Bearing Drift: “Then there was the jaw dropping segment of the debate: Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s response to a question about the death of George Floyd. Fairfax put himself in the frame, saying that “African American men are presumed to be guilty, are treated inhumanely, are given no due process and have their lives impacted ? in some cases, taken away in an instant.”
“Due process” was the tell. Fairfax was about to do something big. He went into his windup: “Everyone here on this stage called for my immediate resignation, including Terry McAuliffe” of sexual assault allegations made against Fairfax in 2019.
And then the pitch, high and inside: McAuliffe, Fairfax said, “treated me like George Floyd. He treated me like Emmett Till. No due process. Immediately assumed my guilt.”
It was a dangerous move that could as easily backfire on Fairfax as it could raise serious doubts about McAuliffe. But here’s the one thing that’s certain: Fairfax will look for a way to throw the same pitch at McAuliffe in future debates.”