Thanks, Salon. There's one smug non-black presidential candidate with no sense of history that we'll never have to worry about again.

Here are the two different versions of this story as they appear on the front page (at 9:25 EST, 11/07). Can you spot the very interesting difference?

"Today he drips with charisma and inspires fawning admiration from all quarters. But Obama began his journey as a smug young man with little political future."

"Today he drips with charisma and inspires fawning admiration from all quarters. But Obama began his journey as an uppity young man with little political future."

Uppity?! Wa-yall, suh, thass sho nuff gwine put all dat he not black nuff stuff back out deah in de back quawtuh.

(I mean, Great shit, you tin-eared goons.)

It is strange to me that a man who is obviously black as far as any white is concerned (and who certainly would have been treated as badly as any other "negro" under the one-drop rule of Jim Crow) would be condemned, even sotto vocce, by other black people simply because he refuses to... what, exactly? Talk using inner city slang? Play up to stereotypes of black victimhood? If that is what was expected of him by the black political community, then Obama was right to refuse. They were, in effect, asking him to predicate his first campaign upon committing long-term political suicide.

As for Obama's sense of entitlement, I'm not sure that this is the right word to use in characterizing a man who consistently earned the high honors which he has achieved. Yes, Obama went to Harvard. But where was the multi-millionaire father holding the door open for him? Could it be that he actually earned his way into one of the most prestigious universities in the country, then did really, really well there because he was simply a great student?

If Obama has loosened up, perhaps he has merely decided he has nothing left to prove to people who should have already figured it out.

Hm, y'all might want to get rid of the word "uppity" there on the front page.

I don't get it. How's this an Obama-bashing piece?

"Uppity" ain't exactly non-bashing.

Is your name really "anonymous"?

Well, there I was, thinking I was going to vote for Obama, because the guy's liberal, smart, charismatic, opposes the war, and always did, and inspires people.

But geez-o-man, after reading Salon, I realize that I can't vote for this loser.

After all, he's not really black, he's actually this "African African-American but not black because he's not the descendent of West African slaves" black, and he's out of touch with real "black" black culture and all, and well, he made his announcement to run for President and he didn't spend most of it telling us the 100-year old history of Springfield, Illinois' race riots, and well, you know, he's actually evolved as a politician, and wasn't nearly as good a speaker in the past as he is now, so what DOES that say about him?

Gee, thanks, Salon. What would we do without your constant barrage of pointless coverage of Obama that is all subtly designed to take him down a few pegs.

What's the deal, anyway. Joan, you got an inside track for a job in a Hillary Clinton administration?

On the home page tag line instead of "smug young man" you use "uppity". How can you even think of using that word and all the baggage that it carries? Really, shame on you.

Forgive my non-American ears for not understanding the context. What does "uppity" mean other than to be presumptiously arrogant?

Seriously. After three of these articles, I really can't help but start to question Salon's integrity...

What is wrong with you? Have you lived under a rock for the last 40 years?

UPPITTY????

How could you be so idiotic as to use that word?

"Smug" isn't much better, frankly. The whole article is a disgusting smear. Shame on you.

Salon, get the bug out of your butt vis a vis Obama.

And using the word uppity, well, all I can hope is that Debra Dickerson personally visits all of you and jackslaps the heck out of you, because referring to Barack Obama as "uppity" completes your anti-Obama hat trick...

I'm not a supporter of Obama, but "uppity"? Really? I mean, dayam, is is 1962 again?

After all, he's not really black, he's actually this "African African-American but not black because he's not the descendent of West African slaves" black, and he's out of touch with real "black" black culture and all, and well, he made his announcement to run for President and he didn't spend most of it telling us the 100-year old history of Springfield, Illinois' race riots, and well, you know, he's actually evolved as a politician, and wasn't nearly as good a speaker in the past as he is now, so what DOES that say about him?

Jeebus, get over your sensitive selves. You guys sound like Apple fanboys freaking out because someone dares to lay some factual critiques on Apple, Inc., its product line, or Steve Jobs. (For the record, I've been a Mac user since 1983, but I can't stand the fanboys.)

Sure, I had a problem with Dickerson's piece, but the article on the Springfield Race riot was actually pretty instructive to me and didn't in any way change my (very positive) impression of Obama. If anything, it helped educate me on some of my state capitol's history.

And this article on how he learned to be a natural is pretty good, in my opinion. I admire how he learned from his mistakes and quickly changed to become the rock start that he is now. How the hell is this a smear piece? I'm baffled.

I thought that term died long ago. Thanks to salon for re-invigorating an outdated ethnic slur. Great job!

Please write about something important. I'm so sick of hearing about Obama's skin, Obama's voice, Obama's charisma. My god. Am I the only one here interested in Obama's SUBSTANCE? Good God.