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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Pence Announces Presidential Bid; PGA Tour And LIV Golf Announce Partnership; Historic Number Of Women Re-enter The Workforce. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired June 07, 2023 - 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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[05:30:27]
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Just in to CNN, former Vice President Mike Pence's campaign just dropped a video with the announcement that he is running for president in 2024. Let's watch.
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MIKE PENCE, (R) 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My family and I have been blessed beyond measure with opportunities to serve this nation and it would be easy to stay on the sidelines, but that's not how I was raised. That's why today, before God and my family, I'm announcing I'm running for President of the United States.
We can bring this country back. We can defend our nation and secure our border. We can revive our economy and put our nation back on a path to a balanced budget, defend our liberties, and give America a new beginning for life.
President Reagan described us as a --
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ROMANS: Let's bring in CNN political analyst and Washington bureau chief for The Boston Globe, Jackie Kucinich.
So there you've heard that first sort of teaser video from Mike Pence. We knew he was going to get in. This sounds like traditional Republican politics there.
JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, THE BOSTON GLOBE (via Webex by Cisco): Yes, even with the traditional hat tip to President Reagan. And it really remains to be seen if this is what Republican voters are looking for, particularly from someone who worked directly for former President Trump. And that is going to be one of Mike Pence's most difficult things to overcome is to separate himself from the former president. He's been doing -- trying to do so for the last couple of months as we've watched him gear up for this run.
And obviously, he's not alone. There are several former Trump administration officials running. But for Mike Pence to differentiate himself I think that is going to be what we watch for as we go forward.
ROMANS: So few examples in history of a former vice president going after his former boss --
KUCINICH: Right.
ROMANS: -- so that will be interesting to watch.
And then there's this other angle -- a different temperament from Chris Christie. Listen to him. He went right at Donald Trump right away -- listen.
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CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R), 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no such thing as Trump voters. He doesn't own them. He didn't take title to them. They're not one of his buildings. They're not one of his failed casinos in New Jersey.
The reason I'm going after Trump is two-fold. One, he deserves it, and two, it's the way to win.
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ROMANS: That's a different strategy than you've seen in the rest of the field.
KUCINICH: He's trying to go -- I mean, I think Chris Christie has said this. He's trying to go through Trump, not around him. He's not tiptoeing around the fact that that's who he has to beat.
However, Chris Christie also has challenges despite the fact that he has so much name recognition. He is not very high in the polls. He didn't finish -- he bet very heavily on New Hampshire in 2016 and that did not work out for him. Whether or not he just plays spoiler to Trump he said during that town hall that he's not just there to be a political assassin. Whether he can actually appeal to GOP voters outside of the northeast -- that remains to be seen.
He's also someone who was involved in the Trump administration very early on. So again, a lot of these people are tied to the former president and whether voters are going to find that acceptable -- that is also a -- it's very early to forecast the case (PH) but that's what we do.
ROMANS: You know, Jackie, we're also expecting North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to enter this race. So once he's in, maybe today, I guess that looks like the field should be solidified.
What do the next few weeks look like for this pretty big group?
KUCINICH: I think right now that they're all trying to define themselves. They're all going to be in those early states that we're so familiar with -- Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina -- really trying to carve out their various lanes in this Republican field.
And as we've mentioned, they have a different set of challenges -- some just to be able to get voters to know who they are, and others are to define themselves in a way that they could be a challenge to the former president. While Chris Christie said there aren't Trump voters, there are voters that are very loyal to the former president and they do make up around 30 percent of the Republican base.
ROMANS: That's right.
All right, Jackie Kucinich -- and they're off, right? We're going to have a lot to talk about --
KUCINICH: (INAUDIBLE).
ROMANS: We're going to have a lot to talk about in the months ahead. Thank you, Jackie.
A quick programming note, everybody. Live from Iowa tonight, Dana Bash moderates a CNN presidential town hall with former Vice President Mike Pence. That's tonight live at 9:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.
All right, quick hits across America now.
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and a woman who accused him of rape in New York have resolved the matter. The federal civil case fell apart after the judge ruled the accuser has to publicly identify herself.
[05:35:07]
A Florida woman is facing multiple charges, including manslaughter, in connection with the fatal shooting of her neighbor, a Black mother of four in Marion County, last Friday.
Three hundred forty thousand UPS workers are voting this week about whether to go on strike in August if contract negotiations fail. It would be the largest work stoppage in U.S. history if it happens.
Just ahead, the trial of Scot Peterson gets underway. We'll tell you what's happening today in that trial. And the secret PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger bringing shock and anger in its wake.
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ROMANS: Here is today's fast-forward lookahead.
Former Vice President Mike Pence will speak in Iowa later today. He just dropped a video announcing that he is running for president. Later tonight, he'll answer questions at a town hall live on CNN.
[05:40:00]
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum set to make a special announcement about the 2024 race in Fargo later today. He is widely expected to launch a Republican presidential bid. Today, opening statements expected in the trial of former Broward County sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson. He's accused of failing to take action during the Parkland school shooting.
Bossa nova fans are mourning the death of Astrud Gilberto, Brazilian singer of the iconic song "Girl From Ipanema."
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ASTRUD GILBERTO, BRAZILIAN SINGER: Singing "Girl From Ipanema."
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ROMANS: Gilberto is known for exposing mainstream audiences to bossa nova music. When her husband invited her to help record an album in 1963, her unrehearsed participation launched her to international superstardom. That album went on to win four Grammys. Gilberto also released at least 16 of her own original albums. Astrud Gilberto was 83 years old.
All right, to sports now. A stunning announcement shocks the sports world as the PGA Tour agrees to a partnership with the Saudi-backed LIV.
All right, Coy Wire has this morning's Bleacher Report. This was kept a tight secret and really shocked the sports world yesterday.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: It shook everything up, Christine -- this new deal. It ends more than a yearlong bitter civil war in the world of professional men's golf. Yesterday, the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and LIV Golf announced they will be in business together. The governor of Saudi Arabia's wealth fund will join the PGA Tour's board of directors and lead the new business venture as chairman, though the PGA Tour will have a majority stake.
The news took everyone by surprise, including top golfers. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan held an intense meeting with players yesterday ahead of the Canadian Open.
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JOHNSON WAGNER, 5-TIME PGA TOUR WINNER: It was contentious. There were many moments where certain players were calling for new leadership of the PGA Tour and even got a couple of standing ovations. There was a lot of anger in that room from players feeling like they can't trust what the leadership of the PGA Tour says anymore.
REPORTER: Did any players call Jay a hypocrite in the meeting?
GEOFF OGILVY, 2006 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION: It was mentioned, yes. And he took it. He said yes. He took it for sure.
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WIRE: Now, Monahan was asked about his change in position on the PGA Tour accepting money from Saudi Arabia. A year ago he blasted players who chose to join LIV.
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JAY MONAHAN, PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER: I recognize that people are going to call me a hypocrite. And any time I've said anything I said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that's trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players, and so I accept those criticisms. But circumstances do change and I think that in looking at the big picture and looking at -- looking at it this way, that's what -- that's what got us to this point.
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WIRE: Now, the commissioner said the agreement was reached after seven weeks of talks and as part of the deal both sides are dropping all pending lawsuits. LIV players can start to play on the PGA Tour again after the 2023 season.
Now, game three of the NBA Finals tonight. The series tied at one apiece as the Heat will now host the Nuggets in Miami. And fans are going to be rocking. The last time the Heat played in the finals in 2020, Christine, it was in the bubble in Orlando without fans, so the players -- they are hyped.
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BAM ADEBAYO, MIAMI HEAT CENTER: I'm expecting it to be every time we make a layup, free throw, a three, there will be an avalanche of noise. And obviously, when we get stops. You know, for us, we've seen what this city looks like when it's been in a final so it's good to have the opportunity to be back in front of these fans and have this opportunity.
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WIRE: Whoo, it's on. Tipoff set for 8:30 Eastern. The Heat are underdogs but they'd love nothing more than to take a 2-1 lead with game four also being played in Miami.
Finally, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin seen donning a helmet for the first time in an OTA practice open to media just six months after suffering cardiac arrest and receiving lifesaving CPR on the field during a game. The 25-year-old has said that his near-death experience is not the end of his story and this is just further testament to all of those who jumped into swift action with precision to bring him back to life there on that field -- all the training staff, the doctors, and equipment people who helped save Damar Hamlin's life.
ROMANS: Yes, it sure is nice to see him practicing again.
All right, nice to see you. Thanks, Coy.
WIRE: You, too.
ROMANS: Coming up on "CNN THIS MORNING" the grand jury in the special counsel probe into Donald Trump has now heard from his former White House chief of staff.
And next, right here, a crisis looms as some of the biggest companies in the world are cutting back on office space.
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[05:48:58]
ROMANS: Your Romans' Numeral this morning is 50. Around 50 percent of the world's biggest companies are planning to cut down on office space. A new survey finds they are anticipating a reduction of up to 20 percent in the next three years. U.S. cities, led by San Francisco, will suffer the most due to work-from-home, falling property values, and rising interest rates.
Looking at markets around the world right now, Asian markets finished mixed. China's exports and imports fell sharply in May. Slowing global demand for goods has weighed on China's COVID-19 economic recovering. Meanwhile, European markets are slightly lower this morning. London has just turned mixed.
And on Wall Street, stock index futures barely moving down. But it was a -- it was a higher day on Wall Street yesterday and the Nasdaq and the S&P notched fresh closing highs for the year. The Dow finished barely higher on the day.
Goldman Sachs now sees the chance of a recession at just 25 percent. That's down from 35 percent back in March. So recession odds declining in this overall strong economy.
On inflation watch, gas prices held steady overnight at $3.55 a gallon.
Consumer credit data and trade deficit numbers are due out later today.
[05:50:01]
All right, a milestone for women. Never have so many been in the labor market. A record share of women in what the government calls prime working age, 25 to 54 years old, are in the workforce.
Let's bring in Rana Foroohar, CNN global economic analyst, and global business columnist and associate editor for the Financial Times. Good morning, Rana.
You know, economists argue about why -- why labor force participation for women has reached these new heights. Two things here. Hybrid work means more women can balance running a household and a job. But then also, high inflation means more women have to go back to work because costs are so high.
What are your thoughts?
RANA FOROOHAR, CNN GLOBAL ECONOMIC ANALYST, GLOBAL BUSINESS COLUMNIST AND ASSOCIATE EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES ( via Webex by Cisco): You know, both -- both ands.
If you look at inflation -- and let's just start with that -- the cost of all the things that we need to well -- housing, health care, education -- these have been rising really at triple the core inflation rate. And the core inflation is pretty high so you need a two-family income at this stage. And I think -- you know, I think that is true really for the last couple of decades or so.
At the same time, women have more degrees. They are -- the areas that they tend to work in the service economy, in the care economy -- these are the areas that are growing fastest. And as you point out, many of us are enjoying the benefits of hybrid work and it really helps to balance all the responsibilities that women still share the majority of in the household.
ROMANS: Yes. Some of this -- some of this work is in the service economy. Women are disproportionately represented in the service economy and those jobs are not back to pre-pandemic but they're coming back a lot.
FOROOHAR: Yes.
ROMANS: I remember you wrote this piece for the FT back in 2021 with the headline "Forget the she-cession -- women will --
FOROOHAR: Yes.
ROMANS: -- redefine the workforce."
There are other jobs, though, that are the jobs of the now and the future that you think women will also dominate.
FOROOHAR: I do. I mean, if you just look at the education rates, women are now getting really a significant number -- higher number of college degrees than men. So, educated jobs -- you know, jobs in tech. All of the high-income jobs, potentially, women are poised to take a higher percentage of in many fields, not in all fields, because they're getting more degrees.
So, I really -- I never thought that the she-cession had legs for all kinds of reasons.
ROMANS: Yes.
Let's talk about Martha Stewart. She has weighed in on the hybrid strategy -- the work-from-home. The very thing that has allowed many women to go back in the workforce she really has disdain for.
Here's a couple of quotes. She said this. "You can't possibly get everything done working three days a week in the office and two days remotely." She also said this. "Should America go down the drain because people don't want to go back to work?"
And then she also slammed France along the way, saying the French take off -- would take off the whole month of August and it's not a very thriving country. Please weigh in on this debate for me. Is Martha Stewart right?
FOROOHAR: Oh, Christine, where to begin? Shame on you, Martha. Shame on you, Martha. I mean, this reminds me of -- do you remember when Marissa Mayer, who used to run Yahoo, went back to work 24 hours after giving birth?
ROMANS: Yes.
FOROOHAR: Well, fine if you're a multimillionaire and you have five assistants -- great. You know, do it. The rest of us are living in the real world.
I will say as somebody that has been in a hiring position and frankly, has always worked in some kind of remote hybrid way because I was a foreign correspondent for half my life. I'm up at 6:00 a.m. with you all. Believe me, we're getting plenty done.
ROMANS: Yes. I think so, too. And I think what we're learning is that so many women with that hybrid model are allowed to be so much more efficient in everything that they do, right? The home part of it and the work part of it.
FOROOHAR: Perfectly true.
ROMANS: I mean, the hybrid model is what has allowed some of these women to go back to work altogether.
FOROOHAR: Indeed.
ROMANS: All right, Martha Stewart. You know, she -- I've interviewed her several times and I'm sure you have too, and she --
FOROOHAR: Yes.
ROMANS: -- speaks her mind and she feels strongly about things, and she does not feel like she needs to be politically correct. So she said what she thought and we will all argue about it today.
FOROOHAR: Well, I've got to respect that. I just disagree.
ROMANS: Yes, OK.
Rana Foroohar, so nice to see you. Thanks, Rana.
FOROOHAR: You, too -- bye-bye.
ROMANS: All right. Just minutes ago, former Vice President Mike Pence entered the 2024 race just hours after Chris Christie did and just hours before another Republican could get in.
And east coast cities shrouded in smoke from the Canada wildfires. What the poor air quality means for the people living there, coming up on "CNN THIS MORNING."
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ROMANS: All right. A young designer is doubling down on his idea for double-decker airline seats. Take a look. The concept would have some passengers sitting directly below others. He says the lower seats offer more legroom and recline more than today's economy seats, while the upper ones are more spacious overall. You can't have any claustrophobia in that plane.
He says airlines are interested and would love to add more seats. But he mainly wants to make flying more comfortable.
All right, our top of the morning, the top TV shows.
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Clip from HBO Max "THE IDOL."
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ROMANS: That's "THE IDOL" with Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd. It tops Rotten Tomatoes' most popular list despite just a 27 percent score from critics.
Here is number two.
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Clip from Netflix "FUBAR."
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ROMANS: That's Arnold Schwarzenegger's "FUBAR."
And number three.
[06:00:00]
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Clip from National Geographic's "A SMALL LIGHT."
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ROMANS: That's "A SMALL LIGHT" about the woman who hid Anne Frank's family from the Nazis.
All right, thanks for joining me this morning. I'm Christine Romans. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.
