If she had worn that outfit when she was running for president, she might have won the primary — and national politics would have been much more interesting.

Hillary Clinton stood on the sidewalk outside the Ironton City Center Monday evening, waving to the crowds. Actually, the part of Hillary was played by Jeff Smith, 11, of Coal Grove, who chose not a sleek business suit but a French maid’s outfit, complete with a highly padded bosom, to finish his Halloween costume.

“I don’t like the outfit he wore,” Smith’s mom, Ranee Noble, said. “I wanted him to get a suit and he wouldn’t wear it.”

Just down the street, a man in a Bill Clinton mask was passing out candy at Brown Funeral Chapel while Kennedy Freels, of Kitts Hill, waved at passersby in her Barack Obama mask.

Ironton’s annual Safe Trick or Treat, sponsored by the Ironton Lions Club and Ironton Rotary Club, brought hundreds of children and their parents into the downtown for an evening of amusement, treats and for some, prizes for a costume well done.

Three-year-old Shawna Bruce, of Andis, paraded through the city center in a hot pink print outfit with extra-long pink eyelashes fluttering on her face. There was the requisite string of pearls aroung her neck.

“She’s a pink go-go-girl,” her mom explained. Her brother, Luke, was a crypt master.

Two year-old Brae-Leigh Thomas, of Ironton, dressed as a clown, her orange jack-o-lantern candy carrier ready for action.

Ashley Friend, 4, of Coal Grove, was a lady bug for the evening.

While some of the younger kids opted to be fairies, ninjas and circus animals for the evening, 10-year-old Jacob Keeton, of Ironton, chose a mask that was big and green.

“He’s a goblin,” his dad, Kenneth Keeton, explained.

There were devils, and there were angels in Monday’s hours-long event, but Jessica Glanemann, of Coal Grove, couldn’t decide between the two. She came in an outfit that was exactly half devil and half angel.

Shelby Dalton, of Ironton, took prize for her box of crayons. Dalton stood in a plywood box painted to look like the familiar box of coloring utensils. Her head piece was a crayon top.

“Her dad, (Lacey Dalton) made it for her dance group last year and we borrowed it,” Shelby’s mom, Ginger Dalton, explained.

This was the 11th consecutive year Shelby has won an award at the Safe Trick or Treat. One year she was “I Dream of Jeannie,” another year she was a mermaid in a clam shell.

Little Landen Holbrook, of Ironton, may not be old enough to say what he was, but the sign on his little cage said it all: “Don’t feed the monkey,” it read. Bananas hung from the top of his cage while Landen the erstwhile monkey sat inside.

Brandon Burditt, 10, of Ironton, came dressed as Albert Einstein, while his brother, Dakota, 9, was horror character Chucky. Did Brandon feel maybe a bit more brainy, wearing that Einstein costume? Not really.

“I get straight As,” Brandon said. Not to be outdone, Dakota chimed in, “But I get straight 100s.”

Cory Rawlins came dressed as a gangster while brother, Cody was Elvis for the night. Is Cody a fan of The King?

“Sort of,” he said hesitantly. Mom, Lena Rawlins, was more emphatic: “Oh yeah,” she said.

Lions Club member Lou Pyles pinned contest numbers on little outfits and waited for the annual Halloween parade. In spite of the rain that dribbled here and there, Pyles said she was pleased with Safe Trick of Treat 2008.

“Even though it’s so cold, we have a lot of kids here. This is a good turnout,” she said.