tune in for the radio show tonight. it is every sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. on when a 1.3. this week on the tv show, the road to the white house leads or south carolina. south carolina republicans and democrats both have something at stake. a few weeks from now. the presidential primary is in february. the republicans are hoping to recover the status as the gop -- predicting the presidential nominee. perfects of the state's first gop primary -- the reputation was tarnished in 2012 when mitt romney won the state's republican primary. the democrats -- a long republican stronghold. an opportunity to highlight the democratic vision of part -- of shaping a new south politically. and for candidates like bernie sanders, who are clinton and martin o'malley -- the matchup will provide the first true test

large groups of african- american voters. that is one of the reasons reverend jesse jackson is in south carolina working with the voter education project to get more people participating in the process. today, we will focus on the upcoming democratic primary. next week, we will shift to the gop. we're looking at the democratic primary. i'm delighted to have joining me, brian. thank you again. 's as you guys are putting in all of that work in the newsroom, you are covering politics son up and until sundown. >> it is beginning to look a lot like elections -- like the saying, it is beginning to look a lot like christmas. the gop debate in charleston. the democratic debate coming up in charleston this evening. it is ratcheting up. >> it is exciting as well. one of the things i mentioned

jackson -- founder and ceo of rainbow push coalition -- in and out of the state trying to help us get numbers of voters out. we're seeing a number of notables coming through the state. a fun time of year. >> it is a busy time of year. >> for me, it is a time to reconnect. welcome. reverend jesse jackson, thank you for being here on onpoint. delighted to see you. >> you are hanging out with our good friend jim gallagher. in addition to being a historian himself -- a former lawmaker here in the state legislature. >> he was the guy. >> he is writing civil rights history for the state of south carolina and has done so. >> we are delighted to have him here. 's before brian and i talk about politics -- and talk about the

do want to acknowledge that we are actually doing this interview on the date that is the actual birthday of reverend dr. martin luther king jr. and during his last birthday, you are actually with him. >> he struggled to put content in this day. that morning, we had breakfast with his family and came to church around 10:00. he convenes with african-americans -- convenes with native americans and latinos. on a campaign. he said, we won the rights on the bus and the right to vote. as i have come across the state to columbia -- to greenville -- the millions of poor people in the state eligible for

have health insurance at all. the $7 billion budget -- it turns out $13 billion for medicaid -- that would mean jobs. yesterday, i went by the hospital where governor nikki haley was born. it is not closed. they have medicaid -- it would be open. so people have to travel just to get medical attention. so the state has the resource if it has priorities. many folks -- have what we call, poor folks options. should i choose medical insurance -- tuition -- transportation or food? we must live -- people must live from that play. the state has grown too much, too well to leave all these people in impoverished. >> we have that discussion quite a bit. the decision of playing a bill

attention you need. >> nikki haley won the governor's race by 60,000 votes. it is not like -- if we have the will, we have the capacity. the coalition though -- to change the course of this state for the better. last week, the democratic governor of louisiana signed a bill upon his installation. and putting 200,000 people on medical insurance. >> as you travel the state -- one of the big things that you do is you try to talk about the significance of the vote. one of the things that have heard you say is -- not voting has consequences. that is sometimes something people don't think about. how successful are we being at getting those numbers up? and if people register by the 20th -- they can really vote in the primary. >> so happy we are seeing some successes. we have been traveling the state

mainstream colleges -- college of charleston -- all colleges -- students are coming out and registering. somebody just has to ask them. and this guy -- they come out. he calls them down. we have been signing them upright on the spot in the auditorium's. >> they make the connections. high school seniors that registered about -- they can get scholarships. all students should vote. just to reduce loan debt. >> absolutely. their voices will be heard. people listen to young people. >> we will go to break. and we will continue our conversation with reverend jesse jackson and james felder with

we will be right back. glad you can join us. welcome back to onpoint. having a conversation with james of what we're looking at politically and south carolina. >> we are. everybody looks to this state in the early voting. because we are right there. the first in the south. it goes with the name that this state fight so hard to have. what you gentlemen are trying to do is make sure people have the resources -- to register. and they have time to do that. >> and the reasoning. there is a new south. you could not have the carolina panthers, the atlanta falcons, clemson and usc -- without the cotton curtain. >> you could not have had -- that entire production. all of this came because we brought the walls of

we learn how to devolve together. and how do we treat the poor -- that is our character. there are millions of people eligible for medicare and they can't get it. >> rainbow push is filing a south carolina? >> yes. reported. >> breaking news. >> the point is that -- if i live in illinois and i pay taxes, i can get medicaid. but in south carolina, you can't. that is what we have to fight -- to get the public accommodations. he could go - >> state rights over federal right. >> that is right.

i'm sure -- that talk has a lot of appeal in some of the circles where you are getting people registered to vote. part of it is getting people excited about processes. >> you have to have a reason. you have to make the connection. >> i think it is important to continue to highlight what reverend jackson's -- what he says. you have to have a reason. >> we had a great meeting friday morning at the baptist church. >> a good church. on this very issue. medicaid and registering to vote. and they were really receptive. >> the other thing -- people must get beyond the the fears of race and the hope of enter relationships. when you think about it, there are more whites as opposed to lex on medicaid. some people want affordable healthcare. they don't want obamacare. >> they want the omelette but not the eggs.

care -- lack of it -- not knowing when you will get sick -- the nature of the sickness. without medical insurance, 1000 people in south atlanta died a year -- for a lack of medical insurance. >> wow. that is something we have to continue to talk about. and when people come into the state -- fresh eyes, new messages -- i think after a while -- everybody begins to think it is the way it is going to be. what you have done is brought the issue back up. especially -- filing a lawsuit. so we're watching that. making sure we can follow that story. >> good to be back him. >> tell me this. what is the significance of what we see happening in our state leading up to the primary? brian has been covering all kinds of stories in the newsroom. >> every single day. >> several events. >> after the republican debate

ted cruz go at it -- that is irrelevant. what about attacking poverty -- not each other. what about medical care. what about people working without livable wages. the access to education -- health and jobs. the kind of attack on who has the best line of -- -- whether you are working -- you are closed and you set me free. >> coming up, brian and i will talk to the national media director for bernie sanders campaign and recognizing the significance of having major players in our state to

>> i am careful. there has been so much garbage seen in this election cycle. however, we are hopeful that raising the medicaid issue will open the eyes to many people and they will listen more. also the candidates need to be questioned on the issues of medicaid and whether they do. >> hillary -- bernie -- who has the best medical plan? >> we need to see that debate. >> the substance must be -- how we treat the poor -- the great challenge that we have -- whites and blacks have learned the survival part. they must learn to live together. if we can put clemson against alabama in the big game, we can put medicaid together.

mr. felder -- and again, brian and eyes thank you so much for helping us on today's show. and reverend jackson. now that he knows where i am, he will come back on his own. >> just want to encourage people to get registered to vote. and to participate. this is the first leg in the race this year. after the presidential primary -- you have the june primary -- it will be a busy election cycle. we encourage all of the viewers to register -- register your family and children to about. >> -- register them to vote. >> vote about poverty. vote about medicaid. let's pick it up, stretch it out and make the waters part. >> words have never been a weakness for this guy.

we will be right back.

we will be right back. welcome back to onpoint. brain and i are advancing the show on the upcoming democratic primaries. we're talking to the national to medications director for could -- for bernie sanders's campaign. >> feel the burn. >> we hope people are feeling the burn. we were at south carolina state university last night. they were feeling the burn. we're excited about what we have going on in south carolina. >> it is amazing. tonight is when the democratic debate is. and of course, we all watched the gop debate. and so fireworks are sure to be going. >> of -- if there is a debate, of course there will be fireworks.

>> a smaller field and more substance. what i love about our campaign -- frankly, the entire democratic field is that we are currently having the debate on the issues. we will talk about healthcare. and expanding medicaid. medicare for all. a single care system. we will talk about education. we have talked about criminal justice before. we will definitely be talking about wall street. and moving up the middle class. topics. people want to hear about that. >> they do. people get excited about that. >> people get fired up. >> we have had some good crowd that we have covered. some of the issues that we reverend jackson. that are important to south carolinians. we will probably have to address the medicaid issue. >> some senators believe that

affordable care act. and calling for a medicare for all, single-payer system. >> so his thing is not to repeal and replay. >> we have to take it a step further. right now in south carolina, there are a million people that do not have health insurance. they have not expanded medicaid here. all 50 states will be required to provide healthcare for citizens. we think that is important. because the senator believes that healthcare is a right. just like education is a right. that's why we believe in universal education -- making colleges tuition free. these are things that we should be doing for our people. those are the things that senator sam dollars -- senator sanders will talk about. >> another thing to keep in mind is the younger voter. tell us about you. you are from nebraska. >> i'm from omaha, nebraska. >> you come to south carolina

then you are off to another place. talk to us about the significance of connecting with young voters across the country. >> across the state and across the country -- young people are fueling this political revolution we are talking about. >> that is exciting. >> we are on the front lines. twenty, 30 years from now, it will be younger people -- >> it always is. >> we need to make sure that they are included in the political process. we get a lot of great crowds across the country. a lot of those crowds are young people. we were at south carolina state university thursday. we kicked off the historically black colleges and universities tour. it was young people lead. we had alumni -- from the young leaders council who were speaking about the importance of affordable education. the importance of universal healthcare. the importance of criminal justice.

sanders is -- it is an entire coalition. it is young people. it is also seasoned people. it is men and women -- who are gay, straight, black, white, latino. we're standing up and saying that we want to get involved in the political process. america is not just for billionaires. >> thank you for being with us. what is your website? >> it is berniesanders.com. you can follow us on twitter. like us on facebook. we're excited to be in south carolina. >> thank you. coming up, one of my favorite people. roy brown is one of those guys that has been in politics for a while. he is with us today. and then martin o'malley campaign is picking up as well. we will talk to him in a moment

welcome back. talking about south carolina politics. we get to do it now with roy brown. when i met him, he was 21 years old. the youngest elected person in the state of south carolina. you are still in politics. >> they say -- i got out of politics. but it is like the mafia -- when you are in it, you are always in it. as much as i try to get back -- it pulls you back in. this time around, i'm supporting a good friend and a great candidate, martin o'malley, former governor of maryland, who is running for president on the democratic ticket. couldn't be happier to support them. >> you guys asked me to moderate an event -- one of the things that our producer said to me -- when he found out that we were hearing from martin o'malley -- was that he had the opportunity to meet him and how engaging he is. and -- he is so compelling. his career is so compelling.

when he comes to south carolina -- i have had the pleasure of driving him to rock hill and all parts of the state. he is just good -- >> a good-looking guy too. >> it helps. >> it does to an extent. most of -- more and partly, his issues resonate. it is not just somebody who just talks about the issues -- he is not like he can only talk about one issue. he can talk about income and the quality -- and 15 other issues as a professional. as somebody who has gone it dawn on the local level at maryland. the best public school system in the country -- five years running. all these issues. everything these folks talk about, he has done. there is something to be said about that. >> this debate in charleston

there was a period of time when he was not going to be in this debate. so this is a good opportunity to get on the national stage. and talk about these issues. >> when he is at this stage to talk about these big issues -- he has been very successful. this thing about him not being in this debate -- that was nbc trying to get better ratings. hitting one against another. the national media loves to put people against one another. drive a wedge between everybody. try to increase ratings. he is going to be part of it. you will have a major part in it. and the more people who hear his issues -- and see his record of achievement -- he will resonate with them. as he has. we're seeing his numbers go up. he has a long way to go. if he can catch iowa and new hampshire -- he will do the same here. >> this is important. and he knows that.

participating in the debate. as well as planning on -- really being in our state between now and the primary. >> cynthia, not only is he -- is he here now. but when we were against the governor in 2010 and 2014, he sits down to help with the campaign -- because he believes and things like medicaid expansion and improving our schools. and things that democrats in the state have been fighting for, for such a long time. he came down and helped campaign. he is not just here because it is convenience the month before an election. six years now. know. and the democrats in south carolina have gotten to know. because he has been here. trying to get votes. he has been here all along. >> it will be interesting and fun between now and primary

democratic side. we're going to preview the gop primary next week. this week, we wanted to pay close attention to some much. >> we haven't. we are always good about making sure everybody gets to have a voice here. hearing every side of the issue. many cases. the crazier side. >> any last, and you would like to make? >> go online to martinon molly.com. and you can read about his issues. martin o'malley.com. pay attention to the debate. you will like the guy. he is genuine. he has done these things. he is a leader that we can all get behind. >> any last comments from you? >> the one thing we have to make sure is that everybody

>> generate 20th is the the primary. >> -- january 20 is the deadline if you want to vote in the primary. >> it is too important. the vote is an extremely significant events in our lives. real honor. to be participating in a democracy like this. >> i remember how excited i was when i was finally eligible to vote at 18. i may not have known what was going on. >> if you don't vote, you can't complain. >> that is right. it is important that people who are younger realize that voting is important. >> okay, guys. that is it for us. thank you for watching. empowered.

see you next week. i'm chris wallace. the u.s. and iran exchanged prisoners, as a landmark nuclear deal takes effect. with just two weeks to the iowa caucuses, ted cruz takes the gloves off against donald trump.

constitution hasn't changed.