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Muhammad Ali, Boxer Called "The Greatest", is Dead at Age of 74; Donald Trump Takes a Lot of Heat For Not One, But Two Comments About Race on Campaign Trail. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired June 04, 2016 - 00:00   ET

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


[12:00:00] NATALIE ALLEN HOST: Donald Trump takes a lot of heat for not one, but two comments about race on the campaign trail.

A first for the Olympics, a team comprise of only refugees gets ready to compete in Rio.

And he is known around the world as "the greatest" boxer Muhammad Ali is hospitalized.

All the stories are next here on CNN Newsroom. We're live in Atlanta. Thank you for joining us. I'm Natalie Allen.

Reuters' new service is reporting that boxing legend Muhammad Ali is nearing death. They're citing a source close to the Ali family. He's been hospitalized in Phoenix, Arizona since Thursday with breathing issues.

His daughter Laila Ali released a statement saying that her number one priority is her father's well-being that she truly appreciates the outpouring of love for her family and she spends quality time with her father.

We want to turn now to CNN World Sports Anchor Don Riddell because we're talking about the contribution of Muhammad Ali to sports and it's just impossible to sum up, isn't Don as we hope all for his recovery.

DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Absolutely. Just an incredible man, an incredible athlete and let's not forgets a global icon. Muhammad Ali without any grilled out I think the greatest boxer of all time, arguably the greatest athlete this 20th century.

At one point I think it's fair to say he was one of the most recognizable men on the planet. He was a global icon. Three-times the World Heavyweight Champion of the world, but a man who completely transcend to the sport. He represents it so much more than just sport of boxing. A deeply principled man. A man who converted to Islam. A man who stood up to the war in Vietnam and who decided that he'd rather, if necessary go to jail rather than go to Vietnam and fight.

In the end it didn't comes to that, but he lost the best years of his boxing career because of a principled stand he took and that is why he is such a popular figure, such a charismatic man. Anybody who watched him fight, who saw him performed in front of the media the way he used to talk, so articulate, eloquent, charismatic, confident.

It's a long time since we've really seen him in public. I mean the last famous occasion is 20 years ago now ...

ALLEN: The summer.

RIDDELL: ... when he famously lit the torch at the Atlanta Olympics here just a couple of miles from here in 1996. It's been a while since we've seen him in public. His fans all over the world still absolutely adore and I know that a lot of those people all over the world are really praying for him.

ALLEN: You know, he certainly an outspoken athlete. He was probably the first outspoken athlete to really take on the media light he has throughout his career he given us so much.

RIDDELL: Yeah, that's right.

ALLEN: All right, we're all pulling for him. Again, we want to reiterate, Muhammad Ali is said to be in a grave condition in a Phoenix hospital and we'll continue to monitor his progress. Don Riddell, thank you.

I want to turn now to other news that we're following. Do the U.S. presidential race, Presumptive Republican Nominee Donald Trump campaign in California on Friday dogged by allegations of racism.

At one appearance, he pointed to a black man and said, "Oh, look at my African-American over here." A Trump spokeswoman later told CNN it was ridiculous to infer that comment was racist.

This, after Trump called the U.S.-born Federal Judge Mexican and said he would be bias in a lawsuit against Trump because of Trump's plan to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

Now, the Trump camp claims there's nothing wrong with those comments, but House Speaker Paul Ryan seems to differ one day after endorsing Trump he criticized him for his remarks about the federal judge. Here is CNN's Jason Carroll with that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donald Trump returning fire at Hillary Clinton.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Hillary Clinton is unfit to lead our country certainly at this time. I think she's unfit. She doesn't have what it takes. You cannot go through four more years and call her Obama light.

CARROLL: The presumptive GOP nominee hammering Clinton a day after her takes down of his foreign policy views.

TRUMP: Did you see that tone speech she made yesterday? Donald Trump was a bad man. Donald Trump has a bad tone. We need a tough tone in this country, folks. CARROLL: Trump focusing his attention on Clinton's used of that private e-mail server while secretary of state.

TRUMP: I think Hillary is very weak. I think she's pathetic. I think she should be in jail for what she did with her e-mails, OK. She should be in jail.

CARROLL: Violent protest erupting outside Trump's San Jose rally, Thursday night with punches thrown and eggs tossed at Trump supporters. That, as Trump tries to make him road with Hispanic voters.

[12:05:00] TRUMP: At Trump University ...

CARROLL: Trump's comments about one of the judges that overseeing a lawsuit against Trump University, Gonzalo Curiel causing a rift within the Republican Party.

TRUMP: I have had horrible rulings. I've been treated very unfairly by this judge. Now, this judge is a Mexican heritage. I'm building a wall, OK. I'm building a wall.

CARROLL: Trump telling CNN's Jake Tapper that Curiel who was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants should recuse himself from the case.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: If you are saying he can't do his job because of his race, is that not the definition of racism?

TRUMP: No, I don't think so at all.

TAPPER: No?

TRUMP: No. He's proud of his heritage. I respect him for that.

TAPPER: But you're saying he can't do his job because of it.

TRUMP: We're building a wall. He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is he is giving us very unfair rulings, rulings that people can't even believe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's an important conversation ...

CARROLL: A day after offering Trump his endorsement, House Speaker Paul Ryan calling out the billionaire.

REP. PAUL RYAN, (R) SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The comment about the judge the other day just was cut of field for my mind. Its reasoning I don't relate to. I completely disagree with the thinking behind that. And so he clearly says and does things I don't agree with.

CARROLL: Trump is trying to smooth over comments he made about Susana Martinez, the Republican Governor of New Mexico.

TRUMP: The Governor has got to do a better job. She's not doing the job. Hey, maybe I'll run for governor of New Mexico. I'll get this place going. She's not doing the job. CARROLL: Trump now having a change of heart telling a New Mexico newspaper that he would like to have Martinez's endorsement saying, "I respect her. I have always liked her."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressing concern about potential impact of Trump's rhetoric on the Republican Party's outreach to Hispanic voters.

MITCH MCCONNELL, U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: I think that the attacked that he's routinely engage her, for example, going after Susana Martinez, the Republican Governor of New Mexico, the chairman of Republican Governors Association I think was a big mistake. Now, what he ought (ph) to be doing now is try to unify the party.

CARROLL: One of the awkward moments during the rally here in Redding, California was when Trump try to actually compliment an African- American who was here at the rally. He then turn to him, pointed a mouth in the crowd and said, "Look at my African-American."

Well, that created a social media fire storm. Many of Trump's critics saying that that statement was insensitive and racist. Trump spokeswoman hope picks weighing in on the controversy saying no ill- will was intended and the use of the possessive my was not racist."

Jason Carroll, CNN, Redding, California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: CNN Political Commentator and Republican Strategist Ana Navarro is tearing into Trump over his attacks on that U.S. district judge. She say's Gonzalo Curiel who is presiding over the Trump University lawsuit hasn't acts to grin because of his Mexican heritage that Trump's claims there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: What he is doing is wagging the dog. He is trying to distract from the fact that he has got a problem with the case where there are allegations that his business is a scam and a fraud.

How dare he? How dare he question a judge's responsibility, a judge's adherence to the constitution because he is of Mexican descent? This man was born in East Chicago. He is an American citizen. He is just as American as Donald Trump.

Mexican-Americans bleed just as any other American when they go to war. They bled just as any other American at 9/11. They fight for America. They are Americans and what he is doing is disgusting. I'm leaving about it and if this is his strategy to win over Hispanic, he's got a hell of a wake up call coming to him, come November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Earlier, I spoke with Errol Louis, CNN Political Commentator about what Trump's comments could mean for the election and the party agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, the reaction has been really defining silence from Trump supporters in a lot of cases as well as outright condemnation from lots of people including many Republicans, including in particular many Latino Republicans who have been saying for years that the party has got to do a better job of reaching out to Hispanic-Americans.

There are, you know, almost no paths to victory for the Republican Party in the long-term if they're only relying on a relatively narrow base ethnically speaking. And so they've got to do a better job.

This has been known. This has been talking about for a full 10 years now and this really sets back the effort by many people to try to make the party more diverse, more acceptable and frankly more likely to win and eventually that's going to be mostly non-white by 20-40 at the latest.

ALLEN: And he also referred to an African-American out of his rally.

[12:10:00] He said, "Look at my African-American over here," and that also didn't go over, too, well.

LOUIS: Yeah, that's a bit more of, frankly just a guff (ph). I mean, he was telling a story, some are complicated story about one of his supporters who have done a good job by -- at a prior rally after it going after and I think physically slogging some racist who showed up at the rally where in Ku Klux Klan regalia.

So, he was trying to say something nice about this gentleman who -- by the way is also a candidate for office. And so, this candidate for office was there in the crowd and Trump turn to him and said, "Look, oh yeah, here he is. He's here right now. Look at my African- American."

It's not nearly in the same league as those careless comments about the ability of a sitting federal judge to be impartial and to be fair and then linking that to his ethnic heritage. That, I think he's got almost no room for explanation that looks even partly good for Donald Trump.

ALLEN: And he hasn't seemed to want to walk that back at all.

LOUIS: Well, no. I mean, here again, you know, he won't know what he -- if he ever was going to walk something back and that's very much not Donald Trump style by the way.

ALLEN: Right.

LOUIS: But if he was going to do it, you have to wait until the whole interview comes out, you know, so we won't really know that if it Sunday, anyhow. But, I don't see that happening, frankly.

You know, there's at least one school of thought I've heard from some Republican consultant to say that Donald Trump knew exactly what he was saying and he said it for a particular reason and that this is part of the politics that he has been playing of being extremely aggressive and even hostile toward Mexico and toward immigrants and toward illegal immigration and that it's just part of his brand and it get's him lots of votes.

Now, that was true up until now, but there a lot of people who are tuning in to this sort of first time and I think he maybe surprised at how much revulsion he encounters from people who really respect.

I mean, look, we've got -- Natalie, we got a lot of institutions that are under attack, that are failing, that are disappointing the public and that includes the media. I'm not going to act like we're in exception, but the courts have really been one of the more respected, you know, the courts, the military.

For Donald Trump who just go after the judiciary in that way for this reason not because he thinks there are some constitutional principle at stake, you know, but because the judge issue to ruling that he didn't like and that personal fraud case against him it's -- he's got a very hard time, I think politically explaining that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Our political analyst there, Errol Louis talking to me earlier.

U.S. Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton is also slamming Trump for his comments about the judge. At a campaign event in California, Clinton said Trump's words maybe, "A political stunt." And she said pointedly that U.S. voters are trying to elect a president not a dictator.

Clinton also faulted Trump for the protests that have erupted at some of his rallies. She told CNN's Jake Tapper that the presumptive Republican nominee has lowered the bar on civility.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I condemn it by those who are taking violent protest to physical assault against Donald Trump. This has to end.

He set a very bad example. He created an environment in which had seem to be acceptable for someone running for president to be inciting violence, to be encouraging his supporters. Now, we're seeing people who are against him responding in kind. It should all stop. It is not acceptable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Clinton is campaigning in California ahead of the primary vote there on Tuesday.

Well, coming up here, a first for the Olympic Games. 10 refugees who fled their war toward homes will now be going for Olympic glory. We'll have their story coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:16:05] ALLEN: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." It has been a great couple of days on the Mediterranean with hundreds of migrants dead were missing. Recovery crew say more than 100 bodies believed to be migrants from capsized boats wash up on a Libyan beach.

Red Cross and Red Crescent spokesman says 75 of them were women and six children. Cruise of the Greek Island of Crete are trying to find some 300 people missing after a boat sank. They have recovered nine bodies and rescued more than 300 people. And the Italian coastguard has rescued 96 migrants of Sicily, 23 of them are children.

For the first time ever, a team of refugees will compete at the Olympics. Six men and four women who fled their home countries will go for gold in swimming, judo and running at the Rio Summer Games.

The president of the International Olympic Committee says the athletes will be, "A symbol of hope for all the refugees in the world."

Christine Brennan is a CNN Sports Analyst and Columnist for the "USA Today" and she joins me now. Christine thanks for being with us.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Oh, Natalie, my pleasure. Thank you.

ALLEN: Well, there's been so much negativity surrounding the Rio Olympics. We get to that in a moment. But here comes this little slice of sparkle, refugees, a handful get to compete in the Olympic Games. How this happen?

BRENNAN: It was something the International Olympic Committee has been looking at for several months and obviously the world knows about the terrible refugee crisis and the tragedies and losing so many people.

And so, what a great idea for the International Olympic Committee to have a team, it's only going to be about 10 athletes, but they are strong athletes. They are good. They won't necessarily win medals, but they are competitive on the worldwide stage.

They'll be marching in as their own group, not a country, but as a refugee, group of Olympic athletes and they will be behind the Olympic flag and the really cool part about this is they're going to come into the stadium at the opening ceremony at the second to last group.

All the nations of the world will have come in then the refugees and then finally the host nation, Brazil. It should be an incredibly emotional moment when that happens.

ALLENS: Oh, I get two bumps just you've sharing that with us. Well, one of the refugees who grew up in a refugee camp in Congo learned judo in the camp. Interesting story came to Brazil to compete a few years ago and it was basically abandoned by the coach without document, so thankfully she kind of ended up in the right place at the right time. So certainly they'll all have a good little story to go with them about how they were chosen.

BRENNAN: Oh, yeah absolutely and, in fact, another is a swimmer who help push a raft with 20 refugees to safety in the Greek Islands and then she ended up in Germany. She's now an 18-year-old swimmer, shall be in the women's 200 meter freestyle.

ALLEN: Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.

BRENNAN: So that you can imagine, we journalists are going to be all over this and we should because I think it's such an uplifting story.

ALLEN: There are always tear jerker (ph) stories, you know, about the athletes. Well now, we really have some to look forward to.

Well, meantime back to Rio. Everyone is kind of it. It's either about will they be ready, pollution, Zika, you've covered 16 Olympic games. There's always something it seems to -- in the run up for the games. They won't be ready, what about security? Are we overreacting about Rio or the serious different concerns this time around?

BRENNAN: I think actually it's a little bit of both. There are always this something as you mentioned whether it was Seoul where the North Koreans were going to open up their flag gates and literally flood the city of Seoul with the rivers overflowing never happened.

Barcelona was going to be clogged with traffic and pollution, never happened. Athens, home game for the terrorist right after -- for summer games after 9/11 where there was going to be huge problems, it never happened. On and on it goes.

Will this be though? This is the key question, Nathalie. Will this be the Olympics where it finally happens? There are so many things out there. There was Zika as you mentioned, water pollution, crime. Will they be ready in time?

[12:20:00] Of course, the government in appeal (ph) the economy and recession that maybe this will be Olympics where it gets the best of the hopes -- the host city. I hope that's not the case, but Rio has a lot on its plate, certainly more than any Olympics I can remember going back to L.A. in '84.

ALLEN: Christine Brennan there joining me. Will investigators at footballs governing body say some former top executives there, "Enriched themselves with $80 million in salaries and bonuses over five years."

FIFA past President Sepp Blatter and two of his deputies are named in a statement it called the payments a coordinated effort. Blatter's lawyer's answer that his income was proper, fair and inline with the compensation of other top sports executives. FIFA says they has told justice officials in Switzerland and the United States about its findings.

France is dealing with widespread flooding including rising waters in Paris Seine River at six meters on Friday, the highest level in more than 30 years. Also, workers at the Louvre and Orsay museums are moving thousands of pieces of art to higher floors as a precaution. The Louvre remains close to visitors until Tuesday.

We also know that a 74-year-old man, horse back riding south of Paris has died in the flooding. The question on so many minds is whether the flooding in France is over or is the worse yet to come?

Derek Van Dam is joining us now from the Weather Center. He's following the story for us. I hate to see Paris dealing with something like this. This is such a beautiful, beautiful city.

DEREK VAN DAM: Yeah it is. We've - we walk along the sides of the Seine before my wife and I and, you know, it's such an incredibly beautiful city, the City of Love that so many people refer to it as.

You ask the question whether or not the worse of the flooding is over, well, there is hourly river monitor gauge that I've been updated and checking every few minutes just to see what the situation is in Paris as we speak and it looks as if the River Seine has just crossed it about two hours ago.

It's currently at 6.08 meters. It crested at 6.1 meters and this brought back a lot of ominous memories from, well, the record flood event that took place back in 1910, but also something that took place back in 1982.

There is this statue that they actually use as a historical benchmark in the city of Paris for the local residence there just to give an indication of just how bad the flooding actually is and since bridge was completed in 1856 they have looked to this statue to see exactly where the water levels are at.

And currently the water levels right about the soldiers thighs and that significant because it's known locally that once the water gets to that to particular height, the rive becomes no longer navigable and this is just to put into comparison in 1910 it made it's way to the shoulders of this particular statue and 1982 it was about waist level.

So you can see we are not quite historic values, but nonetheless a serious problems for this area. Let's roll some of the video so you can see just some more images coming from the City of Love and you heard that the Louvre has -- had frantically move about fifth -- 150, 000 artifacts and pieces of art from the museum. What a pity. Just in case you're wondering the Mona Lisa is OK, Nathalie. It's on higher ground.

ALLEN: Yes, she's in a safe place.

VAN DAM: She's in a safe place.

ALLEN: All right, Derek, thank you.

VAN DAM: You're welcome.

ALLEN: When a 6-year-old boy thought his dad ran a red light, he took matters into his own hands. We'll hear this phone call to the police, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:25:20] ALLEN: If you're a parent, you know your kids are always watching you. Sometimes you don't find out, though until it's too late like when a boy you're about to meet call the police on his own dad. Here's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 6-year-old Robbie Richardson maybe hugging his dad's legs now, but just the other day he landed him out to 911.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your emergency?

ROBBIE RICHARDSON, MICHAEL RICHARDSON'S SON: Daddy went past a red light.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah?

MOOS: Oh, yeah. Father and son were driving to the car wash when they hit this red light in Quincy, Massachusetts.

R. RICHARDSON: He went past a red light.

MICHAEL RICHARDSON, ROBBIE RICHARDSON'S FATHER: He says, "You know, yeah can turn on red light (ph)."

R. RICHARDSON: And then when it turns red he stopped.

M. RICHARDSON: He goes, I'm calling the police.

MOOS: Robbie waited until they got home then dialed 911 without telling his parents.

R. RICHARDSON: He was in the brand new car, my mommy's car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

R. RICHARDSON: And then he went past a red light.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did? Is he home right now?

R. RICHARDSON: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I talk to him?

R. RICHARDSON: Yeah.

MOOS: Robbie innocently handed his dad the phone saying ...

R. RICHARDSON: Somebody just called.

M. RICHARDSON: OK. Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, Quincy Police.

M. RICHARDSON: Oh, no. I'm just ready to apologize.

MOOS: How flustered did Robbie's dad get when he found himself on the phone with police.

Flustered enough to get his 6-year-old son's age wrong.

M. RICHARDSON: That's my 5-year-old son.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just wanted to let us know you ran a red light.

M. RICHARDSON: Oh no. Well, I apologize.

MOOS: It was just a right on red according to dad, he didn't get a ticket.

Well, Robbie is not the only kid with a future in law enforcement.

During a recent robbery at a Game Stop store in Silver Spring, Maryland, this 7-year-old customer took on one of the two armed robbers. He didn't foil the robbery, but he threw a couple of punches. The suspects got away with allude.

Two would be pint-size police officers. Can't you just imagine this kid 20 years from now in a real police car pulling you over?

R. RICHARDSON: And then he went past the red light.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: You've been watching "CNN Newsroom." I'm Nathalie Allen. I'll have our headlines right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: I'm Natalie Allen at CNN Center. Muhammad Ali, the boxer called "the greatest" is dead at the age of 74. He has just died. He's been in the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

The cause of death still unclear, but Ali has been struggling with Parkinson's for more than 30 years. He had been hospitalized in Phoenix since Thursday with breathing issues.

I want to bring in now CNN World Sports Anchor Don Riddell who joins me here on the set. Don, impossible to sum up what Muhammad Ali gave us that we were talking about it for sometime.

RIDDELL: What a career, what a life, what a moment Muhammad Ali had fans all over the world. Even at the age of 74 this man was absolutely revered for everything that he achieved and everything that he stood for and given what an athletic performer he was, the powers he showed in the ring. He was one of those athletes that you really did think was kind of going to live forever.

Of course he's had such a major fight for the last 32 years with Parkinson's. We know that he was admitted to hospital in Phoenix on Thursday with breathing difficulties. It's not the first time he's been in hospital in the last few years, but it seems as though this was more serious than some of the previous case (ph) and sadly he has now come to the breathing difficulties that he was struggling with.

[12:30:01] We know that his family was present with him in the hospital and suddenly he has now lost his life at the age of 74 and I can't emphasize enough how much of an impact this is going to have on his fans all over the world. He wasn't just a boxer. He wasn't just a tremendous athlete. He really did transcend his sport and he was such a principled man, such a charismatic man. He really will be very solemnest (ph).

ALLEN: Certainly outspoken, just a quote machine as well. We also want to point out that it was 20 years ago this summer that Muhammad Ali perhaps made his most incredible move or display outside of the ring when he lit the Olympic torch here.

RIDELL: Well, that's right. I mean, we haven't seeing much of Muhammad Ali in more recent years. It's incredible to think that it's already 20 years ago since he lit the Olympic flame at the Atlantic games in 1996, not very far from where you and I sitting now.

At the time he was 54 years old. We all remember the images of his hand shaking as he was trying to light the cauldron of the Olympic torch and it was -- what a sobering moment for many of us who remember how he was in the ring. You know, this lightning fast athlete, this terrific human specimen and here he was struggling.

We haven't seeing much of him in public for the last 20 years. Of course, he keeps in touch with his fans through social media and I even know some friends of mine who have fan of his. He just not (inaudible) last year in Louisville and said, "Can we come and then meet you?" And he welcomed them into their home.

(CROSSTALK)

RIDDELL: What an amazing gesture that was when he was at home just watching television. So, you know, when we think about the generation of today that is the humanship (ph) they have of Muhammad Ali that the image that his fans will remember is of him in the ring, of his media conferences, the way he spoke.

He was so articulate, so eloquent, so funny, so witty, and he really basically took control of his own image. At a time when boxers quite off and let the agents or the promoters do the talking, he spoke for himself. He basically took control of his own image and didn't allow sports try to signify him. He did it himself.

And I talk about the way he transcends to the sport. I mean, back in the golden era of boxing when he was performing in the 1970s, he was just such a -- just an amazing human being, and of course, he lost his titled because he refuse to be drafted, he refuse to fund in Vietnam, he lost the best years of his boxing career ...

ALLEN: Citing religious belief. RIDELL: ... fighting that and yet he still came back to reclaim his world title and did it again three-time on Heavyweight Champion.

ALLEN: Certainly always confident that Muhammad Ali. We want to turn now to Kentucky because Ali was born in Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942 and for how Ali's hometown is reacting to his death. We just learn about it, of course, CNN's Ryan Young joins us from Louisville outside the Muhammad Ali Center.

Ryan, hello.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello. We are just learning this news so as you can expect you can see that people have not arrive here at the center just yet, but this is one of those towns that definitely embraces Muhammad Ali.

You're talking about a athlete who defined a generation of athletes when you think about the athletes that we see today they really kind of hold on to Cassius Clay Muhammad Ali, of course, to the movies made about his life. We did learn that he passed away this evening after suffering, of course, for quite sometime.

You've seen him in public. You can see his deteriorating health, but we do know he passed away this evening and they do believe they'll have those funeral plans as we've been learning over here in Louisville, Kentucky.

People obviously will be shocked about this. We've seen media gathering outside the Muhammad Ali Center here, but as this information starts to spread, you know, this place will have the special place of his heart from Muhammad Ali.

ALLEN: Absolutely. What more can you tell us about the center that's all about Muhammad Ali?

YOUNG: Well, absolutely, you know, he had a great affinity for this area, Louisville, Kentucky being his home. In fact, one of the last big public appearances that Muhammad Ali had was here in this area where they call it "Muhammad Ali Night" and so many boxers showed up here.

And so you have this great area that loves this boxer, but he is more than a boxer, right? So he talked about all the things he did to talk about it in justices across the world. We know he got that Medal of Freedom from President Bush, and so you can really understand how this community still loves the man known as Muhammad Ali and this center is a great big place in terms of just showing not only all the things he did within the ring, but outside the ring as well.

[12:35:03] ALLEN: Ryan Young for us there in Louisville, Kentucky. As you say this news has just broken of the death of Muhammad Ali. We will wait and see what -- who gathers there in his memory as we push on through this night. Thank you, Ryan. We'll be getting back to you.

Again, if you're just now joining us, reporting just a few moments ago about the death of Muhammad Ali. He was 74 years old. He had a larger than life, personality, of course, and quick wit to match. CNN's Wolf Blitzer gives us his look at the champ.

We will have that for in a moment. So I have with me Don Riddell. We've been talking about Muhammad Ali and his contribution, but he is also quite a provocative figure as well as someone who's celebrated. Just because he wasn't afraid to say anything, he didn't care. He had no filter.

RIDELL: Well, that's right. I mean, he was very controversial early in his career quite of polarizing figure. Of course, we remember him now has being this eloquent and articulate and witty and very, very bombastic performer both inside and outside of the ring.

But I think, you know, this is something that really defined his personality and he wasn't just his athletic progress or the way he spoke, but the way he stood up for what he believe in.

He was an incredibly principled man and, of course, you know, when we talk about the legacy of Muhammad Ali, this was the man you said that he didn't want to go in fight in Vietnam. The Viet Cong were not his enemy he thought us though there were bigger problems back here in the United States that African-Americans like himself had to deal with and he was prepared to take a principle stand.

It cause him the best years of his career. He was creep (ph) to this title. He could have ultimately gone to jail over this and he was prepared to do so in the end that wasn't the case. He was able to regime his boxing career, but he didn't runaway to Canada. He was prepared to stay here and face the music.

And so that really inspired a generation, the fact that he was prepared to be a conscientious objector and stand up for his believes. I mean, he even inspired Martin Luther King to take his own stand against the war, which at the time he'd been concern about doing. He'd been concern about moving into that arena or in speaking up in that way.

You know, Muhammad Ali was -- I talk about the fact that he was a global icon. I mean, he was recognized all over the world. He fought all over the world. Some of his fights have gone down in history as the greatest fights of all time.

Films have been made about them. Documentaries have been made about them. People still talk about them. "The Rumble in the Jungle," "The Thrilla in Manila," if you ever get a chance to watch some of these films they are absolutely incredible documentaries of the man, the fighter, everything that he stood for.

And even though we haven't seen him in public for so long the people of that generation who grew up with Muhammad Ali and saw what kind of a man he was I know are really, really kind of be hurting tonight and right now as this news fills (ph) it out because this is a man who just stood for a generation and inspired so many people.

ALLEN: Well, he's a well-known sports figure of all time for sure. RIDELL: Of the 20th century, absolutely. I'm sure of that.

ALLEN: We're going to take a look back now at the life of Muhammad Ali. Here's Wolf Blitzer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUHAMMAD ALI, PROFESSIONAL BOXER: This is the legend of Muhammad Ali. The greatest fighter there ever will be.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: He proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and millions of fans around the world agreed.

ALI: Strong (ph) like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

BLITZER: Those praises became Ali's motto. His wit and charisma outside the ring would also make him one of the world's best known personalities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(OFF-MIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But his persona began to emerge long before he captured his first heavyweight championship. He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky during an ugly era of racial segregation in America.

At 12 years old, Ali's world would change forever when a local police officer introduced him to boxing. It became an outlet for his rage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she's playing of Chicago, challenges Gary Josh (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: It also offered Ali an opportunity to develop his remarkable talent. Just six years later, Ali would bring home a gold medal from the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.

He turned pro at the age of just 18, and at 22, he stunned the boxing world defeating a fighter the experts thought was invincible, Sonny Liston.

ALI: I took up the world. I took up the world.

BLITZER: Ali had arrived and Liston would never be the same. To prove the point, Ali put Liston away for a second time in a rematch the following year.

[12:40:03] The '60s were glory days for Ali, but the civil rights era would also become a controversial and polarizing period in his life. He renounced his given name and joined the volatile black separatist nation of Islam.

Almost as quick as he had arrived, Ali's heavyweight title was gone revoked after he claimed conscientious objector status and refused to serve in the Vietnam War.

At the peak boxing age of 25, Ali also gave up millions of dollars in endorsements and faced five years in prison, all in defiance of a war he called despicable and unjust.

ALI: My intention is to box, to win a clean fight. But in war, the intention is to kill, kill, kill, kill, and continue killing innocent people.

BLITZER: Ali began a three and a half year exile from championship fights until the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction on a technicality.

ALI: Everybody that watches and trained, there's no contest. They'll not fight like that with Ali.

BLITZER: But the world would soon learn that even Superman has his off days. Ali was barely back in the ring when his undefeated professional record came to an end. He lost to Joe Frazier in the 1971 match dubbed "The Fight of the Century." It was the first of three fights with Smoking Joe.

ALI: Joe's going to come out smoking, but I ain't going to be joking. I'll be pecking and a poking, pouring water on his smoking. This might shock and amaze you, but this time I retire Joe Frazier.

BLITZER: And retire him he did. The famous, "Thriller in Manila" fight ended after Frazier's trainer stopped the fight following the 14th round giving Ali a technical knockout. Ali was on a roll again.

But his greatest athletic comeback was in Kinshasa in what was then Zaire.

ALI: On the last week, I murder a rock into a stone, hospitalize a brick. I'm so mean. I make medicine sick.

BLITZER: Ali knocked out the heavily favored young champion, George Foreman. It was called "The Rumble in the Jungle." His last fight in 1981 would mark the beginning of another battle that Ali described as his toughest. The diagnosis that he was afflicted with Parkinson's disease.

After two decades of redefining the heavyweight Division, Ali was forced to retire. His lifetime record, 56 victories, just five defeats. But he never retreated from living a very public life.

In 1996, Ali provided one of the most poignant moments in sports history. With 3 billion people watching, he lit the Olympic flame at the Summer Games in Atlanta. His hands trembling, but never wavering. Ali remained the consummate showman.

As his condition grew progressively worse, Ali struggled each day to whisper a word. His hands and legs shook and his voice quivered.

ALI: I am the greatest.

BLITZER: Yet his spirit was never shaken and he never slowed down from serving as an ambassador for peace and a mediator in world conflicts. In 2005, Ali was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award, the nation's highest civilian honor.

FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: When you say the greatest of all time is in the room, everyone knows who you mean.

BLITZER: And tributes for the champ continued.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do you feel about getting the honor tonight?

BLITZER: Ali was one of the most gifted and unique personalities in sports history. The world may never see the likes of him again. In the final chapter, few would argue that Ali needed the crowds as much as they needed him. Not for mere validation, but because each saw in the other the best in themselves.

ALI: Ali's got left, Ali's got right, if he hits you once you'll sleep for the night. And as you lie on the floor while the ref counts 10, hope and pray that you never meet me again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Muhammad Ali has dies at the age of 74. CNN Sports Analyst Christine Brennan joins me now. And Christine, it is just impossible, is it not to sum up the life of Muhammad Ali.

BRENNAN: It was certainly, Nathalie. It's impossible. And there are so many things about everything that not only our sports will be stay, but our culture that we do count back in time and go back in time and basically look at Muhammad Ali starting those things, whether it would be the great personality of Muhammad Ali, that -- and just that larger than life way about him, whether it would be the brashness, the confidence that came through in Ali interview with Howard Cosell.

[12:45:18] The maybe most important, his willingness and his attention, his honesty for saying what he believes and standing up for the things at a time when we really haven't seen athlete to do that and -- in the '60s and not wanting to go to Vietnam and he is so controversial about that.

So, in so many ways in sports and in our culture and in our nation history, Muhammad Ali was a -- just a standout figure who will be remembered forever.

ALLEN: Did you ever get a chance to meet him?

BRENNAN: I did in a couple of press conferences. The -- I'm able to see what you're showing and I was in the stadium in 1996 at the opening ceremony in Atlanta and no one had any idea, Nathalie, who was going to be the person to light the flame in Atlanta. ALLEN: I remember that as well. It's a big secret.

BRENNAN: Oh, it was a total secret and all of the sudden there was Janet Evans, the swimmer and she was there and we thought, "Wait a minute, is it Janet Evans," as the flame was going to her.

And then in the darkness, out came Muhammad Ali and if you could describe 80,000 people literally gasping at the same moment and all of us in fifth row, it was over the type of Muhammad Ali as the one who was going to be lighting the flame and you could see his arm shaking due to Parkinson's and you knew -- 20 years ago now.

So, hard to believe he was 54 then he seems to many ways older and certainly not the man he was from the ring, from boxing and the Olympics and so many other things. But, it was just a remarkable moment, 3 billion watched. The audience was so huge and there he was.

And so, to me that will be my favorite memory of Muhammad Ali shared with the whole stadium that moment. But, just a shock and the delight of seeing this man in a Olympic -- on a Olympic stage one more time.

ALLEN: It really had the world just like gasping when we saw him walk out. So I was looking at that video earlier this evening when we heard he was very ill. I'm watching it and as you describe he has lifting the torch up his arm just shaking, he did it twice to let it just stand there in the air there for a moment to give its moment. It was just quite remarkable.

Is there a certain fight for you, Christine, you've been a long, long time sports reporter. Is there a certain fight that stands out in your mind with Muhammad Ali in one of his many first?

(CROSSTALK)

BRENNAN: Ali's major fight. I was a girl growing up in Toledo, Ohio and, of course, back then you'd basically listened to the radio for any word of what was going with his fight and, you know, Ali was controversial because there were a lot of people who were, of course, cheering for him, but there were a lot of people who did not like the way his decision with Vietnam and hindsight certainly proved to be a very, you know, a conscientious decision in many ways has seen is the right decision.

But, there was -- I just remember a lot of conversation, people cheering for Frazier, people cheering for Ali, but there was something about Ali. He transcended the ring, of course, he transcended his sport and at the time now when we think all of the issues in sport, Nathalie that transcend forth and move on to our culture.

Well, Muhammad Ali really was the first do that and happen everyone at the grocery store and everyone at school, we're talking about the sporting (ph) event and so I remember those Ali major fights I think as much as anything.

ALLEN: Yeah, I certainly understand that. And, you know, we've been talking about the Parkinson's that he had for 30 years, but still -- was it ever established that that was in connection to his boxing?

BRENNAN: It was certainly there are links and questions about it there if it was. I think most of us knew there was a link for sure. But, in terms of, you know, the actual medical science I'm not sure what his family is going to do, but as we've seen with the NFL and some of the NFL stars whose brain has been dominated (ph) and the opportunity to really examine then and see what happen inside of their brain.

Again, I have no idea what Muhammad Ali family is going to do, but I think there'll be much more conversation about such an important issue, Nathalie, as we move forward in the medical science of being hit in the head so many times.

[12:49:57] But there is no doubt that the founding (ph) that he took, the joy that he gave all of us as being a great sportsman and a great leader -- an entertainer (ph), but there's no doubt that they've had to have some impact, of course, on how -- what happen in the last 20, 30 years of his life and the tragedy in many ways of the last years of his life.

ALLEN: We're watching video of him in 2009. You can see how he is affected. Christine Brennan for us. Thank you so much for your thoughts on Muhammad Ali. We really appreciate you talking with us. Thank you.

We want to share this now with our viewers. The spokesman for Muhammad Ali's family has issued a statement. Bob Gunnell said and I quote, "After a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening. Muhammad Ali's funeral will take place in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The Ali family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and support and asks for privacy at this time."

We want to turn now to Jerry Izenberg. He's the columnist Emeritus with the Star-Ledger. He joins me now to talk about the legacy of Muhammad Ali.

Jerry, hello. What are your thoughts now on learning the passing of this icon?

JERRY IZENBERG, COLUMNIST EMERITUS, NEWARK STAR-LEDGER: Well, you know, I've known him since 1960. We first met at the Olympics in Rome and we travel the world together as part of my job and I would say he was one of the closest people that I had ever. I'm met (ph) a lot of friends and he was one of my closest forever.

You know, he was a guy that, you know, that people would be -- everyone can be talking about the war and then (inaudible). I want to tell you a couple of things just -- because I know him so well.

He was a guy -- first of all, when he was at his absolutely best with humans, little kids and all people and I saw a things. He -- I saw him -- I didn't see him, but I know he did that he already check to save a Jewish age -- old age home in New York City, as a big, big check.

It's just a 44th (ph) Earnie Shavers and under the condition that nobody be told and I can't get that challenges then. He's just been great as a person, his interest and in people. People come and saying, "Well, he lost money that's why -- he lost his fortune, that's why he came back." It's not why he came back, he came back to be punched. He did this, he did that. I mean, people are -- Muhammad Ali's opioid, and he thrive that in and they thrive that on him. They look's on people's faces.

You know, it could be talking to one of the world's greatest politicians. You could be talking to a church leader. You could -- I'm not giving him those qualities. I'm saying that's how people received him.

Now, as far as the war goes I knew that he would go to prison if he had to and I will tell you how I knew. When he was kicked (ph) that in Chicago and he was supposed to fight Harry Terrell and that Mayor Daley who was a (inaudible) and patriot said, "I can't have this fight in my town and blah, blah, blah." And Ernie Terrell says, "Well, hell there's a tournament to replace him so I'll go get in that.

Ali went to Canada to fight George Chuvalo. I went up. I can see the fight and within that many of his win. And he restrained in a place called Solace AC Gym (ph), perfect neighborhood gym.

Creaking stairs, he get to the next floor, the windows are so dirty you can barely see the street. This is a real movie set fight to him. I walk in and there's nobody in the gym except the teenage keep banging on a heavy bed and I say, "Where is he? Where is he?" And he just motion sit at back.

I walk to the back of the gym, in the -- another room. He's getting a rub down from Luis Sarria who is his masseuse personal friend from Cuba. And he said, "What are you doing here?" I said that somebody said there's a fight. So don't, you know, this not fight.

And I said, "I want to tell you the truth Muhammad. I came for the simple reason that there's a policy now, political asylum in Canada. I know that some people oppose that the war are going there. I know that some people would don't want to be at anywhere going there and they're getting in asylum. Now, you tell me, are you going to go home?"

In over 50 years of knowing him in my lifetime. That's the only fight we ever had. Jump off that robbery table and get out in my place and he said, "You should know better than that." He said, "Look, I don't -- that's my birth country. Do you think that -- someone is going to catch me out there? I don't make the law because I'm just a shit." He said not strong (ph) it is.

Elijah Muhammad went to jail because she didn't believe in the war and that he was going to be in, I will go and that -- that's a fact.

[12:55:01] And I believe in him. And he stuck to a little while. He choose -- he use every legal resource that was at his command. Number of lawyers we have to morph into process until we finally got to the people who got him to where he had to get. And, you know, a lot of people don't know, did you know, Nathalie that he never won the Supreme Court decision on this?

ALLEN: I did not.

IZENBERG: Let me explain it to you.

ALLEN: Please do.

IZENBERG: First of all, I knew the sun (inaudible), I mean, the Cabin show (ph). I mean the sky cause (ph) him and says everything Jerry saying about the airport in Toledo (ph) is right. They had a guy named Grauman, G-R-A-U-M-A-N and I forgotten his first name. I think it was (inaudible). Very prominent retired Republican judge appointed by the government to examine Muhammad and decide is he a conscientious objector? Is he not? This is the normal process in those years.

He's in the room for about two hours, he comes out he says, "This man is a conscientious objector." The FBI report says no, he's not. He's a fake. For this reason this, you know, he -- you got inducted. They decided to go in the report. I am told that if ever only and probably count on them on your hands the times that our government appoints and examines who was over rule of my NFBI report.

So he was very, you know, determined that he would fight this thing all the way through and he did. Well, finally gets to this. Now, he is fighting because, thank God for the constitution when they finally -- there's a conspiracy he can't get a fight.

The State Department says you can't go to any of the fight and we'll take your passport then the Justice Department says, "Well, you can't go to Canada because it is over that -- I called it a conspiracy ribbon clerk's middle as misaligned jerks in a government. We're going to deprive this guy over his constitutional right to fight." He wasn't in prison. He wasn't -- and that was it. All right, so he's out of fight for three years.

ALLEN: Jerry, Jerry hangs on that just a moment. We want to continue our discussion with you. Jerry Izenberg there on the phone with us. Hang on just a moment. We have to take a quick break here. We'll continue our coverage to the death of Muhammad Ali right after this.