Terry McAuliffe: How bad is it?
With just one week remaining, Glenn Youngkin and the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s governor are locked in a heated race. So it is no surprise that Glenn Youngkin, who is currently embattled, can not even get a break from his own party members. Doug Wilder, the state’s first and only black governor and also a Democrat.
Wilder spoke with Nick Minock, WJLA’s reporter this week about the state of McAuliffe vs Youngkin. The characteristically outspoken Wilder – who is well-respected in Democrat circles in the state – took specific aim at McAuliffe’s courting of the black vote, suggesting he was “springboarding” off the infamous Gov. Ralph Northam used the blackface incident in order to revive his political career, and was effectively playing con on black voters.
“Terry McAuliffe has used it as a springboard to come back,” said Wilder. “He called on all of them to resign from office. A simple apology wouldn’t be enough for him then because it wouldn’t be a springboard for him to come back. Who did he call for to step down? He called the Lt. The Lt. Governor was black. His opponents for governor, for most of the Democratic Party’s part, were all black. Is he saying that he’s come back to rescue black people? Are you speaking for black people? I think you know the answer to that is no.”
Wilder also pointed to the absurdity of McAuliffe accepting Northam’s endorsement after he urged him a year and a half ago to step down over the scandal, as well as McAuliffe’s support for Democrat Lt. Gov. nomination Hala Ayala is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates who was also called onNortham to step down last year
“I think it’s very interesting when Mr. McAuliffe asked for everyone to step down because they were wearing black face,” Wilder added. “And yet he’s running with the endorsement of one and taking the other to be his running mate.”
I should note that Nick Minock is the same reporter who McAuliffe cut off during an interview earlier this month, storming off the set in a huff and telling Minock that he “shoulda asked better questions.” I suspect Minock might have been feeling a bit of schadenfreude during the course of his back and forth with Wilder regarding McAuliffe.
But back to Wilder, he’s hitting McAuliffe right where it could hurt him the most down the stretch: with black voters, an absolutely crucial voting bloc for Democrats and one whose support McAuliffe has desperately sought to shore up in the final weeks of the campaign by bringing in failed 2018 Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee and fellow election denier Stacey Abrams, former President Barack Obama, and Vice President Kamala Harris for the “Souls to the Polls” black church push.
It’s important to note here that while Wilder’s comments, where he also hit McAuliffe and Northam on their failures to fund HBCU’s during their respective times in office, are unlikely to cause an earth-shattering change in the dynamics of this race. But remember, the race is tied – which three of the four most recent polls now confirm, and the swing of even a few thousand voters away from McAuliffe could be what ultimately decides who wins next Tuesday.
McAuliffe believes Wilder chose the wrong moment to do a dunk over McAuliffe. Wilder was able to weigh in at the perfect moment for everyone else. Right time to do so.
Similar:Terry McAuliffe Responds to Ralph Northam Blackface Scandal in Insane Style for Summer 2019.
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