Liveblog:
Should Sherrod get her job back?
When Vilsack reaches Sherrod, he’ll apologize and they’ll talk about their next step. A lot of people involved in this situation, without all the facts.
Now that we have greater knowledge, he’s going to review all of those facts.
Re: Job… The secretary and Ms. Sherrod will talk about that.
Obama was briefed yesterday morning, yesterday, and today.
He did not know about Vilsack’s actions, not that I know of, said Gibbs.
Without a doubt, Ms. Sherrod is owed an apology. I will do so on behalf of this administration. Everyone involved made determinations without knowing all the facts, events. It think we live in a culture that things whip around, people want fast responses, we want to give fast responses.
One of the great lessons: Ask all the questions first.
He needs to say that the RWNJs smeared Sherrod, used an edited video. CALL OUT CLUSTERFOX, Breitbart, okay Mr. Gibbs, media?
A disservice was done… we apologized… This administration never has looked at a scoreboard at the end of each day to see how we’ve done.
Maybe they should.
Sherrod is watching tis on CNN. Gibbs says to her, the secretary is trying to reach you.
We contacted the Dept. of Agriculture last night.
Q: Will we hear from president?
A: Everyone asks themselves questions about last 24-36 hours. … I won’t rule out president speaking about this….He talked about the fact that a disservice had been done, an injustice had happened. Because the facts had changed a review of the decision should be undertaken.
He hasn’t talked to Vilsack yet. He’ll acknowledge the mistakes, but I think he’s doing terrific work in Dept. of Ag.
Q: Can you directly address her, knowing she’s watching?
A: I apologize on behalf of those involved here re: what happened.
Larger story: Rapid advances in tech, host of things involved in race, media, politics that create environment that we’re living in today. Reminded of Obama’s speech at Cronkite funeral, re: Getting something first v. getting something right.
As many of you know, the Dept. of Ag is in midst of paying out settlement for decades long discrimination. Vilsack said dept. has zero tolerance policy for discrimination… USDA benefits dispensed in way that were discriminatory. Not sure if that played a direct role in this, but Vilsack is mindful of.
WSJ Q: How do you explain three departures, Van Jones, etc…? In phone call, Glenn Beck was going to have her on TV, Sherrod was told. You say administration not spooked by Beck, Breitbart et. al., Yosi, Van Jones, Sherrod all targeted and all forced out.
“We’ll get back to you,” said Gibbs.
Via David Corn tweets: Major: will you make USDA undersec Cook available to us? (Cook told #Sherrod she had to go b/c of Glenn Beck.) Major: #Sherrod said she was told WH wanted her out. G: “nothing based on my knowledge.”//Weird for him to be asking about this
markknoller: Gibbs repeatedly says that to the best of his knowledge, WH played no role in Sherrod’s firing by USDA.
Gibbs discussing race and the history of racial problems in the U.S. generally. This continues many of those discussions, he says.
VIA E-MAIL ALERT:
WASHINGTON (AP) Ousted Agriculture Department worker says she accepts White House apology.
Thinks Elizabeth Warren would be a terrific nominee. I don’t agree she cannot be confirmed.
Gibbs is back to blaming USDA for the firing. Says regardless of her race, the decisions were wrong.
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