amen. ♪ nelson mandela nelson mandela ♪ nelson mandela [ singing in foreign language ] ♪ nelson mandela nelson mandela ♪ ♪ nelson mandela [ singing in foreign language ] ♪ [ singing in foreign language ] >> lester holt, this is coming after some of the organized prayer,alities musical interlude. >> and we'll soon be hearing from a friend and the family of nelson mandela here. you see that picture right there captures so much. that people of every color who have come to represent will be called a new south africa here. a true tribute to mandela, as you look across this crowd here that has withstood a steady light to moderate rain all morning long. we've also been watching, of course, brian, the collection of dignitaries and we can't really overstate the complexity of the operation of getting the celebrity, the politician, the world leaders in here safely. the south africans said they've been studying the plan for quite some time and working with their counterparts in the u.s. and other b countries to get everyo herere safely. we were on that issue of security -- we were able to get

such a full life led by nelson mandela. if you could speak about the escalating international pressure to release him back in 1990, what was that like? this must have been a real global effort. >> it was indeed. it began before that. during the reagan years, initially president reagan is very much against apartheid and he was led to the position finally of opposing apartheid by george schultz. a rising star and a strong presence on foreign policy than a senator from indiana. there was a global push for this from faith leaders and from anti-segregationists here in this country. we heard just now the secretary general of the united nations that no one has done more. no one in our era and generation has done more to fight discrimination than the moral leadership and example of this man who suffered for 27 years yet came out of prison with his wife winnie at his side and she has been imprisoned for 18 months at that time. in the anc, they came out of prison and marched in that march and from then on, his days in prison spoke of

gene, you met nelson mandela. take us back that day and share with us your feelings today on what turned out to be the last day of his life. >> i did meet nelson mandela. it was in 1994. it was an official visit to washington that he made and we invited him to lunch at "the washington post" and he accepted. so i was the foreign editor then and it's the kind of lunch that we'd have at "the washington post" in the company board room but we had to get a special big room with lots of tables because every top editor, any editor that had any claim to be in that room was going to be there and, in fact, today several of us were e-mailing because we're trying to pin down exactly what was that date and refresh our recollections. and everyone had this vivid recollection of the man and it was something more than dazzling charisma. it was more than that smile of his that was like sunshine when he trained it on you. but there was -- you know, this is what i wrote about him in the column i wrote for tomorrow. there was steel in

more on your final thoughts on nelson mandela? >> it's not lost on me, we saw strikes of fast food workers in over 100 cities. and nelson mandela was a statesman and a lot of things, but he was also an organizer. he was sentenced to a five-year jail sentence in 1961 for organizing a three-day national strike of workers. this is before he got the life sentence. and i just want to remind viewers that it took thousands if not millions of ordinary people to do extraordinary things in south africa to lead to freedom, so we should absolutely honor nelson mandela and never forget his legacy but also recognize the names of folks that we'll never know who he helped to organize to stand up to lead to freedom and liberation in south africa. >> nelson mandela always said it looks impossible until it is done. joy reid, your thoughts? >> he changed the culture, my cultural orientation was a man from the congo. but he also changed the culture from popstars to sports celebrities. you had the whole world ice late south africa and agree to the mora

and on february 11th, 1990, nelson mandela emerged. [ speaking foreign language ]. >> nelson mandela speaks after 27 years. >> progress and fellow south africans i greet you all in the name of peace. democratic and freedom for all. i stand here before you not as a profit, but as a humble servant for you, the people. >> after 27 years in prison, when nelson mandela was released, he led the negotiations for the anc for the end of apartheid and apartheid was dismentaled. in 1994, nelson mandela was elected the first president of south africa in the first election ever held in that country where all adult citizens were welcome to vote regardless of race. in voting that took three days, april 27th is now a national holiday in south africa. it's called freedom day. and when it came time to sign the new constitution for south africa, which eliminated all vestiges of law by race, president nelson mandela went to sharpville to sign the constitution. today, nelson mandela died at home. his family says it was his wish to be buried in the town that he was born. joining us now is congressman lewi

and nelson mandela's predecessor. so our movements go way back, almost 75 years together. >> hold one minute, ambassador young. i'm going to ask you to hold one minute. thank you charlene, i'm going to let you go. and i'm going to hold ambassador young. because joining us live from right outside of mandela's house in johannesburg, south africa, is nbc's ruhit kutru who's outside of the mandela home in south africa. what can you tell us is going on outside? >> reporter: well, al, there is an incredible crowd here. a gathering of perhaps a hundred people of all ages of black and white. a true representation of south africa. one interesting observation is perhaps how young this crowd is. i would estimate two-thirds of people who are less than 25 years old. people who have no memory of the darkest days of apartheid. but such is mandela's legacy that he means exactly the same thing to the young teenagers who are gathering here with flames singing songs from the history boo books, songs from the struggle to older people tha

we begin with nelson mandela. it would have been ground breaking enough to become south africa's first black president, but he was so much more not only to

nelson mandela's home. thank you for staying up with us. appreciate you being with us. please stay with us. lots ahead. >>> we enter into a covenants in which all south africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall without any fear in their hearts. assured of their inalienable right to human dignity, a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world. electricity comes from. they flip the switch-- and the light comes on. it's our job to make sure that it does. using natural gas this power plant can produce enough energy for about 600,000 homes. generating electricity that's cleaner and reliable, with fewer emissions-- it matters. ♪ like, scoring the perfect table? ♪ or getting a better seat? ♪ or let's say there's an accident. if you have esurance, you can use their mobile app to start a claim... upload a few photos... and get your money fast. maybe that doesn't make you a control freak. more like a control enthusiast. esurance. insurance for the modern world. now backed by allstate. clic

nelson mandela was 95 years old. he has been suffering from a very serious illness for the last six months, particularly badly. and so this was a predictable piece of news, but painful nonetheless, so painful for south africans who call nelson mandela the father of their nation, the father of democracy. the man who was in 27 years in prison, much of it spent in solitary confinement. helped to end the years of racist rule by the apartheid regime in south africa. and for that, there are so many millions of south africans who owe him so much. >> it's profoundly moving to see the generation that you were referring to born free outside of the home of mandela. it's so striking. there is so few examples of the kind of liberation in the last 20 years. there's almost nothing that compares to it in terms of the change brought about in the fates and futures and lives of every one of these people by mandela and his co-strugglers in this great struggle. >> reporter: that's right. there is no one in the world like nelson mandela a

at the time, nelson mandela was in his early 40s. he had joined the african national congress, the anc, way back in 1944. the anc and the other major organizations opposing apartheid in south africa had been organized as nonviolent movements, nonviolent resistance, and nonviolent organizing. but after sharpville, they decided that maybe that wasn't enough. after sharpville, they decided they would form a paramilitary wing, and nelson mandela was one of the anc leader who is went underground to help start it. they said they would target government buildings and strategic infrastructure and they would try to sabotage the state. after sharpville, the government of south africa started mass arrests of anc leaders and other activists. they banned the anc. they made it illegal to be a member of that group. nelson mandela was arrested for treason in 1961, he was acquitted and he was convicted of traveling illegally. they sentenced him to five years hard labor on south africa's version of alcatraz, which is robin island. while he was already

nelson mandela meant everything in my life. like many other young activists, he was our touchstone, north star and somebody whose moral example really stirred my sense of how ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they have valued sense of politics. i'll never forget the time i was able to spend with him both in new york and then in south africa, 23 years ago. and i'm going through everything i can as u.s. representatives to help carry forth that legacy. >> and you first met mr. mandela right after being released from jail. you were in a room alone with him. tell me about that moment. you're young, 20 and impressionable and looking for your place and 20 years later you would be the ambassador for south africa. what happened in that room? >> really pretty incredible to me and hilarious in retrospect. this was immediately after the ticker tape parade we had and i escorted him into city hall, and next i knew we were alone. i discovered in moments of silence, had a weightiness to him. i was probably staring at him awe struc

as a family we have no option except to be bound by the legacy of nelson mandela. for he would have accepted no less. let the word come from the place and far beyond our borders that we dare not to -- not stray his legacy. we continue to do the same. the torch is passed from our generation to the next generation of leaders who will seek to make our world a better place. our generation needs your leadership, oh madiba. many [ inaudible ] and so friends, death has made the final call on this glorious life. born from -- before our eyes but never from our hearts and minds as we mourn today let us not forget in many tomorrows that the greatest witness to his life is for us all to believe in testament to his magnificent leadership. although he no longer walks among us, the universitiality of humanity genuinely must continue. with this, passed on to us, to all nations great and small, to all onpeople, far and wide, lets dedicate ourselves to continue on a separate journey in which we travel together to a world where this harmony prevails. [ speaking in foreign language ]

this morning we remember nelson mandela. in life he united south africa and the world and his legacy as a fighter for freedom will continue to resonate well after his death. icon, legend, hero. none of those words seem quite big enough to describe a man who changed the world. ♪ and yet in the streets of johannesburg, the crowds are celebratory. south africa planning ten days of mourning. mandela's body will lie in state with leaders from all over the world expected to pay respects. here in the united states, flags are flying at half staff. mandela had a huge impact on president obama inspiring him to public service. the two only met once in 2005 when president obama was then senator obama. >> i am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from nelson mandela's life. my very first political action, the first thing i ever did that involved an issue or policy or politics was a protest against apartheid. >> mandela spent 27 years behind bars for treason, for backing an anti-apartheid charter. he was finally released f

nelson mandela became one of the greatest. this is tom brokaw reporting on nbc's "nightly news." >> nelson mandela was honored by new york city in a way usually reserved for presidents, astronauts and hometown world series champs. he came here to continue his campaign against apartheid. president bush said u.s. sanctions would stay on until certain additional steps are taken. but for the most part this was a day to celebrate mandela. the man who spent 27 years in prison was given a hero's welcome. governor cuomo calling him a symbol of indestructibility of the human spirit. mandela seemed tired, not quite ready for it all. jesse jackson gave him a hand with his tie. he urged united states to pain main his tough policy against south africa as blacks there struggle for equality. >> the only way in which we can work together on this difficult road is for you to ensure that sanctions are applied. >> mandela! mandela! >> mandela and his wife winnie stopped by a brooklyn high school. they were greeted by 10,000 people. new york city

nelson mandela. it would have been ground breaking enough to become south africa's first black president, but he was so much more not only to his own country but all over the world. the long-time freedom fighter has died at the age of 95. madiba as he was known sacrificed decades of his own life in prison in an effort to win his countrymen freedom from the bonds of apartheid. mourning and tributes as you might imagine pouring in throughout the night from harlem to his hometown of johannesburg, south africa. it is all for a man who was prepared, as you heard, to die to bring democracy to a country where for so long it was denied. rohit kachroo joins us from south africa. >> reporter: the news of nelson mandela's death was announced late last night, just before midnight. inevitably people are still waking up and millions to hear the news that the father of this nation has passed away and this has become a focal point. the suburban home where nelson mandela spent many of his final years. ats first the n

long lived the spirit of nelson mandela. long live the spirit of nelson mandela. madiba mandela. viva! thank you very much. to the president, and the pretty president -- >>> we welcome you back to our live continuing coverage of this memorial for nelson mandela. reached the noon hour here. 5:00 a.m. east coast time in the united states on a very t unpleasant day weatherwise. heavy rain, lots of it, increasing winds. most of the dignitaries you will see are, a, behind bullet-proof glass, b, a layer of glass separates them from

this morning we remember nelson mandela. in life he united south africa and the world and his legacy as a fighter for freedom will continue to resonate well after his death. icon, legend, hero. none of those words seem quite big enough to describe a man who changed the world. ♪ and yet in the streets of johannesburg, the crowds are celebratory. south africa planning ten days of mourning. mandela's body will lie in state with leaders from all over the

>>> this sunday, nelson mandela. a special person whose world course changed world events. >> he was a president that embodied that human beings and countries can change for the better. >> his enduring power is that he showed us there is true freedom in forgiveness. >> we'll look at mandela's life, his policy, and how he handled criticism. it's all part of his enduring legacy. my guests, tom brokaw, civil rights leader reverend jesse jackson. and harry smith talks to poet maya angelou as she mourns a good friend. >> and that's what he brought, was deliverance and ignorance. >> i'll have all that ahead on "meet the press," sunday, december 8. >>> the world's longest running television program, this is "meet the press." >>> and good sunday morning. it is a day of prayer and reflection in south africa as the nation mourns its former president, nelson mandela. flags are also at half staff at the white house this morning. president obama and the first lady will be going to south africa on tuesday. and former presidents ji

nelson mandela became one of the greatest. >> we end today with a thought on nelson mandela. sometimes we do something unfortunate when truly transformational people die. we allow the lives and legacies to be perverted and hijacked. we say nothing when the memories are distorted when what they say and stood for is twisted or ignored. when the prisoner turned president turned peace symbol died this week, tributes started. mandela was remembered for winning the democratic election, celebrated for never, ever appearing publicly bitter after a racist regime robbed him of nearly three decades of his life. but something else started to happen. this week rick santorum compared the fight against apartheid to the fight to repeal and replace obama care. that's a ridiculous comparison for reasons too numerous to mention. we heard and read from some that he was a communist and a tryst, the first assertion has never been proven and even if it was, so what? he palled around with castro and ka da if i and there was a time when we did, too. the second label that he was a terrorist, well, thi

what do you think the world looks like without nelson mandela or if nelson mandela hadn't decided to pursue the path of justice as ref rand sharpton said the way he did it, who you the world and south africa be different? >> that's a hard question. i have no idea. because remember we honor, rightly, nelson mandela, but there were many soldiers walking with him. some behind him. some in front of him. he always had a critical mass of people to support what he was doing. and so the values that he espoused and articulated was shared by many people although reverend al talks about the tensions within the ranks, mandela still was a part of a movement and he would be the first to tell you that. when i asked him right after he got out of prison, we were sitting in his backyard at the same interview i referred to earlier, well, mr. mandela do you foresee a time where you're the president of this country. he said i belong to a movement and decisions have to be made by the collective. but he probably knew he would be the leader of the country. but, you know, his values were value shared by many

nelson mandela and dr. king never met. the slain civil rights leader closely watched what was going on in africa and inspired by him. joining me now the son of martin luther king, jr. it's great to have you with me, sir. your mom and your sister bernice, they all traveled with you as you attended the inauguration of mandela. tell us what it was like, that kind of impact that was had on you and your family in 1994 and what that meant knowing the history you were coming from here in america. >> first, i would say thank you for the opportunity. as we mourn this loss for our world. but i remember in 1986 actually protesting at the south african embassy along with my mother and sister where we were arrested. of course, in 1994 going to south africa twice, on two occasions, one during the electoral process and, of course, for the inauguration, which was, of course, a celebration, which was really, in a sense, earth shattering to see the first african head of state of that wonderful country who really taught us about the power of

. >> nelson mandela was the number one terrorist in the world in those days. @ñ ♪ >>> demonstrations against the south african government's strict apartheid policies flare into shocking violence. >> 1960. as the treason trial draws to a close, a pivotal moment to the history of south africa unfolds in sharpville. >> thousands gather to protest against new laws requiring every african to carry a pass. >> police open fire on the protesters. 69 are killed. almost 200 wounded. >> the sharpville massacre was important to mandela, because it showed him the government was ruthless in suppressing the majority. and that made him realize that he was truly in the fight of his life. >> when the treason trial ends in 1961, the african national congress remains banned. nelson mandela is operating underground within south africa. >> when the government closed all negotiations, the only way to change the system is through armed conflict. >> although he will be recognized decades later as a man of peace, in 1961, mandela is an advocate of armed struggle as a means of achiev

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walking my son through what nelson mandela had gone through. i thought, you know, hopefully what it teaches everybody is to have the ability -- if nelson mandela could put aside three decades or more of hostility, of violence, of just what he had to go through and what the people of south africa had to go through just to be treated remotely equally, if he can do that, can't we in our either every day lives or also in the political discussions we have have a little bit more agreeability and a little bit less personal agreeability as we go about doing it. i do think it will be an emotional moment for the president. this is a singular figure quite frankly in world history thad we will essentially be saying good-bye to and marking the remarkable life of. >> robert makes a very important point. yet politics has not been absent in the days since mr. mandela's passing, kate. i think what had happened in some corners of the conservative blogosphere, twittersphere -- i'm not from the 20th century. please don't ask me to use these words. on his facebook

it is a fact that nelson mandela was not a communist. it's also a fact that mandela's african national congress is a separate political party from the communist party in south africa. but it's also a fact as president mandela pointed out, quote, for many decades communists were the only political group in south africa who were prepared to treat africans as human beings and their equals who were prepared to eat with us, talk with us, live with us. it's also a fact that once again a conservative just could not stop himself from making yet another absurd and offensive obama care comparison. now to date, they have likened it to slavery, katrina, communism and the holocaust and now. >> he was fighting against a great injustice and now i would make the argument we have a great injustice in this country with an ever-increasing size of government taking over and controlling people's living and obama care is front and center in that. >> no, senator. it's a fact that under apartheid, millions of black people or black people as you have been known

coming up next, nelson mandela's leadership, his legacy. but first "nbc nightly news" anchor brian williams sat down in south africa with former president jimmy carter earlier today. >> gandhi and king as some of the major figures of the last hundred years, where do you put him? >> i think so. i would say gandhi, martin luther king, jr., and nelson mandela would be in the forefront along with mother teresa, a, those who you look on with a great deal of gratification. they came through with flying colors. they inspired other people. to emulate their moral values as best they could. i think that nelson will go down in history as one of the leading people of this century. >> you can see more of brian williams interview with former president jimmy carter, a member of the elders created by nelson mandela tonight on a special edition of "nbc nightly news" from south africa. we'll be right back. [ female announcer ] at 100 calories, not all food choices add up. some are giant. some not so giant. when managing your weight, bigger is always better.

nelson mandela will be laid to rest this week. charlene hunter-gault who worked for npr during nelson mandela's presidency, and from new york, special correspondent tom brokaw. here is tom back in 1990 interviewing nelson mandela after he was released from prison. it's a great photo. the reverend jesse jackson is here, one of the first people to greet mandela after he was released from prison. what a great day that was. we'll talk about it. and he wrote a book entitled "mandela's way." and charles ogletree who marched for mandela's freedom and subsequently met with him several times. welcome to all of you. it's a great privilege to have this conversation. i want to begin in south africa with charlene hunter-gault and have her set the scene with this national period of mourning and reflection and celebration. good morning, charlene. >> reporter: right now, david, it is pouring down rain, and in south africa rain is a sign of good for tutune, so maybe it is honor of mandela. up until this moment, people have been dancing in the stre

when nelson mandela came to the u.s. in 1994 to deliver a joint address to congress, one republican congressman from california called the invitation to mandela, a national disgrace, and jesse helms. one who filibustered the bill that called for nelson mandela's release. jesse helms turned his back on nelson mandela and his visit to the u.s. capitol. the history has been mostly lost down the memory hole. on days like this an uncomfortable thing to remember. but it is the truth. now time for "the last word with lawrence o'donnell." thank you for joining us tonight. >> some right-wing groups are already opposing the bipartisan budget deal that was announced at the capitol tonight. but that doesn't mean it is a good deal. we could have the details of a budget deal as early as today. >> hap to report. >> senator murray and i have reached an agreement. >> something that almost never happens. >> congress hasn't passed a budget in four years. >> can they sell this deal. >> we know what some concerns have been. >> is this really

that's something that nelson mandela said. if we don't do that, we are not explaining to the next generation really the struggle. struggle is very much a part of progress, and the progress is something that is worth it in the end and that is what the life of nelson mandela shows, that through all of his pain and all of his struggle, he birthed a nation and it's a beautiful nation. i think we all saw that on tv today with just the celebration of his life and the excitement in the crowd. and it's very, very powerful. and we hope to bring that hope here in washington tomorrow. >> you make a point never to forget. ladies, thank you so much. the timeless leila mcdowell and transafrica's nicole lee. thanks for being here, really nice to have both of you. i appreciate it. >> thank you. >>> down to the wire. despite federal offices in washington being shut down because of a snowstorm, members of congress are furiously working to finish up their business before friday of the an aide to house armed services committee chair buck mckeon s

and wen thun day nelson mandela walked into his office. he realized that's the guy. >> reporter: he becomes mandela's mentor and encourages him to earn a law degree. he also introduces mandela to his young cousin, evelyn masi. the two marry in 1946 and welcomed their first child, a son, that same year. their family will eventually grow to include another son and a daughter. another daughter had been born in 1947 but died within a year. racism and segregation had existed in south africa for as long as there had been white settlers, the majority of them were descendants of the dutch and call themselves afrikaners. in 1948 the national party sweeps boo powers and codifies those apartheid policies into law. >> they were trying to achieve this kind of ethnic fragmentation of the country here in order to give the afrikaner nation its own homeland. >> reporter: the anc seeks to counter the new nationalist government. in 1952, the anc embarks on the defiance campaign, an ambitious campaign to mobilize their countrymen to defy unjust apartheid laws

and with nelson mandela, i could. they feel that gratitude to him and these are very young people today. it's the sense this isn't really even memories, it's the active workings of his message and work he did in his life. it's important for people to feel like this is an ongoing struggle. there's still difficulties in society here today, it's a democratic society now but there's a big gap between rich and poor. people feel they dont want that momentum he started and acted upon to be just words now. want to make sure it lives on in action. people are talking about that. people are coming here with their entire families and friends of various races and they are really making it known how they felt about nelson mandela and how they still feel about them. >> a dynamic slice of history you're going through. a lot planned in terms of memorials. what's on the schedule? >> first of all, this sunday, the president has declared it a national day of prayer and encouraging everybody to get together and have your own gatherings in

mandela, but i can't help but think how recent it was in history nelson mandela was a contested political figure. we were playing some of the clips in the intro. how do we get from the late 1980s, early 1980s, we have william f. buckley in 1990 saying this will be a day of infamy, maybe. how do we get from there to here? what's happened? >> part of what's happened is mandela, himself, was so effective in demonstrating he was a leader of peace and reconciliation. so the fact that people have stereotyped him into a particular type of violent, dangerous person, thanks, greatly to the propaganda of the apartheid regime, by the way, he was able to transform himself by his very acts. one of the quotes he gave one of my favorite is the courageous do not fear forgiveness for the sake of pales. >> that really embodied his leadership. >> sean, take us back. i think for people who didn't live through and don't remember the political debate we outlined there, that took place in this country in sort of the reagan years ago how did that idea of nelson mandela is this, maybe he deserves to be in jail? m

about nelson mandela on fox. nelson mandela, i spent some time in south africa. he was a communist, this man. he was a communist. all right? >> don't you wonder where it was in south africa? it wasn't like he was hanging out in soweto, that bill o'reilly. i'm quite certain. and of course he doesn't understand the complexity of what the communist party in south africa was at the time. they had a short-term similar goal. >> well, let me show you what the head of the republican party rush limbaugh had to say. or let me let you hear it. >> nelson mandela has more in common or had more in common with clarence thomas than he does with barack obama. mandela had much more in common with clarence thomas. and a lot of conservatives. >> i'm not too good on limbaugh lingo, so could you interpret? >> remember this is the same guy who was attacking the pope. he thinks he understands christianity better than the head of the catholic church. but limbaugh, obviously, this is part of the concerted effort to take down some of our greatest heroes. i think about it this way going bac

and then one day nelson mandela walked into his office. he realized that's the guy. >> reporter: he becomes mandela's mentor and encourages him to earn a law degree. he also introduces mandela to his young cousin, evelyn masi. the two marry in 1946 and welcomed their first child, a son, that same year. their family will eventually grow to include another son and a daughter. another daughter had been born in 1947 but died within a year. racism and segregation had existed in south africa for as long as there had been white settlers, the majority of them were descendants of the dutch and call themselves afrikaners. in 1948 the national party sweeps boo powers and codifies those apartheid policies into law. >> they were trying to achieve this kind of ethnic fragmentation of the country here in order to give the afrikaner nation its own homeland. >> reporter: the anc seeks to counter the new nationalist government. in 1952, the anc embarks on the defiance campaign, an ambitious campaign to mobilize their countrymen to defy unjust apartheid laws

because well in every sense this is a celebration, a celebration of nelson mandela's life. also a celebration of the lives that ordinary south africans have been able to live as a consequence that nelson mandela made. yes, people were sad. many people are somber. yes one or two people out of

this day was a day of tribute to nelson mandela. also a day of tribute to the people of this country and what they have achieved over the past number of years, freedom and democracy. a comforting time for the families. reference them coming together. i was struck by the moment when president obama greeted his wife. the reality of south africa and his life now. remember, he was elected president 20 years ago next april, but now this country has 25 to 30% unemployment, poverty in the black community, yawning depth between the haves and have not. the president took to the podium this afternoon. there are many people that feel not only has not done nelson mandela but the country has fallen far short of where it should be given mandela's dream for the nation. there's a small group of wealthy class who are middle class, upper middle class, a significant white population here that controls wealth and economy and business community nittany lion country but there are still millions and millions of poor black africans who have not seen much c

your thoughts, gene. >> well, who nelson mandela really was, i think we know who nelson mandela really was. and you know, i suppose, if you wanted to take this at all seriously, you could say that these are people who have some sort of knee-jerk reaction against any sort of antiestablishmentarian action such as that taken by the anc, but if you're going to put nelson mandela in that terrorist category, you'd have to put george washington there for rebelling against the british in the name of freedom. i mean, that's -- >> gene, suppose there was a country where blacks held the whites in servitude, made them carry passbooks, wouldn't allow them to do anything. do you think somebody might be looking to their second amendment rights to try to change this? >> yeah. >> familiar. >> it sounds like it's a different standard, like this woman out in nevada -- "i might have to use my second amendment rights." suppose the president was from another tribal group or a different racial ethnic group and you had no rights. do you think you might resort to those second amendment? the idea of saying he r

when nelson mandela came to the u.s. in 1994 to deliver a joint address to congress, one republican congressman from california called the invitation to mandela, a national disgrace, and jesse helms. one who filibustered the bill that called for nelson mandela's release. jesse helms turned his back on nelson mandela and his visit to the u.s. capitol. the history has been mostly lost down the memory hole. on days like this an uncomfortable thing to remember. but it is the truth. . >>> good wednesday morning. two children and adults survive in below freezing temperatures. black ice, the most dangerous factors facing commuters this morning. it is hard to see and nearly impossible to stop on. >>> one step closer. google is looking into putting computer microchips into our heads. >>> plus, mary bar plans to take over general motors. also, the hand shake that got tongues wagging across the globe. and a jackpot that would make anyone's christmas all the merrier. good morning, everyone. we begin with that harrowing story ofvi

he was inspired by nelson mandela. let me play another clip. >> over 30 years ago, while still a student, i learned of nelson mandela and the struggles taking place in this beautiful land, and it stirred something in me. it woke me up to my responsibilities. to others and to myself. and it set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today. and while i will always fall short of his example, he makes me want to be a better man. >> makes me want to be a better man was a little bit of an an lid around what was written in his speech, which i thought, frankly, was one of the best things i have heard him do in a long time. both of these men broke color barriers, both first black presidents of their countries. will he continue to inspire, do you think? will he have an impact on politicians here? >> i hope so. i hope he's going to have an impact on elected officials, but on leaders in general. from the notion that it's important to stand on principle. it's also part of life's experience is to have difficulties, trials an

madiba is the nickname people use for nelson mandela. speaking of the memorial service today, president obama had an enormous worldwide audience, of course. there were messages you could hear most noticeably his american critics. the south africans and even himself. and he took lesson from mandela's words and actions personally. >> madiba disciplined his anger and channelled his desire to fight in an organization and platforms and strategies for action. he accepted the consequences of his actions. knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price. i have fought against white domination and i have fought against black domination. i've cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society. in which all persons live together in harmony and equal opportunities. it is an ideal which i hope to live for and to achieve. but if needs be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. >> cynthia tucker is a syndicated columnist and visiting professor of journalism at the university of georgia. jonathan alter is an author.

may god bless the memory of nelson mandela. may god bless the people of south africa. [ cheers ] >> that was president barack obama capturing the legacy of nelson mandela before a celebratory crowd of tens of thousands of people. he spoke of mandela's legacy of reconciliation, of inclusion, of struggle. the president saying michele and i are beneficiaries of that struggle. he also spoke of the struggle that still lies ahead. he called mandela a great liberator, and president obama saying he makes me want to be a better man. reverend al? >> i thought it was a powerful address by the president. he recounted the struggles. he recounted how nelson mandela had to rise above the adversities 27 years in jail. and yet he was not afraid to compromise. he was practical as much as he was visionary. and i think the president made it clear that we have not arrived yet. we still have to deal with issues of economic and racial inequality in our world and he challenged those world leaders sitting on that stage don't just memorialize mandela bu

that's the legacy of nelson mandela. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. >>> the mind of a leader. let's play "hardball." ♪ >>> good evening. i'm chris matthews up in boston. so let me start with this. president obama continues his offense of getting great help from a 7% jobless rate. the best numbers from since the historic financial crisis he inherited back in 2009. and if there's a single powerful insight i got from our time yesterday is that those of us looking at president obama and the man himself are looking at the same reality. we see the right wing attack and obstructing him relentlessly. he certainly sees it. we see the gall of economic justice as the big of our time and so does the president. and so does pope francis in rome. and this economic justice is what's driving him. letting him weather from the right. he wants to help those most in need. but he also said this man who wanted to be a transformational president generally comes when one controls the government. times like the early new deal, the great society,

when nelson mandela came to the u.s. in 1994 to deliver a joint address to congress, one republican congressman from california called the invitation to mandela, a national disgrace, and jesse helms. one who filibustered the bill that called for nelson mandela's release. jesse helms turned his back on nelson mandela and his visit to the u.s. capitol. the history has been mostly lost down the memory hole. on days like this an uncomfortable thing to remember. but it is the truth. now time for "the last word with lawrence o'donnell." thank you for joining us tonight. >> some right-wing groups are already opposing the bipartisan budget deal that was announced at the capitol tonight. but that doesn't mean it is a good deal. we could have the details of a budget deal as early as today. >> hap to report. >>at

you talked about nelson mandela. we did not see him for decades because they forbid his pic churs or voice from being heard. now we have the pictures from south africa. when you have children being gunned down, that is very hard to talk about. >> when we come back, what happened when ted cruz try day friday -- tried to remember nelson mandela this week. every day we're working to be an even better company - and to keep our commitments. and we've made a big commitment to america. bp supports nearly 250,000 jobs here. through all of our energy operations, we invest more in the u.s. than any other place in the world. in fact, we've invested over $55 billion here in the last five years - making bp america's largest energy investor. our commitment has never been stronger. [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat? campbell's healthy request soup lets you hear it in your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. [ m'm... ] great taste. [ tapping ] sounds good. campbell's hea

nelson mandela had a gravity yet humility that was unmatched. the world has lot of someone who has literally changed world history. this is not just the first president or a first black president. this is one who led the evolution and revolution of a nation and became the first president and became a universal symbol of tolerance, of hope, perseverance and of victory. he didn't do it with violence. he merginged from advocating violence to not doing it. he did it victoriously and did it with triumph. i think the world lot of one of history's greatest citizens, not just one of our great political leaders. >> you talk about the parallels with the american civil rights movement. it's the same year that dr. martin luther king was accepting the nobel peace price, going into prison and fight are for the majority and having the basic right to go freely in their own country. it really is if you talk about the way that nelson mandela after 27 years in prison just the fact that his grace to his former opponents and he shared a nobel peace prize was able to

when nelson mandela came to the u.s. in 1994 to deliver a joint address to congress, one republican congressman from california called the invitation to mandela, a national disgrace, >> some right-wing groups are already opposing the bipartisan budget deal that was announced at the capitol tonight. but that doesn't mean it is a good deal. we could have the details of a budget deal as early as today. >> hap to report. >> senator murray and i have reached an agreement. >> something that almost never happens. >> congress hasn't passed a budget in foea