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Eight Israeli Soldiers Killed In Rafah; VP Harris, World Leaders Attend Ukraine Peace Summit; Russia Has Fleet Of Warships Docked In Havana, Cuba, Just 90 Miles From Florida Coast; Biden And Trump Hit Campaign Trail To Raise Money And Support; DACA Policy Under Legal Threat After 12 Years; MLB To Honor Willie Mays And The Negro Leagues; World's Best Battle It Out for Golf's Third Major Title. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired June 15, 2024 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:06]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right. Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

And we are learning this breaking news. More details this hour after eight Israeli soldiers were killed in Rafah, Gaza a short time ago. The IDF revealed that soldiers' armored vehicle was hit by a side bomb while they were targeting terrorist infrastructure in a neighborhood in northwest Rafah.

It's a stunning incident for Israel and one of the deadliest days for the IDF since October 7th. A short time ago, people gathered for a moment of silence to pay their respects for the eight lives lost.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is joining us now live from Haifa, Israel.

Oren, what are you learning?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, as you point out, this is one of the single deadliest incidents we've seen against Israeli soldiers in Gaza since the beginning of the war. A total of eight soldiers were killed. One of those has been identified to this point, a captain who was with those eight soldiers who are part of a combat engineering brigade.

The IDF says this is still under investigation, but according to what they know now, there was an explosion from what they call a side bomb near their armored personnel carriers. So an armored vehicle. Now they don't explain what a side bomb is, whether it was something affixed to the vehicle itself or a strike at the armored personnel carrier that came from the side.

Regardless, the IDF says there were materials carried by that combat engineering unit as they were moving early in the morning at about 5:15 this morning. And that may have also exploded, perhaps triggered itself by the side bomb. That in and of itself is a problem because those explosive materials carried by the combat engineering unit are not supposed to explode. So all this is under investigation to figure out exactly what happened here, to try to, first, make sure this never happens again, but also get a better clarity on how it happened.

The IDF says the explosion was so large that it became very difficult to identify and locate the soldiers. Meanwhile, the Al-Qassam Brigades, that is Hamas' military wing, say they laid a complex trap for the IDF unit there in northwest Rafah. They say first they targeted a military bulldozer and then when the rescue unit came in in an armored personnel carrier, that's when they attacked the armored personnel carrier. Again, for the IDF, this is still under investigation.

Meanwhile, as you point out not only one of the single deadliest incidence of the war, but it's also one week since the rescue effort in which four Israeli hostages were rescued. So all of that is kind of mixing together here. And Daniel Hagari, the rear admiral who is the spokesperson for the IDF, pointed out first of course lamenting the loss of lives, but also saying in terms of the rescue effort, unfortunately, not everyone can be rescued like that again, perhaps not anyone can be rescued like that again.

And meanwhile, once again, we see anti-government protests in Tel Aviv, in Jerusalem, and in other places. So that is the status as we look around here on a Saturday night.

WHITFIELD: All right. Oren Liebermann, thank you so much. We'll check back with you.

Let's talk further with CNN global affairs analyst Mark Esper. He was the defense secretary under former President Trump.

Secretary Esper, good to see you. So let's begin with this incident now being described in Rafah. You heard our Oren Liebermann reporting on what's been described as a sizable explosion that perhaps this is part of a complex trap. A side bomb that may have triggered an explosion of these -- you know, the engineering tools of one of the armored vehicles.

How do you assess this right now?

MARK ESPER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yes. Good afternoon, Fredricka. Obviously it's a tragic incident that happened, but it looks to have been a complex ambush by Hamas. First, luring in the bulldozer and armored bulldozer and its crew, destroying it, and then waiting to ambush again, an armored personnel carrier with IDF soldiers who came to rescue them, and then they ambushed them as well.

So clearly more details to follow, but this is the nature of urban combat, where you're fighting, you know, 360 degrees and above and below you in Gaza where you have enemy coming out of the tunnels beneath them. So there'll be much to learn in the coming days about what happened. And I'm sure the IDF would be taking actions to make sure it doesn't happen again, because as we know they could do to conduct operations in central and northern Gaza, and the ongoing operations in Rafah remains. So this -- and this war isn't ending anytime soon.

WHITFIELD: And what does this tell you about this conflict? I mean, now seven months after October 7th, this is the deadliest day for the IDF since October 7th. Eight Israeli soldiers killed.

ESPER: Well, in warfare, each side continues to adapt to one another as innovations on the battlefield tactically are developed and employed. We had thought some time ago that maybe Hamas had moved, shifted away from a fixed formation, battalions, companies, and platoons, and were transitioning more to an insurgency, where they were conducting hit and run raids with one, two, three, four men or so.

[15:05:14]

Maybe this is part of that, maybe it's not, but this may be another turning point in the conflict in terms of the tactics on the ground. It doesn't necessarily affect the operational piece of it, that is the IDF wants to continue to go through Rafah, trying and find not only hostages, but Hamas leadership, knock out the remaining battalions and the underground infrastructure. That will continue until the key tasks are accomplished.

But on the tactics that happens, you know, block by block, building by building they will continue to adapt and develop.

WHITFIELD: And this has come now just two weeks after the Biden administration detailed a potential ceasefire agreement. In your view, you know, does this undermine any hope there may have been that there could be an agreed upon ceasefire?

ESPER: No, I don't think so. I think if anything that brings together the Israeli people. You saw from Oren's solid reporting that people had gathered to mourn the loss of the soldiers. I think it brings them together. Look, I'm frankly not confident, I don't believe that Hamas wants to cut a deal because -- or that a deal is possible between them and Israel because the two key things that they want are in contravention of one another.

Hamas wants Israel completely out of Gaza, and they want the war to end. They want a permanent end to the war. And Israel doesn't want either of those because they want to continue the conflict. They want to get rid of Hamas and they want to make sure Hamas never comes back to govern, to rule Gaza once again. And those two key aims are in conflict with one another.

And, you know, Hamas is never going to give up the most important leverage it has, which are the hostages, which interestingly, and we've talked about this before I think, nobody knows how many of those hostages are still alive. Could be 75 we think is the best number, but could be far fewer. And I hate to say that, but, you know, Hamas is playing their hand pretty aggressively when it comes to these negotiations. But I don't see them at the end the day willing to agree to a deal.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right, let's turn to Switzerland now, where more than 100 countries and organizations are meeting for Ukrainian peace summit. Notably absent Russia and China. In a short time ago Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that any peace proposal agreed to by the attendees would be submitted to Russia. But realistically, is a peace deal achievable if Russia is not involved in these talks in your view?

ESPER: No, I don't think so. And also because Russia right now arguably has the upper hand in the conflict. They've had momentum the last several months. It's probably stalled the last 30 days or so as new American weapons and ammunition have arrived on the battlefield but I don't see Putin coming to the table until he sees -- until he's losing leverage and Zelenskyy gains the upper hand.

And of course strategically we believe that Putin is waiting to see what happens in the U.S. election in November. The view is if Donald Trump wins, Putin will be in a better situation vis-a-vis the conflict. Now, I say all that, but it's important to note also that this peace conference in Switzerland began with a great gust of wind to its back. And that was coming out of the G7 Summit where the G7 leaders took an aggressive stance, a more aggressive stance against Russia with regard to committing to provide military and economic funding for the next 10 years.

And by the same token took a more aggressive stance with regard to China, criticizing them in multiple accounts with regard to their supply of dual use items to the conflict. And then also took them to task with regard to economic matters that affect the G7. So very interesting confluence events from the G7 moving into this peace conference.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And then even in Switzerland, in that moment we just saw, you know, the handshake with Zelenskyy and Vice President Kamala Harris, and she also announced a $1.2 billion boost in aid for Ukraine's humanitarian and energy needs.

ESPER: Right.

WHITFIELD: How influential do you believe that's going to be and helpful to Ukraine will it be?

ESPER: It's all very helpful. Anything helps at this point. It is signaling support to Ukraine and to President Zelenskyy from the West, from the United States, European allies, and by the way, our partners in the Indo-Pacific as well. All these things matter. They send the right messages to the Ukrainians. They send the right messages to Moscow as well.

And then in a few weeks, Fredricka, we'll have the Washington summit, which is a gathering of all NATO allies. It will happen in D.C. And that is where you'll see more support expressed for Ukraine. You'll see security guarantees revealed and talk about what that will mean for Zelenskyy in the coming years.

[15:10:00]

And again, more messaging against Putin that the democracies of the West are going to stand up to Russian aggression. So this is going to be a busy period from here going into the Washington summit in a few weeks.

WHITFIELD: All right. Former Secretary Mark Esper, thank you so much. ESPER: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, right now, Russia has a fleet of warships docked in Havana, Cuba, just 90 miles from the Florida coast. The U.S., in a similar show of force, revealing that the USS Helena, a fast-attack nuclear submarine, is now in Guantanamo Bay. And we've now gotten an exclusive first-hand look at the Russian forces in Cuba.

Here now as CNN's Patrick Oppmann.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Several hundred Cubans wait in the broiling sun to tour a Russian warship. Russian diplomats told me the public would be allowed to visit the Admiral Gorshkov, one of the most modern warships in President Vladimir Putin's navy, capable of firing hypersonic missiles that travel at more than 6,000 miles per hour.

It's the first of three days the ship will receive visitors. A rare opportunity for people here to see up close a frigate belonging to Cuba's Cold War-era comrades.

We're going to get in line and see if we're able to get aboard.

(Voice-over): After nearly three hours waiting, having my Cuban resident I.D. card run through a database by police and passing through metal detectors, we are told to board the Gorshkov. Just next to us is the nuclear nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, the first of its kind to come to port here.

The visit of the four Russian ships, the largest Russian convoy in Cuba in years, is not a threat to the U.S., both Russian and Cuban officials say. But the U.S. is closely tracking these ships and their movements. A sign in English by the gang plank to the Gorshkov says the ship's, quote, "main purpose is combat operations against enemy surface ships and submarines," although none of the vessels were currently carrying nuclear weapons, the Cuban Armed Forces Ministry said.

Hello, I say in rudimentary Russian to the sailors aboard the Gorshkov. We are only allowed on the main deck and Russian sailors watch our every move. A deck above us were sophisticated communications equipment is visible. A soldier armed with an assault rifle keeps guard.

Cuba, good?

(Voice-over): These sailors could be fighting in the war in Ukraine and seemed to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Caribbean. Sailors show me anti-rocket defense systems and a cannon they say can fire 23 kilometers, nearly 15 miles. After only the briefest of tours, we're told it's time for us to disembark.

We say our goodbyes to our Russian hosts. As we leave, this Russian sailor count us one by one to make sure no one stays behind to learn the secrets of a Russian warship stationed just 90 miles from the U.S. coast.

Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead this hour sweltering heat is setting in across much of the country. Which cities will be hardest hit and when you could feel some relief. Plus a mid-air scare, a Southwest jet plunging to just 400 feet above the ocean. What investigators are saying about the incident.

And a royal return. An inside look at the royal celebration that brought Princess Catherine back into the public eye for the first time since her cancer diagnosis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:18:16]

WHITFIELD: All right. A day of festivities around Buckingham Palace in London as onlookers gathered to celebrate King Charles' 75th birthday. Many hoping to see Princess Catherine, who has been out of public eye since announcing her cancer diagnosis back in March.

Here's how the ceremony unfolded.

(VIDEO CLIP)

[15:20:05]

WHITFIELD: All right. Pretty gorgeous. Some 1400 soldiers, 200 horses, incredible festivities and a great view of the monarchy.

All right in this country, trapped upside down for half an hour. Rescue crews bring more than two dozen amusement park riders down from a malfunctioning ride. The harrowing video, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A pretty wild ride in the skies after a Southwest Airlines flight came within 400 feet of crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

[15:25:02]

This happened in Hawaii back in April during an island hop between Honolulu and Kawai. Flight tracking data shows the Boeing 737 MAX 8 plummeted while only a few hundred feet above sea level before rapidly climbing. The flight then returned to Honolulu. And in a brief statement to CNN Southwest acknowledged the incident but did not say why it happened. The FAA is investigating.

And right now, it's not officially summer but temperatures in some parts of the south are headed into the triple digits. So it sure feels like a very hot summer. Meteorologist Elisa Raffa is in the CNN Weather Center.

It's bad and it's going to get worse?

ELISA RAFFA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. It is hot out there and we're only mid-June?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

RAFFA: So we still have a ways to go to really get a lot of this extreme heat and it's starting off pretty early. We've got a heat dome, that area of high pressure that's going to set up across the Southern and Central Plains this weekend, but it moves it to the Midwest and the northeast as we go into the workweek.

Now we're looking at more than 360 daily records falling. Those are both daytime highs and overnight lows because we get no relief at night with temperatures sitting up near 80 degrees for a lot of places, again, up in the Great Lakes and then going into the northeast. So just incredible.

The heat risk is on the extreme side. This is a map that goes to show where we need to be the most worried about heat sickness, where we really need to watch out for those signs and symptoms. And you can see that they're extreme heightened levels from the Midwest up into the Great Lakes there, across Chicago. And then by Wednesday it's up in Ohio and upstate New York, really watching out for some of these signs and symptoms especially in children, elderly, and pets.

Temperatures swelter in Atlanta, looking at some middle 90s through the weekend. Temperature is getting to the upper 90s in St. Louis, 98 degrees is your forecast for Sunday. Chicago, 98 degrees on Monday, not quite a place that you think about getting extreme triple-digit heat, but we're getting close to it by Sunday and Monday of this week, even lingering into Tuesday. Average for Chicago this time of year is 81 degrees.

So the overnight low temperatures will be closer to that daytime average than the daytime temperatures with these overnight lows sitting up near 80 degrees. So, again, getting no relief at night. And a place like Chicago given, really think of it for extreme heat. But their summer is warming since 1970, June, July, August has a 1.5 degree fever. And what that means is that we find more warm above average days in the summer season. Eight of them, eight more days above average in summer in Chicago.

And again, we find these trends at night that these temperatures continue to get even warmer at night. And that's even worse for heat sickness because you don't get any opportunity to cool off.

WHITFIELD: So far this heat inescapable.

RAFFA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elisa Raffa, thank you so much.

All right. Still to come, why Steve Bannon is saying November 5th is going to be judgment day? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:32:42]

WHITFIELD: All right. We're less than two weeks away from the first presidential debate, which will be hosted right here on CNN. And today both candidates are hitting the campaign trail ahead of the big event. Later today, President Biden will hold a fundraiser in Los Angeles with a group of big named Hollywood stars and former president Barack Obama. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is in the battleground state of Michigan, where he will attend a roundtable and speak at a conservative conference with the number of potential vice presidential candidates.

We've got team coverage of today's campaigning. CNN's Eva McKend is covering the Trump events in Detroit. But let's get started with Arlette Saenz in Los Angeles where President Biden will attend a star- studded fundraiser later on today.

Arlette, even before the fundraiser starts, the Biden campaign has already raised a whole lot of money, right?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. Biden campaign officials say that this will be a record setter for Democratic fundraisers. Heading into tonight, President Biden has already raised $28 million with the potential for that number to even grow more as they continue to count a lot of the money coming in.

Now, President Biden this evening will be on stage with former president Barack Obama, Jimmy Kimmel, the late-night host will be moderating a conversation between the two men, but he is also getting some help from some celebrity friends. George Clooney and Julia Roberts are among the A-list celebrities who will headline this event. You will also see others like Jason Bateman, Cheryl Lee Ralph, and Jack Black also participating in the evening's program.

It comes as the campaign is really trying to tap into a lot of that celebrity star power as they are looking to engage with voters. Now, this event was actually modeled after that New York City fundraiser that Biden did with Obama and also Bill Clinton back in March. That fundraiser raised $26 million in that one night. Today's event is eclipsing that. They sold tickets ranging from $250 to $500,000 to attend in person.

They've also run some small-donor contests for people to come here to Los Angeles to meet Obama, Biden, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts as well. There's also an opportunity for people to tune in from home virtually if they donate $20.

Now this all comes as Biden is trying to really boost his campaign war chest and maintain the cash advantage that he has had over former president Donald Trump throughout this race.

[15:35:04]

But it comes at a time when Trump has actually been making significant gains in his fundraising since he became the -- or secured his party's nomination for president. Now Biden entered the month of May with about $192 million cash on hand. The campaign has yet to say how much they raised within that month of May. Compare that to Trump, they said that they've raised $141 million in the month of May, but haven't revealed that cash-on-hand figure so just yet.

Cash-on-hand of course is important because it's the way that this campaign can continue to hire organizers, run TV ads, and open offices. So the Biden campaign is hoping that a big event like this will continue to draw in more donors as they are preparing for a very expensive race heading into November.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz in Los Angeles, thanks so much.

Let's go to Detroit now, where we find our Eva McKend following Donald Trump's campaign event.

So, Eva, walk us through what the former president will be doing today in the Motor City.

EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, in addition to holding a roundtable at a church here in Detroit, he will be addressing thousands here at the Turning Point Action convention. They're calling it the People's Convention.

Turning Point, an important strategic ally for the former president, I can tell you from speaking to people here that these are among his most passionate and loyal supporters. Several conservatives have already addressed this crowd, including Congressman Matt Gaetz, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Dr. Ben Carson, who we know is on the vice presidential shortlist for Trump, was in conversation with Charlie Kirk, who was the controversial founder of this organization.

But perhaps the most notable address so far was this inflammatory speech from Steve Bannon. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST: November 5th is judgment day. January 20th, 2025 is accountability day. Trust me, on the afternoon of the 20th, we're also going to start the pick and shovel work to take apart the administrative state and to take on its rogue element, the Praetorian Guard, the deep state, we're going to run them all out of town.

Are you prepared to fight? Are you prepared to give it all? Are you prepared to leave it all on the battlefield?

Ladies and gentlemen, it's very simple. Victory or death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: So you heard there from Bannon, Fred, victory or death. I asked a woman about that, and she joked while she does not want to die, she does want to win.

Listen, in the weeks ahead, it's going to be a real test of the organizing strength of this organization Turning Point. That's because they're investing upwards of $100 million in a robust get-out-the-vote effort to inspire conservatives to support Trump here in Michigan and in other pivotal battleground states -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Eva McKend, thank you so much there in Detroit.

Meantime, in just 12 days, just steps from where I am right here in the CNN Atlanta studios, CNN will host President Biden and former President Trump for the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle. And you'll be able to watch the debate right here on CNN, June 27th, or stream it on Max.

All right. More than half a million people brought to the United States as children are avoiding deportation because of DACA. And today marks 12 years that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has been in effect. But the Obama-era policy faces legal threats that could bring it to an abrupt end.

CNN's Camila Bernal spoke to one woman whose entire life could be turned upside down if DACA ends.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Time in the United States has an expiration dates for Areli Hernandez.

ARELI HERNANDEZ, DACA RECIPIENT: Our DACA card has two-year renewal from the date that it's issued. Two years later, the expiration date, and I literally have to live based on that expiration date.

BERNAL: She crossed the border illegally as a child, not knowing the repercussions. Today she relies on DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama era program that protects more than half a million people who entered the country as children from deportation. But after legal challenges, the courts have ruled it unlawful.

JEAN REISZ, CO-DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IMMIGRATION CLINIC: I think we are getting to that point where that gradual exploration, non-renewal kind of ending of DACA is as close as it's going to be.

BERNAL: Those challenging the program have long argued it's an overreach by the executive branch.

KEN PAXTON (R), TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: DACA sets a dangerous precedent by giving the executive branch sweeping authority to ignore the laws enacted by Congress.

BERNAL: And while the courts agreed an injunction allows Hernandez and others already enrolled to renew and continue having protections. But a future is uncertain according to USC professor Jean Reisz.

[15:40:07]

REISZ: The next thing is for the court to either order oral argument or make a decision. BERNAL: Today marks DACA's 12th anniversary, and beneficiaries are in

limbo, waiting for that appellate court decision while also knowing that time may be running out.

REISZ: I think it's going to come down to is who is going to be the president in January, because Biden is appealing these rulings. If Biden is not the president, and for example, it's President Trump and he's already tried to end DACA, he could just not appeal the rulings anymore. We have an order that DACA is unlawful and it will terminate.

HERNANDEZ: My whole family is here. My life is here. I don't have anything in Mexico.

BERNAL: DACA has allowed Hernandez to build a life in California, go to college, get her masters, and work.

HERNANDEZ: I'm still part of this community. I'm still part of this nation.

BERNAL: Over the years, there have been bipartisan efforts in Congress to find a solution but polarization has left both sides further and further apart.

HERNANDEZ: It's like we're walking blindly because we don't know what the future holds.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: I want to bring in now Camila Bernal live for us in Los Angeles.

Camila, I mean, a pro-DACA rally celebrating the 12th anniversary just wrapped up. What are people thinking and feeling?

BERNAL: Hey, Fred. Yes, so they say this is part of a national league of action. So what they're wanting to do is call on President Biden to support their cause and to essentially help these Dreamers not lose their status. And that's why you had so many people out here today including Areli Hernandez who we spoke to, and she said that, you know, she cannot vote, but she still thinks that advocacy is extremely important.

She wants other people to support her cause and the cause of so many other Dreamers all over the country. So they're really just looking to get that support from members of the community and of course from the president -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Camila Bernal, in Los Angeles. Thanks so much.

All right. Major League Baseball is about to honor one of the biggest names in baseball history. We'll discuss with former MLB All Star Harold Reynolds after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:46:54] WHITFIELD: Long overdue recognition, on Thursday Major League Baseball will honor Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues during a regular season game. Mays' former team, the San Francisco Giants, will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals, and the game is at Rickwood Field in Birmingham Alabama. And that's where Mays started his professional career back in 1948, playing for the Birmingham Black Barons.

That stadium is the oldest professional ballpark in the country, and site of the final Negro Leagues World Series game. And in a statement Mays said, quote, "To learn that my Giants and the Cardinals will play a game there in honor of the legacy of the Negro Leagues and all those who came before them is really emotional for me. We can't forget what got us here. And that was the Negro Leagues for so many of us," end quote.

Joining me right now is former MLB All Star and sports analysts Harold Reynolds of the Seattle Mariners, forever, right?

Harold, good to see you.

HAROLD REYNOLDS, FORMER MLB ALL STAR: Yes, great to see you, too. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

WHITFIELD: Well, wonderful. This is a great honor. So how are you feeling about this celebration and the MLB honoring Willie Mays and a black American baseball player greats?

REYNOLDS: It's incredible. You know, to do it at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, I've been there a couple of times now and it reminds me of the first time I went to old Yankee Stadium. You think about, wow, Babe Ruth hit home runs here. Mickey Mantle hit a ball there. In Rickwood Field, there's been over 130 Hall of Famers that either coached or played in that ballpark. So you just feel that presence.

And then we went to Willie's old neighborhood. I travelled around with his son, Michael. It was really, really special. And I think Major League Baseball is going to do an amazing job honoring Willie and all the Negro Leaguers that came with him to the big leagues.

WHITFIELD: Oh, nice. It is so beautiful to see these pictures. I mean, it really is like walking back in time. And I mean, and now in this present day form, I mean, what do you want people, sports fans to know and to think and feel, especially about Rickwood Field?

REYNOLDS: Well, it's funny you used the word go back in time, that phrase, and that's what you feel like. I felt like I was in the 1950s. Now, we've renovated the ballpark with Major League Baseball. But you still have the existing fence in the back. It was 485 feet hit a homerun in that ballpark. You know, so what I want people to see is, one, you're going to honor these men we're looking at on the screen and understanding the excellence and what they went through.

But also black Americans were huge baseball fans and that seems to be lost in the conversation. And Birmingham is 75 percent black, great place to go back to. I think you're going to get a whole different feel for Birmingham and the south and Alabama to be invaded and really be honored to bring this game there. So I would love to see that and let people understand that black people are big baseball fans as well. And the history is rich.

[15:50:05]

And just real quick, I'll let it get back to you, but, you know, Major League Baseball came up and recognized the records in about a month ago and put it into the regular archives. And I've been asked about it a lot and what I'm explaining to people is Jackie Robinson won the MVP in 1949. And from 1949 to 1959 eight of the next 10 MVPs were all former Negro League players, Roy Campanella, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, you go on and on and on.

That just shows the talent that was coming out of those leagues. And so it's really been a great story that's kind of been unearthed and for a guy who had them paved the way for me to play in the big leagues, it's just tremendous tribute and honor to be able to go back and honor these men.

WHITFIELD: And with a collection of those statistics --

REYNOLDS: And women. Because there were some women playing in the Negro League as well.

WHITFIELD: Yes, and women. That's right. Serious hard hitters. You know, among those statistics, you know, being added there and recognized, Josh Gibson, you know, the all-time career batting average leader now surpassing Ty Cobb. I mean, so the litany is long and you know, I wonder what you think about -- I mean, not only is this acknowledgment hugely important, but how inspiring it is for the next generation of ballplayers, too? What do you want them to, you know, appreciate and understand and grasp about this?

REYNOLDS: Well, I think the times that we're in being able to have information at your fingertip or on your phone, kids today are able to go to MLB or go to -- they play MLB, the show, they play video games now, right? So Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro League Museum, is part of that game. And so they're bringing Negro League players to those games. And number third on that list that you're talking about, that Josh Gibson is now number one, has got a name Oscar Charleston.

And when Willie Mays was coming up, they said, man, he's got a chance to be the next Oscar Charleston. He also -- that's the talent. And those stories are being unearthed and they're being told and it's being told in all the forms that we have today, whether it's Twitter, Instagram, video games, as I talked about. So you're hearing about a whole different group of people that a lot of kids have not heard about. It's been pretty cool.

WHITFIELD: Finally, so fabulous.

REYNOLDS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Harold Reynolds, great pleasure. Thank you so much.

REYNOLDS: No, it's awesome. I love watching you. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate it. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks.

REYNOLDS: And thanks for all that you do. Watch you every week.

WHITFIELD: Oh, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

REYNOLDS: You're welcome. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:57:13]

WHITFIELD: All right. Talk about one crazy ride. People thought this was going to be funny at first, but then the fun got cut short when about 30 people in Portland, Oregon, got stuck upside down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the red, upside down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I still feel blood on my head like, still like almost coming down for the rest of my body.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 360, we better go upside down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It stopped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it's hanging there for like a little bit, and I'm like, why is it hanging here so long?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like you immediately go into fight or flight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where I'm going I like this is the most terrifying way of life to die, I feel like.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had like talking like, (INAUDIBLE), I'm like I can't feel my legs, like I'm OK but I can't feel anything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I freaked out, yes, she talked me through.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When she freaked out, I talked to her through it. So we were both going back and forth with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That ride is called Atmosphere, and it was quite fearful. It got stuck on opening day at OCS Amusement Park. Fire officials say they were, you know, ready to start rescuing the riders using ropes before the ride actually was lowered back down to the ground. One person was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Officials at the park closed the ride and they're working with the manufacturer to figure out what in the world happened there.

All right. Saturday is what is called moving day at the U.S. Open. The world's best golfers are battling some high temperatures and a brutally tough Pinehurst course as they arrive for this year's third major title. And one man had to have a miracle shot just to keep his tournament chances alive.

CNN's Patrick Snell is there in North Carolina for us. Lots of excitement. Tell us more about what's happening.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fred. Yes, so much of the focus at this tournament is only young Swedish player by the name of Ludvig Aberg, 24-year-old who took a one-shot lead into his third round today. He teed off just a few minutes ago. What an impact he's already made on the world of golf. He's already been part of a successful European Ryder Cup team. He's won on the USPGA Tour. He's also won on the European Tour.

A whirlwind last few months for him, no question. And I asked him after his second round to describe the last year and he told me it was just a whirlwind pinch-me kind of moment that he had to pinch himself in disbelief every time he takes to the course. It's been that meteoric. What a talent he is.

I want to home in on a fabulous shot from the Italian player Francesco Molinari. This was late Friday, Fred. He needed to hole-in-one the 18th, his 18th. He was actually number nine. What is he going to do? He holes in one to make the cut for the weekend and that's the first time in the tournament's 124-year history that has been done. A hole in one and what a moment for him. The 36th hole, the final attempt to make the cut. And he is successful for the first time in tournament history.