August 20, 2025 • 23 mins
Episode 401 "Keisha Lance Bottoms" Feat: Ferrari Simmons & You Know BT Produced by: Baller Alert
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Economy broadcast live from the Nagel Law Firm Studios.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to the Ball Alert Show.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I go by the name for I go by the name.
You know, bt Man, Miss Keisha.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Can I still say mayor?
Speaker 4 (00:15):
Yes, of course, they always mayor.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I like that. I like that.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'll never forget when you are a mayor.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
It was like we had a mayor named Keisha five.
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Well, you know, I used to be a DJ. I
just want you to a DJ. I did what was
name Keisha? When I Keisha Lance? J Lance? No, it
was just Keisha Lance.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
So when I was in college at FAM, you my
work study job was to so I So I.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Was the DJ and traffic director.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yes, but we played jazz, so I didn't have to
have a fancy name.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
So you was a You was a DJ that played
jazz music.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
We did jazz and uh, you know, we still had
albums and CDs started coming out. So then I would say,
and from our compact disc collection.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
We have coming out now. But it was fun. I
love that job.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Well, welcome to the Ball Alert Show. We tend to
go viral and you you know in Atlanta, so well,
I would like to start it off with an Icebreaker.
Are you Are you familiar with the lemon pepper experience?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Correct course?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, I'm just it's called the icebreaker.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
How does Keisha lands Bottom like her lemon pepper wings.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I like all drums, okay, all drums.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Drums chrispy.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I don't like flat I don't.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I knew it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Just my husband just brought me some limon pepper wings
and I ate all of the drums, and.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
There were like ten flats still in the I just
I don't like to work that hard for.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Crispy.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
All drums.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Crispy with ranch, not blue cheese, no blue cheese. I
like ranch.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You don't like blue cheese at all.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I like blue cheese, but I like ranch with my
lemon pepper wings. But lemon pepper is good on a
lot of things. I put lemon pepper on Lamb chicken vegetables.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
You can do a lot with lemon.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
You can do a lot with that lemon pepper.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now we saw on everywhere that Miss Keisha Lamb's Bottoms
is running for governor.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I am, that's a big deal.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It is a really big deal for the challenge. Oh yes,
of course, I am. You stay ready, you don't have
to get ready, ma'am. And I'm not saying that with arrogance.
It's just there's nothing wrong with being confident that I'm
ready for this moment. I'm a battle tested leader. I
(03:06):
was mayor of Atlanta. Before that, I was on the
city council. Before that, I was a judge. I have
four kids at home and two dogs, so you know,
my life is tested in a lot of ways about
a lot of things, but just in terms of leadership.
I served in White House senior advisor to the President,
(03:27):
and I know how serious this is, not just for me,
but for all of us. You know, it's good to
have a nice laugh, because there's a lot not to
laugh about right now. It's a lot happening in this
country that's hitting people really hard. And I was mayor
for three years under the first Trump administration, and this
(03:47):
Trump two point zero is even more challenging. And I
know how important it is to have solid leadership in
somebody who can make sound decisions in the mystic chaos
and make decisions that will make a difference in people's lives.
So I'm honored to run.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Now, what made you make that decision?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
I woke up in November, the day after the election.
I didn't think that I was going to run. The
last four years that I've been out of office haven't
been a terrible four years. Four years for me. As
I mentioned, I had the opportunity to serve in the
White House. I've written a book that I just turned
into HarperCollins Publishing. Yesterday my last round of edits.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
I hope produced.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
The show with Tyler Perry and Terry Vaughan. Also, I've
done consulting, and I've traveled. I've done, you know, enjoyable
things without.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
A government salary. I'll just say it that way.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
But that being said, I woke up in November going
what does this mean for me and my family and
my commune and what am I called to do in
this moment. I think we all anticipated that it would
be challenging, but it's been even more challenging, I think,
(05:13):
at a faster speed. And for me, it's about leadership
and standing up and fighting. That's what I do. And
I'm honored as a fifth at least a fifth generation
Georgian to offer myself as a candidate. My family can
only be traced back to a plantation in Crawfatville, Georgia.
(05:36):
That's as far back as we can trace our roots.
My great great grandparents were enslaved on the plantation in Crawfordville.
And so I know what the state has to offer.
I know what it has to offer in the worst
of times, and I know what it has to offer
the best at times.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I'm glad you said this because you said state. That's
very important as you're running for governor.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
It's a state.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And once we get out of Atlanta, it gets a
little palm colored.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Uh everywhere.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Well, you know, you're scattered around, but it ain't like
you know, South Fulton or you know, the east side
East Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
It gets a little well, they're not in a lot
of places like Southfolk. You know, I say that to
somebody who lives in you know, we we are.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
We're in a cocoon. I'll just I'll put it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's the largest population of black people in the southeast
region of the country. I believe South Fulton.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I would believe that to be true, just based based
on my neighborhood in my community.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
I don't dispute that.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Uh yeah, I mean it's a great it's a great area.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
It's a great great community.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
I love it, been over there for decades at this point.
But yeah, you know, Georgia is a very diverse state.
It's a very it's a heavily populated state.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Growing population.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
We've got a lot of people going through reverse migration,
where like members of my family, part of the Great Migration,
moved to places like Detroit and Cleveland and Chicago, and
now their descendants are coming back. So our population is changing. Also,
(07:21):
our politics are changing.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
We have two.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Democratic senators who are in Washington, d C. Right now,
so we know that it's possible to send a Democrat
into the governor's office. It just hasn't happened yet, but
it doesn't mean that it can't happen.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Now.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
How hard it is to become a governor, It's hard.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
It takes a lot of money and a lot of work.
I mean, you have to go out. The good thing
for me, Thankfully, people still know me across the states,
so I'm grateful for that. And they still like me
across the state, so I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
Now I have to go out and earn their votes.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So if you're in Atlanta, around Atlanta, you may be
a little more familiar with me.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
And what I did as mayor.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
But if you are outside of the metro area, you know,
they may say, oh, we've heard of her, Yeah we
liked her. But now that's very different than earning somebody's votes.
So we kicked off yesterday a tour called Stand Up
for Georgia. Kicked it off in Clarkston, Georgia. I'm traveling
across the state talking to people. We were with CDC
(08:29):
workers yesterday. It was sobering listening to their stories directly
because we read about the CDC workers.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Being laid off.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But what struck me the majority of them who came
in were women, which was eye opening, and they said
it seemed as if the divisions of the CDC that
were heavily populated by minorities and women were the ones
who were hit for cuts. And these are women who
work on everything from HIV AIDS prevention, which in Georgia
(09:04):
we have some of the highest numbers in the country
for black women, to a maternal mortality, to accidents, occupational
safety diseases, smoking prevention, you name it. The CDC touches
it with public health and a lot of their work
(09:24):
and the studies that have been done have just been
they've been cut with no notice, no plan for a
continuation of their work. So it was it was it
was very sad to hear their stories, but also very
sobering to know what this means for us just globally.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Wow, I'm so happy you're here and talking to us
about these things.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Now we have a present for you.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
Come on, Royce, a.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Little bit more exclusive one type of all our watches.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We have a lady or a wi oh wow for
a new governor to be this is nice and these
watches are luxurious but afford you know, so.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Looking at you all watching and I was going to
ask you who those are bonds like a but it's
really nice.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
That's yours.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Well, thank you, just a little fancier than my Apple
watch that I have on here.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
And we're gonna play a little game. Now. We know
you're happily married, right, So if if your husband was
just a.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Happen to look at this clip, what is something you'll
tell him right now in a flirtatious way?
Speaker 5 (10:47):
What would I tell him? First of all?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
He laughs at my sexy look. He's like, what kind
of look is that? I'm like, that's my sexy look.
He's like, okay, well, don't do that. So if I
said something flirty and my sexy look, he probably say,
you're scaring me.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
All right, Well let's flip it over to it's not
time for you got me f up. Some things that
get on Keisland's bottom.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Nerves rude people.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
If you hold the door for somebody and they don't
say thank you, or if you let somebody in the
traffic and they don't just throw up the hand the
acknowledge that you did it, that that really irritates me.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Well traffic, yes, traffic does irritate me.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Well, you know, it's a lot of more people moving
to Georgia.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
That's why we need a governor who's going to be
able to do something about that.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
What would you do about the traffic if when you
become governor.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I think expansion of mass transit is important. When Marta
was built, it was only built in a couple of counties.
It was not thoughtfully planned. There were a lot of
reasons that it didn't go into other accounting. Some of
it was racial, and then at some point funding became challenging.
(12:12):
We've got to be make it easier for people to
be more connected without getting in their cars. And then
there are exchanges on the interstate. You think about the
bottleneck going from two to eighty five to twenty going
towards six flags twenty west. If you think about the
bottleneck going around the Grady Curve like, that's an infrastructure issue.
(12:37):
So we've got to be able to get the funding
in place to improve some of those bottlenecks to help
release some of the five.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Minutes right there when you when you get off, thirty
minutes matter.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
What coming from twenty to seventy five eighty five. And
because I'm coming from the south side, I can tell
you it's even worse on weekends because everybody is coming
in and don't let it.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Be a soccer game, a Hawks game, or if it's
if it's a fast game, it's it's gridlock.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
It is.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
And thankfully I know my way around here because you've
been here just about Yeah, I know how to cut
through neighborhoods and and.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
All of that because tell them.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Shortcuse I know a couple of time.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Okay, now, one time for the Faith Project that is
Keisha on the other side that came in and told
you how she sponsored the segments called the mental Health
Check in Miss Keisha Land's bottom keep her mental health Strong.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I talked to my therapists at least once a month,
and I am very grateful to have her in my life.
Her name is doctor Rosa Turner Ash. She is incredible.
She has helped me unpack so many things and connect
so many dots on childhood trauma and things that I've
(14:04):
done as an adult and how I think about things.
And one of the one of the most impactful things
that she said to me, and this was after I
left the mayor's office. She said, you were a strong mayor,
she said, but I want you to be a powerful governor.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
She said.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Strong black women pushed through and they have heart attacks,
they have high blood pressure, they have strokes, and they die.
She said, powerful women stop, they learned the lesson, and
then and only then do they move on.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
I received that, yep.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Now what about what about the potholes and all the stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
What we gonna do about Andre? We can't talk to
Andre about that.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
No, I'm talking. No, we talked, We talked to Andre.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
But I'm talking about this for Joja because Atlanta ain't
the only place in Georgia that got potholes.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
I'll tell you that.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
No, you're you're right, and I'm very proud of say
we filled thousands of potholes while I was mayor part
of it. You got to call it in. So City
of Atlanta had a number that you could call in.
Call in your pots.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Got start calling them in.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
You can't just say it's on p Street Street. You
give your nearest location. I can't speak to what the
current administration is doing, but our policy was that we
would try and fill that pothole. I think it was
within seventy two hours. That's a great policy.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
To have statewide.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
It's all about delivering for people.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
What do people care about?
Speaker 4 (15:33):
And you mentioned Georgia being different, you're right, but we
all want the same things. We want our communities to
be safe. We want our kids to have great schools
to go to. We want to have well paying jobs.
We want access to healthcare like that transcends political party
affiliation and race and community. Everybody wants that. And you
(15:58):
don't want potholes, you.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Don't want pa hosts.
Speaker 6 (16:01):
Now, a lot of people don't understand how important it
is to support the right governor because people just think
about the president. But people don't understand the governor is
the president of the state that you live in.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Yeah, and I'll tell you with that big, ugly bill
that just came out of Washington d C. There are
significant cuts that are happening in the state. So I
mentioned meeting with the CDC member's employees yesterday. Eighty percent
of their money goes out into counties and into the
state for public health.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
So if we're not getting that money.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
And that support from the federal government, your governor's making
decisions on where and how those gaps are going to
be filled. And as we're looking at whether it's our
inability to our unwillingness to expand Medicaid.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Before this bill, we had three.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Hundred thousand people who didn't have health insurance because we're
one of nine states that won't expand Medicaid, leaving over
seven hundred million dollars on the table, and the bill
has made it even worse. The governor can help drive
policies like that through the legislature. So the governor has
(17:15):
the ability to make our lives better and make our
lives worse. And as we're dealing with all of the
uncertainty out of Washington d c it's going to be
even more important to have a governor who's making sound decisions.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Before we let you go.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Is Georgia gonna be one of the last state to
legalize we marijuana?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
I don't think so. I don't think so.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I think now that there is you can look at
other states, other states and make the case that legalizing
marijuana is not as frightening and shouldn't be as big
of a hot button is you as it has been.
(18:01):
So you know, in the city of Atlanta, marijuana less
than an ounce. You know, we talked about decriminalists, decriminalization.
You now have places in Georgia that are able to
medically dispense marijuana. So Georgia is getting there. But you
can look at other states who've done it, and you
can see what does this mean for the agricultural industry
(18:24):
and business, which is our number one business in the state.
What does this mean for people who need it to
access medical care? Have their crime rates gone up? And
you know, all these things that people say concerned them
about legalizing that.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
Yeah, I don't see how the crime break can go
up with somebody smoking weed.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
You would think they'd be much more mellow. But I
mean my point.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Being, you now have data to say, hey, marijuana's been.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Legalized in I think Colorado and.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
California, California and New York, and you see things haven't.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
New York out of all places, was interesting.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
That is interesting, and that that's interesting for a number
of reasons. Yeah, in many ways, New York can be
very conservative in many ways.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
A lot of people A lot of people don't don't
know that either.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
A lot of people think that that the state of
New York is trending republican.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
I don't know if that's true or not, but.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
It is certainly getting more conservative than it has been
in the past.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Well, listen, we appreciate you spending some time with us.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Whatever we can do to support well.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Thank you all. I appreciate you all. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I won't come back and and so I'm on the
hunt for a good lemon pepper wings spot because my place.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Respon's about Hungary, af So when you come back.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah, so not that I'm just coming back for lemon
pepper wings.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
We got important things.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
We got important things to talk about. And please don't
get too busy for the little people. Never because we
appreciate you coming.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Now before we go, well, what's going to be the
sentation this this year for Thanksgiving? What we got?
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Oh for Thanksgiving? Well, see, my mom.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Always does Thanksgiving dinner. I know y'all really want to
ask about my mac and cheese, but you don't want
to ask about my mac.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
And cheese.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Cheese. I remember, remember.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
My kids send me tiktoks on how to make great
mac and cheese. But uh, Thanksgiving. I do desserts for Thanksgiving.
I do all the cooking for Christmas.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Okay, Okay, yeah, slid through that one.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Nice? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Any shout outs or anything.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Out?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Who the last bottom?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
That's a great question.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, you know what in this season, to everybody who
votes and everybody who.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Is eligible to vote, for sure, we need you.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
To register to vote and and to not give up
on this great experiment that we call America. The great
thing about our democracy, even when we don't feel like
things are going well, we get an opportunity to try
it again and try and get it right. And I
believe for us in the state of Georgia it will
be our election in twenty twenty six and the opportunity
(21:16):
to vote for me and God willing to have me
serve as governor on behalf of all the people across
the state.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Wow, listen, I appreciate you. Thank you, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, we both appreciate you. I got one more question
before you leave.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
How stressful it is being well when you were the
mayor of Atlanta?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
How stressful was that? That's hard for you?
Speaker 5 (21:40):
On the scale from one to ten, ten.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Had the pandemic going on?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Yeah, you know, I people don't understand what it was
like to have Donald Trump in the White House every day.
You just didn't know what was going to happen to
your city and how what he would say, how disruptive
he would be. And that being said, it was stressful.
But on a scale from one to ten, how much
(22:08):
did I enjoyed a ten?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I mean there were days.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
You know, nobody wants to see someone killed in your city.
You don't want to see bad things happen in the city.
So I can't say that every day was a joyous day.
But I was very grateful and honored to have the
opportunity to serve. And I just said it. You know,
(22:32):
for everything, there is a season. It was a great
season for me. And when I decided not to run
again for Mayor. It was a decision based on what
was best for me and my family at that time.
But we're in a new season, so I'm entering this
season with joy, enjoying every moment of this journey and
(22:54):
getting to know people across the state, and thankful to
be back in the spot.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Back.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Yeah yeah, yeah Man Broadcasting from the Nagal Law Firm Studios,
h MSS Mayor New Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the building.
We're gone peace mm hmmm.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Oliver, Oliver
Economy broadcast live from the Nagel Law Firm Studios.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to the Ball Alert Show.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I go by the name for I go by the name.
You know, bt Man, Miss Keisha.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Can I still say mayor?
Speaker 4 (00:15):
Yes, of course, they always mayor.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I like that. I like that.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'll never forget when you are a mayor.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
It was like we had a mayor named Keisha five.
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Well, you know, I used to be a DJ. I
just want you to a DJ. I did what was
name Keisha? When I Keisha Lance? J Lance? No, it
was just Keisha Lance.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
So when I was in college at FAM, you my
work study job was to so I So I.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Was the DJ and traffic director.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Yes, but we played jazz, so I didn't have to
have a fancy name.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
So you was a You was a DJ that played
jazz music.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
We did jazz and uh, you know, we still had
albums and CDs started coming out. So then I would say,
and from our compact disc collection.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
We have coming out now. But it was fun. I
love that job.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Well, welcome to the Ball Alert Show. We tend to
go viral and you you know in Atlanta, so well,
I would like to start it off with an Icebreaker.
Are you Are you familiar with the lemon pepper experience?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Correct course?
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, I'm just it's called the icebreaker.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
How does Keisha lands Bottom like her lemon pepper wings.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I like all drums, okay, all drums.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Drums chrispy.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
I don't like flat I don't.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
I knew it wasn't.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Just my husband just brought me some limon pepper wings
and I ate all of the drums, and.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
There were like ten flats still in the I just
I don't like to work that hard for.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Crispy.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
All drums.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Crispy with ranch, not blue cheese, no blue cheese. I
like ranch.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You don't like blue cheese at all.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
I like blue cheese, but I like ranch with my
lemon pepper wings. But lemon pepper is good on a
lot of things. I put lemon pepper on Lamb chicken vegetables.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
You can do a lot with lemon.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
You can do a lot with that lemon pepper.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Now we saw on everywhere that Miss Keisha Lamb's Bottoms
is running for governor.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I am, that's a big deal.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
It is a really big deal for the challenge. Oh yes,
of course, I am. You stay ready, you don't have
to get ready, ma'am. And I'm not saying that with arrogance.
It's just there's nothing wrong with being confident that I'm
ready for this moment. I'm a battle tested leader. I
(03:06):
was mayor of Atlanta. Before that, I was on the
city council. Before that, I was a judge. I have
four kids at home and two dogs, so you know,
my life is tested in a lot of ways about
a lot of things, but just in terms of leadership.
I served in White House senior advisor to the President,
(03:27):
and I know how serious this is, not just for me,
but for all of us. You know, it's good to
have a nice laugh, because there's a lot not to
laugh about right now. It's a lot happening in this
country that's hitting people really hard. And I was mayor
for three years under the first Trump administration, and this
(03:47):
Trump two point zero is even more challenging. And I
know how important it is to have solid leadership in
somebody who can make sound decisions in the mystic chaos
and make decisions that will make a difference in people's lives.
So I'm honored to run.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Now, what made you make that decision?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
I woke up in November, the day after the election.
I didn't think that I was going to run. The
last four years that I've been out of office haven't
been a terrible four years. Four years for me. As
I mentioned, I had the opportunity to serve in the
White House. I've written a book that I just turned
into HarperCollins Publishing. Yesterday my last round of edits.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
I hope produced.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
The show with Tyler Perry and Terry Vaughan. Also, I've
done consulting, and I've traveled. I've done, you know, enjoyable
things without.
Speaker 5 (04:49):
A government salary. I'll just say it that way.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
But that being said, I woke up in November going
what does this mean for me and my family and
my commune and what am I called to do in
this moment. I think we all anticipated that it would
be challenging, but it's been even more challenging, I think,
(05:13):
at a faster speed. And for me, it's about leadership
and standing up and fighting. That's what I do. And
I'm honored as a fifth at least a fifth generation
Georgian to offer myself as a candidate. My family can
only be traced back to a plantation in Crawfatville, Georgia.
(05:36):
That's as far back as we can trace our roots.
My great great grandparents were enslaved on the plantation in Crawfordville.
And so I know what the state has to offer.
I know what it has to offer in the worst
of times, and I know what it has to offer
the best at times.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
I'm glad you said this because you said state. That's
very important as you're running for governor.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
It's a state.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And once we get out of Atlanta, it gets a
little palm colored.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Uh everywhere.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Well, you know, you're scattered around, but it ain't like
you know, South Fulton or you know, the east side
East Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
It gets a little well, they're not in a lot
of places like Southfolk. You know, I say that to
somebody who lives in you know, we we are.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
We're in a cocoon. I'll just I'll put it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's the largest population of black people in the southeast
region of the country. I believe South Fulton.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I would believe that to be true, just based based
on my neighborhood in my community.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
I don't dispute that.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Uh yeah, I mean it's a great it's a great area.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
It's a great great community.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
I love it, been over there for decades at this point.
But yeah, you know, Georgia is a very diverse state.
It's a very it's a heavily populated state.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Growing population.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
We've got a lot of people going through reverse migration,
where like members of my family, part of the Great Migration,
moved to places like Detroit and Cleveland and Chicago, and
now their descendants are coming back. So our population is changing. Also,
(07:21):
our politics are changing.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
We have two.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Democratic senators who are in Washington, d C. Right now,
so we know that it's possible to send a Democrat
into the governor's office. It just hasn't happened yet, but
it doesn't mean that it can't happen.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Now.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
How hard it is to become a governor, It's hard.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
It takes a lot of money and a lot of work.
I mean, you have to go out. The good thing
for me, Thankfully, people still know me across the states,
so I'm grateful for that. And they still like me
across the state, so I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
Now I have to go out and earn their votes.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
So if you're in Atlanta, around Atlanta, you may be
a little more familiar with me.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
And what I did as mayor.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
But if you are outside of the metro area, you know,
they may say, oh, we've heard of her, Yeah we
liked her. But now that's very different than earning somebody's votes.
So we kicked off yesterday a tour called Stand Up
for Georgia. Kicked it off in Clarkston, Georgia. I'm traveling
across the state talking to people. We were with CDC
(08:29):
workers yesterday. It was sobering listening to their stories directly
because we read about the CDC workers.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Being laid off.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
But what struck me the majority of them who came
in were women, which was eye opening, and they said
it seemed as if the divisions of the CDC that
were heavily populated by minorities and women were the ones
who were hit for cuts. And these are women who
work on everything from HIV AIDS prevention, which in Georgia
(09:04):
we have some of the highest numbers in the country
for black women, to a maternal mortality, to accidents, occupational
safety diseases, smoking prevention, you name it. The CDC touches
it with public health and a lot of their work
(09:24):
and the studies that have been done have just been
they've been cut with no notice, no plan for a
continuation of their work. So it was it was it
was very sad to hear their stories, but also very
sobering to know what this means for us just globally.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Wow, I'm so happy you're here and talking to us
about these things.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Now we have a present for you.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
Come on, Royce, a.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Little bit more exclusive one type of all our watches.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We have a lady or a wi oh wow for
a new governor to be this is nice and these
watches are luxurious but afford you know, so.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Looking at you all watching and I was going to
ask you who those are bonds like a but it's
really nice.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
That's yours.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Well, thank you, just a little fancier than my Apple
watch that I have on here.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
And we're gonna play a little game. Now. We know
you're happily married, right, So if if your husband was
just a.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Happen to look at this clip, what is something you'll
tell him right now in a flirtatious way?
Speaker 5 (10:47):
What would I tell him? First of all?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
He laughs at my sexy look. He's like, what kind
of look is that? I'm like, that's my sexy look.
He's like, okay, well, don't do that. So if I
said something flirty and my sexy look, he probably say,
you're scaring me.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
All right, Well let's flip it over to it's not
time for you got me f up. Some things that
get on Keisland's bottom.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Nerves rude people.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
If you hold the door for somebody and they don't
say thank you, or if you let somebody in the
traffic and they don't just throw up the hand the
acknowledge that you did it, that that really irritates me.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Well traffic, yes, traffic does irritate me.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Well, you know, it's a lot of more people moving
to Georgia.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
That's why we need a governor who's going to be
able to do something about that.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
What would you do about the traffic if when you
become governor.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I think expansion of mass transit is important. When Marta
was built, it was only built in a couple of counties.
It was not thoughtfully planned. There were a lot of
reasons that it didn't go into other accounting. Some of
it was racial, and then at some point funding became challenging.
(12:12):
We've got to be make it easier for people to
be more connected without getting in their cars. And then
there are exchanges on the interstate. You think about the
bottleneck going from two to eighty five to twenty going
towards six flags twenty west. If you think about the
bottleneck going around the Grady Curve like, that's an infrastructure issue.
(12:37):
So we've got to be able to get the funding
in place to improve some of those bottlenecks to help
release some of the five.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Minutes right there when you when you get off, thirty
minutes matter.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
What coming from twenty to seventy five eighty five. And
because I'm coming from the south side, I can tell
you it's even worse on weekends because everybody is coming
in and don't let it.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Be a soccer game, a Hawks game, or if it's
if it's a fast game, it's it's gridlock.
Speaker 5 (13:08):
It is.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
And thankfully I know my way around here because you've
been here just about Yeah, I know how to cut
through neighborhoods and and.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
All of that because tell them.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Shortcuse I know a couple of time.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Okay, now, one time for the Faith Project that is
Keisha on the other side that came in and told
you how she sponsored the segments called the mental Health
Check in Miss Keisha Land's bottom keep her mental health Strong.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I talked to my therapists at least once a month,
and I am very grateful to have her in my life.
Her name is doctor Rosa Turner Ash. She is incredible.
She has helped me unpack so many things and connect
so many dots on childhood trauma and things that I've
(14:04):
done as an adult and how I think about things.
And one of the one of the most impactful things
that she said to me, and this was after I
left the mayor's office. She said, you were a strong mayor,
she said, but I want you to be a powerful governor.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
She said.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Strong black women pushed through and they have heart attacks,
they have high blood pressure, they have strokes, and they die.
She said, powerful women stop, they learned the lesson, and
then and only then do they move on.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
I received that, yep.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Now what about what about the potholes and all the stuff.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
What we gonna do about Andre? We can't talk to
Andre about that.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
No, I'm talking. No, we talked, We talked to Andre.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
But I'm talking about this for Joja because Atlanta ain't
the only place in Georgia that got potholes.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
I'll tell you that.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
No, you're you're right, and I'm very proud of say
we filled thousands of potholes while I was mayor part
of it. You got to call it in. So City
of Atlanta had a number that you could call in.
Call in your pots.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Got start calling them in.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
You can't just say it's on p Street Street. You
give your nearest location. I can't speak to what the
current administration is doing, but our policy was that we
would try and fill that pothole. I think it was
within seventy two hours. That's a great policy.
Speaker 5 (15:27):
To have statewide.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
It's all about delivering for people.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
What do people care about?
Speaker 4 (15:33):
And you mentioned Georgia being different, you're right, but we
all want the same things. We want our communities to
be safe. We want our kids to have great schools
to go to. We want to have well paying jobs.
We want access to healthcare like that transcends political party
affiliation and race and community. Everybody wants that. And you
(15:58):
don't want potholes, you.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Don't want pa hosts.
Speaker 6 (16:01):
Now, a lot of people don't understand how important it
is to support the right governor because people just think
about the president. But people don't understand the governor is
the president of the state that you live in.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Yeah, and I'll tell you with that big, ugly bill
that just came out of Washington d C. There are
significant cuts that are happening in the state. So I
mentioned meeting with the CDC member's employees yesterday. Eighty percent
of their money goes out into counties and into the
state for public health.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
So if we're not getting that money.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
And that support from the federal government, your governor's making
decisions on where and how those gaps are going to
be filled. And as we're looking at whether it's our
inability to our unwillingness to expand Medicaid.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Before this bill, we had three.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Hundred thousand people who didn't have health insurance because we're
one of nine states that won't expand Medicaid, leaving over
seven hundred million dollars on the table, and the bill
has made it even worse. The governor can help drive
policies like that through the legislature. So the governor has
(17:15):
the ability to make our lives better and make our
lives worse. And as we're dealing with all of the
uncertainty out of Washington d c it's going to be
even more important to have a governor who's making sound decisions.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Before we let you go.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Is Georgia gonna be one of the last state to
legalize we marijuana?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
I don't think so. I don't think so.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
I think now that there is you can look at
other states, other states and make the case that legalizing
marijuana is not as frightening and shouldn't be as big
of a hot button is you as it has been.
(18:01):
So you know, in the city of Atlanta, marijuana less
than an ounce. You know, we talked about decriminalists, decriminalization.
You now have places in Georgia that are able to
medically dispense marijuana. So Georgia is getting there. But you
can look at other states who've done it, and you
can see what does this mean for the agricultural industry
(18:24):
and business, which is our number one business in the state.
What does this mean for people who need it to
access medical care? Have their crime rates gone up? And
you know, all these things that people say concerned them
about legalizing that.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
Yeah, I don't see how the crime break can go
up with somebody smoking weed.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
You would think they'd be much more mellow. But I
mean my point.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Being, you now have data to say, hey, marijuana's been.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Legalized in I think Colorado and.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
California, California and New York, and you see things haven't.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
New York out of all places, was interesting.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
That is interesting, and that that's interesting for a number
of reasons. Yeah, in many ways, New York can be
very conservative in many ways.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
A lot of people A lot of people don't don't
know that either.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
A lot of people think that that the state of
New York is trending republican.
Speaker 5 (19:22):
I don't know if that's true or not, but.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
It is certainly getting more conservative than it has been
in the past.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Well, listen, we appreciate you spending some time with us.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Whatever we can do to support well.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
Thank you all. I appreciate you all. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I won't come back and and so I'm on the
hunt for a good lemon pepper wings spot because my place.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Respon's about Hungary, af So when you come back.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah, so not that I'm just coming back for lemon
pepper wings.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
We got important things.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
We got important things to talk about. And please don't
get too busy for the little people. Never because we
appreciate you coming.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Now before we go, well, what's going to be the
sentation this this year for Thanksgiving? What we got?
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Oh for Thanksgiving? Well, see, my mom.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Always does Thanksgiving dinner. I know y'all really want to
ask about my mac and cheese, but you don't want
to ask about my mac.
Speaker 5 (20:15):
And cheese.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Cheese. I remember, remember.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
My kids send me tiktoks on how to make great
mac and cheese. But uh, Thanksgiving. I do desserts for Thanksgiving.
I do all the cooking for Christmas.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Okay, Okay, yeah, slid through that one.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Nice? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Any shout outs or anything.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Out?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Who the last bottom?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
That's a great question.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, you know what in this season, to everybody who
votes and everybody who.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
Is eligible to vote, for sure, we need you.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
To register to vote and and to not give up
on this great experiment that we call America. The great
thing about our democracy, even when we don't feel like
things are going well, we get an opportunity to try
it again and try and get it right. And I
believe for us in the state of Georgia it will
be our election in twenty twenty six and the opportunity
(21:16):
to vote for me and God willing to have me
serve as governor on behalf of all the people across
the state.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Wow, listen, I appreciate you. Thank you, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Yeah, we both appreciate you. I got one more question
before you leave.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
How stressful it is being well when you were the
mayor of Atlanta?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
How stressful was that? That's hard for you?
Speaker 5 (21:40):
On the scale from one to ten, ten.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Had the pandemic going on?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Yeah, you know, I people don't understand what it was
like to have Donald Trump in the White House every day.
You just didn't know what was going to happen to
your city and how what he would say, how disruptive
he would be. And that being said, it was stressful.
But on a scale from one to ten, how much
(22:08):
did I enjoyed a ten?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I mean there were days.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
You know, nobody wants to see someone killed in your city.
You don't want to see bad things happen in the city.
So I can't say that every day was a joyous day.
But I was very grateful and honored to have the
opportunity to serve. And I just said it. You know,
(22:32):
for everything, there is a season. It was a great
season for me. And when I decided not to run
again for Mayor. It was a decision based on what
was best for me and my family at that time.
But we're in a new season, so I'm entering this
season with joy, enjoying every moment of this journey and
(22:54):
getting to know people across the state, and thankful to
be back in the spot.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Back.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Yeah yeah, yeah Man Broadcasting from the Nagal Law Firm Studios,
h MSS Mayor New Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the building.
We're gone peace mm hmmm.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Oliver, Oliver
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