Humor is vital for a modern politician. Humor makes the candidate seem down to earth and is one of the fundamental ways a politician can connect with voters. If you can laugh with them, you think of them as real people. If they are funny, they are more likeable, and it leads to more votes.

But the kind of humor is important. Dark, attacking humor that tears down an opponent can backfire, leaving the voters to think of the politician as cruel and mean spirited. So most politicians will make fun of themselves to show that they have a sense of humor and that they don’t take themselves too seriously.

I ran across a few examples of this kind of humor today, and I think it is pretty effective in leaving you with a better feeling about the politician.

An example of President Bush’s humor:

“Dick Cheney is the best vice president this nation has ever had,” Bush frequently declares to enthusiastic applause on the campaign trail…. “My mother may not agree.”

Also from the above link, an example of Senator Edwards’ humor:

At last year’s Gridiron Dinner, the officially off-the-record swell affair where top officials poke fun at themselves for the amusement of Washington’s insiders, the freshman senator [John Edwards] displayed his own common touch when he objected to the claim that frivolous lawsuits never helped anyone by saying, “Yeah, tell that to my new house in Georgetown.”

An example of Vice President Cheney’s humor:

Somebody said to me the other day that Senator Edwards got picked for his good looks and charm. I said, “How do you think I got this job?”

I don’t have an example for Senator Kerry. I’m sure he also uses self-deprecating humor, but I just didn’t run across any examples. It is too effective of a tool for him to not be using it. Kerry has been a politician for a long time, and he knows how to campaign. I’m sure he does the same thing.