Should Ralph Shearer Northam resign as governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia?

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

I suggest that Northam leave the Democratic Party and declare himself an Independent.  He's done nothing wrong as Governor.  He's committed no impeachable offenses.

Gov. Ralph Northam (I-VA).

I say, let it happen.

I don't know. I heard he supported the murder of untold numbers of babies.

I'm not a Northam fan by any means, and certainly not on the abortion issue.

He'd never be accepted by the GOP, and rightly so, but that's because his opinion on a core issue is the polar opposite of the GOP's position.

This, to me, is an issue of perspective.  And, if he chooses to say, of Separation of Powers.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Yesterday, I was just disappointed with whole situation. However, now since he's trying to back track has made me angry. He NEEDS to resign today, no exception or excuse.

He's a f**king clown.

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

I suggest that Northam leave the Democratic Party and declare himself an Independent.  He's done nothing wrong as Governor.  He's committed no impeachable offenses.

Gov. Ralph Northam (I-VA).

I say, let it happen.

And how does he get anything done? If you don't have backing from either political party, you just can't govern effectively. Not my understanding of public service.

That point is well-taken.  I agree with it to the extent that I understand the political realities of the present moment.

Perhaps such a situation (a D House, an R Senate and an I Governor) would force all concerned to actually consider public policy on the merits.  That, of course, may be more overly-high aiming for me, so I'm willing to concede that you're probably right.

[OSR stands with Israel]

He should resign, he isn't owed the Governorship. This image is hurtful and trivializes what was America's worst terrorist group. A group who's sole purpose and function was to destroy Black progress in business, politics, and equality.

This. The white men in this thread pontificating about people changing and this “not being a crime” is SICKENING.

I am not a white male

[Technocracy Timmy]

He should resign, he isn't owed the Governorship. This image is hurtful and trivializes what was America's worst terrorist group. A group who's sole purpose and function was to destroy Black progress in business, politics, and equality.

This. The white men in this thread pontificating about people changing and this “not being a crime” is SICKENING.

I am not a white male

You’re alt-white.

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

He should resign, he isn't owed the Governorship. This image is hurtful and trivializes what was America's worst terrorist group. A group who's sole purpose and function was to destroy Black progress in business, politics, and equality.

This. The white men in this thread pontificating about people changing and this “not being a crime” is SICKENING.

I am not a white male

You’re alt-white.

This, from a guy who once had a sig that was a Picture of Grover Cleveland with a Theodore Roosevelt quote that he attributed to William Howard Taft, lol.  

[DINGO Joe]

He should resign, he isn't owed the Governorship. This image is hurtful and trivializes what was America's worst terrorist group. A group who's sole purpose and function was to destroy Black progress in business, politics, and equality.

This. The white men in this thread pontificating about people changing and this “not being a crime” is SICKENING.

I am not a white male

You’re alt-white.

This, from a guy who once had a sig that was a Picture of Grover Cleveland with a Theodore Roosevelt quote that he attributed to William Howard Taft, lol.  

Timmy does great work.

[MassBlueDog]

Ralph Northam is at this point trying to make me, who was defending him, call for his resignation.

If you make a statement, you better make sure it's true the first time before contradicting yourself.

[Torrain]

Any chance he had of surviving this was set on fire during this press conference.

[DINGO Joe]

IF he had said the first time, it wasn't him in photo and he doesn't know how they ended up in the medical school yearbook, it would have worked, true or not, because it's believable that one wouldn't even give the slightest rats ass about a med school yearbook, but the whole contortionist thing is killing him.

[OSR stands with Israel]

After the press conference I’m leaning towards yes now

[Big Abraham]

Why are we automatically assuming that blackface, no matter the context, is racist?

His med school nickname was "coonman" and the man in blackface was posing next someone wearing a Klan hood. How dense can you get?

His quote below the picture says "There are more old drunks than old doctors in this world so I think I'll have another beer". It's obvious this was done for humour, albeit in poor taste, and as someone else pointed out he doesn't have anything in his record that demonstrates an aversion towards black people or would otherwise lead us to characterise him as a racist.

[SteveRogers]

Can someone elaborate on what was so cringeworthy about the press conference?

[Badger]

I'm honestly torn on this. That was a complete b******* move that he was old enough in 1984 to understand was completely unacceptable. On the other hand, it was 30 bloody six years later. I would like to hear his input as to how he has changed in those 36 years. If, for rent example, he denied it ever occurred and blamed it on the opposition party for his own actions, like say a certain Supreme Court Justice, I would say resigned tomorrow. If however he explained openly and convincingly like Archie Parnell about what a loser drunk he was forty some years earlier and how he changed the grace of God in a marriage to a wonderful woman who approved him as a person oh, I'd be okay with it. So I wouldn't want him to run for reelection.

[BlueSwan]

Haven't followed the story, but whatever stupid thing anybody does in their youth shouldn't really have any bearing on whether they can hold political office several decades later. So without knowing much about this story, I will give a preliminary "no" answer.

[libertpaulian]

I'm honestly torn on this. That was a complete b******* move that he was old enough in 1984 to understand was completely unacceptable. On the other hand, it was 30 bloody six years later. I would like to hear his input as to how he has changed in those 36 years. If, for rent example, he denied it ever occurred and blamed it on the opposition party for his own actions, like say a certain Supreme Court Justice, I would say resigned tomorrow. If however he explained openly and convincingly like Archie Parnell about what a loser drunk he was forty some years earlier and how he changed the grace of God in a marriage to a wonderful woman who approved him as a person oh, I'd be okay with it. So I wouldn't want him to run for reelection.

VA law prohibits it anyway.

[Badger]

I'm honestly torn on this. That was a complete b******* move that he was old enough in 1984 to understand was completely unacceptable. On the other hand, it was 30 bloody six years later. I would like to hear his input as to how he has changed in those 36 years. If, for rent example, he denied it ever occurred and blamed it on the opposition party for his own actions, like say a certain Supreme Court Justice, I would say resigned tomorrow. If however he explained openly and convincingly like Archie Parnell about what a loser drunk he was forty some years earlier and how he changed the grace of God in a marriage to a wonderful woman who approved him as a person oh, I'd be okay with it. So I wouldn't want him to run for reelection.

Just read about him not resigning. Barring the about 1 in 50 chance he's telling the truth and that's naturally not him. I understand he admitted to it yesterday, he absolutely positively unquestionably needs to go

[scutosaurus]

Can someone elaborate on what was so cringeworthy about the press conference?

https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1091798271087894529

[Unbeatable Titan Susan Collins]

In addition while saying he wasn't in the photo on his yearbook page he did the following:

Admitted to wearing blackface in 1984 to dress up as Michael Jackson for a dance contest

and had no idea where he got the nickname Coonman

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

Can someone elaborate on what was so cringeworthy about the press conference?

https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1091798271087894529

“Inappropriate circumstances heheh”

Yeah, that’s not making him look like he’s much of a better person. :/

Edit: The context of the moonwalking comment is... not good.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Yeah... since Northam handled this thing in the worst possible manner with increasingly ridiculous apologies, explanations, and justifications it's time for him to go. Who the hell is Northam's PR advisor? Or has he just become resistant against any advice?

[ilikeverin]

Haven't followed the story, but whatever stupid thing anybody does in their youth shouldn't really have any bearing on whether they can hold political office several decades later. So without knowing much about this story, I will give a preliminary "no" answer.

I think calling someone who's 25 a "youth" is a bit of a misnomer.  Although, as was also pointed out, nobody cares, remotely, about college yearbooks, let alone grad school ones... but, as was also pointed out, Northam's story has changed so much that this reasonable defense ("I had no idea what was in there") is completely out the window.

[libertpaulian]

Yes, 25 is definitely NOT a "youth," especially by 1980s standards.

[Mr. Smith]

I'm against it on principle, since it just means adding hot air as a means to fight fire instead of fire (which can work) or water (which should be used, but clearly no longer exists in this political landscape).

However, the conduct of Northam since has been nothing less of Fremdschamen.

[SteveRogers]

Okay, yeah, he needs to resign. I said I’d reserve judgement until I could see how Northam handled his apology tour, and well... the “im not saying I did it, but if I did it, I apologize” apology shouldn’t have any place in our current political discourse.