On Saturday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam attempted to shoot down claims that his 1984 medical school yearbook contains a picture of him in blackface. It did not go well. Only a few months after Megyn Kelly’s own blackface-involved incident, Northam has been under fire since the picture — as well as other inflammatory, racist images — surfaced, with many calling on him to resign. So Northam called a press conference on Saturday to tell his side of the story, while admitting to a separate act of blackface, as if to remind us yet again that we live in the weirdest, worst timeline.
The press conference, which lasted an hour, found the Democratic governor denying that the image of an Eastern Virginia Medical School student in blackface standing next to another person in a KKK robe was him.
“I believe now and then that I am not either of the people in this photo,” Northam said, then added that he didn’t think he ever got drunk enough to forget something like this. He also said he would not resign from office.
Northam then added something else: that, while he asserts he is not the person in that picture, there was this other time he dressed up as Michael Jackson and wore blackface.
“I had the shoes, I had a glove, and I used just a little bit of shoe polish to put under my — or on my — cheeks,” Northam said. He twisted the knife by adding, “And the reason I used a very little bit is because, I don’t know if anybody’s ever tried that, but you cannot get shoe polish off.”
The court of Twitter was not, shall we say, moved.
https://twitter.com/ditzkoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://twitter.com/timmarchman/status/1091797628147376129
I can't believe Ralph Northam briefly considered demonstrating the Moonwalk in a press conference as a way to prove he dressed in blackface as Michael Jackson for a dance contest in the '80s in order to convince folks he didn't appear in blackface in a photo on his yearbook page.
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) February 2, 2019
he thought…the Michael Jackson blackface story…would HELP him
I just
— Nicole Chung | @nicolechung on Bluesky (@nicolesjchung) February 2, 2019
we're in the blackface logistics section of the program
— Astead (@AsteadWH) February 2, 2019
Some pointed out that Northam felt okay admitting that because, after all, he’s white.
Being able to say “I did use blackface but not the time you’re mad about” as a defense in all seriousness is a miracle of whiteness.
— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) February 2, 2019
Some made moonwalk jokes.
So many men are probably just one level-headed wife away from moonwalking during their blackface denial presser
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) February 2, 2019
White male privilege is Ralph Northam refusing to resign after a blackface/KKK photo was found on his yearbook page and instead using a presser to discuss how hard it was to get shoe polish off another time he did blackface and then almost moonwalking until his wife stopped him.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 2, 2019
Some really dissected his words.
https://twitter.com/SonnyBunch/status/1091784879749115909
Rare to see blackface as an alibi for blackface at a press conference.
— Lisa De Pasquale (@LisaDeP) February 2, 2019
Why people hate politicans:
1. I’m in the photo and I’m sorry.
2. I can’t remember if I’m on the left or the right.
3. I’m not in the photo.
4. But I did use blackface previously as Michael Jackson.
5. But I’ve grown so I won’t resign.Pathetic and an embarrassment.
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) February 2, 2019
Others dwelled on the yearbook itself.
Taking a coffee break from book writing. Check Twitter. “Oh god…” #RalphNorthram says he’s not in the racist pic on HIS yearbook page, but he did wear black as Micheal Jackson in 1984. WHAT?! Also, this is how MJ looked in ‘84. Let us see how your MJ blackface looked… pic.twitter.com/kESPTj0Ms8
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) February 2, 2019
Others pointed out that there’s an awful lot of blackface about these days.
The last time a high-ranking state official quit for wearing blackface was nine days ago. https://t.co/Ngt2P4uzIn
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) February 2, 2019
Others dwelled on the remarkable shoe polish quote.
Wow: "The reason I didn't go full blackface as Michael Jackson was because shoe polish was really hard to get off"
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) February 2, 2019
Some reminded us that we’re only two days into Black History Month.
https://twitter.com/ira/status/1091788196562624512
Some talked about whiteface.
People of color have dressed as white characters for halloween… Snow White, Cinderella, and He-Man all come to mind and yet never felt the need to use white nursing shoe polish to complete the costume–so again why do white folks think blackface is OK?
— Danielle Moodie (@DeeTwoCents) February 2, 2019
Or about blackface.
the “don’t do blackface” episode of Gimme a Break aired in 1984. people knew it was wrong then
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 2, 2019
Some pointed out that, while Northam is a Democrat, the Republicans on his hide right now aren’t entirely innocent
https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1091840716848943104
Some were reminded of Brett Kavanaugh.
https://twitter.com/mrbenwexler/status/1091786488365211648
Breaking: Squi, PJ and Tobin all call for Northam’s resignation. https://t.co/MboWZVsfet
— PresidentialTrump (@MatureTrumpTwts) February 2, 2019
Or Cardi B punching bag Tomi Lahren.
Tomi Lahren- I am horrible!
Howard Schultz- Hold my coffee!
Ralph Northam- *moonwalking* Hold my shoe polish!
Ann Coulter- Hold my beer!
Brett Kavanaugh- I LOVE BEER! I LOVE BEER *starts crying* and calendars.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) February 2, 2019
Or Roy Moore.
https://twitter.com/OsitaNwanevu/status/1091816092614438912
But everyone can agree that Northam is a formidable intellect.
https://twitter.com/DavidKlion/status/1091825765883236352
Despite seeming to make things worse for himself on Saturday, the politician has still not resigned.
(Via CNN)