Of course unlike their new partner in print, Salon.com has to eschew the detailed nude, clearly focused closeups of the butt of the moment.

Even without the more lurid aspects "In the end" it does not matter.

This article, it's reason for being, is the undeniable, uncontrollable desire for people to treat the butt as a fetish object, an object of pride, a identity focal point whose presence will not be denied, even if talk of it modified to meet a higher sense of decency.

I'm sure more articles like this are to follow; next one up will be on how

"Michelle's perfectly balanced butt cheeks"

Following that will be "Michelle standard-bearer for women with deep butt dimples."

Ultimately we'll get to the article that answer the question all Americans will be asking, but not out loud

"Obama personal drink shelf"

Each article will delve more deeply, be more concise and detailed.

To ensure no one can use the Salon articles on Michelle's butt as proof Salon is just another sensationalist media website we'll see, deep, pathos laden articles like "The Yin and Yang of Michelle's butt."

Salon will have the inevitable "does she or doesn't she" article re: Michelle and her butt (oh of course I'm referring to the practice of "anal bleaching". Check wikipedia.org if you don't know - it's hilarious and hard to believe people actually do that.)

Eventually "each cheek" will get its very own article.

The staff of Salon will hold a contest for readers to choose "cute" names for each cheek, and be surprised at the massive media coverage it gets, and as a result vault for a long while to the #1 spot for online news websites!!!

The stream of articles culminating sometime in 2012, will all lead to......

...."Barack's private POV" underneath her heels looking upward."

I honestly cannot fathom being this proud or ashamed of my butt, unless it were able to do acrobatic tricks or so limp and flabby it dragged behind me like two tails.

I also think this article shows how out of touch some women are in regards to what men like or don't like in women.

I don't think I'll ever understanding why her butt requires a long article in Salon.

I can only assume that having decided the #1 top spot in their chosen niche market is out of reach, Salon is going after the #1 top spot for media devoted to Women who got back. and with that, Big Butt magazine's #1 days are soon to end. LOL

I read this and thought what a nice way to take a Princeton and Havard grad down to the lowest common place.

Mrs. Obama is an acomplished person and deserves a little more respect than this banal tripe.

I'm usually open minded about most dumb stuff on Salon.com but this is an all time low!

My initial response to this article/essay was "this is offensive". I read a page of comments and saw almost all of them reflected my gut reaction (except for a few that were undoubtedly from men). Then I read the editor's picks and, surprise, surprise, almost all of those were in favor of the essay. I think the editor's picks should contain a representative number of responses to an article.

I didn't think the essay was funny, I thought it was whiney and irrelevant. I think Michelle Obama is tall, slender and beautiful (not to mention intelligent, articulate and warm). I am extremely proud that she is our first lady.

Ever heard of her? I thought not. All of you who think Ms. Kaplan's article is...well, whatever dumb things people have said about the article (I only skimmed - knowing exactly what the comments would be - Salon commenters are so predictable) should hear the story of the Hottentot Venus.

In the early 19th century, Sarah Baartman, a young, black, South African woman was paraded across Europe as a freak-show attraction. She was forced to display, among other things, her large buttocks for the amusement and ridicule of white Europeans. Sarah Baartman died a penniless prostitute at age 26. According to a BBC News article from 2002, Sarah Baartman has become an icon for South African women who still suffer abuse and exploitation.

Anyone who thinks Ms. Kaplan's article is just fluff and frivolity knows nothing. Knows nothing about the abuse and exploitation suffered by black women in this country and elsewhere. Knows that only very, very recently have we come to a place where we can look at Michelle Obama and say, there is a beautiful woman! Sarah Baartman was famous in her time because she was considered a freak, ugly. Isn't it wonderful that we can look at a woman like Michelle Obama and say - here is this woman of African descent (big butt and all) who we think is beautiful! And, even more important, not only do we see Michelle Obama's physical beauty, we see and appreciate everything she is: an intelligent, very capable professional, an equal partner in her marriage, a mother, sister, a sister, a daughter. Sarah Baartman was nothing but an object, an other to those who exploited her. From Sarah Baartman to Michelle Obama...amazing!

I am Black as well ..I guess according to Joan's ethics since a black woman is the author of this nonsense all is well on the range...

I expect more from Salon and other white liberal magazines they simply do not know how to handle this new reality a Black man who does not them to direct traffic....Truth is I expect more backlash from liberal whites than rednecks....Liberal whites have always had a legacy of contempt for those uppity coloreds...

That was a phenomenally good letter.

There are a lot of liberal whites who read this essay and have contempt for it. And tens of millions of liberal whites voted for President-elect Obama.

a "big" butt and a "fat" butt?? I am a white woman and even I know the difference! Unfortunately, I have a "fat" butt I would love it if I had a "big" butt like Michelle O or J Lo!!