Keisha Lance Bottoms Rises to the Top

Riots which began in Minneapolis in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer earlier this week have spread all over the country in places such as New York, Louisville and Atlanta.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta, spoke on Friday for just under five minutes. In less than five minutes, Bottoms rose to the top by both condemning the murder of Floyd while at the same time condemning protesters for not honoring the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. Bottoms admonished the protesters to go home. They would be wise to heed her advice because as I have argued their actions play right into the hands of President Trump.

I hope Joe Biden was watching. After all, she is a favorite of South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, a man to whom Biden owes a great deal. Last month, Clyburn touted Bottoms as a potential VP pick.

While I think Val Demings might be a more viable VP pick by virtue of her status as a former police officer and police chief, Bottoms eloquent remarks not only raise her stature but could help put Biden over the top in November.