How is it better for Virginia, the country and the Democratic Party for Northam to stay in office

[Empowerer]

with no political credibility, trust or clout and remain a GOP target and foil, than for him to quietly step down, eliminate a GOP fig leaf, and allow a popular young black governor to take over?

What exactly would be the harm done if Northam takes the high road and leaves office?

[manor321]

1. Don't know. I can't understand why he isn't gone yet.

[EffieBlack]

2. It seems to me that an excellent first step toward atonement is to step aside and give the state its

second African-American governor - and the country's only current African-American governor months after two black gubernatorial candidates had their elections stolen from them.

[phylny]

3. I would have two questions:

1) Would Justin Fairfax be able to run again for Governor if he filled the rest of Northam's term?

2) Does Justin Fairfax get to appoint a Lieutenant Governor to fill his vacancy should he ascend to the governorship?

I do not want a Republican Lieutenant Governor in my state. They're all smarmy and anti-choice.

ETA: I do want to see Justin Fairfax as Governor, and do not want him penalized and prevented from running when this term is up.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. 1) Don't Know 2) Yes

[Va Lefty]

9. Fairfax would be able to run in '21

[phylny]

19. That's great news!

I like him, voted for him, and think he'd make an excellent governor.

[Va Lefty]

20. Yep, voted for him too. Agree 100%. He'd make a great Governor

[Empowerer]

10. I'd rather have a black progressive Democratic governor and a Republican lieutenant governor

in my state then to have a governor who dressed up in blackface and pose for pictures with people in klansman's outfits and never mentioned it or apologize for it until he got caught a couple of days ago.

For me, it's not even a close call - some things are much worse than having a Republican lieutenant governor. But perhaps we have different priorities...

[phylny]

18. I think your response is really uncalled for.

I never said I wanted Northam to remain. I'm not sure you read where I wrote that I wanted Fairfax to be governor and be able to run again. I'm sure, though, that we have "different priorities."

[RandySF]

4. It's not

but he can't run for re=election and there's no basis for impeachment. Thus, he has no real incentive to leave.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Everybody that's anybody has called for his resignation except Barack and Michelle.

What if they did?

[RandySF]

7. I don't know but Northam seems to have a high threshold for pain.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Watching his presser I would attribute it more to insouciance or obtuseness.

He was about to moonwalk at it.

[padah513]

12. Yeah and that after he couldn't recall MJ's name

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. He was looking to see if he had enough space. It's a good thing his wife stopped him.

[littlemissmartypants]

15. I kinda wish she'd let him go for it.

The more insane he looks the better the odds there will be legitimate grounds for removal. Please, proceed govenor.

[EffieBlack]

11. Or a breathtaking amount of hubris, arrogance, cluelessness and sense of entitlement

[littlemissmartypants]

14. All that and some plain old brain damage is where I'm leaning.

The presser was just bizarre.

[octoberlib]

16. This thread by a Black woman on Twitter who knew Northam and liked him is illuminating.

She thinks he needs to resign . There were more problems than just the pictures.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1091581329681121280.html





“Interviews with Eastern Virginia Medical School alumni indicate that students were each given a half page and submitted their own photos to be published on those pages.”: @virginianpilot #RalphNortham
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_c499344a-270c-11e9-8b5e-77c26de86de6.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true …

[EffieBlack]

17. I'm curious whether other students had photos with people other than themselves or to whom they

had a connection on their yearbook page.

Does anyone expect us to believe that the only picture Northam could find to illustrate his point about doctors and beer was a photo of two complete strangest proudly showing off as racists and terrorists?

[octoberlib]

22. It was him. I'm sure of it. He was lying about the whole thing.

[littlemissmartypants]

21. Yikes. From the post...

[octoberlib]

23. This was in 2018 , btw.

[Bradshaw3]

24. He needs to do as you suggest

He will be remembered much better than if he "fights on." There isn't a single reason for him to stay on, except ego. I wish people would stop with the "forgiveness" threads. There is no way to justify it and every black person I've heard or read from pols to pundits to here to people I've talked to say he needs to resign.