With political corruption making daily headlines, and with elected officials serving jail terms, we can't help but marvel at the fact that the word candidate derives from the root which means "to be shining white." White, of course, symbolizes purity.

The meaning of the root originated with an old Roman custom. When a man ran for public office in ancient Rome, he bought himself a toga which was a long, shining, white cloak.

With this garb, the candidate stood out in a crowd. The people noticed him and, because of his white garment, associated the candidate with "purity and goodness".