I am getting prepared to cut the crimped end off with a very short stub of cable remaining. I will probably have to take a bolt with the same thread as the black button and drill a hole in the center for the cable and solder it. I will have to do a mighty pull test afterwards. I am also thinking of trying to stuff brass shim stock into the slot to tighten it up.
It seems like the factory should have had some kind of detent with a leaf spring on the tang end but no amount of pushing in the slot with a pick does anything. I take a picture of the whole shifter.