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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Manhunt for San Antonio Cop Killer; Trump's Weekend Packed with Meetings; Trump's Twitter Tirade; Cowboy Continue Winning Streak. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired November 21, 2016 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00] BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: In his patrol car last night when he was shot in the face by a gunman in a silver car who pulled up alongside him, opened fire and then sped off. That suspect was later killed in a shootout with police.
The 20-year veteran officer is a married father of three. He's in critical but stable condition after surgery. Fortunately he is expected to survive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE CHIEF SAM DOTSON, ST. LOUIS, MONTGOMERY POLICE DEPARTMENT: This officer was not involved in the traffic stop. This officer was not trying to pull this car over. This officer was driving down the road and was ambushed by an individual who pointed a gun at him from inside of his car and shot out the police officer's window.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Until further notice all officers in St. Louis will now ride two to a patrol car. The wounded sergeant was able to speak to fellow officers, but he could not give them a description of the shooter.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: And 10 minutes outside Kansas City in Gladstone, Missouri, a police officer was shot during a traffic stop late last night. The suspect also shot. Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police tweeting that the officer is expected to survive. The suspect's condition and identity have yet to be confirmed.
SANCHEZ: In Sanibel, Florida, just west of Fort Myers, an officer was wounded in a drive-by shooting last night. Authorities say he was sitting in his patrol car following a routine traffic stop when someone pulled up and began firing. The officer was treated at a local hospital and later released. The suspect was taken into custody a short time later after he exchanged gunfire with other officers.
This is a really sleepy beach town. This kind of thing doesn't happen here. It's actually the first time in the history of the Sanibel Police Department that an officer has been shot.
ROMANS: And now to San Antonio, investigators say the shooting death of a 50-year-old police officer was a targeted killing. Detective Benjamin Marconi was gunned down in his patrol car Sunday outside police headquarters during a traffic stop. Officials are still searching for the suspect. Just hours ago, San Antonio Police released this picture of a man they say might have information about the murder.
Let's get more this morning from CNN's Polo Sandoval.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police in San Antonio in the middle of a major manhunt. They're trying to track down the person or persons responsible for the shooting death of the 20-year veteran of the force. At this point, investigators believe that their officer was in the middle of a traffic stop outside the police department. He's actually filling out a citation for a driver when a third vehicle pulled up -- behind him and the person getting out of the car, walking up to the passenger side of this patrolman's vehicle, and then shooting the officer.
The police chief there saying that this gunman later shot the officer again. And now the search is on for this individual. Here's San Antonio Police with the latest on the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM MCMANUS, SAN ANTONIO POLICE CHIEF: Witness reports indicate the suspect to be a dark male, slim built in his 20s or 30s, he was wearing a gray pants and a gray shirt at that time. We have had descriptions with and without facial hair. We are actively pursuing all leads and looking into all motives. All of the SAPD resources including from our federal enforcement partners, our federal law enforcement partners, and state and local government are all being utilized. We considered this suspect to be extremely dangerous and a clear threat to law enforcements and the public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Well, condolence messages are now pouring into San Antonio from across the country. Governor Greg Abbott in the state of Texas also among them. He is an elected official who is also pushing for legislation to consider targeting police officers in Texas, considering that a hate crime.
SANCHEZ: Polo, thank you.
To politics now. New meetings on the agenda this morning at Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. We may learn the results of a packed weekend of sit-downs between Donald Trump and a host of advisers, experts and of course potential Cabinet picks. There were dozen such meetings yesterday alone. Aides had hinted that there might be staffing announcements. But Trump fended off questions about that from anxious reporters. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT: Well, we've made a couple of deals, but we'll let you know soon.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Mr. President-elect, does that mean you offered a job to a couple people and they accepted? Is that what you mean by deals?
TRUMP: Pretty soon, pretty soon. We'll let you know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: CNN's Phil Mattingly was among the reporters camped out at Trump National Golf Club shouting questions to the president-elect and his visitors in New Jersey. He joins us now with the latest.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris and Christine, it was a weekend of marathon meeting, meeting after meeting, Cabinet potential official after a Cabinet potential official, and some advisers in there as well. But it really was all about reading the tea leaves, trying to get a sense of who will fill out the top positions in the Trump administration.
The president-elect coming to the door, greeting every single one of his visitors. But on Sunday, there is a key focus on two individuals, Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani. Obviously, the former, one of the most important early endorsers of Donald Trump's campaign but has fallen out of favor in recent weeks, and has actually been removed as the head of his transition team. And all of his top allies have gone as well, leaving a lot of questions as to whether or not Chris Christie will actually have a job in the Trump administration. All signs right now are pointing to no.
[05:05:11] Not so much for Rudy Giuliani, though. The former New York mayor also a very close confidant, adviser, aide to the president- elect throughout the campaign. He has been angling for a Secretary of State job. We asked the president-elect if that is what he is looking for the mayor. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is the mayor a candidate for secretary of State, Mr. President-elect?
TRUMP: And other things. And other things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: So, guys, obviously a little bit of hedging there. Maybe some other positions that he may be looking at. And this is all coming in the wake of Saturday's meeting with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a 2012 presidential nominee. But we are told very definitively he is under consideration for that State job. What I'm told by Trump advisers is that Donald Trump is very intrigued by the idea, the perception, of what it would mean to have Mitt Romney in his administration, particularly in the wake of their 14, 15, 16-month battle back and forth.
So it will be very interesting to see how that all plays out. One key thing to keep an eye on as this week goes on, starting today there will be a focus on economic jobs, the economic transition landing teams -- landing at all the agencies throughout the day, then domestic policy as well. But obviously, we're all keeping a very close eye on who the next big Cabinet appointments will be. Trump advisers some are coy about that, but definitely making clear announcements will be made soon -- Boris and Christine.
ROMANS: All right. Phil for us in New Jersey.
So Donald Trump could be placing a fellow billionaire in his Cabinet. Wilbur Ross is a leading candidate for Commerce secretary. This according to a source close to the transition process. He was a vocal Trump supporter during the election. He met with Trump this weekend. No final decision yet but Ross is being seriously considered.
The Commerce secretary is the government's chief business advocate. The Commerce Department compiles important data on economic growth, trade, and income. The next secretary will also oversee the 2020 Census.
So who is Wilbur Ross? Well, he's worth $2.9 billion. He is the chairman of WL Ross and Co. He made his name buying distressed debt and resurrecting dying companies. Some of his biggest hits have come from steel and coal companies, two areas Trump wants to revive. He's an avid art collector. His collections reportedly worth $150 million.
The most important money appointment will be Treasury secretary. In the running Hollywood producer and former banker Steve Mnuchin, Texas Congressman Jeb Hensarling. And we're told still JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. They're still talking about this name. It's unclear how serious that is. You know, he is a banker. And --
SANCHEZ: Potentially very controversial pick, too.
ROMANS: Yes. Absolutely. So that's really interesting. A lot of people who -- you know, actually own the stock of his company, they're watching very closely. I mean, one day the stock fell a little bit because of reports of that. So we're watching very closely. You know, last time in 2008, Barack Obama, the president-elect, was 20 days into transition before he choose his Treasury secretary. So, you know, we'll see.
SANCHEZ: Still a bit early.
ROMANS: Still early.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
ROMANS: We're told -- I think we're told that after Thanksgiving most likely for the Treasury secretary. We'll find out.
SANCHEZ: Another visitor that Trump got this weekend that he's very enthusiastic about is Defense secretary candidate General James Mattis. The two met for a little over an hour on Saturday. And afterwards the president-elect characterized the retired four-star general as the real deal and a true general's general. A source tells CNN that no decision has been made yet, but that Trump is, quote, "leaning in Mattis' direction."
ROMANS: All right/ The president-elect says he will live in the White House once he takes the oath of office, but his wife Melania and their 10-year- old son, Barron will remain behind in Manhattan temporarily. That will allow Barron to finish out the year at his elementary school. The Trump campaign is not releasing details about the timing of the family's move and is asking for the same privacy and security considerations other first families have received.
SANCHEZ: Well, now as president-elect everybody is wondering, is Donald Trump going to lead in a way that differs from his campaign rhetoric? Not on Twitter at least. He went on a Twitter tirade this weekend escalating his feud with the cast of "Hamilton." And also targeting "Saturday Night Live." Now actor Alec Baldwin is firing back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:13:10] ROMANS: All right. All signs point to Donald Trump being back in charge of his Twitter feed this morning. The president-elect spent the weekend escalating a Twitter feud with the cast of the hit Broadway musical, "Hamilton." After Friday's performance, cast members read a message directly to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Mike Pence was in the audience. They called themselves, quote, "the diverse America," alarmed and anxious that the Trump administration won't protect them and their families. Pence listened calmly, he left the theater smiling. But in a barrage of tweets, Trump called the cast's statement inappropriate, rude, terrible, and he demanded an apology.
Let's get more now from CNN's Rachel Crane.
RACHEL CRANE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boris and Christine, while Mike Pence may not have been offended by the message that was delivered to him Friday night, somebody certainly was. That person being President-elect Donald Trump. Despite having a lot on his plate, having to set his political agenda, select his Cabinet, he still managed to find time to tweet not once, not twice, but four times about this ongoing controversy, even going as far as to call it harassment, saying that this was disrespectful, that it should never happen. The theater should be a safe space.
But Mike Pence saying that he was not offended, that he in fact enjoyed the musical. Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE-PRESIDENT-ELECT: When we arrived, we heard a few boos and we heard some cheers. And I nudged my kids and reminded them that's what freedom sounds like. And -- but at the end, you know, I did hear what was said from the stage and I can tell you, I wasn't offended by what was said. I will leave it to others whether that was the appropriate venue to say it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRANE: There has been a lot of chatter about this ongoing controversy on social media. Over 14 million people have viewed that message that was delivered here at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Friday. And there's been a lot of talk on Twitter. In fact, there is a #boycottHamilton that has been trending.
[05:15:04] The irony of course, though, is that this show has been sold out since it started and it has sold out through August of 2017.
But "Hamilton" is not the only thing Donald Trump took issue with. He also tweeted this weekend about his dissatisfaction with this weekend's episode of "SNL," saying that the show was not funny at all and it was biased -- Boris and Christine.
ROMANS: Rachel, thanks for that.
You know, a lot of discussion about was it the time and place for that kind of a statement. And if you listened to the statement, they spent the whole day apparently, the actors and the producers, sort of crafting it. And it was -- you know, they called him the wonder vice president-elect. Was that the time and the place? A lot of people say that's not the time and the place. But others were saying that's what the theater is supposed to be. It's supposed to be about issues and making you uncomfortable.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Mike Pence said he wasn't offended by it, but he said he would leave it to others to figure out whether or not it was the appropriate time and place.
ROMANS: Right. The appropriateness of the venue.
SANCHEZ: Getting back to that "Saturday Night Live" opening sketch that rankled Trump. It shows the president-elect via Alec Baldwin in a series of meetings that paint him as seriously out of his depth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR, "SNL": Google, what is ISIS? Oh, my, 59 million results. Siri, how do I kill ISIS?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's move on to Obamacare. As you know, 20 million people use it. And it sounds crazy. But a lot of them like it.
BALDWIN: Keep it. Let's just keep it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: One of the handful of Trump's tweets that slammed "SNL" was seeking, quote, "equal time for us." But FCC equal time rules apply only during an election campaign. Not after. Actor Alec Baldwin who plays Trump on the show tweeted this reply, quote, "Equal time? There is no more equal time. Now you try to be president and people respond. That's pretty much it."
I guess this is where we are now. Alec Baldwin and the president- elect of the United States going at it on Twitter.
ROMANS: Tweeting. All right. Breaking overnight. A violent confrontation between hundreds of Dakota Access pipeline protesters and police. Authorities are calling this a riot. Around 400 demonstrators are trying to cross a bridge in order to breach a police barrier and reach a nearby highway. One person has been arrested.
The protesters claim they have been attacked by officers with tear gas and water cannons in subfreezing temperatures. Police say those demonstrators set several fires in the area. Police denied using water cannons.
The 1200-mile pipeline would connect oil rich areas of North Dakota to distribution networks in Illinois. But protesters say it would threaten the environment including drinking water and destroy Native American burial and prayer sites.
This has been going on for months now.
SANCHEZ: Yes, yes. Potential major problems ahead for travelers, especially in the Midwest who are expected to find out today whether employees of the Chicago O'Hare International Airport will go on strike during the Thanksgiving holiday. The union organizing the strike is expected to announce later this morning when non-union janitors, baggage handlers and other service workers will walk off the job. The employees voted overwhelmingly last Thursday to strike. They are pushing for a $15 an hour wage plus better working conditions.
Keep in mind, O'Hare is one of the busiest airports in the world. I think the fourth by some estimates. Busiest airport in the world one of the biggest traveling holidays of the year.
ROMANS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Potential recipe for disaster.
ROMANS: All right. We should find out soon there.
OK. To sports now. How about some Cowboys? Super Bowl fever gripping the city of Dallas. Fans are even watching the games in church.
Coy Wire with this morning's "Bleacher Report" next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:23:08] SANCHEZ: Feels like the '90s, doesn't it? The Dallas Cowboys not losing? Not if there's (INAUDIBLE), will they ever lose now that there are rookie stars, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott keep breaking records and the hearts of opposing fans everywhere.
ROMANS: Coy Wire has more on this morning's "Bleacher Report." Hey, Coy.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Boris.
Now Tony Romo said early in the week that even though he's healthy and ready to play now this is Dak Prescott's team. And that's hard to argue with. Cowboys, Ravens. Romo active for the first time since Thanksgiving last year. But Dak would be the one carving up this bird. Cowboys would struggle a bit in the first half against the league's best defense but Dak gets it going after that. 14 of 15 in the second half. Finding his favorite target. Dez Bryant, two times for touchdowns. Cowboys win 27-17. They have now won a team record nine straight.
How big is Cowboys fever sweeping Texas? Check out this Dallas area church with the game on the big screen. If you tell me that football isn't religion in the Lone Star state, well, you could have fooled me. Isn't that something? Dallas is going to have a date with the -- with Washington coming up on Thanksgiving. This should be good because Washington looked strong last night against the Packers and his name may be Kirk Cousins, but he played more like Green Bay's daddy. He threw three touchdowns in this one, 42-24, and the win over the suddenly reeling Packers. Washington has now won six of their last eight games.
Final NASCAR race of the season. And Sprint Cup championship on the line in Homestead, Florida. Check out the restart with 11 laps to go. Joey Logano gets into the back of Carl Edwards causing a huge pileup. There's Martin Trueds Jr. car completely engulfed in flames. And he would get out OK, not hurt. Final lap, Jimmie Johnson who only led for three laps in this race, crosses the line winning the record tying seventh Sprint Cup championship.
[05:25:06] He joins Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. for the most ever.
Finally feel good for you this Monday morning. Joe Thomas Sr. gives new meaning to Senior Day at South Carolina State. The 55-year-old running back picked up three yards and a spot in the record book. He is now the oldest person to play in a division one game. Thomas is actually following in his son's footsteps. He is the father of Green Bay Packers linebacker Joe Thomas, Jr. And if you some inspiration this morning, "NEW DAY" will be interviewing Joe Thomas Sr. in the 8:00 hour.
One more quick note for you. Raiders and Texans play tonight in Mexico City for the first time on Monday Night Football game. In the history of the NFL will be played outside the U.S.
SANCHEZ; Yes. Thanks so much, Coy.
It's interesting that football dad, he had worked for the team for years hoping for that opportunity. And it may just be three yards, but for him it was a longtime coming. Thanks again, Coy.
ROMANS: Thanks, Coy.
WIRE: You're welcome.
SANCHEZ: In other news now, four separate police shootings across the country all within a 24-hour period. One officer is dead. One of the suspects still on the loose. We have the latest on all four cases ahead.
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