U.S. Women Skaters Fail to Medal
BOLDUAN: Welcome back once again. Historic American shutout yesterday, Russia, South Korea and Italy all taking the podium in Olympic free skating. It's the first time since the 1930s that the U.S. team failed to medal in either the men's or women's singles skating. Folks are questioning some of the scoring including American Ashleigh Wagner who finished seventh. She said the sport needs to change its anonymous judging. A lot to discuss. Joining us live from Sochi is Sally Jenkins, sports columnist for the "Washington Post." Sally, I have to tell you. I've really enjoyed reading your columns while you've been in Sochi. You really put an interest twist on it all. I've got to get your take on what happened in figure skating. The first time that we haven't been on the podium since the '30s, you were there for it all. The surprise win by the 17-year-old Russian, what happened?</s>SALLY JENKINS, SPORTS COLUMNIST, "WASHINGTON POST": Well, the judges preferred her for whatever reason and not just by a little, by a lot, which is I think why some people are really questioning the scoring. The difficulty is the judges are anonymous. You don't know who did what to who. So there are organizations in skating calling for more transparency. I think the general consensus is it would be useful.</s>BOLDUAN: Do you think the people who made the podium that it was the right people to make the podium from your estimation?</s>JENKINS: I -- I do. I think the three skaters who made the podium were clearly a cut above and again you know, the Americans got shutout, but what I saw that the American skaters while terrific, they kind of go one, two, three jump. And the greatest skaters in the world right now are flowing through their routines. There's a faultlessness to their skating and also an artistic expression that the American kids don't just quite have yet. Gracie Gold came closer than anyone. She is clearly, you know, a comer. She is coach by the great Frank Carol, who has dramatically improved her performance. They still have a little way to go compared to the women on the podium.</s>BOLDUAN: Yes. And I also want to get your take on what happened in hockey. I was watching the women's hockey match yesterday. I guess for many it's less about the medal and it's really all about bragging rights when it's U.S. versus Canada. Do you think the U.S. women's team lost the game or did Canada outplay them?</s>JENKINS: I think they clearly lost the game. When you have a two- nothing lead with 3 minutes to go, you've lost the game, you gave it up. It's deeply personal between the Americans and the Canadian women, deeply personal. Two of their pre-Olympic competitions ended with brawls on the ice. You can tell from the expressions on the American women's faces in the handshake line. It was a very cursory handshake. They are just no love lost between those two teams.</s>BALDWIN: So what are you looking at for today trying --</s>JENKINS: One of most epic rivalries in all of sports. Well, you know, the Americans have been so surprised that everybody really thought the Russian team was the team to beat her and it turns out to be Team</s>USA. BOLDUAN: I can't wait to see it. It's going to be fun, and of course, a lot of the teammates in the NHL that are playing against each other when it comes to U.S. and Canada. So that's great fun to watch as well. Got to get your take because you have been critical on kind of how the games have gone off. Closing ceremonies are Sunday. You had this great line that I've been reading over and over again. This was the wrong place for the Winter Olympics, for all kinds of human rights reasons. It may also have been a dangerously idiotic one for the competitors based on the quality of the snow. At the end of the day in what you've seen since you've been there. Would you call this Sochi Olympics a success?</s>JENKINS: Well, you know, it depends on which factor you look at in terms of success. It was a success for Vladimir Putin in terms of keeping everyone safe because of all the pre-Olympic terrorism threats. That's a success. In terms of their readiness and preparation, they get an F, because I mean, there -- there's raw mud and gravel at so many of the venues and hotels around Sochi. On the other hand, it's a very unusual, you know, beautiful spot to have an Olympics. But then again, it's 60 degrees. When you see downhill skiers, Alpine skiers kicking up plumes that look like water skiing, that's not the picture of the Winter Olympics that you'd necessarily want. It depends on which specific area you're grading Sochi on as an Olympics. The main thing is that so far, everybody stayed safe. And that of course was the most important thing of all.</s>BOLDUAN: I think you're right. I did get a kick out of it when you said the local for the Olympics ought to be a stretcher because there have been so many injuries on that slushy mashed potato-like snow.</s>JENKINS: It wasn't the number of injuries, but the severity of them. We have a Russian young woman who is in the hospital with a broken spine. We had people who had bad concussions, bash their faces, cracked helmets. You know, the wet conditions created the situations where skiers came to these abrupt halts and go flying in the air, and took some pretty bad spills.</s>BOLDUAN: Sally Jenkins, it's been great to read your work while you were over there. Thanks so much for giving us the time this morning.</s>JENKINS: Thank you.</s>BOLDUAN: Chris.</s>CUOMO: All right, coming up on NEW DAY, a personal apology from Barack Obama to an art history professor from Austin, Texas. What did the president do wrong? The professor he offended joins us live and we'll have a debate about what degrees really matter these days.