Set your alarms to 5 PM today

[Omaha Steve]

The Des Moines Register will release its latest Iowa Poll then, setting the stage for next week's debate and the final weeks.

[W_HAMILTON]

1. I think the debate stage is pretty much set, no?

I think the closest person to qualifying is Yang, and I believe he needs more than just one poll to qualify. So, unless there are additional surprise polls out there, he won't be making the stage and the only six to qualify are Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Steyer.

[Demsrule86]

8. Who will qualify for February is interesting...

I think Klobuchar will be out unless she has a strong showing in either Iowa or New Hampshire. As for March...we will have two possibly three candidates in that poll...that is my prediction...and one candidate will be leading the others substantially...Obviously, I think it will be Biden.

[empedocles]

2. My alarm will signal when the debates are finally, finally, over.

[RandySF]

3. Which time zone?

[brooklynite]

4. That's 5 PM CENTRAL...

[ritapria]

5. The Des Moines Register Poll is just another poll

There have been screw ups galore since Selzer and Co have been conducting Iowa Caucus Polls for the Des Moines Register ..Examples ? .. 1 ) Pat Robertson was slated to get just 12%of the vote in 1988 ...He wound up with 25% of the vote...2 ) In 1996, Pat Buchanan was slotted to get just 11% of the vote …. He received 23% … 3) In 2016 , Trump was reported to be 5% ahead of Ted Cruz ..Cruz won Iowa - defeating Trump by 3% …..Rubio did 8% better than the 15% support credited to him by The Des Moines Register Poll ....4 ) In 2004 , Dick Gephardt did 8% worse than the 18% support level given him in the final Des Moines Register Poll …. 5) In 1992, Tom Harkin had only 54% of the vote ...He got 75% of the vote …….This is not a knock at Selzer and Co ...It is impossible to conduct Caucus polling without screwing up a whole helluva a lot - particularly in multi- candidate races ..2 person races are a walk in the park …… Ignore the media hype ….

[Demsrule86]

6. Does this mean you think Sanders is losing in the poll? I am interested. I have no idea how accurate

it is...we shall see.

[getagrip_already]

9. I tend to agree that polling caucuses isn't accurate...

Not because of the polling efforts or procedures, but because of the caucus process itself.

It's the loudest group wins. Intimidation, embarrassment, and a whole lot of yelling. Not democratic in the least and people can go in intending to vote one way and get forced to vote another.

You know who everyone - even in your family or office - is voting for. Everyone knows how you are voting - your boss, your customers, your spouse....

For some people, that's simply too much pressure and they vote differently than they would under an anon ballot.

Of course, that's why some people love the rough and tumble nature of it all. Others just stay home.

And the wrong candidate usually wins.

[Demsrule86]

7. I heard it would be on CNN first and then released by the paper on Saturday.