Hopefuls see naked truth

By CP

The age-old election tradition of pressing the flesh seems to be taking on a whole new meaning for some candidates going door to door.

In at least one riding, voter nudity overshadows ferocious dogs, slippery walks or long-winded residents as the greatest test of their composure.

"We are talking the full range of various states of undress and the more startling thing is we get people right down to starkers," said Ottawa Centre Liberal candidate Richard Mahoney.

A random survey of several campaign veterans suggests answering the door unclad is not uncommon.

"This is my fifth campaign and I've really seen it all," said Bob Mills, the Conservative incumbent in the Alberta riding of Red Deer.

Mills faced a fair bit of ribbing from his campaign team during the 2004 election for remaining oblivious to the attire of a woman who answered her door in a "thin, thin nightgown."

"It became the big joke of the whole campaign -- that I was so focused on the job that I probably wouldn't even notice if someone answered the door with nothing on," said Mills.

The doorstep oddities don't seem to stop with the unclothed.

Candidates also find themselves on the receiving end of awkward flirtations -- even asked out on dates. Just last week, Mahoney was invited into a home for "a relaxing lavender bath."

"Ohhhhhh yeah," Conservative incumbent Gerald Keddy said when asked if such encounters were frequent in his riding.

Mahoney estimates he has seen at least 50 voters so far this campaign bare more than just their thoughts about his party and his political rivals.

He admits it's sometimes a struggle to remain unflustered.

"I don't wish to be in any way ungrateful to all those who have bared themselves but mostly it's not a great experience for either of us," said Mahoney.

Mahoney's still trying to figure out exactly why some voters who were so obviously planning an uninterrupted evening at home even bother to answer the door.

"I'd love to attach that to the notion that they're just so interested in the federal election campaign, and to meet their local candidate, but I'm not sure it's that."