Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed called on U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner to resign and defended the Obama administration’s economic record on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning as the mayor continues to raise his national profile.
It was Reed’s second stint on “Meet the Press” and the latest in a series of national appearances that could mark the mayor as a key figure in President Obama’s re-election plans.
“The Obama White House is clearly paying attention to him and what he says,” said Kennesaw State University political scientist Kerwin Swint, who watched the mayor on television. “If the Obama campaign is going to make a serious run at Georgia, as it says it is, Kasim Reed is going to be important to those discussions.”
In a roundtable discussion on the Sunday morning talk show, Reed said the attention Weiner has received since admitting he exchanged online messages with women has become a distraction for the Democratic Party.
“It’s very bad for Democrats,” Reed said. “I believe the congressman should resign so we can move on.”
Reed also said Obama needs to “constantly let folks know he cares about how much they’re hurting” and talk about what he’s done to address that pain.
“He needs to stay out there, stay in the fight,” Reed said. “He needs to constantly communicate.”
Reed appeared with Republican strategist Mike Murphy, Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberly Strassel and author Richard Wolffe.
In Reed's February "Meet the Press" appearance he spoke about the problems facing urban America.
The 42-year-old mayor has emerged as a sought-after Democratic voice in national media and on the issues circuit. In January Reed appeared on CNN to discuss the state of African-American affairs as the nation celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Last summer he headlined the Aspen Institute Socrates Society Forum for Young Leaders’ annual benefit dinner in Aspen, Colo.
Swint said Reed could be a key fundraiser for Obama throughout the Southeast. The mayor already has held numerous fundraisers for the president’s re-election campaign – including one that coincided with a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Swint said the mayor’s national prominence is unusual even for a big-city mayor. He said it’s an indication Reed could be considering a run for higher office.
“He’s got to be thinking about that,” Swint said. “He wouldn’t be human if he isn’t.”
In an interview after the show, the mayor said he’s not looking for another job.
“That’s not a desire of mine,” Reed said. “I have wanted the job I have since I was 13. I have the job I want.”
Reed said his television appearances “remind the nation about Atlanta and our national importance.”
“Among my top jobs is to make sure Atlanta remains the most important Southern city in the United States of America,” Reed said. “Hopefully I did a fair job of representing our city.”
Emory University political scientist Michael Rich said the mayor did just that.
“Certainly, it’s nice to have Atlanta represented on these kinds of things, as opposed to Detroit or Boston or Chicago,” Rich said.
Reed said he wants to boost Obama as well as the city.
“Right now my focus is really doing a good job as mayor,” he said. “But I do believe Barack Obama should be re-elected president of the United States. I will do everything I’m able to make sure that happens.”
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