Kamala Harris is Still the Favorite, But Keisha Lance Bottoms is Rising Fast on Biden's VP List

Kamala Harris is still the favorite, but the mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, is now on the "short list" to become Joe Biden's running mate. There are various reasons for her rise, including her balanced and deft handling of George Floyd protests in the city, her pointed criticism of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s premature decision to rollback coronavirus restrictions, and her quick and generally effective response to the killing of Rayshard Brooks by police in SE Atlanta. She is battle-tested on some of the most critical issues facing America right now.

Additionally, unlike Harris, Bottoms was an early and loyal Biden supporter who campaigned for him from Iowa to South Carolina.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Bottoms’ loyalty was highlighted in February when she stood on the creaky stage of a school auditorium in Davenport, Iowa where the sound system had gone haywire. She bellowed as loud as she could to a room full of caucus voters who had hardly heard of her."

“The reason I left 74-degree weather is because I still believe in this country,” she said. “I was reminded of a quote from Kobe Bryant this week. He said, ‘The moment you give up is the moment someone else wins.’ And I refuse to let someone else win. That’s why I’m here on behalf of Joe Biden.”

And Mayor Bottoms has an important supporter who has Biden's ear, SC Rep. Jim Clyburn, one of the most influential African Americans in the country. Clyburn suggested that Bottoms would be a compelling VP selection, saying, " there is a young lady right there in Georgia who I think would make a tremendous VP candidate, and that’s the mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms,”

Bottoms does have some weaknesses that make her a risky VP candidate. She lacks foreign policy experience, is not well known outside the South and hasn't been vetted nationally. But it's likely Americans will be focused on domestic issues when they vote in November, and her selection would energize black voters and might even make Georgia competitive.

#news #2020election #politics

By: Don Lam & Curated Content

Photo: Official, Mayor of Atlanta