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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Biden In Los Angeles Hosting Latin American Leaders; Man Charged With Attempting To Murder Justice Kavanaugh; More Than 25 Million Americans Facing Deadly Heat Wave This Weekend. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 09, 2022 - 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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LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR: And an armed man arrested near the home of a Supreme Court justice now charged with attempted murder. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JARRETT: President Biden is in Los Angeles this morning playing host to nearly two dozen leaders from Latin America. He's hoping to introduce new economic and migration strategies for the region. But several leaders are boycotting the Summit of the Americas, including the president of Mexico. This, while an estimated 5,000 migrants in a caravan head toward the U.S. border from Mexico.

[05:35:04]

Let's go live to Los Angeles and bring in CNN's Priscilla Alvarez. Priscilla, good morning. How much of an impact will Mexico's snub have on this summit? Mexico obviously a key player here.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: That's right, Laura. And the summit is really getting underway in earnest now with the arrival of President Joe Biden yesterday and it's already been off to a rocky start for the reasons you mentioned. Key leaders in the region, including Mexico's President Lopez Obrador, have decided to skip the summit because they say the United States should have invited all countries in the hemisphere to the summit.

Now, it has also already come up during ministerial meetings. I spoke to the foreign minister of Honduras yesterday and he told me that during a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken he did reassert Honduras' position that all countries should have been invited, and his president has also decided to skip the summit. Mexico's foreign minister has also raised this -- or raised this during this meeting.

Now, ministers did reach an agreement or a consensus over the initiatives the administration is rolling out and that is something that officials have maintained throughout this entire 'who's coming and who isn't' saga, and saying that they plan to roll out initiatives and with the delegations of those countries here they can get that consensus. Now, we heard from President Joe Biden yesterday in his inaugural remarks where he said -- and he put a focus on renewed democracy in the region. And those initiatives that they plan to roll out over the course of the next few days in trying to bolster economies and try to stem the flow of migration to the U.S.-Mexico border -- Laura.

JARRETT: All right, Priscilla. Thank you for your reporting -- appreciate it.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's bring in CNN political analyst and managing editor at Axios, Margaret Talev. Good morning. Nice to see you, Margaret.

MARGARET TALEV, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, MANAGING EDITOR, AXIOS (via Webex by Cisco): Good morning, Christine.

ROMANS: Margaret, this summit not going the way the White House had hoped it would.

TALEV: No, it's certainly not. Joe Biden had hoped to use this as a reset from the Trump years to make the U.S. a key leader in the western hemisphere again. And one of the real challenges is that these countries want money and assistance for infrastructure and Joe Biden can't get money or infrastructure passed in the United States. He's going to have a lot of trouble giving them the sort of assistance that they are really wanting and demanding at this time.

And the chief U.S. political problem from the region right ahead of the midterms is immigration and that is not what these countries want to spend all their time talking about. So there's a real dissidence in terms of interest.

And the U.S. is trying to do things like food security. These countries are saying look, we need help in China's offering (PH) in the U.S. isn't, and they want trade deals that the U.S. isn't prepared to bring to the table.

So there's a lot of discussion about whether the summit should just have been postponed, but it wasn't. It's happening now and it's something that Biden has to navigate while he's dealing with the gun issue and, of course, the start of the January 6 hearings this week.

JARRETT: So, Margaret, as the president is out on the West Coast, he was on "JIMMY KIMMEL" last night.

And he's also facing polls that look like this. Look at this. New CNN ratings showing -- an approval rating showing he's at just 39%. Now, you've noted that's a number that's similar to where former President Trump was in 2018 when the GOP suffered pretty bad losses during the midterms.

And I wonder -- you know, the president's message hasn't really changed. Even on "JIMMY KIMMEL" he's trying to talk about so-called kitchen table issues. But are we likely to see him trying to engage the American people differently over the next few months? TALEV: Well, as long as gun safety remains an issue that's unresolved in terms of congressional action, I think yes. And I think also in terms of abortion rights, yes.

The challenge for President Biden is that it may not matter. Like, his numbers are around where Trump's were. They're actually even a hair bit lower right now.

And what you've seen historically is that -- and this was certainly true for Trump and this was true for past presidents -- those numbers, by the time May or June rolls around, don't tend to change that much between the late spring-early summer and the actual midterms themselves. If those patterns hold, Biden's got a real problem nudging those numbers up no matter what he's talking about.

And I think the reason you're seeing so many Republicans now say maybe they should take some action on guns is because they want to get back to talking about inflation --

ROMANS: Yes.

TALEV: -- and (INAUDIBLE).

ROMANS: Tonight, the first public hearing of the January 6 Committee obviously the main event. What do we need to see from this to break through?

TALEV: It's a -- it's a huge challenge for members from both parties who sit on that committee. And there are two challenges. One is that we have now been immersed in January 6 since January 6, 2021.

[05:40:03]

But the other is that a huge swath of viewers in this country who are the ones who many of the members of this committee want to really be messaging to are not actually going to be watching these hearings live. Fox has said it's not going to carry all the hearings in their entirety on prime time.

But the other is just can the compilation of this information told in a new way get people to think about this in a -- in a different way? It's a hugely polarized issue and many Republicans -- they don't -- they still believe that Biden wasn't the legitimate winner despite all of the evidence -- all of the evidence that he was. And many other Republicans saying they just don't want to talk about it anymore.

Independents are split over this issue -- over the commission, over whether these hearings should be happening. And Democrats already have the Democrats and the two Republicans who are trying to change hearts and minds.

Also -- like, it's a real challenge for them. Many of the members of this committee feel that this is really important work that Americans need to know. There needs to be an accounting of what happening, including the former president's role. But whether that is going to move how Americans think about this and

certainly what the political implications are going to be for both parties in terms of these hearings, that's a completely separate question.

In any case, the commission goes ahead tonight. They are presenting information, including audio or video that's never been heard before.

And they plan to make a very systematic case not just about what happened but about the former president -- former President Trump's role. Everything from the ripple effect that his messaging had on some of the extremist groups, as our colleague Jonathan Swan at Axios is reporting today, to what the family of the former president and officials around him in the Republican Party and at the White House said to him and said after the attacks.

JARRETT: Yes. It will be interesting to see if they can not only make that connection and prove it up, but also to make the connection that the big lie is not over. It is an ongoing threat and that it continues on as a threat to the current midterms.

ROMANS: Well, and that there are -- there are people who are running for office who --

JARRETT: On it, yes.

ROMANS: -- who are -- who are -- actually, this is what they're running --

JARRETT: Yes.

ROMANS: -- on.

JARRETT: Yes.

ROMANS: So the big lie is not dead. It is actually still quite alive --

JARRETT: Yes.

ROMANS: -- in the -- in the public sphere.

All right. Margaret Talev, thank you so much. Nice to see you.

TALEV: Thank you.

JARRETT: Thanks, Margaret.

All right, some good news for parents this morning. The White House just released its plan for rolling out COVID-19 vaccinations for kids under five. The FDA's vaccine advisers are set to meet next week to discuss greenlighting both Moderna and Pfizer shots. Then the CDC will take the reins and make a final recommendation on those vaccines.

The Biden administration says it's coordinating with state and local governments, pharmacies, and healthcare providers for the shots to start as early as the week of June 20 and ramp up over time.

I have my calendar marked.

ROMANS: I know. This is you. This is your demographic.

JARRETT: Yes, exactly.

All right, now to this scary situation. An armed man arrested near the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He's been charged with attempted murder. The suspect, 26-year-old Nicholas Roske, called 911 on himself saying that the traveled from California to kill the justice and that he had a gun.

Federal agents, seen here, raided his family's home in Simi Valley, California, busting down the door after obtaining a search warrant.

Once in custody, authorities found a pistol, extra ammunition, a knife, pepper spray, zip ties -- the list goes on.

According to court records, he was upset about the leaked draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion, as well as an upcoming gun case that the high court has, and the Uvalde school shooting.

Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the threat on a justice's life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERRICK GARLAND, ATTORNEY GENERAL: This kind of behavior is obviously -- is behavior that we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices, of course, strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Exactly what DHS has been warning about, right --

JARRETT: Yes. Whitney Wild has been doing terrific reporting on it. They are bracing for what happens --

ROMANS: Right.

JARRETT: -- in June when the Supreme Court releases that opinion. And it is exactly this concern.

ROMANS: All right, a recount in. Pennsylvania's Senate GOP primary confirming that celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz defeated hedge fund manager David McCormick by 951 votes -- 951. A reminder that every vote really matters, folks. McCormick already conceded the race last week.

Oz, who was endorsed by former President Trump, will square off with Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in one of the most closely watched Senate races of this year's midterm elections.

All right. Ahead on EARLY START, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- the plans to close the racial gap in homeownership.

JARRETT: And an NFL coach now backtracking on a comparison between the Capitol riot and protests for racial justice. We'll tell you what happened there.

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ROMANS: All right, let's get a check on CNN Business this Thursday morning.

Looking at markets all around the world, Asia is closed for its Thursday session, and mixed. London has opened slightly lower.

And on Wall Street, stock index futures are popping a little bit after yesterday, which was a down day for stocks. The Dow fell 269 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq slipped 0.7 of a percent. You know, big tech having its worst run in a decade. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, down about 13% now for the year.

Investors are scouring every piece of e-com news for signs whether the Fed's higher interest rates are working to cool down inflation. Here's what they had yesterday. U.S. mortgage applications fell to the lowest level in 22 years last week, indicating maybe a pullback in that white-hot housing market.

[05:50:02]

Soaring oil prices mean Exxon's stock is back from the dead. Exxon Mobil shares rose above $100 on Tuesday for the first time since 2014. That's up 70% just this year.

For years, fears about the climate crisis and the fact Exxon had loads of debt kept investors away. The oil giant was kicked out of the Dow 30 in 2020.

But global oil prices, as everyone knows, are rising sharply as demand outpaces supply. It's bad news for gas prices, bad news for consumers, but that's good news for oil companies and their investors.

I wanted to show you this, an index of oil stocks up more than 65% this year compared to the broad S&P 500, which is likely what you have in your 401(k), down more than 13%.

Mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae taking action to make it easier to buy a home and close the racial homeownership gap. Get this -- 72% of white Americans are homeowners. Only 42% of Black Americans own a home.

The changes include down payment assistance, lower mortgage insurance premiums, and a credit reporting system that factors in rent payment history, along with a plan to introduce technology that will improve access to credit and make home appraisals more equitable. We'll see if it works.

All right, the Boston Celtics back in front in the NBA Finals. The Bleacher Report is next.

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[05:56:05]

JARRETT: An NFL coach is now apologizing for comparing the violent insurrection at the Capitol to the protests for racial justice.

Coy Wire has more in this morning's Bleacher Report. Coy, what's happening here?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Laura.

Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders and also spent 12 years as a head coach in the league -- he was asked yesterday if he'd be willing to further discuss one of his recent tweets with his players. It said, "Would love to understand the whole story about why the summer of riots, looting, burning, and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this?"

"This" was referring to the January attacks, Laura, on the Capitol.

Here was Del Rio's response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK DEL RIO, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: People's livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down, no problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol -- nothing burned down -- and we're not going to talk about -- we're going to make that a major deal. I just think it's kind of two standards.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: Later, Del Rio attempted to clarify, tweeting, "Referencing that situation as a dust-up was irresponsible and negligent and I am sorry. I stand by my comments condemning violence in communities across the country. I say that while also expressing my support as an American citizen for peaceful protest in our country."

All right, to NBA Finals now. Beantown crowd getting loud for the Celtics' first home game of their final series with the Warriors.

The Celtics running up an 18-point lead at one point in game three, fueled by a franchise record-tying Finals first quarter by Jaylen Brown, scoring 17 of his 27. Golden State jabbing back in the third though, taking the lead.

Steph Curry dropping a game-high 31. A scary moment for Curry in the fourth, though. Rolled up, scrambling for a loose ball, in pain but did continue to play, saying afterwards he should be good to go for the next game.

Boston's trio of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart combined for 77 points. It's a 116-100 win. Boston now two wins away from their 18th title in franchise history. They haven't lost back-to-back games this postseason. Game four tomorrow back in Boston.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYSON TATUM, BOSTON CELTICS FORWARD: Just being focused and locked in and everybody competing and being on the same page. We're going to need that, obviously, to get the job done.

MARCUS SMART, BOSTON CELTICS GUARD: We just want to come out and -- you know, we want to come out here and play. The last thing when we left that court -- we didn't want to say well, we weren't physical enough, and it worked out for us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: I've got to get me some of those shades.

And the controversial new Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour making its debut this morning. Phil Mickelson, one of seven Major champions, headlining this 48-player field outside of London. Multiple reports have two more former Major winners, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, joining the league in the coming weeks. The PGA Tour has threatened to punish any player who plays in the LIV series.

Laura, this is certainly changing the PGA Tour as we know it.

JARRETT: Yes. All right, Coy. Thank you -- appreciate it.

WIRE: You got it.

JARRETT: More than 30 million Americans are currently bracing for a dangerous and deadly heat wave targeting the southwest this weekend. The region is expected to see more than 80 daily record-breaking high temperatures, including in Death Valley, California, one of the hottest places on earth.

CNN's Derek Van Dam joins me now. Derek, what kind of temperatures are we talking about here?

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Laura. These are the types of temperatures that can take your parked car in the sunshine and turn it into a literal furnace in 30 minutes. And in 60 minutes, it can turn into a figurative oven.

This is hot weather, it is dangerous, and you need to take this seriously. We're talking about triple-digit heat Las Vegas to Phoenix. And that spreads eastward towards Texas through the course of the weekend, all underneath this heat dome that is not only going to allow for those record-breaking temperatures during the day but keep our temperatures well above average overnight as we sleep, not giving time for our bodies to recuperate from the excessive heat that will be ongoing across this area.

Check out these temperatures. San Antonio to Dallas, to Oklahoma City, El Paso, Albuquerque, we're talking triple-digits and it's going to last right through the better part of the weekend -- Laura.

JARRETT: That is wild. All right, Derek. Thank you -- appreciate it.

Thanks so much for joining us today. I'm Laura Jarrett. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

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