<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2019/08/16/iowa-state-fair-political-soapbox-register-iowa-caucus-2020-presidential-election-democrats/1938666001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How 23 presidential candidates and the Iowa State Fair come together to make politics what it ought to be</a>  <font color="#6f6f6f">Des Moines Register</font><p>The Register brings presidential candidates to the Iowa State Fair so they can connect with Iowa voters directly. Here are some of the best moments you didn't ...</p>
CLOSE

Take a look inside the Iowa State Fair, a tradition in presidential politics. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com

CONNECTCOMMENTEMAILMORE

At first glance, the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox looks simple — quaint even.

A small black stage on a tiny patch of grass amid the unending asphalt of the Iowa State Fair’s Grand Concourse, the Soapbox is sparsely adorned with a backdrop and a few bales of straw.

The candidates — 23 running for president were scheduled this year — are so close that no bead of sweat goes unnoticed, no errant mustard stain from a wayward corndog unseen.

A lucky few dozen audience members can snag a folding chair, but the rest stand. There is no microphone in the crowd. Instead, speakers point to raised hands of audience members who yell out their inquiry.

But first impressions can be deceiving because making this look so simple took a heck of a lot of work.

Planning for this year’s Soapbox (as it is colloquially known) began in earnest during last year’s Soapbox — though one could dig out emails from the 2015 caucus-focused Soapbox laying the groundwork for what fairgoers are seeing now.

The first logistical meetings with State Fair leadership occurred when the temperature was below zero and the ground covered in snow. And, for at least the past month, details of this event have consumed Rachel Stassen-Berger, the Register’s politics editor, and Brian Smith, Soapbox logistical director and the paper’s audience growth strategist.

By the time the fair ends, more than 30 Register staffers and a handful more from across the USA TODAY Network will have played a role in covering or executing the Soapbox. Watching this well-oiled machine all in action — candidates moving on and off swiftly, fires being put out quickly — is like taking in a well-rehearsed Baryshnikov solo.

On Tuesday — after surviving Saturday, the busiest day in Soapbox history with nine scheduled candidates — the Register team was at it again, this time preparing for South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg to walk the boards.

Nearly 90 minutes before showtime, at least 40 fairgoers had staked out space on the lawn, ensuring they’d either get a chair or a spot by the straw. At 30 minutes until Buttigieg took the stage, the number grew into the hundreds.

While six Register staffers flitted about to answer voter questions or deal with media issues or generally keep the calm, the crowd kept growing.

Because, at the Soapbox, all anyone has to do to see the next leader of the free world is show up.

All the Soapbox coverage: Read about every speech and watch the replays

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 13, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 13, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 13, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 13, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of New York and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, waves after speaking at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
U.S. Sen. and 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

A large crowd listens to 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., make a speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

A large crowd listens to 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., as he makes a speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

A President Donald Trump supporter holds up a campaign sign as the Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fair is packed with people during 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers hold up signs as 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., makes a speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., 2020 democratic presidential candidate, listens to his introduction before speaking on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

The Grand Concourse of the Iowa State Fair is packed with people as 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., makes a speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

A large crowd listens to 2020 democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., as he makes a speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer listens to a question from 10-year-old Carter Nowak, of Independence, Missouri, at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Republican presidential candidate, former Mass. Gov. Bill Weld speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2020 candidate Bill Weld delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers listen to U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, give a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers listen to U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, give a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers listen to U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, give a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, navigates his way through a crowd after giving a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

A young supporter listens as 2020 candidate Cory Booker speaks at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren signs an issue of Time Magazine after her soapbox speech at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren embraces a supporter at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren autographs a soapbox schedule after her speech at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 candidate Elizabeth Warren signs a copy of The Mueller Report after her soapbox speech at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers listen to John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, give a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, greets fairgoers after giving a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Fairgoers listen to John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, give a speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, left, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Michael Hackbarth, left, takes a photo with Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, near the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, gives a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, talks to fairgoers after signing a few autographs and taking pictures near the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Joe Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, former Pennsylvania congressman and 2020 presidential candidate, signs an autograph after giving a campaign speech from the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Senator and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, right, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. of Ohio and 2020 democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., center, a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, listens to her introduction before walking onto the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox to give a stump speech to a packed crowd at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, addresses the crowd during her speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

A packed crowd gathers before U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, makes her debut on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, takes a moment to drink her latte and review a few notes before walking onto the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox to give a stump speech at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., center, a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, makes her way to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox as news media and fairgoers follow her at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., a 2020 democratic presidential candidate, addresses the crowd during her speech on the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., from left, talks to sisters Carsyn, Brya, 15, and Jayla Poindexter, 14, of Planfield, Ill., before heading to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox to give her stump speech at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. The sisters traveled with their mother Carla Poindexter to meet Harris and see her speak.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Cali., from left, talks to sisters Carsyn, Brya, 15, and Jayla Poindexter, 14, of Planfield, Ill., before heading to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox to give her stump speech at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. The sisters traveled with their mother Carla Poindexter to meet Harris and see her speak. Sam Owens/For the Register

Buy Photo

Fullscreen

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

People listen as Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

People listen as Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

People listen as Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, a former Maryland U.S. representative, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Friday, Aug. 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Businessman and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Julián Castro, Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 2020 presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Julián Castro, Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 2020 presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Julián Castro, Former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 2020 presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Montana Gov. and 2020 presidential candidate Steve Bullock delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden answers questions from members of the press at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

The crowd of people listens to Former Vice President Joe Biden speak at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

The crowd of people listens to Former Vice President Joe Biden speak at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden answers questions from members of the press at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers a speech at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

Steve Bullock’s media gaggle ran into Joe Biden's on the way off the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair. The two 2020 presidential candidates greeted each other and shook hands. Bullock joked that he warmed the crowd up for the former vice president.

Buy Photo

Brian Smith, Des Moines Register audience growth strategist, holds a gate open for U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and her staff leaving the soapbox during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Brady Ryan, presidential hopeful Tim Ryan's son, plays thumb wars with Claire Ulmer, Des Moines Register Political Soapbox staff and Register intern, while his dad speaks to the press during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

While Julián Castro, Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, speaks during the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, Rachel Stassen-Berger, the Register's politics editor, takes notes next to the stage on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, during the Iowa State Fair, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

A crowd of people gather to listen to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speak at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

A crowd of people gather to listen to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speak at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Replay

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Blueberry, buckets of cookies and thumb wars

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s delay was ice cream-related (as in he needed a Wonder Bar). U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren showed up at the fair at the busiest time on the busiest day leading to a football field’s length walk taking more than 40 minutes. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who on Thursday dropped out of the race, had to wait while Slipknot — Saturday night’s Grandstand performance — sound-checked.   

The first rule of the Soapbox is that you plan, you plan more, you create a spreadsheet of the plan and have meetings about the spreadsheet of the plan and then … you let go. After just one day at the Soapbox, you realize that the schedule, the candidates and even us Register employees are still at the whims of the fair.

Before his stop at the Soapbox, Buttigieg got a root beer float. Next on his list was a pork chop on a stick and a stop at the butter cow, one of his staffers told me.

“Oh, and, he’s really intrigued by these turkey legs,” the staffer added.

Meanwhile, Stassen-Berger briefed Buttigieg on the Soapbox process — and I mean brief-ed. Basically, she said, you get a microphone and 20 minutes to do what you want.

“I had one candidate ask me, ‘So could I tap dance?’” Stassen-Berger said. “Sure, it’s your 20 minutes! But when the same candidate asked me if he could set off pyrotechnics, that I had to say no to.”

When Biden made it backstage — ice cream in hand — Clare Ulmer, a Register summer intern from the University of Chicago, was the person designated to get him from stage to press gaggle.

“He said, ‘I’m following you, you tell me where to go,’” Ulmer said. “So for like 30 minutes I was in charge of the former vice president, which was pretty nerve-wracking but also very cool.”

Ulmer, who worked backstage for a lot of the Soapbox, also played entertainer to U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan’s young son. The two vied for thumb war supremacy as his dad outlined policy a few feet away, and when the youngster got hot, Ulmer suggested he press a cold water bottle to his skin.

“But he didn’t get it, and he just dumped the entire water bottle over his head,” Ulmer said. “I apologized to his mom about four times.”

For Smith, one of the favorite moments was U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s son toting a giant stuffed sloth he won earlier as his mom introduced him to the crowd. (Reports say the sloth was named Blueberry). 

Or realizing as he was cleaning up that U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s family left behind a bucket of cookies. (Reporter can confirm this was later shared with Register staff.)

Another fun happening was when businessman Tom Steyer, who speaks often about environmental policy, eschewed the plastic water bottles we provide for candidates to seek out the water fountain, Stassen-Berger said. 

“That kind of living his truth even when he’s hot, even when there’s a cold bottle of water in front of him, it just humanizes him,” she said, adding that she had a moment like that with every candidate that spoke this year.

“You become one of the people as you’re standing up there,” Stassen-Berger said. “You see the crowd. When Kamala Harris stood on the Soapbox stage, her first comment was, ‘Wooow!’ because there were just humans all around coming to listen to her.”

More: Why do presidential candidates rush to the Iowa State Fair?

CLOSE

We asked both fairgoers and presidential candidates to name as many Democratic presidential candidates as they could in under a minute. Here’s how they did. Katie Akin and Clare Ulmer, Des Moines Register

How politics ought to be

Indeed, as Buttigieg took the stage, the crush of humanity around him was impressive. People were standing in front of the Soapbox, others spilled out onto the concourse and still others crowded around the concrete wall behind the stage.

In the shade after his speech — during which questions ranged from educational policy to advice for college students, which from him was that “dish soap and hand soap are the same thing” — Buttigieg said that the Soapbox is how “politics ought to be.”

“Real conversations with people with the issues on their minds …,” Buttigieg said. “It’s a great chance to look somebody in the eye and, in the course of telling them what we plan to do, make sure they understand what we care about, too.”

With that, Buttigieg hit on the magic of the Soapbox. At the end of the day, this isn’t about the Register or even the candidates — it’s about the people, Iowans or otherwise, who gather on hot August days to ask their question.

Pundits much more politically savvy than I have written gobs about the civic machinations of the fair and of the entire caucus process, but to me, the Soapbox might be the best example of why the Iowa circus is so special — and so important.

More: Presidential candidates and Iowa State fairgoers alike struggle to name each Democratic presidential hopeful

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock wears black snakeskin boots during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand wears a turquoise ring during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet wears brown dress shoes during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden wears a beaded bracelet during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 8, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg keeps sunglasses on his side during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 13, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bill de Blasio wears a Thrill Parks wristband during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand wears beige Toms during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wears gold bracelets and a ring during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson wears snakeskin wedges during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan wears a "Moms Demand Action" pin during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee wears a gold wrapped wedding ring and watch during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer wears an embroidered belt during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wears a silver watch during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard wears an American flag pin during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Replay

  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock wears black snakeskin boots during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 8, 2019.1 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand wears a turquoise ring during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.2 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet wears brown dress shoes during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.3 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden wears a beaded bracelet during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 8, 2019.4 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg keeps sunglasses on his side during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 13, 2019.5 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bill de Blasio wears a Thrill Parks wristband during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.6 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand wears beige Toms during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.7 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wears gold bracelets and a ring during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.8 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson wears snakeskin wedges during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 9, 2019.9 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tim Ryan wears a "Moms Demand Action" pin during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.10 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee wears a gold wrapped wedding ring and watch during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 10, 2019.11 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer wears an embroidered belt during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.12 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders wears a silver watch during his speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 11, 2019.13 of 14
  • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard wears an American flag pin during her speech at the Iowa State Fair on August 9, 2019.14 of 14

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

However candidates get to the Soapbox — some rushed, others with sloths and cookies in tow — once they are on it, they have the same shot to impress. No more CNN talking heads, no more 30-second debate answers, just a microphone and a stage to make a pitch.

As candidates turn to the digital battleground and make the decision to go national instead of focusing on early-voting states, we lose what could be the most important part of picking a president: that human to human interaction.

At the Soapbox, as with the caucuses, when Iowans gather with friends and neighbors in a basement or a church hall or a community center to decide which leader is best, there are no barriers to participation. You don’t have to pay to play. You don’t have to be a donor. And you don’t have to know anyone.

It’s grassroots — literally given the straw bales protruding from the bottom of the stage — and it’s not polished, and it’s personal, which if you ask me is what we need a little more of in politics these days.

As soon as Buttigieg finishes taking questions, the media scrum follows him to find that pork chop. Smith and Stassen-Berger run into each other before heading off to their respective destinations: him, picking up chairs and her, editing.

But first, they have a quick debrief on Candidate 22. They’ve already started a list of improvements for next year and Stassen-Berger’s newest addition is figuring out a way to get an accurate crowd count.

The calendar might say 2019, but, for these two, it’s already 2023 in Iowa.

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.
Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, talks about how much he loves corn dogs at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., does an interview with Des Moines Register reporter Shelby Fleig on the Sky Glider at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker takes a bite of a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and her 11-year-old son Henry try brown sugar pork belly on a stick at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. Gillibrand walked around the State Fair with her family, also including her husband Jonathan Gillibrand, not pictured, and her campaign staff for hours on Saturday.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tries a warm chocolate chip cookie out of a Bucket O' Cookies at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., arrives at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, and his family enjoy corn dogs, root beer floats and lemonade at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate, pours a beer in the craft beer tent at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Marianne Williamson, author and 2020 presidential hopeful, poses for a selfie inside the Varied Industries Building during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

John Delaney, a former Maryland representative and 2020 presidential candidate, takes another bite of a pork chop at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, slides down the Giant Slide on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President Joe Biden buys an ice cream Wonder Bar for himself and sisters Grace and Noelle Beasley, of Urbandale, on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

2020 presidential hopeful Andrew Yang walks through the Iowa State Fair with a turkey leg in hand on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Juli‡n Castro, Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, talks with Mary Holtz, Iowa Ayrshire Princess, while visiting the cattle barn during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., 2020 democratic presidential candidate, makes his way to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.
New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker visits the Ferris wheel during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, right. stops by the Iowa Pork Producers Association tent at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, second from right to left, rides down the fun slide with her 11-year-old son Henry and her husband Jonathan at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., walks through the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, hands his son Brady a corn dog while exploring the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Julián Castro, Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, shakes hands and stops to talk with people while walking through the Iowa State Fair, on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Marianne Williamson, author and 2020 presidential hopeful, gives an interview inside the Varied Industries Building during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Vice President Joe Biden talks with people in the crowd as he makes his way through the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, and his family take a selfie with the butter cow on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, her 11-year-old son Henry and husband Jonathan rest their feet as they reapply sunscreen and drink water in Thrill Ville at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, eats a corn dog and talks to news media at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker does an interview during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, center, rides the Giant Slide with Harris Mayer, 4, of Iowa City, bottom, during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg shakes hands with Harris Mayer, 4, of Iowa City before riding the Giant Slide with him during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, takes a turn at the grill, flipping pork burgers for the Iowa Pork Producers during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., makes her way up to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate, poses for a photo from beer tent crew Joe Sheehan at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker visits his mother in the Ag building during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Evan Johnson, left, grills burgers with John Delaney, a former Maryland representative and 2020 presidential candidate, at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., 2020 democratic presidential candidate, is followed by a swarm of news media as he walks down the Grand Concourse on his way to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker tries a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, poses for a photo with his family on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, center, stands in line to purchase a corn dog at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019.

Buy Photo

South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Henry Gillibrand, 11, helps his mother U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, rub in her sunscreen as they rest their feet on a bench in Thrill Ville at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker walks out of the Ag building during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Bettie Bolar, from Marshalltown Iowa, shakes hands with former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate in the craft beer tent at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker does an interview during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

Marianne Williamson, author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate, answers questions inside the William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.

Buy Photo

Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, sits in the shade with his family between eating apple egg rolls and doing down the Giant Slide on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker leaves the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. And 2020 presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, talks about how exciting it was to smash a plate by throwing a ball after playing a fair game at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, left, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.

Buy Photo

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, right, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.

Buy Photo

Replay

  • Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.1 of 54
  • Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, talks about how much he loves corn dogs at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. 2 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., does an interview with Des Moines Register reporter Shelby Fleig on the Sky Glider at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 3 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker takes a bite of a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 4 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and her 11-year-old son Henry try brown sugar pork belly on a stick at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. Gillibrand walked around the State Fair with her family, also including her husband Jonathan Gillibrand, not pictured, and her campaign staff for hours on Saturday. 5 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tries a warm chocolate chip cookie out of a Bucket O' Cookies at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 6 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., arrives at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 7 of 54
  • U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, and his family enjoy corn dogs, root beer floats and lemonade at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 8 of 54
  • Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate, pours a beer in the craft beer tent at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.9 of 54
  • Marianne Williamson, author and 2020 presidential hopeful, poses for a selfie inside the Varied Industries Building during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines. 10 of 54
  • John Delaney, a former Maryland representative and 2020 presidential candidate, takes another bite of a pork chop at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. 11 of 54
  • Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, slides down the Giant Slide on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 12 of 54
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden buys an ice cream Wonder Bar for himself and sisters Grace and Noelle Beasley, of Urbandale, on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 13 of 54
  • 2020 presidential hopeful Andrew Yang walks through the Iowa State Fair with a turkey leg in hand on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines. 14 of 54
  • Juli‡n Castro, Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, talks with Mary Holtz, Iowa Ayrshire Princess, while visiting the cattle barn during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines. 15 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., 2020 democratic presidential candidate, makes his way to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. 16 of 54
  • Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.17 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker visits the Ferris wheel during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 18 of 54
  • John Hickenlooper, former Colorado Governor and 2020 presidential candidate, right. stops by the Iowa Pork Producers Association tent at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. 19 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, second from right to left, rides down the fun slide with her 11-year-old son Henry and her husband Jonathan at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. 20 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., walks through the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 21 of 54
  • U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, hands his son Brady a corn dog while exploring the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 22 of 54
  • Julián Castro, Former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, shakes hands and stops to talk with people while walking through the Iowa State Fair, on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines. 23 of 54
  • Marianne Williamson, author and 2020 presidential hopeful, gives an interview inside the Varied Industries Building during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Des Moines. 24 of 54
  • Former Vice President Joe Biden talks with people in the crowd as he makes his way through the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 25 of 54
  • Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, and his family take a selfie with the butter cow on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 26 of 54
  • Mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg speaks with reporters and fairgoers before his soapbox speech on August 13, 2019.27 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, her 11-year-old son Henry and husband Jonathan rest their feet as they reapply sunscreen and drink water in Thrill Ville at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. 28 of 54
  • Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, eats a corn dog and talks to news media at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. 29 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker does an interview during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 30 of 54
  • South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, center, rides the Giant Slide with Harris Mayer, 4, of Iowa City, bottom, during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines. 31 of 54
  • South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg shakes hands with Harris Mayer, 4, of Iowa City before riding the Giant Slide with him during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines. 32 of 54
  • U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, takes a turn at the grill, flipping pork burgers for the Iowa Pork Producers during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 33 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., makes her way up to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, in Des Moines. 34 of 54
  • Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate, poses for a photo from beer tent crew Joe Sheehan at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.35 of 54
  • South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines. 36 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker visits his mother in the Ag building during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 37 of 54
  • Evan Johnson, left, grills burgers with John Delaney, a former Maryland representative and 2020 presidential candidate, at the Iowa Pork Producers tent during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. 38 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., 2020 democratic presidential candidate, is followed by a swarm of news media as he walks down the Grand Concourse on his way to the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. 39 of 54
  • South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines. 40 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker tries a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 41 of 54
  • Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, poses for a photo with his family on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 42 of 54
  • Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City and 2020 democratic presidential candidate, center, stands in line to purchase a corn dog at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019. 43 of 54
  • South Bend Indiana Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg walks around during the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 in Des Moines. 44 of 54
  • Henry Gillibrand, 11, helps his mother U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, rub in her sunscreen as they rest their feet on a bench in Thrill Ville at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. 45 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker walks out of the Ag building during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 46 of 54
  • Bettie Bolar, from Marshalltown Iowa, shakes hands with former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and 2020 presidential candidate in the craft beer tent at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.47 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker does an interview during the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 48 of 54
  • Marianne Williamson, author, activist and 2020 presidential candidate, answers questions inside the William C. Knapp Varied Industries Building during the second day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019. 49 of 54
  • Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana, sits in the shade with his family between eating apple egg rolls and doing down the Giant Slide on the first day of the Iowa State Fair on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Des Moines. 50 of 54
  • New Jersey Senator and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker leaves the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 in Des Moines. 51 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. And 2020 presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, talks about how exciting it was to smash a plate by throwing a ball after playing a fair game at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019. 52 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, left, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.53 of 54
  • U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris holds Brady Ryan, the 5-year-old son of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, right, on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019 at the Iowa State Fair.54 of 54

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Who gets to take the stage? 

In creating the Soapbox guest list, the Register considers financing, political history, debate participation, and, most importantly, whether a given candidate is eligible for the caucuses. (So independents, who do not caucus in the state, need not apply.)

“This year it’s a lot of Democrats, but we did invite President Trump,” Rachel Stassen-Berger, the Register’s politics editor, said. He didn’t accept, “but we also had Bill Weld, a Republican, who wants to challenge the president in the caucuses.”  

“There are some campaigns that the first time we have ever heard from them is when they asked to be on the Soapbox stage,” she said. “So we explain our criteria about who gets on and who doesn’t get on.”

A formal invite went out in June — all at the same time to ensure fairness — and the schedule was set on a first come, first served basis.  

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Buttigieg were the first to reply.

COURTNEY CROWDER, the Register’s Iowa Columnist, traverses the state’s 99 counties telling Iowans’ stories. Her fair food of choice is the Bauder’s Peppermint Bar. You can reach her at 515-284-8360 or ccrowder@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter @courtneycare.

CONNECTCOMMENTEMAILMORE

Read or Share this story: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/courtney-crowder/2019/08/16/iowa-state-fair-political-soapbox-register-iowa-caucus-2020-presidential-election-democrats/1938666001/