My day on the doors

I spent a few hours canvassing today in Bridgeport, CT for Barack. For Pickle readers who don’t know, my first job after college was as a door-to-door canvasser for Mark Warner in VA. Canvassing was always my favorite job on campaigns, and I bet I’ve knocked on about 12,000 doors in the last 6 or 7 years.

I like being outside. Walking from house to house can be very meditative. And I just like talking with people. It’s counterintuitive, but there’s no other job on a campaign – other than candidate – where you get to talk to voters all the time. Also, in a society as segregated and private as ours, it’s always eye-opening to spend some time in a community where I wouldn’t usually go. Today, for example, I canvassed in a poor, minority neighborhood.

There’s always a lot to say after a day of canvassing, but today I have two things worth passing along in particular:

First, the bad news. The systematic inequality in health status everywhere I have canvassed in this country is striking. Today, just as on other days when I’ve canvassed in a black neighborhood, a really high percentage of people who come to the door are in poor health. It’s very noticeable. Talk about two Americas. This is a great example of why canvassing is a worthwhile activity. It would make anyone stop and think - you can defend wealth inequality, but you can’t defend health inequality.

Second, the good news. At the second-to-last house I canvassed I talked to a 72 year old guy who didn’t want to tell me who he was voting for, but who said he was happy to see young people getting involved. I told him that Barack motivates and inspires me and many others.

He said “I’m proud of you.” No shit, he really said that. Complete stranger told me he’s proud of me. It’s stuff like that that makes me love canvassing.