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Hot Air Balloon Hits Power L in Virginia; L.A. Clippers Get a New CEO; VA Health Care System Under Fire; Monica Lewinsky Breaks Her Silence; NFL Draft Under Way

Aired May 10, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the big stories we are following right now in the NEWSROOM.

A horrifying turn of events at a hot air balloon festival. One of the balloons burst into flames. But we have brand new information about who was onboard.

The Los Angeles Clippers have a new interim CEO. But that doesn't mean anything with the Donald Sterling controversy is over. The legal battle that lies ahead coming up.

And the head of the Veterans administration expected to testify before a Senate committee next week coming up, stunning new allegations in a growing scandal and how one hospital may have denied six veterans the care they desperately need.

First up, that terrifying hot air balloon accident, CNN has just learned that two of the three people onboard worked in the University of Richmond women's basketball program. That's according to a person familiar with the Universities' athletic department. The Balloon hit a power line and burst into flames during at a festival last night north of Richmond. Two bodies have been recovered so far and the search goes on for a third victim.

Here's an eyewitness describing the accident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOANNA STRANDE, WITNESS: Sounded like a loud bang and we thought just a firework, something like that and then remembered the balloon festival, and I said to my boyfriend, you know, he came running out, my God, look at the sky. He says the balloon was on fire. And all we seen was stuff falling from the sky, the basket, the balloon. Everything was on fire. And then, you know, please, God, tell me there's not anybody in there. I don't want to -- you know, know anything that somebody's hurt. And all of a sudden we started to see something falling from the sky.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a news conference is scheduled to take place at any moment. We'll take it live as it happens. Meantime, officials released more details earlier today and CNN's Erin McPike was there. ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Fred, Virginia state police wrapped up a news conference just a short time ago. And they said they've located the second victim. Of course, earlier in the day they said this moved from a rescue mission to a recovery operation. So now they are still looking for the third victim, and will continue the search until that third victim is found as well as the basket and all of the debris.

Now, here is the spokesman for the Virginia state police describing how the entire community has been helpful in the process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CORRINE GELLER, SPOKESWOMAN, VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: We've had probably anywhere between 30 to 40 calls from people who witnessed it, from here at the festival, on Friday, to neighbors, to people driving within the vicinity, and it's been a tremendous help. We've been following up with those folks and we truly appreciate them taking the time to call and give their names and contact information.

There's actual kind of scientific steps being taken that help us to kind of triangularize where these search points are going to be. You know, it could be almost like looking for a needle in a haystack. So based on witness accounts, where they were standing at the time they saw things, where videos and photos were taken, that is really helped us in concentrating our search efforts and I think it is definitely expedited the process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: The search has been somewhat difficult because the balloon separated from the basket during the fire. And we have heard some several witnesses that two of the victims jumped out of the basket during that fire. I want to play some of the dispatch calls last night so you can hear what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Possible mass casualty incident reported multiple hot air balloons have crashed into power lines and the balloons are now on fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got a visual of the airborne hot air balloons. It appears to be still smoking, still pretty high in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Got a report that the basket has come off. So we're trying to find that right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Advise all units, the airborne balloons aren't the issue. We need to locate the basket.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: Obviously, a horrific and chaotic scene. We've heard from a number of eyewitnesses today who described just how awful it was. One man even telling me that he could hear the explosion from about two miles away, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Erin McPike, thank you so much.

Again, we're awaiting a news conference for an update on that investigation.

All right. A major domestic airline flight dangerously near a drone. The consequence could haven't been s disastrous. Now, we're learning more about the incident and the threat of passenger planes from small unmanned aircraft. Here now is Rene Marsh.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Fred, this could have been deadly if that drone made contact with that passenger plane. The two came dangerously close to colliding mid-air, but this isn't a first. There have been others near disasters in the air involving drones.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH (voice-over): A near nightmare in the sky, a passenger plane nearly crashes into a camouflage drone flying at 2300 feet, well above the typical altitude for a private drone. The incident in the Tallahassee skies involved the U.S. Airways an express jet flying near the airport.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A remote control aircraft 2,300.

MARSH: The first details of the march scare previously not revealed until an FAA official spoke about it Thursday in San Francisco.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Said that the UAF was so close to his jet he was sure he had collided with it. Thankfully the inspection of the airliner after landing found no damage.

MARSH: Authorities do not know who flew the drone, but say it could have brought down the plane. The safety of our passengers and crews are top priority. U.S. Airways parent company tells CNN in a news statement. We're aware of the published report alleging an incident with one of our express jets and we are investigating.

There had been close calls before. The FBI is still investigating a drone that came within 200 feet of an Alitalia flight in New York earlier this year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw a drone.

MARSH: The pilot in that incident can be heard telling air traffic control. And this Monday, a small drone was found after apparently hitting this building in St. Louis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARSH: In the next five years, the FAA estimates as many as 7,500 drones could be flying in the U.S. airspace at any given time. The agency has been working on a plan to safely integrate drones into the airspace so that you don't have accidents with passenger aircrafts. Now, it is illegal for commercial use, although there are some exceptions. As for hobbyists, the FAA only allows recreational drones to fly up to 400 feet -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you, Rene.

Birds striking planes can also cause problems for planes. U.S. Airways flight struck a bird just yesterday afternoon. The plane was flying from LaGuardia to Reagan national in D.C. It turned around and then landed safely. None of the 96 passengers and five crew onboard were hurt. The plane is now being inspected. This is reportedly the second bird strike this week involving a LaGuardia flight.

The Los Angeles Clippers are in the middle of playoff games right now. All while a battle goes on in the front office. The legal fallout of the controversial surrounding Donald Sterling, next.

Plus, new allegations surface in a Veterans Affairs scandal that keeps expanding. It comes just days before the VA secretary is set to testify before U.S. Congress.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The L.A. Clippers had a new CEO, former Citigroup chairman Richard Parsons. Parsons is also the former chairman of Time Warner, CNN's parent company.

The NBA announced the move yesterday less than a week after saying they would choose someone to supervise the team's operations in the aftermath of the Donald Sterling scandal. That whole mess just got a lot more complicated with the release of another audio recording from Radar Online. It's believed to be Donald Sterling trying to explain to an unidentified friend why he told his alleged mistress V. Stiviano not to bring black people to his games. CNN has been able to confirm with Sterling's representative if it is indeed him. And we don't know who the other person is on that tape.

There's a lot going on with this story. And I have got two guests to help sort it out. HLN legal analyst Joey Jackson is here with me and attorney Darren Kavinoky is in Los Angeles.

All right. Good to see you, gentlemen.

JOEY JACKSON, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Good to see you, Fred and my friend Darren. How are you?

DARREN KAVINOKY, ATTORNEY: Yes. Hey. JJ. I'm well, sir.

WHITFIELD: One big happy family here.

KAVINOKY: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joey, begin with you. So the NBA is trying to very publicly turn a corner in this growing scandal by naming the new CEO, you know, Dick Parsons. But, really, that's just the tip of the iceberg, because the NBA wants, period, Donald Sterling out. But that's the message I'm hearing.

JACKSON: Right.

WHITFIELD: But as we know right now, it says Donald Sterling out, doesn't necessarily say any Sterling. And so, when you have Shelly Sterling who says well, I've got a stake in this, it this becomes a lot more complicated because they are going to change the language, are they not, in the team owner's vote that it's any Sterling, not just Don Sterling now?

JACKSON: Well, ultimately, it does gets dicey because, of course, he's the sinner here, if you want to classify it that. But I think the NBA, Fred, has a vested interest in moving forward. And I believe in moving forward, they want dissociation from Sterling, period. And while his sin certainly can't be imputed upon his wife, I think that it would leave a lingering in a bad one and the mouths of fans, in the mouths of sponsors, certainly the employees which are the basketball players. And so, certainly not to muddy her up in this mess, but the reality is --

WHITFIELD: You know, I'm sorry, Joey. Can I disrupt you a moment?

JACKSON: Sure.

WHITFIELD: We want to go straight to Virginia for an update on the hot air balloon. And if we get a chance we'll resume this conversation. Let's live in on the update.

GELLER: The occupant of the hot air balloon. Some asking the distance respective between where the first body was found and second one, it was roughly about 1,500 yards, between the two. Again, it's a very heavily wooded, heavy undergrowth area where the remains were discovered. That's all for our update. I'm going to turn it now over to the NTSB and they're going to provide you with their update on their investigation.

HIEDI MOATS, AIR BALLOON SAFETY INVESTIGATOR, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: Good afternoon, everyone. I am Heidi Moats, last name spelled m-o-a-t-s. And I am an air safety investigator with the national transportation safety board.

First I'd like to start off thanking the state and local authorities for their assistance in this investigation, and the search and rescue crews in their tireless work that they've helped with this portion of the investigation. So once the search and rescue has been completed, the NTSB will complete the federal investigation of the balloon accident that occurred around 7:50 last night, May 9th.

So the balloon involved was registered in November 3016 Zulu, and eagle balloon. During the investigation, we will examine the man, the machine and the environment.

WHITFIELD: We're going to continue to monitor this press conference as they reveal information. The latest being that the third body has still not been found. Again, last hour it was revealed by officials that two bodies had been recovered. They continue to look for a third. Search crews are on the scene. It is a very treacherous area. This, after last night's hot air balloon accident. And we also understand, according to sources, that two of the victims are related to the University of Richmond women's basketball program. When we get more information, we'll pass that on.

Meantime, let's resume our conversation with Darren Kavinoky and Joey Jackson on the ongoing, what team seems to be the lengthening legal road for the Don Sterling/L.A. Clippers ownership issue.

So Joey, you were talking about whether the omission of Shelly Sterling's name.

JACKSON: Right.

WHITFIELD: In anyway protects her with her stake of the claim? So the NBA is going after don Sterling and it states don Sterling, what about the other Sterling who is half owner?

JACKSON: It's a private organization. And as a result of that, exclusive club and they set their own rules. And of course, three quarters of the owners of the 29 say bye-bye, then that's the end of it. And I think her remedy, you know, how she gets out of this, it's more financial.

And so, the NBA will pick and choose who the owners are. We saw, if you mentioned with Dick Parsons, now they have someone installed to lead the organization. But I think ultimately firm footing in doing what they are doing, with disassociating from him and ultimately I think that results in dissociation from her.

WHITFIELD: OK. And this gets muddier and murkier, Darren -- you want to comment on that?

KAVINOKY: Well, yes. I think the NBA is even in a stronger position when it comes to Shelly because she has what's called a non- controlling interest, which means she's got even less status than Donald in the first place.

Clearly, the NBA has no appetite for either Sterling, and they could never let her assume that controlling interest without the NBA agreeing and I think the chances are that are somewhere between slim and none. Joey and I can probably agree on that.

WHITFIELD: OK. And this, too, interesting. You know, Joey, if the legality of how Sterling's first publicized recording was made, you know, is a legal matter -- that might just be a legal matter in and of itself, was it obtained legally. But now, if this other recording that was just released yesterday, and if he was complicit, if he says, I am willingly revealing my point of view or even explaining myself, does that change the legality of that initial recording?

JACKSON: It changes nothing, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Really?

JACKSON: Nothing! No. Look, the reality is -- WHITFIELD: Meaning, its all fair game?

JACKSON: Sure it is. Look. I think -- I'm one of those who believe that was a plan. Darren, I don't know how you feel about that.

WHITFIELD: You think it was planned?

JACKSON: Oh, Yes.

WHITFIELD: Coincidentally sub-recorded.

JACKSON: Fred, at the end of it, he says, no one's going to hear this, ever, right? That was his last parting words. Perhaps he set it up -- exactly, to control it. And so, I think ultimately he's spinning. You look at the substance of that, Fred. And it certainly -- you know, look, I warranted her badly and I would say almost anything, including insulting her to say it, right, to say it? And so, I don't think it has a bearing.

KAVINOKY: Joey, I've got to say that the one -- he actually is getting credibility points with me. And I don't mean to speak on behalf of the entirety of the male gender, but it was the only thing he said that is, as a man, when I sit back and listen to him basically saying, look, I'm lying to a lady to try and gain some romantic influence over her. As a guy I sit back and go, yes. That makes sense.

WHITFIELD: That happens?

JACKSON: Darren, not if you're a billionaire, right? There are multiple ways for a billionaire to perhaps entice a woman, right, to come along with them or whatever. But doing this by insulting her is something he, I think that is something -- he could have exercised a little better discretion, I believe.

KAVINOKY: By the way, Joey, if this was not a spin, a plant released tape on the part of Donald Sterling, I'm actually starting to feel a little sorry for him. You know, obviously, he can't even speak to a friend in confidence, without that tape being leaked. And you kind of get the impression at this point he'll go out to a restaurant and order a sandwich for lunch, and the waiters can say, hey, that's great, Mr. Sterling, can you speak into my sleeve?

JACKSON: Speak into the mike.

KAVINOKY: Yes. You know, the guy can't go anywhere without it being recorded and being leaked. But when we get back to the original leak from V. Stiviano, denying that she was the source of that, I'm not buying that one, either. When you look at this, she had the motive, she had the means, she had the opportunity.

WHITFIELD: And she made copies and had given them to friends for protection.

KAVINOKY: Yes. JACKSON: But she's not the issue, ultimately. I mean, we could dig into her and attack her credibility, Darren and Fred, and talk about her and what were her motives. But ultimate he said what he said. He needs to be accountable for saying it and whether she did, didn't do, taped or didn't tape, doesn't matter. You're gone, Mr. Sterling.

KAVINOKY: Well, you know what, Joey? The fight is still going to be on.

WHITFIELD: It's not that simple. Because you hear from the attorney of Shelly Sterling who says, I will fight to the death, to maintain ownership, and -- you know -- sounds like -- it sounds like her attorney really means it.

KAVINOKY: Well, and look, Fredricka, Donald has a huge appetite for litigation and a huge pot of money. And there are people in the court of public opinion that are coming to his defense. Donald Sterling is an idiot but people are defending him, not because they love idiocy, but they love freedom. And fundamentally, there's a notion that what he expressed was done in private, that he had no intention for these remarks.

WHITFIELD: And actually said it would be un-American that anyone would lose their business that they rightfully own.

JACKSON: Yes. But even if he doesn't, I think there's an economic imperative here. What am I talking about? He will have, even if he holds on to the team, he's banned for life. He can't come to any NBA facility. He will have no sponsor support. And I think economically, the team would go into a spiral. And so, if you're a business person, it's all about money and if it's not there, that is the money to support what you do. Guess what? It doesn't matter, Sterling. If you're here or if you're not, the team's not going to be economically viable, Darren.

WHITFIELD: All right. Joey --

KAVINOKY: Well, just one final quick point. That it's -- those economics that I think are driving this thing from the NBA's perspective as offended as they are by his views, and the as disgusting as the views are, they really care how the views now revealed are impacting the economics of basketball, and that's their hook.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you very much, Darren, Joey. Thanks so much, gentlemen. Appreciate it.

JACKSON: Good to see you, Darren. Thank you, Fred.

KAVINOKY: Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Good stuff.

All right, new allegations also surfacing about care or the lack thereof that veterans in this country expect and deserve. The focus is now on a VA hospital in San Antonio, and how come employees there may have kept sick veterans from getting the help they desperately need.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. You know the VA health care system is under fire, particularly after CNN revealed that in Phoenix, the VA hospital had two separate lists of care, and it cost many veterans their lives, according to those who are willing to talk to CNN.

Well now, we have just learned that the department of veteran affairs is announcing that a acting -- a new acting director for the Phoenix VA health care system has been named and will oversee the delivery of health care to some 85,000 veterans there, and all this as a result of a CNN investigation and now an ongoing very big investigation involving the Veterans Affairs.

In fact, there will be a hearing this week -- next week coming up -- before U.S. Congress. So the investigation into whether veterans died while waiting for medical care at, not just the Phoenix VA hospital, but other VA hospitals now, it's growing wider. In fact, an employee at a Wyoming clinic of the department of Veterans Affairs has been placed on administrative leave now.

And allegations have surfaced that scheduling clerks at the VA hospital in San Antonio may have cooked the books to cover up long wait lines. Well, embattled VA secretary Eric Shinseki is expected to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday amid growing calls for his resignation now.

For a closer look, retired air force captain Darin Selnick joins us now, via Skype from Oceanside, California. He is a senior Veterans Affairs adviser, concerned veterans for America.

Good to see you. So you just heard our new information that we just received, new acting director for the Phoenix VA. Is that a start, in your view?

DARIN SELNICK, (RET.) U.S. AIR FORCE: Well, it certainly is a start. Thanks for having me on your show. And thanks, CNN, for all the great work. You guys have really blown this wide open and we really need it.

It's a start. Obviously, a temporary person, but they should have put on administrative leave, Sharon Helman of Phoenix who the director. She has got to be involved somehow. So yes, you need a whole new team there and hopefully that team is a good team, but it's just a start. VA under Secretary Dr. Petzel, you know, he's always announced his retirement effect immediately as well. We need new leadership. It means blood and some reform in this organization.

WHITFIELD: So, you are making a direct connection between these reported incidents whether be in the Phoenix VA and now apparently at other -- San Antonio and other VAs that I mentioned. You're making a direct connection between these incidents and the secretary, Shinseki?

SELNICK: No, not with Shinseki. But there is all VA leadership. Now, I served under three secretaries and the secretary delegates to the undersecretary Dr. Petzel, positive run the health administration. So, he is the guy that needs to take responsibility. He may not have known anything, but he should have been more on the ball. He should know something. This in direct should have been known something. A lot of people should have known something that's why there is an investigation.

We'll see as the ship fall and the e-mails come to light in the whistleblowers who exactly knew what. But when the ship's rotten and veterans are dying from friendly fire, with delayed health care, someone needs to be held accountable. And we have not been holding anyone accountable.

WHITFIELD: Have you and your organization heard of a number of complaints from veteran whose have said they were being denied medical care? That they were put on phony lists, that their wait times were long? Had you heard directly from any veterans to substantiate these most recent claims that were, you know, revealed by CNN, people who shared their stories with CNN and now these other installations as well that are under investigation?

JACKSON: Yes. Not only do I personally know veterans that this happened to specifically in west Los Angeles. A veteran of mine had this happen to him. he didn't get his special care, prostate surgery he was supposed to get and he collapsed and almost died. Then they found that he had cancer.

WHITFIELD: Then what happened to the complaints? What was your discovery? That the complaints were made and no one was addressing them or that the complaints didn't make it high enough up the food chain, so to speak, with the VA?

SELNICK: Well, the complaint had a tendency to go into a VA black hole. Now, the GAO has done investigations and found this out fudging wait time. You guys have done investigations. It's happened like in five or six places where veterans have died due to long wait times and cover it up in fudging of those wait times so they meet their 14-day category.

It's been known a couple years. VA administrators have testified in front of Congress in 2012 on this. So, everyone's known it. But until Dr. Foote came out and actually explained it detail by detail, the whistleblower, a lot of people didn't pay attention to it.

WHITFIELD: All right, Captain Darin Selnick, thank you so much. Again, hearings beginning next week, U.S. Congress involving VA secretary Shinseki and others. Appreciate it.

SELNICK: Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: All right, the witness accounts are nothing short of horrifying. Hot air balloon on fire crashing to the ground. Next, the latest on the search for the one passenger. The one person onboard that balloon still missing.

And later, we are reliving the Monica Lewinsky/Bill Clinton scandal. How Lewinsky's bombshell tell-all article is likely to impact Hillary Clinton.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Here are the big stories we're following for you. Two occupants of that hot air balloon fire worked with the University of Richmond women's basketball program. That is according to the school's athletic department. Crews are still searching for one person after finding two bodies. The hot air balloon hit power line s and burst into flames before crashing (INAUDIBLE), Virginia last night. The three people onboard could be heard pleading for their lives. Witnesses say they saw two people actually jump or fall from the balloon. Rescue crews have yet to find the balloon or the basket.

In New York, unidentified remains from the 9/11 terror attack have been moved to the national September 11th memorial and museum. It happened during a solemn procession today. But the decision to place the remains in underground repository at the site remains controversial nearby protesters say it is disrespectful to the dead. They favor placing the remains in a monument separate from the attack site.

A critical vote is expected to go forward in eastern Ukraine tomorrow, even though Russia and Ukraine have urged a delay. Officials in both countries say it is two-tenths in the region right now. The vote is on a referendum to become too independent and is expected to happen in at least two regions. Ukraine's acting president says it will be a quote "step nowhere "for those people.

With all the news out of Washington this week, you would think the presidential election is this year. Hillary Clinton considered by some as the potential front-runner for the Democrats. Is the target of the GOP in the house? It's investigating the deadly terror attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Meanwhile, Monica Lewinsky broke her silence about her affair with President Clinton.

Joining me now are our CNN political commentator Maria Cardona and Democratic strategist in Washington, and in New York, conservative Will Cain.

All right, good to see both of you.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You too, Fred. How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm good. So, lady's first. Sorry, Will.

So Maria, you know, how much potential damage are we talking about with this kind of, it seems like a piling on Hillary week almost? You got the Monica Lewinsky tell tell-all, you got now a select committee that is forming on Benghazi and then there are also criticisms of Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state as it pertains to a Nigeria's Boko Haram terror group.

So, you know, in your view, is there damage being done just by the notion of these questions swirling around Hillary Clinton?

CARDONA: I don't think that we can make that assertion right now, Fred, because it's so early in this election cycle. And you know what? We don't know if she's running yet. But what is happening is that you are really seeing the GOP trying to throw everything on the wall and the kitchen sink to see what sticks because nothing has stuck so far. She is still the most popular potential presidential candidate in history.

No Republican candidate comes close to beating her at this moment, but, again, it's still very early. We don't even know if she's running. But I think the piling on is part of that effort for the GOP to try to knock her down a few notches. And it's also political crack for the GOP base, which they need to rile up going into the midterm elections in 2014.

So it's purely politics. It is something that was absolutely expected, but it's way too early to see what kind of effect this is really going to have. I don't think it's going to have an effect on her moving into the presidential election, if she decides to run.

WHITFIELD: And so, Will, how do you see it? I mean, especially since Hillary Clinton has a book coming out next month and she is likely to be asked a lot more questions. I think people will -- maybe the Monica Lewinsky tell-all article will re-ignite questions that went to Hillary Clinton once again. Will it make an impact or that even her response to it all might impact her potential run?

WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, speaking about Monica specifically, the Lewinsky scandal specifically, yes. I think it has the potential. I do agree with Maria. This is way, way, too early. I mean, I guess we can all pretend like she's not going to run. But I think we should accept that's probably a realistic scenario. But that being said, it's still really early to talk about how much this stuff impacts her presidential run.

To Maria's point how popular she is, I will say that polls, a CNN poll showed she lost popularity over the last several weeks. I think when that from 77-something percent to 60-something percent among Democrats.

You know, look, on Monica Lewinsky, here's the deal. If you squint, and pretend like Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky are your neighbors, it is kind of feels unseemly to talk about an affair and potential effect on the jilted lover and mistress and those scenarios. But the truth is, this is somebody seeking the highest office in the land, potentially, seeking a great amount of power. And there are questions, and Monica Lewinsky is a victim in this field. So, the questions are, you know, did Hillary Clinton participate in destroying Monica Lewinsky?

WHITFIELD: Does everyone agree that she's a victim? Do you feel like everyone agrees that she is a victim when she even says and spells out, and reiterates in the article that it was consensual?

CAIN: Ten years ago. WHITFIELD: Yes, young she was young. Maybe she feels that she was taken advantage of, but it was a consensual relationship. And she said that was her mistake, it was his mistake, it was their mistake.

CAIN: What I say victim, I mean, 15 years-plus being the butt of every joke from late-night comedian to television pundits. For 15 years, being a national joke. I don't think anyone deserves that for that long. And the question is how much was she scapegoat?

Look, not just by conservative media, but what the White House administration under the Clintons including potentially Hillary Clinton. Those are worthy topics of discussion if Hillary Clinton runs for president.

WHITFIELD: Maria?

CARDONA: See, I completely disagree with Will here, because I think, and I've talked to a lot of Republicans who don't want to touch this with a ten-foot pole.

WHITFIELD: Then why is Rand Paul?

CARDONA: Well, and I think he does this at his peril, and the reason why he's doing it now, Fred, is what I said before because it's political crack for the GOP base going into the 2014 elections. But I will say this, and many Republican strategists have said this, too. It is absolutely huge peril for Republicans to try to use this during the presidential election against Hillary. She had absolutely nothing to do with her husband's indiscretions. And if you really want to have the women's vote go against you, try to go after a woman and place the indiscretions of her husband on her.

CAIN: That's not the question.

WHITFIELD: Might backfire in your view?

CARDONA: The women's vote, you know, the GOP has alienated the women's vote so far. They can't afford to do it more.

WHITFIELD: All right, Will, respond.

CAIN: Yes. We got to be fair, Maria. That's not the question I introduced. It's not whether or not Hillary Clinton had anything to do with Bill's Clinton's indiscretions. No one said that.

The question is for somebody seeking the highest office in the land, is how did they use of power when in their hands, to treat people in private, in the private spear.

Monica Lewinsky, yes, made a massive mistake 15 years ago. But an industrial complex of media and government descended upon her. And the question becomes, did Hillary participate in that destruction, for her own political gain?

CARDONA: And the person -- the people who started that were, and I think you said it, the conservative media. She even talks about, she, Monica, even talks about how, you know, she became the very first internet globally humiliated person --

CAIN: This is tit for tat.

CARDONA: Started by conservative media. She even talked about -- she, Monica, even talks about how, you know, she became the very first internet globally humiliated person --

(CROSSTALK)

CARDONA: That is not something that you can put on the White House because that was started by conservative media.

WHITFIELD: Yes. So much material in that article and in this entire discussion all mixed up. And I know we are going to revisiting this discussion, because like you said, Will, she hasn't even said she's going to run, but presuming she will. It is early, Maria.

CARDONA: I hope you are right. And I hope she does run.

WHITFIELD: We'll see what happens.

All right, thanks so much. Will Cardona? Did I just say Will Cardona-- wow! OK, I put you all together. Look at that. Maria, Will.

CARDONA: Go many ways with that.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. All right, appreciate it.

For his next "PARTS UNKNOWN," Anthony Bourdain traveling to Russia, he raised a glass, but local, he says, it's hard. Got to do it, but it is tough. And he also talked culture, cuisine and politics, including in Ukraine.

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WHITFIELD: All right. This week Anthony Bourdain eats and drinks his way through Russia, a country struggling to find its identity. Will its Soviet past hold back its capitalist future? I asked Anthony if he felt any tension during this visit.

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ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, PARTS UNKNOWN: We felt very much, I don't know whether you'd call it tension, but if you do a fair amount of casual eating and drinks with Russians, at those who have done well under Putin and those who have suffered for daring to have an opinion under Putin, eating with ordinary people who have either suffered or benefited from life in the new imperial Russia, you get a sense of how the world is going there.

Ukraine did not, I have to say, hardly a pundit, or a geopolitical expert, but what's happening in Crimea came as no surprise to me after a little time eating and drinking and talking to people in Russia. It's no mystery what happened, or is it any mystery what will very likely happen. WHITFIELD: So what do you mean?

BOURDAIN: He's got a headlock on that country.

WHITFIELD: OK. What do you mean? You mean, people openly were discussing their thoughts, their fears, their wishes, trepidation about all of that?

BOURDAIN: Most Russians feel that Ukraine is part of greater Russia. Even Solzhenitsyn felt it was part of greater Russia. Protesting against Putin is a very dangerous thing. You know, whoever you are, however powerful you may be, you sorts of serve at his pleasure. You start talking about Putin the corruption and you could find yourselves stripped of your fortune quickly and in jail. This is something we felt strongly there.

But as far as what's happening in Ukraine, I would say, sadly, that there's, you know, don't look for the Russian people to rise up in protest over what they're doing in Ukraine and Crimea. That it seems to be sadly a pretty popular move.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Sunday night, you can see more of Anthony's interaction with the Russian people on an all-new "Anthony Bourdain: PARTS UNKNOWN," 9:00 eastern time.

And then coming up, in this hour, the NFL draft is in its final rounds, but a big prospect is still waiting to hear his name called. We'll talk about it with former NFL player, Dhani Jones, there he is, live from Cincinnati, next.

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WHITFIELD: All right. The third and final day of the NFL draft is under way right now. And a big name is still up for grabs. Michael Sam waits to hear his name called which would make him the first openly gay player to be picked.

I'm joined by CNN sports Joe Carter here in the studio and former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones in Cincinnati.

Good to see both of you, gentlemen.

So, to you first, Dhani, do you think Michael Sam will be an NFL player?

DHANI JONES, NFL PLAYER: He definitely will be an NFL player. It just comes down to when and if he'll be signed to a team. I mean, there's no way that the SEC defensive player of the year is going to be left on the boards. He's definitely going to have a chance. Every team wants to see him play and people have gathered around him to support the fact that he's the first openly gay player and they want him to be able to play and they want progress to continue.

WHITFIELD: So top college player but that he didn't perform as well as some people wanted him to in the combine in your view shouldn't make a difference?

JONES: Well, it definitely makes a difference. And the way I started thinking about it is this, every team wants to manage both expectations for the players and also their finances, right? So, if you think about it, if they were to get one of the best players, right, at a lesser cost, that would actually be a cost/benefit analysis to them. And they are looking for any bit and piece they can count against a player. Now, in Michael Sam's predicament, unfortunately he didn't perform that well at the combine, right?

WHITFIELD: Right.

JONES: He was at 4.9 and then at his own personal pro day he went to 4.7. So they've seen incremental improvement but when he was on the big stage he didn't perform. That will definitely be something that will hold him back. But still, it doesn't mean that he won't get drafted or that he will be signed during free agency.

WHITFIELD: All right, so Joe, what round are we in now? And how does that matter or how does that, I guess, raise the stakes for Michael Sam or, you know, make his heart beat even faster that we're down to the wire?

JOE CARTER, CNN SPORTS: This is obviously a very anxious time. You want to hear your name called. You want to be signed to a team. But, yes, we're in the sixth round. They have seven total rounds.

WHITFIELD: My God. That close here.

CARTER: So, we just started to -- so we should be getting to wrapping up in the next couple of hours. So this is right in the wheel howls to where the GM, the scouts said that Michael Sam, if he is drafted where he should go somewhere in the sixth or seventh round.

I mean, like Dhani Jones said, you know, the guy had a great college career, especially his senior year but he didn't perform well at the combine. So that's the knock on him. So, if he doesn't get drafted today, I do expect the team to call and bring him on as an undrafted free agent.

I mean, if you look at the league last year, 30 percent of players on NFL teams were undrafted free agents.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

One in three guys.

CARTER: So one or three guys --

WHITFIELD: That's a big number.

CARTER: And you know, you can have a successful NFL career even if you're not drafted. There are plenty of great examples out there. The first one that comes to mind is Tony Romo. Tony Romo wasn't drafted and he had a great NFL career, just signed a $150 million contract. So Sam's career with the NFL doesn't end today if he doesn't get called in the NFL draft.

WHITFIELD: That's interesting.

OK, Dhani, if you were him, you know, six rounds we're hearing, Joe, and you don't get drafted. Are you devastated? Given -- especially given the attention he received by his announcement, he probably got more attention than anybody else in the combine, what are you feeling if you're in Michael Sam's shoes right now?

JONES: Well, I remember when I was about to get drafted and the cowboys just came to see me and I thought I was going to get drafted in the second round. The first day goes by and time starts ticking off the clock and finally the sixth round comes around and I finally get picked up by the great New York giants and I had a prolific career and played for 11 years and Philadelphia and ended up in Cincinnati.

So, you know, when you are sitting in Michael Sam's shoes and you are getting a lot of the hype, but you also know that there are a couple knocks against you, you know that it's possible that you can slide off the chart. But being resilient he has been and all the things that he's been through even as you look through all the different articles and even hearing him speak about the opportunity, he just wants progress. And he just wants the opportunity to get onto the field.

He knows that there are going to be things that hold him back and people that say things. But at the same time, once he steps on the field, that's where he truly makes his mark and that's what I'm most excited about.

CARTER: That might be what he is. I mean, some guys just don't -- and I'm sure, you can attest to this, some guys just don't test well. Some guys are better when they're between the lines and playing under the lights and maybe that's Michael Sam's best attribute. That he is saying, you know what, put me on a training camp roster and let me prove myself onto a team. And that's when we may see Michael Sam's heart and hustle translate well into the NFL. Because right now, you know, we're judging him based on a poor combine and poor senior bowl, but really, he maybe he's a red light performer, you know. As they say in our business, maybe he's good when the camera's on him in the real game. So, we'll have to see how it goes.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, fingers are crossed for him and everyone else because I can't imagine being in that situation. So how do you know what it is like, but my heart is racing for them, it really is!

All right, Dhani Jones, thanks so much. Joe Carter, pleasure as well.

Appreciate it, gentlemen.

All right, that will do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thanks for hanging with me all day long. My colleague Randi Kaye is up next with much more of the CNN NEWSROOM after this.

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