David Bernstein asks a reasonable question: Why is the racial makeup of the Libby jury (10 whites, 2 blacks) newsworthy?
But I think the question has a simple answer: the racism of the right wing makes it politically significant.
Recall how Ollie North’s supporters scoffed at his conviction by a mostly-black jury? “Not a jury of his peers” is one of the comments I remember. A conviction by a mostly-white jury will have more credibility than the alternative, precisely among those who still need to be convinced of the feckless viciousness of the Bush Administration.
Sad, yes, but true. So I think Totenberg was reporting a relevant fact.