Hillary Clinton is the clear front-runner in what may be one of the more revealing political polls of late: the presidential candidate who "would make the scariest Halloween costume." Clinton handily trounced the competition in this Associated Press/Ipsos survey, commanding 37 percent of the vote. Trailing behind her was Rudy Giuliani, with just 14 percent. (No other candidate brought in more than 6 percent.)

We could speculate about the obvious misogyny inherent in this -- that Clinton's power and over-50 visage are what people really find terrifying -- but what's more absurd is the very theme of the poll itself, which lamely tries to extrapolate a political position from a silly question. Wouldn't it be more relevant to ask respondents to identify the candidate with the scariest policies, or the most frightening agenda, rather than the one offering the scariest costume?

And what, exactly, would that costume look like? If it looks anything like these masks, then, yeah, it's kind of ghastly. But no more so than any other vinyl caricatures: Their creepiness is pretty interchangeable, no matter who they're supposed to represent.

If you're still looking for a Halloween costume idea, how about dressing up as the Obama Girl? Detailed instructions are available online, as is a how-to for a DIY Britney Spears ensemble (the helpful tips accompanying these instructions include "Avoid 'crazy Britney.' It's probably not the best idea to go trick-or-treating with a shaved head and a baseball bat"). If you'd rather go the pre-made route, there are many different versions of Britney available, including "stunning stewardess," "pop bride" and "flight attendant."

But the real costume of the year seems to be British soul singer and train wreck Amy Winehouse, whose Cleopatra eyeliner and towering bouffant beg to be parodied. With the addition of some Sharpie pen tattoos and a little fake blood, this get-up can be an edgy comment on current events that also brings some old-school Halloween flavor! Apparently, every last hipster in Brooklyn, N.Y., has taken up the challenge.