Breaking

Who Is Keisha Lance Bottoms? Atlanta Mayor On Biden VP List - NPR
Jul 10, 2020 2 mins, 16 secs
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses a Democratic National Committee event in June 2019 in Atlanta.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses a Democratic National Committee event in June 2019 in Atlanta.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, one of several candidates said to be under consideration as Joe Biden's presidential running mate, has seen her profile rise fast in recent weeks as the first-term mayor has spoken out against the state of Georgia's Republican-led pandemic response and spoken forcefully to protesters in her city.

Bottoms endorsed Biden more than a year ago.

"I think that this is not a conventional year," she said at a Democratic presidential debate in Atlanta in November.

Tharon Johnson, an adviser to her mayoral campaign and the Southern regional director for Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, said Bottoms was with Biden "before it was cool to be.".

"And she stayed committed to his campaign, even when it looked like his chance of being the nominee for the Democratic Party was bleak," Johnson said.

On Wednesday, Bottoms joined a handful of cities flouting that state decision and issued a mask mandate in Atlanta, even though Kemp's order technically supersedes local emergency action.

At a late-night May press conference after previously peaceful Atlanta protesters had begun destroying buildings, Bottoms pleaded with them to "go home.".

"If you care about this city, then go home," she said forcefully.

She was a lawyer, then served as a magistrate judge and on the Atlanta City Council for two terms before winning the mayoral race in 2017.

Former adviser Johnson said Bottoms' relatability, drawn from her range of life experiences, is the key to her success.

While her messages to protesters have landed well, some have questioned whether she remains in control of the city, particularly after another wave of unrest following the officer-involved killing of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta.

"That being said, when people are being killed, and we see the number of people who were shot and killed in our city over a weekend period, that is a problem.".

"It's concerning; it should be concerning to all of us who call Atlanta home, and we will continue to focus on it.".

Joe Biden reacts as Bottoms introduces him during an assembly of Black Southern mayors in November in Atlanta

Joe Biden reacts as Bottoms introduces him during an assembly of Black Southern mayors in November in Atlanta

To the question of whether Bottoms thinks she's qualified to be a vice presidential candidate, or to hold another national role, she said yes: "When you are leading a major city, you are dealing with a number of issues all at once; you're dealing with the same issues that we're seeing across this country."

She's also proven she's a "fighter," Johnson said, like Biden

RECENT NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Get monthly updates and free resources.

CONNECT WITH US

© Copyright 2024 365NEWSX - All RIGHTS RESERVED