Poll: Clinton and Giuliani Would Make Scariest Halloween Costumes

Once again, Senator Clinton leads in a poll. This time, she's the top choice when people are asked which major 2008 presidential candidate would make the scariest Halloween costume.

Thirty-seven percent in an Associated Press-Ipsos survey this month chose the New York senator, the front-runner among Democratic presidential contenders. Fourteen percent selected Mayor Giuliani, who leads Republicans in national polls. No other candidate exceeded 6%.

Mrs. Clinton was the choice of four in 10 men and one-third of women. While a predictable two-thirds of Republicans picked her, she also was the choice of 18% of Democrats. Among members of her own party, that made her second only to Mr. Giuliani as the scariest costume.

About one-third of independents, nearly half of whites and just over half of conservatives and white evangelicals selected her.

Mr. Giuliani was the choice of 17% of men and 12% of women. About one-fifth of minorities and city residents and one-quarter of Democrats also picked him.

While many conservatives have doubts about Mr. Giuliani's candidacy because of his moderate views on abortion and other social issues, only 6% of that group said they thought he would make the scariest costume. That is about the same number who chose Senator Obama, a Democrat of Illinois.

Mr. Giuliani was also picked by 10% of white evangelicals, another largely conservative group that has had doubts about his candidacy. The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,013 adults conducted from October 16–18. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

In other political news, John Edwards yesterday cast Mrs. Clinton and her ties to lobbyists as part of a corrupt Washington system that voters should reject in the presidential election.