Can I just say

[gateley]

that if Joe were at the helm, Shirley Sherrod would have been called to the WH, apologized to profusely, given back her job if she wanted it, and I know Joe would have publicly stated that his administration overreacted and he's aware that this is yet another time they took the bait from Fox news/Breitbart, and he would rip Fox and Breitbart to shreds. Everything I wish Obama would do, but I doubt if we'll see it.

Joe would do what's right. Period. And make sure it never happens again.

I'm watching the former head of the NAACP on MSNBC now and he makes a good point. That the Spooners are heroes here. If they hadn't been willing to speak out with the truth and what they considered an injustice, this would have a lot less weight.

So they should be invited to the WH, too. :7

PS This NAACP guy is impressive, very level headed, defended Vilsack and the agency since the NAACP had called for her ousting and the agency has a 'zero tolerance' policy against racism, that both the NAACP and administration acted too quickly... Wish I caught his name. As a matter of fact, I've been very impressed by all the NAACP representatives during this - much more impressive than the administration is behaving.

I feel better now.

[WheelWalker]

1. You are right on with this one, ME

[gateley]

2. Thanks, VI.

Although the politics of stuff like this drives me crazy, it's a fact of life. But this involves a woman who has worked hard and helped people for her entire career. Who questioned her initial judgment and did some soul searching and knew what was the right thing to do. This is personal. She wasn't even able to tell her side of the story to her boss. She's been wronged and I think in an instance like this humanity, compassion and humility needs to trump politics.

Instead of 'reviewing' their decision, sending out Gibbs to field some questions, making people wait, they (Obama) should have come blasting out of his office and said "We were wrong!" Every minute that ticks by they're blowing their chance for redemption.

:pals:

[PatSeg]

3. Was it Jealous, head of NAACP?

He is a pretty together guy.

Actually Joe could say and do things that would be more awkward for Obama because of race, but I hope we see a quick response from the White House. This is outrageous and they shouldn't let right wing extremists control the message. They let them get away with it with ACORN, which destroyed many people's careers, as well as an outstanding organization.

[gateley]

4. No, this particular guy I'm referring to was a "former" head of the NAACP. I've

seen Jealous, too, and this guy was even better (age and experience, maybe?) There was a third guy, too -- they all were very impressive.

I'd like to see ACORN revisited. Dream on, huh?

And Joe could say and do things that Obama couldn't because Joe is Joe -- he's got that gift.

Vilsack just gave his statement (I was impressed, I really think he feels horrible) NOW it's time for Obama to come out and say "we will not be taken in by this crap again! Breitbart and Fox knew exactly what they had and what they were doing, and finally finally finally we get it!"

A caller to Thom Hartmann asked if it wasn't illegal since the 1930's for any media outlet to be essentially a sock puppet for a political organization -- how can Fox have 'news' in their name? Yep, 1987, Reagan repealed it.

[PatSeg]

5. Unfortunately

the name ACORN has been permanently tarnished now, even though evidence has been made public that it was all bogus. Many people will only remember the initial scandal, thanks to FOX. It is good that this one got knocked down immediately, before the crap had a chance to stick.

Yeah, Obama needs to speak out on this one for sure. It will have far greater impact if he says something.

Thanks Ronnie! Another great thing you did for America, in the name of freedom.

[gateley]

8. It's been made public but didn't receive much coverage, so I'm not sure the

majority of Americans are aware of just how duplicitous it was. It needs to be highlighted, special shows, whatever, so people can understand. AND, O'Keefe and everyone involved should be charged with fraud or something and have the trial aired on TV. :7

[PatSeg]

9. And of course,

many people only get their news from FOX and they aren't about to admit that the whole thing was a hoax.

I hope someone keeps the story alive. I think O'Keefe is getting charged with something, besides that BS in New Orleans, but not sure. I think an ACORN employee is suing him.

[gateley]

12. What is absolutely beyond belief is that NOW Fox is going "did the Obama

administration throw an innocent woman under the bus?" and "why were they in such a hurry to fire her, anyway?" WTF? Can you BELIEVE the balls of these people? And like you say, those who watch FOX will buy it, and no, they won't print the actual facts.

If you can catch the enetire Rachel show on her site, watch it. It will remind you why you've escaped to Farmville (or whatever it's called).

[PatSeg]

16. I saw one segment of Rachel today

It was about FOX and their reporting of the whole incident. I can always catch a replay of the show tonight, I think.

You knew that FOX would find a way to twist the story and blame Obama. That's what they do and they are so pathetically obvious, its hard to believe anyone takes them seriously. Its like satire and would be pretty funny if it wasn't real.

[gateley]

18. You're RIGHT! It was almost laughable seeing their spin today if it hadn't been

so shocking! It IS almost like satire!

[PatSeg]

19. And that Steve Doocy

looks like character out of a comedy. Even his name sounds fake. He is such a dork.

[PatSeg]

6. Ah, I see the White House has officially apologized

but it was Gibbs on behalf of Obama. Not good enough.

Washington Post said almost the exact same thing we said:

"It's good that the White House has now publicly acknowledged real wrongdoing. It would probably be even better, given the passion and anger that this story has unleashed, if something similar came from Obama himself. Hearing from him would go a long way towards reassuring people that the White House has learned something from this whole mess."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/07/white_house_apologizes_to_shir.html

Good for them!

[gateley]

7. Yeah, I saw Gibbs apologize during his presser, but it wasn't all that impressive.

I think he should have made it more official like at the beginning to make a statement "on behalf of President Obama and his administration, I'd like to extend our heartfelt apologies..." Something like that. It was just included in other stuff he was saying. Kind of meh. I was like - wait, was that an apology? He did it several times but I think it warranted Special Attention.

Vilsack truly seemed pained.

EDIT: Here's Gibbs's apology. Interesting. It appears Shirley was at the CNN studio listening. I'd like to hear her response so I think I'll head on over to CNN now.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x487597

[PatSeg]

10. I haven't watched any TV today

Let me know if you hear anything interesting.

I agree, that was a pretty lame response. Sounds like the WH wants to downplay the whole thing, but it is too late. It has gotten an awful lot of coverage already. Chris Matthews was so sure that Bill O'Reilly would apologize. We'll see.

[gateley]

11. Okay - must sees: Rachel laying out the Fox agenda to scare the whites

into "the blacks are coming for you". Brilliant. She always makes me go :wow: Like a recipe or instructions on how to assemble a table. First this. Then this. Now this. Here's the final result.

Vilsack's apology.

KO's special comment.

I'll come back with links if I find them.

EDIT: LINKS!

I think this is the entire KO special comment:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x487631

[gateley]

13. Pat, and those who didn't see it,here's Rachel's masterful presentation. I would like to show this

to every person I know. (Haven't watched the vid, hope it's the whole thing)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x487688

[gateley]

14. Vilsack's apology (IMO, he was sincere)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/#38350950

[gateley]

15. Oh - and Tweety had some SERIOUSLY yellow hair! This doesn't quite do it justice, but...

[PatSeg]

17. And that was to top it all off?

[jillan]

20. The WH really screwed this up imho. This was such an embarrassment.

Breitbart and faux should've been the ones to take the hit on this, but noooo - they just let this become a story.

All Obama had to do is put out a statement - he didn't even need to face reporters - saying that they were sorry this had happened & that he called Shirley and spoke with her directly. And he should have done that on Tues. The story would've been a different story had he done that...my opinion.

I can't believe that it would be Obama's inability to communicate that would bother me the most about him. He just can't seem to connect with everyday people. I wish Bill Clinton would show him how it's done.

[PatSeg]

21. I agree with you

This was not presidential at all, deferring to the loonies on the right and then being slow to respond. I am very disappointed with how the White House handled the whole situation. Hopefully this time they've learned something. We'll see.

[jillan]

22. It's just unbelievable that they were worried about what faux noose would say.

So disappointing.

Check out Shep Smith's video on the topic - it's on the greatest page.

[PatSeg]

23. Its not like Obama's supporters

are FOX News watchers. The mindless nuts who rely on FOX will never support Obama, so why bother?

Haven't seen the video yet. I'll check it out.

[PatSeg]

24. Okay, I watched it

Can't believe some at FOX was more professional and reasonable than MSNBC who bought into the original story. I wonder if Smith is looking to move.

[jillan]

25. I think Shep is a normal republican - a moderate. He went ballistic about torture,

and about the slow response to Katrina. Shep's a good guy, and I must confess that I even watch him now and then. He's on the same time as Matthews, and Matthews gets on my nerves.

[gateley]

26. Even with the extra special yellow hair?

:)

I think I've heard people say that Shep was pretty pissed about this, too.

We have to remember that Vilsack did it on his own, that no less than the NAACP had called for her removal (and it was THEIR video!), and if he hadn't done it and it turned out to be true we'd all be going "I thought USDA was supposed to be cleaning out the racists -- here the NAACP has said somebody should lose her job, yet Obama's administration does nothing about it."

As I think about this more, I think that it was Vilsack who should have made the apology - not Obama (but he could have called her like he did). But they still should have responded as quickly as the NAACP did when they learned they'd been duped.