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EARLY START

Charles Manson Dies Of Natural Cause At 83; White House President Interceded For Players; Fall-Out From Trump-Ball Feud; Border Patrol Agent Killed In SW Texas; Queen Celebrating 70 Years Of Marriage; Stepping Down, Mugabe. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired November 20, 2017 - 04:00   ET

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


[04:00:17] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome to "Early Start." Everybody I'm David Briggs on a Monday.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans, it is Monday, November 20th, and it is 4:00 a.m. in the east. Breaking overnight, One of America's most notorious killer Charles Manson has died. The California department of corrections says it wild-eyes '60s cult leader died of unspecified natural causes.

BRIGGS: The 83 year-old had been in prison since 1971 serving life with possibility of parole of seven counts of first degree murders. CNN Stephanie Elam has a look on Manson's role as a ring leader, one of 60's most sensational mass murders.

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Manson's maybe the most famous notorious mass murder, ever.

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STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The summer of '69 was marred by gruesome murders that shook the nation. Five people killed at the home of Hollywood star, Sharon Tate. And another couple murdered the following night. Manson's was the mastermind behind the brutal killings. The leader of the clan that carried out the unthinkable. He was convicted of conspiracy and murder in 1971, and infamously in went down in history.

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CHARLES MANSON, MOST NOTORIOUS MASS MURDERER IN AMERICA: I do a lot of things you guys don't see.

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ELAM: Manson was born in Cincinnati 1934 to a single, teenage mother.

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MANSON: She got out of my life early. I spent the best part of my life in boy schools, prison and reform schools, because I had nobody. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: After marrying twice since spending half his life in prison, 32 year old Manson made his way to Berkeley in 1967. He established himself as a guru in the summer of love and was quickly sharing a home with 18 women.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get kids, children, coming in and here is Charlie Manson saying how much he loves them and wants to take care of them. He took full advantage.

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ELAM: Manson's passion for music translated into an obsession with the Beatles 1968 song, Helter-Skelter.

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VINCENT BUGLIOSI, MANSON TRIAL PROSECUTOR: The Beatles wanted a worldwide revolution, blacks against whites.

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ELAM: Aiming to launch the fabricated war, Manson directed his disillusion clan to kill. On August 9, 1969, four Manson followers invaded the Hollywood Hills home of actress Sharon Tate, where they massacred five people. The 26 year old starlet was 8 1/2 months pregnant. The next night, the clan brutally murdered Los Angeles couple Leno and Rosemary La Bianca, at both homes, they left behind shocking murder scenes.

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BUGLIOSI: When those words Helter-Skelter was found printed in blood on the murder scene that matches the Manson's fingerprints being found at the murder scene.

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ELAM: After evidence on the case is mounted, and a high profile trial, Manson and four followers were convicted of nine murders and sentenced to death in 1971, which was downgraded to life in prison when California banned the death penalty.

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BRIGGS: All right. Stephanie Elam there, with all that.

Meanwhile, President Trump apparently sorry, he did not leave one of three UCLA basketball players in the Chinese jail after the player's dad made a comment that upset him. The LaVar Ball the father of UCLA Liangelo Ball and L.A. Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball dismissing the President's role in getting his son released. The outspoken Mr. Ball telling ESPN, who? What was he over there for? Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seems like he help me out. The President slamming Ball as ungrateful. This is all real. CNN's Boris Sanchez has more at the White House.

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN NEWSROOM HOST: Dave and Christine, President Trump never known to back down from a fight. This latest spat with Mr. LaVar Ball over the release of his son from prison in China over alleged shoplifting. This all started while the President was on his 12-day, five-nation tour of Asia. The three UCLA players were detained. The President found out about it after hearing from White House officials and personally asked Chinese President Xi Jinping, if those students could be released and safely returned to the United States. They were.

And in that process the President on Twitter wondered whether or not the players would thank him. They did. He tweeted about them, warning them to be weary of the many pitfalls in life. But then, as soon as we thought it was over, on Friday, LaVar Ball, the father of Liangelo Ball, one of those three students made a comment to ESPN down playing the President's role in their release. He tweeted about the situation once on Sunday morning. Then again, hours later, writing, quote, shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be. Five-ten years in jail.

But not to father LaVar, should have gotten his son out during my next trip to China, instead. China told them why they were released. Very ungrateful. The President has caught flak for suggesting the idea he would not have helped release this U.S. Citizen, this student athletes from the Chinese prison if he had known one that one of the parents would not give him credit in public. Christine and Dave.

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[04:05:33] ROMANS: Wow.

BRIGGS: Yes, that is proper. Just to be clear this is exactly what Mr. LaVar Ball wants. If you haven't looked into his background, this is who he is. He is a professional troll and the President just fell right into his trap.

ROMANS: Fallout for the President and the UCLA students flooding social media. "The Washington Post" former bureau chief who was freed last year, after spending 545 days in prison by the Iranians posted this tweet. My dad was dead when the U.S. negotiated my release from prison in Iran, but if he was alive, he would have been appreciative of all efforts to get me out. If for some reason, though he was less than gracious about it, I doubt Barack Obama would have needed to pull one of these.

BRIGGS: This is from Democrats Congressman Adam Schiff, the President would have left American students in a foreign jail, because their families didn't lavish sufficient praise on him. How can someone in such a big office be so small? Democratic Congressman Jim Hines of Connecticut tweets Kaepernick, con that is the gold star father at the DNC, Fredericka Wilson down in Florida, LaVar Ball, apart from HRC, Hillary Clinton intensity of Donald Trump's infantile attacks correlates with skin color.

New this morning, Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore standing by his demand that Attorney Gloria Allred turn over a yearbook own by one of his accusers, we can examined by forensic investigators. The 1977 yearbook is owned by Beverly Young Nelson who claims Moore sexually assaulted her when she was 16. Nelson wrote in her yearbook, calling her beautiful and signing it with love. Moore now says, he preside over Nelson's divorce case and claims the D.A. initials in the yearbook was forged from a court document.

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ROY MOORE, (R) ALABAMA: They forged the name on to this annual. They also included initials of mine, my receptionist and secretary, which was D.A., Debra Adams. And certainly the forged it and this is a complete fabrication I did not know Nelson and never met her.

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ROMANS: Alabama's three largest newspapers are not buying it. They are running an editorial that read in part, do not let this conversation be muddled. This election has become a referendum. Whether we will accept this kind of behavior from our leaders. There is only one candidate left in the race who has proven worthy of the task of representing Alabama, he is Doug Jones. Alabama's election is 23 days away.

Senator Susan Collins isn't ready back the tax plan. Telling CNN, she has a long list of changes, including taking out the repeal of Obamacare individual's mandate.

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SEN SUSAN COLLINS, (D) MAINE: I don't think that provision should be in the bill. I hope the senate will follow the lead of the house and strike it.

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ROMANS: Repealing the Obamacare mandate help pays for tax cuts but at least 13 million fewer American insured with hikes in premiums. Recent congressional studies that higher premiums wipeout tax savings for many Americans, but OMD Director Mick Mulvaney told CNN the White House is ok if the bill pulls the repeal.

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MICK MULVANEY, BUDGET DIRECTOR: If we can repeal part of Obamacare as part of a tax bill and have a tax bill that is still a good tax bill that can pass, that is great. If it's an impediment to getting the best tax bill we can, we are ok with taking it out.

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ROMANS: Health care, taxes, taxes, health care, they can only afford to lose two GOP votes. So far, only GOP Senator Ron Johnson will not vote for the current plan. He said the bill is unfairly favors corporations over small business with cuts of the tax rate as they expire in eight years. The corporate rate cut, that is permanent.

BRIGGS: Higher than the corporate rate. President Trump saying Senator Jeff Flake's career is toast after Flake hurled that word a Trump. The president slamming Flake on Twitter last night. After Flake step off stage in a town hall, Friday still wearing a live mic, here is Flake's not so private conversation with Mesa, Arizona mayor, John Giles.

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SEN JEFF FLAKE, (R) ARIZONA: If we become the Party of Roy Moore and Donald Trump, we are toast.

[04:10:04] JOHN GILES, MAYOR, GILES ARIZONA: And I am not throwing smoke at you, but you are the guy that could, just for fun. Think of how fun it would be to point out what an idiot this guy is.

FLAKE: Ok.

GILES: Anyway.

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BRIGGS: The President back Sunday, tweeting Senator Jeff Flakey was caught purposely on mic saying bad things about your favorite President. Your favorite President. No on tax cuts, because his political career, anyway, is toast. Flake's office responding at the Senator is still reviewing the tax bill on its merits that is vote without nothing to do with the President. Nothing like turning a GOP Senator, who you desperately need their vote against you ahead of all that.

ROMANS: Are you surprise, I mean Jeff Flake has been critical of this President and the direction of his Party. Caught? He is not caught saying anything that I think --

BRIGGS: That would surprise me when he has been critical of the tax bill and you desperately need his vote. It has no chance without him.

ROMANS: That is true, President Trump turning his attention to the border wall after a border patrol agent is killed on the job in southwest Texas. We have the latest.

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[04:15:14] BRIGGS: The FBI is searching for suspects and potential witnesses to a deadly attack on two border patrol agents over the weekend in southwest Texas. A 36-year-old Rogelio Martinez and his partner were patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border in the big bend sector when they reported being injured. Customs officials are not releasing any other details. Both agents were transferred to a hospital where Martinez died. His partner is in serious condition. President Trump responding on Twitter last night, tweeting in part we will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will and must build the wall.

ROMANS: Three people killed overnight when a medivac helicopter crash in Arkansas, the state department of emergency management said the medical chopper went down in the town of Dewitt, emergencies crews said the chopper were in flames when they arrived at the crash site. The three crew members were pronounced dead on the scene. No patient was on board. The NTSB and FAA are investigating what prompted that crash.

BRIGGS: Actor Jeffry Tambor saying he may not return to his Emmy winning role in the show "Transparent." The 73 year-old actor accused of sexual harassment by at least two people. Amazon still investigating the allegations, according to website "Deadline" Tambor denies any wrong doing in a statement released by his publicist which reads, the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given a politicized atmosphere that affected our set, I don't see how I can return to "Transparent."

RICHMOND: Deadline reports the allegations, comes from two of the actors transgender colleagues. His former assistant Dan Barnes and fellow transparent actor, Trace Luzette, in a blog post said that Tambor repeatedly propositioned and groped her and pushed himself on her while on set.

BRIGGS: This morning, actor David Cassidy is fighting for his life. He is in critical condition with organ failure at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is in intensity care, with a breathing tube, he is conscious and surrounded by family and friends. Popular '70s heart throb rose to fame from the Partridge family. He was battling dementia.

RICHMOND: Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrating 70 years of marriage. Spectacle of their royal wedding back in 1947, which drew statesmen and royalty from around the world along with huge crowds of well-wishers.

BRIGGS: All right. Straight ahead, breaking news overnight out of Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe appearing to agree to step down after his apparent coup on this chaos across that country we go live to Zimbabwe. Next on "Early Start."

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[04:22:32] BRIGGS: Breaking news overnight. The embattled President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe agreed to resign. A source with direct knowledge of negotiations telling CNN Mugabe has accepted terms from the nation's general to step down. Let's go live to David McKenzie in Harare Zimbabwe. Good morning to you David. Now, clearly Mugabe had some demands. Why did he have leverage on that behalf?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He has leverage because the military appears throughout this strange and bizarre, apparent coup to want to make it seem like it is a constitutional transfer of power. The leverage is to resign and go quietly. It's in his interest to resign to get immunity. We are learning from a source close to the tense negotiations that Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old leader of the country did agreed to those terms and a resignation letter has been drafted. Some of those terms include him and the first lady, Grace Mugabe, getting immunity and that he can keep some of his assets. Zimbabwe was rally on the edge of their seats yesterday when we had that address from Robert Mugabe where everyone, to be honest, expected him to announce his resignation. That didn't happen. But constitutionally the way it works here is that a resignation letter needs to be sent to the parliament, to the speaker, then they officially announce it to the nation. Whether there's some last minute recall, we'll have to wait to see. Certainly, this has been a truly remarkable week in Zimbabwe. Everyone watching to see whether he officially does. Dave.

BRIGGS: David, the word is his long-time Vice President, who was with him throughout his entire reign, virtually, is the one to take over. With him throughout decades of human rights violations. Why is there hope things are going to be better?

MCKENZIE: I think the hope is you deal with one thing first, another thing second. Certainly, there's nervousness about it. The former Vice President is widely believed to take over from Robert Mugabe. He is known as the crocodile, because he is a person that survived and thrived as the right hand man of Robert Mugabe and has been accused of rights violations with a strong arm throughout the decades as Mugabe's lieutenant.

[04:25:03] So the question is would be more of the same when Mugabe goes, I think today Dave, the entire country is hoping to see the back of the President, based on what I have been speaking to people. Then, they will deal with tomorrow, tomorrow. Dave.

BRIGGS: Sure. Makes sense. David McKenzie live for us in Harare Zimbabwe. Thank you so much. Great reporting.

ROMANS: All right, 25 minutes after the hour. The search for a missing Argentine navy submarine with 44 crew members on board intensifies. The ARA San Juan may have been trying to make contact with authorities with seven failed satellite calls on Saturday. The vessel is 268 miles off the coast of Argentina was communication was lost last Wednesday. More than a dozen boats and aircraft from the United States, Argentina, Britain, Chile and Brazil are participating in that search.

We have following breaking news out of California, Charles Manson had died in prison. 83 years old. The latest reaction to the notorious killer's death, next.