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  • Tonight's debate was in Iowa,

  • because in just three weeks

  • they will cast the first vote 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, well, our own Jordan Klepper went on the road

  • to find out.

  • ♪ ♪

  • (amplified heartbeat)

  • 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! -Des Moines, Iowa, baby1

  • -Let's get this caucus goin'! -Boom!

  • It's (bleep) caucus time.

  • Yeah! It's (bleep) 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.

  • He shook my babies and kissed my hands.

  • -He was awesome! -Was it because he liked your babies,

  • or was he just testing if they were robots?

  • I was supporting Joe Biden.

  • I got a Christmas card from him and Jill.

  • -Oh, well, that's nice. -I got one from Tom Steyer, too.

  • -Oh. I didn't get one from him. -Oh, yeah,

  • -well, you just don't count. -Well. -Steyer's...

  • You hooked up with Booker over spring break?

  • Congrats.

  • It seems like any jackass

  • can get up close and personal with the candidates.

  • How have you... how have you enjoyed your time here in Idaho?

  • Uh, oh, um, maybe you're new at this,

  • -but we are in Iowa. -What did I say?

  • -You said Idaho. -I said I...

  • I've been a lot of places.

  • I was still learning and had one very important question.

  • Why is Iowa first?

  • Oh, God, I don't know.

  • Uh, we're not really sure why, and I think

  • a lot of other people are thinking the same thing.

  • But, um, just 'cause we always have been, maybe, or...?

  • -Is 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-I said it, right?

  • Yes, exactly.

  • Just because you called shotgun on democracy

  • doesn't mean you get to sit up front.

  • It gets... it is what it is, man.

  • All right, I needed some real Iowa background and a beer,

  • so I sat down with local columnist Lyz 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 thanks to Jimmy Carter

  • that Iowa became a "thing."

  • Yeah, so those-those poor little peanut farmers

  • who one day dreamed of being president,

  • they were like: Now there's a place I can go,

  • a place where there are farmers, but they're different me--

  • they farm corn-- maybe I should be president.

  • -And soy. -You can do soy as well.

  • Yeah. I mean, it's very... varied.

  • It's very diverse here.

  • That's what I've noticed.

  • No. It's actually not diverse.

  • -And that's the problem. -What's the problem?

  • Uh, with the caucuses-- we're not diverse.

  • In fact, Iowa is over 90% white.

  • So Julián Castro, Mike Bloomberg,

  • and even the famously hostile USA Today

  • say that Iowa doesn't reflect the country's demographics.

  • Just look at these whiteys

  • 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 as (bleep). -Isn't it, though?

  • You know, Iowa isn't known for its diversity,

  • but I really contend that Iowa's very diverse.

  • I like to think that Iowa has a good...

  • we represent the whole country, we're a melting pot.

  • It's-it's... it's 90% white.

  • -Right. -But it's...

  • but the ten percent that's not white

  • -is a hundred percent not white. -It is.

  • Iowa isn't the most diverse place.

  • Absolutely.

  • -Rural could be a minority? -Could be.

  • That's a real hot Iowa take.

  • You're gonna 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, 'cause you're being respectful.

  • Okay, I did, but it was two minutes ago,

  • -and I've forgotten it. -(laughs)

  • We try to be diverse.

  • And, uh, actually, Perry, Iowa,

  • like, has a huge Hispanic-Latino population.

  • -Like, where we are now... -You can see it in there, right?

  • -Yeah, you... well... -Well, not in...

  • Certainly, but... they-they...

  • not in the, maybe not in the people.

  • -In theory, it's definitely... -In theory, yes.

  • In theory. In practicality and reality, no.

  • -Right. -But theoretically, a hundred percent. 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 they're 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.

  • -I'm not even... -You don't want to go there?

  • -No, I will. I'll go there with you. -You want to go there?

  • -I'll go there with you. -Go there with me?

  • If you are... if you... if you are a... a state

  • -Uh-huh. -that has civil discourse

  • and is compassionate and open-minded,

  • obviously, we are diverse in our heart and by nature.

  • And I'm not doing that 'cause I'm all white privilege.

  • I'm saying that 'cause it's real.

  • Well, but diverse in your heart

  • is kind of a white privilege-y thing...

  • -It is a white privilege-y thing, too, but... -Yeah.

  • we think and we discuss and we say, "Well, wait a minute.

  • Is that best for all of us?"

  • I would say that civil discourse here in Idaho is alive and well.

  • -Okay, except we are in Iowa. -Did I... What...

  • -I keep doing that. -Yeah. I... Yeah.

  • -What did I say? -Idaho.

  • -Idaho. -Yeah.

  • And we are in Ida...

  • Iowa. Iowa Iowa.

  • Whatever. At least I'm not in Ohio.

  • (cheering, applause)

  • Jordan Klepper, everybody!

Tonight's debate was in Iowa,

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