trying to generate as much excitement as possible for her on this weekend that all iowa democrats are really paying attention to politics. that's why they brought out not just president bill clinton but katy perry, to perform as well. >> axelrod: all right, so recent history reminds us that this dinner you're talking about is a big deal. why such a big deal? >> reporter: because if you think about it, there aren't that many times when you've got all the candidates from one party together on the same stage, aside from the debates. so tonight each candidate is going to have 15 minutes to make their best case before thousands of iowa democrats, and it was at this dinner, jim, in 2007, that then-senator barack obama delivered a real stem winder. he catapulted from a backbencher to a front-runner here in iowa, and we all know what happened next. >> axelrod: nancy cordes on the campaign trail for us in iowa. thank you so very much, nancy. g now to the migrant crisis where every day we are struck by stories of courage and desperation.