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special edition of politicsnation. i'm in new york, we will have the reverend al sharpton joining us momentarily from selma, alabama. you are looking at now live at the bridge. we are taking in this feed, straight msnbc at rockefeller center. in a moment, president, biden is you see there, we'll march alongside dignitaries. including reverend al sharpton, who is not too far away from this picture you see here. they will be marking the 58th anniversary of bloody sunday. moments ago, the president laying out the threats as he

sees them, threatening a voting rights. it looks like they are just beginning their walk. >> this fundamental right remains under assault, conservative supreme court has gutted the voting rights act over the years. since the 2020 election, a wave of states and dozens of anti voting laws fueled by the big lie, and the election deniers, now elected to office. >> and that annual walk, as you see on the left-hand side of the screen, just beginning. it's about 250 feet. you can see reverend al sharpton there, not too far away from the president as they make that ten minute typical walk. a traditional walk that happens every year during this time. the bridge was a site where more than 600 civil rights demonstrators led by the late congressman, john lewis. they were beaten by alabama state troopers, they were

attempting to cross the pettus bridge as the start of a statewide campaign for black voter protections at the time. it galvanized the civil rights movement, and we will talk in a moment with some of the cube crossing the bridge today among, them martin luther king the third, reverend jesse jackson. you can see on the right-hand side of your screen, and alabama congresswoman, terri sewell. later today, we spoke with the white house director of the office of public engagement. take a listen. >> let me start with saying that i was surprised when november came and went, that you have decided to stay until march. because you had made it clear when you started in the office of public engagement, and the senior adviser to the

president. you were helping things keep going. but you had to go in november, and then december came, january came, and a lot of us in the civil rights said, maybe she should -- and i said no, i'm going to go on. so your statement to all of us in the country was that you wanted to keep the work going. and you sacrificed and will do that work until november. do you feel that you've helped keep things on track? are you proud of where we are as we sit in selma today? >> you know, reverend, in the summer of last, year it's hard to believe, but things weren't looking very good. and there is so many people who have made so many sacrifices. and selma is really the best symbol that we have for that. so for me to go into the white house and say, i will help for a short period of time. and the president needed, meet the vice president needed me.

and i wanted to be able to do my part. on november came, and between november and when we sit here today, there were a lot of other deadlines in there, as to when i said i would leave. the president asked me to stay longer, i would do what i could do for as long as i could do it. so i'm glad that now, we have a replacement to keep the continuity. especially with leaders like you, to make sure that your voices are heard. you are physically inside of the white house. you literally have a seat at the table. and that is so important, because you reflect the voice of so many people across this country who often go unheard. so i'm glad to have been able to do my small part. >> it was a big part. >> i should appreciate that. and the best part, having come in june when things weren't looking so great, and leaving today, our poll numbers have gone up tremendously.

we have opened up the doors to thousands of people who otherwise wouldn't walk through the gates. and we are in the good place. my family never moved to d.c., and i would say i would know when it was time. my children are asking me, three of my four children are asking me to come home. for various reasons. once, it i need to come home so he can have some home cooked meals. so whatever the reason, and my husband is ready for me to come home. and it's home. georgia is home for me. >> now, in the two years, a little more than two years that president biden has been -- you were one of the early supporters of president biden. and i always remind him that i was sitting on the front row with you and joe biden. i was at the debate when he had a rough debate. and you stayed right there with him.

and he won. you were with him when he was losing, and the early states. what are you most proud of the biden harris administration? one of the unable to do in his first two years? >> you're right, that was a rough night. he stay the course, we stay the course. and what i'm most proud of is that he has been a man of his word. he has kept communities of color top of mind. he has kept working every day for americans. we look at what is happened was a lie lillian on some the 35 dollar insulin cap. we know that inflation reduction act, that is what was put in place for medicare, medicaid recipients. seniors across this country, and now the private sector is following. six billion dollars for hbcus in this country. the list goes on and on, expanding broadband, addressing lead pipes. all of these things that for

the past few years, before this administration came into place, we had been forgotten. and to have someone in the white house who is making decisions with us in mind, with our communities in mind, makes a difference. not just for a sitting here, today but for generations in the same way that march on salma made a difference for generations to come. >> when i think of the inflation reduction bill, the bills that are hard to get through, they have the executive order. i think there's been so much noise that people lose sight of some of these substance in the administration. it doesn't mean that guys like me don't push him to do more. but there's been some substantive change. >> let's go back to the american rescue plan. people don't realize where we were, we are cities were. i know because i was there

during that time. we had gone into our savings account, pouring millions of dollars out. not knowing how it would be replenished. sales taxes weren't coming in. we were trying to pay hazard paid or sanitation workers who literally were risking their lives going out every day to pick up our trash. and it was bad. and then we were hit with the covid crime wave, so the american rescue plan allowed us to replenish our reserves, and support our community groups were dealing with crime intervention. it allowed us to put money towards the efforts that made a difference with crime. even if the poll numbers don't always reflected, even people don't realize, if this administration made a difference in our cities. it's making the difference in our communities. and people have to be mindful of that. as we look at elections, elections matter. when we look at our justice on

the supreme court, the first african american new woman on the supreme court. elections matter. and it is my hope that as we go into the next two years, i will be in a different seat, supporting the administration. but people will remember this is a marathon, it's not a sprint. and it's going to take all of us to do our part. there are people from all walks of life, john louis was 25 years old. there were seasoned civil rights leaders, there were elderly people, there were sanitation workers. there were domestics. there were preachers, there were people of all walks of life, doing their little part to make a difference. and to turn the tide in this country. putin soon foods moves with the struggle was about in the south, and made a difference. when you walk into the white house, what you've done plenty of times. you go into the east wing, you see those pictures of martin

luther king jr. day, ralph abernethy, whitney young. sitting there with president lyndon johnson, talking about civil rights. that is the seat that you know have the table. and this march in selma did it 58 years ago. >> no doubt about it. and when you look at -- and you had a big hand with all of his departments. i don't think a lot of people in the public understand how a lot of departments that he inherited when he won the election did not even have a lot of diversity at the top in the departments of government. >> absolutely not. i had the opportunity to go to the white house, to the executive building where then president obama was president. i went there one time with president trump, and i found i would never go in again because i did not feel welcome. when i walk on that campus today, it is reflected that

this is the most diverse administration in the history of our country. and those decisions matter because when we sit at the table, we're not just representing ourselves, we are speaking for communities. we're speaking for people who are back home, who may not have that seat. so our diversity matters, and i'm proud to be a part of an administration for 23 more days, that reflects who we are. >> keisha lance bottoms has been the senior adviser to the president of united states, public engagement. other than being a good mother, good daughter, and good, wife what else can you say -- can you tease us a little? will we still get to see you in some capacity? >> i am waiting, on as my mother and grandmother would say, thus say if the lord. so i am still waiting to have

clarity on that. i will not put to bed running for office again. i don't know if i ever will, or not. i am just looking forward to a future that continues to be full of purpose. >> we are glad that you stopped particularly on this day, as a reminder to everyone that you made possible because -- the struggle is not over, it's a marathon. thank you. >> a straight fact there in alabama. let's listen in. >> lord, it is said that -- to ever dream of how. lord blessed reverend jesse jackson from the souls of -- and lord, bless the most powerful elected official in the world, the president of the united states.

lord, we are thankful to witness today your truth. let it ever be on your shoulders. the government is in need of our shoulders, and those who suffered like christ himself. no jimmy carter. no so my shoulders, no barack obama. know kamala harris. and no so my shoulders, know joe biden. lord, continue to guide this president. lured, we offer this prayer in the names of our ancestors. martin luther king jr., loretta scott king, malcolm x, jose williams, ralph abernathy. joseph lowery, and the unknown

soldiers whose names we will never know. and as we remember those today who gave their lives for democracy during this season of lent 15 years ago, lord, we invoke the name of the first to give his life for america during the season of land, 253 years ago this very day. for it is upon these ancestors shoulders -- in eternal vigilance, we pray. lord, you will make us eternally vigilant to fulfill voting rights. for those who had suppress and gerrymander us, let's be unafraid to teach and remember our history. for those who have us -- make us unafraid to say the word reparation. help us to continue to serve and work together. nue do not let us get weary whie

we march towards the promised land. we offer this prayer in the name of the one who, like us, was poor. in the name of the one who, like us, was displaced without a home. in the name of the one who, like us, was duped and -- in the name of one who, like us, had no citizenship. the one who, like, us was pursued by the authorities. in the name of the one who -- was hunted and pursued by vigilantes. in the name of the one who, like us -- >> the finishing prayer at the end of the walk of the edmund pettus bridge. seeing president joe biden in the middle. only the third president, this sitting president to walk across on this anniversary day. they had a short photo opportunity there. you can see reverend al

sharpton, from politics nation this hour. he is there representing not only what he does with the national action network, but also being there to support this very walk today. he was holding the hand of reverend jesse jackson, who is in the wheelchair, sitting next to him. and then you saw, also, keisha lance bottoms who is on the left-hand side, behind the president. jim clyburn, you can still see in the middle of the picture there. as well as terri sewell, the only democrat to be elected to congress for the house, representing parts of alabama. including there, in selma. and you can see jesse jackson, right in the middle of that. he, speaking with reverend al. we are going to share that conversation with you. he reflects on potentially why this might be his final walk. he is in a wheelchair, you see him there, talking to the president. and reverend al sharpton there, at the same time.

but that, walkabout 250 feet. only about ten minutes. they finished with a photo opportunity, and then a closing prayer together, where the prayer was evoking some of the names that bring us back 58 years. including what you heard there in selma. shoulders, the idea that from selma came so much strength that therefore, we are part of the major reason why certain presidents, like president joe biden, were elected and were successful in the south. and across the country, they're in selma boma. we are going to get to reverend al sharpton, if we can, in just a little bit. as you can see, they're finishing up their. right close by to the edmund pettus bridge. i want to share another conversation that reverend al sharpton had had just before this. walking at a chance to catch up with civil rights activist, martin luther king the third. this is relevant, because martin luther king actually

started his career as a preacher there in selma. let's listen to what martin luther king the third had to say right now. >> martin, you and i have been here for several years, doing these commemorations at different times. but i don't think there has been a time that we have seen voting more at risk of being taken away in many states then we do this year. what is your view, as we go through good times in bad times? as we have come to so much to commemorate the work your father started. how do you look at today, 2023, as we hear in selma commemorate it? but the reality, is many states are changing state laws. >> well, you know, dad used to say that whenever there are victories, there are always pushback's.

we are seeing a huge pushback in this nation. and of course my state and the state where i was born, and many other states, florida, and so many others. and it feels like we are losing ground, as opposed to gaining ground. the silver lining is that republicans only won by five seats, and with the elections slated last year in such a direction, it could have been 40 seats. so that says that people came out. we have to continue to mobilize nations to expand democracy. that is what this is about. my frustration, quite frankly, is that we are here today at george wallace college, which has a black president, a community college. and in this state, just a few weeks ago, black kids walked out of a school in tuscaloosa. because they couldn't teach

black history, they were told they couldn't say. and in the state of mississippi, the republican-led legislature and governor are creating this super police in the main county, in jackson. as well as judges they take the process out of the hands of the people. a lot is happening, and unfortunately, we are not doing enough. i think my father -- >> the whole black history dispute in florida. >> that's probably one of the most important. i think the dad and mom are turning over the grave. saying, what is happening? we opened these doors, we knocked down these barriers. what is wrong with our nation, that we would deny history to be taught? whether it's in florida, or whether it is all over the country. even in georgia, there are people tipping around this issue called critical race theory that is only taught in law school. and it is a manufactured issue that is creating separatism. but what i will say is they are

a group of young people that are dedicated, determined, and dependable. and they are not going to accept this, we must work with him to undergird and ensure that we move forward, and not backward. >> your wife and you have said that is why we need to go back to washington, august 26. the 59th anniversary. and there are those that said, well, why don't you which will the 16th year? we will do another countdown. but the urgency of now is something that your father used to talk about. and i think that the urgency of now, even with the president here, there are many things he cannot even do. we are talking about john lewis, and these very revered terms. we couldn't get the john lewis voting a bill through the senate. so people need to be out there, like the young people that have been watching out of their

schools, that mid-us in florida. and hopefully there will be a lot of others, august 26th. because the urgency of now is not a speech jury that your father made. it's something we need to do now wouldn't you think? >> there's no question. and again, normally we would just do an anniversary to reflect on what happened in the past. the fact of the matter is, this is really about action and engagement right now, on august 28th. this is the 60th year of the letter from the birmingham campaign, the 50/50 of dance assassination. the 60th year of i have a dream. so some would say the dream feels like it has turned into a nightmare. i wouldn't go that, far but what i will say is we are beyond a critical juncture, and we need everyone engaged. we need it now. we can't give up, we can't get out, we can't give in. >> do you feel that some of the things that you and others have been able to see in our

lifetime, you know they're the same generation. do you feel that they are having more pushback of late and we expected? in this era of trump, and -- it's almost blatant, they don't even try to hide it. >> you are absolutely correct, rev. and i think that dad used to say, there is always the inevitable. but also, oppression is being legislated. so a legitimate legislation -- it shouldn't be legitimate, but the legislation is being passed all over this country. around all kind of race. you can't use race for any criteria. so, yes. this is one of the worst times. now, there has got to be -- here is what i'll say. god and my judgment is always

on the throne. and whenever dad and others were engaged, it didn't happen until it happened. so right before the darkest, we know there is the dawn. this is a somewhat dark period, but we also know that we have to look to the stars. when we are in our darkest days. we are in some of the darkest days right now, in 2023. now that does not mean we cannot overcome but if we don't come together as a community, meaning black and white and latino and native americans, asian americans. then that majority, which is a majority, is going to be unheard. and that minority, which is legislated oppression, will be able to be victorious. we cannot allow that to happen. >> i can't march across that region are thinking about your mother, who marched behind that bridge for several years to

commemorate john louis. and i think about all of them as we marched across that bridge today. and there is a sense of, we can't let them down. and i think about your daughter, yolanda and i think about my only grandchild. and we can't let them down. we are right in the middle of those that are looking down, saying, what are y'all going to do? and those looking at by saying, are you going to hand us worse than what you were given? >> there is no question. it is a challenging set of circumstances. but certainly not circumstances that we are not prepared and capable of addressing. dad and mom showed us it takes a few good men and women to bring about change. and they did that. and it has now been bestowed upon us. and yolanda, embarrassingly, has said you can get it done,

dad. but we'll get it done. and i'm sure your grandson soon will be saying that. >> yolanda says it to me. what are you going to do? so, yeah. we've got to do it. thank, you martin. all right, thank you. and again, august 26th, we are promoting -- it is about everybody. and it is going to be any sectional call to arms now. because we want everybody involved. >> now is the time. all right, thank you. >> reverend al sharpton there in selma, alabama, on the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday. much more with reverend al sharpton. he is in selma, alabama right now. including his interview, we will have that for you with longtime civil rights leader, jesse jackson. we'll be right back. ht back. nexium 24hr prevents heartburn acid for twice as long as pepcid.

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you into some live pictures out of selma, alabama, where moments, ago president biden, cross the edmund pettus bridge with reverend al sharpton. these are some of those pictures that we have for you at the moment. it just finished 15 minutes ago. they are marking the 58th anniversary of bloody sunday, when hundreds of demonstrators were beaten by alabama state troopers while on a march to support -- earlier today, reverend al sharpton settled alabama congressman -- >> congresswoman sewell, i've been saying that if there is one person that has personified -- who was the one who invited martin luther king.

you have kept their spirit alive, and i can't think of a fight that we've had around voting rights and civil rights that you've not been in, no matter who was in the white house. and you're the one that got president biden -- >> you know, i have the great honor of representing southern alabama, and it's my hometown too. you have to respect the legacy that is selma. it's a rich legacy of ordinary americans, daring to do extraordinary things to make this nation live up to its highest ideals of equality and justice for all. to be compared to -- is such an honor. amelia was on that bridge on that day, belligerent on the bridge. so that all americans have an equal right to vote. so we come in honor and reflection of what happened in our past. but like you say, a

continuation is not just a can -- we know the voting rights act of 1965 was -- and currently the supreme court is about to take up an alabama redistricting case which we are afraid we'll take out section two of the voting rights. >> you work in that area, in terms of voting rights. >> i have the honor of serving as chair of the voting rights trust for the congressional black caucus. and i think that i was there for the oral arguments, and justice jackson did a great job. but it's a very conservative court, so i'm sure that court knew was striking down the voting rights act of 1965. if ever we need federal oversight, it's now. and so i'm happy to be joined today by the congressional black caucus chair, and of course jim clyburn has been a mighty force.

it is bittersweet today, because selma experienced a horrible tornado. it's been slow going, and my fear is that it's been an uneven recovery. those in west selma who were insured, may recover faster than those who were in east selma. my job is to make sure that we have a level recovery. and that we come back, and we rebuild better. because you know and i know that selma has been a declining city, way before the tornado. so my hope is that president biden will not only talk about the importance of voting rights, and i hope recommit himself to passing the voting rights advancement act. but i also invited him, because they wanted him to see the devastation in selma. he needs to see us. he needs to hear selma, see

selma, feel selma. and know that we need further federal assistance in order to really come back stronger and better than before. >> can i ask a question? amelia boynton, this is black history month. and she is one of the people that really -- she was talking about someone that -- tell the world about amelia boynton. >> amelia boynton robinson was an amazing woman who, at 103 years old, was my special guest at the state of the union 2015 to honor the 50 anniversary. she had the audacity to run for the seton hall to 1968. a fierce advocate, an educator, a liberator. just a fabulous woman. down through history, people know about rosa parks and about

john lewis. but they need to know about amelia boynton robinson, because it's on her shoulders and i stand. i get to walk the halls of congress because she did not. and because she couldn't, she fought hard or so that the next generation could. and it's an honor for me every represent my hometown, and it's an honor to walk in the present to my hometown. my hometown needs more than just a once a year commemoration. my hometown needs real resources, in order to come back stronger and better than before. >> and, i might at, you are the only democrat in congress in the state of alabama. >> i am. you know what's great is the biden administration is a whole bunch of money through these amazing bills that we were able to get through congress. the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the inflation reduction act, the chips act. the problem, of course, rev, is that money goes to the state. and it gets bottleneck to the state. after all, i was the only one in alabama's delegation to vote for any of those bills. and my district needs it the

most, so it's important to work with the governor of the state house. we need to make sure we get our fair share. >> we are going to stay on that issue. thank you so much. >> the representative of alabama speaking with reverend al sharpton earlier today. they had a speak to chance with the mayor also of montgomery, alabama. that conversation now. >> mayor reid, thank you for being with us. let me start with the fact that today really symbolizes the breakthrough in getting voting rights. it would have been unthinkable 58 years ago to have a black mayor in montgomery. and in birmingham. but it's true, and it started

on that bridge. it gives a responsibility for those of us now. i am in civil rights, and in broadcasting. and when i look at, in 2020, the presidential race, only a quarter of blacks voted in the state of alabama. why is that? what is it that is not energizing more voters? >> first, thank you for the opportunity to be on your show. thank you for all the work you continue to do. we really appreciate that. i am a big -- as are so many of my colleagues. i think when you consider alabama and why the turnout has not been as well as we would like, there has been a lot of lost hope. i think there is a sense of frustration and not seeing things at the state level that are working for people in alabama. and i think that there has also been a lack of investment to

try to help us get the word out, 24/7, three 65. and when i speak with various groups, it is not just about commemorating montgomery, it's not just about commemorating bloody sunday, or even the conclusion of the march through montgomery. culminating in the state capital. it is about really what type of change are we bringing to people each and every day? and i think when we don't have the financing to assist our grassroots efforts, to assist our political party efforts, and to also assist those that are really trying to do the work, to bring about change, people here have made a decision that i think it's hard for us to reverse. but it doesn't matter, and we

try to push back on that, each and every chance we get. because i would not being here without the black vote. and so many others, but we have to get that message out, statewide. and we have candidates who are willing to speak to the issues that are impacting the voters who will come to the polls. >> and i know that president biden issued an executive order that federal agencies give people time off to work. to make an increase to get people to vote. but the leadership council on civil rights talked about how, with all of that, if we could have made although that would have been an additional 3.5 million, what is it that government can do? is it giving everyone a day off work? what is it the government needs to do on a federal level, and a

local level to increase voter turnout? >> i think the biden administration has been a fantastic job in helping cities and helping so many communities. helping america overall. but in particular, the black community. and i think they've shown that in their appointments. they've shown that in their policy. what i think they have lacked has been fight, as it relates to voter rights. and i think that we find ourselves being on the defensive, and dealing with this issue on the terms that other people have set up. and i think we have to push back forcefully and aggressively, because it not only helps the black community, the hispanic community, and so forth. it helps america. and we have to turn this notion that it is partisan into an issue of what is moral and right. and we're here today, because every day people who are not mayors, who are not state senators, who are not

congresspeople sacrifice and lead over a prolonged period of time to register people to vote. when we think about the courageous dallas county voters lead, and -- telling me that they called dr. king to selma, and why that happened. we have to make sure that we have the same energy and the same dedication to that from the administration at the federal level. and i think, when you look at the state and local level, what can we do as mayors? how can we use our platform to help those in our state legislatures, regardless of who is in control. to push back on some of the things that we see, that are impacting the right to vote. and i think all of us have to collectively work with not only elected officials and policy makers, the grassroots leaders like yourself. and those on the ground to understand, what can we do, what methods should we be

utilizing. because it takes all of us building a coalition, one that is multi racial and multi generational. of understanding why it is so important for us to pick up this mantle. >> all right, that conversation straight from selma, alabama with reverend al sharpton. you saw the mayor of montgomery alabama, steven reed, they're sharing a couple thoughts on some very important topics. we've got a lot more coming up ahead from selma, alabama, on this special edition of politicsnation. we'll be right back. ac k. st) ahhhh... with flonase, allergies don't have to be scary spraying flonase daily gives you long-lasting, non-drowsy relief. (psst psst) flonase. all good. lomita feed is 101 years old. when covid hit, we had some challenges. i heard about the payroll tax refund that allowed us to keep the people that have been here taking care of us. learn more at getrefunds.com. ♪

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edition of politicsnation. i'm richard louis and for all sharpton who is in selma, alabama on this day for the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday were moments ago rev crossed the bridge alongside president biden as they marched. before we go back, there let's talk with our political panel. joining us now from republican representative david jolly of florida and christina greer. associate professor of political science at fordham university.

christina, you can't help but watch these pictures that we were watching together and for all of us different emotions, different remembrances and also we bring it back to today and what we're going through. what did you see there from the president and what they were saying? >> richard, i was actually a lot more emotional than i thought i would be. largely because we've come so far in this country, we still have so far to go as far as struggles and fights just for our own humanity to say nothing of what representative sarah was discussing about the economic equality of some of the african americans are still fighting for. the conversation between representative is so powerful and important. part of the full inclusion is also a full economic understanding. and i think seeing president biden in selma, helping him understand the larger context of the struggles that so many

afghan american still face because of what's going on on the state level. we are seeing this across not just the south but the country where republican state houses and republican governors are pushing forward draconian policies, not just for african americans but for towards immigrants and members of the lgbtq community. many of whom are also immigrant and also african american. helping the president understand the intersection of what's actually going on and where the money is going when he is so progressive with putting towards policy and the infrastructure programs obviously to make sure that there's equity on the state level. seeing whether or not the money is trickling down -- >> but you bring up is the challenges and the difficulties that exist in acting on the understanding of those intersections which the president has reflected many times and he understands them. of course, as terry was saying, i am just one representative. david jolly, you might know a thing or two about this.

getting the staff from the feds to the state level down to my district is a wholly different conversation. david jolly, one of the things i was looking at the video from just moments ago. this president is only the third sitting president to walk out of the ten presidents that followed lbj in the voting rights act. why video and pictures like this when you go out and do image services are so important to see, what do you think that moment means for our history today, david? >> well, unfortunately it should not be a political question, richard. it is, right? if you look at the images, there is very little republican support for commemoration of what happened on bloody sunday. a commitment to move forward to guarantee the suffrage and franchise of the individual which is the ultimate test of democracy. and you do have to think through a political lange with

bush 43 who i believe was the only republican or at least last republican to participate in commemoration ceremonies. if you are due to today would be canceled by the party, would be out of step with the party. and i think that's the critical points of what we are seeing today. we are commemorating this remarkable moments in american history where the fight for the individual franchise and suffrage was really advance despite lebron's race and creed or color. we are now commemorating that in a chapter in which those protections are being rolled back. out of the 2020 elections, we had one in most secure and safe elections in american history. you saw more than 20 states, largely led by republican legislatures rollback voting protections. this is a political moment where we need to shine the light on the bad actors. those bad actors today largely sit within today's republican party. >> i thank you for remembering 2015 here, david, christina, you do too. as you tell your students this. that was the only time marie

had not only a democratic president, we also had a republican president, former george w. bush, they watch side by side down the bridge in 2015 to mark the 50th anniversary. that was eight years what makese going to get that arc? i know the rev would be asking the same question. we have to keep on working, as he always says. what do folks have to keep working on to get this done in 30 seconds, if you can? >> he brings up an important point, the modern-day republican party is anti-democratic. small and -- they don't believe in the same values that so many of us are fighting for still today. i think the larger conversation should really be an introspective on the republican party and sadly the leadership at the top was not willing or able to have that really serious conversation about what full equity and inclusion looks like for all americans. >> christina greer, david jolly, you're with us this entire hour. i can't thank you enough for

giving your personal reflections and -- the 50th adversary of bloody sunday. reverend al sharpton where he was earlier and alabama, you see right here, he also had the chance, and you might see here just on the right-hand side your screen, jesse jackson is the hand he's holding. they're there you see it right there. he did have a chance to speak with him. this was that conversation. >> reverend jackson, thank you for being with me. so happy to have you on this show. particularly since i'm one of your protegees. the first time that i came -- >> it a lot of words. i was made steno -- and 1965, you are a student in chicago. and you organized fellow students to come down for the

original march which happened to be bloody sunday. tell us about. the >> -- memories, a must -- he didn't see it. he came once in a while and said, -- and kept organizing it. -- and and the march took place -- and they both got -- they looked for her and they said she was -- and some on the highway -- she is a big deal. [inaudible]

i went and came here and i came through this. and i doctor every night on the phone. and we got here and it was that night, -- [inaudible] but not much. and -- i called the morning that night. so, i had -- >> reverend jesse jackson, thank you for coming. >> thank you. i haven't seen you lately. it was off for six weeks. seven weeks. a, thank you, you're fighting

the fight. time to reflect now. so -- >> thank you. there's a lot to put my head and. there's a lot of people, thank you, reverend. >> a special conversation, mentor and minty together. you may have heard that reverend jean jackson said this could be his last visit. because he has parkinson's. it's great to see them both there. that does it for the special edition of politicsnation. reverend al sharpton will be back in this very chair next weekend at 5 pm eastern. don't miss, that american bases with alicia menendez, that starts at the top of the. our sticker. our sticr.ke with the subway series. an all-star menu of delicious subs. like #8 the great garlic - rotisserie style chicken, bacon and garlic aioli. i've tasted greatness. great garlic though - tastes way better. can't argue with that analysis. try subway's tastiest menu upgrade yet. over 5 million people have fallen in love with a portable blender. blendjet 2 gives you ice-crushing,

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