Sherrod seems likely to get job back; Breitbart still flinging baloney
This statement, time-stamped as sent at 2:07 a.m., was in my email this morning.
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tonight released the following statement in response to the release of remarks in video from Shirley Sherrod:
“I am of course willing and will conduct a thorough review and consider additional facts to ensure to the American people we are providing services in a fair and equitable manner.”
Apparently the case is keeping at least some folks in Washington up at night. Good. The statement from the Obama administration represents a considerable change in tone from an email sent late yesterday afternoon defending Sherrod’s firing. They owe her not just her job back, they owe her a high-level apology as well. The NAACP has already issued such a statement.
Andrew Breitbart, who initially released the highly deceptive video at BigGovernment.com, continues to defend it. OK, maybe Shirley Sherrod isn’t racist, he now concedes. But her NAACP audience surely is.
“Regardless of what else is in Sherrod’s speech, the first video released on BigGovernment.com features Sherrod telling a tale of racism that is received by the NAACP audience with laughter and cheers. They weren’t cheering redemption; they were cheering discrimination. Upon hearing the cheers, Sherrod fails to offer any immediate clarification and even smiles right along with them.
Breitbart’s main objective by releasing the video was to call out the NAACP, an organization who has recently gone to great lengths to condemn the Tea Party’s alleged racism, for sanctioning racism in it’s own organization. Sherrod immediately became the scapegoat for the embarrassed NAACP and USDA, but she was never the target, the NAACP itself was, and the delight the audience took in the racist part of Sherrod’s speech leaves them exposed.
Sherrod’s firing is on the NAACP, who had the entire tape and apparently never bothered to scrutinize it until Sherrod had already been relieved of her duties. If it’s on anyone else, it’s the Obama administration, but Breitbart never even called for Sherrod to be fired.”
The refusal to accept responsibility — the utter lack of any contrition whatsoever — is dismaying, but not surprising.
Furthermore, I sat down to watch the clip in question again, and I don’t see evidence even for Breitbart’s latest claims. Early in the clip, the audience responds and chuckles along with Sherrod. But once she begins to talk about doing less than she might have for the white farmer, that reaction ceases and the audience falls quiet. Take a look for yourself:
Here’s the full video of Sherrod’s remarks:
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189 comments Add your comment
Jon
July 21st, 2010
8:24 am
It’ll be entertaining to watch the far right wing nuts that make up this state BS their way out of this one.
Grumpy
July 21st, 2010
8:27 am
Except for a few nutbags, the right wing actually stayed kind of quiet on this one. I think many people were skeptical of the video from day 1.
Paul
July 21st, 2010
8:28 am
Good morning. One story, so many issues, so many subplots.
I’m please IF what we’re NOW being told by the Obama Administration is the way it is. Briebart appears to be doing the ‘if I raise another issue maybe they’ll forget about the other” thing.
But… Ms. Sherrod said the White House asked for her resignation. Not that ‘USDA officials didn’t offer me any support.” White House says “who? Us? We wouldn’t do that!! It was AG Sec Vilsack!” It’s still the Obama Administration that hung her out because of the perception of controversy, not any actual guilt.
Welcome to politics in the White House, Ms Sherrod. From getting to the front of the bust to being tossed under the bus. You’ve seen a lot in your lifetime.
From Associated Press:
“Sherrod said she was on the road Monday when USDA Deputy Undersecretary Cheryl Cook called her and told her that the White House wanted her to resign. “They asked me to pull over to the side of the road and submit my resignation on my BlackBerry, and that’s what I did,” Sherrod said.
The administration gave a different version.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack — not the White House — decided to ask Sherrod to resign, said USDA spokeswoman Chris Mather.
In a statement, Vilsack said the controversy surrounding Sherrod’s comments could lead to lingering doubts about civil rights at the agency, which has a troubled history of discrimination.”
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/07/20/2349465/usda-worker-pressured-to-resign.html
Makes one wonder what other decisions were made for political reasons, without a thorough investigation of all facts and circumstances.
I’m not sure she’d want her job back. Whatever her decision, I hope she lets it go and enjoys her life.
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:30 am
Seriously, this was a federal official who was defamed by a broadcast of a tape on their station that was made by a person with a questionable history.
If i was Sherrod , even if i got my job back, i would still file a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart and Faux News.
@@
July 21st, 2010
8:30 am
I watched the entire video early this morning. As it stands now, I would agree–Mrs. Sherrod deserves to be reinstated.
A little bit of Sharpton…a little bit of Bill Cosby, and a whole lot of God.
I would argue with her comment that being able to own a home can be attributed to President Obama alone. It neglects the Bush administration’s efforts in home ownership for minorities. Of course, there will be those (left-wingers) who have decided that there was nothing altruistic in Bush’s intentions.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:31 am
I said it downstairs, I’ll say it again … I hope she sues the effing wanker for libel.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
8:31 am
Did you watch the rest of the video….Hell, she looks more of racist now than she did before!!
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
July 21st, 2010
8:31 am
Aahhh, the kettle doesn’t like being called black, just sayin…
So it spins, and steams and whines, maybe we should turn the heat down on the poor kettle, no?
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:33 am
Notice that Jay has no criticism for the NAACP or White House who jumped all over this story before checking the facts.
It’s almost as if baseless charges of racism are destructive. Nice to see the left is reaping what it has sown.
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
July 21st, 2010
8:33 am
People in glass government bureaucracy buildings shouldn’t throw stones, duh, just sayin…
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:34 am
And If i was the FCC, i would look into fining the crap out of Faux news.Especially if they dont backtrack this story.
Paul
July 21st, 2010
8:35 am
larry
“If i was Sherrod , even if i got my job back, i would still file a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart and Faux News”
Not the wire services? Not AP? Not any of the metro dailies? Selective prosecution based on perceived political leanings?
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:35 am
mike – what part of “They owe her not just her job back, they owe her a high-level apology as well.” do you not understand?
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:35 am
“I said it downstairs, I’ll say it again … I hope she sues the effing wanker for libel.”
LOL. What on earth is libelous? Dishonest and selective editing of video is not libel. If it was, all of the folks who have slandered the Tea Party with their selective editing would be guilty as well, let alone the master propagandists like Michael Moore.
As usual, you don’t know what you are talking about.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:37 am
“Ms. Sherrod said the White House asked for her resignation”
Not in any report I’ve seen. What I’ve seen is that she was TOLD the WH wanted her to resign. And Vilsack says he did not consult with anyone in the WH: “However, Vilsack told CNN on Tuesday that he “didn’t speak to anyone at the White House. … I made this decision, it’s my decision. Nobody from the White House contacted me about this at all.”
A White House official also told CNN that “the White House did not pressure her or the USDA over the resignation. It was the secretary’s decision, as he has said.”
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/07/21/agriculture.employee.usda/index.html?hpt=T1
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:37 am
mike – “Dishonest and selective editing of video is not libel.”
um. actually, when you’re accusing someone of being a racist and selectively edit a video to take quotes out of context as your “evidence”, yes. yes, it most definitely is.
@@
July 21st, 2010
8:37 am
I blame left-wing bloggers. From day one, it was they who hurled accusations of racism against anyone who disagreed with Obama’s policies.
Ass-u-me much? Leave “me” out of it.
Outhouse GoKart
July 21st, 2010
8:38 am
“If i was Sherrod , even if i got my job back, i would still file a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Breitbart and Faux News.”
Lettuce just hope Jesse and Al disagree with your opinion. We need to forgive one another and let the healing begin.
“Unclean spirit I cast you OUT!!”
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:39 am
USinUK –
Oh I understand that little aside. Contrast it with the rest of the harsh criticism that is leveled at Jay’s peers on the right. Please.
You expect partisan media outlets to be dishonest. I sure expect it of the AJC. On the other hand, the President is supposed to be the adult and get the facts. Instead he panicked and threw this woman under the bus in her car to get it done before Glenn Beck came on. This was an innocent woman thrown under the bus out of political panic.
The left has fired up this horrible race discussion and now it is biting back hard. Perhaps next time, the left will be more cautious with its race baiting.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
8:39 am
Aahhh, the kettle doesn’t like being called black, just sayin…
So it spins, and steams and whines, maybe we should turn the heat down on the poor kettle, no?
So it manufactures a racist where there is none, and causes the woman to lose her job. As I said yesterday, go to a Black church, a Black barber shop, or anywhere else there would be someone telling a story with others listening. You will find the crowd nodding, clapping in approval, and many other responses. It doesn’t mean that they agree with the speaker’s actions, but that they’re merely following the story. One should at least have an idea of how things go in the culture if you’re gonna demonize it.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:39 am
“yes, it most definitely is”
Yes, it probably is…but it’s much harder for a public figure to win a libel suit than it is for private citizens. Generally speaking, it comes under: if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
I think she’ll let it go, especially if she gets her job back.
Jon
July 21st, 2010
8:39 am
@mike – that is funny stuff coming from the right wing that soaks up the “news” from the likes of brietbart and faux. hyprocrisy at it’s finest. something tells me you were jumping up and down for joy and did little fact checking of your own when brietbart first doctored the footage.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:40 am
5 things you need for libel law:
1) the slander needs to have been published
2) the victim was identified
3) the remarks were defamatory
4) the remarks were false
5) the person responsible is at fault
so. yeah. I believe this qualifies.
Jay
July 21st, 2010
8:40 am
@@, as I recall, you were quite eager Monday evening to be the first one to post this “scandal” on the blog, and even expressed disappointment that Reporter/Whiner had beaten you to it.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:41 am
Doggone – 8:39 – she was hardly a public figure prior to the release of the video
Outhouse GoKart
July 21st, 2010
8:41 am
99.9% chance of no lawsuit from Ms Sherrod for on FOX News *FLUSH*.
Wishful thinking will not get one a cheese sandwich.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:41 am
“One should at least have an idea of how things go in the culture if you’re gonna demonize it”
Not gonna happen. It’s much easier to demonize what you DON’T understand. I haven’t watched the video, but I’ve read parts of the transcript and all I read is typical of the “call and response” tradition. Same as someone who says “uh huh” while you are speaking so you know they are listening.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:42 am
“she was hardly a public figure prior to the release of the video”
Maybe not to the world, but she is definitely a public figure in her own sphere of work. All government officials are.
Jon
July 21st, 2010
8:42 am
@Mike – please point me towards this slandering of the Tea Party via selective editing. Would love to see it.
Outhouse GoKart
July 21st, 2010
8:43 am
” It’s much easier to demonize what you DON’T understand.”
Prime example is the constant trashing of FOX News.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:44 am
“Prime example is the constant trashing of FOX News”
And who has been doing that? Certainly not me, I don’t express my opinion of them because I don’t watch them. Comments I’ve seen here appear to be from people who DO watch and understand them.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
mike – “the President is supposed to be the adult and get the facts. Instead he panicked and threw this woman under the bus”
he did? really? you have evidence that HE did it and not … oh … say … the Sec of Ag?
of course, yesterday, when Jay was saying that he wanted to see the entire tape before casting judgement, the righties on this blog praised him for his equanimity. NOT so much.
they ALL had the responsibility of finding out the facts of the situation and seeing the ENTIRE tape before “resigning” her.
@@
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
jay:
I ended my comment with “This could get very nasty” and it did. Not something I was hoping for. I tire of the race issue.
“Oops! Andy beat me to it” does not denote disappointment.
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
FOX News *FLUSH*.
Ahh, printed something off of their web site i see, it is good toliet paper.
kayaker 71
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
As of yesterday at 5:00 PM, the only politically active TV commentator who was pointing out Shirley’s unfair treatment was none other than the evil Glenn Beck. He spent a whole half hour lambasting Bozo and all of this cronies for their actions against Shirley. One of the best comments that he made was the two faced approach that Bozo and the Demos made for another person with racial skeletons in their closet, namely the highly touted and praised, Senator Robert Byrd. Seems like Byrd said some pretty evil racial things in his younger days but was praised by Bozo and his ilk for being such a great American. Selective indignation…. works every time.
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
USinUK -
“um. actually, when you’re accusing someone of being a racist and selectively edit a video to take quotes out of context as your “evidence”, yes. yes, it most definitely is.”
LOL. Well if that is the case, most of the liberal media is guilty of libel.What on earth is different about this case?
To be clear, selective editing does not constitute libel. You can claim that it is, but it is not. You are ignorant of the law, but that is not surprising. Trust me, I took the journalism ethics classes in college that Jay somehow missed.
Surely you do not claim that calling someone a racist is libel. If so, why are folks like Keith Olbermann and Cynthia Tucker not guilty? Nothing said by Fox or Breitbart is beyond the level of comments regulalrly made by these two.
I love the hypocrisy. “How dare they call someone a racist!” Do you not see what a hypocrites you all sound like? It is too funny.
I almost think that Breitbart did this knowing the deeply hypocritical response folks like you would have. Apparently the left has learned that baseless accusations of racism is wrong. Let’s just see if any of you can apply that to the people you hate so much as well or if this another case of liberal double standards. Let me guess
I Report :-) You Whine :-( mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
July 21st, 2010
8:45 am
So it manufactures a racist where there is none, and causes the woman to lose her job.
The United States of America got stuck with a clueless, vicious little demigod, hellbent on our total destruction, as president as a direct result of manufactured charges of racism, I find it hard to garner any sympathy for some racist at the USDA.
Maybe I’ll shed a tear and maybe I won’t.
Paul
July 21st, 2010
8:46 am
G’morning, Doggone/GA 8:37
““Ms. Sherrod said the White House asked for her resignation”
Not in any report I’ve seen. ”
I provided a link to the AP piece at 8:28.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:46 am
Doggone – 8:42 – it’s a bit of a stretch to say that a way-down-the-totem-pole official with the Dept of Ag is the same as, say, a senator – or even a state senator.
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:46 am
Whining liberal hypocrites say:
“How dare the media accuse folks of racism with out-of-context imagery!”.
Evaluate yourself.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Doggone
My point exactly on the call and response. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s easy to take it out of context. It’s sad that we have become a sound-bite society and will convict someone before all evidence is gathered or presented. I hope nobody here has a video that could be selectively edited to discredit you in the future. No one should have to go thru something like that.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:47 am
“Trust me, I took the journalism ethics classes in college that Jay somehow missed.”
well, you must not have done very well in it if you don’t understand the basic components of a libel case (listed above, for your convenience)
@@
July 21st, 2010
8:48 am
Also, jay, did you notice how I clarified my use of the word “blood”. Didn’t wanna be accused of racism simply because I used a word with various meanings.
Claims of racism serve the media, the politicians, and special interest groups. It doesn’t serve America as a whole.
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:48 am
Instead of introducing news stories , they will just call it Faux News FLUSH’s. In other words, time to go use the john.
Paul
July 21st, 2010
8:49 am
Doggone/GA
I just reread that post of yours. Seems you’re saying there’s a big, big difference between the White House asking you to resign and saying they want you to resign………
I think it’s a distinction without meaning. When a message like that comes from the White House and you’re part of the Executive -
Mark
July 21st, 2010
8:49 am
Larry, how can you sue someone for playing a video of your own words?…what country do u live in?
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:50 am
USinUK –
“he did? really? you have evidence that HE did it and not … oh … say … the Sec of Ag?”
Well, Sherrod claims that she was told three times that it came from the White House. You gonna throw her under the bus now too and call her a liar? LOL
“of course, yesterday, when Jay was saying that he wanted to see the entire tape before casting judgement, the righties on this blog praised him for his equanimity. NOT so much.”
LOL. You are full of unintentional humor today. So you want conservatives to praise Jay for giving a liberal the benefit of the doubt that he has never given conservatives? Good luck with that.
Look, why don’t you educate yourself on libel or better yet earn your paycheck for once instead of making me laugh so much here. LOL
AmVet
July 21st, 2010
8:50 am
Yep the inane, but mindfully non-partisan right wing loon and his lap dogs here do what they always do, and what they do best – vilify the weak and glorify the wicked.
And it looks like they may have a new hero as yet another far right wing lnutjob his misguided hatred into deadly violence against other Americans. But fortunately the soft on crime Republicans will not read about thisi on Fox News.
OAKLAND, Calif. — A California man known for his anger over left-leaning politics said after a freeway shootout with CHP officers that he had been planning an attack on the ACLU and another nonprofit group, police said Tuesday.
Byron Williams, 45, a parolee with two previous bank robbery convictions, wanted to “start a revolution” by killing people at the American Civil Liberties Union and Tides Foundation, both in San Francisco, Oakland police Sgt. Michael Weisenberg said in court documents.
You’re doing a heckuva job, connies…
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
8:50 am
The United States of America got stuck with a clueless, vicious little demigod, hellbent on our total destruction, as president as a direct result of manufactured charges of racism
Only in your world, Whiner. Only in your world…
I don’t recall millions of people casting votes for him because of racism. Many probably chose him as the lesser of two evils. That’s how I made my decision.
Jon
July 21st, 2010
8:51 am
mike – i’m still waiting for that slandering of tea party via selective editing thing. please back up your claim with evidence. shouldn’t be hard for a good little conservative like you right? and it is funny to see you start moaning now as you have nothing of substance to say.
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:51 am
“Shirley Sherrod, the USDA’s former director of rural development in Georgia, said USDA deputy undersecretary Cheryl Cook called her Monday and said the White House wanted her to resign, the Associated Press reports.
“They called me twice,” Sherrod told the AP, noting that she was driving when she received the calls. “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.”"
Are you guys all calling Sherrod a liar? That is how you treat the victim?
Partisanship trumps common decency yet again.
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:51 am
Surely you do not claim that calling someone a racist is libel. If so, why are folks like Keith Olbermann and Cynthia Tucker not guilty? Nothing said by Fox or Breitbart is beyond the level of comments regulalrly made by these two.
Name a time that Keith Olbermann and Cynthia Tucker broadcasted something like this.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:52 am
“it’s a bit of a stretch to say that a way-down-the-totem-pole official with the Dept of Ag is the same as, say, a senator – or even a state senator.”
You’re looking at it from the point of view of an ordinary citizen, not from the point of view of a judge in the case. I’m not saying she might not have a case, I’m just saying it might be harder for her to win…because the court COULD take the stand that AS a public official, it’s part of the territory.
Jay
July 21st, 2010
8:53 am
Doggone, I’m not a libel lawyer, but I have dealt with these issues for a long time. It’s not automatic that Sherrod would be considered a public figure just by virtue of taking a public paycheck. But in this case, her relatively high-level job and apparent status as a political appointee would probably make her one.
However, even a public figure can sue successfully if he or she can prove outright malice in media intentions, and I’d say that you could at least make a case for malice in these events.
That may also help explain why Breitbart is now insisting that his target was never Sherrod, but the NAACP.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:54 am
mike – “Well, Sherrod claims that she was told three times that it came from the White House. You gonna throw her under the bus now too and call her a liar?”
believe it or not, there are other decision-makers in the WH, not just Obama.
“So you want conservatives to praise Jay”
as far as your treatment of jay – considering your raison d’etre is to come in here, stomping your itty bitty feet, and scream “hypocrisy!!!” like some character out of The Crucible … no, I don’t expect anything more from you.
as for my knowledge of libel law – I’ve explained how it works and what you need to prove it … you’ve provided … what? exactly? oh, that’s right … you took a CLASS (which you evidently slept through)
Don't forget
July 21st, 2010
8:55 am
When this story first broke my reaction was the same as most people’s reaction. I thought she had no business in a government position. Then I learned the tape had been edited and wasn’t sure what to think. The tape seemed pretty damning, I wasn’t sure how this could be a distortion. Now I have watched the entire tape and there has been a huge injustice here. This is a woman who’s father was murdered by a klansman at a time when nobody seemed to care if that sort of thing happened. It tells of how she struggled with the rampant racism of the time and how she chose grace over vindictiveness. It’s actually a very good story. Watch the tape, in its entirety and bear in mind “as you judge, so shall you be judged”.
kayaker 71
July 21st, 2010
8:55 am
US in UK,
Seems like, according to Shirley, that she go three phone calls while driving home. The first one urged her to resign, the second one, about 20min later became more urgent, and the third one, a few minutes later, demanded that she “pull over to the side of the road and resign”. This was without viewing all of the evidence, taking her comments out of context and dredging up 24 yr old comments that she admittedly regretted. If that’s not throwing her under the bus, I must not know what that means.
Gale
July 21st, 2010
8:56 am
In our world of consumer level audio and video editing software, people and especially people in authority positions need to be slower in judging people by such “evidence”. We, as a people, seem far too willing to believe sound bites and vid clips if they pander to our personal opinions.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:56 am
“When a message like that comes from the White House and you’re part of the Executive -”
Bbut now you are doing to the WH EXACTLY what was done to Sherrod: condemning them without proof they were involved. She was TOLD the WH wanted her to resign, the WH has denied that, Vilsack has denied it. We don’t know who told her that, and at this point it appears NOT to be true.
mike
July 21st, 2010
8:57 am
mike – i’m still waiting for that slandering of tea party via selective editing thing. please back up your claim with evidence. ”
Yawn. Go watch Chris Mathews “Rise of the New Right”. Take notes.
Also, take a look at the Obama as Hitler signs and Obama as Joker signs that make up the bulk of the evidence of the Tea Partiers racism. They represent a tiny minority of the signs, yet they are treated as the norm. You know it and I know it.
Finally, if you want what Jay would lamley call a “slam dunk”, you have the video edited by ThinkProgress of Tea Party racism that was edited from clips of Tea Partiers kicking out racists and events from 2006 before the Tea Party existed.
http://bit.ly/9UR2dA
Happy? LOL
This “good little conservative” crushed you and I didn’t even need to say something stupid like that.
Enjoy, hypocrite.
larry
July 21st, 2010
8:57 am
Larry, how can you sue someone for playing a video of your own words?…what country do u live in?
If i make a speech, someone gets it , edits it to make the speech sound something completely different than the speech was intended, or if the speech is not shown in its entirity.
Pennsylvanian
July 21st, 2010
8:58 am
Just the latest episode in The Obama Administration Amateur Hour. But the big news today is Roy Barnes for Governor. King Rat? That’s the best the Dems could come up with? Too funny.
USinUK – “..effing wanker”? That’s funny.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
8:58 am
“That may also help explain why Breitbart is now insisting that his target was never Sherrod, but the NAACP”
Yep, I agree with that!
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
8:59 am
kayaker – “This was without viewing all of the evidence, taking her comments out of context and dredging up 24 yr old comments that she admittedly regretted. If that’s not throwing her under the bus, I must not know what that means.”
as I said above – my question was whether Obama was the decisionmaker as mike seems to think …
Jon
July 21st, 2010
9:01 am
@ Mike – Crushed me? HAHAHA. You tool, you cited a website run by far right bloggers and cut out of the same mold as Brietbart. Again still waiting for this damning evideence.
Gale
July 21st, 2010
9:02 am
Given Obama has made knee-jerk statements where questions of racism are involved, it is realistic to wonder if he asked for Sherrod’s resignation. If it was Obama, at least he didn’t say it in a press conference this time.
Normal
July 21st, 2010
9:03 am
USinUK,
Mike says, “The left has fired up this horrible race discussion and now it is biting back hard. Perhaps next time, the left will be more cautious with its race baiting.”
…and I’m screaming at my monitor , The Left!!??!!, The Freakin’Left!!??!!…Then I remember that Mike is probably talking about everybody left of him…that only leaves Rush and Glenn. I dismisedunderstood…
kayaker 71
July 21st, 2010
9:03 am
So what is Bozo going to do, give Shirley her job back? If I were Shirley, I would tell Bozo to shove it. I am sure that she will have no trouble in finding employment.
The “Amateur Hour” comment above is spot on.
mike
July 21st, 2010
9:04 am
Jon –
Hmm. Clearly you did not look at the video. If you did, you would have some other comeback.
Look, mindless partisans like you have lapped up any claim of racism put before you unthinkingly. You are too much of an intellectual coward to admit it, so you respond like you do.
Regardless of the source, you have the original video and the video edited by the liberal version of Breitbart. You can choose to be mindless sheep or you can make your own judgement. Not surprisingly, you have chosen the latter. You are lame.
Next.
@@
July 21st, 2010
9:04 am
For those that are covering for the WH on this. It’s a powerful government against an, obviously innocent individual.
I know it’s hard for you guys to imagine, but this is one instance in which they DON’T deserve your support. Give it up for Mrs. Sherrod.
larry
July 21st, 2010
9:04 am
dismisedunderstood…
LOL!!! NIce wordage.
ty webb
July 21st, 2010
9:04 am
If anyone edited larry’s comments/speech in anyway, libelous or not, it would no doubt be an improvement on anything he could possibly say. I’m mean we get it…You don’t like fox news.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
9:05 am
Normal
Remember, left is relative..
TaxPayer
July 21st, 2010
9:06 am
They weren’t cheering redemption; they were cheering discrimination. Upon hearing the cheers, Sherrod fails to offer any immediate clarification and even smiles right along with them.
Sounds like just another tea party gathering. Which brings up another important philosophical matter, If a person speaks and there’s no one listening, do they still make a sound.
Matti
July 21st, 2010
9:06 am
This is all the fault of the LIBERAL Media!!! They slandered the Tea Party by showing pictures of actual signs at Tea Party rallies and reporting actual things that Tea Party members and officials said, just TRYING to make them look racist. (Those *bleeps!*) Then they printed the spokesperson’s own published words, just trying to get people to read them.
The Good Godly Right-Wing Defenders of Morality had no choice but to take that “racist” label off and pin it on someone else! So what if they had to use deception? They HAD to do whatever it took to be “Fair and Balanced!” It’s downright UN-American to not be fair and balanced!
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:07 am
“Remember, left is relative..”
And conservatives/GOPers/righties are never, ever, not EVER racist
mike
July 21st, 2010
9:07 am
“…and I’m screaming at my monitor , The Left!!??!!, The Freakin’Left!!??!!…Then I remember that Mike is probably talking about everybody left of him…that only leaves Rush and Glenn. I dismisedunderstood…”
LOL. Nice vapid comeback.
Look, you and Jay and the rest of the bubble dwellers can tell yourselves that anyone to the right of Cynthia Tucker is out of step with the country. Reality says different.
Nice comeback though,. Very salient points that demonstrate a supple mind and a deep wealth of knowledge.
Scout
July 21st, 2010
9:07 am
Jay:
Why was she fired so quickly as well as Obama being briefed on it and he supposedly agreed?
The answer ……. she was expendable for political reasons.
Soothsayer
July 21st, 2010
9:07 am
“Resentment and obstruction are all the right wing in America have to peddle. Their policies are utterly discredited. Their ideology — even by its own standards — is a sham. They are so bereft of leaders, their de facto leader is a former drug addicted, thrice-divorced radio talk show host. That is literally the best they can muster. But they have built a national franchise inciting the downwardly mobile to blame the government, not the right, for their problems . . . ”
–Robert Freeman
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:08 am
Normal – “…and I’m screaming at my monitor , The Left!!??!!, The Freakin’Left!!??!!…”
I know … i laughed at that one, too …
Jon
July 21st, 2010
9:08 am
@mike – “mindless partisan?” and “regardless of the source?”
seriously mike, think about that one for a second, i know it may take you an hour or two, but think about it.
mike
July 21st, 2010
9:08 am
“And conservatives/GOPers/righties are never, ever, not EVER racist”
That is a straw man. Of course there are conservative racists, just like there are liberal racists.
Why do so many liberals use straw man arguments? I guess it is easier than actually responding to what someone really says.
jm
July 21st, 2010
9:09 am
I still say she should be fired. Her previous conduct was unprofessional, reprehensible even. As I’ve said before, I don’t want former KKK members in positions of power (Robert Byrd disgusted me), and I wouldn’t want this lady in one either.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
July 21st, 2010
9:09 am
Well, my man Ray McBerry never hardly got enough votes to let people know he was in the race. Let him be a lesson to all you younger men. Those 15-year-old girls might could look good, but they’re pure poison. The grown-up ones are bad enough for you as things are. The voters held it against him and I doubt he could get enough votes for county dogcatcher.
Anyhow, they might of caught that Breitbart guy in a little sneaky stuff, but the damage is done to Obama. We want a Republican Congress that won’t pass anything he wants and then we can vote Obama out in 2012. You got to play a little dirty if you want to get the power back.
Have a good day everybody and whatever you do stay away from the 15 year olds.
larry
July 21st, 2010
9:10 am
Ahhhh, a personal attack…… Nice!!! Thank you ty.
Scout
July 21st, 2010
9:10 am
P.S.
With all of the “Black Panther, etc.” stuff the administration had to show they were “anti-reverse discrimination” ……………. you know ………. November “is” coming.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:10 am
“I know it’s hard for you guys to imagine, but this is one instance in which they DON’T deserve your support.”
can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not reading support for the decision as much as questioning who the decision-maker was. as far as I can tell, everyone seems to support her reinstatement (in fact, most of us were saying yesterday that judgement should have been reserved until the entire video was out).
mike
July 21st, 2010
9:11 am
Jon –
I got it. You will not provide me the substantive response that I gave your question and will rely on silly yip-yap.
Do you have a point? Other than the fact that you have a Pavlovian need to respond even if you have nothing to say?
Look, if you want to have a factual debate about that video, I will be happy to. If you want to keep yip-yapping, you only bore me.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:11 am
“As I’ve said before, I don’t want ”
Luckily for her, and for the rest of the world, it’s not your decision to make.
mike
July 21st, 2010
9:11 am
“can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not reading support for the decision as much as questioning who the decision-maker was.”
So to be clear, you think that Sherrod may be lying?
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:12 am
jm – “Her previous conduct was unprofessional, reprehensible even.”
which is why the family in question came out and supported her yesterday, saying she helped save their farm.
oy.
ty webb
July 21st, 2010
9:12 am
sorry larry.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:13 am
mike – “So to be clear, you think that Sherrod may be lying?”
I’m sorry – where did she say that Obama said to fire her??? please. be a dear. give us a quote.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:15 am
“please. be a dear. give us a quote.”
I asked that same thing of someone yesterday who made the claim that Obama was responsible. Never got an answer…and I tried to find ANY quote from Obama on this situation. Didn’t find anything.
T-Town
July 21st, 2010
9:15 am
The problem is “we have found the enemy, and it is us.” We, as Americans, must have someone to blame especially if the target is one that does not have our views. So when one side finds fault and demonizes their opponents it forces their opponents to look for problems to be exploited.
Once the left felt it was necessary to attack the TPs, the right believed it had to answer and when the NAACP made their motion to denounce certain elements of the TP as racist, the cast was set. Ms. Sherrod was a likely target due to her speech at a local NAACP event. Hence, she was thrown under the bus and I admit that I had problems with her speech when it was first shown. Once I seen the whole incident I have had a change of heart.
No matter how this event pans out, politics will not change unless we as the electorate change it. Games will be played, innocent people will be hurt, and politicians with their supporters will play dirty. As Americans we tend to overlook unseemly politics if it supports our views.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
9:15 am
Scout
I don’t think it was just expendable. I believe they thought she’d end up being an albatross around their neck. So they knee jerked instead of gathering all the information to make a sound decision. She said that she was put on administrative leave after the 1st phone call she received. The next 3 were for the resignation. From the timeline she described last night, it couldn’t have been more than 2 hours from the first call putting her on admin leave before they wanted her to resign. Somebody panicked, probably thinking about polls and stuff instead of thinking about the truth of the matter.
obama's fault
July 21st, 2010
9:17 am
Jay, “The refusal to accept responsibility — the utter lack of any contrition whatsoever — is dismaying, but not surprising. ” Hmmmmmmm kind of sounds like our President who has yet to accept responsibility for ANYTHING…..oh except for taking credit for success in the Iraq War.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:17 am
“So they knee jerked instead of gathering all the information to make a sound decision”
“Somebody panicked, probably thinking about polls and stuff instead of thinking about the truth of the matter.”
Yep, to both of those. Breitbart shouted “gotcha” and SOMEONE said ouch.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
9:20 am
Doggone
Is that the same “gotcha” journalism that Palin decried?
ty webb
July 21st, 2010
9:21 am
maybe someone can help me. Does Mrs. sherrod ever mention the Spooner family by name in the full video. I saw Mrs. spooner statement, and was just wandering how the Spooners new she was referencing their case. I’m sure Mrs. sherrod has helped many white farmers during her years of service, how did they know it was their case that mrs. sherrod was referencing?
Pennsylvanian
July 21st, 2010
9:23 am
Off topic #1 – For Scout and SoCo — PC gone berserk. New term for illegal alien – displaced foreign traveller.
“During the raid, a U.S. Forest Service K-9 team located Gauldry Almonte-Hernandez, a displaced foreign traveler from Michoacán Mexico, who had tried to flee the area and hide while officers were performing entry into the marijuana garden.”
http://yubanet.com/regional/Arrest-Made-in-US-Forest-Service-Operation-at-Illegal-Marijuana-Site.php
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:23 am
Pennsylvanian – omg, now that’s funny.
Normal
July 21st, 2010
9:24 am
Actually I’m surprised that the Right hasn’t started the rumor that Sherrod was fired by the White House because she actually helped a White Farmer…
…and did you see the memo that ordered the White House be painted nutmeg?
Mick
July 21st, 2010
9:25 am
Knee jerk reaction by villisack – anything that is “exposed” by brietbart then echo chambered by hannity, fox,drudge etc..should be disqualified at face value. Media people need to do some fact checking before running with a story especially from that crew.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:25 am
“Is that the same “gotcha” journalism that Palin decried?”
I’m not sure about Palin, I never saw anything about her on the subject, but as I explained to Paul yesterday *I* use the term in the sense that it comes up with the Sherrod story: selectively editing someone’s comments to make them appear to be saying something they did not.
I differentiate this from “gotcha” questioning…as long as the answer is accurately reported. And even selective editing is not a problem, as long as the quoted part IS an accurate synopsis of the entire statment.
Moderate Line
July 21st, 2010
9:26 am
First, I believe the person who fired her should be fired. They apparently did not do a thourough investigation of the issue.
Second, even though she did help the white farmer it must be noted her initial reaction was racist. It is great to see that she overcame her racial animosity towards whites and eventually did her job. But the reality is she was not doing her job and was racist up to a point. She was more concerned about taking someone to one of their “own” and doing the bare minimum than to someone who could actually help. She justified it by saying he acted “superior”. If the white farmer had not called her back he would have face detrimental consequence because of her initial animosity towards whites.
@@
July 21st, 2010
9:26 am
USUK
Maybe so, but what I find all too obvious, is that this president will never be forced to assume full responsibility for anything. Why? Because he always has those, who are all to eager to shield him from the consequences of his actions.
Those people are people like you, who wanna soften his blows. Let the man grow up, or man-up, as the case may be. You do him a terrible disservice by stunting his growth.
I’ve never seen anything like it before.
larry
July 21st, 2010
9:26 am
The Ag.secretary said no one at the WH told him to fire Ms. Sherrod.
Ms.Sherrod told CNN that the WH wanted her to resign.
Whether the president told her to resingn or not…….
I think both the WH and the Ag. Department should follow the NAACP and apologize to her and reinstate her to her former job or promote her.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:28 am
“If the white farmer had not called her back he would have face detrimental consequence because of her initial animosity towards whites.”
So what you are saying is that it would have been Sherrod’s fault because the lawyer she initially referred them to was not doing HIS job?
@@
July 21st, 2010
9:28 am
I loved what she said about lawyers…ALL lawyers. They’ll nickel and dime you to death.
AMEN!
Normal
July 21st, 2010
9:28 am
I’ve never seen anything like it before.
I did…with the last Administration…Like it or not, both sides do it.
obama's fault
July 21st, 2010
9:28 am
I think that the President should resign…..and not because of this mess but because of his incompetence in everything else he does.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:29 am
“Ms.Sherrod told CNN that the WH wanted her to resign”
SHE DID NOT. She said she WAS TOLD the WH wanted her to resign. Not at ALL the same thing. I have not, yet, found any quote from anyone that the order came from the WH; and I have not yet found any quote where she even said WHO told her that. Just that she was TOLD that.
Scout
July 21st, 2010
9:29 am
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010) :
Exactly ! And when the President was briefed he agreed !
It’s all about the polls and politics and perception.
Chris D.
July 21st, 2010
9:30 am
Quoting the leadership of the NAACP…”Once a Racists, ALWAYS a Racists”
So it is irrelevant that her speech was discussing how she dissed a white famrmer and then learned it was wrong to treat anybody that way.
ty webb
July 21st, 2010
9:30 am
“Like it or not, both sides do it.”
Amen! truer words were never spoken, and “sides” could refer to race or political party.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:30 am
@@ – “Those people are people like you, who wanna soften his blows.”
um. how is wanting to find out exactly WHO is responsible “softening his blows”??? if it’s Emanuel (which is where my £££ lies), then he should take the blame. if it’s Vilsack, then he should. either way, the President should apologize for how she has been treated since they serve at his pleasure.
drey
July 21st, 2010
9:33 am
Sad thing is all the faux news zombies will either refudiate the correction or never see it for they only tune in to the unfair and unbalanced network…
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:36 am
It would appear that the latest “defence” from Breitbart is that HE did not edit the video, now he says it was sent to him already edited: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/breitbart_i_did_not_edit_this_thing.php
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
9:38 am
Moderate Line
Put yourself in her shoes for a minute. Would you not expect her to have any racial animosity after her father was killed by a member of the KKK, and she saw that crime go unpunished? It’s all in perspective. If you’ve never been subjected to a situation like that, good for you. It’s the experiences we have from the time we’re born that shapes who we become. With experiences like that, I’m surprised that she helped them at all. Many people can not overcome a situation like that. It takes a mentally strong person to do that.
Penn
That deserves a facepalm.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:38 am
Here’s an interesting comment, by a commentor on Media Matters: “If the Administration had not fired Sherrod, the Troglodytes would raise hell because Obama was “harboring a racist”. As it turned out, they get to vilify Obama for bad leadership and lack of loyalty” nerzog
larry
July 21st, 2010
9:40 am
Ms.Sherrod told CNN that she was told WH wanted her to resign”
There , fixed my typo.
I agree with USinUK, the President should apologize for how she has been treated.
Peckerwood
July 21st, 2010
9:41 am
Only a fool could look at the entire video and claim that this women wasnt bigoted or racist in her condemnation of this “white farmer”. Regardless of the point she was trying to make her speak was overtly racial and she deserves to be fired from any position regardless of whether it is a public or private sector position.
Lastly the acceptance she received from the all black audience isnt surprising at all. Secretly when they think no one is listening alot of blacks make the most ardent white racist pale in comparision. Go listen to a black preacher give a sermon to see that Jeremiah Wright is much more the norm in the black community than the left would have us believe.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:42 am
doggone –
– is this going to be a case of his 8 a.m. defense is “no, really, the video is about the NAACP”, his 9 a.m. defense is “but, *I* didn’t edit the video” … his 10 a.m. defense will be “the sun was in my eyes”
Mike "Hussein" Smith
July 21st, 2010
9:42 am
Libel laws being what they are, Breibert might possibly get away with murdering this woman’s career. Sherrod was, after all, a public official, which gives lots of leeway for saying ANYTHING about her. But she should push that OFB as hard as she can. Expose him for the malicious pimple he is. Force him into the light of day so decent people will forever shun him.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
9:43 am
Peckerwood
Thanks for living up to your name!! (*polite golf clap)
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:43 am
USinUK – looks like it! And here’s a fresh bone for the righties to chew on (I can take it!) – it’s beginning to remind me of “why we attacked Iraq”, with a new excuse every other day!
godless heathen
July 21st, 2010
9:44 am
The White House, specifically the President, has shown previously that he will go off on a racial issue while having only half the facts. See Srgt. Crowley and Cambridge Mass PD. Yet Obama’s loyal to the core defenders here, can’t imagine that he would have asked Ms. Sherrod to resign.
John Birch
July 21st, 2010
9:44 am
sherrod needs a good attorney, preferably one of her own kind.
@@
July 21st, 2010
9:45 am
USUK:
“The buck stops……”
Do you know how that quote ends?
If you think the government is ever gonna let us get to the bottom of what they do, you are not only mistaken, you are sadly naive.
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:46 am
“gives lots of leeway for saying ANYTHING about her”
no, it actually doesn’t. you can’t print an accusation that you KNOW to be false, regardless of how famous the person in question is.
T-Town
July 21st, 2010
9:46 am
Typical politics, Ms. Sherrod was exploited once, and now she gets exploited again. This story is a testament why so many people refuse to enter politics.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:47 am
“Thanks for living up to your name!! ”
I think “living DOWN to your name” would be more accurate
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:48 am
“The buck stops……”
on a dime?
at the end of Sarah’s helicopter-flown rifle scope?
inelegantly when trying to stop on ice?
seriously, what part of “Obama should apologize since they serve at his pleasure” eludes you?
Mick
July 21st, 2010
9:48 am
Man, this whole exercise has been about stoking the flames. Obama derangement syndrome is now at defcon 4. These purveyors of innuendo won’t be happy until there is blood in the streets..
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:49 am
“Yet Obama’s loyal to the core defenders here, can’t imagine that he would have asked Ms. Sherrod to resign.”
I don’t recall anyone here saying anything like that. All I’ve seen is that no PROOF ehe did has surfaced to date.
James Harper
July 21st, 2010
9:49 am
It is Bookman who spews BS, and his hot air contributes to global warming.
1) If he watched the whole video, then he would see that the version the NAACP released has a cut/edit in it. He is either dishonest or if he missed it he is truly too stupid for words.
2) NAACP members did indeed agree with openly racist statements. He cannot make that go away. That was the point of the video.
Also, there are some on the right asking questions that are pertinent: how likely is it that Ms. Sherrod steered federal dollars toward fraudulent claims of discrimination in the Pigford case? And did she get her job as part of a lawsuit against the Federal Government? The payouts to black farmers in that case may have exceeded the actual number of black farmers.
That may be a reason that she was thrown under the O-Bus.
For Bookman to leave that out is, well, Bookman being Bookman.
Gerald
July 21st, 2010
9:49 am
peckerwood:
“Regardless of the point she was trying to make her speak was overtly racial and she deserves to be fired from any position regardless of whether it is a public or private sector position. ”
So should you, because you certainly have made racist statements yourself. Such as:
“Secretly when they think no one is listening alot of blacks make the most ardent white racist pale in comparision. Go listen to a black preacher give a sermon to see that Jeremiah Wright is much more the norm in the black community than the left would have us believe.”
I know of black preachers who NEVER deal with the race issue despite people who want them to. And of course, you seem to not know – or care – that there are LOTS of fundamentalist and (theologically) conservative evangelical black preachers. Cynthia Tucker bashes them all the time over their opposition to homosexuality and abortion. But you don’t care about FACTS like that, do you?
You are ten times the racist that you claim that Sherrod is. So whatever job that you have, go resign because you don’t deserve it. And if you are retired and drawing Social Security, stop doing so. We don’t want the hard-earned taxes of black workers supporting your racism.
Scout
July 21st, 2010
9:51 am
godless heathen @ 9:44 :
Excellent point.
Daddy, why did you fire that poor woman?
Pennsylvanian
July 21st, 2010
9:51 am
Peckerwood – My wife was born and raised in Troup County, Ga. She heard me use the word ‘peckerwood’ and asked me what it means. After I stopped laughing, I (Pennsylvanian redneck) explained it to her.
Scout
July 21st, 2010
9:52 am
WHAT DID THE PRESIDENT KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?
Gerald
July 21st, 2010
9:52 am
James Harper:
So for you, all black people are guilty until proven innocent. Or in this case, guilty even AFTER they are proven innocent. If that doesn’t make you a racist, then what does? People like you are disgusting. People like you complain about blacks not working and getting welfare, and then when blacks do get jobs you complain about affirmative action and reverse discrimination. Admit it. You hate black people and want to ship all blacks back to Africa, and once you get them all in Africa, you want to carpet-bomb the place. Am I wrong or am I right?
USinUK
July 21st, 2010
9:53 am
“Yet Obama’s loyal to the core defenders here, can’t imagine that he would have asked Ms. Sherrod to resign.”
considering it’s a personnel issue, I think that, if it was anyone in the WH and not the Sec of Ag acting on his own, it was Rahm.
either way, Obama should apologize.
Doggone/GA
July 21st, 2010
9:54 am
“Daddy, why did you fire that poor woman?”
What poor woman did your Daddy fire? And why do you think it’s at all relative to this dicussion?
Gerald
July 21st, 2010
9:59 am
USinUK:
Obama should apologize when Breitbart does the same for posting a video to edited make Sherrod look like a New Black Panther Party member. From the video, Sherrod is obviously less racist than Breitbart. White people who are still seething with fury over the O.J. Simpson acquittal demand that this woman just get over the fact that her father was killed by the KKK and nothing was done about it. Oh, wait, what are you going to do now, talk about how black on black crime is a much bigger problem and Great Society welfare programs are much worse than the KKK and Jim Crow ever was, or the usual Fox News/Tea Party spin? Please. What this tape shows is that it is possible for a liberal black person – and she is liberal – to NOT be racist, but instead to go out of her way to help poor rural southern elderly white people. This liberal woman did more to help whites than Breitbart and his ilk will ever do to help blacks, AND she urged blacks to stop relying on government help and instead to work and help themselves. That is the part that you folks really hate.
Peckerwood
July 21st, 2010
10:00 am
Gerald, when you cant debate call someone a racist, the left’s favorite tactic.
stands for decibels
July 21st, 2010
10:00 am
considering it’s a personnel issue, I think that, if it was anyone in the WH and not the Sec of Ag acting on his own, it was Rahm.
either way, Obama should apologize.
Just so it doesn’t come as a complete shock to the right wing echo chamber-pots here–there would be much rejoicing among the Netroots if Rahm’s noggin wound up on a pike on the 14th street bridge into DC.
Not that it’s gonna happen. Just sayin’.
@@
July 21st, 2010
10:02 am
Normal:
I did…with the last Administration…Like it or not, both sides do it.
After supporting Bush’s invasion of Iraq, the mainstream media quickly soured on anything and everything Bush. That has not been the case with Obama. They are still his biggest supporters, regardless of what he does…right or wrong…mouthpieces even.
As far as the electorate goes. The Republicans were out because conservative voters didn’t support their excessive spending. The Bush tax cuts were still in place…unemployment was low, so it had nothing to do with those. It was the wasteful government, and the realization that they were spending us into oblivion. We sent them a clear message. It remains to be seen whether dems will be brave enough to send their representatives the same message.
I doubt it ’cause money means nothing to you guys. What the government can’t print, they can borrow from China.
When and where did the charges of racism all begin?
In one instance, Spencer Ackerman of the Washington Independent urged his colleagues to deflect attention from Obama’s relationship with Wright by changing the subject. Pick one of Obama’s conservative critics, Ackerman wrote, “Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, who cares — and call them racists.”
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/07/20/documents-show-media-plotting-to-kill-stories-about-rev-jeremiah-wright/#ixzz0uKxHyAD6
Answer? During the campaign and inside the heart of the left-wing media.
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
10:05 am
Particularly noteworthy here is the juxtaposition to the Dan Rather controversy. You liberals have selective memory so I will spill the whole history.
Dan Rather claimed to have evidence that Bush lied about his own military service. Rather’s evidence later was shown to be fabricated from whole cloth. Despite this Rather insisted that the story the evidence told was true, despite the fact that the evidence was complete false. If Breitbart needs flogging, then fine, Rather needed it too.
Thing is, Rather got awards and honors from his fellows in “journalism” and “punditry” before he left the anchor chair. The double standard never ends for you people, and you will go to any length to play the politics of personal destruction against your opponents, blaming them for all your problems, while claiming that their behavior justifies your doing unto them what you had condemned.
godless heathen
July 21st, 2010
10:07 am
I find it interesting to note that during the Bush administration there was much gnashing of teeth that decisions made by the Administration were being made by Bush’s Chief of Staff. but now when there is an Administration faux pas, it is dismissed as being made by one of Obama’s underlings.
“either way, Obama should apologize”
And I can agree. More likely he will throw that white guy head of the DoA under the bus.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:08 am
Larry, it dosent matter how you edit it, you cant sue someone in this country for that, and on Keith Olberman, r u serious…how bout “Teabaggers” for just one example
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
10:11 am
Anybody remember James O’Keefe? His video wasn’t attacked. It was simply ignored by the mainstream “media” because the org was slapped on the wrist by the O-administration.
Mick
July 21st, 2010
10:17 am
Buckagon
A $10,000 reward was offered to anyone who saw bush at his “supposed” guard duty in alabama. No one stepped forward and no one saw him because he wasn’t there. This was going on during the vietnam war – AWOL. Only the privileged class could get away with it. Dan rather was correct and a damn good reporter. Brietbart? azzaholus maximus.
mary
July 21st, 2010
10:19 am
The so-called compassionate, conservative Christians have won the day, no substance all about their racist fear-mongering, go tell it on the mountain.
godless heathen
July 21st, 2010
10:21 am
Mick, are you and Dan Rather the only two people in America that believe the documents regarding Bush’s guard duty in Alabama were not forged?
Matti
July 21st, 2010
10:25 am
Mick,
My Daddy was a pilot in the Alabama National Guard during those years, and he never saw the Bush boy either. Funny, though. Daddy has photos of him on the tarmac with his plane, his crew, and his buddies. All Bush had to do was produce one such photo, but could not. The blind faith of the Republican faithful is indeed blind. Bush couldn’t PROVE he was there, but somehow that’s okay. (How dare you call him a liar?) Rather couldn’t PROVE the accuracy of his source for content that was undisputed by any fact, and he had to resign. Double standards make me ill.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:31 am
Matti, I’m not gonna argue if he was there or not, but in this country you’re innocent until PROVEN guilty, Bush is not required to prove anything…Rather made the claim so its up to him to prove it…some how thats been lost along the way…remember the Cambridege police episode, “I dont have all the facts but the Cambridge police acted stupidly”…maybe you should get the facts first before you make an accusation
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
10:32 am
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Mick
July 21st, 2010
10:32 am
Matti
It doesn’t matter to the bush idol worshippers. They want us to forget the previous administrations eight year slog into disaster, leaving the US in the worst shape since the great depression. Along comes obama and they want him to fail from the git go. Bush had his chance after 911, then promptly squandered it. We are where we are today because of his incompetence, cheney, and rove.
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
10:34 am
Mick,
Dan Rather was blatantly caught red-handed with forged documents, and now you’re saying that the fact that no one claimed the 10 grand is evidence that Bush was AWOL?! –40 years ago?!! To say you have bad judgment is a gross understatement. Your thinking–like Bookman’s so often is–is a mockery of sense.
As an example, Breitbart offered $100,000 for anyone in this age of cell-phones and micro-video cameras for evidence of the John Lewis racism charge at the march to passing of nanny-state healthcare care. No one presented any evidence. Like the Bush charge, the only logical conclusion must be that there is no evidence–not that something happened like you say it did!
You can’t prove a negative, Mick.
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
10:35 am
So Co,
You have WAY too much time on your hands.
Southern Comfort (EOI and disfunctional since 2010)
July 21st, 2010
10:38 am
Buckagon
Re your 10:34:
There have been posters here who have claimed that the fact that no one has stepped forward to claim Breitbart’s reward is indeed proof that there was no racism at Tea Party rallies. You’ll have to make sure to show them the error of their ways too.
Matti
July 21st, 2010
10:39 am
Mick
You’re so right. I love how Mark tells me to get my “facts” straight. FACT: My Daddy has tons of proof that he was there. FACT: Bush and his people produced nothing beyond the scantest of hearsay. FACT: Bush’s campaign slandered Kerry for his actual service, while touting Bush’s. FACT: There’s more hearsay evidence that Bush was effed up on coke for years than there is that he ever walked on a tarmac or flew a plane in Alabama. FACT: These Bush defenders make me want to puke.
Mick
July 21st, 2010
10:39 am
I don’t have to prove a damn thing. How come bush never gave us the truth? Obviously he is the one person who knows, right? You know the answer, its kinda embarassing to have to send reserves to iraq to get wounded or die, when bush himself did not complete his duty during wartime. If you were in the military you would understand. This fact just didn’t jibe with his “cowboy” bring it on or wanted: dead or alive manufactured image.
Sam
July 21st, 2010
10:40 am
breitbart lives off these ideologues…it doesnt make any difference to them whether its true or false…the video being manipulated makes no difference whatsoever..it fits into their ideology so it works for them. truth has no bearing on these people…i suspect mr breitbart isnt even political, he makes money off their outrage, so keep it coming…the mote clicks the better..keep stirring the crap, and let these geeks argue whether it true or not…not a bad business plan really.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:42 am
Hey Mick, everybody was gung ho about going to war after 9/11..wars cost money..just that simple, We probably should have came home alot sooner but where are all the anti-war Bush bashers now…Why are they not bashing Obama who campaigned on bring the troops home in 16 months(lie to get elected)..where are you guys now?
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:47 am
Matti, you left wingers just dont get it, Im not defending Bush, like I said before I dont know if he was there or not, maybe he wasnt…but if someone makes a claim, Its up to them to prove it, not the other way around…the Left seems to want to ignore the Constitution these days
Matti
July 21st, 2010
10:47 am
Mark,
For the record, I wish he would bring them home NOW. I’d feel safer if our military were here defending us instead of occupying foreign lands. Obama campaigned on beginning to bring troops home from Iraq, and stepping up the effort in Afghanistan. This appears to be on track for the most part, even though it’s not what I personally would like to see.
Mick
July 21st, 2010
10:49 am
mark
I’m here and pissed off that obama did not have the gonads to pull out of afganistan. I was against the iraq war from day one and still believe it was a huge mistake in terms of blood and treasure. There’s china and russia sitting on the sidelines watching us spend ourselves silly in war debt, not to mention bin laden who trapped us into this unsustainable path.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:53 am
Well we can agree on something..thats a start
Mark
July 21st, 2010
10:57 am
blogger/lawyer Glenn Greenwald says program breaks US laws
In a striking admission from the Obama Administration’s top intelligence officer, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair announced Wednesday that the United States may target its own citizens abroad for death if it believes they are associated with terrorist groups.
“We take direct action against terrorists in the intelligence community,” Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told the House Intelligence Committee. He said US counter-terrorism officials may try to kill American citizens embroiled in extremist groups overseas with “specific permission” from higher up.
If “we think that direct action will involve killing an American, we get specific permission to do that,” Blair said in response to questions from the panel’s top Republican, Representative Pete Hoekstra.
Blair’s comments came after The Washington Post reported that US President Barack Obama had embraced predecessor George W. Bush’s policy of authorizing the killing of US citizens involved in terrorist activities overseas.
Both of them are evil in my eyes!
The last Boy Scout
July 21st, 2010
10:59 am
What I have seen from the video is Shirley Sherrod is strong Christian women and Mr. Breitbart is a low life, scum sucking, moron. Anyone who says that biggoverment.com is not a right wing wacko group is lying or wrong. This is what is so wrong about the Tea Party and the Republicans they will do anything, say anything, and promise anything to anyone to get back in power. The Republicans are desperate to destroy the American dream they will stoop to any level to do so. This is just one example of where if you lay down with dogs you walk away with flee. If, Mr. Breitbart was a real man he would ask for forgiveness from Ms Sherrod and renounce all the hate he has written.
Mark
July 21st, 2010
11:03 am
Boyscout, why would you include all Teaparty people and Republicans with Brietbart..are there bad people in the Teaparty, sure, are there bad people in the NAACP, sure but dont accuse all over one persons comments
Mick
July 21st, 2010
11:05 am
mark
Obama has very quietly kept many of the bush policies intact; what’s his motivation for that?
Mark
July 21st, 2010
11:07 am
Mick
one word…Power
Favorite Right Wingnut Reaction: Redirect
July 21st, 2010
11:59 am
As usual, the right-wing neocons are redirecting here.
While I agree that the Obama Administration was negligent in vetting this video, especially considering the sources (Breitbart and False News, both discredited entities), that’s not the point.
The original, and actual, point in this issue is Breitbart’s malicious video editing to bolster his argument, and False News being complicit in his effort. Anything else is just the classic “when your flimsy argument begins to fall apart, quickly redirect” strategy of the great “Mr. Potato Head”, Karl Rove. You neocons learned so well from him!
Now, please be good boys and girls and go fetch his slippers for him! ANYTHING to get you away from the rest of us thoughtful citizens of all races and religions who — thank God!! — make up the overwhelming majority of Americans.
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
12:40 pm
So Co,
To be honest though (which I wouldn’t expect from your side), I must add that an absolutely true statement is, “given all the media equipment, listening devices and reporters present during the march of the entire Congress of the United States to go vote, there is no evidence (beyond a statement by John Lewis to the contrary) that anyone in any gathering around this haughty march of Congressmen said anything at all that could be construed as racist.”
Put that in your pipe.
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
12:42 pm
I’m listening to Shirley, saying that members of the administration harassed her to resign, including telling her to pull over.
Let’s face facts here: the theme of this adolescent-IN-CHIEF and his churlish administration is READY FIRE AIM!
Ivan Cohen
July 21st, 2010
12:49 pm
Would Sherrod want the job again? Politics has started showing its ugly head. It has been said in the press that the White House put pressure on her to resign. If this is true, then President Barack Obama had about as much loyalty to Shirley Sherrod that former President Bill Clinton had to Lani Guiner. Time will tell as whether the gesture of throwing Sherrod under the bus is going to help the Democrats in November. As for Andrew Breitbart, he ain’t no Matt Drudge.
Favorite Right Wingnut Reaction: Redirect
July 21st, 2010
2:39 pm
As for the “$100K reward,” CNN’s Candy Crowley should claim it.
A week after the controversy broke, she played a video on her Sunday morning show that showed a black lawmaker (not Lewis) walking up the Capitol steps, being roared at by tea baggers. One of them got right up in his face as he passed by. The lawmaker then WIPED HIS FACE, stared angrily at the guy and then said something to him before resuming his walk up the steps, and then WIPED HIS FACE again and peered back at the man.
Now, you can argue that the tea bagger didn’t hack up a loogie (gross!!) and spit on the lawmaker. But he spat on him nonetheless. I need to get my hands on the video so I can collect my $100K from Birdbrain! Additionally, former UT quarterback and current TN Rep. Heath Shuler was quoted as saying he heard the anti-gay slurs being barked at Barney Frank.
Nice folks, those tea baggers. What patriots they are. Give me a break! Where were these loons when the Bush-Chaney-Rove cabal was lying and spending this nation into the hole we’re currently in??!!
And for the nimrods (including Jeb Bush) who constantly whine that Pres. Obama doesn’t take responsibility for anything, that’s like blaming the volunteer clean-up workers along the Gulf for the oil spill instead of BP Oh, but I forgot, you are the same folks that back the dimwitted Alabama senator who apologized to BP!!
Ah, neocons/rightwingers/tea baggers …. great for comic relief and studies in dementia … bad for the future of this great nation.
bmchast
July 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
I just viewed the entire 43+ minutes of this video. If this unfortunate accusation does not change how journalists handle their business then no doubt the U.S. as we know it will never be able to stand up to its commitment for integrity in reporting. Who in this world will ever believe what is being said or shown on tape? There are so many negative behaviors that our society has sanctioned as being ‘okay’ that I believe we are losing respect not only for those that we want to destroy but also losing respect for our own self worth in whom we allege ourselves to be. If you are a professional in your trade why would you want to distort the truth by trying to hoodwink America with fear and distrust about other people that don’t look like you or organizations that don’t support what you support? In order to attain your superiority or to abate your own fears about what you might be losing as a result of the changes our society is going through are you willing to risk tarnishing your own career and ruining the integrity of your own journalism field? Note: This message is not only for Andrew Breitbart but also for the NAACP. Today in America, there is a new generation that will not support the NAACP if it’s going to be run by a group of clueless individuals. The first step the NAACP should have taken is to review the video before speaking. To all, in the future be proactive not reactive. It’s true that there is a silver lining in every cloud. The good that should come out of this reckless behavior is that we as people of all races should say I’ve seen what bad reporting can do to a person and from now on present to us all of the facts and we will make own judgment.
WideAwake
July 21st, 2010
6:01 pm
Fixed News and Breitbart Lies,
Acorn and pimp a lie distorted videos.
Sherrod they lied on her to get back at NAACP.
Who is Next?
Knucklehead
July 21st, 2010
6:06 pm
We’re all Knuckleheads, I mean Americans. Why does it surprise so many that we are defined by our experiences? Bookman is right about the video. I see a woman who once was blinded by her experiences, but enlightened by the Grace of God. The only disagreements I would have w/her are on her opinions about Obamacare and the role of Government in general, and we can agree to disagree about that.
Now to Bookman and the rest of the Left, No one has yet put up any substantiated proof, by video or audio, of anyone at the Tea Party rallies in DC in April either spitting or using the N word. In fact, the NAACP must believe that only white males must be guilty of discrimination, just look at the last paragraph of their July 20th press release:
“Finally, we hope this incident will heighten Congress’s urgency in dealing with the well documented findings of discrimination toward black, Latino, Asian American and Native American farmers, as well as female farmers of all races.”
Even though the paragraph appears to be limited to farmers, one must assume since it is tied into the Tea Party movement in this press release, that the NAACP must believe only white males discriminate.
Mary Francis Berry to Politico:
“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”. This is a blatant statement of Bigotry, have you condemned this Jay? Cynthia Tucker?
Have you condemned this Bookman? Probably not.
All of us have prejudices defined by our experiences and education, and we act on those in one way or another. That doesn’t make those thoughts right, it doesn’t make us right if we act on those thoughts, it just means we’re mere imperfect humans.
WideAwake
July 21st, 2010
6:26 pm
Mighty Christian of the Teaparty, Fixed News, Breitbart.
Who is next?
James Alexander
July 22nd, 2010
11:40 am
So it looks like everyone involved in this incident reacted to a partial news story without fully vetting all the actual facts of the situation.
The demolibs have used subterfuge and trickery like this for years in efforts to fool voters, make Republicans look bad in the news, etc. Sorta stings when someone uses your playbook tactics against you, doesn’t it?
Go Andrew Breitbart!! We need more of this on our side, not less. Politics becomes a lot more interesting when the dirty tricks are equal to both sides. The MSM didn’t do their fact-checking job well, either. They simply reported the incident from the White House viewpoint without checking it out.
THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN
July 22nd, 2010
4:48 pm
wow – it’s about the poor vs the rich.
Racism' Ugly Sister
July 22nd, 2010
5:00 pm
Please look at 25:30 – thru 27:00
This woman is not a racist. HOW DARE THIS NO GOOD – A**HOLE SLANDER THIS WOMAN.
and he continues to say that the crowd was laughing and “into it” — NO THEY WERENT
SHE SPEAKS OF COMING TOGETHER AS ONE PEOPLE — WORKING TOGETHER
RATHER THAN APOLOGIZE – THIS JERK KEEPS SPEWING HATE
Racism' Ugly Sister
July 22nd, 2010
5:03 pm
James – shame on you for saying: ‘ Go Andrew Breitbart’ – yeah “go” is the right word – followed by “to Hell”.
All these racist are showing their TRUE COLORS – all of the backroom talk – all of the words said under your breath – be hind closed doors — yep…. All of these sheet wearing people – stop cplaying games – just say what you really are (JAMES) and get on with it.
Racism' Ugly Sister
July 22nd, 2010
5:04 pm
THE TEA PARTY DOES HAVE RACIST MEMBERS — NO ONE ELSE WOULD PUT UP WITH THESE FOLKS — BUT THE GOP.