brokaw and his crew set up with a view of the unfolding scene. >> are we ready, cheryl?k in new york senior producer cheryl gould races to prepare for the 6:30 broadcast. >> we had to put all this news into the allotted half hour. and that's stressful as it is. and then being ready at 6:29:59 so that when 6:30 comes and tom says "good evening" that you're ready. >> if the bird is up i can just throw it to him. >> with minutes to go until the broadcast the crowds and cheers reach a fever pitch. >> there's a guy coming across. cheryl. yeah. after you get done with segment 3, they're coming across the wall right here. >> i remember tom saying to me at one point, "cheryl. cheryl. they're coming over the wall!" and i still get goosebumps when i remember that. he was there to record this, to report on it. >> it's amazing. >> we didn't know if they would shoot them. with bullets. that had been the history of that wall. instead, they shot them with water cannons. and so people came over the wall drenched, wet with water cannon fire. they came over the wall with champagne bottles

tom brokaw, i want to talk about the man. it is unusual to speak of a major politician which, after all, is what he was, a revolutionary, a prisoner and a politician. but we speak of him in terms of personal virtue. they seem to loom largest. >> it was a perfect combination of a man who has suffered, learned from his suffering and had a vision of what he wanted for his entire country, and then had that wonderful user-friendly personality in which everyone felt connected to him in some fashion. i've been thirnking a lot about him since his death, how it resonated not just in south africa but around the world. we are in need of someone with those qualities. the people who remember john kennedy, he was similar. remembering ronald reagan, he had a lot of the same qualities. at the center of those qualities was a strong vision about what they wanted that would be good for everyone. >> and reverend jackson, you go back to that seminole moment in 1964 when he's on trial, that speech in the dock that mandela gave. he said, i have che

tom brokaw, i want to talk about the man. it is unusual to speak of a major politician which, after all, is what he was, a revolutionary, a prisoner and a politician. but we speak of him in terms of personal virtue. they seem to loom largest. >> it was a perfect combination of a man who has suffered, learned from his suffering and had a vision of what he wanted for his entire country, and then had that wonderful user-friendly personality in which everyone felt connected to him in some fashion. i've been thinking a lot about him since his death, how it resonated not just in south africa but around the world. we are in need of someone with those qualities. the people who remember john kennedy, he was similar. remembering ronald reagan, he had a lot of the same qualities. at the center of those qualities was a strong vision about what they wanted that would be good for everyone. >> and reverend jackson, you go back to that seminole moment in 1964 when he's on trial, that speech in the dock that mandela gave. he said, i have cher

where is matt lauer, brian williams, tom brokaw? how did chris matthews get this interview? if he controlled himself, the fact that he didn't faint or wet his pants is a miracle. i will give you an example. >> think about this man's life, how hard he worked, how he achieved so highly in school, married so well and faithfully, fathered two great daughters and protected them, been a truly great father to them, been a true partner in his marriage, treated his office with respect and dignity, never once let us down with his personal behavior. when is president obama going to get credit? this is like rodney dangerfield. when will he get credit for this amazing economy coming back? i look at obama as a great american. you can argue about the drones, fiscal policy and stuff. as a citizen the guy went to school, never broke a law. he did everything right, raised a family, a good husband, good

we're also welcoming tom brokaw back. [applause] he was honored when he delivered an inspiring talk to graduating seniors and we are thrilled to have him back on campus for this conversation. l i will turn things over to john and to say give for reading this conversation for these extraordinary event to share their sense of impersonal understanding of arthur schlesinger, jr.. figure. take you. [applause] >> i want to say quickly all of you who have taken the trouble to talk about the issues space at the wisdom and talent from when he signs alone. [laughter] -- the globe but moving on. now you have to do a sock up. [laughter] >> 53 autumns ago 1960 general election campaign committee said this. if by a liberal somebody who looks ahead and not behind or someone who cares about the welfare for their schools or jobs or civil rights or civil liberties or the stalemate of suspicion suspicion, if that is what they mean by a liberal that i am proud to say i am a liberal. ashes teeeighteen and andrew write in their introduction th

as we're joining in the studio by tom brokaw.hen you look at the legacy of nelson mandela, you're fortunate so much of it happened on your watch. i was thinking of our trip in '94 to cover his eventual election as president. but mostly american viewers were glued to the live coverage in 1990, the long walk to freedom. >> well, i got a call of mine from the south african government saying i need you on your way. he called back and said get on the airplane. went there, didn't look like they were going to release him. remember, we had not seen him in 27 years. and then, of course, he was released. and we didn't know what he would look like. we had that one black and white grainy photograph. this is me in the back yard with him. and it looked like he'd been on a three day holiday somewhere. and a lot of people who were in prison with him said that they used those years to talk with each other about their philosophy, about their strategy once they did get out. so he was absolutely prepared now to take his place not only in government

tom brokaw recently traveled to robben island and met with some of those who came to know mandela then. including a man who became a most unlikely friend. >> reporter: robben island, once the most notorious prison in south africa now is a national shrine. the hard, hard place where nelson mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. tourists leave the comfort of cape town for the choppy ride to this reminder of cruelty and courage. they are guided by ex-political prisoners. >> june 1986, i was sentenced 14 years. >> reporter: through the cold corridors. >> this is number 7. the cell of mr. nelson mandela. >> reporter: and into the tiny cells. this is where mandela spent almost two decades. a cold stone cubicle. no plumbing. a thin mat for sleeping. hard labor in the prison rock quarry. a hard life day in and day out. ahmed muhammed cusrata was a fellow political prisoner but now a retired member of parliament. one of mandela's closest friends. >> we were sentenced to life in imprisonment, and we knew that for political prisoners, life meant life. >> reporter: but he said mandela never a

crash north 101, at brokaw reports the off ram dropped by debris. the rig sounds like the latest is that it's on its wheels so it didn't turn over. but there may be a slight leak there so watch the brokaw exit, there may be slowing. we'll track that. over the water the dumbarton and san mateo bridges, the foster city size, easy approach. back to you. >> thanks so much. everyone knows the grinch but one office in canada has stole at any show. this is a winning entry in an office decorating contest. they put creativity on display making a picture of the grinch using post-it notes. amazing. how many? about 900 of those. it took a crew about six hours. i say that's impressive. >> six hours on the job. making art out of post-its. >> getting paid. >> well done though. everybody getting into the holiday spirit including our own bob redell. we'll go live to the north pole to check in with bob, possibly santa. >> always fun. a fond farewell to candle stick. ready to say good-bye to the home of so many memories tonight. >> don't have to hear more talk about s

tom brokaw joins us now.presentative maxine waters. thank you both for joining us on this really important morning. reverend al and harold ford jr. with us as well. >> tom, can you remember the back story when you heard mandela was being freed, how got to froosouth africa. >> i had a friend in the south african government in being helpful in letting me know he was part of the white south african government and said you should come to south africa right now. i said i need more than that it's a long way. he called me back 15 minutes later and said get on an airplane. there was no indication he would be released. there was a rumor they were getting close. i jumped on a plane which you no longer can do. i get there, our bureau said mate what are you doing here? there's nothing going on. i went down cape town to interview the foreign minister who was being very scircunspect. then there were a couple of pops in the evening. he was more forth coming. he said your government will be happy with my government. and i wa

brokaw, off 680, standard area. lighter flow. back to you. >> thank you, mike.n francisco. police are investigating an early morning shooting in the south of market neighborhood. it sent a man. it's near the off ramp from the bay bridge. police will not release new information about the suspect or the victim. we do know the victim was shot in the stomach. police say he is in critical condition and is not cooperating with investigators. >> a tiny puppy 10 weeks old earn add nickname after she was plucked from piles of garbage. someone threw the puppy away on purpose. chase, this puppy has serious injury. >> reporter: he does but the good news is the puppy is expected to be okay so dog lovers, i believe it has a happy ending. after the dog was found on a conveyor belt that the recycling center it was brought there in the back of a recycling truck. essenti essentially, and then it was on saturday that a worker here in the plant found this 10 week old apricot poodle puppy. the dog was conscious but severely hurt. animal control is trying to figure out how the dog go

. >> this is "nbc nightly news" with tom brokaw.onight from nbc news headquarters in new york. >> good evening. nelson mandela was honored by new york city today in a way usually reserved for presidents, astronauts, and hometown world series champs. he came here to continue his campaign against apartheid and president bush said today that u.s. sanctions would stay on until certain additional steps are taken. but for the most part, this was a day to celebrate mandela. the man who spent 27 years in prison was given a hero's welcome. governor mario cuomo calling him a symbol of the indestructibility of the human spirit. the 71-year-old mandela seemed tired and not quite ready for it all. jesse jackson gave him a hand with his tie. mandela urged the united states to maintain its tough policy against south africa, as blacks there struggle for equality. >> and the only way in which we can work together on this difficult road is for you to ensure that sanctions are applied. >> mandela! mandela! >> mandela and his wife, winnie, stopped by a

nbc's tom brokaw, professor patricia williams, thank you very much. you. >>> we'll talk about the bahl kinization of the gop in today's top lines. la's known definitely for its traffic, congestion, for the smog. but there are a lot of people that do ride the bus. and now that the buses are running on natural gas, they don't throw out as much pollution into the air. so i feel good. i feel like i'm doing my part to help out the environment. a man who doesn't stand still. but jim has afib, atrial fibrillation -- an irregular heartbeat, not caused by a heart valve problem. that puts jim at a greater risk of stroke. for years, jim's medicine tied him to a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but now, with once-a-day xarelto®, jim's on the move. jim's doctor recommended xarelto®. like warfarin, xarelto® is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto® is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. that doesn't require routine blood monitoring. so jim'

brokaw has done that from generation to generation. he covered civil rights in atlanta early, he was an early reporter on the reagan b story in 1966, he was as anchor and managing editor of nbc nightly news the critical figure for a quarter century, the only man in the history of nbc to host the trifecta, toed show, nightly news and meet the press. in new york media circles that's, in fact, the holy trinity. [laughter] the divinity school is off on that. [laughter] he was the only american network anchor in berlin for the collapse of the wall. it's unclear whether that was positive. [laughter] is he laughing? as an author he's captured the sacrifices of the greatest generation, coining that phrase and moving it into the culture. he's grounded, generous, kind and wise. this is a great man. he proves that grace and skill are not incompatible. he played a valuable role inning -- [inaudible] and large swaths of american viewers still turn to him. he's just finished work on a landmark documentary, the assassination of president kennedy, whi

rather, broke brokaw, chron chron -- cronkite.e all left wing guys you know that. >> hold on. i would argue that back in the day you didn't know what cronkite was. >> if you were in iowa you didn't know. but if you working at cbs news you damn well knew because i worked there. >> you may have known what he was off camera but you didn't know what he was on camera. >> the decisions were made about personnel, story coverage, and point of view by cronkite, brokaw, and rather, who were committed left wingers. >> and koppel, you might as well add him into the mix. >> i think you were in a daze all the time. i don't think you really irnlt feared that much. i was at abc and i heard the scuttlebutt about you. you weren't a big interferer, and jennings didn't either. jennings didn't like all that ideology. he didn't. that's why i didn't bring his name up. >> i would rather you criticize me because your compliments are more damaging and more devastating. >> i have got to tell the truth, koppel, come on. >> what is it that you think i have sa

>> this is nbc news with tom brokaw reporting from nbc news headquarters in new york. >> good eveningandela was honored today in ways usually reserved for champs. the president said u.s. sanctions would stay on until certain additional steps were taken. but for the most part, this was a day to celebrate mandela. the man who spent 27 years in prison was given a hero's welcome. governor cuomo calling him a symbol of the indestrubtable spirit. he seemed tired, not quite ready for it all. jesse jackson gave him a hand with his tie. man della urged the united states to maintain its stance against south africa as blacks struggle for equality. >> the only way we can work together on this difficult road is for you to ensure that sanctions are applieapplied. >> mandela and his wife winnie stopped by a brooklyn high school. they were greeted by 10,000 people. then new york city honored mandela as no other city can. a ticker-tape parade up broadway. and he said he knew he had friends in new york but never dreamed he was so loved. the key to the city from mayor david dinkins. he then talked of un

use brokaw road or transition to 101, that is clear. when they can leave that rig. here the tri-valley moves a tiny bit of traffic through livermore valley. we did have an issue, around mountain house road, the car on track i was worried, so no issues as far as the car being hit. >> moving toward the peninsula. we'll look at oakland, 880, volume, the freeway open here on the bay bridge toll plaza. we see a smooth flow here. we had road crews but they should be clearing. back to you guys. >> no hurry. the family of a seattle teen says that her eyeglasses of all things saved her life when someone fired multiple shots into the home. saturday night 16-year-old was asleep on the crowd. three adults and six young children were in the house with her. the shooter came by a second time. >> right under here and got lodged. it didn't go further. >> could have been dead. i grabbed -- >> aside from a few stitches no one else was hurt. police think that the shooting was gang related. the victim and her family are finding somewhere else to stay. >> co

. >>> on this day in 1989, invading panama to capture noriega as reported by tom brokaw on nbc. >> americanilitary forces, a nighttime invasion of panama and sporadic fighting continuing this evening. but noriega remains at large tonight. >> have a great weekend. >>> armed and amount run. right now the search is on for five men involved in a violent home invasion robbery in fremont. how the thieves got away, coming up. >>> plus you can not giving up hope. the major step the family of a young oakland teenager is doing today to keep her from being taken off a ventilator. >>> and how b.a.r.t. and local police officers are coming together to protect holiday shoppers today. >>> take a look outside at san francisco, the trans america building and the city of st. francis it is friday, december 20th, this is ""today in the bay."" >>> good morning, everyone, it is 4:30, christmas almost

among our guests the reverend al sharpton, mandela biographer richard stengle and nbc's tom brokaw.nd when we come back here, we'll huddle around the cooler. ron burgundy, i know, but this one is actually -- this is a good one. he's getting a little tired on the promotional road but he's also a sports aficionado. his take on the doug flutie hail mary call when "way too early" comes right back. [ fishing rod casting line, marching band playing ] [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat? campbell's healthy request soup lets you hear it in your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. [ m'm... ] great taste. [ tapping ] sounds good. campbell's healthy request. m'm! m'm! good.® so i can't afford to have germy surfaces. but a fresh sheet of bounty duratowel leaves this surface cleaner than a germy dishcloth. it's durable. and it's 3 times cleaner. so ditch your dishcloth and switch to bounty duratowel. [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ pillsbury cookie dou

be came of this northbound 101 as you head closer to the san jose airport, at brokaw road we have debris in the lanes and c.h.p. will have to come out and clear things up for you. across our bridges, 101 if you are headed across the golden gate bridge from sausalito to san francisco that is only eight minutes, to take you across the bay bridge along 92 the san mateo bridge is 13 minutes and in the east bay we will see what is happening on 680 southbound from pleasant hill to walnut creek we can see it is wide open, nice and clear and not seeing any bunching of cars to the 24 young and san jose at 280, away from 17, it is all dark with just a couple of cars in the number direction. matt? >> thank you, leyla gulen, a massive crane from the bay area is in the middle of a 6,000 mile trip to the big apple. the crane known as the left coast lifter left the bay by tugboat and custom built for the bay bridge project to install huge deck patch els -- huge deck panels on the span. >> incredible story from seattle, a pair of glasses may is sinned the life of a teen. the 16 year old was on a couch i

him a dive it was some time after that as you remember tom brokaw filled and i think n.b.c. news did the smart thing which is after something is significant is that to to ease the transition into put tom into the job i think that was appropriate and it was a nice way to bridge that gap because it was going to be a difficult transition for anybody and it was thanksgiving i was in new york with my wife and our kids and our president called and said i was going to be moderator of meet the press and you know there had been a lot of speculation. running up to that but i was i was blown away i mean it's. it's it was always something that i thought about i never thought that it would necessarily happen i could imagine him leaving that job and i certainly couldn't have imagined it at that stage of my life thirty eight years old to be in that position so but i remain blown away because it's just an amazing job i interviewed larry speed that the first was. he was and he he really you know he owned a piece of show and he well yeah and he conceived of the show and you know we have a lot

. >> this is nbc nightly news with tom brokaw rorting tonight in new york. >> good evening.ndella was honored in a way usually reserved for presidentings, astronauts and hometown world series chavrps. president bush said he would stay on until certain additional steps were taken. but, for the most part, this was a way to celebrate nelson mandella. >> governor mario quomo calling him a spert of it all. mandella urged the yiegts to maintain its tough policy against south africa as blacks there struggle for equality. >> the only way in which we can work together is for you to ensure extensions are applied. mandella and his wife stopped by a brooklyn high school. then, as no other city can, a ticker tape sprad up broadway. the key to the city from mayor david denkins. mandella then talked upon locking the shackles of apartheid. it braces if all of its forms. south africa shall be free. this struggle continues. thank you. >> i'm one of the countless inspirations who drove from nelson mandella's life. the first thing i ever did was a proo test against apartheid. i would study his

. >> this is "nbc nightly news" with tom brokaw.rting tonight from nbc news headquarters in new york. >> good evening. nelson mandela was honored by new york city today in a way usually reserved for presidents, astronauts, and hometown world series champs. he came here to continue his campaign against apartheid and president bush said today that u.s. sanctions would stay on until certain additional steps are taken. but for the most part, this was a day to celebrate mandela. the man who spent 27 years in prison was given a hero's welcome. governor mario cuomo calling him a symbol of the indestructibility of the human spirit. the 71-year-old mandela seemed tired and not quite ready for it all. jesse jackson gave him a hand with his tie. mandela urged the united states to maintain its tough policy against south africa, as blacks there struggle for equality. >> and the only way in which we can work together on this difficult road is for you to ensure that sanctions are applied. >> mandela! mandela! >> mandela and his wife, winnie, stopp

lots of metal, 15,000 pounds so northbound 101 is blocking the old bayshore highway opramp so use brokawd first street and southbound direction 101 away from central san rafael and into san francisco a few extra cars and north of there, though, it is freeze temperatures with the possibility of black ice and a lot of fog so be very careful when you head out to the roads. >> thank you, leyla gulen, we will have mike with the forecast coming up in a couple of minutes. right now breaking news in san francisco, police are investigating a shooting outside a night club that left a man in critical condition and it happened on how war street near 1st before 2:00 this morning, according to the witnesses the temple nightclub was packed when people shots rang out and a search is underway. the victim was hit in the stomach and is not cooperating with investigators. >> in vallejo police looking for clues after a man was shot to death outside an apartment building around 8 4:00 last night near interstate 80. the victim is identified at 34 -year-old wayne germane. no word on arrests. >> in the east bay

. >> that was nelson mandela speaking to nbc's tom brokaw in february of 1990, not long after he walkedrison, following 27 years behind bars. joining me now, don gips and maya wiley, founder and president for the center of inclusion. she helped to open south africa's criminal justice initiative. and maya, what kind -- there's this period of time between 1999 when nelson mandela does this remarkable thing, which is to hand over power peacefully. there's many examples that come to be heads of state and don't do that. what kind of figure is he in south africa for that period of life when he is essentially retired from politics and the state that has to encounter all the challenges it does? >> well, he was still an incredibly important figure and we should acknowledge that in addition to just being willing to hand over power and not become a president for life or a dictator, as we've seen, unfortunately, in some other african countries, he actually started turning over the reins of leadership to thabo imbeki while he was still president. in other words, he understood that he needed to allow

. >> i wonder what williams and brokaw and lauer think of this knuckle head. >> he's saying if you believe that's treason. that's what carl marx believed. >> we live in a country where if you want to drink out of a red solo cup or a crystal stem, you have the opportunity to do that. >> marsha blackburn's cup runneth over with scare tactics. >> what's the next going to be? you can't buy that red solo cup? you can't buy an inexpensive blouse. >> where'd you get those clothes? at the toilet store? >> you can't buy a pair of shoes that cost less than another. >> these shoes cost $300. let's get 'em. >> this is absolutely ridiculous. >> end zone. >> as i look at the end times scripture, this says to me that the leaf was on the fig tree. >> michele bachmann lies about syria. >> president obama waived a ban on arming terrorists in order to allow weapons to go to the syrian opposition. u.s. taxpayers are now paying to give arms to terrorists including al qaeda. >> and predicts apocalypse. >> and we are to understand the signs of times. >> the city is headed to disaster of biblical proportions. >>

my guest, tom brokaw, civil rights leader

you want to use brokaw to exit the freeway or to get on so that will be blocked until further notice.yond the san jose airport we are starting to see volume this. so, maybe some folks will leave town this morning. as we take a look through berkeley westbound 80 at university avenue this crash is cleared to the shoulder and it was a solo vehicle that stopped in the fast lane and the tire blew out and it was move out of the way but the rest of the drive is slow-and-go to the maze and another look at san jose 280 away from 17 a few extra cars making the drive in the northbound direction and the southbound side no delays. >> 5:49. a community comes to the rescue after christmas is all but stowen -- stolen from an army man over the holidays. >> what is on the line an the a holiday display goes around >> a group of shoppers were not in the holiday spirit with a brawl over new air jordan. the spokesman of the store says $185 shoes sold out quickly, causing tension among the shoppers who could not get a pair. another fight broke out, outside a footlocker in the bronx between a group of women.

. >> wonder what williams and brokaw and lauer think of this knucklehead. >> i've got to tell you, that'slive in a country where if you want to drink out of a red solo cup or crystal stem, you have the opportunity to do that. >> marsha blackburn's cup runneth over with scare tactics. >> next thing you can't buy that solo cup. >> you can't buy an inexpensive blouse. >> where did you get those clothes? at the toilet store? >> you can't buy a pair of shoes that cost less pair? >> these were $300. >> let's get him. >> come on. this is absolutely ridiculous. >>> end zone. >> as i look at the end time scholarship tour, this says to me the leaf is on the fig tree. >> michele bachmann lies about syria. of. >> president obama waived a ban on allowing terrorists ordering to allow weapons to go to the syrian opposition. u.s. taxpayers are now paying to give arms to terrorists, including al qaeda. >> and predicts apocalypse. >> and we are to understand the signs of the times. >> this city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions. >> we need to rejoice. come lord jesus. his day is at hand. >>

there were others like tom brokaw and any number i can use, can name, but i think that it took many of us who had been partly -- part of a civil rights movement and fought against jim crow, which is our apartheid in america. we appreciated someone who was rising above the situation in south africa so the world could know. for many years their struggle was going on and nobody was listening. >> absolutely. you wrote in your piece on nelson mandela to the very end, he was frail and somewhat forgiveful and remained the father of the nation for south africans and in several trips he made to the hospital over the past two years, he was in his own way preparing his family biological and extended, for his final return home. he was 95. we know this life is not permanent in this form here. when you -- the news broke, despite his age and despite knowing his health situation, no one wanted to let him go for what he represented, even though that continues as he's passed away. >> i think so many people wish it could continue even more intensely. but i've got rn e-mails from friends in south africa w

this is tom brokaw reporting on nbc's "nightly news." >> nelson mandela was honored by new york cityly reserved for presidents, astronauts and hometown world series champs. he came here to continue his campaign against apartheid. president bush said u.s. sanctions would stay on until certain additional steps are taken. but for the most part this was a day to celebrate mandela. the man who spent 27 years in prison was given a hero's welcome. governor cuomo calling him a symbol of indestructibility of the human spirit. mandela seemed tired, not quite ready for it all. jesse jackson gave him a hand with his tie. he urged united states to pain main his tough policy against south africa as blacks there struggle for equality. >> the only way in which we can work together on this difficult road is for you to ensure that sanctions are applied. >> mandela! mandela! >> mandela and his wife winnie stopped by a brooklyn high school. they were greeted by 10,000 people. new york city honored mandela as no other city can. a ticker tape parade up broadway. mandela said he knew he had friends in new

and here's how tom brokaw portrayed that scene years ago. >> what happens when you team up mrs.d mr. t? you get the a couple of course. mr. t made a menace b santa claus at the press tour. >> who been bad. >> we don't know what mrs. reagan asked for, but mr. t got something a little extra from her. >> all right. oh. wow. now that'll start of scandals. >> next up, it's a case of shooting first and asking questions later. sarah palin was the first and perhaps the most vocal defender of phil robertson after he was suspended from "duck dynasty" for the anti-gay comments he made in "gq" magazine. as it turns out, palin never bothered to read the article at the center of the controversy. her admission came on fox news with greta van susteren. >> there's a rather offensive zrings of it. there are two ways to say different things. and his in the article and i know he's a graphic type guy, but do you have any objection on the manners aspect, how he said it? >> i haven't read the article. i don't know exactly how he said it. he was quoting the gospel. so people who are so insulted and off

my guest, tom brokaw, civil rights leader reverend jesse jackson. andar

and i see your colleague, tom brokaw. that's what i wanted to get into. i love politics.ee people talking about fema. i read about president bush and his budget cuts. that gets my juices going. >> and in prison, he's discovered a captive audience for his brand of political punditry. >> i have a subscription to "usa today" and i have a line. i let everybody read it. i write little comments. you'd be surprised, we discuss things in here. everything in prison is not just violence or gangs. we discuss issues. people are surprised the conversations we have in here, you know what i'm saying? >> he tried out some spin in response to an unexpected line of questioning from our producer on the pin-ups decorating his cell. >> are these all your girlfriends? >> in another lifetime. most of them come out of "xxl" magazine. minority based magazines. kind of like "maxim." but sided toward the hip hop minority community. get tired of looking at gray walls all day. they're not nude, they're all clothed, albeit scantily. >> they're very artistic, marcus. it's nice you represent minorities,

. >> that was friend of the show, tom brokaw reflecting on nelson mande mandela.he impact he's had on us. i had a huge nelson mandela poster on the wall in college because he was an amazingly inspiring figure in terms of con quering racism. i'll rant about him later but found this quote today, the 27 years he spent in prison were absolutely crucial in mandela's spiritual involvement and difficult to gain in other ways, gave him an authority and credibility that otherwise would have been difficult to attain. no one could challenge his credentials. he proved his commitment andselflessness and had the authority aattractiveness, as with gandhi, mother theresa and the d-- >> one of the qualities was the forgiveness he had shown and it was a personal choice, humility and something inside him i don't know i can fully understand but i can marvel at it. but it was also because he was a prag ma tist, he was about more than obviously simply sounding consistent or looking good. it was also a political philosophy that applied to as he put it ending the enslavement for both the