Stories / Transcript

Profile: Door-to-door campaigning

November 28, 2003 from Day to Day

ALEX CHADWICK, host: I'm Alex Chadwick. This is DAY TO DAY.

TV studios and US politics merged again this week when MSNBC hosted the latest debate between Democratic candidates for the White House. In front of a national audience, the Democrats argued over Iraq, the deficit and who's best suited to replace President Bush.

Televised debates are only one way for politicians to take their platforms into people's homes. Producer Barrett Golding of the Hearing Voices radio project presents Montana state Senator Emily Swanson--she's now Emily Stonington--who led a more old-fashioned campaign.

(Soundbite of music)

State Senator EMILY SWANSON: Hello. I'm Emily Swanson. I'm one of your local politicians, and I'm out campaigning.

Unidentified Man #1: OK.

State Sen. SWANSON: Hello.

Unidentified Woman #1: Yes?

State Sen. SWANSON: I'm Emily Swanson. I'm one of your local politicians...

Unidentified Woman #1: Yes.

State Sen. SWANSON: ...and I'm out campaigning.

Unidentified Woman #1: Well, good for you.

(Soundbite of dog barking)

State Sen. SWANSON: Hi. Is anyone home? Where are your people?

(Soundbite of dog barking)

State Sen. SWANSON: Hello.

Unidentified Woman #2: Hi.

State Sen. SWANSON: Hi. I'm Emily Swanson. I'm one of your local politicians out campaigning. And I just wanted to introduce myself and ask for your vote.

Unidentified Woman #2: Yeah, I appreciate that.

State Sen. SWANSON: Yeah.

Unidentified Woman #2: Because this time of year I'm listening and I'm reading everything I can get ahold of.

State Sen. SWANSON: Good.

Unidentified Woman #2: I hate to think I go to the polls ignorant.

State Sen. SWANSON: I don't think voters are unintelligent, I just think they're busy. So what you end up doing is trying to fit your opinions and your ideas into a teeny fraction of time that people might be able to pay attention to. So it ends up being that 10-second soundbite.

Hello. I'm Emily Swanson. I'm one of your local politicians...

This is where the rubber meets the road, right here, you know? This is it. This is really what representative democracy is all about, is going to the individual voter and asking them to trust you with their vote.

OK, thanks.

I don't have a huge agenda, you know, I don't have the answers. I don't have things that I think, you know, our society is just going down the tubes because of the ...(unintelligible). I just like people and I like trying to figure out the problems that they're facing and put my best effort into being thoughtful, thinking of other people's viewpoints and deciding on what the common ground is.

(Soundbite of knocking)

State Sen. SWANSON: ...(Unintelligible) open door.

Unidentified Woman #3: Hello?

State Sen. SWANSON: Here's someone. Hello.

Unidentified Woman #3: What can I do you for?

State Sen. SWANSON: I'm Emily Swanson, one of your local politicians, and I'm out campaigning.

Unidentified Woman #3: Well, thank you for stopping in.

State Sen. SWANSON: Yes, I just wanted to introduce myself and ask for your vote.

Unidentified Woman #3: Thank you very much.

State Sen. SWANSON: Thank you.

Unidentified Woman #3: God bless you. You've got a beautiful day to do it.

State Sen. SWANSON: It's gorgeous. I know, it's a treat to be out.

Unidentified Woman #3: ...(Unintelligible)

State Sen. SWANSON: Thank you.

Unidentified Woman #3: That's very special of you. Thank you.

State Sen. SWANSON: Thanks.

(Soundbite of door closing)

CHADWICK: "Campaigning Door to Door"(ph) was produced by Barrett Golding. It comes to DAY TO DAY courtesy of the Hearing Voices radio project.

This is DAY TO DAY. I'm Alex Chadwick.