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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Republicans Vote in Four States Today; Democrats Vote in Two States Today; U.S. Strike Kills 150 Suspected al-Shabaab Members; Two- year Anniversary of MH-370 Disappearance; Erin Andrews Wins $55 Million in Civil Suit. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired March 08, 2016 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:04] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Sara Murray kicks off our team coverage. She's with the Trump campaign. Has the latest from Mississippi.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Donald Trump was rallying a crowd of thousands here in Mississippi last night, just hours before voters in this state and three others head to the polls today.

Now Trump and his campaign have made it clear that Mississippi and Michigan are their top prizes today. These are both very delegate- rich states. But even as Trump was talking to voters here in Mississippi, he had an eye on Florida and was taking swipes at Marco Rubio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And then we have little Marco Rubio. I thought when we had, you know -- Chris Christie endorsed me. Good guy. Really good guy. He endorsed me two weeks ago. And when Chris was on the stage -- Chris is the governor of New Jersey, but he was a former prosecutor and a tough cookie. And I thought -- honestly, I thought Marco was going to faint. He was choking like a dog. He was pouring down sweat.

And Chris hit him once, and it was fine. He said the Obama thing. Remember the phrase? And then he did again, and he said it again and again and again and again. And after the fifth time I was getting ready to -- you see that size of that hand? Look at that. I was going to grab him to show him how strong that hand is because he made that sucker up. I was going to say, Marco, I won't let you fall. I don't want you to get hurt, Marco.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Now as soon as we get past these states that are voting here today, the Trump campaign is going to be laser-focused on Florida. That's because that is where they want to knock Marco Rubio out of the race for good. They went up on the air with a new attack ad against him. All of this in the face of Rubio's allies who are spending tens of millions trying to secure the senator's victory in his home state.

Back to you, guys.

BERMAN: All right, Sara Murray, in Mississippi.

On the Democratic side, voters go to the polls in two states today. Mississippi and also Michigan. Big implication for both states in this race. The Clinton hoping for a show of strength in both the deep south where she has been quite strong. And the industrial north. This is really the first big primary there. Some of the polls do show her ahead right now in Michigan.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny with more now from Clinton's final rally before the voting.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: The Michigan primary is now upon us and what a frenetic final day of campaigning it was. Talk of the auto bailout, talk about trade, talk about guns. But Hillary Clinton is increasingly trying to impress upon Democrats the time is now to start thinking long-term. Thinking toward the fall. At her closing rally in Detroit, listen to what she said to Democrats rallying for her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Everything I've just said the Republicans disagree with, and so we've got our work cut out for us. That's why it's so important for all of you to turn out as many voters as you can tomorrow because the sooner I could become your nominee, the more I could begin to turn our attention to the Republicans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Now that is the farthest she has gone to saying Democrats, hey, it's time to wrap this up. Of course, she's not calling for Bernie Sanders to drop out. Anything like that would certainly backfire. But if she has a strong night tonight in Michigan, if she wins the delegates here as well as in Mississippi, they're going to continue to make their case that they believe it's mathematically impossible for him to overtake her.

Now the Sanders campaign will argue that, look, there's some 70 percent of the delegates still to be picked. Those big states in California, in New York, in New Jersey still to come. But if Bernie Sanders does not win here today in Michigan, that will make his argument that much harder. That's why Bernie Sanders is campaigning so aggressively in the final hours. He is ending his night tonight in Florida, though. That state, among others, votes next Tuesday.

BERMAN: All right. Our thanks to Jeff Zeleny for that.

Let's talk about this further. Ellis Henican, he's a columnist for "Newsday," author of "The Party is Over."

Let's start with the Democrats, Ellis, because I have not heard Hillary Clinton say that quite as strongly as she just did before. She said the sooner I become your nominee, the sooner I can take on Republicans. Look, she doesn't want to alienate the Bernie Sanders base or Senator Sanders himself for that matter. But clearly, she wants to finish this off if she can, as soon as she can.

ELLIS HENICAN, COLUMNIST AND CO-AUTHOR, "THE PARTY'S OVER": You put the line exactly right. The momentum and the passion in the party is over on the Sanders side. I mean, those are the people who are revved. But she needs those three M's. Mississippi, Michigan and momentum. Buttoness day, right?

BERMAN: There are only voters in two of those, Mississippi and Michigan.

HENICAN: That's right. But you know, they all get -- they all get intertwined, John.

BERMAN: Yes. Momentum has no delegates as far as I can tell. And no super delegates even as far as I can tell.

HENICAN: Not on paper.

BERMAN: Mississippi is the type of state where Hillary Clinton has done very well.

HENICAN: That's right. Southern or black voters.

BERMAN: Southern, large African-American voting base down there. Michigan, this is the first big industrial north state with a big primary right now. A lot of delegates at stake. And both candidates working hard there.

HENICAN: Right. And outside of New England, if Bernie is going to do well anywhere, it's got to be in states like Michigan. Strong working class traditions. Concerns about a squeezing economy. If that message doesn't echo there, I don't know where.

[04:35:02] BERMAN: You know, and that's why Hillary Clinton no doubt made that statement that just surprised both of us where she said the sooner I'm your nominee, the sooner I can take on the Republicans because if she can get a victory in Michigan, where she is ahead right now, she will have a stronger case to make to the Democratic voting base that they should just get on board.

HENICAN: That's right. But do it without alienating those Sanders supporters because you know she's going to need them in November.

BERMAN: Let's talk Republicans right now because the big question now is Trump.

HENICAN: Right. Did he stumble?

BERMAN: Is he slipping?

HENICAN: Coming Saturday and Sunday were not so great. And is he going to be able to recover and keep things going? At least, though, he arrives in Florida on an upswing.

BERMAN: All right. The polls right now in Michigan show him leading right now. What does he need to do to prove that he's got his mojo back?

HENICAN: Well, he's got to do well. I mean, I don't think it's that much more complicated than that. The message is well targeted for the same reasons that Michigan will be at least potential for Bernie Sanders. Boy, it's tailored for Donald Trump. Right? Those white working class voters who he speaks most directly to.

BERMAN: You're looking in the polls right there. Donald Trump, 13 points ahead of Ted Cruz. You know, a little bit more than that, over John Kasich. Marco Rubio way down.

HENICAN: Where is he?

BERMAN: Kasich has been rising. Rubio has been slipping. That's below the threshold for Marco Rubio in Michigan. I think the threshold is 15 percent. That's a rough showing.

HENICAN: You know, I think Marco is polling in Michigan just about where the Toyota Corolla is polling in Michigan. There's just nothing there.

BERMAN: He's all in, though, in Florida. Florida is where Marco Rubio, you know, will either, you know, keep on going or end this campaign.

HENICAN: Right. I would say the choice is death and life support at this point.

BERMAN: Yes.

HENICAN: And if he doesn't get Florida, where is going to he get it? I mean, listen, his donors are already getting a little nervous looking around and seeing what other homes they might find for themselves. And it's got to be Florida or it's nowhere.

BERMAN: This is the latest poll from Monmouth University out of Florida right now. Donald Trump out in front. No, it's not an NBC/"Wall Street Journal" poll. Out of Florida right now Donald Trump at 38 percent. Marco Rubio at 30 percent.

HENICAN: That's not huge.

BERMAN: That is not a huge margin.

HENICAN: That is not a huge margin. No.

BERMAN: That is not a huge margin. And again, that may be getting closer as well. But it's a winner-take-all state. So you lose by one vote in Florida the margin doesn't matter.

HENICAN: You got nothing. You got nothing. And watch Ted Cruz. He is making noise about coming in there and trying to actually opening campaign offices and trying to make a stand here. It's a little bit of perplexing strategy because what if he manages to damage Marco Rubio enough that Donald Trump wins in the end? That's really his chief opponent. BERMAN: And it's really interesting seeing how upset the Marco Rubio

folks are and a lot of the never trump people or the Ted Cruz would have the temerity to try to beat Marco Rubio. You know, Ted Cruz competing in Florida right now and everyone saying hey, how come you are not giving Marco Rubio a fair shot? Because he's trying to win.

HENICAN: Yes. Yes. Yes.

BERMAN: Ted Cruz wants to win.

HENICAN: The strategy on the Cruz side is a little strange, though. I mean, my sense would be that he ought to let -- he ought to like Marco to do well in Florida if he doesn't believe he can win Florida. And there's not much evidence that Cruz can win in Florida.

BERMAN: But he wants one-on-one. He wants one-on-one with Trump. And the way to get one-on-one with Trump is to knock him out of Florida.

We do have some interesting sound from Marco Rubio out of Florida who says, you know, I'm here, I'm going to stay and I'm going to win. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to be on the ballot. We're going to win Florida. We'll be -- this is going to be a very long process. You guys have never covered a campaign like this. This is unchartered territory. No one, not even Donald Trump is on track right now to have 1,237 delegates. I mean, Donald Trump would literally have to win every -- half the delegates remaining between now and the end of this to be the nominee. And he's not on pace to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It's interesting. CNN had a story out, Jamie Gangel and others, had a story out yesterday saying that there are some in the Rubio camp, some advisers who are actually really nervous about Florida, advising maybe he should get out before Florida votes because it could damage his career. The Rubio campaign pushing hard -- pushing back very, very hard against that. And you can understand why. That kind of story --

HENICAN: That's not going to happen.

BERMAN: It's very damaging to a campaign.

HENICAN: He's not going to -- he's not going to quit before Florida.

BERMAN: But it hurts to have people suggesting that they're nervous.

HENICAN: Terrible. Yes. Absolutely. But by the way, that pace analysis is a little dicey because of these winner-take-all states that are coming up. If you're heading in the right direction, you can rack up a lot of numbers in the weeks to come. BERMAN: Do we know anything about Idaho and Hawaii? Idaho and Hawaii

vote tonight as well. Both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz have been to Idaho to campaign.

HENICAN: That's right.

BERMAN: You get a sense they want something on the board.

HENICAN: Something. And you know the way that Marco Had that little victory in Puerto Rico, maybe it falls more into that category.

BERMAN: And Hawaii where he's got no idea. The polls close in Hawaii at 1:00.

HENICAN: In three weeks or something.

BERMAN: Yes, I know.

HENICAN: I know, it's going to be late, late, late.

BERMAN: And all of us have volunteered to go cover the Hawaii caucuses, a majority, tonight.

Ellis Henican, great to have you with us.

HENICAN: Great to see you.

BERMAN: Thanks so much for being here.

All right. Of course you can stay with CNN for the most comprehensive political coverage on planet earth. We're going to have results from this second Super Tuesday again. I'm looking for a better name for this. Please tweet us your better name. The results start at 7:00 p.m. tonight.

Wednesday, that's tomorrow, we have a Democratic debate in Miami. Thursday, a Republican debate in Miami.

[04:40:04] This ahead of the Florida primary which is next Tuesday. But before we get to next Tuesday where Florida and Ohio vote, we have a Democratic town hall from Ohio State University. That's just two days before the big voting in Ohio. All of it only right here on CNN. We are going to be busy.

All right. Some other news for you now. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest on Friday. The service is set for 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Looking beautiful pictures right now of that library. Mrs. Reagan will first lie in repose at the library with public visitation tomorrow and Thursday. First Lady Michelle Obama, she will attend the funeral. Nancy Reagan will be buried on the library grounds at a beautiful, beautiful location alongside her husband. She died Sunday at the age of 94.

Time now for an EARLY START on your money. Falling oil prices weighing on stock futures. The Dow is down in pre-market trading. Stock markets in Europe also moving lower right now. Paris is actually down more than 1 percent.

Bonuses on Wall Street, they are shrinking. The average bonus for securities industry employees in New York City fell to just over $146,000. Wow. Suffering. But that is down 9 percent from last year.

Despite lower corporate profits in global economic headwinds, the banking industry, though, it is hiring. 4500 new positions added in 2015. That marks the second straight year of expanding payroll. Something that has not happened since before the financial crisis.

All right, 150 terrorists in Somalia hit by U.S. air strikes. Why does the U.S. say it had to act so quickly? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:45:20] BERMAN: New details emerging this morning about the U.S. air strike in Somalia which is believed to have killed 150 suspected members of the al-Shabaab terror group. U.S. officials say the fighters were standing at attention possibly taking part on a graduation ceremony on the verge possibly of carrying out an attack on U.S. forces in Africa.

CNN national security correspondent Jim Sciutto with the latest.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: John, this was one of the largest U.S. strikes against terrorists ever. The Pentagon says some 150 fighters from the terror group al-Shabaab killed in the strike. The target was an al-Shabaab training camp and the timing was key here because U.S. intelligence indicated that these fighters were about to carry out an attack on African Union Forces and U.S. forces in Somalia.

U.S. commanders acting, says the Pentagon, in self-defense, both manned and unmanned aircraft carrying out this strike. Now at the same time you have al-Shabaab claiming responsibility for another attempted bombing of a passenger jet. That bombed enclosed, hidden in a laptop. You may remember it was just a couple of weeks ago when a laptop bomb exploded on a jet in the air punching a hole in the fuselage. And it is believed carrying that bomber -- sucking that bomber out of that hole. So two attempted attacks on passengers jets claimed by al-Shabaab, as well.

The ambitions of this group greatly concerning to U.S. counterterror officials, attacking Western targets not only inside the country in Somalia, but the concern that they would do the same outside the country as well.

A growing concern, and of course also a concern here that they're sharing technology with AQAP, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. It is that group that has been the principal concern in terms of hiding explosives inside electronic devices such as laptops before, but now it appears that al-Shabaab has that same technology, something the U.S. is watching very closely.

BERMAN: Our thanks to Jim Sciutto for that. A big victory for gay rights activists. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling

that states must honor adoptions by same-sex parents who move across state lines. In a unanimous decision justices slammed the Alabama Supreme Court for denying a woman's right to visit the three children she adopted and raised with her former partner in Georgia.

President Obama is expected to nominate a new justice to replace Antonin Scalia any day now. Texas Senator John Cornyn, the latest Republican leader to voice strong opposition to anyone picked by the president. Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary Committee, says the nominee will be forced to endure such a battle that he or she would, quote, "bear some resemblance to a pinata." Republicans want the next president, whoever that is, to choose the replacement for Justice Scalia.

A high-paying sponsor is suspending its deal with tennis star Maria Sharapova after she tested positive for a banned substance. We'll tell you the big name behind the breakup.

EARLY START on your money is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:51:26] BERMAN: The Malaysian government marked the two-year anniversary of the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 with a moment of silence overnight. 239 people were on board that plane. The search operations scheduled to end this summer but now officials have suggested that that might not be the case.

CNN's Saima Mohsin live for us in Kuala Lumpur. Saima, this is a shift from government officials on when this may come to a close.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, John. In a statement this morning on the second anniversary, the prime minister, of course, offered his heartfelt condolences to the people still waiting to have any sign of the plane and there has in fact been a petition launched called Search On in Remembrance Day over the weekend. Now in that statement, the prime minister said once they clear the 120,000 kilometer area, an expansive area, John, in the southern Indian Ocean, that they're looking into.

If they do not find the plane, which he also said he was hopeful they will, if they don't, they'll sit down again with China and Australia, the other two countries leading this operation, and then they will go back to the drawing board and try and review what to do.

Previously of course they said that in the absence of any credible evidence of a specific location of the plane, they'll end the search. So that is some kind of hope for the families of course. And the families, all they have is hope right now, John. There is very little information to go on. Today in fact the second interim report was released. Precious little in this, too. I can tell you really it's called an interim report still because it cannot be the final report because they haven't found the plane.

The only addition in that was the flaperon, John, you remember, that was found last summer. To date, the only credible evidence and link to MH-370. The only piece of MH-370 to be found. So you'll remember it was covered in barnacles, which told us exactly where in the ocean it came from and that they were -- able to match that up to the plane.

But in the absence of all of that, the families still hold on to hope, they're still in denial, John. I have been speaking to families here in Kuala Lumpur and in Beijing. They're telling me they're still hoping their family members will walk through the door at some point. It really is unfathomable what they're going to through. Absolutely heartbreaking -- John.

BERMAN: It doesn't get any easier even two years after.

All right, Saima Mohsin for us in Kuala Lumpur, thank you so much.

A very, very big legal victory for sportscaster Erin Andrews. A national jury has awarded her $55 million in her civil suit against a stalker and the hotel where she -- where he secretly videotaped her nude. Jurors divided the penalty between the convicted stalker Michael Barrett and two companies who own and operate the hotel.

Let's get more now from CNN's Nick Valencia.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was an emotional trial for the sportscaster to say the least. She had to relive this experience in extensive detail. Seven days of testimony. Two days of jury deliberations for the jury to finally decide on Monday afternoon to award the sportscaster Erin Andrews with $55 million.

They found that Michael Barrett, her stalker, was 51 percent responsible and he will owe $28 million. The hotel group Windsor Capital was found 49 percent at fault and will owe $26 million.

As the verdict was being read, Andrews could be seen wiping away tears. Her jaw clenched as she let out a heavy sigh of relief. The cameras were ordered to be turned off in the courtroom by the judge right after the verdict was read.

[04:55:03] But according to local reports, Andrews could be seen hugging jurors. She left the courtroom without talking to the media but did release a statement online, saying, quote, "I would like to thank the national court, court personnel and the jury for their service. The support I received from the people of Nashville has been overwhelming. I would also like to thank my family, friends and legal team. I've been honored by all the support from victims around the world. Their outreach has helped me to be able to stand up and hold accountable those whose job it is to protect everyone else's safety, security and privacy."

It's unclear if the defense will launch an appeal. They have 30 days to do so -- John.

BERMAN: All right, Nick Valencia, our thanks to you.

Some severe weather along with a warming trend in the east. Let's turn to meteorologist Karen Maginnis. (WEATHER REPORT)

BERMAN: All right. Karen, thank you so much.

Let's get an EARLY START on your money. Stocks set to slump this morning. Dow futures down. Oil heading lower. And markets in Europe and Asia falling as well. So happy Tuesday.

Nike suspended its major endorsement deal with the Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova following her admission of failing a drug test. The statement from Nike says, "We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues." Her currently eight-year deal with Nike is reportedly worth $70 million.

Another sponsor, Swiss watch maker Tag Hauer says it will not renew her contract. Sharapova has been taking a drug she says that improves blood flow since 2006. She said she did not realize it was added to the banned substance list starting this year.

If your dream job is being a pilot, JetBlue wants to train you if you can make the cut. JetBlue launching a new pilot training program that requires no flying experience. Candidates must have a high school diploma and be able to get a first class medical certificate, be at least 23 years of age by the end of the four-year program.

The company guarantees a job at the end of training but the competition is going to be tough. Only 24 candidates will be selected. JetBlue says it has six other training programs as well.

EARLY START continues right now.

A big, big day in the presidential race. Michigan, Mississippi, the big states on the clock today. So who is in for a big night? And who is in for some big disappointment? This could be a turning point for many of the candidates. We have it all covered starting right now.

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm John Berman. Christine Romans out sick today. It is Tuesday, March 8th. It is 5:00 a.m. in the East. And this morning begins a crucial day on the campaign calendar. It is Super Tuesday part two or Super-er Tuesday or Super Tuesday the "Age of Ultron." Thanks for writer (INAUDIBLE) for that.

On the Republican side, voters go to the polls in four cities. Idaho, Hawaii, Mississippi and the big one, Michigan. 150 delegates up for grabs. Donald Trump looking to regain momentum after, you know, he trailed Ted Cruz in delegates -- in the delegate count in the states that voted this past weekend.

A new Michigan poll shows Donald Trump ahead of Ted Cruz, 13 points ahead. But Cruz and Kasich seem to be gaining in this poll. Marco Rubio, though, slipping. Some serious signs of trouble in the Rubio campaign.

CNN's Sara Murray kicks off our team coverage and she is with the Trump campaign and has the very latest from Mississippi.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Donald Trump was rallying a crowd of thousands here in Mississippi last night, just hours before voters in this state and three others head to the polls today.

Now Trump and his campaign have made it clear that Mississippi and Michigan are their top prizes today. These are both very delegate- rich states.