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Trump's Remarks on Abortion, Nuclear Weapons; Clinton and Sanders Go Back and Forth on Donations; Grandson Of 1966 NCAA Champ In Final Four; Kasich Makes Push For Wisconsin; The "Nice" Factor In Wisconsin; One-on-One With Grant Hill. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired April 02, 2016 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:02] VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Malaysian authorities are expected to take a lead in investigating whether this is from that missing 777 that disappeared two years ago.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: We hope you make some great memories today. Thank you for spending time with us today.

BLACKWELL: Always good to start a Saturday with you. We turn it over now to Fredricka Whitfield who is in Houston this morning. Hey, Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hey. It's the Final Four madness. It's so exciting here. Thousands of folks descending on Houston. I wish Christi and Victor, wish you all were here with me.

PAUL: We wouldn't get anything done.

BLACKWELL: No, we really wouldn't work.

WHITFIELD: Well, that's true. That's true. Hey, but why not have a free Saturday and just, you know, play...

PAUL: Sure.

WHITFIELD: ... a little bit and, you know, sneak in a little...

BLACKWELL: Every once in a while.

PAUL: Have fun, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Well, we're going to juggle with it all today. Thanks so much. Good to see you guys.

Good morning everyone. Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield live from Houston, Texas. You're looking at pictures over energy stadium where the NCAA final four takes place tonight. That's the backdrop. It is quite extravagant here.

Coming up, all the excitement from the court plus my one on one face to face interview with basketball great Grant Hill about his amazing legacy and why he is leaving the door open for a possible new career path. And his advice to the players who were taking on the hard court tonight.

But, first, Republican presidential candidates are waging a fierce battle in Wisconsin just three days away from the state's primary Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich are crisscrossing Wisconsin today. A live pictures of a Kasich town hall in Burlington. Cruz enjoy the standing ovation last night at the Milwaukee County GOP dinner with Governor Scott Walker who is endorsing him.

Most polls show Cruz have a double digit lead over Trump. Meanwhile, a crucial GOP convention is taking place this weekend in North Dakota. All 25 of that state's delegates are unbound meaning they can vote for whomever they want headed into the national convention come July.

For Cruz and Kasich this is a race to take as many remaining delegates from Trump who, to be frank, had a rather rough week after Trump told MSNBC's Chris Matthews that he believed women who received abortions should be criminally punished. He made several attempts to walk aback and clarify that stance. He appeared on CBS last night and said when it comes to abortion the law is set.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN DICKERSON, "FACE THE NATION" MODERATOR: You told Bloomberg in January that you believe abortion should be banned at some point in pregnancy. Where you would...

DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well I first of all, I would have liked to have seen, you know, this be a states' rights, I would have preferred states' rights. I think it would have been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set, and that's the way the laws are.

DICKERSON: But do you have a feeling how they should change? There are a lot of laws you want to change, you've talked about them from libel to torture, anything you'd want to change on abortion?

TRUMP: At this moment, the laws are set and I think he we have to leave it that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, following that interview Trump's spokeswoman Hope Hicks also releases statement saying, "Mr. Trump gave an accurate account of the law as it is today and made clear it must stay that way now until he is president. Then he will change the law through judicial appointments and allow the states to protect the unborn. There is nothing new or different here." That's from the Trump campaign spokeswoman.

So let's bring in our Larry Sabato is the Director of the Center for Politics of the University of Virginia and the author of "The Kennedy Half Century," and Matt Lewis is a CNN political commentator and a senior contributor to the Daily Caller.

All right, good to see you all of you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.

WHITFIELD: All right, so will Trump back and forth on abortion this week hurt him at the polls, Larry?

LARRY SABATO, CENTER FOR POLITICS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, DIRECTOR: Yes. He's very likely to lose Wisconsin. It isn't just abortion. It's four or five other bad things that have happened to Trump or that Trump has done himself -- to himself. And so he's going to pay the price in Wisconsin.

Fortunately for him, the next primaries in New York where obviously as a life long New Yorker he's probably going to do very well. But Wisconsin is critical.

WHITFILED: And Matt, it looks like at least according to the polling, you know, in Wisconsin it does seem as though Trump according to polling has taken a little bit of a hit.

But now, you know, we're talking all three Republican candidates this is week backing off their pledge to support the eventual nominee. Trump even went so far as to say the door is open to a third party run. Here's what he said specifically.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS SUNDAY, HOST: Are you ruling out running as an independent third party candidate? Are you ruling that one?

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: No, it's not that simple. I am by far the front-runner as a Republican. I want to run as a Republican. I will beat Hillary Clinton.

[11:05:05] WALLACE: But if you don't get the nomination.

TRUMP: We'll going to have to see how I was treated. I'm going to have see how I was treated. Very simple.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so Matt respond to what he was to say and the fact that he and others are breaking the pledge. I mean how does that translate to voters who, you know, thought at first that pledge meant something or we were led to believe at that pledge meant something, you know, it's your word and now candidates are backing off it, Matt.

MATT LEWIS, CNN POLICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, that's the answer same thing, right, the whole point of a pledge is that you can't later when situations change just decide to break it. You know, otherwise why have a pledge if you can just change your mind someday.

So, this is indicative of a very weird campaign and a campaign where the Republican party risks really coming apart. And, you know, look I do think that it was really weird a month or so ago when Republicans -- the other Republican candidates were basically saying Donald Trump is horrible, he's evil, he's unfit to be president. Oh yeah, but I'll support him if he's the nominee.

I mean that was this discorted (ph). But the really interesting thing I think here aside from the fact you have Republicans maybe running third party campaigns against each other is there's a possibility that in certain states the fact that Donald Trump now says that he may not support the nominee, that possibly could open the door legally to the delegates who were bound to Trump to become unbound from him, because written into their statutes -- their statutes that say that you have to pledge to support the Republican nominee.

And so if there's a huge convention fight, if this thing really falls apart, that is a possibility that Trump has opened the door to that.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. So, Larry, how do you see this as a prelude or setting the stage for the convention, the RNC Convention which was already likely to be rather unpredictable? Now, it's anyone's guess what could unfold.

SABATO: Yes. Anybody's guess as to whether Trump could actually get the magic number of a majority on the first ballot. But there is something we already know and that was just aiming at him and it's a disaster, it's unfolding before. You can call it a crack up, you can call it a melt down, but even if the other candidates who lose endorse the candidate who wins the nomination, no one is going to be believe them because videotape lasts forever.

WHITFIELD: Right. All right, Trump also saying this week setting the tone on another big debate talking about letting Japan and South Korea stop relying on the United States for nuclear protection and building their own.

In fact last night at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington the president himself had some harsh criticism of Trump's foreign policy. This is what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The person who made the statements doesn't know much about foreign policy, or nuclear policy or the Korean Peninsula or the world generally.

It came up on the sidelines. I've said before that, you know, people pay attention to American elections. What we do is really important to the rest of the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, Larry, how important is it for the president to weigh in on the election in this way on this topic?

SABATO: Well, some -- what he says certainly correct. But nonetheless, he helps Donald Trump. I don't know whether that's the intention or whether it's simply the consequence of what he said.

But when Trump's followers see Obama criticizing Trump it increases the intensity of their support for Trump. It might be even bring him additional support within the Republican Party.

So I don't know that it's helping if the president does not want Trump to be nominated, if. WHITFIELD: And I wonder about that right a way, Matt, I mean why would the president want to weigh in knowing that any comment he makes is only going to fall in favor of the candidates who are, you know, using Obama's record to fuel the campaign i.e. Donald trump.

LWEIS: Yeah. Larry (inaudible) something that I think -- I don't know if it's the case in this incident because clearly, you know, there is -- the nuclear issue is obviously something within the purview of the president. It makes sense maybe for him to comment on it. But I would say generally speaking, I think that President Obama has clearly on other occasions I think intentionally helped Donald Trump. He's weighed in knowing that it would help Donald Trump become the Republican nominee which Barack Obama and a lot of others including yours truly believe would expedite the destruction of the Republican party.

So, I think that he has ulterior motives often times when he does this. And, you know, Republicans should wonder or consider whether or not they are being played here by president Obama, you know, who is weighing in on this.

[11:10:08] WHITFIELD: Interesting stuff. All right. Thanks so much for playing with us. We got a little sound check going on here outside the NRG Arena here. This is going to be a kind of the fan tip off experience behind me. So, every now and then you're going t-- we're going to take you, we're going to bring you here to Houston for the fan experience just ahead of the Final Four.

Larry Sabato and Matt Lewis, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

All right, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are also campaigning in Wisconsin today. And the dispute over contributions from the oil and gas industry is heating up with both sides accusing the other of lying. And each now demanding apologies.

This week Hillary Clinton angrily responded to a Greenpeace activist who asked Clinton if she will reject fossil fuel money from her campaign. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVA RESNICK-DAY, ACTIVIST: Thank you for tackling climate change. Will you act on your word to reject fossil fuel money in the future in your campaign?

HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not have, I have money from people who work for fossil fuel companies. I'm so sick.

RESNICK-DAY: And registered lobbyists?

CLINTON: I'm so sick. I'm so sick of the Sanders campaign lying about this, I'm sick of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, Hillary Clinton using it as an opportunity to set the record straight. Well, Bernie Sanders reacting this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: According to an analysis done by Greenpeace, Hillary Clinton's campaign and her super PAC have received more than $4.5 million from the fossil fuel industry.

In fact, 57 oil, gas, and coal industry lobbyists have directly contributed to her campaign with 43 of them contributing the maximum allowed for the primary. And these are not just workers in the fossil fuel industry. These are paid registered lobbyists.

Secretary Clinton, you owe our campaign an apology. We were telling the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Clinton's 2016 campaign has taken more than $300,000 from executives and employees who work for oil companies, according to Greenpeace. Clinton's campaign noted this week that Sanders has taken upwards of $50,000 from some of the same individuals.

All right. We're not done just following politics obviously. I spoke with former NBA Detroit Pistons star and now sportscaster Grant Hill right here in Houston. He won two NCAA college basketball titles with Duke University. Can you believe it's been 20 years? And he'll be a commentator for tonight's final four games. Really a lot of excitement here at NRG Stadium.

But hill has always been really versatile on the court and off. And he's always had a fascination with the national politics. And I asked him if he had ever thought about running for office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: You have been politically involved in, you know, endorsing candidates of the past, right?

GRANT HILL, NBA PLAYER: Right. Right.

WHITFIELD: Presidential candidates like Clinton and even Kerry. So, where do you see yourself in the landscape of national politics?

HILL: I thought this was just a basketball -- I'm sorry.

WHITFIELD: It's full court.

HILL: No I was joking. It's full court. You know, I think, you know, I've always, you know, said that we live in D.C. The main support, the main, you know, topic of conversation is always, you know, what's happening in Washington, the political world. So there was always an interest and a little bit of an appetite for that. You know, a lot changed since I have grown up in the political landscape. The climate has definitely shifted a little bit. So, you know, there are ways to participate in the political process. Without necessarily being a politician.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Already sounding like a politician, right? We'll have more of the interview with Grant Hill coming up later on this hour.

Also coming up, President Obama says we are seeing a tax like this one in Brussels because ISIS is being defeated his words. Elise Labott has more. Elise?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, also another nightmare scenario. Terrorists with nuclear material and experts say it's not a Hollywood fantasy. We'll talk about how world leaders are trying to keep nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[11:17:47] OBAMA: As ISIL is squeezed in Syria and Iraq, we can anticipate it lashing out elsewhere, as we've seen most recently and tragically in countries from Turkey to Brussels. And this means that the sense of urgency that we've shown in destroying ISIL in Iraq and Syria also has to infuse our efforts to prevent attacks around the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITIFIELD: President Obama addressing one of the world's worst fears -- terrorist groups trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons. Let's go to CNN global affairs correspondent Elise Labott with more on this. Elise?

LABOTT: Well Fred, there are very real concerns, particularly that terrorists could not necessarily get a hold of nuclear materials like highly enriched uranium or plutonium, but materials that are much more vulnerable that's faster what they call civilian nuclear radioactive materials that are in hundreds, if not thousands of commercial, industrial plants, hospitals around the world.

So there was a special session yesterday particularly about ISIS and how to keep nuclear material out of terrorists' hands. And so world leaders gathered together at this summit, about 102 nations signed this additional amendment to one of the treaties on nuclear protection to safeguard nuclear materials, to protect them from when they are being transported and also to vet on personnel at these sites because that's a real concern that some people could get radicalized or some people could have try to infiltrate.

So really right now there is a lot of talk about how to protect these civilian nuclear materials from terrorist trying to launch some kind of what they called what they called a dirty bomb threat which should really be catastrophic the president said, not just for a city block but a whole could shut down, a whole major city for years. And it would be catastrophic disaster both economically and politically and for the environment. So real concern of that summit, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, a colossal concern indeed. Al right, thank you so much Elise Labott. I appreciate it. We'll check back with you.

All right. And this just in the CNN the Brussels Airport will partially reopen Sunday for the first time since being targeted by suicide bombers.

[11:20:03] At a news conference, the airport company's CEO announced three passenger flights are scheduled for Sunday. For now only taxis or private cars will be permitted on airport roadways. The airports operation capacity will expand over time.

All right, coming up next, a family legacy played out on the hard court. Hear why today's final four game right here in Houston at NRG Stadium will be especially emotional for one Oklahoma player and his legendary grandfather.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. We are in Houston, Texas, right outside of the NRG Stadium. A city consumed by March Madness, even though it's April now. Just a few hours the Villanova Wildcats take on the Oklahoma Sooners in the NCAA finals. And then, of course, at North Carolina and Syracuse follow in the next game.

But for one Oklahoma player in particular, this weekend really is a family celebration. Sophomore forward Khadeem Lattin will be cheered on by his grandfather, who also happens to be the former starting center for the 1966 Texas Western Miners. That team defeated the top ranked University of Kentucky in a game that simply made huge history. Not just for the Miners, underdog victory. But more importantly for the color barriers they shattered that day.

[11:25:10] It was the first time ever all five starting players in an NCAA championship game were black. The match-up against the all-white Kentucky team so emotional and dramatic, it inspired the 2006 movie "Glory Road."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Time now for Kentucky in the final seconds. Here's a miss by Kron. Lattin has the rebound protects Texas Western. He gives it to Bobby Joe, looking at the clock, watching it count down, 10, 9, 8 -- the Miners are on their way to victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Members of the 1966 Texas Western Miners will be honored at tonight's final four game. And the team's legendary center David Lattin is here with me now. Thank you so much for joining me. What a great honor to have you here.

DAVID LATTIN, CENTER, TEXAS WESTERN MINERS: Thank you, Fredricka. It's great to be here.

WHITFIELD: This is wonderful. So, you know, your team and Coach Haskins really did set the tone in that competition at the NCCA, didn't it? What was your memory of the pressure, knowing the historical relevance of it and at the same time the hard work getting to that point as a player and the gratification of getting there?

LATTIN: Well, I'm very honest with you. We are only thinking about winning. We are only concerned with grand basketball, you know, unclear (inaudible) of plan basketball in concentrating a winning. It sort of it can't think about anything else.

So, I'm very honest with you, we didn't think about all the historical things and all of the things. The game would going to mean to our country later down the road, which is thinking about winning and that was it.

WHITFIELD: And everyone says, you know, Coach Haskins, he was an intentional coach. Everything he did had meaning and thought behind it. Do you think he was thinking about the powerful message being sent about this, the starting line-up, five black players or he simply saying, "You know what? I got my five best, and they happened to be black, and we're going to play this game."

LATTIN: You know, if you ask him today, if he was living, he would tell you that he played his best player and he did place best players. But, if he had this something else in mind and he was thinking of, I would say absolutely, and he came in my room with the other six African-American players that are going to play in the game that night. He made a statement. A short statement. He didn't say very much that's something, you know, he mentioned press conference before the game.

In the movie, it looks like all the players were in the gym together, but that's not the way it happened. Just the seven players are able to play in the game. (Inaudible) mentioned in the press conference said that five African-American kids would be his five white guys. And he said that, he didn't say very much and then he said up to you, then he walked out of the room and left us.

We are going to looked at each other a little bit. And Bobby was my roommate, and the other players walked out in the room. I looked at Bobby, Bobby at me, and I said, "Bobby do you really think he said that?" Bobby said, "Well, Coach Haskins said it, so he said it." And his next comment was, "We are not going to lose this game." And I concurred with that and said, "Hey, we're not."

WHITFIELD: And you defeated him 72 to 65. Do you feel like that game sent a message to all future players?

LATTIN: Absolutely. And what really happened after that season was over was that all the schools in the deep South that refused to recruit African-Americans, started to recruit them, their athletes of course, football, basketball, baseball and everything. And so when they opened the doors to let those kids and for athletics they had to open the door for the other youngsters as well. That is my legacy and that's one when I die and go away, I want to be remembered by that.

WHITFIELD: So among the future players, a player of today, your grandson Khadeem, and I caught up with him yesterday. He's playing for Oklahoma. I didn't see any rattled nerves in him. And I asked him about the kind of advice that you had given him over the years and this is what he had to say about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHADEEM LATTIN, DAVID LATTIN SON: He always taught me don't be passive. Be the attacker, and like I said, he told me about (inaudible) use it good.

WHITFIELD: Does it look any different to you, that page of history, now that you are in the Final Four?

[11:30:02] LATTIN: It looks -- it is looks real. It's a story out here and now being a part of it and seeing everything, it definitely brings the different aspects that I appreciate. It brings upon a new appreciation for what he did.

WHITFIELD: Is there a way to describe emotionally what you have felt when you and the team rolled up to this arena and stepped in for the first time and when you walked on the court?

LATTIN: I mean, it was unreal walking out to the courts. I looked at center court. I looked to the top and said thank you and got ready. Got ready for practice. Really so in touch with the meaning behind the journey here. The opportunity of being here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: He seems so gracious and really just so in step and in touch with the meaning behind the journey here and the opportunity of being here.

DAVID LATTIN, WON HISTORIC 1966 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: He's aware of everything. We don't talk about it much because I don't want to burden him -- in reference to that. I just want him to be positive. Think about the future and be as good as he can be, and he's achieving that now. He's getting there.

WHITFIELD: What does that feel like to hear his thoughts and to see him in this arena and you know, to see his school represented up here on the arena? You have Oklahoma, North Carolina, Syracuse, Villanova and the grandness of it all.

LATTIN: I'm so excited for him. I mentioned this the other day is that I'll be sitting in my seat and I will be anticipating there's going to be a shot. I know he'll be going to the boards. I will be standing right beside him going to the boards with him. That's how excited I am. It's almost like I'm playing.

WHITFIELD: That's so nice. It's like I'm playing again. David Lattin, what an honor. Thank you so much.

LATTIN: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: All the best to your grandson and the team. Best of luck to all four teams, really it's something special to see this legacy and the passing on of talent generation to generation.

LATTIN: I just want to say go Sooners.

WHITFIELD: All right, congratulations. Thank you again. Great to see you.

All right, of course, be sure to watch us this afternoon for a behind- the-scenes look at the NCAA tournament. Turner sports analyst, Steve Smith joins me in leading our coverage of the personalities and the celebration that extends far beyond the court. All access. Don't miss it. The final four. A CNN "Bleacher Report" special airing today after the NEWSROOM at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Lots of fun here.

All right. Buddy and the Sooners tipping off tonight at 6:09 Eastern Time on TBS. That game followed by North Carolina taking on Syracuse.

Let's talk about some politics. Way off the court. But in the field of politics, the race for the White House, John Kasich holding a town hall in Burlington, Wisconsin. Just a few days from the primary there. Let's listen in.

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- we'll be fine. Sometimes you need a little help. I remember when Reagan was elected. He had a Democrat House and he made speeches and they put bags of mail on the congressman's desk. It was like that movie, "Miracle On 34th Street," remember when the judge is sitting there and they bring all the mail in from the post office. That's great.

They put bags of mail on the congressman's office. You want a congressman to do something? Get a group of people and barrage them day and night. You will move them. Barrage me day and night? Won't matter. I don't spook. OK?

But we can fix these things, folks. We can do it. We're going to have to do it together. We'll get it done. OK. Let me take some questions. Doug, could somebody bring me a little bit of coffee? All right. I'll go for you. Youth and then wisdom.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had a question prepared but you inspired me so I will just go off.

KASICH: Don't memorize. Remember what I told you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to say I am a sufferer of mental illness. My name is Casey Shrader. Life does get better. So for the young children out there in high school like you referred to.

[11:35:02]You have to persist but in the end, things do lighten up. That's it. KASICH: Let me give you a hug. He says I'm a tough guy, I don't need a hug. I'm not giving you hug, OK? You know. I tell you something. That's courage. That's courage. This whole issue --

WHITFIELD: All right, some nice candid moments there. John Kasich at a town hall there in Burlington, Wisconsin, just three days away from a Democratic and Republican primary in that state.

Coming up, Republican candidates have been rolling in the mud ahead of Wisconsin, but being nice? Well, it's a driving factor for some Wisconsinites. What could it mean for Ted Cruz and Donald Trump?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. The stage is set here at the NRG arena in Houston for the NCAA final four this evening. That's the nice stuff. The not so nice stuff that involves the race for the White House. The tone of this year's presidential campaign is not impressing the very nice people of Wisconsin.

We sent one of our nicest reporters to check it out. Here's CNN's Gary Tuchman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wisconsin nice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wisconsin nice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wisconsin nice, absolutely.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Wisconsin nice, words the people of the state try to live by.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He would be one hell of a lousy president. That, I can tell you.

TUCHMAN: Partly because of that motto this presidential campaign has rubbed a lot of folks here the wrong way. It may explain why a certain guy who is New York brash isn't polling so well here.

[11:40:05](on camera): What do you think of all the bickering and insults and name-calling between the candidates during this campaign?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I try not to pay attention to it. As a matter of fact, if commercial comes on from a super PAC or something I generally change the channel.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): So why do Wisconsinites have this nice reputation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe it's cheese and we drink more brandy than any other state in the union.

TUCHMAN: There might be other reasons. Keep in mind one of the state's nicknames is America's dairyland. A pastoral peaceful- sounding name many try to live up to. Roger Welland is a dairy farmer.

ROGER WELLAND, WISCONSIN DAIRY FARMER: It's the affect we have been brought up with. We grew up with parents that taught us good ethics. We work hard. The farm background in Wisconsin, I think, all contributes to that.

TUCHMAN: Ardy and Ed's drive-in has been around since 1948. There is a sign outside that says "the friendly place." Inside it feels like that, friendly. Lunch, an ice cream soda served at the counter and food delivered to your car by roller skating car hops.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sounds good!

TUCHMAN: Being polite, being nice, is good for business says Ardy Davis who bought the drive over 60 years ago and say it is customers are just as nice.

(on camera): Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. We're just nice.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): But her husband, Steve, who has worked here 39 years says he knows the answer.

STEVE DAVIS, OWNER ARDY'S AND ED'S DRIVE-IN: I think it's part of their upbringing. They are basically pretty humble people. Hard- working people. They're taught to respect other people and be civil and get along with each other.

TUCHMAN: That's what diners at the counter say, too.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody just seems, you know, to like and respect each other and look out for each other.

TUCHMAN (on camera): What's been made clear to us in our travels around the state is that Wisconsinites, when it comes to politics are tired of the bull. I'm sorry, cows.

(voice-over): Wisconsin nice is not just a motto. It's a lifestyle that many are grateful for like the roller skating server I worked to keep up with.

(on camera): Are the customers here nice?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, of course.

TUCHMAN: How do they tip?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very well.

TUCHMAN: What percentage usually?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's 20 to 25 I think.

TUCHMAN: That's nice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Gary Tuchman, CNN, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up, a very nice guy off and on the court. My face-to-face interview with Grant hill. How basketball wasn't his first choice as a kid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT HILL, NBA STAR: You know, growing up I loved football. That was my sport. I was a die-hard fan. If you talked late '70s, early '80s, NFL, I can tell you everything. But my dad wouldn't let me play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:46:36]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. We are live from Houston, Texas. You are looking at pictures right now of the NRG Stadium where the NCAA final four is taking place tonight. The excitement is building. So is the wind here. But that's not going to affect the game play inside.

Seven-time NBA all-star, Grant Hill, no stranger to March Madness. He'll be a commentator for tonight's final four game. He's won two NCAA college basketball titles with Duke University about 20 years ago.

I got to talk with him face to face asking him what it feels like to be on the court during the big game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So give us an idea, you know, the two-time NCAA champ, Duke, number 33. What are these young men going through right now?

HILL: I think you can be overwhelmed. These players, if not all of them, this is their first final four. You dream about this opportunity. There are emotions, excitement, nervous, scared. Everything possible is going through your mind. As you get closer to the start of the game, I think that only intensifies.

WHITFIELD: I wonder if they feel different whether it's the sweet 16, elite 8, final four. They are in these incredible arenas. I got a chance to see Syracuse practicing. I was so impressed that these young men looked so poised. They really looked relaxed. Who set that tone?

HILL: Well, I think who sets the tone is the coach. The coach is the one. He's the leader. He understands all the coaches that are here have been in final fours before. So two of them, Jim Bayheim and of course, Roy Williams have actually won championship.

So they understand all of the distractions. They understand sort of the whole atmosphere and what they need to do to make sure the teams are ready. It's tough. You want to prepare a team. You want to prepare your players.

You also want them to get involved in all the various mandatory items they have to do, media obligations, pre-game show. All the things. Kids are being shuttled here and there.

Then you want them to take it in and enjoy it. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Juggling all that and then being relaxed yourself. Managing your time is really essential. Coach dictates the schedule and the time, I think, for each team.

WHITFIELD: How did you manage it yourself?

HILL: I have an interesting relationship with college basketball and final four in general. You know, I fell in love with basketball, the idea of wanting to play basketball when I was 9 years old. I watched the first final four that I recalled, it was 1982. It was in New Orleans.

When North Carolina beat Georgetown, Michael Jordan hit that big shot. That's when you started dreaming. That's when I was like I would love to one day be able to do that.

[11:50:01]WHITFIELD: So it sounds like at an early age you made a decision, you envisioned yourself as a star ball player. Your dad being a former NFL guy. Was there ever any real pressure from dad or, you know, did you feel any pressure at all that you should try football instead of basketball?

HILL: You know, growing up I loved football. That was my sport. I was a diehard fan. You talk late '70s, early '80s NFL, I can tell you everything, but my dad wouldn't let me play. He had a theory that you should learn to play in high school when you're more physically developed and mature.

He didn't want some Little League coach thinking he was Vince Lombardi. I think for him, that was the plan. That's what I always sort of held onto one day I'll play football.

But middle school, going to the final four, developing my talents in basketball, I fell in love with that sport. When that opportunity came I didn't want to play football. I wanted to stick with basketball, but being around it at a young age was really helpful I think.

WHITFIELD: So what's your advice to young players and parents of aspiring players who say I want to be like Grant Hill?

HILL: My dad uses this metaphor all the time about parenting. He says there's 12 inches between a pat on the back and pat on the butt. As parent you have to do both. The key is content. You have to be involved and engaged. So really just being there, being supportive, not necessarily correcting if they miss jump shots, but be supportive. I think that goes a long way and then if it is meant to be. It will be. If it is going to happen, you don't have to push the child, the child will push themselves.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Grant Hill and he also attributed exposure, even though his dad, Calvin Hill, former NFL great, he took his little guy to the NCAA final fours for a long time, starting age nine. And they continued it as a father, son tradition for a long time. And then lo and behold Grant Hill becomes a player in the championship of the NCAA. Really nice story. Lots of great advice for parents.

All right, stay with us. We'll have so much more on the final four with our "Bleacher Report," Andy Scholes coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:56:22]

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back to NRG Stadium. I am Fredricka Whitfield here in Houston. So the calendar is a little confusing, March might be over, but the madness continues. The final four tips off with two big games tonight.

Andy Scholes joining us with a preview of what to expect. We've talked about Oklahoma with Khadeem Lattin. That team is getting a lot of attention because Buddy Hield is pretty extraordinary too.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, if you haven't watched Buddy Hield play, you're missing out. He is probably the best show we've seen in March Madness since Steph Curry was on Davidson back in 2009 scoring 40 points in games left and right. He has been incredible. He scored 29 points a game so far in this tournament.

He was named Oscar Robinson player of the year. If you don't know his background and story, it is cool. He grew up in the Bahamas with three brothers, three sisters. Moved to the United States when he was 12 years old.

Buddy is not his real name. His mom actually was a big fan of the big TV show "Married with Children." She gave him the nickname Buddy after Bud Bundy. It's a pretty cool story.

He is having an incredible run, will be a top pick in the June's NBA draft. Even though all this is going on, he gets all of the credit for Oklahoma success right now, his coach said he stayed very grounded. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LON KRUGER, OKLAHOMA HEAD COACH: It is different, no question about that, and yet Buddy has handled all of that well, even though it is different here, it is grander. He's been remarkable in how he's handled it. He passes -- he is always talking about team.

JAY WRIGHT, VILLANOVA HEAD COACH: What's unique about Buddy is I think he moved, he moves without the basketball with speed and intelligence like nobody else played against us. I think it is going to make him a great pro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Buddy will be a pro, a top pick in NBA's June draft. I guarantee one thing, Villanova's number one priority is trying to stop him.

WHITFIELD: That's the first game. Then the other game, Syracuse, North Carolina, talking about two legendary coaches. It's not about the players. It is about the coaches, too.

SCHOLES: It seems like every year in the tournament, once we get to the final four, one or two legendary coaches end up here. This year, Roy Williams from North Carolina and Jim Boeheim for Syracuse. Roy has been to eight final fours, this is five for Jim. That's definitely a matchup to watch in that game. Just the coaching strategy going back and forth. That will be cool to watch in the second game tonight.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic. Lots of great stories in this final four. It is a lot of fun. We will see you again a little bit. We are tied.

SCHOLES: Tied in brackets.

WHITFIELD: And didn't even plan this. Pure coincidence. What a great one. Serendipitous.

SCHOLES: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: All right, Andy Scholes, thank you so much. We are having a blast at NRG Stadium. Watch CNN this afternoon for a behind the scenes look at the NCAA tournament as well.

Steve Smith, Turner sports analyst joining me in leading our coverage of the personalities and the celebration that extends far beyond the hardcore. All access at the final four.

A CNN Bleacher Report special airing today at 2:30 Eastern Time. You don't want to miss it. We're going to have fun here at NRG Stadium all day. It will get noisy here later. This is the fan tipoff experience behind us they're setting up for behind us.

All right, coming up, today is the first day of North Dakota's Republican convention where 25 delegates will be selected for the GOP convention in July. Ted Cruz is expected to speak, but Donald Trump is not appearing instead --