Return to Transcripts main page

EARLY START

Roanoke Shooting Suspect's History; Democrats Gather In Minneapolis; Donald Trump In South Carolina; President Obama Marks 10th Year Anniversary Of Hurricane Katrina; Market Madness Is Not Over Yet. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 28, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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


BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I also spoke with a photo journalist here who said he was always on edge working with Flanagan in the field because Flanagan often got angry. He talked about one incident where they were doing a live report in the 6:00 p.m. hour one day and had technical problems that caused the live report to be canceled.

He said Flanagan threw down his stuff and stomped off into the woods for 20 minutes and then he just didn't want to really deal with anything after that. This history was really what led to his termination in February of 2013.

New details on that that we are learning that the day he was fired that he got agitated and he became threatening. He handed the news director a wooden cross saying "You're going to need this." Police had to escort him out and others had to go on lockdown in the building. It was not a pleasant incident for anybody involved.

We've also learned new details about what was found in Vester Flanagan's car in Northern Virginia where they finally found him on the side of the road after he ran off the road and had a self- inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities tell us that inside his car, they found a Glock pistol with ammo, six Glock magazines, and a briefcase with three license plates, a wig, a shawl, sunglasses, and an umbrella as well as a black hat.

Those items indicate he may have been trying to make a getaway and put himself in disguise -- Alison and Miguel.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Friends and loved ones of the Roanoke shooting victim say honoring their memory is just not enough. The boyfriend of Alison Parker is calling for a substantive conversation about gun control in this country. And Parker's father says he won't rest until someone in Washington stands up to the NRA.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY PARKER, ALISON PARKER'S FATHER: If I have to be the John Walsh of gun control -- look, I'm for the second amendment, but there has to be a way to force politicians that are cowards and in the pockets of the NRA to come to grips and make sense and have sensible laws so crazy people can't get guns. I know the NRA's position. They will say if they were carrying this never would have happened. I have news for you if Alison or Adam had been carrying an AK-47 around their waist, it would not make a difference. They could not see this coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And Hillary Clinton calling for tighter restrictions on guns during a campaign stop in Cleveland telling supporters she will not sit by as president while more good people die.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know how we keep seeing shooting after shooting. Read about the people murdered because they went to bible study or they went to the movies or they were just doing their job. And not finally say we got to do something about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Republican presidential hopeful, Scott Walker on either hand, slammed Clinton and saying the proper response to the Roanoke shooting is not gun control, but increased mental health treatment. Walker has an "a" plus rating with the National Rifle Association.

KOSIK: The Democratic candidates are gathering in Minneapolis this morning for the party's annual summer meeting. Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee are scheduled to speak this morning with Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley scheduled to speak this afternoon.

Not in attendance, potential president candidate, Joe Biden, a draft Biden briefing called by the vice president's supporters, it only drew 15 members of the Democratic National Committee out of the hundreds who are in hand.

MARQUEZ: And Donald Trump has a delicate decision to make. The GOP frontrunner must sign a pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee if he hopes to compete in the South Carolina primary. Put him in a box. Trump says he will decide what to do about that requirement soon. We get more from CNN political reporter, Sara Murray.

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICS REPORTER: Good morning, Alison, Miguel. Donald Trump addressing another energetic crowd in Greenville, South Carolina. He took on some of his weaknesses too. Addressing difficult poll numbers with women saying he will be great to them if he is president and saying he will win the Latino vote even as protests erupted outside about his immigration policy. Perhaps the most memorable moment is when he invited a voter on stage to defend his hairdo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't wear a toupee. It's my hair. I swear. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. I'm going to -- we're going to settle this. Come. Come. Is it mine? Look.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is.

TRUMP: It is. Say it, please.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I believe it is.

TRUMP: Thank you. And have I ever met you before?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, you haven't.

TRUMP: You're very nice. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MURRAY: Now today Donald Trump heads to an event in Massachusetts. The host of the event says it is a fundraiser. His campaign says it is not.

[05:35:09] This comes as we get news that Donald Trump may not be as different from every politician as he says he is. Even though he is saying he will self-fund his campaign, a super PAC is raising money on his behalf.

We've also learned that a second outside group can collect for donations from unanimous donors. They are asking for money to support Donald Trump as well. Back to you.

KOSIK: President Obama taking his pitch for the Iran nuclear deal straight to Jewish-Americans today. He will take part in a webcast hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America and the presidents of major American-Jewish organizations.

Jews are sharply divided on the agreement. Pro-Israel groups are expected to spend in total $20 million lobbying against it. Congress votes on the measure next month.

MARQUEZ: President Obama marking the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by visiting the city of New Orleans. He is hailing the progress that has been made, but making it clear there is much more needs to be done to restore the big easy to its former glory. He took the moment to make more political points.

We have more from CNN senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Miguel and Alison, President Obama marked the comeback of New Orleans ten years after Hurricane Katrina. The president touted the resilience of the big easy after the city's levees broke in 2005 and devastated whole neighborhoods.

Mr. Obama pledged rebuilding will continue. The president also talked about the issue of incoming equality. An issue that needs to be addressed after this critical concern in New Orleans was laid bare by Katrina. But even as he tried to tie the rebirth of that city to the nation's economic recovery, the president delivered a sharply delivered a sharply political message warning that Congress has one month left to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Nobody gets to hold the American economy hostage over their own ideological demands. You, the people who sent us to Washington expect better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: The president also warned there will be more severe weather events triggered by climate change. Mr. Obama will return to that issue once again next week when he travels to Alaska to see the effects of global warming first hand -- Alison and Miguel.

KOSIK: The Dow setting a new record on Thursday following a wild week for markets around the world, but I don't think stocks have stabilized. Wait until you hear what is coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:41:10]

KOSIK: Well, it looks like the market madness is not over yet. U.S. stock futures are pointing quite a big lower right now. It could be a rough day if that holds. Stocks, though, are actually up for the week after an absolutely brutal start.

Yesterday, the Dow climbed 369 points combine that with Wednesday's 619-point rally. It winds up being the best two-day point gain for the Dow in history.

Some of the biggest winners were oil companies as oil prices soared yesterday over 10 percent. Back above $42 a barrel. It was actually oil's best rally since 2009. We watch stocks of Halliburton, and Baker Hughes, and TransOcean all surging more than 9 percent.

Also good news about the economy, the U.S. economy growing 3.7 percent in the second quarter, much higher than expected and that's a healthy sign that the American economy hasn't been hurt too much by China's slowdown.

Asian stocks up quite a bit this morning. Look at Shanghai's benchmark index up almost 5 percent today. The index still down 8 percent for the week. Thanks to the frantic selling we saw Monday and Tuesday.

Let's bring in Andrew Stevens in Hong Kong. Gosh, it's been a wild week for stocks. What kept them in the green today for Asian markets?

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN ASIA-PACIFIC EDITOR: I think it's the same story we have seen in last two days, Alison. It is intervention by the authorities in China. We can't prove it, but it fits a clear pattern. We have seen it before.

There have exclusive instructions by Beijing to the state-owned pension funds, to the insurance companies to buy Shanghai stocks, to prop up the market if you like.

What we saw yesterday when Shanghai finished up by more than 5 percent was a big, big swing in the last hour of trade. We saw another big swing to the positive in the last couple of hours trade here. Most market watchers are saying the state is moving it.

They want to put a floor under this big basically crash in Chinese markets. They appear to have done it at least short-term in the last couple days. Will it hold? That is a different story.

This has been a slow motion crash that started in June. The market is now down 40 percent or so. The authorities managed to put a floor under it for two or three weeks, Alison and the selling started again.

What is different this time? We have to wait and see particularly with the economy staying pretty weak. There is not a lot of incentive for the Chinese to get back into the market.

KOSIK: Does it wind up looking like smoke and mirrors with the government intervention? The reality is the Chinese economy is still slowing. That's not going to plague Asian markets as time goes on most likely, but it could also spill on U.S. shores.

STEVENS: Yes, it could. Remember the Chinese are changing their economic model. It is a once in a lifetime transition. We had 30 years of super charged growth in China with this export model and investment model where they were building up the country's infrastructure at a phenomenal rate. That's over.

As the Chinese authorities say, we are in a new normal now where the economy is moving towards more consumer spending. That will take some time. That will take years to get to. In the meantime, there is pain. This is what we are seeing at the moment.

The question becomes how much pain? Are we aware of what is happening in China? A lot of people call it the black box. That's a fair description.

We get the official data. Not many people these days believe that is actually accurate. They say the economy is growing more slowly than the official numbers suggest, 7 percent, official. Most say 5 percent or maybe 4 percent.

So the economy is growing more slowly. It is going to continue to grow slowly. All the estimates say next year will be weak as well, Alison. So this is a slow, slow ride.

[05:45:07] Don't look to China to help out the global economy in growth for at least a couple of years.

KOSIK: And it's that skepticism about that data coming out of China that keeps U.S. markets on edge as we this morning. Andrew Stevens, live from Hong Kong. Thanks.

MARQUEZ: Let's take a look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." It's 45 minutes past the hour. Alisyn Camerota joins us now. Alisyn, good morning to you.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": Good morning, guys. We will have a lot of very interesting conversations on "NEW DAY." We will be speaking with the anchor of the Roanoke TV station who was live on the air when her colleagues were gunned down.

Also we will have the parents of victims of gun violence. They will describe the obstacles that they have been up against in pushing for gun control.

That and Donald Trump is resurrecting the term silent majority. Is that a benign phrase or reference to white supremacy? We'll debate that. Stick around for all of that and more when we see you in about 14 minutes.

KOSIK: All right, Alisyn, we'll be watching.

MARQUEZ: Thank you.

Europe's migrant crisis out of control, dozens more dead this morning trying to cross borders. We are live with new developments coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARQUEZ: A gruesome discovery on a highway in Austria. The bodies of over 70 suspected migrants found decomposing in the back of the abandoned truck.

[05:50:05] Three people arrested in connection with their deaths. All while top European officials are huddling in Vienna trying to come up with a plan to cope with the largest influx of refugees pouring into Europe since World War II.

Senior international correspondent, Arwa Damon, has been traveling with a group of migrants. She joins us near the Hungary/Serbia border. Arwa, where have you come from with these migrants and are they applying for refugee status? Where do they want to go to and is there any sense that help is on the way?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miguel, while the top European officials are huddling in Vienna, this is the scene as migrants and refugees are entering Europe's gateway of Hungary. Huddling under any scrap of cloth they can find, trying to stay out of the beating sun while under guard.

This is the holding area across the border from Serbia. A lot of the people have come through and handed themselves to Hungarian authorities, but they have been waiting in these conditions for hours, some of them since 2:00 in the morning.

There was one very brief water distribution that took place earlier. Not enough to go around, most certainly not enough for those that have just come across. There are crying babies and people sick and not feeling well.

The vast majority, every single person we spoke to here, Miguel, doesn't want to stay in Hungary. They want to move on. They are fine with being processed, but they want to go and continue their journey to Western Europe.

Many have been through incredibly difficult circumstances. All we have spoken to say their treatment in Hungary is abysmal. They are being made to feel like animals that they are being treated like animals.

In Europe, they would have expected the most basic of human rights to be respected. They would have been afforded a bit of dignity with a bit of shelter and a bottle of water. Now many of them do want to go on to Germany or Holland.

They will apply for asylum in those countries hoping when they get there it will, in fact, be granted. They had dreamt of Europe for so long, but Miguel, all they have seen so far is something of a nightmare.

MARQUEZ: My God. The absolute making of a human catastrophe. Thanks for being on the front lines of it. Arwa Damon for us, thanks.

KOSIK: Some say Donald Trump is a man without a plan, but we are getting some new details about his plan for the economy. What President Trump could mean for your taxes next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:56:42]

KOSIK: I'm Alison Kosik. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. U.S. stock futures a bit lower at the moment, but after an absolutely brutal start, stocks are up for the week. Yesterday the Dow climbed 369 points. Combine that with Wednesday's 619 point rally. It's the best two-day point gain for the Dow in history.

Some of the biggest winners were oil companies as oil prices soared yesterday over 10 percent and went back above $42 a barrel. It was oil's best rally since 2009.

We are learning more about Donald Trump's economic plan. It is populous. First, he wants to tax the rich more and the middle class less. Basically he wants to raise taxes on himself and those like him.

Next, Trump wants to lower corporate taxes. He says that will stop American companies from moving headquarters abroad. Many have huge cash reserves overseas and Trump says his plan could bring back $2.5 trillion of that. He finally wants to cut government spending and raising the debt ceiling.

Facebook hit a new milestone, 1 billion users in a single day. That happened for the first time on Monday. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the stunning number in a Facebook post. Meaning one in seven people on earth logged on to the site that day. Facebook users Trump other social media sites. It has 1.5 billion monthly users dwarfing Twitter and Instagram.

MARQUEZ: Lots to cats.

New information on how the man who kill two journalists on live television planned to get away. Your "NEW DAY" starts now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: Police found a wig, sunglasses, a shawl. He wanted to try to disguise himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alison would want us to be celebrating her life not mourning her death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not only was he robbed of his life. His world was robbed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many Newtowns are we going to have? How many Alisons will this happen to before we stop it?

TRUMP: You have a silent majority in this country that feels abused and feels forgotten and feels mistreated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is basically bashing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People hear what they want to hear. There's no racism in that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The very latest on the deadly storm wreaking havoc in the Caribbean.

CAMEROTA: Tropical Storm Erika is churning in the Atlantic. Could it strengthen to a hurricane?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Overnight, this thing got a lot stronger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, August 28th, 6:00 in the east.

We have new information about the plans of the journalists' murders. The man who did it, maybe he was not planning a simple murder/suicide. After taking the lives of a news crew on live TV in Virginia, a search of this mad man's car turned up some bizarre items suggesting he may have planned to kill more people and have an escape plan.

CAMEROTA: Meanwhile, the father of Alison Parker, the reporter who was killed says he is on a mission to stop gun violence and take on gun control. This as an entire community prepares to honor Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

CNN's Polo Sandoval begins our coverage live in Roanoke. Good morning, Polo. POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. The witness statement that chilling suicide note, it all seems to be coming together now for police investigators here on the ground trying to paint a picture of who Vester Flanagan was.