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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Bill Clinton Blasts Bernie Sanders; Trump Leading In New Hampshire Polls; Rubio Trying To Recapture Momentum; North Korea Rocket Launch. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired February 08, 2016 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00] CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. EARLY START continues right now.
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ROMANS: Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans in New York. Good morning, John Berman.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Christine Romans. I am John Berman live in Manchester, New Hampshire. It is Monday, February 8th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the east. We are one day away from the primary here in the granite state.
This morning, a really surprising new line of attack from someone not even running. Bill Clinton speaking more directly, more pointedly about Bernie Sanders and the Sanders supporters than he ever has.
This is a real shift from the former president who until now has only spoken about Hillary Clinton's record and experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you are not for us, the "Boston Globe," "Concord Monitor," the Portsmouth newspaper, they are all part of the establishment. The national paper endorsed her, too.
Bernie took what is good about him and put it in the endorsements, except they did not endorse. Today, they used a veteran's name to endorse. He didn't endorse.
If you pointed out, it shows you how tied you are to the establishment. When you are making a revolution, you can't be too careful about the facts. You are just for me or against me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Again, something very different from the former president than we have seen on the trail in the campaign. Hillary Clinton has been trailing consistently in New Hampshire. The latest Monmouth University poll has Bernie Sanders up by ten points.
Our senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny, in New Hampshire with the very latest -- Jeff. 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 (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: 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 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 exists with men and women, and some critics who have said she is shouting.
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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 are in the media as a woman or 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. 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. The next question is what will those independent voters do? Also fickle New Hampshire independent voters will hold the key to the primary election -- John and Christine.
BERMAN: All right, those fickle New Hampshire voters absolutely do hold the key. Thanks to Jeff Zeleny for that.
On the Republican side, a fascinating new dynamic emerging. Donald Trump seems to be out in front. Look at the grouping behind him, Kasich, Rubio, Bush, Cruz, all within two points of each other in the race right now and really interesting to see there.
Donald Trump also out on the stump with a new tone and new temperament and also maybe some new tactics and retail politicking actually shaking hands.
But with Dana Bash, not so much getting into the game of playing the expectation thing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So if I had 2 seconds, I think I'm doing OK. I would much rather win. I could say if I came in second or third, I'd be thrilled, OK. That way we lower expectation.
I know all about expectations. We lower expectations. If I came if second, I wouldn't be happy. OK? If I come in second, you can go around and say boom. I would much prefer to win in New Hampshire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: That was Donald Trump. Where are we on both sides of the race just one day before the voting here in New Hampshire?
We are joined by Goldie Taylor, the editor-at-large for "The Daily Beast." Goldie, thanks so much for being with us. Overnight, this new line of attack from Bill Clinton.
[05:05:01]You know, he has been so careful and so restrained on the stump in this race up until now that it was a very big change to see him go after Bernie Sanders directly.
He was talking about the fact that the Sanders campaign is misrepresenting endorsements. Also last night, he talked about supporters for Bernie Sanders, who Bill Clinton says is saying sexist things in social media. Listen to the former president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON: People who have gone online to defend Hillary and explain why they supported her have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often not to mention sexist to repeat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So Goldie, the question is why has Bill Clinton been silent on Bernie Sanders up until now and why the shift?
GOLDIE TAYLOR, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "THE DAILY BEAST": Two words, New Hampshire. If you look at the polling coming around New Hampshire and headed into Nevada and South Carolina, Bernie Sanders has proven himself to be a formidable candidate.
So who you bring to push back a candidate like that probably one of most formidable personality you could ever put on a campaign stump and that is Bill Clinton.
And so absolutely put him out there, but he's got to be careful. He's got to be careful on pushing on the Bernie Sanders supporters because he will need those supporters to joins forces with this wife, you know, as this nomination comes together. ROMANS: You know, we saw Bernie Sanders on "SNL" this weekend. I mean, they love him on "SNL." Young people. You look at the Iowa caucus voters. The young people love Bernie Sanders, you know, 70 points over Hillary Clinton. What's the issue with these young voters and Hillary Clinton? Do young women voters, do they take her for granted?
TAYLOR: You know, I don't think they necessarily take her for granted. What I do believe, though, is that this new generation of millenials are really about what the world could be.
They are into possibilities and reshaping the world in a way that they would want to raise the quality of life and the place they want to live rather than sort of the pragmatic approach that comes along with governing.
And so you are going to find them more attracted to a Bernie Sanders candidacy. Maybe his entire platform isn't all attainable, but a good bit of it is the kind of thing that, you know, you see some millenials wanted for their lives.
BERMAN: Goldie, I want to throw up the picture of the latest Republican polling right now because it is really interesting dynamic, an exciting dynamic, political watchers might say one day before the actual voting here.
Donald Trump out in front. You could see him at 30 percent. Look at the grouping, Kasich, Rubio, Bush, Cruz, all vying for second place. It could be getting ever closer in more tumultuous after the debate Saturday night.
Look, people here have thought Marco Rubio might have momentum. That's certainly what Rubio supporters wanted to think, but then he had this performance in the debate that is getting a lot of criticism.
Let's remind people of what happened on Saturday night with what Chris Christie and other are calling the Rubio robotic performance. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), 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 is doing.
Let's dispel with the fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what's he's doing.
Just the bottom line, this notion that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing is just not --
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There it is. The memorized 25-second speech.
RUBIO: Well, here's the response, if I think anyone who believes that Barack Obama isn't doing what he's doing on purpose doesn't understand what we are dealing with here. If this is the president who is trying to change the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: He was actually booed the fourth time he was saying it there. Goldie, Marco Rubio trying to bounce back yesterday on the stump from this. Do you think this is the kind of thing that last, that leaves an impression for days even maybe even weeks in this campaign?
TAYLOR: You know, in the words of Jake Tapper, this is going to leave a mark. I do think it is going to last a good long time headed into this primary, Marco Rubio was running a clear second without the rest of the pack to Donald Trump.
And so that left him open to attack this past weekend. You know, Chris Christie is a former prosecutor. What did he do that night? He prosecuted Marco Rubio to the nines until he just fell apart.
All he had to do is fall back on his talking points. That's the only place he had left to go. He had no definite policy. He had no depth in terms of messaging. He had one single message that night, and as you noticed, it just didn't play well for very long.
ROMANS: Let's show the New Hampshire polling one more time and look at that cluster. Jeb Bush campaign is feeling good this morning. They are feeling good about what they say is momentum and traction that the Bush campaign is finally getting. Do you buy it?
TAYLOR: I do buy it. I mean, they have every reason to feel good about at least showing up in the polls. There was a time when Jeb Bush didn't register in the single digits and having $100 million PAC and all of its resources. That had to be a real disappointment.
And so to even be in the thick of it in a place like New Hampshire has to be something -- you know, has to leave the Bush campaign feeling good about something for a little while. This will all fall apart by the time we get to South Carolina.
[05:10:10]BERMAN: All right, Goldie Taylor, for us from "The Daily Beast." Great to have you here with us. Really appreciate it.
Now I did see Jeb Bush on Saturday. He did have new energy. He stayed there with the crowd for a long time, answered questions, and seemed to be enjoying it, which again, is something a little bit different from the Jeb Bush we saw maybe earlier this fall when he was taking a lot of hits.
ROMANS: He was taking a lot of hits this fall, but even then his supporters and his campaign were saying just be patient. We are in it for the long game here. We are not in it for some of these early states. So we will see if maybe they were right that he'll get some traction over the next couple of days.
John Berman in New Hampshire, thank you for that, John. Go warm up for a second because we are talking about the Super Bowl. If this was indeed Peyton Manning's last rodeo, the ending was sweet. His 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, though. Coy Wire joins us now live from Santa Clara, California with the latest. Good morning, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. I didn't sleep much last night. I played nine years in the NFL and I never been to a Super Bowl. So this was incredible. So much hype at the end of this year's big game. It lived up to it.
The big story line going into the game was the quarterbacks. Peyton Manning already a legend at 39 years old and Cam Newton, 26 and a legend in the making just entering his prime. The offense wins games that's what they say.
But defense wins championships. Denver's Von Miller proves that. He clobbers Cam Newton. Ball is out. Mr. Jackson snags it in the end zone for the touchdown. The Panthers cut the lead in the second quarter when Jonathan Stewart goes airborne.
C.J. Anderson powers into the end zone from two yards out for the touchdown. The Denver Broncos wins Super Bowl 50 by a score of 24-10. The Manning brothers now have won four of the last ten Super Bowls. Here's Peyton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEYTON MANNING, BRONCOS QUARTERBACK: I know how hard it is to get here. It is a special feeling. It takes a lot of hard work and you have to have good fortune. We were grateful to be here and to be victorious. It is very special to be the great football team. I do not take it for granted. I know how difficult it is and I'm very grateful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIRE: Before the season, Peyton took a $4 million pay cut to help the team with the salary cap. Good karma. He earned it all back by reaching the Super Bowl and winning it. Incredible player on and off the field, fun and funny, too, Christine. Peyton won the Super Bowl.
ROMANS: He's won it twice now with two different teams. Something he says he is really proud of it. Coy, I'm glad you got to go to your first Super Bowl. That sounds awesome.
It's 13 minutes past the hour. North Korea launching a rocket into space triggering international condemnation, a few is detecting new weapons. We are breaking all of this down live right after the break.
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[05:17:23]
ROMANS: There is global condemnation of North Korea this morning following a rocket launch on Sunday. It comes on the heels of what Pyongyang claims was a hydrogen bomb test last month. The South Korean president calls it a challenge to world peace while announcing her government will begin talks with the U.S. on installing a sophisticated anti-missile defense system.
Our senior international correspondent, Ivan Watson, is live for us in Seoul, South Korea this morning -- Ivan.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. Take a moment to look at the footage which just aired on North Korean state TV.
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WATSON: This is footage of what appears to have been a fireworks display moments ago in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. The announcers say this was in celebration of the rocket launch on Sunday.
A rocket launch that has been condemned and denounced all across the world by the United Nations Security Council as a step forward in North Korea's program to make a nuclear weapons delivery system.
North Korea says it was simply to put an earth observation satellite in space. It has left U.S. allies in the region, their militaries scrambling to track the debris trail of this rocket launch on Sunday with South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.
Their militaries are all on alert now trying to analyze fragments of the rocket that are believed to have landed in the ocean in the sea.
Now North Korea is defiance not only of the United Nations Security Council, but also of its close trading partner China, which has expressed regret about this rocket launch coming just a month after North Korea claimed to have detonated a hydrogen bomb.
Now South Korea and the U.S. are going to talk about possibly deploying anti-ballistic missile defense systems here in South Korea.
In the meantime, on Monday morning, South Korean military units fired warning shots they say at a North Korean patrol boat believed to have crossed the border into South Korean waters, a sign of the tension here on the Korean Peninsula -- Christine.
ROMANS: Thank you so much for that, Ivan Watson for us. Keep us posted with any new developments coming out of North Korea this morning.
A big snowstorm heading toward the northeast. Schools shutdown. Hundreds of flights canceled. What you need to know next.
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[05:24:17]
ROMANS: More than 2 million people in the northeast face winter storm warnings today. I want to bring in meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, for the latest. PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, John and Christine. We are watching the storm system off the eastern Seaborg that had potential for significant disruptions around the northeast with the primaries ahead of us on Tuesday.
We are watching another disturbance back behind that is doing a good job of shunting the storm along the way. That will minimize snow accumulation for a lot of areas. I think the hardest hit areas going to be around Cape Cod as you see and the storm advisories and winter storm advisories in place from northern New England as far as northern New Jersey.
At least the best indications we have right now do put the heavy snowfall here in Cape Cod with 8 to 12 inches. Boston, 5 to 8 inches. Farther north, even lesser amounts, 2 to 4 inches.
[05:25:07]New York City potentially getting in 1 to 3. Some models say maybe 3 to 5 inches through Tuesday night. The temperatures are certainly cold enough, but wait until you see what happens as we go later midweek to the latter portion of the week, Saturday into Valentine's Day.
For Boston, temperatures should be around 40 degrees. The best we will do is 15 come Valentine's Day. Two degrees on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Incredible cold in the northeast, guys.
ROMANS: All right, we'll take it. Thanks for that, Pedram Javaheri.
The countdown to the New Hampshire primary in just one day now. Voters will head to those polls. The last-minute strategies from the presidential candidates. That's next.
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BERMAN: Just one day away from the first in the nation primary here in New Hampshire. The candidates all out on the stump today making their last minute pitches.
