Our next first lady is bootiful, and beautiful. Me I'm an old hippie chick who will never in my lifetime see a long-haired, boots and moccasin first lady with tatts and piercings to represent me, but I am delighted with the image Michelle Obama projects. She is funny, unpretentious, outspoken, interestingly dressed and she had the sense to marry Barry. And yes she has a nice booty. Nice legs too, if you haven't noticed.

Go Michelle!

Again my forecast about white liberals has not changed of course I will keep an open mind during Obama's tenure but I do realize it is hard to change the culture of a group....

It is hard to change the ethos of a group of people overnight from my vantage point as a Black man I never observe that much of a difference between whites regardless of their politics when it came to racial issues.

My parents were called negro/colored/and a number of other names by many white liberals even after the civil rights movement...

I hope white liberals will mature and evolve..I really do...I will keep hope alive of course..

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Thank you! Did you see her legs in the picture of B. and she watching TV on election night? Alas, I am envious.

But, oops, must remember political correctness - shame on Michelle for daring to be attractive, shame on Erin Aubry Kaplan to find reason to celebrate the beauty of a woman who looks like her.

When oh when oh when will Salon readers grow up and get the hell over themselves? Actually, I hope not too soon - Salon readers comments have almost as much entertainment value for me as do William Kristol's NYT columns!

Why do you keep publishing this crap? Where is the article on John McCain's ass? How to trivialize yourself and waste good electrons. For Christ's sake show some class and have some standards beyond clicks. While we are at it, lets forget the favorite down home recipe, the comparisons to Jackie and Lady Bird and the fashion snarkiness articles too.

Articles like this one would matter less if Salon.com would balance their black "pop" cultural articles from the likes of Debra Dickerson, James Hannaham, et al with serious black intellectual discourse that is capable of dissecting the intersection of black culture with intelligent, societal analysis. It is interesting that with the advent of two stunningly intelligent black individuals to the seat of American power, we are left with an exegisis on the First Lady in waiting's posterior. Something tells me that the next four years are going to be interesting, not only for the self-congratulatory nonsense spouted by the liberal press at every turn, but also in shining a light into the self-defeating, shallowly written, "black like me" cottage industry supported by a cadre of black writers with little conscience and less intellect and a fawning, yet condescending, white liberal media. Kudos to the posters who thought this piece was insulting. (It was!) Perhaps, the spirit of Alain Locke can be revived after all. ;-)

You make such an important point, I think people need to be able to put Ms. Kaplan's article in a historial/cultural context to be able to see the serious issues underlying her supposedly shallow article. You wrote:

"Black women’s big butts have historically been sexualized and objectified to such a degree, that the roundness of a particular black woman’s derriere has defined what she is like as a person, her very essence—that big booty signifies promiscuity, loose morals, being low-class and stupid. (I'm not lying when I say that people thought the bigger the booty, the more likely it was the possessor of said abundance was considered to probably be from the projects.)

Michelle Obama’s big butt turns this stereotype on its head exactly because, not only is she none of those things (Harvard graduate, high-powered executive, wife and mother), she will be the FIRST LADY. The author is screaming loud from the rooftops: I’m black and I’m proud!"

Thank you, TRenee. My post on the "Hottentot Venus" also tried to put this issue into historical/cultural perspective.

I guess the bottom line is that this will be the most popularly dissected black family of all time. From end to end, and unlike the Huxtables this one is for real. A new aesthetic for many I'm sure. Black is back. Enjoy!

The Hottentot Venus. Ever heard of her? I thought not.

Yes, but in my letter on the first page of these letters I pointed out the the future First Lady is no Hottentot.

I am sure that if one were to meet her face to face, the feature one would immediately notice is that she is six feet tall, and that her butt, if one cared to examine it, is in proportion, especially considering that she has born children (presumably via the natural pelvis-stretching route).

I once had a girlfriend, a black woman who claimed she was 5ft. 11 1/2 inches tall (though she looked taller to me), and her butt, in terms of pure volume was larger than the average butt, but it wasn't out of proportion.

Much discussion here about black female butts versus their white counterparts. If anyone really wants to know the difference there is a TENDENCY for women of African descent to have butts that jut out aggressively on the top slope, whereas white women TEND to have butts that droop.

Wearing high heels tends to further exaggerate and promote the sexually aggressive butt.

That jutting African female butt was and is sexually alluring to men of all races,and this is presumably why the subject has been brought up here.

People of African descent also tend to have calves that are less developed than people of European descent, but that is much less interesting and prurient,and so less likely to be written about.

BRAVO THIS ARTICLE. No one could articulate, or even approach the subject other than a black women. There is of course humor in presenting what we must surely recognize represents a touchy subject matter. The point is represented in a way which addresses the topic minus snideness. Women and their booty's, something no male dare write about, and must always be cautious when,err, umm, discussing> Look face it, guys don't discuss womens forms, they either appraise, praise or perhaps joke, and if it's white about blacks-we all know where that goes. I've heard several blacks, both men and women joking about this very subject.

As a white, senior citizen male, I've been part of the movement that lead to our naiton making a long awaited for historic decision...Fact is, the man who is most qualified to lead our nation won his goal, got the job, the fact that he happens to be bi-racial-lot's of icing on the cake.

Knowing, never doubting for a minute this day would dawn sooner or later I can now say I feel a sense of pride in the majority of our nation. I am vehemently independent, and Johnny might at one time have earned my support. John lost that opportunity for many reasons, not the least of which he proved to be no unifier but another divider. Obama is, I am confident a true unifier. That he also has an attractive wife and family is another plus. That his partner is, OF COURSE, highly intelligent, and has, booty.

This old white guy will stick around as long as possible. One thing though, for this one shinning moment in our history as a nation I am deeply thankful and know that in the specific of the outcome in an election can now leave this life with the sue knowledge our nation is better than when I came into the world. For the first time, it is now possible to say to my non-caucasion friends and family that in our naiton, any THING is possible.

Thank you Aubry Kaplan-hope Michelle O sings the praises of your well considered article.