Something about Martha Stewart

Something I always feel curious as a non-American pop media idiot. How exactly is Martha Stewart viewed? A victim or a criminal? A lifestyle specialist or a bitch?

So I take this question to my classmate Jenn and Becky: while we are discussing our proposals, I saw a student nearby reading "Martha Stewart Living" magazine. And the quesiton was provided.
What Jenn's opinion is generally positive: "You know what, that is really a good question. She can be really mean to people sometimes, (Me: yeah, like the way I saw on "The apprentice") but I will never consider her a criminal. Instead, because there are so many people who did worse than her, and she actually came up with the enterprise she has now... So some people even consider her as martyr, a scapegoat of the system, just caught up and recovered soon! Seeing her coming out of the situation, I will say, Go! Martha! Plus, the style she create reminds people the good old days... "

It is not very understandable for me to take all these. I guess, just as the fact that I don't get the way to balance how American appreciate the individual integrity but still consider the most advantage you can get the smartest. Manipulating strategies out of your chances, otherwise others may do the same sometime, seems always the major issue taught in the pop entrepreneurial context-- the practical characterisitcs of America...