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Fires Raging In Southern California; Weather Helps Firefighters; Michelle Obama Speaks On Segregation; Tensions Between U.S. And Indian Leader; Why Hasn't Flight 370 Data Been Released?; Sterling Won't Pay And Night Sue NBA; Coal Mind Recovery Over 301 Dead; Inside A Mine Rescue

Aired May 17, 2014 - 12:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM LEWIS, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: The Russian announcement means we need to rethink our reliance on them because it shows we are dependent on them in ways that might have made sense ten years ago but doesn't make sense any more.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S., Russian space partnership thrived for decades. One of the most visible symbols of detant in the cold war and the new peace after the fall of the Soviet Union. And it was very much a win-win. The U.S. saved billions on the shuttle, Russia made billions as a high tech taxi service. U.S. officials express hope the Russian threat is just bluster.

JEN PSAKI, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We had a long relationship with the Russians and we hope they'll continue to cooperate on a range of issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: It's most likely the U.S. will depend on private space companies like Spacex to make develop new space vehicles to transport American astronauts to the space station. As for Russian engines used to launch American satellites, the U.S. has stockpiled engines that supply goods for about two years of launches. Some believe NASA and Washington needs to develop a more reliable, longer term plan. Jim Sciutto, CNN, Washington.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, much more straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, which begins right now.

Hello again, everyone. I am Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the big stories we are following right now in the CNN NEWSROOM. Battling fierce flames. An army of firefighters are doing that now in Southern California, working around the clock to save thousands of threatened homes. We will tell you why today could be especially pivotal in the fight.

And the first lady marks the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court case that desegregated the nation's schools. She tells graduating students about the impact of Brown versus Board of Education, and the continuing challenges to achieving equality.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Brown is still being decided every single day, not just in our courts and schools but in how we live our lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Plus, the embattled LA Clippers owner is gearing up for a major fight. Donald Sterling is threatening to sue the NBA. Could he actually win in court? Our legal guys weigh in this hour.

First up, the raging wildfires in San Diego County, six are burning now. Dozens of homes and businesses have been destroyed, many more are at risk, and firefighters say it could be a critical day for them on the frontlines.

Dan Simon joins us from San Marcos, California. Dan, I understand the weather, which you've gotten a break really could turn things around?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right, Fred. So far the weather is cooperating. You know, here in San Marcos, this was deemed the most worry some fire throughout this event. But we are told that this fire is now 70 percent contained. That's very good news. That said, there's still some devastation. You look at this house, it is nothing but a charred mess.

This was a dream house for the homeowner, and making matters even worse for the homeowner is that the only house in the neighborhood to catch fire, so very unlucky indeed. Out in the distance, you can see a little cloud layer, sort of a fog layer. That's Camp Pendleton. We're not seeing much smoke over there. So that's also good news.

Talking about the weather, the temperature is a bit cooler, humidity is rising, and I am not seeing wind at the moment. Perhaps this will allow the firefighters to get the upper hand. We are trying to figure out the cause, Fredricka. Some speculated arson might be at play. We know three were taken into custody, two teenagers accused of starting small brush fires, an elderly man in his 50s accused of trying to start a brush fire.

They are investigating to see whether or not those individuals might be responsible for some of the bigger fires. At this point nothing to link them to that, but as firefighters continue to put out some of the hot spots concurrently, they're also trying to figure out the cause.

WHITFIELD: And still a very dangerous situation for these firefighters trying to get to the bottom of it all. Thanks so much, Dan Simon. Appreciate it.

So those firefighters battling the California wildfires could get a break today. Meteorologist, Alexandra Steele, says it has been kind of perfect weather conditions for something like this to take place -- Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Fred, it really has. Whatever the cause, really the stage has been set for wildfires to develop, and why? It is kind of the perfect recipe. We had dry conditions. Last year, the driest year on record since 1895. This year, exacerbating worse than that. Hot temperatures, record heat, weeks and months this year. Also the very strong Santa Ana winds, the hot, dry, offshore winds, below this heat really from the north and from the east this way, which created a compression. Thus it warms.

Now we have seen a change in the wind direction, and that's the key to this. So high temperatures the last five days in Los Angeles, temperatures as high as 97 degrees. Now finally coming down closer to average for the next couple days. And again, a lot of that he is predicated on changing wind direction. We have a ridge of high pressure in control. That eradicated. Now we're seeing a trough.

You can see the wind direction, Fred, coming from the water, finally bringing in some moisture. We even had a dense fog advisory. Fog is clouds on the ground and clouds are water molecules. Finally, Fred, temperatures coming down and humidity and moisture is coming up.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Alexandra. Keep us posted. Appreciate that.

India has a controversial new leader. I'll tell you why his election could cause some tensions with the U.S.

And the first lady speaks out on segregation. Sixty years after the Brown versus Board of Education ruling.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark ruling that outlawed segregation in public schools. It was the Brown versus Board of Education case out of Topeka, Kansas that made history. First lady Michelle Obama delivered a high school commencement address in Topeka. She said some segregation remains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Today by some measures, our schools are as segregated as they were back when dr. King gave his final speech. And as a result, many young people in America are going to school largely with kids who look just like them. And too often those schools aren't equal, especially ones attended by students of color, which too often lag behind, with crumbling classrooms, and less experienced teachers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining me now from Connecticut, Steve Perry, who founded a charter school in one of the state's lowest performing school districts, and since 2006, the founding of the school has sent 100 percent of high school graduates to four year colleges. He has written several books, including "Raggedy Schools." Steve, good to see you.

STEVE PERRY, FOUNDER, CAPITAL PREPARATORY MAGNET SCHOOL: Nice to see you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: How much of what the first lady said do you agree with, that there are still disparities and inequities?

PERRY: Of course, there are disparities and inequities. We use the same methods to place children in school that we did when we had the Brown versus Board of Education decision, which is your zip code. In fact, if the first lady and the Democrats are so committed to integration, they may want to consider stop fighting the programs that are going to create integration like school of choice. Stop being against schools like charter schools and magnet schools and the very real options that are making it possible for integration to occur.

WHITFIELD: Help people understand why is it there are some that are blaming charter schools, who are blaming private schools, for bringing about this kind of segregation in terms of coloring the makeup of public schools by virtue of giving people choices. There are critics of that formula.

PERRY: Of course, there are critics, it is the same critics that want to make sure that our children stay in failed schools in the neighborhoods where they live so that they can maintain their jobs and maintain the status quo. Charter schools are schools of choice, the same as historical black colleges and other colleges and universities are schools of choice. If you go to that school, most cases what you find in most charter schools, they're in some of the lowest performing school systems in America.

However, this is not about charter schools. Charter schools educate 6 percent of American children. So 94 percent of the children go to other schools. It is a red herring. This is the Democrats being unwilling to stand up and say we as Democrats in many situations are the people who head the school boards in the low performing school systems, where the mayors and commissioners, and we're the individuals that keep the system in place. The problem is that we are more committed to adult issues than children's concerns.

WHITFIELD: So when you say the problem being the adult issues as opposed to the children's concerns, does this speak to the fact that, you know, you're laying out the picture here that too many public schools are simply not getting the resources. And turns out schools that are not getting resources happen to be schools where the makeup is mostly of color?

PERRY: No, no, no, I'm not saying that at all. This has nothing to do with resources. This has to do with if you're a black kid, in a black community, you go to the school at the bottom of your street. That's the issue. School of choice would allow a child regardless of color to go to a school that best meets their families' desires. There are about a million children on waiting lists to go to public school choices now. And the reason they're not going is not because of resources, it is because the Democrats are working against many forms of school reform for about 30 years.

WHITFIELD: You see it as very much a political issue. PERRY: That's all it is. It can be changed, just like now. The school I'm in now is not a charter school, it is a magnet school. It is an integrated school. An integrated school because what happened, there was a court case in Connecticut that said the same thing Brown versus Board of Education said, if you live in a neighborhood and you are forced to go to school in the neighborhood, you will in fact go to a segregated school. So our school as a magnet school draws from 30 cities and towns. The majority of the children are still black and Latino, but many of them are white.

WHITFIELD: Steve Perry, thanks so much. Always good to see you.

PERRY: My pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right, it is being called a new start for India. In a landslide vote, Narendra Modi is claiming victory as the country's new prime minister. It will be the first time in 25 years they haven't had a coalition government. But Becky Anderson explains this victory isn't necessarily good news for U.S. relations with the world's biggest democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Narendra Modi may be India's prime minister in waiting, but for years he was not welcome in the United States. The U.S. State Department denied Modi a visa in 2005, following bloody anti-Muslim riots in his home state in India. But now, three U.S. State Department officials tell CNN, Modi will be granted a visa once he takes office, like all heads of government.

Modi, a staunch Hindu nationalist was chief minister of the western state of (inaudible) when sectarian rights broke out in 2002. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims were killed in the violence. As a result, the U.S., Britain, and European powers effectively imposed a diplomatic freeze on him for years. Modi denied any wrongdoing.

India's Supreme Court absolved him of blame last year. This week with voting under way, U.S. officials dodged questions about his visa status.

JEN PSAKI, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: As you know, we don't speak to visa acceptance, application, et cetera.

ANDERSON: The U.K. reinstated relations with him in 2012, part of a boost to ties with India. The U.S. is now ready to follow suit. The State Department officials say they look forward to working with India's next leader.

PSAKI: We view our relationship with India as one that's vitally important for economic, strategic reasons, and one that we look forward to continuing to grow in the future.

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The prime minister of India will be welcomed to the United States.

ANDERSON: Now that Modi's party has won a landslide victory, his visa eligibility in the words of one U.S. official is a moot point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Becky Anderson joining us live now from Delhi. Becky, still somewhat controversial?

ANDERSON: Yes, but I think this is the deal now, people have got over it, even those that didn't vote. On top of his promise to fix what is a faltering $2 trillion Indian economy, let me tell you, expect him to be looking to the U.S. for help on that. America Inc and American investors crucial to his plans to make the second most populous country a major powerhouse.

In 2012, President Obama told India that the U.S. and India could form what would be the defining relationship of the 21st Century. Since then, we all know the U.S. has pivoted further east, claiming that as the world's super powers, India's regional rival Beijing and Washington could be natural partners.

That doesn't impress New Delhi, the capital here. Now that he no longer has a visa issue with America, I would wager he will make Washington one of his first stops on his tour to sell the prospects and possibilities of a new India Inc.

WHITFIELD: All right, Becky Anderson in New Delhi, thanks so much.

Up next, I'll tell you why there is new controversy over the search for Flight 370. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It has been one of the most important parts of the investigation of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The satellite data that has guided a search for the missing jet. But some 70 days after the plane disappeared, there are questions about who has that data, and why the public hasn't seen it. Here is Jim Clancy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What happened to Flight 370 is the biggest mystery in the history of modern aviation. But the raw data gleaned from satellite handshakes as the plane flew thousands of miles offcourse is not a mystery. It may instead become a controversy.

HISHAMMUDDIN HUSSEIN, MALAYSIAN ACTING TRANSPORT MINISTER: There is any request for raw data to be made available to the public, it must be made to Inmarsat.

CLANCY: Australian officials heading the search in the Southern Indian Ocean tells CNN, they don't have the raw data either, but Inmarsat, the company that owns the satellites insists that data has already been released.

CHRIS MCLAUGHLIN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INMARSAT: We shared the information that we have. And it's for the investigation to the site, what and when it puts out.

CLANCY: The truth it seems somewhere in between. Malaysia as the country in charge of the investigation is supposed to control the release of any information. But in this case, the conclusions were shared in a presentation on a laptop computer. Malaysia's transport minister insists he doesn't have the raw data itself. Malaysia and everyone else have the conclusions.

That's the sequence of maps that was produced by reading satellite data that showed the jetliner was somewhere along a huge arc. Further calculations aided by Boeing, Malaysia Airlines and others placed Flight 370 in the Southern Indian Ocean, nearly out of fuel and far from land.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: Is reassessment of raw satellite data in order? CNN has asked the Malaysian government if it would request raw data from Inmarsat in the hopes it could then in some form perhaps be made public, and openly examine. Angus Houston, the man in charge of the search warrants, some of the world's best experts are confident the current analysis is correct. But even he doesn't rule out some kind of review.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Clancy, thanks for that. What do these questions over satellite data mean for the current phase of the search? Let's bring in our panel today, David Soucie is a CNN safety analyst and author of "Why Planes Crash," and Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and also an aviation lawyer who represents the families of crash victims.

Mary, let me begin with you. How strange is this that the raw data would be MIA?

MARY SCHIAVO, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: It is very, very strange it is MIA and it's very harmful to the reputation of the investigation and it causes great distrust among the families and among the world, but I am not sure it is missing. The problem may be in translation. Inmarsat says they gave it to the investigators. Inmarsat could release it themselves. There is nothing illegal prohibiting that.

Investigators say they don't have it, but they have the ability to release what they have. What it is, is they don't realize just a few numbers, all it is, coordinates, numbers, equation of how they figured it out, that's it. Unfortunately, that's really all there is. There are a few number coordinates. The best thing is to make it public.

WHITFIELD: David, do you agree it simply could be confusion over what the data represents or how it is represented?

DAVID SOUCIE, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, it could be on the part of the Malaysian government. However, I disagree with Mary just a little bit. There are some restrictions I think as to how it is interpreted, and I am no lawyer. Stand to correct me if I'm wrong, Mary. But the Annex 13 says if you're party to the investigation, you can't release information without permission of the investigator in charge.

If they're not an official party to the investigation, how did they have information pertaining to the flight, that in my estimation would be a party to the investigation. Simply a matter of the investigator in charge saying we don't care if you release the data, it is nothing particular. Please release it. At that point, Inmarsat could release it.

Here is the mystery. Who is the investigator in charge? I haven't been able to determine it. So many people in charge, I am in charge, but no one said in accordance with Annex 13, should be one person. Even on preliminary report didn't give a name.

WHITFIELD: Good point, because Mary, there are several investigations, whether it is criminal intent, the investigation of looking for the plane, debris, the investigation of why the plane turned. There are a lot of things going on. Who would lead that? Malaysia or some other entity?

SCHIAVO: Well, technically it is Malaysia. It is the Malaysian investigation. But they handed off a good chunk of it to Australia. We have been used to Angus Houston briefing us and gained the trust of the world. Technically they're only leading the search. There were some issues, what happens when it gets on shore then what happens with the investigation of the wreckage, if it is found.

But then Australia this week released a price tag. Said they needed $90 million, and Malaysia, Australia and China wanted other countries to contribute. I think it is clear since Australia released the budget that they have a very strong role in this.

One more thing on Inmarsat, they're out there marketing service to the airlines, saying hiring our services, and are not official party to the investigation. In the midst of the marketing they're doing, they need some reliability. How reliable is this calculation.

WHITFIELD: They had problems with Bluefin, there was damage, but to be expected when you talk about so many days and weeks in the water with a search of this magnitude. But how concerned are you about being able to get other apparatus in the area in the meantime?

SOUCIE: Fred, you're right, it is anticipated and expected that they're going to have this kind of thing. That raises the next question. Why then don't they have backup, another Bluefin, why don't they have other equipment. They must have so much confidence that the aircraft was there and Bluefin would take care of it that they didn't plan ahead or didn't realize how long it would take to put teams together to do this search.

WHITFIELD: Mary, confidence misplaced here?

SCHIAVO: Well, I think there was overconfidence, I don't know if misplaced in location, but so much emphasis put on this piece of equipment given to them by the United States for this. We have two CNN analysts, Rob McCallum and David Gallo at Woods Hole Oceanographic, they probably have more underwater search capabilities and vehicles than the entire Malaysian operation. CNN analysts probably have more than anybody in the world.

WHITFIELD: All right, Mary Schiavo, David Soucie, thanks so much to both of you. Appreciate it.

It is threatening their homes now. The California wildfires, the fight against the flames straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Nearly 200,000 people have been told to evacuate in the middle of raging wildfires in Southern California. Can you imagine seeing this as you rushed away? Two men shot this video as they left work earlier this week. They drove right through the intense flames.

Dan Simon is live in San Marcos right now with one of the men who was in that car. Dan, extraordinary story of survival.

SIMON: Hi, Fred, thanks very much. We are here with Jeb Durgin, he captured that video. Amazing stuff. You're at the office. You work in sales?

JEB DURGIN, EVACUATED HOME: Yes, sir.

SIMON: You see a plume of smoke, and you decide you and your buddy are going to go try to see what it is.

DURGIN: Yes. We figure you know what, if there's something we could help out with, saw the plume of smoke, frankly I thought it was an accident, something I could maybe help assess the situation or the people involved.

SIMON: Usually in a situation like that, you might be stopped by the police or something like that, but you drove right by, is that right?

DURGIN: Right. That's what is peculiar about the situation. There's not many police on site, not many firemen on site. It was a strange situation in the fact it didn't have the authority figures in place.

SIMON: At this point, you're at over 300,000 hits.

DURGIN: Unbelievable.

SIMON: This thing has gone around the world. What's it like to be part of this?

DURGIN: Very exciting. I wasn't expecting it. The only other excitement I could think that's similar is maybe what I do for a living is real estate investing, in the moment think on your feet and come up with a decision quickly.

SIMON: As you're driving through that fireball, what's going through your mind?

DURGIN: Fight or flight. You have to figure out what you're going to do on a dime's notice. You don't have a lot of time to think. At that point, it is on instincts. I was thinking this is our only option. It is either going to work out or it is not.

SIMON: We talked about this earlier. You see the flames and you think that most of those houses are going to be destroyed, but tell me what happened?

DURGIN: Amazingly, thank God for the great emergency personnel, they did a fantastic job. If you look at the video, looks like all these homes are going to be taken away. I think maybe one of them had just a scar on the roof, and other than that, they were all safe. It was incredible.

SIMON: Jeb, thanks very much for bringing it to us. Glad you made it out safely. Fred, we'll send it back to you. This is the self- described adrenaline junkie, he got the most memorable video of the entire ordeal.

WHITFIELD: My gosh, that was a close call. Very dangerous, very impressive view of a raging fire. Thanks so much, Dan Simon and Jeb Durgin, appreciate it. Don't try that again, though, please be safe.

All right, Donald Sterling said he is sorry for the racist rant, but now he is threatening to sue the NBA refusing to pay that big fine. I am talking to our legal guys about Sterling's new game plan and if it might work.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Donald Sterling is now threatening to sue the NBA if the lifetime ban against him is not lifted, and the L.A. Clippers owner is refusing to pay the $2.5 million fine imposed by the NBA. But does he have a chance of winning in court? Let's bring in our legal guys, Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor joining us from Cleveland. Good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Richard Herman, a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor joining us from Las Vegas. Good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, so Avery, you first, Sterling has hired a prominent anti-trust lawyer who successfully sued the NFL. What kind of antitrust argument is Sterling likely to make here?

FRIEDMAN: Well, I'm not sure I understand the antitrust argument because it doesn't interfere with competition. I think look, Donald Sterling has all the money in the world. He agreed when he accepted the franchise, Fredricka, that he was going to subject to determination of the commissioner and the Board of Governors, the owners. And I think ultimately the NBA is going to prevail in this case. I think an antitrust case in my opinion is going absolutely nowhere.

WHITFIELD: Richard, why would his attorneys take this route? HERMAN: Fred, he obviously watched our show last week because I advised him to talk to -- he ought to retain counsel to combat the incoming. He got a very prominent antitrust counsel in Los Angeles. What they're threatening to litigate is whether or not despite provisions of the franchise agreement, do the NBA owners and NBA have the right to ban an owner based on alleged racism.

Do they have the right to compel the sale of a property interest, and what they're going to argue in litigation, if they bring this litigation, is the NBA is acting arbitrary and capricious, inconsistent with other acts of owners and players in the past, that it is a conspiracy sounding antitrust, and that the NBA is not adhering to rules and regulations of the NBA, in particular Article 13D, because here Sterling was set up in an illegal surreptitious recording --

FRIEDMAN: It wasn't --

HERMAN: Who illegally recorded him, and then published it. He did not publish the comments.

WHITFIELD: I wonder, Richard, if you're talking about Article 13, talking about the unethical conduct and then he actually goes on national television, he admits that he made a mistake and that he is very apologetic, only to retract that later. He's already admitting now that he made a mistake and that he violated that code of conduct, didn't he?

FRIEDMAN: That's right.

HERMAN: No, what he said was in a private personal conversation he said things that he shouldn't have said, that he regrets saying. But Fred, listen, if you take it in the total context, it is a three to five year bloodbath, millions and millions of dollars spent in litigation. Isn't dialogue as my friends say, isn't dialogue better than monologue? Shouldn't the parties build a bridge rather than a wall? Couldn't they structure a resolution here?

FRIEDMAN: No.

HERMAN: Where the multi billionaire made substantial donation to minority charity?

FRIEDMAN: Time for the multi billionaire to go. He is effecting sponsors and fans and the reputation of the NBA, and he's effecting this nation. It is time for him to go.

HERMAN: The nation?

WHITFIELD: I think we have a sound bite. Mary? Let's listen to the sound bite, which is a reflection of what Donald Sterling said in the interview with Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD STERLING, OWNER, L.A. CLIPPERS: I think a little bit harsh, you know.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": What part of it.

STERLING: What are we supposed to do? They're in a storm and a stupid owner has created all of these problems. They have to show that they're not going to stand for that. The league won't stand for that. They won't stand for racism, I'm telling you, and I did it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRIEDMAN: There we go.

WHITFIELD: Richard, do you want to rethink any of your thoughts? After hearing it --

FRIEDMAN: Fredricka, wow! Wow!

WHITFIELD: He made a mistake, admitting racist comments. The NBA says this is what we are going to do.

HERMAN: Take it out of context, Fred, it was a private, personal conversation.

WHITFIELD: His words out of context?

HERMAN: Yes. We only heard snippets of an entire hour long conversation. The man was motivated -- it is taken out of context. She was setting him up to extort him.

FRIEDMAN: That's what this is about. It is a civil matter.

HERMAN: Actions do not demonstrate he is a racist. He gives millions of dollars to the NAACP. The woman is --

FRIEDMAN: No!

WHITFIELD: He comes out with an apology, the NBA won't stand for racism, well, gosh, then he's admitting that he did err, he made a mistake, made some racist comments and almost saying those comments were not taken out of context.

FRIEDMAN: Just say Fredricka is right.

HERMAN: He made the context under the guise of trying to go to bed with this woman who was setting him up. That's when he made the comments. It is taken out of context here. This man has not been demonstrated to be a racist. There's not one allegation that he was racist in the ownership of the Clippers. Not one single allegation -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: But then Avery, but the legal road is set. Donald Sterling makes this admission on national television, then says --

HERMAN: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: -- after advising his attorney that now he is going to take this other route, he is not even going to pay the fine, that he won't pay the fine, is that now a new I guess obstacle that the NBA has to tackle? Can they impose another fine or is there anything to punish him for failing to pay the punishment?

FRIEDMAN: Look, let's force the sale, liquidate it. Give the Sterling family the money. A lot of legal commentators say there's a contract. This is civil disobedience. The moral high ground is for players to do what they're threatening to do, boycott. One way to get rid of this guy.

WHITFIELD: That doesn't seem like it hurts Donald Sterling, that's hurting the players.

FRIEDMAN: Taking the moral ground by taking a position like that, good for them.

HERMAN: That response is beyond absurd, Avery.

FRIEDMAN: No, no.

HERMAN: This isn't civil disobedience. This is a man that demonstrated a history of charity to minorities. Why would you stifle that, stop that. The man will continue until his dying day, give millions of dollars to the NAACP and to minority charities in L.A. Why turn him off because of his commitment. There's an amicable resolution, a bridge that can be built here, Fred. That's what should happen.

WHITFIELD: And clearly underscores how complicated this is. It is just not cut and dry. And it seems like this legal fallout is going to go on.

HERMAN: Not cut and dry.

WHITFIELD: It doesn't appear to be. Nearly impossible situation. Avery, Richard, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

FRIEDMAN: Always fun!

WHITFIELD: Always fun! Every weekend. Always tune in to see these two. They're smart and always informative and always fun.

All right, the search for victims of the coal mine explosion in Turkey is over, but political fallout is growing. Many booing the prime minister.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The search for victims from an explosion in a mine in Soma, Turkey is now over, 301 people died, and all bodies have been recovered. The exact cause of the explosion is still being investigated. As political fallout around the tragedy continues, police clashed with protesters, many who are demanding Turkey's prime minister resign. Turkish media reports that eight people were arrested in the demonstrations which were banned. They booed the prime minister after comments about the tragedy earlier in the week. He was caught in this video telling a protester, quote, "What happens, what happened, it is from God. If you boo the country's prime minister, you get slapped," end quote. Working in a mine can be exceptionally dangerous and rescue missions are difficult. Ana Cabrera went to Colorado to see how they train for mining rescue missions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Battling darkness and smoke.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out there, get out there.

CABRERA: Tough to see, tough to breathe. Rescuers race into risky conditions working toward trapped miners.

ROWDY RANDALL, RESCUE TRAINING CAPTAIN: There's danger in what we do by all means. But we train for this.

CABRERA: This is mine rescue training inside the Edgar experimental mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado.

(on camera): In the case of a fire, how complicated is a rescue like that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very complicated.

CABRERA (voice-over): Bob Fereder has studied mine safety more than four decades. He says potentially deadly hazards, fires, gas pockets, water, weak walls can lie just beyond each patch of light.

(on camera): The team went ahead, put up poles because as they test the roof, they realize it wasn't stable. It ensures they stay safe as they move into the mines.

(voice-over): Crews work methodically, making sure not to leave any tunnel or cave unexplored. Even in a maze of tight spaces, they bring along crucial, but cumbersome equipment, a stretcher, blanket, and a special breathing apparatus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Provides us with oxygen about four hours.

CABRERA (on camera): Is it like scuba diving?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very similar.

CABRERA: Lack of oxygen perhaps the biggest danger. That's why crews constantly measure air flow and quality.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now showing me concentration of methane. Concentration of O2.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a man down.

CABRERA (voice-over): For emergency responders, it is a test of brawn and bravery, a race against time. Each passing hour makes finding survivors less likely. The best and perhaps last chance --

(on camera): Miners make it into a chamber like this, a small compartment can pack up to ten people, sealed off, can provide fresh air up to 100 hours.

(voice-over): Safety requirements in the United States mandate mines co come equipped with these chambers.

BOB FERRITER, COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES SAFETY SPECIALIST: It is not a place you would take vacation, but it will save your life.

CABRERA: There are reports that the Turkish mine had some safety chamber, but 14 were found dead inside, for them, there was no escape. Ana Cabrera, CNN, Idaho Springs, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Ana.

Track star, Lolo Jones now has two summer and winter Olympic Games under her belt. So what is her recipe for success? My face to face interview with her next.

And on this week's Anthony Bourdain "PARTS UNKNOWN," our host challenges some of own preconceptions during a visit to the Mississippi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, CNN HOST, "PARTS UNKNOWN": In the words of Donald Rumsfeld, we don't know what we don't know. What don't I know about Mississippi? Not much is good. One of the things I didn't know, how many interesting uniquely wonderful American stops are going on here. It is kind of a wonderland. Biggest challenge for me, struggling to say something remotely intelligent about a place I know very little about. Came out with all sorts of preconceptions. And finding myself liking it a whole hell of a lot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, fresh off the Winter Olympic experience as a bobsledder, Lolo jones says she feels energized and rejuvenated, so much so, she's setting her sights on the Rio Olympics in 2016. I caught up with her face to face, and asked what are three keys to her greatness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: If there were three things that were key ingredients to your greatness, what would they be?

LOLO JONES: That's a tough one. One of the great things was I never gave up when I had failures. Two, enjoy the process, and three, that -- what is the third one, adapt, adapt and change. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Lolo Jones is proud of her three Olympic experiences. More of my face to face interview with Jones at 2:45 Eastern today.