But the "uppity" headline has already been screen captured and posted. What the heck do you think you're doing using a term like that?

Oh yeah. Maybe we'd be better off nominating Hillary, thereby guaranteeing a Republican win of astronomical proportions.

white liberals like us black folks when we're all poor and oppressed. Then they can bestow largess and enlightenment on us and feel good about themselves.

But the moment we start stretching our wings...then we're uppity!

sheesh!

Okay, I want to know who Edward McClelland is - or more importantly, does he work for Hillary or for Edwards?

Truly one of the nastiest character assassinations I have ever seen. And I so agree with the posts about "uppity." Really, get a grip.

I am more determined than ever to try to help Obama - who, for my money, is a helluva lot LESS phony than Hillary or John Edwards - and probably smarter than either of them.

Nice hatchet job, Salon. I haven't subscribed for long - what is UP with you?

Mary Elynne (real name)

Sorry if someone has already burst this particular bubble.

A Rorschach test that illuminates more about what the reader carries around “race” than about history or etymology?

The reactive outrage expressed as, “Uppity! How dare you! Don’t you know what that means?” might more productively be channeled into a self-reflective, “Why does it mean so much to me?” Answer carefully.

-- J.C. Miller

The difference, my friend, is that a Rorschach test is a completely randomly generated image, crafted symmetrically to make it appear natural to the human mind. A word, by its very nature and purpose, is NOT random. It is there to convey meaning . There is another word, 'loaded', which when attatched to a word or phrase, indicates that there is significant and often controversial history attatched to the use of that word or phrase in a specific context.

If you want to dabble in pop psychology you'd be better off with 'Freudian Slip'

so what? he's the smartest person running for pres.

do americans want another dummy like bush?

maybe jeb bush waiting in the wings...

and obama was wise enough to be anti-war long before the other pols got it.

he ain't perfect, but he's the best one in the room...

are all these critics self-destructive perfectionists? wanna vote Nader again and see another repub. in the white house?

Yes, i have read the whole article and the smell of soft bigotry still lingers in its context...

Except for the dumb use of the loaded word "uppity" in the HEADLINE, not the article, it was an interesting look at a politician's growth. He got wiped out in the primary on the South Side because he wasn't being authentic, and because his race against Bobby Rush didn't have a theme except his ambition. But he has an inner well of creativity, and in the next years, he found it.

I think there's a lot of interesting moments of growth sketched out here. Obama is black, but he's not a race man. He's not hiding his race, and he's certainly not ashamed of it. I think that's the reason he's attracting a wide range of support, including a lot of white and fairly conservative support for a liberal politician, is because he points to a day when race will finally stop being the elephant in the room of American politics. In that way, in his effect on people, he's very akin to Tiger Woods.

Should we instead be debating the chances of Al Sharpton getting the Democratic presidential nomination rather than an articulate, intelligent individual who so far does not have any significant baggage?

Quite possibly, Obama may be the one candidate to facilitate some real change in this hopelessy screwed-up country. And no, Oprah didn't tell me to say this; I thought it up all by myself.

Just this morning on NPR, there was a short piece about how the media comments on Obama’s style, charisma, etc. and then says, “but what do we know about his positions? where are the details?” His response to the media? Something along the lines of “I’ve written two books. The details are there. You put a picture of me wearing a swimsuit on the cover of a magazine.”

So, thanks Salon, for being so very different from the rest of the media, so... original. Indeed.

Uppity? Jeeeeeeeesus Christ! Next you'll be saying he's not black. Oh, wait, you already did. I guess he'll be able to quote Salon next time he's pulled over for a DWB.

The Democrats lost the last election because their candidate was perceived as too patrician.

The question really is not whether Obama is "black" enough. I don't think blacks vote in large enough numbers to make a difference, if perceived "blackness" is indeed what those who vote would vote on. The question, really, is whether he is "white" enough -- in the right way. Kerry was too much -- not too white, but too stick-up-the-arse jutting-lower-jaw Boston Brahman.

Obama must be, in short, popular.

Democracy is a popularity contest. You don't need to fool all of the people some of the time, or some of the people all of the time. You only need to fool enough of the people who vote every once in a while.

Thus, the question: is he popular enough?

I've already sworn off renewing Salon. I did that with G.K.'s It's Christmastime, Get Over It, Eat Your Cookies and STFU.

I just went to Obama's web site, watched his speech, and donated $50, first time I've ever donated to any candidate. I urge you all to do the same. I read his books in December. How anyone can say he's all hype, no ideas, is beyond me. They're just idiots repeating the line du jour from the pressroom, I guess. Whatever. Salon, you suck. Keep publishing your pieces about My Day at the Porn Movie Company, your hate pieces against Obama, and other bits of pornography. You are irrelevant.