Using previous alternate email as apple id

Well, I haven't figured out what was causing the problem, but did find a way to solve it:

1. Go to the my account page for your Apple ID Account and click "Change Account Information".
2. Change your email address from the one you want to use to any other address (to be safe, it's probably preferable to use one you can access, but it's not crucial, as long as you can remember it easily, because you're going to change it right back.
3. Once it confirms that it's changed it, go right back in and change it back to the one you started with.

This will essentially "clear" the previous verification for the address, eliminating the disconnect where itunes wants you to verify, but you can't, because all the other apple clients know that you already have. You'll get a fresh verification email, and (at least in my case) you'll be back in business.

For obvious security reasons, in order to change one's account Email, you need access to that account in the first place. If you don't have access to the email in question (and you can't login) then you are pretty much out of luck. The verification email will go to the new email address to confirm it.

In the past few days, Apple added a Google-like mechanism to allow you to access your account in the event of a problem with the primary email. Essentially it allows you to answer three security questions. If you don't or can't access those, then a backup email is provided (and verified) so they can help you recover your account.

But… these things must be done before you lose access.