Fmr. Dem Rep. Moran Defends Northam: "Coonman" Actually Is A Derogatory Term For White People

Former Virginia Democratic Congressman Jim Moran explains why he doesn't believe embattled Virginia Governor Ralph Northam should resign. Moran said people should not rush to judgment and have all the facts before rendering an opinion. He said the term 'Coonman' used in the picture is actually a derogatory term used by white people to criticize "other white folk who they thought were too sympathetic to black folk." Watch the CNN interview: <blockquote>POPPY HARLOW, CNN HOST: All right, welcome back to NEW DAY. Embattled Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will meet with his cabinet this morning in just a little over an hour as calls for him to resign grow louder and louder over that racist yearbook photo. Last night, he held an emergency meeting with several senior staff members of color, and a source tells CNN no one urged him to stay on and fight. But not everyone agrees. Not every Democrat agrees. Joining me now is the former Democratic congressman of Virginia, Jim Moran. Thank you for being with me, Congressman. I appreciate your time this morning. FMR. REP. JIM MORAN (D-VA): Sure. HARLOW: Do you still believe this morning, after hearing all you heard and read this weekend, that Gov. Northam should not resign? MORAN: Absolutely. I don't think we have all the facts at our disposal. I don't like rushes to judgment. Justice is never about a rush to judgment. We know that there's an abhorrent photo in his yearbook. We know he put some black shoe polish on his face and tried to imitate Michael Jackson doing the Moon dance -- Moonwalk -- 35 years ago. We know that somebody referred to him, I think in the yearbook, as "Coon Man." Well, you know, those are horrible words. Of course, that term is what white folk referred to other white folk who they thought were too sympathetic to black folk.</blockquote>