Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Israel Defense Forces: Eight Israeli Soldiers Killed In "Incident" In Rafah; Hamas Official Talks About "Day After" Plan For Gaza; Massive Protests In France After Week Of Political Turmoil; Catherine Makes First Public Appearance Since Cancer Diagnosis; Summer Heatwave Will Send Temperatures Into The Triple Digits; Early Voting Underway In New York's Democratic Primary; Mavericks Blow Out Celtics To Avoid Finals Sweep; Charles Barkley To Retire From "Inside The NBA" in 2025; "End Slavery In California Act" Clears Key Hurdle. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired June 15, 2024 - 13:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN "BREAKING NEWS".

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. And we begin with this "BREAKING NEWS".

The Israeli military says an incident in Rafah killed eight IDF soldiers, marking one of the deadliest incidents involving Israeli troops since the October 7th attacks. The militant wing of Hamas claims that carried out a complex ambush. The incident happened as the Rafah Civil Defense says Israel launched new airstrikes in the enclave.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is in Tel Aviv for us. Paula, our officials giving you any more detail about what happened.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, details the IDF are giving are limited at this point. But they do say that there has been that incident in western Rafah this Saturday, eight soldiers having been killed in that incident. They say that they are investigating at this point and trying to ascertain the cause of what happened.

Now, we have heard from Hamas, they, as you say, claimed that they carried out a complex ambush. They say it was in the Tel al-Sultan area of Western Rafah. What they claimed they have done is that they attacked a military bulldozer, which was then engulfed in flames. An APC with crew that came to rescue those on the bulldozer was then under attack as well. That according to Hamas. But the IDF says they are reviewing the incident and they are investigating the exact cause.

Now, what we do know at this point is that this is one of the most deadly attacks that has happened certainly from the Israeli military point of view since January, when 21 soldiers were killed.

Now, we know this is also an area where there has been a significant amount of fighting over the past days. We know that according to civil defense official in Rafah that they had, had calls for injuries to be picked up, for bodies to be picked up, saying that there had been Israeli airstrikes and also significant artillery, shelling in that region over the past hours, in fact, since dawn.

So, we do know that this is an area where there has been significant military activity. We had heard from the IDF on Friday, they say, that they had discovered tunnels in this particular area. They say they had also located large amounts of weapons and they say also that there had been paths (PH) and holes -- punched into walls between buildings, believing that was done by Hamas so that they could move around the area -- very heavily populated, dense area without being spotted.

But certainly, this shows that there are significant military operations ongoing in the Rafah area at this point. And the IDF saying, eight soldiers have been killed. Hamas claiming responsibility. The IDF saying that they are looking into the cause. Fred?

WHITFIELD: OK. Paula Hancocks, thank you so much for that update. So, the latest Hamas ambush only adds to concerns about a U.S. back ceasefire plan. Hamas still hasn't accepted the terms laid out by President Biden two weeks ago.

CNN's Ben Wedeman, spoke with a senior Hamas leader earlier this week about why there seems to be an impasse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSAMA HAMDAN, MEMBER, HAMAS POLITBURO: I think the real start is to make an end for the occupation. If that happened, I think this would be the right step or the right move.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Mr. Hamdan, simple question, why hasn't Hamas yet agreed officially to the U.S.- backed proposal for a ceasefire?

HAMDAN: We said it's a positive step. But we need to see the facts on the ground. We need to know what exactly the president means by saying the ceasefire -- a withdrawal.

WEDEMAN: What is left? What do you need?

HAMDAN: We need an Israeli -- a clear position from Israel to accept the ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from Gaza, and let the Palestinians to determine their future by themselves.

[13:05:08]

WEDEMAN: Are you optimistic at this point in time that you will reach some sort of agreement?

HAMDAN: Well, I think if the United States administration acted in the positive way, seeing the situation not only in the eyes of Israel, we can reach soon an agreement.

WEDEMAN: So, you need the American administration to what? Changed the proposal that was put forth on the 31st of May?

HAMDAN: Not to change the proposal but to accept that this was a proposal must be clear about a ceasefire and the complete withdrawal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempted to broker a deal during an intensive trip in the Middle East. He questioned whether Hamas was negotiating in good faith. But also said he and his partners in the region are determined to bridge any holdups Hamas has with the plan.

All right. Now, to a massive protest in France against the far right. It comes on the heels of a week of political turmoil in that country. The French interior ministry estimates hundreds of thousands of protesters are taking into the streets across the country today. Most of them around Paris.

This, as all in reaction to the far right snagging some 40 percent of the vote in last week's European union elections.

It was a stunning victory that caught the political establishment off guard and prompted President Macron to call a snap election in France.

CNN senior international correspondent Jim Bittermann, joining me now with more on this. Jim, I mean, how much are French politicians divided?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, quite a bit, as a matter of fact, that the snap elections call by President Macron really sent a shiver right through the political system here, because no one had expected him to do that.

Here's is some reasoning is that if this kind of voting pattern prevails, the kind of voting pattern we saw for the European elections prevails. There is no reason to think that the national front, which was is now called the Ressemblement National, extreme right party here, might come to power.

And, in fact, one of the labor union leader -- numbers said today with the snap elections being called for June 30th, the first round of the many way that, in fact, you could see extreme right prime minister just weeks from now.

And so, that's galvanized a lot of these demonstrators today with five labor unions, who formed an alliance they call them the Popular Front and their sole aim is to stop the national front, the Ressemblement National from coming to power, sometime in these parliamentary elections.

So, it's brought about a lot of disarray. And one of the more amazing things that happened today was that former President Francois alone said the situation is serious enough that he was coming out of political retirement and going to run for a seat in the new parliament. Here is his remark.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, FORMER PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): The reason why I made this decision is because I think the situation is serious. More serious than ever. Serious, because the danger represented by the far right is now a reality.

The far right has never been so close to capturing power, since deliberation. How can one remain indifference?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMANN: So, it's pretty amazing to sort of see him once again in the running, and you could actually have a situation if the situation worked out with the right way politically, where Francois alone would be the prime minister with Macron still as president for the next three years. That's a kind of a long shot. But anything can happen these days in French politics. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Wow. I mean, Jim, it is quite amazing. And what an amazing contrast to the kind of unity we saw throughout Paris and beyond just one week ago, because of the D-Day celebrations. But what a contrast today with these protests.

Thank you so much. Always great to see you. Jim Bittermann, appreciate it from Paris.

BITTERMANN: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right, turning now to London, where Catherine, the Princess of Wales made her first public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis. She joined other Royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and they were there to celebrate King Charles's 75th birthday, and enjoy the Trooping the Colour military parade.

Kate and Charles shocking the world in March when they each revealed that they had been diagnosed with cancer. Since then, neither of them have said what type of cancer that they are actually being treated for.

The princess said in the statement Friday that she is making good progress, but with continued treatments for a few more months, since she is not -- I'm quoting her, "not out of the woods yet."

[13:10:05]

I want to bring in CNN's Nada Bashir outside Buckingham Palace where the weather has been quite wacky, but I guess, typical, a London weather. It seemed to open up a little bit with some sunshine and now back to rain.

Nada, what has been the reaction to that moment on the balcony?

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: Well, Fredricka, just a little earlier, we did see huge crowds gathering outside Buckingham Palace. As you can see behind me, much of those gatherers have now left given the awful weather that we are seeing now.

But again, this is an event which typically every year would draw these enormous crowds to mark the king's official birthday. But, of course, many of those gatherings today were also hoping to catch a glimpse of the Princess of Wales. As you mentioned, this is her first public appearance with other senior members of the royal family since she made that shock announcement in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. The king, of course, also undergoing cancer treatment.

But, of course, we did see her appearing today with her three young children. She was on the balcony with other senior members of the royal family. She appeared to be in high spirits with her three young children.

And of course, as you mentioned, this also comes a day after she released a statement on Instagram. She shared a photograph, unclear when that photo was taken. But in that statement, she did explain a little bit about the kind of state that she is in right now, saying, "On days when I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home. I'm learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much time needed to heal.

Now, of course, the Princess of Wales also went on to say that she is not out of the woods just yet she is expected to continue to undergo treatment for cancer over the next few months. It's unclear whether we will continue to see the Princess of Wales at other royal engagement. It may well be that they take it on a case-by-case basis as she -- if she is well enough to take part in other royal engage.

But at this stage, she is not making an official return to those royal engagements. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Of course, everyone is hoping and wishing for her best recovery and that of the king as well. Thank you so much. Nada Bashir in London. All right. It's been a pretty pivotal week for President Biden and former President Trump.

President Biden meets with world leaders in Italy, former President meets with GOP colleagues on Capitol Hill. All this past week, we break it all down next.

Plus, the war between Israel and Hamas is playing out at the ballot box outside New York, voting now underway in the high-stakes election. Much more when the NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:17:30]

It's been a pivotal week for President Biden and former President Trump, as they both hammer out their campaign messaging with just under two weeks to go before the first presidential debate. President Biden on the international stage meeting with leaders from the G7 in Italy. The president vowing continued long-term support for Ukraine and the fight against Russia, including a 10-year bilateral security agreement and $50 billion -- a $50 billion loan backed by frozen Russian assets.

Biden also push to keep mentions of reproductive rights in the official G7 statement.

Meantime, Trump met with congressional Republicans on Capitol Hill for the first time since the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The former president praising tremendous unity among the party.

The first debate between Biden and Trump is now just 12 days away. Joining us right now is CNN presidential historian and former director of The Nixon Presidential Library, Tim Naftali.

Great to see you, Tim.

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, President Biden first. I mean, he was really highlighting his foreign policy and diplomatic experience over the last few weeks in Europe, first in France, and then, in Italy for the G7.

So, how does this address his vitality and global experience chops?

NAFTALI: Well, President Biden clearly decided that he was going to strengthen the United States formal commitment to the security of Ukraine. At this point, in an election year. It was a way of saying to the world that so far as he, Joe Biden remains president, the United States will do all it can -- with the exception of putting troops in Ukraine, of course. All it can to help Ukraine recover its territorial integrity and defend its sovereignty.

This was a very important step for him, and it draws a line should president should Donald Trump be reelected and return to the Oval Office, Donald Trump would have to renounce this agreement. And renouncing this agreement might unsettle some Senate Republicans. We'll see should that ever occur.

In any case, the president -- the current president laid down a very strong marker. And it also I think stiffen the backs of many in the world who were wondering which direction the wind was blowing, given the populist victories in the recent European union elections.

WHITFIELD: And then as for Trump, I mean his mess surge was all about unity as he met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. A unity within his party.

[13:20:06]

Notably he even had a handshaking moment with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who was very critical of Trump after January 6th. So, how does that message of unity resonate during this, you know, hyper polarized election season? NAFTALI: Well, it's always difficult to anticipate what future historians will think. Sometimes it's actually difficult to anticipate what all historians now think. But I suggest, I believe that the photograph of president -- former President Trump and a former leader -- current Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, will be remembered as the as the as sort of the surrender of that wing of the Republican Party that's -- that said, just after January 6th that President Trump was no longer fit for leadership, and that President Trump should be held responsible for the attack on the Capitol.

So, I believe that, that was one of those moments that will be seared into the popular imagination, regardless of what occurs in November.

WHITFIELD: OK. We're also going to be watching Sunday night as the new episode of the CNN Original Series: "SECRETS AND SPIES: A NUCLEAR GAME", airs at 10:00 Eastern. Here is a sneak peek.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I felt it was a trap. But maybe I'm wrong. After 11 years of my secret work for the British, maybe I developed paranoia.

ALEXANDER VASSILIEV, RUSSIAN-BRITISH JOURNALIST, WRITER, AND ESPIONAGE HISTORIAN: The danger could come from different directions. The weakest link in espionage is the meeting between the operative and his agent. He could have been spotted by a surrogate fellow officer.

There could be an MI6 officer working for the KGB, who could betray the (INAUDIBLE).

OLEG GORDIEVSKY, FORMER COLONEL, KGB: I was saying to myself, do have patience, do endure. You are in a unique position to help the West. But I felt instinctively that my time was running out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Tim, as a presidential historian, you know a great deal about the inner workings of various administrations and their policies. So, is it your feeling that, you know all presidents find espionage to a degree useful?

NAFTALI: All presidents find intelligence to be useful. What's really unique about the Reagan period is the importance of spies of human agents, both those that were providing really, really significant information to the west like Gordievsky, that helped move us from the brink of an accidental nuclear war. And sadly, the role of traders like Aldrich Ames, who sent a number of agents working on behalf of the West to their deaths, and also compromised Gordievsky.

So, this episode this week, is all about this secret race between Gordievsky, who is providing information helpful to the west, and Aldrich Ames, who decides to turn his back on his country because he's deeply in debt, and threatens the life of someone who is making the world a safer place.

That's what this episode this week is all about. WHITFIELD: No, I like that -- you know, the importance of the word choice: intelligence, useful; espionage, antagonistic. Maybe not so good.

All right. Tim Naftali, thank you so much. We'll be watching.

(CROSSTALK)

NAFTALI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: An all-new episode of the CNN Original Series: ""SECRETS AND SPIES: A NUCLEAR GAME" airs tomorrow night, 10:00 Eastern in Pacific right here on CNN.

All right. Parts of the South will be really hot this weekend, like triple digit temperatures hot. And more of the country could feel that sweltering heat in the next few days.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK. It's hot. It getting even hotter. And if you are spending this Father's Day weekend, in some parts of the south, it could feel like 105 degrees. Covering the story for us, CNN's Rafael Romo, who is outside where it's hot in Atlanta. And in the CNN Weather Center, Elisa Raffa.

So, let's get started with Rafael. How hot is it out there?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is very hot, Fred. But let me tell you, we have a little bit of cloud cover and a life trees, which is helping a lot once you put them together. But for many people, the reality is that it's not going to be enough, and they need to get relief from the heat anyway they can.

Fortunately, we have many places like this splash pad around the city, where families can cool off. This is the Historic Fourth Ward Park splash pad, which has been way more active than usual and where people also showed up earlier than you would expect.

According to the local office of the National Weather Service, temperatures in most of Georgia, and the South for that matter are expected to be around 100 degrees today. We are still several days away from the official beginning of the summer, Fred. But for many families like the ones we ran into here at the splash pad, this is the perfect opportunity to start enjoying the season.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY LICATA, RESIDENT, ATLANTA: To be able to have a free water source. To get a little relief from the heat is very important.

KIRK LICATA, RESIDENT, ATLANTA: I knew it was going to be a hot weekend. I didn't -- I have not really thought about the fact that it's June, and is it too hot for June.

[13:30:04] That had not occurred to me, the summer this hot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, Fred, beyond the obvious, this kind of weather can pose risks for many people, especially young children and the elderly.

The Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has issued a Code Orange, which means there's an air quality alerts for sensitive groups.

Officials say, under Code Orange conditions, the outdoor air quality is likely to be unhealthy for children, people who are sensitive to ozone.

They also say that people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are high.

So, yes, it's a great idea to have fun in the sun, like some of these families are having, but you have to be mindful of the risks -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. Thank you, Rafael Romo.

Dangerous heat out there.

In the Weather Center for us, Meteorologists Elisa Raffa.

You were talking about this kind of dangerous weather that was out west. Well, now it's moving east and it's here.

ELISA RAFFA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. And we're finding these temperatures much above average for this time of year. Yes. It's summer. It gets hot this time of year, but we're still kind of early for a lot of this heat.

Temperatures would be well above average. There's that heat dome. It's going to start to sit squarely over the central and southern plains as we go into the weekend, eventually moves toward the Midwest and northeast.

As we go into the workweek, look at all the records that could fall as we go into next week. We're talking more than 360 daily records, both daytime highs and overnight lows.

Because we're not even going to get that relief at night. We'll find these temperature staying up near 80 degrees. So again, that's another concern for heat sickness because were just not getting that relief at night.

Here's a look at this heat risk map. It's a new product actually by the National Weather Service and the CDC, looking at the risk for heat sickness. And it is extreme across a lot of the northern plains here as we go into Monday. Tuesday, it spreads into the Great Lakes, Chicago. And then by Wednesday, we're talking about parts of Upstate New York and Ohio with some of this extreme heat risk.

Because you're looking at temperatures getting up towards 100 degrees. And Atlanta temperatures sit squarely in the middle 90s through the weekend.

St. Louis getting up towards 100 degrees on Sunday, going for 98 degrees. Chicago, 97 degrees in Chicago on Monday. So temperatures again, really starting to swelter.

I think that the Chicago seven days, just incredible. Because you're looking at these temperatures in the upper 90s in Chicago, which is well above the average of 81 degrees.

And then the overnight lows are sitting up near 80 degrees, which is where their typical day daytime high should be this time of year. And of course, an overnight low of 80 degrees, you're just not getting any of that relief at night.

So even for a place like Chicago that you don't think of an extreme heat season. Well, their summers are also getting warmer. Since 1970, Chicago has a 1.5-degree fever during the months of June, July and August.

So what that means is that that adds eight more warm and above-average days during the summer season. So again, the season just continuing to get longer in extremes as we pump more of those greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Look at the next couple of days. Again, up in even in New England temperatures in the middle 90s by Wednesday and Thursday, up into Boston, New York as well. Philadelphia, temperatures in the middle 90s.

So really just any day --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: -- yes.

RAFFA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it is summer in a big way already.

All right. Thank you so much, Elisa. Appreciate it.

[13:33:29]

All right. Up next, early voting is underway in a hotly contested New York Democratic primary. Hot for a different reason. Why Israel's war in Gaza is at the heart of that race, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:38:21]

WHITFIELD: Early voting is underway in the high-stakes New York Democratic primary. Progressive Congressman Jamaal Bowman, a member of the Squad, is fighting for his seat against Westchester County executive, George Latimer.

Both men are running for New York's 16th congressional district, which covers parts of the Bronx and Westchester County.

They're opposing views over the Israel-Hamas war has played a major role in the contest.

Let's go now to CNN's Gloria Pazmino, who is live at a polling site in New Rochelle, New York.

So, Gloria, what's the turnout been like?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, we've been watching a steady stream of voters who have been showing up here to city hall in New Rochelle to cast their votes. One of them was Congressman Bowman, who actually cast his vote just about an hour ago.

As you said, it is the first day of early voting here in New York. And this race for this 16th Congressional District is just shaping up to be one of the toughest races of this political season. Very closely watched.

You have the incumbent, Jamaal Bowman, two-term congressmen, and the Westchester County executive, George Latimer, who is challenging Bowman.

And right now, as you said, we are in New Rochelle. This is Bowman territory. But earlier, we were in Yonkers, where Latimer got the support of the Carpenters Union earlier this morning.

Now, that 16th Congressional District stretches from parts of the north Bronx all the way up to Westchester County, including right here in New Rochelle.

[13:39:59]

And it was a district that was recently redrawn after the census. So some voters are new in this district, and that is going to be one of the big things to watch, how the turnout is in different parts of the district.

Now, George Latimer has been trying to appeal to working-class voters, saying that he wants to go to Washington to get things done, while Bowman has said that he has a record to prove that they should reelect him back to office.

Take a listen to what some of the two candidates have said to voters today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE LATIMER, WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE: This is not about me. This is about your lives and the things that you're trying to do for your family.

You want to have a good life to raise your children. You want to be there with your wife or your husband and be able to enjoy the fruits of your hard work, the work that you do your hands. That's what this is about.

And this is about having those of us in office, whatever level, Congress, all the way down to the city council, that understand that the decisions we make have to give you that opportunity to work and to be able to have the money so your kids can have that better life.

REP. JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-NY): When you know, over 18, we need them to vote. Even if they don't vote for me, even though we want them to vote for

us, they need to first register. And we will love to have their vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Well, you saw Bowman out there with some young people who have been registering to vote, are coming out to support him.

But you mentioned, Fred, there is an issue that's become a defining in this race and that is, of course the Israel-Hamas war. While that conflict is playing out thousands of miles away from here, it is something that some constituents here in the district are concerned about.

There is a large Jewish population here in this district. But many of the voters that I spoke to today said that, you know, they are focused on the cost of living, the economy, the cost of housing, of public safety. Those are the issues are thinking about.

While also paying attention to these other positions that both Latimer has taken and Bowman who has called for a permanent ceasefire shortly after the events of October 7th.

George Latimer, so far, has the support of APAC. So a defining part of this race so far -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Gloria Pazmino, thank you so much.

All right. Straight ahead, critics call it a form of modern-day slavery, but it's legal in 16 states. Why lawmakers in one state want voters to decide if it should stay.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:47:17]

WHITFIELD: All right, the Dallas Mavericks avoided being swept in the NBA finals last night by blowing out the Boston Celtics and keeping their title hopes alive. And it came on a night when an NBA Hall of Famer and one of the most

popular basketball announcers declared he was retiring from television broadcasting.

CNN's Andy Scholes has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN ANCHOR, "WORLD SPORT": Well, Fredricka, no team has ever come back from those three deficits in NBA history. Teams are zero and 156 all times. So, hey, maybe we get some history in this NBA finals.

And Mavs head coach, Jason Kidd, he said the Celtics were ready to celebrate, but his team made a stand. And what a stand it was. The Mavs just coming out from the start to terminate the ability of the Celtic's to celebrate on their home floor.

Dallas leading by 26 at halftime. Luka Doncics, a man on a mission. And that's when he had 25 first-half points and the rout continued in the second half. Mavs lead by 48 at one point. Dallas starters didn't even play in the fourth quarter.

Mavs end up winning by 38, 122 to 84. The third-biggest blowout in NBA history. Now the series shifts back to Boston. Finals on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUKA DONCIC, DALLAS MAVERICKS GUARD: I mean, it doesn't change anything. Like I said at the beginning of this series is first of four. And we're going to believe until the end. So we just got to keep going. I have big belief in this team that we can do it. So we just got to keep believing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Now we did get some other big NBA news last night. Our colleague and friend over at TNT, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, making a big announcement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES BARKLEY, NBA HALL OF FAMER & HOST, "INSIDE THE NBA": I ain't going nowhere other than TNT. But I have made the decision myself. No matter what happens, last -- next year is going to be my last year on television.

And I just wanted to say thank you to my NBA family. You guys been great hey, to me. My heart is full with joy and gratitude. But next year, I'm going to just retire after 25 years.

And I just want to say thank you. And I want you all to hear it from me first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Super sad for NBA fans. Barkley is the greatest to ever do it.

Now, our parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery, is in negotiations with the NBA on the next media rights deal. Fredricka. TNT has at least one more year for sure.

WHITFIELD: OK.

SCHOLES: And it's certainly just going to be the end of an era for "Inside the NBA" as Barkley announces his retirement.

WHITFIELD: It will be an end of an era, indeed.

All right, thank you so much, Andy Scholes.

[13:49:48]

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Critics call it a form of modern-day slavery -- California prison inmates doing construction work, computer coding, or working in hospice care, among other jobs.

Well, this week, in California, the effort to end what critics are calling "forced labor" is one step closer to being on the November ballot. On Tuesday, it passed out of a key committee.

The End Slavery in California Act, or ACA-8, proposes an amendment to the state's constitution in regard to its language on slavery.

[13:55:02]

Currently, Article I, Section 6 because of the state constitution states, "Slavery is prohibited, involuntary servitude is prohibited, except to punish crime."

The proposed amendment would simply read, "Slavery in any form is prohibited."

If passed, California would join 34 other states, which already removed that language from their constitutions, including Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont, which did so in 2022.

The California Department of Correction says every job is dignified and they strive to provide job opportunities and training similar to those outside of prison.

Let me bring in now Dorsey Nunn. He is a former executive director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, a formerly incarcerated person himself, and author of "What Kind of Bird Can't Fly: A Memoir of Resilience and Resurrection."

Dorsey, great to see you.

DORSEY NUNN, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN & AUTHOR: It's great to be seen.

WHITFIELD: So what change would come to California prisons if voters endorsed this change?

NUNN: Probably, the notion that people regarding labor can make a can a - can actually refuse to work or not refuse to work. Because we think that involuntary servitude is another form of slavery. So I think that we should be given some options and some choices.

In the event that somebody decides to go do an educational pursuit, should he actually pursue the rehabilitation as opposed to being forced to work? Those are questions that this is clearly on the board. You know -

WHITFIELD: And you come at this in a very personal way because you spent 10 years at San Quentin State Prison.

I mean, tell us about your experience working while incarcerated.

NUNN: Working while incarcerated, you know, first of all, I never made any more than $32 a month for a 40-hour workweek.

In addition to that, in certain times that I was working like in a detergent plant, I think the chemicals that we were mixing was extremely dangerous chemicals. And I didn't have the equipment to actually protect myself.

In the event that I would have refused to actually work, I think that they could've effectively taken me back to the board next, to continue my life sentence. I think that they could have excluded me from contact visits doing the canteen and doing a number of other things.

You know, as a result of me going to prison, I also was being given education on the yard by other incarcerated people that taught me how to read and actually taught me how to reason.

And I think as a result of that education that I got on the yard and people actually training me or actually educating me, I think that it actually improved the quality of my life when I got out.

And not only did it improve the quality of my life, it improved the quality of my kids' life and my community life. So it's like the choice of just making detergent necessarily didn't do anything for me.

I wasn't going to be a detergent maker. I wasn't going to be a construction worker.

It also enabled me to actually go to college and do a number of other things because I was prepped in a different way of where I was going with my life and what -- how long to engage.

At a certain point, I promised to other people who taught me how to read to return as a community asset instead of a liability. And I think that I've done that.

So in terms of actually being -- we celebrate this month in Juneteenth. I'm in the middle of Juneteenth right now. And I'm going to go out and enjoy barbecue.

But to the most part, I think that the narrative around the question of punishment is so potent. It doesn't allow people to actually see the practices of slavery that's under the nose.

I think between 1865 and now, we probably enslaved millions of peoples a little bit at a time. But nobody actually called it slavery. And in reality, labor through force and fear and without consent is slavery. You know? And if you're not paying anybody, it's slavery.

So those are the things that I think that I'm fighting for. And I'm fighting to change the constitution because I want to prohibit the practice of involuntary servitude that people are saying that it's something different than slavery.

So let's just call it out. it's called all it prohibited involuntary servitude. And call it out as slavery, point blank.

And I think that people should consent to the question of labor.

WHITFIELD: The bill's author, Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, plotted the movement this week, calling it a critical moment in our pursuit of justice and human dignity. I was quoting her.

[13:59:50]

But even some state Democrats are still not on board. Democratic Senator Steve Glazer told CNN affiliate, KGO, this week that the bill might undermine certain in-prison services, including food and janitorial services, that rely on inmates.