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EARLY START

Charles Manson Dies At 83; Trump: I Should Have Left UCLA Player In China; Queen Celebrating 70 Years Of Marriage. Aired 5:30- 6a ET

Aired November 20, 2017 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00] DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore standing his ground in a new interview. Why he says he can prove the yearbook signature is not his.

And we're still on standby waiting for the president to weigh in on Roy Moore on Twitter. Not happening yet.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Dave Briggs.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans. It is 30 minutes past the hour this Monday morning.

Breaking overnight, one of America's most notorious killers, Charles Manson, has died. The California Department of Corrections says the wild-eyed, sixties cult leader died of unspecified natural causes. Manson was 83 years old.

He had been in prison since 1971 for his role as ringleader of what became one of that era's most sensational mass murders.

BRIGGS: Prosecutors said Manson wanted to spark a race war and ordered his followers to kill five people one night, including actress Sharon Tate Polanski and a married couple, the LaBiancas, the next.

He was originally sentenced to death which was automatically commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole when a court abolished California's death penalty in 1972. Manson was up for parole 12 times over the decades and was rejected each time.

ROMANS: All right. President Trump says he should have left one of the three UCLA basketball players in a Chinese jail after the player's dad was not sufficiently thankful.

LaVar Ball, father of UCLA's 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 seem like he helped us out -- helped me out."

Now, the president slamming Ball as ungrateful.

CNN's Boris Sanchez has more from the White House. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, President Trump, never known to back down from a fight. This latest spat with 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. Those three UCLA players were detained. The president found out about it, we're 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, aloud on Twitter, wondered whether or not those players would thank him. They did, and he tweeted about them, warning them to be wary of the many pitfalls in life.

But then, just 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 downplaying the president's role in their release.

So he tweeted about the situation once on Sunday morning and then again hours later, writing quote "Shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be -- five to 10 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."

Now, the president has caught some flack for suggesting this idea that he would not have helped release these U.S. citizens -- these student- athletes from a Chinese prison if he had known that one of their parents would not give him credit in public, Christine and Dave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Thanks, Boris, for that.

BRIGGS: Trying to do that with a straight face is Boris.

Joining us this morning is CNN political analyst Julian Zelizer, historian and professor at Princeton University. Good morning to you, sir.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

ROMANS: Hi.

BRIGGS: Sunday tweets not good for this president. This feud with LaVar Ball, though, a professional troll who has largely followed the Trump playbook in becoming a brand -- big Baller brand. What does this reveal about this president?

ZELIZER: Well, first of all, it's an unnecessary fight that the president has just engaged in and it reveals that he still loves to appeal to his core supporters with these kinds of provocative fights. We don't know why he selects certain fights and not others.

He hasn't said anything about Roy Moore --

BRIGGS: Why do you think?

ZELIZER: -- essentially.

BRIGGS: It's been 11 days. He's said nothing about Roy Moore.

ZELIZER: Yes. Well, with Roy Moore, I think partisanship is pretty strong and the president is calculating.

And we don't know if he's just being provocative with the basketball tweets or he's playing on certain racial animosities, which is something some of his critics have brought up.

ROMANS: I mean, I -- those young men stood before the cameras and they made apologies --

ZELIZER: Right.

ROMANS: -- for their actions, and they thanked the government and they thanked the president.

I mean, really, this is -- when you -- when you really peel away all of the -- you know, all of the provocative language from LaVar Ball and from the president, at the core of this these guys said I'm sorry and thank you -- listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIANGELO BALL, UCLA BRUINS: I would also like to thank President Trump and the United States government for the help that they provided, as well.

CODY RILEY, UCLA BRUINS: To President Trump and the United States government, thank you for taking the time to intervene on our behalf.

JALEN HILL, UCLA BRUINS: And thank you to the United States government and President Trump for your efforts to bring us home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:35:03] ROMANS: So just to reiterate, this is really happening where the President of the United States is saying he should have left them in jail because one of those guys -- the dad wasn't sufficiently grateful.

ZELIZER: It's unbelievable, and here we are on the cusp of a major debate over taxation in the Senate and Republicans are waiting to see what happens, and he throws this tweet into the mix and this becomes the conversation.

We don't know if he does this strategically, if he does it as a distraction, or this is literally a president acting in real time, saying what he thinks and just venting constantly before the public.

BRIGGS: These types of Twitter feuds are this president's oxygen.

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: This is on what he is fueled.

But let's talk about the tax reform battle --

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- that is looming --

ZELIZER: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- over all of this.

And now, you throw back in Jeff Flake, the Arizona senator who has battled the president publically and is retiring.

Here's what was caught by an open mic. Flake talking with the Mesa, Arizona mayor, by the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

JOHN GILES, MAYOR, MESA, ARIZONA: And I am not throwing smoke at you, but you're the guy that could -- just for fun. Think how much fun it would be just to be the foil, you know, and to point out what an idiot this guy is.

FLAKE: That's OK.

GILES: You know -- anyway.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: All right. So, open mic moment. The president can't let that one go, you know that, so he tweets this.

"Sen. Jeff Flake(y)," -- hysterical -- "who is unelectable in the great state of Arizona" -- blah, blah, blah. It goes on and says, "He'll be a no on tax cuts because his political career anyway is toast."

Let's let the grammar go for a moment.

Jeff Flake has been supportive of the tax cut bill. Hasn't said anything negative about it. Ron Johnson, the senator from Wisconsin and the only one who's clearly a no at this point.

Can't his president get unity in the Senate and sell this and get it through, let alone by year's end? ZELIZER: He can't get unity but corporate tax cuts can get unity, and I think that's what the Republicans are counting on. This is something that is very important to a lot of the Republican constituency. It's seen as a big victory, politically, if they can get it through.

And so I think someone like Mitch McConnell is saying well, let the president say what he wants and even with his problems leading through legislation we can still solve these corporate tax cuts.

ROMANS: Yes.

ZELIZER: The problem is they are coupling it with the middle-class tax increase --

ROMANS: Right.

ZELIZER: -- for many Americans, and so that's a difficult sell for Republicans.

ROMANS: Let's listen to what Susan Collins -- Sen. Susan Collins was on CNN on Sunday and she has some reservations as well. Let's listen to her concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: There are provisions of the bill that I would like to see changed and keeping that top rate for individuals where it is for people making more than $1 million is one change.

And I would also like to see the business taxes, which do need to be reduced in order to incentivize the creation of good jobs and higher wages in this country, but it does not need to be reduced all the way to 20 percent for large businesses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: I think that statement there shows you how much work they're going to have coming to a consensus here. You're right, it is corporate tax relief that is really kind of a driver of this bill but the president has insisted on selling it as the biggest middle-class tax cut his history, which it is not.

ZELIZER: Right, and he could run into the same problem we saw with healthcare where he can say one thing, the facts show something different, and he loses to the facts. That is what happened with repeal and replace when we learned how many people would lose health care.

And so the question is, does tax cuts and tax increases -- does it play out differently? But it will be difficult because people are watching.

Many Republicans from northeastern --

ROMANS: Right. ZELIZER: -- states and constituencies are not happy with this.

And so we'll see how he handles it. But this is not a president who is very good at legislation and he doesn't really have a feel for the legislative process, so that's a handicap for the GOP.

BRIGGS: And it's not clear if his White House is going to insist on that mandate being in or not because they hedged their bets on Sunday --

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- on all the shows. So that is the one thing to watch in the days ahead.

Julian Zelizer, thanks for being here, my friend.

ROMANS: Happy Monday.

ZELIZER: Thank you.

ROMANS: Thank you.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrating 70 years of marriage today. A live report from London, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:43:40] ROMANS: All right.

Reports of sexual harassment are hitting Hollywood, media, Washington, but the new Senate tax bill could help those victims by banning companies from deducting sexual harassment payouts from their tax bill. You heard me right.

Right now, companies can write off legal settlements for sexual assault and harassment. They can write it off their taxes as ordinary business expenses.

So, a new amendment denies these deductions, creating some transparency -- making it more expensive for companies to cover up misconduct.

Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who proposed the amendment, says that will help victims, telling CNN that by secretly settling, companies make it harder for others to come forward and seek justice.

The House tax bill has a similar amendment however, it was not included in the final version that passed last week. Interesting, right?

BRIGGS: It is, indeed. It is stunning that you can write that off.

All right, time for a look at what's coming up on "NEW DAY." Chris Cuomo joining us. Chris, good morning to you, sir.

ROMANS: Hey, Chris.

BRIGGS: These tweets from the president and the father of a basketball player, some feel that they -- that he wants to divide along racial lines, others feel that it's all about heaping praise on this president. What do you think it reveals?

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: You know, look, I think you're asking the right question. I know it's very provocative.

I don't -- I'm not quite sure why there's so much surprise when we see Donald Trump, whether he's in the form of an entertainer or a president, changing who he is. You know, people don't change.

[05:45:00] You're still young, Dave. Let me tell you something as an old man. You can change some behaviors but people don't change.

If you attack this man, he attacks you back. Forget about the station of the president --

ROMANS: Yes, right.

CUOMO: -- the biggest man in the room.

ROMANS: Yes.

CUOMO: I don't know why we're surprised every time it happens. I know it's worthy of criticism but I'm just not surprised that it happened.

But you're right, Dave. You're identifying the right question. We're going to look at it.

I was listening to you guys before I came on. Christine is right in terms of we're going to look into what's going on with this taxes -- the tax bill. What's going to come out, what's going to be in?

Christine, there, you know, the mandate for me -- we know why they have the mandate in there. Of course, it helps with repeal and replace, although I think if they got their wish on this and the mandate goes through they're going to have a problem because the ACA is going to start to crater --

BRIGGS: Yes.

CUOMO: -- and then what are they going to do to fix it?

ROMANS: Then they own it. They really own it.

CUOMO: Right, and the bigger concern -- and I know they'll say that we're wrong, by the way. They don't own it, it's all Obama, it will always be Obama. But, you know, people deal with what's happening in their pocketbook.

And the last time thing I'm going to take on here in terms of taxes is who is the tax cut for? A part of this is about politics, right, a big part of it. It's supposed to be a middle-class tax cut. That's what the president keeps saying.

Do they do the best because you would think if you're going to call it something, that group should be favored over other groups? Otherwise, why would you call it that?

ROMANS: So, you know, I think that they -- this is a tax cut for companies to inspire growth to help American families and somewhere along the way it switched from a tax cut for companies -- no, no, no, now it's a middle-class tax cut. I think you can't have it both ways, you know.

CUOMO: Yes.

ROMANS: And I think that part of the messaging -- in part, because the president --

BRIGGS: The president wants middle-class tax cuts.

ROMANS: He said --

BRIGGS: He'd be getting them, yes.

ROMANS: Right. He said that this would be the biggest middle-class tax cut in history, which it just isn't.

CUOMO: Right. And look, I know, Dave, Christine's a big fan of the trickle-down. She believes you cut corporate taxes and the growth goes all over the place.

BRIGGS: Oh, yes.

CUOMO: Her buddies, the bankers, they're going to like this. They're going to like this tax bill.

ROMANS: You, you, you.

CUOMO: Look at Romans. Look at her look up. Christine hates that.

Christine has been fighting for the little guy for what now? You know, at least a while. I've read a couple of the books.

But she hates when I tease her about this. Boy, does she hate it.

ROMANS: He always wants to make me a corporatist. All right, thank you, Chris. Thank you.

CUOMO: All right, you be well. Happy Monday.

ROMANS: All right.

BRIGGS: See you in a bit.

ROMANS: Do you watch Netflix at work or in the bathroom? According to a new survey you're not alone. Details on "Money Stream," next.

What do you watch in the bathroom? BRIGGS: Highlights.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:51:45] ROMANS: All right, breaking news overnight.

The embattled president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, agreeing to resign.

A source with direct knowledge of the negotiations telling CNN Mugabe has accepted terms from the nation's generals to step down and a letter has been drafted to make the move official. That letter must now be sent to the speaker of Zimbabwe's Parliament.

CNN has learned Mugabe and his wife will be granted full immunity and will be allowed to keep their properties under the agreement.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip celebrating a subdued 70th wedding anniversary. No public events are planned but they will hold a small family gathering today at Windsor Castle. It's a sharp contrast from the spectacle of their royal wedding back in 1947.

CNN's Max Foster live in London. That was a moment that certainly captivated the people.

MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: It really did and Churchill talked about it being, you know, a glint a light in a very sort of glim era -- glum era back then.

And this was a fairytale. I think, you know, when we have this story and when we talk about "THE CROWN" on Netflix, it takes you back to this era which is when Prince Philip was a sort of young, dashing, naval officer marrying his princess, and it really did lift the whole nation of a really grim time around the wars, of course.

But today, as you say, a very low key marking of this event. They're going to be having dinner at Windsor Castle. The bells will ring out at Westminster Abbey, which is where they were married 70 years ago, and they've also released these new images showing them as a couple together.

Prince Philip, of course, is retired now.

But there's no plans, Christine, for the queen to retire. I think, you know, she made that promise many, many decades ago that she would serve a full term. She would serve her whole life to the nation and to the commonwealth. So I think she's always going to be there but she is gradually handing over more and more to Prince Charles and Prince William, so we're seeing less of her now.

ROMANS: Right.

FOSTER: But she certainly no planning -- not planning to abdicate anytime soon.

ROMANS: All right, Max Foster. Thank you so much for that. Nice to see you.

BRIGGS: All right. Actor Jeffrey Tambor signaling 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 investigating the allegations according to the Website "Deadline."

Tambor denies any wrongdoing in the statement released by his publicist, which reads "The idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have affected our -- afflicted our set, I don't see how I can return to "TRANSPARENT."

"Deadline" reports the allegations come from two of the actor's transgender colleagues, his former assistant Van Barnes and fellow "TRANSPARENT" actor Trace Lysette.

Barnes, in a blog post, implied that Tambor repeatedly propositioned and groped her. Lysette alleges Tambor made lewd remarks and physically pushed himself on her while on set.

ROMANS: Music mogul Russell Simmons the target of an explosive sexual assault allegation this morning.

The "Los Angeles Times" reporting the accuser was a 17-year-old model in 1991 when she says Simmons and director Brett Ratner took her back to Simmons' New York apartment to watch a music video Ratner was working on. She says Simmons sexually assaulted her while Ratner watched.

Simmons telling the "L.A. Times" the sex was consensual. Ratner said he did not see the woman object to Simmons' sexual advances.

[05:55:03] The same "L.A. Times" story says four more women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Ratner, on top of six who were already on the record.

BRIGGS: Pink's performance at the "AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS" taken to new heights, literally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PINK, SINGER, SONGWRITER: (Singing "Beautiful Trauma" while suspended from J.W. Marriott in downtown Los Angeles).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: You're not looking at a green screen there. Pink singing her "Beautiful Trauma" suspended from the J.W. Marriott in downtown Los Angeles flanked by six dancers. The pop queen confessing she did panic a bit.

ROMANS: Whoo.

BRIGGS: As would you, Christine Romans. ROMANS: Fear of heights, fear of singing in public.

BRIGGS: You're not up for any of that.

ROMANS: Fear of choreography. Fear of all of that.

BRIGGS: All right. Rain and snow set to batter the Northwest through the week but rosier weather expected for Thanksgiving around the rest of the country.

Pedram Javaheri with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Dave and Christine, yes, let's start off with the Northwest here with the activity.

Really pretty significant weather in place the next couple of days. We're talking as much as six to 10 inches of rainfall along the immediate coast. Get up into the Cascades, bring down upwards of a foot and a half to two feet of snow.

This is for much of this week so talk about traveling out of the Northwest or into this area really going to be problematic with those gusty winds also expected through much of say, the beginning portion of this week here.

On the immediate coast, winds 50 to 60 miles per hour with these storms that really don't give it a break. So we get multiple rounds of activity in the next couple of days.

Down around the Southeast, cold start -- among the coldest starts of the season. About 15 million people dealing with frost advisories and freeze warnings that are in place across this region. Temps into the upper twenties and lower thirties.

And notice, begin to see that mild trend return. But the Northeast and parts of the Midwest really in store for -- let's call it festive weather -- seasonal weather here with the temps about the upper forties out of Detroit today. Chicago, 50 degrees.

The trend as we approach Thanksgiving Day drops into the close to freezing mark range. And mostly sunny skies in New York City on Thanksgiving Day. We'll go with about 45 degrees for the afternoon high -- guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: All right. A chilly morning for that grade.

All right, let's get a check on "CNN Money Stream" this morning.

Global stock markets starting the week mostly lower. Last week, the Dow and the S&P 500 had their first two-week losing streak since August. A little bit of a setback on tax reform, specifically concerns that

tax cuts won't pass by the end of the year. Hopes for tax reform have lifted -- helped lift stocks to record highs.

The Dow fell 100 points Friday led by Walmart. It was down more than two percent. You might recall that its shares hit an all-time high Thursday on strong quarterly earnings so it took a little bit back off the table on Friday.

The FCC is scaling back a program that helps low-income Americans access the Internet. The Lifeline Program provides discounted phone and Internet service to low-income communities.

But last week, the agency voted to roll back parts of the program, eliminating a subsidy for customers on tribal lands and capping total spending to less than half its current budget.

The FCC says the new restrictions will fight abuse in the program. Critics say it just hurts low-income consumers.

All right. Do you watch Netflix at work or in the bathroom?

According to new data from Netflix, you are not alone. They surveyed people who watch the streaming service outside their homes and found 37 percent watch at work and 12 percent in public restrooms.

The use of both smartphones and streaming device services are on the rise. About two-thirds of Americans stream in public. The most popular place in the air. Forty-four percent said they watch on airplanes.

BRIGGS: As do I.

ROMANS: Thirty-seven percent said they watch at work, you know. That's not good. Bosses don't like that.

BRIGGS: No, but that's not surprising. I tend to watch sports highlights in the bathroom.

ROMANS: You do?

BRIGGS: Too much information?

ROMANS: I watch Chris Cuomo in the bathroom.

BRIGGS: Do you?

ROMANS: Just kidding.

BRIGGS: That is too much information, my friend.

ROMANS: Boy, what highlights that I'm watching? I'm not watching news highlights. That's horrible.

BRIGGS: Yes, I wake up wondering who won the game. That's the first thing I wonder. ROMANS: There you go, all right.

BRIGGS: And if you're wondering, the Eagles beat the Cowboys --

ROMANS: Oh, thank you. I can now start my week --

BRIGGS: -- heavily last night --

ROMANS: -- by knowing that information. Thanks for joining us.

BRIGGS: -- 37 to nine.

ROMANS: I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. "NEW DAY" starts right now. We'll see you tomorrow.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CUOMO: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It's Monday, November 20th, 6:00 here in New York and we do begin with breaking news.

Charles Manson is dead. The notorious cult leader who masterminded a murderous rampage in Los Angeles nearly five decades ago is finally gone at the age of 83.

As you'll remember, Manson's then young followers killed seven people in the summer of 1969, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate, all at his direction.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: So these grisly murders horrified the nation and gripped the world. Manson became the face of evil and one of the most infamous killers in American history.

CNN's Stephanie Elam is live in Hollywood Hills, California with all of the breaking details -- Stephanie.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn.