UPDATE: Since this article came out earlier this morning Virginias Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring second in line to replace Gov. Northam after Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax has admitted to wearing blackface at a college party in 1980.
When those on the right get caught wearing blackface or joking about it they lose their jobs. Public outrage forced Florida Republican Secretary of State Mike Ertel to resign after a 2005 photo surfaced of him dressed as a Hurricane Katrina survivor in blackface. NBC fired talk show host Megyn Kelly after she defended childhood Halloween blackface costumes on the air.
But when those on the left do the same thing its a different story so far. Virginias Democratic governor Ralph Northam has a photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook of one person wearing wearing blackface and the other a KKK robe. One of them is assumed to be him. Whichever one is the governor its bad.
For more on Gov. Northam see Al Perrottas Gov. Northams Racist Yearbook … and His True Sin and Rob Schwarzwalders Democrats Outraged Against Gov. Northam For Only Half the Right Reasons.
And it gets worse. His military school yearbook published 4 years earlier said he had the nickname Coonman." Coon" is a racist term for blacks.
Northam hasnt resigned. Every Democrat would demand he resign if he was a Republican. But since hes a Democrat well the party has mixed feelings.
The Photo
Big League Politics first published the yearbook photo. Editor Patrick Howley said he received the photo from someone upset with Northams saying he would sign a law legalizing late-term abortions. Northam appeared to advocate for infanticide.
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If a mothers in labor" Northam said during an interview with WTOP I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered the infant would be kept comfortable the infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother."
Changing Apologies
Northam started apologizing. As he did his story changed. On Friday he admitted that it was him in one of the photos. He apologized on February 1 for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now." He admitted the costume is clearly racist and offensive." He also claimed he didnt know how he got the nickname Coonman." No one believes him.
But even after admitting all that he didnt resign.
Northam held a press conference the next day. He changed his story. He claimed he was not one of the two in costume. I believe now and then that I am not either of the people in this photo" he said. This was not me in that picture. That was not Ralph Northam." If he told the truth on Saturday he had lied on Friday. And if he told the truth on Friday he lied on Saturday. And no one believes him.
But he didnt resign.
It gets weirder. He also admitted he darkened his skin to portray Michael Jackson in a dance contest in 1984. This didnt help. It just dug a deeper hole. Everyone across the board objects to blackface regardless of the reason. Whites used blackface to ridicule blacks in the earlier part of last century. Among many others the NAACP demanded he resign.
But he didnt resign.
Free Pass From Democrats
Instead Northam claimed that his action is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military in medicine and in public service." He knew it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work." He offered my sincerest apology." But not a resignation.
Democrats did not all call for him to resign. Incredibly 50 percent of Democrats still support Northam. This is down from 70 percent approval in January. He got a free pass from some Democratic politicians. State Del. Lamont Bagby head of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus called him to resign but then qualified it. He would let him breathe a little bit give him space to make the right decision."
At first Virginias two Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine did not call for his resignation. They hemmed and hawed. They changed their minds after his press conference. Former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder a black man also changed his mind after the news conference.
More and more Democrats are now calling for him to resign. Hillary Clinton presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez all want him to leave office. But he wont.
Whos the Racist Candidate Now?
Making things worse Northams campaign and supporters ran ads claiming his GOP gubernatorial opponent Ed Gillespie ran the most racist campaign" in Virginia history. Democrats cut an infamous TV ad portraying a pickup truck with a Confederate flag Gillespie bumper sticker and Gadsden-flag license plate trying to run over minority children.
Virginia laws limits governors to one term so Northam does not need to worry about running for reelection. Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax who is black would replace him if he does. But he faces a scandal of his own accused of sexually assaulting a woman several years ago.
How racist hypocritical and lying does Northam need to be before he will finally resign? The legislature could try to impeach him but it would be difficult under the commonwealths constitution.
Instead many on the left still defend him. One-time Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman declared One he says he wasnt in that picture. Two I think we ought to fairly ask him did he know the picture was on his page of the yearbook? And three he ought to be judged in the context of his whole life."
The answers? Yes he was. Yes he did. And sure if you start applying the same standard to Republicans.
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