earlier, i talked to the former ambassador to south africa, delano lewis. first of all, your reflections back on the man. >> well the reflections i must tell you, i was honored to be there as united states ambassador. i called on him shortly after i arrived. i gave my credentials to president umbeke but mandela had just stepped down as president. so i called on him and introduced myself and my reflections are not only as a giant of a man. physically he was tall, elegant, carried himself extremely well but he was also very gracious and very humble and my first time with him was just awesome. >> you worked in washington for years. you know what washington is like. what made nelson mandela such a great leader compared to a lack of leadership these days? >> i've known a lot of great leaders, he is probably at the top of the list, without question. there are a number of reasons, number one, his commitment to antiapartheid activities, the struggle against racial inequality, his compassion to bring others along to make this happen but his selflessness is probably

joining us now is delano lewis, the former ambassador to south africa.r joining us, ambassador. >> thank you. good to be here. >> let's start with the personal. you're going to meet with nelson mandela. you're in a rush. you leave your family in the car, go inside to take care of business first. you realize your family is in the car and he tells you -- >> well, he says, how is the family? i said, the family is fine. as a matter of fact, my wife and sister-in-law and two grandsons are in the car. he said in the car? he said bring them in. so he came, asked for them to come in and we were in the foyer of his office in his home and he met my grandsons, my sister-in-law and my spouse. it was a wonderful, wonderful time. >> i this i a beautiful corollary on that story that gives a sense of how nelson mandela knew who he was, knew what he represented. is it true he said to you, bring your family in, let them know that nelson mandela thinks that you are an important man? >> yes. he was very, very gracious. he looked at mayan grad sons, one 11, one 13, first tim

several pictures of lewis houm are incorporate in this room. there's a good picture of delanoosevelt. we'll see a good picture of mrs. roosevelt's daughter-in-law, we'll see uncle theodore roosevelt in this room. we'll see interesting personalities such as ameilia earheart that would have given mrs. roosevelt her first flying lesson in 1933 over the skyline of baltimore, maryland. val kill was very important to mrs. roosevelt because it was her first and only home she would own on her own. she would refer to it feels so good to be home. >> alita blackwell. you mentioned something about the chair. >> in the alcove victor showed us, you can see the picture of eleanor and jack kennedy. she switched the chairs so she would look up -- look down at him and he would have to look up. and she argues him to take a stance on labor unions and civil rights. which he does take belatedly. >> go ahead for your question for doug brinkley and alee that black. >> i have a question for both. who are the descendents of fdr and eleanor now adays. what would eleanor think about the direction that th