This is good:
WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he has apologized to an employee he ousted over remarks about race and offered her a "unique" new position at the agency.
"She’s been put through hell and I could have done, and should have done, a better job," Vilsack said of Shirley Sherrod.
Vilsack told reporters that Sherrod accepted his apology. He said, "She was extraordinarily gracious."
Sherrod said she is considering Vilsack's offer of a new job working on civil rights. "They did make an offer," she told The Associated Press. "I just told him I need to think about it."
link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
And this guy is still a lying weasel:
Because the media has made this - instead of what it was supposed to be - as I framed it - the NAACP versus the Tea Party, the media and the left has tried to make it about Andrew Breitbart versus Shir-uh, Shirley, uh, y'kn, Sherrod, that was not the intent of it, and uh, and I think that people can make up their own minds by seeing the whole perspective of the video.
my own homemade transcript
link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Nice. He can't even get the name of the woman he smeared right without stuttering.
Breitbart's statement begs a couple of questions:
- If it is so great that the entire video is out there for everyone to see, why didn't he just release it in the first place?
- If he feels so bad about Ms. Sherrod losing her job over his nonsense, and if it wasn't about her, why the heck did he go on the attack 24 hours ago to John King questioning the veracity of Eloise Spooner? (link: http://thinkprogress.org/... )
Keep digging, Andrew. Maybe you'll find the Golden Rhetorical Key to Saving Your Last Shred of Dignity somewhere...
UPDATE:
So, how many of Breitbart's contributors will refudiate his attack on Ms. Sherrod: http://biggovernment.com/...
Joe the Plumber? Tim Pawlenty? Mike Pence? Eric Cantor? I'm looking at you guys...
(yes, I love that word and I'm using it)
h/t to msmacguyver in the comments
Second UPDATE:
From marabout40 in the comments, excerpt of Vilsack's presser. Trying to find full vid:
And, on Hardball tonight, quote from Wade Henderson of the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights:
It was an incredible moment in American history. For the first time, you've seen a Secretary, in this instance the Secretary of the Dept of Agriculture, making a very personal apology to an employee, whom we all agree has been deeply aggrieved. Tom Vilsack is an incredibly honorable individual, and what he did this afternoon showed great courage, tremendous dignity, and a sense of personal responsibility that's rare in any public official.
I think he should be commended for both his concern about disavowing racism on the part of his department, but more importantly, recognizing that an injustice has occurred and taking steps - personal steps - to correct it. I thought it was an extraordinary moment in history, and I'm really honored to have watched Tom Vilsack address this important issue.
link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Third UPDATE:
Video of Vilsack's apology to Sherrod at his presser:
Fourth UPDATE:
From My Philosophy and Catte Nappe in the comments - everyone should check out Media Matters and their scorecard of Breitbart's lies to date regarding his smear of Shirley Sherrod:
How can these outlets actually repeat Breitbart's claim that this was "not about Shirley Sherrod," when it clearly was? Didn't anyone read what Breitbart had written? In his initial post on July 19, Breitbart claimed that the video is "evidence of racism coming from a federal appointee" and that Sherrod discriminated against a white farmer in her "federal duties" as the USDA Georgia Director of Rural Development. The video itself also included text that said. "Ms. Sherrod admits that in her federally appointed position, overseeing over a billion dollars she discriminates against people due to their race." Breitbart then posted a tweet asking, "Will Eric Holder's DOJ hold accountable fed appointee Shirley Sherrod for admitting practicing racial discrimination?" After the USDA forced Sherrod out of her position in response to the deceptive video, Big Government celebrated with a post titled: "Racist Govt Official/NAACP Award Recipient Resigns after Big Government Expose."
Read the full article here: http://mediamatters.org/...
Fifth UPDATE:
Keith Olbermann's Special Comment:
...and link to his diary: http://www.dailykos.com/...
h/t to understandinglife