I think that aptitude, intelligence, and competence (as well as character) are definitely things that we need to be concerned with. And we also ought to be aware, at least, of how McCain was able to do the things he did (preferential treatment, like Bush received, as opposed to his own abilities and efforts). Just as we were right to be concerned with Bush's history of that period in his life - his record as a student, the way he got the advantages he had, his lack of competence, etc.)

Also, if a person's character is impulsive and they are a risk taker or a thrill seeker by nature, this is also something we would want to take into consideration when we decide who we want to be our next president. After all, he will have his finger on the nuclear button. His past history alone can't tell us that about him, but his past history combined with how he has lived his life since then can.