The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Why Is the Iowa Caucus First?

Episode Date: January 16, 2024

Jordan Klepper heads to Iowa to gauge how Iowans feel about kicking off primary season and to figure out why Iowa gets first dibs on voting. Al Madrigal learns about Iowa's important position in the candidate selection process. And Ronny Chieng explains why the Iowa caucuses are important in the presidential election cycle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, the weekly show. It's going to be coming out every Thursday. So exciting. You'll be saying to yourself, TGID. Thank God it's Thursday. We're going to be talking about all the things that hopefully obsess you in the same way that they obsess me. The election. Economics. Earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. And I know that I listed that fourth, but in importance it's probably second. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday?

I mean, talk about innovative. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. Tonight's debate was in Iowa, because in just three weeks, they will cast the first votes in the Democratic primary, just like they do in every presidential election. And if you want to know what it feels like to be number one, while our own Jordan Clapper went on the road to find out. Last weekend I went to beautiful Balmy, Iowa to see how they feel about kicking off primary season. I cannot be more excited to be in the center of the universe right now. Center of the universe. Right here. Des Moines, Iowa, let's get this

caucus going. Boom. It's fucking caucus timey. It's fucking caucus time baby. The excitement for the Iowa caucus is like no other primary event and that's for one reason, access to the candidates. Andrew Yang came to my house. He was in my front yard. Heto my house. He was in my front yard. He shook my babies and kissed my hands. He was awesome. We take it very same. Was he because he liked your babies or are you just testing if they were robots?

I was supporting Joe Biden. I got a Christmas card from him and Jill. Oh, that's nice. I got one from, Stireflex. I met Corey Booker last year spring break. You hooked up with Booker over spring break? And I have the selfie video to prove it. Congrats. It seems like any jackass can get up close and personal with the candidates. How have you enjoyed your time here in Idaho? Oh, maybe you're new at this, but we are in Iowa. What did I say? You said Idaho.

I said, I've been at a lot of places. I was still learning and had one very important question. Why is Iowa first? Oh God, I don't know. We're not really sure why, and I think a lot of other people are thinking the same thing, but just because we always have been maybe or not really. Why do you guys get to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be too. too. I too. I too. I'm too. I their. I their. I their. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. th. th. thi. the. the. the. the. the. the. thean. thean. to. to. thea. I'm th. I'm th. I'm that a good enough reason? Not really. Why do you guys get to be first? Because it's written into our Constitution.

It's like, oh, I said it, right? Yes, exactly. Is this because you called Shotgun on Democracy? It doesn't mean you get to sit up front. Hey, guess what? It is what it is, man. All right. I needed some real Iowa back to background and a beer. So I sat down with local columnist Liz Lenz. How did Iowa become first? It happened in 1972 because of paperwork and then in 1976, Jimmy Carter came in, won the caucuses and showed that if you came to Iowa

you could grab the attention of the nation. So it was basically it thanks to Jimmy Carter that Iowa became a thing. Yeah so those poor little peanut farmers who one day to be in president they were like, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. It's their their their their their their. It's their. It's their. It's their. It's their. It's their. It's their. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. I I. I. I. I's. I's. I's. I's. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. their. their. their. their. their. I. their. their. their. their. their. I. their. I. I'm. I'm. I'm. their. the nation. So it was basically thanks to Jimmy Carter that I will became a thing. Yeah, so those poor little peanut farmers who one day dreamed to be president, they were like now there's a place I can go, a place where there are farmers, but they're different than me, they farm. Maybe I can be president. And soy. You guys do soy as well. Yeah, I mean, it's very, varied. thi I've noticed. It's actually not diverse. And that's the problem. What's the problem? With the caucuses.

We're not diverse. In fact, Iowa is over 90% white. So Julian Castro, Mike Bloomberg, and even the famously hostile USA Today say that Iowa doesn't reflect the country's demographics. Just look at these white-eys who qualified for tonight's debate. I'm sure the rational folks of Iowa would agree. There's been some criticism of Iowa going first in the nation. I think they're crazy.

You understand that there's a diversity issue. Right, but we're not giving up first place, just so you know. That's American and F. Isn't it, though? You know, Iowa isn't known for its diversity, but I really contend that Iowa is very diverse. I'd like to think that Iowa has a good, we represent the whole country who are melting pop. It's, it's, it's 90% white. Right.

But it's, but the 10% that's not white is 100% not white. It is. Highway isn't the most diverse place. Rural could be a minority? That's a real hot Iowa take. You're going to hear people say we're all white, we're old. I would never say that. Well, you probably do.

You just didn't tell me because you're being respectful. Okay, I did, but it was huge Hispanic Latino population, like where we are now. You can see it in there, right? Yeah, well, well, not in... Certainly, but... They, not in the, maybe not in the people. In theory, yes. In theory, yes.

In prairie, yes. In practicality, no. Right. But theoretically, 100 percent. 100%. It's almost, it's practically 50-50. Yeah. Okay, look, Iowa is actually really engaged, and they take this seriously, but they've had the opportunity of being first for over 40 years, and the rational people. So I'll ask one more time. Wouldn't our country benefit from kicking off primary season with a state that's a bit more representative? Okay, please don't go there with me? You don't want to go there with? I? the the the the the the the the the the the th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th? th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi? tho? tho? th. th. tho thoo tho thoo thoo th. tho. tho. tho tho. tho. tho. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. I th. I tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha tha thaaa thaa tha thaaaaaa tha. I tha. I'a. I' tha tha tha there with me. I'm not even You don't want to go there. I will. I'll go there with you. You want to go there with you? I'll go there with you?

Go there with me? If you are, if you are a state that has civil discourse and is compassionate and open-binded, obviously we are diverse in our heart and by nature, and I'm not doing that because I'm all that because it's real. Well, but diverse in your heart. It's kind of a white privilegey thing to say. It is a white privilegey thing too. But we think when we discuss and we say, well, women are there. Is that best for all of us? I would say. I would say the civil discourse here in Idaho is alive and well. Okay, except we are in Iowa. that I keep doing that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. that. that. that. that. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. What. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What. What? I. What. What. What? I. What. What? I. What? I. What. What? I. What? I. What. What? I. What? I. What? What? What. What? What? What? What? What. What? What. What. What? What? What. What. What? What. What. What. What? What. What th. What th. What th. What th. I th. I th. What th. I are in Iowa, Iowa, Iowa.

Whatever. At least I'm not in Ohio. John Stewart here. Unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, the weekly show. We're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio, on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast.

When it comes to presidential elections, nobody votes until Iowa votes. Iowans have earned this position. Uh, or not. Al Magical reports. With the 2016 presidential election a little more than a year away, candidates are getting their Iowa on, showing they're ready to be president by riding tractors, judging butter sculptures and joining incredibly non-threatening motorcycle gangs. Yet some think the state with 0.97% of our population shouldn't get this much attention.

Iowa should not be the first state to vote. Iowa's unrepresentative of the US. It has fewer minorities. It has highly agricultural base where we are largely in urban and suburban country. Iowa's concerns represent the concerns of normal Americans. What do I do with all this corn? I'm bored. Where can I deep fry this? Oh my god, I'm having chest pains. Most Americans don't wake up in the morning and worry about whether or not they're going to deep fry corn. Stop you right there. I'm a half Mexican man from an urban area and that's all I'm thinking about.

So you're wrong. It's Iowans down home know-how that makes them the right choice. Let me tell you something about the people in Iowa. They have homespun wisdom, small-town values. To say they have a monopoly on the wisdom or a monopoly on small-town values is to disregard the other 300 million people in the United States. What? I've had enough of your Iowa bashing for one day.

I'm going to Iowa right now. Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh, I'ma! Oh, I'ma! Oh, I way!

Oh, I'ma! Oh! Oh! Oh! The fiddles all the corn. Iowa, there isn't a group of people in America more qualified to pick the next leader of the free world than Iowans. Just ask Iowan, Stephen Schmidt. It's an honor. It's a it's a job. It's kind of a responsibility to be first in selecting or at least in voting for who we prefer for president. You're being very nonchalant.

Come on, don't bull shit me. You guys like being kingmakers, don't you? We like being first, because it's good for the economy. Oh, look, there's Ted Cruz. Hillary, Rick Santorum's here. It's interesting to see, for a political political scientist how people change their message. You love it, don't you?

I do love it. I headed out to meet the non-Jewish chosen ones to see their in-depth selection process up close. I'm headed out to meet the non-Jewish chosen ones to see their in-depth selection process up close. Oh, Queens of the Caucus, keepers of the corn, who will win the Democratic nomination for president in the next election? Hillary. I haven't seen the face I'll vote for.

I don't know how long it's been since Hillary has walked down among people. We're on the ground where the rest of us are. Ma'am, your convictions are as deep as everything on this table is Friday. Good day. Iowa is the perfect training ground to prepare our presidents for the world stage. How does a candidate react to the largest hog in the world, which is always at the state fair? Sure.

And how they react to the hog is possibly a reflection on how they're going to lead our armed forces. Or how they might react to meeting unusual international leaders that give them surprises, yes. Which of course is an extremely likely scenario. There should be some rotation of the states in the delegate selection process. Rotation would make a significant difference so that every state has an opportunity. So what states would you have us rotate to? Well, you know you might want to start in New York. And that was too Jewy. Right. Alabama then?

Not truy enough. New Mexico. New Mexico, Rick, really? I mean, we're going to have our candidates parade themselves around in front of some burnout hippie-fix in Santa Fe. But. And besides, although Iowa almost never picks candidates who win, what's the harm? Because Iowa is

first in the nation. There are certain issues that are highlighted that may not have national importance. Take ethanol for instance. Of course, wonderful ethanol. We're sure taxpayers pay six billion a year for a fuel source that environmentalists say is worse than gasoline, but they're wrong because Iowa says they're wrong, right? The ethanol lobby has a lot of power and a lot of money. Ethanol should not have such a significant importance in the issues facing our presidential campaigns. Yeah, don't talk about ethanol.

I'm crazy. Hey, you know, Rick, don't talk about ethanol, fucking crazy. Hey, you know, Rick, don't get us a blow to trouble over this interview. It's not worth it. You're coming here talking smack about ethanol. You're fucking. He's both fucking killed. But not before I enjoy my time in Iowa. Hey everybody, John Stewart here.

I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show, it's going to be coming out every Thursday. So exciting, you'll be saying to yourself, TGID, thank God it's Thursday, we're going to be talking about. All the things that hopefully obsess you in the same way that they obsess me. The election, economics, earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches and I know that I listed that fourth but in importance it's probably second. I know you have a listed that fourth, but in importance, it's probably second.

I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday? I mean, talk about innovative. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. As we were saying, the Iowa caucus is tonight. Both Democratic and Republican races are down to the wire. So this weekend, presidential candidates went all around the states to make their final appeal to voters. Well, except for Donald Trump, he just flew over the voters. That's a real video. That's what he did. And those people lost their shit? That's all it takes to get Trump's supporters excited.

In my opinion, if he's doing a flyby, at least do it in a spectacular way. You don't do it like Denzel would do it. You know what's funny? It would have been so great if he had just kept going and then like crashed into a school next door. And then Trump comes out from behind everyone, he's like, it was a decoy plane. And everyone would be like, yay! But but wait the school whatever yeah so full caucus results will be in tomorrow and here with more background on what we'll be seeing is Ronnie Chang everybody

thanks forever so everyone in America right now is obsessed with Iowa all right it's like the Kim Kardashian of states so I looked into it and it turns out Iowa is just like a Kardashian. There is no real reason for the obsession. It's just how things are. For months now, it's been 24 hours of this. The all-important Iowa caucuses. Iowa is very important. All eyes are on the Hawkeye state. And the 2016 candidates have been kissing Iowa's ass so hard at

so many campaign stops that by now they've deep-throated every fried food on a stick in existence which isn't just disgusting it's weird because Iowa is thiiwa's got six times more pigs than people Iowa is basically a giant farm that's 90% white people and most of them are friendly old baseball ghosts. Come on, an asshole. Pitch! So why are these politicians risking heart attacks and diarrhea to pander to these people? Maybe it's because the Iowa caucus is the single event where Democrats and Republicans

actually choose their final presidential nominees? No, that's bullshit. Although it would make sense before the attention Iowa gets, but no, I that- th th th th th th tho, I tho, I tho, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, that, come that, come that, come that, come that, come tho, come, come, come, come, come, come, come, come, come, come, come tho, come, come tho, come tho, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come thi, come that, come that, come that, come that, that, that, that, that, that, that, nominees. No, that's bullshit. Although it would make sense before the attention Iowa gets, but no, I totally made that up. Why people really care about Iowa is after all the months of polls and ads and debates and speculation and whatever this is. I know it's not dancing. The Iowa caucus is the first time in the whole election process that people actually go out and vote. Yeah, remember? Voting? Like the whole, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I tho, I tho, I tho, totally, totally, totally, I totally, I totally, I tho, I tho, I tho, I tho, I tho, in the whole election process that people actually go out and vote. Yeah, remember? Voting? Like the whole reason for all this in the first place?

So Iowa is special because it votes first, and it's first for a good reason. Studies show that people in Iowa have better judgment than average Americans due to Iowa's brains being 60% larger. I made that up too. Iowa goes first because it's something they started doing in the early 1970s. For perspective, that's when this was state of the art. Iowa hasn't updated how it runs the carcasses either. Which I guess is supposed to be part of the charm, but to me, it just looks ridiculous.

And that's coming from me, a grown man holding a tiny pig in a TV studio. Instead of regular voting, Republicans write their candidates' names on bits of paper, picking winners like President's Mike Huckabee, and Rick Santorum. And somehow, Iowa Democrats find a way to be even less organized. Look at these people. They're actually picking a president by shuffling around a gym until they find people who feel exactly the same way about abortion or private email servers as they do. But here's the secret about the Iowa caucuses. What really matters isn't who wins, it's who loses.

Someone can come in third and still end up president. But lower than that, and you pretty much have to go back home to your job as some loser senator or governor. So, in short, Trevor, the Iowa caucus is like an early round of survivor, except instead of being on a tropical island with attractive people, it's in a frozen wasteland with these guys. Ronnie, you're not in Iowa anymore. You don't have to eat that.

I can't stop eating fried butter. Oh, man. Thank you, Ronnie. You need to get that checked out. Ronnie, check everyone. Stop eating. We'll be right back. Stop eating, Ronnie. Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes. And stream full episodes any anytomorrow. Paramount Plus! This has been a Comedy Central podcast. John Stewart here. Unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show. We're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio, on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast.