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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

David Bowie Dead At 69; Mexican Actress Set Up El Chapo Interview; Is North Korea Holding An American?; Clinton Endorsed By Planned Parenthood; American Woman Murdered In Italy. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired January 11, 2016 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:31:17] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to EARLY START. A very busy morning this morning. I'm Christine Romans.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman. It's 32 minutes past the hour right now. New reaction this morning to the news that so many of us woke up to. So sad.

David Bowie, one of the most influential musical performers in the last 50 years, really a true legend. He passed away overnight at the age of 69. Friends, fans, and fellow performers offering up their thoughts and tributes.

Joining us now to discuss is Brian Stelter, our senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES." You know, since the '60s, the late 60s, David Bowie has been on the cutting edge.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: It was 1969 that "Space Audity" came out both the album and also the single. And we can also hear it in our head as soon as you say the name. That's true for so many of his songs over the years.

You hear the first 5, 10 seconds and you immediately know it. I was listening to "Young Americans," same thing, 3 seconds and you know that song, and you want to be on the dance floor with it.

ROMANS: It is not just the sound, though. It's the sound and the images. This is a guy who sort of changed the genre. It was the way he looked. The way he sounded. The cool factor for him was so high.

STELTER: Kanye West was tweeting this morning as so many artists have been saying he was so fearless and so creative. He gave us magic for a lifetime, magic, yes, and also for a lifetime. He was reinventing himself over the decades so many times.

In his most recent album came out just last week. It's been getting a lot of phrase from critics, already doing well on the charts. So this album, don't know whether he perceived it to be his last or not because we now know he was battling cancer. That was not well known until this morning unfortunately, but this was an album that came out. This is one of the songs off the album and like I said, very well received just a few days into the release.

BERMAN: You know, the music is so compelling over such a long period of time. The persona, too, coming out of the '60s, where rock was, you know, for better or for worse, it was this macho thing to an extent.

The "Rolling Stones" were so big and so popular. You see it right here. David Bowie projected this androgyny and you know, questioning sexual roles and sexual identity. That became such a part of who he was --

STELTER: And there was --

BERMAN: -- for a while.

STELTER: There was an experimentation factor. We may see more often now, but was truly cutting edge at the moment. And you mentioned, you know, changed over the decades. He was playing with hard work. He was trying a wide variety of styles into '90s and 2000s.

He was away for a period of ten years without any new songs, but then with this recent albums in 2013 and now again this year, he was back at it at the age of 69.

ROMANS: You think of Madonna and Lady Gaga. You think of all these people who have reinvented themselves, but he was the one who, I guess, charted that path for how a musicians can stay relevant by completely changing it up.

[05:35:03]BERMAN: You have to also be a good musician, right. You have to write good songs. He just did so much of that. I think the great documentary, HBO or Showtime, forgive me.

So many people playing with him in the '70s. They said they had to work so hard to figure out how to play them because they were so challenging. They were so advanced.

The feeling of satisfaction they got when they finally, you know, cracked the code for David Bowie. He was pushing them so much.

STELTER: Already this morning we have seen people taking candles and flowers to his Hollywood Walk of Fame star. We should mention he also starred in movies and starred on Broadway. It was the music I think that everyone is remembering this morning.

ROMANS: I think everyone is very surprised this morning because no one knew he was -- I mean, certainly the public didn't know that he was battling cancer for the past 18 months.

STELTER: You know, looking back, there are a couple of messages his wife had posted on Twitter over the weekend about faith and about not knowing what you have at the moment until it's gone. Maybe in retrospect, that was about these last days he was with us. BERMAN: David Bowie, dead at the age of 69. Another thing is he always looked so young and he looked like he could have been in his early 40s or 30s, but still very recently. Brian Stelter, thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it. David Bowie, 69 years old.

Breaking overnight, extradition papers have been served at the Mexican prison where captured fugitive, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is being held. The U.S. seeking El Chapo so he can be tried on at least seven drug-related indictments.

They also want him here frankly because of his record of escaping from the Mexican prisons. The extradition could take months. So many new questions this morning surrounding the interview and discussion that El Chapo had with Sean Penn for "Rolling Stone."

It was set up through Mexican actress, Kate Del Castillo, a long time El Chapo supporter. Authorities say she kept in touch with Guzman during his months on the run using disposable cell phones and encrypted messaging.

CNN's Nick Valencia this morning has new details.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, we are getting contradictory information from the Mexican government as to whether or not they knew about this meeting between Sean Penn and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

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VALENCIA (voice-over): For the first time, we hear from the drug king pin himself. Despite being on the run the drug lord, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman agrees to an interview with actor and activist, Sean Penn. A cinematic plot twist to an already surreal story.

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VALENCIA: In a report for "Rolling Stone," Penn writes, the pair met face to face in October of 2015, three months after El Chapo's brazen prison escape. According to Penn, it happened in the middle of the Mexican jungle and included tequila and tacos.

His irrational fear of being watched by armed drones and being surprised by El Chapo's, quote, "chivalry." These clips are part of replies to follow-up questions from Penne sent to a Guzman representative who asked questions off camera.

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VALENCIA: The meeting Penn says was brokered by Mexican actress, Kate Del Castillo. It was 2012 when Del Castillo reportedly developed a friendship with El Chapo after posting a series of tweets critical of the Mexican government while celebrating the notorious drug trafficker.

Del Castillo has not commented since publication of the "Rolling Stone" article Saturday night. CNN has reached out to her. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: With the drug trafficker now behind bars, the next step in this entire process is extradition. A source tells us that that extradition could happen as soon as this summer -- John, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, thanks for that, Nick Valencia. Breaking news this morning, claims that North Korea is holding an American prisoner. Just a few hours ago, Pyongyang allowed CNN to interview a man who says he used to live in Fairfax, Virginia and is an American, a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Our exclusive interview comes as tensions escalate sharply on the Korean peninsula following North Korea's claim it tested a hydrogen bomb.

Joining us now with the latest, our Will Ripley. He is in Pyongyang. Will, what did this man tell you?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: His name is Kim Dong-Chul, Christine. The U.S. State Department probably was not really aware of his name until the overnight hours when he was presented and reported about right here on CNN.

We are told that the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang received an urgent cable from the State Department after we broke the story several hours ago.

That this man who showed us an American passport with his name and his birthday. He says that he has been operating as a spy for conservative elements in South Korea for well over a year.

[05:40:08]He lives in China and has for some time now and he was commuting back and forth to North Korea for business reasons. It is during the trips to North Korea that he confessed to us that he has been collecting information about nuclear secrets, military installations in North Korea.

Now you are about to hear him describe in detail how he says it all worked. But keep in mind, we don't know if he was making the statements under duress. We suspect that the entire conversation was being monitored by North Korean officials in another room in the hotel. But listen as he gives us the details.

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RIPLEY: How did you pass on the information that you collected?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I bribed a local resident and had him gather important materials considered national secrets in this country such as military secrets and nuclear-related materials. It got these materials and hid them in my car and secretly brought them to China where I handed them over or I would go to South Korea and handed them over directly.

(END VIDEO CLIP) RIPLEY: The South Korean government is calling his claims groundless. The U.S. State Department not even confirming that he is a U.S. citizen telling us, quote, "Speaking publicly about specific purported cases of detained Americans can complicate our tireless efforts to secure their freedom."

But again we know through back channels, already discussions are taking place to try to figure out the situation because again it was really unknown to the world.

We didn't know about it until after we landed here in Pyongyang and the North Koreans told us that they had an American citizen detained on these charges.

Keep in mind, this is all just days after North Korea's purported H- bomb test. It was some sort of a nuclear device that was tested creating an international firestorm.

Now North Korea claiming an American citizen is in their custody accused of trying to steal nuclear secrets on behalf of the United States key ally and the Peninsula of South Korea -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Will Ripley for us in Pyongyang this morning. Thanks for that, Will. It's so interesting too because you know, the North Koreans stage managed all of this. So what is the message they are sending? They want to talk. They want a dialogue with the United States.

BERMAN: Will Ripley has been there several times. It's such a great source of reporting from North Korea. Great to have him there.

A new poll shows possible trouble for Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton. We'll tell you what it says and more importantly where it says it. That's next.

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ROMANS: Hillary Clinton has picked up a key endorsement that she hopes will win support in the early voting states. She has earned the endorsement of Planned Parenthood at a time she may need it most because look at these polls.

They are showing she is in a statistical tie with Bernie Sanders in Iowa and New Hampshire. Let's bring in CNN's Tom LoBianco to help break it all down.

Tom, let's look at these polls. I mean, within the margin of error in Iowa and New Hampshire, they are in a dead heat. Sanders is holding in there. What kind of pressure does that put on Hillary Clinton?

TOM LOBIANCO, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: It's tremendous. You know, look at the way that she has changed the tone recently. You know, in December, just a few weeks ago, she was already looking past Sanders to the general. Taking all her shots squarely at Trump. But now she's pulled back into an actual primary fight with Sanders. It's all because of these poll numbers. What this reflects is the change is drastic from where we were just a few months ago in Iowa.

You know, New Hampshire, it has been tight for a while. Sanders holding that slight edge, but Iowa is just remarkable. She has been nailing him on guns again bringing up the same arguments that she was doing two and three months ago. Those numbers are exactly why.

BERMAN: OK, let's show you some of what Hillary Clinton was saying on the Sunday shows. As you said, a few weeks ago, talking about Donald Trump and the general election. Now she's talking about Bernie Sanders and guns. Let's listen.

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HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think he has been consistently refusing to say that he would vote to repeal this absolute immunity from any kind of responsibility or liability.

President Obama and I and Senator Sanders were all in the Senate at the same time. Two of us voted against what the NRA says was the most important piece of legislation in 20 years for the gun lobby. Senator Sanders voted with them.

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BERMAN: You know, it is interesting. This dove tails with the message we are getting from the White House and the president about gun measures over the last week. It really sets up this debate where Hillary Clinton is saying, look, it's the president and me against Bernie Sanders.

LOBIANCO: Right. Obviously great positioning on her part when she does this. It's a continued vulnerability for Sanders. It is interesting about this. You showed the Planned Parenthood endorsement there.

She also picked up an endorsement from Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords. What's interesting about this is sort of the underlying dynamics of this race is true on the Democratic side and Republican side.

There is some question of how much these official endorsements matter in a very anti-establishment field from both sides. You know, it is very unique to 2016.

ROMANS: Let's talk about the Republican side here. Donald Trump still hammering away at Ted Cruz who was born in Canada, by the way, if you didn't know that by now. Most legal scholars, in fact, almost all legal scholars say it is not a problem. Listen to what Donald Trump says.

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DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Here's the problem. It's called uncertainty. It's called you just don't know. What's going to happen is the other side will bring a suit. Now is he a natural born citizen? Some people -- I don't know. Honestly, we don't know. Who the hell knows? But you can't be running.

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ROMANS: We do know. He is, right? I mean, but this is something that he is going to hold on do you think?

LOBIANCO: Absolutely. This is -- it's so funny. Trump is in the same place now where Clinton is in Iowa. Slightly inverted though. Cruz is beating him in a place he was leading for most of the primary race and he's picked out what he perceives is the greatest vulnerability.

That is the Cruz birther question so to say and he is nailing him on it repeatedly. The way he does it is fairly amusing. I don't know. Maybe he is. Maybe he isn't. I'm not the one saying it, you know, that sort is his style. But it's clear. He just keeps on hammering this point rally after rally.

BERMAN: Tom LoBianco, thanks so much for being with us. Interesting to see Donald Trump out there seemingly enjoying it as he is saying it.

LOBIANCO: Thanks, guys.

BERMAN: Let's take a look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Michaela Pereira joins us now.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Hi, guys. Good morning to you.

[05:50:06]Obviously we are going to have the very latest on David Bowie, the one and only, succumbing to cancer at 69 years old. We'll have much more on that tremendous life and legacy, his influence on music as we know it ahead.

Also kind of a story too crazy to believe. The story of Sean Penn, the actor interviewing that fugitive Mexican drug lord, El Chapo, who spent six months on the run during an international manhunt.

But sat down with Sean Penn for an interview. Do the actor crossed the line? Could he face charges? We will examine all of that on today's show.

Also the 2016 campaign rounding a crucial corner. Three weeks to the Iowa caucus. New polls show Hillary Clinton in the lead, but not by much. We are joined by the campaign manager for Bernie Sanders.

I will leave one number with you, $1.3 billion. Have a great day.

ROMANS: She wants to win.

BERMAN: None of us are going to win.

ROMANS: You can always dream. Thank you, Michaela. Happening now, a murder mystery unfolding this morning in Italy. An American woman found dead in her apartment. We're live next.

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BERMAN: All right, new details this morning as an American artist living in Italy, Florence, has been found dead in her apartment. Police say 35-year-old Ashley Olsen was found Saturday with bruises and scratches on her neck consistent with strangulation.

They've questioned the Florida woman's boyfriend and are treating the case now as a homicide. Let's go to Rome and bring in CNN's Barbie Nadeau for the very latest. Barbie, what do we know?

BARBIE NADEAU, ROME BUREAU CHIEF, "DAILY BEAST": Well, right now, we are waiting for two very crucial pieces of information. The first is the autopsy. An autopsy in a murder case, of course, is the road map to lead to what happened. It doesn't provide how she died, but when she died.

Once they know that time of death, they are going to be able to take a good look at all of the surveillance cameras that were active in the area the night or the day that she was murdered.

[05:55:07]Right now, they have just too much footage. They don't know where to pin in that window. Once they can put in within a few hours of when she died, when she took her last breath, they can get more information on that death.

That could provide a clue to who killed Ashley Olsen. Right now, the boyfriend with whom she had a fight three days before she was murdered was questioned into the night.

He left the police station yesterday morning about 6:00 a.m. But he is so far is not being named as a suspect. They've talked to lots of her friends.

They are trying to seek out her ex-husband who is potentially living in Europe. All of these sorts of things are trying to lead them into exactly who killed Ashley Olsen -- John.

BERMAN: All right, so many questions this morning. As you said, we should find out more with those autopsy results. Barbie, thanks so much.

The trial of Baltimore Police Officer Caesar Goodson gets under way this morning. Goodson drove the van that carried Freddie Gray from the site where he was arrested to Baltimore's Western District police station.

Gray emerged from that 45-minute ride critically injured and unresponsive. Caesar Goodson is charged with second degree depraved heart murder. That's the most serious charge in this entire case. Jury selection is expected to take two days, but the trial expected to last two-to-three weeks. Four days after declaring a state of emergency, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is providing bottled water, filters, and testing kits to people of Flint.

The city's tap water has been polluted with lead since Flint officials decided to go with a cheaper water source two years ago. The bottled water and filters will be distributed by five firehouses all around the city.

ROMANS: All right, let's get an EARLY START on your money this morning. The dramatic drop in China overnight. The Shanghai Composite tanked in another 5 percent. But so far markets in Europe shrugging it off. They are trading higher.

You can see futures in the U.S. here are up as well. The Dow coming off historic first week of the year. For the week, the Dow dropped 1,079 points.

BERMAN: Nothing to sneeze at.

ROMANS: If you filled up your tank this weekend chances are you paid less than $2 a gallon. The national average for regular is now $1.96 down 5 cents in the past month and 18 cents less than last year.

A handful of states have average prices below $1.75 like drivers in Missouri, for example, enjoying the lowest prices. Prolonged slump in crude oil should keep regular gas low throughout 2016.

So a gallon of gas is less expensive than a Powerball ticket. But millions will be hitting up gas stations for a shot at this week's $1.3 billion jackpot. Powerball making a lot more millionaires than billionaires.

In the current jackpot run, 59 tickets have won a million bucks by matching all five numbers but not the Powerball. Eight tickets won $2 million. Thousands of people have won smaller prizes as well.

The odds of winning the $1 billion plus jackpot, 1 in 292 million. The odds of winning anything at all are about 1 in 25.

BERMAN: But $1.3 billion now sounds like a lot of money.

ROMANS: It really is a lot of money, but your chances are so low. Come on.

BERMAN: I'm not going to get a ticket.

ROMANS: It is not a retirement plan. If that is your retirement plan, you are in trouble.

BERMAN: All right, we do have breaking news this morning, David Bowie, rock legend, died overnight, 69 years old. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

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BERMAN: New questions mount over a secret jungle interview with Sean Penn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The meeting Penn says was brokered by Mexican actress, Kate Del Castillo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will do the monologue and go into hiding. Not even Sean Penn will find me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The race in Iowa is really tightening. Hillary Clinton is 48 percent and Sanders, 45 percent.

SENATOR TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The child of a U.S. citizen born abroad is a natural born citizen.

TRUMP: Is he a natural born citizen? Honestly, we don't know. Who the hell knows?

BERMAN: David Bowie, a true legend, has died of cancer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His newest album, "Blackstar" was released on Friday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had a very quiet and private life which is how he wanted it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Monday, January 11th, 6:00 in the east.

We are beginning with this breaking news about David Bowie. It's just break the hearts of music fans around the world. The musical genius gone after an 18-month battle with cancer at the age of 69.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Bowie's death coming just days after he released his latest album and marked his 69th birthday.

Joining us now is CNN's senior media correspondent and host of "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter, with more on Bowie's incredible life.

Brian, his death surprised us. I don't know that many people knew that he'd been struggling with cancer for 18 months?

STELTER: Yes, it was a big surprise especially because he just released a new album last week. "Blackstar" came out just a few days ago. It's already been currently acclaimed.

We've heard this morning from artists even from prime ministers, so much praise for David Bowie.