There are so many things I like about this candidate — where to begin! I think what really helped crack through my cynicism and get me motivated was his rhetoric. I know a lot of people speak dispassionately about how he is a lot of talk, but after years of fear-mongering and hatred, I appreciate a candidate who talks realistically about the challenges facing Americans today but poses the solutions in a positive frame/context. For the most part he just seems like a good guy with good judgment and a great support team, and given that there are not many differences among the Democratic candidates, the motivating factor for me was having a candidate who could help people see their commonality (i.e., American) instead of their divisions (e.g., Republican/Democrat, have/ have not, brown / black / white, etc., etc.). I also wanted someone with a much better hand on foreign policy (or at least a more moderate, reasoned lens), which I don’t see in the other candidates so much.

Whew that was long — that’s just the short version

Sounds like you had an interesting experience!

You write:

While I’ve campaigned and door-knocked for a variety of issues in the past, I’ve never really been moved to canvass for a presidential candidate. In my voting life, I haven’t really been enthusiastic about either party or its candidates, so while I always vote, I’m not always happy about my options. This election has been pleasantly different, so I brushed off my organizer skills and drove north.

Could you please share with us which presidential candidate you canvassed for and why he/she has helped motivate you to become politically active as an “ABD, Punju, Sikh”?