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New Day

Tea Party Shout Out In Primaries; V.A. Scandal: White House Under Fire; NBA Says Sterling Lied, Destroyed Evidence

Aired May 21, 2014 - 06:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: I never let up, ever.

(APPLAUSE)

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CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight: the establishment strikes back in the biggest day of voting so far. The Tea Party is beaten back. Who won? Who lost? Will it mean a shift in power in November? We break it all down.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: New allegations that Donald Sterling asked his mistress to lie to NBA investigators and new information about whether or not he and his wife really are separated. We have the very latest.

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: Not so happy. The video that went viral across the world, young Iranians dancing to "Happy" has landed them in jail, forced to apologize on state TV. Pharrell is now weighing in.

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY starts right now.

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira.

CUOMO: Good morning. Welcome to NEW DAY. It's Wednesday, May 21st. Six o'clock in the East.

A huge night in politics. Voters in six states have spoken and issued a stern rebuke to the Tea Party. We'll break it down for you.

Establishment Republicans came out on top in all the primary races, most notably, Kentucky. That's where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell easily beat back a challenge from businessman Matt Bevin.

But McConnell will face a tough challenge in the fall. CNN projects Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes winning the Democratic primary. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCONNELL: My opponent is in this race because Barack Obama and Harry Reid want her to be in this race. A vote for my opponent is a vote for Obamacare, and president who sold it to us on a mountain of lies.

ALISON LUNDERGAN GRIMES (D-KY), SENATE NOMINEE: Together, we will take this fight to Mitch McConnell and hold him accountable for his 30 years of failed leadership.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

BOLDUAN: The far right also coming up short in the Deep South.

CNN projects businessman David Perdue and Congressman Jack Kingston, they are heading to a July runoff for a Republican Senate nomination in Georgia. Both are considered more moderate, more mainstream than their other opponents. The winner of the runoff will then face Michelle Nunn in November.

CNN projects the daughter of former Senator Sam Nunn cruising to her spot on the Democratic ticket.

CUOMO: Also in Georgia, State Senator Jason Carter, grandson of Jimmy, is the projected winner of the Democratic primary for governor. He will take on incumbent Nathan Deal in November.

BOLDUAN: And in Oregon, CNN projects neurosurgeon Monica Wehby to win the Republican Senate primary. She's come under fire, though, in recent days, for allegations of harassing her ex-husband, may be a problem for her as she heads for November. She's looking to unseat Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley. It's one of several seats the GOP has its eye on in a bid to regain control of the Senate.

CUOMO: Another one of those seats is in Arkansas where incumbent Mark Pryor will have to defend his seat against Congressman Tom Cotton. Both ran unopposed in their primaries.

Now, in Pennsylvania, a former congresswoman came up short in her bid to re-enter the House despite backing from the Clintons. Marjorie Margolies, Chelsea Clinton's mother in law that is, she lost her bid to State Legislature Brandon Boyle. Not a surprise politically, but impressive because the Clintons were involved and she still lost.

BOLDUAN: And in the state's race for governor, Tom Wolf topped Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz in the Democratic primary. He's going to take on the struggling incumbent governor there, Tom Corbett in November.

CUOMO: So, what does it all mean with the Senate hanging in the balance in this big internal conflict within the Republican Party?

Let's dig in deeper with CNN political analyst and editor in chief of "The Daily Beast", Mr. Jon Avlon. We also have CNN senior political analyst and editorial director of "The National Journal," Mr. Ron Brownstein. So, Avlon, having you here right next to me, the lefties wanted to party to be tea soaked, but the Grand Old Party comes back.

(LAUGHTER)

CUOMO: The establishment, you could say, strikes back, didn't it?

JOHN AVLON, THE DAILY BEAST: Yes, it did. Tea Party shut out last night. I mean, it is a big deal, for a party that's been in the midst of a civil war with the Tea Party winning a lot of these tough primary fights, costing the GOP as many as five Senate seat, looks like there's a learning curve in place right now because those Tea Party, who Democrats really did want to run against, easier to paint them to the extreme, got shut out last night.

So, strong night for mainstream GOP candidates. A lot of Republicans are breathing a sigh of relief this morning.

BOLDUAN: Ron, what is different this time around? What is different about the climate? What is different about maybe the money game that is so different this primary versus the last two elections?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, one thing that's different is what John alluded to, which is learned experience. Republicans have booted away a number of Senate seats they could have won in 2012 and 2010 by nominating weak candidates. That seems to be having some affect on Republican primary voters, but the bigger factor is the institutional support. There is kind of an "Empire Strikes Back" moment here of more mainstream conservatives.

I wouldn't call these candidates moderates but they're more pragmatic, governing conservatives rather than ideological conservatives, getting support from a variety of groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, business interest, others. There's an institutional push back against the Tea Party that was not there before.

CUOMO: Now, let's take a little bit of a closer rook at the Kentucky race because really had everything you wanted to see. You saw what the message will be coming out of McConnell. It was successful.

You also saw the proliferation of money that could be used by the outside groups. They used over a million dollars to attack him, the outside groups, and still lost. So, what do you think of that message?

AVLON: Well, two things. First of all, the amount of money flowed into these low turnout primaries is really extraordinary.

CUOMO: And not from campaigns.

AVLON: That's right.

CUOMO: From outside.

AVLON: From outside groups, special interest groups, super PACs and other activist organizations. In the GOP civil war, that money and from conservative groups was directed against Republicans, not Democrats. So, a lot of sore feelings here.

Here's the thing -- ultimately, Mitch McConnell's institutional support, the fact he is Senate minority leader, made him brush past Bevin. For all that Tea Party support and all the symbolic anger directed at Mitch McConnell, he was able to survive it. But he survived it by moving to the right. He survived it by adopting Rand Paul campaign's manager as his own.

And to some extent, as the Tea Party lost the battle last night, the question about is whether they won the war because they influenced mainstream governing Republicans to move significantly right on key issues.

BOLDUAN: Well, that's an interesting point, John.

Ron, I want to get your take on that as well, because that's also -- I mean, we're hearing that yesterday before the results coming out from Democrats who were saying that this isn't necessarily a taming of the Tea Party. The Tea Party has influenced the more mainstream to move more right.

FreedomWorks was quoted in "The Wall Street Journal" this morning as saying, "We sometimes lose battles, but we are winning the war. They are all running on our issues."

What do you think?

BROWNSTEIN: I think that's generally true. I mean, I think the Republican Party is consolidating. It's something that predates the Tea Party. The Tea Party has accelerated.

You're seeing on issues a sign of consolidation moving right. But I still think there's a difference in temper and tone and governing strategy. I mean, I think many of the Tea Party winners in the past view compromise in essence as capitulation. And you are, I think, seeing candidates come forward more willing to make a deal in the end who recognize the value of governing. It's a subtle difference but it's a real difference.

CUOMO: Do you think we're giving the Tea Party too much credit because this idea that a pox on both their houses, everybody should lose but you don't get anything done. That never really happens. One side always plays to advantage.

And doesn't it make sense that Republicans would kind of come to their own senses of saying let's go after the administration. That's not me capitulating to the Tea Party if I'm a Republican. It's me saying I have to attack the administration.

AVLON: Sure. I mean, look, the general election begins now. And that pivot, that unification, will be more successful than some people think. At the end of the day, as much as the folks invested in the GOP civil war from the far right wanted to beat the establishment Republicans they want to beat Democrats and President Obama more. So, you'll see that move over the next couple of days. And it will be full throated.

But what I think is significant is something that Ron was hinting to here as well, which is that the whole playing field as moved so significantly to the right than even if there's that governing impulse, the question is, what policy positions have you committed yourself to. If the mainstream candidates are saying they're not going to vote against immigration reform, if they're not going to vote to ratify Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader or minority leader as the case may be, there are some deep thought lines they committed themselves to.

So, this fight is long from over. The idea that we're simply turning the page, there's a lot of bad blood right now.

BOLDUAN: Well, and there are strong conservative influences, especially in the House, that we know that the leadership has had to work with and they've had problems working with in the past. That still remains when they head back, when they're back in session no matter how this really turns out barring what happens in the Senate, of course.

But let's talk about this reunification real quick, Ron, to get your final take, especially in Kentucky. It's such a good example. After McConnell so soundly beat Bevin, what are the chances do you think that Republicans really -- Bevin supporters are going to support Mitch McConnell, how important is it for Mitch McConnell when he heads into this challenge with Grimes?

BROWNSTEIN: You know, I feel in modern politics what really unifies and mobilizes each party is more stopping the other than necessarily rallying behind their candidate. That's still there.

You think about what's happening here. The Republicans are by and large getting the candidates they want to expand the playing field on the one hand and to places that weren't originally on the target list for the Senate and also to make it tougher for Democrats in turn to expand the playing field. You look at Kentucky and Georgia, both tough seats for Democrats, but one in which they hope to put in play this year.

Now, tougher to do that. You still have the core of this year, Kate, Democrats hold seven Senate seats in states who voted for Mitt Romney in 2012. Those are tough to defend. They've got another five or six Democrat leading states they have to defend.

And then you add to that Kentucky and Georgia is where they hope to put a few Republican seats out of play. That is not off the table, but it's a tough table when Obama is looking at 33 percent approval rating in Kentucky. In 2010, he was under 47 percent and 15 state Senate races, Democrats lost 13 of them.

So, that isn't to say Alison Lundergan Grimes can't win, is that there's a real headwind there, when people are disappointed in the direction of the country in the performance of the president. CUOMO: Quick thought, Avlon, so we can move on.

AVLON: A week is a long time in politics. And the idea that this is foregone conclusion, a wave election in the making, still a lot of time to fight this out. And Democrats in the South are doing nearly as badly as you might expect given the local environment.

CUOMO: You can beat the Tea Party as a Republican by bashing Obama effectively. You cannot win in a general election without having better ideas, especially if you can argue on the basis of Obamacare, "how will you fix it?" will be a big question they're going to hear a lot of.

AVLON: All politics is local.

BOLDUAN: Exactly right.

CUOMO: Ron Brownstein, Mr. Avlon, as known as John --

BOLDUAN: Great to see you, John. Great to see you, Ron.

CUOMO: -- great to have you both.

So, that's the Republican side of the equation. The Democrats, they have their own problems. President Obama and the Department of Veterans Affairs specifically are both under fire this morning for the growing scandal, 26 V.A. facilities are now under investigation for allegedly covering up long potentially fatal wait times for patients. And the president is dispatching a top aide to Phoenix where CNN first reported dozens of veterans died after waiting months to be seen by a doctor.

Let's get the latest on this and bring in White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski.

What is going on in terms of how they think they can fix this?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Chris.

Well, now, we know this morning, the embattled secretary of the V.A., Eric Shinseki, will meet with the president here at the White House and we know that the investigation is ballooning along with the details. Pretty stunning details of what was going on. These alleged secret waiting lists that made it seem like vets were getting timely care.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KOSINSKI (voice-over): The V.A.'s inspector general this morning is investigating practices at 26 V.A. facilities around the country. Last week, it was 10. A top White House adviser is heading today to Phoenix where the scandal really broke, reported by CNN's Drew Griffin.

Under the microscope now, why there were waiting lists at some V.A. hospitals kept on paper, not entered into computer systems, how widespread and long-standing this cooking of the books might have been, how it started, and how it affected the American soldiers under the V.A.'s care? Like 71-year-old Thomas Breen who went to the E.R. September 28. His family says he was told he needed to see a doctor urgently, within a week.

SALLY BARNES-BREEN, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW: They call me December 6th. He's dead already. I said, really, you're a little too late, sweetheart. And I was yelling at her.

KOSINSKI: Turns out he had stage 4 bladder cancer, undiagnosed.

We know that the V.A. itself knew of some problems with delays and waiting lists for at least six years now. Data-keeping issues going back nearly a decade.

In 2010, a V.A. memo called for immediate action to identify and eliminate inappropriate scheduling practices, sometimes referred to as gaming strategies. This is not patient-centered care.

The memo specifically bans using paper logs for appointments. Again, this was four years ago. Now being held by some at least partly accountable, the White House, which staunchly stands by its actions to increase funding and resources for veterans in the face of problems that clearly started long before President Obama took office.

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: No, this is not a new issue for the president. That's why he has been focused on it since he's been president.

KOSINSKI: But critics in the House this week is bringing in the bill to give the head of the V.A. more power to fire managers, calling this scandal a mess.

REP. ERIC CANTOR (R-VA), MAJORITY LEADER: It is time for our president to come forward and take responsibility for this and do the right thing by these veterans, and begin to show that he actually cares about getting it straight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSINSKI: There have been many questions, why hasn't the president come out and said something publicly about this? When will we hear from the president? Well, the White House is saying that soon, President Obama will address this issue as we head into Memorial Day weekend -- Michaela.

PEREIRA: Won't be soon enough for the veterans awaiting care.

Michelle, thank you so much.

Let's take a look at more of your headlines right now. The Obama administration is set to release a potentially explosive secret memo explaining its rationale for targeting U.S. citizens in terror operations abroad. Under intense pressure, the Justice Department has decided to comply with the court order to release the memo which authorized the killing of radical Muslim cleric Anwar al Awlaki in Yemen back in 2011. This memo will go through a reduction process before it is release.

New concern this morning about a stream of al Qaeda threats with potential targets in the U.S. and Western Europe. CNN has learned intelligence officials are seeking -- seeing rather, an uptick in the threat stream over the past six months, although none of the threats have been corroborated. Officials say they suggest operational activity but so far there's no sign that al Qaeda cells are operating inside the U.S.

A federal judge has struck down Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage. The state will begin taking applications for licenses immediately. The judge added a personal touch to his decision saying, quote, "We are better people than what these laws represent."

In Idaho, however, same-sex weddings will have to wait. The courts overturned the state's gay marriage ban but the governor and attorney general asked for and received a stay while an appeal is being fast tracked.

Those are your headlines at this hour. Let's talk about the weekend. We're allowed to officially, it's Wednesday.

Our meteorologist Indra Peterson is here.

It's the rules, come on.

(CROSSTALK)

INDRA PETERSON, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You're totally fine. I agree with you all you guys.

I'm going to say, the weekend looks good. But before that, not so much. But that's fine, right, as long as we know what we have to look forward to.

Right now, severe weather. That's going to be the story again, especially if you're flying out to Chicago O'Hare or Denver today. Very similar to yesterday.

We're still going to be talking about that threat. D.C. even included, all the way back in through St. Louis and again that same region around Denver to just west of Wichita, that's what you're going to see the heavy thunderstorms today.

Easy to see, check out the map. The two systems making their way through already seeing a lot of lightning out there, but notice what you're looking out here in the Southern Plains. This is huge, guys. They have had this horrible drought conditions, exceptional drought conditions and finally, they have been waiting.

They are going to be seeing the rain they do need several inches of rain will be out there. But they're not the only ones. Also in the Northeast, starting in the Midwest today, spreading into the Northeast, all of the way in through Friday evening. We are going to be talking about the threat for some of that rain. But you also have that severe weather threat. We're still talking about the warm, humid air coming in from the Southeast, the cold air behind it, the jet stream, the low, everything is coming together, bringing that threat high for severe thunderstorms out there today. Look at all the lightning you're seeing around the lakes and the morning hours. Chicago, right now, keep in that mind we could start to see delays in that region.

But here we go, towards the weekend, finally ending on the good stuff. Temperatures, beautiful out there. The sunshine is going to be out by Saturday, Northeast, and even down into the Southeast, of course, it's hot and muggy down there.

It is dry and everyone wants to go outside on Memorial Day weekend. It's looking good.

BOLDUAN: Look at the temperatures down South.

PETERSONS: It is a little hot but it's dry.

(CROSSTALK)

BOLDUAN: Stay with the temperatures.

PEREIRA: Barbecue weather, right?

PETERSONS: Always.

BOLDUAN: I would argue I could barbecue in the --

PEREIRA: In the rain?

BOLDUAN: Definitely in the rain, even if it's dark and I would say down in the 50s.

PETERSONS: You're the master chef.

BOLDUAN: No, we just shove my husband out there, it will be fine.

CUOMO: Barbecuing in the rain stinks.

BOLDUAN: When you're doing it. That way you get to eat it.

CUOMO: But this is a big weekend. You're going to enjoy it, no matter what the weather is. That's my prediction, another prediction.

BOLDUAN: Yes.

CUOMO: You're going to get a chance to take a sip of coffee and do what you have to do right now because we're going to take a break.

When we come back, just when you can't get any more curious: Malaysian officials are once again promising to finally release the raw satellite data that was the basis for the search of Flight 370 and the basis for so much of the complaints from the families. But when will they actually do that? And then the bigger question is, how will it help the search? We'll break it down for you.

BOLDUAN: And new allegations, did Donald Sterling try to cover up the scandal that could cost him his NBA team. Find out what he allegedly asked his mistress to do after the news broke.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM SILVER, NBA COMMISSIONER: My confidence level is high. We know we're doing the right thing, and I know I have the owners behind me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: NBA commissioner Adam Silver, that's who that is. He's speaking out for first time since banning Donald Sterling for life from the NBA.

Silver also addressed a new bombshell. Listen to this. "The L.A. Times" is reporting that Sterling allegedly asked girlfriend V. Stiviano to lie to league investigators about his infamous racist rant to say it wasn't his voice and that the recording was manipulated somehow.

Silver also slammed the door on Sterling's request for more time. He does have until next Tuesday to appeal the charges.

Some perspective. Let's bring in Mel Robbins, CNN commentator and legal analyst, and Malik Rose, two-time NBA champ, game analyst for Comcast Sports Net Philadelphia.

First, Mel Robbins -- the righteousness of the allegations from "The L.A. Times". Do you believe there's a legitimate basis of credibility for these allegations that he tried to get -- Sterling tried to get V. Stiviano to manipulate evidence?

MEL ROBBINS, CNN COMMENTATOR: I do. I mean, based on everything that we've seen from Donald Sterling, it seems like it's right in line with the character of his behavior in the past. You know, it's interesting is that they will bring this before the owners, Chris, but they don't use the federal rules of evidence so they can kind of consider things and give it a different weight than they would in the court of law.

CUOMO: Yes, they say the rules of evidence will apply but loosely.

ROBBINS: Yes.

CUOMO: Whatever that means.

ROBBINS: Yes.

CUOMO: I don't know how rules apply if they don't actually apply strictly.

Malik Rose, so looking at the list of charges, you see them leaning very heavily on the V. Stiviano tape, let's just call it that for lack of a better phrase. No mention of the CNN interview and not just to be self-serving but were you surprised that they didn't use that as part of the charges when he actually went further, you could argue, than he did in his V. Stiviano tape in terms of saying things to the league brand?

MALIK ROSE, FORMER NBA PLAYER: Not really surprises. Either interview -- I mean, we're dealing with the private entity. We've already talked about that. So, the rules are going to be loosely applied. But either interview is just as damning to the NBA brand which is basically the primary reason Mr. Sterling is being outed.

That interview with V. Stiviano was so damning to the league and revenue-making capabilities that the league and its owners have no real choice but to get rid of him or dissociate themselves from him moving forward.

CUOMO: Any legitimacy to the push back by Sterling's attorneys that this process is unfair, you're not giving us any time, you're making all of these charges up fundamentally because there's nothing about this situation in the constitution and this is basically a race towards a kangaroo court.

ROBBINS: Right. You know, I think that that's the only thing they canning or right now, Chris. And at this point, one of the things that's interesting about Adam Silver's strategy is that because this is so unprecedented, he is not going to waiver at all from the plan that is laid out in the Constitution in terms of the procedure because if he does, it opens up the door for them to say that the process isn't the right process.

If Adam Silver continues to say what he's been saying, which is, hey, we are going to move, we're going to follow the letter of the law that every single owner signed, then Donald Sterling has a much weaker case.

But you know, I think you're hinting at this. I wouldn't be surprised if you see Donald Sterling file a lawsuit between now and Tuesday basically arguing breach of contract, breach of due process, and trying to seek an injunction on these proceedings and try to tangle it up that way.

But ultimately, I don't think it's going to be successful.

CUOMO: You think that the contract is clear?

ROBBINS: Yes, very clear, and that he signed it and that he's known the rules of the game, so to speak. I also think the allegations that are really damning are the ones where he's covering things up, where the tape was given allegedly to Roeser who was, you know, part of the franchise three weeks prior to it going public, that they released a press statement that made misleading statements that said that that wasn't necessarily him on the tape.

So, he's in a whole lot of hot water. And I wouldn't be surprised if even though they don't mention Anderson's interview, that they play it for the owners or play highlights of it during these proceedings.

CUOMO: As if they haven't seen it. You know, Malik, we often say in the criminal justice game it's not the crime, it's the cover-up that gets you because it shows you the intent to deceive and all the things that people try to get away from.

Now, the commissioner spoke to something else last night. We said from the beginning, Malik, and you said it as eloquently more so than anybody else, this is bigger than the game.

And do we have time to play the sound from the commissioner about what he said about race and what this means?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SILVER: It's beyond anger. It's sort of what I said earlier, there's a certain sad, and you feel it. It's almost a malaise around the league. That's what I sensed when I first met with the Clippers.

It was something deeper than anger. We're not a post-racial society. But at least within the boundaries of my authority, you know, I feel an obligation to protect the people who are within this league.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CUOMO: What does that mean, to hear that from the commissioner, Malik, and what do you think the larger point is that just has to be made strongly here?

ROSE: Man, coming from my point of view I've always -- when we served with the union, the relationship between the players and the commissioner has always been kind of like an adversarial one. For players to now hear the new commissioner, Commissioner Silver, come out in such strong support of, you know, attacking these statements and any type of racial discrimination has got to be encouraging and, you know, galvanizing and just -- it uplifts the players.

We already talked about how in the NBA the vast majority of the players are African-American and to hear a commissioner, a man of power who represents the owners come out and speak so eloquently and so forcefully against racial discrimination and the same thing that has brought down not just African-American players in the NBA but just the African-American culture in this country alone. It was really, really encouraging and refreshing for me to hear that.

And, you know, I think it spoke volumes to --

BOLDUAN: Malik Rose being silenced by the powers of the media.

No, we lost his satellite signal.

But he is making the best point we've heard. He's back.

Malik, finish your point so they don't think it was a chilling affect on your free speech.

ROSE: Yes, the man cut me off.

No, it was just -- it was just -- it's got to be encouraging and refreshing to NBA players, especially the African-American players. But just to have a commissioner that identifies and are sensitive to the racial injustice that still goes on in this country and he puts his best foot forward to attack it. I mean, it's really, really a great thing for Commissioner Adam Silver.

CUOMO: And a league where often the conflict is about money, he is putting morality above that and saying this is the right thing to do. It will be interesting to see because now there's pressure to do the right thing. We'll see that going forward.

Boy, I tell you, Malik got cut off today. You got cut off the other day. I was moderating both situations. Doesn't look good for the kid out of Queens.

But this is an interesting situation that is shaping up. We'll follow it.

Malik, thank you. Mel, thank you.

ROBBINS: Thank you.

CUOMO: Kate?

BOLDUAN: All right. Let's take the sports, though, very different aspect of it, though.

Miami Heat turned up the intensity to even up the series with the Pacers last night. I'll say it, unfortunately.

Joe Carter has more in the "Bleacher Report".

Joe, what's the deal?

JOE CARTER, BLEACHER REPORT: Hey, I like where your Pacers are at in this series, by the way, Kate.

BOLDUAN: OK, good. I'll take that.

CARTER: I think they look really good. I mean, this series tied 1-1 is where it should be. I mean, it's been really intense as well if you've been watching.

Last night, check this out, fourth quarter, Pacers Paul George said he blacked out for a moment on this play. You will see in the replay Dwyane Wade's knee lands right in the back of his head. George did say in the game but said he felt dizzy the rest of the night.

Now, there were 21 lead changes but in the fourth quarter, it was all LeBron and Dwyane Wade. The two superstars called 22 of Miami's 25 points in that quarter. The Heat tie up the series 1-1 with an 87-83 win. The next two are in Miami.

Well, for the second straight year, Cleveland will have the number one pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Shocking part here, the Cavs had a 1.7 percent chance of drawing that first pick. Milwaukee, who finished with the worse record in the NBA, picked second. The 76ers who tied the longest losing streak in the NBA this season picked third.

All right. This was one of several celebrations going on in Minnesota yesterday. The NFL announced that Minnesota will be the host site for the 2018 Super Bowl. Why? You're looking at it. The Vikings are building a $1 billion stadium that should be ready in 2016.

Now, to get the Super Bowl, they beat out Indianapolis and New Orleans for the right to host the most watched event on television.