Atlanta mayor talks upcoming Obama visit, State of the Union - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Atlanta mayor talks upcoming Obama visit, State of the Union

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ATLANTA -

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed talked with FOX 5 about what people can expect in President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Reed is one of the President's staunchest advocates in Georgia. President Obama is scheduled to visit Atlanta later this week.

Mayor Reed said that he expects the President to be firm and pushing agenda from jobs to what he calls "sensible" gun laws.

"To folks who want to purchase weapons, I respect the Second Amendment and I also respect the President's right to put forth meaningful gun violence reduction legislation. Right now less than 50 percent of Americans are going through a background check. This isn't radical stuff. Most Americans believe you don't need 100 bullets  in a cartridge," Reed said.

Reed said the President's message will include a plan for investment.

"If the critics are basing the criticism upon the facts, they will be looking for a bipartisan deal on an infrastructure initiative which is the fastest way to drive down overall unemployment," Reed said. "In the city of Atlanta, as you know, and in the metropolitan region, our construction industry has been extremely hard hit. So to the extent that we are repairing roads and bridges, we're putting them in jobs to repair their lives."

Mayor Reed will be part of the President's hosting party on Thursday.

"The President likes Atlanta a lot, as evidenced by the number of visits that he has made here. He enjoys being here," Reed said.

The President will make a stop at a learning center in DeKalb County. He is also expected to make an impromptu stop during his visit.

CLICK THE VIDEO ABOVE TO HEAR MAYOR REED'S COMMENTS!

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