B E B E R E

James Lileks got canvassed last night by another DNC volunteer:

Had another DNC canvasser the other night. Very young. She read from a piece of paper. She wanted my help to defeat Bush, and said that with only 55 days until the election it was clear that the Republicans would stop at nothing and we are out tonight to (squint, doublecheck word) encourage your support. Then she handed the board for me to sign.

“Why?” I asked.

She stared at me. “Tell me why I should vote for John Kerry,” I said.

“I’m - new at this? And I –“ she looked over her shoulder for the other canvasser. “I had some paper, but I gave it away.”

“Tell me what you believe,” I said. “Tell me what you feel in your head and heart about John Kerry.”

Whereupon she said that the War in Iraq was wrong and was “killing all those innocent soldiers,” and someone the other day said that if we didn’t elect him Bush would have another 9/11, but she didn’t know who said it.

“But tell me why I should vote for John Kerry,” I said. Gently, mind you. With a smile.

“I don’t know,” she said.

I said I would think about it; I thanked her for her time and closed the door.

***

Myself, I've yet to hear any convincing argument for Kerry. I've asked, too. Believe me, I have. If you can just give me a good reason or series of reasons why I should vote for him, I will take what you have to say under honest consideration. And I'm not talking "Republicans are Evil Money Grubbers who work for Big Oil." Or "Bush Lied, People Died." You claim to be so much more nuanced, intelligent, educated, better than the opposition - you can come up with better arguments. I want to hear them.