On Tuesday evening, I found myself handing out campaign literature outside a polling place on a quiet corner in Queens. Voters were few and far between, so I chatted with the guy across from me. He was handing out fliers for an anti-choice, anti-gay rights Republican incumbent who had been in the State Senate for 38 years. I was urging voters to support the pro-choice Democratic challenger.

My new friend/opponent was a native of Queens, probably in his late 30s or early 40s, a union man and Bush/McCain supporter. He didn’t seem all that invested in the candidate he was volunteering for—but assured me he was bound to win. Curious and with nothing else to do, I peppered him with good-natured ...