I would feel better about the departure of Northam if one person

[Ninga]

would step up and provide some kind of proof that after 1984 he demonstrated a racist heart, a moment, a decision, anything.

Is there enough in his public record that demonstrates he isn't?

I believe in redemption. Sometimes having the courage to do the right thing is bolstered by knowing you don't want to ever face the stomach churning feeling of doing the wrong thing ever again.

How does a teachable moment come to pass?

[PJMcK]

1. This (n/t)

[Ninga]

2. By the way, it is easy to judge his responses absent the adrenaline shock.

I have been guilty of saying what I would do in emergency and shocking situations as I was being critical of others....of course.....all bets were thrown to the wind once I had to walk in the shoes others did.

[brooklynite]

3. A teachable moment starts when you admit your failings

If Northam hadn't insisted on shifting gears to denying the charge, and THEN admitting to others, he might have been able to frame a message that would let himself stay in office.

[Dennis Donovan]

5. That's how I feel about it. After he changed his story, I found him suspect...

[Mr. Quackers]

4. russian bots and rw jagoffs

have weaponized kindness, compassion, empathy and twisted it in a cartoonish representation of what they think Democrats are instead of the reality of what it means to be a Democrat.

Hence, the unyielding, extremist tone of much of the bullshit I'm reading here.

They learned this with Franken, they won't stop, people better wise up.

[marble falls]

6. Redemption starts at confession and requires atonement, not a series of bumbling ...

pressers full minimizing, waffling and deflection.

[Hortensis]

7. Virginia government being taken over by Republicans

is 100% not acceptable to me. I believe people calling for the ultimate penalty need to rethink their response in light of that scary-real possibility.

Republicans will continue to hurt the people of Virginia, all the people of Virginia. It's especially unfair to those who said no to the Republicans and voted for Democratic control of the governor's office and don't want to lose it.

There's a way out, and that is deciding that PROPORTIONAL PUNISHMENT would be acceptable instead of demanding the most punitive. That can even be argued to be a more moral course. He was in late adolescence at the time living in an environment that encouraged shabby behaviors, and yet he matured into a man who doesn't behave that way.

And again, in practical terms, what will happen to VA if Northam is removed, followed by a Democratic lieutenant governor and AG, and replaced with the kind of people who've called him a traitor to his race for taking down confederate statues?