.

KOSIK: And that same storm system doing serious damage in Michigan. You can see this tree flattened this car. This happening in Detroit, elsewhere in the city, more trees toppling over, crushing homes, blocking roads, just amazing pictures. All this blamed on the roaring wind.

Listen to what happened to one woman and her family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone was sitting watching TV. We thought it was a large car crash. It lasted about 30 to 40 seconds. We went to the front door and seen this big tree on the front porch and know that we can't get out of the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The northeast hit with a snowstorm, about five inches fell in Vermont. Three people died in the state when their SUV crashed head on into a tractor-trailer and killing them. At least four other people were injured.

This was the scene in Albany, New York, cars taking their time. As the flex fell, the area hit with at least six inches of snow. Skiers in Massachusetts enjoy the fresh powder. You can see them enjoying themselves at the slopes in Princeton. Many said they started waiting for snow well before Thanksgiving. It's been a late season in the Northeast.

KOSIK: That looks pretty. Storms and icy conditions still causing some travel headaches. Already, there are almost 200 flight delays and cancellations in the U.S. On Monday, we saw the worst of it. The weather affected 7,600 flights.

ROMANS: And now with the rain and snow mostly behind us. What's ahead for the millions of people in the flood zones, the flood warning zones?

Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the latest -- Pedram.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. Yes, you know, guys, this is a slow motion disaster. We've seen this play out before the last time we had severe flooding back in 1993. It cost about $15 billion across the Mississippi River Basin.

And I want to show what transpired in recent works, of course. The month of December, over 4,000 high records set. The reason I bring this up is typically this time of year, as you begin to see snow come down, snow actually has a wonderful job in absorbing the moisture.

[04:05:01] That reduces the runoff. It actually brings the river levels down. Of course, with the record temperatures, we seen increase runoff that carry across this region, and the water levels certainly that's the highest we have seen in years across this region. It was over 18 million people underneath flood watches and flood warnings.

Let's show you the maps here when it comes to the river basin across the Mississippi River Valley, downstream here, a lot of rivers, of course, feed right directly into the Mississippi River. We had 70 tornadoes in recent weeks. A lot of people have been talking about these tornadoes.

But when you peel back underneath these tornadoes, we had tremendous rainfall take place as well to bring down the river tributaries. All of them want to flow into one spot. That being the Mississippi River, and, of course, the volume of water just too much to handle. So, you take a look from yesterday, to the 31st, St. Louis, work your way downstream to Memphis.

As far as January 3rd, into parts of Louisiana, all of this water wants to make it down into the gulf of Mexico. This slow motion disaster that we talk about, we heard people call this a slow motion tsunami as the water just increases and works its way into the community. And certainly, this is something that is very, very concerning when you think about what's ahead as far as the flooding concern over this region.

The moisture pretty much turned up. Some scattered light showers, some snow showers across this area, but nothing insignificant in the way of flooding as far as additional rainfall at least coming them. But, of course, the flooding continues over the next several weeks. Leave with you this, take you to the Northeast. Look at the

temperatures across this region. Feels like it's cold outside. Still looking like 10 degrees above normal in places like New York City, even Boston, above normal. A record streak of temperatures set across Central Park today.

The last time temperatures failed below the freezing mark with 275 days ago. The county, March 30th, guys, 275 days ago, that embraced the 1998 record, which was an El Nino as well. So, the freezing mark, I guess, technically, you can't say it's freezing in here in New York about nine months ago. So, don't complain about the cold.

KOSIK: I can't say I mind the mild winter. So far, I'm loving it actually.

ROMANS: I know. Me too.

All right. Thanks, Pedram, nice to see you. We worry about all those people, all that flooding.

KOSIK: True.

All right. Political news breaking overnight, former New York Governor George Pataki ending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Pataki really never broke out of the single digits in the polls, or as a result, never got onto the main stage in the Republican debate. He really struggles to draw attention in the crowded field of candidates by attacking front runner Donald Trump. Pataki's TV spot announcing he is quitting the race seems intended in the same spirit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE PATAKI (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, tonight is the end of my journey for the White House as I suspend my campaign for president. I'm confident we can elect the right person, someone who will bring us together, and who understands that politicians including the president must be the people's servant and not their master.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: With Pataki dropping out, there are 11 in the still crowded Republican field.

And for the person sitting atop of that feel a major change in strategy for Donald Trump. Even though he is already the Republican front runner, Trump is detailing plans to spend honey, millions of dollars on ads now. It's an effort to lock in wins in early voting states.

Trump's new tactic is the basis for his latest taunts on Twitter. He says, "I've spent almost nothing on my run for president and I'm in 1st place. Jeb Bush has spent $59 million and done. Run the country my way."

Another tweet reads, "My campaign for president is $35 million under budget. I've spent very little. I am in 1st place. Now, I will spend big in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

For the latest on Trump's plan, let's bring in senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Alison, Donald Trump is still the undisputed Republican frontrunner. He says so himself at every campaign rally he does. I can tell you, he is not taking a holiday break. He'll appear tonight in South Carolina after stopping here in Iowa on Tuesday night and he was in New Hampshire on Monday.

Donald Trump is clearly taking nothing for granted. He is also looking over his shoulder at some of his Republican rivals. He'll start a major advertising campaign last week. He explained for the first time Tuesday night in Omaha.

Let's take a listen.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So I'm going to be doing big ads in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, and they're going to be very substantial and I think they're very well done. I've seen the first two or three of them. We're very proud of them.

We're going to be talking about a lot of things, including the border, including trade, including ISIS and security for the country. We're going to be talking about a lot of things in these commercials.

ZELENY: Now, those television commercials will start next week. He says he will spend at least $2 million a week going into the Iowa caucuses November 1st, followed by the New Hampshire primary. It is a change of strategy for Donald Trump. So far he has not appeared on television advertising.

That is changing. He is trying to turn his supporters at big rallies like this here in Iowa, into actual caucus-going voters. That is his challenge here, trying to get his supporters out to the polls.

[04:10:01] We'll see if he does it in less than five weeks -- Christine and Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: OK. Jeff Zeleny, thanks for that.

And Hillary Clinton sticking to her plan to ignore attacks from Donald Trump, campaign income New Hampshire, she declined to answer reporters' questions about Trump. Clinton is campaigning hard in the Granite State. She is trying to pull out an upset victory against Bernie Sanders who is ahead in the New Hampshire polls.

At a town hall there, Clinton did answer a question about ISIS declaring for the first time that the terror group killing of religious minorities, including Christians, amounts to genocide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am sure now we have enough evidence. What is happening is genocide, deliberately aimed at destroying not only the lives but wiping out the existence of Christian and other religious minorities in the Middle East, in territory controlled by ISIS.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Other candidates also stumping in early primary and caucus states, trying to build momentum going into the home stretch before early voting begins. Marco Rubio and Chris Christie holding town halls all over Iowa.

Jeb Bush and Donald Trump both holding campaign events in South Carolina. The severe weather taking Cruz, Ted Cruz to his home state of Texas where he's going to be touring the tornado damage in the Dallas suburb of Rowlett.

ROMANS: All right. Eleven minutes past the hour. Time for an early start on your money this Wednesday morning.

U.S. stock futures are lower. You know, oil is still tumbling here. It's down more than 2 percent right now. There are only two days left of trading this year. Stocks are flat for the year. They moved sideways most of the year, except for a decline and recovery in the fall.

Right now, the S&P 500 is just up about 1 percent for 2015. It's very different from the double digit gains so many have become used to. Last year, stocks climbed 11 percent.

In 2013, look at this, a stunning 30 percent rally in stocks. But now, the market bulls run has slowed to a crawl.

What's in store for next year? Experts polled by CNNMoney don't expect more double digit gains. Your portfolio could get a bigger boost. The prediction a 6 percent gain for the S&P500 by the end of the year.

KOSIK: I'll keep my fingers crossed for that number, at least.

ROMANS: And it's never a straight line. It's always up and down.

KOSIK: Always.

ROMANS: So, there you go. You've been warned.

KOSIK: The so-called affluenza teenager expected back in the U.S. this morning after weeks on the run. What we're learning about the time he spent in Mexico and the charges he could now be facing, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSIK: No longer a fugitive. The so-called "affluenza teen" is expected to return to the U.S. today after his capture in Mexico. Ethan Couch violated his probation and a drunk driving manslaughter case and fled along with his mother. The question now is what will they both face when they are brought back to Texas.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Alison, Texas authorities are awaiting the return of Ethan Couch and his mother Tonya Couch. They were captured Monday afternoon in the Mexican resort town on the Pacific Ocean of Puerto Vallarta. Authorities took them into custody.

We are told by Mexican officials that they did not resist. That they were not armed, but they were taken into custody and are now in the process of being brought back to the United States. It's not exactly clear how long that process is going to take.

But when Tonya Couch arrives back here in the United States, she will be charged with interfering with the apprehension of a fugitive. That is a felony charge. She now faces up to ten years in prison.

And now, other authorities here are trying to figure out just exactly what to do with Ethan Couch. Obviously, he has been the source -- his case has been the source of frustration for many people here in the Ft. Worth area, especially the families that were killed in that drunken car crash back in 2013.

Prosecutors here in Ft. Worth are trying to move Ethan Couch's case from the juvenile system into the adult system. As it stands right now, the most jail time he could probably face in the jail time that he could face is about up to four months, and prosecutors say they do not believe that that is enough. That's why they're trying to move his case from the juvenile system to the adult system.

There is a hearing scheduled for that on January 19th of next year. So, we'll take some time before we really hear the future fate of Ethan Couch. Right now, these Texas authorities are waiting on both of them to be brought back from Mexico here to the Ft. Worth area -- Christine and Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: Ed Lavandera, thanks. That is expected to happen sometime today.

A Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke pleading not guilty to six counts of murder and one count of official misconduct in the shooting death of a black teenager last year. Laquan McDonald's shooting was captured on police dashcam video. The shooting sparked protests and has led to calls now for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign. Van Dyke's attorney says he may request a change of venue for that trial.

KOSIK: In Cleveland, a second day of protest over a grand jury decision not to indict two police officers in the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. More than 100 demonstrators marched through downtown streets and disrupted traffic on Tuesday, and much of their anger is directed at the county prosecutor who oversaw the shooting investigation, which ended Monday, with the announcement that Officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback would face no criminal charges.

ROMANS: All right. Less than 24 hours and counting now until the crystal ball drops welcoming 2016. A million people expected to crude into New York's Times Square for New Year's Eve. Officials say there will be a high level of security with 6,000 police guarding the revelers.

The mayor says Times Square will be one of the safest places on earth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D), NEW YORK CITY: There has been a lot of chatter. There has been a lot of traffic in terms of information around the world related to terror. But there is not a credible threat directed at New York. There is not a threat that's been corroborated in a meaningful way. We have been in constant touch with the FBI and with Homeland Security and other agencies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Still, Mayor Bill de Blasio says those ringing in the New Year should remain vigilant.

All right. Iraq celebrating a key victory against ISIS, taking back the city of Ramadi. We've got the very latest on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:22:40] KOSIK: The prime minister of Iraq flew to Ramadi, planting the Iraqi flags, symbolically reclaiming the city from ISIS after a week of fierce fighting. The military's grip on Ramadi is incomplete with about a quarter of the city still in ISIS hands. But the apparent rout of the terror group represents a possible turning point and a huge morale boost for Iraq.

Joining us by phone, she is on the road to Ramadi, is senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir.

You know, we see this flag being put into the soil in Ramadi, but now you see the Iraqi fighters setting their sights on Fallujah and Mosul. Other cities under ISIS control.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's what we're hearing from the Iraqi government. The prime minister on his trip to Ramadi, he's extraordinarily jubilant trip to Ramadi, very much doubling down on the Iraqi crisis. They have liberated despite U.S. officials don't seem yet ready to call it fully liberated because of those ongoing pockets of fighting. He's been very clear.

In 2016, he said is the year they are going to push ISIS out of Iraq. Now, all this, of course, might be extraordinarily premature. But from the understanding we are getting from source we are speaking to, some of that legwork is already if process, even before the campaign offensive to retake Ramadi has been launched. They've already launched the campaign to isolate Fallujah, to cut off that retreat line of ISIS fighters from Ramadi, but even further afield, because Fallujah -- even though Mosul might be surprised. It is such a big revenue generator in terms of the taxation, that population for ISIS.

Mosul is the prize, we are taking that. Fallujah symbolically is huge. It comes down to the fighter's experience. Some of them will have been members fighting against U.S. attacks on that city. So, they're aware that Fallujah is being to be the tough one.

For now, we understand from our sources, the plan is to isolate it, cut out that retreat line, essentially lay siege to it and hope that the U.S.-led coalition will continue its commitment intensive airstrikes. The airstrikes were such a key factor in the retaking of Ramadi, Alison -- some 600 airstrikes over two months, very, very intense.

[04:25:06] So far, what we are seeing on the road very secure. The Iraqi military convoy that's taking us in is very comfortable. But our understanding is that the closer we get to Ramadi, that might be about to change as they come into a zone where there is still an active ISIS presence, Alison.

KOSIK: All right. Nima Elbagir, safe travels on your way to Ramadi. We will check in with you again.

ROMANS: The U.S.-led coalition against ISIS says it has killed ten of the terror group senior leaders over the last month, ten of the terror group senior leaders over the last month, ten of them. One was this man, Charaffe Al Mouadan. Officials say the Syrian-based ISIS leader had direct links to the ring leader of the November Paris attacks that left 130 people dead.

Coalition spokesman says Al Mouadan was killed in an airstrike on December 24th, and that several of the other ISIS officials killed he was, quote, "actively planning additional attacks against the West."

New details emerging about the suspects behind the foiled New Year's terror plot in Belgium. The men are members of a Muslim biker gang with history of links to terror investigation. It's part of a growing trend is becoming known as gangster jihadism in Europe, where Muslims are radicalized in prison and spreading the ideology to old friends when they get out.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin live with more for us this morning -- Erin.

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Christine, authorities have yet to release the identities of these two individuals, but we are learning more about their potential affiliations, a senior counterterrorism official in Belgium telling CNN it is believed they were a part of a Muslim biker gang called the kamikaze riders. It's also believe that they had criminal past that includes robbery.

Now, authorities say when they overheard these two individuals discussing potential attacks on key locations in Brussels, including the Grand Place, which is a historic city center, a main tourist attraction in Brussels. That's when they decided to move in, concerned about the ease with which these individuals could potentially acquire weapons to carry out these attacks.

Now, these officials saying that it is believed that these individuals are part of wider group of up to 30 radicalized individuals, a group becoming known to authorities as the band of crazies, some members of this group also members of that biker gang. And as you say, there is this concern about the growing connection between criminality and radical ideology and the question among authorities there in Europe is what more can they do about that -- Christine.

ROMANS: Indeed. All right. Thanks for that, Erin McLaughlin, for us live this morning in London.

KOSIK: The death toll rising in a historic winter storm, parts of the Midwest under water this morning. And it looks like it's only going to get worse.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)