0 world's most beloved statesmen from the 20th century when he emerged # from 27 years in prison to negotiate the end to white majority rule in south africa. the south african made announcement saying, we've lost our greatest son. leaving the world with memories of a man of astonishing grace and good humor. rock concerts celebrated his birthday. hollywood stars gloer fied him on screen. his gray hair and raspy voice made him instantly recognizable across the globe. the first black president of south africa, boxer, paved the way to reconciliation with well chosen gestures of forgiveness. he lunched with the prosecutor that sent him to jail, sang the african anthem at his own inauguration and traveled hundreds of miles to have tea with the the widow of the prime minister at the time he was in prison. his most memorable gesture when he came on the field in south africa colors to congratulate the south african team and brought the overwhelmingly white crowd of 63,000 to their feet chanting "nelson, nelson, nelson." he marched into the whitism. the temple of south african rugby and made followers feel they belonged in the new south of africa. he did not escape criticism as an individual and politician. much was muted as the status of decency and principle. as president, he failed to craft the lasting formula for overcoming south africa's biggest problems including one of the world's widest gaps between rich and poor. in his writing, he pondered heavy cost to his family of his decision to devote himself to the struggle. nelson mandela was convicted of treason, sentenced to life in prison for leading a campaign of sabotage against the government. he was sent to the prison. he was forbidden to quote him or publish his photo. he was able to smuggle out guidance to the crusade. as time went on, the long lovely wasted years as he turned them, you by the time he turned 70 he was the world's most famous political prisoner. he turned down conditional offers of freedom from jailers and found a way to benefit from confinement. he said people tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments but jail allows a personal to focus on internal ones such as honesty, sin scers, humility, general rositgenerosi. at the museum in jo happensburg he said, quote, you learn to look into yourself. thousands died were tortured in the struggle. when mandela emerged from prison years later, the image became an international image of freedom. south african white rule pers portrayed him as the spearhead of the majority. and they insisted bloodshed to other countries as they shook off colonial rule. south africa elected three president, always peacefully setting an example on a continent where democracy is new and fragile. the congress struggled to deliver on promises. corruption scandals and other missteps have undercut some of the promises of the earlier years quoting here, we have confounded the profits of doom and achieved a bloodless revolution. we have restored the dignity of every south african. that from mandela after he stepped down as president at the age of 80. tonight in south africa about 30 minutes ago we learned nelson mandela is dead. juan williams was the first to interview him when he got out of jail. he has written much about him. he said we learned from his daughter this morning that he was on his death bed and yet now it still leaves the incredible sense of loss for this world. >> no doubt. you know he stands as an iconic figure. he is the face of south africa, the new south africa, first president of a democratic multiracial south aftricafrica. he brought them back to the community. think back to sanctions, efforts by the world community to get mandela released from prison. his efforts seems to me, his example and his ability to reach out to people, just touches so many people. it helped to literally bring south africa in to the modern era. >> juan i mentioned you were among the first to interview mandela after his release from prison. tell me about that encounter. >> this is pretty incredible. i was there as a correspondent for the washington post. the occasion of his release from prison. you know it turned out he had read a book i had written about the american civil rights era. while most journalists were turned away, turned out he wanted to meet me. i was invited into his home to help him write notes to world leaders who were all congratulating him upon his release from prison. i wrote notes and thank you notes like hope to see you soon, great to be out. silly things like that. i got to sit with him as he was seeing grandchildren, meeting old friends, having home cooked others. one armed with the hope he'll rise even in the end. it always astounded me as an observer how this man that endure s du much could remain a symbol of stability, calm, humility and warmth. it was a position we witness in so few people in our lives. >> without a doubt. i think that's exactly why at this moment you're talking about a worldwide fig yuurefigure. i remember when the united nations had the 50th anniversary, seeing mandela there among the world leaders. you could see the others interacting with him in a special way, different from anyone else. there was an understanding he somehow transended politics, he had as a human being been able to touch the hearts of everybody no matter what your political stripe. child or adult in terms of humanity. he said i understand you and appreciate you. mr. mandela, thank you for standing up for what is right in this world. >> juan williams has been good enough to join us live from an event he's attending. i know you have to get back in there. thank you for being here. >> my pleasure. >> imagine having the opportunity he did. there are tweets coming in from literally around the world. speaker boehner issued one. nelson mandela's long walk to freedom slowed enduring faith in god and respect fordignity. that's from john boehner. david cameron, british prime minister speaking here. a great light has gone out in the world. mandela was a hero of our time. i've asked for the flag at ten to be flown at half mast he says. chelsea clinton with a tweet. my thoughts and prayers are with the mandela family. the privilege to know. as president i watched in wonder as mandela had the remarkable capacity to forgive jailers following 26 years of wrongful imprisonment setting redemths and grace for us all. he was a man of tremendous courage who changed the course of history in his country. barbara and i, he write, had great respect for president mandela and send condolences for his family and country men. this from the far corners of the world like we might receive for few others on this planet. >> when you mention that about former president bush 41 saying nelson mandela was kind even to jailers that kept him in prison 27 years. bush said before he thought it was incredible one of the jailers became an adviser, security official to mandela when he later became president. mandela thought it would be a great act of reconciliation that he had forgiven the team that jailed him. this is not about party. mandela is someone that crosses all of those lines. the state funeral the president talked about, you can expect president barack obama there, undoubtedly former president clinton, maybe one or former president bushs. there's going to be people from all around the world, all political stripes that the funeral. >> no doubt about it. we know of the series of events which are to come over the next week. they're elaborate. >> and the expectation is that the state funeral is not something that's a couple of hours as you say. it's going to last for days. one thing we'll be trying to figure out obviously after some time period, it's not the most important question to ask, but when does president barack obama go, when do other world leaders go? it's been described to us previously there will be a long mourning period and state funeral that extends over a long period where world leaders can come in and pay respects over time. this is something we're going to be seeing and hearing about his legacy several days to come. >> ed henry at the white house. the president is just a couple of minutes away if they're on schedule. the president will speak from the white house. scheduled to be from that briefing podium in 90 seconds. we normally get a two minute warning. they may be a couple of minutes behind. interesting a number of quotes from mandela. the list goes on and on. they're all inspirational. one in front of me. resentment is like drinking poisen and hoping it will kill your enemies. a very short, to the point, series of words that are good for all of us to live by. resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies. if anyone on earth ever had room for resentment it was nelson mandela. think of the life he led 26-27 years only to emerge and have tea with and give love to and say you're good to go with me to those that locked him up and changed his life. in doing so he changed the course of human events and the history of this world almost single handily. a couple of guests with us. this is the normal hour you watch the five on fox news channel. bob beckel is live with us, dana perino. you spent years raising money with desmond tutu correct? >> tutu was a key fig your wiur mandela. they came out and said -- by the way the resentment thing, in all aa meetings i go to, that's up on the wall about resentment. resentments will kill you. >> resent management is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemy. >> tutu came here twice to raise money. he himself is a remarkable human being. he and mandela's daughter came who is a remarkable american her own right. tutu was amazed mandela said to him after he got out of prison, we're not going to go on a witch hunt here, not going to prosecute people on the other side unless there's a clear crime to convict them for. we're going to have peace and reconciliation. i want you to lead the effort on this. they did. remarkably he ran against the clerk for president. then after they're over, they were both a warded the nobel peace price. he was angry at blacks who said what do you mean peace and reconciliation. we've been beat up, jailed. tutu said i've been jailed a long time myself but we ought to do it myself. >> you were in the bush 43, dana. 41 had a short statement. they were very close. >> they were amongst the time to bring freedom to people. the word mandela em bodies peace, freedom and also the belief in forgiveness as the power to heal not just personal relationships one on one but the entire nation. south africa rose to the occasion in a way a lot of people thought they would not be able to do that. you'll see the entire world mourn the passing of somebody who we all would like to be more like nelson mandela in our lives. >> certainly could be a guiding light even in death for so many of us. i have the run down of what is to happen. nelson mandela, long planned by the south african government. he won't be buried for ten days. a huge memorial service will be held at the soccer stadium. we talked about mandela returning to the rugby pitch and these people who once had control and no longer do are chanting his name. >> almost all white. >> amazinamazing. >> according to the document released, the main funeral will take place at 94,000 seat stadium that hosted the 2010 world cup final, his last public engagement. >> one of the last times he was seen publicly. because of his illness that has kept him behind the scene, even president barack obama didn't have a chance to see him on the recent trip because he was so ill. a long road to this point tonight. >> thank you very much. we're going to pause for a moment. the president is about to speak at the white house. i want to give an opportunity for broadcast stations, fox station across the station to join us now. good afternoon from new york. i'm shepherd smith at the news deck. we have learned the president is to speak in a couple of moments on the passing of nelson mandela. we reported ten minutes ago it was announced by the south african president, a quarter to 5 eastern standard time this afternoon, nelson mandela died in his hospital room with his family with him. he went in the hospital in june. it was widely thought at the time he was near death then. he spent 86 days in the hospital. his last public appearance was at a soccer stadium in the year 2010. we're led to believe though not confirmed, led to believe his funeral will take place there ten days from now. president barack obama is to speak from the white house on his passing, something they've been prepared quite some time. mandela's daughter was with him this morning. before 8:00 a.m. she sent out word her father was on his death bed. she made the extraordinary statement that even on this day in this dark hour she was able to learn more from him. she said last year every moment with him was a blessing from god and that she cannot even imagine anyone being more fortunate than she to have these last years with him. after he got out of prison after 26 year, who would think a man could hang on this long, except mandela, this man of resilience who recognized evil around him, who was inprisoned who's people were told you cannot utter a quote of him, may not have a picture of him. he was able to spread the word, outside the prison where he was, be a leader from those that realized he had the better way, to emerge as one who instead of trying for vengeance spoke of and lived for you south africa. now the president of the united states. >> at his trial in 1964, nelson mandela closed the statement from the dock saying, i have fought against white domination and i have fought against black dominati domination. i have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and equal opportunities. it's an ideal i hope to live for and to achieve. if need be it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die. nelson mandela lived for that ideal and made it real. he achieved more than could be expected of my man. today he's gone home. we've lost one of the most influential, courageous, profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth. he no longer belongs to us. he belongs to the ages. to his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, he transformed south africa and moved all of us. his journey from a prisoner to president embodied the promise that human beings and countries can change for the better. his commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those that jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to whether in the lives of nations or our own personal ones. the fact he did it all with grace, good humor, an ability to acknowledge his own imperfect n imperfections makes the man that much more remarkable. he once said, i'm not a saint unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying. i am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from nelson mandela's life. my very first political action, first thing i ever did that involved an issue or policy or politics was a protest against parti. i would studies his words and writings. the day he was released from prison gave me a sense of what human beings can do when guided by hopes and not by their fears. like so many around the globe, i cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that nelson mandela set. so as long as i live i'll do what i can to learn from him. to his family, michelle and i extend deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this man with us. his work meant long days away from those that loved him most. i hope the time spent with him the last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family. to the people of south africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal and reconciliation and resilience that you made real. a free south africa at peace with itself. that's an example to the world. that's the legacy to the nation he loved. we will not likely see the likes of nelson mandela again. it falls to us as best we can to bore the example he set to make decisions guide not by hate but by love. never discount the difference one person can make. strive for a future worthy of his sacrifice. for now let us pause and give thanks for the fact that nelson mandela lived. a man who took history in his hands and bent the ark of the moral universe towards justice. may god bless his memory and keep him in peace. >> clearly emotional president barack obama speaking live from the white house briefing room on the passing of nelson mandela at the age of 96. i'm shepherd smith in new york. our coverage continues on the fox news channel on satellite and cable. your continued coverage tonight from this fox station. from all of us here, good afternoon. our coverage continues now on fox news channel. dana perino and bob beckel are with us on the fox news deck for their normal hour of contribution to our programming. i was moved when the president talked about the bending of the curve. >> the ark of justice and it wasn't just for south africa but any freedom fighter around the world. i had the opportunity to serve on the broadcasting board of governors, that voice of america and all other nations, england, germany, netherlands all par s participat participated. they could listen to him on the radio and be inspired by the grace, redemption and real grit actually. imagine it's not just he was a wonderful, beautiful person. he had the ability to take what his jailers had done and turn it into something positive. >> he said i hate race, discrimination most intensely and all manifestations. i have fought it all during my life. i fight it now and i will do so until the end of my days. and he did. ed henry at the white house. the funeral some ten days to 12 days depending on when they're able to make it all you happen logistically. that will be a difficult process over there. i'm confident our biggest leaders in this nation will be there including the president. >> no doubt about it president barack obama will be there as they work out the details as well as former presidents, secretary of states, hillary clinton, many others. that's because there's such respect across the nation and across the world. you heard from the president briefly telling you inside the room being a few feet from him. you could see on the television screen. up close the raw emotion he felt. he talked about the legacy of mandela many times on the trip back in june throughout africa and south africa that president barack obama was on. you could see him halting and pausing as he talked about the legacy. i think it's important to note that he spoke a lot about what you've been discussing and highlighting what is important, nelson mandela's push for reconciliation for those that imprisoned him. president barack obama says one thing he talks about ask how man dell laugh was stubborn about pushing forward not just dealing through the 27 years of imprison ment. after he got out, to continue to fight for the cause of freedom. he continued to push forward. that's a legacy for many people. >> it is. one of his quotes to that end. he said, do not judge me by my successes. judge me by how many times i fell down and got back up again. >> you heard the president talk about nelson mandela saying also that he wasn't a saint. he considered himself rather a sinner trying to become a saint, trying to continue to push forward the cause of justice and freedom. trying to stress. that was one of the reasons he was so beloved around the world is that he didn't hold himself up as someone who was perfect. >> yeah. our viewers are seeing on the far right-hand side of the wall, that's a live picture of the nelson mandela statue. if you have not visit had the location, you should the next time in washington. it is quite moving. it's my u