Gotta hand it to Tom Vilsack. From what I saw of his presser, he said all the right things. There’s no denying it was a bonehead move, and he didn’t try to. In fact, he seemed deeply shaken by the whole experience, as he should be. It looks like it’s up to Shirley Sherrod whether she returns to USDA and in what capacity. We’ll have video soon.
When was the last time the day’s biggest made-for-TV political event involved … a press conference by the secretary of agriculture?
Shirley Sherrod says Tom Vilsack has offered her her job back, according to the AP. She’s mulling it over, but she’s not sure she wants it back.
Robert Gibbs has issued the official Administration apology to Shirley Sherrod for jumping the gun and forcing her out on the basis of Andrew Breitbart’s thuggery, and now Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has called a press conference for 4:45 ET. What form of abject apology, hair shirt, or ritual suicide Vilsack will unveil remains unclear.
Reading about the anti-government nutjob who was allegedly targeting the ACLU before he got into a shootout with police in Oakland over the weekend, I’m struck anew by how right-wing extremists view democratic institutions as the biggest threat to democracy.
Andrew Breitbart claims he feels “bad” and “sorry” for what “the media” has put Shirley Sherrod through: “Watching how they’ve misconstrued, how the media has misconstrued the intention behind this, I do feel a sympathy for her plight.” Watch.
The President signs the most sweeping financial reforms in a generation, at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown DC.
David Frum, on the shame of the right wing media.
The leading potential Republican candidate for the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s seat, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), has opted out of the race, putting Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin in a very strong position to win the special election.