Yesterday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam made statements, both video and written, that seemed to confirm he was one of the people in the racist photographs from 1984:
My fellow Virginians, earlier today I released a statement apologizing for behavior in my past that falls far short of the standard you set for me when you elected me to be your governor. I believe you deserve to hear directly from me. pic.twitter.com/1rSw1oxfrX
— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) February 2, 2019
??? pic.twitter.com/5kFytIOvAX
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) February 2, 2019
And this morning, the NY Times’ Jonathan Martin has this update:
NEWS: Northam is calling Va Dems and telling them that’s *not* him in the yearbook photo and he will make a statement this afternoon to say the same. In other words, he is NOT quitting as of right now.
Story TK
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 2, 2019
The governor has also been calling his former med school classmates to jog their memories. He does NOT think he is the man in Klan hood or blackface and doesn’t want to resign before trying to determine who is in that photo.
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 2, 2019
STORY: Northam, hunkered down w advisers, is refusing to quit, making case he does not think it was him in the photo. And he's desperate to prove it, even suggesting he'll use facial recognition software. But some Va Dems say it's too late, he must go >https://t.co/3G8O5zMyy7
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 2, 2019
Recommended
Also…
JMart is correct. I can confirm this. Gov. Northam woke up this morning and started telling people he has no memory of the blackface-KKK photo and questions whether he was in either 'garb'. https://t.co/s2o7w2pdIF
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) February 2, 2019
We made the decision to let Governor Northam do the correct thing and resign this morning – we have gotten word he will not do so this morning.
— Virginia Democrats (@vademocrats) February 2, 2019
And now there’s confusion:
wait but you can’t pull this after you apologized last night essentially admitting it was you
— Paul Ryan's Mustache (@PaulRyansStache) February 2, 2019
So he lied in his first statement? In it he said: "I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo" ?
— Persnickety (@Dawnsfire) February 2, 2019
Wait didn't he admit it? https://t.co/8o89pQkSOs
— neontaster (@neontaster) February 2, 2019
??? He already said he was in the photo?? https://t.co/EI8Fa3MtFm
— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) February 2, 2019
— Ricardo (@Mac_Attack29) February 2, 2019
Except last night he said it was him and that, "I accept responsibility for my past actions and I am ready to do the hard work of regaining your trust."
Things change, I guess. https://t.co/NN5twtxclz
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) February 2, 2019
(It won't.) pic.twitter.com/Z3WTm6TFM9
— ian2 (@ianinamerica) February 2, 2019
This would make his apology yesterday when he literally took responsibility for being in the photo all the more awkward.
Not to mention that his nickname on another photo is "coonman" and clearly the photo was put in his section for a reason. https://t.co/MGcOjrmDsh
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) February 2, 2019
WUT.
He already said… Ah, forget it.
NOTHING MATTERS. https://t.co/J7sSPUSSXl
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) February 2, 2019
Ralph to retract his apology and stand firm as a racist eugenicist maniac. https://t.co/64dbkO6SQS
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) February 2, 2019
What's awesome is last night Northam admitted it was him… Dude is really gonna try to survive this! Oh well, he's a Dem, media might be able to carry him. https://t.co/pGoh3k87uD
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) February 2, 2019
Northam will make a statement at 2:30 p.m. EST this afternoon. Stay tuned!