Rick,

Looking at your pics again, it appears that the metal cable jacket should be inside that long hex nut (plastic I assume), that could be what is stripped if threaded or came un glued. If you insert the cable into that long nut, that will take up the slack you are finding in the cable. You are pushing the cable out of the long nut every time you actuate the cable. It could be as simple as a blob of epoxy and re-inserting the cable, looks like the metal nut to the right does the adjusting along the threaded section.

__________________
John
2001 ML 320
1988 560 SL
2009 Toyota Tundra TRD
1992 400 E (sold '07) (bought back, '13)
2008 ML 350