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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Trump: Maybe We're Better Off Not Making A Deal With Iran; Sources: Spirit Airlines Preparing To Shut Down In Hours; Cameras Capture Suspect Before WH Correspondents' Dinner. Aired 01-02a ET

Aired May 02, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Way to go, ladies. Thanks for watching the first hour of "The Story Is" as the next hour starts right now.

The story is the Iran war. A new poll shows 61 percent of Americans think the war is a mistake. With us, Republican strategist, you Shermichael Singleton, with a new path forward. The story is May Day. Protesters take the streets in countries around the world. And the story is NBA Playoffs, five time NBA Champion, Derek Fischer, with us live to break down the late night games.

Thanks so much for watching "The Story Is." I'm Elex Michaelson, wrapping up our week, reporting from Washington and the story is right now a warning from President Trump to Iran, saying that the U.S. may be better off not making a deal with Iran. That is, he weighs a major military escalation. Iran sent its latest proposal to end the war with the U.S. to Pakistani mediators on Friday.

The details of the proposal and the specific reasons behind the deadlock are unclear, but President Trump says he is not satisfied, even though he admits that Tehran has made strides in negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They've made strides, but I'm not sure if they ever get there. Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever or do we want to try and make a deal? I mean, those are the options.

REPORTER: Do you want to go blast the hell out of them and finish them forever?

TRUMP: I prefer not. On a human basis, I prefer not, but that's the option. Do we want to go in there heavy and just blast them away or do we want to do something? They're not getting along with each other, and it puts us in a bad position. One group wants to make a certain deal, the other group wants to make a certain deal, including the hardliners. The hardliners want to make a deal too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: President also said that the U.S. was, quote, sort of like pirates, as he described a recent incident in which the U.S. Navy fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship. Meanwhile, Iranian state media, on Friday published a new statement attributed to the country's Supreme Leader, who says Iran quote, has emerged as a military power after years of effort.

For more analysis on all this, we're joined by Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a former Deputy Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is now a member of the Iran Policy Project at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Welcome back to "The Story Is." Thank you for being with us.

VADM ROBERT HARWARD, FORMER DEPUTY COMMANDER U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Good to be with you.

MICHAELSON: So it seems like we're at this spot where the President is trying to determine whether to negotiate more or whether to strike again. If he were to sort of re-institute military action, what would be the next logical military strike?

HARWARD: Well, there's still a lot of IRGC facilities, IRGC leadership, he could go after, I think he's made it very clear he does not want to go after power systems or stuff that will really affect the Iranian people for the long term. So all those are options he has available.

I'm sure they're even looking at possible scenarios for boots on the ground. So I think all of those are stuff he's struggling with. But at the end of the day, he's made it very clear, look, you have to end the nuclear program, and that's where the negotiations are probably going to be held. How you end that program? Do you hand over the material? Is it moved to Russia? Will you stop your cascades and refinement? So all of those are, I think, the points they're negotiating or would negotiate on.

MICHAELSON: Where do you see the status of negotiations right now?

HARWARD: Well, for President Trump, it's clear capitulation. You're either going to meet those two objectives or you're going to ramp it up. The Iranians, I think there's confusion on their side of the table. Who can make those concessions, who can make the agreements, and all of them know, if they lose that nuclear weapons program and they cannot operate under the threat of a nuclear umbrella, they remain vulnerable for a long time.

And don't forget, when President Trump first pulled out of the jackpola (ph), it was because of their ballistic missiles, their missile programs, which allowed them to weaponize. That's not been addressed to date, so there's still of hanging chad out there, so to speak. I think it's driven primarily confirmation that they cannot get the material. And then you may have a longer term approach to solve some of the other problems.

MICHAELSON: Hanging chad for our younger viewers, is a reference to the 2000 Bush v. Gore election when there were hanging chads from when you used to vote and try to punch through something. I haven't heard that reference in a minute. Thank you for that.

[01:05:00]

So in terms of munitions, there's been some speculation that the U.S. is running low on munitions, that Iran is running low on munitions. What do we know about that in terms of actual facts?

HARWARD: Well, look, the U.S. supply lanes have stayed consistent. They've been moving material. So during this hold on the war, I'm sure they've restocked. Now on the Iranian side, it's not as clear. Have they been able to get their supply lines over the you know, trucks being driven into Iran through Azerbaijan, through Turkey, through Pakistan?

Have the Russians been able to supply them surface to air missiles? Have we put a total air blockade? Have we shut down all aircraft? Have they been able to receive arms in the air. Those are some of the uncertainties. But knowing the U.S. system and process, I would tell you, our stocks are full to the brim at this point, especially with the arrival of the additional aircraft.

So the threat they face is real and very dominant, and I know President Trump has that in his hip pocket, and he's going to leverage that to force the Iranians to meet the concessions again, as he said, he does not want to see that. He does not want to cause additional destruction. But it's difficult to understand if anyone in Iran can really concede to the demands he's making at this point.

MICHAELSON: So you're one of the few people that have sort of been in the middle of these conversations at the highest level of the United States government, and we know that politics is supposed to be separate from military planning, but in your experience, do polls showing a deeply unpopular war impact the civilians making the big decisions about war and peace? Does that have an impact potentially on their thinking in the days ahead?

HARWARD: Of course, they take all considerations, how people think the impact it has all of that, but again, they want to make sure they get a satisfying effect that's going to have long term ramifications. So they consider polls. They consider what the politicians they're listening to, civilian leadership, who really dictate the options military planners and leaving and even the State Department on foreign policy or political considerations are always put on the table, and it's very broad and very detailed for the President and the decision makers to understand.

But again, it's up to the President, the Commander-in-Chief, to make those decisions. So again, in the planning process, all the teams come together, the State Department, the Department of War, Commerce, all those have an input into that process for the President to consider. And I'm sure for him, there's political considerations at stake as well.

But I think for President Trump, at this point, it's more about his legacy. Will he be remembered as a president who brought peace or an enduring war, as he's talked about himself for his whole administration and part of his rhetoric coming into the presidency. MICHAELSON: Former Deputy Commander Robert Harward, thank you so much

for joining us. It looks like it's daylight where you are, so have a good weekend and good morning to you. We appreciate it.

President Trump is calling the War Powers Resolution totally unconstitutional. The law says he must get congressional approval for further military action in Iran and that the war has hit the 60-day mark, but in a former letter to Congress, the President argued that the hostilities ended after a cease fire was put in place. The same time Trump wrote that the Iran remains a significant threat that will be addressed as necessary.

New polling shows that a majority of Americans are blaming President Trump for rising gas prices. AAA reports that the national average has jumped another nine cents to $4.39 a gallon. That is the highest level since July 2022. President Trump insists prices will drop when the war ends.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: It's going to come tumbling down. There is so much oil out there. It's pent up, locked up in the Strait of Hormuz. When all of that gets released, when all of that comes out. These people tried to hold up our country for years and years the world by closing up the Strait of Hormuz.

When all of that stuff comes out, you're going to see prices dropping on gasoline like you've never seen and all of that electricity, gasoline, anything having to do with energy, grocery prices are way down. Used Car prices are way down. Look at eggs. Eggs are down by four even five times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[01:10:00]

MICHAELSON: The war against Iran and rising energy costs were contributing themes and some protests marking International Workers Day, also known as May Day, downtown L.A., thousands of people gathered to protest against immigration raids and demand higher wages. Marchers in Washington focused on immigration and customs enforcement. At one point, some people chanted, ICE has got to go.

Huge crowds also took the streets in Chicago, where May Day originated. It started as a in a way to honor workers after a deadly rally back in 1886.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're in another Robber Baron era. But it's also great to see that just like in the 1880s people are willing to come together and stand together.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here to unite as one working class, as one international working class, no divisions. We won't fall for the scapegoating of immigrant communities. We won't allow ICE to terrorize our neighbors, because an injury to one is an injury to all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As a worker, myself, and alongside all these workers like we are seeing a lot of issues in this country and a lot of disrespect that we are receiving, and so we are tired, we're fed up, and we want to see change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Meantime, police in Berlin, Germany say some 10,000 protesters marched in the city's annual event to mark International Workers Day. Now the developing story, sources tell CNN that discount carrier Spirit Airlines will stop operating in just a few hours. They say the closure will be effective at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time Saturday, about two hours from now.

All this comes after a last minute bailout from the Trump administration failed to materialize. It leaves thousands of employees out of work and millions of Spirit ticket holders scrambling. The long troubled airline filed for a second bankruptcy last August. An operating deal was reached in late February, but the war with Iran began just days later.

Since then, the price of jet fuel has nearly doubled, hurting Spirit's already narrow operating margins. Last hour, I got perspective from CNN -- CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER GREENBERG, TRAVEL EDITOR, CBS NEWS: Creditors are not willing to give them any more money. That's when they went to the government to ask for the bailout. The problem with that is that what the Trump administration was offering was to buy stock warrants in the company, but they wanted to be in first position to get paid back, and the creditors are not going to let that happen. So that's what -- the talk stalled, and that's where we are at this late hour.

Now the good news is for Spirit ticket holders, you paid for those tickets with your credit cards, and under federal credit laws, you're entitled to get a refund because you contracted for a good or service that you did not receive, so you'll get your money back. However, that doesn't get you where you needed to go.

MICHAELSON: And Spirit has about 14,000 employees. What happens to them?

GREENBERG: They're out of a job, and you know, they're unemployed, there are very few assets that Spirit has. Now, the good news for their pilots is that they're trained to fly the kind of equipment that other airlines that are their competitors fly. If they need them, the planes that they have are leased will come back on the -- on the market for leasing terms that may be somewhat more attractive to the leasing companies, but that doesn't benefit anybody other than those leasing companies trying to recoup their investment.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MICHAELSON: Thanks, Peter Greenberg. When we come back, what new

polling shows about America's attitude towards the war with Iran and where President Trump's base stands 60 days in. Shermichael Singleton, live with me next?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: A new poll shows that the majority of Americans are against the war with Iran. The survey by the Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos found that 61 percent say the war is a mistake. Only 36 percent believe that military action was the right decision. CNN Political Commentator and Republican Strategist Shermichael Singleton joins me now here in Washington. Welcome to "The Story Is" for the first time.

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Yeah, thanks for having me, man, and congratulations on the show.

MICHAELSON: Thank you very much.

SINGLETON: We got the California sunshine in D.C..

MICHAELSON: I know, we're here.

SINGLETON: We need it.

MICHAELSON: We got some sunshine today, and it's great to be on set with you for the first time. So let's talk about this big number, though --

SINGLETON: Yeah, yeah.

MICHAELSON: -- that we're seeing in terms of 61 percent of the country think that the war with Iran is a mistake, and we're at that number much, much faster than what we saw for Vietnam or Iraq. I mean, people are quickly at this decision. What do you make of that?

SINGLETON: Yeah, I mean this isn't a serendipitous moment, in my opinion. I mean, you look at the war in Iraq, how the length of time, the number of soldiers killed, wounded. Two plus trillion dollars, and the American people, after all of that, have asked themselves, what was the direct reward or award for the country?

Now, I would argue the Iraqi people are free. That brought some level of stabilization. Afghanistan is a mixed bag, but certainly in a better position in terms of their overall posture, I would say, than it was prior to -- this is a more nuanced explanation than what the American people are looking for, but I understand why most are looking at Iran and saying, here we go again. Absolutely not.

MICHAELSON: What about you?

SINGLETON: I mean, So personally, I look at this a little differently. I think the framing from the administration, if I can be quite frank, should have been two ways, because the American people are asking, why are we doing this now? What is the -- what is the long term goal? What are we trying to prevent?

The prevention isn't merely preventing the Iranian regime from getting a nuclear weapon, which I think is critically important because it will start a Nuclear arms race in the entire region. We definitely don't want that because of the terror proxy groups. But two, it's also about diminishing the Chinese wherever we can.

[01:20:00]

That was a part, in my opinion, the missed opportunity with Venezuela. It was a little bit about Venezuela, but really about removing China out of our hemisphere. You want that hemisphere hegemony, if you will. And so in Iran, the Chinese get about 14 percent of their oil from the Iranians. Apparently, if you believe some of the experts, that's for strategic purposes, you want to lessen that.

You want to weaken them for a lot of different reasons. That, to me, should have been the explanation given to the American people. And then I would say the timeline, are we merely trying to decapitate the ballistic capabilities and then making it more challenging for the Chinese, or is this a longer term strategy? And that just wasn't clear.

MICHAELSON: So you think the real point of this was to hurt the Chinese?

SINGLETON: To me, that would have been my point, just understanding the international stage and understanding that the Chinese is our greatest adversary. Look at every single thing that they have done over the past decade, and they have the BRICS system, trying to challenge the dollar in currency, trying to figure out ways to usurp our lead with energy.

You look at the financial markets of the world. We created all of those systems after World War II. The Chinese are trying to diminish that to see a rise again. And that, to me, is important.

MICHAELSON: But that has not been the main explanation given, and --

SINGLETON: I know.

MICHAELSON: -- there's been so many different explanations given over this as well, and even this idea of preventing them from getting the nuclear weapon. It's not totally clear that that's even happened so far.

SINGLETON: Sure, sure.

MICHAELSON: So then the question is, sort of, where is the base now? I mean, as a Republican strategist, you got to look at the base. You also got to look at independents.

SINGLETON: Yes.

MICHAELSON: You don't spend as much time worrying about Democrats.

SINGLETON: Yeah.

MICHAELSON: But how do you see that? And do you feel like they're solidly behind the president?

SINGLETON: Well, the base, you have to compartmentalize it. So you're going to have your die-hard MAGA folks. You're about 90 percent, maybe 85 percent with the President, according to most of the data. You look at some of your more traditional conservatives, like the George W. Bush folks, those numbers suggest around 75 percent in support with the President.

It's when you get to your right leaning independents. Those are the folks that you really need to see electoral victories, once you've solidified your base. That support is significantly low. And that is something that worries me heading into midterms, because one historically we know the party of the president typically loses.

Then you factor in the approval rating of the President, that increases what those losses may be, and now you have the conflict. None of these things are great for my party, unfortunately.

MICHAELSON: So folks like you have to still come up with the slogans.

SINGLETON: Let the slogans out, yes.

MICHAELSON: Come up with campaigns. Come up with a strategy. What's the campaign strategy to win them back?

SINGLETON: The campaign strategy one, I think the American people aren't interested in the nuanced explanation I just gave about why we should be there. And I understand that. I really do get it, because it's hard to say the Chinese or ballistic capabilities or nuclear missile programs when people can't put food on the table.

MICHAELSON: They can't pay for gas.

SINGLETON: They can't pay for gas. They're struggling to take care of their mortgage or their rent and so if I were advising the president in this moment, I will say two things, quickly resolve this and to immediately pivot to the economy. We still have about three months before early voting really, really starts.

There's a lot we can do with the Republican controlled Congress to bring relief to the American people. That will be my focus.

MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, we see this, this fight over gerrymandering now --

SINGLETON: Oh man.

MICHAELSON: -- which started with President Trump in Texas, and then California got involved to try to get help Democrats and we see all these states. Big picture, was it a mistake to even start this thing, and does it hurt Republicans in the end?

SINGLETON: So let me start here. My initial assessment of this was, you look at a state like Illinois, you look at a place like New York, you look at a place like Massachusetts, where Massachusetts, for example, there aren't any Republican congressional districts at all. And so I asked myself, as an objective spectator, how is that reasonable or fair?

Is it ideal to start this mid-district thing? Absolutely not. This is not the standard. And I think the data suggests most people would agree with me on that. My hope, though, was after Texas, California jumped in, and then it evened everything out, I said, OK, finally, this is it. We ruffled a little feathers, but we're going to go back to normal business.

Then Virginia, then North Carolina. Now the recent section two reduction from the Supreme Court, so now Alabama is getting in, Florida. So this is not going to end, and that is what I was afraid of, is that you no longer have the idea of compromise. Now is the idea of essentially coercion and force to get one's means accomplished.

That is not beneficial to the country long term, regardless of where you stand politically.

MICHAELSON: So it's a mistake for President Trump to start (inaudible) in Texas.

SINGLETON: I think it's a mistake for both parties here, because no one wins. So I can easily say, look, the President shouldn't have started this. I would acknowledge that. I don't think it's beneficial, but now Democrats are upping the ante, if you will. And so my question not merely as a partisan strategist, but the heck, as an American who loves his country, what does this do in the long run about the ability to accomplish things in unison? It dissolves them completely. We're more fragmented than we were before, tribalism increases even further.

[01:25:00]

None of these things are good, again, going back to the Chinese when they're focused on what the next 20 years will look like, we're not there, and that is what worries me, especially with a 15-month-old. I have to think about the future for my daughter and the next child, as many Americans do, and I'm not confident that the decisions we're making today will put us in the best place in the future.

MICHAELSON: Ain't that the truth? Shermichael Singleton, great to have you for the first time.

SINGLETON: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Come visit us in L.A.

SINGLETON: I live in L.A. This is fun.

MICHAELSON: It's great to have you here in Washington. We appreciate you. You can check him out on pretty much every CNN show.

SINGLETON: That's right.

MICHAELSON: Every day of the week.

SINGLETON: Every day.

MICHAELSON: You're on TV quite a lot. I like it.

SINGLETON: That's a good thing, I hope.

MICHAELSON: Yeah, it's like you and Kaitlan Collins all over CNN, every day. That's great. We're in good hands. Thank Shermichael.

SINGLETON: Thanks, Elex.

MICHAELSON: And can't forget about Scott Jennings too. Thanks for watching us from Washington. For our international viewers, Inside Africa is next. For our viewers in North America, I'll be back. We're talking sports. Derek Fisher, five time NBA champion, joins us live to break down a wild weekend in the NBA with three different game sevens coming up, plus we're talking Lakers tonight. Derek Fisher, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: Welcome back to "The Story Is." I'm Elex Michaelson. Let's take a look at today's top stories. U.S. President Donald Trump is casting doubt again on a potential deal to end the war with Iran. In an event in Florida on Friday night, he said the U.S. may be better off not making a deal. He also says he considers it to be, quote, treasonous for people to say that the U.S. is not winning the war with Iran.

Lebanon's health ministry says Israel's strikes against two towns in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people, including a child in the past 24 hours, several more people were injured. Israeli military says it gave evacuation orders before the attack, and the result of the strikes are still being investigated.

The U.S. will withdraw about 5000 troops from Germany in the coming months. Pentagon says the move follows a review of the U.S. military posture in Europe, but the decision comes after German Chancellor Frederick Mertz slammed the U.S. strategy in Iran.

More than 30,000 U.S. troops will stay in Germany. The story is sports, and it has been a nail biting night in the NBA playoffs as multiple first round series now roll into the decisive Game Sevens this Sunday.

Detroit Pistons rallied from a 24 point deficit, turning their game around in the second half to beat the Orlando Magic 93 to 79 forcing a Game Seven in Detroit. In Toronto, the Pacers, the Raptors, I should say, stunned, the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, winning 112 to 110, the last second three-pointer from guard, RJ Barrett, right there, those teams will meet again in their game seven on a Sunday in Cleveland and in L.A. there will not be a Game Seven. The Lakers dominated the Houston Rockets, 98 to 78 closing out their

series to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals. Power forward Rui Hachimura carried a heavy load hitting five three-pointers during the game. Of course, LeBron James did plenty of work as well. For more, I want to bring in a Lakers legend, Derek Fisher, five-time NBA Champion with the Lakers, the former head coach for the Knicks and the L.A. Sparks, and a current analyst for NBC Sports and spectrum. Derek Fisher, welcome back to "The Story Is."

DEREK FISHER, FIVE-TIME NBA CHAMPION: Thanks, Elex, appreciate you having me.

MICHAELSON: All right. So we got to start with the Lakers when we have you. There were a lot of folks. Stephen A. Smith, who kept saying, the Lakers are going to be swept out of this. Get the brooms. Don't know what -- don't even watch the series. Who knows what's going to happen? They don't have a shot without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves at the beginning of the series.

Lakers went up three-nothing. They won tonight, finally, four to two. What do you make of the way that they came out and LeBron James performance at 41?

FISHER: Yeah. I mean, I thought the Lakers, their focus level was -- was there right from the tip tonight. And that really was the difference. You know, you have to give the Houston Rockets, a lot of credit for battling back and series after (inaudible) but LeBron just continues (inaudible) for in terms of just continuing to perform at an elite level (inaudible) player.

It's inspiring and motivating to watch him continue to excel and again advance in the playoffs. And he's won the most playoff games, he's played the most playoff minutes. You know he's going to be at the top of almost every list we can think of, and the Lakers dancing to the Western Conference semi-finals is -- was great to see tonight.

MICHAELSON: But the challenge is and hopefully the Zoom audio sticks with us. I know we're having some challenges there as well, is for the Oklahomas -- they now have to face the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had dominated the Lakers in their matchups, this season. What's the matchup? I mean, how do you beat that team?

[01:35:00]

FISHER: You need a lot of luck, Elex. A lot of luck. The ball has to bounce your way. They -- Oklahoma City is so good defensively, so physical and

disruptive, and that's really what makes it a challenge to win games against the thunder. They just make it really uncomfortable to find any type of rhythm on the offensive end.

But you know, LeBron is the type of player that physically can be imposing no matter who the Lakers face. And so you always have a chance when you have one of the greatest players to ever play the game on your team. And then in Game Four and Game Five, Austin Reaves coming back in that Rocket series is also an add for the Lakers. But the Oklahoma City Thunder as the defending champions, they're

talented, they have depth, and they play with the true passion and love for the game, and it's going to be a fun series to watch.

MICHAELSON: It's not often when the defending champion team kind of keeps everybody together, is actually better in the second year. You guys did that with the Lakers, with the Kobe and Shaq year, the second team was better, and that seems to be the case this year with the Oklahoma City Thunder as well.

All right let's talk about this weekend. All these Games Seven. So let's quickly sort of break down what we're looking forward to, Cavs, Raptors. Raptors forced to Game Seven tonight. What do you think of this? Who do you got in Game Seven?

FISHER: Oh, man, I'm really torn on this one. I mean, you know, the head coach for the Toronto Raptors, we have history together, and a couple of their staff members that work for the Lakers and the Thunder (inaudible) to see James Hart (inaudible) with an opportunity to make A deep playoff run. I think he deserves that opportunity.

(inaudible) now, I honestly might pick the Raptors. I think they are (inaudible) grittier team, and that's what it takes to win a game.

MICHAELSON: All right, we're hearing --

FISHER: But we'll see what happens in that match.

MICHAELSON: All right, we're having some audio problems, but I think you just said picking the Raptors because of the grittier team. Let's try to get through these next ones quickly then. While the signal is still working. Pistons, Magic. Who do you got in that one?

FISHER: Yes, I think the pistons have arrived. They struggled to start this series. I think playing with expectations is -- is not as easy as people may think. They're the number one seed for a reason, but that can be heavy, and I think they finally figured out how to carry that weight, and they are poised to win Game Seven in Detroit.

MICHAELSON: And -- and tonight, on Laura Coates Live, she spoke with Spike Lee about the next Game Seven matchup, 76ers, Celtics. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Who you want them to face?

SPIKE LEE, OSCAR WINNING FILMMAKER, NEW YORK KNICKS FAN: Well, I think that I'll be safer going to a game in Philly than Boston.

COATES: You might be right about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: So Spike doesn't want to go to the garden. What do you think? Who do you got, 76ers or Celtics? FISHER: Oh, man, this is a tough one. Obviously, as a former Laker

player, it's hard to pick the Celtics to win a lot, but if I was betting on this one, I think Joe Mazzulla is one of the best coaches in the league, and I think Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are a great duo, and I think at home in the garden, the Celtics will figure out a way to win Game Seven in advance to face the Knicks. And so I don't know if Spike Lee will be very comfortable with that result.

MICHAELSON: So the Laker picks the Celtic in the end. Derek Fisher, thank you for your analysis. Great, great stuff. Have a great weekend. It's going to be fun. Lots of good basketball to come. It is also a big weekend when it comes to horse racing. The big hats, the horses, the whole thing, the Kentucky Derby is back, later this hour. CNN's Andy Scholes heads to Kentucky for a behind the scenes look at the glitz and glamor at this year's derby. Stick with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAELSON: We're now learning new and grisly details about the murder of two University of South Florida students, both doctoral students, Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon were 27 years old and from Bangladesh. They went missing in Tampa more than two weeks ago. Police discovered their bodies within days of each other. Both victims had multiple stab wounds.

The suspect in the case is Limon's roommate. Investigators say he asked ChatGPT some very disturbing questions while allegedly planning the double murders. They are still searching for a motive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHAD CHRONISTER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF: At this point, we don't know what the motive is. And the why, we don't know yet. We're still working. We're -- I know that after briefing and meeting and being brief with the detective yesterday, they're anxiously searching for that as well. You -- you search for the truth, and second that is, you search for the why and I hope we find that out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: The suspect is currently in jail, facing first degree murder charges. New video shows how the shooting at last week's White House Correspondents Dinner unfolded. CNN's Tom Foreman breaks down the timeline of events as he focuses in on the suspect's actions captured on surveillance video from inside the hotel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Friday, April 24, the FBI says this video shows the suspected shooter just before 9:00 p.m. on the day before the Correspondents Dinner, walking down a hallway and gesturing in the host hotel where he was a guest. The man enters the gym, chats with an attendant, checks out the equipment, then leaves, once again, glancing at doorways in the hall.

[01:45:00]

For this investigation into what officials say was a plot to kill the president, these videos, the man's movements, his actions, can all be critical evidence.

JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: To find out whether or not he had the intent to -- whether we can prove he had the intent to kill additional people by name, based upon what we determine from the investigation.

FOREMAN: Saturday, April 25, the night of the dinner the FBI released this video, which seems to show the same man in a long coat heading down the same hall, at the end of which a third video shows law enforcement officers working on a magnetometer, a metal detector used to screen dinner guests.

Investigators say that's the alleged gunman in the background ducking through a set of doors. A police dog quickly follows the man through the doors. The dog's handler pulls him back. The dog returns to the man again, but is pulled away once more. Then the suspect rushes out and toward the security checkpoint with what appears to be a shotgun in his hands.

SEAN CURRAN, U.S. SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR: It was immediate. It was right at the Mac (ph) checkpoint, which was just remarkable speed. When you talk about an individual who is determined to do what they do, and that speed you're talking almost about four seconds from start to finish there.

FOREMAN: A single officer draws his weapon as the man in the video appears to raise his gun, and court filings say the suspect fired once, although that is not clear in the video. Those same filings and the FBI video show the officer fired repeatedly, never hitting the suspect, nor, fortunately, any of his fellow officers in the background. In addition to all the questions about what the suspected gunman was up to, there are questions about the officers too. Why did that one with the dog turn away so quickly after approaching the man?

And would all the other officers have been ready if it wasn't one gunman but two or three or more running down that hall? Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

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MICHAELSON: In better news, the Artemis II crew is sharing more about their trip to the far side of the moon. Just ahead, why one of the astronauts says a part of all of them was left there. They talk with Anderson Cooper next.

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[01:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MICHAELSON: Horse racing, mint juleps, roses, the Triple Crown season

is officially underway with the Kentucky Derby starting things off on Saturday. The favorite to win this year's race is Renegade who has a five to one shot of taking the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Flamboyant hats are another Derby tradition at Churchill Downs. CNN's Andy Scholes previews some of what we'll see.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: Oh, what was the thought behind your headwear?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really color. So I knew I was wearing a white today, so I needed something that was white.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought there's three different days, three different outfits, and I wanted, like, a different kind of vibe each day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The thought was to get something to match my outfit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got it the day before I came here.

SCHOLES: Oh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So not too much thought, but enough thought to make it worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The big theme this year was, like, bright colors. And I was like, you know what, I want to look pretty much like a traffic cone. And you know what, coming in, I pretty much did.

SCHOLES: You were successful. How much did it run you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was $50.

SCHOLES: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't imagine. It was probably several 100 for the person before me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: About $400.

SCHOLES: $400? That's an upper tier.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last year, I paid over $500 for a really large hat. And so this year I was like, you know, I think I can make one myself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was like, 20 bucks. SCHOLES: Only $20. Wow. You did quite well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was me with a hot glue gun up until midnight last night. I kid you not.

SCHOLES: Oh, you made it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I did. Yes.

SCHOLES: Are you ever going to wear it again?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I live in (inaudible) I'll be here next year with this.

SCHOLES: So you bring it back?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably not. One and done.

SCHOLES: One and done.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One and done.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely never again.

SCHOLES: Is that hard to maintain out here in the wind?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is -- it is kind of -- it is kind of hard with the wind blowing and stuff, but I may manage it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And honestly, once you start drinking, it's kind of a sobriety test whether or not your hat is going to stay on or not, and it's doing good so far. Check in with me in about an hour.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: What an assignment for Andy Scholes. Artemis II commander, Reid Wiseman; Pilot, Victor Glover; Mission Specialist, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen joined CNN's Anderson Cooper to talk about being the first humans to journey to the far side of the moon, the way that they did.

Koch said there was a part of us that was left there because of what we got to see. Here's part of that conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to show some of the amazing images that you've captured on -- on Reid, on your phone, you did the earth setting behind the moon. And I get -- I love that this was just like you with your iPhone, I assume, or whatever --

REID WISEMAN, ARTEMIS II COMMANDER: I saw myself without a job as Earth was disappearing behind the moon, and Christina and Victor were both doing scientific imagery at this point in time. And Jeremy and I were sort of free float. And I went up to our little, tiny docking hatch window, which is, it's no bigger than that, Anderson and I held the -- I couldn't really even get my eye up there, but I could get the camera, the phone up there.

I was like, oh, my goodness gracious, I have got to hit record.

COOPER: So what is that? That is -- that's Earth's setting behind the moon.

WISEMAN: As we call it, that is tiny Earth, and it is beautiful, and it is setting behind the far side of the Moon.

COOPER: You described it as like watching a sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos.

WISEMAN: I tried hard to give that description. It's about the best I got then.

[01:55:00]

COOPER: Did it -- did it -- did you ever get used to the images you were seeing outside?

CHRISTINA KOCH, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: We never did. We never did. You know, the earth got smaller and the moon got bigger, but more importantly, the moon would shift in terms of what we could see on it, and one of the first things that we noticed, that we knew we were in for a treat, was about the third day, we had a view of the moon, and it looked almost right, but it wasn't the moon we had seen our entire lives.

We were starting to see the far side, and it just got more and more amazing. Seeing the Earth and the Moon in the same picture, you just realize how vibrant it is and what an oasis it is, and then honestly missing the moon as we left these beautiful -- these beautiful views.

As happy as we were to be returning home, there was a part of us that was left there, I would say, because of what we got to see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Wow, what a journey. You can see more of that on cnn.com. Now, the reason we've been reporting from Washington all week is we've been preparing for this. CNN's California Governor Primary Debate. I'll be monitoring alongside CNN's Kaitlan Collins. We've been working together with CNN's political team to prepare all week, including mock debates.

I hope you join us for the real thing, Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 p.m. Pacific on CNN and the CNN app. It's been a pleasure working with the great team here in D.C. all week. I'll see you Monday from back home in L.A.. I'll be joined by the Secretary of Housing, Scott Turner. Have a great weekend. Thanks for watching all week.

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