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I've had to deal with the "uppity negro" thing myself.

For those that don't know, the term dates back to slavery. Heaven forbid my ancestors didn't know their place, or they were castigated as "uppity" (and worse). Imagine being treated as if seeking dignity and respect was somehow out of line.

Karl Rove can imagine:

...former White House senior aide Karl Rove referred to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, as "coolly arrogant."

"Even if you never met him, you know this guy," Rove said, per Christianne Klein. "He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by."

Let's break it down.

First, you're using a country-club metaphor for a Black dude? Man, I caddied at my town's ritzy country club as a teenager, and I never saw a Black person who wasn't wearing one of the same caddy shirts I had on, or wasn't pushing a mop. There were only two Black people that anyone could recall even seeing play there - the coach and the GM of the Cleveland Cavaliers. When Tiger won his first Masters, it was doubtful that had he rolled up there as regular ol' Eldrick Woods, his Black ass would've been let near the first tee.

And a "martini and a cigarette"...did I miss Barack guest-starring Mad Men last season?

Second, I'm not sure why any reporter's valuing - or even printing - anything this cat has to say anymore. Rove set out with the Bushes aiming for a permanent Republican majority. Now, their brand is ruined for a generation, if not more:

One thing that may be more difficult for Rove is recovering his reputation as a master political strategist: While friends and admirers argue that Rove has received a bad rap for President Bush's political troubles, others in the party, especially on Capitol Hill, are pointing their fingers at Rove.

"Republicans say Rove is the architect," said one GOP insider on the Hill. "He's the architect of our demise."

Thirdly, for that reason, I'd laugh this off...if I knew America wasn't still susceptible to crap like this. But sadly, I know better. Folks seem to crave having guys like Rove insult their intelligence.

The GOP has been running shop like this for years; rather than playing on your fears of terrorism or radical Islam, he's playing on something much more primal and visceral for most of America: high school.

Only a few of us have ever been directly affected by terrorism. Almost all of us went to high school. And who doesn't know the iconic image of the snooty quarterback, looking down on you as you come out of AP Physics or arrive stag at the homecoming dance? This is who Barack Obama supposedly is, to Karl Rove.

Keep in mind we're not talking about someone running for class president. This is the level of rhetoric we've sunk to.

(We all can now imagine who Karl Rove was in high school. The man's 57 years old - you'd think he'd have gotten over his high-school insecurities. But he hasn't, and he's counting on the notion that you haven't, either.)

If the Republicans want to continue to mine fears for votes, by all means. It's a free country. But for heaven's sakes, can they at least be sophisticated about it?