The Transformation of Ralph Northam

In 2019, it seemed to many that Gov. Ralph Northam’s career was over.

That year, the Democratic governor of Virginia became embroiled in a highly publicized blackface scandal centered on a racist picture in his medical-school yearbook. There were widespread calls for his resignation.

Two years later, Mr. Northam has emerged as the most racially progressive leader in the state’s history. How did it happen?

Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times. 

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter

Background reading: 

  • When a racist picture was discovered on his yearbook page, Ralph Northam refused to resign. Now he’s leaving office with a widely praised progressive record on racial justice.
  • Virginia’s governor survived a blackface scandal with the help of Black Democrats, who saw a chance for policy concessions. Both got more from the relationship than they could have imagined.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Datum:
Duur:

Meer afleveringen van The Daily

  • The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness

    Debates over homeless encampments in the United States have intensified as their number has surged. To tackle the problem, some cities have enforced bans on public camping. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments about whether...
  • The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial

    Political and legal history are being made in a Lower Manhattan courtroom as Donald J. Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to undergo a criminal trial. Jonah Bromwich, who covers criminal justice in New York, explains what...
  • Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?

    The Environmental Protection Agency has begun for the first time to regulate a class of synthetic chemicals known as “forever chemicals” in America’s drinking water. Kim Tingley, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine,...