Author takes democracy to the doorstep

by Tom Crann, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — By this time in the campaign season, you can recognize them in the neighborhood. They're usually pretty friendly but they can interrupt your dinner. And, they may be hesitant to take "no thanks" for an answer. They're doorknockers, promoting a cause or a candidate. Or, maybe they are the candidate.

That's what one political science professor hopes we see more of, candidates doing their own doorknocking.

James Read ran for office himself once, in Minnesota House District 14A back in 1992. He was a moderately blue candidate in a pretty red district. But, he came so close to winning, they had to have a recount. He did it by knocking on doors, one by one, with a goal of 50 a day. In the end he knocked on the doors of 7500 households and lost by only 98 votes.

Sixteen years later he's still a political science professor at College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. He's written about his campaign experiences in a new book called "Doorstep Democracy: Face-to-Face Politics in the Heartland."

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 10/30/2008, 6:20 p.m.