A Belated Valentine From The Libby Jurors

Libby will be tried by eleven good men and true after one juror gets voted off the island:

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge avoided a potential mistrial in the CIA leak case Monday by dismissing a juror and sending the other 11 back to continue deliberating the fate of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said the juror had seen or read something over the weekend about Libby's trial.

This was the independent minded juror from Valentine's Day:

The woman who was dismissed from the jury is an art history expert and scholar who formerly served as a curator of prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She was also the only juror who did not wear a red T-shirt as part of the jury's Valentine's Day greeting to the court.

However, the defense had urged the jury to continue without adding an alternate, as we careen towards a mistrial, or hung jury, or whatever.

What does it mean?  The betting public has taken the odds of a Libby conviction on at least one count down from about 70% to about 50%.  Well, OK - I would say the odds of a hung jury may have diminished somewhat, but as to this juror's likely perspective, let's guess that there aren't many Bush-loving art curators at our nation's top museums.  [FOLLOW-UP: Some trades went through under 50, but now the market is back to 75/80.]

UNRELATED, YET... Let's hop in the time machine and travel back to the fall of 2003.  In fact, let go to the seventh inning of the once-classic game between the Yankees and Red Sox, where Pedro is left in to blow a 5-2 lead in the eighth, Mariano closes the door for three innings, and a home run by the Yankees third baseman to be named later wins it in the eleventh (Does a picture jog any memories?).

Anyway - my daughter was watching, and in the seventh inning things were bleak for the Bronx Bombers.  And this meant things were bleak for her because, as she explained, the next day at school she would have to endure the taunts and posturings of the many Red Sox fans at her school.

But a light gleamed in the seventh - the Yankees had men on base and the fans were making some noise.  So I said to her, at this moment your classmates are feeling the fear that only Red Sox fans can know.  They know this game is not over, they know they ought to win, but the Yanks have men on base and their stomachs are in knots.  This may be (I went on to say) as close as we come to winning this game (What did I know?).  But for this one moment, Red Sox fans are feeling fear, and whatever they say tomorrow, you know and they know what they were feeling.

Well - destiny was still shining on Derek Jeter that night, althought the light subsequently dimmed.

TROUBLING: Why am I having a Libby moment on the pre-A Rod third baseman?  Brother in the bigs, snapped his ankle in the off-season, what is my problem, and why do I keep thinking of Albert Brooks?

D'OH!  Aaron Boone!  OK, then, the Albert Brooks connection is as simple as A, B, ... well, as simple as "AB".  Odd that I didn't remember this as the Red Sox Waterloo - that would have been quite a platoon at third.

Comments

[roanoke]

Wow-lookmat this commentary about the alternate's Body English-

The positions of the prosecution and the defense sound counter-intuitive until you consider the following: The alternate juror (who is first in line to join the panel) took extensive notes during the trial. Moreover, her body language was openly hostile to the defense during closing arguments. As Ted Wells delivered an emotional argument that Libby made "honest mistakes not deliberate lies" during the investigation, this juror sat with her arms crossed. She also clenched her jaw and rolled her eyes. During prosecutor Fitzgerald's final rebuttal in closing arguments, this woman relaxed and smiled as Fitzgerald went through the evidence for a final time and mocked the defense for describing the prosecution as "madness." This first alternate is in her late 40's/early 50's and works as a government lobbyist for the insurance industry.

From the Corner at National Review.

Yikes!

[roanoke]

They're quoting David Schuster.

[clarice]

From the WaPo:
"According to courthouse sources, the woman sought information that led her to material about the case over the weekend, and realized this morning that it was inappropriate to do so.

Fitzgerald appeared disturbed by the development, while Libby and several defense attorneys wore broad smiles at the news of the woman's removal."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/26/AR2007022600405.html>Researching some "facts" for herself

[Jane]

Oh gawd TM, now you have ruined everything. Everyone knows the Yankees suck!

[Other Tom]

The bid at Intrade is 50, the ask is 83, and they're isn't much action. On this occasion I can't take much stock, so to speak, in the market-based predictors.

If the body-language info is accurate, Wells certainly has to be pleased at keeping her off. But I had the impression earlier that he felt something more than the avoidance of a bad consequence, and was seeing something he liked a lot.

Tried to post a message, "Is it time to start worrying?" at FDL, but remain banned. But you know damn well they're worring. It's just like us Chargers fans when it's playoff time, we've got the most talented team in the league, but Schottenheimer is the coach...

[maryrose]

Yankees may suck but they keep beating our Cleveland Indians.

[james]

Can someone tell me who is the Red Sox and who is the Yankee's in this story? Or is that inside baseball?

[Patrick]

So who's Jeter? And is Fitz Mariano? Is Walton behind the plate? And Wells? Who's on first?

[Snowbunnie]

Destiny may have shined on Derek Jeter for whatever brief moment. Scooter Libby , no doubt, feels that destiny may be kicking him hard while he fights a huge unfair proxy fight. HE is the object of the liberal and msm hatred and disdain, fighting a manufactured case against him which is totally unfair and unpricipled. He is taking the heat for a president the left cannot 'get at' for the moment. They tried with Plame and Wilson's put up job in Niger and when that didn't work pretended they had been wronged and a 'crime' had been committed. Same tactics that worked in the 70's, but won't work now.
If destiny shines on Libby he may well feel notably unappreciative since the limelight and focus has cost him so dearly.
I just pray this is a good sign for the man and that this ordeal will be over for him soon and he can return to his job; his reputation restored immediately.
These people lined up against him have shown themselves wholeheartedly to not only be in collusion with one another to manufacture a crime, but to pretend they have the right to do it.

[hit and run]

Thank you Tom!

The life story as analogy is a great way to make your point. Although things got a little carried away yesterday.

[Patrick]

I'm skeptical of Intrade's predictive ability in this matter. I think the market is too small in a case like this, and too easily manipulated by partisans. Quite frankly, I think it is only a matter of time before we see cases where someone has floated false information to score on Intrade or Tradesports, etc.

[Jane]

But I had the impression earlier that he felt something more than the avoidance of a bad consequence, and was seeing something he liked a lot.

You just don't break out a big grin like that when deliberations are ongoing, and you have no clue in what direction. Nor do you grimace like a toad. They know something.

(Or am I stuck in wishful thinking mode?)

[Rick Ballard]

Jane,

There was no jury to play to, was there? I doubt that they would perform just for the press and if it wasn't really good news for Wells he would have recorded an objection for appeal purposes.

[Carol Herman]

FROM CAROL HERMAN!

What a crock! Turns out before you dive off the cliff, here, that WELLS asked for 11 JURORS. It was FITZ that wanted to add one of the alternates. (Whom the judge already sent home. To listen and speak at will.) So, you've got a tainted jury.

IF THEY ACQUIT? What can happen next?

If they don't? You think the crap that's being pulled passes muster?

The only detail, is that the 11 can't be considered "bait" for an APPEAL. (There's enough there, already.)

And, if you want to really laugh. Today, on IMUS, TUBBY RUSSERT said "all he testified to at Libby's trial is that he couldn't remember telling Libby anything."

Great drum playing for all the bands, though.

[Jane]

I am looking for a 2:30 verdict as I have stuff to do this afternoon and evening. If the verdict is announced any later, I will be oh so tempted to cancel my plans.

Is there a 12 step program available?

[Nick Kasoff - The Thug Report]

If only she had worn that t-shirt, that would have made all the difference. What sort of game do these jurors think they are playing? Next thing you know, they'll have "casual Friday" and jury pot-luck dinners. Groan.

Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report

[Gary Maxwell]

More OT but while we are in such a jovial mood read this and chuckle some more:

yet another prestigious securities firm, Lehman Brothers, has downgraded the stock of the New York Times Company:

"We remain concerned about the deteriorating top line at all three of the company's newspaper divisions," the broker said. It told clients that the Boston Globe newspaper continues to struggle, with January advertising revenue down 10%. Meanwhile advertising revenue at the New York Times has been weak since 2001, Lehman noted. Overall, Lehman said it believes consensus forecasts for the company's earnings are too high.

When the top line (revenues) is in trouble, cost cutting alone will usually not suffice. Yet management led by a chief executive who owes his position to nepotism continues to position the newspaper properties as propaganda organs, destroying a century's legacy as a trusted news source. As we have been saying for years, well before the company's crisis became visible in its stock price, Pinch Sulzberger is destroying the value of the company founded and nurtured by his ancestors.

[Appalled Moderate]

Jane:

There used to be a 12-step program, but they threw one of the steps out this morning.

[Jane]

There was no jury to play to, was there? I doubt that they would perform just for the press and if it wasn't really good news for Wells he would have recorded an objection for appeal purposes.

Rick,

That's what I keep thinking. Jury deliberations are unmitigated hell for everyone. I've had a jury out for 5 days and I never slept. There is nothing I can think of that would cause me to break out in a grin, like was reported, unless it was very very very very good news. (Think: The Verdict when the jury came back with the question of whether they were allowed to award more money than was requested by the plaintiff.) That's the sort of thing it would take.

[Jane]

There used to be a 12-step program, but they threw one of the steps out this morning.

Tee hee. Very very good.

I'm still worried this is wishful thinking.

[jwest]

Rush just made reference to “everyone has a crazy aunt”.

He must be keeping up with the JOM comment section. If he starts equating futility with arguing with the neighbor’s sprinkler, we’ll know we’ve made the big time.

Clearing up the Russert on Imus story - Apparently, Imus had to leave his show early to present himself for jury duty. The interview with Russert was an older one, just being replayed.

[AJStrata]

I postulated she went digging to try and back up a point she was making in deliberations and got busted by the other jurors. While Wells and the judge won't know the details of deliberations, they would be told the circumstances behind the dismissal and that is possibly why Wells is grinning. It could be he has a free shot at appeal of course, but it should not be missed this person was notoriously independent. If a verdict is now forthcoming we shall know what possible barrier had conveniently been removed

http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/3401

Cheers, AJStrata

[paul]

The ejection of the juror, who I will infer was of liberal mind, bodes extremely well.

I am led to believe that there are few, if any, unanimous guilty votes.

The jury had discussed the facts of the case, in the time given, but is no trying to hammer out the differences. Ejected juror felt that she needed to bolster her argument...but was called on it by other members, who already have their radar out for 'partisan' plays.

Hung jury on all counts. The ejected wouldn't have gone the extra mile, if she had at least one sure fire guilty verdict. She sought to augment her strongest argument for guilt on at least one count, and was called out by at least one-the foreman, or more present who brought it to the foreman to complain.

Fitz just lost his biggest advocate, and they still haven't decided.

[Carol Herman]

FROM CAROL HERMAN

Hey, JWest, you read way more into Rush than you should. And, if he ever met ya, you couldn't cover your dick head with any sort of a cap. Not that he doesn't welcome his "dittos." IDIOT.

And, if you're a female, then you're squatting to water your own lawn.

[Seixon]

I want to see Libby acquitted simply to enjoy watching what Larry Johnson does. Does he lash out at Fitzgerald? Does he lash out at the jury? Does he funnel along a conspiracy theory Ray McGovern has been saving for such a moment? Does he just go silent for weeks? Does he have a meltdown and say more nasty things about Rove and his dead mother?

I'm beside myself with anticipation.

[Billy Bob]

AJStrata's postuation that the ex-juror was trying to defend her postion and did some independent "research" and got busted by the other jurors makes perfect sense.

It explains why the Judge did not believe the other jurors were tainted since they busted her and were not buying her crap.

It also bodes well for acquittal - the fact that she had to research her position to defend it probably means that she was in the small minority and assuming that an art curator proably suffers from BDS and is smart enough to hid it during voir dire, it explains Wells' broad smile.

Pure spectulation, but it does make sense.

[anon]

Aaron Boone. Why hasn't anyone named Aaron Boone?

[RK]

Aaron Boone. The guy who parlayed one hit into a (way too big) contract with the Indians.

[vnjagvet]

Replay from long thread:

Anyone want to buy a set of 11 tee shirts saying "I'm keepin' my pledge to Judge Walton" to send to the bailiff with instructions "to be worn for the duration"?

[Jane]

I want to see Libby acquitted to watch the media turn on Fitz. And they will. And we will help them.

[jwest]

Ouch. That's going to leave a mark.

(I think)

[paul]

The ejection also provides that there is at least one advocate of 'fairness to Libby'.

(Mild prediction? Art curator writes a manifesto of the going ons in the jury room, within two months, that is lauded on the Nation, front page on NYT, and produces frequent flier miles to Seacuacus, NJ, so that Matthews can cross examine the 'witness of the jury'. (Double her appearances if Matthews thinks she is hot.)

[hit and run]

Jane - the 12 step program breaks down on step 3.

Step 1 - Admit you have a problem.
-Addicted to JOM. Check.

Step 2 - Admit there is a higher power than yourself.
-Uh, yeah - JOM. Check.

Step 3 - Place yourself in the care of the higher power.
-Uh, care for me JOM.

Step 1 is thus invalidated. Addiction to JOM is the care we need and not a problem.

[Sue]

I want to see Libby acquitted simply to enjoy watching what Larry Johnson does.

::grin::

[Verbinski]

Well, last I heard the 12th step is God, really, but, hey, FDLs made him and laughed for Bill, so why be upset?

'Abandon All Hope' was the side of an alien(satan) ship attacking the last of the humans on earth, but, maybe, it's Jesus' tomb.....

[arcanorum]

"Yet management led by a chief executive who owes his position to nepotism continues to position the newspaper properties as propaganda organs, destroying a century's legacy as a trusted news source."

It is not just the NYT, but all the news media, that is now regularly exposed as partisans, and even worse not even particularly accurate or well informed. The journalistic echo chamber doesnt allow for dissent except in carefully scripted modes, but the internet has removed the blinders for many.

News junkies everywhere no longer rely on a few 'balanced' sources, but instead scan a flow that is perhaps a hundred times what was available even a decade ago. Furthermore, most of those 'in the know' now get their news from blogs and other specialized internet sources where the news is more raw and is also joined with intelligent commentary from a community of experts. No longer are we required to listen to the media minders or rely on them for access to the facts.

The days of the newspapers are distinctly numbered. Drudge has proved that now every man is a journalist and can sell a story on the web. (also have to credit him with re-proving the old Hearst addage 'scandal sells')

[maryrose]

jwest: I tuned into Imus this morning and they had a "Best of Imus" logo on and he was laughing with Terry Bradshaw.
The fact remains we have Russert on tape with Imus telling a different story than he did during the Libby trial. We have him dead to rights.

[dorf]

where is Clarice?

[centralcal]

Clarice, Jane, anybody?

What are the constraints (legal?) about a dismissed juror speaking to the media before the case is decided? Are their any?

[KenS]

Aaron "F***ing" Boone to us Sox fans.

[topsecretk9]

-- I'm beside myself with anticipation.-- LOL

[arcanorum]

"I want to see Libby acquitted to watch the media turn on Fitz. And they will. And we will help them."

Yes, watch the meme change from 'Fitz, the second coming of Christ, pitbull for the little man' to 'Libby/Cheney/Bush are proven liars and if only Fitz hadnt f#$%ed up the case, they would all be impeached/convicted and rotting in jail'

the wailing and gnashing of teeth has not yet begun, but the murmers of dissention can already be heard on FDL, as they prepare for the acquital/hung jury.

[clarice]

Just reading around, Dorf--send CBS a clue card--they can't figure out ehy people aren't watching the scars--they think it's the war. I think people thing it's too long and too partisan and would rather scrub their bathrooms than watch it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/24/oscar/main545821.shtml>Shove it

[Rick Ballard]

"We have him dead to rights."

Sure, but the nail gun that will hold jello on the wall has yet to be invented. It will take an obviously phony memo being promoted as gospel to get Little Tim out of his chair.

[MaidMarion]

I didn't realize we knew which of the jurors were the alternates. Could someone describe the two alternates for me please and which seat they were sitting in (if that was figured out...).

Based on the description Shuster gave of the first alternate, I think she was the one who was rotating in her seat (#6) during the first part of the Prosecution's closing arguments.

[clarice]

***can't figure out Why people aren't watching the Oscars**(Sorry--worse than usual today but the house is a madhouse w/ the electrician and painters all working away and making a racket.

[Appalled Moderate]

clarice:

ABC is the one needing a clue.

[maryrose]

jwest:
have you been watching "TommyBoy" again?
Rick Ballard:
The visual picture of stapling jello to a wall is hilarious!
H&R Watch your back...

[arcanorum]

I gave up on hollywierd a couple years back.

No education, no information, no morality, LA echo chamber. Actors/actresses should stick to acting, and leave the thinking to others who are more skilled in that area.

[AMDG]

"Aaron "F***ing" Boone to us Sox fans."

Same mother as Bucky 'F****ng' Dent!

[Alcibiades]

Sure, but the nail gun that will hold jello on the wall has yet to be invented. It will take an obviously phony memo being promoted as gospel to get Little Tim out of his chair.

I see something else, Rick. The fact that the Imus people chose to play this clip means that they are perfectly aware - now - that TR was lying.

Remember when Imus was discussing Tubby's testimony, and he said he would trust R more than Libby.

Well, now they show possibly an evolution in their position in the matter.

[Javani]

""According to courthouse sources, the woman sought information that led her to material about the case over the weekend, and realized this morning that it was inappropriate to do so.""

As Grenier would say, "Oh dear!"

She knew it was inappropriate.

She wanted off that jury.

Full of T-shirt wearing philistines...

[centralcal]

I received a reply from Bob Woodward today (email sent this weekend) regarding the question Tom Maguire posed about Armitage possible showing Woodward the INR memo.

The response from Mr. Woodward is:

"From Bob woodward: that's a good question, but there was no document or note
or anything on paper that he was referring to. I so testified under oath to
Fitzgerald. Because some of the colorful words were deleted, there may also be
a garble in the transcript you have. thanks, Bob Woodward"

It was very polite of him to respond to my email. But I do not find his answer very convincing.

[Make a donation]

Gnashing of teeth had to be traded because of what was unleashed on the earth, rather than waiting for hell, but who would have figured that earth is hell?

2nd coming of Christ? He has to be on the horse and it's the new heaven and new earth, maybe there won't be the 10,000, but a complete ceasement of everything in existence and God can start over because his perfect humans were perverted by Lucifer.

Gee, pit bulls. Reminds me of DEA NOCs. Favorite animal, but then there's the Wells guy in baseball.............

[hit and run]

centralcal - well bully for Mr. Woodward for replying. good job stepping up and asking.

[maryrose]

Javani:
Ah yes she is so above these plebian jurors. She's their intellectual superior and had to show them the error of their ways. As an SNL skit would say it: BuhBYE...

[arcanorum]

"It was very polite of him (ed. Woodward) to respond to my email. But I do not find his answer very convincing."

Both Woodward and Pincus seemed extremely professional and very careful in their words and the accuracy of everything that they said, 'old school' journalists. There was little doubt in their testimony, this in contrast to the other journalists who seemed to play very fast and loose with the facts and their presentation. I suspect that Woodward was honest in his testimony and in what he told you by email. Bonus points to him for politely responding to your email, that is more than I expect out of a lot of the big egos in journalism!

[Jane]

What are the constraints (legal?) about a dismissed juror speaking to the media before the case is decided? Are their any?

None that I know of.

Centracal,

What was the question again?

[centralcal]

H & R: In my email I let him know I was asking because it was a question being posed on an internet blog and I thought he should respond to it.

Anyway, I found his email in my spam inbox - he replied via a different email account than the WaPo account. I sent a "thank-you for the reply" response and asked if he planned any book on this subject in the future.

[Syl]

I think the opposite could be true as well.

She may not be that 'independent', just older. WaPo said she's in her seventies. She may think wearing t-shirts is for younger folks. And being older she'd understand memory problems a little better I'd imagine.

And it could have been decades ago that she was a curator at the Met. Besides, she was an art historian not an avant garde artist.

I'd be leery of falling for stereotypes.

On the other hand, Wells was grinning.

So ::shrug::

IOW I haven't a clue and I'm not getting my hopes up or knocking them down over this.

[Abu Al-Poopypants]

Let's hop in the time machine and travel back to the fall of 2003. In fact, let go to the seventh inning of the once-classic game between the Yankees and Red Sox, where Pedro is left in to blow a 5-2 lead in the eighth, Mariano closes the door for three innings, and a home run by the Yankees third baseman to be named later wins it in the eleventh

You don't even have to go back that far. What happened the following year in the playoffs? I can't exactly remember. Some vague memory about the biggest choke in the history of baseball or something like that.

[sferris]

Let's see, "the odds of a Libby conviction on at least one count down from about 70% to about 50%"? Intrade bid is 75, which is higher then 70 and whole lot higher than 50. Money is on a conviction by 3 to 1. I am certain a conviction will o keep the wingnuts spinning.

[Rick Ballard]

Alcibiades,

You could be correct on that. The creation of a non-person celebrity by the American left is rather unusual but it has occurred. John Dos Passos comes first to mind but I'm sure there are more current examples.

[clarice]

Yes, I see no reason to doubt Woodward and he was polite to respond.

As for Russert..It's worth a new JOM post to make sure more people know about it.

[Jane]

Some vague memory about the biggest choke in the history of baseball or something like that.

That's right! You go poopypants! (My gawd I sound like I am 4)

[Sue]

.It's worth a new JOM post to make sure more people know about it.

Uh, know about what?

[clarice]

That today he said on Imus that at the trial he said he might have told Libby (upthread)

[Abu Al-Poopypants]

maryrose:She's their intellectual superior and had to show them the error of their ways. As an SNL skit would say it: BuhBYE...

Wasn't that MAD TV (he asked, somewhat embarrassed to know such things)?

[centralcal]

Jane: there was speculation by Tom Maguire, based on the transcript of the tape between Woodward & Armitage, that Armitage may have shown him the INR memo.

So I wrote and asked him if he had been shown the memo or some other document by Armitage.

[AMDG]

Abu,

Actually,the reference to the 2003 playoffs is apt.

Any Red Sox fan will tell you that they knew the game was lost as soon as Little left Pedro in with runners on base - it was only a matter of time.

A similar situation ahppened in the NLCS. Do you think there is any Cub fan alive who did not know the series was over when Steve Barton went for the foul ball - even thought it was game 6?

[Javani]

Maryrose:

"Ah yes she is so above these plebian jurors."

Or she thought they were nuts.

BTW, how could a woman of her stature and training ever give a fair trial to an adult male named "Scooter??"

[Tollhouse]

I agree with you Syl. Too much speculation based on a thin stereotype.

[Sue]

That today he said on Imus that at the trial he said he might have told Libby (upthread)

Uh, huh. No way. He didn't. No way. Where's Fitzgerald? Where's Wells? Maybe this is what our dismissed juror heard?

[jwest]

Centralcal,

Thanks for relaying that reply from Woodward. It plays into the next step for JOM.

This site has been quoted by a growing number of first-tier media types. There is no reason we can’t become the go-to site for interviews.

I’ll bet Woodward would have answered any number of thoughtful questions and might have agreed to appear for a Q & A session. Along with him, any number of other participants in this case (and the next one, whatever it is) probably long for a forum to either present their case or vent in the absence of MSM attention.

By playing on Clarice and TM’s celebrity status, and using JOM’s reputation as a fair and civil forum, we can get answers right from the prime players.

What do you think?

[Barney Frank]

It would be cruelly ironic if after all this speculation she was the only known dittohead art curator in the western world and the only thing preventing a Libby conviction.

[bio mom]

5 counts is just too many. They would have to acquit him on all of them for him to be completely exonerated. Uphill battle. I hope it happens but how likely??

[arcanorum]

Intrade has only a total market of 3400 shares of 'Libby guilty' trading, and the daily volume is less than 100 shares. This small of a market is to easily moved by only a few traders, so I wouldnt place much faith in it as a predictor, although the fact that things are trending south would appear to reflect the mood of both camps of Libby case watchers...

[ErnestAbe]

At this moement Intrade.com is trading at 76.0 with much more buy demand than sell supply, that Libby will be convicted on at least one count.

FYI, this market traded at around 40 for most of the past year, and never about 60, and then it sky-rocketed during the trial, reaching a high of about 80. Since it crossed the 60 mark around the third week of January, it has not dipped under 60. It is now trading very close to its high.

[ErnestAbe]

oops, I meant to write that Intrade was never ABOVE 60, until the trial, and now it has never dipped below 60 (and is currently at 76, near all time high of 80).

[John Oh]

Only those similarly afflicted will understand: for use in your next emergency.

www.baseball-reference.com

[clarice]

Where's Rick? The fish are jumping..
Ernest :"FYI, this market traded at around 40 for most of the past year"
And the bet was that he'd be convicted of one count by the end of last year. Since the trial was set to take place this year sometime in spring of last year, I'd not assume these are professionals who were paying 2 cents for the trade.

[hit and run]

arcanorum - yeah, and let's assume intrade has the ol' Evan Thomas bump of 15 points and.....

......still means nothing, really.

[JM Hanes]

Clarice:

Someone further down the thread said that Imus was playing "Best Of..." re-runs this morning, so he was showcasing an old comment from Russert. Assuming that's true, what's interesting is that Imus chose to run a clip that makes Russert look bad.

[Jane]

I just went to FDL and read a few comments, something I have rarely done before.

My namesake, Ms. Hamsher posted that she was in such a fog she left her phone and wallet in the bathroom. To a person the commenters all chimed in about how they too forget things when they are busy and overwhelmed.

And no one pointed out the irony.

[lonetown]

From Other Tom -
"Tried to post a message, "Is it time to start worrying?" at FDL, but remain banned. But you know damn well they're worring.

Tom,

You spelled whoring wrong!

[clarice]

Aaahh--that explains it.

[centralcal]

jwest: I was very up front with Mr. Woodward in my email - mentioned that the memo question was a subject of this blog and that I was just an ordinary citizen (not one of the legal eagles who post here) and would like his response.

So, JWest, to answer your question, yes - I agree with you. Unlike the lefty cesspool, the regulars here are polite, refrain from vulgarity, name calling, and threatening violence, so I see no reason why a journalist wouldn't be willing to participate in some sort of forum.

[Abu Al-Poopypants]

BTW, how could a woman of her stature and training ever give a fair trial to an adult male named "Scooter??"

Yes, what a silly, juvenile-sounding moniker.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

The President is awarding the Medal of Honor to Lt. Col (Ret) Bruce Crandal, a Vietnam Vet for his valor in Vietnam. Very moving.

[dorf]

I bet that juror wanted off the panel.

[Carol Herman]

FROM CAROL HERMAN

Just what our justice system needed; a road show that's turning into a soap opera.

By the way, what choices did WELLS have this morning? Staying with 11 stays within the rules. TEN, is verboten.

Adding a juror who was dismissed. And, who went home. And, who has been allowed to talk about this "experience," sure seems like a crazier way for the judge to go?

All that probably happened? Fitz got his first "or-wall-ian" moment in this trial. Something Libby's been living with for years.

How many more days will it take the jurors, though, to actually make sense of COOPER'S testimony. Are they allowed to re-interpret his misspellings?

Let alone Russert. Who went on IMUS today saying that "all he did at Libby's trial was say HE COULDN'T REMEMBER what Libby told him.

Who knows what FATE has in store? Why assume TUBBY gets a free ride, ahead, because he owns a microphone at the least watched show on NBC?

[Syl]

ErnestAbe

Since it crossed the 60 mark around the third week of January, it has not dipped under 60.

Which shows they made up their minds during the prosecution case and paid no heed to the defense case. Kinda like the media.

[jerry]

Carol is cracking me up today.

[JM Hanes]

EarnestAbe:

That tracks pretty well with the MSM coverage, doesn't it?

arcanorum:

While an acquittal may tarnish Fitzgerald's halo in the MSM, the FDLers will never turn on their last best hope. The most likely focus of their outrage would be Walton's Republican bias.

[Syl]

Tollhouse

I agree with you Syl. Too much speculation based on a thin stereotype.

::grin:: Nice to know I wasn't just talking to myself.

[Sara (Squiggler)]

Carol keeps saying the alternates were sent home and free to talk about the case. Is this true. On the jury I was on, State level, the alternates had to be at the courthouse every day just like those in deliberations.

[maryrose]

ABU:
It was SNL with David Spade and Helen Hunt as the airline stewardesses though I believe they go by a more politically correct moniker now.

[ErnestAbe]

As for baseball analogy. Wells does kind of remind me of the emotionally unreliable Pedro. He did seem to choke in the clutch at the end of the game, just like Pedro.

Wells sob routine at the end of his close gave Fitz a chance to knock one out of the park. And his forehead in hands sulk during rebuttal was like a wild pitch (or a base on balls) that allowed the prosecution to score big.

[clarice]

I think the alternatives have to report to the courthouse every day and are held to the same no media and no talking rule.

[roanoke]

Syl-

I was only joking when I said something to the effect-that the requests for art supplies would dwindle because she wanted to "learn" the rest of 'em.

Although while wer'e at it you should read the comments at FDL that go something like because she is so educated her being removed from the jury is good for Libby.

I had just finished reading that kind of "generalization".