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U.S. to Send 250 More Special Ops Troops to Syria; Cruz and Kasich Divide Up States; Clinton Confident in Acela Primary; Pot Grow Operation Found at Killing Site in Ohio; North Korea Fires Missile from Sub; Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired April 25, 2016 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:13] MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, President Obama set to announce sending 250 more special ops troops to Syria to combat that growing threat of ISIS.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Ted Cruz and John Kasich joining forces to deny Donald Trump the Republican nomination. The fists are up and the fight is on.

MARQUEZ: New details on the disturbing execution style shooting of a nearly entire family in Ohio. A marijuana grow operation found at the home where the family was killed.

Good morning and welcome to EARLY START. I'm Miguel Marquez.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. So nice to see you this Monday morning.

MARQUEZ: Happy Monday to you.

ROMANS: Happy Monday, it is Monday, April 25th. It is 4:00 a.m. in the East. I don't know what's better, if it's Monday or 4:00 a.m.

All right. Happening this morning, President Obama is in Germany. Very shortly he's expected to announce that the U.S. is sending 250 new Special Operations troops to Syria in the coming weeks. That will be on top of the 50 commandos who have already been in Syria for the past several months.

For the very latest, we want to bring in CNN's Atika Shubert. She is live for us right now in Aerzen, Germany.

Good morning. What are we expecting the president to say?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're expecting more details about the Special Operations Forces who will be committed to the area. What we understand is that these are forces that will be advising and assisting Syrian rebel groups on the ground. So these are forces not to be engaging in combat, though they will be armed for their defense. And it's really about consolidating those gains made against ISIS and those gains are significant.

The Defense analysis by IHS Jane's estimates that ISIS has lost some 20 percent of its territory in the last year. But it's still a long fight. Now there are key areas around Raqqa, the stronghold of ISIS in northern Syria and that seems to be the focus of where these forces will be. And this, of course, is a very difficult area because you've got all these converging interests. Assad troops, Kurdish forces and of course the rebel factions, some of which are backed by the U.S. So we're hoping to get more details from the president's speech later today.

ROMANS: More details and a clear understanding of what exactly those troops would be doing. You know, in the U.S. there's, you know, a lot of calls to get out of the Middle East and here you have the president talking about sending more troops there.

SHUBERT: Yes. I think this is part of the concern is what exactly we'll be doing, how much of an impact will they have. And in theory and in particular, it's very tough because as we know those rebel groups on the ground have not been as successful as Assad's troops, for example, as Kurdish forces. So how exactly will American troops help in advising and assisting? We are hoping for more details on that.

ROMANS: All right. Indeed. All right, Atika Shubert in Aerzen, Germany. Thank you, Atika.

MARQUEZ: Now overnight, Ted Cruz and John Kasich joining forces to block Donald Trump from clinching the Republican nomination. The two campaigns simultaneously releasing statements announcing they're dividing upcoming primaries between them in order to keep Trump from gaining the 1237 delegates he needs to take the nomination on the first ballot.

Cruz's campaign saying it will, quote, "clear the path" for Kasich in Oregon and New Mexico while Kasich's campaign says it will cede Indiana to Cruz.

Trump blasting the plan in a late-night tweet, quote, "Wow. Just announced that Lying Ted and Kasich are going to collude in order to keep me from getting the Republican nomination. Desperation."

The new Cruz and Kasich plan comes with just a day to go until the crucial Acela Primaries, the voters head to polls in five Eastern states. Meantime, Trump is escalating his attack on the Republican Party's delegate system calling it rigged at a campaign rally in Maryland. He also lashed back at criticism his style is not presidential enough.

CNN's Jason Carroll has more on that from Trump's rally.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miguel, Christine, Donald Trump cautioned the crowd to be careful about changing. He was referencing his personal style. He has been told to change his style to be more presidential. He said he wasn't going to do that. What he's been doing has been working out just fine for him so far, according to Trump. Even though he's been off-color and non- presidential, he says he has no plans to change any time soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'll change. I'll do whatever. It's so much easier to be presidential because I don't have to use any energy. You know, I can just walk out. So much easy. You think this is easy, ranting and raving?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Trump also stepped up his criticism of the delegate system and the way delegates are awarded, saying that the system is rigged, that it is crooked. We've heard those criticisms before. And he also once again called out Ted Cruz. That name calling, Lying Ted, he called him, saying that at this point what Ted Cruz is doing is basically bribing delegates in order to win them over.

The Cruz camp has heard this criticism before and has basically been saying that the Trump camp needs to do a better job of their ground game and to, quote-unquote, "stop whining about it."

[04:05:05] In terms of looking ahead to Tuesday, the Trump campaign feeling very good about that, saying they expect to sweep all five states up for grabs -- Miguel, Christine.

MARQUEZ: Thank you, Jason, in Maryland.

On the Democratic side, conservative mega donor Charles Koch says he could theoretically support Hillary Clinton instead of the Republican nominee in November. Koch telling ABC News Sunday that he thought Bill Clinton was better than George W. Bush on government spending and economic growth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So is it possible another Clinton could be better than another Republican next time around?

CHARLES KOCH, CEO, KOCH INDUSTRIES: It's possible. It's possible.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You couldn't see yourself supporting Hillary Clinton, could you?

KOCH: Well, her -- we would have to believe her actions would be quite different than her rhetoric. Let me put it that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Hillary Clinton responding on Twitter, said, "Not interested in endorsements from people who deny climate science and try to make it harder for people to vote."

Koch's not quite an endorsement comes as recent polls put Clinton well ahead of Bernie Sanders in the so-called Acela Primary states voting tomorrow. Still Sanders says he is not going anywhere.

For more, let's turn to CNN's Chris Frates in Washington. CHRIS FRATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miguel and Christine, on the

campaign trail this weekend, Hillary Clinton was pivoting to the general election largely because she's on very friendly turf. Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware. Those are all places where she's expected to do well when voters go to the polls there on Tuesday.

Now Clinton spent time Sunday campaigning among one of her key constituencies, visiting African-American churches in Philadelphia. Her strength among the African-American community, that's a big reason why she is leading Bernie Sanders. In fact Sanders now needs to win more than 80 percent, 80 percent of the remaining delegate at stake to win the nomination. Clinton needs just about 30 percent.

And that's part of the reason why she is starting to look toward November. Focusing her fire on Republicans, namely Donald Trump. In addition to an anti-Trump video her campaign released this weekend, Clinton has been hammering the billionaire on the stump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Every time Donald Trump says one of the things he says, a lot of people are surprised or shocked. But after a while, with so many of those comments, those insults, the kind of demagoguery that we are seeing from him, you have to ask yourself, what really is at stake in this election? And one of the things that is at stake are our rights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRATES: Sanders meanwhile is trying to cut into Clinton's lead. But many of Sanders' supporters are independents. And only one of the states voting on Tuesday allows independents to participate. The other four, well, they're only opened to registered Democrats. But no matter what happens on Tuesday, Sanders is vowing to stay in the contest until the end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The idea that we should not vigorously contest this election when the largest state in the United States of America, California, has not voted, nine other states will not have voted after Tuesday. Of course, we are going to give every -- the people in every state in this country the right to determine who they want to see president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRATES: And it looks like he'll have the money and the support to do just that -- Miguel, Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Chris Frates, thanks for that.

All right. Time for an EARLY START on your money this Monday morning. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders frequently blame bad trade deals for America's economic woes. And Trump claims China is winning and America is losing. A new CNN Money analysis illustrates this a bit. The Chinese middle class is booming.

Look at this. Incomes in China surged 70 percent from 1988 to 2008. Over that span, American incomes rose just 4 percent. The average Chinese middle class family still earns only about $9,000 a year. The median household income in the U.S. around $54,000. That's not the same -- exact same amount families we're making in the U.S. in 1995. But a new survey shows 47 percent of Americans think trade deals are a good thing. 43 percent say they are a bad thing. In 2014 just 30 percent said those deals were bad.

While trade deals have undoubtedly helped China's economy grow, it's not the sole cause of disappearing jobs and U.S. economic struggle. Globalization, automation and American consumers' desire for cheap goods also in the mix here. Part of the equation.

MARQUEZ: Amazing how much their incomes grew.

ROMANS: Yes.

MARQUEZ: But they're going from such a small number.

ROMANS: Exactly. Exactly.

MARQUEZ: New information in the investigation into the execution- style shootings of a family in Ohio. A marijuana grow site found at the scene. Could a drug operation have led to these brutal killings?

[04:09:45]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARQUEZ: New developments emerging this morning in the execution style murders of eight family members in rural Ohio. Investigators now say the victims were targeted and may have been linked to a marijuana operation.

CNN's Nick Valencia is there with the latest.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miguel and Christine, we now have a potential clue in the investigation with the attorney general here in Ohio, Mike DeWine. The local sheriff in Pike County announcing that marijuana grow operations were found at three of the four crime scenes where the eight members of the Rhoden family were shot in the head execution-style. Now that has fueled speculation here by many residents that at these murders could been drug-related, though officials did not make that connection.

They did, however, say that they received more than 100 tips and interviewed between 50 and 60 people. They've also gathered 18 pieces of crucial evidence, some of which is being tested by DNA.

We have been talking to members of this community and they say that they are fearful. The local sheriff here tried to put some of those fears at ease saying that this was a pre-planned execution, a sophisticated operations specifically targeting the Rhoden family. We have caught up with friends and family of the Rhodens. The best friend of Dana Rhoden, we asked her directly if they had any connection to drugs or that nefarious under world.

[04:15:01] All she was telling us -- all she was willing to tell us, I should say, is that everyone has skeletons in the closet including the Rhodens but that overall they were good people. There is still no official motive, no suspect or suspects. A lot of people here in this community still very fearful that they could be targeted next -- Miguel, Christine.

ROMANS: All right. Thanks for that, Nick.

A wild scene in Kansas as authorities close in on one of the state's most wanted fugitives. Two U.S. Marshals and an FBI agent shot Sunday after they got into a gun battle with Orlando J. Collins at the motel where he was holed up. A fire then erupted inside the 28-year-old's room eventually engulfing the entire building. Authorities later found an unidentified body in the room where they believe Collins was staying. The three federal agents hit by gunfire, they are expected to be OK.

MARQUEZ: A Wisconsin teenager is dead after police say he opened fire on two students outside a high school prom. An officer shot Jacob Wagner who was accused of showing up to the Antigo High prom with a rifle. Authorities said the 18-year-old who used to attend the school began shooting as students left the dance. The victims are expected to be OK. So far no motive has been released.

ROMANS: Prosecutors expected to announce a grand jury indictment today against former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel. Local media reporting that a Dallas grand jury indicted Manziel over the weekend on a misdemeanor assault charge. His ex-girlfriend, Coleen Crawley, says the embattled athlete hit her so hard back in January, he burst her eardrum. Manziel has released a statement saying he is thankful for those who really, quote, "know me and support me."

MARQUEZ: Severe weather is in the forecast for the central part of the country. Let's get to meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for the latest.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Pedram.

North Korea launching a ballistic missile from a submarine. The world condemning the launch and keeping a wary eye on the country. We've got that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:22:20] MARQUEZ: North Korea this morning facing sharp global condemnation after launching a ballistic missile from a submarine. President Obama saying the U.S. is taking the provocative tests very seriously.

CNN international correspondent Paula Hancocks is tracking the latest for us live from Seoul. Paula, how successful was this test and how big a threat does it

represent?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miguel, as far as North Korea is concerned, it was an eye-opening success according to its state-run media. Of course different opinions around the world. But one U.S. official told CNN that this submarine launch capability of North Korea has really gone from a joke to something serious. That really sums up how big a deal this is. The fact that they potentially have managed to launch a ballistic missile from a submarine. Obviously far harder to track and far more dangerous to be used in a time of war.

Now we know that the South Korean government has condemned this. They said that they are wanting the United Nations Security Council to strengthen sanctions. They had warned North Korea of that before they carried out this ballistic missile test. We also know the South Korean military is on high alert and some South Korean officials suggesting as well that there could be a fifth nuclear test on the way.

So really 2016 has been incredibly busy for North Korea. The missile and nuclear tests have been relentless. The overwhelming expectation of that is because there is a very rare Worker's Party Congress coming up in just a couple of weeks' time. Haven't been held since 1980. And it's assumed that Kim Jong-un the leader wants to go to that armed with all these successes as he sees them, these achievements so that he can try and consolidate his power.

But certainly this test in particular is keeping many people in the region and in Washington very concerned -- Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Very interesting. Paula Hancocks for us in Seoul. Thank you.

ROMANS: Outraged Egyptians vowing to take to the streets today. Some are furious over the government's decision to hand over two islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia. Others frustrated with a weak economy.

This weekend, police arresting dozens of activists who are accused of trying to overthrow the government. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi describing them as, quote, "forces of evil."

MARQUEZ: This morning President Obama with a major announcement. Expected to send 250 more troops into Syria. His plans to combat the spread of ISIS. Coming up.

[04:24:52]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Happening this morning, President Obama to announce sending 250 more troops to Syria to fight the growing threat of ISIS.

MARQUEZ: Donald Trump is livid as Ted Cruz and John Kasich are teaming up against the frontrunner. But he's calling their new strategy desperate.

ROMANS: A horrifying execution-style shooting of nearly an entire family in Ohio. The drug connection that could lead to a break in that investigation.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

MARQUEZ: And I am Miguel Marquez, if I have that name right. So good to see you. 29 minutes after the hour.

Happening this morning President Obama in Germany. Very shortly he will announce that the U.S. is sending 250 new Special Operations troops to Syria in the coming weeks. That will be on top of the 50 commandos who have already been in Syria for the past several months.

For the latest let's bring CNN's Atika Shubert in live for us now from Aerzen, Germany.

Atika, what is he likely to say and what would the Russian reaction be to this?

SHUBERT: Well, that will be a very interesting point. What we've just gotten from the National Security adviser Ben Rhodes is that again President Obama likely will announce that 250 additional special troops will be brought in to Syria, met some of them Special Forces --