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So, he stepped up. he stepped out. he continued to be, in my own view, a real renaissance man. >> reverend al? >> i think one of the things and it was pointed out about de klerk. we shouldn't under estimate the pressure on both sides of their own allies that were criticizing him. nelson mandela, i was on election observer in 1994, and mandela was being attacked by black nationalists that felt he sold out and de klerk by africaners that felt he sold out. they had to fight inside their own base to have this reconciliation which makes them even greater figures. how do you deal with having to bala...

Back freedom and democracy in this country. >> roheed, thank you very much for joining us. joining me now is reverend al sharpton, host of "politics nation" which airs weekdays on msnbc. and congressman barbara lee, democrat from california, an election observer in south africa, when mandela was elected president and worked on the legislative effort that removed mandela and the organization from the terrorist watch list. rev, truly one of the greatest figures of our time. >> probably one of the greatest figures of all time. i think that you cannot take lightly that the anc and nelson mandela w...

Risk of some that were supporters of his, who didn't know about the negotiations until later. and for him to take that move of reconciliation and lead that country into an election, i was an election observer, i remember barbara lea, i don't think she was in congress yet. i have a picture of her and danny glover and all of us at the hotel. and it was an amazing time to see people lined up, the first time they could vote and for miles and miles, for three days, and they didn't vote on individuals, they voted on parties. mandela always talked about him and others. and he talked about the party. ...

Builds over decades the african national congress, there were other movements to the left of them. others that were to the right of them. but the tenacity of this movement led by nelson mandela who did 27 years in jail and transformed it into a democracy. i was there as an election observer in '94, and to see those people lined up as you did, having the first time in their life the right to vote. people were standing for miles. and of course the result was he became the president of the ruling party which became the president of the nation. but i don't think people understand this is not just ...

Coverage on the passing of nelson mandela and joy reed of the grio and also with us tonight, dr. james peterson of lehigh university. i will start with you. a remarkable man. a life that is a true treasure to humanity. >> he is a star across all lines. >> you cannot compartmentalize him to a politician or a founting of south africa. here's a man who fought the hate and the bigotry and the institutional apartheid of a nation without internalizing it. he was able to reconcile a nation and move it forward and revolutionize it nonviolently, without firing one bullet. i was an election observer in ...