[Laura Jarrett, Cnn Anchor:] The first in the nation primary today in New Hampshire, candidates redirecting their fire at the 11th hour. The first votes already cast. Who has the most to gain and the most to lose?
[Christine Romans, Cnn Anchor:] The deadliest day in mainland China from the coronavirus. Another case confirmed in the U.S. wait until you hear about the mix-up that sent the patient home from the hospital. Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans.
[Jarrett:] And I'm Laura Jarrett. It's Tuesday, February 11th, it's 5:00 a.m. in the East. It's primary day in New Hampshire. A pivotal vote in a wide open contest that could reshape the 2020 race. Democratic candidates made their final appeals across the state Monday, largely pivoting from attacking each other and turning their fire on President Trump.
[Romans:] Keeping tradition the first votes were cast overnight in three small towns. Taking an early lead in this very small sampling, Senator Amy Klobuchar. Big endorsements and strong debate performances that so far have vaulted her to the top nationally. Here was her closing argument last night.
[Sen. Amy Klobuchar , Presidential Candidate:] I know we are searching at kind of an interesting time. Time and time again, New Hampshire has surprised the nation by giving us incredible precedence. New Hampshire has surprised the nation by not always going with the most famous person or the person with the biggest bank account. What New Hampshire has done is given us leaders. So I'm asking you to do that for me today.
[Jarrett:] Also noteworthy in the early voting, Michael Bloomberg, he wasn't even on the ballot but got two write-ins from Democrats and Republican write in as well. A twist likely to get President Trump's attention this morning. CNN has full coverage of New Hampshire primary day. We're starting with Brian Todd this morning, live in one of those three early voting villages, Dixville Notch. Brian, it opened at midnight. What can you tell us?
[Brian Todd, Cnn Correspondent:] Right, Laura, very exciting opening to the primary. The first votes in the first of the nation primary cast just about five hours ago, and as you mentioned Michael Bloomberg was the surprise winner. You know, it may not be so much of a surprise when you think about the all undeclared voters in New Hampshire. The undeclared voters here actually outnumber Democrats about 2-1 and outnumber Republicans about 2-1. So, the undeclared vote very, very strong here, that could explain why Amy Klobuchar won in the other two precincts and has the cumulative lead at this hour in New Hampshire. She's coming out ahead in Millsfield and Hart's Location. She didn't get any votes here in Dixville Notch. But as you mentioned, it was Michael Bloomberg the surprise winner, the write-in candidate that got the votes here, three of the five votes went to Michael Bloomberg and he was on the so-called whiteboard that might get votes. They had to write him in. So that was a surprise at midnight last night. Another surprise here this year was this vote almost didn't happen here in Dixville Notch because under state rules in New Mexico you have to have at least five voters in a precinct to hold a vote. As of late last year, they did. They only had four. One of them, a gentleman named Les Otten who's a developer had lived on and off in Dixville Notch. He moved away for a time because he had projects elsewhere he was following. And as of late last year, they had to talk to him and say if you don't come back here we're not going to be able to hold a vote. So, he decided to comeback in late 2019. He established his residence here. And he's become a very passionate voter and a very passionate member of the Dixville Notch community. He talked to me just after the vote occurred at midnight and talked about what's really important to him is not so much they were first in the state, first in the nation, with votes at midnight, but the fact they really signified the importance of voter turn out. Here's Les Otten.
[Les Otten, Dixville Notch Voter:] I made my vote count and I did it with my fellow citizens, and 100 percent of us voted tonight and we are a democracy in action. I think as a country, we need to come to grips with the fact that in major elections, 50 percent or so of our population doesn't get involved and we can't expect to solve the country's problems without the involvement of our citizenry.
[Todd:] And Les Otten is actually here in Dixville Notch because he's got an important project. He's restoring this resort, The Balsams. This place has been around since 1865. It's had celebrities like Babe Ruth and Frank Sinatra come here for vacation, but it fell into disrepair. It closed nine years ago. Les Otten is restoring it. He hopes to have it back up and running in about two years Laura.
[Jarrett:] Les Otten saving the day there in Dixville Notch. Brian, thanks so much.
[Romans:] All right. Bernie Sanders working late into the night to get out the vote today. He won the popular vote in Iowa but trails the delegate race. CNN's Ryan Nobles on the campaign trail with Sanders in Durham, New Hampshire.
[Ryan Nobles, Cnn Washington Correspondent:] Christine and Laura, it's a little ironic that we are with the 78-year-old candidate for president, Bernie Sanders, and we're on a college campus with a very popular band playing behind us and a very young crowd. But that has consistently shown to be the strongest base of support for Bernie Sanders. A new Quinnipiac poll that shows Bernie Sanders now in the lead nationally, shows that he overwhelmingly has the most support of people under the age of 35. And when you think about the issues that Sanders cares the most about Medicare for All, fighting climate change, eliminating college debt, making college tuition-free these are all issues that appeal to younger voters much more than they might appeal to older voters, and that's Sanders' strength. But the issue for Sanders is that often, younger voters are very unreliable, so he is hoping that they come out for him on Tuesday here in New Hampshire.
[Sen. Bernie Sanders , Presidential Candidate:] This turnout tells me why we're going to win here in New Hampshire, why we're going to win the Democratic nomination, and why we are going to defeat the most dangerous president in the modern history of America, Donald Trump.
[Nobles:] His campaign is a very robust get out the vote effort, specifically targeted at those young voters, part of the reason that he ended his campaign here on a college campus with a very big concert. All part of that momentum that he hopes pushes him to the finish line and provides for him his first full win of the Democratic primary season Laura and Christine.
[Jarrett:] All right, Ryan nobles. Well, Bernie Sanders closest competitor in New Hampshire is Pete Buttigieg. The former South Bend mayor making multiple stops across the Granite State yesterday. He says Sanders is not being clear about the cost of his plans which includes Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, universal child care and eliminating public college tuition. Buttigieg says Sanders all or nothing approach is not what most Americans want.
[Pete Buttigieg , Presidential Candidate:] He's proposed income over $29,000 being taxed to pay for health care plans. But on that, at least let's credit where credit is due because he's being honest about it. But here's the problem. There's $50 trillion worth of spending, so about half of it is unaccounted for and there's no explanation for where the other $25 trillion is supposed to come for. I'm concerned that the idea that you've got to either be for a revolution or you must be for the status quo paints a picture where most of us can't see ourselves where most of us don't know where we fit in.
[Jarrett:] Even if Buttigieg does well in New Hampshire tonight, his future in the race is still murky. He may have a hard time drawing minority support in upcoming states, and there's billionaire Michael Bloomberg lurking with big ad buys ahead of Super Tuesday.
[Romans:] Joe Biden has been trying to lower expectations in New Hampshire for the last several days now. Between campaign stops he spoke to supporters in South Carolina. That's a primary that can't come soon enough for the former vice president. Jessica Dean is on the trail with Mr. Biden in Manchester.
[Jessica Dean, Cnn Washington Correspondent:] Former Vice President Joe Biden closed out the last day before the New Hampshire primary talking about Donald Trump and why he is the person to defeat him in November 2020. Incidentally, Donald Trump just down the road from where Biden held his last big event for the night, just less than two miles apart from the two men. Here's what Vice President Biden had to say.
[Joe Biden , Presidential Candidate:] Guess who else is in Manchester tonight? Donald Trump. What a coincidence. What a coincidence. I have to tell you sometimes it feels like he's following me around. You already get rid of a president who calls generals to their faces losers, dopes and babies. I know I am. Are you ready to get rid of a president who calls traumatic brain injury a headache? I know I am. Are you ready to get rid of a president who pins a presidential medal of freedom on Rush Limbaugh? Are you ready to get rid of a president who has marched a decorated war hero out of the White House for telling and truth and who has a real hero and has real courage and escorted him out?
[Dean:] Over the weekend, we saw former Vice President Joe Biden really sharpen his attacks against his closest rivals Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders. He really hopes for a strong finish here in New Hampshire but that's looking less and less likely as Pete Buttigieg continues to surge as a moderate there. His campaign, very ready to move on to Nevada, to South Carolina, where there's a more diverse electorate that will be participating in the Democratic nominating process. They're going to rely on African-American support there in South Carolina, on Hispanic support in Nevada. We'll see how that all plays out for them Christine and Laura.
[Romans:] Jessica, thank you for that. Some hidden but critical footnotes in the president's election year budget. What it could mean for student loans, vaping and pay for federal employees.