that in all of us there is a willingness to love all people and to extend to them their god-given rights to dignity and respect. so many of us lose that sense. it's taught out of us. we start feeling as if in fact we can't afford to extend kindness or decency to other people, that we're better off if we're above other people and looking down on them. and so often that's encouraged in our culture. but john always said, he always

saw the best in us. and he never gave up and never stopped speaking out because he saw the best in us. he believed in us even though we didn't believe in ourselves. and as a congressman, he didn't rest. he kept getting himself arrested. as an old man, he didn't sit out any fight. sat in all night long on the floor of the united states capitol. i know his staff was stressed. but the testing of his faith produced perseverance. he knew that the march is not over. that the race is not yet won, that we had not yet reached that blessed destination where we are judged by the content of our

character. he knew from his own life that progress is fragile. that we have to be vigilant against the darker currents of this country's history, of our own history with whirlpools of violence and hatred and despair that can always rise again. bull connor may be gone, but today, we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of black americans. george wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.

[ applause ] we may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar in order to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive i.d. laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service in the run-up to an election that's going to be dependent on mail-in ballots, so people don't get sick. i know this is a celebration of

john's life. there are some who might say we shouldn't dwell on such things. but that's why i'm talking about it. john lewis voted his time on thishe very attacks on democracy and what's best in america that we're seeing circulate right now. he knew that every single one of us has a god-given power. and that the fate of this democracy depends on how we use it, that democracy isn't automatic. it has to be nurtured. it has to be tended to. we have to work at it.

it's hard. and so he knew that it depends on whether we summon a measure, just a measure of john's moral courage to question what's right and what's wrong. and call things as they are. he said that as long as he had a breath in his body, he would do everything he could to preserve this democracy, and as long as we have breath in our bodies, we have to continue his cause. if we want our children to grow up in a democracy, not just with elections but a true democracy, a representative democracy, and a big-hearted, tolerant, vibrant, inclusive america of perpetual self-creation, then

we're going to have to be more like john. we don't have to do all the things he had to do because he did them for us. but we gotta do something. as the lord instructed paul, do not be afraid. go on speaking. do not be silent. for i am with you. and no one will attack you to harm you for i have many in this city who are my people. just everybody's got to come out and vote. we got all those people in the city, but they can't do nothing. like john, we've got to keep getting into that good trouble. he knew that nonviolent protest is patriotic. a way to raise public awareness and put a spotlight on injustice

and make the powers that be uncomfortable. like john, we don't have to choose between protest and politics. it's not an either/or situation. it's a both/and situation. we have to engage in protests where that's effective, but we also have to translate our passion and our causes into laws. institutional practices. that's why john ran for congress 34 years ago. like john, we've got to fight even harder for the most powerful tool that we have, which is the right to vote. the voting rights act is one of the crowning achievements of our democracy. it's why john crossed that bridge. it's why he spilled his blood. and by the way, it was the result of democratic and

republican efforts. president bush, who spoke here earlier, and his father signed its renewal when they were in office. [ applause ] president clinton didn't have to because it was the law when he arrived. so instead, he made a law to make it easier for people to register to vote. [ applause ] but once the supreme court weakened the voting rights act, some state legislators unleashed a flood of laws designed specifically to make voting harder. especially by the way state

legislators where there's a lot of minority turnout and population growth. that's not necessarily a mystery or an accident. it is an attack on what john fought for, an attack on our democratic freedoms. and we should treat it as such. if politicians want to honor john, and i'm so grateful for the legacy and work of all the congressional leaders who are here, but there's a better way than a statement calling him a hero. you want to honor john? let's honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for. [ applause ]

and by the way, naming it the john lewis voting rights act, that is a fine tribute, but john wouldn't want us to stop there. just trying to get back to where we already were. once we pass the john lewis voting rights act, we should keep marching. to make it even better. by making sure every american is automatically registered to vote, including former inmates who have earned their second chance. by adding polling places and expanding early voting and making election day a national holiday so if you are somebody who is working in a factory or you're a single mom who's got to

go to her job and doesn't get time off, you can still cast your ballot. by guaranteeing that every american citizen has equal representation in our government, including the american citizens who live in washington, d.c. and in puerto rico. they're americans. by ending some of the partisan gerrymandering so that all voters have the power to choose their politicians, not the other way around. and if all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another jim crow relic, in order to secure the god-given rights of every american, then that's what we should do.

even if we do all this, even if every bogus voter suppression law is struck off the books today, we have to be honest with ourselves that too many of us choose not to exercise the franchise. too many of our citizens believe their vote won't make a difference or they buy into the cynicism that, by the way, is the central strategy of voter suppression, to make you discouraged, to stop believing in your own power. so we're also going to have to remember what john said, if you don't do everything, you can do to change things, then they will remain the same. you only pass this way once. you have to give it all you

have. as long as young people are protesting in the streets, hoping real change takes hold, i'm hopeful, but we can't casually abandon them at the ballot box. not when few elections have been as urgent on so many levels as this one. we can't treat voting as an errand to run, if we have some time. we have to treat it as the most important action we can take. on behalf of democracy. and like john, we have to give it all we have. i was proud that john lewis was a friend of mine. i met him when i was in law school. he came to speak. and i went up and i said, mr. lewis, you are one of my

heroes. what inspired me more than anything as a young man was to see what you and reverend lawson, bob moses, diane nash, and others did. and he got that kind of awe schucks, thank you very much. next time i saw him, i had been elected to the united states senate. and i told him, john, i'm here because of you. and on inauguration day in 2008, 2009, he was one of the first

people i greeted and hugged on that stand. and i told him, this is your day, too. he was a good and kind and gentle man. and he believed in us. even when we don't believe in ourselves. and it's fitting that the last time john and i shared a public forum was on zoom. and i'm pretty sure neither he nor i set up the zoom call because we didn't know how to work it. as a virtual town hall with a gathering of young activists who had been helping to lead this summer's demonstrations in the wake of george floyd's death. and afterwards, i spoke to john

privately. and he could not have been prouder to see this new generation of activists standing up for freedom and equality. a new generation that was intent on voting and protecting the right to vote. in some cases, a new generation running for political office. and i told him all those young people, john, of every race and every religion, from every background and gender and sexual orientation, john, those are your children. they learned from your example. even if they didn't always know it. they had understood through him what american citizenship requires, even if they had only heard about his courage through the history books.

by the thousands, faceless, anonymous, relentless young people, black and white, have taken our whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in the formulation of the constitution and the declaration of independence. dr. king said that in the 1960s. and it came true again this summer. we see it outside our windows in big cities and rural towns, and men and women, young and old, straight americans and lgbtq americans. blacks who long for equal treatment and whites who can no longer accept freedom for themselves while witnessing the subjugation of their fellow americans. [ applause ]

we see it in everybody doing the hard work of overcoming complacency, of overcoming our own fears and our own prejudices, our own hatreds. you see it in people trying to be better, truer versions of ourselves. and that's what john lewis teaches us. that's where real courage comes from. not from turning on each other. but by turning towards one another. not by sowing hatred and division but by spreading love and truth. not by avoiding our

responsibilities to create a better america and a better world but by embracing those responsibilities with joy and perseverance and discovering that in our beloved community, we do not walk alone. what a gift john lewis was. we are all so lucky to have had him walk with us for a while and show us the way. god bless you all. god bless america. god bless this gentle soul who pulled us closer to its promise. thank you very much. [ applause ]

♪ >> thank you so much. we are honored to be here. i would like to thank brother michael collins for about a week before congressman passed, he called b.b., so b.b. and my sister c.c., we had an opportunity to sing to him. and one of the songs we sang songs differently, but the one song i would like for everyone

that would just join in "we shall overcome." ♪ we shall overcome ♪ we shall overcome ♪ some day ♪ deep in my heart ♪ we shall overcome ♪ some day >> upon hearing that, i heard that he opened his eyes, because that was the song that led and

was the heart of those marches. my brother bebe has written another song to the memory of uncle robert, as you called him, because he treated us all like family. and i hope you enjoy it. ♪ ♪ morning joy alabama ♪ morning joy alabama ♪ to eddie and willa mae ♪ share croppers working in the

heat of the day ♪ ♪ yes they were ♪ he knew there was much more so he asked the lord to show ♪ ♪ all he achieved in his life ♪ we already know ♪ he was there when you called in a hurry ♪ ♪ tell you the truth don't you worry ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight in the struggle ♪ ♪ and he was willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ yes he was ♪ yes he was ♪ he was willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ he took home this world like civil and voting rights ♪

♪ no matter the problems he faced he kept his eyes on the prize ♪ ♪ and then he learned to walk by faith and believed god until the end ♪ ♪ yes he did ♪ and knew he would overcome and love is gonna win ♪ ♪ he was there when you called don't you worry ♪ ♪ he would tell the truth in a hurry ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight for the struggle ♪ ♪ and willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ yes he was ♪ yes he was ♪ willing to get into trouble ♪ and as you put on your robe to

go home we will continue the fight and be strong ♪ ♪ we'll continue to fight continue to fight ♪ ♪ he was there when you called in a hurry ♪ ♪ he would tell you the truth don't you worry ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight for the struggle ♪ ♪ and he was willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight he was ready to fight ♪ ♪ he was willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight ready to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight willing to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪

♪ willing to fight ready to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ he was willing to fight ready to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ willing to fight ready to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ willing to fight willing to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪ ♪ willing to fight ready to fight ♪ ♪ willing to get in good trouble ♪

>> let us pray. and when he shall die, take him and cut him into stars. he shall make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will grow in love with night. and pay no worship to the garros son. gracious and loving god, we commend into your safety the soul of your son, john robert

lewis. you have seen the affidavit of his deeds. yes. he stayed in trouble. good trouble. necessary trouble. he fought the good fight. he finished his course. he kept the faith. and now henceforth is laid out for him a crown of righteousness, but not only to him but to all those who love god's appearing. now part of a great mighty cloud of witnesses as he be are they

who have gone through the great tribulation. they washed their robes in the blood of the lamb. the angels rejoice. because he has been vindicated by history. his deeds etched into eternity. and his soul received into your glory. in the name of the god who loves us into freedom and frees us into loving through jesus christ our lord we pray. amen.

>> we pray that today was a memorable worship experience for all of you. now, pastor will greet the family along with reverend dr. bernice king, and then we will follow the department of defense's instructions as they carry out our representative lewis.

♪ ♪ ♪

>> stand. ♪ >> the family may remain seated. thank you. ♪

>> at this time, as we prepare to depart, we ask that the members of congress, the extended family, and special invited guests join with us as we enjoy the viral video of our honorable john robert lewis dancing to his favorite song by pharrell williams intitled "happy." this is an opportunity for all of us to enjoy this worship experience and to join in and dance with him and clap along if you feel --

john robert lewis. remembered as a man who spent the better part of six decades getting into the best kind of trouble, to move america just a little bit closer to the best version of herself. for the last three and half hours, we have been watching and

listening as the late congressman was remembered as a boy, as a teenager, as a man of faith. as an inspiration to a future president, as a legislator, as a civil rights titan who belongs in that pantheon alongside mahatma gandhi, nelson mandela. from here, that flag-draped casket will head to south view cemetery. fitting that the late congressman would be buried there. that is also where dr. martin luther king jr. is buried, and of course, the services this afternoon being held in america's freedom church, ebenezer baptist church, where dr. king, of course, pastored for a number of years, and before that, dr. king's father also an assistant pastor at one of this country's most revered

places of worship. i'm joined now by jonathan capehart, "washington post" opinion writer, and jon meacham, his latest book "his truth is marching on." john lewis and the power of hope, is due out next month. both are pulitzer prize winners, and both are also msnbc contributors. mr. meacham, it was a fitting tribute to john lewis, but it was also very much a call to action as well. >> it was. we have seen the last several hours the panoply of american power paying tribute to one of its most distinguished, nonviolent practitioners. someone whose power grew out of moral force and physical courage long before he reached the corridors of established power. and i think it's fitting that perhaps the line that stuck with

me the most came not from a president but from the pastor who holds the pulpit of martin luther king, sr. and jr. he said at the end there, in his benediction, as he commended congressman lewis' soul to god, that he had been vindicated by history. and if there is any overarching message here that we can take from the realm of tribute to the realm of action, i think it is that the nation has paused and honored this man, john robert lewis, because he understood that history could be shaped by courage, by bravery, by faith, and if we want to be on the right side of that, we can follow the path of john lewis.

>> jonathan, president obama said i like many americans owe a debt to john lewis. he also, mr. obama, reminded us that we have to be vigilant against the darker currents of our history. and then, jonathan, the president did something that in settings like this in the past he's been somewhat reluctant to do. he talked about policy. he talked about not just renaming the voting rights act but reinvigorating that act. he called for election day to be a national holiday. he called for an end to gerrymandering and an end to perhaps even an end to the filibuster rule. how real is the possibility that the death of john lewis perhaps may become a galvanizing force in november? >> it very well could be a

galvanizing force in november. you know, listening to you recite what president obama said, i thought of congressman lewis' stirring final word to america. that was on the op-ed page of "the new york times" today. and where in that op-ed, congressman lewis is giving us marching orders, sort of overarching marching orders to not give up, to keep pressing, to keep pushing forward, because the work he started was not over. and listed examples of how for him emmett till was a galvanizing force, but george floyd and ahmaud arbery and the beautiful violinist, elijah, they were the galvanizing force for this generation. and what president obama did, i thought, was the other book end. whereas congressman lewis' op-ed is here overall is what i think you should do now that i'm gone,

president obama gave specifics to the nation about what could be done to not only honor this great man, this great american, and as jon meacham has so wonderfully said every time he's been on television, this american saint. here is what you can do specifically, substantively, and concretely, to honor this man but to also honor this nation and what we say we are and who we say we are. if we are all the things we aspire to be in the words of our constitution and the ideals that we project to the world, then we'll make it easier for people to vote. we will do things to make it easier to pass legislation that helps all of america and not just a slice of america. and so i thought, you know, president obama maybe now that he's no longer president, and

because of the tenor and tone of the times that we're in and even though he didn't mention him by name, the person who is in the white house now, it struck me that president obama felt it was right for him to step out there and say what should be done. leave aside the reticence we have seen from him the last three years. to go right on out there, i don't know if it was news. i thought it was news when he said to do away with the filibuster, if that's what it will take to bring about progress. that's something i have never heard president obama say before. but also, it just shows how far he is willing to go to help give concrete marching orders compared to the aspirational marching orders that we got in that final message from congressman lewis.

>> mr. capehart, thank you, as always. mr. meacham, thank you, as well. and that aforementioned essay that john lewis wrote just two days before his death and asked "the new york times" to publish on the day of his funeral, the last paragraph, when historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression, and war so i say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters. and let the spirit of peace and the power of ever-lasting love be your guide. those were congressman lewis' last words to us. that's going to wrap up our special coverage of the funeral service for congressman lewis. we hand our coverage over to our colleague, chuck todd.

>> thank you, craig. i have to say, there's not a lot to add other than i think today was a necessary elixir for the country's soul. that's for sure. good afternoon on this historic and solemn day. i'm chuck todd. congressman and civil rights legend john lewis is being taken to his final resting place in atlanta. earlier, three former presidents representing both parties spoke at the funeral. >> listen, john and i had our disagreements, of course. but in the america john lewis fought for and the america i believe in, differences of opinion are inevitable elements and evidence of democracy in action. >> john and his comrades showed that sometimes you have to walk into the wind along with with it. >> john was only 20 years old. but he pushed all 20 of those years to the center of the table, betting everything, all of it.

that his example could challenge centuries of convention and generations of brutal violence and countless daily indignities suffered by african-americans. >> we're going to get right back to the funeral, including president obama's speech responding to the startling developments this morning in the 2020 election. >> first, we want to share what's been happening in the last few hours in washington while most of us have been remembering and celebrating the life of john lewis. there is no deal on coronavirus relief. there is some devastating new economic numbers and the current president of the united states floated the idea of delaying the 2020 election, which he has no authority to do. now, this morning, the commerce department reported the economy shrank at a shocking 32.9% annual rate, the sharpest drop on record. a level not seen since the great depression. minutes later, the president tweeted mail-in voting would make the election, quote, the most inaccurate and fraglnt in history and asked delay the

election until people can properly, securely, and safely vote, three question marks. election day is 96 days away and would require an act of congress to change. for what it's worth, this is how republican senate leader mitch mcconnell reacted to the president's tweet. >> never in the history of the country through wars, depressio depressions, and the civil war, have we ever not had a federally scheduled election on time. and we'll find a way to do that again this november 3rd. >> then there's this. today, 2012 republican presidential candidate herman cain passed away due to the coronavirus. cain tested positive on june 29th, nine days after attending president trump's rally in tulsa. mr. cain had been hospitalized since july 2nd. besides his experience in republican politics, cain was chief executive of godfather's pizza, ran the national restaurant association and once chaired the federal reserve bank

of kansas city. he was 74 years old. >> let's turn back now to today's moving final farewell for congressman john lewis. as i said, an important elixir of the soul of america. he's being laid to rest in georgia this afternoon at south. he was celebrated in a ceremony at historic ebenezer baptist church in atlanta. president obama made this call to action. >> george wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators. we may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here, there

are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing poling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive i.d. laws and attacking our voters rights with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service in the run-up to an election that's going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don't get sick. if we want our children to grow up in a democracy, not just with elections, but a true democracy, a representative democracy, and a big-hearted tolerant inclusive america, then we're going to

have to be more like john. >> joining me now nbc news correspondent jeff bennett and valerie jarrett, former adviser to president obama. jeff, it was startling to see what the president said about delaying the election. i read that into the president's remarks. he knew that was on the minds of a lot of people as we were sitting there listening. >> yeah. chuck, for whatever it's worth, clearly president trump didn't attend the funeral, but the white house sent no representative to john lewis' funeral. we'll dispense with that and focus on president obama's speech. he drew a link between what john lewis dedicated his life to and

what he said people need to do to continue. he tried to add depth andy mentiand dimension to john lewis' life. president obama sought to make sure people knew it took disciplined courage for john lewis and his peers to lay their lives on the line to challenge the infrastructure of oppression, as president obama put it. you also heard sort of echos of that from former president clinton. his speech was he was part professor delivering a civics lesson, part preacher delivering a sermon, recalling the friendship he had with congressman lewis. he said congressman lewis tried to convert his adversaries. then there were president george bush. the two had a complicated relationship early on.

congressman lewis didn't go to his inauguration. over time they came to know and respect one another. you heard former president bush say the falct they were able to disagree was evidence of democracy. house speaker nancy pelosi, the two of them came into congress around the same time. you don't often see nancy pelosi be emotional in public. she's a steely woman. she teared up several times today thinking about her friend. spare a thought for her and members of the congressional black congress who had to bury elijah cummings and john lewis. it was an honor to be here. this was a coming together. it was a strategy session for people who care about the work of civil rights. >> i liked how president obama

said position john lewis as a founder. when you think about it, it struck me as -- the american story has a lot of founders. the more perfect union has a lot of founders. valerie jarrett, obviously someone very close to the president, valerie, i know you speak with him quite a bit. the george wallace line, you know, it is -- it was not subtle. given the events of this morning, given what we've seen, is it fair to say that that is a comparison to the current situation that he wanted americans to hear? >> sure, it is. he said exactly what he meant. look, he stands on the shoulders of john lewis. it's exactly what john lewis would have wanted him to do with that platform. it's a way of making good trouble, necessary trouble,

calling it what it is. what a sell bragcelebration of well-lived, three different presidents, different parties coming together. the words today in the "new york times" john talked about democracy as not a state. it's an act. each generation as to do their part to bring us together and make our country better. i felt inspired. i hope all the messages delivered today motivate the next generation to appreciate their voices matter. demonstrations are important, but voting is important as well. congressman john lewis devoted his life to both. we honor him by picking up the baton and following in his footsteps. >> valerie, can you put into context here -- this has been a tough year in so many areas. when you just think about the

fight for civil rights, the fight for equal rights, all those pioneers you just mentioned that you lost this year, it's a lot of emotion. it's a lot of -- on one hand there are a lot of people that feel exhausted. it's that moment of exhaustion that you have to keep working. do you feel exhausted? >> no. i actually feel motivated. i think anyone feeling exhausted, think about what it must have been like walking across the bridge knowing that you were going to be beaten and may not survive. the sacrifices people made before us were great. i know there are people out there today putting their lives in harm's way by protesting. this is no time to be weary. it's a time to dig deep and recognize that decades from now we want people to look back on what we did and were we on the

right side of history? were we doing our part to bend that long arc of the moral universe towards justice? no, i'm not weary. i'm just getting started. >> you don't sound weary. i would like you to cover one final point. we had presidents of both parties. that used to not be something you would be like, how about that, that's unusual. the importance of bush and john lewis growing together, i guess, to know each other, to like each other, to love each other and what that says about both men and what that says about the story of america? >> it reflects on their character. it reflects on their appreciation that politics is one thing, service is one. one learns by listening to one another. that was a big part of

congressman lewis' point. we have to look for the best in one another. we have to look for that beloved community. i think in the end that wins out. it's hard work. i think that was a part of the point that president obama was making. this is not easy. it's hard. you will get weary. you have to remind yourself of the sacrifices that others made before you and the kind of country you want to build for your children and grandchildren. >> valerie jarrett, appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us. there's a remarkable confluence of events that made today's remembrance and celebration of john lewis' life more poignant. valerie jarrett, thank you.

our live coverage of the funeral of john lewis will continue the brian williams and nicolle wallace. guys, take it away. >> good day, brian williams here with you on this somber and urgent thursday afternoon. 3:00 p.m. here on the east coast. 12 noon out west. our friend nicolle wallace will be with us moments from now. this day has thus far been a living example of both poles of our politics. in many ways that means our recent past, as well as our present, as recently as today. we've been watching the moving scenes from atlanta, georgia as the nation says farewell to a giant, congressman john lewis. the funeral was held at