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Don Lemon Tonight
Change Of Tune From NFL Commissioner; Black Man Killed For Sleeping At A Drive-Thru; GOP Loses Fight In The Supreme Court; Closely Watched Model Predicts More Than 200,000 U.S. Coronavirus Deaths By October; President Trump Defends Holding Rally In Tulsa Amid Pandemic; L.A. Laker Dwight Howard: No Basketball Until Things Get Resolved, Says Entertainment Will Only Be A Distraction; President Trump's Unsteady Walk Raises New Health Questions. Aired 10-11p ET
Aired June 15, 2020 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[22:00:00]
CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: Until Congress protects this slice of America, they will not be safe. It does suggest hope for advancing that cause but it comes as a critical juncture in our society where movements like this one where thousands rallying in New York and around the country for black lives and black trans people this weekend are proving the truth about America. If you want things to change, it has to start in the bottom up, always the rule in this country.
Thank you for watching. "CNN TONIGHT" with D. Lemon right now.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: And in any other time maybe on -- well, I would just say in any other time with any other day. That would have been a big lead story. Right. We have so much going on in the world right now. That a story that would have been the lead that is mentioned, it's great news and actually in a way it's -- you know, it's -- I equate it to when people won't have to come out anymore. Right?
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: When you are assumed that you should be, and rightfully so protected by the same Constitution and the same rules as everybody else. Right?
CUOMO: Yes.
LEMON: Regardless if you're black, white, trans, straight, gay, whatever.
CUOMO: It is an issue that speaks to our obsession with the other in our culture. And until Congress acts, this is one that is about a pen stroke away. They need the law of title seven, federal protection to extend to the community.
Until it does, we'll have to do this case by case, Don. Next it will be adoption. Then it will be about financing.
LEMON: Yes. CUOMO: Then it will be about something else. Until you give them protection for all of it, they don't have any of it unless you go case by case. And that is a long walk.
LEMON: Yes. Well, it's extremely important to me as you know, especially when it comes to my rights being able to adopt kids. Look, I'm an old man. I'm thinking about adopting or having kids now. I don't know what the heck is going on. What's going on in this world. It's crazy.
CUOMO: Well, I mean, I think that there are many reasons you would be a great parent.
LEMON: And many I wouldn't.
CUOMO: No, I think you'll be a great parent.
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: And I think what you know about yourself and how you live your truth of yourself --
LEMON: Yes.
CUOMO: -- is one of the biggest assets you have. It will make you a better parent than someone like me.
LEMON: Thank you. I'm glad I gave you that 200 bucks yesterday just to say that.
CUOMO: I have never seen your wallet. I'm just saying, I literally I'm with him all the time. I don't know that he carries one.
LEMON: I don't have a wallet.
CUOMO: I don't know that he has a money clip. I don't know what credit cards he has. I honestly have no clue.
LEMON: My credit card says Christopher Cuomo.
CUOMO: I don't -- I don't know what it says.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: It says, thank you.
CUOMO: I've never seen it happen. That's all I'm saying.
LEMON: OK. What's yours is mine. What's mine is ours.
CUOMO: I'm fine with it. I'm just saying.
LEMON: What is it? What's yours is mine and what's mine is ours. Something like what's yours is ours and what's mine is ours. I don't know.
CUOMO: Whatever. You don't need to say it because you live it.
LEMON: Yes. Thank you, sir. I shall see you soon.
CUOMO: I love you, Don Lemon.
LEMON: And this thing -- I don't know what's going on. Can you -- CUOMO: Don't be jealous.
LEMON: No, it's embarrassing. If you can't grow hair, it's so embarrassing. And like, could you put some like, grease on formula or something on it, whatever it is.
CUOMO: What, on the beard or my hair?
LEMON: Well, the beard -- that's not even a beard.
CUOMO: It's just getting going.
LEMON: You've been growing it for three weeks.
CUOMO: That's not true. That offends the facts.
LEMON: Yes. Dye that thing.
CUOMO: My looks are not my problem.
LEMON: Better still, I'm speaking for the boss, I'm sure. Shave it.
CUOMO: Wouldn't be the first time.
LEMON: I'm going to buy you a razor.
CUOMO: It wouldn't be the first time.
LEMON: I've got a razor in my razor.
CUOMO: Thank you.
LEMON: All right. I've got a get serious stuff. I got to run.
CUOMO: See you, buddy.
LEMON: See you later.
This is CNN TONIGHT. I'm Don Lemon.
For 21 straight days now, 21. Americans around the country have taken to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd and to fight back against police brutality. Monumental change is happening in America. You heard what Chris just we were just talking about what the Supreme Court. monumental change here. You can feel it in the streets. You can feel it in the air.
But one person there is one person who is resisting change. The most. And that's President Trump. As I said change is all around us. And one change right now has to do with the president and how people respond to him. His usual bag of tricks, are they working for him anymore? Let's see.
Let's start with tonight's breaking news on the NFL and how they have dealt with protests of racial injustice and their players. We know of course that for years Trump has lashed out at professional athletes for taking a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice in America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag, to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[22:05:02]
LEMON: The whole -- I mean, that whole fired thing. I mean, that was, he should have never make that face. It's not -- not -- don't make that face. But this whole idea about the flag, that argument will not wash anymore.
This weekend he tweeted that he wouldn't be watching any sports that has its athletes kneeling. But the thing is, this time people don't seem quite so scared of his threat. And in the wake of George Floyd's killing, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he supports black lives matter. And tonight, he is encouraging one of the teams to sign Colin Kaepernick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGER GOODELL, COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL FOOTBAL LEAGUE: Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, that obviously is going to take a team to make that decision. But I welcome that support club making that decision and encourage them to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's good. That would have been great a couple years ago. You know, it's not just athletes at the professional level who are having an impact on the change that is sweeping America. A star running back for Oklahoma state. Have you seen the story? His name is Chuba Hubbard.
He took to Twitter to call out his team's head coach Mike Gundy or Mike Grundy (Ph), for wearing a t-shirt with the logo for One America News. One America News is a far-right cable network that is a major supporter of President Trump.
The Washington Post reports that a host on the network has called a black lives matter movement a farce. The network regular reports conspiracy theories. They, after all, are the network that put the false claim into the president's ear that the Buffalo protestor, Martin Gugino who was hospitalized after being shoved to the ground by police. That he was an antifa provocateur using a scanner to interfere with police. And it was all a set up. Well, that was not true. As we know.
So, Chuba Hubbard he took a stand, saying that he wouldn't do anything with Oklahoma State until things change. And he got action. Here's what Coach Gundy said tonight standing with Hubbard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE GUNDY, FOOTBALL COACH, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY: In light of today's tweet with the t-shirt I was wearing, I've met with some players and realize that it's a very sensitive issue with what's going on in today's society. And so, we had a great meeting. And make aware of some things that players feel like can make our organization or culture even better than it is here at Oklahoma state. And I'm looking forward to making some changes and it starts at the top with me. And we got good days ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: It runs deep. It runs deep in our society. You have to do it because the star athlete's black athletes were saying no? Did you have a change of heart? Why weren't you aware as a head coach, that a shirt like that might not be something you want to wear or would be controversial or would offend certain people.
Grown man, been around athletes for years, a lot of black ones, this is why this is important because a college athlete has now realized they are realizing their own voices. This athlete, Hubbard, realized his voice. He's supported by his fellow players. They demanded action and they got it.
A coach is nothing without his players. He seems to have listened to their concerns, and he's open to making the team more inclusive for everybody. It's great if that change is real. My question is what took you so long? And can you really make meaningful changes like that over night or at the drop of a hat or under protest? Shouldn't that be something that comes naturally with maturity and as an adult?
Change is in the air in America. It is. But don't forget that coronavirus is still with us. And the president is saying this today about testing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: If we stopped testing right now, we'd have very few cases, if any.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That is just not true. And you know when you say something is not true you know what that is. He is foolish for even saying it. At least 18 states are seeing a rise in the number of cases.
[22:10:03]
His tactic of pretending his lies -- is that the word you're looking for, everybody? That's what I meant. Pretending his lies are true just don't work on the coronavirus.
Let's talk about masks. Every health expert says that wearing a mask is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus. But we know the president refuses. Refuse to be seen in public wearing one. Apparently, he believes it makes him look weak. How ridiculous is that? So, he refuses to be a leader. And instead pretends if he ignores the virus it will just go away. Remember when he said this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: This is going to go away without a vaccine. It's going to go away and it's -- we're not going to see it again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Like a miracle or something like that, I think he said. For the record, as of tonight, there are more than two million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 116,000 Americans have died from the disease.
The president doesn't seem to care. You know why I say that? Because he's holding a campaign rally at an arena in Tulsa, Oklahoma this coming Saturday. The arena seats more than 19,000 people. A top public health official in Tulsa says he wishes the Trump campaign would hold off on the rally at this time. That's not going to happen.
And remember when the president was pushing hydroxychloroquine as a way to treat coronavirus?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I had a two-week regimen of hydroxychloroquine. And I've taken it I think just about two weeks. I think it's another day. So. And I'm still here. I'm still here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, he may have taken it. But today, the FDA revoked its emergency use, the emergency use authorization for both hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.
One of the biggest reasons, that the Republican Party has put up with the president's lies, his divisiveness, his ineffective leadership is because they have been very, very successful together at putting conservative judges on the bench including the Supreme Court. And yet, they lost a major case today in the Supreme Court.
The high court ruling that federal civil rights law protects gay, lesbian, and transgender workers. It's a defeat for the Trump administration which argued that title seven of the Civil Rights Act which bars discrimination based on sex did not extend to claims of gender and sexual identity or sexual orientation. They argued against that. They lost.
Six to three landmark ruling was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's first Supreme Court nominee who was joined by the chief Justice John Roberts and the court's four liberal justices, the president calling it a powerful decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They ruled and we live with the decision. That's what it's all about. We live with the decision of the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Former President Obama tweeting this tonight. "Today remind us that progress might be slow. It might take decades. But no matter what things might look like today, it is always possible. Happy pride month, everybody." Right on. Happy pride month, everybody.
For years, the president has used attacks on his opponents, his opponent's health, unfounded against them. Remember the whole Hillary Clinton thing, apparently, she was on her death bed, not true. But now questions are raised about the president's health.
So, take a look at this. He walks slowly and cautiously down a ramp at West Point on Saturday and needed two hands to steady a glass of water. Remember that? The president tweeting, the ramp that I descended after my West Point commencement speech was very long and steep. Had no handrail and most importantly, it was very slippery. The last thing I was going to do is fall for the fake news to have fun with.
Well, it certainly would not be a laughing matter if the president ever fell. And he did turn 74, 74 years old this weekend. Americans have every reason to question his health but walking down a ramp, holding a rail, probably no issue. But now you know how it feels, don't you? What goes around comes around.
[22:15:06]
Got some breaking news on the Rayshard Brooks shooting. The Atlanta police releasing disciplinary records for the two officers involved. We're going to have that information for you and I'm going to speak with the attorney representing the Brooks family. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man shot in the back by an officer at a Wendy's drive through. Atlanta police just released a disciplinary record for the two officers involved.
Our Ryan Young joins us now from Atlanta. Ryan, thank you so much for this. We're just getting that this new report of his disciplinary record now. The details are coming out on this. Give us the latest.
RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: yes, absolutely. Don, you can hear the honking behind me, one of the reasons why -- honestly, I want to show you this before we get to those records.
[22:20:00]
Take a look down this direction. This is become a living vigil for Rayshard Brooks. They are having a candle light vigil as we speak. We've seen hundreds of cars drive by and honking horns. People stops to pay their respects.
But when you talk about those disciplinary reports, let's talk about it. What we do know is Officer Bronson was at one point had two firearms discharges on his record. Officer Rolfe's name had two citizen complaints and a use of force complaint. Then he got a written reprimand.
So, this is the beginning of what we're starting to learn about these two officers. I can tell you, Don, as they did this, this was sort of the beginning history. So, you can't read details into the incident or what people complained about. That's something that we should get later on. But this is what the police department has put out in the first few hours of course to kind of show what these officers faced in terms of complaints over the last few years.
LEMON: And it's so early on in this investigation as we know. There are other things that could possibly come out and details do roll out later on. Tell us about this new 911 audio that was released today, Ryan.
YOUNG: Yes, absolutely. Don, when you think about it, everyone is trying to figure out what happened at this Wendy's. Why were police called. What happened before they arrived? And of course, we'll watched the body cam video and saw there was that 30 minutes conversation.
A lot of people are upset about the fact that after that 30-minute conversation, they don't believe it should have escalated as far as it did. But let's listen to the 911 call that came from inside the Wendy's after someone maybe in management tried to go outside and talk to Mr. Brooks. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VOICE CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Do you need police, fire or ambulance out there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Tell me what's going on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a car. I think he's intoxicated. He's bene in the middle of my drive thru. I tried to wake him up. But he's parked dead in the middle of the drive thru.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, I don't know what's wrong with him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he breathing, ma'am, do you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. He woke up, looked at me and I was like, you've got to move out the drive thru because people can't -- they're going around him, he's in the middle of the drive thru just right there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're trying to go around him. And I asked him to pull over, you know, if he had too much to drink to pull over and go to sleep. They said, he's (Inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What kind of car is it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a white car. He's just sitting there. You can't miss him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he black?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. he's black.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. In a white Sedan, in the middle of the drive thru.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Let me see the kind of car. He's right here. Yes. He's right here. Cars going around him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. All right. Does he appear to have any weapons, ma'am?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does he have appeared to have any weapons from where you can see him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. I think he s intoxicated.
(END VOICE CLIP)
YOUNG: Don, we're having these conversations far too often. I can tell you one of the things that people talked about all day including the mayor was de-escalation. Maybe someone when they arrive could have, maybe tried to talked him out of what ended up happening in terms of that struggle. That's big part of this conversation.
You lived in Atlanta before, and it gives you an idea of this area. Look, this is the only really fast food joint in this area for miles. Turner Field is just down the street here. And so, a lot of people line up to go to this Wendy's. And of course, he was in a position. And you could even hear her talked about maybe suggesting that he could pull off to take a nap.
And you saw that video when the officer arrived it was hard to wake Mr. Brooks up. But there's still so many questions about where we are right now and could something have been done to prevent this moment, especially with all the pain that we're feeling in the city.
LEMON: Ryan Young, I appreciate your reporting. Thank you, sir. Now I want to get to L. Chris Stewart, he is the attorney representing Rayshard Brooks' family. Mr. Stewart, thank you. So good to see you. I wish it was under better circumstances.
You know, you held a press conference with the family today. Here's Rayshard's widow, Tameka Miller. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMIKA MILLER, RAYSHARD BROOKS' WIDOW: There's no justice that can ever make me feel happy about what's been done. I can never get my husband back. I can never get my best friend. I can never tell my daughter he's coming to take you skating or swimming lessons. So, this is going to be a long time before I heal. It's going to be a long time before this family heals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Another black family grieving the loss of a loved one at the hands of a white officer. How's the family doing?
L. CHRIS STEWART, ATTORNEY FOR THE FAMILY OF RAYSHARD BROOKS: Not well. They are trying to figure out what life is going to be like now. We now have a mother who has to raise four beautiful little children alone, of course with the support of the extended family.
But it's world shattering. And that's what everyone needed to see today. Not just lawyers talking and everybody debating back and forth about was it right. Was it wrong? They needed to see the impact of these decisions to take a life.
[22:25:06]
LEMON: So, I want to ask about the family first and then get into this new information about the disciplinary history of the two officers in Rayshard Brooks' shooting.
You saw that Garrett Rolfe's record shows a use of force complain from September of 2016 that resulted in a written reprimand the following year. There's also included several citizen's complaints all with notes that no action taken.
And then Officer Devin Brosnan has two firearm discharges on his record. Both entered on the record this month. Atlanta Police Department's spokesman tell CNN that one of the cases is from March 20th an incident on that date and the other is from Friday night's shooting. What do you make of this information?
STEWART: I'm not shocked. I mean, Don, how many times have you and I talked about this? It's like we're living in that movie "Groundhog's Day." It's the same thing over and over again. I could have told people I guarantee you this officer had some issues in the past. It's normally that situation. You know who causes issues or who has had prior issues or who has complaints. A lot of them don't get justified and then they stay on the force. So, it wasn't a surprise.
LEMON: Yes. Thinking about Minneapolis. This isn't as long a list. But it is a complaints nonetheless -- nonetheless. As long as a list as the officer involved in Minneapolis, I mean. But, Chris, I want to ask you about this initial call to police. It
was about Rayshard Brooks' sleeping in his car. And despite that there may be people who watch part of the video see a man pointing a taser at an officer, tussling with officers, and then a man pointing a taser. So, explain why deadly force was not necessary in this case, please, Chris?
STEWART: Yes, a, you know, separate the two situations. Now during the tussle where they were fighting on the ground, if they would have used deadly force at that time period, if one of them had said, hey, he has my gun, which is normally what we hear. We hear screaming, he's got my gun. He's going for my gun. He's going for my gun. And they would have shot him during the fight while he's on top of him and said he's reaching for the gun.
That could have been justified. Because now it's their word against his and saying had he reached for the gun. But they let him disengage. Get away with the taser. They know it's not a deadly weapon per their training. They know how it operates. So, they know it's not a multiple use weapon.
They know the distance that he is from them that it's not going to directly connect. It didn't even stop him when they used it up on him close. So, it was ridiculous and to say that that officer's life was in danger at that moment and that's why he shot. Well, look seconds before. He was already reaching for his lethal weapon before Mr. Brooks turned around and pointed that taser.
LEMON: And then of course, running away, shot in the back twice deemed a homicide.
STEWART: Yes.
LEMON: Thank you.
STEWART: I mean, you know --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Chris, that's all the --
STEWART: -- let the facts speak.
LEMON: Let's the fact speak as you said. Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it. We'll see you soon. And again, our thoughts are with the family. Thanks so much.
STEWART: All right. Take care, Don.
LEMON: Eighteen states are seeing a spike in coronavirus cases. What are the reasons behind it? What role do the massive protests play and what could be the impact of the president's big rally next week. That's next.
[22:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: If you're at home seeing stores and restaurants and other businesses reopening and you think that coronavirus is run its course, you have to watch this segment. OK? Right now 18 states, 18 showing an increase in cases compared to a week ago. And the closely watched model is now predicting more than 200,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. by October. That's 30,000 more deaths than they were predicting last week.
Let's discuss. Erin Bromage, associate professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth joins us now. Erin, thank you. Good to see you. The associate professor of biology as University of Massachusetts. Thank you, good to see you.
ERIN BROMAGE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH: Good evening.
LEMON: Look at these charts. We put these charts up, OK? These chart shows Italy, Germany, and Spain way down with daily new cases. We'll get them up. While the U.S. which is on the bottom right when you see it, is essentially at a plateau. Why are these charts so different? Why do our charts look so different?
BROMAGE: Well, the Italy lock down was a lot tougher than ours. They were really locked away in their homes much, much stringently than we were. But the other thing that happened which is working against the U.S. in numbers when you look at it on the chart, but working for us in disease control is we are testing a lot more as time has gone by. So, we're testing more and that means we're finding more.
LEMON: OK. Take our word for it. We'll show you the charts if we get them up. But the show exactly what Erin is talking about. Erin, listen, protests now taking place for 21 days. Now around -- is now around the time that we could start seeing the spikes from that. And how would that add to these numbers that we're already seeing? And I'm sure the reopenings add to that as well.
BROMAGE: Yes, the rise we're seeing in individual states is more from the reopening and extra testing that we're actually seeing than from the protests, just yet. The very first protest we might start seeing some infections coming from those in the numbers now. That it really the effect of the protest will come in the next week or two. When those people that attended the protest if they got infected went home, or went to their work place and infected others. And that's when we see start to see the expansion of infections in the community. So, it's the next few weeks we really need to watch for that.
LEMON: Well, finger crossed that most of them were wearing masks and that helped. We hope. Erin, listen -- yes, we hope. President Trump defending his decision to hold a rally in Tulsa this Saturday and announcing that he's going to add space. Listen.
[22:35:15]
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a 22,000 seat arena, but I think we are going to also take the convention hall next door. And that's going to hold 40,000. So, I have 22,000 plus 40,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, 10s of thousands of people. No requirements for social distance or wear a mask. Recipe for disaster?
BROMAGE: Yes. That's just got a whole lot worse. I haven't heard they were going to put another 40,000 in the stadium next door. I was just writing a piece about this today and 19,000 people put in a stadium -- and I mean, it's like a carnival event in some of these rallies. People yelling. People screaming. People singing. It just seems like it's the complete recipe for something terrible to happen.
LEMON: Yes. There is -- I would advise everyone there is on HBO, there's a real sports with Bryant Gumbel that shows the stadium in Italy. During a championship. And how it just spreads from everyone attending the soccer game and it's just unbelievable how it can spread with so many people.
Listen, I just want to put up those charts again. So that the people can see what we are talking about. The ones that show Italy, Germany and Spain way down. With daily new cases, while the U.S. on the bottom right hand side, look at that. Essentially at a plateau. Erin Bromage, thank you, sir. I appreciate it. I told we could get those charts up. Thank you.
BROMAGE: You're welcome.
LEMON: All right. An L.A. Lakers star says there shouldn't be basketball until things in the country are resolved. And he's not alone. Other players are speaking out too. Dwight Howard, there he is. He's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:40:00]
LEMON: A growing number of NBA players cautioning against resuming the season amid weeks of protest or racial injustice and the police killings of black veterans. NBA veteran, Los Angeles Lakers Center, Dwight Howard saying no basketball until things get resolved. Dwight joins me now. I appreciate it, Dwight.
DWIGHT HOWARD, NBA VETERAN, LOS ANGELES LAKERS CENTER: Thank you for having me.
LEMON: I'm glad you're taking this opportunity to talk about this. Because the NBA tentatively plans to restart on July 31st. You say that you are reluctance the play is over, both racial injustice and the coronavirus. I'm wondering how you have seen these past few weeks how they impacted your decision. But also, you want people to know this is not about you not wanting to play basketball. This is about something you think is very important for the African-Americans and the country.
HOWARD: Oh yes. That is correct. You know, that's the first thing I want people to understand that I want to win a championship so bad. You know, going to L.A. for me has been the best thing in my life. And I'm very appreciative of just being on that team playing with LeBron, playing with A.D. Just representing the Lakers again. That has meant the world to me.
I just personally have seen so much pain from our people. And you know, I just feel like our people we need attention. I really feel like our world is hurting right now. You know, I just -- so much stuff going on in our world, man. And I just feel like, you know, we don't need to get distracted by anything. I definitely would want to play and win a championship.
But I don't want anything to distract us from really what's going on in our world. It's hurting. It's hurting me. It's hurting my family. It's hurting all our families and everybody is feeling it right now. And you know, I just think that we need to focus on this what's going on.
LEMON: Yes, because you say, you said, that it's a distraction. You said, basketball is a kind of entertainment. And this may distract people. And I know that you believe that we may never get this opportunity again. To have people who are willing to change and who are open to change.
HOWARD: That is true.
LEMON: And who hadn't been in the past. Go on, talk about that.
HOWARD: Well, you know, these are just my, you know this is my feelings and this is my heart, Don. You know, I just believe that, you know, god is trying to get all our attention. You know, every single one of us. God is trying to get all our attention. You know, he wants our attention. We need to focus right now.
And I believe anything, anything that can distract us from being balanced and one with ourselves and trying to get united and come together, you know, I think it will be a distraction. And you know, I just really personally, you know, anything that can cause us to get away from coming together right now can be a distraction.
LEMON: You mention Kyrie Irving in a statement that you gave to CNN. And here you are, you know, on this show alone. I'm just wondering, how much support you have. How many players have the same concerns as you?
HOWARD: Well, you know, I have talked to, you know, a couple guys. But you know, me and Kyrie have been talking a lot. And you know, we just want everybody to realize that we have power. All of us. And we want to be able to use our power. Voices are powerful when we are united. And you know, me and Kyrie feel that we need to just become one. We need to become united all of us.
And we have a powerful voice. And we feel like it's time. This is the one moment in time that all of us are hurting. And the one moment in time when we need to come together as people. You know, my brothers and sisters all of us are hurting. And you know, I really stand with Kyrie. You know, he is expressed a lot of his feelings to myself and you know, I understand exactly how he -- I understand how he feeling.
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You know, we know about justice and peace and everybody is screaming for justice and peace. And you know, we just believe that we need unity in order to get justice and peace. (Inaudible).
LEMON: Sorry to cut you off. But tell Kyrie he's welcome on the show any time. What if the season resumes? Are you going to refuse to play or are you going to play?
HOWARD: This is not about basketball, Don. And I told you that. This is about our people right now. And we need attention right now. I don't want to make this about basketball. I don't want to be defiant and try to cause any type of controversy, because I love my team. I love the NBA. I love basketball. I just think our people need our attention right now. And I'm with our people.
LEMON: You'll make that decision when it comes. I understand that answer.
HOWARD: It's not about basketball.
LEMON: Yes. So, the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, Dwight, now encouraging a team to sign Colin Kaepernick. Does that go far enough? Do you think that he should be apologizing to Kaepernick? Or the league owes him an apology.
HOWARD: I'm not in the NFL. I can't speak or any decisions that anybody make. I'm going to speak on how I feel about what's going on around our world right now. And that is what needs attention. I am not in the NFL. I can't make those decisions for anyone. But I believe that, you know, we all just have to come together.
Black people -- you know, I'm sorry, we are tired. We are tired. Colored people are tired of what's been happening. We're tired. And you know, I feel the pain. And whatever I can do, whatever we can do to help. I just believe we have to be united. And we got to stand together.
LEMON: Dwight, I appreciate your time. And thank you so much for coming on the show. I really do appreciate it. And you're welcome back any time. Good luck. Thank you. Be safe.
HOWARD: Thank you.
LEMON: So take a look at this. This video is from the president's west point speech. It has people asking questions about the state of his health. And when you start asking questions you realize there aren't a lot of answers out there.
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LEMON: The president is defending himself over his cautious walk down a ramp at the West Point graduation but he is only putting questions over his physical condition back into the spotlight. Joining me now to discuss this is Dr. Jonathan Reiner who is a former vice president of Dick Cheney's -- and Dick Cheney's cardiologist -- former Vice President Dick Cheney's cardiologist.
Doctor Reiner, thank you so much. If we can put this video up, Doctor, I had to be honest. I don't want to do the same thing to the president that he and his ilk did to Hillary Clinton. It could be a slippery ramp, it could be steep. It could not have been steps.
Who knows? I mean, I've walked down ramps like that. Maybe it was over the top defense or I don't know what is going on, but he seemed really defensive about it. He tweeted out a defense of, he said he walks in, you know, the ramp was slippery. It is a clear day. I don't know. But what do you think?
DR. JONATHAN REINER, DIRECTOR OF CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: Hi, Don. When I saw the tape from West Point there were three things that caught my eye. First of all, his speech is awful. He has really slowed down. It almost looks like he is having difficulty reading the teleprompter. And his tone has become this really striking monotone. Like he is literally struggling to read.
The second thing that was odd was when he paused for a moment to get a sip of water and he struggled to raise his right hand to his mouth and it almost looks like he just about gets the glass to his mouth, sort of fails to do that and then he reaches with his left hand to sort of assist the glass up to his mouth, very, very strange.
And then there was the very, very slow walk down the ramp. I have no idea what is going on with the president and that is just the problem. We have no idea of the president's medical status. The White House dropped his medical report during the heat of the protest two weeks ago. The only reason you do that is to make a story disappear. They dropped it at maybe the highest news point in many, many years.
And it was filled with nothings. So, we know very little about the health of this man, and seeing these episodes just, you know, fuels the concern for his health.
LEMON: Yes. OK. I mean, just, for me, the glass thing, OK. The ramp thing? I don't know. Looks like being careful. That's what I thought. But I am not a doctor. I don't know. He did make an unscheduled visit to Walter Reed in November and the White House later said it was part of the president's physical. But it is still a little unclear what that was all about. There should be more transparency when it comes to the president's health. It is important to the American people.
REINER: It is important to the American people. And this is an election year. The American history is just replete with instances where either the candidate or the candidate's physicians have misled the public about the candidate's health. In 1944 Roosevelt's doctors lied about his congestive heart failure. In 1960 Kennedy hid his Addison's Disease.
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In 1992 when Paul Tsongas was running in the Democratic primary his team hid the fact that his cancer had returned. And then in this, you know, current president, he wrote his own medical report. Later, Dr. Bornstein acknowledge that the infamous letter which described him as being the healthiest person ever to run for office, that was written by the patient himself. Who does that?
So, I think in an election year really the public deserves to know about both candidates for president. You know, we are electing a leader and look, I'm not sure there is anything necessarily that would disqualify somebody from running, but the public gets to make that choice and you can't make that choice if you don't have the data.
LEMON: I agree 100 percent with that. And again, it was just that, the thing that drew attention to it was the over-the-top defense. Because if he had just left it alone it would be like me, oh, most people would just say looks like he's, you know, being careful. Who knows?
REINER: Let me just say one other thing. About November, one doesn't go to Walter Reed on a Saturday afternoon to get their blood drawn. And the president's doc rode in the car with him to do that which is a complete break in protocol. The president's physician never rides with the president, because he is the first responder. You don't put the first responder with the target. So something happened in November and the White House just declines to tell the public what it is.
LEMON: Interesting. Dr. Reiner, thank you so much. I appreciate that. It was very helpful.
REINER: My pleasure.
LEMON: We learned a lot. Thank you. Audio released of 911 calls surrounding George Floyd's death. Hear what eyewitnesses said as it happened. That's next.
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