Sorry but I just don't give a damn about something Nothram did 35 years ago.

[triron]

Why does MSNBC keep covering this utter BS?

[uponit7771]

1. It wasn't what he did 35 years ago its him not speaking up months ago. People change, if he would've

... acknowledged and apologized for what he did or what he had in his year book even after getting elected it would've been a different story right now.

[triron]

5. No, it boils down to what happened 35 years ago (or didn't) I'm not sure which.

Sorry but I respectfully disagree with you.

[uponit7771]

25. A repentant heart does matter to me, the sin here is he kept it from everyone in his election team

... not that he did something stupid.

We all do that

[Smackdown2019]

38. ?

Would you recall of a photo 40 years ago that you may of not seen in your college yearbook? Most yearbook; let alone college yearbooks, are just dust collectors and yet we are just learning about this photo now?

If it was him in the photo as black face and lied about; kick his butt out. It is apparent those two in the photo were making a bad joke as going as a theme together.

The two questions I want to propose to you are:

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

Are you 100% certain it was him and not a bad practical joke orchestrated by someone on yearbook staff?

If you 100%, which one of the two is he?

[uponit7771]

42. Hmmmm, did Northam ever say he put the picture in the year book? Your question is a good one

... and the reason why we should have an investigation into these matters vs just stamp someone guilty.

Should be the same with the Lt Gov too

[Smackdown2019]

64. The yearbook editor has not responded

"Two classmates of Northam’s at Eastern Virginia Medical School said Saturday that they had never seen him in costumes like those that appear in the photo on his yearbook page. However, they were at a loss to explain how a mix-up might have occurred that would result in the racist image being placed on his page in error, because students were responsible for submitting their own photos.

Tobin Naidorf, who also graduated in 1984 and is now a gastroenterologist in Alexandria, Virginia, said he did not recall the exact procedure for submitting photos to the yearbook staff. However, he said he was the only person who could have submitted the family photos that appeared on his own page.

Walter Broadnax, Jr.’s page in the Eastern Virginia yearbook included a photo of his deceased grandmother beneath the heading “These are the people who have helped keep the dream alive.”

“Pictures as close as that, I would have had to have chosen those. I can’t speak for Ralph, though,” said Broadnax, whose entry also included a favorite Langston Hughes poem. He doesn’t remember how the yearbook was created or even seeing it once it was published.

Pamela Kopelove, who is credited in the yearbook as its editor, did not respond to repeated calls for comment."

Source:

www.denverpost.com/2019/02/02/virginia-gov-ralph-northam-racist-photo/amp/


Folks, could of this been a 35 grudge onto someone or mixup? Why has she not come forth by now to make a statement to verify that the photo on Northam page is legit and submitted by Northam?

[rpannier]

30. He's admitted to the shoe polish to look like Michael Jackson

So he did do blackface
His press conference was beyond weird

[Rorey]

12. He should have gotten out in front of it before running for office.

Side note: In that same yearbook is the photo of another person in blackface who now lives in my city. I was shocked when I found out who it was. He was my kids' doctor for awhile when he first came here as a resident. He was dressed as one of the Supremes at a Halloween party. I'm sure he now wishes he could go back in time and not make that choice for a costume.

Acknowledgement and apologies go a long way, but hiding things is never good when you run for public office. Northam definitely didn't handle the whole thing correctly when he was exposed.

[democratisphere]

2. Bringing down the top 3 Democrats in VA would be big news.

I sure hope other Democrats don't help them.

[dalton99a]

4. Strangely enough, some seem practically giddy at the prospect

Makes one wonder what their next project might be

[democratisphere]

7. Yeah. And I really don't get it. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

[Blue_true]

24. Some have picked sides.

One member sort of find everything with what Northam did and does not seem to be willing that people change for the better. At the same time, that poster seem to be using every debating tactic to give Fairfax a clean pass. The only recent concern that I see expressed about Northam is that he voted for Bush twice, but when Northam ran for Gov, it was clear that he was a moderate democrat that was more willing to work with republicans than some in our party.

I believe that the one of the three that has the clearest path is Herring. He wore Brownface, but it was to immulate rappers whose music he liked, it was not done to degrade Blacks, IMO.

[rpannier]

32. Fairfax's problem likely comes from Rep. Bobby Scott's admission she told him

about it last year.
That's going to be more difficult to defend against as some sort of out of the blue intended to destroy Fairfax thing
Northam's press conference was just a mess. He didn't shoot himself in the foot, he shot himself in the crotch

I agree with you that Herring seems to be best positioned to survive his problem.

[Blue_true]

34. Wow on Fairfax.

Bobby Scott backing the woman's claim blows the lid off the situation.

[rpannier]

35. Link to the post

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142260857

[Qutzupalotl]

10. The important thing is that Big League Politics gets to choose our leaders,

just as the founders intended.

[dalton99a]

13. Bingo.

[democratisphere]

15. Ben, Tom, John, George and a host of a few others would be pissed.

[Historic NY]

40. Rat-fuckers.......

[Empowerer]

3. Maybe because you're not the only person in their audience?

And there are people who DO give more than a damn about it?

I don't know but maybe that.

[Polly Hennessey]

6. Same here.

Don’t care about 35 years ago. People make
mistakes; people change.

[DonCoquixote]

8. and the first step to changing

IS NOT TO LIE ABOUT IT

[delisen]

18. I have seen no proof he lied. nt

I read a lot of accusations and opinions however.

[Blue_true]

28. I have not seen any either.

He seemed to rush to an apology when it came out that the picture was on his yearbook page, but after looking at the actual page he stated that neither person in the offending picture was him, but he did admit to impersonating Michael Jackson on blackface (many on DU express that Jackson was a child molester, even after a criminal trail and a couple civil trials failed to reach that conclusion).

I am more interesting in how Northan lived for the last 20-25 years.

[DonCoquixote]

36. here

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/ralph-northam-is-lying.html

not tom mention the fact he said it was not him, then it was.

[Owl]

48. +1

[MLAA]

9. Did you see he thought it appropriate at his press conference

to smile-chuckle and look around to see if he had room to moonwalk until his wife had to tell him it was inappropriate time to talk about and or dance at this news conference to deny it was him in the racist photo. It wasn’t just blackface (awful stand-alone) but standing by a guy dressed in KKK attire.

[Doodley]

50. Yes, the guy looked like a fool, but better a fool who supports Medicaid expansion than

a Republican. This may be the choice we have.

[Garrett78]

11. Let's recap:

At age 25 while in graduate school, Northam opted to have on his yearbook page a photo (1 of 3 or 4 photos, as I recall) of a person in blackface standing next to someone in a KKK costume.

After this was made public, he apologized for his racist and hurtful action. He wasn't sure which clown in the pic is him.

He then stated that he's come to think he isn't in the photo (I guess it was on his yearbook page just because).

So hurt by the reaction, he contemplated changing his party affiliation.

He has completely embarrassed himself and won't be able to govern effectively. He needs to go.

And Fairfax needs to be investigated.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. If the allegations are true I don't see how he can not resign.

With true being the operative word. They just need to do it together and in the proper order so a Repuke doesn't steal the seat.

[Empowerer]

17. What do mean "Hmmm?"

What's your point?

[Garrett78]

21. Fairfax needs to be investigated. There's nothing to investigate in Northam's case.

[Orangepeel]

33. Why would the NAACP say anything about Fairfax?

NOW called on Fairfax to resign, but not Northam or Herring. Organizations focus on their own missions. They are unlikely to weigh in on political or social matters outside of their mission.

[DFW]

44. I think it's elevant to inquire whether Fairfax believes he is innocent

If he does, then this might well be why he never responded earlier. Not just "he said-she said," but "he believes-she believes," which is a far more complicated mess to sort out, since the two of them are the only witnesses.

[delisen]

19. What statement has he made about changing his party?

[Blue_true]

29. I didn't read about that. nt

[peggysue2]

39. There was an article that Northam considered . . .

changing his political affiliation to Independent. Not sure what that's suppose to solve because it's really all about his ability to govern. Whether he's officially a Dem or Indy, he needs the support of the legislature--Dem support--to get anything done. We now have the complication of the Fairfax allegation and tonight's call by the NAACP that Herring resign.

It's a flying fiasco and there are no good choices. Which means Virginia's Democrats and their constituents will ultimately be the judge and jury on all this. They will after all be the first affected if it all goes to hell--something else coming out on Justin Fairfax, for instance. I hope that's not the case but these 'bombs' appear to be strategically released for maximum damage.

[radius777]

47. Herring seems the best of the three,

sucks that NAACP called for his resignation... ughh our side just doesn't get it sometimes.. because if Fairfax goes down along with Northam (both of which look likely at this point) and Herring is also forced out - a Republican then becomes Gov.

Herring has handled his mistake best of the three, seems the most nuanced/introspective.

Repubs simply don't act like we do - they never give up power without a fight.

[peggysue2]

61. Yes!

. . . because if Fairfax goes down along with Northam (both of which look likely at this point) and Herring is also forced out - a Republican then becomes Gov.

As unlikely as all that seemed a few, short days ago, those cascading events are a real possibility now. Herring's bad news does appear the less of the three. But then, except for that six year difference in age--blackface is blackface. His admission was certainly less clumsy than Northam's but it's basically for the same thing. And Herring called for Northam's resignation earlier in the week!

Aghhhhhh.

My real worry is about Justin Fairfax, that there may be something else out there, the coup de grace waiting to be delivered at exactly the right time. Because to me, these reveals/bombs appear strategic in nature, timed to cause maximum damage.

[jberryhill]

52. "opted to have on his yearbook page"

What is your factual basis for the assertion that he “opted” to do so?

I think you just made that part up, and you do not have any basis in established fact for that.

[pansypoo53219]

20. ditto.

[egduj]

22. Then you just don't give a damn about what happened to Vanessa Tyson 35 years ago.

Should she just get over it?

[OliverQ]

23. Um, the Tyson thing didn't happen 35 years ago.

You're mixing up Northam and Fairfax.

[egduj]

26. Then I am embarrassed and apologize to the poster and everyone else who read by ignorant statement.

[Joe941]

57. This.

[Baltimike]

27. This. In fact, it speaks to PROGRESS that a youn REPUBLICAN with a straight up racist nicname

would grow to be the Democratic Governor who represented all equally.

I am sure he picked his running mate.

Also, they runnin' game.

[Aussie105]

31. What skills does he bring to the job TODAY?

Sure, an immature person 35 years ago who did something stupid.
Stupid in today's moral climate, sort of funny back then, when people didn't question stuff like this so much.

Hell, I did stuff 35 years ago that would land me in deep sewage today. But I'm not the same person, I grew up.

What skills does he bring to the job today?

Or is no one asking, because they are too hung up judging his behaviour 35 years ago by today's standards, to ask?

These objections along the line 'Yeah, but he/she did THAT decades ago' are just a smokescreen, a prod to elicit a certain reaction. Don't get distracted, sucked in, play along, develop some independence of thought. Sheesh, it's not hard to look beyond the hype.

Maybe people who couldn't vote for Hillary 'because Benghazi', 'because her emails', 'because Bill', etc and not once think she might be better than Trump because of her experience, have learnt nothing?
Manipulated, led astray, duped. Sheeple!

By all means reveal things from the past for people in high office. Serious stuff. Like . . . well, Trump level stuff.
Getting all uppity about blackface, wearing KKK headgear to a dress up party, not changing his/her underwear more than once a week - wimpy stuff, it shouldn't rate on the shock/horror meter.
My only reaction to this 'revelation' is . . . I'm glad we don't do stuff like that anymore.

[doc03]

37. I don't either I did plenty of things I wouldn't want people to know about

35 years ago. Just like Al Franken had to resign because he pretended to touch a woman's breast through a damn flack jacket.

Then we have a president that actually brags about assaulting women and nobody givers a damn.

[tirebiter]

41. Northam's going to be the only one left standing

The way the dominoes are falling.

[Doodley]

43. We could end up with a Republican governor if the top three Democrats go. Is that worth it?

[peggysue2]

46. We could end up with a Republican governor if the top three Democrats go. Is that worth it?

That really is the $64,000 question, isn't it?

The way this is playing out, the opposition is deliberately attempting to overturn an election. A soft coup, it's been referred to today. They've dug deep and hard to pluck excruciating details about the top three Dems in Virginia and hit:

GOLD, baby!

Racism and sexual assault charges. What could be more perfect?

There's no denying that they (the opposition) couldn't dig this stuff up unless it was there to find. Northam's original sin--35 years ago. Henning--the blackface incident when he was 19. And then Fairfax with an incident in 2004, an alleged sexual assault.

This is a frigging Trifecta!

As a white woman--though I have a clear, definite memory of ethnic/religious intolerance as a kid--I have no experience of bigotry as a person of color. So, though I'm inclined at this moment in time to say 'circle the wagons, mate,' I know that the response is shallow, not borne of experience or generational memory.

Here's my worry. The charges against Justin Fairfax though thin, rather questionable now, a classic he said/she said, will be followed up with another shoe, one with a lead sole. Why? Because all these 'bombs' have thus far been dropped strategically for maximum damage. I don't think that's an accident. Could I be wrong? Of course. I hope I am. But I have this doggy sense--ears perked, nose twitching for the next devastating reveal.

Think about it. The top three Democratic leaders of a purple state, all of whom won their elections fair and square, are suddenly, amazingly decapitated so that the President of the Virginia Senate, a guy who won by a coin toss, slides into office. And effectively overturns an election.

Call me crazy. But the question slides back to the beginning: Is that worth it?

I'm not the person to answer that question. It's up to the citizens of Virginia now.

[Doodley]

49. Very good points. A governor who would deny health care to hundreds of thousands of Virginians is a

price too high. The outrage should be about what our lawmakers do now, and Republican lawmakers are killing our people, our environment, our democracy, our relationships with our allies, our science, and race relations. That is where our outrage should be or we risk helping Republicans by destroying ourselves.

[peggysue2]

63. Sadly true.

. . . Republican lawmakers are killing our people, our environment, our democracy, our relationships with our allies, our science, and race relations.

The citizens and lawmakers in Virginia are caught in a real box, a split the baby moment.

[DeminPennswoods]

45. Why is MSNBC covering this?

Scandals are good for ratings.

[bullwinkle428]

51. Substitute the name "Kavanaugh", and see if you get the same groundswell

of support here at DU.

[Codeine]

53. But that was different,

for. . . reasons and stuff.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. We had no problem pillorying Roy "I like em young " Moore over older accusations and rightfully so.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

54. So you're comparing blackface to attempted rape?

Kavanaugh had his judicial record against him as well.

[Bettie]

59. He also lied in his first confirmation hearing

and was still considered for the SCTOUS.

That alone SHOULD have been enough to disqualify him.

[grumpyduck]

56. Given all the denials we hear from the WH et al,

am I supposed to believe this guy denying it?

What bothers me is his whole attitude, and I don't give a rat's ass which party he belongs to. He is an elected official, not a Hollywood celebrity. "Innocent until proven guilty" is a principle of our legal system, but this guy isn't doing anything to defend his case. If anything, he's hurting it.

I don't have a clue what the attitudes were in VA 35 years ago, but his behavior - now - stinks.

And, IMHO, if we give him a pass only because he's a Dem, we are basically saying it's okay for politicians to behave this way and possibly lie. And I don't think any of us would feel that way about the guy in the Oval Office.

[Autumn]

58. I think whatever he does is up to the people in his state who elected him. Have there

been rallies and protests for him to resign by the people who live in his state?

[cally]

60. Im concerned about his policies

not what he did 35 years ago. How does he act now?

[Baltimike]

62. me neither. nt