in 2016 when the iowa caucuses were called for ted cruz it was about two hours later in the evening. as you talk to karl, this all depends on what the final tally is going to be. there is plenty of focus on that. the campaign has been trying to tamp down expectations, trying to do so throughout the day. that's a difficult task. the former president has been saying he's expecting a tremendous result. he's been talking about the polling numbers. he's got polling numbers across the country that is plus 50%. all of this comes out, the former president was just speaking in a caucus site in clive iowa not too far from here. spending an awful lot of time not mentioning his republican rivals but mentioning president joe biden. the supporters want this to end as quickly as they can to get onto the general. >> tell me who you see first at the bar xi need a name.
i rebought the equipment that biden gave them. now maybe the hostages but they are still there. the worst and most embarrassing day in the history of our country. we are not going to have any more days like that. it's not going to happen. so i would appreciate your vote. i think i deserve it. we had the greatest country. we were a great nation three years ago and today people are laughing at us. it's not going to happen. i just want to thank everybody. get out and vote. i will see you later. thank you very much. >> all right. former president donald trump delivering a closing argument in clive, iowa, a caucus site. we heard from trump and now let's check in with team desantis. some delusions at the headquarters in des moines. >> you will notice that the room behind us is empty right now. iowans as i speak to you are out caucusing right now to try to
let's check in with rich edson over at trump hq in des moines. >> good evening, jesse. the former president is heading to a campaign holding site, a caucus site before coming back to des moines to his watch party. the question has always been how much could the former president possibly win by? campaign aides are trying to tamp down expectations. they are saying we get out of here with a win and we will be happy with a win. look at the polling that has gone in across the country. he is up by more than 50%. some polls showing nationwide. there are major expectations surrounding the trump campaign as we are finally now voting in the 2024 cycle. the former president spent the day calling caucus captains and was trying to get supporters out to the polls and trying to get them to go to caucus sites and cast a vote for him. you talk to other supporters. he has a number of congressional supporters. congressman mike wallace jumped on early in the campaign.
own reporter at governor ron desantis' watch party in west des moines. you were at a caucus earlier. you've been moving around iowa. what's the mood like out there about this victory for donald trump? yes, i was at a caucus site earlier— yes, i was at a caucus site earlier today outside of des moines, _ earlier today outside of des moines, the capital city of low _ moines, the capital city of low i_ moines, the capital city of iowa. i was speaking with some of the _ iowa. i was speaking with some of the caucusgoers. i actually did end — of the caucusgoers. i actually did end up speaking to three first—time caucusgoers. all three — first—time caucusgoers. all three of— first—time caucusgoers. all three of them were donald trump supporters. they were there intending to caucus for donald trump — intending to caucus for donald trump. there was some interesting data coming into tonight— interesting data coming into tonight that showed that more than _ tonight that showed that more than 50% of first—time caucusgoers were going to be donald — caucusgoers were going to be donald trump supporters. that's exactly _ donald trump supporters. that's exactly a — donald trump supporters. that's exactly a hint of what we saw tonight _ exactly a hint of what we saw tonight. speaking with them, it tends _ tonight. speaking with them, it tends to— tonight. speaking with them, it tends to coalesce and vibe with what _ tends to coalesce and vibe with what we — tends to coalesce and vibe with what we saw in that exit—poll data — what we saw in that exit—poll data. people were worried about the state — data. people were worried about the state of the economy. one voter— the state of the economy. one voter told _ the state of the economy. one voter told me he knows exactly
iowa which is in along the mississippi river at one caucus site they are saying there is a line of cars a mile long. the parking lot is full. this is one sided. we will keep an eye on it. watching the twitter feed, president trump is on the move. he will go to a caucus site in all likelihood where we are in the morning in polk county. we will see where he ends up momentarily. let me get you back so i can show you something. this is really our best comparison. this is 2016. i know it was eight years ago. there were 10 candidates in that race 10 years ago. ted cruz was the winner by three points over donald trump and marco rubio came in a close third at 23%. where did rubio do well? that's an easy story to explain to the viewers. here in polk county in des moines they did well to the west and in dallas county rubio was the winter there as well. it's nikki haley targeting in
the campaigns can't do what they normally would be able to do between the blizzard and now this cold that is quite literally dangerous. iowans are not afraid of the cold by any stretch but this is a particularly different situation, and so they have to adjust their turnout organizations. in particular, the trump campaign calling precinct captains, does your vehicle have four wheel drive, we need you to pick up your neighbors and get them to the caucus site. it's a significant test of the ground game. also enthusiasm. you have to be excited to vote to leave your house when the windchills are down at negative 30 or negative 40 degrees. that's what it feels like here in iowa. so it's just pretty wild. but, you know, i got to tell you, you mentioned tat the top, this is a test of how dominant a front runner donald trump is. that's the right way to look at it. the thing that i love the most about covering campaign politics is that voters often surprise
much drop-off. >> bill: you have been doing this since 2012, ten, 12 years into this. >> that could be right. we started in the obama days. whenever that was. >> bill: is that a caucus site >> probably not. we need bigger spots than that. in urbandale of the 13 caucus locations. there is no place at the restaurant unless we took the whole building. >> bill: what is on their minds when they get together and what do they express? >> they express everything political. they are concerned about the current administration. they are concerned about the cold weather. it could be anything. >> bill: and kim, when you think about the turnout tonight, 187,000 was the high mark. do you think you get there or do you think you beat it? is >> probably not quite. we have the weather and the last time we had a lot more candidates. candidates turn out supporters.
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that are setting up tonight for this caucus. i have to tell you, martha, look, i talked to people here in iowa in the last couple days who say they will not make a decision until they come to their caucus site and get handed a ballot. that december you how important the last minute pitches are. everyone is on the campaign trail today. everyone by former. trump holding a public campaign event. he does have a large group of surrogates out across iowa including capitol hill republicans. now trump could make history tonight if he clinches more than 41% of the vote. he might be trying to make headlines by breaking 50% in an attempt to end the primary season early. although his campaign is trying to push back a little bit on those -- on that chatter about the 50%, trying to lower