>> FUNDING FOR OVERHEARD

WITH EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED

IN PART BY HILLCO PARTNERS,

TEXAS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

CONSULTANCY AND ITS GLOBAL

HEALTH CARE CONSULTING

BUSINESS UNIT, HILLCO

HEALTH.

AND BY THE MATTSSON McHALE

FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT OF

PUBLIC TELEVISION.

AND ALSO BY MFI FOUNDATION,

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF

LIFE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND ALSO BY THE ALICE

KLEBERG REYNOLDS FOUNDATION,

AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M EVAN SMITH, HE'S THE

59TH MAYOR OF ATLANTA,

GEORGIA AND A RISING STAR IN

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

HE'S THE HONORABLE KASIM

REED.

THIS IS OVERHEARD.

>> MR. MAYOR, WELCOME.

>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> HONOR TO MEET YOU AND

THANKS FOR MAKING TIME TO BE

HERE.

>> NO, THE HONOR IS MINE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF

THE ISSUES THAT YOU FACE AS

THE MAYOR OF ONE OF THE

BIGGEST CITIES IN THE

COUNTRY AND I THOUGHT WE'D

BEGIN WITH WHAT'S ON

EVERYONE'S MIND AND THAT'S

GUNS.

>> YES.

>> AS THE MAYOR OF A CITY

THAT HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF

VIOLENCE OVER THE YEAR,

ALTHOUGH I NOTE THAT

FELONIES ARE AT THE LOWEST

LEVEL IN ATLANTA SINCE 1969,

YOU NONETHELESS APPRECIATE

THIS ISSUE IN A WAY THAT

VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO DON'T

RUN BIG CITIES DO.

>> YES.

>> IN WASHINGTON THEY MAKE

PRONOUNCEMENTS ABOUT WHAT TO

DO, AND YOUR ACTUALLY ON THE

GROUND.

>> I'M ON THE STREETS.

>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR

EXPERIENCE IN MAYOR IN

DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND

THE COMPLEXITY OF IT BEYOND

WHAT WE HEAR EVERYDAY IN THE

PRESS.

>> WELL, IT'S HARD.

ATLANTA IS AT THE CENTER OF

GEORGIA, SO WE HAVE A GREAT

RESPECT FOR THE SECOND

AMENDMENT IN ATLANTA AND IN

THE STATE.

>> A LOT OF HUNTERS IN YOUR

STATE?

>> NO QUESTION.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT FACT OF THE MATTER IS

THAT THERE ARE REASONABLE

LIMITS THAT WE FEEL WE ALL

NEED TO ABIDE BY.

AND WHEN YOU ARE MANAGING A

MAJOR AMERICAN CITY WITH THE

BUSIEST PASSENGER AIRPORT IN

THE WORLD, YOU HAVE TO

CONSIDER A LOT OF OTHER

THINGS THAT PEOPLE

TRADITIONALLY DON'T HAVE TO

CONSIDER.

>> RIGHT.

>> I HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST

FOLKS COMING IN TO OUR

AIRPORT AND ENGAGING IN

EXTREMELY VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.

I'VE GOTTEN A CALL AT 4:30

IN THE MORNING WHEN WE HAD A

SERIAL KILLER WHO WAS

TRAVELING THROUGH OUR

AIRPORT.

SO YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME IF

I HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING

ABOUT GUNS AND GUN VIOLENCE

BECAUSE WHAT I CARE ABOUT

MORE THAN FOLKS THAT MIGHT

WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO

ASSAULT WEAPONS AND GUNS OF

THAT VARIETY, ARE THE WOMEN

AND MEN, THE 1900 POLICE

OFFICERS THAT WORK FOR THE

CITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND MY FEELING REALLY IS

DRIVEN BY FACT THAT I DON'T

EVER WANT THEM TO ARRIVE ON

A SCENE AND BE OUT GUNNED.

>> YEAH.

>> SO I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW

WE HAVE A MOMENT BECAUSE OF

NEWTOWN AND I THINK THAT WE

NEED TO MAKE REASONABLE

PROGRESS.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT WE

NEED TO REMEMBER THAT RONALD

REAGAN SUPPORTED MANY OF THE

REFORMS THAT WE'RE HAVING A

CONVERSATION ABOUT.

IN FACT, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN

THE LAST ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

WAS PASSED HE ACTUALLY

LOBBIED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

ON THE 216 TO 214 VOTE FOR

PASSAGE.

>> FOR PASSAGE.

>> AND BUT FOR RONALD REAGAN

YOU WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE

LAST ASSAULT BAN THAT

EXPIRED.

>> UNLESS BETWEEN THIS ISSUE

AND AMNESTY ON IMMIGRATION

AND RAISING TAXES, I CAN'T

BELIEVE RONALD REAGAN WOULD

GET ELECTED TODAY WHEN YOU

THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIMES

THAT REAGAN IS USED AS A

COMPARISON.

>> RONALD REAGAN, IF HE

HADN'T COME ALONG I DON'T

THINK THAT THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY WOULD HAVE HAD THE

SURGE THAT IT DID.

SO REPUBLICANS, I THINK,

OUGHT TO RESPECT RONALD

REAGAN AND CERTAINLY LOOK AT

SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT HE

SUPPORTED.

AND I THINK THAT HE

CERTAINLY SHOULD BE A

STANDARD FOR REASONABLENESS

WITH OUR FRIENDS ON THE

OTHER SIDE.

>> THE INTERESTING THING

ABOUT THE POST-NEWTOWN ERA,

MAYOR, IS A HORRIBLE

INCIDENT, EVERY ONE OF THOSE

DEATHS TRAGIC, BUT BUT FOR

THOSE DEATHS WE MAY NOT BE

HAVING SOME CONVERSATION.

IT TOOK THAT INCIDENT TO GET

US TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING

THAT IN FACT HAS BEEN A

PROBLEM LONG BEFORE THAT

INCIDENT.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

SO THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW

MANY MORE HORRIFIC INCIDENTS

HAVE TO OCCUR?

>> RIGHT.

>> SO THE INCIDENT INVOLVING

GABBY GIFFORDS IN ARIZONA

DIDN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE, BUT

WE HAD --

>> THE MOVIE THEATER

SHOOTING IN AURORA,

COLORADO.

>> BUT THIS INVOLVED

CHILDREN, WHICH I THINK

SPEAKS TO THE CORE OF WHO WE

ARE.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE

IS UNIVERSAL AGREEMENT THAT

PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN IS

AN ESSENTIAL AND CORE VALUE

OF OUR SOCIETY.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IF 20 OF OUR KIDS ARE

SHOT REPEATEDLY AND MULTIPLE

ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION WERE

USED IN THIS SHOOTING, THEN

WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT IT AND

TRY TO COME TO SOME COMMON

GROUND.

AND THIS IS THE MOMENT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE

THREE.

LET'S GET SPECIFIC AND TALK

ABOUT THE THREE PRINCIPAL

REFORMS THAT ARE BEING

DISCUSSED AND LET ME ASK YOU

TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.

FIRST OF ALL, UNIVERSAL

BACKGROUND CHECKS.

>> NO QUESTION.

UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS

OUGHT TO BE A NO BRAINER.

AND I THINK THAT FACT THAT

OUR FRIENDS AT THE NRA ARE

NOW OPPOSING UNIVERSAL

BACKGROUND CHECKS AFTER

HAVING A VIDEO, MR. LA

PIERRE SUPPORTING THEM, I

THINK IT'S ASTOUNDING AND

POINTS OUT THAT THEIR

POSITION IS NOT TO GIVE ANY

GROUND ON ANYTHING.

>> I THINK THEY WOULD SAY

THAT MR. MAYOR WE'LL SUPPORT

EXPANDED BACKGROUND CHECKS,

BUT WHEN IT GETS TO PERSON

TO PERSON SALES OR I'M A DAD

AND I WANT TO PASS MY DAD ON

TO MY SON, THEY'RE NOT FOR

THAT.

THEY'RE NOT FOR BACKGROUND

CHECKS IN THAT CASE AND WE

DON'T WANT THERE TO BE

RECORD KEEPING THAT WOULD

ALLOW GOVERNMENT TO

ESSENTIALLY REGISTER EVERY

FIREARM.

>> I WOULD PUSH BACK ON THAT

AND SAY TWO THINGS.

ONE, THAT IS A DELAY TACTIC.

AND TWO, THAT GUTS THE BILL.

IT'S WHAT WE USED TO CALL A

CATFISH AMENDMENT.

IF I CAN CONVEY IT TO MY SON

I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.

WHAT IS THE MENTAL STATUS OF

OUR SON?

THE WEAPONS IN NEWTOWN I

BELIEVE WERE FAMILY WEAPONS,

WEAPONS THAT WERE IN A

FAMILY HOME.

SO I THINK THAT ONE THAT IS

A DELAY TACK TAKE.

THE NRA KNOWS THAT EVERYDAY

THAT THEY DELAY SIGNIFICANT

ACTION THE WEAKER THE

ULTIMATE BILL IS GOING TO

BE, AND THEN TWO, THE NOTION

THAT THE BACKGROUND CHECKS

SHOULDN'T BE UNIVERSAL AND

CARRY EVERYONE IS A SCARE

TACTIC AND GOES TO THIS

NOTION THAT WE WANT TO FIND

OUT WHERE THE GUNS ARE SO

THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN GO

EVEN FURTHER AND LATER COME

AND GET THEM.

BUT YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I

CARE ABOUT?

I CARE ABOUT REMOVING

ASSAULT AND ASSAULT STYLE

WEAPONS BECAUSE I JUST

BELIEVE THAT POLICE

SHOULDN'T ARRIVE ON THE

SCENE, WOMEN AND MEN, OUT

GUNNED.

I BELIEVE THAT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY

NEEDS MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS,

WHICH THE NRA OUGHT TO

SUPPORT.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO COME

OUT BLAZING YOU WILL HAVE TO

BUY SOME MORE GUNS.

>> RIGHT.

RATHER THAN MORE MAGAZINES.

>> SO YOU WON'T HAVE 100

ROUND MAGAZINES, SO PERHAPS

YOU WILL HAVE TO GO --

>> SO YOU HAVE ANSWERED

MYANY NEXT TWO QUESTIONS.

ON THE HIGH CAPACITY

MAGAZINE BAN, YOU'RE FOR

THAT.

>> I'M FOR LIMITING IT TO 10

CARTRIDGES, 10 ROUND

CARTRIDGES OR LESS.

>> YOU UNDERSTAND

POLITICALLY THE UNIVERSAL

BACKGROUND CHECK MAY IN SOME

VERSION PASS.

THERE'S A BIPARTISAN

VERSION, BUT THE OTHER TWO,,

THOSE THINGS MAY HAVE

POLITICALLY VERY LITTLE

CHANCE OF PASSING.

>> WE'LL GET UP OR DOWN

VOTES.

AND THE REASON YOU'RE GOING

TO GET THE GUN VIOLENCE BILL

IS GOING TO GO TO THE FLOOR

OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

AND YOU WILL HAVE UP OR DOWN

VOTES AND YOU WILL HAVE REAL

ACCOUNTABILITY.

NOW, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT

VOTE IS ONCE YOU HAVE A

ANOTHER TRAGEDY, YOU'RE

GOING TO HAVE A VOTE THAT'S

GOING TO BE VERY, VERY HARD

BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

ARE MOVING ON THIS ISSUE.

>> YEP.

>> AND WE'RE ALREADY

SEEING --

>> THE POLLS ARE ACTUALLY

LEADING THE POLITICIANS.

>> WE'VE NOW MOVED TO 55% OR

MORE ON ALL THREE OF THE

ISSUES THAT I JUST LAID OUT,

WHICH MAKES A POLITICIAN

THAT CARES ABOUT THEIR

FUTURE HAVE TO BE MORE

THOUGHTFUL.

SO DO WE GET IT ALL RIGHT

NOW?

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT

IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF

THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE

YOUR MEMBER STANDS.

AND TO HAVE A DEFINITE VOTE

SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE A

TRAGEDY LIKE THIS IT'S

EASILY VERIFIABLE WHERE YOUR

MEMBER STOOD AND I THINK

THAT WILL MOVE THE

CONVERSATION AROUND GUN

VIOLENCE DRAMATICALLY.

>> LET'S TAKE BACK TO THE

ATLANTA STORY.

AS WE SAID EARLIER, THE

LOWEST NUMBER OF FELONIES IN

2012 IN ANY YEAR IN ATLANTA

SINCE 1969.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> HOW DID YOU DO IT?

>> I DID IT BY CARING ABOUT

IT, WAKING UP EVERY SINGLE

DAY THINKING ABOUT IT AND

PUTTING MY MONEY WHERE MY

MOUTH IS.

SO I'VE HIRED 700 POLICE

OFFICERS IN 36 MONTHS.

CRIME REDUCTION REALLY IS

NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

YOU CHOOSE WHERE YOU'RE

GOING TO PUT YOUR RESOURCES

AND I DON'T THINK THAT I

HAVE A MORE SACRED JOB THAN

MAKING SURE THAN IF YOU LIVE

IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA YOU

GET HOME SAFELY AND THAT IF

YOU VISIT THE CITY OF

ATLANTA YOU LEAVE SAFELY.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE A

BIGGER JOB THAN THAT.

SO WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THAT

I HAD TO CUT OTHER AREAS OF

GOVERNMENT TO FOCUS ON THIS

POOR PRIORITY.

AND I LIVE IT AND I BREATHE

IT AND I WATCH IT EVERY

SINGLE DAY BECAUSE I KNOW, I

KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT

SOMEBODY IS GETTING HOME TO

THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE OF MY

BEHAVIOR.

>> YES.

>> THERE WERE 85 PEOPLE

MURDERED IN THE CITY OF

ATLANTA IN 2012.

THERE HAVE BEEN AS MANY AS

200, 210, 220 PEOPLE

MURDERED IN THE CITY THAT I

HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

SO WE'VE BUILT THE BIGGEST

POLICE FORCE IN THE HISTORY

OF THE CITY, THE LARGEST

POLICE FORCE IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE ADDED VIDEO

TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY THAT IS

UNPRECEDENTED IN THE CITY OF

ATLANTA.

WE USE ALL OF THE MODERN

TECHNIQUES INCLUDING CITY

STATS AND THINGS THAT ARE

POPULAR IN CITIES AROUND THE

UNITED STATES AND WE WORK AT

IT WITH UNCEASING VIGILANCE

AND DEVOTION.

>> AMAZING.

IT'S AMAZING TO HEAR -- 85

IS 85 TOO MANY.

TO THINK OF A CITY THE SIZE

OF ATLANTA WITH THE HISTORY

THAT ATLANTA HAS HAD, 85 IS

REALLY AN UNBELIEVABLY LOW

NUMBER.

>> AND I ALSO BELIEVE THIS.

I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD

BUSINESS.

WHEN I TOOK OVER IN JANUARY

OF 2010, WE WERE IN THE

TEETH OF THE WORST ECONOMY

IN 80 YEARS.

SO IF WE HAD VIOLENCE

SURGING AT THE EXACT TIME

WHEN WE WERE AT OUR WEAKEST

IT REALLY WOULD HAVE DAMAGED

THE BRAND THAT CREATED THE

CITY OF ATLANTA THAT PEOPLE

KNOW.

>> TO THAT POINT, MR. MAYOR,

AND YOU MENTIONED AND YOU

AGREE THAT IT'S EXPENSIVE TO

HIRE 700 NEW POLICE.

HOW DID YOU AFFORD IT?

HOW DID YOU PAY FOR IT?

>> WE DID A NUMBER OF

THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL WE HAD A

BILLION AND A HALF UNFUNDED

PENSION LIABILITY THAT WAS

ABSORBING BETWEEN 15 TO 20%

OF CASHIER OVER YEAR.

SO I DID WHAT ALL SANE

PEOPLE WOULD DO.

IF SOMETHING IS ABSORBING

ALMOST ONE OUT OF FIVE

DOLLARS THAT COMES IN THE

DOOR, YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH

THAT PROBLEM.

BUT I DIDN'T DO IT BY

BASHING OUR WORKFORCE OR

BASHING UNIONS.

I DID DOZENS OF MEETINGS

WITH EMPLOYEES WHERE I

EXPLAINED THAT THE CITY WAS

MOVING TOWARDS INSOLVENCY.

AND I PERSUADED THE ATLANTA

CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY AND

EVERY SINGLE UNION IN THE

CITY TO VOTE FOR THE MOST

SWEEPING REFORMS FOR

PENSIONS IN THE UNITED

STATES.

CERTAINLY AMONG THE MOST

SWEEPING.

>> AND YOU HAD BUY IN FROM

THE UNIONS EVENTUALLY?

>> NO QUESTION.

THOSE CHANGES YIELDED

BETWEEN 25 AND 32 MILLION A

YEAR, SO IT'S 270 MILLION

OVER 10 YEARS.

500 MILLION OVER 30 OR THE

SAVINGS FROM THE REFORMS WE

IMPLEMENTED AROUND OUR

PENSION.

WE TOOK THAT CASH AND THAT'S

THE MONEY THAT WE USED TO

ADD --

>> THE POLICE.

>> TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL

POLICE OFFICERS.

AND WE ALSO STOPPED HAVING

TO FIRE OUR EMPLOYEES.

SO THE BUDGET HAS

STABILIZED.

WE'VE HAD THREE YEARS OF

BALANCED BUDGET.

OUR CREDIT RATING WAS JUST

IMPROVED.

AND WE'VE GROWN OUR CASH

RESERVES FROM 7.4 MILLION

WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR 36

MONTHS AGO TO 126 MILLION

AUDITED BY KP AND G IN 36

MONTHS.

>> AFTER JUST THREE YEARS.

>> SO WE'RE GROWING CASH

FASTER THAN WE HAVE AT ANY

OTHER TIME.

>> TWO OTHER ISSUES,

MR. MAYOR, THAT ARE OF

CONSEQUENCE TO PEOPLE IN

YOUR POSITION, PEOPLE WHO

RUN BIG CITIES AND POVERTY.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR

EXPERIENCE ON PUBLIC

EDUCATION ON THE ONE HAND

AND DEALING WITH THE POVERTY

ISSUE WHICH I KNOW HAS ALSO

BEEN ONE THAT HASN'T HAS

DEALT WITH FOR A LONG TIME

ON THE OTHER.

>> PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS BEEN

TERRIBLE BECAUSE WHEN I

BECAME MAYOR WE WERE IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE WORST CHEATING

SCANDAL IN THE UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA.

>> INDEED.

>> SO IT WAS AWFUL.

THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE

OWE THE DAY THAT WE STARTED

REALLY GETTING THE RESULTS

OF THE CHEATING SCANDAL,

PROBABLY ONE OF THE THREE

WORST DAYS I'VE HAD IN

OFFICE.

SO I HAD TO DO A NUMBER OF

THINGS.

FIRST, I DON'T HAVE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE

SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IT'S INDEPENDENT IN THE CITY

OF ATLANTA.

SO EVERYTHING THAT I DO I DO

THROUGH THE FORCE OF MY

OFFICE AND FROM THE BULLY

PULPIT.

BUT WE HAD A CHAIR OF THE

SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAD TO GO.

SO I HAD TO PERSUADE HIM TO

LEAVE.

I SUPPORTED A BILL THAT GAVE

THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE

THE POWER TO REMOVE THE

SCHOOL BOARD SO THAT WE

COULD IMPLEMENT A NUMBER OF

REFORMS.

I RECRUITED A GENTLEMAN

ALONG WITH PAUL BOWERS, A

GENTLEMAN THAT HAD BEEN A

CEO OF A FORTUNE 1,000

COMPANY.

HE HAD ALSO BEEN THE

CHANCELLOR OF HIGHER

EDUCATION FOR THE STATE.

HE STOPPED BEING THE CHANCER

ON A THURSDAY.

HE WAS AT APS ON A MONDAY.

OUR SYSTEM WAS ON PROBATION.

SO THROUGH THESE REFORMS WE

WERE ABLE TO COME OFF OF

PROBATION.

NOW WE HAVE TRIAGED THE

PATIENT, DESTABILIZED THE

SYSTEM.

AND THE NEXT STEP I BELIEVE

IS RADICAL REFORM.

>> WHAT DO YOU DO?

I KNOW YOU SAY YOU DON'T

CONTROL THE SCHOOLS, BUT YOU

WILL HAVE THE INFLUENCE OVER

THE PEOPLE WHO DO.

>> FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING

TO GO AND RECRUIT A NEW

SUPERINTENDENT LIKE YOU ALL

WOULD RECRUIT A HEAD COACH

FOR U.T.

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S HOW --

>> ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT

MACK BROWN SHOULD BE FIRED.

>> NO.

>> THE POINT I'M MAKING IS

WE HAVEN'T BEEN -- WE

HAVEN'T BEEN RECRUITING

SUPERINTENDENTS LIKE YOU

WOULD IF YOU WANTED A STAR.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THE SUPERINTENDENT

THAT WE NEED IN ATLANTA IS

IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT IS

GOING TO APPLY.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS

I'M GOING TO GET ON A PLANE

OR I'M GOING TO GO TO

WHATEVER COMMUNITY THAT HAS

THE BEST SUPERINTENDENT,

THAT'S PROBABLY GOT SIX OR

SEVEN YEARS LEFT IN THEIR

CAREER, AND WANTS ONE MORE

CHALLENGE.

AND I'M GOING TO GO RECRUIT

THEM WITH A VERY BIG

CHECKBOOK.

>> BUT AS YOU SAY,

MR. MAYOR, YOU'RE NOT IN

CHARGE OF THE SCHOOLS.

>> BUT I'M PERSUASIVE.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I SEE THAT.

>> THE ANSWER IS EASY.

>> YOU WILL BOTH PERSUADE A

SUPERINTENDENT TO COME AND

THEN YOU WILL PERSUADE THE

PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR

HIRING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO

HIRE THAT PERSON.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY

INSERTING YOURSELF, NOT THAT

IT'S UNPRECEDENTED, YOU WILL

PUT YOURSELF INTO THE MIDDLE

OF ALL THIS.

>> I'VE TOLD EVERYBODY

THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.

>> HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT

THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

>> YOU ALSO SEEM NOT TO

CARE.

>> I CARE ABOUT THEM.

>> YOU SEEM NOT TO CARE IF

THEY DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT

YOU IN THERE.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE'RE

GOING.

WHERE WE'RE GOING IS I'VE

GOT A WONDERFUL CORPORATE

COMMUNITY.

THEY'RE PREPARED TO STEP UP

AND PAY A DISPROPORTIONATE

SALARY TO ATTRACT SOMEBODY

SPECIAL.

>> HIRE A STAR.

>> WE WANT TO HIRE A STAR,

WE WANT TO PAY THEM.

I THINK IF IT'S SOMEBODY WHO

HAS FIVE OR SEVEN YEARS

LEFT, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO

DOUBLE WHAT THEY'RE EARNING

WHEREVER THEY ARE.

I'M PREPARED TO DO THAT.

>> THAT COULD BE A GOOD ADD.

>> THAT'S WHY I'M GETTING IT

ALL OUT.

I'M GOING TO DOUBLE WHAT IT

IS AND THEN I THINK THE

SCHOOL BOARD IS GOING TO

COME ALONG.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

TELL ME ABOUT POVERTY IN THE

CITY OF ATLANTA.

VERY SERIOUS ISSUE TO DEAL

WITH.

>> POVERTY WE'RE MAKING

PROGRESS ON.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE IN A

CRISIS IT TAKES YOU SOME

TIME TO GET YOUR FISCAL

HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE YOU

CAN REALLY START FOCUSING ON

CORE ISSUES, ISSUES RELATED

TO POOR PEOPLE.

SO WE'RE NOW AT THAT PLACE.

THE CITY OF ATLANTA WAS ONE

OF FIVE CITIES THAT WON A

BLOOMBURG INNOVATION

DELIVERY GRANT.

WE GOT A GRANT FROM MAYOR

BLOOMBURG AND WE'RE SPENDING

ALL OF THAT TIME DEVELOPING

BASELINE DATA FOR OUR

POVERTY INITIATIVE.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE

SPECIFIC, WE JUST SENT OUT

190 VOLUNTEERS WHO WENT OUT

AND INTERVIEWED 690 HOMELESS

PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY FIND OUT

EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON IN

THEIR LIVES AND KNOW WHO AND

WHERE THEY ARE.

WE ARE MOVING VERY

AGGRESSIVELY IN HOUSING

HOMELESS VETERANS.

SO WHEN THE PRESIDENT ISSUED

A CHALLENGE TO CITIES ACROSS

AMERICA TO HOUSE 100

VETERANS IN 100 DAYS, WE

HOUSED 114.

WE WERE NUMBER ONE IN THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WE HAVE NOW HOUSED 300

CHRONICALLY HOMELESS

VETERANS.

SO IF YOU FOCUS ON

CHRONICALLY HOMELESS

VETERANS, THERE ARE

WRAPAROUND HOMELESS SERVICES

FOR OUR VETERANS.

BUT IF YOU DEAL WITH THAT

POPULATION YOU'RE DEALING

WITH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT

CHUNK OF THE PROBLEM.

SO WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON

RIGHT NOW ARE 1400 PEOPLE

WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS

IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA.

WE'RE MAKING REAL PROGRESS.

WE HAVE BEST IN CLASS TALENT

THANKS TO THE BLOOMBURG

DELIVERY GRANT.

WE'RE NOT DOING THIS ON THE

CHEAP.

WE'RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND

HIRE THE MOST COMPETENT

PEOPLE IN SPACE AND FULLY

SOURCE THEM AS OPPOSED TO

DOING IT IN A SHOESTRING

FASHION, WHICH IS THE WAY

THAT HOMELESSNESS IS OFTEN

DEALT WITH.

>> THAT'S A GREAT STORY AND

HOPEFUL, BUT THAT'S

PROGRAMMATIC.

I'M TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC.

WHAT DO YOU DO A SYSTEMIC

BASIS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

GOING FORWARD SO THAT THE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN

POVERTY IN YOUR CITY BELOW

THE POVERTY LINE GOES DOWN

OVER TIME?

>> I THINK THERE ARE A

NUMBER OF THINGS.

I THINK THAT YOU IMPROVE THE

ARRAY OF JOBS IN YOUR CITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS

HAPPENING TO CITIES IS NOT

PROBLEMS WITH RACE, BUT

PROBLEMS WITH CLASS.

I MEAN, WE'RE MOVING TO A

POINT WHERE THE ONLY PEOPLE

THAT ARE LIVING IN CITIES

ARE PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD

TO.

THE WAY THAT YOU FIGHT BACK

AT THAT IS TO PROVIDE AN

ARRAY OF JOBS.

THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC

GENERATOR IN THE SOUTH IS

HARTFIELD JACKSON AIRPORT,

WHICH I CONTROL.

SO SINCE JANUARY WE'VE HIRED

1700 PEOPLE IN EXACTLY THE

KIND OF POSITIONS THAT

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M

DOING IS TO MOVE THE CITY IN

TO AIR CARGO IN A MAJOR WAY.

>> YEP.

>> WELL, AIR CARGO IS NOT

VERY PROFITABLE FOR THE

AIRPORT, BUT IT DOES CREATE

THAT ARRAY OF JOBS THAT I'M

TALKING ABOUT.

THE OTHER THING I'VE DONE IS

WORKED WITH THE REPUBLICAN

GOVERNOR ON A CONSTANT BASIS

TO DEEPEN THE PORT OF

SAVANNAH SO THAT IT'S READY

FOR PANDEMIC SHIFTS IN 2014,

2015, 2016.

THAT DOESN'T SOUND SEXY, BUT

THE JOBS THAT COME FROM

UNLOADING SHIPS THAT ARE

THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF THE

OLD SHIPS GENERATES THOSE

KIND OF WORKING CLASS JOBS.

SO I DON'T JUST GET EXCITED

ABOUT THE 70,000 OR THE

80,000-DOLLAR JOB PLACEMENT,

I WORK JUST AS HARD TO

CREATE AN ARRAY OF JOBS

ACROSS THE CATEGORIES.

THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING AS

MAYOR.

>> MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE A FEW

MINUTES LEFT.

I'M HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT

WORKING WITH A REPUBLICAN

GOVERNOR, EDUCATION REFORM,

DEALING WITH POVERTY,

REDUCING CRIME.

WHY ARE YOU NOT RUNNING FOR

THE SENATE SEAT?

I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE NOT

GOING TO RUN.

PEOPLE HAVE THEIR EYES ON

YOU ZOOMING THAT OF ALL THE

DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE THEY

THINK YOU HAVE THE BEST

CHANCE OF RISING TO THE

OFFICE OF UNITED STATES

SENATOR OR OF GOVERNOR, BUT

SO FAR YOU'VE DECLINED TO DO

THAT.

>> YEAH.

I THINK FIGHTERS DON'T

BECOME CHAMPIONS WHEN THEY

FIGHT THE WRONG FIGHT TOO

EARLY.

>> WHY IS IT THE WRONG FIGHT

AND WHY IS IT TOO EARLY?

>> BECAUSE I MADE A PROMISE

TO THE PEOPLE OF ATLANTA AND

I WANT TO FINISH THE JOB I

HAVE AND I WANT TO MAKE

CHANGE.

YOU KNOW THAT 36 MONTHS INTO

AN ORGANIZATION, LEAVING

THAT JOB THE CHANGES THAT

YOU MADE, THAT YOU WORKED SO

HARD FOR, CAN EASILY BECOME

UNRAVELED.

AND WHEN I -- AND WHEN AND

IF I RAN FOR A MAJOR JOB,

ONE ABOVE THE ONE I HAVE, I

WOULD DO IT WITH A RECORD.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I

DON'T LIKE ARE INDIVIDUALS

WHO GET OUT AND COMPETE FOR

JOBS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE

HAVE THE TRACK RECORD THAT

WARRANTS THAT.

WHEN I AM FINISHED BEING

MAYOR AFTER EIGHT YEARS, I

WILL HAVE A RECORD THAT

PEOPLE CAN JUDGE ME BY THAT

WILL BE WELL DOCUMENTED, AND

I THINK IT WILL BE SOMETHING

I CAN STAND ON.

>> OF COURSE, PEOPLE SAID

THAT ABOUT -- PEOPLE SAID

THAT ABOUT YOUR PRESIDENT.

THAT HE HAD NOT ACTUALLY HAD

A RECORD TO RUN ON.

IN FACT, HAD SIGNIFICANTLY

LESS EXPERIENCE IN OFFICE

WHEN HE RAN FOR PRESIDENT

THAN YOU DO NOW.

YOU DID 10 YEARS IN THE

LEGISLATURE --

>> 11.

>> 11 YEARS IN TOTAL.

[LAUGHTER].

WHO'S COUNTING RIGHT?

YOU'VE BEEN MAYOR FOR THREE

YEARS.

HAVE YOU ANNOUNCED FOR

REELECTION YET?

>> I'VE ANNOUNCED --

>> YOU HAVE NOT?

>> I HAVE.

MY ANSWER IS THAT IT'S EASY.

I DON'T COMPARE MYSELF TO

MICHAEL JORDAN.

>> BARACK OBAMA IS IN THIS

CASE --

>> I DON'T GET OUT AND

FANTASIZE THAT I'M MICHAEL

JORDAN ON THE COURT.

I THINK I'M GOOD AT WHAT I

DO.

I BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT

OBAMA WAS UNIQUELY TALENTED

IN A WAY THAT FEW PEOPLE

ARE.

OBVIOUSLY.

AND I THINK YOU MAKE A

MISTAKE WHEN YOU START

TRYING TO LIVE OTHER

PEOPLE'S STORY.

MY LIFE STORY IS A BORING,

LONG LABORIOUS STORY OF

BLOCKING AND TACKLING.

I WAS FOUR YEARS IN THE

HOUSE, I WAS SEVEN YEARS IN

THE SENATE.

I PLAN TO BE EIGHT YEARS AS

MAYOR.

SO THE PRESIDENT LIVED HIS

LIFE, OTHER PEOPLE LIVE

THEIR LIFE, I LIVE MY LIFE.

>> OPPORTUNITY WILL COME AT

THE END OF THOSE EIGHT YEARS

IF OPPORTUNITY IS MEANT TO

COME.

>> I THINK SO.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR

STATE, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE

THAT DEMOGRAPHICALLY HAS THE

POTENTIAL IN THE NEXT -- THE

FIVE TO 10 YEARS THANKS TO

THE COALITION OF THE

ASCENDENT TO FLIP FROM RED

TO BLUE, THAT ARE NOT A LOT

OF DEMOCRATIC PROSPECTS FOR

OFFICE AND IF YOU DON'T RUN

FOR THAT OFFICE, IT IS

ALMOST CERTAIN THAT

REPUBLICANS KEEP THAT SEAT.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO

DEMOCRATS WHO WANT TO CHANGE

GEORGIA FROM RED TO BLUE.

>> I BELIEVE THAT JOHN

BARROW CAN WIN MY SEAT.

>> COULD WIN THE U.S. SENATE

SEAT.

THAT WAS A GOOD CATCH.

[LAUGHTER]

>> AS WE SAY, WE'LL EDIT

THAT IN POST.

[LAUGHTER]

>> NO, WE WON'T.

>> I THINK HE COULD WIN THE

SEAT.

AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE GOT

TO DO THE WORK RIGHT NOW.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO PUT UP

GOOD CANDIDATES WHICH JOHN

BARROW, HE TOOK OUT TO BUILD

THE PARTY.

>> IT'S UPHILL FOR

DEMOCRATS.

>> IT'S TOUGH, BUT IT'S ONLY

UPHILL IF YOU DON'T DO THE

WORK.

THE STATE OF GEORGIA WAS THE

SECOND HIGHEST PERFORMING

STATE THAT THE PRESIDENT

DIDN'T WIN.

SO IT WAS SECOND ONLY TO

NORTH CAROLINA.

THERE ARE HALF A MILLION

UNREGISTERED BLACK PEOPLE IN

THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

THERE ARE MORE THAN A

QUARTER OF A MILLION

UNREGISTERED LATINO PEOPLE

IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

AND IN THE 2010 ELECTION THE

GOVERNOR BEAT THE DEMOCRATIC

CANDIDATE BY ABOUT 225,000

VOTES.

SO IT'S THERE, BUT IT'S ONLY

THERE THROUGH DOING HARD

WORK.

>> RIGHT.

THE MATH ACTUALLY IS

PLAUSIBLE.

>> AND I BELIEVE THAT THE

NATIONAL POLITICS WILL COME

TO GEORGIA BECAUSE THEY HAVE

TO.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN

A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE

UNITED STATES SENATE,

WHETHER IT'S IN THIS CYCLE

OR THE NEXT, IT'S GOING TO

HAVE TO COME TO GEORGIA.

BUT WHAT I'VE SHARED WITH

THE WHITE HOUSE AND WITH THE

D AND C IS THAT YOU

SHOULDN'T COME TO MY STATE

SMALL.

YOU CAN'T -- I'M NOT GOING

TO BE INVOLVED IN

INCREMENTAL POLITICS.

>> YEP.

>> COME AND TALK TO ME WHEN

YOU'RE READY TO WIN IT.

>> GO BIG OR GO HOME.

>> WHEN YOU'RE READY TO

SPEND 12, 14, $16 MILLION

AND TO TREAT GEORGIA LIKE

YOU WOULD HAVE COMPETITIVE

STATE, I'LL TALK TO YOU ALL

DAY.

BUT WHEN YOU WANT TO DO THIS

TWO STEP WHERE YOU GET OUT

AND GIVE YOUR BEST SHOT AND

THEN IF IT CATCHES, THEN

MAYBE WE'LL SEE.

I DON'T LIVE MY LIFE THAT

WAY.

I'M A LITTLE TOO MUCH OF A

CONTROL FREAK.

>> I LIKE THAT.

A GOOD PLACE TO END.

AN HONOR TO SIT WITH YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THE PLEASURE IS MINE.

>> GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

>> MAYOR KASIM REED.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU

JOIN US IN THE STUDIO.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

KLRU.ORG/OVERHEARD TO FIND

INVITATIONS TO INTERVIEWS, Q

AND A'S WITH OUR AUDIENCE

AND GUESTS AN AND AN ARCHIVE

OF PAST EPISODES.

>> THE STAND YOUR GROUND

MESSAGING LEADS YOU TO

BELIEVE THAT IN THE

CONVENIENT OF AN ALTERCATION

I CAN STAND MY GROUND AND

USE WHATEVER FORCE.

>> WITH NO PENALTY.

>> YEAH.

AND THEN I CAN GO HOME.

THAT MESSAGING IS -- I THINK

IS BAD FOR SOCIETY.

>> FUNDING FOR OVERHEARD

WITH EVAN SMITH IS PROVIDED

IN PART BY THE MATTSSON

MCHALE FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT

OF PUBLIC TELEVISION.

ALSO BY MFI FOUNDATION,

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF

LIFE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND FROM THE TEXAS BOARD OF

LEGAL SPECIALIZATION, BOARD

CERTIFIED ATTORNEYS IN YOUR

COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCED,

RESPECTED AND TESTED.

ALSO BY HILLCO PARTNERS,

TEXAS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

CONSULTANCY AND ITS GLOBAL

HEALTH CARE CONSULTING

BUSINESS UNIT, HILLCO

HEALTH.

AND BY THE ALICE KLEBERG

REYNOLDS FOUNDATION, AND

VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THIS WEEK ON OVERHEARD,

ATLANTA MAYOR KASIM REED.

>> WHEN I CARE ABOUT MORE OF

THE FOLKS THAT MIGHT WANT TO

HAVE ACCESS TO ASSAULT

WEAPONS AND GUNS OF THAT

VARIETY ARE THE WOMEN AND

MEN, THE 1900 POLICE

OFFICERS THAT WORK FOR THE

CITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND MY FEELING REALLY IS

DRIVEN BY FACT THAT I DON'T

EVER WANT THEM TO ARRIVE ON

A SCENE AND BE OUT GUNNED.