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tv   Chicagoland  CNN  April 26, 2014 5:00pm-6:01pm PDT

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saturday, bringing the total to 15, including the captain himself. all of them are charged with causing death by abandonment. many of them have other charges. the captain, himself, has five charges. if found guilty, he faces up to live in prison. jindo, south korea. hello, top of the hour. i'm don lemon. you are in the cnn news room. we are going to continue our coverage of the story sweeping through the sports world, the professional sports world of basketball, actually the entire country. right now, we are awaiting a news conference by the nba news commissioner, adam silver. he's expected to talk about the
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news swirling around donald sterling. the nba is investigating remarks made by the clippers owner. the website, tmz includes a voice that tells a woman, apparently his girlfriend to stop bringing african-americans to clippers games. paul is in los angeles where this controversy erupted. paul, give us more details about these recordings. >> don, let's get to the recording. we pick it up in a spot where a voice, allegedly sterlings seems to be defending himself after his girlfriend is told, stop hanging out with or associating with black people. let's take a listen. >> stop talking about them. let's finish our discussion for the period, okay. you are not making any good points. you can't believe this man. >> you're not making any -- >> i'm not a good person in your eyes. if i was a good person, you
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would not believe that. >> negative coming -- >> there's no negativity. i'm just saying in your lousy [ bleep ] instagram, you don't have to have yourself walking with black people. you don't have to. if you want to, do it. >> now, the clippers have issued a statement saying we have heard the tape on tmz. we do not know if it's legitimate or has been altered. don, as you pointed out repeatedly, this is definitely not the voice of the owner, donald sterling. >> every time i hear that recording, again, i know it has to be authenticated. there are no words, really. i don't understand where he's coming from, i don't think most people do, maybe it's a control thing or he's a blatant racist
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or both. that's from the clippers. again, as you say, they are not saying it's not his voice on that. any reaction beyond that, paul? >> reporter: well, what's interesting is magic johnson was drawn into all of this, as you may have heard. on this tape, allegedly sterling's voice, he reprimands his z girlfriend for hanging out with johnson. they issued a statement saying his long friend has admiration for him as to who he is and what he achieved. he says the clippers are investigating all this as is the nba. we are going to hear from the nba, shortly, as you know. >> okay, paul, remember, we were talking the naacp, the truth is stranger than fiction, right. we are confirming this. i'm on the naacp los angeles website. it talks about the upcoming event in los angeles, thursday
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may 15th, celebrates the 100th anniversary. the person who is mentioned on here to get a lifetime achievement award, lifetime achievement award, donald sterling, owner of the los angeles clippers. the truth often -- the truth is often stranger than fiction. we are hearing from doc rivers. here is what he said awhile ago. listen to this. >> i'm sure you were made aware of the comments by donald sterling. >> yeah. >> wondering your thoughts and if you were surprised? >> i don't know if i'm surprised. i don't like the comments. the players are not going to deal with this issue. we had a great team meeting this morning about it. a lot of guys voiced their opinions. none of them were happy about it. this is a situation where we are trying to go after something very important for us. something that we all dreamed
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about all our childhoods. donald orad nothing to do with that dream, we are not going to let anything get in the way. as far as the comments, we are not happy with any of them, but we are going to let the due process, everything get handled. that situation will be dealt with later. right now, our goals haven't changed. our focus is on golden state and it's going to stay on golden state. >> earlier, i talked about the sterling controversy with tnt analyst and hall of famer, charles barkley. >> this is not the first time. he's settled some laws where he was discriminating in his real estate business against blacks and hispanics. this is typical. he's done it before. he has to be suspended by the nba. this is the first major test from our new commissioner. you can't have a whole team
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disparaging black people. the majority of players are black. anytime you are in a position of power, you can hire and fire people, you can't be racist. the nba has to address this. in my opinion, he has to be suspended, plain and simple. he said he's sorry it was attributed to him. he doesn't say it's not me. >> not just that, he has -- he has settled lawsuits for discrimination in the past. he's par for course. nba let him off the hook in his real estate business when discriminating against blacks and hispanics. they should have said something then. this is habitual, this is not the first time, this is the third or fourth time. he says something about black players, but always discriminating in real estate. the nba has to address this. i feel bad for the players, too.
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they are caught in no man's land. they are working for a guy who is an idiot. it's tough with the golden state warriors. the day before a big game, they have this stuff. >> that was charles barkley responding to this controversy not long ago here on cnn. we are on the air now because at the bottom of the hour, adam silver of the nba, the nba commissioner is going to make a statement. he's going to address the press. not sure if he's going to talk about this, but i'm sure questions will be given to him about this particular controversy and we'll see what he has to say, if anything, coming up at the bottom of the hour. in the meantime, on the other side of this short break, our expert panel will weigh in on this controversy, what should happen with donald sterling? what should happen with the clippers? what should happen in the league? we'll be right back.
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welcome back, everyone. i want to tell you, we are awaiting a news conference by nba commissioner, adam silver at the bottom of the hour. it was slated before the controversy started. he wasn't expected to talk about this. since they are having the press conference, it is expected he will field questions about this controversy going on with the clippers and with the owner, donald sterling.
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we'll delve into that as soon as it starts and carry it live for you. two people we to turn to on issues like this, ben ferguson and elsie, sports fans. nba stars, white and black, frankly, they choose to play for clippers knowing their owner had made insensitive comments in the past, even before now. is it all about money and winning, do you think? >> well, i mean he's made more than insensitive comments, he's done outwardly racist things. we are not just talking as charles barkley said, some idiot saying something. it's more than rhetoric. with that being said, you know, you mentioned the naacp is set to give him a lifetime achievement award.
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i have one phrase to say, follow the money. how much money is he awarding them. are they rewarding him with that in exchange for money? when i talk turning blind eye in exchange for dollars, i'm not just focusing on the players. i'm talking a corporation with sponsorships with him. you have to ask the naacp, you knew he was a racist beforehand. you knew who he did beforehand, why is he getting a lifetime achievement award. >> i could not believe it until i saw the website. he's still slated to be, hang on, i'm going to let you get in, may 5th in los angeles, 100th anniversary, he talks about who is going to speak in the 2014 hon honorees. go ahead. >> don, you have to look at also following the money. he's been able to buy himself
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out of trouble. at the time, he has discriminatory complex with apartment complexes. it was the largest settlement ever with the justice department against anybody in the country. this is the guy who did it, trying not to rent to minorities. that did not stop him from being able to continue with his team and the nba having a tight relationship with him. i say follow the money of the players and coaches here. the only people calling him out for what has happened and these comments are former players and people who don't have financial interests in the current game of playing basketball or working with this franchise. i think it's cowardly because you don't have a lot to stand on if you are willing to take the guys money. the only people right now that are going to have an impact will be current players and coaches in the nba and i don't see anything happen on twitter right now from any player that may have to play for him. also, think about this, the guy didn't want to rent apartments
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to minorities. why in the world would you continue a relationship with him with all the branding and everything else. yeah, he bought himself out of that one. at the same time, people that have a chance to stand-up, i'm waiting for a current nba player or coach to come up and call him out. i don't think you are going to see it. it's early on. >> there have been tons of players. kolby bryant said i could not play for him. he took time after the game and went on ranting about the racist behavior of donald sterling. i think you are seeing a current player voice their opinion and then doc rivers did say that he is representing the team and the team was not pleased fwi comments. i will support them, at least the nba players vocalizing. i'm about mobilizing. rhetoric and tweets are one thing, put action behind those
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words. >> go ahead, ben. the guys are going to take contracts and play. kolby bryant has a special situation. there's no chance in haiti he's going to play for the clippers. for him to say or tweet now, it's obvious. >> lebron james -- >> chris paul. >> lebron james says -- >> lebron james is not going there, either. i mean, lebron james is not going there. >> they are calling out their friends. they are calling out their friends, that is power. when they say i can't play or i would not play for this man, they are putting indirect pressures on their friends. i agree with you, they are not going to play for the owner directly, but they are speaking to their colleagues and their peers and they are speaking to them in a very public fashion. that is some level of pressure and accountability on the players. >> the nba, though, ultimately,
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the nba has got to step up here and make a serious example that this is not going to be tolerated in 2014. and if they don't with the new commissioner, this guy and anybody else like him is going to continue to do this. i mean, that's one of the issues the nba has to start dealing with now. they have never done a very good job of policing owners. they police the coach, the refs, those people, but if it's an owner, we don't touch him because he's one of ours. i think they have to step up here. >> listen -- >> look at the other -- >> hold on lz. >> go ahead. >> rachel nichols tweeted this. very strong from lebron, there's no room for sterling in our league. new nba commissioner, adam silver must do something fast before he gets out of hand. this tape has not been authenticated yet, if it
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continues to go in the vain it is, if you listen to the tape, you don't hear squeaking. i'm not a -- >> i like your audio there. that was nice. >> i'm not an audio expert. my friend was just up here, but if you, let's be honest here, ben ferguson, let's be real. >> well, i mean, again, look at this. you say it's early on, i get that. let's remember, the largest settlement ever, by the justice department on discrimination of renting apartments, this was the guy, the biggest settlement of the time, ever. did the nba bat an eye at it and if the major players went through the clippers organization, ever think about not going there? those are the truly powerful players and the guys that wear a uniform. the fans are going to buy a ticket no matter what he says.
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minorities will go if they are winning. if the players can put a uniform on, choose to say, we are boycotting going to the clippers, that could destroy a franchise in a couple seasons. they don't make the playoffs, you know how that works. that's how you beat this guy. the players, active players are the only one that is can fix this. >> don't you hurt the players by doing that, lz? >> it's integrity. you take the money. >> first of all, the business model that donald sterling has been operating in has been losing in terms of records but he's making money. you can make a lot of money even with a losing franchise. he's doing it decade after decade. as far as your question is concerned, you know, i know we keep going back to the players. absolutely, you are correct. the players who play for this man have some level of morality checking. why would you do that for a
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known racist? i'm not going to let -- >> you are taking racist dollars. >> i'm not going to let the corporations off the hook, either. i'm not letting the naacp off the hook. we have a level of culpability if this because we have allowed him to continue on in this position and haven't done anything to try to change that. i said it earlier and i'll say it again, follow the money. i'm sure he's good for business. if that's the question, if that's the way it is, then, i can't get that mad at donald sterling. he's doing his thing and no one is challenging him on it. >> lz, you are scaring a lot of people when you say follow the money. you are opening up an entire can of worms here. >> it's a big market. l.a., big tv. >> it's a huge market. you need to get the president on the line and talk about how he
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pass -- >> took the words right out of my mouth. >> i want to hear from the naacp. my team is working on that right now to figure out how in the world could you give this guy, who has a history of making xhen comments like this a lifetime achievement award? >> how much money? >> this is buying a plaque that you can put on the wall that says, look, guys, i'm really not a racist. i have a plaque from the naacp saying i like black people. naacp should be ashamed of themselves for doing that. >> oh, boy. hang on guys. don't go anywhere. that little box you see there, trying to cover up lz. it is about to knock you off the screen. it's just your eyeballs we can see. that is where the nba commissioner is going to hold a press conference. it was previously scheduled, but we are going to take it live
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because he's about to field questions about the controversy. lz, i want to thank you. before i let you go, real quickly, before break, do you think he's going to address it, lz? i don't have much time. >> he has to address it. he can't avoid it. the question is, will he address it directly or be political? i have to verify the tape and give him a chance to speak about it. >> all right. thank you, lz. lz has to go. ben, stick around. we'll be right back. erve pain. it's progressive pain. first you have that, that feeling of numbness. then you get the hot pins. it got to the point where i felt like, almost like lightning bolts, hot strikes into my feet. the pain was, it was... i just couldn't handle it, so my doctor prescribed lyrica. the pain has been reduced and i feel better than i did before. [ male announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda-approved to treat diabetic nerve pain.
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what should happen to l.a. clippers, don sterling. he has been caught on a recording making racist and insensitive comments? earlier, i had a chance to talk about it with tnt analyst, charles barkley. >> he should get suspended. i'm not sure how much day-to-day involvement donald sterling has with the clippers. all our employees are black. i don't know the exact number,
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but 80% of our players are black, we are a black league. he has to suspend this guy, if it's authentic. let your players know, we aren't just property, even though we make a great living playing sports. all jobs make a great job playing sports. we deserve respect and dignity. he has to make a stand. i'm going to respect my players. he has to make that stance, in my opinion. >> i ask you what should happen after this. you said you are not surprised. you are not surprised when it comes to donald sterling or is this an issue in the league that other people in the league have had issues with this or problems or you have heard other people who feel this way? >> well, first of all, no, i never heard an owner describe
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players -- first of all, players don't stand for that. of course, racism is always going to exist. we are not idiots. racism always has existed and is always going to exist. i have always said it's like the greatest counselor of my lifetime, racism. being anywhere in the country, you have to see it. but, you can't have a person in a position of power being a racist. they don't have minorities or women. it's a negative for blacks, hispanics or women. if it's not racist or sexist, a guy walk around like that is ignoi ignora ignorant. that's where racism is. walking around calling people names, that just means you are ignorant. when you are in a position of
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power, that's real racism. let me tell you something, like i said earlier, here is a white guy, i know he has a lot of real estate and made a lot of money, but he's made a ton of money on black folk in that arena. he's made a ton of money on black guys running up and down that court and the nba has to make a stance. they have to make a stance. you can't disrespect our employees. you can't disrespect our employees. this is a great test. even if it's ceremonial, i don't think he goes every day and makes basketball decisions. as a force, the nba has to come down on him and says you can't -- i don't know if they can make him sell his team, i don't know about that. you have to be suspended for an indefinite period of time, as a show to your black player. >> break it down, charles barkley. preach.
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that's why i love to get his perspective. see that screen there, the little screen to the right of your television? we are awaiting news conference from the nba commissioner. he's expected to address this. it was a previously scheduled news conference, but he'll be fielded questions. you heard what lz said. we'll have it live on the other side of this break. don't go anywhere.
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okay, there it is, the podium. empty -- it's not really a podium, it's a table and microphone. it's where the nba commissioner, adam silver is going to hold a news conference. it's previously scheduled news conference. we think he's going to answer questions swirling donald sterling. the nba is investigating the comments made by sterling.
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remarks made by the website, tmz. they feature a man's voice saying things about african-americans telling a woman, who is apparently his girlfriend to stop bringing african-americans to the games and stop posting photos with black people. the voice is reported to be donald sterling. it mentions one african-american by name, a prominent one. tell us about that. >> let's get right to why, don. magic johnson is saying he will no longer attend clippers games. let's listen to the alleged voice of donald sterling. >> i saw someone i admire. i admire magic johnson. >> okay, good. >> he's made a lot of changes for his community, for the world, for the people, for the minorities. he tells a lot of people -- >> i'm sitting here talking to you. i have nothing more to say.
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>> i took a picture of someone i admired. >> good. >> he happens to be black and i'm sorry. >> i think it's nice you admire him. i know him well and he should be admired. i'm just saying it's too bad you can't admire him privately. your entire [ bleep ] life, admire him, i don't care. you can do anything. don't put him on instagram for the world to see and they have to call me. don't bring him to my games, okay? >> magic johnson tweeting that the incident is a black eye for the nba. don? >> thank you, paul. appreciate it. ben ferguson. did you hear that? >> yeah. how do you not suspend this guy? >> if it is, indeed, him.
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>> if it is, indeed, him. let's hypothetically say for a second, maybe it's him. how in the world do you not suspend him? more importantly than that, do we think if this wasn't him, he wouldn't be coming out right now and the organization saying this is a fake tape? you wouldn't want it playing over and over and over again if you didn't have a connection to it. my point is, the nba is about to walk out. what example are they going to make for the country and there's a big decision here, in my opinion. you have a lot of african-american young men that love basketball and they love and they want to dream of being an nba player. do you basically say, you know what? you may get to do that one day, but we are going to have a racist owner we do not suspend or are we going to set an example you have to have integrity in life and we are not going to associate with people and allow them to act this way in private or public while you
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are paying your hard earned money to sit in the nosebleed sections in the 300s once or twice a year that your dad working two jobs went and bought you. there's a lot of nba fans that are minorities and their parents work hard to get them tickets to see the people they idolize. this is the guy they are paying the cash to. if the nba doesn't suspend him, i'm sorry, i think it's a disgrace and i'm mad about it. >> some people don't believe reality. i have people saying there is no way he was going to get a lifetime achievement award from the naacp, it's not an official event. put up the invitation, please, if you have it. it is from the naacp los angeles's website. it says naacp. there's a dinner tuesday, may 15th. if you scroll down and go to the next picture on that website, it says lifetime achievement award,
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donald sterling, owner of -- the manhattans are going to be playing. 24 honorees. al sharpton, mayor gracetti. >> you might as well call it, i'm not a racist award. i've got a plaque to prove it. i can say anything i want to. >> the truth is stranger than fiction here. you have to hit them over the head with it. that is the official naacp invitation. the naacp responded. i'm going to read it on the air. they respond to the alleged statement.
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from alice, the president of naacp. if the alleged allegations are true, we are disappointed in mr. sterling. recent remarks like these remind us racism is not a footnote in our past, but a reality of our present we must take head on. investigation is in progress. we urge the l.a. naacp to withdraw donald sterling on the list at the gala. they should honor his request and not attend the games. okay. there you go. so the naacp was going to give him an award. it's true. it's official. they are withdrawaling that. do what he said, don't go to the games. ben ferguson? >> don, look at the corruption
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here, though, that i think it's exposed. this guy had been busted for not wanting to rent apartments to minorities, yet, he was able to buy access to the naacp to get a, i'm not a risist plaque to put on his wall. the only reason, why right now they are saying you are not going to come is because this is now bad press for them. the other story that afokted people's lives of where they were going to live, they were willing to accept that. should a guy with this much money be able to buy access to the naacp? this is not the worst thing he ever said. let's put it in perspective. this is not close to what he was doing to minority families that were wanting to live in an apartment. to the point the justice department got involved with it, that's a fact. this is a type tape. it's one of the things lz said earlier. he wasn't shocked or surprised.
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we knew this was the guy long before the tape came out today. >> ben, ferguson, don't go anywhere. we are going to need you for the press conference that about to happen from the nba commissioner. don't miss it. we'll be right back. ling c'mon, you want heartburn? when your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast, with tums. heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact. and goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum, tum tum tum... tums! for $175 dollars a month? so our business can be on at&t's network yup. all five of you for $175. our clients need a lot of attention. there's unlimited talk and text. we're working deals all day. you get 10 gigabytes of data to share. what about expansion potential? add a line anytime for 15 bucks a month. low dues... great terms... let's close. new at&t mobile share value plans. our best value plans ever for business.
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okay, there you go. that's where the naacp -- excuse me, the nba commissioner is supposed to have a briefing, a previously scheduled briefing. now that this has happened, we are expecting him to talk about the controversy involving donald sterling. there it is. we are going to bring it to you live. usually, they start on time. supposed to happen at 8:30. i imagine getting his ducks in a
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row, this is the first real test as the nba commissioner. the reason we mention the naacp is because donald sterling is supposed to get an award, a lifetime achievement award in may from the naacp. they have withdrawn the award saying nope, it's not going to happen and asking people to really take donald sterling's lead, black people, as he said and not go to the games. joining me now, ben ferguson, a cnn commentator and kevin dean of bleacher report. so, let's talk about this, kevin, i want to go to you first since this is going crazy on social media. it is the talk of the sports world and beyond. >> yeah, amazing. i'm based in l.a. locally, the amazing thing is it's not a huge shock to people who follow the nba and the
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clippers and know donald sterling. it's one of those issues where it's more convenient for people to not keep it in the forefront, just go about their business and now you see, you know, something happens, triggers it and everybody understands how wrong this is. everybody is angry and upset about it. it's embarrassing for anybody associated with the clippers of nba to have it happen. >> you said in los angeles, this is not a well kept secret, everybody knows, right? >> yeah. yeah. i mean, i think it's -- it's yur unfortunately, it's not where your average guy is going to go read the details of court filings or court transcripts from lawsuits he's been involved with in real estate, but it's much easier when you have an
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article in tmz and snippeths on twitter. it's a different world now. you can see how quickly things build momentum. one woman pushes this rock forward and now you see, everybody understands. everybody wants to get a part of how absurd this whole thing is. >> does everyone -- is people out there aware of the relationship between donald sterling and the young lady on the tape, who is sitting next to him on the video you see and she is, i think she's half hispanic and black. are they aware of that relationship? is that talked about there? >> not so much. i have been to the clippers playoff games in the past week or so. he's there. he's got a courtside seat there. mid court near the national tv broadcaster's table. it will be interesting to see what happens. they have a game scheduled for tuesday night at staples center
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against the golden state warriors. you have to think the nba commissioner, adam silver might have something to say shortly about whether donald is going to be welcome at his own game, much less whether he's welcoming other people. he's sort of, you know, the owner of the team, but, even clippers fans understand that he's a bit of an embarrassment. his reputation is not that good as far as, you know, trying to bring a winning team to town and so, you know, he's sort of a bit of a black sheep. now, you see something like this, something as big as this brought to the forefront. unfortunately for clippers fans, their team is good these days. it's embarrassing to be associated with them right now. >> the clippers are doing better than the lakers for the season, is that correct? >> absolutely, yeah. the lakers had the worst season
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ever in lakers history. the clippers are still going and have a promising layoff going. locally, the lakers are by far the prominent, dominant team. >> right. >> clippers fans, this has been a time for them. they have star players in chris paul and blake griffin. a big time coach in doc rivers. all people who are trying to win a championship. now, they have to deal with this thing because the owner caused them and it's a huge distraction. it's unfortunate for them, too. >> they used to be known as it has other team and hardly got attention, overshadowed by the lakers, not so much anymore. this, they are overshadowing the lakers and other teams, but not in a way they want. listen, if this was something that everyone knew about, right, and then didn't want to deal with in los angeles. the players certainly knew, the coaches knew.
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how much of an onous, they are calling it racist money. they knew about this. they know, clearly, right? >> yeah. it puts everybody, you know, in an awkward position in the clippers organization. even kolby bryant tweeted, i couldn't play for him. so, that puts pressure on these guys like chris paul and blake griffin who are victims in the situation that something has been done to them. now everybody is asking them to step forward and, you know, write this, which is a little bit unfair, you know. at this point, it's more something the nba needs to deal with before the nba players association. chris paul is the president of that. it's a tough spot for him. before they get involved, see what the nba has planned. adam silver is coming out and
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going to talk about it. he takes it very seriously. the thing is, this could be a long, drown out process. it's not easy to remove a guy from owning his own team. we are not talking a player or coach. it's the guy who owns the team. >> yeah. >> to take that away is a legal issue. >> i want to get your reaction -- >> i think it's so important for the nba to come out and be stern on this because what are you going to have chris paul or blake griffin say don't come watch us? you can't put that burden on them. they can't go out and lose on purpose, for example. that's where the nba has got to step up and do this today. >> more on this. i want kevin, i don't know if kevin wants to wait, but we have been talking the los angeles naacp. this is from the hollywood reporting, this is not our reporting. naacp responded in los angeles.
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the naacp previously honored sterling with the life achievement award. ahead of the 2009 honor, naacp hadley on jenkins praise sterling to "the los angeles times," even as the mogul was being accused of racism in a lawsuit from the clippers general manager and elgin baylor. he has a unique history of giving to the children of l.a. jenkins said of sterling at the time. adding sterling gave 2,000 to 3,000 tickets to youth for games. they did not respond or request comment from the hollywood reporter. people knew about this and in light of that, he was getting rewards. i'm sure some people he has done some good, at least, i don't know -- what do you think of that? >> is it him doing the good or the franchise of the los angeles
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clippers knowing you have to be involved in your community and some sort of philanthropic way to endure yourself to the community. i highly doubt this guy said, hey, i want to go give away 3,000 tickets to inner city youth. i promise you, he was far away from it. the other thing, the naacp should be ashamed of themselves and embarrassed. they knew all this was going on. they continued to award him. why? because money buys access. the naacp liked having a relationship with the owner of the los angeles clippers and the access to the games and the organization and the players. they were willing to look and turn a blind eye to true racism. they are supposed to be the ones calling it out and they are willing to give a plaque to a guy so he doesn't look like a racist to the community. the naacp is just as embarrassing for going along with the shenanigan for the last decade.
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>> kevin, you want to respond to that? >> look at the politics, the fund-raisers. it's a different world than what the guy believes privately or even what guys within the clippers organization understand about the owner of the team. you saw barren davis, a clippers player of the past. that's the way it is. he is honest about what he believes in. itis been going on a long time. it's what he tweeted out. it's not a surprise. with everything going on, it's not something you have on your plate all the time. now that it's in front of all of us, it's impossible to ignore. >> boy. where do we go from here, guys, in the back room, the control room? keep going or take a break. stick around. don't go anywhere. we are awaiting news conference you can see on the bottom of the screen. we are awaiting a press
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conference from the nba commissioner where he's late. surely, he has to address this. he has to in some way. we'll carry it for you after this.
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there we are, we are awaiting the nba commissioner. we will carry it for you live. i want to play more of my conversation with charles barkley when he talked about, you know, this man and what he said about magic johnson and magic johnson's response. let's listen to charles barkley. >> magic said he and cookie, his wife, in a tweet, i will never go to a clippers game again as long as donald sterling is the owner. this will have an impact far beyond. >> that's why the nba has to address it. it's not fair for the l.a. clippers just because their owner is an idiot, it has nothing to do with the players. they are going to feel the
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ramifications. that's the sad thing. they have a terrific thing. but, this guy brings a negative light on the team. i understand, i understand magic and i completely agree. think about it, though, don. if he's going to talk bad about magic johnson, what would he think about a normal black person? >> the average black person. he's an icon. >> go ahead, i'm sorry. >> he's talking about an icon, a trail blazer. >> not just that. a very successful black man. a very, very successful black man. can you imagine how he would treat a normal black person if they came to get a job. that's the point i want to make. it's a dangerous thing. this guy is in a position to hire and fire people. so, a normal black person can't get a job from him if he thinks
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that low. if you are a regular person trying to get a job with this guy. >> hmm. there ee there's a lot going on here. let's talk. a lot of people are saying, i'm not surprised, it's a rich white guy. i'm not surprised he made the remarks. i have to say i'm not surprised but i am in some way because it's over people, when it comes to racism. it's over. look at the world. look at the demographics of the country. all he has to do is sit in the stadium, look around and he will see that. >> the problem is a lot of black guys made him rich. you think about that. those black players, not just now, those black players for however long he's on the clippers, they made him rich. yeah, he made a lot of money in
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real estate, but those black players that run up and down the court made him a lot of money. he does owe them respect and dignity. those guys made him rich. >> sir charles barkley responding to this controversy on cnn a short time ago. there is that press conference. we are awaiting the nba commissioner. as soon as he steps up, we'll carry it for you. back after a quick break. woman: everyone in the nicu -- all the nurses wanted to watch him when he was there 118 days. everything that you thought was important to you changes in light of having a child that needs you every moment.
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this press conference was supposed to start at 8:30. it's almost 9:00, still no sign of the nba commissioner. the first real test as commissioner to talk about the controversy about the l.a. clippers owner, donald sterling and the remarks recorded by this woman here, who is his
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girlfriend, who is mixed saying don't bring black people to the game and you shouldn't be photographed with them and put it on social media. we will wait for the press conference. when it starts, we'll bring it to you. we are going to go anthony bourdain. as soon as it starts, we'll bring it to you. [ speaking in a foreign language ] ♪ ♪

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