VA Governor Ralph Northam Got Some Explaining to Do

[Going Commando]

We're going to be known as the blackface state.

 

Re: Fairfax, it doesn't sit well with me that he lied about the WaPo inquiry into the matter and then tried to insinuate that Northam and LeVar Stoney were the ones trying to smear him.  That is the behavior of a guilty and desperate man.  His accuser also seems like she has her stuff together and the fact that she told Bobby Scott about Fairfax a while ago builds her credibility.

 

It's a shame because he is a talented politician and I agree with almost all of his policy positions and he is a cut above most of what we get from Virginia politicians.  But I think he did it.

[FanboyOf91]

Florida gonna have to annex Virginia at this rate, our prized social dysfunction resources are at stake.

[Mr. Sinister]

3 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

We're going to be known as the blackface state.

 

Re: Fairfax, it doesn't sit well with me that he lied about the WaPo inquiry into the matter and then tried to insinuate that Northam and LeVar Stoney were the ones trying to smear him.  That is the behavior of a guilty and desperate man.  His accuser also seems like she has her stuff together and the fact that she told Bobby Scott about Fairfax a while ago builds her credibility.

 

It's a shame because he is a talented politician and I agree with almost all of his policy positions and he is a cut above most of what we get from Virginia politicians.  But I think he did it.

 

Is there gonna be anyone left? 😂

 

Dropping like flies, man

[tshile]

5 hours ago, Jumbo said:

the most surprising thing to me about try the beal was finding out he worked for hallmark greeting cards

 

What do you think the rejection rate on his cards was?

 

[DogofWar1]

This is just like wrestling, what with surprises coming out of nowhere!  Except its with states and parties.  GOP came in with a chair earlier and then Florida swung down from the rafters and elbow dropped both of them.

 

 

[Going Commando]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Sinister said:

 

Is there gonna be anyone left? 😂

 

Dropping like flies, man 

 

Apparently no one who went to college in Virginia circa 1990 is going to be able to serve in office.

 

I wish it was someone other than Fairfax.  I was actually happy to vote for him.  I voted for Perriello in 2008 and voted for him over Northam in the primary, but I didn't like some of his voting record compared to other Democrats.  I don't love him being one of our only options left.  I thought Fairfax was going to be good.

 

I miss Tim Kaine.  The harmonica playing doesn't seem so dorky now.

[DogofWar1]

45 minutes ago, nonniey said:

IMO Herring has the weakest leg (of the three) to stand on as he called for Northam's resignation over this before he came out and said he did the same thing.

Here's the thing about that, we still technically don't know if Northam was blackface or not, as he's been coy about who he was and changed his story from "I was in the picture" to "I'm not in the picture (but oh yeah I did wear blackface once but not for this pic)."

 

Herring can contrast and say he owned up to his conduct in a much more straightforward fashion than Northam.  He did it.  It was bad.  He's learned from it.

 

So while Northam is considering switching parties and using facial recognition software (which if successful would only suggest he was wearing the hood, so I don't think he thought this through), Herring is trying to make this about his growth as a person.

 

Herring will never win an election for governor unless he performs a bunch of miracles for the state, but he could hold the position of governor and not be a huge drag on Dems.

 

Further, I suspect we're not done with this scandal.  Every person in VA government is about to have all their old photos and year books torn apart.  The current 4 are likely not the last.  This will probably hit both parties and thus should even out some.  That will lessen the harm Herring being there would bring.

 

But again, it depends on the VA Black Caucus' position.  I can totally understand if they don't want to forgive him.

[twa]

38 minutes ago, tshile said:

I do find a bit of humor in the fact that some of the criticism of Northam early on was how it all unfolded. Some people even referenced that if he came clean on his own  beforehand there would be less outrage and he could have saved his political career

 

herring, watching all this unfold, and realizing he has a similar issue in his past, watching the criticism roll in, and undoubtably having ambitions of a bigger political career, decides to come clean and ask for forgiveness on his own. 

 

The response? resign!!!

 

lol

 

Herring probably wouldn't have confessed if he thought it wouldn't come out though.

 

I give him a half credit.

[twa]

dble post

[Cooked Crack]

\\

 

 

[tshile]

24 minutes ago, twa said:

 

Herring probably wouldn't have confessed if he thought it wouldn't come out though.

 

I give him a half credit.

 

I actually think he thought he could get ahead of it, based on the reaction to northam. Because people were saying if he just did that he’d likely be forgiven. 

 

I just dont  think there’s much forgiveness in people right now for this type of thing. At least not from the people that matter. 

 

And i don’t mean that as a slight against those people without the forgiveness. I firmly believe some of the ways people approach the topic of racism is racist towards white people. 

 

And as a white person its my choice what I think of them for it. And it’s their choice what they think of others when these issues pop up. I’ve given up on thinking there’s any room to change minds. So to each their own

[Going Commando]

Have any of you all ever seen the original cut of the 1942 Christmas classic Holiday Inn?

 

In it there is an entire Broadway-style musical number performed in blackface to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday.  If Bing Crosby was still alive, his career would be ruined by that number alone.

 

Point being, it was common for white people back in the day to be oblivious about the racism of blackface.  It was part of a performance tradition that was normalized for white audiences.  I don't know when it stopped being normal, but I can believe that it was after 1985 in Western and Southern Virginia.  Norfolk is a ****hole today, it was ten times worse 35 years ago.  I can believe that Mark Herring and Ralph Northam would put on blackface to dress up like Kurtis Blow and Michael Jackson and not realize how offensive it was.  I think that their racist acts came from ignorance and not intent or belief in White Supremacy.  I bet both of them had minimal contact with black people up to that point in their lives, and knew very little about them.  There are like 12 black people living on the Eastern Shore and none whatsoever in Lexington.  VMI was racist as Hell back in the day and probably still was in the 80's.  It's a world that is completely alien to Nova liberals, to put it mildly.  I'm pretty sure that the rats still have to salute the statue of Stonewall Jackson every time they walk by it.  I bet Northam didn't know he was committing a taboo, or at least the extent of how taboo it was.

 

He handled this situation like a buffoon and torched confidence in him, but he was shook.  Hopefully he gets it together and redeems himself because the VA DP is in chaos now.

[Bozo the kKklown]

It stopped being normal when people started to listen to black people.

[Going Commando]

1 minute ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

It stopped being normal when people started to listen to black people. 

 

These places were backwards though.  They are tiny towns that are homogeneously white and traditional.  To this day there is probably no black voice in a place like Lexington or Nassawodox.  People from those places are still very sheltered about black people and issues of White Supremacy.  They might have more exposure to black culture than they used to, but it only comes from a distance, through media, or by moving out of the area.

 

There is less excuse for EVMS, but Norfolk is a weird place that is not great to black people.  It's de facto segregated and most of the money is in rich white communities on the Western side where EVMS is, and these communities are very isolated from the black culture and population of the city.

[Bozo the kKklown]

13 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

These places were backwards though.  They are tiny towns that are homogeneously white and traditional.  To this day there is probably no black voice in a place like Lexington or Nassawodox.  People from those places are still very sheltered about black people and issues of White Supremacy.  They might have more exposure to black culture than they used to, but it only comes from a distance, through media, or by moving out of the area.

 

There is less excuse for EVMS, but Norfolk is a weird place that is not great to black people.  It's de facto segregated and most of the money is in rich white communities on the Western side where EVMS is, and these communities are very isolated from the black culture and population of the city.

Yeah, I am not going to show these people sympathy or give them an out. They wouldn't for black people.

[tshile]

Gucci pulls 'blackface sweater' from stores after complaints

 

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/gucci-pulls-blackface-sweater-from-stores-after-complaints/ar-BBThvJw?OCID=ansmsnnews11

 

 

I dont know what the **** is going on anymore

 

[tshile]

2 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

We're going to be known as the blackface state.

Virginia is for Blackface

[PokerPacker]

7 hours ago, mcsluggo said:

 

You can level many of the same accusations at associates that make partner in big firms, or most business tycoons... hell, you can certainly say the same thing about people that make full prof in some academic departments.

 

its cut-throat at the top, and the people that thrive on that aren't necessarily the people you want across from you at dinner.    

I would indeed use similar analysis to claim that there is a higher rate of sociopathy in CEOs versus the general population.

[skinsmarydu]

9 hours ago, Jumbo said:

the most surprising thing to me about try the beal was finding out he worked for hallmark greeting cards

I always knew they were hiding the Death Metal section! 💥

[TheGoodBits]

3 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

I voted for Perriello in 2008 and voted for him over Northam in the primary, but I didn't like some of his voting record compared to other Democrats.  I don't love him being one of our only options left.  

 

Just a random aside here, but the notion Perriello was anything other than a true progressive was just Northam swiftboating him after being faced with a legit primary competitor on his left. 

 

Not that it’s important though, can’t really see a scenario where Perriello ends up being appointed to office. Northam and Fairfax seem determined to ride this out. 

 

I’m with you re: disappointment in Fairfax though. I too had high hopes for his career.

[visionary]

 

[Going Commando]

3 hours ago, skinsfan_1215 said:

Just a random aside here, but the notion Perriello was anything other than a true progressive was just Northam swiftboating him after being faced with a legit primary competitor on his left. 

 

Not that it’s important though, can’t really see a scenario where Perriello ends up being appointed to office. Northam and Fairfax seem determined to ride this out.  

 

I’m with you re: disappointment in Fairfax though. I too had high hopes for his career. 

 

You're right he's generally a progressive and he's also a populist.  But he has some legit conservative positions on things like gun control and abortion and foreign policy.  There is a reason the gubernatorial primary results map looked like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Virginia_gubernatorial_election#/media/File:Virginia_Democratic_gubernatorial_primary_results_by_county,_2017.svg

 

IMO Fairfax represents the true progressive.  You can't be a true progressive and ever win Virginia's 5th, even if you're riding Obama's coattails.

[Kilmer17]

NM.  

[TheGoodBits]

12 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

You're right he's generally a progressive and he's also a populist.  But he has some legit conservative positions on things like gun control and abortion and foreign policy.  There is a reason the gubernatorial primary results map looked like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Virginia_gubernatorial_election#/media/File:Virginia_Democratic_gubernatorial_primary_results_by_county,_2017.svg

 

IMO Fairfax represents the true progressive.  You can't be a true progressive and ever win Virginia's 5th, even if you're riding Obama's coattails.

 

The map looked like that because of a combo of name recognition (areas where Perriello represented went for him, he'd never run in a statewide race before) and single issue voters (Atlantic Coast Pipeline opposition). In reality, Perriello simply wasn't in the race long enough to overcome the sitting Lt Gov. 

 

Not sure what you are referring to with foreign policy but the gun control and abortion issues were 100% Northam swiftboating tactics.

 

-Re guns, NRA once had a policy of simply endorsing any sitting politician who did not cast any votes against gun rights during the term. Pelosi didn't call any votes on the issue in 09-10, earning Perriello an A rating and endorsement (along with about 50 other freshman Dems, many in red districts). Of course Perriello was happy to issue a press release touting his NRA endorsement in 2010 in a red district, but he's in no way someone who wouldn't vote for Assault Weapon bans, etc. NRA has since ceased that endorsement policy and just goes with endorsing Republicans. 

 

-Abortion: The only vote he cast on this was during an amendment process during the run-up to ACA (the amendment would have reiterated that ACA doesn't fund abortions). He explained it as an "attempt to keep a promise to his voters" but also apologized for it. 

 

The two above instances are the *entirety* of the voting (or non-voting) record associated with Perriello's "conservative views" on guns and reproductive rights. He was a one term congressman and didn't have the luxury of 20+ years of voting records. That's why I brought up swiftboating... Northam attacked Perriello from the left on this because Perriello was running to his left in an insurgent campaign. The reality though, was that the substance behind the attacks was pretty shallow. 

 

Anyway, this isn't a Tom Perriello thread and I'd be happy to continue this discussion via PM if interested.  

 

 

edit- as a last point on Perriello, I will note that the past week's devastating events for VA Dems leaves the door wide open for Tom in 2021. VA has been extremely hierarchical in their politics (Warner to Lt Gov Kaine then McAuliffe to Lt Gov Northam), and Fairfax being next in line pretty much ended any chance Perriello had at Governor until 2025 at earliest (he would have had to win Lt Gov in 2021). Now, I have no clue who Dems are going to nominate in 2021. I don't think Fairfax has a chance in the general anymore against any halfway decent GOP candidate. Nor should he. 

 

 

[visionary]

Yeah, we know.