mrs. tavis can be reconciled. -- maybe that can be reconciled. commissioner garcia: the permit does not ask to legalize what is done, and therefore, cfc could not have -- that is more reasonable to me, as the question was asked by vice president goh about the moving of the sink and toilet, i think it has been stipulated that they did that, prior to getting the permit. you do not have 30 seconds or one second unless the president wants you to comment on it. i am onboard for changing the findings or on board for whatever. if i am the one he made the motion to reopen, i mean to vote, because i would withdraw that. i thought maybe you had done that. commissioner fung: can you restate that? commissioner hwang: if we can narrow the issue, that be more efficient. my focus is whether or not there was a valid permit. and this goes to work being done prior. vice president goh: if we went ahead and voted and went ahead and voted tonight, i am not sure if that means that commissioner garcia would change his vote in vote to overturn or not, because now we hav

tavis: yeah, just a bad picture of mr. dukakis, but i digress. speaking of dukakis and politics, did you come away -- did you come away with am different view about this process in washington that lobbyists so control? >> it's corrupt and it's filled with hypocrisy. we do a film where abramoff was dragged in front of john mccain in a senate hearing. the scene ends up in a certain way in the movie. and it ended that way because abramoff told me that if he would have known that he was going to go to jail that he wouldn't have taken the fifth. what would that scene be like if he didn't take the fifth in front of the senate. i suppose what it underscores is here was mccain pointing fingers at this guy, when mccain himself had taken a lot of money from competing indian casinos to do the very thing that abram-off was trying to do -- abramoff was trying to do and the idea that these guys weren't in this it's process, weren't taking that amount of money, there they were pointing the finger. i think that points out the hypocrisy going around in this town.

tavis: my pleasure. i'm honored. thanks for tuning in. until next time, keep the faith. >> there he is, mr. tait. he can tell you his name. boo? >> mr. arthur radly. i believe he already knows you. >> for more information on today's that's next time. we'll see you then. >> all i know his name is james and he needs extra help with his reading. >> yes. to everyone making a difference, thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment one conversation at a time. nationwide on your side. >> by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. >> thank you. ♪ qp >> be more.

tavis: lord yes. >> that song, "rocket love," and "happy birthday" were the two songs a road in my dream. i said to mrs. coretta scott king, "i hope i can some day due in march and put the song out to make dr. king's birthday a national holiday." she said, "i am very happy you feel that way, but i do not think it is going to happen with this administration." i said, "yes it will." tavis: these were the reagan years. >> i said, i believe it will because what can we do? even if they saw it differently than i imagined it as being why, i felt that song would be sort of a calling message to everyone to hear the words and to look back and reflect on what his principles meant to them, and pull everyone together to sing it and celebrate. really, it is for the one this of all people. -- oneness of all people. we think of dr. king. we think of what he went through. i would hear his speeches and get emotional. i would cry. i am feeling this man. i was seven or eight years old hearing the speeches. wow, you know? i did not understand why there were things happening to people that were black. they were people. i di

mr. ellington that my daughter can't come down to meet him unless the -- unless his mother comes down and the rest of the company comes down. tavisyour mother a wise woman. >> he thought halves so -- he was so impressed by that. the band singer got sick and he called me into his dressing room. i had no idea. he said sing something for me. the next thing i know i'm replacing her and doing my dance routine. tavis: with duke. >> with the great duke ellington. it was like, i didn't tour with him as a singer, but it was that last -- that last -- three, four year -- three, four performances. tavis: on your resume. >> then lionel acten. 0 tavis: i want to get that out there. line hampton. then -- >> it is "star trek" that interrupted my career you see. tavis: i like that. you travel around. you get a phone call from the "star trek" people. pick up the story. >> my -- my -- my agent calls me and says, come home, they're doing "star trek." i said i'm not coming home. i'm loving this. and -- and my career is moving and people are taking me seriously as a singer. they think i have a great voice. and he said, you get on a plane, i'll put a f