Virginia: The State That Just Keeps On Giving
[guest post by Dana]
While Gov. Northam refuses to resign from office in spite of increasing pressure from leading Democrats for him to do so, Lt. Gov. Fairfax, in line to succeed Gov. Northam, is currently fighting a sexual misconduct allegation made by a professor at Scripps College. Fairfax reportedly was pretty ugly when he attempted to discredit his accuser during a private meeting. Now we are learning that Attorney General Mark Herring, who would be next in line to be governor after Fairfax, made a preemptive move this morning by admitting that he too wore blackface while in college some 40 years ago:
I am sure we all have done things at one time or another in our lives that show poor judgment, and worse yet, have caused some level of pain to others. I have a glaring example from my past that I have thought about with deep regret in the many years since, and certainly each time I took a step forward in public service, realizing that my goals and this memory could someday collide and cause pain for people I care about, those who stood with me in the many years since, or those who I hoped to serve while in office.
In 1980, when I was a 19-year-old undergraduate in college, some friends suggested we attend a party dressed like rappers we listened to at the time, like Kurtis Blow, and perform a song,” Herring said. “It sounds ridiculous even now writing it. But because of our ignorance and glib attitudes – and because we did not have an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of others – we dressed up and put on wigs and brown makeup.
This was a one-time occurrence and I accept full responsibility for my conduct.
[…]
“Although the shame of that moment has haunted me for decades, and though my disclosure of it now pains me immensely, what I am feeling in no way compares to the betrayal, the shock, and the deep pain that Virginians of color may be feeling. Where they have deserved to feel heard, respected, understood, and honestly represented, I fear my actions have contributed to them being forced to revisit and feel a historical pain that has never been allowed to become history.
“This conduct is in no way reflective of the man I have become in the nearly 40 years since.
Interesting that Herring couldn’t bring himself to say “blackface” in his statement. Rather he used the almost innocuous “brown makeup” instead. Preemptively politicking with a sly choice of non-inflammatory words and sidestepping blunt accuracy before his hopeful ascendancy to governorship – whether in 2019 or 2021 – demonstrates that he’s fairly practiced at this game.
As a reminder, just four days ago, Herring called on Northam to resign:
It is no longer possible for Governor Northam to lead our Commonwealth and it is time for him to step down. I have spoken with Lieutenant Governor Fairfax and assured him that, should he ascend to the governorship, he will have my complete support and commitment to ensuring his success and the success of our Commonwealth
If the three executives facing various scandals found themselves out of office, then next up to bat would be Republican Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Kirk Cox.
P.S. The New York Times is torn. Circle the wagons or be honest:
Then:
Now:
–Dana
In a sane world, the youthful indiscretions of 30 or 40 years ago would no longer be held against an individual. We no longer live in that world.
Dana (023079) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:13 amI go by the isolated 20 / 20 apology rule. It an isolated thing happened before you were 20, more than 20 years ago, and you seem sincerely sorry about it I’m probably content to move on.
Obviously this is a rule of thumb. But in this case I don’t think the guy should resign.
If you can show me that he’s been lying about it or that it’s part of a pattern of mocking or dehumanizing black as an ongoing thing I’m happy to reconsider.
Time123 (dba73f) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:21 amActually, if some b!tch accused me of raping her, I would say “F**k that lying w**re”, and worse things, in public, let alone in private. Scorched earth, man.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:31 amWhether guilty or innocent, nk? Because I could see doing it whether having done it or not. A guilty party deflecting by attempting to appear righteously indignant at the mere suggestion, or because knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was lying begets a proportionate outcry.
Dana (023079) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:41 amBy initiating the current rush to judgement for three decent human beings, the press seems hell-bent on proving Mr. Trump’s statement that the press is “the enemy of the people.”
John B Boddie (66f464) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:48 amHe has already said he’s innocent. That it was consensual. If he is not going to be indignant for being falsely accused of rape, what accusation would make him mad?
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:50 amPosted this in previous thread:
The New York Times
@nytimes
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring says he dressed up in a wig and brown makeup as part of a costume while a university student
__ _
Currently between fraudulent suspensions
@jtLOL
“brown makeup”
“dark makeup”
It’s good to be a Democrat.
__ _
Josh
@JoshFromIndy
Replying to
@nytimes
“Dark makeup”? Are you kidding me,
@nytimes?
Just call it what it is: blackface.
__ _
Joshua Roberts
@joshtweetsthat
I wonder if newly minted
@nytimes
columnist and all-around excellent writer
@jbouie
has any thoughts about this?
__ _
Phil Colorado
@PhilColorado
NYT: Mary Poppins and a Nanny’s Shameful Flirting With Blackface
NYT: Blackface Video Has Elite New York Private School in an Uproar
NYT: Florida Secretary of State Resigns After Blackface Photos Surface
But also NYT: Virginia Attorney General Says He Also Dressed in Dark Makeup
harkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:50 am‘youthful indiscretions…’
Reagan voted for FDR.
Four times.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:53 am“Actually, if some b!tch accused me of raping her, I would say “F**k that lying w**re”, and worse things, in public, let alone in private. Scorched earth, man.”
According to Woke Nation, your temperament is not suitable for you to be on the SCOTUS.
Take solace in the fact you agree w Matt Damon:
“Now … with social media, these stories get — it’s like they get gasoline poured on them. So the moment a claim is made, if you make that same claim today to me, I would be scorched earth. I’d go, “I don’t care if it costs $10 million to fight this in court with you for 10 years, you are not taking my name from me.“
https://www.boston.com/culture/entertainment/2017/12/15/matt-damon-under-fire-for-comments-about-sexual-misconduct-allegations
harkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:55 am“Reagan voted for FDR.“
I read once that JFK donated $$ to Richard Nixon’s congressional campaign against a democrat he didn’t like.
harkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:59 amI was thinking of attaching this as an update to Dana’s post, but it’s pretty barbed so it’s probably better if I just link it here. But this is a pretty awesome broadside at the dilemma in which Old Dominion Democrats find themselves:
https://twitter.com/devingatton/status/1093182548111429633
JVW (54fd0b) — 2/6/2019 @ 11:00 amAccording to Woke Nation, your temperament is not suitable for you to be on the SCOTUS.
I have it in writing from the Illinois Supreme Court too. Every Letter Of Good Standing they have issued me since 1982 ends with the statement that “[I have] never been disciplined”.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 11:03 am@10. True. Helen Gahagan. JFK and The Big Dick saw red.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 2/6/2019 @ 11:07 amI’m enjoying this! Our revolutions are slower than others, but much less bloody.
And now the Womynz are in charge of the Democrat Party. Hilarity ensues!
Patricia (3363ec) — 2/6/2019 @ 11:07 amI read once that JFK donated $$ to Richard Nixon’s congressional campaign against a democrat he didn’t like.
Wasn’t that really just Papa Joe though? It’s not as if the Kennedy boys built any fortunes independently, so I would imagine that any JFK donation was just money funneled through him by his dad. Joe Kennedy was not only a donor to Nixon, but he was a pretty staunch patron of Joe McCarthy too. Back in the days when some Democrats weren’t so keen on Marxism.
JVW (54fd0b) — 2/6/2019 @ 11:25 amIt was only a thousand bucks so he probably just looked under the sofa cushions.
Also – Gahagan Douglas was the wife of Melvyn Douglas and an actress in the 30s.
Her portrayal of an ice queen in She according to Walt Disney was the inspiration for the evil queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Also also – Illeana Douglas is a granddaughter but not sure if it was from Melvyn’s earlier marriage or his w Gahagan.
harkin (1cc715) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:01 pmGood riddance this will clear out the dead wood of the democrat party allowing kathy tran and the other budding young aoc’s to take over virginia democrat party. 90% of democrats would vote for aoc if she was old enough to run. 2024 is coming! poll 70% of young latinas want to be next aoc!
lany (2857a1) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:05 pmThe three executives embroiled in their own public relation catastrophes will not resign, and will resist any effort to be pushed out office for the simple fact that next in line is a Republican. And that is utterly unacceptable. Especially after an election where Dems successfully retained control of three statewide offices and were able to flip 14 seats in the House of Delegates. There is no way they will give up that success. We are witnessing the diminishing of historical blackface and #MeToo for the sake of (Democratic) politics. And infanticide isn’t even on the table.
Dana (023079) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:19 pmImagine the outcry if a republican would have done this.
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:25 pmCrickets from Team Rino and the shrinking tent.
So wait, courts give you guys report cards?
Dave (1bb933) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:28 pmIt is being reported that Tyson (Fairfax’s accuser) told someone about the assault:
Dana (023079) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:28 pmIIRC, the VA Governor line of succession goes:
Gov
LT Gov
AG
Speaker of House of Delegates
If that’s right, then the 4th person is a Republican …
jim2 (a5dc71) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:38 pmI was guessing murder and cannibalism I lost my touch.
Narciso (51f90d) — 2/6/2019 @ 12:39 pmForcing sexual acts by Fairfax should get him a bit in the slammer.
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 1:00 pmI love how concise this is. Bravo.
It’s sad…
How do we go back to the old rules that youthful indiscretions isn’t treated as an invisible Sword of Damocles threatening to drop once those indiscretions becomes public?
whembly (fd57f6) — 2/6/2019 @ 1:23 pmDo you think Democrats will learn that due process is important and how badly they’ve acted during the Kavanaugh hearings?
whembly (b9d411) — 2/6/2019 @ 1:25 pmThey fired off the torpedo spread and their sjw signaling gave off a wake. The toothsome trio have been responsible for much more severe trespasses abominations et al.
Narciso (51f90d) — 2/6/2019 @ 1:26 pm“Depraved New World” by Malodorous Suxley
Colonel Haiku (6b7575) — 2/6/2019 @ 1:26 pm“JFK and The Big Dick saw red”
And they were right.
https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=List_of_Americans_in_the_Venona_papers
harkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 2:11 pm“You’re free to come and go, or talk like Kurtis Blow
But there’s a pair of eyes in back of your head.”
– They Might Be Giants
JRH (fe281f) — 2/6/2019 @ 2:45 pmDr. Mildred Watson: You’re just like Don Quixote. You think that everything is always something else.
Justin Playfair: Well, he had a point. ‘Course he carried it a bit too far. He thought that every windmill was a giant. That’s insane. But, thinking that they might be, well… All the best minds used to think the world was flat. But what if it isn’t? It might be round. And bread mold might be medicine. If we never looked at things and thought of what might be, why we’d all still be out there in the tall grass with the apes.
They Might Be Giants – 1971
harkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 3:01 pmDon’t let’s start…
Colonel Haiku (6b7575) — 2/6/2019 @ 3:38 pmSo wait, courts give you guys report cards?
In a word, yes. It could be worse: Elizabeth Warren got an F in Sex from Texas.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 3:41 pmFor ’tis the sport to have the engineer
Hoist with his own petard. And ’t shall go hard,
But I will delve one yard below their mines,
And blow them at the moon. Oh, ’tis most sweet
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene 4.
Bored Lawyer (998177) — 2/6/2019 @ 3:42 pmLatest on Stands With a Red Face…
https://static.pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/51499434_10214999955284883_5306736989641375744_o-800×560.jpg
Colonel Haiku (6b7575) — 2/6/2019 @ 3:42 pmlieawatha kicked off reservation and banned from happy hunting ground.
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:30 pmWhen you’ve lost Snopes ….
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:33 pmShe has enhanced her resume to the point she could now run for chief attorney general of the commonwealth of taxachusetts.
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:39 pmhttps://howiecarrshow.com/2019/02/06/elizabeth-warren-in-big-trouble-now/
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:40 pmlets get every body and democrat women will rule! aoc to bad pelosi is a woman.
lany (175005) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:47 pmMatriarchies are seldom successful. Angela Merkel had the longest run recently, but that’s because German males have been trained to pee sitting down.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 4:58 pmSweet Virginia
Wadin’ through Ralph Northam’s sad kerfuffle
Then there’s dat Fairfax and all his charms
Tryin’ to sort it out without a scuffle
Can’t pay the check, they all got T-Rex arms
Thank you for your whine, California
Thank you for that rank Kamala-toe
Never say that I didn’t warn ya
And hit the road with yer tail of woe
But come on, calm on down Sweet Virginia
Come on, honey child, beggin’ you
Come on, calm on down, you had it in ya
Got to scrape that schiff right off your shoes
Yeah, I want you to come on, calm on down Sweet Virginia
I want you to come on, calm on down, Sweet Virginia
I want you come on, honey child, beggin’ you
I want you come on, honey child, he put it in you
Got to scrape that schiff right off your shoes
But come on, calm on down, Sweet Virginia
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:15 pmCome on, calm on down, beggin’ you
Come on, come on down, he put it in you
Got to scrape that schiff right off your shoes
Some commentators said during the Kavanaugh hearings that the Democrats won’t like the new rules they’ve established. Guess they were right.
B.A. DuBois (80f588) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:17 pmIt’s the “He Too” movement !!!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:25 pmExcellent song parody as usual, Colonel.
JVW (54fd0b) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:25 pmTheir devotion to moloch opened up a pouparri of trouble:
https://mobile.twitter.com/mcmoynihan
Narciso (ff1e57) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:36 pm42- Applause
mg (8cbc69) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:41 pmThank you, JVW! I had to post it twice, forgot that sk*nk was put on the no-fly list.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:43 pmThanks, mg.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:44 pmInspired coronello.
Narciso (ff1e57) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:49 pmThx, narciso!
Coming soon: Van & Jerry’s Cookies an’ Dog Poop Ice Cream!
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:52 pmWho would have thought a self proclaimed marxist revolutionary and 9/11 denialist would react that way.
Narciso (ff1e57) — 2/6/2019 @ 5:59 pmharkin (e15868) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:59 am
Nixon thought JFK had given his own money (he gave it in cash) and was lying to him in saying it was from his father (because Nixon had no contact with Joseph P. Kennedy but Nixon and JFK were serving together on a House committee and got along well but, Nixon would have thought, for political reasons JFK couldn’t help him.)
This was in the 1948 election.
In all probability, it really was Joe Kennedy who wanted to give Nixon money and JFK was indeed embarrassed to hand it to Nixon. Nixon was famous.
Sammy Finkelman (b0ece0) — 2/6/2019 @ 7:05 pmBOY, it’s a good thing that Pence doesn’t meet with women by himself. I hope there are no pictures of him in blackface, although someone might be found who remembers such. Because if they go after Trump, they will surely want to get rid of Pence, too, so that President Pelosi can take charge.
Kevin M (21ca15) — 2/6/2019 @ 7:31 pmDana (023079) — 2/6/2019 @ 10:13 am
The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself, but that can go pretty far.
People are not saying what they think, but what they are afraid to say they do not think.
The Attorney General’s statement was ridiculous. He talks like people always thought blackface extremely terrible, instead of maybe something that should make you cringe.
And also we have that what you just heard of yesterday is treated like it happened yesterday.
Maybe exaggerating it will put an end to it.
Sammy Finkelman (b0ece0) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:02 pmWell, darn, this wouldn’t be happening in a state with Roy Moore as its junior senator: http://www.yahoo.com/news/alabama-city-respond-decision-police-shooting-140051714
urbanleftbehind (bc1932) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:08 pmThe link sucks, but I know what you’re referring to. Wild Bill Hickock killed his own deputy that way. So did Matt Dillon but I think that was fictional. That’s what happens when people play with guns. People get shot. This was an accident. There might be civil liability, but I don’t see any criminal state of mind on the part of the cop.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:14 pmWhen Pence takes office, Cocaine Mitch will confirm his successor.
Dave (1bb933) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:21 pmI get a kick out of the Babylon Bee:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Elizabeth Warren is embroiled in controversy once again, this time after she admitted to wearing racially offensive “paleface” at a costume party back in her college days.
“As a proud Native American woman, I now realize that dressing as a white woman at that party all those years ago was insensitive and offensive,” she said in a heartfelt apology video. “It was wrong of me to culturally appropriate white culture, as I am only 1023/1024th white European colonizer.”
“I only hope that my constituents can forgive me for who I was back in my college days,” she added.
Warren was also photographed with a friend dressed as a KKK member, but she refused to distance herself from that photograph, calling the KKK “an important part of the history of abortion rights in America, for which I have fought my whole career.”
https://babylonbee.com/news/elizabeth-warren-admits-to-wearing-paleface-at-college-costume-party
harkin (1cc715) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:41 pmI’m not the Babylon Bee, but Dave, for at least one, will like this:
White House to Unveil a Global Women’s Empowerment Initiative, Led by Ivanka Trump
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 8:52 pmStep 1: Be born to a billionaire daddy.
Step 2: Marry a billionaire husband.
Ho hum, maybe you want to throw rug bits ar her like with the new performance piece in DC
Narciso (ff1e57) — 2/6/2019 @ 9:03 pmCleopatra in her bath. It’s in Greek, but so was she.
nk (dbc370) — 2/6/2019 @ 9:21 pmIs George Hamilton considered a black face?
mg (8cbc69) — 2/7/2019 @ 2:33 amAnd it wasn’t that long that the Virginia GOP nominated a racist or racist-adjacent. There indeed a problem with public figures in that state.
Paul Montagu (27e440) — 2/7/2019 @ 6:54 amWhat do we have here:
https://freebeacon.com/issues/cfpb-worked-with-exposed-antifa-leader-on-payday-loan-rule/
Narciso (24997a) — 2/7/2019 @ 6:57 amI dont know mg, but maybe the Great Society was just a way to get ensure “darkie” never got into the family tree.
urbanleftbehind (bc1932) — 2/7/2019 @ 8:01 amThis is what happens when you establish some kind of pure test for people–the Democrats established the rule with Kavanaugh, and while I don’t agree with it, they can just abide by it, like they expect everyone else to do.
Rochf (877dba) — 2/7/2019 @ 8:17 amI knew it!
IMO, Northam is lying. He’s more likely the blackface and less the KKK guy, but it’s Northam in that photo.
Paul Montagu (27e440) — 2/7/2019 @ 8:34 amwhat was the first clue, the picture was on his page, note with Kavanaugh’s accuser, they memory holed the whole run of yearbooks, it is striking that the three amigos, all are in favor of moloch, sodomy and other dark arts, also islam, cair was their amen corner,
narciso (d1f714) — 2/7/2019 @ 8:51 amWell, if you have a population that reverts to a strict no sex before marriage standard (to borrow from JRH in the other thread), sodomy in the heterosexual community becomes a “do as I say not as I do” proposition (e.g. Muslim teens, lesser extent Mormon teens).
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:03 amhohum
https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/07/richard-burr-no-evidence-collusion-trump/
narciso (d1f714) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:07 amthunderdome ring three:
https://bigleaguepolitics.com/ralph-northam-appointed-a-domestic-abuser-despite-being-warned/
narciso (d1f714) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:16 amThere is difference between dark makeup and blackface.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F96DlM3N5KQ
TryingToBeFairToTheNYT (565659) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:20 amcivility they are going to try that one of these days:
https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/02/former-espn-host-jemele-hill-made-assassination-joke-during-trump-sotu/
narciso (d1f714) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:22 amsleazy dirty-ass disney seems to have to fire a lot of trashy people on a fairly regular basis
happyfeet (28a91b) — 2/7/2019 @ 9:59 amCaptain marvel will not be available on Netflix nor any other marvel film:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5c5a1cb1e4b0871047588649
Narciso (43b2e2) — 2/7/2019 @ 10:19 amCircus no 2
Narciso (43b2e2) — 2/7/2019 @ 10:24 amhttps://mobile.twitter.com/RobElgasABC7
@63. Howzabout ‘Superman’?
Catch Kent Shinola-up in an episode titled’ The Big Freeze’ from ’56.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 2/7/2019 @ 11:01 amGive it another week, and the whole thing will have petered out.
nk (dbc370) — 2/7/2019 @ 11:46 amNo they found a Republican norman something or other so let the witchhunt go on,
Narciso (43b2e2) — 2/7/2019 @ 12:05 pmJust normal behavior:
https://bigleaguepolitics.com/virginia-democrat-delegate-candidate-said-israel-is-worse-than-kkk-told-ariel-sharon-to-burn-in-hell/
Narciso (43b2e2) — 2/7/2019 @ 12:08 pmThe claim taht blackface (by itself) is just about teh worst thing, was not around 30 years ago, but it was starting alreday about six years ago:
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/nyregion/hikind-defends-wearing-blackface-to-purim-party.html
A day latyer, assemblyman Dov Hikind apologized.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/dov-hikind-apologizes-blackface-photo-article-1.1274407
But atlest they weren’t into yet demanding politicians resign for non-crimes.
Sammy Finkelman (102c75) — 2/7/2019 @ 1:43 pmPaul Montagu @68
There was New York times story about the yearbooks that also says the same thing:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/05/us/northam-yearbook.html
There was more blackface pictures in the yearbook that year: Three men dressed in wigs, dresses and blackface, pretending to be The Supremes plus anotehr one the New York Times did not describe.
Probably worse as a picture of a professor holding a mug that read: “We can’t get fired! Slaves have to be sold.” (the message seems to be “tenured teachers are slaves” Actuyally it doesn’t make any sense.
There was also a picture of a male student grabbing a female mannequin’s breast with the caption, “I try never to divulge my true feelings while examining my patients!”
The editor of the 1983 yearbook was black, and he said that he did not receive any offensive photos – and he would have considered blackface offensive – he wouldn’t have permitted its publication.t.
Publication of yearbooks was stopped as of 2014, when Dr. Richard V. Homan, two years after becoming the medical school’s president, learned that there were photos of students wearing Confederate outfits and flags in the 2013 yearbook.
Sammy Finkelman (102c75) — 2/7/2019 @ 1:57 pmIn today’s news:
Republican – they found one – State Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment was the editor of the 1968 yearbook of the Birginia Military Institute. That means anything in it can be attributed to him, , and they found all kinds of objectionable content.
Insults, catering to prejudice, yes, but also instances of blackface!
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_d4ce7700-2ae3-11e9-ace9-ff7814740140.html
Sammy Finkelman (102c75) — 2/7/2019 @ 4:43 pm