To understand the Northam situation, we must be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

Just my opinion, of course.....

We can/should do the following all at once:

1. Pay heed to those who are of the group most offended (ALL Americans should be offended of course, but black people should own the megaphone right now) - those of us not in that group aren't living with the direct visceral impact, hate, and offenses.

2. Discuss/assess whether incidents from the past are game changer/deal breakers - ie, does this disqualify Northam from continuing. Refer back to #1 for a starting point. This is likely to be polarizing - we see that in the many threads on the topic on DU right now.

3. Discuss/try to understand how or if the timing of this - and this goes for Franken's problem as well - fits within the general political game being played right now. This is #3 because it is less important than #1, but is still critical to get to the bottom of, because THIS is how things will be going forward. Example - is this anti abortion blow back? Roger Stone dirty tricks? Russia originating? It in no way should excuse anything at all or exonerate the perp, but is important to understand, I think.

4. Understand that anyone who does not have elements of offense or embarrassment in their past probably don't exist. There is the blatant offender on so many levels "presiding" over our country right now, there is McConnell in front of the Confederate flag and countless other examples where the right has no issues with standing by their offenders. There is just a bit of a whiff of hypocrisy going on, a double standard. We should of course not sink to the level of our grungy opposition. But somehow - and I don't know how - there must be both a better vetting process, and in any of our candidates going forward, an honest and open assessment - a reflection back into their past, to get up front and as quickly as possible anything that can - and probably will, and perhaps should - be a game changer or deal breaker when it is brought to light.

I apologize to any offended DUers from my very reactive, terse and angry post of last night about us eating our own once more. After watching a lot of discussion on Don Lemon afterward and pondering it long into the night, what Northam did was inexcusable, and I do think he has only one decent course of action, and that is to step down.

I also worry for the future of our party and our country - for we must be better than republicans. The challenging part is to elevate superb candidates when elections occur that of course won't have spotless pasts - we are all on journeys, hopefully, of enlightenment, of being better people, throughout our lives - but that we can minimize nasty surprises as best as we possibly can.

With all that goes on behind the scenes, the dirt digging and social networking, I do think we are going to have to get more used to our pasts being flung into the open.