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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Governor Kidnap Plot; When did the President Last Test Negative?; Hurricane Delta Aiming for Landfall on Louisiana Coast Tonight; Nobel Peace Prize Goes to U.N. World Food Programme; NFL Reschedules More Games After COVID Outbreaks. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired October 09, 2020 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:18]
LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: New information this morning on what motivated the men accused of plotting to kidnap the Democratic governor of Michigan.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump pushing to go get back on the campaign trail, even as he refuses to say when he last tested negative for coronavirus.
Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
JARRETT: I'm Laura Jarrett. It's Friday, October 9th, 25 days to election day.
We start with new developments in what federal authorities say was a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Thirteen people now under arrest. Six charged federally with conspiracy to kidnap, and seven others associated with an extremist group facing state firearm and terror charges.
Overnight, law enforcement sources telling CNN authorities believe several of the suspects with supporters of the anti-government Boogaloo Movement. Authorities alleged the plot was motivated by the belief that Whitmer was a tyrant because of the restrictions she imposed to control on the coronavirus pandemic.
We get more now from crime and justice correspondent, Shimon Prokupecz.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D), MICHIGAN: I never could have imagined anything like this.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A plot to kidnap the governor, foiled by the FBI. The FBI charging six men into the conspiracy.
ANDREW BIRGE, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN: The FBI began the investigation earlier this year after becoming aware that through social media that a group of individuals was discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law enforcement components.
PROKUPECZ: A month's long investigation alleges the men met on June 6th with several others and discussed taking a sitting governor before one of the men, Adam Fox, reached out to a Michigan-based anti- government group. The complaint says on June 14th, a confidential informant recorded a conversation between Fox and the group saying he needed 200 men to storm the capitol building before the November 2020 presidential election.
Officials say Fox and others met again on June 20th to discuss plans for assaulting the state capitol, planning for firearms and tactical training in July.
In August, a group allegedly shifted their plan to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home.
BIRGE: Members of this conspiracy on two occasions conducted coordinated surveillance on the governor's vacation home.
PROKUPECZ: The group allegedly used cold language and encrypted messages to communicate and according to the complaint successfully detonated an improvised explosive device in October while Fox confirmed he purchased a Taser to use in the kidnapping.
Officials say the group planned to meet again on October 7th.
BIRGE: The FBI and state police executed arrests of several of the conspirators when they were meeting on the east side of the state to pool funds for explosives and exchange tactical gear.
PROKUPECZ: Several others linked to an extremist group were charged separately for planning to storm the state building, taking hostages, including Whitmer and planning to instigate civil war.
JOSEPH GASPER, MICHIGAN STATE POLICE COL.: All of us in Michigan can disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never ever amount to violence.
PROKUPECZ (on camera): And the FBI director recently warned members of Congress that one of the biggest threats this country faces are from domestic extremist groups, saying that this is something that they are very concerned about.
Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Shimon, thank you so much for that.
Governor Whitmer is specifically laying some blame for the plot to kidnap her on President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) WHITMER: Just last week, the president of the United States stood before the American people and refused to condemn white supremacists and hate groups, like these two Michigan militia groups. Stand back and stand by, he told them. Stand back and stand by.
Hate groups heard the president's words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, as a call to action. When our leaders speak, their words matter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The president and other Republicans have attacked Whitmer several times for her pandemic restrictions.
Earlier this year, the president tweeted that residents should, quote, liberate Michigan. The Trump campaign pushing back on the governor for her comments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON MILLER, SENIOR ADVISER, TRUMP 2020 CAMPAIGN: These are some pretty shameful comments from Governor Whitmer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How come?
MILLER: I mean, how we can take -- how -- because how you can go from a moment of unity to attacking President Trump. I thought was just completely ridiculous. I mean, if we want to talk about hatred, then Governor Whitmer, go look in the mirror. I mean, the fact that she wakes up every day with such hatred in her heart towards President Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[05:05:04]
ROMANS: The governor told CNN's Chris Cuomo last night what she thinks the White House is trying to do here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITMER: The only word out of the White House is the spokesperson trying to gaslight me, and I think the majority of people aren't buying it. We know that, you know, a decent person would pick up the phone and say, are you okay, and condemn terror organizations that are threatening and intimidating and plotting against fellow Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Whitmer says she has asked the White House and Republicans in her state to tone down their inflammatory rhetoric. She believes it helped spark the alleged plot.
JARRETT: President Trump's physician giving him the all the clear to return to public engagements on Saturday. His doctor says that Trump has completed his course of therapy for coronavirus. Meanwhile, there has been no information on the last time that the
president tested negative before he tested positive for the virus or even when he was last tested. Despite all of this, the president talked to Sean Hannity last night about the campaign rallies that he wants to do this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (via telephone): I think I'm going to try doing a rally on Saturday night, if we have enough time to put it together. We want to do a rally probably in Florida on Saturday night, might come back and do one in Pennsylvania the following night, and it's incredible what's going on. I feel so good.
SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Have you had a test since your diagnosis a week ago?
TRUMP: Well, what we're doing is probably the test will be tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: OK. Doing a rally tomorrow means doing a rally while potentially contagious. But just how contagious, we don't know because we have so little information on the state of the president's health, but what's clear is that he is still fighting this virus, gasping for air and clearing his throat during that same interview with Fox.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The last time I had a big problem, they oscillated my mics when I had the one debate, three debates with Hillary, and I think the first debate, they -- excuse me, on the first debate, they oscillated the mic. I wanted to vote, but I will say this, absentee is okay because absentee ballots, excuse me, absentee ballots are fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JARRETT: CNN's Kaitlan Collins has more from the White House now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Laura and Christine, we haven't seen the president on our own since Monday when he returned back to the White House. And since then, it's just been these edited videos that have been produced by the president's political aides.
But he did phone into Fox News last night where he refused to answer three pretty direct questions about when or whether or not he had last tested negative for coronavirus. That would be since that positive test and could potentially give some kind of indication of where he's at right now in his diagnosis, but the president did not answer that question and said he would be tested today. Said he didn't see a reason to test a lot, and even seemed to try to cast doubt on the idea that he was ever infected at all with coronavirus, though, of course, we know that he was.
We have spoken to his doctors about this. The president very much did have coronavirus. But this comes as the president is really trying to put his own spin on his health, by saying things like he's no longer contagious, something that his experts, the health experts have not said, since we haven't seen them in person since Monday either.
But also saying other things, he's basically ready to get back on the road on Saturday, maybe holding a rally in Florida or in Pennsylvania, you know, just about ten days after he first tested positive for coronavirus, and the president is saying he's ready to do these rallies, he's talking about getting back on the campaign trail, though of course we do not know if the president has tested negative for coronavirus, and that's something that I think most people would want to know before they felt comfortable being in the president's presence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: All right. Kaitlan, so much -- thank you so much for that.
The next presidential debate may be off the table after the president rejected a plan to go virtual. Now the Trump campaign is suggesting next week's event be delayed, while insisting the president is well enough to debate Joe Biden in person. The debate commission and the former vice president, they're not convinced.
We get more this morning from CNN's Arlette Saenz.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Laura and Christine, after president Trump objected to a virtual presidential debate, Joe Biden and his campaign moved forward making other plans, they scheduled a town hall with ABC News on October 15th, the date the second presidential debate was supposed to take place. Now, the Biden campaign is hoping the October 22nd debate will be a town hall format, instead of the planned one on one match up between the president and Joe Biden.
The Trump campaign simply wants the debates pushed back one week, with the final debate taking place on October 29th. But the Biden campaign insists the final debate should be October 22nd.
Now, one thing that the Biden wants to see in any future debate is that President Trump and his team would assure the commission that no one in their team attending that debate is infected with coronavirus something that will be watched in the coming weeks.
Now, Joe Biden traveled here to Phoenix, Arizona, with his running mate, Kamala Harris, and he was asked by reporters about President Trump calling Harris a monster. Take a listen.
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: It's despicable. It's despicable, so beneath the office of the presidency. And the American people are sick and tired of it. They know who this man is, it's got to stop.
SAENZ: Now, Biden and Harris traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, and recent polls in the state have shown Biden ahead of President Trump in Arizona as the Biden campaign is hoping to turn this traditionally red state blue in November.
Now later today, Biden is heading to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he will hit the campaign trail there, wrapping up his first Western swing as the Democratic nominee -- Laura and Christine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Arlette, thank you so much for that.
All right. Stimulus whiplash, two days ago, the president killed a stimulus deal to help struggling Americans, and now seems to have changed his mind. A source tells CNN the president now wants a large scale deal, complete reversal. But it's unclear what Trump's vision of a comprehensive deal would include and there's lots of skepticism that an agreement is even possible here.
The Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a call with the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the president is now interested in coming back to the negotiating table. Pelosi says Democrats are open to more talks but made it clear that the agreement must be comprehensive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: This is deadly serious. So let's take a serious, not a skinny, not an emaciated, but a serious, appropriate approach to crushing virus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: There are still big hurdles. One, the price of the bill Democrats have put $2.2 trillion on the table. Republicans don't want to spend that much.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: We do agree that another rescue package is needed. We have vast differences about how much we should spend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So, they both agree more stimulus is needed, checks to American families, maybe more jobless benefits, the question is will Americans, millions of them, have to wait until after the election to get it.
And, Laura, it's just been, I mean, whiplash this week, and no one really knows what's in the president's heart and mind about stimulus here. He is so against giving money to states, Democratic run states, that he has killed any kind of help for everyone else. Now, he seems to be back on the table. JARRETT: In the middle of a reelection campaign, though. Voters care
about this. Voters need the help. You would think this would be priority number one. But we will have to wait and see.
Still ahead, right now, Hurricane Delta is bearing down on some of the same Gulf coast communities that were just hit by another storm weeks ago. We have the latest on the storm's timing. We're tracking it all, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:17:16]
ROMANS: All right. Hurricane Delta growing stronger as it approaches the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Expect it to make landfall there later tonight. In essentially the same area ravaged by Hurricane Laura just six weeks ago, Delta will be the fourth named storm to hit Louisiana this season, a record for the state.
Let's get the latest on the hurricane from meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.
I know there's been an update just about 17 minutes ago. What's the National Hurricane Center saying?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Christine, they're holding a steady storm here. This is still a major hurricane, still a category 3. Winds about 12 miles per hour, shy of being a category four, and the forecast here fortunately is for a potential weakening as we go in towards landfall at around 6:00 p.m. local time.
But you'll notice, 120 miles per hour, about 200 miles or so south of Cameron, Louisiana, a very serious storm system. And, in fact, along the Continental Shelf, water temperatures a little bit cooler.
So, with that and wind sheer ahead of this, we expect this to weaken potentially to a strong category 2 on approach. But as you noted, six weeks ago to almost the exact date where we had Laura make landfall, Delta forecast to come ashore just a few miles east of Cameron, Louisiana, in an area that incredibly has power outages still from six weeks ago. So, just think about the significance of what happened here, upwards of $8 billion to $12 billion in losses across the state of Louisiana.
Hurricane warnings prompted across this region as the system approaches and model consensus is pretty good agreement here between the American and European models, as far as timing and intensity as well.
Again, best bit here is going to be a category 2. Worst case scenario, maintains intensity, and comes in as a category 3.
But, again, major hurricane, fourth named system to make landfall across the state of Louisiana, and storm surge potential up to 11 feet in an area that still has tarps on a lot of rooftops here, a lot of properties still in shambling from the previous storm that made landfall here, Laura.
ROMANS: Yeah, what a brutal hurricane season this year.
JAVAHERI: Christine, I'm sorry, yes, yes.
ROMANS: Yeah.
All right. Thanks so much, Pedram, nice to see you. Thanks.
JARRETT: We've got breaking news for you. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the United Nations World Food Programme.
Let's go right to CNN's Phil Black who's in London for us.
Phil, what more can you tell us about this win?
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Laura, in what was undoubtedly a highly significant year for the Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel committee has in a not unexpected way, picked a winner, a laureate that is I think and will be somewhat surprising, but no one can question its worthiness.
They say at this time they want to turn the world's attention to consider the millions of hungry people around the world.
And so, for that reason, they have chosen the world food program. The United Nations key vehicle for combating hunger and food insecurity in countries all around the world.
[05:20:01]
The committee said just last year alone, the Food Programme assisted some 1 million people in 88 countries dealing with food insecurity, and they have talked about food insecurity and hunger, taking a negative turn in recent years. And in this year, especially, it has teamed up with the coronavirus pandemic to increase suffering in some of the countries that are hardest hit by the virus as well.
So, in terms of its connection to peace and the end of conflict, the Nobel Committee has made the point that it is impossible to aim for zero conflict in the world without also eradicating hunger as well, Laura.
JARRETT: All right. Phil, thanks so much for bringing that breaking update. Appreciate it.
All right. Still ahead for you, a coronavirus outbreak has upended part of the NFL schedule this weekend. We've got the "Bleacher Report", next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[05:25:21]
ROMANS: All right. For the second week in a row, the Titans and the Patriots have had their games move back because of coronavirus. Carolyn Manno has this morning's "Bleacher Report".
Happy Friday morning to you. Nice to see you.
CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: You too, Christine. Thanks.
And the NFL is piecing this all together but the schedule and also the potential for physical ramifications for players is growing more complicated by the day. Things are being shuffled here. The Titans who confirmed two more cases yesterday will have their game against the Bills moved from Sunday to Tuesday.
The Titans reportedly need to have no additional positive tests in the next three days in order for that game to go ahead. If the team does, the Bills' week sixth game against the Chiefs will be moved from Thursday to later that weekend. The Patriots game against the Broncos is being moved from Sunday to Monday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
New England cancelled practices the last two days after starter Stephon Gilmore tested positive. The team did not report any new cases yesterday. The Broncos now with a short week to prepare for the following week's game against Miami.
Thursday night football in Chicago. Tom Brady and Nick Foles facing off for the first time since Super Bowl LII. Foles getting the better of Brady once again, throwing for 240 yards and this touchdown. What a catch, but penalties and poor execution plaguing Tampa.
Tom Brady's frustration visible at the end of the third quarter, but the end of the game, this was on him, bears up by one in the closing seconds. Brady's pass broken up. He puts up four fingers thinking he may have had another down but he didn't. Bears take over, run out the clock, 20-19 the final.
Not exactly a mea culpa from Tom Brady for the mental gap after the game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS QUARTERBACK: I knew we needed a chunk and I was thinking about more yardage, and you know, it was bad execution. Had a great opportunity there, so just couldn't execute when we needed to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MANNO: Meantime, three MLB teams clinching series wins yesterday. The Dodgers and Braves sweeping their way to a show down in the NLCS on Monday. It is the Brave's first championship appearance since 2001.
The Astros reaching their 4th straight ALCS by beating the A's in four games. So, Houston awaiting the winner of tonight's decisive game five between the Yankees and Rays.
Bronx Bombers getting huge home runs from Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres in a 5-1 win last night. Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow will come back to pitch on short rest in the winner take all game five, which you can watch at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on our sister network TBS.
And if you're a hoops fan as well, you'll know that the Lakers also have a chance to pick up their 17th NBA title against the Heat tonight. So, a lot to look forward to in sports.
JARRETT: A lot to forward to for sure. Have a great weekend, Carolyn. Appreciate it.
All right. Still ahead for you, Senate majority leader and loyal Trump supporter, Mitch McConnell, admits he's literally been distancing himself from the White House. You will hear from him next about why.
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