In case you’ve been living under a rock here’s your notice.  The long awaited “60 Minutes” segment on the Siegelman prosecution airs tonight on CBS.  You can read the preview on the CBS website.

Based solely on the online teaser it doesn’t appear that the segment will offer any new revelations that their investigation has uncovered.  It does appear that “GOP operative” Jill Simpson has added new details, namely that Karl Rove asked her to do oppo research on Don Siegelman (which is legal, by the way), to her uncorroborated story that she has been peddling.  I don’t know about you, but if I issue a sworn affidavit and testify before Congress I don’t leave out details and then tell them to “60 Minutes.”

Interestingly, the legitimate reporter who has done the most work on the Siegelman corruption story, Eddie Curran of the Mobile Press-Register, wrote a lengthy letter published in the Montgomery Independent.  Curran, who is on sabbatical while he works on a book, apparently had enough with the over the top “reporting” by some, primarily Scott Horton of Harper’s whose work has also been published in the Independent.  Curran’s piece is definitely worth a read.  It is pointed and biting.  And unlike the fluff writing by the pro-Siegelman advocates who seek to free their savior by tearing down anyone associated with the prosecution, Curran actually mentions why Siegelman has found himself behind bars.  You’ll also realize why the reputable news outlets in Alabama haven’t been slobbering over Simpson.  She claims to be the sole witness in a very large and elaborate cover up.  There is virtually no evidence to support her claims, which intuitively makes no sense given the scope of the operation she alleges.  Furthermore, one of her claims - that Siegelman conceded the 2002 election because of pictures from a KKK rally - just doesn’t even make sense, which I’ve pointed out before.  I personally think the funniest of her claims is that she asked Bob Riley to engage in an illegal kick back scheme, which doesn’t make me think too highly of Simpson, and Riley rebuffed her.

The radical element of the Left are bracing for a “swift-boat” operation by “paid shills” (where’s my check?!) against people like Horton after the “60 Minutes” segment airs.  I wouldn’t call whatever response they get a “swift-boating” as much as it will be a large number of people outside of Alabama looking into the matter for the first time and they will realize how crazy the columns written by Horton, Glynn Wilson, and others really are.

In one of the tastier bits of irony some of the Lefties are engaging in the very acts that made them view “Karl Rove” as a four letter word (two four letter words, actually).  When some on “Democratic Underground” (and I can see why they would want to stay underground) learned of Curran’s letter did they engage Curran based on the words he wrote?  No.  They went and dug up his property tax records and requests for zoning licenses - basically any document they could find with his name on it.  One of the other commenters responded, “My hero.”  Classy.  The phrase “politics of personal destruction” comes to mind.

I’ll try to offer my thoughts on the “60 Minutes” segment tonight if I have time.  Please feel free to offer yours in the comments.  Keep it civil.

Update: The Alabama Lefties have read the Curran piece and have carefully refuted his points childishly canceled at least one subscription to the Montgomery Independent for having the gall to publish columns representing both sides of a story.

Related content:

This entry was posted by Brian on Sunday, February 24th, 2008 at 7:08 am and is filed under Alabama, Media, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Please note the copyright policy.