shaking my head

I believe Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia is a good, decent man. But the last 24 hours has strained his claim to 'goodness' and 'decency'.

It's not just the horribly racist picture--you must have seen it--of a man in black face and another in a KKK outfit--on his page from the med school year book in 1984--it's how he's handled it.

Yesterday he admitted he was one of the two men in the picture but did not say which he was.

Today he claims he's not in the picture and never saw it before yesterday. He says he didn't buy one of the year books.

I didn't buy my college yearbook either, but I looked through someone else's to see pictures of me.

And in the press conference he admitted that he darkened his face that very year to be Michael Jackson in a dance contest. He apologized for that, but later when a reported asked, "can you still do the moon walk?" I'd swear he was about to when his wife touched his arm and whispered something to him.

If all this is so serious and important, why did he smile and start moving when asked about the 'moon walk'?

Every major politician in Virginia in both parties have told him he has to resign and he wants "to have a conversation" and 'gain back your trust'.

After the press conference Virginia's two senators an head of their congressional delegation (all Democrats) called him to ask tell him he has lost all credibility and must step aside.

The changing stories are worse than owning up and resigning could have been. He said, "That would have been the 'easy' way." I think truth and the 'right way' are always the harder way. You need courage to do that.


At least the groundhog didn't see his shadow and Spring may be early....