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Exclusive Interview with Malachi Hernandez; NFL Accuses Tom Brady of Knowing About Deflated Footballs; Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired May 07, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's why he believes that this consent form is null and void, because it did not include the provision of what happens when you break up.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Whose fault is that? Why were they asking if you break up?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, I think it's an interesting question. The bottom line is when you're doing this kind of procedure and you're hopeful and you are so excited, I think people are load to get the attorneys involved, you know. But that's the time to have the attorneys involve because that is when you can consider all the potential ramifications. And they obviously didn't do that. I mean, courts in about 10 states have dealt with this embryo custody issue and they sort of fallen all over the place. Some have fallen on behalf of the (INAUDIBLE) of the world. Others, on behalf of the (INAUDIBLE). But no state has passed an actual law to deal with this issue.

BALDWIN: So, I'm just thinking, hypothetically, if he were to win and those embryos and lives become little kids, then would she be paying --

CAMEROTA: I'm glad you asked. He wants everyone --

BALDWIN: That's the question.

CAMEROTA: What he wants everyone to know is he has absolved her of all financial responsibility. He's willing to sign whatever it takes to say that he will never hold her responsible financial for the children.

HOSTIN: You know, I think the bottom line is when you look at the case law, the limited case law there is, courts really never force someone to be a parent against their will. The right of someone to be a parent versus the right of someone not to be a parent, generally the parent that doesn't want to be a parent --

CAMEROTA: Although, he says that every day it happens where a woman carries a pregnancy to term against a man's wishes. It happens all the time in the U.S. and that's allowed to happen.

HOSTIN: But that's a child custody as opposed to embryo custody. So this case is really going to raise all these ethical and legal questions. (CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Alisyn and Sunny, thank you so much.

Make sure you watch Alisyn "New Day," 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. every morning right here on CNN.

Next, an interview you cannot miss. President Obama, he spoke last week about his program, my brother's keeper. He mentioned that he shared, you know, key aspects in his past, in his youth with a young man he met by the name of Malachi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We should talk about love. Because Malachi and I shared the fact that our dad wasn't around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Who is this Malachi? Well, guess what? You are about to meet him. We'll talk about that conversation he got to have with the president of the United States and where he comes from and who he wants to be. Stay here.

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[15:36:51] BALDWIN: Some of the faces from Ferguson and Cleveland and Baltimore are in so many ways the same. You have young African- American men growing up with little opportunity, caught up in deadly altercations with police that, you know, oftentimes left them with no future.

One man has dealt with similar circumstances in Boston. Just found someone who can relate to him who happens to be the president of the United States. This guy's name is Malachi Hernandez. He participated in a round table with the president earlier this week, the launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance program. And it was his experience growing up, hearing gunshots in his neighborhood, and being raised by an abusive father that drew President Obama's notice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: One young man, Malachi, he just talked about we should talk about love because Malachi and I shared the fact our dad wasn't around. And that sometimes we wondered why he wasn't around and what had happened. My message to Alex and Malachi and (INAUDIBLE) and to all the young men out there and young boys who aren't in this room, haven't yet gotten that helping hand, haven't yet gotten that guidance, I want you to know, you matter. You matter to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You matter. 16-year-old Malachi live in Boston. It is a pleasure, sir. Welcome.

MALACHI HERNANDEZ, 16-YEAR-OLD: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Let's begin with the president's words, that you matter. Did you growing up feel that you didn't?

HERNANDEZ: There were times where I didn't feel like I mattered, but you know, by the Grace of God and by my mother, her support, my mentors, and even me having the experience for Obama to say those words to me, it definitely shows to me that I do matter.

BALDWIN: I mean, the president of the United States, not just, you know, was sitting at a round table with you, he mentioned your name as someone he could relate with. How did that feel?

HERNANDEZ: It felt genuine, you know. I explained to him my background, you know, me growing up in a low-income, single-parent household. And by him saying my name, it kind of boosted my confidence level up. And it made me realize that I can do it, and not only me but other young people as well.

BALDWIN: When you say can do it, you were part of this round table earlier in the week. What did the president share with you? What advice would he have to you and what would you want to share with others watching right now?

HERNANDEZ: He actually started off the discussion by saying what advice would you give to me and to us.

BALDWIN: Really?

HERNANDEZ: So I said -- yes, so the advice I said was include young people at the table. Continue to incorporate young people because we're the ones who face the challenges day to day on a daily basis. So if you include young people, then you're going to actually hear their stories and their actual accounts. And you can get a better understanding of what's happening in society.

[15:40:07] BALDWIN: So are you following the news, have you been following what has been happening around the country in recent months, Ferguson, Cleveland, (INAUDIBLE), Baltimore.

HERNANDEZ: Yes.

BALDWIN: And you know, so much of this has to deal with these young people in these communities, communities that, you know, sounds like where you grow up. How can the communities help them, Malachi?

HERNANDEZ: How can the communities help them?

BALDWIN: I'm sorry. Say that again, Malachi.

HERNANDEZ: How can the communities help who exactly?

BALDWIN: How can communities help them? What do they need so they can, you know, take the right path?

HERNANDEZ: So I feel like the communities in general across the nation, they just need love. You know, like I told President Obama, I felt at times as if I weren't loved, you know, growing up. And by me seeking mentors and by me receiving so many great opportunities, it filled up that gap that I was missing. And by me, you know, being involved within Mayor Walsh's city hall office, I just want to continue to do that work. But not only spread the love that I have to my family and to my younger brothers, but to other communities and hopefully it can reach, you know, nations and I can continue to do the work that I do because I love it.

BALDWIN: It's awesome to hear that. I love that you get to say, like I told the president. So, you're just 16. We'll be watching for big things.

Malachi Hernandez, thank you.

Coming up next, Tom Brady getting ready to break his silence in a couple of hours just a day after the NFL accused him of knowing about those deflated footballs. Is he a cheater? We have that.

Also, Kristen Davis, as in Kristen Davis from "sex and the city," she joins me live on this phenomenal documentary, this passion project of hers, saving elephants. The story behind John Kerry's selfie with an elephant this week. Stay with me.

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[15:30:00] BALDWIN: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is firing back. He's speaking in a couple hours at Salem state university after these NFL reports are claiming that Brady likely knew the footballs he used during the AFC game against the Indianapolis Colt were indeed under deflated. His agent already sounding off. Let me just read part of what they are saying, quote, "this is a significant and terrible disappointment. The NFL's report includes evidence of damning text exchanges between two equipment employees."

Stephen Canella, assistant managing editor of "Sports Illustrated" and New Orleans state tight end Benjamin Watson is with me. He used to play with the Patriots, knows Tom Brady.

So fellows, welcome. And to you first. I have to ask because people are calling Tom Brady a cheater. Is he a cheater?

BENJAMIN WATSON, TIGHT END NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: It's inconclusive. And in his words, he's not.

BALDWIN: Diplomatic.

WATSON: Well, honestly, the hard thing about this is that this evidence is very inconclusive. I mean, we have a 263-something page report that really leaves us with thinking that he may have cheated but there's also the possibility that he didn't. It also, you know, kind of opens up a hard rule when it comes to discipline, whatever that discipline is going to be because you have player that there's no hard evidence that he actually did what they said he did. But then you have to do some sort of discipline as well. So as a player, I played with Tom Brady for six years. BALDWIN: You're a receiver.

WATSON: I have done utmost respect for him. This is disappointing to me on a personal level that these sorts of allegations would even come to this point.

BALDWIN: Tonight when he speaks, I understand that, you know, it's a prescreened event as is already said. You know, this was in motion way before obviously this report came out. Do you think he touches this at all? And if so, how?

STEPHEN CANELLA, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Well, I think he has to touch it, even if it's in a very controlled way. They announced before this he wouldn't be taking questions from any reporters other than Jim gray, who's going to be doing the Q&A with him tonight. He has to say something. He can't let this slide. The problem is Tom really painted himself into a box and the week before the super bowl with his complete denial and, you know, expression of his own innocence, denial that he knew anything about this. This report suggests that the opposite is probably true.

I think Tom is going to have to backtrack a little bit tonight. I'm not sure exactly how he's going to do it. He may have to, you know, say before the super bowl he didn't want to cause a distraction or something like that. Maybe he'll cop to a little bit more tonight than he did back then. I don't think we're going to get a blanket confession from him. That will be hard for him to do.

WATSON: I'm hoping he doesn't confess because he didn't do anything. That's my hope, is that he stays the course and there's some way that, you know, he wasn't involved with this. But again, it's really quite a lot points to the fact that something did indeed happen.

CANELLA: I think what Tom is probably guilty of, maybe not being a criminal, he's guilty of being obsessive, being extremely competitive, which all great athletes, all great quarterbacks are. Is he looking for every edge, every way to bend the rules to his advantage? Probably. Benjamin, you know this, every great athlete does that. Tom just got caught up in it here.

BALDWIN: What does, Benjamin, what does Roger Goodell do? How many games do they dock the team?

WATSON: Who knows. Your guess is as good as mine. I think I'll be back to talk about that. But I think that it runs the gamut. I mean, this is kind of unprecedented. I mean, when you look at, you know, think the other gates, you know, we talk about the Spygate and Bountygate, these other gates where there was some evidence, but maybe not conclusive. You see Goodell suspend coaches for a year. You see, you know, four or five games, you see fines, you know, when we talk Spygate back in, I think that was 2007. So, I think that's part of the question exactly what Goodell is going to do.

I do know, however, that Roger Goodell will try to do something to protect the integrity of the game. One thing that we always talk about and that he always talks about in the NFL is protecting the integrity of the game. And when that comes to when the fans watch the game, when players play the game, they want to be sure the product that they're seeing is true. And when issues like this come up, he has to stand up and do something about it.

BALDWIN: Talking to sports attorney earlier. He was saying to that point, there could be civil suits potentially from fans. So that was something I haven't been thought about. But prediction time from you as well, how many games?

[15:50:00] CANELLA: I think what should be a small crime has turned into a bigger crime by the fact that Brady lied to Goodell, lied to the media. And also Patriots are repeat offenders. You mentioned Spygate. Goodell has had them in the principal's office before. I think he is going to try to take a stand, two games I'm going to guess.

BALDWIN: Principal's office. Stephen Canella and Ben Watson, thank you both very much. I appreciate it.

Next, Kristin Davis from "Sex in the City," she joins me live on the story behind secretary state John Kerry's selfie with an elephant and her very emotional passion project involving these little baby orphans.

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[15:54:26] BALDWIN: Young orphaned and condemned to die by starvation, dehydration or just because of predators. Baby elephants left behind after their mothers are killed by poachers who swoop on helicopters. They then shoot them and hack off their tusks flying off before rangers can catch them.

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[15:54:50] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's spreading so fast. If we do not stop poaching now, should be even less than ten years, we won't be able to see these elephants alive. They will all be gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: It's a documentary called gardeners of Eden. It chronicles those trying to rescue and protect this near endangered species. It's a David Shedrick (ph) Wildlife trust nursery in Nairobi and Kenya. It is actually a film that inspired secretary of state John Kerry to draw attention to the cause while traveling recently to Kenya.

Here with me the film's executive producer, actress Kristin Davis.

Kristin Davis, it's lovely to see you again.

KRISTIN DAVIS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, THE GARDENER OF EDEN: Thank you. Thank you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I was at your doc screening this week. Let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in the room when this was over. My first question though is, how did you even come to know about this nursery? DAVIS: Well, the first way that I knew about it is that I saw a

terrific piece on "60 Minutes" by Bob Simon who did so many great wild life pieces. And I thought, I can't believe I have never been to this nursery to meet these baby elephants. Then that very trip after I saw that I happened to be with some friends. And it was a dry season. And we happened to hear about an orphaned baby elephant. And we rescued her and got her to the trust in 2009.

BALDWIN: So now, all these years later, you are this ambassador. You play this integral role. Can you just explain to people who don't understand, what happens, how fragile these young elephants are and what this trust helps to do?

DAVIS: Well, when a baby elephant is orphaned, there's really no way for it to survive on its own. They are milk dependent just like a human baby would be. They have studies that shows an elephant touches its mother every three seconds. They're very, very tight, the relationship. So when the baby elephant loses his family, first of all, it has probably seen its family killed. And the trauma is so tremendous that it just can't sometimes make it from an emotional level. They're very emotional creatures. So sometimes they die just of the grief of losing their families.

So what that shelter has done with the trust is she has made a human family and an elephant family that can take that baby elephant in and sometimes they still don't make it because they're so crushed. But often times, they do. And so, we have re-raise and released into the wild over 170 elephants through the Davis Shelter wildlife trust. And they are back now living in the wild the life that they should be living.

BALDWIN: It's these men, Kristin, who were in this piece who we get to know who care so much about these baby elephants. When you talk about, you know, the psychology of these baby elephants. They are sleeping with them overnight. They become their mothers, in a sense.

DAVIS: It's so true. The keepers are the heroes. They spend 24/7 hours with the baby elephants. They eat with them. They sleep with them. They are out all day with them. They are teaching them everything they need to know. They teach them how to do a dirt bath, which is one of the ways that the elephants keep bugs off of them. They teach them everything that their elephant family would be teaching them. And then also, there are the other orphans who help to teach the new babies what to do.

So it's a really beautiful progression. And the fact that it's even able to happen is because Daphne has devoted her life. Before she started this work, no one even knew what to feed a baby elephant. They would feed it cow's milk which will very much do damage to their digestive system. So she has singled handedly, she has figured this all out herself through a devotion, a life-long devotion to the animals.

BALDWIN: She is phenomenal, you just watching. You know, she's almost like this elephant whisper, right? So the whole point, you know, we want poaching to go away, we want people to stop buying ivory. And when you wonder why people are behind this, you know, you think these poachers are going to make, you know, this million-dollar payday if they catch one of these elephant. But a lot of the men are living with nothing. Here is another clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we are already started (INAUDIBLE) to the animals because it's not good to shoot it. of course, to us, it's right to live. It's just a life like you are life. So you see, yes, also symbolism. So only rights (INAUDIBLE), provide what am I going to do now? You can't get a job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He talked about really getting not much from it. And you know, ultimately, being arrested. But I have you for 30 more seconds, Kristin, like, you know, just what is the message ultimately? What is the message?

DAVIS: Well, the message is that we really need to band together and ban ivory. And we have to stop the demand. If the demand for ivory would go away, then the elephants could live free wild lives again. And if we don't ban ivory in time, we're going to lose an iconic species. And our children will have to grow up in a world with no elephants, which I find unacceptable.

BALDWIN: It's a beautiful piece. Her film is "Gardeners of Eden."

Kristin Davis, thank you.

And thank you for watching. "The LEAD with Jake Tapper" starts right now.