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EARLY START

President Trump Ratchets Up Migrant Demonizing Ahead Of Midterm Elections; Oprah Winfrey Campaigns For Stacey Abrams In Georgia; Part Of Fuselage And Landing Gear Found From Lion Air Flight. Aired 5:30- 6a ET

Aired November 2, 2018 - 05:30   ET

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


[05:30:00] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. We're going to consider it. I told them to consider it a rifle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE BRIGGS, CNN ANCHOR: Rock-throwing could get you shot. The president's stark warning to migrants heading toward the southern border, still weeks away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, CAMPAIGNING FOR GEORGIA DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE STACEY ABRAMS: Honor your legacy. Honor your right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Imagine if Oprah showed up at your door. She's leading a "Get Out the Vote" effort in a key state for Democrats.

BRIGGS: The president reportedly asking aides to draft a trade deal with China and he wants a package finished at the G20 this month.

ROMANS: And the oldest victim of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre will be laid to rest today. The first Sabbath since the attack begins at sundown.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. Happy Friday, everybody.

The president in West Virginia tonight. He's got 10 more stops in nine states with four short days until the midterms.

President Trump all in a single strategy and that is scare voters about our southern border. The president claiming at a White House event that he will sign an executive order next week tightening U.S. asylum rules.

The commander in chief also had this stark warning regarding out rules of engagement at the southern border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They want to throw rocks at our military, our military fights back. We're going to consider it. I told them to consider it a rifle. When they throw rocks like they did at the Mexico military and police, I say consider it a rifle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Quick fact-check. CNN has reported clashes between one group of migrants and Mexican troops. That was on Sunday. But the caravan has not generally been violent.

A U.S. defense official tells CNN the troops will be operating under standard rules and will only use force in self-defense.

The president took his midterm pitch to Missouri, again attacking birthright citizenship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This crazy, lunatic policy that we can end -- that we can end. It's called, you know, birth tourism where pregnant mothers from all over the world travel to America to make their children instant, lifelong citizens with guaranteed everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: The Department of Homeland Security has put out a fact sheet on the caravan. It was a little light on the facts. DHS claims, without evidence, that more than 270 of the migrants have criminal histories. Hours earlier, the president, himself, said we have no idea who is in the caravan.

ROMANS: Democrats are deploying some serious star power to get out the vote in Georgia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (DENISE): Oh! Oh, my God.

OPRAH WINFREY, CAMPAIGNING FOR GEORGIA DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE STACEY ABRAMS: Hi, Denise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (DENISE): Hi, Oprah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: That's Oprah Winfrey knocking on doors in support of Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for governor, making an impassioned plea for Georgians to vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WINFREY: For anybody here who has an ancestor who didn't have the right to vote and you are choosing not to vote wherever you are in this state, in this country, you are dishonoring your family. So, honor your legacy -- honor your legacy. Honor your right to citizenship in this, which is the greatest country in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Vice President Mike Pence also in Georgia campaigning for Republican Brian Kemp. He had a message for Stacey Abrams and her high-profile backers, such as the star of "Anchorman."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'd like to remind Stacey, and Oprah, and Will Farrell I'm kind of a big deal, too. I've got a message for all of Stacey Abram's liberal Hollywood friends. This ain't Hollywood, this is Georgia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: More than 20 million early votes have been cast so far. Younger people in Georgia far outpacing the last midterm election.

Today, President Obama campaigns in Georgia for Stacey Abrams and in Florida for Democratic candidates Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson.

ROMANS: And you're a big deal, too, Dave Briggs. You're a big deal, too.

BRIGGS: Thank you.

ROMANS: I just want to remind you.

BRIGGS: Mike Pence taking a spin at humor.

And joining us this morning, "Daily Beast" Washington bureau chief Jackie Kucinich. She's a CNN political analyst.

He's hysterical, Jackie. Good morning -- how are you?

JACKIE KUCINICH, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, DAILY BEAST: Bravo, Mike Pence, though I don't know if Mike Pence will get that same jump that Oprah got if you found Mike Pence at your door all of a sudden.

BRIGGS: Yes. How many times do you think Mike Pence has used the word "ain't" before?

KUCINICH: Right, right.

BRIGGS: Look, celebrity endorsements don't always make much of a difference.

KUCINICH: Right.

BRIGGS: People don't often care. Is Oprah, do you think, the exception down there in Georgia? KUCINICH: I don't know, I don't know. I mean, again, I could watch that video over and over again because of that woman's excitement. It was really -- I mean, it's good to see that sort of thing this day and age when everything else is so negative.

[05:35:00] That said, I -- in terms of attention to the race, in terms of coverage, sure -- perhaps that will help get more people to the polls. But as you said, celebrity endorsements only can go so far.

But they are really pulling out all the stops in Georgia, in Florida to make sure -- to really drive the African-American vote which could make all the difference out in those states.

BRIGGS: Yes, they're doing very well in the governorship races across the country --

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: -- the Democrats.

I thought it was interesting that Oprah said I'm an Independent.

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: I've voted for Republicans and I've voted for Democrats. And let's remember, she's only done this one before and that turned out pretty well.

ROMANS: Well --

KUCINICH: Well, no -- and --

ROMANS: Go ahead.

BRIGGS: Go ahead.

KUCINICH: I was just going to say and it should be said that what actually might make the difference -- Stacey Abrams, herself, has done a lot of door-knocking. That's one of the ways that she won the primary on the canvassing and the "Get Out the Vote" registration that she did.

If she wins, this is going to be a race that we study as reporters for a while.

BRIGGS: Yes.

KUCINICH: How she did it. And not only as reporters but I'm sure her Democratic operatives are going to be really looking at the tactics that she used to make sure that African-Americans come to the polls, if it works.

BRIGGS: It's very tight --

ROMANS: Yes. BRIGGS: -- right within the margin of error.

ROMANS: Meanwhile, the --

KUCINICH: Right with the margin.

ROMANS: -- president is all in on this border fear. That is his closing argument, no question. It's not about tax cuts, it's not about the economy. It's about this border fear.

And no less than three times. I mean, he was on Twitter yesterday, he was in Columbia, Missouri yesterday, and he was in Washington.

And in Washington, when he gave this speech about the border there was a section that kind of caught my attention. I want to play what he said about his appeal to women and border fear.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I don't want them in our country and women don't want them in our country. Women want security. Men don't want them in our country.

But the women do not want them. Women want security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: The president protecting women by his tough talk at the border, he says there.

Do you think that's kind of a backdoor admission that energized women are going to be key this week?

KUCINICH: I think it's a backdoor admission that they know that they have a problem with women right now. Particularly, suburban women are turned off by this president and some of his policies, including this tough talk. I mean, the border separation policy was disastrous among women.

That said, I spoke to Floyd Brown, who was the person who produced the Willie Horton ad --

ROMANS: Yes.

KUCINICH: -- in the 80s and actually, he said that to me -- that this would play well with women. This would get women to the polls for Republicans. So there is this hope that this fear will drive that.

But there's a reason that the president is doing this -- it's worked. Among certain people, it works.

ROMANS: Yes.

BRIGGS: But if you look at the map it could help them in the Senate as much as it hurts Republicans in the House.

KUCINICH: True.

BRIGGS: Some of the districts affluent, higher education. That may really backfire flipping the House.

But it was interesting how the president talked about this rough week we've had -- or really, two weeks, given the bombing -- the pipe bombs and given the synagogue massacre. And the president talked about what that's done to momentum last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Tremendous numbers of Republicans are going out to vote. Now, we did have two maniacs stop the momentum that was incredible because for seven days nobody talked about the elections. It stopped the tremendous momentum.

More importantly, we have to take care of our people and we don't care about momentum when it comes to a disgrace like just happened to our country. But it did, nevertheless, stop a certain momentum and now the momentum is picking up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRIGGS: Your thoughts, Jackie?

KUCINICH: What do you say to that, honestly? I'm being serious. Like, what -- it's so cynical, particularly with what happened in Squirrel Hill, to view it through a political lens as something that quelched momentum.

But you also saw the president in his tweets the past week praising a congressman that was with him during his visit to Pittsburgh. It's just -- it's so -- it's so impossibly tone deaf.

BRIGGS: You know, maybe not the people in that crowd, but it feels like the country wants aspirational politics, wants healing, wants to be lifted up. Maybe that's wrong.

ROMANS: I mean --

BRIGGS: It's not entirely clear with environment.

ROMANS: Rose Mallinger is going to be put to rest today, you know?

KUCINICH: Right.

ROMANS: And two people were shot last week simply for being black. Eleven people were killed simply for being Jewish.

There's a moment in this country where we definitely need the aspiration, I think, and we're hearing political strategy and a barnstorming rally from the president.

BRIGGS: Well, we're going to learn a lot on Tuesday about what this country wants.

Jackie Kucinich, great to have you here on a Friday. Have a great weekend. Thank you.

ROMANS: Thanks, Jackie.

KUCINICH: Thanks, guys -- you, too.

BRIGGS: All right.

As Christine mentioned, funeral services today for the oldest of the 11 victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, 97-year-old Rose Mallinger.

[05:40:05] Yesterday, husband and wife Sylvan and Bernice Simon were laid to rest. They were married at Tree of Life synagogue 62 years ago.

Another victim, Richard Gottfried, also buried on Thursday.

ROMANS: Tonight marks the first Sabbath since the massacre, beginning at sundown. A new campaign called "Show Up for Shabbat" is encouraging Americans of all faiths to visit synagogues for services Friday and Saturday as a show of strength and love against hate.

Synagogue massacre suspect Robert Bowers pleaded not guilty in court Thursday. He was arraigned a day after a grand jury indictment him on 44 federal charges. Thirty-two of those charges carry the death penalty.

CNN also just learned police in New York are investigating messages found at a synagogue in Brooklyn. Some said "Hitler" -- "Jews Better Be Ready" -- and "Die, Jew Rats." This is being treated as a hate crime.

BRIGGS: OK.

"Devoid of moral foundation." Who the widow of Jamal Khashoggi is talking about in her new op-ed, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:45:15] BRIGGS: Right now off Indonesia, crews are starting to raise parts of that doomed Lion Air flight that crashed this week killing all 189 people aboard.

Senior international correspondent Ivan Watson live for us in Jakarta with the latest. Ivan, good morning.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Dave.

This is hard work. The Indonesian Navy has divers going down to about 100 feet below the sea and that is where, by hand, they are literally typing ropes around pieces of Lion Air flight 610, which went down on Monday morning roughly 30 seconds after take-off with about 189 passengers and crew on board.

An open source flight data reveals that it was rapidly accelerating as it was plunging toward the sea, suggesting that not only had pilots perhaps lost control but the thrust of the engines was on.

In this video that the Indonesian Navy has revealed, it looks like the pilots (sic) are wrapping a rope around a piece of one of the engines to then pull it up to the surface.

Now, on Thursday, the divers were able to pull up the flight data recorder which now, the investigators have extracted a memory chip and they'll be reviewing dozens of data streams there to try to make sense of how it was that the pilots lost control of this plane.

One of the suspicious moments is that on Sunday night this same aircraft has a sudden dip in altitude -- an almost violent dip in altitude in the first minutes of its flight Sunday. And then, the same thing happened again on Monday morning when that same aircraft took off. That's something that aviation experts are looking at.

But this is a difficult job and clearly, a tragic time for the relatives of the 189 souls who were lost on Monday morning -- Dave and Christine.

BRIGGS: Ivan Watson live for us this morning in Indonesia. Thank you.

ROMANS: The fiancee of murdered "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi penning an op-ed in today "Washington Post."

Hatice Cengiz calls on the international community and the U.S., in particular, to hold his killers accountable, writing, "The Trump administration has taken a position that is devoid of moral foundation. Some have approached this through the cynical prism of self-interest, statements framed by fear and cowardice, by the fear of upsetting deals or economic ties."

BRIGGS: She continues, "I know that governments operate not on feelings but on mutual interests. However, they must all ask themselves a fundamental question: If the democracies of the world do not take genuine steps to bring to justice the perpetrators of this brazen, callous act, what moral authority are they left with?"

ROMANS: All right.

President Trump is asking officials to begin drafting a potential trade deal with China. That's according to "Bloomberg News."

The report follows a phone call between Trump and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi, on Thursday.

The president said he had a good conversation with President Xi, tweeting, quote, "We talked about many subjects with a heavy emphasis on trade. Those discussions are moving along nicely with meetings being scheduled at the G20 in Argentina."

That's news. That summit is later this month.

A potential deal would hopefully end the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China. In a statement from China's Foreign Ministry, President Xi says,

"Economic teams from both countries should find a mutually acceptable trade deal."

Just yesterday, though, the Trump administration announced a new initiative to combat trade theft. The Department of Justice alleges a state-backed Chinese firm, along with Taiwanese actors, committed conspiracy to steal trade secrets from memory chipmaker Micron.

Asian stocks surged Friday on optimism about progress in that trade war between the U.S. and China. You can see big gains for the Nikkei, Shanghai stocks, and the Hang Seng.

In less than three hours, we'll see the last piece of big economic new before the midterms. Economists forecast the economy added 190,000 new jobs in October. A strong jobs number could give President Trump a potential boost heading into the last weekend before the midterm election.

On Wall Street, stocks rose again. The Dow closed up one percent. Dave, over three days it has gained 900 points. That's why you never sell at the bottom crash.

The S&P 500 closed up one percent. The Nasdaq closed up almost two.

The October jobs report will be released at 8:30 eastern time this morning.

Starbucks announcing plans to open up more stores around the world after a strong earnings report -- 2,100 new stores globally. That's all next year. Starbucks laid out the plan in its fourth-quarter earnings release on Thursday.

Revenue grew $6.3 billion in the quarter, up 11 percent from the same time last year.

More stores mean more cups and Starbucks has unveiled the new holiday cup designs. Here they are.

[05:50:02] BRIGGS: Wait for it, wait for it.

ROMANS: Drumroll, please -- the four new festive designs --

BRIGGS: No.

ROMANS: -- being revealed. Come on --

BRIGGS: Of the old?

ROMANS: There they are.

BRIGGS: There they are.

ROMANS: Look, everyone apparently wants lots of red and green.

BRIGGS: Apparently. ROMANS: So those are the four new designs. They introduce new holiday cups each fall since 1997. It's a bit of a tradition.

BRIGGS: But you do bury the lead because eggnog lattes, chestnut brulee lattes, peppermint mochas, and gingerbread lattes also return.

ROMANS: I drink tea, so I'm -- you know --

BRIGGS: It reveals the man that I am.

Thousands of Google employees walk off the job to protest sexual harassment. Hear from their CEO, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:55:05] ROMANS: "The Washington Post" is reporting the White House is increasingly concerned about misconduct allegations against Ryan Zinke. President Trump said to be telling aides he's afraid the Interior secretary has broken the rules.

This week, CNN confirmed the Justice Department is investigating Zinke for allegedly using his office for personal gain.

The secretary has faced multiple ethics issues, including conversations with Haliburton chairman David Lesar about a Montana development project located close to land owned by Zinke's family foundation, seen here in yellow.

BRIGGS: Google employees around the world staging a walkout Thursday to protest a workplace culture they say has turned a blind eye to sexual harassment and discrimination.

Thousands in California, Massachusetts, and New York, and as far away as Ireland and Zurich among those taking part in the protest.

ROMANS: The Google walkout followed a "New York Times" investigation that detailed years of sexual harassment allegations.

The company's CEO supported the walkout.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUNDAR PICHAI, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GOOGLE: We had a very, very high bar and we clearly didn't live up to our expectations and -- which is why we felt it was important to express our support for the employees.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Among the demands by Google employees, ending forced arbitration and harassment cases and a commitment to end pay and opportunity inequities.

BRIGGS: Police are urging parents in Marshfield, Massachusetts to be on the lookout for needles found inside candy. Sewing needles were found inside two packages of Twizzlers. Parents are being advised to throw away all Twizzlers and closely inspect all other Halloween candy their children received while trick or treating.

ROMANS: The chairman of the University of Maryland's board of regents has resigned. The regents facing outrage over the investigation into the death of football player Jordan McNair.

Chairman James Brady said in a statement he believes that his continued presence would impair the board's mission.

On Tuesday, the board decided to let head football coach D.J. Durkin keep his job. Then, university president Wallace Loh defied the board the next day and fired Durkin.

BRIGGS: A cheerleader from the San Francisco 49ers appearing to take a knee during the National Anthem before the game against the Oakland Raiders last night. It is believed she's the first cheerleader to protest during the National Anthem.

The 49ers are the team once home to Colin Kaepernick -- of course, the quarterback who launched the kneeling movement to bring attention to racial inequality in the U.S.

But, Nick Mullens, the backup to the backup quarterback really the story in this game last night. A really great underdog story, winning for the Niners.

ROMANS: I'll take your word for it.

BRIGGS: Yes.

ROMANS: All right.

It's the eighth year of a holiday tradition for Jimmy Kimmel. How would you react if someone ate Halloween candy?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHILD (CRYING).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What happened?

CHILD: No. We're so sad. No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I ate all your sweets when you were in the bath.

CHILD (CRYING).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have some broccoli in the frig. Do you want broccoli?

CHILD: I don't like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want carrots?

CHILD: No.

CHILD: I'm not mad at all. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

CHILD: I will never be mad at you because you're my mom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ate all of your Halloween candy.

CHILD: Oh, no, this is fake. I know this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But where's all your candy, then? You don't believe that I ate it?

CHILD: Yes, because you have showed us the video.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: OK, that kid is so cute I can't stand it.

I am not for this lying to your kids about the Halloween candy. I think it's mean. I'm on the record it's mean.

BRIGGS: They'll get over it. I'm sure they're over it about five minutes later. I need anything to laugh, my friend.

ROMANS: I need -- I need the credibility. I need them to believe everything I say.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Christine Romans.

BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs.

Fall back on Sunday night. Daylight Saving Time comes to an end. Don't you forget.

"NEW DAY," right now. Have a great weekend.

ROMANS: That's more sleep -- more sleep.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's all about getting people stirred up. It's about fear.

TRUMP: When they throw rocks, I say consider it a rifle.

CHUCK HAGEL, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: My reaction is one of disgust. It is of rank political purpose to use our military like this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need to secure our borders. We need to know every single person that is coming in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I spent two days with the caravan and I didn't see criminals or rapists or terrorists.

JOSEPH BIDEN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Get the hell up. Go out and vote. Take it back now, now, now. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. This is NEW DAY. It is Friday, November second, 6:00 here in New York.

So, four days to go until the midterm elections and President Trump is ratcheting up his anti-immigration rhetoric and using the White House podium to stoke fears and rally Republican voters.