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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Sanders & Clinton Clash in Debate; Tonight: Last GOP Debate Before Super Tuesday 3; Will Jeb Bush Endorse a Former Rival?; All The Presidents' Shoes; Flint Water Contamination Crisis; Gunmen Barge Into Party Killing 5; Historic Flooding Swamps Louisiana; One America, Two Economies. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired March 10, 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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[05:31:15]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton in their most contentious debate yet days before a crucial contest in states like Florida and Ohio. This, as Republicans prepare to debate tonight on CNN.

We are live. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans here in New York.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm John Berman at the U -- the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. Thirty-one minutes past the hour. Tonight, right here, a big Republican debate. Could be the last Republican primary debate. But breaking overnight it was the Democrats. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, head-to-head with a bilingual debate sponsored by Univision and The Washington Post and aired right here on CNN.

This was fascinating -- the timing. This was their first meeting since the giant Michigan upset. Bernie Sanders, out of nowhere, beats Hillary Clinton in Michigan. All of a sudden they're face-to-face on the debate stage. And up until last night Hillary Clinton had been trying to pivot toward a general election. Well, pivot no more.

Now, she has to deal with Bernie Sanders. You saw two hours of it last night -- a heated back and forth. Senior political correspondent Brianna Keiler was there. She has the latest.

BRIANNA KEILER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: John and Christine, Hillary Clinton getting some sharp questions about her e- mail practices while she was secretary of state, and about her trustworthiness. Bernie Sanders questioned by these moderators about being a career politician.

But at this Univision debate it was immigration that was the big topic. Hillary Clinton hit Bernie Sanders for his failure to support comprehensive immigration reform in 2006-2007 when he sided with labor unions. And Bernie Sanders took on Hillary Clinton for her opposition to drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, something that was an issue for her back in 2008. Also, their positions on children fleeing violence in Central America came up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Honduras and that region of the world may be the most violent region in our hemisphere. Gang lords, vicious people torturing people, doing horrible things to them. Children fled that part of the world to try, try, try, maybe to meet up with their family members in this country, taking a route that was horrific trying to start a new life. Secretary Clinton did not support those children coming into this country -- I did.

JORGE RAMOS, UNIVISION HOST: But, again, yes or no -- can you promise tonight that you won't deport children? Children who are already here.

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will not deport children. I would not deport children. I do not want to deport family members either, Jorge.

SANDERS: So to answer your question, no, I will not deport children from the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILER: This debate happening in the shadow of the Michigan primary where Bernie Sanders staged a massive upset and got some momentum despite still being down in the delegate math. Both of these candidates now pushing forward to a series of contests that we'll see next Tuesday. Even the Sanders campaign admits Florida is advantageous to Hillary Clinton.

But, Bernie Sanders and his campaign -- they are hoping that what happened in Michigan, where they had a message that appealed to this industrial state where labor unions are strong -- that that may give them a toehold in Illinois and Ohio, as well -- John and Christine.

BERMAN: All right. Brianna Keiler at the debate here in Miami last night.

Let's talk about that moment and what it means going forward to next Tuesday's big primaries. Joining us here in Miami, Eric Bradner. Eric, you know we've been saying that Hillary Clinton was trying to pivot toward the general election. Well, the pivot is just long gone right now. This was, as you say, hand-to-hand combat for two full hours and they faced some tough questions.

ERIC BRADNER, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Absolutely. They both came ready to attack and the moderator was ready to hit them with tough questions from Hillary Clinton having to answer whether she would leave the race if she were indicted over her e-mails.

BERMAN: I think we have that. Do we have that? Can we play that moment right there because that was a tough question? She was flat- out asked will you quit. Let's play that.

[05:35:16]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAMOS: If you get indicted will you drop out?

CLINTON: Oh, for goodness -- and it's not going to happen. I'm not even answering that question.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: That's just a taste of the tone of the entire debate between the moderators and between the candidates.

BRADNER: Yes, absolutely. Toward the end Bernie Sanders was hit with tough questions about his comments in the 1980's about Fidel Castro. So, yes, both candidates were really sort of in it. Hillary Clinton was not talking about Donald Trump. She wasn't looking at the general election.

They were brawling over immigration, sort of racing to the left on that issue, both promising to end deportations just generally going to the left of President Obama on that issue. They both brought attacks from mid-2000's bills. It was this sort of like this Senate committee room fight that Chris Christie would have made fun of had it happened in a Republic debate.

So, what's good for Hillary Clinton out of all of that is that this was the last debate. It comes after Michigan and there was no real game changer for Bernie Sanders. What's good for Sanders is he had a chance to drive home his economic message. He put Hillary Clinton on defense on Wall Street, on trade issues like that that are really working well for him headed into Ohio, Illinois, Missouri. States where that could really play.

ROMANS: That economic message is something that's been resonating, especially among young people. People who agree with him that the system is rigged against them. People who like this, especially young people -- like this idea of free health care, free college education. They're looking at their families who, you know -- their family income hasn't changed really since 1995 -- back to 1995 levels. But, they have to pay so much more to go to college.

And then Hillary Clinton came out with this moment where she said look, some things are too good to be true. What he is selling you is too good to be true. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Sen. Sanders has talked about free college for everybody. He's talked about universal single-payer health care for everybody. And yet, when you ask questions, as many of us have and, more importantly, independent experts, it's very hard to get answers. And you know, my dad used to say if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

SANDERS: All right, let me respond to that. CLINTON: And we deserve answers about how these programs would actually work and how they would be paid for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Now, assuming Bernie Sanders could do everything he wanted to with a Congress that was malleable, you're talking about the largest peacetime tax increase in American history and a remaking of the American economy. But that's not what voters are zoning in on. They really like the emotion of his message. Did she dent that last night?

BRADNER: Well, I think by invoking her dad, who by the way -- John pointed out -- was a Republican, that was an interesting way of sort of personalizing what Hillary Clinton has been trying to say for months, which is that a lot the stuff that Bernie Sanders is talking about just isn't practical. But, that's a tough sell with the liberal base. It's tough to tell the left wing of the party that its hopes, and aspirations, and dreams just aren't practical.

And so Hillary Clinton is trying to find a way to go after Bernie Sanders without alienating his base -- without alienating young people who she is going to need to turn our enmasse in November if she wins the nomination. So, it's a tough dance for Clinton. She didn't attack as much on that point last night, but you just heard her invoking her dad in the one moment she did make that point.

BERMAN: And she's consistently trying to find a way to connect, not to just to younger voters, with all voters. And she's consistently asked why aren't you more likable, which is a heck of a question to get asked. And last night she gave a somewhat revealing answer. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I am not a natural politician, in case you haven't noticed, like my husband or President Obama. So, I have a view that I just have to do the best I can, get the results I can, make a difference in people's lives, and hope that people see that I'm fighting for them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Very interesting.

BRADNER: Absolutely. So, Hillary Clinton faces this authentistic problem and that was a way of really kind of confronting it in a personal way. Sort of revealing an aspect of herself that she's often, frankly, too prideful to reveal. So I thought she really connected with the audience in that moment.

BERMAN: All right. Eric Bradner, thank you so much. That was the Democratic version. The Republican version happens right here at the University of Miami in just a few hours. The four remaining candidates -- they take the stage for what could be their very last debate during the primaries -- the CNN Republican debate. Can Donald Trump be stopped? We'll preview next.

[05:40:32]

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[05:44:57]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think Ted is, actually, a bad talker -- pretty good debater, bad talker -- can't talk. I don't mind debating him at all. The problem is when I debate somebody then people say I'm not a nice person, but they say you won the debate.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: So bottom line, tomorrow night you're expecting a different tone, but you'll be ready to --

TRUMP: I think it's going to be softer, but I'll be ready. I think that Marco is going to be a different person. Marco's been mortally wounded. The question is will Marco even be there? These debates, to me, are getting very boring if you want to know the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Donald Trump with Anderson Cooper last night, looking ahead to tonight's Republican debate here at the University of Miami. That's the stage right there, and despite what Donald Trump says we think Marco Rubio's coming tonight. We think there will be four candidates on this stage in what could be their last debate before the primary.

CNN politics reporter Eric Bradner here with us again. You know, such crucial timing, right? Just a few days before big winner-take-all primaries next Tuesday, including here in Florida -- a state right now where Donald Trump leads in the polls by a lot.

BRADNER: Absolutely. Marco Rubio is going to have to find a way, and he's going to have to do it tonight, to reassert himself if he wants to have a chance to win Florida. Donald Trump is running away in the polls here. Rubio has home court advantage, so his political future is sort of staring right in front of him.

Donald Trump is going to be fascinating to watch to see whether he tries to moderate or soften his tone, knowing that he's building a delegate lead, that it looks like he's going to win Florida, or whether he stays on the attack and tries to knockout guys he's calling little Marco and lying Ted.

ROMANS: He also said this week that he could be more presidential than any other president -- Donald Trump said, except for Abe Lincoln. He's obviously getting pressure from people to appear presidential. Last night he had a sit-down interview with Anderson Cooper, really wide-ranging.

Again, sometimes looking like he was trying to appear more presidential, but light on policy prescriptions. He doesn't have to give policy prescriptions. He says if he wins Ohio and Florida it's over. Is he right? That being unspecific and selling confidence is what his appeal to him so far. He just needs to stay in that lane.

BRADNER: Yes, he does have the salesman-like quality of never allowing himself to get pinned down on anything. He always leaves room to move. What he's really selling is strength. The idea that he is confident, that's he capable and can negotiate better deals, and can work his way through situations in a way that no other politician can.

So, it's hard to imagine Trump suddenly becoming a policy wonk at any step along the way, so tonight he's probably going to continue to assert himself. He's been showing in recent days that he's sensitive to these attacks on his businesses -- some of the smaller businesses he's been running. Trump University -- that kind of thing. He'll probably defend those really hard, not giving an inch in this idea that he's anything less than competent.

BERMAN: So there's a fascinating dynamic being played out right now in the state of Florida. Jeb Bush, who was running for president, dropped out. A lot of people wondered would he endorse Marco Rubio, his one-time protege. He's meeting with all three non-Trump candidates between yesterday and today. It seems to indicate that maybe an endorsement ain't going to happen.

BRADNER: That's right. If he was going to endorse Marco Rubio, it's hard to imagine he would take meetings with Ted Cruz and John Kasich. What we do know is Jeb Bush is not going to be throwing his support behind Donald Trump. That's obvious.

But, Marco Rubio could really benefit from a uniting of these two powerful forces in Florida of Republican politics. It doesn't seem to be coming. Jeb Bush seems fine with holding out -- seeing how things play out -- knowing that throwing his support behind Rubio at this stage could be ineffective because Rubio might not make it past next week.

BERMAN: Right. It's the only time he can help. All right, a lot going on. Stay with CNN all day long. Our debate coverage will happen all day long. The debate itself, 8:30 p.m. eastern time right here on CNN -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right, voters angry as we know from those exit polls. They are angry when it comes to the economy, a system they say is not working for them. We're going to tell you how Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have crystalized that anger and are capitalizing on those feelings, next.

Ever wonder what it's like to walk in the president's shoes. "CNN MONEY" takes us to this company that's been making shoes for every president since Abraham Lincoln.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN MONEY JOURNALIST: For 165 years, Johnston & Murphy has been making the president's shoes. It started when the founder of the company, William Dudley, made shoes for President Millard Fillmore in 1850. In the 1800's and early 1900's designers went to the president directly to measure his feet. How were you able to measure the president's foot?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oftentimes, it will start with them tracing a pattern around their foot and sending that back to us, and then our product team will interpret that and make what we think is the appropriate size.

YURKEVICH: Who had the biggest foot? Lincoln -- a size 14. The smallest foot? Rutherford B. Hayes -- a 7. We could soon see a female president. Are you guys brainstorming any women's shoes for the president?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are, as a matter of fact, and we are certainly prepared for that. We think that it should be versatile. I think it should be able to be something that should dress up, should that be a requirement.

YURKEVICH: To walk in any president's shoes would be a pretty cool thing. Maybe one day I can say I did.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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[05:54:38]

ROMANS: Ten families in Flint, Michigan plan to file individual lawsuits today on behalf of more than two dozen children that they say were poisoned by the lead contaminated water supply. On Wednesday, Flint's mayor announced the city will stop sending water bills to some 85,000 people until credits can be applied. Imagine getting a water bill when your water was contaminated. The state, last week, approved $30 million to help Flint residents with water utility bills.

We are following breaking news overnight. Five people killed in a mass shooting in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. A homicide investigator saying at least two gunmen barged into a backyard party, opened fire, killing four women and a man. At least three others wounded. They are in stable or critical condition. We do not know what sparked that shooting. No word on a motive from authorities.

There's a state of emergency in 16 parishes in northern Louisiana. Deadly storms triggering historic flooding there, killing three people and forcing thousands to evacuate. Over a foot and a half of rain has fallen on parts of the state. Another 10 to 12 inches expected. Officials concerned about hundreds of homes now at risk because of the possibility of levee failures. More severe storms in the forecast today.

Let's get straight to meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Christine. Watching a lot of wet weather still coming across parts of the south. We've really seen about an 800-mile stretch of land there where the fetch of moisture is literally among the highest we've seen for this time of year across portions of eastern Texas on into Louisiana. And you take a look at what has occurred in recent days that has

prompted nearly 20 million people to be underneath flash flood watches from Little Rock out towards New Orleans still in effect this morning. And notice what we've already picked up across this region.

This area indicated in white -- that is nearly off the top of the charts there when you're talking about north of 15 inches -- perhaps down to about 20 inches of rainfall coming down in a couple of days' time across this region of eastern and really western Louisiana, eastern Texas the hardest hit areas.

But notice the batch of moisture. It does shift a little farther to the east and we think much of Mississippi on into portions of western Tennessee get in on some of the next round of heavy rains across that region. But notice what's happening on the eastern seaboard. Massive ridge of high pressure in charge here.

Temps still running 15 -- to some areas almost 30 degrees above what is considered normal. Dulles -- we made it up into the 80's. Boston at 77 degrees. Your forecast keeps it pretty mild for one more day before cool air comes back this weekend, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Pedram Javaheri, thanks for that. So, economist rate the U.S. economy a B -- a B-plus. Home prices are rising, unemployment is low, gas prices down 25 percent from last year. Americans saving hundreds at the gas pump. But that's not what the voters are feeling. They tell us again and again they feel lousy about the economy and Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump have crystalized that feeling and capitalized on that fear.

Here are the four factors feeding into the economic populism. First, incomes in this country are not rising. Families are taking home about the same amount they did back in 1995. Second, fewer opportunities for Americans without college degrees. They are left behind. This demographic used to fill the manufacturing sector. Now there are fewer manufacturing jobs and those jobs that remain require higher skills.

Third, white men face changes in the job market. Their participation in the job market has declined now for six decades. It's an interesting demographic to watch. Finally, inequality is worsening. The top 10 percent of income earners in America took home half the income made in the United States in 2014. Those are the four factors really driving so much of the energy on the Donald Trump side and on the Bernie Sanders side.

Breaking overnight, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in their most contentious debate yet. "NEW DAY" picks up that story now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I am not a natural politician, in case you haven't noticed.

TRUMP: He wanted to be Don Rickles, and he's not Don Rickles.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: At the end of the day, you know, that's not something I'm entirely proud of.

SANDERS: Madame Secretary, I will match my record against yours any day of the week.

TRUMP: We are seriously going to make America great again.

CLINTON: You don't make America great by getting rid of everything that made America great.

SANDERS: One of the major political upsets in modern American history.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are the only campaign in the position to beat Donald Trump.

TRUMP: If Ted Cruz became president, Washington would be a total piece of stone.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Don't be thinking it's over yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota, and Michaela Pereira.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your new day. It is Thursday, March 10th, 6:00 in the east. Mic is in New York. Alisyn and I are live at --

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The U.

CUOMO: The U -- the University of Miami.

CAMEROTA: Now I'm doing it. You've got me doing it.

CUOMO: You've got to do it. The U's right behind us. All right, it is now a slugfest in the Democratic race. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders trading blows on immigration, appealing to Latino voters here in Miami in the big debate last night. The biggest haymaker of the night, one could argue, came from the moderator, not one of the candidates, asking Clinton if she would drop out of the race if she was indicted over the e-mail controversy.

CAMEROTA: All right, so meanwhile, over on the Republic side, the Republican hopefuls face off tonight in their final debate before next Tuesday's critical winner-take-all primaries in Florida, here, and in Ohio. This, as Jeb Bush meets with all of the remaining GOP candidates except for Trump. So we have this race covered from every angle the way only CNN can.