THE SOAP BOX WHERE CANDIDATES MAKE THEIR PITCHES TO VOTERS.
PRISCILLA THOMPSON HAS MORE.
>> Reporter: I’M ACTUALLY
STANDING ON THE POLITICAL SOAP
BOX HERE AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR.
IT’S A SMALL STAGE SURROUNDED BY
HAY BALES.
HAY BALES. CANDIDATES ARE GIVEN 20 MINUTES
TO PITCH THEMSELVES TO ANYONE
WHO WILL LISTEN.
>> HELLO IOWA!
>> HELLO IOWA STATE FAIR!
>> ALOHA.
>> ALOHA. >> OVER THE COURSE OF THE
TEN-DAY IOWA STATE FAIR, MORE
THAN TWO DOZEN PRESIDENTIAL
HOPEFULS STEPPED ONTO THE
POLITICAL SOAP BOX TO WIN OVER
IOWA VOTERS.
IOWA VOTERS. THE CANDIDATES REALLY LEANED IN
TO THEIR MIDWESTERN ROOTS.
>> MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDPARENTS
SETTLED IN HENRY COUNTY IN 1850.
>> WE CAN SEE IOWA FROM OUR
PORCH.
PORCH. >> MY GREAT AUNT AND MY
GRANDMOTHER WERE BORN AND RAISED
IN DES MOINES.
>> ALL OF THE POLITICIANS
PITCHED THEMSELVES AS THE ONE
MOST QUALIFIED TO UNITE A
DIVIDED COUNTRY.
DIVIDED COUNTRY. >> WE CHOOSE UNITY OVER
DIVISION.
DIVISION. >> WE ARE SO MUCH STRONGER WHEN
WE CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER.
>> THIS IS THE MOMENT WE STAND
UP TO RACISM AND THE
DIVISIVENESS.
DIVISIVENESS. THIS IS THE MOMENT WE BRING OUR
PEOPLE TOGETHER.
PEOPLE TOGETHER. >> THOSE WHO ARE IN POWER SEEK
TO TEAR US APART FOR THEIR OWN
SELFISH GAIN.
SELFISH GAIN. IT IS ONLY WHEN WE THE PEOPLE
STAND UP AROUND THIS UNIFYING
PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM.
>> IN THE WAKE OF RECENT MASS
SHOOTINGS IN TEXAS AND IOWA, THE
CONTENDERS DESCRIBED AN URGENT
NEED FOR GUN REFORM.
>> THEY NEED ACTION.
THEY NEED CONGRESS.
THEY NEED MITCH McCONNELL TO GET
THE SENATE BACK IN SESSION AND
TO PASS COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY
LEGISLATION.
LEGISLATION. THAT’S WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE
PEOPLE OF EL PASO AND THE PEOPLE
OF DAYTON AND EVERYWHERE ELSE.
>> INCLUDING UNIVERSAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS AND A RENEWAL
OF THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN.
>> I WANT UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND
CHECKS.
CHECKS. I WANT TO OUTLAW BUMP STOCKS.
I WANT TO CLOSE ALL THE
LOOPHOLES.
LOOPHOLES. >> BUT THEY DON’T AGREE ON
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. >> WE’RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS PROTECTED
BY BUILDING ON OBAMACARE,
RESTORING THE HISTORIC BILL THAT
WE DID.
WE DID. >> THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT US
TO MOVE TO A MEDICARE FOR ALL
SINGLE PAYER PROGRAM.
THAT MEANS NO DEDUCTIBLES, NO
CO-PAYMENTS, NO OUT-OF-POCKET
EXPANSE
EXPANSE EXPENSES
EXPENSES EXPENSES.
EXPENSES. >> HOW DO WE BUILD A SYSTEM THAT
REVERSES CHRONIC DISEASES THAT
ARE COSTING $3.5 TRILLION A
YEAR.
YEAR. >> WE ARE PUNISHING YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE CRIME OF
GETTING A HIGHER EDUCATION AND
FINDING THEMSELVES 50 OR
$100,000 IN DEBT.
AND I SAID THAT AND LET ME SAY
IT NOW MORE CLEARLY, THAT IN
AMERICA TODAY WE NEED TO CANCEL
STUDENT DEBT.
STUDENT DEBT. >> I DO NOT SUPPORT BERNIE’S
PLANS TO GET RID OF STUDENT DEBT
IN THIS COUNTRY.
I WOULD RATHER HAVE FREE
PRESCHOOL IN THIS COUNTRY THAN
FREE COLLEGE IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> YOU CAN MAKE TECHNICAL
SCHOOL, COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND
FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC COLLEGE TUITION
FREE FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO
GET AN EDUCATION.
WE CAN DO ALL OF THE THINGS I
TALKED ABOUT PLUS CANCEL STUDENT
LOAN DEBT FOR 95% OF THE KIDS
THAT HAVE IT.
>> IN A FIELD THIS LARGE, ONE
HOPEFUL DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO
STAND OUT WAS BY HAVING THE
AUDIENCE DO THE TALKING FOR HIM.
>> ONE STATE ACTUALLY PASSED A
DIVIDEND THAT EVERYONE IN THAT
STATE NOW GETS BETWEEN $1,000
AND $2,000 A YEAR NO QUESTIONS
ASKED.
ASKED. WHAT STATE IS THAT?
AND HOW DO THEY PAY FOR IT?
WHAT IS THE OIL OF THE 21st
CENTURY?
CENTURY? TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY. THAT’S RIGHT.
THAT’S RIGHT. THEY CALL IT THE OIL CHECK IN
ALASKA AND THEY LOVE IT.