Behind the masks of candidates

By Molly McGonigle

With Halloween arriving tomorrow, I can't help but think about how the meaning of Halloween has changed as I have grown up, and how the holiday can be compared to America today.

When I was a kid, my mom would help me come up with a costume that would make my classmates envious. No matter what, I always felt prepared for the school parade, where kids with the most original and ridiculous costumes were rewarded.

But when the sun went down, Halloween became a nightmare. The fact that I couldn't identify anyone because of their costumes and the incessant goal of those masked figures to scare all the little kids terrified me.

I prefer knowing exactly what I'm walking into, and as a trick-or-treater, I never knew what to expect as I roamed the streets and tip-toed into haunted houses with everyone hiding behind masks.

I also notice some parallels between Halloween and the impending presidential election.

With last-minute decision-makers still trick-or-treating around until a candidate gives them exactly what they think they want, it's time for people to settle down and choose a candidate.

The masks that politicians wear make it difficult to decipher what these potential presidents would actually do if elected, much like kids disguising themselves in costumes.

But, if you remove the facades and the uncertainty, the main issues separating Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain become very distinguishable. We just have to look behind the masks.

Ever since presidential debates began to be televised when Kennedy was running against Nixon, candidates have become obsessed with how to physically present themselves to the American people. They hope that if Americans like what they see, they will automatically like the person and issues that are hiding behind the mask.

Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin has allegedly spent $150,000 on clothes, hair and makeup during the campaign.

Why? Palin projects herself as the "hot hockey mom" with a librarian twist in an attempt to identify with Americans. But, in light of the United States' serious economic struggles, no Average Joe is spending $150,000 on clothes. This forces us to ask, what is she hiding behind this expensive mask?

Tearing down the masks of our presidential hopefuls is scary because we need someone who is going to pull this country back together. You might find that the popular liberal Obama isn't for you, or that a 72-year-old McCain is just too old. Whoever you decide to vote for, leave the masks for Halloween this year, not the election.