tonight, citizens at a town hall let loose on a republican congressman. [ chanting, bring back jobs ] >> that's right, bring back jobs, bring back jobs. okay, republicans, do you have an answer? and radical governors on the run. now unions and progress ifs are pushing the gop stars into full retreat. plus, the secret history of how democrat rick perry became the tea party champions. it's a real horror story. and at a time of national division, comes a moment to come together. the martin luther king, jr. memorial and why his message is needed now more than ever. welcome to the show, i'm al sharpton. tonight's lead, now the american

people are demanding to know where the jobs. take a look at what happened when republican congressman fred up ton of michigan trotted out the gop talking points of cuts, cuts, cuts. >> you can see on this part of the pie chart -- >> you need jobs on your chart. >> medicare is $519 billion out of 3.5 trillion. >> where's the jobs. >> bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. >> it's a cry that's being heard throughout the country. today in atlanta. where unemployment tops 10%. thousands waited in the heat to attend a jobs fair. the good news, the american people have someone in their corner. and is message, it's time to get people back to work. >> understanding that ultimately the private sector is going to be creating jobs but also understanding that government

can be an effective partner in that process. >> our job is not finished until every single american looking for a job can find a job. >> to put our country back to work. that's our great challenge. it has been my central mission for the last 2 1/2 years, it has to be all of our central missions going forward. >> and he's a man with a plan. when congress returns in september, president obama will push a jobs plan that proposes tax cuts for companies that hire workers. pushes for new spending for roads and construction. and offers help for long-term unemployed. the only bad news, the republicans misplaced priorities. they're relentless push for cuts has them already lashing out against any thought of stimulus. eric cantor says, we want to put an end to policy uncertainty, constantly driven by this administration. that means, stopping the discussions of stimulus spending.

when will they finally listen to the people? >> bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. >> joining me now, congressman peter defazo, democrat from oregon. congressman, is also a member of the progressive caucus. congressman, thank you for joining us tonight. you are holding 14 town hall meetinges this week and next. what are your constituents telling you? >> well, i tell you, you are hearing the same thing you heard in michigan or you saw at the atlanta job fair. ororegonians are desperate to go back to work. they know we have a crumbling infrastructure. they want to see it rebuilt and

they know there are potential of millions of jobs if we rebuild our transit systems, sewer, water. we had flood control dams built in the 50s and 60s. their spill ways don't work any more and the corps of engineers say if we have a bad winter you might have floods because guess what, the government doesn't have money to repair spill ways. that's incredible in america. that's american steel, american workers to put the dams back on line. same thing with transit systems, roads, bridges. >> gone kocongressman, we hear what you are saying, the infrastructure in oregon. but republicans are saying already, no stimulus. we are not going to do anything that will cost money to create jobs. how do we overcome them? >> it is worse than that reverend. they are proposing to cut investment in transit, rail, sewer, waters, dams, jetties.

they are proposing to cut that about 35%. jeopardizes the american people in the process. so we have just got to, you know, present a clear vision and push back. i tell you, i'm going to town halls. i'm having people come in, self identify as republicans, independents were they are saying, you're right. we need to put americans back to work. cutting taxes for millionaires and billion airs isn't cutting it. corps worship the job creators. war et buffet told us, stof coddling the millionaires and billionaires. if they restore the clinton era rates, it would be 3%. >> the american people, look like joe america, going to these meetings, saying we want jobs. you are having town hall meetings, when you look at

upton's town hall meeting, it is no wonder why some of the champion of the town hall meetings during healthcare, that the tea party guys really started from, now all of a sudden, they don't want to have town hall meetings. they start having sessions where you got to pay to come in and hiding under third parties because they don't want what upton got. when you see ryan appearing at a lunchian for $15 and quail appearing, $35 event. $30 forum. ceo to ceo. when you see it, it is like a pay-per-view boxing match to see the congressman that were the great populous just a few months ago. and when you can see the upton treatment, and people like you when never ran from their constituents, you hear what we have been saying all along, it's about jobs. it's about jobs.

and nobody wants to hear cuts with no jobs. >> that's right. they are sick and tired. they are concerned too about running up a pile of debt but they realize that if we ask the wealthy to pay their fair share, if we ask multinational corporations, to pay some taxes at least in america, if not their fair share, that we would have money both to reduce the deficit and to put america back to work with productionive long-term investment. i just dedicated a new bridge over the the willamette river today, something about with the last highway bill, something with the last horrible ear marks, it had 400,000 man hours of worth in this beautiful new bridge to serve both for commercial traffic and people for a hundred years. we need to make those kind of investments and put people back to work at the same time. >> well, thank you congressman. next time i'm in washington, let's have lunch. you pay, in fact you pay for my cab over to you. it is my new shared sacrifice

package. pet peter difazo, thank you. please let us know how the town hall meetings are going. would love to hear about it. nbc news political analyst, and michael steele former rnc chairman and msnbc analyst, good evening gentlemen. >> good evening, reverend. >> michael, let's try a different approach. you and i fight and argue a lot. let's try a different approach. >> okay. >> president obama has said he is coming back after labor day. he is going to lay out a jobs plan. americans overwhelmingly have said they want jobs. he has said, i want to lay out a jobs plan. >> okay. >> forget the talking points of the republicans or democrats. >> all right. >> he calls you in and says, what can i do to provide jobs that can get through the republicans in the house and senate? what would you tell him to do?

>> i would probably start with the idea of creating a balance between the private sector and the public sector. we don't want to slanted obviously heavy one way. i mean, look, i'm not one of the anti-republican governments who feels the government has no place or role. i think can you be a very good conservative and understand and appreciate there is a level of support that government provides. whether the safety net for social concerns that people have or a broader net to allow the creation 6 pathways to prosperity and opportunity that can only rest in the private sector. that would probably be one of the key things i would look for for in the plan. the president admitted, the shovel-ready jobs he touted in the last stimulus, well, they weren't so shovel-ready. you have to come to the appreciation and understanding of what the public sector is prepared and ready to do. if you are going to spend m not that arguably we don't have. you have to answer the second

part of that, where are you going to borrow the money from to do that. what the ultimate cost is going to be. again i think you begin to offset some of that by making sure that private sector is at the table and this new plan of creating jobs. >> now governor ren dell, in this no fight policy, i just tried with michael, i didn't get an answer that i wanted. i said i want to go from point a it b. he said you need transportation. he didn't tell me what kind. he didn't tell me you how i get there. >> i'm not -- that's for the president. i told you -- >> i'm talking to mr. rendell, mr. steele. have good manners. >> you missed point of the answer. >> we're not arguing tonight. >> there is no truce here. >> now, mr. chairman. the specifics, as he said, where are we going to get the money, that's the problem. revenue, we need to get money. we are going to have to start doing things that mr. steele's party won't do. and even when you're in a reasonable way ask them what to do and have you a reasonable

answer, for mr. -- from mr. steele, there's got to be balance, when you come to how we pay for it, we seem to go into an imbalance. take care of the rich and don't take care of the poor. >> right. there's no question that's been the big problem. but i think what president has to do to get this package passed, is he's got to do a comprehensive plan. he is talking that way, reverend. that's good news. he's got to do significant debt reduction. he has to tell the super committee, i want to do more than $1.5 trillion and there are no sacred cows. everything is on the table including some level of entitlement reform. we can do entitlement reform without hurting people and there are plenty of ways to save money in those pro graps. we have to cut the defense budget. yes, we have to raise revenue. we raise revenue by closing tax loop holes. there is nobody out there, including most of the tea partyites who want 30% of the

american corporations to continue with no taxes at all. if he does that and has a reasonable plan for jobs, that doesn't have much after cost, a tremendous upside be he can do it. chairman steele, says, where are we going to get the money? i start out with suggestion one, i know where we can get $210 billion, michael, and put it into infrastructure. that would take all of the money hidden in foreign countries. >> they want to bring it back. >> they want to bring it back tp they want to to be taxed not up to 34% but at 5%. i say, let's compromise. let's tax them at 15%. if we take 15% of that 1.4 trillion, reverend, we have $210 billion. that will generate the incredible amount of jobs. you no he what, the rule of thumb is, 25,000 jobs for every $1 billion worth of infrastructure spending. so we are looking at

significant, significant job creation. we're looking at something of over 5 million jobs created from that -- >> mr. steele, why can't we get that -- that is reasonable. you talk about corporations, being taxed in a reasonable way, we are talking about money being brought back in the country. why can't we get back through and where is that unreasonable? >> reverend, at a rate, half of what they had paid had they paid the regular rate. 15%. >> yeah. first off, they are not going to pay the regular rate. and the governor is right about that. that was part of the problem. look, i don't see anything, you know, on its face as glaringly, you know, wrong about that approach. but again, as we all know, the three of us know, the devil is always in the details in this town. it is always, what each side is willing to compromise to get to the point you just described. and so -- >> that's my question.

what is your side willing to compromise? when they say, no revenue, no stimulus -- >> i'm not trying to escape the answer here but i can't speak it that particular policy point because they have made it very, very clear that you know, we want to see first and foremost that we've got the spending under control. that there is a mechanism in place before we put in an additional level of revenue in place that the spending is under control. >> exactly. >> but that's -- that's the biggest devil in the detail because as i go back to my earlier point, the president himself touted stimulus that we needed to spend this money for shovel-ready jobs and there were no shovel-ready jobs. so let's identify those -- >> but the stimulus was also based on flawed information. let me say this -- >> from his government. from his government, reverend, come on. >> from the figures given from the previous administration, let's be fair, michael. this is nice night. we will argue next time you're

on. >> okay. >> let me ask you this, michael. >> yes, sir. >> will there be a deal? will the republicans come in and make a deal to give the people jobs? >> absolutely. i think there will be a deal. there has to be a deal. there has to be something. but come december the triggers cook in. whether you have a deal or not a at that point is irrelevant because there will be cuts that are across the board draconian. i think both sides will come the table, despite the posturing, the president is put thougt information, republicans are putting out theirs. when they get back under town, that's where the rubber will meet the road because the deadline is very short. otherwise, you think we feel pain now, it'll be much, much harder and difficult on the american worker. >> a lot of people are feeling the pain already. and let me tell you something. and i will be -- i will do something that is not seen on tv.

>> bring back jobs. bring back jobs. bring back jobs. >> ed rendell and michael steele, thank you for joining me. next time i'll have the tape ready on time. i've got to get these guys to keep up with me. i'm too fast for them, michael. coming up, swinging back. how unions and progress ifs are forcing right-wing republican governors to back down. plus -- >> from al gore supporter to tea party hero. was rick perry's revolution a

matter of principle or political convenience? and how did this happen? the georgetown basketball team goes to china and a brawl breaks out. stunning pictures. we've got it all tonight. stay with us. [ male announcer ] this is the network. a network of possibilities. excuse me? my grandfather was born in this village. [ automated voice speaks foreign language ] [ male announcer ] in here, everyone speaks the same language. ♪ in here, forklifts drive themselves. no, he doesn't have it. yeah, we'll look on that. [ male announcer ] in here, friends leave you messages written in the air. that's it right there. [ male announcer ] it's the at&t network. and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. it is a spectacular deal. show-me-the-carfax. carfax is only for grown-ups. well, then show me the carfax.

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these fast past two weeks have had progress ifs fighting extreme governors across the country. last week it was the recall of two republican state senators. now voters in wisconsin are gearing up to recall governor scott walker himself. and just ye yesterday in ohio, governor kasick offered to compromise his anti-union bill in order for a statewide vote to be repealed this fall. but the unionets told him, too little, too late and we will see you at the ballot box. in florida a major setback for rick scott. a judge there said he overstepped his authority with an executive order suspending all new regulations. that lawsuit was brought by a blind woman who said scott's order was delaying a rule that would help her get food stamps. the republicans overreach and

the people fight back. that's what i like to see. joining me now is governor ted strickland. you've been fighting for ohio union workers since the beginning of this battle. i've been out there, i've seen you out there. what is your reaction to governor kasick's invitation to talk? >> retch rand, this is a man who boasted would he break the backs of the teacher's union. for those who disagreed with them, he threatened to run over them with a bus. he called a police officer wh game him a ticket an idiot. and now, at the last hour, he wants to sit down and find a compromise. i think there's been a lack of trust and i think it's too little too late. and i believe the 1,300,000 ohioans who put their signatures on a petition, voting to rescind

senate bill five will speak loud and clear in november and we will find out exactly how the people of ohio feel about our police officers, our teachers, our firefighters, our nurses. these are the heroes of our society and they have been attacked by this governor and by the legislature and the people of ohio are fighting back. >> to show you how precedent it is new that he want to talk, just a few months ago, when he was on a talk show, let the american people see what kasich was saying then. this is the kasich that wants it talk. he was on a radio show in ohio just a couple of months ago. >> i've listened, i've heard, i've made a decision. it's not like i'm not talking to people. i've talked to a lot of people. we spend a lot of time in ohio talk, talk, talk, talking. >> and the governor is done talking, you're walking. >> it's time to do some things.

>> now he want to talk, talk, talk, talk. what happened to the walk, walk, walk, walk. because people are getting toward walk to the ballot box in november. >> i'll tell what you happened, reverend al, 1,300,000 ohioans signed their names on a petition saying they wanted the opportunity to vote no on this terrible anti-worker legislation. >> they only needed 250,000. >> it is an amazing effort. ohioans love their firefighters and police officers. we honor our teachers. nurses are those who care for our sick. these are the heroes of our society. and they are the people that this governor and the legislature has turned their backs on. you know, governor kasich got millions of dollars in bonuses from lehman brothers as his company was careening towards bankruptcy. he thinks our teachers and

firefighters and police officers are paid too much. this their pensions are too generous. i mean there is no fairness. in what the governor and the republicans in the ohio legislature have done. they are making teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, the escape goats and the people of ohio are not going it put up with it. we are going to turn back this terrible legislation. i hope the nation is hearing this. because what is happening in ohio is germane 20 what is happening across the country. >> when you look at senate bill 5, it effects 350,000 state workers and state employees and if this is stopped in ohio and it appears it's on its way, then it sends a message all over this country. and it shows that by the union fighting and by real leaders like you, you can change the climate and change public

opinion. look at this poll of the favorbility, the unfavorbilities i should say, of casey. because i remember early thissier when we were out there at rallies he was very popular. now from january, where he was at 22% disapproval rating, now in down in may, he is at 48% disapproval. it is not a shopping poll, this is quinnipiac. so clearly as people remain persistent and out there, they can have the public say, wait a minute, firefighters, people that work for us. >> that's right. >> governor, you have to wake up some mornings and say, how can someone so actionnary beat me. i have to get it right for history. >> reverend, the people of ohio have suffered as people across the country have suffered with high rates of unemployment, job loss, loss of healthcare, and so, the people thought a change would perhaps be helpful.

and what they voted for is not what they have received. they didn't vote for a governor who would attack police officers, firefighters, and teachers. and so, now we have in ohio the ability of ohioans to go to the ballot, and let their voices be heard. and i believe in november, the nation will be watching and ohioans stream to the polls and cast the citizens veto, this is an example, an example of how the people have the power to go to the ballot box and overrule the governor or legislature or a bad bill. >> i think that you're right. >> we have that process in ohio. >> that's a great point. people are going to come alive around sb 5 this november, i believe, in ohio. governor strickland, thank you so much for your time, thank you. >> thank you, reverend al. >> all of a sudden, karl rove and the gop establishment love

willard mitt romney. i wonder why. and while vice president joe biden is visiting china, this happened. a brawl on the court with the georgetown team. what is behind it? we've got it all tonight, stay with us. [ grandma ] why do relationships matter? [ grandpa ] relationships are the basis of everything. [ grandma ] relationships are life... if you don't have that thing that fills your heart and your soul,

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thrilled with the current crop of 2012 contenders. but rick perry can't be what the party establishment had in mind. >> we came to the union in 1845. one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that. >> i don't know what y'all will do to them in iowa. but we would treat them pretty ugly down in texas. >> adios mo-fo. >> so with the marlboro man as the alternative, the party is trying to get over its hangups about mitt romney. here is how karl rove described romneycare on monday. >> there are big differences between what they did in massachusetts and what they did in washington. and if governor romney seizes this opportunity to distinguish the differences, he will help himself in the primary. >> but rove sang a different tune in may when he didn't think mitt would be his main man back

then, he trashed romney's plan saying quote, it has an individual plan date just like president obama's. and it's got a bunch of bad things that are happening. so the republicans don't like romney and they think his health plan was a blueprint for obama's. but they will ignore all that since he is the most sane candidate they've got. karl, did you think we wouldn't notice your complete about face? you didn't think i was looking? you didn't think i was listening? we got ya, karl. so here's five bucks to help you buy v8 juice. five bucks. that's a lot of green. go to v8juice.com for coupons. you can count on us.

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welcome back to the show. today in new hampshire, rick perry got an earful from protesters, angry he wants it clad medicare and social security unconstitutional. well not long ago perry might have been chanting right along. fighting for medicare instead of

against it. because before perry was a tea party favorite serving up red meat to extreme right wing people, he was a democrat. yeah, in 1976, perry voted for jimmy carter. in the 1980s, perry spent six years in a texas house of representatives as a democrat. in 1988, perry was the texas campaign chair for al gore's presidential campaign. then in 1989, perry switched parties. he says, quote, he came to his senses. seems like opposite to me. >> my children, who are in their 20s, know that social security is a ponzi scheme. >> playing politics at this particular time in american history is almost teach ris -- or treasonness, in my opinion.

>> it's got some gaps in it. in texas, we teach both creation and evolution. >> i think the greatest threat to our country right now is this president who is trying to spend our way out of this disaster. >> we've got a great union. there is absolutely no reason to dissolve it. but if washington continues to thumb their nose at the american people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. >> that last clip was from a 2009 tea party rally. that is a long strange trip away from voting for jimmy carter. with me now is congressman, democratic congressman lloyd doing et of texas and jim hightower, radio talk show commentator. he was texas agriculture in 1980s, losing that post in 1991 to none other than rick perry. congressman, let me start with you. what do you make of this weird, in my opinion, strange would be a better word, political journey

of rick perry? >> well, reverend, from deep in the heart of texas, jim and i want to give you a little texas truth about governor perry. not these tall tales from a governor that thinks he can perform miracles. but has only done more to widen the gap between the very rich and the poor folks and middle class income folks of people who are losing their opportunity to be in the middle class here. rick perry is a fellow that will do anything and say anything in order to get elected. and i've said -- and i believe it, that michele bachmann and some of these people on the right wing of the republican party, they better keep an eye out because rick will leap over them. he's just recently denied that there's any truth to the problems we're facing on global warming though it got to texas first. but i tell you, he will teach the earth is flat if that's the way the primary voters want. >> so he a just totally unprincipaled. jim hightower, are we looking at

a guy who had a conversion or are we looking at a gi that's just a kmeelian? >> you are looking at a guy who's a fraud, basically. >> why don't you tell us how you really feel? >> just as brother doggett was indicating there, perry will make the switches, jump over anybody, pick your pocket and steal your ideas, whatever is necessary to get elected. he made that switch from the democratic party. but even more, he's -- he is out there right now, something that i think is just unconscionable, that is selling obama because obama is an good commandener chief because he didn't wear the uniform. and perry claims that he did. well it's true that perry did serve in the air force a little bit. but he never got his uniform dirty, much less bloody. this is not exactly a war hero. he spent his time, as he put it, flying the colonel's kitty litter around. so you know, we need to look at

who this guy really is. i tell you, as you just showed in those clips, this guy has been able to put the goober in gubinatorial here. >> i will have to say that rick per i have loyal. he's always been loyal to the billionaire class in texas. >> what do you mean? >> that's the type of president he will be. his buddies are those at the very top. like the guy that spa swift voted john kerry a few years ago, now formed some independent committee to help perry be elected. his policies are to help the people who are the ultra rich at the top and forget about the folks who want strong public schools, who want an opportunity to advance. if these billion airs tell him to metal in our institutions of higher education, he will metle. but he doesn't have the strength to give americans the

opportunity to bring americans into the middle class. >> i remember back in his race with you, in '91, wasn't there some deal with some company some allegation about perry and some company there? >> well, a good number of them, you know, if you want to know where perry is, you have to follow the money. he is posing as a tea party darling. and he is kind of michele bachmann with a better hair do really. but the real core to perry is the corporate servitude. yes, he was in service to the chemical industry back when he was in the legislature. when i was ag commissioner, we were helping farmers and people living up against the fields. so at the behest after the chemical lobbyists, carried legislation that would have removed the pesticide authority out of the ag department and would have made the office appointed rather than elected.

the good news is that we not only defeated him on that, we embarrassed him. the chemical didn't care for me so they got karl rove to recruit perry to run against me and then karl rove ran his campaign. this guy who is really in service to himself. but to get there, he knows who is buttering his biscuits. i assure you that. that is the money interest. you can see ohis big con trib aughtors here. it is koch brothers, exxon, and that's who it is. >> we will certainly bring you both back to talk about this as we deal with more rick perry. thank you both. joe biden is in china. but he missed this one. a brawl breaks out when the georgetown team is in china.

but it wasn't the only scuffle that broke out there today. stay with us. [ man ] they said i couldn't win a fight. but i did. they said i couldn't fight above my weight class. but i did. they said i couldn't get elected to congress. but i did. now i'm trying to make it in music. ♪ sometimes when we touch ha ha! millions of hits! [ male announcer ] the new hp touchpad starting at $399.99. ♪ it's schwab at your fingertips wherever, whenever you want. one log in lets you monitor all of your balances and transfer between accounts, so your money can move as fast as you do. check out your portfolio, track the market with live updates. and execute trades anywhere and anytime the inspiration hits you. even deposit checks right from your phone. just take a picture, hit deposit and you're done.

open an account today and put schwab mobile to work for you. a network of possibilities. in here, the planned combination of at&t and t-mobile would deliver our next generation mobile broadband experience to 55 million more americans, many in small towns and rural communities, giving them a new choice. we'll deliver better service, with thousands of new cell sites... for greater access to all the things you want, whenever you want them. it's the at&t network... and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. fifrts were flying in beijing today as vice president biden's big trip to china continued. first, a scuffle broke out when chinese officials tried to kick out american reporters covering a biden speech. apparently the chinese officials

thought biden was talking too long. across town, a full-on brawl erupted in an exhibition basketball game between georgetown university basketball team and a professional chinese team. it's not clear what started it. players tackled each other and started throwing punches. both benches cleared. eventually chairs and bottles started flying through the air. as well as through everybody's side empty bench. nobody was seriously hurt, but it looked real ugly. just the night before, biden attended a georgetown game against a different chai these team, as part of what was billed as a friendship match between the two nations. the state department calling the brawl unfortunate. we'll be right back. one little smile, one little laugh. honey bunny. [ babbles ] [ laughs ] we would do anything for her.

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now here is something you

may not know. president obama las a republican friend p washington. you may know him. yes, that senator coburn. and yes, they are the political odd couple. from stimulus to debt reduction to healthcare, these two men can't disagree more. but somehow they find a way to get along. but how? well, they attended senate orientation sessions together in 2004 and hit it off. they wound up working together on bills to help hurricane katrina victims. and president obama called coburn a quote, friend of his, on the campaign trail. so it was interesting this week when coburn was asked about the president at a town hall in oklahoma. the question, does president obama want to destroy america? >> wow. these are real questions from real americans. but check out coburn's response. no, i don't.

wow. a real friend. look at that. but wait. then coburn said this, quote, he's a very bright man, but i think about his life and think about what he was exposed to. and what he saw in america. he's only relating what his experience there life was. his intent isn't to destroy, it's to create dependency because it worked so well for him. coburn went on to say, as an african-american male, coming through the process of everything he experienced. he got tremendous benefit through a lot of these programs so he believes in them. i just don't believe they work over all in the long run. they don't help our country. as an african-american male, obama received tremendous advantage from a lost these programs. what does that mean? medicare helped him get into harvard law school?

benefits from government social programs got him to the white house? i'm not really following this. it's no wonder the president is getting out of washington and going on vacation. as harry truman said, you want a friend in washington, get a dog. ahead, at a time of national division, comes a moment to come together. the monumental king memorial and why his message is needed now more than ever. [ female announcer ] so you think your kids are getting enough vegetables?

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this month wooel ceil we will see the culmination after dream. the martin luther king, jr. national memorial will be steps way from the lincoln memorial where king gave his fame out "i have a dream" speech. as a result of more than 25 years of struggle by members of king's college fraternity.

to honor the great civil rights leader. joining me now is the man man who led the effort, harry johnson senior, president and ceo of the martin luther king, jr. national memorial project foundation. harry johnson, we would not be facing this historic moment if it wasn't for you, your efforts and that of the fraternity. why was this so important for you? i've seen you catching jet planes and running all over this country. why? >> because i think the country needs to see a memorial to dr. king. this is the first memorial it a man of peace, and man that is not a president. >> now, this memorial, you made it plain from the beginning, as you have led this effort, is not just for blacks only. this is for the world to see when they come to this nation's capitol. explain that to people. >> we always thought dr. king

was not an african-american hero but an international hero. so how pleased we are that we had an international skuculptor. there are memorials of dr. king all over the world and we felt there with is one that needed to be here in our nation's capitol. >> on saturday, we are talking about the march that you allowed us to have for jobs. what happens at the ceremony sunday for the actual unveiling? >> on sunday, we expect to have many, many luminaries of the civil rights movement, including you reverend al. but also the president of the united states will come as he dedicates this memorial to the people of the united states. aretha franklin will be sing. and over 250,000 people from across the country will come and witness this once in a lifetime experience. >> you know, there is so much dispare out there and unemployed and a lot of division, and you have kind of risen above it to

get this project done. but it brought tears to my eyes when i saw you had that part of the memorial that emphasized dr. king talking about out of the mountain of despare, take a stone of hope. and i would hope that when they see this memorial, that you and the fraternity has done, that even in our dark et moment, no matter what we are web don't submit to despair. we always take that stone of hope p.m. i'm glad that you raised that. because at this time, people around the world need that. we will forever be indebted to you harry johnson. >> thank you. >> harry. >> jon:s my mother was 40 years old when the voting rights happened. i was a toddler. she couldn't vote in a town she was born in until later in life. but she lived to see her son,

me, run for president and she lived to see barack obama become president. that happened because people like dr. king and fanny lou hammer, did not sue come s succumb to the moment, did not succumb to hatred and anger, like many of us have flirted with or succumbed to in life. and other areas, whether it was fights for gays and lesbians or immigrants. many had it o overcome things and overcome controversy in # and adversity to make america better. when this memorial opens, it becomes a symbol of how people can overcome odds. and become bigger and better, even overcome their own flaws. how taking you out of their own mountain of dispare and still dream against the odds.

people can bing their kids, and say, no matter what face in life, don't give up. a man who according to all in the world, had a seat in the back of the bus but he changed america and helped change the world. that's where that monument will become important. when you're toward give up, good to the king monument and realize can you make a difference. there's always hope. it is always dark et right before dawn. dr. king not only told us that, he proved it. that's what we're going to unveil on the 28th. we will march for jobs the day before. but we are going to celebrate america at its best that day. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. party crash. let's play "hardball."