Seven minutes on the phone with POTUS  (white house photo)

Shirley Sherrod told Morning Joe today that President Obama doesn't need to apologize to her -- but a phone call would be nice. She got her wish, when the president found time to call, in between remarks on the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act and a meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno and Ambassador Chris Hill in the Oval.

From the typically terse, ellyptical and opaque White House readout:

The President expressed to Ms. Sherrod his regret about the events of the last several days. He emphasized that Secretary Vilsack was sincere in his apology yesterday, and in his work to rid USDA of discrimination.

The President told Ms. Sherrod that this misfortune can present an opportunity for her to continue her hard work on behalf of those in need, and he hopes that she will do so.

Unclear what Sherrod told Obama -- because the White House says they were on the phone for seven minutes, and the above would not really fill four minutes. We await her next cable appearance for further elucidation.