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Robert Gibbs Apologizes to Shirley Sherrod on Behalf of Obama Administration

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» 38 comments

As expected, the topic of the day at today’s White House briefing was Shirley Sherrod. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs fielded many questions on her ouster, apologizing on behalf of the administration for what he rightly called an “injustice.” In a dramatic turn, Jake Tapper informed Gibbs that Sherrod was watching the briefing, and Gibbs directed his apology to her. Tapper also pointed out that he (among others) had performed due diligence before acting on the story (unlike Secretary Tom Vilsack). See the remarkable exchange below.

Tapper also asked Gibbs if he agreed with critics who say the administration overreacted because they’re scared of conservative pundits, to which Gibbs replied, “No.” Responding to Chip Reid later in the briefing, Gibbs did not rule out the President speaking about this in the near future, and called this a “teachable moment.” I would bet that President Obama makes some sort of statement by the end of the day.


 

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  • Sunnyr

    I hear some serious butt smacking going on here. Pucker up, Gibbs, and KISS, KISS, KISS!! You Amateur Hour Oracles blew it yet again. LMAO at youi!!!

    Is it 2012 yet?

  • Sunnyr

    It was great watching Gibbs stutter and stammer and dodge. And the poor doofus couldn’t even blame George Bush on this one. lol!!

  • Averreauxii

    Next time, take a week to verify stories from the specious rightwinger blowhards.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Westover/1496648721 Tony Westover

    I smell another Beer Summit in the works…

  • tatboy

    Just think, these are the same people re-writing how our county works. This is the quality of there work and how much time/effort they invest before taking action. I though they were supposed to be the insightful brainiacks with all the ivy league degrees? This is what we got? This is a bad 3 stooges routine… seriously. They said they were smarted than everybody else and this is the best we got?

  • valkyrie101

    Well, so far we got the NAACP and the office of the President apologizing. Wonder if the commentators who went with this story are going to apoligize, or BriteBart.

  • Iris

    Yeah tat, just think your new love breitfart could be in charge and look at the quality of his work ..FAIL!!

  • MichelleF

    Figures. Shirley Sherrod Is Linked to Terrorist Bill Ayers

    It’s days like these that you begin to wonder is there anyone in this administration who is not a communist, radical, socialist, terror-sympathizer?
    You really have to wonder some days.

    Guess what? White farmer-hater Shirley Sherrod is linked to Bill Ayers.
    Reader Dude Meister discovered this information:
    An announcement of Ms. Sherrod’s July 2009 appointment to her USDA position at ruraldevelopment.org gives off quite a few clues:

    RDLN Graduate and Board Vice Chair Shirley Sherrod was appointed Georgia Director for Rural Development by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on July 25. Only days earlier, she learned that New Communities, a group she founded with her husband and other families (see below) has won a thirteen million dollar settlement in the minority farmers law suit Pigford vs Vilsack.

    This must-read story at Illinois Review and The Washington Examiner also reveals that Ms. Sherrod’s husband is a former honcho in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee back in the 1960’s. You can read more about it in Bill Ayers book “Fugitive Days.” Yes, that Bill Ayers. He was involved in SNCC as well.

    http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/07/figures-shirley-sherrod-is-linked-to-terrorist-bill-ayers/

  • PancakeBreakfast

    Good for them for apologizing. It’s something the last administration could never do, even when it was clear they were wrong. The most those ass clowns could muster was: “Mistakes were made.” Uh, you think?!

  • Ninja

    Why exactly should Breitbart apologize? Did he fire her?

  • timzank

    Averreauxii said:
    Next time, take a week to verify stories from the specious rightwinger blowhards.

    Yeah, watching all 45 minutes of the video in question would take them a week, wouldn’t it?

  • BatBoy

    Maybe the President will bow down to the American public and apoligize!

    It seems that is the only experience the President possesses.

    I can just hear Mallika tomorrow morning when she goes to the bathroom and says, “Daddy, it is a whole lot easier being a Community Organizer…isn’t it….Daddy!!!!!

  • BatBoy

    Mallika….”Daddy…when are you going to get rid of that boob Mr. Gibbs….Huh Daddy?

  • Big_F-ing_Deal

    Ninja said:
    Why exactly should Breitbart apologize?

    He lied about her.
    Like O’Reilly he accused her of discrimination during her USDA tenure.

    A blatant falsehood.

  • Iris

    Welfare Michelle nobody is playing your 6 degrees of seperation from Bill ayers anymore. You and breitfart have that in common.. extreme FAIL!!

  • OldLadyUSA

    Tommy – Looks like same old Trolls visit most sites. Hope this finds you well. I watched this and looked for you, but can’t seem to get past Tapper’s ego…..

    Wish Steve Krakauer would do a “yesterday” – “today” comparison in his piece on Joe Scarborough – would show just how big a jerk Scarborough really is. Mika would be heard saying “disgusting – tisk tisk tisk” one morning, to Steve’s really weak reporting on Mika during today’s show.

    Truly hope that Dan does not call the shots there – if so, he makes a huge mistake calling that show News.
    Hope they give you the time and space to detail this whole story – especially the Media reaction. Until then, take much care. I’m watching and cheering always, just dislike the tip-toe dance through troll dung…. xoxo O

  • BatBoy

    Who is he…President Obama….OK I give you that one…he lies all the time….so what is the BFD?

  • Ninja

    Big_F-ing_Deal said:
    He lied about her.Like O’Reilly he accused her of discrimination during her USDA tenure. A blatant falsehood.

    So you believe that anytime anyone in the media makes a claim that is possibly proven to be untrue they should apologize? Jeez, that would require 50% of every telecast on every station.

  • tatboy

    Iris said:
    Yeah tat, just think your new love breitfart could be in charge and look at the quality of his work ..FAIL!!

    Your right… you’ve convinced me with your witty repartee and cerebral insights like “breitfart” your won me over to your world view.
    Seriously… could you try and not be 5 for a day or 2. Breitbart is a gadfly… and a good one. He is there to counter the lefts meat grinder with a right meat grinder… nothing more. And who said I’m a “fan” of his? I got to a lot of media websites throughout the day. Is my “new love” HuffPo b/c I go there far more often than BigGov?
    My dad taught me an early lesson in life… the first one to go to personal insult usually loses. Hence I avoid using words like “racist” and “teabagger” b/c i can make a valid point and convey a thought without losing my cool or getting ignorant.

  • C0nstant

    iris who let you off the corner?

  • The Real Royal King

    MichelleF said:
    Figures. Shirley Sherrod Is Linked to Terrorist Bill Ayers

    It’s days like these that you begin to wonder is there anyone in this administration who is not a communist, radical, socialist, terror-sympathizer?
    You really have to wonder some days.

    Guess what? White farmer-hater Shirley Sherrod is linked to Bill Ayers.
    Reader Dude Meister discovered this information:
    An announcement of Ms. Sherrod’s July 2009 appointment to her USDA position at ruraldevelopment.org gives off quite a few clues:

    RDLN Graduate and Board Vice Chair Shirley Sherrod was appointed Georgia Director for Rural Development by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on July 25. Only days earlier, she learned that New Communities, a group she founded with her husband and other families (see below) has won a thirteen million dollar settlement in the minority farmers law suit Pigford vs Vilsack.

    This must-read story at Illinois Review and The Washington Examiner also reveals that Ms. Sherrod’s husband is a former honcho in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee back in the 1960’s. You can read more about it in Bill Ayers book “Fugitive Days.” Yes, that Bill Ayers. He was involved in SNCC as well.

    http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/07/figures-shirley-sherrod-is-linked-to-terrorist-bill-ayers/

    All the Marys in Heaven! You ladle up this thin gruel on every link.

    Pathetic!

    TRUTH AND DECENCY DIE WITH BREITBART AND FOX NEWS (and Michelle-in-Utah)!

  • Big_F-ing_Deal

    Ninja said:
    So you believe that anytime anyone in the media makes a claim that is possibly proven to be untrue they should apologize?

    When that claim comes with a demand for resignation, yes I do.

    Is that clear enough for you, scumbag?

  • C0nstant

    “Now, I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that my administration acted stupidly…” – BHO

  • Ninja

    Big_F-ing_Deal said:
    When that claim comes with a demand for resignation, yes I do. Is that clear enough for you, scumbag?

    Oh no…not a personal attack, how will I sleep tonight? Tell me again who exactly demanded her official resignation? Wow, I guess FNC and BG really do have an impact on the current administration.

  • Iris

    Tat, brainiac, three stooges, personal insults I dare say.

  • MichelleF

    Don’t take it personally Ninja, the left seems a little touchy today. I think it’s because their race-baiting game plan has been made public and they are in a panic!!

    Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November. Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness.

    Mary Frances Berry, former Chairwoman of The United States Commission on Civil Rights, appointed by Jimmy Carter.

  • valkyrie101

    Ninja said:
    Why exactly should Breitbart apologize? Did he fire her?

    If you read his original postings on his web site, together with the edited video he posted, BriteBart does have something to apoligize for.

  • Iris

    Nincompoop, FNC geezer channel influence, not anymore, they and breitfart jumped the shark this time and everybody except Shirley Sherrod ended up with egg on thier faces

  • Ninja

    valkyrie101 said:
    BriteBart does have something to apoligize for.

    What is this something you speak of? Please be specific. If this were me, I would demand an apology and compensation from those that unjustly fired me over something they did not properly diagnose.

  • tatboy

    Iris said:
    Tat, brainiac, three stooges, personal insults I dare say.

    Ok.. you might actually have a point there? I personally don’t see comparing the current administrations handling of this situation to a 3 stooges routine the same as whipping out the word “teabagger”… but I can see how you might. I saw it more as an analogy really. But point taken.
    I was trying to convey there sloppy handling and stuttering response to a historical reference people would universally understand. I thought the stooges fit the bill. But I can see how you might see that as getting personal.

  • valkyrie101

    Ninja said:
    What is this something you speak of? Please be specific. If this were me, I would demand an apology and compensation from those that unjustly fired me over something they did not properly diagnose.

    In a July 19 blog post on Big Government, Andrew Breitbart strongly suggested that Sherrod discriminated against a white farmer in her capacity as the USDA Georgia Director of Rural Development:

    “We are in possession of a video from in which Shirley Sherrod, USDA Georgia Director of Rural Development, speaks at the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner in Georgia. In her meandering speech to what appears to be an all-black audience, this federally appointed executive bureaucrat lays out in stark detail, that her federal duties are managed through the prism of race and class distinctions.”

    …And no mention that the indicent in question was 24 years ago. And that is the way FOX ran with the story too.

  • Iris

    Tat, you’re a breath of fresh air, My hope is that this administration will no longer kowtow to right wing extremists like breitbart and I wiil say fox too, they have proved too many times that they would destroy this country and everything in it to discredit Barack Obama. Its just insane hate.

  • Ninja

    Valk, I am trying to find this on the Breitbart site and cannot find it. It is a pretty unorganized collection and I have never looked at his website before. Before I comment on what looks like someone else’s analysis, I would like to see the entire post on his website.

    The bottom line of this entire issue is this though, the federal govenrment is being run by a CEO without any true executive experience. For at least the second time, he did not assess a fluid situation properly and an American individual has suffered because of it. Let’s all hope that some lessons have been learned and we don’t see this same mistake a third time.

  • lazzzlo

    Actually, Ninja…this isn’t on Obama…it is on his staff.

    As a CEO, I believe he has way too many things to deal with that he should take a personal glimpse into one of many issues.

    His staff f*cked up and this backfired. Now, as a CEO, Prez Obama might have to address this issue.

    It does need to be addressed.

    I disagree with how it happened but it is an example of a learning curve that does need to be addressed.

  • Ninja

    I agree with you somewhat. This is not directly “on” Obama. Although, just as with ever other CEO, the performance of his staff is directly his responsibility. It will be interesting to see what if any actions are taken against Tom Vilsack as he has taken full responsibility for this action. If no changes are made then this does go directly on President Obama.

  • http://flavors.me/tiffanynori tiffanynori

    I am so sick of Democrats. I am so sick of Republicans. I am so sick of the media. Please…let us elect politicians with some integrity, honesty, and just a shred of common sense. The black and white extremists are steadily pushing our country to a state of racial antagonism that can only be destructive for all of us living in America.

    If it had been a White or a Latino involved in this entertaining little episode the “Administration” would not feel at all compelled to apologize. All apologizing is going to accomplish is to confirm to the anti-Obama faction that this President is in fact very racist.

    Unfortunately race is a very sensitive issue and the Obama administration does not seem to have the sense to understand that being overly sensitive to race issues will do nothing but invite opportunities that continue to make the President appear to have racially biased motivations. I voted for Obama and I am so sorry that I did. We are in the process of creating racial tensions in America that could take decades to repair. Looks to me like he is shaping up to be the worst president since Carter.

  • http://SailRabbits.com Magister

    @Ninja: Here’s a link to Breitbart’s original post and its embedded YouTubes.

  • Ninja

    Thanks Magister,

    I see that he has issued a correction. After reading his post, I would say that is all that is necessary. Same as when a newspaper issues a correction on the back page, he simply was reporting the facts that were known at that time. That site is a trainwreck, way too much going on.

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