tried to walk it back. >> so, mitt, obviously a lot of things going very well right here. >> there you go, sweetie. >> yesterday you were confident enough to tell your audience that you were going to win iowa. what do you see out there that you like? >> i don't think i quite said that but -- >> you said, i'm going to win this thing no other way. >> yeah, that's what i heard. yeah, sure. >> no, no, if all goes well i hope i become the nominee. >> joe and mika here with us today. closing in on romney, the man riding the momentum right now, rick santorum. >> mitt romney predicts he's going to win tonight. >> good for him. >> you feel you're going to win tonight? >> i feel very good about how things are going. >> and what about michele bachmann, she says no matter what's happening, she's not dropping out. >> we think a lot of people will be surprised. we think we'll see a miracle on tuesday night. and i believe in the one who sends miracles.

so i think we'll see a miracle. >> with just hours to go, what will drive voters to caucus tonight. >> i would say primarily the economy and getting people back to work, seeing people get back to work. and other than that, probably the character of the candidates. >> taxes are always a big issue. i appreciate fiscal conservativism. the other issue is a lot of the issues revolve around being a woman, you know, obviously i don't want anybody controlling what to do with my body. >> nbc special correspondent tom brokaw is watching the voter turnout and joins us today. the white house doesn't want to be left out. they don't want republicans to have the stage to themselves. president obama will address democrats caucusing tonight on his fight to win iowa next fall. >> good day, i'm andrea mitchell live in des moines at polk

convention center. at 8:00 eastern republicans will be gathering at schools, librarians, churches, in private homes, in 1700 precincts to caucus. we're joined by chris, finally here, caucus day. >> i'm excited. >> one of the most important factors that will lead people to caucuses tonight? >> well, you know, i think what you're seeing is you're seeing what i think will wind up seeing is mitt romney's organizational strength. now, he has not spent as much time as he spent in 2008 but he's the guy from restore future, the super pack supporting him, and his own spending. he's the guy, the establishment, organizational favorite. the question is, organization or momentum. as you mentioned in your oeming, rick santorum is without question the momentum candidate. i would say let's say michele bachmann gets 8 to 10%, newt gingrich gets 8%, 10%. a lot of that would be rick santorum. can he unify enough social

conservatives to counter what we know is a solid 20% to 25% establishment figures who are with romney. >> chris setting the table today. thanks so much. >> thank you. >> now to the romney campaign and this critical first in the nation test. with me now republican senator john thune of south dakota. he's been out campaigning with mitt romney. he's his wingman. he's been introducing him. you've been all over the state. great to be here. >> great to be with you. >> the momentum is with rick santorum. mitt romney and his campaign tried to lower expectations. then he said he's going to win. now he says he didn't mean here in iowa. he meant win the nomination. >> right. >> can you clarify? >> i think that is -- i think that is what he meant. i think that the romney campaign knows this is a long campaign. they're prepared for that. they have the resources and the organization to go the distance. but i think here in iowa, a win can be translated lots of different ways. i think a win for governor romney is a strong finish. whether that's in the one spot,

two spot or the three spot remains to be seen. but i would expect that rick santorum would do well. he's worked hard here and he has a following here. but based on the crowds' enthusiasm we've seen out on the trail, i think mitt romney will have a strong finish. >> mitt romney has campaigned here four, five years ago. he's been here in a physical presence ever since. he has physical presence, money, and how can rick santorum pass him and that it still be a mitt romney win? >> people are starting tom home, starting to choose, and a number of the other candidates in the race that looked like at one time might perform better have fallen back. that's opened a door for rick santorum. and i think that he is the kind of candidate that can do well in a state like iowa. given the fact he has been here, i mean, he's lived here. he's not going to have the luxury of doing that in other states. again, he's -- he's, as you said, momentum candidate. we feel really good about where governor romney is and how he

expects to finish this evening. it's going to be a strong finish which will pave the way for the next step in this process, which will be new hampshire and then south carolina. >> newt gingrich says he's now going to throw everything at romney that, first of all, called him out, called him a liar. what's your response to that? >> i think this is -- there's a lot of pressure late in the campaign. obviously, these candidates deal with and cope with it in different ways. what governor romney is trying to do is continue to focus on his message, the economy and jobs and his best position to deal with the challenges in and problems this country faces right now. and to talk about who's best positioned to win the election in november against president obama. that's been his message from the beginning. that's where he's going to continue to focus. >> if mitt romney comes out of there and is still at 23, 24, 25%, the same that he was four years ago, and if he can't break through that ceiling, why is he the best positioned to go up against barack obama? >> i think in the end, you know, you're talking about a field

right now that consists of six candidates. at some point that will narrow. people will have to choose. when they start thinking about the electability issue, what i heard iowa voters, people going to caucus here this evening, have been saying in the last few days, that's really starting to influence and shape their opinions about this race. they want somebody that can win in november and when voters start focusing on that, defeating barack obama is the ultimate goal here. they're starting to gravitate toward governor romney. that will continue. >> if he were to win the nomination, are you short list running mate? >> i doubt that. i'll be working in senate for south dakota. he'll have lots of options. will he make a good selection. he surrounds himself with really good people. it will be an administration run very much like a business, which is something we need right now in washington. >> something you wouldn't rule out, though? >> well, i thi i don't think it anything anybody rules out. but at the focus is put getting the nomination and that's where

he is putting his energy. >> senator thune, thank you. michele bachmann has collapsed in the polls behind the rest of the pack after winning the ames, iowa, straw poll. this morning i caught up with her and asked her about growing tension between her rivals. >> newt gingrich called mitt romney a liar. do you think -- do you think mitt romney's a liar? >> well, i want to call myself a victor. that's what i'm looking at. >> whether she he emerges a victor or not, she told me on monday she has defied expectations before and here's part of my conversation with bachmann on the road. >> nobody thought we could win the straw polls either. every time i run for congress, usually they show me in the polls losing by eight points and i'll end up winning by eight points. polls are one thing. iowa is different, the caucus system. you don't know who's going to come out. they go to each other's living

rooms or churches but we have going for us all the deposits we've made. no other candidate has gol gone to all 99 counties in the last two weeks. we did. when we went, we literally had thousands of people who came out and we saw a lot of people flip and make decisions. they're our best advertisement. they're out talking to family and coworkers and in their churches and we think we'll see a strong show of support on tuesday night. >> what did-f you don't, do you have a fallback plan? i mean, would you drop out? >> no, not at all. we bought our plane tickets for south carolina. we're on our way. we i think a lot of people will be surprised. we i think we'll see a miracle on tuesday night. i believe in the one who sends miracles so i think we'll see a miracle. >> do you think ron paul, given his position on iran, is qualified to be commander in chief? >> i think ron paul would be a dangerous president of the united states. and i do not think that he will be our nominee for a moment. because during the last debate it was the fox debate in sioux

city, i took it to ron paul on this issue of a nuclear iran. when that happened, it's almost like the eyes of iowans just opened wide and electric light switch turned on. the next morning we started our 99-county tour in iowa. the number one item that iowans talked to me about is the fact that we loved it how you took it to ron paul. we had no idea that ron paul was this dangerous or held these views. >> is he more dangerous on iran than barack obama in your view -- >> in my view he is, absolutely. i think he's to the left of barack obama. not on only on that issue, i think ron paul is to the left of barack obama on legalizing cocaine and heroin in this country. that's not mainstream for most american. he'll do nothing to protect life from conception till natural death. people have different views on the pro-life issue but a lot of people who are republican primary voters feel very strongly, they to want see the federal government protect human life. ron paul won't. >> what do you think about all the negative ads that have come from the super packs in this campaign season?

>> well, we've spent our time not on ads as much but actually being with iowans. again, being born and raised in iowa, i understand a little bit about how the process works and how independent-minded iowans are. my family was democrat when i grew up. we weren't overtly political but my parents were democrat, and i was a democrat until i was in college. and i had supported jimmy carter. i was young and our family always voted democrat. and then during the carter years, my eyes were opened. >> are you surprised by the santorum surge, so-called surge, in the polls? >> well, there's been a lot of surges. i won the straw poll and then we saw one surge after another. it's like each candidate has had a chance at the wheel. ultimately what counts is who actually gets voted for. polls are one thing but who gets the vote. there's only been one statewide race so far in this election, and that's the iowa straw poll. i'm the one that won the straw

poll, first woman to do so, so it shows women are willing to vote for a woman candidate. i'm the number one candidate of choice in the 18 to 29-year-old range, which i'm very thrilled with because kids in that range look beyond race, they look beyond gender. i'm just thrilled to have their support. and i think we're going to show a lot better than what people think. >> where do you see the connection to margaret tlacher? >> i love margaret tlach hatche. i'm a great admirer. i read her biography. i think she's a wonderful woman. we have a lot in common. we were both tax attorneys, she was a member of parliament, i was a member of the united states congress. she was very strong on foreign policy. and she was actually named the iron lady by the soviet union because they saw her as so strong. that's my area of real love and interest, which is national security, foreign policy, and that's where i think my strength is as well, because with all of the candidates in the race, there's only one that has current national security

experience and that's myself. >> what will drive voters to caucus tonight? the economy or social issues? nbc's tom brokaw joining us next. and still ahead, how team obama is trying to step on the republicans' message tonight. you can find up to the minute political news at msnbc's new website, nbcpolitics.com. an accident doesn't have to slow you down. with better car replacement available only with liberty mutual auto insurance, if your car's totaled, we give you the money for a car one model year newer. to learn more, visit us today. responsibility.

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iowan are immensely proud of their first in the nation. the rest of the country will be

watching to see how this election year kicks off. tom brokaw is with us. you've seen so many caucuses are different. this feels different. you were in perry, iowa. how are they affected by -- >> i've been talking to people in iowa. they are so fed up with robo calls. the phone kept ringing and they know it's a robo call. there's a delay. they're fed up with that. all we've seen saying is true. there's an absence of wild enthusiasm for any of the candidates. you'll find pockets but by and large, there's not a lot of excitement. i think that's in part because as you know i've been all over the country in the last couple years, talk to a lot of folks on the main streets of this country and they've pretty much given up on the idea that washington is going to help them very much. that's reflected in their absence of enthusiasm about these candidates who are promising to change the world for them.

doesn't mean they can't do that if they get into office. it's much more a case of show me first and then i'll decide later. >> you think that would drive voters to ron paul. let's throw them all out, angry at washington, even though he's a member of congress, he's -- >> if it weren't for his foreign policy. on the republican side, these are very strongly held beliefs that, first of all, israel is an important ally. we have iran hovering out there. ron -- i mean, senator santorum got traction when he teed up that issue this week. i think a lot of the blogs and radio talk people have been saying, president obama doesn't stand up for america. we need somebody to stand up for america. that goes as a basic instinct for a lot of the republican caucus goers. the people i saw in perry today, it resonated with them as an issue. that the president they think is a little wishy-washy on how he feels about america. it's not objectively the case.

but at the same time, they did respond to santorum. and i think if ron paul didn't have that hanging over him, he would be doing better. >> can rick perry surprise -- can he get past the debate stumbles, which were amazing gaffes. >> i don't know. i mean, that's why we have the caucuses. we'll find out. >> they are finally going to vote and we can stop prognostica prognosticating. >> every year i say, let's hear what they have to say. i think there is a pattern that all of these candidates who have surged up, when they've gone down they haven't been able to recover. michele bachmann, straw poll, newt gingrich reentsly, rick perry people made a decision and moved on. that's in part because there was a kind of, as i describe it, a flash love, you know, i like him now. and then the next morning you wake up and they say, oh, i have some real issues about him. i think so that that's been the case with rick perry.

i saw one of thinks guys last night. they said, we're feeling good about it, we're going on to south carolina. he has money. i gather that he's kind of got his act together a little more. it's tough to recover once you go on the decline. >> you've been all over the country. people ask me -- someone asked me a question last night, with the issues this large, the crisis this country faces so big, the lack of sacrifice, the lack of a greater vision, why do the candidates seem so small? you have the perspective going back -- we have had challenges before. were politicians larger or did they become larger once they became power -- >> in this part of the process you play to the people who can take to you the dance. sometimes those are narrowly cast. you're not looking for the vast universe. you're looking for enough of a constituency to get you out of iowa in a pretty good position, to get you through new hampshire, to get you through south carolina. it's the general election that begins to turn much more on these macro issues that we do need to engage.

the one recurring theme, republican and democrat, independent alike, people i've been talking to in iowa, however this turns out, we want these people to work together. that is the underlying consistent message that i get as i go across the country. and you don't hear a lot of that, surprisingly, from these candidates who are coming forward. there's no one who's saying, look, i know how to get the job done because i know how to reach across the table and get people to work on a common cause. no one's talking about that. they're all beating up on each other or on president obama. >> in fact, that is the one thing -- you've tapped into it. no one is saying, let's work together and compromise. everyone is tapping into anger rather than a larger purpose of solutions. >> yeah. and, frankly, the single most frustrating thing i find in the country, among people who are both politically active and are kind of just spectators in the process, why can't they work

together? as a result i -- here's a perfect example. i was in perry, iowa, this morning with a democrat, mayor of the city, and he said we'll have a city council meeting, we have tough budget issues because property taxes are down because values are down. we're not going to divide this up between republicans and democrats and independents. we're just going to get the job done. we know what we have to do. >> they do it at the local level. >> by the way, he said something interest. pretty republican community. the last four years, because times were tough, they voted for themselves an extra one cent in sales tax in the community of perry. and then they financed a community college. they got some matching money, obviously, but they dug deep into the working class pockets to establish a community college. that's not unique to perry. that's going on across the country. they say to me and to others and to each other, if we can do it here, why can't they do it in washington? that's the central question of this campaign. >> that may come up tonight as well. the tom brokaw, thank you. >> great to be with you again,

andrea. >> indeed. what's more important -- most important in iowa? likability or elect act or perhaps local taxes? first, iowa caucus trivia. since 1976 only three republicans have won the iowa caucus and gone on to win the party's nomination. who are they? the answer when we return live from des moines. we know a place where tossing and turning have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep.

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msnbc is the place tore politics. candidate are making their final push ahead of tonight's republican caucuses. you see newt gingrich speaking live in burlington, iowa, at this moment. in the politico briefing today, with so many caucus goers so undecided, will iowans vote for an ideological soul mate or the best challenger for president obama? political in chief live in des

moines. which way do you think they'll go? >> that's one of the divides in the republican party. you are ideological voters, and establishment voters will be gravitating toward electable candidate. ideological voters are voting for the person. at the moment it seems like rick santorum has the window to capture those people who most resonates with where they are ideologically and culturally. you know, this is a culturally, as we all know, a culturally conservative republican electorate historically in iowa. i think santorum has a pretty good chance to ride that wave. you know, he's had great timing. >> john, the timing is great for santorum, but can he sustain? does he have organization, money, all the things you need to go on past new hampshire and into south carolina, which might be a more comfortable fit? >> by the traditional yard sticks of politics, the answer to that is clearly no. so what he would need to do is play by nontraditional rules. i do think a lot of factors in

politics, largely technology, make that possible for somebody to gain momentum quickly. without a lot of the traditional advantages. money would flow to him if he becomes the primary conservative alternative to romney. he could quickly build the in a infrastructure he needs. >> john harris, politico briefing. we'll be following all it tonight. >> we'll be glued to it tonight. up next, president obama's iowa strategy with democratic chair debbie wasserman schultz. only three republicans have won the iowa caucus and gone on to win the party's nomination since 1976? the answers, gerald ford, bob dole and george w. bush. why do we have aflac... aflac... and major medical? major medical, boyyyy! [ beatboxing ] ♪ i help pay the doctor ♪ ain't that enough for you? ♪ there are things major medical doesn't do.

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mauck make sure iowa is a red state again in 2012. we want to win the battle which means defeating barack obama. >> florida congresswoman debber wasserman schultz chairs democratic committee and matt straun is chair of the republican committee. first to you, matt, there's been some very big projections out there for the turnout tonight. the governor, terry branstad is talking about 140 sthou peop,00 coming. that's a big turnout. >> 119,000 three years ago. we've seen a resurgence with republicans, 33 months of straight registration gains,

largest straw vote. i wouldn't be surprised to see if we set a new record. >> the crowds have been small. there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of enthusiasm for almost any of these candidates. >> i had a chance to get to four different events yesterday. the iowans i ran into were engaged, enthusiastic. they're definitely going to turn out. >> debbie, the president is the man that everybody's taking target practice at metaphorically here. he's going to be addressing caucus goers on democratic side trying to maintain some presence. obviously, key swing state you want to capture next time around. what is he going to say? his video tonight? >> the president's going to talk about, it's a live stream. he's going to be appearing live in several caucus sites. he's going to talk about where we've been and how far we've come. knowing we have a long way to go, he's taken us from bleeding

750,000 jobs a month due to failed republican policies of the past, bringing us to the precipice of economic disaster and 22 straight months of private sector job growth, a little more than 3 million jobs created. you know, you mentioned in your questioning of matt about the enthusiasm. there is really a clear lack of enthusiasm on the republican side. a lackluster field that, you know, most ar dent supporters can't even get their hearts around, even steve king, my colleague from this state, this morning on -- >> conservative republican, member of congress. >> right. who has not been able to find his way clear to support any of the candidates. i mean, if you can't appeal to the base -- the passionate base of the republican party, the tea party base, which steve king represents, then clearly there is not a lot of enthusiasm for mitt romney or any of the republicans running. there is tremendous enthusiasm for barack obama. we made 350,000 phone calls into iowa. we have eight offices open

statewide. after tomorrow, we're going to shoot out of this state like a cannon and propel barack obama through iowa to victory on november 6th. >> i've talked to amy cramer, tea party express, other tea party activists who say they have not endorsed. i think one of the problems is, they like ron paul's economic message. they don't like his foreign policy. each of the candidates has some drawback that is not getting that kind of support to coalesce. >> i think it's fascinating. i mean, iowa is the ee petmy of the problem barack obama has going into the general election. one of ten iowa democrats have fled the president's own party since 2009. when you see someone like ron paul whose message is focused on the debt, when you see those independents making a decision to register as republicans, they're doing so as an indictment of the spending we've seen out of washington. iowa's going to be one of six or seven states that will swing the election next november. the fact people are leaving the president's own party tells me just how competitive iowa is going to be and just how

frustrated people are with the leadership they were promised four years ago tonight by president, then senator obama in the iowa kuk cusses. >> has something changed in iowa? we notice it. you have $17 million spent on ads, newt gingrich calling mitt romney a liar. people calling each other out. it seems as though iowa nice has been transformed into a more typical primary state. >> you know, it's been unfortunate. i think iowa is the first frontier in what is a new world we're living in post new world citizens super pack and we'll see that during the course of the general election not just with republican primary -- republican candidates but with the president's re-election campaign, super packs and outsourcing attacks. unfortunately, it's going to be the new norm going into the general election. >> have we lost our innocence? >> i hope not. >> debbie wasserman schultz, thank you both very much. >> thank you. >> from the president's campaign, matt strong, iowa republican party. have you a big job tonight. thanks for hosting us here.

and the republican candidates have conducted more than 900 events in iowa, meeting with thousands of voters. how is it possible more than 40% say they're undecided or could still change their mind? >> i just don't think we have an extremely strong candidate we can fully endorse at this point. i can't anyway. >> there's not one that stands out above the rest. there's a bunch -- several i like. if you could combine several of them. >> they make me nervous. to be honest, you just have to just believe that whoever gets in office, that their intentions are for the people and not just for themselves and everything will work out. >> with us from java joe's, "morning joe's" joe scarborough and mika. you had mitt romney. >> it was fascinating. last night mitt romney stepped out of his comfort zone and predicted he was going to win the iowa caucus. surprised a lot of people

because that's not really the way mitt usually plays. he's usually very cautious. he made that prediction this morning. he pulled back a little bit and said, hey, i'm not so sure i'm going to predict that but i'm going to predict we'll do very well. i think most scenarios you see will help romney pr if mitt wins, that's great for him. if ron paul or rick santorum wins. obviously, the romney camp very excited about those prospects, too, as long as they're in second. >> andrea, iowa could bring out three faces instead of one if there isn't a really decisive winner. and i'm saying, i have to say, it i don't see people so discouraged here in iowa as much as i do in other places in the president. so, iowa could be good still at this case for obama. it's not -- debbie wasserman schultz doing a great show on our show this morning and yours pitching for him. we got him here this morning, i was surprised, half the crowd, still in with the president.

>> this is part of the exchange between you guys and mitt romney today on that prediction that he tried to walk back. >> i think i'll be among the top group. i don't know whether it's one, two, or three but all three of us will get a good sendoff going into new hampshire, and south carolina, florida. that's a long road. >> it's a long road. newt gingrich will try toik mayor your road longer. yesterday he came out, he threw down the gauntlet said, i raised $9 million this past quarter, i'm going to spend it all on mitt romney. how do you respond to those attacks, if they come? >> oh, that's just fine. that's the nature of a campaign. i expect people to come after me. if i do well here, i'll have a target painted on me. so, i expect folks to come after me. fy can't stand up to that, i shouldn't be the nominee. >> at this stage, he is trying to, you know, juggle all these things and avoid making a mistake. a pretty cautious -- almost a rope-a-dope strategy from romney. joe? >> i think so, but again, this

is a state obviously that left mitt romney bitterly disappointed four years ago because the romney campaign then didn't manage expectations well. this time, remember, andrea, two, three weeks ago, they were even thinking about staying away, but they saw an opening. there's no doubt about it, if mitt romney does well tonight, does very well if he wins. i think goes into new hampshire, obviously he'll be more likely to have a big win there as well. it puts him in great shape going down south to south carolina, where mitt had a lot of problems four years ago. if you look at his 12, 13 lowest results, worst results from the 2008 campaign, they were all in the deep south. so, two big wins. one in iowa and one in new hampshire could really help him out going down to south carolina, which really seems to be this year the super bowl

for -- >> don't sound so excited. see, that's the field. see how bored he sounds. >> i'm not bored! i'm very excited. >> that's bored. >> no. i think, mika, you're maybe glossy things over for the president a little bit too much. >> andrea, you saw the voters you led into us with. that's a little scary on caucus day. we have a five-term republican congressman in iowa who can't make a decision on what candidate he's going to go with. >> because they're all so good, andrea. >> that's a little scary. >> well, steve king, congressman you referred to, was on your show today, is appearing with bachmann and some of the others today. clearly, waiting because there are problems. i was just talking to matt about that. there are drawbacks with all of these candidates. no one has the whole package put together. by the way, i caught up with ann romney today before one of her husband's events, which was poorly attended, by the way. more media there than supporters almost. i asked her about how she does a good job of humanizing him.

you know that so well. and she really says that she's going to be able to help convey, she and the sons, the mitt romney they knew who does seem to have a problem connecting with voters. you see him one-on-one. you'll see him again tomorrow morning on your show. he doesn't really communicate one-on-one with voters. what you see behind the scenes. joe? >> a couple things. ann is a great story, first of all. she should be more out in front, it would help mitt. mitt would be better, don't you think, joe, if the other candidates were stronger? isn't there just a problem from it going downhill from him? >> the thing is, though, we have to remember, andrea, i know you remember this like we do as well, when rick perry came into the race in the middle of the summer, we heard everybody say that perry was going to pull ahead. he did. he went way ahead of mitt. and everybody said that mitt romney's campaign was in big trouble. he took on rick perry. ended up on top.

the same thing happened when herman cain went ahead of him, when michele bachmann went ahead of him. finally, when newt gingrich went ahead of him. every challenge of this campaign it's faced, they faced it down. now rick santorum has a possibility of beating him as well tonight. i think there's a reason why mitt romney looked more calm and collected this morning than any of us have seen him over the past four or five years. he's supremely confident he's going to win tonight, that he's going to win next week and that he's going to win this nomination. i think that may help him out as a candidate. i will say, though, there's no doubt. anybody like you, mika and me that have met ann romney and met those boys, understand they are great people. >> yeah. >> actually, they're a bit more relaxed in one-on-one situations than the guy running for president. but you get them all together, and he is -- >> they're a fantastic family. >> relaxed, down to earth guy. >> i know you'll have mitt

romney back on tomorrow, win or lose -- win, lose or draw, tomorrow "morning joe," mitt romney and the show every weekday 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. eastern only on msnbc. joe scarborough and mika brzezinski. up next, rocking the caucus "andrea mitchell reports" live from des moines. [ female announcer ] instantly smooth wrinkles with a shot? wait a second... with olay challenge that. new regenerist wrinkle revolution... relaxes the look of wrinkles instantly, and the look of deep wrinkles in 14 days. ready, set, smooth... regenerist. from olay. the calcium they take because they don't take it with food. switch to citracal maximum plus d. it's the only calcium supplement that can be taken with or without food. that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum. it's all about absorption. the two trains and a bus rider. the "i'll sleep when it's done" academic.

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hi, coming up on "news nation" newt gingrich slams mitt romney calling him a liar. gingrich is fuming over the millions romney super pack spent on attacking him. we'll take a look at the supreme court ruling led to the super pack is having on iowa and the overall prnl race. plus, "newsweek" andrea romano joins us to look at his inside machine on obama's re-election machine. the president will hold a live

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andrea mitchell is having audio difficults in iowa so we will trudge on andy will speak with chris alyssa to find out what stories will make headlines in the next 24 hours. i guess it will be, i don't know, the iowa caucus winner. what do you think? >> nice pinch hitting and you are right, yes. this is a huge moment for political nerds like myself. you spend years waiting for days like today. we talked about it and written about it and talked about it again. yes, we are going to have a winner. see who comes in second. iowa doesn't pick the nominee.

if rick santorum comes in second maybe rick santorum is the story out of iowa. you don't know how these things play. who doesn't finish in the top three. if newt gingrich is fourth or fifth or michele bachmann is sixth, there is going to be questions about how and whether they should carry on. >> does it widdle the field down and narrow the selection? it seems in this landscape that most everybody will likely stay in. they have no reason to leave. >> i think if bachmann is in a distant sixth place, she is not going to win in new hampshire and south carolina, it depends who wins. she will probably not winning there or in florida. you can stay in the race for as long as you like. it's a question of quality of candidate life. if you see no path forward, that

might be michele bachmann if she finishes a distant sixth. >> my bet is we will be talking about this in the next 24 hours. i think we have the audio issues fixed with you in iowa. hi, andrea. >> thanks, tom. thanks to you. the younger voters flocking to the polls and the same enthusiasm is harder to defined. three of the candidates attended a rock the caucus event to make a pitch to students in a high school gym. >> does anyone know the name kelly clarkson? recently she endorsed me a couple of weeks ago. >> you have to be involved as citizens and read those blogs and read the news wires. you have to have an understands of what's going on in the count rye. >> i urge all of you to come out to the caucuses. tonight is your night to weigh

in and make a difference. >> heather smith is president of rock the vote, an organization dedicated to the engagement of young people. you were there in the middle of that excitement. the fact is kids are engaged, but we don't see enthusiasm for candidates. ron paul seems to have more young people following than anyone else. >> he got quite a response at a rock the caucus event. at value high school and high schools across the state. we held mock caucuses and candidate forums. >> high school students can vote if they're 18. >> for they are 18 by november. we had over 800 eligible students in one gymnasium. the candidates came and made their pitch. the young people were quite interested and excited to meet the candidates in person. hear what they have to say about what they will do for young

americans. ron paul got the largest applause. he has a big youth following. >> a big youth following, but they are young people from out of state who are not eligible to vote at caucuses and some too young to vote. >> i would say all the candidates are well received by these students. they are voting for the first time in their lives. some my go to the democratic or republican caucuses, but it's a special day. they can really make a different. in 2008, it was the youth vote that put huckabee and obama over the edge in the iowa caucuses. i look forward to seeing what they do tonight. >> young people as turned off as the older voters are by the negative ads and borage of advertising in general. >> i think they are more put off by politics in general. frustrated that the pace of

change and they feel like the issues are trumped by that of corporate interests. you are seeing young people instead of just being mad, starting to take the reigns and do something about it. they are starting to bubble up. whether that's the occupy protests which we have seen around des moines over the past few days to what's happening on college campuses and rallies. i think that will translate into political participation as well. >> rock the vote. thank you very much. the whole point is get them engaged and voeing. it's their future. >> absolutely. >> that are does it for this edition of "andrea mitchell reports." election day. we are headed to new hampshire and so are we. remember to follow the show online and twitter @mitchell reports. we have a look at tamron hall and "news nation." >> great to see you. a few hours to go until the

start of the iowa caucuses and rick perry is about to rally voters in des moines. perry made another shall we say risky comment comparing his fight to world war ii. our "news nation" political panel will join us. bachmann versus paul at a rock the caucus event at a high school in iowa. the different reaction the two received from the crowd and what do you think? will the candidate who wins the iowa caucus secure the gop nomination? it's our gut check today. [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline,

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>> hi, everyone. i'm tamron hall. developing news as the first vote fist division 2012 are a few hours away from being counted. the latest poll numbers show it is a three-person race and they are willing to wage a romney bet on who will finis o