Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
President Obama Going After Guns; Saudi Arabia Cuts Ties with Iran; Hunt for Gunman in Israel; Oregon Wildlife Refuge Protest. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired January 04, 2016 - 05:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump unleashing his first television ad of the campaign. I believe we just got it in seconds ago. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But Donald Trump calls it radical Islamic terrorism. That's why he's calling for a temporary shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until we can figure out what's going on.
He'll quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil. And he'll stop illegal immigration by building a wall in our southern border that Mexico will pay for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: All right. Donald Trump's new ad right there. He says he will spend millions. $2 million a week in Iowa and New Hampshire. Airing this ad. Very interesting. He talks about his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States. He talks about the wall. He wants to build with Mexico and he attacks Hillary Clinton directly. Trump also told the "Washington Post" he has several other ads in the works.
So that was the very first airing of the new Donald Trump ad. The rest of the Republican field also launching their final push. Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, they have multiple events scheduled today. Ted Cruz is in Iowa, Christie will be in New Hampshire. Marco Rubio, he will appear in both states today. Jeb Bush, he needs something, he needs a comeback, and after pulling his commercials from Iowa and South Carolina, he will rely on retail handshaking politics.
He is also keeping up his new sharper attacks on Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And Donald Trump, I don't believe, is going to be the party's nominee. If he is, he's going to get crushed by Hillary Clinton. And I wanted to point that out. He said some things that are just outrageous. His views on policy have shifted with the winds. He is a strong supporter, until recently, of Hillary Clinton. And now he's the front running candidate for the Republican nomination. Someone has to call him out. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Ben Carson has a new campaign leadership this morning after his campaign manager and commutations director up and quit. Carson told ABC News the campaign needs people with, quote, "the ability to execute and not just have good ideas."
John Kasich, he's got a new ad out today as well in New Hampshire. He's been polling in the top five there or so in recent weeks. He needs to do better than that. He's pinning his hopes on that state.
ROMANS: Happening this morning, Bill Clinton set to make his first solo appearance on behalf of his wife in New Hampshire. The campaign is striking a delicate balance between Bill Clinton's huge popularity among -- Democrats, rather, and the risk of putting him on the trail. With his past sexual indiscretions already on the table now as an issue, campaign allies are concerned that having him upfront could do more harm than good.
On Sunday, Hillary Clinton, she shut down a heckler who turned out to be a New Hampshire Republican lawmaker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Just -- just -- well, I'm going to call on people. I'm -- wait a minute, I -- I'm not going to take your question because other people have been -- yes, go right there. This man right there in -- here we go. Right there. You are very rude and I'm not going to ever call on you. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Clinton rival Bernie Sanders, he was very clear on "STATE OF THE UNION" that he just doesn't care about the issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think we got more important things to worry about in this country than Bill Clinton's sex life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: In just hours, President Obama meets in the Oval Office with Attorney General Loretta Lynch. They are set to discuss options for tougher gun restrictions. Over the next couple of days, sources familiar with the issue tells CNN the president will announce executive actions on guns. Potential changes already drawing heated criticism from Republican presidential contenders who say these moves circumvent the will of Congress.
For the very latest, let's bring in CNN's Chris Frates in Washington -- Chris.
CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, John and Christine. On his first full day back in Washington after the holidays, President Obama today plans to meet with the attorney general and other top law enforcement officials to discuss tougher gun restrictions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A few months ago I directed my team at the White House to look into any new actions I can take to help reduce gun violence. And on Monday, I'll meet with our attorney general, Loretta Lynch, to discuss our options because I get too many letters from parents and teachers and kids to sit around and do nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRATES: Sources say President Obama is expected to announce new executive actions soon. Expanding background checks on gun sales, aimed at closing the so-called gun show loophole which allows some gun sellers to avoid conducting background checks.
Gun control advocates have also pushed the White House to tighten regulations on the reporting of lost and stolen guns and they want the president to prevent more alleged domestic abusers and passengers on the no-fly list from buying guns. But before the president has even announced the details of his actions, Republicans running to replace him were seemingly competing on who would undo them faster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So he's going to sign another executive order having to do with the Second Amendment. Having to do with guns. I will veto that. I will un-sign that so fast. So fast.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president is a petulant child. The fact is, if he wants to make changes to these laws, go to Congress and convince the Congress that they're necessary.
[05:35:04] But this is going to be another illegal executive action which I'm sure will be rejected by the courts. And when I become president will be stricken from executive action.
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All these executive orders are going to come out tomorrow. They're going to undermine our Second Amendment rights. On my first day in office, they're gone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRATES: Democrats have applauded Obama's efforts. On Sunday, Bernie Sanders, whose Democratic rivals have called him weak on gun control, endorsed increased background checks -- John, Christine.
BERMAN: All right, Chris Frates for us in Washington.
And a special programming note. This Thursday at 8:00 p.m., President Obama will join Anderson Cooper for an exclusive live town hall event about "Guns in America." Among other things, the president will discuss the executive action on guns he will announce early this week and will take questions from a live studio audience. A town hall on "Guns in America," with President Obama, moderated by Anderson this Thursday night, 8:00 p.m. only on CNN.
ROMANS: The Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino is set to reopen this morning. That's of course the facility where 14 people were killed in a terror attack last month. The conference center where the shooting took place will remain closed. And there is a new security fence around the facility. A full day of events is planned to make the employees feel safe. Many of them have been working from home for the past several weeks.
BERMAN: A devastating earthquake hit northeast India overnight. At least six people were killed in the 6.8 magnitude quake with dozens more injured. Those numbers, they are expected to rise. Rescue efforts are being hampered by communications and power outages. The quake was centered near the border with Myanmar. There are reports of severe damage to residential and government buildings in the state of Manipur.
ROMANS: The potential for deadly flooding threatening millions from Illinois to Louisiana. The Mississippi River beginning to recede up north but still over its banks in several states as this bulge of water moves down river. Authorities in St. Francis County, Arkansas, are searching right now for a man who was swept away by floodwaters while riding his four-wheeler.
There is a huge cleanup effort underway in the St. Louis area this morning. A devastating floods triggered by 10 inches of rain over three days leaving behind enough silt and enough debris to keep workers busy for weeks if not months. A closer look at the forecast coming up in just a few minutes.
BERMAN: Camille Cosby is scheduled to be deposed Wednesday in a lawsuit brought by seven women who claimed they were sexually assaulted and defamed by her husband. The wife of comedian Bill Cosby tried to have a subpoena requiring her to testify thrown out, but a judge ruled her attorney's failed to prove the value of her testimony would outweigh the undue burden it might cause her.
ROMANS: We are getting our first look at the wreckage of the cargo ship El Faro. The vessel sank October 1st. Caught in a category 4 hurricane while traveling from Florida to Puerto Rico. All 33 crew members on board died. Federal investigators are considering a search of the wreckage, it's 15,000 feet down. They want to potentially locate that ship's black box.
Thirty-eight minutes past the hour. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. Stock futures lower. There is a global selloff. Happy New Year, everyone.
China's stock market plunged. Officials there halted trading for the rest of the session. The spark, it was weak manufacturing data.
We're also keeping a close eye on oil prices this morning. Crude initially moved up after Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic tie was Tehran but it's now stabilizing. Of course renewed unrest in the Middle East would be something that would drive oil prices higher.
Oil plunged 35 percent last year. It's bad news for oil producing nations, but really great news for drivers. A new forecast says low prices at the pump will stay well into 2016. AAA predicts the national average for a gallon of regular will stay below $3 a gallon over the next 12 months. Right now the national average $1.99. 22 cents below a year ago. Drivers, John Berman, saved about $540 because of lower gas prices.
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: You drove in this morning? $1.77?
ROMANS: $1.77, I saw. $1.77.
BERMAN: I guess I'll move into that gas station.
ROMANS: I know.
BERMAN: Just keep buying gas.
ROMANS: I know. But you have to pay like $15 to go through the tunnel after that so --
(LAUGHTER)
BERMAN: But, but, over the last 24 hours, some signs that perhaps oil prices could go up because of what's going on in the Middle East.
ROMANS: Watch. Let's watch.
BERMAN: Just one of the effects of the dramatic and dangerous tension there. Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudis kicking out Iranian diplomats. This standoff getting hotter by the minute. We have new developments overnight, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:42:35] ROMANS: Dangerous diplomatic tension in the Middle East this morning. Saudi Arabia ordering all Iranian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. The move follows a weekend attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran, sparked by Saudi Arabia's execution of a dissident Shia cleric. All this signaling a potentially dangerous development in an already volatile region.
CNN's international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson tracking developments live for us from London -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, good morning, Christine. The two most powerful nations in that Gulf region now at even deeper loggerheads than they were before, already fighting a proxy war in Yemen, a proxy war in Syria as well.
What has happened over the weekend, the Saudis accused the Arabians of provoking a situation -- Iranian leaders are provoking a situation whereby people came out on the streets, attack their embassy in Tehran. The Saudis concerned about what could happen pulled out all their diplomats from Iran. They are now telling the Iranians that they have 48 hours to get all their -- all the Iranian diplomats out of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis are saying that the Iranians here are escalating tensions in the region. That they are doing this intentionally. The Iranians for their part are saying that the Saudis are doing this because of internal domestic problems inside Saudi Arabia. But it was all sparked by the Saudi execution of the Shia dissident cleric, Sheikh al-Nmir over the weekend. The Saudis have been threatening to do this for some time. They had indicated this was about to happen. They were aware that this would put them on a collision course with Tehran.
The Saudis say this Shia cleric was fomenting terrorism with their country, within Saudi Arabia,. The cleric's supporters say that he was calling for the overthrow of the Saudi royal family but by peaceful means.
The escalation is really at the moment making it much less likely that we can see peace in Yemen in the future or peace in Syria where there's supposed to be peace talks in the next few weeks -- Christine.
ROMANS: Certainly a dangerous and complicated situation and revealing for the new leadership in Saudi Arabia.
Nic, thank you for that.
BERMAN: Israeli Security Forces widening a manhunt for the shooter suspected of killing two people, wounding seven others outside a Tel Aviv pub on New Year's Day. The shooting came amid a wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis and after an apparent threat against Israel.
[05:45:01] CNN's Ian Lee following developments live in Jerusalem this morning. Good morning, Ian.
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. Right now, SWAT teams as well as terrorism units are combing abandoned buildings and construction sites looking for this person. Their main goal right now is to get him off the streets. One way or another, they fear that being armed and dangerous as they consider him that he could carry out another attack. Now there's been over 1,000 police officers added to the security in Tel Aviv. They are securing everything from places of worship to schools. Parents have been concerned about sending their kids to school in light of this manhunt.
But one thing they're also looking at -- they're talking to is the family members. They have brought some of them in for questioning trying to get any leads there. The family describes the suspect as being mentally -- suffering a mental disorder, being under or having taken medication in the past. They don't know if he is taking his medication. The one thing they would like to see is for him to be captured so that he can get the help that he needs. But the police right now, their main job is to secure the streets of Tel Aviv and the streets of Israel. And that is either capturing or killing the suspect. BERMAN: All right. Ian Lee for us in Jerusalem this morning. Thanks
so much, Ian.
Let's take a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo joins us now.
Good morning, sir.
ROMANS: Happy new year, Chris.
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, NEW DAY: Happy new year, my friends. The best to you for 2016. I missed you, JB. I missed you.
So we're back with a lot of news for you. This is now the real deal, my friends. We are in the new year. That means the election is for real, for the nomination. Just four weeks from Iowa. So we're going to give you the latest on where the candidates are. We have Donald Trump on the show this morning. We're going to go through the major issues that are going on.
Yes, there's a lot of smack talk about him and Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Let's put that to the side for a second. What would a President Trump do about guns in this country? Why is what the president doing so wrong? What would he do about these people who just took over space in Oregon? Are they terrorists? How would he treat them? What about what's going on in Saudi Arabia versus Iran? That's a very sticky situation. What would be his message? Is it right? Is it wrong? Who would he back there?
So we're going to take you through all these issues with Mr. Trump. We're going to give you the coverage of the news of the day. Especially this morning, very big out in Oregon. Let's see if Mr. Hammond surrender or not.
ROMANS: Yes.
BERMAN: Yes. Important, important questions. All right. Chris, thanks so much.
ROMANS: All right. 47 minutes past the hour. What's your new year's resolution? Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has one big goal for 2016. What is it? We'll get an EARLY START on your money next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:51:04] ROMANS: There are reports this morning of a deal in the works to free a "Washington Post" reporter being held by Iran. Reuters quotes a senior Iranian official saying unnamed Americans have contacted Tehran for a deal to swap Jason Rezaian. He was arrested in 2014. Convicted on espionage charges. But Iran has not announced his sentence. The speaker of Iran's parliament has hinted that Rezaian could be freed in exchange for Iranian prisoners in the U.S.
BERMAN: New developments in Oregon this morning with armed militia members occupying buildings in a federal wildlife refuge. Some of the schools in rural Harney County, Oregon, will be closed this week as a precaution.
This all began Saturday as a rally in support of ranchers, Dwight and Stephen Hammond, they were convicted of arson. The father and son pair, they are expected to report to prison today while the protesters say they are going to stay put where they are.
Let's get more from CNN's Polo Sandoval.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And good morning, John and Christine.
Right now several of those men and women are hunkering down on federal property there, saying that they do not plan to move any time soon. They could have been standing up for the rights of ranch owners and land owners as well. But they hear from law enforcement, even some civilians, that say that they disagree. That they are simply seizing an opportunity to further what is a misguided cause.
Well, a group of individuals seized the unoccupied headquarters of a wildlife refuge Saturday. The group claims to be made up of, quote, "patriots and constitutionalists," taking a stand against the government's control and use of public land.
But Harney County sheriff David Ward disagrees. A portion of his statement, reading, quote, "These men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States."
Among the armed protesters, the son of Nevada rancher, Clive Bundy. You'll recall he was at a center of a similar standoff with the federal government last year over grazing fees. Ammon Bundy is leading this new anti-government effort after the feds ordered the father-son ranching duo to federal prison. Dwight and Steve Hammond were convicted of setting fire to about 138 acres of federal land back in 2012. However, their attorney says, they don't condone this takeover, saying in a statement, quote, "Neither Ammon Bundy nor anyone within his group or organization speak for the Hammond family."
This morning the FBI is saying that they are closely monitoring the situation as this is a federal building. They are responsible for investigating what is a -- still an evolving situation there in Oregon this morning.
Guys, back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Polo Sandoval, yes, still an evolving and dangerous situation there (INAUDIBLE) for sure.
Fifty-three minutes past the hour. More serious flooding expected this week in parts of seven states as the surge of high water moves south along the Mississippi. For the latest, let's bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri -- Pedram.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[05:55:00] BERMAN: No snow. Not this winter. ROMANS: Wow.
BERMAN: All right. Black Monday came Sunday for two NFL coaches. The Cleveland Browns fired head coach Mike Pettine and the San Francisco 49ers they fired Jim Tomsula just after one season. Other coaches that could be in trouble include two Super Bowl winners, Tom Coughlin of the Giants and Sean Payton of the Saints. Those guys are good coaches.
There were fireworks on the field Sunday. Peyton Manning came off the bench to lead the Broncos to a win. The Broncos now the top seed in the AFC, that after the Patriots lost. Meantime, the Jets, they had every chance to make the playoffs, but they threw it away again and again and again. Three interceptions in the fourth quarter by Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Jets lost. The Steelers won. So the Steelers grabbed the final playoff spot in the AFC. They will play Cincinnati in a wild card game on Saturday. The Chiefs play the Texans in the other AFC playoff matchup.
In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Packers to win the NFC North. What do they get? They get the Seahawks now on wild card weekend. The hottest team in the NFL. Green Bay, they will play at Washington in the other NFC game and the 15-1 Carolina Panthers they are the top seed.
ROMANS: All right. Some other numbers for you this morning. Let's get an EARLY START on your money.
Stock futures are lower this morning. After a big drop in China's stock market. Look at that, folks. Around the world, a selloff to start the year. Look at London. Look at Paris. Dow futures down. This point looking like you're going to see a triple digit decline.
It all started in China. Trading was halted there for the remainder of the session. Fears about the country's manufacturing sector, there was a bad manufacturing number. Global markets all down across the board right now.
Although there are plenty of data here at home to sort through this week, it will end the week Friday with that big jobs report from the government.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is on paternity leave. But that is not slowing his ambitions. He still has time to make his goal for 2016, and what does he want to do this year? He wants to develop an artificial intelligence system to help run his life. He'll write the code himself. He wants it to control everything including lights, music and temperature in his house.
In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg says, "I'll teach it to let friends in by looking at their faces when they ring the door bell."
BERMAN: Is that a big deal?
ROMANS: It makes the baby not cry.
BERMAN: Is that a big deal?
ROMANS: That's the only thing -- the only thing that matter is sleep and having a baby that doesn't cry.
BERMAN: How much of a nuisance is opening your door when someone rings the doorbell?
ROMANS: He wants to hack his life. He's made good on past years.
BERMAN: I think this Facebook invention will prove more useful than the doorbell thing.
ROMANS: He learned Mandarin and he was reading a new book every two weeks. Those are other New Year's resolutions he's had so he usually makes good.
OK. Powerball. Let's talk about Powerball. Winning Powerball will not make you as rich as Mark Zuckerberg. But millions are going to try to win anyway. The jackpot for Wednesday's Powerball drawing is $400 million. That means -- look at that, it's one of the -- I think it's a record. $244 million cash value is what it would be. Powerball is available in 44 states. Officials say the chances of winning, look, you could win 1 in 300 million.
BERMAN: Yes. If you see -- I just saw "Dumb and Dumber" for the 12th time this weekend. So you're saying there's a chance?
ROMANS: You saw "Dumb and Dumber" for the 12th time?
BERMAN: You know, it was on. It was on.
ROMANS: You're not going to win the lottery. Put the money in a 529.
(CROSSTALK)
BERMAN: All right. The march toward Iowa heating up. It is four weeks from today until actual votes are cast. Donald Trump with a brand new campaign released just -- campaign ad released just minutes ago. And Donald Trump will appear on "NEW DAY" in moments.
"NEW DAY" starts now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump, I don't believe, is going to be the party's nominee. If he is, he's going to get crushed by Hillary Clinton.
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It hasn't been a very pretty picture for her and for Bill because I'm the only one that's willing to talk about his problems.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think we got more important things to worry about in this country than Bill Clinton's sex life.
TRUMP: He's going to sign another executive order having to do with the Second Amendment.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Craziness is (INAUDIBLE) Barack Obama.
TRUMP: I will un-sign that so fast.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I get too many letters to sit around and do nothing.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Saudi Arabia is severing ties with Iran.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The move follows a weekend attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Sparked by Saudi Arabia's execution of the dissident Shia cleric.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is going to cost lives to be taken in the Middle East.
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota and Michaela Pereira.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Monday, January 4th, 6:00 in the East.
And up first, my friends, the race is now real. Iowa will make votes the standard for success in the GOP and Democratic races. Just 28 days from the caucuses. And you have your first primary in New Hampshire eight days after that. So you will see a new desperation in the campaigns. Candidates will be in a frenzy. There are two dozen events just today. There are new lines of attacks as well and we have them.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: GOP frontrunner Donald Trump rang in the New Year on the attack, lashing out again at the Clintons and going after rising Republican challenger Ted Cruz. We will talk to Trump about all of this when he's live on NEW DAY at the top of the next hour.
