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EARLY START
Nissan to Make Eight New Electric Cars By 2022; Eight Hundred Thousand U.S. Government Workers Back to Work; Senator Harris Kicks Off 2020 Presidential Campaign; Former Starbucks CEO Schultz Considering White House Bid. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired January 28, 2019 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:00] DAVE BRIGGS, CO-HOST, EARLY START: Elevated sports sedan. Nissan says drivers can have a human-like 3D avatar, give them directions, offer advice or just talk. The avatar can be made to look like a family member, a friend just for company.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CO-HOST, EARLY START: Interesting --
BRIGGS: This is fascinating.
ROMANS: All right, all right, who knew?
BRIGGS: Distractive driving, we're encouraging it now. EARLY START continues right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICK MULVANEY, ACTING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: The president's commitment is to defend the nation, and he will do it either with or without Congress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The president doubts lawmakers will reach an acceptable deal on border wall funding. Another shutdown could be less than three weeks away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (D), CALIFORNIA: We have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: Kamala Harris kicks off her 2020 campaign, but will a former Starbucks exec play spoiler for the Democrats?
ROMANS: Roger Stone won't rule out cooperating with Robert Mueller. What's the next domino to fall in the Russia probe.
BRIGGS: The interim president of Venezuela in talks to oust dictator Nicolas Maduro who is blaming the United States for the upheaval.
(MUSIC)
ROMANS: And why the highly anticipated live TV production of "Rent" was mostly on tape, I'm going to watch it any way, it was always going to be a tape for me because I go to bed too early. Good morning and welcome to --
BRIGGS: Yes --
ROMANS: EARLY START, I'm Christine Romans.
BRIGGS: Hashtag was "Rent" not live, I'm Dave Briggs, Monday, January 28th, it is 5:00 a.m. in the East. We start with that shutdown which is over sort of. Eight hundred thousand federal workers back on the job today, but they have not been paid.
So for them, it still feels like a shutdown, folks, a deal to end the record length 35 day-shutdown came Friday, huge issues remain. Lengthy backlogs, looming deadlines and a gigantic bureaucratic reboot. Of course, those workers again haven't been paid.
They could see checks this week, perhaps end of the week. The U.S. economy recovering from an estimated $6 billion hit, slightly more than the amount the president wanted to build the wall. The clock is also ticking though, down towards a new deadline, now just 18 days away.
ROMANS: Even the president himself less than optimistic, telling the "Wall Street Journal" he doubts lawmakers will reach a deal over new border wall funding that he will accept. He told the "journal" another shutdown is quote, "certainly an option, and he will build the wall anyway using emergency powers if necessary."
Earlier Sunday, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the same.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is the president really prepared to shut down the government again in three weeks?
MULVANEY: Yes, I think he actually is. Keep in mind he is willing to do whatever it takes to secure the border. But at the end of the day, the president's commitment is to defend the nation and he will do it either with or without Congress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRIGGS: President Trump also dismissing the suggestion he offered Democrats protection for Dreamers in exchange for border wall funding. Telling the "Journal", quote, "that's a separate subject to be taken up at a separate time. But after a politically damaging five-week shutdown, Senate Republicans are not in the mood for more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: I don't think shutdowns are good
leverage. It's a lesson I've certainly learned in my time here. There have been two shutdowns since the time I've been there, and the aggressor in neither one was the winner.
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: Shutdowns are never a good policy ever. They are never to be used as a means to achieve any kind of goal. I think what will happen is that the efforts to continue to build physical barriers which have gone on in the last two administrations will continue but not to the degree that the president has requested.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: So folks back on the job by the way, but still not getting paid. And so you can't just flip a switch --
BRIGGS: Yes --
ROMANS: So different payroll depending on what agency could take some days here. Over the weekend, the president was scorched by some conservative pundits who said he caved to Democrats by reopening the government without wall funding.
Ann Coulter called the president "a wimp" among other things. He responded telling the "Wall Street Journal" "I hear she's become very hostile, maybe I didn't return her phone call or something."
BRIGGS: California Senator Kamala Harris officially kicking off her 2020 campaign in Oakland. She promises to be a fighter for the people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We must answer a fundamental question. Who are we? Who are we as Americans? America, we are better than this. When we have foreign powers infecting the White House like malware, let's speak that truth!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[05:05:00] BRIGGS: On Sunday, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced he is seriously considering a run for the White House as a centrist independent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD SCHULTZ, FORMER STARBUCKS CEO: We're living at a most fragile time. Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people. And are engaged every single day in revenge politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Schultz is a life-long Democrat. There are concerns in the party, he could peel off votes from the eventual nominee. Democratic candidate Julian Castro says Schultz would give President Trump the quote, "best hope of getting re-elected."
Meantime, Cnn's Jeff Zeleny reports Hillary Clinton is not totally giving up on her Oval Office aspirations. She is telling people she's not closing the door. But a close Clinton friend also told Jeff Zeleny, quote, "it would surprise me greatly if she actually did it."
And a programming note. The first major television event of the 2020 race, Senator Kamala Harris joins Jake, Jake Tapper for a Cnn town hall live from Iowa, that's tonight at 10:00 Eastern only Cnn.
BRIGGS: Make sure you DVR that --
ROMANS: I shall --
BRIGGS: With your sleep for that as well.
ROMANS: I shall.
BRIGGS: Roger Stone appears to be leaving himself a little wiggle room when it comes to cooperating with Robert Mueller. The long-time Trump ally was arrested at his home in Florida last week by heavily- armed FBI agents. He faces charges of obstruction, witness-tampering and five counts of lying to Congress.
The special counsel's indictment was the first time prosecutors alleged people close to the president coordinated with Stone as he sought out stolen e-mails from WikiLeaks. Mueller's team asked the judge to secretly indict Stone.
They argued any publicity would increase the risk of him destroying evidence, an argument Stone flat-out rejects.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER STONE, FORMER TRUMP ASSOCIATE: I've been under investigation for two years, I've destroyed nothing, but if I were going to destroy evidence, wouldn't I have done it a long time ago? They could simply have called my lawyers and I would have turned myself in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The president's supporters quick to point out once again Stone's indictment contains no charges of conspiracy, but Mueller's team has documented a series of lies by Trump advisors that masked efforts to develop ties to Russia.
Those lies came before and after the election in public and in private. The question is why? Stone will be arraigned tomorrow in Washington. Jessica Schneider has more.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dave and Christine, Roger Stone has been making the media rounds all before he gets to the D.C. courthouse on Tuesday and before he appears before the same judge who is overseeing both Paul Manafort and Rick Gates' cases. And she is definitely tough. So perhaps, Roger Stone, maybe trying to
get the last word in before any possible gag order. But Roger Stone though, leaving the door open to cooperation with the special counsel Robert Mueller, and also saying he would tell the truth about his communications with Donald Trump which he says never involved anything about Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, TELEVISION JOURNALIST: Any chance you'll cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller if he asks?
STONE: You know, that's a question that I would have to -- I have to determine after my attorneys have some discussion. If there is wrongdoing by other people in the campaign that I know about, which I know of none, but if there is, I would certainly testify honestly.
I'd also testify honestly about any other matter including any communications with the president. It's true that we spoke on the phone, but those communications are political in nature, they're benign, and there's certainly no conspiracy with Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Now, Roger Stone has repeatedly said he would not testify against the president. Also Stone has said he has never discussed the possibility of a pardon with the president. And of course he continues to maintain that he is innocent despite the text messages and e-mails the special counsel has and stands by his contention that there was never any collusion with Russia. Christine and Dave.
ROMANS: All right, Jessica in Washington, thank you. Efforts are under way in Venezuela to force out President Nicolas Maduro. Self- proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido telling the "Washington Post", he is negotiating with military and civilian officials right now.
So far Maduro's defense minister and other top brass are vowing their allegiance to him. Maduro blames a U.S.-led coup for all this political upheaval in Venezuela.
ROMANS: National security adviser John Bolton warning any violence or intimidation against U.S. diplomatic personnel or Guaido will be viewed by the U.S. as a grave assault on the rule of law. He says it will be met with a quote, "significant response."
Meanwhile, the deadly protests we witnessed last week in Venezuela could grow in the days ahead. More now from Stefano Pozzebon in Caracas.
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST: Yes, Christine, Dave, yesterday late- night Juan Guaido called for fresh new protests for this week, this Wednesday, and the following Saturday.
[05:10:00] Again, Venezuelans will take on the streets to demand fresh and fair elections and to demand the resignation of Nicolas Maduro. At the same time, both leaders, both Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido on Sunday, pitching to the military to lure them to join them on their side.
And while Maduro demanded loyalty to the fatherland and to his rule to his troops, Juan Guaido promised amnesty and pardon for those troops who would effectively defect Mr. Maduro and switch sides to the -- to the opposition. And with new protests set for this week, and yet another complete international dimension around these crisis, the pressure on Nicolas Maduro is only going to increase. Christine and Dave.
ROMANS: All right, Stefano in Caracas, thank you for that.
BRIGGS: A big couple of days ahead.
ROMANS: Next story real troubling here. A measles outbreak in Washington State, dozens affected in a state that allows philosophical exemptions to vaccines.
[05:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: OK, busy week ahead, folks. Earnings, trade, Fed meeting, the January jobs report, all of this ahead on Wall Street here. A high level trade talks between China's Vice Premier and U.S. officials, they happen mid week in Washington.
Both sides want to reach an agreement to diffuse a trade war before a March 2nd deadline. Investors also have earnings from four of the most valuable tech companies in the world. Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook all report this week, even though the government is reopening, some key economic reports could still be delayed.
There is a report on fourth quarter GDP that's scheduled for Wednesday, we'll see if that still roles out. And we should get that jobs report on Friday because that part of the government was not shut down. Economists expect 168,000 net new jobs, 3.9 percent unemployment, 3.2 percent wage growth which will be good.
Investors also have the Federal Reserve to contend with. The Central Bank expected to leave interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but the Fed Chief Jerome Powell has this press conference following the decision. Expect the topic of future rate hikes to come up.
BRIGGS: All right, a measles outbreak has led to a state of emergency in Washington State. Officials confirming 35 cases, 30 of them involving those who have not been vaccinated for the disease. More than two-thirds of the cases involve children under 11.
The problem has spread to Oregon as well. Officials say people infected with measles have recently visited the Portland Airport, hospitals, schools, stores, restaurants and a Portland Trail Blazers home game. Oregon and Washington are among the 18 states in the U.S. that allow philosophical vaccine exemption because of moral or personal beliefs. ROMANS: Yes, measles is highly contagious. Someone can sneeze for
example at a Trail Blazers game and a couple of hours later, those droplets are still in the air to infect somebody --
BRIGGS: Dozens, hundreds --
ROMANS: You know, so for most people after a few weeks of misery, you can get over this, but for one or two out of a 1,000 children will die from it.
BRIGGS: Those exemptions now under --
ROMANS: Yes --
BRIGGS: The microscope. The countdown is on, the Rams and Patriots arriving in Atlanta for the Super Bowl. Andy Scholes has the "BLEACHER REPORT" next.
[05:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right, big night for Rent-Heads, got off on the wrong foot. The words previously recorded the first thing on the screen at the start of a live broadcast of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical on "Fox". Now, as it turned out, the show was mostly not live because of an injury suffered by Brendan Hunt who played one of the lead roles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last night during our performance in front of a live audience, one of our cast members sustained an injury. A visit to the hospital confirmed that Brendan Hunt, our Roger, has broken his foot and will be unable to perform tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: There was a live finale, the original Broadway cast joined the "Fox" players on stage for an encore of Rent's inspiring anthem "Seasons of Love". Right, Dave, that's going to be in my head for the rest of the day.
BRIGGS: All day, thank you, you are welcome --
ROMANS: You're welcome --
BRIGGS: Audience, let's hope there are no such injuries ahead of the Super Bowl because Super Bowl week is here. The teams have arrived in Atlanta, Andy Scholes live outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the "BLEACHER REPORT". Good morning buddy, it's finally here.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS REPORTER: Good morning, Dave. Yes, the wait is over, the Patriots and Rams loaded up yesterday and made their way here to Atlanta, both teams holding some big fan rallies before getting on that plane though.
Check out Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, more than 35,000 fans on hand to see the Patriots off. You know, this is nothing new for the Patriots. This is the team's fourth Super Bowl in five years. But Bill Belichick says this was the biggest sendoff they've ever had. This is going to be Tom Brady's record ninth Super Bowl and he got all the fans pumped up before leaving.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Let's let them hear it all the way down at Atlanta. We're still here! We're still here! We're still here! We're still here! We're still here! All right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: And apparently, Brady is going to be here for a long time. He told "Espn" yesterday that there is a zero percent chance that Super Bowl LIII is going to be his final game. He plans to play much longer. And at 41 years old, Brady looking to become the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
The Rams meanwhile, they didn't have 35 k at their rally, but still had an impressive crowd. Their rally was outside the side of their new stadium in Englewood, that's set to open in 2020. But the real great, mic drops like Brady, but the fans did get pumped up when kicker Greg Zuerlein took the mic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Yes, Zuerlin of course kicked that 57-yard field goal to beat the Saints and send them to -- send the Rams to the Super Bowl. Now, late yesterday afternoon, early evening, the teams arrived in Atlanta. Super Bowl week, it gets off and running tonight with Super Bowl opening night.
Now, the teams, now they're set to meet with the media at State Farm Arena right next door. Now, the Rams, they're going to go at 7:00 Eastern and the Patriots late night, they're going at 9:00 Eastern. So you want to tune in and go to sleep to the sweet sounds of Bill Belichick giving answers to questions, you can do that.
[05:25:00] All right, finally, in case you missed it, the Pro Bowl happened yesterday in Orlando. The AFC won and Jason Witten, well, he broke the trophy when he was presenting it to the AFC team. And you see Jamal Adams reaction was priceless. Patrick Mahomes helped him put it back together, apparently, Dave, the Pro Bowl trophy just snaps back together.
And I tell you what? I think you know, if the Pro Bowl just didn't happen, no one would be too sad about it.
BRIGGS: No, they're not --
SCHOLES: It was not a very entertaining game. BRIGGS: Yes, that NFC team was really impressive against the defense
that is nonexistent. It wasn't a --
SCHOLES: Yes --
BRIGGS: Great day --
SCHOLES: It would certainly --
BRIGGS: For Witten in the broadcast booth either. Good to see you, Andy, thank you.
SCHOLES: All right --
BRIGGS: Romans, over to you.
SCHOLES: All right, Dave, a kick off of another kind, Kamala Harris officially launches her 2020 campaign, but could the Democrats face a big challenge from a third-party candidate? Oh, the government is back open, but as systems get up and running, the president says another shutdown could be weeks away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
