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EARLY START

Clinton Attack Media Focus On Emails; Candidate Weigh In On Trump Immigration Plan; Senator Menendez Opposes Iran Deal; Bangkok Shrine Back Open After Attack; Stolen Ashley Madison User Data Published; "Female Viagra" Gets FDA Approval; Mike Huckabee In Israel. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired August 19, 2015 - 05:30   ET

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


CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: But she also says she does not know if her private server was ever wiped clean. This following an NBC News report that an attempt was made to clear the server before it was turned over to the FBI and the bureau is looking to recover any data. Clinton is now becoming testy with reporters over this repeated questioning about the server.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My personal e-mails are my personal business, right? So that is all I can say.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But to answer the question, did you try to wipe the whole server?

CLINTON: I'm not -- you know, I have no idea. That's why we turned it over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you said you were in charge of it. You were the official in charge. Did you wipe the server?

CLINTON: Like, with a cloth or something?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. You know how it works digitally. Did you try to wipe the whole server?

CLINTON: I don't know how it works digitally at all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: CNN's senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny has more on the controversy.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. Hillary Clinton was defiant on Tuesday night at a campaign stop in Nevada saying she did not send or receive any e-mail messages their marked classified.

She was there for a town hall meeting, but she took questions from reporters afterwards and the e-mail questions dominated the conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Whether it was a personal account or a government account, I did not send classified material and I did not receive any material that was marked or designated classified, which is the way you know whether something is.

What you're seeing now is a disagreement between agencies saying, you know what. They should of and the other saying no, they shouldn't. That has nothing to do with me. If it had been a government account and I said, release it, we would be having the same arguments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: Of course, she is facing questions from reporters, congressional hearings are just around the corner and even a Justice Department investigation about this ongoing e-mail controversy is still in front of her.

This all goes back to her decision to use a private e-mail server while she was secretary of state. Now running for president is all about navigating obstacles and she sure has a few in front of her. Of course, she has many advantages.

She is the front running Democratic candidate, she is some 20 points ahead of senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, but she does have obstacles.

Whether it's the Black Lives Matter activists that have been following her and other Democratic presidential candidates around, or if it's answering questions for yet another day about the controversy over that private e-mail server she decided to use as secretary of state.

She is defiant saying she did nothing wrong and she closed her time in Nevada saying, "I know there is a certain level of anxiety or interest in this, but the facts are the facts."

Christine, I can tell you those questions will keep on going as she keeps on campaigning. Back to you.

ROMANS: All right, Jeff Zeleny, thank you for that, Jeff.

On the Republican side, candidates are converging on New Hampshire today. John Kasich, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal, all scheduled to speak at an educational summit. Donald Trump is also heading to New Hampshire. He'll hold the first town hall event of his campaign.

No doubt immigration will be on that agenda. Trump's controversial plan is a cornerstone of his agenda and forcing much of the GOP field to tackle this notoriously sticky subject. Candidates are weighing in both for and against the elements of the Trump agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": What about the 14th Amendment to the constitution, which the courts have said automatically grant citizenship to children born in the United States, even if their parents are here illegally?

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think that's going to require a little bit more discussion. The fact is that we have operated under that assumption really since the 1800s. And to change it, it would require some strong will, either on the part of the president.

SCOTT WALKER (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our southern-based border is being penetrated every single day by drug cartels and pushing drugs, firearms, human trafficking, and no sovereign nation should be in position with that happening. As president, I'm going to secure the border once and for all, and I will uphold the laws of the great United States of America.

MARCO RUBIO (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't agree with that. I certainly think we have to do a better job of preventing. I'm opening to prevent things to prevent people from deliberately come to the U.S. and purposely taking advantage of the 14th Amendment, but I'm not in favor of appealing it.

JOHN KASICH (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The idea that we would go out in cars and hunt people down, it's not doable and, secondly, I don't think it's right! I don't think it's humane!

JEB BUSH (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This constitutionally protected right and I don't support revoking it. There is a way to use leadership to solve abuses for people that are coming into the country, having children so that their children can be citizens. That is a legitimate problem.

In a targeted way, you can deal with this issue, but to suggest that people born in this country are not United States citizens and they don't have this in the constitution, I just reject out of hand.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Be sure to join us tonight for a CNN special report, the Donald Trump interview. The Republican frontrunner sits down with Chris Cuomo to discuss his campaign. This is tonight, 9:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

Now to the Iran nuclear deal, another top Democrat coming out against that agreement, this time, it's New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, the senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

[05:35:01] He says the deal allows Iran to use the money it gains to further destabilize the region. So how could the senator's opposition hurt the president's effort to get lawmakers on board? CNN's senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta tells us.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Christine, the list of Democrats coming out against the Iran deal is growing, as expected. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's former chairman, Bob Menendez announced his opposition to the nuclear agreement and joining Senator Chuck Schumer who has also sided against the deal.

Here is what Senator Menendez had to say about his opposition to this deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: I have looked into my own self and my devotion to principle may once again lead me to an unpopular course, but if Iran is to acquire a nuclear bomb, it will not have my name on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now Menendez is hardly the biggest setback of the week for the White House. That distinction goes to Republican Senator Jeff Flake, who likely ended any White House hopes for bipartisan support for the deal.

A White House official did say that the president is engaged on this issue, while he is on vacation here at Martha's Vineyard adding, quote, "We remain confident that ultimately a majority of Democrats in both the House and the Senate will support this deal."

That is critical, as Republicans face an uphill battle, needing 11 more Democratic senators to defy the president, vote to block the agreement, and then join GOP efforts to override any presidential vetoes.

That is not to mention the dozens of Democratic defections Republicans are also seeking in the House, which explains why Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was quoted by reporters in Kentucky this week saying the president has a great likelihood of success -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Jim Acosta for us, thanks, Jim.

To Bangkok now where the Erawan Shrine is back open this morning two days after a deadly pipe bomb attack. Investigators are hunting for the man believed to be responsible. There he is.

A police spokesman now saying authorities are, quote, "very sure this man here in the yellow shirt, is the bomber." This morning, Thailand offering a big reward for helping track him down.

CNN's Saima Mohsin is live in Bangkok. Saima, you are there near the shrine where this attack happened just two days ago.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. The shrine has finally opened up, Christine, and people coming and lighting their incense on the lamp and they take it over to the shrine, say a prayer, take some flowers as well, a lot of flowers here today.

It's normally a busy shrine, but we have seen a lot of people, much more somber mood coming to pay their respects today, Christine. In fact, actually, the shrine here was dedicated to the Lord (inaudible), but even from all religions and cultures come here.

It also has shrapnel marks, some kind of damage from that bombing. Such was the veracity of that attack. As you say, they are looking for the man behind that attack. The man that we have seen in the CCTV footage, a sketch released today, Christine, of him.

A young looking man with sloppy hair and slightly Asian looking, they want to find this man. But they believe he was not acting alone. They have released a statement saying they will also offer a reward of more than $30,000 for anyone who can help lead to his arrest.

Now, police have also asked for a warrant for his arrest should he be found. They plan to charge him with intents to kill and making a bomb. They can do that without having the suspect's identification or name.

So as it stands, there is a reward out for his arrest. They believe he wasn't acting alone and they have warrants ready for him -- Christine.

ROMANS: All right, Saima Mohsin, we certainly hope all of that cell phone video can be pulled together to refine that image and find that suspect. Thanks, Saima.

It's 39 minutes almost past the hour. Time for an EARLY START on your money this Wednesday morning, stocks down and Asian shares mostly lower. Chinese shares, by the way, all over the place just really erratic amidst these concerns still about signs of health for the Chinese economy.

European shares down 2. The German parliament votes on Greece's latest bailout. U.S. stock futures down a little bit here. Today is a big day for the Federal Reserve. The minutes from July's meeting will be released today. Those minutes will be the last hope for clues into whether the fed will raise interest rates next month.

OK, remember that hack of Ashley Madison? Ashley Madison is the dating site to help married people cheat. Overnight, hackers published stolen data from more than a million users of those Ashley Madison users.

That data includes customer's names, credit card numbers, plus how much they spent on the site. The data is posted on the so-called dark web. It's a part of the internet that can't be searched by Google or other common search engines, but it is out there.

[05:40:02] The little pink pill getting the green light from the Food And Drug Administration. Flibanserin is the first prescription drug to boost libido in women. The drug comes with the FDA's strongest warning it should not be used by women who drink alcohol.

Potential side effects including low blood pressure and fainting. Doctors have to be certified to prescribe this drug. The drug could be available by October. The FDA had rejected it twice before.

Breaking news this morning, a sudden gas explosion destroys a Motel Six in Washington State. The damage done, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Breaking overnight, an explosion rocks a Motel Six in Washington State. One person left critically injured by a fireball that destroyed a big chunk of the building. This happened in Bremerton, about 15 miles southwest of Seattle. Workers were already evacuating the building after a report of a gas leak when the building was reduced to rubble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It shook us. We were stunned. Like what happened? I guess a good part of the building is gone and, all of a sudden, they just showed up, ambulances, and everything else. We were just hoping nobody got hurt and stuff over there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: It's still unclear if everyone got out of that building before the explosion.

It's 44 minutes past the hour. Time to take a look what is coming up on "NEW DAY," my good friend Michaela Pereira is joining us now.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. How are you, Christine? Look, we've got brand-new CNN/ORC polling out at 6:00 a.m. It's going to give us a look at the Democratic race for president.

[05:45:06] We are going to see where frontrunner Hillary Clinton currently stands and who might be gaining ground on her. We are also going to take a look at this ongoing e-mail scandal and see if it's affecting her campaign.

Also you probably have been hearing about the pink pill, the called female Viagra. It has been approved by the FDA. Why is it so controversial? We are going to ask some question to a doctor who joins us about the drug works, some of the reported side effects. Is it safe?

Also I cannot stand this, Lily Tomlin, a living legend, joins us here in the studio. The actress and comedian is here to talk about her brand-new movie "Grandma." It's a pinch-me moments. I'm such a fan of hers.

ROMANS: Can I come up and get a picture too?

PEREIRA: Yes. You got it.

ROMANS: Thanks. We will be tuning in for sure.

Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee in Israel with a new warning about the Iran nuclear deal. We are live after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, is in Israel today and set to hold a news conference in Jerusalem this morning. Huckabee is expected to focus on the Iran deal. He is a vocal critic of that agreement. Huckabee is already weighing in as well on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. CNN's Oren Lieberman is in Jerusalem. He's got more for us this morning. Good morning, Oren.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Christine. Mike Huckabee is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. No surprise there with that meeting will be about at least in terms of the Iran deal.

[05:50:08] Both are very vocal critics of the deal. Netanyahu is perhaps the most outspoken critic of this deal. Huckabee is one of a number of Republican presidential candidates who have met with the prime minister in recent months including Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz. Huckabee spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and blasted the Iran deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUCKABEE: We violated every single thing that we said was a prerequisite in this, whether it was anytime, anywhere inspections, whether it was that they couldn't have any enrichment, whether it was -- there were unlimited access to the inspections. None of that turned out to be true. We caved in on all of it. We don't even have our hostages back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIEBERMANN: Mike Huckabee also spoke about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. He held a fundraiser in the West Bank settlement of Shelo and says he favors the idea of a greater Israel, which is to say Israel annexing the West Bank.

So Christine, Mike Huckabee making some very big statements here and making it very clear where he stands on the conflict and of course, the Iran deal.

ROMANS: Oren, the Iran nuclear vote is happening next month. Dozens of congressmen recently in Israeli visiting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was he able to influence them, do you think?

LIEBERMANN: That is the big question, 58 congressmen in all and 36 Republicans and the rest, Democrats. The Republicans said they don't know anybody or at least the leader of the delegation says he doesn't know any Republican who is voting in favor of this deal.

The question all comes down to the Democrats who said the leader of that delegation saying some of the concerns he had resonated with the concerns he heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu, but wouldn't commit to how the Democrats, those 22 at least will vote coming next month.

ROMANS: All right, Oren Lieberman for us in Jerusalem this morning, keep us posted when that press conference happens and what else we hear this morning from Mike Huckabee.

Another public execution by ISIS in Syria, this time an elderly expert of antiquities, Kalid al-Assad was former general manager for antiquities and museums in Palmyra. He was beheaded Tuesday in the city's public square. Palmyra known for its ancient ruins, but ISIS seized the city in May destroying many of the ancient shrines and now killing that man.

Recovery workers reaching the remote site of the plane crash in Indonesia that killed 54 people. The process of removing the bodies has begun but they cannot be flown out because of continuing bad weather.

We are learning more than $470,000 was on board that plane. Indonesian post officers were supposed to distribute the money to poor families. The plane's second black box has been recovered and said to be in good condition.

Donald Trump says he will fix America's immigration system, but now is he contradicting his own big plans? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:56:46]

ROMANS: Welcome back. I'm Christine Romans. Let's get an EARLY START on your money on this Wednesday morning. Looking at stock futures right now, stocks around the world mostly lower. The German parliament voting on Greece's latest bailout. U.S. stock futures are lower this morning.

A big day for the Federal Reserve, the minutes from July's meeting will be released, one of the last chances for clues into whether the fed will raise interest rates at its next meeting in September.

Higher interest rates are coming at a time when the housing market is showing signs of strength. Construction of new single family homes soared about 12 percent in July. The best level since December of 2007, remember, that was the beginning of the great recession.

According to Core Logic, all cash sales dropped to about 32 percent of home sales in May, the lowest since mid-2008 that means first-time home buyers and regular people, not just investors and rich people, are finally getting into the housing recovery.

More evidence from Home Depot, the home improvement retailer says shoppers are coming in more often and they are spending more money because of low interest rates and a housing market recovery in the U.S.

Donald Trump might be contradicting his own immigration proposal. He took a shot at Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, at his immigration plan when he released it on Sunday criticizing Mark Zuckerberg's call for more H1B visas for high-skilled foreign workers.

But on Tuesday, Trump tweeted this, "I want talented people to come into this country to work hard and to become citizens. Silicon Valley needs engineers, et cetera."

Interestingly enough, the Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders has also been critical of increasing visas for high-skilled workers. He says sometimes those temporary visa categories they favor foreign workers over domestic talent and are not fair. All right, brand new polling out this morning on the Democratic race

for the White House, is Hillary Clinton still the candidate to beat? "NEW DAY" has those numbers and more right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Hillary Clinton is still the candidate to beat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is struggling to fend off a campaign controversy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you wipe the server?

CLINTON: Like with a cloth or something?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a criminal problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a serious political problem for her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This agreement of war, is that the choice?

BLITZER: President Obama is losing some more Democratic support.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Iran is to acquire a nuclear bomb, it will not have my name on it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 19-year-old Owen Labrie pleading not guilty to allegations of rape.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was going to have sex with her. This was not a consensual act.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Wednesday, August 19th, 6:00 in the east. And here's our headline.

Hillary Clinton has strong numbers, but she now has a race on her hands both against Democrats and GOP rivals. For the first time in the race, support for the Democratic frontrunner falls below 50 percent in the new CNN/ORC poll out just this morning. Questions about her e-mail use and her trustworthiness are clearly weighing on her numbers.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: And also for the first time, the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump, poses a serious threat to Clinton. The new numbers show the Donald is within striking distance of the Democratic frontrunner.

CNN's senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny, is here to break it all down for us. Tell us about this new poll.

ZELENY: Good morning, Alisyn.