>> thanks. you too. >> all right. that will do it for us. happy holiday to you at home. that will do it for us. i am dylan ratigan. if you get a chance, spend some time on our website to check out the connect the dots. it will help us in this conversation. "hardball" starts right now. let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews. leading off tonight, can anyone stop mitt? that's what evangelicals are asking. they are desperate that mitt romney will sweep the nomination without a fight. the last bet, rick santorum. but does either have a chance? or could this race be over this saturday? also republicans insist they are looking for a president that will turn around the job losses,

bounce back from depression, cripple al qaeda, and keep health care private. in other words, president obama. andrew sullivan makes a great case for the president's record so far. so how come the president never do the same? and think this is over the top? let's watch. >> if mitt romney really believes -- >> corporations are people, my friend. >> -- then mitt romney is a serial killer. he's mitt the ripper. >> wow. that is from steven colbert's new super pac, which in theer r ri, has nothing to do with him. ted koppel joins us tonight. and the jon huntsman campaign says let's be honest. the republican party has not much use for a thoughtful campaign of ideas that tries to positively build bridges and not burn them down.

huntsman, who once praised president obama, did the opposite today. let me finish with words from the man we honor today. martin luther king. we begin with the evangelicals helping rick santorum. tony opal, thank you for joining us. i hope you come on the show regularly. let's watch newt gingrich responding to whether he feels pressure to drop out of the race now that evangelicals have combined behind rick santorum? >> i think that report was highly exaggerated. we basically split that group. i got a good number of votes. no one was for mitt romney. >> that was newt gingrich responding to david gregory's

characterization of the fact that what happened this weekend is a group of pastors meeting down in texas united basically behind rick santorum. well, did they or did they not unite behind rick santorum? >> well, first, it was not just pastors. it was political leaders and activists and businessmen. and there were thoughtful discussions. there was support going into that meeting for rick perry, rick santorum, and newt gingrich. there was a balloting process. in the end, a majority did move to rick santorum. about 75% of those who were there. but there were people who left that remain committed to newt gingrich. and i can tell you this. while people there did move towards rick santorum because they feel he's best reflective to move forward and take the message and win, that if rick perry or rick santorum captured

the nomination, they would have enthusiastic support from the people there at the meeting. >> jim, thanks. what should i call you? pastor garlo? >> jim is fine. >> thanks, jim. the question is was it a fair vote? is there a consensus now in the community down in texas behind rick santorum? >> there was a fair vote. it was a totally fair vote. newt gingrich was nine votes behind on the first ballot. everything was fair about it. i wish we would have won. there was not a consensus on a candidate. there was on values and principl principles. we left as friends. but we see it differently. i differ with your introduction regarding jon huntsman, a man with the ideas. i think the man with the ideas truly is newt gingrich. that's why i stand with him. >> of course, you do. thank you. i said i would have voted for huntsman in the new hampshire primary to shake things up.

the washington times reports that activists say the vote on saturday was rigged. "protestant fundamentalist leaders who backing newt gingrich are accusing catholic participants of rigging the vote. they said they were conned into leaving after the second bout on saturday and now an organizer is saying to others he has evidence that at least one instance a participant was seen writing mr. santorum's name on four ballots and putting them in the ballot box. is that something you could subscribe to that assessment or that witness? >> chris, i'm the guy who lost. i'm the guy who gave the speech for newt gingrich. those of us who came for newt gingrich left for newt gingrich. there was nothing unfair about it. it was done fairly. i was appointed to watch the ballot-counting process. we came very close.

we came within nine votes. it was a great day. we left still supporting him, but there was no unfairness. i can tell you on that. the meeting was to go until 1:00. a number of us had to catch planes at 10:45. we all happened to be newt gingrich supporters. i didn't know the others were going. we had to leave. that wasn't the fault of the meeting. that was the fault of our schedules. >> because you had to work on sundays. >> i have a saturday night service. i had to be home for saturday night service. >> let me get back to tony. yesterday on meet the press, romney may be the biggest beneficiary of the endorsement. this is nasty. let's listen. >> the only way that a massachusetts moderate can get through south carolina is if the vote is split. we have six days to make our case to people. i think somebody who generally

people agree was the best debater so far, i have the best chance to beat obama. >> tony, here's the point behind that. a recent poll taken this past week shows the latest poll in south carolina shows romney leading the pack at 29. but he's hardly unbeatable with newt gingrich at 24. why would you back a guy who is 15 points back rather than the guy who could overtake romney and stop the train in south carolina? >> you know, that was part of the points that were discussed there this weekend. really what was driving this is a desire not to repeat what happened in 2008, when a number of conservative leaders stayed on the sidelines or they were fragmented between fred thompson and mike huckabee instead of rallying around one candidate. some felt that newt gingrich was the best to go forward and capture the nomination and catch mitt romney. others committed to the principles that rick santorum stands for and the fact that

they felt that what he was lacking his liabilities were by no means in comparison to his assets that he brought to this and he would be easier to rally social conservatives around and get a broader base of folks. it was a surprising meeting in that it was very positive. it wasn't negative oriented. it was who could cast the best vision and who could people rally around reflecting the principles. >> here's your guy, fox news sunday. rick santorum said it's time for evangelicals to narrow the field to take on romney, making for case. >> this is not just social conservatives. i'm hearing from economic foreign policy, they are looking for someone with a strong track record. i'm hopeful. again, will it help? yeah. it will be helpful if everybody would drop out of the race. but the idea is we're going to go through the process. people have the right to make

the case. then we'll see what happens. >> let me go to jim. why are you backing a guy who is -- i can see why the evangelicals would back rick santorum. even if you lose, you have clean hands. you're picking a guy who has never done anything wrong in his life. newt gingrich has to say the guy has had a marital problem, but he's a good guy. buff but you have to defend the baggage. isn't it easier to take the loss and go with santorum than to pick a guy with a troubled pass and beat romney? you have chosen the practical road. >> as flawed as king david in the old testament, but i still use him as an example. i'm glad you're trying to work tony over. >> i love you guys. you asked the question. let me answer it.

a sense of history, an understanding of bona fided exceptionalism, and i'm also glad for a guy who is an insider who will not be parliamenttized by the left. i want a guy who is strong and can go in there. i love his ideas. i'm supporting him with the intentionality. and i want my guy to win because i think he can take romney out and take obama out and restore this nation of its values. >> i believe there is a gingrichi gingrichism. why go with rick santorum who has a harder climb? he has to climb 15 points to catch romney in south carolina? >> because he did it in iowa. rick santorum has a much better chance to emerge and maintain a lead because of the fact that he does have that stability. he has the clear record. he has a vision for the future.

i will tell you, jim is a dear friend. i don't think we have ever disagreed on anything. this is the only thing. but i will tell you what. this is just a part of the political process. he sees it from one way. i see it from another. i stand proudly to support candidates who subscribe to the values that frc promotes. and rick santorum is one of those candidates. but i think conservatives, whether it be rick perry, rick santorum, or newt gingrich were to capture the nomination, the people think it's time to replace barack obama as president and that can and must be done. >> will that be the element if mitt romney is the nominee? >> i think he has a harder time of rallying conservatives to that call, but i think the three strong true conservatives in the race could do that. mitt romney is going to have to work at it. >> i believe you have been consistent on that point.

thank you. tony perkins, thank you. thank you pastor jim. i can't wait to get down to that building down in tampa come the end of august when it's 100 degrees. and you guys have to start being prayerful for mitt romney. just kidding. coming up, we go inside the shell game that is the super pac system. what the big moneymen hope to gain by pouring millions into the campaigns? you're watching "hardball" on msnbc. lord of the carry-on. sovereign of the security line. you never take an upgrade for granted. and you rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. and go. you can even take a full-size or above. and still pay the mid-size price. i deserve this. [ male announcer ] you do, business pro. you do. go national. go like a pro.

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and a super pac is like apples and oranges. if the orange could take unlimited corporate union donations and spend them in an unlimited fashion to affect the outcome of the 2012 election. >> and the apple? >> who cares. it's not a super pac. >> welcome back to "hardball." that was part of an interview with stephen colbert that will air tonight on "rock center." he satirized the super pacs and the unlimited contributions they can collect. they are supposed to be independent from the candidates.

they are backing the critics. special correspondent ted koppel has been looking into the super pacs. his report will air tonight on "rock center." thank you for coming on tonight. i have to ask you a point of curiosity. was colbert asking like the guy or actor when you interviewed him for the show? he can play the part or not. >> he's never out of character. in fact, it was just wearing jeans and a sweatshirt or something like that. i was in jeans and a jacket. he was razzing me about not wearing a tie because he went back inside and changed because when he talks on this subject, he's always in character. >> he plays this seiny right wing character. let's look at the add he's running to make the point. you explain why this is an important. here's an ad that stephen colbert campaign is airing in south carolina. basically, it's done by a super

pac. it's going after mitt romney in an over the top fashion. >> mitt romney says he's for corporations. >> corporations are people, my friend. >> but mitt romney has a secret. as head of bain capital, he bought companies, carved them up, and got rid of what he couldn't use. if mitt romney really believes -- >> corporations are people, my friend. >> -- then mitt romney is a serial killer. he's mitt the ripper. >> ted, that smacks him. because if corporations are people and you kill corporations, then you are a murderer. >> it is an outrageous ad. and the fact of the matter is that stephen colbert, we're all indebted to him. he takes it pretty much to the line here. we're somewhat indebted because

those of us in the business have not paid proper attention to what these super pacs are and what they are doing, stephen is doing it. and he's pushing it to the absolute limit here because if. you were to get him on the program now and say how do you justify that ad, he would say, as indeed the real candidates are saying about what their super pacs are doing, i have nothing to do with that. i don't run the super pacs. he just the other evening handed his super pac over to jon stewart. they are two men who have a great deal in common. just as the people running. mitt romney's super pac are people who ran his presidential campaign four years ago. but legally, they are not in touch with one another. >> and all this has unraffled us back to prewatergate law.

before watergate, i remember these big names for nixon. a very wealthy person could give a huge amount of money. and really create a debt situation with a candidate. here's a good illustration of what's going on. according to nbc news, procandidate super pacs are spending more than the campaigns on ads. the pro-romney super pac is spending $2.2 million on air time while the campaign is spending $1.3 million. the predominance of the money that's unaccounted for is dominating the on the record spending by legitimate donors. >> it's not only what's not unaccounted for. one of the radio station managers down in south carolina told me the other day was the super pacs are capable of reaccounting much more quickly because they get huge chunks of money. sometimes they get multimillion-dollar donations. they get that all in one chunk.

it goes into the bank. the campaigns get money the old-fashioned way. $2,500 at a time. and they can't use it until the checks cleared. which means the best times on television have been bought up by the super pacs and not the campaigns. >> so if you have a sugar daddy, whatever you call them. say i need something to react tonight. can you give me the money? here's newt gingrich responding to the question of the reason people give this money. let's listen. >> i'd like to see a simple election reform that allows people to give unlimited money to the candidate. have the candidate put the ad up. you take 80% of the poisen out of the system because no candidate without put their name to some of these ads. >> i was thinking, you were nailing him about why these people give this. he has a cause.

he's double downed with one candidate. the other fella said on your program, i'm previewing it. the other guy said i want to get rid of all regulations. it's pretty blunt stuff. . >> that's exactly right. the fact of the matter is, for all that newt gingrich says, and indeed all the candidates are saying, they hate the super pacs. they would like to get rid of the super pacs. santorum has said it. then a z you point out, it gives his super pac $5 million. what does the super pac do? it buys this vicious 27-minute documentary that was created by someone solely for the purpose of selling it to a super pac. and he was, i guess, the gingrich super pac outbid the others. now they are running it in south carolina.

newt gingrich has the advantage of whatever it is that the documentary does to disillusion people about mitt romney works to his advantage. but he can say, i really hate that documentary. i think the inaccuracies in it need to be corrected or it should be taken off the air all together. meanwhile, the folks at the super pac say, sorry, we can't communicate. they are still running it. >> they are still checking out the facts. i love the fact you just pointed something out. you can now create a 27-minute negative documentary. and then advertise it on speck. there must be somebody that wants to destroy his reputation. here's joe skar bo row asking mitt romney whether he could tell his pro-romney super pac. here's mitt romney's response. >> as you probably know, super

pacs have to be entirely separate from a campaign and a candidate. i'm not allowed to communicate with a super pac in way, shape, or form. if we coordinate in any way whatsoever, we go to the big house. >> we go to the big house. my goodness. >> chris, that is total nonsense too, as the governor knows. first of all, the federal election committee doesn't send anybody to the big house. at worst, they slap a fine on you. when you're talking about the worst kind of fines that have been slapped on people in the last few years, it's $100,000 or $200,000. that's the price of poker these days. when you have super pacs taking in $10 million, what's $200,000 for a fine? >> great work. ted koppel, watch him tonight. up next, a thumbs up. stick around for the side show.

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back to "hardball." now for the side show. comedy or drama? what's the category? stephen colbert's entry to the 2012 race to the white house may be a smart way to point out the poor game of campaign financing. we talked about earlier. he faced questions yesterday. one question seriously asked him who he might pick for vp. does he have a short list? how he thinks he will fair without his name appearing on the ballot? >> this is an exploratory. when you exploring, you don't know what you're going to find. >> just because something is difficult doesn't mean something shouldn't be worth doing. i'm exploring now.

i'm just looking for my zach ja wee ya. they said i can't get on the ballot? they say we couldn't go to the moon. but nasa did it. >> wasn't that funny? next up, big time backfire. when the super pac shelled out to air parts of ban capital, who is the last person giving the piece a thumbs up? it's michael moore. he loves this documentary. according to an interview, he had this to say about the film. "i wondered who they stole from my crew. it's fun to hear what i've been saying for 20 years." >> there's a been they have backed off bain capital. they don't like michael moore agreeing with them. finally, breaking the rules. mike huckabee hosted a forum

with tim scott. the rules weren't as rigged as they are for debates, but here's one rule huckabee wanted all candidates to pay close attention to. no bashing of the other candidates. think everyone played along? all but one. let's see who decided to ignore the rule book when they asked how they could defend companies that put a lot of money on the line to salvage companies on the brink of failure. >> governor romney ran saying he created 100,000 in. >> mr. speaker, we said we will not allow. >> that's right. it was newt. the event ended without huckabee endorsing any of the candidates. many were still saying they are undecided. how can you be undecided now? if you're looking for the presidential candidate who can turn around job losses, prevent economic collapse, lower tax, and keep health care in private

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here's what's happening. president obama celebrated the memory of martin luther king jr. with a volunteer project. the best way to honor the leader was to do something on behalf of others. they spent their day in washington where they helped out in a school's library. the number of missing from the ship wreck off the luxury cruise liner has written to 29. the owner says it was human error that caused that horrific crash off the coast. six people are confirmed dead.

the captain was arrested on saturday. he's accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship. and help has arrived for alaska. a fuel tanker is half a mile from the harbor. without the delivery, residents would run out of fuel by march or april. they are securing a hose to make the transfer. now back to "hardball." welcome back to "hardball." this is going to be a big segment for everybody watching this show. in the past couple weeks, we pointed out some of the criticism of president obama from republicans is not rooted in fact. criticism he's bungling the economy and expanding the government and that he's an appeaser. when the current issue takes on obama's critics on the right and

left and points out that president obama's strategy is to take the long view, play the long game, and ultimately, he will outsmart his critics. but it requires obama a second term. andrew sullivan has the piece. he's the editor of the dish and a columnist at "newsweek." on the same day the statistics were released, new numbers showing 200,000 jobs were added to the economy, mitt romney criticized the president's economic policy. i want you to respond to this. >> he not only wasted government money, he made it more difficult for entrepreneurs to come up with new ideas of the future. this president doesn't understand how this economy wor works. it's time to get a president who

does. >> as this charge shows, the u.s. economy was well into a huge job loss. this started under president bush. we all know that. people keep forgetting it. our economy was losing 750 jobs a month. he halted the collapse and the unemployment rate has been dropping since august. your thoughts about what really happened. i want you to take on the right here. >> well, i think that obama has governed as he said he would as a civil pragmatic sent ris. he's grappled with the key issue of the economy. and he's taken the most sensible course to correct it. if you look at the way it's killing some countries in europe, he's managed to sustain steady recovery and growth with some clear strategy. as stimulus package, lower taxes, you'll never hear republicans point out he's cut taxes. and a sensible right of center

approach to running the economy. as for obama care, that hasn't come into effect yet. even when it does, it will cost a fracture of what bush's medicare prescription drug coverage did and it also helps the economy. it's important that people go to jobs for the jobs, not because they need the health care or can quit a job for the right reasons. not because they can't lose their health care. so health care helps the economy as well. i just got frustrated hearing all these people tell untruths about the record. the record is that he has done something perfectly sensible. he's fulfilled the promises that he made to turn this country around slowly. everybody acknowledges that this financial crisis was the worst since the '30s and would take time to recover from. people need patience and need to look at the record and realize things are going in the right direction. >> let's take a look at the list of accomplishments. it includes depression averted.

we did avert a great depression. auto industry. bailout successful. it's worked. the iraq war ended. he said he would. bin laden dead. he didn't promise he would, but he did. and supreme court appointees. you write, the liberal holy grail that eluded johnson and carter and clinton, nearly health care has been set into law. let's talk about from the left. how do you respond to those, i don't think they are practical, but they say we still have guantanamo. what is your response? >> you have to look and see what was he able to do. in the national defense authorization act, he had 100 votes in the senate. what was he supposed to do with that? the same with guantanamo. he wanted to close it, but the congress stopped him. he's not a magician.

nor is he a dictator. he's part of a process. one of the things he's had to deal with is an unusually obstructionist republican party who will not cooperate on anything. that gave him in the worst depression downturn, 0 votes for a pretty modest stimulus package. that's what he's been dealing with. one of the great things about his possibly being reelected is we might for the first time get through to republicans. you can compromise with him when you want to. if you want to. and maybe if you stop obstructing him, you will get a better deal and the public will little to you better in the future. >> run through what a second term would look like. it's not really about the past. in terms of government activism, health care. is that the last step he's going to take? something on the immigration front? what's he going to do in terms of economic growth? what's the second term? >> i see it in which the

americans of the tax cuts and having some sort of rise in the tax rates for the rich will be an attempt to tackle the debt. that's a huge problem. i think he offers the possibility of a fair and balanced way of cutting the debt than the republican approach, which is to do it on the backs of the middle class and the poor. having some sacrifice from the wealthy is important. i also think immigration reform is possible, necessary, and important. and i think he has a chance to do that. if the republicans are prepared to be reasonable and come back to the negotiating table in a way that isn't completely determined by a fantasy about who this guy is. he's not a big old lefty. as for the left, he's a compromise in the middle. what he's done is set out carefully where he wants to go and he's waiting for them to come to the table to get there. if he does it long-term, his

achievement will be durable. >> why do i not hear this kind of clarity talking about the future and where he's taking us from his team in chicago? >> i wish we did. i think this case could be made. in reporting this piece, i was frustrated in talking to them about their inability to present the record. just the record of this moderate, successful, and transformative president. his foreign policy alone, not just bin laden. and by the way, bush did take the eye off bin laden. but most of the leadership of al qaeda destroyed. he finally won the war against the worst attack on this country. >> let's mix it up here a little. that's brilliant. everybody is going to read this article. i agree with you. but there's something indemic about the liberals. whatever you think about

clinton, it was irrelevant to al gore. the economy was fantastic under the democrats yet when gore ran for president, he never once drag bragged. what is this about the loserism? is it the fear if you brag about economic success, they are afraid poor people will lash out? >> i think it's partly because they invested into obama a bunch of fantasies that he was some kind of radical who is going to transform the world. he never was. he never said he was going to be. and there's a sort of murism on the left if you're not that, therefore, we must stay home. if i hear another person in their 50s with a pony tail tell me they are not going to vote, i will scream. they need to join the real world. >> that class is not limited to the people in their 50s.

there's a lot of young bloggers who are always whipping themselves this isn't exactly the great transformation that was promised. >> i just asked them to grow up a little and look at history. and understand in reagan's term it was not clear he would be the transformative figure he was supposed to be. and the right attacking him from the get go. it's a different era than the '80s. obama is to this era which reagan is in the '80s. we need his correction and his calm and his leadership. his temperament alone is enough to keep him in the oval office. >> who should the people write letters of angry at? i'm kidding. both sides have tails. >> i support them in general. i apologize. >> you're a genius. >> mitt romney got another

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we're back with jon huntsman bowing out of the race earlier today in south carolina. the race continues to wid l down to romney versus the non-romney supporters. and a fractured conservative crowd. michael stooel is the former chairman of the dnc. both are msnbc political analysts. that's what keeps this game going. what would it take for romney to lose in south carolina? >> it would take a surge by one of the remaining candidates. you have an eye on santorum and gingrich. but everyone is overlooking ron paul down there as well. >> he doesn't matter. >> that's what people like to think. >> he doesn't stop him from getting the nomination. >> but he could make it more difficult downstream.

in terms of stopping the nomination, i would have to give the edge to santorum. >> it's anevangelicals. >> they have a mormon, two catholics. what kind of world do we live? >> it's called america. >> that's what romney was aiming for. >> after all the core of the modern republican southern-based party -- >> is baptist. >> and south carolina is the historic home. that's the wheelhouse of the modern republican party starting with strom thurmond and lee atwater and all that stuff. ronald reagan's big victory in 1980. ronald reagan created his people created the primary before 1980. it was a -- it was a convention-type deal. the romney people i talked to today said that they are more worried, they tell me this. >> i love the way you do that because -- >> i don't know if it's what they are really thinking but what they are saying is they are

more concerned about santorum. keep an eye more on santorum than gingrich. and that translates at least on -- in the air waves and to the advertising that independent groups are doing, they are attacking santorum. they aren't attacking gingrich right now. >> but it's doable. just look at the numbers. romney is not high up there like he was in new hampshire. >> it's a very close race on the numbers. and i think the romney people have to be concerned about what santorum can do there. remember, santorum, people play down the juice that he has coming out of new hampshire. oh, you know, just a one-shot deal coming out of iowa. but he has been systematically on the ground down there. and having a very good effect. >> how smart are conservative voters to know they have to vote for one guy or they're going to lose? >> i think they are pretty smart. they are getting smarter. >> they are being told that by all their leaders. that's what the meeting in texas was about. and there are power pastors in south carolina, as there were in iowa. >> today the oosh probably mostly white pastors. do they say at the pulpit this

sunday -- >> no, i don't think they say it at the pulpit but off the pulpit, at wednesday night meeting. they say it at the restaurant afterwards. what they believe gets out there and it's well known. >> and everybody -- >> and it's a funny thing. the main stream people don't love mitt romney but they'll settle for him. and the conservative evangelicals don't love rick santorum, but they might settle for him as well. >> it's interesting. i grew up -- i was warned by relatives they don't like catholics in the south. when you are in the south go around asking where the catholic bus station is. they have their own buses up north? >> that's an old joke. >> but now we have a situation where the democrats are looking at this thing. i'm just thinking, what do the democrats think? they must now be thinking -- i'll start with you, howard. they must be thinking romney is like an old polaroid coming into clarity here. it's going to be romney.

>> it is, but it's going to be a very slow developing photograph because even if romney wins in south carolina, i don't think he's going to win big. he might win big in florida. but even were he to win every delegate from here on in, if everybody else dropped out, mathematically, it would still take him until at least late march if not early april because of the way, and as the chairman knows, they changed the rules in the republican party. his proportional. >> is that a real -- if there's nobody else that can beat him, does it become only for -- does anybody really think the nomination is in doubt once he knocks out all his opponents. >> at that point, no. but as howard said you still have to go through the process. you can't claim the mantel -- >> will there still be debates in florida? >> oh, absolutely. >> so we have two more. one tonight, one later now. two more. an nbc debate coming up in florida. >> and, remember, chris, you still have to howard's point,

ron paul is out there. don't think he's going to go away just because the others drop out. >> this came ain't over yet. when we return, let's finish with the reverend dr. martin luther king in his own words. you're watching "hardball." i go to e-trade and tap into the power of revolutionary mobile apps to trade wherever. whenever. life isn't fully experienced sitting idly by. neither is investing. [ birds chirping ]

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i'd like to finish tonight with this. it's powerful stuff. i'm going to read you some words from dr. martin luther king's letter from the birmingham city jail in april of 1963.

i believe the words carry universal power but also bring alive the spirit of the man we honor today. "for years now i've heard the word wait. this wait has almost always meant never. we've waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and god-given rights. i guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say wait. but when you have seen vicious moms lynch your brothers and mothers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim, when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity, when you see the vast majorities of your 20 million brothers smothering in an air tight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society. when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and speech stammering as you seek to explain to your 6-year-old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that's just been advertised on television and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that fun town is closed to colored children. and see the depressing clouds of

inferiority begin to form in her mental sky and begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness toward white people. when you have to concoct an answer for a 5-year-old son asking agonizingly, daddy why do white people treat colored people so mean? when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you. when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading white men and colored when you are harried by day and haunted by night living constantly at tip toe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next and plagued with inner fears and outer resentments when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of nobodiness. then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. there comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice where they experience the bleakness of