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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
One Dead, Eight Hurt In Colorado School Shooting; Department Of Justice To Democrats: Stop Barr Contempt Vote; Secretary of State Pompeo Makes Surprise Stop In Iraq. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired May 08, 2019 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:30:50] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEANAN RILEY, STUDENT, STEM SCHOOL HIGHLANDS RANCH: We thought it was a drill until we saw the officer with the patrol rifle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not knowing if we would make it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: One student dead, eight others injured after two students opened fire on their classmates just miles from Columbine.
DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: More than $1 billion in losses over 10 years. Staggering numbers for Donald Trump, according to tax documents obtained by "The New York Times."
ROMANS: Wall Street could not sustain another day of trade uncertainty. The Dow plummets. What's in store today.
BRIGGS: And epic flooding in the south. Hundreds of students stranded overnight in Texas and the weather threat is not over.
Four thirty-one in the Lone Star State, 5:31 in New York. Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.
ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is 31 minutes past the hour. Nice to see you all this morning in the middle of the week.
Breaking overnight, one student is dead, eight others injured in a school shooting near Denver.
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POLICE DISPATCHER: Attention all units. Getting information on a shooting at STEM school. All units, we have a shooter in room 107, 107.
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ROMANS: Two p.m. Tuesday, the moment the STEM School Highland Ranch went into lockdown -- the students forced to evacuate. An all too familiar scene, the kids lining the sidewalk with their hands in the air.
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RILEY: We heard that there was a lockdown and we thought it was a drill until we saw the officer with the patrol rifle and tens of other police cars just coming our way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As soon as the lights go out everyone was scared for their lives. People were quiet. I felt like I was out in the open and I didn't like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Police apprehended two students after the shooting. One of them is a teen, the other is a juvenile. Police believe they both attend the school.
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TONY SPURLOCK, SHERIFF, DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO: Two individuals walked into the STEM school and got deep inside the school and engaged students in two separate locations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
POLICE OFFICER: They're all going to Northridge.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Police were left in a delicate spot, informing crying parents their children were being bussed to other locations.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where are you located right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Northridge Rec Center.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's where they're taking you? Are they taking you on a bus? How are you getting transported there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how they're taking us, mom. I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many kids were shot?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think probably -- I don't know, mom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: When students eventually reunited with their families, the relief was palpable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very comforting because not knowing if we would make it out or what since we didn't know how many there were or anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: The father of one student tells "The New York Times" his son and two friends tried to tackle one of the gunmen and one of the boys was shot in the chest.
ROMANS: People in the area just marked the 20th anniversary of the deadly shooting at Columbine High School, about seven miles away.
No motive is known for Tuesday's shooting. It happened just weeks after area schools were closed while authorities scrambled to find an armed Florida woman said to be infatuated with the Columbine massacre.
Several of the injured students from Tuesday's incident are in critical condition. This is the 33rd school shooting this academic year since August.
BRIGGS: The Justice Department is warning House Democrats the Trump administration is prepared to invoke executive privilege over the entire Mueller report if they move forward with today's vote to hold Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt, and that vote is still scheduled.
By invoking executive privilege the Trump administration could be trying to prevent House committees from interviewing key figures in the Mueller report. The challenge for Democrats, how hard to push the president on oversight.
Here's Manu Raju on Capitol Hill.
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MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine and Dave.
Now, House Democrats are planning to still hold the Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt and later this morning after he has not provided full Mueller report and the underlying evidence as Democrats have demanded.
Now, for much of the day yesterday there had been discussions to try to reach a deal to head off this contempt vote, but Democrats are pushing forward. This could be the first time holding a senior member of the Trump administration in contempt after the administration has refused a whole range of requests, this being one that they issued a subpoena for and the administration said no.
[05:35:17] Another subpoena that the committee issued was for Don McGahn's records and testimony. The former White House counsel -- the Democrats hoped would cooperate as part of their investigation into potential obstruction of justice, but the Justice Department has said that -- the White House said that he should not comply because it could breach his confidential discussions that occurred when he was working at the White House.
But nevertheless, these are all wrapped up in the larger fights that could end up in court and could take months to play out -- Christine and Dave.
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ROMANS: All right. Let's bring in "CNN POLITICS" digital director Zach Wolf, live in Washington this morning. Zach, nice to see you this morning.
You know, you wrote a great piece --
BRIGGS: Good morning.
ROMANS: -- that's coming out later this morning.
But essentially, look, the Trump administration, it's -- the entire presidency has been about rejecting norms, about blocking protocol, about ignoring oversight, and Congress -- defying Congress, essentially, time and again. The list goes on and on.
"The New York Times" this morning has a front-page story as well. "This clash might have made the framers gasp."
Is this a constitutional crisis?
ZACHARY WOLF, DIGITAL DIRECTOR, CNN POLITICS: You know, I talked to a lot of people about this yesterday and I think that the answer is still no, largely because, as Manu said, the Congress can still go to the court.
Most experts will tell you we're in a full-on constitutional crisis when the administration -- when or if the administration essentially starts ignoring court orders. When the powers that the framers set up essentially break down.
We're not there yet but they're playing this delaying game, essentially, which could put us into a political crisis, which is a totally different thing where the -- where the branches just aren't responding to each other and the government is in this weird stalemate where, essentially, nothing happens. That seems a lot more likely right now.
BRIGGS: All right. So the question being where do we go from here? Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi weighed in on that yesterday.
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SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): The special counsel's finding is clear -- case closed -- case closed. This ought to be good news for everyone, but my Democratic colleagues seem to be publicly working through the five stages of grief.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): Trump is goading us to impeach him. That's what he's doing. Every single day he's just like taunting, taunting, taunting because he knows that would be very divisive in the country but he doesn't really care. He just wants to solidify his base.
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BRIGGS: So, Pelosi doesn't want to talk about impeachment.
But, Texas Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett, last night, Zach, told Chris Cuomo regarding A.G. Bill Barr, the top law enforcement in the country, "I don't want to throw him in jail but I'm ready to do so."
Short of that, where do Democrats go from here?
WOLF: Well, once they go to court and then it filters up ultimately, presumably, to the Supreme Court. And let's pretend that there's some sort of five-four decision where the conservative majority sides with the president. That would be the next option for Congress.
They would have to essentially start throwing people in jail or imprisoning them somehow. And they do technically have that power, although you could imagine that being an extremely incredible thing for Congress to start trying deputizing people to throw them in jail. Where do they put them in jail if the jails are run by the -- by the -- by the Executive Branch?
This would open a whole new bunch of questions.
But where else do you go if Trump essentially shuts Congress out and stops responding to them, which it --
BRIGGS: Yes.
WOLF: -- seems like that's where we're going?
BRIGGS: It may not be a constitutional crisis but it sure feels like it.
So the president, tonight at a rally in Florida -- he is certainly stewing about the front page here in New York City, his hometown. The former "APPRENTICE" host, the biggest loser because of "The New York Times" incredible reporting over a decade of his taxes. They found that he lost more $1 billion.
And there are some stunning lines in this piece -- in particular, this one. "In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than any other individual American taxpayer." That will not sit well at the White House.
How does the president attempt to spin this? How does this strike at his core narrative?
WOLF: Well, his core narrative has always been that he's this wonderful businessman, he wrote "The Art of the Deal." That he can take things and turn them into gold.
Meanwhile, we see that he was telling the government he was losing so much money -- more money than any other taxpayer in the country, which is an incredible thing if you think about it. I mean, there's a lot of people losing a lot of money in this capitalist society we have. He was the biggest one, according to the "Times."
[05:40:11] That seems to strike right at what he has always said is his greatest asset, which is his ability to take things and create success. And now we know that's just a smokescreen.
ROMANS: Everything Trump does, he does it big. And when Trump loses money, he does it big -- huge.
BRIGGS: Really big.
ROMANS: Huge. I thought it was interesting when you look at that bar chart. In 1987, I think, was when he wrote "The Art of the Deal."
BRIGGS: "Art of the Deal."
ROMANS: So he was in the midst of losing epic amounts of, in some cases, borrowed money, right?
BRIGGS: Yes.
ROMANS: And --
BRIGGS: His only tweet last night about fireworks in South Dakota.
WOLF: He was tired of winning.
BRIGGS: There will be some fireworks tonight.
ROMANS: Tired of winning.
BRIGGS: Zach Wolf, thank you, sir.
WOLF: Thanks, see you.
BRIGGS: All right.
Breaking overnight, Iran's president announcing a partial withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal it signed with the United States and other world powers.
The decision comes one year after President Trump abandoned the agreement and one day after Mike Pompeo's mystery tour. It turned out to be a 4-hour stop in Baghdad. The secretary of state meeting with Iraqi leaders about rising tensions with Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We talked to them about the importance of Iraq ensuring that it's able to adequately protect Americans in their country. They both provided assurances that they understood that was their responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BRIGGS: Nic Robertson joining us live from 10 Downing Street in London where Sec. Pompeo meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May today. Nic, good morning.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, good morning, Dave.
Well, no doubt Theresa May will want to learn more about this threat that Iran is posing in the region. Moving around ballistic missiles by sea is one of the points. Perhaps there are more details she can glean from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today.
There will be a difference of opinion, however, about Iran. Of course, the United States pulling out of the joint nuclear deal with Iran a year ago today. The Iranians now saying that they're going to stockpile more enriched uranium, they're going to stockpile more heavy water.
What does that mean? That means they have a shorter pathway to making a nuclear bomb, which is what the deal was all about in the first place.
The trouble between Sec. Pompeo and Theresa May over this will be that the European Union and Germany, France, and Britain that all signed to this agreement with the United States, believe the agreement, JCPOA, is still the right way forward.
And just this last weekend they wrote a letter to the United States noting their concern about the United States refusing waivers for some countries to buy oil from Iran. Iran is trying to exploit that difference at the moment.
But it could be a double-edged sword for them because the European Union ultimately may have to follow the United States and put sanctions on Iran if it does abrogate the deal. Of course, they say they're not.
Of course, this will be part of the conversation here today -- Dave.
BRIGGS: Yes, it should be an interesting day. Ten forty-two on a rainy day in London. Nic Roberson, thank you.
ROMANS: All right.
Uncertainty on Wall Street where it's also raining. Stocks held their ground Monday amid President Trump's trade threats. But investors freaked out Tuesday when his top trade negotiators confirmed he's not bluffing. He wants to raise tariffs and China reneged on earlier progress.
The Dow fell about 473 points. That makes it the worst one-day drop since January third. The S&P 500 closed down 1.6 percent and the Nasdaq fell two percent. That essentially erases three weeks of gains. Much of the rally in stocks this year assumed a trade deal is coming. The Dow up 11 percent, 15 percent for the S&P 500, 20 percent for the Nasdaq. But this trade uncertainty is starting to chip away at those gains.
China's top trade negotiator arrives in D.C. for shortened talks tomorrow. Talks were supposed to start today but they were delayed after U.S. trade officials confirmed President Trump is serious about raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, all the way up to 25 percent on Friday.
Now, if the two sides can't work out a deal, economic growth could take a hit. Consulting firm, The Trade Partnership, estimates the entire cost of Trump's tariffs -- his 25 percent tariff and the existing taxes on high-tech imports from China -- that could cost 934,000 jobs and raise expenses for the average family of four by $767 a year.
Now, remember, China does not pay for tariffs. No matter what the president says, there's not a bill going to the Chinese government that goes into the U.S. Treasury. Those bills come from customs to the port to the American companies that are importing those goods. Business owners and trade groups say these new tariffs are coming to your shopping cart.
BRIGGS: It would be hard to quantify but they did study washing machines, which raised $86.00 to $92.00 --
ROMANS: Right.
BRIGGS: -- per unit last year as a result of tariffs --
ROMANS: The cost for consumers, right.
BRIGGS: -- for every one.
[05:45:00] Ahead, a Michigan mom skipped her own graduation to attend her son's, but she had the surprise of a lifetime waiting.
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BRIGGS: In just a few hours the world gets its first look at the royal baby.
Max Foster live from Windsor where the anticipation is building and Max out there on a rainy day with bated breath. Good morning, my friend.
MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What better weather could this baby have as an introduction to the U.K.? This is typical for this weather. It's gray, it's drizzly, it's wet, it's cold.
And on that basis we can also assume that this photo call will happen inside. It will happen, as you say, around midday U.K. time and we'll get the pictures shortly after that. Everyone wondering about names, of course. Alexander is what people are betting on -- also, the name Spencer -- and that's the question -- I'm sure one of the first questions that the parents will be asked at the photo call. So if they decide on a name we should find out as well.
[05:50:01] We'll also hear from the Duchess. We haven't seen or heard from her since she's had her baby, of course, and she -- I think she's likely to speak to the cameras.
And, of course, then, everyone will be pouring over the images of the new baby -- taking after mother, taking after father, perhaps. Lots of people always looking to see whether or not they can see Diana in babies, as well, when they're born into the royal family as well. It's inevitable -- all that speculation.
BRIGGS: We eagerly await word. Max Foster, thank you, sir.
ROMANS: All right, to business now.
Google is taking a page from Apple's book, announcing a cheaper version of its pixel smartphone. The new 5.6-inch Pixel 3a will cost $400. That's half the price of the original.
Google also adding new carrier options. Until now, the phones had only been available on Verizon. Now, the Pixel 3a will be available on T-Mobile and Sprint. It's part of a larger effort to enter more global markets and appeal to new customers.
We'll be right back.
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[05:55:31] BRIGGS: Four fifty-five in Houston, Texas where epic amounts of rain fell Tuesday. Drivers braved the flooded streets in Houston after 14 inches of rain fell. The Houston Fire Department says it received at least 250 calls for high-water rescues.
Fort Bend County issued a disaster declaration for flash flooding, with the threat of a nearby river spilling over its banks.
ROMANS: Hundreds of students in three counties were left stranded. They're being housed overnight since school districts weren't able to get buses to them.
Severe storms have pounded the Southern Plains since Monday. Now more than 60 million people are at risk of severe storms today from Texas to the Great Lakes. Tornadoes also a possible threat.
BRIGGS: Fair warning now. If you don't like snakes or ever plan on ringing a doorbell ever again, you might want to look away -- or at least do this.
Oh, God. A doorbell camera captures the moment a snake attacked a man in Lawton, Oklahoma. That man, Jerel Haywood, was visiting a friend in Lawton Sunday. The snake was wrapped around a porch light and springs out and bites Haywood in the face. He is OK.
I will never do that (ph).
What "Star Wars" fatigue?
ROMANS: Way away.
BRIGGS: Disney is going all in on the venerable film franchise.
Disney announcing three new "Star Wars" films beginning in 2022. Two more will follow in December '24 and December 2026. It's not known if they represent a new trilogy or will be spinoffs of the original Skywalker saga.
ROMANS: I'm all in, I'm all in.
All right, a welcomed example of social media's power for good. A mom in Michigan was looking forward to celebrating her graduation from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.
Now, she decided to forgo her own graduation so she could attend her son's graduation from Central Michigan University, which was the same day, but Sharonda Wilson's school and her sons had a different idea.
Sharonda posted her predicament on Facebook. Among those who saw it, a student who works in the president's office at Central Michigan. The president contacted his counterpart at Ferris State and both agreed to surprise Sharonda by allowing her to graduate with her son at Central Michigan on Saturday.
She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration. Her son, his degree in musical theater.
BRIGGS: That is terrific.
All right, here's a surprise. There's a lot of misinformation on the Internet. While you were sleeping, George Clooney offered Jimmy Kimmel this solution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: Tragically, though, the volumes of invaluable knowledge gathered over centuries are now threatened by an epidemic of dumb (bleep) idiots saying dumb (bleep).
SEN. JIM INHOFE (R-OK): You know what this is? It's a snowball, so it's very, very cold out.
CLOONEY: Dumb (bleep) is highly contagious, infecting the minds of even the most stable geniuses.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you have a windmill anywhere near your house and they say the noise causes cancer. You tell me that one, OK?
CLOONEY: Just $20.00 will convince one (bleep) idiot that climate change is real. Fifty will teach five brainless dumb (bleep) to vaccinate their kids. And, $200 will teach ten (bleep) knuckle- draggers that dinosaurs existed but not at the same time as people.
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BRIGGS: Now, that's a PSA, huh?
ROMANS: Oh, George Clooney's a national treasure. We love you, George.
BRIGGS: He is, indeed. That we can all agree.
ROMANS: Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans. Have a great rest of your day.
BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. Here's "NEW DAY."
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight students shot by two of their fellow students on campus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone said, "I have a gun. Get down on the ground." I started crying because I was so scared.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My daughter called me and she said, "Mommy, there's gunshots at the school." You never think that this would be the reality.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every year that we looked at, he lost money. His businesses were doing horribly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are voters going to look at tax returns that are decades old? I doubt it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trump built this mythology about who he was. This sort of explodes that myth.
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ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Wednesday, May eighth, 6:00 here in New York.
And new details emerging over just the last few hours from Colorado where just miles from Columbine, which seared school shootings into our consciousness, a student is dead this morning and at least eight others injured.
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