Our top story, the embattled governor of virginia, now claims he was not in a racist photo from 34 years ago. 24 hours ago Ralph Northam admitted to being one of the people in this very offensive picture. He also tried to justify it as simply the culture of where he was living back in the 1980s. But calls for the governors resignation are getting louder by the minute. His old boss, the former Governor Terry mcauliffe, says it is time to step down. And northam didnt do himself any favors with the News Conference he held on saturday, as youll hear with our jessica dean who has this report. Reporter governor Ralph Northam really digging his heels in during a press conference on saturday, continuing to say over and over again it was not him in that racist photo that was found in his medical School Yearbook. And that he could continue to earn back the trust of virginiaens and move forward. Today, i am not ready to ask virginians to grant forgiveness for my past actions. I also do not fully expect they will believe my account of these events. When i was confronted with the images yesterday, i was appalled that they appeared on my page, but i believe then and now that i am not either of the people in that photo. I stand by my statement of apology to the many virginians who were hurt by seeing this content on a yearbook page that belongs to me. It is disgusting. It is offensive. It is racist and it was my responsibility to recognize and prevent it from being published in the first place. My belief that i did not wear that costume or attend that party stems in part from my clear memory of other mistakes i made in the same period of my life. That same year i did participate in a dance contest in san antonio, in which i darkened my face as part of ami Michael Jackson costume. I look back now and regret that i did not understand the harmful legacy of an action like that. Reporter significantly after that press conference, we started hearing from state wide elected democrats. We heard from senator tim kaine and senator mark warner, both former governors of the commonwealth, as well as representative bobby scott. They put out a joint statement saying that they did not believe that this position was tenable for the governor, that the trust that virginians had placed in him had been broken, and that he needed to step aside and resign. We also heard after that press conference from the states attorney general who is also a democrat, calling for governor northams resignation. So a chorus that continues to grow, calling for the governor to step aside. He for now saying he is staying in the Governors Mansion and well see how it evolves over the next 24 hours. In richmond, virginia, jessica dean, cnn. Thank you. So northam digging in at this point. If he resigns, his deputy Lieutenant GovernorJustin Fairfax would take over the job. If that happens, fairfax would be the only only the second africanamerican person to become the states chief executive. Fairfax has not called for the governors resignation, but he did issue this strongly worded statement. I cannot condone the actions from his past that at the very least suggest a comfort with virginias darker history of white supremacy, racial stereotyping and intimidation. At this critical and defining moment in the history of virginia and this nation, we need leaders with the ability to unite and help us rise to the better angels of our nature. The voters of virginia are also speaking out, holding demonstrations and calling for northam to step down. Each and every black vote that was cast for you, we trusted you. Maybe you have changed. People do. But we believe in reconciliation, a black man stands behind you. Step back. Step away so he can step forward. Resign today. And signs of the protests really say it all. One says apologize to black people first. In another, no racist governor. Lets talk more about this now with cnn political analyst april ryan. April, also a White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks and the author of the book under fire reporting from the front lines of the trump white house. Thank you again for your time. Anytime, george. How are you . Very well. Very well. So, look, this is certainly a controversial to say the least with northam saying he wants to stay in that position. What does that mean for democrats, politically, if he wont leave, if he wont resign . Well, democrats are saying it is time for you to go, particularly after this press conference. There is no space and place in 2019 for this kind of racist behavior, even if it was in 1984. It has been revealed now. And it has been compounded with the statements and the revelations of other things. Democrats right now, if you look at the political spectrum, if you look at particularly the president ial contest that is shaping up, this is the most Diverse Group of people thus far to run for president of the United States. And then to have this from one of their fellow democrats. And the democrats have been screaming about President Trump, about other people to include congressional leader steve king and if theyre screaming about them, they have to point the finger inside their own circle. And theyre doing that. And they have someone who can replace him. His Lieutenant Governor who happens to be a black man. So this is this is going to play out for many. If he doesnt want to step down, but this is going to play out for many. You got democrats and republicans calling for him to step down. Look, so, april, when the story first came out, he said he apologized for being in the image, but 24 hours later, he said, hey, it wasnt me. What do you make of that excuse . Wasnt me. Wasnt me. You know, it reminds me of the r b song wasnt me. You know, though it looked like it, it wasnt me. I think you know the song im talking about. I do. Shaggy. Yeah. But, see, heres the problem, george, when he came out and said i was one of the people, he didnt want to say which one he was. And now today, that was yesterday, today hes now saying, oh, it wasnt me. But i did, you know, use shoe polish to dress up like Michael Jackson for a contest in 1984. I did the moon walk. But there is also another piece to this puzzle. There is also another yearbook with a nickname. So, okay, so it wasnt you in that picture, but you have some other things that were questionable. This is just this is not a good look at all. And if he were in a court of law, beyond a reasonable doubt, you would really think he was guilty of that yearbook image. And that he, you know, knowing that he did blackface already, you would think he possibly was the blackface in this picture. It is just such an ugly scenario in 2019, especially for that state, that is grappling still with the aftermath of charlottesville. Charlottesville is not a noun anymore. It is a verb. It is the verb of racism, fighting racism. So it is just it is not a good look for this governor. And, you know, we have an International Audience on this show, along with our viewers here in the United States. And for a moment i do want to pull up this despicable disgusting image to show again. We hear northam say he is not the person in the image, but what we see there, we see a person dressed in the klans robe, we see someone who thought it would be a good idea to dress in blackface. Again, northam says it wasnt me. But help our viewers to understand the history, this goes back to minstrel shows, back to the jim crow south, things that many people hoped were in the past, but, no, are not. So when it comes to blackface, it is about making a mockery of black people, making us like a character, a cartoon if you will. It is not funny. It is very racist. Since the time we were brought here, we have always been viewed as second class, never having first class status. In the eyes of many, particularly racist america. And when they dress us up in blackface or dress up they dress themselves up in blackface, mimickingo us who wat to be taken seriously who want to have first class citizenship, it demeans us, degrades us. This nation was built on the backs of slaves, free labor, and then to make a mockery of us. It is a very, very ugly, very ignorant, racist gesture. It is, like, all were doing is just laughing and hee heeing. Some of those things you see with people eating watermelon. It is just not it is not a good depiction of who we are as people, who we have been for this nation, the United States of america, and who we are, period, in general. Wasnt good during the jim crow south, wasnt good in 1984. And sure as hell isnt good now. April ryan, we appreciate your time. Sure as hell isnt. Thank you, george. I dont think this stops here. The question, natalie, who took the picture . Will the photographer step forward . The question who chose to put the picture in the yearbook . Yeah, the head of the printing the yearbook, who is that . And who is that other person in the picture . There are a lot of questions, i imagine there are other people who will come forward to give some context to who is in that image. I imagine so. Another story were following for you, u. S. President trump will deliver his state of the Union Address to Congress Tuesday and the white house says the theme will be choosing greatness. Mr. Trump has been hinting that he may announce his plans to fund his border wall, possibly by declaring a National Emergency. Our Boris Sanchez has this report for you. Reporter not much progress to show in talks between democrats and republicans on the issue of Border Security. And now both sides are engaged in yet another shouting match with President Trump telling cbs that nancy pelosi is bad for the country and suggesting that democrats have an open border policy, something that democrats have refuted and today a spokesperson for the House Speaker shot back in a statement to cnn writing, quote, President Trumps recklessness did not make us safer. It undermined our security with 35 days of Border Patrol agents, dea agents, fbi agents, and Homeland Security personnel missing paychecks. Democrats have put forward strong, smart and effective Border Security solutions in the bipartisan Conference Committee while the president still ref e refuses to take a second shutdown off the table. The president s representations about democrats commitment to Border Security do nothing to make our country safer. To be clear, democrats have offered republicans some concessions offering to expand funding for added personnel and technology at the border, but they offered zero dollars when it comes to the president s long promised border wall and not giving an inch on that issue. The president clearly frustrated, thats part of the reason we heard him threaten to declare a National Emergency on the issue of immigration on friday even hinting to reporters he may do it during his state of the Union Address on tuesday night. No Emergency Declaration for the president on saturday in west palm beach, though. Check out what he tweeted. He was golfing with legendary golfers tiger woods and Jack Nicklaus during his first trip to maralago in 2019. His first trip since the 35day recordbreaking Government Shutdown. Boris sanchez, cnn, traveling with the president in west palm beach, florida. And lets talk about his speech coming up with leslie ben murray from Chatham House think tank. Thanks for coming on. Thank you, natalie. I want to talk about what we just heard there, the president s theme for his speech, choosing greatness. Do you think somewhere in there hes going to choose to go and build that wall somehow without democrats and make that announcement . It would be quite something if and remember, this is a state of the Union Address that was originally designed to take place a week earlier than it will. It was delayed because of that shutdown. So the idea that the president would actually declare a National Emergency in order to fund the wall that has been so deeply controversial and had such negative economic consequences and led to the longest shutdown that we have seen in the history of the United States would be rather dramatic. And i guess im skeptical that he would do this, but then, of course, we have seen a lot of things come out of this president that we havent anticipated. Right. And were not sure who is advising him on what these days, he had so many leave, his close advisers leave. The question is hes kind of stuck because you got democrats on one side, youve got americans that according to polls, most americans, dont think a wall is necessary, and youve got his conservative base, the commentators he listens to, and then he gets called names when he doesnt stand up for them and get this wall built. Yes. Hes in a difficult spot and hes put himself into this position, of course, by making so much out of that wall. Remember his base isnt benefitting from the Government Shutdown and arguably many of the people stand to lose benefits and lose economically if there is delay in the delivery of government services. And the president lost, right . His Approval Rating declined significantly during the course of the shutdown. The polls didnt respond well, people blamed the president , they blamed the republicans in congress more than they blamed the democrats. So it is difficult position and the question is whether or not there will be some resolution that gives the president enough by way of Border Security or perhaps funding for a fence that he uses to then take and claim he was successful in getting money to make america stronger and safer again. But, again, without it is unclear how that is going to come about, but at some point there is going to have to be some mechanism for the president claiming a victory even if we dont see funding for that wall. Seems it has to be an endgame somewhere on the question of the wall. So maybe it is coming. I want to ask you, pivot to some global issues. We might also hear the president address his decision to pull troops out of afghanistan and syria and we know this new development, this weekend, that russia and the u. S. Have suspended the inf treaty, one that was put in place to help protect europe. How is that being viewed there in europe . I think there is a great deal of concern, as we know, nato has, of course, backed up as tv in support of the decision. There has been complaints that russia wasnt complying with the treaty. So there is a track record, there is evidence of noncompliance that russia is developing those intermediate range missiles. But there is a broader question about what the implications are and i think in europe there is a great deal of concern that what were seeing by taking the very dramatic step from signaling and identifying noncompliance to actually taking beginning the process of withdrawal signals this is a president that is no longer willing to demonstrate that it is actively committed to arms control, that is restraint. And that it might lead to spill over effects that endanger the future the negotiation of the renegotiation of the start treaty, which is due to expire in 2021. So i think for europe this is very deeply unsettling because, of course, americas actions have been uncertain, they have been unpredictable, there have been policy changes that havent been taken in active coordination, in consultation with americas european partners. We always appreciate your insights, thank you for joining us. Thank you. Still ahead here on cnn newsroom, duelling rallies in venezuela. Thousands of protesters taking to the streets of caracas as the power struggle between two leaders continues to heat up. Also as we were just talking about, a Key Nuclear Treaty between the u. S. And russia is no more. We will talk more about that coming up here. Prestige creams not living up to the hype . One jar shatters the competition. Olay regenerist hydrates skin better than creams costing over 100, 200, and even 400. Fact check this ad in good housekeeping. Olay. Int easy. 12 hours . 20 dogs . Wheres your belly rubs . 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