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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Trump Pivots to Attacking Clinton; Clinton Attacks Trump's Businesses; London Knife Attack Kills Woman and Wounds 5 Others; Countdown to Rio: One Day to Go. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired August 04, 2016 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: The GOP reaching a new level of panic over Donald Trump upset that their party's nominee tends to go off message far too often.
[05:00:06] Trump's reaction to the criticism and the new advice he has been given.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: And Hillary Clinton campaigning through the swing states, blasting Donald Trump for his foreign-made products.
ROMANS: A deadly attack in London. A man with a knife stabbing six people in a popular shopping district. Was it terrorism? We'll have the new details for you that we're learning this morning.
Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START, everyone. I'm Christine Romans.
HOWELL: And I'm George Howell. It is Thursday, August 4th, 5:00 a.m. on the East Coast.
There is said to be frustration with Republican leaders upset and disappointed with their presidential candidate. Inside the Trump campaign, staffers are baffled on how to keep Trump on message and out of trouble, frankly.
Sources revealed the campaign has reached out to Chris Christie, to Newt Gingrich and several Trump advisors looking for help to keep their nominee on the rails.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH (R), FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: What's truly frustrating here is you have a very talented businessman who might actually become a historic figure, but he has to -- every morning, he has to get awake and say, the only two people I'm fighting with are Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. And you have to take on Obama because clearly Hillary would be the third term. So, you got to win the argument about whether or not this has been good.
But other than those two people, every time he talks about anyone else, it is an unforced fumble, if you like, or interception, as I would have said. But it's clearly a mistake. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: One adviser tells CNN Trump himself seems surprised by the negative public reaction to his battle with a Gold Star Muslim American. For the moment, though, it looks at least that Trump is taking advice of party leaders, reaching out to other Gold Star families at a rally and turning his fire back on Hillary Clinton. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We let ISIS take this position. It was Hillary Clinton that she should get an award from them as the founder of ISIS. That's what it was. That's what it was, her weakness, her weak policies.
America's been again, it's been humiliated in so many different ways. Wouldn't that be embarrassing to lose to crooked Hillary Clinton? That would be terrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: CNN's Jim Acosta is with the Trump campaign and has the latest from Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: George and Christine, after a string of damaging days, Donald Trump trying to do a little damage control at a couple of rallies in the critical swing state of Florida. At the rally in Jacksonville, Trump told the crowd he met with six Gold Star families to express his appreciation for the sacrifices they've made. That's close as Trump has come to an apology after his confrontation with a family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier.
Here's more of what Trump had to say to this crowd here in Florida.
TRUMP: Speaking of our vets, people, we have and I just visited with some incredible folks. I have no idea where they are sitting, but I know they have a good location, some really amazing Gold Star families.
Where are they? Where are they? Where are they sitting? Oh, you're one. Beautiful.
Where are they? There they are. Incredible people. Incredible people.
(APPLAUSE)
We have amazing people in our country. We have amazing leaders.
ACOSTA: Trump only briefly addressed the questions of the state of his campaign after sources said privately that staffers are frustrated by the candidate's ability tendency to occasionally go off-message. At this recent comments that he's not ready to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan in his battle for reelection.
Trump told a crowd here in Florida that his campaign is united -- George and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Thank you, Jim.
Trump took in $80 million in July. It helped close the gap between Hillary Clinton. $80 million is an uptick from the June tally. The nominee is struggling to collect from the top donors, an area where Hillary Clinton dominates.
Trump's campaign only raised $16 events, 80 percent of July funds came from digital and direct mail. All told, the campaign has $37 million cash on hand. You know, that is closer, but trails Clinton's campaign by $20 million.
HOWELL: There is a lot to talk about. To break down what we are seeing, let's bring in bestselling author and "Newsday" columnist Ellis Henican and our CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter.
Good to have you both here.
ELLIS HENICAN, NEWSDAY COLUMNIST: Good morning, guys.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
[05:05:02] HOWELL: Let's talk about the Trump campaign. Donald Trump, if you hear his view, the Trump campaign is united. It is working well.
But we are hearing from sources there are divisions. Let's listen to Donald Trump first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So, I just wanted to tell you the campaign is doing really well. It has never been so well united. We started on June 16th. I would say right now it's the best in terms of being united that it's been since we began. We are doing incredibly well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: OK. Trump says it is united. If you hear what sources are saying, not so much. If you look at this recent poll, guys, from FOX News, this poll shows right now Hillary Clinton is in the lead by some ten points over Donald Trump. What do we make over all this?
HENICAN: Look, it's so united, all his friends are talking about an intervention.
HOWELL: What does that look like?
HENICAN: You know, it's confusing. Let's imagine this. We are all in the room with Donald in the somber tone. STELTER: Do you want to play Donald in this case?
HENICAN: I do not. What do we tell Donald to do? Not be Trump? It is hard to imagine if he were agreeable. What you would want him to do.
STELTER: Especially it has worked for the past 14 months, has been what he's been doing, has been no holds barred, to say what's on his mind, to express himself, to have that fiery reaction from the podium. It has worked so well. We know the result, one of the results, is the unfavorable numbers, that we see in these polls -- poll after poll after poll. How he tries to change the numbers by a couple of points is what the election is about.
ROMANS: I think we are seeing an intervention. It is Newt Gingrich on FOX News saying, hey, what he needs to do is talk about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Not about himself. Not other people. Keep the focus on those two targets and no one else.
That is the intervention I think we're seeing.
HENICAN: There is a sense he is still not listening. You heard the tone of the rhetoric. It wasn't exactly that calm. Still sounded like the same old Donald to me.
The two sons, Eric and Donald Jr., they are off hunting. I don't think they brought their cell phones.
ROMANS: "The Washington Post" has softened his tone. He downgraded Hillary Clinton from the devil to the founder of ISIS.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: Let's talk about the Bloomberg new report. That is not that surprising given the drip, drip, drip of some Republicans slowly moving over to the Clinton camp. There is a report from Bloomberg news this morning what has until now been natural. They're going to actually try to target these defectors, to poach defectors. There was another defector yesterday, a congressman from Illinois.
Let's listen to how he explains his support of Hillary Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ADAM KINZINGER (R), ILLINOIS: I'm saying for me personally, how can I support that because he has crossed so many red lines that a commander in chief or candidate for commander in chief should never cross. I just don't see how I get to Donald Trump anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: He is not on Clinton yet. I should be clear about that. But he is anti-Trump.
STELTER: And others like him. Saying they cannot support Donald Trump. What is notable about the Bloomberg story is Clinton seeking Republican support. The campaign is creating a way to come out and say I'm Republican and I'm for Hillary.
We have seen this from the bottom from the grassroots. Now we are seeing it closer to the top. The campaign is seeking more of the people, especially after Labor Day. It makes sense. They are leaning into the opportunity.
I think one of the most notable things happening this week, as Trump is releasing $80 million in July fundraising, a number of fund-raisers coming out on the record expressing concerns about his candidacy.
I'll read you a quote from the BuzzFeed story. I go to bed at night hoping I wake up and this will all be a bad dream. It's those kinds of comments, not secretly, unanimously, the way you normally heard, but on the record that must be getting Trump's attention.
HOWELL: Guys, I want to get your thoughts on the division. The division is the big word today. The division at the top of the ticket between Donald Trump and his VP over Paul Ryan. Mike Pence is endorsing Paul Ryan. Trump is not.
Let's listen to what Mike Pence had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE (R), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I strongly support Paul Ryan. Strongly endorse his re-election. He is a long-time friend. He's a strong conservative leader.
I believe we need Paul Ryan in leadership in the Congress of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Have you seen that? The top of the ticket is not endorsing and the VP is. Does that --
HENICAN: He is in a mop-up role. It is not an attack dog role. He is trying to clean up the messages as we go along.
I got to tell you, I got a laugh from Donald Trump that I'm not there yet. It is not an attack dog role. He is trying to clean up the messages as we go along. I got a laugh from Donald Trump that I'm not there yet, echoing what Paul Ryan said earlier Trump enforcement.
[05:10:03] But so far, Pence has been doing as well as he can I think.
ROMANS: Not only did he say, I'm not there yet.
We saw pictures of Paul Ryan and his challenger. He actually praised the challenger to Paul Ryan. It is not just he is not there yet. He is not there and I like the guy running against you.
HOWELL: What does this mean next Tuesday? Paul Ryan, by all accounts, is leading and going to win. What does it mean for Trump to not quite backed Paul Ryan and praise his opponent.
ROMANS: What does it mean with Reince Priebus and Donald Trump?
HENICAN: Oh, poor Reince. I think he is in an impossible position.
ROMANS: What about these musings? I don't know, is it musings within the Republican Party that what if Donald Trump doesn't follow through? Inside conspiracy theory?
STELTER: I heard this on cable news yesterday. I grabbed the remote and turned the channel. I thought it was so preposterous.
Are we really talking about the idea Donald Trump would withdraw candidacy? But it has been out there and a number of different sources. The fact it is even discussed probably speaks volumes about seeing in terms of a possible break up with the Republican Party.
ROMANS: You don't think it could happen?
HENICAN: You'd only have it if he wants to it. I mean, I don't see any scenario where there is a coup to get rid of him in practical terms. If he wanted to, maybe. He has given excuses about a potential defeat, right? Rigged election. It's already rigged. I don't know.
ROMANS: We have a long time to go until November, boys. A long time to go.
All right. Thanks, guys.
HENICAN: So unpredictable.
HOWELL: We're following a terror scare in London. A man with a knife stabs six one, in a popular shopping area. What we learned as EARLY START continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:16:16] ROMANS: A terror scare in the heart of London. A man with a knife going on a stabbing rampage in the popular shopping center last night. One woman is dead and five wounded. One of the wounded apparently an American. Police are not ruling out terrorism.
CNN's Phil Black is in London. He joins us from the scene of the stabbing.
And we know that this 19-year-old suspect is in custody. Police have been careful about characterizing a motive here.
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That is right, Christine. You can understand why in the earliest moments police acknowledged that terrorism was a line of inquiry. One had to be followed because of the scene that took place on the foot path behind me.
This is where the 19-year-old man ran around with a knife stabbing six people. One of them, a woman in her 60s, this is where she fell and died behind us as well, two others still in hospital being treated for injuries.
The police got here quickly. R they used a taser to subdue the man. He received medical treatment. He is still held in police custody.
He is being held on suspicion of murder. Not a terror charge. We are told homicide police are leading the investigation. Supported by anti-terror police. Anti-terror police are not guiding the investigation.
So, what the police are now saying they believe mental health will play a significant part in the inquiries that follow from here. They are still be open minded they say about what the potential motive could have been. Whatever the motive, it was truly a terrifying thing to happen on a street in central London on a Wednesday night. That is why the authorities here today deployed more police officers. Especially those trained to deal with an going live active terror situation. Not to concern people, but reassure people in London today as they go about their lives and work and so forth. Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Phil Black, keep us posted on the developments there, from the police angle, thank you.
HOWELL: A veteran transit officer in Washington, D.C. is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. It is the first time a U.S. law enforcement officer is arrested for aiding terrorists. Police say 36-year-old Nicholas Young tried to help ISIS communicate with potential recruits, unaware, though, he was actually communicating with undercover officers. There was no evidence of threat to the D.C. metro system.
ROMANS: In Florida's Miami-Dade County, aerial spraying is set to start in a few hours covering a ten-square mile area where 15 cases of the Zika virus transmitted domestically by mosquitoes. The CDC has warned pregnant women and their partners to avoid traveling to the Wynwood area of Miami. That's where all but one Zika cases was identified. The Zika virus can cause severe birth defects.
Florida's Governor Rick Scott says free Zika testing will now be offered to all pregnant women across the state.
HOWELL: President Obama has set a single day record for commuting prison sentences. He granted clemency to 214 inmates on Wednesday, continuing his effort to release federal prisoners serving sentences seen as excessive. The president has now commuted sentences for a total of 562 inmates. That is more than his nine predecessors combined.
ROMANS: If convicted under current law, would not be serving the sentences.
HOWELL: The interesting point.
ROMANS: Opening ceremonies for the 2016 Rio Olympics just over a day away, but the U.S. women's soccer team has started on its for gold. Andy Scholes, a medalist in our hearts, he is live with the bleacher report next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:24:28] HOWELL: The opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics still a day away, but the games are under way.
ROMANS: Andy Scholes with the bleacher report. Hey, Andy.
HOWELL: Hey, good morning, guys. Yes, tomorrow night, the world's best athletes will be marching and waving flags in the stadium. The games started yesterday with the women's soccer team. USA beginning its march to the fourth straight gold medal against New Zealand. Carli Lloyd with a header in the ninth minute. Then, Alex Morgan had a goal less than a minute in the second half.
[05:25:03] Final score was 2-0, USA.
That was the fans in Brazil chanting Zika at goalkeeper Hope Solo, also booed several times when she touched the ball. Solo upset many Brazilians tweeting herself with a hat and mosquito netting and a bed full of insect repellent before heading to Rio.
All right. Right now, the world is still waiting to hear the fate of Russia's national team. More than 100 Russian athletes, including the entire track a field team is banned from the doping scandal. The International Olympic is expected to issue its final ruling by tomorrow, 266 Russian athletes are still hoping to compete in the games.
All right. Nigeria men's soccer team is scheduled to play Japan tonight. They were supposed to fly out last Friday, but a funding mix up. They could not pay for their flight to Rio. Delta Airlines has come to the rescue.
They are picking up the tab and fly the team to Brazil this afternoon. They are scheduled to get to Rio at 2:00 p.m. local time. That gives them enough time to clear customs and stretch before the game at 9:00 p.m. local.
All right. In four years, baseball will be back in the Olympics. The IOC announcing yesterday that they are adding five sports to the 2020 Tokyo Games. Baseball and softball back for the first time since 2008. Also added will be karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.
Big NBA news overnight. According to Yahoo, Russell Westbrook will stay in OKC for two more seasons after George's buddy, Kevin Durant, throw a longhorn --
HOWELL: I'm feeling for that Nigerian team.
ROMANS: Me, too. Usually I do stories about airlines with terrible departures. Good for them. Good for them. That's the Olympic spirit.
SCHOLES: They have a nice fancy charter. Plenty of legroom.
HOWELL: 1996, the Olympics there.
ROMANS: All right. Can Donald Trump's campaign be saved? The GOP scrambles to reset Trump and get him back on message.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
