This interview was likely designed by Ms. Stewart's media advisors to be the anchor of the first stage of her image rehabilitation. She would repeat, reinforce and, where necessary, expand on the messages she had delivered earlier in the day. Most experienced media relations pros know these opportunities are extremely valuable but also extremely risky. They are valuable because if you are successful you can steal an extra day's media attention with your side of the story. They are risky because your goal of saying nothing new is very hard to accomplish - new is news and the new message will take precedence in the media over the old message you want to reinforce. Ms. Walters and Larry King are the preferred interviewers in this situation. Their questions tend to be fluffy lobs unlikely to lead you away from where you want to go and their formats are comfortable.

The interview with Barbara Walters was going well until Ms. Stewart was asked about how she'd handle prison life. She answered:

"I could do it … I'm a really good camper. I can sleep on the ground.… If it is looming ahead of me, I'm going to have to face it, and take it and do it and get it over with. And there's many other people that have gone to prison. Look at Nelson Mandela."

What she said next was drowned out by an audible gasp followed by the sound of tens-of-thousands of Americans lunging for their TiVo remotes while asking themselves if they'd heard what they thought they'd heard.

That foolish comment cemented two things in the minds of many Americans. First, Martha Stewart is arrogant and completely out of touch with reality. Second, she's no Nelson Mandela.