Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Massive Search Underway For Third Hot Air Balloon Victim; St. Louis Rams' Draft Pick Wins Praise From Many; Ukrainian Government and U.S. Call Vote "Illegitimate"; First Openly Gay NFL Prospect Drafted; First Lady: Kidnappings "Unconscionable"; Barbara Walters Is Retiring

Aired May 11, 2014 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. These are the stories that are topping our news this hour.

A massive search is underway in Virginia for the third victim of a fiery hot air balloon accident. Not far from the search, two of the passengers are remembered during a solemn ceremony at the university where they both worked.

And making history, Michael Sam becomes the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL. See his emotional reaction to the news and the response from the league, fellow athletes, and even President Barack Obama.

And for a second straight day, millions of Americans are under a severe weather threat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a large tornado on the ground causing damage. Large tornado on the ground causing damage. The roofs are blowing across the top of the buildings right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Plus, a story you'll only see here. CNN correspondent Nima Elbagir makes a dangerous four-day journey to the Nigerian village where hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted. She talks exclusively to a girl who escaped the terrorists. Here her harrowing account of what happened and how villagers are living in a constant state of fear.

We begin in Virginia, where at this hour, the University of Richmond is holding its commencement ceremony, a celebration tinged with sadness. Two university employees were onboard that hot air balloon that caught fire and crashed Friday night. Right now, a somber search is underway in a wooded area for the third victim of the crash.

Alexandra Field joins us now live from New York. So Alexandra, what are you learning about the victims?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, there were three people in the basket of that balloon. One was the pilot, the other two were women who were involved with the women's basketball program at the University of Richmond. They were also graduates of the college and former collegiate athletes themselves.

Shortly before that final ride, one of the women even went to her Instagram account, posting several pictures which show their apparent excitement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: One of their last pictures posted on Instagram, two friends smiling in the basket of a hot air balloon, getting ready for what might have been a great adventure. Another snapshot from their tethered practice flight Friday morning. It was hours before this fateful assent in the blue balloon.

"Tried it at 6:38 a.m. But was too foggy. Will go up this evening. #anxiety," writes Jenny Doyle, a basketball coach for the women's team at the University of Richmond. Hours later, spectators at the Mid- Atlantic Balloon Festival in Doswell, Virginia, see a balloon burning after hitting a power line.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have visual. It's airborne, and hot air balloon appears to be still smoking. Still pretty high there.

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Caroline, advise all units that the airborne balloons aren't the issue. Need to locate the basket.

FIELD: Doyle and her co-worker, Natalie Lewis, were onboard the balloon with their pilot.

CORINNE GELLER, SPOKESWOMAN, VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: He was taking every effort he could to manage the situation and extinguish the fire.

FIELD: But after a small explosion, the basket and the balloon separated.

HEIDI MOATS, NTSB AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATOR: During the investigation, we will examine the man, the machine, and the environment.

FIELD: Witnesses say as the balloon burned, they saw two people jump or fall.

CARRIE HAGER BRADLEY, WITNESS: And you could hear them screaming, "Please dear God, sweet Jesus, help us, we're going to die. Oh, my God, please help us. Please help us."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FIELD: And today, the University of Richmond is holding their commencement, obviously honoring two members of the program who were - the basketball program who were again, also alumni of the college. A very somber tone for this graduation ceremony today. Two of the bodies have been found. More than 100 deputies and troopers from the Virginia Sate Police have been involved in this search. Fredricka, they are still looking for the third body. WHITFIELD: Terribly sad. Thanks so much. Alexandra Field there in New York.

Also, a historic moment for one player, the NFL, and the world of sports. The first openly gay NFL prospect was drafted in the seventh round last night. Victor Blackwell has more on Michael Sam's next step.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, with the Rams' historic pick of Michael Sam, reaction was immediate on social media, in St. Louis, and from President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the 249th pick of the 2014 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams select Michael Sam, defensive end, Missouri.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BLACKWELL: With that announcement, Michael Sam becomes the first openly gay player drafted by the National Football League. He got the news by telephone from the Rams' head coach Jeff Fisher, who told him "You are a Ram. The wait is finally over." For the all-American defensive end from Missouri, it was an emotional moment.

MICHAEL SAM, NFL DRAFT PICK (on the phone): I am overwhelmed. I'm excited, and I'm proud to be a ram. I knew he was going to get picked somewhere. And every team that passed me, I was thinking how I'm going to sack their cornerback.

BLACKWELL: Congratulations came from the Oval Office in a White House statement. President Obama said, "From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove every day that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are."

The NBA's Jason Collins, who became the first openly gay athlete in any of the four major American sports when he came out in 2013, tweeted this comment. "I wanted to say congrats to @mikesamfootball. And @stlouisrams. Great pick. Good luck."

Meanwhile, the Rams' head coach says it's time to get to work.

JEFF FISHER, ST. LOUIS RAMS HEAD COACH: He's done an outstanding job dealing with things. And I believe he's prepared to discuss the situation and then get on to football, helping us win.

BLACKWELL: And St. Louis Rams fans could not agree more. They want to see Michael Sam hit the field. Last season, the team finished 7-9 and at the bottom of the NFC West.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's has a chance now, so he's got to prove himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he'll make a good player for the Rams. They need somebody like that

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will he be a distraction?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I don't think so. I don't think so. He's a good player. So I think he'll prove himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The next step is just to play some football. Time to shut up and play some football. We need him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: And although Michael Sam has made history, he still has work to do. He has to go through training camp, and of course, make the team. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much. Victor Blackwell keeping it in perspective there.

So, what impact overall might this have on the NFL's image after a few recent hits in particular? You might remember the bullying scandal that rocked the Miami Dolphins' locker room and the ongoing controversy over the name the Washington Redskins. Well, Joe Carter with CNN Sports joining me now. So Joe, is this a moment that is not just a bright spot for Michael Sam, but a real bright spot for the NFL?

JOE CARTER, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I think it's a bright spot for the NFL, for Michael Sam, and for sports. I really do. There was a moment yesterday when Michael Sam was able to celebrate his accomplishment and celebrate that without hiding. Celebrate that openly and honestly. It's that moment that we get a peek inside his life, where the cameras for the first time during the draft were actually on him. Because they're with him the whole time.

They weren't allowed to actually take that until he was drafted. They took that live picture, and you see the raw emotion coming from Michael Sam's face, when he's finding out that he's finally going to realize his dreams.

This guy has come from a really tough background. A lot of adversity. First to go to college in his family. And first openly gay player. The weight of the world on his shoulders. For him to be able to embrace his boyfriend, or whoever that gentleman is -- we're assuming it's his boyfriend - without hiding and do it in a real way like any other player. Because we've seen players get emotional in the draft. Usually they kiss their spouse. They kiss their mother. They kiss heir girlfriend. We've never seen that image before during an NFL draft, a man kissing another man. So it was a powerful image. It was a big step for sports and a positive moment for the NFL, despite all the negative stuff that we've been talking about lately like you mentioned.

WHITFIELD: Yes, and you mentioned his up bringing. His life has been pretty tough. Tough family structure. But when we talk about tough, too -- and all the former players that you talk with on a regular basis will tell you training camp is tough. Being in the NFL is tough. So really the work is about to begin in a big way for him. CARTER: It's a production-driven business. And if you cannot perform, it is called NFL for a reason. Not For Long. So Michael Sam, even though he is a draft pick, he still has to earn his way on to that team.

So yes, he'll have training camp come in August, and he's going to be fighting for a job and it's most likely going to be on the special teams. You want to keep in mind that team he's going to is not only a good fit for him professionally as a football player, but also geographically, because the University of Missouri is only two hours away. So the people in that state are very familiar with Michael Sam. So he's going to get a lot of support.

But he's going to be fighting for a job against defensive linemen that led the NFL in sacks last year. So he's really going to be looking for a job on special teams. So that's where he's got to go forward. Get a job on special teams, get on the team, and then maybe two or three years later, he can be a starter.

WHITFIELD: Yes, Missouri home for him. It's been home for him. Wow, what a great feeling that must be to now be at the home team.

CARTER: It is a great story. You know, I think there were three big stories this draft. Obviously number one pick, Johnny Manziel, and then Michael Sam.

WHITFIELD: Lovely, Joe Carter, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

Later on this hour, a former St. Louis Ram and a well-known sports agent both join me for the inside perspective on what life in the NFL just might be like for Michael Sam. That's coming up in about 20 minutes or so from now.

The worldwide Bring Back Our Girls campaign just got another high- profile supporter. Pope Francis tweeted his four million followers a short time ago. He said, quote, "Let us all join in prayer for the immediate release of the schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria, #bringbackourgirls."

British prime minister David Cameron also joined the campaign today during a TV show. He and our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour held a sign together with the popular hash tag on it. Cameron promised that Britain will do what it can to help find the girls.

Officials say the terrorist group Boko Haram wielded guns and forced over 200 of those schoolgirls into seven cargo trucks last month. But one of those girls made a bold dash for it and escaped. Now the girl is telling CNN a firsthand account of what happened that day.

In a CNN exclusive, Nima Elbagir talked to her. Nima made a dangerous journey to the town where the kidnapping took place. It took Nima, her producer, and photographer four days on a treacherous road - road trip - to get to Chibok, Nigeria. Nima started in the capital of Abuja and then traveled around 500 miles before making it to the town. Again, it took four days to travel roughly 500 miles. She is the only journalist to reach that town where the kidnapping happened. Nima joining me now with this exclusive interview. So Nima, tell us more of what you went through to get there and what this young lady went through.

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, I think especially since we were talking about Pope Francis that I think it's really important when you hear about all these high-profile pledges of support and all this assistance that's supposed to be getting to these girls, to really give you a sense of what it's like there. It is incredibly, incredibly isolated. One of those days that we lost on the road to Chibok was because there continues to be a presence of Boko Haram militants along that road. There was actually an exchange of fire just the day before we got there between police and militants. This is still a very, very scary place for people who have already been through so much.

This young lady who managed to jump off the truck after it was loaded with these almost 300 girls, she took that risk, she jumped, she said, for her life because she would rather face death than go off with them. Even she was too afraid to show her face, but she still showed incredible bravely by agreeing to talk to us at all. Take a listen to what she said, Fredricka.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: By an absolute miracle some of those girls managed to escape on that horrifying night. But even for them, this nightmare isn't yet over. One of them has agreed to speak to us, but she's asked that we don't identify her in any way, that we don't give away her name, her family house, anything that could bring about what she fears the most: that the kidnappers could come back for her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said, go into this car.

ELBAGIR: What kind of cars?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A (inaudible) lorry.

ELBAGIR: Was it one or more?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seven.

ELBAGIR: Seven lorries?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: And this was at 10:00 at night?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the night.

ELBAGIR: So did that make you feel like they had come to get you, to get the girls?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Me.

ELBAGIR: That's when you knew that they had come to kidnap you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. They say, okay, we enter this lorrie. (INAUDIBLE) I say I will drop down.

ELBAGIR: That was really brave of you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would rather die than go. We run in the bush.

ELBAGIR: You run in the bush?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: And what happened then?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ran and we were gone.

ELBAGIR: Can you describe the men that came and took you? What did they look like? Were they wearing civilian clothing or military uniforms? What were they wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't understand.

ELBAGIR: What was their dress? What were they wearing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel afraid.

ELBAGIR: Did they look like soldiers?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).

ELBAGIR: You feel afraid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ELBAGIR: You don't want to talk about what they look like. It's okay. I understand, I understand. I'm sorry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELBAGIR: One of the villages we spoke to described it almost like a shopping trip, that Boko Haram had come to gather up these girls to make money off of them. She, the other villagers, the people who hosted us, they took a huge risk because of that ever-present threat that the militants would come back and punish them. But they did it because they feel enough is not being done. They want more pressure, they want more information to get out there. They want more to be done to bring home those girls, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Nima, the night of that kidnapping, do people -- are they expressing that there was any warning that this terrorist group was coming?

ELBAGIR: There is definitely a real sense there that this could have been stopped. A lot of the people we spoke to said that they had received warning phone calls from villages along the route that that convoy came along. Because when you think about it, seven lorrys, some pickup trucks, motorcycles to round up any girls that tried to escape, that is quite a large movement of cars and people. How could it not have been seen?

And that's really also what's adding to that trauma, that sense of suspicion. Why didn't anyone come to help us? Why wasn't this stopped? Why hasn't more been done, Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Nima Elbagir, thank you so much. Courageous reporting, and our hearts are going out to that little girl and so many others who were able to escape. But the grave, grave concern is the many, over 200 who are still being held against their will. Thanks so much to Nima, her producer Lillian Loposo and photographer Nick Meegway (ph), all who took great risk to bring us that report.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: People in Orek, Missouri are spending Mother's Day cleaning up after an apparent tornado last night. There's been no word on injuries. But officials are going door-to-door to make sure everyone is okay. The state highway patrol estimates about 80 percent of the town, which is east of Kansas City, was affected. An entire silo, in fact, crumbled to the ground from the powerful winds. One woman actually said it looked like they got bombed.

And then, guess what, more severe weather on the way today. Right now, there is a tornado watch in effect for central and eastern Iowa, and a warning along Highway 35 there. A lot of places are dealing with severe weather this Mother's Day. Strong tornadoes, large hail, and 60-mile-an-hour winds are expected from Texas up to the Great Lakes region.

Let's check in with CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray, joining us now. You've got more on this. This is a frightening prospect.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHTIFIELD: Wow. All right. Potentially scary stuff. Folks need to stay tuned. Thanks so much, Jennifer.

All right. Overseas now, the separatist vote is underway in eastern Ukraine, despite the Ukrainian government and the U.S. calling the vote illegitimate. And CNN has spotted some people actually voting twice. So, what could happen after this vote? We'll talk about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Right now, people are voting in several cities in eastern Ukraine on whether to declare independence from Ukraine. The polls are closed, the ballots are being counted in Sloviansk. And in other cities, polls are set to close in the next hour. The election committee is claiming a high voter turnout, although many voters are registering at the polls. And look, a CNN crew saw several people voting twice by casting multiple ballots. Also, there doesn't appear to be any system preventing people from voting at multiple polling stations. The U.S. and other Western nations say the vote is illegitimate. Russia is accused of aiding and organizing the separatists who have taken over government buildings in those cities. But the separatists seemingly defied Russian president Vladimir Putin, who said the referendum should be delayed.

Joining me now from Berlin is Simon Shuster, a correspondent for Time magazine. He co-wrote the cover story for this week's edition focusing on Vladimir Putin's popularity and aspirations in Ukraine. Simon, let's talk about why these people want independence from the new government in Kiev. What's really driving this vote?

SIMON SHUSTER, TIME MAGAZINE CORRESPODNENT (via Skype): Initially, I think it was driven to a large extent by frustration when the new government came to power in February in Ukraine via a revolution. It was driven to a great extent by Russian propaganda that portrayed the new government as a fascist force. And that, well, rallied quite a bit of separatism in the population in east Ukraine and slowly ratcheted up the violence. Fighters did come from Russia to help fight this separatist cause. And it just turned into a cycle of anger, violence, and animosity between the people of east Ukraine and the central government.

WHITFIELD: So if eastern Ukraine votes to become independent, what might happen next?

SHUSTER: I don't think this vote could create anything like a new entity on the map of the world. It would give the separatist leaders and the separatist cause some mandate, some air of legitimacy as they try to pursue further political and military goals.

Right now, their only mandate at legitimacy has come from the barrel of a gun and their ability to seize buildings. Now they've been able to point to some kind of plebiscite or vote saying that they are representing a majority, which is quite questionable.

WHITFIELD: And you write Putin's mission has been to restore Russia's place in the, quote, "ranks of great powers, and that it's easier now than a decade ago." Why?

SCHUSTER: I think the system he's put in place in Russia allows him to not worry too much about things that Western leaders might worry about. Things like elections, things like popular support. I mean, he has very strong mandate and is very popular. But he can freely rule Russia for the next 10 years. There isn't that sort of cyclical change of leadership in Russia. So he's thinking about the kind of legacy that would be closer to Atar -- taken in Russian history rather than the kind of legacy of an American president with an eight-year term or a four-year term in office can hope for.

WHITFIELD: Okay, Simon Shuster, a correspondent for Time magazine, thank you so much from Berlin.

SCHUSTER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Back in this country, the NFL draft made history last night. The St. Louis Rams picked up Michael Sam, making him the first openly gay player to be drafted. But he still has a long way to go. What he has to do now. I'll ask a sports agent and a former Rams linebacker, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It was a historic moment for the sports world and the LGBT community. But for Michael Sam, the first openly gay NFL prospect, being drafted was a very emotional and personal moment. That's him on the phone there finding out that he has been selected by the St. Louis Rams. So he's a brand-new Ram.

But guess what, now he actually has to prove himself on the field. He's already getting a welcome from Hall of Fame Ram Eric Dickerson. Dickerson tweeted this. "Congrats to @mikesamfootball on becoming a St. Louis Ram. Welcome to the Rams family."

I'm joined now by a former line backer for the Rams, Chris Draft and sports agent, Leigh Steinberg, joining us from California. Good to see both of you. Chris, let me begin with you. Now the work begins because this is how little I know about football. I'm thinking you're drafted, you're in. Wait a minute, no. He still has to make the team? What?

CHRIS DRAFT, FORMER NFL LINEBACKER, ST. LOUIS RAMS: Absolutely. Now he has to get on the field, and you have to play. His numbers were about could he get on the field and play? And now you have to show it. Now he's found his team. He's there in St. Louis. What he has to do, he has to prove that he can play in the NFL.

WHITFIELD: Yes, Leigh, tell me about all that took place before Michael were to get that phone call. We envision the huddling taking place involving the GMs, the coaches. They're in the back rooms. These players don't necessarily get to see all of that. But what is the stuff they're talking about? What are they comparing notes on as to what leads them to the decision, I want this guy?

LEIGH STEINBERG, SPORTS AGENT: It was a proud day for the NFL because he was judged, Michael Sam, as a football player. He made a smart pivot after his big announcement and then went through scouting as a player. Football is a mere hypocrisy. So if he can rush the passer, he'll be well-accepted. They looked at his triangle figures. He's a little undersized. He didn't have especially fast day at the combine.

He is a little undersize and in between two positions, but he can rush the passer. And that day yesterday, draft time is not realtime. It's water torture time, tick, tick, tick. Every second seems like an hour. I was at Garrett Gilbert's house, who was the pick before Michael Sam, in the sixth round by the Rams.

And he watched the time go by, and you know there's certain teams that are interested in a player. It's just a question of whether or not he'll be available when their turn comes. The moment of being drafted is exultation. It's joy. It's something that young man's been pointing towards since he was 5 years old.

WHITFIELD: So it's ecstatic. And kudos to the Rams, because if you look at the statements that Jeff Fisher made, other players or front office, they were all about tolerance, acceptance. And I think that five years from now, we won't remember that there ever was a time when sexual orientation was a bar to playing.

WHITFIELD: And Chris, you see this as really transcending, going beyond the NFL, going beyond sports. But at the same time, as it pertains to the sport, to the game, Michael Sam, now the real work begins too with training. I mean, this still potentially could be a bit of a distraction, or do you think no, he's got his head in the right place, and given what he's been through, what could distract him?

DRAFT: It can still be a distraction, but it doesn't have to be his fault. It's just the fact that he is the first openly gay player in the NFL, that there's going to be cameras always around. When you look at St. Louis, they really have a track record of being the first. They were the first to have an African-American on their team with Kenny Washington, the first to have a female majority owner.

So this kind of goes right in line with that and at the end of the day, the NFL is about production so for Mike even they are the distractions, as long as he's committed to playing football, he's going to be all right.

WHITFIELD: As a former Ram yourself, what advice would you give him to be now in the Ram family? And, you know, for him, it's kind of home turf advantage because he went to school, you know, at Mizzu. But what advice would you give him?

DRAFT: I would say absorb it. Love it. I mean, love every moment. I mean, this is bigger than just -- this is your dream is here, enjoy it every day. There's going to be cameras around, but enjoy the moment. And remember what you came here for. You came to play football.

WHITFIELD: Awesome. Leigh, what would be your advice to him if he's listening?

STEINBERG: To do everything you can to display a skill set. That will get him accepted. It's much more important for the larger transcendent gay community that he make the team and that he be accepted. So he's got to showcase his skills very early in training camp. The good thing is that we have a salary cap, which means that those players in lower rounds make it more because that's the way they balance the cap. Superstars backed up by rookies.

So he's got an excellent chance to make this team, and he's doing just the right thing. He's focusing on being one of the guys being productive, and he'll get to training camp this summer, which is an intense experience, but he's shown the maturity coming through what he came through from Texas on, and he's already been accepted by his Missouri team. Imagine there were 100-something players on that team, they all knew he was gay, no one said a word. WHITFIELD: Right.

STEINBERG: And he was their leader.

WHITFIELD: Well, he has shown incredible poise throughout. That's for sure. Thank you so much, Chris Draft, Leigh Steinberg. Appreciate it, Gentlemen.

All right, overseas, the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls. It's impacting so many people around the world. But for one of our very own correspondents, it hits very close to home. She tells me why next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Rene Lacoste tenacious style of play earned him the nickname La Crocodile. Lacoste made his mark on the court in the 1920s when he reached the number one ranking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was, you know, all these different person at once. He was an engineer. A great champion. He was a visionary man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tennis turned out to be only the first chapter of a long lucrative life. Rene drew on experience as a tennis player to create the short-sleeved polo shirt. Staple of the Lacoste brand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had to find something new because it is not comfortable to play with this kind of shirt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The innovator was far from finished. He soon added racket design to his repertoire. A statute has been built in his honor at Roland Garros. A tribute to the tennis star and innovator. He made his mark on the world one crocodile at a time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: U.S. advisers are on the ground in Nigeria to help in that desperate effort to find and rescue hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has called on Boko Haram to release the girls immediately. The terror group kidnapped the girls back in April. Their leader said he planned to sell the girls into slavery. That has many around the world outraged including First Lady Michelle Obama. This is what she had to say during her first solo weekly address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters. We see their hopes and their dreams, and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now. Many of them may have been hesitant to send their daughters off to school, fearing that harm might come their way. But they took that risk because they believed in their daughters' promise and wanted to give them every opportunity to succeed. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: She also said that President Barack Obama has directed his administration to do everything possible to help the Nigerian government, 26 percent of kidnappings worldwide actually take place in Nigeria. But in this most recent incident, a startling report from Amnesty International says the Nigerian government had received advance warning. It said Nigerian military commanders knew the terror group was on its way to raid a boarding school at least four hours before the girls were actually taken.

Our very own correspondent, Zain Asher, is all too familiar with this story. She grew up in Nigeria and she told me what it was like for her and her family growing up there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're from the southern part of Nigeria, very far -- it's on the other side of the country from the north where Boko Haram has their stronghold. But even in the south, kidnappings arise because of people trying to raise money through ransom. My cousin, my uncle, rather was visiting Nigeria from England, from Ireland, from where he stays, and he was driving home to my grandparents' house and kidnappers basically came in through the compound behind him.

They hit him over the head, and they took over the vehicle and drove five hours into the middle of the night. Now, fortunately, the only reason why my uncle managed to escape was because the car broke down. The kidnappers panicked, and they let him go. But kidnappings in Nigeria are very common.

WHITFIELD: Thank goodness for that. So your uncle is OK. Now, as it pertains to these boarding schools, particularly those for girls, and you speak of the security and how many people have many reasons to be worried about their security. Do a lot of families grapple with the idea of sending their girls off to the boarding schools, or is there a feeling that they're going to be safe, they are going to be most safe at a boarding school?

ASHER: So here's the thing. One thing I want to make clear is that education and boko haram, they have their stronghold in the north eastern part of Nigeria in Borno State. A lot of the schools actually closed because there was so much fear. People actually decided well, is it worth me sending my child to have an education where she could get killed by Boko Haram, or should I just keep her home?

People in that part of the region, education for them is a situation of life and death. For that part of the country, one idea that I've heard people talk about is this idea of making sure that there are armed security guards at every boarding school in that part of Nigeria, which, you know, I don't necessarily know how comfortable I feel with Nigeria moving to those kinds of drastic measures.

I think it would be much better for the government, the Nigerian government, and through accepting help from the United States and the United Kingdom, to really try and destroy this terrorist group, Boko Haram.

WHITFIELD: Do you have a word about your own personal safety when you go home?

ASHER: Yes. I mean, absolutely. So as a Nigerian who's grown up abroad and also in Nigeria, I go back. When I go back, my mother gives me instructions, and those instructions are don't tell too many people you're coming back. Don't let anybody know where you're staying. And when you do stay in a particular hotel or with your family, don't stay in any one location for too long.

Because there's just this idea that if you're from the west and you're coming back to Nigeria, that you are a target for kidnappers. It's just the reality. And, you know, it's one thing for me because I can come back to the United States, I can go back to England. But for the girls who have to live in that environment every single day, it's heart breaking. My heart does go out to them.

WHITFIELD: So this story hit you in a very personal way.

ASHER: Absolutely. As a woman, I was educated in Nigeria, albeit briefly. I went to middle school there for a couple of years. Part of the reason I've been able to be successful as a CNN correspondent is because of education and for that part of the world, education really is freedom. That is all you have to be able to escape from that life of poverty, of corruption, of terrorism.

And to think that those girls are having to grapple with this idea of education being a choice between life and death, either I go to school where I could be killed, or I stay home and not get an education, but live to see another day. I mean, it is heart breaking especially as a Nigerian who has benefited from education throughout my life.

WHITFIELD: Indeed. All right, Zain Asher, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

ASHER: Of course.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And again, the group, Amnesty International, claiming that the Nigerian government had at least four hours-notice that the terrorist group Boko Haram would be abducting these girls. Coming up, I talk with a representative with Amnesty International on information they received, and how that was received by the Nigerian government.

And we're also going to take a very big turn from there. Coming up, it is the last week for this icon on regular television. Barbara Walters, the television icon, is ending her 50-year-plus career this week. No more day-to-day work for the veteran news woman. A perspective from our own Candy Crowley, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA WALTERS: Develop a signature voice that no one will forget.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wait, is that not your real voice?

WALTERS: No. This is my real voice. Hello, I'm Barbara Walters.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Barbara Walters on "Saturday Night Live" last night poking a little fun at herself. This week, the television news icon says goodbye, retiring from her regular broadcasting duties. She shows her sense of humor, but just last month, she shared with CNN's A.J. Hammer it's been a sometimes serious and always amazing journey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALTERS: You know, I haven't really thought of what it's going to be like when I no longer have a schedule. I've always worked. I don't know what it's going to be like to get up and not have, you know, a list of things to do, but I look forward to it. It's been a long and exciting and sometimes difficult road. So it's time, it's time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So she has been breaking barriers and news for more than 50 years. Let's bring in our Candy Crowley in Washington, anchor of "STATE OF THE UNION." So Candy, Barbara Walters, was the first female co-host for NBC's "Today" show back in 1966. First woman to anchor a network evening news program and then brought the panel genre to television with "The View." Her impact is huge, isn't it?

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, CNN'S "STATE OF THE UNION": It is. It's not just that her impact is huge. It's that it's huge over a half a century. Remarkable staying power. When you think about how "The View" has been copied and what an enormous success it has been, and that's in the latter part of her career, I mean, that's amazing. So yes, she absolutely broke down barriers, but she just continued to produce. She continued to work.

WHITFIELD: It's admirable. It's incredible. So she left NBC, kind of reflecting now back in the '60s, she left to co-anchor ABC Evening News with Harry Rezner, and got a lot of heat for getting the higher salary at the time in network news, $1 million. He wasn't happy for that reason and there were other reasons, too. So while breaking barriers, did Barbara also help level the playing field?

CROWLEY: I mean, heaven forbid a woman should make more than a man. She did. Absolutely, she did. Because, you know, the first one's the hardest, of anything. But the fact is even she would tell you it's not level yet. But boy, she went a long way towards starting that process, and for herself, I think personally, she more than levelled the playing field. But I think she would say looking at the larger picture, it is still a struggle. It is still something that has to be corrected, but wow, she plowed that field.

WHITFIELD: There still is that disparity for sure. So you were interviewed by her after you made history yourself. Solo moderating one of the 2012 presidential debates. What did she say to you when you appeared on "the view" with her?

CROWLEY: You know, it's a little bit of a blur, but they asked me about interrupting or responding to something Mitt Romney had said about Benghazi, et cetera, et cetera. But at one point -- and honestly I can't remember if it was on the air or whether she said it to me after it was over, but she looked at me and said, I thought you did a great job. And I mean, come on. If Barbara Walters tells you that, you go OK, I'll take that.

WHITFIELD: Something about getting the endorsement from Barbara Walters.

CROWLEY: Exactly. It doesn't hurt.

WHITFIELD: All right, and is it interesting that she would be retiring the same time roughly that Monica Lewinsky's tell-all is out in "Vanity Fair," and recall that it was her interview, Barbara Walters' interview with Lewinsky, 70 million people watched back in 1999. She also, Barbara, you know changed the art of interviewing. Not just with that interview, but there were so many examples in which she did make an imprint.

CROWLEY: I was thinking about this, that if I -- if someone handed me three different interviews on paper and I read them, I'd bet I could I.D. the Barbara Walters interview. An interview was an interview and she found a point of interest and she got news out of them. So I think she broadened the interview and she just created her own style.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, we all celebrate Barbara Walters and bid her adieu, even though we know we'll see her again in different forums even after her last day on "The View" on Friday. Candy Crowley, thanks so much and happy Mother's Day!

CROWLEY: And happy Mother's Day back at you. Thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

And we're going to talk again about Barbara Walters. A close friend and also a former co-host of the "Today" show Deborah Norville will be joining us to talk about her special friendship with Barbara Walters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)