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Church Members Rally Together After Attack; Escaped Killers Possibly Seen Near New York-Pennsylvania Border; DOJ: May Prosecute Church Massacre as Act of Terrorism; FBI Director: "This Is Not Terrorism"; Hillary Clinton's Remarks on Charleston's Church Massacre. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired June 20, 2015 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: According to the FBI, Amir Algazi, was arrested yesterday outside of Cleveland when he tried to purchase an AK-47 from an undercover agent. He also reportedly tried to make ropaganda videos for ISIS.

We have more ahead straight in the NEWSROOM, and it all starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Happening now in the newsroom, faith, forgiveness and healing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people, but God forgives you, and I forgive you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have no room for hate so we have to forgive.

WHITFIELD: Plus the missed warning signs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said that he wanted segregation and race war. He wanted the white to be with white and black with the black.

WHITFIELD: Friends of the Charleston shooter tells CNN how his behavior was starting to frighten them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day he asked me if I could videotape him burning the American flag. I told him hell no, he's crazy.

WHITFIELD: Also a possible sighting of the two escaped murderers who fled a prison in upstate New York and new details about why a corrections officer is now on leave in connection with their escape. NEWSROOM starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. And thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Today the nations mourn as demonstrators unite in really together in support of the nine victims killed in that horrific church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina. Hundreds of miles north of Charleston, this is what it looks like in Queens, New York.

You can see the members of the AME Church standing together in solidarity and paying the respects to the innocent lives lost. This morning the gunman, Dylan Roof, is on suicide watch.

We're also learning chilling new details about the horrific attack according to affiliate, WBTV, Roof appeared, quote/unquote, remorseful after finding out he had killed nine people.

The gunman's family now offering their condolences and saying this from the Roof family, quote, "Words cannot express our shock, grief and disbelief as to what happened that night," end quote.

As for the victims' families a remarkable show of grace in court as they offered forgiveness to the man who killed their loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people, but God forgives you, and I forgive you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Meanwhile new questions about the Charleston judge who asked the court to give sympathy to the shooter's family. Judge James Gosnell was previously reprimanded for using the n-word in court in 2003 according to a judicial disciplinary order.

CNN's Martin Savidge joins me now from Charleston, outside of the church there where hundreds of people continue to file by on foot and by car, so give me an idea of what is happening today and the road forward.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Yes, despite the oppressive heat of the noon day, and it's incredibly warm here, it continues tremendous crowd of people directly in front of the Emanuel AME Church. It's become a place where people come to express their feelings.

It seems at that there's been a series of pastors or representatives of different faith that are getting up and speaking and talking to the gathered crowd. There are times you hear hymns being sung and music played. This is a focal point for a lot of people.

One, they come and see it. I think there is a still a sense of shock and disbelief so they must come see it with their own eyes and this is a community place where the grieving together is done, and it continues around the clock 24 hours a day and at night they close it down because the crowds are so large.

But many of them reflect upon the words that were said by the family members. How powerful, and that they use the word forgiveness. That's the strength that carries an entire community -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And then Martin, some unsettling new details about the killer. What are you learning?

SAVIDGE: Yes, this is coming from CNN affiliate, WBTV, and a lot of it seems to as in the immediate aftermath after the suspect, Dylan Roof, was taken into custody in Shelby in North Carolina. He was taken back to the local police station and talking quite openly.

One of the things he talked about was the planning. Why did he choose this church? He says that he was doing some research and investigation and determined that this was a historically significant church to the African-American community that's why he targeted it.

[12:05:05] We know that he used was a Glock 41. This had the capability to fire at least 14 shots initially and 13 rounds thereafter with each subsequent magazine. Now we're being told there could be as many as seven magazines that were use and the amount of fire power is significant.

He thought that he only killed a few people, when he was told it was nine or when he learned that he seemed a bit remorseful. But then on top of that, somebody said where are you going? Why are you headed this way? He said I'm going to Nashville. I've never been there before. The callousness and the almost odd mindset, twisted mindset is beyond belief -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: It really is. All right, thank you so much, Martin Savidge. Appreciate it.

For members of the Emanuel AME Church this week has been unimaginable and filed with complete heart break and devastation. One of my guests was actually at that church the day of the attack, but left before the shooter opened fire at bible study.

Felicia Breeland and her husband, Floyd Breeland, are joining me now. I also want to point out that Mr. Breeland is a former South Carolina state representative. What a great honor to see both of you this morning. Thanks so much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So Mrs. Breeland to you first. Your family has been a member of Mother Emanuel for three generations. You have been a member all of your life. Your mother and grandmother were also members. Describe for us how this church, this family has been the center of your lives?

FELICIA BREELAND, LEFT CHURCH BEFORE SHOOTING: Yes, my grandmother was a member and my mother was a mother. My son is also a member of this church so we knew AME's all the doctrines and everything. My father was an AME minister.

So on that Wednesday I was here at the church that day earlier like around 12:30, and I stayed all afternoon until about 4:30, and then I left. I did not stay for bible class, but two of the victims were here with me. I talked with them. We enjoyed each other together as senior citizen, and then to learn that night what happened at the church has hurt everybody. It hurt me. I am still shocked. It's unbelievable what happened.

WHITFIELD: It's unbelievable. I know that you were at the senior citizen meeting earlier that day. As you mentioned you were there all day because this is home to be there and you were sitting with two of the ladies who would die in that bible study. You ordinarily go to the bible study, but you did not that night.

So Mr. Breeland, you were out of town and to hear the news of what happened at the church, what was that like for you especially at a distance?

FLOYD BREELAND, MEMBER, EMANUEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Well, I was in New York at the time and when I got the message which was about 9:15 that night, I stayed up until about 4:00 the next morning watching the news. CNN of course, and it came on all night and I stayed with it to find out what was going on.

I wanted to know the names of the people and that type of thing and especially there was one the 87-year-old lady that gave my wife an envelope with a donation in it because there was a scholarship in my honor, and I appreciative to that and to receive from a lady that I cannot thank now is hard to take.

It was so surprising and last night when I got on the plan there was a young lady and she said I am going Charleston. I said I am going too. I am going to my church. That incident happened in my church and she feels out and started crying and really shocked me. It hit me when I got to Charleston, and it has.

WHITFIELD: It pains the nation. Not just the church members but everyone feels like they have been touched by this tragedy. Mr. Breeland as a former state legislature and to still be connected with that community of lawmakers, tell me what your feelings are about the pastor, Mr. Pinckney and his passing, and what an incredible loss this is.

[12:10:16] FLOYD BREELAND: I can because when I went to the general assembly, he was a page. He came shortly after I did. He was a page and ended up being the reading clerk because of his voice. I would kid him because I was known for my voice too at that particular time.

I think that I am losing it now. We used to kid each other about each other's voice. He had a great voice, and I had a great voice. I would twirl him because he talked so loud.

We were friends and we met each other and both of us went to Allen University. He was a smart young man. He was a very good shepherd for us all.

WHITFIELD: And you know Mrs. Breeland people have learned so much about Mother Emanuel and how this open door policy and how this church had the doors opened because it welcomed everyone, and people have learned so much about the city of Charleston and the holy city in the way that people have come together.

As someone that lived there in Charleston, I know what it's like to be welcome in the city. It just speaks way that people are. Tell people to understand how it is that this city and this community. We heard it from the Mayor Joe Riley, how it is that this is engraved in people there to be resilient and to stick together.

FELICIA BREELAND: Yes.

FLOYD BREELAND: Well, Charleston used to be known as the holy city, but it's also a friendly city. Our doors at the church are opened every Sunday. I have been a member for 56 years, and I come every Sunday and we have visitors every Sunday regardless to the race or age, and each one of them get up and tell where they're from and what church they belong too.

This means a lot to us. We have never had an incident like this, but you can never tell when it's going to happen. This is something that the families going through and we're here with you to grieve with the families.

WHITFIELD: Mrs. and Mr. Breeland, thank you for the time. Beautiful coupled that you are and married since 1969, Mrs. Breeland?

FELICIA BREELAND: Since 1959. Almost 50 years.

FLOYD BREELAND: It's a long time.

WHITFIELD: A long time, but beautiful example of staying together as a couple and a city there and teaching so many of us so much. Floyd and Felicia Breeland, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

FLOYD BREELAND: Thank you very much. Come on back to Charleston.

WHITFIELD: I will be back there as soon as I can.

FELICIA BREELAND: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead search teams have new information in New York as they continue that manhunt for those two escaped killers. We will tell you about the possible new sitings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, two possible siting of those escaped killers may help reeve up the search for them along the New York-Pennsylvania border. The siting are a week old, but they happened a day apart and near each other about 300 miles from the Clinton Correctional Facility.

Richard Matt and David Sweat are now on the U.S. Marshall's list of the 15 most wanted fugitives. In the latest development, a corrections guard has been placed on administrative leave as part of the investigation, though, prison administrators won't release that person's name. Let's talk now about this with Matthew Fogg, a former chief deputy, a U.S. Marshall. Good to see you. What do you make of these of the prison putting a correctional officer on leave? What does that mean in your view?

MATTHEW FOGG, FORMER CHIEF DEPUTY, U.S. MARSHALL: Well, that mean that is this person is probably violated some rules or regulations. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're actually involved in the escape. But again, we don't know, but apparently, there are some regulations or something that was involved, that they felt it was serious enough to put this person on leave.

WHITFIELD: In your view now, there's concentrated effort around that New York-Pennsylvania border because of these reported siting. Does it concern you at all that the public is only now being made aware of these reported siting a week after the fact?

FOGG: Not really, Fredricka, because of the fact that when we're looking for the folks, first thing, you don't want to public to know everything that you have right away because most likely they're somewhere that they're listening to the media as well.

Then on top of that we don't necessarily want people to approach them. Again, I don't even know if it's been a confirmed siting as far as the identity of these guys that I know of. We are getting calls like this all of the time.

When you have the top 15 fugitives and we have bolos out all over the country and we have calls from Florida, New York, Chicago and everywhere that someone believes in their mind that they have seen the people. It's a meticulous, methodical process that we have to go through weeding out who is -- what is real and what isn't.

WHITFIELD: Because even though law enforcement is very grateful that people are vigilant and they're looking, that they're offering tips or even possible siting by the hundreds, then law enforcement have to go back and really check to see if those are legitimate siting or if it just so happens that, you know, someone saw two men, and that was the only description that they fit.

How much more difficult does it make it. Yes, you want the public's assistance, but at the same time, it also means devoting resources to investigate those tips.

FOGG: That's right. Trust me the public is calling in. They are going to be saying they seen these guys everywhere. But again, we as law enforcement officials we know, we are listening for certain details. I can tell you here and now my feelings as bad as they were when we went out and elaborate as that escape, they're going to not be out there walking around somewhere --

WHITFIELD: You think they did have a plan B or maybe even a plan C?

[12:20:03] FOGG: No question about it. As a matter of fact, I am leaning towards the fact that somebody from the outside actually went into the tunnels earlier and helped the drill the holes. We don't know. We're talking about an elaborate escape and then they just disappear.

There are two things. They're either somewhere hunkered down in a particular location that they know nobody is going find them.

WHITFIELD: A safe place.

FOGG: And have food or water, or either they've gotten out of the area somewhere like Canada or something like that.

WHITFIELD: And long gone. Yes, Matthew Fogg, all right, thank you so much for the expertise. Appreciate it.

FOGG: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, still ahead, remembering those killed in Charleston, South Carolina with the show of solidarity in New York. CNN's Cristina Alesci is in Queens.

CRISTINA ALESCI, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: Fred, I am at a rally at the largest, one of the largest AME churches in the country. The mood here is definitely mournful and peaceful, but certainly not quiet. I will have more for you in just a few.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Around the nation people are coming together to show support for Charleston following this week's massacre at a historic black church.

[12:25:07] In New York, members of AME churches are holding rallies and showing solidarity with the victims' families. CNN's Cristina Alesci is in Queens for us. Cristina, what is taking place at that rally which looks like a very sizable outpouring?

ALESCI: That's right. We already have a couple of hundred people inside of the building right now listening to AME representatives as well as local politicians that come out in support of Charleston, and basically the message here is resiliency.

They are going back in the church's history to say that these people have overcome struggles before and they will overcome this one. It's really speeches of encouragement at this point and politicians calling from the podium for greater gun control.

It's something that we've already heard suggested from President Obama. We're hearing a lot of the same rhetoric. We have a couple of hundred people inside the building. The church is expecting about 3,000 total.

What will happen is they'll go from here and march down the main boulevard here in South East Queens to a local park and there, there will be more speeches and encouragement, no doubt.

And finally the mayor -- New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio will offer some remarks as well as New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton -- Fred. WHITFIELD: All right, Cristina Alesci, thank you so much. We will check back with you.

All right, up next, many are calling this church shooting terrorism, and a hate crime and both legal terms. What are the distinctions and what could this mean for the suspected shooter's faith. Our Jeffrey Toobin explains.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:10] WHITFIELD: Hello again and thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredericka Whitfield.

The department of justice said, "It will consider prosecuting and investigating that Church Massacre as an act of terrorism."

In a statement it says, "This heartbreaking episode was undoubtedly designed to strike fear and terror into this community and the department is looking at this crime from all angles including as a hate crime and as an act of domestic terrorism."

But the director of the FBI, James Comey says, "This is not terrorism." He told local affiliates, "Again based on what I know, I don't see it as a political act. Doesn't make it any less horrific, but terrorism has a definition under federal law," but the FBI's own definition of terrorism is "The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives."

So let's bring in our legal guide, Avery Friedman, a Civil Rights attorney and law professor in Cleveland, good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: And Richard Herman a New York Criminal Defense Attorney and law professor, are joining us from Las Vegas, good to see you as well.

All right so, first to you Avery -- by way of that definition, does this act fit the bill of domestic terrorism?

FRIEDMAN: Yes, it fits the bill. It's not only part of FBI policy, its - its federal statute so I'm not quite sure I understand what Jim Comey is saying, Director Comey is saying there, all from the standpoint of hate crimes and domestic terrorism, you'd meet both definitions. So the question I think, the case now presents is local authorities are moving forward with charging this individual but at the same time, I think there's a very important and serious role for the federal government in considering moving forward with this.

WHITFIELD: And does it -- does it strike you as unusual, Richard, that the FBI and the DOJ would be using different language here or sound like they don't necessarily see it the same way as yet?

RICHARD HERMAN, NEW YORK CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND LAW PROFESSOR: It is a little unusual here, Fred but I think if we cut through the fat, I think the state is in the best position to prosecute this case. The governor has called for the death penalty. There are nine murders committed by this individual, who's basically confessed to everything. His intent is clear. His motivation is clear. He has stated it. We don't have to glean it from circumstantial evidence. He has told us he -- this was a race war. He wants to start a race war. He is there to kill black people. So we know what his intention was. He sought out this church with black population in that church. He went in there. He sat there for an hour. He molded over in his mind --

FRIEDMAN: Yes

HERMAN: ... the premeditation and he killed them.

FRIEDMAN: Well yes, the state law too. OK --

HERMAN: And he killed them --

FRIEDMAN: ... So the state law too.

HERMAN: So the question is, Fred, he's never going to see the light of day again. The only question is, is he going to get the death penalty or is it going to be life from prison and whether he was called a terrorist or the Feds prosecute him on a hate crime for South Carolina, does not have a hate crime statue, but if South Carolina prosecute him on murder, they can give him the death penalty. So that's really what we were all waiting for right now.

WHITFIELD: And so Avery, as it pertains to hate crime act of domestic terrorism on a federal level, South Carolina may not be able to prosecute on those things specifically but as Richard just pointed out, when you have the governor who says, this is a death penalty case and the state will pursue it as such, how do all these things work together? Or is it a matter of working separately, Avery with this federal.

FRIEDMAN: Well there's two lean efforts to coordinate both state federal officials and technically the federal government can prosecute under different statues. I have to say though that the act and I saw Senator Graham made some reference so just this is a whacked out kid.

Well in the context of race hate and the history of what goes on or what is going on in South Carolina despite the changes, the fact is that 3,400 black people have been killed based on race, lynchings and those, that sort of context, that sort of background. So I do think that there's a very important role, Fredericka, for the federal government to do something here.

A lot of these people are motivated by symbols and I have to tell you a lot of people might disagree but a lot of us feel that that sign right behind the state capital -- I'm sorry that flag which is at full mask, not a half mask conveys a very clear message.

[12:35:02] That's a symbol and it's a symbol undoubtedly that Mr Roof considered in formulating his race hate. WHITFIELD: Yes, a discussion and a debate that is ongoing and then further provoked by what happened in Charleston and really check that Richard, I'll -- you can make the last point, less than 10 seconds.

HERMAN: Yeah Fred, we have to focus not on the history, but on the actions of this individual. What did he do? He proclaimed the stars and bars. He loved apartheid. He wore flags of Rhodesia in Apartheid South Africa. He stated his intention. He stated why he was there. And he carried out his act. That's the focus here. And I think the state is the proper party to prosecutor this. I think the Fed should step back, let the state do their thing. If it's a death penalty case, so be it. He will get the death penalty if it is. And I think the Feds are going to take a second seat to let the state do their prosecution.

WHITEFIELD: All right.

FRIEDMAN: That would be unfortunate.

WHITEFIELD: All right. Richard Herman.

FRIEDMAN: And by the way judge, by the way Fred that judge yesterday was absolutely insane, I have never...

HERMAN: Well I don't know that he was insane --

FRIEDMAN: All my years of practice seems to a certain point...

WHITEFIELD: And you're talking particularly about the comment that the magistrate -- You're talking about the comment that the magistrate had made at the beginning ...

(CROSSTALK)

HERMAN: And I would challenge Fred, I would challenge any criminal defense attorney or prosecutor to step forward and say, they have ever heard at a bomb hearing a judge comment the way this guy did. I agree with Mark (inaudible). This was choreographed for TV. This was choreographed for TV and politics. There is no place for those comments in a bomb hearing.

WHITFIELD: All right. Avery, real quick, your point on that?

FRIEDMAN: Yeah, but very, I agree with that. That is a bomb hearing, this judge is finished with this proceeding right now. It's going to go to another judge anyhow, so that guy is done.

WHITFIELD: All right, Avery Friedman, Richard Herman. Thank you so much, I always enjoy and appreciate your points of view.

FRIEDMAN: Thank you Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right good to see you. All right, still ahead, in a matter of moments they lost their loved ones through this senseless act of depravity. So now, the families of the Charleston murder victims are speaking out about forgiveness and love. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:40:53] WHITFIELD: The massacre, the symbols, the forgiveness days after that massacre at the church in Charleston South Carolina. All topics of conversation at the U.S. Conference of Mayors under way right now in San Francisco, in fact Presidential Hillary Clinton is there talking about this very subject right now.

(START VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), FORMER UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: But think of some of those who aren't with us today. Tom Menino was a dear friend to me and to many in this room. And I certainly feel his loss.

Today our thoughts are also with our friend Joe Riley and the people of Charleston. Joe was a good man and a great mayor. And his leadership has been a bright light during such a dark time.

You know the passing of days has not dulled the pain or the shock of this crime. Indeed as we got to know the faces and names and stories of the victims. The pain has only deepened. Nine faithful women and men with families and passions and so much left to do.

As a mother, a grandmother just as a fellow human being, my heart is bursting for them, for these victims and their families, for a wounded community and a wounded church. For our countries struggling once again to make sense of violence that is fundamentally senseless and history, we desperately want to leave behind.

Yesterday was Juneteenth, a day of liberation and deliverance. 150 years ago as news of President Lincoln's emancipation proclamation spread from town to town across the South. Free men and women lifted their voices in song and prayer. Congregations long forced to worship underground like the first Christians joyfully resurrected their churches. And Charleston, the African Methodist Episcopal Church took a new name Emanuel, God is with us.

Faith has always seen this community through and I know it will again. Just as earlier generations threw off the chains of slavery and then segregation and Jim Crow, this generation will not be shackled by fear and hate.

On Friday, one by one, grieving parents and siblings stood up in court and looked at that young man who had taken so much from them and said, "I forgive you". In its way, their act of mercy was more stunning than his act of cruelty.

It reminded me of watching Nelson Mandela embrace his former jailers because he said, he didn't want to be in prison twice, once by steel and concrete, once by anger and bitterness.

In these moments of tragedy, many of us struggle with how to process the rush of emotions. I've been in Charleston that day. I've gone to a technical school, Trident Tech. I had seen the joy, the confidence and optimism of young people who were now serving apprenticeships with local businesses, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, every background. I listened to their stories, I shook their hands, I saw the hope and the pride.

[12:45:14] And then by the time I got to Las Vegas, I read the news. Like many of you, I was so overcome. How to turn grief, confusion into purpose and action? But that's what we have to do.

For me and many others, one immediate response was to ask how it could be possible that we as a nation still allow guns to fall into the hands of people whose hearts are filled with hate?

You can't watch massacre after massacre and not come to the conclusion that as President Obama said, we must tackle this challenge with urgency and conviction.

Now I lived in Arkansas and I represented Upstate New York. I know that gun ownership is part of the fabric of a lot of law-abiding communities. But I also know that we can have common sense gun reforms that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals and the violently unstable by respecting responsible gun owners.

What I hope with all of my heart is that we work together to make this to be less polarized, lessons flamed by ideology, more informed by evidence.

So we can sit down across the table across the aisle from one another and find ways to keep our community safe while protecting constitutional rights.

It makes no sense that bipartisan legislation, to require universal background checks would fail in Congress despite overwhelming public support. It makes no sense that we couldn't come together to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers or people suffering from mental illnesses, even people on the terrorist watch list. That doesn't make sense. And it is a rebuke to this nation we love and care about.

The president is right. The politics on this issue have been poisoned. But we can't give up. The stakes are too high. The costs are too dear and I am not and will not be afraid to keep fighting for common sense reforms and along with you, achieve those on behalf of all who have been lost because of this senseless gun violence in our country.

But today, I stand before you because I know and you know there is a deeper challenge we face. I had the great privilege of representing America around the world. I was so proud to share our example, our diversity, our openness, our devotion to human rights and freedom.

These qualities have drawn generations of immigrants to our shores and they inspire people still. I have seen it with my own eyes. And yet, bodies are once again being carried out of a black church.

Once again, racist rhetoric has metastasized into racist violence.

Now it's tempting. It is tempting to dismiss a tragedy like this as an isolated incident. To believe that in today's America, bigotry is largely behind us. That institutionalized racism no longer exists, but despite our best efforts and our highest hopes, America's long struggles with race is far from finished.

[12:50:21] I know this is a difficult topic to talk about. I know that so many of us hoped by electing our first black president. We had turned the page on this chapter in our history. I know there are truths we don't like to say out loud or discuss with our children. But we have to. That's the only way we can possibly move forward together.

Race remains a deep fault line in America. Millions of people of colors still experience racism in their everyday lives.

Here are some facts. In America today, blacks are nearly three times as likely as whites to be denied of mortgage.

In 2013, the median wealth of black families was around $11, 000. For white families, it was more than $134, 000.

Nearly half of all black families have lived in poor neighborhoods for at least two generations compared to just 7 percent of white families.

African-American men are far more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes and sentenced to longer prison terms than white men, 10 percent longer for the same crimes in the federal system.

In America today, our schools are more segregated than they were in the 1960s. How can any of that be true? How can it be true that black children are 500 percent more likely to die from asthma than white kids? 500 percent.

More than half of the century, after Dr. King marched and Rosa Parks sat and John Lewis bled, after the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act and so much out, how can any of these things be true? But they are, and our problem is not all "Kooks and Klansmen." It's also the cruel joke that goes unchallenged.

It's the off-hand comment about not wanting those people in the neighborhood. Let's be honest. For a lot of well-meaning, open- minded white people beside of a young black man in a hoodie, still evokes a twinge of fear.

And news reports about poverty and crime and discrimination evoke sympathy even empathy but too rarely do they spur us to action or prompt us to question our own assumptions and privilege. We can't hide from any of these hard truths about race and justice in America. We have to name them and own them and then change them.

You may have heard about a woman in North Carolina named Debbie Dills. She is the one who spotted Dylann Roof's car on the highway. She could have gone about her business. She could have looked to her own safety but that's not what she did. She called the police and then she followed that car for more than 30 miles. As Congressman Jim Clyburn said the other day, "There may be a lot of Dylann Roofs in the world but there a lot of Debbie Dills too. She didn't remain silenced."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Some powerful messages there from presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in San Francisco right now talking about the amazing displays of forgiveness and in her words, "Turning grief and confusion into purpose and action," when referring to Charleston talking about gun control and then talking about what she says that many people do agree as the deeper challenge. Racism, so let's talk more about this.

CNN's senior political reporter, Nia-Malika Henderson, joining me now from Charleston, and GOP strategist, Brian Morgenstern, joining me from New York.

All right, good to see both of you. All right so, Hillary Clinton jumping right in there with tackling some of the topics that really evoke so much emotion across the country, from gun violence to racism and then of course this massacre in Charleston.

So, you know, Nia do you think these are the topics that are now going to be transported throughout the campaign trail especially since Hillary Clinton trying to tackle it right now at the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

[12:55:29] NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: Somewhere I think on the Democratic side, we've seen different responses so far from a Republican. I think everyone -- our responses are involving to this as more information and more details about this killer come out.

I do think very much if this was Hillary Clinton's race speech. It was very emotional but it was also based in data, right? I mean, she talked about some of the statistics of whether you are black male or faced in any -- or black woman or black male are face -- facing harsher sentences, she talks about black kids are having astronomical rates of asthma.

So that was what was really interesting about it and also, I was very much directed at white America. This idea of it, they have some work to do in terms of calling racist jokes out and not bearing this under the rug. I think a lot of folks who wanted to hear these kinds of words are one of the things that I think that's also interesting about Hillary Clinton, if you look at some of these early polls of people who think that she might be uniquely equipped to handle race relations, to move race relation forward. A lot of people had that same hope and expectation around Barack Obama, in some ways, people are disappointed by that.

I think she's very much trying to pick up the baton from Barack Obama, you mentioned. In the speech she of course mentions some of Barack Obama's words and also talks about gun control, the need to move that forward whether the political will is there on gun control or even some of these things that she called hard truth whether that political will is there or that civic will among just folks in these communities and across the country, whether or not any of that is there, we'll have to speak.

WHITFIELD: Nia and so in agreement with President Obama, you know , in his words earlier in the week, you know, saying, you know, you can't see these massacres after massacres and not want to tackle what you call the challenges, you know, with urgency and conviction. But I wonder, you know, Brian while Nia says, many people feel like she, Hillary Clinton may be uniquely equipped to tackle these issues whether it be gun control or whether it be racism, unlike anyone else right now. At the same time, we're talking about someone whose approval ratings as it pertains to trust have eroded. So how can you have one and not the other?

BRIAN MORGENSTERN, GOP STRATEGIST: Yes I had a very different impression of the speech because leading up to it, we had such a perfect moment of not just bipartisan unity. It was nonpartisan and it was based in compassion and love and I think we saw a lot more good done by what led up to this speech than what actually came out of Secretary Clinton's mouth because I think it was more divisive and I think it actually went against what her intention was because...

WHITFIELD: What do you mean by that?

MORGENSTERN: Because she, in talking about gun control and these other issues, she took the focus away from the criminal, the person who committed this awful act who was to blame for this and discussing things like rhetoric and gun control which probably would not have prevented this because he was already prohibited from possessing that weapon both in general and in the church. I think that got away from this national moment of unity that we were experiencing that was really encouraging and inspiring. So I'm afraid that her comments, I think maybe had the opposite effect of what she intended.

WHITFIELD: Nia, can you respond to that?

HENDERSON: Well, I think it's in some ways, I think a partisan moment. You had very different responses from both sides of reality whether it be Republicans, not wanting to necessarily embrace the idea that this was racist act. You've had some of progressively wanting it to be covered as an act of terror, so sure I think they've had the moment of unity and folks wanting to pray and obviously send out condolences to this community of that's so much in grief.

But I do think, if you listen to other folks whether it be on Twitter or some of the social media or comments about it. People want to figure now what, right? What do you do about some of these deep- seated reasons that led to this, whether or not it's gun control and obviously the court, will obviously handle the legal part of this murderer who did this pain of act. But also there is some social sickness and someone like Rand Paul for instance. I'll quote that out, Chris Christie have said the same thing of whether or not I think some of the disagreement is whether or not if there's a place for government in it but certainly I think some of these communities, this day or from the right or their left or doing some soul searching in terms of now what?

WHITFIELD: All right. Yes, go ahead, Brian.

[13:00:03] MORENSTERN: Fred, I just want to make one comment which is, did all politicians not just Secretary Clinton will have to walk the balance between, you know, cynicism and having voters take away the impression that they're never letting a tragedy go to waste and advocating for their policies that might not be directly addressing this horrible event that occurred.