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Shirley Sherrod Gets a White House Apology, Deserves a Book Contract

1 year ago
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Shirley Sherrod, I will read your memoir!

Most of us had never heard of Sherrod until she was wrongly accused of racism and lost her USDA job over misleading video snippets publicized by the conservative Internet publisher Andrew Breitbart.

Proving once again that the camera can too lie, what we saw on the tape made it look like this African-American civil servant had withheld help from a white farmer it was her job to assist back in 1986. The whole tape showed that's not remotely what happened, though, and the farmer vigorously defended her: "We probably wouldn't have [our farm] today if it hadn't been for her leading us in the right direction," Eloise Spooner told CNN. "I wish she could get her job back because she was good to us, I tell you."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs apologized to Sherrod during Wednesday's briefing. "Members of this administration, members of the media, members of different political factions on both sides of this have all made determinations and judgments without a full set of facts," he said in explaining what happened.

"I can't speak for everybody involved, but I think we live in a culture [where] things whip around," he continued. "People want fast responses, we want to give fast responses, and I don't think there's any doubt that if we look at this, one of the great lessons we take away from this is to ask all of the questions first and to come to that full understanding."

[Update: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack offered an even fuller apology at a late afternoon press conference, and said he has offered Sherrod a better job than the one she lost -- an offer she is apparently mulling. "I asked for Shirley's forgiveness and she has been gracious enough to give it to me,'' he said. "I did not think before I acted...This woman has been through hell."]

So all's well? Hardly, and I'm not quite ready to write Breitbart a thank-you note for bringing Sherrod to our attention. But rehired or retired, it looks like we could all learn something at the knee of this woman.

As we now know, she said absolutely nothing wrong in a March speech about an impulse she'd checked, a temptation she'd resisted, an experience she'd learned from 24 years earlier, as even the man who started all the mischief now admits.

More Shirley Sherrod Coverage:

- Shirley Sherrod Gets Apologies, Job Offer From Vilsack
- Transcript of White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' Remarks on Shirley Sherrod
- Shirley Sherrod Wasn't a Coward -- and She Paid the Price
- Rising Clamor: Obama Should Reinstate Shirley Sherrod
- The Sad Tale of Shirley Sherrod: Vilsack Is the Villain
- Vilsack to Review Dismissal of USDA Official in 'Reverse Racism' Case
- RedState, NAACP Agree: Shirley Sherrod Got a Raw Deal
- Shirley Sherrod, Ousted USDA Official, Defended by Farmer She Helped, Others

"I feel bad they made this about her,'' Breitbart told MSNBC. (Who is this they you speak of, cowboy? And here I thought conservatives were all about personal responsibility. And in theory opposed to the thought police.) On Hannity, he said he was looking for payback after the NAACP accused Tea Partiers of racism.

But I'm in awe of what Sherrod did right, not only in overcoming what haters did to her father, who was murdered by the KKK, but in having the humility to admit to her worst race-based impulses, which every one of us has. After this wrong has been righted, as it surely to goodness will be, I'd still like to hear a lot more about this woman, who even at the height of the craziness was cool as you please on television, calmly stating that she did wish the NAACP had checked with her before issuing a condemnation.

How about giving her whole life story a hearing? I, for one, am ready to pre-order on Amazon.

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76 Comments

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nbk4real

andrew breitbart, sean hannity and fox are all culpable in the slander of this woman and she has a very valid case against them, sure its softened due to the fact she will be getting a job back but she still has a case. There is no surprise these were the players, its their track record. Whats worse is that democrats allowed these people to bully them into acting on a just another right wing lie. The question is, if no one stands up for we the people, what do we have? The republicans are wholly owned by the corporations and the democrats are afraid of their own shadows. With that said, the democrats are worlds better than the alternative. They are just the lesser of two evils.

July 22 2010 at 3:59 PM Report abuse -5 rate up rate down Reply
Janeyre

These Men are afraid of offending... I mean this Administration is. So sad, the Right expect him to cater to their madness... It is about all of us. Not just those, who have always been at the front of the line. America belongs to all of us. Well, those who are legal...

July 22 2010 at 3:07 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
det683

Look at what this country has become. We can't even show the fact that our feelings have changed over the years to the positive. I think our administration should be ashamed of itself and Shirley Sherrod should be given Larry Kings Job.

July 22 2010 at 3:07 PM Report abuse -5 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to det683's comment
nbk4real

Andrew Breitbart is the one who should be ashamed, hes the one who cherry picked the video, didnt show it all and misrepresented the facts. Why dont you people ever hold the person responsible for the root cause of the problem? It would seem you always want to blame the person trying to fix things.

July 22 2010 at 4:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
weaspoon

Regardless of Mrs. Sherrod's real views on race or politics, her case is a telling example of the ambush journalism used by all media, conservative or liberal, passed off as news reporting in this great country today. Virtually all print and television media has a political statement to make and doesn't seem to let accuracy or truth stand in the way. Suspect the only reason the whole story is coming out is one group wanting to discredit the other. Seeing little responsible journalism these days, skeptisism of reporters' motives abounds.

This is also another example of incompetent governance practiced in Washington. Rather than take the time to investigate and make an educated determination regarding Mrs. Sherrod's fitness for employment, the Whitehouse, the Department of Agriculture and many legislators reacted to initial media coverage and looked like amateurs. A responsible manager in the business world making this blunder would be subject to career effecting action. Wouldn't it be nice to have competent people running the government for a change?

July 22 2010 at 2:05 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
carole3ks

She'll hear from the White House alot faster then the State of Arizona did! We all know how this ball is bouncing! Once a RACIST, ALWAYS a RACIST! Right Shirley?

July 22 2010 at 1:59 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
grayce

MRS SHERROD,

I ADMIRE YOU FOR THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE ON BEHALF OF THE POOR OF THIS COUNTRY, I AM A 75 YEAR OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE, AND HAD RELATIVES AND FRIENDS THAT WERE SLAIN IN THE SOUTH BY RACISTS. THROUGH THE YEARS SOME OF MY NICEST FRIENDS HAVE BEEN CAUCASIAN. WE ARE TRULY A FORGIVING PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO STILL HARBOR SO MUCH HATRED TODAY MUST BE KNOW THAT WE ARE ON THIS EARTH UNTIL GOD SEES FIT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND TO THOSE HATE MONGERS, AND WE KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE, WHO STIR UP THE SEEDS OF HATRED, REMEMBER, "THE SEEDS YOU SOW. ARE THE SEEDS YOU REAP"

July 22 2010 at 1:49 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
fretplayer

She wants all these apologies because people reacted without all the facts. Where are all the apologies for the white policeman who was attacked before all the facts were out. There never were any apologies to him, even after the facts came out. Instead it was a "teachable" moment. The only thing that should have been teachable is that the black president can judge a white policeman without all the facts, but if the same thing happens to a black, everyone can't get to the cameras fast enough to apologize and make her some sort of hero.

July 22 2010 at 1:38 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to fretplayer's comment
Jody

Excellent point!

July 22 2010 at 6:57 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
barbie

No one is honing on the source who provided the video to Breitbart. I would like to have been the fly on the wall during that tranaction. I would sell it to the highest bidder or should I say news outlet. Some day we might find out, ya think.

July 22 2010 at 1:32 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
K-DUBYA

what is being overlooked is that this right wing guy just showed americia and the world of how dirty the political world is in this great country of ours ! he was willing to hurt and bring down an innocent woman to try and prove a point ! a point that still has not been proven ! he went to great lengths to try and smear the N.A.A.C.P AND YET HE GOT NOTHING !HE SAYS YOU COULD HEAR MEMEMBERS CLAPPING AND SCREAMING IN THE BACKROUND ! REALLY ! there will be no racial peace in americia until we are able to discuss why we still have the feelings we do.

July 22 2010 at 1:24 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to K-DUBYA's comment
breezy44

She made some very racist remarks in that speech, like " I thought he need help from his OWN KIND" If a white person had said that the backlash would have been horrible no matter what the rest of the speech was. Also those people were laughing and loving her say how she had originally screwed this guy over. Didn't hear no laughing and amens when she said she decided to help him. She is no hero in my book.

July 22 2010 at 2:39 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
r4dv

Bet she can't wait to sue the gov't...... again !

July 22 2010 at 1:22 PM Report abuse +5 rate up rate down Reply

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