Return to Transcripts main page

EARLY START

Record Breaking South Carolina Flooding; Officials Count Hundreds Of Water Rescues; Coast Guard: Cargo Ship El Faro Sank; Hillary Clinton Unveils Gun Plan; Facebook To Beam Free Internet To Africa; Pilot Dies On American Airlines Flight. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired October 6, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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


MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Here is a rescue of a different sort. This man risking his safety to secure caskets that floated right out of a grave site.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[05:30:04] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is respect. We have to respect the dead. That's family suffering. That's family that popped up out of the ground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: The latest on the flooding for us is CNN's Boris Sanchez in South Carolina.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are standing on Highway 301 in Manning, South Carolina. This major highway that leads to Florida is covered in flood water. At least as far as the eye can see. We are looking at possibly a mile covered in water.

All around there are vehicles submerged. Debris scattered across the road. Officials tell us they don't know when this water will recede, possibly into the coming days if not the coming week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: This is not over. Just because the rain stops does not mean that we are not out of the woods. We have a vulnerable situation that's out there. I'm still going to ask citizens to please stay inside.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Despite the obvious problems here, there are some signs of progress. The lights are back on in town and the water is slowly, but surely receding. Again, we are not sure if it will be raining in the coming days and making this situation possibly worse. Boris Sanchez, CNN, Manning, South Carolina.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Boris. I want to bring in Lieutenant Col. Cindi King, the director of Public Affairs from the South Carolina National Guard. She joins by phone. Colonel, good morning. Thank you so much for taking time to speak to us this morning.

I wonder if you can give us the latest information as people across that state wake up. Where are the flood waters now? What's the situation?

LT. COLONEL CINDI KING, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD (via telephone): Good morning. Thank you so much for having me on and having the opportunity to talk to you and share with you what is happening in our state. This morning, we have over 1,000 South Carolina guard members on the ground.

Yesterday, we were assisting a lot of the first responders and some of the county managers in assessing damage. Now the water is receding, we can see the magnitude of the debris and the infrastructure that may have been affected.

We will continue to do that. The good news is we were told the sun will come out today and that will help with some of our efforts. We had helicopters in the air. We had our engineers out. We have been delivering water supplies.

We have also been delivering sand bags. The waters risk is not over. We have been heeding advice and warning people to stay off the roads. Some of the bridges are still at risk. Waters continue to rise.

We are looking at putting sand bags in and helping to stabilize the situation. We will be busy. We are not over with the situation yet.

KOSINSKI: The 18 dams breached, that's incredible. Are more in danger or do you feel like the worst is over and is there a way to protect the ones that are still functioning?

KING: That's what our job is. As soon as the county manager identifies an issue, they call us. That involves our engineers coming out and helping with the sand bags or whatever the county needs. We have been working with all of the first responders.

Our hearts go out to the families affected by this. We train for these things all the time. When it really happens, it makes you more committed because you are seeing your friends and neighbors, many who lost everything.

BERMAN: What about South Carolinians? Do you want them to stay off the roads while you assess the damage?

KING: Most certainly. When you hear these advisories, listen. It makes it easier for to us get on the roads and deliver supplies. We want to get water to the water point. First responders are still checking things.

If we have open access to get to the difficult areas and know that people are safe, we can get through this faster. That's what we want to do. We want things to get back to normal as soon as possible for everybody.

We saw this event on the weather. The projections looked to be bad. We plan for the worst and hope for the best. This is something no one expected to be this bad.

KOSINSKI: Those pictures are unbelievable. Lieutenant Colonel Cindy King, thank you for joining us. Hopefully your people will be safe down there too.

KING: Thank you so much.

KOSINSKI: New developments in the search for the missing cargo ship in the Caribbean. The Coast Guard now focusing on the hunt for survivors after concluding the ship, "El Faro" sank on its way to Puerto Rico under the fury of Hurricane Joaquin.

[05:35:00] Coast Guard officials say they found survival suits, life boats, and life rafts, but no signs of survivors so far. That's a devastating blow for the families of the Florida-based ship's crew. The crew included 28 Americans.

BERMAN: New this morning, the White House has announced that President Obama will travel to Roseburg, Oregon on Friday. He will visit with the families of the victims of the mass shooting last week, this as we learn details about the young man spared by the shooter.

CNN spoke with the mother of Matthew. She asked we not use his last name. The gunman apparently spared Matthew's life so he could hand police an envelope containing a flash drive of the shooter's writings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUMMER SMITH, MOTHER OF STUDENT WHO SHOOTER SPARED: He's different. He'll never feel the same. He'll never feel complete security again. He doesn't know how to deal with it right now. I don't even think he can register what happened yet. It's just too much.

The shooter gave him what he was told to give to police. He was told to go to the back of the room, facing the room, and watch what was going on. Matthew said he not make a single move. He was afraid to look away. If he made anything or did anything to make the shooter notice him that he would be shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: I can't imagine how you process. Hillary Clinton is responding to the Oregon shooting with a series of proposals for gun legislation and executive action. CNN's Brianna Keilar has the latest.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Michelle. Hillary Clinton unveiled a series of proposals aimed at gun violence in the wake of the shooting at the Oregon community college last week. She says she wants to close the gun show loophole and she is willing to take executive action to do so if Congress can't act, which it has shown it doesn't have an appetite to do.

She also says she wants to stop domestic abusers from being able to purchase a firearm. She wants to give gun violence victims the opportunity to sue gun manufacturers. Clinton became rather emotional here in New Hampshire as she introduced the mother of a 6-year-old, who was killed in the Sandy Hook massacre of 2012.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So many of the parents of the precious children who were murdered have taken the unimaginable grief that they have been bearing and have tried to be the voices that we need to hear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: When Clinton ran for the Senate in 2000, she had a liberal proposal of supporting a national gun registry. In 2008 when she ran for the presidency, she moderated her views on guns a little bit. Now this run for the White House, she is tacking left and taking on the NRA with fiery language as she tries to get more support here in New Hampshire in the polls.

Bernie Sanders actually has a more moderate position when it comes to guns and he is beating Hillary Clinton in the polls in New Hampshire by double digits -- John and Michelle.

KOSINSKI: Brianna, thanks for so much that. And Donald Trump has a new target. He is hitting back at Stuart Stevens, Mitt Romney's top strategist from 2012. Stevens told CNN's Jake Tapper the Republican frontrunner is, quote, "afraid of losing." He made this prediction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STUART STEVENS, FORMER ROMNEY STRATEGIST: I don't think he will be on the ballot by February 1st.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST, "THE LEAD": Really?

STEVENS: No. I think he said it tonight. Greatest sin in his value system is to be a loser. Most people who run for president lose. I don't think he'll risk it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: Trump fired back tweeting political strategist, Stuart Stevens, who led Romney down the tubes in what should have been an easy victory has terrible political instinct.

BERMAN: Stevens, he travels all over the world skiing. He wrote for "Northern Exposure." He is a dramatic TV writer, right?

Time now for an EARLY START on your money, Alison Kosik is here with that now.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Some weakness and red arrows for U.S. stocks this morning, but in Europe, stocks are actually turning around from earlier losses and that's despite the weak factory data from Germany this morning. But the lower start to today in the U.S. actually follows a fantastic Monday for stocks. The Dow climbed 304 points yesterday. The S&P 500 extended its five-day winning streak climbing about 6 percent in the past week.

Facebook is one step closer to providing internet access to people in sub-Saharan Africa. Facebook will launch a satellite next year and service will begin in 2016 and it's going to reach 14 countries and west, east and South Africa. Facebook already has used lasers and satellites and even drones to get to the next billion people online.

Other companies are also racing to bring low cost, low bandwidth internet to the world. Google has its own effort to get more people online. It's called "Project Loon." It uses the hot air balloons that float in the stratosphere and give that connectivity to billions of people who cannot pick up a phone to have the connectivity that we often take for granted.

[05:40:05] BERMAN: It has to be a huge business opportunity.

KOSINSKI: I don't know they will be able to pay fees on it, but connectivity is the goal here. It's creative.

KOSIK: Yes.

KOSINSKI: Privative and high tech.

Ground combat on the rise in Kunduz days after the air strike took out a Doctors Without Borders hospital. Now the U.S. is now shifting the blame. We'll tell you where.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSINSKI: The Pentagon is blaming the Afghan government for a deadly U.S. airstrike that killed 22 people at a Doctors Without Borders medical clinic in Kunduz.

General John Campbell, the top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan says the weekend air strike was requested by Afghan leaders to help drive the Taliban out of the city. Doctors Without Borders calling for an independent investigation.

BERMAN: I want to look at what is coming up on "NEW DAY." Christopher Cuomo joins us now. Good morning, sir.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR, "NEW DAY": John Berman. Michelle Kosinski, very nice to see you both this morning. We are in desperate times on many levels, two situations in focus, a U.S. cargo ship that sunk during Hurricane Joaquin, new information. First of all, at least one sailor has been spotted.

The owner of the vessel now says there was a mechanical failure so the NTSB is looking into the situation. There are two debris fields. We will talk to the Coast Guard.

We will check in with South Carolina. The rain has stopped, the problems have not. Dams are being breached. People there are living literally on the edge. What will happen?

[05:45:10] And then Donald Trump calls in to the show. What should we ask him? You know how to tweet us. We talk about Syria. We talk about his political longevity. People are starting to time how long Donald Trump will be in the race? Does that make sense?

That and all the news that we have on this morning for you, Ms. Kosinski and you, John, whatever your name is.

BERMAN: Michelle Kosinski says it is hard getting up early, but at least I don't have to sit next to that Cuomo guy.

CUOMO: She did not say that. Nice picture of you at 13. I thought Anderson's special was great last night. Your picture certainly a cry for help, John Berman.

BERMAN: I had hair.

KOSINSKI: He's changed?

BERMAN: There we go. Thank you, Chris. Have a good one. Insider trading in fantasy sports, two big online gaming sites facing charges. A big story, big money in this. We'll layout the accusations next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOSINSKI: Some frightening moments for passengers on board an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Boston after they learned the pilot was sick and the plane made a rapid descent for an emergency landing in Syracuse.

[05:50:02] Here is how the cockpit alerted air traffic control when the captain who later died became ill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CO-PILOT: Medical emergency. Captain is incapacitated. Request handling for runway 1-0 landing --

UNIDENTIFIED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL: The ambulance will meet you on the south de-ice pad.

UNIDENTIFIED CO-PILOT: All right, will they have it at the airplane quickly or do we need to a gate?

UNIDENTIFIED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL: They will get to the airplane quickly.

UNIDENTIFIED CO-PILOT: Understood. As long as they can get on the airplane quickly. We need them to get to the captain. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSINSKI: The pilot has now been identified as Captain Michael Johnston. His wife was told the likely cause of death was a heart attack. BERMAN: An investigation underway into what caused an Amtrak commuter train to derail on Central Vermont. The preliminary report suggests the accident was caused by a rock slide in the train's path. Officials say six people were injured, one seriously. The train was carrying 98 passengers and four crew members. It was headed from Vermont to Washington, D.C.

KOSINSKI: You may want to wait before you take the next bite of Cheerios. General Mills says nearly 2 million gluten-free boxes are being recalled because they may contain wheat. The company is converting five varieties of the cereal to gluten free. Officials say there have been at least two reports of illness due to wheat allergies.

BERMAN: Huge scandal in the money world of fantasy sports, essentially there are allegations of insider trading involving two fantasy companies, Draft Kings and Fan Duel. The "New York Times" reports a Draft Kings employee won $350,000 in a week placing bets on the rival site using data from his own company that was not available to the public.

The companies issued a joint statement in response to the cheating concerns saying nothing is more important than the integrity of the games adding they have, quote, "strong policies in place to ensure employees do not misuse information at their disposal." Michelle is looking at her roster.

The New York Yankees rallying around CC Sabathia when he announced he is checking in alcohol rehab as his team is preparing for a one-game wild card playoff against the Houston Astros. Sabathia says he will not play at all this post season.

The Yankees are now adopting the rally cry win one for CC. His teammate, Alex Rodriguez, is applauding Sabathia's courage for, quote, "admitting he has a problem and raising his hand for help."

KOSINSKI: Yes, I mean, that is really a positive way of handling it and dealing with it.

You can now get your Egg McMuffin anytime of day. Can all day breakfast turn McDonald's around? We'll have that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:56:46]

KOSIK: Good morning. I'm Alison Kosik. Let's get an EARLY START on your money. I'm watching stocks and they look a bit in the red this morning. European shares are lower, recovered after being lower from earlier losses.

U.S. stock futures are still down. This follows a fantastic start to the week. The Dow climbed 304 points yesterday and the S&P 500 extended a five-day winning streak. It climbed almost 6 percent in the past week. Making investors wonder if recent stock market turmoil is a pause or if the worst could be behind us. It just got a little easier to navigate through the mortgage process. New rules are now in effect to reduce how much paper work is involved. Instead of four forms from two different government agencies, now lenders give buyers two forms on their loan. It should be easier to compare lenders top find the best rate and terms.

It is official. The all-day breakfast begins today at McDonald's. It is part of an effort to boost sales. The rollout is complicated. All restaurants need to install separate griddles and train staff on the extra options.

This is many doing at a time when franchisees say the menu is too bloated leading to longer wait times. McDonald's is betting all-day breakfast will not discourage burger lovers.

KOSINSKI: You don't have get out of bed early.

BERMAN: The rain is slowing, but the flood waters remain, a big problem across South Carolina. The state is just beginning to clean up the mess. "NEW DAY" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a hurricane out here and we are heading straight into it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rescuers searching for survivors.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they abandon ship, they did so into a Category 4 hurricane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is water as far as the eye can see.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nine dams have failed in South Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think she was holding on to one of the wheels of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The rain has stopped, but the floods have not yet subsided.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think he can register what happened yet. It's just too much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For whatever reason, Matthew is who the shooter has called the lucky one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He lived for that he feels guilty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Tuesday, October 6th, 6:00 in the east. Here is the latest. At least one body has been spotted from the 790-foot cargo ship that sank last Thursday in the middle of Hurricane Joaquin over the Bahamas.

This is now making time of the essence as rescuers comb two debris fields and following reports. The ship's owners are telling the "Associated Press" that the ship suffered mechanical failure as it tried to avoid the storm.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The ship had 33 people on board, 28 of them Americans. The NTSB launches a go-team this morning to investigate, is it possible that anyone survived the hurricane that tore through their route? CNN's Alexandra Field joins us now with the very latest. What have you learned, Alexandra?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We know there's a lot of hope that there are more survivors out there, but what we've learned so far from the Coast Guard is that they did recover at least one body.