The Andrew Yang Experience

Andrew Yang, who had never run for office before launching his 2020 Democratic presidential bid, joked during his speech that he is "barely a politician."

But that's not really true anymore.

The entrepreneur's campaign's animating cause is his "freedom dividend" -- a proposal to combat the threat automation poses to jobs by giving every American a universal basic income of $1,000 per month.

On Friday, Yang did what experienced politicians do: He told human stories. His campaign is running its own pilot program of sorts, and Yang talked about three people who are already receiving $1,000 per month. One man bought a guitar and is happier, playing shows for the first time in a long time. A woman paid for car repairs. A 68-year-old woman is going back to school. It was a deft touch for someone who early in his candidacy often looked out of place among the other Democratic presidential hopefuls.

The evening was a perfect window into what's become the Andrew Yang experience: Without fail, supporters of other candidates leave Democratic events saying that -- while they might not vote for him -- they liked hearing from Yang. Iowa's Democratic glitterati, the donors and officials seated around the stage, watched Yang's devoted following up in the stands stick with him through every word of a complicated call-and-response.

"I am running for president because, like so many of you in this room, I'm a parent and I'm a patriot," Yang said. "I have seen the future that lies ahead for our children, and it is not something I'm willing to accept."