RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was clinging to office Monday morning amid nearly unanimous calls from his own party to resign over a racist photo in his 1984 medical school yearbook, after a bizarre weekend in which he first admitted he was in the picture, and then denied it.
The Democrats stunning about-face at a weekend news conference where he also acknowledged putting on blackface to imitate Michael Jackson at a dance contest decades ago, and appeared to briefly entertain the notion of doing the moonwalk for reporters only seemed to make things worse.
A Northam official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the governor met Sunday evening with minority officials in his administration. It wasnt immediately known what was discussed and the official spoke on condition of anonymity.
The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus declared that Northam still does not understand the seriousness of his actions.
The yearbook photo shows someone in blackface and another person in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe.
I think hes been completely dishonest and disingenuous, Rep. Karen Bass, D-California, said on NBCs Meet the Press. He knew this picture was there, and he couldve come clean and talked to African-Americans that hes close to decades ago.
Northam worshipped at his home church, the predominantly black First Baptist in Capeville, but otherwise kept out of sight on Sunday as calls intensified for him to step down.
The scandal threatens to cripple Northams ability to govern. He has lost the support of virtually all of the states Democratic establishment. Top Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly also urged Northam to step down, as did many declared and potential Democratic presidential candidates.
Virginia governors can be removed for malfeasance in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crime or misdemeanor under the state constitution, but top Democrats said they dont believe it will come to that.
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe predicted that Northam who served as McAuliffes lieutenant governor will eventually leave office.
Ralph will do the right thing for the Commonwealth of Virginia, McAuliffe said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union.
Northam apologized on Friday for appearing in the photograph on his yearbook page. He did not say which costume he was wearing, but said he was deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo. On Saturday, though, the governor reversed course and said the picture is definitely not me.
While talking with reporters, Northam acknowledged he once used shoe polish to put on blackface as part of a Michael Jackson costume for a 1984 dance contest in Texas, when he was in the Army. Northam said he regrets that he didnt understand the harmful legacy of an action like that.
Asked by a reporter if he could still do Jacksons famous moonwalk, Northam looked at the floor as if thinking about demonstrating it. His wife put a stop to it, telling him, Inappropriate circumstances.
His shifting explanations did little or nothing to sway prominent Democrats who had swiftly disowned him.
