Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe thinks Gov. Ralph Northam should resign, but wants everyone to know the current Virginia governor is a “good, moral, decent man.”
The striking comments came early on Sunday morning when McAuliffe — a rumored 2020 presidential candidate — joined CNN’s Jake Tapper to discuss the controversy surrounding Northam and growing calls for his resignation.
McAuliffe was asked about Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook, which shows one person dressed in “blackface” and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit.
Northam vaguely claimed he doesn’t believe he’s either person pictured in “blackface” or in the KKK outfit, but did admit he once “darkened” his face when he dressed up as singer Michael Jackson.
While McAuliffe believes Northam should step down, he also gave a glowing review of the Democratic governor.
Terry McAuliffe on Gov. Ralph Northam: “I can’t understand what’s going on but I do know this: Ralph is a good, moral, decent man and may have made some mistakes in his past. We all have made mistakes. Ralph will do the right thing for the Commonwealth of Virginia.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/CPE1HqDvrW
— CNN (@CNN) February 3, 2019
“Well, first he said it was Friday night. And if it wasn’t him in the photo, he should have said that on Friday. I have no idea what was going on in the governor’s office on Friday,” McAuliffe said.
“I just — if you aren’t instinctively, you know if you put black paint on your face. You know if you put a hood on. And so if it isn’t you, you come out with immediately and say this is not me. So I can’t understand what’s going on,” he added.
He continued: “But I do know this. Ralph is a good, moral, decent man. And may have made some mistakes in his past. We all have made mistakes. Ralph will do the right thing for the commonwealth of Virginia. He will put Virginia first.”
After hardly any push back, Tapper finally stepped in and asked, “But has he also been a racist?”
McAuliffe again went to bat for him, claiming he doesn’t believe that Northam is a racist and actually listed several of the current governor’s accomplishments.
“I have zero indication of as I say, family doctor, had military service, had been a state senator, ran for lieutenant governor, and literally at my side. Historic investment in K-12 to make sure that underserved schools had the right teachers. And to make sure every child had a nutritious breakfast working with my wife Dorothy on that,” McAuliffe said.
Despite McAuliffe going to bat for Northam, just about everyone has called on him to resign.
Democratic Sens. Time Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia as well as Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C., issued joint statement calling for Northam’s resignation.
“After we watched his press conference today, we called Governor Northam to tell him that we no longer believe he can effectively serve as Governor of Virginia and that he must resign. Governor Northam has served the people of the Commonwealth faithfully for many years, but the events of the past 24 hours have inflicted immense pain and irrevocably broken the trust Virginians must have in their leaders. He should step down and allow the Commonwealth to begin healing,” the statement read.
Twice failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton weighed in via Twitter.
This has gone on too long. There is nothing to debate. He must resign. https://t.co/TjfS3vbcws
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2019
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-CA, who is running for president, also called on Northam to resign.
Leaders are called to a higher standard, and the stain of racism should have no place in the halls of government. The Governor of Virginia should step aside so the public can heal and move forward together.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 2, 2019
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another 2020 candidate, took to Twitter to call for Northam’s resignation.
These racist images are deeply disturbing. Hatred and discrimination have no place in our country and must not be tolerated, especially from our leaders – Republican or Democrat. Northam must resign.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 2, 2019
Sen. Cory Booker, who just announced on Saturday that he’s running for president, followed suit and called for Northam to step down.
These images arouse centuries of anger, anguish, and racist violence and they’ve eroded all confidence in Gov. Northam’s ability to lead. We should expect more from our elected officials. He should resign.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) February 2, 2019
Time will tell if Northam — who has also been accused of being nicknamed “Coonman” around that time — will resign, but it’s certainly striking that McAuliffe spoke so highly of a man who couldn’t remember if he was the guy in “blackface” or a Ku Klux Klan outfit.
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