AP reports Tom Vilsack has joined the White House in apologizing to Shirley Sherrod and has offered her a new job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he has apologized to ousted employee Shirley Sherrod and offered her a unique new position at the agency.
Sherrod, in an interview with The Associated Press, said she was considering it.
"They did make an offer," she said in a telephone interview. "I just told him I need to think about it."
Vilsack told reporters that Sherrod accepted his apology. He said, "She was extraordinarily gracious."
The exact scope of Sherrod's potential new role isn't clear, but this represents a swift turnaround from yesterday when anonymous aides within the administration were leaking trial balloons indicating they supported Vilsack's decision and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina was praising Vilsack's handling of the firing in a White House staff meeting.