Sorry Joan, but I don't think that the burning issue of the day is whether or not Barry Bonds gets invited to the White House. In fact, I don't think that question even makes it into the top 1000 lukewarm issues on people's minds. It's right down there with John Edwards haircut and Hillary's hint of cleavage.

C'mon Joan and Salon, you can do better that this. What's next: will Batboy endorse Kucinich?

The disdain for Bonds predates the steroids issue and the approach to the record largely because of Bonds's behavior. He has repeatedly acted like a jerk to baseball fans, the ones who make it possible for him to be a professional baseball player.

That said, I agree with Walsh that Obama's answer was weak, and with the first poster that it's insignificant, though it is disappointing to see that kind of typical political reply from the generally refreshing Obama.

"Obama, do these pants make me look fat?"

Almost.

And if Michael Vick was white, heck, the Westminster Kennel Club would be honoring him for raising awareness of a breed. For God's sake ... you HAVE heard of Mark "Banished to Invisibility" McGwire, right? Bonds is an asshole; you are a Giants fan; you don't care. He is also a huge-headed steroid freak and his "record" is a sad joke. Black? Yeah. So freaking what?

Would it be ducking to say "He'll break the record long before the election"? I don't like the concept that a visit to the White House is now an expected step for any sports championship or individual record. "I'd go to a game and shake his hand" would be a good response. At a political debate, that's a throwaway question and deserves a throwaway answer.

Sorry Joan, I strongly disagree. With all the issues that plague our country, the issue of a baseball record does not deserve our precious attention. I don't think it should have even been asked. To me it was white America's "test" for the black candidate. Distasteful. I noticed that the media isn't highlighting Mr. Obama's strong answers and the cheers he received. Or how almost every other candidate up there were constantly repeating his strong answers. You're also not talking about all the boos and heckles Clinton received. Were we watching the same debate? To make matters worse, MSNBC's follow up coverage was almost entirely devoted to folks from Clinton's camp. It was so biased in favor of Clinton and unfair that I had to turn it off. This was not journalism.

Barack Obama can afford any more "fans" like you.

As for the "I'm a big fan" line -- no, sorry, but you're not going to attempt to fly that one past us. Because the proverbial actions speak louder than words.

Anyone can say they like Obama, sure, but your actions, and the actions of your online magazine, speak clearly otherwise. Frankly, Salon seems to be doing its best to undermine Obama -- under your helm.

You are the editor. And as such, you are in charge. You approve the stories. And as such, you have presided over the following...

• Numerous Camille Paglia attacks on Obama.

• Various blog posts by you denigrating Obama -- including this one

• Salon referring to Obama as "uppity" in a front-page article headline (which was later revised)

• "Hillary is from Mars, Obama is from Venus" -- that was the article where your writer suggested Obama was the "female" one in this showdown, and closed "May the best woman win"

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/07/12/obama_hillary

• "Barack Obama and the Springfield race riot" -- where your writer managed to attack Obama for choosing to announce his campaign in Springfield, Ill., which had racial problems decades ago

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/02/10/obama_springfield/index.html

• "Michelle Obama's sacrifice" -- where Salon writer Debra Dickerson assured us all that Michelle Obama had given up everything to be a toady to her husband

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/05/21/michelle_obama/

• "Colorblind" -- in which Debra Dickerson said that Barack Obama wasn't actually black

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/01/22/obama/index.html

• "Did Facebook give Obama a secret advantage?" -- Where you let Farhad Manjoo loose on Obama, to speculate as to his advantages with Facebook

http://www.salon.com/tech/machinist/blog/2007/06/06/obama_facebook/index.html

• "Sympathy for the devil: Leave Rev. Al alone!" -- in which Dickerson picked up rumor, and ran with it, saying that "unnamed Obama supporters attacked Al Sharpton"

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/03/19/al_sharpton/print.html

* * * * *

And these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. For another recap, check out "Salon's Campaign to Smear Barack Obama" at http://halfricanrevolution.blogspot.com/2007/02/salons-campaign-to-smear-barack-obama.html

No, Joan, here we are with another negative anti-Obama post from you. You keep slamming him, over and over, and yet you want us to think that you're approaching this election fairly, much less that you're a "fan?"

At this point, "I'm a fan of Obama" coming from you isn't even remotely plausible, given your track record.

Racist? I do recall when Hank Aaron was on track to beat Babe Ruth's record, there were plenty of naysayers, and it was clear at the time that much of it was racist, some of it explicit, though some was simply based on the Babe's hero status. Barry Bonds is one of the greatest hitters around - look at his intentional walks. He deserves great credit for his forthcoming record. I'm tired of the press poisoning this achievement.

Actually the Bond's question was huge. Baseball is America's sport, and the homerun record is the Holy Grail of sports accomplishments. Keith Olbermann, with his finger on the pulse of America, knows how important the homerun record is to the average American, and he knows that a candidate has to ace that question if he or she hopes to win the hearts of the people in America's heart land. Whatever your opinion of Bonds might be, you have to respect the record, and Bush is certain to invite Bonds to the White House once the record is broken. The homerun record question wasn't a left or right issues, but it is an issue that is dear to all patriotic Americans, and no one is going to get elected president unless he or she shows a respect for baseball and the homerun record. Obama, with his very foreign sounding name, is already in a difficult fight to prove that he is a true red, white, and blue, apple pie eating American, and his ducking the homerun record question will certainly not endear him more to those that vote strictly out patriotism (read Republicans, moderate Democrats, and right of center independents).

Obama missed a golden opportunity, that Keith Olbermann set up for him, to put the doubts spurred by his heritage to rest. Thankfully it is early in the election season, but Obama has got to get his Ps and Qs right about patriotic issues, if he hopes to have a chance during the caucuses and primaries.