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NEW DAY

Donald Sterling Slams Magic Johnson; Cop Shot Dead Before Home Explosion; U.S. Planes Join Search for Nigerian Girls

Aired May 13, 2014 - 06:00   ET

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


CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: You'll recall it was a photo of Johnson that sparked Sterling's first racist rant.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now Sterling is going after Johnson for having HIV and accuses him of not doing enough to help the black community. Take a listen for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD STERLING, OWNER, L.A. CLIPPERS: Here is a man who -- I don't know if I say this. He acts so holy. I mean, he made love to every girl in every city in America and he had AIDS. And when he had those AIDS I went to my synagogue and I prayed for him. I hoped he could live and be well. I didn't criticize him. I could have. Is he an example for children? Because he has money he is able to treat himself. But Magic Johnson is irrelevant in this thing. What has he done? Can you tell me? Big Magic Johnson, what has he done?

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, CNN'S "AC360": Yes. He's a businessperson.

STERLING: He's got AIDS. Did he do any business -- I like -- did he help anybody in South L.A.?

COOPER: He has HIV, not actually full-blown AIDS.

STERLING: What kind of guy goes to every city and has sex with every girl and catches HIV? Is that someone we want to respect and tell our kids about? I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background. But what does he do for the black people? He doesn't do anything. You call up and say, well --

COOPER: He's opened a lot of businesses in inner city neighborhoods.

STERLING: The Jewish people have a company and it's for people who want to borrow money with no interest. They want to give them a fishing pole. We want to help people. If you don't have to money, we loan it to you. If you don't have interest, one day you will pay us back. I'm just telling you, he does nothing, it's all talk.

COOPER: Are you saying that African-Americans don't contribute to African-American communities as much as Jewish people do?

STERLING: There's no African-American -- never mind. He's a good person and he -- what am I going to say? Has he done everything he can do to help minorities? I don't think so. But I'll say it. I'll say it, you know. He's great. But I -- I just don't think he is a good example for the children of Los Angeles, that he would go and do what he did and then get AIDS. I mean, come on. Jews, when they get successful, they will help their people.

And some of the African-Americans, maybe I'll get in trouble again, they don't want to help anybody. What has Magic Johnson really done for children's hospital? Which kids are lying in the hallways? They're sick. They need a bed. What has he done for any hospital? What has he done for any group? I don't know. Maybe he's done a lot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CUOMO: All right, so basically we're dealing with two levels of offensiveness here. The general level and then the specific, of course, to Magic Johnson. So let's bring in some people and get some perspective here. Sean Gregory, the senior for "Time" magazine and Mr. Malik Rose, two-time NBA champ, game analyst for Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. What we're here as today is human beings.

Let's deal with the general first. Malik, when you hear these ideas, sometimes it's good to get out offensive ideas to expose them as that and make them less popular. What do you find the most offensive that you heard?

MALIK ROSE, ANALYST, COMCAST SPORTSNET PHILADELPHIA: What don't I find offensive with the way this man is talking. I'm still processing everything that came out in Anderson Cooper interview. The amount of hate and the amount of racial bias and just evilness that's inside this man is mind boggling for me. I don't think the league can get this situation or this issue over fast enough.

CUOMO: No particular agenda. It seems he just sees these things as basic truths that he's saying, right?

SEAN GREGORY, SENIOR WRITER, "TIME": His defense, I'm not a racist, I'm not a racist and then to just say racist things is unbelievable. Anderson got him perfectly, are you implying that the African-American community is not as philanthropic as the Jewish community? He stopped himself before he said yes.

CUOMO: Anderson is a friend and colleague, but no debating here. He could have taken the questions any way he wanted. He decided, Mr. Sterling, to take them the direction he did. He wasn't led down any path to get there. Now specific to Magic Johnson. Is there something I don't know about the history and this man and Magic Johnson? Is there anything there? Is there a plot to steal the team? Is this guy so deeply paranoid about Magic Johnson?

ROSE: Not that I know of, Chris. I mean, the only thing that I would think that's on his mind is he doesn't want the team to be sold to a group or anybody that's associated with Magic Johnson. I don't even know if that's where all of this started from. The amount of disdain and hatred this guy has for Magic Johnson. He starts out the interview, I don't talk about people, I talk about ideas and then he goes on the diatribe and assaulting Magic Johnson and the black community. CUOMO: When was the last time you heard someone going after someone for having HIV?

GREGORY: It's not only racism. It's bigotry. At one point he says, he has AIDS, as if it was criminal. That was the view in 1985 when people didn't know anything and he still has that view. There is also bigotry involved within -- against the HIV community as well.

CUOMO: Fierce speculation that he was going to say at one point there is no black community. Am I putting words in his mouth? I don't want to be unfair because there's no need in this situation, he says enough.

ROSE: You're right. I would bet money, when Anderson Cooper asks him, are you saying when black people make it, they get successful, no one comes back to help the community. He starts to get irate, there is no black -- and he stopped himself. I would bet money the next word is community. That opens the door, not the window to a soul, a door to his soul and just many other businessmen that come in to the black community and exploit the black community for their own financial gains.

I don't want to go off on a tangent, but black people are probably the only race in America, the only community in America where we don't own our own community, we don't take care -- own our community financially. All the other races, and it's nothing illegal, but all the other races come in and own stores and own businesses. That's where he was going with that.

GREGORY: The irony of that is that Magic Johnson is a leader, he's made a point of becoming, you know, a role model.

CUOMO: Empowerment.

ROSE: Empowerment person for black entrepreneurship.

ROSE: He hires youth, children. I don't see how Mr. Sterling missed all this. Magic Johnson is probably at the forefront of doing things in the black community. And quickly, from a guy who grew up in an inner city community and didn't see a man wearing my suit other than my pastor before I got my college, my pastor was the only one other than Magic Johnson. That inspired me to do things better and possibly have a job where I can wear a suit every day. He's going to turn around and say this man has done nothing for the black community is mind boggling.

CUOMO: Adam Silver comes forward, the NBA commissioner. Didn't have to but makes a statement of support for Magic Johnson. Do you believe this has dug the grave for David Sterling? If there was any question before, because there was a legitimate issue, how do we punish thought -- there's the statement. You can read it for yourself there. There had been a legitimate question about how do we punish thought. Do you take property over thought? Do you believe those questions are now erased by just the damage to the brand?

GREGORY: It's the damage to the brand. It's not the conduct, it's the results of the conduct. You can argue free speech about getting DWI.

CUOMO: And the issue of what made the tape that is gone, too.

ROSE: The window he opened up to his soul to the world, the world is seeing who this man is. The more he opens up his mouth, I think Adam Silver is cringing inside. On the one hand he's happy because he has proof now that this guy has lost it, he cannot be an owner. The damage he spews when he opens his mouth is becoming almost irreparable, he has to silence this guy.

CUOMO: Yes, he is 80 something years old and, yes, there was a different time of thought in culture in this country. It's important to have the conversation because that time is over. It's important for it to be condemned, and Mr. Sterling did it for himself. Certainly no one led him there. Sean, Malik, thank you very much. Glad to have you -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Sterling had his say as we well know. Tonight we're going give Magic Johnson the chance to speak. What does he think about Sterling's criticisms aimed directly at him. Johnson going to sit down with Anderson Cooper tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on "AC360."

Plus much more of the Sterling interview is coming up, of course, on NEW DAY, does he really think the NBA wants him out? We'll see.

Let's turn now to an unbelievable scene though at a home in New Hampshire as it literally explodes on live TV. The blast coming just moments after a deadly shoot-out with police. Now authorities are trying to figure out what exactly happened. Don Lemon is here in for Michaela this morning with much more of the details.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: It's unbelievable, Kate. It happened in the town of Brentwood, New Hampshire, when police were dispatched to the home to investigate the report of a domestic dispute.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): This violent explosion tearing through a New Hampshire home is leaving police puzzled and adding to the mystery just moments before the massive explosion a man in the home shot and killed a police officer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just felt the explosion. We looked at each other.

LEMON: Officer Steve Arkell was responding to a call of domestic disturbance when authorities say Michael Nolan fatally shot him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officers arrived and a short time later the home was engulfed in flames and then exploded.

LEMON: According to neighbors, Nolan lived in the home with his father. Neighbors also saying that a loud argument could be heard before the blast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You could see our house. We saw the explosion go up and stuff blow over to our house.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not only did we hear it, we saw it simultaneously. Very frightening.

LEMON: The cause of the fire and explosion are still unknown. A frightening scene leaving this neighborhood on edge.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the cops came, S.W.A.T. team, people there walking around house with machine guns. It was just scary, scary, scary.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Scary indeed. Police believed the suspected shooter died in the fire. Officer Steven Arkell leaves behind a wife and two teenage daughters -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: And there is a house not so far away from where that last happened. Terrifying. Thanks, Don.

Let's get over to meteorologist, Indra Petersons now getting a track of the forecast. Indra, how is it looking today?

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: A lot of crazy weather. We were we are talking about feet of snow out towards Colorado. The picture shows you, a satellite picture of the last 24 hours. What happens when you mix the cold air with the warm humid air out of the Gulf? The storm system makes its way across and literally explodes right across the middle of the country. This is one part of the problem.

The other part of the problem, this is the last 24 hours. Still talking about the same position. Here's the concern. More rain, more flooding concerns today as thunderstorms develop in the same region. Forward in time. Same storm system taking its time, progressing off to the east. By Thursday, same storm system. Heavy rain will be in the forecast. Heaviest amounts, we'll find out right around the gulf.

By the time in the mid-Atlantic, maybe two to five inches of rain over the next several days. Temperature wise, very easy to see. Warm in the west, cold out west. In the southeast, hot. What is going on in the north east? What is that 54 degrees in Boston? Let me show you. We are talking about a back door cold front sliding down.

Look at the temperature drop, 30 degrees cooler today in Boston. Pay attention. We're hooking you up. New York City, 85 to 69. Do not forget the jacket. It is going to be shocked when they expect hot and it's going to be chilly.

BOLDUAN: The spring yo-yo continues, 85 to 54.

PETERSONS: There are some complainers.

BOLDUAN: We're not complaining. The facts of life.

LEMON: Never complain here. What's wrong with you people?

BOLDUAN: Don never does.

LEMON: Me complain? What's wrong with you people? Why am I up so early? I never complain.

CUOMO: The obvious cause is inaccurate forecasting.

LEMON: You think so?

BOLDUAN: There you go.

PETERSONS: No, no, no.

LEMON: Who is complaining about the forecasting?

BOLDUAN: Talking about being baited into things, do not be baited into this. This is one of them.

CUOMO: The data is there.

Coming up on NEW DAY, the United States now front and center in the search for hundreds of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls. American planes, technology, now a big part of the mission. We're going to tell you about the latest demands from the kidnappers ahead.

BOLDUAN: A stunning and truly sad development in a North Carolina congressional race. The businessman running against former "American Idol" runner-up, Clay Akin. The businessman died. What happened and what happens now?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Welcome back.

Now, U.S. spy planes are over -- flying over Nigeria searching for hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorists. The story, of course, we've been covering very closely. The Pentagon is also sharing commercial satellite data with the Nigerians.

But in this new video we're going to show you, the leader of the al Qaeda affiliate says they will only free the girls if Boko Haram prisoners are released. What can be done and what can be learned from this video as most important at this moment?

Let's bring in retired Army Major General Spider Marks, CNN military analyst and, of course, a former commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center.

Spider, let's talk about this video and let's get right to it. Let's play through the video. When we look at this video, the big question is, this is first time we're seeing these girls in the three weeks that they have been missing if this is them?

MAJ. GEN. SPIDER MARKS (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right.

BOLDUAN: What can we learn from this? MARKS: Well, first of all, you get the personal -- stop it there. That's a phenomenal picture. Really put the personal face on this tragedy, this grotesque activity taking place in Nigeria.

Now, if this is time stamped, we know how recent this is, which is important for intelligence folks, and if there's any geo location data. Experts can look at this and try to do some terrain matching to determine where this might be. Those are the two key important things because we want to make sure the intelligence is not latent, that it's current. As a result of that you can start building a plan around what you want to do with these videos.

BOLDUAN: Spider, let's say this is two weeks old, does that mean the video is useless for intelligence purposes?

MARKS: No, no, very, very important. Very important. It gives us a couple pieces of understanding. One is, not all of them are together. We have to assume that they have separated.

This is an indicator that not all of them are concentrated in one location. It means that the forces of Boko Haram have been dispersed in order to take care of these pockets.

So, this is important information to build this mosaic. It's a picture, Kate, that has to be built before you can do something to try to rescue or do something with this tragedy.

BOLDUAN: Let's walk over to the map, but as we do, we know that authorities in the region, they were wanting to show the video even to the parents of the girls to get them to ID them to have that confirmation.

Let's talk about Nigeria. The area we're focusing on and why the specificities are so important. You've got Lagos, you've got Abuja, and you've got Chibok. Why are -- these are the key areas. Tell me why, but most importantly, how influential Boko Haram is in this area?

MARKS: Yes, Boko Haram is influential and wields a lot of power throughout the country. However, it's mostly concentrated as we can see in the north and the east in this region of Africa called the Sahel, which is really desert and there are really two Nigerias. You've got one on the coast, which is the oil exploration takes place, and then you have this vast wasteland up in the north and east, which is primarily, again, Boko Haram up north and throughout most of the country.

BOLDUAN: So, let's move through this because I want you now, you see the influence of Boko Haram. One of the challenges has been terrain and how to actually find these girls in difficult terrain -- big forests, big challenges that they're facing. That's why it's important that the United States and other countries are bringing in assets.

Talk about the assets the United States is offering and why they're so important to the search. MARKS: What's really important here is this is a classic intelligence collection operation. You have to fight through intelligence. You have to develop the situation, military term, before you can do something. So, the intellectual has to proceed the physical. We've got to get a better picture of what's going on.

BOLDUAN: So, what we're looking at right here. We're looking at the drone bases the United States has in the region, right?

MARKS: Drones have been used through the United States through partnerships in other nations in Africa for quite some time. So, we've got a pretty good sense of this and primarily we have authority and we have familiarity to conduct and launch these drone strikes.

BOLDUAN: Pretty good access relatively speaking.

MARKS: Absolutely. If not directly in this portion of Nigeria, at least in the surrounding area which is really most important.

BOLDUAN: What more -- the United States right now is offering aerial surveillance, offering intelligence experts, as well as sharing some commercial satellite data that we also have access to.

What more could the United States offer because we know at this point they do not want to put boots on the ground. But Chuck Hagel just said the other day to ABC News that every asset will be brought to bear from the United States if need be.

MARKS: Right. The secretary of defense said this is a priority mission and we'll do whatever. The issue is with intelligence, is you have to have multiple forms of intelligence. You have to have it layered. One form of intelligence would be a single source. You want to confirm that with another source of intelligence.

So, you can use UAVs, satellites, you can use fixed wing aircraft, air breathers to further refine it. But most importantly, you have to have source on the ground. You've got to develop the sources which is why the army has a special forces A-team which has intelligence guys, it's got medical guys, it's got the ability to do strong logistics work, where these are very senior guys that will further development relationships to further refine this picture.

It takes time. It really requires patience. I think the sad part of this is this is such a mess.

BOLDUAN: Such a mess.

MARKS: Horrible mess.

BOLDUAN: A lot of information --

MARKS: I don't know what the outcome is going to be.

BOLDUAN: And a lot of the information coming out from the Nigerian government has been murky or contradictory over the last three weeks and that's why it's so important to get U.S. on the ground to help. MARKS: Absolutely. Was it (AUDIO GAP) our relationship with them and the outcome that might occur here.

BOLDUAN: Spider, thank you so much. We'll be watching this closely as we have. And I know that you are as well.

So, to find out how you can help the girls all over the world, quite simply, go to CNN.com/impact. Do your part to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.

Chris?

CUOMO: All right. Kate, thanks for that.

Coming up on NEW DAY, a stunning development in Clay Aiken's bid to become congressman in North Carolina. The former "American Idol" star's chief Democratic rival just died. This happens before the results of their primary were even finalized. So, what happened and what will happen now in the election?

Also, shocking surveillance video reportedly captures Beyonce's sister Solange attacking Jay-Z in an elevator. What could have triggered this ugly brawl? And is the bloom coming off the rose in Jay-Z and Beyonce's squeaky clean world? We'll check it out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: Welcome back to NEW DAY.

Let's get over to Don Lemon. He's in for Michaela with the top stories.

Good to have you, my friend.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: No one could ever fill in for Michaela.

CUOMO: Never.

LEMON: I'll do by most though. Good morning to both of you.

In an exclusive interview, CNN interview, Donald Sterling questions whether Magic Johnson should be a role model because he has HIV and suggests Johnson hasn't done enough to help the black community. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded saying, "While Magic Johnson doesn't need me to I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack. The NBA board of governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible."

We'll have more with Sterling sit-down interview with Anderson Cooper throughout the morning here on CNN. So, make sure you stay tuned.

Breaking overnight. A six-year prison sentence for former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He's accused of taking bribes from real estate developers. Olmert denies any wrongdoing and his attorneys are expected to file an appeal with the Supreme Court. Corruption allegations forced Olmert out of office in 2008. He was the first Israeli head of government to be convicted on criminal charges.

Fire crews making major headway against a wind-whipped wildfire in Texas in the panhandle. Forestry officials say the Double Diamond fire is 65 percent contained. It has burned more than 2,500 acres and destroyed 160 structures, 91 of them homes. As of late Monday, about 400 people were still unable to return home because of downed power lines.

Kate, over to you.

BOLDUAN: Don, thanks so much.

Really a shocking turn of events in a tight Democratic primary race in Not Carolina. The businessman facing off against former "American Idol" runner up Clay Aiken for a congressional seat -- that businessman has died. Seventy-one-year-old Keith Crisco died at his home Monday from injuries connected to an apparent fall, they believe. Crisco was about 300 maybe purportedly planning to concede today.

Let's bring in John Frank, political reporter for "The Raleigh News and Observer" to find out more about what happened.

John, thanks so much for coming in.

I mean, this is such a shock for everyone in North Carolina and beyond who is watching this race closely. What more are you hearing about what happened to Mr. Crisco?

JOHN FRANK, THE RALEIGH NEWS AND OBSERVER: Kate, this is a bizarre turn in an unusual race given Clay Aiken's entry into politics, as a former "American Idol" star.

Now, what we're learning is that Keith Crisco died at a fall at his home about midday Monday. His injuries he sustained were failed. It just shocked the North Carolina political world for sure. He's being remembered as a dedicated public servant for four years as the state's commerce secretary.