Return to Transcripts main page
EARLY START
Trump Sees End If He Wins Indiana; Clinton Beats Sanders in Indiana Polls; Prince's Family Heads to Court; Kerry in Geneva for Syria Talks. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired May 2, 2016 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:32:07] JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Trump says it's over if he beats Ted Cruz in tomorrow's critical primary in Indiana. What the new polls revealed.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary Clinton sounding like a general election candidate, but Bernie Sanders hasn't given up. How he says he could clinch the Democratic nomination.
BERMAN: May Day marches end in violence in Seattle. Protesters arrested. Police injured. We have new video from over night. That's ahead.
Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.
KOSIK: Good morning. I'm Alison Kosik. It's 30 minutes past the hour and Donald Trump says the race for the Republican nomination is over if he wins Indiana's primary election tomorrow. A brand new poll shows Trump with a double digit lead in Indiana. A state many see as a must-win for Ted Cruz. Both men have events scheduled across the state today.
CNN's Jessica Schneider is with the Trump campaign. And she has more.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, an hour-long rally here in Fort Wayne where Donald Trump promised to bring jobs back to the state where he also used very harsh words against China, saying it had raped the U.S. economy.
And Donald Trump also returning to his usual rhetoric about Lying Ted Cruz. Donald Trump slammed the alliance between John Kasich and Ted Cruz calling it just all part of this rigged political system.
Donald Trump also seized on Heidi Cruz's words that her husband is an immigrant. Of course, even though Donald Trump conceded that Heidi Cruz was likely just referring to the senator's Cuban roots.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Heidi Cruz, nice woman, said my husband -- you heard about this, right. Said this one, my husband's an immigrant, right? Is an immigrant. And that's what I've been saying except a lot of people -- I think she was trying to say -- she was trying to put a little bit of a Latin turn on it. He was born in Canada, folks. He was born in Canada. One thing I tell you, number one, he's got -- he can't win. Got no path to win. And even if he had a path to win, which he doesn't, he has very few votes and he has very few delegates.
But I have been saying, he wasn't born in this country. And the first thing the Democrats would do, assuming he won, which he won't, so it doesn't -- I'm not even playing that card, is they will bring a lawsuit against him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Now Trump did pull back a bit on his harsh tone saying that he does want the party to come together and saying that in the general election, he will be raising money for the Republican Party as well as congressional candidates and he urged this crowd please let's focus on Hillary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know the Republican Party has to come together, folks. And if it doesn't come together, it's going to be hard. But I'll tell you this. I'll tell you this. They said if it doesn't come together, does that mean you can't win? No, I think I can win. Why? Do you think it helps sad Jeb Bush? What's that, like two votes? Jeb and his wife. Jeb and his wife. Seriously.
[04:35:03] I don't think it matters. But it would be nice to have the Republican Party come together. With that being said, I think I'll win anyway. I think I'll win New York State. I think I'll win Michigan. I think I'll win states that nobody ever won before as a Republican for many years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Donald Trump has declared this race over. He says there is no road to victory for either Ted Cruz or John Kasich. And of course, Donald Trump touting that 15-point lead that he has in the polls going into Tuesday's primary -- John and Alison.
KOSIK: All right. Jessica Schneider, thanks so much.
Donald Trump live this morning on CNN. He'll be here during the 7:00 hour of "NEW DAY." You don't want to miss that.
BERMAN: That should be good.
All right. It may not matter in the end but Ted Cruz notched new victories in the delegate selection process. From Arizona to Virginia, delegates were selected who must vote for Trump on a first ballot at the Republican convention, but they say they will vote for Cruz if there is a second ballot. Of course, if Trump reaches 1237 delegates, there will be no second ballot.
Cruz campaigning in Indiana is still hoping for an upset victory. He's throwing everything at Trump including a stab at the frontrunner's endorsement by Mike Tyson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the choice for the people of Indiana. Do we stand with Carly Fiorina and Governor Mike Pence or do we stand instead with a convicted rapist Mike Tyson?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: On the Democratic side, tomorrow Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders also facing off in Indiana where there's some new polls out showing the Vermont senator is behind Clinton. Even though the margin is narrow the frontrunner is already looking past her fight with Sanders to the general election battle. Campaigning late last night at an NAACP dinner in Detroit, Clinton slammed Trump over his role in what she calls the insidious birther movement and his hesitation to disavow former clan leader David Duke.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We cannot let Barack Obama's legacy fall into Donald Trump's hands. We can't let all the hard work and progress we have achieved over the last seven and a half years be torn away. We have to move forward together. We have to bring our country together. We have to keep working toward that more perfect union.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Bernie Sanders meantime not giving up. He's going to be campaigning in Indiana today.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny has the latest.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, Bernie Sanders making the case that he is still in this race. He is still fighting to win pledged delegates, still fighting to win super delegates, still fighting Hillary Clinton.
The question of course is the math. He knows it's very difficult. But he called this unusual Sunday news conference at the National Press Club in Washington to make the case that he is pressing forward, back on the campaign trail today in Indiana, tomorrow in Kentucky.
But I asked him about Donald Trump and whether any of Bernie Sanders' own words against Hillary Clinton will be used against him. Donald Trump of course is saying that he's going to put Bernie Sanders' words in his ads. And this is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No, I think that's nonsense. And I'm glad to see that, you know, he manages so get through to some media in making that point.
What is a campaign about? A campaign is supposed to be about not just political gossip. It's actually supposed to be differentiating the points of view the candidates have. Secretary Clinton and I have different points of view on a number of
issues. And I have tried my hardest to run an issue-oriented campaign explaining to the American people the differences we have. I may be old fashioned, but that's kind of what I think democracy is supposed to be about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: And Bernie Sanders clearly says he is not troubled by the fact that Donald Trump may use some of his words in ads against Hillary Clinton. What we're watching for is the tone this week. Is Bernie Sanders going to adjust some of his rhetoric about those paid Wall Street speeches, about her honesty, her integrity. Is he going to be changing how he's campaigning both in Indiana and Kentucky, and as he goes forward into California in June.
Bernie Sanders is clearly staying in this race. The question is, how the Clinton campaign will now respond to him -- John and Alison.
KOSIK: All right, Jeff, thanks for that.
Want to get an EARLY START on your money. Asian markets closed mostly lower. European markets are following their lead. And take a look at the U.S. Futures are slightly higher. Hoping to turn around Friday losses when stocks suffered the worst week since February's freak-out.
The Dow fell 56 points on Friday. That's added to Thursday's triple- digit fall. So what happened here? A little mixed this week -- a week of mixed earnings reports.
[04:40:01] Apple reported its worst quarter in over a decade. Stocks fell more than 14 percent in April, but Amazon, a long-time money loser, soaring 9 percent Friday. The tech giant reporting its fourth straight profitable quarter.
You know, it feels like the earnings season, it's really been a rough one for tech companies. Amazon really that shining star.
BERMAN: As long as they give me my stuff in two days. That's cool.
KOSIK: I know.
BERMAN: President Obama, he gets the last laugh at his final White House Correspondents' Dinner. You might have seen him live during our coverage Saturday night. The president, he poked one at celebrities, journalists, politicians and also the presidential frontrunners.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Is this dinner too tacky for the Donald? What could he possibly be doing instead? Is he at home eating a Trump steak? Tweeting out insults to Angela Merkel?
Hillary trying to appeal to young voters is a little bit like your relative who just signed up for Facebook. "Dear America, did you get my poke? Is it appearing on your wall? I'm not sure I'm using this right. Love, Aunt Hillary."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: So the former secretary of state, she replied on Twitter. Either not minding or trying to joining in the fun, she said, "Nice job last night, POTUS. Aunt Hillary approves." And you could see she signed it with the H, which indicates allegedly that she is the one who actually tweeted it.
KOSIK: You know, I am surprised he didn't go after Trump more. There were only a few in there. They were very funny of course, but I expected him to really just stick it to Donald Trump.
BERMAN: No, there was a big discussion about this Saturday, whether he laid off because given too obvious of a subject. Maybe he wanted to spread the wealth a little bit. Maybe he wanted to keep it -- you know, he wanted to keep it above the board. But it was interesting, I agree.
KOSIK: Well, he certainly spread the wealth with that Hillary joke.
BERMAN: Yes, indeed.
KOSIK: Sure.
May Day marches turned violent in Seattle. Officers injured. Protesters arrested. Dramatic new video next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:46:07] BERMAN: All right. Breaking overnight. What started as a peaceful demonstration for immigration and workers' rights escalated to a violent May Day protest on the streets of Seattle. Fireworks set off, windows smashed. Police made at least nine arrests, but not before using tear gas to control the crowd. Five officers were injured -- rocks thrown at them, cans of spray paint, even Molotov cocktails. This man was among the many in the crowds seeking medical attention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My throat hurts. Everything. I need a doctor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: The mayor and the police chief visited the injured officers in the hospital last night. They condemned the violence.
KOSIK: Prince's family heading to court this morning in Minnesota. A probate hearing will determine what becomes of the late singer's estate. An estate that reportedly includes a vault filled with unreleased songs. And a source with firsthand knowledge tells CNN initial discussions between the entertainer's siblings have been contentious.
We get more now from CNN's Sara Sidner. SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Alison, we talked to Alfred
Jackson, who is Prince's older half-brother. They share the same mother. He talked a lot about his relationship with Prince, but also talked about how he found out he died. He learned that from watching the news and was shocked and hurt. And then he talked about the fact that he was able to take a look inside Paisley Park after Prince's death.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Jackson and I had a special supervised two- hour tour of Paisley Park. And it allowed Mr. Jackson to personally grieve and personally feel the warmth of Prince's spirit, the doves and everything.
SIDNER: What was it like taking a tour of Paisley Park after your brother died?
ALFRED JACKSON, PRINCE'S HALF BROTHER: We looked at the whole premises inside Paisley Park. We have seen the vault door, but we never entered.
SIDNER: What was the experience like?
JACKSON: He is just a genius the way he had then. He really is.
SIDNER: When you looked around, it looked like the work of a genius?
JACKSON: Yes.
SIDNER: What were you feeling at the time as you walk through?
JACKSON: I felt really great. I was hoping that he was still living. He's still be with me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: So we now know that rumored vault does indeed exists. But a source who is familiar with the discussions going on over the estate says that vault has not yet been opened. The family is expected to be in court later this morning to hash out some of the details of how to deal with Prince's estate -- John, Alison.
BERMAN: All right, Sara Sidner. Thanks so much.
Tragic fire destroyed a 160-year-old church in New York City. Nearly 200 firefighters responded to the call last night at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sava. It took three hours to beat back the flames. The historic building was gutted. Nobody was hurt luckily. Officials do not know what started the fire.
KOSIK: How devastating that fire looks.
All right. Public -- more than 40 Detroit public schools are closed today as teachers in the embattled city participate in a union sickout. The director from the union encouraging teachers to call in sick comes a day after the school district informed the union it will be unable to pay its employees after June 30th. Teachers have been complaining for years about the badly dilapidated conditions of many schools. Detroit public school officials are calling on Michigan lawmakers to pass a $715 million education reform package or all summer programs will be suspended.
BERMAN: In a few hours, about 700 travelers cruise into history. The Carnival Cruise ship Adonia becomes the first U.S. ship to dock in Cuba in decades. This happens about a year and a half after the U.S. announced that diplomatic relations would be restored between the two countries. The first person off the ship will be Arnie Perez, Carnival's chief legal officer. He is among a handful of travelers on the Adonia who were born in Cuba.
[04:50:03] KOSIK: Beautiful. I want to go on one of those, right, Tequila.
BERMAN: That ship looks good right now.
KOSIK: Exactly.
More heavy rain and the threat of flash flooding for the south. Let's bring in meteorologist Pedram Javaheri for more.
Good morning, Pedram.
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Alison and John, good morning to you both.
(WEATHER REPORT)
JAVAHERI: Guys.
KOSIK: All right, Pedram, thanks for that.
So how many times have you gone to Starbucks and gotten a cold drink, but it's got more ice and not enough drink? Yes, you know what I'm talking about. Why one Chicago customer is taking on the coffee giant. We're going to get an EARLY START on your money next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:55:44] BERMAN: Happening now. World leaders are gathering in Geneva hoping to resurrect a ceasefire that has all but collapsed in Syria. The United Nations is warning the situation in Aleppo there has turned catastrophic, this after a deadly air strike killed 50 people at a pediatric hospital. At least six of the dead were medical workers.
Secretary of State John Kerry is blaming the bombing on the Syrian government, calling it a deliberate act. The Syrian regime and the Russians who are aiding the Syrians are denying any involvement.
Let's go live to Moscow and bring in CNN's senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen.
Fred, what are the Russians saying?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John. Yes, certainly a very devastating situation there in Aleppo over the weekend. Some 250 civilians killed in the past 10 days alone. And it really looks as though the ceasefire in that part of Syria appears to be falling apart. Now the Russians, as you've said, have said they were not involved in any of these bombings. The Syrian regime also saying the same.
However, groups on the ground saying they do believe that it was a Syrian government war plane that bombed that hospital. The big question now is for Secretary of State Kerry is how to get the ceasefire back on track. That's the reason he is in Geneva. And he has said that it's not going to get back on track if the Russians are not on board.
Now the interesting thing is that at these meetings in Geneva, the Russians aren't even present. However, the secretary has said that they are in constant contact with the Russians. And the Russians apparently have said while they were earlier saying that they didn't want the Syrian government to get the ceasefire back on track, now they're saying they are in negotiations to try and do just that.
So at least negotiations appear to be going on. The U.S. has said that they expected the Russians to use the influence that they have over the Assad regime to make sure that the bombings stop there in Aleppo. Because one thing that's clear to all sides, John, is that the ceasefire, if it falls apart in Aleppo, that could spell the end of any sort of cessation of hostilities in Syria as a whole and could lead to all-out fighting returning to that country very soon with all the devastating effects that we've seen over the past five years -- John.
BERMAN: And whatever break the people inside that country have had will come to an end.
Frederik Pleitgen for us in Moscow, thanks so much.
KOSIK: So let's get an EARLY START on your money. U.S. stocks are hoping to make a turnaround from Friday's losses. Futures reporting slightly higher at the moment. Stocks suffered their worst week last week since February's freak-out. The Dow fell 56 points on Friday last week adding to the Thursday's triple-digit fall.
Wall Street is coping with the worst stretch for corporate profits since the financial crisis. The dramatic fall in oil prices has really hit oil companies hard. ExxonMobil said its profits fell more than 60 percent for the first quarter. More companies are reporting their earnings this week. We're going to be hearing from names you may recognize. Sprint, Tesla and Kraft.
After 17 tries and no winner, the current jackpot for the National Powerball is $348 million. Not bad. That amount is only available if a winner chooses to take the money over 30 years. The more popular lump sum option has a cash value just over $226 million. Not too shabby. The next drawing is Wednesday. But your chances of winning not so great. Each ticket has a 1 in 292 million shot. But I think I'm going to try with one ticket.
One Starbucks customer in Chicago is very unhappy. So unhappy he's filing a lawsuit. Stacy Pincus filed a $5 million lawsuit against the coffee chain accusing it of using too much ice in its cold drinks. The suit claims that the number of ounces Starbucks advertises is only right once ice is added to the drink. For example, a Venti drink is advertised at 24 ounces. But the suit claims it only has 14 ounces of actual liquid. The rest is ice.
Starbucks said, quote, "Our customers understand and expect that ice is an essential component of any iced beverage." Keep in mind, this is one person with this lawsuit. But kind of interesting. It's something I think we all can relate to for those of us who get these cold drinks.
BERMAN: I often sympathize with Starbucks. But I will say if you are getting iced coffee, you would think there will be ice in it.
KOSIK: Right. But not the entire cup. The entire cup should not be filled with ice. You want a little coffee in there to get your --
BERMAN: There is coffee in it, too, I suppose. You have to have both.
All right. EARLY START continues right now.
