Chris Christie Speaks Out; Markets Take Major Hit
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: I didn't know there was any problem up there.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Chris Christie on the attack. He goes the furtherest yet about the Bridgegate allegations. But is he still leaving himself a little wiggle room?</s>KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now: overseas marketing driving. And U.S. markets set to open after taking the brutal 300-point plunge. What should you do with your money?</s>MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Tiger mom strikes again. Her book about her parenting technique making her famous. Now, she's back with a new controversial theory, about which ethnic groups do best in the U.S. and why. She joins us live this morning.</s>CUOMO: Your NEW DAY continues right now.</s>ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.</s>BOLDUAN: Welcome back to NEW DAY. It's Tuesday, February 4th, 8:00 in the East. Chris Christie is pushing back hard this morning despite new scrutiny by U.S. attorneys. The governor fielding questions Monday for the first time since the marathon news conference last month, saying that unequivocally he had no advanced knowledge and did not authorize lane closures on the George Washington Bridge in a political scheme. Still, a new CNN poll shows Christie's 2016 hopes are tanking showing him at 10 percent now. CNN's Dana Bash is in Washington with much more of the details. Good morning, Dana.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kate. Well, it was a regular appearance on an "Ask the Governor" radio show. And Christie revealed that the U.S. attorney investigating subpoenaed his office. He tried to take it in stride, portraying himself as part disappointed boss and part bystander who wants to get to the bottom of what happened, just like everybody else.</s>BASH (voice-over): On the key question, did Chris Christie know anything about the G.W. Bridge closures before they happened, he empathetically repeated his denial.</s>CHRISTIE: Did I authorize it? Did I know about it? Did I approve it? Do I have any knowledge of it beforehand? And the answer is still the same. It's unequivocally no.</s>BASH: Over --</s>CHRISTIE: I had nothing toll do with this.</s>BASH: -- and over again.</s>CHRISTIE: To make clear to everybody, all things that were reported over the weekend, that nobody has said that I knew anything about this before it happened. And I think that's the most important question.</s>BASH: But Christie did leave wiggle room on what former aid David Wildstein's attorney says he has evidence of that Christie knew about the lane closures while it was happening in September.</s>CHRISTIE: If I read that or somebody said something about traffic issues up there, it wouldn't have been meaningful to me, because I didn't know that there was any problem up there.</s>BASH: Christie said the first time he remembers hearing the problem was when he read this October 1st "Wall Street Journal" article about the Port Authority executive director column calling the lane closures abusive. But what may have been most noteworthy about this radio appearance is what Christie did not say. No attacks on David Wildstein like in this memo Christie supporters sent around this weekend, attacking Wildstein's character with examples from high school, saying of Wildstein as a 16-year-old kid, he sued over a local school board election and he was publicly accused by his high school social studies teacher of deceptive behavior. This was an embattled politician trying to stay above the fray.</s>CHRISTIE: I'll be damned if I'm going to let anything get in the way of me doing my job.</s>BASH: Determined not to feed the image of a bully.</s>CHRISTIE: That while I'm disappointed by what happened here, I am determined to fix it.</s>BASH: Trying to come across as a politician scorned.</s>CHRISTIE: I'll tell you something, I'm not warranting anything anymore after what happened.</s>BASH: Now while the governor was on the air, he got word his former aid Bridget Anne Kelly is taking the Fifth. She won't give the committee that's investigating documents they want from her. Kelly is, of course, a key player on this. She was the aid that Christie fired after learning that she sent an e-mail saying it's time for traffic in Fort Lee. Now, Christie was tough on Kelly in that marathon press conference last month. But now, he's softened sayings he's not going to be critical of somebody exercising their constitutional rights.</s>CUOMO: But there's a "but" there, too, Dana. You know, when he said I won't warranty anything my staffer does after this. I thought that was a big admission for him that really could go to criticism of leadership style, which is still largely with the information that comes out. Thanks for the report and for following along. Appreciate it, Dana Bash down in Washington.</s>BASH: Thank you. Also, this morning, a little bit of encouraging financial news for a change. Futures are looking up, but, oh, for an economist with just one hand. You tell me who said that and I'll send you a NEW DAY coffee cup, because on the other hand, overseas markets tanked overnight. <08:05:07> Japan's stock markets tumbled. China took a hit as well. They follow the trend set by us in the U.S. stock market that took a 300 point nose dive Monday. So, not a good start to 2014 for your 401k to be sure. What is going on here? I don't know. Chief business correspondent Christine Romans does over there in the money center with all the bars and graphs moving behind her. What do you see in the numbers?</s>CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Look, what I see is for two years, Chris, you didn't have a meaningful pull back in the stock market. The S&P; 500 didn't have a correction really since 2012. And now that the selling is here, it has been ferocious.</s>ROMANS (voice-over): It was a brutal day on Wall Street, Dow plunging 326 points Monday, down 7 percent since the beginning of the year. The drastic drop sparked by a weak manufacturing report and disappointing sells from big auto makers like G.M., Ford, and Toyota. But for many, the sell off isn't surprising. Here's why: first, stocks can't go up forever. After last year's huge rally, many are calling this an expected correction.</s>BEN WILLIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ALBERT FRIED AND CO.: I don't think this correction is over. Last time around I talked about a correction, sort of waiting for Godot.</s>ROMANS: Second, there's a new leader at Federal Reserve. Janet Yellen is picking up where Bernanke left off and has to pull billions of dollars of stimulus out of the economy without derailing the recovery. Third, emerging marketing include Turkey, South Africa, India, Brazil, and Indonesia, the fragile five are in turmoil, leaving investors shaky. And, finally, there are questions about where the U.S. is headed. Dozens of companies have put out weak earnings forecast. Translation, a lack of confidence. For those reasons, the selling may continue. But how much? Many predict the markets need a staggering 10 percent decline from recent highs. They say those will be brief and stocks could rise in 2014. For now, buckle up and get ready for a bumpy ride.</s>ROMANS: You guys, no one said this year was going to be easy. How can it be, after an almost 30 percent straight upshot last year? A lot to get through. I can tell you this morning, though, futures are slightly higher. So, you're finding some stability. All that selling overseas is stopped for now and looks like we'll have stability today on Wall Street -- Kate.</s>BOLDUAN: I'm starting to get whiplash. I need you to stick very closely to me, Christine. Thank you very much.</s>ROMANS: You're welcome.</s>BOLDUAN: So, right now, millions of Americans are recovering from one major snowstorm and already bracing for another. This we're going to show you is a live look at Oklahoma City where the new storm has already set in. Round one dropped close to a foot of snow in the North East, canceling classes and thousands of flights. Now, round two could pack a bigger punch. Meteorologist Chad Myers is tracking the extreme weather. I don't even want to talk about round three yet, Chad.</s>CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's the storm for Sunday that could bury the Northeast completely. It could stop air travel all together. Here's the storm we're talking about today. This will hit different people than yesterday. We're talking Kansas City, about Chicago, about Buffalo, up state New York. That's where the warning goes today. Now, there will be snow in New York City tomorrow, four inches overnight. But it changes to ice. This is an ice event for Baltimore, D.C., Philadelphia, New York. Yes, there will be snow, but it will be snow to the Midwest. And then, look at that, a foot of snow all the way from Maine back even to Buffalo and Eerie where New York doesn't get the snow. Some, but it melts because tomorrow, we actually get up to 34. It's an ice event in the morning that everybody here is worried about. We're worried about whether we can get to work or not. The storm develops out here in the plains. It rolls quickly to the Northeast. The next storm is already on the way. It digs further South. It gets colder air. It gets more moisture. That's a nor'easter for Sunday night and to Monday that could bury the Northeast. I'll guarantee just like Broadway Joe for you, that there will be some place 24 to 30 inches of snow before Monday night is over. That's my guarantee.</s>BOLDUAN: And that's just round three. That's just from the nor'easter?</s>MYERS: That's right.</s>BOLDUAN: All right. Bets are going to come in, Chad. Where is it going to land? Thanks, Chad.</s>CUOMO: Breaking overnight, a convicted quadruple murderer back behind bars after nearly 24 hours on the run. Michael David Elliot, that's what' you're looking at that. He was captured in dramatic fashion Monday in Indiana after car-jacking and abducting a woman. Police say it was her bravery making a harrowing 911 call that led them to him. CNN's George Howell is in La Porte, Indiana, on the scene. George, what do we know?</s>GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a wild 24 hours of freedom for Elliott, that all ended here in La Porte County, Indiana. And again, police say he did several things from stealing two cars to even kidnapping a woman who managed to get away.</s>HOWELL (voice-over): A two-state manhunt comes to an end over night after authorities capture an escaped convict serving time for murder. Authorities spotted Michael David Elliot during a traffic stop in La Porte County, Indiana, after he spent 24 hours on the run from a Michigan prison. <08:10:06></s>DEPUTY JEFFREY WRIGHT, LAPORTE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: He ran over a couple of stop sticks that some of our sergeants had laid out. So, his tires were going flat. He lost a little bit control of the vehicle. He came up to a T intersection and slide into a snow bank where he wasn't move any further.</s>HOWELL: It began Sunday night, when prison guards discovered Elliot missing from his cell. It's unclear how he managed to escape. But once outside, he pulled back the fencing of the two security barriers and crawled underneath. His escape then took a dramatic turn when he abducted a woman in Michigan, forcing his way into her car and driving across state lines into Indiana.</s>OPERATOR: He has a hammer?</s>CALLER: And a box cutter.</s>OPERATOR: And a box cutter.</s>HOWELL: Surveillance footage shows Elliot on the run inside a convenience store, paying for gas. While there, his hostage was able to lock herself in a restroom and secretly make this desperate 911 call. Her abductor lurking just outside the door.</s>CALLER: Yes. Occupied. Sorry. Taking me longer than what I thought.</s>OPERATOR: Is that him?</s>CALLER: Yes. He's knocking on the bathroom door saying, let's go.</s>HOWELL: Her ploy worked, Elliot left the woman and ditched her Jeep just 20 miles in Shipshewana, Indiana.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They say you killed four people, those charges true?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.</s>HOWELL: Elliot was serving five life sentences for 1994 conviction for killing four people. Authorities say up until now, he was known as a good prisoner.</s>HOWELL: Police were able to make that arrest after a high speed chase here in La Porte County that ended in a snow bank. We also understand that Elliott is being held here in La Porte County, in the jail, on a range of felony charges, everything, Michaela, from possession of stolen property to resisting law enforcement.</s>PEREIRA: George, a lot of people breathing a sigh of relief he has been recaptured. Thanks for that report. We appreciate it. Let's look at top headlines right now. We're getting a clear picture of how often NSA asks tech companies for user data. According to a new report, in a six-month period between 2012 and 2013, Google and Microsoft were forced to turn over information on up to 10,000 customer accounts. During the same time, Yahoo turned over 40,000. The company says a small number of customers were targeted in the intelligence probes. Breaking overnight, an educator accused of sexual abuse by a former student in a YouTube video is now under arrest. In an emotional posted last month, 28-year-old Jamie Carrillo confronted the woman she says began abusing her when she was 12 years old. Andrea Cardosa now faces 16 felony counts of sexual abuse involving two alleged victims. Cardosa could face life in prison. New this morning, tragedy off the North Carolina coast on the Norwegian breakaway cruise ship. One of two boys rescued Monday from the ship's adult pool has died. CPR was performed on both children. A 4-year-old boy could not be revived. The Coast Guard airlifted the surviving six-year-olds to a nearby hospital. A local TV station says he is in stable condition. No charges so far against a Florida law enforcement chemist being investigated for swapping out prescription drug evidence with over the counter pills. The chemist in question has resigned. Meantime, the state has now reopened some 2,600 drug related cases. It could result in drug charges being dropped and prisoners released if it is determined that the chemist tampered with evidence. For all you Broncos fans who can't figure out just how your team got so crushed badly in the Super Bowl, Seattle corner back Richard Sherman says he and his teammates figured out what Peyton Manning's pre-snap hand signals meant, just a few plays into the game. That would mean that they he and his other defensive mates knew exactly what plays were coming. Look how crazy --</s>BOLDUAN: Sure look like they knew. Manning had no time to get off any pass.</s>CUOMO: The guy can go a lot of different places with the ball. Different things can happen. They had the read and react. They're just an amazing defense.</s>BOLDUAN: Can we forget it now?</s>CUOMO: No. It will never be forgotten. That was some beat down.</s>BOLDUAN: Can't wait for next season.</s>PEREIRA: Seattle looking good for next year, too.</s>BOLDUAN: Thanks, Michaela.</s>CUOMO: Could be a legacy team.</s>BOLDUAN: Thanks, Chris.</s>CUOMO: Coming up on</s>NEW DAY: what was found in the apartment of Philip Seymour Hoffman. You know, it could be a road map of how his life ended and maybe why. Also, do you believe addicts have a choice? Look at my Facebook post as a warm-up and then we will debate the issue with Dr. Drew.</s>BOLDUAN: Also, if you tried to fly last month, there's a very good chance you hit weather troubles. Is it the worst time to fly in years? We're crunching the numbers. We're taking a look for you. .