Of course, there is no political context to the current chapter of the Stewart story, and I?m not trying to create one. Much more important than politics is the American value that people deserve another chance, and that redemption -- or even salvation -- waits for us after our every mistake.

Stewart didn?t kill anybody. She didn?t take drugs. She didn?t even rob shareholders of hundreds of millions of lost dollars. The Martha Stewart affair is no Enron or WorldCom. Instead, this is the story of a successful woman who made a mistake, is paying the price for that mistake, and will embark on a new chapter in her life when she is released in March. Stewart?s story is as American as pumpkin pie. I bet you the vast majority of people in this country wish her well on her new journey.