We learned something very important in the matter of Shirley Sherrod. We
learned
the full magnitude of fear in the Obama White House. Fear of the
conservative media
infrastructure. Fear of conservative Republican attacks. Fear of the
race issue
itself. Fear of Drudge. Fear of Breitbart. Fear of Fox. Fear of being
attacked even
without cause.
Even after the white couple that Sherrod allegedly did not help emerged
with full-blown
support for Sherrod and gratitude that she saved their farm, the White
House still,
even then, publicly backed Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s firing of
her.
It is healthy that the apologies finally flowed forth, but it is ominous and profoundly
troubling that anyone, in any administration, of either party, would succumb with
such fear, in such haste, with such little loyalty to an employee, with such fear-ridden
disregard for the facts of the case.
Let’s give a standing ovation to Shep Smith of Fox for refusing to join the stampede
and acting like a professional in vowing to learn the facts before pronouncing judgment
in the case. And let’s applaud CNN for making the maximum effort to report the facts
rather than joining the herd.
The White House should never cower in fear of Drudge, Breitbart, Beck, Fox News
or anyone else. This is the real teachable lesson in the case of Shirley Sherrod.
Until this lesson is fully learned, it is a worrisome sign about the future of the
Obama presidency and an ominous portent for the Democratic Party.