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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Joe Biden's Launch Greeted by Attacks from Trump and Rivals; Measles Quarantined Ordered at Los Angeles Universities; North Korea Demanded $2 Billion for Otto Warmbier's Care. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired April 26, 2019 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:47] MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN ANCHOR: Renewed challenges from past and present for Joe Biden. His 2020 launch a stark reminder why he poses a threat to Donald Trump and himself.
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Hundreds of faculty and staff quarantined at two California universities. They have to stay away unless they can prove they've been vaccinated from the measles.
KOSINSKI: Police ruling nothing out after a Pennsylvania church catches fire for the second time this week. The first time was ruled arson.
BRIGGS: And it's the next generation of the NFL. Who went where and which player almost toppled the commish at the NFL draft.
Quite a night in Nashville. The first time they've had it in Tennessee.
Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
KOSINSKI: I'm Michelle Kosinski. It's 31 minutes past the hour.
BRIGGS: Happy Friday, my friend.
KOSINSKI: Thank you. You too.
BRIGGS: Just breathe it in.
KOSINSKI: Is it Friday?
BRIGGS: Yes.
KOSINSKI: This hour --
BRIGGS: Let's talk some politics, though.
KOSINSKI: All right. Let's do.
Joe Biden is in and already he's under attack from all sides. The former vice president running for the White House now again and no one took faster notice than the current occupant. Biden is the Democrat President Trump has long worried he might face in the general election. So the president went right after him. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that, you know, when you look at Joe, I have known Joe over the years, he's not the brightest light bulb in the group. But he is a pretty sleepy guy. He's not going to be able to deal with President Xi, I will tell you. That's a different level of energy and frankly intelligence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Biden's announcement was largely free of biography and certainly was free of policy. Instead he went straight at one of the president's most shocking moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Very fine people on both sides? Those words, the president of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it. And in that moment, I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I had ever seen in my lifetime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: In Delaware before hitting the campaign trail, Biden was asked why President Obama had not thrown his support behind his former VP.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I asked President Obama not to endorse, and he doesn't want to -- we should -- whoever wins this nomination should win it on their own merits.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why are you the best choice for Democrats?
BIDEN: That will be for the Democrats to decide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: Biden already faces challenges from his present and his past. Anita Hill says she is not satisfied after a conversation with Biden. The former VP shared his regret for what she endured during the 1991 Supreme Court hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas. That's a point he's also recently made in public.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: When Anita Hill came to testify, she faced a committee that didn't fully understand what the hell was all about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Biden oversaw the Thomas hearings, but Hill declined to call the conversation an apology, telling "The New York Times," quote, "I cannot be satisfied by simply saying I'm sorry for what happened to you. I will be satisfied when I know there is real change and real accountability and real purpose."
KOSINSKI: Biden is also taking fire from Democrats to his left. Senator Elizabeth Warren questioning Biden's ties to Wall Street.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: At a time when the biggest financial institutions in this country tried to put the squeeze on millions of hard-working families, they just didn't have anyone, and Joe Biden is on the side of the credit card companies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: Bernie Sanders' campaign sent fundraising e-mails with Biden's name on the subject line, attacking Biden for launching his run with a fundraiser in the home of a corporate lobbyist.
BRIGGS: Biden was in Philadelphia last night for that first big donor event. He lamented the idea that the way to gain power is to divide the nation, calling it, quote, "same old tactic that snake oil salesman have done." Today Biden will be on "The View." Over the next few weeks he'll campaign in California, Nevada, Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. His big 2020 kickoff rally set for Philadelphia May 18th.
[04:35:05] A quarantine ordered at two public universities in Los Angeles trying to stop the spread of a measles outbreak. Students and staff at UCLA and Cal State L.A. exposed to a confirmed case of the highly contagious disease have been ordered to stay home and avoid contact with others. The order affects hundreds of students and employees who cannot prove they've been vaccinated.
Now a fourth case may have been confirmed at Los Angeles International Airport and back East Rockland County, New York, has renewed a measles state of emergency.
KOSINSKI: Measles cases in the U.S. this week set a new record for the highest number since the diseases was declared eliminated nationwide in 2000. That's 695 cases in 22 states. Health officials say anti-vaccine myths have played a key role in this current outbreak.
BRIGGS: A federal judge temporarily blocking new anti-abortion restrictions from the Trump administration. The so-called gag rule would have banned abortion referrals at federally funded family planning clinics. The judge scolded the Department of Health and Human Services for offering no reasoned analysis for changing the long standing rule. Groups funded by the Title 10 program were already prohibited from performing abortions with those funds. Title 10 serves about four million people a year.
KOSINSKI: A second fire breaking out at a Pennsylvania church already damaged by arson. Firefighters were called to the Pentecostal Church of Bethlehem Thursday to put out a fire in the chapel area. An arsonist torched the same church two days earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NITZA COLON, PASTOR'S DAUGHTER: It was heartbreaking and really sad that this would happen for the second time. And I said, who would do such a thing? I mean, what else can they burn in the building?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: At this point authorities are not saying whether the latest fire is also arson but say they're not ruling anything out.
BRIGGS: A deadly chain reaction crash near Denver shut down I-70 in both directions overnight. According to the Lakewood Police Department, multiple people were killed in the pileup and fire which started with a semitrailer traveling at high speed, colliding with several other vehicles, setting off a series of crashes involving 12 passenger cars and three semis. Police are warning the interstate may remain closed through this morning's rush hour.
KOSINSKI: USC is making big changes to its admissions process because of the recent scandal. The university plans to emphasize more oversight and review of student athlete applications. The school president says every student athlete candidate will now be reviewed on three levels by the head coach, the senior sports administration overseeing the team and the USC Office of Athletic Compliance. Then it will be sent to the Admissions Department.
BRIGGS: Current students caught up in the admissions scandal have been notified their cases are being reviewed. That includes Olivia Giannulli, some of you know as Olivia Jade. Her parents, actress Lori Loughlin and designer Mossimo Giannulli, have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges. Their daughter could have had her admission revoked.
KOSINSKI: How does free, one-day shipping sound? Amazon now spending $800 million to make it standard for its Prime customers. The company changed the game when it introduced free two-day shipping for Prime customers over a decade ago. Amazon is not saying when the one-day option will become standard or whether Prime members will see any rate hike. Analysts say the move could expand the types of products consumers are willing to order online.
BRIGGS: Now a check of CNN Business at 4:38. Corporate earnings dominate Wall Street's attention Wednesday with major tech and consumer companies reporting their first quarter results. Amazon's profit machine shows little sign of slowing down, posting a record profit of $3.6 billion. That marks the sixth straight quarter where Amazon's profits have topped $1 billion.
Microsoft's earnings sent the company over the trillion-dollar mark for a bit. Its revenue climbed 14 percent to $30.6 billion. Ford shares also jumped on solid earnings reporting a revenue of $40 billion during the quarter. The Detroit automaker said it expects sales and profits for 2019 will top last year. Starbucks stock rose after hours after its positive results. Sales at U.S. stores jumped 4 percent and 3 percent in China. The increases are a sign its efforts to expand its biggest markets are working. On the other hand, 3M struggled in the first quarter and it's now
cutting 2,000 jobs. The industrial manufacturer announced the cuts after reporting weak sales and cutting its guidance for the year.
KOSINSKI: Otto Warmbier was returned to the U.S. in a coma and died days later. So why did North Korea demand $2 million for his medical bills?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:44:05] BRIGGS: 4:43 Eastern Time. CNN learning President Trump is indeed eyeing a sweeping nuclear deal with Russia and China. The U.S. recently pulled out of a nuclear treaty with Russia so now the White House is conducting talks to develop new options for the president. The deal would build on another nuclear pact. The new START treaty which expires in 2021. According to sources, the president wants all weapons on the negotiating table.
KOSINSKI: And of course the U.S. pulled out of the INF treaty because China was not part of it. Also National Security adviser John Bolton's longstanding criticism of arms control deal have some observers skeptical. They believe the administration's true goal might be finding a way to get out of an existing nuclear deal it considers constraining and outdated.
BRIGGS: North Korea presented the United States with a $2 million hospital bill for the care of American college student, Otto Warmbier. Warmbier was held prisoner by the North Koreans and was returned to the U.S. in a comatose state. He died days later.
[04:45:05] Sources tell CNN the North Koreans insisted the United States sign a pledge to pay the bill before releasing Warmbier in 2017.
KOSINSKI: Joseph Yun, a former State Department special representative for North Korea, signed that bill but the Trump administration has not paid it. We're told negotiators for North Korea did not bring up the issue during President Trump's summits with Kim Jong-un in Singapore and Hanoi.
BRIGGS: A judge has given the Trump administration six months to identify potentially thousands of children separated from families along our southern border. District Judge Donna Sabraw said he would consider an extension after the government said it could take up to two years. The administration will reportedly review 47,000 cases of unaccompanied children who were taken into custody between July 2017 and June 2018. Many of those separated during that timeframe were reunited with their families.
KOSINSKI: A Coast Guard lieutenant accused of plotting a domestic terror attack is being released from detention. Christopher Hasson has pleaded not guilty to weapons and drug charges but does not face terrorism or attempted murder charges. Judge Charles Day said the government has not met the legal standard for detention but says he has grave concerns. BRIGGS: Hasson is accused of amassing an arsenal of guns, attack
gear, and searching online for home addresses of two Supreme Court justices. The judge says Hasson will have to, quote, "a whole lot of supervision." Prosecutors say Hasson is a white supremacist with a hit list including prominent Democrats and several TV journalists.
KOSINSKI: The governor of Maryland calling on Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh to resign. The move comes after FBI agents executed search warrants Thursday at her home and Baltimore City Hall. Pugh is under investigation over a no bid contract to write "Healthy Holly" children's books for a state medical system where she was on the board. She has taken a leave of absence as mayor.
Governor Larry Hogan said in a statement Thursday that Pugh has lost the public trust and is clearly not fit to lead. A spokesperson for Pugh and acting Baltimore Mayor Jack Young had no comment.
BRIGGS: Ten Atlanta area elementary students are recovering this morning after being hit by projectiles from a BB or pellet gun. Police are searching for a possible suspect. Officials say it appears the projectiles were shot from off the school campus. The students at the Wind Brook Elementary Theme School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, were treated at a local hospital. None of their injuries were life threatening.
KOSINSKI: Officials in Washington, D.C. are reviewing police procedures after troubling incidents involving police and young kids. In March, a 10-year-old was handcuffed and arrested and more recently an officer forcibly handcuffed a 9-year-old who was leaning against a car and apparently talked back to the officer.
Councilman Charles Allen tells CNN the video causes distrust and damage to the community's relationship with law enforcement.
BRIGGS: Some sad news from the sports world. Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek has died.
Havlicek won eight NBA titles with the Celtics and was part of one of the most memorable plays in league history. That was the play there sealing the game 7-1 on the 1965 Conference Finals with that steal. The Hall of Famer was voted one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time. John Havlicek was 79 years old.
The top pick in the NFL draft came as no surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Arizona Cardinals select Kyler Murray, quarterback, Oklahoma.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Kyler Murray, number one to the Cardinals. So now the team has to decide what to do with Josh Rosen, their first round pick from a year ago and starting QB in 2018. Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, the second pick going to the San Francisco 49ers. He follows his brother Joey, the Chargers' first round pick in 2016, and his father John, first round choice in 1987.
KOSINSKI: Wow.
BRIGGS: Remarkable.
KOSINSKI: It does run in the family.
BRIGGS: Yes. Just like mine. The New York Jets also win defense. They took Alabama tackle Quinnen Williams at number three.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The New York Giants select Daniel Jones.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Not cool. That is how Giants fans reacted when the team selected Eli Manning's heir apparent, Duke quarterback Daniel Jones as the sixth pick. And the Miami Dolphins passed on a quarterback and took defensive lineman Christian Wilkins at 13, he won't forget it. Neither will Roger Goodell who got a jump up there from the 6'3", 315- pound Wilkins, nearly taking the commish out on stage.
[04:50:03] The draft resumes tonight with rounds two and three. And look, if you're going to play in New York, you have to have a thick skin but it's hard, I'm sure, for a kid gets drafted in the first round and he hears boos from fans.
KOSINSKI: I know.
BRIGGS: And "Blue's Clueless."
KOSINSKI: Yes.
BRIGGS: Right? That is not the way you want to be welcomed to the NFL.
KOSINSKI: Or it could just inspire him to show everybody.
BRIGGS: It may.
KOSINSKI: But to start out that way, that's a big bummer.
BRIGGS: No one wants to start out that way. You're right.
KOSINSKI: People are mean.
BRIGGS: All right. Ahead -- in New York? Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BRIGGS: What happens when two cultural phenomenon combine for an epic, multi-media crossover event? You get "Fortnite End Game." CNN has the details in business next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:55:09] KOSINSKI: African nation Mozambique pounded by the strongest storm in its history, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate. Right now tropical cyclone Kenneth is hammering the northern part of the country with a 140-mile-an-hour winds. That's the equivalent of a category four hurricane.
Over 20 inches of rain is projected over the next four days. Four times the monthly average for the region. Kenneth comes only about a month after Mozambique, remember, was dealt a devastating blow by the deadliest and costliest storm in its history. Then tropical cyclone Idai.
An Alabama high school teacher will be there for his cancer stricken daughter thanks to the kindness of his colleagues. David Green's 16- month-old daughter Kinsley is getting treatments for leukemia a hundred miles away from their home. So when he used up all his sick days to be with her, his wife went on Facebook to ask fellow teachers to donate one sick day each. They responded in a big way. David Green now has 100 additional sick days to spend with his little girl. His wife says the family is blown away and cannot wait to be in a position to give back.
That story instantly chokes you up.
BRIGGS: Yes. That's the story we needed today.
KOSINSKI: Beautiful. It's beautiful.
BRIGGS: Happy Friday, everybody.
OK. A check on CNN Business this morning. Investors around the world watching corporate earnings. Asian markets closing lower. European markets are basically flat. And on Wall Street, futures are pointing lower as investors wait for GDP data.
U.S. stocks ended Thursday mixed. The Dow finished 135 points lower. The Nasdaq closed slightly higher but fell two points short of setting a new all-time high. The S&P 500 finished with little change.
The big event today, first quarter GDP. Investors will be watching closely after worries about a U.S. economic slowdown weighed on their minds at the start of the year.
Uber's initial public offering is coming soon and could value the ride-hailing giant at $90 billion. The "Wall Street Journal" reports the company is seeking to price its shares between 44 and 50 bucks when it makes its range public today. Filing is also expected to include news of a roughly $500 million investment in Uber by PayPal. Uber is expected to be the second largest U.S. list to debut in history.
"Avengers: End Game" is finally here, and Fortnite is getting in on the action. Fortnite debuted a limited time mode called "Fortnite: End Game"
Thursday, where players can join the battle for the Infinity stones. The online gaming chat had teased the project with the film's tag line, "Whatever It Takes," and said players can even purchase moves from their favorite characters like Black Widow there. The game's free "Battle Royale" mode did a similar crossover last year with "Avengers Infinity War." Some analysts say the film could bring in a billion dollars worldwide in the first week.
KOSINSKI: It's incredible.
BRIGGS: Yes, it is. Great movie.
KOSINSKI: So we give you your feel good story, now that you're crying, we'll make you laugh. How would a potential battle between President Trump and former VP Joe Biden go down? Trevor Noah gives his take in your late-night laughs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TREVOR NOAH, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH": Many are saying that Democrats are still likely to vote for Joe Biden partly because of how progressive he's become and partly because of how good he is at getting under Trump's skin.
BIDEN: The press always asks me, don't I wish I were debating in? No, I wish we're in high school, I could take him behind the gym. That's what I wish.
TRUMP: And that would not last long. Go like this. He's down. And he'll never get up. He'll never get up.
NOAH: Old men fight, old men fight. Old men fight. This is hilarious. These two dudes fighting, it's like, well, let's get ready to stumble. It'd be the most entertaining fight. They're going to knock each other's teeth out and pick them back up and put them back in. Honestly, I think they should make this fight happen just to raise money for charity. I think it's a win-win for everyone. Right? Biden gets to stand up to Trump and Trump gets to secretly keep the money meant for charity. Everyone wins.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: Yes.
BRIGGS: It would be entertaining. Kind of reminds you of that scene from "Grumpy Old Men" where the two go out over a young lady but --
KOSINSKI: And Biden is known for his silly gaffes, Trump for his name calling, so yes, brace yourselves.
BRIGGS: The debate stage would be --
KOSINSKI: This is going to be --
BRIGGS: Wildly entertaining. KOSINSKI: A bumpy ride. You can tell that Trump is already a little
rattled by this, though.
BRIGGS: I think this is the one he does not want to face. But time will tell.
EARLY START continues right now.
Renewed challenges from past and present for Joe Biden. His 2020 launch a stark reminder why he poses a threat to Donald Trump and perhaps himself.
(END)
