These kinds of days come too often at times on this blog. Its been so depressing to see the commentary on the latest controversy surrounding Ralph Northam.
I was a Virginian in 2017 when I happily voted for Ralph Northam in the General Election. In the primaries was a strong supporter of Tom Perriello. Today, I’m feeling cheated, hoodwinked, betrayed by Northam and moreso those surrounding him who likely were fully aware of his disgusting racist past and who likely thought that Virginia voters didn’t need to know about it.
Thats how I felt yesterday before I logged into DailyKos to get a sense of the community reaction from the best Democratic blog on the internet.
The first thing I see is a diary from our dear leader. Despite the fact that he stood on the right side of this controversy — calling for Northam’s resignation, his diary and specifically the language he used made me angry.
His diary references an earlier editorial front page diary which was an official DailyKoS call for Northam’s resignation. In his diary, he chose to single out comments (apologia) made in that diary to make his point. He rightfully called those comments a “shit-show”. Here were the ones he chose to make his point.
”No forgiveness after 35 years? Nobody can grow? Change? Develop? Learn? Become better? Wow.”
”he has become much much better...unlike gop-ers, who don’t, and who never resign. he SHOULD NOT resign”
“This was WHEN? Somewhere around 1984? Let us not get hysterical here.”
Markos’ bottom line in that diary:
If Northam stays, it’s not just morally repugnant, but electorally idiotic.
First, what struck me was the uncanny similarity to the comments Kossacks made in defense of Joy “I’ve been hacked” Reid. Many Kossacks made the SAME, EXACT comments in defense of her. Even more uncanny, Northam’s self defense is virtually identical to Joy Reid’s self defense:
“I’m a different person today than the person I was then”
“I don’t know that person anymore”
“I’VE BEEN HACKED”!/”ON SECOND THOUGHT THE PERSON IN THAT PICTURE WASN’T ME!!!
I suspect in his press conference, he’ll claim that he doesn’t remember doing blackface or wearing a KKK hood. That he doesn’t recognize that person. But that he certainly apologizes for the hurt he’s caused — basically the same confusing NOPOLOGY Joy Reid gave.
The two situations are so starkly similar, I wonder if Northam is using the same image recovery consultant Joy Reid used.
But Markos, where were you when Joy Reid was exposed as a rank homophobe, who for years made comments on her now defunct blog which were beyond the pale even for the era they were made (circa 2005):
Wrong. Just wrong. The pushback he got on that tweet was fast and furious. Deservedly so. Much like the pushback to his foot-in-mouth “women’s study set” diary.
And where was the DailyKos editorial staff diaries calling for Joy Reid’s termination at MSNBC?
CRICKETS
The strength of the Democratic Party relies on the strength of the alliances in the Big Democratic Tent.
Where there is sexism, sexual harassment, sexual predation and assault, we must all stand firmly against it and hold our leaders to task. (Al Franken)
Where there is homophobia, we must all stand firmly against it and hold our leaders to task. (Joy Reid)
Where there is Xenophobia, we must hold our leaders to task (Tom Brokaw and Chuck Toad)
And when there is racism, we must all stand firmly against it and hold our leaders to task. (Ralph Northam)
If you’re not doing ALL these things — you are not an ally. And your apologias for these personalities are actually undermining the strength of the Democratic Party.
Not feeling the love today.
Peace.
