NewsOne Now Celebrates The Life Of Nelson Mandela [TRANSCRIPT]

 

This morning, “NewsOne Now^[1]” mourned the death of the late Nelson Mandela^[2]. Join Roland Martin as we reflect on the revolutionary and outstanding history that Mandela encompassed in his 95 years. Guests include John Legend, Rev. Al Sharpton^[3], Rev. Jesse Jackson, actor Hill Harper and more, all sharing personal stories and condolences to celebrate the life and memory of a true hero.

If you were not able to listen to the full audio^[4], take a look at the entire transcript from this morning’s episode.

>>> Today the world mourns but

Also celebrates the life and

Legacy of nelson mandela.

He was a symbol of life and

Triumph.

We talk with friends of those

Touched.

“news one now” begins now.

>>> this morning the flags are

Flying at half staff in honor of

The man who spent the lion’s

Share of his life fighting for

Freedom of brothers and sisters

In south africa.

Welcome to “news one now’s”

Coverage of the passing of

Nelson mandela.

We have a number of guests, a

Number of folks joining me here

On the set.

First we want to share with you

What president obama^[5] had to say

Yesterday after the news was

Confirmed that nelson mandela

Had passed away.

>> he achieved more than could

Be expected of any man.

And today he has gone home.

We have lost one of the most

Influential, courageous and

Profoundly good human beings

That anyone will share time with

Here on earth.

>> latern show we will be

Hearing from dr. West and andrew

Young and also from john legend.

Congress woman lee and fudge,

Charles ogle tree, a number of

Folks.

Right now we are joined by a

Distinguished panel.

To my right is armstrong

Williams.

To my left we have the former

President of howard university^[6].

Also, former congressman ron

Dellms.

And george curry.

All four of them have over the

Years been to south africa.

They have met nelson mandela and

Will certainly share their

Insights.

First of all, thank you so very

Much for being with us.

What really jumps out to me and

Is amazing as i look at the

Coverage and talking about how

Graceful nelson mandela was and

How iconic he was, at his heart

He was a radical revolutionary.

>> if you go to the farm outside

Of where he was really†– they

Were plotting to overthrow the

Government you will see all

Kinds of symbols.

First they tried nonviolence and

He was determined that he could

Go beyond that and become the

Unifier that he was is

Remarkable.

>> well, the thing that as an

Attorney when he was tried his

Trial he spoke words that are

Reminiscent to us as americans.

Namely he said i will give my

Life for my cause.

Not only did he mean it but he

Lived it.

He was committed.

He was not a radical.

He was an intellect.

And he viewed the struggle with

An intellectual context.

He took lessons from all sources

To bring an intellectual basis.

>> i have someone on the phone

Lines, dr. Cornell west.

Your impressions of nelson

Mandela and what should the

World most remember about this

Courageous man?

>> caller: he was a spiritual

Giant, a moral titan.

He was a christian who was also

A political revolutionary who

Understood when the cia

Collaborated with the apartheid

Regime.

He could still stand tall and

Embrace and rooted in a

Fundamental commitment to

Justice.

>> entertainers played a

Critical role in apartheid.

One of the folks from the next

Generation who understands the

Importance of activism in

Entertainment is actor hill

Harper.

Share your thoughts.

>> there are a few things i

Think all of us should remember,

The fact he was a revolutionary.

He was a freedom fighter.

At the end of the day he was

Someone deemed by his government

As a terrorist, him along with

Other leaders.

He sacrificed so much and

Willing to sacrifice his life

And being away from his family

For the greater good.

Someone like that who is able to

Negotiate with his enemy and

Take that pain and the history

Of that pain and put it aside

And negotiate and go from being

An enemy of the state to head of

State.

Go from a freedom fighter to a

Statesman is someone that is to

Me amazing.

We got to see him live his life

Out.

Other leaders didn’t get to see

Past their 40s.

So many of us can live like him

And take his values and ideals

And athem to my life.

>> the united states certainly

Was not always loving of nelson

Mandela.

>> united states was on the

Wrong side of history.

Not just reagan but many

Democrats from kennedy who

Refused to see that white

Supremacy was just as evil as

Nazism.

Nelson mandela reminds us that

Love cuts through it all.

>> thank you fo
r sharing your

Thoughts on tv one and “news one

Now.”

>>> when we come back armstrong

Williams spent thanksgiving with

Many of nelson mandela’s

Relatives.

We will talk about that family’s

Connection.

And we will talk about the

Sanctions against south africa

And the direction the black

Caucus led that and what it was

Like to be in those meetings

Fighting that fight for more

Than two decades.

Seven minutes after the hour.

You are watching a special

Edition of “news one now” here

On tv one.

>>> don’t forget to chime in to

The “news one now” discussion.

You can visit us on our facebook

Page.

Listen to us 24/7 on the web at

Newsone.com.

Stay tuned because we have more

Topics you care about and more

Folks you want to see.

As always information is power

Right here on “news one now.”

>>> our beloved nelson mandela

Has departed.

He passed on peacefully in the

Company of his family.

>> that was south african

President announcing the passing

Of nelson mandela yesterday at

The age of 95.

We continue our extensive

Coverage on tv one.

We are going to turn to

Armstrong williams and former

Congressman ron dellhams.

Armstrong, you hosted members of

The family for thanksgiving.

I guess around 3:00 p.m.

Yesterday you got a call from

The family saying he had passed

And a couple hours later the

President announced that to the

Rest of the world that he had

Passed away.

Tell us about what transpired

Yesterday.

>> the family were here.

His daughter is the ambassador

From south africa.

In conjunction with the movie’s

Premiere we hosted them for

Thanksgiving and all of the

Mandela grandchildren on

Thanksgiving evening.

And even from the conversations

Of her you can tell her father

Was gravely ill.

I want to share this.

I had lunch with mr. Mandela

Five days after his release.

I think what is important and

What professor west said is

Important.

Mandela said i was a sinner.

I did a lot i had to do to

Transform my people.

I learned to love my enemies.

They brought me books.

I was like a father to those

Guys.

He also said it is almost like

Biblical, like moses and abraham

How god used the worst of

Sinners to do his greatest work.

A lot wanted him to bring about

Violence.

He said no, he is forgiveness.

We must work together as a

Nation.

>> armstrong talked about

Allies.

He had few allies in congress.

So the strongest congressional

Black caucus.

You guys had to go through a

Bitter fight over a two decade

Period when it came to

Sanctions.

Take us through what that was

Like.

>> first of all, a little known

Piece of history is that a group

Of, quote, militant workers from

New england came down to

Washington, d.c. in 1971.

The congressional black caucus.

Remember the pass books that

Blacks had to show†–

>> it looked like a passport.

They say show me your papers.

>> the picture was taken by

Polaroid cameras so the polaroid

Workers feeling uncomfortable

That they were working for an

Employer that was complicitt in

Support of the apartheid regime

Wanted the black caucus to

Introduce a piece of legislation

Dealing with divestment.

The caucus had an ambitious

Agenda.

They said would you meet with

The polaroid workers.

I said of course i would.

John conniers said i will go

With him.

That started the bill that took

15 to 17 years of work.

It was a group of polaroid

Workers who had the dignity and

Integrity to challenge the

Congressional black caucus.

>> ken williams was one of the

Williams and caroline hunter.

I stayed at her house in

Martha’s vineyard.

I am in new york and seeing the

Story and i’m going i stayed at

Her house.

I text her daughter saying i did

Not realize that is who your mom

Was.

We are going to have her on the

Show talking about that.

>>> i want to go to the phones.

Congress woman norton from d.c.

Your thoughts about the passing

Of nelson mandela.

>> i have to tell you while they

Were trying to get the

Administration to support

Sanctions i was on the outside

Of the congress.

When i heard he had passed i

Remembered when four of us went

Into the embassy to try to get

Unionists who were being held

Who were really the free south

Africa movement inside of south

Africa to get them released.

And that is when the arrests

Began.

People came from all over united

States, people who were well

Known and who nobody knew.

And the free south africa

Movement grew and the movement

For divestment grew and the

United states agreed to

Sanctions and the end of

Apartheid was then in the wind.

I happened to be in cape town on

The day he was released.

I was a professor at georgetown

And a member of the rockefeller

Foundation board.

Last thing i expected was the

Announcement that mandela would

Be released.

His journey from the time he was

Released at 71 years old until

This year in the congress when

We celebrated bringing democrats

And republicans together the

Entire leadership of the

Congress celebrated the 95th

Birthday of nelson mandela.

That is the full journey that i

Have seen during my lifetime of

Nelson mandela, a man who grew

To great prominence.

Nobody knew him but when he

Became the symbol of freedom in

The world.

There has never been a political

Figure like him in my lifetime.

When they say father of his

Country i really think of george

Washington who served one term

And refused to serve another.

So did nelson mandela.

When is the last time you saw a

Government official give up

Power like that?

>> absolutely.

We appreciate you sharing your

Reflections regarding nelson

Mandela.

Thank you very much.

We are going to take a break.

When we come back we talk with

Former ambassador andrew young

About the connection beteen the

Civil rights here in the united

States and will share with us

The link between dr. King and

Anti-apartheid in south africa.

Stay tuned.

We have more coverage on the

Life and legacy of nelson

Mandela on this special edition

Of tv one’s “news one now.”

>>> so that we form against

Racism.

That day comes now.

Then we will all be entitled

.

>>> welcome back to tv one’s

Live coverage of the passing of

Former south african president

Nelson mandela.

We have had a number of folks

Sharing their thoughts about

Him, this iconic figure.

Joining us on the phone lines is

The former ambassador to the

United nations for the united

States and former mayor of

Atlanta, andrew young.

Welcome to “news one now.”

>> how are you doing?

>> glad to talk to you.

Through wa
s a clear connection

Between leaders in south africa

And the civil rights movement

Here in the united states.

>> it went all the way back to

Chief albert, the†– it was

Founded and i knew about albert

And anc from sunday school.

Nelson mandela went to one of

The colleges that the methodist

And churches founded.

We share a common legacy of both

Oppression and also kind of

Biblical hope.

And when albert got the nobel

Prize dr. King was one of the

First to congratulate him.

When martin won in 1964 they

Collaborated on a general human

Rights proclamation that went

Around the world.

But it was even more subtle than

That.

When the freedom rides were

Going on here and it hit

Television the sharpville riots,

Really police turning on people

Of sharpville and killing them.

Every time we had a movement

Here it was a parallel explosion

Of some sort in south africa.

It was as though we were

Connected at the hip.

>> we thank you for joining us

About your thoughts of nelson

Mandela.

We will continue our coverage

Letting people know about who

This man was, a 360 degree view

Of him and not just a narrow

View.

>>> you wanted to pick up on a

Point something armstrong said

Earlier.

>> you showed a clip of nelson

Mandela speaking to a joint

Session of congress.

I had the honor of escorting him

To the floor of congress.

After that speech he told a

Story at a luncheon that i think

Speaks to the point that

Armstrong made.

He said that when he was

Arrested in the context of south

Africa the races were so

Polarized that they could not

Develop a relationship.

He goes to prison and to his

Shock and amazement an

Extraordinary debate begins to

Occur among white jailers.

One group says continue to

Oppress them and treat them

Harshly so when they get out

They will never want to come

Back and never fight against

Apartheid again.

A second group of people said we

May reap what we sow and someday

Blacks will become the leaders

Of south africa and if we want

Us to be treated with dignity

And respect we must treat them

With digity and respect.

The point is in prison blacks

And whites began to sense each

Other’s humanity and he thus

Came out of robben island as

Transformed human being.

>> he also spoke about when you

Have hate it eats at you and

Doesn’t affect the other person.

That is why we talked about he

Left it behind him.

That is an amazing lesson for

All of us.

>> you know, we talk about mr.

Mandela.

I think context is so important.

And i’m happy that ambassador

Young referenced the founders of

Anc and their shared

Intellectual and cultural

Relationship of one another as

Graduates of historically black

Colleges and particularly happy

To hear that ambassador young,

Graduate of howard university.

When you visit south africa you

Really can appreciate the sense

Of both the africana community

And majority community.

Here is someone who in south

African context is george

Washington, abraham lincoln and

Dr. Martin luther king jr.

We don’t have that and we are

Not going to have that in my

View anytime soon,

Unfortunately, a personality who

When i first met him you think

Of iconic figures and therefore

You think you are visiting a

Statue, someone frozen in time.

I’m so happy that our colleagues

On this panel have humanized

Him.

When i met him what occurred to

Me was what am i going to say

After hello.

And thank you for greeting me.

And what i found as armstrong

Found with his family in hosting

His family, what i found was a

Very, very warm human being

Which was almost a

Disappointment.

I wanted a mountain top.

And we talked and i was

Fortunate enough, i was

Schedulealed to visit with him

For five minutes, a stop and go.

I visited with him for an hour.

One aside in terms of his

Humanity, we met him, i met him

My last day in south africa.

I didn’t know what to bring him.

I had run out of gifts.

The only thing i had left was a

Howard baseball cap.

I gave him the baseball cap.

And then he took the cap and

Said i have always wanted a

Howard baseball cap.

Of course, he was pulling my

Leg.

>> that is a smooth politician

For you.

>>> we will talk with

Congressman marsha.

I want to hear from her about

Nelson mandela understanding why

Women should play a leadership

Role in the movement which a lot

Of civil rights leaders didn’t

Necessarily embrace in this

Country.

Hit us up on twitter as well as

On facebook.

We’ll take your comments.

This is “news one now” with

Roland martin and our special

Coverage on the life and legacy

Of nelson mandela.

>>> picture you are seeing,

Interesting when you talk about

Nelson mandela dying.

But in many ways they are

Celebrating his passing.

It should be very interesting to

See them singing and chanting

And showing their love and

Affection for a huge, huge

Figure.

Social media, there was a

Tremendous outpouring yesterday

And continues as it relates to

Nelson mandela.

Shannon cross joining us now

With what is happening in the

Social media world.

Lots of high profile people

Weighing in and lots of ordinary

Folks, as well.

>> you have politicians,

Entertainers and journalists all

Weighing in.

We have singer rihanna with this

Tweet.

Nelson mandela, you made your

People proud.

We will always love you for it.

And russell simmons with this

Quote from mandela.

Whoopee goldberg tweeted this.

I want to give the world a hug.

I was told mandiba just passed.

And kevin hart the definition of

Strength is nelson mandela.

And god bless your resting soul.

And espn’s steven smith with

This tweet.

Thank you, my lord, for giving

Us nelson mandela.

Rest in eternal peace.

And actor who plays nelson

Mandela in “a long walk to

Freedom” simply tweeted merci

Which in french means thank you.

>> before the announcement

Yesterday it was interesting

Seeing folks there talking about

Folks showing up at the home and

The police presence.

That is why i think social media

Has played such a critical role.

Opposed to waiting on a news

Agency to let you know what was

Happening folks in real time

Sharing the thoughts and a lot

Of folks posting photos they

Took with nelson mandela.

Over the coming days we’ll be

Sharing those photos.

>>> on the phone is chair of the

Congressional black caucus.

Congress woman fudge we talk

About nelson mandela and anc.

One of the things people often

Forget and that is the role that

Women leaders played in carrying

Forth that torch as well as the

Young folks in south africa,

Children vital of winning

Apartheid.

>> winnie mandel
a was the face

[†inaudible†] when you talk

About ron dellham on one of the

Most influential people.

We had maxeen waters, the face

Of the anc in this country and

Became a member of the anc kwh

It was considered a terrorist

Organization.

People like barbara lee who

Travelled to other countries who

Meet with people that were

Helping to tear down the

Apartheid regime because she

Couldn’t do it in this country.

Women and young people really

Carried the banner when other

People were afraid or did not

Find that they have the position

Or the strength to do some of

The things that were done while

He was in prison.

And so women really were the

Face of the movement for many

Years.

>> we certainly thank you for

Sharing your thoughts with

Regards to nelson mandela.

Thank you very much.

>> thank you.

>>> armstrong, nelson mandela

Was not one to not speak to what

Was happening here at the united

States.

>> i have to give credit to the

Man who educated his children

And took care of his children

While he was in prison.

He made transitions quickly and

Said gospel music sustained him.

He said i love calling your

Name.

And then he loved boxing.

He loved boxing.

And i was stunned how much

American culture influenced him

And how much he loved gospel

Music.

>> he also had a tremendous

Sense of humor.

You have a photo where he is

Laughing.

>> well, i have a photo, i don’t

Know whether you can pick it up.

But i just told him about my ill

Fated career in athletics and he

Threw his head back and laughed.

He was quick to say he was not

Laughing at my failure to be an

Athlete but thinking about all

Of the athletes that he knew who

Wanted to be what he wanted to

Be, namely a real athlete.

I wanted to talk about law.

Of course, he was a lawyer.

He wanted to come back to my

Athletic.

>> one of his fantasies†– he

Said to me i want to be a heavy

Weight champion of the world.

>> when he was boxing he was

245.

That was big back then.

>> i would like to offer this

One observation.

Martin luther king said once

That longevity has its place.

I would love to live a long

Life, but he didn’t live a long

Life.

He gave us a picture of the

Power of peace and the power of

Nonviolence.

Nelson mandela was given the

Gift of longevity and he not

Only shows the vision of it but

Showed us how to do it.

That was the difference in my

Opinion between nelson mandela

And martin luther king.

>>> after the break we speak

With congress woman barbara lee.

It is 16 before the top of the

Hour.

You are looking at a live

Picture outside the home of

Nelson mandela.

This is “news one now” with

Roland martin.

Back in a moment.

>>> was so vicious.

At the time i did not blame any

Of those.

>> that was an interview i

Conducted with winnie mandela a

Couple of years when she came to

The united states and spoke at a

Church in birmingham, alabama.

Joining us on the phone is

Congresswoman barbara lee.

Welcome to “news one now.”

>> happy to be with you today.

>> what is the one memory that

Stands out to you as it relates

To nelson mandela, the man.

>> when he came to washington,

D.c. to say thank you.

He has humility and ability to

Demonstrate to all of us that as

A freedom fighter and one who

Fought the justice and for

Freedom that one should remain

Humble and one should move

Forward.

In the development of society do

It in a way that would allow for

Healing.

His presence i think many people

Would say he was larger than

Life and you felt that sense of

Serenity, peace and calm.

He had strength and knew you

Were with a magnificent human

Being.

>> i called randal robinson

Yesterday.

He was traveling and couldn’t

Join us.

He said one person i want you to

Call is harvard professorer

Charlesogetree because it was

His efforts.

He said we called and said we

Need you to line the lawyers up

And have them ready because when

Folks start protesting at south

African embassies across the

Country we will need lawyers to

Bail them out of jail.

Talk about how important it was

To have black politicians, black

Lawyers, black activists and

Others all united when it came

To helping nelson mandela and

The anc bring down the racist

Apartheid government in south

Africa.

>> it was critical.

I started supporting mandela

Before i knew he was mandela.

I was a student at stanford and

Had a protest against apartheid.

I held a sign up that said let

My people go.

And that continued.

Randal said ogletree is going to

Lead this movement.

We had a lot of folks, we were

All getting together to march in

1984 for nelson mandela’s

Freedom.

We had to make sure people

Understood that we were there to

Stay.

I visited south africa several

Times.

He is a man of courage, of

Incredible will and he will be

Remembered.

I hope this group here should

Write a book called “i am nelson

Mandela”.

People may remember the movie

About malcolm x.

Nelson mandela did a video

Saying i am malcolm x.

We have to be him, his

Commitment and courage.

That is what i hope we do in the

21st century.

We will forever remember this

Man not just as a global figure

But someone who should have a

National and global holiday to

Recognize his birth and years of

Service to a great country.

>> thank you for sharing your

Thoughts about nelson mandela

Here with us on tv one at “news

One now.”

I want to go back to our panel.

Got to be a tough act to follow

If you had to be the president

After nelson mandela served.

>> i want to try to do that.

You had†– he had problems

Acknowledging that hiv existed

There.

And then you got zuma after

That.

And then you have so much high

Expectations.

It is disenchantment to the

Point.

People expected so much.

When you go back so little has

Changed economically.

>> let me†–

>> we award an honorary degree

To mr. Mandela.

At the time there was a plaque

Presented to howard to

Acknowledge the colleges and

Universities that had been

Engaged in anti-apartheid

Movement.

He had a very difficult task

Ahead of him.

His task was not simply eto

Succeed a personality but

Somebody who embodied an ideal

South africa that has not been

Fully realized.

I’m not sure anyone could have

Fulfilled the aspirations that

Were triggered by mr. Mandela’s

Triumph.

I think we sometimes overlook

The task, the difficulty of the

Task in front of you but i think

We need to acknowledge what he

Did, as well.

>> armstrong we will get your

Comment w
hen we come back.

We want to thank congress woman

Lee for calling and professor

Ogletree.

This is “news one now” with

Roland martin and our continuing

Coverage of south african

President nelson mandela.

>>> some of us have to continue

As long as we have in us to

Fulfill the dreams that everyone

Of us fought for.

>> that was my interview with

Winnie mandela.

Joining me on the phone is

Former congressman from

Maryland.

Welcome to “news one now.”

>> thank you very much.

>> what did nelson mandela mean

To you?

>> well, nelson mandela treated

Me like a son and i admired him

As you would a father.

But more than anything what he

Has meant to me in the world is

That in his passing we have

Witnessed one of the greatest

Figures of human history leaving

The stage of life who through

The simple eloquence of his

Example inspired presidents,

Popes and the common man to a

Legacy and a belief that good

Would always overcome evil.

And so much has been said and so

Much will continue to be said.

I hope we personally hold him in

Our hearts and remember we are

Whole and the nation is better

Because he lived.

>> thank you for joining us

Here.

>> final thoughts.

We start to my right armstrong

Williams.

>> mandela is a powerful symbol.

The person that holds south

Africa together is winnie

Mandela.

She is a general.

She is a warrior and tough.

She has the respect and trust of

The people.

As long as she lives you won’t

See the chaos that could ensue

At the possibility of mr.

Mandela dying.

>> i look at him as a giant of

Both intellect and humanity

Which is a combination that is

Rare to find anywhere at any

Time.

I think the ideal of mr. Mandela

Is so powerful that it will

Continue to thrive.

>> i think his life challenges

Us to be courageous and find

Something we believe in and want

To die for.

>> i want to share a personal

Moment.

Mandela meets with anc.

That morning i’m going to meet

Nelson mandela after i have been

Saying free mandela, free my

People, free south africa.

Bill gray says mr. Mandela i

Want you to meet congressman

Dellham and he said you kept

Hope alive.

He hugged me.

If i live to be 1,000 i will

Never forget the power of that

Moment.

>> i want to thank all of you

For being with us and everyone

Who called in and shared their

Thoughts about nelson mandela.

Next ten days is a mourning

Period.

Funeral will be held on december

15.

We will continue to have

Coverage as it relates to the

Passing of nelson mandela.

Of course you can check me out

At twitter.

Be sure to watch tv one.

We have various coverage this

Weekend, various documentaries

On nelson mandela.

We will see you next week.

Thank you for watching this

Special edition focusing on the

Life and legacy of the iconic

And the great.