To see a video on this year’s political costumes, click here.
Witches, sexy nurses and pirates are historically common Halloween costumes.But this year, those get-ups are being replaced with Sarah Palins, Barack Obamas and Joe the Plumbers.With the presidential election a few days after Halloween, many people are using the opportunity to display their political beliefs through costumes.Jerry Harper, manager of Party Time on Airline Highway, said he has seen a rise in the sale of political masks this Halloween season. But Palin’s late nomination thwarted sales because mask makers didn’t have time to make her mask. “The Republican vice presidential nominee was a little too late for them to make up, but we’ve been getting a lot of calls for it though,” Harper said. Party Time offers masks of both the Republican and Democratic Presidential candidates and their wives. Harper said this year’s candidates have been a popular choice, but he thinks the best seller year after year is Bill Clinton. Ramee Honesto, manager of Spirit Halloween on Sherwood Forest, said she thinks the most popular costumes this Halloween have been characters from “The Dark Knight.” But she said that political masks have been the second most chosen at her store. Honesto said that Presidential candidate Barack Obama has definitely been the best seller among masks this year. “We have [Bill] Clinton, John McCain and Hillary Clinton [masks] left … but we sold out of Obama last week.” At last year’s annual Carlotta Street Party, political figures were scattered among the ghouls and goblins and sexy kittens that lined the street. Dick Cheney and Fidel Castro were even seen shaking hands for photographers on State Street. Lizzie Horner, psychology sophomore, is taking the chance to dress up as one of her favorite political figures, Palin.Horner said she chose to dress as Palin this year to show her support and to bring some fun to the usually serious topic of politics. “I absolutely adore her,” Horner said. “And I think that with Halloween being so close to the election, it will be nice to have some humor before things get too serious.”Many other female students considered portraying Palin this year but decided against it because of fears the costume would be overdone.  While not dressing up as an actual political figure, Thomas Chapman, political science sophomore, is portraying someone who has become almost as famous as the candidates — Joe the Plumber. While Horner is dressing as Palin to show her support, Chapman said his costume has nothing to do with his political views and affiliation. “I just think it’s hilarious that the guy became a national celebrity over night,” he said.Chapman said he plans on wearing a T-shirt and overalls with a plunger in his back pocket. He’s also going to tie a sign around his neck that says, “Don’t raise my taxes,” to display one the biggest debates among opposing candidates and voters during this election.   A friend of Chapman will accompany him this Halloween dressed up as the nickname often used to describe Palin, “Caribou Barbie.” Horner is wearing fake eyeglasses and a skirt suit and will wear her hair in Palin’s usual up-do. But Horner said the one thing she still needs to work on to perfect her Palin impression is her Alaskan accent. —-Contact Victoria Toups at [email protected]