in south carolina, saying he's in it to win it, so showing no signs of a lack of confidence there as he approaches the official announcement, which would come about 35 minutes from now. that will come there in south carolina and we'll bring that to right now on msnbc saturday, you live. during the next hour, the we are live at iowa state candidates begin speaking in iowa. so let's go to ames, where we're university, site of the ames, iowa straw poll. it is the first major litmus joined by karen. good to see you. thanks for joining us. test on who the gop wants to >> great to be with you, alex. face off against president obama next november. >> i'm curious what the i'm alex witt as we hit high atmosphere is like, what kind of noon here on the east coast. buzz, what kind of excitement. and the iowa straw poll marks give me the feel of the air there. >> you know, one thing that is the first time republican voters will weigh in on the gop making this year very different presidential field. is people have no clue who is going to win this time. the candidate's speeches begin you know, one of the things when the next hour, starting with you talk about the pros here, rick santorum. they say that turnout is really >> lots of people saying they going to make a big difference. liked what they heard yesterday. if it's big, that probably helps so i'm -- i think we have a michele bachmann. little bit of the mo here. if it's small, that hems hopefully we can crack the top five.

there's a lot of people ahead of interestingly enough ron paul, because his supporter also be us. if we can crack the top five, here no matter what. that would be a great finish for it looks like a fairly big us. >> and mark murray is live for turnout and it looks like those ron paul supporters are very us in ames. another good day to you, mark. well organized. >> to what do you attribute the how high are the stakes today? larger number of people doing can you put it into perspective? well for michele bachmann? is it because she has done a >> the best way to look at this great job of energizing people? straw poll is a winnowing do you get a sense of an process. excitement building around her? with this ames straw poll does >> exactly. is if you end up following in if she does well today, it's the back half of this contest, truly going to be i think it's going to make it tough to because of the energy, my get the buzz, the excitement, understanding is she has a very the fund-raising needed to good network. it's inform natural through the sustain in this contest. churches and home school four years ago, sam brownback, network, but it's a new network. so she hasn't had the time to do the kansas governor, ended up finishing third. he dropped out two months later. the nuts and bolts, get people we saw the same thing in 1999 in the buses and make sure they're here. so i think it is a sign of when elizabeth dole was third and she dropped out of the enthusiasm. >> we have yet to mention tim raise. this is the best way to see this pawlenty. tell me what you think the as a winnowing process to narrow stakes are for him today.

down the field. >> well, this is really make or >> interestingly, i spoke break. i mean, if he does not do well, earlier with michael steele who said if we were a candidate, he and i don't know what that means, if it means a second would not drop out of the race, even if placing last in this place or strong third place finish, he has said, and i think race today. he's right, that he's going to do you think a candidate can have to reassess whether this realistically move forward after a disappointing showing in the whole exercise is worth it for straw poll? him. >> what about the sarah palin >> well, candidates can do factor? not on the ballot, refusing to whatever they want to do, but confirm whether or not she's money is the most important thing, to have a campaign going to put herself on the headquarters and air tv ads, to ballot, which would have to be soon. have a bus taking you from this bus tour that she's on, campaign stop to campaign stop. what is she up to? it all costs money and if that dries up, that's a big problem. >> she's up to a major you were talking about rick distraction is precisely what santorum. he had a disappointing she's up to. you know, you get the sense that fund-raising in the second she just doesn't want to close quarter, and it's hard to see how he can raise the amount of out any options. but you're right, those options money he did the last time around. are very soon going to be closed you need that money to sustain out for her. your campaign, to march ahead. >> okay. so that's really how i'm looking karen, good to see you and i can at this ames straw poll. tell it's getting loud there in the background. >> it is. somebody like tim pawlenty needs

a nice showing to get a little >> i can tell. thank you. bit of juice to convince people that hey, i'm still around and i as we continue our special can be a front running coverage of the iowa straw poll, candidate. >> give me the perspective here, former arkansas governor mike huckabee is getting ready to the calculation behind mitt rock out with some classic tunes. a festive day with what could be romney, newt gingrich, why a big push for one or more candidates. well i always worry about what's in the food didn't they compete in the straw poll? >> mitt romney won this straw poll four years ago. he's not competing because he found out he wasn't able to win the iowa caucuses, being a that i put on my children's plate. moderate to conservative that's why we use all-white meat, republican isn't good enough for this very conservative breading that is whole grain with omega-3 republican electorate. and no preservatives. so he made the calculation, it is my goal to make the highest quality, along with jon huntsman, they've best-tasting nugget on the market. i want consumers to go, been in new hampshire. "dang, that's a good nugget." they think that's a better place to be able to play. you mentioned newt gingrich. how'd you learn to do that? what'd you use? every project we finish comes with a story built-in. he just doesn't have the campaign money to make a big it's how our rough ideas become "you did that yourself?" showing here. he's supposed to show up to the grounds, he's going to be giving a speech and talking to peach so when we can save more outside. but he did not pay the amount of on the projects that let us fix, make, and do more... money it took to get a place in that just makes the stories even better.

here and get speaking time. >> that speaks volumes right more saving. more doing. there. that's the power of the home depot. thanks, mark. good to see you. and on the heels of mark, i'm add some style to your sink, with this moen banbury faucet for the new lower price of $79. joined by karen finney, and joe add some style to your sink, with this moen banbury faucet watkins. hello to the two of you. >> hello, alex. >> joe, sims you're right here, naturals from delicious, real ingredients i'll speak with you first. with no artificial flavors or preservatives. what are you looking for when naturals from purina cat chow. they announce the results around 6:00 this eving? share a better life. >> to see who the top three are. everybody expects lit be michele bachmann, tim pawlenty followed by ron paul. ron paul won the online balloting. that's what most are expecting to see happen. it will be interesting to see who is farther down the bottom. rick santorum was saying if he's fourth or fifth, the worst finish will hurt them. >> karen, who do you think has

the most to lose in today's straw poll? >> probably tim pawlenty. although it's interesting, his campaign has modified their spin in the last few days and this is part of the expectations game everybody is playing. they want to show progress and growth instead of -- there were some expectations that perhaps he would win. what that says to me is they're thinking we've got to get in the top three. so i think if they don't, i think they probably will, but if he's not in the top three, that will be a big surprise to a lot of people and i think it will be much more difficult for him to go on in terms of to what mark murray was saying making that argument to donors that he's a viable candidate. >> and joe, do these results in the straw poll, is there direct correlation with donors, do say

they you did okay in the ames straw poll, any history of that? >> in this cycle, remember, mitt romney won the straw poll in 2007 and lost the iowa caucuses. he's not actively participating this time, but he does the best in all the polling so far against president obama. so he's not participating this time. he's going to continue to raise lots of money. jon huntsman is going to raise lots of money. he has personal money and he has a lot of backers who are willing to give him money, despite his welcome back, everyone. i'm alex witt. lack of participation in the our coverage continues here on straw poll. msnbc saturday. so, again, for somebody like in just about an hour or so, we'll hear from rick santorum, michele bachmann, tim pawlenty one of the six republicans who doesn't do well at all if he doesn't come in the top three in campaigned ahead of today's vote. and joining us from ames right the showing? now, politics reporter jackie >> karen? kucinich. good to see you. >> to some degree we create the >> hey, how are you? significance of these events. >> well, thanks. if you're a republican donor and i hope you are too.

looking at the field, this time you're right there in the action of things. around we know those very who do you think is generating conservative, more tea party the most buzz? who do you see it as being? leaning activists in the republican party are going to have a lot of influence on the >> on the buzz factor, michele nominating process. so the point is, if the donor bachmann. her tent, from the very beginning at 10:00 this morning, sees that you can do well with the line was out of her tent. this specific electorate in the people signing up, lining up for straw poll, then you have a stronger argument to say look, meet sunday, which is something that is served here. i've shown i'm strong with the base. >> but karen, can i pick up on these events she's having are popular. that with regard to team obama. so she's getting a lot of the you talk about the significance. does team obama look at the ames buzz. now, who ends up winning the straw poll and go, okay, straw poll is something else whatever, we're really looking entirely. beyond this to caucuses and not what matters is who goes in there and votes for you. paying much attention, do they >> back it up for a second. think it's a blip on the radar? >> yeah. meat sundays, what is that? remember in 2008 one of the things that the obama team did >> i believe it's beef with very well with, they had a long-range game plan and stuck mashed potatoes, gravy, and they to it. that's part of the strategy you're seeing mitt romney employ put a cherry tomato on top, but this time. sure, they're going to look at the results of the straw poll it's made of meat. and say, okay, if somebody is i haven't tried one. a lot of people are eating them, weeded out and the field gets so they must be delicious.

smaller, great. but i think the other thing is >> i thought it was ice cream and then meat. they do know, and this is the significance. when you've got these republican let's move with texas governor candidates out there bashing the president and bashing his rick perry who made his run record, you got to have some kind of counter out there, and it doesn't necessarily need to official today in south carolina saying i'm in, and i'm in it to be the president this early on win it. in the process. that's what they're looking at. is he stealing some thunder from >> all right, guys, karen, joe, the republicans running in the many thanks. >> thank you. straw poll? >> i talked to mike huckabee in just under an hour, rick earlier today. he said the timing was strange. he said there are going to be people here in iowa who are perry is going to make it upset that he's trying to steal their thunder. official. christy hawpy is joining me now so yeah, i think there's a little bit of discomfort about on the phone. with a good morning to you, what he's doing. but it remains to be seen -- christy. he's coming here tomorrow. why south carolina? why not texas? so we'll see how people react to >> caller: he needs south carolina. him. south carolina is the third big i think there's a little bit of tension there. contest. it has a conservative -- the >> understandably so. fiscal conservatives, the social conservatives that are his base. jackie kucinich, thank you. you don't win the rest of it and i'm joined now by former dnc

without coming well in south communications director karen carolina. finney in washington. south carolina has picked the also here is joe watkins in the republican nominee for the past 30 years. >> that's interesting to note studio, former aide to president there, as well. does it say to you that he's george h.w. bush. very confident about texas? joe, we have rick perry making do you think his popularity in it official about 25 minutes or texas will deliver him those so from now. needed votes? if you were a republican >> yes. competing in iowa, would you be happy with perry right now? i don't think -- you know, he's >> i think that every candidate the home state boy, so that's has to stick to their own not going to be a challenge to knitting. him there. you have to stay focused on what he's the longest serving governor in texas. you're trying to do. he's won every election he's run rick perry is going to be a serious candidate for the in texas. presidency. >> okay. what about the tardiness of his all the polling data i've seen entry into this race, do you shows that he is. think he's at all concerned or so that is what it is. if you're in the iowa straw should he be concerned about picking up speed? polls, you petter concentrate on >> well, he hasn't been tested what you need to do to get on this big a stage yet, so that's always an adjustment. voters to vote for you. >> how about from the obama it's always much different. campaign perspective, karen, so we'll see how well he potential presidential run by rick perry, what does that mean performs if he stumbles. for them? i've known rick perry 20 years. >> i think it mean it is rick he's a very good political perry were to be the republican performer, he's very confident. nominee, it would define for he has a strong message, and it america a very sharp contrast.

will be all about four and in an election, that is one of the best things you can have. letters -- j-o-b-s. >> i'm just getting in my ear if you looked at perry's record that rick perry is telling and you look at where he stands voters, i'm running for president and i believe i'm on issues versus president going to win. obama, i think it will make it a certainly no shortage there of confidence. much easier choice for voters to you say you've been covering him for 20 years, so you know what support president obama. >> that means that karen doesn't he's all about. want mitt romney to win the knowing the way he runs a campaign and runs as an nomination. >> mitt, too. bring it on. executive, who do you think of the current candidates out there he could hurt the most? >> she's always confident, joe. you should know that by now. >> well, i think a lot of people with regard to what jackie feel like it will come down to kucinich was saying a short romney and perry. while ago with the meat i think michele bachmann has a lot of the same appeal but she doesn't have the experience that the other two can speak of in sundaes -- >> i'm hungry. private business and executive >> i'm asking you, joe, is this positions. and so i think he's going to be more of a gop pep rally when it the anti-romney. comes down to it than a test of so who he'll hurt the most is the republican candidates on their principles and their probably michele bachmann, but voting records? >> most people have principles, he'll also put romney much on but they like to eat.

defense. if you need them well, they will >> okay. i'm going to ask you a yes or no come, they will show up to your here as a result of a recent tent and eat your food and they poll. do you think that rick perry, will listen to what you have to who has already come in at 17% say. that's the same for the democrats and the republicans. without officially answering, do that's one of the realities of you think he could jump to be an politics. instant front-runner? that's why it's good to have >> i don't know about that. money to feed folks. i think people are still keeping their powder dry. >> is there also a likability they're still waiting to know a factor and generosity? little more about rick perry. >> it's who's got the better but he's dynamic, conservative, food. >> that's right, who has the better food matters in this contest. >> okay. and he's a confident guy at the time when the nation is looking for confidence. >> i just want to say in terms >> christy hoppe, we appreciate of presidential campaigning, it that. is that old school style >> thank you. politics. our live iowa straw poll we've seen some of those images coverage continues all day where people really do get to today. it's a big opportunity for the dark horses in this race, but engage with voters. and that's part of the primary could it hurt the well known contenders? process in general. that's ahead on msnbc, the place sure, this is a good pep rally for politics. for the gop, but it is a good i couldn't conceive this as a heart attack. opportunity for voters to confront these guys face to face and check out who had the better food. >> and this also translates to a

good fund-raising potential. if you win this thing, you can bring more money into your tent. >> potentially. on the one hand it shows number one, organizational skill, which is really an important key to the iowa caucuses. and secondly, it gives you the opportunity if you can do well with these voters to go back to your donors and say i can raise support from the core base of this party. that's why you should support me. >> okay. the doctor leaned over and said to me, "you just beat the widow-maker." i was put on an aspirin, and it's part of my regimen now. guys, thank you. this could be a pivotal day [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. go see your doctor now. for tim pawlenty, who has poured loads of his campaign cash into today's straw poll. >> the ames straw poll is going to have a lot to say about who the candidates going forward as president of the united states. we need you to come by, each for an hour or less.

>> we're joined now from ames, iowa. another good morning to you, andrew. tell me how much tim pawlenty has riding on this, tell me about his ames operation. >> yeah, it seems like there's that i put on my children's plate. more to lose than there is to that's why we use all-white meat, breading that is whole grain with omega-3 gain. if he doesn't have a strong and no preservatives. it is my goal to make the highest quality, showing, he's going to have a best-tasting nugget on the market. lot of trouble going forward in i want consumers to go, "dang, that's a good nugget." iowa. if he does win it, he still has to compete with michele bachmann and rick perry. and to describe the ames operation, the best way to describe it is free. they've been going around promoting the ames straw poll with free food, free music, free bus rides. they are trying to make this as convenient as possible for people to show up and vote for tim pawlenty today. >> it's a lot of money to put those free bus tickets out there and he's got some private cars that are dedicated to ferrying

voters back and forth from des moines to ames. is that true? that's got to cost a lot. >> yeah, yeah. the campaign is obviously remaining tight lipped about what exactly their transportation plans are. but going to his campaign stop, he's made it clear that he's trying to make it as convenient as possible. if people want to stay the day, they have that option. if people want to vote and don't want to partake in the fair-like atmosphere, they have that option available, as well. >> how energized are the pawlenty campaign staffers there and do you think they are creating a big buzz? i'm going to be honest, when i talk to people about the buzz, tim pawlenty's name has note been top of most people's minds. >> right, right. buzz is not a word you associate very much with tim pawlenty. but today, they're feeling good. they have more than 100 volunteers. one of his big advantages is

shared by michele bachmann, that he's from minnesota. a lot of supporters from there can make that short car ride down from minneapolis. but they're feeling good, wearing green shirts today. they're a very visible presence throughout the fair grounds. they have all their volunteers out wearing these green shirts presidential hopeful mitt romney may be the gop front and governor pawlenty just spoke runner in several polls but he's not in iowa today. saying he thinks it's going to be a good day, a lot of instead, the former massachusetts governor is movement. focused on new hampshire. but it is not the spectacle that last night he tried to explain michele bachmann has going on remarks that he made earlier in today, who has this indoor tent iowa about corporations being people. >> it's really astonishing to me with her bus parked outside. that the obama folks would try and argue that businesses aren't as soon as you walk in, though, people. what do they think they are? little men from mars? you see the tim pawlenty tent, so they have that going for them. and there's a lot of volunteers the businesses are comprised of out there. >> all wearing green, that's the color. people. thanks, andrew raferty, it's amazing that the democrats appreciate that. and president obama are locked the straw poll voting is in the 1960s, not to understand under way. the gop faithful take this very when they tax business, they tax people! seriously, setting the tone for businesses are comprised of the race ahead.

people. our live coverage continues after a short break. [ male announcer ] this...is the network -- >> we should note that romney won the straw poll four years ago. we're joined now from portsmouth, new hampshire. good day to you. >> hey, alex, how are you? >> seem great. i'm curious if you think the romney campaign continues to need to spin this latest episode, is there an element of frustration while having to do so? >> i don't think so, alex. they're vigorously defending this. they think they're on the right side of history with this. they're happy to have him paint himself as the pro business candidate and paint president a network of possibilities. obama as the anti-business in here, the planned combination candidate. they're sticking to the gun it of at&t and t-mobile would deliver is you work for a big our next generation mobile broadband experience corporation, if you get paid by them or have a 401(k), you're to 55 million more americans, part of a company. many in small towns and rural communities, so raising taxes on corporations giving them a new choice. would hurt you, too. we'll deliver better service, they're sticking to their guns. with thousands of new cell sites... >> romney won the straw poll for greater access to all the things you want, four years ago. whenever you want them. how do you think they think he's it's the at&t network...

going to hold up against the other contenders and how much do and what's possible in here is almost impossible to say. they care about where they place? >> they're obviously trying to keep expectations low. i think they would like to do well, obviously. romney spent a lot of money and time on the straw poll last go around and he won it, but ultimately lost the caucuses in iowa. their thinking is they would like to reverse that. they can spend more time in iowa later. >> speaking of money, the reports out there that romney himself is worth reportedly between $190 million and $250 million, or a quarter of a billion dollar it is you want to look at it that way. does that pose any challenge to the campaign to getting the average voter to relate to him or is that a message of inspiration to people? >> well, it may. we'll have to see how other candidates go after him. there was that moment in the

debate where governor tim pawlenty made a joke about mowing governor romney's yard but only one acre. we'll see if the other campaigns decide to go after him for that. but he's running as a candidate of business. and a candidate that can turn around the economy. >> okay. garrett haake, thank you so much. we're hearing some bold claims from congresswoman michele bachmann. the minnesota republican is among eight other gop hopefuls looking to unseat president obama, and she claims she's not only going to overturn his policies but turn the country around. >> as the nominee of the republican party, i will not rest until i elect 13 more titanium spined senators and turn the economy around, create

jobs and it won't take more than three months to get the whole shooting match up to speed. >> campaign embed jamie has covered her campaign and another good day to you, jamie. you heard her say a three-month turn around in the economy, a texas governor rick perry told voters in south carolina that he's in it to win it. he will officially make his repeal of the health care. announcement that he's throwing his hat into the race for the >> it's funny, because you gop nomination for the attend these events and you see presidency. that will happen right there at people very engaged, people that podium in about 15 minutes. shouting, rushing up to meet her. some questions as to why he's there's no question the there as opposed to texas, his congresswoman has a talent for connecting with people. home state, and that is perhaps because south carolina is a very she will grab someone's hand for important state, it's up very the duration of a conversation soon in terms of the caucuses with that person. and those votes and he's hoping to win that state. but then often i'll talk to a as he said, he's in it to win voter at the end of an event and it. we'll cover his announcement they will say i haven't decided live for you. yet. so the voters in iowa are very the iowa straw poll is a big moment for republican voters, but it's not on every committed but they're very contender's radar. careful and many of them as late

as yesterday told me that they jon huntsman has bypassed the hadn't made a decision yet. state completely and like mitt >> yeah. romney, spent friday in new as you talk about that, where hampshire. voters will be receptive to her, so how seriously is he taking the contest? she does have that real great one on one connection that she does with people. with a good morning to you, what do we have like 13 hours or so how much importance do you think her campaign is putting on the after the debate he goes talking to a gaggle of voters in results here? do you think she feels she's got concord. but he's not putting as much energy into iowa. to get number one and will? why is that? >> alex, he's not putting almost >> well, the campaigns told me they want to get number one, and any energy in iowa. he got here for the debate, did they've also said they recognize the iowa straw poll is an a quick visit and popped back to important gauge of campaign new hampshire. the campaign says he's not here organization, and it's, you because he does not agree with know, how much umph it has in ethanol subsidies. but the reality is the average its engine, and they're iowa conservative voter is cautiously optimistic. socially conservative, and jon michele bachmann got into the race in late june. she said she's at a disadvantage huntsman agrees with civil because of that, and she says, you know, there are other candidates that -- this is a unions and is quite moderate for the conservative voters here. reference to tim pawlenty -- that have been in for more than a year. >> okay. >> we also know that mitt romney

is there, which means he's jamie following michele bachmann, thanks so much. leveling at least some of his firepower and trying to keep up >> thank you, alex. in pace with mitt romney. we should add that michele he's also leveling criticism bachmann will be david gregory's guest on "meet the press" on that way while on the stump on nbc, live from iowa tomorrow. so check your local listings for new hampshire. does he think he has to stay on the times. the heels of romney to stay a president obama heads to iowa next week, but this morning contender, any sense of that? >> absolutely. in his online address, he is he needs to differentiate sounding the drum for change, calling for voters to pick up himself from the rest of the the phone and let congress know what they think. field in a way that appeals to new hampshire voters. >> if you refuse to settle for they have definitely been going politics where scoring points is against romney stronger and stronger. more important than solving we're seeing a crescendo in that problems, then let them know. regard. >> there are a lot of people, jo and maybe they'll get back to ling, who suggest that these two washington ready to compromise. men have a lot in common, that >> in 2008, winning the iowa caucuses helped propel president they both come from the state of utah, they are both mormons, they both have successful obama to the presidency. so where is sarah palin in all this? businesses, valued in the not far away at all. millions and millions of dollars. she happened to relaunch her one what is it that you see will

nation bus tour in iowa to talk about the sort of leadership we distinguish them apart one from need to move forward. but she has interesting timing. the other? >> the huntsman campaign wants her bus tour came to a halt in us to see the difference in the early july just as mitt romney foreign policy. he's been the ambassador to announced his presidential bid. china and singapore and a trade so is she in or not? representative. so we're looking at a different portfolio of government experience. i think that's what we can [ inaudible ] expect the huntsman campaign to continue to put out. >> you heard it. i talked to some voters here, still thinking about it. the donate button is still up on and they're looking at the foreign policy credentials. her site. >> jo ling kent, thank you for and our iowa straw poll coverage following things for us. continues with live reports from there's a lot of music there. ames throughout the afternoon. then coming up at 4:00 eastern, can you hear yourself think? a special edition of "andrea >> people are getting excited, the stands are getting full and mitchell reports" and following we're going to have the straw that, msnbc's chuck todd hosts a poll start pretty soon here. special edition o dailyontie toe >> jo ling, thanks so much. we'll be right back with more from iowa here on msnbc, the place for politics. gop camps set up in iowa, so can i have some ice cream, please ? keep it right here on msnbc saturday.

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our eyes right now are trained on the red state convention center in south carolina because about eight minutes from now if he runs on approaching 26 past the time, we'll see texas governor hour, want to give you a look at rick perry make it official. texas governor rick perry, who he's throwing his had into the was on a conference call from ring and announcing his candidacy for the gop nomination south carolina today to voters for the presidency. that said, about an hour ago, he declared that to south carolina voters on a conference call, during which time he talked about his foreign policy perspectives and said he would do a better job at creating jobs. he intends to go to washington to do his duty and he said "i full well believe that i am going to win the nomination." so that word coming from a conference call about an hour or so ago at his hotel in south carolina. but he must be right there behind that curtain. once he takes the podium, we'll

go there live. let's get a look at some other stories making headlines this hour. aruba police believe that robyn gardner is no longer alive. her travel companion reported her missing four days ago. the prosecutors are asking a judge to continue detaning him and police have searched his home in maryland. the search is on in eastern pakistan for an american contractor kidnapped from his home. police say between eight and ten people broke into his home and forced him to leave. kidnappings for ransom are common in pakistan, but most of those victims are pakistani. and casey anthony must come back to florida to serve probation for writing bad checks, or at least sign in there. anthony was acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter caylee in july. judge perry, who presided over the murder trial, claimed they

tried to use a clerical error to get her out of serving a probation period. that's going to do it for me this hour, chris jansing will pick up things here as the voting begins at the iowa straw poll and we'll be listening in to rick perry to make his announcement official. wake up with me tomorrow morning. i'll be looking for you at 8:00 a.m. eastern time. stay with us for live conference on msnbc, the place for politics.

good day to you. i'm chris jansing. we are going to be live all without the day in iowa and all around the country. but that's what we're watching, the republican field of dreams is coming closer into focus with the ames, iowa straw poll. the voting will close at 5:00 eastern time. this is the first major test for these candidates, and while this always has not been a predictor

of the eventual nominee, it can help winnow the field and point donors in one direction and away from others. any moment now in south carolina, meantime, the gop race will get even more crowded with texas governor rick perry joining the race for 2012. the latest u.s. today gallup poll shows perry running second to mitt romney, dropping michele bachmann to fourth. back at ames, we're about to hear from the candidates doing battle. mark murray is live in ames. mark, is rick perry stealing a little bit of the spotlight away from these straw poll contenders? >> he definitely is. you have a lot of the republican presidential contenders here in iowa. but the moment that rick perry said he was going to be announcing from south carolina today, and later heading to new hampshire was going to steal a little bit of that spotlight, he's able to get in the

newspapers the same day that whoever would be the eventual winner of the ames straw poll. so a smart move by him. then we move forward where rick perry, mitt romney, are some of the front-runners and probably whoever emerges the winner here makes them the top three republicans in the race. >> let's talk about the stakes here. as we said, the person who wins the straw poll doesn't necessarily even win the iowa caucuses, let alone the nomination. but it does give us an