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 new job offer comes after an embarrassed White House apologized to Sherrod Wednesday for ousting her over her remarks about race to an NAACP banquet in Georgia earlier this year. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration did not know all the facts when it acted.
When asked Wednesday if he had spoken with President Barack Obama, Vilsack said simply, "No."
Vilsack insisted that it had been his decision to seek her resignation and said he takes full responsibility.
"This is a good woman," Vilsack said. "She's been put through hell."
Sherrod resigned this week as state director of rural development in Georgia. She said she quit under pressure from the White House.
The extraordinary turn of events came less than 48 hours after a video depicting Sherrod talking about her experience with a white farmer went viral. While Sherrod emerged heroic for the treatment she received, the Obama administration appeared fearful, even panicky in dealing with a racially charged story.
Sherrod, who says her remarks had been selectively edited and taken out of context, told CNN that the White House "harassed" her to resign because the controversy was "going to be on Glenn Beck tonight."
When USDA officials contacted Sherrod saying the White House wanted her to resign, she says she tried to communicate that there was another side to the story.
Her videotaped remarks appeared to indicate she didn't give "the full force of what I could do" to a farmer because he was white. But she says the remarks were actually used to illustrate that people should not be judged based on race. The farmer has defended Sherrod, and credits her with saving his farm. But the administration officials wouldn't listen, she says.
"They were not interested in hearing the truth," Sherrod said of the administration. "No one wanted to hear the truth."
"The last time they asked me to pull over the side of the road and submit my resignation on my Blackberry, and that's what I did," Sherrod told The Associated Press.
Pundits on the left and right said Wednesday that the incident shows all the hallmarks of an administration panicked by free-falling approval numbers and negative coverage from conservative media.
The White House has denied any involvement in Sherrod's forced resignation, while acknowledging that they approved of Vilsack's decision once they were informed of it.
But Sherrod has indicated she was told the order came from the White House. And a report Wednesday morning by Politico's Ben Smith appears to support that account. Smith says three Democratic sources tell him that Deputy White House Chief of Staff Jim Messina praised the White House's initial response to the Sherrod incident at the daily 8:30 a.m. staff meeting on Tuesday. In those remarks, Messina said the White House had reacted quickly to the controversy.
17 comments:
Why does it seem the White House has its hands in EVERYTHING that becomes a racially charged subject? Is he just itching for a fight? Has there ever been an administration that has tried to get involved in these "globally insignificant" scuffles before? It seems that they just make things astronomically worse.
The administration deafenetly has egg on its face over this one. I guess they are just as dumb as all the loony conserves. who falsely jumped on this woman for being "racist"
Why is she considered a victim?
The comments she made and the wording she used would have been a justification for firing if this had been a person stating this if they were not a minority. These comments and wording were through out her speech if you listen to the complete speech. With the White Police Officer doing his job was and to this day condenmed. What is the difference? She is being offered a better job in the Government (promotion) in the process. Talking about double standards. I can say this because I was involved in similar circumstances when I was working for the State MD and it still exist and is a hidden rule within the State of Maryland, Miniorities first and don't critize Miniorities. Until you are subjected to Racial and Sexual discrimination people will always side with the Miniorities, right or wrong.
9:47 She did make racially charged comments but what upset people was the NAACP members cheering her on. Conservatives have been under this kind of racial media attack for years .
9:47 who says she isn't a racist? She does refer to the white race as if we are a separate entity of humanity. Though her speech generally is not about racism and the hatred towards "The Man" it still has a tinge of funk.
There's plenty of new video out of this women who at first I was shocked until I saw the whole video now I'm shocked again this woman is a clear racist and should not be employed be the tax payers .
She is racist and she should not be given a promotion. Thats just a pat on the back for her doing what she did.
I think it's pretty clear from the accusations of racism BEFORE even seeing the entire video (only a small clip made by someone known for the editing "skills" who has a clear agenda) that you guys are always simply going to see what you WANT to see.
this story illustrates a very clear double standard in our society when it comes to racism. the "when put in context" excuse can be twisted to explain any racist behavior. what a joke! must be nice to be associated with the NAACP... that means you are never wrong.
I have yet to see proof where she wasn't really acting racist at the NAACP meeting? Where is the real video that proves she wasn't?
11:12 AM Where is the video. I am still not convinced her remarks weren't racist!!
She's a clear racist now this idiot is blaming FOX what a loser .
She is going to be the race Czar
She admitted committing racism in her speech I don't care she felt bad SHE DID IT !
Why is it that the black person always ends up being the victim?
8:05 because the liberal media says so we all are loyal subjects to the ruling class .
All of the racists I know are black people.
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