Veterans Affairs Scandal Grows; Sudanese Woman Faces Death Penalty for Faith
BOLDUAN: Welcome back to NEW DAY. Just minutes from now, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki will be addressing the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. We will bring that to you live as President Obama says he will have a serious conversation with Shinseki about whether he's the right person surrounding these delays for veterans. That really is, we're finding out, more and more systemic scheduling issues throughout the Veterans Affairs system. So, we're going to listen to what Shinseki has to say and then, of course, what comes in that serious conversation with the president. Let's discuss this and more with CNN political commentator Ana Navarro. Republican strategist, and CNN political analyst and editor- in-chief of "The Daily Beast," John Avlon. Good morning, good morning. So, John, we're waiting to hear from --</s>ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.</s>BOLDUAN: Good morning, Ana. We're waiting to hear from Eric Shinseki. You do wonder what can he say to help his case, to make his case, to begin to regain the trust of -- let's be honest -- most importantly, veterans?</s>JOHN AVLON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: This is make or break testimony he's going to be giving because right now all the pressure is pulling against Eric Shinseki. We have Democrats calling for his resignation now, red state Democrats for re-election and swing state Democrats, not a coincidence there, but the pressure is ratcheting up. And the White House hasn't been backing him up. So, this is one of the key times he has to address the concerns directly, lay out a path for correcting the problem and win back that trust and confidence. Otherwise, he could be a bridge too far right now.</s>BERMAN: I mean, Ana, is there any way he survives this at this point? The only compelling case I've seen for why he continues to fight this was in "Politico" this morning says this guy who doesn't quit, got half his foot blown up in Vietnam, continued to serve in the military, was nearly forced out, everyone wanted him out from the bush administration army chief of staff. He refused to go. At this point, is that the only think you think driving him to stay?</s>NAVARRO: And I think it's really important to remember, John, that this is a man with a store read military career. This is a four-star general who has served his country honorably for decades. He's a wounded veteran himself. But sometimes even the most decent and honorable of public servants aren't the right person for a particular job, the right fit for the job. I think the problem he has is that he's been in charge there for almost six years. Somebody has got to be held account. Somebody has got to be held responsible. And he's become symbolic of the systematic problems that, yes, preceded him but have now been going on for six years under him. It's becoming an increasingly difficult political issue for the president, because it just seems that President Obama is humanly, physically, emotionally incapable of pulling a Band-Aid. And now, if he fires Shinseki or forces him to resign, it will look as if it's under the duress and pressure from Congress.</s>BOLDUAN: Go ahead, John.</s>AVLON: Ana is being very fair in addressing a lot of the conventional wisdom, criticisms of the president. Namely, that he doesn't hold people accountable enough, he doesn't rip off that Band-Aid when it comes to taking tough decision, and getting ahead of a story before it becomes a political crisis. The big question is whether a political scalp will actually help save the problem, because this is an issue with bipartisan concern and outrage. Ana raises a very fair point, which is that, can someone who's been in charged for six years, and had these reports pile up, be the one to fix it. He has such credibility with the military it's worth give a shot to try. But the White House is definitely in a wait-and-see mode. Congress is pouncing on Shinseki. And this is a pivotal moment for him, if he wants to save his legacy at the V.A. and help solve the problem.</s>BOLDUAN: Why, Ana, when you hear all of this and you lay all that out, why do you think we have not heard from Republican leaders like John Boehner and Eric Cantor calling for Eric Shinseki to resign? They seem to be more focused on blaming the president.</s>NAVARRO: Frankly, I think a lot of it has to do with the goodwill Shinseki has had in Congress because he has had such a heroic career and he has been in Washington for so long. I think it's why you saw John McCain be very hesitant and not come out and call for his resignation until yesterday, even after many others had and even though it's in Arizona, because this is a man with whom they have worked for many decades in his military capacity and as army chief of staff. At the end of the day, this is Obama's problem. This is the White House's problem because it's a recurring pattern where we see the president say over and over again, oh, I found out from the news, I'm madder than hell, nobody is more mad than I am. I'm going to appoint a committee to investigate. So, there's that lack of sense of urgency that I think is very frustrating to veterans and to the American public that's watching this unfold and become worse and worse with every number that comes out.</s>BERMAN: John, I want to bring up another issue that's got a lot of people talking this morning. "Politico" got a chapter of the Hillary Clinton book which is due out on June 10th, the chapter that deals with the issue of Benghazi. Let me read you one sentence from this. She says, "I will not be part of a political slug fest on the backs of dead Americans." She writes that while she's in the midst of a 34-page chapter on the subject of Benghazi. You can't unilaterally withdraw from this shrug fest, can you? Do you think she's serious that she will?</s>AVLON: Look, she's definitely trying to frame it in a way that puts herself above politics. The whole issue of Benghazi has become a hyper-partisan echo chamber, with people going to almost indecent, excessive lengths on it, that she's got a credible chance of success. A lot of people have simply tuned this issue out, but the investigations go on. And there are people deeply committed and feel fundamental questions haven't been answered. It's a smart political tactic if you're trying to appeal to the political middle. The details of the chapter will be parsed with close readings like we haven't seen in a long, long time. But you see the political tactics she's taking. It's a smart one. And Republicans have done themselves a disservice by taking what should be a quest for the truth and making it look like a political witch hunt, whether it is or not.</s>BOLDAU: Ana, she seems to be making calculation that she does not think this is going to be a potent enough political issue if she needs to go any further into it than what she says in this chapter.</s>NAVARRO: I'm not sure about that, Kate. You know, last week it came out that it was Hillary Clinton world that pressured Nancy Pelosi to name some Democrats to the Benghazi panel, something Nancy Pelosi had been very hesitant and reluctant to do. So, it's someone ironic she says she's not going to get into the political slugfest on this when she is in the midst of the political slugfest. I would argue to you that having this most detailed of chapters in this book about Benghazi is part of the political slugfest. So, I think it is a recognition in her part that it can be a bombastic issue. And, you know, she says in part of the excerpts that there's been all of this speculation, misinformation and flat-out deceit. The problem is a lot of Republicans and a lot of people watching today feel the same way, but they feel that that deceit, misinformation, speculation, came out of the administration she was working for that brought out the story that it was caused by a video.</s>BERMAN: John, she brings up a good point. The Democrats decided to be part of this Benghazi panel. Hillary Clinton says she doesn't want to be part of the slugfest, but "Politico" is reporting she's bringing on a key Democratic operative, Tommy Vietor, who worked for the National Security Council to help handle the press surrounding the book, really help handle the Benghazi issue. So, while she says she doesn't want to be part of the slugfest, she's clearly geared up to handle the slugfest.</s>AVLON: Yes, this isn't a book tour. This is the beginning of a political campaign. Whether or not she runs, they're approaching it with political operatives, the way you would a campaign. And the Benghazi issue as well, the issue Ana raises with Hillary Clinton saying put Democrats on that panel, indicates the desire to not politicize the panel any further, But let's engage, let's really, as opposed to stonewall the problem. But it indicates she understands this is a real issue, whether or not she thinks it's going to be a distraction early on that she takes the threat seriously. It will be a front in the upcoming political fight. No question about it.</s>BOLDUAN: Yes, ignoring it doesn't make it go away when you're in a presidential election.</s>NAVARRO: Kate, you can blame the vast right wing conspiracy on this one, Kate.</s>BOLDUAN: I'm not blaming anybody. Ana, John, thanks so much. We'll talk to you guys in a little bit.</s>BERMAN: I want to turn now to another story, another really important story. Chained during childbirth, shackled while she breastfeeds her newborn. A Sudanese Christian woman faces the death penalty for her faith. CNN's Nima Elbagir has the exclusive with the woman's husband.</s>NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Five years ago, Daniel Wani thought he had it all, a beautiful wife, a new future. This is his new reality -- the first glimpse of his baby girl inside a jail cell. His wife's shackles just out of view. Daniel told us his wife Mariam Ibrahim was accused last September of apostasy, abandoning her Muslim faith. It's a crime punishable by death under Sudan's harsh interpretation of Islamic law. (on camera): When you met her, she told you she was a Christian?</s>DANIEL WANI, HUSBAND: She was a Christian.</s>ELBAGIR: And she was a practicing Christian?</s>WANI: Yes.</s>ELBAGIR: A court here in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, ruled on May 15th that Mariam was guilty and sentenced her to death. The ruling has sent shockwaves both in Sudan and around the world. (voice-over): Daniel now faces losing not just his wife, but life as he knows it. (on camera): How did it feel for you to hear that your marriage wasn't valid?</s>ELBAGIR: And your children were baptized?</s>WANI: Martin, yes. Martin was.</s>ELBAGIR: And your new daughter?</s>WANI: Not yet. She's only a day old.</s>ELBAGIR (voice-over): Daniel's case is closely watched throughout Sudan. The Christian community here says they are praying for him, praying that he'll be able to keep his family together. Nima Elbagir, CNN, Khartoum, Sudan.</s>BOLDUAN: Unbelievable story. Nima, thank you very much for that. Coming up next on NEW DAY, embattled V.A. Secretary Eric Shinseki is getting set to speak to veterans all while the scandal inside his department continues to widen. Will he directly speak to the controversy? What will he say, how will he handle the scandal in his first public remarks since the scandal came out? We'll carry his comments live.