this deal where haley barbour pardoned myriad felons, including murderers, is quite astonishing, and he seems to have done it without explanation. this is the former chairman of the republican party we're talking about, a rock-ribbed conservative in one of the nation's most-right states. when you think of mississippi, you're more likely to think of prison farms - with charlie patton singing the blues - than forgiveness. were i cnn or the washpost, i'd be sending a little squad of reporters, instead of trying to cover the thing from texas. there is a big story here, and many many little ones (the stories of the criminals and of their victims, etc.).