Murphy sounded confident, noting that Kerry was “en fuego” recently. She assured the faithful that Kerry was steady in the polls, compared to a falling Dean.

Falling or not, the Dean campaign is never far off in the conversations among volunteers. It doesn’t help that Dean and Kerry both rent space in the same converted textile mill in Manchester.

But for supporters like Alton Buland, ’04, who spent the day canvassing, the choice of Kerry is clear.

“I like his experience,” he said. “Senator, war hero, prosecutor. He has an international perspective.”

Out on Manchester’s Beech Street, however, Kerry’s decorated service in Vietnam carried less weight with Roger A. Provencher.

“I’m a Vietnam veteran and that doesn’t play shit in my book,” he said.

Flanked by his small dog, Red, Provencher spoke with canvassers for twenty minutes on his door step, explaining his utter disillusionment with politics and politicians.

“I’m not impressed with any of them. I don’t want Kerry,” Provencher said. “I don’t want Mrs. Clinton…They lie and they cheat. How do you get beyond that?”

The last politician he liked was Jimmy Carter, he said.

Like many of the people who greeted canvassers, Provencher was “against the war absolutely,” and speculated that the invasion of Iraq was driven by natural resources, not necessity.

Elizabeth White of Harvard Street agreed with Provencher about Bush, claiming that she could not trust him because “he’s an oil dealer.”

On her front lawn, she spoke with canvassers about her new green jeep and her country, as a large American flag lapped against the side of her house. She said she supports Kerry, even if she is not completely committed to him. “

I keep wondering what are they going to say about him,” she said. “Did he attack some woman?”

The fear of political scandal and corruption resonated among registered Democrats in Manchester, who seized on accusations that the current administration is too proud and too corrupt. These voters may not know exactly which Democratic candidate to vote for, but they are galvanized against Bush.

Gilbert Girard summed up the frustration of many Democrats, “I know one thing. Bush is not getting in… not with this rate of unemployment.”