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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

8 Killed in Shootings at 3 Atlanta Spas, Suspect in Custody; Concern COVID Could Spread at St. Pat's Day Celebrations; Biden Tells Migrants "Don't Come" to U.S. Amid Border Surge; Secretary of State Targets China While Visiting South Korea. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired March 17, 2021 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:00:27]

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking developments out of Atlanta: At least eight people killed at three massage parlors. What links the victims and what we know about the suspect?

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: Bars and restaurants prepare to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with COVID restrictions, but the CDC says the best way to stay safe is to stay home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH R. BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can say quite clearly don't come over. Don't leave your town or city or community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: President Biden's direct message to migrants hoping to come to the U.S. amid the growing crisis of children at the border.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world, we have reports this morning from Seoul, the Pentagon, Capitol Hill and Rome.

This is EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

JARRETT: And I'm Laura Jarrett. It's Wednesday, March 17th, it's 5:00 a.m. in New York.

And we start this morning with the big breaking news. A suspect is in custody after eight people were killed in shootings at three massage parlors in the Atlanta area. Now, authorities have not offered a motive yet, but at least six of the victims were Asian, according to "The Atlanta Journal Constitution", raising fears that this was a hate crime, as this comes against the backdrop increase in violence against Asian-Americans nationwide. In about the span of an hour, eight people were killed at those three Atlanta area spas spread across three miles. The attacks took place in quick secession. The FBI is assisting authorities in Atlanta and Cherokee County.

Here's a spokesperson for the Cherokee County Sheriff's office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY BAKER, CHEROKEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: It's pretty unusual. As I mentioned earlier, in 2020, we had one homicide in Cherokee county, we have had at least three today. So it's pretty shocking for not only our responding deputies and public safety but also for the community here and we take this serious.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The suspect was arrested 150 miles away after a dramatic car chase according to police. Police believe a 21-year-old a likely responsible for the three attacks. The Cherokee County sheriff's office identified him as Robert Aaron Long. NYPD counterterrorism bureau deploying assets to Asian communities in New York now in light of those shootings in Atlanta. A lot of information still coming in. We will bring you the latest developments as we get them.

All right. St. Patrick's Day giving health officials some extra cause for concern about the pandemic this morning. Disease experts warn the spread of dangerous variants and a rush to reopen may just end up prolonging the cycle of infections and restrictions. New cases in pockets across the U.S. up in 14 states week to week.

The CDC is urging people avoid big St. Patrick's Day crowds, stay home. The mayor of Savannah, Georgia, says his city is allowing reasonable celebration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR VAN R. JOHNSON, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Savannah is wide open, we've been wide open, and the way we stay wide open is to require the use of masks. This is what allows us as opposed to many other cities across the country, to remain viable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: After weeks of declining deaths and hospitalizations and rising vaccinations, some cities are moving to reopen now, but here is the problem, the U.K. variant is spreading and two peer reviewed studies have linked it to an increased risk of death, not just it being more contagious but more death.

And, overnight, the CDC officially designated two COVID strains first detected in California as variants of concern. Meantime, efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy among some conservatives gaining new voices.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD PETTY, NASCAR DRIVER: It not only helps me, it helps my family around me and all the people I associate with. So you're not only helping yourself, you're helping your neighbors also. You know, I might have been a little bit hesitant to begin with, but after looking at all the statistics, I don't see anything after you take the shot, everybody seems to get along with it pretty good.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: NASCAR legend Richard Petty lending his voice to a vaccination campaign. A lot of NASCAR fans are right leaning men and that is a demographic that has been extra hesitant. Much of that hesitancy stirred up by President Trump who took his vaccine in secret but finally, you know, last night on Fox, he did publicly advocate for vaccination.

ROMANS: Although he did say this is a country for freedoms.

All right. Now to immigration, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas set to face lawmakers today as the Biden administration faces a crisis of migrant children at the U.S./Mexico border. He says Customs and Border Protection is on pace to encounter more individuals on the border than in the last 20 years.

[05:05:04]

President Biden now under pressure from all sides had this message for would be migrants coming to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: First of all, the idea that Joe Biden said come because I heard the other day that they're coming because they know I'm a nice guy and I won't --

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS ANCHOR: They're saying this.

BIDEN: Yeah. Well, here's the deal, they're not.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you have to say quite clearly, don't come?

BIDEN: Yes. I can say quite clearly don't come and what we are in the process of getting set up, don't leave your town or city or community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Our reporters and producers have talked to so many of these people crossing the border and some have been on the road for at least four months. CNN has learned new details about conditions for thousands of children crossing the border alone, they are alternating schedules to make space for each other in confined facilities. Some children haven't seen sunlight in days, others are taking turns showering, often going days without a shower.

Bunk beds have been brought into one of these processing facilities to help accommodate this influx of children. One agent said some are three bunks high and some are sleeping on beverages, plastic cots and mats on floor.

JARRETT: Well, the House is set to vote on two immigration bills this week, including one that will create a path to citizenship for those known as the Dreamers, people brought to this country as children.

Let's bring in our congressional reporter Daniella Diaz live on Capitol Hill this morning. Daniella, good morning.

This is the Democrats taking their first step in tackling immigration reform but this isn't the broader immigration bill that we heard the president talk about, it seems the Democrats are really taking more of a piecemeal approach.

What are you learning?

DANIELLA DIAZ, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: That's exactly right, Laura. The House is going to take up two separate immigration bills this week, the first bill would allow Dreamers to be able to apply for citizenship and the second would allow a reform of the agricultural worker program. But these are two bills that have been passed through the House before, they're passing this again, it's expected to pass in the House this week, because Democrats now have the majority in the House and the Senate.

But when it passes the House we don't know what the fate of these bills are going to be because Biden's priority was to pass a comprehensive immigration reform in this Congress, but that's not something that a lot of senators want, especially Senate Republicans. And Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin threw cold water on that, thinking he doesn't believe there is enough support in the Senate to be able to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Republicans have been hitting Biden a lot on this influx of migrants that you talked about happening on the border right now, there is an influx of migrants crossing the U.S./Mexico border as well as unaccompanied minors crossing the border and it's becoming a huge issue for this administration. Republicans are sitting him on this as well as want to see more stringent border security provisions in any legislation that crosses through the Senate and they want to see more restrictions for asylum seekers.

This is becoming a huge issue and that's dividing the Senate, even dividing some Democrats who do not know where they stand on whether they think that this could pass, including Dick Durbin. We will have to wait and see how this plays out after these bills pass the House.

JARRETT: People talk a lot about border security, but it's important to note here the vast majority of people are still being turned away, especially if they come in at places that are not official points of entry. The people who are coming in are children without their parents.

Daniella, thank you so much for your reporting as usual.

ROMANS: All right. Happening right now, the secretaries of state and defense in South Korea this morning. Antony Blinken already hitting hard at China. We have a live report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:12:58] ROMANS: All right. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are in South Korea this morning for the next leg of their first overseas trip. Blinken directly criticizing China for its aggressive actions abroad.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is live in Seoul for us.

What did he say, Paula?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christine, these are pretty strong words from the secretary of state saying that China cannot act with impunity when it comes to the way that they are acting to those abroad.

Now, this was at a round table that was happening just before he got to Seoul when he was still in Japan, saying that China was acting repressively at home, aggressively abroad, mentioning the South China Sea, mentioning Taiwan, also disputed islands saying that Beijing is raising tensions not diminishing them.

So this is an interesting time to be talking about this, clearly the fact that this very first trip for both of these VIPs is to northeast Asia will not be lost on China and straight after Secretary Blinken leaves Seoul, he will be heading to Alaska where he will meet with his Chinese counterpart. He will also be joined by national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his counterpart.

And it will be really the first high-level meeting that the Biden administration has had with Beijing officials. So there will be a lot to look out for there. We've heard that it will be talking about security issues, but clearly, what we're hearing from a senior administration official is that there will be a unified message from these officials. Yes, they see China as a competitor, they will try and push back against the aggressions that they believe Beijing has been carrying out recently, but it will be a unified message and also open to be able to work with China on areas where it's possible.

Bear in mind, we are in northeast Asia, the U.S. does need China's help if it wants to deal well with North Korea.

ROMANS: You know, Paula, unfortunately, a news event happening all the way over here in Atlanta, Georgia, in the Atlanta area, getting attention, international attention overnight.

[05:15:01]

Six people of Asian dissent were killed in a shooting rampage in Atlanta, at least four of them Korean.

Any reaction so far?

HANCOCKS: That's right, yes, this is certainly playing extremely high, people are concerned about the level of tension when it comes to Asian-Americans.

Now, we heard from the ministry of foreign affairs, at least four are ethnic Koreans. There is a sizable Korean population within Atlanta itself. It wouldn't surprise me if within the next 20 minutes or so when we see Secretary Blinken going to the foreign ministry to meet with the foreign minister he is likely to be asked about this. We haven't had a comment at this point, but clearly people here in South Korea are following this extremely closely.

ROMANS: Of course, of course. And, again, we're still getting new information, so waiting to see all the details. There is a suspect in custody.

Paula Hancocks for us. Thank you so much for that.

Laura?

JARRETT: All right. President Biden making his first stop on the "Help is Here Tour", highlighting the benefits of his American rescue package. He visited a flooring company in Pennsylvania, one of the several swing states on this publicity tour.

His goal here is twofold, to claim credit for the huge and mostly popular relief package and convince Americans, there is more that government can do to make their lives better.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: (INAUDIBLE) a tax cut to help retired workers, we are in a situation to expand the paycheck -- Paycheck Protection Program for the folks who were initially shut down, but you really made it work and I think you should be aware more help is on the way for real. Is there anything else we can be doing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JARRETT: Many aspects of the bill are temporary for now but the president wants to make some of them permanent like the expanded child tax credit which can help lift families out of poverty.

ROMANS: President Biden Tuesday touting the ways his rescue plan will help small businesses but millions risk missing out. The Paycheck Protection Program ends in two weeks but more than $110 billion remains untouched. Lawmakers are rushing to extend the deadline.

So, why does so much money remain? Well, special application windows blocked bigger business from applying. Translation, this last round was meant for small business only, but mainly new fraud protections and rules are keeping thousands of applications in limbo.

Last month, the Biden administration tweaked the rules to help the hardest hit businesses like sole proprietors and the self-employed. But the change left lenders scrambling and businesses started their applications over. And time here is critical, any loan not approved by March 31st will not be funded. That's why small business advocates want an extension through May.

That PPP is a vital lifeline for small businesses ravaged by the pandemic, a third of all small businesses in the U.S. have closed since January 2020. What you see there on your screen is remarkable. A third of small businesses have closed.

And we know, Laura, when we look at jobs data, there are millions of people, 14 million people or so who say that they are not going to work because their business is either closed or there are no hours for them. So it just shows you how deep that problem is.

JARRETT: It's just staggering, a third.

All right. Still ahead, the most comprehensive look yet at foreign interference in the 2020 election. Who was involved and who was not may surprise you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:22:54]

JARRETT: Welcome back.

The Biden administration is set to announce sanctions to punish interference in the 2020 U.S. elections. They are expected to target several countries including Russia, China and Iran. At least two of those nations are implicated in a newly declassified intelligence report, the most extensive assessment yet of foreign threats to the 2020 elections.

Now, there is no indication any foreign actor tried to change actual votes but the officials say the influence and disinformation campaign was extensive.

CNN's Alex Marquardt reports now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Laura and Christine.

This is the most comprehensive report we've seen about the 2020 election from the U.S. intelligence community, and it details the extent of Russia's major influence campaign that it used to dry to hurt Joe Biden's campaign and help Donald Trump's. The report goes farther than what we've heard before from the intelligence community, clearly stating that people close to then President Trump and the administration were being targeted by Russian intelligence at the behest of Vladimir Putin.

Now, that's the main goal of all of these influence operations, to divide Americans, to pit us against one another but Russia went farther according to this report saying that a key element of Moscow's strategy this election cycle was its use of proxies linked to Russian intelligence to push influence narratives, including misleading or unsubstantiated allegations against President Biden. To U.S. media organizations, U.S. officials and prominent U.S. individuals, including some close to former President Trump and his administration.

Now, they don't name the people close to Trump, but they do name Andrii Derkach. It's a familiar name to many. He's Ukrainian lawmaker who was in contact with Rudy Giuliani, the then president's personal lawyer. And Vladimir Putin according to this report had purview over the activities of Andrii Derkach.

Now, the report goes on to talk about Iran's multi-pronged covert influence campaign to hurt Trump and sow division among American voters. Probably approved they say by Iran's supreme leader.

Very interestingly, China who Trump and his allies had said were working to get Biden elected didn't deploy any influence efforts this report says. China didn't feel that it was worth the risk to the relationship to get caught meddling in the 2020 election -- Christine, Laura.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[05:25:11]

ROMANS: All right. Alex Marquardt, thank you so much for that.

All right. New details on our breaking story this morning out of Atlanta, a shooting that killed eight people at three massage parlors. We're learning more about the victims and the suspect in custody next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

JARRETT: Good morning, everyone. This is EARLY START. I'm Laura Jarrett.

ROMANS: And I'm Christine Romans. It is St. Patrick's Day. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody.

It's 30 minutes past the hour on this Wednesday morning.

We have big breaking news from overnight. Police now have a suspect in custody after eight people.