Caressa Cameron, the newly crowned Miss America, isn’t the only one getting recognition from this weekend’s Las Vegas pageant. The “judge of the night” made headlines too — none other than conservative radio-talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

Since Saturday night, Limbaugh shocked Internet viewers with footage of him “dancing” and jumping to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” For those familiar with Limbaugh’s extreme views and conservative diatribes, the scene was absolutely bizarre.

Despite the distracting nature of this spectacle, many still wondered what exactly qualifies Limbaugh to be the judge of one of the country’s most prestigious beauty and scholarship contests.

The judges of the Miss America pageant are chosen based on expertise in various fields, according to an Associated Press interview with the pageant organizers. Though popular in the entertainment biz as he may be, was Limbaugh really the right person to be picking who should best represent our country with this prestigious title?

Yes, Miss America is a scholarship competition, one that requires a lifetime of primping and natural beauty to even be considered. However, the woman who secures this title is a national icon, right next to Miss USA.

Why then would the organizers choose a judge who has compared the presidency of Barack Obama to a Nazi regime, or implied that the U.S. shouldn’t donate money to Haiti? Whether intending to or not, Miss America organizers made a statement by putting Limbaugh on their panel.

Limbaugh represents everything that is wrong with America, and it’s not just because of his political stance — there are extreme liberals who also share that fatal flaw. With his radio show as a platform, Limbaugh uses shocking and offensive dialogue to shut down any policy of the Democratic Party, before the consequences of such action can even be properly considered.

It is polarizing figures like him who contribute to the very ignorance and lack of collaboration they usually condemn. Limbaugh and his counterparts fail to recognize that they are fighting a battle that will remain endless until they can swallow their own pride and dare to question the basis of their own opinions.

Though the task of judging the pageant is not a difficult one, it is one that should be reserved for people who uphold the values we want to instill in future generations, rather than people who have told a female radio listener, “you’re a blockhead…you’ve got tampons in your ears!”

The new Miss America seemed like a worthy candidate, a great singer and a smart woman. However, most of the finalists fit the bill — one doesn’t become Miss-insert-state-name-here without excelling in almost everything she tries. Hopefully future pageant organizers consider the importance of having a close-minded talk-show host on their panel, verses somebody who upholds the values that the Miss America pageant claims to promote.

Nicole is practicing Rush’s “Poker Face” moves. See how it’s going at ndgilber@asu.edu