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U.S. Ready to Evacuate Embassy in Tripoli; California Chrome Arrives at Belmont Park; Sterling Seeks Three-Month Extension; Nigerian Mother Sees Daughter in Video

Aired May 20, 2014 - 10:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

Chaos and bloodshed in Libya's capital city -- the United States doubling the number of aircraft on standby in Italy just in case hundreds of Americans need to be rescued from the U.S. embassy in Tripoli. An evacuation order could come at any time as deadly fighting continues throughout the city.

Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill joins me now from Denver for some insight. Welcome, sir.

CHRISTOPHER HILL, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Why don't U.S. forces just get those embassy workers out now?

HILL: Well I think it depends on whether the ambassador wants to make that call. But certainly they're positioned to do so. It sounds like a very touch and go situation and it sounds like the fighting has been very heavy, very recently. So you wouldn't want to go in at the time that fighting is heaviest. But I'm sure they are prepared any minute now and my sense in looking at this is that this isn't going away any time soon.

COSTELLO: No. Because a lot of experts say Libya is on the brink of civil war. And most of the fighting is taking place in Tripoli and in eastern Benghazi and in light of what happened in Benghazi, are those embassy buildings fortified more than they were during those terrible events in Benghazi?

HILL: Well certainly the embassy in Tripoli is far better fortified than that office was in Benghazi. But I don't think this is so much a Benghazi-related issue at this point. I think any embassy in any part of the world facing this type of violence and lawlessness on the streets has to be prepared -- I think happened really anywhere in the world.

COSTELLO: Yes we're talking of course about their physical safety but those embassy workers have to be frustrated as well because you know after Gadhafi fell many people thought well maybe Libya would get it together but it certainly hasn't been able to do that. HILL: Well that's for sure. And I know there's a lot of discussion about whether this is sort of secularist versus Islamist. I'm sure there is an element of that but I suspect it's also a kind of regional element and a tribal element and all kinds of things thrown into this. And what is rather sad about the whole situation is that in the past two years there's been very little progress in terms of governance and if anything these militias which were brought into sort of government structures have really been on their own and so unless you can disarm and bring militias into sort of basic army formations, sooner or later you'll have a problem. And I think that's what's happened.

But I sure hope we have a good fix on who Mr. Hatar is because I have a suspicion that this gentleman would like to take over that country.

COSTELLO: Well we'll see. Christopher Hill -- Ambassador Christopher Hill, thank you so much for joining me this morning.

Checking some other "Top Stories" for you at 32 minutes past. The White House admits it first learned about the scandal that rocked the VA administration from CNN reporting.

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JIM ACOSTA, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: When was the President first made aware of these problems, these fraudulent lists that were being kept to hide await times. When was he first made aware of those problems and when did other White House officials -- top White House officials become aware of these problems?

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: When you say these problems, the fact that there have been -- you mean specific allegations that I think were reported first by your network out of Phoenix, I believe, we learned about them through the reports. I will double-check if that's not the case. But that's when we learned about them. And that's when as I understand Secretary Shinseki learned about them and immediately took the action that he has taken including instigating his own review, initiating his own review, but also requesting that the inspector general investigate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: CNN uncovered accusations that the VA hospital in Phoenix allegedly used fraudulent lists to conceal long wait times for patients. At least 40 veterans died while waiting for months to get in to see the doctor.

Another bizarre twist in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial; the judge delayed the trial until June 30th while the former Olympian undergoes a much long mental examination. Pistorius will be treated on an outpatient basis. He can go home each day and he has his weekends free.

Horse racing fans can breathe easier now that California Chrome will be able to wear those nostrils strips. The 3-year-old arrives at Belmont Park this hour for next month's Belmont Stake. But there was concern Chrome wouldn't show up at all for his shot at the Triple Crown because of those strips.

CNN's Richard Roth is in Belmont Park. Good morning.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

California Chrome will try to become the 12th horse to ever win the famed Triple Crown. But first he has to get here to Belmont. He's just a few minutes away. After he gets out of the van, which has been driving from Baltimore all morning, he'll be here at Barn 26 behind me. And of course members of the media are assembled to capture every nostril and every saddle and there are more than you can see here.

Look we've seen these horses come and then there's a lot of hype, a lot of hoopla and the hopes go up the odds go down before post time and then something always happens. But some feel that California Chrome has it this time. I don't think he beat a very strong field in the Preakness but there will be better horses who were in the Kentucky Derby and some more rested who are ready to challenge in the Belmont Stakes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I thought you were going to throw to an interview or something. I was excited there for a minute. Because I so love the owner of that horse.

ROTH: No I was just setting drama for next three weeks.

COSTELLO: I know, no I still love the owner of that horse. Have you seen him around the racetrack?

ROTH: No, I haven't. We're expecting the assistant trainer, Alan Sherman, son of Art Sherman the trainer to be here. He said the horse ate very well. Ate up his tub of food and hay and seemed in good spirits. Usually when people arrive in New York, they need to have eaten their hay.

But you now we've had many horses come here. One of them was Big Brown. And I still have this button that probably goes for 20 cents on eBay. You go Big Brown and was pulled up and never finished the race disappointing millions of racing supporters. We'll see what California Chrome, rugs to riches story, $8,000 purchase. The owners were be awarded for what they were doing but they are the ones right now who are sitting pretty and there's a helicopter overhead. I think the horse has been getting a police escort from the bridge from New Jersey. No that's true. The horse should be here very soon.

COSTELLO: Awesome. Richard Roth thanks so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Clippers owner now on the clock. Donald Sterling has a deadline to answer charges leveled by the NBA.

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COSTELLO: The court of public opinion may have already passed judgment on Donald Sterling now we know when the league owners will hear his case because the NBA has formally charged him and scheduled a June 3rd hearing for a vote on ousting Sterling for good. CNN's Jean Casarez got a-hold of some -- well some papers from the NBA, which are quite interesting. Tell us more, Jean.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know it's very interesting because more and more information is coming out and this is from the NBA.

And as we have been discussing this, they have been launching an investigation and now we suddenly have formal charges and as you said, May 27th is when Donald Sterling can submit a response in writing and then there is a hearing on June 3rd.

Now "Sports Illustrated" is reporting that his attorney wants a three- month extension or as we would say legally a continuance in all of this. We don't know what's going to happen on that part. But what they are saying as they initiate these formal charges is that Donald Sterling has really caused and engaged in conduct that has damaged and has contributed to damage to the NBA and to its owners and to its fans and to governmental and community associates.

But one thing I find interesting in key points supporting the charge, what they say, Carol, is that as part of the investigation continuing by the NBA, they have found that there was evidence that was destroyed in all of this. They don't say what evidence. They don't say who destroyed it. But we know the charges against Donald Sterling and then they also say that false and misleading statements were given to the NBA during the course of their investigation, which really makes this in the minds of many very much more serious.

COSTELLO: Interesting. You know the other thing that might be going against Donald Sterling -- I know that some of the owners were probably reluctant to remove Sterling because he was having that private conversation in his home.

CASAREZ: Yes.

COSTELLO: But then he gave that interview to Anderson Cooper and said things like this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD STERLING, LA CLIPPERS OWNER: The one problem I have is Jews when they get successful, they will help their people. And some of the African-Americans -- maybe I'll get in trouble again -- they don't want to help anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh Jean I think maybe he did get himself in trouble again because certainly the NBA owners would be taking those comments into account as well.

CASAREZ: No question. Just like in a court of law. You can use anything you want basically as evidence if you can get it admitted. And the rules are even more lenient here. Now on one hand he admits what the recordings said was him. So he's admitting that, right, not saying it's not me. He's also explaining the other side though. Because as an attorney, Carol I have to look at both sides. That's a part of my nature. And he tries to explain it. That he liked a girl. And he was jealous and that was the basis of his comments and not an intent to defame or prejudice against African-Americans.

But I think also that some of the comments he made were just sort of no basis in fact. And I think his side would want a psychological examination based on that interview.

COSTELLO: Look LeBron James the star of the entire NBA is threatening to boycott if he's not ousted. I think that speaks louder than anything. Those NBA owners have no choice now.

CASAREZ: Well I think the interview with Anderson Cooper definitely is evidence that the NBA will use in all of this. You know I was interviewing a "Sports Illustrated" writer last weekend, an attorney and I asked if that vote would really be confidential. He said it will be confidential. But I think the owners have to wonder if their vote is going to be leaked at all. Because remember nothing is private anymore, right?

COSTELLO: Well we certainly learned that. Jean Casarez, many thanks.

CASAREZ: Thanks Carol.

COSTELLO: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the kidnapping of nearly 300 Nigerian girls has grabbed the attention of the world. But is all that attention doing more harm than good? We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: Checking some top stories for you at 47 minutes past the hour. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is on the ballot in a primary race now under way in six states. He's expected to coast to his party's nomination. Republicans hope big wins today will set the stage for recapturing the senate later this year. To do that the GOP needs to flip six seats and further marginalize the Tea Party.

The FDA is linking more than 1,000 dog deaths and another 4,800 illnesses to see jerky treats. The agency hasn't pinpointed which brand of treats is killing dogs but notes in most illness have been linked to chicken jerky treats Tender and Strips which have been imported from China.

In Thailand, the army has declared martial law. They say it's designed to bring peace and stability to the country but government aides are calling the surprise military action a quote, "half a coup". Since 1932There have been at least 18 actual and attempted military takeovers in Thailand.

For the first time since her daughter was kidnapped by Boko Haram, a Nigerian he mother sees the video released online by that terror group showing her daughter and other abducted girls on video. She sat with CNN's Vladimir Duthiers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the first time you're seeing this video, yes? Do you see your daughter here? That's her. You think this is your daughter. This is your daughter Wow.

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COSTELLO: The Nigerian government has said in the past they showed this video to all of the families. We're not naming the woman or her daughter for safety reasons.

Images of those kidnapped school girls and of the group responsible have been on television around the globe for weeks now. But one journalist wants to stop it. Nigerian author Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani says publicizing this group is turning them into quote, "superstar monsters". She writes in a CNN op-ed, the media must stop fueling their inner psychopaths. If they won't travel to Hollywood and patiently wait tables until they get noticed by Quentin Tarantino, we must not offer them stardom on a platter.

She joins us now along with CNN's Vladimir Duthiers. Good morning to both of you.

ADAOBI TRICIA NWAUBANI, AUTHOR: Good morning.

DUTHIERS: Hi.

COSTELLO: Vladimir I want to start with you. Tell us more about the mother you interviewed who pointed out her daughter in that video.

DUTHIERS: Yes, Carol, you know, often as journalists we strive to remain objective and sort of removed from the stories that we cover. But this is one of those interviews that as I sat down with this mother, it was very hard to not have a visceral emotional reaction to the pain and suffering that I saw in her eyes. In addition to that pain and suffering, there was absolute terror which was why we had to conceal her identity.

She lives in fear that Boko Haram could strike at any moment in her village or possibly harm her daughter who she saw for the very first time in that video. It was a real tough interview. But I can also say Carol that she was resolute in the belief that her daughter would come home and go back to school eventually -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I certainly hope so. Adaobi Tricia, you're not opposed to showing the girls on television but you are adamantly opposed to showing the terrorists on television. Tell us why.

NWAUBANI: Well, we have been inundated with those videos of Abu Shekau, the group leader. We've been watching his videos for the past four weeks. I think it's (inaudible). It's instilling fear in people and it's probably making him feel more important than he ought to feel at this time. I don't think it's the right thing. It's an attack on us almost.

Like the fear. It's permeating the environment with fear like I mentioned in my article, my friend's child burst out in tears while watching him and another friend of mine, a mother of three sons, is also concerned about the effect of these videos on her sons. So I think it's polluting the atmosphere -- psychological pollution for Nigerians.

COSTELLO: And Vladimir, you'll be able to answer this part of the question or a question that I have. This terror group has been creating acts of terror for quite a long time. Do they usually release videos or is this something new for them?

DUTHIERS: You know, Carol, the governor of Borno say where many of these atrocities took place told me that terrorists bask in the oxygen of publicity. And they haven't been as busy in releasing tapes as they have since April 14th, since the abduction of these girls. But clearly the families themselves that we've spoken to say that for so long since 2009, Boko Haram has been terrorizing their communities and for the first time in a long time the international community is finally taking a look at what's going on in Nigeria and they're shocked to see thousands of people have died over the last couple years and many, many other girls have been abducted.

So on one hand, whilst I agree with Tricia, I think for the families, they think that it's a good thing that the world is seeing what they have to live under -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And Adaobi Tricia, is there any value in exposing these people's faces to show the world who they are? Is that important?

NWAUBANI: You can expose their faces in five seconds, in ten seconds, in a minute but not to show lengthy videos, not to air all his threats as lengthy as they are, as absurd as they are. I appreciate the coverage the girls are getting on the kidnapping on the Boko Haram situation but I'm against the leader of the group being pushed on television and shown every time his voice -- we all recognize his voice.

We know his diction. We understand he's thinking. We've been bombarded with these threats for so long. I think it's time that media began to curb the exposure they're giving. I understand the girls' photos being shown. Some of us were upset when we didn't see any photos of the girls until, as I mentioned in my article, we had these photos of the girls just a few weeks ago.

But prior to that we heard the rantings of Abu Shekau. And I think that is where the media is going overboard. Tell us what's happening in Chibok. Tell us the attempts the government is making but don't keep bombarding us with the rantings of this villain.

COSTELLO: And Vladimir last question to you, where is the investigation? Are they making any progress at all?

DUTHIERS: You know, I was shocked, Carol, in that interview when this mother told me that nobody from the police, nobody from the military, nobody from the government had ever come to talk to her and she had never seen this tape. It was just mind-blowing.

The Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan said that there are 20,000 military soldiers in northeastern Nigeria dedicated to trying to rescue these girls, trying to bring these girls home. But many of the families that we have spoken to including this mother say that they haven't seen any kind of a police or military presence in their village at all.

So while we may not be privy to some of the military actions that are happening on the ground, certainly the families in these villages say for them nothing has changed -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Vladimir Duthiers, Adoubi Tricia Nwaubani, thanks for both of you. I certainly appreciate it.

You can read Adaobi Tricia's op-ed at CNN.com/opinion. It's a good one.

Still ahead in the NEWSROOM, a massive storm cell caught on camera in the fields of Wyoming. Chad Myers will parse this out for us next.

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COSTELLO: I have to leave you with some incredible video: storm chasers caught these images in Wyoming. They created a time lapse of a massive storm forming on Sunday near the border with South Dakota. Check that out. This giant cell did not turn into a tornado but it did produce hail.

Chad, I can't believe it didn't turn into a tornado. It looks so ominous.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Too dry out there.

COSTELLO: Really?

MYERS: It's a low precipitation LP super cell. It looks like an alien spacecraft that's landing because you see it rotating around and around in time lapse. It doesn't really that quickly. But the super cells out there will produce hail before they produce a tornado and they don't really produce much rain because the rain evaporates on the way down.

The hail doesn't evaporate on the way down, the hail makes it all of the way to the ground because it's a piece of ice right so it's not going to evaporate.

COSTELLO: I'm just amazed that they were able to capture this image. I mean you have to be -- I'm sure they know what they're doing to go to the right place at the right time with the right conditions.

MYERS: Please don't try this from Oklahoma City eastward -- OK -- because it's not flat enough there. You're not going to see this in Arkansas. You're not going to see this in Missouri because it's too many hills and too many trees. But out west, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, you can get pictures like this. It really honestly looks like something is invading -- a tornado will suck up the entire world.

COSTELLO: I think I would still run from this.

MYERS: Run away.

COSTELLO: Run away -- right. Is it violent hail it produces or is it just your average --

MYERS: Baseballs that knocked out windows.

COSTELLO: Really.

MYERS: Really -- yes.

COSTELLO: OK. I believe that.

MYERS: Stay away.

COSTELLO: That's incredible, like it's behind us now. Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.

"@ THIS HOUR" with Berman and Michaela starts now.