Joe Lieberman is pretty much the only Democrat backing up Ralph Northam after blackface photos


Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has approximately one public supporter.
After news sites published a page from Northam's medical school yearbook from 1984 featuring a photo of one man in blackface and another in Ku Klux Klan robes, pretty much every high-profile member of his own party told him to step down. That changed Monday morning though, as former Sen. Joe Lieberman (D) told CNN he doesn't think Northam should resign "today."
Lieberman decried the "rush to judgment that is unfair to" Northam. The governor has claimed that he wasn't in the photo, so Lieberman said Northam should be asked whether he knew "the picture was on his page." Northam should also be "judged in the context of his whole life" and be shown "mercy" until he's "proven guilty," Lieberman added.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Northam has resisted calls for his resignation since the photos were published Friday. He acknowledged that the photo is "clearly racist" and said Friday that he was in it, but now claims he wasn't in the photo after all.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Bryan Burrough's 6 favorite books about Old West gunfighters
Feature The Texas-raised author recommends works by T.J. Stiles, John Boessenecker, and more
-
'We need solutions that prioritize both safety and sustainability'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Book reviews: 'Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference' and 'Is a River Alive?'
Feature A rallying cry for 'moral ambition' and the interwoven relationship between humans and rivers
-
LA County reportedly set to pay $2.5 million in settlements over Kobe Bryant crash photos
Speed Read
-
The horrific scene at Kabul's airport, in 14 photos and videos
Speed Read
-
Report: Matt Gaetz's former wingman has given investigators thousands of photos, videos, and texts
Speed Read
-
FBI used 'provocative' photos of female staffers as bait in sex trafficking stings, report finds
Speed Read
-
Before Florida condo collapse, contractor took photos of damage in building's garage
Speed Read
-
Gun-toting protesters' dramatic stand inside Michigan's statehouse, in 5 photos and videos
Speed Read
-
L.A. County sheriff ordered 8 deputies to delete graphic photos of Kobe Bryant crash
Speed Read
-
Vanessa Bryant 'absolutely devastated' by report deputies shared photos of Kobe Bryant crash
Speed Read