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Families of Chibok Girls React to Video; Trump's Plan on Fighting Islamic Extremism; Biden: Trump Unprepared to Deal with National Security; Women's 400 Meter Dash Ends with Photo Finish; Safety a Concern in Rio; Kurdish Peshmerga Forces Open New Front on ISIS; Deadly Flood Waters Rising in Louisiana; Parents of Kidnapped South African Girl Await Justice; U.S. Olympic Gymnast Gabby Douglas in Media Firestorm. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired August 16, 2016 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:06] ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN NEWSROOM.
Ahead this hour --
(HEADLINES)
SESAY: Hello, and welcome to our viewers from around the world. I'm Isha Sesay. NEWSROOM L.A. starts right now.
In Nigeria, the militant group, Boko Haram, is increasing pressure on the government. The terror group releasing a video showing some of the school girls they kidnapped in 2014. They say they will release the girls if the government meets their demands.
Our report from CNN's Nima Elbagir.
We must warn you, some of these images are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ESTHER YUBUKU, MOTHER OF KIDNAPPED SCHOOL GIRL (through translation): It is not easy for your mother, but I also give thanks to god all mighty that they say most of the kids are dead and mine is alive.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over) (through translation): Esther Yubuku tells CNN even wearing a head covering, shaky voiced, she recognized her daughter, Nyba, straightaway.
YUBUKU (through translation): I give God the glory, but really, I cried.
ELBAGIR: Nyba was featured front and center in the latest Boko Haram release. It was the first time since her daughter was taken two years ago that Esther had seen her.
In the video, a militant stood alongside her asking her to say her name and the school she was abducted from.
"Chibok," she says. Then he asks that she recount what happened the night militant air strikes killed a number of Nyba's fellow abductees.
As Nyba's voice cracked, some of the girls behind her begin to cover their faces, visibly upset.
This eerie scene gives way to footage of the purported strike, footage too horrifying to show in full, as the bodies of young women are turned to face the camera. Some gruesomely disfigured.
This, the latest in Boko Haram's public pressure against the Nigerian government. A ransom note, "The freeing of jailed Boko Haram soldiers in exchange for the Chibok girls freedom"
The abduction of over 270 school girls from their beds by Boko Haram two years ago sent shock ways around the world, reverberating all the way to the White House, as even First Lady Michelle Obama took up the cry to Bring Back Our Girls. A cry the Nigerian government promises would not go unheeded.
For the girls' families, heartbreak vies with frustration.
YUBUKU (through translation): Two years four months yesterday, the 14th. Nothing from the Nigerian army, nothing from the federal government. If they are working on it, they should have done something by now.
ELBAGIR: As they wait for someone to bring their daughters back home.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Joining us now is Oblageli Ezekwesili, the former Nigerian minister of education and co-founder of the anti-corruption organization Transparency International. Oblageli is also a major figure in the Bring Back Our Girls movement.
Oblageli, thank you for joining us. It is always good to speak to you.
Seeing that video and seeing some of those girls in the background crying, it's absolutely heartbreaking. Talk to me about your reaction to what appears on this video and the fact that we see some of these Chibok girls.
OBLAGELI EZEKWESILI, FORMER NIGERIAN MINISTER OF EDUCATION & CO- FOUNDER, TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL: Well, this seems to be a more gruesome video compared to what was released to your organization on the 14th of April 2016, what was then tagged a proof of life video. And watching this video, you had an even stronger mix of emotions where you went from being aghast at what our girls have been through to being, having a sense of renewal that at least these are girls are alive and we do stand a chance of getting them back only if the world is outraged enough. If we can get angry enough about this we would make the right set of decisions on rescuing our Chibok girls. The world is not yet angry about this, sadly.
[02:05:33] SESAY: Very, very sadly, indeed. The Nigerian government put out a statement on Facebook saying she had been in touch with Boko Haram. Do you know what they mean by that?
EZEKWESILI: Isha, as far as I am concern, they must anoint -- anoint is an understatement. The most egregious offense is you don't save the -- in response of our government. For the parents, in that video of the daughter of Esther who lives here. So she has been resilient in coming out to where the movement meets daily and to cry out for the rescue of her daughter. . And she looks at the stigma of the Nigerian cost and the woman feels like nobody cares. That shouldn't be the kind of impression that my country and the world would accepted to people. These girls are important to the world. These girls are part of the way that the world can send a message to these evil workers, that the world would not stand back and watch our civilization redefined in this kind of manner that is outside of humanity.
SESAY: And, Obiageli, you talk about the rest of the world. Let me ask you about the reaction inside Nigeria to that video. Will this video, the fact that it is gruesome, will it galvanize the public there in Nigeria to stand up and to consistently say and put pressure on the government to make sure that efforts are heighten dollars of intensified to bring the girls back?
EZEKWESILI: Well, you know, the public is made up of many publics in my country today, unfortunately. And it's been the case concerning these girls. You recall that the earlier days of the abduction, it got mad and unnecessary politics. I couldn't understand it, still don't understand it. Girls were taken from school. It doesn't matter what political leaning you have. All you need was bringing these girls back. That same attitude around the politics of these girls' abductions continues to divide opinion about their rescue. However, some people -- not to care or they have moved on, it doesn't matter. We're taking to the streets to go to the president in the coming days.
SESAY: And that was going to be my next question. What's your next move in light of this video?
EZEKWESILI: We are going to the president. We are going to him. The president made a promise concerning the rescue of our Chibok girls. In May, he said in his speech he would not consider to have a war against away Boko Haram without the rescue of our Chibok girls and all other -- of the country. What issues me the most is the fact that you almost feel a sense of issue inertia. If anything is being done, it is not being complete. A lot of these parents have a chaotic life. Their life seems to have put in pause as soon as these girls were abducted. There's no management of their emotion. That is outrageous.
SESAY: Yeah. It is.
(CROSSTALK)
EZEKWESILI: The president should do something immediately. This video should rally action. I'm calling not just on our government, but the U.S., U.K. Canada, Australia and Israel. They all promised action. They must come back, and reengage with our government to get our girls out.
[02:19:57] SESAY: That is our hope, that is our prayer, that this video does re-ignite global focus on this. Intensify efforts to bring these girls over. Your frustration is our frustration.
You and the girls are in our thoughts and prayers and we'll continue to reach out and get the latest from you.
Thank you so much for joining us.
EZEKWESILI: Thank you, Isha. Thank you.
SESAY: Thank you.
Turning to U.S. politics now, Donald Trump is tossing the battle of extremism in cold water. The Republican presidential nominee described a world under attack and a threatened homeland as he outlined a security defensive.
As Jessica Schneider reports, the speech comes as Trump's poll numbers falter.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & CEO, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism just as we have defeated every threat we've faced at every age and before.
JESSICA SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump staying on teleprompter and on message, outlining a three-pronged plan to destroy ISIS.
TRUMP: If I become president, the era of nation building will be brought to a swift and decisive end.
(CHEERING)
SCHNEIDER: Trump says he'll work with any country to defeat terrorism, and backing away from his previous plan to back away from NATO.
TRUMP: Since my comments, they have changed their policy and now have a new division focused on terror threats. Very good. Very, very good. I also believe that we could find common ground with Russia in the fight against ISIS. Wouldn't that be a good thing?
(CHEERING)
SCHNEIDER: The second prong, taking immigration screening to the extreme.
TRUMP: In the Cold War --
(APPLAUSE) TRUMP: -- we had an ideological screening test. The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. I call it extreme vetting.
Any with hostile attitudes towards our country or its principals or who believe that Sharia Law should supplant American law --
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Those who do want believe in our Constitution or who support bigotry and hatred will not be admitted.
SCHNEIDER: Third, Trump plans to fight ISIS ideologically.
TRUMP: Anyone who cannot condemn the hatred or pressure or violence of radical Islam lacks the moral clarity to serve as our president.
SCHNEIDER: Trump used his speech to attack the policies of the Obama administration and the fitness of his opponent, Hillary Clinton.
TRUMP: She also lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS and all of the many adversaries we face.
SCHNEIDER: The focused national security speech comes on the weeks of largely self-inflicted damage. Trump's controversial comments including President Obama and Hillary Clinton are the founders of ISIS and that he could only lose the election if someone cheated, all leading the conservative "Wall Street Journal" editorial board to call for Trump to shape up or ship out, writing, "If they can't get Mr. Trump to change his act by labor day, the GOP will have no choice but to write off the nominee as hopeless. As for Mr. Trump, he needs to stop blaming everyone else and decide if he wants to behave like someone who wants to be president or turn the nomination over to Mike Pence."
(on camera): Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he has not been treated fairly by the media, making that claim a centerpiece of his campaign, but the foreign policy speech potentially getting Donald Trump back on track and back on message.
Jessica Schneider, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Well, Hillary Clinton's campaign dismissed Trump's plan. Senior policy advisor, Jake Sullivan, said this: "This so-called policy cannot be taken seriously. It's a cynical ploy to escape scrutiny of his outrageous proposal to ban an entire religion from our country and no one should fall for it."
For the first time, Vice President Joe Biden joined Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail Monday in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Biden blasted Trump for what he called outrageous and dangerous comments. And he said Trump was not qualified to know the country's nuclear codes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have worked -- I have worked with eight presidents of the United States. I have served with Senators. Only 13 Senators in the history, I'm embarrassed to say, have served as long as I have.
(LAUGHTER)
Dozens of secretaries of state and secretaries of defense of both parties. And I can say, without hesitation, my word as a Biden, no major party nominee in the history of the United States of America has -- now, don't cheer, just listen --
(LAUGHTER)
-- has known less or been less prepared to deal with our national security than Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:15:15] SESAY: The U.S. has announced the largest transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees under President Barack Obama. 50 inmates will be transferred to the United Arab Emirates, bringing the detention facility's population down to 61. It's the latest move by the Obama administration to eventually close Guantanamo. There will be 15 detainees transferred. On Monday, Donald Trump pledged to keep the facility open if he wins the election.
Time for a quick break now. The women's 400 meter dash ended with a heart-stopping flourish. The story of an incredible photo finish coming up.
Plus, safety center stage in Rio. How the Olympics are responding to recent crimes against athletes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:20:09] SESAY: Well, Allyson Felix barely lost to the Bahamas' Shaunae Miller who dove over the finish line to beat out Felix. Felix closed the gap down to the stretch. It just wasn't quite enough. Miller gives the Bahamas their first medal in Rio, and it's a gold.
Let's bring in Christine McFarland to talk about all of Monday's action.
There was a lot going on, a lot of drama, a lot of emotion.
CHRISTINE MCFARLAND, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPONDENT: A lot of drama, that's right. This was meant to be the crowning coronation for Allyson Felix. She was going for hurry fifth gold medal. But she was picked from the post at the very last seconds by Shaunae Miller. Miller was leading this race, this 400 meter race for most of it. Coming down the stretch, the last 100 meters, Felix managed to reel her back in. And they were neck and neck when Shaunae Miller launched her body across the line and into gold medal position. Questions, I think, being asked, had she stayed on her feet, would it be gold? Would it be silver? The rules staid state your torso must come the line first. That is what happened. After deliberating for some 20 seconds, the organizers say that she took the gold.
Elsewhere, though, in the night, less dramatic, David Rudisha successfully defended his 800 meter title from London. There were no world record-breaking times, though. It was just getting the job done. He was challenged by his teammate, Alfred Kipkisha. Rudisha managed to reel him down in the last 100 meters. His experience showing, winning it by half a second. One dramatic race, the other slightly less so. But two gold medals as a result.
SESAY: Congratulations to all.
Christina, let's talk about the whole Cold War in the pool, talking about Yulia Efimova and the rivalry she had going with Lily King. I understand Efimova has been talking about what happened. Tell us about that.
MCFARLAND: The Russians have been facing a lot of credit civil. Yulia Efimova has been banned twice for doping. She controversially got herself in hot water last week when she wagged her finger during the 100 meter butterfly that she won, a heat, indicating that she was number one. As you know, Lily King from the USA and others in the pool in the arena took exception with this saying someone from her doping past shouldn't be celebrating in that way.
In the past few hours, we've had a chance to hear from Efimova herself. My college, Nick Paton Walsh, sat down with her to find out whether this was an innocent gesture or something more loaded. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When you were in the pool and you did that, what did you mean by that?
YULIA EFIMOVA, RUSSIAN OLYMPIC SWIMMER: Yeah. You know, like -- made it like if you win your way, you like you're if first, you know?
PATON WALSH: Did you think that would cause Lily King to do this?
EFIMOVA: That's why I don't understand she -- I don't know. Maybe it's because like I'm so bad. Maybe I always try to do some war or something between athletes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCFARLAND: You know, there's two sides to every story, Isha, and it's so rare that we get to hear from the Russian athletes themselves, especially here at the Rio games. But it gives you an indication of what they're going through here amid this doping drama.
SESAY: There is a lot going on.
And, Christine McFarland, always a pleasure. I hope you're having some fun and not just working around the clock. Thank you so much.
MCFARLAND: Thanks.
SESAY: Let's check the latest medal table. After the ten day of competition, the United States keep their stranglehold on first place, but incredibly, this is the first day of Olympic competition since bay junk of 2008 in which the U.S. Failed to win a single gold.
And the lead up to the Olympics, Brazil ramped up its security in Rio, but even a massive influx of police and soldiers hasn't been enough to catch everything.
Shasta Darlington reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Soldiers and police posted on corners and beaches. At 85,000, the security deployment in Rio more than doubled for the London Olympics. Crime is down, but not gone.
Ryan Lochte told NBC he and three other U.S. swimmers were pulled over in their taxi by robbers posing as police with badges ordering them to the ground.
[02:25:15] RYAN LOCKTE, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: I refused. I was like, we didn't do anything wrong. So I'm not getting down on the ground. And then the guy pulled out his gun. He cocked it, put it to my forehead and said, get down. I was like, go down and I put my hands up and I was like, whatever.
DARLINGTON: Police are investigating. And the IOC has called for tighter security around athletes and visitors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
DARLINGTON: The crowds here are big and often distracted, making them easy prey, according to security experts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you're paying attention to your phone and you're looking down and you have no idea what's going on in your surroundings, you want to make sure you minimize your phone use to just essential.
DARLINGTON: Some basic advice?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are heading out the door. You don't really want to take anything with you that you're not willing to lose.
DARLINGTON: Both the U.S. consulate and the Australian Olympic Committee have issued security warnings.
Tourists have taking it in stride. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. There's so much military around, it feels
safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're being cautious, but we're trying to have fun, as well, and represent USA well.
DARLINGTON: We asked a taxi driver about the dangers on the road.
(on camera): In Rio, it's common for robbers to make fake roadblocks, right?
UNIDENTIFIED TAX DRIVER: Yeah. And that's a problem because you think they are policemen.
DARLINGTON (voice-over): He says visitors to Rio should make sure to use accredited taxis and avoid those late rides.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Next on CNN NEWSROOM L.A., the fight for Mosul. Why Kurdish forces say they've opened up a new front against ISIS in the battle for the key Iraqi city.
And Louisiana's governor says nearly half of Louisiana's parishes could be become flood disasters. A look at the communities completely closed off. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:30:25] SESAY: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.
The headlines this hour --
(HEADLINES)
SESAY: Kurdish Peshmerga forces say they've managed to open up a new front on ISIS. They say they've secured a key river crossing in their effort to recapture the strategic city of Mosul from the terror group. Backed by U.S. and coalition air power, they have pushed ISIS out of 15 villages and are moving closer to the city. The U.S. and coalition forces launched 14 new air strikes against ISIS over the weekend.
Well, Sarwan Barzani (ph) is a Peshmerga general leading the fight in ISIS in and around Mosul. He spoke earlier with CNN's Hala Gorani. He told her the Peshmerga forces are just 14 kilometers, just eight miles, from the city's limits.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEN. SARWAN BARZANI (ph), PESHMERGA FORCES IN IRAQ: We have to push this series back from Mosul, to help the Iraqi Army because they -- if they stay there, still we will be under attack. We will be -- that's a security situation because we are part of the country. We cannot close the boarders. Because of that, we have to help them and we are in good relation with the force, even know. We have daily meetings with them and we have the joint operation room with the ministry of defend of Iraq.
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: And do you think the Iraqi forces now are prepared to take on Mosul after so many of them fled after ISIS took over? Do you think they're ready?
BARZANI (ph): I don't think so. After only Iraqi army without the Peshmerga -- (AUDIO PROBLEM) -- but it's a sensitive issue. So if only Iraqi Army to go to, they are not yet prepared to retake Muslim for them.
GORANI: So what are you saying, that essentially with your help and perhaps some militia help that they could be able to take Mosul?
BARZANI (ph): I think so, yes. It's not easy, yes, but I think with the Peshmerga, and if they will allow, I think if there is a -- they can push back. They will take less than, I think, six weeks to two months, it's easy to push them back from Mosul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Well, police in New York have made an arrest in the murder of an imam and his assistant. A 35-year-old man has been charged with two counts of second degree murder. Police say they found evidence in a wall of the suspect's home. The two victims were shot in the head Saturday. Authorities say they do not believe their faith played a factor in their killings. Nearly 1000 people attended the funeral of the two men in New York on Monday.
[02:34:52] Time for a quick break now. Record-setting deadly floods have turned streets in southern Louisiana into rivers. Just ahead, the latest on the ongoing rescue efforts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: A third French beach town has banned the birkani swimsuit among terrorism concerns. The mayor says he wants to eliminate the Islamist extremism from Corsica. Tensions are high after a war broke out on a Cisco Beach Saturday night.
All right. In southern Louisiana, the death toll and flood waters keeps rising. At least nine people have died and over 20,000 have been rescued. The governor says nearly half the state's parishes could be declared disasters. Some people escaped Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago only to see their homes wiped out now in these floods.
Meteorologist Pedram Javaheri joins us now from the National Weather Center.
Pedram, incredible pictures. Hard to fathom how this is happening. That is record breaking.
[02:19:28] PEDRAM JAVAHERI, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is. I was thinking of where you are in Los Angeles, Isha. Since January 31st of 2012, it has rained less here than it was in Louisiana over the past four days. So it really puts it into perspective of the intensity of the rainfall and the short duration.
Unfortunately, more is in the forecast, but in lesser amounts. If you look down into the soil, the soil is saturated, some areas sitting at 160 percent. So any sort of rainfall could lead to flash flooding and you take a look. A little displaced over the north and east of this region. But we know of at least 16 gauges across Florida that is occurring at this hour. Are there hidden dangers when it comes to flood waters? From raw sewage out towards mold, that becomes rampant when a lot of rainfall comes down. But we're working your way in to see the properties and we know a lot of people tend to want to get into their homes after the rains ended. If you have open cuts or open wounds, infection is a major concern. They all really are something that a lot of people are exposed to if they go in with a small cut on their arm or hand or go into their properties to recover from belongings. Insects become aggressive. And, of course, there are snakes across parts of Louisiana and with so little land for these snakes to go to, they cling on to any property. If you're going back to things in this region that you think the water has receded, a lot of this wildlife could be on your property.
Flood warnings continue across the northeastern United States. Over the next two days, rainfall still heavy around parts of Louisiana. Again, any rainfall could move to flooding because of how much water is locked into the soil right now.
SESAY: Pedram, we appreciate it. We know you will continue to watch it for us. Thank you so much.
JAVAHERI: Thank you.
SESAY: Now, the parents of a girl kidnapped in South Africa are eager to put 17 years of separation behind them. The woman who took Zephany Nurse appeared in court Monday to sentencing. Outside the court, Zephany's parents waited for justice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER OF ZEPHANY NURSE: This made my tired, made me sick properly, couldn't eat properly. So the way forward is through building a relationship with my daughter and that's it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CNN's David McKenzie has more details now from Johannesburg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Zephany Nurse was taken while her mother slept in hospital. She was three days old when she was kidnapped. For newly 20 years the kidnapping remained unsolved, until she went to a new high school and her sister recognized someone who looked just like her. DNA tests would prove that this was the missing child. Now the woman who took her is now 52 years old, but cannot be named,
has been sentenced to 10 years for fraud, kidnapping, and contravention of the child act.
Zephany Nurse has continued to live with the husband of the woman who took her. The state said that she had caused irreparable psychological trauma.
David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg, South Africa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: A quick break now. American gymnast, Gabby Douglas, was a much loved superstar four years ago in London, but now finds herself at the middle of a social media firestorm. That story, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:47:37]SESAY: Hello, everyone. American gymnast, Gabby Douglas, is having a rough Olympics. She has plenty of criticism online throughout her time in Rio. First it was failing to put her hand over her heart during the U.S. national anthem. That extended to a lack of support for her teammate. But anyone who was looking any closer would have found plenty of images showing quite the opposite. Like these.
Douglas' mother weighed in on the flack her daughter was getting in Rio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NATALIE HAWKINS, MOTHER OF GYMNAST GABBY DOUGLAS: For her to come out here and fight for her team and then get the onslaught of all of the online criticism and all of the negativity that, you know, people just threw her way was overwhelming. It proved, in the end, to be a little bit too much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Joining us now to discuss this is entertainment journalist, Segun Oduolowu.
Segun, what do you make of all this? I can't quite understand why she was turned on in this way after the celebration and the adulation of London four years ago.
SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Well, it's cruel, it's ugly and it's mean. That's the bottom line. I challenge anyone who is detracting from Gabby Douglas at her performance. What did you do for your country today? This young girl sacrificed her time, her body, and basically for her country to win gold and bring glory to the United States.
She comes from a military background that her mom mentioned. Not everybody stands with their hands over their heart when the national anthem is played. They're talking about the faces she made. Women's gymnastics may call themselves a team, but they are individual competitors. What I say and what I believe is she was more disappointed with her own performance. And so her lack of jubilation isn't that she's not cheering for her teammates, which other pictures clearly show, it's frustration on how she did not perform as well as she may have wanted to.
She's 20 years old. She's not going to be able to do the same thing she used to do at 16 when she was the darling of London.
Liz Clark, of "The Washington Post," wrote an interesting article, how women, especially women in sports are picked apart for the wrong reasons. We talk about how they look, their hair, are they feminine enough. This beautiful girl has been sacrificing for the last eight years of her country. For people on social media to attack her because they don't like the still shots or how she was at the podium, did they say the same thing about Michael Phelps when the American anthem was played when he was laughing and giggling when he won for swimming? So it's cruel and mean, and it's demeaning to women.
[02:50:22] SESAY: I'm trying to make sense of it, whether it's this thing where, with the elevation of Simone Biles, there's this counter- effect they're pushing Gabby down.
(CROSSTALK)
ODUOLOWU: It's like Highlander. There can be only one.
SESAY: Yeah. I just don't understand.
ODUOLOWU: Well, I think it's so easy for us to default to the racial element, like I mentioned with Michael Phelps, white swimmer laughs during the national anthem, no one says anything, black gymnast doesn't smile or doesn't have her hand over the heart, national outcry.
But, you know, there's this line in the "Dark Knight" where Batman says --
(CROSSTALK)
ODUOLOWU: I love that. I love Batman.
SESAY: Carry on.
ODUOLOWU: Where he says, "Either you die as a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself as the villain." If she finished at London, she's Gabby Douglas on a box of Wheaties, and Simone Biles comes in and carries the torch. By coming back, she gave them ammunition. They're making her the villain. Now they're making her the villain, and it's unfair.
SESAY: She did apologize when speaking to reporters on Sunday. She said, "I've been through a lot, a lot. Sometimes I sit back and say, what did I do to disrespect people? What have I done to disrespect the USA? I don't get that part. I'm sorry."
The very fact that she had to apologize.
ODUOLOWU: It's mind blowing. She's apologizing to trolls on Twitter, trolls. People who have no better thing to do in their time than to chastise a 20-year-old woman for what they imagined she was thinking when they played the national anthem. Again, judging from your couch when you've never done a back hand spring, a forward roll, a cart wheel or anything like this, to on judge this young lady, who as I said, you sacrifice your body in women's gymnastics. And it only comes around every four years. Imagine the pressure that you have one, one bad moment and it's done for the entire Olympic career. That may be it. The amount of pressure that these young ladies are under, the way they are scrutinized. For people to say that on Twitter, it's ridiculous. My heart goes out to Gabby because I don't think she did anything wrong. She's a competitor. If this was a man who did this, they would be like, oh, he's in the zone. He's thinking about the next competition. But for Gabby Douglas, she's not as sparkly as they would want her to be.
SESAY: No, indeed. I would say she has tweeted in the last couple of hours and seems in better spirits and has thanked everything from the positive comments she has received. And the last hour, she put this out, "Thank you so much for all the love. My heart is full."
(CROSSTALK)
ODUOLOWU: Who has been a supporter of her.
SESAY: She says, "I love you, guys."
ODUOLOWU: She should.
SESAY: She should.
ODUOLOWU: This is Olympic dreams. Do not take away from a young girl who has sacrificed, like I said, eight years from London. Be better than that, people. Treat our athletes better. Be better.
SESAY: OK.
ODUOLOWU: Yeah, right. Come and see me on Twitter.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: Gets like that sometimes.
All right. Thank you for that, Segun. It meant a lot to us.
Now, the world's fastest man is on top of the world at the Rio games.
As Jeanne Moos shows us, he's all smiles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you're running a hundred meters in under 10 seconds, who has time to smile? Cheese. Usain Bolt, that's who. His smiling photo had tweets flying. "Bolt stops, takes a selfie,
then continues to run the race."
As for his rivals, "Homi is fighting for his life and Bolt is posing for photos mid race."
"Smiling like a roadrunner, beep, beep."
At least Bolt didn't stick out his tongue.
Like the roadrunner.
"It is taking me longer to type this tweet than it took bolt to run and win his event."
Soon the Olympic semifinal race was transformed into the presidential race.
(on camera): The Bolt smile may be an Internet meme, it's not yet a tattoo, as far as we know.
(voice-over): Michael Phelps' steely stare was the first big meme to come out of the Olympics. And now it's been tattooed on the owner of a tattoo shop.
She tattooed it her boss's right calf, working from a photo taped to his leg.
(on camera): Did you have to shave his leg?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, I did. I cut him by accident.
[02:55:13] MOOS: Somewhere in that, tattoo, we'll see a little cut?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's right by his chin.
MOOS (voice-over): The tattoo got the blessing of Michael Phelps.
MICHAEL PHELPS, U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMER: That's awesome. That is so cool.
MOOS: From the glare to the smile, the two Olympic names wouldn't be more opposite. But opposites attract eyeballs on the Internet.
Take it away, Frank.
(SINGING)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Great piece there.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, live from Los Angeles. I'm Isha Sesay.
The news continues next with Rosemary Church.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:00:00] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Out with the ban on Muslims, but in with a plan for extreme vetting of immigrants.
