While on the campaign trail for the 2004 Presidential election things were going great for Howard Dean. He appeared to be the front runner for the Democratic nod, was on a whirlwind tour of key battleground states and was thought to be the one who would go toe-to-toe against Bush for the Presidency.

Then the unthinkable happened. He turned looney.

He concluded an energetic speech with a resounding "HEAHUOWAAA!" The rest, as they say, is late-night talk show history. As it turns out, the American people aren't too keen on putting a stark raving madman in the Oval Office.

Could McCain suffer the same fate after his recent antics?

First, he jokingly answered a question about what should be done if Iran didn't cease it's nuclear program by singing "Bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys' song "Barbara Ann." Then, during an interview with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show, he made another joke(?) about buying Stewart an IED at a Baghdad gift shop to put on his desk. Then, as if those two things weren't bad enough, when asked about the backlash he's been receiving for his comments his response was that people should just "get a life."

Now, I'll admit that I'm not particularly offended by McCain's questionable comments. And I think that the reaction by the likes of Sen. John Murtha are overkill and blatant posturing. But what I've learned about McCain in the last couple of weeks has been a bit disturbing.

When I pull the lever for the candidate of my choosing next November I will have done so after heavy consideration. In addition to his or her position on the issues that are most important to me (the war in Iraq, the genocide in Sudan, extreme poverty, and finding those darn bees) I will also be taking into consideration a number of other things. One of those factors is whether or not the candidate appears dignified enough to represent you and I to the rest of the free world.

In order to accomplish this I don't ask much of a Presidential hopeful. I really only require the following:

1. Be clean shaven.
2. Speak with a certain eloquence.
3. Don't be socially awkward.
4. Don't have any questionable links to terrorist organizations, war profiteers or other corrupt organizations such as Enron or the NCAA.

(One out of four ain't too bad, eh Dub?)

And that's what troubles me about McCain's recent antics. I want my President to carry himself with a certain degree of dignity. I want him to handle such matters as war and the well-being of our troops with reverence and class. What I don't want is some smarmy senior member of the "old boys club" singing song parodies and making insensitive (not to mention, lame) jokes like some 8th grader doing man on the street interviews for the Tonight Show.

Pssst Senator. Your complete disconnect with dignity is showing.

Learn more about this author, ShaneBertou.
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