First take on 60 Minutes

Quick first take.

If I were a sports editor headlining the 60 episode, I'd go with something like:

"LAW PROF, LAX PARENTS TROUNCE NIFONG"

and subhead:

Nifong, Precious hit with justice questions. Duke, too.
Brodhead played his usual game

My color commentary?

Have you noticed Mike Nifong keeps wearing that prison jump-suit orange tie?

He wore it again tonight of all nights.

Doesn't his wife or defense attorney dress him?

I wish Dr. Sigmund Freud would explain why a DA who perpetrated multiple conspiracies wears a tie that leaves us all cheering:

Two, four, six, eight
To prison, Nifong. We'll slam the gate.

What about Meehan?

I thought: "A big, soft grapefruit; the feds will easily squeeze him."

Some of what Meehan said tonight may have bothered fair-minded people because under Leslie Stahl's questioning he backed off somewhat from the obvious conspiracy statements he made in court.

That didn't bother me.

I think he's been counseled by his attorney. He's looking to cut a deal with the feds.

If the feds come in (I think they will) Meehan will, to use a line from those old George Raft, Edward G. Robinson gangster movies - "Sing like a canary."

"Grapefruit" followed by "canary?"

My goodness, I did mix my metaphors.

Let's talk about that after Nifong goes into the bird cage -- O, dear -- I meant prison.

Anyway, what kind of tunes do you think Sgt. Gottlieb and Inv. Himan will sing?

Now just to leave the 60 program for a minute (no pun intended), the CBS network has a big problem; and it's not those bloggers who so upset President Brodhead and DA Nifong.

It's that news anchor Katie Couric's ratings are down.

What to do?

No problem, CBS; just make Duke Law Prof Jim Coleman her co-anchor.

Coleman's soft-spoken, free of affectation, focused, informed and concise. He uses language simply and powerfully. He's creditable, tough and gentle.

Wouldn’t you love a news anchor like Coleman?

Weren't the players and their families, for all the injustices they've suffered, blessed that he came their way?

The players, parents and justice seekers who've rallied to them have for many months been outnumbered. But with Coleman and others like him on their side, they've never been outgunned or outclassed.

The most powerful line in the whole episode?

"This has never been about the evidence."

How appropriate it would be if tomorrow people like President Brodhead, most Duke A&S faculty, the Raleigh News & Observer and Durham's Herald-Sun editorial writers, news editors and reporters, and almost all Durham's elected officials, civic and religious leaders and "community activists" met in say - Trinity Park.

There they could bang pots and pans while chanting: "This has never been about evidence. It's about race, gender, class. No evidence needed."

I want to say more but I’ve a plane to catch in the morning.

More tomorrow afternoon.