It seems like a long time ago that we were voting for George W. Bush based on the fact that “he’d be more fun to grab a beer with” than John Kerry (or Al Gore, for that matter). While the cast has changed, the major political parties’ choices for presidential candidates once again showcase how “in touch” they are with mainstream America. The Republicans’ choice of John McCain (who has been labeled a pug, if he were a dog) demonstrates a desire for a ferocious, rough-around-the-edges, straight-barking man in our country’s top position. He’s got attitude, he’s got grit and a whole lot of hands-on experience. Much like his predecessor, he’s a guy would rather tell a good story over an ice-cold Bud Light than discuss the latest computer gadget.

The Democrats, on the other hand, have chosen Barack Obama as their standard-bearer. Obama (a Great Dane, if he were reincarnated as a dog) is a cool, suave, intellectual who caters to the “techie” crowd. As a dog who knows how to blog, I consider myself relatively technologically advanced, but I’m no dog nerd - those pets who constantly check their dogbook and mydogspace profiles. All the Obama bandana-wearing poodles that I see at the dog park are a bit too uppity for my taste. They always have the newest technology gadget, but oftentimes lack old-fashioned values. While McCain has gotten a lot of flak for not understanding how to write an email, as an all-american pet, do I care whether my president can send an email? He probably wouldn’t send one to me, so why does it matter?

Dogs who sit at the coffee shop and read The New York Times while their owners sip on lattes and play with their new iPhones are not in my opinion, in touch with mainstream America.