There's a concerted rat fucking operation going on in VA against Democrats right now

[MrScorpio]

I usually don’t get paranoid about conspiracies, but this time it looks obvious

[elleng]

1. Yes.

[KWR65]

2. Thankfully What is happening in VA is because of #metoo and #BLM

Last edited Thu Feb 7, 2019, 07:33 AM - Edit history (1)

[elleng]

4. Oh right, blame black lives matter,

smart. and me too, because it's happened to many.

[KWR65]

9. Blame? I am thankful that #metoo and #BLM are exposing sexism and racism.

We need to expose all of the racists, rapists and sexists in power and then put them out of office. VA is a great start.

[Caliman73]

25. Probably a good idea to have put this second part as part of your original response.

The reason why writing more than one line is usually a good thing. You are correct, it is necessary to hold people accountable for their actions. I don't think that it necessarily means going on a purge and going after every single person, but people need to really examine their past and ask if they have something so egregious that it is going to come back to haunt them. If so, then perhaps not run. I know people will say, "Then we will just have a bunch of saints and prudes as our leaders" I say, "NO, just that if you have done blackface, used the term ni**er, or sexually assaulted a woman (or man for that matter) in your past and have never acknowledged that and worked publicly to make amends for it, then you will probably not have a lot of support within the Democratic Party".

[MadDAsHell]

44. Not, that's playing their game. We don't have to explain why Me too and BLM are important.

This is Democratic Underground.

[musicblind]

54. Believe it or not, I've run into some Democrats and progressives

who actually try to point out "negative" aspects of Me Too and Black Lives Matter.

Those conversations usually begin with "I agree in principle, but..."

It's disappointing, to say the least.

[Caliman73]

68. Did you see the responses the post got?

People did not understand that the poster was not attacking BLM and MeToo. That is what I was addressing. It is important to be clear to avoid misunderstandings. The vast majority on this site know the importance of those movements which is why there were strong responses necessitating the clarifying post.

[MrScorpio]

6. What's your reasoning?

[jll600]

63. You are crazy

I can’t believe this racist post on DU

[KWR65]

89. It is not racist. I support the #metoo and #blm movement.

These three elected men are being exposed for who they really are.

[ismnotwasm]

67. Oh fuck no.

HELL no.

[manor321]

3. No one forced Northam to have that horrible press conference

[elleng]

7. Right, appear to be judgment issues,

which is frequently the case.

[brush]

26. Yeah, that was a disaster. For a minute there I thought...

I was watching "Saturday Night Live", especially when he almost broke out his moonwalking technique.

Good judgment is not his strong point.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

39. Agree. If you know you are going to be in the

public eye soon or one day, you have to realize you will be in a fishbowl. This becomes truer and truer as media becomes more invasive with each passing year.

Judgement - Northem probably did himself more harm by un-admitting it then admitting it. Fairfax put himself in a compromising position whether innocent or guilty

[elleng]

47. I think so.

He should have taken some/more time initially, to consider what he'd say/do. Difficult, I know, due to today's compulsion for instant gratification, but necessary some times.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

59. Like Franken probably should have nt

[shellyleit]

72. Yep

Franken should not have quit either. F*ck Gillibrand.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

94. Maybe we should just let the person decide whether to quit or not. Just throwing that out there

If the people think the person is a total a****** then don't elect him again.

There's just something that seems so wrong about ganging up on someone. I know just me.

[dubyadiprecession]

114. I totally agree.

A old negative yearbook photo should not be allowed to supersede Northam’s character over his career of public service to the black community.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

131. Isn't this just like many here think about

Trump? No to the I word and let the voters kick him out?

[myohmy2]

129. I also agree...

...'let the people decide' seems the most logical thing to do...

...are we going to throw ours under the bus for something that happened years ago when Republicans, Kavy-baby and MAGA Man do worse daily?

...it doesn't make sense to me either...

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. I have parallel views on this.

1. the allegations are serious and career ending if true - and

2. the repubs must really want to be changing the conversation right now with what is coming at them.

Everything about this just stinks.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

62. Yes, and they know we will all demand that our accused

step down - unlike them. It's like they take Glee in it all. It's really the height of hypocrisy.

[hughee99]

84. Didn't a republican step down just last week for wearing blackface years before? n/t

[Fresh_Start]

99. it wasnt generic blackface

he was specifically mocking Hurricane Katrina survivors.

Because losing people lives and huge swaths of a city to a hurricane
and having people dying in the dome in inhumane conditions wasn't bad enough

[hughee99]

115. I think the poster was suggesting that only dems resign

For something like this.

Is there a line for republicans, blackface is okay but blackface related to a specific group of people is not?

[GulfCoast66]

127. No one said it was ok.

But Ertel did it in 2005 specifically mocking Katrina victims. And he was in his mid 30’s and a professional man.

Nothram did it in 1984 while in college. A lot of things changed between 1984 and 2005.

I hope I am never judged on my actions as a college student vs when in my mid thirties and working on a career. And actually having some sense, which I did not at 22.

[renegade000]

8. We were on the cusp of ratifying the ERA...

Just needed to pry 1-2 GOP defectors in the House of Delegates like we got in the Senate.

Now, mushroom clouds and nuclear winter...

Don't feel comfortable commenting more than that: the developments are still unfolding at too quick a pace.

[Duppers]

49. Point.

We keep them seated until the vote has cleared.

I'm not overlooking or forgiving these men. It's just that there's a big win in this game and we can kick the players out after they've won the game.

Rethugs are trying to ratfucks the ratification.
Right?

[spooky3]

70. That, and they are outraged that Northam spoke in

support of abortion rights. They are out the get him and the other two. Thwarting ERA, abortion rights protections, gerrymandering reform and other changes are the goals.

[58Sunliner]

85. I agree. The people are at risk if the repubs get power. No redistricting.

I don't like them either but we are vulnerable without them. Northam should not resign right now.

[PSPS]

10. These cretins should be run out of office.

The governor's press briefing with the "moonwalk" foolishness tells me he's unfit for office anyway. Only a fool would treat such a thing as a chance to "be funny" and "get a laugh." Yeah, really funny. The whole thing is a punchline, amirite? Jeesh, go away, fool.

As for the DA, even as a teenager, I couldn't even fathom donning blackface as a "joke" let alone actually do it. Nobody I knew would have found such a thing "funny." They would have thought I was crazy and ostracized me.

As for Fairfax, he's hired the same attorneys as Kavanaugh and she's hired the same attorneys as Ford. Weird. We'll have to see about that, I suppose.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

66. Beg to differ with that. (DA). It was very common for

people to dress up like famous people (black or white) for Halloween back in 80s, 90's. Despite what everyone is trying to do...take today's values and transport them back in time. These costumes had nothing to do with ridicule of a race. Nothing to do with the horrors of the KKK! Just a simple freaking party costume.

[OnDoutside]

83. 100% agree.

[58Sunliner]

86. What happens to the voters if repubs grab power? What about the redistricting?

Easy to say but people are vulnerable. People on Medicaid, poor, disabled, POC etc... We can not put them at risk just for the satisfaction of assuaging anger right now. They can leave in a carefully coordinated way that still leaves Dems in power.

[lagomorph777]

107. Carefully coordinated is the key. If we panic, we lose VA for a generation.

[dem4decades]

11. I wish Tom Perriello had won the primary. He was a better choice

To begin with.

[elleng]

17. Seemed pretty lame to me,

but what do I know, I just live in MD.

[ehrnst]

104. He didn't make that case to the VA voters. (nt)

[theboss]

12. And another person who doesn't know what ratfucking is.

Why do none of you know what ratfucking is?

[OilemFirchen]

18. I sense that you have a great deal of knowledge on the subject.

Call it a hunch.

[theboss]

19. I like politics

Ratfucking is basically the old LBJ "Make the bastard deny it" joke come to life. It's doctoring images to make someone look bad. It's starting unsubstantiated rumors. It's editing tapes to again make a person sound bad. It's basically creative lying.

Having a black liberal college educated professor accuse a politician of raping her would be ratfucking only if she were lying and knew she were lying.

So, if she's lying, the characterization is fair.

Do you think she's lying?

If you answer "I don't know" or "no," the characterization is unfair.

[IronLionZion]

30. Ratfucking is an American slang term for political sabotage or dirty tricks.

Ratfucking is an American slang term for political sabotage or dirty tricks. It was brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in their non-fiction book All the President's Men (1974)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratfucking

[2naSalit]

58. +1

Thank you.

[ehrnst]

105. ......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

[ecstatic]

13. What's the path forward?

As I said on another thread: Northam has lost all credibility since his press conference. Fairfax is facing the most serious allegations, but in the clips I've seen, he seems to be pointing fingers rather than directly defending himself. And now Herring has pre-emptively admitted to doing what most people will see as the same thing that Northam did. Explaining the subtleties and levels of acceptable/non-acceptable black face is not going to work with our lazy/ratings-focused media. Next in line? A rethug.

[SunSeeker]

35. Yep. There are no good choices here.

Replacing these Democrats with Republicans, which is what would happen if all three resigned, would do immediate damage to women and African Americans in VA. The GOP-controlled legislature would pass voter-suppressing and anti-abortion legislation like shit through a goose. There would be no Democratic Governor to veto it, just a Repug to rubber stamp it.

On the other hand, the accusations against Fairfax are very credible. There needs to be an investigation to determine if she kept in touch with him after the alleged assault. She says she didn't. He says she did. Communications leave a paper trail that is recoverable and will determine who is lying. If it turns out he is lying, that makes it almost impossible to keep him in place.
The assault allegedly happened during the 2004 Dem convention. Women already have a GOP sexual assaulter as President, and at least 2 sitting on the Supreme Court. How much mor can we take? And we've got a VA Governor and AG who put on blackface in college. Under normal circumstances, demanding they resign is a no-brainer, if we as Democrats stand for race and gender equality.

Putting up with this shit in our own party makes us look like hypocrites when we accuse Republicans of it. However, that did not stop Republicans from accusing Democrats and hypocritically, but very effectively, demanding the Democrats step down. So when it comes to politics, hypocrisy has not stopped anyone, at least not Republicans.

But for me, as a woman, being governed by a Republican is always worse than being governed by a Democrat who has done racist or sexist shit in his past. At least the Democrat is not doing racist and sexist shit now, legislatively, in ways that directly affect my life, like a Republican would.

[idahoblue]

78. I agree

[cstanleytech]

45. Granted he did himself some major damage with that but there have been a number of politicians who

have bounced back from major scandals and he can do it as well if he simply keeps his head down for the next few months until the next major news story comes along that distracts the public.

[shellyleit]

75. That's what Trump does

And it works for him.
This is a training exercise. It's been orchestrated by Republicans and if it works, as it did with Franken in the Senate, there will be more and more of this. Some people like Northam will handle it terribly and make it worse.
But Democrats have a harder time lying and defending each other than Republicans do.
The Republican MO is just deny everything.

[cstanleytech]

77. No, if Trump did that he would shut his mouth and stay off twitter.

[Arkansas Granny]

14. As far as Northam and Herring are concerned, there is no way that they didn't know

that it was racist and offensive to wear blackface. They might not have considered how their actions would affect their futures, but they knew they were participating in demeaning behavior. Both should resign.

I'm not sure about Fairfax and the sexual assault allegations. So far it's her word against his with no proof on either side, but if true, he should resign, as well.

As much as I would hate to see a Republican take the Governor's office, Democrats cannot tolerate racism or sexual assault. No political party should condone this.

[cstanleytech]

46. True we should not condone it but I am not sure if throwing both of them under the bus is the best

course especially since we know the Repugnants will only use this olive branch like they have in the past to beat us in the head should both of them resign.

[GulfCoast66]

128. I could not disagree more strongly.

I was in college in 1984. In the south at a major university. I saw dudes in blackface. Thought not much about it. I was concerned about girls, beer and the next party. And of course my job after graduating.

I never did black face but can’t tell you I would not have at 20. Or 22. Just wasn’t aware of all the racist history of it. Never a thing that crossed my mind.

So I was young and dumb. It happens. Hell, are we next going to pile on those who did not support marriage equality in the 70s and 80’s? When no one did? Even President Obama was opposed in 08.

We are doing the republicans work for them.

[PubliusEnigma]

15. It's been evident since the start. This Shitstorm blew into town right after Stone was arrested.

[triron]

28. Yeah even Rachel is covering it. Damn her for it.

[lame54]

16. What do we do about it?

[theboss]

20. Name the Republicans that tricked Amos and Andy into wearing black face?

Let's go after them.

[padah513]

103. ???

[brooklynite]

21. Explain how the conservatives forced Northam or Herring to put on blackface...

Once it's available for discovery (or worse, admitted to), there's no basis for complaint.

As for Fairfax, is it your claim that his accuser is lying? If so, please explain the basis for your opinion.

[triron]

29. Why does anyone give a fuck about what happened 35 years ago? Except those that want to screw with

[NoMoreRepugs]

42. THIS.

I simply do not know anyone my age, 69, who doesn't have something from their 20's or 30's that they regret.
The purity test for Democrats is getting out of hand.

[triron]

51. I agree. Getting ridiculous. Especially when we have a traitor and likely Russian agent in the WH.

We are lopsided.

[Owl]

90. Exactly

[MFM008]

22. I agree BUT

why do these dummies even have this crap in their backgrounds?
You KNOW you did black face.
You know if you assaulted someone.
you KNOW.
They should also know some little rat dick is going to sniff it out.
That's why they hated Obama, they couldn't get ANYTHING on him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. Ratfucking was the practice of making up negative stories about Nixon's opponents...

Ratfucking was the practice of Nixon's friends making up negative stories about Nixon's opponents out of whole cloth. It wasn't exploiting inherent vulnerabilities. The latter is politics.

[Hekate]

32. Wrong.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. Ratfucking

Ratfucking is an American slang term for political sabotage or dirty tricks. It was brought to public attention by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in their non-fiction book All the President's Men (1974).

[DemocratSinceBirth]

37. Res ipsa loquitur

Ratfucking was the practice of Nixon's friends making up negative stories about Nixon's opponents out of whole cloth. It wasn't exploiting inherent vulnerabilities. The latter is politics.

- Me

The most infamous incident related to the ratfucking techniques, besides the Watergate break-in itself, was the release of the "Muskie letters."[1]:127-128 CREEP members had gotten hold of Senator Edmund Muskie's letterhead and started "leaking" letters ostensibly addressed to other Democrats insulting various other Congressmen. One of the Muskie letters, called the "Canuck letter," implied that Muskie was bigoted toward Americans of French-Canadian descent (Muskie was from Maine).[1]:127-128 This FUD campaign reached its heights right in the middle of the 1972 primaries and Muskie's campaign imploded after his speech denying his authorship of the letters. The Muskie letters were ultimately the starting point that led Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward to begin to unravel the Nixon campaign's ratfucking methods and uncover the Watergate break-in.[1]


[1] All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (1974 [2014]) Simon & Schuster. Reissue edition. ISBN 1476770514.

[uponit7771]

24. K&R,

[jalan48]

27. We're being hoisted on our own petard.

[Hekate]

31. Yes there is, and thank you for saying it.

I have been damned near called a racist today and these past few days for saying that is what is going on.

So thank you for saying it.

[Empowerer]

34. Indeed.

Just look around ...

[madville]

36. They're obviously not all going to resign

Especially not at the same time. This fantasy on both sides that all three will resign and hand it to the Republicans is just that.

This doesn't meet that definition. 2 out of the 3 actually did the things they are accused of, another is accused in a "he said, she said" situation with an extremely credible Democratic accuser where it's a 50/50 chance it happened and only those two know what the truth is. I don't think any of this was orchestrated, the Republicans are probably pissed more than anything that all this didn;t come up during the election, their opposition research consultants must not be that good.

[bigtree]

38. every pol affected by this right now in Va. is responsible for defending their own actions

...there's ALWAYS a prospect of political opposition exploiting past mistakes and embarrassments.

That doesn't make politicians any less responsible for maintaining their public integrity throughout any examination of their past. It's not as if we will (or should) eliminate opposition research.

We need clear standards of investigation in cases like this, in both ethics and law, with remedies and penalties appropriate to the incidents alleged or uncovered. Many of the issues we're dealing with today are suffering from a clear path to reconciliation, accountability, or justice. Establishing and exercising those (as well as existing regs and legal remedies) would do much more than highlighting obvious, perpetual biases in our political system.

[EveHammond13]

40. Yes. This is the only move the GOP has - and the media is gleeful to get on board.

[Caliman73]

41. Yes there is definitely an indication that right wingers are pushing this situation.

Unfortunately it seems that Northam, Fairfax, and Herring had enough in their past (Northam and Herring admitting to such) that they were vulnerable to the ratfucking. It is not a good situation and Republicans are dirty bastards, but the reality is the we really need to do major and honest assessments of the people we choose to represent us as Democrats. I am not saying that we should only choose people who have lived in a bubble and have not done anything at all, but look at it this way, President Obama managed to become president and is one of the most popular ones in the past 60 years. He smoked pot and may have even done a little coke in his youth. You know what he never did? He never did something so racist that it messed with his life. He never sexually assaulted a woman either. You know that the right wingers tried to bring out anything they could on President Obama (he was gay, his marriage to Michelle was a sham, etc...) but it never stuck because they were bullshit lies. We have Jerry Brown in California, Sherrod Brown, Gavin Newsom, Beto, and many many other Democratic men who have less than angelic pasts but they do not seem to have done anything that would bring out the ratfuckers.

It isn't a conspiracy, it is a well known tactic. Like I said, our task as a party is to make sure that we are being honest with our constituencies about the fact that politicians are human and have done some stupid shit in their lives, but perhaps have grown and matured in their lives. Honesty is necessary more than ever in an era of dirty tricks. Tell your story rather than having your opposition tell their version.

[Empowerer]

48. And they're getting lots of help

Look around.

[Caliman73]

71. What help?

You say that the right wing ratfuckers are getting help, how so?

[MustLoveBeagles]

43. I don't what to think of all this

I would have poo poo'ed this as conspiracy mongering a week ago but now I'm not so sure. The timing of this is awfully convenient isn't it?

[groundloop]

50. Yeah, and all I can think of is that bastard Stone doing his Nixon impersonation .....

It just seems like way too much of a coincidence all of this is coming out at the same time as the repubs Chief RatFucker is facing charges.

[MustLoveBeagles]

126. There's a good discussion thread you might want to read

There's a good discussion thread you might want to read if you haven't already: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11800928

[Baltimike]

52. knr...avoid the circular firing squad. They runnin' game. nt

[Mme. Defarge]

53. Think Al Franken and

the need for, and right to, due process.

IMO, any Democratic senator running for President who called for his resignation before allowing due process to play out should withdraw her or his candidacy.

[Duppers]

55. +100

Thank you.

[Mme. Defarge]

57. Avec plaisir!

[uponit7771]

109. +1, #metoo doesn't mean guilt by accusation. #NoFranken2.0!!!

[Duppers]

56. K & R. Thread.

Points made here aren't obvious to many.

[Generic Brad]

60. It's not ratfucking when it's true

When it’s provable and true, bringing it to light is called reporting.

[Turbineguy]

61. It seems to suggest that

if we just elect republicans we wouldn't have all these problems.

[flamingdem]

64. Franken's ratfuck showed the way

and the GOP won't quit until the Dems stop playing ball

[DirtEdonE]

65. Yep.

I agree with you completely.

Ratfcking Democrats is the pubican national pastime.

And it looks like being the victims of ratfcking is the Democratic national pastime.

If it's a purge Democrats want, why is it we're only purging our own? Are pubicans are perfect? Or are we just suckers for their ratfcking operations every time? How long will it take before we wake up and retaliate? Or is losing even after we win our goal?

[0rganism]

76. i think it's not about perfection, more of a complete ethical split between the 2 major parties

when Democrats do something racist, sexist, and/or xenophobic, we become hypocrites and risk alienating and fracturing a base that already has enough problems turning out to vote as it is. when Republicans commit comparable actions, they're straight-up representing their core constituents.

i have never seen the country so riven, a wedge driven between people so deeply we may never find our way back to unity again in my lifetime. in a way, Trump already has his wall -- not a physical wall, but a psychic wall: a wall dividing human hearts and minds, a wall splitting off 2/5 of Americans from their fellow Americans -- indeed, from the rest of humanity. and the division is in core ethical standards, stretching to the most basic foundations of morality, let alone modern concepts of justice and equality. where we see liberty, they see oppression, and vice-versa.

America is a house divided against itself.

[DirtEdonE]

101. Yes indeed

The ethical split has completely fractured our political process. But we just can't keep insisting our own are held to standards their pols can completely and arrogantly ignore.

Equal application of the law, no person above the law and all those "quaint" (to borrow a verb from the W administration used to negate the 1949 Geneva Conventions) legal theories (at this point they are nothing more than theories) aside. We just can't keep purging our party while their party refuses to hold their own people responsible. It's a recipe for losing and we can no longer afford to lose. They've shown their true colors. They are attempting to overthrow the democratic government of the United States and begin their own version of a caliphate (to borrow another of their favorite scary, loaded terms). These aren't people we can "work with across the aisle." They are traitors who committed treason with our enemies. They are the enemy.

[shellyleit]

69. Yes there is

I"m glad someone else figured this out..... in about nine months the Democrats in VA are going to go, "Oh shit, that was planned, wasn't it." This is really, really obvious.
Republicans win when Democrats won't find a way to stick up for each other. There is a way to say someone is forgiven for something that happened 35 years ago and then move on, instead of adding to the snowball effect and railroading someone out of office. As for the Lt. Governor, Fairfax and the accusations against him. .... I just flat out don't believe them. That woman is lying. A woman who is sexually assaulted tells SOMEONE - a friend, a sister, a mother, a close boyfriend, somebody. She told NO ONE. That to me is a massive red flag. Women usually like to talk about their sexual assaults, believe it or not, with friends at least.
Fairfax needs to not step down or give in, and we need to support him. Republicans have weaponized the MeToo movement.

[theboss]

74. If I think Fairfax assaulted her, I'm obliged to support him because we're Democrats

That's a hell of a message for my daughters.

Look, honey, sexual assault is bad.....but it's not as bad as not holding the lieutenant governorship in Virginia. Life is full of choices.

[ChubbyStar]

81. Did someone say you were obliged to support him?

You do know the meaning of obliged?

[theboss]

113. Yes

Read the thread. I was told that unless someone is convicted, we support them.

[ehrnst]

124. It's a long thread. Can you link? (nt)

[ehrnst]

125. No link? Perhaps you misunderstood what you read.(nt)

[Demit]

87. Maybe your daughters will ask, How do you know what happened, Mom? Why are you so sure?

[brooklynite]

97. I'd probably answer: "She's a respected Democratic College Professor..."

"...with a history of advocating for women's rights in sexual abuse situations. And there's no evidence whatsoever that she's part of a conservative conspiracy."

[Demit]

108. "The most important thing, dears, is never to allow that such a thing as reasonable doubt exists.

Choose the things that support what you want to be true and say you have proved what the truth is. QED! Oh, and if you don’t see evidence of something, that means the evidence doesn’t exist. Follow these simple rules and you can always be sure you are right!”

[ehrnst]

100. You should write screenplays.

With titles like "The False Dillema"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma


The fish aren't biting.

[triron]

73. Seems like MSNBC is in on it.

[moondust]

79. 2020 Census

I don't know if this is part of it but...if Republicans can get rid of the top three VA Dems they will presumably have their governor in place for the census and redistricting/gerrymandering.

In 2010 the GOP and their big donors went all in to win state governments in those midterms because of the census and redistricting/gerrymandering. It paid off big time for them.

Stay woke.

[doc03]

80. The Republicans dig up something a Democrat did decades ago and we

fall for it again and again. While they have an admitted sexual predator, traitor and money launderer as president.

[triron]

82. Exactly.

[Empowerer]

88. What you call "something a Democrat did decades ago" is very serious

for many African Americans who don't appreciate having racist behavior dismissed as no big deal with no consequences.

People got away with doing things like then and now that it's no longer acceptable, they get another pass because it was a "long time ago."

And the beat goes on ...

[doc03]

116. I find it extremely hard to believe that there are that many people that didn't make

racist comments 35 years ago, I sure don't know any. Be honest I am a white guy from Ohio and I did it, I honestly don't know anyone that didn't. Most people have changed especially younger people, nobody 35 years ago could even imagine we would elect a black president. What do want a Republican Governor in Virginia again, that is what that party stands for.

[Empowerer]

117. There ARE many people who didn't make racist comments 35 years ago

And there's a big difference between making a racist comment and going out of your way to tap into vicious racist stereotypes, make the effort to perpetuate them and think it's so funny you not only happily posed for pictures while doing it, but posed with someone glorifying the most frightening and heinous racial terrorists in the country.

Big difference.

[doc03]

119. You must have lived in tatally different country than I did. I remember in high school

when Congressman Wayne L. Hayes told a racist joke when he spoke at our school. Must have been about 1964..

[Empowerer]

121. How does Hayes telling a racist joke in 1964 prove that everybody made racist comments 35 years ago

or obviate my point that many people didn't?

[doc03]

123. I never said everybody made racist comments back then but there were certainly more that did than

didn't in my experience. Can you imagine if a congressman told a racist joke in a high school assembly today? I remember when All in the Family came on TV and how people loved Archie because "He tells it like it is". I could take you with me tomorrow and I guarantee you would hear the "N" word from someone. I live 8 miles from WV they voted for a prison inmate for president instead of Obama a few years ago, Trump won by 42 points. My point is people change, myself I have done a complete 180 from 35 years ago. I voted for Ronald Reagan.

[obamanut2012]

91. It 100% is, Mr. Scorpio

And, I just read on her Fairfax's accuser bases her version of events on "repressed memories," which most legit medical folks dismiss as false memories. Lots of innocent men -- and women -- went to prison over repressed memories of child molestation and rape during the Satanic Panic.

Wikipedia:

The existence of repressed memories is an extremely controversial topic in psychology; although some studies have concluded that it can occur in a varying but generally small percentage of victims of trauma, many other studies dispute its existence entirely.[3] Some psychologists support the theory of repressed memories and claim that repressed memories can be recovered through therapy, but most psychologists argue that this is in fact rather a process through which false memories are created by blending actual memories and outside influences.[3] One study concluded that repressed memories were a cultural symptom for want of written proof of their existence before the nineteenth century, but its results were disputed by some psychologists, and a work discussing a repressed memory from 1786 was eventually acknowledged, though the others stand by their hypothesis.[4][5]

According to the American Psychological Association, it is not possible to distinguish repressed memories from false ones without corroborating evidence.[2] The term repressed memory is sometimes compared to the term dissociative amnesia, which is defined in the DSM-V as an "inability to recall autobiographical information. This amnesia may be localized (i.e., an event or period of time), selective (i.e., a specific aspect of an event), or generalized (i.e., identity and life history)."

[GoCubsGo]

92. Been saying that from the beginning.

It's an attempted bloodless coup, and their weapon is the "moral high ground" circular firing squad. The republicans sure know all the right buttons to push, don't they?

[Vogon_Glory]

93. Mr Scorpio Sees Clearly

I suspected as much when Ralph Northam’s old photos turned up, urged that he repent, make amends, and finish his term and was attacked by several self-appointed keepers of the flame here at DU for my temerity. My attackers did everything short of forcibly dressing me in a white planter’s suit, handing me a mint juleps and forcibly sitting me down in some plantation veranda for voicing my suspicions.

Funny about my detractors. Some of them have been awful quiet lately. Either they’ve wised up or, maybe, just maybe they’re learning not to rush into political pile-ons organized by Breitbarters (Or maybe not, but a guy can dream, can’t he?).

[brooklynite]

96. Imagine if there weren't any public photos to reveal...

Imagine if Gov. Northam didn't feel compelled to reveal A SECOND INSTANCE of wearing blackface.

Imagine if he hadn't admitted to the photo and THEN changed his mind.

[Vogon_Glory]

112. Like I Was Saying...

I’ve learned to be suspicious about these incidents.

That’s why I don’t play “Simon Says” with Breitbarters.

[theboss]

118. He did none of those things.

That was good advice, and he ignored it.

[raccoon]

95. Right on target! nt

[raccoon]

98. She JUST HAPPENED to come forward with this now. I hope to Dog he doesnt resign.

The timing of this smells to high heaven.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

102. She is an African American Democratic feminist activist.

What is her motivation for lying?

http://www.scrippscollege.edu/academics/faculty/profile/vanessa-tyson

[Shrek]

106. She came forward well before now

Both the Washington Post and congressman Bobby Scott have known about it for well over a year.

[uponit7771]

110. That's when he was going to run for office, not before like Ford

[DBoon]

111. absolutely

We should always have assumed this and gone on the offensive

I cannot believe that something released by Big League Politics is endangering a Democratic Governor

[Blue_Tires]

122. +1000

[GulfCoast66]

130. I could see me doing this in 1984! We need some perspective here.

I was in college at a major Southern University in 1984. I saw kids in blackface at most costume parties I went to. Never did it myself, but can’t say I would not have it the opportunity had presented itself. But in a time before social media I did know the history of it and how offensive it is to people of color. It’s not like I could have looked it up. Or cared to. I was interested in girls, beer and the next party. And of course getting a good job. And in 1984 being seen in blackface would not have prevented me from getting a good job.

If we run off a good democrat from something he did as a kid in 1984 we deserved republican rule.

Anyone who reads any of my post know how concerned I am with the erosion of civil rights in these times. In 1984, it was not something I would ever think of. Or even 1994. I was young and dumb.

If we start judging all our candidates for their actions as kids, we are screwing ourselves. Remember, President Obama, the best President of my lifetime, did not support marriage equality in 2008.