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NEW DAY

U.S. And China Halt Trade War With Temporary Truce; Hundreds Arrested In Violent Paris Protests; CNN Reality Check: Allegations Of Voting Irregularities Rock N.C. District; Kareem Hunt Apologizes After Video Shows Him Assaulting Woman. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired December 3, 2018 - 07:30   ET

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

[07:30:00] GEORGE MITCHELL, FORMER U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST, (D), FORMER U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: -- more targeted action directed toward those sectors of the Chinese economy in which they are engaging in illegal technology.

For example, they imposed restrictions on our financial institutions. We should impose counterpart restrictions. We should direct the adverse actions directly toward those segments of their economy that benefit from their illegal actions.

I think general tariffs have the effect, of course, imposing the ultimate cost on American consumers and invite the kind of retaliation that's occurred.

But I think the concern is a genuine one and I hope very much that they will be able to work out a way to end what is being described as a trade war and reach agreements that will reduce tariffs and enable more free and open trade between the two countries and others.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: Senator George Mitchell, thank you very much for your remembrances of President Bush and your perspective on all of this.

MITCHELL: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: John --

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: World markets are up after President Trump and China postponed imposing any new tariffs, but what does this deal mean for you? Christine Romans explains it all, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:35:06] BERMAN: It is time for "CNN Business Now."

Trade truce -- temporary trade truce. No new tariffs, for now, on Chinese goods while the U.S. and China begin working to end the current trade dispute.

Our chief business correspondent Christine Romans joins us now with more -- Romans.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT, ANCHOR, "EARLY START": Hi, there, John.

I'm calling it a pause in the trade war hammered out at that extraordinary meeting. On one side of the table, a president for life. On the other, a man who became president by promising to get tough on China -- surrounded by their advisers.

The headline, the U.S. to hold off on raising those tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on January first. In exchange, China said it is willing to purchase a very substantial amount of agriculture, energy, and other goods from the U.S. to help reduce the trade imbalance.

Now, the two countries now have 90 days to untangle what are decades of American complaints. The Americans want China to stop forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, non-tariff barriers, and rampant cyberespionage.

In a tweet late Sunday night, the president claimed success on auto tariffs but didn't specify exactly when that change would happen or what the new tariff level would be.

The president also declared to reporters on the way home he made a quote "incredible deal with China to open up its economy and end tariffs." But, China has not publicly gone that far.

Bottom line, they are talking, tariffs are still on, but not rising, Alisyn.

CAMEROTA: OK, Christine. Thank you very much for explaining all of that to us.

Meanwhile, we do have some breaking news because protesters on the streets of Paris again this hour. Police have arrested hundreds over the weekend and dozens more were injured in these violent clashes with police.

French President Emmanuel Macron says he is considering, quote, "all options" as the anger of the demonstrations moves beyond just the rising gas prices.

CNN's Melissa Bell is live in Paris with the latest. It's a very active scene behind you. What's happening, Melissa?

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You can see, Alisyn, behind me the riot police are back out on the street. This, less than 48 hours after that "yellow vest" protest began.

This Monday morning, this is the scene just outside the French Parliament. This is a protest, Alisyn, about ambulances. These are ambulance drivers now facing off with the riot police just down there. We've seen tear gas fired again this morning just as we did on Saturday night.

And I think the fact that this protest is happening again this morning shows, really, that this protest you mentioned, the "yellow vests," has grown so much broader than that fuel hike that had originally sparked it. This is much broader than that, it is much deeper, and we saw that violence on Saturday night in Paris.

The fact that protesters are out again this morning, that riot police are once again being stretched in their ability to keep the peace on the streets of Paris, there's much broader anger about the liberalizing measures of Emmanuel Macron. This is anger on a scale that we simply hadn't seen before on Saturday night.

Some 400 people were taken into arrest and that really is the largest number of arrests we've seen in a single night in decades in France.

This is something Emmanuel Macron is going to try and address on Tuesday. He's meeting with "yellow vest" leaders then, but already, they're calling for another massive demonstration next Saturday.

BERMAN: All right, important developments for us in Paris. Melissa, thank you very much for that.

Breaking news in Arkansas where a bus carrying a youth football team has crashed, killing one child and injuring at least 40 other people. Most of the injured are children.

The bus was traveling from Texas to Memphis. The team on the bus played in a championship game in Dallas during the weekend.

The bus driver survived and is being questioned by Arkansas State Police. We're staying on top of this story.

CAMEROTA: Alaska hit with more than 1,000 aftershocks following Friday's massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake. You can see video of it right here. The USGS says as of Sunday morning, aftershocks, more powerful than 5. -- 4.5 struck near Anchorage and Big Lake.

Officials are urging people to stay off the roads which, as you can see here, took the brunt of the damage during the earthquake. No deaths have been reported.

BERMAN: A lot of that because of construction improvements in Alaska over the last 40 years or so, but those pictures are stunning.

So, voter fraud has long been only a figment of President Trump's imagination. With so few cases confirmed they barely even move the needle. That's why some news out of North Carolina is so disturbing.

Our senior political analyst John Avlon has your reality check -- sir.

JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right, guys -- voter fraud.

We know it's one of President Trump's favorite bogeymen. He called it out before the midterm elections, launched a commission to find it, and repeatedly blamed it (without evidence) for losing the 2016 popular vote. But, voter fraud is vanishingly rare in the United States as study after study has shown.

Voter suppression, a far bigger problem which is why it's big news that voter fraud is being credibly alleged in one North Carolina congressional race. And wait for it -- fingers are pointing at the Republican campaign.

Republicans have held North Carolina's 9th District since 1963. But this year it saw not just a close primary, but also a close general election.

[07:40:03] First incumbent Congressman Robert Pittenger narrowly lost the primary to a pastor named Mark Harris, who gained some national attention for statements like wives should submit to their husbands and his belief that the earth is less than 10,000 years old.

Now, after the general election, it looked like Harris eked out a 905- vote win over Democrat and former Marine Dan McCready of around a quarter of a million cast. But, late last week, the North Carolina Board of Elections voted across party lines to postpone certification of Harris as the winner.

Something's rotten in the North Carolina 9th, specifically, of rural counties of Bladen and Robeson. Now, both had much higher than average requests for absentee ballots -- nothing sinister there.

But a whopping 40 percent of absentee ballots requested by African- Americans were never returned according to the Raleigh "News & Observer." That's compared with just 17 percent of white voters' ballots.

Now, a local political blogger named Michael Bitzer analyzed the absentee ballot returns in impressive detail and he found that Harris won more than 61 percent of absentee votes in Bladen County, but with just 19 percent of those ballots being from registered Republicans.

Bitzer determined that, quote, "Harris would have also received almost all the unread registered unaffiliated voters and some Democrat registered voters to make it to 62 percent of the vote. This is perhaps possible but extremely unlikely. So was Harris' performance in the primary where he claimed 96 percent of absentee ballots in Bladen.

In addition, so far, six official complaints have been filed, including at least two alleging that their ballots were collected unsealed by a stranger, which is not just frowned upon but illegal. All this is shady and definitely deserving of further investigation.

Now, the vote for the Republican has some many irregularities that there could end up being a new election, which is possibly why we haven't heard boo about it from the president yet.

But he might want to consult his own speech from July 19th, 2017 when he said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is not a Democrat or a Republican issue, it's an American issue.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "It is the affair of every honest voter, wherever born, to see that no fraudulent voting is allowed." (END VIDEO CLIP)

AVLON: If it's a real principle rather than just partisan fearmongering, it should apply to both parties equally.

And that's your reality check.

BERMAN: Watching that very closely and it's not over yet there, John. Thank you so much for bringing it to our attention.

AVLON: Thanks, guys.

CAMEROTA: Thanks, John.

BERMAN: All right.

The NFL facing a disturbing and all too familiar problem. Did the League botch yet another investigation involving a star player and a violent assault against a woman? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:46:15] BERMAN: Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt has apologized to his team and the public days after "TMZ" posted this video that shows him pushing and kicking a woman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREEM HUNT, RELEASED NFL RUNNING BACK, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Honestly, I just want to let the world know, you know, how sorry I am for my actions. And, you know, it's been a tough time for me and I'm extremely embarrassed because of that video.

I made a poor decision and I'm willing to take full responsibility of any actions that come, you know, from this point on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Joining us now to discuss, "USA Today" columnist and CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan. And, national reporter for "The Washington Post" and CNN contributor, Wes Lowery.

Friends, I have to say, that video is from February.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST, NATIONAL SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: Right.

BERMAN: That happened in February. The NFL knew about it for months and let me just read the NFL's statement here.

"The NFL investigation began immediately following the incident in February, consistent with standard investigatory practices. The NFL continues to pursue a complete understanding of facts."

It goes on there and it suggests that all the facts were not available in February. But I have to say, Christine, it could not have been a very thorough investigation.

BRENNAN: No, it could not, John.

And, in fact, we're basically reinventing the wheel here. It was four years and three months ago that the Ray Rice story happened and if anyone remembers that, there was -- there were two videos, actually. One of him dragging his then-fiancee out of the elevator and then the punch that came later.

Again, months went by. No one seemed to care about the video. It was a huge issue then. What did the NFL know and when did they know it?

Now we move ahead four years and we're dealing with the exact same thing. It is just stunning to me the NFL is in this mess again. What have they learned? Where are we -- how is this possible that they could not have been more interested in getting the facts at the time?

BERMAN: And there's something striking about it, too, which is there was an accusation of battery or assault way back then. But what's different now is they actually see it. So in their heads, there's something different being told about it and seeing it?

WESLEY LOWERY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, NATIONAL REPORTER, THE WASHINGTON POST: Of course. And again, it raises this big question of why is "TMZ" able to keep getting these videos when the NFL, a big, powerful organization with relationships with law enforcement around the country, is unable to get its hands on these things?

It raises the question to a reasonable observer -- well, did you really want to get this video? Or when we -- when we listen to the NFL's accounts about what happened here, what they're claiming is that they opened an investigation immediately. They began this process.

But what we know, even from their own explanation, is that the League itself hadn't talked to Kareem Hunt and that it seems unlikely that anyone has spoken to this woman since she spoke with the police. And so, it raises real questions of what was the due diligence done here and how seriously was this taken?

The League would want us to believe they took it extremely seriously but this is yet another cause, much like Ray Rice, where you had something that came out in the public -- you had an incident and then months later we're now seeing it with our own eyes. That perhaps the League should have done even more than it did.

BERMAN: And at the end, Christine, it's the Chiefs saying that it's because Kareem Hunt lied to them.

BRENNAN: Which is, again, something that we were hearing from Roger Goodell about the Ray Rice story. The parallels here are extraordinary, except one is a 23-year-old with a career still ahead of him. Ray Rice was near the end of his career as a 27-year-old.

Yes, it is -- the NFL needs to care more about domestic violence, John. I think that's what we need to say here loud and clear. They say they do and then we see this. This is just one of these P.R. nightmares combined with the Washington situation.

BERMAN: Well, tell us about that because --

BRENNAN: Right.

BERMAN: -- it escalated here.

BRENNAN: Well, and then you've got Reuben Foster who is cut by the 49ers after allegations of slapping a woman -- second domestic violence allegation in the last year of charges. And, 72 hours after he allegedly hit a woman he's signed by the local team here in Washington.

[07:50:00] That, then, has led to a cascade of forced -- unforced errors, including Doug Williams who's a good guy -- part of the front office of the team -- saying that domestic violence is small potatoes. And then, of course, coming back and apologizing.

So there's been an outcry against what Washington did -- signing him -- in this town, media-wise and others. And then within a day or two, you have this story break. This has been a terrible week for the National Football League.

BERMAN: Wes, I don't know if you had a chance to more than just that part of Kareem Hunt's explanation, but what did you make of it?

LOWERY: Certainly. Well, you know, I think that -- I thought it was a well-executed interview by Lisa Salters, our colleague over at ESPN.

I thought that it was -- it is important for -- no matter what you think of the incident -- to have him come out and say look, I was at fault here. I mean, I think that sometimes or very rarely do we see people with kind of unequivocated apologies, no matter what it is they're apologizing for. And so I do think it's important that he came out and said those things.

Now, they said it could be -- is a question to what extent. This is the beginning of an attempted rehabilitation. This is a player -- a very talented player at the very early ends of his career. And I think we have to, kind of as a society, as fans, as a league -- have to figure out what do we do with players who face accusations, especially when we can see them on video?

Is this something that ends a career? Is this something that can be overcome? And that's a conversation that's going to -- we're not going to figure out this morning but I think that the League's going to have to deal with.

BERMAN: And, Christine, what did Ray Rice do?

BRENNAN: Ray Rice, after realizing the horrors of his mistake and also realizing his career was over, immediately set out to make amends.

And what he did, John and Wes, over now several years is talk to students. Back a year and a half ago, he told me about 25 high schools and colleges, talking to young men, saying don't do what I did and discussing in detail the mistake that he made.

The path forward for Kareem Hunt -- if there is going to be a chance for him to come back in the NFL, I think the path forward then will be following that Ray Rice model. But that's probably several years down the road.

BERMAN: And for Roger Goodell, if he would think don't do what I did, even though he just did it again --

BRENNAN: I know.

BERMAN: -- in terms of letting this slide, to an extent, for a few months.

All right. Christine Brennan, Wes Lowery, thanks so much for being with us. I really appreciate it.

LOWERY: Any time.

BRENNAN: Thank you.

BERMAN: Alisyn --

CAMEROTA: All right, John.

Today, in Houston, Special Mission 41 gets set to take former President Bush to Washington for the nation to honor him. There's a beautiful sunrise shot on your screen right now and our live coverage continues, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:56:27] CAMEROTA: "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" making hay of the challenges facing the White House.

Here are your "Late-Night Laughs."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR, PORTRAYING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": What's the latest on the Mueller probe?

KATE MCKINNON, CAST MEMBER PORTRAYING RUDY GIULIANI, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Well, the good news is it's almost over.

BALDWIN: And the bad news?

MCKINNON: It's almost over.

BALDWIN: I'm sad you're going to prison, Michael. You were like a son to me.

BEN STILLER, ACTOR, PORTRAYING MICHAEL COHEN, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Then why'd you make me do so much illegal stuff?

BALDWIN: Because you were like a son to me. FRED ARMISON, ACTOR, PORTRAYING SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": When I killed that guy the other day, Trump was like -- oh, please, tell me you didn't do it. I was like bitch, you want oil or not?

ARMISON AND BECK BENNETT, CAST MEMBER PORTRAYING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": One, two, three, four, five -- oh.

BALDWIN: For now, I guess, all I can say is (singing) don't cry for me, Argentina. The truth is I'm very guilty. Some little no-no's and maybe treason, but I kept my promise -- oops, no, I didn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: OK, that's now.

The show also honored George H.W. Bush with a montage of clips with Dana Carvey and Bush, himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I'm watching you do your impression of me and I've got to say, it's nothing like that. It bears no resemblance. It's bad, it's bad.

DANA CARVEY, ACTOR, PORTRAYING FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH, NBC "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Well, I'm sorry, Mr. President. I think it's a fair impression.

BUSH: Don't see it.

CARVEY: You don't?

BUSH: It's totally exaggerated. It's not me, those crazy hand gestures, the pointing thing -- I don't do them. And also, nah, gah, dah -- never said it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So, Bush loved the Dana Carvey impression.

CAMEROTA: Who didn't?

BERMAN: It's in the Bush museum in Texas. You know, a wonderful moment.

Can you imagine President Trump with Alec Baldwin appearing side-by- side?

CAMEROTA: And being gracious.

BERMAN: No. Let's hope that we get that moment.

CAMEROTA: Oh.

BERMAN: All right. Our nation's capital preparing to honor former President George H.W. Bush. We continue our coverage right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: I feel very fortunate to be president of this fascinating country.

JEB BUSH, FORMER GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA, SON OF PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH: My dad is just the kindest person and an extraordinary role model.

GEN. COLIN POWELL, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE, RETIRED FOUR-STAR GENERAL: The good news-bad news, he was always available to you. His humility demonstrated himself in so many different ways.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fifty-eight combat missions in World War II. He was superb.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No regrets, then?

BUSH: No regrets about anything.

JAMES BAKER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Forty-three said I love you, dad, and I'll see you in heaven. And, 41 said, I love, too.

ROGER STONE, FORMER TRUMP ADVISER: I had no contact with Assange. Where is the crime? I engaged in politics.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our president needs to respect the independence of this investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is getting tougher and tougher for Donald Trump and his family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

CAMEROTA: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Monday, December third, 8:00 here in the east.

John and I are here in Washington for a very special week.

BERMAN: A big week planned here to honor the former president. Excited to be here for it.

CAMEROTA: Me, too.

So, this is where the nation will prepare to say farewell to our 41st president. George H.W. Bush will make his final journey to our nation's capital today.

He will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda for the public to pay their respects, beginning tonight through Wednesday morning. And that's when the state funeral for President Bush will take place. It will be at the Washington National Cathedral. The former president will be flown here on this plane. This is a U.S. military plane. It is called, when he will be on it, "Special Mission 41."

Traveling with his casket, also, will be his faithful service dog, Sully. This photo shows the yellow Lab lying next to the --