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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
North Korea's Longest Launch Yet; Senate GOP Advances Tax Plan; Arrest In Florida Killing Spree; Eli Manning Benched By N.Y. Giants. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired November 29, 2017 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:05] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: If we have to go to war to stop this, we will. And if there's a war with North Korea it would be because North Korea brought it on itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: North Korea claims its latest missile could reach the entire U.S. mainland. The Defense Secretary sounding the alarm, and there is word another nuclear test could be next. We go live to Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Think of sitting there with a Rubik's Cube and trying to get to 50.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: And the Republicans clear a big hurdle with their tax plan but leadership still needs to satisfy lawmakers with varying demands. Today, the president hits the road to sell this overhaul.
Thank you for getting an early start with us. I'm a somewhat coherent Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: You're always coherent, Dave Briggs. I'm Christine Romans. It is 30 minutes past the hour.
This morning, no matter where you are in the United States, it appears -- it appears you are in range of the latest missile tested by North Korea. The Kim Jong Un regime claims the intercontinental ballistic missile tested yesterday is a new type topped with what it called a super-large, heavy warhead capable of striking the U.S. mainland.
That threat reinforced by Defense Secretary James Mattis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It went higher, frankly, than any previous shot they've taken. It's a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that could threaten everywhere in the world, basically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The launch was North Korea's first since September and it came despite repeated warnings from President Trump. After threatening fire and fury in August, the president took a more measured tone yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will only tell you that we will take care of it. We have Gen. Mattis in the room with us and we've had a long discussion on it. It is a situation that we will handle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Now, the reaction was so temperate, one key senator saying the U.S. will go to war if it has to.
International correspondent Paula Newton following all the latest developments. She joins us live from Seoul. Good morning, Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, good morning, Christine.
You know, how many times have you and I talked about the fact that everybody we speak to says there are no good military options, and this is key now? Why? Because everyone is also agreeing that this test is a significant step up in terms of technology for North Korea.
You know, it went 2,800 miles, in terms of the trajectory. The only thing left to do for North Korea to be fully nuclear capable is to master that reentry and have that all-important nuclear-tipped missile.
The reaction here in South Korea -- as you can imagine, they are quite alarmed and they actually did, in fact, launch precision missile strikes. It was a simulation -- hits the same target three times. The message there, we can retaliate if we want to.
What is interesting here is reporting from our Will Ripley, and you know he has been in the country several times. He had heard from one of his North Korean sources that another test, this one even more significant -- a nuclear test -- above-ground nuclear test could be imminent.
You know, a lot of experts now agreeing that it isn't a matter of the technology, that they likely do have the capability. If they don't have it now they'll have it in the next few months. The point is politically, when can they do it and for the most political leverage?
And you have to say, Christine, that at this point in time if this issue wasn't front and center at the White House for President Trump before, it certainly has to be now.
ROMANS: Absolutely. All right, Paula for us in Seoul. Thank you for that, Paula. Keep us posted.
BRIGGS: A sobering warning from Sen. Lindsey Graham in the wake of this latest North Korea provocation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM: The president is not going to allow North Korea to have a nuclear weapon in their hands that can hit America with an ICBM that can make it to the United States.
And if we have to go to war to stop this, we will. And if there's a war with North Korea it would be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed toward a war if things don't change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: President Trump also tweeting last night, tying the North Korean nuclear threat to the possibility of a government shutdown over a funding bill fight in Congress.
He says, quote, "After North Korea missile launch it's more important than ever to fund our government and military. Dems shouldn't hold troop funding hostage for amnesty and illegal immigration."
ROMANS: Plans for a meeting on government funding between the president and the leaders of both parties took a turn yesterday. Actually, it didn't happen.
Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi backed out, as the president made sure you saw, thanks to this quickly arranged photo op with empty chairs and name placards for Chuck and Nancy. The reason they backed out -- well, this tweet from the president right before the meeting, blasting both of them while concluding "I don't see a deal."
The federal government is set to shut down on December 8th unless Congress can pass a spending bill.
BRIGGS: Republicans are making progress in one significant area and that's their tax bill. A measure passing a key vote in the Senate Budget Committee on a straight party line vote.
Many Capitol Hill Republicans heaping praise on the president for his efforts, even some who are often critical of him like one GOP aide who tells us "Give credit where it's due. He was coherent. He knew the issues and more than anything else, he helped us. Credit where it's due."
[05:35:06] ROMANS: The tax bill still has a long way to go. Congressional staffers working overtime last night. They're trying to put the promises and the commitments their bosses made into legislative language and real action.
More than a few Republicans still have concerns, even if they're speaking more optimistically than before.
Today, President Trump heads to Missouri to tout the tax bill. BRIGGS: All right. Joining us this morning to talk about all this, "CNN POLITICS" digital director Zach Wolf live from Washington.
Good thing you showed up because we were going to have an empty chair with a name placard there and just to make you look silly, Zach, so we're glad you got up this morning.
But let's talk about the tax bill and the likelihood of it getting through Congress. Mitch McConnell talked about it being a Rubik's Cube.
Are they going to solve it or just kind of move around the stickers, no matter what they have to do to get it through?
ZACHARY WOLF, DIGITAL DIRECTOR, CNN POLITICS: Well, you know, you put it there. No matter what they have to do get it through. I think you're seeing a little bit of that right now.
They've made a lot of promises now to get votes on board. They have to turn those promises into legislative language. They've got to get it past the Senate -- they still have to do that -- and then they have to reconcile it with the House bill.
So we're sort of midway through this Candyland pathway here trying to get to a final tax bill. But this was a big moment -- make no mistake -- for Senate Republicans --
ROMANS: Yes.
WOLF: -- getting people like Ron Johnson and Susan Collins to sort of sound more open to it, and Ron Johnson to say he'll allow it through the committee. So it was a big deal yesterday and a big win for Trump.
ROMANS: We know that there were, you know, these concerns about pass- throughs and taxes on small businesses, and the president said to Ron Johnson that's not a reason to hold this back.
And the president being praised by one GOP aide who said that he was coherent. Give credit where it's due. He was helping in this process.
Let's talk about the deficit trigger. This is something that is getting a lot of attention as well. This idea that you would automatically raise taxes if these really, optimistic growth targets aren't met and the deficit balloons.
That sounds really hard to do.
WOLF: Yes, and it makes me think of things they've done in the past that have sort of taken on lives of their own. Things like the doc fix without getting into the details or that, or the AMT patch. They sort of create this zombie legislation where they have to periodically change things over time and you can kind of see that idea, you know. That's sort of --
ROMANS: Right.
WOLF: -- the end result.
If the -- if the economy doesn't grow the way they think it does they would have to sort of undo their own work in the future.
ROMANS: Republicans still like to raise taxes. That could be a hard sell to say oh yes, there's this -- here's this mechanism by which we will automatically raise your taxes if things don't go the way we want it.
BRIGGS: Well, we assume that claw back comes at the corporate rate, not with the individuals because that's permanent and the individuals is temporary.
But a lot still to be hashed out there all with the backdrop, right, of this "New York Times" reporting that the president is still spinning conspiracy theories to those around him. In "The New York Times" this morning this quote.
"One senator who listened as the president revived his doubts about Mr. Obama's birth certificate chuckled on Tuesday as he recalled the conversation. He said he has a hard time letting go of his claim that Mr. Obama was not born in the United States. He also has said many times that this 'ACCESS HOLLYWOOD' tape is not him."
How does that impact all of this when it comes down to trusting this president that he's going to come through for you on these promises to people like Susan Collins?
WOLF: This is a really stunning article, I think, in "The New York Times" in which the president basically, despite all of the evidence about things like the popular vote going against him, about inauguration crowd sizes -- all of these things that have been proven over and over again that he is wrong about, he still believes them to be true.
And I think the larger issue is the idea that there's this sort of alternative factual universe that the president is living in. And, you know, you make the point with Susan Collins. That -- I mean, that -- a grain of salt I think these lawmakers need to take with him.
I'm thinking more in terms of North Korea.
ROMANS: Yes.
WOLF: You know, the other thing you're talking about.
BRIGGS: Yes, right.
WOLF: That's something where you really don't want somebody living in an alternative universe to be making the decisions. So it's --
ROMANS: Clearly. The North Korea threat today more dire than it's been any time in recent memory. I mean --
BRIGGS: Yes.
ROMANS: This is a serious situation and a president who still can be distracted by conspiracy theories.
All right, Zach, nice to see you this morning.
WOLF: You, too.
ROMANS: Thank you so much for dropping by at 5:30 a.m.
BRIGGS: And keeping coherent, as well.
ROMANS: Yes, he is. He's always coherent.
BRIGGS: All right, Zach, thanks.
Pressure building on Congressman John Conyers to step down. Congressional Black Caucus chairman Cedric Richmond releasing a statement saying he had a very candid conversation with the Michigan Democrat about the sexual misconduct allegations against him, but he insists any decision to resign will be made by Conyers.
ROMANS: But, CNN has learned several members of the Congressional Black Caucus are in talks to get Conyers out. Several Democratic sources say they are trying to ease the congressman's exit without trampling on his 50-plus-year legacy in the House.
[05:40:10] BRIGGS: All this as another former aide to Conyers accuses him of sexual harassment. Deanna Maher telling CNN the congressman made three sexual advances toward her when she worked for him at his district office in Detroit from '97 to 2005. Conyers denied all the allegations against him.
ROMANS: President Trump's pick to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can keep his parking spot. A federal judge hearing the case over who can rightfully lead the watchdog agency denied a request to block Mick Mulvaney, who already heads the White House Budget Office.
The ruling in response to a lawsuit challenging the president's authority to appoint Mulvaney as acting director. That followed the resignation of Obama appointee Richard Cordray as director and his naming his own successor, Leandra English.
BRIGGS: The judge ruled the plaintiff has not proven she would be harmed by Mulvaney's appointment.
A White House spokesman saying it's time for Democrats to stop enabling this brazen political stunt by a rogue employee.
An attorney for Leandra English says they are considering their legal options.
ROMANS: All right. Breaking overnight, police have the man they say terrorized the Tampa community for weeks, killing four people at random. How they tracked him down, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:45:48] ROMANS: Breaking news.
The search for a suspected serial killer in the suburbs of Tampa coming to an end. Police arresting 24-year-old Howell Donaldson, III in connection with four fatal shootings in the Seminole Heights neighborhood since early October. The suspect facing four counts of first-degree murder.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN DUGAN, POLICE CHIEF, TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT: The real goal is to let the people of Seminole Heights be able to get a good night's sleep. It's been 51 days that they've been terrorized in their neighborhood.
And it is about letting these families know that we're going to bring this person to justice and letting this neighborhood get some rest and hopefully, try and put their lives back together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Tampa police captured Donaldson acting on a tip about a man with a gun at a local McDonald's. They are still trying to figure out his connection to the Seminole Heights neighborhood.
Police say the four seemingly unconnected victims were all killed but not robbed while walking alone at night within a half-mile area.
ROMANS: A Libyan man cleared of murder but found guilty of playing a role in the 2012 Benghazi attacks.
A U.S. jury convicting Ahmed Abu Khattala of conspiracy and other charges for helping to plan and carry out the deadly attack on a U.S. government compound. Four Americans were killed in that attack, including U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens.
It is the first -- the first conviction to stem from Benghazi. Khattala faces up to 60 years in prison. The CIA director says the verdict brings a small measure of justice.
BRIGGS: The U.S. Air Force says it found several dozen instances where criminal records were not properly relayed to government databases.
The failures came to light as part of a review into the military criminal history of Texas church shooter Devin Kelley. Officials say if his domestic assault history had been properly reported to civilian authorities, Kelley would have been prevented from legally buying a gun.
ROMANS: The Air Force says it has taken action to correct this problem. Among its new procedures, requiring commanders to verify that information from applicable crimes is registered with the FBI. BRIGGS: Flying drones now pose a greater risk to aircraft than bird
strikes. According to researchers working with the FAA, passenger planes are designed to stop a bird strike from puncturing the aluminum skin of the aircraft.
But testing and computer modeling show a drone could penetrate it. The most vulnerable areas to drones, windshields and the stabilizers that keep the plane flying straight and level.
The FAA says the latest data will help develop strategies and rules for preventing collisions.
ROMANS: The Washington, D.C. Archdiocese calling the Regional Transit Authority a Grinch for rejecting its Christmas ads and filing suit to overturn that decision. Church ads were to be placed on buses. They urge worshipers to quote, "find the perfect gift."
The Metro Transit Agency refusing the ad because it quote, "depicts a religious scene and thus, seeks to promote religion."
BRIGGS: Officials say advertising guidelines put in place in 2015 prohibit issue-oriented advertising, including political, religious, and advocacy.
A lawyer for the Archdiocese calls the decision a violation of the First Amendment, plain and simple.
Well, for the first time in 13 years, Eli Manning will not be the starting quarterback for the New York football Giants. Hard to believe this one this morning.
ROMANS: Yes. Andy Scholes has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report." Hey, Andy.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, guys.
You know, Eli Manning's a two-time Super Bowl MVP. He started 210 straight games as quarterback, second only to Brett Favre's legendary streak, but he's being benched after a 2-9 start by the Giants.
This is likely the end for Eli and the Giants uniform and he was certainly emotional when speaking about the news yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELI MANNING, QUARTERBACK, NEW YORK GIANTS: I'll be a good teammate. I don't like it, but it's part of football. You handle it and I do my job. It's hard -- you know, a hard day to handle this but I'll hang in there and figure it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: The former Jets quarterback Geno Smith will start for the Giants on Sunday.
Eli had started every game for the team since November 21st of 2004. In that time span, the Cleveland Browns had about 24 different starting quarterbacks.
[05:50:00] And the world looked much different the last time someone other than Eli was under center for the Giants. Back then, Facebook had just launched, George W. Bush had just been reelected president, and the final episode of "FRIENDS" aired and was watched by 52 million people.
All right.
The College Football Playoff Committee releasing their last set of rankings before they set the playoff field this Sunday. Clemson on top for the first time this season. They're followed by Auburn, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.
Now, things could totally get blown up in this weekend's conference championship games.
Clemson is going to play seventh-ranked Miami in the ACC championship game. Auburn plays sixth-ranked Georgia in the SEC champ game. Wisconsin takes on eighth-ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. And, Oklahoma is going to play TCU in the Big 12 championship game which is back for the first time since 2010.
All right.
In the NBA last night, LeBron James doing something for the first time in his 15-year career. LeBron thought he was fouled on that play and he let the ref know about it and he was immediately ejected from the game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEBRON JAMES, FORWARD, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: I said what I had to say and I moved on, but he decided I should get two of them, you know. So, it is what it is. We got the win and that's what's most important.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: And, LeBron having some fun with his ejection after the game, Instagramming a pic of his shoes saying, "Guess we'll call these the ejected game shoes."
And guys, LeBron had played 1,082 games and had never been ejected before last night, which I found to be pretty incredible because everyone has a bad night where you're just kind of in a bad mood and get after the refs --
BRIGGS: Oh, yes.
SCHOLES: -- but not LeBron, until last night.
BRIGGS: It is amazing but that streak we can laugh off. The Eli has just got to be tough to swallow --
SCHOLES: Yes, you just shake your head. BRIGGS: -- in particular, for Giants fans. They're saying Geno Smith is going to come start for our two-time Super Bowl champ?
SCHOLES: Yes, but if they would have gone straight to Davis Webb and said, look, we've got to see the young guy and see what's he's got. But it's puzzling --
BRIGGS: Right.
SCHOLES: -- that you go with Geno Smith and it's kind of -- you know, it kind of makes people think that they're slighting Eli for everything he's done for that franchise.
BRIGGS: Ben McAdoo, big bet there.
SCHOLES: Yes.
BRIGGS: Mr. Scholes, thank you.
ROMANS: All right.
A warning for the global workforce. Automation may kill your job. Three hundred seventy-five million jobs gone by automation by the year 2030.
What jobs are at risk? Details on "CNN Money Stream," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:56:41] BRIGGS: Breaking overnight, gunfire raining down on the streets of a high-rise in Reno, Nevada. The suspect is dead. The Sparks, Nevada police department says he was shot by police as they converged on his room. A motive still under investigation.
We've also learned the Las Vegas gunman from early October, Stephen Paddock, owned an apartment in this same complex from 2012 to 2016, but no clear connection between the two shooters.
ROMANS: All right, 57 minutes past the hour. Time for "CNN Money Stream" this morning.
Global stock markets are mixed today. The rally on Wall Street, though -- look at this. It just keeps getting better.
The Dow soared 256 points. Record highs all around. The S&P and the Nasdaq also all-time highs.
The latest cause for celebration, that progress on tax cuts -- corporate tax cuts. The Senate bill passed committee.
And the Fed chief nominee Jerome Powell speaking at his Senate confirmation hearing. Powell signaled support for gradually raising interest rates. That sparked a jump in bank stocks.
There's no stopping Bitcoin. It's the virtual unregulated currency. It just blew past $10,000 for the very first time. It's up more than 900 percent this year.
A lot of people talking about Bitcoin. It's long been shunned by regular investors. Unlike conventional currencies, these virtual coins aren't tied to a Central Bank, they're not regulated. They're a cryptocurrency.
But, Bitcoin prices have been rising along with the growing mainstream acceptance, even now prompting warnings of a Bitcoin bubble. Experts say don't worry. Recent gains have been driven by investments from hedge funds and asset managers.
A purely speculative investment, folks, in a very tiny market.
A warning for the global workforce. Automation may kill 375 million jobs by the year 2030. That's from a new study from the McKinsey Global Institute.
The work most at risk, physical jobs like operating machinery, fast food, data collection, and processing.
The study says workers must embrace retraining in the future and that governments and companies will need to help in the transition.
It's really interesting when you hear so much --
BRIGGS: It is.
ROMANS: -- about bringing jobs back, bringing jobs back. What can of jobs are we talking about?
BRIGGS: Right, factory jobs and those are being automated. Our jobs are safe for now?
ROMANS: Well, until tomorrow.
BRIGGS: Two years?
ROMANS: Until tomorrow. Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: That's all we're guaranteed.
I'm Dave Briggs. "NEW DAY" starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: A missile was launched from North Korea and we'll take care of it.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They could effectively reach the mainland United States.
GRAHAM: If we have to go to war to stop this, we will.
ROMANS: Senate Republicans clear a major hurdle towards passing their tax bill. MCCONNELL: It's a challenging exercise. Think of sitting there with a Rubik's Cube and trying to get to 50.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: They made a political decision that they were going to do it alone. Whether they will or not, we will find out.
BRIGGS: A new report raising questions about President Trump's credibility and fixation with conspiracy theories.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just because he's now the president has not changed the fundamental conduct of Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota.
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, November 29th -- how did that happen already -- 6:00 here in New York.
Here's our "Starting Line."
North Korea claims the entire U.S. is now within reach of their missiles after it launched their most powerful test yet.
