Yikes - Look at these pics of what 9 months of hell did to Siegelman!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Before:





After:

SIEGELMAN
Former Gov. Don Siegelman returned to Birmingham Friday evening after being released from prison on appeal after a court found there were substantial questions about his conviction in a govenrment corruption case.

<snip>
"It's a sweet day. That ruling came like a bolt out of the sky," Kilborn said Friday.

Mopping floors:

Siegelman's jobs at the Oakdale prison camp included mopping floors, cleaning baseboards and other janitorial duties. Siegelman, a workaholic with a black belt in karate, was able to endure prison because of his physical and mental toughness, Kilborn said.

"I think the governor wants to have a home-cooked meal and enjoy his family and enjoy his freedom. You don't realize how precious those things are until they are taken away," Kilborn said.


http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1206778515180750.xml&coll=2

[grasswire]

1. how did he get a tan?

was he on a work detail outside?

[jhrobbins]

9. No, they have a tanning bed in the spa there.

[L. Coyote]

12. The lighting! He is actually not tanned like that.

Compare the video: VIDEO: Gov. Don Siegelman Brief Statement to Press Leaving Prison
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x111866#111870

As someone in that age group, my experience is----taking off pounds is good for the health, especially cardiac concerns.

[Pastiche423]

33. Photo (from video) taken after Don's release...

[roguevalley]

23. someone said they saw bruises on him.

[El Pinko]

2. Is it bad that I think he looks better - tan and trim?

In the first pic he looks pale and bloated...

[More Than A Feeling]

6. Look at his eyes.

[El Pinko]

11. Sorry I think he looks better - and adversity can be good for the soul

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/us/29alabama.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=us&adxnnlx=1206817880-Ij66yOY2bG+4m7vBw7rT4g


Early Friday, the former governor completed his prison chores for the day — mopping a barracks area — and waited for his wife and son to pick him up for the eight-hour drive home to Birmingham, Ala.

“I was in prison,” Mr. Siegelman said afterward, when asked about his life at Oakdale. “I was treated like a prisoner. I’m not going to complain about the way I was treated.”

He added: “It feels great to be out. I wish I could say it was over. But we’re a long way from the end of this.”



I know he got a bum rap, and I'm sure he would rather to not have gone to prison, but I bet he made the best of his time there and used it as a learning and growth experience. I know I would.

He looks very handsome now, and I think he is going to be making Mr. Rove answer some very difficult questions soon.

[demobabe]

17. I know you're trying to put a positive spin on this

...but you'd probably be making different comments if you were thrown into prison for 9 months as an innocent person.

Prison is HELL. There is NOTHING positive about our jail system in the US. It does not encourage reform or rehabilitation, and the best you can do is keep to yourself and pray until you get out.

This man is a Rhodes Scholar. He's occupied 3 of the top four governmental offices in Alabama. He brought many jobs to Alabama, a car assembly plant, and he was working on overhauling the education system to make it much better.

You tell me that society benefits more from this man being in prison, mopping floors, than he does as a civil servant.

He is the lynchpin to exposing vast Republican and Judicial corruption, and Rove and company will stop at nothing to keep his voice down.

[El Pinko]

19. "He is the lynchpin to exposing vast Republican and Judicial corruption"

Sounds like you enumerated one of the ways in which his prison stint may benefit society.


The man has been wronged. Hopefully he will be compensated for that.


But worse things have happened to people than 9 months in prison.

If nothing else, he, as a man of influence now has a better understanding of what people who often did nothing more than sell some LEAVES go through.



And the fact that he is a Rhodes scholar doesn't make him any less deserving of prison, nor does an 8th grad education makes someone more deserving.

[demobabe]

22. It is an opportunity; we cannot be complacent

Sounds like you enumerated one of the ways in which is prison stint may benefit society.

Maybe, but it takes a lot of people to effect change. Are you going to help with actions like spreading the word, writing Congress, or helping fund Siegelman's legal battle? He isn't out of the woods, and he could be sent right back to prison. This is all out war with Karl Rove, and requires as much grassroots attention as we can give. And yes, I hope that maybe down the road he will talk about prison reform. We sorely need it.

The man has been wronged. Hopefully he will be compensated for that.

He can't be compensated for 9 months lost in his life. He also can't be compensated for the mental anguish he's been through, or the psychological effects this will have on him for the rest of his life.

But worse things have happened to people than 9 months in prison.

Sure, plenty worse things have happened to people. But because other people have suffered more, that does not make Siegelman's situation any less valid.

We have to pay attention to THIS situation, because WE can make a difference in both the Justice system and in exposing Republican corruption. This is a huge opportunity for us. We can't be complacent.

[JDPriestly]

36. My, my, I hope you have progressed through your share of

suffering. You sound like such an expert. :sarcasm:

[El Pinko]

38. Not prison (knock wood) but I've been through some shit.

I seriously doubt this man is feeling as sorry for himself as posters here.

I see strength in the second picture.

[JDPriestly]

40. I think he is truly angry. He is probably ready to bring down

a lot of people with him. I can't blame him.

Anyone who thinks that other governors don't put their own fundraisers and donors on commissions that oversee the fundraisers/donors own or friends' businesses is naive.

[demobabe]

18. Exactly

First picture: curious, full of life

Second picture: wounded and tired

This man is hurting, and he will be for a LONG time. I don't know where people get the idea that prison is like some kind of day spa.

This is serious stuff.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. yes, it's bad, el pinko. :>)

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. yes, it's bad, el pinko. :>)

[gateley]

3. So sad.

That's about how presidents look before and after, too -- maybe worse.

This poor man!

[Joe Chi Minh]

27. One big difference is, Presidents can't be re-elected often enough.

The power and status are like a drug to them.

Imprisonment is the absolute antithesis, divesting a man or woman of his normal minimal freedom and dignity. You should feel sorry for yourself, trying to compare the two. Wake up.

[MnFats]

4. i hope he is planning to sue the asses off anyone who had anything to do...

...with this atrocity.
..imagine if Bush had been allowed to proceed with stuffing U.S> attorneys' offices with fawning sycophants across the country....of course, there's a lot of that fight left to be fought.....but this absolutely illustrates the wretchedly corrupt nature of what Bush and his minions had in mind...

[L. Coyote]

14. Seize all their ill-gotten assets in a civil action (and jail their asses too).

[More Than A Feeling]

5. That poor man.

Even if Rove goes to prison for 10 times as long, Siegleman will never get back what was taken from him.

[Clear Blue Sky]

10. Doesn't look much worse to me.

He lost some weight in prison which makes the wrinkles more pronounced. Glasses mask some of the wrinkles before. Did he get tan in prison or eat too many carrots?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. call me with pictures of you after Rove railroads you into prison.

[EFerrari]

20. Don't overwhelm us with your empathy.

[demobabe]

21. Let's put you in prison for 9 months to work on your tan

And then you come talk to me.

[Thickasabrick]

13. He probably got a tan walking in the prison yard everyday - I think

they let people outside everyday...right?

[mahina]

16. That is one handsome Democratic man, before or after.

You can see the lights are on. Just sayin.
And I am so thankful that we are still a nation of laws. Looking forward to justice for him and his family.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

26. Oh man, when I knew him a long time ago I thought he was gorgeous

And everyone on the campaign had a crush on him.

Here's an older pic.

[malaise]

24. If he is able to expose the nastiness that is Rove

and the way in which they stole the governorship from him, it will be worth it.

If anyone had told me this could happen to a governor anywhere in America, I'd say it was impossible.
This should be the exclamation mark for Bush justice. I am an atheist but I am seriously hoping for karma for Rove et al.

How can any ordinary citizen trust the judicial system after this.

[L. Coyote]

25. ***** Welcome Home Gov. Don Siegelman ***** Official SHOUT OUT Support Thread *****

***** Welcome Home Gov. Don Siegelman ***** Official SHOUT OUT Support Thread *****
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3078585

[Joe Chi Minh]

28. My, we've got some real neocon, low-life operatives on here, and

no mistake, haven't we!

[eShirl]

29. I hope he's making up for lost time at the dinner table

having his favorite homecooked meals, surrounded by loved ones

[riverdeep]

30. I pray for the day people like Rove take his place.

Rove, Libby, Cheney, Addington-I imagine them on a work farm like in 'Cool Hand Luke'. If anyone deserves the full anguish of our worst prisons, it's those people.

---------------------------------------

Rove: Getting some water here, Boss.

Mr. Sunglasses: Get some water then, Blossom.

---------------------------------------

Boss Paul: That ditch is Boss Kean's ditch. And I told him that dirt in it's your dirt. What's your dirt doin' in his ditch?

Cheney: (exasperated) I don't know, Boss.

Boss Paul: You better get in there and get it out, boy.

Cheney: Gettin' it out, Boss.

[krispos42]

31. KO should have him on ASAP

And everybody on Air America, and Stephania Miller, and Ed Schultz. And "60 Minutes". And "Real Time".

And Mike Tiabiti should do a massive arinterview and article in "Rolling Stone".

[varelse]

32. All I see there is wisdom, dignity and resolve

and some weight loss and a tan in the "after" picture. Other than that, he looks like a movie star in both pics... prison didn't break this man, and the band of thugs that put him there will not get a second shot at him.

[morningglory]

37. Russell Crowe playing him in the movie and that wonderful actor who played

Truman in "Capote" will have to play KKKarl Rove. Sorry, I am 61 years old and can't remember the names of my favorite actors, or anything else.

[lonestarnot]

34. Wrinkles signify wisdom.

[JeanGrey]

35. He looks way better. Tanned and more fit.

[notadmblnd]

39. if only we could put people like Cheney and Rove in prison where they belong

now there's two people that could stand to lose a pound or ninety.