Episode 11: Change and Continuity

So: just how have the caucuses changed since their inception in 1972? What are the ways they’ll never change? We learn about caucus history—also, Joe Trippi claims CNN is to blame for the infamous Dean Scream.

Episode 10: Evangelicals and the Caucuses

Social and religious conservatives exercise significant power and influence in Iowa's Republican caucuses. Here, you’ll meet some of Iowa’s the political powerhouses who use their evangelical faith to frame politics.

Episode 9: Native Iowans

Not everyone comes in from out-of-state if they want to participate in the Iowa presidential caucuses — some of them start here. Former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who kinda-sorta killed the 1992 caucuses, talks about his time as a presidential candidate and what it means to be an Iowan in the Iowa caucu…

Episode 8: Caucus economics

Politicians, their staff, their fans and the reporters coming them all flock to Iowa every four years, and some Iowans are cashing in. In this episode, you get to meet some of the Midwestern entrepreneurs who see the first-in-the-nation caucuses as a business opportunity.

Episode 7: Being There

If you want to win in Iowa, it’s not enough to just run advertisements and talk in debates. You need boots on the ground, and this episode, we’ll show you why the first-in-the-nation state puts some much emphasis on grassroots, person-to-person campaigning. We talked to an expert of Iowa campaignin…

Episode 6: The Journalists

Following presidential candidates and their supporters around Iowa are the reporters documenting all of it. This episode reveals why national political reporters love covering politics in Iowa and describes what it's like to chase presidential candidates through the political cornfields.

Episode 5: The Activists

People who care about politics aren’t shy about reaching out to politicians. In Iowa, that means potentially talking to future presidents. Meet four Iowans with incredible stories of how their Iowa caucuses activism led to unforgettable encounters and genuine friendships with national leaders like …

Episode 4: The Candidates

So what’s it like running a caucus campaign? In this episode, you can hear directly from people who’ve ran — and won — in Iowa. Listen along as we talk with caucus winners Bob Dole and Walter Mondale.

Episode 2: Origins

How did the Iowa caucuses come to be? It’s a long story: but don’t worry—we can get you caught up. You’ll also hear the stories of Iowans who experienced Jimmy Carter's 1976 caucus campaign and George H.W. Bush's 1980 candidacy. This episode and others to come were originally recorded in 2015 and r…

Episode 3: Process and Controversy

The caucuses are complicated. This episode will tell you how the caucuses work and explores how their complicated nature has occasionally created the controversies — including the uncertain results of the 2012 Republican race.