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Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova admitted she made huge mistake after failing a drug test at the Australian open; Churchgoers in Detroit heard something incredibly rare from Hillary Clinton during Sunday's services; Peyton Manning retires; 3:30-4p ET

Aired March 07, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: OK. Here's what Gawker -- this is their statement they released. Hulk Hogan was more than willing to talk about his sex life, I think to your point in two autobiographies, reality TV series on Howard Stern's radio show, until he didn't like what Gawker had to say and now he wants $100 million as compensation, $100 million.

MARIE NEPOLI, TRIAL ATTORNEY: A $100 million. I agree 100 percent with Gawker. Unfortunately, he did bring this into the public realm by writing about in his autobiography and talking about it so it is a public concern. And that's the issue.

My law firm represented the woman and 50 cent and who -- we had a multimillion-dollar verdict against him. We affectionately now call him five cent as opposed to 50 cent. But the difference in that case is it was a private person with her private boyfriend and the sex tapes were exposed by 50 cent. So this is the difference between the two cases.

BALDWIN: OK.

And Philip, let me just switch gears and ask you about Erin Andrews. I mean, incredibly compelling testimonies from her last week. You know, well-known sportscaster, really worked her way up the TV totem pole, as I call it, and she was, you know, he is suing Marriott for $75 million because some loser, you know, held up his cell phone camera, put a camera through the peephole at her, you know, hotel and boom, you know, next, you know, day there's naked pictures of her circulating on the Internet. Anyway, you have any idea which way that could go?

PHILLIP HOLLOWAY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, with the jury, it's always hard to read the tea leaves, Brooke. But I tell you. If there was a sympathetic plaintiff, as Erin Andrews, everyone who has swatting that testimony and from my perspective of her, the testimony of her father, being a father myself, you know, it literally draws that in motion into the case and if a jury makes the decision based on emotion, she will pretty well get a pretty sizable verdict in this case.

However, if you take emotion out of it and you step back and understand that a third party is only liable for foreseeable harm, the act of someone coming in and literally removing a peephole and putting a camera in there so that they can record someone, is that something that's foreseeable, something that Marriott is, therefore, duty bound to prevent. That is really the $64,000 or $7 million question I should say in the Erin Andrews case.

BALDWIN: Go ahead, quickly.

NEPOLI: But I do feel in that case, Marriott was asked who -- what room she was in. They didn't know who the person asking -- was doing this, and he had already stalked this woman. So they put her in danger. They gave out personal information of where she was going to stay and then booked the room next to her, so that he would have access.

I think is it foreseeable this person could do substantial harm to her? Yes. The specific harm, maybe not. But I still think they could be on the hook. And I think that's a good case.

BALDWIN: The verdict will certainly make news and we'll bring it to everyone when we know. Maria Nepoli, thank you. Phillip Holloway, thank you both very much.

We got some news just in. Let me turn to this. Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova admitting she made a quote "huge mistake" after failing a drug test at the Australian open. She admits taking a medicine that was banned earlier this year. Sharapova says she has been taking the drug legally for past decade. She does face a possible suspension. She takes full responsibility and apologizes for letting her fans down. There was a bit of a light moment at the end here moments ago, here she was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA SHARAPOVA, TENNIS PLAYER: I don't want to end my career this way. And I really hope that I will be given another chance to play this game. And I know many of you thought I was retiring, but if I was ever going to announce my retirement, it would probably not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So there you have it Sharapova there.

Next, Hillary Clinton, seemed to allude to her husband's infidelities in a speech in a Detroit church. Hear what she said and we will speak to the pastor of that church. He will join me live to discuss why she is supporting the Democratic front-runner in tomorrow's primary there in Michigan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:38:58] BALDWIN: Churchgoers in Detroit heard something incredibly rare from Hillary Clinton during Sunday's services. The presidential candidate seemed to address the difficult topic her husband's very public affair with a White House intern. The comments were prompted in part by how the church's pastor introduced her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BISHOP CORLETTA VAUGHN, PASTOR, HOLY GHOST CHURCH: One of the most pronounced moments I knew I loved her. It was many, many years ago when I saw her take a licking and keep on ticking. I'm not talking about -- I'm talking about as a wife and a mother.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: When Secretary Clinton took to the podium, she talked about faith, the importance of forgiveness, and referenced the biblical story "the prodigal son" as her example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I read about how hard it must have been for both the father and the elder brother when the prodigal came home. That prodigal had been out there having a good time, committing just about every sin one could list.

Now, when someone who has disappointed you, who has often disappointed themselves, decides to come home, it is human nature to say you're not wanted. We know what you've been doing. We know what you've been up to. You go sleep in the bed you made. But that's not what the father in this parable did.

Out of this parable, the writer who I was reading said what this teaches us is to practice the discipline of gratitude every day. There is much to be grateful for, even when it doesn't feel or look like it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[15:41:07] BALDWIN: Pastor who introduced Clinton, Bishop Corletta Vaughn joins me now. She is the senior pastor of the Holy Ghost cathedral and also star of the oxygen show "Preachers of Detroit" and author of the book "Teach your Daughters to Fly."

Pastor Vaughn, welcome.

VAUGHN: Thank you, darling. Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: You know, when Secretary Clinton showed women how to quote as you say "take a licking and keep on ticking," as a why and a mother, what did you mean about that?

VAUGHN: Well, you know, there are so many things about Secretary Clinton that are to be loved and one of them is here humanness. The fact that she is able to withstand all types of adversity and confrontation and even contention, I think it's an amazing feat for a woman in her position. And all of us I think as women relate to her story in terms of just walking through with a president as a wife, raising a child as a mother and being able to face those adversities sometimes with decisions that are not even your own.

BALDWIN: You respect her more for it?

VAUGHN: Absolutely. I fell in love with her then and love her even more now.

BALDWIN: Did you have a moment with her before the service started? Can you share any of your conversation with me?

VAUGHN: Absolutely. My concern is always with women and girls and the empowerment of women. And I think that secretary Clinton has championed that narrative for women around the world. After visiting 112 countries, she always would visit women's businesses. She would seek to find out what were the economic situations and circumstances for women. She is a very strong verbal advocate for women and girls. And so, when she came into my community, which is one of the lowest tax-base communities of the city of Detroit. First of all, that's a plus. She was in the community where people are suffering, where people are struggling, and 73 percent of those households are headed by women who are either underemployed or employed with very low-paying jobs, with children that they are raising below the poverty level.

And so I was speaking to her about the dynamics of what has happened in our city and how these overlooked communities with women, I don't want her to forget that. I don't want her to forget the woman at the bottom of the totem pole who has daughters. And I got her attention. I believe that got her attention.

BALDWIN: I feel your passion and respect for here. But you know, she has had issues with trustworthiness and resonating with voters. And it was Peter Harwood of "the New York Times," Peter Hart with Democratic pollster said to "the New York Times" she needs to show the personal human light side of her which to me seems like is what you see in her. Why do you think that's not necessarily translating?

VAUGHN: Well, I think that being in certain environments. In our context yesterday morning, I was able to shift the perspective from a political candidate to a human being, to a woman, OK. When you're in the debate dynamic, which I was there last night, she doesn't get a chance to show that because sometimes it's a very adversarial moment.

BALDWIN: Got to have sharp elbows.

VAUGHN: My God. And waving fingers all the time interrupting. And so, when I was able to more or less pastor the moment, I was able to shift with 400 or 500 people sitting there, I wanted them to shift from her being a political candidate to her being a woman, to her being hurt, to her being a woman who has suffered some disappointments in life.

There are so many women in our churches which is about 80 percent particularly African-American community. And I wanted those women to see her as another woman, a human being who probably wept, who probably went to her room to pray, who probably had to fall on her knees and say God help me. I wanted them to see that. And I think that for women, we need to see this strong powerful woman as a human who is tender, whose eyes sometimes are tearful, but yet her faith and her resilience has just caused her to soar. And I wanted her to be seen in that context and in that light.

[15:45:40] BALDWIN: Takes one to know one. Pastor, I really admire the work you have been doing there

(INAUDIBLE). Thank you so much. My best to you.

VAUGHN: Thank you, love, thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

Coming up next, even though secretary Clinton and Bernie Sanders definitely did snap at one another back and forth a bit during that debate there in Flint, the question everyone is talking about is the one they have actually never been asked, about race. Don Lemon joins me live on their answers. We are finally getting that question next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:50:08] BALDWIN: Today families in Flint, Michigan, filing the first class action lawsuit over poison water just hours after CNN's Democratic debate in the city. But it's the topic of race that got pretty interesting responses from the candidates.

Don Lemon was there asking pretty pointed questions of both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, specifically asking about their personal blind spots when it comes to race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: Being a white person in the United States of America, I know that I have never had the experience that so many of the people in this audience have had. And I think it is incumbent upon me and what I have been trying to talk about during this campaign is to urge white people to think about what it is like to have the talk with your kids, scared that your sons or daughters even could get in trouble for no good reason whatsoever.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you're white, you don't know what it's like to be living in a ghetto. You don't know what it's like to be poor. You don't know what it's like to be hassled when you walk down the street or you get dragged out of a car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Don Lemon back with me. Listening to your response, listening to their responses there.

DON LEMON, CNN HOST, CNN TONIGHT: That's the first time I had seen it. Yes.

BALDWIN: How do you think they did?

LEMON: I think they did OK for their answers. But this was a really tough question. How do you answer that question, especially on a debate stage in front of not just the U.S., but the world? BALDWIN: Yes.

LEMON: And I really do think -- we talk about these things, right, you and I talk about these things. And I do think, and I don't know how some people are going to perceive this, but I think most white people don't have to think about their shortcomings when it comes to race. I think minorities have to do.

Women have to do it in a certain way. If you're a minority in any certain capacity you have to do it whether if someone slight to you or something happens, the first place. I have to be cognizant that I don't go to race for the first day. Sometimes you have to be cognizant as a woman not to go to, you know, sexism for the first thing. Sometimes a slight is just a slight. But sometimes it's not.

So that's - I have had to think about those things but many people in our society have had to think about those things and I don't think that they have had to think about those things. And as we were preparing for the debate, I think many people in the room have had to think about those things so I thought it was a very good question.

BALDWIN: What about Bernie Sanders' response, though, about, you know, not dealing with being in the ghetto.

LEMON: So I heard that -- I heard that and, you know, if I was in an interview or a town hall, I probably would have jumped in and said but that's a different sort of thing. You let them get their response because they have a certain amount of time. If they're not answering your question, you jump in to try to keep them on track but in a debate format they have a certain allotted time and you let them answer the question. So I let him answers questions. And he said what he had to say.

I do think, however, maybe he was -- I don't know if he was overstating his case, but I do think he used the wrong language. But I don't always like to sort of gotcha get people on language because sometimes people don't know how to express how they're feeling about a certain situation. Their overall feeling about it. They may be on the right track but their language isn't correct. So I don't want to hold him to the fire and say, OK, you know, someone should say you don't say ghetto. Not all black people are poor. And you know, that sort of someone should tell him that. But I think his heart is in the right place.

BALDWIN: I'm glad you were there. I'm glad this was brought up. But I also can't look at you and let you go without talking about just CNN's presence in Flint. I love that we have them On the Record in front of the national and audience on what has happened in Flint. But with CNN, I mean, these pictures of you and Van and Donna, and you know, I had talked to people who have been nearly in tears as we were there over the weekend handing out what, 100,000 bottles of water, ultimately 500,000?

LEMON: I think it was about 500,000 bottles of water. And we are going to be doing it until they ran out. And I wish we can do more. I'm sure we probably going to try to do more. And I think the best thing that we can do besides, you know, handing out water and helping people is to bring light to the situation, you know, as to what's happening there.

BALDWIN: Because it's one thing for us to talk about on TV, but to be on the ground, you know how it is.

LEMON: So the week before I told you I went to the Oscars and everybody was like, my God, you got to go to the Oscars. This was --

BALDWIN: Better than the Oscars.

LEMON: Exponentially better. As I was doing that, I could have stayed there and done it the entire weekend and the entire week. I was about to cry at certain times, seriously, on the verge of tears because the people were so grateful and I was doing something that was good. And I was proud to work for a company that afforded to give me the opportunity - give employees the opportunity to do that. And I'm proud of the people there, the people there.

BALDWIN: Absolutely. Thank you, my dear.

LEMON: Thank you. Good to see you. You look great.

BALDWIN: Thank you. So do you. Don Lemon, CNN tonight, 10:00 eastern. DO not miss it.

Coming up next, the emotional moments of one of history's greatest quarterbacks saying good-bye.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:55:04] PEYTON MANNING, FOOTBALL PLAYER: I revere football. I love the game. So you don't have to wonder if I'll miss it. Absolutely. Absolutely I will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:59:23] BALDWIN: Peyton Manning calling it a career.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANNING: I had to help my teams walk away with a win. There are other players who are more talented, but there was no one who could out-prepare me. And because of that, I have no regrets. There's a scripture reading, 2 timothy 4-7. I have fought the good fight, AND I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Well, I have fought the good fight. I finished my football race. And after 18 years, it's time. God bless all of you, and god bless football.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Five-time league MVP, two-time super bowl winner, retiring as one of the all-time greats.

Thanks for being with me. "The LEAD" starts right now.