Flags to remain at half staff until monday. It is friday morning. We are going to take your calls and reflections on Nelson Mandela. Our phone lines are open. Republicans, 202 5853881. Democrats, 202 5853880. And our line for independents, 202 5853882. Mail,an send us an e journal cspan. Org or you can send us a tweet, cspanwj. [video clip] i am 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 Mandelas life. My First Political action, the that thing i ever did involves politics was a protest against apartheid. His works and his writings. The day he was released from prison, a gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they are guided by their hopes and not their fears. Globe, iany around the cannot imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set. As i live, i will do what i can to learn from him. President as he paid tribute to Nelson Mandela and the tributes coming in from former president s and World Leaders, including this from bush. Resident former president bush. I watched in wonder as Nelson Mandela had the remarkable capacity to forgive his jailers following 26 years of wrongful imprisonment setting a powerful example of redemption and grace for all of us. It was a man of tremendous moral courage to change the course of history and his country. No has written a piece. He has been a forceful president in my life going back to 1979 made its first anti apartheid effort. All tooople related easily to the subject the subjugation of ethnic majority of minorities from our point of view. Over the years, we became friends. Hiss mesmerized by maneuvering as a leader. That is bono, honoring the man who could not cry. Theassed away yesterday at age of 95. Lets get to your phone calls. Michael, riverside, california. Caller i want to ask cspan for something. I appreciate Nelson Mandelas story. I followed it through my life. I want to ask that you guys do not become as the regular tv stations. We have toied, but deal with the issues at hand. When i am dead, i am food for the maggots. Host john is next. Good morning to you. I echo president obama sentiments about Nelson Mandela. Reagan had mandela, as well as bush, he was considered a terrorist. It is funny how when we look , martinthese folks luther king and mandela, two of humans in theble century. They were looked upon during their lives, not so much as the heroes that they are now. Just remember that. Host john, thank you for the call. This piece from ast. Why mandela . What exactly makes Nelson Mandela so special . Apart from the fact that he emerged from 27 years in apartheid prisons bearing so little malice. He insisted on reconciliation being central to a Truth Commission in order to heal wounds caused by years of bitter racial hatred. Bok rugby a spring jersey in a bold bid to unite the nation behind the mainly White South African team. He stepped down after just one term, unlike too many World Leaders who cling to it until they it destroys them or the nation they are leading. Next is james, grand forks, north dakota. Republican mind, good morning. Republican line, good morning. Caller i am concerned about the individual. F any there is a godlike reverence for the sky which worries near. When he mandela, she used to necklace them with burning. When i was a kid, when apartheid in south africa was in the news, now there has been a blackout of news in south africa. Itso not know, especially neighbor, zimbabwe. They have had 25 years of black rule. The population of whites has gone from 300,000 to 30,000. There has been a redistribution of wealth in the stealing of their farms. And the stealing of their farms. Many have been killed that resisted. We are not allowed to hear about that. Millions are on the verge of starvation because of the loss of the industriousness of the whites there. In south africa, there is a return to barbarism. Johannesburg is the rape capital of the world. I want to know what is going on about the situation in south africa now. Host thank you for your call. A giant for justice. Nelson mandela was born in 1918. The world is mourning mandela. Our nation has lost its greatest son. This from detroit news a passionate peacemaker. Former governor while the reflecting on the legacy of the leader. Wilder reflecting on the legacy of the leader. This is from former president jimmy carter. Rosalynn and i are deeply saddened by the death of Nelson Mandela. The people of south africa and human rights advocates around the world have lost a great leader. His passion for freedom and justice created new hope for generations of oppressed people worldwide, and because of him, south africa is today one of the elitist leading democracies. People have to wake up. People have got to wake up. Obama and mandela are the same. People disrespect him and he does not lash out at them. People have to wake up. We have a good man in front of us. When he is gone, we will wish we had him back. He is a good president. We have to wake up america. Thank you. Host john is joining us from los angeles. Good morning. Caller thank you for taking my call. Againstandela was also israeli apartheid. Georgia. Good morning. Caller what we can look at is these countries were during this time. Both of these countries had brutal racist regimes based on the color of skin. The United States is now, they are embracing this again because president obama is the president. See southke to africa, the blacks in south africa, they embrace reconciliation. This is what Nelson Mandela had nonviolent spirit we have a president here that is hated instead of love. Nelson mandela he was loved. The only people that actually is resident obama it president obama is black people and white people who are not racist. It was brutal what they did in south africa. The South Africans and the United States africanamericans went through the same thing. I hope someday the white people can come to reconciliations. This is the headline from the chicago tribune. A powerful voice of reconciliation. Uniting a nation and captivating a world. If youre are just joining us or listening to us on cspan radio, we are getting your calls and reflections on the passing of Nelson Mandela. Next is joe, new york, good morning. Caller it is amazing that a man could suffer so much and come out with so much good and so much charity in his heart. I salute him. I have to raise a question. Ago, four to six months Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. I am astonished, but the president of the United States did not go to Neil Armstrongs funeral. How is that possible . You have an explanation . Host i do not. I know he did issue a statement on the passing of Neil Armstrong and we cover the Memorial Service that took lace in his native ohio. This is the headline from the wall street journal. Fromn mandela rose militant antiapartheid activist to become the president of a democratic south africa and a global symbol of racial reconciliation, died at his johannesburg home following a link these day and a pretoria hospital. He was 95 years old. Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father. Another statement from another former president from bill clinton who issued a statement yesterday afternoon. The world has lost one of its most important leaders and one of its finest human beings. Hillary, chelsea and i have lost a true friend. His three will remember Nelson Mandela as a champion for Human Dignity and freedom for peace and reconciliation. Cecelia, georgia, gore morning good morning to you. Good morning. I wanted to say how much, how very much i was moved by the activity, blackandwhite people dancing for joy, for a soul that all ongoingtant to quests for justice and freedom in this world. Thank you Nelson Mandela. Thank you everyone who sees there is more to humanity than the color of your skin. Thank you. That is all i want to say. Host thank you for the call. The new york times. Nelson mandela, the man who led a people to antiapartheid. He did not achieve this on his own. The movement he led, the African African National Congress was sustained by lesserknown activists and martyrs, many of them did not live to see the day of victory they had dreamed of for so long. Usa today has a number of tributes from World Leaders. Although we were political opponents and our relationship was off on often stormy, we could come together at critical moments and solve the many crises that arose during the negotiation process. Theelson mandela became first democratically elected black president of south africa, here is a clip. [video clip] men sacrificed their lives so that we could be free. Our dreams have become realities. Humbled and elevated by the order and privilege that you, the people of south africa, have the stowed on us. Bestowed on us. We will lead our country out of the valley of darkness. We understand that there is no easy road to freedom. We know it well. Can achieve success alone. We must act together as a United People for national reconciliation. For the birth of a new world. Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be bread and water for all. For each, the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to tooth to for fill themselves to fulfill themselves. Never, shall it be, that this land will again experience the oppression of one by another. [applause] and suffer the indignity of being the of the world. On so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom ring. From may of 1994, that speech. All of our coverage of Nelson Mandela is available on our website on cspan. Org. You can check it out anytime. Fromquotes and statements former president s including this from george w. Bush. President mandela was one of the greatest forces for freedom and equality of our time. He bore the burden with dignity and grace and our world is better off because of his example. The Associated Press is reporting a president obama will travel to south africa for the funeral surfaces of Nelson Mandela. Details are still pending. We will hear more later in the day. This is from usa today. Death of a giant. Nelson mandela, whose successful struggle against south africas system of racial segregation and discrimination made him a global symbol for the cause of human rights. Caller i would like to thank you for acknowledging Nelson Mandelas life. I want to say that it is a privilege to know that in this day and time that we did have someone who would risk his life for freedom. I understand what the young man was saying about the man who died who was the first man to the moon. That is an honor as well. Been unders have oppression for a long time. We live on earth. It is those on earth who need to reconcile. We need to come together. It is an honor to know that god put a man on art such as Nelson Mandela. An honor to know that god put a man on earth such as Nelson Mandela. Though we may be oppressed, we will overcome. I am proud to know that this is still america. Thank you. Republicans, 202 585 3881. Democrats, 202 5853880. We also have a line for independents, 202 5853882. Nelson mandela awakened the world to the evils of institutionalized apartheid in the battle goes on. More of your calls and comments in just a moment. This friday morning. Congress nears a modest on the budget. Here the details. The details. While modest in scope, it could break the cycle of the fiscal crises and a brinkmanship that has hampered the Economy Economic recovery and driven Public Opinion of congress to an alltime low. And Patty Mary Murray encountered lastminute resistance from houston rally leaders who had said any deal should be accompanied by an extension of expiring Unemployment Benefits for 1. 3 million workers. Has tempered expectations for deals on the budget and the farm bill yesterday. Neither issue appears to be poised for conclusion. And if theres a press conference, there is clearly no agreement on a budget from the two chief negotiators. Their selfimposed deadline is next friday, december 13. Sources indicated that an agreement could be announced in the coming days. Speaker boehner did not say whether he would move forward to pass a shortterm continuing resolution that would float the government for january 16. Details Available Online at rollcall. Com. The senate will be in session for another week after the house. The house will recess for the holidays next friday. You can watch all of this on c span. The senate on cspan 2. Moran there is joining us from bethesda maryland. Morgan is joining us from bethesda, maryland. Nelson mandela was a living hero to me and an inspiration. I want to change people and the world in the same way that he did. How do you do that . Caller i dont know. Ill have to figure that out. He does not hold grudges. That is something im not going to try to do. Host thank you for the call. The white house releasing this ,hotograph as president obama who was in south africa last year. Clothing these president quoting the president. Darren is joining us next. Good morning from washington, d. C. Thanks for having me. It is said that he had to go away, but the guy was 95. He touched on i point on a point. After apartheid, after he was he tried toident, make a point to not hold a grudge. He said we were all in this together. I think that was amazing. I wish our country would take some lessons. Thank you. Host thank you for the call. When people like Nelson Mandela pass, the whole world loses rest in peace. There is this photograph from 1994. Klerk. Ioned f. W. The speech by Nelson Mandela is part of our library available at cspan. Org. Times, thereington are photographs of Nelson Mandela a few years ago. He is not really been seen in the public since 2010. This is from july 2007 in joes in johannesburg. He is surrounded by children. Funeral services will be taking place in about 10 days. We want to hear from you. Republicans, 202 5853881. Democrats, 202 5853880. We also have a line for independence. You can send us a tweet, cspanwj. South africas conqueror of apartheid as a fighter, prisoner, president and symbol is the frontpage story. Jennifer, good morning. Caller it is astonishing how planet of lonely earth have evolved and how satan has destroyed our lives to believe that we have control and that the color of our skin means that we are superior or inferior. It is amazing how humans cannot what is placed in front of their eyes. God places us here to be equals and to be brothers and sisters and to learn to live in and loving atmosphere. It doesnt matter if you are black or white. That god has gift given you. We have so dumbed that down that we have jumped into an arena of thinking that we are little miniature gods. It is astonishing. Nelson mandela exemplifies that. He brings that astounding humanity and love for each other out for people to understand. Color does not have anything to do with who you are. This is from pet, sending in this tweet. The fight against oppression goes on. Without mandela such as the oppressive Voting Rights laws against minorities today. List enrollment surge or no enrollment surge, the next obamacare challenge is a big one. How will the white house make sure people with canceled policies get new coverage by january 1 . At the rate signups are going, even with the speedier and newly functioning obamacare website, there is a daft distance to peoplebefore for to five get coverage. Ple thatr it is unfortunate a few country there is people willing to sacrifice. I am talking about some white people. Maybe republican, maybe democrats. It is both sides. If mandela is left in public, im going to make the trip to south africa and be proud of it. Host james, thanks for the call. Warsaw, indiana, tricia. Good morning. Caller thank you for taking my call. We canwanted to say that nelsonrn a lot from mandelas life. Watching him struggle, watching him fight what he knew was right and being oppressed and being in prison and Still Holding onto what he knew was right, i think that is what we have to do in america. Andave to take his example carry it through every country. For us, we need to do that with our government. We need to stand up for our principles, for what we know is right. We cannot let the strife in the things that we know in washington right now keep going on. I am an independent and i see good in both political parties. I see things i do not like them both political parties. I think we need to band together to not put the emphasis on will we canut she do to bring down the price of insurance, to bring down the price of pharmaceuticals and the affordableake it health care for everyone. That is where i think our focus needs to live. Host thank you. From the washington a couple of photographs of them of Nelson Mandela. He was greeted by Britains Queen elizabeth in july 1996. Theill continue to follow passing of Nelson Mandela, more details on Funeral Services as they happen in south afri