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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Mueller's Misgivings About 4-Page Summary; Uprising in Venezuela; Deadly NC Campus Shooting; Severe Storms & Twisters Hit the South; Strong April on Wall Street. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired May 01, 2019 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:30:46] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Special counsel, himself, disagreed with how his report was characterized by the attorney general. Bill Barr now faces tough questioning on Capitol Hill this morning.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Both sides claim the upper hand in Venezuela. The opposition trying to wrestle power from Maduro. The U.S. says Maduro was close to leaving the country, but the Russians stopped him.
BRIGGS: And two people are dead and four hurt after the shooting on the campus of University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
A lot of news to get to on this day. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans. It is 31 minutes past the hour this Wednesday morning.
All right. It was the question everyone was asking after Attorney General Bill Barr released his summary of the Mueller report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): Would Bob Mueller support your conclusion?
WILLIAM BARR, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't know whether Bob Mueller supported my conclusion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Well, now, we know. Special counsel Robert Mueller did express concern that Barr's four-page letter to Congress did not fully capture the findings of the 448-page report. Critically, when Barr said he didn't know whether Mueller supported his conclusion, that was two weeks after the special counsel expressed his concerns to Barr.
BARR: Those concerns echo those sentiments of members of the Mueller team. They also vented frustration about the way their findings were summarized. These disagreements sure to come up when Barr testifies on Capitol Hill this morning.
Here's Shimon Prokupecz in Washington.
We have more from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: Dave and Christine, special counsel Robert Mueller expressed concerns in a letter to William Barr that Barr's four-page letter to Congress summarizing the principal conclusions of Mueller's findings didn't fully capture his report.
Now, we're told that later, Barr and Mueller did speak by phone, and while Mueller didn't think Barr's letter was inaccurate, his initial letter to Congress, to special counsel believed his report was more nuanced on the obstruction of justice issue, according to Justice Department officials. Now, we're told that Mueller was frustrated. He was frustrated by media coverage and wanted more of the report to come out, these officials tell us.
Then, justice officials keep in mind, Dave and Christine, the have been puzzled, they've been puzzled all along why Mueller did not reach a conclusion on the obstruction issue. And we're told, as a result, that Barr felt he needed to provide finality on the matter as the attorney general overseeing the investigation.
Now, Democrats have erupted ahead of Barr's testimony. Barr is supposed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, highly anticipated and certainly more to come on this issue, certainly with the Democrats on the committee -- Dave and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right, Shimon. Thank you for that.
Attorney General Barr will defend his handling of the Mueller report in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the nation at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time this morning. Sitting on that committee, three Democratic candidates for president, among them, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
She tells CNN's Anderson Cooper Barr's motives are suspect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (via telephone): I think it's just one more example of how this four-page letter that he sent out was political. And this is not about politics. It's about protecting our democracy. And this is someone who just pointed out, you know, tried out for the job with a 19-page memo, that was executive summary of what he thought should be about a broad, broad interpretation of executive power. He then gets into the job and no surprise, he is political.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: All right. Now, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler is in a stand off with Barr over his second scheduled testimony this week. That's on Thursday. Nadler is demanding a copy of Mueller's letter and says the special counsel must be allowed to testify.
BRIGGS: We already know how Barr plans to testify from his prepared remarks. He is going to tell lawmakers, quote: After the special counsel submitted the confidential report on March 22nd, I determined that it was in the public interest for the department to announce the investigation's bottom line conclusions -- that is the determination whether a provable crime has been committed or not.
[04:35:06] I did so in my March 24th letter. I did not believe it was in the public interest to release additional portions of the report in piecemeal fashion, leading to a public debate over incomplete information.
Special coverage of that hearing begins at 8:30 a.m. this morning, right here on CNN.
ROMANS: All right. Another intense and explosive, potentially explosive day ahead for the people of Venezuela after the opposition leader, Juan Guaido, made his boldest attempt yet to seize power from President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido called for an uprising alongside a group of soldiers in Caracas in Tuesday, leading to violent clashes in the streets.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo telling CNN Maduro was on the verge of leaving Venezuela.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: He had an airplane on the tarmac. He was ready leave this morning, as we understand it. The Russians indicated he should stay. We think the situation remains incredibly fluid. We know that there were senior leaders inside the Maduro government that were prepared to leave.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": So, you blame Russia for the violence right now?
POMPEO: He was headed for Havana.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Maduro appeared on Venezuelan state TV late Tuesday, denying Pompeo's claim. We want to warn you, some of the video you'll see here may be disturbing.
Stefano Pozzebon reporting for CNN joins us live from Caracas.
Does it look as if this uprising is over? Did Maduro and the military regain control? Where do we stand right now?
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Well, where we stand is the million dollar question hanging over the skies here in Caracas, Christine. When we were able to speak with Juan Guaido and Leopoldo Lopez earlier, in the early hours of yesterday, they told us that these uprising wars are well-spread across the country and that many other military units will join in in the following hours.
That didn't happen. What happened was that more and more clashes between protesters and security forces in some of the clashes as you said, Christine, were dramatic and violent, indeed, especially with these semi-armored vehicle who witnessed went directly through a crowd of protesters in the central highway over in Caracas.
What happens next is the real question. Not only as the international observers, the press corps that has been following this, everyone in Caracas, every Venezuelan is asking, what happens next? Will the opposition try another attempt at toppling Maduro?
Today, big streets yet again onto the streets, demanding Nicolas Maduro to resign and leave the country, Christine. So, again, crucial hours ahead for the destiny of Venezuela.
Back to you.
ROMANS: All right. Thank you so much for that.
BRIGGS: OK. Two people are dead following a shooting on the campus of the University of South Carolina, Charlotte. Four people were injured, three critically. Video posted to Twitter shows people running from a campus library as people sprint toward the area. A officer quickly went to the room where the suspect fired and disarmed him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JEFFREY BAKER, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE POLICE & PUBLIC SAFETY: Our officers are highly trained and we train for this type of incident. And we were able to get to the building. And our officers immediately -- one officer immediately went to the suspect to take him down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The suspect identified as 22-year-old Trystan Andrew Terrell has been charged with murder. Some people were trapped in buildings before leaving campus. Tuesday was --
ROMANS: The last day of classes were Tuesday. Exams begin on Thursday.
All right. Three more stops in Iowa today for Joe Biden in his first visit since declaring his run. He told supporters, rebuilding the middle class is his, quote, North Star. And he's not backing away from one of the most polarizing elements of the Obama-Biden legacy, Obamacare.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We made historic progress. The fact of the matter, it extended health care to 22 million people who didn't have it before. We covered pre-existing conditions. I can go on with the list, you know it.
Health care is about piece of mind. How many people go to bed at night staring at the ceiling thinking, my God, if something happens to me, we're going to lose everything?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Also Also Tuesday, Bernie Sanders defending his controversial stance that prisoners should be able to vote, even domestic terrorists. In a new op-ed in "USA Today", he writes: If we are serious about calling ourselves a democracy, we must firmly establish that a right to vote is an inalienable and universal principle that applies to all American citizens 18 years and older. Period.
[04:40:09] That did not sit well with fellow senator and presidential candidate, Cory Booker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We locked up more people for marijuana in 2017 than all the violent crimes combined. And so, here, we have a nation that takes away people's liberty and their right to vote for doing things to the last three presidents admitted to doing. So, if Bernie Sanders want to get involved in a conversation about whether Dylann Roof and the marathon bomber should have a right to vote, my focus is liberating black and brown people and low income people from prison.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Senator and 2020 hopeful Kamala Harris joined teachers at a round table in South Carolina. Thousands of educators are set to walk out of classrooms today protesting their stagnant wages. Harris' first big policy proposal is a raise for teachers, which would amount to an annual $10,000 increase in South Carolina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Ten thousand dollars a year represents a years worth of grocery bills. Ten thousand dollars a year represents putting a significant dent in student loan debt, which is one of the greatest barriers to teachers staying in the profession because they've got that heavy student loan debt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The latest CNN poll shows Biden well ahead of the Democratic field after jumping into the race last week.
BRIGGS: The Food and Drug Administration strengthening warnings about some popular sleep aids. Sleeping pills marketed under these names will require new black box warnings for potentially dangerous side effects. There have been reports of rare, but serious injuries and death results from sleepwalking, sleep driving and other complex behaviors by those who took the drugs.
According to CDC, some 4 percent of adults have used prescription sleep aids in the past month.
Indeed, many people watching the news at 4:41 Eastern Time probably use one of those pills.
ROMANS: Have you tried the Impossible burger?
BRIGGS: I have not.
ROMANS: Have you heard about it? You know, a lot of people tried and a lot of people talking about it. Now, there's a nationwide shortage.
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[04:46:21] ROMANS: All right. Signs of wavering in Republican support for Fed pick Stephen Moore as more of his disparaging comments about women surfaced. Senators Joni Ernst, Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins all sending signals not to officially send his confirmation to the Senate. Senator Ernst gave a strong statement on Moore, telling reporters this: It's very unlikely that I would support that person.
Moore is under scrutiny of columns he has written about women. Yesterday, CNN's KFILE uncovered basically 25 years of examples of Moore criticizing gender advancement.
During an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box" yesterday morning, trying to defend himself, Moore said that this was the biggest problem in the economy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN MOORE, ECONOMIST: The biggest problem I see in the economy over the last 25 years is what happened to male earnings, for black males and white males as well. They have been declining. That is, I think, a big problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: "The Wall Street Journal" reported last week that Moore said he would back out of the process if he becomes a, quote, political liability.
BRIGGS: No cameras and a more civil tone as Democratic leaders meet with the president to discuss infrastructure. The sides did reach an agreement on a price tag for a potential plan, $2 trillion to rebuild roads, bridges, transit and broadband, et cetera. There's no guarantee, though, to close to the deal. But this was a rare moment of bipartisanship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): It's clear that both the White House and all of us want to get something done on infrastructure in a big and bold way. We agreed that infrastructure is crucial to the future of America. We agree it creates jobs. We agree it keeps us competitive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Senator Schumer and House Speaker Pelosi agreed to another meeting to discuss how to pay for the plan.
ROMANS: All right. Clap like we are at a strip club. That's what U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Harry S. Truman were actually told to do, clap like you are at a strip club to show your enthusiasm when Vice President Mike Pence visited Norfolk, Virginia, yesterday. The instruction came from the ship's senior enlisted sailor. The ship's public information officer confirmed the comment and called it inappropriate, to say the least.
BRIGGS: To say the least.
ROMANS: All right. Facebook getting makeover, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he is focused on getting privacy right. Heard that before.
CNN Business has details, next.
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[04:53:20] ROMANS: A federal judge throwing out the conviction of Penn State president, Graham Spanier. The ruling comes just as Spanier was supposed to begin a two-month sentence for misdemeanor child endangerment. The judge says Spanier was improperly charged, but he gave prosecutors three months to retry Spanier under a different 1995 endangerment law for the same incident. Spanier was convicted for his response to a report of former assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky, abusing a boy in the team showers.
BRIGGS: "Empire" officially picked up a sixth season on Fox. The future of embattled co-star, Jussie Smollett, remains in doubt after he staged a racist attack in January. The state prosecutor dropped the charges over objections from police. In a joint statement, the show's producers said at this time, there are no plans for Smollett's character to return. Smollett was suspended from "Empire" for the season's final two episodes.
ROMANS: All right. Incredible drama. A deadly home invasion captured on a 911 call in Washington state. A terrified homeowner hiding inside, cornered as burglars move in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
911 OPERATOR: 911, what are you reporting?
HOMEOWNER: Yes, my house is getting robbed right now.
911 OPERATOR: OK. Where are you?
HOMEOWNER: In my bedroom.
911 OPERATOR: Are you armed?
HOMEOWNER: Yes, I have a gun.
911 OPERATOR: The crashing behind you, is that them?
HOMEOWNER: Yes. They broke the window.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: As the man waited for police to arrive, the suspect opened the door.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[04:55:05] 911 OPERATOR: Is your door locked?
(GUNSHOTS)
911 OPERATOR: Can you hear me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: All right. The shots you heard were the homeowner shooting the burglar, killing him. Police say the homeowner will not face charges.
You also you heard the calm and collected dispatcher. She had only been on the job, we're told, for three weeks.
BRIGGS: Severe storms and tornadoes roared across the Southern Plains Tuesday. The National Weather Service reporting 25 tornadoes in five states, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
Heavy rain in Davenport, Iowa, the hometown of one Christine Romans led to the breach of a levy flooding part of downtown area. Look at this.
The Mississippi River expected to crest at more than 22 feet in Davenport today. This weather system slowing down. The threat remains from Texas to Missouri with the possibility of flash flooding.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri has the forecast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Dave and Christine, good morning, guys.
Yes, yesterday, we had a significant number of severe weather reports. As much as 25 reports of tornadoes, 15 reports of strong wind damage. We know the pattern is similar to yesterday. We got the gulf moisture, we got a dynamic jet, a loft across portions of northern Texas here and, frankly, it's an area that has seen so much rainfall in recent days. We have widespread areas of flood watches and flood warnings, include St. Louis, Kansas City, even on its North Texas.
And notice this, anytime you see yellow and you see oranges, you know two to four inches of rainfall has come down in a short time period. The storms once again will get going toward 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 in the afternoon.
And right there, northern Texas, southern and eastern Oklahoma, that's not only an area of severe weather, but also an area here for some strong winds and getting some heavy rainfall on top of the saturated soil. So, certainly a story worth following.
Another thing worth noting is the cooler air about to move in across the Midwest. We got the 60s in place. But much cooler as we go toward the upcoming weekend there. How about the south? Middle 80s in some areas. Close to 90 degrees on this early spring day -- guys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right, Pedram. Thank you so much for that.
The alternative meat movement is having a moment. Vegan Meat Company "Impossible Foods" is growing so fast, it's having a hard time keeping up. Burger King, which has been giving the meatless Impossible Whooper a trial run, now plans a national rollout by the end of the year. That would essentially double the number of restaurants Impossible works with.
The company says the challenge is not a shortage of ingredients, but demand greatly outstripping supplies.
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ALEX TREBEK, "JEOPARDY!" HOST: Thank you for making an even bet, it helped my math. You now have $96,726 earned today and a new total of $1,426,330.
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BRIGGS: A very familiar smile for "Jeopardy!" fans. Make that 19 in a row for the reigning "Jeopardy!" king James Holzhauer, now tied for the third longest winning streak in show history.
Last night's final "Jeopardy!" clue was a capitol between Paris and Berlin. The answer, Romans?
ROMANS: Bonn.
BRIGGS: Bingo.
Holzhauer was the only one with the correct answer. The third place finisher said, what is congrats to James. That just put that up every night.
ROMANS: All right. Let's get a check on business this morning.
Folks, global markets are higher right now on Wall Street. We are watching futures slightly higher head to the Fed's second meeting on interest rates. April closed on another great month for stock investors.
Folks, this is like one of the best starts to the year in years after the worst December since the Great Depression, four straight months of gains. Take a look here, the Dow is up 14 percent this year, up 45 percent since the election. The S&P 500 up 17 percent this year, up 37 percent since the election. The Nasdaq up 22 percent, almost 56 percent since the election.
Those are numbers certainly the White House is keenly aware of. They love these numbers. President Trump will try to use the stock market as his personal scorecard here.
A lackluster iPhone sales are dragging down Apple's business. Apple said iPhone sales fell 17 percent compared to last year. Revenue declined 5 percent to $58 billion. But, CEO Tim Cook signaled the worst may be over as Apple sees signs of improvement in China. Cook cited improved trade dialogue between China and the U.S. in a very positive customer response to the pricing actions they have taken in the market.
Apple's stock up 5 percent after hours on some of the outlook numbers.
Facebook is getting a new look and features to help move past some old issues. CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the new look during a deliver conference.
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