of course, the white house and cherelle griner, who is brittney griner wife, welcoming the news that brittney griner is coming home after serving in russian prison for about ten months with cherelle saying they're family is whole again today and not all families are whole today because paul whelan who has been detained in russia for about four years now, was not part of this swap. and president biden essentially said from the white house today that it wasn't a choice. that was the only deal that the united states could pull off. and we spoke with a senior administration official this afternoon and -- excuse me, this morning and briefing reporters said this is the only deal that russia was willing to make at this point. and it is clear that russia is treating paul whelan who is charged with espionage, which are charges that he vehemently denies, differently than brittney griner and that is of major concern for paul whelan's family. of course, they so graciously welcomed the fact that brittney griner was released today, saying that was the right move for the biden administration. but a

it is, as we say, bittersweet, because paul whelan is not out, but you saw the joy on cherelle griner's face and her words with brittney griner being out. it's notable in this statement by david whalen that he's so glad she's on her way home. as the family member of an american hostage, he fully understands the joy of this and that the biden administration made the right decision in bringing her home. validating the very tough decision that they had to make. and what a senior official just said to me is, we had no choice. the russians at the end of these negotiations where they were trying to figure out a second person because the russians wanted what they called parity, two for two, but they wanted a spy, and the u.s. said we don't have a spy in our custody. and so what they said was, according to the senior official, the choice was one, meaning griner, or none. and they were prepared to cancel griner's release if the u.s. had insists on trying to get paul whelan out. with the prior notifications this time, unlike last spring where there was another false start, with the prior notifica

cherelle griner is making a compliment that that advocacy will continue with paul. had to say. >> we will remain committed to the work of getting every american home, including paul, whose family is in our parties today, as we celebrate bg being home, we do understand that there are still people out here who are enduring what i enzured for the last nine months, of missing, tremendously their loved ones. >> and with their support, are you at all concerned that it may be harder to keep public attention on paul, now that bg, brittney griner is free? >> to begin with, that was an amazing thing that cherelle said, it brought a tear to my eye and it still is. the people, the families who are advocating for their loved ones, who are wrongfully detained, you know, we just all have so much fellow feeling for each other, and that's incredibly find for her to say. paul is not a celebrity. and brittany is a celebrity. and the fact of the matter is it is of course we hope it gets more attention. and we hope the media and the general public and certainly the u.s. government has a

you know, we had the interview with cherelle griner, brittney's wife, a couple of months ago. she was saying that she had spoken to her on the phone and was worried about her mental health. that brittney griner was very worried she might have been forgotten in this country. and certainly that has not been the case. people have been working on it. i can only imagine -- i reached out to cherelle last week when we knew this was happening. of course she's not saying anything. nobody wanted to do anything that would jeopardize this day. now that it is here -- >> i remember you sitting down with her and asking you does she have hope. you said that's all she can is have hope. she said there was some despair. >> yes. >> that she had in her eyes because she just did not know. now she has the answers that we've all been waiting for which is brittney is coming home. >> we want to see that plane land safely. also eager for news on her health. brittney was in the colony for multiple weeks. the conditions there reputed to be very bad. we shall see. >> the labor, the nutrition, even her menta

the president, first and foremost, celebrating this news with brittney griner's wife cherelle saying that the last couple of months have been hell for brittney griner and now she's able to come back home and be reunited with her family. it was notable that so much of this speech he had to give this morning had to do with addressing paul whelan who was not a part of this deal. i want to play a little sound of him discussing whelan. >> we never forgotten about brittney. we've not forgotten about paurl whelan who has been unjustly detained in russia for years. this was not a choice of which american to bring home. we brought home trevor reed when we had a chance earlier this year. sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, russia is treating paul's case differently than brittney's. we're not giving up. we will never give up. >> reporter: jim, i want to walk you through what we know so far about why paul whelan didn't end up being part of this deal that was announced this morning. a u.s. official telling me that, of course the u.s. has been trying for months to make sure brittney griner and

you heard cherelle griner there say that this will be both her and brittney's mission going forward that remain committed to getting these other americans home but, george, the headline here, the smile on her face, brittney griner is on her way home. what a day this is. what a coup for this administration but most importantly brittney griner is on her way home as we speak. >> to martha raddatz. the president devoted so much of that statement to the case of paul whelan and already heard from whelan's family. >> reporter: we have, george. an incredibly gracious yet heartbreaking statement. let me read part of it. i am so glad, this is from david whelan, paul's twin brother, i am so glad brittney griner is on her way home. as the family member of a russian hostage i can only imagine the joy she will have being reunited with her loved ones, the biden administration made the right decision to bring ms. griner home and to make the deal that was possible rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen. now, when trevor reed was released earlier this year, the family released a statement

he stepped out into the room as you said with brittney griner's wife, cherelle and said the hell and nightmare that brittney griner and her family have been through over the last few months are now over and that she is expected to arrive back in the united states within the next 24 hours, but the other message that was so clearly delivered from the president is how much paul whelan remains top of mind for the president. he wanted to make sure that anybody who is watching including whelan's family heard this from him. >> we never forgot about brittney. we've not forgotten about paul whelan who has been unjustly detained in russia for year. this was not a choice of which american to bring home. we brought home trevor reed when we had a chance earlier this year. sadly for totally illegitimate reasons russia is treating paul's case differently than brittney's and while we have not yet succeeded in securing paul's release, we are not giving up. we will never give up. >> reporter: so there are two things going on here, one is the celebration of brittney griner's release but second is the re

there was cherelle griner and her heroism speaking out saying the heck with this silence, we need to hine light on this and raise brittney griner's name so there is more of an efft to agitate to make sure that brittn griner's name and paul whelan's name are at the top of the to do list come of antony blinken's to do list. that agitation grew and grew in the sports world and among fans. people made buttons and t-shirts and tookhem tw games. the sports world could no longer be silenced. steph curry mentioned whitney griner at the ring ceremony for the golden state warriors and the cacophony did start to grow. i do believe that, along with, frankly, the fact that russia is losing to ukraine and vladimir putin felt like he needed a win of some kind, i think that is why this trade took place. to what degree you could say the ukrainians are why brittney griner is coming home. amy: the white house secretary tonight comes by the united arab emirates and saudi arabia had any involvement in the mediation efforts that secured the release of brittney griner from a russian labor prison camp. >> th

first lady jill biden seen sharing a hug with cherelle griner there. cherelle griner wife of wnba star brittney griner after learning brittney was released from detention earlier today. while we're all happy for griner's family, of course, the family of paul whelan another american unjusty detained, worried about getting him home. elizabeth, i know you're happy for the griner's but it's a difficult day for your family. how are you doing, and your family doing? >> well, i think we're doing as well as can be expected. i mean, whatever we're going through is nothing compared to what paul is going through. in our case, 17 in mordovia, russia. you're right, celebrating brittany's return. always a wonderful thing for an american wrong he detained to come back to the united states. a big win. >> you spoke to secretary blinken and president biden this afternoon. can you tell us about those calls? >> yes. both reassuring me that the fight continues, and that is what i had believed all the way along, but it's always good to get those calls and be able to discuss

the white house releasing photos of griner's wife, cherelle, embracing president biden overjoyed immediately after getting the confirmation griner is back in american hands. this morning, cherelle griner standing near the president at the white house expressing a pure and simple thanks. >> i'm just standing here overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion that i have right now is just sincere gratitude for president biden and his entire administration. today my framily is whole, but as you all are aware, there's so many other families who are not whole. >> this trade brings ten months of hell for griner to a close. the president gave final approval over the past week and received updates throughout the morning as the swap unfolded. but the cost of this operation, freeing a convicted arms dealer, and leaving another american still behind bars in russia was quite high. in a brand-new cnn exclusive interview direct from russian captivity, paul whelan says the president needs to bring him home and soon. >> i have to say i am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secur

when cherelle griner arrived, she was led back into the oval office, not knowing what was going on. there she was met by president biden. it was president biden who told his team he wanted to deliver the message, the message that the deal had been complete and brittney griner was on her way home. the two were speaking when president biden was actually informed by his aides that brittney griner was securely in the hands of u.s. officials. shortly thereafter, she was on the phone on speakerphone with president biden, with cherelle griner. the president's top advisers nearby. they spoke for a short while and then cherelle went into the nearby dining room to have a private conversation with her wife. there are very real complexities, very real political and policy issues that the president grappled with in a major way over the course of the last several months. but as he signed off on this last week, he made clear this was about bringing an american home. this was about bringing someone back to her family. anderson? >> what do we know about the negotiations, why griner was released, not

last night in an instagram post, you were among the people that cherelle griner thanks for her efforts. you were the second or third person she named. you've become friends with brittney griner over the years, i understand. when did you learn she was coming home? how did you have the opportunity to speak to her again? >> i was on air force one when the president was flying from washington to phoenix for the big -- i talk to him directly and made another -- i'm a big basketball fan. as the mayor of phoenix, that was my job before i got in congress. i had seen her develop into a great leader in our community, a social justice leader who was using her voice and so many positive ways. it's such a tragedy what occurred. i asked him about it. he hinted that something big was going to happen at the end of the week. he didn't break any confidentiality but he did hint that a very positive thing was going to happen. that made me very optimistic. look, you mentioned cherelle griner, she is a hero. we should all have a spouse or loved one in our lives and that would advocate for us at the way that

secretary of state, he was in the oval office today when cherelle griner had a chance to speak to brittneyriner. he called that to an unforgettable experience. he spoke what it mentality for bringing her home, but also it meant leaving paul whelan in russia for now. >> this was not a choice. the choice was one or none. we will never relent until paul, and for that matter every other american national wrongly detained abroad, is free and joining their families. >> he also said the u.s. officials put every possible offer on the table with russia to also try to secure whelan's release, but he said that wasn't possible in this moment. u.s. officials are clearly saying they will try to get him home as quickly as possible, but for now they're elated griner is on her way home. they're also thanking the united arab emirates. it was uae, abu dhabi, where brittie griner and viktor bout were exchanged today. i spoke to a uae official earlier this year is one of the reasons that brittney griner is on her way home today. ana? >> yeah, back-channel negotiations there. phil, clearly the white house has l

. >> cherelle griner stood by the president this morning as he announced her wife, brittney griner, has been released from a russian prison and is coming home. >> over the last nine months, you have all been so privy to one of the darkest moments of my life, so today, i am just standing here overwhelmed with emotions >> reporter: moments earlier, she and president joe biden's spoke with brittney, who was released in the uae as part of a prisoner swap. >> i'm glad to be able to say brittney is in good spirits and she is relieved to finally be heading home. what matt winer was arrested february 17th at a moscow airport with less than a gram of cannabis oil and later sentenced to nine years in prison. in exchange for griner, the u.s. released russian arms dealer viktor bout, who is serving a 25 year sentence for conspiring to kill americans by selling weapons to terrorists. while the celebrations for her release are just beginning, they are tempered by the fact that former marine paul whelan was not part of this deal. he remains behind bars in russia. >> this was not a choice of which amer

blinken saying it was unforgettable to be in the oval office today with president biden when cherelle griner was able to speak with brittney griner for the first time since she was freed from russia and he also went on to say that this has been an effort that's been under way by u.s. state department officials, by officials for months. we have reported on that. we know the biden administration put an offer on the table months ago for both brittney griner and paul whelan who is another american detained in the country. that did not come to fruition today. it's not because the u.s. officials didn't want it. it's because of russia's position here. they treated paul whelan differently than they did brittney griner, and here's what the secretary of state said about the united states moving ahead with this deal even though for now, it meant leaving paul whelan in russia. >> this was not a choice of which american to bring home. the choice was one or none. we will never relent until paul and for that matter, every other u.s. national held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad is free and coming hom

cherelle griner shared a collage. in the caption she thanked all the people who had a hand in getting her wife home. a few names she mentioned -- robin roberts, gayle king, and the biden administration and wnba. brittney griner was arrested in russia in february for carrying vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. she was sentenced to nine years in russian prison. after a prisoner swap with a russian arms dealer thursday, griner landed in the u.s. yesterday. >>> turning to our microclimate weather alert. bad weather making some roads pretty treacherous. in sacramento today drivers had a close call. power lines collapsed on a busy boulevard. drivers had to maneuver out of the way. some couldn't avoid the lines, and others didn't move fast enough. the lines smashed their front car window. then people were trapped between live lines. first responders had to wait for toishls officials to deenergize the lines before helping drivers. one man had to swerve into the ditch. >> a second one fell down in the middle of the road.

cherelle griner saying these have been the darkest moments of my entire life where they couldn't speakuldn't talk to her. also saying paul whelan's family, we hear you and saying -- we'll wait to learn more about what officials say when they brief reporters. totally illegitimate reasons that russia is not releasing paul whelan at this time. m.j. lee, you're at the white house, you were watching the remarks from president biden. it was the moment at the end when kristen welker shouted out the timeline. he said he believes brittney griner will be back in the united states within the next 24 hours. obviously she veal to undergo a medical evaluation, but president biden making clear what a monumental moment this is. >> reporter: absolutely. this speech was first and foremost celebratory talking about how greiner has been through hell, the president said, over the last few months and now able to be reunited with her family. when he let cherelle griner take the podium, even before she let out any words, she let out a huge sigh of relief and said i'm just overcome with emotion. you hit the na

they summoned cherelle griner to the white house, telling her that she was going to get an update. national security adviser, jake sullivan, about ho w things were going. however, cherelle griner arrived, she was actually lead back into the oval office not knowing exactly what was going on. there, she was met by president biden, it was president biden who had told his team, he wanted to deliver the message. the message that the deal had been complete. britney griner was on her way home, the two were speaking when president biden was actually informed by his aides that brittney griner was securely in the hands of the u. s. officials. certainly thereafter, she was on the phone on speakerphone with president biden, with charles griner, for -- they spoke for a short while, the three of them, then cherelle grander went into the president's private dining room to just have a private conversation with the wife she has not seen in nearly ten months. it's something that underscored the split screen dynamic here. there are very real complexities, very real policy issues that the president gr

back in d.c., president biden and griner's wife, cherelle griner, ecstatic in an early morning presse. >> good morning, folks. and it is a good morning. moments ago, standing together with her wife, cherelle, in the oval office, i spoke with brittney griner. she's safe. she's on a plane. she's on her way home after months of being unjustly detained in russia. >> over the last nine months, you all have been so privy to one of the darkest moments of my life. so today i'm just standing here overwhelmed with emotions. but the most important emotion that i have right now is just sincere gratitude for president biden and his entire administration. >> reporter: for months, fans and teammates of the two-time olympic champion pressuring the biden administration to bring her home. >> bring her home! >> reporter: tonight we've learned the prisoner swap came together in just the last 48 hours with the president himself signing on within the last week. griner was arrested in february when russian customs officials said they discovered a vape and cartridges of cannabis oil packed in her luggage. g

griner is back on u.s. soil back in the arms of her wife cherelle, a private but no doubt powerful reunion at brooke army medical center in san antonio. officials say griner is in good spirits and appears to be in good health, now receiving medical care. the process called reintegration to help americans detained overseas transition to back home and decompress. griner given physical check-ups and access to psychologists after her ten months as a russian prisoner. >> are you ready to fly? >> yes. yes, i'm ready. >> reporter: griner seen smiling in this video released by russian state media on her flight leaving the country. her signature long braids noticeably missing. one of her russian lawyers saying the 32-year old recently cut her hair due to the harsh and frigid conditions she faced in the penal colony where she was serving her nine-year sentence. more images from russian state tv provide a glimpse of her life inside the prison. working, standing next to a small bed, too small for her 6'9" frame. in the cafeteria, sharing a meal with a fellow prisoner. she was detained in moscow in february, just days before

soil, the other being the moment she reunited with her wife cherelle. griner saying she will play for her team, the phoenix mercury this season. the season begins in may. welcome home. >>> when we come back here tonight, the urgent search off hawaii at this hour. the plane vanishing from radar, and we'll have new details in just a moment here. but her moderate to severe eczema could make it hard for her. my skin was so itchy. and my outfit was uncomfortable. now, my skin's not as itchy. now we're staying ahead of her eczema. there's a power inside all of us, to live our passion. anxent there's a power rks on the inside,, to help heal your skin from within. it helps block a key source of inflammation inside the body that can cause eczema. so they can have clearer skin and less itch. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your do

a beautiful day yesterday for of course first and foremost britney griner, her wife cherelle.or all of americans. it represents an important american value. we're not going to forget. you we will fight to bring you home. and i'm proud of the work we were able to do to bring britney griner home and cherelle griner is a hero. we should all have a spouse that would show the grace and courage and strength and advocacy for brittani that cherelle did. and we also owe a debt of gratitude to the family of paul whelan as you spoke about in the previous segment. what a great snow, but incredible grace note that be disappointed that your loved one wasn't be able to get out of the russian prison system could still be able to say, bringing home in american is the right thing to do. it is beauty in action. and we owe that family a huge debt of gratitude. >> we want every one of those people brought home. you use the term wrongfully detained, which is the word we use. it's a thing that we used to think of as hostages. people who were taken somewhere where hostages, they might have been held

i was really struck by the comments from cherelle griner when she was standing with the president and said very clearly, that she and bg have not forgotten about paul whelan and then will continue this advocacy work. we're hearing that from folks in the wnba as well, that this will continue to inform what you do moving forward. how do you see that continuing? >> well, i mean, i think it starts first and foremost, this is bg's legacy. i'll be the first to say i wasn't well versed in how many families are truly missed loved ones who are detained overseas. the names that we know now and the plights and the struggles that we know now because of bg are part of her legacy. cherelle just graduated from law school and already said because of how this has personally touched her family, she's going to spend her life helping other families who were in this same situation who don't receive the same spotlight because their loved one isn't a professional athlete like bg is. and then like i said, our league, pick a flat form. our league and players and leagues have shown up for the causes that matte

that was cherelle griner, letting out a sigh of relief for the first time in months. even know that brittney griner was coming home until she got to the white house this morning. she was told come, we'll very a meeting, we'll give you updates on what is happening with the negotiations, she got there this morning, and that's when she was told that her wife is coming home. she is now on her way to san antonio, to greet her when she gets off the plane. let's go into president joe biden right now, who is talking about the economy, and union jobs right now, and let's listen in. >> you know, when the poor have to ladder up, and the middle class are able to prosper, the wealthy do very well. everybody benefits. trickle down doesn't usually get down to the bottom. one of the big ways we have done that by including the butch lewis act, that's shored up the pension plans for millions of new yorkers and it represents some of the most significant investment in pension security for union workers and retirees in the past 50 years. this summer, i went to cleveland, to announce how we

. >>> on instagram, cherelle griner is expressing thanks today as her wife britney returns to the u.safter ten excruciating months in russia. she says, quote, yesterday my heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of many. i'm humbled by their hearts to care for another, a stranger to some, a friend to some is humanity in its purest form. cnn's rosa flores has more on griner's journey home. >> we are absolutely gratified that britney griner is back on american soil. >> reporter: welcome news today on griner's return. we can confirm britney griner arrived at joint base san antonio. britney griner now in her home state after nearly ten months in a russian prison, most recently serving her sentence in a russian penal colony. there's new information about her life there. griner says she cut her long hair nearly two weeks ago and trimmed it to make her life easier during the russian winter . her attorney there says she was unable to do the sewing work she was assigned at the penal colony due to her large hands and because the tables were too small to accommodate her. president

griner seen smiling on a plane home, after nearly 300 days in russian captivity. president biden and her wife cherelle speaking to griner from the oval office after her release. but left out of deal, paul whelan, the former u.s. marine held in russia since 2018 tonight whelan's brother joins us with reaction >>> also tonight, flu hospitalization surging, the highest level in more than a decade we're inside the e.r. in one hard-hit hospital >>> the mother of a 7-year-old girl allegedly murdered by a fedex driver speaking out to us new details about the chilling confession. and revealed the christmas gift meant for the victim inside the box that driver delivered. >>> the bipartisan vote in the house protecting same sex and interracial marriage the bill now on its way to president biden. >>> celine dion's health battle. the superstar opening up about the rare disorder forcing her to postpone her tour >>> and the hero dog offering veterans to find compassion and acceptance who's inspiring america? >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt >>> good evening, everyone pro basketball star brit

cherelle griner also called for imprisoned american paul whelan and others to be brought home. e biden administration says it tried to include whelan in the prisoner swap with griner, but russia refused. >>> in los angeles karen bass is set to make history as the city's first female mayor. she will also be the first woman of color in the post. bass will be sworn into office later today by vice president kamala harris. harris also endorsed bass during her campaign. bass' six-term congressman was on president biden's short list for a running mate during his 2020 campaign. bass has said that tackling los angeles homelessness issue is her top priority in her first 100 days. >>> saturday was winter graduation day at the university of idaho. the school attended by four college students who were killed last month. the ceremony normally an occasion for celebration had a somber feeling. there were tributes to the four young people found stabbed to death in their off-campus home including a moment of silence. investigators say they're making progress and sorting through thousands of tips,

cherelle griner also called for imprisoned american paul whelan and others to be brought home. the biden administration says it tried to include whelan in the prisoner swap with griner, but russia refused. >>> the january 6th committee will meet virtually in the coming hours to finalize a list of possible criminal referrals to the justice department. that list is widely expected to include former president donald trump and four close associates. the referrals do not mean that federal prosecutors will pursue them because the justice department has its own january 6th investigations under way. the committee's final report on the u.s. capitol attack including any criminal referrals is expected to be made public by december 21st. >>> a u.s. federal judge has declined to hold former president donald trump in contempt of court for failing to turn over classified records as required by subpoena. while that's according to two sources familiar with the matter who said the judge instead told trump's legal team and the justice department to work it out among themselves. despite repeated as

the pressure on the biden administration to get him home quickly has only grown since griner's release. even cherelleling the supporters of griner to continue to use their platforms, their voices, and their resources to bring whelan home. whit? >> whelan's family desperate to bring him back to the u.s. tune into "this week" later on this morning. martha raddatz will go one-on-one with national security council coordinator john kirby on the mounting controversies surrounding the prisoner swap that freed wnba star brittney griner. plus representative adam kinzinger joins us with a preview of the january 6th committee's final report. that's set for release in less than two weeks. janai? >>> now to tributes pouring in for u.s. journalist grant wahl, writer credit for popularized the sport here, died while covering the world cup in qatar. abc's elizabeth schulze is here with us. good morning, elizabeth. >> reporter: good morning, janai. grant wahl was a prominent reporter and writer who helped introduce americans to some of soccer's biggest stars. after his sudden death this weekend, friends and family an

> reporter: griner is now undergoing a medical evaluation before being united with her wife , cherelle griner, the rest of her family. a senior biden administration official saying gauche negotiations to bring her home were separate from any talks to ukraine. the deal came together about one week ago after the u.s. offered to swap arms dealer, viktor bout, for both griner and paul whelen. he was detained in 2015, convicted on espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison, a charge he denies. he rejected that proposal. >> it was either make this exchange, get one back, the only one they were willing to trade was britney. >> president biden didn't sign the pages for viktor bout until britney griner was on the ground in abu dhabi, inside of a u.s. delegation. russian president, vladimir putin, saying the security service took charge of the swamp , adding there is a possibility for further negotiations. raising hopes that paul whelen could be the next american freed. for now, britney griner's family, friends, and teammates say they are just happy to have her home. >> we are incredibly gra

cherelle griner who you interviewed put the pressure on.ing to play this season. >> i had a very front row seat to part of the incredibly bold strategic decisions that the team made to try to get her out. >> because of the interview that is caught the president's attention. he directed the team to do this. this is an example where you can see the experience of the office and someone that knows the levers of power. maybe a newer president might have been afraid. >> a lot of presidents are. >> he wanted to bring her home. public pressure getting directly to him worked because he is an emphathetic guy. >> what's interesting to watch is how this administration has now especially this year in 2022 decided to bring americans home. this week bringing home americans who were basically kidnapped in afghanistan. in addition to brittney griner and trevor reed and prisoner swaps a dozen others freed this year. >> a legacy of the trump administration. he wanted to put himself front and center. but this carried over and a shifting dynamic in diplomacy. >

photographs just released by the white house show the happy moment cherelle griner speaking to her wifehe president, vice president, and secretary of state at her side. other news, the u.s. supreme court yesterday heard a case that could radically change the very face of democracy. at issue, how much power do state legislatures have to run elections? the state of north carolina says unlimited power. they point to a clause in the u.s. constitution that reads, the times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof. on first reading this, pretty clear. legislature decides. the question is, what if the legislature decides to hold an election that is unconstitutional. there's no room in the sentence for the courts shall be prescribed by the legislature. for years the idea that only the legislature had power was a fringe idea. you put this into practice, it could totally change our system. you could see a situation where no democrat ever wins in the south and no republican ever wins again in california b

and now that deal is completed, it was not, it was almost not completed in the sense that when cherelle griner was brought to the white house, it was not done. but finalized now, and britney griner's hours for being back in the u.s.. >> there is some of the intelligence community who worry about this trade. victor bout of course the merchant of death, it was difficult release him no matter how just griner's cause was, but also it fueled this idea of trying to make it a two for one, but as you detailed could not happen. but let's talk about paul whelan now, has there been any moment over the last year or so where it was realistic to bring him home? without ever on the table, and where can we go from here? what cards does the biden ministration have left to play in order to secure his release? >> so, paul wieland's, disappointed. the whelan family has said that they are happy that britney griner is coming, they applauded griner's decision to -- biden's decision to bring home now. they also realize there is not a tape deal on the table for paul, but it is upsetting that he has been twice passed o

i mean cherelle griner took this issue on personally. >> she really if. >> she was doing interviews. when she sat down with me the object was to get the attention of president biden. she wanted a meeting with the president or a conversation with the president and about a week later, after she sat down with me, that happened. and she pushed for that. even to point of risking, you know, a important relationship that would be critical for the release of her wife with the belief that the public pressure was essential here and so as we see bg really now stepping into her freedom, i don't think that we could expect to see her really publicly out there for a little while. i'm being told that she's going to, after this moment, she's going to be going home. she's going to be de compressing and getting her life back and recovering physically and mentally and emotionally. after she's taken time to do that, she wants to take this moment that -- this thaing that has happened to her and use it for good. so we could expect that after they've had a chance to recovery. >> and to that exact point, abb

i had a bg pen produced by cherelle griner and i handed it to her and said, this is the kind of thinghat cherelle and lindsey and everyone in the united states has been concerned about, you. i think at that point she realized i was who i said i was. i sat her down and said we are going to go through a choreography. i have identified you. i am going to go backo my plane, get the russian gentlemen who is with me, and we are going to do the bridge of spies walk where both people cross each other. she gave me a big smile and said, i am ready to go. amna: you were on the flight back, 18 hours. you said she only slept for about six and wanted to talk the rest of the time. did anything she wanted to ask or share surprise you? roger: yes. i know a little bit about a russian penal coly, having gone through this, and i have done my homework. listening to her describe what she went through, the dayi word- i would prefer her to tell that story herself. for me it was informative but above all it was interesting. some of these stories she told highlighted her humanity, how the other prisoners came

from welcome home messages flashing on scoreboards joey gains, to brittani's wife, cherelle griner, sharingatched as griner deplaned in san antonio, texas on friday, following her release in a prisoner swap with russia. we are now hearing more about what occurred on her 18 hour flight home, as detailed by president biden's top hostage negotiator. >> she was just wonderful. she jumped on the plane, and went right to saying hi to everyone, making personal connections, shaking hands, saying thank you. and then, during that flight, i spent 12 hours just talking about everything under the sun. we actually try to give her some space to say, look, you probably want to decompress after ten months in russian prison. and she said, no, i want to talk. i want to relate to people. and i find someone who was just absolutely wonderful, kind, generous, interesting, and affecting. >> griner's life is forever changed, and and her homecoming is only one part of a continuing saga, as the fate of another american held in russia, paul whelan, remains uncertain. and wnba players try to highlight the issues that l

griner's wife, cherelle griner join the president a happy day for me and my family. last february griner was arrested on drug charges at a moscow airport. >> which the u.s. said amounted to political hostage taking she later pled guilty to those charges. accordiag to the ap griner's release happened after president biden authorized the release of convicted russian weapons dealer. victor boot boot is being held in the u.s.. he's been called the world's most prolific arms dealer and was serving a 25 year sentence for planning to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons that were intended to kill americans. we never forgot about britney. >> we've not forgotten about paul whelan who's been unjustly detained in russia for years. wayland another american held by russia for the past 4 years under what the u.s. says are baseless espionage charges remains in russian custody. >> it was hoped whalen might also be part of the deal that secured griner's release. sadly for totally illegitimate reasons. rushes treating paul's case differently and britney's. paul whelan's family sai

with cherelle griner, they never missed a beat.ever in terms of basically turning themselves into a pr machine to elevate her name and to have americans care about her. she should have been a household name ten years ago, but she wasn't because of the way we look at women's sports compared to men's sports. of course now she is. and she is in large part because of all those wnba players who wore her number, all the court had the number 42. and as we turn from summer to fall, america knew her name and people knew who she was. and the conversation, of course, we had earlier was, you know, if it were tom brady or it were lebron james, they would already be out. maybe they would never have even been in russia because of the financial disparity between men's and women's sports. but the key fact for the wnba was that they then said, okay, you're going to get to know this woman. she's our friend, our colleague, our teammate. we're going to spend the next few months telling you about her and look what happened. >> it's so interesting. i see

earlier this week, cherelle griner was invited to the white house. told it was not until she arrived here this morning that she was told by the president that brittney griner was in u.s. custody and the operation was under way. that call taking place just before 8:00 this morning. about a half an hour before you saw the public comments there made by the president earlier this morning. it does conclude at least for griner what has been just an awful series of months. almost ten months that she's been in russian custody after she was detained. most recently, she had been moved to a colony. she was moved from that colony to moscow to be flown to the united arab emirates where on a tarmac that griner crossed paths, walked in opposite directions on the tarmac, passing by the man for whom she would be traded. that's the convicted russian arms dealer, viktor bout, a man who has been described in the west as the merchant of death for his efforts to sell arms to columbia to kill americans. as it relates to paul whelan, he was the other american that the u.s. h

. >> that was the moment president biden told cherelle griner when her wife would be home. brittney griner is waking up on united states oil. as we have a reporter, the united states state department says she landed in texas early friday morning after months of negotiations which ended in a high profile person or swab for the russian arms dealer victor bout. during those months, vladimir putin used griner as a pawn in his war, but back home, she symbolized something entirely different. president biden said her resilience represents what is best about america. as a black woman and member of the lgbtq community, griner's loved ones feared for her every day that she endured her sentence with the relief that comes with this big homecoming also. come questions about whether american athletes should play in russia ever again. what incentives might there be to keep them here? i have the perfect person with whom to have this conversation i'm honored to be joined this morning by britney griner's former coach out of the current head of the new york liberty, coach sandy browndell. oh

she's now back at home in phoenix with her wife, cherelle. grineruncing the news in a post on her instagram. her first statement since being released in the highly watched prisoner swap. she spent the last week in a texas military facility following her release from ten months in russian detention where she received routine treatment available for all former hostages. griner today thanking everyone who helped bring her home. and acknowledging that dozens of americans still wrongfully held abroad. he wrote, quote, president biden, you brought me home and i know you are committed to bringing paul whelan and all americans home, too. i'll use my platform to do whatever i can to help you. adding every family deserves to be whole. the seven-time wnba all-star announcing she intends to be back on the court this season with the phoenix mercury. three more americans are currently imprisons in iran. their families are pushing the state department and white house to secure their freedom. and their daughter were here just yesterday. >> millions of americans hun

president biden announced her release today alongside griner's wife, cherelle griner. >> brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones. >> today i'm just standing here overwhelmed with emotions but the most important emotion i have right now is just sincere gratitude for president biden and his entire administration. >> among the flurry of reactions over griner's release, we heard from wnba commissioner cathy inglebert who said bg has shown extraordinary courage and dignity in the face of adversity. adam silver thanks those who raised awareness of her circumstances, and the phoenix mercury and sun released a statement saying we no longer have to bring bg home. she's on her way. and you had those who woke up this morning thinking they were experts in high-stakes negotiations, people who mind you, have zero experience in brokering the release of international hostages in rogue nations. much less in russia, a country that is currently invading another country. must we remind folks this is vladimir putin we're dealing with? yet, there armchair negotiators took to twitter taking

but we did get to hear from brittney griner's wife, cherelle griner. >> from the oval office with thehis all possible. and right now she's on a plane on her way home that u.s.. but again, if you missed it, this prisoner swap does does come at a pretty high price. >> because in u.s. custody was a man who had been known by the moniker, the merchant of as the merchant of death. viktor bout. >> a russian arms who was caught and convicted of trying to sell arms to an enemy elements in afghanistan while we are at war there and he has been serving up to this 0.11 years of a 25 year prison sentence. and so he will be swapped in exchange for brittney griner's release. and brittney griner's release. and time now is i'm karen. i'm living with hiv and i'm on cabenuva. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. it's two injections from a healthcare provider. i really like the flexibility. and for me, it's one less thing to think about while traveling. don't receive cabenuva if you're allergic to its ingredients or if you

who are wrongfully detained abroad and tweeted out a photo of brittney griner hugging her wife cherelle grinernd the team gave that photo to the bring our families home campaign making it very clear that they want her name associated with the efforts of that campaign and as you said, ana, she said that it is her intention to play in this basketball upcoming season and that is a place where she will thank all the other fans and everyone else who was so much pushing for her to come home. >> reading her post, it definitely seems like she has a whole new perspective on life and what's truly important. kylie, thank you. so great to hear she's doing well. >>> now to ukraine. russia launching dozens and dozens of missiles this morning leaving more civilians dead and many others without water, heat or train service. the white house condemned the strikes which obliterated more of ukraine's critical infrastructure. nick paton walsh is tracking this. this sounds like a multifaceted attack. different types of missiles launched from different locations targeting refrlg regions. what more are you learning?

. >> a great day for cherelle, griner. the release of an american citizen from the clutches of a foreign adversary and it should be called for celebration. some. on the right are falsely implying her release came at the expense of paul whelan the u.s. marine who's been held in russia for nearly four years. >> let's think about what we did here. we traded a basketball player for a known terrorist, a criminal. >> he left a marine behind. think about, it it's not an equal exchange. >> but this by the administration's efforts to bring whelan home as well, russia's demand for securing his relieves could not be met. whelan's own brother david whelan recently acknowledged it just that, take a listen to this. >> i think president biden made the right decision. his job is to protect all americans and to care about all americans. it would've been wrong friends to leave behind an american when he had the ability to bring one home. >> but brittney griner's challenges they are far from over. she left the united states in february as a

this is an instagram post from her wife, cherelle griner, and largely it was just expressing gratitudeeryone who brought. here quote >> -- of many, she continued as beachie and i start our journey to heal our minds bodies and spirits. i want to personally say thank you to some of the hands seen and unseen that help make it possible for me to see my white again. >> it was really special to see just as long, long list of everyone that they were thinking. you can take a look yourself. but now within the last hour, you mentioned the voters that we are seeing, this very first photo that we're seeing from the plane that she was on her way home. and nbc actually spoke to the u.s. special presidential envoy for hostage, false that's roger parsons. he explained his moment on the plane. actually, one of the more interesting ones what he was talking about how he was trying to give her space, thinking that she would need that, instead, he said that she was craving human connection. she wanted to talk. take a listen to what he had to say about her very first moments on u.s. soil. >> what brittani g

griner seen smiling on a plane home, after nearly 300 days in russian captivity. president biden and her wife cherelle speaking to griner from the oval office after her release. but left out of deal, paul whelan, the former u.s. marine held in russia since 2018 tonight whelan's brother joins us with reaction >>> also tonight, flu hospitalization surging, the highest level in more than a decade we're inside the e.r. in one hard-hit hospital >>> the mother of a 7-year-old girl allegedly murdered by a fedex driver speaking out to us new details about the chilling confession. and revealed the christmas gift meant for the victim inside the box that driver delivered. >>> the bipartisan vote in the house protecting same sex and interracial marriage the bill now on its way to president biden. >>> celine dion's health battle. the superstar opening up about the rare diso f