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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Bernie Sanders Keeps Pressure on Hillary Clinton; Denver Broncos Wins Super Bowl 50; North Korea Rocket Launch; Refugee Crisis Overwhelms Turkey. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired February 08, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:17] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Bill Clinton unleashed, on the attack against Bernie Sanders. Campaigning for his wife in New Hampshire. The former president with new criticism of the Sanders' campaign and its supporters.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump against the field. Will New Hampshire bring him his first victory in the presidential race and is he really ready to tone it all down? He talks to CNN.
ROMANS: The Broncos with a stunning victory over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. We'll break it down. The big moments in the game and halftime.
Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. In New York, I'm Christine Romans.
BERMAN: And I'm John Berman live this morning in Manchester, New Hampshire. It is Monday, February 8th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East. And it is just one day before the first in the nation primary here in New Hampshire.
And this morning, a new line of attack from someone not even running. Bill Clinton turning heads this morning speaking more directly, more pointedly about Bernie Sanders and his supporters than he ever has.
This is a real shift from the former president, who until now has really only spoken about Hillary Clinton's record and experience. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you're not for us, "The Boston Globe," "The Concord Monitor," "The Portsmouth Newspaper," they're all part of the establishment. Except "The National," paper, they endorse her, too, but Bernie took what they said that's good about him and put it in under all these endorsements. Except they didn't endorse. Today they used a veteran's name saying he endorsed, he didn't endorse. But if you point it out, it just shows you how tied you are to the establishment. I mean, when you're making a revolution, you can't be too careful about the facts. You're just for me or against me.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: Again, this is very, very different than we have seen from Bill Clinton up on the stump until now. That was at an event last night. Very interesting to see if he continues that today.
Hillary Clinton has been trailing consistently in the polls in New Hampshire. The latest poll from Monmouth University has Bernie Sanders up by 10 points.
Let's get a sense of the Democratic race now. Senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny in New Hampshire with me with the very latest.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, one full day of campaigning left here in New Hampshire before the primary on Tuesday. Bernie Sanders not letting up on Hillary Clinton's record. At a rally on Sunday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he drew the biggest applause when he went after her record on Iraq, specifically that vote on the Iraq war in 2002.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Lately, lately, I have been lectured on foreign policy. The most important foreign policy issue in the modern history of this country was the war in Iraq. I was right on that issue, Hillary Clinton was wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Now Hillary Clinton is back in New Hampshire after taking a brief detour to Flint, Michigan. She'll be campaigning all day today, but she addressed something with CNN's Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION" about that double standard that still exists between men and women, and some critics who have said she's shouting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are still living with a double standard. And I know it. Every woman I know knows it, whether you're in the media as a woman or you're in the professions or business or politics. You know, sometimes I talk soft, sometimes I get passionate, and I get a little bit excited.
I don't know any man who doesn't do the same thing and I find it sort of interesting that all of a sudden this is a big discussion about me, once again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Now both sides agree, Sanders has a commanding lead here, but the question is how much and the next question, what will those independent voters do? Oh, so fickle New Hampshire independent voters will hold the key to this primary election -- John and Christine.
BERMAN: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much.
On the Republican side, a new fascinating dynamic is emerging. Donald Trump seems to be out in front, but then there is this huge bunching of candidates vying for second place. Look at that group. Now Trump himself has a different tone and temperament in New Hampshire. A bit softer, a bit gentler, and unlike Iowa, he is doing a bit of retail politicking. Actual handshaking with actual voters. And unlike Iowa, he is playing the time tested political game of lowering expectations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So if I had two seconds, I think I'm doing OK. I'd much rather win. I could say to you, if I came in second or third, I'd be thrilled, OK? And that way we lower -- I know all about expectations. We lower expectations. If I came in second, I wouldn't be happy. OK? So now if I come in second, you can go around and say boom. No, I would much prefer to win in New Hampshire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[04:05:06] BERMAN: Kind of a heavy handed attempt at lowering expectations right there. That's the Donald Trump side of things. As for the pack behind him, Jeb Bush has found new life in New Hampshire. His supporters are hoping this -- this state is where he can turn things around. Jeb is going hard after Donald Trump. He calls Trump a loser for making fun of a disabled "New York Times" reporter and for disparaging 2008 Republican nominee John McCain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And by the way, let me echo what Lindsey said. It is a sign of real weakness when you call John McCain and Leo Thorsness, or anybody else that was a POW who served this country in a way that should be admired. American heroes. Calling them losers. Donald Trump, you're the loser.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Jeb Bush will be on "NEW DAY" at 8:00 Eastern Time. I'll be interesting to see if he continues with that harsh anti-Trump rhetoric.
All right. This Monday morning, Marco Rubio is trying to forget Saturday night. The Republican debate Saturday night did not go the way the Florida Republican senator wanted. And now he is trying to fight the perception pinned on him by Chris Christie that he is some kind over rehearsed robot.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And let's dispel once and for all with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing. Let's dispel with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing. Here's the bottom line, this notion that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing is just not true.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There it is. RUBIO: He knows exactly what --
CHRISTIE: There it is, the memorized 25-second speech.
RUBIO: Well, here's the response. I think anyone who believes that Barack Obama isn't doing what he's doing on purpose doesn't understand what we're dealing with here. OK. This is a president -- this is a president who's trying to change this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Now Chris Christie says his performance during that debate succeeded in shutting down what he calls the anointment of Marco Rubio as the frontrunner and the so-called establishment lane of this race. Christie says he thinks Senator Rubio, quote, "didn't look like he was ready for the game," and then after Christie's assault on what he called the anointed one, the whole race has changed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIE: The plan was to go and talk about the thing that I have been talking about all week, that there's a big difference between me and Marco Rubio. Between my experience and his. Who is ready to take on Hillary Clinton, who's ready to run this country. And so this isn't about me or Marco Rubio. This is about the country. And the country needs a president who's ready. We've had seven years of a president who wasn't ready for the job. I'm ready for the job. Senator Rubio is not. And that's the point I was trying to make last night, and you know, I think it went OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Chris Christie there. All the candidates out making their case. Ted Cruz drawing new distinctions with his rival, now on issue of women registering for the draft. In Saturday's debate, Senator Rubio, Governor Bush, they suggested they would support having women enroll in the selected service now that women are allowed in combat. But Cruz told the New Hampshire audience the idea is nuts and immoral, and that it would not happen if he were president. Cruz noted that he is the father of two little girls.
So, Christine, one day to go. You look at the calendar of events today. And so many candidates are out there meeting so many voters. You know, yesterday I was out there. After doing "NEW DAY" in the morning, we saw -- we saw Marco Rubio, we saw Donald Trump. We saw John Kasich. And you see the same voters in some cases at all of the events. There is so much sampling going on in the state right now and people really wait until the last minute to make up their minds.
ROMANS: Wait until the last minute. Famously undecided until the last minute. They want to see everybody and they want to test drive all those candidates before they decide which car to buy. And you've got to love these people from New Hampshire for that.
All right, John. Thanks for that. Eight and a half minutes past the hour. Time for an EARLY START on
your money this morning. Markets in China closed this week for the Lunar New Year. European markets are lower and U.S. stock futures barely moving right now. Wall Street's very short winning streak came to an abrupt end. Friday the Dow fell 211 points. The S&P 500 down almost 2 percent. The real damage, though, over in the Nasdaq. 3.3 percent decline. Now at its lowest level since October 2014. Inching closer to a bear market. The Nasdaq is 16.4 percent below its record close last year.
It was a mixed jobs report Friday and another wild swing in oil. But the big losers on Friday, those tech stocks. Look at these. Facebook and Amazon falling more than 5 percent. Those are big one-day moves for stocks. LinkedIn, that is not a typo, folks. LinkedIn stocks down 43 percent. LinkedIn gave a weak sales outlook for the quarter and investors in that -- well, investors in that stock just got creamed.
All right. If this was indeed Peyton Manning's last rodeo, the ending was sweet, wasn't it? The Denver Broncos are Super Bowl champions. They beat the Carolina Panthers, 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. The real star of the game was the Denver defense.
We get more this morning from CNN's Coy Wire.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: For the second time in his historic career, Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl champion. At 39 years old, Peyton became the oldest starting quarterback in Super Bowl history. Now many think this is his last game. And if so, what an incredible journey it's been.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[04:10:05] PEYTON MANNING, BRONCOS QUARTERBACK: It's a special feeling. Actually I know how hard it is to get here. It takes a lot of hard work and you've got to have some -- you've got to have some good fortune. And we're really very grateful to be here, to be in this game to play the Super Bowl 50 and certainly to be victorious. It's very special. To be the great football team.
OWEN DANIELS, DENVER BRONCOS: To be able to play with the greatest of all time and share a championship with him. It means everything.
VON MILLER, SUPER BOWL 50 MVP: It means everything. You know, me knowing Peyton. It's been great. You know, he's a great leader. I'm happy for him as well.
ANTONIO SMITH, DENVER BRONCOS: It means the world to me because I love all my teammates. And to see what he had been through this year and to come back from it, and lead us into a Super Bowl win, you know, Peyton. Ride off into the sunset if you want to, brother.
MANNING: I don't know the answer to that. I think I will make a good decision. And I think I'll be at peace with it, whichever way it goes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Manning's teammates came through for him. A dominant defensive performance by Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and company. Cam Newton was under duress all night. Being sent home deflated and defeated. Peyton Manning hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, and if this is the final chapter of his story, it's a fairytale ending for a living legend and one of the greatest figures in American sports history.
Coy Wire, CNN, Super Bowl 50.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Coy.
Eleven minutes past the hour. North Korea launching a rocket into space triggering international condemnation. Accused of testing new weapons. We're breaking down what it means after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:15:09] ROMANS: This morning, global condemnation of North Korea following a rocket launch Sunday. It comes on the heels of a Pyongyang claimed was a hydrogen bomb test last month. The South Korean president calls is a challenge to world peace while announcing her government will begin talks with the U.S. on installing a sophisticated anti-missile defense system.
Senior international correspondent Ivan Watson live in Seoul, South Korea for us this morning.
Ivan, what's the latest?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, North Korea is still celebrating the launch of this rocket which it claims was to propel an earth-observation satellite into space. We're expecting a fireworks display in Pyongyang in a matter of hours.
In the meantime, it has been pretty much universally condemned by the international community. The United Nations Security Council which agrees on very little these days did come out with a joint statement after an emergency meeting on Sunday night in which they said, any type of rocket launch such as the one that took place on Sunday, contributes to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems for North Korea. So all of the countries lined up here. Not just the U.S., South Korea and Japan, who all had their militaries on alert on Sunday and were basically trailing the debris trail of the rocket as it went down the coast of the Korean Peninsula and into the Yellow Sea near the island of Okinawa.
They're not the only countries who have denounced this but also you had the Russian government condemning the North Korean action and you even had China expressing regret about this rocket launch which took place just days after China sent a top diplomat to Pyongyang with the expressed mission to try to stop the North Koreans from launching this rocket. Even China expressing regret and summoning the North Korean ambassador to issue a formal protest to the North Korean government.
The North Korean again not in any way embarrassed or ashamed about this. It's celebrating it and it has described this launch as a, quote, "gift of most intense loyalty from North Korea's space scientists to their leader Kim Jong-Un -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Ivan Watson, it's a big concern every time even if it's a failed attempt, even if these don't work, it's just still more technical experience and expertise the North Koreans are getting and that really concerns international community.
Ivan, thank you so much for that.
Meantime, here in the United States, police are investigating a deadly shooting at the scene of a Mardi Gras parade in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Sunday. Two people were killed, at least four others wounded. It happened near the route of the parade which had ended when the shots were fired. Authorities say they are questioning one suspect in that shooting.
A new low for the Chicago Police Department. That's what the attorney for the family of 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier are saying about a lawsuit by the Chicago cop who fatally shot that teenager in December. The officer who shot that teen, Robert Realmo, claimed he was traumatized by the shooting and is asking for more than $10 million from LeGrier's estate. The officer says he opened fire because he reasonably believed that LeGrier would kill him.
Divers will resume a search this morning off the Southern California coast for wreckage from two small planes that collided last week. Authorities say the remains of two victims and parts of one plane were recovered Sunday. More than 100 feet below the ocean surface. Officials launched the search Friday after radar showed the two planes collided in mid air.
More than two million people in the northeast face winter storm warnings today. Happy Monday, Folks. Let's bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: John and Christine, good morning, guys.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[04:20:14] ROMANS: All right, Pedram, thank you so much for that. 20 minutes past the hour.
The refugee crisis reaching a boiling point in Turkey. Turkey now saying it is unable to take in anymore people fleeing a war-torn Syria. We are live with the very new developments next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: A refugee crisis of historic proportion is overwhelming Turkey. Right now 35,000 Syrians gathered at Turkey's border. A border now closed for a fourth day. The Turks declaring they have reached the end of their capacity to absorb anymore migrants.
CNN's senior international correspondent Arwa Damon joins us. She's live from that border, that Turkey-Syria border, where, Arwa, it appears this crisis is growing more dire by the hour.
ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is. And there are tens of thousands who are gathered on the other side of this gate that does remain closed, except for some commercial trucks that are let through as well as those that are carrying tents and other supplies to the tens of thousands that have gathered on the Syrian side.
[04:25:11] Now Turkey is saying that it is still keeping this open door policy, but at this stage it is going to be providing for those in need inside Syria. Turkey already has upwards of 2.5 million Syrian refugees here. And at this stage, it is saying that unless the situation escalates even further, if there really is the need to let these people through for their own security, it is going to continue to keep this border closed.
That drawing much criticism from the European Union, urging Turkey to open its gates. They are, however, allowing medical emergencies and those who do need medical care to come through to the hospital here in Kilis.
Now this most recent flood of refugees, these are people who really tried to hold on until the very last minute, Christine, holding on to this hope that perhaps somehow the violence would end. But the rush of bombardment, especially over the last few days has been as described by those who have survived it as the most intense they have seen since this fighting in Syria began some five years ago.
And it is also more significantly when it comes to the battle field dynamics, allowed the Assad regime forces to advance cutting off one of the vital supply routes from Turkey to the rebel strongholds in half of the city of Aleppo. With the U.N. now warning that as this regime advance continues, more than 300,000 civilians are in grave risk.
And of course it's proven to be quite decisive for Assad's forces who were at one stage, prior to this rush and bombardment, perhaps facing significant defeat, now it mostly certainly seems as if they have the upper hand with some of these rebel fighting groups saying that they have limited options. They can only hold on for a few months. And they say if the status quo continues, they're either going to have to surrender or join the Kurdish fighting force whom they don't trust or potentially even join ranks with ISIS -- Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Arwa Damon for us this morning on the Syria- Turkey border. Thank you so much for that.
Twenty-seven minutes past the hour, countdown to the New Hampshire primary. In just one day, voters head to the polls there. The last- minute strategies from the presidential candidates. That's next.
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