Editing Tom Vilsack (section)

===Actions===
Vilsack appointed [[Shirley Sherrod]] as the Georgia Director of Rural Development, saying she would be an "important advocate on behalf of rural communities".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruraldevelopment.org/shirleydirector.html |title=Shirley Sherrod named Georgia Director of Rural Development |publisher=Ruraldevelopment.org |access-date=September 5, 2012 |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805094104/http://www.ruraldevelopment.org/shirleydirector.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Months after the appointment, Vilsack forced her to resign based on accusations of considering race in the handling of her job responsibilities at a private advocacy firm in 1986.<ref>{{cite news | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/us/politics/22sherrod.html?_r=0 | title =With Apology, Fired Official Is Offered a New Job | newspaper =[[The New York Times]]| first1=Sheryl Gay|last1=Stolberg | author-link1=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|first2=Shaila|last2=Dewan |author-link2=Brian Stelter|first3=Brian|last3=Stelter | author-link3=Brian Stelter|date =July 21, 2010 | access-date =February 18, 2013 | archive-date =March 18, 2013 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130318003959/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/us/politics/22sherrod.html?_r=0 | url-status =live }}</ref> Subsequent reports claimed that Vilsack had overreacted to a selectively edited tape of a speech that Sherrod had given to the [[NAACP]].  The edited tape had been posted online by conservative blogger [[Andrew Breitbart]].<ref>{{cite news|first=James|last=Oliphant|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-feb-14-la-pn-shirley-sherrod-andrew-breitbart-20110214-story.html%3f_amp=true|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201210162921/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-feb-14-la-pn-shirley-sherrod-andrew-breitbart-20110214-story.html?_amp=true|url-status= dead|archive-date= December 10, 2020|title= Shirley Sherrod sues Andrew Breitbart over video he posted that led USDA to fire her|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 14, 2011|access-date=December 11, 2020}}</ref> Vilsack expressed his "deep regret" to Sherrod in acting hastily.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vilsack-i-will-have-to-live-with-shirley-sherrod-mistake/ | work=[[CBS News]] | title=Vilsack: I Will Have to Live With Shirley Sherrod Mistake | first=Brian | last=Montopoli | date=July 21, 2010 | access-date=July 21, 2010 | archive-date=October 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029233605/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20011263-503544.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

On January 24, 2012, Obama appointed Vilsack the [[designated survivor]] during the President's [[State of the Union address]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Ed|last=O'Keefe|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/state-of-the-union-tom-vilsack-to-serve-as-cabinets-designated-survivor/2012/01/24/gIQA8WnhOQ_blog.html|title=State of the Union: Tom Vilsack to serve as Cabinet's 'designated survivor|date=January 24, 2012|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=January 24, 2012|archive-date=January 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126032805/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/state-of-the-union-tom-vilsack-to-serve-as-cabinets-designated-survivor/2012/01/24/gIQA8WnhOQ_blog.html|url-status=live}}</ref>