During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) ripped President Trump as she discussed two runoff elections in Georgia coming in January that will decide which political party controls the U.S. Senate.
Host Anderson Cooper asked Bottoms if Trump’s continued claims of voter fraud is intended to “rile up his base” to get them to the Georgia polls in January.
“How do you think it plays electorally?” Cooper asked.
“This has been a fascinating year, especially if you watch politics,” Bottoms said, “to even see the Republican president turn on the Republican secretary of state [of Georgia], whom he endorsed, and if you watch his Twitter feed —”
“He’ll turn on anybody if the situation warrants it, it seems,” Cooper said.
“He will eat his own children, I’m sure, if he found it prudent,” Bottoms said. “But he’s now picking a fight with Brian Kemp, also the governor who he was closely allied with. And so it’s my hope that even if people did not vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that they will be so disappointed and disgusted by this behavior. [As] you look at the transition, the lack of transition that’s happening, you look at our COVID numbers that are rising in the state and across the country, there’s so many reasons not to be supportive of Donald Trump at this point, and any candidates who are aligned with him.”
“So it’s my hope that when people go back to the polls on Jan. 5 they will remember that because in Georgia, Joe Biden got a nice portion of Republican-leaning votes in this state and also many independent swing voters in this state went for Joe Biden, and it’s our hope that will happen Jan. 5,” the mayor said.
“He will eat his own children, I’m sure, if he found it prudent,” says Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of President Trump turning on members of the GOP that don’t support his agenda.
“He’s now picking a fight with Brian Kemp… the Governor who he was closely allied with.” pic.twitter.com/uwBwVuvajt
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) November 19, 2020
Trump has been vocal about the vote tally in Georgia, which puts Biden up by just over 20,000 votes.
“The Georgia recount is a joke and is being done UNDER PROTEST,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Even though thousands of fraudulent votes have been found, the real number is in matching signatures. Governor must open up the unconstitutional Consent Decree and call in the Legislature!”
The Georgia recount is a joke and is being done UNDER PROTEST. Even though thousands of fraudulent votes have been found, the real number is in matching signatures. Governor must open up the unconstitutional Consent Decree and call in the Legislature!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2020
Trump went on, saying, “Even though thousands of fraudulent votes have been found, the real number is in matching signatures. Governor [Kemp] must open up the constitutional Consent Decree and call in the Legislature!”
The Nov. 3 elections in Georgia did not decide who would serve in the Senate because the winning candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote. So both of the U.S. Senate races have been sent to runoff elections on Jan. 5. In one race, Republican incumbent Sen. David Perdue faces Democrat Jon Ossoff, and in the other, Republican incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler will battle Democrat Raphael Warnock.
Related: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms Suggests Trump Responsible For 8-Year-Old Girl Murdered In Atlanta