the office. reverend, i would like to get your thoughts on how you think the president played it today. >> well, so far he's, in my opinion, playing it well. the country -- the question is how the country's going to be in terms of all of us within a few hours. and that's what we're going to talk about tonight on "politicsnation." so you're right. it's going to be a long night at the office. i'm here in d.c., ed. thanks a lot. >> you bet, rev. and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead, you can't shut it down. with just six hours to go until a government shutdown, president obama rips republicans for playing games with people's lives. all in the name of attacking obama care. john boehner and his extremist tea party republicans have their foot on the gas. and a recklessly threatening to drive the country off the cliff.

>> one faction of one party in one house of congress in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to re-fight results of an election. keeping the people's government open is not a concession to me. keeping vital services running and hundreds of thousands of americans on the job is not something you give to the other side. it's our basic responsibility. you don't get to extract a ransom for doing your job. for doing what you're supposed to be doing anyway. or just because there's a law there that you don't like. affordable care act is moving forward. that funding is already in place. you can't shut it down. >> republicans can't shut it down. it's the law of the land. so let's be clear about what's happening.

every year congress has to pass a budget to fund the government, to keep it running. but republicans don't care about that. they're more focused on scoring political points and raising cash. republican senator mike lee is now actually fund raising off this fight. and congressman paul ryan is using the shutdown to raise money with the rnc. it's outrageous. a shutdown is bad for america, but it's good for their bottom line? tea party senator ted cruz says he has no intention of giving up his paycheck if there's a shutdown. a shutdown he's causing. but guess who will lose their paychecks. about 800,000 federal workers will be furloughed without pay. little kids could feel it too. grants for head start programs

would get hit. home buy irs and small businesses looking for federal loans will be out of luck. and a critical food assistance program for women, infants, and children, w.i.c. could shut down. these are real people who could get hurt starting at midnight tonight, but republicans don't care. right now on capitol hill, they're pushing ahead with yet another plan to delay the health care law. it will fail. and the american people will make sure that republicans pay the price for this outrage in washington. joining me now is congresswoman karen bass, democrat from california. and krystal ball. thanks for being here. >> thanks for having us on. >> thanks. >> congresswoman, will republicans actually force a shutdown at midnight tonight? >> i actually think they will. i hadn't thought this before the last few times we've been through this, but right now they

don't have anything else left in their playbook. so the idea that they would have us vote on another bill tonight that they know very well is not going to be even taken up in the senate is doing nothing other than driving the train right over the cliff and leading us into a shutdown. i don't see any other way out of this at this point in time. now, at any time, if they chose to put the senate bill up, if they put it up in the next five minutes, i guarantee you that it would pass. and there's no need for this government shutdown. >> no need. if they put up the bill they've had an up and down vote, they could avert this. >> that's absolutely right. that's what we should demand is put up the senate bill right now. >> now, krystal, i think that many people need to understand that they refuse to put up the senate bill which has passed the senate and have an up and down vote and it would pass. so they are literally choosing

not to do that to force a shutdown if in fact they failed to do so as they say that they have. and let me show you what the president says that who will be the ones that suffer. he talked about the toll a shutdown will take. listen to this. >> hundreds of thousands of these dedicated public servants who stay on the job will do so without pay. and several hundred thousand more will be immediately and indefinitely furloughed without pay. they are the customers of every business in this country, and they would be hurt greatly. and as a consequence we would all be hurt greatly should the congress shut the government down. it would throw a wrench into the gears of the economy. >> a wrench into the government, hundreds of thousands of people suffering, federal employees that have nothing to do with the

bickering. >> that's right. government employees, public servants who republicans have demonized over the years. and as usual, reverend, the people who will feel these cuts the hardest are the ones who have the least voice and the least power in washington. as you were pointing out. head start, people who are beneficiaries of w.i.c., those are the folks whose cuts are going to fall -- the shutdown is going to fall the hardest pon. there is one man right now who could avoid this whole thing and that is speaker john boehner. if he would bring a clean cr to the floor right now, he is the person who directly bears the responsibility for this government shutdown if we, in fact, see one tonight. which unfortunately looks very likely at this point. >> all boehner has to do is call a vote.

but listen, congresswoman -- about obama care saying it will make us all unemployed. seriously? listen to this. >> as we all become unemployed or move to part-time work, we will see where this devastating law of a one size fits all for everybody health care plan run by the government is not a wise way to go. >> i mean, what is he talking about congresswoman bass? >> i think he's talking about complete nonsense. first of all, the bill is not a one size fits all. there's a variety of options you can select from. but i really think that this is about desperation time. my republican colleagues are separate becau-- desperate beca they know what's going to happen. someone with high is blood pressure or diabetes will find out they're going to be able to

get health insurance. and people getting chemotherapy and couldn't continue because of the cap, and now they will. they are desperate because if the people enroll in massive numbers like i think they will, there will be no turning it back. why my colleagues want to deny health care for the american people, i have no idea. and there is absolutely no evidence to back up the claim that people are losing their jobs. how can that be the case if people haven't even started to enroll? and so i think this is a desperate move. they also are moving in this bill we would be voting on tonight to try to block health care for their own staff. and for members. and they're calling it a subsidy when in reality all it is is the federal government like any very large employer contributes to an employee's health care plan. they don't want that to happen anymore. they're calling it subsidies and they are lying once again acting as though what is happening for their own employees is something that is different and we're

getting preferential treatment. >> you know, krystal, the politics of this is also in my opinion makes no sense from what the republicans are doing. because in a new poll, 69% of americans said the republicans in congress are acting like spoiled children. >> true. >> well, i think the american people are right. it's obvious. they're throwing a temper tantrum much like i've seen my 5-year-old do to try to get their way. we're not even talking about a majority of the republican caucus here. we're talking about a minority of one branch of the house of representatives. it's crazy. and it's not going to work. because this time the president and the democrats have stayed strong together, they've stayed true to their principles. there's no way we're going to continue down the road of crisis

after crisis. >> congresswoman, krystal said it's not even all republicans. you have republicans criticizing this shutdown strategy. just in the last day or so. let me show you some. senator susan collins said it cannot possibly work. congressman charlie dent called it a fool's errand. these are republicans. congressman peter king says he's tired of having ted cruz call all the shots. congressman devin nunes attacked the tea party faction. they're all giddy about a shutdown. these are republicans. they don't even have their own part united on this. >> the fundamental problem here is boehner has never led his caucus. he's allowed a handful of his most extreme members to lead his caucus. and he has been following behind him ever since. off the record colleagues have told me that frankly they're

embarrassed by this because it does amount to a temper tantrum. it's the utmost irresponsible thing that i have seen the tea party caucus within the republican caucus do in the two and a half years i've been here. >> well, speaker boehner, if he called a vote he could really do something that's great for the country. we'll see. >> he needs to fall on the sword and do it. >> or raise the sword and stand up for something. >> there you go. >> congresswoman karen bass and krystal ball, thank you for your time tonight. >> thanks, rev. >> make sure you catch krystal on "the cycle" right here on msnbc. still ahead, democrats accuse john boehner of political cowardice. why won't he stand up to the pea party? plus the obama administration takes a big step to stop the gop's next round of voter suppression.

these republicans won't get away with it. it's news you need to hear. and the one and only bishop t.d. jakes is here. the outstanding preacher and author is branching out and reaching a whole new audience. and what's on your mind? got questions about health care? the shutdown? or anything else? e-mail me. friend or foe, i want to know. reply al is ahead.

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now get a $179 per month lease on a 2013 nissan altima. i wanted to ask you a couple questions.card. i've got nothing to hide. my bill's due today and i haven't paid yet. you can pay up 'til midnight online or by phone the day it's due. got a witness to verify that? just you. you called me. ok, that checks out. at discover, we treat you like you'd treat you. get the it card with payment flexibility. we're back with breaking news. the potential shutdown of the federal government at midnight tonight. right now republicans are gearing up for yet another vote to delay obama care. an attempt to shift this debate back to the senate. but democrats there are standing

strong. on friday, the senate voted 54-44 not to protect the affordable care act. earlier today, they voted 54-46 to preserve the law. in the face of gop extremism, the democrats are showing a united front. joining me now is senator john tester, democrat from montana. thank you for being here tonight, senator. >> it's great to be here with you, reverend. >> let me ask you, senator, will democrats stand firm against the gop's attempts to kill obama care and shut down the government? >> well, i think the big issue here is to make sure we have a government that's running and operating and that the lights are on. the republicans are going to try to continue to either defund or delay the implementation of obama care. why? because people won't see the benefits of it and will continue

with their stories how it's not working. if it's in place and working, then a lot of those stories will go away because reality will be different than the stories they tell. so i think they have a political purpose for what they're doing. and it's more than just keeping the lights on in the government. i think it's very, very unfortunate. i think who folks from a red state like montana tell me is they want some certainty from washington, d.c. they want folks to work together and get things done. we're not seeing that on a continuing resolution. >> isn't that the point? you come from a red state, but yet you're standing up for what you feel is right for your constituents. at the end of the day, republican or democrat, don't people send people to washington to protect their interests and help them go forward? and something as basic as trying to make insurance available to all americans, why is this such a controversial thing particularly when it's already the law? >> well, maybe it's because many of the folks here haven't gone without insurance like i have. there was a time early in my

life where my wife and i were starting a young family, went without insurance. it's a scary thing. the reason we went without it was we couldn't afford it. what's the affordable care act going to do? it's going to make health care more affordable. the quicker we could get it implemented -- and by the way, if i had to say a negative thing about the affordable care act is we didn't implement it fast enough. the quicker we can get it implemented, the quicker people can see the benefits. we're already seeing some like 26-year-old kids staying on their parents' policy. so everybody can see the advantages and help drive down the costs of health care which is what this is doing. giving folks more choices in their health care insurance provider, i think they'll see the benefits of that and it'll move forward and people will accept it. but as long as folks can stand up on the floor of the senate or house or in a lot of these talk show programs and say things that are not accurate, they

continue to have merit. let's get the affordable health care act, obama care implemented and then people can take advantage of it. >> you got a wow out of me when you said how you and your wife had gone through a stretch without insurance. because at the end of the day, people who have lived close to being uninsured or being uninsured look and understand what we're talking about here. millions of people starting tomorrow can sign up to get health insurance which is only securing their family. we're not talking about giving away something unnecessary. basic health insurance. >> that's exactly right. and this is not government health care. this is giving folks more options to get insurance by. and getting more competition in the market place and expanding pools. all the things that people back here have talked about for a long, long time. now it's going to come to fruition and a minority of the republicans are holding that up

and defunding our government in the process. it's just a mistake, and hopefully common sense will prevail here until it turns midnight. and we will get a consensus to move the government forward and keep the lights on. >> senator jon tester, thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you. still ahead, john boehner has the power to stop a shutdown. if he stands up to the right wing of his own party. i'll talk about that with a tea party member of congress. plus, my live interview with bishop t.d. jakes. the preacher and best-selling author is bringing his message to a whole new audience. he'll reveal his big plans ahead. stay with us. ♪

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we're less than six hours away from the first government

shutdown in nearly 20 years. can it be stopped? especially if this is what we're hearing from some on the right. >> they want a government-run health care system! >> we did not elect a dictator. we elected a president. >> we are in the house tonight fulfilling our responsibility as adults. >> if this government shuts down, it's because you have not accepted the compromise that republicans have reached out to you and offered. >> it's time for us to stop it dead in its track. >> the continuing republican effort to stop the president's health care law, even if it means shutting down the federal government. why won't they just give it a rest? i'll ask a tea party member of congress who is opposed to the health care law. our debate is next. she loves a lot of the same things you do.

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republicans have no interest in shutting down the government.

shutting down the government, i think, is irresponsible and i think it'll end up costing the american taxpayers more money than we're already spending. >> two years ago speaker john boehner said a government shutdown would hurt the american people. but now he's bringing us to the brink again over the republican obsession with derailing president obama's health care law. meantime, ordinary americans brace themselves for what would happen if the government does shut down at midnight tonight. >> i guess this is where most people who are not quite sure they're going to have a paycheck. >> it breaks my heart we won't be able to pay our employees. >> business owner joe dibas says a shutdown would devastate local shops. >> no reason to come here. >> several hundred child abuse investigators and foster care

workers could be impacted. >> another dhs program greatly impacted would be food stamp services. >> if the federal government does shutdown, s.n.a.p. benefits may cease. >> these are the very real consequences if the federal government shuts down. but is there a way to stop that from happening? joining me now is congressman blake ferenthal. >> good to be with you. >> was speaker boehner right two years ago? is shutting down the government irresponsible? >> listen, nobody says we want to shut down the government. we will have sent three bills over to the senate to keep it going. speaker boehner's been clear. that's not what we're trying to do. >> well, you're saying, though, but, if you don't vote for our

bills, if you don't do what we say, then it's going to shut down. >> isn't the other side saying the same thing? >> how do you hold the health care law -- which is a law -- hostage then say it's not us, it's you. that's not any way that we govern, congressman. >> it certainly is. the founding fathers gave the house of representatives the power of the purse, the constitution says that all funding bills have to start in the house of representatives. we were given that power by the founding fathers. we're congress. we make laws and we change laws. that's our job. >> but since the founding fathers, we've never had a government shutdown over a law. not one time. can you cite one time we've done this? >> we've shut the government down under a variety of circumstances. >> never about a law that was passed, congressman. >> again, we're exercising our constitutional authority. we're getting away from the point. we're not holding the government hostage. listen, we've agreed to fund

everything but obama care. we've even agreed to fund obama care if we just put off the individual mandate like we've put off for big businesses and the millionaire donors with corporate jets and all the labor unions. we want to give working americans the same opportunity -- >> did the president shut the government down to do that? do you acknowledge that this law was passed four years ago? you acknowledge that, right? >> absolutely. that's why i was lektsed. >> do you acknowledge that the supreme court upheld the law? >> absolutely. >> do you acknowledge you lost the election last year. >> i won the election. one of my top issues -- >> i'm talking about the national election where the republican nominee mr. romney ran with your position, lost to president obama and this was a central issue in the campaign. you will acknowledge he legitimately won that race,

correct? >> i will tell you it was one of the issues, but there are lots of reasons to vote for mr. obama other than the health care law and lots of reasons to vote against romney that didn't involve health care. there were dozens of issues. but i can tell you what i'm hearing from my constituents in my town halls in texas. this law is costing jobs and stifling our economy and it's not good for america. i ran on it and i feel like my mandate was to come up here to fight, to mitigate the damage that this law is going to do to our economy, to our country and working people. >> and i respect that, but you fight and you put up a law and you change the law. you do not defund the law that has already been passed, that you cannot change the law in the senate. what you're doing is holding something hostage. that is not what you're elected to do that you're really saying it's my way or i'm going to make people suffer. 800,000 federal employees can suffer.

let me ask you a question that a lot of people that may lose or be furloughed tonight are asking. ted cruz was asked this question about would he give up his paycheck while you're risking others on what you claim you have a mandate to do. let me show you what ted cruz said. >> if outside of your control against your wishes government shut down, will you give up on the questioner's point, your government paycheck? >> i will confess it is a question i have not -- not given significant thought to, so at least at the current time, i have no intention to do so. >> i mean, how can somebody stand on principle but they sacrifice others' paychecks and not their own. would you give up your paycheck tonight at midnight, congressman, if we go into a shutdown? would you say to the constituents that you're talking for and about, i will put my check on the line. >> mr. sharpton, i've already

composed and written a letter to the house administration telling them to withhold my paycheck in the event of a lapse of appropriation. >> and will you call on senator cruz and other republicans to join you and be like you are and stand up and put their check down? >> yes. ted, put your money where your mouth is. >> and other republicans? >> listen, it is -- i would consider it to be immoral to take a paycheck when the people in the federal government were not. absolutely. now, reverend, i do want to point something out. in all of the previous government shutdowns, the federal workers were eventually made whole. they were paid their back pay. you hear all this gloom and doom of folks not being able to make -- pay their mortgages and such. first of all, i don't think there's going to be a government shutdown. and if history is any indication, they will be made whole and will receive their back pay and basically be a paid

vacation. >> it'll be a paid vacation for people, congressman, that may be able to get to whenever it is they would get their back pay. people that live check to check, people that can make it only because of their paycheck, that is not much comfort to them if, in fact, you have a long shutdown. you're saying you don't think there will be a shutdown. i hope you're right. but if i was one waiting on midnight tonight and we are six hours away, that doesn't give me a lot of comfort. right in your own district, republicans are pushing for a shut down, but in your district, you -- you you have more than 143,000 zbleenltz health insurance. that's 20.5% of your constituents. health care exchanges open tomorrow. regardless of a shutdown, if you hear from an uninsured constituent and they ask for help in signing up for the exchange, will you help them?

>> well, unfortunately in the event of a government shutdown, i'm furloughing my caseworkers. so there will be nobody in my office to do that. but let me tell you, what we've got to do is we've got to make insurance affordable to folks. we've got to encourage folks to offer. one of the biggest employers in my district are cutting workers down to 30 hours. they're dropping health insurance programs. and on the manager that pay full-time, they're going to pay the fine on. getting rid of a perfectly good health care plan because of all the mandates associated with this. >> that's exactly right. and though -- >> it's a train wreck! >> those and other reasons why 20% of your district is not insured. but that is why the president came with an act that passed to try and deal with some of that. and you guys are blackmailing it saying we are not going to pay for it unless you do it our way. you can't --

>> no, sir. >> you can't describe it any other way, congressman. >> we are willing to come to the table to negotiate around keeping the government open. we've sent two proposals by tonight a third proposal to the senate. they won't even talk to us. the president won't even talk to us. who's holding who hostage? we're trying to move forward. >> you've got a law that is already passed and upheld by the supreme court. you're saying we're not going to fund the law unless you delay it, unless you change it our way. we don't have the votes to pass this, but we will hold the pursestrings in the congress even though the senate's not going to do this, even though members of our own party are saying don't do this. we are going to hold a ransom on paying government employees. >> listen, reverend sharpton. in our current proposal that's going to be voting on this evening, we're funding it. all we're saying is delay the requirement that middle class working americans have to dig

into their pocket and buy insurance they don't want or their don't need. >> all you're saying is that we want you to delay what is already law and we will only fund it if you don't do it. congressman, that is blackmail. i don't care how you cut it. but at least you're going to put your check up. and i'm going to be watching. i promise. >> thank you, sir. >> thank you for your time tonight. and i hope ted cruz heard your admonition. i'd like to bring in joan walsh. joan, you heard that. they just refused to quit. >> that was unbelievable. what a buffoon. i'm sorry, reverend al, but to call it a paid vacation for federal workers. they're getting a paid vacation. they're living check to check. and we are talking were the democrats able to do the right thing, get them to do the right thing and fund the continuing resolution, this is funding in place -- keeping in place sequester cuts. you've got federal workers who have furloughs, head start kids

kicked off the program, the carnage we've seen in our communities based on the sequester. and the sequester becomes the permanent reality. that's considered a victory for the president? and this is all the about the president at the end of the day, reverend al. they keep referring to obama care. they want to take it away. that man, that congressman with chris matthews our friend last week refused to say that the president was legitimately elected. he said he was elected but wouldn't use the word legitimately. a few months ago he said they had the votes to impeach the president. so that is what it's about. taking away his legacy, humiliating him and hurting people. when these exchanges open, they are going to work. >> well, when you deal with a member of congress that acts like a shutdown of the government is a paid vacation for people that are going to be furloughed, how do you deal in the realm of reality with somebody that has that attitude toward federal employees? >> they're not in the realm of

reality. and the only hope is john boehner has one of those take this job and shove it moments. because he is not the leader. he's being led around by the nose, by the likes of blake farenthold and ted cruz. they're holding the entire country hostage. you and i could play clip after clip after clip of john boehner saying this is not a good idea, this hurts the country, obama care is the law of the land, the president got re-elected. we could play those until the government is no longer funded because they're out there. he's got to at some point -- doesn't he at some point have to have a moment saying this is not worth it. i'm not the leaders, they're the leaders and steps away. >> you know washington very wem, joan. what does your gut tell you about tonight? are we going to have a shutdown? >> i think we're going to have a shutdown. if the speaker hasn't had that moment yet, i don't know what's going to make him have that

moment. we can both pray he wakes up and lets a clean resolution pass with democratic votes. that's all we can hope for. because the president is not going to blink. >> these moderate republicans could not influence this tonight and get boehner to stand up and have a remarkable profile? >> so far you only have a few speaking out. i want to give congressman peter king a shoutout. he has said this is wrong. there are a few starting to speak out, but it's shocking there are so few. i don't know that they're going to have either the courage or the clout to get speaker boehner to do this. i just don't know. >> well, joan, thank you for your time tonight. you said let's pray. that's exactly what i'm going to do. because my next guest, he's counseled three u.s. presidents and a congregation of more than 30,000 people. now bishop t.d. jakes is with a

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welcome back. my next guest is bishop t.d. jakes. he's the senior pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the nation. preaching to a congregation of more than 30,000 people, over the years he's counseled three u.s. presidents.

included president obama and clinton and bush. with washington seemingly more divided than ever, it's a fitting night to have him on the show. joining me now is the bishop t.d. jakes, best-selling author, philanthropist, and senior pastor. he's also the host of a new b.e.t. talk show. thank you so much, bishop, for coming on the show tonight. >> thank you, rev, for having me. i'm pleased to be here with you. >> now, you have a huge congregation. what are some of the problems you're hearing in your community? >> you know, we look to our government to represent us. and i think some of the frusations people are having with congress in general is that you send people to washington so that your voice can be heard. you don't really want to be punished by the people that you send out to washington. >> yeah. you know, with this shutdown, you have been one of the

ministers that could minister to republicans, democrats. you don't get into partisan spats. what would your appeal be to those that are on the hill tonight debating? what would your appeal be to them? >> you know, my real concern is as we grapple about the complexables about the economy and about obama care which has already been passed as you've stated so seeloquently, the par that frustrates me is the people punished the most are the people who are underemploys and unemployed and the military and the families and children. let's not use average americans as a switch that we hit with to impress our point upon the other. at the end of the day, how can we teach our children that bullying is wrong if they see our leadership at the highest level bullying in a way we would not allow children to act in school. >> you know, you have an

extensive ministry. we've looked at it, you were with us last year. prison ministry, dealing with gun violence. and you've tried to appeal to young people to behave in a responsible way. and clearly as you're saying, we would expect the leaders of the country not to act like gang bangers. >> it's a scary thought for me. where we work to rehabilitate people who have been incarcer e incarcerated and up nearly 10,000 people have effectively gone through our programs down through the years. we are able to make a difference in that regard. but it is important that we have government stand alongside helping that we work together. and the polarization of this country scares me to death. systemically and the way we process information, it's like we're pitted against each other. when we ought to be known for what we are for rather than what we are against. and there are some issues that we need to drop our guns and

unite around so that we can move to more pressing issues that threaten the very interior fiber of our country. there's so much work to be done. and when you start talking about gun violence and the turmoil in the inner city, it doesn't always make the press, doesn't always hit the headlines. but we love our children too. >> now, we know you as the best-selling author, we know you for your huge crusades and fests and all, but people need to know you have 59 ministries including literacy programs, homeless outreach, male mentorship. and one of the nation's largest fastest growing prison ministries. so you have a ministry that meet people on the ground. how do we deal with this problem of violence? you've been dealing with this issue all over the country. how do we change people's minds and at the same time deal with these gun laws? >> you know, the problem is pervasive. and it's not just amongst the

cases we see on television that get the press' attention. a lot of cases are either young children, teenage boys. i think we have a family crisis, an issue with fatherhood in our community. we certainly need to have a criminal justice system that is revamped that people meets the time people are living in these days. i don't think there's a one-prong system. it's the political issue, some of the laws need to be readjusted. everything that's legal is not just. we've seen that over and over again. and it is interesting that we need to approach it from a legal perspective, but we also have a check in problem and community problem and many churches are working on it. social institutions, civic institutions, but faith based institutions could really make a difference. i made it my business to be involved in our community. >> now, you are branching out. you've already made great

strides with smashing successes. but now this sunday you start another way if it is possible for you to expand, you're doing it again. with going at a new audience with this show mind, body, soul. tell us what it's about and what you're going to do. >> mind, body, and soul is going to be a talk show, weekly. my enterprise is doing this particular initiative. and it's an opportunity for us to really be able to have a broader conversation. there are some things and some people i want to talk to that don't fit with the appropriate topography of the church. but there are issues that deserve to be taken all except for the issues we're talking about tonight. and to be able to do that, from the format of b.e.t. is something i'm excited about. and for me an opportunity -- we cannot withdraw from the culture if we expect to change the culture. if you're going to effect the culture, you have to be engaged. jesus said go unto all the world. he doesn't mean necessarily by camel.

this is an opportunity to go into all the world's system and say we are still concerned about it, able to effect it, and able to speak to it. this is the way you want to do it mind, body, and soul. >> bishop t.d. jakes, always good to see you. wish i was there in new york tonight. >> i'm honored to be on your show. >> don't forget to catch this new show, it premieres this sunday 12:00 noon eastern and pacific on b.e.t. bishop t.d. jakes. up next, attorney general holder lays down the law today. and what the mean for voting rights. that's next.

attorney general eric holder today announced the justice department will sue the state of north carolina over its harsh new voter suppression bill. the justice department is challenging some of the worst aspects of the north carolina law. including imposing a strict voter i.d. requirement, eliminating same-day voter registration, and cutting early voting by a week. this lawsuit along with a similar lawsuit in texas shows the obama administration is serious about fighting new voter

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finally tonight i want to talk about something that's been a huge part of my life more months now. it's my book called "the rejected stone." it's a look into my own personal revolution. i want to help people understand if you want something, you can make it happen no matter what. you just have to go out and do it. >> the title of the book "the rejected stone" came from a biblical passage in st. luke. and i thought about how my own evolution and a lot of people that are now in place around the world as we know it, president obama, michael jackson, we all are rejected stones. we all are people that if at the

beginning of our lives and/or careers, people would never expect to have an impact at all. and i think it has become a society where the former rejects have become the ones that have changed the character. and i wanted to tell anecdotes of my story to tell the average person i don't care how people view you, if you accept yourself you can make a difference. >> yes, we are a nation that has made a lot of change. and we've changed it from having those that have been rejected becoming leaders of the nation. and you can transform yourself. you may be like i was, rejected in your family, rejected in your workplace. it's time for the rejected to embrace themselves. i tell how i learned it. i learned it